Introduction

I think the best way to begin this is to explain the title of the blog.  As with many things one must have a starting point.  While I have already decided on the subjects for upcoming posts I had to give this a name.  I turned to an old friend who by passion if not by vocation is a wordsmith.  Her first question was about what I would be blogging.  I sort of shrugged though she could not see it because this conversation, as with most that we have, was being done via e-mail.   I responded that I didn't know just stuff and life.  Since she's very familiar with the stuff in my life she and her significant other brainstormed over lunch and sent me a list of options.

I chose this title for several reasons.  In December I adopted the 6th in a line of Siamese spanning nearly 25 years.  He is my 4th rescue; was found by a vet on the streets, cared for and sent to Siamese Rescue.  The person who took him to Siamese Rescue called him Morning Joe after her favorite blend of coffee.  She told me she had taken to calling him Mojo for short.  I felt it fit his roguish appearance as he has an ear that was injured in some way while he was on the streets.  He came into my life at a difficult point so I thought it was fitting that I had 'found my mojo' so to speak.  The mambo part comes from the fact that I am an amateur ballroom dancer.  I compete in both American smooth and American rhythm.  While mambo is not my favorite of the 5 rhythm dances, it is one in which I compete.  It may be an overused concept but I do feel that dance is a metaphor for life.  Some days you get up and everything is in step, you glide smoothly and gracefully through life.  Other days feel as if you were somehow given two left feet.  The only way you are going to make it through is to keep practicing and if you are lucky be guided through the steps by someone more experienced than yourself.

As to why the blog, many of the reasons I will probably discuss in these posts.  The short answer is there are transitions I am facing; a job/profession change and a major birthday rapidly approaching are two.  I realize this is an onerous task I am undertaking as I am an introvert and somewhat private person.  I can't see this being an everyday thing but it is something which I will do on a regular basis.  My 'mission statement', to paraphrase Food Network personality and guru of food science Alton Brown, is for another post.