Merry Christmas to all

No better day to practice the Christmas spirit than on Christmas. Good on ya.

 

My suggestion would be to try to give yourself something to look forward to -- do something you'd like to do; go somewhere you'd like to go. Plan a trip or activity for sometime in the foreseeable future that you can prepare for, and yes, look forward to. That's what I did with my last, albeit short, cruise that I took for just a few days. I don't typically do getaway cruises, but I hadn't been on one in so long that it excited me to even be doing that. It gave me a reason to look ahead, and I inspired/prepared myself for it by dropping about 22 pounds, to boot.

 

I'm sorry so many of y'all have not had the bestest of Christmases. Truth be told ours ain't been so hot, either. I could probably peck out a fairly workable list of root causes, but between the knowing and the fixing there's a pretty wide space. We're all well, and for that I'm thankful, and of course time heals all wounds. But when pretty much everybody in the family is really, really, really looking forward to the Alamo Bowl, as the man said, this shall be a sign unto you.

 

We don't have any little ones around the house, so I figure, take the shift and the extra money. And I get in the spirit. Been wearing a Santa hat since I had a temp job on the Polar Express. When covid hit, found some holiday themed masks. And last year, found some masks with a Santa beard! Had that one on earlier this week when a young girl came through line with her mom and kept staring at me. So I learned over and asked "you been a good girl this year?" This gig is good sometimes.

 

I look forward to meeting you someday. The decency shines in every post.

Thanks to all. The backing means more than you know.

 

Hang in there, brother.

As the great playbook says

Yea though I walk
through the valley of pre-New Year's Nothing Bowls,
I will fear no Pac-12 runner-up,
for you and the Longhorns are with me;
your rod and your coaching staff,
they comfort me.

 

Spent Christmas at my mom's house. Had an excellent dinner with a couple of longtime family friends, exchanged nominal gifts, watched a lot of football, relaxed. I've long grown tired and cynical of the commercial nature of the holiday, but there is something to being with family on the day itself that is calming and peaceful. I don't go back to work until Jan. 3, so I'll be enjoying the rest of the winter break and using it as a bit of a life reset, as I do every year around this time.

 

Have to take my daughter to the airport this afternoon as she goes back to France. I am enormously proud of the life she's made for herself, but it's a sad occasion nonetheless.

 

Had the computer off all day yesterday while we were on the Space Coast with Mom and Dad. It was odd to see sleet in central Florida on the drive (31 degrees was the lowest temp we saw in Lakeland). But it was good to spend time with family, especially as they're almost 88 and knowing there will be a time when they're gone.

And I echo the sentiments of others, particularly now that I'm retired and not interacting with other people in the profession. I don't miss any part of the work, but there's something about the shared sardonic sarcasm of a newsroom that's recreated here on a daily basis. I can't tell you how many times I laugh when one of you beats me to the punchline, or riffs off something I post.

I also understand that each of us is on a different path, and not all of those are pleasant or stress-free. There are actual human beings behind each of these avatars, and not everyone wants to share their emotional life rollercoaster rides. But know I'm grateful for your varying viewpoints and observations. This place is a support group -- our own version of Journalists Anonymous.

If 2022 sucked and you feel like you're in a ten-foot hole with a six-foot ladder, I send thoughts and prayers for a better result in 2023. If 2022 was awesome, let's hope next year is just as good, if not better.

Here's a virtual glass of egg nog to each and every one of you. Pros't! L'chaim! Salud!

 

After 2021 (lost two dogs, a cat and a job), 2022 didn't have much of a bar to reach. But we adopted two dogs, new job suddenly became a lot better, and brother-in-law is still alive fighting in Ukraine. I'll take that.

 

Woke up at 3 am with night sweats and diarrhea. Woke up a half-hour ago shivering uncontrollably. When I went to take care of the latest diarrhea, had to make a pit stop for light vomiting. Temperature of 99.9; but I don’t see what is left to catch between October’s double whammy and mid-December’s booster.

… since Bing Crosby tap danced with Danny F’n Kaye.