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12月31日 Looking Back on 2008It's time once more for my year-end retrospective. 2008 was a year of continuing change, diminishing hope, and a dash of elation. Overall, things went fairly well, and I was able to handle those things that were disappointing.
I started the year on a road trip. At times the trip was lonely, and at the same time renewing. In February, we kids hosted a 50th anniversary party for our parents. I think it could be classified as a success. Later that month, I took Mom and Dad to Hawaii. It was a trip originally proposed and planned by both Gene and I. Unfortunately, only three of us went. It was both a great vacation, but also very difficult for me emotionally. During 2008, I discovered that the times during which I experienced the most profound feelings of loss for Gene were during vacation periods. Sometimes when on a plane, I couldn't stop myself from crying. There were times when I cried quietly and non-stop for a couple hours. The Hawaii trip was the first example of that manifestation of my grief.
It was also in February that I started dating for the first time in almost 15 years. I had a few first dates, and one guy I went out with three times, but nothing clicked. Soon after returning from Hawaii, I took a big step and flew to Chicago to meet someone I had been chatting with for a few months: Marcus. We had met online. Long distance relationships are very difficult, and to step into dating with someone like me who is grieving the sudden loss of a partner is a big risk. I grew to be very fond of Marcus, and he visited me in Seattle a couple times. We went on a cruise together in April. But, I could not give him the relationship he desired. I was feeling a great deal of pressure in my life and it only seemed to get worse as the year wore on.
Spring was a very hard time for me. I closed Gene's estate. My health began to deteriorate. Muscle spasms in my back returned. I spent my 43rd birthday in Chicago with Marcus, doped up on pain medication that didn't remove all the pain. I also started to feel an urgent need to sell the house I shared with Gene in Magnolia so I could move on emotionally. The house was feeling like a trap and a maintenance burden. A new place would mean less yard to care for and a mortgage payment more in scale with my single income. But, the economy was declining and I was learning to manage a very new financial picture on my own. Moving was a tough decision, but I still think it was the right one. Sadly, my relationship with Marcus started to feel like a burden too. I was surrounded by emotional pressure. He wanted more from me and I could not give it. By early summer, I had to back out from my relationship with Marcus. I think he understood, but he was also disappointed and angry. I don't blame him. Neither do I blame myself - it just was the wrong time for me.
My back problems forced me to stop working for two weeks at the very end of the school year. I started going to physical therapy and later got a personal trainer to set up some exercises at the gym that would help me develop a stronger core body and more flexibility in my back. Therapy (both physical and mental) continued through the summer. Also during summer, I moved to my new home in the Greenwood neighborhood It's the first place I have ever owned solely in my name and is a major part of my establishing an independent identity again. I bought several pieces of new furniture and sold or gave away several others. I bought some new artwork, a new iMac, an iPhone, and some new clothing. I finished giving away Gene's old clothing though I did keep some of his shirts which fit me.
In July I took my mom to New York - her first visit to the Big Apple. We saw two Broadway shows and toured a couple museums. Then we boarded the Queen Mary 2 for a cruise to New England and Nova Scotia. August took me on another cruise, but this time it was for business. I learned to integrate chess into my school curriculum. It was a 4 day Caribbean cruise on Carnival Cruise Lines and it was paid for by the American Foundation for Chess. Were I offered another cruise on Carnival, I would seriously consider declining - the cruise was that bad, or more accurately, the other cruise passengers were that bad.
Come September, I started dating Derek. I was wary of seeing him because there is a big age difference between us, but he kind of chased me - which is always a nice compliment. I'm still going out with him so there must be something going on. For now, we are taking things slowly, concentrating on having fun together, and letting things evolve naturally. Also in September I returned to teaching for the start of a new school year. My class this year has been a dream group. I've had no serious behavior problems with them. That is the first time that's happened in 10 years of teaching. Unfortunately, I also had a series of illnesses in the fall - everything from repeated colds to the flu. Then I had my catalytic converter stolen from my truck. Happily, during one of my short spells of good health, Derek and I enjoyed a relaxing weekend getaway in San Francisco. October also marked the end of my grief counseling. Originally, I thought I would be done during the summer, but I was wrong. Stopping my twice monthly sessions didn't feel right until just before Halloween. November was both a terrific and disappointing month. It was wonderful because of the election of Barack Obama. I was elated by the results and started crying when NBC called the election at 8pm. I'm still on a high from that event. Unfortunately, that month also marked the passage of Prop. 8 in California, which was another in a long line of disappointments for me regarding same sex marriage rights. And, November was the month when I had hoped to play host to my entire family for Thanksgiving. First I scheduled some electrical work on a chandalier, but the technician never showed. Then my furnace died. Then I got the flu for two weeks. What started as a dinner for 12 ended up dinner for 4 (thanks to Derek, my brother and his girlfriend). On Thanksgiving Day I officially threw in the towel and gave up on trying to sell my Magnolia house. Fortunately, the next month, I found a good family that wanted a short term lease. December was filled with snowy weather, which can be fun - unless it keeps one from leaving on a Caribbean vacation. Apparently, I escaped just in time. I got out of Seattle the day before things started to fall apart at Seatac Airport. I enjoyed scuba with new dive buddies, warm sunny weather, and lots of time with Derek. By the time I flew home, the snow was mostly gone and we were back to the usual clouds with occasional rain and temps in the 40s. But I was very relaxed and tan. Today is the last day of 2008. I received my last piece of new furniture for the new house. My year long buying spree is officially over. Today also marked the beginning of my process for adopting a child. I met with an attorney from an adoption agency this morning. I'm sure that topic will be a major source for blog material in the coming year. In 2009 I can look forward to another trip with Derek (this time a cruise). I have great hopes for 2009, but those hopes are tempered with caution. At least 2008 was not a disasterous year. I would be lucky if 2009 had the same mixture of highs and lows, espeically considering now that economic times are continuing their awful decline. God, I hope I can sell my old home in 2009. At least I know the coming year will mark the end of George Bush's employment! Unfortunately, most of the year will be tainted by the suffering he leaves in his wake. Below is a pic of me at the end of 2008.  12月29日 Home AgainI have returned home to cloudy and dreary Seattle. Most of the snow has melted away, and for that I am very grateful. I've had enough snow for one season. It's always good to be home. However, I do miss the warmth and sunshine of the Caribbean. All my flights went perfectly yesterday. Not a single flight was late or troublesome. I arrived in Seattle exactly on time, received my luggage within 30 minutes, picked up my car at the garage and was home by 9pm. Everything at the house was fine, including my rather pissed off cat. Soon I'm leaving to pick up my dogs from the kennel. Here are some pictures of what I'm missing:       12月27日 A Quiet FinaleVacation time is ending. Today is our final day on the island of Bonaire. Derek and I have spent our day quietly lying around in the sun with two of our new friends from the scuba group. It seems like the resort has few guests right now. Probably, many people are returning home as the holidays come to an end. New people will probably arrive this afternoon. As part of winding up the trip, I returned the last of our scuba equipment, leaving tips for our dive captains. I spent some time by the pool, then by the beach. Derek, Rick, and Eugene watched fighting iguanas - the usual group of spiney critters that hang out under the lounge chairs here at the resort. We ate lunch together, spent time chatting, and now I'm about to take a nap. Derek and I are planning to have our final dinner at a nearby restaurant - either a place called Bambu or a sushi restaurant on the waterfront. The picture below shows us all, at our final group dinner last night. Tomorrow morning we head to the airport for our return flights. 12月26日 Vacation ContinuesScuba diving is over, but our holiday continues none the less. Today, Derek and I and four other guys from our scuba group decided to spend our day at a beach. Grabbing a taxi after breakfast, we all headed south to the sandy beaches and shallow turquoise waters of Lac Bay. It is located southeast of our resort and is very popular with locals and tourists alike. It's known especially as a prime spot for windsurfing. Three of the guys had scheduled wind surfing lessons at a beach bar. Because of that, we all had to spend our time and the more crowded Sorobon beach - a haven for tourists, rather than the less accessible Kontiki beach where locals are most likely to gather. The entire bay is blocked from waves by a reef. And, though it covers a very large area, it's only 2-3 feet in depth throughout. You can literally walk a mile through the heart of the bay never immersed deeper than your waist. Derek and I spent 5 hours lying in the sun and under a palapa. I was slathered in SPF 30 while Derek was his usual brown self. The beach was packed with people, but we arrived early enough to claim several lounge chairs before the crowd became overwhelming. Much of the day we were witness to a bunch of grumpy tourists grousing and walking about looking for places to lie in both sun and shade. The worst people were, of course, the Americans. They had the short tempers and foul mouths. Tomorrow, Derek and I have a full day to relax while most of the guys and gals in our scuba group will be heading to the airport. I think I will spend my time at the pool here in the resort. Now that our diving is done, I can report I accomplished 11 dives. All dive sites can be seen on the map below. The dives sites were:
Derek dived at sites 2 and 6. Soon, our entire group is heading to the resort photo shop. I'll be picking up the CD that has my pictures and video which I shot on the rental camera. We'll also watch a professionally shot video that was taken during our Salt Pier dive. Of course, there will be an opportunity to buy a copy - which I will probably do. Then we head to a pizza shop for our last dinner as a group. 12月25日 Christmas in the CaribbeanToday is the 25th of December. It's 5:30pm (1:30 PST). The day is winding down nicely. Yesterday, I went on two dives from the morning boat. The first was supposed to be a drift dive, but the dive captain misread the current and it turned into a tough swim against the current. Derek did his usual snorkeling above the divers. We saw a soap fish, a porcupine puffer fish, more tarpon, shrimp, a basket star, and of course many colorful tropical fish and another turtle. The afternoon was dedicated to my usual nap and reading while Derek went for a walk to find flamingos. He succeeded - capturing some pictures as shown below. At 6pm most of our group met for drinks, then we walked into town for dinner at Cactus Blue - a fairly popular restaurant that emphasizes local seafood and traditional dishes like goat. The service was slow, as is the usual around here. We were warned everyone functions on "island time." That is a difficult thing for some folks in our party to deal with, especially those from the East Coast. Though Derek and I aren't fond of waiting two hours for our food, we also thought some of the others were too impatient and their comments bordered on rude. Derek tried to make up for them by making kind comments. Today, we woke up and had our usual breakfast in the buffet before boarding the 8:30am boat for a two tank dive. It was raining this morning so the dive was wet above as well as below the surface. Our first descent was on a wreck called the Hilma Hooker - a notorious 250' freighter that was scuttled after it was found carrying tons of pot behind and artificial bulkhead. The crew abandoned ship and escaped the island. The ship was sunk by the Netherlands Antilles Coast Guard due to its poor condition. It lies on its starboard side at 100 feet. We did an easy penetration dive through the two largest holds on the ship. I rented an underwater camera and took lots of video and pictures. Later, it was especially fun when we twice encountered a pod of playful dolphins who road along with our bow wave and jumped over our wake as we made out way to the second dive site a simple reef dive at the eastern tip of Klein Bonaire. Just before lunch, Derek prepared for his first scuba experience. He completed what is called "Discover Scuba." It's an abbreviated and very basic course for those who want to get a taste for the sport. I did it twice myself before I took a certification course. After his first shore dive, Derek joined us all for his boat dive premier. He had a fantastic time. Our final dive of the day was on the 2pm boat, and Derek was geared up like the rest of us. We all did something naughty and illegal. The boat captain dropped us quickly on the south side of the large salt works cargo dock. The dive captain led us among the huge concrete pilings. The location is officially off limits to scuba, but it's also the best diving spot on the island. On Christmas day the salt works are closed and the pier was empty. The fish and coral formations were spectacular. Then the boat picked us up again about 1/2 a mile to the north. Adding both the wreck dive and the pier dive, it was a fantastic way to celebrate the holiday. I'm very glad I chose today to rent the camera. I took movies of the animals, the wreck, the pier dive, and Derek losing his scuba virginity. To complete our evening, we will soon meet for the big Christmas Dinner buffet. I hear there may also be fireworks.
12月23日 Dive By NightToday started with me reading the Seattle Times and feeling a little guilty that I am in the sunshine and others are trapped at the airport, or struggling to get to work through the snow. Those guilt feelings didn't last too long. Derek and I joined our group on the usual 8:30am boat for two dives. I saw the usual turtle, puffer fish, sea horses, and colorful tropical fish. Both dives were relaxing and enjoyable. After diving, we ate lunch and I headed back to the room for a nap while Derek did some more snorkeling on the 2pm boat. When he was done, we walked into town where he bought some souvenirs and I bought some new sun glasses. We also made reservations for dinner at a tapas restaurant. When we returned to the resort, I prepared for a new adventure - my first night dive. Yes, after sunset I climbed into the rapidly darkening water. My dive partner was the owner of our tour company - Greg. We had all the appropriate gear including halogen lights and a tank marker light. I was a little nervous about diving in total darkness, but as is usually the case for me, once I dropped below the surface, my anxiety faded away as I became absorbed in the experience. I was hoping to see an octopus, but I settled for a squid, a huge tarpon (6 feet) that hung around us during the entire dive, and beautiful big lobster, and a turtle. Now it's late - the dive and dinner are over and I am ready for bed. Derek has decided to try his first scuba dive (probably tomorrow). Right now he's over in the corner of the room humming a little song he made up about schnauzers. I'm thrilled I'll have the chance to dive with Derek. He's a very funny and sweet guy. Diving with him will be a blast.
12月22日 First Boat Dive of the TripToday, at 8:30a we left on our first boat dive of the week. Derek came along for snorkeling. During out trip out to the dive site we saw numerous flying fish - whole flocks of them! I was amazed by how far they could glide and maneuver. We also saw the Grand Princess coming into port. It's my favorite Princess ship. It reminded me I'm looking forward to my cruise in just 7 weeks. Down below, I saw a scorpion fish, numerous parrot fish, a chubby seahorse, and a small turtle. The reef around Bonaire is in very good condition with lots of different kinds of fish and colorful coral. After two dives we returned to the hotel dock at 11:30 and I had a cool refreshing shower to rinse out the saltwater. We ate lunch in the resort restaurant watching colorful fish swimming just below the balcony of the open air restaurant. Of course, a nap had to follow. Most of our group chose to go on another boat dive at 2pm, but we chose to dive into a nap. It isn't vacation without a daily nap. That brings us to the present. It's 4pm. Soon we are going to walk the few block into the heart of Kraledijk so I can buy some sun glasses. I suspect the night will wind down with the usual drinks in the hotel bar followed by dinner in a nearby restaurant with other members of our scuba group. It's nice getting to know these folks day by day. 12月21日 Bon Bini!......means hello in the local language of Bonaire - a combination of Spanish, Dutch, native languages and a little English thrown in. I landed at 10:30pm (6:30pst) last night. I was supposed to be picked up at the airport by a shuttle service, but no one was there to meet me. Instead I took a cab and the tour operator reimbursed me. Derek arrived this morning without incident though about 1 hour late. I was asleep when he got to the hotel at 7:40am because my alarm had failed to go off. I have mixed feelings about figuring out how to make that thing work properly. I suppose I'll play things by ear. If I need to get up early for a dive, I may try using the alarm clock again. After Derek's arrival, we had breakfast in the Bini Bini buffet restaurant here on the resort property. We had custom prepared eggs and omelets. By 9:30am, I had filed all the required paperwork and was seated in my dive orientation meeting. Each diver was assigned a locker for our gear. Four of us completed a 40 minute orientation dive off the resort pier. It was a relaxing dive - easy and colorful. For a brief time, I thought we had lost one of our divers. Then I noticed he had ascended. He later reported he was underweighted and as he used up his air, he became more buoyant - popping to the top. Thank God he was okay. It isn't healthy to rise that quickly. We had been as deep as 80 feet! I'll ask him how he's feeling later tonight. After the dive I took a nap, we both laid in the sun for a while (among a small heard of iguanas), took a walk through town where almost all the shops were closed because it's Sunday! Virtually all the restaurants in town are closed too so we'll be eating dinner here in the resort. The weather is warm and sunny here - nary a snowflake in view! Today the high was 87 F and the water temp is 82 F. The humidity is manageable. After our walk through town though, we were both sweaty so a relaxing cool shower was in order. Now it's time to head up to the bar for a beer and to watch the sunset. We are off to a good start. 12月20日 The Second Leg - Derek Joins InI awoke at 2:45am CST. What did I tell you in the previous post? I can't sleep when I'm flying! The hotel wake up call came at 4am just as it was supposed to. For me, the debate was breakfast. I didn't eat dinner last night because I wasn't hungry. Now, it's almost 5am and my tummy is rumbling. But I have limited time, and breakfast is served on the plane. I think I'll just try to get some coffee and a bagel in the terminal. Breakfast should be served around 8:30am during the flight. During my day I will be thinking of Derek. I know he is nervous about flying on his own. We got him a ticket on Continental through Houston because no seats were available on my route. If he runs into trouble and needs my help, I can assist remotely. He's a grown up. Flight problems are nothing he can't handle, but I know Derek, like me, feels a basic level of stress just at the possibility of a problem. Portland has had its share of snow lately too. Thankfully, when he is on the ground, I will be in San Juan waiting for six hours in the the AA Admiral's Club. We can keep in touch via cell phone. UPDATE: 2:00pm (AST) I'm in San Juan sitting in the upper level (quiet room) of the Admiral's Club. It's heavenly compared to the noisy and crowded terminal. San Juan really needs to expand the airport. American wants me to join the Admiral's Club so they sent me a free one day pass. It was perfect timing considering my six hour layover here in San Juan. I don't think I'm going to join. There is no Admiral's Club in Seattle and I just don't travel enough to justify the expense. It would be less expensive for me to pay fifty dollars for a one day pass on those rare occasions when I have more than a couple hours to wait for my next flight. All is going well for my travels so far. Derek is now at PDX, checking in for his flight through Houston where it is mostly cloudy and 76 degrees. Weather there should not be a detriment to his trip. I leave San Juan at 8pm AST (4pm PST). I'm really looking forward to unpacking and sleeping. I'm thinking I probably will not dive on Sunday because I won't be fully rested. Monday can be my first diving day. Both Derek and I will have recovered by that time. UPDATE: 6:40pm (AST) After enduring a weather related delay of 100 minutes, Derek's flight is finally in the air. I'm tracking it on www.flightaware.com until my American Eagle flight boards here in San Juan. Oh man! Derek is going to be stressed when he arrives in Bonaire. The last text message I got from him was, "I'm sitting next to the kid from hell." It takes a lot for a preschool teacher to say that! 12月19日 The First LegThe first leg of my trip to Bonaire has been successful. I'm in Dallas.
I woke up this morning at 7am. After showering and repacking, I ate breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Then I drove to my usual parking garage, removed the chains from my tires and took a shuttle to the terminal. Check-in went well. Litererally, there was no one at security (as in no passengers). I walked right up to the security checkpoint. The TSA employees were puzzled by the hoses and mechanics in my bag until they figured out it was a scuba diving regulator. I relaxed, read, and checked in with Derek via phone. Soon I was onboard.
All went well with the flight. We took off ten minutes late but more than made up the time with a strong tail wind in the air. We arrived at DFW a full 15 minutes early. Onboard I watched TV on my iPhone. I enjoyed my usual Bloody Mary and a surprisingly good cheese burger.
Getting to Bonaire isn't easy. Because it is so far southeast from Seattle, there are no quick and easy routes. Rather than face an overnight flight and trying to sleep on the airplane, I chose to break my flight into two parts: before and after Dallas.
Now, please understand - I hate Dallas the city, but the airport is okay - and the Grand Hyatt at DFW is terrific. So the logical spot to take a break and sleep was at this terrific hotel - and I got a top quality room for only $140. Considering the quality of this hotel, it's a steal!
My room is very luxurious. Everything is wood, glass and marble with a mossy green and brushed steel decor. The bathroom is huge and includes a large soaking tub and a seperate shower. My room looks out over the runways, but I can hardly hear the roar of the jet engines as they rise into the sky.
Tomorrow morning, my flight leaves at 7:10am. I will be up very early. Unfortunately, I have a long layover in San Juan (6 hours) before I finally arrive in Bonaire at 10pm local time. I will have missed the initial reception and cocktail party for my scuba group. Oh well - I can't complain. I paid for this ticket with airline points.
But despite the progress I've had so far, flying these days is very stressful. What was a good trip can change instantly. I speak from expereience. Flying in coach is cramped, so first class can remedy that problem - but that's only half the picture. There is always the stress of missed schedules, late or cancelled flights, and added costs when one can't get to the desired destination on time.
I am a worrier, which is very sad. I've been through every type of delay and foul-up one can expereince when traveling in the US and internationally. I know how to handle just about any situation. Unfortunately, I can't convince myself to relax and let go. I wish I could. Inevitably a big trip like this messes with my mind and my body. My stomach gets in knots, I have trouble sleeping and I experience muscle pain in my back (though not my horrific muscle spasms).
Once I get settled in Bonaire I will quickly recover. When Derek arrives, I'll feel even better. Until then, the stress simply must be endured.
  12月18日 I Think the Vacation Has StartedThe snow caused me to move up my departure somewhat. As of 2:30pm on Thursday, I'm safe and sound at the Marriott Hotel next to Seatac Airport.
I chained up the AWD car (just in case) while still at home. It was a good decision. Getting along the streets and highways in Seattle wasn't bad, but once I got up to the plateau on which Seatac sits the rumble of the tires and cable chains turned into a soft hum on top of 3-4 inches of compact snow. Apparently they don't spend much money or time clearing streets down here. Though highway 99 is okay, the side streets along the route to the kennel were really nasty. I was the only customer to make it in today.
My poor puppies are now ensconsed in their dog run with two towels each. They aren't happy about it, but there isn't much I can do. I was unable to get a house sitter for the full period of my vacation. I'm paying extra for them to have outdoor play periods every other day. They also are sharing a large run, half of which is outside. They have access to the outside four times each day.
Tonight I will have dinner here in the hotel restaurant. Tomorrow, if everything goes well, my flight departs at 11:25am. Right now I can hear the quiet roar of jet engines as planes take off about one mile away.
Wish me luck. If all goes well I will be in Dallas tomorrow night and then Bonaire late on Saturday. I'm hoping to come home with a fantastic tan that will make everyone at school gasp and grumble with jealousy.
Marriott Seatac
Things To Consider We have snow on the ground, and it's causing havoc. Eastside freeways have become parking lots. South end freeways are jam packed with accidents. Yesterday, schools in Seattle were closed in anticipation of snow falling in the city during the day, but that never happened. In fact, temperatures warmed up somewhat - snow already on the ground melted away. Staying home from work seemed a waste of time.Then, after I went to sleep last night the weather changed. I awoke to find a couple inches of fresh snow on the ground around my house. Even downtown Seattle, which rarely gets snow covered roadways, received about an inch. That doesn't sound like much, but the hilly downtown area is almost impossible to navigate if there is any snow. A couple roads in my neighborhood have been closed because of they run down the side of a hill. Today, Seattle schools are once again closed. My concern now is getting to Seatac airport tomorrow for my Caribbean vacation. The snow around here is expected to stop in the next couple hours. The problem is temperatures are expected to drop and the skies will clear. That means roadways will melt and clear somewhat because of use during the day. Then they will refreeze overnight making my morning commute to the airport difficult if not impossible. The strange thing is, almost no snow fell at the airport. Snow is only falling in central Seattle. In fact it's snowing steadily right now. Getting to the airport would be easier if I had to worry only about myself, but I have two dogs to drop at the kennel on the way to the airport. That means I have to drive. Otherwise, I would take a taxi or bus. I'm considering an alternative. Before the temps drop into the 20s tonight, I'm thinking about heading to the airport around 3pm today. I would drop the dogs at the kennel a day early and spend the night in an airport hotel (assuming a room is available). Chains on my car would make the trip easier. The same trip on ice tomorrow would be highly treacherous. Obviously, heading to the airport a day early would cost a lot of extra money, but it would help me avoid icy roads. The pic below shows the view out my office window as I'm writing in this blog. The other pic is our hotel in Kralendijk, Bonaire I'll make my decision late this morning. UPDATE: The decision is made. I'm going to the kennel and airport this afternoon, staying at the Seatac Marriott then flying out tomorrow morning. I'm all packed.  12月14日 Strange Holidays Last night we were blessed with out first snowfall of the season. It was only a couple inches, but I like it none the less. The pic below shows how things looked this morning. The streets and driveways were already clear because it warmed up to about 38 today. The picture was taken at about 11am. My house has the long slanted roof - not the bay window. However, last night was not without strangeness. I fell asleep at about 10pm (while reading). I remember dreaming about hearing my doorbell. I woke up, looked at the clock, and heard it again. I wasn't dreaming. Someone was ringing my doorbell at 1:05 am. My heart started beating faster. Within seconds I was wide awake. I pulled on some flannel pants, and carefully walked down the two flights of stairs to my front door. I cautiously looked out the side window (all the while telling myself burglars don't ring the bell to announce themselves). No one was on the porch. Amy was with me and she didn't growl. I walked up to my office which overlooks the street and my driveway. There in the snow were a set of footprints along the driveway and up to my front door. Then I noticed, parked in front of my neighbor's house was a police cruiser. Within seconds, he pulled away from the curb and drove off. I can only assume the police officer had been rung the doorbell. Perhaps he had responded to a call at the wrong address. Or maybe, someone called in and gave my address. Either way - it was a very strange experience.  12月10日 A Little Bit O' Luck The way my life has evolved, there is really only one physical connection I have with Christmas - and that is my seasonal decor. I usually am traveling on Christmas day. Generally I don't spend the time with family, but I do usually attend church while on the road (or the high seas). This year, since I will be in the Netherlands Antilles, I doubt I will go to church. I don't attend the Seattle Men's Chorus Holiday Concert anymore. But my Christmas tree at home is my constant, and it's now fully decorated for the season. Yes, even a single person like me who is gone for half of Christmas vacation is willing to put in the time and energy decorating a tree (while listening to seasonal music and drinking eggnog). One little bit of good news lately: the gas fireplace in my home wasn't working. The folks who were supposed to fix it didn't follow through (what a shock!). Then, tonight I decided to try lighting it again - just to see if it would be miraculously cured. Lo and behold! The fireplace is working. Take a look at the pictures below for a view of my tree and my fireplace as well as my living room that is now fully furnished. Another bit of good news: I'm signing a lease on my old home which will run through spring. I may try and sell it again at that time. And, since I am leasing to a friend, I'm able to avoid paying fees to a leasing management firm. A couple hundred dollars paid to an attorney for drawing up the lease will be my only cost. Perhaps all is not gloom and doom. Can you spot the merry old Schnauzer Claws in the photos?     12月5日 Funny and, Sadly, TrueAnother viral video is spreading like a social disease. I like this type of social affliction. See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die 12月3日 This Is Not Ending Well 2008 is not ending the way I'd hoped it would. I've been sick 4 times in three months. Most recently, I recovered from a strep infection in my throat just in time to get the flu. Through the Thanksgiving week I missed 3 days of work and was nearly useless for the holiday. Thanks to Derek, my brother and his girlfriend - all was not a complete loss. Furthermore, my old house did not sell and is now off the market. Six months, two price reductions, and all the expected efforts by my agent were not sufficient to sell the home. Now I am saddled with two mortgage payments. Thankfully, one small bright spot is it appears I have successfully negotiated with one of my neighbors to lease my home for 4 - 6 months while they remodel their house. I pray things will not fall through now that we have agreed on a monthly rate and issues about yard maintenance. In general, the US economy is in the crapper. That means my investments are on their way down and the bottom is not yet in sight. Considering I have to draw on that money now to maintain two homes makes me angry. I give thanks mostly to the Bush administration - though the woosycrats in congress are not blameless. The rest of us suffer loss of money, jobs, and security and I really don't believe they give a crap about anything but their own elected asses. Soon, I will fly away to relax in the sunny Caribbean. I'm looking forward to that adventure. I also recently made the decision that I will go forward with a planned cruise in February. For a while I was thinking about canceling, but my travel agent got the price of the trip reduced as well as a really great rate on the rental cars I will need before and after the trip. I'll be using points for one night in a hotel and I can watch my miscellaneous expenses while on board the ship. The airfare was booked with points (of course). Come spring break, I have no plans to go on vacation. Staying home will be a sufficient respite. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and I'll be able to work in my yard. There is much to do in order to get things in shape now that the old and very large laurel tree is gone. For the most part, I think travel is off the menu for the next year or two. I say that knowing how restless I am, and how difficult it is for me to resist 3-4 trips each year. But financially, I don't think I can afford it. Though, I must admit, I do have enough points for a free economy class flight within North America. I also have enough points for a couple free nights at an inexpensive Marriott property. Perhaps a week somewhere during summer 2009 in a suburban hotel will satiate my travel desires. Toronto perhaps? Sadly, the biggest change I see on the horizon is the collapse of my plans to go back to school, get my education administration credential and become a principal. Seattle schools and suburban districts are all facing budget cuts. Principals who had planned to retire no longer can do so because of losses to some of their retirement funds like 403B's. Also, locally we are closing schools and eliminating administration positions. That means there will be fewer principal positions available. If I go back to school next year, I face the prospect of losing my full time position at my current school and emerging from the credential program faced with a dearth of new options. It's very likely I would have to go back into the classroom with a loss of seniority, perhaps at a school I do not like. I think it's very likely my desire to be a principal will be put on hold for the next one or two years. I am not happy about it. That decision will have to be made in January - four short weeks away. I know things could be a lot worse for me. I guess I'm very disappointed that after Gene's death, when everything looked so bad - the one positive thing I had was hope for the future and financial stability. Now hope is diminishing and my finances are anything but stable. I'm bleeding cash, bleeding dreams, and there is no end in sight. |
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