1/25/2013

Well, I didn't get a post written last week, and I'm late with this one.  I was at a Masonic meeting (of all things) last Saturday, and I had two people mention reading my blog.  Actually, they said they enjoy it, but of course I don't believe that.  I'm sure it's just like watching a train wreck.  You want to look away, but you just can't.  But it made me think I might consider putting a little more thought into what I write here.

Nah!!!!!

Right now it's 9:56 PM and I can hear my cat Bandit in the hall.  She's obviously walking around with her "baby."  I can hear it in her voice.  When I posted her video, I discovered that Blogger doesn't post a video as a still picture.  I've been trying to put a picture in each post for a while, but didn't have one for today.  I got one of Bandit earlier tonight, right after she dropped the "baby."  If my iPhone ever shows up under "My Computer" I'll post it here.

Bandit and her "Baby"

It's been a busy two weeks.  I had Masonic functions the last two Saturdays and Grand Lodge is next weekend.  (And I need to find my credentials.  Newfoundland and Labrador must be represented.)  At work, the deadline for Annual and Supplemental Reports is coming fast, and we also have elections in March and April.  And to top it all off, I'm in the process of moving.  Fortunately, I already started a post for next week (actually I started it for two weeks ago) on New Years Eve.  Maybe I'll use it.

Well, it's 10:49 PM and I can retire in 751 days, so you kids get off my lawn.

Kenny Nau 1962 - 2012

It's Friday, I'm on my lunch break, and I don't feel like being a smart ass today.  A good friend of mine passed away on the last day of the year, and will be buried tomorrow.  I've been trying to find some appropriate words since I learned of his passing.  No luck yet.  But that doesn't stop me.

http://nidayfunerals.com/obits/?p=5485

Kenny was about 5 years younger than me, but in my mind he has always been a kid.  I guess that's the way the mind works.  I knew him from Scouting.  We worked on Camp Staff together, attended many Order of the Arrow functions, all the things Scouts and Scouters do.  I participated in his Vigil Honor ceremony, but the details are fuzzy now.  That's another thing the mind does.

Over the last 30 or so years it seems, to what passes for my memory nowadays, that I only saw Kenny at funerals.  I'm sure we both served as pall bearers for friends on more than one occasion.  These are only a couple of the reasons I regret the fact that I won't be at his funeral tomorrow.  A 500 mile round trip and prior committments just make it untenable.  I know Kenny is in a better place, and that his family and friends will understand.

What I really regret is not having had ..., no, made the time to communicate over the years.  I'm not sure what more I want to say about that.  Time is the one thing you can't get back.

I'm glad they chose this picture for his funeral notice.  This is the Kenny I remember.

Well, I can retire in 765 days, and I don't really care about the lawn.

Farewell my Brother.  I'll miss you.

Resolutions

This will be scheduled to post on Friday, but I'm writing on the last day of the year, so my mind naturally turns to resolutions.  In the 54 new year's just passed I have made and kept precisely one resolution.  That was to never again drink beer and tequila in the same night.  I'm pretty sure that requires no further elaboration.

I have made and not kept many, but haven't made any big deal of them.  I guess I now have the opportunity to make a few in a very public forum.  Hmmm.

So I'm sitting here at 7:30 on New Year's Eve, contemplating the year to come, and whether or not to resolve.  I could resolve to finally write a novel this year ... nah, who am I kiddin'.  I could resolve to get a blog posted by 4:45 PM every Friday of the year.  That's 52 blog posts!  I can't do that.  (Y'all can thank me next year.)  I could resolve to blog something interesting once a month.  If I managed to blog every week that would be close to 25 percent.  Not a great batting average, but way ahead of Sturgeon's Law.

Friday

Oh, well.  I didn't make any resolutions.  I thought about listing a bunch that I didn't make, but they've all slipped my mind.  Once again, I'm just trying to get this posted by my self-imposed deadline.

You may have noticed I'm using the name "Rasputin."  Several years ago, while I was acting supervisor at Big Charity, and still had hair, a guy walked into my office.  It must have been "one of those days" (which most were, and still are) because what hair I had left must have been pretty disheveled.  At least that's what I put it down to.  Anyway, this guy took one look at me and exclaimed "Rasputin!"  One of my Network Techs happened to be with him, and the nickname stuck.

And, since I'm trying to include at least one picture with each blog, here you go:

Now, I can retire in 772 days, and you kids get off my lawn!