Step through the web into my life. Read the ramblings of daily existence. My life, though by no means mundane in the overall picture, possesses such poignant moments that sometimes I just shake my head and wonder where the cameras are because it can't be real. Then I realize -- THIS is what it's all about!
Time for Saturday 9. Have I ever mentioned how much I love Saturday 9. It's music. I love music. In this case if A=C and B=C then A+B=Love Or, stated differently, Stop! In the Name of Love! Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. 1) When this song was popular, the Supremes were known for their long gloves and full-length gowns. When was the last time you got dressed up? Wow, that's almost too painful to think of. I think the last time I wore gloves was in the 8th grade to my 8th grade dance. The last time I was in a dress was likely 2012 when my father-in-law's induction into the Birdville Athletic Hall of Fame. I'm not a fan of getting duded up. Although, not too terribly long ago I wore a flannel over a long sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans and warm, fuzzy boots and one of my children asked me why I was all dressed up. Clearly, I need to get out more. And by "out" I mean, out of yoga pants. If jeans is considered "dressed up," I may need to have my chick card revoked. 2) With a record 12 #1 hits, the Supremes remain America's best-selling vocal group. This must have been hard for Betty McGlown, the fourth Supreme, who left the group before they recorded their first song. Can you think of an opportunity you missed?No. Who wants to focus on regret? I don't like to look to the past because it's not like I can go back to do anything about it. I'm not going there. Keep pressing forward.
3) When "the girls" (Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Flo Ballard) first started hanging around Motown, founder Berry Gordy was reluctant to let them record. After all, they were still in high school. They refused to give up and eventually convinced him to let them add hand claps and finally back up vocals to recordings by other Motown artists. Tell us about a time when your persistence paid off. I'll tell ya when it happens. My life is a work in progress at present. Socially. Physically. Emotionally. Mentally. Plus, a teenager who is about to drive.
4) 50 years after its release, "Stop! In the Name of Love" is one of the most popular karaoke songs. Do you know the lyrics? I know, "Stop... in the name of love. Before you break my heart, think it oooooooooover." That's about the extent of it. I guess that would be a resounding no.
5) There's a children's playground named in Diana Ross' honor within New York's Central Park. It includes swings, slides, rope bridges and a fountain. When you played in the park, what did you run to first? The swings... to swing as high as you could with your feet in the air and you could just feel like you were flying.... lean your head back and be free and then.... JUMP!
6) Diana stumbled in her high heels and broke her ankle as she left the stage after a November 2012 concert. What do you have on your feet right now? Fuzzy slippers. Told ya. I'm a professional slacker! 7) Ever the trooper, she honored her commitment to perform at a White House-sponsored Christmas concert just weeks later, even though her leg was still in a cast. Tell us about a time when you "played hurt."I have an autoimmune disease that has more side effects that have been both completely humbling and excruciatingly painful. I don't play hurt. I hurt. Some days my joints in my elbows are so painful, I can't rest my arms on the armrest of my car and just bending my fingers to grasp something feels impossible. Constant migraines have also been something I've learned to push through not because I'm a bad ass but because I have to. It sucks. Life goes on. Some days, I run out of spoons. Most, I try to press through. Crohn's. It is what it is. Improvise, adapt and move on.
8) Young Diana Ross was a good student and a tough competitor who made her school's swim team. Are you a good swimmer? I can dog paddle. I never actually quite grasped the breathing pattern required to do power swimming. Nor have I ever had the desire TO learn. I'm not a fan of being in a swim suit, my Casparian skin may blind those in close proximity. If I had blonde hair, I'd be Elsa!
9) Diana's older sister, Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee, was the first African American woman to be appointed dean of an American medical school. Decades ago, Barbara juggled post-graduate studies and raising small children. Are you good at multi-tasking? I could easily hold a PhD in multitasking. I am Batman bitches! Ready to play along? Click below. Join Saturday 9 for weekly fun!
(There was some weird hiccup I experienced when typing this so you will see the word "source" throughout this and NOT attached to photos... no clue how to delete it...and a couple of the photos were actually removed because they kept ... moving?!? Oh well, I carry on!)
I love lists. I love making lists. I love checking things off lists and I love being able to consider them COMPLETED (though that's a rarity). Enter Thursday 13. A blank page for anyone to write about thirteen of anything. Today, I'll disclose 13 places I want to take my children.
Source
I was recently gifted Frommer's 500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up. Buy it here. It really got me thinking. We stay SO busy that it's really such a great idea to -- instead of taking the rare down time we do have to just CHILL -- use that time to make some memories and be present in the moment. Since we are really only given a few years when our children WANT to have us around, why not use those years to BE present, to BE aware, to BE intentional with what we do while they're here. This book covers the globe and while there are LOTS of places I would adore to share with my children abroad:
Or, and most importantly, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney (lol, I was just seeing if you were paying attention)!
However, I'm sticking to the continental US (for now.)
1) New York City -- I've been to New York City. Josh has been to New York City (last year with his 8th grade class) but I want to show them NYC my way. From the Empire State Building to the Museum of Natural History, from Little Italy to China Town and not forgetting the Staten Island ferry and the Statue of Liberty herself... the Bronx Zoo, Rockefeller Center, the Brooklyn Bridge, Greenwich Village, Central Park, Coney Island, Times Square, Grand Central Station and maybe even Yankee Stadium... maybe (smirk!)
2) The Grand Canyon -- I realize it's just a big hole in the ground but... it's a really BIG hole in the ground. So, being really big means I think we need to see it. If for no other reason than to have a road trip!
3) Colorado Springs, CO -- Who couldn't be happy with THIS view in their life every day? There are many experiences I want to share here. The US Air Force Academy, Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings, The Garden of the Gods, Royal Gorge Bridge, Old Colorado City just to name a few.
4) Plymouth Rock -- I think it's a great starting point for the discovery of the rich (and brutal) beginnings of history of our country.
5) Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia -- I went here in 7th grade and it's just such a fun experience. Rich in living history. They literally bring history to life!
9) The Aurora Borealis in Alaska... I've wanted to take a salmon fishing expedition, photograph the grizzlies and see the Northern Lights since I was a child.
12) Louisiana -- swamp tours, haunted tours, historical tours, Natchez Riverboat tours, cooking schools.... cajun food but I'll steer clear of the sex shops... because yeah.... no thanks.
Attention all Cricket Wireless customers, your information, full legal names, cellular numbers... and who knows what else may be compromised. Do you realize that if the idiots working on their retail stores nation wide accidentally put an incorrect e-mail address in for someone's account, they're sending your information to who knows who.... and who knows what they will do with it. I've been receiving someone else's information and notifications for over four months. I've tried repeatedly to get them to actually LISTEN to me and REMOVE my e-mail address from their database. This is an actual conversation held between me and "Juan" this evening:
Juan: Hello! Welcome to Cricket Chat support, my name is Juan, how can I make your evening better? April Driggers: Hi Juan. I've been trying for over 4 months to get my e-mail address removed from one of your customer's accounts. I keep getting e-mails notifying me that she has reached her full-speed data usage allowance. I think that's great but... I don't care :) April Driggers: Her name is Ashley Driggers April Driggers: My name is April Driggers April Driggers: She has Cricket April Driggers: I have Verizon wireless April Driggers: we apparently have similar e-mail addresses.... and someone didn't put a dash or a period or something that would be HER e-mail address and so mine is associated with her account. I just want my e-mail removed completely from your system Juan: Oh no! That sounds like you're having a difficult time. I understand how frustrating that might feel. But no worries, I'm here to help! April Driggers: ###-###-#### is her number Juan: Thank you. Now, May I have the authorization ID number for your account, please? April Driggers: you're asking for information on an account that I don't own. April Driggers: I don't have a cricket account April Driggers: I'm with Verizon Wireless April Driggers: I don't have her information.... because I'm not her. Juan: May I have the first and last name on the account?
CRICKET WIRELESS AT SOME POINT YOU NEED TO TEACH YOUR EMPLOYEES TO USE SOME F'N COMMON SENSE AND STEP AWAY FROM THE SCRIPT. THIS is what is wrong with customer service... THERE IS NONE. I'm not even a CUSTOMER and I would tell everyone not to walk but to RUN AWAY FROM YOU NOW! Your customers should be worried what other information you're going to share with complete strangers..... What was their suggestion? Their suggestion was for ME to go out of my way to go to a corporate headquarters to get MY information removed from their database. I'm sorry but that is ABSURD. Cricket... you suck. #cricket #yousuck #customerservice #nightmare
Time for Saturday 9. Have I ever mentioned how much I love Saturday 9. It's music. I love music. In this case if A=C and B=C then A+B=Love Or, stated differently, Stop! In the Name of Love!
