Last night I had a final farewell dinner with my writer buddies. One of them was kind enough to blog about it today. Reading her blog about memories got me thinking.
We've moved a lot. I stress about it some, but for the most part, I like changing things up in my life. And every place we've ever lived, I've enjoyed. I've found something unique that I've liked about every single place I've ever laid my head. It's true. I bloom where I'm planted.
I believe that my life has a purpose. Every place I move, I think that God has put me there for some reason. When I've accomplished what He expects, it's time to move on.
So, I'm guessing that whatever I was scheduled to impact in Tulsa has been completed. Maybe it was nagging my critique partners into completing their books? Maybe it was being there for a friend when her mother passed away. No telling. God has a plan that I am not privy to. But I believe there's a plan.
The next step for me is North Africa--Tunis, Tunisia. On the Mediterranean Sea, a resort town. There's nothing wrong with this picture. I'm hoping to make some good friends, enjoy the surrounding countries and do a little traveling. I'm sure there will be challenges, but I also hope that I'm one step closer to following my assigned path. Wherever it leads.
--Sandee Wagner
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
VHS Collection
For years the media of choice was VHS tapes. Over the course of that time, I collected quite a few movies. Ones I loved that I could watch over and over again. I even had a few that I only watched when I was feeling pitiful--comfort movies.
When DVD became the new improved media of choice, I got a DVD/VHS combo unit and started collecting DVDs. But I still had the ability to play the old tapes. It might not seem important to some, but timing-wise all the high school athletics and shows I had for all three of my children was still in VHS format. How could I show other parents my kids' antics if I didn't have the ability to still play VHS tape?
Just recently, I popped in an old movie and got ... nothing. The VHS portion of the combo unit doesn't work any more. I looked at that mess of old video tapes and wondered what to do.
When we got the contract for the overseas job and had to really look at our household goods with a gimlet eye, I came up with an idea. I would donate my VHS collection to charity and just make a list of the titles I wanted to re-acquire in the new format... which, once again, has been eclipsed and is now BluRay.
So, today, I chunked the movies into a box and made a 'wish list' on Amazon of all the replacement DVD/BluRays. For any gift giving occasion, my kids and family will already know what I want or need. Some day, my movie collection will be whole again.
I don't have near as many as some folks do. I am more selective about the movies that I will watch over and over again. Some things are just better on the 'big screen' and some don't bear repeating. But there are a few that I can watch over and over again.
I even used a lot of them as examples in a class I taught on screenwriting techniques. It was easy to imagine the film I enjoyed and suss out the device to use for explanation.
What I never expected was to find that some of my VHS tapes were worth a bunch of money. That's right. Real money. Like $70 or $80 dollars. Some of the old films have never been moved to DVD, and apparently, that has affected the price of the now scarce VHS versions. Hard to believe, but there you go. Those VHS tapes, I delicately packed back into the sleeves and put them carefully away. Can I play them? No. Will I keep them? Yes. I'd rather have the movie on a version that's hard to play than not to own it at all. Crazy? Maybe. But I must have good taste.
--Sandee Wagner
When DVD became the new improved media of choice, I got a DVD/VHS combo unit and started collecting DVDs. But I still had the ability to play the old tapes. It might not seem important to some, but timing-wise all the high school athletics and shows I had for all three of my children was still in VHS format. How could I show other parents my kids' antics if I didn't have the ability to still play VHS tape?
Just recently, I popped in an old movie and got ... nothing. The VHS portion of the combo unit doesn't work any more. I looked at that mess of old video tapes and wondered what to do.
When we got the contract for the overseas job and had to really look at our household goods with a gimlet eye, I came up with an idea. I would donate my VHS collection to charity and just make a list of the titles I wanted to re-acquire in the new format... which, once again, has been eclipsed and is now BluRay.
So, today, I chunked the movies into a box and made a 'wish list' on Amazon of all the replacement DVD/BluRays. For any gift giving occasion, my kids and family will already know what I want or need. Some day, my movie collection will be whole again.
I don't have near as many as some folks do. I am more selective about the movies that I will watch over and over again. Some things are just better on the 'big screen' and some don't bear repeating. But there are a few that I can watch over and over again.
I even used a lot of them as examples in a class I taught on screenwriting techniques. It was easy to imagine the film I enjoyed and suss out the device to use for explanation.
What I never expected was to find that some of my VHS tapes were worth a bunch of money. That's right. Real money. Like $70 or $80 dollars. Some of the old films have never been moved to DVD, and apparently, that has affected the price of the now scarce VHS versions. Hard to believe, but there you go. Those VHS tapes, I delicately packed back into the sleeves and put them carefully away. Can I play them? No. Will I keep them? Yes. I'd rather have the movie on a version that's hard to play than not to own it at all. Crazy? Maybe. But I must have good taste.
--Sandee Wagner
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Traveling North
We took a road trip this weekend. We drove a trailer full of tools up to my son in Minneapolis, MN. I've been to Minneapolis before, but I flew in, I never drove it. So, we left Oklahoma and drove North. We went through Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota. It was a long drive, but so scenic.
I really understand all that terminology in the song now... you know what I mean, the "amber waves of grain". We drove through the heartland--America's breadbasket--real farm country. It was beautiful. Truly a lovely drive. And I can say that even though I was in torrential rain for about four and a half hours of the drive up.
Minneapolis is a lovely city. I'm sure I was seeing it at its best--green and lush, not sub zero temperatures and covered in snow... After driving around for a couple of days, I think I could happily live there. It's a delightful place filled with very friendly folks.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to be home and back in my own digs. I'm pleased that I'm not sitting in the car for 10 hours tomorrow. My back really needs a break. But I'm so glad I made the drive.
Traveling north was eye opening. Seeing another part of this amazing country--a part that is so distinct and different from my normal stomping grounds--was great fun. I'm glad I got a chance to make that trip. And I recommend the drive to anyone who hasn't done it. The roads are fine, the traffic is light and the scenery is gorgeous.
Just don't do it in the winter. I get the feeling that would be a very bad idea.
--Sandee Wagner
I really understand all that terminology in the song now... you know what I mean, the "amber waves of grain". We drove through the heartland--America's breadbasket--real farm country. It was beautiful. Truly a lovely drive. And I can say that even though I was in torrential rain for about four and a half hours of the drive up.
Minneapolis is a lovely city. I'm sure I was seeing it at its best--green and lush, not sub zero temperatures and covered in snow... After driving around for a couple of days, I think I could happily live there. It's a delightful place filled with very friendly folks.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to be home and back in my own digs. I'm pleased that I'm not sitting in the car for 10 hours tomorrow. My back really needs a break. But I'm so glad I made the drive.
Traveling north was eye opening. Seeing another part of this amazing country--a part that is so distinct and different from my normal stomping grounds--was great fun. I'm glad I got a chance to make that trip. And I recommend the drive to anyone who hasn't done it. The roads are fine, the traffic is light and the scenery is gorgeous.
Just don't do it in the winter. I get the feeling that would be a very bad idea.
--Sandee Wagner
Sunday, September 5, 2010
So Many Chores, So Little Time
So, the clock is actually clicking now. We have a pack out date and we're definitely moving. We had the realtor over to fill out paperwork so the house can be listed and sold. The most amazing part of this transaction: All the things we thought we had to do? He told us not to bother doing.
My to-do list got shorter instead of longer. Does that ever happen on "Designed to Sell"?
Seems like there's a clause in the contract that says the seller builds in some random amount for repairs. According to the realtor, you need to leave some things undone for the inspector to find. Let them spend some of that allowance for the repairs. Really? I guess I hadn't thought about it, but it's a way to allow buyers to make sure the repairs are to THEIR satisfaction.
Buying and selling property is all a mind game. It's such a personal thing. Some people won't buy a house if the Feng Shui is off. If there's a street pointing at your front door (so a car could t-bone you by running a stop sign), you'll lose buyers who worry about that sort of thing.
I have to like the way a property 'flows'. I'm not sure I can quantify it, but when I walk around a house or apartment, I can tell you almost immediately if I'd be able to live in it or not. Something about the floor plan can be okay or completely off. There's no in between for me. I pity the realtor who has to show me around. Even with years to consider it, I can't really narrate what I'm specifically looking for.
I'm hoping my house will appeal to someone. I'd like to get it sold and then quit worrying about it. Get on with the next phase of my life.
We still have some stuff we need to get rid of. It cannot go overseas with us. We need to dust the big weight machine off, take pictures and post it on Craig's List. Kind of a 'free to good home' advertisement. Or donate it to the Boy's Club, or something.
We have a load of stuff to take to our son up north, and another load of stuff to deliver to DH's sister in Texas. We'll be on the road these next few weeks, trying to get all the last minute stuff delivered.
I still have so many questions. Will my Sirius Satellite Radio work in North Africa? How is my car insurance going to be impacted by parking a car for a couple of years? Can I download maps for North Africa and Europe for my Garmin? Will they pack up my canned goods and dry goods? Inquiring minds want to know.
As I mark off my tasks, one by one, I'm hoping I not only get a sense of accomplishment, but that I manage to shake some of the stress that's beginning to plague me. My hair is falling out and I'm not sleeping well. I need for this to be over.
And it will be. In a few short weeks. Whether I'm ready or not.
--Sandee Wagner
My to-do list got shorter instead of longer. Does that ever happen on "Designed to Sell"?
Seems like there's a clause in the contract that says the seller builds in some random amount for repairs. According to the realtor, you need to leave some things undone for the inspector to find. Let them spend some of that allowance for the repairs. Really? I guess I hadn't thought about it, but it's a way to allow buyers to make sure the repairs are to THEIR satisfaction.
Buying and selling property is all a mind game. It's such a personal thing. Some people won't buy a house if the Feng Shui is off. If there's a street pointing at your front door (so a car could t-bone you by running a stop sign), you'll lose buyers who worry about that sort of thing.
I have to like the way a property 'flows'. I'm not sure I can quantify it, but when I walk around a house or apartment, I can tell you almost immediately if I'd be able to live in it or not. Something about the floor plan can be okay or completely off. There's no in between for me. I pity the realtor who has to show me around. Even with years to consider it, I can't really narrate what I'm specifically looking for.
I'm hoping my house will appeal to someone. I'd like to get it sold and then quit worrying about it. Get on with the next phase of my life.
We still have some stuff we need to get rid of. It cannot go overseas with us. We need to dust the big weight machine off, take pictures and post it on Craig's List. Kind of a 'free to good home' advertisement. Or donate it to the Boy's Club, or something.
We have a load of stuff to take to our son up north, and another load of stuff to deliver to DH's sister in Texas. We'll be on the road these next few weeks, trying to get all the last minute stuff delivered.
I still have so many questions. Will my Sirius Satellite Radio work in North Africa? How is my car insurance going to be impacted by parking a car for a couple of years? Can I download maps for North Africa and Europe for my Garmin? Will they pack up my canned goods and dry goods? Inquiring minds want to know.
As I mark off my tasks, one by one, I'm hoping I not only get a sense of accomplishment, but that I manage to shake some of the stress that's beginning to plague me. My hair is falling out and I'm not sleeping well. I need for this to be over.
And it will be. In a few short weeks. Whether I'm ready or not.
--Sandee Wagner
Friday, September 3, 2010
Tulsa Loses a Landmark
This afternoon, the Admiral Twin Drive-In movie screen caught on fire and burned completely. This comes on the heels of that theater being picked as one of the best and receiving a $20,000 grant to make improvements to the screens. Fan voting pushed the Admiral Twin over the top in the Hampton Inn's "Save A Landmark" contest.
The history of the drive in theater is actually pretty interesting. I would have thought they had risen to prominence in the 50's when cars were king, but they really started in the 30's.
The Admiral Twin was opened in 1950 with just a single screen (so probably not called the "twin" at that time) and they added the second screen the next year. It's been in business for over 60 years. It IS a landmark in Tulsa.
I didn't realize that that huge double screen was built of wood. And apparently, because it was built of wood, it was not commercially insurable. This begs the question, "will the drive in be rebuilt?" I guess the Admiral Twin could go the path of so many other drive ins and be shut down. But I sure hope it's not.
--Sandee Wagner
The history of the drive in theater is actually pretty interesting. I would have thought they had risen to prominence in the 50's when cars were king, but they really started in the 30's.
The Admiral Twin was opened in 1950 with just a single screen (so probably not called the "twin" at that time) and they added the second screen the next year. It's been in business for over 60 years. It IS a landmark in Tulsa.
I didn't realize that that huge double screen was built of wood. And apparently, because it was built of wood, it was not commercially insurable. This begs the question, "will the drive in be rebuilt?" I guess the Admiral Twin could go the path of so many other drive ins and be shut down. But I sure hope it's not.
--Sandee Wagner
Thursday, September 2, 2010
State Fairs and Culture
I heard a story on NPR this morning about a concessionaire at the Texas State Fair who has perfected "deep fried beer" as his entry into the fair's contest for concessions. I'm sure it helps that it's deep fried, it is Texas after all.
The host of the show tried to tickle out the process for deep frying a liquid, but the guy was pretty close lipped. He has a patent pending.
Last year, my son went to the Texas State Fair with the express purpose of trying every fried food that was sold. He did it. He was actually pretty sick for days afterwards. Apparently, humans are not plumbed to ingest that much fat.
The winner in his mind last year was "deep fried butter". Yes, you heard that right. Deep fat fried fat. I have to say, this did not attract me in the least and I can be seduced by a funnel cake. He said they took flavored chunks of butter, battered them and deep fried them. When you bit into the chunk, you had a big mouth full of buttery flavored dough. Makes my teeth itch just thinking about it.
The deep fried beer appetizer is more like a ravioli. They say that the deep frying process doesn't diffuse any of the alcohol potency, so it's just like drinking a gulp from a can. He's using Guinness beer, which is served at room temperature any way, so maybe this one will be good. I'm withholding judgement.
I love state fairs. I think you can tell a lot about a city or state by the annual fair and the people who turn out for it. Our first Oklahoma State Fair was enlightening. I had my first Scotch Egg and my first Indian Taco. It wasn't all about the food. I also got "the last mop you'll ever own!" on the midway and saw some great stuff being hawked by professional salesman.
At the Oklahoma State Fair, you see salesmen who are pitching tornado proof shelters. You don't see that at other fairs. FEMA and the Emergency Management System both had booths set up with storm preparedness literature. I chatted with those guys for quite a while.
You learn things about folks in your state. One thing I know about Oklahoma from the state fair? The local pecan growers have all formed a coalition and take their fallen trees and culls to a lumber yard. You can buy pecan flooring with the sure knowledge that these trees were sustainably harvested and you're keeping a family farm in business.
I also learned a lot about Indian culture. A lot of the tribes are represented at the State Fair. There are celebrations with singing, dancing and drums. There are cultural exhibits with historical information available. It's a world away from other state fairs.
I like the fair. I like seeing what they'll carve out of butter. I like watching some of the FFA shows. Seeing the little kids dressed all spiffy showing off the glamorous livestock they hand raised. It's a fun, family experience.
Oh, and the food. I need a funnel cake.
--Sandee Wagner
The host of the show tried to tickle out the process for deep frying a liquid, but the guy was pretty close lipped. He has a patent pending.
Last year, my son went to the Texas State Fair with the express purpose of trying every fried food that was sold. He did it. He was actually pretty sick for days afterwards. Apparently, humans are not plumbed to ingest that much fat.
The winner in his mind last year was "deep fried butter". Yes, you heard that right. Deep fat fried fat. I have to say, this did not attract me in the least and I can be seduced by a funnel cake. He said they took flavored chunks of butter, battered them and deep fried them. When you bit into the chunk, you had a big mouth full of buttery flavored dough. Makes my teeth itch just thinking about it.
The deep fried beer appetizer is more like a ravioli. They say that the deep frying process doesn't diffuse any of the alcohol potency, so it's just like drinking a gulp from a can. He's using Guinness beer, which is served at room temperature any way, so maybe this one will be good. I'm withholding judgement.
I love state fairs. I think you can tell a lot about a city or state by the annual fair and the people who turn out for it. Our first Oklahoma State Fair was enlightening. I had my first Scotch Egg and my first Indian Taco. It wasn't all about the food. I also got "the last mop you'll ever own!" on the midway and saw some great stuff being hawked by professional salesman.
At the Oklahoma State Fair, you see salesmen who are pitching tornado proof shelters. You don't see that at other fairs. FEMA and the Emergency Management System both had booths set up with storm preparedness literature. I chatted with those guys for quite a while.
You learn things about folks in your state. One thing I know about Oklahoma from the state fair? The local pecan growers have all formed a coalition and take their fallen trees and culls to a lumber yard. You can buy pecan flooring with the sure knowledge that these trees were sustainably harvested and you're keeping a family farm in business.
I also learned a lot about Indian culture. A lot of the tribes are represented at the State Fair. There are celebrations with singing, dancing and drums. There are cultural exhibits with historical information available. It's a world away from other state fairs.
I like the fair. I like seeing what they'll carve out of butter. I like watching some of the FFA shows. Seeing the little kids dressed all spiffy showing off the glamorous livestock they hand raised. It's a fun, family experience.
Oh, and the food. I need a funnel cake.
--Sandee Wagner
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Keeping Up With The Ridiculous
When my sister was visiting me, she made some comment about not even knowing who those Kardashians were and why was anyone bothering to keep up with them? I just laughed. I told her it was like any other train wreck that you can't take your eyes off of. Jersey Shore. Pretty Wild. Keeping Up With The Kardashians, the two that take Miami, etc. Some shows are just created to titillate the viewer with the lives of the rich and famous.
The Kardashians were children of a highly paid LA attorney. When he died they opened a clothing store. Their mom married Bruce Jenner. They became friends with the rich and famous because they were rich fashionistas. They started walking the red carpet with their BFFs and got famous for being famous.
Now, when I am not paying attention to TV--read this, 'watching TV with my laptop or a book on my lap'--I often end up with the channel on HGTV, The Food Network, or E! Entertainment. These channels are ones that I can watch out of the corner of my eye and not be distracted too much. When I'm paying bills, or researching, even catching up on emails, I generally have this TV on as company.
So, I see way more of the Kardashians than I'd like. Because they do doggone marathons of that show.
I saw a new one last night. They were, in turns, bemoaning the fact that Kim Kardashian is single and needs a date, and showing her in her new home. When the family forced a 'house warming party' on her, against her will, she rented people corrals from a local movie theater so that she could bar off rooms of her house. She erected shoe racks in the foyer so that the party attendees would take off their shoes. When her mom saw it, she made Kim take it all down saying she couldn't be rude to her guests.
So, Kim had all these people over and had a nervous breakdown because they spilled drinks and messed up a pillow. She fled upstairs crying like a baby about her stuff being ruined. When Bruce Jenner (the voice of reason in this crazy family) went up, he told her that having a home was a place to make memories. All the stuff could be fixed or replaced, it was the memories that you made in a home that you treasured. Good advice.
So, the little rich girl went down, crammed a cupcake in her mother's face and got in a food fight in the kitchen. It sounds stupid, but it really was her way of relaxing and having fun.
The thought that circled through my mind the entire episode was this: "THAT is why she's single. No man would put up with that craziness, no matter how pretty or rich she is."
When I watch shows like this, it reminds me how good I have it. It doesn't matter to me that I'm not rich, or famous, or living an LA lifestyle. What matters to me is family and love. I've got that in spades. If you want to come over to my house and spill a drink, you can. I'll fling a towel at your head and bark at you to clean it up. That's it. If you ruin something, I'll replace it. Because I've never cared about my stuff... not more than my friends.
There's a lot of good TV on these days. Excellent dramas and comedies were feted on Sunday night at the PrimeTime Emmys. I'm pretty sure none of the shows I'm watching were even nominated. But who cares? I watch mindless TV when I want NOT to be engaged. And this show is mindless TV.
My sister is right to ignore these antics. They can have no impact on her life. She doesn't care about celebrities and they don't care about her. When she watches TV, she pays attention. So she watches better shows than I do. Generally, when I'm watching TV, it's with a book in my lap. I should just turn it off, shouldn't I?
--Sandee Wagner
The Kardashians were children of a highly paid LA attorney. When he died they opened a clothing store. Their mom married Bruce Jenner. They became friends with the rich and famous because they were rich fashionistas. They started walking the red carpet with their BFFs and got famous for being famous.
Now, when I am not paying attention to TV--read this, 'watching TV with my laptop or a book on my lap'--I often end up with the channel on HGTV, The Food Network, or E! Entertainment. These channels are ones that I can watch out of the corner of my eye and not be distracted too much. When I'm paying bills, or researching, even catching up on emails, I generally have this TV on as company.
So, I see way more of the Kardashians than I'd like. Because they do doggone marathons of that show.
I saw a new one last night. They were, in turns, bemoaning the fact that Kim Kardashian is single and needs a date, and showing her in her new home. When the family forced a 'house warming party' on her, against her will, she rented people corrals from a local movie theater so that she could bar off rooms of her house. She erected shoe racks in the foyer so that the party attendees would take off their shoes. When her mom saw it, she made Kim take it all down saying she couldn't be rude to her guests.
So, Kim had all these people over and had a nervous breakdown because they spilled drinks and messed up a pillow. She fled upstairs crying like a baby about her stuff being ruined. When Bruce Jenner (the voice of reason in this crazy family) went up, he told her that having a home was a place to make memories. All the stuff could be fixed or replaced, it was the memories that you made in a home that you treasured. Good advice.
So, the little rich girl went down, crammed a cupcake in her mother's face and got in a food fight in the kitchen. It sounds stupid, but it really was her way of relaxing and having fun.
The thought that circled through my mind the entire episode was this: "THAT is why she's single. No man would put up with that craziness, no matter how pretty or rich she is."
When I watch shows like this, it reminds me how good I have it. It doesn't matter to me that I'm not rich, or famous, or living an LA lifestyle. What matters to me is family and love. I've got that in spades. If you want to come over to my house and spill a drink, you can. I'll fling a towel at your head and bark at you to clean it up. That's it. If you ruin something, I'll replace it. Because I've never cared about my stuff... not more than my friends.
There's a lot of good TV on these days. Excellent dramas and comedies were feted on Sunday night at the PrimeTime Emmys. I'm pretty sure none of the shows I'm watching were even nominated. But who cares? I watch mindless TV when I want NOT to be engaged. And this show is mindless TV.
My sister is right to ignore these antics. They can have no impact on her life. She doesn't care about celebrities and they don't care about her. When she watches TV, she pays attention. So she watches better shows than I do. Generally, when I'm watching TV, it's with a book in my lap. I should just turn it off, shouldn't I?
--Sandee Wagner
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