Archive for September 2009
Cougar Town
Posted on: Friday, September 25, 2009
I recorded “Cougartown” thinking I hope it’s a good enough vehicle for Courtney Cox, she’s so talented. I thought it would have some humor, a little pathos, be smart. So I started to watch. Not only was it none of those things, I started to get angry at the depiction of a young attractive woman with a teenage son who’s only goal in life was to act foolish whenever she was around a man young enough to be an older brother to her son. Then I thought I shouldn’t judge too much, after all I was a single mom in my forties awhile ago and didn’t always act sensibly. Of course, I wasn’t financially secure as Cox’s character is and I had three children to support. Still, I wanted to give the show a chance so I kept watching. I got about half way. And then I realized why I was so angry. Sure we women talk about men and comment on how good looking they are, etc. And we talk about them with humor. But it is not all of who we are. It’s not even a good percentage of who we are. We find humor with our friends. We love intelligent converstation and even mix it up with gossip. We counsel one another, we are there for each other when we’re needed. Yes, we can be a little shallow, talk about clothes and movies, but we also talk about our families, our goals, politics, everything. We are people of substance. I think back to a television show that brought all of women’s issues such as men, shoes, silliness to the fore, but it’s substance was about friendship. It was about being there when needed, acknowledging there was humor and beauty mixed in with intelligence and an ability to see us as we are even without our makeup. It had a talent for making us laugh and making us think hard about our lives and where we are and where we’re going. I’m talking about “Sex and the City” and I sometimes miss it. It was a mature look at single women, even after forty. And yes, there was always a man or relationship to go through, hence the title, but it was more about the friendship between those four ladies who did all the fun things ladies like to do, and it was smart, I liked visiting with them. I think Courtney Cox is a funny lady with intelligence who obviously made a mistake in taking on this project. She’s better than her character and I look forward to seeing her in something that admires women for who they are. And a little humor wouldn’t hurt.
How are we doing?
Posted on: Sunday, September 20, 2009
I read in the Times this morning that women are unhappier today, that with our newfound power in the workplace we have more stress and less fun than our counterparts, men. Not sure I agree with this. It also said we try to attract younger men with inappropiate dress. That might be true in some cases, but then men don’t always care how inappropriately they dress, and they always like to attract women of any age. And we have a lot more on our plate than dressing for men. A good percentage of us work while raising children though I suspect there are also men in this situation. The article states that even with this parity women today are still unhappier. Let’s see.
I guess I have to look at it from my point of view. I grew up in the fifties and we always had to dress, slacks were just for home or very casual outings. Jeans were popular, but not like today or even twenty years ago. There were more women at home but they were starting to work outside of the home as well, talk about stress. You faced disapproval to be away from your children, not being there when they came home from school, barely being there at dinnertime. I don’t remember if I was happy or unhappy. I was a single mom and I was just very busy, who had time to wonder if you were happy. I had a social life, I dated but it wasn’t the norm for a single mom. I was too busy trying to keep body and soul together for me and for my children. But time passes, children grow in spite of your stress and my children are the best people I know. I got lucky. I always worked, even once in a position of power. I’ve watched my children become independent thinkers and movers, they’re fun to be around and they’re so smart. It’s more fun and less work now that they’re grown, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. So yes, I’d say I’m happier now. I’m retired and I come and go as I please. I’m lucky to have my health and I talk to my children almost daily, thank God for email, too. I don’t have the stress anymore of making power decisions in a man’s world, though it’s just as much a women’t world and maybe it’s the men who aren’t so happy about that. I try to keep in touch with the news of today and somehow I think I still make a contribution. I’m not sure if women today are any happier or unhappier than they were in my day, I just know that I sometimes miss the stress of taking care of my children while working outside the home. In both, I was able to convey thoughts, make a difference, at least I hope so. I don’t think we’re unhappier, I think that we did it all fifty years ago and we’re still doing it all, only today we’re getting paid better.
Who do I ask now?
Posted on: Wednesday, September 16, 2009
It had started to slow down at work. There weren’t too many customers and those of us working started to joke around and someone asked what a certain word meant. They said it in Italian and since that’s my heritage they asked me. They were joking and we were laughing but I wouldn’t tell them what it meant because it was pretty bad. They kept prodding me and then I said we should ask someone who knows for sure, but I was sure it wasn’t a nice thing to say in mixed company or anywhere. And we laughed again and then we got a little busy and I started to think about what was said. I thought who could I ask? I wasn’t all that sure, I just knew it was a very unfunny curse word. It got me thinking. It was last year that Aunt Pauline died, our beloved Aunt who laughed easily and angered just as easily. She would have known. And then I really started to think about my Mom’s generation, my Dad, Aunt Pauline, my parents’ friends, all of Italian descent. They were gone and I wanted to talk to them. They would have been able to translate our conversation, but they’re not here. I remembered too that one of the thing’s my mother would do was talk in Italian with a friend if there was something she didn’t want me to understand. I would laugh and say I know what you said and then she would challenge me to tell and I was done. I could have asked Mom, but then I might not have, she would have wondered how I knew of such a word. That’s why I wanted to ask Aunt Pauline. She would have just laughed. Then she would have told me what it and so many other words meant. And we would have both laughed. I certainly don’t know everything, not even the “swear” words from my Italian heritage. I just know it would have been fun to have a cup of coffee with Aunt Pauline once more and talk. I guess even curse words bring back good memories.
I think I caught it
Posted on: Friday, September 11, 2009
I think I have it, cynicism that is. This morning for the first time, I threw out what could have been the winning number to a car! All I had to do was bring in the key they sent, bring it to the dealership and without obligation see if my key, ( kind of a plastic thing) would start a car, would be the number for me to win a new car!! But nooo, I caught the cynic’s plague and threw the announcement out. And another thing, I don’t answer the Publisher’s Clearing House call to win millions of dollars. It’s only been since the 70’s, but I’ve lost faith, I don’t even try anymore. What could have happened? I mean how did I lose my naivete? my belief in the hope that all my dreams of materialistic rewards would come to me? I’m still happy with my life, I still think my kids are the best in the world and I have a couple of friends that are really super. So there you have it, I can’t possibley be afflicted with cynicism. I do have hope in the future. Well, maybe a little. Maybe I can dig in the trash and find that key, who knows? It’s my only hope.
Finally Put To Rest
Posted on: Friday, September 11, 2009
He did it, he finally put it all to rest. He finally talked to the naysayers and yes, the supporters and let them know that he was taking care of it. He would get health reform for all of us, he laid it all out with intelligence and precise ways that it will work and how it will be paid for. And we’re all going to be the better for it. All we had to do was have faith that he would. Let’s take a look back a little. He wasn’t supposed to be nominated, and he was. We all prayed, but doubted that he would become President and thankfully, he did. The stimulus was shouted down and the opposition brought up the socialist tag again. But most all the loans to the banks have been paid back and with interest. The American people got their taxes back with interest. Look how spectacularly well the “cash for clunkers” did, putting the auto workers back to work. That is also one of the readily identifiable markers toward helping the environment. And now, we are once again tested on our faith to see that he has our best interest at heart when it comes to health care reform. In the past weeks even with all the media circus giving credence to the clowns calling the President’s plan as a death panel for seniors, Mr. Obama did tell everyone in this country what was in the bill, what his plan was, what he wanted Congress to help work out. But no, no one heard or wanted to believe. They kept asking for more details or they just figured that it was no good or that it was too good and they just wanted him to fail so they shouted their anger a little louder and more often and the media covered the clowns, but didn’t let the rational Americans be heard. It really bothers me that the pathology of hate and anger in this country is thought to be more prevalent than the saner voices of our nation. I think Mr. Obama has more faith in us than we do ourselves and when he gave his incredibly intelligent and strong speech on all the true and good points of health care reform, he was talking to all of us, even the crazies. He really believes that reaching out calmly, talking to us directly, is the best way for a civilized leader to get things done. He has more faith in us than we do ourselves. I think he finally put all the fears of what’s going to happen with our health care to rest. Of course, the circus will continue, the media will grab for the ratings and let the clowns perform in their cloak of fear and pessimism. But their crediblility is a little less credible, their group is getting smaller, their platform of “No” to anything the President puts forth is shrinking. I’m still a little afraid that one of the crazies standing in the crowd with an oozie hanging from his shoulder will get a little trigger happy. But I have faith in the good in this country and in the President’s good. Yes, he put it all to rest, our doubts and our questions. Sure there will be another time that we will get rattled, but little by little the President will talk us down and guide us to a better way of thinking. Mr. Obama will speak to us again and we will listen again.
Grandma's Musings 