My Take on Holiday Sadness A huge hurt builds inside me. My father died on Christmas Day 1986. It is a familiar, old hurt. This past year freshly layered that hurt with new hurts and loss. All four of my brothers have passed on. One in 1998, another in 2005. Mom died in 2007. Then I quickly lost my last two brothers in the Autumn of 2014 and the Summer of 2015. My … [Read more...] about When Christmas is Sad
Late Boomer
Christmas Music
We all have our favorite music. But when it comes to Holiday music, I have found that people have very strong preferences. I have seen perfectly innocuous Gene Autry Christmas compilations drive 20-somethings up the wall after a mere two play-throughs. Alvin and the Chipmunks can set … [Read more...] about Christmas Music
Who Needs Excitement When There Is Synchronicity
Sometimes when a task has become familiar through repetition, it is difficult to be excited by it, no matter how much fun or benefit will come from completing the task. That is where I was a in the couple days prior to finally prepping and packing to drive on my solo road trip to the mid-west and back. I made the decision to attend my 40th High School Class Reunion. In and … [Read more...] about Who Needs Excitement When There Is Synchronicity
Keep on Keepin' On – The Meme
When underground comix were de rigueur, Robert Crumb created a character that was depicted as walking determinedly down the street that popularized the phrase, "Keep on Trucking." This phrase was probably influenced by "keep on keepin' on" that was a phrase in Tangled Up In Blue by Dylan. The phrase means to just keep on living life and putting one foot in front of the other … [Read more...] about Keep on Keepin' On – The Meme
Clouds of Late Fifties Funk
I have been in a funk and giving myself a pity party for the last several weeks. First I realized my magical year was ending as my 58th birthday rolled around a couple weeks ago. Born in 1957 my 57th year was to be magical or golden according to contemporary mythology I chose to embrace. This past year has been eventful, but magical is stretching it a bit. Then I realized I … [Read more...] about Clouds of Late Fifties Funk