FLASHBACK 1983

"eenie, meenie, miney, moe, catch a tiger by the toe"
most of us are seniors in high school. 10 of us,  all sitting in the living room watching a movie. we're bored. someone gets the bright idea to go outside and play flashlight tag. we climb trees. we hide in bushes. we run. we scream. we crack teeth (sorry kirch). 

FLASH FORWARD today

we're all adults now. we have children. some of us have grandchildren. we are busy all the time. we have jobs. we have houses to clean. we have groceries to buy. we're just plain tired. 

we need to take a break from work and play. play hide and seek with your kids or grandchildren. sit down with your friends, or family, and play a board game. or maybe you golf. or play tennis. maybe you enjoy video games. maybe you love working out. whatever it is you enjoy, take the time to do it. especially today. today is national day of play. 

join me in a game of flashlight tag...i triple dog dare you ;)

fun games:

FLASHBACK 1967

"wanna see my smilin' face on the cover of the rollin' stone"
the very first issue of rolling stone magazine is released today. john lennon is on the cover. it's founded by jann wenner (who is still chief editor) and music critic, ralph gleason. it's devoted to music and pop culture.
FLASH FORWARD 1970's
rolling stone becomes known for it's liberal political coverage because of articles by gonzo journalist, hunter s. thompson (who published his most famous work, "fear and loathing in las vegas", in the pages of the magazine). rolling stone launches the careers of many amazing authors, including cameron crowe, joe eszterhas, patti smith, and pj o'rourke. rolling stone will publish many of its most famous works during this decade.
FLASH FORWARD 1980's and 90's
to appeal to a younger audience, rolling stone changed it's format to include youth~oriented television shows and movie actors, becoming less political and more of an entertainment magazine. it's now being criticized for choosing style over substance. 
FLASH FORWARD today
with the addition of two young journalists, michael hastings and matt taibbi, rolling stone is becoming relevant again. taibbi has emerged as a finacial expert, covering the country's financial meltdown and fraud committed by big banks. hastings has covered all things related to the dissention in the middle east. the magazine has undergone many changes to it's look, looking like a tabloid newspaper in it's beginnings to becoming a standard style magazine in 2008. today, it is also available on the web. the website includes the complete archives of rolling stone. 
you know you wanna see your picture on the cover :)

             

 

             

 

FLASHBACK 1984

"i'm walking on sunshine...and don't it feel good?!!!"
i graduate from high school. my parents give me a new~to~me 1979 ford pinto. a car i DON'T have to share with my brother. I AM SOOOOOOO HAPPY!! until i have to use my OWN money to gas it up. until I have to check the oil and get all dirty. happiness disintegrated.
FLASH FORWARD 1986
i move in with the future ex~husband. we have our own little house. i decorate it the way i want. i cook and clean and take care of MY OWN place. I AM SOOOOOOO HAPPY!! until. well. until i decide that i don't really like the couch. and the paint i chose for the bedroom is ridiculous. and the bathroom is too small. and the neighbors are nosey. happiness disintegrated.
FLASH FORWARD 1987, 1988, 1990
i gave birth to a beautiful baby boy in each of those years. they each are perfect. all 10 fingers. all 10 toes. two blue~eyed, one green~eyed. two bald, one blonde. two tiny, one gigantic. I AM SOOOOOOO HAPPY!! until i don't get any sleep. until my life becomes a sea of diapers and baby bottles. until they start walking, talking, and fighting like brothers do. happiness disint...oh who am I kidding? I AM SOOOOOOO HAPPY!! 
FLASH FORWARD 1994
she arrives in an ice storm. flown from ohio to upstate new york. a great pyrenees. she's an amazing addition to our family. I AM SOOOOO HAPPY!!!! until. well, she didn't come housebroken. ugh. she sheds 365 days a year. nobody told me that. she slobbers. she slobbers buckets. nobody told me that. happiness dis...nope. once again, all that doesn't matter. she's an awesome addition to our family. I AM SOOOOOOO HAPPY!!
FLASH FORWARD today
our founding fathers wrote, in the declaration of independence, "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and THE PURUIT OF HAPPINESS". this week (november 7~13) is "pursuit of happiness" week. why do we need a week to remind us to be happy? we all want to be happy everyday, right? right. but, i feel we don't really recognize what truly makes us happy. we think it's that new car. that great pair of shoes. that FABULOUS diamond ring. but these are all materialistic things that will fade away, taking the happiness with them. the car will age, and rust, and require a lot of work. the shoes will go out of style and end up in the back of your closet. and the diamond ring might lose it's shine and end up in your jewelry box, being replaced by a newer, shinier ring. it's matters of the heart that bring forever happiness. finding your soul mate. the birth of a child...or two, or three. even the addition of a pet. 
so, this week, and every week...listen to your fore fathers and strive for true happiness. let go of stress. quit worrying about the materialistic stuff. try something creative. make yourself healthier. help a neighbor. and smile. smile everyday. soon, you won't be able to explain why. you'll just know you're truly happy.

                        

a gallery of what makes me happy: