The waves. They hit me, one after the other. I can’t catch my breath. Their pressure, their push—relentless. The tightness, the overwhelming force—it won’t let go.
And then I’m up, breathing freely again. My nerves settle, and all is well once more.
I remember when I learned about a family acquaintance receiving a substantial sum of money after suing the school for a bus accident involving their children. As an adolescent, I saw the dollar signs and thought maybe suing was a good idea. But my dad, with a firmness that let me know something was wrong, said, “We don’t sue.”
Yet, knowing that people do sue is another thing altogether. The idea of considering LLC protection for our beach cabin is disheartening because it acknowledges that people sue, but it’s also necessary. I’ve worked hard to build assets over the years and don’t want it all to be in vain. It’s just frustrating, you know? It makes me so angry at the idiocy and greed of people.
It’s this kind of anger that makes me wish flimsy submersible-going dumb dumbs wouldn’t take their poor kids with them.
Then there was Mama Duck’s first outing with her two ducklings. The big drake hit his beak hard on one of the babe’s heads. I couldn’t tell if the extra peeps and how he hobbled were from the impact or if it was just part of his learning journey from just being an egg.
And although I’ve claimed that I’m okay with the Earth being consumed by the sun billions of years from now, wiping out all of humanity and civilization, the truth is, I’m not. But reading about possible technological advancements, the ability to alter atmospheres on other planets, and other science fiction possibilities, I’m like, “Let’s blow this sh*t up!”
Today, I got to do a fashion show with the box of 25 clothing pieces that arrived in the mail. I modeled them as Evelyn Vanna Whited me for Dave and I felt like a rock star—exactly what I needed. Don’t worry, I’m not being greedy. I’ll be sending back 75% of them. But I couldn’t resist keeping my “Just One More” houseplant shirt. It’s so me!
Last month, I attended an ’80s prom concert, and next month, there’s a ’50s-themed birthday party. I looked up the last scene in Grease for inspiration, and it’s funny how my shin-length pink skirt will make a perfect poodle skirt (do I get a poodle sticker?). Maybe this is a great excuse to finally get those Mary Jane shoes I’ve always wanted. We’ll see.
Take care. Love, Jaclynn
Going On 40 