Life Is Good

I have so many things that I want to write about, yet I don’t know where to begin.  I brought in the New Years popping my fingers in a Soul Train line, and now on the twentieth day of January, I’ve got my head in my hands, wondering what the hell.  In retrospect, life is good.  I’m walking and talking, have a roof over my head, clothes on my back and food on the table.  And as far as I know, I’m in good physical condition.  Still, I feel desperate.  I don’t know if I’m going through a mid-life crisis or what.  I’m thinking about mortality.  At forty years old, I just signed up for 401k.  Jesus!  I may have to take part in the catch up program.  Where has all the time gone?  And as I say this, I can hear my grandmother say, “Time don’t stand still, baby,” in her Norlins (New Orleans) drawl, even though, it’s been fifteen years or more since I last heard her voice.  I don’t know how in the world my grandmother did it.  She raised seven kids with my grandfather, took care of the house, worked and had a social life without the privileges of modern day technology.  Let me tell you, ladies and gentlemen, it’s a full time job just keeping my house clean, and because I have a kid and a dog, forget about it!  I guess I’m lucky though.  Besides my dog, Happy, putting a hole in my brand new pleather couch and Christening every room when I adopted her, she hasn’t caused me too much trouble.  I think they had the bitch sedated when I saw her at Petco because she’s stark raving mad.  I can’t walk her without her losing her mind if she sees another dog, cat, squirrel, bird, tumbling piece of paper.  When other people see me coming, they immediately cross the street.  I’m now the crazy lady with the loony mutt.  Still, I love her, and my son loves her too.  To tell you the truth, if it wasn’t for him, she wouldn’t be here.  The day I came home to cushions flying in the air, I took off her tags.  I would have driven her to the woods and set her free, but my son looked at me and said, “Would you throw me out too if I tore up your new sofa?”  In the emotional state that I was in, I had to think about that for a second.  Can you imagine still paying for a couch that you have to put a cover over when company comes by?  It ain’t easy.  I’m so glad that I decided to write because already, I feel better.  My job stressed me out today, but I’m not at work, and I need to just let it go.  I should feel proud.  I submitted my final revision of my book today.  It’s only a matter of time that it’ll be published.  My son has been so patient with me, as I’ve been finishing up the last edits.  He reminds me everyday why I work so hard.  Life is good.