'Twas the Monday after Christmas 2014

If you think you are reading my Blog to get any info about my paintings, Boy are you going to be disappointed!

Tomorrow things will sorta get back to normal. We will  go to Publix and probably Costco and get ready for  NYE and then the Sugar Bowl and subsequent College Football results and then the January takes over. The ONLY good thing about January is the perchance it will snow. Otherwise, I have no use for Cold Weather except that it might put a damper on the critters flying around in the summer that consider me "Sushi".

I just talked to my good friend Margaret about this year and all the things that we know happened  but can't remember. I do remember pools, and parties, and lakes and boats and painting and art shows and laughing so hard. So we have promised to sit down over a bottle of wine and go month by month but until then or until it's 2016 and we need to review 2015 (hopefully) I suddenly felt like writing a few things that I have learned this year......

I am not one to make New Year's Resolutions. I am just glad to even see a New Year.

Anne Frank was wrong. Deep down inside there are indeed some really bad people but dammit everyone of them has got something interesting about them, even if it's that's a really nasty scar on their face that you keep staring at. And you can't believe they are that mean. It's a basic word that we learn early on. Mean. I remember the word being used to describe the character Bruno Kirby was playing in Good Morning Viet Nam when he screwed over the Robin Willams' character and it stuck it with me. I don't think there is a colder word. I guess we can all have some meanness in us for some reason for a moment, but mean to the core is really cold.

No matter how hard you work, or what a good person you are, or how much you know, shit happens. It's true. Bad things really do happen to perfectly good people. But what goes around comes around.... maybe not in our lifetime, but it does. I've seen it happen too many times. 

Sometimes, for some reason,  people really strike it rich. Sometimes with money, sometimes with other things. I am a rich woman. I am married to a good man who loves me. ME!  And has for almost 30 years, warts and all. And I know a lot of people who don't have that and right now when it seems like the world is on fire, I am a rich woman. 

Art comes in all kinds of form and ALL ART IS OKAY.  Just like that house that gets built right by the railroad and someone buys it, there is art for everyone and if you just think you don't like it, if you look long enough you'll find some value in it. Regardless, someone's time, money, brain, fingers and most importantly--HEART--is in it, whether your see it has beauty or not. 

Oldie but a goodie: DLTBGYD--Don't let the Bastards get you down. or "Illegitimi Non Carborundum" cause they will try. Look around and you will see Assholes all over the place. Some have multiple ones. "Anae". See above Bullet #2 and remember they are the one with the problem and it's all over their face. Or lower.

I'm all for self improvement but if you're trying to fix something that's not broken, realize what's really broken,  and okay...... try to fix it if you want to. But don't waste a long time doing it cause life's too short.  Grab your cloud and go have fun. Sounds sophomoric, but I'm at that age where I can be sophomoric. Nobody is reading this anyway! See #3 above.

Space. Ahhh. Space. I'm not talking about Outer Space. I'm talking about when things are just a little too close, we all can use a little space.  It lets you step back and have a look at things, you get to take deep breaths and long walks and talks with yourself. I have lost a few people in my life this year, not due to death, but they did pass away. Not sure what I did, but I tried to reclaim them and when that didn't work, I went Frozen. And by that I mean I "Let It Go" . See #6.

I just might go to Cuba this year.

Heroes aren't hard to find, they just may arrive differently than you imagined. And they may let you down. But at least they tried.

Take a risk. I don't mean be a Dick, but if you see something wrong and you can do something about it, do it. Even if it's calling 911.  If it ain't working, you can always walk away. They can't kill you, well maybe they can, but at least you tried. And if you saw the movie, This is The End, then you know you'll get to see the Backstreet Boys in concert again. See last bullet first though.

Stand up for yourself. or somebody!  Every now and then I know we all look down at the floor when someone should be saying something back in uncomfortable situations, especially in the South. I am guilty of it, too. One time my husband and I were at a concert and two guys were slugging on this little guy in between them and I couldn't take it anymore so I grabbed the two big guys arms to stop them.  So all that did was give the little guy a chance to punch the other two guys and for the the two big guys to look at Bill and start to swing at him.  So use good judgement. See #8 above. I should include "Timing" so let's make "Timing" 8.5.

Which leads me to one more nugget that my brother recently shared with me....if you get attacked, whether by animal or human, if you can, take out a leg. It will at least slow them down.

Happy New Year till we meet again.