so, the other day, when I was intently (ha) watching Max & Ruby with Lily, I came to the age-old question that plagues me each time: 

where the heck are Max & Ruby's mum and dad?!?!? 

They sometimes go see their Grandma, or she comes over to their house.  But, it pretty much seems that Ruby takes care of Max all of the time.  Are they latch-key kids?  Did their parents leave and never come back, and they just haven't clued in?  Do they live in the Maldives or are from another culture, where kids are encouraged to branch out on their own at the age of three and six? (I'm taking rough guesses at their ages)

Ruby takes them shopping, on the bus, she gives Max snacks, plays with him, gets him to tidy... she's a pretty reliable role model for such a young bunny.  Maybe they just don't need parents?  Maybe she took the young babysitter's course and the instructors found her so blindingly, poeticly brilliant in childcare that they told her to ditch the parents, and she can be the full-time caregiver for her brother?  Perhaps their parents died in a tragic trapping accident.

oh, the things one muses over at 8 in the morning after a few martinis.... 

dedicated to my dear friend, Nancy:

MY LIVING WILL

Last night my friend and I were sitting in the den and I said to her, 'I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle to keep me alive. That would be no quality of life at all, If that ever happens, just pull the plug.'

So she got up, unplugged the computer, and threw out my wine.

She's such a bitch.

Handle every situation like a dog...

If you can't eat it or screw it, piss on it and walk away.

Confucius, eat your heart out! 

What the heck is the problem with people that appear to have Indicator Allergies.  yep, SIS - Signal Light Sensitivity.

Are they too busy talking on their cell phone, eating their Big Mac and steering with their wrist whilst fumbling with their smokes?  C'mon people, get with the courtesy program!

But, on the converse, there are those really nice drivers that indicate early enough to not throw you off of where they might be turning, the nice ones that actually let you cross at the crosswalk, and the good guys that tell you that your insurance expired two weeks ago (really, it happened!).  To those folks, I blow kisses. 

To the other knobs, I just give them the thumbs-up, since shooting the finger only exacerbates the situation and sends 'bad love'.  I figure one appendage is as good as the next, even if it is only me that knows what it means.

so, They say that the camera adds 20 lbs.  hmpf.  Great.  So, what does 20 years in the blender of life do to you? 

 One minute you're 100 lbs and thinking you're fat.  The next, you look down and your sisters are meeting your knees on a regular basis (and not when you're doing your sit-ups!  then, they're commiserating with your armpits 'cos you're stuck on your back). 

 So, how does the thought of a reunion strike fear into your cellulite and your built-in fanny-on-the-front pack?  I'm not quite so self-confident that I could waltz in and not feel somewhat insecure about what the years have done to this body.  But, I'm okay enough to be comfortable with it and roll with the punches (or the rolls, whichever makes it first!).  And, knowing that I'm not the only one that's filled out brings comfort (that and the buffet table, which is probably why I am the size that I am!)

 So, you're thinking how life has matured everyone else?  There's going to be people that make you feel better (inside, not them personally), and others that make you feel worse, about where you're at.... ** All, of course, depending on how comfortable with where you are.  This is basically coming out of my own stream of consciousness; I'm not infering that everyone has insecurities or would be petty enough to think of how 20 years has treated everyone (although, honestly, doesn't it have to cross pretty much everyone's minds??)

 anyway.  Then comes the thoughts of what you've done or not done with your life, your 'career', your everything.  I personally don't feel all that accomplished but also don't place a lot of importance of someone's worth of 'where they are' or what corporate job they've got, or don't have, for that matter.  If I were to go to the reunion, I admit I would be anxious all around, and am insecure about how I've muckered along with my life, but I'm also okay with it.

 Deep down, I think the most important thing is for a person to be soulfully happy.  It is hard to get there though without all of the societal, lifestyle, parental pressures, etc.  It takes a lot of courage to 'go there' - to that Happy Place....

 well, it's an all-over-the-place blog, but ain't that what they're all about?