Nana knows this much…

The woman never could understand why people search for that which is so hard to find unless they look within. No one needs to spend a fortune to seek these things out. One only needs to be willing to learn and experience it–and to be silent and listen. Each person must do this on his or her own–wherever their wings take them–and it is nothing to fear. And that person must patiently wait for the answer. Fear keeps many from finding their vision and sometimes looking for it through others can prevent it–especially if we become too dependent upon them. Others can guide us, but we must find our path ourselves, in our own way, in our own time. The process is part of the adventure, and it can be rewarding–and for her it has been.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JI2o-nxHd8

I have my mountain to which I run to, and it is where I find my solace but I plan to go to Sedona, AZ or to Pecos, NM for a retreat at some point. There is strength in silence and beauty in places where nature can speak to us.  That being said, I hope you all have a great weekend.

 

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Texspearean Experience–“Merchant of Venice”….Nana’s version…Well, a Snippet Anyway! ;-)

I am working on a contemporary version of the Merchant of Venice–by William Shakespeare. However, this version is going to be written in the Texspearean language for those who have trouble with reading the great bard’s work.  It is my hope that he has a sense of humor because if he doesn’t, and reincarnation is real (which I don’t think it is-sorry), then with my luck he’d come back as the person who stomps me into the ground–because, I’d return as a  friggin’ cockroach!

Seriously this thing is playing out in my mind…That can be very dangerous.  Be afraid…Be VERY afraid.  What you are about to read is not something you will find in the world which you now know, but you will find it only in, “The Tina Zone” when she’s sleepy…This is part of my journal, folks. DISCLAIMER: I do not take XANAX or PROZAC!

The woman dozed off for a bit…She was exhausted from her long workday, but was thinking heavily about “The Merchant of Venice” before turning off the light and closing her eyes for the night…For some strange reason she saw a contemporary scene played out at the end of this short little dream where someone uttered the line, “No s***, Shylock!”, at which point she woke up for a bit, but as she dozed off, this scenario crossed her mind:

“…NERISSA How like you the young German, the Duke of Saxony‘s nephew?

PORTIA Very vilely in the morning, when he is sober, and
most vilely in the afternoon, when he is drunk: when
he is best, he is a little worse than a man, and
when he is worst, he is little better than a beast:
and the worst fall that ever fell, I hope I shall
make shift to go without him….”

In contemporary language in today’s world, she knows how Portia’s answering line would open in such a version…It would start with two words: “…Bitch, please!” and then go on to “…I can’t stand the dude!…” among other things.  Then she would explain the reasons for hoping she could just be left to her own devices or run off to join the French Foreign Legion…”  

Then again, that is the world of Tina when she’s tired and dozing off.  Have a great week! I know I will! I at least hope it makes someone laugh. I love reading Shakespeare, but when it comes to talking about it, my wires ALWAYS end up crossed and I end up creating this stuff one beast at a time!  I do love comedy, so that’s probably part of  it.

 

Time to share again…

The Haunted Pen

I often get asked how I deal with my past issues. I don’t often discuss these things with others, but people in my hometown know me well. They could not understand for the life of them how I managed to keep my marbles in tact…Seriously! I had a crazy childhood! I know many that had a hell of a lot worse, but mine was unique in that I lived in Bedlam, TX! Anyway, that’s what I called my house.

I won’t go into details. Those are unimportant since that is the past. The only thing the past can do is throw up pictures into your memory. Those things cannot hurt you. I had to let go of mine. I can tell you all personally that the hardest thing to do is the very first step I had to take, and that was to forgive people one by one.

You see…

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When Educators are the Bullies–Part II

As previously stated in this blog, there is a trend among some teachers to either allow student bullying under the guise of “teacher-induced peer pressure“, which is what I’m going to label that, or direct cursing and name-calling.  I saw and addressed this issue in the prisons. Either offense should result in severe consequences when it is just another form of child abuse. However the problem lies in that the district often protects the teacher rather than addresses the parents‘ concerns–at least that is the case where I live.

It got so bad that a parent had her son take HER cell phone into the classroom to film the abusive behavior. When she then brought it to the attention of the principal, instead of focusing on what was done to her child, they were more concerned that the rule in the school handbook about the cell phone was violated and threatened severe consequences for her son, banned her from coming onto campus over it, etc.  Listen up, people…Schools are not prisons and nor should the districts be allowed to run them as such.  As long as a parent is not creating a disturbance, there is no reason why the person cannot visit the classroom.  This district is trying to cover up the real problem here and that is more teachers manipulating students into bullying one another–OR they are directly bullying themselves under the sanction of the district.

This cannot be tolerated. Parents MUST speak up and start making their voices heard in the district. These people do not OWN your children!  These children are not inmates and it is time to return our classrooms in this country into sanctuaries of learning. Children must be taught BY parents to report this.  Parents need to sit down with their children and explain to them that teachers are NOT ALLOWED to act in a certain way.

It is time to put a stop to this and rid our districts of people who are behind it.  Parents, this is the usual “chain of command” when faced with any issue requiring state involvement in TX.  1. Principal   2. Superintendent   3. School board meeting (get scheduled to speak if necessary prior to the meeting)  4. Texas Education Agency.

I promise you if TEA gets it, they won’t take the case lightly. They will investigate it thoroughly so keep recordings, journals, etc…but it is imperative that you go through the chain of command PRIOR to going to TEA.  The reason many teachers still get away with this is because parents are often too afraid of being harassed by local authorities and/or administrators in their district.  IT is time to fight back for the sake our the children, people. Do no tolerate it! It is the taxpayers (meaning us) that sign their paychecks with the taxes taken out every year so these issues MUST be effectively handled.

Also, someone put forth a proposal in this district to allow teachers to conceal/carry on campus this week. This is ludicrous.  Until the last teacher who is bullying is gone, they are the last persons I want to see with a gun.

I am not sure what the chain of command is in other states, but it is best to follow this to avoid state boards from asking, “Why didn’t you go to (the principal, board, etc…)?” As long as you have taken proper steps prior, there should be no problem with getting this issue addressed.

Nana: Why She Hates Pirating…

Look, I am speaking from my heart so please don’t take this in a bad way, but I will not go to Piratebay for anything. It’s not fair to the actors and such. Know what I mean? There are perfectly legal ways to watch things–like www. huluplus.com and such, but I will not go to a place that seems to take pride in hurting the artists who work so hard to make their fans happy. Know what I mean? I know there are LEGAL sites for sharing and such that do pay the artists, but I would never want to deprive them of what they are entitled to. That’s just how I feel about it. I know how I would feel if I were in their shoes. I hope people who see this will understand where I am coming from. I certainly do not mean to step on toes here. It’s just that there are those who seem to take pride in getting it over on “the big wigs” without realizing that some of the people whose stuff their downloading are not the ones making small fortunes. To me it’s not the big wigs they are hurting but the performers and crew who put their blood and sweat into a production. Thanks for hearing me out on this.

I was inspired to write this post because one of my favorite actors has a show being downloaded from that site and the link was posted on his wall. I did alert him to this.  Hopefully one day, fans will see how wrong this is. If anyone has an idea for a guest blog on this, feel free to contact me. I have no problem with you sharing your thoughts on this here.

Reblogging…Needs to be shared again…

The Haunted Pen

It was 1978…I was a kid who was going through hell at home.  I was abused…I won’t go into every little detail, but my stepmother’s favorite mode of discipline when I was a child was to pick me up and throw me into a cabinet or up against the wall–if she wasn’t waiving a gun at my head…While my classmates enjoyed slumber parties, discovered the opposite sex and enjoyed some normal teen-aged fun–I spent my days and many nights hiding in my room and watching old movies or reading books–even after Judy’s death.

Some of what I write is through a character called “Kit”.  She’s merely a facsimile of what I might have been, or am depending on any given day of the week.  While my father turned more to his alcohol, and other family members only sought an escape, I followed suit and my pen became my weapon against…

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Nana: The Baby Boomers are the “Forgotten Audience” It Seems…

Well–not to sound cliché but “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!”  I am really tired of networks cancelling good shows like “Harry’s Law“, “Memphis Beat” and “Cold Case” because of Nielsen ratings.  These ratings are no longer truly representative of what viewers want because they do not adequately get put across to households representing all age groups.

Even Warner Bros. has stated that “…baby boomers tend to not go to theaters, so that is why certain movies get marketed…” HELLO!  Dear Warner Bros: We pay the friggin’ bills half the time! Stop ignoring us all! If WE are at home in rocking chairs, it should be us you’re surveying and not those teens and ‘tweens you keep pandering movies to that aren’t fit for my dog to piss on the fire hydrant in front of the theater over. You know exactly to what I am referring.  Yes, I am mad. Yes, I’m still hormonal. Deal with it.  To you we are the forgotten audience, but like that nagging ringing you get in your ears, we are NOT going away. We don’t have one foot on the grave and another on the banana peel yet.

Think they got that, folks? Even if they see it, it will not matter much…

One of the best movies that could appeal to my age group is “The Life of Pi” and the other is “Lincoln”…There’s 12 months in a year and that is all Hollywood has to offer us?  Well, there is “Armour”, which I think is probably one of the best films of last year, so it deserved its Oscar nod as well! And it’s a French film! Not all baby boomers get into “The Avengers”–but there are those who still do.  Just for the hell of it, I will watch “Cowboys and Aliens” on dvd though.  Granted there are a few family films put out, but the best ones get put out by Pixar (“Brave”) and NOT WB.   The Expendables II is also good. Like the idea of all those actors grouping up for another hurrah!

That brings me to another topic…Why don’t you boneheads keep the older actors and actresses we love and respect working?  I’ll watch a movie that has Muse Watson, Ben Cross, Kathy Bates, Helen Mirren or Judi Dench any day of the week before I’ll watch that freaking “Twilight” you keep trying to get me to buy tickets for–which I won’t.  I’ll watch Hammer Films. At least they KNOW how to make a good horror/suspense flick!  Did any of you young whipper snappers see “The Woman in Black” yet? I suggest you watch it and learn a thing or two after subjecting this lifelong Dark Shadows fan to that abysmal movie that was made in 2012.   Hammer Studios knows how to get the job done right. That has been proven.

Bruce Willis also knows how to get the job done right.  “Red” proved that.  Watch this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFLX7Pk1Tn4

Just to note: IF Willis makes a part II for this I hope Mr. Cross gets offered a hell of a comedic role!

If you’re not going to keep us happy using the major networks, I hope some enterprising investors come up with a network JUST FOR older audience members that will keep these actors working and put food on the table!   It makes perfect sense to me!   A little innuendo and such doesn’t bother my age group either.  However constantly being bombarded with the “visioning” and “re-visioning” these screenwriters come up with really pissed off my age group in the past few years.  It has gotten to where I prefer live theater to television anymore because the networks keep putting too much trash on them.  The only good shows worth watching are the CSI’s, NCIS’s, Law and Order spin-offs, etc…I could care less about “Reality TV”. I can watch reality for free every day so I don’t want to see it on the television…

I’d rather see a good variety show than Glee any day of the week.  I think one of the best movies that is going to come out in 2013 is going to be “A Common Man” with Sir Ben Kingsley and Ben Cross starring in it.  I’d pay $30 a ticket for that one!  I’d also pay for a ticket to hear Ben Cross sing, but that’s off the subject a bit…However, that man has some pipes on him, folks!  I never knew he could sing until I saw this a few years back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khSVOJF4S3c

I think another good movie coming out is “Monumental” which stars Gary Cairns II, who also stars in “Black Butterflies” with Brad Dourif. “Black Butterflies” is also coming out this year too.  Yes, Gary is younger but he knows how to act and he takes good scripts so I’d pay as much to see him also–and he is a down to Earth, cool guy. I can personally attest to that fact.

“Posey” is another film that everyone who has had Alzheimer’s touch their family or has elderly family members they love dearly should watch this year.  Sally Kirkland is a wonderful actress and she recently snagged the Best Actress Award at the Idyllwild CinemaFest for her role.  Billy DaMota is a man with an excellent heart to put such a film together and I fully support it.  Also having Christopher Pennock in the cast peeks my interest as well!  I’d love to see him get more work this year too! Here is the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWMTBV7sIl0

Alright now…Her majesty “Nana” has spoken.  Have a great week!

Nana Shudders at What May Come…

Forty Five years ago I stood in a classroom in Louisiana. I looked up at the flag that was at the top of the chalkboard near the door,  put my right hand over my heart and recited the “Pledge of Allegiance” with the rest of that class.  I remember my teacher, who seemed to be in a time warp, as her hairdo was worn up in a “beehive” type of style that day.  After we said the pledge, we sang “America the Beautiful”.  I wouldn’t know the National Anthem lyrics  until 3rd grade.

We said the Pledge of Allegiance every morning until I graduated on May 29, 1981 from Ranger High School, in Ranger, TX.  Fortunately, we were taught the meaning of the colors on the flag at an early age.  However, many did not know that originally, when the flag was adopted in 1777, there was not a “meaning” attached to those colors until the colors were defined for the Great Seal when the Continental Congress met.  The Secretary of the Continental Congress, Charles Thompson stated the following when reporting to congress about the seal:

“…”The colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice…”

Eventually, many of us were taught that this is what also applied to the colors of Old Glory.

I submit now that our nation is no longer pure and innocent, represented by the white, due the greed and corruption in Washington, D.C.  No…Not Wall St.  They are only part of the problem.  The real problem lies within the nation’s capital.  This has resulted in a violation of the trust that the American People had in a system which once worked for them to ensure their freedoms,but  is now working against them in order to deny them.

This is not about the 23 executive “actions”–which translates to “orders” which congress must approve of. President Obama failed to realize that there are three people any American citizen should be able to seek guidance or services from without fear of reprisal.  Those three would be their lawyer, their doctor and their priests/pastors.  These “actions” require medical personnel to ask patients about guns in their homes and THEN report back to the government.  Does anyone see a problem with this besides me?  Roe v. Wade is even violated here.  Roe v. Wade does NOT guarantee the right to an abortion, but the right to privacy, so yes this will affect both the left and the right.  It is time for America to get its head out of the sand and stand up for what it once believed in: Freedom. TRUE FREEDOM.

I do not own a gun and most likely never will.  This is not about the guns.  This is about control. This is about your right to decide your own destiny whether you want to buy weapons or not.  To tie these measures in with the Affordable Care Act only proves that the right-wing was correct.  As I said, this will affect even the left so they need to pay attention to what I am about to say here.  Before I go into the meaning of the  red on the flag, you need to know EXACTLY what those orders say, so here is the link–and pay particular attention to #16! :

http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2013/01/16/here-are-the-23-executive-orders-on-gun-safety-signed-today-by-the-president/

There is NO reason to try to tamper with doctor/patient confidentiality.  For one, that violates the Roe v. Wade ruling which guarantees MY right to privacy.  No pun intended here, but women should be up in arms over this already.  It doesn’t matter what side of the gun issue one is on, this can be used as a two-edged sword to slice away at rights so many women before me fought hard to acquire because it will be applied at the whim of whatever party is in charge of things. Seriously. Think about this. This will be ran according to the whim of politicians, not the people,  and a few Constitutional Amendments have to be wiped out to achieve it. THAT is my problem with it.

Universal Health care should not be used to erode the rights of every American citizen.  The Constitution should not be held hostage by it either. It is time to revamp the system, everyone. It is time for a new party with fresh ideas to be put into power because the major parties only care about taking our tax dollars and furthering their own interests. They will NOT pay off the deficit with the runaway taxation they are going to support for each other and it is you, I, our children and grandchildren that will pay for this if our country continues on this course. I am also really tired of them exempting themselves from their own legislation. If it good enough for WE THE PEOPLE, it is good enough for them. Remove the perks. Remove the taxpayer funded travel expenses and $500 steak dinners–not to mention the trips to resorts when they want to run and hide at a resort rather than do the job they were paid to show up for work to do.

Now for the meaning of “red”…Some teachers say it is for blood shed to ensure freedom, but it stood for “hardiness” and “valor” when the Great Seal was created in 1777.    I will take this definition of hardiness:  Capable of surviving unfavorable conditions .  Remember the lyrics to the Star-Spangled Banner?   “…And the rockets red glare…The bombs bursting in air gave proof though the night that our flag was still there…”

Well people of America, we are under a different type of siege today.  The question is, will we and our flag survive it or will be ripped further and further apart by self-serving politicians in Washington?  Stay tuned on that one…Same bat time! Same bat channel!

Now for the blue…Vigilance, perseverance and justice… 

I submit that it is WE THE PEOPLE who deserve justice and the government needs to stop trying to further its means by exploiting the dead as well as the Constitution of the United States.  Every time a government tries to get its people behind a sweeping and life-changing reform, what is that reform usually tied to?  Children…It is true and it isn’t the first time in History this has happened. Remember a man named Adolph Hitler?  Children are vulnerable and they shouldn’t be used as pawns by politician because that is just another way to manipulate the populace. Stop them from doing that, and they’ll have to talk about the issues, rather than tying them to “the children” stir up the “emotional vote” rather than relying on logic to solve issues without jeopardizing our rights–and I am not referring to just the “right to bear arms”.  It will begin to erode others as well.  These orders already fly in the face of Roe v. Wade, yet not one reporter has bothered to address this. Why is that?  Maybe they are pawns themselves.  However, this is now no longer a question of right-wing or left–wing, gay or straight, etc…This is a question of whether or not the people on both sides can wake up and see what is being done to them. Hopefully they will and soon. “We the people” have been used and manipulated enough by politicians on both sides of the political spectrum, I think.

 

Peace, Art, Anime and Harmony–Some Thoughts from Nana

I want to share with you something I find to be amazing, but first I want to state WHY I think it is amazing. First, disregard the politics because in the art world, at least in my opinion, our political issues should be set aside. We must all live together and work together–and no people should be held responsible for things done by their governing bodies with which one may or may not agree because that is not fair to the artists, the dreamers, the musicians or the actors and actresses in those countries…They also have a profound respect for artists in other countries as well, so that kindness should be reciprocated. Maybe in the world of art and entertainment, we can one day build a bridge that will make the leaders realize that the arts are vital because of what they can bring–a thing called “Harmony”.

Watch this scene from the 2004 version of “The Alamo“…Two sides in conflict are preparing for a last battle. Granted this was dramatic license taken by the writers, but it makes a valid point. There can be harmony with the rest of the world, even if we cannot always find it within our own borders. The lesson to be learned is the very last line that Billy Bob Thornton delivers in this scene–despite the fact that it was foreshadowing certain doom…Once you see this scene, please pause and think for a minute afterward.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c24zIkPnLYI

I have thought long and hard about this issue. I want my grandson to know a peaceful world, where people can exchange ideas and work side by side to make this planet we live on a better place in the future.  I am hoping that by the time he is in school, the political climate we are now experiencing  in this country will have improved.  I feel that one way to achieve this is to open our hearts to our fellow artists around the world.  Have a great night all! And please enjoy the link to the page below–especially if you like anime…China has some very talented artists, that’s for sure.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/VASOON-ANIMATION-COLTD/118462548168784

Nana Plays Oscar…What I got WRONG! Winners are in BOLD

Okay…For me this is almost like a game of sorts.  I am going to list my picks for the Oscars. I am not going to weigh in on why I am picking these films, actors, actresses, directors and such because I go with my gut, so like the rest of the movie going public, I could be wrong–and in the case of the Oscars I don’t care if I am right or wrong.  Me and a few friends used to do to just have a bit of fun so here goes…

BEST PICTURE:  Lincoln          *Argo*

BEST ACTOR:  Denzel Washington (and if not him, it will most likely be Daniel Day-Lewis).  Daniel Day-Lewis won it!

BEST ACTRESS:   Jessica Chastain (I know Jennifer Lawrence has a good shot though).   *Jennifer Lawrence*

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:  I say Tommy Lee Jones but DeNiro might do it…  *Christoph Waltz*

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:  I say it’s gonna be Sally Field.  *Ann Hathaway*

BEST DIRECTOR:  Stephen Spielberg (but Ang Lee might do it.  I think Michael Haneke deserves it though). I don’t care if “The Artist” won last year or not…  *Ang Lee*

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:  John Gatins (Flight) *Django Unchained*

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:   *Argo*

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:  *Brave*

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:  *”Life of Pi”*

BEST COSTUME DESIGN:  Lincoln *Anna Karenina*

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE:   *Life of Pi*

BEST ORIGINAL SONG:  Pi’s Lullaby *and it’s a hell of a lot better than the Skyfall theme–sorry to all you Adele fans. She’s great but this song is simply too beautiful*. *Adele-Skyfall* (damn)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS:  Life of Pi (and if not that one I’ll say Snow White and the Huntsman)…

Anything else you guys can come up with in these or other categories, feel free to comment!

Well the ones in bold with NOTHING BEFORE them are the ones I got right. I still say although Ang Lee won–and was great, Michael Hanake should have gotten that nod.  So am I the only one who got the botched the big ones here? LOL  At least I got a lot of the other ones right… 😉