Happy Hour Chatter

The weekend doesn't get planned....sometimes it happens all on its own I had no plans for the weekend on Friday afternoon, but by 7pm that night, my Saturday was booked up.  I received a voicemail from my older brother, Ron (Bismarck), stating that my great-nephew Brackston would be playing in a basketball tournament (3rd grade) at the Y in Jamestown at 8 am Saturday morning.    There was no way I was going to miss that.  But 8 am?  Really?   I'd so been looking forward to sleeping in, or rather, my body was looking forward to sleeping in.  Since I've been dealing with health issues it seems that I cannot get enough sleep lately.  So this is what I did:  I set the alarm but promised myself that if my body chose to sleep in, I would let it.   Guess what?   Ya, I beat the alarm up at 6:30.  Darnnit!    So I showered, dressed and headed in to town to watch my Brackston play ball.  His tea...

Dear (younger) Self, Allow me to introduce myself.  I am the older, somewhat wiser, version of ourself.  We are 50 now. Stop laughing, it's NOT funny!  When we get to be our age, we won't think it's so funny.   I'm writing to us to share some wisdom in hopes that we will learn from our mistakes, before we make them.   I'm not here to lecture. I know that when we were young, we were wild and impetuous (you'll need to look that up).  In truth, even in our older age, we  tend to walk on the wild side once in a while.  It's not a bad thing.  It just means that we love life and embrace it wholeheartedly.  Don't ever stop that.  It's a good quality to have.   So, what do I want to tell us?  Here are a few things. Tell our parents that we love, love, LOVE them. And show them too!   Don't be embarrassed by the fact that they are older than the parents of ou...

..in life.  Someone recently asked me that question.  I instantly choked up and teared up when I gave my response, "If I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing."  I answered.  They asked, "In this moment?  Right now?"   "In my life." They wanted me to elaborate but I couldn't, because I was emotional as hell and couldn't form a coherent thought, let alone a sentence, if my life had depended on it. But I'm calmer now and more able to answer them - if they're reading this, that is. My biggest fear in life is perhaps not "If I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing,"  as I originally answered, but more of "Am I doing enough." I'm a firm believer in the phrase, "Life is not a spectator sport."  It's meant to be lived and  experienced, and not to be enjoyed from a rocking chair looking out the window...unless, of course, I'm 99 years old and am no longer ambulatory. Why do I...

There comes a time in everyone's life when you run in to someone that makes you sit up and take notice...not of them, but of yourself.   They get inside your mind and heart.  They ask simple questions that make you think...and start to ask some in depth questions about yourself.  They may be doing it on purpose, or it may be that they genuinely are interested in what you are all about.  It doesn't matter.   The connection they are creating to your own self is monumental.  By their words and questions, the connection of  "Who I am" begins to happen.  The connection on a deeper level that makes you think about who you are, what you're about, what you stand for, and what is in your heart. These types of people do not enter a person's life often.  Their mere presence makes you more aware of who you are as a person.  That, people, is priceless.  Embrace those people and keep them in your life.  Whe...