November 8, 2014 by kimicalreaction - 0 comments

A brief letter to my cat, Brodie.

And while I’m catching up on correspondence, a long-overdue letter to my youngest cat:

Dearest Detective Inspector Ferguson,

First, let me say thank you for your dedication and hard work in leading our home’s security team. It is admirable how you personally inspect Every.Single.Container that enters our dwelling. No potato chip bag is too small, no fragile gift too beautifully wrapped, no container of food too clearly designated as my dinner to escape your trained powers of observation and mandatory physical evaluation.

In fact, you police the entire house with a zeal that is over and beyond the call of feline duty. I’m quite positive you have single-paw-edly prevented a multitude of multinational mishaps due to your extreme diligence.

If, and only if, I might share but one small thing; miniscule in the greater threat of global terrorism, yet something that strikes at the very core of my being.

Toilet paper is not the enemy.

I still love you with all of my heart. Wait, whatareyou….that’s not… !!!! Waitstopnoooooo….

Mom

P.S. Thank you, Daily Prompt, “Literate for a Day” for the inspiration.

November 7, 2014 by kimicalreaction - 6 Comments

A thank you note to the lady in the gas station bathroom

Dear lady in the plaid shirt in the truck stop bathroom in Eufala, Alabama;

Thank you for reaching over to my sink from your side of the counter and turning on my faucet for me.

I realize my somewhat frenzied hand waving in front of the taps may have led you to assume I was having a breakdown or perhaps trying to land an imaginary plane.

You had no way of knowing that I work in a place where everything in the bathrooms is automated and in order to get soap/water/paper towels you have to make a gesture within the motion-sensor range of the dispenser.

I’m sure I would have eventually figured it out, but you were there and took direct action. Bless your kind and helpful heart.

I’m sure we have given each other a good story.

November 6, 2014 by kimicalreaction - 4 Comments

Blissed Out

I think it’s a picture post kind of day, so I’ll borrow a prompt from Photo 101.

Bliss: complete happiness, great joy, paradise, or heaven. What is your idea of bliss? Today, publish an image that represents bliss.

Waltzing to “Moon River”

This photo was taken on our wedding day, back in December of 2012. The occasion was extra, amazingly special because we had our whole families there, including David’s Dad, who we lost shortly afterwards to cancer.

The whole evening was so glowingly glittery with love and happiness that I honestly thought I would bust.

I especially love the float-y quality of this picture, which of course was achieved with a filter, but actually pretty accurately represents the effervescent swirl of joy I was feeling.

It was, indeed, a damn good day.

November 5, 2014 by kimicalreaction - 2 Comments

One more thing I hate about time change…

I was woken yesterday in the icy and ungodly darkness of 5:00 a.m. by a very tiny, very cold, slightly moist jab in someplace that was warm, happy and otherwise sound asleep.

This assault was followed, of course, by a very weak, very plaintive, quavering meow.

The Very Hairy Wake Up Fairy, a.k.a. Detective Inspector Ferguson, the Fuzzball, Brodiestopthatrightnow!

It appears that while I took the time on Sunday to adjust the clocks on the microwave, oven and coffee pot by one hour, I neglected to set the cat back.

In a rare, purely Supervisory Roll, Captain Keegan, Director of the Committee for Prompt Breakfast Service observes from the foot of the bed.

In a Rare, Purely Supervisory Role, Captain Keegan, Director of the Committee for Prompt Breakfast Service, observes from the foot of the bed.

November 4, 2014 by kimicalreaction - 1 Comment

Picture Perfect

Borrowing another prompt for today’s blog from Rarasaur and Fish of Gold.

“Tell a story in pictures.”

November 3, 2014 by kimicalreaction - 0 comments

And yes, you can quote me…

My writing inspiration today is drawn from a list of blog prompts put together by the lovely Rarasaur and kindly shared by Fish of Gold.

“Start with a quote that represents how you want to live your life– explain it.”

I find it fascinating that one of my all time favorite quotes is from someone famous for not speaking, silent-film actress Mary Pickford.

“You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.”

This is such an amazing and powerful set of words and they have been so true in my life that I want to tattoo them on the back of my hand or somewhere else I will never lose them, somewhere I can see them every single time some rogue day gets the jump on me and beats me into a stupor.

It reminds me not to give up on myself.

It reminds me of other wonderful words, these from the German philosopher Goethe.

“Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen.”

November 2, 2014 by kimicalreaction - 1 Comment

It’s a Dead Man’s Party

I was struck by lighting, walkin’ down the street

I was hit by something last night in my sleep

It’s a dead man’s party, who could ask for more

Everybody’s comin’, leave your body at the door

Leave your body and soul at the door

Don’t run away it’s only me

Only me, only me

I’m all dressed up with nowhere to go

Walkin’ with a dead man, with a dead man

Waitin’ for an invitation to arrive

Walkin’ with a dead man, with a dead man…

lyrics courtesy of Oingo Boingo
Songwriters
ELFMAN
Published by
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group

November 1, 2014 by kimicalreaction - 6 Comments

November Begins:Tiny Peppers, Another Swat at the Novel and Dia de Los Muertos Festivities.

It’s a little spooky that last night was Hallowe’en and it’s already November 1st.

Hallowe’en was always such a big deal to me in my past: as a bartender and bar owner, the holiday glittered with a stream of boozy parties and sexy costumes stretching over at least a week’s time.

Thanksgiving and Christmas being such “family” holidays, Hallowe’en was the last big-kid crazy dress up party until New Year’s Eve rolled around; December 31st’s less alluring and amateur debauchery segueing into the bleak abstinence of holiday-free January and Christmas credit card bills. Whoopin’ it up on Hallowe’en was the real “ring out the old year” and the glamor, fun and participating party peeps made it the highlight of my season.

Now that I’m all old and married (a relatively recent state for both), Hallowe’en has shifted a bit – struggling to find its place in my new life.

Last year’s Steampunk costume

I will forever love dolling up in costumes, but David hates nightclub events and honestly, I’m a bit tired of them-I’ve certainly had my share. Thank goodness one of my best friends, Laura, hosts a fabulous Halloween house party every year with a large group of very pleasant creative types in our age range who actually enjoy dressing up, so we’ve still managed to incorporate a little ~~(mildly)~~ boozy soiree and some (slightly ~~more age-appropriate~~) sexy costumes.

This year the party is tonight, November 1st, so she’s rocking a Dia de los Muertos theme. Stay tuned for deets and pics tomorrow – we’re getting ready right now and I’m as giddy as a little kid – must be the ghost of Halloween past!

Today also starts a month-long commitment to writing.

I’ve somewhat foolishly (really, me, foolish?) signed up for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) and the most fun of all, Nano Poblano, a special bloggers’ support group for NaBloPoMo participants.

I struggled through and failed to complete NaNoWriMo last year, but I struggled through (and completed) NaBloPoMo last year. I may not have written anything ground breaking – the novel certainly languished with no love, but I was thrilled to survive at least one writing challenge. This year I’m going to dust off the book (hee!) one more time and see what happens, but if anything, I’m going to work the hardest at a blog post every day, because I. CAN. DO. IT.

Most of all, I’m really looking forward to meeting a bunch of new people this year and reading some wonderful stuff. Thanks, guys, so much for including me in Nano Pobleno. I’ll pepper you all with the same support and encouragement.

Dammit! Our Uber driver is here and I’ve got to run. Happy Dia de los Muertos, NaBloPoMo, Nano Poblano, NaNoWriMo and oh yeah, Happy ~~Movember~~ November to you all!

May 24, 2014 by kimicalreaction - 3 Comments

Happy x 100 = Making it all a Little Bit Better

A legitimate question.

It’s daunting to consider maintaining a happy state 100 days in a row. I mean, who is perpetually happy? Pollyanna? Normal people have good days and bad days. Nothin’ you can do about it.

As a rule, I’m extremely optimistic and positive, but I have my off mornings too. Those days when you wake up grudgingly and groggily…stumble and bumble out of bed only to trip over the cat who is winding through your ankles and screaming his brains out for you to serve his breakfast…then stubbing your toe bloodily on the dresser while wobbling desperately for balance…which freaks out the aforementioned winding and screaming cat, who leaps to his own safety to the bedside table…in the process, knocking over the water glass, which dumps over, drenching the other cat…who while adding his screech to the ungodly clamor shriveling your eardrums somehow manages to elevate himself on top of your leg… flaying the kneecap bare and bloody as he scrambles up your body like a tree…

Yes, actually a recent morning and…

Not. A. Happy. Day.

Thinking you can you can be Chirpy McHappy for 100 days in a row is just setting yourself up for failure.

But what if you could just stop and celebrate a moment of happiness, once a day, for 100 days?

A perfect Magnolia! #100happydays #day12

That I have better odds of achieving.

I’m trying hard to take that instant, every day. To digitally capture something that makes me smile, touches my heart, makes me gasp at the simple beauty.

Moonlight fading into sunlight #100happydays #day12

The 100 Happy Days Project is a social media challenge that dares you to find one moment of happiness each day for 100 days in a row, take a picture that symbolizes that happiness, and post it to the platform(s) of your choice with the hashtag #100happydays.

The project’s website states that 71% of people who tried to complete this challenge ultimately gave up, quoting lack of time as the main reason.

The tiniest little turtle! We found him in the garden, and named him “Yertle.” #100happydays #day9

They think these people simply did not have time to be happy.

Baby tomatoes!!!! #100happydays #day20

That’s kinda sad.

Hoola Hooping, Shipboard! #100happydays #day6

Hell, I’m going for it.

I’m on day 21 so far, and yeah, sometimes I forget to take a picture and scramble for my camera just before bed, but overall, I’m discovering that I’m never short for subject matter. I’m surrounded by a gazillion little things that make me happy every day.

Top down, cruisin’ with the fam! #100happydays #day5

Noticing these simple things, taking the time to stop and share them, recognizing that I am, in fact, quite happy at that moment…

Vacation with my awesome family! #100happydays #day4

…makes me grateful that almost all my days are pretty damn happy. And I realize that maybe it’s not such a reach after all, to aim for 100 of happiness in a row.

February 13, 2014 by kimicalreaction - 3 Comments

Clusterflake 2014

If you are bored with reality TV and the current Sochi Olympic conspiracy dramas, you may have watched the news enough recently to know that metropolitan Atlanta and parts of the Southeastern US have been hit by wintry weather the past 3 days.

While it’s a perfectly valid point that most Atlantans lack the driving skills, 4-wheel drive vehicles or snow chains necessary to safely navigate icy roads and therefore should stay off the streets, there’s still a lot of inherent humor in that the hub of of the New South has been effectively shut down over 1/4 inch of ice.

My favorite of the Ice-pocolyptic images currently floating around Facebook:

(couldn’t find who to credit the photo to, but “Bravo” to you, unknown Photoshopper! And umm, that’s Atlanta’s own Big Chicken floating around in the back, for all you out-of-towners!)

Next up: the Big Thaw 2014