I love hugging. I am a serial hugger.

Between the beginning of my career and the end, I learned to ask first, but it was often while I was airborne, arms wide and ready to envelop.

I'm on my second career now and surrounded by artistic people who, generally, hug as much as me.

Covid was a nightmare for us all.

Now, however, hugs are permissible as long as both parties are willing to temp Covid fate.

But kissing? Oh my!

Before I got married, I have to say, kissing was my favorite activity. I get why you would long for kisses.

But, has your dentist ever shown you what a swipe of your saliva looks like under a microscope? Mine did 20 years ago. It's the perfect antidote to the missing kissing bug. I went weeks, maybe months, without kissing my husband. Try it! You'll feel loads better about keeping your lips to yourself.

Have you tried spooning? All the affection, none of the microbe-filled spit...

If you choose not to decide

You still have made a choice

And the rocks continue the landslide

even after there's no more noise

Standing alone atop a tower of indecision

Creates a shroud you can't stop spinnin'

Its cover recalls the youthful warmth

Better than standing where cold light is dimmin'

But if you choose not to decide

You still have made a choice

Near the end of the rope of time

Right or wrong, the world rejoice

For those things inevitable

Always come true

And what cannot be stopped

Will always happen

And in a way beyond my grasp

There's a bit of comfort in that

I can feel my anger rising like a phoenix,

too many people are on their knees, praying "please help me."

God help me become a river, twist and flow to bigger seas.

Been gifted, blessed by roses

sharp thorns have not been few or in between.

I yearn for streaming waters

commence on a journey to an ocean view, ocean dew.

Beaten and broken, too weak to conquer

difficult days and a journey too far to stretch my arms,

strength that compels me to wanderlust in survival spirit that yearns for a star to shine.

My debts have kept me grounded

crushing weight pushes me down, I'm shut off, I've drowned.

The tricks of dishonest vendors

Masked me with a face of a clown.

My desire is to go on growing

springing from a seed to a tree that grows,

I yearn for rain and waters

Leave this room for a stream that flows.

She is on her walk.

This song.

The way it gets to her each time.

That beautiful, ethereal quality that has no business being there.

The tiny, almost imperceptible catch in the singer's voice as he conveys the depth of his longing.

It's like a kiss on the back of her neck.

She really hates this damn song.

As she rounds the bend, she starts up the last hill. She starts the song over from the beginning even though it's already on repeat.

She wants to revel in the pain one more time, in all its fullness, before going home.

Her lips pressed petals

against broken stained glass

as the wind moans, it's orgasmic blast.

Heard the devil, he came a knocking on my door, tatters of cloth, as scarecrows bow their heads in reverence of the day...

That serpentine son of a bitch,

still won't get off the front porch swing

he sits there waiting, licking his chops

like a feral dog, out on the hunt.

Her lips pressed petals

against broken stained glass

as the wind moans, it's orgasmic blast.

I shake off rainbows

like a scalded wolf, he howls

baying at the waning moon

this devil's has style...

Moving slowly, she's motionless

dressed in white, sitting in the garden

mimicking the nightengale's songs

when twilight comes

she'll go to hell and back..

Her lips pressed petals

against broken stained glass

as the wind moans, it's orgasmic blast.

She is the awkward girl on the fringe of the gathering that wants to leave as early as it is socially acceptable to do so.

She will perceive much more than she could ever know.

If you do choose to engage her, you will find she may not speak much. However, she will remember the tiniest details about you, your inflections, emotional nuances.

Not that she asks for this, nor particularly wants this, yet it simply is.

So, if you see her, do her a favor. It would be as a gift if you could just walk by her like she is not there.

The intentional overlook is not rude; it is rather a great kindness.

She has enough in that oddly wired mind of hers.

I’ll take the fight of feathers

to be reminded of

childhood sleepovers

with pillow fights

and the cackling of secrets

deep into the night,

rather than tackle

a primate pirate

who cannot offer me

coconut rum on a treasure island.

"Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him (Philippians 2:12‭-‬13 NLT)."

Paul's words that God gave him to write bring me inspiration, especially considering that this Book of the Bible was written during Paul's imprisonment. Paul encourages us to put our full effort in, and he advises that this hard work should come as a result of accepting God's gift of the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus for our salvation. We may not need to earn this free gift from God, but truly accepting it does bring the expectation that we will emerge from our salvation as changed sons and daughters, which Paul tells us here. We are given the reassurance that God will work through us while we put in our efforts, which will help us accomplish what we've been called to do. It can be overwhelming to think about, but it excites me to consider that the hard work I put in now is not only going to receive the approval of God, but will also occur as a collaborative effort through our Heavenly Father thanks to His involvement by working out His purposes through us.

Lord, thank You for new insights through Your Word today. As I enter my last work day of the week, and also continue my ultimate calling of parenthood, please keep working through me and help me to not only improve in my work, but also reflect Your glory through it as one that has been rescued by You. In Jesus' name I pray and thank You, Amen.

Fighting a chicken every single time I needed to drive would get so old.

and Maaaannnn.

a year would give me so much time to hone my skills with a sword.

I’d be hella ready to cut that orangutan.

Come at me bro.

That time

”understatement”

autocorrected to

”indeed rabid men.”

Honestly, after today.…

same.