Hard Bonus: Incorporate a lyric by Laura Brannigan
Easy Bonus: Include a secret place
Leafy City
I’m not sure if The Lost City actually exists, although it would be cool if Atlantis actually exists… As for getting lost… I actually think it’s easier to get lost in a city rather than the country, smaller populations have more gossip… If I told you about a secret place, it wouldn’t be a secret anymore, although Area 51 seems pretty secret…
As much as we write, post, share, etc. we all have things we deal with on our own, because we want to focus on the good parts of being fellow bloggers, friends, etc. online. From Laura Branigan's Branigan 2, Deep in the Dark: I'll tell you a secret
If you know where to keep it
And you promise not to tell
Got a tale or two
About a girl that you could have sworn you knew so well
I’m still recovering from a dislocated shoulder. Sitting out of music/band until March. Please take care of yourselves. I’m still limited in what I can actually do.
Hard Bonus: Finish the sentence “I have been _____”
Easy Bonus: Reference getting stuck in the mud
rocky road
The Road Is Life, or is life the road? Self discovery is important and I’m still learning… Never too old to learn something new. I’ve been to paradise but I’ve never been to me (Charlene) – take that journey to yourself. It’s ok to get dirty. Sometimes you get stuck in the mud. Trust me, you’ll get out of the mud, and it might be fun, or something to laugh about later. Pipe dreams ought to be reality.
Hard Bonus: Include a quote or line from Martin Luther King Jr.
Easy Bonus: Incorporate a wish
Wishing Well Upon A Stream
Whether it’s daydreaming or when we sleep, Where Do Dreams Go? Into the abyss? Anything that can’t come to fruition, I wish it would go into a book that we could read since imagination is a great part of our escape from the reality that people have real dreams… goals & aspirations that may or may not be attainable due to time, funding, etc… or to not be oppressed by society. These are dreams that the reality exists beyond what we can see.
Keep being your higher consciousness.
It’s hard when it seems my skill set, personality, etc… none of them seem to match what the good jobs are seeking to get. I don’t mind working in nonprofits, and don’t need to be rich, it would just be nice if I could afford my bills & not have to worry about what happens if I need to replace the furnace, refrigerator, etc… I wish I could get paid fairly with my crafts (at least I already do for music) & social justice runs. As long as people have their blinders, social justice needs to be a major thing.
Hard Bonus: Include a quote, line or lyric from one of the muppets
Easy Bonus: Mention the word “raggamuffin”
It’s Einstein! It’s Dr. Who as a kid! It’s R2D2 prototype!
I never quite understood the whole gist of what it means to be One Smart Cookie. Sometimes it felt like it meant Smart Alec. Other times, totally ingenious. On occasion, people who easily have so many ah-ha moments that they seem very smart all of the time.
Also, I’m wondering how people define smart. I know people who call themselves smart because they got straight A’s in school. Other people seem to have everyday hacks & make things work in their lives. Often, we equate wealth with smart. While many do the right things, I know people who had good grades not know how to do daily things like feed themselves. People who know how to make day to day lives easier have no education. Then there are those who got wealthy by stepping on other people. I also don’t know why so often, beautiful equates to being successful, just because in some places want eye candy up front.
Anyway, life happens, don’t be a ragamuffin, and remember these: “Beauty is all about loving who you are. And if you have a problem with that, may I suggest you try loving who I am?” Miss Piggy & “Just because you haven’t found your talent yet, doesn’t mean you don’t have one.” Kermit the Frrog
Hard Bonus: Incorporate a song title with a bird in it
Easy Bonus: Include the word “Forte”
Earth’s ChildrenThere are so many things to wish for, like losing weight, going back to school, or whatever… My New Year’s Wishesare more about the economy & healing that is needed in this country & all over. It seems too many are like aBirdhouse In Your SoulbyThey Might Be Giantsand I think we need to dream bigger than that. Let that bird free! While economics might not be myforte, I do know that creating temporary construction jobs & permanent low skill jobs aren’t a permanent solution, because we’re trying to get on our feet, since crying in a hot tub in a mansion is easier than crying under a park bench, or however that saying goes. Just know that as I’m trying to improve my own situation, I’m rooting for you, too! I want us all to win, not just me & my family, since you’re part of my greater circle.
Depending on what’s going on in your life, as well as post shutdown, often, it’s hard to Let the Spirit Move You! Just remember, it doesn’t have to be the winter holiday season to do it, this cheer should be something that lasts throughout the year, without the stress. Whether it’s Christmas, Channukah, 4th of July, a random Tuesday in August, if you can make someone’s day, do it, and make the holidays a little less stressful by going at your own pace. The right people will understand.
My favorite holiday memory is when my son was maybe about 6 or 7, still young enough to believe in Santa Claus but on the cusp of discovering that the actual jolly man is not… We always lived modestly, don’t have a lot of excess but often, we have a few things to spare. I’d found out about a family who had some sort of disaster (not sure if it was the water heater or furnace, but needed to pay for that) and literally didn’t have anything for Christmas, except their new big appliance that was necessary. They’d posted on social media, and some people can be cruel. I’d found out their address, and gathered small gifts for the children, to which we fortunately had age appropriate items. Mind, none of these things were high money gifts, just more like stocking stuffer priced items that we mostly already had… I had an extra roll of wrapping paper, spare roll of tape, and because of the way I shop, had an extra token for a free turkey (they’d missed the sign ups for a lot of these, and I’m thinking the pick up day was the same day they were getting their new item put in), and because we’d gotten things from not only the church, but many of the free or seriously discounted sales for the holidays made it so I had double, even triple of everything, so a food basket as well. I think the whole thing, the gifts & food & extras combined, I probably didn’t spend $20, which was still a lot for us at that time, but nothing crazy… I grabbed the heavy box of food with the turkey coupon, my son grabbed the lighter bag of small gifts for everyone, and we placed it on the porch. I asked him to be very quiet, and found a safe spot that was still accessible from the front door. He asked why we were going to leave after dropping & knocking. I explained to him that I wanted them to have a surprise when they found it all, and his face lit up “Oh, just like Santa Clause”! I said yes, and at that moment, I realized he just understood the Spirit of Santa Claus. We ARE the shining stars of the planet! What might be small & not a big deal to you might be huge for the person that is receiving the blessing.
Hard Bonus: Include greetings in 3 different languages
Easy Bonus: Incorporate a Roy Orbison song title
Cozy Snowy Retreat
Homecoming is a unique term for me. I’ve moved so many times, it’s not funny. In 1977 I moved from Tokyo to Wisconsin, and I think every 2-5 years, I’ve moved within the same town. From that perspective, I really never left except for a couple of short stints, but there is no childhood home, especially not when my original is a place where I no longer understand the language, culture, and I’d still be an outsider due to being American. The closest thing to it is my high school homecoming, but here again, I really never left, so I guess I’d be more of a host, which is what I do around my house on holidays anyway. Now that I haven’t really spoken to my Japanese side of the family over the decades, and refuse to deal with my mother, her husband & my sister, plus they’re all out on the West Coast anyway, so be it.
Every holiday, special occasion, or just for whatever, my house is where Only the Lonely who may want to Ride Away from their problems for a moment to be family at my table. It’s better than Running Scared when others are celebrating. Whether it’s a casual day or a bigger deal, at my house, those who have nowhere else to go get to relax. From me to all of the lost souls, strays & feral humans out there: Zdravstvuyte, marhaban bikum fi maskani. Mutlu tatiller!
Hungarian for Hello, Arabic for welcome to my abode. Turkish for happy holiday!
