Beneath the Wraps

Formally titled "Walking in Another’s Shoes (or "What Are the Odds?")" Miranda and her mother live in Arizona.   They had come to Utah to spend the Thanksgiving Holidays.   On Black Friday they found themselves at an Old Navy store in Sandy, Utah.   The two were smiling as someone took their picture, which evidently Miranda immediately posted to her facebook page.   The focus should have been on mom and daughter – to see their happiness.   But for some reason her facebook friends seem more drawn to the woman in the background.   Apparently she wore a sour expression that many “friends” felt the need to poke fun at.            I have not seen the photo myself nor read the hurtful comments.   But I’ve been told that they exist - or did.   And with the given track record of facebook, I have no reason to doubt it.   People can be hurtful and mean and put others down without even knowing them...

“What do you like for breakfast?” Said Fox to Chick one day. But Chick was silent and frightened.  He didn’t know what to say. “I like eating vegetables.” Fox continued on. “I like raw ones upon my plate And I eat until they’re gone’ “I like all kinds, but my favorite Are the ones that have a root. I’ll eat legumes to get protein. Don’t care much for meat or fruit.” Still quiet and bewildered, Chick didn’t say a thing The nervous fowl just shuttered Beneath each wing. And then they heard the taunting: “Fox and Chick sitting in a tree . . .” “Are they teasing both of us?” Chick asked. “Or are they only teasing me?” “I’m different,” said the fox, “And so All the other animals make fun. They think I ought to be a certain way. And not the way I’ve done’ “I don’t think the same as most fox do I don’t fit the stereotypical mold But it’s okay.  I’m not like them. Being true to myself I uphold.” Chick under...

          If I can’t get interested in a movie in the first twenty minutes or a novel within the first ten pages, I usually don’t continue.  That may not seem like I am giving a fair chance – maybe so.  But it’s something I have decided not to gamble on – usually.  `        There have been too many movies and even more books read where I have sat through its entirety and am quite upset with myself for having wasted my time.  That is why I usually don’t go beyond twenty minutes or ten pages.  But sometimes I do.           “that’s what I am” was actually kind of a slow movie – one I watched in parts because of several interruptions.  I don’t know if I would have continued otherwise – though I was somewhat intrigued by the narration by Greg Kinnear – it reminded me of Jean Shepherd’s “The Christmas Story” or “Ollie Hopnoodle’...

Many people see the world as black and white.   No shades of grey.   Definitely no color.   Everything is absolutely wrong or absolutely right – there is no room for individualism.   We all need to be these perfect cookie cutter molds that would never dare venture out of the box.           Dr. Laura – to me- sounds like a very black and white person.   And of course her way is the correct way.   No ifs, ands or buts.   Why is it that folks even call into her program?   Is it their wish to be humiliated on the air and given a “duh” speech and still not understand that they’ve been slammed?           I don’t actually listen to her program intentionally.   Roland always tunes the car radio onto talk radio, and sometimes I just happen to be in the car when Dr. Laura gives common sense advice to her mostly pathetic callers. For the most part I do...

I don’t much care for reality shows.   As a whole, I think so many started out as bogus – though there are some really good ones now.   I don’t watch the Biggest Loser, but that is at least believable as being real. So many of the first reality shows introduced were “staged”.           Over five years ago TBS advertised one called “He’s a Lady”.   I would roll my eyes every time I saw the commercial.   And yet, I must have been intrigued.   Must have had some sense of morbid curiosity.   Why would a guy subject himself to follow in a woman’s footsteps for 6 weeks or two months or whatever it was.   How about a quarter of a million prize money?   Or the “false” advertisement which drew them to enter in the first place?           There were at least eleven candidates who had applied for “The All American Man” contest – prove to the nation just who w...