Well, hello, game changers! 🙂

If you’re a returning favorite (which, just by virtue of coming back, you are), thanks so much for this continuing connection.  I’m beyond thrilled that you’ve deemed me worthy of precious time and energy.

And, by way of thanks–and, as a nod to a favorite writer, Agatha Christie–I’d like to regale you with a brilliant and intriguing opening akin to a riddle wrapped in a mystery.

However (*Parry Mason) spoiler alert*), my abject appreciation is a double-edged sword that’s left my inside-voice tongue-tied-up-in-knots…

…and grasping at (an-illogical) straws…

Not that you’re contributing any intimidation, mind you…this is all me!

A triple-threat over-thinker,

my head is swimming,

my thoughts are racing,

and I’m spinning my (hamster) wheels…getting nowhere fast.

Hmm…

It’s just occurred to me that,

if I didn’t take myself so seriously,

I’d indulge in an amusing imagining whereby,

given a capacity for rumination so profoundly staggering that it defies human explanation,

I’d win the Triple Crown for Maraculous Contemplation  so often it’d become old hat!

(*On occasions such as these, my word-love  mitigates self-deprecations: Maraculous just occurred… a combo of marathon/miraculous*)

Anyway, truth is, I don’t always do well under pressure.

I especially can’t stand the test of time (crunch).

So, anxious to meet my weekly deadline (and having started this posting much later than planned), I fear I have no option but to reveal a less desirable facet of my introspection-process.

As such, I’m not confident that my writings/offerings will hold up.

You see,

although I believe it’s disingenuous to over-prepare for spontaneous sharing,

I do prefer to skim—no, delve—just below the surface of my musings at least three times before I dare open my mouth and let us know what I’m thinking.

And, prior to our last get-together, I took an extra day to give my contemplations a once (“twice”—“two out of three ain’t bad”) over; so, I felt pretty okay about spilling my inner workings.

(*Maybe even a bit—God forgive me—smug, given generous/glow-inducing feedback* 🙂 ).

However,

this unsettlingly-open book test is a whole other story.

Absent enough time to study my notes-to-self,

I’m feeling cramped by a duo of paradoxical nerve-frazzlers—analysis paralysis and verbal diarrhea…

And, just like that,

those of you meeting me for the first time are up to speed–

catching me on a day when I am unquestionably undignified, and incapable of grasping a mitigating butter-finger fragment even if I were to trip over one!

(*Oh, what I wouldn’t give to fall flat on my face, just now…*)

But,

for better or worse,

I made a commitment to show up—even when bringing up unprocessed thoughts feels like, oxymoronic, voluntary-involuntary purging…

Oh, but wait…a reflexive saving grace just occurred to me (thank you, Lord)!

I forgot to explain my, “once, twice”—“two-out-of-three ain’t bad” reference.

It’s a Lionel Ritchie/Meatloaf combo that’s given me a foothold for my (beanstalk) climb out of the gutter.

For, my nod to Lionel Ritchie makes me think of his infectious anthem, “Dancing On The Ceiling” (*which is optimistic solid gold*)…

and  the The Solid Gold Dancers memory makes me smile inside 🙂

And, given my temperament,

this little nudge is all I need to remember that my clouded thinking can be an opportunity to “dance in the rain”.

I choose to turn my, admitted, cha-cha-na (two-step-in-the-pooh step…dosey do’h!) song and dance routine around…and around, and around…like a twirling balleri…okay, I’ll quit while I’m ahead.

So, as I was saying…

Things are starting to “Look way up” (*Friendly Giant reference*);

and the peaceful feeling coming over me is like “Déjà vu all over again”.

Yep, that last dose of amusement did the trick (thanks for the fun, home-run pun, Yogi Berra)…

Default setting restored.

Yep, as shared in the past, “I get knocked down, but I get up again…”

Oh, and because there are times when my enthusiasm can steer me off course, there are occasions when I have to retrace some of my (dance) steps.

Back to reflexivity….

The artist, Meatloaf, made me think of food…

And food made me think of my kitchen…

And–

although my kitchen and I are passing acquaintances who lazily/sporadically conspire to, “Really, let’s keep in touch…”–

a kitchen reference provides context for an illuminating closing metaphor.

Here Goes…

In the interest of sticking things out, there are going to be occasions when,

unable to stand the heat,

it won’t be in my best interest to leave the kitchen.

So,

my next option will be to lower the temperature—thereby, prolonging the cooking process…

Consequently,

by the time you arrive,

my ideas are bound to be half baked (*today’s menu featured broiled soul, dump-lings, and humble pie drizzled with not-so-secret-sauce*);.

But the extra time needed will provide us with a unique bonding opportunity.

I say us, my friends because I imagine you’ve remained by my side…

For,

I don’t feel alone anymore…

And I no longer hear the echoes of the early-morning recriminations that unceremoniously roused me from my sleep, and tried to convince me not to trust the connecting-process.

Thank you so very, very much for helping me rise to the challenge  🙂

P.S. Here’s a final lesson I hadn’t planned….

Although I posted well before midnight, the date showing is Feb. 29th…I’m glad I hadn’t know this would happen, because I might have given in to the temptation to take the extra day. 🙂

P.P.S.  In the event my word-play missed the target:

Perry Mason is a television/fictional lawyer who could unravel any mystery; and parry is a fencing (sword fighting) term…

(Once, Twice) “Three Times A Lady” is a Commodores’  (1978) hit, and “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad”. is Meatloaf’s (1977) hit.