Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas...

2 words rattled off like some melody eternally burned into our memory. It seems most of us as humans are programed to repeat these words for about a month every 365 days a year. Merry Christmas, what does that mean?

When you wish someone a Merry Christmas what are you really offering? Peace? Love? Happiness? Christ? Do you actually care or are you just falling victim to the propaganda of the holiday season.

Having a Merry Christmas has grown new meaning to me as I have become older. It used to be about presents and seeing family. It used to be about the hustle and bustle of the big day and the anxiety of buying presents for loved ones ensuring an adequate offering of presents. The termoil of the last minute trips to the store and the family visits, always moving always going somewhere, perpetually running late.

Although I enjoy the shopping, family and events of the season I like to take a break, if only for a few minutes. I like to sit back, light some candles and put on some Christmas music. I sit back and gaze at the Christmas tree and all the presents beneath it. I look around at the things I have and for a moment I think about how lucky I am to have these things. How lucky I am to have family to visit, how lucky I am to be able to afford presents and how lucky I am to have Kate.

So when I wish you a Merry Christmas know that it comes from the heart. Know that instead of wishing you happiness on one day alone I am hoping you too take the time to realize just how lucky you are and how wonderful life truely is.

Merry Christmas.

"All I can do is be me, whoever that is."

How right you are Mr. Dylan. We as humans spend much of our young lives "finding ourselves" and determining where we fit into society. That happens earlier for some, but for me I feel like I found myself in my twenties.

I spent most of my adolescent life trying to fit in. I tried to be one of the cool kids. I tried to be one of the kids who didn't care. I tried to be one of the nerds and even a stoner (even though I hadn't tried smoking pot until I was out of high school).

As time passed and I was molded into the man I have become, mostly by circumstance but also with a little careful planning. I have found that in fact all I can do is be me, whoever that is.

I just wish someone would tell my fifteen year old brother that...

DB of the day award

So I'm on my way to work on a crisp fall morning. Temperatures at 45 degrees. Im driving down the turnpike, doing about 65 -70 and what do I see?

This guy:

Winter hat and coat buttoned up with the top down. He wins the DB award for the day..

Im 28 and I feel great!

Who ever said age is nothing but a number could not have been more wrong. I have first hand experience that can attest to the fact that this statement is false.

I met Kate back in August of 2008. We immediately made a connection and my life has not been the same since. During our time discovering each other and asking questions, the topic of my age came up. Kate wanted to know how old I was going to be on my next birthday, July 7 2009. I regretfully responded "twenty-nine". Kate accepted the answer; neither she nor I gave it a second thought. I had accepted the fact that I would be one year from thirty.

Time went by Thanksgiving and Christmas came and went. Spring went in like a lion and out like a lamb. My birthday was coming closer. We celebrated the 4th of July in typical fashion and as the days waned towards the big "29" I was more frequently probed with the question "How old will you be?" Co-workers, family, friends, acquaintances all were given the same answer, a very solemn "twenty-nine."

The big day finally came, it was wonderful. Kate got me great gifts including a Phillies grill cover and first row tickets to a game in August, she is the best! Since my birthday fell on a Tuesday I made plans with friends that we would go out for drinks on Friday for the big "two-nine"

While sitting on the outside patio deck at the bar talking with friends, Shannon had stated her brother was turning 29 this year. With some quick math she brought up the fact he was born in 1980. I turned to her and argued that I was born in 1981 and I am 29 this year so he must be older. “Impossible” Shannon replied. Meanwhile some more of my friends got in on the conversation and backed Shannon up. It was this moment that I realized I am in fact 28.

I was floored, after laughing uncontrollably for what seemed like and eternity I gathered my thoughts, wiped the tears from my eyes and performed the math in my head. I confirmed I am indeed 28 years of age. All this time I have been living a lie. "I will be 29 this year" I would say. Fortunately Kate saw the humor in this, I have been telling her I was a year older. I really thought I was.

Now I feel like a million bucks. I feel younger. Like I cheated life and gained time back. I have another year to walk this earth, to laugh and live and love life, to make a difference. I am going to enjoy this "second" year, all made possible by my own ignorance and lack of math skills.

So to who ever thought of this quote "Age is nothing but a number" I say this, try and convince the world and yourself that you are older than you are. When someone brings it to your attention you might just get a good laugh and feel great!

My not so green thumb

I have to say I am really disappointed with my lawn and gardening skills lately. My lawn is yellow either from over fertilizing or the 2 week span of rain we had in May which I couldn't cut the lawn. My vegetable garden is lame with 2 tomato plants some basil and beans. Every time I plant a sunflower in the garden for Kate the damn squirrels eat them. My garden has chicken wire over the ground because a damn cat keeps going in there to drop a deuce. The front flower garden, well the tulips looked great and Kate loved them. However the squirrels decided to destroy the rest of my flowers and shove them in the ceiling of my front porch. Well I fixed them, but can't repair the damage done. Stupid animals maybe I just need to move....

Made with real vanilla bean specs

Today I have met two of the most impressive senior citizens.

It's not that this is the first time I have met these fine people, but the first time I have witnessed them in their own home. Thriving, laughing, loving life and keeping plenty busy.

With a yard the size of a small softball field and numerous gardens to maintain the woman of the house makes her way outside when the weather is nice to facilitate new plantings, prune old growth and carry out other miscellaneous duties that accompany a lush and fruitful garden. Her husband performs maintenance on the several ponds and water attractions that adorn the yard.

These two "eighty somethings" married for what seems to be a lifetime, still in love with each other make daily trips in their vehicle to run errands, visit family and friends and shop.

Both still as sharp as a tack, "pop" makes jokes and wisecracks and loves his Schaefer beer. Grand mom reminisces about old times and loves to tell stories of when the grand kids were younger.

Yes, these two are my idols. I look up to them. I hope to be like them when I am that age. When other couples their age can occasionally become hermits or poses other disabling mental issues, these two have broken the mold and are living life to the fullest.

They are Kate's grandparents, Betty and Norman Pollock

Last night at the grocery store

So last night after working until 9 PM again I get home and realize that the rolls I knew I had in my cabinet to make sloppy Joe's were moldy. So as soon as Kate pulled in I left in her car to get new ones. I make my way to the WaWa and of course, no rolls. I go to Superfresh slightly irritated and grab rolls. As I walk the isle towards the cash register there is an Indian man in front of me pushing one of those double wide racing car shopping karts. His child is hanging off the side in a standing position screaming with excitement like an animal. I think to myself as I dodge left and slide right to try and maneuver around this behemoth shopping kart, why is his child out grocery shopping at 10 at night?

As I make my final vein attempt to get around this guy and make my way to the self check out and exit the store as quickly as possible the man makes a sudden sharp turn right in front of me. He turns into a lane that is not even open. His child flies off the side of the kart and falls right in front of me. His head hitting the floor makes the sound of a bowling ball dropped on cement floor covered with linoleum.

So now I am in a difficult situation. Do I stop and help the screaming child up, or do I step over him and continue on my way to the self check out and get the hell out of there?

Well I chose the latter, and as I paid for my dumb rolls I realized that maybe I should have helped him out. When I got home I explained the story to Kate and judging by her reaction, as expected she would have stopped and helped the kid. So now I feel a little guilty about the situation. I decided to weigh the consequences and look at the situation in a few other perspectives.

If I had stopped to help the child, what would it look like? I am a single, irritated man walking through the grocery store with rolls in my hand. Do I really think the child would welcome my assistance? The most likely scenario that would play out is that I would have scared the poor screaming child thus making an even more tragic experience.

Now from the fathers point of view, a single irritated man walking through the store picking up this child that I don't know to help him off the floor. I know I would not want some random man picking my son up off the floor. What if the kid was seriously injured? I'm no doctor. So the way I see it, I could have potentially avoided a lawsuit.

So in the end I think I made the correct decision even though I do feel a little bad. I am glad I work with computers.

Seasons

As I continue to age and snow falls less across the region spring is quickly becoming my next favorite season (next to fall of course) and here is why

Phillies
NCAA Basketball March Madness
Bar B Ques!
Free Ritas
Shamrock Shakes
That 72 degree day that seems to emerge out of nowhere
Feeling like a kid in school instead of an adult at work on that day
Driving with the windows down and the radio up
Landscaping and gardening
Those wam nights where you can sit outside and talk to your neighbors without shivering
Thunderstorms
Opening the windows at home and getting fresh air in
Naps on warm Saturday afternoons with a nice breeze
Tax refunds
Short sleeved shirts
Not waiting 30 minutes for your car to warm up in the morning
Doing activities outside
Making plans for summer vacations
Daylight savings time
Getting home from work before dark
Taking the dog for walks again
The fact that spring is a natrual aphrodisiac
Flowers and trees blooming

For these reasons and more I love spring. Have I missed anything?