“My birthday was great!”

was my response to a train friend’s inquiry about yesterday.

I passed into my 50’s with some of life's favorite things:

Family, Friends, Food and Fun!

i definitely won

"Do you know who Brad Paisley is?"

I asked the elderly man sitting outside my suburban train station this morning.

He replied that the name sounded “familiar.”

I went on to tell this WWII-cane-wielding gentleman that Brad Paisley was a country singer who has a song out called "Waiting on a Woman." The video of which co-stars Andy Griffith sitting on a park bench talking with Brad about waiting his whole life on a woman....and that he, this old guy, reminded me of that song.

It was then he remembered why Brad Paisley sounded familiar...a neighbor of his drives one of the big rigs that hauls Brad’s band equipment from show-to-show around the United States.

We chatted a couple of minutes more about where he was from (the middle of Illinois) and then I had to head inside the station to get my paper before departing for downtown.

I know...I know - ”Susan Snippet you will talk to anyone!”

Yes....most of the time – you are right, I will – but especially, most definitely, if they remind me of a country song.

now sing along

“It’s my Hippo form.”

my daughter responded to her girlfriend’s inquiry about the piece of paper in her hand.

Due to a snafu by the administration at Anna’s high school...the nursing program that she had been assured she was in senior year, that was on her schedule given to her at the end of her junior year; and, again, on her schedule that we picked up during registration two weeks ago....she was never registered for.

After an anxious week and a half, many tears and several we-will-get-this-fixed phone calls, she moved up the “wait list” and was accepted into the program.

That acceptance started a flurry of check writing and appointment making.

One of those appointments was at the local health department, where she would be given a drug screening and the first of a two-step TB test.

It was after checking in for the appointment that she was given this form.

“What did you call that?” I had to ask.

“My Hippo form.”

“It is not a HIPPO form...it is a HIPAA form...Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.” I explained.

Hopefully, learning and understanding the proper terminology will be one of the first things this nursing program makes her do.

otherwise....a career at the zoo?

"I’d say he is a borderline….

alcoholic."

Is this morning’s snippet...I overheard while passing two women talking at the corner of Wacker and Washington.

Ironically, this has been a recent topic of discussion on my good friend Hedy’s blog and it touched a cord within a lot of people.

I have alcoholism on both sides of my family as far back as I can see and I have witnessed the devastating effects it can have on generation-after-generation.

I have gone through the family programs and I know the signs of trouble...way before it becomes an issue.

But I still drink.

Cautiously and responsibly...well most of the time...

there was the incident when I had to learn the hard way that THREE martinis are way too much; and several times I have re-learned that my limit of beers should be four; and the whole giving out my checking deposit slip to a complete stranger at a bar...

Okay-okay...but those incidents are in the past, let's move on.

I try to keep the knowledge and lived-out-experience that it might become a problem in the forefront of my mind and I never, ever drink and drive.

So to hear this woman say “he might be a borderline alcoholic”...made me think that some people still don’t know how to define an alcoholic. Here are just two basic questions that might be asked:

Is drinking negatively impacting relationships with family and friends?

Is there an “all or nothing” mentality when it comes to drinking?

As I commented in Hedy’s blog...my father got sober and stayed sober until his last breath, giving our family 14 alcohol-free years...he soberly welcomed my son, Phillip, into this world just months after treatment; three years later, my daughter, was born and he lovingly grandfathered my children – something that would have been impossible had his drinking continued.

“Borderline”...when it comes to drinking...

what are you thinking?

"Look the Blue Angels!"

The guy in front of me said while pointing skyward.

They would have been pretty hard to miss...the Blue Angels' jets are loud and fierce as they buzz our city during practice maneuvers for the 50th Annual Chicago Air & Water Show that starts today.

With perfect weather forecasted and the celebration of it's 50th - this show should be incredible!

I am happy to report that today, I will only be working a half day (I know like that is anything new; especially after last Friday's jump on the bandwagon/parade up to Wrigley and not returning to work!).....instead I will be spending the afternoon/evening at North Avenue Beach watching the show, soaking up the Chicago sunshine...

and drinking wine

“I will be turning 50 and having...

a party with or without you!”

was my early morning angry snippet.

I was talking on the phone to Keith and I was not too happy.

He responded with “I will be there.”

“With a date?” I yelled back.

We rarely fight....at least not out loud.

So last night came out of the blue and I will say that it was like the perfect storm…everything was lined up just right and it hit with a vengeance.

Those of you that don’t know, my boyfriend Keith is 11 years younger than me and looks even younger than that.

I could write blog after blog about all the times he has been carded and I have been “waived” thru.

Yesterday, early in the evening, when things started heading south - I was home alone and going to be alone until the daughter showed up after work, so I hit the road and did what any other red-blooded, middle-aged cougar with limited funds would do....

I went to Target.

Where I found myself in the little girls’ department fondling the perfect make-me-feel-younger-than-I-really-am red t-shirt, that I wore today, coupled with my teenage daughter's matching rhinestone necklace...those two items, along with my booty jeans, black/silver high heeled sandals and my favorite belt – watch out!

And it certainly doesn’t matter that it took me an extra 10 minutes to walk to the office because I was afraid of falling off these heels and turning my ankle, possibly resulting in a brittle-bone-fracture; and so what if I was constantly pulling the back of my shirt down to make sure that my smaller-than-what-they-were-but-still-there muffin tops weren’t exposed; and the white of my, you-had-to-know-I wore-it, padded cami wasn’t showing....all the while trying to look cool and young.

But Susan you aren’t young.

Yeah, I know and as I wrote this I recognized the ridiculousness of it all.

So when I get home tonight, I will be giving my daughter her necklace and the Hello Kitty! t-shirt, that she can choose to wear herself or pass along to one of her friends’ younger sisters....a girl that is 6 to 12 years old...the actual target age group the designer was seeking.

the jeans, heels and padded cami...those i'm keeping

“Attention passengers…

we have hit a pedestrian.”

The conductor’s announcement over the train’s PA system was short, to the point and seemingly nonchalant.

Although with riding these trains for years, I recognized the impact of his statement, not only on us, the commuters, but on the train crew, especially the engineer, who witness it and have to deal with the aftermath.

There was no warning whistle blown or emergency braking applied, which lends me to think that the person jumped. But, as of this moment, I don’t know for sure.

The only things I know for sure are:

My 55 minute train commute into Chicago took 3 ½ hours;

Someone made a decision, either purposefully or accidentally, that cost them their life; and

A family received a horrific, life-altering call that will forever take a huge toll.

bless his/her soul