“It’s Left For Me to Find FRIDAY!”

This photo is an inspirational one that I found along my new walking route to the office this morning.

It reminds me that just like our Dad showed us by his example – it is possible, when planted in the worst of conditions, to survive, thrive and bloom into a beauty....

Not much more I need to say.

except thank you bruce barr may

Not feeling very "flowery" today....

so I am going to ignore that mood by posting some beautiful flowers that I see on walks in this fabulous city of mine....




its gonna be just fine

DING!

Tap-Tap-Tap-Tap-Tap-Tap-Tap-Tap-Tap...

DING!

Tap-Tap-Tap-Tap...

DING! DING!

Except for a couple softly conversing in the back of the train car this morning, it was unusually quiet.

No loud cell phone talking.

No annoying music bleeding thru someone's earphones.

Quietness.

Until "Mister-Doesn't-Care-If-He-Is-Bothering-Others" got out his iPhone or whatever the device was and started sending emails with the sound ON!


Why-Oh-Why do some people GET IT and other's never will?

wanted to kill

F.E.W.T.Y.P.

At the gathering that I wrote about yesterday, David was there. I hadn't not seen him in over 30 years, but I had never forgotten him.

David teased me unmercifully for many years of my childhood.

He called me one specific name and when he said "it" I knew what the rest of the saying was that he had concocted in his filthy little boy mind.

While commuting into work this morning I was sans both a newspaper (cut out by my newly revised budget) and any member of my posse, so it gave me time to reflect on ol’ David and why back-in-the-day his name calling did not upset me as much as it possibly could have.

Now don’t get me wrong it certainly did not make me feel all warm and fuzzy when he would echo “it” in the hallways at school.

During my morning contemplation I realized that while growing up in a house with 7 siblings, three of whom were sisters and two of those sisters were within a 3 1/2 year spread of me – we were very competitive and often incredibly mean to each other.

We would, at times, physically fight, but the real cruelty came by way of words.

No swears, just dumb, hurtful names.

And if we couldn’t think of a “common” mean name we would make one up.

“You’re a Pig-A-Jew!”

What?

We weren’t being racist, we had no clue what a Jew was or if they were bad or good - it was just a word we had heard, quite possibly while watching The Magic Door Sunday morning television show – which we didn't realize was all about Judaism....we just liked the show.

Sisters can be brutal and we three were no exceptions.

So that could be why when David decided he liked me and wanted to express it by calling me THAT name...I was already hardened by the years of fending off names of all varieties.

For the record – the acronym that is the title to this post - F.E.W.T.Y.P.

Stands for a name that my sisters gave me while I was going through puberty...

Fried Eggs With The Yolks Popped

It just doesn’t get any meaner than that.

i was flat flat flat

Yesterday there was a gathering.....

of childhood friends, some of whom I had not seen in 30+ years.

Several months ago, Kay, Mary and I, all friends since grade school, met over dinner and started discussing the coordination of a neighborhood picnic.

We picked the date, the location and got the invite out via Facebook and word of mouth – show up with your families, or by yourself – bring what you want to eat, drink and a dish to pass and spend some time reminiscing about the “good ol’ days” and what we might each be up to now.

At 3 p.m. people started trickling into the Adler’s yard in the neighborhood we all grew up in, with coolers, chairs and families in tow...each with a big smile on their face.

I got to reconnect with the likes of Tommy, Julie, Cindy, Gary, Thomas, Emil, David, Lisa, Mrs. Adler....and the list goes on and on!

We talked about stupid things we did as kids; teachers we loved and teachers we hated; how life was much simpler and safer when we were growing up; our favorite hang out spots (i.e. - back by the tracks; and the “big ditch”); what happened to “so and so” and there were plenty of “Can you believe its?” – discussed with a ton of laughter and an occasional tear.

But all-in-all it was a smash hit!

I am already looking forward to the next picnic, where, hopefully, even more of the old crew will be able to attend.

I would like to give a special shout out to the Adler’s for allowing us access to their homes and providing the grills, paper goods, etc. – THANK YOU very much!

now everyone keep in touch

How to make an Awesome Bloody Mary from Scratch

How to make an Awesome Bloody Mary from Scratch

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“Well did you think it was going to go on forever?”

a friend asked upon hearing that I am no longer receiving child support payments from the ex.

“It is complicated, but the bottom line is I didn’t have a clue when it would end.” I responded.

And it is complicated.

And it really doesn't matter - it is what it is.

“Phillip, you need to get a job and start contributing BIG TIME around here if we are going to stay in this house!” I immediately told my son after hanging up with his father.

At 21 years old and still wanting to pursue his passion of photography, but not doing too much about it, he finally has a job interview today.

Prayers being welcomed for that, please.

So now I am finally in the spot I have thought about often over these 10 years of being a single parent - completely, totally on my own - financially.

Again.

“Well this is why you save for a rainy day.” another friend said upon hearing of my plight.

“Thanks....since I have been living so LARGE all these years!” I mumbled to myself.

Will it all work out?

Sure, it always does - one way or another.

But in the meantime...while all that “working out” stuff is going on....I think I just might have me a nice little breakdown.

treading on new financial ground