when you grow up

“What do you

want to be when

you grow up?” her

pediatrician asked.

“A person,” she answered.

inner style

it's not
what 
you wear

or 
where 
you wear it

it’s 
who 
you are

when 
you wear it

spring flowers

even if 

no one notices

still 

the beautiful 

flowers bloom

staying sane

( By the way: among the many techniques for staying 

sane, being amused is at the top 

of my preferred list. 
That's  the reason
I turn real people in true to life situations 
into cartoons. 
People amuse me.  I amuse myself.
Yes, it's true I  view most people 
including myself as
 cartoon characters.)

new spunk

 





at 72 

she's

taken 

new glasses

new hair

and 

a spunky

attitude

a thousand personas

( how many persona's do you have? and can you name them? )

who is Judy?

 Who are you?” he asked

That question deserves a brilliant answer 

but I can’t come up with one that sticks. 

As soon as I decide this is who I am, 

something shifts and I run into 
a new something about myself. 

There is always something else
 —something sad, something happy, 
something heartbreaking, 

 something joyful—to experience. 

Maybe that’s why people tell me: 

“Judy, you’re something else.” 

Underneath my high school year book picture was the phrase: "never a dull moment." 

I like that motto and although I am no longer a bee- bopping teenager that is how exactly how I intend to greet today, tomorrow and the rest of my life.

she (sometimes) gives advice

 

"Darling, don’t

complain

about weather 
if it wasn’t raining 
it would be doing something else
that you don't like." 

                       

self-improvement #8

after many years

of keeping heartache 

and disappointment

locked inside

tears came

as a surprise 

a relief

he thought

he felt 

his shoulders

drop

self-improvement #7

ladies and gentlemen

reel your mind in

keep it close to home

self-improvement #6

after making a fool of herself

on more than one occasion,

she committed to never ever writing

an email, answering the phone

or giving an opinion

until

she rode her bike

and cried her eyes out

self-improvement #5

slightly

out of sorts

worn-out

weary

weepy

she surprised

herself

left

the dirty

dishes

in the kitchen

sink

then

crawled

into

bed

before the

sun

went

down

she considers this one more 

personal victory 

self improvement #4 for couples

“What was the highlight of your week?” I asked.

“We had sex three times,”

she said,

"I seduced him as he was

going out the door.”  

 

“She did indeed,” he said,

“I took my clothes off

and we had sex 

and

I was only 20 

 minutes late 

to work." 

They agreed, "This was cartoon material." 

We laughed! 

self-improvement #3

I can be mean

I feel mean

He deserves mean

 

I resist the urge

to stoop

to his level.

self-improvement #2

"This week I heard what my wife was talking about. 

That's a huge deal 

because when I'm watching baseball or on the computer

I tune her out. 

Even though I could only pay

attention for ten minutes or so

she seemed happy enough with that."

self improvement # 1

“I like my shoes,” 

she told me.

“That’s a big improvement,” 

She explained,

“because

I use to 

wear 

uncomfortable

shoes

just  to fit in.“

It takes two

one tiny trusting step

and

we begin

this day

my day:

 cinnamon roll 

for breakfast with tea

client crying crying

tomato basil soup for lunch 

client screaming screaming

artichoke for snack

husband demanding 

that I fix 

what ever is wrong with his wife 

dentist at 4:00 pm.

and yours?

 

individual counseling

The most enduring relationship

of all

is the one

we have

with ourselves.

Tea and Sympathy

sometimes all that's needed 

is a good listening to

and a cup of 

hot spice tea

Consolation

When you

are feeling

small and helpless

in the 
big bad world 

Call me. Come Over.



I will listen.

 and if it's any consolation 

I sometimes feel small and helpless too.