1164 Morning Glory Drive

You may recognize that TV Land address, it's only the home of the coolest 70's family on the block. Yes I'm talking about the Brady Bunch. What young girl hasn't had a crush on Greg, Peter, or Bobby? We would shriek and giggle in our fight to claim them as our boyfriend for 30 minutes every Friday night (we're talking grade school, people).

Now that I'm dating again I find myself thinking more about Marcia, Jan, and Cindy. Hypothetically, let's say every woman has been a Cindy, a Jan, or a Marcia at some time in their life. I've always been a perpetual Cindy. She's young and energetic, she appears naive because of her happy positive outlook, but she's seen the dark side and just chooses to overcome it. During the end of my marriage, I probably saw more Jan Brady than I cared to admit. All the whining and nagging and complaining and that was just my husband (just kidding). No, I had some grey, pity party days just like Jan. What I'm surprised at now is how much Marcia I'm channeling.

Who knew I'd be ready to enjoy the attention of an attractive man as he opens the door for me, pays the check, and offers up a goodnight kiss (or two). But just like Marcia.....I'm starting to get a big head and I get a little put off if the attention isn't always focused on me - me - me. Jan knew what a pain in the ass Marcia could be to live with. Can't we hear Jan in her tiny little voice saying...."Marcia, Marcia, Marcia."

There's one woman in the Brady household that really had it made and that was Alice. She had the 70's version of Friends With Benefits. She had her own career, her own car, she went years with a date every Saturday night with Mel the Butcher and she held out until the end of the series before she married the dude. Now that was a perfect hookup.

I'm learning so much about myself in every phase of this new single life. I'm making mistakes but failing forward I hope? As Garrison Keillor said, "nothing bad ever happens to a writer, it's all material."

Free Parking

 Spoiler Alert: no Monopoly cash required.

Did you know that Monopoly went modern with a credit card system? No more paper dollars to count, to rip, or lose under the couch. I didn't know if I'd like the change. Math was such a big factor of Monopoly, and honestly, it made it such a long and boring game as I remember. But all that's changed with the addition of credit cards. Now the game just flies bye. The power plays are rampant as we buy, sell, and collect rent as moguls like Donald Trump. I've played the game 3 times this month already since my favorite son requested it for his January birthday.

Change is good. Games change. Hairstyles change. Music changes.

I used to feel stuck in the 70's always preferring Eric Clapton or Rod Stewart over Kelly Clarkson or R.E.M. But when change blows through your life it's good to hang on and ride the wave. Who knew I'd be belting out the lyrics of Adele, Gym Class Heroes, or even Nikki Minaj in the car? Of course never as good as little Sophia Grace from The Ellen Show. I'll always have the 70's music in my heart but I'm dialed into contemporary music now (she says with a "Poker Face.")

Sometimes feeling stuck is like being in jail - think I'm gonna hang onto this card for good luck!

42nd Street

The shopping season is over, thank goodness. Traffic was congested, the Malls were congested, even my sinuses were congested. It's tough finding the perfect present when you have a long list of family and friends. Despite the crowds, the time limits, and all the spending - I had to be thankful I wasn't in New York shopping over the holidays. They have traffic in spades, what with the cars, the cabbies, the tourists and the ghosts of Broadway hovering over the city.

There was Tevia in Bloomingdales, with his credit cards on the counter and his hands up in the air, wailing and singing.....If I were a rich man. Over at Macy's, definitely......the sun will come out tomorrow, as Daddy Warbucks shopped for Little Orphan Annie. Some people are just hard to buy for. Marion the Librarian didn't want those 76 trombones and as Julie Andrews told Rex Harrison - no gifts darling but.... I could have danced all night. Outside on Fifth Avenue, there was Curley and Laurey..... in a surrey with the fringe on top. And there was still one shopper in a taxi 2 blocks away belting this out the window....Get ready for me, world, 'cause I'm a comer, I simply gotta march - my hearts a drummer, Nobody, no nobody is gonna rain on my parade.....

Where is that elusive perfect gift? Like every girl, some of my favorite things are..... brown paper packages tied up with strings. And who doesn't love a perfectly square box with a fabulous red bow? Why it's just.....loverly. My best gift? It wasn't .....bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens this year. My best gift, as it turns out, came wrapped in a man's woolen suit and a bright copper tie.