Sons of Anarchy: Tig and the Fire

If you read my last blog previewing the premiere of Season 5 of Sons of Anarchy, then you know I had a bunch of questions about where the story might go in the next few months. Some of those were answered pretty quickly, and I’ll get to most of them, but we have to start with Tig.

I asked in my last blog, “How loyal IS Tig to Clay?” That answer seemed fuzzy enough after Clay’s “admission” to killing Piney. (What a rat, right? Turning it around and making it Piney’s fault, saying he was acting in self-defense when he blew a hole in Piney’s chest?) Tig really had a problem with that whole thing—not only the fact that Clay killed one of the First 9, but also that Clay’s lie about it being a Niner who shot him is what sent Tig off the deep end and put him behind the wheel of the death of Damon Pope’s daughter. I was relieved that Tiggy (as Gemma so endearingly calls him) didn’t give Clay a pass on the whole thing as Clay so obviously thought he would.

But Tig was in a whole other place by the end of the episode, wasn’t he? We’ve seen some pretty bloody, violent, graphic deaths on SOA. Sutter’s got a knack for making me wince. But when Tig saw his daughter Dawn in that pit, the sound in his voice as he begged her to wake up pushed me to the edge of my seat—literally. And then, when Pope’s guys dumped in the gasoline and Pope flicked his cigar into the pit (proving he is as horrible as we were warned), Tig’s howling grief sent me back into the cushions. I thought Clay’s beating Gemma was the most brutal act I’d ever seen on TV. I think this topped it.

So what happens now? Tig’s daughter was burned alive because Clay lied. Clay has betrayed Tig in almost every way possible. How will Tig respond? I do think he’ll get his revenge against Damon Pope, but it’ll take a while. I just don’t know what he’ll do or say to Clay, but I do know, it ain’t gonna be pretty.

Moving away from Tig, I want to talk about Gemma for a bit. Or should we call her Rose? Nah, she admitted pretty quickly to Nero that wasn’t her real name. That opening scene had me laughing out loud—the morning-after conversation between Gemma and Nero was priceless. What I find interesting is that she gave him her number. Did that make you go, “Hmmmm…”? And then, how interesting too that she called him up for a favor when her prince and his court needed a hiding place. Nero’s all smiles and good will now, but don’t you have the feeling that’s not gonna last? He’s gotta be connected somewhere to something or someone that’s gonna come back and bite Gemma and the Sons in the ass. (Yeah, I know, it kinda looks like he’s already bitten Gemma on the ass…and she seemed to like it.)

My last ramblings are reserved for Tara. I think part of my problem with her is that she won’t fully commit to either side. She dresses like Gemma. She talks like Gemma. She smokes weed like Gemma (although I’d go out on a limb and say Gemma wouldn’t have turned off the baby monitor so that she could smoke her weed in peace and quiet). She condones murder—or at least looks the other way when Jax says, “It had to be done.” And yet, she’s all high and mighty with Gemma. She’s all about, “We’re getting out of this. For our boys. We’re leaving this all behind. We’re better than this.” Blah. Blah. Blah. Everybody else in the family pretty much owns up to who they are and what they’re lives are like except for the Good Doctor. Pick a side Tara—I’m weary of your wavering and your hypocrisy.

There are few other tidbits of interest: Clay looks a whole lot like Piney now, doesn’t he? (Thanks, husband, for pointing this out to me. You’re good at catching that stuff!) Bobby’s out of jail, but we don’t know if Jax has told him EVERYTHING yet. Opie’s mopey, but you can’t blame him. I don’t blame him for not wanting to sit at the table with Clay, but I wish he’d come back. I wish Jax would just tell him the truth too.

Clay said he’s “all outta play” and he looks it, doesn’t he? He walks all stooped over. His clothes hang on him (another good catch, husband). He can’t hold up his bike. Gemma knocked him to the ground. And because Ron Perlman is so good at what he does, Clay LOOKS beaten. But I just don’t think he is. Do you?

See ya next week for further ramblings on the next episode of Sons of Anarchy. And if you’re so inclined, tell me who your favorite character is and why. You tell me yours, I’ll tell you mine.

Sons of Anarchy Season 5 Premiers Tonight!

Are you ready for the Season 5 opener of Sons of Anarchy? I sure am!

The husband and I spent the last week or so catching up on Season 4, and I’m so glad we did. There are so many different story lines running, I think I would have been poking him in the ribs every other minute, saying, “Why’d Jax stay?” “Why’s Clay still alive?” “Isn’t Romeo some kind of cop?” “Why’s the paralyzed dude (Harold Perrineau) from Oz on this show now and why’s he so pissed at the Sons?”

Well, in case you need any of the reminders that I did, here’s a quick catch-up:

• Jax didn’t kill Clay with the blood thinner Tara gave him because the CIA has threatened the Sons, although Jax did draw blood and swipe Clay’s president patch.
• Romeo IS working for the CIA who needs the gun deal to happen between the Irish and Galindo’s cartel.
• The Irish will only deal with the Galindo cartel if Clay is part of the deal.
• Jax couldn’t leave the Sons because if he had, Clay would’ve been right back at the head of the table, gavel in hand, and Jax loves the MC too much to let that happen. (And even though I’m glad he’s still alive because his character is such an evil snake, I’m glad he’s not at the head of the table because he’s such an evil snake!)

If you’ve been paying attention to the trailers for Season 5, you’re probably wondering the same things I am:

• Did Gemma really sleep with Nero Padilla (Jimmy Smits)? Do they have a history, and if they do, what the hell is it? Who IS this guy?
• Obviously, Damon Pope (Perrineau) is out for blood thanks to Tig’s rogue killing of Pope’s daughter. But how MUCH blood will be enough to satisfy this gangster?
• Is Clay really “all outta play” as he says in the trailer? Nuh unh. I sure don’t believe it, and I can’t wait to find out what his next play will be – and who will follow him. How loyal IS Tig to Clay?
• Will Opie take Jax up on his offer and become the new VP? Will he even show up to chapel?
• When will Bobby get out of jail?
• And even though I don’t find her character as intriguing as many of you do, I am curious about how much like Gemma Tara will become. (Remember the last still shot of Season 4 – Tara standing behind Jax just as Gemma stood behind JT?)

It’s a whole new ride, and I can’t wait! Cue the tune and rev the engines … “Ridin’ in this world, all alone …”

Season 5 of Sons of Anarchy premieres tonight. Watch it, cuz I’ll be gabbing tomorrow.

A Tribute to Dad

Because of my dad...

Because of my dad, I can stand still in a quiet meadow or a forest of trees and be utterly content in the beauty that surrounds me.

Because of my dad, I will forever laugh when boating across rough waters as I remember his tale of Mayma asking him to “miss those bumps, sonny.”

Because of my dad, I will always gauge the growth of corn and beans and hay as I pass by fields of them, whether I know who farms those fields or not.

Because of my dad, I will always harbor a fondness for safe cars—and regular oil changes. (Although mine needs it right now.)

Because of my dad, I will always offer guests in my house food and drink, and likely I’ll offer them more than once regardless of how they responded the first time I asked.

Because of my dad, I have a desire to own and ride another horse.

Because of my dad, I know how to drive a stick shift.

Because of my dad, I know the satisfaction that comes from a hard day’s work, and I’m grateful for that lesson.

Because of my dad, I hope to never know a stranger.

Because of my dad, I know the value of good, patient conversations; steady laughter; and a wink of the eye.

Because of my dad, I can appreciate ways of life (Swamp People, anyone?) that I will never live myself.

Because of my dad’s love for my mom and hers for him, I know what a solid, loving, lifetime marriage is.

Because of my dad’s love, I know what it means to be accepted and treasured for the individual I am.

Because of my dad, I know strength. I know love. I know laughter. I know friendship. I know generosity.

Because of my dad, I know what it means to live a life worth living.


Robert R. Flora was a soul on this Earth for almost eighty years.

To those of us who were blessed to walk alongside him, he will be a husband, a father, a grandfather, an uncle, and a friend for eternity.

Until we meet again…

I love you, Papa.
Sis

As Bright as the Sun: A dog's life AFTER dog fighting

I never knew much about the dog-fighting world until I read Cynthia Schlichting’s As Bright as the Sun. If you think you know something about it, click on the link I provided, go to Amazon, and buy it. I doubt you know enough.

Cindy and her husband, Brian, are the proud parents of (currently) three “fur kids.” They have Foster, Jane, and Bella. Foster, a German Shepherd/Rottweiler mix, was their first adoption, and he was soon followed by Jane, a Rottweiler herself. Cindy and Brian love their kids the way parents of two-legged, non-fur-covered children love theirs. As Bright as the Sun is as much an homage to these kinds of families as it is the story of Bella, the former bait dog.

In the book, Cindy opens the door to her and Brian’s life and invites the reader in with a genuineness that makes you feel right at home. You get to know Cindy as a single girl with two cats, and then Cindy and Brian with two cats, and then you get to meet the dogs. She shares their love for each other and for the animals who share their home, and she describes the thoughts she and Brian had before each adoption as well as how those adoptions progressed. If you’re an animal lover, you’ll love these stories.

But when Cindy discovers Bella, a rescued Pit Bull-mix who had been used as a bait dog in a dog-fighting ring for years, her and Brian’s life changes forever. Cindy uses some creative license to reconstruct Bella’s life for the reader, and she does a wonderful job of this. Through Cindy’s eyes, we get to see where Bella was born, where she grew up, and how she was stolen by the dog fighters. We suffer with Bella as she is tortured and starved. And we rejoice with Bella when she is rescued and given her “forever home” with Cindy and Brian.

Cindy wrote this book because she wanted to shed more awareness on the world of dog fighting. She wanted people to understand how prevalent it is, how incredibly horrible it is, and how we all can do something to help the innocent victims of those dog-fighting rings. She is donating 40 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the book to Eagle’s Den Animal Haven and Rescue, Inc. (where she and Brian found Bella) and to Where Hope Lives Humane Society, so you can help right away just by purchasing her book!

Cindy and Brian are proud parents to Foster, Jane, and Bella. You’ll see their love shines As Bright as the Sun when you read the book. You’ll be touched by the story as I was.

I’m proud to call Cindy and Brian my friends—and Foster, Jane, and Bella too!

Obama and his idea of "work"

Guess what Obama’s up to now. We’ve already established that he really likes big government and wants to keep growing it, right? He wants people dependent on the government so that they will continue to support the big government that supports them. We’ve got that straight, right? Well, listen to what he wants to do with “welfare reform.” It’s another end-run around Congress.

In 1996 President Clinton signed into law The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. This was truly welfare reform. The 1996 act required people who were receiving time-limited assistance to work or to participate in job-training programs, and the federal government rewarded states that had high percentages of people moving from welfare to work.

Under the 1996 law—passed by Congress and signed into law by the president, remember—after two years of assistance, recipients had to go to work. If families had been receiving assistance for five cumulative years, they were no longer eligible for cash aid from the government.

So what does Obama want to do, you ask? He wants the White House—not the federal government because that would mean he’d have to change the law LEGALLY and go through Congress—he wants the White House to issue waivers to people changing the definition of what it means to “work.” Are you ready to hear what he considers “work”? I don’t think you are, but I’m going to tell you anyway. Obama wants to grant people “work” waivers if they:

• Are on bed rest
• Engage in motivational reading
• Get massages
• Exercise
• Engage in journaling
• Engage in personal care activities
• Stop smoking
• Engage in weight loss promotion
• Participate in parent-teacher meetings
• Help a friend/relative with chores

How can people support this man? He wants as many people in this country dependent on the government as he can possibly make happen. Look what he’s done so far. Think about what could happen in another four years.

Please, vote to save our United States of America in November.

Breaking Bad: Magnets, anyone?

The Season 5 premiere of Breaking Bad started off as most of the seasons have—flashing us forward and then sending us back to right where we left off with Season 4. So how much of a glimpse did we get of the final episode of the series when we saw Walt open that trunk and stare at that machine gun? Where will the 14 episodes in between last night’s and the final one take us? Who will die? And will Hank finally figure out who Heisenberg is?

I regretted not re-watching Season 4 as soon as the episode started. With hubby’s help, though, I soon got caught up: Gus is truly dead (I wasn’t sure, right at first). Jesse’s still got Walt’s back. (It cracks me up that Jesse still calls him “Mr. White.”) Hank’s still hot on the trail. Skyler is still a force to be reckoned with—even though Walt scares her now that she knows he’s responsible for Gus’s violent death. (Ask Ted Beneke how much Skyler scares him!) Okay…You’re caught up pretty well now too.

When Mike found out that Gus was dead, I couldn’t figure out where he was going so fast until he almost (literally) ran into Walt. Never underestimate the loyalty an injured underling feels for his crime boss. I loved Jesse when he jumped in front of Walt to stop Mike from killing him right there in the middle of the desert. And I loved it that Jesse could stop him—Mike really grew to like and respect Jesse last season.

The trio’s mad dash for Gus’s laptop was all for naught, though, and Mike was ready to run while Walt was bent on fixing the problem—the problem being the cops had the laptop with all of the video footage of the basement lab implicating all three of them. Jesse’s next-best scene came when he sat there in the background saying, “Or a magnet.” A little louder. “Or a MAGNET!” And then, “OR A MAGNET!” I was laughing out loud as he finally got their attention and the light bulb went on over Walt’s head.

As is usually the case, the show made me laugh as Jesse, Walt, and Mike committed a major crime. The magnet in the truck, the truck on its side, the evidence sticking to the wall in the evidence room—that’s some good stuff—and it was their ticket (they hope) to escaping detection for their part in the making of the meth.

I was also glad to see smarmy, slimy Saul back in action. The look on his face when Walt told him, “We’re done when I say we’re done,” was great. I’m not worried about him. I’m sure he’ll make out fine in the deal. Even if he did help Skyler hand more than $600,000 of Walt’s money to a man who was sleeping with Skyler. As Saul said, Walt was “kinda busy with other things.”

I’m so glad Breaking Bad is back, and I’m glad it doesn’t seem to have slowed down one iota. I’ll miss Walt, Jesse, and company when the season (and the series) is done, but I can’t wait to see where they take me before the end.

Buckle up. Breaking Bad is back and Heisenberg’s driving.

A Child Lost in Flight -- Review of a Memoir

On June 18, 2009, the worst thing that can happen to parents happened to Mohan and Suja: their baby died. In an effort to work through his grief, Mohan wrote A Child Lost in Flight, a brief memoir that chronicles in excruciating detail the death of Aditya as well as Mohan and Suja’s struggle to move on after the tragedy.

I give little away if I tell you that Mohan and Suja are Indian immigrants who lived in Canada when Aditya was born. For a myriad of reasons, they decided to return to their homeland, where their families lived, so that they could raise their son with a much bigger support network than what they had in Canada. I also give little away if I tell you that Aditya died very suddenly on the flight to India.

Aditya’s death and the events that took place once the plane landed will wrench out your heart. Mohan spares no details as he describes what happens once he and Suja disembark from Flight 229. I sobbed as I read what transpired in India over the next few days, and I bet that most people who read his story will shed at least a few tears.

Ultimately, I think that’s what Mohan needed and hoped for when he wrote the book. I think he needed to reach out and let others feel his pain so that maybe he wouldn’t have to feel so much of it. I think he also wanted to let other parents who have suffered similar losses know that they’re not alone, even if they feel completely isolated from the world in their grief.

It doesn’t matter where we live or what God we pray to. The pain of losing a child is recognizable in any language. Faith, love, and family are what we need to move on in our lives when fate deals us such a violent blow. Mohan and Suja survived their loss, and in A Child Lost in Flight, Mohan offers their experience as a testament to show that it can be done—that the deepest, darkest night will end.