Category Archives: Family

Open arms

Posted on January 21, 2012 | 2 Comments

What can help you both build up your immune system and decrease your risk of heart disease and stress?

Hint: it’s not a pill, an exercise routine or the now ubiquitous green smoothie.

It’s the hug — that simple (and simply wonderful) one-on-one human contact between friends and loved ones.

Fantastic, huh?

Lucky for all of us, today is National Hug Day!  The holiday was established in 1986 to encourage PDA-phobic Americans to ‘reach out, reach out and touch someone.’ So now’s your chance to get out there and improve your health, your happiness and your overall state of being.

You’ll probably freak out a few people along the way, but hey — that’s just a bonus for feeling so gosh darn happy!

(See you out there.)

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Posted in Commentary, Exercise, Family, Friends, Health, Holiday, Humor, Life, Love, Philosophy, Relationships

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A masterpiece

Posted on January 9, 2012 | 2 Comments

Last night was a very special occasion at my house.

I wore the burgundy silk for dinner.  Anna did my hair.  And Mrs. Patmore made a sinful raspberry meringue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was the long-awaited season premiere of Downton Abbey.

Over the holidays, I had taken the quiz “Which Downtown Abbey Character Are You?” and was shocked (not really) to discover I was like Lady Mary. The near-miss heiress of Downtown Abbey?

I so get that.

But last night, seeing all the changes that have taken place at the big house since the first season, I felt a bit more like Mr. Carson.

Why can’t things go back to the way they were?

I don’t like Matthew’s new fiancee, and I especially don’t like Mr. Bates exit at the top of this episode. And poor Lord Grantham is so unhappy. His gentle humor and good spirits were the foundation of season one.

I want him happy. I want Matthew and Mary and Bates and Anna together. I want everyone home and safe, sipping tea and making dinner.

Good thing I’m not writing the show. It would never have lasted.

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Posted in Commentary, Entertainment, Family, History, Humor, Life, Love, Relationships, Television, TV

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Plastic people

Posted on January 5, 2012 | 1 Comment

It’s been bitterly cold in NYC the past few days, and in the family-friendly Upper West Side, this has been a common sight:

The plastic-covered baby carriage

On an intellectual level, I realize the plastic covers serve a useful purpose, shielding the child inside from the cold, snow and rain.

But my claustrophobic mind registers only one panicked thought…

He’s smothering!  Get that poor kid out of there!!

Sorry.  All better now.

It does makes me wonder — would my fear of small spaces have been averted if my mother had used such a baby carriage when I was young?  Will children today whose mothers use such contraptions have less of a chance of developing claustrophobia?

For their sake, I hope so.

Some good should come out of being publicly shrink-wrapped.

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Posted in Children, Commentary, Family, Humor, Life, Walking, Weather

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Ugly wins

Posted on December 28, 2011 | 3 Comments

This post is ugly and time sensitive.

So VOTE NOW!

My sister-in-law Debbie is competing in an ‘Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest’ sponsored by First Kentucky Bank.  Take a look at her entry below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What could beat that?

So click on the photo.  It will take you to the Facebook page where you can ‘LIKE’ the photo and vote her sweater the ugliest in the land.

BUT VOTE NOW!  The contest closes today at 1:30pm ET / 12:30pm CT.

Ugly rules.  (And family even more so.)

Note: Debbie WON! Thanks for your support.

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Posted in Christmas, Family, Fashion, Holiday, Humor, Life

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Here’s a tip

Posted on December 20, 2011 | Leave a comment

MBA students at Boston University recommended brands for purchase and revitalization in team presentations Monday and today.

I’d like to add another to the list:

The felt tip pen

One such pen swallowed by a woman in Great Britain 25 years ago was recovered by doctors from her stomach intact and ready to write. Stomach acids had eaten off the pen’s brand name — darn the luck — but not the ink inside. In fact, upon removal, doctors wrote ‘hello’ with the pen.

Find that hard to believe?

The woman supposedly swallowed the pen using it to check spots on her tonsils in a mirror while standing on a ladder when she fell, leading to the accidental ingestion.

Heck — forget the pen company.  Buy the movie rights!

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Posted in Business, Comedy, Commentary, Family, Health, Humor, Internet, News

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Because…

Posted on December 19, 2011 | 2 Comments

…they are dogs and the photo is stinking cute.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit to Matt Dunn for the pooch pic.

I know it made my very long day a whole lot brighter!

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Posted in Animals, Comedy, Commentary, Dogs, Family, Humor, Life, Photography

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Video this

Posted on December 18, 2011 | Leave a comment

Have you watched America’s Funniest Home Videos lately?

Show’s still got game.

I caught part of the Christmas special tonight.  It’s probably the first time I’ve watched the program in 10 years and — darn it — the clips of kids and cats and dogs and grandmas caught in compromising circumstances while celebrating their holidays made me laugh aloud.

Embarrassing, but true.

AFV also kept the holiday show in the family by hosting the special at Disneyland’s Winter Wonderland.  So all the lights and Disney characters and Santa himself added a certain something-something.

Plus, if you are a Tom Bergeron fan like me and find the days between seasons of Dancing with the Stars particularly dark and dreary without his quick wit and showmanship, you can get your weekly dose between clips of painful pratfalls and precocious kiddies.

Tonight was a good reminder for me, too.

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Posted in Humor, Holiday, Television, TV, Entertainment, Family, Celebrities, Commentary

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A robot’s tale

Posted on December 14, 2011 | Leave a comment

I met a robot in my neighborhood.

image He’s a nightlight for sale at my friend Stephanie’s shop, Stoopher & Boots.

Every time I have seen him, I couldn’t look away. (We don’t get a lot of his kind on the Upper West Side.)

Then I started hearing a sound when I was near him…a soft chant. “Milo. Milo.” (He’s a friend of mine — the baby boy variety – who has a particular interest in the ‘bots.)

He needed that robot nightlight.  So after a quick consultation with his parental units, it was soon on its way to Milo’s robot-themed bedroom in sunny Los Angeles.

image

Look at it — sitting in his room, like it was made for the place.

It’s almost an exact match to the robot in the print on the wall!

How a’bot that?

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Posted in Design, Family, Home, Humor, Life, Shopping

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Toys gone wild

Posted on November 20, 2011 | Leave a comment

I’ve heard of baby dolls that go potty…

…but dolls with potty mouths?

Some customers are demanding Toys R Us pull the “You & Me Interactive Play & Giggle Triplet Dolls” from their shelves because one of the dolls says “you crazy bitch.”

Triplet’s got ‘tude.

The dolls are sold exclusively at Toys R Us and are intended for children 2 years and up.  The store says the complaints have been scattered and they will stand behind the product.

Listen for yourself.

Personally?  I think the doll did it.  And I think parents are crazy not to want to keep it around.

Your kids start cursing?  You would never talk that way in front of them.  Must be that darn baby doll the children wanted so badly.

Not your fault.  Nope, you’re good parents.

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Posted in Children, Commentary, Family, Humor, Life, News, Shopping, Toys

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Spirit stick

Posted on November 14, 2011 | Leave a comment

Do you remember the very first DVD you ever owned?

I do.

I had just bought a combo VHS/DVD player — back when they were still pretty pricey — and a friend gave me the campy cheerleader cult classic Bring it On.  (It wasn’t a classic back then; just campy.)

It also wasn’t a musical, but it is now, and not on Broadway. My west coast friends have the bragging rights to this one.

Bring it On: The Musical may be playing at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles through December 10th, but they have recruited a bunch of Broadway award-winners to their team:

  • Tony Award-winning writer Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q)
  • Tony Award-winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda (In The Heights)
  • Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning composer Tom Kitt (Next to Normal)
  • Tony Award-winning director/choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler (In The Heights)

It’s gotta be good, right?

Tweets from audience members, both celebrity and ‘regular folk,’ have been very enthusiastic. The critics appear to have their doubts.

But it’s early yet.  There’s lots of time to polish.  Bring it On: The Musical is on a national tour, although no Broadway dates appear to be scheduled.

Yet.

I’m sexy, I’m cute,
I’m popular to boot.
I’m wanted, I’m hot,
I’m everything you’re not,
I’m pretty, I’m cool,
I dominate this school,
Who am I? Just guess,
Guys wanna touch my chest,
We cheer and we lead,
We act like we’re on speed,
Hate us ’cause we’re beautiful,
Well we don’t like you either,
We’re cheerleaders,
We are cheerleaders.

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Posted in Broadway, Commentary, Entertainment, Family, Humor, Life, Movies, Technology

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