Sounding Off

A 4TH OF JULY TO REMEMBER

The Savvy Old Lady — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 07:44:00 GMT

Thankfully, Mother Nature was smiling down on us and the weather couldn’t have been nicer. The only thing broiling today would be our steaks and The Crabby Old Guy had anxiously been preparing his secret concoction of spices and oils to perfectly season his aged steaks. This was not a simple process since he had started the day before and I swear James Beard had to be chuckling from his perch on high. Yes, the old boy was stirring, mixing and tasting as he marbleized, marinated and spoke sweet nothings to 6 pounds of prime beef. Had it not been for our rusty Golden Years he might have been tempted on this special occasion to splurge on some Kobe beef but sadly that was pre early retirement and recession.

However, everything was just perfect for this 4th of July barbecue. Crabby and I had made this spur-of-the-moment decision to visit our Marine son, the Sergeant and his wife and our beautiful 10 month old grandson for a glorious four day weekend on the Marine base where they live with thousands of other brave military families.

As I looked around I could see other families preparing for their celebrations. All the men were out stoking up the coals or turning on the gas in preparation for their master meal. The moms were all chatting while the children were playing and laughter could be heard throughout the neighborhood. It could have been in any American town but this is a special town filled with special people. What better way to observe and celebrate our Independence then with the courageous men and women who put their lives in harm’s way to keep us all safe and able to live our lives in liberty.

Sarge had invited another Marine family to join us and, as they say in The Big Easy, let the good times roll. The men huddled over the barbecue as they observed the intensity of the coals as if some spark would scream out ready! While my husband and son debated over the amount of time and turning it would take to cook these masterpieces just perfectly my daughter-in-law and I quickly and efficiently brought out the home grown tomato salad, southern baked beans, golden yellow corn-on-the-cob, cole slaw, and potato salad. Let’s just say it took less preparation and debate to set up all the sides than the work of art the men were creating to cook one item.

As we all sat down, the Crabby Old Guy said a prayer which included thanks for all our blessings and especially for all our troops that would be spending this day on foreign soil protecting our liberties. As I looked around at all the young smiling faces I realized how fragile and important days like these could be. Yes, another memory to include in the sunny side of my Golden Years.

Dinner was finished off with watermelon, fresh strawberry shortcake and coffee. Afterwards, the women decided to relax and play with the babies while the macho men, including my a-bit-past-true-macho hubby, opted for a competitive game of, ahem, horseshoes.

Let me tell you our military men redefine the word competition. They set up the pegs and started tossing. After two full 7-point games which took quite a while to finish mid-way through the third game the Marines decided that the reason it was going so slowly was that the pegs were to close together and that, follow the logic here folks, of course, made it too hard to score points. So with a moment of genius they moved the pegs double the distance and continued the third game. Crabby’s could not believe what he was hearing and seeing, his only response was a rather droll, “Hmmm, now I know you work for the government. In the middle of the game you change the rules and make it harder so you can make it easier.”

That night I lay in bed and counted my blessings. With five children and five grandchildren each life was precious and days like these are days that will live forever as memories in the minds of all of our generations forever.

God Bless America, Our Military Families and Our Traditions!

Hugs,

Joan Giorgianni

The Savvy Old Lady ©

CALL ME IF YOU NEED ME?

The Savvy Old Lady — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:14:00 GMT

CALL ME IF YOU NEED ME?

Riddle: Where can you get a job for $160,000 a year that will let you leave to look for another job and just tell your coworkers “Call me if you need me?” Answer, THE UNITED STATES SENATE!

With the potential economic collapse of our country hanging overhead there is more than enough blame to go around to both the Democratic and Republican parties. But, I think Senator Obama’s sad statement “Call me if you need me” while I interview for my next big job speaks volumes about the self-serving mentality of many of our politicians today.

Doesn’t the buck stop with all the politicians of our country? Greed, corruption and special interests have unfortunately been accepted as common practices in politicians today. Since we are now being told that this “bailout” is going to cost every American family $10,000 shouldn’t all the politicians be forced to cough up all of the campaign monies that they took from these same companies that are bankrupting our nation? After all, as Senator Biden has noted, it’s time to pay up and be patriotic!

Whether you like Senator McCain or not you must admit he took the initiative to show his leadership style and take the bull by the horns while Senator Obama and his staff is busy multitasking and stumping on the campaign trail. Yoo-hoo, Senator Obama! Would you have returned to Washington if our country were attacked by terrorists again or keep looking for your new job? Well guess what… we are now under a dire financial attack and you are MIA. Only after being called by President Bush and hearing that you would receive equal credit for the passage of this financial “bailout” were you willing to go to Washington…definitely a bipartisan mentality.

The notion of the “critical importance” of the debate being held on Friday in Mississippi makes me chuckle. Does any sane person really think they are going to hear anything of substance or anything different than they have heard a thousand times in the past six months? I think the American people are smart enough to know that fixing the economy now is much more critical and necessary than listening to a debate on lowering or raising taxes and programs that will probably never come to fruition. President Bill Clinton’s supporters have said that he always puts the American people first and politics second well today he supported Senator McCain’s action to return to Washington and make things right for the American people. Senator Obama once again is MIA and sits on the sidelines as a debater and observer. America does not need a superstar as President...they need a LEADER.

So, Senator Obama I am one American who is not going to call you and ask you to please come in to work today because we have a crisis; it annoys me that I have to pay your salary while your MIA...you are still a Senator, aren’t you?

This message is approved by The Savvy Old Lady, an American Citizen and mother of five who never left her job at home for nine months and said “Call me if you need me.”

A NEW FORM OF TERROR…FLYING DURING THE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS

The Savvy Old Lady — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 18:55:00 GMT

Since 9/11 there are very few passengers who can admit to flying worry free. I, on the other hand, had preflight jitters from the first time I ever stepped onto a plane way back in the good old days when there were stewardesses instead of flight attendants and plastic food with real silverware was served on every flight. My first flight was one that I will never forget. I had just graduated from high school in New York City and was off to Kansas City to start my college career. Yes, I was taking a jet to begin a new page in my life. Well the take off went smoothly and we no sooner reached our designated altitude when we hit our first air pocket. From that point on the stewardess and I bonded as we both held our barf bags in our hands

Today, I am Homeland Security’s greatest asset. When I’m at the gate waiting to board I make sure that I am ever vigilant and I firmly clutch my carry-on bag in my hands while suffering whip lash as I am constantly search for any suspicious characters near the gate. However, once on board I go into full investigative mode and I check out all of the passengers on the flight. Thanks to the airlines I usually have at least a half an hour to complete my check list before we start to taxi down the runway.

Early this winter I was flying from Fort Lauderdale to Nashville with a brief layover in Atlanta. Half way through the flight to Atlanta the pilot made an announcement. Alright, I was already white knuckling this flight…what message of vital importance was he going to tell us? Oh, please God, don’t let it be a storm since the last thing I wanted to hear was that we were being diverted to some other airport. Holding my breath I listened attentively as the pilot informed us of the football scores for San Francisco and Green Bay. Did I care…heck no, however, now it would take at least 15 minutes before my heart beat switched from overdrive to normal. As I left the plane in Atlanta all I could do was glare at the pilot as he wished us all a pleasant evening.

Well, the fun of air travel started again when I quickly realized that I had to get from gate T 34 to gate C 5498 in 20 minutes. Call it what you like but I’m convinced that someone is having a laugh arranging the transfer gates as far away from each other as possible. With a deep breath and a prayer I clutched my carry-on bag and was off and running. Whoops, a man stopped abruptly in front of me. He literally put on the breaks and went from a brisk trot to a dead stop in 0 .02 seconds, with me practically flying over him without the help of a plane. What happened? I regained my sense of direction and determination not to miss my flight but wow now, not again! As I passed one of the strategically placed bars in the airport I couldn’t help but notice that the football game was playing loud and clear. Yep, another Mr. Passenger hearing some yelping and screaming from inside the bar found it necessary to abruptly stop and check out the play and the score. From that point on for the next 15 minutes as I tried to race through the concourse I dodged men all over the airport who couldn’t resist the urge to see who was winning. At the rate I was going all I needed was a football some padding and a linebacker to run interference for me to get to my gate and score my winning flight.

I made it to my gate with two minutes to spare. I was the last one to board the plane and as I found my seat all I could hear were people on their cell phones yelling and whooping as someone from home was giving them a play by play description of the game. Finally, we landed in Nashville and my hubby, The Crabby Old Guy, was there to meet me. We picked up my luggage and walked to the car while I thanked The Good Lord that I arrived safely; I was looking forward to a peaceful ride home. I got into the car and “Crabby” started the car and a screech came out of the radio…football…nooooo! My calendar is already marked there is no way I’m putting my life in my hands and flying to New England on Super Bowl Sunday.

YEEHAW! HOWDY YA’LL…HELLO MA’AM

The Savvy Old Lady — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:44:00 GMT

(A NEWCOMER’S PERCEPTION OF NASHVILLE)

After living in several major cities and traveling on three continents the last words I wanted to hear were “Honey, we’re moving to Nashville, Tenn.”   In my mind this was only one step up from a move to Nome, Alaska. I’ll preface this little story with the fact that I was raised in Virginia for part of my formative years and then I was whisked away by my parents to live in New York City. Yep, The Big Apple, probably the most cosmopolitan city in the world. Most New Yorkers consider living anywhere other than a bus or subway ride away from Manhattan to be the hinterlands, you know, “the boonies”. Now my dear husband, also lovingly known as The Crabby Old Guy, decided to make a career move and take a professorship at Belmont University. If he were a tad bit, and that’s a big tad bit, younger I could have attributed this decision to a possible mid-life crisis but the only one in full crisis mode seemed to be me.

For days I pondered the effects that this move would have on my life. You see I was happily residing in Fort Myers, Florida in my cozy Spanish Mediterranean style house with a swimming pool, hot tub and lanai (that is a back porch in Floridian terminology), and temperatures that are pleasantly balmy throughout the winter months. Years ago when we moved from the North I had quickly rushed to Goodwill to donate all of my winter wardrobe. As I bid a fond goodbye to my long johns and a sweet hello to t-shirts and shorts my life was finally taking off in a new and exciting direction, one that I had dreamed of for more than half my life. There were no longer five teenagers living at home, we were in a nice, warm climate and “Crabby” was semi-retired so at long last we were finally able to do some serious traveling and couple bonding.

Thoughtfully, I recalled my marriage vows but believe me there was no part of the vow that I took that included a move to Nashville, especially at my age. Was “Crabby” beginning to show signs of senility? No, the man is definitely a mover and shaker and every time he spoke about the prospect of opening a new College of Pharmacy at Belmont University his eyes lit up while I constantly rolled mine. Okay, hmmm…Nashville. I started to make a mental list of the pros and cons regarding this move. What instantly came to mind was country music, alright that went on the plus side since I have always loved that genre of music. Next, it was the home of Al Gore, he invented the Internet didn’t he? So at least I should have Internet access with the rest of the world. Then suddenly the negatives appeared…would this be the city of pick-up trucks, rednecks, and fine dining at Jimmy Bob’s Barbecue Shack and what exactly is life like in the Bible Belt?

“Crabby” moved down to Nashville in the beginning of September and I prolonged my move as long as I could claiming every issue I could possibly think of which also included the care of my Garfield-wanna-be cat, Simba. Just how could I take this poor animal to a cold climate when he was so happily ensconced in the warm temperatures of Florida? Alright, the old boy didn’t buy my stories for a second and soon I was informed that my airline ticket was booked for September 21, like it or not. I immediately informed him that if the negatives of Nashville outweighed the positives I was going to be out of there in a New York Minute and he would find himself commuting each weekend to Florida.

The day finally arrived when Simba and I boarded our Delta Airlines flight to Nashville and I finally decided to give Nashville a fair shake. Taking a deep breath I anxiously deplaned, as the flight attendants say. Waiting for me at the airport with a dozen roses in his hands and a sign that read “WELCOME TO NASHVILLE” was Crabby. The man was definitely trying to put a smile on a very iffy situation and so far he was doing all the right things. We soon arrived at our rented house in a lovely neighborhood. Wunderbar! No cars on cinderblocks in the front yard, no pick-up trucks with loud screaming rednecks, so far there was no Elvis sightings and if there was a moonshine still anywhere around it must have been camouflaged pretty well.   Still, I was hesitant to give Nashville my seal of approval until I had completely checked out the town and its residents. I guess you can say I’m a true follower of Doubting Thomas and I had to see for myself all that Nashville had to offer.

Now I’m not going to say that I fell in love with Nashville over night, it sort of snuck up on me without any warning. Oddly enough it started out in Publix Supermarket when I was wandering around trying to find all of my groceries. You must have experienced this situation at some point in your life when you’re in a new grocery store and haven’t a clue where anything is located except for the milk and bread which, as everyone knows, is always at the back of the store. I guess I had a perplexed look on my face at least that’s what I hope people saw and not some demented woman who was making three to four trips up and down each aisle talking to herself. At least four to five customers stopped and offered to help me find what I was looking for and that was without my asking. One woman even offered me her own special recipe for a potato soufflé while a very distinguished looking gentleman told me where to go to buy a mouth watering country ham for the holidays.

Since I was very leery about our move I had convinced Crabby to leave one of our two cars back in Florida so that I would have a vehicle at our home when I returned there for a healthy dose of sunshine. Each morning Crabby would wake up and drive off to Belmont (and no, I didn’t fix him a brown bag lunch) and I was left at home carless. Always priding myself on being totally independent (raising five children with a husband who traveled all over the world for corporate meetings definitely helped), I pulled out the Yellow Pages and found the telephone number for the Yellow Cab Company so that I could explore Nashville.   The Good Lord must have been smiling on me when he sent a lovely woman named Sandy to be my driver. Sandy soon became my best source for all that was happening in Nashville and even informed me of places that the locals frequented for good food and entertainment. Sandy and sometimes Charles, her backup, became my drivers of choice and off we went to discover Nashville.

It didn’t take me long to realize the arts and entertainment offerings in this truly cosmopolitan city were incredible.
I had been to many large cities all over the world and yet there was something different in this city that I had not experienced in any other place I had visited or lived in before…it was the people. If the heart of Nashville is MUSIC the soul of Nashville is definitely the PEOPLE who live here. It seemed that every place I went there was someone offering me a small kindness maybe not something you notice at first but time after time I realized that the people here really care about each other and it doesn’t take long for a stranger to feel welcome. Some might say it’s the strong Christian ethic that is instilled in each person, hence the term Bible Belt, but to me it was that plus the old philosophy “do unto others.” Yes, Nashville is truly one of those rare places where its heart and soul reaches out to anyone who comes to visit or live.

I must say I came to Nashville with few expectations and I have been joyously overwhelmed by its charm and hospitality. This story could turn into a book if I thanked each and every person who has made a difference in my life in the short time that I have been here. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t personally thank the Belmont University community for making us part of their family, Kim Keeler, an amazing lady who is the PR Director at Gaylord’s Resort, Dr Fesmire (a dentist who understands and sweetly copes with my dentist phobia), Sandy and Charles my faithful drivers, and last, but not least, all the wonderful people whose names I never even learned but who taught me it’s the little kindnesses in life that make all the difference.

DO YOU LIVE IN WHOVILLE?

The Savvy Old Lady — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:29:00 GMT

Are you a Who or a Grinch? In 1957 Dr Seuss Geisel wrote the children’s book How the Grinch Stole Christmas and the story line is more relevant today than ever before. As a child, I can remember vividly the absolute joy of Christmas. Not only were the stockings hung, the tree resplendent with all its ornaments both store bought and homemade, wreaths and holly on all the doors, the sweet aroma of fresh baked cookies and gingerbread in most houses but a feeling of joy and expectation filled the air. The manger in the town square was the focal point of the season and we all waited with great anticipation for the morning when the Christ child would appear in the manger. People were scurrying to purchase their gifts but they always found time to wish you a Merry Christmas. Santa stood on street corners ringing his bells with a kettle of chestnuts roasting nearby. Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas!

In recent years I have noticed those memories, although wonderful ones are just that...memories, and definitely a thing of the past. According to many those were the years of politically incorrect Christmas’. Yes, people now are hesitant to wish a stranger a Merry Christmas. They fumble over the verbiage in this holiest of seasons. Do they say “Happy Holidays”, “Seasons Greetings” or just nod and say “Have a happy”? Even poor Santa has suffered in our new millennium and is now considered a poor role model with his pot belly. Did our Surgeon General forget that Santa’s belly is filled with cookies and milk from good boys and girls? I think many of these people are missing the point that Santa is not a role model due to his girth but it’s his spirit of generosity, caring, kindness and the hope for peace on earth. Unfortunately, I think many adults have become so jaded that they have forgotten the true spirit of the season and the real meaning of Christmas. Unfortunately, I think the Grinch is alive and living in the hearts of all too many men and women espousing their values, or lack of values, in a new society.

Today, there are even those who are trying to restrict Santa’s “Ho, Ho, Ho!” since they find it offensive to women. Perhaps, it’s not Santa they find offensive but the whole spirit of Christmas. Sadly, in many areas of our country, our precious Christmas carols are only sung in churches and at home. In most cosmopolitan cities the decorations are so innocuous and secular that the phrase “Winter Festival” has replaced “Christmas Season”. Should Christmas only be celebrated in a cloistered way at church and at home? Will the day come during this joyful season when you turn on your radio only to hear the song "Winter Wonderland" as the only seasonal song constantly filling the airwaves in a politically correct manner?

Guess what? Not in my town. The Crabby Old Guy and I recently moved to Nashville, Tennessee and much to our delight found the true Christmas spirit alive and well in many places. The only Grinch in our town resides at Gaylord Opryland Hotel’s Ice Extravaganza, and he is surrounded by about two-million pounds of beautiful ice sculptures.

Let me tell you about a few of our Christmas experiences to date. First it started with a concert put on by Belmont University. Just imagine hundreds of young talented voices singing Christmas carols past and present. It is said that the highest form of prayer is found in song. Well the Belmont chorus, musicians and the Nashville’s Children’s choir certainly praised God in every music venue possible; from traditional, rock, country to blues. Was it inspirational? Yes, but more importantly the looks on the faces of these young people and their audience was one of joy and excitement. As we all stood up for the last carol and joined in singing with the choir I could feel a peace and joy in my heart that has been missing for some time. All I can think is that for a country that proudly extols its freedoms, somehow the freedom of speech and religion are lost in the shuffle when it comes to politically incorrect subjects. If we have freedom of speech which our forefathers fought and died for then why can’t our children sing Christmas carols in our public schools? Believe me when I say that I have no objection to anyone practicing their religion no matter what it is but did you notice in America the country literally closes down on Dec.25. It’s a national holiday…IT’S CHRISTMAS! The first part of the word CHRISTMAS is CHRIST and we celebrate His birthday.

Next we went shopping. With a family that has now expanded from seven to eleven, and two new arrivals expected in June, The Crabby Old Guy and I were off and running; okay, maybe briskly walking through all the malls in the area. Surprise, surprise, the clerks in the stores all wished us a Merry Christmas. Christmas carols could be heard all around us and the decorations are those of the Christmas season.

We happily experienced “Luminary Night” in the neighborhoods in our area. For those of you who have never heard of this it is a night when people place a lighted candle outside their homes and everyone drives around to see the beautiful decorations on all the houses. Interestingly enough in Nashville many of the trees in the homes are decorated with white lights and not the multi-colored variety. The local radio station can be heard playing "It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas", "White Christmas", "Silent Night" and many more CHRISTMAS songs. There’s definitely no ban on Christmas in our town.

Not only is the spirit of Christmas in the air but the town also has some amazing shows to see and they are all Christmas themed. Crabby and I were fortunate enough to see the Pam Tillis Christmas Party, the General Jackson river boat cruise and dinner show “Christmas on the Cumberland”, The New York Rockette’s Christmas Show and a few others. Yes we definitely have smiles on our faces.

So for those of you who are looking for an old fashioned Christmas where the people of all races and religions join together to celebrate the happiest of holidays come to Nashville. If for one reason or another you can't make the trip maybe it's time for the"silent majority" to speak out to those politicians and liberals who have decided to remove Christ from Christmas. Let us not forget that a son of a carpenter, born centuries ago, still to this day influences nations and is regarded by Christians all over the world as the King of kings and Son of God. My wish is that the Christmas lights shine brightly in all the villages, towns and cities in America and especially in the hearts and minds of it's citizens. Peace, Joy and Hope have no religious boundaries, so let us all celebrate a season that wishes peace and good will to all of mankind.

Hugs,

The Savvy Old Lady©

YA"LL COME!!!

The Savvy Old Lady — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 02:14:00 GMT

YA’LL COME!!!!
By
The Savvy Old Lady ©
Joan Giorgianni

For those of you who have been keeping up with the exploits of The Savvy Old Lady, well she’s on the move once again. This time she is not traveling to exotic destinations, Caribbean Islands nor fabulous Mediterranean Ports of Call such as Monte Carlo, Athens or Rome. Instead of a ship she will be on a plane heading for…drum roll…historic, Nashville, Tennessee. You see The Crabby Old Guy has taken a faculty appointment at a university in Nashville. So let the adventures begin!

Although some may say I’m in or approaching my “twilight years” (dang, only time I see twilight is when I take my glasses off) I still look at each and every change in my life as a new adventure and so should you. The wonderful opportunity to meet new people visit interesting places and soak up the culture of a new location in our wonderful US of A is exciting and challenging. Although I was born in New York City, my parents moved to Virginia when I was eight and then back to New York when I was sixteen. So I am definitely one of those Northern Southerners who finds excitement and adventure in both parts of the country. The downside to Tennessee is I will be residing in a land locked state for the first time in many years. However, as a true Country and Western fan I will now be able to go to the Grand Ole Opry and so many other interesting C&W places and landmarks that I have never been to before. Who knows, maybe I’ll be lucky enough to bump into Toby Keith or Dolly Parton. Wow! I might even take a ride over to Memphis for an Elvis sighting or two. I must admit I am looking forward to getting reacquainted to all the southern cooking that I have missed for so many years.

I promise you I will still be cruising the high seas in search of new Ports of Call but I will now expand my website to bring you highlights for land based vacations. I realize not everyone appreciates cruising the way that The Crabby Old Guy and I do but there are so many wonderful places to see and explore on this beautiful planet that I will have endless material to blog about.

In the past month I have been very fortunate to have had many new opportunities come my way which I never even dreamt of and my goal is to bring these to all my readers. Each week I will be adding something new to my site. For example a wonderful lady known as The New York Hat Lady, who I personally know and trust, and has been a distinguished jeweler in the Diamond District in New York (a definite rarity) for more than thirty years, has agreed to teach us all about purchasing gemstones and jewelry – something that will come in handy for all of us shopping-travelers. She promises to go in depth about what to look for, ask about and what to avoid. She also will explain how to use a jeweler’s loupe so that you do not buy an inferior stone thinking its grade A quality. The very best is that The NY Hat Lady promises to make all of us Savvy regarding any and all of our future jewelry purchases and she will even answer any questions you might have.

I am also planning on having a new section on my website that will include services and restaurants, you know the kind the locals all love to go to but the average tourist is clueless about. If you have a favorite restaurant where you live just write to thesavvyoldlady@gmail.com and I will be happy to include it in my list along with your name. Let’s all have some fun and make each of us savvier.

This Savvy Old Lady has been jumping with joy because starting in October, 2007 I will be writing a travel column in a monthly magazine. Let’s see who is the first to find me, it will be a little like “Where’s The Savvy Old Lady” instead of “Where’s Waldo?” and I promise you I look a whole lot better than Waldo… LOL.

Next on the list my daughter, her husband and my delightful grandson will be taking a wonderful cruise on Disney’s Wonder to celebrate my grandson’s seventh birthday. They have promised to write a review of their cruise for all of you out there who are considering taking your children on an ocean bound Mickey Vacation.

Lastly, for those of you who have read my blog “The Mother-In-Law Blues” I now have an important update for you. My US Marine son and his beautiful fiancé (Yahoo, I guess I didn’t botch up the relationship) have set a date for their marriage in November, 2007. The Crabby Old Guy and The Savvy Old Lady will be heading out to Japan and believe me I will come back with a million and one stories to tell.

So my advice to all my readers is “Ya’ll Come”, back to my website each week and see what surprises I have for you because I plan to have new and interesting material to make you all savvier. You might even want to subscribe to my website (it’s free) so you don’t miss out on anything. Remember Ya’ll Come Back and stay savvy.

Hugs
The Savvy Old Lady
and
The New York Hat Lady

You Can Make A Difference; Yah, But...!

The Savvy Old Lady — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 03:12:00 GMT

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE; YAH, BUT...!

Blog By
Joan Giorgianni
The Savvy Old Lady ©

I woke up this morning in a very pensive mood, I guess maybe I feel a little like those days when the sky can’t decide whether to smile or cry. You see lately my life has taken a rather curious path and new challenges have appeared that years ago I would have found laughable and said was utterly impossible. The mere thought of my putting words on paper or in this case the Internet under a pseudonym of The Savvy Old Lady was incomprehensible. Even my five children never wanted to see anything that I had written unless it was formatted into an absent note or permission slip for a class trip. Yet here I sit pecking away in my Golden Years at my computer and wondering how I got here and why?

If you think The Savvy Old Lady is blathering and rambling please bear with me I really do have a point to make or at least my little gray cells (the ones that are left after raising the cherubs) seem to think I do. So many people have written about the benchmarks or crossroads that each of us come to at different points in our lives. There are oh so many paths that each of us must chose to take and with each one of these choices come hurdles, sacrifices and hopefully fulfillment. Still the big question in my mind is am I making a difference in any one’s life beside my own or am I just sitting on this incredible planet taking up space and inhaling the air?

There is a wonderful song written with lyrics that state...YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. But what kind of difference? I’m not an Einstein, Michelangelo or Mother Teresa and I know I won’t ever be nominated for a Nobel Prize. However, I sit back and think of all the little things that have made such a difference in my life. Oddly enough it’s not the life altering changes that appear but the memories of maybe a time when I was so preoccupied with my own circumstances that a smile from a stranger brightened my day. The small kindnesses extended to us from those who are mere acquaintances or often strangers, who for one brief moment enter our lives and make us pause and recognize the importance. Sometimes when you try to tell people they can make a difference in someone’s life you hear the “Yah....but”. Can you take an extra moment to thank the clerk in the supermarket...yah, but I’m in a rush. Can you help the mother who’s pregnant and carrying a toddler in her arms put her shopping bags in her car...yah, but I’m late for an appointment. Can you take a moment or three to ask that little old man who you see everyday shuffling down the street how his day is going...yah, but I have an important cell call to make. “Yah...but I’m just too busy getting along with my life to make a difference in someone else’s life”.

The majority of people have hectic, fulfilling lives and that is a good thing but from time to time we all need that little extra boost which often comes from the most unexpected places. In the past month I have experienced three different incidents that have stopped me in my tracks and made me think. The first was a conversation that I happened to overhear among a group of friends. One man stood out as he proudly boasted that he was born to aggravate and enjoyed every minute of it. As he spoke he would from time to time pass a very unkind remark to one or two in the group and unfortunately the others would laugh. Who knows if it was out of loyalty to the man or just plain fear that he would turn on them but not one single person had the courage to stand up to him. What a shame that no one was willing to make a difference. When we think of bullies we usually think of the playground “bully” but guess what little bullies grow up to be insensitive, empty, adult bullies who never for one minute consider the damage their words can do.

I’m sure you will chuckle at my second story because to most it would be considered quite inconsequential but to me it was important. One of my readers, Phil, recently emailed me a sweet, funny little joke which instantly brought a smile to my face. Now I know that many of you are asking yourselves, so what makes that so earth-shattering we do that all the time. Yes, we all share jokes on the internet but when it comes to filling in the “TO” section on your e-mail it tells the receiver that you thought about them even for one brief second and wanted to share a smile or a story. Snail mail (US Postal System) today has been reduced to bills and advertisements while e-mail has become the socialization process of the decade. So perhaps today, you can look through your list of names in your address book and think of those who you thought enough of to list them there. You may be surprised and maybe never know but you just might make a difference in someone’s day and for that they will be forever grateful.

Lastly, I have to admit The Savvy Old Lady and The Crabby Old Guy were born in the Etch-a-Sketch© generation. This doesn’t mean that we are stupid it just means we are not computer savvy (Oh, to only be a computer geek). Our children and their friends can run circles around us when it comes to manipulating the Internet. When “Crabby” and I decided to set up a website we thought...just how hard can this be? Millions of people have websites all over the world, why not us? Let me tell you 7 weeks of trying to understand terms such as “meta-tags”, “trackbacks”, “computer optimization”, “page rankings” and my favorite the creepy, crawler “robots” has The Savvy Old Lady pulling the hair out of her head. Finally, the good Lord heard my plea and sent me a young man named John. Now let me tell you John has never met The Savvy Old Lady personally and was only introduced to her on the phone by a friend. However, this young man has taken time out of his hectic schedule to help educate (I must say with extreme patience because “Crabby” has lost his) this old girl regarding the techniques used to enhance and keep her website running. All I can think is that sometimes we take the easy way out and donate a few dollars to a cause and don’t get me wrong in many cases that is very important but giving of yourself and your time can be extraordinary to someone’s life.

So, John and Phil, thank you so much for leaving a mark on The Savvy Old Lady’s life. Mr. Bully, you have my pity since you will never experience the sweet moments in life. Join me today in making a difference and let’s delete the “Yah, but…” from our vocabulary. The differences we make might not be monumental but hopefully, it just might help someone make it through a difficult day and isn’t that what life is all about...people helping people!!!

MOTHER-IN-LAW BLUES

The Savvy Old Lady — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 02:23:00 GMT

THE MOTHER-IN-LAW BLUES
By
THE SAVVY OLD LADY ©
Joan Giorgianni

Has any one ever been entertained by a comedian without hearing at least one or two of his or her Mother-In-Law jokes? Of course not! Every comedian has an entire repertoire of these jokes and yes, some are new but they basically all revolve around the same old theme of the nasty, crabby mother-in-law.

When my eldest son, (the oldest of five), first got married I swore I would never become that nasty ole “interfering” woman. I have kept that little promise. Believe me when I say I stay out of everything...it’s a “speak when I’m spoken to” type of philosophy and to date it has worked out great. Now that our oldest daughter is married I try doubly hard to keep my word. Lord help me, I can’t even begin to imagine how much will power it is going to take to do this when all 5 are married. So, I suppose you could say that I am just a Savvy Old Mother-In-Law, or at least I’m trying to be.

There are times though when despite my best efforts I find myself smack-dab in the middle of a no-win situation. Here is a recent experience from the “Annals of The Savvy Old Lady Mother-In Law Files” to illustrate what I mean.

Three years ago my youngest son, who is a U.S. Marine, was deployed to Japan. It was not long before we started hearing little murmurings during our occasional transglobal phone calls with him of a very nice Japanese girl that he had met and was dating. Well, just recently Sgt. Marine informed us that he was coming home on leave and, big surprise, guess who was coming with him...yep, his girlfriend. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I was to meet her. I just knew she had to be very, very important in his life since he had never before brought a girl home to meet Mom and Dad, let alone spring for the bucks to fly half-way around the world (Sgt. Marine is a bit of a skin-flint, I guess he takes after his Dad, The Crabby Old Guy, in that regard). Okay, so I am now thinking this must be “THE ONE” for our Marine. The fact that she is Japanese is a plus since our family could be the poster-family for “America...the Melting Pot of the World”. My lineage hails from Poland and Russia and my husband’s is Sicilian. My beautiful daughter-in-law is from Puerto Rico and our very talented professional drummer son-in-law was born in England and is of Jamaican descent. So considering our family’s mix of cultures, Thanksgiving and other occasions are very special events at our home. The diversity and varieties of celebration, food and specialties that we have at any of our Family Feasts rank up there with any international buffet you might go to in some fancy restaurant. So the thought of a potential Japanese daughter-in-law was very exciting for all of us, and, no, not just for the food.

My husband and I were counting the days before their arrival, however, so was Murphy and his Laws. From the moment they left Japan and until the time they reached our home everything went wrong. Their eight-day visit was soon reduced to five-days due to flight delays, immigration and security snafus. The first intra-Japan flight had to return to the airport because it was not able to hold the proper cabin pressure; that little “mechanical” forced them to stay overnight at an airport hotel. Then finally on to the Good Ol’ US of A, there was another delay…sort of a “Welcome Home, Marine.” present from the bureaucracy. Who would have thought my son would have to wait for 4 hours in a “Security Holding Tank” in Detroit’s John Wayne Airport (the first US port in the trip from Japan) to be asked one question by a bored border patrol agent, “Why are you returning home?” Yoo-hoo, see the ID?... active duty Marine…on leave…coming home to see his family for the first time in over two years! After answering this one very probing question our Crack Border Security Officer let him go. Now Sgt. Marine was ran to his departure gate with his girlfriend only to realize that his flight for home had already left! Just great, now he was spending most of his precious leave time in airports and planes.

Finally, after Dad spent hours on the phone with the airlines to help sort out connections and shorten his delay getting home from 48-hours to a mere 36-hours, Sgt. Marine and girlfriend arrived on the East Coast of Florida. Yep, you got it the travel saga continues, we live on the West Coast of Florida. Luckily his brother lives on that side of the state and he and his wife picked them up at the airport and drove them two hours to reach our home. So for three days all they saw was the inside of airports, airplanes and a late night ride to reach our home.

Now, I must tell you Dad does have a tendency of going a little overboard when it comes to welcoming our brood. On several occasions the kids have even surprised us by showing up unannounced at the door; I’m convinced they do this so they won’t be mortified at the airport with some new antic Dad has thought up. For this occasion The Crabby Old Guy had gone out and purchased a five foot high poster board (which he had planned on bringing to the airport). That could be a blog in itself since Dad is only 5’6” and when he held the poster up all you could see was the sign and a pair of little feet under them. Next, the old boy searched the web for Japanese phrases, written in Japanese mind you, to add to the signage welcoming our guest. All I could do was pray that he hadn’t copied the wrong stroke here or there and instead of saying “Welcome to America” it would read “Please, Step on My Shoes”. Oh, don’t worry he also included a large “WELCOME HOME MR. MARINE” on the poster...just what my son wanted to see when he got home. Oh, well.

Anyway, back to the Mother-In-Law-Type story. Finally, they arrived home and all was going well. They were both exhausted but happy to see us. Considering their bodies probably didn’t know what time zone they were in a midnight barbeque steak dinner was perfectly fine and they were soon off to bed, separate bedrooms of course. Mom and Dad aren’t very liberal when it comes to our unmarried kids sharing a room with their significant others in our home. The next morning, as we all sat down to breakfast, I noticed the girlfriend was sniffling and her eyes were red (jet lag, right?). Politely, I asked if she was coming down with a cold. My son immediately spoke up and said that she had an allergy to cats. Just great, I am the proud owner of a rather rotund Garfield Wannabe cat named Simba, who has probably spread enough of his dander around the house to cause a full blown attack of “cat-itis” in almost anybody even slightly sensitive to a cat. Not much I could do now since kenneling Simba would not remove the ever present dander. However, our son’s girlfriend was so very sweet and polite and said, through her sniffles in her broken (but quite good English) it wasn’t a problem. So there I sat providing boxes of tissues and sympathy. Strike one for Mom.

Our son had told us that she understood English but we had to speak slowly. Alright, I can do that. Have you ever noticed though that when you’re told to speak slowly you have a tendency of also speaking a bit more loudly? Try it, you’ll see; I think it’s some sort of reflex which we can’t control. So yes, the slower and more distinctly I began to speak the louder each word became; I simply couldn’t help it. I guess I didn’t realize it at first, until my son kept reminding me that she was not hearing impaired only a newbie at the English language. Strike two for Mom.

Now it was beginning to feel like everything I was doing to make her feel welcome and comfortable was turning into an absolute disaster. You might say I was trying too hard but it just kept happening. Before they arrived I had prepared the guest bedroom and bathroom for her. Hmmm, someone gave me a very expensive bottle of body lotion from France as a birthday gift which I had yet to open. Yes! I took out the bottle and placed it in the guest bathroom for her to use. I was sure she would like this little offering after being on a plane for all that time and see it as a luxurious token of good will. Sheesh, no one told me that she read less English than she could speak. You got it…Mom and Murphy struck again. The very next morning she came down to breakfast and half of her face where she had used the body cream was swollen twice the normal size and yes, her eyes were tearing and her nose still running. Good Lord, at this rate I was killing the girl in small doses. There go our amicable relations with Japan! Maybe I was feeling a little paranoid but I would swear that my son was glaring at me at times. Strike three for Mom.

Originally the plan was that my son and his girlfriend would spend five days with us at home and then we would drive them to Orlando to stay in Disneyworld for three days. Weeks before, our son had asked his father to book rooms for them at a Disney Resort, which Dad promptly did. A few days before they arrived, my husband decided to arrange for a room for us for a night at the same resort so we wouldn’t have to make the trek back home the same day. Our son was a little surprised when he heard of the arrangements but Dad quickly told him that we were going to be staying in two separate sections and we knew he had plans to meet up with some friends and not to worry etc., etc., etc. As we reached the resort we said our goodbyes and, yes, I breathed a sigh of relief since now I thought there was no way I could screw anything else up for this young couple. MURPHYYYYY...GO HOME!!!!!

I watched as they took they’re luggage inside the resort to the registration area and Sal soon came back to the car with the key to our room. At last we got into our room and got settled, while hubby was unpacking I decided to go outside on the porch and look out over the beautiful resort landscape. Lo and behold, what do I see but our happy couple strolling hand in hand with luggage in tow heading for their room...Drum roll, please!…two rooms down from ours! The only thing worse would have been if they had given us adjoining rooms. You know, if we had requested this close proximity it never would have happened. My son turned and saw me and I could see written all over his face, “NOOOOOOO!” in Marine Corps scarlet red.

I’m sure at this point he was convinced that his mother did this purposely and wanted to be as far away from me as possible. The only thing that hadn’t happened yet was the girlfriend hadn’t broken out in hives all over her body. Hmmm, maybe now the hives would come when she realized the potential future in-laws were only a few doors away. There is just no way to be discreet in a situation like this; so as they exited the elevator and looked straight at me with a little hand wave and sickly smile I quickly disappeared into my room. Of course, after that Hubby and I always checked to make sure the coast was clear before we entered the hallway.

The next day, as we were driving home, I wondered how much damage I did to Japanese/American relations and to Boyfriend-Girlfriend relations that past week. Let’s hope The Savvy Old Lady is not blamed for WWIII…. Okay, that is a bit of an exaggeration and I probably won’t be blamed for any international incident, but I sure did strike out at bat this time.

STAY SAVVY!

Hugs,
The Savvy Old Lady

The Bus

The Savvy Old Lady — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 23:37:00 GMT

I can remember the day as if it was yesterday; it was a beautiful brisk autumn morning as the school bus pulled up in front of our driveway. My five year old son, David apprehensively climbed the steps onto the school bus. As he reached the top step, he turned and bravely gave me a little wave. I could see the fear in his eyes as he ventured out of his protected environment to begin his search for new horizons. The lump in my throat and tears in my eyes couldn’t express the emotions I was feeling as my little man left for his first day of school. The week progressed nicely and David seemed to be adjusting to school and leaving mommy for the day, knowing in his heart that I would be there when he returned home.

The following week, all the parents were invited to a “Meet the Teachers Night” at the school. As I stood talking to his teacher, I noticed a look of concern on her face. Finally, she said to me that a few days before she had asked all the children to draw a picture of their entire family. Strangely, David had drawn a picture of him and his four siblings but without a mom or dad anywhere to be seen. When she questioned David he told her that he didn’t want to draw either Dad or I and wouldn’t say anything more. I left the school dumbfounded; what could this possibly mean? The very next day I sat down with my son and told him I had seen his wonderful drawing but was rather surprised he hadn’t included dad or me. He looked at me so sweetly and said “Mom, you know I can’t draw very good and you have short hair and dad doesn’t have very much hair, so I was afraid I would make you look like a man and dad would be bald. I didn’t want any of the kids laughing at you.” My precious child at the age of five was protecting his mom and dad.

Sixteen years later, as he waited for another bus, only this time provided by the United States Military, that same precious child now a man stood before me but now with no fear in his eyes and said “I’m doing this to protect you and dad.” His heart had never changed; he had grown taller and leaner but now was dressed in the uniform of The United States Marine Corps.

Stay Savvy!

Hugs,
The Savvy Old Lady

The "Look At Me! Generation"... Paris Hilton, Brittany Spears and Other 21st Century “Role Models”

The Savvy Old Lady — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 02:26:00 GMT

The “Look-At-Me! Generation”
... Paris Hilton, Brittany Spears and Other 21st Century “Role Models”
By
The Savvy Old Lady©
Joan Giorgianni

Let me make it perfectly clear, there is absolutely nothing that a young adult and teenager does that completely surprises me. Paris Hilton, Brittany Spears, Janet Jackson with her wardrobe malfunction and the other icons of the “LOOK-AT-ME! GENERATION” with their outrageous behavior, probably seems somewhat tame compared to the stunts of many other teenagers and young adults. The only difference is they’re famous and when our kids behave in a similar fashion they are considered infamous. Paparazzi and the media, even supposedly serious media, just gobble up their antics. The media use it as the main story when there are no hurricanes, wars or Presidential elections to over dramatize, overanalyze and overexpose. These teenage/young adult luminaries and let’s not forget the sports jocks and rappers become cool (or are they hot?) and they are THE people to emulate.

Speaking of Paris Hilton “She” is now out of jail and has proclaimed to the world that while she was in the hoosegow she found God. I do hope, in my Pollyannaish sort of Motherly way that this is sincerely true; that would be a good thing, particularly if she let some of this rub off on the kids that idolize and emulate her. But wait; there is more to this very, very old tired saga. ABC television news has reportedly offered Paris Hilton (as if she really needs it) a million dollars to get an exclusive interview about her “time in the slammer”. You know what, some folks are cynical about that kind of a money deal, but The Savvy Old Lady thinks she absolutely should take ABC up on their offer. But then to validate her new found religious fervor shouldn’t she donate that money to a few faith based charities...the legitimate kind, please, not the bogus sort of razzamatazz non-profit foundation that John Edwards (the Presidential Candidate and Loophole-Lawyer Extraordinaire) got caught red-facedly engaging in.

I know the kids are always doing something to rattle the old adult chains; that’s their job you know. Just think about how many bare bottoms you have seen hanging out of a limo on prom night in your day and you’ll know what I’m talking about. I remember one of my kids being so outraged at being told that he was going to have to go to the barber to get a hair-cut “…or else” that he went to his room and promptly shaved his entire head clean as a cue ball and proudly announced, “Now, what do you think of this ? Ha! There is no reason to take me to the barber now... so there!”. Ah excuse me, was that a teenage cry for attention? No, it was an “I’m pissed at Mom and I’m in control reaction”. Was Mom upset? No, since it saved her the price of hair cuts for at least two or three months and the hassles of trying to get the boy there in the first place!

As my children are all older now and feel that they now have a safety net it never fails to amaze me that at most family gatherings a story or two comes out of their teenage pranks that leaves me with my mouth wide open. For example, how Mom and Dad prided themselves in having non-alcoholic after-the-prom overnight parties in which they checked each teen for alcohol as they entered the house and took their car keys until the morning in order to insure they would not be on the road and in danger of some drunk driver. Only later to find out that some genius hid a ladder in our back yard and was bringing in a case of beer through the upstairs window, grrrrrr.

Hmmm, all I can do is look at pathetic Paris, Brittney and the others and recognize “The Circle of Life. Sadly, this is only recognized by those who have gone before the current generation and big surprise the current generation doesn’t really care about the old folks perspectives. So on and on it goes, “Hey Look At Me!” Oh, I can’t wait to see who the icons of my grandson’s generation will be and what antics they will be up to.

I want all of you to sit back right now and remember the most outrageous thing that you ever did. I sure bet it doesn’t pale in comparison to the icons of the day. Wonder who out there, can come up with the most outrageous prank they or their offspring took part in and lived to talk about it? Why don’t you write and tell me about it?

STAY SAVVY!

Hugs:
The Savvy Old Lady

The Poker Table...Virtual Friends, Real People

The Savvy Old Lady — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 01:43:00 GMT

I would imagine that gambling of some sort or other can probably be traced back to the early cavemen. So maybe they bet with pebbles or flint sticks but since the very beginning of time women and men have found gambling a source of entertainment and amusement and sometimes (albeit rarely – wealth). Look at the Romans as they went to the Coliseum and bet on the Gladiators, even a pair of ivory dice dated before 1500BC was found in Egypt and one of the Kings of England, Henry VIII was reported to have banned his military from gambling since they were spending too much time gambling and too little time soldiering. (Source: www.gamblingorigins.com)

However, now, in the 21st Century, gambling around the world has become a multi-billion dollar industry. Yes, you can travel to the French Riviera, England, Monaco, Las Vegas, the Caribbean Islands, or on a Cruise Ship and many, many more exciting destinations to spend your money or, as in my case all too often, donate my money and chase that little will-o-the-wisp dream of winning the big jackpot. Still many people, due to time constraints, work and financial issues just prefer a friendly game of poker or bridge or Old Maid or something with small stakes, played in their own homes with family or friends as an evening’s enjoyment. But I must tell you that there are a huge number of folks out there all over the world who enjoy playing poker. They also really enjoy the companionship of other players they meet – or at least virtually meet - at the on-line tables. These people sit comfortably in their own homes or hotel rooms when on the road, maybe even wearing their jammies, with a beer or Pepsi next to them and they bet as aggressively as if they were in a high stakes poker game in Monte Carlo.

So, who are these people and where do they play? It’s simple anyone over the age of eighteen, anywhere in the world, can log onto their computers and visit any number of on-line poker websites and play for endless hours and the cost...zero. It’s all for play money but don’t be fooled the competition is usually stiff and at times tempers do flair. Yes, I know there are some “real-money” sites out there (I am The Savvy Old Lady, you know) – but since they are illegal in the US of A I don’t go there … and neither should you.

Just for a moment picture yourself sitting down at the Poker Table with seven other people. Their names are: ‘One Round Man’, ‘Patty Perfect’, ‘Hunter’, ‘Getback’, ‘USMCMOM’, ‘Teenie’ and ‘Cisco’. All are anonymous pseudonyms and, at first glance, all virtual-reality people who are enjoying the same low impact past time, relaxing and chatting. But over a period of time these anonymous virtual-reality people take on a real-reality and their lives and personalities are slowly revealed and shared. Friendships are made and broken. Serious discussions began to enter the picture...they no longer are just the virtual-faces created by an artist on a website, the faces you see on the screen become for you the real faces of real people, their pseudonyms become real names (reminds me of what Shakespeare had to say about one of my favorite flowers, “A rose by another name would still smell as sweet.”). Relationships are made and although these people are likely never to meet in the-flesh there is no doubt that strong bonds are formed. The people on these sites eventually describe things in their lives that they would never ever think of saying even to a best friend. Illnesses, addictions, marital problems, family issues are spoken of with sincerity and conviction. I’m sure some psychiatrist could explain this with some psycho-babble terms that would be beyond my interest, but that matters less than the fact that all of these glimpses of personal and sometimes secret lives have as much texture, meaning and emotive ability as if the person were sitting live at my kitchen table every evening.

Often I wonder if the Poker Table doesn’t turn into a sounding board for many, a place where they can work out their problems with the help of others and not fear the embarrassment and reprisal of having to come face to face with that person after describing personal matters. The casual poker game sometimes seems to become secondary to a more important focus and that is the people themselves. Not the virtual-reality people that so often are spoken of but the cops, firemen, lawyers, doctors, retirees, moms, dads, grandparents and those who are too ill even to leave their homes. Now I don’t want to sound as if the games are always filled with drama, morose discussions and depressing views. More than often humor appears and the dark clouds quickly disappear. Humor with laughter, although silently muted on the web, are the mainstays for most Poker Tables – the virtual and the live ones. Yes, we do get our fair share of nitwits in the game but it doesn’t take long to weed them out; sort of like life in general. Anger and frustration also appear when players lash out for no apparent reason but usually it’s because they either have no one in their lives to listen to them or they can’t bear the thought of burdening their loved ones. There is no doubt in my mind that every human being hungers for someone to listen to them and I mean really listen and if the venue turns out to be a virtual poker table so be it. The table may be virtual but I have come to understand and respect the people, the real people, who have become an extended group of friends.

This blog is dedicated to “Oneroundman”, a man who is a hero in my eyes, and who each and every day wakes up and faces the trials life has handed him. It was not his fault that he woke up one morning went to work as usual and was hit by a speeding trucker. Through pain and anguish he still keeps a great sense of humor and teaches me the importance of friendship, kindness and most importantly to live each day as it comes.

God Bless You, You-Know-Your-Real-Name. I will never forget you!

STAY SAVVY!

Hugs

The Savvy Old Lady

The Sleeping Tiger: The Silent Majority

The Savvy Old Lady — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:04:00 GMT

THE SLEEPING TIGER…THE SILENT MAJORITY
By
The Savvy Old Lady (c)
Joan Giorgianni

Two centuries ago Paul Revere rode through the countryside warning the Americans the British were coming. Armed and ready, these brave patriots took their stance and defended what was rightfully theirs. Today, more than two centuries later, Paul’s ride would have been criticized as being “politically incorrect”. The Animal Rights Leagues would have condemned poor Paul for racing through the villages without adequate rest stops and proper feedings for poor ole Dobbin. The ACLU would have had a field day defending the British and their right to occupy and visit any land they wanted. The Non-Profiling advocates would be jumping up and down screaming that Paul was unfairly targeting the entire British population. The Cindy Sheehans, Michael Moores, and the Hollywood political pundits of our day would be sitting on a fence debating the correctness of an armed conflict. Luckily for us, our forefathers, set their priorities straight and envisioned not only the needs of “The Few” but the welfare and well being of all for every generation to come. Immigrants from all over the world waited in endless lines to pass through the hallowed halls on Ellis Island.

Sadly, today there are those in our great country who live by the mantra of being “Politically Correct” above all else. I don’t know about you but to me the “Politically Correct” folks are “The Few” but since the squeaky wheel always get oiled and the loudest mouth is always heard, the media seems to concentrate only on “The Few”. The Silent Majority has become, preoccupied, complacent and although quietly grumbling has refused to speak out and be heard. What will it take to stir the “Sleeping Tiger”?
Well for this Savvy Old Lady, raised in the Pepsi Generation, the startling revelation came in the form of a fictitious Fourth of July Pepsi can! A few days ago I discovered an internet story that has been circulating around the blogosphere that Pepsi Co. planned to have the Pledge of Allegiance, excluding the phrase“…under God…” printed on a new patriotic can. This story was a hoax, a so-called urban legend. I got taken in by the hype and wrote a rather scathing commentary about this and Pepsi Co in a now de-posted blog on www.thesavvyoldlady.com. My heartfelt apologies go out to Pepsi Co. for my mistake. But still this fictitious story made my little gray cells start to work a bit.

I realized that every single day there is some new real story on the news that either condemns or denounces the principles that the Silent Majority in America hold so dear. Oh, yes I will admit to being part of the Silent Majority for a long, long time and just like many others who haven’t the time or inclination to pursue half of the nonsense that is spouted by the media I too have sat back just shaking my head and remained silent. The issues have varied from changing the wording of our Pledge of Allegiance, secularizing religious holidays to being patriotic only when it’s “politically correct”. When is the Silent Majority going to reach their boiling point and no longer remain silent and sit back and listen to all the squeaky wheels getting oiled? It seems as if each election year (now campaigning seems to start a few months earlier every election cycle) campaigns are run without morals or ethics. Is this really what we want to leave as a legacy to all of our children and grandchildren? Wake up America! This country was not founded on principles and beliefs for Liberals or Conservatives or Democrats or Republicans only…it was founded for WE THE PEOPLE.

Yoo-hoo, WE THE PEOPLE, are not just the intelligentsia or Ivy League graduates or residents of so-called urban-cultural hubs but also the average Jane or Joe who gets up every morning, gets the kids off to school, and then proceeds to go out and earn a living. WE THE PEOPLE are bus drivers, farmers, clerks, retirees, students, professionals and all the other wonderful people in this great land who make up the giant melting pot of freedom. Unfortunately, WE THE PEOPLE have been getting a raw deal over the last decade. Our ethics, morals, freedoms, and religious beliefs have been questioned and hammered by “The Few” who are now dictating to the Silent Majority.

The daily travesties of justice may seem inconsequential to some, however, this little Pepsi story although a hoax should be a wake-up call for all of us regarding all the stories that are reported each day that are not hoaxes. For example: just the mere thought of having a South American dictator condemn our President while “The Few” not only support this dictator but actually consider him a paragon of virtue for “donating” oil to the poor in America makes me thoroughly ill. Doesn’t that sound wonderfully patriotic for an American... embracing a foreign dictator looking to undermine us and opposing The President of the United States of America? But “The Few” got away with it and the Silent Majority stayed, well, silent.

As the proud mother of a Marine, who swore an oath to protect and defend his country I find myself totally disgusted with “The Few” who have the privilege to share time and holidays in a safe environment with their sons and daughters while military families sit at home and pray for the safety of their children. Has “The Few” forgotten the millions of American men and women who have died, been maimed or injured preserving our right to loudly voice our opinions and be heard? Sadly, I think this just might be the case.

Well folks I don’t know about you but I have now decided that the little ole adage “The pen is mightier than the sword” is quite true. I now plan to use my first amendment right of “freedom of speech” and get out of my chair and start raising my voice and my pen as our forefathers intended. Come on folks, let’s be the squeaky wheel for a change and show “The Few” just how powerful the silent majority can be.

Let the TIGER roar!

Hugs,
The Savvy Old Lady