End o' Week Musings

I'm exhausted!! But in a good way and I'll go to sleep a little early tonight so I can be up with the birds Saturday morning... but I digress....

As you know, I was out of the office Friday. I didn't really start my birthday festivities, but in a way I did. I got new tires on my car (thanks mom) , did some shopping and errands, including taking stuff to the recycling center. Too exciting?!

Saturday I went to Carin and Tom's house. We hung out in their Flamingo Lounge sipping champagne and nibbling on salmon. We had a late lunch and then enjoyed the fire ring in the evening. They gave me a big box of goodies, including coffee, salmon, a gift card and three fun T-shirts. Plus Tom washed my car!! it was a good day.

I met my friend Linda at Westfield's West Covina in the morning and we walked and talked for a few hours. By the time we parted ways, I could definitely feel the exercise. It was good, though, and fun.

Byron came by in the late afternoon. He gave me a bottle of wine and a painting he did of me dancing with a sword in my Renaissance Faire attire. We went to Marie Callendar and enjoyed salad, pasta and a slice of pie each-- yum!

Monday was B-Day so I was off to Catalina Island with my free boat passage ticket from Catalina Express. My mother joined me for the trip. We lunched, walked to some of the areas behind the main part of Avalon and spent the afternoon lazing on the beach. I got some sun and even put my toes in the water.

Back to work Tuesday was filled with pleasant surprises. I received a few gifts, including a mylar balloon (When's the last time you had a balloon?! Gosh, how I love them!). In the afternoon, my coworkers put out homemade red velvet cupcakes (my favorite) and two kinds of Klondike bars. Everyone enjoyed the little break.

I interviewed Julie Newmar on Wednesday. She is doing a book tour for her book and will be coming to Pasadena in fall. Newmar was exceedingly gracious and lovely to speak with. In addition to her book, we discussed dancing, gardens and hats- three things she loves and so do I. Newmar made me feel so comfortable- it was like talking with an old friend.

Last night Ric and I had an open dress rehearsal at the American Legion in Highland Park for our show at the L.A. County Fair tomorrow. It went well. There were no major mistakes nor wardrobe malfunctions. The audience was small, but appreciative. For info on our show Saturday, scroll down to the next posting.

In rotation this week: Eric Sardinas, Gwendolyn, Queen, Susie Garcia, Owl City, Jeffrey Bayless, Terrible Things and Dio.

Photos we got 'em: Three animal photos to make you grin and one view of the ocean from the beach on Catalina Island.

Thought o' the week: Thank someone. Yes, here is where I get serious for a few minutes. With 9/11 Sunday, I have been thinking about our military, as well as emergency personnel (and dogs) a lot. As a kid, many of us looked up to these people and quite a few of us wanted to be like them when we grew up. But how often do you think of them now?

We shouldn't just honor the military and emergency workers after a disaster, we should appreciate them every day, as without them our world would be a lot more dangerous and we wouldn't have help when we needed it. This weekend, it is nice to take a minute to say thank you for all you do to a serviceman, fireman, police officer, etc., but how about thanking them when you see them throughout the year?

I'll share an odd example. A couple of years ago Ric and I camped in Joshua Tree with the goal of shooting a drumming and dancing video in the desert. There I was in full belly dance gear, resplendent in my coin-covered bra and belt, with a veil at my throat and shaking my groove thing when a man asked if I would pose for some photos with his son. His son was from the nearby 39 Palms military base and was shipping out to Afghanistan the next week. He was a little shy about posing with me, so I handed him one of my swords to make him look extra dashing. When we finished the photos, I shook his hand and thanked him for keeping me safe. It was then the serviceman smiled the brightest.

Little things mean a lot, especially to those willing to put their lives on the line for others. Thank someone and

Keep on rockin'

Mickie