Dear Diary.....

I've always been a writer. Not professionally of course...not where anyone could read it...that is, until Facebook came along. (maybe it's a good thing I was older when this was invented..haha)

When I was a teen...I wrote poetry...letters...songs...dramas...kept a diary...etc... I wrote to express myself. I think my parents were a little "freaked" at first. They had no idea what to do with an artistic child that like to go in her room and be alone with her thoughts. Then to "write it out in poetic terms" ...Lord have mercy...I think they were close to taking me to see a counselor..haha

But I've written and recorded key moments of my life...or just the every day mundane stuff. Every now and then I will pick something up and read about what was happening in my life during a particular time and how I responded to it. It's kind of an amazing process.

So..I'm here to encourage you to write. Journal...blog...post...express yourself. You'd be surprised how therapeutic it can be. And you never know who you may touch with your thoughts...even if it's just youself.. <<< sometimes the person who needs to read it the most!

I'll share a short story that meant so much to me. Earlier this year..as I was getting ready for my all school reunion..I received a message in my inbox from a guy in my class. Now this guy was a really good friend..someone who would have taken off the head of anyone who messed with me..an all around athlete...but the heart of a teddy bear. His message read..."I will never forget these words to a song you wrote." And then he proceeded to quote it to me. Thirty years have passed and he remembered words to a song I wrote. I was completely blown away. I wrote back and told him he touched me deeply and then I repeated to him the rest of the words to the chorus. He said "yes..that's it!" He then told me he use to sit in the back of the chapel and listen to me play and sing that song...and all these years he's never forgotten them and they had brought peace & comfort to him many times. I felt honored to say the least.

I love the fact that I like to write....and I hope even if it's just a few times...my words will help or encourage someone else.

Facebook Thing

Well…I must admit…like a lot of women…as the big day approaches…the “B” day…I start to have a sense of dread. The words “how did I get this old” tend to be heard coming out of my mouth. Since the age of 30…this has been a common, yearly ritual. Now don’t get me wrong..I don’t need to go on Prozac or be on suicide watch..but my otherwise “jubilant” walk turns into more of a “trudge” as the big day approaches.

Then Facebook came along ! The first year I was on..it didn’t really dawn on me that when I entered my birth date in the Info. Box, that the entire Facebook world would know that indeed I DO age…EVERY stinkin’ year !! Oh joy :/ But then, I started getting wished “Happy Birthdays” from all parts of the country and this dreaded day took on an entirely new face. Oh, don’t worry…I still hate getting older…but it’s just a little less painful. Now I look forward to hearing from so many of my friends scattered from here to there.

As the wishes started pouring in this week..I began to notice a trend. My phone would vibrate…I would open the message and read precious words just for me. I would see the name of the sender and my mind would immediately, subconsciously, jump to another time and another place. For a moment I was transported to a specific time in my life where myself and said friend had become connected. It’s like having a HUGE virtual scrapbook and I’m flipping through the pages of my life as fast as I can. From Jackie, my first elementary school crush (sorry Jackie..the story must be told..haha) who never knew this buck-toothed, freckled face, Laura Ingall’s looking girl existed, to high school friends, college friends, staff member’s we’ve worked with, people we’ve pastored, youth/adults I’ve coached in drama...my school family…and all the wonderful people who surround me even now at this point in my life. Messages from so many wonderful people.
While processing this, I started to think of all the people who have left their “fingerprint” on my life. Somehow…some way… they have influenced, encouraged, supported, tolerated or befriended me over the years and have never let go. And maybe..just maybe…I have left my “fingerprint” on a few along the way.

When I start to view the big “B” day in light of that…how can I not be completely overjoyed at the richness of my 47 years of life?? And while yes…I am getting older.. if I have the privilege of living yet another 47 years (God willing)…how exciting to think of how many more faces I can add to that scrapbook. The new faces that will come along and take me on a whole new adventure..while I’m still holding on to all of you who have held on to me for so long.

Thanks to everyone who has been a part of the journey……and for those I have yet to meet………….. LOOK OUT…I am a “little” on the sassy side ! 
Kinda thinkin’ I’m kinda a fan of this… Facebook Thing…..
~G

Forever Friends

"Some people come into our lives
and leave footprints on our hearts
and we are never ever the same".

My life has been quite interesting over the past year and a half. People from my past have been popping in and out of my life so often...I sort of feel like a revolving door. It's funny...people you thought you would be super close to...you barely hear from. Then other's pop up and all of a sudden you have rekindled a great friendship.

But what I've really learned to do is how to separate "just friends" from "forever friends". Let me explain. I had a guy from high school that I was very close with. I wanted to see him really bad...but he didn't want to come to the reunion...but wanted to see me too. So we met..had coffee..and rekindled that friendship. And just because I asked nicely..he showed up at the reunion anyway..just for me.. = Forever Friend =)

Tonight I got a call from a guy I worked for in Mobile when I was 19. He also attended my church. Through working together..we became very close. Over the years...he has tracked me down..no matter where I was living..to call me up...chat about life...to tell me that he told my mom "I was his first" haha...and that he loved me. Rekindled friendship = Forever Friend =)

I group chat with two of my girlfriends from high school..twice a week now..just to keep up with, love & support one another. Rekindled friendship = Forever Friend.

I have been blessed in my life with people who have gone to great lengths to see me...keep up with me...and love on me. The older I get..the more I realize...who belongs in which category of "just friends" or "forever friends". I don't have many...but for the few I do...they are priceless.

Take this wonderful Thanksgiving season to remind each and every one of your "forever friends" of just how special they are to you.

"Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget".

Men Are From Mars....enough said !! Hilarious !!

My best friend from Bama sent this to me.....she knows me soooooo well. Laughed my head off :)
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Here's a prime example of "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus." It is offered by an English professor from the University of Colorado as an actual class assignment.


A Creative Writing professor told his class one day: "Today we will experiment with a new form called the tandem story. The process is simple. Each person will pair off with the person sitting next to his or her desk."

"As homework tonight, one of you will write the first paragraph of a short story. You will e-mail your partner that paragraph and send another copy to me. The partner will read the first paragraph and then add another paragraph to the story and send it back, also sending another copy to me. The first person will then add a third paragraph, and so on back-and-forth."

"Remember to re-read what has been written each time in order to keep the story coherent. There is to be absolutely NO talking outside of the e-mails and anything you wish to say must be written in the e-mail. The story is over when both agree a conclusion has been reached."

The following was actually turned in by two of his English students:
Rebecca (PINK)
Bill (BLUE).

THE STORY:

(First paragraph by Rebecca)

At first, Laurie couldn't decide which kind of tea she wanted. The chamomile, which used to be her favorite for lazy evenings at home, now reminded her too much of Carl, who once said, in happier times, that he liked chamomile. But she felt she must now, at all costs, keep her mind off Carl. His possessiveness was suffocating, and if she thought about him too much her asthma started acting up again. So chamomile was out of the question.

(Second paragraph by Bill)

Meanwhile, Advance Sergeant Carl Harris, leader of the attack squadron now in orbit over Skylon 4, had more important things to think about than the neuroses of an air-headed asthmatic bimbo named Laurie with whom he had spent one sweaty night over a year ago. "A.S. Harris to Geostation 17," he said into his transgalactic communicator. ?Polar orbit established. No sign of resistance so far..." But before he could sign off a bluish particle beam flashed out of nowhere and blasted a hole through his ship's cargo bay. The jolt from the direct hit sent him flying out of his seat and across the cockpit.

(Rebecca)

He bumped his head and died almost immediately, but not before he felt one last pang of regret for psychically brutalizing the one woman who had ever had feelings for him. Soon afterwards, Earth stopped its pointless
hostilities towards the peaceful farmers of Skylon 4. "Congress Passes Law Permanently Abolishing War and Space Travel,? Laurie read in her newspaper one morning. The news simultaneously excited her and bored her. She stared out the window, dreaming of her youth, when the days had passed unhurriedly and carefree, with no newspaper to read, no television to distract her from
her sense of innocent wonder at all the beautiful things around her. "Why must one lose one's innocence to become a woman?" she pondered wistfully.

(Bill)

Little did she know, but she had less than 10 seconds to live. Thousands of miles above the city, the Anu'udrian mother ship launched the first of its lithium fusion missiles. The dimwitted wimpy peaceniks that pushed the
Unilateral Aerospace disarmament Treaty through the Congress had left Earth a defenseless target for the hostile alien empires that were determined to
destroy the human race. Within two hours after the passage of the treaty the Anu'udrian ships were on course for Earth, carrying enough firepower to pulverize the entire planet. With no one to stop them, they swiftly initiated their diabolical plan. The lithium fusion missile entered the
atmosphere unimpeded. The President, in his top-secret mobile submarine headquarters on the ocean floor off the coast of Guam , felt the inconceivably massive explosion, which vaporized even poor, stupid Laurie.

(Rebecca)

This is absurd. I refuse to continue this mockery of literature. My writing partner is a violent, chauvinistic semi-literate adolescent.

(Bill)

Yeah? Well, my writing partner is a self-centered tedious neurotic whose attempts at writing are the literary equivalent of Valium. ?Oh, shall I have chamomile tea? Or shall I have some other sort of stinkin' TEA??? Oh no,
what am I to do? I'm such an air headed bimbo. I guess I've read too many Danielle Steele novels!"

(Rebecca)

LOSER!
(Bill)

WITCH!

(Rebecca)

BITE ME - YOU NEANDERTHAL!!

(Bill)

In your dreams, Ho. Go drink some tea.


(TEACHER)

A+ - I really liked this one.