Strange Days.

11/26/19

South Dakota's anti-meth campaign; yes, they're on it.

Writing, like life, is a strange thing. And writing about your life can sometimes be even stranger. Some days I feel like I have a lot to say, a lot on my mind, and then suddenly, nope- nothing to say- nothing going on here- vacuous. I'm stumbling over words like I feel like I'm stumbling through my life- lots of unsettledness, despite the fact that things have settled down. As we enter into the holiday season, why do I feel like I'm entering a Twilight Zone marathon instead? Maybe because I saw Xmas decorations slinking around the Halloween aisles before October 31st? Or that Christmas music has invaded some airwaves already and Thanksgiving has been kicked from it's perch to the curb in favor of Black Friday shopping starting at 6pm of Turkey Day. And the ads. Even though I'm technically in the business, I can't stand it all being shoved down my throat this week; a Santa suck-sack of commercialism being delivered daily to your door. Just give me some coal please and call it a season. So maybe I will get through the next 6 weeks on a diet of Bah Humberger. Aliza and I and my bro-in-law Matt will continue our approximately 15 year tradition of going to Chinatown for hot pot. Our number's are down again, since Ben will be celebrating in LaLa Land where the turkeys wear yoga pants and sun glasses to blend in with the locals and avoid capture. What they don't realize is that it's really the kale and quinoa that need to be very afraid and who will die of consumption, which at least no longer means tuberculosis these days (clearly I've been watching too much Peaky Blinders).

My life is clanging along; still working my Harvard Senior Designer contract, but that's ending soon unfortunately, so I'll definitely need a new gig to replace it. Nothing ever feels permanent these days in my life, except my teaching, even though that always feels it could change year-to-year. Change is good they say, except when it's not. Some stability in my future, would really be welcome. One could argue, I suppose, that things have been somewhat "steady", in comparison to what was previously my life, especially regarding work, and my kids. My personal life is still what it is- a book with a cover and a bunch of empty pages inside. Maybe that's too corny and metaphorical- it sounded ok when I wrote it but now just sounds, um, douchey (sp?). And now it just sounds gross so there I've gone and ruined the whole damn thing. My life is like a box of chocolates! But in my house those chocolates always had finger-punched holes in the underside from being poked and goosed by everyone to see what was inside. So there you go, I'm back at gross again. Full circle. I need a unicorn, and more cowbell please.

So I think my life is really like watching the democratic debates, or maybe the impeachment hearings. Boring overall, mindlessly numbing at times with an occasional interesting flurry, but necessary to get through somehow, to move onto the next steps. I'm hopeful to maybe find love, or great like again one day- a topic for some other day I'm sure. And I hope my career survives my life's ups and downs of these last couple of years, and eventually gets me back to that good place, whatever it is. So enjoy Thanksgiving everyone- it's been well over 30 years since I've eaten turkey, and though I may have had the stuffing kicked out of me these last couple of years, I will still enjoy the time with family and friends. No harm, and no fowl.