Popinjay - Caged

The Popinjay prompt this week is Caged. I knew right away EXACTLY which photo I wanted to use for this prompt.
But then I started reviewing my photos taken at the top of the Empire State Building, and realized there was no way I could post just one.

And one last one, of mom and I, taken by a VERY CUTE European guy…sigh…

Make sure you stop by Michelle's to see what other "Caged" happenings everyone is up to.

Popinjay - Selfless

This week's Popinjay prompt is "Selfless".

There were so many different ways I could have gone with this. I thought about posting a photo of my little sister K, not only because I find her to be a very giving and selfless person, but also because she brings out the most giving and selfless qualities in me. When I signed up for Big Brother Big Sister nearly 10 years ago, I had no way of knowing how much this little girl would change my life. She has taught me so much about so much, mostly, about how it is absolutely possible to love a child unconditionally, regardless of whether or not she is your biological child.

I thought about posting a photo of my faith family. My group of friends with who I pray with and play with. We are a wild and crazy bunch, known to say that we pray hard, because we play hard, and that causes us to need to pray harder. But they, to me, exemplify selflessness in so many different ways.

I thought of other things I could have photographed as well. But it all kept coming back to the same thing for me.

God.

It is the gift of faith, the belief in God, the beauty of the world He created for us, that allows us to be selfless and giving, and loving, and full of life.

So, that's where I went with this.

Have a great week everyone, I think I can safely say I won't be posting again this week, there's a lot going on, so...see you next week!

Popinjay - Domestic

That sound you just heard? That was me falling to the floor laughing hysterically at the thought of myself ever being described as domestic.

I? Am not domestic.

I mean, sure, I can fake it like the best of them. I can keep a clean house, I do laundry, I even cook, and do a pretty darn good job of it, when I need to.

But Betty Crocker, Martha Stewart, June Cleaver I am not.

Now, I realize most women are not either, but truthfully, as much as I love my home, domesticity seems a bit lost on me.

I’m just not that girl.

But this does not mean I wouldn’t like to be. At times. There’s certainly a side to me that wouldn’t mind the ability to cook-up a family meal without having to think too much about it. To know exactly how long it takes to cook a pot roast (I wouldn’t even know what kind of meat to buy to make pot roast). To be able to turn on my sewing machine, and hem that pair of pants I just bought (I own a hand me down sewing machine, and have no idea how to work it).

I’ve come a long way in the nine plus years I’ve been living on my own, but “domestic” is just not a word anyone would use to describe me.

But really, I could fool you if I wanted to.

I would invite you to my home, after I’d spent a good day thoroughly cleaning it, I would cook up some finger foods (I’m really good at those), and perhaps one of my “no fail” recipes, I’d light some scented candles, line up my martini glasses on the bar, turn on some music, and maybe, for good measure, I’d wear this:

I think that sounds just enough "domestic", don't you?

Make sure to visit Michelle and see if there are any Martha Stewarts among the rest of the participants...

Writer's Workshop - #1 - Open Letter

This is my first time joining in on Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop, but I'm excited, so I'm just going to jump right in.

For more information on the Writer's Workshop, click the link above but basically, Mama Kat gives us a handful of "writing prompts" to pick from, and we write, and link up on her blog on Thursdays.

This week, I chose the following prompt: Open Letter To A Celebrity

If you know me at all, you knew this was a prompt I am physically unable to resist.

I could go with the obvious this week, and write a letter to Lindsay Lohan, newly out of rehab, or Paris Hilton, quickly on her way in. Or I could write a letter to Bristol Palin, informing her of all the ways she is NOT a "Star". (In case you missed it, she's going to be on this season's "Dancing With The Stars"). Or, I could write Kat Von Dee about all the ways her new "relationship" with Jesse James is gross and not even the slightest bit surprising. Or I could write a letter to Kate Gosselin...no, no, I really really couldn't. EVER.

But I'm not going to write any of those...this week.

This week, I'm going to write my letter to Tiger Woods. Yep, I'm going there.

Dear Tiger,

Nobody, and I mean, NOBODY, has any respect left for you.

Sincerely,

Candid K

Seriously? When a shirt isn't just a shirt.

I don't watch commercials on television very often anymore, not since I got my Tivo box years ago. But now and again, I will. Usually, when I am in the middle of doing something else, often times in another room, so I mostly "hear" the commercial a handful of times before I actually see it.

I've "heard" the following commercial quite a few times in the last couple of weeks, and every time, I thought "well, that just doesn't sound right to me".

Today, for the first time, I actually saw the ad. What ad? This ad:

Nope, that just doesn't seem quite right, does it? What message is being put out there? That it's okay for a mom to "borrow" her daughter's shirt without telling her, lie to her when she asks you about it, go behind her back to continue hiding the fact that you wore it, and then act like it's HER FAULT she couldn't find the shirt in the first place?

I'm not a mom, but somehow, I don't think this is the lesson I want to teach MY KIDS whenever/if ever I do have them.

Not to mention the mom's "you know that's not my style" comment. Meaning what? That mom has this whole other personality, out with her friends, partying, drinking, in leather pants, that she hides from her daughter (and perhaps the rest of her family) as she sits at home in a grandma sweater with no make-up on?

Saying that what? A woman can't be both a good mom, and have fun with her friends, wear makeup and look good?

I don't know...I suppose whoever came up with this concept was going for some sort of sitcom humor, but...sitcom humor doesn't work in 30 second spots, and it sure as hell doesn't seem like the sort of thing that would inspire me to buy a product...