BLAH, BLAH, BLAH

I know I haven't been here for awhile. I thought I might end this blog, but now I have decided to hang on for awhile longer and see how I feel about it. I don't usually like to ramble on and on about little, mundane things in my life because (1) they are pretty boring and (2) I don't usually want to share personal things with everybody out there. I like the blogs that have a particular niche, like books or cooking or decorating, but I don't usually have enough to say in these areas, so I am left just with my opinions or problems and sometimes joys and that is where I get into the problem I have with rambling on and on and on......see what I mean?

Ok, this is the latest: my camera no longer will let me download my pictures. I went to my Aunt Grace's funeral last week and took pictures of family members I haven't seen for a long time. Now they are stuck in my camera unless I want to remove the card and take it somewhere.

Last night there was a serious fire in my real estate company's annex office (two doors down from my office). It was a total loss and today the agents in that office are relocating into our building. They have lost computers, files, everything. The smell of soot and smoke was everywhere. It was awful, but at least no one was hurt. I was asked to move my desk location from where I have been to a smaller desk in order to accomodate another agent. At first this made sense because I am not in the office a lot and although I am technically a full time agent, I really only work part time at it. But the more I thought about it, the more irritated I was because this is supposed to be a temporary move (but could be pretty long term) and why should I give my spot to someone when they could just as easily move to the smaller desk. Of course, that agent is in the office full time and is a bigger producer than I am. It all comes down to money and politics. Well, it is just one of those things over which I have zero control and I hate that.

So this is my long overdue post and as I said at the beginning, I have rambled on and on and on and complained about personal stuff which I don't like to do. But, we're all friends, right?

Always,

THIS N' THAT

There is nothing exciting going on here lately. Actually, that is not entirely true. The local Jazz Festival was this past weekend. One of the headliners was Joe Piscipo doing his Frank Sinatra impression show. The convention center hosts several acts a day and many of the local restaurants have free jazz shows. To attend the big shows isn't free, though, and since I am being frugal (maybe an overstatement) these days, I didn't go to anything.

Thursday night will be our annual Realtors' Auction. We raise money for needy children to help give them Christmas presents (each child also gets a warm winter coat) and provide money for worthy causes throughout the year. There will be lots of food and silent and live auctions. It is usually a lot of fun -- local real estate companies compete with each other to create the best "basket" that raises the most money during the live auction.

Next week I leave for Massachusetts to visit my daughter. I am looking forward to it so I can catch up with her and with my grandsons. My oldest grandson recently attended a bar mitzvah - by himself. He was invited by one of his classmates. Beth and Dale delivered him to the temple and then picked him up and took him to the country club for the party. He had a new suit on and wore a yarmulke. He commented to his parents that he would no longer complain about Mass at his church being long - the bar mitzvah service lasted three hours. My youngest grandson is starting to take lessons to play an instrument in school - his choice is the bass fiddle. A beautiful instrument, but so big that he isn't allowed on the school bus with it!

I have been thinking about the various bloggers I have enjoyed who have "retired" from the blogging scene. It is interesting how involved we get with each other and how we miss those who aren't "with us" anymore. Life is so busy these days - sometimes it is hard to include everything in our lives.

I have been remembering my trip to Paris two (?) years ago and wondering if I will ever be fortunate enough to return to my favorite place. In memory, here is a photo I took of the Sacre Coeur.
Bon soir!

P.S. Just remembered something my oldest grandson said. He is taking French in school this year (7th grade). When asked why he chose French he said, "Well, you know it is the best language." That's my boy!

WHAT TO BE WHEN I GROW UP

I am sixty-two years old. There is no getting away from it anymore. I have never fibbed about my age and I want to accept the advancing years with as much grace as I can. I have friends who have had or plan to have cosmetic surgery of various sorts: reductions, enlargements, enhancements. While I am not against anyone doing whatever they want to their own bodies, it is not for me. Along with the physical changes of these years, there are the mental. I still feel as though I am in my thirties - with all the hopes and plans for the future. The reality is different. I still wonder what I want to be when I grow up -- and then I remember my age. There are just so many years left. There are not fifty years ahead -- maybe if I am lucky another twenty years. Oh, but the dreams and plans are still there and some of them can come true. I think that part of the fun of it is in the dreaming. Perhaps I have a touch of Walter Mitty in me -- probably all of us do.

I started this post thinking about the things I would like to be when I "grow up." It has taken a different slant, so now back to the beginning. The first thing I can remember wanting to "be" was a dog breeder. My friend Ruth was going to be a horse breeder and we spent hours planning our stables and kennels and the names of our animals. We were seven years old.

When I had my first dog I wanted to be a veterinarian. When I was a "Candy Striper" volunteer in the hospital I wanted to be a nurse. Then I wanted to be a medical secretary and went to a school for that after high school. As an adult I decided to go back to school and become a psychologist or a social worker. Now I am a realtor. Totally not in keeping with my personality traits, but here I am. What do I want to be next?

My father was a "P.R. (public relations) man." He worked for a major museum in Philadelphia and was well-liked and well-respected. He was also a talented writer and instilled in me the desire to write well. I was told throughout school that I had the ability. I did nothing with it, but through the years there was always the tickle in the back of my brain to do something with this ability. However, the more I read the more I doubted that I had what it took to be a writer. I stopped trying. I think I have had a thirty year writers block.

This blog helps. But even in this rather basic writing outlet, I still struggle to find anything to say that is worthwhile and interesting, much less creative. But the dream is in the doing sometimes. So here I am.

Thanks for listening.