Sunday, November 21, 2010

Show me some Thanksgiving ATTITUDE, people!

Today I'm thankful that the check-in person in security at Miami International Airport is a joyous black woman who calls everyone "sweetie', "honey" and "baby". She says "That's YOUR birthday? You lookin' GOOD!" when she checks the I.D. of an elderly gentleman, and "That's what I'M talkin' about!" when she checks out an impossibly luscious young Latina. Only the most cynical can keep from smiling... and we all forget, just for a moment, that we're snaking through a security line at a snail's pace, heading for a pat-down.

Possibly this makes us remember that zooming across the country in a plane is a miracle and a privilege, not a hassle. And that we should respect our fellow humans, not suspect them. And that we should meet every day with gratitude - not just one autumnal Thursday per year.

I read a recent review of Armistead Maupin's latest book, where I found this quote:

“It all goes so fast,” Mary Ann thinks. “We dole out our lives in dinner parties and plane flights, and it’s over before we know it. We lose everyone we love, if they don’t lose us first, and every single thing we do is intended to distract us from that reality.”

Yes - that's reality. So we give thanks for every one of our wonderful crowd of family and friends, and for every experience that comes our way. We love you - pass it on.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

My Schizophrenic Life

So we went through a year and a half of being either "homeless and jobless" (my husband's version) or "nomadic and free" (my version), depending on who you ask. In May, we settled in Bisbee (no longer homeless) and in October, I was awarded a consulting contract with my former employer in Florida (no longer jobless). Yay - money in the bank! Yay - I get to work with people I really like!

This very positive development has me feeling a bit schizophrenic, though. No two places in the world could be more opposite than Bisbee, Arizona and Boca Raton, Florida. Dick has always called Bisbee "the anti-Boca"... and now I am splitting my life between the two.

One day I'm listening to tropical birds and enjoying the lush blanket of hot humid air at sea level - the next day I'm in the high and dry desert, feeling an autumnal nip in the air.

One day I'm sitting in a board room reviewing multi-million dollar budgets, the next day I'm at the Bisbee Woman's Club, where we have to vote on whether it's more cost-effective to let the power company pay us $30 for the Club's used refrigerator or try to sell it on craigslist.

One day I'm debating the virtues of various creative agencies for our 2011 TV spot, the next I'm reviewing the steps to take to get the USTA to give us a grant to re-surface the Vista Park tennis courts.

One day I'm forced to eat airport food and room service, the next day I'm perusing the fresh goat cheese (directly from our favorite goat, Bambi) at the Bisbee Farmer's Market.

One day I'm idling my rental car among Ferraris and Lamborghinis as palm trees wave in the scented breeze, the next I'm feeling very small in my Mini Cooper amongst the 4x4s and giant pickup trucks on the rutted, dusty roads of Cochise County.

What to do? For the moment, just sit back and enjoy the ride...