Becky's Greatest Hits Vol. II

  This song has been featured more than once on this blog , and I make no apologies.  Although my kiddo's generation associates it with Cars, it will still always be a part of my high school memories.....even though it was extremely overplayed.   But just like so many other instances of personal growth, the lyrics mean so much more to me now. There's a world outside every darkened door Where blues won't haunt you anymore Where the brave are free and lovers soar Come ride with me to the distant shore....... You're in my blood, I'm not a lonely man..... There's no load I can't hold A road so rough, this I know I'll be there when the light comes in Just tell 'em we're survivors....... There was a distance between you and I  A misunderstanding once But now we look it in the eye....... And if you're into a real deep-dive and were a fan of The Office, you might remember this cringey scene.  But that's really a whole other story!

 My dog Rumor was an experiment.  A trial offer.  And all parties knew that going in.  Except for maybe Rumor. Rumor was an outdoor country dog.  His given name was Ruger (named after a firearm if you don't know, I didn't) which made sense for a dog raised in hunting country.  He was a stray that came to live with a loving family at about the age of 1.  He lived outdoors, slept in a garage crate at night, frolicked with an older dog pack and had a lovely life. We think he was about 4 years old.  He had been neutered, had vet care and was by no means a "rescue". His dad offered Ruger to me on a give-it-a-try basis.  He knew I wanted a dog. He told me Ruger would be sweet to me and also be my protector.  He was right on both counts.  He told me if it didn't work out, I could bring Ruger back to him and his wife.  I could tell they were a little sad when they dropped him off.  It made me glad to see that Ruger came from such ...

 Oh, summer..... How is my summer going?  Loverly.  Little in the hopper, but just enough to keep me happy.  Been on some adventures.  Enjoyed some media, particularly a few classic movies from the 70's. Books have been a  little meh this summer, but I have waaaay less time audio-listening in my car, which I love.  Loving my new gig.  And feeling a freedom I haven't had in years of being off the road and spending my time the way I like.  A little too much sun.  Healing little by little from grief.  Still missing old friends.  But overall, I can't complain and who would listen anyway???

  A catchy, extremely popular album in your youth becomes the lyrics that describe your life at some point. If you're lucky......

Do you wanna get understood?

 Current mood is brought to you by: looming birthday, bipolar perimenopause, old lady broken heart and the nesting that ensues after all of it comes down at once. And bonus vibes of past failures: if I had stuck out the first marriage, today would have been my 27th anniversary.

  Switch it up, play a new game Even though it's nice, I don't do vain Had to shake it up like loose change Same ol' me, just a new day, oh yeah These are some things you should know I won't stop, I'ma keep going It's a little unfair But I'm living like that....

 Can we all just agree that New Year's Eve is the worst of the string of winter holidays?  I would even go so far as saying it's THE WORST of all the holidays.  I loved when Stanford Blatch defined a party as feeling very "forced festive".  To me, most NYE parties feel that way.  The idea that this is a big year-end blow-out and we'd all damn well better make it awesome! The reason I hate NYE is because it combines two of things I most hate about celebrations: cold weather and crowds.  Plus it's during a time of year when everyone has already spent all their money.  AND you usually have to the leave the house.  ADDITIONALLY, you have to stay up late.  It's a big F.U. from me on all this.   I would dare say that some of my happiest New Year's memories have been spent at home in my pajamas with either my child, an S.O. or happily alone.  I remember one unforgettable year of moving into a 3rd floor apartment on NYE.  I rememb...

 If this is the state of today's rom-com, I feel sorry for the current generation of romantics since I found this movie to be neither very rommy nor commy.  You won't find a Ronnie and Loretta or Frankie and Johnnie here. It's very modern and the problems are very eclectic of our current dating times.  Throughout, it feels very ham-fisted and without emotion.  To be sure, there are no warm fuzzies here, and in the end, the whole thing feels like one big settlement.   Also worth noting: height, age and weight are big deals in this flick so be ready to be triggered.  But if you've been dating for a few years, you already know this.  Lucy's big speech to John about her foibles did hit home for me and probably would for anyone who ever felt they fell short of a man who truly loved them in a way they didn't feel deserved.  I couldn't help feeling at the end that her choice was okay for that day, but wouldn't ultimately last.   But then a...