Good morning!

Friends and “Hat Throwers” :) You sure know how to make a girl feel appreciated, wanted, and loved…Thank you for your interest in wanting to be with this newly single girl, and for all of your offers of love, companionship, places to live, business opportunities, etc.  As much as, yes, I am looking forward to this new life, and yes, I am keeping my options open, please no more solicitations on the blog. You know how to reach me. Thank you.

Al, Social Butterfly, Howie, Anna of Guam, et al concerned: And thank you all for the good thoughts for me and Doug. We are doing just fine. As Doug stated, we love each other but the level of our feelings have changed. And Al: I know your intentions were well and good but, I do not feel disrespected or feel as if I am for sale. I appreciate your concern, but you need not be. All is good. Zen Lill: Thank you for the offer to talk, and we will talk. As I stated previously, all is good between us. But hey, you’ve said over and over you think the world of Doug, So…why not take Robert’s advice and throw your hat into the ring as well? :) Doug certainly enjoys your company.

Ruth & Harris: As always your warmth and love is felt half way across the world by me, and is so appreciated. Thank you both for the offer. I do know how to get in touch and I will. Big hugs and kisses to my family in Europe.

Alycedale: You must be reading my mind and watching this girl smile. Thank you.

Okay enough said on my new social life, wha’ats up out there in the real world?

Thanks DSCC for reporting that The Blunt Amendment didn’t pass. The GOP continue to be on the road to failure.

Speaking of the GOP did you read yesterday’s post from Human  Events? I will agree with one thing, this election is a matter of “life or death”, but only if Barack Obama is not reelected. Super Tuesday tomorrow will be interesting.

And speaking of women’s health care, I’m still reading writes with respect to Sandra Fluke. The media and the public weren’t the only ones upset with Limbaugh’s cruel words. It seem the Limbaugh’s advertisers began to leave in droves over his misogynistic manner.

Limbaugh Advertisers: We Still Won’t Sponsor Rush Anymore (UPDATED)

As the controversy grew over Rush Limbaugh’s latest incendiary comments — he called law student and birth control advocate Sandra Fluke a “slut” on Wednesday — his show’s advertisers began to flee in droves. The Associated Press reported on Sunday that seven companies have backed away from the show.

Mortgage lender Quicken Loans, mattress retailers Sleep Train and Sleep Number, online data backup service provider Carbonite, software maker Citrix Systems Inc., online legal document services company LegalZoom and flower company ProFlowers all pulled ads in reaction to Limbaugh’s comments.

On Saturday, Limbaugh apologized for his words directed toward Fluke. But for at least one CEO, that wasn’t good enough.

David Friend, who runs Carbonite, issued a statement on his company’s website that evening, saying that Carbonite would no longer advertise with Limbaugh despite the host’s rare admission of regret. From the website:

“No one with daughters the age of Sandra Fluke, and I have two, could possibly abide the insult and abuse heaped upon this courageous and well-intentioned young lady. Mr. Limbaugh, with his highly personal attacks on Miss Fluke, overstepped any reasonable bounds of decency. Even though Mr. Limbaugh has now issued an apology, we have nonetheless decided to withdraw our advertising from his show. We hope that our action, along with the other advertisers who have already withdrawn their ads, will ultimately contribute to a more civilized public discourse.”

ProFlowers also explained why it was pulling ads. Via its Facebook page on Sunday, the company criticized Limbaugh’s comments as “beyond political discourse to a personal attack” and stressed that they “do not reflect our values as a company.”

Disclaimer: AOL, the parent company of The Huffington Post, has an advertising deal with Rush Limbaugh.

********

I use Carbonite as one of my back-ups. I’m happy they are no longer advertising on his show. Now if we can only get the AOL/Huff Po to stop. How disappointing was that to read?

And then to no one’s surprise, as noted above, Limbaugh finally apologizes to Fluke, if you can call it an apology. Gee, do you think it’s because his advertisers are leaving in droves? Who cares what I say as long as the money is coming in. But oops…I guess I went to far, I’m losing money here. I better save myself.

Limbaugh’s apology was not sincere; it was all about greed and self preservation.

Rush Limbaugh Apologizes To Sandra Fluke For Calling Her A ‘Slut’

After a media and political firestorm, Rush Limbaugh issued an apology on Saturday for calling student Sandra Fluke a “slut” on his radio show this week.

Fluke, a law student at Georgetown University who was advocating for health insurance plans to cover the cost of contraception, became the target of a series of attacks by Limbaugh. Besides calling her a “slut,” he also called her a “prostitute,” said that he wanted her to make sex tapes and post them online, and speculated that she only had a problem paying for contraception because she was having “so much sex.”

Limbaugh’s comments caused advertisers to flee from his show, and even prompted President Obama to weigh in. The statements also became an issue in the Republican presidential race.

Limbaugh — who has a long history of making incendiary remarks, and is not known to take them back — issued the rare apology on Saturday afternoon, saying he was “sincerely” sorry about his “insulting” characterization of Fluke. But he maintained that the birth control debate was about “personal sexual recreational activities,” not any broader health questions, and compared contraception to sneakers.

Even as he walked back his comment, though, there were signs that Limbaugh is not out of the woods yet. Another advertiser, Carbonite, posted a message on Facebook saying that it was ending its sponsorship of his show.

“No one with daughters the age of Sandra Fluke, and I have two, could possibly abide the insult and abuse heaped upon this courageous and well-intentioned young lady,” CEO David Friend wrote. “Mr. Limbaugh, with his highly personal attacks on Miss Fluke, overstepped any reasonable bounds of decency. Even though Mr. Limbaugh has now issued an apology, we have nonetheless decided to withdraw our advertising from his show.”

And at least one organization wasn’t buying Limbaugh’s choice of words.

“Rush’s apology wasn’t actually an apology,” said Shaunna Thomas, a co-founder of UltraViolet, an online advocacy organization that does grassroots work on women’s issues. “He did little more than continue to expose himself as the anti-woman and offensive media personality that he is. Our campaign to pressure advertisers to drop their sponsorship of his show will continue next week. No radio show that attacks women should be rewarded with advertising dollars. And more than 84,000 of our members who signed a petition in the last day agree.”

Below, read Limbaugh’s apology in full:

“For over 20 years, I have illustrated the absurd with absurdity, three hours a day, five days a week. In this instance, I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms. Fluke.

I think it is absolutely absurd that during these very serious political times, we are discussing personal sexual recreational activities before members of Congress. I personally do not agree that American citizens should pay for these social activities. What happened to personal responsibility and accountability? Where do we draw the line? If this is accepted as the norm, what will follow? Will we be debating if taxpayers should pay for new sneakers for all students that are interested in running to keep fit? In my monologue, I posited that it is not our business whatsoever to know what is going on in anyone’s bedroom nor do I think it is a topic that should reach a Presidential level.

My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices.”

*L*S*O*S*

Readers: As you probably have guessed,  Limbaugh is a perfect candidate to become a member of the LSOS Club. Anyone disagree with me, blog me.

Peace out. 

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

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Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

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Good morning!

Howie: You are a regular here on the blog. My blog is everyone’s blog. And like all of the regulars, I feel you can handle your own when it comes to dishing it out and receiving it. We all have been there, including me, at least a few times, and some digs have been from you. I used to have thin skin; I was very sensitive. But now, I can pretty much take anything – my skin has thickened. I may not like it, just like I don’t like so many things that are happening in the world. I feel deeply, but I try not to let it get to me, overwhelm me,  so that I can think clearly and take action when it needs to be taken.

My job here is to post topics that I am passionate about, or that I just want to get out into the world. My life has changed over the years and I have very little time to dive into every drama that happens on my blog. And as you know,  they happen all of the time.  I think of my regulars as my side kicks, each and every one of you holds something very important for this blog.  We are all very different, and each of you represent a group of people in this world. If we were all alike how boring that would be. So yes, I am delighted that you are still here.

That being said, it does not matter whether I agree or not. What I love about this blog is that people speak as they feel. And because of the anonymity which you all have except for a few who have chosen to be known, it allows you can say anything you want without anyone knowing who you are. Something that I do not have. – The truth is revealed whether you know it or not, like it or not. I can’t tell you how much I have learned about people by starting this blog, especially those that I know personally.

We all have feelings Howie, and we all can get hurt. That is what makes us human. My advice, if you don’t mind me saying so, is learn and grow. I can’t imagine a better place to learn about yourself through the eyes of others, strictly by what you write. It does not surprise me that this blog gets so much attention. It is truly like no other. There is no judgement on looks, facial expressions, dress, a person’s occupation, etc. You can be a woman and pose as a man, and vice versa.

If something negative is said over and over again, and it bothers you, look at it. Even if you don’t think it is true or it doesn’t bother you, does it have merit? Why do people think this way about you? Perhaps everyone is wrong. But then maybe not. Do you care to look deeper?…Do you care to change? My inquiry does not mean I’m asking you to. Just throwing it around.

I find it quite fascinating during the height of drama when comments are frantically posted…the reactions of readers/commentators. I have discovered many patterns over the years from those who put in good time here. And I can read into what reactions might happen before they actually occur. And I am usually right, which brings a smile to my face when a comment is posted and a reader reacts just how I thought they would. I am rarely surprised, yet the familiarity of the comments still delights me.  No wonder there are schools and universities studying the writes. It is a continuing study of human nature and personalities in action. People are who they are, and they rarely change unless they want to. That, in my opinion, is just how it is.

Don’t like the dig? Evaluate it. Introspection is not always pleasant. So if you don’t want to look deeper, then my advice to you is to get over it and move on. After being here for almost 5 years, isn’t it about time? Know that most of my readers enjoy you and your alien chronicles – you are valued here. Don’t try to please everyone or be liked by everyone, or you’ll just make yourself miserable.

If I took to heart all of the men, and probably some women too, who think I am a man-hater, I would never be able to continue, if I let it bother me. But I don’t let it get to me because I know myself, not all of myself, as I am constantly learning. But enough to know that what I am doing in spite of those that oppose, is something good. My goal is much bigger than any drama that happens here. Not to say that important stuff doesn’t happen here; it does, or I wouldn’t be here. I am doing what matters to me. And fuck the ones who don’t support me, because they most likely never will. They are full of excuses, and don’t want to see the truth, but rather continue with the lies. My time is short here. I want to make a difference.

What I read every day and try to live by is this:

GOD, GRANT ME THE SERENITY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE, COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN, AND WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. 

I am not lacking in the courage department to change the things I can. My challenge is accepting those things that I cannot change, and even when I know I can’t, I always try to look for a way…just in case. I don’t give up easily with things that matter most to me. That is where the wisdom part comes in. I’m working on it though…everyday. Can I prevent the likes of people such as Kent? I do my damn best and then I let it go. The universe works in mysterious ways. You of all people should know that. I know my day will come. In the meantime, I do what I can do, and it is all I can do.

My advice to you is to do the same. I don’t know if this is the kind of answer you were looking for when you made your comment to me. But it certainly inspired me to write all of the above, and for that I am grateful to you. I HOPE you’ll stick around and continue to delight us in what ever manner you choose.

And apologize to Al. He was only supporting you like a true good friend.

Al: You are a good friend to Howie. One that everyone wishes they had. With respect to the readers, I HOPE you don’t mind me giving a bit of advice as well. Why do you let people who have no part in your life affect you so much that you no longer want to be here? Please read my comments to Howie about pleasing everyone. You know you too are always welcome here. If you don’t mind me saying, “Fix your computer, get over it and move on”,  and continue to delight the ones that do enjoy you. I for one am a fan.

Alycedale: You do have a way with words that hits the nail on the head. I love it. Words, I am sure many women have experienced and will heed. Thank you.

Olga: Just caught your comment. Excellent observation as well, and well said.

Well, I guess in light of Kaia’s comment to me this morning, I think now is just as good of a time as any other. Since this blog is like family to me, I wanted to share that after 14 years of marriage, Doug and I have come to the mutual decision of ending our romantic relationship. We both still love each other but our feelings are nothing more than good friends. We are both happy with this decision, as it is what both of us want. I am grateful for the good years that we had together and I only wish him the best.

Now…I’m off to enjoy a beautiful walk with my beloved Lucy. The forum is open. Blog me. 

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

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…let’s her little head overrule the big. 

Good morning!

Wayne, your apology sounds sincere to me. So, this one’s for you. Women too can let their little clitoris head overrule their big one.

Sex-tape stunner in Nadia Lockyer case

There’s a shocking twist in the saga of Alameda County Supervisor Nadia Lockyer and the incident at a Newark hotel that landed her in the hospital and a male acquaintance under police scrutiny.

We’re told that a sex tape of Nadia Lockyer and the man was given to her husband, state Treasurer Bill Lockyer, about six weeks before the Newark incident. The treasurer believed that the man, who has a history of arrests for alleged methamphetamine use, might make the tape public if forced to break off a romantic relationship with the supervisor.

Here’s the story, as we’ve pieced it together from sources knowledgeable about the law enforcement investigation into the Newark incident and the events that preceded it.

After receiving the sex tape and viewing a string of text messages between his wife and the man over the past three months, Bill Lockyer privately contacted Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley - a personal and political friend of the treasurer and his wife. Lockyer was at wit’s end as to what to do about his wife, and he hoped to persuade prosecutors to seek a court order barring the man from approaching Nadia Lockyer.

Bill Lockyer’s argument was that his wife was being stalked by the man, a 35-year-old San Jose resident whom he portrayed as a former boyfriend of Nadia Lockyer.

The investigation went nowhere, however, because prosecutors came to believe that Nadia Lockyer, 40, and the man were engaged in a consensual relationship, based partly on text messages and X-rated photos found on her computer.

O’Malley’s chief assistant, Kevin Dunleavy, confirmed only that the first official contact came when “our office was contacted by Nadia Lockyer’s office back in early January, and that Nadia felt she was being stalked” by the man.

“So we assigned a couple of inspectors from our office to do a threat management assessment,” he said, which included interviewing Nadia Lockyer but not the man.

“At the end of that interview, our inspectors came back and reported their evaluation that there was no stalking going on” – at least, nothing that could be legally construed as such, he said.

As for a sex tape?

O’Malley herself tells us “my office had nothing at all about a tape and blackmail.”

But the D.A., who acknowledged having a number of conversations with Bill Lockyer about his wife, said she was deeply concerned about Nadia Lockyer’s health, since she had lost considerable weight. O’Malley also had received sporadic text messages from Nadia Lockyer that suggested she was “in a downward spiral – in crisis.”

After news of the hotel incident went public, O’Malley turned over the criminal investigation to the state attorney general, citing Nadia Lockyer’s earlier work with a domestic violence program in the district attorney’s office. O’Malley said the information turned over included a string of text messages involving the man Nadia Lockyer had seen.

Before that, however, Bill Lockyer also contacted the father of Nadia Lockyer’s male acquaintance, telling him that his wife and the man’s son were in a “bad relationship” that had to end.

We’re told the father offered to help in destroying any copies of the sex tape and compromising photos that might be on his son’s computer or elsewhere – but then there was no follow-up.

The story might have died had police not been called to the Homewood Suites in Newark in the wee hours of Feb. 3, where they found Nadia Lockyer suffering from head and neck injuries. She told police she had been assaulted by the man her husband described as her ex-boyfriend. But even that incident has taken another twist.

Sources familiar with the case say the man gave a story of self-defense during the hotel encounter. His version differs sharply from the account given by Bill Lockyer. According to our sources, here’s how it goes:

For starters, the man – whom we’re not naming because he has not been arrested in the case – says there is nothing “ex” about the relationship, and that he’s not the stalker or potential suicide case that Bill Lockyer has characterized him as being.

The man, a construction worker, says his relationship with Nadia Lockyer has lasted more than a year, beginning when the two met at a Kaiser outpatient rehab program in 2010. Sources say she was enrolled for abusing alcohol and he for meth addiction.

The man also says he and Nadia Lockyer have communicated with each other since the hotel incident.

As he tells it, Nadia Lockyer invited him to visit her at the Homewood Suites on Feb. 3, where records show she had checked in.

He also says it was Nadia Lockyer who instigated the fight that night, because she suspected he was involved with other women.

Police, who answered a 911 call from the hotel about 2:40 a.m., have repeatedly interviewed Nadia Lockyer about the alleged attack.

Police referred all questions about the case to the attorney general’s office, which isn’t commenting. A spokesman for Bill Lockyer, who also served eight years as attorney general, said his boss had nothing further to say about the case.

Efforts to reach Nadia Lockyer were unsuccessful, and her acquaintance isn’t talking. She has checked into a center for treatment of an unspecified chemical dependency, and he was released from the Santa Clara County Jail late Thursday after being arrested last weekend for alleged drug possession and driving under the influence.

******

Howie: I HOPE that you and Al had a great time together for your birthday.

Social Butterfly: No big deal. As you stated before, “Great minds think alike”. And Wonderful Women On The World deserve to be recognized more than once!

Kent: Being a “regular” isn’t grounds for denying one of a status deserved. Since you didn’t lie here, but you admit that you lie “off blog”, I think you deserve an “Honorary Membership” to the LSOS Club.  So…really here…you’re just a thief . Okay, that we know for sure. Too bad I don’t have a club for thieves as you would surely be on it.

Ianthe: Thank you. But I am even more grateful that you had a change of heart and are still here with us. Be strong, and be well.

Happy Monday everyone!

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good afternoon!

So sorry. I posted this a few hours ago, and it looked like it was posted.

How often do I say that?  My bad…but I had something pressing that needed to get out at the last minute and I wasn’t aware of it until this moring. Ah…I need an assistant writer sometimes. Ya know like most of the big blogs. But nope…it is just lil ‘ol me. :)

So I am quickly perusing the net to find something interesting to post since hey…it is way late and most of you are probably thinking, “Michelle, wha’at’s up? Where’s the write?”

So I found this article that peaked my interest.

Single Women: More Of Us Than Ever Are Living Single. Here’s Why.

And I thought, “Hmm…I wonder what she thinks the reason is”. I read it quickly…very quickly, and I am not one who “gets everything” clearly when I just zip through it – zill it – so to speak. So… I cannot be totally responsible for my comments. I am going to be an irresponsible writer for once – well sort of (Okay so maybe I have been irresponsible before), but now I’m telling you.

And what I can say from zipping and zilling through it, is that I don’t agree with much of what the author writes, if what I got from reading is the gist of her write. Confused yet? And to top it off I can’t even debate it, as I  have no time to tell you why. But you do. You have all the time in the world to give me your opinion. And perhaps one day I’ll share with you mine, if you haven’t already guessed it.

So here it is:

Flying solo is in — in a serious way. A New York Times Q&A with Eric Kilnenberg, NYU sociology professor and author of the new book “Going Solo,” leads with the facts:

In 1950, 22 percent of American adults were single. Now that number is almost 50 percent. One in seven adults lives alone. Half of all Manhattan residences are one-person dwellings.

Kilnenberg has done his research. He spent a decade studying the phenomenon while working on his book, and he has all kinds of good explanations for those numbers. There’s less stigma than there once was around being single. People crave privacy and personal space — tough to preserve when you’re sharing a bathroom.

In another piece published several weeks ago, Kilnenberg wrote:

Living alone comports with modern values. It promotes freedom, personal control and self-realization — all prized aspects of contemporary life.

And Kilnenberg’s not the only one digging in. Melanie Kurtin enumerated what keeps her from committing here and Dominique Browning did so here, while Kate Bolick’s much-discussed piece inThe Atlantic, “All the Single Ladies,” began with a simple confession:

In 2001, when I was 28, I broke up with my boyfriend. Allan and I had been together for three years, and there was no good reason to end things. He was (and remains) an exceptional person, intelligent, good-looking, loyal, kind. My friends, many of whom were married or in marriage-track relationships, were bewildered. I was bewildered. To account for my behavior, all I had were two intangible yet undeniable convictions: something was missing; I wasn’t ready to settle down.

And this, I think, really gets at the truth behind our reluctance to commit: to borrow — and tweak — a phrase from a long-ago presidential campaign, It’s too many choices, stupid!

When we’re told that we can have it all, that everything is on the table, why would we ever commit to anything? Even if we know we love the thing to which we’re committing, we can’t help but wonder about all the things we didn’t choose.

And I’m not just talking about relationships.

Too many options applies to commitment of the romantic sort, sure, but also to jobs and where we should live and what kind of life we should have. Passion or paycheck? Security or freedom? Long hair or short? High heels or hiking boots?

Deciding, by definition, means “to kill.” Choosing one thing means you’re killing the possibility of having the other. And when we’re raised on the idea that anything’s possible — and every option is available — we see choosing anything as settling. And, of course, it is — it’s settling for something less than everything.

When you decide to take one path, there’s a risk of missing out on something — something we often imagine to be glorious, the proverbial greener grass — waiting for us at the end of another. As Hannah, a woman we profiled in Undecided, put it:

The grass is always greener. Like, do I want to move to San Francisco? Colorado? South America? Will life be any better in any of those places? Probably not. But it might be, so there’s that risk that I’m taking by not moving.

This mindset is so prevalent, some worry we have an entire generation of commitmentphobes on our hands. Psychologist Jeffrey Jensen Arnett is trying to get the in-between stage — the years when we try different jobs/relationships/cities/hairstyles on for size — designated as a distinct life stage, one he calls Emerging Adulthood. People don’t spent their entire career with one company anymore — the very idea sounds Flinstonian. Nor do they generally marry their high school sweethearts. To paraphrase Hannah, There’s that risk we’re taking by not checking out what else is out there. We have the whole world to explore first!

For women in particular, it’s excruciating. Because, in addition to that message — that we can do anything! — we were fed another, often from the women just a generation or two older than us, who weren’t afforded the same opportunity: that we’re so lucky that we can do anything. And combined, they leave many of us shouldering a load of responsibility.

From a post I wrote some time ago,

This bounty of opportunity is so new that we were sent off to conquer it with no tools — just an admonishment that we’d best make the most of it.

We know we’re blessed to have all of these options. We get it. And so is it any wonder we want a shot at each and every one of them?

But therein lies the rub.

We want to travel, but can’t take off whenever we feel like it if we’re also going to get our business off the ground — and featured on Oprah. We want a family, but that’d mean that packing up and moving to Cairo or New Orleans on a whim is pretty much off the table. We want to be there for our daughter’s every milestone, yet we also want to model what a successful career woman looks like. We want torrid affairs and hot sex, but where would that leave our husbands? We want financial security and a latte on our way to the office every morning, but sit in our ergonomically correct chairs daydreaming about trekking through Cambodia with nothing but our camera and mosquito net. We want to artists but have gotten rather used to the roofs over our heads. We want to be ourselves, fully and completely, but would like to fit in at cocktail parties, too. (And when on earth are we going to find the time to write our novels??)

We want to do it all, to try it all before we buy! And that, I believe, is what’s at the root of the cold feet. Choices are hard. Damn hard. And every one of them entails a trade-off. The work is in accepting that — and in finding out who you are right down at your core, and figuring which of those trade-offs you can live with.

*******

It’s Friday…you know what to do. Blog me.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

From one hopeless romantic to another, I share the discover of this lovely book on LOVE. After all…LOVE is…

All There Is: Love Stories from Storycorps by David Isay

Review By Chick Lit Reviews and News

A celebration of love from StoryCorps.

In All There Is, founder Dave Isay shares stories of love and marriage from the revolutionary oral history project, revealing the many and remarkable paths that relationships can take.
From the excitement and anticipation of courtship to the deep connection of lifelong commitment, we discover that love is found in the most unexpected of places-a New York toll booth, a military base in Iraq, an airport lounge. As the storytellers in this book start careers, build homes, and raise families, we witness the life-affirming joy of partnership, the comfort of shared sorrows, and profound gratitude in the face of loss.
These stories are also testament to love’s remarkable endurance. Love survives discrimination, illness, poverty, time-even death. In the courage of people’s passion we are reminded of the strength and resilience of the human spirit and its enduring capacity to begin anew. This powerful collection bears witness to real love, in its many varied forms, enriching our understanding of that most magical feeling.

Love is all around us. It’s in the way we treat each other as human beings to the relationships that grow over time. In these short stories of love discovered, lost and found people from all over the United States share their varying experiences that at their core speak to the romantic within each of us. From stories of love found at a time of war to the heartbreaking loss of a husband as the building he works in collapses around him each of their stories show humanity at it’s finest and give hope to readers everywhere.

Wow. It’s books like this that leave me with the realization I’m an absolute hopeless romantic. This is the reason I think readers here at Chick Lit Reviews and News will love this book. What could be better than honest to goodness true love stories that have happened to real people? This was a book that had me hoping for the very best, laughing at times and on at least one occasion crying uncontrollably. Not all of the stories end in a happily ever after and some even openly admit they wish things were different, but even in a mere two or three pages each couple has an incredible journey to share and I loved them all.

All There Is: Love Stories from Storycorps by David Isay is a book based on the shared stories of numerous couples from around the US who visited a StoryCorps location to record their journey. It’s such a unique concept and it’s actually the first time I’d heard about it. Two people can go to a StoryCorps location and record an “interview” that will then be given to them as well as put in the records at the Library of Congress for future generations to listen to and learn from. In All There Is: Love Stories from Storycorps the stories about the relationships & love that have been shared over time were compiled into the book, separated into three categories: Found, Lost and Found at Last. It’s such a brilliant idea and one that I thoroughly enjoyed reading about.

Overall I’d say that the most enjoyable parts of All There Is: Love Stories from Storycorps for me were the first and second sections. In the first section “Found” each of the couples share how they found and fell in love with the other. Sometimes their stories are absolutely hilarious, one even admitted that she thought her husband was a bit mentally slow initially because he never spoke and just stared at her (turns out he didn’t speak English very well). They aren’t all hilarious though and a few were so wonderfully romantic that it had me thinking about how I could incorporate some of their long lasting marriage advice into my own marriage. The second section in the book was all about losing love, primarily through death. Obviously this was a very melancholy section, but at the same time many of the stories were incredibly hopeful and of course filled with love. As I mentioned earlier one of the stories had me sobbing uncontrollably by the end, but the couple’s story was so moving and I couldn’t help but think I need to remember to value my loved ones even more because of their shared experiences.

All There Is: Love Stories from Storycorps by David Isay is without a doubt one of the most romantic books I’ve ever read. With the upcoming Valentine’s Day holiday coming I’d highly recommend this as a gift to someone you love or even simply as a treat for yourself. This is definitely a book I could easily see readers of Chick Lit Reviews and News loving. All There Is: Love Stories from Storycorps is a book filled with love, hope, heartbreak and passion. Being the hopeless romantic that I am I fell completely in love with the stories shared by each and every couple in All There Is: Love Stories from Storycorps and I know that other readers will as well!

Here is an animated true LOVE story that I absolutely LOVE. I only watched a few but this one was especially touching and beautiful. 

Danny & Annie

Brooklynites Danny, an OTB clerk, and Annie, a nurse, remember their life together—from their first date to Danny’s final days with terminal cancer. This remarkable couple personifies the eloquence, grace, and poetry that can be found in the voices of every day people if we take the time to listen. Originally an animation in two parts, here you’ll see a special version that combines both parts of their story.

*L*O*V*E*

I wish for everyone to experience the beautiful light and LOVE that these two feel for each other.  To see more videos of true LOVE stories click here.

Happy Valentine’s Day to my LOVE and all of you!

xoxo

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"