I will start by reminding myself how much I love my parents. They’re fun. After 7 decades of rockin’ out life as it comes they get some leeway, some freedom to explore the nether regions of fear and news and epidemics. They missed the Spanish Flu so maybe they are just suffering from FOMO on our most recent virus veritas.

My family snowbirds in the Redneck Riviera, also known as the Gulf-Coast-Flobama-Alarida. A wonderful place with relaxing beaches and zip-lining and restaurants. Having the opportunity to escape the doldrums of winter, while also insisting that your family visit you so that they to can get out of snow banked depression, is cool. Unless an epidemic strikes and people start freaking out and you’re fed daily news that there won’t be any food or gas or toilet paper.

First and foremost. Toilet paper being hoarded is the perfect symbolic statement of what a shit-storm is when you don’t wash your hands and listen to whatever garbage news feed pops up in your timeline. If you are self-quarantining some extra rolls are worthy but why would there be a production shortage of paper. It stinks just thinking about it.

Blessed to be directed to stay put. Bummed to miss out on beach time. Directed to gather supplies in case of an early return by the snowbirds. I don’t have a Costco card. Nor do I have a desire to stock up on the canned goods and hunker-down supplies. Luckily if you do have an account you can have your supplies shipped anywhere. Thusly, we have become the distribution hub of the family fear factoring.

It surprises me that they would want to be home early. Enjoy the beach and your last breath. The reason given for the early return was that there could be a shortage of gas. If no one is going anywhere why would there be a gas shortage? A surplus is in order. Side note - folks not going anywhere has literally cleared the air in China. The fear of not being able to get home sucks. The fear that once you get home all you have to survive on is SPAM and toilet paper, personally that is much worse.

I look forward to seeing my parents again, sooner or later, but just in case I take solace in the fact that SPAM was the only remaining canned meat they could purchase and so I shall have an everlasting memory of their sacrifice.

I'd rather march on than be carried away by the corona conversation. My hopes is that we will look back on this deadly outbreak years from now and say, "Can you believe no one has gotten a cold in, like, ever bro." You know because everybody started washing their hands and not touching their face and took daily measures to be as healthful as possible. 

That outcome is just as likely as extinction. 

Death has a way of sneaking up on us, so make today the absolute best you can for everyone in your realm of influence.

My I.T. guy asked for permission to restart my computer so as to sort out what was wrong...with the computer. He "Fonzi'd" it. It kinda works now. Somewhat. Fonzi lost his edge.

Restart. Reset. Renew. Do it. Daily. 

The computer does not work properly but it will soon be returned to it's rightful owner because I have hit the restart button. Let the re-imaging begin. Boldly. Blessed. Begin.

Guys, and gals for that matter, the phrase that pays when you've done something stupid, or God forbid have to tell your spouse about an actual emergency is, "Everything's Fine."

That phrase must lead the way when you make that unexpected phone call. Not sure when I learned that but it was well into married life. Today it paid off. I turned the stove on, warming up my favorite frying pan to make some Boca Chik'n Patties and then returned to my studio for a quick project review.

A short time later I walked into, let's say a small cloud of smoke. Now. This is about the time my wife was to return from work and I did not want her to be frightened or frustrated with our current air quality fiasco. We rarely chat during business hours so I led with the phrase that pays.

She then put me on speaker phone so that I could repeat what I had done allowing her co-workers to gain some evidentiary excitement to the stories she tells them of me. We need a new pan. We need not worry. Safe words can take on many forms. Remember to use them to keep yourself out of a jam.

The bombardment has begun! Out shoveling snow this AM was great. I'm serious. Big ol' fluffy snowflakes piling up to make the cold air worthy of its crispness. 

Soon enough the sleds will be out packing down the frozen flakes, speeding to the bottom of the hill, taking each step one by one climbing back up for another ride. 

Bring it on winter wonderland!

Just a little reminder that You Are Never Alone.
No matter what you have going on, good or bad there is someone to share it with.
Somebody has felt what you feel and dealt with what you’re dealing with and they’ve done it successfully. It takes courage to ask for help but you can do it knowing that You Are Never Alone.

#YANA

Hey everybody! 

I wish to preface this post with the fact that I am not a Star Wars aficionado. I do not delve into the depths of the Jedi universe though upon my office wall hang the Millennium Falcon and Han Solo's blaster from my childhood.

The original Star Wars certainly had an effect on me. As a product of divorce, the father/son storyline hooked me and my Catholic upbringing made the force much more fashionable. I continue to pass on the lessons of the Force to my Godchildren. My Darth Vader mask may make the beatitudes more palatable. 

I've read two posts about the ending of Rise of Skywalker and neither mentioned my theory. The folks in my life who are into Star Wars as verifiable geeks as well as just fans of the franchise did not notice what I did. So my expectations of furthering the family lineage may never be met, but as some of you know, we have cats so I'm cool with it.

Ben gave Rey twins when he saved her life. I said it. Jump right into it. The latest episode is called RISE OF SKYWALKER. Rise. of Skywalker. Rey, dying at the end having battled the Emperor is held by Kylo Ren, aka Ben, for a loving moment. Ben's hand is on her belly when he passes his life force onto Rey. She did not have a belly wound, he was not healing her as she did him earlier in the pic. His hand is on her belly. He Dies. She lives. 

Next she goes to a desert planet and buries TWO LIGHTSABERS. His and her models, Luke and Leia's. Twins yo. Rey will have twins. Ben's babies. Mr. Abrams is the only one that will tell me otherwise. Luke and Leia were twins. The story will continue. Maybe. At least I'd like to think so because I am sentimental that way. 

Rise of Skywalker. Hand on the belly. Two lightsabers. I mean. 

Hey there everybody!

Mondays set the tone.
Make it happen.
Move the needle.
Motor on.
Mix it up.
Meld the flavors.
Move, making motion more malleable.

I got roped in to watching The Game Changers a few weeks ago. It came at the right time as we were expanding our vegan-egetarian-esque diet. Aside from the much needed Five Guys, Shake Shack, Jets Pizza or ever more imperative Hunter House chow fests we had essentially moved away from the usual red and processed meat feeding frenzies. This made the transition away from milk and cheese and meat 99.9% of the time much easier.

This was an appropriate coincidence, as my genetic bent is collecting cholesterol in parts that do not like squatters and by-product vagabonds hanging out. Watching shows about healthy habits is one thing, taking action immediately is another. I have a series of 10 minutes spent moving battle ropes. It was one of the subplots to the documentary and I wanted to know if I could do it. I can. It is possible. Your whole body gets pulled into motion.

Get roped in to something you’ve started and follow the twists and turns onto the next level of wherever it takes you. Again I must reiterate we did not clear out our cupboards and cleanse ourselves with an over-the-top reaction. We took small actions and adding accordingly. Once you get roped in it’s much easier and more fun to keep riding in that direction.

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Make a snow angel! I dare you to do it naked. Not to be naughty but to push your comfort zone beyond cool-easy-breezy. Do it in the dark so your neighbors don’t have to have their comfort zones invaded. Suggestion - have a towel or robe ready. Your preparation start to finish even in the frivolous fun stuff is important.

Mind over matter as the thought of snow and skin seems too harsh to handle. Don’t run. Careful not to slip into angel mode. Find your sweet spot and let your angelic appendages wistfully wipe away your fear. You will be smiling, if not before, or during, after but likely before, during and after. Let the snow know who’s in charge.