When I was a kid I wanted to live inside Jeanie’s bottle and travel by magic carpet
be chosen as a contestant on the Price is Right get slimed on Nickelodeon’s You Can’t Do That on Television make it to bucket number six on Bozo’s Grand Prize Game walk off stage with a pile of prizes, a brand new bike
When I was a kid I wanted to eat SpaghettiOs we never had in our house raise cute little sea monkeys what would I name them? shrink myself to ride Mister Rogers’s trolley go on a real field trip with him feed his fish
When I was a kid I wanted to sit on the steps of a brownstone on Sesame Street even though I might have been too old dance in a fire hydrant’s fountain releasing its cool spray on a hot summer day claim the top bunk at camp write letters home by flashlight swat at mosquitoes on my neck sticky with sweat
When I was a kid I wanted to explore the woods and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water even though I didn’t know about architecture listen to babbling brooks as snowmelt swelled streams and creeks and rivers I wanted to wave at Santa from Broadway at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade catch snowflakes on my tongue wave at the camera to kids watching from home ride a subway
When I was a kid I wanted to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony
"Well, hello, Little Lady," Spring announces with the tip of a hat, "did ya notice me?"
Well, yes, it's warmer than usual, so I felt it Didn't see it until the scent caught me, a lasso pulled taut, making me back-step a few paces until yes, I noticed
Rich purple bloom clusters hang like oversized Christmas ornaments on short, shrubby trees
Inhaling her sweet scent isn't necessary she's everywhere even if you aren't standing near her
Texas mountain laurel
she's like lilac, but instead of dainty heels, she wears boots with spurs
she's like lilac, but with attitude don't mess with her like ya don't mess with Texas
Don't underestimate her strength underneath all her beauty she snaps spring to attention drawing honeybees into her presence her signature scent announcing
Hey! Time taps my shoulder then runs ready or not, here I come! I never liked chasing people and time is worse people can get caught Ha! Ha! Time laughs Made ya look! I stop, panting chaos in its wake as it continues to barrel ahead of me can't catch my breath
About first loves, her middle school self "She's so cute but needs a big booty, a big booty-licious butt!" Endless ribbons, all colors and textures resemble tangled spaghetti at one end of the table buttons fill a small Mason jar nearby today was meant for cleaning messes not making them, but crafting wins–at least she's off her phone "The first person you date isn't necessarily the one you love..." "Umm...hmm.." I've learned to nod in agreement Listen No need to comment No need to disagree Just listen, while draft ideas struggle to be written She's quiet now, concentrating on re-stuffing a critter she's making from unworn socks The washing machine whirrs through it's Saturday load of laundry Why must weekends skip through time in such a hurry? She stitches the project closed, the one with the big, booty-licious butt "Our school has a confessions page..." "There's this influncer..." Laundry needs drying We save daylight later tonight but didn't the day just begin? She sews I draft She's talking again
March 8, 2025
Tpyos
“Typos are very important to all written form. It gives the reader something to look for so they aren’t distracted by the total lack of content in your writing.”
–Randy K. Milholland
Tpyos bother me, mostly when wen they're my own mistake, not anyone else's although I do notice them in porfessional settings, such as formal publications online in a book an email form someone important
I take a second look how did it make it past editors? did anyone proofread?
I'm the type who usually proofreads most days including fly by the seat of my pints text messages and yes, I resend revised messages
auto-correct I HATE it! Fixes words that didn't need fixing and changes the enteir meaning is there a name for that?
Where you look back look forward turn around or press on? 50/50 right in the middle
red cherry Popsicle split in half on a hot summer day
an age proudly proclaimed by a child inching closer to the next birthday I'm ten and a half!
two quarters, one for me, one for you, when one could get you a full sized candy bar
a marching band show sandwiched between two time clock quarters under Friday night lights of a high school football game, drum major on the fifty yard line telling the band what to do
a small town in Texas where Mom pulls over to let you drive the rest of the way home after running errands because you don't yet have a license
pit stops for stretching cramped legs letting the kids run around four more hours until we get to Grandma's roads don't seem to end in Texas
a mid-lifer assuming one lives to 100 contemplating what-iffing if-only-ing I should-ve... Stop! you're did what you knew best to do
Sunday morning communing with pen and notebook three pages, one is done
she bounds downstairs only in the way a teenage girl can bound bending down loving on the puppy resting at my feet
like a puppy switches her brain switches in an instant "Okay, hear me out, just hear me out"
I don't know what's coming a feral cat hiss with a puff of fire breathing dragon flames?
she continues her philosophical and theological conversation asking questions confirming views questioning others
"I feel closer to God... (or is it GOD or god?) now that I've distanced myself I mean, how can someone commit to something so important and life changing when they're so young? this is a big thing, more important than college or marriage and we have to make this kind of decision when we're young?
She steps back, surprised I didn't jump in
"I'm cooking! I'M COOKING!"
Yes, yes you are keep at it, feisty one keep at it
Nerds Beget Nerds 