Time To Prioritize

I have passes to the advance screening of Star Trek: Into Darkness tonight… in 3D! I am incredibly excited for this… so I lost the tickets. Last night I tore my house apart… repeatedly. Still no passes.

I was incredibly angry with myself. I called me all sorts of unpleasant names and stressed myself to the eyeballs. Over a movie. A movie I wasn’t even paying for. But I really want to see it so after I went to bed I thought of somewhere else to look. I jumped out of bed and went to look. Still no pass. I found myself veering from anger into depression.

By then it’s past midnight. Lynn and Chester have gone to bed but my stressing and roaming around trying to find the pages is keeping them awake. It was about then that I started thinking… maybe I’m looking at things all wrong.

I stopped rushing around and took a few minutes to pet my dog. Then I gave Lynn a foot-rub, and a quick back-rub and went to bed. This morning I looked a bit more but not as frantically as last night. I staggered when Lynn got up, she was going to look some more but I told her not to worry about it.

Why the change of heart? Did I just give up on it? Nope. I just got my priorities straight. Why stress Lynn over free movie tickets? Instead of worrying about some movie passes I don’t have I figure I should focus more on the wonderful things I do have.

I’ve got a wonderful wife who puts up with my insanity and does anything she can to make my world better. Our daughter is beautiful, smart, caring and I’m blessed to have an awesome relationship with her. I also happen to have the world’s greatest puppydog. There’s never going to be movie that’s more important than them.

That’s what I clued in to last night. That’s when I realized it’s time to prioritize.

Cheers, Winston

KEEP MERIDA “BRAVE”!

After writing 30 poems in 30 days, I gave myself some celebratory time off. Then I ran across this and had to speak up about it. Apparently Merida, the main character in the recent Pixar movie “BRAVE” is about to be inducted into the Disney Princess club. So far so good. Her father’s a king, so she definitely belongs there. Also, she’s a great role model for young girls. Merida is bold, intelligent, courageous, strong, caring and everything any parent knows their little girl can be.

She also looks like a real girl. At least much more so than many other animated young females. That seems to be a problem for Disney. The following image highlights the difference between Merida as she appears in the movie, and whoever the hell it is that the executives at Disney want to turn her into.

On the right, is movie Merida and on the left, Disney s new and “improved” version. Note the wasp-waist, enhanced bustline, curvier hips, fancier and less practical dress, more manageable hair. It all adds up to someone who clearly has nothing at all to do with the character in the movie. Instead of encouraging girls to be strong, independent and their own person, it says “If you want to be a “Princess” you have to be a cookie cutter-sexualized-Barbie looking version of yourself.”

So if you haven’t guessed yet, I’m more than a little bothered by this. The good news is…. I’m not the only one. “A Mighty Girl” has started a petition on change.org urging Disney to rethink their decision. If you’re interested, you can find it and sign it here.

I don’t know if Disney will listen, but I think it’s important to try. If we don’t, who else is going to keep Merida “BRAVE”.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day:30 The Final Verse

So….day thirty. Against all expectations, here I am at the finish line. Just one more poem and I will have completed the National Poetry Writing Month challenge.

Just one more to write. Just one more….but what to write?

Enjoy!

The Final Verse

I set a challenge for myself
And now it’s nearly done.
Twenty nine have gone before
This verse the final one.

I’ve written for a solid month
Said all I have to say.
I’m glad it’s done ’cause I don’t think
I’d last through one more day.

It’s been a blast and probably
I’ll try again next year.
By then maybe I’ll find a voice
That people want to hear.

So thanks to those who read my words
It’s nice my voice was heard.
To ask for any more than that
Would just be plain absurd.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day:29 Still The Only One For Me

Day 29 of NaPoWriMo… one more to write!

Today its back to my number one inspiration. My wife Lynn. Love you Sweetheart.

Still The Only One For Me

Enjoy!

I’ve had an awesome weekend with
My wife whom I love so.
But now it’s early Monday and
Its back to work I go.

We spent it all together and
This is the wondrous part.
With fifteen years behind we are
Still fresh as at the start.

Thank you so much oh Angel mine
For all the time we share.
I’m so much more alive with you
Than when you are not there.

I wish that it could be like this
For everyone it’s true.
But if it can’t then I’m just glad
It can for me and you.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day:28 My Simple Life

In many ways, I’m more likely to take life as it comes rather than try to make it into anything particular. Sometimes this works out well… sometimes not so much.

Enjoy!

My Simple Life

I don’t suppose that writing this
Will help you understand.
The life I’ve lived, the things I’ve done
Well none of it’s been planned.

I’m not the one to look ahead
And see what must be done.
I just keep going day by day
And try to have some fun.

Sometimes it works out really good
But sometimes not so well.
Sometimes you land in paradise
Sometimes it’s more like Hell.

I guess that what I’d like to say
Is thanks for all the best.
And I’m so sorry that you’ve had
To deal with all the rest.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day:27 The Secret To Joy

Day 27 of NaPoWriMo finds me in a philosophical mood. Without further ado…

Enjoy!

The Secret To Joy

A weary soul, a tired soul
A soul in need of rest.
A quiet time, a peaceful time
At home time is the best.

So much to see, so much to do
So much that’s left undone.
We rush from dawn, we rush to dusk
We rush ’til life’s no fun.

A life that’s full, a life that’s packed
With novelty each day.
We take it in, we spit it out
We throw it all away.

We take a look, we look away
We look for something new.
A view that’s new, a view unique.
We’d find it if we flew.

We fly so high, we see so far
Then we are brought so low.
The truth is here, the truth is now
That’s what we ought to know.

We can’t force life so don’t chase life
That is a golden rule.
We must live now, be in the now
All else is dust you fool.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day:26. For My Angel Lynn

NaPoWriMo post 26 is a love poem for awesome lover Lynn. Thank you so very much my angel.

Enjoy!

I dreamed of love one summer night
And then when I awoke.
I realized it was a dream
That’s when my heart was broke.

For years I thought that was the end
My dream now never true.
But I know now the dream was real
Now that I have found you.

You’re everything I dreamt you’d be
That night so long ago.
I am so blessed to share your life.
So blessed you love me so.

I cannot thank you near enough
For all you do for me.
Although I pray that these few words
Will somehow help you see.

I’m so much more than I would be
Without you in my life.
I am so blessed in every way
To have you as my wife.

Cheers, Winston