TLD

Sigh, you know I dont spend a lot of time on the past anymore. But I do wonder about you sometimes. Im not mad, at you or anybody, for anything really. I just have everything I need. Blessed beyond measure.
When we had dinner last, you cast an impressive shadow, in all the ways a woman. You were a stunning prescence. And it was beautiful to witness. Like, maybe I hadnt been as terrible for you ad I thought.
Then the very last time I saw you, you looked, at least to these unfamiliar eyes, somewhat sullen and defeated. It felt sad to me. Im far too humbled these days to assume I know what trials or triumphs brought you back here. Im sure you had your reasons.
My hope is that you have found your way back to that strong confident woman I sat across the table from, whatever the path you took.
My path has been a twisted one but has led to a personal paradise. I cant ever be mad at the road that brought me to a beautiful destination.
Just know, there is no hatred, no harsh feelings of any kind. But there is an echoing wish that you have everything you need as well.

I shared words with them

Years ago I used to frequent a tattoo parlor called Sol Tribe on S. Broadway that sat next to the Sweet Action Ice Cream . On a number of occasions I had some brief verbal exchanges with Alicia Cardenas , who I came to recognize as a pillar of strength and insight of a teacher in her community. She opened her first tattoo space at 19, later spending 15 years running the space I once knew on S. Broadway.

Last night, December 27, 2021 her and four others were gunned down in a shooting spree by some asshole from another tattoo shop. All day I’ve been seeing memorials and fundraisers for Alicia Cardenas, Jimmy and Alyssa Maldinado and other victims in the community. Other tattoo shops closing today in a moment of silence.

A burlesque dancer me and my husband used to go see years reported on social media that at Camp Christmas they got an order for a shelter in place.
All the shootings occurred in spaces I’d been known to lurk, and a few people who had shared kind words with me long ago were snuffed out when they had so much more they were ready to do here.

To Hayley, To Haze, To Hayl

A Fight She Never Asked Me To Fight

I have luckily forgotten much of the fights I fought. She’s long gone. In a world all her own. It’s better that way. It always was but there’s an undeniable connection we share. Not romantic. Not as friends. Not as siblings or family.

What I do remember is welcoming you home. What I do remember is helping you experience something more than the fear. God the world was always a fiery red around you… wasn’t it. It was like the world of goblins and gods. Only I didn’t know which was which. Neither did you.

I’d point my spear at whatever you’d ask. Myths of women and men. Great beasts! I’d stand between them and you. For years and many wars. I was so tired. Not as tired as you. You found your vices and I found loneliness. Yet I’d fight.

Bruised and so so bloody. Do you remember that? Do you wonder how bloody I am? I’m no artist but it doesn’t take much to paint our picture. Two people who maybe wanted to be in love but just weren’t. Still I’d do anything for you, for the storm that did her best to thank me in so many ways but you never could give me what I wanted. There was no future for the survivors of our war. Not together.

So we ran. That’s why I’m writing again. You never met the woman I’m going to call my wife. You’ve never met my fat cat son. You won’t be the aunt to my kids or the friends I begged for. Because I can’t reach out. For the first time I’m doing my best to make a life for myself. And you always came here. This place was the white flag. So Hayl be well. Remember to me you are important and always will be. I forgive you for the pain. I can finally say I let you go. I won’t wash away all the blood because it’s part of me now. These scars won’t all heal and that’s ok. I won’t forget you. I refuse too. I hope you’re doing the best for yourself. I hope you remember that you deserve the best. I hope you give yourself a life worth living away from the fixes and bandages. I hope Hayley… that you’re okay.

Good news

I’m not going to need surgery after all.
Sure there’s still some mysteries in the case of what caused the pain but the tools the professionals used deliver the insight of me being a perfectly healthy 32 year old lady. The only modification? An easily attainable supplement to help regulate my biological chemistry, seems simple enough.

Craciun Ferecit

I gave my husband a good laugh this year with gifting. I found a shirt of a band he loves Kreator, that plays on one of their songs ‘Satan is real’ with the red scrawlings of Santa is real on the back and a large menacing Santa face on the front. He loves it.
His folks also gave him a massive suprise. We open gifts the night before and they gave us a call from their Mexican resort around 7 to open up their gift . Inside there was a bag of lovely clothes for the kid and three custom thermos, but it was what was inside of the thermos that left us all shocked. The husband pulled out a printout that says student loan debt with the words crossed out in bright red. He’s stunned right and checks the website to verify what’s been done, and they really did it, they paid off 20,000. In student loan debt. In return though we have to make sure we get our essentials organized to join them in Mexico next year and with the savings their gift provides and the profit sharing he now gets at his job, it’s actually possible now.
We’ve never known his folks to be flamboyant lavish , and I tell him it probably was something they planned for awhile but only if he hit the right milestones like sticking around with a good job, taking care of family, finance, and home. Looks like he done good.

The actual day of the holiday we visited my dad and his wife for a steak dinner and mashed potatoes. Their house is mostly packed up for the upcoming move to Florida.
There’s still this disgusting strip of fly tape hanging over the dining room table covered in flies, his wife makes her usual ‘jokes’ about not wanting us around. Her son who lives in a renovated version of my old room isn’t around, he left with his girlfriend to go see her Kansas family. There’s still some good points though, the kid is laughing while she plays chase with her dad and my dad’s dog Coda in the yard. The movie was good and my dad does seem happy to have us visit to catch up, he always says we’re welcome any time but really that’s not the case. However I know his wife is the one to take the time to choose gifts for us. Sometimes I think her abrasiveness is more of a cultural divide in humor but then I remember the fly strip and realize that doesn’t quite fit either. For their gifts in turn I brought them a big box of food, frozen meats and whatnot since they’re in the moving process.

We watch Don’t look up as we eat and as we leave make loose plans for New Years visiting pending knowing the husband’s work schedule.

Back home we end the night watching Major Payne and it’s a good day.

Dear in laws

Dear in laws

Like a lot of families you can be fun & positive & I can enjoy your company, but you have your emotionally abusive aspects too. This makes things difficult to navigate, for me, as I was brought up by an abusive mother, so I’m not great at standing up for myself or setting boundaries, but I am learning & trying & WILL get there.

Sister in law. Being tired is not a competition. Saying “yeah but you haven’t been working 20 hours a day and getting 4 hours sleep” doesn’t make me feel sorry for you or make me think “oh gosh maybe I should give you some special dispensation because your such a good person & work so hard”. I have actually been working about 20 hours a day because I had my day job & then we were moving into the house that you & your partner have provided for us (for you to control us from, no doubt) so……suck it. Maybe you shouldn’t do your extremely demanding xmas job? It’s a bit much to ask someone to work 20 hours a day, is it not? When I imagine myself saying that to someone, like you said it to me, I feel rude, and more than a little bit holier than though, I must say.

Brother in law. You’re very funny & likable but also very controlling. This makes you difficult to navigate.

Mother in law. Oh gosh you are quite depressed and anxious. And you don’t do anything to help yourself. You’ll insist on providing dinner but hurt your back by doing tgis & then bitch & moan about that the whoke time.