Entry021302

02/13/02 - Mardis Gras, Lent and Valentines Day ... it's sort of a triple whammie! Good, bad and sweet. I didn't really give too much thought to Mardis Gras on Saturday. I was going to be at the Pub alone, Drummer Boy had a neighborhood party to attend (I later found out it was a Mardis Gras party). It wasn't all that bad though, I wasn't really alone. I knew the band, met them at the Super Bowl jam, and a couple of them were regulars too. I was enjoying my wine, even got moved to the point of dancing by myself (discreetly?) a couple of times. At one point my attention turned to the front door where I sort of groggily strained to understand what I was seeing. It seemed to be a parade. Yes, a Mardis Gras parade traveling down the alley in my Cow Town, California. How about that, I thought. This town may actually have some character after all. I schmoozed with the band. I had to reach 51 years old to become a "groupie." Another how about that! I surprised myself by staying until 12:30 p.m. I seemed to have been having a good time after all. When I finally left, I noticed something sparkely laying in the street ... Mardis Gras beads.

Lent ... well, I don't do lent, not anymore. I think the last time I gave something up for lent it was back when I was about 12 years old. I gave up listening to my radio when I was going to bed. I don't think we had radios that automatically turned themselves off back then. I just played the radio really soft and usually it was still playing when I woke up. I listened to KYA and KFRC. Believe it or not, KFRC is still around today, playing the same music ... Oldies. But they weren't oldies then. I can still remember all the dedications before the songs, young girls dedicating musical memories to their boyfriends heading off to the Viet Nam war. Still makes me a bit sad thinking about that. It was hard to give up my lullabies for 40 days. I haven't given up anything for lent since.

And, Valentines Day ... I'm not doing that this year either. It's not like I don't have someone special in my life, but I don't feel it's appropriate. So, I'm sending my Valentine thoughts telepathically this year. Tonight I had to go to the grocery store and there was Valentine frenzy going on there ... flowers galore, all kinds of chocolates, sweet treats and balloons everywhere. It was hard to get by the love crap. I wanted to throw up. But I did manage to find me a Valentine treat of sorts ... a small bottle of White Zinfandel (pink in color) which I will have with, or instead of dinner tomorrow. As I left the grocery I walked by a display of appropriate Valentine videos. My favorite movie wasn't there ... Michael.

                                  Michael: Remember what John and Paul said.
                                  Frank Quinlan: The apostles?
                                  Michael: No, the Beatles. All you need is love.

Not long ago a friend of mine wondered if I might like to watch a DVD on his large screen Dolby surround sound TV. We haven't done it yet, but I'd sure like to see Michael on that system. It's a great love story. Has all my favorite elements, a touch of fantasy, irreverent angels, cynics, a love forlorn country music writer wannabe, and the cutest little doggie. I've seen that movie over and over and never tire of it, still makes me cry, and laugh.

So here's to a happy ... whatever.

                                   Michael: You gotta learn to laugh, it's the way to true love.