Blog posts – From the Desk of Pennwell Gray

Think a Little Alcohol Might Be Healthy? Think Again

Wine lovers, beer drinkers and those who enjoy a martini now and then have long been told that moderate drinking beats total abstinence. …
Think a Little Alcohol Might Be Healthy? Think Again

Deck the Halls. Fa la la la la.

The passion to pursue.

Most of us harbor pure, untainted intentions when we set out to accomplish something. Whether it be mastering a talent or skill, fulfilling a vocation or building a career.

Whatever it is, we want to do it well. We set out to be the best we can be, find purpose in our passion and pursue it with vigor. We are inspired, excited and enthusiastic.

Then somewhere along the line, the outside world can penetrate our excitement and put our confidence at risk. We may be criticized or rejected. We may be intimidated by what we see or hear and our passion becomes replaced with self-doubt and disappointment. Continue reading “The passion to pursue.”

Happy birthday to the love and light of my life.

“It’s just a dog,” said no canine lover ever.

My precious little fur baby turns one today! Little Miss Vivienne has brought not only me, but family, friends, neighbors and even strangers, more joy than we could have ever imagined.

She’s a unique character with a complex personality – like her human! Playful, affectionate, aloof, independent and simply wants to be with her tribe every possible moment of the day and night. She is truly woman’s best friend and companion.

So here’s to wishing Viv a very happy first birthday! May she live a long and healthy life – because I cannot imagine my world without her.

Opening our hearts, admitting our wrongs and loving imperfectly.

“The truth is, I wasn’t happy with myself at the time and the trickle effect had an impact on those I love and care for the most.”

Admitting we were wrong or hurtful is a kind, brave and human thing to do. It requires the demolition of our defenses and invites us to open our hearts, stepping into the shoes of others and making an amends for our wrongdoings.

To Wong Foo.

I channeled every drag queen I’ve known and reminded myself that they live for the very things that we take for granted.

Having recently stumbled across an old movie featuring Patrick Swayze and Wesley Snipes as drag queens, I’ve found myself thinking about women – and men who like to be women.

2020. A pivotal year.

May we look at what the past ten months gave to us rather than what it took away.

So many suffered in 2020. Sickness, deaths, job loss and more. By no means am I disregarding or disrespecting that pain, hardship or grieving. Some will appreciate the intent within this message while others may not. That’s up to your perspective and your decision to make.

If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all.

Having recently been verbally assaulted by the written word in Facebook Messenger , I took a stand then, let it go. It served to remind me that no matter how fair or unbiased we are aiming to be, there will always be someone who disagrees and perceives a message differently. And that being said, haters will hate. Continue reading “If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all.”

The liberation of routine.

As a free-spirited non-conformist, I’ve always found myself dismissive of routines and tended to embrace a non-committal approach to living. It wasn’t that I feared commitment or was a rebel at heart, it was simply because I was tied to the work schedules and deadlines that consumed my day to day. I celebrated any opportunity to just simply be. Time was not my own, thus I ensured that my free time remained just that – free.

When I was not traveling or working, spending time at home with no schedule to adhere to was a luxury. The simple pleasure derived from rising without the boisterous sound of an alarm clock and not concerning myself with how much sleep I could squeeze in due to a 3 AM wake-up call was pure bliss. It was work hard, play hard, crash and burn – repeat. Continue reading “The liberation of routine.”

L.O.V.E.

They say that love is what makes the world go round and I think most of us would agree. We spend our lives chasing it, finding it, working to keep it – and losing it. For the fortunate ones, they find their once in a lifetime. For the less fortunate ones, they spend their lifetime trying.

Many relationships look perfect on the outside and you wonder what their secret is. They seem satisfied, content and well – happy. You know them. They are the couples and families who photograph beautifully on the holiday card, shining bright from the inside out, radiating love and all it entails. We are fully aware that in reality, no relationship is perfect and as effortless as some may seem, even those couples have their struggles. Continue reading “L.O.V.E.”