Yearbook Yourself!

One of the funniest websites I’ve found online yet.  Thank you Facebook!  All you need to do is upload your picture and see yourself through the years in various high school yearbook type photos.  I had so much fun with this.

Here I am in the 70s.  God, how I loved this hairstyle, but I was too young to have it.

I’m rocking out, mid 80s style to The Crew.  Shout, shout, shout at the devil!

Hello, I’m a Bradford from Eight is Enough.

I could have been Ralphie’s teacher in A Christmas Story.  You’ll shoot your eye out!

I’m Chris from Charlie’s Angels. 

See?

Playing football with the boys.

Sexy in my cat eyed glasses, not!

Check out my fro!

Homecoming Queen.

I’m Mike Myers mother-in-law, Linda Richmond.

I’m with the band.

And, here I am with the photography club.  Nice.

Sadly, this is what my mother looked like before mental illness and smoking got to her.

Two Words – Ozzy Osbourne

I feel like I could be in a Woody Allen movie here with this 70s picture.

I am so glad to have been born in the 70s and not the 50s.

Please, go do this, and send me a link to your photos!

http://yearbookyourself.com/

Animal Pictures

I love taking pictures.  I’m the girl who went on her European honeymoon and took 33 rolls of film and lugged around two cameras and equpiment that weighed around 30 pounds.  In January 2008 I finally made the switch to all digital photography when I purchased my digital SLR Nikon D80.  While I miss my old SLR Nikon N65, I’m glad for the digital pictures that are easy to upload for my blog posts.  I hate scanning and cropping old pictures more than anything else in the world except for making my bed, which I flat out won’t do. 

Photography has always been a real passion of mine, and I was taught how to shoot pictures rather informally by a wonderful french exchange student who worked with me at a summer camp when I was 19.  This french girl, Claire, dated the camp photographer, so she knew plenty about pictures, and she had the nicest camera of all the counselors.  She showed me the basics, how to line up shots, the rule of thirds, etc.  I wish I could study photography, and maybe do it for a living, but money and time have always gotten in my way.  I adore taking landscape photos the most.  I could look at Ansel Adams photography every day of my life and never get bored.  But I also enjoy taking pictures of animals.  With my illnesses, I haven’t been that up on photography the past year, and have stopped going on to shoot pictures like I used to.  But today I thought I’d share with you some of my animal pictures from the past couple of years.  I have better pictures from Yellowstone and from the San Diego, Detroit, and Cleveland Zoos, but like I said, I HATE scanning old pictures in, so …

Here is my pride and joy, my beautiful baby, my cat Beatrice, who weighs in at a hefty 14 pounds.  Taken 9/07. 

This was taken in 4/08 when hubby and I were in Boston and went whale watching.  Amazing!  I could go every week. 

Who doesn’t love Alpacas?  Taken in 8/08 in Ohio, of all places.

Buffalo, 8/08.  I feel in love with them during Dances With Wolves.  What a beautiful animal. 

Deer, 8/08.  I see them almost every day, as we have such a high population in my neighborhood that snippers have to kill them.   

Wonder dog in Boston Commons, 4/08.  Look at this little guy jump.

Duck chilling at Greenfield Village, 7/09.

Giraff, 8/08.  What a great face this little guy has, huh?

Sheep, Greenfield Village, 7/09.  Kept thinking of The Silence of the Lambs when I took this.  Can you still hear them scream, Clarice?

Big antlered deer, 8/08. 

Rooster, Greenfield Village, 7/09.  My ten year old loved him, as did I.   

New York, Natural Science Museum, 11/08.  Freaky how close human and chimpanzee skeltons are from one another? 

Battery Park, New York, 11/08.  This lady is a nutter for letting this squirrel sit on her hands.  Agh!

Turtle, Greenfield Village, 7/09.  This little guy surfaced and posed for me, what a peach! 

Zebra, Ohio, 8/08.  What a beauty! 

 

Greenfield Village – Michigan Travel Destination

My family and I finally made it to Greenfield Village last week. 

We have been trying to get there for about five years and with the economy here in Michigan and my losing my job, I thought it important to spend our money on something in our state and tax deductible.  We spent $99 for a one year family membership, which includes free parking and admission to The Henry Ford Museum, and I have to tell you, it is so worth it, so please go buy one now!  

What a great place to take the family.  I hadn’t been there myself since 1985.  I loved it, and instead of going on vacation this summer, we went there and had a really nice time.  Even our teenager loved it.

Here is what you need to know about Greenfield Village – it is on a 254-acre attraction in Dearborn, Michigan along with The Henry Ford Museum, and was created by the late great Henry Ford who wanted to show people American history.  

Greenfield Village is a collection of historic homes, shops, and even a plantation, some over 250 years old, all within a beautiful outdoor setting as you can see from my pictures.  

Most of these homes were either relocated from their original spots or simply reconstructed on the grounds.  I personally think that Greenfield Village would make a great place to film a movie, much like what Mackinac Island did for the film Somewhere in Time.  With all of the films now being shot here in Michigan, I hope this happens!   

The staff walks and bikes around in historic costumes

Working in the fields

 

Tending to the animals

And even drives visiters around in Model T’s, a vintage train, buses, or even horse and carriages. 

Our kids rode the carousal, although to be honest, plenty of adults without children did as well.

We saw the historical home and shop of the Wright Brothers

And I was tickled pink to view the first Webster’s Dictionary at the Webster home.  The home itself was also very beautiful.  

The entire time we watched staff do presentations and skits, working in the stores, blowing glass, or even cooking food from yesteryear.   

Also, Greenfield Villiage is a National Historic Landmark.

Greenfield Village is really a charming and unique place, very family friendly, and very educational.  Even the gift shop is cool.  I saw couples of all ages on dates, happy families, school children and other types of groups, as well as a real wedding in progress.  I’d say this is a place for everyone to go. 

I think my favorite moment was when I saw these little girls walking around in their bonnets and dresses just like they were Laura Ingalls Wilder.  I would have died to have done the same thing when I was their age, as Laura was my hero for many years.  Greenfield Village even has a field called Walnut Grove, and I know all of you fellow Little House on the Prairie fans can really appreciate that. 

If you haven’t ever been there, go tomorrow or this weekend and pack your camera.  If you have already visited, then go again soon.  They even have fun events like fireworks, concerts, and Halloween and Holiday celebrations.  You won’t have time to see all of the village and adjoining museum on the same day, so this is why I suggest buying the tax deductible seasonal pass so you can see both during the year.

20 more days until Mad Men begins!

Season three of Mad Men is just a few weeks away, and once again, tv’s most dashing anti-hero, Don Draper, will be back in our bedrooms and our hearts. 

And, for fun, I thought you could visit AMC for a chance to Mad Men yourself!  Think of Simpsonize Me circa 2007 and you get the picture.

http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/madmenyourself/

Just take a look at me, Sterling Cooper style.

I’m So Damn Sick Of … Week 3

Back by popular demand, I give you the issues and people that I’m so damn sick of this week.

Human Rights Being Violated – After watching Milk and Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D List this week, I’ve been thinking a lot about all human rights, but in particular gay rights and how tragic it is that people don’t understand what they are denying other human beings.  If I told any straight person opposed to gay marriage hey, your US government is now telling you who YOU can and can not marry, how many of those people would be upset over that?  All of them.  I was raised around gay people and find them as normal as any other straight people and couples I know.  My mom used to party with a house of gay guys who lived down the block when I was in third grade.  They’d invite all the moms over for pina coladas.  No one made fun of them.  By fifth grade I was babysitting for a lesbian couple who had a child together.  A girl I went to school with had two moms, but she hide her other mom and refer to her to me once as her moms friend.  She lived on the wrong block I guess.  Sure, most of you are going to claim religion, say you don’t believe in gay relationships, or that marriage should be between a man and a wife.  I say this – If gays are allowed to get married, just how is it going to effect you?  It has nothing to do with you.  Gay people have always existed, and will always exist whether or not YOU want them to.  They adopt children, and will continue to do so in the future.  They are your friends, your co-workers, your teachers, and your neighbors.  If they can marry, then their partners can have the same legal rights as we straight people already have.  They have no legal rights when it comes to their partners.  If they need insurance, they are denied health benefits because they aren’t allowed to marry.  They can’t make medical decisions or inherit property unless they have wills and legal documents saying so.  Does it seem RIGHT that a person who spends a lifetime with another person in a committed relationship can’t be considered their next of kin?  Hell no!  Legally, a person’s religious and personal beliefs should not be getting in the way of other human beings rights in this country.  Our country was founded on freedom, not discrimination.  Anyone who hates gays ever actually read the Constitution, or study human rights?  Back in the day, only men could vote in this country.  Woman couldn’t vote until 1920.  Blacks at a point in our history were only considered 3/5ths of a person.  They had to first fight for freedom, and then equality.  Does any of that sound RIGHT to you?  Hell no.  Then why are people ok with refusing to acknowledge that everyone here deserves the right to marry any other person they love?  Every human being who lives here in the US is promised that they have certain civil and political rights, such as life, liberty, freedom of expression, culture, religious freedom, employment rights, and my favorite, the pursuit of happiness.  If we continue to deny gays the right to marry, then all we are really doing is picking and chosing who has rights in our country and hiding behind certain types of religion.  Such a shame to let Prop 8 go down the way it did.  Just think of all that money, over $80 million, that could have been raised for another cause, like poverty, education or hunger.  

Chelsea Handler’s Makeup, Hair and Wardrobe Staff on Chelsea Lately- I’m not an expert, but in college I did a lot of hair and makeup on my dorm friends in exchange for free drinks at Dooley’s and Sensations.  I’ve been called The Hair Whisperer by one of my closest friends.  Let me say this out of love for Chelsea – You need to fire all of them.  You are too pale for Hollywood and require wearing heavier eye make-up and lipstick on your show.  You live in LA, and should be getting a very light spray tan in the summer if you insist on wearing all of those sleeveless tops.  Your hair is totally washed out, and most nights it is too flat.  Also, whoever told you a woman in her 30s can wear a ponytail while hosting a show is dead wrong.  You need highlights or low lights if you want to stick with that color.  I’d recommend going two shades blonder and adding both highlights and low lights.  If I can afford it, you can, too.  And, last but not least, many nights the shirts they put you in make me ask myself is she pregnant?  You are a thin, beautiful and talented woman.  Get on this girl!   

Headaches, Sinuses and Allergies – Isn’t it bad enough that I just lost my job, and had a hysterectomy?  Do I also have to have sinus issues, drips, drainage, bloody noses and wicked allergies?  Or brain crushing headaches and facial pain that even my strongest pain pills can’t stop?  I have had the worst headache nearly non-stop since last Tuesday, and it feels like my head is in a vice and someone is pounding me in the face with a hammer.  I’m tired of going to doctors, and today he admitted he doesn’t know if they are caused by my sinuses, my many allergies, or a new thing – hypoglycemia.  So, we are going to treat allergies and sinuses this week and I’ve got to spend more money on those drugs.  I’ve had migraines since I was a teen, and my migraines can’t tough my headaches.  At least my Relpax works on migraines.  I’d kill for a migraine, and those bitches make me puke, blind, and scream but at least after 24 hours they are over!  These brain headaches have been killing me for two years now.  I can’t lay in bed every day of my life.  Why the heck can’t anyone find a wayto stop them?  AGGHH!!! 

Sarah Palin - She is an asshole and a fool.         

Candy Spelling- Shame on you, sending a public message to your daughter via TMZ.  Wasn’t your book and stops on the talk show circuit enough?  No matter what you think of your daughter, you got all of her daddy’s cash, so, you won!  You look like a damn fool for calling her middle aged.  She’s in her 30s and the last time I checked, middle aged refers to those over the age of 40.  Or at least that is what Hallmark tells me, and the last time I checked they were the experts.  Why not act your age and quit talking and writing about your daughter?  You are so jealous of her I can smell it all the way here in the midwest.  This letter just makes me even more sympathetic towards Tori and makes me want to read her books even more.   

Here is the letter she wrote to TMZ:

http://www.tmz.com/2009/07/27/candy-spelling-tori-spelling-feud-family-reality-show-open-letter-tmz/#continuedcontents

EXCLUSIVE TO: TMZ.COM
TO: MIDDLE-AGED REALITY SHOW STARS (LIKE MY DAUGHTER)
FROM: CANDY SPELLING

I Know many middle-aged people have issues about their parents and their upbringing. I did. My memories didn’t match all those of my mother, and, funny thing, it’s the same way with my daughter.  Life has consequences. What you say is on the record. Other people have feelings.  I have a vested interest in this subject. My daughter, Tori’s, two-part season finale revolves around my granddaughter’s first birthday party and how she has made what seems like an agonizing decision to invite me.  I did get an invitation just in time for the RSVP deadline. I’m sure its delivery will be on next week’s episode with some comment about my house or driveway or street or something they won’t like. I wonder if that will be spread out over one part or two. Sigh.

A big party wasn’t how I envisioned meeting my granddaughter for the first time; but, hey, this is Hollywood, and my grandchildren have become reality show props, too. At the time I emailed “yes,” I didn’t realize I was being set up for a two-parter, even though it was clear I was being invited to be part of a segment for my daughter’s reality show.

Spoiler alert. Don’t read this if you plan to sit through an hour of people looking at their watches and saying “she’s late.” I decided my first meeting with my granddaughter should be on home video, not primetime cable; so I emailed that I would not be attending.

Back to other reality stars. My husband taught me that the plots have to be fresh and updated. The same old whining gets tired after a while. Enough complaining about what may or may not have happened during first grade or YMCA camp, or what vegetable you were forced to endure, especially when you are privileged enough to be on TV and get paid for it.

For all the reality show personalities, please remember that real life doesn’t get edited to make things better or worse or get better ratings. You’re responsible for what you do. Life isn’t just a show. And your families can’t just be props. Make your own season finale without creating conflicts you will regret later.