Directions for Making a Snow Angel

Last March, I received this postcard with the following directions:

Making a snow angel, 1952. Photograph by Minneapolis Journal.

1. You need snow, the stickier, the better.
2. Flop over backwards.
3. Pretend that you're doing jumping jacks, only while laying down.
4. Never, ever, ever... step into the head of your snow angel when you get up. Ever.

It was noted that she should be wearing longer socks.

What To Do When You Don't Feel Like Talking

I have lots of news and things of interest to post but I honestly don't feel like blabbing today, SO what to do instead? Give YOU something to talk about!

First, please recommend to me:
1. a movie
2. a book
3. a musical artist, song, or album

Now, ask me three questions. I have the right to refuse answering but that's not in my nature.

I Get Around

I dig motorcycling and for the last three years, I've done a lot of it. I ride a 2001 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard. This bike has been my therapy; my best friend; my transportation of choice; the love-of-my-life; my magic voyage; my magic carpet ride; my portal into achievement, adventure and sanity. I love this bike and all that it has and can do for me. There's a corny cliche in the motorcycling world that says: If You Have To Ask You Wouldn't Understand. As overused as that saying is, there is a truth to it. Motorcycling means many different things to many different people. It is as diverse as the riders and their machines. But that's not what I'm here to write about. I want to brag about the distances I've ridden since I bought my hunkahunkaburnin'love in July 2001. These are the states I've ridden in thus far:

Holocaust Memorial Day

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. It is a day to celebrate the demise of a hell on earth and to remember those hundreds of thousands lost. Peace to the survivors and their families.

• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
• Holocaust Memorial Center
• Holocaust Memorial Day

Hall of Remembrance, USHMM, December 2004

To Live...

to live
is the rarest
thing in the world.
most people exist,
that is all.
--Oscar Wilde

Badlands, South Dakota, August 2004

Yearning for Yarn

This whole knitting thing has taken crafters and crafter-wannabes by storm! There's probably one or two degrees of separation for us all... we all know someone who knits or know someone who knows someone who knits. It's just crazy! Knitters are everywhere! I even saw a knitter and her knitting bag at a hockey game recently. There are knitting clubs creeping up in every burg, blogs devoted to knitting, oh it's just crazy! These people are in a frenzy! I'm not complaining, mind you. Thanks to the addict knitter I know, I received a gorgeous scarf for Christmas (in addition to the earrings and bracelet she made). I just l-o-v-e it!

When Dana told me she was into knitting, I pictured the old yarns my mom used to use to crochet. I still have some of those blankets she made and they're some of the warmest I own. But no, the yarns "have come a lonnng way" Dana tells me. She was right! It's no wonder these knitters are yearning for yarn these days. They're fabulous!

Faux Funeral

A friend of mine attended a funeral last week and said there was laughter shared among the attendees. He said the setting was comfortable and that laughter somehow seemed fitting considering the deceased had reached ninety years of age. I understood what he meant. This man's death was not a surprise and there was a myriad of memories to be shared among those present at his memorial. Who says a memorial has to be somber and stoic?

My friend said he wanted his funeral to be filled with laughter. I said I didn't want a funeral, I want a party.

Although I don't have a will or legal documentation stating how business should be conducted, I have thoughts on how I want the matters of my demise handled. Since many of my friends are motorcyclists, I'd like the gathering to be a RTE, a.k.a. Ride To Eat. I want a there to be food and friendship and music and laughter and memories of me at my best. My memory sucks so maybe I'll get to overhear what is said about me and I'll get to laugh, too.

I would like to be cremated and my ashes collected in several film canisters for my friends to take with them. At some point, when they find appropriate, I'd like each of them to spread my ashes somewhere that reminds them of me or a place that they think I'd appreciate. I want to always continue traveling in the wind...

Faking It

As some know, I'm on the job hunt. I have been sending my resume all over the countryside like a fishmonger flingin' perch at the Pike Place Market. Today I had a job offer find its way to my Inbox and I'm wondering, if I took the job, would I have to fake it?

The position is for a driver during the week of Super Bowl, February 1 through 7. The drivers will have a vehicle provided and they're responsible for chauffering VIPs around town to different events. Even though that could prove to be an interesting endeavor, I'm going to pass on the play. I'm not much of a football fan and I'm opposed to faking as though I am.

I Found My Twin

After blowing my hair dry this morning, I took a longing glance in the mirror with horror. It dawned on me that I look like Marcie.

This picture of me was taken a few weeks ago and even though I don't have her bangs, I think I found my twin.


I told a couple friends about this new discovery. The responses were:

• You do not look like Marcie from Peanuts, Sir.
• You need to get out ... you've obviously been inside for too long.
• Marcie was a carpet munching wench.

I'm glad I don't like Peppermint Patty.

B is for Breakup

A friend went through a breakup last night. Her ex-beau posted his side of the experience on his blog and in reading his post, it made me think of the men I know and how they rate on the romance scale. It's true that women say they're easy to please, that they're simple to make happy but some men seem to have a hard time with the whole romance/make-her-happy thing. I do believe it is true that women crave romance.. it's how we're wired. Even the most tomboyish of us likes to have a special moment planned with them in mind. We try to make it easy... we tell men what we like, they can hear it when we react to movies or something on tv, the oohing and ahhing is a dead giveaway. But yet so many men fail to provide that romance that we want.

Men say they're easy to please, too. Their needs are more on a physical level and believe it or not, most women are eager to be the vixen their man wants but without romance that part of them it is shut off. I don't know that the two are hard-wired: the lack of romance and ability to be a vixen, but I think in some way, they are related. It's give and take, the bottom line is do for me and I'll do for you.

I don't think it's all that cut and dry nor do I think every human fits into a box of generalities based on their gender. But I hear the frustrations from both sides and fortunately, I know men who do listen to their partners and they follow through in thought and action to give the woman in their life the romance she wants. In kind to the men I know, they too want to have special moments planned for them even though they may not be forthright with the request. As people, we all like to know we're thought of in a very special way and we take pleasure in being the one in the spotlight. It's a proud moment when we tell our friends that this special something was done for us, that someone cared enough to feed our desires and warm our hearts with an act of kindness. Those moments don't bias towards gender and romance isn't for women only.

Collage at the College

My pen-friend Sarah informed me, via snail mail, that she included something I sent her in this exhibit. How fun!

Ellen & Portia Sittin' in a Tree

Ok, thank you readers for the information. Yes, Ellen & Alex are no more. Ellen is quick on the rebound as she's nabbed Portia De Rossi.

Is Ellen Married?

Ellen DeGeneres is no longer wearing her wedding ring. Does anyone know if she and Alex broke up? I know it's not getting as much press as Brad & Jen but I'm still curious.

Random Thoughts

• I know why we buy cookies and ice cream and candy bars and the like. Because I'm trying to bake a cookie recipe that calls for 5/8 c. of flour. I don't have a 5/8 measuring cup. I'm not saying that I didn't pass algebra, but I don't want to use it in my adult life. (side note, 5/8 cup is 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
• It is possible for comments made about you to influence your dreams. Someone recently suggested that I was a Soccer Mom kinda girl. That's so wrong and I should sue him for pain and suffering. At any rate, that night I had a dream about my washing machine oversudsing. Oh the hot and exciting dreams of suburbia.
• Laughing at the dentist's office isn't something that happens to most... unless they're under the gas, I suppose. I wasn't under the influence but I did get a couple of good laughs when my hygienist made a couple of responses that didn't win her any points with me. You see, I have a habit of internalizing my stress and therefore take out that tension on my teeth. Grinding your teeth can cause damage in several ways, one being the risk of cracking a tooth. I am aware of this problem of mine as is my hygienist. When I told her I was starting to feel a little pain in the upper right, I quickly informed her that YES, I'm wearing my bite guard at night. It's a sexy apparatus, believe me. She was happy to hear that I was taking the precautionary measure and took a look to see if there was in fact a cracked tooth causing the pain. After she took a gander, I asked, "Sooo, any cracked teeth?" Her inappropriate response was, with a gasp, "Ohhh gosh!" Not what I wanted to hear. Not at all. I'll start wearing my bite guard during the day as well.

Movies About Mail

I'm sure you had it marked on your calendar... this week is the Universal Letter Writing Week. The National Postal Museum *sigh* recommends watching movies about mail. I'll second that! Here are a couple of recommendations: The Love Letter and Il Postino.

Taking a Step Forward

It's not uncommon for me to hear "I live my life vicariously through you". My friends enjoy hearing about the places I go, the people I meet... my life experiences. If I've said it once, I've said it a couple times, I believe this life is mine to experience and so I do. I'm not a world traveler nor do I venture out of my house on a consistent basis, but when I do, I seek experience.

It dawned on me this morning that even as a kid, I've always been one to go after the things in life that catch my eye. One particular experience flooded my memory and although it doesn't make me sound like a bright kid, it does confirm that I have truly taken the steps needed to try out new things.

When I was about eight years old, it dawned on me that I'd never had a bee sting. I'd heard other kids scream in the neighborhood when they had an encounter with the insect of the stinging kind and wondered: hmm... what's that all about? I didn't take the short bus to school, really, I didn't. I was an honor roll kid before the bumper stickers made us want to smack those kids and their parents.

It was a warm and sunny summer day when I decided to remove my socks and very cool Adidas sneakers. I had the same sneakers that Kevin Skinner wore... oh the crush I had on him! White with three green stripes. Tres cool. The dandelions were in bloom and were beckoning the bees to visit. I believed this was a perfect hunting ground for me to test my level of pain tolerance and step through the threshold of experience.

My Mother had always told me I was an impatient person and this action was just another bee in her bonnet of being right. She also told me that I was stubborn and when I set my mind to something, little, if anything, got in my way. I proved Mom right that day when I intentionally found a bee to stomp on with my bare foot. I quickly learned what made kids scream and cry... although I did neither. But, I did feel the pain that was involved with the sting of the bee and as fate would have it, I was stung three other times that summer, by accident.

Book 'em Dan-O

I just read that in the City of Milwaukee a bicycle must be licensed for use on public roads. Does Santa include the license tag when he delivers bikes to the good little boys and girls??

I Know This Horse Has Been Beat...

... but it really pisses me off that people were so flippin' proud of themselves for registering to vote for the November election. They should be apologizing for their apathy. It took an attack on this country and a heavy slant from the left in the media to encourage them to activate their priviledge to cast a ballot. That's a shame and they should be embarassed for not utilizing one of the freedoms that so many do not have.

Political ranting isn't something I'll write about often but it's an opinion I wanted to share. This post is not about the left or the right, Republicans ors Democrats. It's the fact that 50% of eligible voters had not been voting. I do appreciate that celebrities were able to energize the people but I wish they'd encouraged their subjects to obtain their education from sources other than The Daily Show and Fahrenheit 9/11.

Dilemma

Sweet Smell of Romance

The package arrived with specific handling instructions: Do not remove the paper covering the bottle's label. Twist off the cap, close your eyes and slowly inhale the scent through your nose... can you guess the scent?

With caution, I moved the brown bottle beneath my nose but continued to breath through my mouth, fearing what I would smell. I was nervous. Was this a set up? Was I going to take in a nosefull of nasty? Surely not. I trusted the sender therefore I did as I was directed. I closed my mouth and tentatively took in the spicy scent and felt a warmth wash over me. Yes, I could guess the scent, a favorite odor of mine and it was unmistakably recognizeable. It was earthy, like the woods. It was the essence of a season, of autumn. I could hear the crunching of fallen leaves under foot with every breath I inhaled. My heart and face smiled with every whiff.

Who would ever think that deer spray would be something someone would EVER consider romantic?
*raises hand slowly in the air*

Howdy Partner!

While playing euchre on Yahoo last night, I decided to take a look at the profile of my partner. I seldom do that, it just doesn't matter to me who I'm playing with, I just enjoy the game. Something suggested I take a peek last night and I'm glad I did because it opened dialogue about my partner. His profile stated he was 21 and in Iraq. The conversation went a little something like this while we continued to kick the butts of our competitors:

Me: Are you an American?
Him: Yes. Why? Do I play like a Canadian?
Me: *thinking--I like his wit* No. I saw you are in Iraq. Are you military?
Him: *thinking--she's a bright one* Yes.

Come to find out, Adam is from Michigan and has been in the Army for 2 years and has another 3 to serve. He asked about my motorcycle and told me he was too scared to try to ride one. I asked him what his job was and he said he is a scout. Clearly, the young man defines being scared differently than I do. He said he'd rather dodge bullets than run the risk of having everything crushed.

He'll be leaving Iraq "soon" he said and will be going to Ft. Hood. I hope that's exactly what happens.

Breakdown

Sorry to be quoting everyone and not contributing my words but I'm finding others have a better way of saying what I'm thinking or feeling. If you've not seen "Garden State" my only question for you is WHY THE HELL NOT?? This is one of my favorite songs from the magnificent soundtrack.

Let Go by Frou Frou
Drink up baby doll
Are you in or are you out
Leave your things behind
'Cos it's all going off without you
Excuse me too busy
Your writing your tragedy
These mishaps you bubble-wrap
When you've no idea what you're like

So let go, so let go jump in
Oh well what you waiting for
It's alright
'Cos there's beauty in the breakdown
So let go-let it go just get in
Oh it's so amazing here
It's alright
'Cos there's beauty in the breakdown

It gains the more it gives
And it rises with the fall
So hand me that remote
Can't you see that all that stuff's a sideshow
Such boundless pleasure
We've no time for later now
You can't await your own arrival
You've twenty seconds to comply

So let go, so let go jump in
Oh well what you waiting for
It's alright
'Cos there's beauty in the breakdown
So let go- yeah let go just get in
Oh it's so amazing here
It's alright
'Cos there's beauty in the breakdown

So let go, jump in
Oh well what you waiting for
It's alright
'Cos there's beauty in the breakdown
So let go-let it go just get in
Oh it's so amazing here
It's alright
'Cos there's beauty in the breakdown
Breakdown
'Cos there's beauty in the breakdown
So let it go
Oh it's so amazing here
'Cos there's beauty in the breakdown

Giving

"I have found
that among
its other benefits,

GIVING
liberates the soul
of the giver."

M a y a A n g e l o u

Never Say Never

Last February, I posted a list of ten things I'd never done. Happily, I can now say "CHECK" when I look at a few of the things on that list. They are now on the ever-growing list of things I HAVE done and that life's list will continue to grow as a rich tapestry of the person I am. When it is all said and done, I hope to take my last breath knowing that I had a helluva lot of checkmarks on that life's list of things experienced. My ultimate goal in life is to not look back with any regrets, no shoulda-woulda-couldas.

Here are ten things that I've never done and would like to:

1. Milk a cow.
2. Spend the night on the beach.
3. Make a journal or altered book.
4. See kareoke.
5. Volunteer in Jacksonville.
6. Ride my motorcycle to Key West.
7. See 4th of July fireworks in a town other than where I live.
8. Go deep-sea fishing.
9. Climb the stairs of a lighthouse.
10. Use a chain saw.

Rewind & Review

With the drop of the ball, it's time for everyone to flip the calendars, do a little rewinding of the previous year and review what lies ahead in the new year. My 2004 included life's standard highs and lows. I cried a lot, I laughed even more. I traveled many miles but I sat still and stagnant more than not. I talked a lot and sat in stifled silence. I grew while I felt I disintegrated.

There's a new year ahead but it's not the dates that I focus on. Instead, I see a future and I am optimistic that I will make decisions that will influence my continued growth. I was fortunate to experience a couple epiphanies last year and I want to sustain the enlightenment gained and use it to make my days happier and healthier.

Glorious memories from 2004...
*standing in a shower of "snow" from blooming cottonwoods in Zion National Park
*creating art with Dana in Jeffersonville
*meeting Michael for breakfast in Escondido
*taking a nude bath on my patio during post-hurricane rains
*assisting my father in his time of need in Alabama
*corresponding with wonderful people such as Tania, Mim, Leah and many others
*stopping to give gas to a young couple on a shiny, new bike in the Nevada desert
*sitting on park benches in the District with Chelle
*meeting people with similar interests through meetup.com
*collecting water from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans when I rode coast-to-coast from Jacksonville to San Diego
*learning that the polyp removed from my uterus was not cancerous
*riding along the "NorShor" of Minnesota and finally eating at Betty's Pies
*listening to my cats purr at home
*visiting Sylvie in Virginia--we were long overdue
*touring the National Postal Museum (laugh all you want my friends)
*experiencing South Dakota with Steve
*riding in the Ozarks and eating pecans on a porch with Danny
*sitting on a curb with Peter on a Friday night in Ft. Worth
*hugging motorcycling friends when we meet for lunches and dinners
*watching the surf and sunset with Doug in California
*taking a picture of Neil as we rode across a bridge to Mackinac Island
*standing in snow in Bryce Canyon Nat'l Park
*donating blood to help people in my community and donating money to Tsumani relief efforts in southern Asia
*sleeping in a tent on a cold night in a church yard in Minnesota
*drinking beer with Mike at the Kings Head British Pub in St. Augustine
*voting for the candidate I believed would best serve our country
*having dinner with Jo Anna and her family in South Carolina
*crying while riding through Joshua Tree Nat'l. Park then smiling in front of a cholla
*meeting a pack of bikers at Roy's in Amboy, California and exchanging jerky
*watching movies that made me think, feel, cry, laugh
*reading books that made me think, feel, cry, laugh
*learning from others and from the teacher within me

I welcome the making of more memories in the days ahead.