In celebration of Mother's Day, it's Friday fun on the blog today with a nod to the moms we grew up with - not our moms, but memorable mamas from the big and small screens. Enjoy these good moms, then go call your mother.
2. Movie Moms
Sue - M'Lynn Eatenton played by the adorable Sally Field in one of my very favorite movies, "Steel Magnolias." The film portrays motherhood and friendship in a heart-breaking, but humorous way.
"Oh, God. I realize...as a woman, just how lucky I am. I was there when that wonderful creature drifted into my life. And I was there when she drifted out. It was the most precious moment of my life.” ~ M’Lynn speaking to her friends about the death of her daughter Shelby.
Brian - In Savage Steve Holland's classic teen movie, "Better Off Dead," Lane Meyer's irrepressible mom was played by Kim Darby, who broke onto the big screen in the John Wayne movie "True Grit." To me, she was the comedic version of all mothers. She tried a little too hard and had no idea how funny her unaware awkwardness was. I can't have fries at a restaurant without hearing her voice say, "Fronch Fries" and a list of other traditional Fronch (French) dishes.
3. TV Moms
Sue - Marion Cunningham played by Marion Ross in "Happy Days." Lovable and spunky Mrs. C. always managed to keep Howard, Richie, Joanie, and even the Fonz in line. "Sit on it Fonzie!"
Brian - Florida, played by Esther Rolle, from "Good Times", along with her husband James, always tried to make the best of things. She consistently played a mother who, above all, cared for the condition of her children's hearts. It didn't matter if they were successful, so long as they were honest. It didn't matter that they didn't have much, so long as they had each other. As a family, they clung to each other and rallied against the systems that kept them in the projects.
1. Animated Moms
Sue - Jane Jetson voiced by Peggy Singleton in the cartoon "The Jetsons." Jane seemed pretty hip as a mom and she cooked dinner by pressing a button. I wish I could do that!
Brian - Marge Simpson
Oh long-suffering-not-too-bright-innocent-but-wise Marge! Though she is animated, she embodies the mother who still manages to stay classy (seriously... pearls), and still really loves her "Homie" even when he's a complete buffoon. Marge is voiced by Julie Kavner, who we got to know during her 1974-78 stint on Rhoda as the title character's sister Brenda.
Happy Mother's Day to all the moms and grandmas out there. Enjoy your special day!
Oh my goodness! It's been forever since I've posted on this here blog. That's a bad thing but not as bad as the shingles which had me down for the count for more than two months with horrible pain, terrible itching, and extreme fatigue. Yikes! Thankfully, it's just about resolved and spring is finally here!
Besides sleeping and watching bad daytime TV, I kept myself busy wasted time during my home confinement by surfing the net on my iPad (love that good thing!) Yep, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram and more right at my fingertips!
What kind of entertaining things did I find out there on the World Wide Web? Photos of course! Lots and lots of photos - some good, some bad, and some ugly. Some funny, serious, or stupid. Many photos made me shake my head in disbelief, while others made me smile for a moment when I really didn't feel like it.
Since smiling is supposed to be good for you, I encourage you to check out these three types of photos if you need a little bit of "cheerapy." Yes, I just made that word up. If you disagree with my choices, no worries. There's something for everyone out there.
2. Animals and pets: While I'm not that fond of cats, I do enjoy cute pictures of pups. I also enjoy photos and captions from Casey's Safe Haven, a rescue shelter where my friend Barb volunteers to help horses, ponies, and dogs. Another fun Facebook page to check out is The Daily Puppy, shared by my friend Ronda.
3.Food glorious food: Need I say more? I'm guilty of posting foodie photos myself like this huge breakfast I enjoyed for my birthday a couple years back. Yum!
1.Babies and kids: I'm not just talking about photos of my cute kids or those of friends and family, but adorable snapshots of children from all over the world. Precious!
* Bonus good thing: If you like to people watch but you're like me and sometimes need to do so from the comfort of your couch, check out Humans of New York., it's a creative site with awesome photography and interesting people. HONY is on Facebook too!
Good Things Readers: Do you have fun, family-friendly photos you would like to share? Let us know in the comments section and will be in touch with the details. Thanks!
When you have kids, you often end up eating what they eat. Case in point, last week Miss O and her lil bro A wanted SpaghettiOs for lunch. I heated up two cans just to be sure I had enough to fill each Thermos but as luck would have it, there were some SpaghettiOs left for me to eat with bread and butter later that day. Yum-O - one of my childhood favorites! When I was a kid, I would pile the Os and the sloppy tomato sauce on top of the bread then fold it over to make a messy sandwich of sorts. (Yep, I still do this as an adult) It's funny how a simple lunch can stir up happy memories from back in the day. After gobbling up my SpaghettiOs, I wanted all the world to know about it so I posted this on my Facebook status:
I ate one of my favorite childhood lunches today - spaghettios with bread and butter! I know, weird . . . what's one of your favorite lunches from your childhood?
Lo and behold, several FB friends contributed some fun responses to my question, which is a good thing because I'm pretty sure most people don't give a hoot about what I'm eating for lunch day to day. Then, my friend Rick suggested I write about this very topic for my blog, so here goes nothing!
Interestingly enough, I discovered that as kids, and most likely as adults too, my friends and I enjoy eating food from these three groups:
2. Dairy . . . Cheese, butter, milk 3. Grains . . . Bread, pasta, macaroni 1. Processed protein . . . Hot dogs, bologna (and yes, I sing the Oscar Mayer jingle in my head to spell bologna, don't you?), ham, and other deli meats
OK, I know what you're thinking. Hmmm . . . many of those foods are not so good for you. I agree, but they're tasty and nostalgic. Take this comment from a guy named Brian A., perhaps you know him?
Peanut butter and pickle (dill slices), a banana, and chocolate milk
Now I'm not sure if he meant a peanut butter and pickle sandwich, but I do agree that chocolate milk and pickles make a surprisingly delicious combo. Especially if you made the chocolate milk with PDQ like we did as kids.
What did everyone else have to say? I will tell you right now. Yes, way!
Ham and butter sandwich - Carrie D.
Macaroni and cheese with sliced hot dogs or tomato soup with chunks of cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches - Sarah H.
SpaghettiOs and cut up hot dogs, tomato soup and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich - Rick M.
Minced ham on fresh white bread with American cheese - Juli T.
Tomato soup with popped popcorn in it! And toasted cheese... open face cheese on bread in oven - Ronda M.
Hot dogs and beans....and a chicken noodle concoction you could get in a glass jar....it was yummy - Leanne S.
Hamburger helper cheeseburger macaroni with lettuce, raw onions and tomatoes diced up on top! - Maria G.
Bologna and cheese sandwich, Guys plain chips, and a grape soda packed in my Snoopy lunch box and eaten outside on a blanket - Connie M.
Pam B. shared her thoughts about SpaghettiOs with bread and butter:
My mom used to make me that for lunch all the time!
Well, of course she did!
Thanks to all my friends who unknowingly contributed to this post. Let's do lunch soon, darlings!
It's crunch time. Christmas will be here in a blink of Santa's eye. Have you wrapped presents, sent cards, baked cookies, planned parties, decorated the tree, fa la la la la - ed? 'Tis the season to be busy, busy, busy, but it's also a time to sit back, chillax, and enjoy the many good things about the most wonderful time of the year. So, with that in mind, here are some good things about the holidays from us to you! Merry Christmas!
Characters from stop animation TV specials by Rankin/Bass
2. Clarice: She's the gentle doe from "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer." She stands by her man, and has a sweet singing voice.
3. Hermey the elf, also from Rudolph: He's the little guy who wants to be a dentist, and he's brave enough to be himself. Spoiler alert: He saves the day at the end of the show.
1. Heat Miser from The Year without a Sants Claus: He's hot! He can sing and dance, and he has an awesome hairdo.
Holiday Parties
2. Dress Up: Celebrations call for donning festive clothing or an excuse to wear a really ugly Christmas sweater.
3. Small bites and tasty treats: If they are tiny and can be eaten without utensils they have less calories, right?
1. Libations and spirits: We're not talking about the ghosts of Christmas past, present, or future, so have a cup of cheer. Here's to you!
Miscellany
2. Festive wrapping paper: Topped with pretty bows, unless you're gift-wrapped challenged, then a decorative bag will do.
3. Twinkly lights: Sparkly or glowing, white or multicolored, but not over the top or obnoxious flashing.
1. Chocolate Santas: Solid is best, head first of course!
Bonus: The best EVER speech by a fictional character presented by the one and only Brian Atkinson! Please hold your applause to the very end.
That's of course if you believe all the hullabaloo about the Mayan calendar. Believers trust that if Mayan predictions come true, the world will end on Dec. 21. Just 4 days before Christmas! In reality, the only thing that is going to end is this cycle of the Mayan long-count calender. It will simply roll over to a new calendar cycle. Here's what NASA has to say about it:
Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on December 21, 2012. This date is the end of the Mayan long-count period but then -- just as your calendar begins again on January 1 -- another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar.
Some recent TV shows featured end of world scenarios. Check out the Dec. 11 episode of Raising Hope for a hilarious take on the topic or Glee's wacky Mayan wedding. FB comments also are popping up about the world's impending doom, like this status from my dear friend Ronda:
"Kudos to my very thoughtful hubby for presenting flowers early. If the Mayans are to be believed, the world ends on our 12th Anniversary!"
Happy Anniversary Ronda, but I do believe Sam will still need to take you out for dinner on your special day!
For the sake of this post, and because it's fun, let's say the world will end on Dec. 21. What 3 Good Things would you do before The End?' Here's what we at the Good Things blog would do:
Sue
2. Go out on the town with my hubby T: A fancy smancy date! I'm talking black tie, a formal dress with shiny high heels, a limo and driver, a gourmet dinner with champagne, the theatre perhaps - the whole shebang! Money would be no object!
3. A whole day of messy with the kids: That's right! Call the kids in sick from school, and take them on an adventure. Hike in the mud, jump in puddles, eat goopy, drippy, sticky foods in front of the TV, let them leave their stuff cluttered about the house, the cap off the toothpaste, and crumbs on the floor. Finger paint without putting newspaper down. Let them dye their hair bright colors, or roll down a grassy hill in good clothes. Just be silly and have fun! Don't clean up!
1. Tell all the special people in my life how much they mean to me: OK, that's something I (and y'all) should do regardless of what happens on 12/21! Say it in person, by phone, email, text, or note. Or by blog:
Dear Family and Friends, I love you! You mean the world to me! XXOO, Sue
Of course a post about the end of the world would not be complete without a little R.E.M.
Brian
I'd love to say that I've already done everything that I ever want to do before the end of the world. I know, however, that I haven't told everyone I know about Jesus. I don't have a bucket list or anything, but the things on my list would take more time than I have left before Friday. So, with that in mind, here are some little to-do items. Ok... mostly food.
2) Giordano's One more Giordano's pizza please!
3) Steak I would want to eat one of those really awesome and monstrous steaks from Morton's or Ruth Chris' or some other way-high-end steak place. NOM!
1) She knows who she is. And it's none of your beeswax.
Other thoughts:
Since the Mayan calendar doesn't account for leap years, the world actually ended a few months ago.
If the world would end on Friday, the Jets/Titans game was the last NFL game anyone will ever see.
Now that's a shame.
That's the title of the song covered by many artists and groups, but my favorite version is the Perry Como one.
The lyrics go like this:
Oh! There's no place like home for the holidays,
'Cause no matter how far away you roam,
When you pine for the sunshine of a friendly gaze,
For the holidays you can't beat home sweet home!
I met a man who lives in Tennessee, he was heading for,
Pennsylvania and some homemade pumpkin pie!
From Pennsylvania folks are travellin'
Down the Dixie sunny shore,
From Atlantic to Pacific,
Gee the traffic is terrific!
Oh! There's no place like home for the holidays,
'Cause no matter how far away you roam,
If you wanna be happy in a million ways,
For the holidays you can't beat home sweet home!
Take a bus, take a train, go and hop an aeroplane,
Put the wife an' kiddies in the family car!
For the pleasure that you bring when you make that doorbell ring,
No trip could be too far!
For me, the fun part this year is that I'm in the song!
"From Pennsylvania folks are travellin'
Down the Dixie sunny shore,"
I've been alone, with my friends, or with family in a variety of different places, but this year it's off to my parents' home in Gulfport, Mississippi. I love to spend time with them!
Some people find time with family stressful.
So, let's break it out... Wherever you're home for the holidays.
There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays - The Good Things Version.
Brian (good things also come in twos)
2) Brothers: I have two brothers. I could count them each as good things, but then I'd have no room for more things. We are as alike as we are different from each other.
We enjoy each other's company and make each other laugh. I'm also putting my sister in-law in there. She's awesome. She's not "one of the boys" but she's awesome.
3) Nephews: I have two of those too! They are also awesome, and quite frankly much cuter than my brothers, and it's not creepy when they sit on my lap.
1) Parents: I have two of those! My mom and dad are precious to me. Yes, I could have just written "Family" instead of the pairs of good things, but then I wouldn't have this fun theme now would I?
Sue (Also sponsored by the number 2, or I'm-too-lazy-to-come-up-with my-own-theme so I'm rolling with Brian's)
2. Two cute kids : We've got 'em. They fill our lives with joy and happiness, and make Christmastime merry, bright, and expensive (especially now that they are tweens!)
3. Two sisters : We enjoy each other's company and make each other laugh. Wait, that's what Brian said about his brothers, but it's true. My sisters are awesome aunties who help me carry on festive holiday traditions with the kids like baking cookies*, and passing around presents from the youngest to the oldest or vice versa, which makes gift opening an epic event, or what my hubby T would call an all-day affair.
1. Two parents : I've got them too! They are "Nonnie and Papa" to my kids, and the inlaws to T. My mom and dad are the ones who started many of our family traditions like passing Oplatki around the Christmas table or the aforementioned gift opening ritual. One of my favorite traditions is when Santa (shh . . . it's really my dad) gives a special gift to each of his girls. This year's Christmas soiree will be at my parents' house, which is good because it takes just 10 minutes or so to get there from here. What's even better is that the day will be filled with eating, drinking, laughing, and love!
* Read my post about one of my favorite family cookie recipes and more in this free holiday ebook. Merry Christmas!
Shhh . . . I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Brian and I are what I would describe as fairly good friends and writing partners. We chat, we laugh, we tease, and we give each other advice and support BUT ...
wait for it ...
Sometimes we just don't get along!
GASP! Perhaps it's hard to believe, but it is indeed true.
We discuss argue points big and little, blog related or not. We have our own opinions and we're not afraid to speak our minds. Once we had a heated disagreement about the use of the word "too." I am not making this up, we really did. I believe I won that battle, but I bet Brian would beg to differ. Recently we've had some talks about keeping up with this blog. Although we both agree on how often we should post, we vary on the amount of free time we have available to do so. In other words, I have have much more time on hand than Brian does as he is busy starting up his own consulting business. (My hubby T calls Brian the silent partner in this blogging alliance, but I sometimes call him something else, ha ha ha!)
Like characters in a movie, a TV show, or a cartoon, we tend to bounce back from our differences, work together, and remain friends in the end. That's all good. Even better is taking a close look at some famous fictional characters who, like Brian and I, sometimes seem like unlikely matches who deep down truly care for each other. Take these three good duos for example:
2. Will and Grace: To be fair, there is one notable difference between Brian and Will - Brian is not a lawyer. No, no, that's not it - he's not gay. However, Will and Grace are a quirky couple of friends. If once upon a time Brian and I were roommates, I think we would have been a lot like them. In this montage from the show, I like how Grace seeks Will's fashion advice and he doesn't hold back his thoughts. The very end of the clip cracks me up too!
3. Harry and Sally from When Harry Met Sally: If you take out the fairly tale ending to this story when Harry finally professes his undying love for Sally, Brian and I are a lot like this pair of friends from one of my favorite movies of all time. In fact, I can imagine us having a conversation just like this:
Harry Burns: There are two kinds of women: high maintenance and low maintenance.
Sally Albright: Which one am I?
Harry Burns: You're the worst kind; you're high maintenance but you think you're low maintenance.
Sally Albright: I don't see that.
Harry Burns: You don't see that? Waiter, I'll begin with a house salad, but I don't want the regular dressing. I'll have the balsamic vinegar and oil, but on the side. And then the salmon with the mustard sauce, but I want the mustard sauce on the side. "On the side" is a very big thing for you.
Sally Albright: Well, I just want it the way I want it.
Harry Burns: I know; high maintenance.
And for the record, we both disagree with the premise of the movie that men and women cannot be platonic friends - my take on the subject, and Brian's point of view.
1. Dory and Marlin from Finding Nemo: On his quest to find Nemo, Marlin meets up with Dory who joins in the search. They do not always get along swimmingly, and at one point Marlin believes he should continue his mission on his own. Of course, Dory and Marlin stick together in the end just like us.
"Oh, God. I realize...as a woman, just how lucky I am. I was there when that wonderful creature drifted into my life. And I was there when she drifted out. It was the most precious moment of my life.” ~ M’Lynn speaking to her friends about the death of her daughter Shelby.
