au clair de la lune

One of my earliest memories would have to be at my Grandparents house in Floral Park, New York on Long Island. 

My Grandfather (Pierre) was born and raised in France, immigrated here when he was 18 years old.  He then met my Grandmother, Elaine on a Blind Date {romantic right?} and they were happily married shortly after.  So precious. 

When I was quite young I use to play in their garage {doesn't sound that interesting but to this day I remember how much FUN it was discovering everything}  They had old furniture and I would make them move the car into the street so I could take said-furniture and play with it in the driveway.  I would set up a "house" and my Grandfather would come out and play with me.  I would sing along to french tunes like Au Clair de la lune, Alouette, and Frere Jacques.  As my mom just pointed out, he was very proud of my language skills at the time.  I'm pretty sure if he was still alive, he would make me practice french with him daily, as it is the hardest for me of all the standard repertoire languages.  Still,  I've been told by my coaches that my French Diction is impeccable.  I would have to thank my Grandfather for that, since he exposed me to the beautiful language years and years before I ever ever dreamt of being an opera singer.

This was a time when things were simpler.  

Where no one had cell phones.

Where I didn't have responsibilities.  

I just needed to be a kid.
It might not seem like much, but this is one of the most vivid memories I have of my dear grandfather.

<3

a little canvassing memoir....

It's was 3 o'clock PM.  I had only one more hour to go.  One more hour in which I had to raise fifty-three more dollars so I could reach a hot-night (300+ dollars in one single shift).

I was standing on the corner of 7th AVE and 14th by myself.  My two coworkers were a block away, canvassing their dear hearts out.

Clipboard to my side, feet set apart, head high, smile on my face, and my spare hand ready to wave: Nothing could go wrong.  At least I thought so.

I saw a tall, handsome middle-aged business man walking towards me.  This was it.  I always got at least one big sustainer from a person of the more corporate variety getting off work every day.  My clipboard was full of generous one-time gifts from earlier, but I had yet to receive a monthly-member and I had a feeling this was going to be it. 

He was wearing a grey Armani Exchange suit, and was carrying an italian-leather briefcase. He looked like a genuinely nice guy.  Super Metro. 

 I use to think I had a grasp on profiling if people looked nice or not.  This wouldn't stop me from asking them, "If they have a minute for Women's Rights", but it would stop me from being so disappointed when nothing but garbage spew from their throats.

He was about 10 feet away when I made eye contact with him, catapulted off my feet and waved high smiling while saying, "Hello there sir, how are you today?  Do you have a minute for the pro-choice movement?"  I said it with such conviction I just KNEW he was going to stop for me.  

And guess what, he did!  

"Of course I do." Corporate said with a smile.

"Well thank you so much for stopping, what's your name?" I asked eagerly. 

"Sam." he stated.

"It's really nice to meet you Sam. My name is Nichole and I am a paid fundraiser working on behalf of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and I'm out here signing up members today, so I'm REALLY glad that you stopped. Have you heard of us before?" I asked.

"Of course I have! I am kinda in a little bit of a rush, if you could cut to the chase and I would love to get involved." Sam said.

"Sure no problem!  I completely understand." I said.  It was a Friday afternoon after all, and I was thankful this nice man even stopped for me as he probably wanted to get home and start getting ready for his weekend. 

"Well then shoot." he said with a smirk.  He was cute and I was glad I was getting him involved.

"The problem is, even though healthcare reform IS now law politicians are determined to deny women access to birth control and reproductive health care.................."  I kept going with my rap.  He was nodding, engaged, smiling EVERYTHING you wanted a potential donor to be doing.  I was going to get this.

"..........we're making sure that birth control and cancer screenings are covered under the new law as well as stopping unacceptable restrictions on a woman's legal right to choose."  I continued. 

"Wait.  You mean like.......killing babies?" Corporate asked.

"I MEAN making sure women in America have options." I said confidently.

"See you're a cute girl and everything, but a dime of my money will not be going to Planned Parenthood.  I've been at Protests, I hate what they do.  The world would truly be a better place if baby-killers like yourself did not exist." he said.  "Maybe your mother should have aborted you, HUH?"

His personality had changed.  He had been waiting until I mentioned anything about abortion to pounce and call me a baby killer.  Like why stop at all? Don't waste my time. Agree to Disagree. Geez. And before I could say anything he continued speaking.

"And I have a story for you. A buddy of mine use to work at the morgue, and we would go in after hours, and see all the dead aborted babies in jars and give them voices and play with them." He was smiling as he said this to me.  "People like you that kill human life, you're going to hell."

"Well sir.  Unfortunately I have a job to do here that does not involve facilitating a conversation about playing around with bodies at a morgue, so you have a good day."  I then jetted across the street.  

He screamed. "Baby-killer." after me.  I was done for the day.  Screw getting a hot night.

Despite interactions like this one, canvassing could be a blast at times.  But there are some sick fucks out there that prey on people just trying to raise awareness by standing on the street kindly asking if "you have a minute."  So if you guys see a canvasser out there and don't agree with what they're doing, don't stop.  They're not out there to change your mind.  They are there to find the people that DO care and get them involved.  And it can be a really lonely day if no one is stopping for them, or people are screaming at them one after the other so please I beg of you even if you don't agree BE POLITE. 

harry potter and the deathly hallows- the legacy of dobby (the house-elf)

TEARS.   

Tears, I tell you STREAMED down my face towards the conclusion of the first installment of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince when loving, dear Dobby sacrificed himself to SAVE Harry Potter and his friends.

When we were first introduced to Dobby in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets I thought he was just a strange creature that would be in a few scenes now and then for our entertainment.  But, when Harry freed Dobby from his duties as a house-elf, by giving him socks I knew that this was a friendship that would last throughout the series.  

Those of you who believe I have gone badshit, devoting an entire blog post to Dobby the house-elf and his "legacy", please hear me out.   

After the death of Sirius and Dumbledore, I believe that the death of Hedwig shook Harry.  But so shortly after, it is the death of Dobby that sparks a darkness in Harry that allows him to have the courage, finesse, and the ability to kill Lord Voldemort.  After all, it was the followers of "He-who-shall-not-be-named"  that lead to Dobby's demise.  If these "people" (if you can even call them that) can kill an innocent creature like Dobby what is stopping them from killing EVERY witch, wizard, goblin and creature that supports the name HARRY POTTER??????  Harry knows what he has to do- for the sake of wizard-kind. 

 The scene where they buried Dobby portrayed such a humanity to this magical world.  It was such a raw scene, you almost forgot for a second they weren't burying somebody at a "muggle" funeral.  It is scenes that like that make the story of harry potter as "fantasy" as it is, believable, because SO MANY of us have gone through the death of somebody we love.  It doesn't matter Dobby is a make-believe creature that was killed with a wand, he was someone IMPORTANT to Harry and his friends, they LOVED him.  The fact he is gone is going to haunt Harry for the rest of his life.

All of this loss is alot for a 17 year old to take, and Harry deals with it the only way he (or anyone) can, and would.............waiting for sweet revenge.

harry potter and the deathly hallows- the fearless trio.

~*~

"It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it.  Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well."  

J.K Rowling is a very powerful woman who deserves our respect.    She LITERALLY owns the phrase "from rags to riches".  When you think where she started-- a poor-single mother, with a dream of inspiring  children everywhere by helping them escape from the cold, harsh realities of OUR world into the magical world of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry--inspiring them that ANYTHING is indeed possible.

     Just last Friday at Midnight I went to the showing of the first installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  I realized that for the past 11 years  I have grown up WAITING for either a new Harry Potter novel, or movie to be released.  This woman has created a legacy, and though I still stand by my reasoning that the books are A MILLION times more influential and moving than the movies, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was fantastic.  So fantastic in fact-- I plan on seeing it again!  

(Those of you who know me, know that I only spend an additional $13.95 to see a movie in the theaters for a second time, if it's going to be one of those to join my Buffy the Vampire Slayer DVDs on my shelf! :-)

"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?"

    May I say, our three fearless friends, Harry, Ron and Hermione have grown up to be BEAUTIFUL people.  Emma Watson, now a model for Burberry and a student at Brown University encompasses Hermione's intellect, compassion, and fearlessness so eloquently thats really all I can say on the subject.  That girl has GROWN UP playing the role of Hermione and subsequently the development of her character throughout the movie saga is flawless.

     
Rupert Grint is a personal favorite of mine.  He plays Ron with such a level of "goof" and charisma that it makes anybody grin cheek to cheek.  The impending relationship of Ron and Hermione is evident throughout the entire movie....you can see they truly care for each other.  The way he looks at her especially- (with that pensive longing), is so convincing- I really have to give Grint props for that.  He has to have been in love before, or he's the best actor in the world.

     And last (But NOT LEAST OF COURSE)  is the one, the only DANIEL RADCLIFFE!!!!!   That boy,  golly-gee......he is such an inspiration to us all!  Radcliffe plays Harry with such a level of modesty throughout the series.  Him, much alike Watson really encompassed character development in their acting in such an influential way.  (Not excluding Grint per-say, I just believe CHARACTER wise Watson and Radcliffe used "changing-times" to their advantage in an obvious manner) I'm proud of the actor he has become---he really became a man in this past movie.

"It was, he thought, the difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high.  Some people, perhaps, would say that there was little to choose between the two ways, but Dumbledore knew - and so do I, thought Harry, with a rush of fierce pride,and so did my parents - that there was all the difference in the world. "

~*~


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- The Legacy of Dobby will be up shortly :)