Well, hello again.

Hello, it's me.  I've thought about us for a long long time.

Shout out to Todd Rundgren

I gave up blogging a few years ago.  I liked it -- in fact at times I loved it -- but I do miss the practice.  It made me feel smart.  And if you know me very well at all you know I like to feel smart more than anything.  I'd rather be smart than pretty any day!  Hasn't that worked out well for me?

Truly, the reason I quit it was that we raised the funds and built a new facility for Community Partners of Dallas in Dallas' Caring Corridor.  As the President and CEO, I was involved in every donor ask and every decision made on the building from carpet to ceiling.  We moved to the new building in January and it is wonderful.  I'll write later about those choices and how they were made, but know that this place is going to be a revolution in how children are cared for by CPS.  

And abused and neglected children need all the revolutions they can get!

The garden (a British floral designer I heard recently asked why we call our yards "yards" instead of gardens, so I'm embracing it now) has had work done, but you can get an idea here.

 

Thanksgiving Catalyst, Reporting for Duty!

I have written a few past Thanksgiving posts from Fredericksburg, Texas -- a place I love to visit, especially when I am with the Clark family.  It is such a joy to be with a large and fun family with multiple generations and lots of laughter.  I feel blessed to have shared so many great experiences with Joe and his family for Thanksgivings past.

This year (like many others -- I used to kinda switch off my turkey eating each year), I'll be here in Dallas with my own family and Joe will be with us.  And the best part is -- I'M COOKING AT MY HOUSE!

Let me explain...

My sister-in-law cooks the turkey and its trimmings almost every year, but this year she is in a boot, so I offered to cook at my house.  Joe and I are planning the meal and cooking it (mostly) and my mother is going to be with us for moral support (aka telling us what to do).  Mom and I decorated the table and I pretty much totally copied Alicia Wood's tablescape from The Lush List blog (http://www.thelushlist.com/2016/11/elegant-thanksgiving-tablescape/), so it looks fantastic.  I'm trying my friends Cynthia and Nick's turkey cooking method.  All is set.

I'm grateful to have friends and family coming over for a full table and I'm certainly blessed to live here in the USA and have a job that I love and plenty to eat.

Hope you'll join me in feeling blessed and happy, because you are blessed and happy.

So much happier than the kids we serve at Community Partners of Dallas.  We are collecting toys right now and we're short on tablets for our older kids.  If you are willing and blessed enough to be able to donate one, we really need you.  Go to Amazon (https://smile.amazon.com/All-New-Amazon-Fire-HD-8-8-Inch-Tablet-8GB/dp/B018SZT3BK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1479762451&sr=8-4&keywords=fire%2Btablet&th=1) and buy a fire tablet and have it sent here to our office:

Community Partners of Dallas
ATTN:  Paige
1215 Skiles Street
Dallas, TX  75204

All kids need an escape and abused and neglected kids need an escape more than most.  A tablet can do that.  Thanks for sharing your blessings with a kid who really needs it.  Feel free to tell the people around your Thanksgiving table about what you did for us.  You can be a catalyst for change!

REALLY?

Are you who you think you are?

I keep thinking about polls (natch) and how the system puts us in a box.  You know the stereotypes:

• I'm from Highland Park, so I'm snobby.
• I'm 55 years old, so I have dry skin.
• I'm from Texas, so I love country music.

Actually none of the above are true for me.  Of course, stereotypes typically have a kernel of truth -- otherwise they wouldn't make sense.  We do tend to put people in boxes because it's an easy way to get out of having to get to know them -- really know them.

It's so much easier to just assume that because someone doesn't dress that well or doesn't live in my neighborhood that they just don't deserve my attention.  

Earlier this week I went over to a volunteer's home to pick up something that I had purchased at a charity auction.  Not only did the volunteer not introduce herself to me, she made me feel like I wasn't welcome in her home.  I think she thought I was old -- and I did nothing to dispell that thought because I was unable to quickly find the ticket number she required on my cell phone.  I don't know why she was unfriendly -- maybe she had a bad morning -- but I can tell you that her treatment has only made me check myself.

Am I who I look like?  Who I think like?  Seth Godin often talks about the "people like us do things like this" mantra when we make decisions -- such as "people like us" buy i-phones, eat at Mi Cocina, go to college.

But are we really that easy to label?

I heard a speaker from the New York Flower School who did a demonstration for my garden club last week (and yes, I realize that being in a garden club sticks me smack dab into that flower box for you).  She said that 90% of her brides who are blonde choose pastel flowers for their bouquets and 90% of her brunette clients choose darker tones.

Maybe others can make assumptions about me.  I do fit a lot of the typical stereotypes, but I'm going to quit judging and try to get to know people.  Why don't you join me?

I worry most about the kids we are serving at Community Partners of Dallas.  Will Jason always be the boy who was sexually abused?  Will Heavenly always be the girl who came to school dirty and withdrawn?

Will you give them a chance and get to know them for who they really are?

As a reminder -- I'm no beauty.  Here I am in all my glory -- wet hair and all -- but I am worth knowing.  You are too.

Words I love. The struggle is real.

I love words.  Quotes, especially, but really just words.  I have an account on Instagram, but really it's words for me.  Of course, I'm a reader -- although lately, I've been slacking on my novels for work-related stuff.

So, for today's blog post, I'm hitting you with a few of my new and long-time favorite phrases:

1. Hello from the other side.  I must have called a thousand times to tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done, but when I call you never seem to be home.  These words are on everyone's minds right now due to the earworm, but I really do find the lyrics striking from Adele's latest.  And gosh, isn't she just absolutely beautiful?  Sings pretty well too.
2. The struggle is real.  Not sure why I find this so interesting, but I've never heard anyone in person use it.  I have heard it a couple of times in commericals.  I love it so much that I used it in conversation with Joe the other night.  He just looked at me.  Obviously, he doesn't know how f-ing cool I am.
3. If it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to abuse one.  This is from the film Spotlight about the Catholic priest sexual abuse scandal and about how it was first reported by The Boston Globe.  The quote is so true -- it is very difficult to engage in ongoing abuse of a child without someone knowing or suspecting something.  If you suspect abuse or neglect, you must report it -- it is your legal duty to do so.  In Texas call 1-800-252-5400.
4. She's the coolest girl in school and everyone worships her because she's heaven.  This is from my favorite Christmas movie, Love Actually.  Get the popcorn ready.

Happy Friday, friends!

Thoughts on Joe Paterno, Gerald Sandusky, and Bill Cosby

You may already know that I like quotes.  I usually start the morning with a quote from my box of 365 quotes and I love it.  Every once in awhile I even do a blog post with a famous quote or two.  I usually post the good ones on Instagram to share too, so if you want to follow me there, I'm xxoopaige

Info about my 365 quote box here:  http://blog.paigemcdaniel.org/2015/04/four-favorite-things-i-love-right-now.html

Anyway, I do love my quote box, but a couple of days ago, I threw one into the recycling.  It wasn't the quote that made me do it -- it was the "quotee" -- Joe Paterno.

Frankly, I don't even remember what the quote was -- it was fine and uplifting, but I just thought I didn't want to ever think about those boys and the Sandusky crap again.  And Joe Paterno makes me think of that crap.

Most of you probably didn't read the 162 page report and the accompanying 150-ish page appendices when they came out.  I did.

People do abuse children.  That is the sad and horrific truth.  And most of the time those who abuse children are family members.  Sometimes, like with Gerald Sandusky, it is a friend.  Child abuse of any kind is a crime that is sometimes difficult to see.  A predator -- whether family, friend, or stranger -- can get away with it.  But the Pennsylvania State University employees who looked the other way, suspected what was going on, even had a "hmmm, that's weird" feeling sicken me too.

So, sorry, Joe Paterno, no quotes from you stay in my little box.

Bill Cosby and his cover-ups of rape crimes make me mad too.

I really loved The Cosby Show.  I often laughed out loud at Cliff Huxtable -- one of my favorite lines was when Theo (his teen-aged son) was talking about being rich and Dr. Huxtable said something like "Son, WE are not rich.  Your mother and I are rich."  Truth!

This all got me thinking about how quickly it can all be over -- fame, respect, your place in history, etc.  No more dinner invites for the Cosby's, I bet.  His place on the speaker circuit is gone.  Any deals he had in the works are kaput.

Cosby made his bed (so to speak) himself.  Paterno just didn't turn in his friend.

Neither one will be quoted by me again.

Shades of Green

I've been thinking a lot about the color green lately.

There are several reasons for this:

It is my friend Holly's favorite color and since I was her guest for a week in Aspen, I was inspired.  Green is Oprah's favorite color, so of course, I'm a fan.  Money is green and I'm partial to that.

But, the main reason is Aspen -- everything is SO green!  Tons of shades of green and it is just lush city!

I've always liked lots of different colors -- probably red and yellow have been my long time crushes, but blue made a recent appearance in my life too.  But I may be making a change...

Green is good.  It's fresh.  Clean.  It reminds us of new life.

Winnie is seven years old and her favorite color is green.  She grew up as the oldest of 3 kiddos, but her life has been anything but clean. 

Winnie grew up in a home with drug addicts who only cared about themselves and their next high.  The adults who were supposed to love and care for her only cared about being numb.  The house she lived in was filthy and strange people were passed out everywhere.  Winnie tried to care for her little brothers, but she was just too small.  She didn't think adults ever noticed her because they mostly didn't. One day she and her brothers were so hungry that they walked into a convenience store and Winnie decided to steal some food.  She knew it was wrong, but adults didn't ever seem to see her, so she took some chips (onion flavored because the package was green), and tried to walk out the door.  The clerk stopped her and called the police.  Winnie told the officers that the adults in her life took drugs, so the cops raided the house, but first called Dallas County CPS to take the children.

Winnie's life has changed now.  She and her brothers live with a paternal cousin in East Dallas.  Her CPS caseworker is coming to our Back-to-School Drive at Community Partners of Dallas to get Winnie a green backpack and new uniforms for first grade at her new school.  Winnie still loves green, but now she knows that onion is not her favorite potato chip.

Green is good and so is Winnie.  Me too!

You or a Child?

I attended a lecture last week about the Salem Witch Trials.  The speaker was the author of The Heretic's Daughter.  It was a bestseller some years ago and the speaker was great -- engaging, self-deprecating, fun -- everything that I like in a speaker.

NOTE:  Also, everything I like to BE in a speaker too!

Anyway, the author's relative was one of those convicted as a witch during the trials (this is why she was so interested in the topic and decided to write the book) and so the author did a ton of research about the whole big subject -- the people, why, and what, etc.

One of the things she told us was that the accused women (and some men) were each asked if they were a witch.  

Two possible answers:

1. YES, I'm a witch  If the accused confirmed that they were actually a witch, they were basically released from jail and given a slap on the wrist/community service.
2. NO, I'm not a witch  (And if you know anything about The Salem Witch Trials, really none of the accused were witches.)  If you said no then you were jailed, tortured, and later tortured and hanged.  

NOTE:  Didn't you think they were burned at the stake?  Nope.

The part I didn't know was that if you denied being a witch, they also tortured your family -- trying to get you to confirm witch-hood.

The author told us that her ancestor never wavered from her truth of not being a witch.  Even after they tortured her children -- her sons and her 6 year old daughter.  Even though the ancestor knew they were torturing her children, she still stood firm that she was not a witch.

She and I are different people.

While I am all for standing up for what I believe, I would have started my incantations on the witness stand and pulled out the pointy hat and wart if they were torturing my children.  Because I know God would forgive me.

At lunch after the speech the gang did discuss that Puritans didn't believe God would forgive them, so the non-witch in question was standing by her beliefs.  The lunch gang then started talking about what if this happened today and you were tortured and had to say you renounced Jesus (or substitute the belief you hold most dear here)...

Again, if they were torturing my children (or ANY children), I would renounce, because (again) I KNOW GOD WILL FORGIVE ME.

Maybe this is too easy for me and aren't I lucky that my God is so forgiving, but damn, people -- He forgives me all the time.

The children part is what causes me to witch-out.  Children tortured.  Who could allow that?  I know who -- the parents of the pitiful children we serve at Community Partners of Dallas.  So many people right here in our community abandon their children, hurt them, sexually abuse them, torture them -- the list goes on and on.

You can help us help these kids.  Visit www.CommunityPartnersDallas.org to learn how.

What will you do?

Love Stinks

Valentine's Day is not really my thing.

While I enjoy the cuteness of it, my life pretty much goes on as usual.  I used to make Joe take me out -- I'd call him, plan the night, and make him pay for dinner (natch), etc. -- but now I normally just let it pass.

NOTE:  My brother usually does come through with some flowers for me.  All the sisters in the world are jealous, I know!

Yesterday, the staff at Community Partners of Dallas held our monthly "Terrific Tuesday" event for CPS caseworkers.  Our Terrific Tuesdays give CPS staff members a quick 30 minute respite from their grueling work to do something mindless and fun.  The Program staff here at CPD is in charge of these meetings and they do a great job. Normally I am not crafty, but yesterday I went over to say hi to the caseworkers and ended up actually doing the craft -- photos below.

NOTE:  Wasn't it nice of me to put my decorations in the lobby at CPD so everyone could enjoy them?  I'm sweet like that.

NOTE to NOTE:  My co-worker Allie was our instructor for these crafts and didn't they turn out great?

Valentine's Day is also a good time to eat.  There are fantastic cookies at the office made by staff members and volunteers and my friend Holly made homemade popovers the other day with strawberry butter.  Holly gave it to me in a darling bag with a valentine card.  Glad I'm her valentine for sure!

While Valentine's Day is pretty much just another day for me, it is a day of horror for so many children in Dallas County.

Another day Angel will be beaten.  Another day Claudette will be left alone in a locked room for hours.  Another day Peter will barely escape death.

In the time it will take for you eat your valentine meal with your special someone, another child in our community will be confirmed as abused and neglected.  And all they want for Valentine's Day is someone who loves them.

Good Lord, I'm lucky in love.

Headlines are not how this should end.

 

There are lots of stories that I don't want to think about.

You might find that funny since I work for an agency that serves abused and neglected children, but it's true.  So many children living through nightmares -- right here in our own community.  You may be shocked, but there are confirmed reports of abuse and neglect in every residential zip code in Dallas County -- and more than 20,000 reports of abuse will be received annually in Dallas County alone.

But no matter how horrific the horror, the degradation, the injuries, the children are just that -- children.  Most of them just want to be loved and cared for and treated like every other kid.  That's why our Toy Drive is so vitally important.

We have some wishes left over here at Community Partners of Dallas and it would really be great if they could be filled right now by you.  We'd love it if you would call us at 214-624-7557 or come by our office at 1215 Skiles Street (near Baylor Hospital in the Meadows Foundation's Wilson Historic District -- gotta keep showing the love to The Meadows Foundation!) and pick up a wish or two and make dreams come true for these kiddos.

Thanks -- the kids need you now.  Me too.

What's inside your vessel?

I've been awake since about 3 am. I just hate it.

The older I get the more that stress seems to affect me.  Currently,

1. I cannot turn my head to the left due to some neck/back pain -- have had this 2 days and had the same thing last week for a couple of days
2. My eyes are blurry -- so much so that I'm having trouble typing this
3. My stomach is slightly upset

And now I'm going to be dog-tired all day.

My mother told me a long time ago that as people grow older all they talk about are their ailments, so I guess I'm just playing to type.  At least you might not have to hear about it at lunch today since I'm writing about it now!  You can thank me later.

But in the grand scheme of things I know that my stress is nothing. So many people have it worse -- and I feel for them. But the ones I feel for most are the children we serve at Community Partners of Dallas. Kids who are innocent victims of parental rage and heartache.

The other night I watched Iyanla Vansant on OWN and a mother told her adult son that she was so sorry that she used him as a "vessel for her rage" when he was a boy.

What a beautiful use for words -- forgive me for using you as a vessel for my rage.

So today, forgive me for using you as a vessel for my stress.

Thanks for listening -- and if you have a cure for any of my ailments, please let me know. The stress isn't going away anytime soon.

What I think about the NFL right now.

Hi, gang -- I've taken a week off to think.
First, let me be honest.  I don't really watch football. I've always thought it was more fun to watch with other people and frankly -- as a single 50-something -- if I'm going to be with other people, I want to do something more fun -- like talk to them.

But because of all the NFL player relationship revelations over the past weeks, I've spent a lot of time thinking about it.  Of course, I'm shocked and appalled that grown men are wielding their considerable strength against people they should love and protect.  And it sickens me to watch it, to see the photos, to hear more and more of it coming out.

Adrian Peterson says that he is not a child abuser, but the photos of his son with switch marks covering his legs tell a different story.  You can see them here:  http://dailysnark.com/pictures-adrian-petersons-sons-beating-wounds-emerge/  And supposedly Peterson has a history of child abuse with a previous case.

This is totally unacceptable.

Heroes need to be heroes.  Good men everywhere need to condemn this activity. Good companies need to quit advertising.

My dilemma has been about the role of a boss in this stuff. Obviously, if one of my employees  admitted to abusing a child, I'd fire their ass.  It is part of our mission, thus I cannot have an employee doing exactly what we are trying to eradicate. But, is a hitting a child with a switch or hitting your girlfriend in an elevator (with no legal conviction, yet) affecting that person's job performance?

I put this question to a room full of smart, smart people yesterday -- the board members of Community Partners of Dallas.  And their answer?  A resounding YES.  The men and women in our board room talked about character, heroism, morality.  We talked about advertisers leaving the NFL and about politics.  About rushing to judgement and about women standing up and leaving football because they are not going to support an organization that makes these men into role models. And about how pro-business conservatives need to feel the same way because what is more pro-business than letting employers fire who they want.

And don't get me started on why the NFL is a non-profit organization.  It's time for that nonsense to end too.

It's not an issue that seems to be going away anytime soon. I'm glad we're all talking about it because evil cannot live in the light.

Let's bring in the sun and stop it for good.

I'm letting my breath out.

This is the time of year where all of us at Community Partners of Dallas breathe a sigh of relief.

And no, it's not because our bi-annual board retreat was held last night (although that is a load off my mind as well).  The board retreat was great!

NOTE:  Who knew one of our board member's first job was making pinatas and another made cold calls to people to sell burial plots?  Love our board!

We are relieved that kids are back in school, because for most abused and neglected kids being in school is safer than being at home.

When kids are in school a teacher is watching over them.  She sees that Nathan is limping a little.  That Jessica's clothes are dirty.  That Cruz is spending a lot of time acting out sexually.

And that teacher, nurse, counselor, principal will call in a report to CPS.  That's why I'm letting my breath out.

NOTE:  You can call in a report of child abuse in Texas 24 hours a day to 1-800-252-5400.  You are required by law to do so -- even if you just suspect it.

Thank you to the hundreds of you who donated to our Back-to-School Drive at CPD -- because of you, more than 2,600 children in Dallas County received the supplies and uniforms to go back to school and feel safe.  We're still receiving supplies -- I see the Wisteria Catalog truck pulling up now -- so keep dropping off supplies at The Container Store until August 31st and at our offices at 1215 Skiles Street in September. 

We'll keep receiving them as long as you'll keep giving.  The kids are relying on it.

And I like breathing easier too.

 

Coldplay is Changing my Life.

When I was young I loved music.

If that seems like a sad sentence to you, it does to me too.  I think that the older I get the more that other things take up my time.  It is easier to sit in an easy chair and watch TV at night than to crank up the tunes and dance around or sing out loud.

NOTE:  Even now I still sing in the car, but lots of times I find myself tuning into talk radio or talking on the phone, so the singing time is short.

When I was young, so much time was spent with friends sitting around and listening and talking.  And at a very young age I remember playing music in my room for hours and singing along (The Partridge Family was one of my favorites). 

But now a song really has to move me to get me listening.

Most recently, that song has been A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay.

I began my love affair with the song when I was watching The Voice.  Chris Martin was the special coach for all the teams and (of course) I fell in love with him.  Coldplay's new album was about to come out, so they kept showing a clip of the song (from a Target commercial, I think), and then NBC even had an hour-long special featuring the band.  I was hooked from the start.

It reminds me of the "wall of sound" stuff made famous by The Beach Boys, but it also has the driving beat that makes your heart race.  And if you haven't seen them do it live, watch it here right now:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljuyyXMYT-M

I cannot get enough of it.  I especially love watching Chris dance.  He is a bit of a goofy dancer, but he seems not to care.  Like a child.

NOTE:  I saw myself dancing on video once (from my friend Cathy's wedding) and didn't dance in public for about 15 years.

Children have no inhibitions, so even as babies if music is played, they start to move.  Such joy!

Some of the kids we serve at Community Partners of Dallas have had their joy taken from them.  An abusive parent has stolen it. 

I choose to dance.  I choose to be young.

I'm pledging to you right now that I'm going to play some music tonight and dance around.  Will you join me?

I'll save a dance for you.  Chris gets the last one though...

Bad Night

You may be wondering why this photo is leading off the blog this week.

Will someone please tell me why the smoke detector NEVER needs a new battery during the day?

Truly, I can only remember one time when that damn thing started chirping during the waking hours.  Last night was right back to the norm -- at 3:37 a.m. it chirped.

Once.

At first chirp I always assume it must be something else and roll over.  Then, about 10 minutes later (after you've gone back to sleep, of course), chirp.  Then for some reason, I ALWAYS think it is something downstairs.  Up, turn off the alarm, turn on the lights -- yikes -- go downstairs, check the fridge doors, the dishwasher, etc.; then back upstairs, turn on alarm, turn off lights, get in bed, then chirp.

Slow realization that it is the smoke detector, I know, but I'll be damned if I don't think that thing throws it's voice to befuddle me even more than I am already in the middle of the night.

So, repeat of the above, find battery -- at least I had a packet of them -- grab step stool, then up to replace battery, repeat steps again, but ain't no way I'm going back to sleep this time.

UGH.  Such a yucky night.

But Greg had a worse night than me last week.  The ten-year-old boy was being removed from his home for extreme neglect and while the caseworker was helping him to gather a few things to take with him, Greg's mother was shouting that she was glad they were taking him.  That she never wanted him anyway. That this was the best day of her life since this B_____ was taking him away to some awful foster home.

Greg was so upset when he arrived at the CPS office that he told his caseworker that he wanted to kill himself.

All I had to do was wake up early in a house full of love.

And find a battery.

Damn -- That Makes Me Mad!

There are quite a few things that make me mad, so since today's the blog day, you have to hear about them...

• People who park in my driveway without asking.
• Men who wear too much cologne.
• Women who put on perfume to go work out.  Look, we know you didn't shower, lady, but your perfume makes it worse.
• When my DVR cuts off just before the end of The Voice, the game, or The Shahs of Sunset.
• People who flaunt their priority status at the airport.  Get over yourself -- we're all going to get there at the same time and I may just park my butt next to yours and dab on some more perfume...
• When food items don't have an expiration date.  How do I know if my alfredo sauce is going to kill me tonight?

Yes, these things all make me mad, but in the grand scheme of things they are "First World Problems" (as my friend and co-worker Vanessa Fuquay likes to say).

Will you get mad -- really mad -- with me about these?

• People who abuse children.
• People who treat children like property.
• People who belittle their dreams.
• People who put themselves first.

Who's with me?  Let's get mad together.

My Favorite TV Commercials Now!

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that I love TV.

My grandmother lived with my family most of my life and she loved TV.  Dandoo (I named her and my niece Lina -- my 2 claims to fame.) and I watched together and I even had my own TV in my bedroom when I was 11 -- she gave it to me.

NOTE:  Now, I know you parents are all thinking that was horrible.  Bite me.

So, I have many fond memories of TV and I will admit that it is my crutch -- pretty much when I'm at home, alone, and awake -- my TV is on.

NOTE:  Now, I do read books and work from home sometimes, so the TV is not on then.  At least most of the time it's not...

The thing that has changed semi-recently is the DVR.  Kids, in the olden days, we had to watch commercials -- or least you had to leave the commercials on.

NOTE:  Mute buttons were not invented way back then -- in fact we even had to get up and walk over to the TV to change the channel and since there were only about 4 stations, you looked at a thing called the TV Guide and decided what you were going to watch each hour and tuned in.  Truly, I don't know what men did without remotes to channel surf.  Lit a new cigarette and/or poured another scotch, I guess.

But now, I don't watch commercials much since I DVR my favorite shows and watch them later so I can fast-forward through the ads.  I know that all of us do this now.  Like me, I'm sure that even if your favorite show is on right then while you've parked your butt in the La-Z-Boy, you might watch something you have saved in the box, then watch your preferred show later so you can skip the commericals.

NOTE:  The girls here at CPD know that I really love a show when I tell them that "I watched that show live."  This means commitment, people.

So now, I pretty much only see commericals during The Today Show.  So, take this favorites list with that in mind:

1.  The AT&T Commercials with the guy in a suit sitting around the little kid table asking the kids about how fast something is, etc.  The whole series is pretty cute, but I think I burst the bubble of my co-worker Corinne when I told her that I know it is scripted.  One of the little boys mouths the words of one of the girls when she speaks. 

I am, at heart, a critic.  Sorry, but that bubble had to be burst.  Still like the series though.  Here's the link for the "Infinity" one.  Watch the boy's mouth when the little girl says "infinity times infinity" -- sorry, but you needed to know the truth.  The "Dizzy" one is probably my favorite, though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZh105_r2Qk

2.  As for more cerebral (Can that word even be used when we're talking about commercials?) ads, I like the Prudential one with the bald guy saying "We asked people to tell us about the oldest person they've known" and they have a huge chart with dots all in the later years of age like the 80's to 100's.  The point is that we're living longer, so we need to plan for retirement.  It hasn't made me add anything more to my Roth IRA, but I still think it's pretty good. 

This is a longer version:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3qj88J7-jA

3.  But my favorite of all is from Carters.  It's narrated by a little girl voice (And yes, I know it's an adult who sounds like a little girl -- critic, remember?) and starts with "I was born on a cold September Sunday" and goes through the life of the child.  The thing I love most is near the end -- something like "Because the moment I became yours, you became mine."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gza-yfENn_4

I just love that line and I had never thought about it before.  I think as parents, we think that our kids are ours -- almost like property.  Sometimes I think this is partially why child abuse happens -- the whole attitude of "that's MY kid and I can do anything I want with them/to them".

But this line in this commercial flipped it -- and I love it.  That line makes me cry every time.

That kid is yours, but YOU are also his. 

Remember that.  It's sacred.

What I Learned from Gravity

I was lucky enough to see a preview of the film Gravity a couple of weeks ago through the USA Film Festival.  My brother went with me.

NOTE:  I invited my niece to join me but when she cancelled my brother was conveniently the first one to text me his availability.  The McDaniel siblings like free stuff, people.

Now normally the USA Film Festival does advance screenings of more limited release films -- not blockbusters starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, so this was an unusual film for them and I hopped right in to get a reservation for 2 seats front and center.  The Film Festival had warned us to leave our cell phones and any other recording devices at home and John and I obliged.

Because I'm a donor to the Film Festival, we get reserved seats and don't have to wait in the long line -- LOVE that.  When John and I arrived at the AMC NorthPark they checked my purse and wanded both of us looking for recording devices and/or firearms. 

NOTE:  We passed. 

The press members finally arrive and the film is about to begin, but before they start (usually at screenings there are no previews) a big guy in a suit walks out and gets the audience's attention.  He explains that no recording devices may be brought out during the film and that he and his team will be watching with night-vision goggles throughout the screening.  When he says this, some people giggle, but the man quickly looked them straight in the eye and very seriously said "Hey -- this is not a laughing matter.  My job is to protect this film and I am very serious.  We are protecting this film."

Wow.  I have not stopped thinking about this statement.  I am protecting this film.  It is my job to protect this film.

I wish that all parents felt this way.  Good ones know that protecting children is their job -- in fact, it is the job of every single one of us.  We are all required by law to report child abuse and neglect in Texas.

NOTE:  To report in Texas call 1-800-252-5400.  If you are not in Texas, the Texas hot line can give you information for your state or neck of the woods (a little Al Roker for you).

If only we took child protection as seriously as film protection.

P.S.  Gravity is great -- see it.  And of course it had lots of birth/mother imagery.  You can take the girl out of the office, but you can't ever take the office out of this girl...

Will Lucy Make Ricky Lose His Temper Before Her Hat Is Delivered?

I woke up too early the other morning and turned on the TV.  It was in the middle of an I Love Lucy episode, so I just started watching.

I love I Love Lucy.  When I was young I watched it everyday after school (Holla for Slam Bang Theater!) and I have seen every episode about a million times.  So, when it came on the other morning, I knew just what had happened in the episode.

We join Lucy and Ethel at the hat store.  Lucy has found a precious turquoise hat with little pearls on it.  Ethel warns Lucy to put it back and walk away, and she tries, but that hat is just too much for her.  She tells the hat store woman (who plays many parts at differing times on the show -- you'd know her if you saw her) to charge and send it tomorrow.  Lucy now has 24 hours to make Ricky lose his temper.

NOTE:  The back story you missed (but I'm sure you remember) is that Ricky and Lucy bet that he could hold his temper longer than she could refrain from buying a hat.  Don't you have this bet with your husband all the time?

Next we find Lucy in bed waiting up for Ricky to come home from the club.  Oh, it was a hard night for Ricky and he had to run the numbers with the band until 3 or 4 am, so he is dog tired.  Ricky hops in his twin bed and goes right to sleep.  Lucy then goes into action:  turns up the radio, files her nails, eats crackers, spills the crackers all in Ricky's bed, cracks pecans, even nails his slippers to the floor.  She finishes off with Ethel arriving with the dribble glass that she fills with tomato juice and dribbles all down his white tux jacket (he was supposed to take publicity shots that morning, thus the white ensemble).  Ricky holds his temper.

It is not until he gets a call from some agent trying to book a ventriloquist (Does anyone miss ventriloquists?  Really?) and is able to hold his temper and gets the guy at a rock bottom price that Ricky realizes that Lucy helped him and he calls off the bet and tells her she can buy any hat she wants.  After a quick faked call to the store to supposedly "order" the turquoise hat with the pearls, Lucy hangs up the phone and the doorbell rings with the hat delivery.  Ha, Ha!

If only it was this easy to teach someone how to hold their temper.

The kids we help every day at Community Partners of Dallas live lives of terror waiting for the next shoe to drop.  For dad to have a bad day at work and start yelling and drinking and worse.  For mom to scream "I hate you and I wish you'd never been born" because her boyfriend decides to go out with his buddies because boyfriend is sick of being around kids for 2 hours.

A turquoise hat is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.  A child is.

Let's be Ricky and count to 10 before we react today.  Ricky did it in Spanish, but I'll let you choose your language.  Spanish would be fun, though.

Family Sucks

Or I guess I should say that dealing with family sometimes sucks, doesn't it?

My brother and I still argue over who Mom loves more (it used to be him, but now I am the favorite -- at least today...). 

I might have my mouth all set for Sunday lunch at Joe T Garcias, but no -- some family member has to be back to run errands and so we have to eat at Burger House.  Ugh.

First world problems, huh?

I also think back to when I was in middle school and my younger brother drove me absolutely crazy.  He thought it was hilarious to bug me and my friends at a slumber party, or to stand around looking stupid when a date came to pick me up in high school.

And don't even get me started on having to take him with me when my friends and I wanted to go to the Village or to a movie at NorthPark.  SOOOOO gross.

Yes, family can drive us bonkers -- but this week I was reminded of the alternative here at Community Partners of Dallas.

On Monday we had a CPS caseworker ask us for some help to provide a fun outing for some kids.  Eight kids.  Six brothers and 2 sisters.  One family.

These kids have been removed from an unsafe home and placed into foster care -- in four different foster homes.

So for just a bit of money we were able to give this family what they craved -- one another.  After being separated from one another for an extended period of time, they were all brought together by their caseworker for an afternoon of fun at Dave & Busters.  My mouth is smiling and my eyes are watering at the thought of them running to one another with shouts of joy.

I love my family.

P.S.  And God bless that caseworker, too. 

Why You Gotta Be So Mean?

I'll admit it.  I watch The Voice.  Every single episode.  All seasons.

NOTE:  Team Blake, baby!

There were lots of contestants that I liked, but Danielle Bradbery was my favorite from the beginning.  One of the songs she sang near the beginning was called Mean.  I didn't know the song, but loved her voice and wanted to vote for her, so I downloaded it.

NOTE:  I now have NINETEEN (19 -- nineteen!) songs from this season of The Voice on my I-Phone.  Danielle is my most purchased singer, but I have plenty from the others too.  Nineteen.  Yikes.

Anyway, the first time I really listened to Mean and heard the words, I couldn't help but think about abused children and wanted to know more.

Turns out that Mean is a Taylor Swift song and here are the words:

You, with your words like knives
And swords and weapons that you use against me
You have knocked me off my feet again
Got me feeling like I'm nothing
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard
Calling me out when I'm wounded
You picking on the weaker man

You can take me down with just one single blow
But you don't know, what you don't know...

Someday I'll be living in a big ol' city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?

You, with your switching sides
And your wildfire lies and your humiliation
You have pointed out my flaws again
As if I don't already see them
I walk with my head down
Trying to block you out 'cause I'll never impress you
I just wanna feel okay again

I bet you got pushed around
Somebody made you cold
But the cycle ends right now
'Cause you can't lead me down that road
And you don't know, what you don't know...

Someday I'll be living in a big ol' city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?

And I can see you years from now in a bar
Talking over a football game
With that same big loud opinion
But nobody's listening
Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things
Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing
But all you are is mean

All you are is mean
And a liar, and pathetic, and alone in life
And mean, and mean, and mean, and mean

But someday I'll be living in a big ol' city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean, yeah
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?

Taylor says she wrote the song about her critics, but the words are SO applicable to the children we serve at Community Partners of Dallas.

 

 

It makes me cry to think about children who "just wanna feel okay again" and dream about one day being "big enough so you can't hit me" -- and believe me there are so many children in Dallas feeling this way right now.  Every 103 minutes another child is confirmed as abused and neglected in Dallas County.

 

How can people be so mean?