I was happily taking myself to work, when I felt a distinct awkwardness in my right sandal. It felt like my bare foot was hitting the step without the benefit of a shoe. I looked down and saw that the thong between my toes had snapped and I had two halves of one shoe flapping around my naked foot. Seriously? What fresh hell is it when, attempting to walk into the office, I hook the front of my sandal, and it pops apart.
I took my shoe off (the same black sandal that tripped me last April when I fell over the giant flower pot and broke my fingers) and excused my "nekkid toes" as I walked in and sat down in my chair of two days. In an attempt to shod my foot, I asked my boss if he had an super glue. He did not. I showed my sad state of footwear, and we both laughed. My second idea brought me assistance. I called my sister, Julie, who brought me super glue to mend my sandals and an alternate pair of shoes to wear as I waited for the glue to dry. Thank you, JuJu.
It just proves my point that The Rabbit Hole stalks me, waiting, watching for a chance to strike.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Monday, May 26, 2014
The first Rabbit Hole appears half a world away
It seems like I should back up and explain the first time I recall The Rabbit Hole finding me. At the time, I did not know this was going to be a recurring port of call.
When I was 23 years old, I had just graduated from college and made my first trip outside the country... a little island country in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka. It was an adventure that I made with my husband of one year. We went to his homeland and lived there for several months before returning to the US. It was an adventure for which no one could have prepared me, but the memories will last forever.
Travelling overseas was completely new to me. I think I learned more about world geography during my flights than I ever did in school. During the middle leg of my journey to Sri Lanka, we landed in Dubai. We got off the plane and took our numerous bags to a quiet spot in the airport, while we waited for our next plane to take us to the "Jewel of the Indian Ocean."
My new husband and I were hungry, so we decided to get money changed at Thomas Cooke. He took our dollars to the counter and left me with the bags. I must have looked extremely out of place in that airport. A young white woman with waist length red hair, a red pencil skirt, a face full of makeup, painted nails, sitting alone with a generous amount of luggage. When a group of men came over and started talking to me in a language I did not understand, I simply smiled. When one of them reached over and touched my hair and put a sizable amount of foreign currency on my suitcase, I felt uneasy. I yelled for my husband to come over and make this group of "admirers" go away. He did, and in doing so, found out that these men thought I was a prostitute. The great white slut from America. What the hell? What had I gotten myself into? How far away was home? Could I get an emergency flight back to the US?
It was the only the beginning of my Rabbit Hole adventures, from half a world away.
When I was 23 years old, I had just graduated from college and made my first trip outside the country... a little island country in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka. It was an adventure that I made with my husband of one year. We went to his homeland and lived there for several months before returning to the US. It was an adventure for which no one could have prepared me, but the memories will last forever.
Travelling overseas was completely new to me. I think I learned more about world geography during my flights than I ever did in school. During the middle leg of my journey to Sri Lanka, we landed in Dubai. We got off the plane and took our numerous bags to a quiet spot in the airport, while we waited for our next plane to take us to the "Jewel of the Indian Ocean."
My new husband and I were hungry, so we decided to get money changed at Thomas Cooke. He took our dollars to the counter and left me with the bags. I must have looked extremely out of place in that airport. A young white woman with waist length red hair, a red pencil skirt, a face full of makeup, painted nails, sitting alone with a generous amount of luggage. When a group of men came over and started talking to me in a language I did not understand, I simply smiled. When one of them reached over and touched my hair and put a sizable amount of foreign currency on my suitcase, I felt uneasy. I yelled for my husband to come over and make this group of "admirers" go away. He did, and in doing so, found out that these men thought I was a prostitute. The great white slut from America. What the hell? What had I gotten myself into? How far away was home? Could I get an emergency flight back to the US?
It was the only the beginning of my Rabbit Hole adventures, from half a world away.
Jessica is a redhead... and a rabbit
There have been so many "rabbits" in my world over the years that it is no wonder that The Rabbit Hole would want to make its presence known under my feet at any given time.
I have always loved Jessica Rabbit from the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." She's sexy, curvy, has an amazing voice, and let us not forget, she's a redhead. Epic win on all counts. My favorite quote of hers, "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way." I use that at times, when I'm getting looks of shock and surprise for making some comment or using a generous amount of wiggle while dancing.
Let me explain. I am not ashamed to say that one of my favorite quotes by Marilyn Monroe is, "I'm very definitely a woman and I enjoy it." I, too, enjoy being a woman. I like the fact that I can laugh and use my eyes to flirt, and that I have learned to use music and dance to express myself. Women have often been made to feel bad if they enjoy being curvy and sensual. That is not a shame that I buy into. I like being "girlie." Being a gigglebox and a flirt has often brought The Rabbit Hole closer to me. However, there are times when doing absolutely nothing has sent me into the world of the weird. I don't really question it anymore. I simply take a deep breath and watch how it plays out... then I write about it.
I have always loved Jessica Rabbit from the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." She's sexy, curvy, has an amazing voice, and let us not forget, she's a redhead. Epic win on all counts. My favorite quote of hers, "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way." I use that at times, when I'm getting looks of shock and surprise for making some comment or using a generous amount of wiggle while dancing.
Let me explain. I am not ashamed to say that one of my favorite quotes by Marilyn Monroe is, "I'm very definitely a woman and I enjoy it." I, too, enjoy being a woman. I like the fact that I can laugh and use my eyes to flirt, and that I have learned to use music and dance to express myself. Women have often been made to feel bad if they enjoy being curvy and sensual. That is not a shame that I buy into. I like being "girlie." Being a gigglebox and a flirt has often brought The Rabbit Hole closer to me. However, there are times when doing absolutely nothing has sent me into the world of the weird. I don't really question it anymore. I simply take a deep breath and watch how it plays out... then I write about it.
Friday, May 16, 2014
The Rabbit Hole's favorite spice is "ginger"
Being born a redhead in 1970 was always more of a curse than a blessing. I have been called "carrot top" more times than I can count, and have heard "freckle face" every time the summer sun sent its rays towards my lily white person. My ex-husband, being born overseas, in a country where having a year-round "Bain du Soleil tan" was the norm, did not know what to make of my freckles. When we met, he looked at my arms and asked, "Why do you have these spots all over?" I, being 21 and a smartmouth, replied, "They aren't spots! They're freckles! You don't know anything about white people, do you?" Poor man. I'm not certain why he continued to speak to me, much less ask me to marry him later. I suppose he was not aware of the warning label that red hair typically is.
I am the stereotype of a redhead. I am sassy, somewhat hot tempered, and have a cache of looks that I am able send to my face that can make a person want to do himself/herself a harm, or melt into a puddle of warm caramel. Keenly aware am I, of the arsenal that I possess. I use it to my advantage, without shame. If people used my ginger tresses and fair skin for mockery as I was growing up, then I will use the powers given to me, for my own delight. Did I mention that redheads have an "evil streak?"
People are not the only ones with a fascination with red hair. It has become increasingly clear that The Rabbit Hole finds my ginger locks quite the cause for presenting itself. More often than not, my hair is the start of an exchange that leaves me, or even the other person, staring blankly, wondering what on earth just happened. I could not make up these things, especially with the frequency that they occur. Random oddness has become part of my life, never knowing when it may occur.
These are the Tales From The Rabbit Hole.
I am the stereotype of a redhead. I am sassy, somewhat hot tempered, and have a cache of looks that I am able send to my face that can make a person want to do himself/herself a harm, or melt into a puddle of warm caramel. Keenly aware am I, of the arsenal that I possess. I use it to my advantage, without shame. If people used my ginger tresses and fair skin for mockery as I was growing up, then I will use the powers given to me, for my own delight. Did I mention that redheads have an "evil streak?"
People are not the only ones with a fascination with red hair. It has become increasingly clear that The Rabbit Hole finds my ginger locks quite the cause for presenting itself. More often than not, my hair is the start of an exchange that leaves me, or even the other person, staring blankly, wondering what on earth just happened. I could not make up these things, especially with the frequency that they occur. Random oddness has become part of my life, never knowing when it may occur.
These are the Tales From The Rabbit Hole.
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