So did you hear....

How Michele Bachmann wished Elvis Presley Happy Birthday only to have it be the anniversary of The King's death?

How my the new teammate I'm training is really catchin' on? She's good and I told her so..

How I painted a terra cotta pot green, and I really love that pot because the rim is 3/4 inch instead of 1 1/4 inch--gives me just enough more room to decorate...scary, I would ever care about such things..

How I really should hire somebody to clean my house. Better yet to tear it down and build a new

...and how, I need put the ice cream back in the freezer before it melts all over the counter!

January 8, 1935 Was A Tuesday

Elvis Presley made his entrance on the world's stage--well, just Tupelo, Mississippi then. Today is his 74th birthday and the entire world remembers Elvis being on their stage. Granted, I wasn't a big Elvis fan. I may have been the wrong demographic. Alas, I saw those movies, and was jealous of some of those girls. I think my hormones started to pop in and out, because I did think Elvis was cute..for an older guy!

Elvis came through Iowa a few times, and I never ventured to a concert. He even performed in Des Moines on June 23, 1977--just two months shy of his passing. I remember my chums and couldn't decide if we should see him. After all he was so OLD! You talk about a big regret there!

In the Summer of '68, I vacationed in Los Angeles. Thoughts of the Davy Jones, lead singer of The Monkees and Sajid Khan, an actor that India gifted us with, laced my mind. Wouldn't it be something if I saw either one of my hearthrobs on the day my cousins had me in the back seat, as we sprang for a quarter or so for a map of the movie stars' homes? I know we drove around and honestly, I don't remember much. No Davy Jones or Sajid Khan, so who cared?

But then, as we drove through Beverly Hills, I noticed a beige Chevy with a Tennessee plate. It peaked my interest because, the car looked exactly like my parents' car back in Iowa. Except ours was blue. Plus what was a car with Tennessee plates doing in Beverly Hills? As we drove closer to the side of the Chevy, and I pondered this in my 10 year old brain, my cousin, Sue started to scream: "It's ELVIS! It's ELVIS!" Her husband, I remember kinda slowed down and tried to look out Sue's as he tried to not wreck any thing in Beverly Hills. When Sue screamed I looked up.

Sure enough! Elvis was behind the wheel of the Chevy. He smiled as he held an ice cream cone! My cousin instructed me to wave. Sue waved so hard and fast, I thought she might fly from the window. All the time she giggled like some teenybopper. But then Sue was only about 20 at the time. I waved at Elvis. Then I fell over in the seat, ELVIS! A REAL movie star!! I sprung back up, and we were still even with him. I stretched to see Priscilla on the passenger side. I want to say Elvis raised his ice cone to us. Just with the biggest smile on his face. He then accelerated and we just drove in silence. ELVIS! To relive that moment again, I'm sure we may have tried to get him to stop for a picture. What a memory that would've been.

Later on that Autumn, I was clueless about Elvis and and any comeback TV special. Thoughts of Davy Jones and Sajid Khan may have been back on my mind, or the newbie on the block, Bobby Sherman. As years ticked by, especially after Elvis passed. I saw bits and pieces of the show, and eventually the entire '68 Special. Saw how good and happy Elvis looked, draped in all black--that he was ready to take on the world. Maybe no more of those same kinda plot movies. And I'm sure, maybe not one Vegas jumpsuit was in Elvis' sight. When I feasted my eyes and ears as I watched Elvis perform this song on the '68 Special, I witnessed real passion when someone truly uses the gift God gave them.

Happy Birthday, Elvis. I'm sorry I missed your aquaintance.

Didja Ever....

Have one them days where you know you’re blessed and so grateful to have a job? Yet in the blink of an eye you get popped IN the eye –again—why the job you’re blessed with and grateful to have ,ain’t for you?

Yep, one of them not so much a hallelujah day was today.

Part of the problem maybe you’re the square peg tryin’ to be put in the round hole. Your tasks are so structured you’re asked, “Do you just not want to try?” Nope. Not quite. Because you’re structured enough to expect a particular direct deposit into your bank account every 15th and the last day of the month.

You have gifts. You have passions. God knows what you have, cause He gave em to you. The Holy Spirit is always there to help guide—if you’re open to the help. Why be so afraid to do what He tells you? Oh yea, that whole flesh thing about fighting cats for empty tuna fish cans, while they keep you warm under a bridge, because you lost your bungalow and the HHR Pumpkin of a car ran out of gas miles ago.

OK—so you exaggerate. You are a writer. Oh wait, that’s a gift. A passion. Your words. People, you least expect, give your feedback. Just a couple weeks ago, a woman you could not stand, praise you for a book you self-published a decade ago. Another woman came up to you, announcing she wants to write but doesn’t know how. Her youngest son is autistic and she wants to write children’s stories about special needs kids. She listened to every word you said. Then there’s a young man, he loves movies, so you call him Movie Man, reads your, blog (yet never leaves a comment) just about everyday, and never fails to tell you over and over and OVER how good of a writer you are.

Then, tonight you go for a two mile walk. Gotta clear the head. You sit on a bench and talk to God. List out your desires: Publication of your written words, people to listen to your spoken word, new job where your skills are utilized, money for more home improvements and the infamous cat food. Yes, you prayed big. BIG. Of course, He only knows if you’re ready. You have to do you part. You gotta show Him.

Hmm. Your worked on a short story today that is destined for submission to several publications-then sent out more than a dozen resumes today-then on your walk you gazed at other houses for improvement ideas-and you’ll set the DVR for “Private Practice” because of pretty Mister Taye Diggs because you need to run to Petsmart to get the cat food.

The Holy Spirit holds your hand tight. And in the meantime while everything falls into place as only He can do it, enjoy alittle Elvis Presley from 1960's movie, “GI Blues,” with the song “Didja Ever?”

Remember you are blessed.