Quirky is as Quirky does

I’m a sucker for a lot of things… mostly things that I’d like to think all people are suckers for, like crying babies, or injured animals, or a sweet old couple still walking hand in hand after 60 something years of marriage, the kind of things that tug at your heart and make you weak in the knees. The kind of things that make you put your guard down for a minute or two and step out of that cozy comfort zone to offer a hand for someone in need.

But I’m also a sucker for a few weird things, things that might define me as quirky. I don’t mind being called quirky. Really, we all have some degree of quirkiness, that’s what makes us fun and interesting. The quirkiless (I just made that a word) people are the boring ones. I wouldn’t want to be friends with a quirkiless person.

• I’m a sucker for Christmas music. I’m listening to it now, and have been since last week. All day every day, and all the way up to Christmas day. Then I’m done until next year. My son would hate that, being the Scrooge that he is. (Where did he get that from?!) But I have my Pandora station loaded with awesome artists and songs. In general, I can't stand Celine Dionne, but I will listen the heck out of her Christmas albums. Isn’t there something so soothing about hearing a Christmas song? It brings calm to my otherwise hectic November and December.

• I’m a sucker for my grandchildren. I was a pretty hardass mom, kept ‘em in line and all that, but now I seem to have that mellow grandma thing going on and will do just about anything they want that makes them happy or smile for a minute.  We get silly and play, and have Happy Meals, and watch Sponge Bob Squarepants together. “Gigi, can I have a Fruit Rollup?” Yes you can. “Can I have another Fruit Rollup, Gigi?” Yes, yes you can.

• I’m a sucker for my children, both adults now, and they mean the world to me. My heart hurts when they are in pain, and I am filled with true joy when they are happy. I would sacrifice everything I have for them. I feel the same way about my siblings and my handful of good friends. How lucky I am to have such wonderful people in my life.

• I’m a sucker for sparkle. OK, that’s a little weird, but my head will spin for a sparkly bracelet or some other piece of chachke jewelry. I don’t need diamonds anymore. I’ve had my fair share of good expensive jewelry that brought me pleasure at one time. I am gaga over simple rhinestones and glitter. Right now I have on a Christmas charm bracelet I made (loaded with crystal charms), and a rhinestone bangle bracelet that I paid $5 for at Walmart, and my Fossil watch with a crystal bezel. And there is a jingly, sparkly necklace around my neck.

• I’m a sucker for mindless TV. And don’t we have a boatload of options out there! I sadly still watch all the Housewives. They’re rude and shallow, and mean divas, and maybe that makes me feel soooooo good about myself, I don’t know. Why can’t I turn my head when they are on? It’s like a train wreck right before my eyes. Kudos to Bravo TV... laughing all the way to the bank. Ah, Andy Cohen, you genius, you.

• I’m a sucker for shoes. Love, love, love them and could shop all day trying on every single pair just for the fun of it. I even notice other people’s shoes and have many times made comments to total strangers “love your shoes!” Yeah, I’m that person, the weirdo in the mall looking at your shoes.

• I like laughing and I’m a sucker for a good comic strip.  Right now, I love Pickles, it’s my favorite. My all time fave was Calvin and Hobbes. Man, do I miss that one! Belly laughs galore. For the life of me I don’t understand why some of the old weird ones are still around like Beetle Baily and Mary Worth and Blondie. I can honestly say I have never once read Mary Worth. The comics are the only part of the paper I read. My 6^th grade civics teacher would not be happy about that. He once made me do an oral report every day for a week about current events, because I shared that I did not read the paper. So, booya! Mr. WhateverYourNameWas, still not reading. Current events are still sucky, and I don’t have to know about them to get through my day. Actually, I feel like I’m better off not knowing the creepy things that they deem fit to print.

So call me a sucker or quirky. If you’re my friend, you’re not learning anything new here. I wear my quirkiness proudly on my sleeve and offer no apologies. Booya!