Month: January 2016

You need a guide sometimes

(originally posted to facebook on January 30, 2016)

Somehow in ripping my CDs over the years, I lost my Jeff Beck CDs and LPs. So I’m ripping them in ALAC and FLAC as an experiment (high def in other words). It got me thinking of my cousin Jimmy. He was one of my musical guides.

Erin, Bob, Keven -tell your dad, thanks from me. He made me listen to Old Jeff Beck and Old Rod Stewart among others so that I wouldn’t be a rock and roll rube. And he bailed out my ass several times, fixing my car, teaching …me to be a bit more self sufficient, the expression “I’ll buy, you fly” and to enjoy a Friday after work beer. 

And when my bass got stolen and I needed one, his Fender was loaned up without a thought. That means even more to me now. He was an “older brother” figure. That’s a real thing. I know Jim isn’t on FB but his kids are and his siblings. Thanks to both Jim and Joan for always having an open door for this dipshit. And Jeff Beck for helping remember this.

Happy New Year 2016

Typically, there is a lot of reflection around January 1. This is no exception, but I am a bit to low on the creative energy to go too deep.

  1. Since being laid-off in late October, I have been in some kind of period of reflection of my work life. I feel surprisingly optimistic about my work prospects for the future. I have a lot of hope that I can build a work life that works for me. I have a lot of positive thoughts there.
  2. Amy and I have continued our transition to an empty nest. As you might guess with college age kids, it isn’t really empty 100% of the time. That suits us. But, as time has passed, I am also beginning to see the need for us to adjust the exhibits in the museum. We are moving stuff around in the house and trying new experiments with what works for us. More change to come. I feel good about.
  3. Last year, I lost weight. My cholesterol improved. I look forward to continuing that so that I can transition from being a “loser” to a “maintainer.” I feel good about that too.
  4. There were some tough times last year as Amy’s parents both shuffled off this mortal coil, if I might put it in the words of Shakespeare. That provided challenges in many complex ways. But through a lot of hard work and time on Amy’s part, she has been able to move forward and regather her strength. I hope she feels good about that.
  5. More than anything else, I feel that we are both moving in the same direction in our broad lives. That feels good too. 
  6. In the areas that are challenging, I am making changes. This isn’t easy but progress is being made. I have no doubt that some efforts will fail and some will succeed. As we get the results, we will continue to refine and try again. Perseverance is really our only tool here. I don’t feel great about this but that is ok.  I feel like I have the will to keep at it.
No big pronouncements this year. I did one thing on my last years list out of three. I lost weight. I did not run a 5K per se but I feel very close to being able to actually run (as opposed to walk/run). No progress on swimming an IM. Still on my list of things I want to do.
Good luck in 2016.