Instead about complaining about people's diabetes faux paux's, or waxing poetic about the lessons diabetes has taught me, I decided to write about something completely different.
So I've made a list of the top 10 people (the first 10 that came to mind) I'd like to meet, alive or dead, non- diabetes related, and in no particular order.
1. My Nanny, who was my maternal grandmother. Her name was May and I never got to meet her, but I've been told I have her green hazel eyes, which makes me wonder, did (do)we see things the same way? She won Orator competitions in England and migrated to Canada when she was 16. She met a man and became engaged on the boat over & was given a ruby ring. They broke it off by the time they reached the harbor, but he let her keep the ring, which my mom wears it now. She met and married a lumberjack whose first name was Maitland. His hair was black, his skin was brown, and his eyes were the color of Win-dex. His laugh was loud, his humor was wicked & he ended up owning the lumber mill. They loved each other very much and rarely fought. They had four children, and three of them lived to adulthood. During WWII, she raised money in her adopted hometown of Timmons, Ontario and sent food and supplies to her hometown of Wellingboro, England.
In the early 1950's she went back to Wellingboro for a visit. On that voyage, she returned on a ship from the Cunard Line & in First Class. Many a villager came out to say "Thanks" and welcome her back to the Isle.
Nanny died in 1967. My mom keeps an antique perfume vial of hers called "Tigress." Every time I smell what little scent is left, I try and imagine what she'd be like. She loved to garden, read, dance and sing - All things that I love to do. She could also knit, and smocked beautiful dresses for my sisters to wear. Eventually, those dresses became became prized hand-me-downs that I'd wear with pride. She spent months canning fruits and vegetables that she grew in her garden. If we'd known each other, I think we'd have been kindred spirits.
2. Rosalind Russell - Why? Because she was a larger than life character. Funny, articulate, a great screw ball comedienne, and glamorous to boot! She taught me that "Life's A Banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!" I try and remember that whenever I'm feeling blue.
3. Patsy Cline - I'd like to share a six-pack with her and shoot the shit. I bet she'd have some really dicey stories to tell. Scratch that, she'd probably want her own six-pack and that's fine, I'd spring for it!
4. Carol Burnett - She's one of my icons. Talented, funny,smart and resilient. She's had tough times and has not only picked herself up by her bootstraps, no matter what was going on in her personal life, but she continued and continues to make us laugh. She's the one who made laugh when I started to cry at the thought I've diabetes. I was 8, in the hospital, and would only cry at night when no could see me. But when her show was on, she made me smile, made me laugh, and made me forget about needles and such. I became her mimic. I'd preform my Carol Burnett characters like Eunice and "Miss a Wiggins," (plus the fabulous Vicki Lawrence's & Gilda Radner's characters as well) adding my diabetes schtcik to them so that my friends in the school yard wold laugh & not fear the big D. I know I said that this list wouldn't be diabetes related (or Banting's & Best would have been on it for sure) but I had to tell the whole truth regarding why I'd like to meet her.
5. H.B. Reese. Who is this great man? Well let me tell you! H.B. Reese is the INVENTOR of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, THAT'S WHO - I'd love to give H.B a big hug and a huge thanks for dreaming up this delicious bit of fabulousness!
6. Leonardo Da Vinci - He was a genius in every sense of the word. Artistically, mechanically, he could do it all! He was also left handed, just like me....So, I got that going for me!
7. Jonathon Winters - A King among Kings in the world of improve. I've watched countless specials on him and remember his "Gar-bage" commercials for Hefty trash bags in the seventies. Those commercials stopped me in my 4 yr old tracks and made me laugh.
He battled depression in a somewhat public way and over came it. When he was on "Mork and Mindy" his part was ALL improve. Jonathon W is also a very accomplished painter whose works catch quite a price. The ones I've seen are beautiful and have a really great ironic spin to them.
8. Thomas Edison - This man invented the light bulb, the kinetoscope, and loads of other inventions to numerous to mention. He was a modern day Merlin who made our lives much easier. I mean let's face it, where would we be without the light bulb? I'd ask Mr. Edison what kept him creating, even when others thought he was nuts.
9. Phil Hartman. - An amazing talent,who left this life to quick. H was the man of a thousand voices. I would have loved to have had him for a teacher. I probably would have had a really big crush on him!
10. Madonna - I love her. She's not afraid to try OR to fail at anything she sets out to do. THAT'S BIG in my book. I love her music and her business sense is spot on. On a personal note, I was a very awkward freshman in high school. I was shy, afraid to speak up (I know it's ironic, because now, that's not really a problem) and wore really big, thick glasses. The ugly catholic school girl uniform was anything but flattering.
I dressed up as Madonna (think "Borderline" video) for Halloween freshman year and all of a sudden, people not only told me I was pretty, but that I looked like her. Hearing those words really helped to get me a bit out of my shell- though I really didn't truly break free of it until my Senior year when I quit worrying about fitting in and embraced who I was becoming.
SO there you have my list of 10. There's so many I didn't mention, it could have been a list of 30 or 50, but I kept it to the first 10 that popped in my head. Hope you enjoyed it!
Go ahead and make your own list ( I know that in blog speak it's called something else similar to a challenge , but I can't think of the name,) & let me know who they are!
