Jaywalkin

***”We need a favor. We’ve taken a pug into rescue. Would you guys be able to foster him? Now let me say, he’s a pug mix and he’s going to be in rescue a while. Mixes are just hard to adopt….”

Absolutely, we will.

That was just over 12 years ago. We jumped in the car and headed towards Memphis to meet Cheryl on the interstate with this young pup that had been hit by a car somewhere on Sam Cooper boulevard. Before we were 2 miles up 40, we posted a photo of all of us on the ride home. Off to his new life. Almost immediately, I get a message from some crazy lady in Canada telling me “that’s my dog…. I can’t explain it, but that’s my dog”. Sure Jan.

I had met her once at a pug party in person, in Indiana and had made friends with her online by way of the crazy pug people. Fact is, we had just recently met in Indy at that party and it was going to take her a bit to be able to make her way back down to Tennessee to be able to meet this little turd. We had been in rescue for a little bit, but we’re still new to it.

So off we go to foster this guy until he could be adopted. Words can’t even begin to describe how attached we got. He was my shadow. We taught him love. We taught him cheeseburgers. We taught him to pray. Where I was, Sam Cooper was right beside me. I was his person and he was my spirit animal. Almost 3 months goes by and finally Lise makes the arrangements to come to Tennessee. Oh boy. 12/1 was his official “gotcha” day. We pick her up at the airport in St Louis and it’s instant love with those two. She stays the day with us before her flight back home. We make the drive to St Louis and it’s time to say goodbye. How can I think of saying goodbye to him?! To go off, all the way to the west coast of Canada, never to be seen again. You’ve not ever seen ugly crying like I was ugly crying. To the point that Lise and I were pushing his carrier back and forth in the airport. Her telling me “I can’t do this to you” and me telling her, “you have to. I can’t keep them all”. No part of me would have EVER let him leave, but the universe knew more than my heart was telling me. This was his destiny and I couldn’t ever deny him of that. He had to go. She promised to come visit. We both knew that probably wouldn’t happen. Two strangers with the shared love of one little stray dog. A million miles away if it was one. I watched them walk off into the terminal and I squalled like a baby for the 4 hours back home. Hard, raw ugly squalling. How could I have done this? How could I have just given this boy away and broke his heart the same way mine was broken? His love for me was just as pure and real and tangible as if he were my own blood son. But I knew. The universe knew.
If I’m being truthful, it was enough to make me quit rescue all together. I didn’t want to know that hurt ever again.

All of this over a dog. It’s just a dog, right? Never.

It was almost immediately that I started getting photos and updates on his new life and his new adventures. This stray little mixed breed pup was now living his best life in beautiful Vancouver Canada. By this point, he was just famous. He had his own following and he loved it. He would bark at his own farts and owning his forever nickname, the Boss.

What I can’t quite explain is how his little life impacted almost every part of my life and who I am today. Before long, Lise and Sam were making trips to Tennessee for weeks at a time. My boy was home again. Then we would fly west and spend time with him. Seattle. Sacramento. Vancouver. We travelled. Me and that crazy lady from Canada became so much more than friends. She’s my sister. My family. Just as close as if we were blood relatives. Her family was mine and my family was hers. We have spent the last 12 years as permanent fixtures in each others lives. The good times and the bad. There for each other thru all of the happiness, death or our loved ones and anything in between.

All because of a dog

He opened my world to national pug rescue. Where I met Joyce from Ohio. Brenda from Seattle. All of us traveling the country to pug meet ups. Pug events. Now, those two are just as much of my family as they ever could imagine. Still traveling together, laughing crying and grieving life together. We are bound to each others hearts and souls.

All because of a dog.

Almost every part of my life over these last 12 years ties back to Sam Cooper. Nobody could ever remotely know the impact he had on me and this world. The lives he touched and brought together will literally last an eternity. Our bond is his gift to us. It’s tangible.

Today, around 3pm west coast time, our little boy closed his eyes, in his mommy’s arms, and drifted off over the rainbow. Our hearts are absolutely shattered. Absolutely gutted and we will never be the same.

All because of a dog. All because of the boss. I have no doubt that the angels met him with a big plate of bacon and cheeseburgers. My life will never be the same without him here and his memory will live on in my heart as long as there is air in my lungs. Say a prayer for us tonight but especially for his mommy. God knows she’s devastated and completely lost without our boy tonight. I thank God in heaven for sending him into our lives. Nothing is more precious. No love is more real or hurt more deep.
I know he will be there waiting for us. Young, bossy and as hungry as ever. Daddy loves you, Sam Cooper. I always will. We always will. 💔💔💔

~When I am gone, do not fear my memory.
Do not be afraid to speak my name or look through old photographs.
Do not be scared to play old videos so that you might hear my voice and see me laughing.
Do not be wary of visiting my favourite places or eating my favourite foods or singing along to my favourite songs.
I know it will hurt. Those memories will remind you that I am gone.
They will stab at you like a knife in an open, gaping wound. Raw, excruciating pain.
But after a while the knife will become less sharp, the wound will become less open and the pain will become less raw.
And those memories will remind you that I was here.
That I lived.
Do not reduce my life to my death.
Speak my name, hear my voice, sing my favourite songs and visit my favourite places.
Because that’s how I can stay alive a little.
Right here with you

Just listed. On the square! We need a deli shop and a soda fountain!! Downstairs needs to be 4 boutique hotel rooms (think Airbnb). $299,900. Total Realty Source

731-225-9757. Call or text me!

And I never forget it.

Hanging up on someone that’s rambling will give them the “call ended” notification on their end. Pulling the screen down and putting it in airplane mode will show as a dropped call

Follow me for more life lessons.

That one little picnic table under that big oak tree. It didn’t always look quite this way. The grass is the same. The sun shining down just like it did all those years ago. That picnic table used to have a lot more tables on both sides of it. In a big L shape. Covered with real linen tablecloths and Lord, God in heaven at the food that covered it. This same day. A thousand years ago and yesterday all at the same time. I can see their cars parked along the side of that same little gravel path. I can see aunt Ina’s earrings. All of the Kirk boys and their wives and kids. Cousins, aunts and uncles. Grandparents and days that were meant to never end. Aunt Mil’s strawberry cake. Like clockwork, we were all there on decoration day. Most of them are gone now. Rene is still here and you better believe she was there with us today. The same love and adoration from years ago, just a lot less of us there- seems the grey hair and wrinkles were handed down for us to take care of in their physical absence. It’s decoration day at Pleasant Hill. The day we all get together and put flowers on the stones, both new and old. Remembering those that stood with us yesterday under that tree, now laying with their parents just the same. Pentecost Sunday. I’m not gonna lie, I almost didn’t go today. I woke up at the lake and MAN did I NOT want to leave. I feel like I haven’t sat still in months. Honestly, I haven’t. But I got up, went home to shower and get dressed. I’m SO glad I went. I didn’t know I needed it so much. I miss my papaw. I miss my aunts and uncles. I miss my Dad. It was 8 years ago today that he left, and we stood there with him, resting with the others who’ve gone on to leave the incredible memories that we embraced today. Here. Under this oak tree. Aunt Mil’s strawberry cake was there. My grandmothers salty pickles were on the table. Made by new hands, but with the love and memories, just the same. I stood with my people. I felt every ray of the sun, every breath of the wind and I remembered every bit of them. Just as I did 30 years ago. I felt them there with us just like they weren’t gone at all. Sometimes God knows when you need to get up and get showered and go back 30 years for the afternoon. Make sure you get up and go.

Ice storm of ‘94. I had just gotten my drivers license. Ink was still wet 🤣
Big Jim and Gina went off to check on the Sonic in huntingdon and left me and Josh by the fireplace in McKenzie. Last thing big Jim did was forbid me to touch the car keys.

Naturally I gave them about 20 minutes to scoot on down the road before me and Josh hit the open roads in my little snazzy red LeBaron. The ole front wheel drive sleigh. I taught myself how to drive on ice that morning. 16 years old. Failing meant admitting to Big Jim that he was right. Not gonna happen on my watch, sir 🤣. I went round and round the block at Timberlake. Then out to 22. It was the most beautiful scenery I had ever seen. A real winter wonderland. Once I had the courage built up and knew I was good, we rolled up at Sonic to surprise the parents. We were the only place in town with any sort of utility. The gas grill. No power. We could make hamburgers and coffee. It ended up being the busiest day we had ever had. Jason Fields might have been there that day.
There’s a point here…. Now I’m not telling you what to do, but maybe, just maybe, my dear Southern friends, if you’d get up and hit the open roads today you, too can learn how to drive on this winter wonderland. 🤣🤣 big Jim wasn’t even mad. I think he was more glad to see two boys that could go out with a pencil and notepad and take orders from the cars pulling in.
Today, 28 years later, I can drive on this stuff.

But if you get stuck, don’t call me.

Everything you need to know about me in one photo. 🤷🏼‍♂️

*tap tap tap…. Is this thing on?

Well, there goes 2021. What fresh hell will 2022 bring? Mine is going to be better than ever! I claim that right now, right here, today!

2021 brought me to my 44th birthday. What?! When the hell did that happen??

If you know me at all, you’ll know that 44 to me might as well be 24. No matter how old I get, I still feel like I’m in my 20’s. I hope I never lose that. I probably won’t…. I’ll be the only one in the nursing home wearing vintage T shirts and flip flops, still holding on to my youth. It is what it is.

2021 was a wild year! My real estate career is booming, I’ve started a car service and I work every day to grow them. To grow myself. To be… self aware. 👀

I work hard and I play hard. Such is life. I was talking with one of my friends earlier about it and ya know, I’m not sure I’d want to do life any other way. She’s a mortgage lender and we were talking about how incredibly blessed we are. We both are workaholics, have jobs that we absolutely love and are both lucky enough to be able to do “most” of our work from anywhere we are. On a beach, in Central Park, or in the office.

Ahhhh. Traveling. Bet you couldn’t guess that I LIVE to travel. My bucket list includes living in New York City, London and either Ireland or Scotland for one year each- One year of experiences, seasons, christmases, New Years, summers and everything else that I can fit into 12 months. Tennessee will always be my home, but my heart longs to see the world and I have every intention of living this life to the absolute fullest. Why wouldn’t we?!

Tonya brought up the traveling in 2021 and doing it in 2022. I did 3 trips to New York this fall. Ah, there’s nothing like New York in the fall…. Except for New York at Christmas. (If we are telling the truth, as magical as it is, I don’t “do” cold weather. It wasn’t bad, but a 60° day would have been just a little more magical to me 😬
While we were talking, discussing weather and such, I got the bright idea. The holidays are over. We have 2 months of cold ahead of us before spring gets here and I’m already ready!! Southern Florida!! How about a nice weekend trip in the middle of winter?!

I thought (well, me and Tonya thought) this might be a really good way to show people how I do this. Rich, I am NOT. Smart, well, that could be argued. Would you like to see just how I can ball on a budget? And I DO mean BUDGET. Jet setting off to Manhattan for the weekends sounds sooooo boujie. It can seem like it is, all day long. And make no mistake…. It CAN EASILY be expensive. It can also be reachable by so many people. Let me show you how it’s done…

Let’s start with what I’m most familiar with. Manhattan! The big Apple. New York City. The city that never sleeps. If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. So says Frank.

First, let’s pick the weekend. The holidays are over, the tree has been taken down and the grey and gloomy days of winter are all we can take. Saturday, January 22 and Sunday, January 23rd. Plain old boring weekend. Let’s do New York…..

Download the Spirit app. Yep. Spirit. The one that catches all the hell and jokes.. “you’ll be a spirit of you fly spirit”. It literally had me terrified when Mariah and I realized it was our only remotely affordable flight home from NYC. I told her, it’s an hour and 40 minutes, non-stop, how bad can it be….

It was fine…. Spirit airlines will be another post in the future. For now, just trust me on this. It’s fine.

So on the spirit app, leaving BNA (Nashville) at 1/22 at 6am and landing in Newark NJ at 9:11 eastern time.
Take off to touchdown is less than 2 hours. The flight is $17.40. Yes. $17.40.
The return flight is at 7:50 pm Sunday night. $26.39 for a round trip total of, drumroll please……$43.79

Now on Spirit, everything is extra. Here’s my travel tip. Pack your clothes in a carry on sized roller. Put that roller inside a bigger (matching) roller and check it. $40 to check a bag. (The empty suitcase will be to load up goodies with in NYC).
If you don’t plan on bringing back treasure, skip the baggage all together and throw a change of clothes in a backpack. That’s free.

When we land at Newark, we are going to go down by baggage claim and take the airtrain (free) to the train station. It’s usually the 4th (last) stop from the airtrain. There we will get a $30 round trip ticket from Newark to Penn station NY. NOT Penn station Newark. Go down to track 1 (to the right side when you go down the steps) and wait for the train. This will take you to Penn Station in manhattan. Right beside Madison Square garden.

When you get off the train, follow the signs to the Subway. You’re going to get a metro card (I usually add $20 for a weekend trip). Take the E train uptown (blue) and get off at the 51st st/Lexington Ave stop. You’re two blocks away from the hotel.

Ah yes. The hotel. My “go to” is The Pod 51. It’s snazzy and modern and tiny. You’re there to sleep. Not lounge in a big room. Lol. For this trip I’ve selected a single pod. One bed, a TV and a sink. Each floor has bathrooms that are shared- You pick an open one, lock the door and you have it to yourself. Room to p*e, shower, dress, whatever. I HAVE paid extra for rooms with their own private bath but it’s honestly a waste of money. Nobody bothers you in the shared bathrooms. For our trip, booking straight from their website, $77.27. Whaaaat?!

Now the rest of the trip is up to you. Some of the best food is in NYC. Street vendors with $2 hotdogs up to some of the most amazing restaurants in the world for big bucks!

Are you keeping score yet? I am. We are up to a grand total of $171.06

There’s so much to do there that’s free to little money. Central Park is free. The pier where the Titanic was due to arrive is free and is a park- you can see the Statue of Liberty from there. Want a closer look? Take a free ride on the Staten Island ferry. It cruises right in front of the statue.
Download the Citibike app and rent an electric bike for as little as $3 and see Central Park much quicker.

Now you wanna play. You wanna shop. You wanna explore. Good.

For under $200 you can spend the weekend in manhattan. For a little bit more, you can have an amazing time.

When we go for the tourist stuff, I always get a City Pass card. You can pick one up for one day up to 7 days and it’s SO VERY worth it if you’re doing things like the top of the Empire State Building or Rockefeller center.

Little Italy for amazing food. Chinatown for the cheapest purse you’ll ever buy. 😜
Chelsea and SoHo for the hip vibe. Midtown for the showbiz life. Upper east side and upper west side for the ritz and glamour. 5th Ave for the insane shopping. The garment district for struggling artist selling their couture pieces up to big names in fashion. Times Square.

Ah. Times Square. The brightest of the lights.

Don’t take CD’s and autographs. They want money after.
Don’t take the prayer beads from the monks.
Don’t take photos with the superhero’s and the naked cowboy. Go. See. Shop. Leave. Lol. If nothing else, just act like you don’t speak English. Keep moving.

Eat the cheesecake. Juniors is wonderful.

Go see Rockefeller center. The Today show- st Patricks cathedral. It will take your breath away. Radio City Music hall. Walk by Studio 54 and bask in the history and the funk that was there, beyond those doors. Grab a bagel from Ess a bagel on 3rd and eat it in front of Tiffany’s on 5th Ave.

Tag me in your photos. Ask me any questions you have about a trip. Go. Live. Your. Life.

Well, I should go. I’m seeing Christmas lights tonight!