lime & coconut

1998. new friend. old friend. forever friend.

a movie came out that year, practical magic, and it had the famous song "coconut" by harry nilsson; it was a silly movie with a great soundtrack.  coconut and i were in a few classes and desperate to finish college, something both of us had put off for too long.  we were living in the south bay (los angeles south bay) she in redondo beach, me in hermosa.  we were fast friends.  we both liked wine, martini's... any excuse to avoid school work - though both committed to graduating (which we did). 

one day, at a bar in redondo beach, we were having lunch (and dirty martini's) and coconut told me of a vacation she was going on, a private yacht to the bahama's for 7 glorious days - why don't i come along?  yes, just like that, why don't you come along?  like it was a shopping trip to nordies.  oh sure i thought. i'll just pick up and go on a vacation to the bahama's - i mean doesn't everyone do this on a moments notice? 

the practical (no not practical magic) part of me said, "don't be ridiculous" but the adventurous part said, "hell ya!".  So the following day i went to work and said, "i'm going to the bahama's i'll be back in a week".  i think my boss said yes because he was so surprised i would make such a statement.

needless to say the vacation was an adventure.  an adventure that would last a lifetime.  coconut and i (limey) would become the best of friends.  we would share a lifetime in a mere few years and then we would lose touch...until 2008. 

in 2008 the planet's would re-align and the magnetic powers would reconnect us.  who knew it would be at a time we both needed that friend?

today, she remains my coconut and i her limey.  we laugh when we think of that silly song because it can bring us back to simple times.  times where everything wasn't so critical and a dirty martini would be the solution to what ails us.

and so my coconut, tonight i write this because i miss you daily and am so grateful that we do go together - the lime and the coconut.

Limey

yes, no, maybe?

another facebook connection.  another blast from the past.  this time it comes from the unexpected.  the ex-boyfriend.  the one i spent so much time with in my most formidable years - when it comes to relationships.  the one i loved more than i could handle.  the one who took my heart and tore it in pieces and then tried to put it back together.  the one who said he would love me forever.

he's back.

we are years older, years wiser (presumably) and maybe more forgiving.  forgiving of our flaws and youth.  forgiving of our shortcomings - all of them.

the email he sent was kind, sweet and honest.  he said he was sorry for some wrong doings of the past.  he said he would be okay if i didn't write back - and i thought, maybe that would be the smarter thing -don't write back.  but i must admit, curiosity did get the best of me.  i "had" to know, what is he doing? how is he doing?  and so i took the leap.

now, we are catching up.  a few text messages, a few emails, one phone call.  but the question is sitting on my shoulders, heavy and strong - is it okay to talk to him?  is it okay when he is now married (happily? i don't know) and has a lovely child who he adores.  am i crossing some invisible line?  or is it okay if it's all innocent?

the questions is - is it innocent?

if i said i didn't reminisce i would be a liar.  of course the old memories have flooded forward.  of course i hold on to the fun and push away the sad, hurt, and angry memories...I mean isn't that what reconnecting with old friends (and boyfriends) is all about.  you put on your rose colored glasses and remember what makes you feel good and not that which brings tears to your eyes and an ache in your heart?

am i the bad guy for engaging in conversation with my first love, who is now married? 

so dear universe, i put this out to you...what do you think?

old friends

so thanks to the magic of facebook i have managed to reconnect with so many old and dear friends.  the other night i had dinner with a friend from high school.  we were never 'close' when we were in school but time changes everything and here we are having a great dinner and a few cocktails.  when we left he called me to say he was upset with me because we didn't take a picture (this was one of his vacation stops) together to add to his collection, so above is what he created to substitute for a real photo.

i laughed until i cried!

p.s. that is me drinking champagne

park police

today was day 2 of a 3 day weekend.  missy and i ventured to the local park with our neighbor, the big black dog ~ sadie.  it was a lovely day, full of vitamin d, four legged love and good conversation until...(insert scary music) the park police. 

seems the newly renovated park has a 'law' that says between 3 - 4 p.m. only little and aged dogs are allowed so dare the big dog owner to stay longer than the 3 p.m. clock. 

it's now 3:15 and sadie, the big black dog, was still with us and here comes the 'park police'...the elder woman who has decided it is HER job to enforce the 3 - 4 p.m. rule.  mind you ~ the park is empty with the exception of missy, sadie, and a few other big dogs.

my response was as polite as possible ~ oh, we lost track of time.  then came the glare, which invokes the 'charge' response in me.  but, i decided talking to the 'pp' would be nothing but a waste of time.

so to the universe i ask, "why can't people mind their own business?" are we really so concerned about little, big, elder, puppy that we can't let the dogs just be?  why are the owners always so much more difficult than the animals?

i repeat, i prefer animals to people on 364 days of the year...

welcome!

welcome to run don't walk. 

this is my attempt at recalling some fun, silly, absurd and TRUE stories of dating and relationships.  most of these stories are mine, but some belong to others.  i have changed the names to protect the guilty but every story is absolutely true as the teller remembers.

oh, i'll also talk about other things too!

have fun!