Doodledash

This is my current Cactus Dude. He had a long drive to San Francisco this summer. His hat was ripped but it lasted for more than 2500 miles before it disappeared in Yosemite. I have had various cactus dudes of varying colors for many years. I can always find my car because of my cactus dude. I also have a Wilson antenna topper which I got from Blockbuster a long time ago. Wilson was the ball from Castaway with Tom Hanks. I like my cactus dudes and Wilson and the Spam ball on my husbands car. It is easy to find our vehicles and it makes me happy. I discovered when my oldest daughter got her own car that a cactus dude was not her idea of fun even though she does have Wilson. She had tolerated mine for years and I think she was glad to be free of them when she had the opportunity. Quirks are a big part of me. I like quirks. Quirks set you apart from the crowd and I am proud of mine. Be it chariot of the gods, cactus dude, wilson, plastic ware, or words. They are mine and help me to be me.

I had a pair of docksiders that were my all time favorite shoes. I loved them. They were my daily companions and I wore them everywhere. I have never been a shoe person. I have thick square feet and it is hard to find shoes that are comfy. I always dreaded looking for shoes. When I was in high school, some girls who I really liked and wanted to be friends with wore docksiders. I liked how they looked and I wanted to be part of the group. I never was part of the group I was on the outskirts of a lot of groups including theirs. After I graduated from school, I saw some shoes and they fit! I was so excited and I bought them. I felt confident and cool and great withthem on my feet. They were my ruby slippers. I wore them for years and they eventually wore out. I mourned their demise. I found out later that my sister-in-law hated my shoes. She hated the worn down crummy way they looked and was so thrilled to hear that they were gone. I didn't care what anyone thought about my shoes ...