And the rant goes on...

I swore I wouldn't be one of those parents.

I remember as a kid seeing the frenzy that grown men and women put themselves through to buy "the" toy of the Christmas season - Cabbage Patch Dolls. I never particularly wanted one; I thought they were funny looking. But my brother and sister-in-law went through the hassle and got one (or two) for my neice.

Every year, the toy manufacturers try to come up with the "hot" ticket item. And every year, parents go nuts trying to get one for their kids: Power Rangers, Teddy Ruxspin, Xbox, etc. Ordinarily sane adults get completely nutso fighting over toys. They stand in lines for hours - days even - and then fight, even threaten people over the precious toy that Junior or Princess will play for a few days, then throw it in the pile with the other "hot" toys. And then at some point, Mom or Dad will say, "Do you know what I went through - what I paid - for that toy? You better pick it up and play with it before I strangle you!" Or something like that...

And all the while, the toy manufacturers are laughing like hyenas and going "Cha-ching, cha-ching!" because they've made only a "limited" number of the hot toy and they've sold out. Who cares about mass hysteria! They're getting rich!

So when I became a parent, I swore I wouldn't fall into that trap.

And then I saw the new "Tickle Me Elmo", known as "Elmo T.M.X."

So naturally, I figured I've got to get one for Matthew because he'll love it. I went to all the websites: Fisher-Price, Target, Walmart, Kohl's, KB Toys - all sold out. I put myself on a waiting list, then hit the other sites: Ebay and Amazon.

Can I just tell you much it sickens me to see people running out and purchasing these things and then selling them for $200 a pop! But even sicker are the people who will pay that kind of money for it!

So, I am not going to become one of those parents. I can't afford to pay that kind of money for a toy that will wind up in the bottom of the toybox - or in the toilet. Besides, Matthew is not even three yet. He won't even miss it. He'll have plenty of other stuff to open on Christmas day. And his birthday is around the corner after that.

Still...

If you're in a store and pick one up, I'll gladly pay sticker price and shipping.

In Him,
Donna

Lazy, hazy days...

I've been slacking, I admit it.

I've tried to pick up a pen and write, but I usually find more interesting things to do. Like read magazines. Or surf the net. Or watch TV.

But the good thing about watching TV is that I get to have two of my writing heroes back! Yes, the new fall season has begun. Some of the stuff I've seen is very interesting; mostly I've been waiting for old favorites to return. My favorite show of the new season is "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." It's created and written by one of my heroes, Aaron "The West Wing" Sorkin. I was talking to a co-worker about it and the show feels very much like "The West Wing" in terms of writing, lighting, direction, etc. Even the titles are the same! It helps when you have Aaron & Tommy Schlamme (the creative genuises behing "TWW" for the first four seasons). W.G. Snuffy Walden is also doing the music and "TWW" vets Bradley "Josh" Whitford and Timothy "Danny" Busfield are there. Everytime I saw them, I kept thinking, "Where are Donna & CJ?"

My other "sheroe" is Shonda Rimes, the incredibly talented and gifted creator of "Grey's Anatomy." I confess, when I first saw the show, I thought it was awful. But it drew me in. Besides assembling a very talented writing staff, Rimes has given us the most versatile and multicultural cast I've seen on television. Can I just say, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for Sandra Oh, Chandra Wilson and Sara Ramirez (Cristina, Bailey and Callie)! They are strong, flawed and beautiful women, both as actresses and characters. (And the boys aren't too bad to look at either!) I'm not slighting the rest of the cast; I just think these women are so incredibly special. (And in case you're wondering, I'm no fan of Meredith and "McDreamy". He's a scumbag. A hot scumbag, but a scumbag none the less.)

Oh, what about my writing you ask? I haven't done much of it. This is probably the most writing I've done in about two weeks. Bad, bad, bad writer! Oh, I did write my first speech for my Toastmasters class; that went well. I've got another writing "assignment" that I have to work on as well. Evenutally I'll get back to work.

Right after I check out "Numb3rs"...

In Him,
Donna