friends – Kaleidoscope Road

It’s ALWAYS about the shoes…

Posted on December 5, 2015December 8, 2015 by Kris

There’s almost nothing better on a Saturday afternoon than going shoe shopping with a couple friends, except maybe going to the theatre…or going to see a theatre production based on friendship and shoes.

Wikipedia says: “Kinky Boots is a Broadway musical with music and lyrics by Tony, Emmy and Grammy-winner Cyndi Lauper and a book by Tony-winner Harvey Fierstein. Based on the 2005 film Kinky Boots by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth, which was inspired by true events, the musical tells the story of Charlie Price, who inherits a shoe factory from his father.

I’ll try not to spoil this for anyone who still wants to see it, but…Charlie becomes friends, and goes into a partnership with, a drag queen named Lola. Hilarity ensues. The two design and produce a line of high-heeled sexy boots that will support the weight of a man.

It’s a story about being yourself, and true friends accepting you exactly as you are.

…and I’d like a pair of these boots please.

Of Love and Nature…

Posted on November 6, 2015November 6, 2015 by Kris

Big shout out to my friend Kira Braun, for her CD launch tomorrow afternoon! I wish I could be there, but am sending my best wishes for a huge success!

Kira is one of those people that I have met along my kaleidoscope road. We actually met on the train commuting, and as Scorpios (we even happen to share the same birthdate) we started talking. She’s one of those people who will do anything she can to help a friend. I know first hand, since she keeps posting on Facebook about a translation I did of my grandfather’s WWII notebook. But, I digress.

There are some people who sit on their butts at home, dreaming about things they want to do, and then there are people like Kira. She chases her dreams wholeheartedly, and those dreams become reality. This is her second CD. Kudos to my birthday buddy!

Tomorrow, as I said, is her CD launch. You won’t be there, because you’re reading this in the USA, or Russia, or Australia. You can still have a listen, and buy it online. There are a lot of ways to describe her voice, but I don’t need to. You’re going to love her. My job is to encourage you to support her like I do.

The new CD was just made available: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kirabraunandpeterkrochak.

Her first CD is available on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewCollaboration?cc=ca&ids=933035503-878271023

Imperfection is beauty…

Posted on October 31, 2015October 31, 2015 by Kris

Everyone has that one friend. That special friend who makes everyone around them feel beautiful.

This morning upon waking, I learned that one such friend on my kaleidoscope road, Anna, was gone. My heart physically hurts and the tears just won’t seem to stop.

While she was careful to make everyone else feel good, she missed something. She didn’t see her own value.

I wish she could have seen herself through our eyes. I swear she was a reincarnation of Marilyn Monroe, vivacious, sexy and tragic. She was a modern siren.

I spent a bit of time reminiscing, looking at her Facebook pictures. I’ll never understand exactly what she was going through emotionally, so I’m sharing some of her posts this month. How did we miss her cry for help?

She didn’t know what a blessing she was to so many people. Hopefully over the coming years her children will hear all the good she brought to the world.

Anna and I met at work, about 14 years ago. We quickly discovered we had much in common. We went to karaoke every Friday night after work, to entertain “our fans”. She, and her sister, became the sisters I never had. She told us how pretty we were. Three hot girls out on the town.

This is the kind of person she was… I was in a particularly abusive relationship, and she and her family opened their home and gave me somewhere to stay. They gave me the time to heal. She helped me find my worth, to stand on my two feet again. I wish I had been able to do that for her. I wish I hadn’t let her push me away when she needed someone.

If you see signs of depression, or a silent cry for help, don’t back away. Don’t let someone you love suffer alone. Let them know, even when they don’t want to hear it, that you’re there for them.

Anna is one more angel watching over me. In her memory, donations to the Canadian Centre for Addiction and Mental Health are appreciated. Please donate here: CAMH Give