For some strange reason the choices we made led us on roughly the same path. Maybe, it was because we were born on the same day. Maybe, it was fate. Maybe, I think too much. Maybe, I'm a major dork. Whatever. Our lives had a lot in common. Want me to prove it? That was a totally rhetorical question. I'm going to tell you anyway.
1. We are both vegetarian. Before she died she was a huge advocate for vegetarianism. So am I. She lead by example and I'm trying to follow that model. She was probably more vocal than I but she also had built in publicity. With that whole married to a Beatles thing she had going. She went veggie back when being veggie was unheard of. She also went veggie for animal welfare reasons. I went veggie for health reasons. Why doesn't really matter anymore. Now, going veggie is an environmental issue. Veggie is the new green. Every little bit counts. So, pony up a day a week please.
2. We both married young to men who weren't good for us. Then we both married the love of our life and stayed married forever. I hope that if I was ever faced with a terminal disease I would show the same bravery that Linda did and be able to die in my husband's arms.
3. She was an artist and I like to fancy myself as one. Linda was a great photographer who worked for the likes of Rolling Stone magazine. I am a mediocre photographer who worked for the likes of my junior college drama department. Where she continued to take wonderful photos of her family and friends; I have moved on to take pictures of ramshackle houses that I can't afford to buy. Yeah, this is so the same. I paint a bit. That has to add a point to my side.
4. Linda literally wrote the veggie cooking bible. She was that good of a cook. If I wasn't so lazy I could be a fantastic cook and writer. It's that lazy bone that is holding me back. The thing weighs a ton. Can lazy bones be surgically removed? Think of the weight loss.
5. Linda couldn't carry a tune if she had had an empty bucket. I make my dogs howl.
6. We share the same birthday. Linda was 18 years older than I so technically if she was fairly precocious she could have been my mom. If she had been my mom I bet she would have been cool enough to send me the same gift that my real mom sent me for my birthday.
Yes folks, my mother sent me a pink birthday girl thong.
So Happy Birthday Linda! Wherever you are I hope you have plenty of veggies to cook and Kodachrome to shoot.
Love,
M
