Do Something!

I've recently begun watching Grimm, the supernatural detective series on NBC.  It's actually pretty good and with the recent lack of quality sci-fi programming on major TV networks, I am grateful for anything fresh and original.  I particularly like Joss Whedon and anything that he's involved with after seeing him at Comic-Con San Diego in 2010 and watching him via the internet at Comic-Con San Diego 2011.  I thoroughly enjoyed the pilot and all its surprises and I'm looking forward to seeing how the series will progress.  Who doesn't like a show with a lead character by the name of "Grimm" being chased by creatures called, "Reapers"?  I suspect there's plenty more in store for us due to the history of many of those involved in the show's production.

Moving on, the beautiful, amazing daughter and I sat down to watch episode two and during a particularly surprising fight between a werewolf and a bad guy, she shouted, "Do something!  Don't just let him beat you up!"  Then, the werewolf (aka good guy) did something alright, he ripped off the bad guy's arm!  I don't think either of us was prepared for that.  Her mouth dropped open so fast and so wide, I lost my cookies and began to giggle uncontrollably.  I did consider the fact that it's debatable whether she should be watching scenes like that.  In my defense, I just wasn't quite prepared, and my response (rather than covering her eyes) was to break into hysterical giggles.

What do I like about this little episode?  I like that she showed some spirit and thought that the good guy should defend himself.  I like that my daughter, though sassy sometimes like her mama, shows spunk and I trust that she will someday be a strong woman in her own right.  My colleagues that know her say that she may someday be, "a force to be reckoned with."  I absolutely believe that, because she asks the right questions.  She thinks critically already, and she wants to be a thoughtful, altruistic individual. What more could this busy mother want?

Today, a kid said that he stopped reading The Great Gatsby because he didn't understand it.  I asked him how he expected to understand if he didn't keep trying and just gave up.  I hope that my daughter will never be one to just give in.  And, based on many things I have seen her do and heard her say, I believe I can say that she will always fight the good fight and do something rather than give in and do nothing.  The world needs more youth who take responsibility for their lives and make an attempt to own their future.  I'm keeping fingers, legs and eyes crossed that my daughter will be among them.

How many fairy tale princesses were heroines as well?  Think about it.

Baby Tigers, Injured Hawks, and Puppies. Oh my!

Today was a total fail at the gym. The intent was to go get my Hatha yoga on, but alas, this wasn't meant to be. I arrived a full ten minutes early at Lifetime Fitness to find that the class was full. Sad. Day. So, I sat down at my favorite exercise machine and selected a program that I thought would suit my needs. Typically, I'm a multi-tasker and I like to get several things done at once, as mentioned in, "Yoga Frame of Mind."  This time, my touch-screen wasn't working, captions weren't available on the channel I selected, and my phone died just as I was about to load up my tunes on Slacker Radio.  So, what's a girl to do?

I pedaled, and pedaled and pedaled.  After about twenty minutes, I realized the reason I had yet to break a sweat.  I was on level two.  Level two is about as pathetic as it gets.  The only thing more pathetic is level one.  So, I kicked it up a couple of notches, as Emeril Lagasse would say, and got ready to, "go hard" at level three.

I am a huge fan of Ms. J from America's Next Top Model, so I loved it when he made an appearance on Real Housewives of Atlanta.  Watching him tell it like it is really helped me unwind, relax and sink into my 40 minute pre-programmed workout.  When my BFF showed up at the gym with my daughter and her little munchkin, we walked them to the daycare center and, after many trips to the women's locker room to retrieve water bottles, ID cards and headphones, we headed upstairs to the bikes again where I found out some truly shocking information.

Apparently, some individual in a brown and white van tried to abscond two children from my daughter's school!  BFF and I talked about it as we cycled vigorously at level three and I was so sad to hear that my fears are founded.  The world is, sadly, every bit as unpredictable and scary as I didn't realize it was when I was my daughter's age.  BFF works in social work, so she's totally dialed in to things potential abductors might say to small kids.  When she told me to have the conversation with my little one about not getting into a van with someone who might claim to have a baby tiger, injured hawk or puppy inside, I burst into nervous laughter.  WTH?!!?  I am going to have to be thinking outside the box and hyper vigilant if I want to protect my little ones from the big, scary world out there.

Then again, maybe a simple, "Don't talk to strangers," will suffice.

Would anyone really have this in the back of their van?  I don't think so...