This Weekend…The Good and The Bad

Saturday afternoon, Starr and I went to Old Navy for $1 flip-flops. Thankfully, they were so picked over, we didn’t even try to find any her size. She did, however, find a cute dress for less than $10…maybe I am rubbing off on her after all.

Then we drove downtown to visit this unique store where Starr wants to live. I swear she could just move right in…pillow and blanket on one of the garage sale sofas they have for decoration…and she would be a very happy girl. I don’t know if there would be room for her hair products though…

Downtown this weekend was a place we shouldn’t have ventured…not unless we were prepared for the thousands of people attending the festival we forgot all about. Wall to wall people, cars (grrr..traffic!) and beer. We found a parking spot about four blocks from the cutest (or is it coolest?) store in town and walked back…we don’t mind walking as a rule, but it wasn’t really in the plan. No biggie, it was a lovely day.

Where things went wrong was later that night, or early this morning when Starr was working on the web site for their charity, and she accidentally erased everything important (and not) from her hard drive!!??

She woke me up screaming at 1:something this morning. “Mom…my desktop is empty!!! Help!!!”

I still don’t know exactly what she did, but everything was gone. All of her documents and her programs, everything. She called Apple Support this morning and received a lovely “Oh well…too bad for you!”

We did a little happy dance of thanks that I did that backup a couple of weeks ago, and were able to get her computer back to almost normal this afternoon. Whew.

I Love…

…Bill Dan and His Rocks:

Bebalance on Flickr

Bebalance on YouTube

…Today’s Note from the Universe:

Actually, Dragonfly, smiling or laughing for no reason at all is one of the best reasons to smile or laugh. Because doing either, turns wheels in the unseen, rearranges players in your life, and summons reason after reason after reason.
      
Grins, The Universe
         
Wider, Dragonfly. Nice, now louder…

…Thunderstorms!

…Matt…dancing around the world

…This Song:

Speaking of Dancing

Sometimes You Just Gotta Dance

Something was missing but what could it be
Could it be coffee or could it be tea
I had a few cups of both of the kind
But it was not enough to ease my mind

So I bought some Belgian chocolate and ate
Two hundred grams of eighty-five percent
Wasn’t it coffee and wasn’t it tea
Not even chocolate then what could it be…

Maybe I was lonely and needed company
I called a friend and we went to a movie
The film was great and I was entertained
But still I was restless, the feeling remained

The hour were late by the time I got home
I felt exhausted and I was alone
But at the moment as I closed the door
My little flat turned into a dance-floor

All of a sudden I felt something strange
First in my belly and then in my legs
I lost control and did not have a chance
My body took over, it wanted to dance

When I got back to my senses again
All of my sorrows were gone
The neighbors were angry though,
One of them came and said he would call the police
But finally I had my peace.

I’m back in liverpool
and everything seems the same
but I worked something out last night
that changed this little boy’s brain
a small piece of advice that took 22 years in the make
and i will break it for you now
please learn from my mistakes
please learn from my mistakes

let’s dance to joy division
and celebrate the irony
everything is going wrong
but we’re so happy

let’s dance to joy division
and raise our glass to the ceiling
‘cos this could all go so wrong
but we’re just so happy
yeah, we’re so happy

so if you’re ever feeling down
grab your purse and take a taxi
to the darkest side of town
that’s where we’ll be
and we will wait for you
and lead you through the dancefloor
up to the dj booth
you know what to ask for
you know what to ask for

go ask for joy division
and celebrate the irony
everything is going wrong
but we’re so happy

go ask for joy division
and raise your glass to the ceiling
cos this could all go so wrong
but we’re so happy
so happy

so let the love tear us apart
I found the cure for a broken heart
let it tear us apart

let the love tear us apart
I found the cure for a broken heart
let it tear us apart

so let the love tear us apart
I found the cure for a broken heart
let it tear us apart

let the love tear us apart
I found the cure for a broken heart
let it tear us apart

let’s dance to joy division
and celebrate the irony
everything is going wrong
but we’re so happy

let’s dance to joy division
and raise our glass to the ceiling
cos this could all go so wrong
but we’re so happy
yeah, we’re so happy

so happy, yeah, we’re so happy
so happy, yeah, we’re so happy

Listening Between the Lines

Starr needed to get up early this morning. She needed extra time to straighten her naturally curly hair before work. Before going to bed at 1:45 am she told me the LATEST time she could get up and still do what she needed to do.

From my own bed, at 10 minutes past that time, and hearing no activity from her basement bedroom, I called her cell phone. “Are you up?” I asked.

What I got in return was a grumpy, sleepy, “Yumph”…and click. She hung up on me.

Smiling I turned over and translated. This is what she really meant:

“Oh, good morning Mom! You are so awesome. Thank you for caring about me and making sure that I don’t oversleep! It is a beautiful day! Although I do wish that I hadn’t stayed up quite so late last night, as I am very sleepy right now! I love you so much!!”

Ha. Just about then I received a text message from her…”love you” it read. Smile.

Half an hour later it is still quiet. I call her cell phone again.

“I am in the shower right now!” She announces as a greeting. Really? I don’t believe her.

Moments later I hear music booming up through the floorboards….finally.

Coffee, New Friendships and a Shared Experience

Starr had coffee Sunday afternoon with Mary, a friend of a friend of a friend, who has reached out to her.

I haven’t pried into their conversations, I don’t know the details of Mary’s story, I figure it will come out eventually if it needs to. Mary is closer to my age and contacted Starr after the accident and offered friendship because she went through a similar situation in her youth. She is the only person we know personally that has experienced what Starr has.

I am so very sorry that Mary has lived this experience, but I am grateful that there is a Mary in Starr’s life right now. It took several months before Starr was able to call Mary and take a step in that direction, but I believe that it is healthy that she did and that they were able to talk and become friends. They have met for coffee several times, and they also keep regular contact through Facebook.

I haven’t met Mary, I don’t even know her last name, but I trust completely the friend ribbon that brought her to us. I love Mary, for being there, for offering herself, for caring.

Thank you. So very much.

Is There Something I Can Do?

This Monday I had something in mind to post, but I was finding it difficult to sit and think…damn headaches. Thankfully, as I was visiting some of my favorite music blogs this morning, I discovered the following thanks to Some Velvet Blog. It’s a good thing, and trumps my ramblings any day!

Is There Something I Can Do? is a website about making a difference***:

Peter Buffett and Akon are happy to let you know what they are passionate about. But what are you passionate about?

       

Or are you so overwhelmed with what’s going on in the world that you don’t know where to start? Or think that when people are giving millions to a cause (or billions!), how can a few dollars make a difference?

Well… a few dollars – a little time – even a text message can make a difference.

On this site you’ll find places to start getting involved. You’ll have the ability to talk about what you’re into and why — share your stories of how you’re making a difference — and meet others who are trying to do the same.

Just like that.

***I don’t think I’ve mentioned it, but “Live to Make a Difference” was Sunny’s motto, and one that her family and friends are carrying on in her name and in her absence. We miss you so much!

Bella

Starr and I watched “Bella” tonight.

Last week, we went to the video store to rent a video. Things have been pretty rough around here, and we haven’t actually been able to rent a movie in a very long time. I spent some time looking at new releases to see what is out, and saw “Bella”. I picked it up and wanted to rent it, it was almost a need, but we had already decided on something else so I reluctantly set it down.

Coincidentally, the very next day on one of the music blogs that I frequent, I am Fuel, You are Friends, Heather had a post about the movie, and the music of Joey Ryan, some of which is featured in the film. Hmm….okay, I thought, now I HAVE to see it.

Then I looked it up on IMDB, and was saddened to see claims that the movie was a bunch of pro-life propaganda. I was almost swayed not to see it.

Almost.

I am so glad I went with my gut, and watched. I was touched. I cried. I smiled. I loved. There were parts that were difficult to watch…and feel…in light of our lives over the past year, but that may be part of the reason I was moved so deeply.

Was it pro-life? Maybe. Pro-choice? Could be. I think it depends on your personal perspective. I discussed it with Starr and she said “It is about so much more than that.”

Hope Revolution

It’s a feel good thing.

It’s a small word, but one with a lot of energy, strength and heart.

I ran across this web site yesterday: hopeREVO.com run by Krystyn Heide:

hopeREVO began one evening when I decided to hide encouraging notes around New York City. This simple act inspired other people who heard about it to do the same in their cities. Days later, my inbox was flooded with messages from people spreading hope in their communities, after reading about it on my blog, and as it propagated through the Internet on other blogs. So, I decided to develop this website to start a hope revolution.

I hope you’ll continue to be part of our revolution as it evolves.

more love notes, originally uploaded by jenlemen.

There Is Joy Yet To Be Found, originally uploaded by cheapblueguitar.

mommas, originally uploaded by astrogirll.

and here is the corresponding flickr pool: hopeREVO

I like this idea. Maybe in the act of spreading a little hope, I can begin to find my own.

The story of the spark behind Krystyn’s idea is recounted here: Jen Lemen: Love Notes to a City

Which brought me to: Titration’s Guerrilla Art Adventure

and then this: Keri Smith: how to be a guerrilla artist

So many awesome things to do….

One of These Things First