Day 254 ~ It's Ok, My Doctor Prescribed Them

Although I started getting ready for this post the day Whitney went to be with our Lord, I have mulled over it for the past week.  

Tonight on the eve of her  "Home Going" ceremony  , I felt compelled to finally give this a rest.

The autopsy was completed on Whitney on the 12th, however the toxicology report is said to take another six to seven weeks. 

Does the police lab do this on purpose?  In my opinion, if they were to shorten the time by seven weeks (originally said that the results could take six to eights weeks, and we just finished the first week,) all the media, and everyone else would stop speculating.  I'm so sure that this is not helping Whitney's family grieve.

I am reading that a lot of fans are for one upset at Nancy Grace for going full speed ahead with all her speculations of a wrongful death and so forth.

What I have to say about this is that, first off if you do not like Nancy, and those like her, then don't listen to them... and stop hating.  Secondly, Whitney chose to be in the public eye and unfortunately all the publicity is part of the life she chose.

Chris Christie, governor of New Jersey, stating that he has ordered the US flag to fly at half mast [in his state] is not right, and is getting an earful over his decision.  I understand that Whitney is from New Jersey and she has contributed a lot to the state, to music, however (I mean no disrespect) flying the flag at half mast (also called 'half mass' or 'half staff') is reserved for true heroes... our country's servicemen, statesmen, and peace officers.  

Only the president of the United States or the Governor of the state may order the flag to be at half-staff to honor the death of a national or state figure.  In addition to the traditional half-staff salutes, the Flag Code mentions the use of our Flag for honoring leading citizens such as Martin Luther King, Jr.

I'm sorry, as much as I love Whitney, she is no Martin Luther King, Jr.  However... protocol also states...

Private citizens and non government buildings may choose to fly their flags at half staff to honor more local leaders.  The Flag Code does not exclude any citizen, whether they belong to an organization or not, whether they are recognized very locally or regionally. Examples of deceased citizens that might be honored with by lowering the Flag to half-staff include local religious leaders, youth leaders, honored teachers or sports coaches, local politicians, or a local hero. There need be no authorization from the government for the private sector (non-government) to use the Flag to honor any citizen.

If we were to honor everyone, then the true meaning and honor of flying our flag at half mass would cease to exist.

Yes, Whitney had an angelic voice.  She sang gospel at a young age with her mother and without.  She became a model, before making it big in the 80s.  Many of her songs slowly inter-weaved into my own life.  I can hear any of her songs and recall where I was at that point in my life... I'm sure it's no different for many of you.  

I can remember dancing my heart out in my living room to "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" many, many times.  I also remember remember crying my eyes out to "I Will Always Love You"... and her rendition of the Star Spangled Banner gave me chills watching the Super Bowl in 1991.

My heart and prayers go out to Bobbi Kristina and the rest of Whitney's family and loved ones.  God Bless you Whitney.

As a side note.  If Whitney's death has anything to do with the misuse of of prescriptions drugs... I wish that the government would seriously do something about it!   I am not speculating one way or another regarding Whitney's death... She is definitely at home now, in a happy place... however there are the possibilities....  Nor am I passing judgement on anything other than people hating on each other over so many uncertainties... instead of remembering and celebrating the life of such a talented singer. 


Please take a moment for those lost to the accidental oversdoeses of prescription medicines.    Unfortunately this is just a partial list.  All deaths were ruled as accidental overdoses, except where noted...

Marilyn Monroe was found dead on August 5, 1962  pentobarbital, aka nembutal and chloral hydrate (sleeping pills).

Dorothy Dandridge was found dead on September 8, 1965  imipramine, aka tofranil (antidepressant).

Judy Garland was found dead on June 22, 1969   barbiturates.

Jimi Hendrix was found dead on September 18, 1970  secobarbital, aka seconal

Bruce Lee was found dead on July 20, 1973  allergic reaction to equagesic.

Freddie Prinze was found dead on January 29, 1977  methaqualone, aka quaaludes.

Elvis Presley was found dead on August 16, 1977  heart attack contributed by as many as 14 different drugs, including codeine, and  methaqualone, aka quaaludes.

Keith Moon was found dead on September 7, 1978  clomethiazole. aka heminevrin (sedative.)

Abbie Hoffman was found dead on April 12, 1989  phenobarbital (anti-seizure sedative)

Steve Clark was found dead on January 8, 1991  unspecified antidepressant and painkiller.

Margaux Hemingway was found dead on July 1, 1996  phenobarbital (anti-seizure sedative)

Rob Pilatus was found dead on April 2, 1998  unspecified drug, rumored to be methadone (pain killer and anti-addiction aid).

Dana Plato was found dead on May 8, 1999  carisoprodol, aka soma, and vicodin. 

Ol' Dirty Bastard was found dead on November 13, 2004  tramadol (pain killer).

Chris Penn was found dead on January 24, 2006  promethazine (antihistamine) and codeine.

Gerald Levert was found dead on November 10, 2006  vicodin, percocet, darvocet, xanax, and two non prescription antihistamines.

Anna Nicole Smith was found dead on February 8, 2007  noctec, klonopin, ativan, serax and valium.

Pimp C was found dead on December 4, 2007  cough syrup with promethazine and codeine.

Heath Ledger was found dead on February 6, 2008  oxycodone, hydrocodone, temazepam, valium, xanax and doxylamine.

Michael Jackson was found dead on June 25, 2009  propofol.

Whitney Houston was found dead on February 11, 2012  autopsy  has not been released, and toxicology reports are not complete, although reported that family stated she was on xanax.    

Can you just imagine what this world would be like if one person would have spoken up for any of these people.  If just one person would have stood up to Elvis (yeah, right) or would have been there for Marilyn?   ...


It's rumored that most "greats" are prima donnas, spoiled and catered to.   really?

Regardless many people think "It's okay for me to take this, my doctor prescribed it for me, and my other doctor this other prescription... oh my other doctor told me it was okay to drink a glass of wine..."... regardless of how many prescriptions a person may be mixing or how many doctors you may be seeing... some patients think it is okay to take them all at the same time.  


You do not have to be famous to have this happen to you, keeping in mind some that doctors do bend the rules more so for famous people, than for the common person.  However, this is becoming more common than you know, a trend if you will.


The last time I spoke with my sister (just a few days ago) I told her that I did not care that she hated me, but I will not be quiet... you need to get help, see ONE doctor and stop drinking and taking xanax, morphine, blood regulators, etc. and whatever else you are on.  You are going to end up dead like Whitney Houston. 


I was so upset at her, that I told her I was not going to her funeral.   Okay... maybe that was a little harsh... but emotions get going... she interrupts and talks at the same time I do... I get louder... I get frustrated... I get upset...


Okay... maybe I could have handled that a little better.  After all I'm suppose to lead by example, right?  It just would have been nice to have a sister for once in my life.    


My sister is 45 years old, and has been hospitalized several times just since June of 2011... including having emergency surgery back in November of 2011 where she had embolisms in her lungs and blood clots in her legs.  She almost died.


She continues to drink, smoke, all the while carrying around two gallon sized baggies filled with prescription bottles she was taking.  She told me back in November that she was no longer taking oxycontin and morphine... however there is no way for me to confirm this.


Please do not let all these greats and loved ones we have lost, die in vain.  If you know of anyone, a loved one... going through anything remotely close to what I have shared with you, PLEASE SPEAK UP!  Do something.  Save a life.  Don't give up...   


I would rather have my sister be mad at me and not speak to me, than to witness my mother bury her daughter before her time.   

A human life is a story told by God.  ~Hans Christian Andersen 

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.  ~Kahlil Gibran

Blessings to all!!

111 days to go...

PS... for a, l and c.  You are my sunshine(s).

Resources: http://www.pharmacytechs.net/blog/18-celebrities-who-died-from-prescription-drugs ; http://www.livescience.com/7837-overdose-epidemic-celebrities.html ; http://www.drugrehabwiki.com/wiki/Judy_Garland_overdose_death 

Some images courtesy of google images.  Others are marked accordingly, and are property of Carla Barila Karam and Taking Back Life ~ Making It My Own, this blog.   All U.S Copyright laws apply.   ©

Day 253 ~ My Funny Valentine's Day!

Valentines, chocolates, strawberries, hearts, roses, stuffies (you may refer to them as stuffed animals), and anything else red, can all pass for a special valentine's gift.

My valentines?  I don't think that anything will out do what I received six years ago for my and Dean's valentine's day gift... I found out that I was having a baby... and eight months later there she was... Calley to be precise.

And our lives have never been the same since.

This year... this year Valentine's Day was like no other I have lived through.  Other than Calley being sick, when I woke on Tuesday I knew I wanted to have a special day with my favorite valentines... Dean and Calley.

Bare in mind that on Sunday, my father-in-law called to let us know that he wanted us to come over for dinner and we were going to Skype with my brother-in-law and his family in Austin.  When Dean shared these plans with me, I was okay with it.  

Back in the day when we had our first Valentine's date and Dean had not made reservations (he didn't think he had too), well let's just say I knew that I would have to pick up the slack on valentines to come.  We have either gone to dinner before the 14th, because I feel it is absolutely ridiculous to pay over and above what is generally charged for a meal...  I feel the same for roses..  they may be beautiful and all, but a week later they're dead.  I'd rather get a rose bush.  wink, wink.

No I am not cheap... not by any means... Just smart.  Why pay $300 for a crab and lobster dinner for two, when I can make it at home for $100 including cocktails!  Let's not even bring up how much roses go up in price for that one day (and Mother's Day)!

So to get back to my story... I was okay with us celebrating on a different night.  

When I woke up, I woke up to a lovely text from my husband, to Calley and I.  We, Calley and I did our normal morning routine ... and then it was off to running errands.

No worries, we had to pick up Calley's prescription, go to the bank, get a rain check on our car wash and then pick up Mikey's medicine at the vet.  Mikey being one of my in law's dogs- vet is a lot closer to us, than my in-laws.  

No problem.  Then, the fact that Dean wanted to come home and spend his break with his two best girls, did not spoil our plans either... we would just hurry back and call on our way home.

So off to the pharmacy, Calley's prescription was ready yesterday so this was an easy stop.  Unbeknownst to us, when we got there, the prescription was not ready... not for another thirty minutes.    Why do you have my phone number?  Phone call would have been nice.  I am on a tight schedule, but we'll be back.

Okay.  Let's go to the bank.  I will not let Walgreen's get to me and ruin my day.. Not today... No Way!!

Off to the bank... I send off the tube in drive thru and away we'll go!  Except my account was overdrawn!  My account was not overdrawn yesterday!  How did that happen!?  Okay... I will go get the car washed and then go to their bank and cash the check there.

Okay.  Let's go to get the car washed [across the street].   I will not let the bank get to me and ruin my day.. Not today... No Way!!

Awesome.. No lines.  I pulled right in and showed them my receipt.. I came back for my four day guarantee wash...  Except that the same girl that had told me on Friday to come back was now telling me that I should have purchased the $24 car wash and that the guarantee was included in that one!  OK.. I am not going crazy!  She just told me on Friday to come back!... argh!!! So I tore out of there upset.

Okay.  Let's go back to get your prescription Calley.  Nothing else will happen today.  I will not let the car wash get to me and ruin my day.. Not today... No Way!! 

We went back to Walgreen's to pick up Calley medicine which there's no doubt that it should be ready.  

As I started to reflect on what just happened, I should not have torn out of the car wash like that. I told Calley that when there's a problem we should not get upset like mommy just did.  We need to handle things nicely.  

So while waiting at the drive through window at Walgreen's, I called the car wash and asked to speak to the manager there.  When Juan got on the phone I started off by saying that I had been their customer for over three years, and that I love their car wash.  I then explained to him what happened, and then he said... "Oh, the explorer."

Yes, the explorer, I replied while looking for the first rock I could climb under.  I apologized and proceeded to tell him what had happened to me before coming to his car wash, and even apologized again... it's not their fault that my prior stops had not been favorable ones...  He asked for me to come back, offering to take care of my car.  Big Smile.

What great timing... by the time I was done with my call, I was at the window being taken care of.  I proceeded to tell the gal that my prescription was not ready when it was supposed to be... and she interrupted me and basically saying oh well it happens.  OH NO SHE DIDN'T?!

Keep it together Carla, I started thinking... do not strangle the woman.  Calley is witnessing everything I am doing and saying...  So I proceed to ask the gal why they take my phone number and she replied in case something goes wrong with the prescription.  I said, really?  Then why was I not called being that this prescription was supposed to be picked up yesterday?!  Of course she was apologetic and said she would let the manager know.  

You know sometimes it is acknowledgement that we are looking for.  All I said was...Thank you and have a nice day.

Okay that went smooth... lets go to the bank.  I will not let any of this get to me and ruin my day.. Not today... No Way!!

Awesome again!  No lines in the drive through.   So there we went... but then we were greeted with I'm sorry we do not cash checks for non-members at the drive through...   ARGH!! Okay... let's not loose it... let's go inside Calley.

Great again... we walked inside and were the first ones in line.  Great.  We get to the teller, she noticed the check was endorsed... so I proceeded in telling her my day's story, and that I had endorsed the check at my bank... Not a problem, but she was going to charge me $3 to cash it because I was not a member!  Oh brother!!  Not that it's a big thing, but IT IS!!  Whatever happened to being able to cash a check drawn on someone else's bank?!  

Darn economy!  Yes I blame it on the economy... because now "the man" is finding new creative ways to make their money... ie charging $3 to a non-member at a bank!

Once Calley and I got to our car,  I had to laugh.  What started out being simple errands that should have taken oh maybe an hour and a half... well it's been more than two hours and we still haven't gotten the car washed!

Okay so we're off like a terd of hurtles , as my mother in law would say to her boys when they were little and off to school... translated to  "off like a herd of turtles."  So... off to eat crow and wash the car.  I will not let the bank get to me and ruin my day.. Not today... No Way!!

Rest assure everything went well at the car wash.  A little crow is good for the ego once in a while.

Finally we were off to our last stop.  I was frantically trying to hurry so we could get a little time in with daddy today.  So off we were to get Mikey's meds...  EXCEPT for I ended up lost!!  Oh yeah... tried calling mom a couple of times and couldn't get a hold of her... so I tried my luck in calling my brother in law... YAY!! I got a hold of him and quickly found out that I had made a wrong turn... and was finally headed in the right direction.

By this time I was laughing my butt off!!  And I was quite proud of myself.  The vitamins I am taking for my mood swings must really be working because I have managed to not completely loose it or ruin my day! 

Luckily we picked up Mikey's meds without a gliche, but by this time Calley and I grew hungry.  We spotted a burrito joint across the street and off we were like a terd of hurtles! 

As we walked in, the door made such a ruckess that I knew for sure everyone knew we were there... everyone but the owners behind the counter that is.  We stood there while these four ladies were gossiping for nearly seven minutes... yes I happened to check my  phone when we walked in.  I finally looked at Calley and stated that these ladies must be too busy to help us... so we left.

All in all... although a little bothered when we got to the car, I was okay with it all.  Wow, I'm telling you the Black Cohosh and soy is really working!!  I did not loose it!!  I am so proud of myself!!

Even when my mother in law called me at six in the evening to cancel the evening festivities because they forgot it was Valentine's day... I did not get upset.  She even asked me why I had not reminded her... well mom I just thought you guys were up to something.  But no worries, even though I had not planned anything for dinner... it was ok.

I wasn't going to let anything bother me.  I will not let any of this get to me and ruin my day.. Not today... No Way!!

It wasn't until the next day when mom asked me how I liked my song that I told her how my day had gone... we both could not stop laughing!!  Especially when we had gotten to the part where mom had called me to cancel... I could not stop laughing.  

My song?  Yes, my husband creates songs and he gave me a song for Valentine's day.. a beautiful song.  I only waited nearly eleven years for it... but I got it!!  

I share with you that I "waited" because before that, my husband had written songs for two of our four dogs and my daughter... lol!

When he handed me the cd I really didn't think much of it... so it wasn't for another hour or two until I played it.  I had no clue what he had done...  I clicked on play and... and then I hear the strum of the guitar... and the waterworks started...

My very own love song!!

Needless to say I did not give my day a second thought!

Hope your Valentine's Day was a memorable one... mine sure was!

I didn't freak out!!

Carla I love you so, I'm never ever going to let you go... Love of my life, I am so blessed you are my wife...   ~ Dean Karam

Blessings to all!!

112 days to go...

PS... for a, l and c.  You are my sunshine(s).

Some images courtesy of google images.  Others are marked accordingly, and are property of Carla Barila Karam and Taking Back Life ~ Making It My Own, this blog.   All U.S Copyright laws apply.   ©

Day 252 ~ 2000's First Decade & Me

I remember there being so much hoopla going around in the months leading up to new year's eve [December 31st] 1999... everyone was concerned that once we hit the year 2000 that all banking systems, financial systems and our computer systems were going to collapse with the mere changing from the year 1999 to 2000.  

Needless to say, it was just a case of the sky falling.  I guess it was better to be prepared, than not.

Ahhhh the turn of the new millennium... like a fresh start at life, so much to look forward to.

This first decade of the new millennium was an eye opener to me.  A new lease on life.  An opportunity to do it right!

The most horrible thing as I look back onto that decade... was my deciding that I had to move away from my sons.  My intentions were to save myself from myself, and for my sons not to see the wreck I had become.   [in the late 90s.]  

In November of 2000, after much consideration, and talking with my sons... I decided to move back to Los Angeles [and away from the beautiful Northwest].  

Both my son's social life was starting to grow; there were sleep overs and birthday parties, as well as sporting functions... what was I supposed to do?  Was I supposed to tell them "No, this is my weekend and I haven't seen you all week?"  I can't lay that on a child.  

Just because my sons' father and I were divorced, it did not mean that my sons were to stop enjoying and having their childhood.  

I still have mixed emotions about my decision.  After all I moved 900+ miles away from them...

However in my defense, after speaking to their father (at the time) about my moving, there was no indication that he was going to turn on me as he did, and not allow the boys to come spend time with me during the summer vacations or alternating major holidays.  WHAT WAS I THINKING!?!  No indication?!  I've got to be kidding!!.. There were plenty of red flags!  I was just naive in thinking that maybe, just maybe things would get better. 

In my moving back to Los Angeles (home, where my family lived), I did stop going out and drinking as much as I was.. I went from going out 10 out of 14 days, to exercising and leading a healthy life, going out to an occasional dinner!  I'm pretty sure I saved my life.   

Going back home also gave me the opportunity to reacquaint myself with my parents, after all they were getting older and I had been away for over eight years.  I did fly back and took several road trips with my boys.  

What an eye opener!!  The first year I was back, well... it was as if the fog lifted.  It was a as if I saw my parents for who they really were... the first time ever.  

Coming back home was not all that bad... for the first time, as an adult... I started to meet myself.  Yes, "meet" myself.  I was blessed to have my brother in a position to be able to help me~  and was invited to move in with him.  I loved that time of my life.  We lived in Venice, California... blocks from the beach.  

I ended up getting a job at Gold's Gym in Venice.    

Yes!  I found myself working in the middle of the mecca of body building.  What a great time that was!  I worked in their pro-shop.  Learned about nutrition and eating healthy.  I'd work out from four in the morning and then open the pro-shop up by six.  I'd get off by 2:30 in the afternoon and then work out for another two hours.  At forty-eight I was in the best shape in my life!!  Dean once said, forget about a six pack, I had a twelve pack!

22nd March, 2003

It wasn't until the following summer of 2001, when I first realized that I had my soul mate under my nose for the past five years.  Dean and my brother played ice hockey together for about ten or more years, and I had met him several times on my trips back from when I'd visit from the Northwest (I'd always stay at my brother's house when visiting~ it just felt like home to me.  

13th October, 2006

Through my friendship with Dean, I learned how a family should treat one another.  I learned what true integrity was.  For the first time in my life I realized how dysfunctional my family really was.

Before family and friends, I married my best friend and soul mate on Saturday March 22nd, 2003 (my 40th birthday).  Three and a half years later, on Friday October the 13th, we were blessed with the birth of our only daughter  After loosing Dean's mom Sally [June 30th, 2005,] and my father Carlos [March 31st, 2006,] to cancer and its complications, we decided to blend their names and name our daughter after them both.. Calley.

On August 16th, 2008, Dean, Calley and I, after six months of Dean not being able to find work, Dean finds a job back where his father's side of the family lives and ... we pack everything up in a u-haul and our mini van, traded in our beach clothes for cowboy hats and moved to El Paso, Texas.  and they lived happily ever after.  wink, wink. 

Some of the highlights of the decade were... 

on April 3 2000 [US vs] Microsoft is ruled to have violated US antitrust laws by keeping an oppressive thumb on its competitors...

Dora the explorer is introduced to children all over the United States on August 14th, 2000...

Playstation comes out on October 26th, 2000...

Bush vs Gore... US Supreme Court stops the Florida presidential recount, giving the state and the presidency to George W Bush on December 13th, 2000...

September 11, 2001 attacks in Washington, D.C., New York City and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.  Islamic fundamentalist terrorists hijack four U.S. airliners and crash them into the Pentagon and the World Trade Center in New York City.  The attack of two planes levels the World Trade Center and the crash of one plane inflicts serious damage to the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, causing  2,992 deaths.  The fourth plane is heroically crashed by passengers into a Shanksville, Pennsylvania cornfield when they learn of the plot, preventing destruction of another structure in Washington, D.C., supposed to be the White House or the Capitol building.  The plot is attributed to the Al-Qaeda organization led by Osama Bin Laden.

Steve Job's iPod is introduced to the world on November 10th, 2001...

MySpace first goes online in August of 2003, fails as a social network but succeeds for a way for musicians to show off and share their music.

On February 4, 2004, Mark Zuckerberg launched "Thefacebook", originally located at thefacebook.com.
Sex and the City ends its six seasons on television on February 22nd, 2004.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Freedom Tower at Ground Zero, the former site of the World Trade Center complex destroyed during the September 11, 2001 attacks, occurs in New York City on July 4, 2004
On the 26th of December in 2004, the southeast Asian tsunami occurs following a 9.3 Richter scale earthquake in the Indian Ocean.  Two hundred and ninety thousand people die from Sri Lanka to Indonesia, creating one ot the greatest humanitarian tragedies in history.  A worldwide relief effort, led by the United States and many other nations, is mobilized to assist..
YouTube is founded in February 2005...

American cyclist Lance Armstrong wins his record 7th straight Tour de France on July 24th, 2005.
On September 26th, 2006, Facebook was opened to everyone of age 13 and older with a valid email address.
Sony's wii first goes on sale on November 19th, 2006...

The Sopranos ends its seven year run on June 10th, 2007...

Steve Jobs' iPhone changes the way we look at cell phones on June 29th, 2007.

On November 4, 2008, Barack Obama, Democratic Senator from Illinois, the land of Abraham Lincoln, wins a landslide margin in the Electoral College, 365 to 173 in the election for the 44th President of the USA over John "he's such a Maverick" McCain, making him the first African-American president in the history of the United States of America.

The H1N1 virus, named the Swine Flu, is deemed a global pandemic by the World Health Organization on June 1, 2009.  This is the first such designation since the Hong Kong flu in 1967-1968.

Some fads of the decade:  High School Musical; YouTube; mini skirts with leggings; skinny jeans; iPods; American Idol; Emo Music & Emo Style; Suped Up Cars (like on Pimp My Ride)
Flare Jeans; Blogging; The phrase, "That's Hot" (made famous by Paris Hilton); Napolean Dynamite; William Hung; Wide skate shoes with fat laces; Mentos and Coke; Dance Dance Revolution; Reality TV Shows; Atkins / Low Carb Diets; Snoop Dogg speak; Energy Drinks (Red Bull, Full Throttle, Monster Energy, etc.); Razor Scooters; Texas hold 'em Poker; Tivo / DVR; Fantasy Leagues; Speed Dating; Flash Mobs; Thongs; Text messaging; Uggs (boots); 
Oversized sunglasses; Ring Tones; Hybrid cars; TV/DVD screens in cars; Using Online Slang In Speech (OMG, BRB, etc.); Crocs (shoes); Bluetooth; World of Warcraft; Jared the Subway Guy; P2P File Sharing (Napster, Kaaza, etc.); LiveSTRONG yellow wristbands (to support the fight against cancer); The Da Vinci Code; Low Rise Jeans; US flags on cars; Wireless Camera Phones; Bratz Dolls; Craigslist; Botox; Social Networks (MySpace.com / Facebook.com); Vlogs (bideo blogs); and Sudoku puzzles to mention a few...

Crack is cheap.  I make too much money to ever smoke crack.  Let's get that straight.  OK?  We don't do crack.  We don't do that.  Crack is whack.  ~ Whitney Houston 2002  

Is this chicken or is this fish?  ~  Jessica Simpson, on tuna, 2003 

Psychiatry is a pseudoscience…. You don’t know the history of psychiatry. I do…Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, you don’t even -you’re glib. You don’t even know what Ritalin is.  ~  Tom Cruise clashes with Matt Lauer about psychology, 2005  

They misunderestimated me.  George Bush, on himself, 2000 

Blessings to all!!

113 days to go...

PS... for a, l and c.  You are my sunshine(s).

Some images courtesy of google images.  Others are marked accordingly, and are property of Carla Barila Karam and Taking Back Life ~ Making It My Own, this blog.   All U.S Copyright laws apply.   ©