Mike’s Musings

Here’s my contribution to the expected, and almost cliched, year-in-review post many have, and many will, make today.  It won’t be a long one, since I’m pretty prone to self-reflection and self-evaluation throughout the year, but I’ll hit the highlights.

1)  Engagement.  The ring was accepted and the proposal answered with a yes.  I’ll never forget the facial expression, either.

2)  Home.  I moved from the upper floor of a two-story house to my very own ranch house in Cleaverville.  I’m still renting, but perhaps a land contract is in my future for 2008.  Moving to this house made me feel more like an adult, more stable, more rooted, and after years of not staying in one place for long, it’s a very welcome change.  I’m happy.

3)  Work.  Things at work this year were just great, despite my frustrations at times.  Frustrations happen, even in the best of jobs, and my job is the best for me right now.  I love what I do, and that alone is enough to make 2007 awesome, especially since so many here in Michigan can’t say that about their jobs.  Or wish they had a job to love or hate.

4)  Family.  Joshua will be living with me starting in 2008.  Huge adjustment there, and has brought me closer to my family, which isn’t always ideal.  (Just ask me about Christmas drama from my mom and my dad — I dare you.)  My sister isn’t quite the lush my mother thinks she is, and she’s tried very hard to be the kind of woman Josh wants her to be.  My own mother can’t say that.  Grandma B. is in the final stages of her Parkinson’s and honestly, she looked like a purple and pink corpse when she was here for the Christmas Eve celebration.  As much as I hate to say something like this, I really do hope she passes sooner rather than later; she has suffered enough and she needs the peace.

5)  Friendship.  Honestly, I’ve sucked at being any kind of friend this year.  Daniel’s my one true friend, my best friend, but there are others who have been neglected, and man, that is some bad karma headed my way for that.  I just know it. 

All in all, 2007 has been one the best years for me.  My life is good.  It’s stable.  It’s happy.  It’s relatively secure.  My life is my own to screw up.  I’ll work hard to not screw it up.

Resolutions, you ask?  What are my resolutions?  To get deeper into the writing side of my career, and to be the best role model for Josh that I know how to be.  Those two should keep me pretty busy in 2008.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Namaste…  MS

So today I decided to finish working on my syllabi for my four face-to-face classes (my online class syllabus can wait).  I started the process yesterday.  I can say that I am 4/5 of the way done with that aspect of course planning; I cannot say, however, that I have the course schedules figured out.  I don’t like to be planned too far in advance anyway; I like having some room to improvise and play.

Phineas and I took a walk around the neighborhood today.  We usually walk in the park, but since the snows have been heavy lately, we’ve taken to wandering through the streets of Cleaverville.  What I like about winter is that Finny can poop pretty much anywhere and it doesn’t matter — another batch of snow will come to cover it all up soon enough.  It’s quite embarrassing to have him pooping on nice green outlawns when the weather’s nice and warm, for some reason.  He’s a happy dog when he gets to be out and about.  He’s very athletic and likes to move. 

Soon 2008 shall be upon us.  I only hope it’s as good to me as 2007 has been.  I’m not much for making resolutions, per se, but I will write down some goals I have for the coming year. 

Namaste…  MS

Shoveling is one of those activities that is literally a pain.  No matter how you may try, you’re going to end up with some form of back and shoulder pain.  And for some reason, I don’t like doing it when the neighbors can see me.  I don’t mind doing the driveway from my side door to the garage, since I’m not too exposed there, but when I get past the side door and out to the sidewalk and street, I feel incredibly self-consious.  There’s good reason for that, though — The Bastards watch me shovel. 

I got out there at 8 o’clock this morning so I wouldn’t have to deal with them staring at me.  Their house was dark.  I thought I was safe and in the clear.  No such luck!  I get ready to shovel the front half of the driveway and what do I see?  Fat Bastard and Jock Bastard watching me like I was some Saturday morning cartoon for their amusement.  It’s so bizarre to know I was being watched doing something as truly mundane as shoveling snow from my driveway.

I’m not prone to hating people, but I hate Fat Bastard.  He’s rude, snide, angry…just generally disrespectful and awful.  He reminds me of my father in the Bad Ol’ Days.  Not good.  More on that whack-job family as events warrant, I guarantee that.

 Namaste….  MS

So perhaps that’s a little uncouth, even a little tacky, for a title, but people expect wit and irreverence for first postings.  Sadly, that’s probably as much wit and irreverence as I can muster today.  However, I’m sure I could produce more uncouth and tacky thoughts, but I’ll refrain.

I’ve tried keeping blogs before and never made it too far, or for too long.  My last “successfully” kept one was called The Writerly Professor, since that’s what I am: A writer and a professor.  I told it all in third person, which was fun.  For this, I’m opting for good old-fashioned first person.

 Let’s see if I can keep this up!  Cheers, mates…