Sweet Dreams, Aunt Jo

I've been on this earth for more than twenty seven thousand days. This is the first one without sharing life with my Aunt Jo. She was at the hospital in Birmingham the night that I was born. She sat through New Year's eve in the emergency room of the same hospital with me as 1965 turned to 1966. She certainly knew that I had not "run into a door" that broke my nose. She didn't ask.

If I am to pay homage to her, should I focus on her kindness, her cooking, her sense of humor? I think I will have to go with her generosity. My mom, her younger sister, always joked that Aunt Jo was tight- with herself. She couldn't do enough for everyone else. My car, twenty years old and probably the last one I'll ever own, is the last car that Aunt Jo drove. She essentially gave it to me when she knew that she had to give up driving.

Yeah, she loved sharing anything that she had and that is admirable. The generosity that kept her on a heavenly pedestal was with her love and her spirit. She loved everybody and she was quick to tell them.

With so many grand influences in my life, Aunt Jo has a special place at the pinnacle. Her stories shaped the way for mine. She had lunch at the white house with Eleanor Roosevelt. Details that she was one of a group of schoolgirls celebrating a spelling bee victory don't cloud the event. Reminds me of my stories with Elvis. Big Daddy. Jimi.

She didn't quite make one hundred and five.

I love you. Aunt Jo would want me to tell you that.

I'll have to let you know how life is without her.

Behavior Problems

 

What passes as self deprecation is merely my refusal to take myself seriously. Oh, I don't take anyone else very seriously, either. We're all just along for the ride. I've learned to love everybody. I've managed that by staying away from some folks.

Make it up as you go. Only sing the songs that you make up. That way, it's always right.

It finally occurs to me that Elvis Presley was really only "Elvis" for 1955 and most of '56. Take what you can get. Be generous, specially with your love. Kindness is easy, even for the socially awkward.

Tag Teams and Moonbeams

 

Never one to let reality disrupt my life, I've decided to fix myself. Reluctantly, I must disclose your role in this. Without sufficient funds for therapy on a regular basis, I'm gonna have to babble here. Of course, if you're paying attention, you're fully aware that I've been doing that for ten years now. 

Blogs were already out of fashion when I started. Perfect.

Oh, I considered a  podcast four or five years ago. Laziness half-heartedly reared its head and convinced me to reconsider.

Seems that I have defeated self-pity, denied romance and defied social awkwardness. I'm struggling with war, poverty, racism and income inequality. I've always dreamed big. I still want to save the world, but I worry that time is running out. My time.

I sleep well knowing that Greta Thunberg is doing the work.

I'll be back.

Give us peace on earth and end this dreadful, dreadful war.

Blame Me

What is the statute of limitations for guilt? Anybody know? Oh, I haven't run out of bad intentions. It's just that opportunity seldom knocks these days. If I should end up with a tombstone, may I suggest,

"Money in the bank

Lust in his heart"💜

 

Shiny Hair

Here's hoping that you live long enough to blush about most of your past. Wisdom seems to be based, mostly, on acceptance of shortcomings. Sometimes I have trouble trying to tell if an open heart comes from an open mind or vice versa.

I don't know much and I used to know less.

Give us peace on earth and end this dreadful, dreadful war.

 

Undefeated

 

Life never really got the best of me. Oh, I've been down for a count of eight or maybe even nine, but somehow, I've always been up for the bell and the round. To what do I attribute my staying power? Good luck and good genes.

Assured of a long life, I've had more than I ever dreamed.

If I had to narrow down the elements of my grand fortune I would have to say that the kindness and love that greeted me from the beginning are at the tippy top. In fact, second place doesn't much matter.

When Hula Girls Ruled the Planet

 

Torn between keeping my good fortune a secret and risking jinxing it all by boasting, I have decided to spill the beans. I was born lucky. Really lucky. I am that pin ball that comes right down the center alley, without a single encounter with a flipper, and drops straight into the million point hole.

Bells ring. Lights flash.

Oh, it was never a game of skill with me. One must work to acquire skills. My excuse has always been that work might affect my authenticity. Raise your hand if you can see right through that!

There are days when I'm not sure if I have managed to stay off all gods' radars, avoiding lightning strikes and infestations, or if, in fact, I have contrived a scheme to always end up at the front of the line when the stuff gets handed out.

Before you ask, yes, I will be happy to share my great fortune with you.