Life is good...weekend is here

Though its the 2nd day of rain, life is good. My version of a recession garden is blooming though I am still waiting for my strawberry and blueberry bushes.

I am going to be guest blogging on my friend Ronni Bennett's blog, Time Goes (http://www.timegoesby.net/) By on June 14th. I found a new blog I love called Pink Slip: http://pinkslipblog.blogspot.com/. This blog keeps things in perspective if you have a skewed take on life, which I definitely fit. This is from the blog today when a friend of the blogger put his Haiku up (he was recently laid off). I love it, succinct and says it all (not at all like me):

Out of work, this sucks
"It's an opportunity"
Says those with a job.


Yep, life is good. More to come

What I learned since the RIF

RIF= reduction in force. I hear more are on the way and worry about my colleagues. Sad times. But I have learned a lot since leaving on tax day.

What I learned:

I have friends I never realized I had

People are so good and share info on jobs

There are a lot of us out there

I can survive

There are also some negatives (unfortunately), some people don't keep promises and don't care about you once you are gone.

COBRA and health insurance are a disaster, at least in this instance. I could say more but am thinking twice.

There are a lot of people who should be planted in the forest of fools so I am thinking I will create a virtual place to plant them. More to come.

Rainy day here but looking forward to meeting friends for dinner...good things will come. There is always something to be thankful for. Here's just some of mine:

Healthy family and friends
Wonderful kids and grand kids
Exceptional friends who don't forget me
A nice home with nice neighbors
I am alive


What's yours?

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

A time to reflect and a time for family and friends......have a happy and safe holiday!

American Idol: Who Lost? The Judges

Well, Kris Allen won. Nice guy but Adam Lambert is the best contestant ever on Idol and he deserved to win. Who made the difference: not song choice. Each year, the judges pick their favorites and push that person
adnauseum. This was a judges backlash pure and simple. Maybe next year they will judge and not push a person they want. David Cook won but Simon said he lost the finale and backlash, David won (and rightly so). Hope they learn their lesson.

No Boundaries: Worst Song Ever

The Idol finale may go down in history as having the worst Idol song ever in their history. What was Kara thinking? The pressure to create a song while being a judge must have been tough but this song is horrible.

I think both finalists did what they could with this song. Not sure Elmo could do a better job.

I had so much trouble getting through last night on phone lines. Only voted once. Today I read its too close to call. I also read about the so-called Christian vote. I thought we were past all that. I thought we reached the point where people were judged on their merits. Or is this just a media thing?

If Adam does not win, it will be more about a judges backlash. They were so pro Adam, right or wrong, that they generally made viewers feel why vote?

For me, right now, all I want is another good reality show: PROJECT RUNWAY where are you????

Amercan Idol, before the finale

American Idol may be extraordinarily popular this season but at least one journalist sees much more to this season's talent than is apparent to most.

Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times writes on : Idol's Bigger Message. See http://www.latimesblog.latimes.com/americanidoltracker/2009/05/american-idols-bigger-message.html.

She speaks of the friendship between 2 finalists who appear to be on different spectrums of our cultural society and given the conservative right so-called influence on who or what is right and appropriate, this friendship may be a mark of who we have become as a society.

Adam and Kris are friends yet they are 2 very different types of performers, and people. There is a message here far greater then who is titled season 8 winner. Read the article.

I can't wait for tonight. They are both winners in my book! Just need Project Runway to start soon.

A Tree is Planted in MD; Views from the deck

It's a good weekend in Md. The Preakness is today.....I would love the long shot to win yet again and he may since it is going to rain, yet again, here. Lots to do and am excited about planting herbs, veggies, maybe even fruits on my deck. My friend, Ronni Bennett of http://www.timegoesby.net/, inspired me on her blog: The Recession Garden. I call mine, the RIF or Disclocator Garden.

So far I have 1 tomato plant, cucumber bush (still in seedling pot), chives, cilantro, oregano, dill, basil, hot banana peppers, squash. I just ordered a strawberry and blueberry bush (thanks to Ronni). Not finished setting this up but working on it. See pictures below:

The grass is soooo green from the rain. The view is filled with trees (squirrels) and the comings and goings into this small suburban neighborhood. I cannot wait for these to bloom and eat truly fresh veggies, herbs and more!

This wonderful, inspiring little garden has dispelled the anger on yet another debacle in the trials and tribulations of starting over after a RIF(reduction in force). Some idiot in HR at my former company told unemployment I quit and was not laid off. The ramifications of this? I am not eligible for unemployment until this is corrected. Unemployment is working on this. Hopefully, it will be rectified. So, in my mind, this person is now a tree....perhaps a birch? The good news: a new tree is planted in my mind, a virtual forest of jerks. My way of letting go.....more to come.