Rainy Afternoon Thoughts

     When friends are scattered and you are alone in your living room sipping a cup of tea because the day has become a bit too chilly for any outside endeavors, you find yourself imagining all sorts of extraordinary things.  I personally tend to retreat to words and bad poems that flutter through my mind, like a bunch of butterflies released from a jar all at the same time. They each make perfect sense but all mixed up like that........., HAH - even though they look pretty,  they are hard to comprehend.  I jot down words or phrases in my little book (note to self -will need a new book shortly) that I believe are justifiable. Sometimes when I run those words together in a sentance or paragraph other people think that, although the words are justifiable,  the one penning them is certifiable!!  ;-)  
     Perfect example - I adore Manhattan, before some of you start to argue, let me finish. I adore the city but I hate working in it! I always tended to head in the other direction towards Long Island for employment so I could drive to work. Now back to what I was saying. Yes I do love Manhattan, I love what it has to offer, the museums, the arts, the food, and yes even the people. There is nothing like watching all the people from a park bench, it's the best free entertainment there is. The hustle and bustle is exciting, yet, a part of me longs for a simpler time. Especially on days like these when I guess the term, waxing poetic, really comes into play. Like everyone, I see old movies of Europe in the turn of the century, or some meadow where a man and woman are having a picinic. Mr. Darcy rides up on his horse and whisks me away to some cotillion in London. The utensils are silver, the drinkware is china, both men and women are elegant and charming. What a dreamworld a mind could come up with. I love the look of lace on a man, a jabot under his strong chin, beard trimmed and strong arms to waltz me around the room as my ballgown trails behind me. Myself and my girlfriends spend the day primping and finding just the dress to wear and ribbons or flowers to adorn our hair.  I see it in my mind and in a way long for those times. BUT it's really not all that different now. Men still try to look dapper and ladies pick what to wear and its a club now and not a cottilion. I think the thing I miss about it is the courtesy. People are people and attraction and life has not changed , there are basic human needs that will forever go on as long as there are humans. It's the way things are executed now.  I recieved some amazing note paper for my birthday and I am waiting for just the right moment to use it. I loved getting it, and it's just so lovely!! It's the point I'm trying to make. Everything is so fast (and I love fast don't get me wrong here) but now and again we need to slow down. I know that I am not going to see a man wearing a jabot or a lady wearing a bustle (diffferent eras I know but you get my drift) but how nice just to maybe go for a walk with someone, or have a conversation without a laptop or a computer present.
     Maybe I'm just getting older. (GASP!!) Maybe the joy and curse of (ALMOST ) middle age is the realization that new, really is not always better. I think I am not alone in this thinking either. I am seeing soda coming out with new marketing and calling it "Throwback" meaning real sugar, and one of the top television shows (one I never miss either I will add) is called "MadMen" about an ad agency in the 1960's. The shabby chic cottage look has lots of billowy fabrics, lace, wrough iron, delicate china. Home canning and homemade food is where it's at right now!! Granted, these are not your Jane Austin era effects but it says something when "Retro" is fashionable. I think more people than will adimit to it,  miss, to coin a phrase, the good old days, or at least the happy glorified remembrance of those days. Lets not forget that back then a severe cold could kill you, there was no medical detection for cancer or many other illnesses. You died at an early age, no electricity, bathing usually wasn't everyday and  Oh My Stars!!!....no air condition!! Yes modern convieniences are amazing, but I hope that we haven't lost all the genteel of human nature. I don't think so as I, as a woman, have had doors held open for me, and been offered assistance to help carry things. I have seen one man stop to offer assistance to another man on the side of the road when his car failed him.  It seems kind of hypocritical to be speaking like this while the entire time I'm writing this on my laptop and it will be seen by people I have never met in countries I have never been to. That just made me laugh! Yep I amuse me....LOL    
     Now I just want to assure you that there was nothing stronger in my tea than some 2% milk and some Splenda. I don't need other stimulants to have off the path thoughts. Just a rainy day indoors works it's magick. I do hope you come back for the next blog that inspires me, it could be more of this, or could be something crazy or really really boring. I'd bet on the last one if I were you, as the most exciting thing I have planned for the rest of the weekend is going to the gym in the morning. So until then peeps, Ciao For Now