2015 in Retrospect

Turning Calendar PagesDec 31, 2015

The last day of the year seems good a time as any to reflect on the year that was.

Some personal highlights include

Krystal finding a new job as Historic Interpreter

buying a relatively new car

Twitter interactions with Amanda Palmer, Niel Gaiman, & John Scalzi

 Neil Gaiman Retweeted MeAmanda Palmer Retweeted MeThe Scalzi InsultThe Scalzi Retweet

starting my seventh(!) year of teaching

making progress on my book

recording a podcast

surprising Krystal at Christmas

and of course

reaching reading and blogging goals

My Bookshelf, According to Goodreads

Leather Books with Ladder75 books completed

26,363 pages read

Shortest Book: The Visitor

Longest Book: The Silkworm

Average Rating: 3.8 stars

check out the complete Goodreads infographic

Around the Blogosphere

Views:

18,000 (approx)

equivalent to 7 sold-out performances @ Sydney Opera House

Pictures Added:

955

Busiest Day:

Sept 23 (152 views)

Most Popular Post:

Wicked Word Wednesday

Wicked Word Wednesday will return next week!

Longest Posting Streak:

45 Days (28 June – 11 August)

Top Commentators:

vivachange77

philosophermouseofthehedge

Petal and Mortar

shattenengel

Dr Meg Sorick

Why not help me return the favor to these kind folks and check out their blogs, too?

check out the complete WordPress infographic

So, tell me . . . how was your year?


 

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My Grandmother’s Grandchild

Almost a year and a half ago – has it really been that long? – I wrote about my grandmother’s house. Today, I found myself acting just like her.

Like all people, Grandma had her idiosyncrasies.

She described every good meal as “a bountiful buffet”.

When asked about get-togethers, she’d often proclaim “a good time was had by all.”

If there was a birth, she’d say the new baby went home with “little brother/sister [x]”, even though said sibling was now the big sibling.

We found this one strange for a newspaper columnist.

We didn’t call her during “her shows” (i.e. soap operas) unless someone was dying, and even then . . .

She never let you win at Scrabble; if you did, it was a rare occurrence and often by single digits.

And then there were her neighbors. Rather, her relationship with her neighbors.

I’m not one to spy or pry, but . . .

Their light was on til one in the morning.

His car was gone by seven.

She should wear more clothes when she mows the lawn.

And so on . . .

This morning, I found myself spying.

To be fair, it wasn’t on my neighbors.

However, I did get out my kitchen stool and watch certain proceedings through the blinds of my front door.

Also, I wouldn’t have done it if they hadn’t woken me up.

What happened? So glad you asked. This happened:

Yes, the city arrived at 7:00 with their equipment and yelling and beeping. Oh dear lord, please stop the beeping.

At least they were gone by the time Krystal had to go to work.

Otherwise, there’d have been words.

 


 

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Drop a note in the prompt box!

 

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

Monday Morning Grievance: Holiday [Oxy]Morons

It’s Monday and I haven’t had my coffee.

Monday Morning Grievances Logo 1

Christmas Day behind us, New Years’ before us, crazies in full force.

One should stockpile all necessities by Dec 15 and only venture out when needed.

Drivers ignore speed limits, traffic signals, and signage.

Pedestrians refuse to look any direction.

Malls and Grocers descend into chaos.

I want to go home as soon as I reach the main road.

Home has its own problems.

Turn on the radio or TV, and a song, show, or movie will be proclaimed

an instant classic

a new tradition

That’s not how this works, people.

That’s not how any of this works.

I’d get you a dictionary for Christmas, but

(a) they’re expensive and

(b) I doubt you’d read it anyway.

And then there’s the family photographer, stealing a slice of our souls with every synthesized click of the button and telling us

ACT NATURAL!

Being natural, I make no apologies for

not smiling

not sitting up

not looking at the camera

not looking pleasant

not not blinking

If you wanted something else, you’re looking at the wrong person. But for you, I’ll do those things, knowing that the person in the photos is a pseudo-me, an impostor no better than Shopping Mall Santa.

Now I have a machine gun

ho ho ho

What’s Annoying You Today?


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Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

Sunday Snapshots: Wonderful Christmastime

The most wonderful time of the year is also the busiest. Between birthdays, Christmas, and the irregularities of the United States Postal Service, celebrations in our family will often last five days or more.

Here’s some of what we did between December 22 and December 26:

 

And then there was this:

 How was your Holiday Season?


 

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Don’t forget to follow me on:

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Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

Weihnachtsfloskel-Bingo

Trotz der Hektik es gibt Zeiten, die Feiertage zu erhalten geradezu langweilig.

Angenommen die mit anderen Menschen, es ist Zeit für Weihnachtsfloskel-Bingo:
 
Christmas Cliche Bingo auf Deutsch
 
Nach 49 Minuten hatte ich das:
 
Christmas Cliche Bingo auf Deutsch Komplete

 
Als meine Familie nicht zu trinken, würde es nie ausfüllen.
 


 

Have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

 

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

What I Did On My Birthday

People always want to know what one did on their birthday. As a teacher, I abhor repeating myself unnecessarily, so I’m keeping this list and when someone asks me what I did I can just say:

Check my Blog!

Smokey woke me up at 6:00

I may be on break, but he certainly is not

Then, I . . .

opened Overcast and started catching up on unplayed podcasts

logged into Facebook and played some Scrabble

talked to my Mom and Dad

They call me every birthday at 7:15 AM

Birthday Time 2015

typed two blog posts: Teaser Tuesday and Twenty Questions

tried helping Krystal get ready for work

I was more in the way than anything else

went into town dressed like this:

Birthday 2015 Assassins Creed Hoodie

finished shopping for Krystal

OK, I shopped for me, too

Using a gift card, I purchased these books:

Birthday Books 2015

Panera Bread gave me a free pastry for my birthday:

Huzzah for the cobblestone!

came home

had lunch

chipotle-barbecue boneless wings from Buffalo Wild Wings

talked to my cousin Eric

he wished me Happy Birthday and told me about crazy people at Wal-Mart getting free wine samples

started typing this list

wrapped the presents I bought for Krystal

messed around some more on Facebook

paid bills online

helped a friend in Canada fix a vibration problem with their iPhone

made some coffee

Dunkin’ Dark – a Christmas present from a wonderful 7th grader who paid attention when a fellow student asked my favorite type of coffee

warmed my cobblestone

coffee + cobblestone =  afternoon snack

browsed BuzzFeed while consuming said snack

finished my podcast binge

logged into Netflix to watch X-Files

I’m in season eight which means David Duchovny isn’t around as much as he used to, and the show suffers for it

I’m determined to see it through, though

I want Mulder’s “I Want to Believe” poster

browsed social media

waited for the mailman to come

received a card from an aunt in New York

checked the Goodreads giveaways

switched from X-Files to the BBC show Myth Hunters

The second episode “Hitler and the Spear of Destiny” annoyed me to no end by constantly referring to Charlemagne as the first Holy Roman Emperor

While it is true Charlemagne was crowned Emperor of the Romans on December 25, 800, Otto I [Otto “the Great”] was the first Holy Roman Emperor

I’d expect better of the BBC

tracked down my copy of A Christmas Story

texted with David, my best friend since the day he was born

IMG_4534

 

made supper of grilled cheese, Doritos, and Moxie

Birthday Dinner 2015

for my birthday? Yes, you see

Krystal, her sister, and our cousin Alex went to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

I have no desire to see Odysseus/Oedipus in Space, so Krystal gave me the best present an introvert can receive: alone time.

Let me repeat:

There is no greater gift for an introvert than planned alone time!

No obligations

No distractions

It’s amazing

Anyway, where was I? Oh yes. I

watched A Christmas Story while enjoying my nostalgic dinner

since I own the DVD, the 24-hour marathon begins when I say it will and is entirely independent of TBS

watched more X-Files

ate all the coconut candies from a box of Russel Stover Elegant Chocolates

brushed my teeth

Krystal is allergic to coconut; no sense giving her a headache or worse

Krystal came home @12:30

switched from X-Files to The Munsters

fell asleep

a satisfying birthday indeed

 


 

Have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

 

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

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