As
much as I like to kid myself by saying that I will be 18.75 at the end
of this month, being a Leap year Baby--Feb, 29, 1936--when I get up in
the morning the body yells "75"!

TAKING STOCK

I
do consider myself to be very lucky--I am at a great place in my
life--nothing much to worry about except, maybe, that the end is nearer
than the beginning but I don't dwell on that--all the legal work is
done! I am healthy, have a roof over my head, some, not much, money in
my pocket, get out and about (even get 'lucky' once in awhile ;o)) I
published 2 books this decade so far--okay, they aren't selling well but
I pat myself on the back every day for having accomplished that plus 6
more books and a play I have written over the years. (A shameless
plug--go to www.authorhouse.
com and order "The Free Prisoner" and "Letting It All Hang Out"! Plus
you can read excerpts from the books and learn a little more about me.)
Last year I became the official South Florida drama critic for www.corinescorner.com which allows me to see all the Broadway touring companies that come to Miami and Fort Lauderdale

I
have 6 very close friends that accept me for who I am (stubborn,
selfish but who see the pussycat under the tiger) and many
acquaintances.


I have met many nice people through the Internet.

I
love the resident community I live in, especially my large one bedroom
apartment overlooking the water for which I pay (don't hate me) $277 a
month and includes electricity, 62 cable channels for $29 and get a $13
credit on my phone--alright I won't tell you the rest of the 'goodies'
involved.

I have a few regrets but not many. The one big one is
not that I broke up with my second lover but in the way I did--cruel,
heartless and blunt. With hindsight, a few years later, I realized that
the way I did it wasn't necessary.

I regret that I never took that African safari though I did get to travel to South America, New Zealand, Australia and 48 of the 50 states. Or parachute out of a plane--I leave that to the older Bush.

I regret that I didn't follow the dreams I had in my twenties and opted out for the easy way.

I
regret, and at the same time don't, my impulsiveness through the
years--many times it has led to disaster but, then again, many times it
led to the better life for me.

I love that at 75 I have no
worries and that I can watch younger generations make decisions that I
agree and/or disagree with yet keep my mouth shut over the latter or
laugh at them if I want to.

I've been blessed with meeting many
good people along the way and have, conveniently, forgotten the bad
though even they taught me something about myself.

I miss, and think of them, many people I have lost and am grateful for those I still have and, hopefully, will meet new ones.

I've
had a great life--with all the ups and downs, unexpected twists--and
plan to enjoy those years that I have left--hopefully, at the least to
be around to celebrate my real 19th birthday.

At the stroke of midnight when Feb. 28th becomes March 1 give me a thought. :o)