In the holiday season, in days of yore,
Scribe Roger Angell his feelings did pour.
On New Yorker’s back pages, right at the end,
Were yuletide wishes he called ‘Greetings, friends!’
To bold-faced names and celebs aplenty,
Angell rhymed his tidings in couplets steady.
And so it is in that spirit this year,
I do the same, so all lend an ear!
To the bloggers I read who are known as GenFab
(They’ve the gift of the pen and the gift of the gab),
I fill stockings chock-full of dreamings galore
That start at the ceiling and stream to the floor.
To the founding trio—Greenthal, Jeffreys, and Parris—
I send jewels and baubles befitting an heiress.
To the duo known widely as Grown and Flown—
I give pricey and fragrant eau de cologne.
There are other pairs, like the sisters Irving
So to Karen and Wendy I present two gold rings.
And to Maryl and Caryl of Second Lives Club,
Let’s create a great feast; end it with syllabub!
But what is that noise? That great big BOOM-BOOM?
It’s the BOOMBox Network and they’re working the room!
To Bradshaw and Kovacs and Van Petegem,
I send iPhones with apps for ad stratagems.
And off at HuffPost where bloggers do frolic,
There’s Lois Alter Mark and Darryle Pollack!
And here to the left is Nancy Wurtzel,
With Julie Danis and Donna Highfill!
Oh what shall we give HP writers like these—
So smart and so quick as to be the bees knees?
A home by the sea to vacation in Spain,
And designer umbrellas in case it should rain.
But look over there, on the Next Avenue—
It’s Linda Bernstein! Hello! Bienvenue!
What would be right for this media maven?
We’ll deed her a Caribbean tax-free haven.
And while on the topic of real estate,
A house for N. Hill, with a very grand gate.
Recreational grounds for Ms. Jean Parks.
For PK Fields—all the Ozarks.
We cannot neglect Kay Lynn Akers,
To her we give mansions in Heights known as Shaker.
And lest we forget Robin Meadow Dinsmore
Here are keys to a cottage by the seashore.
To the Wolf called Big Little, a red riding hood.
And to Wolff, Linda Maltz, some Norwegian wood.
For Lisa Carpenter, the tools that she needs,
And for Nina Knox, some gold shiny beads.
There’s no therapy quite like retail,
So a flagship store goes to Beverly Diehl.
And Debi Aronson Pfitzenmaier,
Gets a personal shopper and personal buyer.
Still have shopping to do? Go and see Joy Weese Moll.
She’s getting a high-end luxury mall.
It’s all quite posh and there’s never a crowd
There’s even a spa for Connie McLeod.
For Sarah Chesko and Cathy Chester,
A titan of Wall Street to have as investor.
And Jacqueline Tierney De Muro
Gets an ivory inlaid mahogany bureau.
Think life is Better After 50?
Then tell Felice Shapiro that you think she’s nifty.
And please don’t forget Mindy Klapper Trotta—
Bake them a cheesecake made with ricotta.
Save some for their own Ronna Benjamin,
(Or would she like boots made out of snakeskin?)
For Molly Campbell and Lib Aubuchon,
We give each a chair with a plush ottoman.
For Barbara Albright and Jo Heroux,
We’ll throw a big shindig with great barbecue.
To Haralee Weintraub and Janie Emaus,
Ad-free Words With Friends that aren’t blasphemous.
On Jennifer Comet, on Wagner, on Blitzen!
On Amy Noggle, on Ruhlin—on Vixen!
Open your socks by the chimney with care—
They contain fine wine and imported Gruyère.
To cineastes Flournoy and Bradley Colleary,
We give options and meetings with Dennis Leary.
Helene Cohen Bludman gets signed first editions.
Jessica Bern gets successful auditions.
A collection of art for Ann Dunnewold.
For Lori Jo Vest, in case she gets cold,
A hat and a scarf and a coat of faux mink
For Maddie Kertay,
An ice-skating rink.
Who would like chocolate truffles from Belgium?
Lynn Forbes, Susan Williams, Walker Thornton—come get ‘em!
Denise Danches Fisher shall have priceless etchings.
Mary Anne Tuggle Payne gets Paul Klee’s sketchings.
For Midlife Bloggers’ Jane Gassner
A leather portfolio with jeweled fasteners.
For Laura Lee Carter, midlife crisis guru,
An all-expense paid trip to Peru.
To the spiritual Lori Lavender Luz
A new yoga wardrobe. Why? Just because!
And to Cheryl Pallant, the dancer so rare,
A trip back in time to partner Astaire.
Caryn Payzant, Kim Phillips, and Jodi Okun
Get to boogie with Springsteen and sing “Born to Run.”
To Judy Krell Freedman and Pauline Gaines,
Strands of fine diamonds on silvery chains.
To Patricia Patton and Patricia Petro,
Unlimited flights in and out of Heathrow.
She’s far too polite to ask, “Whatcha bring us?”
She was raised right, Bonnie Petrie Dingus.
To her we bequeath a wishing well.
And another just like it to Sara Cornell.
Florinda Lantos Pendley Vasquez
Gets whatever she wants. Sez who? I sez!
Daphne Palmer Romero, what do you say
To a comedy session with Tina Fey?
Lori Ann Lothian of Elephant Journal
Gets a date with a five-star general or colonel.
To Tammy Gordon and Missy Lawler:
A fully equipped fishing trawler.
Complete with a crew (or at least a sailor)
To teach nautical stuff to Karen Williams Taylor.
To Susan Keats and Cindi Moomettes,
Platinum combs and ruby barrettes.
To Sweeties Teamer Wendy Limauge,
Season Patriots tickets, with seats in the loge.
A language course for Ellen Dolgen
Taught by a bona fide Parisienne.
And last but not least, exotic ports of call
To Karen Espensen Sandoval.
My fear is I might have left someone off,
If your name’s not been spotted, well, tell me off!
It’s hard to keep track of so many bloggers,
There are more of them than Alaskan loggers!
For the writers I know and the ones I’ve not met
There are musical duos and string quartets.
And to readers of mine who have followed me here,
Thank you for indulging my GenFab cheer.
You are awesome! And so are all the other GenFab fabulous women. What a gift you and this group are.
Why thank you, Connie McLeod!
What can I say beyond “You rock!!” Love, love, love this post!!!!
I love, love, love your reaction! Thanks Helene!
Bravo! What a wonderful poetic ode to the women of GenFab! Hope your new year is filled with gifts as fabulous as these. xoxo
Thank you, Co-Founder Greenthal. I hope your new year is equally fab!
Really cute-and I actually know who Paul Klee is!
Thanks!
Awesome! You are incredible! And so good at keeping track of all of us, despite the sheer number. Love, love, love. ♥
Awww…thanks, Lisa. So happy you liked my little verses!
This is amazing. I was not expecting to find the work of a true bard. What a perfect gift to guide my day and a reminder that GenFab really is a Fa-Bu-lous group I am happy to be a part of (overlook the dangling participle.) Thanks Marci
Dangling participles overlooked. Thanks so much for your note, Patricia—and your kind words. Glad you liked my little gift!
Love it!!!!!!
Yay! So glad to hear it!
OMG, can I have one ounce of your creativity…this is so lovely and such a beautiful homage to something that has come to mean so much to all of us—GEN FAB.
Oh my goodness…you are too kind. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words. So happy to hear you liked the verses!
Merci beaucoup mes amis!
De rien!
You found the perfect gift for me!
Love this, my clever friend. Thanks for all this fantastic company, too.
I’m so glad to know it. Your reaction makes me so happy!
How delightful!
Walker
Thank you, de-lovely!
I always loved “Greetings, Friends! ” And now I am IN one! Thank you for your wonderful talent! And Merry and Happy to you!
I always loved them, too. Merry & Happy back, Molly!! And you’re welcome!!
This poetic gift you’ve bestowed upon us is amazing!
Your writing, your thoughtfulness, I am blessed to know
You, yourself are the best gift wrapped up with a bow!
May your holiday bring you gifts of love, and the New Year bring you joy and contentment.
Thank you so much for your own dear ode, Mindy. I’m thrilled you liked my greetings! Happy everything to you!
That is utterly delightful!! You have a gift with words. GenFab is truly a marvelous group of amazing writers and women of a certain age. Thank you for honoring us all this way. I’ll gladly accept the jewels because you are most certainly a pearl of great price.
Thank you so much, dear co-founder Jeffreys! Look where GenFab has taken us all—and to think that it’s only a few months old!
(My husband liked what you said about a pearl of great price. He was standing right behind me when I read this.)
Happy everything to you, and thanks for helping to launch GenFab!
To Marci who writes so swell
A wish for a new year ink well
For Rich she is in many ways
May she be happy in her future days
How very sweet of you! May you be happy in all things and in all ways, too.
So cute! Thanks for the Norwegian wood 🙂
You’re welcome. Paul McCartney says hi, btw.
😉
This is adorable! Like its author… 🙂
Happy holidays, Marci!
–Karen and Wendy
Awwww….thanks, you two. Happy everything to you both!
Oh, this is delightful, Marci! My very own hood (it’s a wonderful day in the neighbor-hood!)… and red, too!
(Can I go out and sale-shop some shoes to match?)
🙂
What a great poem / post! And a very happy holiday season to you, too!
I had a feeling red would be your signature color.
(And although I’m sure you have more shoes than Carrie Bradshaw, yes. Go forth and purchase.)
So happy you like my little couplets. Happy everything to you!
What a hoot! Thanks for the smiles. Cheers and greetings in return!
You’re welcome and same to you!
So perfect! Love how you got so many of us in here! It’s a toss up between snakeskin boots and ricotta cheesecake for me!
Ha ha! Glad you liked it, Ronna. And glad I got the “giftage” right, too!
This is brilliant! And possibly the best present I got this year!
Love the poem, love to you, sweet friend.
Oh my gosh! Thanks so much–your response is MY best present! Happy New Year! And let’s have another lunch soon. xoxom
so.. does a staff of camp counselors come with these recreational grounds or what? Thanks for the mention, clever post.
Camp counselors and a visit from Amy Poehler!
On behalf of the BOOMbox trio – we do love our iPhones and iPhone apps – so wonderful to be a part of, and representing such a GENeration of FABulous women every day!
Hear, hear!
Goodness, Marci you are Good! Fun side note: my daughter went to pre-school with A) Denis Leary’s daughter and B) Lady Gaga’s little sister. Not that I can leverage either of those for ANYthing today…
Anne, let this comment enter the Leary reference into the annals of amazing coincidences. Wow! Glad you liked the verses and happy new year!
Okay Marci, how long did this take for you to compose. You are amazing! And thank you for including BOOMbox Network!
Wow! Thanks! I really don’t know how you did it! Just great!
You’re a crazy fun poet and now we all know it!
You are entirely too clever for your own good (that is a big compliment by the way). Luv it!!!
Awwww….thanks, Nancy. Glad you like it!
Wow–your poem is the essence of FABULOUS. Happy holidays!
Darryle, thank you for the fabulous reaction! Happy New Year!
Wow! Your poetic tribute is the essence of FABULOUS. And FUN! Happy holidays!
Well done! And very nice to meet you! Happy New Year!
Why, thank you very much. Glad to welcome you to the blog. Happy new year to you, too!
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