The Day After....

Christmas was AWESOME!

I spent the majority of the day with The Mama and her cronies. I had sooo much fun. Of course, the highlight was just sitting and enjoying some quiet time with mom, but the festivities....OMG.

It took place at a 55+ community where SnowBirds from all over the US and Canada converge for the cold northern months. Mom had volunteered to serve the meat at the community dinner.....3 12 lb turkeys and 6 big ole hams. Everyone that comes brings a dish to pass..of course I watched as close as I could to see who brought what cause I'm not down with OPF (other peoples food).

I ate so much of the sugary ham I swear I could still smell brown sugar and ham juice coming out of my pores this morning. Mmmmmmmm yes it was a gluttonous day and no, I don't feel bad about it.

Late afternoon, I left and headed back to Tampa to stop in to my adopted, extended family's gathering. What a great time. I sat and talked for some time to my friend Lesli's grandmother and learned that Lesli's cousin who just had a baby a couple months back was her first great-grandchild! How beautiful the look in her eyes as she spoke about how happy she was to live to experience this. Sammy and Gabrielle are such beautiful spirits and I am so blessed to have them and everyone they have brought into my life.

On the drive home, it again hit home how many things, wait not things, people I have in my life....and on these holidays, to have sooooo many of them sitting around me all at the same time......the bounty of love and friendship can be a little overwhelming....but in a good way, I'm happy to handle it.

Peace. Out. Dale

Peace On Earth

It's here again. The time of year that everyone is drunk on the 5 times distilled liquor of goodness, kindness, joy and peace.

I did partake in a couple of my Christmas rituals again this Christmas Eve, watched It's A Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol (1938). I love those movies for the message of REMEMBER.

Seems to be that as the year goes on the buzz clears and the hangover fades, most go back to the state of 'what's in it for me'.

Don't believe the hype, it's not what, but who's around you that matters. More importantly, what you do to keep the spirit of life in abundance all year long.

Keep the faith, love and Spirit in your heart folks, we're all in this together....365/24/7

Merry Christmas...and remember...."teacher said, everytime a bell rings an angel gets their wings". Ring out!

Peace. Out. Love ya . Dale

The Christmas Tree

I snapped a couple pics of my Christmas tree to share. Decided to go kinda old fashioned this year. Pull different styles of gold balls, a huge bow for the top, gold ribbon streamers and tucked in some red silk poinsettia flowers. All white lights.

If you're wondering about the drama queen curtains.....there are five of them that usually hang straight down, but I had to tuck them up on the rod so that I could see the tree from my little hang out area on the patio behing the tree.

Pay It Forward...how about pay it backward

I heard a really great story at the end of the news tonight.

It happened at a Starbuck's in Miami.

A man, who was a Tai Chi instructor, was in the drive thru waiting for his order and the guy that was behind him started and kept blowing his horn.

He decided to buy the man's drink. Not as a random act of kindness, but as an act to hopefully change the guys conscienceness. I think it worked, because the guy did the same thing for the person behind him.

This started a chain reaction and it continued all day long. How cool is that!

Rock on Tai Chi instructor guy!

Peace. Out.

Guess Christmas is no more. It's now Holiday. How sad.

OK yall...I have reached my mental limit trying to understand the convoluted, PC usage of HOLIDAY.

1st question: WTF? Why do I have to disguise celebrating Christmas?

2nd question: Kwanzaa Starts the day after Christmas. Why do I have to disguise celebrating Christmas? Why would someone be upset with Christians celebrating Christmas?

3rd question: Chanukah starts at different points in time, but all the Jewish folks I know celebrate their beliefs and don't have a problem with Christmas. The Christians I know don't have any issue with Jews celebrating Chanukah. I know a Jewish woman at work that hands out Christmas cards to her coworkers.....not sure they don't return the favor, but that's another rant...so again, why do I have to disguise celebrating Christmas?

4th question: There was a home for kids that did not have their own families that came to the office to sing. The email said they were here to sing "holiday carols". Silent Night, King Winceslas are Christmas carols, not holiday carols. Didn't see any fires, riots or effigies burning in the parking lot. Didn't hear anything that was unfamiliar. No songs that were Hebrew or anything that I would identify as part of the Kwanzaa celebration.

HOLIDAY DECORATIONS: Christmas trees, mangers, angels, SANTA.....these are not holiday decorations.

I'm really and truely not getting it. I have been part of a Christmas celebration since I was born. Now I can't say Merry Christmas out loud because it might offend someone?

Again......we return to question number one.

Don't get me wrong....Everyone that knows me, knows I love and respect any and all personal choices and beliefs. I have absolutely no problem with the celebration of Chanukah or Kwanzaa, but please, being in the closet is not the way to lead a life and stop making me feel self conscience about being and believing what I do. Dang!

PS.......Merry Christmas yall.

Imagine

Wow, 27 years have passed. John Lennon was taken away from us 27 years ago yesterday. I spent yesterday afternoon sitting in a local park enjoying a beautiful warm day sitting under a tree for hours. It was awesome to just BE.

Growing up, I always heard about how folks all remembered where they were the day JFK was assasinated. I was 5 months old.

I remember the day John Lennon was assasinated.

I was in my sophomore year of high school. I remember coming home that night and seeing it
on TV. I spent the whole night in my room. Seems that most of the people in my life weren't terribly upset or just basically apathetic.

John Lennon was an extraordinary human being and his humanitarianism should be honored. I am glad I, amongst many others, can still hear the echo of his soul.

John Lennon once said "If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there would be peace."

Love someone or something today... at least check out the Dream Site

Peace ...... Pray for real peace.

Moving Day

Today I got to help my friend Lesli move to a beautiful townhouse she is renting on Harbour Island. I am sooooo jealous of the the space...it is so well laid out and has a 2 car garage!

I know moving ourselves or someone else isn't something that we look forward to doing, but it was truly a really fun experience.

I met Lesli, her bro Miles, and her Mom Gabrielle (one of my favorite hippies of all time) at Lesli's house. We spent as much time standing, sitting around laughing as we did moving belongings into 2 trucks and a minivan. It was a great time.

I love these folks with all my heart and felt really blessed to have friends I could help.

And to top it all off, I was home in time to watch the Bucs romp the Saints! 27-23.

Scooooooooooore! Was the word of the day all around.

Life is good!

Peace. Out. Dale