Friday, August 5, 2011

Of Piñatas and Possibilities ...

Johnny, Macy's Chicago, June 2011.
Photo © David Ingogly.
(Click twice for nearly life-size view. Seriously.
Cuz it's my birthday tomorrow
and it'll make me happy if you do.)



So I'm having one of those Dramatic Milestone Birthdays which is happening in a context which in many ways is making it not at all the birthday I thought I would be having at this Dramatic Milestone.

Which of course points out the utter futility of ever wasting a moment firmly assuming that things will be a certain way because of course--at least in my life--the minute I do that, I have just guaranteed that they definitely won't.

Sometimes stuff is way better than I thought it would be.

Sometimes it totally sucks beyond belief in ways I never anticipated in a million years.

But the important parts remain constant: (1) My beautiful and beloved children, (2) the Love that surrounds us always, and (3) our shared sense of humor at the complete random Shameless-ness of our lives that results in helpless wild laughter at moments like this yesterday:


Piñata At My Daughter's Knee:
A Study in WTF
This is the kind of photo you get
when you and your children are suddenly
and passionately clearing out lots and lots of debris
from your lives and your daughter discovers
that amidst the 486,392 pairs of shoes in her closet--
a closet that should be the centerpiece of its very own
two-hour Hoarders episode--is an unused piñata
in perfectly good condition that must immediately
be transported to Goodwill in your deceased mother's
Mercedes because your real car has been wearing
its spare tire which is only good for about 30 miles
for two weeks now because the effort involved
in driving it to the tire shop and then trying to get a cab home
in this town just leaves you adrift on your fainting couch
every time you even begin to contemplate it
and the Goodwill is out by the Starbucks and sweet Weirsus
we all need a Starbucks RIGHT NOW
if we're going to tackle whatever's on those shelves
in the basement ...



A year ago I celebrated my birthday after having just returned from Lake Placid with my kids, a 2,000-mile Starbucks-fueled odyssey that is fondly remembered as One Of The Best Things Ever In Our Lives.

This year we've got the piñata. Or we did, but now it's at Goodwill.

Anyway.

IDK what this next year has in store for us, but I'm valiantly trying to live up to my "More Weir, Less Fear" motto (though I fear I'm not doing so well with it at times) and keep my heart and my expectations wide open. Basically I'm just hoping for happiness for my children in whatever form is meaningful to them. And maybe for a few more stellar moments like these from The Year That Was ... Amazing:


Welcome to My World book signing,
Chicago, January 2011.


Random LOL moment with dear friend Robin Fosdick,
Ice Dreams, Chicago, April 2011.


Macy's State Street, Chicago, June 2011.
I'm trying not to completely crack up
because, after taking several photos, he declared
that we should now pose for a "prom picture."
Alas, no full-length view of this pose exists.
But it was wonderfully sarcastic.



These moments brought to you by my endlessly patient children, one truly awesome photographer, and the kindness of an extraordinary man who inspires me daily to do what I can--unmet expectations, sudden violent changes in life direction, and gigantic curveballs notwithstanding--to live this out loud:

Dreams are renewable. 
No matter what our age or condition,
there are still untapped possibilities within us
and new beauty waiting to be born.
-- Dale E. Turner




Bonus gif! One of my fav Johnny quotes ever.
Suitable for all occasions.
Thanks to @Nesburger and @cryandkiss
for pointing me to this. :)



Hey! There's new stuff on Johnny's website!
He'll be attending Macy's Glamorama Los Angeles
on Friday, Sept. 23, and also performing in 
"Fashion on Ice" on Saturday, Sept. 24, in Chicagoland!
More info here!



Yes! Johnny's dresses are now available
for purchase only on eDressMe.com!



At last: Pop Star On Ice is now available on DVD!
Order yours today from the Pop Star On Ice website!



Johnny tweeted recently:
"Buy my single,'Dirty Love' via iTunes.
Tell all your friends to as well. The more copies sold
takes me one step closer to making a video! №1!"
THE WORLD NEEDS THIS VIDEO
IN THE SAME WAY THAT IT NEEDS AIR.
You know what to do.
Please buy the song from Johnny's website,
or just click the "Buy" button on the player
at the top of the blog!



Hey, Welcome to My World also is available
as an eBook! More info on Johnny's website!


copyright 2011 / Binky and the Misfit Mimes / Lynn V. Ingogly / all rights reserved

11 comments:

Maggie St. said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BINKY!!!!

May your day and the upcoming year continue to be as wonderful as you are. ♥

aaaack said...

Happy Birthday! Hope you have another AMAZING year, plus another quite a few decades in which to exercise properly your many talents.

You are a Mercedes-Benz among bloggers and an expressive artist in much the way Johnny Weir is an artist. And when life deals you pinata moments, hopefully very very few and ever more widely spaced, you do what princesses on floats often do...wave and throw out candy.

Thank you for your heart-felt, honest, bold and beautiful existence and blogs.

P.S. It's such a blessing when the kids finally reach the age and stage at which they fill out all their own FORMS!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Binks, official Johnny blogger and oh so lucky one of only 126 He follows on Twitter!

Anonymous said...

This blog rocks in so many ways I can't begin to explain.
Love you MM! Happy Birthday a day early...♥

Beth

Anonymous said...

Happy Day-Before-Your-Birthday, Bink!

LOTS of love to you, and a thousand thanks for the 201 wonderful blog posts you've given us since your last birthday. I hope this year surprises you in countless beautiful ways. XOXO!

Vicky said...

Happy Birthday - I hope you have a wonderful day.

Carmina said...

...Misfit, I wanted to wish you nothing less than the best birthday one could possibly have...It has indeed been a fantastic year for you, as well as for all of us who have been brought together by that one man that doesn't even need mentioning...you have played a pivotal role in all of this, and for that, I am thankful...life happens, yes, but it is how one moves forward that matters...without a doubt, you have applied "out of ugly, make something beautiful" to your life...I am honored to have gotten to know you, and hope for greater things for you...from one momma to another, you've done good raising those kids (I can't wait 'til I can start dragging my daughter along to all my Johnny adventures!)...I can only hope she will be as supportive and patient as yours are...Sending you a big hug and hope to see you September 24th!...

P.S. You should have kept that Pinata!! It's great for easing tension and lets you take out your frustrations by whacking the crap out of it with a bat...AND, when it's all said and done, you can reward yourself with the candy!...

Nancy Knisley said...

Happy birthday, Binky!

May this coming year bring you as much joy and laughter as your blog has brought me.

Princess Johnny-Love ♥ said...

hee hee! Binky has a fainting couch? i've SO got the giggles right now!

wishing you a Happy Happy Birthday and a year filled with love, happiness, and many delightful surprises.

*big hug*

xo

Robin

PumaJ said...

•☆.•*´¨`*••♥ Wishes for the Happiest Birthday Ever !!! ♥••*´¨`*•.☆•

Thank you, for being so brave & getting more Johnny into your life, for we have all benefitted:-)

Binx, you just rock! That's all there is to it (✿◠‿◠)

WheresMyKoppy said...

I'm less than a year from a milestone birthday myself, I won't say which one, lol! Two hour Hoarders episode in her closet, hunh? LOL! Sounds like my 17 year old niece, ha!