MY NEW HAPPY PLACE

I make fun of things a lot, so when I find something that I genuinely and sincerely like, it's hard to write about it, because I'm worried that people will think I'm being flip or sarcastic or, at the very least, exaggerating.

I'm promise that this time I'm not.

I finished my daily blogrounds at work on Friday, so I started checking my refers to kill the rest of the 9-5 grind. Peeking in the lower part of the left sidebar, I saw that Angle of Vision had been sneaking peeks. Hmmm... don't remember THAT one. Guess I'll go peek back.

The first thing I saw was that Bad Example was one of her guilty pleasures.

Good first impression.

So I read the rest of the front page.

Oh that's good stuff.

Peek at her "About me"... interesting... 4,9,16,18,19,21,23,24,25,27,30,35,36,37,38,45,49,51,54,57... she sounds a lot like me, except with more boobs & less facial hair.

So I go to the next level and hit the first page of her monthly archives.

Good Lord! It's like eating M&M's one at a time. Which invariably leads to stuffing handfuls in your mouth. By which I mean I read everything else she posted.

Yes, everything.

Now I'm sad and full of chocolate, because that's all there is and I want more.

So I'm blogrolling her and stopping by every day, because I love chocolate.

The only complaint I have is that her name isn't listed in the "posted by" line at the bottom of her entries.

You've got a pretty name, BeeBee, go ahead and put it out there so everyone knows what to call you.

I've been trying to figure out why I like her writing so much, but it's really hard to find words for it. Every analogy I try comes up wanting, but for now, I'll go with this.

When your mom gives you advice it's hard to take. This is the woman who told you to sit up straight, get your elbows off the table, wash your hands, comb your hair and for heaven's sake, stop hitting your sister! Why? Because I'm your mom and I told you to, that's why!

But if you have a problem, and you ask your grandma for advice, she'll reached deep into her mental treasure chest, and pull out a pearl of wisdom that she built, layer upon shiny layer, around the grain of sand of one of her life's experiences. It's always good advice that you immediately trust because you know that grandma learned it the hard way, and that she's sharing it with you because it's good and it's true and she loves you and she would never steer you wrong.

So when BeeBee says:

Learn to cook

A man thinks he knows how to have sex; he doesn’t, you got to teach em how. If you don’t work up the nerve, then you’re a fool.

If you stick to the truth, you’re always ahead even when you’re not.

Stand up tall, then your always ahead.

A man hits you once he’s gonna do it again.

Coffee always tastes better at night with a cookie.

Work hard, it won’t kill you.

Never be sassy with people who work hard for a living, your no better than the girl serving you a coke or the man getting your gas.

or

In the wee hours, after another night of worry, I realized that I have some amends to make. This morning I will call my friend and say the words that come hard to this very, very, proud woman. The words “I’m sorry”.

I was at fault; I have not shared with those nearest and dearest the stresses, the pain, in my life. I will also say I’m sorry for that. Then because I know she is my dear friend she will forgive me.

I need her arms around me, I want to cry, and I want someone to say it’s all right not to be strong all the time. I’m going to ask for help, something I have never done, ever.

I didn’t recognize myself this weekend. What I saw and felt I didn’t like. That is simply unacceptable. I want me back.

or

It’s simple to me. I made choices. Some were good and some were not so good. To continually whine about what happened years ago, I just don’t understand why people do that. At a certain point I made the choices, no one else but me. For me to try and make anyone but me responsible for the choices I made, as an adult, is just plain stupid.

I’ve listened to people in their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s; blame their parents or someone else for their own life not turning out. Bullshit, choices are made; you make them yourself as an adult. I know I did. Then they get mad at me for pointing it out. The way I figure it is make your choices and then accept the consequences like an adult. Quit trying to blame it on a past that is years dead.

you know you'll be a better person if you take her words to heart.

Angle of Vision is full of things like this, and I'm going there because it's a happy place full of green grass and sunshine and butterflies and fuzzy kittens, and even if bad things come once in a while, BeeBee won't let them hurt you, and they won't be staying long anyway.

That, and the Boston Creme Pie.