I'm Proud of Taylor Hicks!

Not only is he an/the American Idol...

He's every guy's guy. It's easy picturing hanging out with him... shooting the breeze, eating some ribs, drinking a beer.

And his performances make me DANCE! I won't lie, I love to dance... but Taylor brings out the unbridled joy of dance in me!

NOTE TO TAYLOR: Please don't change. I loved you when you had longshot odds. I love ALL of the Alabama in you! You totally entertain. Your enthusiasm is contagious. But your character... is RARE. Bank your career on equal parts talent, joy and character! You are SUCH a breath of fresh air!

My Sweet New Bike: Schwinn Suburban Sport

My Sweet Comet gave me a special Mother's Day Gift this year!

No, she didn't drain her savings account to buy me a 'sweet new bike'. She gave me an even greater gift. She gave me the time to ride it.

I bought the bike on Thursday, and she was none too happy about my ride that evening. She didn't so much as greet me at the door when I arrived back home from the ride.

But beginning on Friday, she has begun to graciously accept a treat and a scratch of the head upon my departure, and to bark joyfully upon my return.

I'm blessed to have a great friend and riding buddy, and in spite of sore hindsides, we are well on our way to an established daily commitment and regimine. We even adjusted our routine today to accommodate the impending afternoon storms. We've had a lot of fun, and we make great exercise partners because we have similar lifestyles and share similar goals: We're both extremely busy with our professions. We want to get in better shape, can't afford to injure ourselves, and are both attuned to the "fuel" element of exercise and recuperation.

More on my friend later (with her permission!)... I owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude. For now, let's just say that she's helped me return to the person I've always been. She's truly gifted, and I'm honored to have her as a friend. Otherwise, I don't think my mind would have been open enough to accept her gifts!

To all the Mothers out there...

A Sincere Happy Mother's Day!

To all the Children out there... Love your Mothers and your Fathers each day as if it is the last day you have to spend with them. The Good Lord knows how much I would love just one more day with mine!

Let me share a couple of quotes that reflect my thoughts today:

The longer one lives in this hard world motherless, the more a mother’s loss makes itself felt.
Jane Welsh Carlyle

The woman who bore me is no longer alive, but I seem to be her daughter in increasingly profound ways.
Johnetta B. Cole