Out of Aries and into Tsuris

I had a nice birthday. Thru much end-of-Aries- into-Tsuris dramas and the general chaos we live in these days, I spent some good times with people who mean a lot to me. There were surprises too- greetings from a local LEO; a Royle Family style "biscuit tin"; presents from some whose lives are in huge upheaval; a dog afraid of balloons; a beautiful rendition of the birthday song from my very ill brother; many ecards and real cards; useful presents; a long note from family I haven't heard from in a while; an expelling of wind (as Mrs. Burke used to say) that was not only announced beforehand, but quite pronounced; and phone calls from all over. What cracks me up is those who are now permanently off the date by one day. I like that. It makes my birthday last for 3 days and it's good to have it spread out. I'll never complain and never inform them they're off date, either. I like it this way.

There was good opportunity to learn, too. The silliest fight arose from something underlying that I had no idea I have trouble expressing. Here I thought I knew myself so well.

And so I live to learn and laugh as the hair grays. Thanks to everyone who was a part of it.

David Mitchell

I love wittty folk. They're becoming a rare species. Back in the 70s and 80s I knew many wits whose banter and light sarcasm, sharp puns and quick thinking could take down giants and raise the meek. These days I know 2 or three truly witty people (I'm not one) and hold them dear.

Since addictively watching QI (a BBC TV panel-comedy show about history & other dry subjects) , a number of celebrity wits have brightened my days. There are a variety of guests on the panels. Some are very funny but not especially learned, some learned but painfully not funny. Some are simply charming and silly. But my favorites are the ranters, who take a bit of info or a statement made, and run hilariously rampant. And among the ranters, nobody tickles me more than David Mitchell.

Mitchell is a perennial QI panelist, has a BBC radio program, tv shows, guest hosts and appears on most British game and quiz shows and has a youtube channel called David Mitchell Soapbox. Though I don't usually like to shill for advertisement-sponsored YT channels, I'll make an exception here. Especially since coming across this timely (to me) rant:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufNH4X2mtMc

A Dorothy Parker Day

Hopes and Dreams are pretty trees
That yield but bitter fruit
Dreams are torn by fateful breeze
Hopes crushed by life's hard boot.

Again

This past week, my oldest living brother got the news people dread. With his congestive heart failure, a clot in his left ventricle, pleurisy, diabetes and on and on, this time next year, say the drs, he won't be here.

He's okay with it. He's spent the last few days talking about it with his wife and in-laws and me. His son knows, but hasn't said anything yet. He only moved to the other coast a couple of months ago, just starting out at 21, and now this.

It sucks. It hurts. I've had enough death in my life and I'm getting really tired of both.

For My Framily

At this point in my life, so many people have stayed in my life for a long time, and they're beyond friends, they're framily.

And vice versa, kinda.

This past week has been grayhair-making. But my framily has "put the wagons in a circle", as one said. Some with all they could give, in humor. Or a heartfelt email. Some by putting all their shit to the side to listen to me. But every spoke on every wheel counts. The quasi-black humor helps a lot. The sincere affection and care that poured out from those I finally learned to trust and turn to blew me away. We've all grown up enough together to know what not to do or say to each other. I'm proud of us. I'm proud to have framily like this.

I'm humbled, I'm happy, I'm touched (yeah, yeah). Thanks, and I love you all.