Thanksgiving Horrors!

It’s 5 :48 on Thanksgiving Day.

And there is no turkey.

And the old people are getting edgy.

(And slightly drunk)

Run for your lives!

Songs of Consequence – Part I

After a debate about the top 10 rock and roll songs of all time at the dinner table sometime last week, it came out that I am severly behind in my rock and roll studies. With a dumbfounded shake of his head, my father got up and rifled through his CD collection, finally pulling out Paul Simon’s “There Goes Rhymin’ Simon”. “Go, young grasshopper,” he said “Go and listen to American Tune and you will be ready to leave this place.” (Well, he didn’t actually say that, it was more of a YOU GO LISTEN TO THIS RIGHT NOW, kind of thing.) And I did. I ambled downstairs to the computer and put in the CD, setting it to American Tune.

5 minutes later, my father came down the stairs to find me staring at the screen, tears streaming down my face. He smiled, “Just listened to American Tune didn’t you?” he asked. I nodded, unable to say a word.

And it was with that I realized that there are songs in this world that can change your perspective, change your opinions, change your life.

And now begins my quest to discover what I call Songs of Consequence, songs that mean something to me, and I will share them with you.

Song of Consequence 1

American Tune by Paul Simon

This song coincides with my life at this moment in time perfectly. Even the first stanza!
“Many’s the time I’ve been mistaken
And many times confused
Yes and often felt forsaken
And certainly misused.”

I feel as though this line relates to the strange relationships that I’ve had, and the stress at home. I make many mistakes. I’m seventeen, making mistakes is part of the package. And yes, I’ve felt misused and confused, and even forsaked by people I thought I could trust.
“oh but I’m all right, I’m all right, just weary to my bones.” And I am alright, and I will always be alright, because there will always be good and happiness in this world, hard as it is to fine.

“I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered
I don’t have a friend who feels at ease
I don’t know a dream that’s not been shattered
Or driven to it’s knees
Oh, but it’s alright, it’s alright
For we lived so well so long”
All of us in high school experience and go through so much. Love, hate, drugs, sex, genius, fury, everything. And all of us have one dream or another shattered. I know it seems as though high school can’t be that difficult, and essentially, it isn’t. But what goes on in your life while you’re in high school makes the difference. But we’re going to get through it. All of us. No matter what.

The Times They Are A Changing — Part One

About 20 minutes ago, as I was unloading the groceries from the back of the car, I turn around to see a big, black SUV pulling into the driveway. The first thought that runs through my head is “Oh my god. It’s the police.” Not that I have a guilty conscience or anything. Then I see something even more frightening…a small, blonde woman behind the wheel. A soccer mom. I gulped with fear.

The blonde soccer mom smiles at me, then a small girl rapels down the side of the car to the driveway. (Okay, so she jumped, but you have to admit the hyperbole was excellent.) This small girl is wearing a Junior Girl Scout Green vest. Girl Scout cookies! Hurrah!

But I was distressed. With a great sigh, I admit, I was once a Girl Scout. I will admit with pride that I quit because my brother, the Boy Scout, went white water rafting, while I learned to sew buttons. Sexism and double standards anyone? But anyway, back to the story.

I remember my girl scout days of selling cookies. And one thing I know for sure is that my parents never, ever drove me from house to house. No, I walked. (And it was uphill! Both ways! In the snow!) I walked from home to home, selling my scrumptious goodies to the repressed upper middle class folks in my neighborhood. And of course they bought cookies, oodles and oodles of them. I was too cute to resist. But being driven around in a great black SUV from house to house is cheating. We worked hard for the money. (Cue horrible 80s song)

To add to my distress, this girl was wearing jeans, a pink sweater, and her Junior Vest. A travesty indeed! When I went door to door, I went in full regalia. White turtleneck with horrible design, green vest, tacky shorts, and white stockings. I was dressed to impress folks, dressed to impress. And this girl had the nerve, no, the audacity to sell me cookies wearing street clothes and her vest? Had I been a proper Victiorian lady, I would have fainted. But I didn’t. I’m not the fainting type.

I settled for three boxes of Tagalongs with a smile.

:-0

*coughs*
*gasps*
*clutches heart*
*falls to the floor*
“College applications!”
*dies*

Seventeen!

1 minute after midnight.
On November 8, 1987.
Sarah was born.

Now, she’s 17!
Which means she can Rated R Movies.
No more 13 and under discounts for me! No, siree!
I can’t wait for that lady to card me.
I’ll whip out my license and say “Yeah! Check it out! I’m SEVENTEEN!”

And, if I gain, say, 10 pounds, I can give blood too!

This being seventeen thing is awesome.

….on Bush’s election.

I would like a moment of silence.

A moment of silence for the places our country could have gone.
The things our country could have done.
The friends our country could have made.
The mouths our country could have fed.
The forests our country could have saved.
The advancements our country could have made.
The good our country could have done for the world, but more importantly
The knowledge the world could have given to our country.

The lives our country will lose in pointless war.
The jobs our country will lose.
The benefits for our country’s elderly and needy that are going to the wealthy.

And the common sense that our country seems to have lost.

(And those are my thoughts on Bush’s election.)