TIME TO CELEBRATE!!!

When I started this blog on November 14, 2010, I wasn't sure what it would be or how long it would last. I wanted to put myself out there as a way for people to get to know me, so hopefully they would buy my books on Amazon and Nook. However, after awhile it wasn't so much about my eBooks anymore: but about me and if I could keep people entertained. At the risk of sounding immodest, I think I have, and I love doing it!

Originally, when I heard that humor writer Dave Barry was taking a break from his column, I figured I would contact my local paper and see if they would let me take his place and do a humor column. The Features editor emailed me back and said for me to send him some samples, 500 words in length, and he would let me know. So happily I did this, but I didn't hear back from Will Doolittle. And then maybe a month or two later, I saw a new "humor" column being written by someone I knew that worked at the paper already! So he took my idea and gave it to someone else! Probably to save money. As you can imagine, my little puppy feelings were very hurt and it was hard for me not to say anything to the woman about it. To this day, I don't think she knew. Or if she did, she never said anything to me. My satisfaction came from hearing that people didn't find her column that entertaining or funny. Vindication for me!

I hadn't set any goals on how many followers I wanted. And it's a good thing, because currently I only have eight! That's okay though: because you don't need to be a follower to read my blog posts. In a minute I'll give you my proof of that.

Over the years I think my writing has gotten better, and the content as well. My main focus is humor because we all need a good laugh at times. But some is serious, some is sad, and some is just foolish. However: it's all honest and it's all me. I'm not afraid to let you in.

It wasn't until a few months ago that I started paying attention to the different tabs that let me know how many reads I had per day, week, month and so forth, and where my readers were located. Let me tell you: I was shocked at some of this information; and now I'm going to share it with you.

As of this writing, I have had 20,002 reads! I surpassed 20,000 and I am thrilled! But that's not the only thing. I discovered that people are reading me not only in the US, but in other countries as well! Who would have thought?????  I think that may have started while I was on Google + because that was a great platform that is sadly no more. But here are the other countries that are reading Rita and contributed to the 20,000 reads:

• France
• Russia
• United Arab Emirates
• Poland
• Canada
• Germany
• Spain
• Portugal
• China
• Vietnam
• Czechia
• Argentina
• India
• Egypt
• Ireland
• Great Britain

This is so exciting, and probably due to Twitter as well. Also, there is  a label of Unknown Region. I don't know if this is the International Space Station, outer space or what other country but 644 reads came from there. Keep reading!

Regardless, I want to thank each and every one of you that reads my crazy little blog and shows me love. And don't think this post is the end: it's a new beginning! Let's see how long it takes to get me to 30,000 reads! By the way: please feel free to comment or reach out to me if you like. I love to talk about my writing. Thank you, stay safe and God bless you my friends.

Musical Memories

My oldest brother Carl is almost as big a music fanatic as I am. Recently he sent me some CDs with old school R&B songs. I finally had a chance to throw one in my car's CD player and was immediately taken back to favorite memories of hearing some of those songs. Of course most of those memories included me as a minor in a dance club but hey: it was the '70s! And those songs made me think of other songs and memories. Here are a few of those that really make me smile:

• Deniece Williams' Free - Underage, I was deejaying at the Golden Grill Disco. At the end of the night you always played a slow song so people could get up close and personal before leaving. I called from the deejay booth to this girl named Sheila (aka Thunder Thighs), "Sheila what do you want to hear?" She smiled up at me and said, "Free" because she had been dancing with this really good looking guy that she ended up leaving with. You're welcome Sheila!
• Patrice Rushen's Forget Me Nots - I'm at the Golden Grill Disco in Saratoga Springs dancing with Aaron Hamilton. I was wearing a long white skirt, lavender top and killer high heels. He was wearing jeans and a basketball jersey. He was a great dancer (and cute!) but just up for the summer.
• Earth Wind & Fire's Reasons - Oh yeah, one of those long slow jams by one of the greatest bands of all time. Fine Phil Alloway was the lucky gentleman that got to dance with me. He was an Engineering student at RPI and we did end up dating until he was recruited by Proctor and Gamble and moved away. 
• Bohannon's Let's Start the Dance - Oh this song, and Henry Roberts. He became one of my favorite dance partners, and I had such a crush on him! But of course, he was in love with my frenemy's little straight-haired cousin. But she had her sights set on someone she deemed better. Who could have been better than Henry in 1978?? I loved that guy and all eyes were on us when we hit the dance floor. I held out hope for that guy, right up until I found out that he was married  and had a son. That put a speedy end to any thoughts I may have been secretly harboring: but we were still able to remain friends for several years. I wonder whatever happened to him? 

This is just the tip of the ice berg. I think I'll do this again real soon because during this pandemic we all need as many things to make us smile, as we can get!

By the way, here are a couple of quick updates:

• The woman who is in front of Planned Parenthood every day with her sign that reads "I regret my abortion", has a new friend. A gentleman has a sign that reads, "Choose life: your mother did"; and also the commandment "Thou shalt not kill". (see My Rant for Today)
• Whatever happened to my Pepperidge Farm Geneva cookies??? They were in the store earlier this year and now they're gone!! I can't find them anywhere! So of course I emailed the company to see why they were punishing me. They wrote back: "Thank you so much for contacting us. Our cookies are still available in your area." Then they listed two locations where the cookies were supposedly going to be. I went to the first one: NOPE! And the same with the second location which was around 10 miles away. So again: another favorite of mine bites the dust. 😞 (see Whatever Happened To...)

 

R.I.P. Vicky-Girl

Sadly, there was no Throw-back Thursday post yesterday. Judging by the title of this post, you can see the reason why,

Victoria Ashley was our beautiful big Maine Coon cat. Kitty got her for her birthday around 16 or 17 years ago. I paid exactly $1 for her, from a lady who had a farm in Gansevoort. Granted: we already had a cat (or 2!) but Kitty insisted a kitten was all she wanted for her birthday, so I acquiesced.

Kitty treated that kitten like a princess from day one. She was sequestered in her room until the other cats got used to her. So she slept with Kitty, played on her bed with her toys, and when it was nap time Kitty would cover her with a baby blanket (didn't want her to catch a chill from the air conditioning!), put on classical music and Victoria slept like royalty.

So it's no wonder that Vicky-Toria was the most chill, Zen cat I had ever known. And we loved her. Even though at heart she was a sour patch cat. For instance, she would jump up on the coffee table, walk across it knocking almost everything down: and then come up to you to bump her little knotty head against you to show she loved you.

She was a quirky girl too. She liked to sit behind the floor fan and meow into it so her voice vibrated. She loved boxes and would try to squeeze her 21 pound body into it, no matter how much overhang she had. If she couldn't find a box, she would put her paws into a plastic bag if she could find one. If you were sleeping and she had something to say: she would come up to you and meow at the top of her lungs to ensure she scared the daylights out of you.

But at the end of the day she was a loving cat who got a raw deal. Hyperthyroidism and cancer took our girl. She will not be replaced. Lilly will miss her the most and is mourning the loss of her friend of 6 years. Vivian never developed a relationship with her but will miss eating her food when she could get to it. I will miss her loud purr and her big self in my lap on her terms.

There's so much more, but it's a bit painful and fresh. Grammy loves you Victoria. Say hi to Pumpkin and Luna for me 💖💖

This last picture is of me with Vicky-girl, Pumpkin Louise and Luna from 6 or 7 years ago. Now they are together again...

Yep...Only Me

Since it's summer, I wanted to get a couple of new comfy summer dresses for Marie. So I headed to Walmart to see what I could find.

I went to the women's department and they had some nice flowy dresses with short flutter sleeves and floral designs. Since she loves flowers, I knew she would like these. I chose three and headed out of the department. But then I noticed a clearance rack up ahead and they had some tank dresses. I love wearing tank dresses in the summer, whether my biceps are in shape or not. Hey: you don't like how my arms look: don't look! Anyhoo, there was a red and thin white striped one that I knew would be very flattering on me. And since I've lost weight: I was able to get a smaller size. I snagged that pretty dress and headed for the cashier.

Anyone that knows me knows that sometimes I "misplace" stuff, and I misplaced my dress. It took me almost a month to find it! But I found it yesterday and put it on to wear to work (I can go into the office a day or 2 a week, thankfully!). I pulled the tags off and threw them on the coffee table. Brie told me how nice it looked and I said, "It feels great too! I love this dress!" Then I marched out the door to go to work.

All day I felt so good. That dress fit perfectly! I felt I needed to go back to Walmart to buy another one, if they had any left. But I didn't feel like putting on a mask so oh well. Maybe over the weekend.

I stayed late at work and then picked up Kitty from work at 7 p.m. We decided on pizza for her for dinner and wings for me. We got home and then we all had dinner. But I hadn't had much sleep the night before (thanks calming app!) and dinner made me sleepy. I said to Brie, "I wish I could just sleep in my beautiful dress, and then wash it to wear to Kitty's birthday dinner Friday night." Brie said, "Go ahead, I won't tell a anyone." "Maybe I will."

I saw the tags on the coffee table that I had taken off the dress that morning and figured I would throw them away. I took a closer look. One tag said 'Secret Treasures'. Hmm, that sounded familiar...I picked up the tag and slowly turned it over. 'Sleepwear". Oh snap: I had worn a nightgown to work as a dress!

As you can imagine, Brie laughed and laughed. "And you hate seeing people in public in pajama pants! You wore a nightgown to work! Bah ha ha ha! No wonder you want to sleep in it!"

I had no rebuttal. I do hate seeing people in pajama pants in public. Yet I wore a nightgown to work, and to Rite Aid to pick up a couple of things. Oy vey...

So I guess I don't have to buy another "dress" from Walmart's apparent sleep section! But man, it was really nice. So maybe what the public doesn't know: I can get away with!