SECOND EPIPHANY

Watching DR. PHIL this week, I had my second epiphany: regarding sarcasm as the lowest form of humor.... That is me for the most part of my humor. I have known for a long time that I do not have 'empathy', and I think it stems from my own childhood & upbringing. How in the world could I relate to empathy, unconditional love, and all that goes along with family? I masked everything. So, the mask is what I was most comfortable with most of my adult life. I'm not wearing a 'mask' anymore. I am still very blunt. I speak when I should keep my mouth shut, however, what I speak, is only thoughts amongst others that have discretion) and I apologize for that........I am not sure if I will ever correct my faults......So just put up with me.................Or Not.

TWO EPIPHANIES THIS WEEKEND

I'm trying to create an 'old hairstyle', Vicki gave me in the '80's' and am having a hard time. I found a new hairdresser & got things started, however, it was not working out....does not 'look like Vicki's cut'....can't make this old broad understand 'the firefly' style of the time. I KNOW she has been in business long enuf to 'remember the cut'.....So, the other day I dragged out some pictures of myself with 'the cut' & took them to her shop. She pretty much 'nailed it', and I feel confident, & eventually, it will be the cut I want. As I returned home, and took the pictures from my purse, I took a good hard look @who I was back then, & who I am now. For the first time, I think I have finally separated myself from those 1980 photos. It was a really sad situation, and I cried. 'Oh, My God!, I am not 'her' anymore, I am really seventy......It was a hard realization, I AM REALLY OLD NOW! I don't FEEL any older than those pictures I was looking at, but I AM!, ......and, my dears, SEVENTY AIN'T BAD! OLD is only a word. BAAHWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

THANK YOU, MAMA

Mama, you have no idea (or, perhaps you do) how happy your children are this week. We all received 'our inheritance' from you. Everyone is extremely happy & 'over the moon' deciding what we will do with our monies.

You can be well assured we all have great plans.... This windfall is appreciated so much. Know this: all of your children (and some grandchildren) are elated! Most know exactly what they are going to do with their monies...me, for one, have two or three avenues.

God bless you, & I pray for your soul everyday.

I love you so much, frances

TO BE THANKFUL

Yesterday, (November 11th, 2009), someone posted on facebook, a suggestion that we should post everyday, something to be thankful for until Thanksgiving day. Well, this would be an easy project to be involved...........and, it is, however, how many of us ever think of something to be thankful for on a daily basis? Do we just take everything for granted? Yep, I think so. So, I started yesterday, and posted again today, and will tomorrow and so on. In fact, I will start a journal on my thanksgivings. I think it heals my heart, and may be an interesting read one of these days for my daughter & grandchildren......................join me.

Do You Have 'Repeat Customers?'

The other day I decided to 'drop off' my comforter & pillow shams for a washing. I had seen an advertisement 'Drop Off Cleaning' from the street a few weeks earlier. & remembered the location. I enter the building, & there were about 30 machines in site and only one person using said machines. The premises had a less than a favorable odor, the trash cans were full, & only one patron in sight. I approached the counter & before I could speak, the woman behind the counter states 'over there, you go over there to wash big'....pointing to some machines. 'Excuse me, don't you have a 'drop off service' ?

'Oh ya, we have drop off service, you want drop off service?' 'Yes, please. I want this comforter & pillow shams washed' 'OK, you pick up tomorrow @6 o'clock. 'Six o clock? It is not even noon, how long does it take to wash'? 'OK, for you, I will have ready @ 10 o'clock....OK, good, thanks. As I turn to leave, she says 'you pay first'! Okay....I hand her my debit card.......'No, I don't take...only cash' so I only have $10........'OK, I take ten & you bring $10. tomorrow'....okay.

Next morning, (closer to noon), I return. The same trash cans are still full, the building still stinks & miss personality is still behind the counter.

Hi, I am Ms. King....here to pick up my comforter (I see it behind the counter). 'Yes, I need you ticket', so I look for it, to no avail..... sorry, I don't have my ticket.. 'I need ticket'.....'Don't you remember me?, I was just here............'yes, I remember, but I need you ticket.. (OMG! are you kidding me)........no, she wasn't, she didn't want to budge.....we went back & forth for @least 5 minutes.................'My God! remember, I still owe you $10.? 'Yes, but I need you ticket...... I just glared @her...'OK, let me see you drivers license' I hand it to her, she copies down my # and hands it back. 'You need to sign here' she says as she slides the ticket towards me. My signature is illegible, & looks like I'm scratching something out as I sign. She just stares at me & doesn't turn to get my comforter. Without speaking, I reach for my wallet, show her my signature on my DL, & then she handed over my comforter.

'Do you have much repeat business? I asked....she didn't even get the question, but the one & only man customer got it & roared!

For those who don't remember the '70's

I had the 'best hour of TV' tonite as I watched a Dean Martin Variety Show filmed in the '70's'. I literally laughed my ass off. What a treat! Those old shows were a hoot! Total entertainment on each show. Dean Martin had a variety show that ran for nine seasons. He never rehearsed a single show, and his spontaneous humor was hilarious, as was the action, or reaction, from all his guests. It was very entertaining to see & remember Frank Sinatra, Dom DeLuise, John Wayne Orson Wells, and several more. I've ordered a collection of his shows to dwindle in one by one every six weeks. Bonnie Hunt has a daytime show now & uses a replica of his old set for her show. She is dedicated to him & is rising in her ratings. I think she is very funny and fresh. Then jump to present day television.......I watched the Dr. Phil show today, & they were talking about teenagers & how they view sex. Absolutely shocking. He was promoting a new book entitled 'Oral Sex Is The New Goodnite Kiss'....And that it is common for teenagers to have sex on the dance floor @senior proms. Several teenagers in the audience were asked if they knew about this & some said yes & some nodded & smiled with the DUH! look............Give me a friggin break!

How Many Ways Does Love Have?

I went thru some old emails today looking for our Stallman Family Reunion information sent to me from my sister Barbara. I stumbled across an email I had sent her regarding a conversation between Gerald and I several months ago.

I had picked him up to take him to one of his procedures @the VA hospital. As we were driving, and engaged in conversation, he was telling me that he had been to a week-end outing at an antique mall. He said that on Sunday's, this particular mall had a cook out & 'live music'. He said that on the Sunday he participated, it was special for him because the band was playing all the good tunes that reminded him of us during our youth.

I asked 'what were they playing'? 'Oh, you know, Pennies From Heaven, You Are My Everything, Don't You Know, and all those good songs that we used to love & dance too, remember'?....'Yes, I remember'. 'And, I still love you'....I'm silent. 'You don't have to respond, fran.......I know you still love me too'.

'You know Gerald, that I do love you, but, not in the same way as I did back then'...then there was a silence, & he responded. 'How many ways does love have, fran'? I was speechless for a minute. Then I told him that there are all ways.... I just loved him..........and I still do.