Requiem Tango

Outer Ear radars Hurt that finds the way through the Eustachian tube, hits the hammers, stirrup and anvils a shockwave, transmitting a message towards the impeccable part of the brain.

Satisfied, Hurt sees the blink of Blind; escapes Uvula’s attempt to recourse the effect, forces his way through the aorta into the right chamber where Believe is sound asleep. Hurt pulls the valve and enters the left chamber, waking the dormant Disbelief while trumpeting a planned massacre. Heart misses a beat while Hurt enjoys the consternation.

Standing her grounds, Belief makes a short-lived victory. Hurt uses Disbelief as a shield; pounds, rejoices and takes the emergency exit through lung as Belief retaliates, being outnumbered. 

Trust foots the bill and discharge Heart from any obligation to dwell on the past.

The second time around Hurt musters up with Intention, targets Reason and forces Blind to hold onto darkness a bit longer. Reason pleads with Hurt and Intention to bequeath, to turn over, but the upshot left them too empowered.

Anger hits back, increases the pulse rate, storms into the chamber and lays fists in against the bluish color. Oxygen and Light pleads with Bright, proclaiming Hurt and his battalion as blackballed intruders.  Not strong enough to outsmart Anger, Hurt retrieves, walks his way down the passage while cunningly whistling and as Hurt exits, Guilt sneaks in, ears perked and slayer teeth obscured.

Guilt shows no mercy to end the reign of Anger and even though Anger insists on a fair trial, Anger gets locked up in the cordial notch.

For the days to come Hurt recollects the details of his embryonic attempt, hungers for the blink of Blind and works on a strategy to amend. To his rescue comes Grudge, earlier dismantled by Love and thus always on the look for a desirous partner.

 

Grudge has a way to create a need for Revenge and before entering the unguarded house for a second time; Hurt already visualized the outcome. As they hit the door, Blind blinks before shutting down. Hurt follows Grudge as they slither down the passage where Disbelieve stands guard.   

Impelled by Revenge, Hurt strikes a blow and the weakened Believe hits the cardiac wall. Believe gets from the floor, reaches for Blind to shed Light, but when Reasoning enters Believe steps aside. Anger cries from the cordial notch, begging to be released, but Guilt guards the door and brings Shame in to assist in this matter.

Hurt finds what he came for, he finds Trust. Trust clicks, bubbles and rattles in the closed airspace, turns the soft palate sour before Lips opens in a releasing sigh. Without Trust, Light cannot keep Blind open, Believe stays dismantled, Anger gets knotted in darkness, Outer Ear has no voice and Love is an abandoned Reason.

Fairy Queen vs Wicked Witch ...

After being the Wicked Witch with the croaky voice for the past decade, Wicked Witch decides to be nice, surprise the Trick-O-Treaters and dress up as the Fair Queen from Never-Never-Land. Queen practices in the mirror and waves her magic wand.

The first visitors to brave the chilly Halloween night are Ladybird (2), Pepsi (4) and Hamburger (6) with the father standing close by. Fairy Queen kneels down and as Ladybird reaches for the very small round spider-eyes a horrible image comes to mind.

“No little Ladybird,” says Fairy Queen “you cannot have these candies, it might cause you to choke!”

Little Ladybird wants the Spider-eyes, pulls her mouth and cries. Lollipops and cheese curls from Pepsi and Hamburger cannot calm her down and she throws a proper tantrum at the feet of the distressed father and embarrassed Fairy Queen.

Next to hold the basket for a treat is the little Witchy-witch who, on her turning around sees rat feasting on a blood-soaked plastic leg. The mother stops her as she wants to put the pièce de résistance into her basket and another weeping Halloweeny leaves the Queen behind.

As the night progresses Fairy Queen greets the now somewhat older children with: “Do you know who I am?”

“The neighbor,” says the boy from next door; “An old fairy?” and the favorite of the night: “The Queen of England” as intellectually guessed by Zombie-girl and her guards.

Fairy Queen has trouble staying in her role and catches her going back to the croaky, witchy voice. The next group of Pirates is caught off guard by the next question: “Why do you ring the bell?” asks Fairy Queen.

Miss Wise (also known as teacher’s pet) rescues her as she whispers: “it is Halloween…”

 “H-H-H what?” asks Fairy Queen.

 “Hey” says the boy hiding behind his Dracula mask, “do you want to treat us or will we trick you?” as he shows the full egg carton and ends up with a basket full of treats.

 After this, Fairy Queen collects the spider webs from the wall, puts the masks, legs and rats into the container and turns off the light.

 “Are you going to be the Fairy Queen or the Wicked Witch in 2012?” asks the couple expecting their first child.

 “Mary,” says the Witch/Fairy Queen as she takes the tiara out of her hair “and the baby will be cozy dressed as Mary’s Little Lamb…”

Will you marry me?

The car is silent as they drive back home with the view of the ocean. She is wiping the tears from her cheeks.

“You want some tea?” he asks as they enter the kitchen.

Later, as they sit on the front porch watching the waves: “We are in the front of the line, every year the numbers decrease behind us as our age increase”, he says in a calm voice.

“I wonder how it will be?” she asks, “They say by the end a beloved one appears, helping you to walk through the valley of death.”

“I heard that some see a bright light, others the Serengeti… How can we know?”

“We cannot,” she says and puts the cup on the table next to her, “thank you for the tea.”

Seagulls circle above the ever blue, breaking waves, dive in to catch a fish and use their wings to carry their meal ashore. As the sun sets the ocean turns into a deep ochre and red, with fishermen casting their bait against the incoming tide.

“You’re cold,” he says and extends a hand to help her out of the chair.

They take the cups and walk toward the kitchen where the table is laid with two plates for a simple meal of homemade marmalade and fresh 12 grain bread.

“If you have to depart before I go, will you at least say goodbye?” she asks.

Her hands are contorted by arthritis, he gently takes them into his own and together they close their eyes, bow their heads as he asks to console the family of the deceased.

She takes the bottle of marmalade and turns it towards the light: “The oranges will be ripe soon. I hope Betty next door can come again to help with the peeling this year. We must remember to buy some sugar and new lids once we get to the store.”

He nods, “Every year the marmalade is more perfect than the year before.”

They continue in silence until he concludes: “Our life together was like climbing a mountain. We had some difficult times.”

She looks at him, sees the grey hair and the kindness that softness his brown eyes.

“You have marmalade on your moustache,” she replies.

He gets up from the table and pulls open the curtains, “will you come and stand with me?”

“Why?” she asks, but agrees as she slowly gets up from her chair.

The man in the front line takes his wife and holds her in his arms while looking at the brightness of the star covered sky.

“Looking back at our lives together, do you think you would have said ‘yes’ when I asked you back, that evening of February, second 1953 – ‘will you marry me?’”

“Some say dying is like returning to the mother’s womb where time and emotions have no place, it becomes a dimension, called eternity.”

“Might be,” he says, “but answer me?”

She smiles, “looking back at our lives together, do you have any regrets for asking that question on the night of February way back in 1953?”

 In their backyard grows an orange tree.

New Toys ... Buying a laptop

Buying a laptop is pretty much like buying a vehicle; this item is going to be with you for quite some time and prompt you to make the right decision. Http://www.Canadapost.ca/shopper/ has currently great deals on laptops and the site is worth looking into.

To answer some questions about what you want to get out of the laptop is always a good starting point and because of the great variety on the market one can find the ideal working companion.

What is your budget? Keeping in mind that laptops often require some additional software on top of the purchase, the price what you see is not the price that you’re going to pay. Adding another $200 towards the budget for upgrades might be a good idea. 

For $389 and free shipping the ACER Iconia Tablet looks like a really good deal.

This product comes with a touch screen, Bluetooth, Android and on top of it free shipping.

For the traveler or person relaying on mobility and action, the ThinkPad is an ultra-light portable tablet with HDD storage capacity and LCD display and has a 20% mark down.

Notebooks are also great assets for people who work on office computers, sometimes need to be out of office, but still stay in contact with the workforce. The HP Notebook as great features. 

When doing research on laptops compatibility with your home computer, DVD burning capacity, Blue Ray, editing and Wi-Fi amongst other features are important to keep in mind. The laptop will become and integral part of your daily schedule and to get the most out of it take the deal and enjoy the results.

The Mirror

THE MIRROR

Wendy drives her seventeen-year old daughter to a home where two nurses, a doctor on call, a dietician and a social worker await their arrival.

The scenery on their way there is quite picturesque with cattle seeking the shadows of the trees, seagulls cropping from the leftover of harvest and farmers on tractors, plowing the land in preparation for the next season.

They sometimes make small talk, avoiding the theme that changed their relationship and casted a shadow over the future, most of the time keeping their silent thoughts from each other.

“Coffee?” asks the teenager, opens the lid of the flask and pours the liquid into a mug. She takes a sip and then holds the mug for Wendy. “Coffee isn’t good for you,” says Wendy and bites her lip. “There is orange juice in the cooler.” The coffee has a bitter taste to it.

The teenager turns on the radio and searches for a wavelength with an upbeat. As she finds the rock she turns it really loud, excluding Wendy from her world. They drive through the gates towards the grayish building and Wendy notices the other girls in the garden pruning the roses, picking flowers, sit knitting on the benches or wide-legged on the lawn, drinking from the rays of sun.

The Social Worker meets them at the car and welcomes the teenager as if she belongs there. Wendy follows the worker inside the falsely decorated building with drawings and thank-you cards towards the office. The nurse with a no-nonsense attitude takes the teenager by the arm and pulls her gently away. “Some test and a questionnaire,” empathizes the Social Worker and her blue eyes turn somewhat grey. “This is the right decision and all the girls here seems to be content with their choice.”

After what feels like an eternity they walk back to the car and the teenager takes her suitcase and extra pair of shoes out, ready to walk the pebbled pathway towards the house with opened windows. Wendy looks once again at some of the girls waving at her teenager.

She gets in front of the teenager.

“You can’t stay here,” and with a sigh continues “look at them, they all look…”

“So pregnant?” asks the teenager.

“They all seem to have issues, they look so troubled.”

“Really?” asks the teenager, unwilling to hide from her rebellious moment.

In front of Wendy is her baby of seventeen years ago. She sees the skinny legs of the teenager and a barely noticeable bump between the hipbones.

“What you need is some distance to gain perspective,” consoles the Social Worker as the teenager turns her back on Wendy and walks away without saying her last goodbyes

Worldwide Delivery

WORLDWIDE DELIVERY

With the Toronto International Film Festival for 2011 almost over, Canada is getting ready for the chilly Fall starting October 23. However, before we get there, let us recap the buzz that once again placed Canada on the map. It was amazing to see people from all over the world with passes hanging around their necks while carrying heavy camera equipment to either attend press conferences, red carpet events or meeting potential buyers in the Media Lounge.

Between these professional industry people were the streetwalkers with camcorders, Androids, BlackBerry or iPhones and digital cameras ready to get an action picture or footage as the celebrity in the Cadillac pulls over. Some got lucky, others had to wait for the next time around. This time of the year is a rewarding time to hang around between the theatres and coffee shops in Toronto, regardless of who one might see.

On the train on my way back home I had a good view of all the students getting ready to go back to school.  Whether they are searching their class schedules or adding new friends on Facebook, they have laptops on the trays flashing the strength of Wi-Fi signals and gadgets plugged into their ears.

Next to me sits an older lady on her way to visit her grandchildren in Stratford. She knits, looks through the window, sips on her tea and continues to knit the red sweater.  “It is chilly,” she says. I nod in agreement. “The nice part of a new season is wearing clothes long forgotten; in my home country all seasons are more or less the same and as a child I never had the chance to wear boots or furry coats.”

I look through the vouchers and handouts received during the festival and find the postcard with compliments from Canada Post: For mailing in Canada and Delivery Worldwide (http://www.Canadapost.ca/shopper), I hand it to the lady: “please have it and send my regards...”

The lady next to me looks at the picture of John Candy printed on the front, “he sure is a handsome gentleman,” she says and reaches for a pen in her purse, “thank you kindly.”

“No, thank you.”

Modern day fashion depends on what you carry in your hand, not what you wear and this is most likely not to change. It is nice to have an HD-camcorder, laptop and cell phone to be in touch with the Wi-Fi world out there. It is, however nice to know that a handwritten postcard to a sunny country and a red knitted sweater from grandma still have a place.    

     

UNDER THE SCISSORS

Paying a visit to a hair stylist and showing up at the dentist has a lot in common where to say the least, you will be at the mercy of the cutter or driller. To yield control of vanity and control required.

At the age of eleven, the dentist filled a small cavity on my left front tooth with a huge chunk of gold. What was he thinking? Left teeth chattering cold, with a self-esteem hitting rock bottom and only twenty years later replaced it with advanced technology called porcelain crowning. Today an implant can cost as much as a month’s hard-earned salary unless you want to live on smoothies and learn to pronounce words in a British fashion, keeping the lips hooped.

Recently while enjoying the subway stations and high-rise buildings of Toronto, I spot a “Walk-ins welcome” saloon and while this La Belle Femme Saloon is close to the Eaton Center I do not question their reputation.

“Please don’t take too much off,” I ask, “the tips need a little trimming.”

Am I allowed to ask “Before you take up that scissor are you sure you can deliver?” but being polite I do not.

Once again, I learn that nothing in life is for sure and halfway through the process I want to ask her to make sure the bullet hits my heart. This might seem to be dramatic and I will give you that together with a mirror. Honestly woman, the one side is shorter and now is the other until the uneven cut hair is under my ears.

“A blow-wave?” asks she as she finally realizes she is not getting anywhere.

“No thank you“ and add out of nowhere, ”I’m going for a swim.” In hindsight drowning myself was more on target.

At least this walk-in cut did not cost me an arm and a leg, after many months too short hair can grow back and rest assure I’m on my way to the mall to find some saloon that can share my setback, only this time I want to see the stylist’s certification before she picks up the scissor.

Internet dating

Mary comes from a conservative family to put it mildly.  Every morning at five her mother sneaks out of the bedroom to lay the table; cook Oats on the wood-burning stove, bake muffins from scratch and to grind the beans for a fresh pot of coffee. When she hears the running water from the shower she goes upstairs and puts her husband’s clothes on the bed, the shirt freshly ironed, the socks paired and the tie to match the outfit.

Needless to say Mary, ranked as the forth child out of six acts upon her calling to put the small-town and good-wife mannerism behind, takes the pledge to stay single and embraces the challenge of being in the huge city all by herself.    After a month’s eight-to-five days and take-outs she gets somewhat homesick, but to her rescue comes Alicia who suggests the mighty world of Internet searches and secured sights of Online Dating. At first the idea of chatting with a stranger goes against her grain, but as the days keep happening around the clock and the nights become lonelier Mary accepts Alicia’s offer. They skip the personality tests and beating around the family history, because Mary knows exactly what she wants. “Is there any man out there that knows how to bake a muffin from scratch?” Alicia joins Mary in the waiting. To their surprise Mary gets at least fifty replies during the next hour and the both know that happy days are to begin.

Long story short, if it was not for the Online Dating Site, Mary might never have met the love of her life that happens to live around the corner; has a vegetable and herb garden, distils his own wine and wears his hair tied in a ponytail.  However, Mary still has to figure out a decent way to tell her family about how they’ve met when they enter her hometown next weekend on Rob’s Harley Davidson.

Hallo Neighbor!

Vaughn sits on the stairs in front of 246 with the skateboard under his arm. Shelly sees him through the opened window of her kitchen and dries her hands.

“Hi Sweetie, are you alright?”

“Can I come in?”

“Sure, the door is unlocked.”

Vaughn steps inside the small kitchen. Shelly continues washing the dishes, but looks over her shoulder at the six-year-old with curly blond hair and missing front teeth. She wonders if she must say something about the dangers for children entering a stranger’s house?

“I can’t go to the room,” decides Vaughn as if he can read Shelly’s mind.

“Smart kid,” says Shelly.

Vaughn looks at the unfamiliar curtains, the kitchen table and bubbles on the foam as Shelly adds more dishwasher liquid to clean the pan.

“My friend lived here before you moved in, but now it is not the same. His mother used to bake us pancakes on Friday afternoons, the best in North America.”

“This pan is only good for baking one egg every other morning,” thinks Shelly but says: “For how long did your friend live here?”

Vaughn shrugs. “Since we were babies.”

‘That’s a long time,” says Shelly “Lucky you!”

“I wish he’d still live here.”

“Are there no other children around to play with?”

“Yes, but that is not the same.”

“Do you miss him that much?”

Shelly dries the cups with a cloth and puts them one after the other back into the cupboard.

“You didn’t ask my name,” says Vaughn.

Shelly turns around and kneels in front of him.

“Pardon me my poor manners; I’m Shelly from 246 and you are?”

“Chip.”

Vaughn takes the pen attached to the board for the grocery list and writes Chip – 244 down. “If you’re anything like my Mommy you will not remember unless I write it down. Chip isn’t my real name, but that’s what Tommy called me all the time.”

“It is hard,” says Shelly. “I wish there was another way to get around saying our goodbyes.”

“Nice meeting you,” says Vaughn “ I’d better be off.”

Vaughn is on his way out, but makes a turnaround not ready to leave yet.

“Just so you know, I’m going away for the holidays.”

Shelly can’t help but to smile at the sincerity in which way he talks.

“Will you come and say hallo when you are back? We are next-door neighbors you know?”

“I will be away for a very long time,” says Vaughn.

“Although we’ve been total strangers to each other until ten minutes ago,” ponders Shelly “he must feel the need to getting even.”

“Drop in if you’re back, I’m not going anywhere soon” says she.

“That I will have to see,” says Vaughn and leaves without any further to-do.

Shelly dries the pan, puts in onto the burner and pages through the recipe book until she finds Pancakes for two.

Picture by John Calitz

Modulation

I browse through the shops in the mall, because it is much cooler inside than out. The drugstore always has red stickers for On Sale items, but this is not what draws my attention today.  Today I hear the pharmacist talking to a customer, explaining that the insurance doesn’t cover the drugs he needs. She can give it to him, but he will have to pay for it. He speaks with an adorable Indian accent, she undoubtedly fresh off the boat from Cape Town.

Not being able withstand the sweet modulation of words I position myself in front of the turbo-dry for dishwashers. Do you know, I want to ask her standing behind the counter My sister lives where you come from. Her apartment has a balcony with a view on Table Mountain. Do you know my father has been hospitalized a couple of days ago?

The customer is dissatisfied with her explanation and she patiently suggests a generic alternative, but she has to phone the doctor for conformation. He agrees to wait.

Does your family live in Melkbos Strand? Do you also quarrel when they come to visit because you hurt so badly? Do you regret throwing a scene upon departure at the Cape Town Airport because your luggage stacked with items from home got too heavy and more so having to leave them behind? Do you sometimes think that Skype should consider including a touch button?

The turbo dry for dishwashers are On Sale and therefor I will take two.

Photo courtesy of Chris Litschka 

The Passing On

A week ago family and friends were looking forward congratulate the parents and welcoming the newborn. Little did they know what lie ahead?

Today they rejoice the status of the surviving baby, but also gather to pay their last respects to a wife, mother, daughter and friend who unexpectedly passed on.

Looking at a husband and father so brokenhearted that one can wonder if it will be possible for him to continue a life without someone he so dearly loved?

It is said that grief gives us the full measure of love, and it is somehow reassuring to learn, even by our depth of suffering, how intense and powerful love is.

Although we’ll not find answers to our questions, we know that for those who believe in God there is the promise of being reunited.

The little girl in the incubator reacts when a hand touches her. She’s vulnerable and relies on her father, family and friends to see her for who she is. 

She’s not going to replace the late mother, neither is she to take the blame for the mother’s passing on.

Signature Lines

SIGNATURE LINES

MIDNIGHT

After the assignment gets posted, groups of writers gather to burn the midnight oil on writing the AFTER-12 one page script challenge. The cues are 9, 1 & 2; signature lines from movies and a signature act.

03:00 AM -- SCENE 1

Lead Actor panics as everything he turns on gets SMKD.

He breaks the computer, television and grabs the phone.

Lead Actor: “I never promised you a rose garden.”

His voice quavers.

He dials a number.

Secretary’s voice:

“Dial 1 if you want to fly the cuckoo’s nest;

Dial 2 for reaching Girl Interrupted,

Dial 3 if you’re in The Cell,

Dial 4 if you think I know what you did last summer or just

Go into the phone booth where the phone is ringing. Answer it!”

Weird sounds to follow as the Lead Actor throws the phone down.

“The number you’ve dialed is no longer in service, it is SMKD, but go ahead and walk into the hospital where the mad-err means the merrier.”

[To say the least, when writers getting together there are as many thoughts as there are genres]

04:00AM -- SCENE 2

CUT TO THE OFFICE

Lead Actor (Hereafter called LA) in sunglasses, hat and a Z on his cloak – disguised - on the couch.

PSYCIATRIST (P) : “I’m going to ask you some questions.”

She ticks the boxes off on the paper in the file.

P: “ Do you see dead people?”

LA: “ No! Unless you're a Zombie or Vampire.”

P: “ Do you still hear the lambs screaming?”

LA: “No, they’re running wild.”

P: “I hear you.”

P: “Are you King of the Britain’s?”

LA: “No, I’m not Arthur, King of the Brittan’s”.

P: “Did you take the blue pill?”

LA: “No I took the red one.”

P: “Is your TV leaking?”

LA: “I’m not falling for that one again, Brenda.”

P: “Does smiling make your face hurt?”

LA: “No, even smiling makes my face ache.”

{This can go on forever so the group moves on.}

P: “I’ll have to put you under hypnosis to find out why this is happening to you.

LA: “You have my vote.”

P: I’m going to count 9; 1, 2 and you’ll be fast asleep…Ready?”

LA lies down.

P: “9; 2; 1”

LA”…ZZZZZ”

P: “Now tell me when did you see SMKD first?

M (Sleepy): ”On my TV, it’s like it crept through the electrical cord into…”

PSYCIATRIST gets from the chair.

Secretary enters and blows a kiss at LA on couch.

P: (Whispers) ”Get the TWELVE colleagues to vote on his outcome – or not – no pun intended.”

When Secretary leaves, P smiles victorious.

P: “I hold the key to your future. ”

Secretary comes back.

S: “ 9 Voted against bringing him back; 1 abstained from voting…”

LA twiddles his toes.

P: ”Don’t say it…”

S: “ Say what?”

Secretary leaves.

05:00 AM -- SCENE 3.

Psychiatrist pulls the blanket over LA.

Secretary enters, falls on LA.

S: “I love you, Beast.”

{Is this not the signature line we’re all waiting for?}

Secretary gets from LA, opens vest and reveals guns.

Bang, bang, bang.

Psychiatrist goes down.

S: “9; 1, 2.”

LA wakes up.

S: “Am I a bad girl?”

LA: “I’ll have to see.”

 A Zorro moment as he swings the blanket like a cloak and kneels in front of her.

LA: ”Told you: I’ll be back.”

The sun rises.

Breakfast is served.

CONCLUSION:

I’ve seen way better scripts, but this was fun.

Signature lines make movies unforgettable.

I’m thinking it will be great if I can come up with a signature line that one day I'll be remembered by.

A signature line that creates a turning point by daybreak and gains meaning as the day(s) go by. 

Like in:  “Good morning, have a nice day.”

Getting tagged

TAGGED.

Pepsi or Coke?

Dining at the local Swiss Chalet I order a Coke, but the server rhetorical ask if Pepsi is all right? Having this article in mind I politely decline, although it doesn’t really matters to me.

“Oh” says the unnerved server “Can I offer you anything else? We have many soft drinks listed on the menu,” as he hands me one.

“I don’t think so,” feeling kind of empowered by my stubbornness and start enjoying the game.

“Anything to eat?”

“Sweet fries?”

 

“Unfortunately we don’t carry that, but we have very fresh salad.”

“I would hope so!” to say the least.

Needles to say, my power trip takes me to the next restaurant where I find Coke and sweet potatoes.

Tim Horton’s or Starbucks?

In the office is a subtle battle between coffee lover’s preferences on lunch breaks.

“I’m heading to Starbucks, anyone for a treat?” The intention is good, considering one have to carry a tray and not putting your hands in the pockets of the coat, but I guess that’s why we sell gloves.

Some people like Tim Horton’s coffee while others will drive or walk passed it, looking for the Starbucks logo simply because it’s a matter of taste.

On the toilet door of a washroom in Tim Horton’s downtown, Toronto is written with a marker: “Don’t eat animals and take off your fur coat.” What happened to freedom of choice and who write stuff like that on a public door? May it not be a person who wear leather boots, eat sushi, write in pencil or drink percolated coffee from the fields of slavery? 

In Starbucks is a drum with plastic bottled water and signs to encourage customers to contribute towards some children’s organization when purchasing some.  Plastic water bottles are banned in Canadian schools in an effort to be more environmentally friendly.

The car you drive

People who drive BMW will never drive a Mercedes unless they win it in some draw and visa verse or am I mistaken? Even if they win the specific make, they’ll most probable sell it back to the dealer and buy what they like. In my opinion it is not a matter of stubbornness or rigidity it’s simply a matter of taste or personality as suggested on Http://www.AllTheTest.com

Do we have a match between the brand of coffee, kind of soft drinks and the choice of cars and does it really matter?  Maybe not so much, but it will be interesting to know.

Bargain-hunters

Given the economy we have the good old bargain-hunters who will most likely not end up buying a Mercedes or BMW neither will they have a preference for coffee, where they can brew it at home where the heart is and for the price of one pop in a restaurant one can buy a six pack at the local store.

Regardless the intention and no matter what choices we make, someone out there will have a tag for us and a find a course to advocate.

Perfectly ready for Spring

PERFECTLY READY FOR SPRING

I’m so perfectly ready for a new season; it’s not even true. With the love of February’s red roses and heart-shaped chocolates in the air, one has to feel alive.

My winter wardrobe needs to be changed and so does the color of the dining room.

First things first and says my friend -- there’s nothing like a new purse if you’re on a tight budget.  Low and behold, the deep red or ocean blue Longchamp Shoulder tote (Http://clothing-and-accessories-become.com) is just what I need to get started. However, I might consider adding the absolute cute winter hat and gloves for the end of the year in the shopping chart.

One week later and with the tote over my shoulder, I feel confident that the right color for the dining room will jump out at me once I see it.  Keeping in mind that Valentine is competing with spring in mall and to my disappointment, I don’t find what I’m looking for.

Apart from my frantic rush to beat the winter blues, my husband invites his colleagues over for dinner and even though I’m not one for competition, it is kind of boring to have the same setting year in and year out. A new tablecloth can do the trick, but then again that will not be too exciting. I’m a sucker for antiques and find the perfect crystal chandelier. (Http://Home-and-garden.Become.com/gold-chandelabra) It takes my breath away and gives me an excellent starting block to run the race. After picking the chandelier everything falls in place and makes it easy to choose the pearly silver color paint for the walls. The nice thing about this color is that it matches dusty Rose, deep turquoise to dramatic black and can be changed according to the upcoming event or season. To finish off the new look, I just have to replace the dreadful thermostat-plate. (Http://become.com/thermostat-wall-cover-plate)

Days after the delightful evening with colleagues and enough adoration to saturate my non-competitive, just joking, nature I’m totally happy with my readiness for 2011, but to my surprise my husband isn’t. The guest bathroom he says needs something new.

From experience I say, it is adviseable to start with a centerpiece like recycling the old trash bin, pick a new one and work it from there. Ready, get set, go to Http://Home-and-Garden.Become.com/Bathroom-trash-can and join me in the race for fun.