My Missing Time...Letter

Hi  Friends,

Everyone deserves to know my reason for disappearing on this blog.  I have not felt like writing  and hope everyone will understand. My time in Florida was both wonderful and challenging.


We all have lived in a fantasy land of wanting to believe that something is true and find out otherwise. This revelation can be very pointed and poisonous.  My reason for going to Florida was to complete a promise made to my Father before his death. It has been completed and did my part to follow his wish.

I had the opportunity to meet some great new friends,have wonderful experiences and enjoy the beach. Watched the Blue Angels fly overhead almost everyday. The year opened many doors and dead bolted some that needed to be locked. Thank you for understanding my MIA routine and looking forward to writing again.

Kind Regards,

Robyne xoxoxoxox

The Beauty of Wal-Mart and Reality Shows

The site  People of Walmart displays a real example of the American population to the world. On the site, people share the photos of “OMG did they really look like that” pics . This has made the website a lot of  money and people everywhere feel  a little better about themselves.

 On my recent trip to Wal-Mart, I briefly thought, maybe I should dress up and change out of my house cleaning clothes. Nope, I went as is, looking less than an advertisement in a magazine. It is ok, everyone else did too.

You walk in the door to pick up a few things and leave with a basket full. The price is worth the pain. This is why we return over and over again. We are paying lower prices for a reason,look around  the store, you quickly get the concept. You shop here because  it is cheaper,not less expensive,cheaper. There is a difference. The displays cost less, racks less, and they pay the staff less. Not a bad deal ,millions do it everyday around the world. In other words, you help yourself.

You can even check yourself out but would miss one of the best perks,the magazines. The covers scream "read me" while the kids in front of you pitch a fit  for candy. They make an easy distraction from the whining. Thank You Wally- World for this freebie. It is complimentary, due to wonderful efficacy of your many talented cashiers. I am sure they are great people, but a lot of them need a new job, somewhere.  Yes, there are times when everyone is thankful we don't have "that job". It happens about the time we pass though  the exit door with a grocery cart. Enough of that and back to the magazines......

 They are designed to share the knowledge of anything with the world at the turn of a page. Catch up with the Kardashians, new fashions and  find out who is cheating on whom. As a society we  love following anything that makes our lives appear more interesting or fun.

Within five minutes of snooping, you can make a list of people whose family you don’t want to be in and everyone to feel sorry for. Are they really getting divorced and she only gets 12.million for a settlement?  This list can be a long one, if you need more, just pick up another one.

The media gives us something to think about other than our boring and mundane lives.I recall the days of wanting to be Erica on the All My Children soap opera. She had it all. beauty, a crazy sex life, money and a list of successful husbands. I know this was just a fantasy life carried out on the air waves. Did I use it to replace mine? The one being a single parent with two children busting my butt to make a living with no child support. You betcha!

The days of soaps have been replaced by reality shows. A little more real and a lot more scandal. You can watch sixteen and pregnant or a hot housewife wanting to escape her boring husband. Lets face it ladies, most of you did not get the lavish lifestyle because you look like a troll. The hot doctor in rehab will help you detoxify and give you plastic surgery advice at the same time.

 What is not to love about reality TV? Ask Snookie, or Dennis Rodmanand they will tell you, reality  TV creates and revives careers. When you are really good, the Donald can make you an apprentice. Gotta love the Donald. I hope he runs for President. The country will have an attractive White House staff .

 There seems to be something about watching others that keeps us sane. In a crazy way , watching  the celebs getting  married, divorced, having  a baby, getting fat and suffering from botched plastic surgery appears to makes us feel more human. Celebs make money off of our curiosity. Who would not like to know the truth about  Angelina and Brad behind closed doors?

 Do I still want to be Erica ? Of course, but all good things come to an end. The show was cancelled and her dream life went into TV history. Will I ever have the $10,000 dresses and million dollar cars? Not in this lifetime. Wal-Mart is on the list for today….Wonder what is going on in the world? Will let you know after checking out!

From my Beauty book...A look inside the world of cosmetics...

This is a chapter from my new book... being edited please excuse the typos:)


The Gold Diggers of High End Retail

There are platinum prone women who take a job in cosmetics for one purpose, to find a new wealthy husband. Most of the GD’s are not sweet young things seeking a sugar daddy. They are middle age women who are accustomed to a certain lifestyle and crave it at all costs. Living in “Greed land” they enjoy stair stepping to bigger bank accounts with each divorce.

The race of delusional is on when Mr. Rich walks in the door. It is fun to watch them prowl like cats, jumping over $3.000 handbags, hoping the others don’t snag him first. Each GD has their own rules, time schedule and expectations. Most include no cooking, cleaning, laundry and a maid must be provided during the relationship. They only seek “financial generosity" in a partner. Let me make this clear, she does like him as a person, in some form. He might have beautiful eyes or something like that….

Break out the tissues and waterproof mascara for this story.

Miss Flashy has been married 5 times and working on number 6 with great diligence. She has been working on the Ave several years hoping that the next credit card application will produce a good catch. Life is all about the income section and gold digging is a numbers game. On this mission, it is important to work as close to the men’s fragrance department as possible.

A typical scenario, Mr. Nice comes to the counter and shrikes up a conversation. She flashes a flirty veneered middle age smile and reluctantly (so he thinks) provides her phone number, He calls quickly and plans a lunch meeting during the same week. Dinners at a swanky restaurants and small gifts soon follow. You know, roses arrive at the counter and the game is on.

There is no sex at this point, she is a smart lady. Most women jump at the chance to bed a man of his stature in life. Miss Flashy must appear different from all the other women in order to catch her man. This cycle continues for a few weeks.

In desperation to spend “quality time together”, Mr. Nice plans a weekend trip. In other words, she has made him sex less and he is ready to seal the deal. He chooses a city with variety of things to do and a big bed for sex. Chicago and New York are always the two favorite options. In his mind, both cities are fun and give them a chance to “bond”. The only bonding she wants is with his wallet. Shopping is on the list of priorities with a cash preference.

In her mind, the rule is simple, dollars determine sex. Make no mistake about it, no spending and Mr. Nice will have a miserable trip. Miss Flashy expects to walk away with at least a few thousand dollars in merchandise. What does she do with most of it? Return it to the local high end retailer with receipt and get cash back. If he is using a credit card, she will select things to keep.

On return from the trip she will arrive with new bling and ready to tell the entire department all the juicy details. This includes sex and a bedroom ranking against the others. Included in the dramatic reenactment are her thoughts on dumping or “keeping him forever”.

The relationships last until the cash runs dry or he figures out the game. If everything is going as planned and he ends it, she is devastated. Tissue time here, tears flow and there will never be another man for her. Somehow the next month always brings a new one.

Before you hate on her to much, there are also male gold diggers too. The hot young guy, who waits on you, could be after your wallet. The difference seems to be young men go after married older women.They want to be boy toys for the rich or famous. This allows them to get their hands on the goodies. What better place to find them in high end retail?

 Ladies regularly purchase multiple bottles of men’s fragrance. At first, I was naive and thought they were for her husband. Mrs. Robinson is quick to point out that one is for him and the others are for boy friends.

All is fair in love and cosmetics.

Copyright © 2014 by Robyne Highsmith. All rights reserved.

Hello, my name is Death

There comes a time in every life where you have to stare death in the face. Death is defined as the end of life, the time when someone or something dies, the ending of a particular person's life, the permanent end of something that is not alive. The ruin or destruction of something.

Death can be the end of life, divorce, job change or another permanent change. Through this experience you come to a realization that you're mortal and that death is inevitable. It opens a door to a path unseen.


We all know that time is limited. Each person is given the same 24 hours to live each day. Living is different for all of us. Some choose to spend life as a workaholic while others enjoy time with various activities. Is there really a right or wrong way to live?


Most people spend  time with those who matter most to you. Time creeps on and it becomes increasingly more valuable. I feel it is important to consider people who spend their lives making memories with you. In some ways you owe them good things to think about. Strange thing about memories, they become stronger or disappear with age.

Death in any form,can bring about wisdom to share with others who will listen. Until you have touched it squarely in the face, you can’t teach others the miracle it holds. It allows you to close a door, toss fears in the wind and allow others to live their life fully again. Leave nothing unsaid because you might never get the chance again. .

Life is really about sharing laughs. tears and being kind to people in the world. Does anything else really matter?

The Desperado Illusion

Every time I blog ,more of myself appears. I remember the Robyne who once was and writing brings me just a little closer to the person I hope to become. Decided to let go of some dreams, but instead of losing them, God is returning them along with some long forgotten ones riding side saddle.

We all can create a laundry list of failure experienced in this life.The good, the bad and "what was I thinking "decisions.They hide in our minds and influence the person we are at this point .Fear creates the "need " to  not pursue what we really want. Is there really failure or was it just a learning experience to get where we need to be?

The word Desperado held the illusion of freedom from an early age. All freedom comes with a price, one very few are willing to pay.  The ability to escape on so many levels,avoid confinement and  the accepted view of normality.

The older you get, the reality of a shortened life and ticking clock slaps you in the face. In youth, time is forever. It takes time to build a life and birth the talents each holds. In reality, talents or gifts are just perception. They are born out of  the desire to think out of the box and view the world differently. 

In childhood, Desperado became my theme song of life. 

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
You been out ridin' fences for so long now
Oh, you're a hard one
I know that you got your reasons
These things that are pleasin' you
Can hurt you somehow ......

There are some fences to check...Care to join me?

Understanding A Gypsy Soul

We all know "Gypsy Souls", people full of dreams and adventure. They find most things to be mundane and boring. The untamed spirit needs occasional mischief to see a glimmer of hope or brightness. A strange beauty surrounds them.

Living as a Gypsy feels is like standing in the doorway of a huge medieval castle. You have a chain of keys but none fit the lock. The large wooden door challenges you creating a rage inside. The waiting can be painful and torturous. The keys could fit another castle,maybe you should search for the match.

Silence is the loudest noise in your head. The quiet allows you time to think and plot. Boredom sets in quickly in a world that never knows your secrets. Just like the castle, memories are locked behind a closed door. They creep out when opened but are never really exposed.

They are a good study of people. Many  appear to  have  intuition without reason, a knowledge that defies any interpretation. Lying words mean nothing; it only confirms the true nature of the people you are dealing with.

The creative mind provides the world you choose to live in. It writes paints and creates things totally with imagination. Remember daydreaming out of the window in school? You were in another place and time. Gypsies can live behind the wardrobe trying to escape the White Witch for hours.Time is of no relevance .

Most are never super rich but mega blessed. Money is not a passion and you grow to dislike the power it holds. Living in a massive house with all the gadgets under the sun has no importance. The million dollar life people desire to possess includes a ball and chain.

On Facebook and social media, we define people by their posts. We all struggle to be normal in society. Look around you today, everyone from the street musician  to the CEO work on making the journey their own. My advice: follow your heart, not your desire. They are different things, if you listen closely, you will hear.

During the past two months I have been reflecting a lot about "last year at this time". An attempt to define or reach a stronghold in life has sent  me down a series of roads. Each very different and winding into a web of life. I shall never stop my  journey….

The Jetsons and Flintstones Get Hacked At Target

Do you remember the Jetsons cartoons? It aired in 1962-1963 as a prime time show and was the first color TV show featured on the ABC network. The Jetsons were a  family residing in Orbit city. Life  in 2062 consisted of a skyline apartment, flying cars, Rosie the robot maid, and Astro the dog. They provided escape from the daily reality of drugs, war, and free love. This was a world most people thought would never exist,a cartoon at best. Were they really that far off?

We wake up to the cell alarm of our choice,the coffee pot smell arouses us with hope, and  gadgets provide our attractive appearance for work. There are cars that help park , warm your seat and even give you a massage on the way to work. We arrive and start the day off at work with email and communications. You get the idea...

Average is a big word , is there really such a thing? People spend their time differently year by year. In 2012,stats show the typical office job requires 6-8 hours a day on a computer. Most  drivers spend  2-2.5 hours in a car .According to Facebook data , users average 46 minutes per day on the site.

 Everything has both a positive and negative. Online is the top place to receive misinformation, and some slaps of reality. People can write anything they want (total lies) and millions of people will think it is true. A good example, celebrity death hoaxes. The scary part, important factual  information can be misconstrued as well.

Are old fashioned communication "ways" gone forever? People text each other, talking is out of date. You email the office next door , buy online and many people live in an isolated online virtual world. This is changing the way we live faster than ever before in history. Many students no longer have books, they use e-readers. Cursive writing is no long taught in many schools.

 Technology can be very invading of our lives .Reality is, if George or Fred shopped at Target (with most of America)during the holidays  ... Have you checked your Target bill for hackers this month?