“New York is where I’d rather stayI get allergic smelling hay

I just adore a penthouse view

Darling I love you but give me Park Avenue”

Lyrics from the Green Acres sitcom- 60’s-70’s.

The best part of every vacation is the view of the Empire State Bldg. on the drive home from the airport. Happy away, happier home. Quite a typical response as I hear about many holidays away. I’ve viewed friend’s glorious vacation details unfold through photo albums. Volumes of unusual foliage, magnificent https://arosebyanyothername2016.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/img_2872.jpglandmarks and astounding views of The Grand Canyon from the plane just to name a few. I have had my own breathtaking revery runs down mountains where seeing forever is the mainstay. Numerous walks through the streets of Italy and Paris looking for the best brioche and cappuccino spots. I’ve experienced the isolated glory of watching Leonard Bernstein conduct at the Vienna Orchestra one Sunday back in the 80’s. My memories are etched in the blessing dept. of my brain. And—then the welcoming smell of the street that houses my “bed.” The first night sleep at home is a popular item on top 10 lists everywhere. We go through weeks of mail, unbox our knowing Chinese Dinner and open our suitcases. The television goes on and we inhale the good. My everyday view of the world, my own backyard.
Being away worked to our advantage this time around. We found a pace and got our mojo in a place we will visit again. We look forward to exchanging the snow with sun and sand. On the precipice of change, a tightrope walk for sure, we realize that we can layer life, call New York home and still beach chair it through our grandparent years. I’ll take Breakfast in my own bed for 1000 please.

Fievel Goes West- The story of emigres mice who migrate west in search of the American Dream. The caveat is to escape being what the cat dragged in. Made in 1991-catch it if you can. A favorite take away song “Dreams to Dream.” So many movies based on fairy tales coming true. The when you wish upon a star. Makes no difference who you are moments. Kiss the Blarney Stone and rub the Buddha’s tummy. Superstitiously we try to will the ball down the middle of the alley and strike all ten balls at once. We carry a rabbits foot, a good luck 3 crack mah Jongg tile or an old hanky that once was mom’s. The come on now, don’t you know we create our own luck has little effect when we watch the proverbial horse come out out the gate.

So when I put money in the quarter machine at the casino last night and I won $157.12( I think the 12 cents was to keep me humble), I instantly felt the flush of winner come over me. As the days dwindle down on our time in winter camp I have this sense of urgency to use all the tickets of chance I was given. Should I go on all the rides at once? Perhaps save a few for next time? 

Moving forward is a safe bet when encouraging good luck. I have learned when the past comes knocking, don’t answer, it has nothing new to say. Beverly Sills said – “there are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” When we adjust our sails and re- direct our energy at least we are heading where we want to go. As I pack my bags I am leaving with less emotional baggage then I came with. I have taken my lessons, polished them with hope and sealed them in the I’ll make my own luck compartment. Away we go!

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Wayne Gretzy. The try it you’ll like it way or the highway. With no surprise the most unexpected of pleasures were not acquired tastes but the out of the gate one time shots. I’ve heard over and over again, when the initial I don’t knows, or I can’t commits fade away the why did I wait so longs to try that come into play. So let’s do it Zumba and let’s finally learn to play bridge. No more what are we waiting fors look good on us. Once I dive in my drive to excel and repeat often is relentless. I am a binge “doer.” The I can’t get enough of something type. Resistance with persistence smashes our chance for chance. Recognizing opportunity is my idea of “getting lucky.” Filling my dance card takes on new meaning when occupying daytimes with new passions are the goals. I have done movie therapy- three in a day. I have played mah jongg and canasta day into night. I’ve also watched Orange is the New Black and House Of Cards, punctuated by four meals. I’m not a shopper and I don’t play candy crush. With hard core determination I skipped those costly time and money preoccupations. As we enter the new phase of grown-up play land, grandchildren become real live dolls and becoming a canasta masta replaces winning at monopoly and clue. What goes around comes around in the form of play. We call it success when we do a work out, play an afternoon game and when we can rock and roll our night away after dinner at the clubhouse. Moving on up is the new aging. Grab the ring, make it golden and leave the complaint department–never to return!

“You’ve got to Accentuate the positive eliminate the Negative.” Lyrics by Johnny Mercer. My path is one run on-on the mend sentence – I believe the mend, if you don’t play small with your life is a constant. The no pain, no gain aspect rings true throughout. Live, Love, Laugh and the Reap, Repair, Reward alliterations work for me. With luck, our challenges are the least surmountable factor we face. The ride to the top the longest, the stay at the top, the shortest and the ride down the quickest. With wisdom we will send the elevator back down to the people who helped get us to the shortest part of out ride. Loyalty in friendships is optimum when setting up your agenda at the beginning of the semester. The anticipation is that friends come fully equipped to make your world go round. Good luck in winning the lottery as well. Naively, I believed we get back what we give. When your brushing off the disappointments one after the other you then learn that loyalty is the prize to keep your eye on. Rare indeed, but if it exists it is intentional and without erraticism. As I travel on, my myopic, rose colored views are returning to the originals. I’m refining my expectations as the glaring realities present their goods repetitively. When you buy a house the first time you look at the white picket fence and the marble bathroom. Second time around you check for roaches. When loyalty is the card you choose at charades, trade up for the biggest stuffed animal on the top shelf and give it someone in the room. Whoever guesses first what your portraying, invite them to your next dinner part and seat them next to you. Buy that new dress today!

“There was a little girl, who had little curl, right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good, she was very very good and when she was bad she was horrid.” As I quote an old favorite poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It’s about that little curl right in the middle. My “horrid” is taking things out on myself. The dangling participle which is applicable is “beating myself over the head.” Mid-stream though I try to say stop. I perseverate, mostly over the minutia. With the big issues I am pretty well trained, through experience, to look for the Exit signs before I sit down. We shared time with friends yesterday and the Spring ahead, Fall back came up. He said to her “what it means is we will have one less hour to spend together.” I loved that. A real Aunt G comment for those in the know. Keep your sunny side up- Monday’s are new beginnings, rather than days to recover from the hardy party of yesterday. Springing ahead, a new opportunity to count our blessings as we the live little things. We then come to learn the little things are really the big things.Who really has our back, who wants to insure our good time? When trusting our instincts we try to add better judgement when leading with euphoric recall. Proceed with caution and always try to get a fifth to insure nothing gets in the way of having a game. Make it a memorable Monday!

“In my own little corner, in my own little chair. I can be whatever I want to be.” Rodgers and Hammerstein- written in 1950 for Cinderella. Time has a way of showing us what really matters. Cinderella’s mother taught her to “always have courage and to show kindness to others”. Believing in the existence and presence of magic was a must as well. So against all odds- fending off a wicked step-mother, jealous step-sisters and every stigma attached to the “step syndrome,” she managed to surface as the Queen and laureate of second chances.

When you miss the first boat out, for whatever reason and fortuitously get another chance to dance in the moonlight; grab it tightly, as to loose it would be the stranglehold of tragedy. Give up being bound by failings for past mistakes, i.e.bad choices. Destiny always rears it’s head In spite of whatever form of mutiny you throw in its way. Living with high emotional content slows down the aging process. Get that facelift through opening up the doorways that have been blocking the sun from your path to happiness. John and Yoko lived by the adage “life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” Unfortunately his elongated job with destiny was cut short and it took her breath away. And I quote- Life on life’s terms- You know when you know, the clock is ticking and so on. I decided when it’s the stuff I can control, when the decisions are in my hand, I’ll listen to Cinderella’s mom and add courage and kindness to my shout out loud I am what I am moment. I’ll stir in a touch of magic and 180 my way to a better place. Time waits for no one. Let’s do it Saturday! 

Weather pristine, friends break “pita chips over lunch, gather round the mah jongg campfire- add a friend from high school and three more from the heart of home and a recipe of success is cooking. The night follows the theme of the day. Dinner with dear friends, Tina fey’s latest movie through which a well deserved nap is grabbed, add a pinch of popcorn and we’re on our way. With a drink after the movies at our friend’s happy home we leave feeling the day drip through us like a Vit C cocktail. We drive 5 minutes and we are home ONLY to find we left the colloquial stew on the stove too long. With our keys inside we are “locked out.” A recipe for disaster or another inconvenience to push through. My grandmother’s advice was to “push it away mamala” when adversity dialed my number. So I dug down deep to the bottom of my soul and I tried. Hello 24/7 locksmith can you help me out? I am on a journey of discovery and I need a push to get there. As I see it I am no longer going to the butcher for flowers. I am starring down life ” in your face”- being thankful I didn’t get closed out of the mah Jong game. Let’s do it Tuesday.

When you’re spending time in a “camp”for grown-ups the days pass quickly and the seasons even quicker. When early bird specials don’t only pertain to what time dinner hour is, your understanding of the passing of time comes into play differently. Days become jam packed and weeks even busier. With your juices flowing and your energy level in third gear you hit the ground running. You couple grander expectations with bated breath and plunge into a higher level of activity. Is it that our physics have changed, causing our motivation to become more rapid, or is this all a tissue of guess work? Perhaps it’s the awareness of time being delivered like the daily paper or the knowledge that the unknowns come with rapid fire frequency? What actually kicks our butts to get busy? Warm weather offers the summer break kind of feel of our yesterday’s. With luck we appreciate that our yesterday’s are to be cherished and our tomorrow’s even more so. There we are another chance to carve out my pumpkin with a Happy Face.