When I Grow Up

Recently, my daughter and I met up with a couple of other stay-at-home moms and their children at the local IMAX theatre to watch a movie about dolphins. Aside from watching the miracle that was my daughter sitting still for nearly 45 minutes with her mouth agape at the sight of dolphins the size of 2-story buildings, watching the actual documentary-style film wasn't so bad itself. It followed dolphin researchers and naturalists all over the globe, from the British West Indies to Patagonia, from Waikiki to the Abacos in the Bahamas. The film was filled with spectacular aerial video of the islands and crystal-clear water, set to the sounds of steel drum bands and reggae. Against this gorgeously tropical backdrop, the researchers would spend each day swimming with the dolphins, videoing them, recording their sounds and analyzing their body language. And when they weren't swimming with dolphins, they were cruising the glassy waters or compiling their day's work in a small white research building....on the sand....along the ocean.....under swaying coconut palms.


As I was watching, I couldn't help but wonder.....where along the course of my life did I veer off from being the wide-eyed child who dreamed of training dolphins when she grew up....to becoming a certified public accountant, just another bean-counter amid a sea of identical cubicles. Sure, I also wanted to be a choreographer (a la Paula Abdul), an architect, an actress, President of the United States, even. As I grew older, I also dreamed of being a lawyer or the vice president of mergers and acquisitions for a large firm in NYC (a la Richard Gere in Pretty Woman). And I guess it was right about at that point when the change happened. It was not so much the fun of it any more, as it was the money-making potential of it. It was that, and I think the constant reminder from others that those earlier aspirations were just childish daydreaming. And maybe most of it was. But for those people who really are dolphin researchers, architects, Presidents of the United States...its their childhood dream-turned-reality, because they made that for themselves. They ignored the nay-sayers and the self-proclaimed "realists."


A friend of mine once said that the more someone told her she couldn't do something, the more motivation she had to prove them wrong. Isn't that the truth? Why, in fact, my daughter proves that very theory to me on an everyday basis. "Don't climb up that slide, you're going to slip!," I'd tell her at the playground. Next thing I know, she's at the top, smilling and waving at me. If only we could all remember to have that type of determination in our adult lives. So, my advice is to not listen to those people who tell you you can't do something (that is.....unless your intention is to....um.....rob your local bank....then, no.....no, you should probably listen to those people then.) And, hey, I'm not trying to be funny....our economy is going down the toilet, gas prices and grocery prices are through the roof and half this country can't afford their mortgage, I'm sure the thought of robbing a bank has crossed a lot of people's minds....not....my mind....certainly NOT....but other people's.

I'm Confused

So, I must admit this whole primary election process is a little wacky. I can't be absolutely sure, but apparently, if you are a Democrat in the State of Florida, only half of your vote counts...huh.....interesting. Then, just when you think it can't get any more f*ck#d-up than Florida, there's Michigan, where incidentally, one doesn't even have to be on the ballot to receive delegates.

So, here I am, pondering (as most of us bloggers tend to do), reflecting, and stewing over these matters....and then I realize...what does it all mean anyway...if I am not a Super Delegate...my opinion does not make one iota of a difference.

Congratulations, Mrs. Clinton, on winning the most primary votes in American history! It's odd that I will not be able to vote for you for President.