Awesome SoCal Send Off!

This is my shout out to all who came to celebrate my last night in the USA before I took off on my Central American adventure. Deb, thanks for hosting at your sweet home….you smart, self-possessed 40-something beauty. You are my soul sister, a fellow traveler in this mortal drama, and you have the cleanest house known to humanity. And way to punctuate the night with a bang! Wink wink! Thanks for always being willing to fly your freak-flag with me (Elvis lives!) Kiss Zane for me….he is a wise young one. Rod, you made the best chicken tortilla soup ever! You could sell that shit, really. Thanks. I am so glad you came. You are hilarious. Make up with Jimmy soon…ok? Tell him you are sorry. Alicia, I commend you for your generousity of spirit....and your loving bravely, without shame. We all should take a lesson. Yes, we will do lunch. And thanks for the great hugs. Kim-bar-lee! So good to see you….um….what is your nationality? Foxy? Aren't you from Foxlandia? Yep, but I gotta remind you that you are young (not 105 years old) and you left far too early and were sorely missed. There was a whole other party with dancing to Motown and everything! You owe me a dance when I get back. Chris, love you. Take a day off! I will say hello to the orchids for you….and any plumerias I see, of course. Kandi, god bless you and your enduring romantic spirit. TS Eliot and Walt Whitman live! "Let us go then you and I…" Love and poetry….and the love of poetry. Thanks for always being so generous to me. More than 30 years have passed and you still offer up the sweetest smiles, the warmest hugs, and the kindest words….and you are still a nut…"somebody better play some Bee Gees or I am going to kill myself." Kandi, you are a master of hyperbole! Dan, you are a very sweet man and always so generous…and I am so glad you both came. Jimmy, thanks for calling when you're ears were burning. And as far as getting a pass, well, the jury is still out. I'll keep you posted. You were missed, my favorite bro. Jennifer and Tim, soooo glad you came. Always love your company. Thanks for the Kettle One and shaker….perfect timing! Jennifer, I look very forward to talking more about this and that and everything else. Thank you very much for the camera aid. Very thoughtful. And thanks for offering up your place for a little reentry singing. I will do my scales as I walk the cobblestone streets of Antigua.....you and me Tim, a country duet. Professor Chris, am very excited about doing a guest lecture on queer theory and ADR in an organizational development context. Fun stuff. We will definitely talk soon after I get back. Was good to meet you. Sara, breathe baby, breathe! It is all good. I think it quite fitting that I spent my last night in the USA with some of my oldest and craziest friends. You guys make me laugh more than anyone….there is genius in your humor, especially knowing the roots from which it came. I felt absolutely overwhelmed with love and gratitude. Thank you all.