'Tis the Season.... to be called Boom Boom.

There's more than one reason I'm known as Boom Boom in some circles.  Each holiday brings back memories of days gone by, when I narrowly eluded the local constabulary.  Although I've posted this before, it's always fun to look back and remember...

Good times!  Good times!

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Of Snowflakes and Rosebuds: Magpie #44

When does childhood end and adulthood commence?  Perhaps it's when snow days become a source of angst instead of sheer joy.

In childhood a snow day means freedom!  Freedom to stay in your pajamas until late in the morning. Then it's into snowsuits and caps and mittens and boots to explore the world of wonder created by freshly fallen snow.  It's building snow caves and sliding down hills.  It's making snow angels and snowmen and catching snowflakes on your tongue.  It's shrieks of laughter as compact orbs of snow fly back and forth through the air.  It's the steaming hot cocoa with marshmallows that awaits you when you return to the warmth of your house.  A snow day is magical!

The magic begins to fade when snow days mean having to get up early and shovel so you can get to work in time.  Back breaking labor takes all the fun out of watching the snow fall.  It means brushing off the car and hoping the locks aren't frozen.  Turning the key in the ignition, praying the car actually starts.  And then edging the car through the snow covered streets, hoping you don't get stuck or slide into another intrepid traveler before you reach your destination.  It takes a special person to actually enjoy this kind of activity. 

But every once in awhile, a funny thing happens.  The planets align so that a snow day happens on a day off.  You have a chance to enjoy the beauty of the snowflakes from the comfort of your easy chair while enjoying that first cup of coffee of the day.  The world once again looks magical and it brings back memories of days gone by.... of sleds named Rosebud and the joy of childhood.  And life is good.

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Willow over at Life at Willow Manor  has been providing inspiration for bloggers with her photo prompts on a site called Magpie Tales.  Be sure to check out the other fabulous writers participating in Magpie Tales this week.  You'll be glad you did!

My Secret Admirer

Life is worth living again!  I have a secret admirer!  Imagine my surprise when I was going through my emails this morning and came to this one:

    From:     lucy_2010@att.net
    Subject:     Hello
    Date:     December 10, 2010 10:41:54 AM EST
    To:     undisclosed recipients: ;
    Reply-To:     lucy_good1@yahoo.com

Hello, I am lucy
How are you? hope you are fine and in perfect condition of health. Please I went through your profile and i read it and took interest in it, please if you don't mind i will like you to accept my  
friendship request with you and for me to send my picture to you  remember that distance or colour did not mean but true love matters alot
  hope to hear from you soon, and I will be waiting for your mail because i have something VERY important to tell you.
       
Lots of love
lucy

Profile?  What profile?  Last I checked, I wasn't registered on any Find-a-Mate.com sites.

I must say, I'm flattered.  But I think poor lucy is sorely mistaken on a few items. (She obviously didn't read my mystery profile very closely.)  So, there are a few things I'd like to clarify and/or have lucy clarify:

1.  I am not currently in perfect condition of health.  I'm not anywhere near death's doorstep, but I'm far from perfect at the moment.

2. I'm a strong proponent of gay rights, including same sex marriage, but I don't usually go out with other women.

3. I'm not currently collecting pictures of people I don't know, although I appreciate your offer to send me your photo.

4. lucy, what exactly should I remember that distance and colour did not mean? 

5. While I'd like to believe that true love exists, I'm afraid your kind email is not a harbinger of true love for me.

6.  I've found that when people have something VERY important to tell me, it's usually bad news, so I'll pass on that as well.


So, thanks but no thanks, lucy.  Better luck with the next undisclosed recipient.

The Worst Christmas Present Ever: A Belated Tribal Blogs Carnival

Okay, okay, so I missed the first Tribal Blogs Carnival.

The theme was "The Worst Christmas Gift Ever."  My post is late because I got so depressed from thinking about all those crappy Christmas gifts from years past, I couldn't bring myself to write about it.  (Not really, but I needed an excuse.)

When we were kids, my mom made all our clothes, including new outfits for Christmas.  That's fine when you're a little kid, (loved the flannel jammies,) but as you approach your teens it becomes a source of angst.  We really wanted the store-bought clothes all our friends had.  So one year my mom decided to cut labels out of other clothes to sew into ours to fool our friends.  Uh... yeah.  That's gonna work.  We never fully appreciated our mother's skill as a seamstress, although she really was good at it.  (Sorry, mom, wherever you are!)

But in all fairness, we weren't wizards when it came to buying gifts for our parents, either.  Our allowance just didn't stretch that far...  so my mom said we were only supposed to spend a dollar on each parent.  My dad had a drawer full of all the handkerchiefs we got him... I was always so proud when I managed to score some with an "L" for Larew on them.  Classy!  And mom had a drawer full of really tacky holiday pins that we found on the "Gifts for $1" table at the local department store.

As soon as we were old enough to write, we made "Wish Lists" for ourselves. After awhile, things on the Christmas lists were usually the ONLY gifts we got.  My mom told us if we didn't give her a wish list, we wouldn't get anything.  So the trick became putting enough things on the list so there would still be an element of surprise involved in opening the packages on Christmas morning.  (And we were smart enough to put our lists in numerical order to indicate which things we REALLY wanted, although the ponies never materialized.)  In later years, my mom would put in some actual surprises... gifts she's gathered from her world travels.

Finally, the year came when I didn't make a Christmas list.  (I was in my twenties at the time.) When mom kept pestering me, I just said in frustration, "I can't think of anything, just buy me underwear and some candles."  And my mom was true to her word.  As everyone else opened their gifts, I was the recipient of two items.  Cotton underwear two sizes too big and some candles.  Bummer! 

 

It was many years before I neglected to write out a complete Christmas list again!  But I had plenty of underwear to grow into in years to come.

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Looking for a great gift this season?  How about a goat from Oxfam?  I just bought mine.  Go to https://www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com to get yours today!  It's much better than underwear!  (While you're at it, be sure to visit Margaret at Nanny Goats in Panties for her special goat give-a-way!)

Will the Real Lisbeth Salander Please Stand Up?

 The Bloggerhood of the Traveling Book Blog Tour

Well, the Bloggerhood of the Traveling Book Blog Tour has finally reached my house.  So far we've traveled to that schizophrenic Unfinished Rambler/Unfinished Person's blog and to Quirkyloon's place where we got to pop the DDP bubbles of Quirky's thoughts (because she's kinda fizzy like that.)  Next stop will be up to visit our favorite Canucks, Nonamedufus and 00dozo.

But first, I'm supposed to regale you with my scintillating and perceptive review of our traveling book, The Girl Who Played With Fire by the late Stieg Larsson. In case you haven't already figured it out, this is the second book in the Millennium Trilogy, which consists of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest.  (You can see all three themes reflected in the cool BOTTB badge that Double 00 made for us.)

When I began the first novel in the trilogy, I was about a quarter of the way through before there was any mention of a girl with a tattoo.  Mikael F**king Blomkvist appeared to be the protagonist.  However, from that point on it was Lisbeth Salander, with her tattoo and piercings, that took center stage.  Quirky gave us her top "Lucky 13 Reasons Lisbeth Salander Rocks" and she's spot on with her assessment of this badass.

But who is Lisbeth Salander, really?

Throughout the three books in Larsson's Millennium Trilogy, we're given tantalizing glimpses into this mysterious character.  As each piece of the puzzle that is Lisbeth Salander comes together, it paints a picture which appalls and intrigues us at the same time.

Lisbeth is a brilliant young woman with an old soul.  She has learned to keep to herself for self preservation and rarely lets anyone into her personal space, either emotionally or by physical proximity.  She's learned not to trust people because she's been burned too many times.  But be careful... cross her and she'll burn you!  Lisbeth is a modern day Ubermensch, gaining almost mythic proportions as she hacks her way through the world, answering only to her own clearly defined moral compass.  She's also a master of disguise when needed, slipping through customs on a forged passport.  Rumor has it she looks something like this... only gnarlier:

So, do we admire Lisbeth or hate her?  I, for one, admire her.  She does all the things I wish I could do but am far too wimpy to ever attempt.  From book to book throughout the trilogy, it is Lisbeth's character that compels me to read further to find out what happens next.  Once you've started the series, you can't stop.. or at least I couldn't, but then I'm obsessive-compulsive like that.  And when you're done with the series, check out the movies.  Although they leave out some parts from the books, they're well worth the effort of reading the subtitles, (unless you are some kind of wizard who can understand Swedish.)

One thing for sure... Lisbeth Salander would never become a CatLady... either with or without the cats.  She's far too neat and travels light... something I'll never be able to accomplish in this lifetime.  *sigh*  But maybe I can still become a badass like Lisbeth by getting a dragon tattoo.  Nah... just like Quirky, I'm far too much of a wuss.  Oh, well.  Pass the popcorn and Dr Pepper, Quirks!

Coming Soon: The Bloggerhood of the Traveling Book Review

 The Bloggerhood of the Traveling Book

The Bloggerhood of the Traveling Book (BOTTB) has been collecting members over the past few months and now it's time to hear what those intrepid readers thought of the first book to travel, Stieg Larsson's The Girl Who Played With Fire.  This coming week you'll be treated to five installments of The Bloggerhood of the Traveling Book Review.

Monday - Unfinished Person/formerly Unfinished Rambler

Tuesday - Quirkyloon

Wednesday - BoomBoomLarew

Thursday - NoNameDufus

Friday - 00dozo/Creator of the awesome BOTTB badge!

Watch for all the the reviews!  We promise not to spoil the ending by giving away too many hints.

(By the Way... the book is currently in the hands of Reforming Geek, fondly known as Reffie.  Be sure to keep tabs on her blog to see where it will journey next.)

Word Verifications... Love 'Em or Hate 'Em

Word Verifications... a real pain in the wazoo, but at times they can also provide a source of amusement.  Occasionally Nonamedufus, aka Dufus, aka Nomie, shares his favorites, which inspired me to do the same. So, without further ado, I give you... 

Boom Boom's Guide to Word Verifications!

Perfect for the upcoming holiday season... a manger scene featuring Star Trek characters.

(But don't set yours out before Thanksgiving if you want to remain friends with Suldog.)

A droid who likes toga parties.

 

The Coen brother you like best.

 What you have to do when either your wife or wi fi isn't working properly.

Bacchanalian goddesses.

(My kind of people.)

and my favorite...

  Do I really have to explain this one?

So there you have it... real word verifications that I've collected over the past few weeks.  If you can't beat 'em.... enjoy 'em!  Just don't be a doohole!

Travels with Hanuman: A Magpie Tale

As I was sorting through my mother's belongings after her death, I came across a little medallion in a blue pouch.  It was a tiny brass image of Hanuman, the monkey king.  My mother had apparently picked it up when she was in India.  Wrapped up with it was a necklace made of misshapen pearls. 

My parents traveled a lot over the years after I left home.  They loved meeting people and welcomed many others into their home.  A string of foreign exchange students stayed with them and they visited each of their homes in return.  As they traveled around the world, my parents were showered with gifts from the people they met.  So many, that they were unable to keep them all.  Often they became gifts for their hosts on the next stop on their journey.

So what was special about the little Hanuman medallion that it was kept while other things were re-gifted?  And where did the necklace come from?  We were even more surprised when my Dad said he'd never seen the necklace before.  He remembered getting the medallion when they visited an old friend in India, but not the necklace.

Curiosity got hold of me and I looked up the story of Hanuman in the Ramayana.  He emerged as a selfless champion who served Rama, rescuing his wife Sita.  Later, Hanuman also saved the life of Lakshmana by bringing him a life-saving herb.  Hanuman never asked for anything in return, but Sita gifted him with a string of precious stones. 

When my mother died, my father received condolences from around the world from people whose lives my mother had touched.  The outpouring was incredible.  And then there was the necklace.  None of us know where it came from, but I like to imagine it was a gift from Sita, thanking my mother for the impact she had on others' lives.

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Willow over at Life at Willow Manor  has been providing inspiration for bloggers with her photo prompts on a site called Magpie Tales.  Be sure to check out the other fabulous writers participating in Magpie Tales this week.  You'll be glad you did!

Dona Nobis Pacem

Two bloggers I admire, Nonamedufus and Suldog are participating in Blog Blast for Peace.  They inspired me to add my voice to the cause. 

 

There are many ways to promote peace in the world.  In my younger days, I wanted to make the grand gesture, going to rallies and shouting til I was hoarse.  But that wasn't me.  It always came off as being phony and not as heartfelt as I would like.  

These days I take a much quieter stance.  I've come to recognize that it's the small things that add up to make big change.  That's why I try to move the world toward a peaceful existence by the choices I make in my daily life.

Take, for example, my career path.  I choose to work with very young children.  It's not a flashy job and certainly not one that pays well.  However, over the years I've found I have some skills for making kids feel good about themselves, to feel confident and able to face the many challenges that await them as they grow older.  I let them know that we each have our own unique strengths and at the same time have things we can learn from other people.  I help them find their own voice so that they can use it to solve problems in a peaceful, generative way.  That's not to say I want them to become passive and complacent, though.  I want them to learn to speak up for themselves and for others when they see injustice. 

The other thing I try to do is to live simply.  Sure, it's tough living paycheck to paycheck and worrying that there won't be enough to make ends meet.  At the same time, I've learned to live with less and be grateful for what I have, trying to find abundance in all areas of my life.  I don't always succeed at this... in fact I can easily fall into a state of resentment and self-pity if I let myself.  But ultimately, that's counter productive.  It helps no one, least of all myself.  As the phrase goes, "Live simply so that others can simply live."  

Finally, when I think of the word "peace", I think of calm.  My life is often hectic and noisy.  I relish the moments I have when I can sit quietly and simply "be".  These weeks of enforced inactivity have been a gift in that way.   I know from experience that unless I'm in a state of peace, I can't be effective in promoting peace beyond myself. 

So there you have it... Boom Boom's recipe for a peaceful world.

(Peace symbol from woodstockpreservation.org)

Klutz Update

My daily routine has been totally revamped since breaking my leg and becoming dependent upon the kindness of strangers friends.  Stuck in a recliner most of the day, I keep in touch with the world electronically rather than venturing out.  However, being away from my home and my "writing chair", I've found it difficult to keep up with my writing.  I had no idea my chair was so integral to my semi-creative process.  Or maybe it's just the difference between the quiet solitude of my house vs. a house with animals and actual people to talk to throughout the course of the day. 

Rather than lamenting my lack of creativity, though, I've been embracing the opportunity to spend time with these wonderful friends who have taken me into their home and attended to my every need. 
I find I laugh a lot more when around people and that aids in my recovery.

However, I did have a bit of a setback late last week when I visited the doctor for the first time since being discharged from the hospital.  Originally I had been told I'd be off my leg for four to six weeks, so imagine my dismay when they told me it would be another TEN weeks before I could put any weight on my leg.  What the.....?  I'll never get home again at this rate! 

But then, once I took a look at the x-rays, I began to understand.  I had imagined a neat little plate with some delicate screws holding my fibula together.  I had no idea it would actually look like this:

Yeah, there's the plate with the six delicate little screws, but what's with those great big long screws?  Who knew I was going to become the bionic woman?  Now... if only all that hardware actually made me able to leap tall buildings at a single bound...