Broken Records and Other Things for the Sake of Love...

As Karl and I approach our 8th anniversary I celebrate the many wonderful things that come with a healthy relationship. There are so many things to discover about yourself, your lover and each other when sharing a life. And as every self-help book states --- relationships are often about compromise. For the sake of love we make compromises and, sometimes, we must make tough sacrifices. I have had to make some heavy concessions for my love --- yes, I've had to give up Barbra Streisand memoribillia.

Try not to cry for me, tho my sacrifices take a heavy toll -- I love my man and am therefore able to put away my collector Scassi scarf adorned with images of Barbra through the decades. The collectable scarf sits dormant in a drawer with my swimsuits.

When I met Karl I had my 1984 picture disc of Bab's bid for 80's rock album cred, "Emotion" hanging above my toilet. I had it hanging on one nail through the center hole thus allowing my restroom guests the chance to give Babs a spin as they took a piss. I thought it wonderful decor. Karl did not. I put my beloved and valuable picture disc away in my trunk-o-memories. There it has sat for 8 years.

When Karl balked at my 4' x 5' poster of "A Star Is Born" which I hung in the safety of my kitchen, I proved my love by tossing the poster.

I wore my Streisand '94 tour t-shirt as a night shirt till it was a mere thread --- my suggestion at stuffing it as a decorative pillow was met with a great degree of scorn. So, I let it go.

Two years ago, while we were vacationing in Provincetown (PTown to those in "the know" ---- the gay mecca of the United States northeast) I came upon a way-cool chip or party tray sculpted out of a vinyl copy of the first Barbra Streisand album. Karl agreed that this was a creative and fun item --- so I purchased it and it set on our coffee table for almost 2 years. Then, about 5 months ago, we decided to invest in honest-to-God-grown-up furnishings for our condo. Gone was our cheap coffee table --- replacing it was a way-serious stone and steele slab. Suddenly, my cute Babs chip tray was an eye-sore and had to be removed. I decided to mount it on the inside of our guest bathroom door.

Tonight I shut the door a bit too hard and fast and my record tray slipped off the door to the floor and broke. As I morn for my broken Babs record chip tray, I think of the many other Babs-O-Cool things that sit, hidden in our home. In addition to my Scassi Barbra Scarf and Emotion picture disc --- there is the wonderous Barbra Streisand Album clock hidden away in the guest room, my Babs magnet collection sticking to the SIDE of our fridge, my Babs scrapbook hidden in the bookcase, my souvenier books, my limited edition originial soundtrack to "Nuts" CD -- and much more is hidden from view. Ah, the treasures I have hidden for love.

I should note that Karl did allow me to have the sleeve for the "A Star Is Born" album along with Kate Bush's
"The Dreaming" and Debbie Harry's "kookoo" framed and hung in our living room --- so I've not had to give up everything. Tho, he did suggest it when our new sofa arrived --- he relented. Why, you ask? ...cause he loves me and it is all about compromise.