Remembering Michael Jackson

ruthie — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:58:00 +0000

Ok, I know there are far more important things going on in the world that discussing Michael Jackson seems trivial – but there is a memory I wanted to share, that I shared with my son while we were watching Michael Jackson music videos Saturday morning. I was commenting on how he really had transcended generations and his videos were (and still are frankly) second to none and to drive my point home, I recalled a family holiday, when we were all (all of us, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents) huddled around the TV in the backroom watching “Beat It” and amazed at the dancing discussing the fact that he had used real gang members – yadda, yadda, yadda. Admittedly, its a fairly insignificant moment in time, but one that brought us together. With family members now gone or changed as a result of illness and how at one point in our history Michael Jackson brought generations together and created a memory that I could share with future generations.

Music is an interesting catalyst – and while some days I struggle to connect with my teenager, we can always have fun singing Beatles songs together or discovering new bands that we all love, like the Flobots. If there is one piece of advice that I could give about having a teenager, it is to get to know and love their music – stay current with it, because there is still nothing that says I love you like a music mix made just for you – and when they make one for you that’s them saying “I love you” and when you play it back that’s you saying “I love you too”. Turn up the volume and turn down the noise.

Landlords who are NOT slum!

ruthie — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:46:52 +0000

I rent, I used to own, but now I rent. My house is old, the plumbing is suspect, there is a pile of leaves, dirt, and insects on the roof that worry me to no end. Some of the windows don’t close all of the way and some of the electricity can’t be fixed without a major overhaul. Our shower door is held closed using a huge binder clip and the kitchen is the original and dates back about 60 years. We cannot broil anything in the oven and it runs about 50 degrees too high, but it is home and we want to stay.� We moved in at a time when rents were at their cheapest in years and have lived here almost 4 years – our landlords have never raised the rent and they could. In the recent economic hardships we find our selves living pay check to pay check and the option of moving is out of the question.

So, when my family joined the many of people who have found at least one household member out of work and another barely making enough money, we needed to help. We got help from places we expected to find it – family. Never did I expect that our landlords would be people that would also provide help. If it wern’t for their generosity, patience and willingness to work with us and come up with an agreement on paying our rent, we would surely find ourselves without a home of our own. Not every landlord is slum and I hope that we’re not alone.

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Remembering Michael Jackson

Landlords who are NOT slum!