11/30/2009

Top Holiday Memories - Episode 1

The single pane glass quickly fogged beneath my breath. I leaned back and did my best to draw a snowman in the white moisture. Now neatly lined up along the middle row of window squares were a rain deer, Santa face, Christmas tree and now a snow man. I was passing the time waiting for my Uncle Bobby and Aunt Betty to arrive for the long awaited Christmas Eve family gathering – when we would exchange and open presents.

To a child this was a moment of waiting that can’t be described in terms of excitement or anticipation, and I was a child then. I don’t remember when they arrived. I don’t recall what presents were given or received. Yet, for some reason, I can remember the feel of the cool glass on my nose and the sound of my finger drawing lines through the moist fog – and more than anything else, I remember being excited and happy.

11/27/2009

Top 15 Southern Holiday Gathering Truths

1. That favorite dish your mom makes is still as good as you remember.

2. Somebody in the family is in trouble with the law again this year.

3. You are probably the only one driving a Honda.

4. Smoking is still expected inside at all times.

5. There is NOT, no matter how much we talk about it, an annual family tradition.

6. You will be expected to participate in the annual family tradition.

7. You are expected at Christmas if you didn’t visit for Thanksgiving.

8. Football will be explained with hunting analogies.

9. Hunting will be explained with football analogies.

10. There will be no raw, steamed, green or leafy vegetables at the holiday table.

11. There is always something that needs to be fetched from the store.

12. You will talk for hours and never really say anything.

13. No matter how hard you try not to, you will spend hours trying to figure out what everyone is really saying.

14. You are related to everyone there and you won’t know several people.

15. Everyone there loves each other as best they know how.

And, You will either leave this holiday gathering thinking your family is a dysfunctional tragedy or the funniest assortment of people you could ever imagine – it totally depends on you.

11/24/2009

Technorati and Kim E. Williams

So, I've decided to give the folks over at Technorati a go to list my blog in their directory of millions - but, I figure it can't hurt.

They sent me this - Nov 24, 2009. Technorati will need to verify that you are an author of the blog by looking for a unique code. Please put the following short code Q4U2XAUYGZGS within a new blog post and publish it. Once it is published, use the "Verify Claim Token" button to tell Technorati your blog is ready for verification.

Here we go...

11/21/2009

Home Coming of Female Progeny


My daughter, now living in L.A., is coming home for a Thanksgiving visit. She arrives today.

We have a tradition of sorts - breakfast together at The Bagel Station. I'm hungry already!


11/16/2009

What Makes a Woman Beautiful?

There is little in this world more beautiful than someone who takes care of themselves in order to be able to care for someone else.


I overheard a woman discussing her recent workout routine with a friend. Her goal was to increase her upper body strength in order to better lift and care for her handicapped child.


Beautiful woman.

11/11/2009

Waving Goodbye

A Child

Pats the water with her foot

Ripples

Spread gently, caressing the surface

Gliding outward, searching for shore

Fading to smooth


Tiny toes

Break the fluid plain

Movement

Life upon the stillness

Reaching

Longing

Hoping for a place to land


Again and again

Each gentle touch fades

Weakened waves reaching

Never touching the distant sand

Destination


SPLASH!


Surges churn turbulence of sea

Arms and legs violate the stillness

Liquid rage calls

To the depths

Unknown concentric waves

Demanding, diminishing, stopping


Stillness

Descending shimmers

Calming the spot

Closing the circle

Cessation


Now

On a distant shore

Small ripples lap the sand

Lap the sand

Home


-Once, an Adolescent that I knew took her own life. This poem is dedicated to Cathy.

11/10/2009

Quoting

Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius. - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

11/03/2009

Socail Media Connections and #favsay

I'm truly enjoying my involvement with Social Media - Blogger, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook to be exact.

First, I invite you to connect with me on any or all of those platforms (see sidebar Social Media buttons).

Also, I would like to invite any of you who are using Twitter to join me in a conversation that I've started about Favorite Sayings- #favsay.

Over the years, we all hear and commonly use certain sayings or expressions that we like. A few of mine are: "My get up and go, got up and went," "I'm finer than frog hair," "That just makes my ass want a cup of coffee!"

So, what are your favorite sayings? Feel free to share them here and with me on Twitter - remember to include the hash tag #favsay