New Year...yet again

I am not big on New Year as a holiday. My life no more starts anew January 1, than it did at the beginning of any other month. The calendar has been hanging up for six weeks, or so. It's a nice day off from work. I guess I have, from time to time, used the holiday as a time to review, mostly here, when I am feeling sentimental. Though I make no resolutions of change. What I want to change in my life, today, is no different than it has been the rest of this year.

I am not feeling especially nostalgic this year...but I'll try.

2013 started out a little bumpy with a new, and unexpected, job...or, at least, a new company. A year in, and I can say it has been some good, some uncertainty, but nothing horrible. I guess that sums up the year...some good, some uncertainty, but nothing horrible. There have been some horrible years when way too many tears have been shed...so I won't complain. I went to Mexico, for the fifth year; this time with a large group. My second grandchild was born...a baby girl. I'm certain there are important events I'm forgetting. Otherwise, I guess it's been kind of an uneventful year, all in all. Uneventful isn't always bad.

I consider myself lucky. I have a birthday quickly approaching...52. I am not ashamed of my age, though sometimes I feel it and I'm starting to see it in the mirror. I have a good husband, soon to celebrate another anniversary. I have a roof over my head and food in my belly. I have a safe, warm, dry place to sleep. I have two adult sons that seem to be doing okay. I have a plethora of friends that help me laugh. As long as I laugh, life is good.


Do I have hopes for next year? I wish my husband good health. I wish my children happiness and security. I wish my home safe, happy and peaceful. I wish my job would feel solid and secure. I wish my friends happiness, so that they can laugh. I wish to sit hear a year from now and not be able to recall anything terrible about 2014 and say, it's not been a bad year.

Happy New Year

My Christmas vacation

I've never taken a lot of time off at Christmas, because I did not have enough seniority to qualify. This year, I work for a company where Christmas is actually a holiday! That means you don't work. I took the two days following, Thursday and Friday, as vacation days. Then tack on the weekend, and you get five glorious days of vacation. One of the things I quickly discovered, is lots of people have time off around the holidays. This allowed me to spend time with some of my favorite people.

One thing I promised myself was the gift of time. No early morning plans. No running around like a headless fowl. That does not mean locking myself away like a hermit. I get cabin fever. I love an occasional day of nothing, but more than that, and I pace like a caged animal...and probably growl as such too.

My vacation...

I made no plans involving me leaving home before noon.

I shared meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, with family and/or friends.

I have gone out to the movies and stayed home with a book. (Sunday night edit: Make that 2 books and a short story)

I have slept when tired and risen when rested. This is much more of a treat than many might imagine. My life and my sleep do not coincide well with each other.

I'm on my last day of this wonderful break from life; as tomorrow, I will need to start preparing for my week. I have really enjoyed the gift of time.

Letters

There was a time, when the only way to communicate with someone far away, was by letter. Then came other forms of communication, and the world got smaller. With the invention of the phone, people could communicate verbally, and letter writing, once, almost an art form, fell to the wayside. However, when I was growing up, calling long distance was an unnecessary expense not approved by my parents, so I wrote letters. I still have many of those wonderful letters. Two people telling their story on paper. Words thought through to express just the right emotion...much like my blog, now that I think about it. I had one friend that illustrated his letter with drawings, the envelopes were so elaborate the mailman once asked about them. With cell phones, we have come almost full circle. People no longer talk, they text. But instead of beautifully written letters, heartfelt, or colorfully illustrated letters sent between people that have a bond not lost to distance, we have textese. A short hand communication that has escaped it's boundaries into everyday life. I fear there is a whole generation of people that no longer know how to communicate in any true, proper, form. I don't miss talking on the phone. The phone ringing, mostly serves as an intrusion into my daily life. Seldom is it someone that I want to share my time with. I communicate with friends, family and loved ones, mostly online, sharing through keystrokes instead of ink on the page. I wonder if cell phones became "pocket computers" without the capability of making a phone call, if anyone but telemarketers would care? And I wonder, is that a good thing?

Thank you for being a rock in my stream

When I was in high school, my junior or senior year, my English teacher had a poster on the wall that said something to the effect of: Don't float along on the surface of life, but dive deep. That was over 30 years ago and the meaning, if the not the exact words, have stuck with me. I'm not sure how deep I have ventured in life. I have never wanted a lot. But I have not spent my entire life floating along with the sun on my face either. I rolled over with my mask and snorkel, above the deep, and sometimes, murky waters. Everything has not been all sunshine and rainbows, but then, I like the dark and mysterious. And in my stream of life, there have been people that I have bumped into, and off of. They have slowed my progress, changed my direction and even caused, at times, my own personal rapids. I would not be who I am if not for each of them. Even in rough waters, I have learned something...and a fast and bumpy ride, isn't always a bad thing. I wish I could thank each of them for the parts they've played, whether slowing me down or pushing me along, the calm and the rough, the expected and unexpected. But even in hindsight, I'm not sure I realize the significance of each encounter, or remember every face. But I assure you, I have very fond memories that play frequently in the theater of my mind.

Go ahead, draw a line in the sand

I hate, hate, hate to hear someone give the ultimatum...me or them. Actually, I hate to hear any ultimatum. It does not set well with me. But to have someone say you have to make a choice between them and someone else...argh. I am not talking romantic relationships, that is a whole different subject. I will clarify something, and save you some trouble, if you draw a line in the sand, expect to be standing there alone.

My black Friday...weekend.

The break down:

Chosen camera, regular price $280
On sale for $199, bought at Best Buy with free case and memory card ($23 value).
Savings $103.

Mattress topper, regular price $199
On sale for $99
20% internet coupon, $79
Savings $120
But wait, found it cheaper $70, price matched with 20% discount. $56
Savings $143

Amount spent (before taxes) $255
Amount saved $246

Quarterly bonus from work and cash back from my credit card, $198. So $57 out of pocket. I have a price match guarantee on the camera, so I will be watching it over the next month. It took a lot of time, but shopping the internet has it's advantages. Most of my time was reading reviews and educating myself on the technical terms used with the camera, so that I could compare apples, or more appropriately, apertures with apertures. Then comparing prices, option, etc. mostly while still in my pajamas. I am a happy shopper.