Wednesday, December 31, 2008

New Year's Eve - December 31, 2008

12/31/2008

The Nancy and I are at home struggling to remain awake...it is 11:29.  I have been sitting in my favorite chair hoping the time will pass quickly so I can get the Old Year out and the New Year in, and go to bed at approximately 12:05, January 1, 2009.  I don’t really give a healthy crap about the event.  I am merely doing this to gain points with The Nancy.  She loves this stuff.  I could take it, but would rather like to leave it.  I think of this as no matter what I do, tomorrow will still be the first day of the New Year.

It is now 11:33:  The time is dragging, and this is what I do not understand.  Where the hell did 2008 go?  Just a couple of days ago I sat in this chair hoping 2007 would go away so I could go to bed.  Once this day is over, I will go to bed and wake up to find trees full of leaves and a calendar showing six months have flown by.

I read that time is an invention of mankind.  Time is actually vertical, not horizontal.  There is no past and there is no future, there just is.  Everything that has happened, or will happen, is actually happening at this exact moment.  It just depends in what dimension you are in.  Actually, it only matters what dimension I am in, because none of you exist, except as I create you.  Scientists refer to this as Quantum Mechanics or some bullshit like that.  I like to think of it as okay, since I am really not a deep thinker.

It is 11:44:  I think I have managed to bullshit myself awake, once again.  Mayor Bloomberg is on the TV.  We are listening to, more than watching, the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration.  It is 11:46: There is some goofy woman on the TV attempting to sing something but I cannot understand what the hell she is saying.  People standing near the stage are dancing or just shivering from the cold that looks as if they are dancing.  It is 11:49: One of my eyes is closed and I think my left side is asleep.  Please, God, allow me to make it for another ten minutes.  Thanks, God, that woman is done with her valiant attempt at whatever she was attempting to do - I would not call it singing.  It is 11:51.

Sorry, I had to pee.  It is 11:55:  The countdown has begun. 

2008 has been a great year for me.  I have made it so.  This is my creation and I have loved it.  The economic issues confronting some have not touched The Nancy and me…yet.  My life is perfect and my world is as well.  I am a lucky guy and I so know it.

Just two minutes to go.  I need to wet my lips and get ready to lay one on my bride welcoming in the New Year.  So, with that I wish all of you the absolute best the New Year has to offer you and yours.

Happy New Year!!!

And that is all I have to say about that…

Sunday, December 28, 2008

My iPod and Me...

12/28/2008

The Nancy got me an iPod for Christmas.  I think she hates me.

Today, I took it to my office and “played” around with it for a couple of hours.  The iPod came without any usable, relative instructions, and just try to access the Tutorials on Apple’s website - I don’t think the bright boys at Apple know how to do this crap.  It just about drove me F’ing crazy.  I could learn to hate all things electronic, and I just know the iPod hates me.

I did find out eventually how to upload or download a CD, whichever the hell it is, after only a few hours.  I think I have it down pat, but I am afraid to go to bed because I may forget how to do it.  Now I will have to stay up tonight and load (I threw out the “up” and the “down” to make it easier) all my favorite CDs, all four of them.

I think I need a twelve-year old.

And that is all I have to say about that…

Friday, December 26, 2008

Observation - Christmas 2008

12/26/2008

The Nancy and I survived the day.  At 10pm we drug ourselves to bed having consumed too much food, too much drink and perhaps a slight overdose of kids on a Christmas high.

Christmas 2008 I joined the iPod generation, complete with an iPod docking station.  Dude, I am in tunes!  I can now sit on an airplane and tune out – no pun intended.  I can be in a crowded room in with my ears stuffed with little speakers and completely ignore what is happening around me.  I can listen to Rap and Bach and Willie.  The world can collapse around me and I won’t care because I can be in the Zone.  I am way too cool.  I am a techno-giant, or at least I will be as soon as I figure out how to get music on this gizmo.

We had a wonderful Christmas meal with lots of family surrounding us – The Nancy’s family, past and present.  We sat around a table in the kitchen and talked of good times of Christmases past and Christmases long past.  We talked of people there and some who were not there.  We spoke of those no longer with us and some of those yet to come.  And there was lots of laughter and loads of love.  And there were children there, excited and happy, and boisterous and loud, and they laughed and made me smile.

On the TV over my shoulder “The Bridges of Madison County” was showing.  I so enjoyed the book back in 1992 that I couldn’t help but turn to it every so often.  After the company left I moved into the family room to watch the end of the movie and got a tad emotional as I watched the photographer drive off leaving his reluctant, tearful lover behind. 

As we wound down from the day’s activities The Nancy and Jackie moved back to the kitchen table for a rousing game of Uno with the three boys.  There was laughter and joy for one game.  Then the length of the day kicked in and exhaustion became evident as the boys began to quarrel and the adults had to jump into the parental mode.  It was nearly 10pm and everyone was just about worn out.  It was at that point I announced I had had enough of Christmas 2008 and called it a day.  And I thought as I drifted in to a deep sleep, oh what a day it was!  My 65th Christmas was indeed the best Christmas ever.

And that is all I have to say about that…

Thursday, December 25, 2008

My 65th Christmas - December 25, 2008

12/25/2008

Time: 11:22 AM

Here we are at Jackie’s and Ken’s.  The Nancy and I were awakened by the boys running through the house at just about 5 am.  Loved it! 

The Nancy and I groggily tore ourselves from beneath the covers, stopped by the bathroom (one at a time), and hurriedly dressed ourselves somewhat for the reason we came.

As I passed by Jessica’s room on my way from the bathroom I noticed her with cell phone in hand sending a text message to one of her friends.  I got a kick out of that, mainly because I have never done it, nor do I ever care to do it.  But for our grandchildren it is a way of life, a sign of the times.

By the time we got downstairs to the family room the four kids has secured their places on the couch waiting to begin the gift opening process.  I should add eagerly to that.

Their mother made them wait for the grandparents to sit down and it was driving the kids crazy, especially since The Nancy and I needed coffee first and they wanted to get started.  As soon as we were situated the melee began. 

Wrapping paper was flying every where.  These kids get so much and have so much, there is little thrill in opening gifts.  I remember when I was a kid we took turns opening presents.  My brothers and sisters wanted to make Christmas morning last as long as we could, and we didn’t get but a few presents to open.  These guys opened present after present and hardly looked at what they got before extending their hands for another.

Gifts for kids these days hover around the technical side – lots of electronics like cell phones, iPods, laptops and stuff like that.  No bikes, no clothing or at least very little of it, no footballs, just more up to date gadgets, new and improved.  In a way it was sad, and in another way I loved watching them.  These are special kids and I love them to pieces.

I am a very lucky man.  I have an awesome family, and this is the best Christmas, ever!

And that is all I have to say about that…