What a Winter? Good-bye Miss January!!

I think a summer cold has jumped on me, it must be, because Winter has visited someone else.
No coat has graced my back, no hats, mittens or Jack Frost, it's been balmy.
Sure there have been a few chilly days, but not crawl back in the bed, cold!!!
The rain and gray skies have been been hanging on, but "take me to Jesus" cold days, nil.
Winter and I, are like oil and water, not a good combo. You would think my spirits would have remained, semi-normal? No,no,no you see January alone, is not a good month. I can not explain it. I know it has something to do with short days, not as much light, bad TV shows, I am at a loss. It just beats me down, cold or not!!! So happy January 31st!!! Its almost over, and I feel giddy. February even sounds better, say it out loud. Pucker your lips, it rolls off your tongue, awesome. A month of Love,love love, Glee is doing Michael Jackson tonight and Ferris Bueller is making a new commercial!! Thinking about Bueller, Bueller, Bueller, makes me ecstatic. I just started a new book about John-John Kennedy, Fairy Tale Interrupted, yummy. Just finished reading The Long Run, by Mishka Shubaly, very good. Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman remarkable, and The Journal of Best Practices, by David Finch, life altering. I guess January was not so empty after all, but I bid you adieu just the same!!!

Me Bossy?

Well maybe a little bossy??but bossy pants? Yes that would be me, but in a good way. My way!! Honestly I think it may be genetic, and if it's not??that is OK also. I have tried to curb it for years, and then things fall apart. Bossy pants have served me well. You know in the south we can give orders with a smile, and thank you SOOOOOooooo much without blinking an eye!! That's it, bossy is environmental!!! It also could be my birth order, number one child comes with expectations!!! All this back history of my Mary Poppins personality leads me to the book I'm reading,
Bossypants by Tina Fey. The world feels better when you know there are others out there, that may also have this wonderful character!!!
Tina Fey, is much younger than myself, yet her story seems so familiar. Laughing and highlighting every other sentence, has helped lift me from the dreaded January doldrums. I think bossy and funny may be cousins. When she tells of breaking up with a boy on her seventeenth birthday because he gave her a box of popcorn and a used battery tester, the lights went on in my brain. Yes Tina, I broke up with a boy because he gave me Avon for Christmas and chewed too much Juicy Fruit gum!!!! that's not bossy, that's good judgment. I too agree that gay people do not try and convert us, it is those Jehovah witness bunch. Again, I'm with you sister, I do not like to smell grimness on people, or embrace people in cults!! You talk about having one long white pubic hair, I have not looked "down under" in years, but you got me to thinking. We cannot worry about the "shit nuggets" Shit happens, and we learn to let go!!
You have written a jewel, made me howl, and reminded me of so many stories of bossy-ness, that have shaped me. Love,love,love this book, READ IT!!! OMG Iam bossy!!!

The Year Of The Dragon???

I celebrate all holidays, Chinese New Year included!!! I was born under the sign of the dragon, and according to Chinese fortune cookie!! Dragon very lucky!!!!
In January I will hitch my mood to anything that will lift me out of the belly of the beast!!! Fireworks and paper lanterns, and a huge dragon parade, point me in the direction of eight billion people.
Dismal rain, and fog, hang on like a toddler, and January has too many days. I work hard to foster contentment, January murders any joy that I can find. So I turn the pages of any book with answers, or a story that will make me forget. While wrapped up, like a pig in a blanket, I read my grief book. Every page is flagged, each word has helped heal me. January 6th entry, touched my sour dragon heart. A quote by Vincent van Gogh- the best way to love God, is to love many things.
Now I have a plan, today I will concentrate on love. I love my protein bar, and Nadal playing tennis. I love my bedroom slippers, and strong coffee. I love so many things, he was right, minus an ear!!! or was that a different artist?? I love that I know just enough, and can laugh at myself.
This January day, the Dragon Very Lucky!!!

Just A QB

I knew at some point, Timmy T, would roll into my blog. This big boy in Denver, has been the topic of global conversation. I have watched him for years take other teams to their knees, and now he is on his knees? Before the game, in the locker room, beside your bed, in church, but after every play? he is praying, its lost its holiness!!! His actions speak his faith, the way he lives is a witness to so many.Hitting the turf too many times for the lord, is getting creepy. Separation of church and state, includes football.I think its in the constitution??? Don't get me wrong, I love Tim Tebow. I happen to think he is a good quarterback, and a roll model for all ages. Tebowmania is refreshing, in this day and time, honestly it heavenly!!!! To blow this out of the water, is a disservice to him. He is just a kid, who believes Jesus is his rock, not a bad thing. The tebowing, maybe a tad much. My bracelet that reads, What would Tebow do? Ouch, blasphemy!!! What Saturday Night
Live, and Jimmy Fallon has done, took me to my knees laughing, I think god does enjoy a good joke, he does walk with us you know!!!! Jesus in tube socks, that is hilarious. We just have to enjoy the ride with this boy, have a little faith.
My prayer for today, " Timmy, Auntie Bonnie wants you to be safe, and make me proud, I do not care if you win." " Tim-bo, that is a lie, do what you do best, pray and part the waters if you need to!!!"

A Story To Tell

Hollis Gillespie, my mentor writing teacher, said that if you write you will offend someone!!!! My idea of funny may not match another, keep writing. My heartache may not interest others from this world, write on. Typically a personal blog is just that, personal. Elie Wiesel spoke of whomever survives a test, whatever it may be, must tell the story. That is his or her duty. My short snippets of my daily life, do not hold the horrors of the Holocaust, just a story, my story.
This weekend I learned of a classmates death. Richard Cohee, was my friend. In fact he was a friend to all of us. Few people can traverse all groups of people in high school, Richard did. We called him Dickey Cohee, both names, it rolled off your tongue so easily. At one of our reunions, after a sweet hug, he told me, that I did not have to call him Dickey anymore!!!! I reminded him, that he was Dickey Cohee, and would forever be that to me. Richard was the name of a grown man, and I never saw any grown man called Richard!!! Forty years after high school, at our reunion hoopla, there was Dickey Cohee sweet as ever. The smile, from ear to ear, puffing on a big cigar, leaning in for a big smooch from me, and others. Dickey Cohee was my last date before I was married. We laughed so long and hard, I vividly remember howling over stories that we shared with each other. Of course we were young, there may had been other things shared, like a drink?? Some stories will remain MINE!!!
When I learned of his death, I screamed his name, his precious name. He will always be Dickey Cohee to me and I will cherish my story of knowing him.

2012 All Day Long

My Emma said, "Mom, why do you always wear black?" Hmmm........pondered my few brain cells that are clicking. " Because!!!!" " Because, it's my favorite color, and I'm saying good-bye to 2011, and.....Steve Jobs was a very smart man!!" Black turtle neck, jeans or khaki pants, perfect uniform, makes me happy, enough said!!!
Life can be so hard, and after the loss of our son, harder. I have to will myself to live a full and happy life, it's work and Satan's kingdom must come down!!!! I love clothes, all kinds of clothes, shoes, the works!! I have a summer and winter closet, so why the Steve Jobs look?? Sometimes, I just cannot think about things!! In 2011 or in this new 2012, black turtleneck, jeans and new Ugg slippers, I'm a happy person!!! I am grateful for almost every second of every day. The few seconds that suck, I just block out anyway!!!! So this new year, I welcome with open arms. Wishing others strength to live their lives with joy, and a basic black shirt.

Note-above photos were not done by a professional!!!