Besides all That

This morning, Bill Kirton mentioned some of the hazards of being a writer. If you need a laugh, read this most surprising and thought provoking blog on having a relationship with your vitamins and toilet paper. You won't be sorry. I'd love to experience more of that particular hazard - a soaring imagination.

For the last couple of years I've had a different issue. That of the writing/typing arm hurting and going to sleep. Between, writing, using the computer, playing the guitar and delivering the mail, my write arm hurts all the time and goes to sleep very easily, staying asleep most of the night. Numb, not just nighty night. I'm using my left arm when I remember, for like, drinking coffee, brushing my teeth. It seems odd.

I asked my supervisor if the postal service would pay for me to go to the doctor because it's been much worse since the holidays. He said, nah, they will just say you can't do the job anymore, 'maybe you should quit'. I said, "Remind me again why anyone would want this job? No benefits, lots of the heavy mail days, extreme wear and tear on the personal vehicle, the necessity to be on call 24 hours a day, and very little chance of going full time (especially now that they are considering a five day work week).

I finished my manuscript Sunday handwriting approximately 15,000 words so I sat down today to start typing them into the computer. My arm went numb while I was typing so I had a brainstorm. I pulled out my Dragon Naturally Speaking program, reprogrammed it and began dictating. I will have to spring for the newer and Mac version of this software but I think this will be the solution to my problem of writing the MS twice. And for transcribing my dictated notes from my digital recorder. I'll let you know how it goes. I should have the upgrade tomorrow and will get back on the MS Friday.

Mammy's Cupboard, a Natchez attraction on my route.

Fun news! I have another singing gig Friday at a B&B in Natchez, MS across the river. Natchez has a month long event called Pilgrimage which draws tourists from all over the world. Years ago I had a tour guide job at this fabulous antebellum home decorated with antiques from all over the world, including wall paper on the dining room walls saved from some cave in Europe. They extend the March pilgrimage season with music festivals, art festivals, and tours of the antebellum homes. I'm the entertainment for one of them Friday afternoon. It should be fun!

Longwood
An unfinished octagonal multi story home is one of the favorite homes on tour.

Natchez, Mississippi - a wonderful place to visit. It will remind you of a smaller, cleaner, cooler New Orleans. Come see us!

Joie de Vive2

Michael, over on May Contain Nuts, blogged about the latest contestant on The X Factor. I guess we don't get it here but you can watch Danyl Johnson's performance here. Talk about Joie de Vive. This 27 year old teacher has it and everyone in the crowd caught it from him! Enjoy.

It made me want to get my stuff together and perform just for the pure joy of it. That excitement will still be with me this week as get my amp and mike and stuff rigged up for First Friday Sept 4th. If the weather is nice I'll be singing outside, if it's too hot or raining, I'll be inside at the Book store, Cover to Cover, in Natchez on Main Street. Come on by.

And...

Trust me - check out this wonderfully poignant blog post on Fathers and Sons

My alpha male

Men.
Sometimes you want to kill them, sometimes you want to marry them all over again. The best ones are the alpha males because when they show their soft side, it's soooo special.

My Hero asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I told him I wanted to see Matthew McConaughey's new movie AT the movie theatre. We haven't been to a movie in -hmm - fifteen years.

On the way we stopped at Sam's and once inside I realized I'd forgotten the checkbook and asked him to run out to the car and get it. I proceeded to fill my list from the aisles closest to the front of the store, occasionally looking for him, but we were in a hurry to make the movie so I moved on. Halfway down the main aisle he walked up to me and said, "Next time at least have the decency to wait for me at the front. I've been standing up there looking for you." Now, if I was going to stand around and waste time I'd have gone to the car to get the check book myself.

But then, on the way to the movie, I turned on a song from our past when I used to sing Lion in the Winter, by Hoyt Axton and Linda Rondstadt. It was his song.

When they sang, "and when I first saw you, I first loved you, like the song that you sang and the fire in your eyes," I heard him say, "Now that's the gospel."

I was driving and looked over at him, "What?" I asked. But he couldn't speak and had tears in his eyes. Then he said, "Years ago. That's what happened."

Thirty-two years later and he still gets choked up over a sentimental song and how much he loves me.

I think I'll keep him.