Mark Twain....

has not

lost his touch

with the ladies....

I guess it's only fitting that these latest escapades happened while I was at a writer's retreat deep in the mountains somewhere near a place called Wolf Creek. Obviously, Mr. Twain was not in attendance given his current occupation in attending to other distractions.....

Stay tuned. More details to follow, as they become available....

Through a child's eyes

Recently, my son and I were having some sort of discussion centered on what we would do if we could do anything. Our ideas were far-flung. Learn to fly like a bird. Swim like a dolpin. Sail the world. Eat a billion gallons of ice cream.

Then, of course, I got silly and decided to dream smaller. More tiny. Focus on something I could nearly pinch between my fingers. Rather than wish for something as grandiose as sailing the world, I'd just get one freckle removed. Specifically, I'd get rid of the small blotch above my right eye. An age spot I seem to have acquired after finding too many ways to have fun outside.

My son looked at me like I was crazy. "Why would you want to do that?"

I asked why he was concerned--if he was worried I might actually get rid of it. If he'd miss that freckle when it was gone.

"Well, it's in the shape of a heart," he replied. "I like it."

In all the times I've spent looking in the mirror, getting ready for work, or wondering how I might lighten that blotch, I never realized there might be something good about it. Something to like. In that moment, as simple and trivial as it may seem, I actually felt better about myself. Some say I wear my heart on my sleeve. I never thought I might being toting a tiny bit of it above my right eyebrow.

Later, I began thinking about the pure and beautiful outlook kids have for the world.... What if more people made the effort to see things in a better light? Find the good in bad situations? Find the good in others and then share that opinion?

What if we didn't assume people whom we care about knew all the good things and reasons we have for liking them? What if we voiced those thoughts? Wouldn't that goodness go forth like a ripple?

I like to think it would.

Maybe life really does come down to the little things. Maybe changing the world for the better or helping people heal inside and out doesn't really take so much effort. Maybe it just starts with something as simple as telling someone you like that divet in their forehead, the curve of their smile, or that constellation of agespots streaming their way over their eyes.

The Power of Pink

Recently, I tasted the color of pink, thanks to a frosting from Pillsbury. Although the flavor was called "pink vanilla," it was definitely heavy on "pink" and light on vanilla.... Life just gets fuller all the time, doesn't it? Because where would I be without the opportunity to contemplate the power of pink?

After reviewing the facts, I've realize I haven't given PINK the respect it deserves. More so, I've totally underestimated it.

Not only does pink have it's own flower,

it has its own fragrance from Victoria's Secret. Want to know what PINK smells like? Check it out at your nearest VS or Bath & Body Works store. This shower gel is one of my all-time favorites.

And who doesn't know what this pink ribbon stands for?

Or who owns this car?

Or, what a "pink slip" means? (Yikes!)

Pink even has its own celebrity musician.

If that isn't enough to show pink's new-found power in the world, then take a look at this...................................................

Pink construction equipment!

Whoot!

Now if only I could find myself a pink lawnmower. Or even, a pink hammer. Or, a pink power-drill. Surely, this world has room for one of those, if not all of them. Connections, anyone? Because I'm tickled pink at the thought.