It has come again to my mind that my dad wrote a few poems over the years. None of them survive, as far as I know. I suppose I don’t often think of that because his one poem I vaguely remember caused me a lot of guilt. Basically, it was about me asking for something in the store and how he bought it for me, even though he couldn’t really afford it.
Nothing original below. To the contrary, I’m trying to remember that less alienated era I grew up in. Some of these I’m doing and some I’m working on. Please suggest additions. Don’t talk about politics or religion. Never bring it up yourself and if the other person brings it up, redirect the conversation. The only exception to the above is local news. This encourages engagement with the concerns of the community, which actually affects your life.
The new job has me working on Black Friday for the first time in a quarter-century. (This is adequately offset by the addition of a few bank holidays to my calendar.) Going to be a quiet day people-wise but I’m covering for a couple of co-workers so I should be busy. Headphones on, music up.
Rachel’s parents have a really cool limestone clock carved by Rachel’s great-grandfather. The timepiece is from a car of the era. Family lore says he used a hammer and screwdriver because it’s the only tools he had.
One of the good things I learned from my upbringing in the Holiness church: going it alone. I keep running across people looking for validation in their spiritual path. I get it. We all love validation. We want someone to help us along, encourage us, tell us we’re not crazy. At the same time, there’s a valuable lesson in “I’m gonna pray if I pray by myself; I’m gonna stand if I have to stand alone.
All week long I’ve been looking forward to organizing and cleaning the garage today. So what are your “boring old man” weekend plans?
This video series on Suzanne Lupien just keeps on giving. The latest episode is about her half-century of spoon carving.
Whoever designed the battery placement on a 2014 Chevy Malibu is a malicious, hate-filled demon. Just look at how much has to be removed to get to the battery! Two and a half hours and $300 later, my daughter’s car battery has been replaced.
Reminding myself after failure: Having An Opinion is not your task. Your task is small, local, centered on your family. Your task is to live in right relationship, work faithfully, and do what good you can. Use fewer and fewer words, until they become unnecessary.
Finished reading Marce Catlett: The Force of a Story by Wendell Berry. Fictionalized account of a formative event in the Berry family, and its impact over generations. Do you really need me to tell you it’s wonderful? 📚