Let's talk about Love

Let's talk about Thankfulness. Ya know, I always tell you I was thankful for life pre-social media, because maybe we were more responsible with our relationships then. Maybe we were wiser about our behavior (okaaay, maybe not, but I had a Promotions Team to look out for me). I'm thankful for you. I'm thankful for those friends who keep coming back. I'm thankful for the fact that you remember the song we yelled out loud as we cruised down the highway. I'm thankful for that time we went for dinner and grabbed one item at each fast food restaurant in town, because let's face it: they all had the best SOMETHING: I'm really thankful for the little things. The walks across town. The calls when you just "feel" like I need them, or when I call you and you say, "How did you know I needed you today?" Because of us.

Third Time's the Charm

I felt awesome after my second brain surgery. Awe. Some. I felt so awesome, I was ready to start businesses, nonprofit organizations, organize all of my friends' fundraising needs, and travel the world. I felt indestructible. I was unbreakable. I moved across the country and began new things, so unlimited was my potential. Then the echoes began. For a few years, they were like popcorn. Here. And there. Now it's an all-the-time worry. Again. Now, instead of just one medication, they've added another. And another. Now, since none of those work, I eat special food at certain times of day. I sleep a lot. My surgeon is waiting. There is no specialist in my part of the country. When they can schedule it, I'll get the call. I'll fly back. Scans and wires and hopefully he lets me have coffee. #OutOfMyHead

Got that tshirt

From a long-distant past, comes a tshirt I have to wear again. It's been hanging in my closet all my adult life, because as a woman, I keep important clothes. Every experience we go through, we get a tshirt. I have a tshirt from every Relay For Life, my Team Breakthrough race, every quarter theme at work, every radio station, and a tshirt for each important vacation. This tshirt is the experiential tshirt of seizures. Keeping a long story from getting too long, after my second brain surgery to stop the seizures several years ago, I hadn't had too much of a problem with them. Until a few years ago. Now what? A better doctor, more medicine, nutrition changes? Whatever it takes, I've never backed down from a challenge. That might be why my noggin is in trouble, but let's take one thing at a time. #outofmyhead #ketogenic #braintumor #seizures #seizuredisorder #josieblaine

It's been a little woof at times

My library is advertising that kids can read to a therapy dog. Although I'm older than fifth-grade, I have interest in doing this. When I began writing Something About Sophia, I often read to Lucky. She enjoyed it. I think most dogs enjoy being spoken to as the people they are. In my ponderances of reading to a therapy dog, my memories of reading to my own dog fell down my cheek and onto my pillow. I'll spend more time with my mom's dog. She bites me. It's an honest relationship. I know she loves me, she just bites me.

More Thoughts Than You'd Think.

It has come to my mind this week that I have more thoughts than I'd care to admit. In other words, I'll try to keep this focused and simplified for those who don't want to read about my personal analysis of Shakespeare's relationship to bullying in the modern school and office. Perhaps I should just stick to writing, but I also have to go to work every day and try to function as an adult in the world, while others seem to be keenly, blissfully unaware of their misfortune toward their fellow society-walkers. "I'll look to like, if looking, liking, move..."

Step-By-Step

I'm an early riser. Okay, truth be told, I'm a late oil-burner, too. This weekend was my birthday, filled with coffees and shopping errands and dinners and lunches. Opportunities for Mom abounded to regale tales of an easy child to raise. What an angel, oh, what a precious little darling (she was speaking of me). I don't want to miss a thing. My brand sparkling new niece is the same way. She has to be cradled to sleep like a chicken, for she doesn't want to miss anything going on. She's three weeks old, but she looks in the direction of voices, and listens for stories. Oh, I just love her. I wonder if my aunts, my grandmothers, felt like this about me when I was born? For sure, your ancestors looked forward to your coming. They thought about you, and imagined you, and dreamed of the things you would do, and the people you would help, the concertos you would compose. With all of those people cheering us on from Heaven, it hardly seems worth it to sleep in. #dogood #begood #loveandwartimeless #outofmyhead

The Supercoolest People Were Born in March

My great-great grandfather would be closing in on 160 years of age this week. I have a brand new niece, who is pretty much, the coolest person we've all met since forever. Among my loved ones' March birthdays, we must remember the one who told us we had, "Brains in your head, you've got feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose." Dr. Suess was born March 2, 1904. He promptly went to work scattering verse and smirks across the globe. I mean, Horton heard a WHO, and I know it wasn't, "Who's on First?" Please don't tell Abbott and Costello, also born in March, by the way. March babies are cool, because you're either Pisces, and you're chilled-out in a pool somewhere doing synchronized swimming/ Two weeks later, you're an Aries, and you know you're cool. You don't have to prove it to anyone. They'd better catch up to you, you're so cool. You're so on top of it, you're practically into April already. Take it easy and go for a swim. Congratulations, March babies! You are the spring! You are for whom everyone has been waiting!!