I know we up in the house because of COVID19, but somebody please give me a steel mask to stop me from eating.  I have been so vigilant about closing the kitchen at 8PM, but before then, I’m busy thinking about what I haven’t eaten so I can get some. After all, this is emergency eating.  These are serious times, and I deserve some serious food.  What?!!

I’ve posted so many whimsical videos entertaining and infuriating us during this quarantine, and I know I am talented enough to come up with something. This is my chance to glow, but instead, I go…to the fridge:

• I get mad with Trump – I eat
• Look at my face and see a bump – I eat
• Watch a video profiling injustice committed – I eat
• See the guilty acquitted – I eat
• Hear an inspirational choir – while crying, I eat
• Look at my shrinking attire – I eat
• See friends exercise – I eat
• Look at my thighs! – but I still eat.

Please.  Only you can help me.  This is time for tough love! (Hmmm…Is this meat tender enough?)  See?  I can’t do it alone. (Dag. meat’s too tough. Hmmm…Wonder if Spicy Wings is open)? I need you. Just try it. Tell me to

STOP!

What?!!

This post has jokes, but seriously, just as extroverts bite nails during this isolation, we compulsive overeaters are climbing the walls to keep from practicing an addiction to food.  Guess what?  There’s not a thing you can do about it.  It’s all on us to reach out, connect with support, and stay safe – the same thing we all have to do, addicted or not.  Spiritual support always helps not just for us, but for everyone going through this process of healing.

Oooh, I got a good prayer, not just for now, but for every moment.  Y’all know it; the prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr.  Say it with me:

The Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

 

Now, close that refrigerator!

Joy Juice

I think the Serenity Prayer was enough for now.  Ok, a little extra…My prayer is that we all do what we are supposed to do to stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember that

“It’s all good/God/love” – Victorine

© 2020 Camp Goldston LLC – All Rights Reserved

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Victorine

More on my profile of compulsive overeating:  My Gift

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“The Serenity Prayer”. The Grapevine, The International Journal of Alcoholics Anonymous. January 1950

Image:  Victorine’s Spaghetti Squash Fritters.  What?!

 

 

 

I know we got this 6-foot rule for standing clear of any action that can alert the dreaded Coronavirus, but I never have liked sneezing.  You can catch a cough with your bent elbow, but a sneeze will sneak up on you.  A sneeze can express itself in several ways:

1. You talkin’ with your friends in a deep “Who did it,” when all of a sudden, you sneeze. You can’t be fast enough for the crevice your arm..”Yew!!” You apologize immediately, and your friends, say, “God bless you.”  But they got this little sneer on their faces, like “Yew!” You use your napkin or anything you can get your hands on to wipe your hands and nose, and off to the bathroom, you go to finish the task.  Then, you do the walk of shame back to the conversation.  You have become the “Who” they been talkin’ about.   And even though they don’t ask, you feel compelled to explain your sneeze.
2. Then, you got your allergy sneeze and this one comes with a gang.  One “Ah” starts…you try to hold it back, but then, “choo!” follows.  Then the gang piles up on it, “Ah-choo, choo, choo,”  until it almost knocks you off your feet.  This sneeze does not play, and you can’t even bless it away.  Since you had time to “Ah” you moved away from your friends, and you don’t get a “Yew,” you get an “Awww.” 
3. The aftermath:  And then there are either one of these sneezes that commands a mighty nose-blow.  Why do some folks have to blow their nose at the table?  You already sneezed and you been “Yewed,” why make it worse, unbearable.  All you gotta d,o is excuse yourself and take care of your business, but not at the table…over my food!!!!!! What?!!!

I battle allergies, so I sneeze as much as the rest of y’all, but a little etiquette is in order and all blessings are appreciated.

Now, about this virus – all viruses – no virus, we got to be vigilant, y’all.  We are in the demographic to have to deal with this stuff.  Cough, sneeze, or looking at a “Yew,” wash your hands.  And while doing so, don’t be singing the traditional Happy Birthday, go Stevie Wonder on it…until you get to Haaaappee Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday.  If you cough or sneeze, do your best to find your elbow and back that thang up if you can; you don’t want to infect anyone with your germs.  Don’t play.  Cancel trips and choir rehearsals if you have to.  And about being up in the club…wellll, y‘all already know, and I know who you are.  What?!!

Joy Juice

Whatever we do, we gotta look out for each other.  The Universe has called us to do this. Here we are, in a place where everyone is invited to the Party – not red, not blue – you.

“It’s all good/God/Love” – Victorine

© 2020 Camp Goldston LLC – All Rights Reserved

Victorine

Yes, I have to go here.  Why?  ‘Cause I just received this vibrant image of me, and I don’t get it.  Everyone says, “Vic, you are so photogenic,” they say, “Vic, you never take a bad picture.”  Such wonderful compliments, until I look at this lovely image.  I mean, look at it!

Scroll down up

Scroll up…

There it is!!!  Why is it that on this beautiful picture my head looks like a watermelon, no, a tomato?  My cheeks are so chubby.  Surely, the camera lies.  What?!

I am so outdone!  I feel cameras should just automatically slim you down, prop you up, smooth you out, and their settings should remain in personal perfect focus.  Holla, if you hear me.  Are you telling me that I have something to do with the image reflected by my appearance?  I keep smiling a different way to change my face.  I lean back or obscure my body with someone else in the picture.  I do everything I can, but aside from photoshopping, that doggone camera says, “Uh uh, Sister, this is what I see.”

I remember my mother used to look in the mirror and sigh, discouraged by how she looked at age 90.  I was like, “Amon, you look beautiful,” but her eyes could not see what I saw.  Her ‘beauty’ was marred by the wrinkles in her neck.  Now, I understand.  I know that I will not turn back the hands of time, but I can Age Gracefully. (Thank you, Susan Peters.  Y’all read this later).

I’m OK, but I gotta do some good camera stuff.  I mean every now and then, I walk, exercise the little I know about Qi gong and yoga, and I may even do Turbo Jam to stay in shape; that’s just what I do…stay in this shape. (I sure ain’t losin’ no weight this way).  I also try to lift my face with moisturizing, and I welcome a good massage and facial.

Here’s the dealio; it takes practice to stay/look healthy.  It takes moisturizing, exercising, and getting out and about. Charity volunteering doesn’t hurt, and  Dr. Oz says the way to live longer and healthier is to have sex.  What?!!

I don’t like it, (everything but the sex).  I feel I deserve to be beautiful without having to do anything but smile for the camera.  Unfortunately, y’all, the camera(s) don’t lie.

Joy Juice

The bottom line is we gotta use it or lose it.  Thank God, we have a choice. ” Every day in every way we are getting better and better,” an age-old affirmation that rings with Truth.  Now, smile!

“It’s all good/God/Love” – Victorine

© 2020 Camp Goldston LLC – All Rights Reserved

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When you get sick, you gotta pay!!!  You gotta write till you get better!  From the beautiful Frances A. Griffin-Brown, her first post. – Victorine

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Ok!!! So I am on a one month ‘be still’ lockdown and was wondering how my family was going to be able to deal with me. Everybody who knows me knows that I can be a bit difficult when it comes to even sitting still. Well, yesterday I watched the commemoration of Bloody Sunday and had some interesting conversations about my feelings, my whereabouts during that time etc.

Victorine requested I log my time during this month and I hesitated because I told her I hate homework.🤗 Anyway, she makes sense because today after my
therapist left I watched the documentary ’In the Shadows of Motown.’ Oh my, it was so good! It showed how music can heal the mind and soul and also how music brings together people of all races, religions and even political folks. Marvin Gaye singing about the Vietnam war ‘What’s Going On,’ ‘What Becomes of a Broken Heart,’ just great music.

The most important were the people/musicians behind the music how and what they went through for those wonderful sounds. If you are a music lover like I am, this is a must-see documentary. If not for my present limitations I would have been up on the floor moving to the groove. I’m going to suggest our jazz/concert band director show this to our students.

Music is Love. Music is Life. Remember God, Love and Family First 💖 🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶💖 – Frances A. Griffin-Brown

Frances A. Griffin-Brown, standing strong!!!