Today, Friday December 12, 2014

Hi Everyone! I'm back...

Today  I just want to quickly share what I'm grateful for...

• Christmas music...especially " A Charlie Brown Christmas"
• Pizza
• White Birthday Roses
• Birthday flowers by my bed
• Birthday surprises in the mail
• Birthday cards
• FaceBook Birthday posts
• The numbers 5 & 4...they represent my height and my age
• A Special Friend that got to eat jello and Popsicles today
• An Organized Friend that organizes the rest of us so we know that our Special Friend got to eat jello and Popsicles today
• Mother and Daughter relationships...they last forever you know
• A Missionary that has been out 3 weeks and living in Martinsburg, West VA
• A totally bare Christmas tree in my living room surrounded by good intentions
• Hot Chocolate and a CAN of Reddi-Whip
• Christmas presents to wrap
• Flights arriving from SLC next Friday
• Prayer
• And MOST of all...My Savior, my Friend, my Redeemer...Dear Jesus Christ and His Birthday!

 

Today...October 5, 2014

SUNDAY HAIKU #4

HAIKU #4

In a crum'bling world

Thank Thee Dear God, for a Seer.

Thy Stone of Knowledge.

   

   

   

Today...September 21, 2014

Sunday Haiku #3

Sunday Haiku #3

Elijah's coming

Brings seal'd strands of DNA

...And casting of crowns.

Today...September 17, 2014

Today I was zipping through my emails when one in particular caught my eye. As I opened it up and began reading, I realized that I was on an invitation list to direct one of three shows at a nearby Children's Theatre organization for this year.  And as I read further I saw that one of the shows was a particular piece that I've been interested in directing for many, many years.

I sat and considered the letter, and realized that directing Children's Theatre is an experience that I am no longer going to be able to do...because of my lifestyle change and all. Yet as I look back at all the past experiences and productions I have been blessed to be involved with--since the AGE OF SIX: I can't help but think, "You know M'Lisa, it's been a good run; a very, very good run." Plus I'm a firm believer that what I learn in this life, I'll definitely get to take with me to the next. So I'm just going to have to let Theatre go for now; (so much easier said than done!)

BUT--I do have a YouTube Video of one of the very first Children's Theatre productions I ever directed. Yes, it was with a VERY prestigious acting troupe that called themselves THE FRONT PORCH PLAYERS. What you are about to see is THEIR version of SLEEPING BEAUTY!  ENJOY!

CAST

Princess Aurora - M'Lisa E.
MALEficent - Aaron
Fairy - Rebecca
Narrator: The Mama
Stage Manager: The Daddy
All other players & Ensemble: Cousins
Black Lab: Gumby
Cinematography: Uncle John
Audience: Aunts & Uncles Hansen
Unseen Observers: (Andrew, Michael, & Noah)

 http://youtu.be/GMSRiL-7w2s

Today...September 15, 2014

My mind today, has had a free riders pass into Fibro-fog; just hate it, but not much I can do about it.

So this little post may be brief--WILL be brief; WILL DEFINITELY be BRIEF...brief

On days like this, I hopefully don't have a lot on the calendar, so shutting down isn't going to impact ANYTHING in particular; or ANYONE...because it kind of feels like I'm not here ANYWAY.

On days like this I'm grateful for quiet...and peace...and PIntEREsT.

On days like this I really appreciate Ice Cream CONES FOR DINNER, because they are not hard to COOK.

On days like this I'm VERY grateful for clothes that are WAY TOO BIG and where NO IRONING is required.

On days like this I'm so thankful I don't have LITTLE ONES at home, because I'm not sure I could take care of them, and I'd just end up CRYING with THEM.

On days like this I thank Heavenly Father for KURT. He (neither one of them) seems to mind if the BED isn't MADE because I'm STILL IN IT, and looking into KURT'S EYES makes the FOG clear away...KURT is magic.

On days like this, I'm so grateful that EVERY day isn't LIKE THIS. Just for TODAY, just for today...then the FOG will go away.

SUNDAY HAIKU #2

 SUNDAY HAIKU #2

The Phoenix of TRUTH

Burning through Apostasy--

BOTH! Father and Son!

 

Today...September 13, 2014

The sibling situation in families can create some very interesting dynamics. For instance there's the First-born Child, and for a while he or she might also be considered the Only Child; however, if another bundle of joy comes along then the toddler still maintains his status as First-born, but is no longer the Only Child which may or may not upset the apple cart.  IF the apple cart holds steady then there is an interesting phenomenon that can occur between that first and second child; I like to call it the "First Friends" Phenomenon.

For me, my older brother Shep--(short for H. Shepard Bailey, who also had a birthday on Thursday)--was always there. He's part of my very earliest memories. The style for little boys back in 1962-63 was a head that was totally buzzed, and Shep was no exception. I can remember that almost bald head very clearly, with these VERY BIG blue eyes. Through the years I've learned--and sometimes the hard way--that those blue eyes could manifest all KINDS of emotions; some good and some not so good--especially if you were the "Little Sister" who was NOT the "The Little Angel" all the time.

For Shep and me, we were definitely part of the First Friends Phenomenon but with kind of a different twist; when he was six and I was five our parents divorced. There were days when it felt like he was Hansel and I was Gretel wandering through the big, dark forest alone without ANY breadcrumbs whatsoever. Going through a divorce as siblings while we were children was definitely uncharted territory. We were frightened, heartbroken, and sometimes felt very much alone. BUT...as time passed and we adjusted to those unwanted changes, not only did we get stronger as little individuals, but our First Friends bond became forged in "fire and blood"--so to speak.

I can't actually say if Shep and I had been born into different families and we were just in the same class at school, if we would have really taken the time to get to know each other--or if we would have even wanted to. But that's NOT what happened. We WERE born into the same family, and we ARE brother and sister, and we DO know each other--like the back of our hands. We don't go around talking about it, or even mentioning it for that matter; but Shep and I can sometimes look at each other in a certain way, and in that look I know we're both remembering our togetherness as Hansel and Gretel, the Dark Forest, and the Wicked Witch that would occasionally pop out from behind a tree.  Yes, in that glance we BOTH know that in a heart-beat we would walk through fire for each other.  Happiest of Birthdays my First Friend!

Today...September 10, 2014

HOPE. Sometimes it is definitely NOT easy to come by; and when I'm feeling hopeless I start to wilt...just like the lettuce waaay in the back of my refrigerator.  But as much as I need it and yearn for it, Hope can be so elusive and difficult to hold on to. Why? BECAUSE, my first-born in the wilderness, THERE MUST NEEDS BE OPPOSITION IN ALL THINGS!

When I taught Seminary many years ago, to help the students understand opposition I would place ONE piece of candy down on a table, call on a student and ask them this simple question. "Which is your favorite?" And I would point at the piece of candy. They would look at me, then look at the candy, then look back at me with kind of a foolish look on their face and say, "Uhm...I don't know...is this a trick question?...uhm I don't know...."  At that point they would usually turn around and start to head back for their seat. I would stop them, tell them to come back, and then I would place a DIFFERENT kind of candy next to the first and ask, "Now tell me which is your favorite?"  No problem! They would grab whichever kind they preferred, quickly unwrap it and pop it into their mouth. Smiling, they'd say, "Thanks!" then happily plop back into their chair.  It seemed they couldn't make a decision about the candy if they had nothing to compare it to; once they had a choice or OPPOSITION, they could make a decision rather easily, and quickly I might add,  that brought happiness and pleasure. DON'T I WISH LIFE WAS AS EASY AS PICKING WHICH PIECE OF CANDY WAS MY FAVORITE!!!

I'll admit it...tonight I'm tired of being achy, tired of being tired, and worried about some problems that are popping around in my life--(or OPPOSITION that's popping around.) I'm not really sure how some of this OPPOSITION is going to work out, nor do I have control, or a CHOICE in how it will. So this is when I know I have to go into my HOPE closet, FIND IT, pull it out, shake the dust off and wrap it around me really, really tightly. I will then take the prescribed amount of sleeping aides I'm allowed, brush my teeth, read my scriptures, say my prayers, then hop into my smooshy, wonderful bed.  I will go to sleep wrapped in HOPE...KNOWING that I am loved, and watched over,  and that all this OPPOSITION really will give me experience--whether I like it or not.

No it's not choosing whether I prefer Godiva Chocolates or a Heath Bar...darn it! But I DO have a choice. I can choose whether or not to sleep soundly with HOPE in my heart; or choose to HOPE-lessly toss and flounce around in bed worrying myself sick. I choose the Heath Bar.

Tuesday...September 9, 2014

My earliest memory of a drive-thru restaurant was of Jack-in-the-box. They had this HUGE clown's head on top of a square box with the menu facing out, and of course there was a speaker. It was truly amazing...especially to a five year old. And that was IT as far as drive-thru restaurants go.  BUT there were still fast-food restaurants--you just had to go inside to get your food.  It was definitely worth it though, especially at Burger King because you'd get these really cool paper crowns that you could put on your head and they'd slide right down your face! It was great!

I Loved Burger King, and I LOVED Whoppers--still do to this day as a matter of fact. A Whopper Burger with cheese is the ultimate comfort food in my little black book of happy pleasures. AND if you throw in fries and a Chocolate shake...well just shoot me now! I don't usually do the fries and shake thing; the Whopper suits me just fine...

Soooo...where am I going with this exactly? Uhm...not really sure, except that I DID just finish off a What-A-Burger with cheese.  It was pretty darn good, but not quite the same as a Whopper...I read a Facebook comment from a friend of mine that stated she felt guilty when she had to "fast-food-it" for dinner for her family. I used to feel that way too, but lately I've begun to see things a little differently.

I'm not going to make you turn to the book of Ecclesiastes, but depending on your life and what's going on sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.  And for the last several months it seems my family has eaten practically nothing but fast food. And guess what...THEY ARE NOT DEAD!!! I just kind of noticed that they're still up and walking around and looking pretty happy about life in general...WHO KNEW???

So today I'm grateful for little clown heads on top of square boxes, paper crowns that slide down your face, and EIGHT cheese burgers, eight fries, and eight shakes; toss in an apple pie while you're at it!

Today...September 8, 2014

Mondays...they're a sub-category all unto themselves. I have to always "gear up" for a new Monday. And personally I think every day should be Friday; the relief of having made it through another week--(not sure how that could work out exactly)--and the anticipation of Saturday!  But since every day ISN'T Friday, I think we should at least be allowed to ease into Monday. Maybe have like "First" Monday, but with the option of a "Second Monday Do-over" as needed...

What this is all leading up to, is the fact that today I am grateful for naps. When I was working the word "nap" was not a part of my vocabulary; nor did they exist. Just a long ago memory of something decadent and luxurious--like eating a box of chocolates WHILE taking a bubble bath. But with my life-style change the word NAP is part of my daily vocabulary; a necessity in fact, and I just love it! Furthermore, we have a fabulously poofy bed with two--count 'em two--down comforters to "smoosh" into, plus I am the proud owner of a "perfect" pillow--perfect!...poof-smoosh-aaaahhh!

Sometimes I take things for granted; like the fact that water instantly comes out of every single faucet in the house whenever I want it. Or finding myself at home and having a really, really great bed when the word pain becomes part of my vocabulary. So today, after the poof-smoosh-aaaahhh part, and I was starting to drift away, it came to me that I was about to "nap"...and I did!

Today...September 7, 2015

         A "Day of Rest" Haiku

HOLY SABBATH DAY

I PRAY, HE SMILES--COME TO ME

HE...IS THE SABBATH.

Today... September 6, 2014

Yesterday was the 5th of September and the birthday of my dear friend Patty;

(also affectionately known as Peep!)  My first real encounter with Patty was at BYU when she was trying to teach me to drive a stick-shift. I was REALLY nervous about this because I knew NOTHING about driving a stick AND it was HER olive green Datsun that was the "Learner Vehicle" of the day. Things were progressing nicely as I jerkily and apologetically drove us down University Ave. in Provo.

She was subjecting herself and her car to all of this torture because we had both been "hired"--( oh I use that term hired SO loosely it should really fall off this page!) for the Summer of 1979 at The Playmill Theatre in the big ol' town of West Yellowstone, MONTANA!

Patty had grown up in Arcadia, CA and I had been raised in Dallas. So there we were, 2 City Girls that were going to just HEAD-OFF to the Playmill Theatre, sight unseen and make it Big with the Bears of  West Yellowstone! The Plan was for her to fly home to Arcadia for Spring break at the end of that semester and leave the prized olive green Datsun with me in Provo since I had no car and wasn't returning to Dallas for Break. I could practice and get comfortable driving a Stick, and then on the day we were expected in West she would fly into SLC and I would just "breeze" into the airport behind the wheel of the olive green Datsun, pick up Patty, throw her Ralph Lauren luggage into the back--(did I mention this was an olive green Datsun Hatchback?) and off we would soar down the highway towards nothing but Adventure & Fame as we anxiously awaited our NEW LIVES as HIRED actresses of THE Playmill Theatre in West Yellowstone, Montana! But I digress...

As I said I was holding my own with very clenched teeth as I hiccuped us down University. (I recall Peep and I BOTH had clenched teeth, but for very different reasons!) We had just about reached the ORIGINAL Location of Losee's Jewelers when Patty informed me there was a bee in the car.

Now for you to TRULY appreciate this moment I have to fill you in on just a couple' things...First of all our body types--and how they were alike: we were both female.  AND how they were different, along with our Voice types. Patty was Gorgeous; 5'8" with a very beautiful build, brunette hair, with large hazel eyes and a singing voice that was EPIC--a la Barbara Streisand and Celine Dion with a little Ethel Merman thrown in for good measure. I was 5'2" , with somewhat of a more delicate build, brown hair, blue eyes and a singing voice that was described as "Coloratura"; I kinda floated my notes in the upper stratosphere. Think of Disney's Snow White without all the animals. Basically to sum it up, Patty was tall-I was short; she had the lungs and I had the tonsils. 

So when Peep announced the arrival of The Bee, I instantly panicked, as did she since we were both terrified of flying, stinging, Things.  And...we both started screaming. She at the top of her lungs and me at the top of my tonsils! It was like two musical speakers, both on different channels, turned up to HIGH.

A cross between Aretha Franklin's

R-E-S-P-E-C-T and MOZART's QUEEN OF THE NIGHT! To this day I don't know what kept us from blowing out the windshield of that olive green Datsun!

Suddenly I was veering and accelerating  all over University Ave.; plus the windows were rolled down--(how else did you think the Flying Stinging Thing got in?)

So there were two shades of beautiful brown hair billowing out the front windows, anywhere from two to four arms flailing madly out of those same windows at any give time, and both car doors opening and shutting, opening and shutting wildly as we desperately tried to extract the thirty-four foot Bee from the nine foot Datsun.

I will leave to your imagination how Peep, still serenading, finally grabbed hold of the steering wheel and despite my ONE foot bearing down on the gas, clutch, and brake all at the same time, expertly turned the car off the road so we could eject ourselves from the olive green Datsun and certain death--(we didn't even land on the sidewalk--or upside down!)

So why this extremely LONG post about an incident that occurred over 30 years ago that involved me and someone you only know as Peep? Memories! Happy, happy memories! My friend Maggie that told me to start this journal, explained that as I wrote I would suddenly "be back in the moment" and could remember the feelings and emotions. She said these past memories could still re-fill my emotional bucket and keep me going. She was right. Nothing can take away your happy memories!

So today I am so grateful for BIG Flying Stinging Things, an olive green Datsun, and Patricia Tiffany Keller, aka --Peep!

Today September 4, 2014

Two of the things I LOVE are Food and La Cinema; so what could be better than a movie ABOUT food? My cute husband-boyfriend and I went to see "The 100 Foot Journey" and we just loved, Loved, LOVED it! 

The storyline, script, and characters are right on and there's just the right touch of  romance...and no bad language! Plus Helen Mirren is in it and I personally think she's one of the most adaptive actresses--(along with Meryl Streep of course!) onscreen these days. Sorry this kind of turned into a movie review, but it's really been awhile since I've seen a movie that pulled me in because I could love and connect with the characters. 

So today I am simply thankful for a happy and grand cinematic experience!

Wednesday September 3, 2014

Good Afternoon!

And I must admit it HAS been a good one! I had a visitor today; one of my former students from my Middle School days. We'll call her "Miss K!" --(the explanation point is VERY much a part of her name!) I met her when she was in 6th grade and was blessed to be her Theatre teacher all 3 years of her middle school experience. There is NO ONE like Miss K!--No One! You truly just have to experience her to know what I'm talking about...

Miss K was returning my pink ukelele that I received as a Christmas present to myself last year. I figure that playing the pink ukelele will be a nice late afternoon or after dinner activity for me so I asked Miss K if I might please have my pink ukelele back...Well unbeknownst to me she had REALLY become attached to this little instrument; apparently since I loaned it to her, she has been taking it to Guyer and throughout the day she would bust into different classrooms and start serenading at the top of her lungs. She's the ONLY person in the WORLD that could get away with that; because she's good, hysterically funny, and has PERFECT Theatrical timing.

Needless to say, she was a little hesitant about parting with OUR little pink ukelele, so before she left she decided to make MY WHOLE DAY by serenading ME! You can see her performance below:
(the accent is not real)...

For you iPhone users you can see her in action at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhi5pZQPNq8


So today...I am grateful for OUR pink ukelele...and so VERY grateful for Miss K!

Today...September 2, 2014

Today is the day AFTER Labor Day...the cue for the "back of Summer to be broken" and for it to suddenly be FALL! Unfortunately as I look in the upper-right hand corner of my computer, I'm noting 94 degrees outside; remember this is Texas and if it's under 80 degrees on Halloween we're lucky.

My cute nearly-17 year old son Noah just came through the front door from school--The Noah. I always let out an inward sigh of relief when he's home. Not that I worry that he's in trouble or anything; it's just that we have this"connection" and I like it. He's getting close to 6 feet, but all I see is a marshmallow teddy-bear. (He'll still even admit that he missed me during the day!) So I just rummaged through the freezer and found ice cream and casually slid it under his nose when he sat down at the kitchen table. I see a happy little smile and then, "Thanks Mama!" Shoot! I don't care if he eats the whole dad-gum carton--with JUST a spoon and NO BOWL!!!

After the Twins were born, something deep down inside reminded me that there was STILL one more to come and not to get too comfortable--(how exactly do you do that with twins?) Anyway, I'm so glad we listened because we were gifted with-The Noah...Yes today, always, and forever I am thankful for NOAH!