(more than) 56 birthday wishes!!

Did you know that google will create a special, personalized, birthday doodle just for you? That's right! I found out about it in April, when I just happened to be with Hai on his birthday. We were at the Learning Commons at the school, me for my "Office Hours", him for no particular reason. He had logged in to his gmail account, then went to google - and there it was! A google doodle wishing him happy birthday!
How cool is that?
Google does not care which account you log in with, whether it be blogspot, youtube, gmail, whichever others in which they are integrated. You log in, then go to google.com, and there it will be: birthday-cakes and a birthday greeting with your name.
Sah-weet!!!
That website, of course, was not the only wisher of happiness to me.
Thanks to the use by my family and friends of facebook, I received more than fifty-six birthday wishes!!!
Isn't that incredible?
More than fifty-six people who know me took the time to leave a birthday greeting for me on my "wall" on that website.
I am well and truly blessed.
I am!
That's not the only source of birthday greetings to me, though. They came by email, by phone, through the United State Post Office, and in person.
Jeff, aka "the ex", was the first this year. With him, I had not one, but two early birthday meals. Sah-weet!
.
.
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Then, my outlaw Bunny was next!
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Wed, May 28, 2014 05:39 PM
facebook
Bunny J R posted on your timeline
"Wishing you a Very Happy Birthday My Outlaw Tina!!!!"
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After that, the wishes flew quickly through the airwaves!
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Thu, May 29, 2014 12:05 AM
facebook
Shawn L posted on your timeline
"Happy birthday!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 12:46 AM
facebook
Sue K posted on your timeline
"Wishing you a wonderful B Day ♥"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 01:06 AM
facebook
Lynn L posted on your timeline
"Happy birthday!!! Love ya!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 02:20 AM
facebook
Katie S posted on your timeline
"Happy birthday Aunt Tina.
Miss you xoxoxo"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 03:30 AM
facebook
Lisa W-S posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 03:45 AM
facebook
Brant D posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday, Tina!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 04:43 AM
facebook
Don H posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday!"
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Then the night-owls and west-coasters gave way to the early-risers.
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Thu, May 29, 2014 06:22 AM
email from stepmom Bonnie S.

Subject : the great day of May 29th
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Bonnie
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Thu, May 29, 2014 06:49 AM
facebook
Lee M posted on your timeline
"Tina hope you have a great B.D. !"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 06:52 AM
facebook
Sharon F N posted on your timeline
"Have a wonderful birthday, Tina!!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 07:13 AM
facebook
Donna M posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday Hope you have a great day"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 07:40 AM
facebook
Lisa L posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday Tina"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 07:47 AM
facebook
Patrick Y posted on your timeline
"Happy birthday!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 07:48 AM
facebook
Robbie P R posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday cousin! I hope
You have a Wonderful Day :-)"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 07:48 AM
facebook
Penny W B posted on your timeline
"¸.•*.•.ღ•* *•♪ღ♪*•.¸¸¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•♪ღ♪¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•
♪ღ♪ ░H░A░P░P░Y░♪░B░I░R░T░H░D░A░Y░!░ ♪ღ♪
*•♪ღ♪*•.¸¸¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•♪¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•¸.•*.•.ღ•*•*

The older you are, the more like yourself you become!

I love you with all of my heart! I hope that today -- and this year -- is filled with more laughter and love than ever before.

Cheers to you!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 07:52 AM
facebook
Deborah R posted on your timeline
"Have a Happy"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 07:56 AM
text message from Mary S

Happy Birthday!
I hope you have a great day!
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.
.

And so it went, throughout the morning...
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Thu, May 29, 2014 08:18 AM
facebook
Rhonda S. C posted on your timeline
"Sorry I'm late. Happy Birthday. Hope you had a great day."
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Thu, May 29, 2014 08:19 AM
facebook
Lee H posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday Tina! :) Hope you have a wonderful day!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 08:25 AM
facebook
Joe N posted on your timeline
"Happy birthday Tina!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 08:27 AM
facebook
Mark R posted on your timeline
"Happy, happy, happy birthday, Tina!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 08:32 AM
text message from Christy P

Happy Birthday ... we love you
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Thu, May 29, 2014 08:47 AM
facebook
JinHi S R posted on your timeline
"You! So much love and light and gratitude to have you in my life! Happiest of New Years to one of the most fully and actively alive people I know! ♥"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 08:47 AM
facebook
Kristin S posted on your timeline
"Happy happy b-day, Tina! When are we gonna celebrate? :)"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 08:55 AM
facebook
Sherry M posted on your timeline
"Happy, Happy Birthday! Wishing you a day filled with laughter, love, and light!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 08:59 AM
facebook
Mary J M posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday Faustina hope you have a wonderful day!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 09:07 AM
facebook
Lorretta R posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday! We Gemini rule!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 09:29 AM
facebook
Deatre N B D posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday! Have a wonderful day!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 09:46 AM
facebook
Tyler S posted on your timeline
"Happy birthday aunt Tina!! And thanks again for the grad present. Have a great day! !!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 09:56 AM
facebook
Robin R J posted on your timeline
"Happy birthday, Tina!!!!! I Hope you have a fantastic birthday!!!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 10:03 AM
text message from Melanie W

Happy B-Day Tina!!! I'm still working on ur present. I'm a noobie at it and I keep tweaking it. I think I'll finish it today. I'll let u know when we mail it! love you!!!
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Thu, May 29, 2014 10:10 AM
facebook
Megan J posted on your timeline
"Happy birthday!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 10:21 AM
facebook
Gary A posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 10:13 AM
Balinda M-D
facebook inbox message

(cartoon image of a dog holding a birthday cake)
Have a great day!!!!
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Thu, May 29, 2014 10:23 AM
facebook
Angela J posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday Tina!!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 10:31 AM
facebook
Sabitra B posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday Tina!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 10:48 AM
facebook
Adriana N posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 10:57 AM
facebook
William P posted on your timeline
"Hope your Birthday
is a HIT, HIT, HIT!!!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 11:09 AM
Christine S A
facebook inbox message

Happy Birthday, may all your wishes come true. Have a great day
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Thu, May 29, 2014 11:51 AM
facebook
Donna S T posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 11:53 AM
facebook
Blair W posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 11:57 AM
facebook
Dan J posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday!"
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... messages during lunch and slunch...
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Thu, May 29, 2014 12:02 PM
facebook
Michelle M posted on your timeline
"Happy birthday, Tina!!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 12:08 PM
Jeff Powless
facebook inbox message

Happy Birthday Tina! Hope you have a great day Dear! You are always in my thoughts and prayers Tina.
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Thu, May 29, 2014 12:14 PM
facebook
Daniel W T posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 12:16 PM
facebook
Cheryl T posted on your timeline
"Happy birthday!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 12:42 PM
facebook
Bryan P posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday Faustina!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 12:45 PM
Christa A
facebook inbox message

Happy birthday, lady! Hope you are having a great day! I would love to get to hang out with you before I head back to the 'frigid north' on June 7 if you're free at all next week. Let me know.
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Thu, May 29, 2014 01:06 PM
facebook
Nancy O posted on your timeline
"Happy birthday, gorgeous! ♥ hope it rocks :)"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 1:16 PM
text message from Cheryl M

:) Happy Birthday
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Thu, May 29, 2014 01:27 PM
facebook
Emily B B posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday! !!!!!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 01:45 PM
facebook
Pat A posted on your timeline
"You are stunning at any age."
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Thu, May 29, 2014 2:59 PM
phone message from Christina W

sang happy birthday to me!
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.
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... into the afternoon and beyond...
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Thu, May 29, 2014 03:20 PM
facebook
Toby M posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday :)"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 03:27 PM
facebook
Sammy B. W IV posted on your timeline
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 03:52 PM
facebook
Lizz S posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday boy it sucks getting old! Have a wonderful day"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 3:53 PM
phone call from Bev L

wished me happy birthday and talked!
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Thu, May 29, 2014 03:56 PM
facebook
Melissa C posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 04:01 PM
facebook
Roy W posted on your timeline
"X"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 04:16 PM
facebook
Susan C posted on your timeline
"Otanjyobi omedeto gozaimasu,dear friend!!!! ♥"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 04:26 PM
Steve R
facebook inbox message

Happy Birthday to you!!! Believe me you don't want me to sing it.
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Thu, May 29, 2014 04:32 PM
facebook
John M posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday, Tina! And many, many more happy ones!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 04:49 PM
facebook
Jim C posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday Tina. I have a feeling you're already having a great time."
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Thu, May 29, 2014 05:38 PM
facebook
Christy W-P posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday Aunt Tina...we love you"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 05:46 PM
facebook
Jeff S posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday Faustina!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 06:03 PM
facebook
Bob W posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday Kiddo!!!"
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.
.

... into the dinner hours of most folks...
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Thu, May 29, 2014 06:51 PM
facebook
Rebecca F posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 06:53 PM
facebook
Danielle L posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday Tina!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 06:59 PM
facebook
Joe D posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday!!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 07:05 PM
facebook
Heather H posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday Tina!!!!!;)"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 07:48 PM
facebook
Tracy W posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday, Tina! Hope it has been great!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 08:10 PM
facebook
Sue B posted on your timeline
"Happy happy birthday!! I hope it's a great day for you!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 08:15 PM
facebook
Scott W posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday !!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 08:20 PM
facebook
Fae H K posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday, Tina! May your day be filled with joy and your year with blessings."
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.
.

... and the late evening of others...
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Thu, May 29, 2014 08:52 PM
facebook
Joe G posted on your timeline
"Happy birthday, Tina. Wish I was there to help you celebrate!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 09:20 PM
text message from Stephanie K

Happy Happy Birthday!!! :)
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Thu, May 29, 2014 09:29 PM
facebook
Kathy L S posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday Aunt Tina!! Hope you are having a great day!! Keep in touch:)"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 09:39 PM
facebook
Jeanine B posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday!! :)"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 09:46 PM
facebook
Shirley S posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday - celebrate you!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 10:00 PM
facebook
Perry F posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday Faustina!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 10:00 PM
facebook
Jason A posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday!!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 10:22 PM
facebook
Jason A. W posted on your timeline
"Happy Birthday!!!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 10:30 PM
facebook
Penny H S posted on your timeline
"Lovely wishes to you, lovely lady!"
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.
.

... and back around to the night-owls again!
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Thu, May 29, 2014 11:08 PM
facebook
Patrick O'C posted on your timeline
"Happy Happy Birthday!!!!!"
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Thu, May 29, 2014 11:25 PM
facebook
Kimmi S posted on your timeline
"Have a very happy birthday! Missed you st the game today. You should come to karaoke friday at the VFW on 17."
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Thu, May 29, 2014 11:35 PM
facebook
Margaret C posted on your timeline
"Happy birthday, Tina!"
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Fri, May 30, 2014 02:50 AM
facebook
Valerie M B posted on your timeline
"You could run circles around most people half your age, but you’re way too nice to show them up like that. Or at least sarcastic enough to give me a head start. :P
Happy Birthday, and I hope you had a fantastic day! Hugs!"
.
.
.
There were even a few wishes that straggled in this morning!
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Fri, May 30, 2014 08:25 AM
facebook
Lecy C posted on your timeline
"Happy Belated Birthday We love you"
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Fri, May 30, 2014 09:31 AM
facebook
Sam D posted on your timeline
"Happy birthday Tina!!! Hugs and kisses from Atlanta!!!"
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.
.

All are precious to me, as all indicate that I was on someone else's mind. Not only was I on someone else's mind, but that someone took a few moments to let me know I was in the thoughts of another.
That's love, right?
It is.
It definitely is.
I hope I will remember that the next time I'm feeling blue.
All i have to do is let Someone know.

I made sure to reply to each sender of birthday love.
I'm talking about personal responses to each one.
Each and every one of the more than 56 senders.
They each took the time for me, so I took the time for them.
Gratitude is very important for love.

something old, something new, something borrowed...

... but nothing blue!

Well, except for the rainy day exhibit at the Jepson Center. But that was fun! I was in control and could have a storm lashing and thunder crashing one minute, then birds singing and a perfectly blue sky the next. Supercool! It was part of the Rafael Rozendaal exhibit, "Looking At Something".

I also played with the toilet paper roll.
That's right, it was also interactive!
These PULSE pieces are meant to be touched...
and we KNOW I like touch!
So, I unspooled the paper...

... until only a few pieces of remained.
I didn't want to take the last piece!
LOL!
Then I rolled it back up for the next person.

Now that I had the touch urge under control, I could visit Marilyn again.
Some of the pieces here show such a vulnerable side of her, whilst others are rather whimsical.
I especially enjoyed the video interview with the photographer who captured that famous shot of her in the white dress, over the subway grate.

There were several of her quotes scattered throughout the exhibit, stenciled on the white walls. I thought this quote was particularly poignant.
Perhaps she decided she didn't want to know herself?
Perhaps the public image became too difficult to maintain?
She was only 36 years old when she died.
If she had lived, she would be 88 years old in three days.
Would the world have accepted her growing older in film and on stage, as it has for Betty White?
Or would she have resigned from public view, like Brigitte Bardot?
Both women are her contemporaries. If Marilyn had not been frozen in time by death, she would be a white-haired octogenarian now.
I guess this has been a serious line of thinking for my birthday, but it's also appropriate. Aging is a natural part of life, a part I have been learning to accept of late. After all, only the dead can stop the aging process and remain stuck in time into perpetuity.
Me? I'd rather stay young at heart!
The Helen Levitt photography exhibit, next on my list, was filled with black-and-whites of children. Titled "In The Street", the shots were mostly candids, taken when folks were unaware a camera eye was watching. They reminded me so much of the photos I had seen on Sunday in the film about Vivian Maier. Vivian was a nanny who left behind hundreds of thousands of candid photos taken during her life, mostly of strangers. Her camera, slung on a strap at waist level, allowed her to look someone in the eye while snapping her flashless shots, almost surreptitiously. Perhaps that is the reason she kept the photos to herself, knowing she had "stolen" these images of people. Or, no doubt aware of the older woman's work - and possibly inspired by it - she may not have thought her work was up to those same standards.
I'm a pretty avid protographer, too, as my blogs will attest. As I had watched the posthumous documentary about the nanny, I was startled by a realization. When you take someone's photo, and they are looking at you, they are acknowledging YOUR presence. They see YOU. They verify YOUR existence.
I certainly do think about that almost every time I use my camera now.

Contessa is only too happy to verify my existence any time!
I had sushi with her and Chloe prior to my foray to the museum.
I had to be sure to give her my lap and my hands for at least 20 minutes before she would allow me to dine.
My attempts to share some salmon sashimi with her failed. She only eats nasty-smelling fish, thank you very much.
(smile!)
Before calling it a day, I attended the 2014 SCADemy Awards tonight. That was definitely something new to me. I had not expected to know any of the films and I did not. I managed to catch the entire presentation.
Yeah. I don't think I will be doing that again.
Well, maybe I will if I have some kickstarter projects that get nominated. But that was not the case this year, as I did not do much investing with kickstarter last year.
However, this program felt nearly interminable and the Trustees Theatre was absolutely freezing. The only reason I stayed was the promise of the screening of the award-winning films after the awards were said and done.
There were seven videos that evening. "The Pinewood Man" chronicled the exploits of a go-kart maker, trying to win his son's love. "The Black Elephant" was a documentary about black Republicans. I liked the music video, "Saralinah"! "The Neighborhood" followed three young adults around, while "The Gold-Bug" paid homage to Edgar Allen Poe's short story. The funniest movie was "Red, White, and Screwed", a political farce in a high school setting. The screening concluded with "Southsouthwest", a touching antibullying anthem, which was a good note to end with this evening.
Next year, I'll pay better attention to the SCAD offerings. I would have liked to have seen the entire slate of student films. Those are typically screened for two days in late May.
Next year for sure!
Now, though, time for this birthday girl to call it a day!
G'night, all!

Wells Fargo and the safe deposit box caper

So, as I mentioned earlier, the ex and I had lunch today.
But first, a stop at the bank. You see, even though we have been divorced for nearly seven years, Wells Fargo was sending him messages about the annual renewal fee for my safe deposit box.
What?
Yes.
It blew my mind when he just happened to mention it this morning.
Did I know anything about him still having a safe deposit box here in Savannah?
No, I did not. I have a safe deposit box here.
Well, Wells Fargo had sent him a message about its renewal fee coming due soon.
Say what????
.
.
.

We met up the the southside branch, where the box was and where we once had a joint account, and met with a decidedly uncourteous account manager there.
Yes, she said, the joint checking and savings acounts had been terminated years ago. Before Wells Fargo took over Wachovia. So Wells Fargo didn't have any record of him having ever signed off on the safe deposit box. They could "research" it for us, for a fee. However, they could not guarantee that the research would yield any useful results, as they did not know how well the records would have been kept at Wachovia.
Oh, really? Did she just go there with that slur?
Yes. Yes, she did.
Okay, fine.
He was here, I was here, let's just get that paperwork done now, shall we?
No can do, the unhelpful account manager said.
We would need to close out that safe deposit box and open a new one in just my name.
Oh, really?
Yes.
You have got to be kidding??? I do hope, really, truly, that she one day finds herself in this situation.
But, okay, fine, fine, fine. We can do that, we told her.
Just one catch, she says. They only have the small boxes available right now, half the size of my current box, and have a long waiting list of folks wanting the larger size.
.
.
.

Well, hell's belles.
So, I kept the box I have. Yes, his name is still on it, meaning he has access to everything I have there. Not that I have anything in there that belongs to him.
Well, not now.
It turns out I still had an official copy of his birth certificate, which he now possesses. I would have sworn I had given that to him years ago, along with his passport, Social Security card, and his mother's diamond ring.
As it happens, he was needing that birth certificate, as he wants to get a passport again. So, coincidence that he should bring up the safe deposit box after six years of getting notices?
I think not.
There are no coincidences.
I am sure that was Mother Pat trying to help him out, as she always did.
For him to have brought it up before, when he was still halfway across the country, would have served no purpose.
Timing, my dear.
Timing is truly everything.

You better believe I'm going in search of another safe deposit box.
One for just my stuff.
And I'm going to close out my dealings with Wells Fargo. Their slogan may be that courteousness is the central tenet of their business, but not from the way I was treated today.

birthday ex

Ha ha! I know what you're thinking!
You think I left out an "s" in that title, aren't you?
You are soooo very wrong!!!
(smile!)
I wrote what I meant and I meant what I wrote: birthday ex.
He was in town, on vacation from Michigan. He actually comes to town around Memorial Day every year, since at least 2012. I specifically recall that year, as he was in town for his older daughter's graduation from high school. He had called to let me know he would be in Savannah and asked if I would like to meet up with him. I was just returning from Italy, so he was the one who picked me up. Then we went to have a burger - his treat for my birthday - and catch up with each other. Remember?
He had texted me about 9 PM last night:'Wanna get together?'
He had known I was back from Daytona. His two girls were keeping each other company and this might be our only chance to meet up.
So of course I said yes!
We went to Applebee's - a chain restaurant!!! - to hoist a beer for my birthday and nosh on some appetizers, like the wonton tacos, his favorite. He snapped this selfie there. Not bad, right? And a good memento of our meet-up for my special day.
He drove, but I showed him how to get southside using the newly-extended Truman Parkway - nice! Cut the trip time easily in half!
We listened to the folks doing karaoke there, talked a bit, then he brought me back home and went to his La Quinta. After all, he was to meet up for breakfast with his girls the next day.
That didn't happen. There was something about changed work schedules for the older girl, with the upshot being that he was on his own until 4 PM. So, he called and we decided to meet for lunch.
His treat, again! We had started toward a familiar mexican place, but then he spotted the barbeque joint right next to it.
"Local?" he had asked.
I had replied that I thought it might be.
So there we went!
(Remember? He favors local places, not chains.)
Good ribs, too, and a nice range of sauces at a help-yourself station. He had a smoked sausage and some pulled pork and really enjoyed them.
Nice lunch!
Then he was off to see his daughters and I was off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz!
(Not really, but I simply couldn't resist!)

must...have...birthday...coffee

Shout out to Dave & Buster's for my free birthday gift!!!

Yeah, you heard me - this mug was free.

Here's how that worked.
You see, I belong to their Rewards Club.
Fairly frequently, they send me coupons to BOGO points. Generally, it's Buy $20 of points, Get $20 of points FREE.
For my birthday, the amount to buy was just a sawbuck.
(Seriously, those with an interest in either construction or Roman history, click that link. It's an interesting piece of etymology.)
Ten dollars is good for about fifty points.
I used about fifty points to "win" more than 1000 tickets.

I like to play this game -
perhaps it's called Pirate Booty?
Treasure Chest?
Pirate's Treasure Wheel?
Whatever its name, it tends to shower me with tickets.
Seriously.
On two separate occasions,
two months apart,
I won one thousand tickets with a single spin.
Pretty amazing, right?
Here is the photo of me in January, making my first win on it.

On both occasions, I gave the tickets to my friend Hai. He was trying to get enough to trade in for this giant ape.
This time, I was keeping the tickets for myself. Rather, I was amassing tickets so D&B could allow me to choose my physical gift from them.
I had wandered around in the ticket-redemption center, picking up this, looking at that, then I spotted the Zombie Mug.
How perfect is that for a "House of the Dead" zombie-killer and coffee drinker like myself!!!
And it only cost 1050 tickets.
Woohoo!!!

Many thanks, y'all!
It's even the right size!!!
(smile!)

accidental fish & shrimp birthday

Many thanks to Landry's Select Club for my free lunch today!
As I was in Daytona, I chose Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. to redeem my $25 gift from them!
This Sparkling Mango Lemonade was perfect for a warm spring day on the beach!
Aaaahhhh!

The crisp, cool salad was the perfect starter, too.
Balsamic vinaigrette added the right amount of dash to perk it up, but not overload the taste buds.
Crunch, crunch... good!

Yes, you ARE seeing that I am having my dessert with my entree!
Mama's Bread Pudding, sans the lactose-laden ice cream, with that delicious sauce on the side - wow!
Accidental Fish & Shrimp was perfect for a seafood lover like me - grilled mahi and scattered sweet shrimp - yum!
And, as I found out, that bread pudding's sauce is very good with the delicate flavor of the fish. What a serendipitous discovery!
Happy early birthday to me!

fiReWOrKs!!!

What is Memorial Day weekend without baseball and fireworks, right?
Well, certainly the latter is on most folks' minds.
Certainly is on my mind!
After all, my birthday falls right around Memorial Day, so I'm accustomed to giant light displays to help celebrate my special day!
Baseball is always a nice touch, too, these days, watching my boys of summer take the field and steal bases and make double plays and swat balls over the fence... oh, my!
Sometimes, it's almost like they're dancing out there!!!

So, here I was in Daytona Beach to celebrate my birthday.
And here it was my very first full day here.
Early in the afternoon, I had seen a fabulous film about an older woman - like me - making a recovery from grief and finding delight after her best friend's death. Brighter days ahead!
Then, I had found some gorgeous pink floral leather sandals - La Plume Jen Rosa, made in Italy!!! - at a cute boutique near Cinematique and bought them on sale because they were the floor model. Woohoo!! I also purchased this dressy pair of black and purple Zendals - like my "party in my pants" panties, no one will see the purple unless I show it to them. Ooh la la!!!
Later that evening, I returned for the Florida premiere of "Tanzania: A Journey Within", a film about a young woman's travels with her best friend. The director, Sylvia Caminer, was there for a post-film question and answer session with the sold-out audience. HIV-status and deaths from AIDS were a big topic, as well as malaria, the lack of clean water, and general squalor. I am so glad I was there for this event!
Then, as I came out into the warm summer evening, with the cool breeze teasing me toward the garden across the street, I noticed something across the waterway.

Jackie Robinson Ballpark was lit up!!!
The Daytona Cubs must be in town!!!
Like my Sand Gnats, they are also a Single A team, starting young men out for the Chicago Cubs.
Like my Sand Gnats, they were also the 2013 Champions for their league.
What a bonus! I had not checked their schedule prior to the trip, so how wonderful to see that they had games on this weekend! Woohoo - a double header tomorrow!!!
But do they have Saturday fireworks, like my Sand Gnats?

I didn't have to wait long to find out. The game was just ending and the announcer got the crowd to chant with him. I chimed in, too. "Ten... nine... eight... seven... six... five... four... three... two... one!!!"
Lights out! But look up in the sky!!!

What an incredible first day...
... and first night! ...
for my birthday holiday weekend!
Thank you, Daytona! Thank you, Universe!!
i thank You, God!

beach birthday breakfast

This...

...is how breakfast...

...is done!

doo, doo, doo, lookin' out my back door

Actually, I misspoke.
I wish this was the view from my back door!
This is looking off my tenth floor balcony,
to the right,
at the Atlantic Ocean.
Nice view,
isn't it?
Ah, just breathe in that salt air!

Here,
to my left,
is the city of Daytona.
Or is it actually called the city of Daytona Beach?
I'm not sure,
but that is okay.
I'm on holiday!
I don't have to fact check!
I can just make it up as I go along!
(smile!)

And here is the view directly in front of me. This is much the same as I enjoyed in Siena in May two years ago. Well, perhaps it helps if you squint your eyes and hold your mouth just right!
(smile!)
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have beaches to walk and ocean to view and pelicans to watch!
Happy pre-birthday to me!

psych! it's a musical!

I am exactly where I need to be.
That's the message I received from the universe and beyond.
How do I know?
I'm watching a two-hour special episode of Psych ... and it's a musical!!!
Right?!?!
One of my favorite tv shows, having a Friday night blitz, and the episodes that are airing, after I have settled in from my drive down from Savannah, are a musical, replete with dancing, both regular and tap.
Wow!
Of course I stayed up and watched the entire thing! When else will I ever see it???
And I realized that all had worked out as it should.

I had been a bit bummed out for the past few days.
You see, on Tuesday afternoon - just three days ago - I had been playing around on the Diamond Resorts website, to see about reserving a place in Virginia for the end of July or beginning of August. Then, just for smiles & giggles, I had looked to see what might be available for Daytona Beach for the next few weeks.
And there it was: a two-bedroom at my home away from home, for the entire Memorial Day weekend, from Friday the 23rd until the morning of Tuesday the 27th.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME????
Someone must have given it up at the last minute.
I immediately jumped on it and got it!!!
Woohoo!!!
I had not expected to go out of town this weekend, so this was a straight out blessing and incredible coincidence!!!
Okay, let's see about sharing this with someone else!!!

Yeah.
That didn't happen.

First up was my niece Christy and her family. She kept expressing a desire to return to Daytona, so I gave her the first shot at it.
No.
She had to work on Friday and Tuesday and wouldn't be able to come.
I assured her that she didn't have to go for the whole time, just whatever days she and her husband and my greatniece could be there.
Thanks, but no, she said.

O-kay.

Maybe my BFF and her darling daughter would join me!
No, they had plans already for Saturday, so they would only be able to come for Sunday and Monday.
Great! Come on down!
No. But thank you, she said.

Let's try this!
Surely my stepmom would welcome a break at the beach? My stepbrother would be off for the holiday weekend and could tend to his two sons and give his mom a much-needed respite, right?
Apparently not.
She felt she could not leave him, as his dental surgery was still bothering him.
But she loved me for asking.

Fine.

Let's see if some of my broke NK! girls wanted a free place in Daytona Beach for a holiday weekend!!!
Only the beachwalker even replied.
She had to work on Saturday and Tuesday, so, as much as she loved the beach, she had to decline.

Decline?
You're kidding me, right???

By now, it was Thursday.
So I contacted my first niece, the foster mom.
It was hers if she wanted it! I had tried to share the largesse with others, but they had all declined.
She had just been there with me in February, but if she wanted to go now...
And she did so very much... but she had to clear it for the foster child to go, too... and DFACS simply does not work that quickly.
It's debatable whether Tuesday afternoon would have allowed enough time.
It's for sure that the Thursday before a holiday weekend did not.
So, even though she wanted to run away and join me, she could not.
Drats, I told her.
But you better believe that you have first dibs the next time, I said.
Te amo, she said.

Now, here I am, watching one of my favorite television shows about friendship, watching the musical crafted for two episodes of that tv show, and not having to be concerned about keeping anyone else awake as I danced and sang along with the choruses of the fourteen songs, reveling in the sight of Barry Bostwick and Ally Sheedy sharing in the shenanigans - oh, what a glorious time I am having!

Exactly where I was meant to be.

been schooled!

Today, my nephew Tyler, my biggest little brother's younger son, has graduated from high school!!!
From the very same high school his dad and I graduated from, back in the 1970's.
Herschel Victor Jenkins High School.
The ceremony was even held at the Savannah Civic Center, as it had been for us, so many years ago.
Traditions can be good, allowing a figurative torch to be passed from one generation to the next.

His Dad,
my brother,
looks on with pride as the graduating seniors start the precessional.

There he is!

See the tall blond beside the short girl?
They've just passed between the two palm trees.

See him?!

Now he's striding across the stage,
right arm extended to grasp a congratulatory hand and his diploma!

He's back at his seat now and they're preparing to sit down!

Congratulations!
You are all now officially done with school!!!
(Well, not really, as most will continue on to college,
including my nephew.)

There he goes, through the ranks of teachers, heading toward the two palm trees and his future!
Yeah!!!!
I am so proud of you, Tyler!

farewell, Olivia

Fare thee well and sweet dreams, Olivia.
I would have liked to have had the opportunity to know you better. Sadly, that will only occur through the stories told with love by those you left behind.
I would have liked to have held your hand in mine as we ran back and forth in the living room of your home. My bfe shared that story with me. Your Uncle Patrick, my former student and present honorary nephew, shared a similar story with me.
Your funeral today was quite lovely and was just right. Nothing over the top, not too subdued, with plenty of people who either knew you or knew someone your life had touched.
I hope you don't mind that I came. I know you did not know me at all. But you knew my bfe and you knew your Uncle Patrick and they are both dear to me.
I was there in lieu of my bfe, as he is away in Canada, tending to his research, and will not return until mid-June.
I was there in support of my friend Patrick, especially after he had helped carry your small coffin out of the church and to the waiting hearse.
Such a sad sight, that small coffin.
Such a sad reminder of a life lost too soon.
Thankfully, I was also there for your dear honorary grandmother, Sara Georgialis, the mother of your mom's best friend from her college days. She is a sweet person that I know through our common friend, the peace Guy. I spotted her in the church, downcast after the service, and even went to the burial to be with her, to stand beside her and lend her my emotional and physical support.
I very much enjoyed the song your mom had requested. "I'll Fly Away" is a lovely spiritual about rising above current troubles on the hopeful wings of future. I can ceratinly understand your affinity for the song.
I think it helped everyone feel a little better, to have an emotional release, to sing the song you had so loved.
After the burial, to my surprise, I suggested to Sara that she join me for an arthouse film. She had accepted, to the surprise of both of us, and we will even meet before the film for lunch.
I hope that will lend her a sufficient emotional buffer this afternoon. I think it was more than coincidence that led me to be at your funeral and burial today, that allowed me to be a surrogate daughter for someone else's mom.
Thank you for helping me to be right where I needed to be today.

You can fly away now, oh, glory, hallelujah.
No more seizures, no more slippery tubs of bathwater, no more struggles.
Just peace, love, and understanding.

* * *

For those who wish to help autistic children like Olivia to have a helpful, hopeful, holiday from school, please consider a donation to the Summer Therapeautic Enrichment Program of Savannah (S.T.E.P.S.). My first niece volunteered with the group for several years when she was younger and can vouch for its usefulness.
I find it quite a coincidence that the local news had shone a spotlight on S.T.E.P.S. less than two weeks before Olivia's death. Timing is important. Let's hope that others will benefit.

Miss Asbury

Joe Hunnicutt.

Harold Wiley.

Nell Hagins.

When my (then) husband and I first started attending Asbury Memorial United Methodist Church in 2005, they were the three ElderBerries who welcomed us in. Sure, everyone was friendly, but these three went that extra step to personally greet us every time we came.
Joe died in 2009. A World War II veteran, like my stepdad, he was 93 years old. Sadly, his poor health had neccessitated his move into a nursing home, so he wasn't able to make it to the church very often for the last few years of his life. Still, his loss was deeply felt by those of us who knew him.
Harold, also a WWII veteran, died in 2011. He was 88 years young, still passing out hugs in his role as greeter at the church. Those hugs, and his genuine smile while bestowing them, have been missed.

Now, Nell has left, too.
Today, the church held a Celebration of her Life, to acknowledge the many contributions she made to keeping the faith, and the church itself, alive.
You see, at one point, not so very long ago, the church was dying.
Twenty-five members, most elderly, were all that were left. Enter Reverend Billy Hester in 1993, splitting his Sundays between two churches of roughly the same size and age group. With the assistance of the ElderBerries (get it?), he helped turn Asbury Memorial into a shining beacon once more.
Nell's light was a big part of that effort. Whether it was handling the office duties, constructing clown dolls as one of the Busy Bees, or greeting all comers, Nell was a regular Gal Friday.
Not that those were her only areas of activity. I knew her as part of the Hospitality Team in the kitchen, which is where she recruited me into an active role. How better to get to know people than to be serving alongside them?
She was also present at some of the Shekinah Spiral meetings. Those are for women only, encouraging bonding through frank - and confidential - discussions. That was a safe place for me to try to work through the loss of Mama.
Today, all of those groups are still going strong, providing not only spiritual support to the women of the church, but also financial support through the organized sale of personalized clown dolls and theatre tickets for the many productions performed here.
I am glad I was there for this tribute today at the church.
I just wish more of the new folks had known her.

psych! it's a superhero!

Still high from the Gnats' win in their first game, I came home to this!
Wow! They're a graphic novel, not a television show!
No, really!
And it's apparently the second issue of "The Amazing Psych-Man and Tap Man". I cannot imagine how I missed the first issue? I didn't see it in the stores...
Psych!!!
I still don't know if they were actually in print, but this episode was sah-weet! I love this show about friendship, especially as it also involves fighting crime and solving mysteries, but I especially like it when they take a novel approach.
Get it? "Novel"?
HAhaHA!!!
Like I said, I'm still pretty up from seeing my boys of summer earlier.
(smile!)
This Friday evening, they had a double-header. The Sand Gnats took that first game and slam-dunked the Drive into oblivion!!! Five runs in a single inning!!! Woohoo!!!
That means my ticket is good for a special pizza deal at Papa Murphy's, thanks to that national chain's sponsorship of the Gnats. How special a deal, you ask? Well, you get the large pie dough for free, essentially, and five toppings costs only $5. That's a savings of $8 per pizza!!!
Coincidentally, $8 is the cost of a 'General Admission' ticket to the game.
I don't know if that's on purpose or strictly a coincidence that the ticket price is the same as the savings.
I know there are other deals, printed randomly on the back of the tickets, that you can get from the sponsors.
For instance, Coach's Corner offers a BOGO on their '10 Chicken Wings' order. That is actually worth about $8, looking at the difference in price between the 10-piece and 20-piece wings. That's pretty generous for a local sponsor.
Papa Murphy's usual is three bucks off the price of a family pizza. There's also a smart-phone "scan here" deal, but I can't read squiggles.
Sticky Fingers, another national chain, has the best offer, though. Their ticket deal, a BOGO for a free entree, nets you a savings of more than sixteen dollars. Heck, that's double what you pay for the ticket alone!!!

What about the second game tonight? Did the Gnats win?
Well, no they lost.
I guess they noticed when I left and they just lost their spirit.
That would have been around the third inning. The temperature started dropping and I got chilled in my shorts, light shirt, and sandals.
Brrr!
Seriously. The weather this year has been wackadoodle. Here it is the middle of May and it's too cool at night to be out in shorts.
Or maybe I was supposed to go home so I could catch this particular episode of "Psych"?
Yeah, I'll go with that!

big salad time!

Ah, it must be summertime!!!
Today, for lunch, I am having my first Big Salad!!!
Elaine Benes would be so very jealous...

changing the tv channel

Seriously.
I think the changing of the television channel at The Distillery has flipped some kind of friendship switch into the "off" position for Hai.
Not for me. Just for him.
The day had gone well. He was without a car still (his had been wrecked), so I had picked him up about 5:30 and we headed to the Jepson Center. In celebration of the Marilyn exhibit, they were screening "The Misfits", a film I don't recall every seeing before. It was a western, of all things, and starred Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, and Montgomery Clift, in a screenplay crafted by Marilyn's husband, Arthur Miller.
It was a rather dark film, with all of the characters being damaged goods. In particular, the aging, alcoholic cowboy which Clark Gable played bore an uncanny resemblance to my middle brother. (Perhaps because that brother bears a likeness to the actor and has been bestowed with the nickname "Clark Gable" by Mr. Willie? Possibly.)
At any rate, I was a bit subdued after the film.
Hai was not. He was chomping at the bit to get to the eatery. Hungry? No.
You see, tonight they were featuring one of the breweries in their upstairs area. As a member of their loyalty club, he would be able to get some swag from the featured brewery.
So, we hopped on over there.
That's when the trouble began.
As soon as we arrived, he had to stop and chat with two fellows out front. The chat became extended, but he did not introduce me to them.
Fine, whatever.
Then, as soon as we entered the place, he jetted upstairs, with no fare thee well or anything. Just sprinted up the wooden steps as though they were giving away cash money and he was missing out.
Rather rude, right?
But he's a friend, not a boyfriend, and a rather young friend at that, so I would just let it slide.
I was hungry and thirsty, so I asked to be seated by the hostess, letting her know there would be two, eventually. I had noticed that "The Terror of Tiny Town" was on a couple of the huge tv sets and asked to be seated such that I could watch the movie. The hostess led me to a table with a great view of one of the bar tvs and all was well.
Briefly.
I placed my order and texted Hai to let him know what I was doing.
After all, The Distillery is one of his favorite places. I wanted to let him know all was okay, that they even had a fun movie to entertain me, instead of all the sports on the other ten thousand televisions there.
So, that's how things fared for about 15 minutes. Just long enough for me to get my iced tea and the hummus platter, still with no Hai in sight or responding to my texts.
But he responded to this one.
Damn. Some idiot just had them change the channel to THE SAME BASKETBALL GAME THAT IS ON THE OTHER BAR TV. Damn.
Seriously, the two tv sets are EACH at least five feet long and are set along the back of the 14-foot bar. What blind fool was unable to watch the game? What idiot of a bartender didn't bother to point that out or cut off the blind drunk?
I asked the hostess, my waitress, and another waitress to please have the tv channel changed back to the movie.
Nothing happened.
Both of the bar tvs continued to show the EXACT SAME GAME.
Then the waitress came and she had my order wrong. She had brought the sandwich when I had specifically asked for the salad.
Eventually, as I said, Hai showed up, his pockets stuffed with beer glasses.
Not beer mugs. Not beersteins.
Just regular-sized glasses with beer logos on them.
Ooooh. Aaaahhh.
Did he ask them to change the channel for me?
No.
No, he acted like I was somehow at fault and that I was going to sully his regard for the place because I was unwilling to be ignored and disregarded.

Sigh.

We left shortly after we finished our meals.
I even tipped the bad waitress well, so as to not mess up his mojo there.
Somehow, I don't think I need to have bothered.
I think his switch has flipped to "off".

That will be very sad.
We have certainly had some grand adventures these past few months.

drifting into time passages

Yeah, I think Al Stewart would have said that we were doing that tonight. I had actually told the bfe that the theme of the films included in this Fliss Film Festival, Dos, was time passages. As you will see, they all deal with a span of time betwixt now and then.
One reminder to self: do not show films which are mystical to the physicist. Point 1: he's a magician, thereby prone to dismiss such things. Point 2: he's a physicist, making him doubly prone to dismiss any concepts dressed in supernatural meaning.
Ah, well.
Next time, right?
Meanwhile, for tonight's showing of kickstarter rewards, I had four physical copies and one to watch online. I again asked him to set then up in the order he wished to view them, with me giving brief intros.
So, here goes!
The first to be viewed contained the briefest elapsed period of time (only 14 years) and concerned the return of an errant mother to her daughter's home. "Curse of the Sunset Starlet", with its retro bookends of old photos, was beautiful and mystical and featured sunset moths, among other lovely winged insects. I knew within the first ten minutes that he was not happy with it. Drats. Its running rime is 25 minutes. At the end, he said he felt as though he had been beat around his head with butterflies.
It really made no difference that the film had been a winner at several film festivals in the world and had even made it into consideration for an Academy Award. Nope, that made no impact on him, it was not his cup of tea at all.
Next, please!
"Red Thread" considers a political activist after thiry years in prison. The film now carries the subtitle "The Prisoner and the Painter and has an operatic score and lyrical interludes. This was more to his liking, as there was no supernatural element in it and it was straightforward. What you see is what there is, with no allusion to forces beyond our ken at work. I think, also, that he rather liked that the prisoner had no remorse for her acts of terrorism. That's okay; she still has 45 years left on her sentence in Bedford Hills Prison.
The third film was chosen because it teleported us back in time to January of 1945, the story of a flyguy trapped behind enemy lines when his plane went down. For "12:15 Sunday", I don't own a hard copy, but I do have access to the film on VIMEO. [Sadly, I cannot give you the private link to the full-length video.]
This film, he did like. With its method of cutting back and forth between now, with the old man telling his tale, and then, when the even occurred, interest was guaranteed! It also segued quite nicely into the next film, also featuring a veteran of World War II.
Back to the television for this fourth film! The time is now, I told the bfe, but the setting is grade school, with an elderly veteran accompanying his grandson for a session of "show and tell". "Chalk Talk", I had also said, was a very sweet film that I really like, too. I think Chris Durenburger has a fine eye and a fine heart - the bfe agreed, even though he favors film with unhappy endings. I think this one's finale may have been unresolved enough to still be quite pleasing for him.
It probably should be noted that these last two films were made by local film students. Both films were honored with SCADemy Awards, too. "12:15 Sunday" won for Best Undergraduate Documentary, whereas "Chalk Talk" was awarded the Best Undergraduate Narrative. They took home other awards, too. Pretty fine achievements!
Oops! I got a little sidetracked there, didn't I?
On to the fifth, and final, film of the Fliss Film Festival, Dos.
As I had told him, this deals with an enormous span of time, millenia in the past. It's also quite beautiful to watch. "Genesis: Air, Water, Life" tells the story of the evolution of creatures from the water to the land, using dance and music. Madame Rex, aka Rachel Strickland, transforms a container of water onstage into a petri dish full of beings struggling to explore and be free. I very much love this film! He rather enjoyed it, too, and I think it was more than just the thirteen-year-old boy watching the nearly naked, and wet, pretty girl.
(smile)
After all, this line-up of films was his choice.
I would like to think he was mindful of my likes, as with the first FFF.
Yes, that is the story I will tell myself!
If you have another version, write it in yer own blog!
(smile!)
Meanwhile, I need to go through the films not yet shown and see if there is just one more Fliss Film Festival in the works, or possible two Especially if I can obtain a few of the others that are owed but not yet received...
Later, 'tater!

speaking dingbat

I wonder if the translator programs on the web speak dingbat?

You talkin' to me?

Well, I'm rying to. This keyboard is no_ only noisy as heck, but the keys a_e also s_icky.

What? You seem to be missin_ some letters there at the end.

He_, you mjust missed one, too. That's okay, I seem _o have picked up an extra, so no worries. Of course, I've dropped a few mo_e along the way. Kind of like alphabet crumbs _o help find my way home...

Maybe that would be the better place to finish _his. It certainly would make it easie_ _o read.

No kidding. It's almost makin_ me lose my train of thought.
Back on _rack, you!
Arrgh!
Oh, I know what I can do! I can _o back and pu_ in the missing letters in bold _o make it all easie_ to read!
Or not.

Why, oh, why, did you come to this beach today???

Hmmm? Oh, right. My phone.

You_ cellphone skips letters when you _ext?

Hahaha! Don't be silly! No, all the letters are there, but sometimes they are in dingbat. Well, not really in dingbat, but certainly not in English.
Consider this conversation between me and Hai, on December 26th of last year.
me: Wanna pm tm tgd 4 pm tmdaw at Carmike?!?
him: What did your previous message say?
me (after looking back at my message): Pardon? i don't speak dingbat.

He really is a long-suffering friend, isn't he? (smile)

Hey, he's a sweet, smart cookie. He really is. Yeah, and maybe a little long-suffering...
Anywho, I was trying to see if he wanted to go to an afternoon movie, perhaps the latest Muppets film, and I was so excited about him having said "yes" that I wasn't watching what I sent into the airwaves. Yeah, that really is how it happened.
Oh, wait! That movie wasn't even out yet. I remember now: it was "47 Ronin"!!! Oh, yeah! And I got to see it with a guy who knows all about that sort of stuff - graphics novels and film remakes and swashbuckling!

And you were talking about your phone...?

Why, yes I was. How sweet of you to get me back to topic.

Well, I am trying to get out of this cold room, now that your student has finished his make-up Final Exam.

You'e right. It IS a bit brrr in here.
And these intermittent r's and t's and g's are an a_g_avation. As I was saying, ever since that episode with Hai, I've caught my phone doing silly stuff like that rather frequently. I'll be zinging along in autospell and hit "send"... only to find the message did NOT read what I had meant to say.
I honestly do not know what dictionary was used, as I cannot fathom the_e being one in which "zoninn" is a preferred word choice over "woohoo"... honestly!
Sure, I can understand the phone not knowing some p_ope_ nouns, like "Abercorn" and "Habersham", which are both local street names. I have no problem with "teaching" it those words. But I do object when it doesn't know "bellydance" or when it opts to throw in "hands" when I thought I typed "games".
Maybe I should give up on using the autospell feature. I find it slows me down almost more than it speeds my _esponses. Maybe I'll give it a few more t_ies.
What do you think I should do?

Go home. Now. P-l-e-a-s-e.

Sho' 'nuff! Color me g-o-n-e!

oh, play me some mountain music

... but please don't make me drive in them very often.
Here's the letter I wrote earlier today to my youngest brother.

Hey, Tony!
My first priority is to write to you today. I did finally dash something short to you at the tail end of last week, but let's catch up, shall we?
That three-day trip of driving in mountains wore me out. Those twisting, curving, rising, falling roads demand constant attention. CONSTANT. People keep saying, 'oh, isn't it so pretty up there?' Well, what little bits and pieces I saw were, indeed, pretty, but as the driver of a ton of death machine, I had few opportunities to admire the view.
It took me two full days, and maybe a piece of a third, to recover. Seriously. I was exhausted.
That said, the trip was well worth all of that! I got to dance to Kevin Costner & Modern West's music (kind of like John Mellencamp, I've been told)! I saw the "new to me" version of the Tennessee Aquarium - both buildings! - and had a fabulous 2 1/2 hour dinner with Stephanie in Monteagle! And, I had a 3 1/2 hour visit with you! :-)
The week I came back was the last week of classes. I gave my last test, graded it, gave it back to the students. That Thursday, May 1, I went to a science nerd banquet to honor my friend Cedric for his 50 years of being a member - wow! Then I got up the next day and went to visit my BFF and her daughter until the morning of Monday, May 5th. We went to the Botanical Gardens, an Anti-Prom dinner (with Morgan and 3 of her friends! great fun!), and their May bellydance show in which they performed a comedy mother-daughter dance!
Fabulous fun!
Okay! I am so glad I did this! Later!
with much love!

ps I even made it back here in time for Deborah & Kimmi's reception!

bountiful mothers, hallelujah, girls!

Friday, as I mentioned before, started with me in the company of an important mother in my life. (Her loving husband was also there, but this is not about him.) My eldest niece may not have borne children yet, but she has been providing a loving home, loving words, and loving arms to others' children, as a foster mom senza eguali.
Yes, Mama has been on my mind lately. How could she not be, with the constant barrage of commercials berating all to spend money on their mothers? This is my fourteenth Mother's Day without her, so the pleas on the airwaves don't crush me as they once did. Mostly, I don't listen to the radio at this time and I don't watch those ads.

Well, I found that afternoon that I was on Mama's mind, too.
After catching up with my grocery shopping, as I was walking through the parking lot, a coppery coin caught my eye.
A penny!
The bagboy didn't know quite what to make of my stopping to pick it up, nor did he understand about pennies from loved ones in heaven. That's okay, I know the importance of the message, my dear Mother!
(Trust me, I will discuss that another time. I had truly thought I already had... but a search revealed I have not.)
So, I was just chilling out after buying a ridiculous amount of groceries. I was watching "Psych" and leafing through the entertainment newspaper to see what was going on, what time things would be starting.
Suddenly, I realized the choice had been made for me. Dinner needed to be eaten before I went anywhere and, as time was already nearing 7 PM, that meant "The Trip To Bountiful" would be my evening's fare. Cool beans! I would plan on attending "The Hallelujah Girls", down on Tybee, on Sunday afternoon. What a lovely way to bookend my Mother's Day weekend!
And so it has been.

"The Trip To Bountiful" placed me in the midst of mothers of all ages. Some women of my age, or thereabouts, were there with their moms. Women of several ages were sitting with their daughters and sons, The play itself was about the relationship of an aged mother and her not-so-young son and his wife. They had moved to town two decades earlier, in search of work, and were living on top of each other in a tiny apartment. The mother wanted to return to her home of long ago, in a tiny town called Bountiful which had been settled by her grandparents. Just to breathe that air, one more time, would bring her some peace!

We hear of several of her botched attempts to flee the nagging wife of her henpecked son.
This time, though, is going to be different!
And it is.
She finds the bus doesn't go to that tiny town anymore, because no businesses are there. She is told by the stationmaster that her best friend, the last resident of the town, has just been buried that very day. She ends up with a sympathetic sheriff who gives her a ride to the old homestead... or, rather, to what is left of it. Still, with the "kiss of the sun for pardon and the song of the birds for mirth", her heart no longer felt so heavy and stifled. Peace of mind was attained at last.
(The quote there is from an embroidery sampler that my mother had done and I had grown up seeing on the wall in the hall. I wish I knew where that piece of her art is.)
It was opening night, so there was champagne and tiny pastry shells of chicken salad and slices of roast beef curled up on thin crusty bread with horseradish sauce! There were tiny desserts, too, on silver trays that wove in and out of the crowd. I lingered and visited with some of the mothers, including one who had finally returned from Greece. nice!
This morning, my first niece came by with the little boy she is fostering. They were going to the Mighty Eighth Museum and wondered would I like to go?

Not this time, my dears!
"The Hallelujah Girls" were singing their siren song and luring me to the beach!
As soon as I saw that Bill Cooper was in the play, I knew it would be a good one! Also, the Tybee Performing Arts Center does quite nicely, thank you so very much, at presenting a slate of comedies, rather than the more serious works chosen by other troupes.
Thank God!
This comedy was divine, too!
The story revolved around the death of a beloved friend, one who had always put off doing something she really wanted to do... and now it was too late for her, but not for her four girlfriends.
Nosirreebob!
Only one of the women seemed to be a mother and she had a son who was grown but preferred mooching off her - then he moved in his girlfriend, too! Yeah, another one of those guys.
The friendship of these women was fabulous to behold! Though men came and went (one had married three times, with her husbands dying due to stupidity each time), they were there to lend a hand, mothering each other. And these were all older women, too! Very nice!
The theatre was pretty full of older women, too. You know, over-thirty. I am sure several of them are mothers, too. Some of them have already lost their mothers to death's embrace, as I have, and seeing older women in positive, strong roles was of great comfort.
Especially on this day of celebration of mothers.