Lost MOJO

Wow! Seems like it’s been awhile?! There is a reason I call this “occasional bs.” This boils down to my commitment issues. I couldn’t commit to do this weekly. Weakly, yes. But not weekly. But enough of this, let’s talk about this week’s topic……….Lost MOJO.

What? You’re not sure what MOJO is? Well did you ever see the episode of Saturday Night Live back when it was good where Steve Martin and Dan Akroyd played the Two Wild and Crazy guys? The time I’m thinking about the girls they were hitting on told them to wait there and they would go get their “birth control devices and be right back.” When Garrett Morris’s character told them they were given a line they moped around. The happy ending was the girls returned and they returned to being TWO WILD AND CRAZY GUYS (that is written like that ‘cuz you’re supposed to say it like them). And less we forget the Fonz! His MOJO was his cool. Do you remember when he lost his cool how nerdy he was? But again, good news…….he got his cool back and once again started the juke box by banging on it and apparently had lots of sex with Paula Petralunga. And to prove I just didn’t watch waaaaay too much TV, let’s take a look at the movies. Austin Power’s MOJO was what Dr. Evil was after. Power’s MOJO enabled him to be super social and really score with hot chics like Heather Grahmm. His MOJO was taken, he was a nerd, got it back and he was cool again. Sampson & Delilah………..the list goes on and on. I’m seeing a pattern. But this isn’t about getting your cool back and scoring hot babes. Odessa Permian has MOJO. Everyone in Texas knows about Odessa Permian. And if you’re not in The Great State you have bigger problems than not knowing about MOJO. (I like to throw stuff like that in while I’m writing this in Norman, OK).

Everyone has their own MOJO. My mother’s MOJO was being able to make you feel loved and making things OK by just talking with you. She could really bring you out of a funk. My girlfriend has the same MOJO. She makes me feel so loved and worthy it keeps me constantly smiling on the inside. My sister’s MOJO is making EVERYONE who walks into her home feel welcome. Even the people she doesn’t really like. And I’ve been on that list every now and then too! Mr. Hardeman’s MOJO was getting me to learn even when it seemed like I was refusing. I say all that, to get to this……….my MOJO is to never be too serious. Back in the day I used to be able to have a joke for everything and generally be a hoot to hang around with at parties! But I’ve noticed lately………..I LOST MY MOJO!!!!


I first noticed my MOJO missing about a month or so ago. I would go out to clubs with friends and just wouldn’t have a good time. I felt like I was forcing it. Ya know? And it carried over to my parenting abilities as well. To be quite honest, I have been just flat out grumpy! So I got to thinking about things. What has changed? Am I just going thru a mid-life crisis? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!!! I’ve become a Serious Sam! Now I’ve had a lot going on in the last few months. I’ve had a health issue, lead to a leave of absence from work, lead to a re-evaluation of work/life balance, lead to a re-evaluation of life/family balance, lead to letting go more as a father (lead to stressing more because I was worried about the kids more because I’m not talking to them as much), lead to quitting my secure job, had to evict renters, moved back into my house, started a business, started traveling like crazy with that business, blah, blah, blah. Poor me! Suffice to say, I’ve had some life changing events lately. But what about my MOJO? The first thing is admitting I had a problem (wait, I think that’s a different forum and another blog). Actually, it does apply here. So, I isolated the problem, but needed a cure. Flash forward to Thursday night (actually it was last Thursday) and I’m walking in from a long day of not working. I’ve been to Dallas, Denton, Wichita Falls, Norman and Waco this week. I get a call from a friend who asks me to meet her at Hanover’s. I say “yes” but don’t really mean it. So I’m piddling around and about 8:30-ish I think about calling her and telling her I can’t do it. I’m just not feeling it. I’m kind of mopey. At that very moment my cell phone goes off and it’s a text from her. A stupid text mind you. And that is what I’ve come to expect from this particular friend. But that is exactly what I need. So I got to thinking about all the zaniness that happens whenever we hang out. Even when I was in the deepest of funks, she brings out my MOJO. We don’t have too many serious times together. Around her, I am able to completely let go and revert to my inner 5 year old. This person gives me something I can’t get anywhere else…………total silliness. I pray my GF never gets jealous of her because the GF provides me something on so many different levels. With my friend, it’s just one level. A level I need fulfilled occasionally. With the GF there are times I have to be serious, happy, sad, a whole plethora of emotions. With this friend there is just one. So I go to Hanover’s and have a good time. I feel my MOJO restored and I’m ready to go another week. I’d like to recap the most serious talk we ever had………..she was telling me that she is the “crazy, funny friend” to a lot of people, but I’m that to her. She needs that. So do I. Psychiatrists have psychiatrists. Drs. have Drs. So why shouldn’t we have each other? I am prescribing myself occasional visits with her to help maintain the MOJO. Finally something that I can get over the counter to make me feel good! So now I know how to get my lost MOJO back. And I’d like to encourage everyone whatever it is that makes you unique, harness it. Nurture it. Don’t let it go. People love you because of it.