I have never done one of these “bits and bobs” posts before.  But as my life is definitely something of a “Picasso in progress” just now,  all I can do is offer some updates and little interesting things I’ve done and found and discovered.  And what’s going on, you might ask?  That’s item #1:

1.  “How can I miss you when you won’t go away?”  I’m just kidding.  But…my daughter moved back in a couple of weeks ago.  Yes, with The Boy some of you remember from an earlier piece I wrote.  He still knows how to work that last nerve better than anyone, ever, but he’s mellowed some, and I have, too.  

So after I’d repainted the whole house in mellow, wonderful colors that even my housekeepers were thrilled about—they asked what paint I used, in fact—and turned her bedroom into a place to meditate and exercise…she decided she needed to come back home to regroup and save some money while she went back to college for two years.

Now, as my exs will all tell you, I’m an only child with serious bonding issues that only my daughter has ever overcome successfully.  And even she has always believed I would’ve made a fantastic hermit, monk or mountain woman.   

So at first, having my island of tranquility turned upside down and filled with boxes and bags and the chaos of trying to fit their things in with my things…drove me a little bit nuts.   But I had this little epiphany while sitting in what used to be my “great room,” staring at the stacks of “stuff” they’d brought in.

When I was that only child back in Chicago, I used to wish I had a big, messy Walton’s style family like so many of my friends.  They didn’t have their own rooms, they got into fights all the time, but…they had each other to rely on when the going got rough.  And the girls had big brothers who would kick ass if called upon—that just amazed and delighted me.

I don’t have that…but I do have a little extended family that forces me out of my tendency to ruminate a bit too much and pushes me out into silly little adventures of heart, mind and body that I think I actually need right now.  So…I’m being very Zen about this.  

EVEN about the new puppy I have to help raise—new born, totally not what any of us really anticipated.  But we’ve never seen a puppy we didn’t want, so…Kamea, a Pom like our late and beloved Bijou of whom I also wrote here, is part of our big messy family now.  I have a feeling Bijou would like her, and that alone makes her welcome…

 2.  “That’s what friends are for.”   That wonderful old Sun Times pal o’ mine Roger Ebert has a new book worth buying for many reasons—that the epic story of his life took only 415 pages to tell amazes me.  

But before I even opened it, I saw this on the dust jacket and decided that if I read nothing else, this would tell me all I needed to know about the journey he’s on, and what his battle with cancer has taught him.   These are words for all of us to live by:

 “I believe that if, at the end, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do.  To make others less happy is a crime.  To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts.  We must try to contribute joy to the world.  That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances.  We must try.  I didn’t always know this and am happy I lived long enough to find it out.” 

Roger has, of course, done all that and more for me and for millions of others.  And if you want to read more, go here and get Life Itself:  http://amzn.to/oSVLUg

3.  “A good Word.”  Speaking of publications, my blog about my London home away from home at 48 Lancaster Gate has been published in the British rock mag, Word. 

While they took a few liberties with dates and such (I approved them, though), it’s a nice piece…and I’m very proud of it, actually.  It proves that these posts travel farther than you may think, so keep writing, fellow OS buddies!  You can buy one here:  http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/latest

4.  “Yes, Virginia, you can buy “weed” in the stock market.”  Speaking of Roger Ebert, when he Facebook’d and Tweeted my blog post about the stock market, he got an avalanche of angry posts from some very PC people who thought I was, “an asshole” (that’s a direct quote) for dabbling in stocks. 

I think they would change their minds if they knew that his old friend had invested heavily in, among other things both Whole Foods Market  (WFM) and General Cannabis, Inc. (CANA) which is surprisingly, one of the top picks on many insider lists, and trades for about…$2.28 per share.  Here’s their official PR blurb on Scottrade: 

“General Cannabis, Inc., formerly LC Luxuries Limited, focuses on supporting the medical marijuana market through management services, Internet verticals, financial services, lobbying and policy. The Company's wholly owned subsidiaries include WeedMaps Media, Inc., General Health Solutions, Inc., General Merchant Services, Inc. and US Cannabis, Inc.WeedMaps Media, Inc. operates Weedmaps.com. Weedmaps.com is a dispensary finder site in the United States providing over 2,000,000 page views per month for dispensaries that subscribe to its service. In addition, Weedmaps.com has an active database of over 50,000 users. General Health Solutions, Inc. manages 10 medical cannabis clinics throughout California. General Merchant Services, Inc. provides marketing and advertising services to dispensaries. US Cannabis, Inc. focuses in the management of medical clinics for the lawful diagnosis and treatment of patients that may derive benefit from medical marijuana treatments.” 

Now…isn’t that a great reason to get into the stock trade?  Just kidding.  But the “asshole” is having a great time learning about investing in companies whose philosophies either jibe with mine, or make me smile when I read them.  I like helping companies like these ones literally…”grow.” 

Oh, GRO is another one (Agria Corp.).  Based in China and New Zealand…they sell…seeds.  No, not the General Cannabis kind, for regular “Old McDonald” farmers.  Nice.

5.  “Gout?  We don’t have no stinking gout!”  Well…I do have it, as I wrote not too long ago.  But my new rheumatologist, a delightfully jovial man from India, endeared himself to me forever with the first sentence he uttered when we met:  “You’re too young to have gout!”

It got even better.  After asking me a few questions about my medical history and blood pressure meds, he told me exactly where the gout had come from--a diuretic I’d been on for years.  He also cautioned me against being angry with my primary care physician for putting me on it, as it was the best treatment for most African Americans, and the fact that he’d known that was something to be grateful for, not upset about.

Oh, and it gets even mo' better—remember that diet info I offered in that post?   Well, he told me to forget that, the cherry juice, the baking soda and lemon before meals…all the things I’d read. 

He prescribed a pill I could take for a few weeks, to bring down my uric acid levels which were not very high to begin with.   I’ll be tested in a couple of weeks to see if it worked, and then we’ll decide if I need to continue taking them or not.  He’s thinking…”not.”  Bless him.

5.  “Livin’ my life like it’s golden.”  That line is from my “personal anthem,” a song by Jill Scott that I play whenever I’m feeling a little bit wobbly emotionally and spiritually.  And while listening to The Light of the Sun, her celebrated, best selling and no longer very new CD via Spotify recently, (buy here:  http://amzn.to/pWs0Wr ) I marveled at every track, but none more than her Womanifesto. 

This poem set to music is yet more proof that this proud, plus-size sistah is someone people of all sizes and genders and cultures should get to know very intimately.

I sorta wish I lived next door to Jill because she’s the kinda sistah who would raise that eyebrow and give you that “Really, girl?” some of us women truly need sometimes.

But in lieu of that, here are the lyrics to Womanfesto, followed by clips of other songs I love, too.  You can listen and judge for yourself from there. 

But stand back.  A true Queen is tryin’ to SPEAK to you people, and I’m sorry but…this may sting just a bit:

 Womanifesto--Jill Scott

 "Womanifesto" Lyrics

Clearly I am not a fat ass
I am active brain
And lip smacking peach deep
Sometimes too aggressive in its honesty
And heart sweet
That loves wholly and completely
Whom it may choose
Whom ever it may choose

I am not gonna lie and pacify
I am arms to hold
I am lips to speak
I am a motherfucking "G"

Strong legs that stroll off the 33 bus
Or out of a money green Phantom comfortably
Knees that bend to pray
Clean from Ajax washings
Hair that is thick and soft
Thighs that betwixt
An amazing all expense grand prize

I am eyes that sing
Smile that brightens
Touch that rings
And supplies euphoric release
I am a Grand Dame Queen Beast

I am warm
I am peace
From the roads of Botswana from 23rd Street
From the inside third eye
Ever watching this wicked wicked system of things
I do see

I am friend to pen
And a lover of strong women
A diamond to men
I am curious and interested like children
I welcome the wise to teach
Appreciator of my culture
Thick not just from bone dense and eat

I have a rhythm in my ways
And a practice in my seek
And yes, I do crave the rhythm of my space
With a man that rejoices in God's Grace

With faith I do hear to listen
Two hands that fist
When forced pushes to shove
And your ego won't submit

I am gifted
I am all of this
And indeed the shit

Clearly I am not just an ass

Two more—Golden, which I quoted up top, and also…one you’ll need to keep a fire extinguisher on hand for Cross My Mind.  If you’ve got a lover you can’t get enough of…that’ll do, too.  Or a former lover, you sometimes stop and...sigh about, that's even better.  Try not to spontaneously combust, okay?   And do not play this with the kids in the room.

Golden—my personal “anthem”

 Cross My Mind--take a cold shower after this one

There you go!  Just...a few bits and pieces from the messiness of my current life.  And the blessedness, too.  As the Tao says:

 Do you want to improve the world?
I don't think it can be done.

The world is sacred.
It can't be improved.
If you tamper with it, you'll ruin it.
If you treat it like an object, you'll lose it.

There is a time for being ahead,
a time for being behind;
a time for being in motion,
a time for being at rest;
a time for being vigorous,
a time for being exhausted;
a time for being safe,
a time for being in danger.

The Master sees things as they are,
without trying to control them.
She lets them go their own way,
and resides at the center of the circle.

See you at the center of that circle.  Peace.