And every year, I'm reminded why this is my least favorite of the majors

Someday, my family will presently surprise me and not make Thanksgiving horrible. Someday, it will become a holiday centered on food and togetherness, not politics and face time. Someday, I will actually be able to enjoy it again.

Maybe.

The year that I am actually able to get through Thanksgiving Day without a family blowout will be incredible.

Every year I try to be excited about the season and every year, it just gets harder and harder.

One can always hope. There is that.

People often say that they enjoy the holiday season because it makes people friendlier to strangers, more pleasant... things bother them less. In my experience, it is the opposite. People are tense, under pressure to have the perfect outfit by New Year's... the "right" gifts for everyone... tempers are high and people are unreasonable.

It shouldn't be so stressful. Just enjoy what you have and deal with it. Why is that so hard for everyone? I'm no exception, I know. But at least I'm aware of it and working on it. Don't focus so much on having your lot in life change, but learn to live with it. You would be amazed at how much happier it makes everyone.

Late night tangent? Maybe a little...

Ahh!

I just noticed a grammatical error in my last post.

I am so, so sorry, Bill Reader.

It was corrected approximately 36 hours after publication. I understand I will receive a two letter-grade deduction for that erroneous sentence.

Crap. I'm still brainwashed.

He said it best with "bittersweet"

I sat down to write this about an hour ago and ended up catching up with a fabulous old friend on chat and have absolutely no clue what I wanted to type about, now. So, I suppose I'll just type about him, instead.

It still sometimes amazes me who I have kept in touch with from high school and college. One of the girls I spent more of my time with than anyone in high school was one of the first people I lost touch with. Of course, I suppose there will always be people in life who you expect to be there forever, or a part of your life for the vast majority of it, and how often does that really happen? At least in the capacity you expect...

Five years later, it's down to about a handful, and it's something of a surprising, sporadic group, I suppose. Some people, who I weren't really particularly close to in high school, I talk to on a more regular basis now. Other relationships haven't really changed at all, and Mouse is totally one of them. It still amazes me that I haven't seen him in years (I think we've seen each other three times since 2003), yet when we do... it's like no time has passed. I mean sure, when I actually physically see him it is pretty awkward at first (especially unexpectedly -- can we say: Borders, Mr. Harris, Steven. Circa 2005. Unbelievable.). Heh. But, on person and online it's the same it has always been.

Man I've been sentimental lately. I'm sure it's a phase, too. =P I will digress before I go on too much about how much I love everyone. heh.

It really is funny, how the world turns.

I think winter has arrived. for real, this time.

OK, it's starting already. There was snow on my car today. It's been too much of a sporadic rain/snow mix to actually stick to the ground, but it's slick enough and already sticking to my car.

I know everyone cares about this as much as I do.

So that I don't make this yet another entry of whining about the weather, some random good news for you:

• I finally saw Avenue Q with Neil yesterday and absolutely loved it. Good company, good show, good food afterward (all you can eat Brazilian Steakhouse - I'm pretty sure you can't go wrong). That is what it is all about. If you have not yet seen and have the opportunity, I highly recommend. I hadn't been to a show in ages and want to try to go more than once a year, again (Spamalot is coming to Detroit in February...).

• My boss is going down to part time in two months. I can last another two months. And then, I can go back to being grateful for the fact that I actually have a job in southeastern Michigan and all that.

• I'm going on a double date to see the Killers in January.

• I am 98 percent sure I will be going back to the U.K. in the Spring. About flippin' time, eh? And I'm 98 percent sure Neil is coming, too, which makes it that much better. (Yes, I'm a sap).

• I will actually be getting a holiday bonus this year (apparently, everyone at the company gets at least a few hundred dollars). This is an unbelievably nice change from getting pro-rated raises that don't cover inflation. I'm just sayin'.

OK, I'm done. Someday, I will actually figure out what I am doing with this thing and make a proper blog. Maybe. =P

Lillie, Part II

So Lillie Park was the first park I went to in A2. For reasons I've already stated, it's still my favorite. Everyone just thinks it's this gazebo and pond and that's pretty much it. Well incidentally, the road to nowhere does indeed lead somewhere. Who knew? Lillie actually has a ton of trails to the southwest (maybe - I am mostly guessing with my sense of direction, shh) and two more pond-like things. I was ridiculously excited when Neil and I discovered more nearly-empty places in the midst of suburbia to wander around with our dogs. And better yet, it's actually really pretty, even if I am not anywhere close to being a photographer.







Neil took the last two (I think).