Versatile Blogger, seriously?

Thanks to Beth our wonderful WORD NERD for this award. Everyone is so good that if you aren't in the 15 I'm passing it to it's probably because I didn't find you soon enough.

Here are the rules:
Winners- Put the above image in your blog.
Include a link back to the person who gave it to you.
Tell 10 things about yourself.
Award 15 other bloggers.
Contact the bloggers you awarded and let them know they won.

Ten things about myself: (I hate this part)
1. I don't look at the world the same way most people do.
2. I'm not really a writer, just an ex-lawyer pretending.
3. I have 2 grandsons and one on the way (don't know if boy or girl). SURPRISE
4. I like to take chances but become rather pissed when I lose money. ( file in the category of "will they never learn")
5. I'm really enjoying the GBE 2 even though it's only been one topic, the people are great.
6. I hope they don't find out I'm only a pretend writer(oh no, did I write that out loud)
7. I've been married a long time, but don't hold it against me, I'm not into change in a major way.
8. I'm always interested in things that are different or quirky or off kilter.
9. I have a cat (who hates me right now because I'm in VA and she's in RI with cat sitter).
10. My son is at a major pirate convention (read party) in Florida this weekend. Can you believe its genetic!

The selected 15 GBE 2 folks who will pay this forward are below. Check them out:

1. Sailor Talk
2. Marie Anne's Missives
3. Just Random Crap Whatever
4. Raised Eyes
5. The Trucker's Wife
6. Linda Says
7. Bright Blessings
8. Off The Record with Debbie and Tony
9. Graywolfie
10. Fit by Fifty
11. Writing Creatively
12. I Refuse to Name My Blog
13. Student of Motherhood
14. Secret About Secrets
15. Tales from the Space Donkey

Enjoy

INTRO TO BLOG

This blog will hopefully humorously deal with all of us that are aging without realizing it. My kids hate that I wear Ed Hardy sneakers (oh mom), too bad for them. I'm also in the GBE 2 with real writers so my first very tenuous post to that group is below.

I hope everyone stays along for the ride or even sail if we're lucky this summer. You will be kept on on Jimmy's (and we all know Jimmy who) activities and other great fun and thought filled items. I hope I was able to stand with the real writers read EXPECTATIONS AND SURPRISES and let me know.

EXPECTATIONS AND SURPRISES

As I thought for far too many days about this topic (in addition to traveling to HOT Virginia), I realized that without expectations there would be no surprises. I really hate the term "expect the unexpected" but I do live by the rule that to have expectations, will guarantee surprises.

Some things will always happen as expected such as:
1. A car with Massachusetts license plates will drive crazily.
2. A usually quiet baby will scream at the worst possible moment.
3. An outdoor event without a backup plan leads to rain or even snow.

Every sentient human being has expectations, whether or not they acknowledge them, i.e. the sun will rise tomorrow morning, we grow older every day, the sun will set every day. Although think about the people that were totally expecting the world to end on May 21st: SURPRISE!!

My favorite obituary (and actually I have a few) is that the person "died unexpectedly". Death was definitely in their expectations for that day. Of course what they're saying is that the person was not suffering from a slow moving fatal illness. Still does anyone REALLY expect death even if they have a fatal disease? We're all going to die (maudlin enough for you) but do we really expect to, even if it is imminent. There is something inside even the most suicidal of people that just does not expect to die; hence the sad surprise.

Surprises are both the upside and downside of expectations. On the upside, you didn't expect any more grandchildren and now, surprise, one's on the way. On the downside, you expected to graduate from college (many times perhaps), but, surprise, life got in the way. Love and relationship expectations always have the surprises built right into them. The surprise that I'm not fond of at the present time is you maybe expected to retire independently wealthy and, surprise, not even close.

I guess my conclusion to this ditty (and it certainly needs one) is that we will always have expectations, but how you go through life will be determined by the way you handle the surprises.

This post was done as part of the GBE2 blogging group

NOTE TO JIMMY BUFFETT

Yes, Jimmy, I know I stole your song title a bit with this blog (although we know titles aren't copyrightable right?). Your original title "A Pirate Looks At Forty" was made quite a while ago and both you and I are looking past 60 now, with you being a year older, still touring, a lot richer, etc. Like all Parrotheads, I feel that I am a part of the band and knowing that you're still trucking makes me happy to be a "Boomer Parrothead".

For the uninitiated reading this post, Jimmy Buffett is an average singer, but an excellent lyricist. He's no Bob Dylan, but he struck right at the dreams of those of us leaving the 1960's and having to "grow up". Now many of our grandchildren are at his concerts. That Jimmy isn't a great singer was never more apparent than when he made an album with a group of country singers like Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson, but his songs are full of lines that I live by. He's a writer actually and has published some books, the best of which is a group of short stories titled "Tales from Magaritaville".

What makes all the difference is that Jimmy knows how to throw a party and that's what his concerts (which are sold out every summer) are all about. It starts on the tailgates in the parking lot, perhaps a little medical marijuana in the surrounding woods and lots of Margaritas. He sings about living at ease, under palm trees, without a worry or a snowy day. See why he sells out in New England! The songs that became "hits", "Margaritaville" and "Changes in Latitudes" are hardly the best of his discography, but that's o.k. My personal favorite is "African Friend" which he rarely sings in concert is about a stopover in Haiti, a night of gambling and making an unlikely friend. Listen to it once, it's on the "Son of a Son of a Sailor" album, and you will understand why I say he is a writer, not just a songwriter.

To end my note, Jimmy, I know you won't mind me using the title and I know you will help me on my journey past 60. FINS UP!