Dear 123Greetings subscriber,

Hey buddies….I can barely open my eyes, the 123greetings.com Birthday bash has left me exhausted. Well, you just can’t rest on the memories right, you see, there is a week’s story to be told …. there is another eventful week beckoning us and I would like to start on a poignant note.

There was a video on CNN the other morning of a US Marine soldier who surprised his six-year-old son upon his return from Iraq. He went to his son’s school and walked in to the classroom. Sensing silence around him the boy turned from his idle chatter with his peers and turned to look. Oh ! That little boy’s face when he saw his Daddy !! It was priceless ! First it was uncertainty, then surprise, and then the tears….he ran to his father at record speed and pounced on him forgetting everyone around. Then he started crying with relief and joy….and the soldier with a myriad of emotions going through him was biting his lip lest he succumb to his emotions. Yes, a memorable moment. But, there still are kids home and their parents in the Front. There are kids who never would see their parents anymore. The brave men who laid down their lives for the Stars and Stripes deserve our respect and their act of bravery and valor should be spread and told and yes, remembered on their day, Memorial Day [ May 28 ] Salute !

Aaliyah and Megan came all dressed up and knocked my door in the evening last weekend. And yours truly, after a binge wine session with Ron and Steve was sprawled, dividing the bed and the floor. Well, when I was back to my senses, they went, “Bob ! You were supposed to be up and ready for dinner tonight tagging along two pretty ladies….Whatz with this wine….you go bonkers when you hit the bottle ?” and gritted their teeth. True to form, I cracked, “Well, wine doesn’t talk” I looked at Megan, “Wine doesn’t shop” winked at Aaliyah. Exactly, one black-eye rendering punch, two whacks, and three kicks later, I said, “Wine, doesn’t hit either !” My experience aside, on Wine Day send the cards and sip the bubbly buddies. Hey, one more kicker, but this one is pro-lady, “Wine and women are gracefully sweet as they age”….you see, I couldn’t resist…wink* wink*

If I thought securing a date with Aaliyah is the toughest thing to pull off, well, I was in for a surprise. Of course, it was tough, I stammered, fidgeted, and fumbled, but she gave me the consent with a smile. Anyways, tell you what, dressing up for the date is another pain. Cut the smirk buddies….what ya telling me, Big deal eh ?! Try it yourself…hmm…anyways tried the snow-white sweatshirt and there-and-not-there on the hip jeans and hit the road. The game was on ! I mean, the kids had ganged up in the alley to play wham, slam and dunk; the ball was hitting the board more than the basket. Ever ready to show my expertise….Bobby boy grabbed the ball to basket….concentrating hard I swirled my hands to abnormal geometrical proportions and let it go….Slam, yes, on the board, and Dunk, of course, on rebound straight on my shirt. Any designer label would’ve been proud….now I looked like a walking billboard for the NBA games what with impression of the ball bang in middle of my shirt. Did I mention, it was at Steve’s we were meeting and there’s gonna be tap dance in order. Embarrassed and late, I moved on to meet my date. I knew I messed it. She was there waiting. Of course, the giggles and laughter followed when Megan, Ron, and Steve eyed my tasteful attire. But the crowd didn’t bother me, my eyes found hers. And she knew. She always knows. She understood my discomfort, walked near, held my clenched fist and unfolded it only to find a bud-to-bloom young sweet rose. It made the difference, and she blushed. Then we took to the floor and there we danced oblivious to the crowd. And tap, tap we went and to add to the zing, it was Tap Dance Day. It’s not always the sweet words, but sometimes a single rose and shaking a leg should suffice. Light up your sweetheart’s day with blooms and buds and of course, the tap dance.

Steve vies for a visit from the aliens, we all know. But he respects the real heroes too. For instance Christopher Reeve, the Superman, who amused us all saving the world, beating up the goons suffered an accident while participating in an equestrian tournament and was wheelchair ridden ever since. There was sympathy and realistically, there was no hope. But he did a phoenix act. How can one forget his speech on the Oscar stage in 1996, where he arrived with a standing ovation, on spinal cord injuries. Without using a teleprompter neither a script he spoke about the disease and the awareness needed for the same and in the process made a difference and changed many lives. He is the epitome of self-resilience and on Self Reliance Day, Steve has gotten us together to visit our friends and gang up and take a vow to never give up and be self dependant. What you waiting for people, click on our inspiring cards and send them with care.

Marilyn Monroe and Jazz, my old man likes both. Well, my mom wouldn’t mind the jazz anytime. She herself dances her way to the kitchen and grill like a kid at Day Care when she hears the music play. And if it’s a party and there is Jazz playing, Big Man, gives his full-teeth smile, hits the floor to shake a leg….well, he usually ends up stamping and stomping. But that’s alright. It’s a sight to behold. Acid Jazz or Ambient Jazz, the music transports you to a no-man’s land and makes you stay there. If you wanna tap your feet there is cool and folk jazz and to kindle your soul there is soul and funk jazz. You got everything here, all you got to do is listen. The music incorporates a diverse, vibrant palette of very oddly metered, but chord-touching hypnotic rhythms voiced by unusual percussive instruments, that are distantly and distinctly strange and yet somehow, uncannily familiar. Celebrate the International Jazz Day by swaying to its rhythm and sending the cards to let everyone know the beauty of the same.

Megan has found a friend at her workplace and they have really hit it off like a house on fire. Her name is Mariah and she is a movie freak. And she gobbles anything and everything of the movies and makes it a point to hit the halls for the new releases and even repeats. She was totally smitten with “300” about the Sparta and nudged Megan for a second visit. Of course, Megan denied and there they started fighting like cats and dogs. When Megan says no to chocolates, then something should be wrong. So I poked and prodded and got the story out of her. Poor gal had a miserable night ! I visited her the next day at office and straight went to meet Mariah. All I said to her was this, “Mariah, you know what, Megan wanted me to give this to you” and gave her the CD of the movie “300” with a “sorry note” attached. Mariah broke into a grin and scouted around the office to find Megan. Well, floating through the maze of their office furniture I finally found them at a corner of course with Megan being fed Choco Tropicana by her Spartan fan. Hmm…see, I acted as a bridge to keep the bond goin’. On Bridge Day remind your friends about this aspect of friendship by sending the beautiful cards we have in store.

Talking about CDs, Rachel, my niece is an avid animation films’ fan. From Shrek to Shark Tales, she misses nothing. While, I go for the classics from “When Harry Met Sally” to “Sleepless in Seattle.” You see, I am a Meg Ryan admirer…well, it differs by day, now it stands at Ms. Jolie, wink* wink* Anyways, even Kong has his choice….he loves the animated ones a lot, may be coz he’s able to see most of his friends around there, but the one he hates is “Cats” and that CD is beyond repair. He has used his paws to good use and has scratched and mauled it to oblivion. Of course, Rachel loves that too and wouldn’t stop complaining….hmm….so let me act the peacemaker again. Poor Bob, look at me ! Feel for me people ! This Compact Disc Day, yeah, you guessed right, it’s gonna rain Cats. I am gonna get a couple of copies for Rachel. And she has promised to keep it off the paws of our rowdy pooch.

Peace,

Bob
Editor, 123Greetings
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