Today is the birthday of two wonderful ladies, Denise and Diane. Diane is turning the big 5 0 today, and she and her hubby are celebrating for the next couple weeks in New Mexico. Diane is one of those rare people. She's, frankly, a saint. When I first met her, she taught specially challenged kids who were death and blind. Now, I wouldn't even consider teaching your average seven year-old anything (except to go to their room and leave me alone) but to teach a special needs person takes, well, a special person. That's Diane. She's got compassion, heart and a strength of character that is just unknown to most of us poor souls.
Diane and her husband, my good pal AC, came to see me when I was at a low point in my life, and though she didn't say anything in particular, or do anything in particular, just being around her made me happier, because she has such a good attitude. The only thing I ever held against her was that she switched her affiliation from my gal Hillary to Obama. So Diane, if Obama loses, you will be one of the people whose ass I will have to kick because I still believe that Hillary stands a better chance of whipping McCain. Having said that, I don't hold it against Diane too much, because she supported Obama for one reason: she wanted to see the democrats win. How can you be mad at someone for that?
So happy 50th birthday, Diane. I hope that 25 years from now when I turn fifty, I'll have your level of grace and maturity. I hope for it, but let's be realistic.
Then there is Denise. She is the HR manager at our office. If you knew our office, you would know that the fact that she is our HR manager and hasn't killed herself or anyone else yet says a lot about her character. You have to have an awful lot of patience to do that job, and you really have to like people to do it. Denise is not above joining me in making offhand remarks about our co-workers, we'd have to be angels to not give in to that temptation, but she does tend to see the good in (some) people that I think are a complete waste of skin. But what I love about her is that she enjoys a catty remark, and always has at least one good zinger handy. She also loves to party on a level that I, myself, have not enjoyed since college. She can stay out all night and just live it up. Sometimes she even makes it in to work the next day, but usually she has the foresight to request PTO up front. I love an HR Manager who says on Monday, "Hey, I won't be in tomorrow. I'm getting hammered tonight." If all HR Manager's had that attitude, corporate America would be considered fun. So Happy Birthday, Denise. You aren't turning fifty, but in about 20 years when I turn the same age, I hope I still am as much fun as you are.
Now for the funeral. Madame Marie died this week. Who is that? She was the star of one line in one Bruce Springsteen song, but it made her a legend. Aptly, in "4th of July, Independence Day" (Better known as "Sandy') Bruce wrote, "I hear the cops finally busted Madame Marie, for telling fortunes better than they do." Just a little line with little meaning, yet it is burned into the head of hard-core Bruce fans. He made her infamous, and I hope in the afterlife, she stays out of jail and sees only a happy future (though she's dead, so I'm not sure what she could see in terms of a happy future).
Oh, and yes, Jesse Helms died. What can I say? Good.
