Humanity Cliff
The constant chatter about the impeding doom of falling off of the “oh so precious” Fiscal Cliff, had me crazy to the point of wanting to give it a big fat shove to help it along. Talk about beating a dead horse, or carcass in this case. Since early November we have been held prisoner to term “Fiscal Cliff.” What the hell does it mean?
Well, according to Fiscal Cliff for Dummies this is what it boils down to:
The United States fiscal cliff refers to a large predicted reduction in the budget deficit and a corresponding projected slowdown of the economy if specific laws are allowed to automatically expire or go into effect at the beginning of 2013.
What are we a bunch of wussies? I for one am much more afraid of things like Silence of the Lambs then falling off a fiscal cliff. Maybe we’ll have to struggle or god forbid sacrifice, but we’ll make it..simmer down. Remember the Great Depression? So does my mother, who was born smack into it and is still here to talk about it….you’ll all live. The imaginary money on our portfolios might take a hit, but we’ll all survive. I think some folks in that 1% category might have a much harder time than me…I’ve done struggle.
The GOP Mascot has left the building
While all of our elected officials were sweating over the demise of their tax brackets, a big ole polka dotted elephant made her way to the center of the House floor. Rumor has it she was stunning. I heard first hand that she was wearing a red tutu with flashing lights, but it still wasn’t enough to get her recognized. What does a girl have to do to get noticed on the House floor? Please don’t answer that.
Her name was VAWA, she would have been 19 this year. Maybe you recognize her by her birth name, Violence Against Women Act. Sadly she is no longer with us since the GOP in the U.S. House of Representatives killed her this week. Yep, once again they will get away with murder. Why you ask? Other than the obvious, because they were too distracted by their own potential financial demise to give a shit, it’s because it would have expanded coverage of the law to more women including immigrants and Native Americans. More coverage, more money needed. It always comes down to the Root of ALL Evil money.
Honestly, if we as a nation cannot recognize the importance of providing vital assistance, to vulnerable women and their children when they need it most, I think we all better take a glance in the mirror and ask ourselves…WHY?
Clearly there is a much bigger problem in this country and it has absolutely nothing to do with the almighty dollar. It’s the shortage of HUMANITY. We as a nation have fallen over the Humanity Cliff long ago. Where is all the hype about this freaking disaster?
Oh, sure humanity teases us now and then when it climbs back up that mountain, all tattered and torn from its many, many journeys over the cliff. Poor thing is hanging on by a thread. We all see it peaking over the top in the aftermath of some horrific tragedy, but then as life returns to “normal” or what is then defined as the “new normal” we shove it right back down. We can’t survive on these tidbits, we deserve more.
It’s obvious that the handful of good stories that surface in the wake of a tragedy restores our faith in humanity but it just isn’t enough anymore. These restorations need to be consistent in order to build a foundation that will prevent the fall.
Do your little bit of good where you are; its those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world -Desmond Tutu
We are materialistic to a level that is on the brink on insanity.
Our family units are broken.
Our children are becoming disconnected at the speed of light.
Our sense of community is scarce. We are distracted, divided and headed for disaster if we don’t collectively recognize this huge void in our daily lives. A unanimous Ah Ha moment is desperately needed for the common good.
It really is the everyday, unnoticed actions of kindness and caring that restore our faith in humanity. Practicing simple acts every 
day such as using caring words, providing a reassuring hug, lend a helping hand and confirm the acknowledgement of our existence by smiling at a stranger is a wonderful way to get started. Practice make perfect folks…we can do this together.
Remember, in the end that’s all we have is each other. So, take a moment to recognize that our obligation is not just with ourselves, but those who live with and within our decisions.
Keep it simple, make it significant and Enjoy the Ride!
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Christmas Is A State of Mind or Madness
Christmas Decoration Design Team
This time of year neighborhoods everywhere are beaming with Christmas displays, that are for the most part, entertaining for their beauty. Then there are those that provide a heavy dose of unintentional comedy. But, no one truly prepares us for those that leave us silently shaking our heads, as we ask ourselves some very pressing questions. Who came up with the idea of the hideous enormous inflatable holiday decorations that make absolutely no sense? Who are these creative geniuses that continue to test our level of Christmas tackiness? What happens behind that closed-door as the design team presents some of these brilliant ideas?
Shut the door Kringle!
Oh how I wish I were a fly on the wall when the Santa in an Outhouse idea hit the table. Did everyone gasp at the horror or did they ponder the thought “it’s so bad it might be good” idea? Considering this exhibit of Santa’s stenchivities is resting on lawns across the land, I think we know the answer. I couldn’t help but wonder if this is where Santa reads through all those letters? It’s probably best if we don’t discuss the Elf, his action speaks louder than my words.
Frosty, please get that stupid grin off your face.
This next one is by far the most senseless display of the season The Hunting Snowman. Christmas is supposed to be about joy, not intimidation. Where do we even begin? Should we start off with the lack of a trigger finger. Snowmen have mitten hands. Perhaps we could mention the look on the deer’s face. If that doesn’t just scream WTF, I don’t know what does. Maybe, just maybe, we could discuss the fact that HUNTING has NOTHING to do with CHRISTMAS! Nothing says Happy Birthday Jesus like a rifle toting snowman…said no one EVER!
Why?
At this point it’s clear nothing is off the table. There is a market for anything.
If there is an interest out there, you can surly bet that there is a Christmas lawn ornament to match it. I’m sure you’ve all seen the I LOVE Homer Simpson monstrosity that has creeped its way into Christmas. It’s not always a good thing to display your interests by way of a ginormouse inflatable Christmas decoration. Now, if you already have one of these beauties it’s ok, because I’m sure you’re already aware of your “that neighbor” status. If not…you are now.
Jurassic Park Reject
This next little masterpiece was spotted in broad daylight. I had to make a u-turn to verify what my eyes just registered with my brain. Oh, how I wish I were wrong. There it stood, clear as day The Christmas Dinosaur. What? You never heard the magically Christmas tale of the Christmas dinosaur? Just because the santa hat fits, doesn’t mean you have to display it!
I actually felt a tug at the ole heart-strings for this little fella. I know, I know but I couldn’t help it. I started to imagine at one point he was probably an understudy for that famous long neck featured in Jurassic Park. Once all the hoopla ended, he couldn’t get work and this was his last hope for a steady gig. Excuse me while I blow my nose..sniff, sniff.
I would like you all to know that these photos were taken very close to my home. Please don’t judge. Around my parts the front lawns have the square footage of a postage stamp, which makes seeing these immense structures more horrifying. It’s a Christmas miracle in itself that they’re still standing.
Do penguins need life
jackets?
Of course this piece was written in jest…sort of…in order to spread a little Christmas cheer. So please take some time to Enjoy the Ride this holiday season. Even if it’s in a 7 ft. inflatable speed boat driven by Santa with a penguin sidekick, that makes no sense whatsoever.
Merry Christmas!
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Remember….
Our country is grieving. Each child who has been slaughtered belongs to each of us and each slain adult is a member of our family. It is impossible to explain the horror to ourselves and to our survivors. We need to hold each other’s hands and look into each other’s eyes and say, “I am sorry.”
~Maya Angelou
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On To Plan B
Well friends, I’m here to report that I’m not a bizillionaire. I know sad but true. It really is tragic considering all of the kick ass plans I had for that dough. All those good intentions down the drain….again.
All those college loans lingering within my family, they’re staying. Keep paying your mortgages folks they won’t be paid off. No million dollar checks in the stockings this year kids, just new toothbrushes. Well, you can’t miss what you never had…right? Yea, you can…just a little.
So, while getting ready for work, because that’s what us common folk do, I decided to start focusing on the good fortune I did receive. The silver lining if you will. Prior to loosing the largest lottery on record, I was extremely excited about my other winnings, so let’s focus of the good here shall we. 
Although I didn’t win the 500,000,000 (that’s a lot of zeros) prize, I did win $50 (that is one zero) on a chance I purchased from
my son. WOO HOO! Clearly even God is capable of typos. He was probably using his new iPad from Steve and still struggling with the whole touch screen thing. It’s much different from those other tablets he was using, so he is forgiven..this time. Now, what the heck am I going to do with my jackpot?
Since my original plan consisted of spreading my new-found wealth all around the world, I will now be forced to think on a smaller
scale. On to Plan B. This 50 bucks is screaming to be released from my purse, so I better move quick. Taking that huge unexplained typo into consideration, it appears I will need to be very savvy with my spreading skills. It’s time to channel my inner Suze Orman for this challenge.
I’ve decided to collaborate my good fortune with this season of giving by performing 25 acts of kindness over the next few weeks. I have pledged to use my unexpected windfall to brighten the day of some unexpected recipients and share them here at Life With The Top Down. Feel free to leave suggestions in the comment section…we’re all friends here.
Practice kindness, Pass it on to others and Enjoy the Ride!
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Oh Yes We Did!
I loved the headline!
This is an update on my recent post Democracy Is Alive. Looks like a small group of committed citizens certainly can make a difference…Oh yes we did!
After we gathered the troops to battle the politicians, we utilized our freedom of speech via the press and the good old social media. Fact: Facebook & YouTube scare the crap out of old politicians.
We went old school to pound pavements for signatures and also included an online petition for our cyber supporters as well. No one said it would be easy.
I was fortunate enough to be part of a team composed of like-minded individuals in order to make this a success. We all have talents that enabled us to move this forward quickly. This “project” was in the works for 7 years and we changed those plans in a little over 40 days.
For instance, my neighbor Joe created the video that tugged at heart-strings of his audience … hey now, nothing wrong with jumping on the sympathy wagon … which just happened to spread like wildfire, dubbing him the “Michael Moore” of our project.
Our neighbor Ray was our communicator/informant. He made calls to all parties involved daily to gather our ammunition pertinent information, dubbing him “Deep Throat.”
Deep Throat, Michael Moore & Erin Brockovich
As for me, well I was the digger. I searched until my eyes were burning and my fingers sore. Thank you Google and Public Records search engines thank you very much. This dubbed me “Erin Brockovich.”
The story made an appearance in our local paper The Northeast Times, The Philadelphia Daily News, The Philadelphia Inquirer and Radio Station 106.9 here in Philadelphia. Not bad for a few concerned neighbors.
Our initial goal was to stop the madness completely, however according to our City Councilman, it was already a “done deal” and although he admitted “I should have notified the community, I take full responsibility.” Let me finish this sentence: However, it was an election year and a lot of you already didn’t like me, so I decided winning for my 8th term was way more important than all of you.
Therefore, without a long drawn out legal battle we wouldn’t have a chance in reversing this deal. The other “done deal” will be this councilman loosing his next run for office. He has been in office for 32 years…so tootles!
After numerous negotiations we made the decision to compromise with the business owner and I am happy to report that we made some significant progress in saving a large portion of this land from the asphalt. It’s amazing what a collective effort can accomplish. Hmm, I wonder where this would come in handy *cough* DC.
The company we were up against has been at its current location for 11 years, with organic growth during that time, however he is getting cramped and does need additional space to expand. The fact that he is able to expand in this economy is a very good sign for our community.
We were extremely fortunate because just like us, this businessman was also duped by the politician involved. He was promised 
that “everything was taken care of” and he had nothing to worry about. Poor thing thought the politician was doing the right thing by him.
We have been given the opportunity to assist in the design of the area that will be surrounding the parking lot. It will now be bordered by natural berms, lined with mature trees to block our view and absorb sound. We blocked the idea of a chain-linked fence and agreed on something that would be safe, but esthetically easy on the eyes.
There is also going to be a “meadow” constructed using trees and grasses that are historic to the area. The business owner as agreed to maintain this portion of the property for (5) years to ensure this land resumes to its natural state. We were all especially elated about this piece of the plan.
All in all our efforts were not wasted. We not only gained a voice in the construction of his property, we gained a stronger sense of community, which was long overdue.
This small sliver of the pie opened our eyes to some significant changes that need to be made in order have a successful voice in the decisions that are being made on behalf of “our best interest,” at all levels of our local government.
Now get out there and make a difference one act at a time….Enjoy the Ride!
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Got Truth?
I’ve been pondering about writing on this subject, but I decided it was necessary.
On September 11th this year I had the pleasure of 
being in NYC one of my most favorite places to attend the taping of a very popular TV show.
My feeling was the ticket availability was due to the lack of enthusiasm for venturing into NYC on 9/11, but I don’t think that was the case. It seemed to be business as usual 11 years later.
As we headed out in the wee hours of the morning, I couldn’t help but notice how this day seemed to mirror 11 years ago, as far as the weather was concerned anyway. It was absolutely perfect with clear blue skies, cool air and bright sunshine. No one expected the darkness we all experienced later that morning and I certainly didn’t anticipate what I experienced 11 years later, which was absolutely nothing. No extra kindness, smiles, eye intact or a word spoken the entire 2-hour ride for that matter.
The Faces of Vulnerability. LIFE
My Facebook, however, was exploding with images reflecting the towers draped in flags, flickering candles with prayers and, of course, the famous shot of the fireman planting the flag on the rubble. It was borderline annoying considering what I was experiencing in the real world.
All of these powerful images were met with the words “Never Forget.” News Flash….we’ve forgotten something very important. Not the event, that will be embedded in us forever, but the lessons seem to be MIA. What happened to our vulnerability?
As we were sitting on this bus, without an empty seat, I couldn’t help but notice the silence. It was deafening for god sakes, not a word was spoken.
I couldn’t help but think “If this bus blew up could I depend on this crew of statues to lend a helping hand?” Hey, I don’t walk around in fear of the sky falling, however, I don’t dismiss the possibility to the point of disconnect with the people around me.
Have we forgotten that the target that dreadful day 11 years ago was not the physical structures of these massive buildings, it was the strength they represented?
The real targets were our freedom, tolerance and decency. What happened to a sense of humanity?
As I sat outside of a cafe waiting for my nephew to eat his 100th meal of the day, I watched 
a homeless man being passed by an endless sea of people. Did I mention he was an Army veteran, oh and that it was 9/11?
I understand people get tired of giving up their dough to strangers that might be complete frauds…I get that whole thing. What bothered me was no one even made eye contact, he was invisible.
Well, call me what you will I had to give him something before I left. He stood up, shook our hands, thanked us, complimented my nephew’s bow tie and explained his recent homelessness. He was legit, alive and very visible and long as you’re willing to open your eyes!
Have we forgotten that we witnessed the worst of an ideology of fear and hatred, and the best of the American people? What happened to our unity?
I was the last to enter the bus to return to Philly, only to find there were no seats..or so I thought. Apparently there was a seat being occupied by Louis Vuitton. Simmer down folks, not the man the travel tote! Seems like the designer travel tote, who was not a paying customer, suddenly had more value than me. After numerous requests, the bitch woman reluctantly moved Louis to the side without an ounce of acknowledgement to my existence…I was invisible.
It could have been worse, it could have been a cheap knock-off! I had to justify it somehow people!
All of this, along with the negative climate that seems to be clouding over us daily, really has me questioning my own Truth to Power. Why is it so hard for us to exercise these simple tasks?
We speak to power in three senses:
- To those who hold high places in our national life and bear the terrible responsibility of making decisions for war or peace.
- To the American people who are the final reservoir of power in this country and whose values and expectations set the limits for those who exercise authority.
- To the idea of Power itself, and its impact on Twentieth Century life.
Our truth is ancient:
- that love endures and overcomes.
- that hatred destroys.
- that what is obtained by love is retained, but what is obtained by hatred proves a burden.
You can check out more on this powerful statement right here….sttp.html
Honestly, if we want things to be different, we as individuals need to take serious action to recommit to communicating rather than 
acting rashly, focus more on building rather than destroying and observe wisely rather than acting without thought.
These small changes can make a huge difference, not just in our daily lives, but as a nation and a world.
We can do this folks….Truth to Power…one day at a time. Enjoy The Ride!
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Democracy Is Alive
Since August 1st I’ve been working, along with a few neighbors, to stop the destruction of a beautiful piece of land near my home. As residents, we learned of this project the day the bulldozers rolled in to flatten the area. According to the Buck at my back gate, no members of the animal kingdom got the memo either and now they are scurrying to relocate.
It appears that a local tour bus company is expanding their parking lot to include 66 additional parking spaces to fill this once Open Space. Asphalt and diesel fumes will soon be our new neighbors, without so much as a peep on their arrival. The welcome wagon will remain in the garage for this addition.
Collectively we have been hounding our elected officials Whew, now that’s really been a freaking joy, utilizing the social media, pounding the pavement with petitions, exercising our freedom of speech in the press and now my blog.
It’s incredible how many people are up in arms, but disappointing to know that only a handful are truly committed to do the work. Personally, I believe in the beautiful words of Margaret Mead and I will continue to do so.
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.
Please watch the video and be inspired to sign our online Petition at parkwood-manor-preserve-our-open-space-stop-construction-of-tour-bus-parking-lot-2
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I Love My Samsonite
I came from a funny family, in every sense of the word. I grew up at a time when fathers went to work, and mothers stayed home to do motherly and wifely things all day. Yea, that was not my house.
My mother went to work when I was 7, and my father was most likely the first stay at home dad in the United States. A role model or instruction manual would have been nice, really really nice.
I’m pretty sure squirting the Jehovah Witnesses off the front porch with a garden hose would have been frowned upon in the instruction manual. Hey, at least he didn’t ask us to be accomplices, he just told us to”watch this.” In his defense, they were warned and clearly weren’t used to people following through with their threats.
Mother & I preparing a cake for the church bake sale.
Our family already stuck out like sore thumbs amongst the Ward & June Cleaver types on our block. My parents were 20 years apart; I have (2) siblings old enough to be my parents, another sister who is 15 months older than me, who was no doubt the, oops, leaving me to be the WTF shock. Honestly, the only thing drawing more attention would be a third eye or tentacles.
This dynamic was much harder on the older siblings. They grew up in an era where families were portrayed as “perfect.” The white picket fence father knows best era. I never trusted those homes, everyone has some Samsonite, and those people locked it in the closet.
My sister and I really had an advantage. Our examples were more realistic with an integrated family like The Brady Bunch surfacing along with the All In The Family crew that made us look downright acceptable. We were way ahead of the Modern Family times.
When you’re born into crazy, there is only one thing to do…LAUGH. Personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way. We all walked away with quick wits and the ability to find humor in just about any occasion.
Over the weekend my hubby turned the BIG 50. The whole family gathered at a local restaurant for dinner to celebrate.
Soon after arriving it was clear that either the air conditioning wasn’t working up to par or we were all having a unison heat flash. Not good in close quarters when it’s already close to 100 outside.
One of my sisters came back from the restroom and claimed “Omg! I look like a freaking rice cake with lipstick!” The best part about this is we all “got it” and could quickly respond with a confirmed “Omg! You do, you need some peanut butter girl.”
It’s official folks … RiceKake will now be included on the list of other famous sayings within our family circle. The new spelling was given the next day by the creator, just to give it edge…so badass.
Yesterday my husband referred to me as a RiceKake when I surfaced from a public restroom dripping with sweat after suffering stomach pains. Nothing says love quite like..Are you alright you look like a RiceKake? I quickly responded with…Seriously, I need some Nutella!
Our parents used crazy expressions all the time that have been embedded in us, but 
we tweaked them over the years. The list is very long, but I chose (2) that are most commonly used.
My mother was famous for the term “crazy as a hoot owl.” Throughout the years it has been altered to a simple “hooty” and for extreme situations “hooty in the highest.” This is a reference given to those people who are either crazy in a good way or a notch away from insanity. Please do not confuse this with “suits of skin” which is in a separate category.
All of the women in our family, including the offspring, use the term “he/she has a hair.” This originated from “he/she has a bug up their ass.” Over the years, depending on the level of attitude, we have all tweaked this to meet our individual needs.
It started out with a hair, which led to a ponytail that soon graduated into a braid and ended with a dread, which is short for dreadlocks. Oh yes, we all know it’s bad when one of us says “dam, he/she has a freaking dread!” You haven’t seen attitude until you’ve seen someone with a dread!
Example of use: Daughter: Mom, my boss had the biggest hair today.
Me: How bad?
Daughter: Oh, at least a braid!
Me: Well, he was probably just having a bad day, don’t worry about it.
My upbringing made me who I am today, complete with my own set of Samsonite to bring with me into adulthood. Recently I recognized the importance of working through the unpleasant moments by embracing the flaws in my baggage and sorting through all the good things that I safely tucked away in those little secret compartments. That’s where All the good stuff is.
Our families give us character, some more colorful than others, but ultimately all the same. The more we all except who we are, the easier it is to …. Enjoy the Ride!
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Let’s Rock These Games
Well ladies and gentleman the day has finally arrived…the 2012 Summer Olympics open this evening with a grand ceremony, no doubt it will be fit for a Queen. The best that London has to offer will be showcased in this ceremony that is sure to dazzle the world
While the eyes of the world patiently wait for the Olympic Flame to enter, light the Cauldron and start the Games. I want you to take a moment to really get this party started by directing your ears this way.
My nephew Ty Asoudegan, the lead guitarists for MACH22, had the badass opportunity to record the Olympic Anthem a/k/a Burgler’s Dream down in Nashville as a tribute to Team USA.
IT’S TIME TO ROCK THESE GAMES!
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Enjoy The Journey
This weekend certainly was a well-earned beauty! Mother Nature finally broke down and took something for her recurring hot flashes, giving us all a well-deserved break from the heat and humidity. Even my air conditioner let out a huge sigh of relief when I hit the off switch.
We decided to get our Ferris Bueller on, take the day off from our humdrum chores, put the top down and ride on … Oh Yeah! Ok, so we didn’t crash a parade or have entire city singing Twist and Shout, but it was still fun.
We decided to check out the Covered Bridges of Bucks County. I’ll be honest; the bridges weren’t nearly as exciting as the journey to locate each one. I was very proud of my co-pilot abilities. I was really on my game, Pocahontas level if I do say so myself. Considering my lack of map reading skills, this was huge deal for me.
We had the GPS, but I did
not feel like hearing that condescending bitch the whole ride. We haven’t gotten along since I completely ignored her repeated demands to get off an exit while singing along to the radio. She really needs to get over her recalculating self.
I wasn’t sure how the trip was going to go since right out of the gate we encountered (2) fun sucking moments. First up, humanity at its lowest. A young, very impaired man in a motorized wheelchair was trying to cross the street. The light turned green as he proceeded to cross SINCE HE DOES HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY, however the trained rats at the light also proceeded to go forward. Green means go, must go, light is green. The young man was pointing at the light, with a contorted hand, to indicate he had the right of way.
In this moment it really paid off to have a convertible. No need to roll down windows or hide behind tinted glass; you just raise your head over the windshield and let loose on this lack of civilization. No doubt I looked like a deranged giraffe, but was worth it.
That glory did not last long. Within minutes we encountered the downside of a convertible, which happens to be all that openness. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a young buck running out of the woods. This thing was practically in the car!
He seemed unfazed as he went back to the forest, where I’m sure my screams were the highlight of conversation around the woods. You should have seen her face, she was all screaming, it was straight up cray cray. I was sweating from fear while Rudolph was doing stand-up!
Onward to the covered bridges dammit! Uncivilized people and comedic wildlife are no match for this dynamic duo!
The bridges were located in obscure locations, which made the journey between each one interesting to say the least. Many of the roads were narrow, covered with debris from the recent storms that left me hitting “my” break every five seconds, not to mention the lack of human life form. My city slicker status was officially confirmed.
Throughout the day my husband kept pointing out different properties for sale. Look, that one has your name on it. Not unless my name is NO WAY it doesn’t. These places were beautiful, but I require entertainment. Grass growing is not entertainment.
As we were riding along these beautiful roads, with no lights or signs of human life, he continued to ask me if I would consider thinking about moving out to this beautiful countryside. Um, actually I was thinking that if I ever killed someone this area is loaded with good places to dump the body. What? You asked.
Honestly, he could live out there and be busy from sun up to sun down, he is a putter while I prefer to bustle. This works out wonderful where we are now, but I would not fare well in putterville. I need someone to give me the finger every once in awhile, let me know I’m alive for god sakes!
Reality set in and he saw the light once we lost the signal to our radio station and a man suddenly appeared with a shovel on the side of the road. My immediate thought was “holy shit this is just like an episode of Criminal Minds.” Once I regrouped, I realized he was just heading to scoop up the latest possum that didn’t quite make it across the road. Call me crazy, but that seems a little odd.
All in all it was a great day off filled with excitement, adventure, laughter & love. I highly recommend taking some notes from Ferris Bueller. Take a moment to experience the journey and Enjoy the Ride!
Life With The Top Down 
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