Up On The Roof

What a magical time it was when I lived in Venice, CA, in the 1980’s.  This self-portrait photo is of my sisters and my mom:  Roxanne, Keely, Barbara (Mom), Eleni and me. We were up on the roof of my Venice loft on Venice Way.  I love my family so much and they were always very gracious photo subjects.

Acum la cata in calculator este o piesa superba pe care v-o dau si voua aici pana voi reusi sa pornesc radioul meu.

Nu stiu cat de misto e numele asta …. dar pot sa garantez ca dauneaza grav sanatatii … tale si a celor din jur

urmatoarea este

dar ii spun eu ca nu le-a potrivit bine

Inte för att hänga ut någon här på the blog. Men man kan väl säga att någon, Gustav, “glömde” sin cellphone på Spy bar i fredags efter some good old partying with French Canadian dancers. En av dem hette Roxanne. Det var det.
…
Om det tröstar dig, Gustav, så tycker Roxanne, eller Roxi som vi kallar henne, att vi var duktiga på att dansa. Oklart om det fanns någon grad av sarkasm i detta.

Taylor has put up with my feminist outrage for a long time.  When we sit down to watch a television show at the end of a hard day, it’s almost tradition for me to see an ad and blurt something like, “Come on!  By using a woman they are insinuating that women are the only ones who are incapable of taking care of themselves without additional security!”  And Taylor raises his eyebrows a little bit and agrees with me when I press him about it.

I can be a little out of control, it’s true.

My feminist rage is at its strongest when watching cartoons.  It’s a fact: most all of the coolest cartoon characters are men.  The boys are allowed to have complex motivations and badass fight scenes.  They typically get the best jokes and tend to be the main characters.  The women’s motivations tend to be “SHE IS A LADY.  THAT IS WHAT LADIES DO,” and their jokes are limited to nagging  and histrionics.

It’s true that some characters are worse than others, though.  For your pleasure (and to give Taylor’s ears a break) here are the Seven Worst Female Cartoon Characters, rated in order of how much they conform to an unhealthy and unnecessary stereotype.  You may note that I’ve left out the classics – Betty Boop, Disney Princesses…I feel like these characters, sexist though they are, are the product of their times.  But now we have decided we are progressive!  Our entertainment features women who can rassle!  Women who know math!  So our modern cartoons are devoid of girls who rely on sexuality or bitterness, right?

Ha.

Are you ready to get your Righteous Indignation on?

7.  Candace from Phineas and Ferb:  I like Phineas and Ferb.  The show centers around two young boys who live each day of their summer vacation to the fullest, often concocting wild and impressive schemes to get what they want.  They are good natured and fun loving.  Their older sister, Candace, is not.  Candace likes boys and makeup and being a star, and hates fun and things that are messy.  She often plays the role of the villain in the cartoon, but her motivations are completely transparent.  It’s as though the creators decided she was A Big Sister and left it at that.  Boo, Candace.  Booo.

She is the very spirit of fun and mischief!

6.  Roxanne from A Goofy Movie:  What do we know about Roxanne from A Goofy Movie?  The main  character, Max, loves her and wants to impress her.  Why?  Because she’s hot, of course!  And she like…uh.  I guess we don’t really know what she likes.  But she’s very….oh.  I guess we don’t really know her personal qualities either.  Well, we KNOW her name is Roxanne, and that she is HOT!  And that’s enough for her to be a truly compelling character, right?  Right?  You guys?

She has a sparkling uh...personality?

5.  Amy Rose from Sonic The Hedgehog:  When you have a cartoon and video game franchise centered around a blue hedgehog, the natural choice for his counterpart is a pink hedgehog.  It is the law of the wild.  Amy Rose exists to chase Sonic with large hearts in her eyes, wielding a hammer that she uses to stun him into submission.  When she isn’t chasing him, she is nagging him to ‘be more sensitive’ or ’slow down and do things with her’.  Flash forward twenty years and he will be an overweight husband in a dead-end job, and she will be a hot wife that only wants him to do the dishes, and harps on him to eat a salad now and again.  Stay in school, girls!

Don't showcha your chocha, Amy!

4.  Jean Grey from X-Men Evolution:  Okay.  I’m going to catch a lot of flak for this one, because lots of people like Jean Grey, but her X-Men Evolution iteration is…maybe a little less than impressive.  In this era, Jean is a high school student.  She is gorgeous, limber, the most popular girl in school, gets straight A’s, and has fantastic telekinetic and telepathic powers to boot!  All this besides the undying love of most of the male characters.  So, here’s what I don’t like about Jean: she is entirely focused on what others think of her.  From the outside, this sounds like a solid motivation for a character, but Jean, in the true tradition of dim female characters, relies entirely on the males around her to define herself.  Is she dating the football jock or sensitive Scott Summers?  Is she being kidnapped by Magneto, or are her Phoenix powers being squelched by ultra powerful psychic Charles Xavier?  Jean is a grievous cartoon stereotype offender because she purports to be a Modern Woman – smart and powerful, but ultimately she relies on the men in her life to boost her esteem and supply her opinion.

Don't be afraid, Jean! Somewhere out there...somewhere, there is a shirt that will cover your midriff.

3.  Raven from Teen Titans:  In the bold tradition of Jean Grey, Raven is a heroine who seems quite heroic until you take into account who pulls her strings.  She is the daughter of vicious demon Trigon, which has imbued her with impressive magic.  The magic controls her more than she controls it, and when Trigon comes to earth, he promptly subjugates her to his whim.  A great story would be if Raven found her courage and her strength and rose up to slay her father, freeing herself and gaining control over her power.  Buuuuut Robin the Boy Wonder does it for her, and she is so pleased to be saved it establishes her trust in humanity.  Yay, Robin!  You’ve finally showed us all that we don’t need to save ourselves, as long as we can go from one male protector to another.  Did I mention she does all this in a tight-fitting legless leotard?

Dig the belt, Raven! But I think you...did you forget to put something on this morning? Starts with a P? Ends with an 'Ants'?

2.  Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon – Oookay.  I know Tuxedo Mask is a dude.  I’ve been focusing mostly on horrible female stereotypes, but male stereotypes exist as well.  Tuxedo Mask is the Edward of Sailor Moon.  He is a preteen girl’s ultimate fantasy.  That bratty guy at school that causes her so much grief secretly loves her for no apparent reason!  And what’s more than that, he is secretly a super hero!  He always shows up at the right moment to save her from evil amid a show of bubbles and delicate rose petals.  What does he like?  What are his hopes and dreams?  What are his fears?  It’s a mystery.  After all, Tuxedo Mask doesn’t need to be a real person, as long as he loves me.  Sob sob sob.

Ohh, Tuxedo Mask! Let me stare into your eyes for another four hours!

1.  I have reserved the number one spot for a cartoon creation that truly kindles the flames of my red-hot ire.  I speak, of course, of The Ruiner.  The Great Hair-Flipper, the Bunny-Smoocher, whose vapid stare and saxophone-stoked entry music sends me into paroxysms of rage.

I speak, of course, of Lola Bunny.

You guys remember the movie Space Jam.  Aliens try to take over the Looney Tunes, and they challenge them to a basketball game.  To tip their hand, the Tunes snag Michael Jordan.  Hilarity ensues.  When it turns out they don’t know how to play basketball at all, Michael Jordan says, in desperation, “Hasn’t anybody here ever played basketball?”

You guys.

Lola Bunny has:

I feel like that is all I really need to say about Lola Bunny.

Tune in next Monday when I post my picks for Top Seven Awesomest Cartoon Ladies!

From Foul Play to Christmas Vacation, from The Jerk to Bowfinger, who really has the funnier movies?

It’s the comedy showdown!!! They will battle against each other. What will the winner get you ask? Well, nothing, but we will know who has the funnier movies. I handpicked ten of their greatest movies and gave each of the movies a rating. Then I added up the results. It was a tight one, but take a look who won this battle. Will he be crowned the king of comedies? We’ll see…

LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!!!

CHEVY CHASE

Foul Play (1978) 3/5 points

Caddyshack (1980) 2/5 points

Fletch (1985) 5/5 points

National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) 5/5 points

European Vacation (1985) 4/5 points

Spies Like Us (1985) 5/5 points

¡Three Amigos! (1986) 3/5 points

Funny Farm (1988) 5/5 points

Fletch Lives (1989) 5/5 points

Christmas Vacation (1989) 5/5 points

STEVE MARTIN

The Jerk (1979) 3/5 points

Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982) 4/5 points

Roxanne (1987) 4/5 points

Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) 5/5 points

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) 3/5 points

L.A. Story (1991) 5/5 points

Father of the Bride (1991) 4/5 points

HouseSitter (1992) 4/5 points

Mixed Nuts (1994) 4/5 points

Bowfinger (1999) 5/5 points

…AND THE WINNER IS: CHEVY CHASE (with a score of 42-41)

Sting in concerto

Sting si esibirà il 15 dicembre 2009  presso la sala Pleyel di Parigi.

Gordon Matthew Sumner, in arte Sting è nato nel  1951 a Newcastle. Si appassiona ben presto al jazz, impara da solo a suonare il contrabbasso ed entra a far parte della Newcastle Big Band nei primi anni 70. Non potendo vivere di sola musica, continua i suoi studi di lettere e diventa professore.
Ma Gordon si rende conto di avere una voce particolare e decide di entrare in un nuovo gruppo: i Last Exit, come cantante e bassista. Il suo nome d’arte, Sting, risale a questo periodo e proviene dal fatto che indossasse spesso un T-shirt a strisce gialle e nere.

Durante un concerto nel 1976, il batterista Stewart Copeland (Curved Air) lo nota e gli chiede di formare un nuovo gruppo con il chitarrista corso Henri Padovani: è la nascita dei Police, gruppo rock dalle sonorità molto diversificate.

Nel 1978, pubblicano il single Roxanne e pubblicano, uno dopo l’altro, 5 album che contengono pezzi che ottengono un successo mondiale come “Message in a bottle”, “Walking on the moon” o ancora “Every breath you take” che resta per otto settimane in testa alla classifica americana.

Nel 1986, il gruppo si separa. Ma si riforma nel 2007 per dar vita a une tournée mondiale che attira piú di 2 milioni di spettatori

Sting continua, dunque, la sua carriera da solista. Pubblica numerosi  album: The Dream of The Blue Turtles (1985), Nothing Like The Sun (1987), The Soul Cages (1991), Ten Summoner’s Tales (1993), Fields of Gold (1994), Mercury Falling (1996), Brand New Day (1999), All this Time (2001), Sacred Love (2003) e Songs from the Labyrinth (2006).

Nel 2009, si ripresenta sulla scena con l’album If On a Winter’s Night… in collaborazione con il produttore e arrangiatore Robert Sadin.

Sala Pleyel
252 B, Rue Fbg St Honoré
75008 Paris
www.sallepleyel.fr

15 Dicembre 2009

I hate poorly written material. Recently, I was friended on facebook by a kid I went to grade school with; I remember him being a bully of sorts (although I’m not sure if I’m remembering correctly, I never interacted with him very closely). Anyway, he posts all this material about his new blog.  Today I decided it was time to take a look. I couldn’t get passed the about me section, it made my  head hurt. I’m not usually a stickler for well written, correctly punctuated material, but it was a business blog- a new business blog.  Hire someone.

Second pet peeve this week: The whole homosexual thing. My cousin finally is coming out of the closet.  She brought her “friend” to a baptism.  Everyone acts like it’s a big deal- who freaking cares? Her girlfriend seems nice and she looks happy.

Third: Love story fantasies aren’t real.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Adam.  It’s nothing like the make believe love in books and movies, probably because it’s make believe. People have ups and downs- not everyone can fall in love with an ancient king or vampire (though we can dream!!!)

In other news, Hilary plugged the bathroom sink with her hair dye bottle.  I told her when we got home, “don’t dye your hair in the downstairs bathroom…” and did she listen?  Of course not! (though the reason I did not want her in the bathroom was I had to use the bathroom).

Other honorable mentions that aren’t pet peeves: Adam leaves for OCS in two weeks, Roxanne’s drainage tubes were removed last night, I lost Roxanne today, found her a few hours later, and soap is still missing.

Soap still hasn’t come home. Today Adam called all the animal shelters in the area and then drove to all of them and checked to make sure she wasn’t there.

In other news, Hilary put flyers in everyone’s mailboxes asking them to think twice before shooting a suspected domestic animal. Hey, the life they save could be their own.  I’d seriously consider shooting the moron who did this.

Come home soap.

Roxanne update:

She’s doing pretty good I’d like to say. She’s eating.. a lot.. and seems fairly happy.  We’re taking her Saturday to get the tubes out so we’ll know more then.

In other, other news- Adam and I are buying our first real vehicle. Yeah we had the white grand am and the grand prix- but those were hoopties.  We’re looking into something newer with low miles… wooowee.  I’m excited, but can’t stop thinking about the damn cat. Soap was my cat. It’s lonely in the garage without her. Before she left the night of her dissapearance she was sleeping on my legs.  I miss her. I know it’s odd to have such a strong attachment to a pet, I can’t help it though. Adam’s going to be gone a lot in the Navy, the cats are my companions and we’ve had them essentially since we met.

This week has sucked.

Cum poti sa fii asa de nesimtita?Sper ca dupa ce citesti postul sa incerci macar sa te schimbi.Dar la cat de proasta esti nici nu iti dai seama ca despre tine scriu.Mai “printeso” sa te lamuresc,daca la inceput erai apreciata de mai toti asta nu inseamna ca esti tu cea mai frumoasa/desteapta si nu stiu cum.

Problema e ca tu iti iei lume ain cap,si  o posibil sa ti-o scot/scoatem.Vorbesc la plural pentru majoritatea grupului asta nu te suporta si sunt de acceeasi parere cu mine.

Nu,nu ai tot ceea ce pare,nimeni nu te mai vrea.Daca pentru un moment ai crezut ca ii poti avea la mana,afla un lucru,e posibil ca maine sa te duci dracu` si sa nu te mai vrea nimeni.

E strict problema ta.Si a mea,atat timp cat persoana care ma intelege “sufera” din cauza ta.

Nu “querida” nu esti o printesa,asa ca lasa dracului fitele astea,si revino mama cu picioarele pe pamant.

Sper ca macar sa te simti.Si sa nu mai fi asa de nesimtita.!

1. maine precis aud pe la colturi numele meu.foarte bine.ceea ce vreau sa-ti demoinstrez e ca eu pot sa spun astea despre tine,insa tu nu.

Meet Lisä. Lisä is een klein olifantinnetje uit Zweden. Haar mama heet Roxanne. Lisä kent haar papa niet maar dat vind ze niet zo erg.

Lisä eet heel graag kötbullar en rookt graag mee. Roxanne knuffelt graag met mij. Nu ik wat pijntjes heb, doen ze dan ook superlief tegen me.

Ik had heel veel medelijden met Lisä en haar alleenstaande mama, ze zaten daar te liggen in den IKEA als een bende zwervers aan Brussel Zuid, dus heb ik ze maar mee naar huis gepakt. En Lisä is geen lelijke hé, dus we moeten haar wel een beetje beschermen tegen (vooral lelijke) pedolifanten.

Carmen & Lisä, dikke vriendjes

Stiekem vind ik Lisä’s mama een beetje een ho’lifant. Lisä heeft gezegd dat ze al minstens 16 stiefpapa’s heeft gehad. Foei Roxanne!

Today Adam and I went looking the back fields for our soap box. We started in the backyard

Looked through the fields

Went into the woods

And ended back up at the barn

No Soap Box anywhere

Am doau lucruri  de mentioant.

1.Cu ce drept te bagi tu in viata mea?!Nu ai inteles pana acum ca nu vreau sa mai aud de tine.M-am saturat sa strici tu tot.

Si 2.Azi am vorbit cu o prietena de a mea, care m-a facut sa imi dea lacrimile.Parintii eu au abandonat,o la nastere.Acum,are parinti adoptivi.Mama in Italia,tata un betiv care o bate si o pune toata ziua la munca.Fata asta e de o putere imaginara.Lupta singura,pe banii proprii,si mi-a spus ca practic ea nu are parinti.

De abia acum realizez ca trebuie sa apreciez ce am langa mine.Chestia asta m-a facut sa imi dau seama de muulte lucruri.1.Sa imi apreciez familia si prietenul.Prietenii.

In fine,acum nu stiu daca viata mea mi se mai pare atat de groaznica,dat fiind ca nu am trecut prin ce trece ea.

Am multi,multi nervi.

O tipa d ela noi din clasa are TBc,suprise, e internata.Tam-tam hai toata clasa la control.Nu asta ma deranjeaza,ci faptu` ca mi s-a umflat mana de nu mai pot,si mi-e foarte rau.Atat am trebuie,sa am TBC ).Si cine stie cum au mai luat si altii =)).

Am luat 10 la desen;;) haha am plansa al expozitie.:))De parca te intereseaza.

Ma doare mana,si trebuie sa ies in oras urgent la 19378 de cumparaturu 8-|.

Sa ne vedem cu bine,fara TBC ).

Nu stiu de ce rad,important e ca mi se pare amuzant.

                                                 Roxanne.

Fiind prezenta la balul bobocilor ,impartasesc anumite impresii,pentru ca Andu si Roxana nu au fost.Nici Mihai cred.:))

Deci,in afara faptului ca a fost caldura,aglomeratie si m-am ofticat enorm=)) nimic nou.

Bine,spre final ,seara mea a prins culoare ;;). Nu conteaza,ai mei stiu. [cand spun ai mei,ma refer la colegii de blog,sau majoritatea din ei].

Oricum,nu stiu cat de corect a fost,nici nu  ma intereseaza,nu am participat,nu ma doare.In fine,urez felicitari lui Manuuu si Madalinei(parca asa o cheama).

In rest,ne mai auzim si alta data ca maine plec la Slobozia.Deci nu,chiar nu mai vreau.Nu mai pot.

Noapte buna :*.

xoxo.

Bun venit mie!

1.Multumesc celorlalti colegi de blog ca m-au primit. [fac cinste sambata]

2.Promit ca voi aduce cat mai multe posturi.

3.O rog pe Roxana sa nu mai fie suparataaaa,oficial.

4.Roxana e Roxana,iar eu sunt Roxanne.

Asta e primu` post. >:D<

‘Roxanne’

Jordan and her Man/Girl/Tranny?

Ok so Alex seems to be quite comfortable with all the name calling and admitting that he does actually love to dress up in womans clothes, well why shouldnt he?…What seems silly to me is , theres no way atie was actually really “ok” with all of it, She just faked a united front with her man, so she didn’t look stupid and get laughed at. Thats for sure!. She has been dying to dump Alex , but if she does it will give her bad publicity and hassle for dumping him just because of his Roxanne tendencies.  I think everyone can see through her decision to stay with Alex by far. Each to their own thats what i say but this post isnt actually just about the fact that Alex dresses in skirts etc, its more about Katie pretending that she is a tri-sexual, which she isn’t at all and seems nowadays to be a prude. On Graham Norton she claimed to love the fact that he dresses as a woman and said she even dressed him up herself. Shes jumped on the bandwagon to be liked by a wider audience, when really the idea of the whole thing probably repulses her. I guess she’d rather die than admit it though, plus if she did admit to hating the idea of it she feels Peter would get the last laugh. Saying “haha youre Lad turned out to be a cross dresser haha u sure ppick em do ya Katie?!”  And theres no way Katie wants Peter to get the last laugh. But even then it wouldnt be the last laugh would it? i mean shes bound to do so much more stuff to make Pete laugh at her. Shes just an idiot and a fake as far as im concerned. Anything is a headline for her and to me thats just keeping her career afloat lol. Time to dissapear Katie. U not think so?

I went and asked on Twitter and Facebook about what movies from peoples childhood that they remembered most and always will. Here’s the list:

Pretty in Pink
The Never Ending Story
Ghostbusters
Die Hard
Commando
The Warriors
Flight of the Navigator
Short Circuit
Dark Crystal
All Dogs Go to Heaven
Cool World
Lost Boys
Trading Places
Return to Oz
Full Metal Jacket
Princess Bride
Labyrinth
Batteries Not Included
Hook
Tron
This Is Spinal Tap
The Goonies
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Big
Back to the Future
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
WarGames
Poltergeist
Blues Brothers
Ruthless People
Throw Momma From The Train
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Baby Boom
D.A.R.Y.L.
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
Explorers
Field of Dreams
Gremlins
The Burbs
Innerspace
Legend
Splash
Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan
Cocoon
Roxanne
Weird Science
Breakfast Club
Twilight Zone – The Movie
Stakeout
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Critters
Money Pit

From a few of the movies on the list I can gather that some people have a somewhat scary childhood. Also I know that some of the films are from the 90s but sure people were children then as well.

Przez niemal 25 lata mojego życia udało mi się zgromadzić całkiem pokaźną kolekcję płyt CD. Smutna prawda jest jednak taka, że ostatnimi czasy przerzuciłem się na muzykę w wersji elektronicznej. Discman przegrał z odtwarzaczem MP3. Moje płyty stały na półce i zbierały kurz. Ostatnio jednak coś mnie tknęło i postanowiłem swoje ulubione albumy, których dawno nie słuchałem, zdigitalizować i wrócić do nich, aby sprawdzić, czy “stara miłość nie rdzewieje”, a przy okazji sprawdzić, czy nie znajdę jakiejś ciekawej muzyki do “Masztalerza”. I wiecie co? Nie przerzuciłem jeszcze połowy moich zbiorów a już wiem, że był jeden z moich lepszych pomysłów

Płyta “All This Time” Stinga (jedna z pierwszych odkopanych ) to album niezwykły. Nie tylko dlatego, że zawiera nietypowe aranżacje największych przebojów artysty, ale przede wszystkim dlatego, że została nagrana 11.09.2001 roku. Wszyscy muzycy biorący udział w koncercie, który miał miejsce w Il Palagio we Włoszech, wiedzieli o zamachu na WTC. Sting nawet zastanawiał się nad odwołaniem imprezy, ale wszyscy jego muzycy postanowili zagrać pomimo tragicznych wydarzeń w Nowym Jorku i koncert się odbył. Został on zadedykowany ofiarom ataku.

Już w pierwotnym zamyśle utwory przygotowane na ta płytę były zaaranżowane na nowo, w dużo spokojniejszym stylu. Bliżej temu albumowi miało być do płyt “Unplugged” niż do klasycznych koncertówek.  Sam Sting przyznał jednak, że w związku z wydarzeniami w USA klimat wieczoru znacząco różnił się od pierwotnych zamierzeń. Był bardziej nostalgiczny, smutniejszy. Słychać to bardzo dobrze we wszystkich utworach. Dla mnie ten album jest idealny na jesień. Ale raczej, żeby się zadumać i wyciszyć niż aby poprawić sobie humor.

Szczególnie z tego albumu polecam cztery utwory: “Roxanne” (świetna wersja), “Mad About You” (jeden z moich ulubionych utworów Stinga), “Moon Over Bourbon Street” i “Fields of Gold”.

Jeżeli tak jak lubicie Stinga, ta płyta na pewno Was nie zawiedzie!

A na koniec jeszcze jedna ciekawostka – Sting grający na lirze w jednym z odcinków “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” (bardzo fajnego serialu, który jednak nie cieszył się ogromna popularnością i został zdjęty):

CNN—Rep. Joe Wilson’s wife Roxanne has been diagnosed with swine flu, the congressman’s office confirmed to CNN on Thursday.

The South Carolina Republican who gained instant notoriety in September for shouting “You lie!” at the president told The Hill newspaper on Thursday that he plans to keep his distance from his wife when he returns home this weekend.

Wilson said he plans to get the H1N1 vaccination soon, but only after “the majority of the American people” receive it.


More @

Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Roxanne Frederick

The sun rose for our family on March 27, 1989: My baby sister was born on this date. The sun set on October 21, 2006: My baby sister died on this date. My baby sister’s name was Roxanne Frederick, and she was only seventeen years old when she passed. When Roxanne died suddenly, it was incomprehensible to me. The pain that I felt was inconsolable. I found out the hard way that there is no easy way to overcome the sadness of a loss.

Richard Frederick (Daddy)

Three years ago, my father, Richard Frederick, and my step-mother, Theresa Frederick, were devastated because their child died in a tragic car accident. I can safely conjecture that the death of a child is by far the most tragic loss that one can experience. Their grief was acute; their emotions were raw.  They were trying just to make it through the day on their feet. We were all trying to just make it through the pain. We couldn’t believe that Roxanne was gone.

Roxanne Frederick was an angel here on earth. Roxanne had a very loving personality, and she touched everyone who was blessed enough to walk on her path. It is difficult to comprehend, but I believe that there is a reason why God takes the kindhearted so early. I have to believe that Roxanne completed her mission for God; and quite frankly, she was just ready to escape the hell that is here on earth. I believe that Heaven couldn’t wait any longer. God wanted Roxanne to be by His side.

Theresa (left), April (center), Roxanne (right)

God gave Roxanne a lot of love. I mean a lot of it! Roxanne, in turn, gave everyone in her life an altruistic love: Altruistic love is spiritual, selfless, and unconditional. Roxanne shared her love with her family, friends, and her church community. Our beloved sister, April Morton, wrote in the obituary: “She always had a beautiful smile on her face and the inner beauty to match; and whether you were up for it or not she greeted everyone with a big kiss and hug!”

Regrets! I think everyone feels that they have unfinished business with Roxanne. My regret is that I didn’t tell Roxanne how much I loved her while she was alive. However, it is never too late to tell your deceased loved one that you love her. I sent my love up to Heaven, and I said a tearful good-bye at her congested funeral.

Foxy Roxy

Roxanne accomplished a lot in her seventeen years here on earth. She was always looking for a creative outlet in which to invest herself. She enjoyed dancing, singing, playing the piano, and acting. She was blessed to have a cameo role in the movie “Crossover,” which was filmed in Detroit, Michigan. Roxanne had many aspirations. I believe that she would’ve made it to Hollywood had she lived long enough. However, Hollywood wasn’t in God’s plan. I’m still proud of my baby sister, for she realized her dream in her movie debut.

The Sony Pictures movie, “Crossover,” was released on September 1, 2006. Eva Pigford, Wayne Brady, Anthony Mackie, Alicia Jai Fears, Lil JJ and Wesley Jonathan starred in the movie. This movie is about underground street basketball, the players, and the cheerleaders. Roxanne was happy to meet the many stars of “Crossover.” Roxanne was a star in her own right.

My fondest memory of Roxanne took place at a family reunion. Roxanne was a great talent. She loved singing karaoke with Daddy. Daddy set up a karaoke machine at the family reunion. No one wanted to be the first to sing so Daddy persuaded his five girls to break the ice with the first song.  Daddy chose the song; he selected “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge. The music started. The best singers in the family were Doreen, April, and Roxanne. You would think that the best singers would just take over and smash that song. However, Doreen, April, Roxanne, and Mona were inaudible. I realized that my squeaky lone voice was howling at the moon. Suddenly, I panicked. I looked at each of my sisters for comfort. Roxanne was the only one who looked back at me with those pretty hazel eyes. I knew in that moment that she was coming to my rescue. Roxanne raised her soothing voice. Roxanne saved that song, and Daddy saved face at the family reunion.

The most unforgettable memory took place at April’s wedding. My sister, April, was by far the most beautiful bride that I had ever seen. Roxanne was, without a doubt, the most beautiful bridesmaid. Their makeup was flawless; their hair was perfect; and their nails were freshly manicured. Their dresses made them both look like fairy-tale princesses. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was so proud of all of the Frederick girls, for their beauty on the outside truly matched their beauty on the inside. Watching Roxanne give a toast at the wedding reception brought me to tears. The level of maturation that Roxanne had achieved was simply a gift from God. All of the performances by Roxanne were magical, and her eloquent toast was no different. I must confess that I envied her talent, poise, and beauty.

I miss Roxanne. However, Roxanne will always be inextricably linked to the living. She lives on inside of each one of us. I got all my sisters with me!

Rachel(left), Mona(center), Doreen(center), Roxanne(right), April(seated)

Peace and Love,

Rachel Araya