Love Western PA!
Have a great evening, everyone!
Friday, January 17, 2014
Frigid Trip
On vacation... Left Faithful Pup Scout and Macy the Hamster with our house sitter and made our way into the mountains of the Frigid North and encountered SNOW!
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Skiing is Stupid
My daughter and I are planning to do a winter sports activity this weekend: snow tubing! We've been doing this for several years now, and it's a blast. It's also relatively safe compared to another popular winter sports activity: snow skiing. We're going snow TUBING. Big difference. Much safer. Possibility of injury snow skiing: 98%; possibility of injury snow tubing: 65%. Statistics are my own approximations, through personal experience, and may equal +/- 50 percentage points. But it doesn't matter. The fact is, I find tubing much safer.
I went skiing about 18 years ago at Ski Liberty in Pennsylvania. They were running a special deal that included ski rentals, lesson, and all-day lift ticket for a really cheap price for mid-week. A group of colleagues at work had been doing this for a while, and they talked me into going. I had never skied in my life. They promised me it would be easy and I'd love it.
The day came, and I volunteered to drive a few of us up, though there were, all told, about 15 of us going. Rick and John rode with me. I got my skis, had all of my winter gear on, and headed outside of the locker room, where I met with a few of my colleagues. I had missed the start of the lesson, and instead of waiting around for an hour until the next one, several of our group said I didn't need a lesson; they could easily teach me the basics and I'd be off and running. I listened to them and believed them. That was my fault. And that was the end of my good time.
They took me over to the lift for the bunny slope. I had been getting around okay up to that point, but I was on level ground. The lift took me and Scott to the top of the slope, and as I got off the lift, I promptly fell forward onto my face into the snow. I realized then that this wasn't the soft fluffy snow I had grown up with and knew. This was rather hard, icy, and, well.... fake. After those around me got a good laugh at my expense and ineptitude, I got up and made my way over to the slope. Without a single word of encouragement or guidance, I watched all of my friends skate off down the hill. I was by myself, and I didn't know what to do. So I started down the hill.
Now, there are a few things I learned later that would have helped me a great deal at that moment. One was how to control my speed. Another was how to stop. Yet another was how to fall correctly without hurting myself. All of these, or even one of these, would have been great to know. As I started down the hill, I knew none of these. I started to immediately pick up speed, to the point that I knew I was going to lose control. I could kind of steer, if I thought about it, but I wasn't thinking much as I reached an unsafe speed. I started to lose my balance, and I fell face first, doing what might be called a face plant followed by a belly flop. As I hit the ice (I won't call it snow), my legs went in 18 different directions, with one ski flying off my boot and passing me. I was told this was the wrong way to fall (I didn't know at the time there was a "correct" way to fall). Anyway, one of my friends, who had been following me, helped me get up and told me I was doing great. I had to remove my remaining ski just to stand up. Then I had to retrieve my other ski, and once I got them together, I snapped my boots in place to do it again.
And, again, I started down the hill. I started picking up speed. I got out of control. And I did another face plant/bell flop on the ice, with my legs flying around me. This time, my knee got twisted into a position it wasn't meant to go in, after my ski tip got stuck in the ice and I dragged it about 20 feet. This was getting old very quickly. But I still had a long way to go to the bottom of the hill. As old as it got, I still ended up falling about 15 more times till I literally hit rock bottom. I proceeded to take off the skis, go back to the rental shop and I turned it all in. I was done. Finished. I had met the enemy, and it was a pair of skis, a hill, and a field of icy, hard mush. My colleagues ran over to me and couldn't believe I was quitting already. I was in a lot of pain, and I wasn't having any fun at all. After one hour, I was done.
It was at that moment that Rick and John asked me if this meant I was leaving, since I had given them a ride there. I couldn't make them leave. Our original plan was to be there through the evening. So I said, no, I'd stick around. I ended up sitting in the restaurant/bar area at the resort for most of the day. Fortunately, they took lots of breaks, so I only had a few hours of being by myself. Most of the group were disappointed I had had a bad experience, and they said they wished I had given it another try. I told them a lesson probably would've helped, but my knees and legs had already taken too much of a beating. I wouldn't be skiing anymore that day, or ever again. To this day, I have no desire to ever get on skis.
Tubing is a different story. I'll share that one at another time.
Have a great evening, everyone!
I went skiing about 18 years ago at Ski Liberty in Pennsylvania. They were running a special deal that included ski rentals, lesson, and all-day lift ticket for a really cheap price for mid-week. A group of colleagues at work had been doing this for a while, and they talked me into going. I had never skied in my life. They promised me it would be easy and I'd love it.
The day came, and I volunteered to drive a few of us up, though there were, all told, about 15 of us going. Rick and John rode with me. I got my skis, had all of my winter gear on, and headed outside of the locker room, where I met with a few of my colleagues. I had missed the start of the lesson, and instead of waiting around for an hour until the next one, several of our group said I didn't need a lesson; they could easily teach me the basics and I'd be off and running. I listened to them and believed them. That was my fault. And that was the end of my good time.
They took me over to the lift for the bunny slope. I had been getting around okay up to that point, but I was on level ground. The lift took me and Scott to the top of the slope, and as I got off the lift, I promptly fell forward onto my face into the snow. I realized then that this wasn't the soft fluffy snow I had grown up with and knew. This was rather hard, icy, and, well.... fake. After those around me got a good laugh at my expense and ineptitude, I got up and made my way over to the slope. Without a single word of encouragement or guidance, I watched all of my friends skate off down the hill. I was by myself, and I didn't know what to do. So I started down the hill.
Now, there are a few things I learned later that would have helped me a great deal at that moment. One was how to control my speed. Another was how to stop. Yet another was how to fall correctly without hurting myself. All of these, or even one of these, would have been great to know. As I started down the hill, I knew none of these. I started to immediately pick up speed, to the point that I knew I was going to lose control. I could kind of steer, if I thought about it, but I wasn't thinking much as I reached an unsafe speed. I started to lose my balance, and I fell face first, doing what might be called a face plant followed by a belly flop. As I hit the ice (I won't call it snow), my legs went in 18 different directions, with one ski flying off my boot and passing me. I was told this was the wrong way to fall (I didn't know at the time there was a "correct" way to fall). Anyway, one of my friends, who had been following me, helped me get up and told me I was doing great. I had to remove my remaining ski just to stand up. Then I had to retrieve my other ski, and once I got them together, I snapped my boots in place to do it again.
And, again, I started down the hill. I started picking up speed. I got out of control. And I did another face plant/bell flop on the ice, with my legs flying around me. This time, my knee got twisted into a position it wasn't meant to go in, after my ski tip got stuck in the ice and I dragged it about 20 feet. This was getting old very quickly. But I still had a long way to go to the bottom of the hill. As old as it got, I still ended up falling about 15 more times till I literally hit rock bottom. I proceeded to take off the skis, go back to the rental shop and I turned it all in. I was done. Finished. I had met the enemy, and it was a pair of skis, a hill, and a field of icy, hard mush. My colleagues ran over to me and couldn't believe I was quitting already. I was in a lot of pain, and I wasn't having any fun at all. After one hour, I was done.
It was at that moment that Rick and John asked me if this meant I was leaving, since I had given them a ride there. I couldn't make them leave. Our original plan was to be there through the evening. So I said, no, I'd stick around. I ended up sitting in the restaurant/bar area at the resort for most of the day. Fortunately, they took lots of breaks, so I only had a few hours of being by myself. Most of the group were disappointed I had had a bad experience, and they said they wished I had given it another try. I told them a lesson probably would've helped, but my knees and legs had already taken too much of a beating. I wouldn't be skiing anymore that day, or ever again. To this day, I have no desire to ever get on skis.
Tubing is a different story. I'll share that one at another time.
Have a great evening, everyone!
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
A Date With A Twist
I had been dating Teresa for about five months, and we had developed a comfortable relationship. We were going out a few times a week, and doing social stuff, like going out with friends as a couple, as well as the mundane, like grocery shopping. Teresa still shared her apartment in Laurel with her friend from college, Kristen, and I was living with my cousin, Dan, in Montgomery Village. It was tough because we were almost an hour away from each other, and farther during rush hour. We valued our time together, as a result, and I took advantage of my parents living in Bowie, since it was so much closer to Laurel, and would crash at their place on weekends. Our relationship was getting serious.
For whatever reason, we had gone through a stretch where we hadn't seen each other in over a week. In fact, we had had a disagreement about the differences in our churches, and for the first time, I wasn't sure what to do. That's how I knew we were serious. We were talking about the really detailed, real life, long term, super important stuff. Anyway, I realized that the love and respect that had developed and increased between us was strong enough to overcome a lot of the stuff we were concerned about, and though we hadn't come to an agreement, and knew we had to, we weren't going to break up over something that could be worked out. So I made plans to surprise her at her apartment with dinner (home made pizza -- I was going to make it).
I went to the store and got all of the ingredients, then sped over to her place. When I arrived, the parking lot in front of her building was blocked. They had just paved it and re-striped it, and they weren't allowing any cars to park there. That meant I had to park in a different parking lot. It also meant that I didn't know if Teresa was even home. Keep in mind, this was 1998, and I didn't have a cell phone. While she did have one, we weren't on the phone with each other constantly, and we certainly weren't texting each other. I had no way of knowing whether she was home, out for the evening, or if she just hadn't gotten home yet from work. Remember, this was a surprise. I found a place to park, but I was several buildings away from hers. I decided to leave all of the food in my car, just in case she wasn't home. I had bought flowers for her, and I trekked over to her place. I knocked on the door, and, hello!!! She was home! I gave her a big "Surprise!" and handed her the flowers. She was so excited to see me. We hugged and kissed and I told her I had dinner for us, back in the car. She said that was great, she's put her flowers in water while I ran back to get the food.
I was feeling pretty good about having surprised her, and I skipped back up the stairs of her building to the parking lot. Just as I reached the top step, my foot landed on the edge of the sidewalk, turning my ankle, and I went down in a heap. I was in severe pain. I honestly didn't know if it was just twisted, or if I broke something. It just hurt. I finally got my wits about me and I examined my foot. There didn't appear to be any broken bones, but I couldn't put any weight on it. I was able to struggle to a stand, and I hopped back down the steps to Teresa's apartment. She quickly answered and started to say, "Wow, that was quick!" But then she noticed the pained expression on my face and realized something was wrong. I tried to say something humorous, like "I just took a little trip," but it didn't come out very funny. She helped me in to the couch, and I explained to her what happened. She wanted to take me to the hospital. I kept saying no, that it was okay, I just needed to rest it for a few minutes. She helped me wrestle my shoe off, though I almost went through the ceiling, if was so painful. She placed a pillow on the coffee table for me to rest my leg on. I couldn't touch my foot or ankle, not even with the pillow.
She got an ice pack for me and we tried to figure out what to do. My little romantic evening was officially twisted (ha!) into a nightmare. I went from wanting to surprise her and make dinner, to being a patient and making her do all the work. She decided she had better hike out to my car to get the food. She didn't even know where I parked, so I had to try to explain it to her. She found it, then came back, then she had to make dinner. The pain had subsided a little bit, but it was clear I needed to get medical attention. We ate, then I told her I had better get home. I promised her I would get it checked out if it was still bothering me in the morning. She helped me get to my car, then I realized I might have a little bit of trouble.... I had a five-speed manual. I needed both feet to drive, one for the accelerator, and the other for the clutch. It was my right ankle. Teresa was immediately worried about me, and she started to volunteer to drive me home. I assured her I could do it. I would be okay. It was starting to get dark, and I didn't want her to continue to be outside (she lived in a rough neighborhood, really). I said goodbye, hopped in the car, and started for home. At first, I wasn't sure how it was going to work. I really struggled with the pedals until I got up to speed. Once I got on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, and got up to speed, I could set the cruise control and pretty much stay at speed until I got to Montgomery Village. That's what I did.
It was late when I got home, so I took some pain meds, hobbled into bed, and tried to sleep. My ankle just throbbed. I couldn't even put a blanket, or a sheet, on it, it hurt so bad. I just laid there, with my leg half hanging off the bed, trying to get some sleep. I was miserable. I regretted not going to the hospital earlier. I started to wonder how I was going to work the next day. At 2 a.m., and not getting any sleep at all, I determined I would NOT be going to work. The next day showed no improvement. In fact, my ankle was swelled up like a marshmallow. I called my boss and told her what happened. I was embarrassed. She laughed, but then lectured me about not getting medical help. I had to wait until 9 a.m., but then I called my doctor, and he agreed to see me that morning. His office was all the way out in Crofton, and as hard as it was to drive the night before, it was just as hard that morning. He couldn't take x-rays, but he believed it was a sprain, and referred me to a specialist for an MRI. The results of the MRI showed there were no broken bones. Whew!
But my ankle continued to bother me for several months. I had been playing street hockey with a bunch of guys from work, and had to quit playing while it healed. My poor girlfriend went from having a nice, surprise romantic evening to having to play nursemaid and cook. She got over it, fortunately. I let her do all of the driving for a while when we were together, but it had to be in her car, since she couldn't drive a stick.
I learned my lesson. Never skip up the stairs, no matter how happy you might be. To this day, whenever the humidity gets a little high, that ankle starts to ache. I can usually tell if it's going to rain. Give me a call if you need a weather forecast.
Have a great evening, everyone!
For whatever reason, we had gone through a stretch where we hadn't seen each other in over a week. In fact, we had had a disagreement about the differences in our churches, and for the first time, I wasn't sure what to do. That's how I knew we were serious. We were talking about the really detailed, real life, long term, super important stuff. Anyway, I realized that the love and respect that had developed and increased between us was strong enough to overcome a lot of the stuff we were concerned about, and though we hadn't come to an agreement, and knew we had to, we weren't going to break up over something that could be worked out. So I made plans to surprise her at her apartment with dinner (home made pizza -- I was going to make it).
I went to the store and got all of the ingredients, then sped over to her place. When I arrived, the parking lot in front of her building was blocked. They had just paved it and re-striped it, and they weren't allowing any cars to park there. That meant I had to park in a different parking lot. It also meant that I didn't know if Teresa was even home. Keep in mind, this was 1998, and I didn't have a cell phone. While she did have one, we weren't on the phone with each other constantly, and we certainly weren't texting each other. I had no way of knowing whether she was home, out for the evening, or if she just hadn't gotten home yet from work. Remember, this was a surprise. I found a place to park, but I was several buildings away from hers. I decided to leave all of the food in my car, just in case she wasn't home. I had bought flowers for her, and I trekked over to her place. I knocked on the door, and, hello!!! She was home! I gave her a big "Surprise!" and handed her the flowers. She was so excited to see me. We hugged and kissed and I told her I had dinner for us, back in the car. She said that was great, she's put her flowers in water while I ran back to get the food.
I was feeling pretty good about having surprised her, and I skipped back up the stairs of her building to the parking lot. Just as I reached the top step, my foot landed on the edge of the sidewalk, turning my ankle, and I went down in a heap. I was in severe pain. I honestly didn't know if it was just twisted, or if I broke something. It just hurt. I finally got my wits about me and I examined my foot. There didn't appear to be any broken bones, but I couldn't put any weight on it. I was able to struggle to a stand, and I hopped back down the steps to Teresa's apartment. She quickly answered and started to say, "Wow, that was quick!" But then she noticed the pained expression on my face and realized something was wrong. I tried to say something humorous, like "I just took a little trip," but it didn't come out very funny. She helped me in to the couch, and I explained to her what happened. She wanted to take me to the hospital. I kept saying no, that it was okay, I just needed to rest it for a few minutes. She helped me wrestle my shoe off, though I almost went through the ceiling, if was so painful. She placed a pillow on the coffee table for me to rest my leg on. I couldn't touch my foot or ankle, not even with the pillow.
She got an ice pack for me and we tried to figure out what to do. My little romantic evening was officially twisted (ha!) into a nightmare. I went from wanting to surprise her and make dinner, to being a patient and making her do all the work. She decided she had better hike out to my car to get the food. She didn't even know where I parked, so I had to try to explain it to her. She found it, then came back, then she had to make dinner. The pain had subsided a little bit, but it was clear I needed to get medical attention. We ate, then I told her I had better get home. I promised her I would get it checked out if it was still bothering me in the morning. She helped me get to my car, then I realized I might have a little bit of trouble.... I had a five-speed manual. I needed both feet to drive, one for the accelerator, and the other for the clutch. It was my right ankle. Teresa was immediately worried about me, and she started to volunteer to drive me home. I assured her I could do it. I would be okay. It was starting to get dark, and I didn't want her to continue to be outside (she lived in a rough neighborhood, really). I said goodbye, hopped in the car, and started for home. At first, I wasn't sure how it was going to work. I really struggled with the pedals until I got up to speed. Once I got on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, and got up to speed, I could set the cruise control and pretty much stay at speed until I got to Montgomery Village. That's what I did.
It was late when I got home, so I took some pain meds, hobbled into bed, and tried to sleep. My ankle just throbbed. I couldn't even put a blanket, or a sheet, on it, it hurt so bad. I just laid there, with my leg half hanging off the bed, trying to get some sleep. I was miserable. I regretted not going to the hospital earlier. I started to wonder how I was going to work the next day. At 2 a.m., and not getting any sleep at all, I determined I would NOT be going to work. The next day showed no improvement. In fact, my ankle was swelled up like a marshmallow. I called my boss and told her what happened. I was embarrassed. She laughed, but then lectured me about not getting medical help. I had to wait until 9 a.m., but then I called my doctor, and he agreed to see me that morning. His office was all the way out in Crofton, and as hard as it was to drive the night before, it was just as hard that morning. He couldn't take x-rays, but he believed it was a sprain, and referred me to a specialist for an MRI. The results of the MRI showed there were no broken bones. Whew!
But my ankle continued to bother me for several months. I had been playing street hockey with a bunch of guys from work, and had to quit playing while it healed. My poor girlfriend went from having a nice, surprise romantic evening to having to play nursemaid and cook. She got over it, fortunately. I let her do all of the driving for a while when we were together, but it had to be in her car, since she couldn't drive a stick.
I learned my lesson. Never skip up the stairs, no matter how happy you might be. To this day, whenever the humidity gets a little high, that ankle starts to ache. I can usually tell if it's going to rain. Give me a call if you need a weather forecast.
Have a great evening, everyone!
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Scary Movies
I have a love-hate relationship with horror movies. In fact, as I've gotten older, it has become more of a hate-hate relationship. When I was younger, though old enough by my parent's standards to watch them, I liked horror movies, but they always scared me. My mother enjoyed watching them, and she sometimes let me say up to watch them with her. It started with some of the movies that are deemed classic horror movies, such as PSYCHO, or JAWS. To me, they ended up scaring me more by reputation than what actually appeared on the screen. PSYCHO was scary just because it was a Hitchcock film. I actually read the Peter Benchley novel before seeing JAWS, and the book was frightening, probably more than the movie, though the movie did keep me from wanting to go to the beach.
I was a funny kid, though. I still wanted to watch these movies. It was as if I wanted to be scared. I was fascinated by the old 50s sci-fi movies, and loved watching them, but never really found them scary. Horror movies were different, though. I watched the AMITYVILLE HORROR and it about scared me out of a week's sleep. ROSEMARY'S BABY was another that frightened me, particularly due to its satanic overtones. TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, which I saw at a party, scared me more for its reputation, but it was scary, too. All of the teens in the room watching the movie teased each other about being scared, and some pretended they weren't, but it scared them.
The scariest movie of all was THE EXORCIST. I don't even know why I watched it, but it was the one that began turning me away from horror movies. Again, the subject matter made it scarier to me, since demon possession seems a little more real like with the satanism is ROSEMARY'S BABY. It got worse from there. I saw POLTERGEIST with the whole family, and it scared me like nothing else I'd ever seen. THE SHINING scared me, too. It wasn't the slasher style movies that were scaring me. It was the ghost stories, or anything dealing with demons or possession, that got to me.
You would think, as a Christ-follower, that I would know better than to let myself be scared by these stupid movies, and that I would just stop watching them. But, no, I kept watching them, and it got worse as Hollywood perfected its craft. THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE was spooky and atmospheric. Then there was PET SEMETERY. I had read Stephen King's novel, and it scared me like nothing else I've ever read, but the movie made it worse (since it wasn't a particularly good movie, either). THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY scared me so much, I couldn't watch them alone, and they may be the ones that keep me from seeing any others. I actually called my brother while I watched PARANORMAL ACTIVITY through to the end because I knew he had seen it and he talked me through it. This was just a few years ago.
I didn't want my little girl to watch these kinds of movies, so I've kept her from watching them. It's funny, though, how history will repeat itself. My daughter has gravitated to scary shows on TV, like SLEEP HOLLOW, which is a pretty scary show, and I've caught her watching them without my permission. She scares herself watching them, too, but that doesn't stop her. She's just like me.
Have a great evening, everyone!
I was a funny kid, though. I still wanted to watch these movies. It was as if I wanted to be scared. I was fascinated by the old 50s sci-fi movies, and loved watching them, but never really found them scary. Horror movies were different, though. I watched the AMITYVILLE HORROR and it about scared me out of a week's sleep. ROSEMARY'S BABY was another that frightened me, particularly due to its satanic overtones. TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, which I saw at a party, scared me more for its reputation, but it was scary, too. All of the teens in the room watching the movie teased each other about being scared, and some pretended they weren't, but it scared them.
The scariest movie of all was THE EXORCIST. I don't even know why I watched it, but it was the one that began turning me away from horror movies. Again, the subject matter made it scarier to me, since demon possession seems a little more real like with the satanism is ROSEMARY'S BABY. It got worse from there. I saw POLTERGEIST with the whole family, and it scared me like nothing else I'd ever seen. THE SHINING scared me, too. It wasn't the slasher style movies that were scaring me. It was the ghost stories, or anything dealing with demons or possession, that got to me.
You would think, as a Christ-follower, that I would know better than to let myself be scared by these stupid movies, and that I would just stop watching them. But, no, I kept watching them, and it got worse as Hollywood perfected its craft. THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE was spooky and atmospheric. Then there was PET SEMETERY. I had read Stephen King's novel, and it scared me like nothing else I've ever read, but the movie made it worse (since it wasn't a particularly good movie, either). THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY scared me so much, I couldn't watch them alone, and they may be the ones that keep me from seeing any others. I actually called my brother while I watched PARANORMAL ACTIVITY through to the end because I knew he had seen it and he talked me through it. This was just a few years ago.
I didn't want my little girl to watch these kinds of movies, so I've kept her from watching them. It's funny, though, how history will repeat itself. My daughter has gravitated to scary shows on TV, like SLEEP HOLLOW, which is a pretty scary show, and I've caught her watching them without my permission. She scares herself watching them, too, but that doesn't stop her. She's just like me.
Have a great evening, everyone!
Monday, January 13, 2014
My Special Gift
On Christmas Eve, I received an awesome present from my daughter. I didn't know it, but she had been rehearsing a song at my in-laws church while she was staying with them, and, to our whole family's surprise, she sang it on Christmas Eve during the service. I cried like a baby. She did such a great job. She had never shown any interest in singing, let alone in public, and it blew me away.
So, tonight, as the typical "proud daddy", I want to share her video, so here she is, singing "Happy Birthday Jesus". Please forgive my bragging...
So, tonight, as the typical "proud daddy", I want to share her video, so here she is, singing "Happy Birthday Jesus". Please forgive my bragging...
Sunday, January 12, 2014
11 Facts, 11 Q&A's, and 11 Bloggers
A fellow blogger linked my blog to her post with the following questions on it, so I decided to follow her lead and do the same. Enjoy!
Share 11 random facts about yourself
Answer 11 questions
What was your favorite food when you were a child? Pizza was and still is my favorite food. I consider myself a pizza connoisseur. I used to make the Chef-Boy-R-Dee pizzas for dinner every Friday for my family while growing up.
What's the #1 most played song on your iPod? I don't have an iPod, but the most listened to song I have is TAKE FIVE by the Dave Brubeck Quartet.
What is one of your favorite quotes? Aside from many Bible verses, one of my favorite quotes is, "No man is a failure who has friends," Clarence the Angel, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.
What's your favorite indoor/outdoor activity? Indoor: watching sporting events/playing fantasy sports; outdoor: Road trips!
If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor? Jesus; Abe Lincoln; my grandfather, Chester "Pap" Freed.
If you could witness any event past, present, or future, what would it be? As horrible as it was, I wish I could be there in the moments before my wife died. I would pay so much more attention to every detail, and every word shared between us. Though I remember much of that moment, I was in too much shock to really remember the details.
When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time? Usually, I check the Tivo to see if there is anything worth watching in those 30 minutes; otherwise, I'd check my iPhone for emails, etc., or read something online.
What would you name the autobiography of your life? The same as my blog: "Away From the Things of Man."
What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up? Every year, I go to the AFI Silver Theater in downtown Silver Spring just before Christmas and see IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, and every time I see it, I get teary-eyed.
What did you do growing up that got you into trouble? I was the good kid growing up (my younger sister and brother hated me because of it), and I rarely ever got into trouble.
Where IS Waldo? He's in a small town just outside of Boston, Massachusetts.
List 11 bloggers - You should check out these blogs:
Village Green/Town Squared, whose author posted a link to my blog from hers and provided the questions I answered, above, is a regular reader and commenter of my blog. She loves her community, and it comes out in her writing.
The Adventures of Tom and Atticus - If you love dogs, you'll love this blog about a man and his dogs in the mountains of New Hampshire.
Writing Ruth - Written by a dear friend from school (Kindergarten thru high school), Ruth is a professional writer based in Southern California.
That's Church - Written by wonderfully funny Pittsburgh native Virginia Montanez, it's all about her love for her city.
Mr. Garner Goes To Washington - Written by my friend and prayer-partner, Rick Garner; he's a pretty good writer, too.
Flexible Dreams - If it wasn't for Amy, I wouldn't be blogging regularly. Her influence and writing inspired me to write regularly. She is a very funny, very intelligent young lady and great mom.
Blessed Family Chaos - Michelle is another of my influences. Like Amy, I wish she would write more often. Her faith is inspiring. And she's a great mom, too.
The Matt Walsh Blog - Rather than describe, let me just say that this is a blog worth reading. Every post makes me think.
Dejan Kovacevic - Best sports writer, period. And I'm not saying that because he's a Pittsburgh sports writer.
Sean's Ramblings - Sean is the first blogger to reach out to me by linking my blog on his. His is a fun read with a Pittsburgh slant. Good stuff.
Baron Batch - Tremendously talented young man who grew up in West Texas; former Steelers' running back turned artist and salsa maker. He is an awesome writer, as well.
Share 11 random facts about yourself
- I'm a widower, and have been for almost 10 years. I was married for less than half that, almost 5 years.
- I played in the Orange Bowl and at the Carrier Dome...as a member of the Mighty Sound Of Maryland Marching Band.
- Best job perk ever was a 2 1/2 hour helicopter ride with the Los Angeles Police Dept. all over LA, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and Beverly Hills.
- My favorite movie of all time is IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. My favorite actor is Jimmy Stewart.
- I've driven to 41 US states and 5 Canadian provinces.
- I've never lived there, but Pittsburgh is my favorite city. I plan to retire there.
- My grandfather, who was a professional trumpet player, had Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis among his fans.
- I was in a bad car accident at age 18 in which my grandparents were killed, and I was pulled out of the burning car by my father. I had a head injury in the accident that affects my short-term memory to this day (25 years later).
- I am a diehard Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins fan.
- I love Godzilla and other Japanese giant monster movies.
- I am a Christ-follower, and trust Him as my Savior. I attend Grace Community Church in Fulton, MD. It's a great place to be!
Answer 11 questions
What was your favorite food when you were a child? Pizza was and still is my favorite food. I consider myself a pizza connoisseur. I used to make the Chef-Boy-R-Dee pizzas for dinner every Friday for my family while growing up.
What's the #1 most played song on your iPod? I don't have an iPod, but the most listened to song I have is TAKE FIVE by the Dave Brubeck Quartet.
What is one of your favorite quotes? Aside from many Bible verses, one of my favorite quotes is, "No man is a failure who has friends," Clarence the Angel, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.
What's your favorite indoor/outdoor activity? Indoor: watching sporting events/playing fantasy sports; outdoor: Road trips!
If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor? Jesus; Abe Lincoln; my grandfather, Chester "Pap" Freed.
If you could witness any event past, present, or future, what would it be? As horrible as it was, I wish I could be there in the moments before my wife died. I would pay so much more attention to every detail, and every word shared between us. Though I remember much of that moment, I was in too much shock to really remember the details.
When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time? Usually, I check the Tivo to see if there is anything worth watching in those 30 minutes; otherwise, I'd check my iPhone for emails, etc., or read something online.
What would you name the autobiography of your life? The same as my blog: "Away From the Things of Man."
What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up? Every year, I go to the AFI Silver Theater in downtown Silver Spring just before Christmas and see IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, and every time I see it, I get teary-eyed.
What did you do growing up that got you into trouble? I was the good kid growing up (my younger sister and brother hated me because of it), and I rarely ever got into trouble.
Where IS Waldo? He's in a small town just outside of Boston, Massachusetts.
List 11 bloggers - You should check out these blogs:
Village Green/Town Squared, whose author posted a link to my blog from hers and provided the questions I answered, above, is a regular reader and commenter of my blog. She loves her community, and it comes out in her writing.
The Adventures of Tom and Atticus - If you love dogs, you'll love this blog about a man and his dogs in the mountains of New Hampshire.
Writing Ruth - Written by a dear friend from school (Kindergarten thru high school), Ruth is a professional writer based in Southern California.
That's Church - Written by wonderfully funny Pittsburgh native Virginia Montanez, it's all about her love for her city.
Mr. Garner Goes To Washington - Written by my friend and prayer-partner, Rick Garner; he's a pretty good writer, too.
Flexible Dreams - If it wasn't for Amy, I wouldn't be blogging regularly. Her influence and writing inspired me to write regularly. She is a very funny, very intelligent young lady and great mom.
Blessed Family Chaos - Michelle is another of my influences. Like Amy, I wish she would write more often. Her faith is inspiring. And she's a great mom, too.
The Matt Walsh Blog - Rather than describe, let me just say that this is a blog worth reading. Every post makes me think.
Dejan Kovacevic - Best sports writer, period. And I'm not saying that because he's a Pittsburgh sports writer.
Sean's Ramblings - Sean is the first blogger to reach out to me by linking my blog on his. His is a fun read with a Pittsburgh slant. Good stuff.
Baron Batch - Tremendously talented young man who grew up in West Texas; former Steelers' running back turned artist and salsa maker. He is an awesome writer, as well.
Friday, January 10, 2014
It Makes Sense To Me...
For his part, Eric felt jubilant that what had started as a long shot had produced a triumph. A medium-size loaf of bread sent by Elaine contained chisels, mallets, a hacksaw, and an enormous sledgehammer. And then, after the soup, Dad decided it was time to tell one of his jokes. Now he's not talking to me so we don't know exactly what happened to him. When he broke for lunch, it was usually at the Cosmos Club, an exclusive, all-male fraternity of political and industry leaders on Lafayette Square, where he continued his quiet, persistent lobbying amid cigar smoke and wood paneling. The doctor brought in to explain the murders had no idea how or what was killing the men in the mine, nor could any doctor cure Shigeru of his amnesia. He was sidelined for nearly three months after breaking his collarbone when he fell while carrying a slab of deer meat.
The two leaders beamed and shook hands warmly. Larry put an enormous wad of ether-soaked cotton into a toilet plunger and stuck the whole thing over the gunslinger's face. He thought for a moment and then said, "Tell her, 'Thanks for the nuts; hope you're the same.'" A minute later, the relief first officer, who had been in crew rest, came out to take a bathroom break, dressed only in his boxers and t-shirt. The press piled on with gusto. I told myself that I would not be killed by a bullet, because I had to return home and work in the movie industry. To dissuade the "wrong" kinds of ladies from rushing to her cause, she announced that she would hire only plain-looking women over the age of 30.
"He talked inaudibly for three-quarters of an hour -- about what, I haven't the faintest idea." He banged the stock of his musket on the ground and brought down an enormous turkey, which dropped from the sky and onto Larry's head like a sack of cement. Although it took him awhile to recover the total use of his legs, he had an amazing constitution and will to live. He doesn't know where he's going, but he figured that he might as well get there. The business community loved it since it messed with nothing anyone cared about, at least anyone important. The monster was attractive, colorful, dynamic and sympathetic with no scientific briefing explaining its origins. It can make hot sauce taste like a glazed donut, vinegar taste like apple juice, and oysters taste like chewing gum.
He confidently led the country in a cataclysmic war in which secret warfare figured significantly and for which he possessed a talent that sprang spontaneously from his nature. They would prosper for another decade, but their greatest work was now behind them. It's extremely unlikely that the key I've kept with me all these years would fit the new lock. We do not know how the attack may be carried out, and defending ourselves will not be easy, but we must try. But after so many years, he had forgotten the formula. It would be nearly a decade before the monster's mighty roar would be heard again. For some couples, however, the cost of separating is no match for the price of freedom.
________
This post is not meant to make any sense. It was put together from random sentences contained in eight different books on a variety of topics. I kind of like it.
The two leaders beamed and shook hands warmly. Larry put an enormous wad of ether-soaked cotton into a toilet plunger and stuck the whole thing over the gunslinger's face. He thought for a moment and then said, "Tell her, 'Thanks for the nuts; hope you're the same.'" A minute later, the relief first officer, who had been in crew rest, came out to take a bathroom break, dressed only in his boxers and t-shirt. The press piled on with gusto. I told myself that I would not be killed by a bullet, because I had to return home and work in the movie industry. To dissuade the "wrong" kinds of ladies from rushing to her cause, she announced that she would hire only plain-looking women over the age of 30.
"He talked inaudibly for three-quarters of an hour -- about what, I haven't the faintest idea." He banged the stock of his musket on the ground and brought down an enormous turkey, which dropped from the sky and onto Larry's head like a sack of cement. Although it took him awhile to recover the total use of his legs, he had an amazing constitution and will to live. He doesn't know where he's going, but he figured that he might as well get there. The business community loved it since it messed with nothing anyone cared about, at least anyone important. The monster was attractive, colorful, dynamic and sympathetic with no scientific briefing explaining its origins. It can make hot sauce taste like a glazed donut, vinegar taste like apple juice, and oysters taste like chewing gum.
He confidently led the country in a cataclysmic war in which secret warfare figured significantly and for which he possessed a talent that sprang spontaneously from his nature. They would prosper for another decade, but their greatest work was now behind them. It's extremely unlikely that the key I've kept with me all these years would fit the new lock. We do not know how the attack may be carried out, and defending ourselves will not be easy, but we must try. But after so many years, he had forgotten the formula. It would be nearly a decade before the monster's mighty roar would be heard again. For some couples, however, the cost of separating is no match for the price of freedom.
________
This post is not meant to make any sense. It was put together from random sentences contained in eight different books on a variety of topics. I kind of like it.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Love And Dating
My daughter and I went out to eat for dinner this evening to one of our favorite area restaurants, Houlihan's. The food there is pretty good, and we can almost always get a table as soon as we walk in. Their menu is eclectic enough that I get something different to try every time I go there, and enjoy it.
Anyway, while we were sitting there eating, my eyes drifted around the restaurant. I like to people watch. I always find it interesting to see who might be there on a first date. Their body language usually gives them away. They seem to be just a bit nervous, they don't make eye contact with their date, necessarily, and sometimes you can see the little flirtations that one or the other might be exhibiting. It's kind of fun. There were at least two couples there on dates, and I told Melody, just for kicks. She's 10 and while dating is still quite a ways off for her, I don't want her to not know it exists, especially since I still date. I'll tell her what signs to look for, and she giggles and leans on my shoulder, slightly embarrassed about the whole thing.
This afternoon, I watched the movie SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK. It was good, but I don't understand why it got all the awards it did. What I didn't like was the language. So often, in a movie like this, it's just gratuitous. It doesn't need to be there. It took me out of the movie a few times. What I did focus on was the developing relationship between the two leads. It made me think about how love works. I wish I knew how it works, but it's interesting to watch and think about. I've heard so many say that there is only one person in the world that's your perfect match. I don't necessarily believe that. I do think God knows who your perfect match is, but there may be many people who could potentially be a great match with someone. I look at the fact that I was married to someone so wonderful as my wife, and after she died, if there were no others who I could match with, I'd be pretty depressed.
But your circle of possibilities is only as large as your circle. If you grow up in a small town somewhere, and you never move out of that town, then the possibilities of matching with someone are limited to that small town. And that's fine. If God says it's meant to be, then it's meant to be.
I believe there are many women out there that are great matches for me. While I believe God knows who that one person is, I do not, and it's up to me to find her. So I have my mental criteria of what to look for. I know, physically, what I find attractive, and that's what I look for first. And I think everyone has their own way of quantifying what attractive means to them. We're all wired differently. What I find attractive isn't going to necessarily match what someone else finds attractive. I find that fascinating, but it's true, because we're all individuals.
Attractiveness doesn't define love, however. There are so many other parts to it. How you mesh with someone from a personality aspect is important. Whether you have common likes and dislikes. Your faith. Chemistry. It all adds up to make a complete person, and it's that complete person who you either love or don't love. Sure you can "love" how a person looks, or "love" that you have so much in common with someone else, but I don't think there is true love without putting together a complete person. That's what makes it so fascinating to me, and why we are attracted to a specific person.
So, with that said, I think I'll be tackling another, more high-profile online dating site again, and we'll see where this gets me. While this is not a New Year's resolution, it is one from last year that I didn't follow through on, and I'm going to approach this with a little more seriousness this time around. I'm ready. My daughter thinks I'm ready. My family thinks I'm ready (they've been pushing me for several years now!). Stay tuned. If nothing else, and I know this is the wrong attitude to take into this, but...., I'll have some great material for the blog.
Have a great evening, everyone!
Anyway, while we were sitting there eating, my eyes drifted around the restaurant. I like to people watch. I always find it interesting to see who might be there on a first date. Their body language usually gives them away. They seem to be just a bit nervous, they don't make eye contact with their date, necessarily, and sometimes you can see the little flirtations that one or the other might be exhibiting. It's kind of fun. There were at least two couples there on dates, and I told Melody, just for kicks. She's 10 and while dating is still quite a ways off for her, I don't want her to not know it exists, especially since I still date. I'll tell her what signs to look for, and she giggles and leans on my shoulder, slightly embarrassed about the whole thing.
This afternoon, I watched the movie SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK. It was good, but I don't understand why it got all the awards it did. What I didn't like was the language. So often, in a movie like this, it's just gratuitous. It doesn't need to be there. It took me out of the movie a few times. What I did focus on was the developing relationship between the two leads. It made me think about how love works. I wish I knew how it works, but it's interesting to watch and think about. I've heard so many say that there is only one person in the world that's your perfect match. I don't necessarily believe that. I do think God knows who your perfect match is, but there may be many people who could potentially be a great match with someone. I look at the fact that I was married to someone so wonderful as my wife, and after she died, if there were no others who I could match with, I'd be pretty depressed.
But your circle of possibilities is only as large as your circle. If you grow up in a small town somewhere, and you never move out of that town, then the possibilities of matching with someone are limited to that small town. And that's fine. If God says it's meant to be, then it's meant to be.
I believe there are many women out there that are great matches for me. While I believe God knows who that one person is, I do not, and it's up to me to find her. So I have my mental criteria of what to look for. I know, physically, what I find attractive, and that's what I look for first. And I think everyone has their own way of quantifying what attractive means to them. We're all wired differently. What I find attractive isn't going to necessarily match what someone else finds attractive. I find that fascinating, but it's true, because we're all individuals.
Attractiveness doesn't define love, however. There are so many other parts to it. How you mesh with someone from a personality aspect is important. Whether you have common likes and dislikes. Your faith. Chemistry. It all adds up to make a complete person, and it's that complete person who you either love or don't love. Sure you can "love" how a person looks, or "love" that you have so much in common with someone else, but I don't think there is true love without putting together a complete person. That's what makes it so fascinating to me, and why we are attracted to a specific person.
So, with that said, I think I'll be tackling another, more high-profile online dating site again, and we'll see where this gets me. While this is not a New Year's resolution, it is one from last year that I didn't follow through on, and I'm going to approach this with a little more seriousness this time around. I'm ready. My daughter thinks I'm ready. My family thinks I'm ready (they've been pushing me for several years now!). Stay tuned. If nothing else, and I know this is the wrong attitude to take into this, but...., I'll have some great material for the blog.
Have a great evening, everyone!
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Pick-up Lines That May or May Not Work
For reasons I can't figure out, though I'll bet it involves massive embarrassment, a few of my co-workers want to create a profile for me on a prominent online dating site, but they don't want me to provide any input. They think they know what will work for me, and, in fact, one said he could guarantee me a date in one week. I reminded him that I could find several dates in one day if I dropped my own stringent criteria. He thinks I don't know what I want. He said I'm a little too boring....humdrum, as they say. That figures.
It appears that this is going to happen whether I participate or not, since these are the kinds of co-workers I have. I'm a bit nervous about the whole thing. But it did make me think about what kind of pick-up lines might work better than a bogus online dating profile. Here are a bunch or really bad ones from the Goodreads.com, sonicseduction.net and Askmen.com websites:
Have a great evening, everyone!
It appears that this is going to happen whether I participate or not, since these are the kinds of co-workers I have. I'm a bit nervous about the whole thing. But it did make me think about what kind of pick-up lines might work better than a bogus online dating profile. Here are a bunch or really bad ones from the Goodreads.com, sonicseduction.net and Askmen.com websites:
Excuse me, is this seat taken?
Would you like to dance?
You look like you might be interested in some great conversation.
Would you like an escort to your car?
I just thought you should know that you have a really nice.....
Your eyes are really cute. (pause) Oh, wait, I think the right one is a little cuter than the left one.
I love that dress on you. You must have had a lot of practice on Barbie as a child.
Did you hurt yourself when you fell from Heaven?
Are your legs tired? 'Cause you've been running through my mind all night!
Is it hot in here, or is it just you?
Are you a library book, 'cause I'd like to check you out!
I'm trying to rearrange the alphabet so U and I are next to each other.
Are you a parking ticket? 'Cause you've got FINE written all over you!
Hey, I lost my phone number....can I have yours?
Are you accepting applications to your fan club?
Did the sun come up, or did you just smile at me?
You're hot, I'm ugly, let's make some average babies!
Is your name Google, 'cause you've got everything I'm looking for!
Kiss me if I'm wrong, but dinosaurs still exist, right?
Well, here I am! What were your other two wishes?
Was your dad a baker? 'Cause you've got the nicest buns I've ever seen!
Did you have Lucky Charms for breakfast? 'Cause you look magically delicious!
Something's wrong with my cell phone, 'cause your number isn't in it!
Somebody call the cops, 'cause it must be illegal to look that good!
I'm not a photographer, but I can picture us together!
If you were a potato, you'd be a really nice potato.
Is your name Wifi, 'cause I think I can feel a connection here.
Do you believe in love at first sight? Or should I walk by again?
Excuse me, is this seat taken?
Monday, January 6, 2014
Wanderlust
I am dying to take a road trip! I have, like, crazy wanderlust. I need to be out on the open road, roaming across the plains of our great United States of America, checking out every road side attraction that we can find, with no time-table, no real destination. Then I want to drive through the Rockies, top to bottom, and do some off-road adventures. To top it off, I want to ride up the west coast, up Rt. 1 and 101, all the way to Canada.
Buying a new car does this to me. I'm the proud owner of a brand new Jeep Wrangler, and I'm so anxious to test it out on a big trip. Driving is one of my passions. I discovered when I was a kid the appeal of traveling by car, and it has stayed with me to this day. When I was old enough to take a trip by myself (according to my parents), my first trip was to visit my grandfather, Pap, who lived in Uniontown, PA, about 4 hours from the DC area. I came to love the trip as much as the destination, and I the more I took that trip, which at one time I averaged once every 2 months, I started experimenting with back roads, alternate routes, historic routes, etc., which was great since US 40/Alt. 40/Scenic 40/Rt. 144, the National Road, pretty much paralleled the interstate all the way to Uniontown. I loved imagining what it must have seemed like to drive the old route back in the road's heyday.
Then I discovered Route 66. I read a guidebook for 66 I received as a Christmas gift that ignited a passion to drive the old route, or what was left of it, across the country. I did a ton of research, pouring over guides and maps and atlases, and I planned a big trip for the Fall of 1997. Then I headed west.
This became a life-changing trip for me. I hit the road in my 1994 Pontiac Grand Am GT, and drove out to St. Louis, where I jumped on Route 66. I was feeling the nostalgia of the era, when the old road was the primary route between Chicago and Los Angeles, before the interstates came about. I stopped at many roadside attractions, from museums, restaurants, and gas stations, to caverns, caves, rocks, and tourist traps. I drove across Missouri to the southeastern corner of Kansas, across Oklahoma, the Texas panhandle, New Mexico, Arizona (including the Grand Canyon!), and into California. It was an incredible drive! I wish I had more time, but I knew as soon as I reached California, I'd have to start driving back east again in order to get home in my two week window.
I had originally planned to drive all the way to the west coast, but I determined, if I drove north from Needles, CA, to Las Vegas, I could extend my trip north from Denver and hit Wyoming and South Dakota, instead of driving due east across Kansas. Las Vegas was a spectacle, but driving into Utah was a treat. I drove through several National Parks, including Zion and Arches, and then into Colorado, which was gorgeous. It was mid-October, and it turned out I beat the first snow storm of the season by about a week. Then I headed north into Wyoming, which was starkly beautiful for it's barren-ness, and then east into the Black Hills. Here, I fell in love. The entire Black Hills region is so gorgeous. I could live there. I love the Native American culture that permeates the area, but I also loved seeing Mt. Rushmore, and the town of Deadwood was like an old west town should be.
The rest of the trip was anti-climactic, though still very cool, but it was obvious I was winding down and ready to go home. I had spent just over 2 weeks on the road, and driven through 21 states. I had driven the whole way by myself, with my only passenger my true guide, The Big Guy Upstairs. I spent a lot of the trip talking to Him, and He talked to me, providing a direction for my life that led to me finding the woman I ended up marrying six short months later. I enjoyed it all so much that I ended up taking my wife on a similar trip, only in reverse, in 2000.
So I want to take a big trip in our new Jeep. I just need to come up with a destination. Or do I? I think just being out on the open road might be enough. I'm so anxious to share this wonderful country with my daughter, so she can see all of the sites that I and her mom saw. The wanderlust is too hard to ignore....crazy wanderlust!
Have a great evening, everyone!
Buying a new car does this to me. I'm the proud owner of a brand new Jeep Wrangler, and I'm so anxious to test it out on a big trip. Driving is one of my passions. I discovered when I was a kid the appeal of traveling by car, and it has stayed with me to this day. When I was old enough to take a trip by myself (according to my parents), my first trip was to visit my grandfather, Pap, who lived in Uniontown, PA, about 4 hours from the DC area. I came to love the trip as much as the destination, and I the more I took that trip, which at one time I averaged once every 2 months, I started experimenting with back roads, alternate routes, historic routes, etc., which was great since US 40/Alt. 40/Scenic 40/Rt. 144, the National Road, pretty much paralleled the interstate all the way to Uniontown. I loved imagining what it must have seemed like to drive the old route back in the road's heyday.
Then I discovered Route 66. I read a guidebook for 66 I received as a Christmas gift that ignited a passion to drive the old route, or what was left of it, across the country. I did a ton of research, pouring over guides and maps and atlases, and I planned a big trip for the Fall of 1997. Then I headed west.
This became a life-changing trip for me. I hit the road in my 1994 Pontiac Grand Am GT, and drove out to St. Louis, where I jumped on Route 66. I was feeling the nostalgia of the era, when the old road was the primary route between Chicago and Los Angeles, before the interstates came about. I stopped at many roadside attractions, from museums, restaurants, and gas stations, to caverns, caves, rocks, and tourist traps. I drove across Missouri to the southeastern corner of Kansas, across Oklahoma, the Texas panhandle, New Mexico, Arizona (including the Grand Canyon!), and into California. It was an incredible drive! I wish I had more time, but I knew as soon as I reached California, I'd have to start driving back east again in order to get home in my two week window.
I had originally planned to drive all the way to the west coast, but I determined, if I drove north from Needles, CA, to Las Vegas, I could extend my trip north from Denver and hit Wyoming and South Dakota, instead of driving due east across Kansas. Las Vegas was a spectacle, but driving into Utah was a treat. I drove through several National Parks, including Zion and Arches, and then into Colorado, which was gorgeous. It was mid-October, and it turned out I beat the first snow storm of the season by about a week. Then I headed north into Wyoming, which was starkly beautiful for it's barren-ness, and then east into the Black Hills. Here, I fell in love. The entire Black Hills region is so gorgeous. I could live there. I love the Native American culture that permeates the area, but I also loved seeing Mt. Rushmore, and the town of Deadwood was like an old west town should be.
The rest of the trip was anti-climactic, though still very cool, but it was obvious I was winding down and ready to go home. I had spent just over 2 weeks on the road, and driven through 21 states. I had driven the whole way by myself, with my only passenger my true guide, The Big Guy Upstairs. I spent a lot of the trip talking to Him, and He talked to me, providing a direction for my life that led to me finding the woman I ended up marrying six short months later. I enjoyed it all so much that I ended up taking my wife on a similar trip, only in reverse, in 2000.
So I want to take a big trip in our new Jeep. I just need to come up with a destination. Or do I? I think just being out on the open road might be enough. I'm so anxious to share this wonderful country with my daughter, so she can see all of the sites that I and her mom saw. The wanderlust is too hard to ignore....crazy wanderlust!
Have a great evening, everyone!
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Ya Ya Holiday Party
Little did I know back in 1998 when I met the girl who became my wife, that I'd become attached to a group of young ladies who continue to be a big part of my life. Teresa had a bunch of girlfriends from college who she remained friends with over the years: Kristen, Jennifer, Elizabeth, and Cherice, and Cherish. Each played a significant role in her life. Kristen was her room mate for several years after college. Cherice was her room mate during college. All were room mates with each other at some point, either in college or after. All except Cherish were bridesmaids in our wedding. They've been so supportive of Teresa as great friends, and then to me and Melody following Teresa's death, and they remain friends to this day.
Every year since I met them, they've had a "Holiday" party right around Christmas and Hannukah. Not all were a part of this party every year. In fact, Cherice, who was the first of the bunch to get married, has been very busy with her two boys (who are teens now, I believe), hasn't been a part of the group for a number of years. Cherish moved away shortly after college and lived in San Francisco, then Chicago.
Jennifer, Elizabeth, and Kristen were Teresa's primary friends, and they got to calling each other "Ya Ya's", after Kristen read the book, "The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood". The book is about four crazy friends, and seemed to fit the four of them very well. After Teresa and I were married, they all continued to get together, primarily for the party we had each year around the Holidays, and they called it their "Ya Ya Holiday Party." When Cherish was in town, she would join us. For many years, it was held at our home, particularly after Melody was born, and after Jennifer got married, we welcomed another male, Rob, to the group (so I wasn't overwhelmed by the girls when they came here and I was the only male).
After Teresa died, Cherish moved back to Maryland. Rob & Jennifer had a baby girl, Alana. A few years ago, Cherish got married, and Chris joined the group, then they had a baby, and Grace joined us. And we continue to get together every year. Last year, things got a little crazy and we ended up waiting until February to get together, but we always make sure we get together. And we have fun. Well, most of the time...
Unfortunately, the only differences we seem to have are over our sports team alliances. I'm the only Steelers fan in the group. Teresa was a Redskins fan. Cherish follows the Eagles. Elizabeth, Rob, Jennifer, and Chris are Ravens fans. Kristen doesn't watch any football, and puts up with all of us. The problem develops when we get together and the playoffs have started. Pretty much every year, debates are started about the Ravens and Steelers, since they are rivals. It has gotten a little uncomfortable when someone in the group bad mouths someone else's team. We've had some tempers flare as a result.. We finally determined that there would be no football talk at all. That was fine, but too often, one or the other team would be playing at the same time as the party, and since we are all die hard sports fans (except Kristen), we had to watch the games. Fortunately, none of the teams have had to play each other during the party. Anyway, we only had two parties that erupted into uncomfortable situations, and other than them, we've had a very enjoyable time.
I'm very thankful that we continue to have the parties. It's my main connection to my wife's friends, and allows my daughter, Melody, to hear about her mom from her friends, and it's a good time for us all.
Enjoy your evening, everyone!
Every year since I met them, they've had a "Holiday" party right around Christmas and Hannukah. Not all were a part of this party every year. In fact, Cherice, who was the first of the bunch to get married, has been very busy with her two boys (who are teens now, I believe), hasn't been a part of the group for a number of years. Cherish moved away shortly after college and lived in San Francisco, then Chicago.
Jennifer, Elizabeth, and Kristen were Teresa's primary friends, and they got to calling each other "Ya Ya's", after Kristen read the book, "The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood". The book is about four crazy friends, and seemed to fit the four of them very well. After Teresa and I were married, they all continued to get together, primarily for the party we had each year around the Holidays, and they called it their "Ya Ya Holiday Party." When Cherish was in town, she would join us. For many years, it was held at our home, particularly after Melody was born, and after Jennifer got married, we welcomed another male, Rob, to the group (so I wasn't overwhelmed by the girls when they came here and I was the only male).
After Teresa died, Cherish moved back to Maryland. Rob & Jennifer had a baby girl, Alana. A few years ago, Cherish got married, and Chris joined the group, then they had a baby, and Grace joined us. And we continue to get together every year. Last year, things got a little crazy and we ended up waiting until February to get together, but we always make sure we get together. And we have fun. Well, most of the time...
Unfortunately, the only differences we seem to have are over our sports team alliances. I'm the only Steelers fan in the group. Teresa was a Redskins fan. Cherish follows the Eagles. Elizabeth, Rob, Jennifer, and Chris are Ravens fans. Kristen doesn't watch any football, and puts up with all of us. The problem develops when we get together and the playoffs have started. Pretty much every year, debates are started about the Ravens and Steelers, since they are rivals. It has gotten a little uncomfortable when someone in the group bad mouths someone else's team. We've had some tempers flare as a result.. We finally determined that there would be no football talk at all. That was fine, but too often, one or the other team would be playing at the same time as the party, and since we are all die hard sports fans (except Kristen), we had to watch the games. Fortunately, none of the teams have had to play each other during the party. Anyway, we only had two parties that erupted into uncomfortable situations, and other than them, we've had a very enjoyable time.
I'm very thankful that we continue to have the parties. It's my main connection to my wife's friends, and allows my daughter, Melody, to hear about her mom from her friends, and it's a good time for us all.
Enjoy your evening, everyone!
Friday, January 3, 2014
Dating Follies
I joined another online dating site going on four months now. I have had zero dates in that time. I've had a few interested ladies contact me, but none fit the criteria I have in my profile. I've contacted about a dozen different women, but none ever returned my interest. It's the same old story. I've done this with several other dating sites over the years, with the same results. The women I'm interested in never seem to be interested in me, and those who contact me don't interest me. As it is, I'm on a drought of over a year without a date.
For a long while, I really wasn't interested in dating anyone. I tend to feel that way from time to time. I just get tired of rejection, and it's easier and one less stress in my life if I just don't deal with it. But then I long for the companionship that comes with a relationship, and the intimacy that follows as you get to know someone. I miss it. I was married for almost 5 years and it was awesome! As a Christ-follower, I know He has plans for me that I don't know about, and I realize I need to have patience, but I really wish He would humor me a little bit.
I know attraction is more than physical qualities, but, frankly, physical attraction has to be there. I hate to be a typical male in that regard, but it's true, and I would guess most men feel that way. I'm not looking for a model or beauty contestant, but I certainly want to find someone I'm attracted to. And while I don't have any limitations on this, I do find myself attracted to tall women.
I'm an introvert, but I'm really attracted to extroverts. I've dated both, and while I may have a lot in common with introverts, I tend to have more fun with extroverts. But it goes deeper than that. There has to be some common ground, and that starts with a common faith. I have a personal relationship with God, and the person I date must have that, as well. With Him, everything else is possible.
As I said, I've had a little bit of success over the years. It's not like the dating sites have been a total waste of time (and money). I dated one young lady at Match.com, and it lasted a couple of months, with a handful of dates. She was just a little too...let's say, flamboyant for me. There was another who I really liked a lot, but after a couple of dates, she told me she didn't feel the same way about me. It's disappointing when you think you've found someone who you really feel strongly about, and they don't feel the same, but that's why you have to date. It's not magic. I go on very few second dates.
I'm not a big fan of dating, really. I particularly hate blind dates, and I've had more than my fair share of them. Obviously, none have ever worked out for me. But it just seems that, no matter what your expectations might be on a blind date, they turn out totally different. It can be very frustrating.
Anyway, what prompted this topic is that I received a date request on the site I'm currently on. It's the first time I've received one. I give women who contact a guy a lot of credit. I'm a bit old fashioned and believe the guy should be the one to take the initiative, but I know how hard that is. Here's the problem, though. Why do so many women provide photos that don't give any indication as to what they look like? This woman looks fine...I don't see any facial tattoos or anything, but then I can't really see much of her face. The picture shows her from the nose up, and it's the only pic on her profile. In addition, she is older than me. Not much, but still outside of my established interest on my profile. Lastly, she is not a Christian. I make it so clear that this is a requirement, but I guess it's difficult for non-Christians to understand why this is so important. So, should I give her a chance?
I'll keep looking. I really do want to find someone. I'm not desperate, but I hate that my daughter doesn't know what it's like to have a mom. That's a big deal. So we'll see how it goes.
Have a great evening, everyone! Stay warm!
For a long while, I really wasn't interested in dating anyone. I tend to feel that way from time to time. I just get tired of rejection, and it's easier and one less stress in my life if I just don't deal with it. But then I long for the companionship that comes with a relationship, and the intimacy that follows as you get to know someone. I miss it. I was married for almost 5 years and it was awesome! As a Christ-follower, I know He has plans for me that I don't know about, and I realize I need to have patience, but I really wish He would humor me a little bit.
I know attraction is more than physical qualities, but, frankly, physical attraction has to be there. I hate to be a typical male in that regard, but it's true, and I would guess most men feel that way. I'm not looking for a model or beauty contestant, but I certainly want to find someone I'm attracted to. And while I don't have any limitations on this, I do find myself attracted to tall women.
I'm an introvert, but I'm really attracted to extroverts. I've dated both, and while I may have a lot in common with introverts, I tend to have more fun with extroverts. But it goes deeper than that. There has to be some common ground, and that starts with a common faith. I have a personal relationship with God, and the person I date must have that, as well. With Him, everything else is possible.
As I said, I've had a little bit of success over the years. It's not like the dating sites have been a total waste of time (and money). I dated one young lady at Match.com, and it lasted a couple of months, with a handful of dates. She was just a little too...let's say, flamboyant for me. There was another who I really liked a lot, but after a couple of dates, she told me she didn't feel the same way about me. It's disappointing when you think you've found someone who you really feel strongly about, and they don't feel the same, but that's why you have to date. It's not magic. I go on very few second dates.
I'm not a big fan of dating, really. I particularly hate blind dates, and I've had more than my fair share of them. Obviously, none have ever worked out for me. But it just seems that, no matter what your expectations might be on a blind date, they turn out totally different. It can be very frustrating.
Anyway, what prompted this topic is that I received a date request on the site I'm currently on. It's the first time I've received one. I give women who contact a guy a lot of credit. I'm a bit old fashioned and believe the guy should be the one to take the initiative, but I know how hard that is. Here's the problem, though. Why do so many women provide photos that don't give any indication as to what they look like? This woman looks fine...I don't see any facial tattoos or anything, but then I can't really see much of her face. The picture shows her from the nose up, and it's the only pic on her profile. In addition, she is older than me. Not much, but still outside of my established interest on my profile. Lastly, she is not a Christian. I make it so clear that this is a requirement, but I guess it's difficult for non-Christians to understand why this is so important. So, should I give her a chance?
I'll keep looking. I really do want to find someone. I'm not desperate, but I hate that my daughter doesn't know what it's like to have a mom. That's a big deal. So we'll see how it goes.
Have a great evening, everyone! Stay warm!
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Snow!!!
Now, THAT'S what I'm talking about! The snow that's hitting Howard County here in Maryland is exactly what the doctor ordered. If you read my post yesterday, you know I love the snow, and this is what I meant. It started falling while I was at work, and I watched it fall outside of my window for a few minutes, and it just looked awesome! Then I realized I would have to drive home in it. Since it had just started, close to when I was planning to leave anyway, it wasn't bad at all. I drove all of the way home at speed.
Our plan for the evening was to get some groceries. We hadn't been food shopping for a few weeks, just before Christmas, so we were out of just about everything. Since my daughter had minimal homework for her first day back to school, we decided to stop for dinner at Cheeburger Cheeburger in Columbia, then get our groceries at Wegman's.
We left the house at around 5:15 p.m., just as the snow was really coming down. We already had a nice dusting on the grass, but it was starting to stick to the roads now. We headed out, and I flipped our Jeep into 4-wheel drive for the first time. It handled great. The roads were slowly getting worse, though, so I was careful driving down Gorman Road. Coming up Oakland Mills towards Snowden River, we saw the first really bad accident, a collision at the intersection of those roads. We continued north on Snowden, avoiding the traffic, and went on to Cheeburger Cheeburger, which is across from Wegman's on McGaw Road.
We had a couple of really great burgers, and enjoyed the floor show: 4 toddlers from two different families who couldn't help but dance around the dining room. It was fun to watch. The burgers really were good tonight. I love that they allow you to pretty much build a burger with any toppings you like, and I'm not sure I've ever had one the same way twice. Tonight I had mine with pepper jack cheese, mushrooms, pickles, black olives, and salsa. It turned out to be a great combination. My daughter, as usual, had just a plain burger. I continue to be disappointed that this Cheeburger Cheeburger, unlike the one in Olney, doesn't have sugar-free ice cream to make their shakes. I love shakes, and the black and white sugar-free shake with skim milk that I got in Olney was almost perfect. My daughter got her usual M&M's/Oreo/cookie dough shake, but I, alas, was not able to have one.
We tried to rush through our grocery shopping, and we actually got everything we needed in under an hour, though the store seemed to have already been picked through, no doubt from snow-panicked shoppers. The produce was very thin, and we didn't have much luck in the meat department. Luckily, there was plenty of milk, which is a necessity every trip to the grocery store. I've complained about Wegman's being too big for its' own good, and my difficulties finding things (and finding out that even employees don't always know where everything is), and today was no exception. I did finally find canned mushrooms.
While we were in the store, the roads continued to get worse. Cars were driving in the 20 to 30 mph range, so we weren't able to get anywhere very quickly. It was a beautiful snow. The way it hit the trees and every other vertical object was cool by itself. We saw deer in several places as we got away from Columbia, their bodies showing up clearly against the white backdrop of the snow. I took our new Jeep through the motions and was very impressed with the way it was handling the snow, much better, in fact, than our old Liberty. I was feeling very secure.
We arrived home safely, and I unloaded the groceries while Melody and Faithful Pup Scout went for a short walk in the snow. Then we battened down the hatches, closing up the front door and getting comfortable for the evening.
While I've already heard that the Federal Government will be open (with unscheduled leave) for tomorrow, Howard County hasn't made a decision regarding their plans for tomorrow regarding schools. If they cancel, then I'll likely have to stay home, since I don't think my sister is going to want to drive in this stuff, especially as it starts freezing over through the night. We'll reassess in the morning.
Stay safe out there if you have to drive.
Have a great evening, everyone. Enjoy the snow!
Our plan for the evening was to get some groceries. We hadn't been food shopping for a few weeks, just before Christmas, so we were out of just about everything. Since my daughter had minimal homework for her first day back to school, we decided to stop for dinner at Cheeburger Cheeburger in Columbia, then get our groceries at Wegman's.
We left the house at around 5:15 p.m., just as the snow was really coming down. We already had a nice dusting on the grass, but it was starting to stick to the roads now. We headed out, and I flipped our Jeep into 4-wheel drive for the first time. It handled great. The roads were slowly getting worse, though, so I was careful driving down Gorman Road. Coming up Oakland Mills towards Snowden River, we saw the first really bad accident, a collision at the intersection of those roads. We continued north on Snowden, avoiding the traffic, and went on to Cheeburger Cheeburger, which is across from Wegman's on McGaw Road.
We had a couple of really great burgers, and enjoyed the floor show: 4 toddlers from two different families who couldn't help but dance around the dining room. It was fun to watch. The burgers really were good tonight. I love that they allow you to pretty much build a burger with any toppings you like, and I'm not sure I've ever had one the same way twice. Tonight I had mine with pepper jack cheese, mushrooms, pickles, black olives, and salsa. It turned out to be a great combination. My daughter, as usual, had just a plain burger. I continue to be disappointed that this Cheeburger Cheeburger, unlike the one in Olney, doesn't have sugar-free ice cream to make their shakes. I love shakes, and the black and white sugar-free shake with skim milk that I got in Olney was almost perfect. My daughter got her usual M&M's/Oreo/cookie dough shake, but I, alas, was not able to have one.
We tried to rush through our grocery shopping, and we actually got everything we needed in under an hour, though the store seemed to have already been picked through, no doubt from snow-panicked shoppers. The produce was very thin, and we didn't have much luck in the meat department. Luckily, there was plenty of milk, which is a necessity every trip to the grocery store. I've complained about Wegman's being too big for its' own good, and my difficulties finding things (and finding out that even employees don't always know where everything is), and today was no exception. I did finally find canned mushrooms.
While we were in the store, the roads continued to get worse. Cars were driving in the 20 to 30 mph range, so we weren't able to get anywhere very quickly. It was a beautiful snow. The way it hit the trees and every other vertical object was cool by itself. We saw deer in several places as we got away from Columbia, their bodies showing up clearly against the white backdrop of the snow. I took our new Jeep through the motions and was very impressed with the way it was handling the snow, much better, in fact, than our old Liberty. I was feeling very secure.
We arrived home safely, and I unloaded the groceries while Melody and Faithful Pup Scout went for a short walk in the snow. Then we battened down the hatches, closing up the front door and getting comfortable for the evening.
While I've already heard that the Federal Government will be open (with unscheduled leave) for tomorrow, Howard County hasn't made a decision regarding their plans for tomorrow regarding schools. If they cancel, then I'll likely have to stay home, since I don't think my sister is going to want to drive in this stuff, especially as it starts freezing over through the night. We'll reassess in the morning.
Stay safe out there if you have to drive.
Have a great evening, everyone. Enjoy the snow!
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Suffering From Those Post-Christmas Blues
There is always such a build up to the Holidays, particularly Christmas, that the aftermath is a bit of a let down. That's my thought here on the 1st day of 2014, which is the last day of my vacation. I return to work tomorrow not really looking forward to it, though not as stressed as I had imagined. I promised myself that I would have a better attitude about work in the new year, so I need to work on that. Though my daughter and I didn't set down any resolutions for the new year, I've always looked at each year as a chance to improve myself. I've been going the opposite way recently, so that is something else I need to work on.
Before this turns into a mish-mash of a blog post, let me get back on topic.
I love the Fall Holidays. Halloween, which is just a lot of fun, signifies to me that the warm weather is officially gone and I can enjoy the cooler weather that is coming. I'm a cool/cold weather fan. Though I love putting the top down on my car, it's just as nice to be able to have the heat going in the car. In fact, I've put the top down in cool weather with the heat blasting, just to have a taste of both. I'm digressing again. After Halloween, with the cooler weather, I enjoy being outside, and I can usually persuade my daughter to go on hikes with me. This leads up to Thanksgiving, which is really the big family time. I love Thanksgiving Day, and I enjoy even more now that I do not participate in Black Friday sales. I find it all very relaxing. And Mom makes a heck of a turkey dinner.
From there, it's all a buildup to Christmas. The season is just magical. We even got a little taste of winter with a healthy amount of snow a few weeks before. I love everything about the season. I even like shopping for my family and friends, finding that perfect gift for each of them. I love going out and cutting down a fresh Christmas Tree (even if we didn't do it this year), I love decorating (though we didn't do much), I love the music, and I love the traditions we've established. I love that all of the TV shows focus on Christmas, even if very few mention the birth of Christ. I love going to see my favorite movie, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, on the big screen at the AFI Silver Theater... It's just a great season!
Then there's Christmas itself.... Though I had to work a full day on Christmas Eve, I love the last-minute wrapping of gifts, going to the Christmas Eve church service to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, spending the evening with my in-laws and parents and watching Melody open her gifts, then crashing for the night at Mom & Dad's, and opening gifts all day on Christmas Day with my family. I love the extra attention we give the pets on Christmas (Faithful Pup Scout and Macy both get gifts), as well as snacking on ham sandwiches and cookies and egg nog throughout the day. Then we crash again and spend the whole next day doing nothing but enjoying each other's company and looking through all of our gifts, thankful the whole time for everyone's generosity at remembering the things that we like.
My daughter and I had planned a getaway over the break, but we never got to it. I spent most of Friday in the sales office at the local Jeep dealer buying our new Wrangler, and because of the rain on Sunday, we didn't go to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA, for their Christmas season. But we did celebrate my father's birthday on Monday, and then New Year's Eve last night.....
And now it's all over. Everything is going back to normal. The Christmas lights have come down. There's no more Christmas music playing. Though I enjoy the Winter weather, most people do not, and their attitudes match their feelings about the weather. If it's cold or rainy, it causes people to be in a bad mood. Even snow, which to me is magical, causes many to worry and be unhappy. I'm much like a kid, I guess, since I love the snow and love it even more when school or work gets canceled because of it, even if it causes me to have to change my schedule, and I have to shovel it. I still love it.
But, anyway, aside from the weather (in my case), there is a downward trend towards Spring. Part of it is how much I dislike the Spring...April is the month that my wife passed away, so I associate it with that. But it's really just the end of the Christmas season that I don't like. I'm sure that my attitude just needs an adjustment, and I'm probably in the minority as it is in regards to the weather. But there's just a wind down that occurs until the summer, and then we begin the wind up back to the Fall and Christmas season again.
Whatever the case may be, I hope you have a wonderful New Year, and enjoy the Winter weather.
Goodnight, everyone!
Before this turns into a mish-mash of a blog post, let me get back on topic.
I love the Fall Holidays. Halloween, which is just a lot of fun, signifies to me that the warm weather is officially gone and I can enjoy the cooler weather that is coming. I'm a cool/cold weather fan. Though I love putting the top down on my car, it's just as nice to be able to have the heat going in the car. In fact, I've put the top down in cool weather with the heat blasting, just to have a taste of both. I'm digressing again. After Halloween, with the cooler weather, I enjoy being outside, and I can usually persuade my daughter to go on hikes with me. This leads up to Thanksgiving, which is really the big family time. I love Thanksgiving Day, and I enjoy even more now that I do not participate in Black Friday sales. I find it all very relaxing. And Mom makes a heck of a turkey dinner.
From there, it's all a buildup to Christmas. The season is just magical. We even got a little taste of winter with a healthy amount of snow a few weeks before. I love everything about the season. I even like shopping for my family and friends, finding that perfect gift for each of them. I love going out and cutting down a fresh Christmas Tree (even if we didn't do it this year), I love decorating (though we didn't do much), I love the music, and I love the traditions we've established. I love that all of the TV shows focus on Christmas, even if very few mention the birth of Christ. I love going to see my favorite movie, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, on the big screen at the AFI Silver Theater... It's just a great season!
Then there's Christmas itself.... Though I had to work a full day on Christmas Eve, I love the last-minute wrapping of gifts, going to the Christmas Eve church service to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, spending the evening with my in-laws and parents and watching Melody open her gifts, then crashing for the night at Mom & Dad's, and opening gifts all day on Christmas Day with my family. I love the extra attention we give the pets on Christmas (Faithful Pup Scout and Macy both get gifts), as well as snacking on ham sandwiches and cookies and egg nog throughout the day. Then we crash again and spend the whole next day doing nothing but enjoying each other's company and looking through all of our gifts, thankful the whole time for everyone's generosity at remembering the things that we like.
My daughter and I had planned a getaway over the break, but we never got to it. I spent most of Friday in the sales office at the local Jeep dealer buying our new Wrangler, and because of the rain on Sunday, we didn't go to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA, for their Christmas season. But we did celebrate my father's birthday on Monday, and then New Year's Eve last night.....
And now it's all over. Everything is going back to normal. The Christmas lights have come down. There's no more Christmas music playing. Though I enjoy the Winter weather, most people do not, and their attitudes match their feelings about the weather. If it's cold or rainy, it causes people to be in a bad mood. Even snow, which to me is magical, causes many to worry and be unhappy. I'm much like a kid, I guess, since I love the snow and love it even more when school or work gets canceled because of it, even if it causes me to have to change my schedule, and I have to shovel it. I still love it.
But, anyway, aside from the weather (in my case), there is a downward trend towards Spring. Part of it is how much I dislike the Spring...April is the month that my wife passed away, so I associate it with that. But it's really just the end of the Christmas season that I don't like. I'm sure that my attitude just needs an adjustment, and I'm probably in the minority as it is in regards to the weather. But there's just a wind down that occurs until the summer, and then we begin the wind up back to the Fall and Christmas season again.
Whatever the case may be, I hope you have a wonderful New Year, and enjoy the Winter weather.
Goodnight, everyone!
On The Last Day Of 2013
On the last day of 2013....
Good night, everyone!
- I spent the night at a sleep study clinic where I was fitted with a CPAP machine that forced air into my nose so that I would not stop breathing while I slept. It was a weird sensation, and at first, I really had a problem with it. I felt like I wasn't getting enough air. It was almost like being underwater with a mask on. I think it took almost an hour to finally fall asleep. I woke up later and moved from my back to my side, and I immediately felt like I was breathing much better, and I slept much better. The technician walked in and ruined a pretty good night's sleep at 6 a.m., and I was free to leave. For 2014, I'm looking forward to better sleep, which will result in better all-around health.
- I enjoyed a nice morning conversation with my dad after returning to my parent's home after the sleep study. Dad's birthday was yesterday and he turned 69. He's in great health (compared to me) and really deserves more happiness than he has. He's such a great guy, and has been such a wonderful counselor, financial advisor, sports commiserater, and friend. I can hardly believe he will enter his 70s in 2014.
- I enjoyed putting a few more miles on my new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. I traded in my 10 year old Jeep Liberty for something new, much to my daughter's chagrin. I bought the Liberty a short time after my wife died, and have had it for most of my daughter's life. She got very attached to it. I've always wanted a Wrangler and am looking forward to both a big blizzard to ride around in, as well as the first warm day to take the roof off. It exudes fun and adventure, which I'm looking forward to experiencing throughout 2014.
- I slept a good 2 hours during an afternoon nap. As well as I slept last night, it wasn't a very long night, and I felt like I needed the extra sleep. So it felt good to squeeze in a nap. I'm hoping for fewer naps in 2014.
- I enjoyed watching my daughter and my father play "cowboys and Indians" with Dad's plastic figurines from his childhood. They both looked like they had a lot of fun, though my daughter didn't appreciate my father using cowboys to dive bomb her characters.
- My daughter and I had a nice drive home from Mom & Dad's, with stops at Sweet Frog for frozen yogurt and Mandarin House for Chinese carryout. If you've not tried Mandarin House, located on All Saints Road in North Laurel, it is the best Chinese food in the area, bar none. With that said, I need to eat much more healthier in 2014.
- My fortune cookie fortune: "The time is right to make new friends." Hmmmm....I wonder what that's trying to tell me?
- And with all that...HAPPY NEW YEAR! May the Good Lord bless you in a wonderful way in 2014 and always.
Good night, everyone!
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