Category: writing

Am I Doing This Right?

Am I Doing This Right?

by MichelleMcHatton

Once again the holidays are upon us and once again I struggle with the thought that I’m just not doing them right.  By “doing them right” I mean, like my mother used to.  Because when she left us over twenty years ago, I took over the holiday duties.  And although I’ve made them my own, I always have to ask myself if I’m doing them right.

For instance, with Thanksgiving, I know there aren’t as many homemade foods as there would be with my mother in charge.  I don’t make pie crusts from scratch.  I also don’t make one of each kind of pie.  I make five pies and two of them are chocolate pudding pies.  We no longer eat butternut squash because, although we graduated to the frozen version, it just got too time consuming heating each package up in the microwave.  We don’t even use real potatoes, mainly because of time.  And because we prefer instant potatoes.

When I first took over twenty years ago I made the stuffing by hand, crumbling bread in a food processor.  I no longer have a food processor, as I only used it at Thanksgiving and it took up too much space in my already small kitchen.  I now use pre-made seasoned bread crumbs and saute onion and celery and add it to the mix, along with water or if I want to fancy it up a bit, chicken broth.  But that’s not how my mother used to make the stuffing.  The way I do Thanksgiving is nothing how she used to do it.

All these years later I should accept that this is the way we do Thanksgiving now.  Nobody has complained in the past twenty years and they keep coming to my house for dinner, so I must be doing something right.  But I still can’t stop asking myself if I’m missing something or if I’m doing everything right.

REVIEW: “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”

REVIEW: “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”

by MichelleMcHatton

As many have already done as well, I finally got to see this highly anticipated film.  I was not disappointed.

For a full review, take a gander at my “Been there, seen it, read it, heard it, done that” page.

 

BUCKLE UP!

BUCKLE UP!

by MichelleMcHatton

It’s been an interesting 24 hours.

We’ve started an impeachment inquiry.

We’ve read a memo between two people who consider themselves “leaders” of certain countries, but in some instances, (mainly when SHITHOLE is speaking), they sound like five-year-olds.

We’ve reached 218 in the House.

Whistleblower complaint is in the hands of Congress and is making for great reading material this evening.  They’ve unanimously voted to let us see it too.  I’m hearing it’s a real doozy.  For SHITHOLE.

There is a very good chance WB will meet with Congress.  Allegedly DNI is meeting with them tomorrow.

By now the world knows that basically this memo was a “scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” type of thing.  Which really isn’t legal.  Especially when you’re talking money for dirt on a possible political opponent. (I find it hysterical that SHITHOLE is so weak that he needs to try this early to sabotage someone who he may not even be running against.  That solidifies how stupid SHITHOLE is.)

In reviewing this memo, there’s a few things I wanted to point out and comment on:

In the 7th paragraph in the memo where SHITHOLE speaks and says:

I would like you to do us a favor though because our country has been through a lot and Ukraine knows a lot about it

So SHITHOLE is asking for a favor.  He feels his country has been through a lot and Ukraine knows a lot about it.

Yes, SHITHOLE, I feel that in the past two-and-a-half years America has been through a lot.  BECAUSE OF YOU!  You have banned Muslims, caged children, tried to take away our healthcare, fucked with our taxes, repealed laws that were put in place to make our lives better and declared an emergency for a wall that only you want built.  These things, among others, should be cause for your impeachment alone.

Now I can’t speak for Ukraine and considering their own shitty “president” (a fucking former comedian), I’m not really sure how much they really know about what America has experienced with you being “in charge”.

Of the 18 paragraphs, five of them mention Rudy and Bill.  Especially Rudy.  It’s almost like SHITHOLE had to keep reminding himself to have Rudy and Bill call Zelensky.  Why not just write it down?

Zelensky does mention coming to NYC and staying at SHITHOLE’S tower. Maybe he could have his meeting with Rudy and Bill there.  God knows many other suspicious meetings have taken place there.  Perfect place for it.

Neither of them like women.  Or at least the former female Ambassador to Ukraine.

Not that he cares, but Mueller should note that once again SHITHOLE throws him under the bus.  Merkel should note (and probably already knows) these assholes are terrified of her.

Then there’s the 9th paragraph:

The other thing, There’s a lot of talk about Biden’s son, that Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great. Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution so if you can look into it… It sounds horrible to me.

A lot of people want to find out about that.  Who exactly are “a lot of people”?  More than likely SHITHOLE and himself.  And maybe Rudy and Bill.  The majority of the world, and America in general, could care less.

It sounds horrible to me.  SHITHOLE, anything you say sounds horrible to the world.  You are a horrible person.  You really.  Truly.  Are.

The next several months and leading into 2020 will be America’s breaking point.  Although I think we’ve already reached that point.  Buckle up.  It’s going to be a very interesting ride.

Dear Me: A Letter to My 17-Year-Old Self

Dear Me: A Letter to My 17-Year-Old Self

by MichelleMcHatton

Dear Me:

You’ve made it this far and so many never thought you would.  Congrats!

The 80’s did you well.  You finished out the decade by graduating from high school and getting your first job.  Good thing you took all those typing and business classes in high school.  They all paid off.

That Springsteen concert you attended was epic.  You know the one.  Tunnel of Love Express Tour, opening night Centrum, eighth row from the stage.  You skipped school to get the wristband and wore it for a week.  That show will remain with you and you will be a Springsteen fan for life.  By the way, he’s now 70 years old.

Speaking of musicians, don’t burn too many brain cells over answers to questions you ask them on call-in radio shows.  Fifteen years after the fact when you actually meet them, it won’t mean a damn thing.  Still, it will be cool.

On work, although you went to broadcasting school, you’ll pay the bills through insurance jobs and some freelance work.  Never give up on your dream of being a teacher, writer or radio personality.

You won’t love many, but the ones you do love will mean the world to you.  You will be devastated when you learn of your first love’s death when he was only 45.  Best of all, you will marry your best friend and you will live to see at least 25 years with him (and finish each other’s sentences on a daily basis).

You will go through eight years of infertility.  Don’t worry.  You will have a daughter who will be the light of your life.  Raising her will be the best and most difficult job you’ll ever have.

Sadly at age 27 you will become an orphan.  Even more sad, your much younger sisters will be orphans at ages 14 and 16.  And lucky you!  They will move in with you for at least the next ten years.  The good news is, they do grow up, get married and have families of their own.  And you love them.

The worst and most hectic six months of your life will occur at age 27, in 1998, when you are ten years older than you are now.  That June you will move into your first house, that August your mother will pass away, that October you will lose your job of nine years and best of all, that damn stray dog at your mother’s house just gave birth to eight puppies and guess where they will all live for the next eight weeks?  In your basement!  Fun times!

You will become a Patriots fan.  Yes, I know at age 17 you could care less about football, much less Patriots football.  But trust me.  They become extremely relevant.  You will love Tom Brady.

Lastly, your health.  No, you’ll never be skinny, although from the years 2003 to 2004 you will lose roughly 80 pounds and look pretty good.  Your early 30’s treat you well.  And although you have a lot of fun and do a lot of traveling to Canada, you do develop high blood pressure (runs in the family), gain a hernia from your C-section and develop diabetes in your mid-40’s.  But you manage it.  You have to.  You have so many to care for.  Especially yourself.

As you near your 50th year you’ll want to do something special.  It’s a big year.  You turn 50, your daughter turns 16 and you’ve been married for 25 years.  That’s something to celebrate.

So, self, get out there and enjoy the rest of your life!

Love,

Me