Random Thoughts Thursday Part 2

Laser Eye Surgery.I've been so busy, that I'd forgotten that last Tuesday was the 4-year anniversary of my Lasik eye surgery. Doesn't matter to you, but it matters to me. I'd only worn glasses for 5 years before my surgery, but boy was that enough. They were annoying. It was a spur of the moment thing, I went to see if I qualified, I did so I signed up. 20 minutes (10 on each eye) and $3000 later, I donated my glasses. No pain - well, except from the pain of having to shell out $3000 - and no regrets. I am SO glad I had the surgery.

California District Closes Libraries.Wow. What's next? Closing down the schools?http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6686591.html

Toy Commercials.Is it me or are there not a lot of commercials advertising toys anymore? When I was a kid, there were commercials about Barbies, My Little Pony, GI Joe, etc. Now, I don't see them advertising toys that much anymore. Now, it's all about the video games. Are there ANY children who still plays with toys?

Reading Workshop.So, I read a NYT article about reading workshop and letting kids pick the books they have to read instead of forcing them to read the classics. While I agree children should be exposed to all types of literature, including the classics, I don't agree that these books should be the only books student read. We wonder why we have so many aliterate children (those who read, but choose not to). If you ask most teens, or even any adults, who hate reading, and they'll tell you, part of the reason why they can't stand to read is because of the books that were shoved down their throats in school. I LOVED this article. This teacher went against tradition and is making a difference. Some of her students who hated reading previously are now reading...and liking it. Why? She let them choose the novels they were to read.

I'm not planning to go back to the classroom, oh, but if I did, this would be one thing I'd be doing...going against tradition. As you can see, reading motivation and aliteracy is very near and dear to my heart. I plan to do more research on this, starting with my dissertation (which is on hold). I want to find out why kids, especially teens, aren't reading and what can we do to stop them from becoming aliterate adults.

(http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/books/30reading.html)

Los 25 Hombres Mas Guapos.And I'm ending my 2-part Random Thoughts Thursday on a high note: CUTIE PIES! I'm a visual person...love visually pleasing stuff and men are no exception. I got my People en Espanol in the mail (I get it to practice my Spanish) and imagine my delight when the cover story was Los 25 Hombres Mas Guapos - the 25 most handsome men. Visually pleasing indeed! Here are just a few:

Pedro Moreno: the whole reason why I got hooked on El Rostro de Analia.

Jencarlos Canela: the whole reason why I watch Mas Sabe el Diablo

Jencarlos again cos he's just so dang gorgeous.

Juanes: love his music

William Levy

That is all.

Random Thoughts

Joy Ride. So, you've probably heard about the 7 year-old boy who decided to take his parents' car for a ride so he wouldn't have to go to church. Sad. Thank God it wasn't more serious. He could have easily harmed himself or others. I think it was last year when another kid did the same thing, but because he was mad. I'm really wondering what goes through these kids' minds when they do stuff like that. Did he realize that what he was doing was wrong...really wrong? I know psychologically they say kids this young don't really know what they're doing, but, come on! Some of these children know exactly what they're doing. And they know the difference between right and wrong.

And the really sad thing is the child and his family were flown to NY to appear on the Today Show. I don't agree with that. What does that say to other kids? Sure, children. Steal your parents' car; put your life and the lives of others in danger; lead the police on a low-speed chase...at least you'll be invited to appear on a big-time TV show - in front of millions of people - where everyone will 'oh and ah' about how cute you are. Just my opinion...you don't have to agree with me.

Serious Issues. I'm not going to say too much about this subject because it just hurts my heart. A San Antonio mother decapitated her newborn, ate parts of his body, including his brain. She said someone or something told her to do it. Some reports say she said the devil told her to do it. This is sad, disgusting, appalling, etc. They say she wasn't in her right mind to begin with (duh). My heart hurts for that poor baby. That's all I'm going to say about that.

Happy Birthday. Ending today's post on a happy note. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BEAUTIFUL MOM. SHE'S THE BESTEST MOM IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. I thank God that He's allowing me another birthday with her (cos I know our days are not promised and we won't live forever). She's the best. Love you, Mommy!

Random Thoughts Thursday

I am just in shock. Michael Jackson, gone. Wow. I'm just...wow. I'm saddened by this news. The only other time(s) I felt the loss of a celeb was when Aaliyah died (still feeling that loss, even 8 years after her death) and Bernie Mac. While I am not crying, as I'm sure millions of people around the world are doing (I did cry when Aaliyah died), I am sad. He's gone. He's really gone.

I hope and pray that #1, people remember him for what he's done for music and entertainment, not for his troubles toward the end, and #2, he's finally found the peace he's obviously been searching for. Despite the troubles he's had in the past, you can't take away from the fact that he was one of the best entertainers of his time. I mean, come on. Beat It. Billie Jean. Thriller...the list goes on. Not to mention the hits from Jackson 5.

I remember when I was little, I had a serious crush on MJ. My crush wilted away (for obvious reasons), but the fact that Michael is one of my fave entertainers did not. More than his music, I loved watching him perform. His dancing...magnificent. Oh how I wanted to be one of the dancers in his videos or on tour. Alot of the performers today, if they were really honest with themselves, can attribute their moves to Michael Jackson. Their performances have MJ written all over it. Justin Timberlake, Usher, Chris Brown, and many more. Even some of Ciara's moves mirror the King of Pop (but on a more feminine and updated way).

His videos were awesome. My favorite Michael Jackson song and video of all time is not Thriller, but Smooth Criminal. I love absolutely EVERYTHING about that song...the track, the beat, the dance moves...I'm absolutely crazy about this song. I'm not the only one, am I? Despite the fact that he'd already started changing, I loved him in Smooth Criminal...like, really, with him dressed in white, hat tilted down, his smooth moves. In spite of his high-water pants & white socks, Michael was sexy in Smooth Criminal. After seeing this video, I secretly wished I could grow up to become Mrs. MJ (oh, come on, I'm not the only girl in the world who had that kind of a crush on him).

Michael Jackson's death (it's just really weird saying that) ends this week of death and sadness. Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett are gone, too. *sigh* In honor of the King of Pop, one of the best entertainers I've ever seen, here's Smooth Criminal. RIP Michael.

Random Thoughts

Swine Flu. I'm taking this seriously. Really, I am. I absolutely abhor being sick, so, yeah, I'm taking it seriously, but I'm not panicking, though. I'm not letting this thing take over my mind, causing me to worry. Nope. And, anyway, wasn't there another scary outbreak years ago? The bird flu? This kind of reminds me of that movie, Outbreak, only not as drastic.

The thing is, the precautions we're told to take are ones we should already be doing:

• Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing - I mean, come on, people. It's just rude not to cover. Do I want your germy saliva all over me? Uh...no! I don't care if you're sick or not, it's still gross.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water - How many people have you seen walk out the public restrooms without washing their hands? Ew. That's just nasty.
• Stay at home if you get sick - Duh. Wouldn't want to spread your sickness around, right? And parents, if you have a sick child, please, please, please don't send them to school. Think of all the teachers, students, administrators, cafeteria workers, etc.

Annoying Noises. Okay, so last night, I was lucky enough (sarcastically speaking) to be awakened, several times, by a symphony of annoying noises.

• Smoke detector. Clearly we need to replace the battery in one of our detectors. All it does now is beep. Every 30 seconds. Yes, I counted. What else was I gonna do?
• Gurgling commode. So, every month, we're to pour bleach done a pipe located in our attic because it helps with the drainage in the neighborhood. Wanna know how we know it's time to do it? Our commodes gurgle. Seriously. Both mine and my sister's toilets make some weird 'blub blub' noises. Disgusting, I know.
• Arguing cats. When we first moved in, it was dogs that howled. All. Night. Long. Now, it's cats who argue. They sound exactly like wailing babies. Honest. It's creepy. Last night, they woke me up, then managed to keep me up for an hour. Going back and forth, wailing and whining. Just when I wanted to cut my ears off (not really, but you get the point), it got even weirder. They started hissing at each other. Wail. Wail. Hiss. Hiss. Bang. Bang. They sounded possessed. Really. I'm not sure exactly what they were doing - I refused to get up out of bed to see 2 (or more) possessed cats for fear they'd somehow come get me - but it sounded like they were fighting (hence, the bang bang noise). Then, after all that noise...complete silence. Kinda creepy. I kept praying that we wouldn't find a dead cat or two in our backyard (prayers answered).

Fitness. Nothing much to report. I'm losing more inches off my bottom/hips than I am in the waist/stomach area (which is where I'd like to lose). I'm okay with my bottom/hips, besides firming. Oh well, I guess more crunches are in order.

Random Thoughts Thursday

Jennifer Hudson's Tragedy. My heart goes out to Jennifer Hudson and her family. To lose her mother, brother, and nephew... I can't imagine losing my mom, brother, and nephew individually, but at the same time? And to hope that her nephew's alive, only to find the body. It's so sad. They are definitely in my prayers.

Plot to Kill Obama. It seems that the FBI has foiled the plot of two young skinheads to kill 88 blacks (decapitate 14 of them) including Barack Obama. My thoughts? #1: There's more where that came from. While Obama is making history, he's also making a lot of racist people angry by getting this far. Those of us who are prayer warriors will have to keep Obama and his family - and this country - in our prayers...it'll only get worse (the plots) if and when he becomes pres; #2: I've never understood the white supremacist thought of protecting their country...keeping it pure. I mean, really? 'Cause the last time I checked, it ain't their country to claim. Their ancestors, just like most Americans, came to this country from somewhere else. The only difference is, their ancestors came on their own. They weren't here first - the Native Americans had this country first. Is it really the skinheads' country to keep pure?

Dancing With The Stars. I missed this week's DWTS, but I heard that Cloris Leachman was voted off. Finally. I mean, the fact that this 80-something year-old woman was on DWTS dancing was amazing, don't get me wrong. She moved pretty good for her age. BUT she shouldn't have made it this long (at least not longer than Toni Braxton). Who's next? I say Susan Lucci. My final four are Brooke (who'll probably win), Warren, Cody, and Lance.

Family Ties. So, anyone can see how close my family is. Growing up, some friends didn't understand how I could tell my parents everything. Other friends became constant fixtures in the Weakly household to experience that closeness. People used to call us the Huxtables from the Cosby Show, which we took as a compliment, although, clearly, we didn't have the Huxtable money. I wouldn't trade in my childhood, nor my family, for all the money in the world. My mom and sis are 2 of my best friends. The original Weakly kids are grown (I'm 32, my brother is 28, and my sister is 26), but we have others who've become part of the fam and is experiencing the love. I'm blessed to be a Weakly. God's placed me in an awesome family.

Daddy and Mama

My brother, Shawn, and my nephews: Dae (7), Kam (7), and Sydney (4)

My sister, Meechie, and I

Random Thoughts Thursday

My Agent Search.

When, oh when, will I get an agent? So far, I've received 22 rejections out of the 35 agents I've sent queries to since May. Five other agents have never responded, so I can add that to my rejections. I'm still waiting on answers from my 2nd round agents (who I sent queries to at the beginning of this month). It's hard not to get discouraged, but I'm not giving up. I know, with no doubt, that God gave me a talent to write. I also know He gave me this talent to share with others. And I have to stand on those beliefs. I will become a published author of children/teen books. It's just that, patience has never been a virtue of mine...

My Dissertation.

I am SO ready to be done with my doctorate program! July 25, 2009 can't come soon enough for me! Enough said.

Sarah Palin.

http://www.slate.com/id/2202658/?GT1=38001 and http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/news/politics/story/aa55049aa6a3a6bf862574ea00136ad6?OpenDocument. I mean, really?

Medicine Side Effects.

Don't you just love hearing/reading the about the side effects of the same medicine that's supposed to help you? The medicine commercials are hilarious to me. It'll help you sleep at night. Oh, and there's the little issue of it causing a stroke. So, because I have HBP, I have to take a pill everday. It's basically a water pill whose name I won't even attempt to say. Anyway, it helps lower my blood pressure BUT, the side effects are: dizziness, lightheadedness, headache, blurred vision, loss of appetitite, stomach upset, diarrhea, or constipation. I may also experience: decreased sexual activity or sensitivity to the sun. This medication may cause dehydration, dry mouth, thirst, muscle cramps, weakness, fast/irregular heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, severe dizziness, unusual drowsiness, unusual decrease in the amount of urine, fainting, confusion, seizures. These are unlikely, but serious side effects: numbness/tingling of the arms/legs, and joint pain. These are rare, but serious side effects: signs of infection (like fever, persistent sore throat), easy bruising/bleeding, stomach/abdominal pain, persistent nausea/vomiting, unusual/persistent tiredness, yellowing eyes/skin, dark urine, unusual change in the amount of urine. They were nice enough to warn: This is not a complete list of possible side effects. Are you serious? Thankfully, I'm not experiencing many of the side effects, except sensitivity to the sun (and I've always been sensitive to the sun). One annoying side effect I've been experiencing is, after I take my pill, I seem to have to go to the bathroom EVERY HOUR. I'm told that's a normal side effect (it's a water pill and supposed to help your body get rid of excess water, blah blah). Whatever. I feel like a little kid who can't hold her water.

The DDR Phenomenon.

In my previous post, I mentioned that my sis and I have been working out. One of our workouts include playing Dance Dance Revolution (something we became addicted to while working at our church summer camp 3 years ago). Now, don't laugh...DDR ain't no joke! There are 4 levels: Beginner, Basic, Expert, and Challenge. We're only on the Basic level - Expert and Challenge are too scary...all those arrows *shudder*. We only do slower songs for warmup/cooldown, which means, most of the time, we're jumping up and down and moving our feet to songs in the 170 - 225 range (225 is the highest).Yesterday, we did DDR for an hour. Can we say, "workout"? Today, my legs are feeling my efforts. It was a MAJOR workout, but we had fun. I wonder what we're doing tomorrow (today is strength training). Oh, by the way, I lost 2 more pounds. So, I have 13 pounds down and 17 to go. Yay, me! In honor of DDR, I'm posting a vid of my 4 year-old nephew playing DDR this summer. Too cute!

Random Thoughts Thursday

In a moment of pure brilliance, I decided that Thursdays will be the days I post my 'random thoughts' blog. Why? Alliteration. Thoughts. Thursday. I know. Brilliant. Way to play on words, Rae.

Vibe's Best Rapper Alive

Vibe Magazine held a 'Best Rapper Alive' contest for its November issue (http://www.vibe.com/news/online_exclusives/2008/10/the_best_rapper_alive_is/). The winner was Eminem. I will say Eminem is definitely in my top 5, but the best? I know this is a matter of opinion. Personally, I think Jay Z (who came in 2nd place) is the best, but, whatever. My problem with the contest came more with some of the other nominees. To me - and this is my opinion, which I'm entitled to - some of the rappers named shouldn't have even been on the list. Soulja Boy? Flo Rida? I mean, having Soulja Boy on the list with the likes of Jay Z and Eminem would be like...let's see...having a 'best basketball player alive' contest and having some junior high/middle school players on the same list as NBA players. Some of these 'rappers' aren't even in the same league.

The Cheryl Burke Weight Gain Issue

Apparently, Cheryl Burke, a professional dancer on Dancing With The Stars, has gained some weight since last season (http://omg.yahoo.com/news/dancing-cast-defend-cheryl-burke-over-weight-criticisms/14164;_ylt=AoBZxP6lBGrQFQjiiDorqKvWn414) This is Cheryl last year: and this is a pic of her this year:
This is fat? My goodness, I guess I'm elephantine then! What is is with America and its obsession over weight? A celeb gains a few pounds and, OMG! Call the fat police! They're starting to resemble the Pillsbury Doughboy (or girl)! I mean, really? And we wonder why so many young girls (and guys) have eating disorders. So, what...Paris Hilton, in all her boniness, is the epitome of beauty? I think not! I think Cheryl looks good. Can I look that good in a bikini, Lord? Please? And she's an awesome dancer too? I think I've found a new role model. You know what I say? Leave her the h*ll alone! She looks good. And she feels good about her body...and she should. She should be a role model to both women and girls. I love the fact that her and Lacey Schwimmer are on DWTS, representing the more curvier women (although there are women with more curves than them both). When will we ever stop letting society dictate what real beauty is?

Barack and Michelle Obama

I noticed something last night at the end of last night's debate. When the wives were on stage, there was a difference in body language between the couples. While the audience was clapping, the McCains stood apart. Every once in a while, Cindy would reach over and touch John. The Obamas, on the other hand, stood close together. Barack had an arm around Michelle and she had an arm around him. Every once in a while, they'd whisper something to each other. I've been observing them throughout his campaign and, I must say, I love what I see. There's nothing like seeing a couple show so much love and admiration for each other. I see that in my own parents who have been married for 31 years and together for even longer. My parents are high school sweethearts. I love seeing them hold hands. Every morning, they call each other (Daddy works at home, but Mama doesn't) to say 'I love you' and 'Have a good day'. I LOVE that! When I get married, I want that myself. And I love the way Barack protects his family. Earlier in the campaign, when people tried to get on Michelle, he immediately squashed it, basically saying, 'You can talk about me, but leave my wife and daughters alone.' My dad's like that. He's protective of his whole family, but he's more protective of his girls (Mama, my sis, Meechie, and I). All the males in the family (extended family as well) know not to mess with the Weakly women. Growing up, my brother was not allowed to hit my sis or I. If a male were to disrespect Daddy's girls... well, let's just say the guilty one wouldn't be happy. So, yeah, my future husband (whoever he may be) will have a lot to live up to. Anyway, on youtube, there's a wonderful vid of Michelle and Barack: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPYMaF2vAmg.

YAY!

This is the first post on my new blog! Isn't the design awesome? I have Zoe from Chic and Sassy design to thank for that. You rock, girl! Anyway, I'm not posting anything of relevance right now; I'm just excited about the look. I'll be posting about any and everything that comes to mind...just like the title says: Life, Love and the Pursuit of Publication. Oh, yeah. I'm an aspiring children/teen author. This is so cool!