Month: January 2016

Friday, Friday

I remember Friday being the best day. After getting off work I would hurry home, pick out an outfit, shower, shave (you never knew), put makeup on and be ready to be out the door by 7pm to par-tay. It was glorious and I felt like an adventure was just waiting for me.

In 1972 Arizona lowered the drinking age to 19. For Real!! It didn’t last long but the best part was I was 19. So I was legal and it was cool.

I could vote and drink. There is symmetry to that.

It was often an evening spent dancing at the Wildcat House, I was there for the opening night! Then across the street to the Bum Steer mostly to see who was there. Tucson back then was a pretty cool place. Lot’s of celeb sightings all over, we had an amazing promoter (can’t remember the name) who managed to get the best concerts here. The Tucson Community Center opened with an arena beckoning artists, we had a hopping music scene.

I used to do voice talent for radio and I met a lot of music people in town to promote their artists. It was exciting. They had money and drugs. I would record at KWFM and then the copies would go out to the other stations. I can say for a fact, since I was there, that when the DJ’s put a song on that lasted more than 10 minutes they were smoking a joint on the balcony. It’s In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida time! https://youtu.be/UIVe-rZBcm4

I got tickets to concerts and free albums (vinyl) and an education.

Tucson was also a place to make movies and TV programs. There was a big sound stage out at Old Tucson (western movie location) in use constantly. Regularly streets, especially downtown, were barricaded for filming and locals knew the hotels the actors used and we would show up there to party. Most of them were pretty cool hanging with locals. Anyone who’s lived here for a long time enjoyed a Tucson that was Hollywood’s little secret.

“Shut up and dance with me!”

Cheers!

-N

Ps: Thanks Tony Burgess for the inspiration!

No, I’m not old!

I had an eye appointment today and the first thing I noticed when I was walking into the big building of doctors offices was there were lots of “old” people coming and going. Blue hairs I call them. My eye doc, who is really great, is retiring to Florida. Bummer, Chuck and I both like him. He is mellow and works quickly. Gonna miss that guy. Eyes haven’t change much, that’s good. I have small cataracts, that’s bad. Did I really say that??

Please God, I’m not old, right?

In my head I’m 30. I was skinny and energetic when I was 30. No reading glasses, I could jog a mile without breathing hard and I could drink and dance all night if I wanted. My kids were little so I knew I wasn’t old.

I worked for almost 10 years at the University of Arizona and it was one of the most fun jobs I ever had. Primarily because I was around young people all day. It was great. The best part was hearing about their fabulous and crazy college aged lives. I heard about who they were hanging out with, where they were going for vacays and the parties they hit on the weekends. I felt younger being around them. They cheered me and kept me from the oldness feelings.

For years before that I had worked in the medical field in hospitals and private offices. I found I spent my time talking about doctor appointments, medications, sick days, and aches and pains. Not getting ready to go to the beach or bar hopping with friends to meet people. It made me feel old and I started to sound like these grumpy people.

Right now my Sirius car radio is on the “top hits or Z100 or coffee house”, my Pandora is on the “Mark Ronson station or today’s hits”. I’d love to hit the dance clubs and get sweaty dancing all night, but they look at me funny. Ok, Chuck isn’t a dancer. So I’m not that skinny girl who closed the bars when she was 22 but I’m still fun. Just try me!

My son said I was loud about everything. I think it was a compliment?!?! I’m not typing in all caps, right?

I know I can’t avoid the chronological progression but dammit in my brain I’m not that old. “I’m gonna kiss myself I’m so pretty.”

Cheers!

-N

Dog walking and thinking blog

Took needy Miss Millie for a walk, nice and long one to tire her out-it worked!20151012_092404

While out there I was thinking about some contemporary romance books I’ve read recently. I like romances with good stories to hold them up and some of these authors are real wordsmiths. There is something described that’s consistent in all of them-so far.

All of the incredibly handsome and hot, mega alpha, libido-charged masculine leads always and I mean always use condoms. The beautiful, sexy, perfectly shaped, “wet, tight and hot” female leads expect them to have condoms. Nobody goes without birth control.

Can we make this detail real life, please?

I would rather an unwanted pregnancy be prevented that to kill unborn humans. Abortion should not be used as birth control, besides the moral questions, repeated abortion is really hard on a woman’s body. Save it for those situations where there is no alternative.

Another dog walking topic that came to my mind was protecting animals in our care from harm. Harm from predators, bad weather, bad owner choices. Taking on the responsibility of an animal means you will make decisions for it. It is not in control of it’s life. If a human wouldn’t walk outside without shoes then think before you force freezing or blistering temperatures on your poor animal.

If your dog is aggressive or out of control GET IT TRAINED!! You doing the animal no service letting it stay in this condition. Another thing which is huge is getting your animals (especially cats) spayed or neutered. Uncontrolled litters become feral packs and food for predators. Bad.

Ok I’m off the soap box.

Cheers!

-N

 

Thoughts on ca$h

Yeah I’m back. Sitting here, paying bills and doing a lot of complaining out loud.

I print a receipt, pull up another online bill or log into an account and after giving them my hubby’s hard earned (truly) pay there are more!! They are like bunnies, reproducing magically. But they always say thank you to me when I hand over the ransom.

But they come back again the next month! Who do they think I am, Midas?

I know that I would be an amazingly good, kind and generous independently wealthy woman. I just know I would. I know because when I fantasize about my huge lottery winnings (can’t win if you don’t play) my heart is in the right place as far as charities and helping immediate family is concerned. That’s good, right?

I’d like to try it once.

I used to tell people my fifteen minutes of fame would be to win Powerball and Mega Millions at the same time. Ok so they are a day apart but lets say the same weekend.

Anybody interested in a really nice 5th wheel??

Still looking for that travel show gig. If you know anyone put in a good word for me and I promise I will go to the gym!!

Cheers!

-N

 

 

I know you are interested

This is my messy writing area. The only thing missing right now is the glass of wine but please it’s only 10:30 am here so cut me some slack. I love having a window next to the desk just like Will R20160123_100618ogers! Ok many of you won’t know who that is (look him up,) but he was brilliant, sarcastic, funny and usually right on the money with his witty observations.

Hey that could be me!!

Well it looks like Winter Storm Jonas is wreaking havoc on the north east coast (New Jersey is flooding at high tide) and the Oscars are probably going to go away so it has been an eventful couple of days for humans.

Chuck is starting on our taxes. He is really good at it. Millie is hanging out on the front stoop listening to me talk to myself through the open window shown above. Yes it’s open, I am in Southern Arizona remember?  It’s 57 outside, really warm to me so thus the open window.

I am multitasking-blogging, laundry, dishes, vacuuming-typical Saturday. My sister will be stopping by later today with her grandson, yummy baby. I may get some more packing and sorting done today and tomorrow and I have to make up the For Sale signs for our 5th wheel RV.

Found someone to paint the house, now we just need to clear away stuff and cut back shrubs so he has a clear shot. I will be glad when all this getting ready to sell work is finished.

I love to travel and my bucket list is full of places to see. I would be a great travel host-how do I get one of those gigs??

positano_tramontoPositano. On the bucket list.

Cheers!

-N

Writing groups and mentors

I just sat through my second webinar about writing, and the assorted details that go with that topic. In both of these I was told to find a writing critique group and a mentor. The critique group should have a many times published author for a leader, and the mentor should offer straightforward and constructive criticism of the work.

Where is the best place to find these humans?

Should they be focused on my genre and should I expect to pay for these services?

I’m curious about the experiences of others who have done this. How large was the critique group? How often did you interact with your mentor?

I persevere in my attempt to do my best in my writing and have learned a lot from these sessions along with the things I’ve found online and in print.

Educating myself about this started with why I want to write. My honest, from the heart response is I’ve always written. In fifth grade I wrote a story about toilet paper! Writing happens, it’s getting my work out that is the focus of all of this effort.

I would love your comments.

Cheers!

-N

It’s all in how you say it

One thing to be said for being older and married for a while (36 years) is Chuck and I can pretty much tell each other anything. The biggest thing we’ve learned is how to say these things to each other. A kiss and a sexy butt grab will ease any discussion topic. Speaking to each other the way we would want to be spoken to is the best way to approach a topic. I like to tease him, tell him not to yell before I finish talking and touch his face and tell him he has really nice lips.

Sometimes the argument starts one of us will say “lets stop talking before we get really mad.” If we need to have that discussion it is couched in kisses or snuggles and confirming we won’t be defensive and that we will go to those tools learned in many team building strategy training’s we’ve done a jillion times at work. Listen, repeat, confirm. To those he and I have added making out and heavy petting afterward.

It works for us.

I’ve said many times I’m rather a hermit, but times like today it was very hard to say goodbye when Chuck headed back up north this morning. I’m missing him and on my 3rd glass of wine. We did lots of kissing and hugging before he left. Good things to remember while he is away.

He was so busy with stuff around here as we start the prep for selling our place over these last two weeks and I was very proud of him. He was speaking my love language.

I plan to take a page out of my sister Mary’s book and downsize with this move. She had to do three moves in about that many years and she really cleaned house literally, getting rid of the clutter and excess. I’ve been here for 25 years so Chuck and I have a lot of stuff to weed through and sort out. I’m better at letting things go so the house isn’t quite as cluttered but I do have a lot of books, CD’s and DVD’s and my sewing/craft room is pretty busy with lots of things I probably don’t really need.

He was telling me his plan for clearing out his back yard clutter making me very happy. He has a direction for it. It won’t happen super fast, maybe over a couple of months. He’s a really good man.

So I will sit here wishing for a cuddle and being busy with my part of the plan.

Cheers!

-N

David Bowie

I remember the first time I saw a picture of David Bowie and it confused me. Who was he? What was he? Even in my teenage confusion I was also immensely curious about this human.

Now he’s gone.

I had a gay friend who loved Bowie. George knew every song lyric and I think he might have wanted to be Bowie. After George’s death Bowie was always linked in my mind to my friend. That’s okay, I think Bowie would have been glad to know it.

I can’t say he was one of my favorites but I did react to his music when I heard it. I was a ZZ Top, Led Zepplin, Fleetwood Mac, etc music listener in my youth. Rock and Roll with guitars, bass and drums-loud. His style was so fluid and compelling. Fame!

My daughter watched The Labyrinth all the time. It was one of her all time favorites and when she found out I knew who Bowie was when I was her age she was blown away.

Yes your mom’s old but she is also cool!!

Also he had two different colored eyes-that’s majestic!!

Rock on- Let’s Dance.

-N