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Reflections in The Mirror (While Shaving): Part 27

A little advice to men posting photos on a dating service … don’t pose wearing a wife-beater T-shirt, while holding up a fish (bigger is not better) with your pit bull Sparky nearby.

I heard someone say he was depressed about being depressed. Ok, now I’m concerned because that makes sense to me.

A friend tells me she gives me the same instructions over and over and I still can’t seem to get it right .… either she’s adding new stuff or I’m not listening … Yeah I think she’s adding new stuff too.

Standing on the deck when one of the Turtle Bay bald eagles snatched a trout from the river and landed on a tree 10 feet away… caught its breath…took mine.

All of us can identify problems…some can suggest solutions…fewer yet can implement solutions… the rarest of people implement solutions and deflect personal credit. I’ve known one…maybe.

It’s just so tempting to say, “Look at me! I did it!”

Most mornings the exchange with Brain goes something like… “Why at times, can I turn the key and you spring to life like a jet boat, other times you make me pull the rope to start an outboard motor and some days you make me use oars?”… Brain: “Row, row and row… After all these years you still gotta ask.”

Sometime in the distant past, I must have abused Brain and since the memory belongs to Brain…well, you see the horn with my dilemma peeking over the tip. After looking up the spelling for dilemma, I’m not sure the word applies but the alternatives are perplexing.

The guy in the mirror gives me an odd little smirk and mumbles something about disappointing him for the last 6 months… evidently I’ve disappointed/irritated my heel, back, shoulder, knees… they all complain each morning…and now Brain… and some snide comment about still looking stupid without the mustache.

I like the words “smattering” and “plethora”… (words suggested by Jill for use here but since I have a firm policy of plagiarism she’ll have to go unaccredited).

I sat staring intently at the dish just placed on the table…one of my very favorite people said, “ Today I feel like I should call you Mr. Mudford.” She explained I seemed disconnected to everything happening and hadn’t smiled since I walked in…

Although I was thinking the calamari looked great, nothing registered in my facial expressions. I have a habit of internalizing emotions… see, I think I’m a riot inside, playing to full houses, standing ovations, etc., while outwardly, I do a lot of blank stares.

My friend was driving us to a golf course when he jumped up and down in his seat, pounded the steering wheel and used a creative line of swear words I wish I had thought of… he was shouting what the car ahead of him had done, all the time cutting off other drivers and swerving across the center line.… my first time observing up-close an actual road-rager. Once is enough.

Refreshing break…take a little timeout from the normal dash*dash*dash to ask a question and actually listen to the answer—question/answer unimportant—

Doug Mudford is a lawyer and partner at Barr & Mudford, with an emphasis on serious personal injury. He may be reached at Barr & Mudford, 1824 Court St., Redding, 530.243.8008. Send questions for “That Lawyer Guy” to doug@ca-lawyer.com.

Doug Mudford’s photo illustration by Michael Burke of Redding. Click here to see more Michael Burke photos.

A News Cafe, founded in Shasta County by Redding, CA journalist Doni Greenberg, is the place for people craving local Northern California news, commentary, food, arts and entertainment.

Doug Mudford

is a lawyer and partner at Barr & Mudford, with an emphasis on serious personal injury. He may be reached at Barr & Mudford, 1824 Court St., Redding, (530) 243-8008, or doug@ca-lawyer.com.

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