December 2018

Chaos.

It’s New Year’s Eve Eve and honestly, I’m looking forward to what 2019 brings. My biggest wish is the New Year will bring some sanity back to our country because honestly, this constant chaos coming out of Washington, D.C. is exhausting. Kids are dying in detention centers along the border, Flint, Mich. still doesn’t have drinkable water, the stock market has turned into some demented yo-yo (watching one’s retirement fall apart is particularly fun), and loon’s are still running around trying to rationalize and explain the babbling of a man who’s unfit to be labeled a human being let alone in charge of something like the United States. This chaos is exhausting, but if you’re not paying attention to the chaos then it feels like you’re being immoral or something.

Something has got to give.

A while back I watched some episodes of the old television series “Maude” on YouTube. The episodes have since been removed because someone’s pocket wasn’t making enough spare change, but one episode in particular sticks out. It was a New Year’s Eve party episode and no one wants to celebrate because the country was in such a turmoil and the following year wasn’t looking any brighter. I want to say it was the 1973-1974 New Year highlighted in this episode. Nixon was a crook, gas was scarce, the economy was going down the toilet, and everyone had to drive 55. People were cranky then just like people are cranky now.

I want to be an optimist and think that 2019 is going to bring much better things to our country, but part of me fears it will be same-old, same-old. I keep thinking this can’t go on forever, but it feels like every week is another year gone by and there’s another round of idiocy and associated outrage.

Write something good in the comments to this post and let’s celebrate New Year’s together. I’ll start.

Dancing.

Apparently after a couple rounds of drinks at the local pub I felt the need to sing “My Heart Will Go On”. Earl was kind enough to take a photo.

I do not remember this incident.

Happy.

So on Christmas Day we maintained a tradition we started a couple of years ago; we played the “Happy Yule log” non-stop, all day long, on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel. The music, coupled with the images of the fire and a very content dog and cat made our holiday just a little bit more special. This year the dog and cat, whom are both named “Happy”, were joined by puppies, kittens, ducklings, and a pig.

The holidays are always better when friends are invited over.

I got to wondering about the two stars of this video so I did some Internet research. Happy the Dog was rescued from the streets of Los Angeles a few years ago. Happy the Cat came from a shelter in Ohio; he’d lived at the shelter for two years. I believe both live with the CEO of the Hallmark channels.

As I was doing some research on these two happy furry friends, I was surprised by the small number of comments folks made, basically complaining about the Yule log video that played all day long. They paid their cable bill for movies and they wanted their money’s worth!

Wow, people are selfish.

I’m happy that both Happy the Cat and Happy the Dog are around to share some festive love with their audience. I look forward to seeing them next year.

Gifting.

Someone has been enjoying the game controller I bought for the Apple TV. He does not enjoy the text input feature linking his iPhone to the Apple TV, but he does like the game controller. So far the game of choice is Sinkr.

22.

Earl and I have been married 22 years. That’s like Allen Ludden and Betty White years. When asked why she didn’t marry again, Betty White responded “when you’ve had the best why settle for anything else?”

I totally get that.

22 years ago tonight I married my best friend. That’s the way to do it, folks.

Humanity.

Cross-posted from my Facebook feed.

Today I’ve posted pictures of successful baking adventures, wished a loved one and a friend both happy birthdays, and shared a wonderful photo of a cherished memory. As we move into Christmas Eve, I wish each and every person that reads this the most joyous of days, no matter how or if you choose to celebrate.

This evening on CBS’ “Madam Secretary”, the story line reminded us of what’s still going on our southern border today: children separated from their parents who are seeking asylum in the United States. The episode broke my heart and had me in tears from the beginning minutes of the story. We can share all the cat photos (I love cats!) and cake photos and merry moments photos here on Facebook, and it’s great that we can do that, but we must never lose sight of a worldwide view, and how the moral foundation of what made this country great is rapidly eroding. Sticking our heads in the sand does not make this country great. Ignorance is not bliss.

The people of the United States deserve honest, truthful leadership. We deserve representatives that work for the people. But most importantly, we the people must never turn our back on basic humanity, and we must never allow our representatives to do so.

All of us reading this post are fortunate to be where we want to be in life and to have the opportunity to share good tidings with anyone we choose. Others come to the U.S. to seek the same, escaping a life that we probably can’t even imagine, and we turn them away or worse yet, separate parents from their children as a deterrent.

This does not make us great. Our humanity brings greatness to this country. Every night I pray this inhumane nightmare will come to an end in the New Year. The sooner, the better.

Happy Holidays.

The Little Things.

It’s the little things that make the holiday season special. It’s not about mauling other shoppers for the cheapest 55-inch television, or trying to impress with the latest, most expensive, soon-to-be-obsolete gadget.

It’s about holding the door. Running the vacuum. A pair of gloves. A love note written with a Sharpie on the remains of a notepad. It’s about making new traditions, reveling in memories, sharing warm tidings.

No one should dictate how you convey these thoughts. Any glad tiding should be received as the gift was offered. The words don’t matter, it’s the intent that should make an impression.

Be of good cheer. Share warmth, not judgment. And make this holiday, no matter how or when you choose to celebrate, if you celebrate at all, one to remember with pleasant memories.