Even Bad Boys Have Good Moments & Birthdays, Too!

This blog debuted last March. It’s hard to believe that it has been 50 weeks. In celebration of this milestone, I intend to read each post from start to finish and challenge you to do the same!  I will have  a virtual vat of Vodka in hand and perhaps some chips, carrots and very spicy guacamole) and stroll through last year’s journey. If we are lucky, some witty words will merge together and new posts will be born.

Camp Douglas Smith Diaries Part 2

Dear Riveted Readers:

When I wrote part 1 of this series, I had just found letters that I had written to my family while I was at overnight camp for a month. I wrote some interesting things back then but the underlying theme was pretty obvious.

Dear Diary…

I have my high school reunion coming up next month. 31 days, but who is counting? I’ve been really fortunate to reconnect with some people from my younger days.  YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

Memories have been flooding me lately, which caused me to visit  my old childhood bedroom, which is now used as a collection of clutter, no disrespect, Dad. But, the one thing that is left intact is my desk that I had inherited from my brother when he moved out.

I immediately found my diaries that captured moments from junior high through college.  Oh boy!   The one that stood out to me was called “The Nothing Book” which was dedicated to my 7th grade teacher, Ms. Cathy Bell, who inspired me to chronicle my 13th year.

You Say By & I Say Hi!

If you are looking for warm and fuzzy in tonight’s post, move along!  The feisty ranter has returned and she has words!!! First of all, you rain storms can chillax.  Oh, how I used to love the tranquility of a rain storm.  I am done with Mother Nature weeping all over us and killing trees, taking our power and flooding people’s homes.  ENOUGH!!!! But, I digress. 

Friendships or relationships are the glue that keep us all connected. The helium in our egos!  The impromptu laugh during our blue moment, a thoughtful email when one least expects it;  and the hope when we feel like we are vexed! At times, I am overwhelmed by people in my life with how wonderfully they handle issues as they arise and can’t say thank you enough.  This is where the fuzzy feeling ends!

Wiffle Ball Wonderland

The other night I had a major case of  creativity entrapment. The next day, Funny Bone gave me one of his “Never Let Someone Get In Your Head” pep talks which was right on.  But, I blogress.  Blogress, by the way, is a “Laurenism” for blogging and digressing simultaneously.

Now, back to my moment of writer’s block. So I dusted off my creativity book that I put together while I was in high school and college.

This creativity-charged session transported me back to the summer after high school graduation. I had spent many a day listening and watching my neighbors (two brothers) play spirited games of wiffle ball.  Back then, my observations morphed into what is below…

Blink of An Eye

This week was a rough one but turned on the “refresh” button for not taking life for granted.

A dear family friend was killed in a small plane crash on Wednesday morning. Unexpected deaths like that are just shocking. Literally, he was gone in a “blink of an eye“.  Can’t really say anything more than that but I’m obviously very sad about it and feel for his wife, kids, family and anyone else who was lucky enough to be touched by him. So, the blog debut is dedicated to Jeff Berger, who in a weird way made me push the button and start writing this thing. Sure, in your head, you say you are going to do something but it takes FOREVER to actually do it. I’ve probably known him over 25 years and he certainly had an impact on me. It didn’t matter how infrequent the visits were, he made a difference. He lit up the room with his smile. As a friend of mine summarized, a really nice guy who loved his mother.

The tragedy certainly made me go into my address book to reach out and touch.  That is why I am lucky enough to be leading the charge for finding people for my high school reunion. It makes you reconnect with people and then try to keep the connection going overtime.

It makes you look at people differently for a bit, anyway. You hug them a little longer. You talk to them with a little more depth and just appreciate them more.  That’s not a bad thing.