And the Oscar Goes Too...

Tricia Gillen.

Tricia Gillen won the Academy Award for best supporting, small minor supporting, one line supporting character actress for her portrayal of one the crazy fans stalking John Malkovich in the 2011 film Stalking John Malkovich.

Her character was so important to film, as minor as it was. The Academy decided it was time to add a new category to the list of Oscars. The "best supporting, small minor supporting, one line supporting character actor/actress".

You recognize these people. Just one line, sometimes a little more. Then you see them in another film and you're like I know that person, what's his name, what's her name? Usually an unusual or flaky, off-the-wall role. Though this was Tricia's first film I think her flaky and off-the-wall style will be a nice fit in comedy films and we hope to see some characters through her vision.

Tricia accepted the award from one of her favorite character actors, Brad Dourif. Brad is a tremendous actor and has been in so many films and I wonder if you know who he is before looking at his picture. He was in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ragtime, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy to name a few. All great movies and he's due for an Oscar for best actor or best supporting actor at this point in his career. He was nominated for best supporting actor for his role in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Tricia tripped while going up the stairs but recovered quickly, before saying her thanks, she joked how she never falls down stairs, always up! She thanked her family and friends for their support over the years, her angels in heaven, and was happy to have the opportunity to make so many people laugh.

Okay then I woke up. Another dream of me winning the Academy Award. I can't help it, still at a point in my life where I'm not even interested in being an actress, my dreams are still there, too many times have I fallen asleep after the Oscars and had a dream of me winning, accepting my award, and truly being so happy to connect with all the people I've met in my life, give back just a little piece of me all at one time! Not bad having the world knowing I'm the greatest star either!

Dreams, even if they're wild and almost unbelievable are a wonderful gift we get pretty much every night, unless you suffer from nightmares, I've had my share but they've never been as scary as the Nightmare and Freddie movies and I'm lucky most of mine are great dreams, some just normal nice dreams but some awesome dreams like the ones I have after the Academy Awards and the ones I have the night before the Power Ball numbers come in!

So...do you know who Brad Dourif is?

Hope so, he's an awesome actor!

You probably do know him, just don't know is name.

Until now of course!




CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE REAL OSCAR WINNERS!

Housecoats

Housecoats, a look from yesteryear. My mom wore them, my Grandma Loretta and there are still a few classy ladies from yesteryear that still wear their housecoats. And the shorter housecoat, kind of like a jacket or an apron. Took me forever to find a picture of that one. Seems like they are called a kasack, never heard that word. My mom favored the short housecoat (kasack), though I kinda think they weren't around when I was really young, in my very young memories of my mom, she's wearing the longer housecoat.

Housecoats are basically an all-over apron. They had pockets, were comfortable and if anything spilled or one of your many kids or grandkids touched you with filthy hands, your good clothes weren't ruined.

I can remember my grandma coming to our house. She was a very independent lady. My father always offered to pick her up, she lived about 30 or so blocks from us in Brooklyn. But no, grandma could take the bus, loaded down with all her goodies for us and her PJs, comfortable shoes and her housecoat. She would wear a pretty dress, probably one of her Sunday bests while traveling to our house and when she was done kissing and hugging us she would go and change into her housecoat and comfortable orthopedic shoes. This is kinda how my grandma looked, glasses and all! That's my biggest memory of how she looked! I have pictures of her, but she's all dressed up, not the grandma that lives in my memory. With my mom too, lots of pictures of her without her housecoat but as with my grandma when I imagine her, she's in her cute little housecoat, just the everyday mom and grandma, the simple little memories that are way bigger in my heart than the major events we shared.

My sister-in-law Janet, her mom, beautiful Josie, I've seen her in a short housecoat. Again it was something that most moms and grandmas wore when I was growing up and it's still a part of their wardrobe (only in the house, it's a housecoat).

I'm 53...still have to stop and think about that sometimes, I actually forget how old I am, I think I'm 54, no 53, then I'm counting or pulling out a calculator, duh...but if you are my age I'll bet housecoats were something you grew up seeing all the time.

Moms were home when I was growing up. Calling for my friends and seeing their mom in her housecoat was just the norm, doing chores and saving your good clothes. My friend Linda too. Her mom, God bless her, 83, walks up three flights of stairs still going strong. These days when I see her it's at special occasions and she's all dolled up, but when I think of her, I still just imagine her in her cute housecoat. I would go to Linda's house after school or stay over night sometimes when we were in high school and her mom always had on the same kind of housecoat my mom did. Besides being such a nice family, that housecoat also made me feel at home. And to top it off, Linda's mom made the best Sunday breakfasts ever! Eggs and bacon on fresh rolls with a slice of American cheese and then a horseshoe cake. First time I ever had a horseshoe cake was at Linda's house. And the rolls and cake were picked up fresh baked first thing that morning from Leske's Bakery in Bay Ridge Brooklyn. Unfortunately Leske's just closed down and my friend Linda's been crying since!

I listen to a talk radio program for a short time on my way to work and on my way home. The morning show is called the Dennis and Judy Show on NJ 101.5. I love to listen to most of their topics, sometimes I do switch off if it's something I'm not into, but for the most part I really enjoy the show. People call in and give their two cents on the topics discussed and I love hearing what the "real" people think and have to say. For too long a time Judy was gone, in fact when I first started listening it was Dennis and Michele and I didn't dig Michele.

Michele (don't know her last name) used to work the late night show the first time I heard her on the radio and though there were interesting topics and great comments from people calling in, I didn't dig Michele. That show, called After Hours, has a new Michelle, Michelle Jerson. And though I don't always agree with what this new Michelle has to say all the time, I do enjoy her hosting the show, she fits.

But back to the other Michele (don't know her last name). A few times she discussed, on both the After Hours Show and the day-time show with Dennis, how she thought it was horrible, absolutely ridiculous seeing a 50 or 60 year old wearing jeans, wearing flip flops and t-shirts, trying to look young. I don't know her last name and I don't know how old she is, but I'll bet a million dollars (that of course I don't have) that what this Michele "who cares what her last name is" will be wearing the same style of clothes she wears now when she's 50, 60 and older.

I'm in my 50s. I still wear jeans, most of which are worn and frayed, flip flops, t-shirts, sweat pants. Yes it's a little different from what I was wearing even 10 or 15 years ago, more age appropriate, but all of these clothes, shoes, whatever are part of who I am, who most people my age are. And even men and women in their 60s and 70s wearing jeans, I don't think anything of it, they just grew up wearing them, as housecoats were worn since my grandma's era, we're just wearing what we've worn in our times. I know she's a movie star, but Goldie Hawn is a grandma and she certainly doesn't look like the grandmas of my day but I don't think she looks ridiculous, I think she looks fabulous and age appropriate at the same time. I can't imagine her wearing something frumpy just because she's a grandma. Look at her. Or look at real 50, 60 and 70 year old women, some of them are absolutely stunning and the ones who may not be stunning, still look great in their jeans, t-shirts and flip flops. I think they are dressed age appropriate, do not look ridiculous and should keep on wearing them til they turn 100! So there, Michele whatever your last name is!

When my dad was in his late 50s he got hand me downs from one of my brothers, a nice pair of jeans and a jean jacket. He wore it one day and everyone told him how great he looked, everyone. He said he would never wear them again, he felt ridiculous, everyone noticing him like that. He really looked great, so handsome and not like he was trying to look young and be cool. He was just the type not wanting to see a good pair of pants and a jacket go to waste, why not use them. Never again after that day. It just wasn't his style. His style was always the same. He wore either blue or khaki slacks and a short sleeved buttoned shirt that had to have a pocket for his glasses. We never knew what to buy him, he had so many blue and khaki pants and the same shirts in different colors and that's all he would wear. But that's how I remember him, though again I've seen him dressed in a suit or tux, my memories are just him on a day to day basis wearing his slacks and buttoned shirt with his glasses in his pocket.

Housecoats. Something we wont see around for much longer but they will live on in my generation's hearts and minds. Who knows there could be a story someday that begins...

Years ago your great great grandma Loretta used to come to see your mom and her brothers and sisters, she was a sweet lady, always brought goodies to the house, especially those circus orange peanuts and she wore what was called a housecoat, you don't see them anymore except sometimes in old movies or old TV shows. It was just part of an era, like having that chip inside your hand that scans your information. They didn't have that in the housecoats days, they actually had to carry what is called a wallet, where you kept your money and credit cards. Funny huh? Can you imagine living a life carrying a wallet around, wearing a housecoat...

lol

lol...took me years to learn what it meant. I thought it meant lots of love. My sister-in-law saw "lmao" many times on friends Facebook posts and text messages. For a long time she thought it was kind of like aloha, a greeting or sign off, but when she started noticing it in the middle of messages she knew she was wrong. I now know "lol" is laugh out loud and through my sister-in-law learned "lmao" is laugh my ass off.

The other day I checked out one of my nephew's Facebook page. I couldn't understand anything he and his friends were writing. It's a whole new language and something I think parents, guardians...adults with kids around need to learn. Years ago it started with computers, instant messages and email, watching who kids and teens were chatting with, what they were saying, warning them of the predators who may be out there pretending to be someone else. Years ago one of my nieces, a very smart girl, was asked by her mom who she was chatting with on line. She didn't know was her answer. This person just popped up and started chatting with her. Her mom told her you don't know who that is, it could be a 40 year old pervert pretending to be a teenager. My super smart niece's answer with the "I know everything" attitude was, mom, do you really think a 40 year old guy is going to pretend to be a 15 or 16 year old. YES her mother told her. Yes. Yes. Yes. Too many times it happens, you don't want to know but you have to. There's lots of sick people out there and you have to careful. We all have to pay attention. And now besides watching and knowing who your kids are talking to on the computer or a cell phone, you have a whole new language to learn.

That could be a great new business! A school for those of us who don't know these acronyms and slang words. Or better yet, one of those "For Dummies" books. This one could be Learn the Lingo (ltl) For Dummies. Remember you heard it here first!

Again reading my nephew's Facebook chats were like reading a foreign language. I couldn't understand any of it. I tried looking on line, tried to find websites where I could get the definitions of this new text lingo. There are many, many websites, but the acronyms I was specifically looking for, I have still not found but I'll keep searching long before I ask my nephew what it means. I'd like him to think I'm a step ahead of him, which is not easy! There are so many websites with these acronyms and their meanings but I'm sure that certain areas, neighborhoods, friends, all have their own individualized slang, it's going to be difficult to learn what it all means. I think that's when you have to get a pen and paper, sit your kids and teens down and ask right out, what does this, that and that mean. I want to know. IW2K!!!

I found some definitions of this new lingo and will share with you a few that I think parents should know.

pal = Parents Are Listening
pos = Parent Over Shoulder
p911 = my parents are in the room (P=Parents) (911=emergency, in other words change the subject or watch your language
asl? or a/s/l = what's your age, sex and location ... that's one sends red flags up in my mind and chills down my spine...I'm not digging anyone who is asking a kid or a teen that question.
irl = in real life
&-( = crying
sup = What's up? or Wassup? ... This one I have heard in conversations between kids and teens, not a bad word, but do we really want kids saying "sup" when they talk to their teachers? To their bosses later in life? To grandma and grandpa? Yes it's cute now but I remember during the "valley girl" days saying "you know" and "like" became a thing, cute, funny. But it caught on, it's stayed with us. I even find myself using "like" and "you know" way more than I'd like to.

Remember "ain't"? We were always told how you shouldn't say "ain't" and now it's in the dictionary. Will "sup" also be in the dictionary? Is it already? And socializing? I've had dinners with my nieces and nephews with cell phones and that's all they do, text, text, text. It makes me wonder what conversations will be like 10 years from now!?

These are just a few of the way too many chat, e-mail and text slang and acronyms. The new lingo. I think I posted a few that we should know. And I'm still going to try and figure out my nephew's slang. I think we have to pay attention to this new lingo, make sure we understand, keep reminding kids of the danger of strangers asking you questions, even on the computer or their cell phones. I wouldn't want to see "asl?" on any kid's computer or as a text on a cell phone, again red flags, chills down my spine, "danger Will Robinson!".

I remember when "word" was big. Meant a lot of things. It meant Yes. Cool. I'm with you. I agree. Probably so much more that I don't know but I remember my father using the phrase to my younger brother when he was about 15 or so. My brother got a kick out of it but more than that, he knew our dad was paying attention to his life. Yes, our dad was trying to be cool and make my brother laugh, but I think there was a bigger meaning there for both of them.

I know, and now you know I know. I'm always going to make sure I understand you as best I can. I care.

Sarah at 15

15...15 years old.

Would you want to go back to that age?

I don't think many of us would answer yes.

It's a great age. It's great to be young and have your future in front of you, so many choices, so many paths to choose.

I remember myself being a 15 year old, I thought I was old enough for everything. I thought people who were old enough didn't know what they were talking about, they never felt like I felt, never experienced what I was going through. They so could not have been as cool as I was.

At 15, you think you have all the time in the world to do everything. Absolutely everything. And the words "I know, I know" are the answer to every lesson we are subjected to from our parents, teachers and elders. Famous words I guess for ages before and after 15. I know. My father had a sign hanging on our fridge. I don't remember the exact words but it was something like "you might as well quit school and leave home now because you know everything".

Fifteen though. A year away from the magical 16, a big milestone, especially for girls I guess, I can't speak for the young men. But I would guess it's a big deal for them. So many changes in your body and your mind.

I basically was never a shy kid or teen and I also knew I wasn't into a lot of the things my friends did. I would rather listen to my mom's Frank Sinatra albums, show tunes instead of rock 'n roll. Even my older brothers teased me about liking bubble gum music. I didn't want to smoke, drink, hang out in the park. But with all that I also didn't want to be uncool. I was lucky though, somehow I was drawn to people that may have been different, but accepted me for me, no judgment. I could hang with them when they were doing something I liked and not hang with them when it was something I just wasn't into. I was accepted as me. Mostly I think because I accepted who I was.

At 15 I loved being part of the Glee Club at school and going to school dances. Being involved in a group helps. At 15 I was still living in Brooklyn and at the end of my girl scout days, still going to meetings and events, going Christmas caroling and being invited in by strangers to have a cup of hot chocolate, sweet simple memories.

Although not a big sports fan, I still cheered my school on at all their games and even still attended games at my old grammar school across the street, loved being part of the team spirit. I still played basketball games in the schoolyard across the street, stoop ball, hand ball, bike riding. Things a 15 year old could enjoy that were fun.

Do I envy youth and their glowing beauty. Yes! I would be lying if I said no. But I certainly don't wish I was young again. I do wish that my body felt young enough to do things with less pain and a little faster, but I don't want to be 15, 21, 30. Don't get me wrong, if there was a way to go back and know everything I know now, I would gladly go back to day one. But we can't go back with hindsight and do things over. That's what most people say, oh if I could be young again knowing what I know now. We can't do either. But with age we really do gain so much more, mentally and even physically. We tend to take better care of ourselves, making sure that we don't have too many aches and pains that come with old age, trying to prevent the worse, things our parents didn't even think about.

So my brother Jimmy and his wife Jackie have two daughters and live in Florida. Unfortunately I don't get to see them as often as I'd like to, but it does happen and because our visits are so far and few between, my nieces, Megan and Sarah, just seem to be so much older and more grown up every time I see them.

And today Sarah turned 15.

Sarah stands out. Sarah stands out as Sarah and I believe she will follow her own path. I'm also sure she thinks she knows everything but her good grades in school prove that some of that is right. Her choices in what is fun are age appropriate and though I'm sure she drives her mom, dad and sister crazy sometimes, every time I see her she couldn't be sweeter and more polite and loving. As she is to her teachers and her elders.

From just a baby, Sarah was always getting into something, going wherever she wanted and at one point Jimmy and Jackie had to put lock high up on the door that Sarah couldn't reach. Sarah had developed a late night/early morning ritual of taking walks. She would go out in the yard or driveway to bring in a toy she wanted to play with, or sometimes just stay outside playing. She would ring bells of the neighbors, calling on friends down the block. She's independent and strong and it grows in her every day.

Eventually the lock high up on the door didn't work. Sarah figured out how to build a ladder and get up there and unlock the door. She continued her nightly rounds, probably no more than 2 or 3 years old at the time. Then her parents put an alarm system in the house. Not an alarm system for burglars breaking into the house, an alarm system for when Sarah was breaking out. I remember when Jackie was telling me about the new alarm, she also added that Sarah was listening to one side of the phone conversation and was getting all pouty and angry. She was trapped! Poor little baby! How could her parents deprive her of her 2am walks around the neighborhood!

Peace my Sarah! Peace of mind. Peace with being who you are.

You're 15 today. That's who you are. Enjoy every day, every moment. It's a great time in your life even though there may be a few bumps in the road. Remember you really don't know everything and have so much to learn about so much and have the time to do it all.

Don't wish for tomorrow or being older, it will be here before you know it. Be 15. Be 15 the way you want to be 15. Not how anyone else thinks you should act or be at 15. Be you. Be true. You wont fail!

Enjoy yourself my beautiful girl. Continue to be that strong, independent unique young woman. I'm proud to call you my niece. Happy Birthday! xxxooo

Another Fun Party Favor

One of my friends, Karen, turned 50 last year and as a party favor to all who attended her 50th surprise birthday party I put together a funny little booklet. Just things she loved, part of who she was, is and God willing will be. A nice keepsake for a nice person.

I met Karen through my friend Maria and have seen her off and on for the last 25 years or so. She's the mother of three and though there are two in their young 20s, she still has an pre-teen. So you know, or maybe you don't, but moms (and dads) are usually driving all over the place taking their kids to something, and then picking them up. It's not an easy job. Never was, but I think it's gotten even more difficult. Lots of juggling of your time.

So I've seen Karen at a few dinners and lunches over the years and for a short time when she lived in California, on one my travels to there I passed by her neck of the woods and looked her up. I love Karen and she's a funny lady but by meeting her I've also met one of the funniest people I think I have ever met. Karen's sister Lisa.

Lisa doesn't try to make you laugh. Every story she tells you can't help but laugh, she some how ends up being in the wrong place at the wrong time or sometimes it's the most mundane day and she can turn it into a best selling short story. She always has a story to tell you. Even at work. She's an executive in banking. Very serious, very smart. And somehow she makes the most boring banker into the funniest person, you just want to meet everyone she describes.

I could repeat a Lisa story, but I know I couldn't do it any justice. Lisa has to tell it. You know how when you have a caricature drawn of you? Those drawings that exaggerate your most dominant feature, to the point where you start wondering, does my nose really look like that? Lisa does that when she imitates people. You can so totally imagine the person she is talking about, and she sets the scene, nothing boring at all in her stories, she captures you from, "well I was...".

So below are the pictures I put into funny Lisa's big sister Karen's party favor booklet. I put Karen's picture into famous shots and also made up a couple myself. Even if you just want to create a little booklet using real pictures, this is a nice favor, a nice little memory to store away. I used brochure paper for my inkjet printer and used a book design template, printing on both sides of each piece of paper. If you don't have something like that, just put a booklet together on plain paper, however many pages you want and number the pages, you will be able to see which pages need to be printed on the same page together, for instance your first page will be side by side with the last page of your booklet and once you put it together, they will be apart.

When you fold the pages in half after you have finished your printing, you can staple the middle, I'm sure you've seen pamphlets like that, or you can get fancy, put something like a bookmark, kind of yarn weave with tassels hanging on top or bottom, or any kind of ribbon you want, even plain old brown twine can look great, depending on your design theme. Hope I explained that right!! Questions welcomed!

I used eight pages but also had to make a lot of booklets and eight pages was enough. Lots of cutting involved, measuring as well, you want it to look professional, well as least I did.

So here's a little about my friend Karen in a short picture story.

The book starts with a private laugh between Karen and Maria. They both loved the film In Cold Blood with Robert Blake. Never saw the film but apparently it's has something to do with his pants being too short, white socks. No clown shoes, just my exaggeration!



Karen's very first car, her yellow Volkswagen Beetle (Bug).



Her first love, Peter Cetera from Chicago.




The "thing" during our late teens, going to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show. We didn't dress up and we attended the movie in Staten Island, crazy and fun but once a big bunch of us went to the Village, way too much for us, they actually patted every one down for weapons before going into the theatre and before the movie even started fans read their own fan letters for over an hour. We left before the movie even started, this was way too obsessed for us!



Karen loves Lucille Ball as most of us do, but Lucy is her dog and she loves her more!



And her family...



Back to her Robert Blake look...



And finally Karen, Maria and I, as I hope we will look, maybe living in sunny Florida, being way too old to be dancing and carrying on, being told we're too old for this behavior and then the whispers we wont hear, God bless them still dancing and carrying on!

My King of Hearts

That's me, the Queen of Hearts.

I live upstairs from my niece and nephews, Robert, Jojo and Bella. I hadn't really planned on seeing them yesterday and they get enough candy as it is, don't need any more from me so I didn't get them anything for Valentine's Day. But then I ended up being invited to dinner, and it was Valentine's Day, so now I had to do something! I put together something quick with what I had at home. I have lots of different craft items at home, lots of times just small pieces of left over paper, ribbons, card stock, all which come in handy for last minute Valentine's Day gifts or No Reason Day gifts and keeping Bella busy and quiet when she's up here in my apartment yapping away.

I had the red Twizzlers candy that is individually wrapped, put about 8 or so of them together and made it fall into a bouquet by wrapping a thin red ribbon about an inch from the bottom of my candy bouquet. I used the thin ribbon you can curl up with a scissor to make it a little fancier, had some green card stock paper and cut that into leaves and glued them to a stick and put that in the middle of the Twizzlers bouquet. And adding my own touch, I made my Queen of Hearts card and hung that from the ribbon.

It was a nice bouquet and I should of taken a picture but again it was all last minute and they were done just in time. I just finished when I got the call that dinner was ready. Maybe I'll recreate it next year and plan for it, yeah that's the ticket, I'll make it bigger and better! Robert and Bella noticed everything right away and asked how I made it. Of course Jojo didn't notice right away. I told Robert and Bella how I made it and also told them maybe I could make a deck of cards with their pictures, a lot of work I would guess, but I like it and it also keeps me busy and quiet! Bella was so excited. "Like real cards you can play with Aunt Tricia? Really!"

So when I went downstairs for dinner last night, as usual Bella greeted me as though we haven't seen each other for a month. Robert always says hello and Jojo usually doesn't notice me. I have to get in his face and say hello and then when he's finally ready to pay attention to what's going on around him, he'll say hello to me like I just walked in the house, forgetting I forced a hello out of him ten minutes before.

But I came in with a gift last night and though Jojo still wasn't fully paying attention, because whatever I was giving him couldn't be eaten until after dinner, he looked up quick, no hello, and the first words he says to me were "just licorice?" Just licorice!! No hello and no thank you? Thank you did come next but only after being told to say thank you by his mom. Robert and Bella both said thank you right away and looked at the bouquet, both noticing everything.

Again just being Jojo, it took a little time but he finally really looked at the Twizzlers and noticed it was like a bouquet of flowers and he saw my Queen of Hearts picture. First he said "Aunt Tricia you're my King of Hearts". He had the most loving, sweet face, his big brown eyes sparkling...you know how some people have a sparkle in their eyes, especially when they smile, Jojo has those eyes...melt-you eyes. Jojo can make me and pretty much everyone laugh when he's busting chops or being stubborn, just one word, at the right moment, and he gets you. You walk away shaking your head wondering how does this kid get me every time. And he can melt you the next moment with being just the sweetest mushiest little man. I know after realizing he didn't say thank you right away he made it up with some extra loving to me. I know he means it, but his timing is impeccable!! He went on last night, telling me how much he loved me, being mushy, kissing and hugging and melting my heart. He had me at "you're my King of Hearts".

One day my brother and his wife, Uncle Bob and Aunt Janet, were visiting my brother Joey and the kids. Aunt Janet was already inside, also getting kisses and hugs from Bella like it's been forever since she's see her, but Robert and Jojo were hanging with the rest of the neighborhood 10 year olds, a nice bunch of them who live on their dad's block. They were being too cool. I think we all did that when we were younger, hanging outside with our friends and a relative comes to visit, you ignore them. You're cool, you're hanging. You're not going to be embarrassed by kisses from grandma or Aunt Tilly.

Jojo especially adores his Uncle Bob, his godfather. Since he was a baby the two of them have had a special relationship, but Jojo was being cool that day even to Uncle Bob. He was hanging with his friends. Bob made the mistake of thinking he was cool, he's a guy, the kids were talking sports or setting up a game and he made a comment to the boys. They all ignored him, didn't even look up and Bob went inside laughing about not being cool enough. And right as the screen door was about to close, Bob heard Jojo, in a silly, too cool voice, say "awkward". Bob laughed even more. Timing, the kid has timing.

So first he says I'm his King of Hearts! I told him no, you're my King of Hearts and I'm your queen and he told me I would always be his Queen of Hearts. He made up for his "just licorice" remark and in fact has earned a few extra points for future slip ups and knowing Jojo there will be slip ups!

Jojo, my boy king who made me feel like a queen!

You Make Me Happy

This is a card my father gave me when I was about 13 or 14 years old. I keep it in a memory box that's not too big and over the last 40 years or so I have thrown certain things away. It was always hard to decide what to toss, but I knew I couldn't keep everything. I have so many nieces and nephews that have drawn pictures or even just their first cards to me where they wrote "Aunt Tricia" for the first time, those I could never throw away. This blog has been a new memory box for me. A much bigger box.

I don't have to throw things away anymore, I don't have to make those tough decisions I made over the years. Even if a memory is not put in my actual memory box or here on my blog, I have scanned pictures drawn for me. Pictures that for years were piled one on top of the other on my refrigerator door that my nieces and nephews have drawn. Bella draws a picture pretty much every time I see her and now I don't have to throw it away.

I saved this card for 40 years. It was never one of the items I would toss. I also know I saved it because my father wrote "and my life happy". He wrote "I love you" too, but the "and my life happy" spoke volumes to me even as a young teen. He was always telling me he loved me!

It's weird too, but probably one of the last conversations I had with mom, she said "you make me happy". It was Christmastime and I made her a mixed music cassette of Broadway tunes, which she loved, as do I. At that time in her life she was very sick and there were few things that she could enjoy. I remember when I played it for her, she just looked at me and said "you make me happy". Not, "I love you" but "you make me happy". She too said "I love you" a gazillion times, but "you make me happy", that was very meaningful to me. I was overflowing happy!

I'm blessed with so many people I love and even more, I am blessed with so many people who make me happy. And not to sound like I have a fat head but I know I make lots of people happy too. There's a song that Jimmy Durante sang, Make Someone Happy which I've shared below. A line of the lyrics says "make someone happy and you will be happy too". It's true. It's like that book and movie The Secret. Whatever we put out there, we get back.

If you are reading my blog today, you make me happy and I hope I make you happy too. And of course more than that, I hope you are surrounded with people who make you happy.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Whitney...I Will Always Love You

Wow.

I couldn't believe what I read when I woke up this morning. I also read that Simon Cowell said you will always remember where you were when you heard about Whitney's passing. So true I think.

I know it's so sad how Whitney's life seemed to just fade away right before our eyes, but even before her passing away, and during the time she was in a bad place, whenever I thought of Whitney, I always had an image in my head and my heart of a beautiful, glowing woman, singing like an angel. And now I will forever remember her that way. I hope that for her daughter.

For too short a time she was a wonderful gift to all of us. She was an amazing talent and I will always love her!

Wax Paper?

Funny question asked while I was wrapping the leftover half of my niece's bagel.

The other day Bella was at my house and had a bagel with cream cheese. Way, way too much cream cheese I must say. We just ordered a bagel with cream cheese. Not a schmear. (Schmear: another Yiddish word, actually meaning the amount of cream cheese on a bagel. Oh the things you can learn living in New York!) But we didn't ask for extra, just said bagel and cream cheese. This bagel had enough cream cheese to put on at least 4 more bagels. What a waste!

But Bella only ate half the bagel. No surprise since she also had a chocolate frosted donut with chocolate chips on top waiting for her, of which she only ate the chips and the icing, but she asked me to wrap up the other half of her bagel for later.

I still use wax paper. Wrap bread in it and throw it in the fridge or freezer. Wrap the extra half of my breakfast muffin when I don't finish it and save it for later and a bunch of other things. My mom used wax paper, there was always a roll in the house and I guess it's just something I'm used to using.

Bella had no idea what it was. I couldn't believe it. She's smart, notices everything, so I know she's never seen it used. I told her what it was and what you can use it for, including candy making, art, sewing patterns. I also use it to bread my chicken cutlets, instead of having one more dish to clean I just put the bread crumbs on the wax paper. My mom probably did that too.

I also learned that there is wax paper you can use in the microwave. Never used it while microwaving anything, kinda thought the wax would melt into the food, but I read it's actually safer than the plastic wrap. I've also seen certain wax paper that says "made for microwaves" so I would check the label before trying that.

I lunched at home in grammar school as you could in the days when I went to grammar school but high school we had to stay on campus and I brought my lunch pretty much everyday, wrapped in wax paper and in a paper bag. I wasn't the only one, swapped lunches on quite a few occasions and my friends had their sandwiches wrapped in wax paper too.

Again, how things change, everything! Now they have little plastic boxes made for a sandwich so it doesn't get squished, stays fresher. I guess that's better, but I'll stick to my wax paper and keep wrapping my muffins and sandwiches with that until wax paper, like so many other things, becomes a thing of the past.

My Gift's Cooler Than Your Gift

It is!

Just an idea here. You know how people put together an assortment of different things in a basket and it makes a great gift, well here's just a twist on that, and it's cooler.

This was a gift I put together for my friend Alex's 50th birthday, he loved it, his wife too. I filled the cooler with beach towels, beer, soda, water, wine, corkscrew and bottle opener, potato chips, Tostidos and salsa, a few cocktails in a bag, just freeze em and take them to the beach, or for Alex and Patti, for their trips down to the Blue Ridge Mountains, a couple of those TGIF ready-made cocktails and plastic plates, cups, dispensable wash cloths, napkins, a real party in a cooler!

Cool huh!

I'm Going to Disney World!

I think it's an appropriate day to share that phrase that Quarterback Phil Simms said after the New York Giants won Super Bowl XXI. Yeah he was paid for it, but it's become something you say when you win big. Every one knew what he meant when he said that, it wasn't just about going to an amusement park. It was the magic of Walt Disney.

Walt Disney was a man of true inspiration and imagination. I grew up sitting in front of the TV on Sunday nights watching Walt Disney welcome me into his world of magic and it still lives inside me as I think it does for all.

"If you can dream it, you can do it."

- Walt Disney

Super Bowl 2012

Well here I am again talking about something that I know very little about even though my life has always been surrounded by super football fans.

I learned some things from family and friends but my first true understanding of the game was using my younger brother's handheld football video game. I think the picture I've posted is the one he had, there have been so many video games and upgrades over the years, it gets confusing. When trying to find this picture on line I was also surprised, and you might be too, but it was Mattel that made the game. Do you remember this game?

I liked playing that video game. Not because it was football! It was just the start of my video game obsession, probably for a lot of people. So many of us do that, get caught up in these games and just can't stop. You say one more game and then again, one more game, before you know it hours have passed and you've played one more game 50 times. But that football video game taught me the basics of football. Just the basics. Super Bowl parties taught me more. Our super bowl parties were held mostly at my Aunt Kathy and Uncle Richie's house and I usually was in another room watching all the great movies they put on for non-sports fans on Super Bowl Sunday. It is a super day for great movies! But I couldn't ignore all the cheering, it was loud and crazy. I remember one year my mom making up a song, "you gotta sack that quarterback whatever name" over and over. She got every one singing and I had to ask what does it mean. I learned something else and only because the song sounded fun, I wanted to join in on that, still not interested in the football game.

I also remember that the first two parties I won the pool and everyone was screaming from the party room up to whatever corner of the house I was watching a movie, moaning how unfair it was that I was winning and not even watching the game! Two years in a row!

I can't remember my first Super Bowl party, it was so many years ago. I think in my teens in the mid 70s, and for most of my family it was and is the biggest event of the year, as I know it is for so many people. I don't remember hearing about super bowl parties so much during that time. I asked my brother Joey and he told me it wasn't as big back then, that it's just become bigger and bigger every year and basically it's an American holiday now, a new tradition.

My mom loved Super Bowl Sunday. She loved family, football and parties and I really thing the super bowl was her favorite day of the year. Of course my crazy family started having Super Bowl Monday, carrying the party on one more day with their new tradition of going to lunch at Schaffer's Tavern on Victory Boulevard in Staten Island. Schaffer's Tavern is still a really popular place on Staten Island. If you like a big sandwich and good beer, this is the place for you. They have corned beef and pastrami, roast beef, bratwurst, German potato salad and though I am not a fan of a big sandwich or beer I have heard so many great reviews about Schaffer's. I have eaten there, but picky me, take apart my sandwich because it's too much for me. It's a waste of great food! If you live in the area though and enjoy a good beer, a homemade-like, big sandwich, this is the place for you.

Super Bowl is just in the air, even the local deli in my neighborhood has been decorated with Giant signs and streamers in Giant colors since the day they found out that the Giants were in the Super Bowl. And on Facebook I've seen so many comments and digs going back and forth between Giant fans and Patriot fans and excitement. Everyone is gearing up for Sunday!

I actually watched the super bowl game four years ago, the last time the Patriots and Giants played together. I was in the Keys in Florida. And at the hotel we were staying at, there happened to be quite a lot of people from New England. A few New Yorkers, but more from New England. During the game the New England fans were all cocky and cheering and I don't blame them, but when the game turned, really at the very last minute, the New England fans turned too. I just watched a video clip of the end of that game. I do remember it being so last second, but after watching it again this morning, it brought back those last 2 minutes of the game. Even the Giants' coach looked shocked because the Patriots almost made another touchdown, it really was a great game, even for me, a non sports fan. But the New England fans almost faded into the background at the end of that game, in shock and angry, disappointed, so so close.

So what will it be tomorrow? I'm rooting for the New York Giants, I'm a New Yorker, but I do have a young nephew up in New England who may get his heart broke if the Giants win again. So for me, as I said, I'm rooting for the Giants, but if the Patriots do by any chance win, there's a piece of my heart that will be happy for my nephew. Sorry Giant fans, I love my nephew more than football!

Princess

I was a little princess when I was a baby. First girl born after 3 brothers and I was spoiled rotten. By my parents, my brothers and my aunt who lived with us until I was about 5.

When I was younger all I wanted to wear were dresses, I guess from before I can remember until maybe 4th or 5th grade. I went to Catholic grammar school and wore my ugly uniform every day and to me it didn't count as a dress at all. When I came home from school I was not allowed to put a dress on, jeans, t-shirt and sneakers was it. Not that I didn't like wearing jeans and sneakers, but I loved being dressed up and even very young already had a thing for shoes. I played in the streets, wearing a dress and nice shoes was not the proper attire and for maybe a half an hour or so I would feel like a princess and keep clean, but it wasn't long before some adventure involving dirt, grass and mud was part of my day.

I remember for my first holy communion my mom put my shoes on a high shelf in the linen closet and I was warned to keep my hands off them until my communion day. And I can remember that day, my mom taking the shoes out of the closet, putting that box of shoes in my hands, it was like she was handing me gold. I am sure my shoes were ruined in less than a month as I may not have been allowed to wear them outside except for church or a special occasion, but I would still wear them around the house, tap dancing and shuffling and ruining my shoes.

There was a short time in between my father's death and my mom remarrying that she worked overnight and slept during the day. On those days that she was sleeping when I came home from school I would have a note, Trish, no dresses, wear what is left out for you. Total disappointment! But also during those times there were many occasions where we needed to be dressed up. If you went to a birthday party, you wore a dress. Went to parties with my mom, we wore dresses and of course our fancy shoes! My younger sister Linda and I pretty much had matching dresses for most of these events but on Easter Sunday, another big day in my memory because of the clothes, not the candy, we wore similar colors maybe but usually had different dresses, and shoes, and hats, and gloves. I loved Easter Sunday even when the elastic band from my hat hurt my chin, which it always did!

In my teeny bopper and young teens, bell bottoms and groovy jeans were in style and I was into those clothes. I loved the mini skirts too, though my mom wasn't into me wearing them! I couldn't even wear black leotards to dancing school, pink or white, black was not for little girls, even by 7th and 8th grade, black was not for me. And fishnets were in style then too, and of course I got yellow ones, not black! How times how changed! I've seen little baby girls in the cutest dresses with black leotards, my mom would be shocked! But my mom was buying back then so I didn't have a choice. By the time I was buying she probably didn't like half of what I chose to wear and she was probably right looking back.

By the time I was a secretary and working in Manhattan dressing up was office attire. Really dressed up. Pants were forbidden in the secretarial school I attended after graduating from high school. Except on Fridays, when we could wear a 3-piece pants suit. Yeah a 3-piece pants suit, it was disco time, the Saturday Night Fever days. Remember John Travolta in his white 3-piece suit, well women had their own version and it was just as ridiculous as Travolta's when you look back on it now, but then it was the style, it was cool. But I wore dresses, didn't own a 3-piece pants suit, my dress craze was back, that's after spending another four years of high school wearing an ugly plaid uniform accompanied by my construction boots, or Earth Shoes. Earth Shoes! Do you remember Earth Shoes? They look so ugly now but they were in style when I went to high school and if you weren't a disco girl wearing high heels you were wearing Earth Shoes or construction boots or something similar. In grammar school we had a uniform shoe. Not too pretty either. But in high school we could wear whatever kind of shoes we wanted. Go figure! With all their rules and regulations they let us wear whatever shoes?

My first job I worked close to Times Square and at the edge of the fashion district. Walking distance to Macy's in Herald Square and as big as that store is, I knew it like the back of my hand. Well the dress department, shoes department, and the Mrs. Field's cookie shop they had. Mrs. Field's cookies had just come out then and were the tastiest cookie in town. I was always there after shopping for a dress! I had dresses and skirts and shoes and shoes and shoes! Every color. Sneakers too, tons of different colors. Clothes and shoes meant so much, and all the accessories.

There finally came a time when I no longer liked to dress up, though I still bought the cutest sandals and shoes and pants, and accessories but dresses were out again, except at weddings or really special occasions. There were so many cool dress pants out and to be honest, most of my life pants didn't fit me, I was just too short and even though I would take them up, it changed the look. I think at this point in my life they finally came out with the petite sized clothes and I could finally buy a pair of pants and not hem them. And hem them for me mostly meant tape or safety pins and sometimes staples! I could sew but the other things were faster! And the work dress code was changing. Women wearing pants was very acceptable and the 3-piece pants suit was gone! Pants suits were nicer and just a nice pair of slacks with a sweater was also acceptable work attire.

Now it's very casual, and more for me because I work a swing shift and don't really come out of my little office space and interact with clients. Even the attorneys dress down, some still are a little dressier than others but for the most part it's very casual.

I like casual now, it's easy, it's comfortable.

Still like to dress up for special occasions and wear a dress and let the princess in me shine!

My little princess pictured up above is my niece Bella and she's so not a princess! Well she is a princess in some ways of course. She's a girl. It's in all of us to some degree I think.

Bella loves her pretty dresses but for the most part, she's very comfortable in jeans, t-shirts and sneakers and will choose that. She also has a major wardrobe! Cute little boots and jackets, but you know at certain ages, they just grow out of their clothes and shoes too fast. A lot of her fancy wardrobe are hand-me-downs and they are like new, again the person who had them before just grew out of whatever before it had a chance to be worn often. But if Bella does have a dress on, it's not long before there's some big stain on her dress and in her hair as she's constantly pushing it out of her face.

I created the magazine cover for Bella's picture above and also did magazine covers with pictures of her brothers. I guess this picture is about 4 years ago or so. I'll share Robert's and Jojo's at another time because you know there's a story behind every picture!

The Birds

Remember the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds? So scary, creepy.

I'm not a fan of scary movies, I like action films, but don't watch the nightmarish movies, cause I will have nightmares!

But I am a big fan of Alfred Hitchcock's films, well the ones I've seen. He also used to have a TV series, which by the time I watched it was in reruns, but it was great. Mystery stories, some thrillers but still not as scary as the film The Birds. And he always said "Good Evening" in his own special way.

The Birds movie started out so innocent, typical boy meets girl and there's a spark. But very quickly the film turns and the birds attack and then there's more birds and you're just on the edge of your seat watching and you have chills running down your spine. I've watched it quite a few times and still sit on the edge on the couch. Pretty much why I don't watch scary movies.

One of my nephews saw that movie Snakes On A Plane and he had nightmares so many nights and besides nightmares, he started imagining things during the daytime. Not like he was seeing things, just was creeped out, no more scary movies for him.

I live in Staten Island and there's lots of trees, not as much as there is upstate but there's a lot of trees for a city. My apartment is on the side of the house and my windows look out to my neighbor's yard and this morning it was filled with black birds. I heard them even before I saw them so I opened the curtains. Hundreds of birds! The trees too were filled and I got my camera and went outside to get some shots.

This isn't the first time it's happened. I've seen it for years now and I guess since yesterday was 60 degrees, I think the birds and all of nature is confused. 60 degrees in February? Strange weather for February but great day for all, even the birds! But about 4 years ago I walked out my door and I guess the birds heard the door slamming, hundreds of them came swooping down over my head, again it was like being in a movie, so unreal and a little creepy. But no attacks! They just swooped up in the air and settled down in the trees and lawn across the street.

This morning the birds took off when I opened the door and more took off as I walked down my steps. But they came close by, hundreds of them in formation flying right over my head. When I got a little farther from my steps I noticed that my neighbor's big front lawn was filled with them and they were also on the fence to the side of their property. I wish I could have got a picture of that, it was the setting for a movie thriller! I was just getting my camera ready when the hustle and bustle of my neighborhood started. School bus pick up time and commuters looking for parking spaces by the train station which is just a couple of blocks away and the birds moved on. The flew across the street to another neighbor's home with a big lawn but most of them headed for the trees. A few were brazen enough to stay on the ground, but it's funny they all seem to follow each other. Did you ever notice that? I was able to get one picture of the birds but it's only a small fraction of the amount of birds that were out there. They all went into the trees and swarmed off a few blocks away seconds later.

But this morning my neighbors' lawns, trees and fences looked as creepy as the movie The Birds.

After seeing all the birds outside this morning I searched on line to see if that ever happens, birds attacking people, and was surprised by what I found. It does happen! Big birds, little birds, swarms of birds attacking. Of course if there are baby birds, a mother is going to protect them, I think we all know that. But most of these bird attacks I looked up had nothing to do with momma bird protecting her baby. Pictures of seagulls just grabbing food right out of people's hands. I've read it's because there are so many cities popping up, chopping down trees and the birds just basically settle down and make nests in the strangest places, even in Manhattan. Also that there's different species settling in the same areas, a melting pot for birds! During the spring when all the baby birds are born you might just want to pay attention, look up, don't want to freak out any momma birds! They're watching you and the other species of birds, you might just get in the middle of something you don't want!

There's a few places in Brooklyn and I think even the Bronx where there are tons of parrots. There's even a tour coming up this weekend starting at Brooklyn College to go on a parrot safari. The parrots don't attack. Very peaceful but it's wild how a tropical bird came to settle in New York. There's some theories about crates being opened at Kennedy airport back in the late 60s and that's where the birds came from. Great stories on line about that and how the authorities tried to run them out of town! Got them out of Central Park but when they were heading out to Rikers Island to clear the last of the big parrot settlement by the time they got there the birds were gone. Someone tipped them off?!

I also looked up information about Alfred Hitchcock's thriller and found this information from when Hitchcock was developing the film.

Wikipedia
Development
On 18 August 1961, residents in the town of Capitola, California, awoke to find sooty shearwaters slamming into their rooftops, and their streets covered with dead birds. News reports suggested domoic acid poisoning (amnesic shellfish poisoning) as the cause. According to a local newspaper, the Santa Cruz Sentinel, Alfred Hitchcock requested news copy in 1961 to use as "research material for his latest thriller".

So that's where Hitchcock got his creepy idea!

It's funny when I first moved to this apartment I would sometimes try to take an afternoon nap, well I still do that, but when I first moved here I could hardly sleep because the birds chirping in the trees were so loud! Eventually I got used to the chirps. Can fall asleep with hundreds of them yapping away all day. You know how you have creaks in your house, know when someone is walking across the kitchen floor or up the stairs. At first you get scared and then it just becomes your regular background noise, part of home. Well mine these days is birds chirping away and at certain times of the year hundreds of birds! You get used to it, it's home, for me and the birds!

Get Smart

As in Elizabeth Smart.

I'm a Good Morning America fan. Elizabeth Smart is a contributor on the show and every once in a while she'll be on to talk about sexual predators, protecting children and making your children "smart" about these issues.

I remember when she was abducted, only 14 years old and there she was this morning, a classy young women of 24 sharing her smarts. She seems a little shy and nervous but at the same time you can see her strength to accept that this was part of her life and uses it to help others. She said when she was in college someone cornered her and told Elizabeth that she wanted to stay with her abductor, she could have got away, that she wanted to run away from her home, her parents. I couldn't believe that anyone could say that to this woman. She was only 14 years old, so young, being threatened. I don't know how I would handle that at 14 years old. I would never judge this woman.

People do that, we decide, we judge others, I'm guilty as well. This person or that person did something, should have done something else, didn't do the right thing, wasn't smart. Again I am guilty of judging myself, but more and more I do try to put myself in the shoes of someone else. Not just words. It's taking everything you have, you love, who you are and throwing that out the window, into the street and picking up everything else about that other person. Be it your husband or wife, sister or brother, friend or enemy. Truly put yourself in their shoes. It's not so easy to do. Why? Because we don't know everything about other people. And yet we judge.

Elizabeth's father got wind of what happened with his daughter at school and sat both his girls together and told them he has heard them argue, scream at each other while fighting, as sisters can do. He told them that he wanted to hear them scream out loud right that very minute. Scream as if your life depends on it and if anyone ever comes up to you and corners you, puts you in a place where you can't move, fellow student or worse, SCREAM like that.

This morning Elizabeth talked about how we should not only tell our children that they should call 911 in an emergency, actually show them how, go through the motion, on a home phone and a cell phone. Make sure they know their parents first and last names, not just mommy and daddy, make sure they know their last name, their phone number, their zip code, home. Do skits with your children with every kind of scenario you can imagine, as hard as that is. Elizabeth said that 85% of those children who scream, fight back and have the "smarts", get away. That's not 100% how we want it but 85% is pretty high.

Elizabeth continues to live her life surrounding by her past. She started The Elizabeth Smart Foundation which tries to help young children avoid violent events as well as helping them to recover from any violence in their lives, yet she continues to live a happy life. I just learned she is engaged to be married. How wonderful for her. But I'll bet a million dollars, that I don't have, I am so sure, that there are many people out there who judge Elizabeth, who think that she's not happy, that she'll be messed up for the rest of her life. I don't think that of Elizabeth.

I want to Get Smart like Elizabeth Smart. More and more I try to be smart enough to know and accept my failings, my good points, that my past is my past, but it still is part of me, who I am. Smart enough to know I can turn even the worse thing into something positive and productive. It may not be what you would do, how you would handle it, how you would judge my actions. It's just what I would do, in my shoes, because they fit.

Get Smart.