What Goes Around...Comes Around!

Today, while waiting on line to pick up prescriptions for my parents, I overheard the woman in front of me tell the counter clerk that she was $2.00 short for her prescriptions, so she would take only the high blood pressure one and would come back some other time, when she had more money. I had a bunch of singles in my purse, so I stepped up and handed the woman $3.00. She was surprised and at first turned me down, but I told her that I would rather give the money to someone who truly needed it, than to a panhandler in the subway. (Either way, the money was going towards drugs! hahaha.) I told her that I know how important medications can be, and that in the past people had helped me. So, she graciously accepted my dollars and wanted my phone number so she could arrange to pay me back. I told her that in the future, she could give the money to another person in need....you know, in the spirit of the "Pay it Forward" thing. I shook her hand and left quickly.

Someone did help me in the recent past. On Christmas Eve, two years ago, I was driving to Philadelphia, to visit my daughter in the hospital. The roads were extremely icy, but I was determined to see my daughter. While going downhill, my old mini-van slid off the road into a snowbank. My other daughter and I got out of the van to survey the damage. There was no damage to the van, but we were deeply stuck into the snow. Within five minutes, a station wagon stopped. A lone woman got out and asked if we needed help. She said she had a shovel. She got the shovel out of the back of her car, and proceeded to dig out my van. I tried to wrest the shovel from her to do it myself...she appeared to be older than me...but she insisted on doing the deed herself. When she was finished, I tried to give her $20.00 (that was all that I could spare at the time.) But she refused the money, wished us a "Merry Christmas" and drove off. It was as if an angel had appeared and helped us in our "time of need". (I know, quite the cliche'....and who believes in angels, anyway?)

So, I am still $17.00 ahead.....after giving that woman $3.00 today. If each of us would just help someone else, once in a while, the world would be a much better place!

Marriage...again????

On the season opening today of "The View" (the 15th season), Joy Behar announced that over the hiatus, she got married! She had previously stated that she was not interested in ever marrying again...she and her partner of 29 years, Steve, did not need to be married. so, when pressed on the show today to explain herself, she said that the passing of the "Gay Marriage" bill in New York, showed her the importance of marriage as a legal tool. She said it is not just all about love and romance, per se, but it is a legal contract that enables each of the married pair to have rights..in the case of medical care and estate taxes, etc. She is now wearing a ring, as is Steve, but she said that the marriage will not change their daily lives at all. I guess her fear of marriage has dissipated as she grew older....she is in her late 60s, I believe. Once you are older, the fear of being cheated on (more like the reality of being cheated on) disappears...not that I know that fidelity was the biggest issue for her.....but it is an issue for many of us. When you are older, it is harder to imagine shaking up your life....comfort and stability have become your life and fear of losing the "known" is greater than the excitement of the "new" and "unknown." Good for you Joy! Congratulations!

Bachmann and Weather Messages from God

Michele Bachmann was on "Face the Nation" this morning. Bob Schieffer had excellent questions for her.....including if she thinks God sends messages through the weather. She refused to directly answer the question, she danced around it by just saying that she "believes in God, etc." Schieffer showed her "infamous" clip where she states that God sent a earthquake and a hurricane to Washington in the same week to say "are you going to start listening to me?.....rein in spending..." Many people were offended by that speech, and in response, Bachmann had said that her statements were a "joke." But to Bob Schieffer, this morning, she said that her statements were a "metaphor"...and that she knew that and that the people knew that. Wow! SHE knew her statement was a metaphor! But a metaphor for what? Oh, and she is going to get gas prices back to $2/gallon.....is God in on that? The only thing that would make me a believer would be the water into wine trick....if she could do that....she would have my vote!

Back to School

It is almost September, and although I consider that the school year begins the Wednesday after Labor Day, I am going to set my aim at September 1, 2011. Somewhere, probably in a movie, I heard someone (male) say that the beginning of school makes them want to give the other person (female) a bouquet of freshly-sharpened pencils! Ah, a man after my own heart! When invited to a Christmas party a year or two ago, for my writing group, I brought the hostess a bunch of small red carnations, inside of a "vase" made of an olive jar, with pencils glued all around the circumference...all lined up like toy soldiers...with a red ribbon encircling them. I did the gluing while sitting in the car....it came out rather well, I may say so myself. I asked her to e-mail me a photo of it...but alas, she never did. I will have to make another! The past two weeks, I have been taking a class at UCB in NYC....in honor of my devotion to school, I indulged myself and bought a purse, that looks as close to a schoolgirl's bookbag as someone my age can get away with...kind of a messenger-style bag...but it does have flowers! Also, last week I bought myself a fountain pen...it is inexpensive, but will serve its purpose...all the classic diarists wrote with fountain pens....(okay, some used quills, but I am not THAT ambitious!) I may even start journaling in longhand.....my script writing has really gone down the tubes in recent years...all I do is print! Well, my September promise to myself is to write something each day...like it's my job....either in here, or my journal....or, hopefully, BOTH! So, this has been today's contribution. Time to go polish an apple!

Michele Bachmann and her "gaffes"

How many "gaffes" should one candidate be allowed? It seems that Bachmann has one every time that she speaks! If jobs and the economy are truly what she is focused on, then she should stop trying to make pop culture remarks about John Wayne and Elvis, etc. (she wished Elvis a "Happy Birthday" on the day that was the anniversary of his death!) I even saw a video on "YouTube" where she admits that she says the "wrong" things!! So, stop it then! (Sorry about the overuse of quote marks....don't worry, I do not do the air ones in person!) One of Bachmann's quotes that I particularly like is about how the founding fathers were against "Taxation without representation." She wants to know how they would feel about "Taxation WITH representation." Wasn't that the point?? What does she want, "Representation WITHOUT taxation?" How would she receive her congressional paycheck? Does this mean she wants to work for FREE? Yay! But how will she manage to pay back her federally-backed mortgage on her new 5200 sq ft house?? Oh, I guess it will be with the federal medical payments her husband, Marcus, receives for his special counseling - Pray away the Gay!

Truth and Religion in Politics

This year's election season is one of the most misleading and mean-spirited ones I have ever experienced. I have just started following politics in recent years...and now I wish I had paid more attention much sooner.

I belong to no party...I am actually a TRUE independent. I vote for who I think is appropriate at the time. I believe all the politicians become overwhelmed by their power, and over time, they stop representing their constituents and only represent themselves.

Years ago, while governor of NY, Mario Cuomo, a Catholic, stated that he would never allow the death penalty in NY while he was in office. Fine, if he is against the death penalty, then be against it...but if the NY residents want it....then the law should reflect what the people want...not his personal ethics and religious beliefs.

The same goes for abortion and all the other sticky issues. It is about US...not about YOU!

Another issue I have is when religious leaders run for political office. Electing a religious leader to a government position would be a violation of the separation of church and state, in my mind. Hey, if you have been called by God...isn't that more important than being President, or Mayor, or whatever? If you are a true believer, wouldn't a call from God supercede any human political aspirations?

Also, it is wrong to mislabel things to mis-inform voters.....Sarah Palin claiming that the new Healthcare has "Death Panels".....telling people that taxes are going up...when really they are just going back to what they were....there are tax breaks that are expiring....they have a end date on them just like your milk. Calling the Cap and Trade bill "Cap and Tax!" Does no one care about the environment? Global warming is just a global ruse? I heard a pundit state on the radio the other day that the environmental movement is really just a front for "anti-capitalism'!

So, let's just rape and pilage the planet, and misrepresent reality....I was a skeptic before, but today's political climate has made me unable to trust anyone...which is not what this country should foster.

So everyone, pay attention and choose wisely!

Too Long

I haven't written anything here for 9 months...hey, I could have given birth in this time! I am currently taking a Comedy Sketch Writing class in NYC, through the "Upright Citizens Brigade" an improv group started by Amy Poehler and three other guys. I am kind of old compared to the others in my class. Oh, well. Maybe I have comedy wisdom!

I am becoming very politically motivated....things seem to be getting really out of hand! Some of the political mouthpieces are very scary! I will comment on them at a later time. I am actually thinking of going to the Jon Stewart rally in Washington DC on Oct. 30...all depends on how much it will cost....have to research more....