Love, Life and Puppy Dog Tales

All of our lines are busy now... please try your call again later Of late, I have begun to envision myself lying prostrate on the floor, as flat as can be.  Sometimes the vision is a relief, because if I am flat enough on the floor, then everything flying around me, aimed for me, won't hit me. Sometimes the vision is scary, because it feels like I deflated and am nothing more than an area rug for people to step on without really noticing. All the joy in life is gone.  I go through the motions hour by hour, day by day, all the while, trying to muster up the fascade of emotion to match the action, and am sure I often fall short. I get up every morning.  The alarm goes off and the process of a day begins. I go to work every day.  There are bill that are forever in need of payment. The mysteries that once were a motivation are now handled by rote and moved on from without deeper consideration. That that was my recharge, my "do because I want to do, do because it is the right thing

I watched as a stranger placed a hand on my partner's shoulder,  looked her in the eye and said "Thank you." The woman moved from my partner and came to me.  She took my hand and said, very emotionally, "Thank you.  Because of what you do, you make it easier for my daughter and her partner."  She hugged me, kissed my cheek and just as quickly, walked away. I was stunned.  Aghast.  Floored.  It takes a lot to get me speechless.  But I was.  Tears welled up in my eyes.  The woman walked away before either of us could say a word. All we had done was dance.   I just took my wife's hand, and walked to the front of the room where we came together and danced. I have to admit, I was scared to do it.  I was in a room full of strangers who were also team mates.  Colleagues.  Strangers, none the less.  They all did the same thing we did.  We were all there to train for the same purpose.  This dance, this party, was to have fun after several days of learn

Some of you may remember my adventure when making a name change after marriage three years ago.... it involved a trip to the Social Security office and some not so fun moments and a 'hope' that the employee would either not care it was two women on the certificate, or simply not pay attention....  and *poof* the name change happened.   Not that I could have the name on my passport. But that was a whole different story.... Time has gone on, and things have changed.  That marriage ended and I have moved on.  A new domestic partnership later (because, now marriage isn't legal in CA) and I thought ' WOW... home free again!'  because apparently there had been a change in the law..... and if one partner wanted to take the other one's name, they could.  It was right there in black and white.  You filed it with the State!  WooHoo!!! But it means nothing.  Legally, as per State Law, I can use the new name, but, a small loophole prevents me from actually getting a Driv