Things i've learned with age

5 things i've learned with age.

1. Follow your instinct.

2. As i age, the only thing that i really know is that i don't know anything.

3. There are no absolutes.

4. Be careful with judgements- they can kick you in the ass.

5. Save old love letters, reading them 20 years later will show you how far you've come - or haven't.

Autobiography

i think we should all have to write an autobiography in our 40th year. time to evaluate and re-evaluate where we are, what brought us here and where do we want to go. What questions do we ask ourselves.

Question #1 - List 5 defining moments in your life - good or bad.

Mine:

1. When i found out my cousin was killed in a drunk driving accident at age 16. I was a freshman in college and she was a senior in high school. The week before she died she was part of the homecoming court in her school. She was one of my all-time best friends. When we were little we wore the same clothes, had the same doll with the same name, played with make-up constantly and always laughed our asses off. That was in 1986 and its still very surreal to me.

2. When i found out my dad had stage 4 lung cancer. i was 5 months pregnant at the time.

3. and when he died almost a year to the day later. i was very fortunate to have had such a fantastic father and lucky enough to be able to call him one of my best friends as well.

4. When my mom stayed with my dad's body after he had passed and helped the nurses 'lay out' his body. It was an absolutely tremendous action/tribute to a best friend/best love. I hope for that kind of love. i have 2 heroes and am blessed that both of them are my parents.

5. Holding my son for the first time - He was delivered at noon and i didn't get to see or hold him until around 7 in the evening. He looked up at me and bleeted like a baby lamb and looked into my eyes trying to make noises as if to say "where have you been mom? i've been waiting for you!!"

Next question....things i've learned with age

Michael V. O'Malley

If you never met my Dad you missed out. He was an unbelievable man. He passed away from lung cancer (non-smoker) on December 27, 2005. It's been the longest couple of years yet it feels like it was 2 days ago, not 2 years ago. He was one of the best humans on earth - easily. I have a son and i pray that he thinks of me as at least 1/2 the hero i think my dad is. I miss my dad so much. Anyone that was close to him misses him. i include what my sister and i wrote for an insert for his funeral program (see the following) I will never forget my dad's wake and funeral - slow, slow slow motion. vivid memories - riding behind the hearst looking at thinking about how my dad's body was in it. How i wouldn't hear his laugh ever again. walking down the aisle of the church behind his casket thinking about how i couldn't see anyone that was there - i was looking at people and its not registering. i can't think about it anymore right now.

The insert in my dad's funeral program.

Things we learned from Dad

Laugh from your heart
Travel! Go see it all.
COUPONS!! Double coupons and triple coupons!
Rebates…
Hard work gets it done.
Make your children laugh all the time.
Say hi to everyone.
Keep your sense of humor no matter what.
Keep your money facing the same direction,
in denominational order in your wallet.
Only bring what you can lose.
Wash your hands after playing the slots.
Always bring your own quarters/nickels to the casino.
When making a budget, remember vacations.
When making a budget, remember Christmas.
Only share the remote with your favorites.
Your kids can teach you a few things.
Be friends with your kids but be sure to draw the line.
Make sure your kids know when the line has been drawn.
Sing with your headphones on.
Connect with your grandchildren.
In an ice cream store, be sure to sample every flavor before buying.
Save your coupons for double coupon day.
Seize every opportunity given to you and make opportunities when they aren't.
Always keep your family in mind with every decision you make.
Blood is thicker than water.
Do your own research before you buy big.
Always have 6 months salary saved up, just in case.
Duct tape fixes everything.
Be honest.
Be kind.
Care for those less fortunate.
Talk to kids.
Tell your kids you love them.
Think year-round about what gifts to get your family for
birthdays and Christmas.
Have sympathy.
Have empathy.
Always think about how to get food to the homeless.
Dads can always read your mind and tell you what you had for lunch (as long as your eyes were closed and your mom was mouthing the words).
Volunteer.
Always make children laugh.
Make everyone else laugh too.
Make eye contact.
Know how you feel about it – whatever it is.
Save your change.
When making popcorn, only do so in large quantities.
Document everything.
Attend events your child is in – every swim meet, every diving meet, every recital, every art opening, every school (or living room) play and band competitions.
Volunteer with every organization your child is active in.
Dinner is just something you have to do to get to dessert – the ultimate goal.
Show enthusiasm.
Also know how to be dry.
Take naps on the weekends.
Make sure remote batteries are on hand at all times.
Speak to animals like you would anyone else.
Forgive.
Know how to tell a story.
Everything has at least one story that can be told with it.

We Love you, Marigan, Mary Beth, Lou and Paz

5:40 AM

Can't sleep. The topic of being a coward came up in a conversation the other day with someone. And i stood firmly that i was not being a coward in regards to the issue we were discussing. Then i started to think about if i was a coward in general. Perhaps i'm not who i think i am. i mean i know what i stand for - but does anyone else? Not that anyone needs to know, but how do i work for what i believe in? Simply thinking about topics doesn't change them. I was talking to another friend about health care in our country and how absolutely outrageous and terrifying it is. She brought up the movie Sicko. Michael Moore went to France and asked how they managed to keep the health care system affordable, etc. The response was 'There would be riots in the streets.' How passive or complacent have we become in our country? We talk about an awful lot, but what do we do about it. Do we feel defeated? we need to do more for this country for the well-being of our children.

Bangkok

By Marigan H. O'Malle...

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Thanksgiving a...

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Times flies when your having fun...

now with senior portraits...

Couldn't be cuter...

A scene from Thailand...

Happy Halloween

Today was spent going from place to place with my very own teletubby LaaLaa asking for more candy than any individual should consume in a year. seriously, LaaLaa was given pounds of candy. people's generousity was overwhelming. The neighborhood was giggling with children and glowing with detailed pumpkins and halloween lights. It conjured images of the 50's - ok - i wasn't here but its what i imagine. Kids running around, laughing, using wonderful manners - it was glee. And when LaaLaa returned home this evening he was excited to actually hand out candy -- he knew he had a ton - he would get so excited when more trick or treaters arrived - he'd GASP and say "MORE CHILDREN! HAVE SOME CANDY!"

still stuck on the environmental....

this may become a reoccuring theme on my blog so i apologize in advance. our earth is completely saturated with toxins. even the organic stuff can't be completely organic. is there completely pure dirt? can't be - it's impossible isn't it? even if it's "newly produced" it still came from something that was contaminated. water has always been my drink of choice - and does it matter? the water may have been thru pvc, the water may have leached from the plastic bottles, it may not have even been filtered at all. i know this is not news. i just can't believe how far we've come and how far those advantages are ignored. i'm not even making sense i'm so mad.

On Another Note...

I had a dream the other night. The Red Sox were in the World Series against the Colorado Rockies. The games were being played in San Francisco in a tiny field sqeezed in between 2 hi-rise buildings. and the bleachers were about 60 seats wide and 100 rows deep. my cousin J had seats in the last row. i had a birds eye view - but was not actually there. As the Rockies began to win the game the sox fans became very sad and started to leave the game. As seats emptied people moved closer to the field. Ended up the Sox lost (which we all know isn't possible). J then went to work at a bar and her uniform was an outfit that Olivia Newton John wore in Xanadu - headband, leg warmers and all. and then i woke up.

Planet in Peril

Lou and i watched Planet in Peril on CNN the other night - a tremendous piece - terrifying. I love the fact that i am fortunate enough to be surrounded by people who share a concern for the earth. Our neighbors recycle, our friends recycle - it's becoming second nature to our children - i just wish i saw more of it in our country. The continuous building of McMansions truly boggles my mind. Why isn't it second nature to our society yet? The information is hard to miss - its so readily available. It seems that some people view it as a political ploy - i just can't comprehend that. Say all - or even a tenth of the information available about global warming and pollution isn't completely reliable - SO WHAT? Why not recycle anyway? What will it hurt? How much time will it take? I am so scared for the earth that we will pass on to our children. The damage we've already done may be irreparable. We're basically gift-wrapping death and disease for generations to come.

Even more images of San Francisco

i am going to sound corny but i can't believe how much this country has to offer. J took me to the parks around SF - CRAZY BEAUTIFUL! Even the colony of naked men we ran across.
And speaking of California, i pray for rain.

My current favorite puppy, Atticus.

Chinatown - San Francisco

Chinatown, SF, CA - SO plastic and so PURE! Fantastic stuff - the smell of leeching plastics everywhere. If its crass, funny or cute (and plastic) its found in chinatown. And if its a product of the earth or any animal on earth its found in chinatown. The environment is completely contrived yet absolutely natural.

Alcatraz

This is an image of the cell that the prisoners were placed in for solitary confinement. The bars would shut, then a solid steel door would shut and they'd be left alone in the pitch black. One of the prisoners said that he would rip a button off of his coveralls, throw it up in the air and spend the following few hours searching for it in the dark - for some reason i felt it symbolic of our time here.

This stairway led to the second level of cells. And the door to the world outside of their limited existence is steps away.

Pillows and blankets.

This is the roof of a guard station - oddly charming isn't it?

Beautiful death. (i'm so profound)

Alcatraz was captivating. and i have my Babci (grandmother) to thank for buying me a ticket for my birthday.


More San Francisco images to come tomorrow.

The Re-Debut!

Thanks to my dear friend Lily i am up and running again with the Blogspot! Gosh i can talk through anything with her!

My updates website will be launched this comming Monday and the jobs will come rolling in! :) Lou (my sweet husband) and Paz my keen son have been a great help to me during this development as well.

Pics of my trip to San Francisco will be posted soon (see above image)! I spent a week with my cool cousin J and her son (black lab) Atticus. Went to alcatraz and felt oddly at home there. ;)

The above image is a detail of the supply room for the prisoners. So orderly, so isolating.

Blog ya later.