If you think about it, Cinderella is a character that many can connect with.  I’m not talking about being swept off your feet by Prince Charming (my hubby’s going to grin here), but I’m talking about housework!

Perhaps some of you have had mean step-siblings or parents.  But I think most everyone can connect with the fact that after basically waiting on family hand and foot, you deserve some kind of medal for not strategically hiding their dead bodies under the pumpkin patch for extra fertilizer. (Imagine the kind of carriage that would make.  I’m thinking Tim Burton could have a field day here.)

So, if I were writing Cinderella as a woman who just lost her mind while gathering a never-ending pile of laundry (my eye twitches here thinking about laundry that I need to do), this is the way that I would write it…

Cinderella crept down the long dark hallway, the rug concealing her footsteps.  She would have to get Lucifer out of the house if her plan was to succeed.  At the broad door she grasped the handle, grateful that her hateful step-mother insisted the other day that she oil all the hinges in the house.  She cracked the door and sprinkled the powder on the floor, holding her breath.  Her body shivered, from anger, from fear, she couldn’t be sure.  But she knew that one wrong move and everything would fail.

Or something like that. *smiles*  I was trying to not channel too much Stephen King here, but I was thinking that after she took care of the family, maybe Prince Charming is the cop assigned to her case and in the end everything works out.

What do you think?  Are there moments when you wish you didn’t have do one more dirty dish?  Or have to fold one more t-shirt?  What’s your least favorite chore?

A staple in the world of tales, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, is not only a cute story, but also a cautionary tale that we reference to our children to help explain the importance of telling the truth.  So everyone knows that lie=bad and truth=good.

But what about those “little while lies?”  The ones that so many of us tell on a daily basis to make people more comfortable or to avoid conflict?  Come on, you know which ones I’m talking about.

1. Thank you so much! I love it! (When opening a gift of *insert worst gift ever here.*)  You can’t tell me that at one point you didn’t tell this lie.
2. You look great in that! (When your in your head thinking, “Where in the world did you even find that?  I can’t believe you paid good money for something like that.  Were there no mirrors in the store?”)
3. No officer, I’m not sure how fast I was going. (Yes you do.  The big dial is right there.)
4. I don’t know what memo you’re talking about. (Of course you had seen the memo, but honestly, who cares?  Why are you bothering me this?  Whose turn was it to get donuts?)
5. I’m on my way. (Oh sh*$!  I forgot! *pulling on shoes and stumbling out the door*)
6. I have read and agree to the terms of use. (I hate that they even ask this.  You know no one actually wants to read that fifty page agreement – they just want to get to iTunes.)
7. I’ll call you back. (Ugh, I’m sorry I even gave him/her my number.)
8. Oh yeah, I remember you. (And now you’re leaning over and asking your spouse, “Who’s that guy?”)
9. I’m listening. (Aside from Doctor Frasier Crane, maybe not.)
10. I’m busy that day. (*glancing down at blank calendar*)

Thank goodness there’s no big, bad wolf hanging out behind us when we tell these ones.  So what about you?  What’s your favorite little white lie?

Welcome to my month of insanity!  Buckle your seat beats because I’m hoping to do a little of the unexpected with these posts.

So, when deciding on the letter “A” for my first post, I immediately was drawn to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland because of the story.  I think it’s one that connects to the child in all of us.  I can tell you that when I was a kid in school, there was a time or two when in class I would venture “down the rabbit hole,” in my imagination to some other wonderful place.  I know that some of you have probably still done this at one of your staff meetings, so no judgement. *giggles*

But when I was considering this post, another story came and pushed to be included – Aladdin.  I never really knew the history behind the story (check the link, pretty cool stuff), but I will say that while I enjoyed the story, it was never one of my favorites.

So, there I was, getting ready for bed and this idea came to me (I had NOT been drinking) that what if Alice merely fell into a Genie’s lamp instead of Wonderland?  Come on, we can work with this! (Excuse me while I change into my rabbit costume – come, follow me down this hole.)

Alice comes upon the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party and while everyone is there having a jolly time, they notice that a few chairs are empty. (How many of you have celebrated your “Merry Un-Birthday”?) That silly Genie, the Mad Hatter says, is out and about.  If he’s late, its because he’s helping someone.  Alice is naturally concerned for their friend, even though she’s not sure who or what a Genie is, but because the Genie is helping Aladdin, Alice never gets to meet him.

Wouldn’t that be an odd, but fun mix?  Okay, I know you are all probably thinking I’m crazy, but seriously consider perhaps Aladdin’s degree of separation from Alice might have been the Genie?  What if we mashed up other tales like this?  Which two would you choose?