Musings,Meanderings & More

Today, I think I’m gonna stir my Monday Movie Musings up a bit.  Normally I would take a moment to write about a movie that I really enjoyed watching. Well, today I’m gonna show you a YouTube flick that I found and thought was spectacular, heart warming and precious (all at the same time, imagine that … 8o)

WARNING: Some of you guys/gals may not care that much for the music or the video in the background, look beyond that … it’s the ‘little bundle of joy’ that captured my heart.

Music is magical and watching this vid and this little ‘adorable munchkin’ was magical …

Yesterday, my daughter and I signed a lease for an off camp apartment for her … the location is ideal, the ameneties are amazing.  Everything was happening splendidly until I asked some very basic questions and that’s when the crap hit the fan.

This was our second visit to this property and along with the signed lease a deposit of $150 was needed.  Now, we were OK with this because a security deposit wasn’t required.  Everything was all smiles until I asked about the $150, I wanted to know if it was applied to the first months rent.  And I wanted to know when and exactly how much was due at move-in.

The Misdirection Begins Here

I was told that the $150 was used to cover lawyer fees, apt prep, planned activities that were sponsored within the community and so on.  Now as far as I know most Property Mgmt Corp have lawyers already on the payroll, and they have housekeeper’s and a maintenance team that are salaried employees … they are not paid on a commission basis.  The apartment preparation is included in their job description … and what did she mean when she stated that I was responsible for financing their planned gatherings … isn’t that something that I should be able to offer some imput on, especially if I am expected to finance these events.  In any case, I knew I was being fed a bit of ‘hog wash’.

Fluff Was Added

Then we were told that the ‘move in date’ was in the middle of the month, however the rent for that same month was due on the first.  So, naturally I said the following …  this is why a security deposit wasn’t required because we were paying for a full months rent in an apartment that would only be available to each resident in the latter half of the month.  She said oh NO NO NO, that it worked out at the end of our stay because once we made the final monthly payment we would be allowed to stay that full month.

This Deal Wasn’t Sealed

Did she honestly believe  that I would ‘buy that explanation’, or even worst … did she actually believe that the Mgmt was really giving us something.  I really couldn’t tell, she may have believed what she told us or she may have believed that she had ’sold the deception’.  In any case, with the deposit and the unused days that we were paying for, they actually had that security deposit.

As a matter of fact, we actually would have been doing ourselves a favor by moving into an apartment that required a security deposit, because at the end of the lease we would actually get those funds back.

Just another random thought to ponder: It seems as though misdirection is being ‘dished out’ in abundance lately … this wasn’t the first time I have encountered individuals that have tried to coerce me into believing a complete falsehood using truthful elements as a smoke-screen.  Needless to say, this is demeaning; demonstrates a shabby business ethic … and leads to distrust and a lack of respect.

I am not going to ‘let this sleeping dog lie’, I am going to do a bit of researching and then I will push this issue with management as far as I legally can.

So,  I just thought I’d share this random thought on this otherwise beautiful Tuesday that you could ponder.

Are you looking for a warm n’ fun, actioned packed, adventurous flick that can be enjoyed by your entire family … well, look no further than ‘Horton Hears A Who”. This lovable elephant will steal your heart away as you follow him on his quest to save the inhabitants of Whoville.

This adventure began when Horton thought he heard a yelp eminate from a speck that was blowing in the wind.  He followed this tiny bit of dust and learned that people were living on that speck and from there he decided on assisting the Whovillites on a mission to save their home.

Now, I don’t want to give too much of the plot away … otherwise it will spoil this entire fantasy for you.  And by gosh, no-one including myself wants someone to reveal those juicy tidbits and highlights of a story before you have even seen it.  But I must share this, I found myself smiling through out this amazing CG animation, and have seen it twice since my first viewing.

So, happy movie time to all … until the next Monday Movie Musings … ciao

Have you ever noticed the AD’s that reveal the IQ’s [supposedly] of the celebrities and then challenge you to compare your scores with the celebs.  Then after clicking the advertisement and answering a few questions, those sites then request your ‘cell phone’ number and who knows what else before they let you know how you rate.  Do you really want to know you IQ, well … read on.

Earlier today I thought I would click one of those AD’s, but when they started to get personal … that’s when I closed the page and started searching for a site that offered a fast, free n’ fun IQ test that I could take just for a laugh.

I found one but it turned out to be quite a challenge … you have exactly 40 minutes to answer 20 questions that range in difficulty from thought provoking to  ’I haven’t got a clue’.  So, today I took a bit of ‘me time’ and spent roughly 19 minutes on this quiz, I answered 12 questions during that time … 8 were correct … which really surprized me, I thought I had fewer than that right.

Anyway, it was fun and when I have a full 40 minutes to spare, I am going to retake it … I doubt if I will do any better, but it was a HOOT!

Give it a try, it’s free and there are NO STRINGS!

Want To Know Your IQ?

Have you ever had a few things happen to you that just didn’t make any sense at all … sure you have, things happen … life happens and that’s how it is.

Well, yesterday was one of those days for me, it started out just fine but as life would have it, I needed a few things from the grocery store.  So, I took what I thought would be a short ride down the road to quickly grab those items and be back in time to watch a little NCIS.

The theory was sound … but that was as far as it went.  On my way back home, after picking up the few things that I needed from the market, that’s when things started to go awry.  My car would not start,  it cranked up and I put it in drive but as soon as I was in the middle of the lane, even before I could initiate a complete turn … she stalled and turned off.  Their I was in a stalled automobile,  almost completely blocking 2 lanes of a very busy shopping center.

Did I panic, well not immediately … I tried time and time again to get her started, each time that I turned the key it sounded as though she was about to turn over … but after about 15 minutes of failed attempts, I panicked a bit.  At first people were just passing by and looking at me curiously.  No one stopped and asked if there was a problem, if anything their glances indicated that they thought I was the problem and not my car.

I quickly called a couple of people via my cell to ask for suggestions, any quick remedy that might help crank-her-up, before calling AAA.  Meanwhile, not only was I getting ‘the look’ but folks were now trying too exit the shopping center by way of the aisle that I was blocking.  Now, keep in mind I was completely blocking an SUV on my passenger side of the car from exiting from the lane that I was in.  However, there were other lanes that any other out-going traffic could easily access.

This was a multi-lane shopping center.  Since I was close to the CENTERS main road, people who now were entering the shopping center and decided that they had to park in the lane that I was unavoidably blocking, were patiently/impatiently waiting for me to move so that they could pull in.  Numerous times I had to stick my head out of the window and direct traffic, oh … and my hazzards  meant absolutely nothing.

There was an empty space in front of my car to the right in a handicapped parking zone, a little old lady without any noticeable level of difficulty navigated her auto into that space [she did park a bit on an angle, by the way] and she then bounced out of the car and into the store in a flash.  Now, there were 2 other available spots for ‘handicapped parking’ located opposite to that spot that she could have taken, but ‘no’ she had to add to the chaos.

Folks pulled up behind me and waited for me to move, some honked me but all looked extremely irratated, in either case all I could do was inform them that I was unable to move, and in a snap they found another way out of the lot.  And the huge SUV that I was totally blocking, just drove straight ahead to exit, while everyone else seemed to think that backing out to access the blocked lane … was mandatory.

Now, all of this was happening while I was talking to an AAA representative … me directing traffic, people honking me, mean looks and what felt like utter and total chaos.  And during all of this, the little old spry lady bounced out of the store and into her vehicle, and circumvented my disabled car like a PRO.

Meanwhile my son was on the way, as was AAA … I hoped.  You see, I called them and  after strenuously trying to explain my situation and my location to AAA [you see I was still directing traffic] … I was told that a vehicle would be there in an hour and 30 minutes to tow me away.  Okay, guys/gals that when I totally caved.   I was on the verge of screaming but I still managed somehow to hold it together.  In much detail I re-explained my current location and situation and predictament too the operator at length, with the hopes that I could acquire a vehicle in under a hour and a half.  She then told me she would relay the urgency of the situation to her supervisor and hopefully someone would be there sooner.

So, here I was still trying to hold it together, when this lady in a small little red thing that was across from me slightly facing my left entered into this little drama.  She had been sitting in her car for about 10 minutes, I didn’t have any idea what she was doing but she suddenly turned around in her seat, shrugged her shoulders … as if to say DUH, what is your problem, get that vehicle out of the way.  That’s when I started screaming … and I quote, THIS CAR ISN’T MOVING … IT’S DISABLED, GO AROUND ME!  I think she got it, cause that’s what she did.

The only redeeming thing that occurred during this whole insane episode, was that a lady approached my car and asked if I needed a push.  At the same time, a friend called and suggested that I try something I hadn’t and ‘lo and behold’ my car started to idle, I tried to let this lady know that I was okay, but AAA’s contact was also calling … I asked both him and my friend to hold just a moment so that I could end the conversation and thank this lone concerned citizen … when the fellow on the phone started too act out on the phone because I had asked him for just a minute.

I didn’t thank that lady and I really should have … and that so bother’s me!

When I got home I was so wound-up, I had to walk it off.  I did about two miles before I started to feel almost normal again …

Things happen … and sometimes there just isn’t anyway to prepare for them.

My Personal Library

One of the joys of creating an online diary is the freedom and limitless posting options that are available.  As long as your ideas are flowing your posts or entries will be ongoing.

Well, getting on with this entry … recently I started doing something that I haven’t really done with any regularity in a number of years and that was reading for pleasure.  Actually, for the last few years I have been building a small library of hardcovers … something that I kept promising myself I was going to eventually indulge in … However, I am only now starting too reap the literary benefits of owning that small cache.  Now, the size of this little venture won’t make the Guinness Book of Records but it will make the ‘Sadie’s Hall Of Wonders’.

And honestly, it’s quite surprising how sometimes such small things can produce so much joy …  you see, just knowing that I possess my own private library is a source of both delight and pride.  There is a lot to be said about things that have been created with your own hands, or developed due to your own personal efforts.  And what makes this an even bigger BLAST is that at least 75% of the books in my collection were purchased from the Dollar Tree.  Now, this isn’t a Dollar Tree promo and no, the books that I have aren’t from authors no one has ever heard of before.  A few years back, DT was stuffing there shelves … I guess with overstocked items or maybe books from business that went under … in any case they had some really great titles.

Novel Purchases

So, every week I would buy one or two titles and before ‘you knew it’ I had a pretty impressive collection.

And another thing … I start gushing when I think of just how huge a savings I’ve generated by making these frugal purchases … it really brings a smile to my FACE!

In an earlier post I mentioned how I really try to avoid those sensational articles, the ones that just sort of claw at your very being … and I do, I really have and that’s why this story was completely missed by me. The only reason I found out about it was because of the MOMlines … you see, from time to time she feeds me little NEWSbits.

Well, the other day my mom told me an amazing story about a plane that crash landed on the Hudson River, I am sure most of you guys/gals heard about it, if not here we go…

This plane took off from LaGuardia Airport, NYC heading for Charlotte, NC when suddenly the engines caught fire, at the time everyone was surprised because this happened seconds after take-off.  One report that I read stated that bird feathers and DNA tracings had been  lifted from one of the engines and they are fairly certain that this was what caused the unfortunate accident.  Since then however, the pilots testimony has confirmed that finding. But what’s so remarkable about THIS STORY is that everyone that was aboard that airline survived, which was due to the cool headed and skillful decisions of this airline pilot.

And after his strategic landing numerous ‘tug boats’ that were within the touch-down area, swiftly headed toward the downed plane and offered what assistance they could.

Now, these are the stories that I like … stories that have happy endings and heroes and many people working together too save the day.

For more detailed info, follow this LINK

The end of this year is rapidly approaching and the New Year is bamming at the proverbial door and it’s presence and demand for attention is looming.  And I also have many thoughts that are emerging and also demanding a bit of my attention…for instance…

Being labeled senior citizen in our society is akin to being placed at the front of an Amtrak ticket line that’s traveling too ‘Destination Final Resting Place’.  Oh…such a cruel circumstance that we are expected to accept, when in fact most of us are approaching that High-Point in our lives.  We have literally become ‘Reservoir Foxes’…lil life-nuggets brimming with years of happenings stored in our personal data bases just waiting for an opportunity to share.

But, guess what, I am hesitant but nonetheless proud too admit that I am a ’silver surfer’, a quite gray granny…a seasoned n’ proud mom. And with the obvious years of life that goes along with those distinctive attributes there are also many other bonus’s that my years here have produced.  For instance, during my stint here, I have witness radio programs evolve to TV, and console style radio’s shrink to hand-held portable models and from that to wafer thin models the size of a credit card that’s capable of storing 1000’s of songs. Telephone have become small, mobile, and owned by children that are not even able to ‘foot the expense’ of that ownership.  I can make my own movies and music and share the results with my family and friends. I have lived thru the emergence of Atari, Slinky and BarBie.

I have shared the same airspace and time line with such remarkable notables as Pope John XXIII, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Mother Teresa, Princess Di, Linus Pauling, and Jimmy Carter…

I know of atrocities that were committed that didn’t make the ‘front page editions’ but were nonetheless horrific and were probably only chronicled in the police archives…stories that would curl your blood…not fiction, or a figment of my imagination but real crimes committed against in most cases undeserving people.

I have seen accidents and near accidents that are as vivid today as it was when it occurred years ago.  And I am sure my true life recollections pale in comparison to what other have seen and done, read about or were told about, were the victims or just barely escaped an incident.  We ’so called ole folks’ are store houses of facts, situations, solutions, suggestions…and you would think this upcoming generation would knock our doors down too graze on these many tidbits and morsels of info that we would love to share for free.  But noooo…these youngin’s think they know it all or they think they are too busy to spend a little time listening or they see us as ‘out of touch’ with the times.

Oh well, their loss…sure there is much we don’t know…especially when it comes too the challenges posed by this technological stampede that’s bombarding our day to day lives. But we do know life…simply because we have already lived it.

Yalls loss…because unbeknownst to the emerging ‘movers and shakers’ of this generation…I am not down n’ out.  I…we are entering a new season…a much more enlightened season and I for one plan too tap into those years of real-life school’n too make this a truly brilliant and meaningful episode in my life.  It’s not a start over, it’s just another ‘leg’ of my journey.

So although we must say goodbye to 2008, it really isn’t gone…because all it’s events will always remain with me, with us…our children and theirs.  Nothing is ever really lost as long as there is a record of it’s passing somewhere.

And I look forward to this new year, another page of history that will be bursting with a staggering numbers of events:  from births … graduations … re-locations … new business owners throwing open their doors for the first time … and an odd  piece of land  re purposed for a park … an old building restored … an injured animal saved by a passing stranger … a young tot’s first ice skating lesson … and to the farmers whose home and land are finally producing a profit and things are finally looking up…

Happy New Year’s Eve To All

Season’s Greetings To All and Many Wishes Of

Joy During This Precious Time Of The Year!

Yep…I hope everyone has all of their ‘Ducks In A Row’ cause the holidays are HERE!  Yall, only have a week left to prepare…AND am I ready?…not quite.  However this year, it’s lookin’ a lot better than it ever has.  For a change, I am feeling more in control, not just ‘picked up and sweep about’ by the ‘holiday frenzy’.

This year I made a list of things that I wanted to tackle before that DAY arrived…and those items that I considered PRIORITY were at the ‘top’ of the ‘things I must accomplish’ list.  And I started more than a month ago tackling that list.  I focused on one, sometimes two things at a time, switching from one to the other if I got overwhelmed by whichever project I was working on.  And because I started so much more earlier than I normally do, I was able to ‘take my time’.

Hence, there was no last minute panic, headache’s and feelings of being stretched too  my limits.  I haven’t nor will I complete that list, but I have eliminated most of those major items, from that list,  which just makes a world of difference to  me.

I hope everyone reaches that place of peace and that you and your’s  actually have the time to enjoy the more important things about this HOLIDAY…Family and Friends

Season’s Greeting