nina turns 40

why it's good to be (almost) six

Because one of the funniest things you've ever seen involves taking a pink balloon from the Valentine's morning breakfast at your school, rubbing it on your hair, and then walking around with it stuck to your head.

nina's grammy rundown

who are these people?  who are these people?  god, I must be old 'cause I don't know who these people are, oh thank god, there are Los Lonely Boys, I know them,  but who is that group? they look like they escaped from the 80's, and who is that? and lord help me, Gwen Stefani looks hideous and she's 'bout to fall down in those stilettos, wouldn't that be funny? and Queen Latifah, I love you so, but the empire waist ain't doin' nothing for you, and for all your talents you ain't no comedienne so quit trying to be funny and yay! los lonely boys won and oh I love me some latino boys with long hair and Green Day rocked but U2 didn't and Alicia Keys looks so gorgeous, but her music seems kind of bland and yes, I'm impressed with Jamie Foxx like everyone else, but I am so sick of him, but hey, he's not bad on that duet and oh for the love of decency, make Jennifer Lopez stop now please, that woman can't sing and the whole boudoir set is making me barf and Marc Anthony is a dweeb and Sweet Home Alabama and I'm tired now, I don't care anymore who wins what I'm going to bed. the end.

happy friggin' valentine's day

Or you could give me chocolate. 

be mine

So, of course, it's Valentine's Day soon, and like little school children everywhere, the kidlet must bring Valentine's cards to every single child in his classroom.  We could have gone to the store and purchased, for approximately $2.99 plus tax, a box of cute, commercialized, pre-printed and virtually ready to go Valentines, but noooooo, not us.  "Mommy," the kidlet said to me earnestly the other day, "I wanna make my Valentines."  And as that was the other day, with seemingly lots of time spread out between then and the day these treasures must be brought to school, and because of the sweet look on his face, and my own fond memories, I said, "Sure! Let's make them."

This morning as I was buying my coffee, they were playing Willie Nelson.  He was singing a song called "Scarlet Ribbons", a song I have only ever heard my grandmother sing, and only at Christmas time. It is a rather sentimental song about a mother watching her child pray for something (the ribbons of the title) that she knows she cannot give.  By the end of the song, a miracle occurs, and a "gay profusion" of ribbons appear on the young girl's pillow.  I cry whenever my grandmother sings it, not because the song is particularly moving, but because she always sang it especially for my sister and I, and that was her way of showing us love.  She never gave us a lot of affection, nor did she bake us cookies, nor read us stories.  In fact, as children she rather indimidated us. But she did, and she still does, sing for us every Christmas.  She was recently diagnosed--again--with cancer.  It has been on my mind a lot, but I haven't been able to write about it. Hearing that song this morning, sung by someone who was not my grandmother, made it apparent to me that I might not ever hear her sing it again.  And so there, in the Starbucks, while stirring sugar into my espresso, I cursed Willie Nelson, and then I cried.

not exactly "Hints from Heloise"

So, is the perception out there in marketing-land that women just love getting tips on better living, or is the thought that we're starved for reading material, because I can't quite figure out why the deep inner packaging of my feminine hygiene product now features little blurbs on how to be healthier and happier.  Stuff like: "Drink 8 glasses of water a day" and "Cut back on caffeine [blasphemers!] to avoid cramps".  I mean who else even notices what is printed on the adhesive protection strip of their damn maxi-pads anyway?  I'm sorry if this is all TMI, but I am truly flummoxed here, and I need some insight. 

on the counterbalance

a dangerous combination

So what do you call it when you have Spring Fever and PMS at the same time?  It might be best to just steer clear of me for awhile.

on the fridge

Why is it so damn hard to just sit still? Why can't I let things be as they are?  Why do I feel I must somehow manipulate everything, to exert some sort of control? Why is it nearly impossible to accept myself as I am right now? Why, indeed.