Hmm..could be!  

I was having lunch with Danny and watching the noon edition of the news on the television, when the report of the shooting in Newtown, Ct. was reported.  I set down my glass, grabbed my napkin, and cried.  Danny and I were speechless as the report stated that innocent children had lost their lives at the hands of one, evil gunman.  I cried.

I looked at Danny; he was sitting, motionless, and tears were streaming down his face.  We couldn’t speak, we could only listen.

We watched as the video showed small, helpless children being evacuated from the school, with their hands raised in the air and terrified looks on their faces.  I cried.

We saw frightened parents outside the school, waiting for word of their children, not knowing if they were dead or alive.  I cried.

As the days passed, we watched as the reports came in about the heroics of the principal and the teachers, who lost their lives trying to protect their students and I cried.  

Then, the mourning began.  I mourned for the unbelievable loss of these twenty-six precious lives.  I mourned for the parents, I mourned for the families, and I mourned for the nation.  Time will pass and we will all move on, as difficult as that is to believe right now, and as hard as this horrifying event is to accept.  But, we will never forget and that is right.  

Now, I pray.  I pray that these angels in heaven will watch over us and feel the love we send their way, in our thoughts and prayers. I pray that the parents, families and the nation will begin to heal.  And, I pray that nothing like this ever happens again.

God Hold you tight, sweet angels!  Rest in peace.

My Xanga buddy, @DW418 recently achieved “True” status in Xangaland.  I asked him how he did it and he sent me a link; the link that shows your current standing in the Xanga community.

I was chagrined to learn that Xanga doesn’t feel that I post enough.  Hmm…yeah, they’ve got a point.  I only post a weblog when I get the overpowering urge to spurt out my feelings or views.  But, in my defense, I spend a LOT of time being loyal to my friends and visitors on Xanga.  I read their posts, 99% of which are just great and make me jealous of their talent; I comment a lot on those that either touch or tickle me, and I sometimes send a pulse or two.  

Although I am retired, my life is not really my own.  My SO, Danny, is high maintenance and he is already asking me about the amount of time I spend on my laptop!  I think he suspects that I am on a dating service or am looking up Porn.  Poor man.   I let him think what he wants…makes our love life..oh, never mind, TMI. 

I have thought about cheating to obtain the lofty position of being “TRUE”.  I could write 10 web-logs a day, with different titles, that have no other content than “Ha..Ha..made you look!”  I could comment on every article in the main Xanga room with a “Hmm.” on each and every post.  But, that would be cheating..and if there is one thing I am, it is honest!  (Well, most of the time.)

To quote my hero, Stephen King, “If you don’t read; you can’t write!”  So, fellow Xangans, if my journey to “TRUE” status takes a little longer because I am addicted to reading your posts..so be it!  

Love ya all! 

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=8059508#.UMif-GTm764.xanga

When will this stop?  This beautiful young girl is now lost forever…due to vicious cyber-bullies.  There is good advice on this video as to how to recognize when your child is in danger.  

I was an unhappy child, an alcoholic dad, and uncaring mom, teasing from my peers.  I wonder if I lived in this world of new technology; how much would it have taken to push me over the edge?

Please pray for this poor child and her family. 

Yeah, that’s right!  That woman has plagued me for years, along with her entire family.

A little back story is called for here.  Mary Ellen Walton lived in a cabin on a mountain with: her four brothers, two sisters, her parents and her grandparents, in a place called TV land.  The series was called “The Waltons” (duh), and was sugary sweet and full of moral lessons, and placed at the time of the Great Depression. At the end of each episode, the family would follow a nightly ritual which involved saying goodnight to each other from their rooms.  So, it went like this.  ”Goodnight, John Boy.”  ”Goodnight, Mary Ellen.” and on..and on..and on.  I guess with no television, this was the family’s only entertainment.

So, why do I hate Mary Ellen?  Well, I happen to have the same first name, (not Mary, not Ellen, it’s Mary Ellen, thank you very much!).  From the start of this series, through today (yeah, the series went into syndication, lucky me), people will greet me with “Goodnight Mary Ellen!” and they will actually stand there and wait for me to call back, “Goodnight, John Boy!” They think it’s funny.  They think it’s cute.  I think it sucks.

Why me?  When my parents named me after two separate Irish grannies; I’m sure they didn’t know that I would be hounded in future years.  Before this show, Mary Ellen was a unique name and I liked it that way.  After the series, the name Mary Ellen became popular;  there is a large number of us now wandering the world; and I believe, they have gone through the same hell as I have.  So, Mary Ellen’s of the world, UNITE! When you hear “Goodnight, Mary Ellen”, stare that person in the eye and say “Goodnight, dumb shit!”

Have you ever been teased about your name?  How did you handle it?

Yeah, people.  I am pissed off! (I know, fine way for a grandma to talk.)  But I woke up at my usual time, 4 a.m., and as always, logged on to my Xanga world.  The first Rec. I looked into was a comment made on the blog titled “What’s Wrong with being a Slut?”  I scrolled up and looked at the picture; I read the first two paragraphs and got the hell out of this idiot’s blog.

As I continued down my site, I saw multiple Recs. for comments made in response to this pig’s blog.  I wondered how many people stoked his ego with comments.  So I reentered his blog and was totally shocked.  155 comments and 9 Likes so far!  Are you serious?  

Yes, this piece of garbage has the right to post what he wants.  AND, we have the right to ignore him.  Giving him recognition is a grave mistake.  He’ll probably make top blog and for what?  Trying to put women back a hundred years?  Give me a break.

And some people actually argued with him, which I am sure he totally got a sick kick out of.  

Don’t get me wrong.  I totally support free speech…I am a total advocate!  Write what you want…but I’ll be damned if you’ll get a comment from me if what you write is disgusting, insulting and as revolting as this piece of scum’s blog.  I won’t even forward this blog to FB; I’m afraid that someone will want a link to his site.  The only link I want to give him is one to a psych doctor…for this boy needs help!

OK…I feel better now.  And remember, this is just my opinion.  If you don’t like it….don’t comment on it. 

If you read my previous post, you are aware that Danny, my SO, and I had to travel to his hometown of Owensboro, Kentucky.  Sadly, his sister (who had stage 4 Bone Cancer) passed away when we were halfway to Owensboro.  On a brighter note, his sister in the hospital with pneumonia is doing well and being transferred to a Transitions Unit until she is fully recovered. Thank you for your prayers and wishes for a safe trip.

I would like to say that the trip was uneventful…however, there is only one way to it…UNBELIEVABLE!  Lots of drama from Danny’s family, including bad feelings over the decision not to have a viewing of his deceased sister; no preacher to say a few words about the woman, a fist fight between his nephews, cops being called to the funeral home on the day of the service because of the sister’s grandchildren threatning their mother with physical harm, and someone stealing his sister’s ashes to be buried at a undisclosed location.  I do not lie! If you look up the words Dysfunctional Family, his poor departed sister’s children’s pictures appear underneath. 

His sister in the hospital improved each day, which left us comfortable with leaving the day after the funeral.  With the drama and sadness left behind, we headed back to Florida.  Once home, we almost kissed the driveway; we were so happy to be home.

I expected this trip to be somber, due to the reasons for going.  What I didn’t expect was the craziness and disrepect among his sister’s family.  But, Danny was close to his sister, not her kids or grandchildren, so we do not expect to be subjected to any more of their inappropriate behavior.  Thank the Lord!