Miss Otis Regrets

Over at the Pie, today's topic is regrets, based on this article about the Top 5 things people wish while on their deathbeds.  And no, wishing they weren't on their deathbeds is not one of them.

So June asked us, her Faithful Followers, what would be our biggest regret or wish we had while on our deathbeds.


I've done some really stupid things in my life, made some really stupid choices in my life but ya know what?  There's not too much I regret doing.


Okay, I DO regret bleaching my hair and cutting it to look like Rod Steward during his "Blondes Have More Fun" phase because really, I'm SO not a blonde and it really was an awful look for me but just like all the other questionable choices I've made, it was a learning experience.  


I've done things that even as I was making the decision to do them, I knew it was going to be a train wreck of epic proportions that could only end badly yet I plunged recklessly ahead and yeah, it was as big a train wreck as I had feared.

But do I regret doing those things?  Nope.  Again, I learned from my mistakes (Cowboy boots with shorts?  Really?) and moved forward, a little older, a little wiser (I hope).


While I don't regret the things I've done, there's a few things I regret NOT doing:


I regret not learning to play the piano.  I begged my parents for piano lessons when I was a kid.  BEGGED.  And was denied.  I always wanted to be able to sit down at a piano and play beautiful music. I'd go to people's homes who had pianos and I would sit at the keyboard and literally ache to be able to play.  Yes, I know I could take lessons now but I don't think my arthritic fingers would cooperate.


I regret not taking education more serious and going to college.  I honestly can't recall either of my parents ever discussing the importance of a college education with my sisters and me.  In fact, the only thing my dad ever really said about college was that it was a big waste to spend that kind of money for girls who would only get married and become housewives.  I honestly can't remember anyone, parents, high school counselor, etc, ever talking to me about my future.  To this day, I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up.

I regret not being more assertive.


I regret always feeling not quite pretty enough, smart enough, good enough.

Pity, Party of One Your Table is Ready

Disclaimer:  I'm about to whine and throw myself one big-ass pity party so feel free to move along.  Fair warning.

So Saturday was my birthday.  It was not observed in any particular way although Thing 1 did give me a lovely bouquet of flowers and Thing 1's GF gave me a gift card to California Pizza Kitchen (Hello Thai Crunch salad!).

Oh, and the traditional phone call from each of my sisters doing their best Marilyn Monroe breathy rendition of "Happy Birthday."  These singing phone calls are mandatory and are eagerly awaited.


TheManTheMyth, who had been out of town racing, gets home yesterday afternoon and completely ignores the bouquet on the table.  Takes no notice of it, makes no comment whatsoever.

This morning (Monday), TheManTheMyth's bidness partner comes over and the first thing he says is, "What pretty flowers!  Is it your birthday?  Happy Birthday!"

TheManTheMyth says nothing.

The two of them go into my office to look at some blueprints and I hear Bidness Partner ask TMTMif he did anything special for my birthday.  Dinner? Card?  Flowers?


TheManTheMyth's reply?


"I didn't know it was her birthday."


And that was the sole acknowledgement of my birthday from TheDeadManWalkingTheMyth.