Is It Really September?

I have not posted anything here in ages. Months and months have passed. The world kept turning, and I didn’t reach out with any of my wit, questionable wisdom, or insights on my little world. I would love to say so much has happened, I have jam packed my life with thrills to the point that I just didn’t have the time to write. That is far from the truth, I live a pretty average life that has gone along without too much fanfare. Even that isn’t quite true, however. Some stuff has gone on, I will throw a little of that at you, just to keep up.

Back in April, I had to make an awful decision to let my sweet Zelda cross the Rainbow Bridge. She just got old, so fast, it still makes my head spin. For years, when I get ready to go to work in the mornings, I would have a little talk with Zelda as I dried my hair. I would tell her I love her, and make her promise to let me know when she was ready, even though I would never be ready. She would tolerate my attempt at snuggles, brush me off, and we went about our days. On a Wednesday, we went on our walk, after work but before dinner, and she was good until about a block and a half from home. She slowed down, way down. Now, this is a game she would play at times, when she wanted to keep going instead of get home. But it was different, and I knew it. She got home, plopped down, and barely moved plus she would not eat. Girl loved to eat like I like to eat, so I knew something was wrong. She wouldn’t try to get up on the bed with me that night, and I got that sick, awful feeling. The next day she was a little more active, but wouldn’t eat her food. She had a bite of the chicken I had for dinner, but that was it, and she didn’t move around much other than going outside. I was sick. I told myself it was time, but I was a wreck. I was near tears all night, slept near her on the couch. I made the call the next morning, and we had one more night together, and a nice walk the Saturday morning that we took her in. My niece and nephew went with me, they were her friends since they were still kiddos, and it meant the world to me. Their kindness and empathy that morning will never, ever be forgotten. It went fast, those few days, but she kept her promise that I made her make all those mornings, she let me know, and it was the right thing to do, so as sad I have been, I know I did right by her.

People ask, will you get another dog? I said, I absolutely will, but it might take time. It took a month. I just hated coming home to the emptiness she left behind. She was such a whack job, but she was there, every day for me. She made my life difficult at times, because she was a head case. She kind of hated almost everyone, as I have discussed previously. But she loved me, and that made it all worth it. After about 3 weeks, I had been looking at dogs online, and was getting the courage to go meet one or two, to see how I was doing. It was a Saturday morning, and I was getting my courage up, and my cousin came by to get some ferns out of my back yard. She brought her Grand Dog, a chocolate lab, and he ran around and played fetch with me while she dug out the plants she wanted. It was great, but it made me know it wasn’t quite time. I didn’t go that day. Chickened out. But, I knew I was getting better, closer. I sat on it for another week, kept going online to look at rescues, and by Wednesday of that next week, made my plan for the Saturday visiting hours. I did go that day, with a list of 3 of the dogs that I was interested in meeting. When I got there, I talked to the adoption team, and we ruled out one dog, based on her documented separation anxiety. I didn’t want to entertain meeting a dog that wouldn’t work with my single status and being gone a lot of the day to work. So, I met the 2 other dogs. Both were sweet, and one was about 3 years old, the other a little over a year. They don’t tell you a lot about them, because they don’t necessarily know their whole background. But they give you an idea from foster notes, so you can get a feel. Those shelter volunteers are good too, they steer you right into a decision. I picked the little black doggo, the one year old. I could have taken him home that day, but I had to pump the brakes a little. I paid a small promise deposit, and went home to think about what I was doing. I stopped over at my brother’s house, and showed them his picture. That was key, because any doubts I may have been having got swept up in enthusiasm and “when can we go get him?”

Thursday, after work, I went and picked up my new buddy. My sister-in-law Heidi thankfully came along, and helped with my anxiety about it, and his too, because he would not get in the car at first. It was like a hostage situation for the ride home. But when he got home, he knew it was a good place because he plopped right down and sighed, like he had never known a moment without chaos in his little heart. Heidi is the best, because she made and enacted the plan that would be his place in our lives very quickly.

His name at the shelter was Dash. Not a bad name, but I just didn’t think it was a life name. So after talking a few names over, I settled on Papi, after my dear friend Marco whom I have written about here many times. He was a big influence on my life, and I think this little guy will be too. And he is. He is such a good boy, very different than his sister Zelda, he does not display quite as much Cujo styled aggression, and he is quite the velcro snuggle buddy. He spends his days while I am at work over by Paul and Heidi and their dogs. But he is a true rescue that has some issues, and we are learning together what is right for us. But, much like Zelda before him, he pops up while I dry my hair each morning, and lets me have a moment in his busy dog day to tell him I love him, and promise he will let me know what he needs as we travel along together in this life. It’s lovely symmetry, and I want to thank Zelda for sending him my way, because they say your old dog will send you the next one. She chose pretty well, I think.

That Negative Energy

We had our first snowfall here the other day. I have lived in the Wisco Disco all my life. Snow in November is not new. We don’t get it as often as we did when I was a kiddo, but it happens. It was a mess that morning, and as usual, nobody could remember how to drive. Good times on the morning commute, as reports of accidents rolled in. As the day progressed, it got a little more gross out, then it stopped, and it all started to melt. By the time I went home, the roads and sidewalks were mostly dry, and the only snow left was the little clumps from the chumps that had actually shoveled instead of waiting it out like I did. The next day, I was joking with people that stopped in the office, asking what was the point of that snow, if it was just going to melt right away? What a waste of energy! And we laughed, and went on with our lives.

What a waste of energy. I got to thinking about all the wasteful energy out there. I am not talking about leaving the TV on for your pet while you are gone for the day. I am thinking about the way we waste our energy on negativity. I realize nobody can be positive at all times, people that project that are usually faking it, in my opinion. When they get away from people, they probably deal with some dark shit. But there are people out there that are just negative at nearly every moment of their day. Now that is a waste of energy, to only see the dark or bad in nearly every situation. It must be exhausting.

I think I have mentioned at some point that I took a Dale Carnegie course when I was younger. Like in my early to mid 20s. That was likely too young to appreciate the whole thing, the process and the message. But the thing that stuck with me for many years are the Three “Cs” to avoid. Don’t Criticize, Condemn or Complain. That was one of the Golden Rules of the Dale Carnegie Course. It is a difficult one to adhere to, as I am sure you can imagine. I am guilty of all 3 of them at times. But, it stays in the back of my mind. When you look at successful people, and kind of get to the root of their success, they do very little of the Three Cs. It’s kind of critical to achieving goals, when you get right down to it.

Also, old Dale teaches another of the ones I like to use in life. It’s useful in a lot of ways: Think of the worst case scenario, and improve upon it. So, what is the worst thing that can happen in a situation, and what can you do to make that not happen. Negative thinking has no place in a scenario like that, even at the worst possible outcome stage. It really promotes some critical thinking, and that has helped many times in life. I know the Dale Carnegie is based for business purposes, but Dale, buddy, you were on it! You had a lot of good stuff figured out without having internet or anything!

That course didn’t save me completely from negative thinking. There are a lot of bad things that happen in life, and you can’t always see things in a positive light. Dark days happen. But when they do, you have a choice to wallow in that darkness, or to reach out to find a light switch. There are plenty of things that have happened in my life to make me have to dig my way out. Some were things outside of my control, and some things I just screwed up on my own.

All of this kind of came to me recently, because I know a couple of people who are just kind of miserable in their existence, and they choose to stay in that place. They are so negative, and their toxic ways keep spilling on to other people. It got me thinking of how unwilling they are to seek happiness, or anything positive. How do you even function from such darkness all the time? Swimming in the deep end of Lake Criticize, Condemn and Complain has to just be exhausting!

Beyond just making an effort to be more present in positive vibes, I have found a meditation app that has helped a ton. After losing a couple of friends in recent years, I needed something that was going to keep me out of that hole, that dark pit. I had tried some meditation stuff in my early 30s and it didn’t stick. Again, I was probably too immature at that stage to take it seriously. To do it only once in a great while isn’t really going to find you that peace you want. It isn’t truly an instant gratification thing, like a band-aid on a stab wound. It’s like anything you want to become proficient at, you need to practice regularly. I got in the habit, stuck with it, and I feel more inner peace and happiness as a result. I am not always a ray of sunshine, I have my moments just like anyone does, but I come out of that negative place much more willingly than I used to. I don’t want to be viewed as a toxic person, like the folks I mentioned above. This is what I found to help build upon what Dale Carnegie dropped on me when I was too young to realize what was going on.

If you find yourself in the dark place, the negative vortex, I can tell you there is a positive place to go, but you have to want to improve yourself. There is therapy, meditation, exercise, yoga, all kinds of things. I have tried a little of all of them, and I like to think I am in a better place than I was even 5 years ago. Yesterday was the sad six year anniversary of losing my dear friend, Papi, and that was probably my biggest loss other than my parents and stepbrothers dying. It hit me real hard, and I had to do a lot for myself to not slip into that dark cavern of depression. That journey took me to a more spiritual place, and helped keep him with me instead of just feeling like a lost soul.

It’s possible to not be a negative drain on yourself and those around you. If you need help, it’s there, and if you want to improve your quality of life, find that thing and keep practicing to be more positive, and it will come to you. Not to be too cliche or anything, but this seems like a good spot for this: Namaste

Time For A Change

Daylight Savings Time ends tonight, for another season. We have been steadily losing daylight for a while now, it’s so depressing, but it’s the annual cycle we live through. Things shift an hour, backwards this time, and it now will be dark so early. I understand why bears hibernate, and feel the urge to do the same. But we have no time for that, as things are just getting cranked up.

Holidays are on the way. Don’t blink, they’ll be here and gone before you know it, and Mariah Carey will be put away for another cycle. One of my friends, whom I love dearly, already posted her on Facebook yesterday, November 1st, with a declaration of no remorse. That’s alright this year, because it wasn’t a political ad. Mariah is far less scary and annoying than the assault that is trying to watch TV or listen to radio for the last 4 days of the election cycle. I look forward to the holidays, but I like to take them in order, and cranking Christmas music too early just grates my nerves, because there are not that many songs but so many bad versions of each of them. I can probably bitch about this more as we get closer to the real time. Put a pin in that for now.

I am not going to go on too much about the election in 4 days. I would imagine most people are firm in their choice of candidates, and little I do or say would sway someone. But I do encourage people to vote. Get out and do it if you haven’t already. Nothing is worse that a person who complains about everything but won’t contribute to the chance to change things by casting their vote. The presidential election is the headliner, but there are many other important positions to consider, including referendums, depending where you live. Whomever sits in the White House is one thing, but down ballot candidates, particularly local elections, affect your life far more immediately than those national clowns do, so consider that. Get out there and be heard, things can’t change if you don’t help to change them.

And the election, by the way, is once again bringing out the worst in people, some people, I should say. We all have to live here, and being civil is not that difficult. In my neighborhood, there are a fair number of political yard signs, and I believe most of them have not been messed with. I see stories of intolerant people on either side who will steal them, burn them, deface them or whatever, because they disagree with the candidate. Here is what I say to that: Grow Up. I don’t like when adults act like assholes, and I think most people feel that way. Leave your neighbor’s yard signs alone. It is that easy. Sitting there, seething because your neighbor likes the candidate you don’t is unhealthy, and immature. Just stop it. Be nice to each other, and if that is too much for you, get some therapy or move. I know there are worse things happening with this election than just yard signs, and people are cranked up and triggered right now, but act like a grown up and control your emotions a little bit. You know what I do? I stay out of political discussions with people that get too emotional about it, even if I agree with them. I won’t compromise my mental well being just to get a couple of jabs in. People who know me know where I stand, I don’t have to defend it, or explain it to anyone.

Moving along from that, in this season of change, is my age, soon. I will somehow be turning 55 in a month. I absolutely love when I tell people that, and they say no way! I don’t feel that “old” and I kind of attribute that to all the good clean living I do. (Just kidding, you all probably know better than to buy that comment!) But, I did just come off a Sober October that I felt was the easiest to endure. I have done that for a few years now, and it’s a nice little reset before the holidays and birthday come along, and it gives Miller Brewing Company a chance to catch up on production after a busy summer. To be more realistic, I think I feel younger than I am due to the varied ages of people I get to interact with on a regular basis. At the gym and work, the only places I feel like I ever go, I am not the oldest nor the youngest in any grouping. I am on the older end, most of the time, but there is a nice balance. I talk to people of any age, and feel pretty comfortable doing so. Not exactly a fountain of youth, but it helps me keep an open mind about things. I don’t know the artists or actors some of the younger ones are talking about these days, but I do know some of the struggles they face as they navigate life, and I can throw some suggestions their way. I enjoy that, truly. And those that are aging alongside me, we are figuring stuff out together too. It’s a blessing, to be a part of a varied group of people, at any time, and I hope that never changes.

Before I go outside on this lovely Saturday morning, to pretend I will catch up on my autumnal yard duties, I wanted to touch base with the few of you that read my nonsense, and say to embrace this season of change. Don’t let the election stuff cloud your mind too much. Some scary stuff could happen, but unknown things are always scary. Don’t obsess. That’s the best I can say, even if I know some of you are already obsessed. Breathe, be sure to change the clock on your stove back one hour, and take in some of the loveliness that is Fall. We live together on this planet, in this country, and we need to get back to being neighbors and friends. The seasons change anyway, we are only along for the ride. Thanks for reading my personal therapy session, as I talk it out inside my head, and onto the old laptop.

Cults, Gaslighting and the Sad Things I Saw Recently

I may be overstating it in the title up there. But I can’t stand what’s happening, again, in the election cycle. The relative calm I felt the past 3 and a half years after the four years of feeling chaos previously is wearing off. Once Trump got out of office I felt a lower anxiety than I did for his years in office. I think his constant tweeting and the barrage of negative talk had jangled my nerves. I didn’t really know I was so anxious, until I wasn’t anymore.

I swear I don’t watch political crap non-stop the way some of the people I know do. I think it is unhealthy. But I do pay attention. I know what I believe, what I stand for and how I intend to vote. I maintain that I am a person that votes for candidates, not parties. I have voted both sides of a ticket, because if a person on one side has a decent platform that will benefit us, they have my vote. I won’t get into how disappointed I was that our congressman Mike Gallagher stepped off from his office. I thought he was a good representative, and I voted for him, proudly. I tend to lean left, but I was pretty sure he was good for Wisconsin. He must have seen the mess in DC and said “I am OUT!” How awful that a smart, younger man saw that shit-show and knew he couldn’t do it anymore. Says a lot.

I am uncomfortable writing this stuff. But when you get a feeling about something, or someone, it’s hard to shake it. I have never liked or trusted Donald Trump. This goes back to the 80s. He just gives an awful vibe, to me. I would see him on talk shows back then, and think to myself, is this guy serious? He is a creeper. He has proven his creeper status in my mind, but a lot of people see something else. I don’t know how, but ok, I will let them have their vote, just as I want mine. I look at what his track record in life is, and I do believe that it is crooked. He has built a brand, and now he is selling that brand and so many people are buying it.

Did I watch the coverage of the RNC? Not really. I turned it on, and couldn’t stay with it long. The assassination attempt on Trump was still brand new. I have thoughts on it after the fact, but I had watched the coverage from the beginning, and thought maybe, just maybe, and event like this could change his rhetoric. Maybe a scare like that could make him seem more humane to me. Nope. But set him aside. Look at the delegates at that convention. Tell me you’re in a cult without saying you’re in a cult? Wear a “bandage” on your ear on the convention floor. Slap a wad of gauze on your ear, and put on your red MAGA hat and have the time of your life! What were we seeing? This is the group that fought wearing masks during the pandemic because they aren’t sheep? Baaaaa… Baaaa… get out the herding dogs because the sheep are getting out. Yep, I am saying it and I will stand by that. What a bunch of blind, kool-aid drinking weirdos. It’s scary.

The rhetoric didn’t take long to return. He can’t help himself. He is such a damaged person. Now, I do believe that he had a moment of clarity after being shot at. But it wore off fast. By Wednesday, I believe. He just starts with the insults, the little nicknames he loves to give his opponents, but then did he start talking about the “Late, great Hannibal Lechter?” Like did he just really put a fictional cannibal on a pedestal? What? He was off on a tangent faster than a speeding bullet, as it were. Something is so seriously wrong with him.

He is shook right now, however. His favorite whipping boy, Sleepy Joe, stepped aside. Biden announced his decision to drop out of the race, which I do believe was the right decision. He is surely in a decline, and we can’t rely on that leveling off for four years. Plus, with the whole push Trump was feeling with his assassination event, Joe couldn’t get any traction. Enter Kamala Harris. She is younger by far than both of them. All of a sudden, the oldest candidate ever for president wasn’t Joe Biden anymore, it was Mr. Vanity himself, Trump. If you think for one second that wasn’t a blow to his fragile ego, think again. He views himself as some young, virile stud. All of a sudden he is a senior citizen running his 3 ring circus without one of his favorite lions to supposedly tame.

Sad things I saw this week? The way the MAGA crowd goes for the easiest insults, as it were. The convenient way they can set aside extramarital affairs of their idol, the convictions, the large financial judgements against him, to lift him up and say that God is on his side. To say that he is a Christian savior. He is going to save the soul of our nation. He picked a guy for VP who supposedly is very far on the Christian Right. Old JD has his own problems though, some past comments and writings are proving a problem in his ideal running mate status. But I do find it incredibly sad that this is where we are now. The fighting, the negative campaigns, the way it busts at the seams of decent human behavior is just awful. As soon as he could, Trump went right back into pounding insults, and negative vibes and people on that one side, the ones with maxi pads on their ears, ate it all right up. That awful chaotic feeling is back, and its familiar feeling is making me nauseous.

I want to be clear that I am not bashing Republicans as a whole. I know many, many wonderful people who support the GOP, a lot are in my own family. They aren’t MAGA though, they don’t beat the Cult Drum, and I don’t know what they think of the circus. He strives to keep it chaotic, as a diversion tactic. While I don’t know that Kamala Harris is the answer, the question has to be, can we take four years of that roar of noise that is distracting us from something else again? He is sinister, in his approach to this, which is all by design. I really do feel like our democracy is at risk. It feels scary, and that is his intent. Scare tactics, and threats of war and anarchy if we don’t put him back in the White House. We all saw what went on January 6th of 2021. How can we let that happen again?

I don’t know answers, to any of those questions I ask, except this: I don’t think we can afford to put that man back in a position of power. I don’t think we can allow the extremist behavior of the MAGA crowd become the norm. I don’t like this, and it truly has me in a place that scares me, especially as a woman. I am not as young as I was, but I am not so old that they can’t try to dictate my life in a way that scares the hell out of me. Do what you must at the ballot box, and I don’t think I will change anyone’s mind in this little blog, but I had to get it out there. If I get targeted by the cultists, I will deal with it then. But for today, I am free and I can still express myself. Let’s hope it stays that way, for all of us.

What’s Been Up?

I haven’t written anything in quite a while. It’s like summer kicked in and I had better things to do. I really didn’t, but a girl keeps busy when the weather is nice! I actually have had an adventure or two, and have a few ore on the calendar.

My dear friend Jamie got married in June, in Colorado, where she has lived for probably about 12 years of the 14 I have known her. She is absolutely one of those people that you meet, and there is an instant connection. Her whole family is that way, like they are sprinkled with some magic fun dust that you are just drawn to and once you are in, they are your bonus family. When she said the wedding was happening, I said I will be there!

I made my plans, and bought the plane ticket. She lives in Durango, which is in the Southwest corner of Colorado. You can’t get there from here. It was a 3 flight extravaganza! But it wasn’t bad. I was there by 4:00 in the afternoon. My last flight experience was my company vacation to Cancun, and that was not a smooth travel day, or 2 days, so 3 flights that were basically all on time was a piece of cake!

It’s been a long time since the last time I traveled alone. I forgot how much I enjoy doing that. You can make your own agenda, not worry about anyone or anything but what you want to do. I have had fun adventures with other people, but it was really fantastic to do my own thing. I highly recommend it, if you have never traveled solo. I know not everyone wants that, or feels comfortable going somewhere unfamiliar alone, but if you think you might want to, do it!

I stayed in an AirBnB for the first time, and it was a neat little guest house on a ranch, just outside of Durango, and as it turned out less than 4 miles from the wedding venue, the farm they live on. I had no idea, just lucked out like that. The place was really neat, and quiet! The people that host were nice, and there were horses, and dogs and it was just excellent. And reasonable! So much cheaper than the hotel prices I had seen online. I couldn’t have done better if I had known what I was doing!

For many years, Jamie worked for the railroad in town, a narrow guage train, that is the tourist thing in Durango. It goes up into the mountains, and the long trip goes to Silverton, and then back. It’s a 10 hour thing, but there is also a shorter one and I chose to take that one, so it didn’t eat up the one full day I had open. It was really fantastic, except of course I had to be sitting near the chattiest know-it-all in the whole of southwestern Colorado. He had ridden the train previously, and just would not shut his pie-hole. He was a guy around my age, with his mother, who I would say was in her later 70s, but a real young at heart type. He was a killjoy, and she was making the best of what a D-bag he was being. I tuned it out the best I could and enjoyed some pretty fantastic views of the river that cuts through the mountains. It was worth all the nonsense out of that dude.

Then, that same night I went to my first Rodeo!! That’s right, bull riding and goat roping fun! It really was fun, and people are so into it. I had a great time watching the rodeo and all of the people. The horse riding skills of some of the young kids there was so cool. They obviously have been riding since they were little kiddos, and it’s amazing. The bull riding was pretty cool, I have always wanted to watch that. It was a fun day, and even though I was by myself, I never felt like I was alone. It was a dusty, dirt filled day, but a great memory.

The wedding was everything I knew Jamie would do, and it was beautiful and full of her fun spirit. It had dogs, cowboy hats, an obstacle course race, games, Mexican food, and a beautiful country setting. The only bad thing was mosquitos more aggressive than any I have ever experienced, but that was small in the big scheme of things. I was so overjoyed to see my beautiful friend so happy, and she not only got a new husband, she got some kiddos in the deal as well. If anyone should have kids in her life, it’s Jamie. Her sense of wonder, humor and fun with her big heart is a gift to any person she meets. Those girls obviously adore her. My heart was beyond full to be able to see her, and them, so absolutely happy. It was worth every penny to travel for the event.

What a joy it is in life, to have friendships. We are living in a pretty ugly moment in time, as far as all the noise political factions are pumping into our lives. We can easily slip into a negative place, and it is scary. But, for a minute, if you listen carefully to your heart, and the voices of people you truly love, you can escape that noise for a very much more happy noise of a bride’s family in blow up costumes running an obstacle course, and it is all completely normal because that is where real life lives. In the happy moments you are lucky enough to catch, if you just listen to your heart instead of the other stuff. Take a little trip, get away and do something for you, and see your people have a happy life. It will make your life a happier place to live.

I Am Not March Mad, Bro

As I sit here, the Saturday morning of the first weekend of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, looking at my battered bracket, I think to myself “I am not good at this picking games thing.” And it is true, I am not. I remember one year, many years ago when I worked at a sports bar, I got every game on the first day correct. The next day, maybe I had three wrong. Then the third and fourth days the wheels came off and I returned to usual form. But in recent years, my bracket was ruined by 3pm on Friday (2 years ago) and last year it was all jacked up before the night games on Thursday. It was glorious failure. At least this year it was late Friday before the dumpster came calling for my bracket.

It’s all in good fun. I am only in the challenge at work, which we don’t have to pay to play, so I am not out anything. It’s more about the fun of the tournament than anything. There are some prizes for the winners, I have no idea what, because you can’t miss something you know nothing about. We got food on Thursday and Friday at work, so I am already a winner anyway.

The March Madness gets people riled up though. In between games the other day, they showed a story about what happened with one of the players from the Virginia team that lost to a 16 seed back a few years ago. I knew it was a big deal, but I didn’t realize it was a death threat worthy big deal. And the abuse the team, and individual players, got on Twitter and social media was beyond awful. After the game, they had to get the team out, and they had to sneak them out, take them to a different hotel than they had stayed at, and basically swoop them out of town because there were death threats and violent threats. The players had to turn off their social media because they were attacked at every opportunity. These are young individuals, late teens, early 20s. They didn’t want to lose that game, it happened but they didn’t lose on purpose or to bust anyone’s brackets. I hadn’t thought of the continuing attention the losing team would get, just the accolades to the winning team. It made me feel awful for those boys.

Kentucky lost as a three seed the other day. I heard they were getting it bad too, that the threats and abuse was being piled on them too. I get that people gamble and get pretty invested into this tournament, but it’s just games people. Check your emotions a bit. Are you really threatening a group of young athletes because you are going to likely lose your office pool? We live in a scary time.

So to balance that scary, I give you this: Apparently, Yale didn’t bring their band to their game yesterday. They ended up beating Auburn, which was an upset. (Watching the TV guys beat up Charles Barkley about that has been pure entertainment!) The Idaho band learned that Yale didn’t have their pep band there, so they got some Yale T-shirts, and stayed and played for them during their game. I am sure this was just what Yale needed to be victorious! But that right there, that is the pure fun of this tournament. Young college kids, being excited and having fun. The Band Geeks stepping up for the athletes, and keeping a fun atmosphere going. I am sure that busted more than just Charles Barkley’s bracket, but it is a great story.

Well, if any of you still have a somewhat structurally sound bracket, I wish you luck moving forward through the rest of the weekend and the tournament. I will pick a team with a fun mascot to follow the rest of the way through, or maybe I am a Yale/Idaho fan now. Who knows? I am merely an observer now… I will be over here scavenging for any leftover wings and ranch.

Target Demographics

The moments were great, when you realized you are finally in the adult demographic that advertisers are gunning for. You are hearing the music from your younger days at the grocery store. The same songs are in the background of the soda and beer ads. You have arrived, you have the money they want, they want to give you credit and sell you insurance. Then all of a sudden Rick Astley is getting bumped out for Usher, and just like that, the AARP ads slip in, and Consumer Cellular is on your Facebook feed.

I am still in a demographic, it’s just not the same somehow. Watching tv commercials for Cialis all of a sudden make your significant other cringe. You find yourself calculating the term life insurance payments. And what is that kid doing on my lawn!?! I am still middle aged, God willing. But it is all hitting a little different. I swear, I enjoyed Usher during the halftime show, he took the shirt off and I was on board with the song saying Yeah! But then he put on roller skates and my knees hurt and back twinged just a little. What just happened?

Age. It’s what’s happening. It’s good, I promise, the getting older. If you do it right, you get to add years and still enjoy your life. It beats not continuing on the journey. But when you all of a sudden turn the radio on and hear the songs you liked in the 90s on the oldies station, you know it won’t be long before the songs you don’t know from the early 2000s will also be on the same station, and you will have to move to the even older oldies station. That’s probably on AM radio. Help!

Facebook and things like that aren’t helping, with all of their listening and spying on us. You can’t even mention Metamucil and all of a sudden there are prune juice ads popping up. I am thankful one of my former co-workers who is very young came in yesterday and mentioned Hannah Montana in front of my phone and computer. I don’t think it will fool the spies completely, but I may see an ad for Hot Pockets or something for a day or two.

I always say I welcome the years that are willing to come my way. I don’t lie about my age, I don’t wish I could go back to my 20s. I just want to see what comes along, the good things, the bad things, and forward we go. It’s all truly a gift. But I really liked hearing Echo and the Bunnymen on the speakers at the grocery store that one time. It wasn’t that long ago, and now it’s Maroon 5. Soon it will be Beyonce or someone else I have heard of but don’t know their songs. Look out Swifties, it’s coming fast for you too. She will be on an AARP commercial before you know what even happened. My deepest apologies to Tony Orlando, your days on Muzak are long gone. But I would still Knock Three Times for you, any day.

So Far, So Something…

We have officially knocked down the first month of 2024, and we are into February. I love when people go on about how long January can be. It kind of does overstay its welcome most years. I am one of the people that believes no one month is all good and no month is all bad, although as most who know me would say August is dumb. As I turn my calendar to the next month, I look to what exactly January did to all of us, or at least me. 

It really wasn’t so bad this year. We had a blizzard thing early in the month, and a cruel cold snap. But winter has kind of held itself in check otherwise, which is much appreciated. Usually we get walloped in January, so one episode is somewhat forgivable. It’s an El Nino year, that’s good times in the upper mid-west. I haven’t had to bring out my Big Coat at all, and now I won’t, just out of sheer stubbornness if it does take a turn towards the arctic zone. I will put on four sweatshirts now before I drag that coat out. Currently the extended forecast is not making me push the limits of how dumb I can be. 

The annual Company Trip was in January, for work. I had to go to Mexico for work. They packed us up and took us to Cancun. A large number of us traveling got held up by a massive delay, that I could bitch about for hours, about 20 hours to be specific, but I am going to leave that in the past for now, because I am trying to be a more positive person and say that I am grateful for the opportunity to get delayed on a trip somewhere warm during the one cold snap we had. Other than travel issues, we had a good time, even if it was abbreviated. The sheer generosity of our company, our president in particular, is amazing, and I am always thankful that I have the opportunities that this job offers. Also, I ate grasshoppers. So Mexico was fun, sunny and the hospitality of the Mexican people is so warm and wonderful, if you get a chance to go, do it. So much charm and warmth. Thank you again, SLR, for being able to tolerate me enough to leave the county with me and allow me to come back. 

Other than all of that eating bugs stuff, January was not a disaster for me in most ways. I appreciate the milder, mostly, weather. When you live in Wisconsin, you get what you get weather-wise. I have been able to keep taking Zelda for her walks, decently long walks, and that’s good for both of us. And to make January more tolerable, the Packers made the playoffs, and won a game, and played really well in the second playoff game. They could have won that, and I would have been CRAZY as early in the season I was just thankful the NFL didn’t kick them out of the league to the USFL or something. I always say making the playoffs seems to shorten up the winter, or at least hold off the winter blahs. Thanks Pack!! Love ya!

Most importantly, I had my annual physical in the January, and I was pleased with my numbers and stuff. I am struggling with weight gain problems, but I am pretty sure that is all pre-menopausal BS, and Dots Pretzels. My doctor kind of confirmed that, and said as long as all of the other numbers are good, BP, sugars and things, which they are, the weight gain while unwanted can be dealt with as long as I stay the course on the other stuff. Keep moving. That’s what’s important, and that is true of life. Just keep moving. If you don’t take care of the little things, they will become big things that you can’t control. 

Adios, January, it’s been swell. We move now into a Leap Year February. An extra day of nonsense. Which is ok, we will figure that out in a few weeks. The Groundhog, Zelda, and I did not see our shadows, so we are hopefully headed to an early spring. Then the real fun starts. I believe most of us are ready to kick winter to the curb. I hope things move forward, with ease, in all you do. We have a lot on the agenda for 2024, and we must muscle through these early months to get there. Hang in there and keep going! 

Wild and Mild

I am not trying to jinx anything, or cause undue weather changes. But thus far, it’s been a mild season. Winter doesn’t officially hit us for a few days, the Winter Solstice I believe. I love this milder stuff, I don’t need a “White Christmas” to feel the magic of the season. But, when there is a bunch of snow and cold, it does help trigger a sense of urgency that the holiday is approaching. 

I am not ready for Christmas. I rarely am. I was talking to one of my co-workers a few days back about the shopping and stuff. She is all done, just has to wrap a thing or two. She has all the candy and cookies done, and just needs the days to arrive. I about gave her a stroke when I said I haven’t even started yet. I don’t know what it is, but I just can’t with the Christmas shopping and stuff this year. It’s worse than normal! I will get there, but she was kind of horrified that I just laughed it off. In all fairness, she has a billion people to buy stuff for, and she is truly her “head of household.” If she doesn’t do it, it ain’t getting done. She needs the head start, and I certainly don’t mean to scare her with my lack of urgency. 

What was I talking about? Easily sidetracked this morning, apparently. So lack of winter. Not a problem, really, for me. In fact it has been kind of a blessing. It hasn’t been all that cold, thankfully, so I can keep the extended dog walks going with the Zelda. I haven’t had to dig out my “big coat” (all midwestern people have coat categories, the Big Coat is serious business.) I have flexed my dominance over December several times by not wearing socks, or even a coat at all. My poor mother would roll it right over in her grave, but we cremated her, so that isn’t a thing. I tell people I am acclimating for the impending cold so it won’t seem so bad when it gets here, but I am truly just showing off. Anyone who knows me, knows that.

I do feel a little teeny bit bad for the people that love the snow stuff. Or the ice fishing people. There is a lot of money to be made in those industries, and I don’t want to begrudge them the opportunities, but it sure is nice not shoveling. I am not an idiot, I know it will come along eventually, but I just want to enjoy the milder weather while it will hang around. Not to be an ass, but if it held off until January or so, I wouldn’t be mad, bro. 

Speaking of the Solstice, I sure am looking forward to seeing the extra seconds and minutes of daylight that will start accumulating soon. I see the sunrise, and daylight, and then the sunset each day, thanks to my ridiculous gym habits and the window I get to sit by at work. I can tell you the sunny days are so much cooler than the grey days, but the lack of quantity of daylight it wearing us down already. Start tacking on a few minutes each day and I hopefully will want to stay up past 6:30 pm so I can get my stupid Christmas shopping done. 

As we get ready for the holidays, new year and stuff that follows, I wish everyone some peace and harmony. It sure seems the world can use some. A lot of people go through a lot this time of year, all year really, but the season of merriment isn’t always a season of merriment. If you are missing someone, I hope you find comfort. If you are feeling lonely, I hope you find companionship. If you are feeling money stresses, I hope you find $20 in your big coat when you have to dig it out. The holidays can be a wild time, in a good way or bad, there is a way through all of it, and I hope you have the joy of the season, and the peace of a relaxed and happy soul. And if it does snow, may it be full of wonderment for you, and easy to shovel for me. 

Thank you for reading along on my random thoughts. I do this for myself a lot, but if someone else enjoys it, or gets something out of it, that makes me smile too. Happiest of Holidays, Merry Christmas for those that insist that is the only way to greet people, and get through the season no matter what holidays you love and enjoy or hate and tolerate. 

Fifty Four

I find myself in a rather amazing place. My mid 50s. For starters, how did that happen? I still often feel like I am not even close to mature enough to be an adult, let alone an adult firmly in the midst of her middle age years. It’s not a bad gig at all, truly, but the fact it’s where I am is mesmerizing. In fact my oldest brother just turned 60. I am sure he has zero clue as to how that happened either.

I had a great birthday. The NFL and the Packers threw me a party, brought in some famous guests, and the Packers put the hurt on the Kansas City Chiefs, all for me. I was there, courtesy of my fantastic boss and his fiancee. My best friend Amy was with us. And I got my picture taken with one of the tallest people ever, our corporate sales trainer, who was in town for some training sessions. Heck, the weather even cooperated, it wasn’t really all that cold at all. I also got a picture with one of the celebrities present, Gumby. It was a great day.

How does one navigate this mid 50s thing? Not really sure. I do know that with the exception of a few of my extremities, I don’t feel that old. I feel young at heart. That has to be a good thing, since Frank Sinatra sang about it at one point. Honestly, I am just happy to be here. We should all take a moment to be thankful for our place on this earth. On any given day you can turn on the news and find out about someone who didn’t make it to the end. They got sick, killed or even took their own life. It never ends, so if you can stay, and live to a ripe old age with some health and mental capacity, you are beating the odds.

Since I am only a week into it, I won’t go on too much about the being 54 thing. I have a lot out there ahead of me yet, and I am just happy to have the opportunity. I just felt like I should check in, commemorate it or something. Let you all know that there is no place that I would rather be, than right here with all the years, people and places I get to be at any given moment.

As we scream full speed ahead to the next New Year, I hope all is well and that the holidays are good to you and your tribe. Take some time to appreciate the moments, big and small. The small ones are usually the best ones, so pay attention for them. Thanks for being here, with me, and we will check in again soon!