Thank you Liz for writing about Marilyn, the person, and not focusing on her later life problems. Marilyn tried to be a survivor, but did not have the required amount of toughness for Hollywood. I am sure that being her friend would have been wonderful.

when I tried potted plants for my various apartments, I killed them off in short order. When I finally was able to buy a house, and its surrounding dirt, I discovered I really do have a green thumb. I knew nothing about successful gardening and began to read up. The yard was actually planted backwards with sun loving plants in the shade and shade plants burned by the sun. There were plant in wrong places, such as pushing up under the eaves. In 8 years I have corrected this situation and planted about 50 shrubs. The few plants that died were attacked by voles and 2 died from cold. I also discovered I have a good eye for plant arrangement and color. In the yard are 2 types of plants that most people consider weeds in North Carolina, however I am encouraging them as they actually are lovely. Gardening is hard work and excellent exercise. Too bad it gets so hot here and limits when you can actually do much. The local critters, squirrels and birds, limit growing such things as berries, however I have planted parsley just for the caterpillers that become lovely butterflies.

Speaking figuratively, some folks could benefit from a trip to the guillotine and a head replacement…in reality it was a gruesome way to punish and it is best elimanated forever. In the past I worked for a woman who is my #1 candidate for head replacement. She treated everyone the same…horribly, mean, etc. She was later fired and I am certain she still has her deep seated personality problems. She has to live with her nasty self and fortunately I will never see her again.

The “mind sticker” commercial is a bunch of crap!!! During the time I was pregnant with my daughter I was very concerned about not wanting to gain weigh and keeping it after her delivery. I drank a lot of Tab and ate strawberries when I got hungry between meals. Well, I did not keep any after baby fat and still had a “mind sticker” figure, as shown on the commercial…thin, thin, thin. My husband continued to be cold and distant, not only to myself but to our beautiful daughter. After 3 more years of depression and trying to be perfect to please him and squeeze out some affection, I left and never looked back. Tanker trunk loads of Tab could not have saved this awful marriage! what ain’t there, ain’t there!

The best one day vacation would be a trip to a spa for pedicure, manicure, hair cut, color, massage…the works.

Good grief NO! Just about the time you get really bad knees who wants to chase after a toddler?

Usually my last evening thoughts are how to get comfortable and sleep with GERD!

So far I do not have a tattoo, I have thought about it several times, but was afraid it would hurt. Recently I have thought about it again and this time I want a tattoo that is simple lettering saying “TATTOO”, perhaps on a not so tender place.

All my life I have had vivid dreams, however one truly is memorable. I was working at a retirement community and had become friends with a man in his 80’s named Dave. He was very intelligent, had traveled the world and told many stories of living in Mexico for a job. One night Dave died in his sleep which really upset me as he was always so alive. A few nights later Dave came to me in a dream. He approached my work desk and said “It could not be helped…it was my heart”. then he walked away down a hallway, slowly waving to me over his shoulder, and vanished like a film dissolve. when I awoke I knew that Dave’s spirit had come to say goodbye to me and I had another cry for my lost friend. A few days later I came home to find that my answering machine had his name on the caller ID. There was no message. I looked up the phone number and found the misdial was by a man who lived nearby with the same name. Again I felt my friend was contacting me by influencing the man to misdial my number. I will never forget Dave, my friend, and his visits will always remind me of him.

Nope, never went to a topless beach, however skinny dipping in a pool at night feels really great. I have worked as a nude artist model, but would not now want to scare anyone with my fat.

The best gift I ever gave myself from travel was a trip to Paris. I grew up very poor and such things as travel and college educations were what other people did. During my first trip to Paris I was very aware of my feet walking the sidewalks and as I walked past the Louve I kept thinking “I am touching the LOUVE!!!” During the entire trip I kept remembering the child I was who had felt so isolated by poverty. The trip made me very aware that all things are possible if we are open to dreams. Yes, I did get a college degree and am ready to travel anyplace at anytime. If I was offered a round trip plane ticket with a destination kept secret until arrival, I would go.

These days when I fly I prefer to NOT talk to anyone. I don’t want to hear about adorable grandchildren, genius dogs or how successful someone is. Sitting in a narrow seat, with no leg room, and a kid kicking the back of my seat is annoying enough without having to endure praddle. Flying is an ordeal to endure, much like going to the dentist. The only good part is getting someplace wonderful, like Paris, in a few hours.

Pronking good humor featuring mature people. You don’t have to be a teenager to be funny. GO ONION.

I live in a youngish city, so I was the oldest employee at several jobs. Fortunately, I looked younger and was never treated as an old woman, and also I was usually the person with the most off the wall sense of humor. Difference in age was evident when I tried to talk to fellow employees about anything other than work. I do not own a TV (by choice), I read books, cook actual meals, and have goals that are not material, such as buying a hot new car. I have no desire to spend money on the latest “must have”. This baffled my co-workers. It amazed me that some younger college graduates have little depth of learning and knowledge of history and culture, along with limited curiosity about the world. The differences were isolating and more than once I was called weird.

Shalimar is my all time favorite perfume. It makes me feel feminine and “dressed up”. I associate it with lovely fabrics against my skin, such as silk. I have heard it called an old lady perfume, however I definately prefer it to artificial scents that can have a funky or sharp edge.