Friday, December 18, 2015

2015 Personal Year in Review

     Okay, so I decided to first post my recollections about the year in month by month form from memory, then go back and look at old posts, etc. to see how that compared.

January - Went on ski trip to Colorado. Attended son's company party. Both offered a good time, both were opportunities for spouse to display disregard for me and our marriage.

February - Planned event to promote U Bar U. Saw old friends and had a good time. Moderate financial success. Also attended Bid Fest (Texas Ski Council) in San Antonio. Learned that even though I had been attending meetings and events for 2.5 years, no one had ever seen me before.

March - Had party for spouse 60th birthday. Based on one she threw me (assuming that is what she would like).

April - Rehearsed with First Unitarian choir for concert piece delivered on Easter. Great experience.

May - Visit with daughter and B.F. in Bay Area. Great 4 day trip. Also Men's retreat at UBU

June - Began attending Zoomers Meet Up events. Went to Child Advocates training, decided it was not for me.

July - Tenant lease ends, I move out of my home into rent house. Begin fixing it up. Saw Bernie Sanders at UH.  Saw Steely Dan, Elvis Costello, then EWF + Chicago.

August - Started singing in choir at FUC, went on weekend camp/DG trip in hill country, started attending weekly small group meetings from church.

September - Met Karen Price went on first date Sat. Sept 5 Skeeters baseball. Second date Sun. Sept 13 Last Concert Cafe, third date Sat Sept. 19 Cave Stock

October - Great Mississippi River Balloon Race, Halloween on FM1960, followed by Ren Fair.

November - Started playing Wed. at Michelangelo, Men's retreat, Prohibition date.

December - Lot's O work. A few nice dates, Jones Hall concert, SCSC gala dinner/dance, Broadway show at Wortham, finish the month/year at the beach Port Aransas


Now, highlights from my journal.

January - Deep concern for my primary relationship, spouse zoned out, moved our of bedroom, etc.

February - Had "The Conversation" that led to Rita lowering the boom ("I want a divorce"). Got support from my friends, and a therapist. Tough month

March - Started thinking of Rita as V4.0 - not the version of life partner I have had for many years. Helps a bit. Did not have party for spouse birthday, that was last year.

April - Started working on splitting the assets. Negotiating who gets what. Deciding where I want to live. Looking at options.

May - Still of two minds on many issues of the future.

June - Busy at work, nice camping weekend with the fellas

July - Vowing to file divorce papers by September, started looking at dating apps.

August - Trailer wreck, flirting on Tinder.

September - Met Karen, went on date, broke a tooth, worried about Herpes.

October - things ramping up with Karen, enjoy weekly singing in choir

November - Started weekly at Michelangelo appreciating relationship with Karen.

December - Working 7 days a week, and almost as many nights.




Sunday, November 22, 2015

So Many Things to be Thankful For...

I know, EVERYBODY does this around mid November. What we really need, is to make every Wednesday Thanksgiving.
Seriously.
The blessings we take for granted could fill the *Astrodome.
or might as well for all they are doing with it.

For the record, I have been doing "I'm thankful fors" in my journal for a good couple of months now.

Tonight I want to be thankful for Family in my life.

Wow, so many wonderful people...

Ancestors

Parents
Joanne- Almost more of a big sister, shared adventures, dramas, received lessons from one another.
Bill- Big, rugged, man's man sort of guy. Fearless. The type you enjoy having a beer with.

Grandparents
Minnie Lee- Nobody could care more for me. Dramatic, smothering, yet able to back off when need be.
John- Like my first best friend. A real peer. Connected very early in my life, stayed great friends till the end.
The Living
Starting with my (one day) ex wife Rita.
Thankful for the years we were true partners. Which, (I believe) were most of the 35 years we were married.

Thankful for my great children, Christopher and Meagan.
Wow, If you know these people, I don't have to go into how wonderful they are. If you don't know these people, well . . . better get on it. You just   can't. do. better.

Siblings: Barbara, my first sib. I was Looking at some (very) old photos of when you and I were the only children of Joanne and Bill.  All the 7 years it was us... that is bonding baby.

Kim: I was 7 when you joined us. OMG it was the most exciting thing ever! It was/has been/is cool being your big brother. A pleasure and an honor.

Candace- not the first hidden sib I was introduced to, (that was Carol), but the one that was cute, funny and really welcoming.

Laura- first child of the Next Generation (who would play Data?) Wow, what can I say, the one I most relate to as a person. Don't know why, don't care why.

Tara-Next child of T.N.G. always great to be around, cute, funny, missed your mark not going into show biz. Sorry I harshed your mellow at your first divorce, hope you forgive me.

Martin- Next child of T.N.G. like part of my own family. It was/is/shall be great being your uncle. Proud of you and the life you have created.

Natalie- Talented, worthy, Always a sweetheart, a real chip off the ol' block.

Jonathan- My fondest memory of you was a conversation we had around 1979. You were in your playpen, I gave you advice for your future.
I'm glad you listened.

Tiffany- don't know well, but would like to. Seems to have grown and matured into a fine woman.

Ashley- Hard worker, apple of her mother's eye. Admirer from afar. Watching your progress, and wishing you all the best.

From here it branches off into still the next generation of great nieces and nephews. People I hope to know well, and encourage and benefit from knowing.

Grandchild on the way...  I am about to explode with joy over that.

Got to give props to my honey and squeeze. Karen Jane Leeson. Honey, you are absolutely a gift from heaven. SO the right girl at the right time, I hope I have been as good for you as you have been for me.

I sound like a guy who thinks he is dying right?

Here's the shocking part: Yes, because we are all dying. Tonight when you go to bed, understand you just used up another of your precious days here on Earth.
One day, if I'm living or dead, somebody may look at this and get something positive from it. Well, good. That's what I'm here for folks.



* fun fact: "Astrodome" is not a word as spellcheck sees it.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Paul McCartney Lived at MY HOUSE!

The funny thing was he was there about a week before it really dawned on me that it was PAUL MCCARTNEY living in my house.
When it sunk in, I mentioned to my son that Paul was like part of the family now and maybe you should call him "Uncle Paul". He said "I do".

We assumed he was living with us because of some project he was working on, but didn't know for sure.
As a side story, we had a distant family member running for public office. Guys wearing sunglasses were visiting all the relations homes. Looking for embarrassing stuff I suppose. I wouldn't be embarrassed about Paul, but you never know... To be sure,
"our house" was bigger and cooler than our actual house. I was impressed when I walked through it.
I wish I could say I remember a conversation we had, but no, he was just there walking through a room, or sitting in the back reading the paper...

Still don't know why I dreamed Paul McCartney lived in my house, but there ya go!