Why I no longer worry about typos …

Ok, ok, I admit it. I love the weird and wacky (as if you all didn’t know that already). *snort*

I also love to laugh. With a life as busy and often convoluted as mine, I rely heavily on my over-active sense of humor to get me through.

And I’ve discovered a great place to find a giggle is the spam folder of my blog’s comment section! I mean, seriously. Do people really expect I’ll approve this stuff?!?!

Well, at the risk of attracting even more odd spam, I am sharing a few of the funnies to carry us all through hump day towards the weekend.

Continue reading Why I no longer worry about typos …

The Real World Champions

The battle lines are drawn. Tension is running high. Passion is only slightly behind. The world is abuzz with the vuvuzela. We are on the verge of the first knock-outs of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

As football (soccer) fans around the world gear up to roar their chosen sides onto victory, there is one team people around the world should all be rooting for:

Stand Up United

 

This side, put together by the world’s largest grassroots human rights organization Amnesty International, features a roster of true heroes – individuals who see wrong in the world around them and choose to stand up and act.

Continue reading The Real World Champions

To North Korea, With Love

It was supposed to be a World Cup blowout. One of the best teams in the world teaching upstarts a much needed lesson.

Brazil was going to stomp North Korea – and I was going to cheer every second.

But North Korea was spunky. No silly theatrical dives, no overly-dramatic facial expressions or picked fights. They ran like the wind. When they fell or tripped, they got right back up – and patted the back of any Brazilian player involved. They held off the Brazilian side well into the second half of the match out of sheer grit and determination. As the minutes ticked by, I couldn’t help but admire these men for standing firm against a football institution like Brazil. 

And by the end of the match? Well, we all knew they couldn’t win going down 2 goals to nil against the Samba Kings but I found myself cheering — like, jump up and down, pump fists in the air, cheering – when North Korea scored in the 89th minute.

Continue reading To North Korea, With Love

Lessons from the World

What I’ve learned so far from the World Cup ….a.k.a. a primer for Yanks

 

  • It’s fooball, futbol, the world’s sport ….. NEVER soccer (even if the U.S. commentators or desk jockeys say “soccer” regularly)

 

  • Fluorescent yellow or orange colored footwear is very distracting.

 

  • The Germans still look like a well-oiled machine. This is a World Cup standard that never seems to change.

 

  • Football players are pretty good actors. Their ability to roll around on the pitch (that’s the field), writhing in agony, only to jump up again when they realize the ball is still in play is quite often award worthy. See the world’s best hambones here.

  Continue reading Lessons from the World

The Quest Begins …

 

Which country will emerge the victor? Can reigning champion Italy secure a repeat? Will the host country South Africa beat the odds? What about the secretive North Korean team? Can England finally repeat the victory of 1966?

Those are the question the world ponders today as 32 teams representing countries from every region of the globe begin the quest to capture the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The pundits have their guesses – and so do you dear readers and Twitterati.

Per responses received via email, Twitter direct messages, Twitter shouts and comments, your collective prediction for the winning country is ……

Continue reading The Quest Begins …

When the World Unites …

The time has come….and, believe it or not, I am ready.

Supply of microwavable popcorn? Check.

Face paint? Check.

Large-screen television? Check.

Country flags? Check.

The goose bumps have started  ….. the 24 hour countdown until the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is in full effect!!!

Continue reading When the World Unites …

The master of his fate …

Nelson Mandela is my hero.

Oh now, I know, I know …. I should qualify that before anyone goes off in a tizzy.

If I applied a magnifying glass to every aspect of his personal and political life I’m sure I would discover plenty of chink’s in my hero’s armor. Did he keep every promise? Did he make no mistakes at all? Did he sometimes compromise when he should have stood firm? Did he endorse violence? Support dictators and strongmen? Is he really the picture perfect specimen most would like to believe? Is South Africa now the best run, most prosperous country in the world because of his leadership?

(For the record? No. No. Yes. Yes. Yes. No. No.)

Let’s be honest here. If we discounted every potential hero on the basis of mistakes or personal indiscretions, I doubt even Ghandi would make the cut.

Continue reading The master of his fate …

My very own Pelican Brief

 I got bit by a pelican this week.

Yep, you read it right … a pelican.

As I rubbed around the wound it occurred to me that this didn’t-see-that-one-coming experience is the story of my life. Any time I try to do something good, another little something creeps up behind to take a chunk out of my backside. You’d think I’d learn my lesson ….

So how exactly did I find myself dabbing a towel on my bloody calf from a pelican bite?

Continue reading My very own Pelican Brief

They got my vote …

Sometimes good things happen to good people.  

I’m sure it happens every day but by and large, the “feel good” events around us can often be overshadowed by “misery” in the world’s media headlines. I, too, am prone to highlighting worrisome or difficult issues here on my blog. Well, not today …

For a change, I’m going to give an enthusiastic cheer for two great ladies who deserve my – and your – support!

Two of my favorite bloggers Pauline a.k.a. @aspiringmama and Ellen a.k.a. @LoveThatMax have both had their blogs selected for pre-nominations as potential Best Parenting Blog contenders for Nickelodeon’s Parent Connect 2010 Parents’ Choice Awards!!!!!

Continue reading They got my vote …

Tweeps exercise their rights! (and I learn a lesson)

 

I thought it was an easy question ….

And after ummmmm….like …(I’m 29 … I tell ya, 29!) 30 plus some odd years on this earth you would think that I’d know better.

Every day for going on 15 years I have spent hours focused on a constantly (r)evolving variety of human and environmental rights issues as part of my “day job.” This tends to put me in regular contact with academics, government officials, activists, specialists and others equally (and often more) focused on the issue at hand.

Most often the issues I am writing about are near and dear to my heart on a personal level as well (hence, my propensity to suddenly ejaculate massive amounts of passionate information on subjects that have little to do with the actual conversation I am having at the time). Many of my live and virtual friends find this endlessly interesting and a bit odd. As a result, I tend to attract a lot of questions and requests for explanation on issues.

That started me thinking (yes, yes, I know … that’s always a dangerous undertaking):

What does the average person know about human and environmental rights? What are the issues they think about? And then, finally, what are the issues that your average person passionately believes everyone else should also be aware of?

Continue reading Tweeps exercise their rights! (and I learn a lesson)