Let's get to the Straight Talk

This post brought to you by Straight Talk. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Reconnecting with friends

Last night I had the chance to meet an old high school friend, who I hadn’t seen in more than 25 years, at a local jazz club. It was such a pleasure to talk to him again, to hear about all the wonderful and amazing things he’s done in his life and to talk to someone who “knew me when…” To revisit memories, a lot of which I’d forgotten, had me blushing and laughing while shaking my head and wracking my brain.

I had that feeling that we sometimes get when we get a glimpse of what it would be like to be a child again. It’s the feeling of freedom and complete joy; to go to a place where the only problem was whether I had a boyfriend or not and if my mom would let me go out with friends. It’s a moment of true love – where there’s no judgment on your life and no expectations. It’s a freedom of just being. That’s what reconnecting with good, real friends has meant to me.

I’ve been wondering why my path has been crossing with these people from my past. Not just any old folks, but people that I dearly and truly care about it. Those that I thought about often. There’s a lesson in this reconnection and although I haven’t figured it out yet, I am so willing and waiting to learn what it is. The girl in me wants my true love to be somewhere along this path, the writer in me wants my real inspiration to be sparked and the slow projects to pick up a true speed to completion, the woman in me wants there to be some dreams realized and some relief had, and then there is just me – the person – who only yearns to enjoy the moment and take one day at a time.

All of this has me rethinking my life and motivation. How some people have managed to push themselves to places and through situations to a real level of respectable success. In my humble opinion… And I’m so proud of them. I’m proud of their accomplishments, successes and to be able to know such a diverse and talented group of people. Their presence and lives are inspiring me, their smiles fuel me, their stories entertain me and their very essence supports me; unknowingly holding me up.

Can reconnection touch someone so deeply? Is it really that serious? It doesn’t have to be and it can be, but it’s all how you look at the experiences in your life. I have no expectations from these reconnections and whether they are for a season or a reason I am so ecstatic to have experienced them.

Tell me, what does reconnection mean to you?

Back to school already?

A couple of weeks ago when I started seeing television advertisements for back-to-school supplies I was stunned. ‘Why are they advertising in July,’ I thought. Regardless of how much I deny it, the reality is school will be starting in a few short weeks and it’s time to let go of the lazy summer schedule of rising anywhere between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. during the week and leisurely arriving at summer camp; of letting the children stay up a little late on some nights; of allowing the alarm clock to gather dust and not worry about ironing school uniforms and clothes. There’s the ease of scheduling appointments around what I decide we’re doing instead of around the school schedule and homework load. There are no worries of carpooling or shuttling back for PTA meetings, teacher conferences, recitals, awards ceremonies, lunch dates, holiday events or book fairs. There isn’t the constant note or school memo about more money needed for a public school outing, t-shirt, yearbook or everything else in between. For this work-at-home mom, summer is my chance to laugh in the face of the 5:30 signal to rise and relish the quiet of the night until the wee hours of the morning.

Although working from home with children around can present a bit of a conundrum it isn’t any bigger of an interruption than during the school year especially since the two middle children are able to go to summer camp for most of the day right in our complex. And, although I complain, this summer schedule has been way easier on me than summers past.

If you’re like me you’re loosely planning your back-to-school attack of buying uniforms and sorting through last year’s wares and acquiring school supplies. You’ve reminded your younger students that school is coming soon and refreshing their brains with spelling words, math skills and reading comprehension. You’ve stared at your calendar to see if you can get in one more getaway and still manage to be organized for the beginning of the school year.

So, what’s left to do? Here are a few tried and true tips :

1. Start getting your children back on their school night bedtime  schedules. If you’ve been letting your crew stay up later than normal then slowly get them back on schedule. By gradually getting them back on schedule you’ll have an easier time of getting them to bed on time and rising on time when it’s finally time for the performance.
2. Make a list of school supplies and clothing need. Keep your eyes open for sales. Today I was almost tempted to get composition notebooks for about $1 each, I’m glad I didn’t because in one of today’s sales papers a local store was selling them for $1 for three.
3. Write your shopping days on your calendar. There’s nothing worse than saying you’ll do something the next day and a week later realizing it was never done. Scheduling your school shopping day helps reduce last-minute, stressful jaunts to the store.

What fail-safe tips do you have for ensuring the beginning of the school year is successful?

‘Flyin’ to the beat of 175 Cherry Lane

Exploring various types of music has been an adventurous journey that I’m truly enjoying. I’ve talked about the music of 175 Cherry Lane not too long ago and as I learn more about the album I’m intrigued at the process and mesmerized by the sounds.

There is a song, “Flyin,” which the artist KO wrote as an instrumental about eight years ago with the help of George Barker who worked with him to shape the sound of the song. “I wrote it with that ethereal feeling I get every time I visit upstate NY, especially the Lake Minnewaska and Shawungunk's area,” KO says. “After sitting with the tune I decided to add some sparse lyrics to capture the mood. The song then ended up on the "175 Cherry Lane" Collection.”

“Flyin” was the first tracks written for 175 Cherry Lane and then after a friend’s suggestion (John Braheny) KO re-cut it with a sax to replace the lead vocal. The song came full circle and right back to the original idea of an instrumental, which was mixed by Mark Rinaldi . KO says “Flyin” now has the jazz/rock fusion feel to it that some people really like and for those who really like the vocals and the story it’s on the album as well. “It's a simple song, yet gives off a powerful mood, I tried to evoke a feeling of how it would feel to really fly, something I thought about as a kid, some things you never want to let go of.”

You have to check out 175 Cherry Lane from KO on cdbaby, I’m sure you’ll find it a glorious listen just like I – the musical explorer – has.

It’s tea time… for kids!

As a journalist, and once a full-time magazine editor, I have had – and still have – constant contact with media and public relations representatives. As a freelancer I made a decision to maintain those connections and keep my contact information up-to-date in media databases. Because of that I often become aware of information that is of interest to me and that I know will be of interest to some of you.

That’s how I felt when I read a press release about Little Me Tea, an all-natural, certified organic and ready-to-drink tea just for kids. Little Me Tea is made from caffeine-free tea and herbal blends that are sweetened with fruits and vegetables, and contains less than a gram of sugar per ounce.

This tea, which was developed by an Atlanta-based mom, is inexpensive. Little Me Tea is  available in natural grocery stores throughout the Southeast in 32-ounce multi-serve containers for $4.99 or it can be purchased directly from the LittleMeTea.com site. Also click by the site to learn more about the tea, its founders and the proper way to brew a cup of tea.

I’m hoping to get some in the near future for my children to try so the next time you read about it here you’ll see what my children – the best product reviewers ever – think about it.

Thinking about aging and babies

Not too long ago I got to thinking about getting older. It was really just a general thought as I heard my daughter Amber, who recently celebrated her 20th birthday, talk about friends and acquaintances who were getting married and/or having babies. One of her friends who is having a little girl asked my daughter to be the child’s godmother and Amber has been really excited about baby clothes and other baby items.

It’s a little uncomfortable for me because I don’t think single young ladies that age should be having babies, but I suppose I can understand her excitement. So as she ropes me into helping her with the baby shower I’ve been thinking about the best types of gifts to get for her and to tell people she needs. One of the best things I’ve come across are the personalized baby gift baskets, which sort of solve the problem of deciding what to get. Another great idea is to get a group and everyone pitch in to by a large-ticket item.

Whatever we decide to do for the young lady, I’m sure there will be many moments when it dawns on me that I’m getting old. I guess the good part is watching a new generation take the reigns.

Basket – The Dramatic Beta…

… and the story of how he came to be…

My children want a puppy. Not surprising, right? But what may surprise you is that my answer has been NO from day one. My oldest, who’s 20 now, has wanted a dog since she was about 4 years old and each of my other three children have gotten on the dog bandwagon.

What’s my answer?

No.

“Why can’t we have a dog?” They ask, and when their older sister is around she says, “No one is getting a dog because I couldn’t have one.”

Picture me: RME (rolling my eyes)

I explained to the little crumb snatchers that they are an expensive group of people and I’m not adding another mouth to feed. (I can hear you pet lovers groaning in the background and I’m not phased.)

Who would take care of the dog? Mommy.
Would would feed it, walk it, take it to the vet, pay for the health insurance? Mommy. Mommy. Mommy. MOMMY!

My answer now: “I’m getting a dog when everyone moves out.”

That answer, my dear friends, was enough to keep them from asking again.

My compromise?

A fish. :-D

I cooled my oldest daughter’s heels with a fish as well. The challenge: Take care of the fish and we’ll see if you can get another pet, but not.a.dog.

So I figured it worked with her and it’ll work for my son. I surprised him with a beautiful Beta fish on his birthday last year. I’ve since upgraded the tank to include a filter and light, and it’s my son’s responsibility to feed him and to let me know when the tank needs to be cleaned. (I don’t know what I was thinking; the upgrade caused me to have to carry it to the bathroom, replace filters and search out 7 watt bulbs.)

This Beta, who my son Andre named Basket, acts like a puppy when you walk into the room. He’s flitting back and forth trying to get your attention and trying to get you to feed him – again! He doesn’t do the standard Beta unconcerned, sophisticated, slow and calm swim with an occasional flare of the fins when he gets mad. Nope. This one bounces around as if he hasn’t eaten for four days and it’s time for him to go outside to handle his business.

So imagine his exuberance when someone – the jury is still out on who – dumped a lot of food in his tank. My son approached me in a state of panic because he knows that if fish eat too much they can die. That dumb fish was eating away and we have no idea how long he had been doing that. Then he gets increasingly agitated as I remove the food from the tank.

For the rest of the day he sprinted around the tank as if he was training for a half marathon and if anyone got close he rose to the top of the water right at his feeding spot and sniffed around. Seriously.

I think my children’s bouncy nature has worn off on the Beta. So now I have three little tornado people and one drama-filled, greedy little Beta.

And that’s enough for me.

So, what’s the pet count in your house?

It’s Cell Phone Courtesy Month

Admit it: You haven’t always been courteous when talking on your cell phone. I know there are instances when  you’ve been waiting for an important call and it doesn’t come until you’re in line at the bank or somewhere else equally inappropriate. Then, to make matters worse, your phone is turned up high so you don’t miss said call. Did you get dirty looks from other customers and patrons who shook their head in irritation?

And, I know, I’ve done the same to others… especially those who – for some reason – can’t hear how loud they’re speaking. But my biggest cell phone pet peeve is customer service representatives and business owners who continue to speak on their phone even while a customer is standing at the counter. That, for me, is the ultimate definition of rude.

Business owners and their employees need to have one rule: Do speaking on phones of any kind while assisting a customer. On the off chance that there is only one employee available said employee should apologize to customer for lack of coverage and excuse themselves to take a business call. Meaning a call that came through on the company’s business line NOT there personal cell phone.

Here are my personal rules that I try to follow when it comes to cell phone usage:

1. Keep my ringer at an acceptable level.
2. Don’t let it ring for a long time.
3. Send a text instead so as not to disturb those near me.
4. And if I must take a call I make it extremely short.

Check out etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore’s blog for cell phone usage information. She is the founder of National Cell Phone Courtesy Month.

Do you have personal cell phone rules you follow? Tell me about them and let me know your biggest cell phone pet peeves.

This is the story – give or take a detail or two

About two weeks ago, three days after my oldest daughter’s 20th birthday, she – Amber- was in a car accident.

Before I go any further let me first say she is relatively okay, and that’s all I can say regarding her injuries, etc., because of the personal injury case. Nope, it was not her fault!

Since the accident there has been so much going on between my van being out of commission to the lawyers, insurance people and unexpected expenses – my head is spinning. I’ve had three rental cars within five days and have doubled the amount of time I spend actually talking on the phone. (I’m a chronic texter!)

I haven’t even written anything here because I have been having trouble formulating words, keeping my thought pattern and finishing one thing at a time. My memory has been worse than normal and my sleep patterns are way off. I never knew that this process was so difficult. I’ve actually never been in an accident of this magnitude or anywhere near that so it’s taking a lot out of me. (And I wasn’t even there!)

I could sort of feel it coming on last night that heavy, extra soreness accompanied by exhaustion, burning eyes and a headache. This morning I was dizzy, sore and shaking, which is a clear indication that I must slow down soon. The shaking was a little scary for me because it hasn’t happened like that before. I wish I could have stayed in and laid down all day, but I had to work plus go to the post office, cleaners, take out the trash and hit up Walmart. And I had some correspondence to attend to as well as phone calls regarding the van.

Tomorrow’s plans included laying down until my girlfriend’s husband’s 40th birthday cookout, but those plans have already been thwarted because I have to go to the collision center and sign some paperwork. I guess I could just get up, throw on some clothes and get that errand out of the way then return home and lay down.

That means I’ll have to ignore the laundry and dishes, but I don’t think that’s going to be entirely possible. What about if I do housework when I get back then lay down ‘til 6 p.m.? The cookout starts at 7.

Here’s what really happened:

I slept fairly good last night and woke up feeling my “normal” soreness and exhaustion. It was about 9 a.m. or so and I had to call the collision place to find out what time they closed (of course, I’d forgotten). Since they closed at noon I got up showered, dressed, ate, enjoyed my coffee and Amber took me to the place. I decided to go ahead to the Veteran’s hospital to get some x-rays done that I delayed because of the accident adventures.

On the way, my body started to shut down again a little. Exhaustion crept back in and the sjrogren’s reared its ugly head. I arrived there and found out that I had other images that hadn’t been done. Got that out of the way and headed back home to lunch and another cup of coffee.

Here I sit trying to finish some work, ignore the television that my daughter is watching and hoping that the heavy feeling I have abates really soon - ‘cause I promised my friend that I’d be at the party.

What are you up to this weekend?

Explaining the Gulf Oil Spill to children {book review}

Lynda Wurster Deniger had a great idea for a children’s book to help explain to children what happened as a result of the Gulf Oil Spill. In the second book in the Salty Sea Series by Deniger, Patti Pelican and the Gulf Oil Spill, which was illustrated by Paulette Ferguson, recounts the events and responses of those who came to help save the animals that were impacted by the spill.

Here is what the back of the beautifully covered book reads:

Louisiana and much of the Gulf coast had barely recovered from the 2005 devastation of Hurricane Katrina when the area was brought to its knees by the worst environmental catastrophe in U.S. history on April 20, 2010. Patti Pelican and Sammy Seagull of the “Salty Sea Series” were caught in the wake of this tragedy. Patti Pelican and the Gulf Oil Spill tells their inspiring story of rescue and release by the dedicated men and women who fought valiantly and tirelessly to rescue endangered wildlife trapped in the oil along the coastal waterways.

One of the best things about the book is the included audio CD, which is read by the author, and the sing along song. The not-so-good thing about the audio CD is that it’s read so quickly that it’s difficult for children to keep up with, and even when I was following along with them and trying to point to the words I had a hard time as well.

My two middle children, ages 6 and 7, followed along with the book pretty well and understood what was going on. My 4-year-old daughter was able to comprehend what happened to the birds, but some of the key points were a little too advanced for her. Overall I think this books is best for children ages 7 and above as a great tool to help young people understand what happened during the oil spill.

This book, which is hardcover and 36 pages of full-color, is available at bookstores nationwide retailing for $19.95. Also, take a peek at a video presentation of Salty Seas and Friends.

Disclosure: I received a copy of Patti Pelican and The Gulf Oil Spill by Lynda Wurster Deniger  to help facilitate this review. This did not effect my opinion and any opinions expressed here are my own. Clicking on my Amazon affiliate link and making a purchase will garner a small commission for me. For more information review my complete policy.

My kids love their bling {product review}

I am the first mom – well, in my neighborhood – that complains about all the sugar and sweets children consume. It almost hurts me to watch them wolf down empty calories that hold no nutritional value, but I understand that children like candy – as much as I like dark chocolate – so I have to give in now and then.

One type of candy they like are Ring Pop. When I saw an email about testing Sugar Free Ring Pop, I had to say yes because just days before that my three children had been arguing over the last one. I finally got the chance to break out the bag (it was mysteriously hiding in a drawer in my office), which contained three Sugar Free Ring Pop in strawberry, blue raspberry and watermelon.

 

My threesome were more than excited to help me with this particular product review. (No, their expressions don’t quite relay that!) Anna had strawberry, Andre watermelon because his favorite color is green and that left blue raspberry for Amareah. Before they had a chance to race away with them I was able to get a quick taste of the strawberry one and, surprisingly, I thought it was very tasty. One hundred percent of the time I put back products that contain Splenda because I normally do not like the taste, but I must admit that the pop had a great strawberry taste and just enough of sweetness.

The children ran off contemplating what color their tongues would be afterward and I wish I had a picture of Amareah with blue raspberry lips. Hands down the Ring Pop was a hit. They had no idea they were sugar free.

Sugar Free Ring Pop is even a mom-approved treat for children with diabetes because there are 0 sugar carbs and impact carbs. The pops are also fat free and have only 30 calories per pop – not too bad. Even with all of that goodness I still like to keep track of the sweet goodies my kiddos are noshing on. But, overall, this sweet experience was a winner.       

If you want to find Sugar Free Ring Pop, you can pick some up at Walmart and BJ’s as well as online at Amazon.com and ShopTopps.com.

Keep up with Ring Pop on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclosure: I received a three pack of Sugar Free Ring Pop to help facilitate this review. This did not effect my opinion and any opinions expressed here are my own. For more information review my complete policy.