finally, spring has come and that means that one spot of light in the hallway that stella loves to sit in.
and no, that face is not 'the-umbrella-is-stabbing-me' face, it's the 'why'd-you-wake-me' face
Stella and I walked out of the door yesterday morning to the squealing delight of our neighbors. There were yells that sounded like "famous!" and "stars of the internet" and "blog-famy" (okay, i made that last one up). But we both just stared at them blankly. We had no idea what they were talking about.
Apparently, Stella and I were the Sunday stars of a fab local blog, with all things great and small. I won't say which one of us is which.
above photo: my grandmother, bobbie & grandfather, gene,
bobbie caught the fish just before they left for home
sisters, my great aunt helen & grandma, bobbie
and i don't know who that cute little doggie is, trying to get the fox
The Sartorialist is having a little photo contest. These two beauties of my Grandma, Grandpa, and Great Aunt Helen haven't even made it on to my own old-photo-obsession-site, but they seemed just right/ripe for this moment.
I've fallen in love with
very. few. shows.
over the years.
M*A*S*H
Seinfeld
Arrested Development
And now,
30 Rock.
Funny thing is, it wasn't love at first watch.
Maybe I couldn't just jump right in?: I did not understand the Tracy Jordan character. I couldn't really understand any of the relationships. I didn't get the funny, the irony, the constant bits.
But, this is to say, if you don't understand something at first, try, try again.
Or, go back to the beginning and start at season one.
The writing is fantabulous.
And sometimes I only get the joke when it's all over and I laugh and laugh and laugh.
FANtabulous, I say!
It was my niece's birthday recently.
S. turned 12.
But looong before she turned 12, she was doing things like this:
Pushing harder, to go faster,
flying down hills
only to get to bigger hills
to really fly.
Twice.
And she was also doing things like this:
My nice thrives being between a rock and a hard place ...
and hanging on by a string doesn't seem to bother her one bit!:
Yup, that's her: The one in the green helmet.
The one hanging off the side of a huge cliff.
Long before she was the wise old age of 12.
This kid, this little girl really, has more courage and determination at the age of 12 than I had at 20. My sister often says she's reminded of me when S. does or says something, which thrills me no end. Really? Like me?! In actuality, S. is 10 x more confident than me and 50 x more daring when it comes to outdoor activities.
I think a lot of aunts, and I'll even speak for a few uncles I know, love the idea of a a niece or nephew seeming to be just like them. Maybe we don't exactly hope, for their sake, that they're justlikeus. We hope they'll get through middle school easier and that they won't fall for that foolish boy in the tenth grade. We hope they're better at math and don't have to deal with all that drama about some interesting fashion choices they make through-out the year.
But now we get to see life through their experiences.
We maybe, for a moment, can even pretend that they are just like us...
S. might be a little like me, I just hope she got the very best parts.
Because my sister, L. and I spent a lot of time this past weekend discussing how it's an absolutely futile endeavor, a real waste of time, if you will, to compare yourself to others... I won't bother spending any more time wishing I'd made the above juicy, clever, letterpress pieces. Instead, I will celebrate and glory in the fact that they were made at all and that you can purchase them on etsy.
The genius behind this old-school flow chart was a Mr. HD Stephens, a high school math teacher in the 1960's-70's, leaving to become a computer programmer, then an oil-man. After many years of working for others and figuring out what life brings, he was in his seventies when he created this flow chart.
None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm
~Henry David Thoreau
Spring is popping out all over around here: the weather, the flowers, the sniffing dogs, the chirping of all sorts of birds. I walk down the street thrilled to be blasting my Aretha Franklin album in my ears, dancing a two-step and smelling the massive waft of fresh-bloomed jasmine all down our block. I'm feeling good. While I'm not particularly enthused about what the passing years have done to my skin, or my knee joints, or to my memory, or my hearing.... Well, I make up for it with the idea that with each one of these passing years, I become more myself, the ME me, and am more comfortable than ever with who I ultimately am. When the going is good, you best keep on going... (and, everyyearseemsgood!)
At every turn, I could not get enough. Each display was beautifully-curated and carefully labeled. There were never ending cases of each topic: Insects, Butterflies, Birds, Ground Animals, Plants, Water Animals, Land Animals, flying things, swimming things, things bigger than life itself!
I never wanted to leave, so I can't wait to return!
