I learned today that penguins mate for life. Even if they are separated for years, when they find each other again, they celebrate in song. I want that. And flowers. What would you do if someone special, we're talking cross-the-icy-ocean-in-a-rowboat special, resurfaced after years, apologized for everything, took complete responsibility, offered heavy compliments, and seemed sincere? *shrug* Write a book about it, I suppose.

Ding.

I remember the old(er) days of Radio, when we would, despite the World's misconception of Mass Communication majors, use intricate Fraction-of-Seconds Math to hit the top of the hour and DING! Play that Legal Station ID. It was as imperative to identify the station as it was to play commercials. What a joy to have taken part in AM radio. What a joy to have taken part in communication, period. So, my point is, DING! The time was 11:00 p.m. It is quiet. All is well. I just made a fresh pot of coffee. My phone has stopped ringing and dinging for the day, and now begins the trusty productive hours of my authoritative nightlife. I write.

Legacy.

In high school, I competed in speech. I was really a nerdy girl. I'm not talking about coding and computers. I'm talking, home on a Friday night, reading Shakespeare's Works cover-to-cover kind of young lady. I don't think there's anything wrong with perusing the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. I own volumes I and II. Also, Conrad Aiken sends a shiver up my spine. I competed in a poetry event, and used a piece entitled Tetelestai. It was weird for the time. It raised questions, and got people thinking. I enjoyed speech competition, because it made us into whom we would become. We got dressed up at 4 a.m. on Saturdays, to get on a bus and have intelligent conversations with our friends across the state. That's pretty good for a bunch of 16-year-olds without smart phones. In college, I struggled to find a poem as good as Tetelestai, so I used it again. I went to Nationals with it, and got a spring break trip out of the deal. That was the first plane ride of my life. How will you be remembered?

Don't you love Fall?

It makes me want to entertain and make my home cozier at the same time. I think I need this to keep my schedule and grocery list! I know I'd sleep better... In my beachy room...

Sleepless Mail

This time of year, I love to cozy up in my living room, with a pot of coffee and a positive prior plan for the evening. That plan probably pertains to chick flicks. We're talking serious Steel Magnolias, Fried Green forever. Tonight, I enjoyed sprinkling cinnamon in the basket as my coffee brewed, and kicked off the evening with Sleepless in Seattle. On VHS, mind you. Now listen, this was back in the days of yore, when the soundtrack was advertised on the videotape. I received both pieces of media glory for Christmas the year the movie premiered. The perfect follow-up to Sam and Annie is naturally, NY152 and Shopgirl, in You've Got Mail. I love, love, love this film. Especially now that computers no longer sing, "You've Got Mail," and social media has completely taken the mystery out of this dynamite love letter classic. Beyond the darling chemistry of Tom and Meg, what we notice here is the lovers are kept apart until the end of both movies. This is not our average, everyday rom-com. No, this is more. This reminds us of more patient times. Remember when John Steinbeck's son wrote his father, of the anguish of falling in love. "Don't hurry," wrote Steinbeck. "Nothing good gets away."

Hit send.

What do you consider to be your life's work? Well, since I consider myself to be only 27 (ha, that one's for Mamabreak), I might consider my life's endeavor to be largely wrapped up in the ministry of my current project. For nearly sixteen years, I have been writing all of my memories, thoughts, victories, hopes and disasters regarding the brain tumor experience and its aftermath. It takes a while to form that into sentences, but I think I have it now. I sent it off to its first round of editing. And then came the night. I rolled out my yoga mat again. I am making lists of dietary ideas again. I think it's safe to say, I'm back in the joyfulness of editing again. This one, THIS one is near and dear to my heart. In a manner of speaking. #outofmyhead #brain #braintumor #comingsoon #josieblaine #mamabreak

Death Investigator

"I like to think you killed a man. It's the romantic in me." Rick Blaine: "I came here for the waters." "Waters? We're in the middle of the desert!" Rick Blaine: "I was misinformed." Tonight's movie is Casablanca. I returned home today to find the specialized cleaning van parked outside my condo building, and large hoses leading snaked into the door. My first thoughts were of finding a crime scene upon entry. Either I need to get out more, or I just need to finish writing that murder-mystery and be done with it. Thankfully, These guys were just here for the annual carpet cleaning. I should have been sweet and offered them lemonade. Hopefully this year, someone won't be so kind as to grind crickets into the freshly-cleaned carpets. It really doesn't help with resale value if the stairs look like some soul has met their fate. And back to Bogey. I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship...