Happy Thanksgiving!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
(I made that turkey ornament in 3rd grade.)

Before we all begin a busy week of travel and turkey consumption (while the stores just bypass it all together to promote Black Friday), I wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU to all of the people who have made the past year a truly remarkable one in both personal and professional ways.  I am so grateful to my family, friends and fans who have offered me their love and support as I transitioned out of Los Angeles and back to Florida.  It has made all of the difference in finding my voice, my creativity, and learning the very important lesson that sometimes taking a step back is just so you can get more appropriate shoes for the next leg of your journey that are on sale right now at Macy’s!  Sorry, I was just distracted by a sales flyer in my newspaper.  What I meant to say was…I have a lot of shoes, wear many hats, and now have a literary purse business so if you want to buy something, shop here!  No that wasn’t my point – stupid Facebook pop up ad!  OK, seriously, my point is this…I am THANKFUL.  I have finally learned that I don’t really need the shoes at all.  I just need my feet.  They help me stand, take difficult steps and dance on a book cart, but more important than all of that, are the people who will catch me when I fall off that book cart: my friends and family.  Sure they might laugh at first but I know that when I start crying and screaming obscenities, someone is going to stop tweeting and call 911.  And that is something to be thankful for… 

Oh and because I am a librarian, I wanted to share with you the ‘Thanksgiving poem’ Over the River and Through the Wood by Lydia Maria Child.  Did you know it was a poem before it became a song?  Of course you did!  Well, I’m glad I didn’t try to shock you with a video about it then.  Anyway, HAPPY THANKSGIVING everybody!

Over the River and Through the Wood

- A Thanksgiving Poem -

By Lydia Maria Child

Over the river and through the wood 


To Grandmother's house we go. 


The horse knows the way 


To carry the sleigh 


Through white and drifted snow.

Over the river and through the wood 


Oh, how the wind does blow! 


It stings the toes 


And bites the nose, 


As over the ground we go.

Over the river and through the wood 


To have a first-rate play. 


Hear the bells ring, 


Ting-a-ling-ling! 


Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!

Over the river and through the wood, 


Trot fast, my dapple gray! 


Spring over the ground 


Like a hunting hound, 


For this is Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river and through the wood, 


And straight through the barnyard gate. 


We seem to go 


Extremely slow~ 


It is so hard to wait!

Over the river and through the wood~ 


Now Grandmother's cap I spy! 


Hurrah for fun!

Is the pudding done? 


Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

Walking through white and drifted sand...

Being Alone on Black Holidays

My Thanksgiving feast - thanks Trader Joe's!

Did you survive Black Friday?  I know, it is hilarious to think there is a holiday about libraries being closed where you then you have to go shopping and spend money on silly things that won’t give you half the experience of reading a good free book.  I just got done reading Paul Mooney’s Black is the New White, and am now enjoying Myrna Loy: The Only Good Girl in Hollywood by Emily Leider, which was put on the hold shelf just in time for the long holiday weekend.  I read it while wearing $42 feather earrings that I got for $2, which is about all that trend is worth.

In addition to Black Friday, I also celebrated Black Thanksgiving, since I spent the holiday absolutely alone for the first time in ten years.  Instead of being depressed at the thought of being away from my family or having any LA friends to extend me an invitation, I used the day to do holiday activities that made me smile.  I watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in my PJs, cooked a full Thanksgiving feast thanks to Trader Joe’s having easy to heat pre-made side dishes, then headed to The Grove to see The Muppets, afterward sneaking into Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 (the only way to really make the film worth it.)  I even popped in one of the few stores that were open, Forever 21, and found a pair of black sequin heels for $6, which I then wore while eating leftovers and watching Lady Gaga’s Thanksgiving Special.  Exactly what the Pilgrims and Indians (Native Americans) had in mind back at the Plymouth Plantation.

Traditions are nice but sometimes being alone to create new ones is nicer.  Or your only option when you don’t drink alcohol, especially when last year’s festivities included living with a bi-polar roommate who at first invited me to remain in the apartment to take part in her Thanksgiving dinner (“What?  You are going to be in your room?  I guess you can come, as long as you move your boxes out of the hallway and don’t eat too much of our food.”), then threw me out when I found other plans (“I’ve thrown your stuff in the yard.  How could you erase the Barbra Streisand/Oprah episode on the DVR?  Don’t you know the whole world was waiting for that?”)  This year, I was just grateful not have a yard or any of my stuff on it.  True ‘Peace on Earth.’

I say being alone is a great time to spend with yourself, hopefully exploring the mysteries and excitement of whatever that day will bring, which may include cleaning your apartment or making new friends who might invite you to Thanksgiving next year!  Think about what you enjoy doing and go do it, with or without an entourage.  One of my most recent solo adventures was sleeping overnight waiting for the H&M/Versace clothing line.  I had nothing but a beach towel and some books to read, however my new friends in line gave me blankets, a sandwich, and hours of hysterical conversation.  It became less about the clothes and more about the experience of waiting to get those clothes…well, until those friends knocked me out of the way when the doors finally opened. 

The point is, the next time you feel alone on Thanksgiving, or the rest of the year if you live in Los Angeles, don’t wait for an invitation, just create your own tradition and then don’t invite anybody!  Also remember to be thankful when things don’t work out.  They weren’t supposed to because those people are crazy.  Barbara on Oprah?  Please, like only half of the world even have TVs.  Well before Black Friday, anyway.  Now two people own all of them! 

At The Grove on Thanksgiving.
Holidays are what you make them!

Thankful for the Light, the Tunnel, & Valet Attendants

"Remember the light at the end of the tunnel may be you."
"Amazing" by Aerosmith

So even with the “fame” that comes with being in the LA Times, I am back to parking cars.  Last night I was running around in a very dark and wet Bel Air neighborhood, hoping the speeding cars down Beverly Glen would see my small frame in between the endless rain drops plopping down on their fancy windshields.  I was freezing.  My jeans and puffy white coat featuring the valet company logo on the back offered little protection.  For safety, I had a blinking glow stick hanging from my belt loop that I had gotten free two years ago for changing my oil.  I was happy to see the thing still worked and prayed it generated some attention to passing cars that I was not a ghost but female valet attendant for fancy private house party.

After parking the cars for the guests attending the party, I was left to stand for two hours in the dimly lit driveway, which resembled some covered bridge the headless horseman might gallop through on his way to collect skulls.  I tried to pass the time through conversations with my co-workers or wandering in and out of the covered bridge to admire the beauty of the landscaping. 

On one side of the bridge were the huge double doors closing off the property from the street and any curious onlookers.  With the doors closed, it was probably difficult to see through the vines and foliage that was obviously constructed for privacy.  A colonial-style lamp hung from the center of the bridge providing some light, but the rain still clouded any real chances of viewing.  In walking through the tunnel of the bridge to the other side, you were greeted with a stone walkway leading up to the front door and glowing windows filled with beautiful objects inside. 

It suddenly seemed so easy to walk those few steps through the tunnel of darkness into this new world full of so much light that I stood there for a few minutes forgetting that the rain was damping my hair and soaking my shoes.  I tried to enjoy the few moments of light knowing shortly I would have to return to the dark.  I wasn’t sad though.  I was just thankful I still had the energy and interest to make the walk.  There is usually some kind of light at the end of the tunnel, but the question is whether you want to continue making the effort in trying to see it.

In honor of Thanksgiving this week, I want to thank all of the people over the past year who have closed their doors to me in one way or another.  The cliché (about hope) says the light is at the end of the tunnel, but I think the brightest light is within us.  While I may be knocking on your door looking for an opportunity to shine, I am well aware that there is a whole neighborhood full of other houses that I can walk to.  Slamming your door in my face or cowardly hiding behind it and not answering doesn’t stop me.  It just prevents you from having fun people at your party.

Oh, and the next New World just might be discovered by a bored valet attendant, so you better be thankful with more than just turkey, stuffing, and some cranberry sauce.  I would say throw in at least a twenty if she used your Rolls Royce…

Happy Thanksgiving!

Driving my first Rolls Royce through Beverly Hills.