Goodbye, 2011

So it's almost 2012. Wow.

When I was little, I always thought that it would be cool to see a new century. I always hoped that I would see the "TURN OF THE CENTURY". This seemed to be the BIGGEST EVENT OF MY LIFE. I don't know what I thought I'd see, but I looked forward to it eagerly. I remember clearly sitting and doing the math, (uh, 2000 minus 1955 equals ) figuring "OK, I'll only be 45, I should make that."  I guess I thought that there would be some kind of big, noticeable change, maybe like a cosmic blink or something. When the talk of Y2K started, I wasn't surprised. That fit with the fact that this was the beginning of a NEW MILLENNIUM. So many possibilities, such anticipation.

As you know, it was just another New Year's Eve/Day. So still, even at 45 years old, I went "Big deal." Too much science fiction reading, I suppose.

Now it's hard to believe that was 12 years ago. They say (whoever they are) that the feeling that time is going by faster is a sign of old age. I don't know if I feel that time is going faster as much as that there is just so much to enjoy and do and see and participate in and be a part of and remember that I don't want the year to be done. I want some more stuff dated 2011 to remember. 

January 2011: Lots of snow days

February 2011: Mardi Gras Lunch at church

March 2011: DJ's track meets

April 2011: Joshua earned his Arrow of Light

May 2011: Another school year ended

June 2011: DJ's last doctor visit for his neck. My camping trip to Land Between the Lakes. Our 19th Wedding Anniversary

July 2011: Trips to Birmingham and Cincinnati on vacation. Monica's class reunion.

August 2011: Ricky turns 16.

September 2011: 10th anniversary of the World Trade Center Attacks

October 2011: Monica got her teaching position at Jere Baxter school

November 2011: My birthday landed on Thanksgiving again

December 2011: Another Christmas!

There's tons more stuff that I didn't list. There's tons more stuff that I've forgotten. I started this post with the idea that I was just going to take the ball about the New Year and run with it. No particular point to make. Now I find that I'm coming to a state of mind where I want not just to make memories, but to better appreciate the opportunity to make memories. I've never been one for New Year resolutions, but maybe that's one I should make: To relax and enjoy every day and the things that happen in that day. I'm not known for being that passive. I've been brought up and trained to make things happen. Can I do it? Watch this space...

Obligatory Holiday Post

I had actually intended to write this yesterday, but never got around to it. It still applies. The question I had planned to open with was:

How many of you woke up yesterday and thought "Hey wow, this is Christmas Eve!"

Christmas Eve. It stills has a magical quality to it. Even though we're not children anymore, just realizing that the day is Christmas Eve kinda lightens the heart. You go through the day just a tad more relaxed, a little happier, a bit more musical. Yes, musical. Don't you find yourself humming carols and Christmas songs all day? Doesn't "Frosty the Snowman" leap to the front of your thoughts more than it did on December 23rd?

Now it's Christmas Day (and almost over, at that). There's a certain amount of magic here too, but not the same as yesterday. It must be the anticipation of Santa Claus coming that night. Or maybe it's just the fact that most people know that it's really the last day of the holiday season. Whatever. I love Christmas Eve. The holidays to me are more an attitude, a chance to be a bit child-like. 

So I hope that you have had a good holiday season and a Merry Christmas. I hope that you can carry a bit of this magic through the New Year with you. I know I'm going to re-dedicate myself to it. 

Celebrating 80

Yes, I feel the need to blog. I've opened this damn "new post" link several times the last few days, but can't get started. So I figured the only way to do it is to do it.

So, last week we go to Birmingham for my Dad's 80th birthday party. His birthday is actually the 22nd, but Mom wanted to make sure that his party was not connected in any way with Christmas. When Dad was a kid, his father skipped out on them, and left my grandmother to take care of three kids. Now I'm not sure exactly when Ol' Gramps left, but I know that the family was pretty poor. I know that for a brief period of time, they lived in a neighbor's outbuilding, like a barn or something similar. Of course, remember that this was in a pretty rural area, so even the barns and stuff were well-maintained and such (I don't want you to get the wrong impression). Dad never has spoken of it much. I don't know if it's too painful, or if he's just gotten over it and doesn't want to fool with it, or if it just doesn't come up. I never met his father so when I was little it never occurred to me to ask about him. Anyway, Dad has mentioned that many times, he only got one gift (or sets thereof) that served as both a birthday present and Christmas present. So Mom wanted this to be especially special and distinct.

And it was. We went out to dinner at a place called Sweet Bones Alabama, kind of an upscale BBQ place. I don't know how upscale except maybe price, because they were out of spare ribs! How does a BBQ place run out of spare ribs? They had baby backs, but still! And on a Saturday night! (The only thing I can think of is that they overcooked a batch. Those things probably cook for 12 hours, and if you lost a batch, you'd be a day behind). Whatever. Then over to the house for cake. All the family was there except my daughter Susan, who was busy in Cincinnati doing doctorate-type stuff and couldn't get away. So that's about 20 people. Had a nice time, and I think Dad really got a kick out of it.

Of course, Mom's a couple of years older than he is, and it's kinda funny how they both tell me occasionally that they worry about the other. "He's not really in too good of shape," Mom will say. "He just doesn't have the energy he used to. " and from Dad: "I worry about her sometimes. She just can't seem to do as much anymore."

Worry-warts. Gotta love 'em.

Know What? I Like Sports

Are you ready for some football? ESPN doesn't use that line much anymore, but I like it. I like watching sports. I like the physicality, the effort, the determination, and the competition. I enjoy the strategy. That last one is why it took so long for me to enjoy hockey, I didn't know enough about it to appreciate what they were doing. (I still only know enough to enjoy Predators hockey where I have an interest in the result.) The story lines (as the media likes to call them) are often interesting, too, but it's the game itself I want to see.

Football is king. I can watch any NFL game. Obviously, my team is the Titans. I don't understand people who don't pull for their local team. Prior loyalties I can understand. If you grew up a Steelers fan, I get that you can't change, but the local team should be a close second. I like the college game too, but it has to be a team I care about. (Fortunately, I care about enough teams that there's plenty of opportunities). Alabama, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Ohio State; they all hold me for an entire game. I peek into games that I have a passing interest: Troy (my brother's team), MTSU (local boys), Cincinnati (wife and daughter's). I like shows about football, NFL Network, NFL Primetime. I like football movies, but there's very few good ones (The Blind Side, Remember the Titans).

Having an NHL team has taught me about hockey. I don't think I'll ever get it to the same extent as football, but if the Preds are on TV, I'll try to watch it if I can, and I enjoy it. But if it ain't the Predators, I can't do it.

Baseball is great late in the season and in the playoff series. I really enjoyed the World Series this year. I guess I'm a Reds fan (since Monica is) but I don't have a team otherwise. I have an ages-old prejudice against Atlanta teams, so I have a hard time cheering the Braves (I just alienated two brothers, a nephew, and a niece with that line.)

I played basketball for years in grammar school and high school, but I can't hardly watch any of the pro game anymore. It's all offense and superstars. The college game is pretty good, I watch some of the NCAA tournament. Actually, the women's game is closer to what I call pure basketball nowadays. I'll peek at it occasionally.

See what happens when you get me on a subject I like? Gotta go now, it's 8 minutes left in the 3rd period, Nashville Predators are down 2-1 but are now on the power play. So if th..  PREDS SCORE ON THE PP!