Today was Georgianna’s birthday, and she wouldn’t tell me what she wanted for a gift.
So I decided to think about it. I got her a handmade heart from an artist’s collective on Main Street, and I got her a $75 gift certificate for the Round House Cafe, so she can take Melissa, an aide, and her friends Nancy and Bert (who is back from the hospital) out to lunch one day next week.
They will take good care of her there.
I think that will happen next week. She was very happy with both gifts and wanted to show off the heart in her own inimitable way. I asked her – not in a nagging way – if she was going to keep smoking, and she said she would, but in a drastically scaled back way – one or two cigarettes a week she said.
Nancy says she means it. I said it was up to her, but that would be a great birthday gift for herself. I know it was a great gift to me when I quit more than 45 years ago.
But still, I said, it is your life and your decision, I’m not here to tell you what to do. “You can always tell me what to do,” she said, but then the Georgianna twinkle appeared, “but that doesn’t mean I have to do it.”
Go, girl. And Happy Birthday.
You seem obsessed with smoking. Jesus Christ, just let the poor woman enjoy herself and stop going on and on about it. We get it: you disapprove. Just move the hell on and cut out the paternalism.
Monica, go away please, you are obnoxious and annoying, this is not the place for you.
I make a practice of not letting entitled cis men like you to tell me where to go or what to write. Sorry, not going anywhere anytime soon.
DITTO! As Always Jon, you hit that nail on the head! Kimberly
Monica, your ugly messages are worthy of a response.
I make a practice of not being intimidated by people who write in an offensive and unthinking way. You do not frighten me. You know nothing about my relationship with Georgianna and cigarettes or anything about her health or her wishes as she related them to me this week after her hospital stay. And it is none of your business.
Trust me when I say if you keep on writing arrogant and unknowing messages like that, I will ban you in an instant, and you will certainly be going somewhere else. This is my site, I pay for it and operate it and I do not tolerate people like you more than once.
Blowing smoke out of your butt is not a courageous position. You don’t get it, not a bit. Don’t hide your bad manners behind your gender, that is also offensive, as are your sexist presumptions. Strong women care about the truth. I’m married to one.
You might consider the difference between hostility and courage. Georgianna and I are very close, and I found your message weirdly disconnected from reality. But then, you didn’t bother to learn or ask (or think?) before firing.
P.S. I was with Georgianna, who is a fiercely strong and independent person, this morning, and I showed her your message. We got a good laugh out of it and I wish I could repeat what she said. It was impressive. She doesn’t seem to be wanting or needing your protection.