On May 23, I will celebrate the end of my third year as a writer for THE HOLY MESS. And oh what a time we’ve had!
I began my tenure as a guest contributor, sharing my warped way of thinking with the world. Sara doesn’t realize that she’s the only who really gets my wild and wacky sense of humor, but that will be a secret between you and me.
That quickly parlayed into a regular Fun Friday assignment, with occasional detours into some more serious and heartrending topics, such as the death of my mother.
Knowing my lifelong and intense love of anything movies, Sara asked me to consider doing film reviews and retrospectives, often with a slant toward family movies. It’s been a wonderful outlet for me to share with you something about which I am passionate, and I hope I’ve introduced some of you to some interesting films that are now part of your movie-going experiences.
It’s been a tremendous blessing to watch Sara’s hard work with THE HOLY MESS become increasingly popular and relevant. She literally has thousands of readers, and although I consider myself a very small stitch on the tapestry she has created, I am honored that she continues to welcome my input, and I am humbled by the feedback I’ve received from readers who have appreciated my contributions.
Today, I’d like to take you back through time, and hopefully introduce some of you newer readers to posts you may have missed over the years. Consider this one of those GOLDEN GIRLS episodes where the gals sit around the kitchen table with their cheesecake as flashbacks harken memories of how they first met and became the bestest of besties.
1.Carts, Coupons, Cacophony
This was the very first blog post I ever wrote. And it remains one of my favorites. I realize it’s rather narcissistic to laugh at your own writing, but I have to admit I did more than once while re-reading this diatribe about grocery stores, parking signals, and my love for cheese.
2. The Show Must Go On
The only time I ever took an extended break from writing was when my mom unexpectedly passed away in December 2014. Even typing these words over two years after it happened, it still doesn’t seem quite real. This post was basically a pep talk for myself as I tried to get back on the horse. Today, the saddle still doesn’t fit quite right, but I try to keep riding…
3. Meryl Streep, Donald Trump, and the Decline of Human Decency
This is without a doubt the most controversial post I ever shared on THE HOLY MESS. I debated writing it at all because I knew there would be a lot of people who disagreed with me – and there were. But the whole point of what we do is to share different points of view rather than just placate everyone with a bunch of fluff. My disdain for Trump has only increased over time, but I have learned to become more tolerant of those who support what he’s doing. On my good days.
4. My 30 Year Love Affair with an Older Woman
Speaking of Meryl Streep, anyone who knows me even just a little bit knows that I am infatuated with this extraordinary woman and have been since forever. This post was my tribute to her.
5. The Tears of a Clown
This is one of my favorites, too. The death of Robin Williams really hit me harder than most celebrity deaths, and I still think of it from time to time to this day. This blog also gives you a chance to hear some of the music I wrote before retirement.
6. Has America Lost Its Sense of Humor?
I think a sense of humor is one of the very most important characteristics of a person. Let’s face it, laughter gets us through some of the toughest times we experience. That’s why I’m so concerned to see how so many people are unable to laugh anymore at themselves – or what is going on around them. I still believe this post to be timely and relevant.
7. Living Single in a Couples’ World
This was the first in a series of blogs geared toward those of us who are single, either by choice or circumstance. I plan to do more blogs dedicated to this topic, but sometimes it can be a bit painful and emotional to dig up the feelings necessary to discuss.
8. Great Movies You’ve Never Heard Of: Lorenzo’s Oil
I was pleasantly surprised when this post became one of my most read ever. I love this series, and like the one above, I hope to revisit it in the future. I was happy to introduce this film to some people who had never even heard of it, and I know a couple of you out there shared with me that it’s because one of your favorites. That makes me beyond happy!
9. Me, My Selfie, and I
I HATE selfies! Hate them! And I hate even worse the fact that I hate them so much. I have friends on social media I have come very close to un-friending because of the amount of selfies they post. This gave me an opportunity to rant. My views haven’t changed, but I can breathe a bit easier.
10. I am a Christian and I Watch Swearing on TV
I had never really read an article about being a Christian and watching movies and television shows that aren’t the most wholesome or family friendly, so I decided to share my feelings on the subject. I got a lot of wonderful feedback, and plan to do others discussing sex and violence.
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