My Muse

I was  cleaning out my personal email and happened to come across a document entitled "My Muse". I had no idea what this was. There was no original date on it so I do not know when I actually wrote this. However, I do remember who it was about, so it has to be approximately 20 years old. Wow... It isn't an example of my best work, but I'll still claim it. 

Anyhoo, here it is. Apparently I was a very different person when I wrote this! But that's okay: I'm still a beloved child of the King.

MY MUSE

I'll miss the way you look. Blue gaze endless 

as the sky at noon; 

A quicksilver smile with a hint of mischief. 

Lips pursed in an unconscious moue. 

Expressive hands, artistic fingers itching to make 

me your own private canvas.

I'll miss the way you talk. Excited, words tumbling 

over themselves in their haste 

to be free. 

Fierce: conveying your loyalty and support. Your

accent, reminding me

of a time 

that's long ago and far away...

I'll miss the way you smell. A mixture of 

cigarette smoke and 

couture cologne, 

with a touch of your own personal scent thrown in 

to assuage 

my olfactory senses.

I'll miss the way you feel. A naturally muscled 

torso inviting my hands 

to explore every area;

from pierced nipple to Eye of Rah and below.

I'll miss the way you kiss. Taking me by surprise 

every time, 

each kiss like a 

full frontal assault. Seemingly from nowhere,

to everywhere.

I'll miss the way you taste. Like springtime, 

spearmint and abundant life.

But you're not springtime: you're Autumn. Teasing, 

transient Indian summer 

leading to a bleak, never-ending winter. 

My metaphor for your departure.

Imminent, permanent, unavoidable. I'll miss...you...

A Movie Marathon

 Saturday I got up early enough to catch the movie "The Dark Tower", starring my husband Idris Elba. I figured I'd watch it until it was time to get ready to go to the gym, and then record the rest. I had seen it at the theatre but it certainly warranted watching again!

I began to get ready. I was exiting the bathroom after my shower, but then started to feel... off. I made it to the couch and sat there for a couple of minutes. "Are you okay?" Brie asked. "Not really," I responded. I finally got out  my meter and checked my blood sugar. Yep: I was having a sugar low.

I don't have these very often, but when I do I know it. Then my girls spring into action. Of course I couldn't find anything close by to up my sugar, so thankfully Kitty brought me a caffeine free Pepsi and some taffy. "Here you go mom: this will help!" What a combination! But I dutifully drank some Pepsi and ate a couple of pieces of taffy.  Slowly I began to feel better but knew I wouldn't make it to the gym that day. Or anyplace else for that matter. So I laid on the couch to watch the rest of Dark Tower. I mean to rest!

My blood sugar level did go up some, but shockingly not a lot. I had another swig of Pepsi, Kitty made me something to eat, I checked the channel guide, and decided to watch the movie "Logan" with Hugh Jackman. I had never seen it and figured I'd probably fall asleep during it.

Nope! It was a good movie, full of action and gore, not like the other X-Men movies but I enjoyed it until the sad ending. I'm not going to ruin it for you: watch it yourselves if you want to know what happens. It's worth it!

There is a  new movie that is coming out this year that is the 3rd in a successful installment of movies. I had heard that you needed to see the first two to really enjoy this one. And lo and behold: the other two were coming on back to back! So I got ready to watch...Deadpool 1 and 2.

I had never been able to make it past the first couple of minutes of even the first one. But on this day, being pretty much just a fixture on the couch for the day, I figured I'd power through. And you know what? Yes they were rude and crude and violent and gross and whatnot: but also funny as all get out. Ryan Reynolds is amazing and funny, and the rest of the cast was so good in their roles! In the second one there was a teenage boy who for some reason reminded me of Rebel Wilson, but I digress. 

Anyhoo, I watched both movies and was glad I did! Then thinking about them, I realized that none of the characters in the upcoming movie, were in either Deadpool. And that's when I realized it wasn't Deadpool at all, but Suicide Squad! Seriously! And it would only be the second Suicide Squad movie, not the third. If my sugar had been normal maybe I would have realized sooner. But I didn't. And you know what? I'm not even mad about it. Those were two guilty pleasure movies, and I needed some pleasure that day. I'm pretty sure I won't watch them again and I don't regret seeing them.

But now: do I have it in me to watch Suicide Squad? Should I? Maybe if they show it on a Saturday when I'm home. However, please hold the sugar low!

 

Music While Working From Home

My original laptop is 10 years old. Ben, my tech guy (thankfully the beard is gone!), says it's the last good Dell that was made and he keeps it in tiptop condition. But maybe 3 years ago Brie bought me a new laptop for Christmas so my Dell kind of fell by the wayside.

Now, however, since I am working from home, the Christmas laptop is too small. So the Dell is back in business! When I charged it, turned it on and saw my desktop, I realized that my iTunes were still there. That was the good news. The bad news was it hadn't been updated in a couple of years, I had no clue what my password was and I needed that music!

Long story short: I did the LONG overdue update, reset the password and then logged in. However: I didn't see any of my songs. What happened to them? Lord knew I would be hard-pressed to buy all of those songs over again! And then I saw it: my music icon up in the left-hand corner. Silly me! So with much anticipation, I clicked on the icon -

And a whole unexpected world of song titles was in front of me! Songs I had totally forgotten about! Songs with great memories! And then songs I had never heard of...where had they come from? After listening to a few seconds of some of them, I remembered that at one point Schmoop-Dog had given me an iTunes card and asked me to make him some CDs. Whew! Glad the Rhino Bucket, Ugly Kid Joe, Whitesnake  and Danger Danger songs didn't belong to me!

Of course, according to Brie, there are some songs I shouldn't claim either. For instance, she hates the song "Evacuate the Dance Floor" by Cascada. She says no one would have heard of that song of it wasn't for that Dance Revolution video game and commercial. She's probably right, because I only heard the part from the commercial and I was hooked. Never even heard it on the radio! She also dislikes my dance tunes from my disco days when I was the Queen of the Club, at the age of 16 and 17 (don't tell Marie!). But those were great days! Who doesn't love Put Your Body In It, Keep Your Body Working, and Push Push in the Bush? I mean: besides Brie. Hey: dancing to those long club cuts is the reason why I was able to model my way through college. It kept my figure on point no matter what I ate! And my legs are still holding up! Disco rocks! Oh, and there are also rock songs, R&B and 600 more so I never run out of music.

And for the record: she had me download some questionable songs for her too. Like Duffle Bag Boy, I'm on One, Ice Cream Paint Job, Put it in Your Mouth and Whip and Nae Nae. Needless to say: I have deleted those songs.

So now my iTunes are just great songs that make my work from home day go by faster. I sing along, chair dance and basically forget any blues I may feel from having had to work from home for so long. And good news: I'll be back in the office 5 days a week starting August 2nd! Yay!

But I will miss the chair dancing and singing out loud. Somehow I don't think my co-worker Nancy would appreciate that particular show 😀 Or would she???? 😎

Not Again!

Summer has barely started but we've already had quite a few hot and humid days. With the sun blazing brightly, I realized that I needed my favorite sunblock to keep my arms from getting a farmer's tan. I had run out of it last year, but thankfully I had a Bath and Body Works gift card to order some online.

I went to the website and searched True Blue Spa Sunscreen. Nothing came up.  Then I searched just True Blue Spa and no match came up! . Say what??? I hastily searched Shea Cashmere and no match came up. Say it ain't so! But even a search of sunscreen proved futile on that website. Once again, a favorite product of mine was gone. 

I should be used to this as it seems to happen to me all the time (see Whatever Happened To.... June 17, 2020). Things that I really like seem to just disappear off the shelves like they were never there. This time though, I really, REALLY needed sunscreen! And the one from Bath and Body Works was a spray on that smelled really good and was very refreshing. Gone!

So now what was I going to do? Contact the company so they could say "Sorry for your luck"? Nope! I went to Plan B: Amazon! Thankfully I'm a Prime member so I could order some and get free shipping. Hooray!

As you can imagine: this is not how it went! I smugly pulled up Amazon and searched True Blue Spa Sunscreen. Eureka! There it was. But of course: it wasn't prime so I had to pay for shipping! AND it wasn't 2-day. AND they said they only had 10 left in stock because it was discontinued! Man, it hurt to not be able to use the gift card and also to have to pay for shipping. But I had to have this sunscreen so I did all of that.

Now the other bad news is: what am I going to do when my stash is gone? The girls already know they aren't allowed to use this since it can't be replaced. So eventually it will be time for Plan C. Can't wait to see what this entails.

In the meantime: I wonder what is the next thing that's going to disappear???? Oh, and if any of you know of a good spray on sunscreen that smells nice, let me know!

My TV Rant for Today

 Once upon a time, Maury Povich was a serious journalist based in Washington, D.C. I'm not sure what happened: maybe he decided it wasn't entertaining enough. Regardless, eventually he got his own TV show in 1998. Yes it was tabloid journalism, but he did try to help people. Parents with recalcitrant kids would get "scared straight", people in bad domestic situations would be offered a way out, young teen girls wanting to get pregnant finding out what it's like to take care of a baby (using the "baby live" doll): you get the picture.

However, somewhere over the years his show went left. Now he does nothing but who-the-baby-daddy shows.

Sure, every once in a great while was okay. Giving DNA tests so child support, etc. could be worked out. But a show they aired recently just put me over the edge.

This young woman, probably in her early to mid-twenties was making her second appearance on the show. The first time she was trying to find the father of her lovely little daughter. She had brought three men along. And surprise, surprise: none of them was the father. So she runs off stage crying and all butt-hurt because the guys are high-fiving and whooping it up because they are having unprotected sex with her but weren't "caught", so didn't have to do anything for her.

So now she comes on the show a second time: not for the daughter, but for her new baby. And she brings along the same three guys! Oh, and adds the uncle of one of them. Why is this woman still having unprotected sex with these same men, and one's family member, and having another baby?? She says she is done looking for the father of the little girl, but knows the father of the new baby is one of the yahoos she brought along.

And surprise, surprise: none of them was the father! So she runs offstage and falls to the ground to cry while again the guys are high-fiving and happy that they again didn't get "caught". And when Maury gets to the girl she tells him to leave her alone because she doesn't want him embarrassing her. Say what??? I don't think it was Maury!

I would have thought that he might show some compassion or get her some counseling or something. NOPE! He just sends her on her way. Didn't say "keep your legs closed" or "get rid of these yahoos" or concentrate on your kids, not on sleeping around. She got nothing but a trip back home to continue on with this same behavior, sadly.

Now I hope that woman knows she needs to take a good, hard look at her life and make some changes. I hope she knows that her behavior isn't good for her or her kids; and one day she might end up with something worse than a fatherless child.  And shame on Maury for offering her nothing, but pandering to an audience that thrives on others' misfortune.

And just for the record:  if I'm home during the day, I have the TV on the National News Desk and listen to that in the morning. I don't bother to change the channel, and Maury comes on at some point after that. But maybe I need to listen to different news until Maury goes back to being ethical. I would think he has earned enough money from these sensationalist shows. It's time to try to help people, not exploit their hurt and embarrassment for ratings. Seriously.

Behind the Music: Wives and Lovers

 I'm not even sure how I happened across this old song. But as I was listening to it, I was laughing and also horrified at the lyrics. It was written in 1963, and originally sung by Jack Jones. It even won a Grammy in 1964! The song came about when Burt Bacharach and Hal David were asked to write a song with the title "Wives and Lovers" with the theme being marital infidelity. It was a promotional tie-in for the 1963 film Wives and Lovers. The song wasn't in the film but was intended to promote the film; and that made it an "exploitation song".

Anyhoo,  if Burt Bacharach and Hal David were to write something like this today: female villagers would chase them with torches!

I vaguely remembered this song from when I worked at an oldies station and thought it was crazy. However, if you watched TV shows or movies from this era, you'll realize that it is actually how things were. I do not own any rights to this song and am making no money from using the lyrics. But seriously: these need to be discussed.

"Hey, little girl, 

Comb your hair, fix your make-up

Soon, he will open the door.

Don't think because there's a ring on your finger

You needn't try any more."

Oh if only you could see my face 😠...So apparently, when it's time for hubby to come home from work, you'd better stop what you're doing to fix  your face and hair so he doesn't see what he actually married. And who are you calling 'little girl'?

"For wives should always be lovers too

Run to his arms the  moment he comes home to you

I'm warning you."

So now it seems that being a wife isn't good enough. And run to his arms when he gets home? Run to him and knock him over as you run out the door!

"Day after day

There are girls at the office

And men will always be men.

Don't send him off with your hair still in curlers

You may not see him again."

Oh I'll see him again. In court, when I take him for everything he has! Now you have to get up extra early and do your hair to compete with the trolls at his office??? They have all the time in the world because they're not up at 5 a.m. And what's he doing for me? Men will always be men you say? Yep: until you kick him in the biscuits!

"Hey, little girl

Better wear something pretty

Something you'd wear to go to the city

And dim all the lights

Pour the wine, start the music

Time to get ready for love."

I'm okay with wearing something nice instead of a housecoat and slippers. But if you're not taking me to the city, I'm not breaking out my Michael Kors dress. And if I'm dimming the lights, you won't get a good look at what I'm wearing anyway. As for pouring the wine: you don't think I've already been drinking all day because of what I have to do to keep you? Start the music? How about if I start the car and go looking like you do in the office? Time to get ready for love. It's time to find someone to appreciate me as I am, or at least who will do the same for me.

Yes I know times were different back then; and this was the norm for women. Ever notice in those old movies and TV shows how they always looked perfect? The women wore dresses and high heels and pearls with perfect hairdos, whether they were doing housework or serving tea to their lady friends. God bless them! I'm just glad I'm in this era because that's a lot of work. Just hoping it was worth it! I think I'm going to write an answer song to this called "Husbands and Lovers". After all: turnabout is fair play! 

Not Enough Time

 I found out at church yesterday that my good friend, and brother in Christ, Larry Ball, passed away Saturday. It was like a punch to the gut. I knew his health had been fragile for a while, but I thought I'd have him for more than two years...

I met Larry and his wife at our church after they had attended a funeral service for a relative who passed away. They came for the service and repast, and then continued to come. Except when they were wintering in Louisiana 😊 Back in BC (before covid) we would do a little meet and greet before service started so you could say hi and shake people's hands. 

Larry was a big, gentle giant of a man. I remember shaking hands with him for the first time and his hand more than engulfed mine. He had a smile as big as his heart. "How are you today, Miss?" Extra points for not calling me ma'am! His smile was contagious and reached his eyes. Every Sunday after that I always made a beeline for him because he had the Spirit of Christ emanating from him. He was a good Christian man who loved to serve the Lord, and brought that from his home church to our church. I'm so glad!

His wife was one of the best singers our church had ever had, and I liked sitting in front of them so I could hear her sing the hymns with her amazing voice. Then covid hit and they had to take proper precautions because they were over 65 and for his health reasons. So I missed them for awhile!

However, he and I became Facebook friends. I loved whenever he would send me a message or comment on a post, because he always called me 'gal' and would say, "love you sister!" which is more than my siblings say to me, ha ha. And I would reply, "love you brother!" He always read my blog (and never judged!) when it posted to Facebook. What a sweetheart he was 💓

He had been in the hospital, then rehab and was finally able to come home. I thought he was doing better when I found out he was home, and back on FB. But alas: on Saturday God told him, "Well done, my good and faithful servant," and took him peacefully home.

The day before he died the pastor was talking to him. Larry said, "I'm ready to be with the Savior, but I think He might have a little more for me to do here." I guess it was to spend one more day loving his family.

I'm going to miss my big teddy bear of a friend. That smile and the twinkle in his eyes. Two years of friendship definitely wasn't enough. But the good news is: one day I will see him again and we can take up right where we left off! Love you brother 💛