Peace on Earth, Good Will To All

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

-Luke 2:7-11

A Tale of Two Nicoles

Nicole C., 24, was murdered on Saturday, December 17, 2011. Her mother had left the house to run errands at approximately 6:30pm. When she returned home an hour later, she found her daughter dead - shot once through the head. Her uncle told the press that Nicole had had some "issues" that would "probably come out later", but that she was, basically, a good kid.

Nicole C. had certainly had a rough year. She'd had several arrests, for drug possession and theft. She'd spent a week in the hospital, battling an infection. She'd been briefly engaged to a young man named Les, but was despairing after their breakup. Just before Thanksgiving, she mentioned on her Facebook page that she had sustained a couple of broken ribs - that she had done nothing to deserve it happening, and that she had no money to go to the hospital to have herself treated for her injuries.

Nicole F., 22, died as the result of a hit-and-run on Monday, December 19, 2011. The local papers cryptically reported that she was involved in an altercation with a man on the parking lot of a restaurant at approximately 5pm. Though the extent of her injuries have not been made public, she was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital because of her injuries. At approximately 6:45pm, she slipped out of the hospital, before she could be treated. She apparently intended to walk back to her vehicle. Two hours later, a state trooper found her body by the side of the road.

Nicole F. had also been arrested. Just after Thanksgiving she'd been pulled over and had been charged with a DUI.

Both of the young women's deaths received extensive news coverage. While the online articles dryly reported the facts of their demise, the comment sections following the stories exploded, for the most part, in a rash of cruelty and condemnation of the young women. The gist of the majority of the comments ran along the lines of the young women being "useless" or "druggies". The few commentators who attempted to defend the reputations of the young women were met with derision and personal attacks.

Yes, using drugs and driving when drunk is just plain stupid. But it happens. Picking a stinker for a boyfriend (or girlfriend) is something almost everyone has done at one time or another. God knows, I certainly cringe at many of my poor choices that I made in my twenties. And, for the record, I never did drugs, but, back in the day, I did drive once or twice when inebriated. Of course, seat belts weren't required then, either.

Most of us live to tell the tales of our youth and folly, shaking our heads over our own foolishness, wondering aloud at choices made without the benefit of experience, grateful for the lessons learned from our foibles. Our choices, good and bad, sometimes make for some damn funny tales in the retelling.

But, as I plan the last trip to the grocery store to get the food for Christmas dinner, and will finish wrapping presents with my own cherished daughter, my mind keeps drifting to thoughts of the families of the two Nicoles. Two familes have just been handed a tragedy, and, probably, a guaranteed lousy Christmas for the rest of their lives. Their beloved children are gone too soon, and far too young. It is every parent's worst nightmare come to life. How does one deal with the loss of a child and manage to live out the rest of their lives? How do they find meaning and purpose? Do they ever feel joy ever again? How in the hell will they even get out of bed in the morning? It's an experience every parent prays to be spared.

As of this morning, the murderer of Nicole C. has not yet been caught, nor has the driver who killed Nicole F. Hopefully, their grieving families will soon receive the very slight comfort of knowing who took the lives of their beloved children.

Ahhh...

Time to relax, settle down, and enjoy the holiday. Darling daughter is off school until January 3rd. Looking forward to lots of time together, doing some baking, and wrapping gifts. It's going to be a beautiful Christmas.

Best "A Christmas Carol" EVER

Tonight on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) the best version EVER of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" is airing. 8pm - don't miss it.

And Now - Another Parental Moment...

The time - 11:00pm on Friday, December 9, 2011. Darling Daughter and I have stayed up late, because it is the start of the weekend. I am anticipating a Saturday with nothing to do - other then catch up on the laundry, and cleaning the house.

The dialog - Darling Daughter, after fishing in her backpack: "Oh, here it is."

"Sleepy Mother: "What?"

DD: "The invitation to Emily's birthday party. Don't worry, I already told her I'd definitely be there. When is December 10th?"

SM: "TOMORROW!"

DD: "Well, that's not going to be a problem, is it?"

Grrrrrrrr...

The Petit Family

"Nothing is so strong as gentleness, and nothing is so gentle as true strength."
- Ralph Sockman

Thinking today of the gentle Jennifer, Hayley, and Michaela Petit.

And of Dr. William Petit, a man of incredible strength.

How the Insipid White Chick Has Ruined Hawaii 5-0

The second season of Hawaii 5-0 stinks. The demise of the once-great show can be summed up in two words: Lori Weston.

Hawaii 5-0 roared onto TV in the fall of 2010. Billed as a reboot of the original Hawaii 5-0 many grew up watching, the show sported a fresh look, an exciting cast, and edgy plots.

Alex O'Loughlin, Scott Caan, Grace Park, and Daniel Dae Kim were perfect for the parts of Steve, Danny, Kono, and Chin. Their chemistry and camaraderie was evident; their acting - superb. Mark Dacascos, as Steve's longtime nemesis, Wo Fat, was a pleasant surprise, and a worthy addition to the roster.

Then in early 2011, the show got weird. Out of nowhere, Insipid White Chick #1 was thrown into the mix. Larisa Oleynik (a fine actress) was cast as Jenna Kaye, and the magic of the show began to fade. Ms. Oleynik had little opportunity to exercise her acting chops, as the writers of the show, having tossed her into the mix, didn't seem to know quite what to do with her. Their attempts at making Jenna appear fearless and feisty failed miserably. Jenna was more often annoying then not, and many fans of the show were vociferous in their dislike of the character.

I admit, it was with great relief that I watched Jenna hop on the plane to search for her fiance in the opening episode of Season Two. Any hopes of the show returning to its initial greatness was quickly dispelled, as Insipid White Chick #2 - Lori Weston - was quickly foisted onto the team and the viewers.

Understand, please, that I am NOT disparaging Lauren German, the actress who portrays Lori Weston. The woman can only work with what she's given, and though the writers have given her WAY too much face time on the show, her character is poorly written and developed.

The lame explanation given for Lori's presence on the show is that the governor has appointed her as a type of watchdog for the 5-0 team. What has become disgusting is the writers shoving the character down the viewer's throats.

Wow - what a woman this Lori is. She's a profiler, an expert in martial arts, a crack shot, and knows everything about every bit of new technology that exists. In short order, she's been thrust into nearly every scene.

Those fun days of the "carguments" with Steve and Danny? Gone. Now Super-Lori intrudes. Remember the beautiful, intelligent, kick-ass Kono of the first season? Gone. Super-Lori has taken over the majority of Kono's job. Chin Ho who? Super-Lori has pushed him damn near out of the picture as well.

The problem is that the character of Lori Weston adds nothing to the show. But the writers would have us believe that there are not enough superlatives on the planet for the glorious creature they've written. Clearly someone in the writer's circle is working through his issues of never dating the Prom Queen in high school. Because the character of Lori Weston could ONLY been invented by male writers. Such a wearying Superwoman/Fox/Earth Mother/Goddess would never have been created by a female writer. Real women know that such a creature doesn't exist. Lori would have been presented as more well-rounded, with a past, or some angst, or dammit, a flaw. And a female writer sure as hell wouldn't have tarted Lori up in tight pants and heels, as the writers have been wont to do. We get the point guys - you think Lori's hot. And it's gotten very old, very quickly.

Only when the writers of the show are female is Super-Lori, not chewing up the scenery. Unfortunately, there have only been four episodes this season written by women. Case in point - the episode that aired this past Monday. Melissa Glenn and Jessica Rieder successfully managed to inject some of the former spark the show once possessed. Kono & Chin actually had something to DO in this episode, Steve and Danny bantered in the car as in the days of old. And, interestingly, Super-Lori damn near got her ass whumped (so much for those martial arts skills!) by actress Aimee Garcia, who portrayed a memorable, deadly kidnapper. Now, that's an actress who could bring some much-needed spice to the lagging show. My only quibble about this episode is with the calf-eyed glance Super-Lori cast at Steve at the end of the episode.

On next week's episode, Chin and Malia get married. Let's hope the show focuses on the happy event. But, as the episode has been writen by a male, I'm not holding out much hope. Viewers will probably be forced to endure more of Super-Lori's wearying presence. Let's just hope that she doesn't hop up in the middle of the wedding, push the minister aside, and perform Chin & Malia's wedding ceremony, because, remember, she can do anything.

So, how can the writers fix the mess this season has become? Getting rid of Super-Lori would be an excellent first step. No, I'm not advocating killing her off. But give the broad a desk job in the Governor's office, send her on an extended vacation, or pack her off on a mission of some sort.

Restoring some badly needed diversity to the show would also be welcome. Season two smacks of white-bread - both in the majority of the writing, and in the excessive focus on Super-Lori. Damn, those Asians on the team sure got dumbed down once she showed up! Okay, Masi Oka, as Max Bergman, has gotten more screen time this season. But what was his big moment? Why, escorting Super-Lori, tricked out a la Sandy from "Grease", to a party. Excuse me while I gag.

The last thing this show needs is another insipid white chick. Let's hope the male writers wise up quickly.

A Mrs. Mike Update - Waiting for MBZ

In the past few years, I have been fortunate to hear from many wonderful people, all of whom, like myself, who have read and loved the book Mrs. Mike. All are hungry for more information about Katherine Mary O'Fallon Flannigan and Sgt. Mike.

Through the years, many of us have learned that Kathy and Mike's love story was fictionalized by the writers Benedict and Nancy Freedman. Yes, Kathy and Mike really existed, but many of the details in the Freedman's book had been fabricated. Yet there is precious little information available on the internet, despite years of searching.

In late October, I received an response to a blog post from a gracious woman, with the initials "MBZ". She told me that she was the great-niece of Kathy Flannigan, and that she and her sister were hoping to learn more information about their great-aunt. She mentioned that she was gratified by the continuing interest in her great-aunt's story.

Unfortunately, she didn't include an email address, so I could correspond with her directly. I did, however, respond to her post, giving my email address, and inviting her to contact me directly. I have also received several messages from others who are also waiting and hoping that MBZ will contact me again.

What a lucky woman, to have such a rich link to a woman whose story has touched millions. MBZ, thank you. I hope to hear from you soon...

Why I Hate the Yearly Science Fair Project

Over the years, I have learned that there is nothing that flips my Immediately Bitchy Button more quickly then the appearance of the packet heralding my daughter's yearly Science Fair project.

The agony routinely commences in early October - Cherished Daughter comes home from school, fishes out an immense packet of Pepto pink or spearmint-colored paper, and lays it gingerly in front of me. "It's that time of year," she offers, mustering a sickly grin.

Every year, I promise myself that I will not let the cursed packet and the subsequent project dictate my demeanor and my life. Every year, I fail miserably in accomplishing that goal. Every year, as I eye the offending packet, I rocket from Zen calm to incredibly foul in under five seconds.

The first step is to find an experiment for the project. In order to do so, I need to acquire clairvoyance, as it is not really about finding a science project, at this point. This involves knowing how the current year's science teacher thinks. Is s/he a look-we-all-hate-this-but-you-know-the-drill type of teacher, or is s/he the I-love-nothing-more-in-life-then-science-and-I-don't-care-if-it-kills-you-you're-going-to-love-it-too type?

Now, I still hate every second of every day until the cursed project is completed, but the first type of teacher ameliorates the eight weeks of agony - somewhat.

After four hours of online research, we decided on a relatively inexpensive experiment - testing the water absorption of pinto beans. Three trials, 18 plastic cups, a large bag of dried beans ($4.00 and change). Okay, I'd have to buy a food scale (digital - $20.00). At least that is something that can be used regularly. The soaked pinto beans would be tossed in a crock pot for turkey chili (2lbs ground turkey - $7.00).

I was ready to roar out of the gate & get this experiment DONE. But this year, unlike previous years, the idea had to be submitted to the teacher for approval. We were fortunate to get approval immediately. Then there was another layer of the approval process - filling out a six-page packet, which detailed how the research was going to be done, how the experiment would progress, etc. Jen aced that one, too.

Hindering the start of the experiment was one art teacher's sliding deadlines on the Ice Cream Princess costume (see post below), and another teacher deciding it would be fun for the kids to design an edible architectural structure for another class. So, my mind shifted from pinto beans to Starbursts, sour straws, and confectioner's sugar cement for a week.

Along the way, Jen dropped the unwelcome news that whereas, in the past, ALL kids had to do the cursed Science Fair project, this year the teachers were only requiring the kids in the advanced science classes to do the project.

I debated driving down to her school and strangling the bonehead that decided only the "smarter" kids would endure the yearly torture, but decided a Science Fair project was not worth a stint in prison. But my foul mood reached a new level after that news.

Science Fair projects are a waste of time, a waste of effort, and a waste of money. Sure, we always learn something new every year (after we did the experiment two years ago about fat bloom and chocolate, there are certain brands of chocolate I will never consume again, but, to avoid a lawsuit, I will not name companies here).

And why does everything have to be done in triplicate? All the associated crapola pertaining to the experiment has to be laboriously documented in a journal (extra composition books in closet, no money out of pocket). After the journal, all the associated crapola has to be crafted into a report, and handed to the teacher in a presentation folder, of course (uncles love to give Paper Junkie daughter stationery supplies - free!). Then the associated crapola has to be displayed on a science fair board (kiss another $13.00 goodbye for that).

And lets not forget the requisite photographs, at least five, to show the various steps of the experiment ($7.42 to develop film). It's hard not to think that one is frittering their life away while snapping shots of plastic cups, a food scale, a bag of beans, and measuring cups.

Today, with relief and exhaustion, Jen toted the journal, the presentation folder, and the cursed board off to school. I am confident, after all of her hard work, that she will get a great grade on the project.

Once the project is graded, she will cart the board back home, and it will be stashed in the depths of the garage, along with all the boards from Projects Past. This weekend, I will catch up on cleaning and laundry. We'll put up the Christmas tree, and relish the freedom from the clutches of the agony of the Science Fair project.

We are free...until next October.