Dèji's RULE

I was jolted from deep slumber this morning by what sounded like an earthquake's aftershock. As it turned out it was just my cellular phone vibrating inside of my overstuffed purse.

I don't get out of bed until 10:00 AM or so my friends believe. I looked at the clock on my nightstand and it was barely 6:00 AM. It's Saturday December 29. I'm on Holiday and just about everyone I know is too. But, most importantly, what about Dèji's RULE!

All who know me must abide by THE Dèji RULE. It is as follows:

I do not talk on the phone, gab, shoot the breeze, talk smack, gossip, preach, inspire, catch-up, text, tweet, retweet, pin or un-pin my interests, like-unlike, post my status, email, skype or even meet for coffee before 10:AM Pacific Standard Time. I will handle business and work related matters via phone or web before 10 AM, but only if it's an absolute must. Simple, easy peasy RULE right?

Apparently NOT simple enough for those who share my genetic pool. My genetic pool is scattered about the globe. Some members are on the Eastern border of the United States, others are in Europe, Canada, Hawaii and The Caribbean. The conversion of time zone completely eludes them and the fact that I do not sound 'awake' at 5:30 (PST) in the morning disturbs them even more. They must have seen the advertisement claiming that "great cheese come from California" because "happy cows come from California". While the Ad may be true, I do not own, operate nor labor at a dairy farm, so rising before or with the sun is not my modus operandi.

(509) area code, the caller resides in one of the islands in the Atlantic ocean. My corpus callosum swiftly connects info from the right to the left hemisphere of my brain. It scans through a list of anyone who is at risk of being ill, aging or deteriorating. The anticipation of potentially devastating news forces me to inhale deeply.

What conversation, revelation, accusation, persuasion, bargain, rehashing of the past, joke or debate that will follow my sleepy "Hello" will impact the rest of my day. And if history informs me, no good ever comes out of a pre-dawn phone call. Will I have to spend the remaining twelve or more hours of my awake day trying to recover from picking up a vibrating phone? After all, I have THE RULE.
THE RULE helps me set the right tone for my day, and the right tone seldom involves a pre-dawn jolt.

As I relive this moment, I wish I had opted not to pick up the phone. I wish I had obeyed my own RULE. Rules are what keep my boundaries safe. RULES when broken have consequences. Some of the time they are positive but more often then not the result is negative, disturbing even.

A Holiday PAUSE for a CAUSE

The gluttonous season has been off to a healthy start! 

As I revisit my values, I can't help but feel a sense of pride. I must admit,  I've contributed healthily to an economy that needs its citizens to be in debt in order to thrive! We are, after all, on an upswing thanks to more consumer spending (read credit card use). 

I do, indeed, live in THE greatest nation on the planet!

I just got back from Aruba less than one week ago. I would have kissed the soil as I landed but because this is THE greatest nation on the planet, we do not walk on tarmacs. We get "taxied into" lovely ports that lead into warm carpeted structures where escalators await us. 

Do I support deforestation but bring joy to my olfactory senses with the smell of fresh pine for the next thirty days by purchasing a LIVE tree or simply wait until I have reproduced a litter of my progenies before such indulgence?

The disposing of said unearthed tree will surely pose a problem. So, I am foregoing that expense. 

Creativity dictates that I should actually "make something". I collect empty boxes of various sizes, purchase over forty feet of appropriately themed wrapping paper and twelve feet of fabric ribbon. Four hours later, I am left with what pro-recyclers could easily hail as the new "it"tree for the Holidays. Had I an 'entrepreu-negro' spirit, that is. No matter, the beauty of my arts and craft project brings a smile to my mug. 

I open my email and find a missive from an eleven year old boy scout who would like to collect one hundred blankets by december 24th to distribute to the homeless. I PAUSE! I am inspired! 

I want to give him all one hundred blankets, but I have not purchased one hundred items for myself therefore one hundred items for another is simply not fair to me. But, I will help!

I moved to my new home six months ago and I have had more repair men come through than guests. I have not had a house warming party, nor a cocktail hour. (with others in attendance that is)

LIGHTBULB!

I quickly shoot an Evite to thirty of my closest  friends, entertainers, lovers and spiritual warriors. I ask for them to bring their significant other, one unattached friend for the single people AND a brand new blanket for the homeless! I have a vineyard that will be providing the Tempranillo. I am the queen of bite sized foods and Brentwood Audio and video just finalized a 5 point surround sound system in my casa. A party with a cause is all that is missing!

The theme for my home getting its cherry popped and a box full of new blankets for a homeless shelter is: "A Holiday PAUSE for a CAUSE". 

My could be metro sexual friend Lenny, chimes in: "You are expecting too much from people, watch no one will come". 

Wait?  All one has to do is show up with a partner, or an "unattached/ single friend, AND bring a new blanket to donate to a homeless shelter. That is asking for too much? This time of year? 

The thought of that possibility is indeed pause or cause for reflection. 

I smile.

My "friends, entertainers, lovers, warriors of spirit"  make any effort on my end to be my brother's keeper seem banal. They will show up and deliver beyond my meager expectations. Whilst sweet Lenny will be out of town getting his eyebrows threaded, his nostrils plucked and his back waxed. 

Am I my brother's keeper? This time of year, "I sure am"!