What’s on the iPod: Untitled by Eminem
Happy MLK Day. Honor the man who effected change via peaceful methods. Remember the past in order to avoid repeating the same mistakes.
The weekend was busy and wonderful. We traveled back home to western PA for my daughter’s graduation party. The trip was blessedly dry – no snow falling – and the views were stunning. The snow covered the state end-to-end, and everything looked fresh and new under the whiteness.
Daughter and I had to pick up some food at the local grocery just before the party. I’d forgotten what it was like, but was quickly reminded. See, Saturday was also Football Day, no less a holiday than any pre-determined federal holiday. We walked into the store to see a moving sea of black and gold. The store was packed with pre-game shoppers and to the person they were wearing the colors. Having lived in a different region for so long, I’d forgotten that fevered mindset that overcomes the fan base. There was a playoff game here last week – it almost escaped notice. I still don’t know the final score because it made the news for a second or three, not weeks.
The party was a success. We were mingling two families that hadn’t seen each other since a divorce ensued, so the expectations were all over the map. But there was hugging, kindness, and reminiscing. It made for a beautiful day for my daughter, whose goal for years has been to get her family to come together, overcome the past, and honor someone – anyone – without animosity. She got her wish. Amen.
That’s not why we raced to get out of the hall. The game was the reason. The entire time the party was going on, we had the tv going for pre-game shows. We were cleaned up and back at my parents’ house for the first quarter. And my siblings had made it home with their kids, so my mom decided there was a reason for Christmas presents. Imagine unwrapping while all eyes were glued on the television – I saw what I got and what others received after the fact. At least my brother waited until halftime to head home – we were able to say goodbye like humans instead of drones.
The outcome now in the history books, we sat up until 12:30 talking and laughing. It was a much-needed reconnect with sister and mother. Then yesterday we fit in some sledding before packing our wet behinds into the car and heading back home. The re-entry from one culture to another (yes, there’s a difference) is always shocking and I’m usually rambling from room-to-room here trying to find what it is that’s missing that will make me feel whole. I can’t. I’d left it 300 miles to the west. So I usually end up in the bath, soaking away the miles.
Back to work today. Much to do – an article revision to finish, a few articles to research, and a smallish project. The marketing will be hit hard today. I came up with some ideas on the ride home, so I’m excited to get the queries out.
What’s your week looking like?
10 responses to “Monday, Monday”
I experienced the same football fervor you did, only here in "purple" territory. I went into it with guarded expectations assuming Purple would not win … but they sure had our hopes up for a couple of quarters, which made the turnover especially agonizing.
No school here today, which means no teenagers to pry out of bed and get off to school. I was at my desk 10 minutes after waking up, and got an hour's worth of work in before stopping for breakfast. I'm struggling to find the angle on a 1500-word advertorial due today. There won't be a respite after that; I need to write two more this week, along with making good progress on an 8 page direct response sales letter, and conferring with my subcontract writers to keep them on track this week. Plus, hubby and I may sneak away for a few days in February, so I need to get ahead on everything that might be due while I'm gone.
I am so glad that you're daughter got the day she wanted with everyone coming together to celebrate it with her. She deserves it.
I am not thinking about or discussing work today. Friends want to take me out for B-day lunch and I'm going to enjoy every second of it. Work will wait until tomorrow.
Have a good day and I hope your marketing ideas pan out for you.
Sounds like a wonderful weekend, Lori. This week is going to be a big marketing push. I have a white paper directed at a specific market that I hope to get out this week and plans for other targeted queries.
I am working with a local graphic designer on a logo which is fun. I'm hoping maybe I can use Jake's advice and get some mutual referrals going.
I'm waiting on some feedback from a client on a new educational campaign in the health care industry. I have the deposit for one piece and it looks like several others could evolve from that.
Then there is always the blogging-mine & clients.
I posted on Twitter to honor Martin Luther King, do something nice for someone. Pay it forward. I like you remembrance as well. I remember those times as scary to a teenager who hadn't forgotten the assassination of the Kennedys. Give peace a chance. Have a great week, everyone!
Ah, re-entry. Been dealing with that myself for almost two weeks (not quite). I left part of my heart almost 1700 miles away. Only it never returns – it's always there, year in, year out. Has been for almost 20 years. To keep my sanity, I try not to think about it. But that feeling of something missing grows stronger and more urgent by the year.
Eileen, I'm sorry for the loss. Not so much sorry my team made it, but that someone else's team had to lose. 🙁
Enjoy your day off, Wendy. 🙂
Nice message, Cathy. 🙂 Sounds like you're quite busy today, too!
Becky, it helps to list the things in your area that are special to you. I love where I live right now. I try to find those things that would make it tough to leave here. There are many. Going home is great, but I remember impatiently waiting to leave. I love the people, but the job opportunities are impossibly low. Here, I'm surrounded by a great little town with great entertainment, restaurants, stores and store owners, and I'm starting to make friends with many of the locals (in passing, but it's a start).
The best part of your recount of your daughter's party? Everyone gathered to honor her. She got her dream – and then some!
I have to admit, I don't understand how or why entire communities get so worked up over sports. I mean, they're games. Games are supposed to be lighthearted fun, but some people take sports way too seriously. Obviously, I'm not a sports fan. You'd think growing up in a single-parent household led by a dad I would have absorbed team spirit through osmosis if nothing else. Nope.
The only time I sat through a football game (granted I was in the farthest chair from the TV and knitting) was when the Bears were in the Super Bowl. I was glad they won – if they'd lost Dad would have been grumpy for days. My favorite Super Bowl Sunday was a few years ago. In my utter avoidance of even knowing which teams were playing in the Super Bowl, I watched a bit of Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl (hey – they're adorable puppies romping around to help promote pet adoption, and the Water Bowl Cam is so cool). It had snowed all day, I went out to shovel. It was already dark. Totally silent. So incredibly peaceful – until I was halfway done and every snowblower in town started up almost simultaneously. The football game was over.
My week will include at least 2 or 3 rounds of shoveling, if local forecasts are accurate. Interviews begin today for a 2,500-word article; I have at least a dozen more to schedule. I need to write up a quick 800-word profile. This weekend I made a list of some article ideas I want to send out today or tomorrow. I also need to crank out a column today.
Oh, to clarify about the people worked up by sports, I was referring to people wearing team colors to stores – like they need to prove what devoted fans they are or something. I have a brother-in-law who wears his Blackhawks jersey in public, usually just to games, thank goodness, since otherwise it would seem kind of juvenile to me. (When he was wearing it in Vancouver – not at a game – a big guy ran up behind him, slapped him on the back yelling, "Hey! Chicago!" It was Vince Vaughn.)
So glad it was such a special day for your daughter!
I was up far too early after little sleep and took the car in. Worth it, though, because I now have a happy car. Hope the scolding I gave my students gets them back on track — only two weeks into class and they're slacking off? Uh uh.
Teaching, writing, unpacking this week, with another round trip to CT late in the week, a lecture/luncheon on shipwrecks and a tree identifying walk.
Gotta get some marketing in there somewhere or March will be lean! 😉
If football disappeared I'd never notice.
I mostly read novels this weekend… the week looks good.
Best of peace and love on MLK day to all of you.
Paula, I'm one of the rabid fans, and I can say you just get caught up in the excitement. It's a cool time to bring communities together under a common flag, so to speak.
And see? If he weren't wearing that jersey, Vince Vaughan wouldn't have noticed….. (note to self – find out what teams Johnny Depp cheers for and buy jerseys.)
Sounds like another whirlwind day in the life of the most prolific writer I know, Devon. 🙂
Anne, anything good being read?