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My son got a dog for Christmas. Her name is Savannah. That was the name given to her in the New Dawn Rescue Shelter. When we picked her up, six months ago, she was solid black. There were a few coarse silver hairs standing straight on her otherwise curly haired back. Now, maybe because I've trimmed around her face and given her a hot weather trim, she has streaks of silver and long curly silver eyebrows. I think she looks like Kitty Bartholomew.
Maybe some people don't remember Kitty Bartholomew. I loved her. She was a decorating host on HGTV. That seems like a long time ago. She had thick black hair with a single swath of gray. It was distinctive and unique. So I was reminding my daughter of Kitty Bartholomew and I was talking about her in the past tense, much like I am now. I realized, just because I haven't seen her on television doesn't mean she's not alive and well. So, like we do with all philosophical questions, we Googled her.
Apparently other people have missed Kitty, because several responses to her current status were posted in articles on various web sites. Kitty sold her Santa Monica home for millions. It was often shown on her show. She has published two books, one on decorating and one on knitting. I looked for the one on knitting, because I knit. I always read reviews, because I have published and I know reviews help sell books. Well, many people liked KItty's knitting book. However, there were a few who were just down right mean. Now why would a person, Geraldine J., have to say something like, "I think this ego oriented lady wrote the book for her own gratification." Come on, Geraldine, that's not necessary. This comment gave me no information to let me know if I wanted to purchase the book.
As an author, I read through my reviews every once and a while to see if there are any critiques I can use to do better, but when a reviewer says something like Geraldine did, well, there's just no information there you can take constructively. I think this happens too much on social media. People make comments that have nothing to do with the topic being discussed. They stray from the issue and begin hurling insults and generalizing behaviors of a few. It's not helpful in reaching common ground.
There are some issues that need to be discussed, problems that need resolutions, behaviors that need to be questioned and injustices that need to be righted. I don't plan to stop posting about social situations that need to be addressed. Some things you can't turn your back on. However, when the discussion gets to the point that comments are not on topic, I'm out. Nothing good can come of that. I've blocked people I've known all my life because their comments have been demeaning. It's hard not to respond sometimes, but I'm trying to hold my tongue, because, trust me, I have a tongue.
So this is a round about way of saying Kitty Bartholomew is alive and well. I'm happy about that and still think she's great. Her hair is still thick and black with a larger swath of silver. Geraldine, on the other hand, could use some work. Savannah was the smartest puppy in "Mutts With Manners". She knows all the commands, including "leave it", which she will do if asked. I'm going to work on that also, leaving it. So if I ever ask you to f#%* off, please know that's my way of suggesting you leave it and I may get back to you, or maybe not.