Thursday Thirteen #5 (a day late)

Thirteen Movies That I Like Because of Their Cotton Candy Pop Culture Value (notice I said Cotton Candy!)

1- Better Off Dead- "Buck up little camper, suicide is not the answer" (an early Jon Cusack movie)

2- Sixteen Candles- all of the Jon Hughes movies really

3- Zoolander- Cracks me up just thinking about it... "Merman!"

4- Valley Girls (One of Nicholas Cage's first movies... he played a quirky "punk"... so hot!)

5- When Harry Met Sally (Meg Ryan at her best)

6- Fast Times at Ridgemont High (how everyone thinks people in highschool really act and it was never quite this bad- evah)

7- Singles (cameos by a couple of the different grunge bands of the early 90's that were so popular)

8-

(I need to come back to this list...)

Simple Pleasure #4

Hmmm... This is a day late. My simple pleasure for today is dictionary.com. Really. I love having a dictionary at my fingertips because my vocabulary and memory have deteriorated from having five kids. I'll think of a word I want to use and can easily check to make sure I am using it in the right manner... gotta love it!

Town or Country!

Town or country... either is fine if it's that which is considered a true "town" and true "country". What does that mean? In a true town, you don't have to get in your car to stop in and say high at the local coffee shop or to pick up a gallon of milk. I lived in a true town once. The name of the town was Orange City, Iowa. Unfortunately, I only got to live there for 3rd and 4th grade. I was able to walk to the dime store, which would be considered today's dollar store, to get candy. I could walk to and from school without my Mom accompanying me. In fact, I walked or rode my bike just about everywhere without parental supervision and nothing bad ever happened to me. I didn't spend hour after hour being shuttled from one store to the next or from one practice to the next. Across the street from my house was a park with a public pool and playground. There really is nothing better than being able to wake up on a summer day and run across the street to the pool, unchaperoned, and stay there from opening at 10 am until close at 6 pm.

I love the country, too. Acres upon acres of land to explore. The freedom to run naked without the possibility of exposure to your neighbor's disapproving look unless they happen to be trespassing upon your property. Freedom to let your weeds grow knee high and call it a field instead of a front or backyard. The ability to see the shadows created by clouds passing overhead cross a meadow ever so slowly. Viewing a thunderstorm occuring miles away while basking in the sunshine hitting your own property. Seeing the stars at night, really seeing them. All of these things make me long to live in the country.

I haven't mentioned the interpretation of "town" meaning a city as opposed to Main Street USA but I even find highly likable things about cities. I love being able to walk or take the subway everywhere. Craving hot and sour in the middle of the night and being able to find a hole in the wall open willing to serve it to you is worth millions. No country place or town can offer that kind of availability. Street artists and musician's, little cafe's with outside tables, parks with free entertainment, museums, and a melting pot of people are just a few of my favorite things about cities.

I live in none of these places. I live in the suburbs.

(This writing prompt is from Sunday Scribblings which you will find a link to in my side bar)

Simple Pleasure #3

Sudoku...

During my last road trip I bought a $6 Sudoku book at a truck station. I've always loved number games and puzzles so Sudoku is right up my alley. While working the puzzles during the last half of our drive I could feel neglected neural pathways (to use a Star Trek term) slowly reviving to rise to the challenge of discovering patterns and eliminating options. Here it is less than a week later and my speed has increased doublefold. I feel like Sudoku is one more way to train my mind in the hope of not losing my mental acuity as I age.

I was wrong...

If you saw my previous post in this place... I was wrong, luckily... privacy still intact. Phew!

Identity

This week in counseling was based on decompressing from being with my family. Family meaning my Mom, my brother, my younger sister, and my stepfather. After spending time with them I had the realization that any disagreement with my Mom is viewed as arguing with her as opposed to holding a different viewpoint. My position in the family order is that of the rebellious child. But, I don't think I was specifically rebellious. My counselor views my "rebellion" as my way of surviving in what is a very dysfunctional family. In fact, not wanting others to tell me what to do and standing up for myself is an integral part of my identity according to him. Dr. A believes that if I were to ignore that part of my personality that I would basically lose myself. He even asked me how I thought I turned out so good coming from the background I have been telling him. How my "rebellion" plays out in adult life is tricky. It means I don't want anyone else telling me what to do or suggesting what they think I should do. Part of me feels that probably everyone feels this way about being told what to do but I guess for me it is even more crucial.

I also realized this weekend that I experience anger as a result of feeling rejected. Having this self awareness made me realize that anger isn't the exact feeling that I should be acknowledging because underneath that anger is sadness. My initial reaction to the rejection was anger and wanting to sever ties with those causing that feeling. I doubt I would have had this self awareness if I hadn't been in counseling for the past six months.

Been Away...

I do intend to start to update this blog regularly again but time and computer access have limited me these past few weeks. I am scheduled to leave again this upcoming week so it may be awhile before I get to say a real word about anything. I have thoughts brewing.