Vaya Con Dios
HEADS UP! It is my considered advice that you do NOT post your email address here. Please email it to me. You will get a ton of junk mail if you post your email in public. Email it to me at susan@brazosriver.com I have removed email addresses from any comments so far. Also, if you have ever commented at any time, please go on and send your email to share with the regulars.
They say that all good things must end. Juanita Jean’s, The World’s Most Dangerous Beauty Salon, will be closing around January 23rd.
This has been a hard decision. I will miss all of you but mostly I fret that the regulars will miss each other. If you will email me your username at Juanita’s, your first name, and your email address, I will compile the regular users into a list and email it out to everyone who sends theirs. My email is Susan@brazosriver.com If you don’t comment at least once a month or so, don’t even try to get on the list.
I’ve had fun here for 15 years and that’s about as long as any hobby lasts. Recovering from Don‘s death has been hard. I was 25 years old when I married him and 50 years later, I lost him. I witnessed his life and that was an amazing gift.
And then there’s politics.
The night of the last election, my baby son sent me a text message that said …
I know there’s a part of you that was hoping to end your days on earth knowing this weird authoritarian threat had been put to bed and now it must feel like that won’t happen. But remember that the struggle you lived and taught me was important has been nurtured and carried on by fellow travelers long before you were born and will continue long after you’re gone. And you know that you’ve personally done far more than most to caretake that flame. And that flame will inevitably melt the candle.
I know he was talking about you, too.
I will miss all of you, but the door shuts on January 23rd or thereabouts because it’s just gotten too expensive and time consuming to keep the doors open.
However, I do have something else I want to share with you.
If you feel disgusted about politics, you are not alone.
.
Somewhere in those numbers is my name. I turned off the teevee news the day after election and have not turned it back on. It has improved my life significantly. I will admit that I have been tempted this week to go look at the hair pulling and spitting going on between Steve Bannon and Elon Musk. I just find it funny that Trump predicted a civil war after the election and sure ‘nuff, he’s playing the role of Robert E Lee among his own troops.
I could be wrong. I have been wrong before and it didn’t kill me, so here goes. I think we need to be listening to young people. I think we shouldn’t even give a big bear’s butt about who is the new leader of the DNC because screw ‘em, they are not viable any longer. They spent 1.5 Billion dollars and lost. They lost to Trump twice. I guess they’re waiting for three’s the charm but, frankly, I don’t have that kind of time.
I’m making an effort to pay attention to young people about politics. For example, I listen to David Pakman https://davidpakman.com/ because he’s young, progressive, and while he takes his reporting very seriously, he doesn’t take himself too seriously. I also subscribed to You Tube to hear what the young progressives are thinking.
I’m going to try some fancy stuff to keep this post on top so everyone can see it, but El Jefe, Half Empty, and Fenway Fran will keep posting underneath this one until we slide off in the sunset.
I love you all.
Susan, you will be sorely missed. You will understand when I say you have been “a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Well, really, you have been lamp and light for all of us. I can’t thank you enough for the gift that is yourself.
1Gonna miss you and the beauty salon, JJ. I have really enjoyed your commentary over the years.
Thank you for your efforts.
2Thanks for all you have done, JJ. Some of us appreciate you more than you’ll ever know–you’ve gotten me over some pretty rough spots, and you were probably the first person I thought of when the results came in on Nov. 5.
Hang in there, hug that grandbaby a lot, and keep the faith. I agree with you that it’s the young ones who will see us through this (I was pulling for them in November, but they just weren’t quite ready yet), but I still believe.
Take care.
3I love you, Miss JJ!
Can’t remember when I first stumbled into the World’s Most Dangerous Beauty Salon, but it’s been quite a ride in one of the whoopie chairs there ever since!
Thank you for all of the laughs over the years. We’ve all shared life from lows to highs and everything in between. You will be missed, but, when it’s time, it’s time. Go out on top, I say.
Sending hugs and gratitude,
4Malarkey
Thank you, Susan. I’ve had you in my blogroll from what seems like the beginning of time and followed you religiously every day. You will be greatly missed, but I understand.
All the best to you and your family.
5Thanks for being there for and with us. Your insights and asides will be greatly missed.
6Thank you for keeping the flame burning here as long as you have. I’ve missed your unique voice here since the loss of your beloved Bubba, but I’ve been grateful for the other writers’ points of view
You’ve done your part, now pass the baton to the younguns.
7You’ve been a bright spot in my mornings for many years, and I will miss you, and your witty but piercing take on current events. But I understand – you deserve the break. Thank you for all you’ve done for us.
8Well, I suppose it couldn’t last forever. But THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES for putting the WMDBS out there, and for doing it in such a witty and informative way. You’re a national treasure.
9I’ve really appreciated your insight, wisdom and humor for years. Thanks for all you’ve given us, and I hope you can enjoy peace through the coming turmoil. You gave it your all, and lifted lots of folks up, too.
10Sincere thanks.
You will be missed. You were the best thing to come from Texas after Molly Ivins.
11Started following you on Kiss My Big Blue Butt and then to Juanita’s. Been a hell of a ride.
12Will miss this.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a tito keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace,” a time to open JJ’s Beauty Shop, and a time to close its doors, and a time to rest well after a job WELL DONE and APPRECIATED. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 + an addendum).
13Rest well knowing that you have helped many during difficult times.
Shutting down on my birthday @ 84. 2nd bad news after Jan 20.
14While not in your league or class you are like the North Star; ie, something to guide me but never reaching it for nearly all of those 15 years. I never metaphor I didn’t like so here goes. I am in the checkout lane of life approaching that big cash register in the sky where it will tote up my bill – Ka-Ching! Besides your lucidness, your sense of humor is very much appreciated by me. As for what’s happening now, there is nothing new today regarding human nature; just change the clothing. Therefore, it is incumbent upon me and me alone to decide which way to go, evil or good and I choose good just the same as you have regardless of the price. Auf Wiedersehn!
Don’t think I can say it better than what your patrons have already done. Thanks for letting me relieve my frustrations with our current situation by my comments. The week of Jan 20 will be tough.
15Again, thanks for all you’ve done for years and best for the future to you and all your patrons.
Well, dang.
16You will be sorely missed. Best wishes!
17I’ve enjoyed being a reader, or is that lurker?, here for several years. Even before I moved to Texas to follow my family. I’ve missed your wit and wisdom following your loss, but I knew you needed your time to try to heal. I wish you and your family the best future possible.
18I’ve hardly commented but I have read you all and I will miss your level headiness that has calmed me down on more than one occasion. You will me missed. I wish you all the best in the time to come.
I have turned the tv on on occasion to watch the hair pulling. It’s kind of fun
Again, you will all be missed,
19Gloria Hooper just a reader.
I’ve started every day with you since I discovered the Beauty Shop all those years ago. I rarely comment – those who do say it so much better than I could – but I will miss you, and them, very much. And I want to wish you peace and joy in the years ahead. You have certainly earned it. (And turning off the tv is probably a good place to start.)
20Many years ago John Prine sang that he “blew up the TV, threw away the paper”. After the November election I too found it good advice, again.
I’ll miss the down home Texan descriptors in your commentary Susan. I’ll miss the beauty shop as a gathering place. I’ll miss the clientele. It’s been an enjoyable few years here, now with your closing up shop – – too few.
I agree with your observation, it’s time for the young folks to step in. Those of us of a certain age can still be active from the standpoint of a well deserved retirement. Commentator and contributors emeritus.
21Thank you Miss JJ. You kept me semi sane for a long time. You have no idea how much.
I do enjoy listening to my grandkids and their friends. We will be OK.
I hope you and all yours live long and prosper.
22Put me on the list, please! User name: Maggie, first name, Maggie, email address: xxxxx@aol.com.
23Dang, I’m gonna miss all of this! The Salon was better than a 50 minute hour with a shrink!
Please put me on the list, too. User name: Papa, first name, Phyllis, email address: xxxxx@cox.net. I’m going to miss really JJ and the Salon.
24I only comment about 6 times a year, but I have been reading this column every day for the past 8 years or so. Its loss will be a huge vacuum in my life. I left East Texas 54 years ago but still miss some of the people I knew there. Thank you for all you have done.
charles
25It has pretty much been said by others, you will be missed. I often wonder how you keep sane with flaming idiot magats everywhere you turn.
Thanks for the memories and laughs. mfi
26May I speak my mind? Yes? Thank you 🙂
27JJ, I won’t miss you, because despite my respect towards your co-writers, the Salon hasn’t been YOU for a long time already.
Also, 200% agree with your words about the tiredness of politics. And your words about Democratic party, both current and future.
Much Love and Bear Hugs,
Shall stay in touch,
Epp
I knew something was up when Santa with the fancy coif didn’t appear this Christmas, as he has for I don’t know how many previous years.
My dentist of many decades retired and my doctor up and moved to California. Now this. To channel Dorothy Parker–as I do much too often these days–What fresh hell is this?
I’ll tell what Hell is: having to listen to the Orange Felon spout nonsense Every. Damn. Day. Yeah, I mostly ignore TV these days, too. I do like Kathy Bates’ new Matlock, though. Old ladies kicking ass. Remind you anybody?
28Thanks for the tip re David Packman. I had not heard him before. I love that he went to school in MA (Northampton high, Bentley in my hometown Waltham, and UMass Amherst).
So much to be thankful for when it comes to you, JJ. I adored you in print when I moved to Sugar Land in 2002, loved you even more in the days of Kiss My Big Blue Butt, when you recruited help to cover a Tom DeLay event at Clements HS (where my kids went, I was a sub, and Half Empty was an awesome physics teacher) and Fenway Fran was born cuz you told me I needed a handle. Many good D times before I up and left you for the PNW, but we were able to live our dream of meeting up at the 2012 DNC in Charlotte. Oh my. I will be on The List, and will always stay in touch. And thanks for delegating toons to me. I truly enjoyed that gig, all the encouragement from the customers, and will share toons to the end. Now I need to work on a non toon post before the lights go out. Love always, or as we say in my family, LUM (love you madly).
29Thanks for the memories, Juanita Jean. It’s been a fun ride!
30I also want to thank Fenway Fran, Half Empty and El Jefe for keeping this going for all of us. I hope all of us that want to can figure out how to connect down the road to commiserate on our shared concerns. I think we can if we want.
31and to Nick Carraway and to some other names that I can’t recall at this moment because I am too damn old while also harboring a partial brain pfha***t. And this too shall pass.
32No words yet. Other than thank you for this place you built. For the rest of us to visit, and inhabit. To congregate with like minded folks.
33Hope to think of something better to say that’s worthy of this space before it goes away.
Phil.
I’m sorry to see you close shop. But I understand.
I voted to give Jimmy Carter a second term during my first presidential vote in 1980. And I’ve voted for Democrats ever since. My pet project is universal health care. Forty five years later we still don’t have it.
I’ll never stop watching MSNBC, CNN, PBS, CBS, ABC and NBC news. A lot of it is sensationalist and corporate but I need to know what’s happening.
I’ve been reading your blog for at least a decade. I’ll miss you Ms. DuQuesnay Bankston. I wish you the best.
34Awww, shoot…..
Although an infrequent commenter I’ve dropped into the beauty shop daily since pretty soon after it opened. I’ve enjoyed the posts, the cartoons, and the comments and agreed with most of them. It’s comforting to be among one’s tribe, especially during rough times. I’m going to miss this place and all its inhabitants.
Thank you Susan for all the laughs and the information (I often learn stuff I previously wasn’t aware of here). Thanks also to all the other posters throughout the years. It’s been a magnificent effort from of you and a truly wonderful experience for me. But I’m happy for you to come to the decision to do what’s best for you.
35Wishing everyone the best. So long and thanks for all the fish.
Molly Ivins, Susan Bankston, Primo Inc., El Jefe and many many others are all my heros! WMDBS made all of us and others better folks. Thank you. On to younger pastures.
36Robert S
Well, the best part of my morning is disappearing….dang! I, too, thought something was up when Santa Bubba didn’t show up for the holidays. Just know, I will miss your humor, Miss Susan, and the resilience of all the netizens of the WMDBS. Y’all have helped keep me sane.
Give Juanita Jean a hug from all of us and enjoy your time with your grandbaby. You’ve earned it.
37This breaks my heart. Although I comment rarely, I’ve gained much by the erudite writing and those that express their views. I am zipping trough my eighth decade and experiencing many final events. The WMDBS has been a daily must read for years. What will I do now?
Thanks to all – especially Susan – for the laughs, tears and insights that have enhanced my life greatly.
38Sad emoji here…. Don’t know how I stumbled into Juanita Jean’s, but stayed for the great commentary.
Where am I to go for my Texas wit?
As Molly Ivans said “Many a time freedom has been rolled back – and always for the same sorry reason: fear.”
And Juanita and all her cohorts kept reminding us of that.
Fair winds!
39#35 Expressed my thoughts better than I ever could. About me: I got back to small town Texas after 30 years in NYC. Culture shock. Like minded people (liberals, artists, writers, etc) were only available by phone – for a few years. Then I found the beauty shop. I’ve been a faithful reader, but posted minimal comments. I usually find someone in the comments who’s already expressed my reactions faithfully. Your observations and comments have given me hope and inspired me through some very dark times. Your crew at the beauty shop have done a mighty fine job, but I found your wit and wise sarcasm the vanguard of observation and inspiration.
40All the best in your new adventures and time with your fantastic family.
I’m part of the 12% blue voters in this rural county.
I hope I will stay on your list.
I’ve loved reading your stuff since the W misadministration, since your blog was named Kiss My Big Blue Butt.
You done good. You always done good.
Thanks for everything, and godspeed.
41Thank you for the years of biting wonderful humor that kept me laughing through trying times.
42Juanita Jean, you will always have a fond place in my heart!
The best to you!
Thank you for the years of laughter, information, commiseration, and community. This page has been important to me and will be greatly missed.
43Joining the many who’ve read for a long time, but seldom commented. All good wishes to you and yours for a long, healthy and happy retirement. You will be missed.
44We shall miss you so, though not as much as you miss Don, of course. I’ve often thought of how hard it must have been to keep going on this when a huge part of you was torn away. We leave you in the embrace of your family and our warm thoughts and gratitude. Onward!
45It’s the end of an era. You’re one of the first people I met outside of work when we moved here long, long ago. It won’t be the same without the salon.
46Dearest Susan –
Words fail me. Thank you for all you have done and god bless.
-b
47Thanks for everything.
48I hope you spend the rest of your days on this planet laughing, surrounded by the people you love.
It has been said more eloquently above Susan but I’ll add another sincere thank you for your hard work and love for this
49country to have kept this Salon open for so long. You will be
sorely missed. I too gave up my NYT subscription and have never had a TV but I did love to find out what the hell was going on via the regulars here. It is impossible to know what our future holds. Your son was correct. Blessings to all . . . . but keep your powder dry. We may need it.
Thank you JJ and everyone! Will miss the humor, wit, and TRUTH! Good luck to all, we will need it with the coming storm. But never give up hope. Thank you all again!
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