Tag Archives: Holidays

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Beer and Thesis Art

My refrigerator looks like I think that I have four kids. I didn’t even know that my son was spending Easter with his Dad. I sure bought a lot of food. When my son’s not on Ritalin, which is most Fridays through Sunday, he really can’t think about what he is doing day-to-day. It’s fine. He needs to see his Dad.

I’m going to bike to the gym today because I can’t get in my car again without losing my mind. I’ll leave at 9:45. I just have to finish this entry and coffee and walk the dogs and then I’ll take a very quick shower before I lift. I need to add some more concentrated tricep work. (Why does WordPress think that isn’t a word? I could go downstairs and look at the female muscle poster in my laundry room to get the full name, but I’m not going to.)

I do need to clean again. Why I let me ex-wife convince me that we should have more than my dog for pets will always be an exercise in my foolishness. It gets so hairy and dusty in my house. I don’t know if I will clean today, but I probably can on Thursday. Maybe I should just write out nightly chores for my son. I think that is the best idea, because we’re busy today.

The nice guy is in a samba performance this afternoon, so my son and I are going. My Boss is Jewish, so I invited her to join us considering that she may not have specific Easter plans. Otherwise, it will just be my son and I. I don’t know if my other colleague is joining with her 4-year-old daughter, but she may. She’s Jewish too.

Yesterday I did get to see my colleague’s thesis. It was phenomenal. She had archival photos of intentional housing from the 70s, 80s, and 90s that were from common areas in a building that was designated as retirement housing for former teachers in a large district in the mountain west. She had taken almost the same shots today in black and white and had them framed next to the archival photos. Her thesis was that community is gone, older people are not supported, and that people don’t interact in 2023. My favorite was taken outside the building in 1995 and showed senior men playing putt putt and the 2022 picture is the same shot and is a park bench with no one on it with some grass in the foreground. Gone is the little golf course and people playing.

I was moved by other work too. I sent one about wolves and loss to my colleague who almost died. She is really working on the loss of her Dad these days. I also think a lot about wildfire and enjoyed a watercolor book and mixed media exhibit about the devastation that occurred recently in rural NM.

After I was there about 45-minutes, I got back to my bike and saw that a brewery our community cycling group had sampled in September last fall. I thought, “There are no coincidences,” and went and had a 3 taster flight and then a pint. I was super loaded; although, I didn’t have more than 24-ounces. Thank goodness a handmade pizza company had set up there so I could stay and eat. I did the overheard conversation porn for awhile, which was super entertaining and then a young straight couple with a purebred dog chatted with me too. The woman had the same first name as me. My name is very common, but it was still cool and their dog loved me.

I laid pretty low in the evening. I made asparagus and roast chicken but my son came home an hour late and also ate out. I wasn’t irritated with him though. He can’t follow rules and I would be the one with the problem if I kept expecting him to do so. At least if he’s vaping and doing drugs, he hasn’t done them in my house recently. Having smoke in the house like I did weeks ago is so traumatizing for me. And who knows what metal shit is in those vape devices?!? No thanks. I did return a container to my best friend’s singing partner and put asparagus and chicken in it. I didn’t stay at their house long, but invited them to dinner. I think now that we’ve talked more, they’ll come over. I’m going to portion 5 lunches to my friend who is still caretaking the house. Her brother just died. I’ll put those in her freezer at the house so she won’t have to cook when she comes back from TX.

Happy Easter and belated Happy Passover and may Ramadan and possible fasting be going well!

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay
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Poor Life Choices

I’m facing the postscript music of too many beers and a large shot of Patron Silver this morning. Danced and sang. There was one really pretty girl in the bar who seemed to be having a first date that was going well. My friend did a duet with a really tall dark haired pretty girl which was fun to watch, and that girl took my friend’s number but lives elsewhere and is going through a divorce.

Something that I find cool about karaoke in general is that folks who are not striking have the most captivating voices. Every night you go, there is true talent. I bought a girl a shot. She was AMAZING. I just drank too much and feel like shit today. No drinks for T Day and none for a week to give my body a break. I usually crack a beer when I cook, but can’t stomach that idea at all.

I just have to bring beer and make brussels sprouts for my cousin’s shindig today, so it’s a low lift for me. Last year was my Mom’s last holiday. I did my usual cook up a storm for the family and brought food to the receptionist at the Nursing Home. I also made a big plate for the driver for my Mom from the Nursing Home to my house. Life had a rhythm that has changed since my parents died. Last Thanksgiving we sang, played piano, guitar and drummed and my Mom was lucid and happy. There are lots of pictures. I’ve sent the picture of her sister, her in her wheelchair with me and my son to lots of people. I’m glad that my ex wife had discharged from a crisis unit the day before Thanksgiving last year and took that shot and many other pictures. My Mom died at 2 am six-days after Thanksgiving.

Last night, the bar owner belted “The Story,” which was apropos because my son and I had just listened to “Bear Creek” on Tuesday together. I played a few other songs too. I just realized why I got so sullen listening to “The Eye” by Brandi Carlile. It’s because my ex wife was just a year ago completely suicidal and barely discharged for Thanksgiving. Terrifying. I miss things for sure, but not much over the last three years. I can look at pictures of us now wherein we’d always place our heads together in the same position for a pic at a trailhead, on a mountain, on a beach, in a forest, park or in some urban setting outside walking around. I can look at those easily. We had some really good times. Caring for someone with significant mental illness is so trying and drowns out those other good memories if you don’t explore them. Like the picture of my Mom last Thanksgiving, I’m glad that I have pictures of my ex-wife and I enjoying life in moments in time outdoors.

Even with lots of water last night and early morning, I am really dehydrated. I’m almost done with my coffee and nowhere near my normal pee quota. On Mondays, because we’re squished right now at work while a program relocates next fall, I have to interrupt other people working, teaching, presenting, and meeting because I have to pee out coffee and cross over other rooms to get to the bathroom. Sucks. Right now, I am obviously just absorbing the liquid. Time to shower, do a full body weights routine and drink as many glasses of whey that I can. Later, I’ll nest a couple of eggs and oven two Trader Joe’s hash browns, and if that doesn’t cure the hangover, I hope turkey and fixings does.