OUT OF THE FISHBOWL

There's no place like home!!! But what if home is filled with ghosts and horrible memories? Or what if home is a safety net keeping a person from going out in the world and spreading their wings? We all tend to idealize things, especially when things are remembered through the eyes of a child, but for me, my younger years hold no such ideals. I left home many, many years ago because my only real choices were to leave and live or to stay and die.  I chose life! I really never wanted to return again and stayed away for over 20 years. After being out in the world, the more I saw and learned, the pain became dull and the wounds healed leaving minimal scars.  Home was just that and although it was far from being perfect, it definitely was one of the biggest factors of what has made me who I am today. 

When I left home, I immediately suffered from severe culture shock.  Moving from New England to the South was like moving to another planet.  Now many years later after blending into my environment here on The Redneck Riviera, I still feel like a fish out of water.  It seems I always gravitate towards people from the North....why? Some unknown, unnamed force draws me to them. It's not that I feel they are better in any way.  It just seems that the same roots that make me who I am seems to run in their blood also.  We share unspoken truths and common ground.  We share a common outlook on life for the most part.  Leaving home not only gave me a chance for survival, but it helped mend the wounds that would have never healed by staying. Distance  gave me a chance to develop a deep appreciation of the place I was born and raised and of the people who really are my kindred spirits. 

Comments:

William
DECEMBER 20, 2004 AT 6:42 AM EDIT
Know how you feel about transplantation and being out of place. I live in Missouri, and the family loves to go to Branson for vacation. It’s like Vegas, but with Jesus.

THE TRUE YOU

Here’s an off the wall one for everyone to think about! What can you tell about a person from the type of underwear they wear or don’t wear? Do certain personality types tend to wear certain things more than others? And do you buy your significant other personal items like undergarments? I guess since we tend to judge a book by its cover and few of us actually ever get to see what the person is wearing under that cover, I’m just curious as to whether or not the true "you" is more apt to be seen by what’s underneath.

 
Comments:

Christopher
DECEMBER 16, 2004 AT 7:10 PM

What would the lack there of say about a person?

Red
DECEMBER 16, 2004 AT 7:14 PM

I bet the wild man of Borneo doesn’t wear boxers or briefs!

kel256
DECEMBER 16, 2004 AT 11:48 PM
hey. i agree with what your saying about the world being percepted in different ways. Maybe there is no "right way" and "wrong way". Maybe it’s just all in how we look at things and how we view them ourselves.

Joey
DECEMBER 16, 2004 AT 11:51 PM
I would have to completely agree with you. You can infer quite a number of things about a person their choice of underwear & vice-versa. how many questions would one have to ask to be able to ascertain ones preference without ever laying eyes on them? I would guess that the wild man of borneo spends no time in any given day deciding whether it’s boxers or briefs. I think his upbringing never afforded him the luxury of a choice, it was never a necessity if they were even available to him. Therefore, I don’t believe his lack thereof defines who he is. Wouldn’t it be safe to assume that if you were to be able to sit down the WMOB (wild man of borneo) and offer a selection of mens underwear that he would probably enjoy the comfort, freedom and support of boxer briefs to nothing at all. Furthermore I feel that had he been given the option at an earlier age he may not have garnered his current reputation. but that’s just me 😉


Mark
DECEMBER 17, 2004 AT 8:57 AM
The real person is beneath the underwear. People mostly wear underwear for the benefit of others. And some wear no underwear for the benefit of others. If you don’t wear pants then you don’t really need underwear.

asasdasd
DECEMBER 17, 2004 AT 3:14 PM
I think you could learn something about someone depending on their underwear. but not always. For instance, I dont wear underwear. But thats only because I wear really really tight fitting jeans and I dont want people to be able to see the boxer lines that would be left behind. If I did wear underwear it would be boxers, I hate the confinement of briefs. But maybe that is something right there, maybe a subconcious reason that I dont wear anything underneath my jeans is because I hate confinement… I always have felt a bit claustrophobic about some things… who knows?

BJ
DECEMBER 20, 2004 AT 2:00 PM
The silence between the two diners you were watching could have been a shared understanding and common perception of the sites and sounds around them. Words are not the only way to communicate

Sammy
JANUARY 17, 2005 AT 11:56 PM
Hey i would love to know how you write such gr8 stuff i am sorta the same i like to write about the world and stuff in it but i am so not as good as u could u give me some tips please. foxxy_babee@hotmail.com thanxssam

PEACE ON EARTH

Bleak Morn writes, "It will be nice when the Iraqi insurgents start playing soccer with the coalition forces in Fallujah on Xmas day." I believe peace starts within and radiates outwards. Each person can want world peace or at least an end to the present war in Iraq, but without each person involved making a commitment like "let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me", there won’t be a lasting peace and the best we might hope for are moments of silence. Peace shouldn’t always be the responsibility of others and entirely left in the hands of those who rule. Shouldn’t peace start with how we treat each other…our fellow man in any given situation on a daily basis and not something we hope for in times of war? I know my feelings on the matter pretty much date back to the era in which I was raised, so perhaps my believing in brotherly love and wanting peace is as nostalgic as lava lamps and bell bottoms! Wait a minute, didn’t they make a comeback a few years ago? Yes, having the troops play soccer on Christmas Day would be not only nice, but an excellent way to remind everyone that the Christmas spirit is alive and well and not living in the shopping malls!

Comments:

Mark
DECEMBER 17, 2004 AT 8:25 AM 

Some people have the simplistic belief that peace is some natural state that will happen if we just let it. Experience should teach that peace only exists in relative terms.All creatures on earth live in a state of perpetual war from bacteria on up to humans. Our social structure is even defined – not in terms of who is aggressive and who is not, but how we respond to aggression.With this in mind it doesn’t do much good to imagine a fairytale land where there is no war – but instead to determine calculated responses to aggression that are effective and reasonable.

Mark
DECEMBER 17, 2004 AT 8:27 AM 

Republicans and Democrats thirst for revenge after 9/11 via "the war on terror" (ie: holy war of Christianity and Judaism against Islam), but this war is neither effective or reasonable. This response doesn’t make sense. 9/11 only killed around 2,752 people. By contrast, in 2002 we lost 3,672 Americans to motor vehicle accidents. Which do you think would save more lives – spending TRILLIONS on killing religious fanatics (and scores of innocent civilians they hide amongst) overseas or spending those trillions on motor vehicle safety enhancements stateside? The terrorism problem needs to be addressed, but a clandestine approach would be more fitting than high profile invasions the serve only as more propaganda for our enemies.

Mark
DECEMBER 17, 2004 AT 8:37 AM 

You suggested that "having the troops play soccer on Christmas Day would be not only nice, but an excellent way to remind everyone that the Christmas spirit is alive and well and not living in the shopping malls!"The problem with comparing the WWI case you mentioned earlier to the present holy war is that in WWI you had Christians killing each other and at least for a day they came to their senses. The warring cultures were so similar that they sang the same holiday tunes.This is not the case in Iraq. Foisting Christian holidays on them is a bad move, and even focusing on the primitive "winter celebration" aspect seems pretty silly in the middle of a desert.To an insurgent, Xmas is just another day – and in a holy war, probably a good day for a demoralizing attack on forces far longing for home.

OPINIONS VARY

My thought for the day is written in response to a comment left for me about something I wrote yesterday. I welcome everyone’s comments whether they agree with me or not. I find in life opinions vary and everyone is entitled to think and feel in a way that best suits that person. I’ve also found that truths are very subjective and vary from person to person. A person’s truths seem to be formed from a collection of their life’s experiences, so whereas you may not agree with me on the issues I write about, it’s okay because you haven’t lived my life nor have I lived yours. I find that people’s differences are what makes them interesting and the world would be a very boring place if everyone thought the same way. In a discussion about life last night, a friend asked me to say one positive thing about the opposing political party. Without hestitation, I said that I admired their strength and the conviction they have in their beliefs and that it was those things that I believe won this past election. I went on to say that just because I don’t hold the same beliefs as they do, doesn’t mean I view them as evil or stupid. All it means is that for me, the truth lies elsewhere.


Comments: 

A Utah Woman Am I
DECEMBER 14, 2004 AT 11:51 AM

People are free to express their opinions. That is what makes America such a great place! I love living in a country where our opinions and comments can be expressed freely and so openly. However, that is what makes us all different. We all maintain these views throughout our life, sometimes they may be genetic or we might just learn them from the things that we experience ourselves. I agree with you Red Kitten. Yes, it is the diverse America that makes it so great. But, I being one that sits on the fence when it comes to Democrats vs. Repulicans, admit that it is nice when the parties can appreciate one anothers differences.


Mark
DECEMBER 14, 2004 AT 10:51 PM

You said "In a discussion about life last night, a friend asked me to say one positive thing about the opposing political party."This indicates that you or your friend believe there are only two viable parties. Most of the people I spoke with about the past election indicated that niether of "the two parties" covered so much in the media particularly suited their interests or was bound to serve them in a way that represented their values – though most had picked a favorite. People say the last election was based on "moral values". This is only true if our moral values are limited to conservative views on sex.If the election were truly about morals America would have voted for a candidate who supported a womans right to choose, supported alternative life choices, opposed the death penalty, opposed public policy that disproportionately imprisoned minorities, and opposed the indiscriminate murder of innocent civilians overseas. Neither major party candidate sufficiently represented these views.


Unknown
DECEMBER 14, 2004 AT 11:33 PM

here here darling i very much agree with your point of veiw. just randomly found your site then lost it. but now ive found it again im sure its fate. *cheesy grin*ta-ra

Red
DECEMBER 15, 2004 AT 12:14 PM

Bleak (is that a freudianslip, by the way?), you certainly do like to pick and choose what you take from a person’s word’s….that’s cool and if you think I have a narrow outlook that’s cool also. If I thought there are only two political parties, then trust me I’m very capable of saying so…the discussion I was having in which you were not present, was about the Democratic and Republican parties. That’s my error for not being more specific in my post. I do however want to say that if what you wrote is all you got from my post then I suggest you read it again. The point of the post was to say something positive…that I feel there is something good in most things (I suppose I’m setting myself up here for you to come at me for that statement) and to voice my feelings about people having a right to their opinions. Thanks for reminding me of just how right I was in what I wrote.

A NOTE TO SANTA

Dear Santa,

The oil can is located in the garage. The cookies & milk are in the dining room and I’m upstairs!

As always being naughty,

The Saucy Tart

Comments:

Mark
DECEMBER 9, 2004 AT 10:15 PM 

Just out of curiosity, do you own more than two cats?


Red
DECEMBER 9, 2004 AT 10:18 PM 

No cats! Are you suggesting I get one? I hear they hate oil.



Mark
DECEMBER 9, 2004 AT 10:32 PM 

Well, it just seems odd that you are a woman with an MSN Space and you don’t have 30 photos of cats in your photo album. You do have some strange stuff there though. Maybe aliens are your cats. That might explain a lot.

Red
DECEMBER 11, 2004 AT 5:54 PM 

Curiosity killed the cat and satisfaction brought him back…appearances are sometimes deceiving!


Lloyd
DECEMBER 18, 2004 AT 7:02 AM 

since all the things you people are sayin dont make sense, i have decided that you are all talking in code to plot some huge government conspiracy!!!

A NOTE TO THE WIZARD

I don’t want to appear to be picky or ungrateful, but do you think we can bypass Red Kitten’s rendition of "Send In The Clowns" (please refer to THE PERFECT MAN for clarification). And if you can’t help me, please forward my request to Santa Claus, Cupid and the birthday fairy. PLEASE!!!

Comments:

eddie

DECEMBER 20, 2004 AT 7:01 PM 

Hello , lovin’ The Bride Of Frankenstein , it has got to be a classic , I do like the site in general , including your oldschool taste in movies , maybe when i get a nice "space" like yours , you should come to see it , well , I guess I’m at a loss for words , you make me proud , goodnight and goodday , The E

THE NEW WORD IS FLURB

As mentioned before and not a term coined by me, but another fellow blogger I discovered on here (forgot to do a trackback to his blog…sorry about that and I hope he stumbles onto me and takes credit where credit is due) We need to come up with a witty term for the cream (blogs the rise above the rest and actually get some recognition)…you know, the opposite of what a "flurb" is! If a "flurb" is a blog that flopped…is a "plurb" a blog that popped? Not to be confused with a Perv Plurb or a Nerd Plurb! Anyway, I’m still waiting for the minions…if they show up here, I hope they all remember to write a comment so I’ll know they tiptoed softly across my page on their way to bigger and better things. Perhaps if I raffle something off, that will get people to write a comment….hmmmmmm…any suggestions on what to raffle?

Comments:

Kevin
DECEMBER 8, 2004 AT 10:33 PM

Unfortunately, this here nation has receded to a degree from it’s charter. If logic had more stagetime I think a lot of things would be different. The Marijuana issue has powerful lobbys against legalization in the form of the Religious Right, the Lumber Companies, and a great many people who listen to the national drug policy. It’s ludicrous that anyone says pot is more dangerous than alcohol, but the perceptions continue. I hope that this issue can be resolved, and that the fickle national attention can be focused on more serious issues (like GLobal Warming).I like your rants, Kitten.Salutations from the other Emerald City (Seattle) Kaavin

A Utah Woman Am I
DECEMBER 8, 2004 AT 10:44 PM

I couldn’t agree more with your abstract blog statements. However, I like your raffle idea. I would suggest something any one could use, like money or cheap stuff you have laying around the house. Like a yo-yo or something. I am just a cheap college student and thing anything that is free is a good thing. Nice Blog!Greetings from Utah!

Joey
FEBRUARY 15, 2005 AT 12:14 AM 

I would have to agree w/ Kaavin (http://spaces.msn.com/members/lekaavcave/) it is ludicrous to think that pot is more dangerous than alcohol … there is currently a campaign (advertising) of teenagers who say nothing bad ever happened while smoking pot … and then crash!!!!!!!!!! a kid is frantically trying to find out what happened to the kid on the bike he just ran over … I’ve smoked alot of pot … alot! and I can tell you one thing for sure, the guy on the bike HIT ME! the religious right, led by his royal highness GWB … is on course to run this country into the ground … but alas, the LORD almighty will save us all, right? … that\’s what GWB hopes anyway … blog on kitten and good luck w/ that interview from the guy from the Tallahasse Democrat … I’m jealous!

IS ANYBODY OUT THERE?

I’m wondering who actually reads blogs and why very few people write any comments on what they read. I have spent hours surfing through blogs writing comments, yet I’ve noticed since I created my blog, I’ve gotten several hundred hits, but only 2 comments have been written. I can’t believe only TWO people in all of cyberspace have something to say. Perhaps it’s my material that loses favor with people. Perhaps people are just out here seeing what others are writing about or perhaps people are just too timid to write an opinion. Hey people, please free to tell me I suck and need to go hang myself…I can take it! Write something…ANYTHING!!! Feedback is great and is what all us bloggers crave. What a nightmare to do a blog and no one comments…silence during some moments may be golden, but silence on a blog is a true kiss of death. Once I figure out what a blogger’s suicide consists of I’ll let everyone know. I’m sure it’s something creatively sinister!!!

Addendum 12/6/04 10:02pm: Maybe MSN needs to enable people to search for blogs by category like other sites do (JUST A SUGGESTION and hope the cyber gods don’t zap me for speaking up!) The only way a blog gets noticed is when it’s new or updated.

COMMENTS FROM THE ORIGINAL POST:

MATT December 6, 2004 at 7:18 PM Edit
Hey there, Remember me? You posted a comment in my blog! Well you’ve gotten another comment! There are plenty of people out there, we are just too lazy to post comments! 😉


MICHAEL December 6, 2004 at 9:57 PM Edit
I\’m trying to figure this out as well. How is someone supposed to find you and your blog if no one see’s your name in the updated space window. If someone doesn’t bookmark your blog, how do they get back to it?


CHRIS December 6, 2004 at 9:58 PM Edit
Hey, thanks for the comment. Though I am not sure if I am going to open it up by site for comments. I am "new" to all this blogging so I am experimenting. I really don’t have time for extended comments– so for example if a conservative replied to me I would be compelled to write them back when I should be doing work. Does that make sense. Anyway go Red Sox! I am from Braintree, transplanted to rural Minnesota


NORM December 8, 2004 at 5:30 PM Edit
I agree with these guys. *I’m* "out there" and I’ll be back to this site!


SHANNON December 8, 2004 at 11:06 PM Edit
I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog. I will definitely be checking back! You have a real way with words.


RED December 9, 2004 at 1:16 AM Edit
It’s nice to have people start reading my posts and to see that they aren’t all lazy as Matt claimed they were. I think they just need to be lulled out of their corner to come play in mine.


JOHN December 24, 2004 at 8:48 AM Edit
I was surfing the web and discovered your blog. I was impressed with how you organized the material. Good job.The idea of ’blogging’ is new ( foreign ) to me because I would not normally invade another persons privacy. Your’s is the first website that actually requested responses. Thanks for the invite.I’ll try and make time to come back and read some of your other thoughts.

FORGIVENESS

As I step into this vast arena, the words of Socrates come to mind. "An unexamined life is not worth living." Today, I looked inside and discovered it takes a stronger person to forgive than it does to remain steadfast on my principles and beliefs. Anger, disappointment and fear are all very powerful negative feelings. More often than not, those negative feelings are created by someone close to us and designed to manipulate and control. Today, I learned how to be free and look past the negative feelings. The gamble isn't in loving, but in stepping outside the safety of the all the positive feelings and being able to choose a particular path based solely upon what my heart tells me to do. Doing that gave me an incredible sense of personal power and freedom. Today I learned love isn't about being right, but about being me. 

They say "to err is human and to forgive is divine." I guess that makes me extremely human and working towards divinity. Forgiving others is a cinch! I find what's hardest is to forgive myself, yet I truly believe it's okay to make mistakes as long as I learn from the mistakes I make. Without mistakes a person can never grow, learn and test the boundaries of life. Have I learned from my mistakes or will I repetitiously do the same stupid things? I think as I examine my life and the world around me within this blog, the answer to those questions will unfold. This journey may get a little bumpy along the way, so please fasten your seat belts and put your crash helmet on as a safety precaution. The air bags are functional and the driver hasn't lost anyone yet! Just follow the yellow brick road, but look out for the wicked witch!

ARE YOU ABNORMALLY NORMAL?

Picture a person who stands apart from the crowd who sees things not in black or white, but in varying shades of gray.  Picture a person who closes their eyes and hears the beat of a different drummer, then marches proudly and eagerly away to do their own thing regardless of the consequences or popular opinion.  Picture a person who is not a polished gem, but a diamond in the rough...someone who believes true beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and that the best things in life are free.  When I picture this person, I see myself.  Who do you see?