Famous Like Dolly

A long time ago I saw Dolly Parton interviewed and I’ve never forgotten it. She said that way back when, she went to a recording company and told them she was going to be famous. She asked if they were with her or not. They were, and she is – famous, that is. Of course, I’m paraphrasing, but Ms. Parton’s enthusiasm is catching.

So right here, right now, I’m saying that I’m going to be famous one day. I hope. I sure can’t sing, and I’m no Mary Higgins Clark, but I definitely have my own style. Whew! Delusions of grandeur? I’m laughing at myself. No delusions, but a lot of hope and spirit. (Read to the end to find out what lesson I learned.)

Still paraphrasing, Ms. Parton said something to the effect that quirky people are many times the most creative. There ya go. I’m quirky, sometimes, although I prefer to call myself eccentric. Well, I probably just have some odd habits, especially when it comes to food. Anyone who knows me knows how much I enjoy chocolate. I also like nuts. However, I don’t like chocolate and nuts mixed together. My closet is color coordinated; all the blues together, yellows together, greens… Well, you get the idea. Maybe that’s not quirky. Maybe it’s compulsive?

Ms. Parton also said that she prays every day. We’re together on that one. So do I. There’s nothing more fulfilling than spending time with God.

Hmmm. Thanks to Dolly Parton, you’re learning more about me than I ever wanted anyone to know. I think she has a lot more self-confidence than I do though and she’s so down to earth. She’s an inspirational woman, whether she realizes it or not.

So I’m gonna be famous someday. I just hope it’s not for doing something ridiculous – like tripping in the grocery store and taking out an old lady in a wheelchair. Or being mistaken for a bank robber and going to jail until I can prove it’s a case of mistaken identity. Honestly, I don’t steal. I’m probably one of the most honest people you’d ever meet, except for those teeny tiny white lies many of us tell when we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings. “Oh, yes, Edna. Yellow is definitely your color.” Yellow makes Edna look like an overripe banana, and a real friend would probably tell her, but I can’t stand hurting someone’s feelings.

How did I go from Dolly Parton to being famous one day to Edna looking like a banana? Maybe it’s part of the eccentricity; you know, the mind wanders. I’d prefer to believe that it’s just my brilliant mind leaping from subject to subject because I have so much to ponder and offer.

Back to Dolly. I admire this woman not only for her achievements, but also because she reminds me of someone with whom I could sit down and enjoy a cup of tea or a dessert, and with whom I could have a belly laugh. Doesn’t she have the sweetest laugh you’ve ever heard?

So, again, someday I’m going to be famous. And someday my wrinkles will miraculously disappear. Oh, I’m off topic again.

I’ll say this. I’ve never had more fun than when I’m writing a mystery, and that’s got to count for something. There’s nothing funny about murder, so obviously there’s some drama in my books. However, you’ll also find some humor between the book covers. I’d rather offer you a chuckle than add to your daily angst, and there's been plenty of that lately.

Well, Dolly made it and she’s famous, and she’s adorable, and she makes me smile. Maybe there’s still hope for me. I may not be adorable, but I do make a few people smile. There’s hope.

Until next time, do something adorable that makes people smile, and maybe one day you’ll be famous. If nothing else, at least you’ll be well-liked, and after all is said and done, that’s more important than being famous. (I may have just gotten my priorities straight - lesson learned.)

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COMING SOON - One Adventure Too Many –A Sandi Webster Mystery

Taking a vacation can lead to an unexpected case for private eye Sandi Webster-Goldberg.

Taking a vacation with your menopausal mother, an eccentric aunt, a pregnant friend and her husband, and a flustered husband can lead to total chaos.

Pete Goldberg and Stanley Hawks take a leisurely walk in the country, only to discover an abandoned house. When Sandi, her mother, Livvie, and her Aunt Martha decide to explore, they discover that the house isn’t quite as abandoned as previously thought.

A young woman and her baby are hiding out from unknown danger. She needs help, and the three women are more than happy to oblige her.