I was out for dinner and a glass of sangria last night when today's blog song came on. I couldn't help but bop along with it and seriously, who doesn't know the lyrics, "It was only a kiss...it was only a kiss!" 

This of course, got me thinking of some of the kisses I've had in my life. Do you know I can't for the life of me remember my first kiss; I suppose at age 52 that's forgivable.

And then there's the kisses that curl your toes...

Great memories. How about you? Do you remember your first kiss?

Because I want it all 
It started out with a kiss 
How did it end up like this? 
(It was only a kiss) 
It was only a kiss 

http://youtu.be/Xh9710gjiII
I love this live version of the song!

Sometimes, daring to look to the stars brings tremendous happiness and answers to long asked questions. It opens you up to the possibilities of "what if." And indeed, sometimes, the what if's are scary and off-putting and fabulous and fantastic.

Yesterday, my day was filled with rattling stars.

My day, as always, started with a moment of gratitude followed by the writing of this blog.

I had a Reiki-psychotherapy session. Thanks, Cathy!

I had a session with my card reader from Portland/Windham, Maine. You might recall last week I was frazzled. I knew I had to call on an expert. Jeri's readings are always intense, spot on and very, very good. I am happy to pass her number on for you to call her if you are so inclined: Psychic Readings by Jeri - Jeri Brem: 207-797-0044 - please tell her I sent you.

I visited with a friend. I had done a reading FOR her and she was happy to tell me she could validate everything I said to her three weeks ago. I loved that! My readings, for the record, are nothing like Jeri's but they are equally as good!

I called my mom to discuss the day's event as well as set up travel plans for Bella to go and spend a little time in Florida.

I did all the other stuff one does on a day off except for grocery shopping and cooking. I didn't do that at all.

After receiving instructions on what to focus on before sleep, I went to bed and ended up having, I believe, a dreamless sleep.

Indeed. The stars were rattled.

I think for today, YOU should rattle the stars. Don't be afraid. 

xo

I'll follow you
When the stars go blue

http://youtu.be/nKTlsabYEj0

I love that a post about getting a tattoo generated so much interest. I received emails, texts and had in person recommendations. It absolutely generated conversations!

Bella remains appalled at the thought. On Saturday, Marco left the top comic strip for me and Bella told him to "stop encouraging her." She is my sixteen year old mother. I linked all the strips together for your (and my) amusement.

There is a phenomenal company called Conscious Ink that makes temporary tattoos. I wore this one for a weekend and loved it the whole time. I liked the size, the width and the font.

The infinity sign, as you might recall, drove me batty. One of my friends suggested having the infinity sign created with a Celtic look. I like that idea and have been looking for a design that truly strikes my fancy.

SO....

Yes, I am still thinking about getting one.
No, I am still not certain how it will be designed, although I have some ideas.
Yes, I still want it on my left wrist.

OH, and it turns out, out of the ten people who work in the salon, seven have tattoos. I am certainly in the perfect place to ask questions!

Then, LOOK what I found while searching! A place to create your tattoo and take it for a test drive before going forth with the ink.

Lastly, while finally reading my feedly feed yesterday afternoon to catch up on all my favorite blogs, I came to my friend Mary's posts. In case you NEVER want a tattoo (for the record, I never wanted one), or in case you don't love them at all,or, if you like the art but don't want to use your body as a canvas, read Mary's column. Take a gander on over. I really appreciate her way of thinking.

UPDATE: 7-31-13
Follow this link to a quick article from NPR regarding tattoos.

xo

Your body is a wonderland...

http://youtu.be/N5EnGwXV_Pg

Last night, my kids and I went out to dinner. The restaurant overlooks the Hudson and the view was majestic; the food was only OK, the service was not great but certainly not awful. We paid for the view. (Peter's words.) I did give the bus boy his own little tip, as I live with a bus boy, and I saw how frazzled the kid was busing all the tables by himself. (I have come to appreciate tips between Peter and the salon!)

It is extraordinarily lovely to have your kids to yourselves. To just sit and chat and meet them at a level that isn't that of the parent. I honestly adore my kids. They make me laugh every single day because they are damn funny. They make me cringe every once in a while because, they act their ages, and as a result, they are supposed to make me cringe. They make me angry every so often, although if the truth is told, it is very rarely. The make me proud every second of every day because at their core, they are amazing, kind, well meaning kids who are struggling through adolescence with technology and social media the likes of which I could never have imagined in the 1970's.

Every so often, it is comical to have a pre-meal text between rooms, shouting (yelling the word PETER as loud and as long as we could from Bella's room to his) between rooms, meeting of the minds, "OK, let's go ___________ for dinner" and head out into the car. Where, we made a left and ended up somewhere that wasn't even on our original list.

The company was 100% delicious. I highly recommend this kind of a solo date to every parent. Take your kids, especially your teens, out to dinner and have at it. You will love them even more than you thought possible.

My kids ain't gonna break my heart
My greed ain't gonna spoil their part
This life just has to be a new one
I'm gonna tan underneath a new sun

http://youtu.be/x2KRpRMSu4g

Here's what I have figured out in the nearly two months working at the salon.

• Look people in the eye when they walk in the door
  
• Say "Hello!"
  
• Offer people coffee, tea, hot cocoa or water
  
• Listen to their stories
  
• Call the clients by name
  
• Move the fan to the lobby even if you are melting so the clients don't
  
• Have the half and half ready for the clients who love it
  
• More often than not, someone really needs a hug
  
• Packets of change of a $20 make the desk move right along
  
• Always offer a follow up appointment even though 75% of the population flies by the seat of their pants
  
• Stand up when the time comes to check out a client
  
• Sit down to take their next appointment
  
• Triple check the day of the week with the date when writing out an appointment card
  
• Teenage girls all want their hair to their hip bones
  
• The right product DOES make a difference
  
• TIP your shampoo girl - ESPECIALLY if they helped with color or highlights
  
• TIP your stylist
  
• How much to tip? Basically, 20% or more if we rocked it
• $5 for the shampoo girl if she gave you the scalp massage of scalp massages
• There are no breaks for lunch or the bathroom
  
• Make eye contact when five people are checking out and four people are checking in
  
• Give a tour to every new client
  
• The people getting colored on Friday mornings love that People and Us magazine get delivered and they get first dibs
  
• Your hair salon provides you with therapy - relax and enjoy it
  
• What's said at the beauty parlor STAYS at the beauty parlor
• Occasionally, there really IS a hair emergency
  
• Relax, it's only hair, it WILL grow back
  
• Of course we can fix the color issue that happened when you tried to do something by yourself and you weren't sure what to do
  
• OHHhhhhh - you cut your own bangs...yes, we can fix that too
  
• Eyebrows, lip and chin - AKA the face wax trifecta
  
• After a facial, the client is a little delirious in an awesome way
  
• "Let me talk to a stylist and see if I can squeeze you in..."
  
• Color and a cut, or color and a blow dry?
  
• Full foils or half? Does the aluminum foil go from ear to ear or does it go around your head so that when you throw it into a pony tail it looks pretty everywhere?
  
• Thank you so much for coming, we'll see you again soon
  
• Have a great weekend!
  

With love from the front desk,
Maggie

I can't imagine you will get through this video without crying...

I've had enough
This is my prayer
That I'll die livin' just as free as my hair

http://youtu.be/MpHSWMQwovA
I can't wait for her new album...

Last week, my 17 year old fell asleep at something like 2:30 in the afternoon and didn't wake up until 10:00 the next morning. He informed me he got up at 4:15, had a piece of pizza, and then went back to bed. Teenagers know how to sleep! (He was utterly sleep deprived for this much needed rest.)

Personally, I don't need nearly 24 hours of sleep, but I am craving more than the six to seven hours a night I am getting. I am going to make that my mission for next week.

As for the laughing...

You all know I work at the hair salon. It is a beautiful salon with great warmth and elegance. There are two glorious chandeliers. The floors are a warm wood. All the stations are black and very well lit. The bathroom vanity looks like an antique piece fitted with a sink. The vibe of the salon is she-she, frou-frou without being stuffy. The people that work there make certain it isn't stuffy - we want you to feel welcome as soon as you walk in the door.

Do you have the image in your head?

Excellent.

So, I go to the bathroom. The person who used the loo just before me folded the toilet paper into a hotel triangle. A hotel triangle! The Backstage Salon Boutique Hotel Bathroom - THAT'S where I was! It struck me as so hilarious I was actually crying from laughing so hard. And because I was laughing so hard everyone else started to laugh. People getting their hair colored had no idea why they were laughing - they just joined me in the hilarity. I must have guffawed for over two minutes. Later that night, as we were closing up, I used the bathroom first and I folded the TP in the hotel triangle. My friend, the one who started the triangle giggles, she totally didn't find it as amusing as I did. She did manage to chuckle. I laughed.

And so, on the Friday, I wish you a good sleep and an even better laugh.

Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby

http://youtu.be/2qP4Ye15J0Y

Do you ever feel just. so. melancholy? I have felt that way for the past few days. I just want to cry. A lot. For a long time.

Grief isn't always about the death of a person. Sometimes it's just missing someone so overwhelmingly that you can not even begin to describe it.

That's where I am this week.

What I have learned about this statement is that it holds true for the wonderful things in life as well as the not so great. I know I do the following things hoping to catch the attention of the wonders of the universe:

• I make wishes at 10:10 and 11:11
  
• I knock my head when knocking wood
  
• I dry out wish bones
  
• I say "God bless you!"
  
• I thank the universe each morning for my many blessings
  
• I review them at night and send thoughts of gratitude and blessings to those who matter to me
  
• I also send blessings to those who may be irritating me
  
• I write about what I want to manifest
  
• I speak out loud in my car ALL THE TIME - thanks to Bluetooth technology no one has to know there isn't anyone human on the other end of these conversations
  
• I wear powerful bracelets
  
• I believe things happen for a reason
  
• I read a lot about that which interests me
  
• I have been known to utter, "Be careful what you wish for..."

Yesterday, the universe had a little fun with me. My sister Jane started my morning with a highly amusing text, which turned into a phone call, which turned into an awful lot of eye rolling and "SERIOUSLY's?" on my part.

I was late to yoga, so I was in the back of the room. I loved being back there. Watching everyone move through their poses is beautiful. I may stay in the back for a while.

After yoga, I talked with my Mom about Jane's text. I decided to hope "the air the person we were talking about exhaling would indeed help the plant life on the planet" as they are really quite toxic to me. 

That led me to call my psychic in Maine to set up an appointment. I haven't spoken to her since December. Apparently, it's time!

I headed to acupuncture where my body reacted to a couple of needles (kidney & heart) with more than the average twitch. I couldn't settle my head at all. No mantra I have learned would help. ::: sigh ::: A day later, the pains I was experiencing aren't here, so, something worked!

There was a gorgeous rainbow above our house after crazy storms yesterday.

I texted one of my nieces to check in on her and 'lo and behold, hours after our text, she was offered the opportunity to go for a job interview on Thursday at the exact place she wanted to work. YEAH!

There is a reason all this is happening. The universe is doing its thing. I am along for the ride. Some days it feels a tad more bumpy than others. Some days it is as smooth as glass.

How's the universe treating YOU these days?

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

http://youtu.be/fHvf20Y6eoM

Yesterday morning, I had a private yoga/life session with Cara. Beyond being a yogi, Cara is a personal trainer, spiritual counselor and nutritionist. She is a wife, sister, daughter, friend and mother of four. She has been practicing "perfect balance" since college.

Our sons played on the same basketball and baseball teams for several years. We shared a casual wave here and there. Our kids were in different elementary schools, we didn't have a lot of mutual friends, and yoga? I totally did NOT do yoga.

Now, I cannot fathom how we haven't known each other forever. We are in sync on a spiritual level and she fills my head with all kinds of good stuff. I can attribute quite a few a-ha moments of my life to Cara's wisdom.

We all need a Cara (or two or three) in our lives.

ANYWAY, while we were pre-yoga-ing yesterday we were talking about my food issues. Cara mentioned primary and secondary foods. What? Huh? Really? 

Food for the soul isn't something we ingest; it is the stuff that feeds the important parts of our lives: relationships, careers, spirituality and physical activity. When we are whole in those areas of our life, secondary food (food we eat) isn't something we crave in order to make up for what is lacking in the primary food area of our lives. The best example has to be little kids out playing. We have to coax them in to eat. Only when they are hungry do we actually see them. I know, it's brilliant.

And when you can find love,
If you can find love,
If you can find love,
Then you forget everything.

http://youtu.be/1TInckx0mLQ

Last night, I was looking at the moon; it was slightly shrouded by clouds while gloriously full. I have readers from around the world (exciting!) and I love that the moon is full for all of us. I know it will be at different times, but here in NY, we ARE all looking at the same moon. It makes me feel less small; more connected.

Last summer, I was in Cape Cod where there was an amazing full moon on Labor Day weekend. I texted a friend of mine the picture of the moon from the marsh I was at. They texted me back their full moon. From miles and miles away we were sharing the same experience.

I think the vastness of the universe can be unnerving. Something as simple as a full moon lets us know we aren't alone and we are connected.

The game, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, proves that too. In my own life, I have been surprised to see who I am mutually friends with on FB. Add my sister Jane to the mix and here in Westchester, between the two of us, it gets almost comical.

Here's to the full moon and friendships near and far.

LOVE this!
Beg, steal or borrow two nickels or a dime to call me on the phone
written in 1973 ~ released in 1975
WAY before cell phones

http://youtu.be/VrqGnA7xgCg

I do get up fairly early - around 6:15 in the morning.

In no way, is that even close to the time my gym friends get up...they rise at something like 4:00 every day, suck down a protein shake or some chicken, and get ready to kick start their day with weights or the bag at CKO. I haven't "worked out" in almost three months. I loathe the 4:00 alarm. Detest, despise, hate it. I doubt they love it either, but they are committed to themselves and as a result, they do it. As they say in the south, "Bless their hearts," and really, if you think about it, they are blessing their hearts!

With the new job, the heat, and my over-worked abused body, I just wasn't up for the challenge of the wtf-seriously o'clock gym adventure for all this time.

With that said, I feel almost ready to hit it again. I miss it. Yep. I just wrote that. ME. Jen C just smiled a big grin while Janet just said, "FINALLY and hooray!" out loud.

I know I am weak again.

JZ is going to take one look at me and sigh knowingly at the carbs that I have allowed to enter my body, because, as we all know, I KNOW BETTER.

With that said, if you've followed this blog or the retired "Me On A Mission Blog" you know this is a journey for me. It is life-long and seemingly endless, as it is for each one of us.

What works for one of us may not work for all of us.

My amazing friend Ellen participates in grueling triathlons to support cancer research, and her training regimen is one I can't fathom. If you would like to read more about that - HERE is her fundraising page.

Through it all, I have managed to do yoga. You all know my darling Cara. If you don't, take a gander on over to her blog, HERE, so you can see exactly why she is the perfect teacher for me. I missed a few weeks with the new job, but as of last Tuesday, I'm back into weekly yoga and I will be taking private lessons with Cara every other Monday.

And so, I keep going and going and going, two steps forward, four steps back, five steps forward, one step back, in the endless attempt to get my shit together once and for all. I love the support and encouragement I get here and in real life - it's important and necessary and makes this endless circle tolerable.

I think as long as well can all remember to be true to who we are, the pure, honest, core and the depth of ourselves, in the end, we will be happier each day.

Be sure to check out the July FB picture for today - it garnered an awful lot of likes and looks.

I love GLEE, and this version of Florence + The Machine's "Shake It Out" stunned me with it's simplicity and beauty when it was done on the show. For the purists, I am giving you the original as well.

I like to keep my issues strong
But it's always darkest before the dawn

GLEE: http://youtu.be/uAmM6GB8UbE
Florence + The Machine: http://youtu.be/WbN0nX61rIs

I put this on FB last night...

JAKE UPDATE:
Let's just keep doing what we do, OK? xo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First of all PRAISE GOD he is going home today! Yes, I said today! He cannot have any visitors in our house for about a week. He has to recuperate. As he feels like it, we can take him out and have people come in. 

The type of cancer he has is called stage 3 anaplastic ependymoma brain cancer. There is a 60-70% survival rate with the new treatments. The fact they were able to remove all of the tumor is a miracle. I am sure just the first of many! 

The treatment is only done in Bloomington. So we will be driving to Bloomington 5 days a week for six weeks for a chemo/radiation combo. 

Just wanted to update everyone. We are still doing well.

You're not alone
Together we stand

http://youtu.be/wyzBOH24oZA

I rarely remember my dreams, but when I do, they are usually doozies. There are so many theories about dreaming; that is one thing I am not up on. Every once in a while I may google something (on a side note - what on earth did we do before google?!) if I am concerned about a dream, but in general, I just let my brain take me to where it needs to go at night. Do YOU remember your dreams?

Music today is yet another talented home town young man and his band. Enjoy the Friday dance music quality of "Dreaming" by Smallpools featuring the vocals of Sean Scanlon. 

Love the song? Live in NY. Check them out:
MONDAY,  JULY 22, 2013 - 8:00 PM
Smallpools
Bowery Ballroom
6 Delancey St
New York, NY

JAKE UPDATE
This is from his dad, Jeff:
"And he is up! Doctor came in and said he looked fabulous. Solid foods as tolerated and possibly home by the weekend. Today's goal, quoted from doc," Gonna turn you into a real boy today, so up ya go!" Praise God."

Keep those good thoughts coming!
Go Jake, go.  xo

Tell me we're dreaming...
http://youtu.be/e8xni3EcIbc

Nearly every summer I can remember has been fantastic. 

As kids, we spent two weeks, each August, at our grandparents lake house in Vermont. The days were carefree. When I was 15, I had a crush on a boy who was vacationing at the end of the cove. His name was Glenn and he lived in Northport on Long Island, which was a million miles away from Massapequa when you don't drive! We talked on the phone and wrote letters and then, school started and I never saw him again; and yet, I can remember so many details. 

When I was 12 (I think) it was the summer I babysat three little girls, one of whom was a newborn. That could also be the summer (although there were a few) Barbara and I, along with Charlie and John, and whomever else was around, would ride our bikes for hours on end to creeks and steams and be gone, often miles away from where we lived, day in and day out.

When I was 13, I broke my left arm on July 6 climbing (falling) over a fence at the beach club. I had a cast from armpit to wrist. I got a 10-speed bike, which I wasn't allowed to ride, as a get well gift. (Really mom, what the hell?!) Well, of course, I did ride it. And of course, I did get caught. (Don't wave to your father when you are riding the bike you're not supposed to be riding...) I believe I may still be grounded for THAT...

There were hours spent at the Biltmore Beach Club. And TOBAY. And Jones Beach. At Zach's Bay. On Mr. B's boat. At Pat's house on the bay - the stories I could tell from those days are rich, detailed, manic, filled with young teenagers in love, all on a mission to rule the world. Oh, and I learned to play guitar and played it all the time with Heidi, who I haven't seen since high school.

One summer, I pretty much lived at Carolyn's - we lounged by the pool working on our tan, reading books, listening to music, taking breaks for eggs with onions and American Cheese.

The summer of 1979 was the summer I learned how to drive a stick-shift in a giant truck, a Ford F150 named Bertha, on a mountain in Vermont with the instructions, "Drive or we die..." I had zero plans of dying, so, I drove. That was one of the most magical times of my whole life just based on the depth of my love, the innocence of youth, the sweet man I was with, and the wonder of being surrounded by nature in a cathedral we had all to ourselves.

The nostalgia of our youth can't be replaced; the memories are bright, vivid, and indeed, all that. As an adult, with the onset of all our responsibilities, summer no longer has the same meaning as a teenage summer.

In June 1981, I started my job at the phone company. I put on my big girl pants and started commuting into NYC. My life changed radically from that day forward.

In June 1997, I had my darling Bella girl and really, breast feeding a baby in the heat, with sweet little 15 month old Peter running around, remains blissfully accurate in my mind.

The summer of 2012 will go down as the summer I started to find myself again. I doubt I will ever be able to repeat it; I don't think I would want to.

It remains one of the most fragile, beautiful, heart-wrenching, amazing, delicious, delightful summers I can ever remember as an adult. Thanks to Cathi for sharing her beautiful home in East Hampton with me (and others) so that I could work on myself. Thanks to Carol Ann for her house on the Cape, where, less than a year ago, The Glass House Retreat was conceived on a lake, with a book and a few glasses of wine. It was the summer of my adult teen years...

What about YOU? What are some of your memories? AND, aren't you really, REALLY glad we didn't have social media?!  ;-)

Here's to 2013. Let's see what it brings...

A new road's waiting, you touched my life
Soft and warm on a summer's night
You're the only one -- I told you - the only one I love
The lovely one, I'm thinking of
http://youtu.be/_OOUY1Z_XOQ

Did you know Amy and I met via the internet? It's true. Back in the day, AOL had message boards (they may still) about any topic imaginable. I actively participated on several boards, including a board for people interested in the products Stampin' Up! sold.

We talked about what we were making. What we were designing. How much we spent at the local craft store on "stuff" to make with our SU! products. (A lot...) These boards provided many of us with intimate glances into each others lives and you couldn't help but feel as if you had friends all over the country.

After a while, Amy signed on to be a demonstrator under me. Because, you know, it made perfect sense to have an upline thousands of miles of away. It was convenient for training and meeting purposes afterall...

Well, one June, Amy drove across the country with her two eldest in tow to "come to a meeting" and of course to hang out here. I remember it in vivid detail because by the end of that year, post SU! Convention, where Amy had been dragging, she was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy.

We have stayed friends for all these years because we really do love each other. (Shout out to Barb and Col-Robin since we met through AOL boards as well!) Our differences are what keep us friends - trust me, there is always something to talk about, and I know I can call any one of these three women and it's as if no time has passed at all. OK, they read the blog too, so it's not like they don't know what's going on. But still, they know the "behind the scenes of the blog" me. And again, despite our many differences, we are far more alike than you would imagine to meet us. I attribute that, as always, to love.

Because, let's face it Amy drove over 500 miles to get to NY.
And Barb and I have easily traveled that far to see each other.
And Col-Robin WILL get to NY - eventually.
http://youtu.be/XZ4Ib-7fJqY

It is awfully hard when a family has to deal with multiple issues all at once. 

• Jeff - lost his job on June 21 
  
• Amy - her heart. Currently on the transplant list after multiple surgeries and hospital stays since January
  
• Jake - brain surgery this morning
  

So, as a community, we do what we can to help ease their burden. I blog about it. Others started a prayer page on FB. I stated a fundraising page, which is not a 501-c3, btw. It is a straight from your wallet into their checking account kind of page. Be as generous as you can be.

As of right now, this is the Jake Update:
We are having a cat scan now to see if there is any tumor still in the ventricle. Even if there is, she feels she got most of it. We know the type of tumor it is but it will take a week for pathology reports to tell us the grade or malignancy. From what I have read, some can be benign. Surgery went great though. He knows who we are, can speak and do whatever commands they ask. Prayer concerns right now" his blood pressure is high. Also prayers for the week ahead of healing and waiting.

HOW excited am I?!

The beautiful Cara has made her Tuesday class an all yoga class!

It was like old home week today - catching up with all my Friday morning friends and bringing a new friend into the mix.

It was SO excellent to be back into the fold of my friends and of course Cara's zen-like ways.

I will be reading cards at the retreat in November that Cara and Candace put all their blood, sweat and tears into. I am honored beyond belief! HERE is my take on the retreat in April.

Details HERE - PLEASE, join us. You will be over the moon excited you did.

Big congratulations to Bella for getting her permit today. By December, she will be good to go. Yeah!

I chose this music because it says it's good "brain music."
I like it because it's soothing and that fits in with the whole day's blog.
THANK YOU ALL for your most excellent thoughts of Jake!
Until tomorrow, enjoy this piece.
http://youtu.be/2JdGWzkg1So

At 7:30 tomorrow morning, (7-16-13) Jake will have his brain surgery.

The doctor came in this morning and said it looks like tumor is still contained. They do not see any "fingers" into other parts of the brain.

Please keep everyone in your heart tomorrow as Jake makes his way to the operating room and later on, into recovery.

FYI, for all you talented and amazing healers out there:
Jake Anders
Riley Hospital
Indianapolis, Indiana

xo

I have been contemplating getting a love infinity tattoo like the one shown here for over a year. Bella showed me it in white and at first I was like, "Yeah, no thanks." Then it kind of grew on me. I had a similar one applied in henna at a friends party. And a funny thing happened. It irritated me to look down on my wrist and see it there. 

I wanted to get this particular tattoo because I am a firm believer in the power of infinite love; you figured that out already, right?

I have to imagine each person's tattoo has a story. Otherwise, what would be the point?

When I was younger, I was aghast at the thought of a tattoo. Thanks to programs like "Miami Ink" I got over that. Now, I know so many people who have them or who are considering getting one, I don't even think twice about it. I have a friend who got her kids initials in the infinity sign. It's lovely, although she did have some trepidation at telling her mom she got one. She's 48, by the way. I have another friend who was born on Halloween and she has a small jack 'o lantern.

I now work with several women who have tattoos. And honestly, their bodies are the perfect canvases for the art they have chosen to put on themselves. One woman has utterly glorious sleeves of vibrant and beautiful flowers. Another has a delicate circle of swirls and hearts around her wrist. Another woman just got a glorious dream catcher. And another has several I haven't had a chance to even look at to date. There may be more women with them, I just haven't seen them yet.

I wouldn't put a name on me. Well, maybe the kids. I wouldn't put a wedding band. One of my friends told me she has a friend who is a tattoo artist. He told her years ago that as soon as you have your significant others name put on you, the relationship starts to fall apart. Another person, who had one put on for guilt reasons, said it was like having the name of their jailer on them. (That relationship was on it's way to done when they put the name of their spouse on their ring finger as a wedding band! Double ouch!) Then, I think of all the celebrities who have had to have tats redesigned or removed and can't imagine it was worth it.

My kids are horrified I am even thinking of this. Perhaps we're switching roles? I don't enjoy pain, and I pretty certain this hurts. So, would I be happy or would I regret it?

What are your thoughts on tattoos?! Do you have one? Why did you chose it's design? Do you want more? Are some more significant than others? I really want to know!

Through the beauty of the YouTube search engine I found out there are any number of songs about tattoos. Some of the rap-type songs were quite fabulous. Van Halen rocks it with a song, aptly titled, "Tattoo." 
After listening to a number of them, this is the one that won. 
I love a song with Celtic flair.
http://youtu.be/9d8SzG4FPyM

My FB news feed is abuzz with these headlines. 

• Cory Monteith - RIP
  
• Marissa Alexander - I am more than a little horrified
  
• George Zimmerman - I have no words

World and local news is important; although, I really do enjoy a bit of time with my head in the sand while wearing my rose colored glasses. I do like to be informed enough to have a halfway decent grasp of what's going on so I don't come off as an idiot.

My news feed is also abuzz with updates from Amy and other friends. The people who make my heart happy and who I know in real life. So, without further ado, I present: 

AMY UPDATES as of this morning:
Praise God, the doctor just came in. Everything has been read and there are no tumors on the spine!!!

Request: If anyone would like to make Jake a picture or get well card, or even a little sign that says something we would appreciate it. He will be in ICU quite a few days, but when he gets back to his room after surgery we would like to have stuff on the wall for him. 

Note from Maggie: Surgery is TUESDAY, 7-16. If it's in the mail by tomorrow he should have it.
Riley Hospital
705 Riley Hospital Dr
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Room 9111 for Jacob Anders

As you can see, Jake loves monkeys. He is referring to the probes on his head as Cheerios. Seriously, how can you not love this family and this kid? Their faith allows them to laugh and have fun in the face of the craziness they have lived through this year. 

Please continue to keep them in your thoughts.

I wanna be free to know
The things I do are right
http://youtu.be/sS8fMuFofnE

Someone I work with recently asked me if I was ever in a bad mood. I laughed. Of course I am. But unless you share the house with me, grew up with me or are one of my confidants, you may not know it. I certainly am not going to be a cranky-spanky as the first face you see walking into the salon. That wouldn't be good at all.

Back in my Verizon days, I worked with a guy named Vinnnie. He was always jovial. He started his work day with a smile on his face and ended it with a smile. I was always thoroughly impressed by that and I mentioned it to him. His response, which has stayed with me more than 25 years later, was simple. He pointed to the cross he wore every day that hung over his tie, and answered, "If I am awake, and I can be of service, I can't have a bad day. Only God can give me a bad day, and so far, I haven't had one."

I thought that was a lovely sentiment. I was totally in my "seeking faith" mode at that point in time and as such, I remember thinking that it was a lot of hooey, but, it worked for Vinnie. And yet, here I am, years later, writing about prayers and positive thinking. Although, if you've been with me a while you KNOW it isn't all happy-happy, joy-joy. Sometimes I fake it. Find me someone who doesn't.

A couple of updates:
Jake Anders, Amy & Jeff's 11 year old son, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and will have surgery on Tuesday at Reilly Hospital in Indianapolis, IN. I humbly ask all healers to do your thing. I do not have a time yet. I will post that when I find it out.

Robin's friend, Tammy, is doing well today. She has had just one contraction. Baby Jacob remains in-utero where he will hopefully stay until he is full term. Please send healing thoughts out to them. They too are in Indiana.

Shower the people you love with love 
Show them the way that you feel
http://youtu.be/GfJWqjoekow