Celebrating Life, Awards and a Black Eye

Before I start with the celebrations I would like to remind you next Friday is the Best and Worst Movie Remake Blogfest, hosted by the Ninja Captain, Stephen Tremp, Livia Peterson and yours truly. You don't need to be a movie expert to join (I'm not.) On May 17, list the best remake you've seen and the worst. As added bonus, list the worst/best song remake you've heard. If you have not signed up yet, you're missing the chance to win a dwarf. No. Not really. But you'll miss the fun. :o)

   Celebrate the small things is the brilliant idea of VikLit. Each Friday we post something we wish to celebrate achieving or doing during the week. It can be writing/reading or life related. You can find the list and join us here.
   I made a small modification to the way I do this Meme. Instead of listing what I did during the week, I will  list every week ten things I love about my life. The challenge is not to repeat myself and mention things that meant a vivid joy when I lived (or live) them.
   I knew this list would become more difficult each week. I'm starting to dig deeper in my brain.

1. Walk barefoot on the grass (I know. Dragons don't wear shoes. I mean in human form.)
2. A ride on a boat along the Panuco River on a Saturday evening. (The first and last time I enjoyed getting on a boat.)
3. Endless hours my brother and I spent planning a movie. I wrote the script. He took care of the score. We were going to get George Lucas out of business. Lucky Lucas our determination was sort of disperse at the time.
4. The first theater play I wrote and directed; I was 8 years old. Lucky Andrew Lloyd Webber. I would have ruined him too with my Dragon of the Opera. (Muahahaha)
5. Wine and cheese party.
6. Independence Day party (BTW, Mexican Independence Day is on September 16, not Cinco de Mayo as many believe.)
7. The sound of guitars. (Acoustic)
8. All types of dance.
9. Keep Mexican traditions. El Dia de Muertos (The Day of the Dead) it's my favorite.
10. Seeing an UFO. Thrilling.

11. People thinking on me to share their awards. :D Since I tell you a lot about me every Friday, I just want to thank these wonderful ladies and gentleman for their kindness.

Franny Stevenson from Dr. Franny and Mrs. Myself awarded me with the Super Sweet Blog Award and the  Sunshine Award. Thank you very much, Franny. As I said, you're spoiling me.

Lara Lacombe and Brandon Ax awarded me with the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Thanks guys!

Christine Rains awarded me with the Zombie Rabbit Award. I'm glad you liked my theme, Christine.

My dearest butchering parrot has been with me for 12 years. He was a hatchling when he arrived at the dragon cave and thinks Father Dragon is his mama. He's sick with a lung infection and I've spent the last two days nursing him, hopefully back to health. The vet is not being very optimistic (actually not optimistic at all) but I am. The little guy is putting up an excellent fight.

Yesterday, Mother Dragon and I were making adjustments in the Main Chamber for the nebulizer. She thought the cardboard packing from the treadmill would work as protecting base. Problem was, the thick cardboard had a beam attached (one hard as wood.) Since she just needed the flat base, I pulled from the beam to detach it...on the wrong direction. Never realized I was pulling towards my face until the beam finally detached and hit me with all the merciless impulse of my own strength.

It hit me half an inch below the eye, so hard that my skull hurt, my knees bent and I saw bright blue spots dancing around. Mother Dragon turned when she heard the *thunk* and saw me pressing my paw over my eye. Scared out of her mind because her first thought was that the beam poked my eye out, she rushed to me, commanding me to let her take a look. It hurt so much that I just kept pressing with all my strength, trying to decide if I should try to keep on my feet or just kneel.

The funny thing is that I was this close to explode in rage due to pain, but for two seconds an image appeared in my mind of how I should have looked when the beam hit me. Or rather when I hit myself with the beam. The vision was so close to one of the Three Stooges that to my own surprise, I laughed hard. Only then I could move my hand so Mother Dragon could see the damage and do what was needed to keep it from getting all swollen and give me a Rocky Balboa look. The best thing was that at my thunderous laughter, she started to laugh too, easing her fright and calming her.

You know I'm always trying to keep my sense of humor but this was completely unusual. My first reaction in such situations is anger, not laughter. Mostly if it's hurting like hell. Barely half an hour before this incident, I was holding a conversation by mail that had me chuckling but it was also sort of enlightening. Thirty minutes earlier I was thinking there are no good or bad things. Each one of us use our filters and label things as we want them to be, good or bad. It doesn't depend on the thing itself, but on what filter we use to look at it. I was thinking on my own ability as writer, and the concept I have of myself as good or bad writer. Then a beam hit me and for two seconds I had the clarity of mind to realize I could choose to get angry about the pain my stupidity was causing me or to laugh at the "cartoonish" sight of it.

I chose to laugh and made Mother Dragon laugh too. Laughter eased my pain and her panic. We made jokes about it while she tended my wound. I cannot say everything is perfect now. My parrot is still sick and I have a black eye. Yet, we don't feel as depressed as we could feel, should I have reacted the other way. So, I think I'll celebrate laughing at a black eye. Oh, I also celebrate Mother Dragon harvesting blackberries.

What are you celebrating today?