A Not So Griswald Christmas

Good morning! How is it going in your world? Did you enjoy Thanksgiving?

The BPM family had a nice time in New Jersey as we were able to venture to the beach and scatter a few of Big M's ashes at the place where he felt most at peace. His sons added a cigar and a shot of whiskey. Then we said a prayer together and went off to stuff ourselves with stuffing, turkey, and roaster vegetables. It was an interesting day and one that I will not forget....



How is the big lefty? Well, he is still working out and has a job where he gets to watch Netflix all day. If the job paid more than minimum wage, he would keep it forever. The toughest part of the job is turning on the television for the people who are working out.

He is also MIA this weekend. I believe that he is afraid that I am going to ask him to help me bring the Christmas decorations up from the basement.

In many ways, he is right. I need his help and he is gone.....or missing....or with friends...or sleeping....or working out....

Mark my words, I will see him again tonight after I put up the Christmas trees with the pups helping me with the tinsel.

Tink and I put the lights up outside on Friday. It took three hours to get them right. I placed them on a timer, like I usually do. After running a few errands late afternoon, I returned home and the lights were not on. Having a slight coronary, I went out in the dark with my flashlight from my cell phone (since all flashlights have disappeared in my home) and fixed the problem with a tweak or two.


Last night, I returned home at 6pm to find two out of 15 sets of lights on. After having a nervous breakdown on this faux pas, I tried to find the problem with my trustworthy cell phone flashlight. To my dismay, I could not figure out what was wrong. Complaining to dad, who is anti lights, he simply said 'hire someone."



Hire someone.....right....hire someone....I already put the lights out....bought more....added more....had them light up....and now, I am going to hire someone and pay them hundreds of dollars to plug them in? Uh, no way, Jose. I am going to figure this one out on my own.....which I did not....

All night long....as I lay in bed, I kept going over the configuration of the lights. What did I do wrong? What have I done right? How do I approach this problem in a logical way? And if I cannot, what do I do? Do I hire someone to re-do the lights, since dad has said repeatedly that I do not have the Christmas light gene in me? True, the lights are askew....and perhaps missing in some spots...and maybe a little sloppy..... but dang it! I wire the outside of the house out of love. Right? %^#(@^))%$#

When the kids were little, we put the Christmas lights up for Santa to  find the house every Christmas eve. What happens this year if only one strand is lit? Will Santa skip us? If I go by Dad's philosophy.....he will pass over our house because there are no longer milk and cookies and lights up? Why do  I even bother? Who cares? Anyone? Someone?



Actually, I care. I want the house to look like a home and be festive. So, if I have to stand outside in the rain today until I find the faulty wire or light, then, doggoneit, I am going to do it.



With that said, I am going out with my boots on to figure out what the heck is wrong.

peace!

Parenting Cliff Notes

Good morning! I have two more papers to grade, then bam! I am done with formal classes until April. Does this mean what I think it means? Well, by jingo, it certainly does. It means that I now have a magazine to write and edit with interviews to conduct among other fun tasks. Ahhh...I laugh when people think all I do is stand in class and crack a few jokes. Hey, I am molding people's lives too. This is a pretty big responsibility....it's not brain surgery or working at NASA trying to land the space shuttle, but important....
 


Now I can focus my attention on traveling and the big kid. Tink is on cruise control, so all is well. I have not heard from him since Friday which can mean one or two things....someone has him preoccupied.....(nah)

He is studying like a fiend (...nah...)

He is hung over from the weekend of partying (...more like it...)

Yes, on Friday, when we spoke, I mentioned that in order to be a whole person, he had to focus on the body, mind, and spirit.  After all, we are more than our ability to throw a ball right? Click.

Sigh. He did not want to hear what I had to say...so...."Got to go and study...bye mom...."

What do I feel about this lack of consideration when I am pontificating? Well, I compare it to when I am teaching. I can see students text, cruise the internet, hit twitter, facebook, sleep, and order shoes. What makes him any different from my students? Nothing. He is the same age with the same inclinations. Therefore, what do I expect? Respect?

The question remains: can I turn off the lecture and just listen to what is in his heart and head? Upon reflection, I most certainly can. But, when I do that and listen, he is quiet and then asks for advice. When he asks for advice, I have to give it to him in the only way that I know how...in the form of a lecture. The advice has an introduction, body of comments, and conclusion. It can take a few minutes or longer. Yet, I can always tell when he checks out. Sadly, this is the way that I have operated for years.















Should I change? Can I? Perhaps as he finishes his degree, I can pull back and just give him the Cliff notes.

 



I have the following Cliff notes in my library should anyone want them:
1. Pick you up when you are down
2. Everyone does not hate you
3. You are not a loser
4. God does not make junk
5. Don't listen to what they say
6. The coach is an idiot
7. You have me in your corner
8. I am your biggest fan
9. You have to take care of your body, mind, and spirit
10. Nutrition is key to athletic success
11. Pray, hope, and don't worry
12: You did not cause it, cannot cure it, and therefore cannot control it
13. Dad is tired and working overtime
14. You will get your chance, just be patient
15. You can do this

And there you have it. I can patent or publish these cliff notes but I am sure that every friend and parent has these topics in their conversational repertoire. The key is to know when to pull them out.

I can also have them translated into Latin (since I had duo ano in high school) or Spanish (dos anos in la escuela) or they can watch the movie.  OK, I am rambling on, which means it is time to get back to work.

Have a great day!