A preemptive thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes. This picture is from 4 years ago, when I was forced into the role of superhero and shenanigans. Other than not hitting buildings while you’re flying, it’s very important to hydrate.
Why Not?
Category Archives: Holiday
Years And Years
It’s 2:00 a.m. and I’m sitting on the landing watching traffic. It wasn’t until car number six passed that I could say with certainty that the driver probably drank too much and shouldn’t have been out on the road. The first clue was that only their running lights were on. The second was going past the intersection and then reversing erratically to make the turn.
As Philomena Cunk quipped, “Things got worse before they stayed the same.”
Just for amusement, anyone who texted me Happy New Year got a reply text from me first thing when I woke up. You’re welcome.
When I went back inside to make my first cup of coffee of the year, Güino stood at the door, caterwauling in protest, informing me that he wanted to go outside and explore. He did the “penguin call” repeatedly, much like he did in the animal shelter when I got him in 2008. That’s how he got the name Güino, a shortened version of the Spanish word “pinguino.”
Not many people saw the British/HBO show “Years And Years.” It was on my mind this morning. The TV show was made in 2019, but the parallels for our current state of affairs are unmistakable.
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Santa Is My Next Door Neighbor
Mystery Solved!
My next door neighbor “Phillip” forgot about my cameras.
I turned on “Magic Mode,” a new feature for Wyze cameras. I didn’t read the tutorial about the new capabilities of my cameras. Evidently, the camera is magic due to its ability to see things as they are, instead of concealing what’s right in front of us.
Although “Phillip” rides a motorcycle most of the time, I realized that each year as fall deepens, the smell of cinnamon and pine seem to fill the air when he walks by. I hear strange bells at night. My cat Güino does too. His little ears are constantly pointing up and in the direction of the apartment next door.
You’ll note in the pictures that my Wyze cameras are now revealing an obvious fact: my next door neighbor is Santa.
He pulls a trailer behind his truck when he’s not riding his motorcycle. He’s not fooling anyone. That’s just a sleigh cleverly disguised.
To add insult to injury, take a look at what his huge red gift bag says: “Not Santa.” I bet if I ask him about that, he’ll say he’s being ironic and funny.
I fully expect that by the time December greets us, “Phillip’s” costume will morph into the red and white clothing of Santa that we all recognize and love.
I know “Phillip” won’t put me on the naughty list. Not because I don’t deserve it, but because my name is already there, so there’s no point duplicating the effort.
I’ll keep y’all updated.
PS The magic mode is truly magical for my cameras. (Also, you’ll note that FB has tried to tag these photos as AI. Santa has a powerful reach, doesn’t he?)
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Idea!
I’ve invented the perfect horror house for older people during the Halloween season.
You sit in a room. In front of it is a teacher. She randomly calls on people in the room to read aloud from a book each of them is given.
Anyone who fails to get nervous or terrorized must then stand in front of the class and give a speech.
Admission is $10. To get out, you must pay $25.
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Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day. I much prefer the Spanish version, which is “El Día del Amor y la Amistad.” Translated, it’s the day of love and friendship. I think we would do well to embellish our traditions of the day to include reaching out to friends and people who mean a lot to us. I’m not one to limit my surprises to observed holidays. It is more fun to catch people off guard by NOT waiting for special days. Age has rendered me frustrated by the “tomorrow-itis” I see around me. A gesture, five pounds of chocolate, or a hug on a random day might have an impact that’s had to measure.
PS The picture has a subtle meaning and joke that you might not catch at first. It’s what a lot of people look forward to on Valentine’s Day.
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New Old Reminder
Christmas Is Us
I write something like this each year. We all have our own idea of the Christmas season – and some have none. For those with faith, it is the hallmark of charity, love, and kindness, enveloped by the majesty of the celebration of their faith. For others, it is a secular celebration of family, friends, surprises, and time spent together. It is also a time of unreachable loss and loneliness precisely because our memories of love and family can’t help but be tinged by the nostalgia of times no longer within our reach. For others? It is a struggle of choices to afford to surprise their children, family, and friends with gifts worthy of their attention.
Regardless of its significance, we all own a piece of the Christmas season. Even the Christians wisely appropriated the winter solstice celebration to change the celebration of the birth of their savior. It does not lessen its profound meaning for them.
“The Gift of the Magi” is my quintessential Xmas story. Both husband and wife sacrificed what was most valuable to them to give the best gift possible.
We all have within our reach the ability to give everyone the gift of joy and acceptance. No matter how they choose to celebrate.
Each year, most of us universally agree that the ideal of Christmas lies not in things but in moments and thoughts of others, in profound observation of faith, and in our ability to celebrate collectively.
Regardless of why or how we are here, we are all here with our respective lives, beliefs, and attitudes.
Let not the harshness of personal conviction blind any of us to the joy of having a season in which we need no further excuse or justification to surprise one another, to be appreciative, and to find a way to look past the differences we each exercise during our celebrations.
Love, X
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laugh?
Fireworks. I love them. I still love setting them off up close and personal but I haven’t done it in a while. As I got older, it’s sunk in how much they affect some animals and some people. If you’ve ever known anybody with PTSD, it’s hard to enjoy them knowing that there are people out there that are terrified. And that some people have to take extraordinary pains and caution to minimize the effects on themselves on their animals.
On a local board, someone caught hell for asking people to respect the lawful parameters of using fireworks. Obviously, fireworks are a good example of an occasion when people are going to ignore the law. And that’s okay.
I have a couple of skills. And one of those skills is finding people. It’s very tempting to make a list of those belittling other people for asking their neighbors to be reasonable.
It would be hilarious and educational to go buy a huge quantity of discounted fireworks. And bide my time. Wait until Sunday night at midnight and light an apocalyptic amount outside their window. A 10,000 string of firecrackers, for example. How could they complain?
It’s no more illegal to set them off on Sunday night than it was last night at 2:00 a.m.
I have this weird feeling that such people who previously belittled others for asking for reasonableness would suddenly start arguing the other side of the consequences if they were awakened at midnight with 6 minutes of firecrackers.
In my younger days, I would have taken great delight in doing this sort of thing. To see if people would recognize their hypocrisy, even as they shouted in anger at the audacity of someone setting off fireworks outside their house.
It’s tempting!
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Party/Life Reminder
Last Friday, I went to a get-together.The wind had knocked a huge limb into the power lines, so we were without power. The host went ahead and had the party. A friend and co-worker brought pinwheels she made. It turned out to be the only thing we ate and it was more than enough. The power being out, though a problem for other reasons, turned out to be the best thing for the party. Because we played with the dogs and I ran them to death out in the backyard, and we congregated inside the house and out. Just conversation, gossip, and goofiness. To me, it was the perfect embodiment of what being with people is supposed to be about. We can plan elaborate food and have a vision of what it should look like in our head. But when things go awry, the common denominator that matters is that people are together and sharing their time. All of you know me, and also know that I’ve always believed we often make too much out of holidays and planned events. Even if all we have to eat is a bag of chips and salsa, that should be enough. We might be hungry, but hunger is temporary. And so are people, even though it doesn’t feel like it as we pass our days and years. I’m glad the power was out. Which probably sounds crazy. Thinking about all the people in Central Arkansas and my favorite cousin, the power being out for an evening pales in comparison. It’s true that each time something unexpected happens, it’s also an opportunity to keep both feet moving and enjoy life. Because there’s always going to be power outage, a disaster, and things beyond our control. Love, X
The Holiday Salutation Admonition
It’s that time of year y’all!
Whether you call it Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or nothing at all. This season belongs to all of us.
Lovingkindness, no matter your religion (or the absence of it) shouldn’t be forgotten this time of year.
I made a different version of this, one which is music I composed myself so that the social media platforms couldn’t block it.
Love, X
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P.S. Parenthetically Speaking 