30 days

Thirty days ago I committed to blogging every day for the month of November. There were days I didn't think I would make it -- squeaking by with a post shortly before midnight, just writing a few words or sharing a link. I've struggled with how much to reveal and setting a tone, but all and all I'm glad I did it. I haven't decided if I will continue the trend in December, but I do plan to post more often. Maybe I will share some of my struggles. I've been working on a post about my favorite Christmas that I just recently found out a family member considers his worst. I definitely want to continue working on my Life Unchained list. So I'm sure there will blogging. How much? That's any one's guess.

Definitions

I just noticed my receipt from the doctor's office says I had an extensive visit. I waited for an hour, saw her for less than 10 minutes and had blood drawn. Her definition of "extensive" must be different than mine.

Time continuum

It's amazing how quickly the time passes on the way to take B back and how slow it moves on the way back.

Food for thought

I stumbled across a link on a blog to this article on introverts. I wish I had bookmarked the blog because a lot of it resonated with me and I haven't been able to find it again. I sometimes wish I was an extrovert. It seems like an easier life if you enjoy interaction and self-promotion. I think introverts can be shafted at work and life in general because we don't put a happy face on things. Style triumphs over substance so many times.

Black Friday

I refrained from any shopping on Thanksgiving, but we did make a short mall run today. It was way too crowded for the family of introverts. The guys did a little tool shopping and we walked maybe a quarter of the mall. It's been a peaceful couple of days and I am hoping the trend continues for the next couple. Big changes at work are starting next week, and that always makes me a little nervous. In an effort not to get dooced, I don't know how much I'll say about it.

As God is my witness

The last few years I have started a new tradition. While I'm cooking I watch one of my favorite episodes of one of my childhood favorite sitcoms.



"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."

Enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving. Have a safe and blessed holiday!

Tradition

I'm making the cornbread tonight for the dressing tomorrow. Many of my family traditions have fell by the wayside, but this is a must for Thanksgiving. No other dressing can compare to the way my grandmother made it.

Oops

I can't believe I nearly missed a day this far into NaBloPoMo. It's been a busy week trying to get ready for the holidays at home and at work. Why does work have to double so you can get days off? It's never made much sense to me. I've been thinking a lot about traditions and family, in part because of recent events and in part because this house used to be so full at the holidays. I may work it into a post for a day when I have more time. Just got to keep moving forward. That's all I can do.

I can dream

If I every get independently wealthy, I am going to pay to have my groceries delivered. Today's shopping did not put me in the holiday spirit.

Short week

I'm looking forward to two four-day workweeks in a row, but first there is a lot to do. Crossed two things off my list this weekend. It felt good, so I'm going to push for another few before B arrives Tuesday and the Thanksgiving feast on Thursday. With big changes in the works at the office, I'd like to have my home life a little more orderly.

Getting ready

Cleaning out the refrigerator in preparation for the Thanksgiving feast has unveiled some self-truths.
1- We eat out way too much. I basically just threw money in the trash because we didn't eat what I bought.
2- I am desperately out of shape. Cleaning the refrigerator should not make one sweat.
3- I takes me longer to think about doing housework than it does to just do it. I need to get with the program.

Guilty pleasures

Slowing my roll with a new Kid Rock CD and facebook games while waiting for our steaks to be delivered. I've been thinking of something profound to say all day and it just isn't happening, so I'm just going to enjoy a few guilty pleasures.

On the lighter side: the feast

I have looked at literally a hundred or more Thanksgiving recipes in the last few weeks while building Food and Life & Times pages and here are my conclusions.

1- Stuffing or dressing: Dressing, cornbread. Any other kind is pointless.
2- I like vanilla and I love pepper, but I am never going to try that recipe for vanilla pepper turkey. That sounds vile.
3- Keep it simple. Green beans do not require 10 other ingredients.
4- Marshmallows do not belong on vegetables. Sweet potatoes are sweet enough, hence the name.
5- Nobody makes pecan pie like my great grandmother. Her recipe is the best. It is unnecessary to try to change it by adding chocolate or turning it upside down.

Small pieces

One of these days I'm going to figure out how to make everyone happy, but for now I'm going to worry about making me and a select few a little more happy.

It's an amazing universe

NASA's Chandra Finds Youngest Nearby Black Hole I love that NASA offers so many gorgeous pictures of wonderful things. Sometimes I look through its gallery just to feel small and insignificant. It puts things in perspective.
Photo credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/D.Patnaude et al, Optical: ESO/VLT, Infrared: NASA/JPL/Caltech

I know how it feels

The pushmi-pullyu (pronounced "push-me-pull-you") is an "gazelle-unicorn cross" which has two heads (one of each) at opposite ends of its body. When it tries to move, both heads try to go in opposite directions. Dr. Dolittle meets it on his voyage to Africa to save monkeys. (See: The Story of Doctor Dolittle) Source: Wikipedia

Passenger

I'm not the conductor or the engineer, I'm just along for the ride.
Inspiration via Mom

Less is more

Some days I would just like to trade all this drama in on some comedy or maybe even a good mystery.

Off kilter

Being sick is one of my least favorite things. Being sick on my days off is even worse. So only a few things for my Life Unchained list. Then another aspirin and back to bed.
20- Spin yarn.
21- Conquer a fear.
22- Learn to roller skate.
23- Take a trip by train.

War and the written word

War made me. No, I'm not a veteran. But if it weren't for World War II and a handwritten letter I wouldn't be who I am. How does a young man from the dusty desert of West Texas met a young woman from Michigan's Great Lakes Bay region? Written on the camp's gold embossed stationery and dated in August of 1943:

Dear Miss Shirley,
Louis Sylvester told me about you so I thought I might write to you. I hope you don't mind.

She didn't.
They began to write back and forth. Beautiful letters that go from Miss Shirley to Shirley Darling. After he returned home from Europe, they got married and moved to Texas to start a family. They had three sons, the eldest would become a war veteran himself. That son would elope to Mexico with young redheaded woman before he shipped out to Vietnam. His daughter was born while he was in Southeast Asia. He came home when she was nine months old and they have been trying to make up for lost time ever since.

So I guess you could say two wars made me. I not only owe my freedom to veterans, I owe my life to two of them. My grandparents' love started with a letter. That love grounded me and gave me a touchstone in my life. I miss them everyday.

So this Veterans Day, thank a veteran and don't forget their loved ones either. It isn't easy being the loved one of someone serving their country. It takes great strength to serve and great strength to share the sacrifices of one who serves.