I figure I had better check in with everyone. See how quarantines and homeschooling and all of it is going. I myself am doing well, feeling healthy and aware of how lucky I am to be here at all. It’s been a wild 2 weeks since our mandates in Wisconsin closed my restaurant and other businesses. I am fortunate that through this I only have to worry about myself and Miss Zelda, I know a lot of people dealing with kids that want to see their friends, partners that are getting under their skin, etc.

The job situation, well, it’s changed. For 10 years I worked at my job, and I loved it. It was a good overall experience, and I made a lot of friends and people I consider an extension of family. March 17th we were ordered to close by the state, and I very sadly left that day not knowing when I would be with my Solea Family again. It turns out I won’t be there again. The owner had to make a decision, based mostly on the fact that his lease in that building was up, and he decided that he would permanently close that location, effectively putting me permanently out of work. While I am devastated by this, I completely understand this is only a business decision. At the end of the day a restaurant needs to make a profit to stay open. A increase in the rent there was going to make it very difficult for us to turn a profit. When I talked to Lalo, I could see how difficult that was for him, and I told him to hang on to my number, if he ever needs me for a new place or just to help in a pinch, I would love to be the person he calls. One chapter closes, and I will miss everyone there for always.

When I posted that I was out of work (before he decided to close it up for good there) I got a message from a friend that Costco was looking for seasonal help. I applied and got an interview and was hired on the spot. It happened very quickly, like wait, what? I have a job to get me through this time? Thank you Sweet Baby Jesus!! Now, it has been around 30 years since I worked in retail, and the retail I worked was nothing like this!! But it’s a good job, very decent starting wage, and there may be an opportunity for me to be hired on permanently. We will see. I can’t worry about that in this moment of uncertainty that we all face right now. I am just extremely grateful I do not have to depend solely on unemployment benefits right now. I understand the increased risk of being what is considered and “essential employee” right now. It is overwhelming how many people come through there each day who thank us for working, for being there. EFWB, for sure. So stay tuned for continuing coverage of Coco’s Costco adventure. So far, so good.

I am following along on Facebook, mostly, how everyone is faring through our state’s “Safer at Home” mandate. The stories of homeschool activities are a hoot. People are funny. That is good because I believe that a sense of humor is necessary to get through this whole situation. If you can’t laugh, at least a little, each day you will make yourself cry instead, which won’t help you or your family. I am not going to lie, I would be of no help to some poor kid trying to get through math. I believe all of these kids will learn a lot more than just their lessons through this period of time, so be a good teacher, at the life stuff.

So how are you feeling these days? I hope you are finding ways to keep occupied, yet taking the time to relax too. It is good to slow down the machine once in a while. Don’t just binge watch that “Tiger King” thing everyone is talking about. Myself, I have no interest in that. I have watched a few movies here and there, but the new job has kept me occupied. But no matter what you are doing, take care of your mental health too. Reach out to friends, message them, video chat with them. My siblings got together on a Zoom meeting the other evening, and that was a pretty cool thing. It was almost like being with them, as we were all talking over each other, and Paul did everything he could to attention seek. Totally normal. Haha! But the point is, there are tools available if you want some interaction while staying safer at home.

We do not know what is coming next. That is scary, but it can be ok too. If it all gets overwhelming, reach out. There are many people going through this. As I have said many times, the only way through this is if we get through it together. You do not have to do this alone. Your friends or your family, and many times both, want to get you through the tough spots. I have heard from a lot of people checking in on me. My neighbor dropped ice cream off for me the other day. My other neighbor mailed me the sweetest note. If you pay attention, this is bringing out the good in people. Look for the good, and be a part of the good. Take good care of yourself, and wash those hands!!

Remember when we all thought January was the longest month in the history of ever? Welcome to The Week We Just Lived. Wow, I can’t believe all that has happened in just a few days. Things have changed so much for all of us there is no place to begin.

I think back to Monday, which for me was still normal-ish. The kids went to school by my house, but that was it. I had the morning off, did my Monday morning stuff, including going to FIRE. I go to work at 4 on Mondays, and when I left, the kiddos were carrying their stuff home from school. It made me sad. I went to work, which was slower than my normal Monday night shift, but it was OK. And that was the end of normal. The state shut us down on Tuesday.

Tuesday, I went to the gym for what was the last time for I do not know how long. I miss it, and my 7am people, a lot. This is hard. But I started that day like all of my Tuesdays, but I knew it was coming, I just hoped they would let us get most of the week in. The state closed us by 5. I got my shift in, but it was not a regular day, it was very quiet. We got our liquor order, food trucks, and the news came. I sat in the parking lot and cried, because leaving there for an undetermined amount of time was overwhelming. That is my family, my home for the past 10 years. How do you leave, not knowing when you can return? I spent the rest of Tuesday just kind of numb.

Wednesday at home with Zelda. She liked that, even though I could tell she knew the schedule was off. My gym decided they would close, and while some of the other locations still had camps, the numbers were limited, and I did not want to take a spot that someone could use if it was their home gym. But that was the last day for those locations too. I got a message that day from a friend that Costco was looking for people, so I applied online. I got a call, went for an interview and got hired on the spot to start on Friday. That was fast, and I am thankful. The idea of not working, and having to survive on unemployment scared me.

Thursday was quiet. It was rainy, and with nobody really out and about it was unsettling. I ran a few necessary errands, and sat in front of the TV.

I started at Costco on Friday. Since they hired because of the chaos they have had since all of this started, I got thrown right into it. I will tell you, it is fast paced, hard work. Much more physical than what I am used to, and I bartend and serve!! The people are very nice, and helpful to get you in the groove of things. And the members that I have encountered have been very nice, and so many thank us for being there for them. What I will say is that people need to have better manners when it comes to carts! Part of the job entails going out and collecting carts. Most everyone gets them to the cart corrals, but they just put them in there all willy nilly! I survived it, but rest assured I will be better behaved with carts for the rest of my life, and I was always one to put them in the corrals as nicely as I could!

Saturday was more of Friday. I worked, unloading and loading carts, retrieving carts and straightening up the store after close. I haven’t worked retail in more than 25 years. I forgot how much work it really is!

So now it is Sunday morning, and everything is turned upside down, and flipped around and strange. I have followed how it is all going for other people, and everyone is out of their routine. We are learning as we are going. We can all keep going, if we keep going together at a safe distance. I hope the use of social media is helping people feel connected to each other. Isolation is tough on people, and even if you love your family more than anything, being with them all the time can be tough. Keep yourself occupied as much as you can, or relax a little. There is no right or wrong, since we are all doing the best we can.

Let’s see what this week brings, I know for me it will bring more Costco and more ibuprofen. I am grateful to have a job, so I won’t complain (much) about a few aches and pains. Hopefully we all get in a groove, and there aren’t any big surprises lurking around the corner. Stay safe, stay healthy, and support and love each other. Six feet people, ok?

Everyone is just about on lockdown. My work was mandated to shut down on St Patrick’s Day, of all things. I never thought I would see the day that bars in Wisconsin were made to lock it up. We get a lot of comments, looks, judgement for being a drunkier state than the others. But that is our jam, bars are places to gather, to socialize, watch the Pack, Brewers, Bucks, even bowling when the other sports have lulls in action. Now we have no sports, no bars, and a lot of people are feeling no hope.

How is everyone doing? I ask that for real, because I am worried about everyone. Isolation isn’t for everyone. We are really not that far into it, and I have had friends posting their fears about homeschooling, depression, lack of contact and a lot more. Some people are trying to hold everyone up with humor, myself included. Keep at it, we all need a giggle to get through the day. But are you doing ok? I hope so, please please please reach out if you need to. To me, to your neighbor, your family, your dog. Without knowing how long this will go on, people will get disheartened. Not everyone has their home set up for long term isolation, and even I am finding there are only so many Friends episodes a person can watch for days on end.

I have been out a little, but I felt like I was doing something wrong when I left my house yesterday. I had a haircut, so I got some human interaction, yay!! Then I went for a little drive, just to see. It was weird seeing the mall parking lot so empty. I drove from one end of town to Kimberly, and while there was some traffic, it wasn’t what you usually see in the middle of the day in the middle of the week. Downtown was sad to me, no hustle, not a lot of cars. Katsu Ya had a sign in the window, Stay Healthy Appleton! Indeed, stay healthy.

As a restaurant person I do want to say if you are able to afford it, and able to get out, support some of your local and favorite places during this time. Many are doing curbside pickup, you won’t have to leave your car. Every dollar you spend is helping keep someone employed for another day. And please, if you can, leave a tip. You have no idea how much a buck or two means when you don’t know where the next dollar might come from.

Although they haven’t yet, I won’t be surprised if they close hair salons, and massage places. ( the real ones, not the rub and tugs, they close those whenever they can!) If you have an appointment, and can keep it, remember to help out your stylist or masseuse with a couple of extra dollars if you can. They have had a lot of cancellations, and may be made to close as well.

A lot of retail places, particularly the groceries, will stay open. Someone has to work. Be as kind as you possibly can be to these people, and the folks inside shopping. It costs you nothing to smile, be friendly and polite. That is free all the time, virus or not. Kindness and being aware are going to go a long way to getting to the other side of all of this. Now is the time to remember we all are affected by what is happening.

There is a way through this, and it is together even if we are quarantined. We only get better as we help each other. Support each other, emotionally especially. There are a lot of lonely people right now. Isolation is always scary, but especially when there is no end date on the horizon. Send a text, make a phone call, video chat, drive by, honk and wave. And you always have me. I want to try to keep everyone happy, or at least give them a smile, whenever I can. I may not be able to serve you a margarita right now, but I can make you feel a little less lonely if you need it.

Hang in there. I promise, the light at the end of the tunnel will turn on eventually, and we can all head towards it together.

Love, Coco.

So, how about that Coronavirus? This is some pretty fun stuff we are dealing with, isn’t it? I wish I had an ability to stay off Facebook for a while. Most of the memes are funny and stuff, but people sure are all about telling others how to live and conduct themselves. I am lucky, I had a couple of days off from Coronavirus Panic, as I was doing the Colonoscopy Shuffle for the Newly 50. Good times, I’ll tell you!

First, the TP hoarding that is going on is mind boggling. As my sister-in-law has mentioned many times, superfluous pooping and diarrhea are not symptoms of the Covid-19, so what’s up? I prepped for my colonoscopy, which provides a good 12 hours of poop and colon cleansing fun, and I didn’t use even a whole roll of TP. People are posting that others are selling it on Marketplace or Craigslist at obnoxious prices. First off, they are douchebags, if it is true. 2nd, if you are desperate enough to consider it, stop over. I have a roll or 2 to spare while you consider your next bowel movement.

Schools here in Wisconsin have been ordered to close by Wednesday. The people I know with kids are in kind of a panic about what to do, as they all have jobs. Not everyone who works can do it from home. I have seen people make some very kind offers regarding help with making sure they can eat, or even watching the kids while parents work. This is the good in people coming out, and it is awesome to see. Then the “you better not take those kids to the mall or trampoline park” memes started popping up. The “I know more than you do” crowd goes into full effect. The funny thing I noted is the few of those I saw were posted by people that do not have school age kids anymore. My idea is instead of criticizing right away, how about offering some plans and ideas of how to keep the kiddos busy? They will have school work to do, this isn’t summer vacation, there is still a curriculum. But how do you plan on filling the “recess time?” Or the other many hours of a day that need to be filled? Help each other out with this stuff instead of cruising the trampoline park’s parking lot judging anyone there.

There are a lot of jobs you don’t think about that are getting affected. I think it’s cool some of the NBA players, including Giannis (not even going to attempt that last name) are offering to help pay for staff at their arenas while this suspended sports stuff goes on. The lost revenue of just the NCAA tournament is staggering. A friend who works for places like the PAC said he is done for a month, no gigs. That means no money. I will be curious to see how this affects my work. I have been off the two days since States of Emergency have been declared. I imagine if it is slower that extra staff gets cut. I know our carryout business has been steady, and will probably increase as this goes on. I wish everyone in my industry luck, because this could get ugly. My service industry group page has a feast/famine vibe about it, the people that work in cities that normally have conventions and big sports teams are hurting, while dive bar business seems to be up and even busier than normal. Time will tell.

Ok, my friends. Let’s all take a moment for a deep breath. I am not a panic person. This whole thing is certainly cause for concern. I think people that are in certain situations are in for a tough time: the elderly, those with underlying health issues, and young kids. People with suppressed immune systems need these closings and cautious patterns. Those of us with healthier profiles and low risk factors need to be conscious of that, and be willing to help them out. If you know your neighbor needs some help, check on them. If they need help with their kids, offer assistance, not judgement. If you have hoarded TP, for whatever reason, give up a roll or two for the less fortunate TP shoppers. Lean on Me. Great song, and great advice for the stretch here. We have an opportunity here to be better citizens and better neighbors. I hope you see that opportunity and take advantage of it. Please do not panic, it is not time for that. I got you, I promise.

You know how old you are, as long as someone was paying attention the day you came into the world, there is someone keeping track with you. And I have written plenty about the turning 50 thing. I say often I don’t feel like I am getting any older really, but things happen that remind me that not only am I getting older, but the things that mark that aging thing will happen all around me while I am trying to stay young at heart.

My high school classmates took a big hit yesterday. One of our own passed away, following a long term illness. Gidget was only 49, but she had been dealing with the effects of a brain tumor/surgery for 9 years. That’s a long time. Her husband and kids cared for her through the majority of this time. Rick, her husband, went to high school with us too, they dated in school, got married and had the family, then things changed after she had surgery to remove her tumor. I can’t speak with much knowledge about all of it, but her brain function and short term memory were drastically affected.

They were a great couple back then, and I hadn’t seen a lot of them over the years, but they fit like puzzle pieces. It was the right thing that they ended up together, and they had a ton of personality and love for friends and family between them. My heart aches for Rick right now, because they truly spent 3/4 of their lives together. And as it turns out, when they said “For better or worse, in sickness and in health” they truly meant it, because they lived it. I am sure Gidget could not have picked a better caregiver, friend and love than Rick.

I am transitioning into that part of life when you attend more funerals than weddings. You know more people that leave this earth than are bringing new babies into it. It happens without fanfare, there is no benchmark, it just becomes the way it is. Having lost my parents at a young age, you forget that your friends will start losing theirs, until the phone calls come. Your older aunts and uncles will go too, and hopefully they lived long and full lives. But yesterday, when I saw the news about Gidget on Facebook, it literally knocked the wind out of me. She was only 49. I knew of her condition, I knew she had been in hospice care, but to see it, for it to be real, it hit hard. She just lost a 9 year fight that wasn’t fair, it wasn’t fair to her, her husband or her kids. The deck got stacked against all of them, and the reality came to its ultimate conclusion on Sunday. I understand they were all together at the end, which fits because they were all there the whole way through it. God bless you, Gidget, you got to leave this place surrounded by Love.

It had been many years since I had seen her, but she is not a person you would soon forget. Her personality, smile and laugh were contagious. She was a friend to anyone, she just loved being around people. We were the kind of casual friends you have in high school. We had classes together, and were in some clubs together. She was a hoot, truly. She had a huge heart, that is part of why she and Rick were a perfect fit, because he does too. I can say all of us that knew her are better people for that experience.

Keep living your life. Get through it and love fiercely. You just don’t know what will come along and knock the wind out of you. 49 years is not so long when you add up the numbers. A short life, but she made quite an impression in that short time. Even if you don’t know Gidget or Rick, I hope you will include them in your thought or prayers if you are of that nature. She has no more pain, thankfully, but the ones she loved and had to leave need some love sent to them to help them adjust to their new normal.

My best friend and I both turned 50 in December. We both work in service related fields, so December is no time to take off on a trip, too much money to be made that month! So we delayed it a little and went on our 50 Celebration Tour in February. Last week, as a matter of fact.

We had talked about going out of the country, or even Hawaii, but decided to travel to Florida, as Amy’s sister and her husband were going there and we chose to join them. Their mom and dad have a place in Sebastian, Florida so we went to visit them, and we hit the Keys for a couple of days too. Now, l like my family very much, but getting to be included in this family is just a dream come true in ways I can’t even explain! They have welcomed me as one of their own for many years now, to their cottage up north and to family holidays and events. I am a lucky girl, indeed. Florida was no exception!

We had lots of fun, a few little adventures and we might have even learned some stuff. One thing I learned is that Amy’s dad, Tim, is quite the social butterfly. Our first day there was kind of crummy weather, cold and windy, so we decided to go to a museum and run around town. He wanted to gas up his truck, so we headed to a gas station, but he decided as we pulled into one that he actually wanted to go to a different one just across the way. We stop, he gets out to fill up, and within seconds, he has 3 different guys coming up to him to talk to him, buddies from a volunteer job he does and one other Tim Goss Groupie. (We are all Tim Groupies, when it comes right down to it!) We just laughed, and teased him about that for our whole trip. He very graciously let us take his truck down to the Keys, and we stopped on the way back to fill it with gas, but debated if we shouldn’t just give him money for gas so we didn’t deny him the social opportunity of filling up his tank. He really is the Belle of the Ball in his little town down there!

We had lots of fun little adventures, and fantastic service everywhere we went. Neither Amy nor I had ever been to the Keys before, and that is just fantastic down there! We did an airboat ride in the Everglades, we went to a drag show, and we went parasailing. The weather was gorgeous, and there is so much to do and see that I wish we could have spent more time in Key West, but that just means another trip will have to happen. We stayed at a Bed and Breakfast that was so charming, and the people that owned it and worked there felt like old friends within minutes of our arrival. Morreros Guest Mansion, and if you ever find yourself going to Key West, consider looking them up and staying there. Fantastic from start to finish.

Our week went fast, but it was so much fun, and we met so many fantastic people. Between the bars and restaurants we went to, and Happy Hour on the porch at Tim and Sandy’s and the fish fry party they hosted for us, I could not have dreamed of a better place or better people to celebrate turning 50. Life really is better when you surround yourself with wonderful people instead of worrying about what material things you can accumulate. We maybe ate and drank too much, but we laughed and experienced things that gave us memories that will make me smile for years to come. I could go on and on about every little thing, and it wouldn’t scratch the surface of how much I enjoyed all of it!

Thank you Amy, for being my BFF. And thank you for sharing your family with me. I love being a small part of your clan, and their generosity and love means more to me than I can ever put into words. We have had many adventures over the years, but flying high above the ocean with you probably just about tops the list for me. You are a gift to me, and I hope we can continue to do more things together for many years to come. I love you lot and lots!!

I am going on vacation in a day, and I am pretty excited, as I am going with my dear friend Amy. We are celebrating turning 50, which we both did in December. Off to Florida for us tomorrow!! Leaving Wisconsin with a below zero wind hill will not be a chore, for sure.

This all falls under the category of having fun. But that falls into a sub-category of self care. Something I have embraced more of lately, and I think that is a thing that needs to come with a little age and increased wisdom. You just plain old need a little time away from your “life” from time to time. When you’re young and working hard at having a life, you go out and party and take little weekends away, and that is your “me time.” But after some time, you long for the bigger things. I have always wanted to travel far and wide, but the money part of it has always hindered me. I am getting better at not sweating that so much, although I don’t want to go broke just to see a palm tree.

I have devised my own little way to save for vacations and such. And with a job that is very cash heavy, that is easy to set aside money. Just a little at a time. So I save my change, I tuck away a little each day after a shift. It makes is manageable to save it. Without touching my actual bank account, I have enough money to have some serious shenanigans with Amy this week coming up. She is the same way, she squirrels away some cash here and there. We joked yesterday about how we are going to hit Florida and be mostly off the grid with our cash. The Man doesn’t need to know what we’re up to, we’re bringing unmarked bills and we are having a good time.

So self care, on vacation. Take some time, and have a little fun. Don’t kill yourself working just to sit on your porch watching the world go by. Get out there and be a part of the world, let someone else watch you go by!! You should do it while you’re young enough to do what you want, and old enough that you appreciate it a little bit more. You know how the little things accumulate and you deserve a break from it.

Amy and I will send you warm and sunny wishes from Florida, and I will see you kiddos here on the Coco Page, when I get back. Save some aloe for my back, I am a pasty white Wisco Girl headed towards sun and fun!!

I have a love/love thing with Valentine’s Day, which falls upon us in two days. I can’t hate it the way some people do, because although I have been single more of them than not, I have a soft spot for this day, thanks to my Dear Old Dad. More on that soon.

I know a lot of people that dread the Valentine’s thing, and funny enough most of them are in happy relationships. It can be a lot of pressure, if you have someone who has big expectations of the holiday. And a lot of people write it off as a Hallmark holiday, fake day, if you will. Sweetest Day is fake. I don’t buy into that one at all, but Valentine’s is an actual day if you read up on it. It is the feast day of St. Valentine. It’s a thing, I promise. It has been ramped up and commercialized, for sure, and I don’t love the people that go out on Valentine’s Day, it’s amateur date night.

How are you going to get through it if you are a hater? Sitting in a bar throwing spitballs at happy couples is one option, or you could go around doing something small but meaningful for someone else. It doesn’t have to be about grand gestures or even romantic love. Give someone a simple smile. Open a door for someone at the store. Buy a coffee for someone. Or sit around and drink beer and stay away from people, that can be a gift sometimes too, you know? The flowers are overpriced, and that big box heart of candy isn’t cheap either. But someone can benefit from your smile, so I hope you give that away freely.

Back to the one reason I cannot write off Valentine’s Day. My dad, Ed, was an old softy when it came to things like this. I remember as a little girl that he would come home on Valentine’s Day and bring a flower, a carnation or whatever, for me and my sister, and usually a little box of those conversation hearts or chocolates. It wasn’t really a big deal, but he would say he had “posies for my posies” and he really made us feel special for that moment. There is no better Valentine’s memory for me than how he made me feel special, and I have gotten flowers from special people before. But Ed wins, every time. Because Dads and little girls, you know? That is why I can see this holiday as something beyond romantic love, something bigger and better than the Hallmark and flower industry are cranking out, and why the jewelry store ads don’t bother me so much.

Don’t get me wrong, if you are planning something big for me, I will graciously accept your chocolates and stuff. I do have manners, after all. But just in case, I wish you all a very special day with special people around you. And if you know of someone who may have recently lost their love, their Valentine, reach out and give them a reason to smile. I know a few who lost theirs recently, and I would love for them to know that that big love is still out there, it’s just using a different messenger this year.

Give love, be love and receive love. It is all around you. Happy Valentine’s Day, every day.

A while back I wrote about my Monday night gang of people that I get the pleasure of taking care of. My little family of Monday night regulars. I lost one of my tribe last night, and I am pretty sad about it.

My gang is made up a pretty diverse group, lots of different backgrounds and ages. So on the older end of that group is Jim and Audrey. We lost Jim last night, after he had suffered a stroke a week earlier. I do not know exactly how old he was, but let’s say somewhere in his 70s. On Mondays they will come in around 6ish. (Audrey needs to usually get home 7 or a little after for the Bachelor or Bachelorette, depending what season it is.) Jim will pull up to the bar, and I pour him a pint of Bud Light and get him a glass of ice on the side. We talk sports for a few minutes while Audrey gets her social game on talking to everyone in the place!! She is definitely the social butterfly of the night, the Belle of the Ball as it were. Jim and I will tease her about the Bachelor, and we go about our night. When it’s time to go, Jim heads out to the van while Audrey says goodbye to everyone for as long as it takes.

With my parents having been gone for so long, I have always found surrogate parents along the way. Jim and Audrey fit that mold pretty well. When I have a birthday, they bring a gift. When I had kidney stone surgery, she brought me soup and flowers in a snowstorm. Jim was like everyone’s dad. He liked drinking beer, watching and talking about sports, Packers, Badgers, Brewers and making fun of our resident Bears’ fan. He was a guy with that twinkle in his eye, so you knew there was mischief there, but he kept it pretty even most of the time. Easy to say, I like them very much. I love them, really.

So last week when Audrey stopped, without Jim, and told me what happened, I gave her such a big hug. I felt so bad, and she had some tears, that I felt when she hugged me, and I let that tear dry on my face. I talked to her, we joked about me smuggling a Bud Light to the hospital (they have ice at hospitals, good ice, so I wouldn’t need to bring that) and I told her to give Jim a big hug for me. It didn’t sound good, but it didn’t sound so bad either. But with strokes and older people, you just can’t really know. I didn’t hear much from her as the week went on, but I figured no news was good news. I was wrong.

I don’t know any details of how the week went, I am sure I will learn more from Audrey later on. What I do know is that his family was with him. All evening, the whole Monday crew asked if I knew how Jim was doing. I didn’t hear from Audrey until after 7:30 last night. So I had told everyone I didn’t know much, but I was planning on reaching out this morning to see how things were going. I sent almost everyone back home, and then I got her text. I was just heartbroken, for her, their family and our little Solea family. I messaged her back, saying how sorry I was, that I would pass it along, and we would pray for them. And I said that I hoped it was peaceful for Jim. She texted back and said it was beautiful, that he had a good week with his loved ones. How beautiful. That is all I could ever hope for.

I thought, how lucky is Jim? To be surrounded by love as you make that final journey. Probably only a Bud Light might have made it better for him. I thought to myself, it must be wonderful to have so much faith in your love that you can let go here and know your souls will be together again when it is the right time. I know he and Audrey and their family have that, and that made me feel a lot better about it.

I say goodbye to my friend Jim, and I promise I will keep Audrey socially butterflying herself around as much as possible. I will properly bitch about the Brewers, Badgers and Packers like we always did, knowing we really love them, but they don’t need to know that. I will pour that Bud Light, with ice on the side for you, in my thoughts often. Next Monday the gang will raise a glass to you, because we loved having you be a part of our little family. Rest well Jim, no more pain, no more suffering. No more Bachelor for you either, you lucky bastard.

The armchair quarterbacks this morning aren’t talking much about that football game last night. It was a good game, and I liked the outcome. But what really hit me? That Halftime Show that showcased strength, confidence and really ticked off a lot of prudes. And riled up a few people that do not understand that Puerto Rico is a part of the United States.

The game took place in Miami. I have never been to Miami, but I am well aware that there is a strong presence of Latino influences. Cuba, Puerto Rico are not too far away, and there are many of their flavors and traditions to be found there. It is a major reason why Jennifer Lopez and Shakira were picked to be the halftime entertainment. Great choice, if you ask me. I thought that show was great last night, joyous and entertaining. Sure, it was a little overtly sexual, but that is the world we live in, it’s out there, they just showed it to us on live national TV.

The first thing people jumped on was the language- which by the way was mostly in English. They spoke and sang in English the majority of the time. But oh, we speak American here! Why was that all Spanish? Um, it wasn’t and American is not a language. The United States does not have an official language. I do not understand why people are so paranoid about people speaking a different language. I am around Spanish speaking people all day long. Most of them know English, and speak it with me. I have not picked up as much Spanish as I should after 10 years of working with them, but I understand quite a bit. They aren’t talking about us. If that is what you are worried about. Get over yourself and let them communicate with each other. Don’t approach people at Walmart and remind them they are in America, they know where they are, they just communicate with each other easier in their first language. You have your own life to worry about, and you should be learning English better anyway as well. The usage of “your and you’re” and “there, their and they’re” I see all over Facebook tells me you ain’t so hot at it either.

A lot of people complaining about the crotch shots of the halftime entertainment. If that is all you got out of that, you missed so much! Were you horrified when Michael Jackson was grabbing his crotch back when he performed? Prince’s music is all sex, did that upset you when he was the halftime act? You ever watch Mick Jagger strut around, or Steven Tyler with his tongue? And Adam Levine didn’t even bring a shirt with him last year to the show. We didn’t see Shakira’s or J Lo’s nipples at all yesterday. Back when JT ripped off Janet Jackson’s nipple area that was way worse than watching Miss Lopez on that pole, which showed me a strong woman.

It maybe wasn’t the “greatest of all” halftime shows, but I enjoyed it immensely. I thought it was joyous, and very worthy of the Miami area. It showcased two very strong women, who are both very talented, and not afraid of their sexuality. Why can’t women be strong, confident and sexy all at one time? Is it so intimidating? And if it is, why? I am an independent woman, I have had to be. I take care of myself, and that has made me strong. I have had to be that too, because that is what life has given to me. What I am working on is the sexy part, because that is what I want. I want to be a complete package, and at 50 that is where I am headed, God willing. Jennifer Lopez is 50, Shakira is 43. They show me that women can be strong, and grow in that strength as we age. We do not have to sit back and accept old age, or second place behind a man. I am pretty sure J Lo is worth more than her boyfriend, who was joyfully dancing and supporting his woman last night.

There are going to people that see negative in every thing they watch. People are going to judge you. For every person that loved that show last night, there are 3 complaining about some aspect of it. That’s ok. We aren’t supposed to agree about every little thing. But what I want to see is more people celebrating the differences, not hating them. And I want to see more strong, smart and sexy women represented around the world. When I grew up, the encouragement of women to “be more” was just starting to happen, a lot of us were still being encouraged to get married and have babies, and some were told to reach for the stars. J Lo is my age. Shakira is just slightly younger than my little sister. They got the stars they reached for, I am still reaching, and my sister has caught a few of them. Strong, and getting stronger. Sexy, and getting sexier. And I am proud to be independent. The rest is all available to all of us, if we just reach for it.