As this year draws to an end, I cannot help but be overwhelmed by the blessings having been afforded to me this year. I suppose I shall have to do a good and proper "year in review" post... but suffice it to say that this has been an excellent year, in spite of everything else and whatever setbacks may have come. I mean, marriage, graduation, a job.... wow.
Let's put it this way... I write this as I ride in the van with my 1-year-old niece and 3-year-old nephew. As far as brats go... these are the well-behaved ones. And to their credit, they have had to tolerate a marked change in elevation accompanied with traveling in a somewhat-crowded minivan for 7 hours (probably 8 by the time this is all said and done.) But yeah... my niece keeps screaming off and on in a rather closed space. Granted, this is a new development that only started about the last half hour before we had lunch (where she pretty much screamed for 30 solid minutes) and probably indicates a desire to be done with all of this... but all caveats aside, I can't handle it. I am literally blaring Metallica as loud as it will go on this laptop so that I don't develop a pounding headache as a result of the stabbing sensations in my forehead that I get every time she screams.
So yeah, that makes my life fun and joy... but I would be remiss if I didn't attempt to make a Hobbesian insight about my 3-year-old nephew's seemingly-schizophrenic alteration between treating his younger sister nicely and taunting/poking/hitting her. And while one could make an argument for him having learned this behavior from other children, I find it perplexing that he would have learned such a behavior and applied it towards a largely non-adversarial relationship. Granted, one could argue some adversity for motherly attention (FREUD!), but I have a hard time seeing how this translates into random acts of unprompted cruelty (albeit infrequent) directed at his helpless and harmless little sister.
All that to say, the point of this little whimsy is that my sister-in-law asked today, "Have you ever considered not having kids?" and I would be lying if I didn't say "Yes... frequently." Especially when I bear in mind that these are good kids.
Until further notice, I am on hiatus in Colorado. As per usual, my cell phone will be with me... and I will attempt to make posts as I am able. If you don't know my cell # and still want to contact me... well, VengefulCynic [at] ... well... this domain (shadowcouncil.org) will get to me, and I might deign to give you my cell phone number, or at least respond to your email. More later.
It would appear that nobody can get enough coke. First off, it appears that Coca-cola has gone and done something intriguing... albeit disgusting: Coke Blak = Coke + Coffee. Sounds nasty to me... but maybe it will be the new stay awake drink of choice.
In other coke news, apparently some people can't even go to work without hitting their coke. Not that I could really blame a sustitute teacher for needing to get high to deal with students... but at the same time, I also can't blame the school district for calling the cops and getting him arrested for getting high while at school... teaching no less. The best part of this to me is that the substitute originally claimed that he was just grinding up his cold pills and snorting them because he couldn't find any water. Pssst... dude, first off, nobody but a druggie even considers grinding up cold pills and snorting them, and second off, the whole line about no water kinda falls flat in a school with all of the freaking water fountains.
And finally, some people want coke so bad, they're willing to hire hit men to get it. The problem arises when said people are so lackluster in their intelligence that they manage to hire an undercover cop as a hit man... to steal what turns out to be a giant block... of CHEESE. Some people are so stupid that they get no coke.
Lady: Hello, is Brad there?
Me: I'm sorry ma'am, he's busy with a call on the other line, can I take a message or help you with something myself?
Lady: Go get Brad, I want to talk to him.
Me: Ma'am, he's busy or else I would... is there something else I can do for you?
Lady: Brad just doesn't want to talk to me.
Me: Ma'am, being as that your name and number don't show up on caller ID and also given that I haven't even had a chance to tell Brad who's calling yet, I find it highly unlikely that Brad has told me to lie to you.
Lady: Just tell Brad to call me back *click*
Me: Umm...
*breaks out the sticky note* Brad, psycho woman with no name and no caller id information who is convinced that your assistant manager is a liar wants a call back.
I would like to thank everyone who showed up at Joe's for my birthday whatnot. Since there are far too many blogs to link and people to thank individually, I would just like to thank my wife for organizing it and Joe's Pizza and Pasta for putting up with 20 of us and cutting us a break on the price... I know it should have been more than the $80-some that they charged us to feed 20 people.
I would also like to thank Ma Hoyt (somewhat belatedly) for the 'not birthday' card she sent me. Every now and again, it's nice to get some mail from someone who isn't Sallie Mae or someone else who I owe money to. At least, I'm pretty sure I don't owe Ma any money... ;-)
At this time last year, I was a student, unengaged and unmarried, looking forward to final projects and finals, and a semester away from graduation.
Two years ago my goofy friends dragged me out to Jefferson to celebrate my birthday, despite Anna being sick with mono and most of the others being under the weather one way or another. Yes Jared, I've mostly forgiven you for skipping out due to severe illness.
Life has been good to me. God grant that this next year will be as good as the past one has been.