Sassistas! Our dish on the social soup.

End-of-2011 Open Mic

 

It's the last Friday of the year.

Step up and dish, dish, dish.

The Sassistas! are listening.

Courage

Courage is all around us.

Sane or insane.

 

The receptionist whose daughter with severe breathing problems --

won't take a nickel from the son of a bitch

living his mid-life fantasy -- always

cheerful and creative.

 

The neighbor with brain cancer --

most likely seen his last Christmas --

chases me off when

I try to shovel his walk.

 

The friend who every day

for over a year

saw his Dad at the nursing home until

death eased the burden.

 

The son who fights for and achieves his dreams

by hard work

and faith -- never

asking for a handout.

 

The Mother who sends her sons

off to war

again and again and somehow

does not lose her mind.

 

A smile on their faces.

Scoffing if anyone called them courageous.

 

Courage is all around us.

Sane or insane.

 

-- "Courage is All Around Us" by nowayasista

 

We Bought A Zoo

 "What do you like better? Animals or humans?"

That is the question at the heart of a surprisingly sweet and very smart film, "We Bought a Zoo," that Flannista saw yesterday afternoon with treesta. It was the perfect cure for a sucky year. If you want to know why you like animals and love humans, if you want to know why good writing makes all the difference in a film, if you just want to feel frickin' grateful to have 20 seconds in your life when you do something outrageously courageous, drop everything and see this film.

I loved it, and so did treesta as we dabbed at our happy tears as the credits were rolling.

The movie, based on a true story, is about a father named Benjamin (Matt Damon in a winningly likeable performance), a lonely widower with two kids -- his wife died six months before -- who revives his lust for life by purchasing a ramshackle country house with a dilapidated zoo attached. Bottom line, a depressed dad comes to life and lemme tell ya, I bought it big time. There is darkness in life, but that doesn't mean there can't also be harmony.

Contributing to the whimsy and beauty of the film is a soundtrack by Jonsi, the guitarist and vocalist for the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Ros.  I was first introduced to Jonsi in June, when my artist friend, Tim Lowly, told me to drop everything and buy Jonsi's latest CD, "Go".  I did, and it is one of my favorite CDs of the year.  Click here to hear "Why Not" -- a cut from Jonsi's soundtrack to "We Bought A Zoo".

I could go on and on and on . . . but won't.  At the moment, I'm so grateful to feel happy about the warmth and beauty that is as close to me as the local theater and my iTunes library.

But back to the question at the heart of this film: What do you like better? Animals or humans?"

Open Fire

FABULOUS NEWS!

 

Flannista finally installed the fireplace she's longed for in her home.

Just in time for the holidays!

Stay warm and cozy!

Edgewater Christmas

The Sassistas! would like to acknowledge and thank treesta

for dishing today's sass and providing ALL OF THE PHOTOS!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On December 4, while walking Trixie, I noticed that there seemed to be more Christmas decorations than last year, so I decided to take a late-night drive through the community. While there were some Grinch streets, many streets were aglow in Christmas LEDs. Now, if I were to drive down the road to Davidsonville, a local upscale community, the houses would be decorated elegantly, in white lights, with carefully situated spotlights highlighting live greenery and red ribbons. But I live in Woodland Beach, what once was a summer beach community on the South River. Woodland Beach is a very eclectic community. No two houses sitting next to each other are identical. Home prices range from $150,000 to well over a million. A two-bedroom cottage often sits beside a three-story, well-manicured colonial. It's just a very different, quirky little community. The Christmas lights last night were no different. To be sure, there were more than a few tastefully decorated, I might even say elegantly decorated homes. Here in the Beach, though, styles seemed to lean toward any variety of Christmas yard art, often all in one postage-stamped size front yard. The yard art varied from the 60's & 70's style molded plastic Santas and Frostys and Rudolphs, all the way to the current style of air-blown nylon cloth decor. But to be sure, there was quite the variety. I kept a list to report back to the sassosphere: A half dozen Santas riding his Harley. At least as many Santas riding a John Deere tractor. 3 Santas riding ATVs, carrying reindeer in the back. One Santa landing his bi-plane (complete with moving propeller), with his 'runway' outlined in Christmas lights on the yard. Two Santas sailing yard-art sailboats. One Santa driving his yard-art motorboat. (It is an old beach community, after all.) One Santa driving his very real sailboat down at the dock, which was outlined in multi-colored lights. One Santa riding in his hot-air balloon, which was suspended from a large oak tree in the front yard. Dozens (I stopped counting) of Penguin elves in all possible sizes, one of whom was rowing a rowboat across the front yard, pulled by a reindeer. A Christmas dinosaur (a stegasaurus to be precise). A couple of Christmas pink flamingos (Minho-ho-hos?). Mickey Santas and Winnie-the-Pooh Santas. At least 3 Bart Simpson Santas. A Snoopy, attired in his pilot hat and goggles, flying his Christmas decorated dog house (no Red Baron, however). Lots of snowmen, toy soldiers, and 9-foot tall snowglobes. One snowglobe had lights flickering in the globe, with a kind of strobe-light thing going on.  It was quite the tacky Christmas decor extravaganza.   And oh, a Christmas Elmo and Cookie Monster are waiting out in my front yard for Julia to arrive on Christmas Eve.

Silent Monk Choir

 

For your holiday enjoyment!

 

Solstice Tree

The Sassistas! would like to acknowledge and thank Lovasista

for sassgesting and dishing the following sass.  We love you!

I am getting ready for the Solstice Tree -- do you remember me telling you how I will get a tree in the evening of the 24th -- one that did not make it into a home for Christmas? I put it into the ground, smear peanut butter on each branch, then cover with bird seeds. I then tie prayer bundles that represent each family member  to the tree -- each bundle has a corn meal offering and prayer -- it is all about the intention.

I would love the names of each sista and mista and family members that they wish to have a prayer bundle for. Even bundles for those who have crossed over. Just tell them to list the name and the intention of the prayer. I will do prayer and start doing the bundles on the 22nd and will continue to tie until Christmas morning. I can print off each sista and mista's intention and have that attached to the bundle also. The animals will be gifted, and they in turn will gift all of us.  The tree will stand until I do a fire ceremony Spring equinox.

This is our gift to the sassosphere.

What a lovely offer, Lovasista.  

Names and prayer intentions are forthcoming! 

 

Open Presence

 

The Sassistas! are snuggling up and laying low this holiday season.

We plan to keep Flannista's tree up in the sassosphere for a while.

Step up to the tree and share

your own holiday plans or whatever you like.

We're listening.

Christopher Hitchens

 

British-born author, literary critic and journalist Christopher Hitchens has died at the age of 62 from complications of esophageal cancer. To read his New York Times obituary, click here.  The Sassistas! would like to honor Hitchens by posting this perspective from him:

I love the imagery of struggle.  I sometimes wish I were suffering in a good cause, or risking my life for the good of others, instead of just being a gravely endangered patient.

 

Ellen

Flannista loves Ellen DeGeneres.  There.  I said it.

She may be saving my life.  There.  I said that, too.

About a month ago, after another friend suggested that I consider taking anti-depressants to assist me in crawling out of the dark place I've been in for more than a year, Matissta suggested that I watch "Ellen" in the afternoons.  "She'll make you feel better," said Matiss. "I promise."

A month later, I can attest that Ellen has, in fact, made me feel better.  She is the only anti-depressant that has ever really worked for me (the ones that require a prescription never have). Every week day, shortly after 3 pm (EST), you'll find me in front of my television. dancing along with a studio audience because every day Ellen starts her show dancing.

I don't know what it is about her that I love so much: 

• That she starts every show dancing?
• That she is very, very funny?
• That she is very, very generous?
• That she ends every show with this: "Be kind to one another"?
• All of the above?

Why do you love Ellen (and if you don't, you should) ?  Today, post your reasons, or links to your favorite bits. It doesn't matter.  What matters is that Ellen may be saving my life, and I'm very grateful.