Happy Birthday Pet Peeves!

Happy Birthday to my Blog! I started this blog one year ago today. I thought it was going to be a piece of cake to complaining 365 days a year. This will be my 360^th blog, so I fell short a few of my commitment. I am not going to dwell on my shortage, but celebrate the fact I am still writing today! I do it admit it is easy most of the time. There are days I scratch my head thinking what can I write about today. But most times, what is going on in life or the world, makes it simple to come up with a topic to rant about. Sometimes I even wake up knowing what I am going to write about.

Today for instance, I woke up early, but I wasn’t scratching my head, I was scratching my ear. Some mosquito managed to get through the window and storm window and hide out in my bedroom till I was asleep. Then he attacked! He got my arms and hands in a couple of places and I can tolerate those bites, but my ear not so much. I could feel it was swollen to twice its size even before I got out of bed. I knew it was not going to look good. Sure enough, I look in the mirror bracing myself for the worst, and there is was. My right ear, swollen and red as a beet and sticking out, like Alfalpha’s from the Little Rascals. Nothing to be done about it either. I just have to wait until it goes away on it’s own.

I go to breakfast and my younger daughter comes downstairs for hers. She takes a look at me and asks, “What happened to your ear? It’s gross!” I tell her a mosquito bit me, and thanks for pointing that out. Knowing my older daughter has a weak stomach, I say, “Maybe I should wear a hat before your sister gets down here?” Younger daughter, “Why? She will probably notice the hat before she notices your ear.” Me, “Yes, but the hat won’t be ‘gross.’” I decide not to do anything and my older daughter, who is grumpy in the morning (and plenty of other times throughout the day) barely looks at me. If she noticed my ear she never mentioned it. But it is pretty bad, and sticks out like a sore thumb.

So my day is off to a great start! Luckily I don’t have anywhere to go where I will need to explain my new deformity. Last year at this time I was complaining about Verizon and my Black & Decker Toaster. When I think about that, my ear doesn’t seem quite so bad.



The Dr. Conrad Murray Trial Part 2

I guess I didn’t get everything out of my system yesterday about the good “doctor” because the news yesterday riled me up a bit more. I was reading a few things. AEG, the people responsible for running Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” Tour, testified. I read that the defense said that in his private practice, there were times that people came to Dr. Murray sick and with no money and he would not charge to treat them because he was a compassionate doctor. However, when Michael Jackson insisted that his own personal physician, Dr. Murray, accompany him on his tour, AEG said he asked for 5 million dollars, a CPR machine and another medical professional. Dr. Murray reassured them it was just a precaution, as Jackson was in excellent physical health. Interesting. A tape of Jackson, recorded in early May clearly shows he can barely speak, slurred his words and was at times incoherent. If you recall, I learned yesterday, he was being paid $150,000 a month by Michael Jackson, for taking care of him. In a year that comes to 1.8 million dollars, then on top of that, for going on the tour, he wanted 5 million dollars. AEG told him that wasn’t happening. Jackson told them to offer him $150,000 a month, which they did. Murray refused until he was told that offer came directly from Michael.

Michael Jackson’s children watched as Dr. Murray gave him CPR while a 911 ambulance was on it’s way. Well he called 911 at 12:20, which was almost an hour and a half after he found Michael’s lifeless body, so I think that CPR was all for “show.” Even a four year old knows to dial 911 in an emergency. Then, Michael’s personal assistant testified that Dr. Murray told him, soon after Michael’s death that he needed to return to the house because, “there's some cream in Michael's room in the house that he wouldn't want the world to know about." The drug propofol has a creamy, white appearance and is sometimes referred to as “milk” by some addicts. Why try to hide evidence if everything was all above board? Because it wasn’t. Dr. Murray was lining his pockets with money and acting as Michael Jackson’s drug dealer, not a doctor.

Now the defense is trying to say that Michael Jackson took his own life by taking additional medication when Murray stepped out of the room. I don’t buy it and who is going to prove it? Are we to believe anything this “doctor” has to say about what he administered and how much? Michael was in fragile condition. Maybe a “normal” dose was more than his body could take at the time. We will never know because the doctor was busy making numerous phone calls for about an hour and a half. And, even if you want to believe Michael Jackson took the additional medicine himself, why isn’t the doctor to blame? Michael was an addict. There were seven bottles of drugs by his bedside. The doctor irresponsibly left him unattended with the medications all nearby. There was no way Michael was conscious enough to be using good judgment or even know what he was doing, he had already been medicated by the doctor.

The more I hear the more it bothers me. This man was not acting in the capacity of a doctor and what he was doing was criminal. I believe that fours years is not enough of a sentence, even though it’s the maximum he can get, for all he has done in this case. I think his tears are for himself, not Michael. He screwed up because of greed. He wasn’t a friend to Michael, he was an opportunist who saw a way to get rich by preying on Michael’s dependency on drugs. It’s sickening.

Maybe I am done, maybe not. We’ll see what else comes out in court when medical experts testify.



Trial of Dr. Conrad Murray

Yesterday there was some discussion between a few friends as to what the punishment should be for Dr. Murray, who was treating Michael Jackson when he died. The trial is underway and, some say, losing his medical license is enough punishment, while I felt that there should also be jail time. The charges against him are involuntary manslaughter. I admit to not knowing all the facts and I based my opinion on what I heard over the past two years. So to be fair I read a few of the specifics of the evidence that will be presented at trial and stated in opening arguments.

For giving up his medical practice in order to care for Michael Jackson exclusively, Dr. Murray was paid the sum of $150,000 per month. Even though he claimed to be weaning Jackson off the drug propofol, Dr. Murray ordered large quantities of propofol starting in April and up until Jackson’s death. The drug is an anesthetic to be used only in highly monitored hospital settings, and the standard of care was violated by using it outside a hospital and as a sleep aid. There was no resuscitation equipment at the home in case of emergency. After giving him propofol, Dr. Murray left the room leaving Jackson unattended for “two minutes” that he admits to, yet his phone records indicate otherwise. Beside Jackson’s bed were additional bottles of pills. It was noted that 911 was not immediately called. When 911 was called they were never told about propofol being administered.

The treatment was improper for insomnia. There was clearly a lack of proper equipment present as required when propofol is administered. Dr. Murray was found to have made many phones calls between 10:20 and 11:51 and discovered Michael Jackson unconscious at 11:56. He called 911 at 12:20, twenty-four minutes after finding him unconscious. At 11:51 Dr. Murray was on the phone with his girlfriend and subsequently the phone went dead, presumably when he noticed Jackson’s physical state. He stopped responding to the girlfriend and the phone went dead. At 12:12 Dr. Murray called Michael Jackson’s assistant asking him to call him right away. The assistant called back and Dr. Murray told him Michael had a bad reaction to the medication. Dr. Murray still had not called 911.

Dr. Murray was not medically specialized to use the drug propofol. He acted repeatedly with gross negligence and repeatedly failed to use appropriate care. If convicted he could spend four years in prison and lose his license. Considering the numerous acts of gross negligence involved that he performed, as a medical doctor, I am sticking with my original opinion that prison time is in order. The facts speak for themselves. He is responsible for all his actions.  He will probably not serve four years even if sentenced to four.

I’m sure Dr. Murray had other options, including calling in a medical specialist on Jackson’s case. However, if he was acting in a way that was not ethical, not medically sound, against his Hippocratic Oath, against the law, outside the parameters of the medical protocol required, and against common sense even, what specialist could he consult with who would put his own career at risk? No one was going to condone what he was doing so he took it upon himself to administer lethal drugs in an improper setting without the necessary monitoring equipment and with full knowledge of the risks involved. Then, against common sense, he delayed calling 911 because he had been on the phone with his girlfriend and not at Michael Jackson’s side, to see exactly what happened before he went unconscious. Maybe if he had been there, CPR may have worked if performed earlier? And, he never even told emergency personnel that propofol had been administered.

I guess we will wait to see what the jury thinks about the facts of the case. But from where I am sitting, his actions were criminally negligent and deserve prison time.



I Could Get Used To Being Rich....

Won’t someone give me the chance to try it out? I am just day dreaming right now. What if I had enough money to hire people to do everything I didn’t feel like doing? How sweet would that be? I could sit here and type blogs while the maid brings me a delicious, well balanced and healthy lunch with a glass of wine. I think I could live with that. If I see dust, instead of reaching for the feather duster, I can reach for a little bell and ring the maid. Of course, I shouldn’t be seeing dust if I am paying for it not to be there.

How great would it be not to think about what to make for dinner anymore? The cook will prepare the nightly menus and if we all don’t eat the same things, she can make two courses, complete with appetizers and desserts, which I never make. Oh, and no dishes to wash or put in the dishwasher for me, everything magically gets clean and put away.

No more laundry! Clothes make their way to the washer and dryer and then get ironed and hung up in the closet. Maybe I need an upstairs maid and downstairs maid? There is so much to do: beds to be made, vacuuming, silver to polish, crystal chandeliers to clean, food shopping, windows, bathrooms etc. My head hurts from thinking about it all. Oh, I need a gardener, my husband has allergies and I can’t have him out there suffering.

I have a medical condition called, “road rage” and that means I also need a chauffeur. I don’t want to be a danger to myself and others and risk losing my maids, cook and gardener! That won’t do at all. I have to take good care of myself so as to be able to enjoy being rich for as long as possible.

Oh well, day dream over, back to the old grind! I guess I’ll make a sandwich and then start dusting.



Russian Dolls Bites The Dust!

A while back I started blogging about the Lifetime show Russian Dolls.  My daughter and I started a blog about it in order to eventually bring traffic over to her website.  The blog has been fairly successful and in 7 weeks of episodes we have had over 16,500 hits.  There are 5 more episodes to air, however the ratings aren't there.  The numbers kept dropping every week and in mid August they changed the time from 10:30 PM to 11:30 PM due to lack of viewership.

Well, even that wasn't good enough.  I just found out that they are airing the last 5 episodes on Friday, October 7th at 8AM as a marathon.  The blog was a success, but the show is a dismal failure.  I have to admit that at first I was trying to be positive, but honest, in my blogging.  Over time it just wasn't possible to be very positive.  The cast members leave a lot to be desired.  Most were self centered, materialistic and obnoxious.  Thank God it was just a 30 minute show.  Soon I began writing about all the faults of the cast members and was actually enjoying taking pot shots at their character flaws.  Now we have run out of gas, so to speak.  What can I do with that blog?  And should I watch the five episode marathon which will undoubtedly be a fiasco?  Any suggestions? 

All is not lost though.  I learned that if I can make a successful blog out of a show like this, I can do it with just about anything.  My daughter and I will have to regroup and think what to do from here.  Meanwhile I have this blog to write about anything and everything under the sun.  If you have never seen Russian Dolls you can congratulate yourself for a wise decision!

P.S. To Lifetime: You made many common sense errors, in my opinion, and shot yourselves in the foot, practically guaranteeing the show would tank and it did.  I am going to address these issues in a blog over at Russian Dolls.

Loving Fall...So Far!

I am loving Fall...so far.  Ok so the leaves haven't had a chance to change colors yet, but it won't be long now.  We got a couple of nice cool days and it got me into the baking mood.  I made two batches of brownies for the girls this week.  The first batch was practically inhaled because it had been so long since I made them because of the heat.  Today I got up.  It's cloudy.  I decide to make some pumpkin bread for my husband.  He loves his cake and coffee in the afternoon, on the weekends.  He deserves a treat for all he does for us.  

I love baking in the fall and winter.  It's not so much the baking part, but it watching my family enjoy the end result.  One year, when we went apple and pumpkin picking, this particluar farm also sold ready made pies.  We picked up a couple of pies to take home.  One was an apple-raspberry pie and it was delicious.  So, I decided to try and make my own apple pie and got the brainstorm to cut back on the sugar and add some seedless raspberry jam instead.  The result was my own apple-raspberry pie that became in instant hit with everyone who tried it. 

I am already looking forward to the holidays and thinking ahead.  I remember my blogs from last year about trying to figure out what to get the girls for Christmas.  I always start trying to come up with ideas on October 1st because it's so hard and risky to wait till the last minute. Somehow I always manage to come through in the end and make sure they have great presents.  This year we have another dilemma, not only can't they think of anything, they are too tired to try.  I may be left to my own devices altogether. 

I will take my annual trip to Toys R Us and check out this year's toy selections.  I'll pretend I am shopping for my girls and tell my husband (who humors me) what I would be buying and why.  I'll pick up a couple of things to donate to children who need it.  Maybe that will satisfy my needs!

Bone Density Test, Another Sign Of Old Age

On Wednesday I finally went for my bone density test.  It was kind of overdue, because even though I am a little young for it, my mother had osteoporosis.  I knew in the back of my mind I would have it too one day.  The procedure is harmless and pretty quick and you get the results right away. 

I got to the office early and the technician took me immediately.  I lay on the table and she starts the scan.  As she watches the monitor she asks me, "Are you Sicilian?"  I answer, "Yes, can you tell that from looking at my bones?"  She says yes.  Apparently, in her experience, Sicilians in general have bad bones.  So much so that it made her curious as to why so she did a little research and found out that a one time, in Sicily, there was a dairy shortage.  I can't seem to find anything on it, but it makes sense. 

As the scan continues, she tell me I have osteoporosis   I already looked up what the results mean so I would know ahead of time when they told me the numbers.  The T scores go from 0 to -4.  Anything above -1 is considered normal and anything below -2.5 you have osteoporosis   My score?  -3.   So now I have to be treated for it, but the drugs all have some risky side effects and I'm not thrilled.  The ones given orally are harsh on the digestive tract and since I have a haital hernia, those are out.  The doctor wants to give me an injection every six months.  This is to prevent any further bone loss and the good news is, that there are ways to replace the bone that has been lost with calcium supplements and vitamin D, exercise, diet, etc.  It may take three or four years, but it can be improved. 

I wish I had gone sooner to be tested.  After menopause, with the loss of estrogen, bone loss increases.  I sort of knew that, but I was dealing with other things at the time.  So now I will try to get back on my 17 Day Diet, add in the exercise and drink water!  I hate having to pay so much attention to myself, but those are the three things that are the cure all for everything, no matter what is wrong with you.  And, as I see myself going down hill from here, my only choice is damage control.

Now I know a lot of you are younger than I am so take my advice.  It's better and easier to take care of yourself before you start falling apart than after.  You can wait until you have a health issue or actually prevent a lot of things before you even get them.  I wish I had talked less about having a healthier lifestyle and done more about it.  It's never too late though, so here I go again!

Facebook, If It Ain't Broke...

Don't fix it!!!  How many times do we have to wake up to facebook changes that we didn't need in the first place?  We were all happy with it the way it was damn it!  Now we have to get used to these new features which interfere with our enjoyment and ability to communicate with our friends.  I don't even know what I am doing.  I haven't figured it all out to complain properly.  All I know is I don't like it and I am not alone.  The chaos created has made the news.  I heard about it this morning.  On top of that, and I hate to break it to you, but more changes are coming.  Are they trying to drive us away or what?

My little "recent" news link is gone.  I used that to catch up on what I missed during the night.  Now we have a drop arrow that allows you to decide if you want all a person's updates, most of them or only the important ones!  Like my friend Sandy asked, WHO decides which of their posts are important?  Is someone at Facebook reading every post and filtering out the frivilous ones and allowing the life and death ones to get through?  What the hell were they thinking? 

Well we all need to vent so feel free to voice your facebook frustrations right here along with me.  Maybe together we will figure it all out because I seriously doubt that facebook cares enough to change it back for us!



Baby Murderer Gets Glowing Obituary!

I am frequently asked to look into stories and make a peeve out of them. I guess some love reading my take on things or they really enjoy riling me up! This story is one of those special requests. I would not have heard of it since it happened across the country, but now that I am aware of it I find it very hard to ignore. I even remembered the killer’s name this morning after it was only told to me once. To be honest, that in itself is a miracle with my memory. Here are the facts of the case and maybe it will rile you up too.

A man named Kevin James Collier, in San Diego, became outraged when his former wife filed for full custody of their infant daughter. So enraged did he become that he shot the infant at point blank range, killing her instantly. He threw the body into his pickup truck and then killed his ex mother in-law and set her house on fire. Then he killed himself.

You would think that is enough of a story? But no, it isn’t. To add insult to injury, the Collier family decided to place an obituary in the local paper which caused the whole community to be outraged. He was described as an animal lover and farmer and then this:

On June 22, 2010, the love of his life was born, his daughter, Rhilee Jean Collier, who he affectionately referred to as "Princess". They could be seen many a Saturday for breakfast at Ramona Cafe. He cherished his little girl who also passed away August 21, 2011, and is forever in his heart.

This was accompanied by a photo of him holding his daughter.

I do not for the life of me understand how or why the newspaper would print this, even at the family’s request. If I lived in that town, I would organize a boycott of the paper. They had full knowledge of the facts and still decided to go along with printing this for a few measly dollars? No wonder people are sick over this.  And what is wrong with his family?  They all need to get into some serious counseling if that think shooting a baby, point blank, is a sign of how much he loved her! 



Leah Remini & Holly Robinson Peete Fired!



To those of you still watching The Talk and waiting and wondering where Leah and Holly are, they are NOT on vacation, they have been fired by CBS. The ladies who worked hard to get the show established and were two of the most popular hosts, have been let go. Why? No answers from CBS or “journalist Julie Chen, who is taking a successful show and destroying it single handedly.

I have written a rather long blog on this subject which you can read here: The Talk Blog

However, I need to address this topic once again and hope that face book fans of the show will help spread the word. Numbers Talk! There are several face book pages, created by fans, to put a spotlight on this issue and to try to get another network to pick up Leah and Holly (and maybe Mrs. O.). It is more about the way the whole thing was handled than about their letting Leah and Holly go. However, you can imagine how hurt and betrayed they must feel about this since they were not given any explanation either and consider the other hosts friends.

Everyone You Know Is Struggling…

That’s what my daughter said to me after seeing my facebook status always asking for prayers for friends or sending them. Until facebook, I never realized how much of a struggle life is for just about everyone. The updates I read make me very much aware of the daily challenges so many of my friends are facing, and I don’t even have that many friends. I have tried to keep my list to a minimum so that I can pay attention to the ones I have and offer prayers and advice if I can. They do the same for me.

They call facebook a social medium. People who have never met or even spoken on the phone, connect with one another, It’s more than a social medium to chat about what’s happening in your life. It’s a support group when you need to talk, but only have a few minutes here or there to use the computer. You know, when you get back, there will be responses of support, encouragement, advice, prayers. Not everyone has that in real life. People today are too busy to cultivate and nurture real friendships. That takes a lot of time and who has time? Life is a juggling act. We can’t squeeze everything in as it is, much less an hour or two phone call. But today we have facebook. As fast as you can type, you can talk about your problem and soon many people will be there offering to help in any way they can, without any expectations just genuine concern. It’s amazing when you think about it.

Facebook is also like having a virtual family. You really grow to care for many people and they reciprocate. They take time out of their day for you and follow up with private messages to see how you are doing. How many real people that you know do that? We talk to these people on a daily basis. If we are missing, they worry something is wrong. The closest people in my family don’t know as many details about what is going on with me as my facebook friends do. I find my friends to be accepting and nonjudgmental. Maybe that’s why facebook is one of the first places I turn to when something goes wrong?

When I joined facebook it was because some friends had joined and they wanted me to be part of their circle of friends. I did so reluctantly, not knowing anything about this “social media.” It was like a playgroup for adults. It took me a while to get used to it. Now I spend a lot of time checking my facebook page and looking in on friends. We play games via facebook, we share pictures, we share stories and memories, progress reports on diets and exercise, favorite music, tips, bargains we come across, recipes, interests, the list never ends. I love it.

The only thing I am doing now is keeping my friend list to a minimum. I don’t want to have so much going on, on my page that I cannot keep up with those who matter most to me. Maybe today I will scroll down my list and see if I can trim it down a bit. If you are on my friend list, then I hope you know you matter to me. We were all brought together for a reason and it seems to be working out just fine.

Dr. Phil Interviews The Anthony’s - Part 3 Recap

Dr. Phil has more questions. Casey was reported to want another baby and he asks if they think that’s a good idea. Cindy says not until they find out what might be wrong with her, a hormonal trigger of some kind. Lee is about to get married and they hope to be grandparents again. Cindy says she feels comfortable with Casey babysitting their baby. George says that would be up to Lee and his wife. Even though Cindy thinks something is seriously wrong with Casey and she thinks she could baby sit another child. She doesn’t think that Casey is evil and would let anything happen to another child. She thinks Casey would be extra cautious. Dr. Phil is stunned that Cindy would leave Casey alone with another child.

They were aware during the trial, that anything they said could get Casey the death penalty. They say they were prepared to tell the truth regardless of the outcome. They answered all the specific questions asked of them. Baez called in Cindy for a private meeting alone, without George. She says Casey wanted her to know something.  Baez told her Casey wanted her to know how Caylee died. That’s when he told her Caylee drowned in the pool. Cindy couldn’t believe that Casey put them all through this, for three years, without saying anything. Cindy asks “why now?” Baez wanted to tell her sooner, but Casey said no. Then, when it was going to be used at trial, Casey wanted Cindy to be the first to know. George thinks they were playing on Cindy’s emotions the whole time (Baez and Casey) George says he never believed anything the defense has told them. He feels he wasn’t asked to the meeting because he wouldn’t believe it. They wanted to get Cindy on board with their story.

Dr. Phil asks when the first time George hears he molested Casey. He says he read it in a letter and he realizes the defense was coming after him. Dr. Phil says the defense learned through the social media that George wasn’t liked so he was a likely target to cause reasonable doubt. They used the molestation theory to explain away Casey’s lies. They played the tapes of Baez describing sexual molestation of Casey by George. It was in the opening statement and the parents were not allowed to have any reaction when listening to it. George says he never touched her inappropriately and Cindy believes it. The defense theory was not truthful. If that defense theory of molestation contributed to the acquittal then the acquittal was wrong. Cindy thinks they acquitted Casey because the state did not prove their case. Dr. Phil pushes Cindy, if she knows for a fact that George never hurt Casey. She says absolutely, she would have killed him herself or turned him in. A week after they found out Caylee drowned, the defense told her they were going to use molestation in the case. The accidental drowning didn’t make any sense. George would have given her resuscitation and called 911 and not gone to work that day. Cindy saw George dying inside every day.  She is convinced he did not have anything to do with any drowning.

Dr. Phil thinks the jury was duped by the drowning theory. Cindy thinks Baez had to try to pin it on someone else to create reasonable doubt. George became his fall guy. Dr. Phil says the two major parts of the defense were misinformation, the molestation and George being part of the drowning, but Cindy believes that duping them was not an issue it was more the fact there was not enough evidence. George could not believe that Casey was not going to serve time for Caylee’s death. She wasn’t going to be held accountable. He wanted to hear a guilty to one of the charges. Cindy was praying for all three not guilty and was elated when she heard she was acquitted. Cindy thinks George wanted her to pay for hurting him and for all the lies. George says no he wanted her accountable for what happened to Caylee. One was disappointed and one was relieved. George says Casey can have a relationship with her mother and brother. His relationship will never be more than what it is now.

Dr. Phil keeps calling Cindy out on her string of denials. He asks her about whether she perjured herself on the stand or not. So he gets to the chloroform searches. She says she did a Google search that on the home computer. However, the expert says the search was made while Cindy was at work. Cindy says she was home and she made the searches. But her employer said she was at work. People think she lied. She says she looked up chlorophyll and it went to chloroform. She was looking up chlorophyll because her dog was eating plants and the dog might get sick. Dr. Phil tells her a large portion of the public believes she lies and she swears she did not. Cindy says the expert came back to recant his testimony.  There weren't 84 searches as he said, but one search. And if he was wrong about the number of searches he could be wrong about the date of the search.

Cindy has heard from Casey indirectly through her attorney that she loves all of them and when the time is right they will meet again.

Casey is one of the most criticized hated people in the country right now. Cindy says a lot of that is directed at her and George. Cindy wants her to get treatment and move on with her life with a career and a family. If she showed up on their front porch tomorrow would they let her come home. Lee and Cindy would find a place for her. She could not live with George, she would not be welcomed if he is there. Cindy would not expect him to live with Casey. Cindy understands how he feels. Dr. Phil thinks if given time Casey will mess up again and they think they will be ok…they are working on Caylee’s Law requires reporting of missing child or death in timely manner.

Charlie Sheen At Emmys

Will wonders ever cease? 

I didn’t watch the Emmys, but I happened to catch Charlie Sheen’s surprising appearance last night. Charlie was the presenter for the category Outstanding Actor of a comedy series, what used to be his category. Charlie was rational, gracious and joke-free as he thanked the cast of Two and a Half Men for allowing him to be a part of the show for eight years. I have to wonder how sincere he actually was or was this a planned scheme to show he is rehabilitated and ready to work again? He all but killed his career over the past several months with highly publicized, erratic behavior. I kept waiting for him to say “WINNING,” but he never did.

Charlie, in the mean time, is going to be roasted by Comedy Central and it’s to be aired opposite the premiere of Two and a Half Men. Interesting time slot, don’t you think? But for now I am guessing Charlie and his agent want him on his best behavior, a new and improved Charlie, so he can start raking in those big bucks again. I just have to wonder how long this is going to last.



Lindsay Lohan Kicked Out Of Party!

Even “party” people don’t want Lindsay Lohan around and Lindsay never learns her lesson. She is the last person that needs to be out partying, it always gets her into trouble with the law.

The story is that Lindsay was not welcome at the Marc Jacobs Fashion Week party (have no idea who he is), but managed to get in to The Gallery at The Dream Hotel Thursday night. Lindsay doesn’t like to take no for an answer and eventually made her way into the event. The reason she was person non grata is that the night before, Lindsay threw a glass at a waitress in a violent episode, and word got around. However, as soon as Lindsay made herself comfortable at a table, security guards came over and asked her to leave The Gallery. Lindsay got up and left without a scene and promptly went back to the Boom Boom Room where she had the incident with the waitress the night before. They allowed her back.  I'm not totally heartless, I do blame a lot of Lindsay's mistakes on her parents (she never really had any) and the bad example they set all along the way.

Kate Gosslin On My Last Nerve!

What is it about Kate Gosslin that she will not fade into the sunset and off the television screen? Her show has been cancelled after the last episode aired recently. Kate managed to insult all her fans when she said Jon had a regular job and is content with “mediocre” for his children, while she insists she needs a television job in order to give them the best. All the viewers with regular jobs and mediocre lifestyles just have to suck it up. Meanwhile, Kate, who wanted one more child and got six more instead, is hardly being a mother to them. The children have been affected by growing up on television and many have some serious behavior issues. What would be “best” for her children is to have a full time mother who isn’t screaming at everyone 24/7! Oh did I forget to mention that Kate is driving around in a two door sports car? I’m sure that is best for her eight children. Maybe if she is kept off television she will go back to parenting before it’s too late for all her children?

When Do We Relax?

I was talking to my husband yesterday and asked him when are we supposed to be able to relax? There is something every day to worry about or do. Problems spring up before you can take care of the ones you already have. We are getting tired and old before our time!

I am helping my older daughter unpack and do laundry so she can go back to work with a clear head Monday. Meanwhile my husband took our younger daughter to the doctor for a probably ear infection. She never complains, so I knew it was hurting her a lot when she got up early this morning so she could be seen asap. She has tests coming up to study for too. Maybe I shouldn’t worry so much, things have a way of working out and most times I have no control over them anyway. But, instead of giving me patience when I was born, God gave me a huge dose of worrying liberally coated in pessimism, so I am the poster child for gloom and doom. Most people tell me I am a positive person, and there’s the irony. I don’t see myself as positive and don’t know where they see the positive. If there is any chance something will or can go wrong, my mind automatically assumes the worst will happen.

Now I am on pins and needles waiting for my husband and daughter to get back. I hate for her to be in pain and I can’t wait to get the antibiotics going so she can feel better. She has had a rough three years in this Med Tech program and is doing so well. Just another eight months till graduation!

So you see I am preoccupied with my children today. I can’t even think of anything else. I was born to be a full time mother. I’m sure both girls wish I would switch to part time or better yet, retire. But, it ain’t gonna happen.



Free Coffee Is Irritating....

I went to see the doctor today.  She sees patients at the hospital and the floor she is on has a very large reception area for patients to wait.  They also have a large coffee machine that makes flavored coffee.  It's very nice of them to supply coffee to patients while they wait.  So what's my peeve?  Well, I was a little anxious today...ok maybe more than a little...I was there for test results and my older daughter is flying home from Europe and my younger daughter has some kind of painful ear situation she mentioned this morning, and yesterday I burned a huge pot of meat sauce that was supposed to be tonight's dinner, and had to get rid of it this morning because I didn't want to make anyone sick and then I had to go to the butcher to buy the meat to make it over today and then found out the butcher was out of meat and was waiting for a delivery and shall I go on?

So back to the coffee maker.  You all know that if you give away anything for free, people will come and get it, whether they want it or not, just because it's free.  Coffee is popular, so when it's free everyone stands in line for a cup; and when it's flavored or a latte, they also bring everyone they know with them to get a cup or two.  So as I bit my nails, waited to be called in for my appointment, I had plenty of time to watch the coffee line.  I could have turned away, and I di, but every time someone pressed the putton for coffee, the sound was getting on my nerves.  It was like the sound of a hair dryer going on, going off, going on, going off...and in my state of mind I am sure it sounded louder than it really was.  I just sat their complaining to my husband, the saint, who just smiles and agrees with me (he has come a long way since the day we married) and even adds a dig or two.  The closest analogy to the coffee maker and the patients is to compare it to a big crumb of cake and an army of ants.  If you are wondering if my husband and I got ourselves a cup...we didn't.  But many made a couple of trips in the 30 minutes we were there watching.

Anyway I needed to get that off my chest.  As for my test results, there was no change and the doctor doesn't want me to be concerned, however she is sending me for an x-ray in two months just to take another look at it.  I came back and bought the meat I needed and made a new pot of sauce.  I'm Italian, I want to feed my baby when she gets here, with a home cooked meal. 

I think I lost my positive edge and I am back in negativity mode judging from my recent blogs.  Stay tuned. 



The Talk, Julie Chen, CBS



A while ago I wrote a blog about the changes on The Talk. They were eliminating Leah Remini and Holly Pete Robinson from the show. I was shocked, but just reported what I read and reacted to it. However, since then, I did another search to get the “facts” and what I found out made me peeved. Now let me say I was not a huge fan of The Talk, I did watch it and got a few laughs. This is not about an obsessive fan who wants her hosts back. This is about my sense of right and wrong and how this was all so mishandled and unprofessional.  I woke up pissed and here is why.

Here is what I learned. Leah and Holly worked with the other co-hosts to create the Talk. They put their hearts into developing it along with the other women. When the season ended, they did not have a clue they would not be coming back or replaced. Suddenly, they find out, along with everyone else, that they were not going to be “asked back” which is a nice way of saying they were fired. They were given no explanation and neither were viewers. When season two started, there was absolutely no mention of either of them not being there or why they were gone. The audience was just supposed to accept it and move on. And many fans have NOT moved on! They have started Facebook pages in protest and trying to get Leah and Holly a new show. To be honest, Leah, Holly and Sharon Osborn is what made the show good and funny. Now they have Sarah Gilbert, who without Leah is as dry as toast. They have Julie Chen, who if she was disliked before, is now detested. They have Sharon who just announced she was taking a 3 week vacation till October (and I hope she doesn’t come back at all). Two new people were added and I think they are no match for Leah and Holly.

What do I think was behind this debacle? Julie Chen. Why would she sabotage a successful show and get rid of two of the people attracting viewers? Jealousy. Leah and Holly were getting attention, attention that she wanted for herself. Julie is not likable. She puts people off. She has control issues. She is full of herself. Also, Leah and Holly are much prettier than Julie Chen. Julie Chen is insecure. They hired two women who are clearly not as beautiful as Leah and Holly to replace them. Coincidence?

Maybe if her husband wasn’t Leslie Moonves, president of CBS, it would be her ass out of the show. But no, it’s two of the popular hosts that were not asked back. One has to ask, what kind of business decision is that? Maybe Les needs to consider retirement? Who shoots themselves in the foot by ruining a popular show? CBS does.

Why am I upset? I am upset at the way they handled the whole situation. Leah and Holly deserved to be treated better than that for all their hard work. They are the ones who launched the show and got the viewers to tune in. They helped make it was it was and for their trouble, they were stabbed in the back? Not even the courtesy to discuss the decision ahead of time and give them a heads up before it hit the media. Blindsided by the people they considered to be friends? I have been also following some of Leah’s tweets. Leah has said that she has NOT heard from anyone except Holly. She must be hurt. She and Sarah Gilbert appeared to be good friends. And what about Sharon Osborn? She is miss independent, I don’t care what anyone thinks, this is my opinion Sharon. You would think she would have picked up the phone and offered some comfort to her costars. That is what bothers me. The backstabbing of the network and Julie Chen, and the lack of communication on the part of Sarah and Sharon with their “friends.” Can you imagine how much that must have hurt? And yet both Holly and Leah are handling the situation with grace and class. And how can they not? If they defend themselves and speak up against CBS they could be hurting their own careers. They just have to accept what was done and move on. However, I am not accepting it. I chimed in with some of these Facebook pages to help spread the word. I called CBS and voiced my discontent. I do not appreciate how these women were treated and I have nothing invested in them or the show. It’s just about my sense of fair play, ethics, decency; none of which was shown by CBS and Julie Chen. There is no way they can right this wrong. They are just waiting for people to forget about Leah and Holly and hope they can save the show. Julie Chen is not enough to save the show. People will not forget.

CBS and Julie Chen owe everyone an explanation for this situation. They were not acting in the best interest of the show or CBS with this change. Maybe stockholders should be calling old Les and asking WTH was he thinking? It’s their money he is playing with. He strokes his wife’s super ego at their expense, at our expense at Leah and Holly’s expense?

Shame on you Sarah Gilbert for not even calling your “friends.” Shame on you Sharon Osborn, you are outspoken on all things except this, which you know was wrong. Julie Chen, maybe it’s time you packed your bags and got evicted from the Big CBS House? If we took a vote today, America would send you packing and bring back Leah and Holly. And Les, big shame on you for allowing your personal life to interfere with your professional life and your responsibility to your network. I hope CBS has it’s EYE on you!

Dr. Phil Talks To The Anthony’s - Recap Part 2

Dr. Phil says millions of people want to shake Cindy awake for the excuses she makes for Casey. Casey lost her moral compass, she is a psychopath, a narcissist, and egotistical…she lied for years about everything. These are character flaw of criminals. Dr. Phil says if you focused just on what we know happened, it’s inexcusable.

Cindy says she thinks on the 16^th of June, Casey went psychotic and couldn’t accept the reality of the situation (accidental drowning). Dr. Phil asks why do people lie? To protect themselves, to shift the blame to someone else. On December 19^th they learned that Caylee’s remains were identified. She was found so close to home. George says he fell apart every day from the 16^th of July when they learned Caylee was missing. He tried to commit suicide, he couldn’t deal with the loss of Caylee any more. Dr. Phil reads the suicide note George wrote. He blamed himself for Caylee being gone. George blames Casey for Caylee not being here today. Cindy rationalizes it, but George feels Casey had something to do with it.

Dr. Phil speaks to George alone because of all the accusations against him. His affair with Crystal Halloway. He denies having an affair with her. No sexual relations. Why would she lie? He has no idea. She testified that George said “it was an accident that snowballed out of control“…that got media attention. George said he never said that to her. Dr. Phil could not track her down to ask her any questions. George denies molesting Casey and helping cover up Caylee’s “accident.” His reputation has been destroyed to some degree, but he says he never had anything to hide. Dr. Phil asks if this was a smear campaign to create reasonable doubt? George says the defense used the fact that he saw Casey and Caylee last, to create a scenario to get his daughter off. Attacking him was a factor in getting Casey off. The jury said George had selective memory and he could be lying, his involvement was suspicious and he could have had a role in this. George said he never held anything back. Some interpret his suicide as guilt; he says it was guilt for not doing enough. He felt like he let his whole family down. George thinks she buried her baby and had some help. He breaks down when he thinks Caylee was treated the way she was with duct tape over her mouth and buried in the woods. He misses Caylee.

Dr. Phil talks to Cindy. Cindy was upset about the “drowning” story. She said the thought had crossed her mind that it coul dhave been a drowning. Phil asks if they believe she drowned. Cindy says she did and told officials, but they didn’t look into it. He asks if they buy the defense theory that Caylee drowned. Cindy says she buys the part she drowned, it was an accident. George says he doesn’t believe it. Cindy says she found the ladder down when she came home that day and told her coworkers. George says if there was an accident why was she buried and why didn’t Casey tell them about it.

George tells what he thinks happened. Cindy never heard his thoughts before. He says, he doesn’t believe Caylee drowned. He thinks that Casey or a friend gave her too much drugs and she never woke up. Chloroform or other drugs. When she didn’t wake up, she was transported in the car and buried down the street. There was no drowning. Dr. Phil says so it was a Chemical babysitter. She was sedated so they could have a good time and freedom. Cindy finds it offensive and this is the first time she has ever heard this. Cindy says the toxicology report never found drugs in her. She doesn’t believe Casey did drugs. George says he has said it a few times. She is not upset with him, it’s good for him to get it out. She is afraid the anger will kill him, holding it in. George feels this in his heart. He doesn’t know what it was, that was used. He says he will never know the truth. But the evidence points to the fact Caylee was in the trunk of the car.

Cindy is angry about all they were put through the past three years. Casey never told her what happened, especially those 31 days, when she lied and actually knew where she was. Dr. Phil wants to know how that baby got into the woods. George has asked that himself, it’s just a quarter mile away from the house. The neighbor said Casey borrowed a shovel from him. They both think she borrowed the shovel. Casey said she needed to cut a piece of bamboo. Cindy doesn’t see the possibility that she used the shovel to dig a hole in the woods to bury the baby. It doesn’t even occur to Cindy that she borrowed it for disposing the body. Dr. Phil asked if Casey put her in the woods. Cindy believes Casey had knowledge or had something to do with it. Cindy says that to Casey the body was just a shell and the soul was gone. Dr. Phil says she is trivializing it because she says the soul left the body and the body is just a shell. George doesn’t excuse anything Casey did and feels she is responsible. Dr. Phil is about to have a stroke. Cindy keeps excusing her behavior by saying, what were they going to do with the body anyway, they were going to cremate her.

Dr,. Phil he gets being loyal to your children, but isn’t it disloyal to Caylee to not get to the truth. Cindy says she has to live with what she knows. She has prayed for three years for closure. If Casey was guilty then she should go to prison. She feels God answered her prayers when Casey went free, and that it was an accident. Dr. Phil asks if Casey is disturbed and Cindy says yes. Something that started during her pregnancy. George has a different opinion of the outcome of the trial.

Another interview is coming in a few days, Dr. Phil is milking this story.



Dr. Phil Interviews The Anthony’s - Part 1 Recap

Dr. Phil asks them if they think Casey was responsible for Caylee’s death. George says he saw her with Casey last, so as far as he is concerned one and one is two. Casey was close to brother Lee and they were involved parents. Casey has told a lot of lies throughout the ordeal. He asks them, as they look back, were there any warning signs. Cindy says after Caylee was born she saw changes in Casey and now looking back she thinks she may have had post partum depression. She hid the pregnancy for 5 months and no one knows why. George says early 2007 he noticed she was lying more, and there was money missing. Nov 2005 to June 2006 George moved out, they were close to divorce at the time, he was gambling and leading a different life. He lost about $30,000. He comes back in 2006 to reconcile and there was a change in Casey. Casey didn’t want George to come back, she felt he was kicking her and Caylee out.

Dr. Phil asks Cindy, when she heard the defense say that George was involved in events after the death of Caylee, did she think he had anything to do with it. Cindy says George would never have put the family through the ordeal of not knowing where Caylee was if he knew. Dr. Phil says Cindy is always making excuses for people, and asks if he excuses the lies Casey has told. She says not at all. He asks if they feel they got suckered for two years when she said she was working at Universal and she wasn‘t, and she was stealing gas and money for two years? Dr. Phil wants to know why she lied about her job and what was she doing, didn’t they realize something was wrong. She used their credit card. Cindy had faith in her and didn’t question her. She didn’t want to third degree her. Casey came up with great excuses. He asks if they realized something was wrong when the lies were out of control. In the spring of 2008 Cindy wanted to get repaid and she was afraid that if she pressed Casey for the money she would take Caylee away from her. The straw that broke the camel’s back was when Casey took money from Cindy’s mother. Cindy told Casey she had to straighten up.

Casey called her mother 6 times in 4 minutes and they weren’t suspicious. Cindy said she knew something was going on. But Casey never asked for help. Meanwhle they went 31 days without seeing Caylee. They saw her daily and then no contact for 31 days and knowing how much she lies Dr Phil wants to know why they believe all her excuses. Zanny the nanny doesn’t exist, they don’t know her friends, they don’t know her boyfriend, her car is impounded, they pick it up and it smells like a dead body and they febreeze the car and go to work. They never contacted authorities.

Dr. Phil wanted to know how they could miss such huge warning signs. Cindy says that Casey talked about Zanny since spring of 2006, so the name wasn‘t new to them. Cindy says she, herself, was the primary caregiver and then she suddenly doesn’t see her for 31 days. Dr. Phil says all the more reason to suspect something is wrong. Cindy said she never knew she lied about the job and Zanny for 2 years. Casey constructed an elaborate, detailed menagerie of lies. If they suspected something was wrong with Caylee, they would have called for help immediately. The whole time she says Caylee is with Zanny she is playing them for a fool. George is a cop and Dr. Phil is amazed he didn’t investigate any of the suspicious events in her life. Dr. Phil says he is a new grandparent and can’t imagine not hearing his grand daughter in the background when talking to his son. And Cindy says that’s why on July 3^rd she drove down to see Casey and Caylee. Cindy wrote on FB, Caylee was missing from her life due to jealousy of the one person who should be grateful for all the love Caylee is being given. Cindy thought Casey was keeping Caylee away from them out of spite. Another lie, Casey’s car turns up and still they don’t ask questions. George recognizes the odor of car. He was thankful he didn’t see the daughter or granddaughter in the trunk. Dr. Phil asks George if he thinks Caylee was in the trunk. He says parts of him does believe it. Cindy said she had to be transported to the woods so maybe the car was used. Cindy finally calls 911 for her 3 year old grand daughter who is missing for a month. She wanted the police to compel her daughter to produced Caylee. Cindy overhears Casey and Lee talking, and Cindy heard Casey tell Lee that Zanny had kidnapped Caylee and she hadn’t seen her for 31 days. Cindy’s worst nightmare. That was the first time she says she realized that something was wrong. Cindy screams at her what do you mean you haven’t seen Caylee? Casey said she was afraid to tell them and Cindy called 911 again. Casey gets on the phone with 911 and she was pretty calm. George came home during the call and Cindy blurts out that Caylee was missing for a month. Casey was cuffed in driveway and yet she continued to lie about Caylee.

George and Cindy confront Casey in jailhouse interview. Cindy wants Casey to look into her eyes. Cindy wanted to see if she was telling the truth. Cindy tells her the whole country is looking for Caylee to find her, and Casey says she hopes we can. Cindy was trying to get information from Casey about Caylee’s whereabouts. There was talk that maybe she had Caylee hidden from Cindy on purpose. George wanted answers from her when she was released. Casey stuck to her story about Zanny. They still thought that Casey was keeping her child away from them. But, Casey gets a tattoo that says beautiful life and entering a hot body contest. Cindy defends Casey saying her mood was subdued. Dr. Phil says he sees a woman who made a conscious decision to go to a bar and party days after having something to do with the dead of her child. George was upset about the celebrating. George also thinks Cindy is making excuses.

Cindy tells the reason why Casey acted the way she did. Casey had a grand mal seizure and that is what she thinks caused her behavior. Dr. Phil says she is an unconscionable psychopath, she had something to do with her death and disposing of the body. Dr. Phil says Cindy wants to think Casey is a victim of an illness of some kind. Dr. Phil gives her a long list of bad behaviors, highly unstable behaviors. The seizure was in 2007, and Dr. Phil asks of they found anything and a year in a half later she has another seizure and nothing was found. Cindy is concerned about what caused the seizures. No one has ever heard these things before, why did Cindy sit on this explanation?

Dr. Phil says Cindy is looking for any reason possible to excuse Casey of any wrong doing. Part two airs tomorrow. I’m just glad Dr. Phil wasn’t going easy on them and asked all the probing questions necessary.

That was the long and short of today’s interview. I had to watch it after following the case for so long and especially after the verdict. I think Dr. Phil did his best to get some answers. Tomorrow he will be digging for more information. Too bad none of this will ever bring Caylee back.



Dr. Phil: Dr. Phil Family Update & George and Cindy Anthony

I'm am still not sure I will watch these episodes.  I am boycotting Dr. Phil.  But, many are interested and some people actually count on reading what happened here.  I am thinking about it.  I caught a few minutes of him promtoing the show on The View.  He promises to ask hard, no holds barred questions.  I'm not so sure we are going to get truthful answers.  I'm not sure Dr. Phil cares if he gets truthful answers...as long as he gets ratings.  The interviews were supposed to air yesterday, but were postponed because of tennis.  That bothers me because he gave no such consideration to the finale of the Dr. Phil Housewives, which many missed because of tennis.  I guess there weren't enough of us viewers who were fans of the series so the hell with us.

I'll see how I feel when the shows airs.  I am not happy about having to watch Phil or the Anthony's today.  Not sure I can stomach either.  As far as I am concerned, their lying caused the jury to have doubts that ended up freeing that lying, baby killer.  Little Caylee looked just like Cindy.


As for the Dr. Phil Family...another of my peeves...here's a little news.  Katherine turned 21.  Apparently it looks like she is pregnant.  Who knew?  Anyway, from the way Erin tweets, they are all very happy about the newest addition to the family.  I think the baby, Paul, is expected in October!

Alex hasn't been tweeting at all.  I can only assume that since her parents stopped paying for her cell phone she doesn't have the spare money for it herself.  No word on how she is doing since the courts decided she didn't need their intervention.  But, there is never a dull moment with the Dr. Phil Family!

Being A Cancer Survivor…

It’s devastating to be diagnosed with cancer. Your whole world is turned upside down in an instant and you have no idea what the future holds for you or how much of a future remains. And, after the preliminary treatments of surgery, radiation and chemo, you have to be tested every three months for the first two or three years and then maybe every six months until you hit your fifth year. The fifth year is cause for celebration because they consider you “cured.” Yet, you still have to be tested annually. You have a history of cancer. You are never free from being under that cloud.

So in February, I was seven years cancer free and in June I went for my annual CT scan. Everything is fine except for this small spot on my rib. Now if I didn’t have a history, no one would think it’s suspicious, but I do have a history. My doctor asks if I injured my rib. I have to think about it. I injure myself every day. I can’t be sure. So she has to confer with other specialists about this to see how to proceed. Meanwhile, I come home and wrack my brain and try to remember something I may have done. I see an elastic support that I bought a few months ago, because I hurt my rib! I don’t have to rely on my lousy memory because I have proof. I write to the doctor and tell her. She replies, based on that information we will do a CT scan in 3 months instead of a bone biopsy. Ugh! Now I have this hanging over my head all summer. All the “what ifs” are swimming in my head again. I am good at distracting myself. Thank God for that. I still think it’s the injury, but who knows really.

I went for the CT scan this past Saturday and I will see the doctor this Friday for the results. They are looking for “evidence of healing” so they can eliminate any other concerns. I guess if there are any changes and no evidence of healing I’ll need the bone biopsy. I am hoping she gets the results and gives me a call if there is nothing to be concerned about. I hate the waiting. I practically sit in her office holding my breath, until she comes in and says everything is fine, as it is.

I guess I’ll make it through the next few days with a few more distractions and then see what their consensus of opinion is. I am glad my doctor is thorough and cautious, but I am just tired of worrying and anxiety. But, at least I am still here to do it!

The Tenth Anniversary of 911



It’s hard to believe I watch the twin towers fall to the ground in a pile of dust ten years ago today. That morning I left my house to take a walk for exercise. The girls were in school and it was a beautiful day. I got back around 9 AM and got a call to turn the television on because a plane had crashed into one of the towers. I watched the replay of the first hit in total disbelief, thinking this was an accident and something was wrong with the pilot. Not long after the second tower was hit. Panic an anxiety set in fast. Phones stopped working, some television stations lost their power or reception. No one seemed to know what was happening or why.

All I could think about was that my girls were in school and what should I do. It was impossible trying to communicate with the schools with all the calls they had to handle. I discussed the options with a friend and we decided to let the kids finish out the day. She ended up going to get her daughter and my older daughter in the afternoon. It was an ordeal. Traffic was horrendous because the traffic lights were working. It took her a while to get there and then they wouldn’t give her my daughter. Finally, she worked it out where they released my daughter to her and it took them forever to get home.

I was relieved when my whole family was home that night, but we kept hearing stories of people who were there, at the towers. If you didn’t know anyone personally who was there, then you knew someone who did. My daughter said that her newly wed, teacher’s husband was working there. My brother told us his neighborhood travel agent was working there. A friend of mine was consoling her best friend because her husband was there that day. It was just too much to take in.

We were bombarded with news of the attacks for days on end. I couldn’t watch any more because my heart was racing from anxiety. Every morning, for months, helicopters flew around the city at dawn. That was the sound I would wake up to. There were also other attacks on 911. There was no feeling safe any more. Who knew if other attacks were minutes, hours or days away?

This week many show have been revisiting 911, showing footage, talking to survivors and relatives of victims. It was like reliving the whole thing again. I am sick at the fact that they are not allowing first responders to attend today’s ceremony. These people literally risked their lives to save others and they tell them there is “no room for them?” Make room! No one sent them away when we were in crisis, but it’s okay to do it now?

I pray to God that this country never experiences anything like that ever again. We still have not gotten justice for those victims either. Yes Osama Bin Laden was finally killed, but the 5 co-conspirators have not been tried and punished. They sit in Cuba, in Guantanamo Bay awaiting trial. The trial was in progress two years ago, but was postponed and is due to resume this month. Why on earth is it taking so long? No answers. Will the victims and their families ever get justice for their losses? This is a story I need to follow more closely.



We Are All Victims of 911

We are all still victims of 911, ten years later. Yesterday I could not help but notice everyone tweeting about being struck for hours in traffic in NYC because police were doing random searches of cars going over bridges. Traffic is very bad here on a good day, let alone under high security alert. I had an appointment for a test in the city. I pick Saturday mornings because the traffic is lighter and we can drive in and park. After hearing what was going on last night, I decided we should take the subway in and do a little extra walking as opposed to sitting in two hours of possible non moving traffic.

My husband and I get up early, as usual. We plan to leave early for all the walking that is involved as the trains do not go to that hospital. We park and walk a half mile to the train and it comes immediately. Great! As soon as we take off, they announce it will not be going to the stop I need today, instead we have to take around train to get to that point. I sigh. We get off and head to the next train. It’s a very long walk in the hot, humid subway. It comes in 5 minutes and we get on. So that takes a little more walking and waiting.

We get off and need to walk the rest of the way from there, about a half mile, so far total 1 mile to get to the hospital. My test literally takes 5 minutes and I’m done. We go to McDonald’s for breakfast before heading home and discuss our options. If we walk from where we are now to take the one train, that’s one and a half miles plus another half when we get off to go to the car. Or we can take a cab to the train station we need. Or we can try taking two trains again. I opt for walking. A lot of it was uphill. I am tired and the two benedrylls I took this morning weren’t helping. We finally get to the train station and take the one train back to the car’s neighborhood, and then start walking the last half mile. All the messages announced on the train linger in my mind. “The is the NYC Police Dept.: report all suspicious bags or packages to an officer of MTA employee.” I see plenty of bags, everyone has one. What I don’t see are any cops or MTA employees. I am frankly too tired to care at the moment, I still have a long trek home.

Mind you, the car trip there would have been 20 minutes and another 20 to come home under regular circumstances. But then again we are not living under normal circumstances, are we. If not for the significance of this weekend and the terror threats, we might have had a different situation. I would have been sitting comfortably in my car and missed out on all this healthy exercise. I guess it will help me sleep good tonight too. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise? That’s just me trying to make lemons into lemonade. It could have been worse, but hell I am tired now!

Let’s pray any threats made are thwarted and get some sleep.



New Terrorist Threats



Programming here was interrupted last night so they could discuss some new terrorist threats being made against the city of New York. The threats are specific and credible they say. All the focus this week on 911, with stories and pictures, really is taking me back to ten years ago. I feel the anxiety building up all over again. It doesn’t even seem like ten years have past. And now, because of this anniversary, we may be under attack again.

Yes our police department has taken every precaution possible to keep the city on alert. But how do you protect seven to eight million people? There are so many ways these people have to attack us, it’s anyone’s guess what they may do. I know they can’t tell us too much about what they know. Right now they just want us to be aware and alert so we can report anything suspicious we may see. The whole thing makes me so uneasy.

We can’t live our lives in fear. That’s what they said ten years ago to help our residents move on with their lives. But how can we not have fear? We are a target of terrorists, maybe the main target. Some times I feel like we are at their mercy.

Ten years ago, after the attacks, the helicopters flew around every morning, for months. They started at sun rise and circled around for at least an hour. That was the sound I woke up to every day. I felt like I was on an episode of “Mash.” At least I haven’t heard any helicopters yet.

None of us can ever forget 911. The consequences of that attack are still being felt today. We still need to rebuild, families are still coping with their loss, the trial of the co-conspirators still hasn’t happened, we have our military still fighting over it overseas and rescue people are still getting ill and dying from breathing in all that toxic material. When does it end? Or does it?

I hope everyone has a safe weekend as we all pause to reflect on that day and pray for the victims and their families.



Chaz Bono And DWTS

So much controversy about Chaz Bono participating in Dancing With The Stars, is it really necessary?  Sounds like we are back in the Dark Ages!  When will people educate themselves and overcome their ignorance?  What is all the concern about?  People are worried that young children will see him on the show and start asking questions.  The premise is totally ridiculous.  Children today do not remember when he was Chastity.  They can only know his as Chaz.  This seems like another way for people to express their bigotry.

I read that there is a website called one million mothers trying to get everyone to boycott the show because Chaz is on it.  You would think that one million mothers would have better things to concern themselves with other than bully Chaz, who may just be enjoying himself for the first time in his life.  It takes courage to come out and discuss his being transgender and trying to "enlighten" a dense society such as ours.  He put himself out there for all sorts of criticism.  You would think a group of mothers, of all people, would show some compassion and understanding towards him. 

Do you think they could shift their focus on to how to stop bullying in this country?  This is a tremendous problem that needs a spotlight on it.  Maybe they could track down internet pedophiles?  I mean put their time and energy into accomplishing something good and really protecting children.  Children do not need to be protected from Chaz Bono.  He seems to be a very kind, sensitive, compassionate human being trying to live his own life the best way he can.  For that he is being attacked?

I would if it ever occured to any of these one million mothers that one day a child of theirs may come to them and tell them they have transgender issues.  What will they do then?  Turn their backs on them?  Would they want their child boycotted or discriminated against?  If they don't want their shildren to watch the show there is a remedy for that...change the damn channel!  They don't have to start a bigoted boycott against a man who is just trying to be himself and hasn't hurt anyone.



Good Bye Dr. Phil Housewives!

Dr. Phil finally is saying good bye to the housewives after taking months of breaks between shows. The series was supposed to air every Tuesday “Get Real Tuesdays,” and it did, until December 2010. Then came a half dozen shows between January and July 2012. Get real Tuesdays got up and went. Now they announce the official “good-bye” show and I had to watch it for closure. Dr. Phil gets around to each housewife, one on one, and reviews past clips.

This show was taped months ago, maybe as far back as January, like all the other shows. So if they all made progress, how did they do it with Dr. Phil’s help? We start with Alana, and she tells Dr. Phil how much she has changed because of his help. I find this incredible. In July’s episode she was still acting the same way she was in the beginning of the show. But here, both she and Dr. Phil are talking about her huge change. Okay, I totally do not believe this. Next, Dr. Phil arranges a meeting for Alana with a top plus size model to get advice. They tell her not to have a bad attitude or act like a diva, duh! Now suddenly Alana gets the message. And we learn she has been hired by a modeling agency months ago. Her dream has come true. I’m happy for her, but was it because of the show?

Jennifer is up next. She says she will take care of her kids, but she will never feel the same towards her husband again. Dr. Phil points out that she is bitter towards her husband. She feels she has no control because if she says how she feels to him, he could walk out the door. If she tells her daughter what she thinks of her for not visiting her son except for one time this year, she could take her grandson away. She is trying to get guardianship of her grandson. She gives Dr. Phil permission to look into her grandson‘s situation. He knows Jennifer feels trapped, he wants to get her “unstuck.” Dr. Phil and the staff like Jennifer a lot, and they want to continue to help her even after the show ends, with her grandson and her situation with her husband. They want her to have hope again and take the help they are offering. Jennifer sees a lawyer about her grandson. The lawyer thinks the court will appoint her as a guardian. She has hope that she will be able to keep Maverick.

Rachael is next! Rachael feels she has nothing to offer. Dr. Phil tells her she had low self esteem. She has been an important part of the group and has impacted Kimm and her relationship with her children. He tells her she will give her child the life she didn’t have. She has a solid guy. Angel has changed after being on the show, and become very supportive of her. Dr. Phil tells her she is focused on what she hasn’t accomplished and not what she has. She is the most popular housewife on the message boards because people relate to her.

Michelle’s turn. She says being on the show has changed her whole life. She feels indebted to Dr. Phil. She is more open to dating. She doesn’t want to link the men she meets to her relationship with her Dad. She is accepting that her father is who he is, and gives what her can, instead of thinking it’s about something she is lacking. It has nothing to do with her. Dr. Phil says she will get what she deserves. She has to lower her anxiety 95%. She feels she needs to control everything and she needs to relax in order to be approachable. Men want to be able to do things for women and if she is self sufficient then they have nothing to offer her. She is going to meet someone one day and Dr. Phil will give him the once over too.

Hmmm, Gloria is up to bat. Gloria is a little transformed she says. She claims she changed has changed two things, her delivery in speaking to people and her extreme reactivity. Dr. Phil says when she gives advice, she has to gauge if people are ready to hear what she has to say. Then he asks her if she is ever relaxed and at peace and she says it’s rare. He thinks a partner in life would help her. He believes we create our own experience. She agrees and says she is single by her own doing. She is getting in her own way. Her expectations are too high and she dismisses men early on. She feels the show has helped her recognize that about herself.

Kimm, last but not least. She thanks Dr. Phil from the bottom of her heart. Her life has changed. Dr Phil wants to give her feedback. She has shown courage in dealing with her issues, she climbed out of her bed and back into her family. He says he is a fan. It took a lot for her to pull that off. He says she can always call if she has questions and needs help. She says there were times she was mad at him or the other women, but she came back and grew each time. He doesn’t care that she was mad, he knew she would turn her life around. When she admitted she was a fraud, he knew at that point she would change her life.

My two cents:

Now the thing is, they had many more hours of video that we never saw. If, in fact, the taping ended in January, then everyone changed their lives six or eight months ago when this was taped. They had sessions back then that never aired and we were never privy to, for whatever reason. Promises broken to viewers who signed on for the whole series, not half a series and a few scattered episodes. The series was run into the ditch, as Dr. Phil likes to say. And then, they decided to throw us two bones. A show in July with the housewives playing games and the good bye show two months later before his new season starts. Which was the very least they could do. But was it enough? I don’t think so. I found this irritating. What can you do? It’s all about ratings and the bottom line, money. Maybe the show wasn’t popular with enough viewers and they decided to shelve the rest of the shows? We never did get any kind of explanation. Dr. Phil promises to stay in touch with them and monitor their progress…somehow I doubt it.

What I do appreciate about the series is that I got to "meet" all six housewives on facebook.  It was great getting to know them and chatting with them.  Some of them have even become friends with me through this experience.  I wish all of them the very best in their lives and I plan to stay in touch with those who care to interact on facebook.  I've also made a lot of friends who were fans of the show on the facebook page that was set up for us to chat about the show and ended up being the place where we vented frustration at the lack of new episodes.  A lot of new relationships were forged by many thansk to the series and facebook.  Some may last a lifetime.  So something good did comeout of it; something unintended and surprising; and many lives have been enriched since the first episode aired a year ago.



Bachmann's Praying The Gay Away...



I don’t know where I have been lately, but this item just came to my attention. Michelle Bachmann’s husband, Marcus, is anti-gay and isn’t politically correct about it either. I just read the following quote of his regarding if your teen comes to you and says they are gay:

“We have to understand: barbarians need to be educated. They need to be disciplined. And just because someone feels it or thinks it doesn’t mean that we’re supposed to go down that road. That’s what’s called a ‘sinful nature.’ And we have a responsibility as parents and as authority figures not to encourage such thoughts and feelings [from] moving into the action steps.”

Meanwhile, he also conducts antigay “therapy sessions to “cure” gay people and has collected $137,000 of federal money for these sessions. Seriously, the federal government is handing over money to his institution for some unconventional therapy to cure something that isn’t curable because it has been established that being gay is not a choice. All the while Michele Bachmann is busy saying the government is spending too much money.

John M. Becker, a gay man, went undercover to the Bachmann clinic to expose they “therapy” they are giving for state and federal funds. I will post the link below in case you are interested in reading his experience. Frankly, this story took me back to before homosexuality was openly discussed and people were operating from a position of denial and ignorance. I find it hard to believe that in this day and age, Dr. Bachmann actually believes what he is preaching. Here is the premise from which the clinic operates: “There is no such thing as a homosexual, just heterosexuals with a homosexual problem.”

Back in the day when I was a psychology student and was trying to understand homosexuality, I recall a gay person saying, “why would anyone choose to be gay with all the societal stigma and prejudice that homosexuals are subjected to?” That made the most sense to me and convinced me that sexual orientation was not a choice, but established at birth. Just because we cannot find a biological connection, doesn’t mean one doesn’t exist. This Bachmann “therapy” sounds more like brain washing and actually I would consider it harmful and mentally, emotionally & psychologically damaging to try to push someone away from their natural inclination.

I will have to read more about this, but I feel like I just took a trip in a time machine back to the dark ages!

Link: Becker Investigation