Summer Seven

Thanks to Joanna for getting me going on this.  A blogerrific way to wrap up the end of the season.

An Off-The-Top-Of-My-Head List of Summer Happenings...

1. First and foremost – my grandson was born (August 2) and I was there for his arrival!  Nothing, I mean NOTHING, beats that.  That makes this the best summer EVER. 
2. I spent my first summer in, oh, 38 years, living inland.  Not on the coast of the Pacific Ocean.  It was hot – afternoons have not been the time for venturing out in the world.  Though it was, by all standards, a mild summer, for me it was much hotter than my normal.  I think I coped very well, considering.
3.  I organized a reunion for my alternative high school that was well attended (we were a small group to begin with) and I now have photos to document how well we have all aged.  It’s been a long strange trip, my friends.  Graduated 1975.  (Cough.)
4. I went to baseball games.  Several of them.  Minor league stuff and a total trip.  At times exciting, other times boring as hell.  The hotdogs were good – the frozen malteds were terrible.  This is how much I love my dad.  I attend baseball games with him. 
5.  I went to a nightclub – by myself – to listen to a band that I love.  So no one could go with me?  I took myself.  It was fun.  I watched people – mostly younger than myself – do their mating dances and I felt liberated.  I was just there to hear some killer music and that’s what I did.  Thanks to the band, Walking Spanish. 
6. I read some good books, saw some good movies.  That’s what sweltering hot summer days are for.  “Languid,” is the word that comes to mind.  I bless the air conditioning at the Tower Theater.  The popcorn needs improvement, sorry guys.  I did love the time the gal behind the candy counter went gaga over my nail polish – she really liked it, and she was young and hip and I was flattered. 
7. Oh, and I went to a marijuana festival out in the middle of fookin nowhere with my nephew.  Marijuana is not my drug of choice, but I was having terrible headaches and I thought I’d try the medical marijuana cure.  Not so successful, but an interesting trip into the sub-culture of  “let’s pretend we have medical needs so we can score pot legally.”  But who am I to judge?  It’s just stupid: legalize it already.  I felt really out of my league with that crowd.  They are either super well-adjusted or they are addicts.  I cannot tell which.

Yesterday I saw pumpkins and gourds for sale in the grocery store.  The weather has turned cooler - 82 degrees.  Say good-bye to summer.  At least in my neck of the woods.  The folks of the Great State of Texas would disagree, I'm sure.

A Meme

I picked up this meme over at Liza's blog. I haven't seen it on FB. But she says, "Crazy Facebook Meme – Thanks Miz S for the idea. As Miz S says, the rules say you must answer yes or no but rules are for sissies!"

If you want to play, let me know in the comment section so I can read yours.

Kissed any one of your Facebook friends? Yes. Going with “kiss” meaning more than a social air kiss and more of a “hookin’ up” type kiss.

Been arrested? Nope.

Kissed someone you didn’t like? Sure,,,as a playing spin the bottle.

Slept in until 5 PM? No. But 3 PM. 18 years old.

Fallen asleep at work/school? Frequently.

Held a snake? Yes!

Ran a red light? Yes. Not often, not often.

Been suspended from school? No.

Experienced love at first sight? Maybe 'crush' at first sight.

Totaled your car in an accident? No.

Been fired from a job? Dishwashing job at my first restaurant job when I was 17. Kept calling in 'sick.'

Fired somebody? Yes. Ugh.

Sang karaoke? Yes. Ugh.

Pointed a gun at someone? Nope.

Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t? Yes. Too many times.

Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? Yes.

Caught a snowflake on your tongue? Yes.

Kissed in the rain? I don't actually know...

Had a close brush with death (your own)? Several.

Seen someone die? My dog. Been there for the processing of dying with several friends, but not there at time of death.

Sang in the shower? Yes.

Smoked a cigarette? Yes.

Sat on a rooftop? Yes.

Taken pictures of yourself naked? Yep. They will never see the light of day.

Smuggled something into another country? Only back to the USA.

Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes? No.

Broken a bone? Yes. Left leg and knee when I was 48 - laid up for 3 months.

Sleepwalked? No.

Walked a moonlit beach? Yes, but not in a long time. "Oh, honey...?"

Rode a motorcycle? No. Scooter yes.

Dumped someone? Yes. My ex-husband. Best move I made in my adult life.

Forgotten your anniversary? We have so many of them...I bound to forget one of them.

Lied to avoid a ticket? No.

Ridden on a helicopter? No. My life would have to be in danger!

Shaved your head? No.

Blacked out from drinking? Yes.

Played a prank on someone? Yes.

Hit a home run? Don't remember.

Felt like killing someone? Every day. (That's where self-restraint comes in.)

Cross-dressed? No.

Been falling-down drunk? Yes.

Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? Yes, mostly out of sheer frustration with me.

Eaten snake? No.

Marched/Protested? Yes. Started young at 18; later - took my toddler on a protest march when the FIRST Iraq war broke out.

Had Mexican jumping beans for pets? No.

Puked on amusement ride? No. But I know someone who puked a lot AFTER the ride.

Seriously & intentionally boycotted something? Yes.

Been in a band? Yes, in my youth. Was fun!

Knitted? Can't seem to get the hand/mind/eye coordination for knitting.

Been on TV? Yes - interviewed once; on national t.v. when my wife and I first got married in SF. Weird.

Shot a gun? Yes. A musket at an old Fort.

Skinny-dipped? I didn't own a swimsuit until my late twenties...

Gave someone stitches? No.

Had stitches yourself (not from surgery)? Yes. And took 'em out myself to save money.

Eaten a whole habanero pepper? Yes, smothered in cheese and batter.

Ridden a surfboard? Tried. Failed.

Drank straight from a liquor bottle? Yes.

Had surgery? Yes. Tonsils out, gall bladder out, stomach (still in but smaller), leg and knee repair/pins.

Streaked? Only if skinny dipping counts.

Taken by ambulance to hospital? Twice. Ugh.

Tripped on mushrooms? Come on, I was born in 1957. Do the math. Of COURSE.

Passed out when not drinking? Yes. The Flu.

Peed on a bush? No, behind bushes but not on one.

Donated Blood? No.

Grabbed electric fence? No.

Eaten alligator meat? No.

Eaten cheesecake? Yum....yes.

Eaten your kids’ Halloween candy? Of course.

Killed an animal when not hunting? Gophers. But I guess I was kinda hunting them.

Peed your pants in public? Sheesh. What kind of a question is this?

Snuck into a movie without paying? No.

Written graffiti? No.

Still love someone you shouldn’t? No. Been there, done that. Not worth it.

Sleep on a certain side of the bed? Yes.