Frog

The Princess and the Frog

The princess and the frog is a time honored story. So why, when Disney has the opportunity to crown their first black Disney princess, do they decide turn her into a frog almost immediately? Seriously, not cool.

That's right, after the princess kisses the frog - trusting that he will turn into a prince - and then she turns into a leggy, although green, female frog.  Disney turned the story of The Princess and the Frog completely on its head.  Traditionally, Disney has been pretty accurate - historically speaking.  But putting the princess in New Orleans and then promptly turning her into a frog is just wrong.  I guess she's a Creole princess?  Did Creole princesses ever exist? 

This feels like Disney was under pressure to have a black princess, so they shoved her into a story.  We couldn't have an original story about an African princess?  Does Disney have a drop of originality left or are they just going to resort to butchering already beloved tales? 

Points to ponder.

Certain

I was certain that I had put my keys on the coffee table when I came in. Yet as I stared blankly at the surface, no keys were materializing. These lapses in memory, in time, are happening more often now. I now often wonder how it will manifest itself as it worsens. What will I forget next?

It all started when I wished that I could just forget pieces of my life. At the time, it seemed like an innocuous wish. Yet the next morning, there I was, standing and staring at the coffee table with the look of determination crossed with confusion painted across my face. Everyone loses their keys, I tell myself. I KNOW that I put them here. It couldn't be that the one wish that comes true in my life is this one. In this Murphy's Law life that was thrust upon me one eventful New Year's Eve, I wouldn't be surprised at all if that were the case.

Amber

"Amber. I like that name for a girl." Gasp. My husband is thinking about baby names. I want kids so badly. It feels like I'm living a stunted life without them. But after years of having sex with zero protection, and having zero children as a result, I'm starting to think that my first opportunity was my only opportunity... and I gave it all away.

There are times when I don't regret giving her a new life. Like when I'm riding an ATV and jumping mounds at full speed along the beach in Mazatlan, acting 23 when I'm 33, or when I'm having a bad day and I can't pay attention to my dogs much less think of paying attention to a child. It's two ends of the spectrum, one that I envisioned when I made my decision and one that I never foresaw as the emotional consequence - six years down the road.

Then there are days like Halloween, where we are playing with our friends kids and all I can think about is how cool it would be to take her trick or treating or throw a Halloween party with a ton of kids. I think of how amazing it would be to see her grow up, to develop her own thoughts and opinions about the world and observe, first hand, what my influence had to do with it.

One thing is certain. For me, the birth of my next child will be life changing. How the birth of my first will affect that, only time will tell.