Becky's Greatest Hits Vol. II

 Have you ever heard of the idea that if you don't know who the crazy person is in your family that it's probably you?  Or who the loud nut of your crowd is?  Or maybe the drama queen/king?  The fact is that if you're not sure who the stereotype or trope belongs to, chances are it's probably you.  I know mine.  Although it may have taken me years to figure it out.   I'm the female version of Jerry Maguire. I'm a little bit cute and charming.  Pretty good at my job.  Pretty good at my friends.  In some ways successful and in some ways a mess, but overall, have a pretty good outward appearance. The people in my pool of heterosexuality like me.  I have no trouble getting dates.  One might even call me a bit of a serial monogamist.  But do I have trouble making it last?  Do I have trouble falling in and out of love?  Well, that might be another story. Do I sing in my car and dance to my victories?  Do I write insane think pieces and copy them for all my team members

 This story might take a minute to tell. Bear with me. When my sister and I were little girls, my mother took us to a large baptist church in town. Even as a child, I never remember feeling welcome there.  But I do remember the lovely older couple that kept my Sunday School class. They gave us saltines and kool-aid, and I remember thinking they would be nice grandparents to have. At Christmastime, the Sunday School class was set to have a random gift exchange. Every child was supposed to bring a gift that could be exchanged with any other child.....no specific gift designations.  I received the gift of an Avon 7 bead necklace which was very popular at the time.  I loved it so much and was thrilled to have it!  I was somewhere between 5 and 7 at the time. (Back in the 1970's and 80's, Avon was a cosmetic company that was also known for it's inexpensive jewelry.  I couldn't find a price on what this necklace would have cost back then, but apparently there is a lot of inte

 Getting older is a weird phenomenon, y'all.  On some issues I get more and more irritable and other things I forget almost as soon as they happen. I care less and less about politics because....well....does any of it matter anymore?  I am more offended by media coverage of war because.....well.....it's obvious there is an agenda in telling me which side I should be on.   And every time I see any sort of coverage showing women and children in Israel, Gaza, Ukraine and so on, all I can hear in my head is Sting's great 80's song Russians .  Funny how the Cold War has revitalized itself.   I don't argue about politics anymore.....not online or in person. I care about issues (some very deeply) but I'm not arguing or advocating. I know that might offend some, but I suppose I have passed it on to the youngers. It's time for the next generation to take up the mantle.  But I do find myself commenting on random stranger's posts giving them encouragement and hoped

 Sometimes it's hard to know how we came to love the the things we love.  And other times it's really clear. I knew I loved the movie "The Age of Innocence" from the first time I saw it as a teenager.  Maybe it was DDL , maybe the gorgeous costumes or that phenomenal Scorsese snap that the film seems to have.  (The close-ups of handwritten notes.....the scenes through gauzy lace.....when Newland SMELLS the handle of her umbrella and KISSES her shoe!!!!) But I digress. And sure, sure.....I loved the 1997 version of Titanic with Leo and Kate.  (And no, y'all, she COULD NOT HAVE moved over.) And though I was late, I jumped right into Downton Abbey as well.  Now I watch HBO's The Gilded Age.....because well.....I think I signed a waiver or something along the way.  (Kidding.  Or am I????) But truthfully, it was all loooooong before all of this media.  And I think it has a little something to do with being a North Carolina girl. As any true Gilded Age fan and follo

 "Tractor company?  Does your husband work there?" "No, dude.  I work there." "Oh.  Wow.  Okay." Actual conversation with guy I met at the fair asking about the company t-shirt I was wearing that advertised said tractor company.   As a woman who has worked in the administrative, creative and retail side of construction for over 15 years, sometimes I forget that the world doesn't always think like I do, and gratefully neither does my industry.  This isn't a statistical kind of blog, but I can tell you that more and more women work in construction than ever before.....and not just in office jobs like me!  Women are driving, repairing and operating heavy equipment.  They advertise it, sell it and negotiate pricing for it.  They own companies that use it and teach other people how to use it.   Women.....gasp!  Get their hands dirty now! (But to be fair whilst at the fair, I saw another man employed by the same company as me as we were both wearing work

 When you're single, everyone has advice for you.  Especially people who haven't dated in over 20 years.  Boy, are they full of it!  Advice, I mean.  Of course, that's what I mean. I never really felt like I had trouble dating when I was younger.  I liked a boy, he liked me, we went out.  Or either he didn't like me, I pined over him for 6-8 weeks then met a new boy.  It didn't feel that hard or complicated.  You spent time together, got to know one another, found activities you enjoyed doing together, checked on your chemistry and then boom!  You had yourself a relationship. I'm not trying to make light of the tricky business of finding love.  Not at all.  On one hand, it's an absolute goddamm miracle that you can find a kindred flame in a whole other body.  And someone who looks and smells good too!  It's one of life's greatest beautiful accomplishments. Rufus Wainwright said it best (of course he says so many things best): "Life is a game, an

 The closest thing to a church or a sacred space I've ever had is probably one of three places: my backyard, my house and my local public library.   It might sound crazy, but those really are the favorite and safest places of my life.  And it's funny.....I didn't even realize how much the library meant to me until recently.   I've been lucky enough to live in the same town and going to the same library all my life.  I remember my uncle taking my big sister and me to get library cards.  I was probably about seven.  I remember the first book I checked out: Robert the Rose Horse. Since then I've studied there, worked on term papers, gone to book sales, taken my son there, had quiet time, and maybe even cried there a time or too.  I remember once asking a guy I met on Bumble to meet me there for our first date.  I thought it would be cute to say we met at the library.  It didn't work out, but I still remember that date and the meeting fondly.  I hope he does too. An

Resharing this classic Barbie post in light of the current movie phenomenon.  I haven't seen the film yet, but I absolutely plan to as soon as possible! (Inspired by this previous post here  and this one as well.)  Peaches 'n Cream Barbie was so beautiful!  I loved her dress and styling her hair! Crystal Barbie's hair wasn't as easy to style, but I loved her iridescent gown.  This one was called Great Shape Barbie....working out was a real craze in the 80's. The Western Barbie was not my fave, but country western wear had a thang in the early 80's. IYKYK, am I right? And this was the plastic case we carried them in! I was a  child of the 1980's.  Most of these Barbie dolls were introduced between 1981-84. Since then there have been many strides made in Barbie dolls of different nationalities, levels of ability and careers.  I think it's fabulous!  While her proportions may be impossible to attain, may Barbie ever striv

 I will readily admit that I have really gone back and forth on my feelings about the S&TC reboot, "And Just Like That".  I absolutely HATED the first season.  I was so shocked when Big died, that I honestly cried out "goddamm!" And at first, I was really mad about this unexpected plot twist.  Until I remembered what Carrie is all about.  Carrie is about chasing love and finding herself.  Carrie is about self-reflection.  Carrie, like the infamous Don Draper, is about ennui.   (Quick aside, do you think Don Draper is a little bit like Mr. Big?  Discuss.  Then imagine Carrie with Don.  It's not a tough leap if you think about it.) But on with our story here.  Carrie is a thinker.  She's always up in her head.  If she's happily married, that's hard to do.  What kind of content do you have to play with?  Carrie chasing after something she can't have is all we know.  Even in the S&TC movies.  (But that is a WHOLE other post really.  I have su

  Once I took beside a well of many words My house is full of rings, and charms, and pretty birds Please understand me, my walls came falling down There's nothing here that's left for you But check with lost and found

  There I was in uniform Looking at the art teacher I was just a girl then; Never have I loved since then

  Don't you ever say I just walked away I will always want you I can't live a lie, running for my life I will always want you....

Yes yes, ya'll.  This still exists: Eff the 90's I recently found this after trying to prove to a coworker that I USED TO BE a snarky music writer.  Finding this was like a hidden stinky prize inside an old gym bag.  It may also be the only "child" my ex and I can claim together.   Grab a Zima and come snark it up.  You know you want to.....

  Okay, so y'all know I'm always late to the party.  This series originally debuted on the History Channel in 2018, but I only just discovered it on Hulu.  Look.....I never claimed to be John Fremont, okay? I don't know what it was about school history back in the 80's and 90's, but I don't remember much about what happened in America after the Civil War.  Or in the period between the American Revolution and the Civil War.  Especially if it happened on the West Coast. Geez.  My history education is pretty poor now that I think about it.  Most everything I've learned has been through reading and documentaries.  All I know is the voices of Campbell Scott and Peter Coyote sound like old friends at this point.   And I'm as shocked as anyone to realize I am now enamored with Kit Carson. Kit Carson.  A man known for his aggressive violence and fearlessness.  Also known for his intelligence and skill as a trapper and trail finder.  He basically helped open up a

(Originally published 3 months after Anthony's passing.  Today marks 5 long years since we lost him.) I didn't write about Anthony Bourdain's death back in June.  Mainly because I wasn't spending much time blogging then, and more importantly, I didn't think I could.  Besides, his passing was talked to death on the news and in social media.  During the same week, Kate Spade also committed suicide.  If you put those together with Chester Bennington, Robin Williams and Chris Cornell from the last few years, it felt as if the brightest of our stars were blinking out everywhere.  Now with a few months in perspective, I can think on it and offer one more tearful tribute.  And I can imagine Chef Bourdain saying something like "great, Becky....the world really fucking needs that!"  But here is it anyway, Tony. The announcement of Anthony's death came to us on June 8th.  That was a Friday and my 16 year-old son's last day of school.  But my son mi

 I thought Bama Rush was going to be an insipid, brain-dead watch for me to wind down my week with.  It may even give me a laugh as I recalled my own short-lived sorority days. I was so wrong.  This documentary is quite insightful and lovely.   And scary.  And sad.  And painful. First off, some background of many things I had no idea about: *Rushing today is nothing like it was in the 90's when I was in school.  Young ladies sometimes actually choose their colleges based on sorority options. *University of Alabama's rushing activities have become very popular on TikTok in the last few years with the hashtag #bamarush.  Apparently all kinds of people (except me) have been following this with devotion. *There are consultants available to help young PNM's (Potential New Members) achieve a bid from their preferred house. *The use of iPhones has dramatically changed everything we once knew about college life, Greek life....and well.....life in general.   This documentary include

Kathy Valentine is a great storyteller.  I have read very few memoirs in which a person could truly tell a story from such an unemotional, honest level.  It makes for a great read as you travel with the narrator through their catharsis.  And Kathy definitely had a lot of those!   As she walks us through two abortions (one at the tender age of 12), her early drug and alcohol use, both a fun and tumultuous relationship with her mother, her sobriety.....it's really a lot to take in!  But Kathy is not one for rest or self-pity.  I guess the most heartbreaking thing of all is how much she just really, really wanted to be in a band.   Thus the title of the memoir. Her famous name-dropping from the Vaughn brothers to The Police to Clem Burke and Carlene Carter also adds a lot a spice to a tale that never winds down to boredom.  (Kathy was friends with Rob Lowe.....whaaaaatttt????) I actually think there's a few different kinds of fans that love The Go-Go's. The obvious are the one

  I'm not sure how to feel about this book.  At times it was riveting and other times soooo slow and plodding.  The story is certainly interesting and one my favorite time and places in history (WW1, Russian Revolution).  I heard someone describe it as the female Dr. Zhivago, and I'd definitely agree with that.  The story drops off at the end desperately making the reader want more, and I guess that's why it reads "End of Book 1".  A good book, but not as good as other Janet Fitch classics like White Oleander or Paint It Black.