Welcome to Laine Land

No one is above the law--someone should tell this guy that...

2012-01-27T06:54:00.000-08:00

Been reading my local paper online for the last few days and might I just say I'm beyond disgusted with the way my local sheriff runs his office?? Might I please?? Thank you!

This man places ads in the local paper quite often (and the closer it is to election time, the more often he does it) paid for out of his own pocket (with money he earns from his paid position as an elected law enforcement official and head of a governmental body i.e. taxpayer funded) proclaiming his personal religious beliefs. Now before you go jumping on me, hear me out. I have no issue with his taking out the ads in his own name and stating his personal beliefs. That's not the problem. The problem is that he does so with his official title and seal of his elected office appearing on those ads. And at the same time he is at the very least insinuating that anyone who does not share his personal beliefs are not entitled to the same protection of his office as those who do happen to agree with him. Of course he uses different language, but boil it down and the bones state what he really means.

This isn't my only issue with him. I have a few others.

For instance, the fact that he refused to serve a court-ordered restraining order on one of his own deputies because he knew the wife and knew if he just gave her the weekend to think about it, she'd realize she didn't want to do that to her husband. That's what he told the local news when they asked him about it.

Then there's the whole deal about how anyone (read FEMALE there) who wants to file a complaint of sexual assault has to take and pass a polygraph test before an investigation will begin because 'if she lies, then a man's reputation is ruined' So it is perfectly acceptable in his head to victimize everyone filing that kind of charge because someone COULD lie. Funny, I could say my house was robbed and I don't have to prove I'm not lying about it BEFORE an investigation even begins! Only sexual assault charges are handled this way. Now I will state that 2 elections ago, he CLAIMED this policy was no longer in force in his department. I've heard otherwise, but have no proof of it. It just sticks in my gut that it was ever the case at all.

Then there's the time he left his loaded weapon in the bathroom at a grocery store and had to be called to the front of the store to have it returned. He didn't even realize he'd left it until he was pointed out to him. Had that been one of his deputies, he would have fired him on the spot, but because it was Ed, the people here still say "haven't you ever left your keys in a restaurant before? People forget things all the time. It's no big deal!" Last time I checked, my KEYS lacked the ability to maim or murder the way a loaded gun does, so I don't see the connection.

Then there's the fact that he does not have a single female deputy patrolling the streets. All female officers work in the jail and it is part of their daily jobs to cook breakfast for the inmates and other officers! I'm not making that up. I wish I were making that up!

Then there's the way he intrudes into the personal lives of his staff. He not only has deputies following other deputies off duty to see where they go and what they do and who they are with while going and doing, but he refuses to hire a deputy who is living with a woman who is not his wife. YET the sheriff himself is a divorced and remarried man--in his own religious belief system that is a No-No! As long as that first wife is alive, he is an adulterer! But that doesn't apply to the mighty Sheriff Ed! Only to the other lower beings who come into his presence.

The latest example of this over-reaching was when he confiscated cell phones, both department issued phones and personal phones, from all employees in his department and ended up firing one long-time deputy for using his personal phone while on duty. Then he fired a second deputy because that deputy talked to the fired deputy after the firing! Read all about it here:

http://www.jdnews.com/articles/sheriff-99845-county-searches.html

And what is really frustrating is the fact that if he decides to run for office again, he will be elected again! His supporters will say 'run against him if you can do better!" but what they fail to acknowledge is that when you are outnumbered by idiots who believe that because he CLAIMS to be a 'good Christian man' that makes him the perfect sheriff. '

A few elections ago I was at lunch with some friends while wearing a support badge for one of his opponents. I saw one of his deputies at the dessert table and he told me he liked my badge. He said "I would wear one of those too, but if I did, I'd lose this one" and pointed to his departmental badge on his uniform. I told him there was one place he could do his talking and not worry about being fired--the voting booth. And his reply has proven true a few times since then, "Lotta good that'll do. We're outnumbered by the clueless"

I can only hope that as more people move into this area, the voters who are card-carrying members of the Kool-Aid Drinker's Society will eventually be in the minority and we will actually be able to elect a sheriff who will take the safety and well-being of ALL citizens into equal account.

I know this is just a rant and a rant that few will ever read, but it does make me feel better to get it off my chest. And if just one person is happier with the police protection they get because it was compared to what I have here, then maybe something positive can come from all this frustration!

That's my rant for today...what's yours??

Later Tater Tots...

Long Time...No Post...Let's play catch up!

2012-01-27T04:21:00.000-08:00

I wish I could say I hadn't posted anything here in over a year because I was travelling the world, working to cure some horrid disease like diabetes or stupidity, but I've just been lazy. No other excuse, just lazy. And like my Gramma Leila always said, "Ain't but one cure for lazy--get to work!" So that's what I'm doing here....trying to make up for lost time would be like trying to find tits on a turtle. You might find 'em, but what you gonna do about it then? Might as well just pick up from where I am and go forward, right?? RIGHT?? Thought so...

I've had very little news to report and not even a lot of things that annoy me since my last post. But there are a few items right now that I'll be posting about later today. I need to gather my thoughts and post my words carefully. So stay tuned...those posts WILL go up today unless my computer decides to boink out on me...and it had best NOT if it knows what's good for it!! I have a sledgehammer in the garage and I ain't afraid to tell Hub to use it! LOL

Go on and admit it, you've missed my posts, haven't you?? I know you have...LOL

Until next post.....

Later Tater Tots!!

New TV Season

2010-09-23T06:10:00.000-07:00

Well the long awaited Fall TV Season is finally here! I'm really excited about some shows and others have already turned me off.

Here are my A list:

Criminal Minds--never dull, every single time I say 'this is the best episode yet' they outdo it the next week!

NCIS--my favorite show! I love Mark Harmon and the rest of the cast is wonderful. I've come to think of them as family that I actually like! LOL Great show and I hope it stays on the air for another decade!

Chuck gets an A because it's Chuck! I just love the show. Characters are fun and engaging and I love them all--just wish Ellie wasn't quite so WHINY! That makes me crazy!

Supernatural--like Chuck, it's on the A list because I love the show. I'm really looking forward to seeing where it goes this season, especially since it was supposed to have ended last year. Getting back to some good old-fashioned monster butt kicking will be great! And I hope we get to see the Ghost Facers this season!! I love those guys!

New shows added to my A list are a bit of a surprise to me actually. Chase, Nikita and No Ordinary Family are all shows I watched (online) with a hint of 'bet I will hate this' in the back of my mind only to be shocked and surprised when I loved the shows. Each offers something different and while I will most likely still catch episodes of them online (especially those up against my other more established A list shows) I will still watch.

My B list shows (meaning they are good and have the potential to grow on me) are The Whole Truth and Detroit 1-8-7, both those shows have a lot of promise. I enjoyed both pilots and I'll stick with them as long as they continue on the same route. Detour too much and I might stop watching.

Honorable mention goes to The Event and Undercovers. These shows still haven't proven they are 'don't miss' worthy, but I haven't written them off completely yet. The Event has one thing going for it--Blair Underwood. But the fact the network is touting it as 'if Lost and 24 had a baby, it would be The Event' is enough to make me cringe. The pilot left me feeling just like Lost did--with more questions than answers and a little bit duped by the hype. I'll give it ONE more episode. If it isn't a lot better than the pilot, then I'm afraid even my love for Blair Underwood will not be enough to keep me watching.

Undercovers is a fairly decent show. The characters are engaging and I do love Gerald McRaney. I liked it for the same reasons I like Chuck. This one has me interested. As long as they stay on track, I'll keep watching, but if I miss an episode here or there, I won't be too upset over it.

Shows that got lower scores are Hawaii-50. This one had me saying 'give me a break' and 'OMG!" over and over again. It is so far from the original series as to be a slap in the face to anyone who remembers loving it. If you can't IMPROVE on a classic, don't try. But when you try and fail this miserably, at least have the decency to cank it before you let folks see how badly you screwed the pooch! Those too young to remember the original and those who like to see things blown up and cars running through buildings might watch this one and if there are enough of those, this one may be on the air longer than I would like, but it will go on without me. While I disliked most of it, I didn't dislike ALL of it. There were some funny one-liners--not enough to get me to waste another hour of my life on this show, but enough to keep it off the FAIL list. I give it a D.

Raising Hope gets the first official F List nod. This one was so bad, I turned it off after 6 minutes. The jokes are juvenile and only fans of Jackass and Borat could possibly be impressed by them. As I said, 6 minutes and that was as much as I could stand. Definitely an F- in my book!

Some other shows I'm still anxious to see this season are MEDIUM and FRINGE. I've enjoyed the last couple seasons of both and do not expect this season to change that opinion much at all.

So how about YOU? What grades are you giving this season's line up? Have any new favorites? I'll update my list as the season wears on. Some may be added to the list, others may fall off of it. Only time will tell for sure.

Until next time folks,

Laine

Spring Has Sprung---with a vengeance!

2010-04-08T12:43:00.000-07:00

The pollen count is the highest it has been in the last seven years here in Eastern North Carolina. Experts say that is possibly related to the longer winter we had and trees that normally flower earlier and just now getting around to doing so, thus more pollen. All I know is my husband's red car was more of a peach color yesterday and the Kid Unit is suffering greatly from the effects.

However, the warmer temps do bring a lot of opportunities for enjoying the great out of doors and that is a welcome treat. There is just so much to do here when the weather is cooperating--contrary to some of the more widely held opinions of the area.

I'm really looking forward to the first rain, knocking some of that pollen out of the air and giving us a better chance to enjoy the outside.

The winter blahs are over---bring on SPRING FEVER!! :)

Until next time,

Keep it between the lines.

Laine

Passing on a good thing...

2010-01-05T04:30:00.001-08:00

My pal Marta Stephens is committing to writing something new on her blog every day this year. And not just any old thing, but her thoughts and ideas and hardships and JOYS (here's to hoping for loads of those) as she goes through her writing process. I don't know about you, but for me, that will be a blog worth reading!! :)
In case you want to follow her as well, here's the link:
http://mstephens-musings.blogspot.com/

GOOD LUCK MARTA!! I look forward to reading all about it! :)

Until the next wild hair,
Laine

WOW..Time Flies When You Get OLD...

2009-12-29T03:16:00.000-08:00

Mercy Me! Where did 2009 rush off to in such a big fired-up hurry? I have heard about how your life flashes before your eyes just before you die, I hope this is no indication of how my 2010 is going to go! LOL

This time of year I like to reflect on new things I discovered, or interesting places I've been (or hope to go) or just life in general. I've come to realize that as I age the things that in my youth were of ultimate importance to me are really of no great consequence and the things I never considered to be important in my youth are really the only things that truly matter.

As a child, I was told to be nice and share and hold my temper until I got all the facts. I was having none of that! Now that I'm older, I see why that is really important and even though those are not always my first responses, I am happy to report that I tend to get there eventually--most of the time.

As a teen, the opinions of other people had about the same affect on me as water on a duck's back. My opinion was the ONLY one that mattered. To a degree, this is still the case, however I have learned to appreciate the opinions of others, even if I don't always agree with them. I have learned that just because I don't agree with another person doesn't always make either of us WRONG. It simply means we come from different places and our journeys have lead us down different paths to the same spot. Because our paths were different, so is our perception. I try to learn from the differences and if it changes my perception and my opinion, then my path is different for the rest of my journey. I just hope for nicer scenery.

Now the things that matter most to me are not always tangible. Time is very precious to me. I try not to waste so much of it on frivolous ventures that go nowhere. I try to look for the positives in every situation. Sometimes the only positive is the fact that I have moved on in my life and that situation is behind me. I try to learn from my mistakes because otherwise I will only repeat them.

I can only hope that 2010 is a great year for all of us.
My very best wishes to you and yours,
Laine

2009-12-05T10:37:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

DARE TO DIE--Carolyn Hart. I DARE you not to LOVE IT!

2009-09-17T07:54:00.000-07:00

DARE TO DIE by Carolyn Hart--I dare you not to LOVE it!

"She came in the rain. Alone. On a bicycle" and Iris Tilford's arrival will open old wounds and scare someone into committing murder to hide old sins.

Annie and Max Darling are back! This time they are thrown into the middle of an investigation into the death of a former Broward's Rock resident who has come home after a decade away to put things right--one of her twelve steps to sobriety--when she is murdered at a party Max is throwing for Annie to celebrate their new home.

Someone doesn't like the Darling's meddling and chooses arson to try to put a stop to it, but it'll take more than that to derail Annie and Max from finding out who killed Iris.

With the help of her husband and Broward Rock's own resident "Jessica Fletcher"--famed mystery writer Emma Clyde--Annie manages to draw the ire and attention of some very powerful people who for their own personal reasons want events of the past to remain buried. That just isn't how life in a small town in the South ever works, but someone is willing to commit murder to keep the past in the past. Will the one of the Darlings be the next victim?
Carolyn Hart is a master at her craft. Her books are perfect How-to-Write-a-Mystery-Novel Textbooks. Ms. Hart breathes life into her characters and makes them as real as relatives we all have (and a few we all avoid at the family reunions) endearing them to fans of cozy mysteries and just great stories as well. A wizard with words, Ms. Hart never disappoints and DARE TO DIE is another must read in a long list of the great reads she has provided to us. Thank God for Carolyn Hart and her love of a good mystery, a great story, and a fantastic sense of humor. She blends those talents with ease and we all reap the benefits.
DARE TO DIE--I DARE you not to love it!

New Blog No New Concept

2009-08-01T05:40:00.000-07:00

I've started a new blog. I want to keep this one clear for my book reviews and things, so I started one where I can put my opinions about those things that really don't belong here so much.
This one is along the lines of a Dear Abby kind of thing, people can ask me questions and I'll share my wisdom on the topic with them. I do have people asking me what I think a lot, so why not blog it?
If you want to check it out, go to http://dearlaine.blogspot.com/
If you want a question answered, just leave it in the comment section. If you wish to comment on any of my previous answers, go ahead!

Just remember, follow my advice at your own risk! I do not even pretend to be right about what you should do in your own life. I can and will offer my opinion and you are free to follow it OR NOT. If you don't and wish you had, don't blame me! If you do and realize you shouldn't, also DON'T BLAME ME. I fully believe in free will principle! :)

Until I have something to report,
Laine

What makes a celebrity? And other questions to ponder...

2009-06-11T02:49:00.000-07:00

I was flipping channels on the boob tube the other night and came across some reality tv monstrosity caught my attention somehow. I was trying to figure out exactly what this stupidity was and wondering why anyone would pay money to put it on the air in the first place, when the kid unit (aka my walking IMDB) saunters in the room and asks, as only a teenager can, "MOM, WHY are you watching THIS? Do you even KNOW who those people ARE?" And suffice it to say I did not know who most of them were, I did recognize a Baldwin though so I'm not a TOTAL waste of space on the planet, right? LOL
Which brings me to my question to ponder--
Is someone REALLY a celebrity if YOU have never heard of them? What does it take for YOU to consider someone a celebrity? Are those 'over rated' celebs really over rated or are they really pseudo-celebrity types who actually do not deserve the title? Who gets to decide if someone is a celebrity or not?
Ok...there are more than one question to ponder, but it takes more than one to fully appreciate the scope of the inquiry! LOL What do YOU think? Enquiring Minds Want To Know! LOL

Until the next wild hair,
Laine

I really need to stay out of the crack houses!

2009-06-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

Now don't go getting all knicker-knotted over that title. My crack house is not THAT kind of crack house. I'm talking Barnes and Noble and my local libraries! Books are like crack to me--no matter how many I have, I need more!

I 'own' a group on CafeMom called I LOVE A LITTLE MYSTERY and one of the joys of that group is our monthly BOOK OF THE MONTH discussions. This month we picked an author instead of a specific book and the winner of the poll was MARY KAY ANDREWS. I happened to have one of her books on my shelf, SAVANNAH BLUES. This was in my 'goody bag' from when I attended Malice Domestic a couple years ago. I got home, added it to my collection and forgot all about it, until last week.

The main character, Eloise Foley, Weezie to her friends and family, has recently suffered a great blow--her marriage to Talmadge Evans III, Tal, was usurped by a floozy from up North with no class, tact or sense of how things are done Down South. Weezie is forced out of her home in Savannah's Historic District--a home she found and lovingly restored herself, and is living in the carriage house that was to be her antique store someday. She is living in the backyard of the house she once owned while the woman who stole her life is living in 'the big house' with her husband. That's enough to make any woman boil, but a Savannah woman makes the best of it and plots revenge over wine and chocolate with her best friend.

Weezie is also a 'picker' meaning she picks through garage sales and sometimes the trash to find items of value, fixes them up if needed and sells them to make her living. She's quite good at it as well! When a grand plantation house in Savannah is scheduled for an estate sale, Weezie can't wait to get a look at what is inside. She finds more than she bargains for when she opens a closet and finds the dead body of none other than Caroline DeSantos--the floozy from up North whose death Weezie had been known to think about from time to time. Weezie is arrested and she and her friend BeBe (pronounced Bay Bay) along with her uncle James (a priest turned lawyer) and an old high school beau and new love interest Daniel work to prove Weezie innocent and point the finger of the law in the direction it belongs!

This story is rich and smooth--like a good banana puddin' on any Sunday in the South! Full of body and character and nothing left to chance. Ms. Andrews even gave me an ending I could smile about reading!

People, I LOVED that book! Ms. Andrews even made Savannah as much a character as any of her other characters! She so obviously understands the fact that if you are going to set a story in a place like Savannah, then you had better make it a character unto itself because that's how life IS down South! Where you are from and who your 'people' are matter!

The characters in this book are somewhat stereotypical, but are far from caricatures--perfect blend of familiarity and individuality and not easy to pull off! Ms. Andrews does it with skill.

This was the first of her books I've read, but it won't be the last--which means another trip to one of my crack houses! I'm thinking Barnes and Noble because I doubt I'll want to return this one!

Until next time,
Laine

Kid Unit and The Piano Recital

2009-05-25T02:37:00.000-07:00

The Kid Unit had her piano judging on Saturday and the recital on Sunday and did very well! Those songs had been giving her fits for 2 months, but she played them well enough to get a Superior at the judging!

She only had to play one of the songs at the recital because another child had also chosen one of her selections. Her director didn't want them both playing the same song and the Kid Unit was NOT unhappy about that decision. The song she didn't have to play in the recital was the one she was having the most difficulty playing. The fact that she memorized it at all is amazing enough to me!!

All the kids did an outstanding job at the recital! Every one of them were graded on the Superior scale. We heard classical, pop, ragtime, and even a cartoon theme song. Those kids never cease to amaze and thrill me with what they can do!

I send my congrats to them all and I'm so proud!!

Until next time,

Laine

Just an update on life in Laineland

2009-05-16T04:37:00.000-07:00

Not a lot going on is better than being dead! Laineland is all in 'coast' mode right now. We are just trying to get the kid unit finished up with her school work for the year, get the band concert and the piano judging and recital behind us and that is about all we have on our plates right now.

There was a tad little bit of discord in Laineland recently due to the incredible insensitivity of one set of neighbors who think that their dogs should be allowed to bark from daylight to dark for days at a time and we should just accept it because 'they're dogs and dogs bark!" NO! Dogs do not bark without a reason! Even if that reason is "HELP! I have a stupid owner who never walks me, never trains me, only feeds me and has no clue what being a responsible pet owner means!" that dog has a REASON.
I tried to do the neighborly thing and give them a chance to rectify the situation before I called anyone other than animal control (which would have made my 3rd attempt at calling them). I spoke to the husband and I admit to being a tad irritated and I said, "I thought I'd let you know that your dog is barking his head off since you obviously cannot hear him yourself!" That is an exact quote of what I said. If the man had enough sense to know, he would have realized that the easiest way to make nice with the mad neighbor lady is to shut his dog up! But....instead he wants to know who I am. I tell him. He asks where I live and I called him Darlin' and said I lived right behind him. He said something that sounded like 'alright' and we hung up.
Two minutes later, his WIFE calls back to "handle me." Yeah, that went over real well. I'm not the type to be 'handled' by anyone. I did my best to be calm, cool and collected. I spoke in an even tone. Tried not to get angry at her. She, on the other hand, was irate and screaming at me over the phone. When I told her my dog didn't bark she came back with "For all I know you cut your dog's throat!" I assured her my dog is capable of barking, but she's been trained not to bark and when she does, she is immediately told NO.
The conversation ended with her telling me she wouldn't do anything about her dogs and there wasn't anything I or the sheriff's office COULD do about it. I said 'we'll just have to see." and hung up.
I did call the county sheriff's office and a deputy came out to my house about an hour later. He heard the dogs barking (the neighbors had left for work and had left the dogs outside again). He went to their house and left something letting them know a complaint had been filed. Hopefully, now, they realize I am serious. After listening to this for over a YEAR, another day of it is just too long. The deputy advised us that anytime the noise was a bother, to call them. I hated doing that. They have so many more important things to deal with than a barking dog.

That is all the excitement I've had to report of late. And if that is all I have this year, I'll be happy for it!

How's life in YOUR neck of the woods??

Until next time,
Laine

WOE IS US! The Blizzard of 09--will we EVER thaw out?

2009-01-21T04:35:00.000-08:00

These are just a few shots of my backyard and the neighbor's yard too after the Blizzard of 09 rolled through here yesterday! Terrible, isn't it?

My poor puppy didn't know how to act. She ate some snow, she rolled in the snow and then she trotted back inside with a look of "are you people crazy sending me out in that stuff' look on her face. Silly dog!

I know I have friends who live in places like International Falls, MN and family in Vermont who will laugh their hineys off at seeing what I call a 'blizzard', but they forget, winter in North Carolina is sort of like SUMMER to them. So you have YOUR blizzard and I'll take MY VERSION! Thank you VERY MUCH! LOL

Here's my deck--see how DEEP it was?? Those are kid unit footie prints and furbaby ones too!

SO, until I have something interesting to say again or I get another wild hair...

Have a good one..stay WARM...enjoy the day!

Laine

THE DEVIL CAN WAIT--A thrilling ride from start to finish!

2009-01-19T12:03:00.000-08:00

THE DEVIL CAN WAIT, the second installment in Marta Stephens’ Sam Harper series is a thrilling read!!

The bodies of teenagers in Chandler, Massachusetts are turning up in the bay and homicide detective Sam Harper has been assigned to the case. What Sam and his partner, Dave Mann, do not know is that not only are those cases related, but there is more to this than a serial killer on the loose. This case reaches from the jungles of South America all the way to Rome and has ties to the Vatican that can change the lives of everyone and not in a good way!

As if the end of the world wasn’t complication enough, Sam finds himself trying to out-pace and protect a reporter for the local newspaper, Jenny Blake, who is dead-set on making a name for herself and using this case to do it.

THE DEVIL CAN WAIT is an incredibly entertaining, completely enthralling, and masterfully written novel. Ms. Stephens grabbed my attention from page one and never let it go! This story had me gasping for breath and left me begging for more! I can’t wait for the next installment in the Sam Harper series. And if anyone in Hollywood is paying attention, this one would make a great feature film as well!

Trying to wrap my brain around this concept...

2009-01-18T03:00:00.000-08:00

If anyone, anywhere, can actually explain to me HOW in the world anyone would ever think it was perfectly acceptable for a Girl Scout troop to have a cookie booth outside of a HOOTER'S restaurant, I would greatly appreciate the effort!!

I just do not think, and cannot be convinced, that the image of Girl Scouts will ever mesh with the image of Hooter's. Why bring little girls to that type of establishment and have them outside selling cookies to raise money for troop activities, when the girls inside are dressed like a bunch of skanky low-rent hookers serving a big plate of false hope to a bunch of drunken men who should have better things to do? Any ideas?? Anyone??

And before anyone wants to tell me that they are a family restaurant and have good food there, let me tell you this, if their food was so great, they would be willing to clothe their wait staff. They would be willing to hire a man to wait tables. They might even hire a flat-chested girl or, now here's a novel idea--a fat chick or two! If Hooter's did any of that, I MIGHT be able to give them a shot at being called a family restaurant.

For those who want to argue it is a LEGAL business, so is a strip club, but I won't want to associate Girl Scouts with that either. Of course, there isn't much difference if you ask me. I see a very short walk from 'having nothing left to imagine' and 'leaving nothing TO the imagination' because Hooter's uniforms are so tight and so short, they fall firmly within that latter category.

For those who say that the GIRLS who work at Hooter's put themselves there by choice. No one is exploiting them without their permission, that is true. However, hookers on the street are their by their own choice too. That doesn't mean I want to set up a cookie booth in front of a brothel either--even in areas where that is also legal!

Any business (legal or otherwise) that objectifies women in any way in order to line their own coffers should NEVER been seen as aligning with Girl Scouts!! Girl Scouts is a wonderful organization, but sometimes, a few people within it really need to pull their heads out from the dark recesses of their lower extremities and think in the light of day!! They may find it refreshing!!

That's my take on it. Tossing it out to you now. Tell me what YOU think!

Until something else crawls across my wild hair,
Laine

What is racism?

2009-01-14T05:19:00.000-08:00

I'm a member of a 'debate' group in one of those online social networking sites we all read so much about these days. The discussions in this group are usually triggered by odd news reports, a flippant remark made by someone in line at the grocery store, or one of those things that makes you go, "Hmmmm..."

A question was posed recently regarding racism and whether or not it is racist for the African American community to have their own colleges, pageants, magazines and television networks. The poster also mentioned that her place of employment gives African-American employees MLK Day off with pay while refusing to give the same benefit to white employees. I'm sure that has been a cause for many discussions at her workplace. Being that she is by no means a racist individual, my guess is she is trying to wrap her brain around the concepts she may have been overhearing at work. (I explain that for the benefit of folks who are not members of that particular group and may not understand or appreciate how these types of conversations may come about. And for no other reason.)

My response to her debate question was:

I think you have to look back to when those particular institutions you mentioned were started. They came from a need in the community to show non-white people in a different light--as REAL people, not just the maid or the thug. Times are changing, but slowly because some folks want to dig in their heels and scream NO! all the way.

MLK Day is not a religious holiday, so any company who only wants to pay some employees and not all to have that day off is missing the mark! Martin Luther King, Jr. did a great thing for ALL people, it just so happened that the Black community benefited the most (perceived as 'most' anyway) from his efforts, and the efforts of THOUSANDS of others because they were the focus of it and had the farther to come, just to be treated equally.

Don't you remember your history? Even as late as the 1960's, Black American CITIZENS were forced to sit in the back of the bus, couldn't drink from the same water fountains, had to cross the street if a white person was heading their way. Black men and boys were murdered for something as small as smiling at a white woman, or complimenting her on her hair or dress, regardless of their intention or how polite they were when they said it. And all without white people batting an eyelash against it!

So if I were going to be upset at anyone in a company where only some got to celebrate a day in honor of a great man like Dr. King, I'd put the blame where it belongs--firmly on the shoulders of the idiot who made the policy! Not those who have been made to seem to be taking advantage of it. Do you have any Jewish people working there? Do they get upset when their religious holidays are not recognized with the same excitement as yours?

I think it is most definitely racist to expect there to be WHITE ONLY establishments, colleges, pageants, etc., because for so many CENTURIES in this great country of ours, that is exactly how it was! Now we are a little more enlightened--or I certainly HOPE we are--and it may SEEM to some that the rights of whites are being trampled, but that is just not the case. This is simply what a more equal society looks like. Not being held above another simply on the basis of your skin tone is NOT the same as being discriminated against. It just means you have to play by the same rules as everyone else.

We aren't THERE yet. In a perfect world there would be no NEED for BET or predominately Black colleges or the Miss Black America Pageant because none of us would see ourselves as (Fill-in-the-Blank)-Americans, but simply AMERICANS and we could actually be proud of that alone!! Until that day arrives, we just have to keep on keepin' on and hoping the light will eventually reach everyone and not be taken up by the lucky who were born paler than the others.

That's my plugged nickel's worth on the topic. These are just my opinions. Others may vary. Void where prohibited by law.

Let me know what you think....

Until next time,
Laine

New year...same old attitude?

2009-01-03T01:19:00.000-08:00

I am unable to sleep tonight. No clue as to the why of that, but I was trying to come up with something productive and QUIET to do and a thought struck me (no it did not hurt, in case you were wondering).

Does the new year ever change a person's attitude? I don't think it does. It has never changed mine. Turning over a new calendar is not life altering enough to change much more than the scenery.

If the new year doesn't bring a change in attitude, what does? I think only a change in attitude can provide that. It has to come from a desire to change, not from simply waking up in a new year.

Will I change my attitude this year? I certainly hope I have a reason to feel more optimistic about life and our nation's economy and our position in the world. I'm thrilled with the way the national election turned out. I have great hopes for what President-elect Obama can bring to this nation, IF he is given the chance to do so. For the first time in a long time, I can say I support my President and feel good about it.

There may be fair seas ahead, but I fear the turmoil will come from inside the boat! I want to be proven wrong on that count. Please?

Time will tell I guess.

Wishing you and yours a very happy and prosperous 2009!

Laine...if this doesn't make any sense, just chalk it up to lack of sleep and the writer being decaffeinated.

My Review of FRESH FROZEN by Darden North, MD

2008-12-29T07:12:00.000-08:00

FRESH FROZEN by Darden North, MD is easily one of the best books I’ve ever read. The twists are expertly crafted, the characters are believable and the plot is enthralling! I love a book where the author takes me to uncharted territory—Dr. North does just that! In FRESH FROZEN, the reader is taken into the territory surrounding infertility and the measures some people will take to end a painful chapter in their lives.

Dr. North explains procedures the reader needs to understand, but not in so much detail as to be superfluously boring. If anything I was intrigued by his descriptions!

There were a few times in reading this novel where I wondered how these aspects of the story were going to come together. Dr. North did not let me down. When he brought them together, it all seemed flawless—a masterful job!!

This story had it all! I cried sometimes, laughed out loud sometimes, scratched my head in wonder a few times and then got an ending I did NOT see coming! It was a great read and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something a little different.

One word of warning though: Do not get cocky reading this one. Just when you THINK you have it all figured out, you find out you couldn’t have been more wrong!A great story told by a master storyteller! Thank you Dr. North and I look forward to future books!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

2008-12-23T02:38:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been a while since I've updated this! I'm so sorry for that! Life keeps getting in the way I guess.

I just wanted to take a minute to wish you and yours a very happy and joyous holiday season--whichever holiday you choose to celebrate this time of year! I pray you are able to be with the people you love and if not, that you will be very soon!

Happy Holidays!!
Laine

Happy Fall, Y'all!

2008-09-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

Fall has always been my favorite season of the year. Growing up in the SC mountains, I always looked forward to the time of year when the temperatures got a little cooler, the leaves changed colors and football season started--because in the South, football isn't just a sport, it is a religion!

I have since moved from my childhood home and find myself in a beach community where the seasons change from cool and sandy to hot and sandy and back again. There really isn't much of a change in season or scenery here. I miss those vibrant color changes I grew up taking for granted.

Fall is still my favorite season, even if I don't get the thrill that came with it anymore. There's still Halloween (my kid unit's favorite holiday) and Thanksgiving (my favorite) and Christmas is looming just around the corner. Fall marks the beginning of that special 'family' time of year for me.

Help Relieve The Effects of TFPS! It COULD happen to someone you love!

2008-08-12T13:44:00.000-07:00

I was talking to a friend recently about all the problems afflicting a group we are both involved with in our area. Seems a few folks have decided they can't be happy with the well-oiled machine others have worked so hard to provide to them. Instead of enjoying the fruits of the labors of love of those who came before, they have decided it is better to revert back to a time in the past when the machine was dying of rust corrosion and decay from neglect. We were wondering in our conversation, WHY these people would not expand on a good thing, but instead try to tear it apart.

After my conversation with my friend, I thought to myself: I think I know what their deal is. It's just another case of Tiny Fish Pond Syndrome.

Say you don't know what Tiny Fish Pond Syndrome is? Well, TFPS is a detrimental disease that afflicts mostly those with low self esteem issues. It manifests itself in many ways, but is most often seen in small groups within a larger framework of people. For example, fundraiser committees within the local PTA, selection groups for a book club, and yes even scout troops and church groups may find they have a member who is afflicted by TFPS. In fact, the smaller the group, the easier TFPS is to diagnose. TFPS patients are sometimes confused with micro-managers and know-it-alls, but where those conditions can be cured or treated by calmly discussing the difference of opinion with the person, TFPS patients deny they are the ones with the issue.

Unfortunately, there is only one treatment for those afflicted with TFPS at this time. It's called the GET OVER YOURSELF pill (generic name is Shut The Hell Up). This pill is so bitter and hard to swallow that it is often refused by the TFPS patient. Because of this unfortunate side effect, TFPS patients are most often subsequently ejected from the group and left to their own devices. This is a sad event for all involved because those doing the ejecting tend to feel at least somewhat responsible and those being ejected tend to spit venom in the direction of those who did the ejecting because they fail to see their ejection was totally of their own design.

Can't you see how important it is to raise awareness for TFPS and now rather than later? Please, find it in your heart to give to the TFPS Foundation. All proceeds are guaranteed to benefit those affected most by TFPS--those left to clean up after the TFPS patients. A simple donation of only $10 will buy at least one margarita and maybe even put a smile back on the face of a well deserving victim of a TFPS patient's vindictive nature. Can you give today? Make checks payable to CASH and mail it to me. I promise to see to it that all funds are spent on those most deserving of your generosity.

Please feel free to forward this message to anyone you know who may be dealing with someone afflicted with TFPS. Do it today before it spreads! Thank you for your time!! Remember only YOU can prevent the spread of TFPS! Give till it hurts, before someone you know and love catches this dreaded disease!

Ok...so I'm bored...does it show that much??

Disclaimer: The TFPS Foundation is a figment of this author's imagination and should in no way be confused by legitimate services or charities. This is an attempt at humor. No actually funds are being solicited, but none will be refused or refunded. Hey, if you want to send me $10 for margaritas, then who am I to turn it down?

SAY GOODBYE--wild ride!!

2008-05-26T07:57:00.000-07:00

In SAY GOODBYE, the story begins with a car accident and sets in motion a thrilling ride for anyone lucky enough to pick up a copy of this book. Gary Kemmerman has spent the last year recovering from his wife’s death and isn’t quite ready to head back into the dating world, much to the dismay of some of his neighborhood friends. When one neighbor is killed in a car accident one snowy morning, Gary is pushed into the middle of an investigation when the grieving widow insists her husband’s death was no accident and asks Gary to look into it.
The only witness to the car accident may know more than she realizes. This puts her life in danger and in trying to protect her, Gary realizes maybe he is ready for the dating scene again. When people who seem to know too much begin dying in random accidents, Gary uses all his skills as a crisis consultant and races the clock to save Becca’s life and prove his neighbor’s death was no accident.

E J Rand tells a story that is entertaining, engaging and completely engrossing! He weaves his tale one tiny thread at a time and leaves his readers no choice but to hold on and enjoy the ride. SAY GOODBYE is the first in the “Reluctant Sleuth” series, and I can’t wait for the next installment.

Next review will be: SAY GOODBYE by E J Rand

2008-04-10T06:19:00.000-07:00

The next review I'll be doing will be for E J Rand's first book in the Reluctant Sleuth series, SAY GOODBYE. Here is a teaser from Mr. Rand's website, www.reluctantsleuth.com :

In SAY GOODBYE (published by Deadly Ink Press, February 21, 2008), a second chance at love is the last thing on Gary Kemmerman's mind — he wears his wedding ring to preserve memories. We meet him the morning he's forced to become an amateur sleuth, when the widow of a friend asks for his help. The police say her husband's fatal car crash was an accident, but she knows its murder.
The sole witness to the crash is a divorcée who also wears a wedding ring, but for protection. Becca has stopped dating. Yet they're attracted to one another. As Gary digs into his friend's murder, he uncovers a multi-million dollar corporate scam protected by a killer who hums a Disney tune. Those who get in the way wind up underground behind an abandoned building in the New Jersey Meadowlands.
Falling for Becca lets Gary say goodbye to his late wife. When his police lieutenant friend brings Becca to him despite the danger, the couple discover the depth of their passion. But because of that, Gary is faced with a dilemma: will he risk his life for the woman he's come to love, or say goodbye again.

I am REALLY looking forward to this book. It sounds like 'my alley' and hopefully the book is in the mail as I type. Be sure to check back soon. I'll let you know what I really think; you know I will! Don't I always?

Till next time,
Happy Reading!
Laine

Here's another 'Must Read' book for your consideration: BLOOD AND BONE-Austin S. Camacho

2008-03-31T06:40:00.000-07:00

Whenever I get a book by an author I've never read before, I'm willing to give him 15 pages to capture my attention, because, let's face it, life is short, right? I don't have time to waste on drivel.

Austin Camacho's Blood and Bone grabbed my attention on the first page, held it in a choke hold until I finished the book. It is exceptionally rare that I finish a book in one sitting, but I couldn't put this one down. The characters are engaging. The pacing is perfect. And Mr. Camacho's word choice is dead-on. He spins a mental image with his short but clear descriptions that drew me into the story and made me care about the characters. The twists were well plotted and this was just a FUN READ! I can't wait to get the rest of the series. I enjoyed this book so much; I've already started casting the movie in my head!

Thank you Mr. Camacho for a very enjoyable evening! I hope to have many more!

Visit with Sylvia Dickey Smith

2008-03-20T06:24:00.000-07:00

If you enjoy a great tale with mystery and a touch of romance and small-town humor, then check out the books by SYLVIA DICKEY SMITH. Here's her web address. Tell her I sent ya.

www.sylviadickeysmith.com

She's a hoot and a half and I know you won't regret your time on her site! :)

My review of DEADLY SINS DEADLY SECRETS

2008-03-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

DEADLY SINS DEADLY SECRETS, the second installment of Sylvia Dickey Smith’s Sidra Smart series, is a tale of how small town secrets and small-minded attitudes seldom mix with pleasant results.

Sid is desperately trying to keep the private investigation business she inherited from her brother open while living in a ghost active house with her overly-involved aunt and her overly-indulged feline, as well as a dog Sid saved from going to the pound when his owner died. Sid’s love life and her professional life seem to be at odds with one another and with her past as the wife of a Baptist minister. To add another helping onto her already full plate, Sid is hired by a “tobacco-spitting, chair-rocking old codger more interested in the shine on his shoes than the dust on his furniture” to clear his dead son’s name after he was accused of a double murder. After all, just because he happened to have been spotted at the scene around the time of the crime and just because his fingerprints were on the murder weapon does not automatically mean he was guilty of the crime. But try convincing the local sheriff of that—especially when the prime suspect is no longer able to mount a defense to the charges.

Sid must trudge deep into the swamp and even deeper into the past in order to solve this case. As if that isn’t bad enough, her preacher ex-husband shows up in the middle of her date with a new man and the ghost who haunts her aunt’s house refuses to allow Sid a good night’s rest. This ghost is a long dead relative of her new client and former owner of that same house. Scrappy Kate, as she was known in life, has vital information for Sid about the present, her new case and the people involved in it.

Sylvia Dickey Smith is a master storyteller who weaves a tale tighter than a hangman’s noose. Her characters resonate with a down-home true feeling found in small towns all across America. They come alive on the page. This is a book I could not put down and highly recommend.

DEADLY SINS DEADLY SECRETS

2008-03-17T05:28:00.001-07:00

What a wild ride that book was! I finished it a couple days ago--couldn't put it down actually! That doesn't happen for me with most books! I'll get my 'formal' and 'official' review up (hopefully) today, but I wanted to just let any of you know that if you are waiting for the LAINE LAND SEAL OF APPROVAL on this one, you GOT IT!

Don't walk, RUN to your nearest bookstore and purchase a copy of this one! I love my library as much as the next gal, but this is a book worth the purchase! I wouldn't part with my copy for anything! This is definitely a book I'll read again--probably right before the next installment of the series hits the bookshelves!

Look for my 'official' review later today (maybe tomorrow)...but this week definitely! :)

Off to my writer's group meeting! Wish me luck! :)

Till next time, enjoy your time in Laine Land! :)

Reviewing a new book this week

2008-03-13T05:42:00.000-07:00

I received a copy of Sylvia Dickey Smith's new book, DEADLY SINS DEADLY SECRETS to review for Mystery Lovers Corner (www.mysteryloverscorner.com) and I am really looking forward to reading this book.

From the back cover:
Rookie PI Sidra Smart thinks she knows where she's headed. She's divorced her preacher-husband, she's inherited a private detective business, and she's solved her first case. But then she moves into a ghost active house and discovers that the past hold the key not only to her future, but to the lives of innocent people trapped in an unholy web of deception that spans decades.

Now doesn't THAT send a few well-placed chills up your spine? Does mine! I can't wait to get into this one! In fact, I'm signing off right now to get to it! Check back with me later. I'll post my review here (if I'm allowed). If not, check for it at Mystery Lover's Corner! :)

TTFN...so many books...so little space to store them all!!

Other People's Opinions

2008-03-12T07:01:00.001-07:00

I often read message boards on various sites and find one thing very interesting. It doesn't matter what the topic is, someone has something negative to say about it. Someone is going to get offended by what someone else thinks, says, does, believes, etc. And all it takes is for one person to stir the stink pot and it's Katey bar the door!
My question is a simple one. Why does someone else's opinion matter so much to some folks? I guess I wonder about this because other people's opinions rarely matter much to me. It is only those who have gotten close to me who may have opinions that might sting me, but the rest of the world can go pound dirt for all I care. Before I would allow some unknown person on a message board to get me that worked up, I'd leave the site and never look back. I know that's what I'd do because I've done it before--sometimes not as quickly as I should have, admitedly so. But I live and learn.
I've also come to the conclusion that folks who attack me for what I think have far more issues than the fact that they disagree with my opinion on the color of the sky or whether or not I encourage my child to believe in Santa or anything else. When someone attacks me because of a stated opinion, I remember a button I used to wear on my jacket in high school (in the 70's when buttons were the rage). It read, "Sounds like a personal problem to me." Their ire says far more about them than it will ever say about me. I figure that problem is their puppy and they can feed it.
Some folks are just too insecure with their own beliefs and opinions. Those folks see any difference as a personal attack on their lives. Those folks need to get over themselves! Form a support group for crying out loud! But leave those of us who are secure in our lives or are looking for answers out of their personal drama.
Just my opinion. Others may vary. Void where prohibited by law.

To Be Young Enough to Know It ALL, Again

2008-03-12T06:20:00.000-07:00

Because I am the mom of a teen-aged daughter and volunteer as the co-leader for her Girl Scout troop, I spend a lot of time around kids between the ages of 13 and 18. I've realized something over the last few months. I want to be young again! Not just young, but young enough to know it all!
Yes, I wish I was young enough to know it all again! I want to be:
Young enough to think I had all the answers to every single one of life's questions, but without the knowledge that I didn't even have all the questions yet. That's when life was full of possibilities. I could change the world back when I knew it all!
Young enough to think people in their 40's were so out of the times that their advice couldn't possibly have any relevance to my life! If I was that young again, there are a few things I'd do differently this time around.First of all, I'd actually LISTEN to those 40 + yr-olds because now that I am one of them I know they actually do know what they're talking about! And they know because they've been there, done that and learned a valuable lesson from it! Yes, if I were young enough to know it all, I'd know better than to ignore that sage advice!
Then I'd get my degree, work 2 or 3 jobs if I had to in order to pay for it because it is more valuable than I realized back when I knew it all!
I would also figure out a lot earlier that other people's opinion of me really doesn't have to affect my life in any way. Someone doesn't like what I do or say or how I look or dress then that is their problem, not mine. A wise older woman once told me "if it isn't your puppy, why do you keep feeding it?" So many things I worry about turned out to be someone else's puppy. Once I started letting them feed it, my life got a lot less stressful!
I would also realize that not every comment is an insult nor is every question a judgment on my life. I'd be a lot less defensive if I were young enough to know it all again.
Yes, to be young enough to know it all, yet old enough to know better! That would make me just about perfect!