Ready for March

Here we are, on the eve of March. I promised to myself, more or less (some time ago), to write more here. It doesn't seem I'm succeeding. I suppose one could say that's a good thing - it's means I've been keeping busy in the real world away from the computer screen. And, well, I suppose I have.

This weekend was a banner weekend, as weekends go. I logged over 20,000 steps each day, including during one of my frequent and infamous trips to San Francisco on Saturday. It was a pleasant day for a walkabout there, if not a little bit cold and overcast, but I capped it off with lunch and drinks at Nick's Crispy Tacos (which, ironically, has little on the menu in the way of crispy tacos). And I splurged on my calorie intake with a Ghirardelli chocolate crepe, from a place near the Embarcadero aptly named The Crepe Cafe. 

On the way home on Saturday I stopped at IKEA, because they finally had the new office chair in stock that I've been wanting to get for my new place. So, that was a win.

Sunday was unusually productive - for me - with a morning walk to the distant Safeway in search of Starbucks hot chocolate, followed by a long stint at the computer where I completed and electronically filed my income taxes. Hooray! Somewhere in there I did some laundry and went by school to make sure an event was setup for, before doing a nice walk along the American River Bike Trail. And later I even found time for margaritas and Southwestern Eggrolls at Chili's.

Also, I found a nickel on the sidewalk. So. That was a good day.

In between all of this (and perhaps against my better judgement; we shall see on that one in time) I spent some time getting to know the dating app Match.com. I had actually been using the Facebook dating feature on the mobile version for the past, I don't know, year and a half or so. The Facebook one has the advantage of being free, which is certainly a good selling point. But frankly, little came of it. Little still comes of it, as I still periodically check in and like this profile or that profile. And then they disappear into the nether and you never hear from anyone. That is pretty much the essence of online dating these days. Or so it seems for me anyway. Your results may vary. 

The more legitimate dating apps like Zoosk and Match.com - which of course you have to pay for - tend to offer a little more hope as you navigate through piles of profiles, liking some here, sending a little message there. The messages amount, of course, to a fairly desperate attempt to get anyone to see your likes and respond to them. And, well, some do. On occasion. I mean I've only been using Match for half a week now, so we'll see how it goes as time progresses. But at least with the paid apps, you can see when people view your profile. Again. Instilling hope. And unlike Facebook, you have the ability to write more about yourself (up to 10x more than Facebook allows) and narrow the field of parameters in the profiles shown to you. Am I crazy for doing this? Quite possibly. At least I've already gotten to talk to some new people, which for an introvert is a HUGE step! Again, I'll see how it goes..

But, all in all, it was a good, useful, and quite varied weekend. Now, I suppose, I'm ready for March!

Sure, Why Not

So it's Valentine's Day morning! Another happy Monday at work.  I sent my V-Day wishes to the parents and of course to my son. Well, and I suppose also the cat, though that really amounted to her flopping over on the ground so I could scratch her back with my foot. But that was the extent of my reverie for this supposed holiday.

Well, it's a lot different of a "holiday" when you're single...not that I haven't tried dating in my post-marriage-mid-life world. I have, I have. But I'm still as yet buying my own chocolates (and not above eating chocolate chips straight from the bag). Dating in these times, with these circumstances, can be quite trying. So I guess for now I remain on the anti-V-Day team, as lines are typically drawn in the sand, on social media, wherever. You either love the day or fairly despise it.

And, well, that's it for that.

Oh, Connor broke his finger. His first broken bone! Quite a milestone in a young child's life, your first broken bone. It happened Friday night at soccer, he took a hard shot right to the pinky. Apparently. I wasn't there. But you know it's bad when he pulls himself out of the soccer game. I got him back on Sunday morning, and he was all bandaged up with a splint. Oh, this will provide memories for years to come.

In other news, I walk a lot last week. I mean I walk a lot every week. But last week, Sunday to Saturday, I logged 14379 steps. That's an average of over 8 miles a day. Go me.  And still, doctors recommend that you get 10,000 per days. Amateurs!

But that's really all I have to report on for now. Maybe I'll go get some dark chocolate somewhere...happy Valentine's Day to me! I mean, sure, why not?

Another Month Bites The Dust

Wow! Another month has passed by already. Well, almost. Close enough. It's the hind end of January, and the times they are flying by. Before you know it, we'll be winding down 2022 and looking forward to the next New Year. Or not. Who knows what may come?

Admit it. You didn't read the title of this post...you sang it.

Anyhoo, it's Saturday night and tomorrow my son returns home from whatever escapades he's been engaged in while at his mother's house. Seems like only yesterday there were still three nights to go. Flying! I went for an early morning walk this morning out along the parkway, in the bitter cold. But the sun was rising and it was quite picturesque. Hence...this picture. 

I went shopping afterwards, to Target and Dollar Tree and Big 5. And I went for a bike ride out around the North Natomas Regional Park. I went to Chili's for some drinks and food and lively banter with the bartender. And I watched Dear Evan Hansen - the movie - this afternoon. All in all, a busy and fulfilling day. As Saturdays go.

I figure, I should get out and about as much as I can - while I still can. I mean, come on, I'm not in my twenties anymore. I'm getting old! Slowing down. Who knows how long I'll still be fit enough to do these sorts of things? And of course, no one wants to reach reach the twilight years of their life and look back and wish you had done more. Though I'm sure pretty much everyone does. There's never enough time, it seems, and always so much to do, to see, to learn, to experience. Does anyone ever finish? Seems doubtful. If so, they would certainly be one content human being.

How much more do I have to do? Maybe I should make a list. A...bucket list??

Or, I can sit here clickety clacking on the computer and recording my thoughts for all eternity. Well, at least until someone in charge realize this Blogger thing isn't all that anyway.  But for now, it's good, it's good. I'd like to say, this past month, that I read some more and expanded my horizons. Nope. I did, however, take an overnight trip to San Francisco last weekend. First overnight trip anywhere since this whole Covid business started. Progress? I suppose. I did eat at places I had never been before, drank at bars I had never frequented before. Chatted up a cute bartender. So. There's that.

In any case, one month of 2022 is down. Next week we start February. Oh and also the second week of classes at Sac State. Not that you'd know from being there, since most everything was made virtual for the first two weeks. Hello, Covid surge! But I guess, at the end of the January was a pretty decent month. Well, it has to be - I can't very well go back and do it over! It's done. Next!

Book Report

Well here it is, my last post of 2021. I'd like to say that 2021 was a banner year for blogging. It was not. I had more than twice as many posts in 2020. Still, some stories were shared, laughs were had, grumblings were aired, as I plodded away through the year. And it was a banner year in at least one aspect - as I finally got into my new place and said goodbye to apartment living. Forever.

Today, the world said goodbye forever to Betty White. Just shy of 100, the TV and film icon seemed like she would outlast everyone. But in the end, even she has to make that great journey into the unknown beyond. Seems like this should be an even bigger story than the New Year that's currently occupying most network television airwaves.

But now that I've moved on (literally and figuratively) and started over on my new life, my new journey into my own great unknown, here we are saying goodbye to yet another year that was marred by a worldwide pandemic that some deny exists and most are at least tired of acknowledging exists. Good bye, 2021, good bye. 

So what have I done to ring in the New Year? Well first off, it's not quite 10pm here so we still have a little over two hours to go. Did I watch the ball drop in New York? Nope. Have I or will I give a toast to the New Year? Nope. Well, technically, I did this with my parents and some Barefoot Chardonnay earlier this afternoon. I mean, it was already January 1 somewhere in the world at that point, so it counts, right? Well, before I digress too far, I'll sum up by reiterating what I know I've stated in years past on here. 

It's just another day.

Really, I don't celebrate New Year's Eve. Making resolutions? Nope. I mean if you can't inspire yourself to improve upon whatever it is that torments your soul the rest of the year, no sudden proclamation on this night will do much good to you in the coming days, or weeks, or months. I suppose I shouldn't be so pessimistic, I mean hey, whatever works for you is good I suppose. And truth be told, I have in the past done some celebrating of the New Year (who can forget all those celebrations at Disneyland near and at the turn of the century?). And I've certainly flirted with ideas of things I'd like to at least try and accomplish as another year unfolds. 

And I suppose it should at least, now, be a time for positivity, as we reflect on the past and look to the future.

So in a positive light, and before I get to my book report, I'll mention that I had a banner year in step counts, i.e. walking. Yes, I walked. I walked a lot. 2021 is basically done for that, since I will walk very little over the next two hours. My average daily step count for this year was 13,496, up from 12,537 in 2020. So there, something to cheer about. I'll toast to that! Er...maybe tomorrow. 

And in line with something I started last year (or was it the year before?) - I'd like to report on the books I read. Again, I'm not what you might call a "prolific" or even "avid" reader - I know quite a few people that put me to shame in that regard. But still, I read more than a lot of people seem to these days, and this year I did crank out 9 books in my not-so-copious free time in-between work, raising a kid, all that walking I did, and playing Minecraft. I mean seriously, where was the time to read anything??

But here are the books I read this year, in order (and it bears mentioning that I didn't even finish the first one until May. So, really, I did 8 books in the last 7 months). But here they are: 

Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - Suzanne Collins
Normal People - Sally Rooney
The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
Anthem - Ayn Rand
Deadeye Dick - Kurt Vonnegut
Galapagos - Kurt Vonnegut
Mother Night - Kurt Vonnegut
Farenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

And no, I won't actually bore you to tears with a lengthy analytical book report on these. I mean, if you're that interested, go read them yourself. Except maybe Farenheit 451. I actually never read it before, and frankly I don't enjoy his style of writing, with the ridiculously obtuse metaphors and even more ridiculous dialogue. Plus, I'm sure most people were subjected to this in high school, or perhaps college. I somehow avoided it till now. Don't get me wrong, I'm not sorry I read it. But I'm glad it was borrowed from the library and not something I bought. I have a few other Bradbury's on my shelf; someday I'll have to read them and see how they stack up.

In any case, I'm not going to go on and on here. I have to go check in on Connor and make sure he's tucked in for the night anyway. Then I'll spend some quality "me" time - perhaps reading something new to start the New Year off right - before drifting off to sleep for the first of many New Year's in my brand new condo. Positivity!

I hope I don't get woken up at midnight by idiots doing fireworks...

Finally at Home

Here we are, on Christmas Eve, just me and the cat. Because...that's how we roll. Finally...FINALLY...at home. It was only an 8 month delay after all, but at the end of November I finally got the keys to the new place. I started moving in smaller items, slowly but surely, as December got underway. And about two weeks ago the rest of my stuff got moved in on one brisk Saturday morning. So now, two weeks later, and a lot of unpacking and settling is done...but still a bit more to go. It's a process. But it's nice to finally be somewhere that feels like home. And just in time for Christmas! 

Connor spent Christmas Eve day here, and the rest of the family came over. Cookies were made, pizza was eaten, mimosas and wine were drunk - and Connor even got to open some presents. It was a nice day all around.

And later, after the family had left and the child was nestled all snug in his bed - well he was gone and back with his mom anyway - I went for a walk down to Rockmont Circle. The Fab 40's of Natomas. This was actually my third trip there this year. As I said in a prior year, it's actually better than the Fab 40's, in my opinion. No one selling popcorn or hot cocoa or anything this year, but the displays of lights were still top notch. And even better for me: now I live less than a half mile away. So, why not go back for more holiday cheer? And it's a nice walk, anyway.

And now it's just shy of two hours before Christmas morning. There's always so much buildup to the season and then before you know it, the day is here and then in a flash it will be gone again. And then all the lights and tinsel will come down, the decorations will be put away for another year, and life will go on once more. And hey, in another week we'll be closing out the year and looking forward to 2022. 

And in the meantime, I'll continue settling into my new home and new life here. Finally. 

Thursday Love

So it's Thursday evening and...you know what? Let's give Thursday some love. It's kind of the ugly duckling of the weekdays. The outcast, if you will. Monday is always dreaded as the start of the drudgery of another work week. But at least it gets attention. It gets noticed. Tuesday belongs to tacos, of course. Thank goodness for alliteration. Wednesday is the proverbial hump day, the day of the camel. Friday is the gateway to the weekend. TGIF! Thank goodness it's Friday! Is. What I'll be saying tomorrow. 

But Thursday. It's just kind of...there. What is so special about it? Nothing. Well, I'm enjoying the evening anyway, laying out on the couch and typing away as the TV drones on, playing Law & Order SVU in the background. A simple quiet evening at home. I can't really think of anything, though, that makes Thursdays stand out. Well, this picture was taken last Thursday, and it certainly stands out. But that's all arbitrary.

Maybe we need to come up with something for Thursday to be. Something to make it stand out. So it can finally take its place of honor among the rest of the weekdays. Something to give it a chance to be...special. 

Isn't that all anyone wants anyway? To be special, in a world crammed full of ordinary individuals who don't really stand out from one another. Not really. Not in anyway that matters, anyway, in the grand scheme of things. We're all just Thursdays. Isn't that weird? Everyone want to be a Tuesday or a Friday. Even a Monday would be something. But no, no. It's Thursday for all of us. We're just minnows in a sea of fish, as it were.

Thursday Thursday Thursday. I don't know. I'll think of something. The answer is out there, or else trapped here deep in the recesses of my mind somewhere. Thursday will have its day! Well. I mean. It IS a day. But it will find its place to shine, as hopefully we all will.