Thanksgiving a la 2017

No two Thanksgivings are the same. 

I'm not dressed up in my Sunday best, headed off to Grandma's house. I'd actually considered staying in my jammies all day, but decided I might as well get dressed before a special meal.

I didn't display a lot of pumpkins or turkey window clings, but my Thanksgiving flag is hanging out in the breeze.

I did watch the parade on TV this morning. While it's changed a lot over the years, it's still a part of my Thanksgiving.

We're not having turkey, but there are lots of favorites on deck. And any leftovers will actually get eaten and enjoyed.

We're not around a table for eight, or 12, or 20, but we are at the table with those we love.

I didn't have to work today, but, hey, I've got a job and go to work 40 hours each week. It's been a long time since I could say that, and I am deeply, genuinely thankful for this opportunity.

I haven't talked to my mom yet today, but I know she'll be there when I call later, and I recognize how blessed I am by our hour-long calls every week or so.

I haven't talked to my best friend today. We don't see each other face to face as often as we'd like (she lives way on the other side of town), but there is yet another true blessing in having a friend for more than half your life. A person who has been with you at every stage, good and bad, and loves you back through it all.

My other dear friend has been gone just over a year. That still doesn't feel right.  But, you guessed it. I was blessed to have known her and been able to share so much with her for so long. The memories come back at the smallest word or image. Not the least of these memories is of attending a David Cassidy concert together 16 years ago. How many of you can say that about one of your friends? For that, and for all the other memories, I am forever thankful.

And I didn't dress up in a gunnysack costume with felt "eyes" glued on it for a 7th grade play. Then again, I wouldn't want to do that every Thanksgiving.

No two Thanksgivings are the same. For every fourth Thursday in November past, present, and future, I am thankful.

What's the Date?

Today's date? September 24.

Yesterday's date? September 23.

OK, so I'm a day late celebrating my own birthday. But I'm not going to be too hard on myself. As I looked back, I see I haven't mentioned my birthday here very often, only in 2013 and 2014. But that's OK. I've never seen a rule that says one must promote themselves in that fashion. Perhaps it also means that I had things I'd rather do on my birthday than talk about myself.

How did I celebrate?

Well, I marked what I consider to be the first day of autumn. Some years, the autumnal equinox (I just love saying that) falls on September 22nd. But I only accept it on the 23rd. This year, we're experiencing a bit of a heat wave. The temperature was in the high 80s on the first day of fall! You won't hear me complaining, at least not where anyone else can hear me.

I watched the TV shows I wanted to watch. It's kind of an unofficial rule in our house that the birthday kid gets control of the remote if they so desire. There wasn't a lot on that caught my eye, but I did enjoy my retro shows (tweeting along online as usual) and some mindless channel surfing.

I did lots of nothing. That's also sort of a rule here. No chores, no cleaning. Only what you want to do, if anything.

And I worked in the morning. Yes, I have an actual paying job again. I haven't talked about it much. Perhaps a little superstitious. Don't want to jinx anything. I wasn't looking for this particular job, but it came to me. It's at a good place with good people. And once I've spent a little more time there, I'm going to be darn good at it.

Yesterday was September 23. My birthday.

Today is September 24. National Punctuation Day.

Some of us treasure punctuation more than others, and we celebrate it. I can combine the two holidays. As I look at my life--past, present, and future--I see lots of punctuation. There have been exclamation points when something has surprised or excited me! At times, life makes you stop and think; events pause and connect to other events. Have you ever looked at a question mark and wondered what's coming next? Maybe you just aren't ready to stop thinking about something... 

The last year has brought moments both happy and sad. There have been changes, both sought after and unexpected. But a period at the end of my journey is nowhere in sight. The question now is, what will I bring to this next year of my story!?

A Day for Memories

Sunday, June 18.

This year, the date is highlighted on my calendar for two reasons. There are two reasons to celebrate, yet there are two reasons to mourn.

We honor fathers, those men who love and teach their children throughout their lives. It is also the birthday of one of my closest friends. And I can't wish a happy day to either of them.

My dad's been gone for more than six years. Father's Day brings back a little sting. But it probably also renews my appreciation for him. He provided a good life for us. Sure, we had our rough spots. But in hindsight, a lot of things he said or did that annoyed me when I was young were done in love. Everyone shows that in a different way. We weren't particularly overtly affectionate, but he always reminded me to "stay with the group" and "watch for deer." That, my friends, is love. I know I've inherited a lot of his characteristics, some for better, some for worse. I've been cleaning out some old boxes of mementos lately, and every day I come across a card or note that is uniquely Daddy. I've recycled a lot of old paper, but some of these are going right back in the "keep" box.

That close friend has been gone only seven months. That sting is still fairly fresh. Surely, life still goes on for the rest of us. We had so much in common, yet I still had so much to learn from her. We knew each other like only close girlfriends can, yet there was still so much to share with each other. She knew how much she was loved and by how many people. Of that, I have no doubt. Yet there were still so many lives she could have touched. I have mementos. I have text messages. I have this blog, which I might not have started writing without her encouragement. And, in spite of her, I will always have my Oxford Comma.

Although this day can feel somewhat melancholy, I'm not going to shed any tears. OK, there might be a few misty moments. But I am going to celebrate this day. I am going to celebrate the relationship I had with Daddy. So many don't have that privilege for more reasons than can be counted. I am going to celebrate the birth of one of my dearest friends. So many have never developed that sort of bond with another person. I am going to celebrate two amazing people with whom I was blessed to spend time.

So light the grill. Raise a glass. Make a phone call. Share a hug. Say thank you. 

Today. Any day. Every day. 

Make those memories today, and may you treasure them for all your tomorrows.

Spring is Springing!

Whew! Got that done! Well, not all of it. But enough of it.

When you don't rake well in the fall, you have that much more to do in the spring. But that's OK. After another long winter, a little sunshine and the thermometer rising above 60 degrees, or even 50 degrees, gets many of us itching to just be outside. No boots or hats or mittens or scarves! Dare we crack open a window or two, just a smidge? That's one thing about living in Wisconsin. We have well-defined seasons, and I think we appreciate each one, especially as they change from one to another. 

Last weekend, I simply had to get outside to do something. I don't ride a bike, jog, hike, or go fishing. So my fresh air and sunshine comes from yard work. The lilies and tulips were poking through, and I just wanted to get rid of anything brown, gray, or dead from the area. (Sometimes you need to clean the brown and gray from your emotional life, too, but that's a post for another time.) I started to rake out the flower boxes and rearrange the solar lights and gazing balls. It's so satisfying for me because I can measure my progress as I go along and see how close I am to the end of the project. As I was raking merrily away, I heard a "hello" behind me. It was the neighbor man from across the street.

Now, I should tell you that he's lived kitty corner from us for about 20 years. I finally introduced myself last fall when I could no longer resist the urge to get a closer look at his Jurassic Park display in the yard. Yes, twinkling lights, mannequins, signs, and large dinosaur models. He said he was just inspired one night and started his collection the next day. I think he genuinely likes to watch little kids enjoy the spectacle, and I know he enjoys talking to the parents and any other passersby. When I walked across the street last year, he proudly gave me the grand tour. There...the neighborly ice had been officially broken. Better late than never.

Back to the present. Since we had finally become acquainted with each other, he apparently felt comfortable enough to come over and ask for my help when he saw me outside. He just needed another set of hands to get some boots on one of his tour-guide mannequins. (Is his display a bit over-the-top? Perhaps. But it makes him happy and doesn't infringe my personal space, so to each his own.) That was an easy enough task for me to assist with, and that's what neighbors are for, right? When we were finished, he offered to lend his leaf blower to me. Wait..."offered" is a bit mild. He truly insisted. I tried to politely decline, but I think he would have been disappointed if I'd flat-out refused. So I brought it back across the street to our house. I wrote down some of my thoughts on neighbors a few years ago. A leaf blower never entered my mind as a part of that sort of relationship. But it certainly fits the "helpful and friendly" aspect of it.

I decided on Saturday that it was time to bring out the big guns and rake the lawn. I've done it all by hand before, but I felt obligated to use the borrowed leaf blower. I didn't want to offend him by never using it. The bushes in our yard have never been cleaned out of leaves so well! It was still a lot of work, but it was still easier than trying to squeeze a rake in between everything. I dusted off the leaf blower and returned it with genuine thanks. I was on a roll and raked the rest of the front yard today. Now, one blister, two sore biceps, and an impressive pile of leaves and such later, the highest priority yard maintenance work is done. Who's going to pour me a celebratory glass of wine?

Did I have a point to sharing this? Why, yes, yes I did. Just a few philosophical thoughts in addition to patting myself on the back for accomplishing a physically tough task on my to-do list. 

Spring is a good time for some old-fashioned out with the old, in with the new. Cleaning, raking, wardrobe shuffling, and the like. Nature is refreshing and renewing, and many of us feel an urge to do the same in our lives. And while I'm eagerly anticipating the tulips and lilacs, I think I've already experienced some of this spring's new growth. The man with the dinosaurs is no longer simply "that guy across the street." I think we might be on our way to becoming actual neighbors.

Enjoy whatever springtime means to you. Plant something. Paint something. Walk somewhere. Nurture something. Take a big breath of fresh spring air. You never know when an opportunity to refresh part of your life will present itself.

Farewell to Grimm

And now, we have come to the end of the Grimm journey. Six seasons of supernatural fun and mystery loosely based on the stories of the Grimm brothers. A modern-day police detective encounters Wesen, creatures that can appear human but are really the stuff of fairy tales, both good and bad. Crimes were solved, lives were saved, loves were won and lost. 

Was it my favorite show of all time? No, certainly not. But I made a point of watching this nice mix of drama and fantasy. And it enjoyed an active fan base on social media. While I didn't get as many interactions on my tweets during the finale as I did the previous week, that didn't stop me from spouting my reactions.

Turning the TV on early so I don't miss the final opening onscreen quote. #Grimm #GrimmFinale

6:53 PM - 31 Mar 2017

0 replies 0 retweets 1 like

It may be ending, but we'll always have #ShirtlessRage. #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:01 PM - 31 Mar 2017

0 replies 0 retweets 1 like

Maybe Bud will rush in to save the day. #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:06 PM - 31 Mar 2017

0 replies 1 retweet 3 likes

A Grimm, a Wesen, and a Hexenbiest walk into a bar... #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:07 PM - 31 Mar 2017

1 reply 2 retweets 10 likes

Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me...or kill me...or heal me...or... #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:11 PM - 31 Mar 2017

0 replies 0 retweets 0 likes

Give her a Milky Way! #NoRegrets #NoRegerts #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:18 PM - 31 Mar 2017

0 replies 0 retweets 4 likes

We all need to curl up in a giant Monroe sweater to get us through this. #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:22 PM - 31 Mar 2017

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"Keep it together!" I think Adalind was talking as much to them as she was to us. #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:25 PM - 31 Mar 2017

1 reply 7 retweets 6 likes

Little Miss Purple Eyes, meet Mr. Green Eyes. #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:27 PM - 31 Mar 2017

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That gaping hole in his chest is going to mess with the #ShirtlessRage look. #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:32 PM - 31 Mar 2017

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Can we all go back through the mirror now? #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:34 PM - 31 Mar 2017

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Are there any more books in Portland that might hold the secret to destroying Zerstorer? #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:38 PM - 31 Mar 2017
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For guys it's always about their sticks, isn't it. #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:42 PM - 31 Mar 2017

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I was SO hoping to see Aunt Marie again! #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:45 PM - 31 Mar 2017

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You thought Charlie's Angels were tough? They've got nothing on Grimm's Angels! #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:48 PM - 31 Mar 2017

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Blood...blood will keep us together. Think of me, #Grimm, whenever... 🎶 #GrimmFinale

7:51 PM - 31 Mar 2017

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But what about Scarecrow and Tin Man? Are they OK there, too? #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:56 PM - 31 Mar 2017

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We all know that family don't end in blood. #Supernatural #Grimm #GrimmFinale

7:58 PM - 31 Mar 2017

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Don't even joke! "@michaelgolamco: Nick: Everyone's alive!

Cut to: Bud being murdered #GrimmFinale"

8:00 PM - 31 Mar 2017

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Farewell now to Nick, Monroe, Rosalee, Hank, Wu, Juliette/Eve, Renard, Adalind, Bud, and the rest. Woge in peace!

What Did I Say While Watching Grimm Tonight?

Some people write about TV shows. They might summarize the plot or offer their personal opinion of the episode. Others write film ratings and reviews. You can find pages and pages of individuals' thoughts on books, games, restaurants, products...just about anything.

Do I want to analyze anything that carefully, much the way I did in my college literature classes? Does anyone want my opinion on anything I enjoy? A day may come, but it is not this day. 

I do have fun, though, tweeting along as I watch TV. I've found lots of other folks who do the same thing. Sometimes it feels as if I'm tweeting into a black hole, but most often there is playful interaction in the twittersphere. And I love getting those interactions! It's almost as good as watching with a group of friends, without ever having to say shhhhhhh!

Want to know what you're missing if you're not following me, ProofingSandy, on Twitter? Here are my Twitter thoughts during tonight's episode of Grimm ("Zerstorer Shrugged" S. 6 Ep. 12). I've watched this show since the beginning, and there is only one episode left. *sigh* If you watched, you'll understand. If not, then you probably aren't going to read any further anyway. 

"You shall break them with a rod." But...but...thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. It all depends who's wielding the rod. #Grimm
7:03 PM - 24 Mar 2017
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Lucky that tonight's episode wasn't unexpectedly preempted! "@GrimmWriters: MARCH 24th! Eeeerie #Grimm"
7:09 PM - 24 Mar 2017
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The hitchhiker didn't need a guide. Did he bring a towel? #Grimm #DontPanic
7:16 PM - 24 Mar 2017
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It must be bad if creepy Diana is that scared! #Grimm
7:18 PM - 24 Mar 2017
15 replies 36 retweets 173 likes

Now that was some ancient, biblical #ShirtlessRage. #Grimm
7:20 PM - 24 Mar 2017
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You never forget your first Blutbad. #Grimm
7:30 PM - 24 Mar 2017
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Oh, Monroe. Talk artsy and French to me. Then speak in German some more. #Grimm
7:38 PM - 24 Mar 2017
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Did he say "being in the wrong place at the wrong time" or "PEEing in the wrong place..."? #Grimm
7:40 PM - 24 Mar 2017
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The devil went down to Portland, he was lookin' for a child-bride to steal. 🎶🎻 #Grimm
7:44 PM - 24 Mar 2017
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Is there a petition we can sign to get Wu a well-earned promotion when all this is done? @MrReggieLee #Grimm
7:52 PM - 24 Mar 2017
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Oh...no...you...did...NOT! #Grimm
7:58 PM - 24 Mar 2017
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Oh...no...you...did...NOT...part 2! #Grimm
7:59 PM - 24 Mar 2017
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I used to like the @GrimmWriters. Now, I'm not too happy with them. 😈👿👹💀#Grimm
8:01 PM - 24 Mar 2017
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You'd better believe I'll be checking in the morning to see if I've gotten more Likes. 💓

Time Flies

Does it? Does time fly? Sometimes it just creeps. Perhaps it marches on. Or maybe, it crawls. 

Tonight we lose an hour in order to "gain" an hour of daylight. I will spend time resetting clocks in the house.

"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but 'actually' from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint--it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly...time-y wimey...stuff."

Why this seeming fascination with the concept of time? This isn't actually the direction I intended for this post. I'm starting this right around midnight, so that direction is proceeding without GPS. Don't worry. I won't take much of your time.

I simply needed to stop by to commemorate the anniversary of my first blog post on March 11, 2010. So much has changed in seven years, yet so much has not.

How would I summarize the past year or so, based on what I've written? I honored my dad and celebrated my son. I recalled, perhaps even fondly so, some of my nicknames. I was bitten by the PokemonGO bug. I pat myself on the back for what I consider personal social media success. I traveled down memory lane to a time for new friends, and I had to say goodbye to the dearest of "old" friends.

Do I write often, or even regularly? Not really. Nobody's clamoring for my next post. It looks like last year I managed to write about once a month; overall I've averaged twice a month. That works for me. I'd rather write here when the mood strikes rather than when a self-imposed deadline looms. Have I written anything earth-shattering? Life-altering? Ground-breaking? No, and that was never my goal. But I have shared moments of my life with the world at large. Anyone reading any of my posts will get a glimpse into what makes me...ME. And I have given myself a written scrapbook. Good and bad, I can take a peek at any time into, well, any time in the last seven years of my life. 

I may not be able to catch time when it's flying by, but at least I can hold onto a few feathers.

© 2017 ProofingSandy

"Christmas" Newsletter to Dad 2016

Hi, Daddy:

Would you believe me if I told you I fully intended to write to you in December? Good. I don't believe that either. Oh, I thought about it, sure. But I don't think I ever really put together enough ideas. I've come up with a few things to share, though, so get your shoes on, Lucy, and let's get this show on the road!

I know this will upset you deeply, but surely you've heard that the Packers lost the NFC Championship game. They put up a good fight, though, and did pretty well considering how many players were injured throughout the season. I tried to show a little extra support for them. For the last few years, I've made a scarecrow for the porch at Halloween. Nothing fancy. Just some old clothes stuffed with shredded paper or crumpled newspapers. An old trick-or-treat pumpkin bucket for the head and we're good to go! One kid was a little nervous coming to the door, asking if it was going to jump out at him. He must have gotten caught off guard at another house. Personally, I'm all about the candy. I'm not about scaring anyone, which is why I always brush my hair in the morning before anyone sees me. Anyway... I wasn't looking forward to unstuffing the scarecrow when recycling week came around. I put a fair amount of time into it and wanted to get my money's worth (as it were). So, I put an old Christmas sweatshirt on over the flannel shirt and replaced the pumpkin head with a big Santa head decoration. Just like that, I've changed my seasonal decorations without too much fuss or muss! (Honest...this relates to the Packers!) When Christmas was over, I still didn't feel like taking him down. And we had some really snowy and really cold days, too. So, off came the sweatshirt and on went an old Packers shirt. Take off the Santa head and replace it with foam wig head and poof! PackerCrow! Not my best effort, I'll admit. But it's got potential. Next year I will put him together with the plan to use him for a few months rather than  just a few weeks. You could probably see the wheels in my head turning from there! Anyway... Packers done for the year. Might still watch some of the Super Bowl just for the commercials.

As I was reviewing my earlier notes to you, I chuckled a little at how I described one election season as "particularly intense." Clearly, that year was nothing compared to this past year. Both major sides, and some other players in between, went at it full force and took the rest of the country along for the very bumpy ride. I try to avoid talking (or writing) about political issues. I have my opinions, but I am not the sort to try to influence anyone else when they don't want to be influenced. I'll just ask you to stay tuned. It's sure to be a few years unlike almost anything we've seen before today. 

I am still calling Mother every week. OK, almost every week. Yes, our calls still usually last about an hour. No, I still couldn't tell you how we manage to keep up a conversation for that long. We just seem to let it take its natural zigzag course. You know I spent some extra time there this summer. I'm glad I was able to do it. Didn't even get lost in town anywhere, though I didn't really have too many place to go. You might be impressed by the fact that I was able to drive your car out of and into the garage multiple times without scraping anything. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't actually done it myself. Before that, we had the family wedding here. (How can she be old enough?) And the little family reunion was fun, too. Don't get to see the cousins often enough. And I think each family got a skunk of their own. I imagine everyone would like one of the knick knacks for nostalgia but never felt they could just take one. We've got that covered. You might also be glad to hear that your daughters were able to spend some quality time together, too. One never knows what will bring family members closer together. This time, a silly little game on our phones did the trick. It would be kind of hard to explain even if I could show it to you in person. Suffice it to say we learned how to play something together and then enjoyed doing it together. 

For better or worse, I still spend time online. I read stuff, play games, write stuff while I'm watching a TV show, and send an occasional email. Really glad I'm not trying to do it on your old dial-up connection. Every now and again I'll post something that other people like, too. In December, I made one little comment on Twitter, then copied it onto my Tumblr. (I realize you aren't really familiar with these things, but just work with me here. Nod and smile.) At last count, more than 1,400 people "liked" that post. More than one thousand people read a few words of mine! That's kind of cool for little ol' me. (Nod and smile.) Kind of gives me a goal to shoot for next time I think I have something clever to say.

Now, I know you know what was really the big story for me this year. I lost one of my dearest friends in the world. I can only imagine what stories you've been sharing with each other the last couple of months. Don't for a moment think I wasn't saddened and changed when you passed. But not surprisingly, a father-daughter relationship is different than one between girlfriends. There were three of us that had an amazing bond, laughing, crying, talking, sharing...everything you could want from a friendship. Now there are so many things that remind me that she's not here. We can't listen to our favorite comedian's new radio show together. She can't try to convince me that mayonnaise is better than salad dressing. The three of us can't go out together looking adorable in our matching shoes. It had been a long four years that ended in a way I really didn't expect. Perhaps some of us were just avoiding facing reality. I was able to spend some extra time with her, with her husband. and with her incredibly large and supportive circle of friends in the final few weeks. For that, I am thankful. But I wouldn't mind an extra celestial hug now and again when I'm having a blue day.

I think that covers everything for now. I believe you're still watching and checking in (and checking up) so nothing here is really news to you. But daughters should share the big stuff with their dads...and the little stuff, too.

So for now, I'll say "yah, yah" Daddy. Be good, and stay with the group.

03/03/1932 - 12/12/2010


Christmas Newsletter to Dad 2015
"Christmas" Newsletter to Dad 2014
Christmas Newsletter to Dad 2013
Christmas Newsletter to Dad 2012
It's Been a Year 2011