He stole my birthday!

Having a birthday around Christmas sucks!

Mine falls the day after, on Boxing Day, December 26. Over the years, I've quite gotten used to this particular day of non-celebration in my family ... until as an adult on my own I gained the power to make sure I ALWAYS had a celebration! No more would I allow the bad timing of this particular day to ruin my birthday! In fact, I started to feel that the sheer fact that I am a Boxing Day Baby makes me even more special and thus my birthday more special ...

Until I met CG ... He has the SAME birthday as I do!

He stole my CRAPPY birthday!!

No longer was I unique and special as THE BOXING DAY BABY ... Geez, I will now have to share my birthday each and every year with my good friend, CG. It's like being given the broken cookies at the bottom of the cookie bag, then made to give half of the crumbs away ...

Dang! Alright, share away ...

The reality of Google

Ever wonder whatever happened to that best friend you had in high school? Well, I recently found her via Google. Yay! Still looking for other good friends with whom I've lost touch, but will keep typing their names from time to time into that wonderful little Google search bar.

For the curious or the procrastinator, Google is a Godsend ... what ever happened to so-and-so? We can waste hours playing this game ... instant updates on moments of their lives.

When it comes to dating, it's always interesting to know more about your "date" than he/she may let on. But one thing for sure, if you're using this search tool, DO NOT let your date know ... feign ignorance, as if you've never read these things about him/her. I remember a certain date possibility talking to me over the phone before we had our first coffee together and he knew TOO MUCH about me ... Yuck! One of those horrible stalker moments that most people never want to experience.

Then of course, there are those who lie about who they are, and of course, being the internet saavy geek that I am, of course, I find out. Gotcha! Athletes who tell me they've ran certain races ... all fine and dandy until I find out yes, he's raced, but no, it was two age categories higher! How about the doctor who must have graduated from his specialty when he was only 17, according to his posted online profile? I always thought Doogie Howser, MD, was a fictional television character. Boy, that man's got smarts!

But then there are those that you can't find anywhere on Google ... so, what does that mean? Is this guy too vanilla for me, too much of a plain Joe-type?

What do you think, folks ... Is internet notoriety a good or bad thing?

Everything in life is transitory

Sometimes it's alright to let yourself feel sad ... spend time with friends ... distract yourself with funny films ... and then still feel sad when you go home.

Everything in life is transitory and no matter how hard the day has been, take a deep breath and know that tomorrow will be just a bit better. Then before you know it, you'll be filled with joy again and the sharp barbs of pain that hurt so deeply will have dulled themselves to faint pin pricks.

A kind gentle soul wrote this to me to help lift my heart with regards to my good friend, Michael Rudder:

"And the tears that flow from your eyes, dear Bonnie, give birth to Arya Tara in your heart, please -- she emanated from a tear
That the Lord of Compassion,
Noble Avalokiteshvara, wept when He saw suffering beings in this world -- now you are
That tear drop too -- she protects beings from fear, Noble Arya Tara, and tramples down with one foot all evil in this world."

And with those words, I felt her embrace reverberate through my soul as I cried and then for a little while afterwards, felt reprieve from my grief-stricken state and refilled with strength and hope. Thank you, sweet Gaby for your love ...