Which means just about everyone in the U.S. but ME is out shopping. {Hi Mom..hope you got some deals and returned home in one piece}.
I'm skipping, much to my dismay, Friday 55 today as the oldest furry kid had to go to the Vet and have...never mind, you don't want to know. But for the record, it was his ear. No other body parts have been... neutralized.
Plus Hubby has tendinitis in his right hand, which is not only horrible for poor him, but makes working today virtually impossible. So I'll be checking in here but need to keep an eye on "My Boys". :)
It's tradition on so many blogs to list what one is thankful for and luckily for you it's simple.
Once you get past the explanation, of course.
When I was 13, I watched a movie called "Brian's Song". Yes it was a tear jerker and the theme song can still make a lump rise in my throat. But it was before television "Disease of the Week" movies became popular. This one was about two Chicago Bears football players who were friends: one black, one white. No big deal today, but back in their day it was. The white guy dies of cancer with his friend, Gale Sayers at his bedside. After football, Sayers went on to become a motivational speaker and author. When I was 14, I read his book "I am Third". It wasn't long before you discover the meaning behind the title. Sayers believed, "God is first. My friends/family are second and I am third." It was his way of putting life in prospective and never allowing fame to get in the way.
That Christmas I requested a medallion stamped with, "I am third". I envisioned a girl-like dog tag. Mom had it engraved on a more girlie golden disk. I wore it for a couple of years. And although it now resides in my jewelry box, the sentiment stayed with me. I still try to follow the original Golden Rule of doing unto others, rather than the more modern version of "sticking it to people before they can stick it to you." And although "Them that has the gold, makes the rules" does enter my brain while looking at politicians, I still try to take the high road.
It's not always easy.
The rest is easier. Sure, friends and family can drive you insane but for the most part, they're there for you when the going gets tough. It's Thanksgiving. Let's skip the exception to the rule clause. So as I spend the day with family on Thanksgiving and celebrate my Mom turning 29 [again] and my nephew's pride at hitting the grand age of 10, I'll be thankful. Being third in the room isn't so bad if you're surrounded by people who care.
Which brings me to you.
I suppose the only "fair" way to do this is to go alphabetical by blog. At least that's how blogger did it for my daily reads. So without further ado, here's why I'm THANKFUL for YOU.
{And I'll apologize in advance for not linking all of these...the work computer eats stuff. Yes, I'm suppose to be working! But it's my lunch hour.}
AbodeOneThree: home of Matthew the transplanted Brit who has found love and life in the Land of Oz. I'm grateful for all the lessons he's learned the hard way...which he eloquently shares with us.
Dark Mutterings from Drumsleet: Ah, professor. "Blogger Zero" as it were. Most of you know Shug, a.k.a. Scottish poet Hugh McMillan, is the reason I found this playground of Blog World. I thank him for his patience, kindness and sense of humor in sending me to the dictionary until I learn how to think in "Scots".
Ken Armstrong Writing Stuff: The illustrious Playwright of Ireland, whom I think of as the guy who likes movies even more than I do, {if that's possible}. His writing always moves me. My heart and brain thank him, whilst giving him a standing ovation.
Mapstew: The Irishman I yearn to hear sing. There are times I think he may be a long lost cousin because we have so much in common when it comes to matters of the heart. Is there an O'Blush clan in your area? xxx More about the song-Rambling with Rachel: Rachel's was the first blog I read where rambling was viewed as a good thing, rather than an editor scolding me to "Keep it to 500 words!" I thank her for proving that poetry is not for the overly educated in ivory towers but for those of us who live and breathe.
Musings of Meggie: I admit it, Peggy makes me grin when life isn't fair. I don't know how she knows what kind of mood I'm in, but I'm thankful that she always manages to share something worthwhile and uplifting.
Notes from a Broken down Barman: I can see him grinning now, wondering which way I'll go with this. Life is a series of experiences, both good and bad. You can't appreciate the good if the road hasn't had a bump or two in it. I'm grateful that he allows me to see that which is foreign to me, yet still accepts me for who I am. Poetikat's Blasts from the Past: In Kat I've found another soul who remembers being a little girl, watching silly t.v., trying to believe Barbie isn't the prettiest girl in the room and realizing in spite of adolescence, we grew up just fine. Thank you for being the humorous side of growing up.
Radgery: I'm thankful that Radge has taught me how to be succinct in commenting, even if I don't always stick to it. And for showing his sentimental side from time to time, which makes me want to give him a hug. Please tell MooDog I'd be thankful if he ever posted again. He's missed.
Ramblings of the Bearded One: I'm thankful that Kim mixes in some of the funniest photos I've ever seen amidst his more serious ones. Thank you for sharing the ups and downs, and always leaving us with a picture to rival a 1000 words.
Stony River: I really do believe Susan and I were separated at birth, even though there's an 8 year gap in our ages. [No Thom, I'm the....more mature, age wise]. Well, if we stick to our alternate universe theory, it works. Susan's is the first blog I read, the place I go for comfort after horrible days because I know she'll understand. I'm thankful that, despite a full plate herself, I'm still allowed to be ME on bad days...and my sense of humor is tolerated on good ones. Besides, she's made me a better writer, for which I can never thank her enough. AND she let me adopt her son as a nephew because I always wanted to have a guy in my life with his name. How cool is that?
The Golden Fish: Stephen's blog is my moment of Zen. I have never been to a blog where I feel peaceful just...reading. And he adds the most lovely photos, words and paintings. Thanks for offering that sense of calm which engulfs me just clicking on your link.
Titus the dog: First of all, Titus is no dog. She's a lovely poet named Joanne who thinks my knowledge of American trivia is actually useful. I thank her for challenging my brain, for allowing me to speak of God without wincing and for lending me "moon-kin" in Scotland. I've always had a soft spot for red heads.
Vacant Mind: Dan's brain is anything but vacant. It's filled with the most wonderful manner of stuff he shares with us. Useful information on how to survive zombies & alien attacks, where to find ninjas to clean up messes say..at work and has shown me I'm not the only one who grocery shops and wishes people would just move out of the way and let me finish my mission. Most of all, thank you Dan for making me laugh out loud, so heartily for so long, that hubby actually comes in the room to find out what all the fuss is about. Now stop checking my comma placement and just ENJOY yourself for a moment. Or three or four. Whatever the OCD is telling you. ;)
Welcome to the Old Fart's Blog: I thank Bill for allowing me to call him "Bill" and not old fart. I'm older than he is and I don't feel like an old fart! I enjoy his photo contests and the fact that, no matter how difficult life got for him recently, he still believed good would win out, especially with God as his back up. Although the Canadians have already had Thanksgiving, I'm still wishing him a good one!
Don't feel bad if you didn't get a mention here. Thanks to "Friday 55s" and "Microfiction Mondays", my reading list is expanding to the point of explosion. Besides, I didn't think you'd want to read until NEXT Thanksgiving. If I've visited you and left a comment, you know I found you interesting and I thank you for enriching my life. I'll be back. No, that's not a threat, it's a warning.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have a birthday cake to go bake. Here's wishing that Nov. 26th is a day you can be thankful for....just because.
So Susan said, "Can you write a story in 140 characters?" And I said, "No. I can't write less than 500 words." That was before Friday 55s. And now this. Man, my previous editor would be so proud of me. Or angry. Not sure which.
Here's this weeks' photo, followed by my story.
"Double rainbow," he sputtered breathlessly, checks flushed as he pointed skyward. "You ever try to catch two leprechauns at the same time?"
Here are the answers to Thursday's post to spot "False" amongst the truth of me. If you're looking for my Friday 55, just back up one post. Thanks!
1. I have ridden an elephant. When I was 12, I spent the night with a friend and her Dad promised to take us to play Putt-Putt (a.k.a. Carpet Golf or Kiddie Golf), then to a small circus. The Putt-Putt place was closed but "Dad" was a golfer. He took 2 putters/ golf balls out of the trunk and let us play. We went across the street to the circus but we were a day early and they were just setting up. Disappointed little girls must look pitiful. A worker put us atop a baby elephant, one at a time, and walked it around a huge parking lot. The man wouldn't accept any money from "Dad". It was one of the coolest moments of childhood. Thanks Mr. Ross, wherever you are!
2. I gave a speech accusing Lincoln of being superstitious & Jefferson of being weak. As Director of Elections, I gave speeches to high school students before registering them to vote. To make a point, I said people often vote based on the information in a 30 second commercial. Without using names, I gave them 5 candidate “sound bites”, then had them vote for President. Yes, I manipulated the exercise, choosing bizarre trivia about "good" folks and career highlights for a "fallen" politician. It was fun watching their utter amazement at the good people they'd cast aside as "crazy". For the record, Lincoln wouldn’t sit at a table if it made him the 13th man. Thomas Jefferson had such a weak speaking voice he PAID someone to give his speeches as he watched. And who did they elect? Richard Nixon.
3. I worked with a temperamental illusionist known as "The Amazing Randi". (Sorry Titus, it's true). My Jr. year in college, I was Chairman of the Entertainment Committee; the title went to the person who'd do the work instead of just hanging out with the bands. One act was "The Amazing Randi". You may know him as James Randi, psychic debunker, who offers a $1 million reward to anyone who can prove that ghosts, psychics, etc. are real. The money is still unclaimed. He continues to be a thorn in the side Uri Geller, the guy who claimed to bend spoons with his mind. At Randi’s show we all learned how to "bend spoons with our mind". Google him and you’ll find a white bearded imp. (Hmmm, I feel a blog post coming on).
4. I have hearing like a dog. Weirdly true. I hear high pitches most folks can't. It’s actually annoying because it literally hurts my ears. I discovered this as a child. Entering a neighbor's Drug Store, a high pitched whine made me wince. The neighbor noticed, asked what was wrong, then got an odd look on his face. He sent an employee to see if they'd forgotten to turn off a “silent” alarm. They had. He advised only women & children heard it. Men appeared immune to it, corroborated by my Dad, who kept looking at me as if I was nuts, and the fact the pharmacist had been there over an hour and hadn’t heard it either. A routine hearing test for school confirmed my hearing range is um…different.
5. I've never been drunk. Okay me Irish and Scottish pals, sit down. Tis true. Can’t get drunk if you don’t drink. Okay, I had one sip and it turned me against alcohol forever. A neighbor handed Dad a beer on a hot summer afternoon. He took a few sips and put it down. Hours later he remembered the beer and asked me to throw it away before baby Bro found it. I did, but not before tasting it. Seems warm, flat beer kills the taste buds. Never touched it again. Smell actually turns my stomach.
6. I've been serenaded by the Moroccan "Johnny Mathis". He was one of hubby's archery customers and supposedly on his way to Las Vegas for a singing gig. I was convinced he and hubby were setting naive me up. The man asked for a request. The only thing I could think of to test him was "Chances Are". Apologizing for not having the music with him, he began to sing a cappella. Although he sounded like Mathis, he was actually BETTER. But it was odd having this man singing soulfully to me as my husband sat at his workbench, smirking and making arrows. Yes Map, I blushed. More than once.
7. A U.S. Senator whined to me that he had to pay for his own lunch. I once wrote my Representative to politely inquire how he could vote to give himself a raise while the rest of the country struggled to get by. Pointing out that I too was a public servant, I noted my salary was less than half of a Senator's pay….in the 1950s. His terse reply was that I didn’t understand. He had living expenses and had to buy his own lunch. Gee, that doesn't make ALL of us politicians, does it?
8. A man tried to blackmail me, but it backfired. He threatened to blackmail me. But not for money. No, the currency he was trading in was revenge. And he wanted to see me squirm. I had introduced a family buddy to a girl friend, who proceeded to pop up everywhere he went. Today, we call that stalking. Frustrated, he called to say he was bringing someone by my house. I hung up, washed my hair, then waved Mom off when the doorbell rang. I just knew the idiot was lying. So, painfully shy me snatched open the door wearing my worst pair of jeans, a ratty sweatshirt and waist length wet hair falling like strings around my freckled face. There he stood with a Cheshire cat grin and a guy I’d never seen before. Mortified doesn't come close. (Map, I nearly burst a blood vessel on that blush). The buddy introduced us, then began to treat me like an audience for [Insert insult comic of your choice]. The stranger said nothing. And he was cute. I went inside as soon as possible. The buddy phoned later to gloat. The next day the stranger showed up on my doorstep. Alone. More than once. And yes, I married him. The buddy claimed the last laugh because I was stuck with the guy for life. I disagreed and we referred to it as "the blackmail that backfired".
9. I got paid to tell police officers where to go. If you've visited before, you know I was a Dispatcher for the Highway Patrol. But it was always fun to watch people's expressions when I told them that. With a straight face.
10. I am terrified of the ocean. This one's false. I figured someone would think my past 55 about Dad nearly drowning me in the ocean would be proof. But going to the beach every summer was the highlight of childhood. Even now the sound of the ocean can lull me to sleep. As a kid I once asked Dad what I would find where the ocean touched the sky. Rather than explain about the horizon, he told me there were wonderful people and places on the other side. He'd been in the Navy, gone to amazing countries I'd only read about, so I believed him.
Seeing all of you here just proves that Dad was right.
Congrats to Bill {the Old Fart} and Peggy for guessing correctly. See Susan, always go with your first choice. ;)
It's that time again. Write a story in 55 words...yes, you read that right. Only 55 words. Then tell the G-man so he can critique and wish you a great weekend!
Was it aiding and abetting or a truly an appreciated gift? It was certainly a dangerous tradition. Yet the woman insisted it was what she really wanted.
“All right Mom,” she sighed, handing her mother birthday spending money. “If that’s what you want. But you wouldn’t catch me shopping at the mall on Black Friday.”
It's true. Every year we give Mom "birthday money" because she loves launching herself into the "Black Friday" crowd, which is the biggest shopping day of the year in the U.S..
You couldn't PAY me to get in that crowd of frenzied bargain hunters! But it appears it's Mom's favorite sport.
NOTE: for those of you awaiting my "True Confession" on yesterday's post. I promise to post it when I get home...because Susan wanted details. ;)
And sadly the work computer [yes, I'm suppose to be working] likes to eat things.
I must declare right at the start that Susan is not paying me to keep showcasing her name in my blog. No, she just knows where fun can be found. And in today's bleak economical world, who doesn't need a little fun?
Blog world is full of memes, but occasionally they're worth repeating. So play along with me now as I offer you 10 statements about me; your job is to figure out which one is false. Tomorrow [after Flash 55 of course] I'll share the answers.
1. I have ridden an elephant.
2. I gave a speech accusing Lincoln of being superstitious and Thomas Jefferson of being weak.
3. I worked with a temperamental illusionist known as "The Amazing Randi".
4. I have hearing like a dog.
5. I've never been drunk.
6. I've been serenaded by the Moroccan "Johnny Mathis".
7. A U.S. Senator whined to me that he had to pay for his own lunch.
8. A man tried to blackmail me, but it backfired.
9. I got paid to tell police officers where to go.
10. I am terrified of the ocean.
So, in a tribute to Sesame Street and its 40th birthday, "One of these things is not like the others. One of these things just doesn't belong. Can you guess which thing is not like the others, before I finish this song?"
Happily married to high school sweetheart...yes some of us actually do that. Not having children wasn't the plan, but it's the reality. Doesn't matter, I'm still a dog and kid magnet.
What better way to start the week than a story utilizing as few as 140 characters? Below is this week's inspiring photo.
"Jr., just because your father overindulged on Thanksgiving
