The View from the Cheap Seats

Today is the last day of the blogging A to Z challenge and I fell behind. In my defense, it has been a pretty hectic week! But I am bound and determined to finish this, so here are the last three letters of the alphabet!

X is for the unknown — as in solving for X or the X-factor. I have a love-hate relationship with the unknown. Part of me hates it — it is uncomfortable and scary not to know what the future holds or what is going to happen or why things happen. It’s like straining your eyes on the dark, struggling with the unknown. But on the other hand, if it weren’t for the unknown, there wouldn’t be anything to debate or ponder or learn about. I love learning new things (that’s why I became a teacher — not because I love teaching but because I love learning) so when I encounter something I don’t know about, I enjoy learning about it. I’ll spend my life solving for X….

Y is for yogurt. A strange thing to write about, I realize. But I’ve never been much of a fan of yogurt but lately I’ve found some yummy ones that I enjoy! I love Greek yogurt with honey! I love for reasons to eat honey and Greek yogurt is a great reason! I have also discovered whipped Greek yogurt which is terrific! If you don’t like Greek yogurt because of the sour taste it has, trey a whipped version. No sour at all. I’ve also discovered this cream top yogurt which is to die for. The little bit of cream on the top really gives the yogurt some richness when it is mixed in! Then I also discovered by total accident coconut milk yogurt which is like silk in your mouth it is so smooth! If you’re not a fan of yogurt, now is a great time to retry it because there are so many different kinds out there now!

Z is for Zac. Zac is my friend Laura’s son. I never met Zac but Zac opened his life up for the world to see and learn from. Zac had schizophrenia and he allowed the world to see his life and his struggles and his triumphs. As soon as Zac was diagnosed, his mother dedicated herself to making sure her son was cared for which included eschewing her own life for all intents and purposes. It also included assuming huge amounts of debt and spending time advocating for her son as well as educating the world about metal illness. Sadly, Laura lost her son not long ago. His loss was felt by every person who knew him or knew of him. He was generous in his honesty. He used his life to make the world better by teaching us about mental illness. He left an indelible mark on this world. I never got to meet him but I am grateful I got to know about him. Please take the time to read this post from USA Today featuring Laura and her son Zac. It is called “The Fortunate Mother.” It is well worth your time. You can read about his death here. His bravery and his voice will be missed.

For today’s topic, the letter W, in the blogging A to Z challenge, I’d love to tell you  a little bit about this really terrific documentary I got to help out with called Without Charity, directed by my friend Paul Lyzun.

I got to know Paul after he was eyeball deep in this documentary. He offered to let me watch an early cut of the film and I was entranced. The story he documented was one I was unfamiliar with despite living relatively close to the setting, and his presentation of the subject was intriguing. Paul was able to tell the story of a woman connected to three murders from numerous perspectives in such a way that you were left with more questions than answers, which is a good thing! He approached the story from a well balanced and sensitive perspective, letting the viewer absorb all the information and really process it. No preaching. No pontificating. No lecturing. Just the story, which is heartbreaking and frustrating all at the same time.

I was involved in Paul’s project in such a minuscule way, but the final film was really impressive and I’m honored that I got to be involved in any capacity with such great work. I love to hear Paul talk about the films he has in the works and look forward to seeing them because he has a way of telling a story that draws you in and immerses you, which lets you decide how you want to experience the story for yourself.

Check out the information about Without Charity on IMDb.

In the blogging a to z challenge, today I’m faced with the letter U, and I’m going to write about my my uncles who have had a huge influence on me!

First let me introduce you to my uncles Jimmy and Joey. These are 2 of my mom’s brothers and they are both developmentally disabled. They live in a group home with other developmentally disabled men. They are two of my favorite people in the world because they have always made me smile, and it is because I grew up with them in my life that I have learned to be so open to different kinds of people. It never occurred to me that they were different from anyone else because they were just always the way they are, and it seemed normal to me. Once I realized they were different, I kind of shrugged, and that’s how I feel about people now. All people are different in their own ways, so accept them. My uncle Jimmy loves music. he has an affinity for music from the 1970’s — Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5, The Partridge Family, Stevie Wonder, and Barry Manilow are his favorites. He also has an active imaginary life that can be quite entertaining! My uncle Joey loves to shake hands and show off his muscles. They both love to show others their watches and rings, and they are always very complimentary about people’s clothes and appearance. I like to tel people that my uncles Jimmy and Joey are the best people I know because they have no malice in their hearts. They are pure and only know how to love.

My uncles on my mom’s side of the family. Seated are Uncle Jimmy and Uncle Joey. Standing is Uncle Tommy.

My mom’s other brother is my uncle Tommy. For years when I was little, I was sure he didn’t exist. All I knew was that my grandmother used to tell me to be quiet because my uncle Tommy was sleeping. Once I realized he was indeed real, he quickly became one of my favorite relatives. He and his wife (my aunt Sharon) spent tons of time with me and my brother and cousins. They took us bowling and to arcades and mini-golfing. They even took us to Wisconsin Dells for a camping trip. My brother and I got to go to Florida and Disney World with them. When I was with them, I got to do anything I wanted. It was like magic. I never laughed so much as I did on all the adventures I had with my uncle Tommy. I always knew how much he loved me and cared about me because it showed in his actions.

My uncle Stan on a fishing trip to Minnesota.

Then on my dad’s side, I have my uncle Stan. You won’t find a more generous man than my uncle Stan. He has helped me in every way conceivable. He has fed me, driven me places, fixed things, repaired my car, washed my car, among many other things. He gives great advice. He tells great stories. He has a very practical view of the world. And he makes me laugh because sometimes he does things that are funny — wearing two different shoes, walking into glass doors, goofing up telling a joke. One of my favorite pastimes is to get together with my aunt and cousins and tell the same uncle Stan stories we’ve been telling for years.

I am fortunate that all of my uncles are still in my life. They still make my life rich and enjoyable. I am the luckiest niece in the world.

For my blogging A to Z challenge today, I thought I would write a bit about Oklahoma City, specific the Oklahoma City bombing and memorial, as we are approaching the 20th anniversary of that sad event.

The photo that had an impact all over the world — a firefighter cradling tiny Baylee Almon’s body. Source: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/06/25/article-2347862-1A7E42D4000005DC-460_634x819.jpg

I clearly remember the Oklahoma City bombing. We were mere days away from my daughter’s first birthday and if the bombing itself wasn’t horrible enough, I learned about the day care center where so many children died in that bombing. Still unaccustomed to feeling all the feels that come with being a new mom (see this post), I was overwhelmed with anguish for those parents and children. I remember seeing the photo of the firefighter carrying Baylee Almon, a year old just the day before she died. I also remember thinking, “The media wouldn’t show that picture unless that sweet baby survived.” Sadly, tragically, I was wrong. I am choking up just remembering it.

My daughter looking around at the Oklahoma City Memorial.

About 10 years ago or so, my best friend and I took our daughters on a road trip to California. One of the stops we made was to visit the Oklahoma City Memorial. None of our girls remembered it — my daughter was only going on a year old, and my friend’s daughters were just a little over two and not born yet when it happened. We prepped them for it as best we could, but we were unprepared for the effect it actually had on them as we saw our daughters sobbing at the sights and sounds.

If you have never seen the memorial, it is worth a trip. It is beautiful and moving and educational. As we approach the anniversary, please keep all the victims and their families in your memories. I know they will be in mine for the rest of my life.