Meet Your Co-Readers

After my last post, my friend Rick joked that his level of enjoyment of my blog was in direct proportion to how often I mentioned him; and thus he was thinking of changing his name to Scott. For some reason this made me start thinking of how fun it would be to profile the people I know who are regular readers here. A little virtual party for all of you to get together.

So are you ready for this fantastic cast of characters? And I do mean characters… (If you are a regular and somehow I have egregiously left you out, please let me know and I will correct that post haste. )

Carrie – Austin, TX
Carrie is the kind of person I would want to know even if she weren’t my daughter. She’s quick, bright, and funny. I’ve never known anyone as loyal to friends and family as she is. Even a quick trip to the grocery store with Care becomes an exciting road trip—and even when it’s significantly further with the time and distance it takes to cover many states, she’s always a great travel partner. Carrie is 27, married to my “favorite son” Joshua, and has given me grandcats and a granddog. My only complaint about the whole bunch of’em is that I don’t get to see them often enough. Ask her about how she went from being the shy shrinking violet to the Rambo-ette who got suspended from eighth grade for fighting.

Jo – Guymon, OK
Although my sister Jo and I are politically at opposite poles, where the heart is concerned, it would be hard to be closer. When we were growing up, and our mother was fighting who-knows-what demons, Jo was the mom who nurtured me and listened to me and helped me grow up feeling loved. She has a brilliant accounting mind teamed up with a beautifully creative soul—displayed in her razor-sharp organizational skills and invitingly beautiful home. She plays bridge like a fiend while still firmly believing she's not all that good at it. She has patiently taught any number of people to play and love the game and is one of those few good players who doesn't make us bad ones feel like we should hang our heads about it. Jo does my taxes for me every year—which is only one example of how she’s always nicer to people than she has to be.

Rick – Madison, WI
We met standing in line for a Wisconsin Film Festival flick. We had a lovely conversation through the extended wait, then went our separate ways as we were swallowed by the maw of the theater. Nine months later I was standing in line for the Mad Rollin’ Dolls roller derby chatting with a silver-haired stranger when I realized, “WAITAMINNIT! This is déjà vu all over again!” That time we exchanged email addresses and have been growing our friendship ever since. Rick is the quintessential good person and does huge amounts of volunteer work, spreading kindness in his wake. When it was time to euthanize my dog Murray, Rick was there. He’s the kind of friend who not only gives you his extra aloe vera plants, but delivers them already planted in a pot. He burns the perfect theme CDs (with his own artwork for the liner) to get one through a rough spot or for no reason at all. And in case your diabetes is flaring up with all this sweetness, Rick has pretty close to the most wicked sense of humor in the world.

Lori – Madison, WI/Amherst, MA
When we met at a Marcia Ball concert and discovered our shared Texas roots, it was only the beginning of becoming sisters under the skin. We’re both loud, fun-loving, outspoken, analytical, and athletic—but the chemistry and friendship go way beyond those tangibles. Our discussions range from the mundane to the other-worldly. Lori supported me through my Ironman hell and other challenging times, while celebrating the milestones and miracles along the way. I’ve stuck with her through her good relationship with Jeff and attended their wedding in Massachusetts last year. For the past several weeks, Lori has been struggling with strange neurological manifestations that have affected her walking and her entire life—with the docs unable to pinpoint an exact diagnosis. She bought a recumbent trike, which she has been peddling to work like a trooper since she currently is not allowed to drive, and continues teaching her university classes when she's not being put through some new test. This weekend she and Jeff are going to Vermont to celebrate their anniversary—and hopefully to discover the Lourdes of New England. Whatever path this takes, my money's on Lori.

Karen & Beth – Madison, WI
It’s not that Karen and Beth aren’t unique individuals who deserve their respective profiles. It’s that they are inseparable in so many ways. I’m proud to say that I introduced them. They are both clear-eyed truth-tellers who bring spring-fresh openness and honesty to everything they do. They soothe the chaos, and when they’re there, you know that not only will everything be okay but that it’ll be a kick-ass good time to boot. To say that both are talented photographers is like saying Michelangelo was not too bad as artists go. Beth has been getting some great freelance gigs; and as the editor of the Isthmus Guide, Karen continues to be the person without whom social life as we know it in Madison would come to a screeching halt. Karen was another loving friend who came to be with Murray and me for the sad but special moment of his passing. Individually and collectively, Karen and Beth are the summation of all things good.

Katherine – Madison, WI
Brilliant. Intuitive. Artistic. Katherine blows me away with her abilities. Yet even with her incredible and varied writing (and many other talents), she is kind enough to compliment my efforts. I wish I could successfully balance the number of projects Katherine does with such grace, but I find it satisfying just to watch her do it. When we get together, I love knowing that I’m going to leave with a slightly different worldview than I came with.

Crystal – Evansville, WI
Crystal and I bartended together at the Radisson. She reminds me a lot of Carrie, but not so much that I’ve tried to make her a surrogate daughter. But enough that I definitely want her for a friend—not as a Carrie Clone, but for her own stellar qualities. Open. Centered. Fun. Funny. (“Boobage”, Crystal? Boobage???) Smart. Crystal clear. When I get together with Crystal, I always leave with warm fuzzies and a gladness that despite the very short time we worked together, our friendship lives on.

Suzers – Icking, Germany
Susan has got to be one of the funniest women I know. When I worked with her on an IBM project in California, her Tennessee accent and vibrant humor permeated everything we did. She fell in love with that Bernd dude from Germany—Mr. Athletic—and she convinced me to buy inline skates so I could learn how and she could get into shape to keep up with him. Shortly after our one inline outing, she couldn’t stand it any longer, sold what she didn’t pack, and moved to Germany to be with him. Good lord, that must have been at least five years ago. [Checked with Suzers, and it'll be SIX years in three weeks. OMG!] I haven’t seen hide ner hair of her since, but we stay in touch through email and occasional phone calls. BUT… on 8 November I’m trotting down to Chicago’s O’Hare and snagging Suzers and Bernd off their American flight and it’s going to be GREAT seeing them! (Suzers, I still have those skates. Haven’t used ‘em since our outing. Maybe someday….)

Scott – Madison, WI
Newbie reader. Barely makes the roster. But… a seemingly devoted reader nonetheless. I don’t trust easily, but with Scott I willingly had my first experience on a tandem bicycle and have even let him read my blog. Oh my. Although his humor is subtle, it makes me laugh out loud; and his kindness warms me from the toes up. I fully understand why so many of his friends have treasured knowing him for decades. I can only hope for such good fortune.