Resolution for a Revolution

With all the natural disasters, global attacks, civil rights violations, gun violence in the states, changes in the European Union, the insanity of the US elections, death, hunger, destruction, poverty, and the daily barrage of yelling, lies, hatred and media clusterfuckery (it is too a word. It's my word, so suck it) I feel that someone should update the Billy Joel song "We didn't start the fire" for 2016.

Although this year has been a serious beast of destruction whose appetite can not be satiated, it would make for a bitchin' song. (Just know that it is totally my idea. So... You know... Don't be so stingy and just credit a bitch.) But even though all these things may make for a great future anthem, they have been hard events to make sense of and live with. It's been harder for some people than others. For a small (or maybe not so small) group these things and this year has been depression inducing, suffocating and oppressive.

People all over the world have lost their homes, land, family, friends, lives, security, freedoms, rights, liberties and sometimes most disheartening of all, their hope for the future.

There are a lot of scared people out there.

There is a lot of confusion.

But, this is the world we live in.
This is where we find ourselves.
This is what we have to work with.
This is where we begin.

Fuck it's going to be hard and I hope I have the strength it takes to fight everyday. I hope I have the character to always stand up for what's right no matter what the personal cost.
Humanity has been here before, it's the push back before the revolution. Hopefully the tension will burst and humanity can 'break on through to the other side' as the Doors intended.

I hope to be here for the next Age of Enlightenment, whenever that may be. Until then all I can do is show love whenever possible, stand up for what is right and decent, find others that are like minded for a safe support system, don't allow others to normalize hate/fear/bullying/or wrong doing, and stand to take action whenever the time arrives.

These are my goals for 2017. Even of it's in just the smallest way possible, I plan to find a way to make this world better than how it is now. It is time for all of us to stand up and become the superheroes of our own destinies!

-golden (@theonlygolden)

Genesis "Land of Confusion"

New Year’s Resolutions cause why not….

So I said the other day I’d post my 2017 New Year Resolutions, and my biggest goal is to accomplish the things I say I will do so here goes. Before I begin let me say, these all sound more important then they really are actually cause typically after I post this I forget all about it and nothing happens cause frankly…. I’m lazy. Like insanely lazy, and truth be told it isn’t that I’m lazy so much as I have other things to “deal with” ha!

For instance, my New Year’s Resolutions for 2016 included …. Seeing more movies. Which I did not. Spending more time actually talking to Golden. Which we did not stupid contradicting schedules. Visiting Golden more often, which I did accomplish, kinda. I visited her for her birthday then we had a relaxing trip in Atlanta for DragonCon … well until I took a nose dive after giving blood and came back home with busted glasses, a fat lip, and a massive headache. Losing weight … which I think has to be on the list for me but I did not really accomplish this year. Exercise more is another one I didn’t do, obviously. Having work not be all consuming of my energy, this one I semi-accomplished. We expanded our department and while my work load didn’t really change it felt like it wasn’t all on my shoulders so that helped in the stress department. I also wanted to go out into the world more and be around people, but then remembered I don’t like people so I really didn’t do this. Tho a friend and I did spend a lovely weekend listening to some great music at the Flora Bama which got me a little out of my comfort zone. So I’m counting that one as a success. I sadly didn’t finish my Haley and Michaels story … I started to several times but it sounded stupid so I deleted it. I think I’ve finally figured out an angle that will allow me to finish it and finally get Shannon and Ryan out of the airport. So let’s see three out of ten isn’t horrible…. Ok it is … shut up!

So what’s this year’s resolutions you may ask …… I’m not really sure. I mean last year’s were such a success it’s going to be hard to top those but ok fine I’ll try. Think of these as more of a 2017 guideline.

1.       I want to write more. Not just on this blog but that’s a huge goal too but write the things in my head no matter if it think it sounds good. I can’t tell you the number of times I wrote something in my head, went to write it out only to delete it cause it sounded “dumb.” I want to write creative things, stories and plays as well as items for this blog. I want to be able to type #AmWriting on twitter and it be something I not only finish but that I’m also proud to share. Mostly I want to finish my Haley and Michael’s story if only so I can move on to another.
 ** UPDATE ** I finished my Haley and Michael's story .... check it out if you are interested ... A Royal Musical Journey-conclusion

2.       I would like to exercise and lose some weight. Not because I feel I should but because I think it will make me feel better in general. I’ll be honest my mom isn’t in the best health and part of it is her weight and if she had done anything even 10 years ago she’d be better off. I don’t want to be in the same boat one day, mostly cause I’m not going to have a Marcy to help me out like she does. Plus who knows if I pull it off maybe she’ll follow suit.

3.       I want to travel more. Golden and I used to go on trips a few times a year. There’s a new cruise company here in town, I think I’d like to do that, mostly to say I’ve done it. I’d like to look up an artist tour schedule and instead of thinking that’s like 7 hours away think wow that’s only 7 hours away and then go. I’d like to make a list of placed I’d like to visit then start a plan to make those trips happen.

4.       I’d like to get more involved in church. We recently joined a new church, our old one folded and closed the doors around Thanksgiving. It was sad but about 2 years overdue really. WE have found a new church home and I think I’d like to get more involved. I’m not sure how to do that yet, but I think I’ll figure it out. I’d like for church to be something I’m a part of not just a place I visit once a week.

5.       I want to spend more time with friends. Not in the yeah we will totally get together then never do way but in an actual sitting across from a friend laughing/drinking adult beverages over some good food. I want to call up a friend and say let’s do ….whatever and then we do … whatever. Or be the friend where they feel they can call me and say let’s do whatever and know that I won’t call the day of and say I have to work (sometimes I really did have to work).

6.       I’d like to not die in 2017. This one I’m overly concerned about with all the changes coming about but I’ve also come to peace with some of those changes. I wish the rest of the world would calm down and let’s just see how things shake out. If every generation rolled over and died when they thought something awful had happened well the next generation wouldn’t exist. We are a strong nation, we will get through this, it might not be easy, it won’t be fun, it will be interesting and it will not be boring. So let’s do this 2017, bring it. WE got this.

So that’s my plan for 2017, we’ll see if I make it happen. Wish me luck.

So what about you guys …. What’s 2017 got in store for you ?!

Marcy (@beaslma)

We are back...this time I mean it

Hey guys, long time no type, seriously .... my previous laptop was all nope not gonna do it. It didn't cooperate with this website that we chose to host this blog, it wouldn't allow me to even open a word document much less type anything into this blog window. However fear not fans of SayWhatMG for Santa brought me a new laptop for Christmas. He really is good people!

It's an HP laptop Spectrum or something like that which Santa assures me is basically the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (or whatever it's called) but at a much better price. So far so good with this one. I haven't loaded all my files on it yet, that's going to take some time and frankly that's a weekend project. However with this new lap top I'm hoping to get back to this blog more often and really get back into writing cause frankly I think my brain needs it.

In the coming days I plan to add my New Years resolutions which if history dictates anything i'll likely post then immediately ignore it. I hope to finally finish my Haley and Michaels story, maybe come up with a new story, let the creativity flow. I'd also like to go on a few trips, take some time off at work, not be so stressed out all the time. That's the goal, that's the plan. Wish me luck!

I'm also hoping that this blog will welcome back Golden to the blog party, she's had a rough year, let's face it 2016 sucked big time and 2017 has such a low bar I can't imagine it being worse then again I am also expecting the apocalypse so again not expecting much from 2017 so if this time next year we are all still here it will be a win.

So watch this space .... we are gonna get our blog back on ...... and this time I mean it, I think.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and have a great week and a safe new years !!!

Marcy

2016 Christmas TV Schedule

PLEASE find below a Jpeg of the 2016 Christmas TV Schedule. Once again, the calendar is set up in 11X17 format but if you have to print it 8.5x11 it is readable, but if you can print it 11X17 your eyes will thank you. The best way is to save the JPEG to your favorite portable device and zoom in and out, tho it breaks up some the more you zoom. If you would like a PDF send me a DM on twitter (@beaslma) and I'll send it your way.

This year I tried to highlight new specials (meaning had not aired previously before Jan. 1, 2016) in RED but as they are new be mindful of what you and your family sit down to watch. I vouch not for their quality, their rating level, or even their sappiness. I for one had to look up who Taraji was, why her holiday was white hot, and if that was a good thing or not. To save you the same trouble, it turns out she’s on Empire, a show that hasn’t graced my eye holes but I understand for those that have viewed it… they like it. Hence she gets her own holiday show Dec. 8^th on Fox. There are some new shows, some old classics, and some mediocre stuff that just fills the time slots throughout the month, some of which made this calendar.

I found a good list on the TV Guide channel’s website of specials/shows coming on with great descriptions but they failed to list what CHANNEL the shows/specials would air on. I found this less than helpful. Come on TV Guide Channel you are better than that, or you used to be (PS there’s a reason not many “get a TV guide anymore” … just saying.

Hallmark, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries (HMM on the calendar btw), Lifetime, and Lifetime Movie Network have been vomiting Christmas themed movies since like last October (meaning 2015) it seems so only a hand full of theirs made the listings. That being said Lifetime decided to only release the first week or so of December, cause yeah that totally makes sense. It’s like they hate my calendar…but that can’t be true, everyone loves the Calendar…EVERYONE! Right?!

It’s amazing to me really that they take the same concept, really the same story, change to a different “snow covered town,” change out the actors (usually Candance Cameron Bure for Lacey Chabert (from Party of Five fame, and Meg on the 1^st season of Family Guy, and Eliza on the Wild Thornberrys—didn’t know that did you? See you learned something by reading my rambling. Good for you!)), add a super cute guy who has lived in said “snow covered town” his entire life, put a new title on the movie and we got us a show!

As always there are guidelines. . . .

First . . .  a few guidelines:

·         NO E-MAILS about taking Christ out of Christmas, it’s just a really long word and using X-Mas allows for more shows on the already full calendar.

§  Thanks for your understanding.

§  For those that don’t understand I’ll be glad to remove you from the list just let me know.

·         I live in the central time zone, the times on this calendar reflect that, adjust accordingly.

§  That said unless otherwise stated the times are PM

·         This calendar does not focus on established shows “Christmas special episodes” so watch out for those … some are fun to re-watch this time of year. Psych for one has a great Christmas episode, and so did How I Met Your Mother, Friends, Wings, Family Ties, and other established shows.

o    Again, that is not what this is about. 

·         This calendar contains shows I want to see, so a mixture of adult themed shows/movies and kid themed shows/movies are represented. Some are classics and some are new, so PLEASE be mindful of what is on before you sit the kids down with popcorn to watch.

§  Don’t call me cause your little one watched some holiday movie on Lifetime and now has “questions”. . . . that’s your mess not mine.

¾      Please NOTE: The Disney version of a Christmas Carol (AKA the computer animated Jim Carrey version) is a little dark and can be scary (much like the original story btw), you might want to check it out before you and little man/lady plop down with popcorn and a blanket to “watch a classic” that may also result in sleepless nights for both you and said child. Not me I’ll be sleeping like a baby like an adult.  

·         Keep an eye out for additional shows/movies that pop up throughout the month as networks change their lineups.

·         Feel free to add your own specials and traditions to the calendar that’s what it is there for.

·         As stated some channels have been vomiting Holiday specials for several months so if a network had several great specials in a row I only listed one figuring you’d be alerted to the others, hey something had to give right!?

·         For you stay at home mom’s they run specials all day long and for the most part my calendar focuses on the after work hour times since that is when I can watch.

¾      That’s right it’s all about me I just share the wealth cause I’m awesome like that!

A few programs of note:

·         A Charlie Brown Christmas – ABC Dec. 1^st with repeat showing on Dec. 22^nd. A must viewing if you have little people in your life, even if they aren’t in the room, better yet tie them to a chair and force them to watch. They will thank you one day, if you know… social services will let them.

o    My lawyer has informed me that actively suggesting that you tie your kids to a chair might result in well you tying your kid to a chair, I don’t not condone that and don’t support it at least that’s what her statement said to write.

·         I can only find A Christmas Story during the TBS Christmas Day Marathon so make sure you work it into your Christmas celebrations.

¾         Bless you Ted Turner, you crazy old man, may this tradition live forever!!

¾         I think it’s a rule you watch at least once.

o    If it’s not a rule it should be.

·         National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, one of the best movies ever, comes on several times this year. If you don’t know the joy of Chevy Chase finally getting the lights to work…well I feel sorry for you and your family and the people that know you because you are missing the joy in your life. Correct that this year please!

·         IT’s A Wonderful Life – Dec. 3^rd on NBC Repeats on Dec. 24^th

·         The “boys” in my life informed me that DIEHARD should have been on the calendar …. boys are silly … however and I couldn’t find it showing anywhere so yeah there’s that. If you all find it let me know so I can let them know.

o    Sorry fellas. I tried, kinda.

A few programs of note that are not “Christmas” related but interesting enough to make the calendar include:

o    CNN Heroes: An All Star Tribute – Dec. 11^th – it’s nice seeing that in a world full of insanity there are some people out there trying to do good and are being recognized for it. It’s a really inspirational night even if this year you have to deal with Kelly Rippa, so check it out.

o    Could have been worse, could have been Kathy Griffin, for the love of all that is good CNN please don’t make me suffer through that!!!!

o    Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show – Dec. 5^th on CBS – a dear friend of mine loves this and insists that it go on the calendar every year, she’s the boss.

Anyway, the intention of this calendar, much like the Halloween one is to get your family to pause and spend some time together making memories. In this season where we spend so much time rushing around we forget to enjoy the down time and enjoy the family time. Great specials come and go and if we don’t watch they will go forever.

Today’s “classic Christmas special” may be next year’s no show on the calendar. That’s the other reason for this calendar, if we stop watching they will stop showing. I’m looking at you CBS and Yes Virginia which I’m sure is airing but I can’t find out when so keep an eye out for it. The point is, just because you have The Grinch (which is not on this calendar nearly enough (NOTE: I can’t tell if it’s animated or the movie anymore and I’m NOT ok with that, when I could tell I marked it (TOON)) on your shelf or Charlie Brown Christmas (which comes on twice this year), take the time to watch it with your family as it airs so that it will air for years to come.  If not for me do it for the children, as they are our future, according to some nice lady.

So sit back, laugh, smile, and cry (some of these are sad, I mean who doesn’t cry when George Bailey is standing next to the tree with Mary and his friends are coming in to save the Bailey Savings and Loan, oh no did I give the end away ?!) and have a GREAT Christmas!

Marcy (@beaslma)

Dragon Con Day 1

At Midnight last night the entire crowd counted down to the start of the Con, this is our second year witnessing that and have to admit it’s fun to be a part of something that so many get involved in. To be around so many people but feel like a unit of one is one of the main reasons we come to this Con. We got back to our hotel after 1am, and the rest of the night was a blur. We slept some, watched TV some, slept some more and I finally fell asleep around 3am. I understand from Golden a really bad storm came through around 4 and then the clock on the side table went off at 6am. Damn that business person who set it in the first place. I mean why isn’t that part of the hotel clean-up of the room after someone checks out? I know it was a business person cause let’s face it normal people don’t get up at that hour unless they have to do so. After we beat down the clock I went back to bed, next thing I know it’s 10 am. Then we had a movie on and the next thing I know it’s noon. Sometime around 4 we got up and went across the street to the Aquarium. It was nice and relaxing even if the place was set up a little bizarre. We saw a whale crap in the water, weedy sea dragons, sea otters, jelly fishes, and all kinds of other sea life. Good times.

Afterwards we got some lunch/dinner technically breakfast too before heading back down to the Con. By far the best way to travel at the Con is to use the shuttle busses, I swear if i had to drive in Atlanta i'd just kill myself and be done with it. I tell you all of this because usually by Sunday I’m in the middle of a Dragon Con coma. Apparently it hit me harder than in years past. I spent most of the day in a dizzy haze and didn’t have a drop of alcohol. I don’t know if it’s cause real life has been beating me down since the last Con or if I’m just getting older but I was a lazy slug today. By the time we got to the Con drinking and crazy was in full effect. WE saw a few who had taken the Con too far and a few who were heading that way. I hope they all made it home safely.

The best part of the night was when the “Trump Buss” drove through the crowded street and everyone in unison started booing. It kind of restored my faith in this nation. Talk about not knowing your audience I guess.

Tomorrow is the annual Dragon Con parade which starts early. Here’s hoping the early night will help us get there. Marible should be here tomorrow afternoon, that always makes for a good time.

For now … night night nerds, sleep well and safe travels to your respective beds.

Marcy

Nerdcation is in effect!!!!!

So yesterday I drove to the meca that is Golden’s house and today we drove to the meca that is the Sheraton Hotel in Atlanta to pick up our Dragon Con badges, from there to the Hilton where we will call home for the next few days.

This is our third straight year to attend Dragon Con which turns 30 this year. That’s a milestone birthday and we are here to celebrate. Here’s watermelon vodka in the fridge, a Wonder Woman cup with my name on it and most important my best friend sitting on the other side of the room. This weekend is gonna be awesome.

We are chilling in the hotel, calming down our hearts from the drive here, I tell you driving in Atlanta is INSANE tho I admit I think it’s a combination of too many freaking exists and too many people not really knowing where they are going and then all of the sudden their exit is there and they have to get over causing a giant cluster*uck on the interstates of Georgia which apparently has had 954 people die, as of a few hours ago. This is something Georgia feels the need to advertise, I’m not sure why I guess they think we’ll see that number and think I need to be careful? We saw that number and thought what is wrong with you Georgia so they might want to rethink that campaign. It also did make me wonder if I get in a wreck on the interstate but then die at the hospital would I count?

Soon we will venture out into the world to find food and share in the awesomeness that is DragonCon fun we hope to be at the Marriott when midnight hits for the Dragon Con midnight countdown cause that was fun last year. Kind of a we made it to the Con celebration.

Once again Atlanta has all the things this weekend, football, business conventions, book festivals, hot air balloon festivals, a sound circus, all the things. Spread it out some Atlanta!!! The third member of our crew, Maribel will be her Saturday afternoon then our crew will be in full effect.   

If you are at Dragon Con hit us up …. @beaslma     @theonlygolden           Maribel

See yall soon!!!

Marcy

I don’t know what to say …… so here's random thoughts to get us through

I’ve written several blogs of late, then shit happens and I think we’ll a stupid blog about the Olympics, the Tony’s, music, really anything seems very inappropriate right now, I’ll wait. Then I’ll write something else while I’m killing time get ready to post it and another serious thing happens, looking at you Dallas, looking at you Baton Rouge, looking at you police, looking at you the people police are supposed to protect, looking at you Orlando, looking at you France, looking at you Rio, looking at you politics … just so much going on in the world that seems to deserve these words that I just can’t string together so I don’t post. Then inspiration hits me and yet again something happens that just makes me sit back in my chair and think …. Damn.

I don’t doubt that I possess the power to talk about these events but what can I say that’s different than what anyone else has already said? If I just state the same thoughts that everyone else is saying what’s the point? Especially when they are all saying it so much better than I could. I think part of the problem is that there’s too many people out there giving their opinion on what people should do, could do, and how things could and should be different if things were different. There’s a lot of anxiety and passion on all sides of these stories and I’m not wanting to diminish any of that passion and I’ve already talked about my anxiety of exactly what these event breed and represent. So I won’t go there again, you can click the link and read that again.

So I’m sitting here tonight thinking that my stupid posts about the Olympics, music, and other randomness that might take people’s minds off of the world which is becoming really scary and really stupid and I don’t wanna be a part of it anymore.

So ….. here goes … my random thoughts from the last few months that really are for no other reason than because I wrote them and well here they are. . . .

Olympics

We are heading into the home stretch in the Road to Rio, the trials have wrapped, the teams are set, bags are packed, and plane tickets are in hand as the greatest athlete’s around the world head to Rio to sort out whose the best of the best. I love the Olympics. I love the stories behind it. I love the drive of the athletes who have worked their entire lives for a single moment to change their lives. My favorite events are of course Gymnastics, the Diving competitions, the cycling events, Volleyball, Tennis, and some track and field. I get excited watching an unknown rise above the rest on the world’s largest stage. I also get excited when a veteran has one last shot at glory before riding off into the sunset.  My boss has already been put on alert that my phone will be on and I will be watching during the day, I’ll be tired from watching through the night what all I missed, and it’s going to be rough for a while but I’ll get my job done. It’s what I do. He’s aware and he understands, tho I’m not sure he really gets it. Have I mentioned I LOVE the Olympics.

The Olympics can also be really heart breaking. Already it has claimed it’s first victim. I was so excited with John Orozco was training for the Olympics after working his tail off to make the team and tore his ACL. He’s out. He was on the team in London and frankly it didn’t go well. He’s had one heck of a time of late losing his mom, having some other injuries of late but he needed to go back. To say London didn’t go well is just the biggest understatement. See to understand how bad it went he was the Simone Biles of the Men’s Gymnastic team back in London. He choked. The entire team did. It was their worst two days of gymnastics likely for some in their entire lives. Going to Rio was his redemption, was his way of saying that’s not the gymnast that I wanted to show the world. He was fantastic at the trials, he’s been fantastic at his last few meets, and now he has to sit on the sideline and watch his fellow teammates get on the plane. I cry for Orozco, I know there’s a reason this has happened, I know there’s a bigger plan for him, I just … I just can’t see that path right now. The man who is so into social media finally posted today and I cried again for a man that I’ve watched for years try to realize the dream that he’s had since he learned how to tumble and today he wrote that his Olympic dream will never be realized. I can’t imagine I can’t imagine what he’s going through right now, or what he does next. That’s the thing about the Olympics, when you walk away like a Michael Phelps it’s ok, but when the choice is taken from you that has to be brutal.

John Orozco Instagram

So see the Olympics gives and takes away. The drama has already started from Rio not being ready, to the quality of the water the athletes have to swim in, and the athlete’s haven’t even arrived yet. This Olympics is going to rock! August can’t get here fast enough.

DragonCon

It’s almost time for DragonCon, I received my progress report booklet last week and am very excited about the people on the list so far and look forward to more announcements as the 30^th year of DragonCon gets closer. Once again this is the time of the year where I think yeah ok I’ll start looking at or for a costume, then start seeing other Cons and the level of Cosplay out there and I know I can’t compete. For one if you aren’t in a host hotel, and we are not it’s a giant pain in the arse to get back and forth even on a shuttle bus. For another it’s Atlanta, in late August .. and frankly it’s hot enough out there in regular clothing much less all the paraphernalia that comes with cosplay. So I’m going to leave that up to Golden, I’ll just follow her around and make sure she doesn’t walk into traffic cause she can’t see out of her mask. Oh and this year we are staying at the hotel near the aquarium so I’m hoping a trip to the aquarium is in my future. Better yet I’m driving so yes… GOLDEN we are going to the aquarium. Get ready.

Travel

So this summer I had plans, I was going to take a few days off and do something fun with my nephews, I was going to go here…there…and yonder and really enjoy the summer. That hasn’t and didn’t happen. My nephews just got back from an amazing trip with my brother and his wife (basically his entire family went, not sure why I said it the way I did) to the grand canyon and back. It was a pretty epic road trip from the sounds of it, they made stops in Roswell, at the Alamo, hiked up and down the canyon (they arrived the day that lady fell off the ledge and died – turns out some hikers were passing her and she stepped back and just fell off the cliff. Can you imagine how that had to have felt. The earth is under you one second then not. I can’t even …. Shudder. They had a great time. I on the other hand have sat on my duff at work or at home and haven’t traveled…. I’ve had this desire to go to the beach and I’m not sure why. My body is soooo not beach ready, I’ve never really had a draw to have sand in all the areas but suddenly I’m feeling this need to hear the ocean and watch the waves. The sound of it, the look of it rolling … It relaxes me. I thought I had a trip planned to see a friend and do just that but we’ve postponed that to December. So once again the only travel I’ll do this summer is DragonCon. I guess I did take a few days last May for Golden’s Birthday but that feels like it was a million years ago. I used to travel a lot … what happened…. ? How do I get back to that? Where do I want to go? Who knows, I’m not even sure the destination is the goal at this point, but I’m also not sure what the point is if the destination doesn’t matter.

Missing Internet Friends

What do you do when an internet friend that you spend a ton of time talking to about your various interest and become such a part of your day or week that you get so used to them being there that when they suddenly are not it’s hard to handle? I had a friend that I talked to on the internet via twitter, we would DM and tell each other about our days, if I had a crappy day I’d talk to her about it, she’d give advice as an outside person who could be very objective or we’d have conversations about the entertainment industry and I would talk her through or try to explain the crazy that was going on in the United States.

She and I would have these amazing chats and debates and it would always teach me something and I MISS HER MORE THAN I SHOULD seeing as how I don’t really know her. For as much as she helped me I like to think I did the same with her, but who knows. She was a big fan of the Tour De France and seeing that it’s nearly over and not a single tweet about it has come from her account proves to me that she’s either left social media all together (tho I think she would have told me that, plus none of our mutual “friends” have heard from her either). So I can only assume the worst. I tried to look her up but haven’t found anything about her and it makes me super sad that she has just vanished. Her last post was last Dec. before that she and I both were at loose ends with work and life but would always touch base and say hi …. I’m afraid my friend is gone and I’m sad that I never got to say good bye and thank her for what she taught me and to tell her that her voice and our conversations of the last few months would have been welcoming and allowed me to process what’s going on around me better. She and I would have had a field day with the political environment taking over the US and the Brexit situation. Then again I’m also glad that she’s missing some of that cause I wish I could miss some of it, heck I wish I could miss ALL of it. I miss you so much @ireno9 and if you should ever see this, I hope that wherever you are you are finally at peace and resting well. I also hope someone is watching your two dogs.

So there you go, some random thoughts from Marcy that I felt the need to share they aren’t going to change the world, they might not even change your day but I posted and that’s something cause here of late I didn’t feel that I had anything worthy to say and getting past that was a big step for me. I have more to come, if only because I think we could all use a distraction in today’s crazy world.

Everyone stay safe out there,

HUGS

Marcy (@beaslma)

I’m a hypocrite

Hi, I’m Marcy and I am a hypocrite. How are you ?

Loyal readers will remember my not so nice critique of “Happy” by Pharrell. If you are new to this blog you can read it here à Music .... it's love and curse

I don’t know how to explain this so I’m just going to do it. I hate Happy, I still do, even after the revelation I am about to share. I hate everything about it, from the beat behind it, to the content of the words being said, and most important the fact that it burrows into my brain and tries to eat my soul. It also drove me insane how it was on the radio 24/7 like it was the greatest song in history. That’s the thing that really kills me about radio, it takes a song and rams it down your throat and people think it’s good cause it’s always on. I just can’t deal with it, and listening to it for this blog post made me want to murder someone. Thanks Golden !

I tell you all of this because ……… I LOVE Justin Timberlake’s new song Can’t Stop The Feeling. I heart it just ohhhhh so much. That’s not to say I’m not critical of it, if I never hear him say the word Dance again it would be too soon, the video was goofy and playful but honestly made my head hurt, and I also think it’s far to long but I think that’s a JT thing. If I could tell him one thing and he listen to it or give a damn what I thought about his musical direction moving forward I’d tell him to make a song then back it back at least 2 minutes. It’s really his only flaw. PS for full disclosure I was not an Nsync fan, do I have some of their music in my MP3 library, sure but 9 times out of 10 when their music comes on its a skip for me. I tell you this so you know I'm not blindly following JT here.

So I’m rocking out to Can’t stop the Feeling and Golden’s all, it’s just like Happy, her exact words were “I think it’s crazy you like that song but hate Pharrell’s Happy when they are the same bred of song” I stood there for a moment with my mouth open thinking that can’t be true … is it? I replied “well it’s true if it gets overplayed it will quickly get on my nerves but dude Happy just makes no fucking sense when you read the lyrics.” She said “neither does JT’s, you can’t put sunshine in your pocket no more than a room without a roof makes me happy” which I admit made me laugh.

Since this conversation however every time I hear Can’t stop the feeling this conversation rolls around in my head….DAMN YOU GOLDEN (Happy Birthmonth BTW) !!!!!!  A perfectly enjoyable song that you have just ruined with your stupid logic! She’s apparently not alone in this, I’ve heard people call JT’s song “this year’s Happy!” which made me cringe. So I’ve decided to set the record straight. Let’s just settle this once and for all …. Are these songs “really” the same? Am i a hypocrite? I dont believe that they are, in my humble opinion of course, if you want to share your opinion … get your own blog, or tell us in the comments below. (hint)

Ok … what makes them similar …… Can’t Stop the Feeling is for the animated new movie Trolls, Happy was for Despicable Me 2. So basically they are the same in that regard. Now sit down Golden I’m not finished. Hey at least JT is IN Trolls! Point JT.

Justin’s 1^st verse

“I got this feeling, inside my bones

It goes electric, wavey when I turn it on
All through my city, all through my home
We’re flying up, no ceiling when we in our zone”

Pharrell’s 1^st verse

“It might seem crazy what I’m about to say

Sunshine she’s here, you can take away
I’m a hot air ballon, I could go to space
With the air, like I don’t care baby by the way”

---- what the literal fuck is that?

Pharrell’s song … still seems like a schizophrenic having a conversation with someone and we only hear half of it, at least to me. I can’t even fathom what he’s talking about in this verse I can’t get a picture into my head, and I love songs that are not only lovely for my ears but paint this great picture in my head while I’m listening to it. I admit the first verse of Justin’s song is ok it’s setting the stage it’s catchy but that’s about it. The picture it conjures up for me is Memphis but I’m not sure that’s what he was going for … let’s call this one a draw as well.

We are going to skip the chorus for now … don’t worry we’ll get back to that.

Justin’s 2^nd verse –

"Ohh, it’s something magical

It’s in the air, it’s in my blood, it’s rushing on
Don’t need no reason, don’t need control
I fly so high, no ceiling, when I’m in my zone"

Pharrell’s 2^nd verse

“Here come bad news talking this and that

Yeah, give me all you got, don’t hold back
Year, well I should probably warn you I’ll be just fine
Year, no offense to you don’t waste your time
Here’s why…”

Let’s talk Justin’s song first, cause I admit this verse much like the previous one is catchy but that’s about it. I agree with Golden that you can’t have sunshine in your pocket and if you did it would hurt like hell cause it would burn. However, I get what he’s doing here, he’s not being literal, he’s talking about how music makes you feel when you are really into a song, when it’s drilling down into your inner being and you just really get into a song. Point JT. 

Pharrell’s verse I’m going to let it speak for itself, I can only imagine that the conversation he’s trying to have includes two guys walking towards him and he’s pretty sure they are going to rough him up and take his lunch money but he’s got a girl watching so he’s gotta stand his ground. These guys walk up and tell him his hat is stupid, and he decides to respectfully decline but decides he has other business to attend to and needs to walk away. Yes that’s right people I create this random scenario to play in my head so that I don’t have to pay attention to this stupid .... stupid song.

Finally... The chorus, the part of the song that's suppose to bring everything together with a nice bow..... BOTH chorus feel like unnecessary noise to me, both feel like a repeat of the same say 20 words over and over again.I’m not retyping the lyrics here cause frankly I don’t want to. Again it’s my blog!  They both annoy me, and frankly in Justin’s all I hear is DANCE DANCE DANCE, and of course with Pharrell’s all I hear is HAPPY repeated a billion times. No points awarded for either here! Actually I may deduct some....yes lets do that.

so in conclusion, while I fully agree that GOLDEN isn’t wrong that they are similar songs, both kind of eat at my soul and make my ears bleed a little bit In My Defense I have decided that at least Justin’s song tells a linear story, if you pay attention to it. When I listen to it I can picture him and some female (ok in my head it’s usually Jessica cause well it makes sense) dancing and having a great time and he having a much better time cause she’s having a good time. Dare I say it …. They sound crazy happy. Ha! His song describes perfectly that moment when it’s you and your significant other together and the rest of the world kind of fades away. It’s cute, I like thinking there are couples that still have those moments.

So that’s it, that’s how I justify that I’m allowed to like CSTF (damn thats a long song title) and still hate Happy. I live with this decision, and I stand by it. I may be a hypocrite, but I have at least given this some thought which is far more than Pharrell can say about how he wrote Happy. I also have to admit the amount of effort JT is putting into this song and getting people excited about it and how he's enjoying the ride of another single and being back on the radio makes you want to root for it, you want it to succeed cause frankly he looks like he’s having a blast and well that’s what summer is all about.

So I repeat …. My name is Marcy and while I might be a hypocrite I’m HAPPY about it (see what i did there?) and im going to continue to  dance my tail off while driving to and from work listening to it, even if as Golden says "THEY ARE THE SAME GODDAMN SONG!!!!!!"

-marcy

SEC Gymnastic Championship starts TODAY

It's time for the SEC Gymnastic Championship!!!!! One of my favorite times of the year because you get to see so many amazing athletes in one location and it makes me so happy!

OK People get your chores done and get in front of the TV these ladies are talented and need your support!!!

2016 SEC Gymnastics Championship March 19 Afternoon session 2p.m Eastern on ESPNU​ and the evening session 6 p.m. on the SEC Network

• Afternoon Session features Georgia Gymnastics​ Arkansas Razorback Gymnastics​ University of Missouri Gymnastics​ and Kentucky :D
• Evening Session features Auburn Gymnastics​ Alabama Gymnastics​ Florida Gators Gymnastics​ and LSU Gymnastics​

​This is the first time the tournament is live in its entirety on national television. Let's all support it so it won't be the last! These ladies work so hard throughout the year that they deserve the recognition and the support.

If you don't follow NCAA Gymnastics, and you totally should, the field is stacked this year and it's really going to come down to who makes the fewest mistakes. Ok most gymnastic meets come down to that but in this case a stick landing here or there isn't going to cut it. These ladies have to be perfect, the pressure is enormous and pride is at stake. The evening session alone is going to be really tough.

I really believe LSU is the team to beat this year and yet Florida, the returning champions might just take it again this year. Then again you can never count Alabama out of it as they are the king.... sorry ... Queens of stuck landings and that's how you get points people. For the 2nd year in a row my Auburn Gymnastics team is peaking at just the right time and could be the dark horse that surprises every, well everyone but me. It's only a matter of time before Auburn takes this field by storm. It's been building for years and their time is coming. With some impressive wins tucked into those Leos they are ready to take their place among the SEC Elite! Those stuck landings and a young team will make it difficult but not impossible. Coach Graba has given them the tools, now it's time for them to get out of their heads and let their bodies do what they do! Graba's Gladiators are ready.

The afternoon session will be just as exciting to watch. Georgia Gymnastics is powerful and fun to watch every single time they step on a mat, Arkansas has the home filed advantage and will want to perform well in front of a semi home crowd. Missouri is a young team but has a lot of heart and is putting up impressive numbers at every meet. Kentucky just beat their Big 12 foe Iowa State with a score of 196 and is building momentum.

As stated, the meet is in Arkansas this year, if you live there you should be attending, there's still tickets left after all...go support these athletes!!
Remember!

“If gymnastics were easy, they would call it football.”

“Football – 4 downs, 4 quarters.
Baseball – 9 innings, 3 outs, 3 strikes.
Tennis – multiple games, tiebreakers, 2 serves.
Gymnastics – 1 chance”

Good luck to all the ladies competing today! I'll be watching and cheering you all on cause let's face it you are all amazing to me and there are no second or third chances. Gymnasts are superheroes without the capes!

Whose taking home this hardware this weekend?! 

My hope is the Auburn Tigers!!!! However who wins the journey has been a blast to watch !

WAR EAGLE! 

Time for Lent and #GoldenActsOfKindness

Hello All!

I hope everyone has been enjoying 2016 so far! And that not too many of you are hung over from Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday Celebrations. It's Ash Wednesday and time again for Lent. I'm not a very religious person but I have always tried to observe Lent because I believe that being able to make a sacrifice, if only once a year, is good for me. Plus the money I usually save by making these sacrifices I'm able to donate to causes that I care for. So for years I've joined in with Lent, much to the confusion of family and friends who know me and my beliefs.

Last year I joined in with the group of #40acts. They are a wonderful organization but this year, I've chosen to branch out on my own. #40acts is very strictly religious based and some of their ideas were not in line with my own beliefs. But I enjoyed the experience so much that I didn't want to abandon the idea. Before I proceed I want to say please don't misunderstand, #40acts is a great organization and they are not preaching anything extreme and I'm not using my powers for evil. I just wanted to apply the concept to my philosophy and open up my capacity for kindness to more of my world around me. So this year I've been inspired to practice (what I'm calling) #GoldenActsOfKindness for the next 40 days.

So what's the plan? Well it's genius in its simplicity.

For the next 40 days I will attempt to spread happiness, joy, love and acts of kindness throughout my world. By doing this I'm hoping to accomplish hopefully two things.

1. To help even just 1 person get thru a day that they may not have thought they were going to be able to make it through.
2. Inspire others to do similar things, so that maybe by taking little steps we can all spread more than pure madness in this world. Because as a species we have to do a better job of loving each other before we rip this place apart.

If your interested in following along feel free to join me on twitter @theonlygolden and I also hope to post updates here on our blog. I am new to snapchat and am still navigating those waters, but I do hope to use my snapchat as a tool for the cause so check me out there as well if you don't mind my dumbass not completely knowing what I'm doing (@theonlygolden2).

Let me know what you guys are up to, if you make any sacrifices or have any ideas for acts of kindness.

-golden

Why I love Cam Newton

Tonight on CBS was Super Bowl 50 between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos or as the media talks about it the Cam Vs Peyton show, a changing of the guard type event. Now I live in a state that’s insane about College Football. Loyalties are formed before birth, often before conception. We taught my nephew to raise his hands in a referee touchdown motion so that we could slip his t-shirt on. No joke, people in my area have literally killed over it. However my state doesn’t really have a dog in the NFL fight. So I’ve often watched the Super Bowl just because everyone will be talking about it on Monday, I watched it for the commercials, but mostly watched it with one eye as I surfed the internet or put together a puzzle since literally nothing else was on.

However this year is different. This year I cared about NFL football. I wanted the Panthers to get to the playoffs undefeated, which they nearly did. I wanted everyone who was talking trash about Cameron Newton to shut up. I wanted people to take notice and man did they ever. However not all of it was great commentary on a man who frankly is just damn fun to watch. May we all have a job we love as much as Cam Newton loves playing football.

Now for full disclosure I’m typing this up as Carolina trails Denver 7-16 so it’s not like Cam is being remarkable on the field, then again neither is Payton. Denver finally figured out that the way to beat the Panthers (at least so far) is to shut down Cam and his offense. Granted the Panther offense isn’t giving Cam much time to do anything in the pocket, something they have been great at all year long. My point is this post isn’t about a Quarterback setting the field on fire with his awesomeness. No this post is about telling people about the Cam Newton that makes me smile. The Cam Newton whom I think little kids should look up to, the Cameron Newton who deserves more respect.

1.     Granted the man led my team (War Eagle!) to an SEC Championship, a National Championship, and did it with class. When I say he LED the team I mean exactly that. I’ve seen him walk up and down that sideline pumping up a teammate who may have had a bad play, cheering for the defense like a little kid for a good stop and I've watched him lead the team (all of them even the "bench warmers") down towards the student section before 4th quarter in an effort to bring the crowd into the game for one final push to victory. He knew then how much the crowd brings to the game, which is why it’s fun now to watch him give a ball to a kid after a touchdown (notice it's ALWAYS a kid). He didn’t just start caring about the crowd that’s been part of his DNA for years. That people is why people who love him LOVE him.

2.     Speaking of kids the man loves kids. He wants them to succeed he wants them to believe in themselves and his love for kids is infectious. He volunteered at an elementary school while he was a student athlete long before anyone took notice of it. When he left his JR year for the NFL he came back to see those kids whenever he was in town, he kept in touch with the school and keeps those connections alive to this day! He cared about these kids and because of that they cared about him. Did you see the instagram post where a kid on the sidelines at practice was telling him how to "throw the ball" and how focused Cam is on what the kid is saying? His caption for the picture was "Always be coachable!" A great lesson for kids to hear in a world where kids think coaches are a waste of time. The man is not just a role model but he should be the bench mark role models are held too.

3.     He finished school. This should be higher on the list cause i'm just so darn proud of this fellow alumni! Sure it was a promise he made to his mom, but let’s face it Cam could have gone anywhere he wanted for school. He came back to Auburn every summer (during his off season), went to classes, attended sporting events, and got that piece of paper when frankly he didn’t need it. It was important to her, so it was important to him. He returned to a school that he had already given so much and he showed kids everywhere that yes an education was important. Again if that's not a role model then I don't know what one is.

4.     His smile. No joke no one has a smile wider, bigger, or more genuine than Cam Newton and the man looks great when he smiles.

5.     His love for his family is admirable. He went back to school for his mom, he says a prayer at the beginning of each game for his mom. His mom is his inspiration, his biggest cheerleader, and I would argue his best friend. Did you see his Instagram page where he posted the text she sent him prior to tonight’s game? That’s love.

6.     His ambition in life is to open a day care center, or some other type of school for kids. There is no doubt in my mind that when his NFL career is over he will do something with kids and those kids will be the luckiest kids in the world for being a part of that environment. Nothing appears to make him happier than being around kids.

7.     I do think that as soon as he’s no longer having fun he will end his career. He’ not going to be a player that plays for the paycheck. He's not going to hang around long after the "glory" has faded and he's just there in the background. Granted he’s not going to play for free but the paycheck does not drive him, it's just what allows him to have fun and play a game he's been destined to play for years. 

So these are just a few of the reasons that I like Cam, notice not many of these have anything to do with his on the field capabilities, I let those speak for themselves. Everyone knows he can throw a ball, even if sometimes I think he might throw it a little hard. I love watching Cam play football, I love how supportive he is of the guys around him, the love he shows to the fans, and the smile on his face. Even in games like this one where not much to write home about has happened he wears his heart on his sleeve. He lives and dies with that team and what is happening on that field. He's not a QB who isn't really paying attention when the defense is on the field until 4rd down. Cam shifts into spectator mode and is as into it as the rest of us are. No one will walk out of that locker room tonight more upset that Cam. You can see it on his face he blames himself for the way tonight has gone, he's defeated but he's not down. They will regroup, they will come back and this is not Cam’s only shot at a ring with the Panthers or anyone else. There is no doubt in my mind he'll get that hardware one day and Chosen will be jumping up and down in the players box challenging his grandma for dad’s biggest supporter when he does!

Everyone needs to sit back, leave him alone and enjoy the ride cause it’s a fun ride to be a part of !

War Cam Eagle, forever and always.

Marcy