Trials in Life, This is Nothing New

   I do not know if you are a political person. A spiritual person, a rock star or the postman, matters none. I hope you are a good human, a very smart, kind, educated, flawed, GOOD HUMAN. AND..if you are not....fix it.
  There is a trial going on in Washington, D.C. and maybe you have seen it, or heard about it.
  I'm sure it cost a lot of money, and its shameful. Both parties, I just have a bad taste in my mouth over this ordeal. I promise you, I have seen very little, but what I have seen, has stayed with me.
You see behind each speaker, there is a giant black, veined hunk of marble/granite that I tune into each day. I wonder where did they get it, who decided on this piece, and I want to touch it.
It is beautiful, strong, a masterful chunk of rock, that has my heart. I want each person, to turn around and look at this thing behind you.
Before each side speaks, take your finger and follow the lines on this marble, where do they go?
This is the earth, that you both have forgotten about.
Lay on it, lick it, if needed. She tells a story, and you all are not listening.
Trials are a part of everyday life. We have all been lied to, hood-winked, cajoled, scared, thrilled, loved, bullied, guided, each morning there is a new trial. We are young and old, in-between those ages, trial after trial and we learn, or don't.
This is not new.
We have had trials on TV before, impeached people before.
Have you ever spent a minute looking at the black marble??
Fatigue and illness, those are trials, in every day homes.
This is a trial of our country, maybe the world, its pretty vulgar and huge.
I think we all need to take turns, sitting in a senate seat, pondering the truth. Do we know what the truth is? Does it matter anymore? I think so, but what matters more, is you are not seeing the black marble. You have to look at both sides, research, learn, vote your heart and mind. Open your eyes, we have so much to lose, it may be gone already.
Only one planet, that I happen to be on, I need people to pay attention. Invest in your home, your people, all different kinds of people. We are not all right, or wrong. We have to try and at least be good, fair and honorable. We have to see it all, and make a good choice about our decisions.
Have you seen the trial? Did you see the black marble?
A simple question, varied are the answers.
Take a look, learn, listen, be a part of the solution.
and I know there is a story behind this piece of beauty, somebody tell it, before its all destroyed and gone. The marble or the people? Maybe both? I see a connection, and a disconnect, go look.

Show Up and Show Out - Billy Porter

Put your Kinky Boots on, and just suck it up!
That is my winter mantra.
I have very little complaints, because it has been rather warmish, so I have nothing to say.

When it comes to gathering stories, writers have no shame - Cassandra Conroy
Shameless, and full of material.

I love reading in the winter, and naps, and the mysterious way light enters my house.

I put many photos on facebook, so I don't feel the need to repeat here. Just know magic happens in the afternoon winter light at my house in Georgia.

The light shows up and shows out, around corners, slivers of dancing light, peeping in at me.
It is just delightful. So I don't have to ask you to "witness my tragic moment" again Billy Porter.
I seem to be hanging pretty sweet this January day, nearly 70 degrees today, and that my friends, is doable. ( I did notice, next Sunday, high hovers around 45, so enjoy this sweet post while you can)

Have started to read The Water Dancer, twice now. Ta-Nehisi Coates, I like, but this book has be baffled. ( I may follow Purlotta's advice and listen to it!)
Troublesome Creek by Michele Richardson, three pages in, may be good??I will let you know.
Keep It Moving by Twyla Tharp, is a masterpiece. All women, go get this book, now, and hang on.
( men could read it too, buttttttt maybe I am just speaking to my girls today) ( mom that includes you)
Ms T says that you can shuffle along carefully, or you can dance. We are all dancers. We have to move and expand, not shrink and contract, at any age.
Perspective always reduces our misfortunes to more manageable proportions.
The TRY is everything!! All these are her words
I love that, The TRY!! Show up and Show out, however you want to say it. Keep moving.
Stamina is a choice, not a birthright.
Endurance is a combination of willpower, focus, intention, and grit-essentially a matter of character and mental toughness. Twyla words of wisdom.
Is there a shelf life for anticipation?? NO, NO and NO. As we age we should still anticipate beauty, magic, feeling strong, music, nature, there is no shelf life for anticipation peeps!!
Fear is dirty fuel. Matisse wrote, " My destination is always the same but I work out different routes to get there." ( all of these words are coming from this book)
We age, just take a different route to health and happiness. ( my words)
Believing we cannot change our outcome leads to lethargy, Stagnation is horrible, move all your cells.
Show up to work, or retirement, with a purpose, adaptation. Make your obstacles your collaborators.
Genius words!!
You know I believe in dancing, whenever and however you do it. My friends and I, ( most of them) will be first on the floor, and last to leave.
Your body has been entrusted to you, let it dance. Keep trying, reach out, devote your life to something wonderful, or change it. ( now you will just have to figure out, which words are mine or Twylas)
Age is no excuse for inaction, or the term finished. NEVER. My grandchild, Wyatt, age 3, keeps me popping Tylenol, but boy does he take me on an adventure in movement. Just this week, exploring the jungles of our back yard, he told me he saw an Alligators tail, under some rocks!! I told him to just let the alligator rest, don't touch him. We continued turning over rocks, to see what we could find, and I let his imagination soar. We both kept moving and learning from each other I also had to prove to him that all leaves are not dog poop, and pine cones are our friends, but that story is for another day.
We are writers, sculptors or our lives, get working.
Master Cellist Pablo Casals was asked late in his life, "Why practice at age ninety-one?' " Because Iam making progress" was his answer.
Bend in the Wind, dance is any motion, do it. Age is not the enemy, stagnation is the enemy.
Creative lives come to us, who stop waiting.
My creative, and yours, most likely are very different. That is right and awesome.
Billy Porter, my spirit animal, one of many, speaks to me, along with my dancing guru Twyla, Show Up, Show Out, Shake what your momma gave you, sing and enjoy your January.
It is a beautiful day, in my neighborhood, and I include you, with love.

Echo In The Canyon

Jacob Dylan/Netflix/Echo In The Canyon

I just was Marie Kondoing my barge and came across this note to self.
Remind the masses to watch Echo In The Canyon, at least my generation. Truly any music people would probably enjoy the ride. Huge part of my listening skills came from this time period, of course I was a baby!! Well maybe pretty near these old peoples ages, my people, my music, my time.
Now a note to daddy.
Daddy,
    Linda Ronstadt had a special on last night, I can't remember the name of it, something about her voice, I know, Duh!!
    I watched with you, I know you were listening with me. You loved her bare feet and voice of magic. You would call me anytime she was on the tube, saying, " Bonnie, come here, you gotta see this girl. Now that is music." It did not matter how many times, she was on TV yo would holler, as if I had never seen her. And I, as a good child, (yes!!I was) would come running and agree with you on this girl of magnificent skills. You would say, she could sing, country, opera, pop, folk rock, the phone book, and it was the truth. I have loved her, with you through the ages. She is old, like me, daddy, and her voice is gone. I was thinking since you are probably near something godly now, you could mention that your daughter, still on earth, would like Linda Ronstadt's voice, if it is floating around in the heavens. ( Now, I don't understand, taking something like that away from someone, you can discuss that with God also?? I know you had several questions, add that to the list)
Back to me, even for an hour, a day or forever, could you just ask, for her ( God has to be a woman!)
to send me a good singing voice? And do not mention, as you so often did to me, that I sounded like a fart in a bucket!!!! It may make you look bad, maybe "they" don't understand your humor yet, although who made you?? I guess they know. Maybe run the questions by some angels, and see what our odds are. I just want to sing daddy, and maybe move like Jagger, but I'm just asking for the singing right now. See what you can do. I miss you, and our debates on everything. I know you are good, let us hear from you from time to time. Mom is good, she just needs to come here, she is a tad hardheaded, and we always thought it was all you!!! Kiss Ward, Tommy and Trudy for me, and so many others that we love, that are all over the place. I know people were not your favorite thing, but surely in a spiritual form, you can be welcoming. If not I'm sure there is a quiet cloud space, for you somewhere. Ask for directions, that may require a miracle!! I will give you a few days, but I will be practicing.
          Love,
    Number One Daughter
    Favorite child
    Bonnie