About The Dame

I’m a woman who is approaching the second half of her century and I’m looking for more meaning and more life.

Being Responsible sucked!

Up to now, I’ve done the “responsible” and “practical” things.  I’ve organized myself and others.  I’ve taken care of everyone and his dog, whether they deserved it or not simply because “that’s what a decent human being does.” I’ve squashed my spirit and creativity in order to “fit” into whatever mold the idiot of the hour insisted I needed to fit in.  I’ve endured mind – numbingly boring jobs, abusive bosses, condescending arse holes, back-stabbing friends.

In return the universe gave me depression, obesity, the loss of a child and 2 types of cancer.

So that’s ENOUGH!

I spent my first half century doing what was required of me and now I want to do want I require of me.  I intend to explore my creativity, my humanity and endure only the company of good and decent people that I’ve had, or will have, the pleasure of meeting.

Time to be a bad-ass Old Dame

Damp Coast Dame – Thoughts Created in the Rain

I’m going to stop being polite and “nice” and start telling it like it is – sometimes diplomatically, sometimes not.  I’m going to focus on

doing things that make my heart sing.  I’m going to lose this weight, get healthy and strong and stay that way.  I’m going to embrace the gifts that have been bestowed upon me, like my son and family, and cherish them.  What is important is what makes me happy.

I’m going to embrace my Viking heritage and my Canadian honest decency and go forth and make the world a better place so that when I’m done here and the Gods decide to take me away that the world will be in a little bit better shape than when I got here.

Why write a blog?

We no longer live in villages with the wise women, who’d seen and done it all, to ask all the heavy life questions of.  Therefore I’ve decided to drop my usual privacy and throw these thoughts out to the cyber realm, hopefully to connect to other women who can find the humour in the mundane.  Erma Bombeck wasn’t wrong when she pointed out the humour that exists in even the most dire of situations.  I’ve had cancer, twice, lost babies, lost loved ones, been betrayed by friends, gained and lost enough weight to create a human being.  But from what I’ve experienced of life so far, once the tears stop, you have to laugh or it’s impossible to carry on.  As the saying goes:  Life is far too important to take seriously.

The kind of person I am

While I know I will get older, I don’t intend to just lie down and let the years roll over me.  Nor do I intend to accept how other people think an old broad should age.  I’m gonna age gracefully but MY version of graceful.  There will be punk rock music, ska dancing, laughter, and being honest with myself and others.  Yeah sure, my posterior may a bit more ample than I’d like but I’m not going to let it stop me from enjoying life.  But the old leather pants are definitely out.

I live on the very damp coast of Western Canada, far from my ethnic roots, trying to fit in a city with people from every different background imaginable.  There is also a  dingy in the garage just in case the rain doesn’t stop.