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July 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Ring the Bell for Nostalgia


Yes, I was born a Leo, but others call me brash! One day following a third call within an hour to a friend, I announced myself as, “this is Annoying Dan!” He promptly retorted, “You said it, what else is new?”
At the time, having my residence in Mississippi for 25 years, the first part of which as a week-ender. The next decade found me permanently ensconced in my home fronting the 10th-hole and a bayou behind. However, I neither fished nor putted. Instead, I locked myself in any room that had any of the three computers I used – and began to write.
Upon fleeing New Orleans, I didn’t want to pursue teaching (after 10-years in Public and 20-years as a school Proprietor), nor did I wish to pursue a Computerist’s course (as I had for the previous 30 years). Having been an entrepreneur and well manifested in my independent ways, I found that writing is most satisfying (even if I am the only one to read what I write).
Following Hurricane Katrina, I moved to a new haven where I have only one computer, and yes, I write, and write, and write. And I am happy with my companions and my family who are with me – all meshed compartmentally in my Nostalgia.

Today’s letter was written by Name: Dan
Twitter: http://twitter.com/cojones69
Blog: http://DanEllis.Net
Written From: Eureka Springs, AR
Filed Under: Resilience Tagged With: , ,
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July 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Dear Motorized Petal Bike Driver


The irony of your chosen mode of transportation was not lost on me. I hope that was intentional.

Ride safe my friend.

Today’s letter was written by Name: Dave
Twitter: davesohnchen
Blog:
Written From: Outside The Bean Scene
Filed Under: Life
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July 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Dear Ma’am


Are you so afraid to die? You have stage 4 terminal cancer. I can tell that your leg hurts simply because it’s so swollen that it looks about three times as big as your other one. You’re probably so nauseous from all the chemo, and I wonder if you feel ugly and self-conscious because you don’t have hair. Do you know that you are one of the most astounding and beautiful women I have ever met? Your attitude floors me. I know that you are suffering, but you still manage to smile sweetly and say hi to me every time I walk into your room, even when it’s 4am and I’m there to make you stand on my scale and take your blood pressure. I have never heard you complain, not even that one time when you were in so much pain that you couldn’t stop the tears from running down your face. I am astounded by your grace and your courage. You are only 44 years old. In less than a year you will probably be dead. It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around that, though, because all I see in you is life and beauty.


Today’s letter was written by Anonymous
Twitter:
Blog:
Written From: Ohio
Filed Under: Humanity
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July 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Dear Punk Rock Dads

Thank you for giving a shit and reminding me what a real father looks like.

By society’s standards you are the least qualified human beings to ever enter parenthood. You’re irresponsible, you’re immature, you’re never home and you look ridiculous with your leopard print hair. Your entire youth has been spent fighting against the authority that you have now become.

Which is what makes you the most qualified person to ever raise a child.

You get the pain and the angst that kids go through. You understand the toll that a broken home can play on the life a child. You understand, more than most, the sacrifice that is involved in keeping a family together. You choose to be present in the moments that you are physically there because you know that those moments can be few and far between.

For those of us dads who are physically there most of the time but absent nonetheless, there is a lot that we can learn from you.

Your language may be foul. Your antics may not win you father of the year. But you have given a voice to entire generation and now you are raising the next one. You will do well and the world will change because of it.

‎Maybe the way we change the world is by raising better kids and being more attentive to those kids. Instead of writing a punk rock song maybe we just need to be better parents. I want to be around my kids, I want to be there when they want me to be there. I think that’s the punkest thing of all.

– Jim Lindberg (Pennywise)

 

Filed Under: Actions Tagged With: , ,
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July 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Dear Truly Special Client


You spoke so sincerely about our care for you, how grateful you are. I’m glad we did a good job. You told me you were treated “like you were special.”

Suddenly I felt horribly humbled. How dare I serve you, generic middle-aged guy, without knowing the slightest thing about you. God knows your name, what your childhood was like, who your family is, every accomplishment, how your body is feeling. I know nothing. I am an ignoramous in the face of your deep complexity, seeing only the surface of your face.

“But, you are special,” I told you, “You really are. It’s so important for you to know that”

It’s important for me to never forget it.


Today’s letter was written by Name: klc
Twitter: Bibliacat
Blog:
Written From: After work
Filed Under: Humanity
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July 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I still love you


Dear soon to be ex, I still love you, you have broken my heart, this time you have gone too far. You are back but you are not. You show you care but you care not. You are around but then you go.. and I know, I know you see her. I hurt, deeply, madly, desperately, I hurt. I now know I am not safe with you. How could you make me feel safe and loved again? There is no way ahead, but I still feel for you. I don’t understand God, I don’t understand why this suffering, I don’t understand why this moment in time where I am frozen, I cannot move on, I cannot move back. I only hurt. My dear soon to be ex, despite the pain, I wish you learn, and I wish you will be happy one day. I miss you and I will for a while. I only ask God for a chance to be alive again, not with you, this time with somebody else. But I still feel for you.

Today’s letter was written by Anonymous
Twitter:
Blog:
Written From: United Kingdom
Filed Under: Love Tagged With: , ,
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June 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Finger Lickin’ Good

Dear Finger Licker,

It would be super ironic if you just had KFC. It would also mean that their branding is bang on even decades after launching it.

Please say you just ate KFC.

     -Dave

Filed Under: Culture Tagged With: , ,
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June 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

you rock!


Dear friend,
Today you texted me with this: “Have I ever told you that you ROCK?” This comment came simply because I was going to drop something off at your house. I wasn’t feeling too much like I ‘rocked’ right then when I got the text message.
I had locked my keys in the car and didn’t know the address of where I was to tell the tow truck driver…we live in a small community so I started with “you know where so and so lives?”
The reply, “no”.
“well, you know the road that goes to the ball park?”
“yeah”
“It’s not that road, it’s the other one”
Ok, so I knew not the address nor even the street name of where I was.
I told her this and she replied with “I think you can still rock and not be that swift”
Ok, how cool is that?
She still thinks I can rock even when I’m feeling (and being) quite stupid.!
So…I’m feeling like a better person, like maybe life is going to be ok today.
Thanx friend.
Thanx for making me feel better about my day.
You rock!


Today’s letter was written by Anonymous
Twitter:
Blog:
Written From: a chair, hidden in a corner
Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With:
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June 23, 2012 By 1 Comment

Life is just beginning

Dear You,

Today I turned 30.

It’s an age that we’re taught to dread. 30 means the end of your youth. It means gray hair and carrying a keg around your midsection instead of a 6 pack. It means the end of fun and adventure. You are growing old wether you like it or not.

Who cares?

Here’s what I’ve found out growing through my 20’s. Gray hair can show up when you’re 18. The keg around your midsection can show up when you’re 25. Fun is still around every corner, it just doesn’t last until the wee hours of the morning ’cause bed time is at 11pm (on a very late night). Adventure doesn’t just mean risking your life doing some extreme sport or moving across the world to live by yourself just to work, surf, and meet new people from different cultures. And even though society tells us to have it all figured out by 30 so you can settle down into your nicely packaged life, it’s not going to happen.

I still have no idea what I’m doing and that’s the adventure.

I have had to deconstructing the image of who I was told I should be and embrace the reality and truth of who I am. My view and perspective of the world has changed so drastically in the last decade that all I see now are endless opportunities. With each passing decade, new things are learned and new perspectives gained. 30 is just one of those milestones. 40 will be another and an even greater adventure than the one I am about to embark on.

So this year I am not getting old. Rather I am stepping into the adventure that I was trying to find in my 20’s but am only able to fully appreciate now.

Here’s to 30.

 

         -Dave

 

 

Filed Under: Change Tagged With: , ,
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June 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Making People’s Day, One Chicken Breast at a Time

Dear Blue Haired Meat Seller,

I’m turning thirty, have a full head of gray hair and am so out of shape that I’m starting to resemble Mr. Potato Head. A simple compliment about how cool my hair looks and how the color of my shirt makes it that much better, absolutely made my day.

Everyone has to work at some point. What you reminded me is that it’s not what we’re doing but rather what we DO with what we’re doing.

We can choose to grumble through the school course we hate or shitty job we have making sure that everyone knows how terrible life is and how we are so hard done by. That’s easy. Playing the victim is easy. But instead of focusing on how crappy our situation is and putting our energy towards bringing a bit of light the gloom that may be surrounding others, our crappy situation becomes that much less crappy  because life is not always about us. And we forget that all too often.

“Everyone likes a compliment don’t they?”

That is a question that I will not forget for a very long time.

Thank you.

        -Dave

Filed Under: Actions Tagged With: , ,
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