Context: Today’s post is an ode to, true-blue, friendship 🙂

So, by way of  one of my favourite songs,

one of my favourite TV shows,

and an old-school (sticks-and-stones) myth–

here comes “The Twist” that’s as bold as Chubby Checker.

It’s the ultimate expression of an introvert’s devotion to those whose “one love, one heart (“…fits me like a glove“), and makes me “feel all right“.

Additionally (and, as always), italicized words are clues that–

at home in my own little world–

I’m in puppet-master-mode;

so, wordplay is at hand.

(*Cue the puns…*)

“And if you threw a party,

invited everyone you knew,

you would see…”

that I’d find a way to show up anyway…

and, by all means necessary…

‘Cause, even though nuts cause bolts–

(for, they’re often dolts)

Flint-stones will never irk me…

Here we go….

Good morning, Radiaters…and, I mean that sincerely…today is a good thing wrapped in a lovely morning!

That’s not to say I’m automatically a bright and bubbly riser, Fantastics; for,

(as I imagine Popeye might put it)

“Many’s  a time when the light of daze does nuttin’ to (Olive) oil the grindin’ gears of me top-o’-the-mournin’…”

For those of you familiar with my (lessening) bouts of insomnia, you’ll remember that, summoned by my conviction that “night-time is the right time” to give my shortcomings my undivided attention,

I sometimes find myself in Night Court…

 Where, with a pleaful retort, 

I faithfully report,

for (judge and) jury duty.

However, not always contrite/looking to make amends,

there are times when I break out in a (prison-)bluesy version of “Ebony and Apathy”, until…

finding myself on a (Jail House Rock’n‘) roll…

I start “Gettin Jiggy Wit It”…

and saucily declare,

“Just sit right there,

and I’ll tell you how I became the Queen of…

I don’t care…”

And, if I’m feeling especially reckless, I throw caution to the wind and–brandishing  bravado well suited to the likes of a “big (Marlon) fish in a small pond”–I add,

“Let’s hear it for the koi“, ’cause I know “I coulda’ been a contender…”

But, I’m no sucker (punch)!

Here’s what’s gonna happen, see.

I’m gonna sleep late,

I’m not gonna’ “take the morning train…”

I’ll work from eleven to five, and then…

and, then…

and, then I’d have to carry dread–lock(ed) around my neck like an albatross…

weighed-down by the stress of showing up late for work.

And that’s why, companions mine, the temptation to rise and wine calls for a–Heaven’s-sake!–retake.

But, to be fair, I try to remember that it is not Dawn’s fault…after all, nighttime is a tough act to follow, given her theatrical  soliloquies and stages of (“Good) grief !”

Consequently, this necessitates that I start off every day by reading–or watching–something inspirational…

Which, belatedly, brings me to the early (and, early-morning) ritual that first inspired effortless morning glory…

Yes, Amazers, from my youngest understandings, I knew that–life being what it was–every day couldn’t be a Sundae…

But, every sixth day would definitely be a Saturday…

Which meant a sure-fired,

much admired,

do or dire-d,

no longer tired,

’cause ya’ got me so wired

proliferation of cartoons ..

And, best of the best was The Flintstones!!! 🙂

That show engendered a morning-enthusiasm rivalled only by Christmas…

(*Note To Self: Oh, for the day when my readers as eagerly anticipate the upcoming pages of my stories/books…oh for the day when I reach a level where I have “my readers”…oh for the day when I am published…oh for the day when I finish a book…oh for the day when I finish a story…and, for that to happen, I’d have to get to/stay on point…and, therein, lies the rub…* 🙂 )

So, as I was (not) saying…

I’m an introvert…

Although, for a while there–given how gregarious/heart-on-my-sleeve I am–I thought I was an ambivert (an equal mix of introversion and extraversion).

However, I’ve come to understand that my temperament is not tied, exclusively, to how much of my soul I am willing to share…and, bare…

Rather, it’s about the toll it takes on me…

It’s about how much time is needed for me to find/give myself what I need to replenish my reserves.

And, it’s about who I am willing/able to turn to when I am feeling oh-so-vulnerable and drained.

It’s about who I’m (honestly) willing to spend precious free-time with.

(*FYI: Right now, in (keepin’ it) real time, I’m reflecting on the fact that many famous (creative) people are said to be introverts…and, curious to find out more, I Googled–and immediately came across…”16 Super Successful Introverts, The Huffington Post”*).

For instance, given that Christina Aguilera is an introvert, she provides an illustrative platform (shoes, huge hair, eye-catching outfits) from which to make my point…

Just as Christina’s vocal effusiveness is not a measure of her temperament–so, too, with my relational/people-person way of being…

Despite the layers of notes/trills that Christina adds to a word (her soul-sister trademark),  it doesn’t change the fact that a song is a song is a song…we don’t label it something else.

And, the fact that my soul calls for me to connect with others on such deep levels doesn’t change the fact that an introvert is an introvert is an introvert…

no matter how open…

no matter how well they connect with other people.

And, absent enough time to find a mental-balance during my waking hours,

this,

in a nutshell,

is why I’m prone to waking up in the middle of the night with so much to think about.

However, given that I am becoming better at trusting the process of setting protective/personal boundaries,

I am increasingly comfortable with letting people know that,

once I get home from work,

I am in for the night…

and, my focus shifts to what I need to do to let go of that which doesn’t serve me…

This, while integrating the blessings, lessons, inspirations, and marvels that I’m privy to on an ongoing basis.

I get that not everyone is going to understand/accept the me that sometimes puts myself first,

but, my true friends will celebrate/respect my growth and needs…

Whew…that got a bit heavy there, didn’t it…it’s just that this all occurred to me, spontaneously…

This is what things looks like before coming to me decked in wordplay and pun format.

I hope that’s okay with you…it is with me…

being authentic is a risk I am willing to take…

Thank you for being here…

Tthank you for being a Fred…it means more than I can say; it really does!.

God bless you, Wonderfuls 🙂

P.S. Context for most of the wordplay and puns…and, I’ve bolded each one, so you can scan and find specific ones…rather than having to read the ones you caught 🙂

I’d love it if you’d let me know what you think 🙂

“Thank You For Being A Friend” (1978), written/recorded by Andrew Gold, and re-recorded by Cynthia Fee–theme song for the 1985-1992 sitcom, “The Golden Girls”; ” The Twist” is Chubby Checker’s (1960) cover-song/hit; “…your heart fits me like a glove…” is a Madonna lyric (1986 hit, “True Blue”); “One love, one heart…let’s get together and feel all right” are lyrics from Bob Marley and the Wailers, One Love (1977)–and, Bob Marley’s dreadlocks are iconic; stages of grief is pun tied to psychology and theatre–“Good Grief” is a Charlie Brown lament; Popeye is an old-school cartoon/character, and “top of the morning” is a greeting/”good morning” equivalent; “Night time is the right time” is a lyric from Sheena Easton’s (1980) hit–“(My Baby Takes) The Morning Train”, (“He works from 9 To 5, and then he takes another home again…”); dread–locked is nod to Bob Marley’s dreadlocks–a wonderfully-twisted hairstyle; Night Court is a sitcom (1984-1992); “Ebony and Ivory” is a Paul McCartney/Stevie Wonder (1982) hit ; Jailhouse Rock, is an Elvis Presley (1957) hit song and movie; “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” is a Will Smith ( 1998) hit–and, ” …just sit right there, and I’ll tell you how I became the Prince of …Bel-Air” is a line from the theme song for his sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” (1990-1996); “I coulda’ been a contender” is an iconic Marlon Brando line from multi-Oscar-winning (1954) movie, “On The Waterfront”–he was a boxer expected to take take a dive/throw a fight–making sucker(punch a pun); Marlon is also a kind of fish, and, let’s hear it for the koi (another type of fish) is a reference to “Let’s Hear It For The Boy” (Deniece William’s (1984) hit (featured on the “Footloose” soundtrack); and, “big fish in a small pond” is an old expression meaning being a big deal in a small context (eg. minimal competition, thus minimal prestige).