As always, I appreciate anyone that takes the time to sit down and actually read through all of this. I do my best to make it marginally entertaining, and hopefully not too depressing. And if you were tagged it means that either you’ve commented or liked this post in the previous years, or if you’re really lucky, that you’re actually mentioned at some point in the blog. Or perhaps really unlucky,depending on who you are and how you impacted my life in 2014.
So, without further ado, on to the blog…
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I learned, in a sort of companion piece to that first paragraph, that fear of death is seemingly a very powerful motivation to staying alive. My dad is still with us, now approaching two years after the death of my mom. I can honestly only attribute this to the fact that I found out this year that he is terribly afraid of dying. His health is awful, he’s showing some mental degradation, he’s hooked on pain killers… but wow is he really afraid of dying. So he keeps plodding along.
I’m also thankful that my dad is still here.
I’d like to forget that while it was a good year for our animals and families, it was a bad year for friends. I actually lost three friends to brain tumors. What are the odds of that, I wonder? Glen Marsonette, I’ll miss playing poker with you. And two of the Jen’s in my life, Jen King, and Jen Fox, I will miss your smiles and friendship very much.
I’m thankful for Adora taking the time to start a write-in campaign with the Eugene Weekly “Best Of…” issue, and getting me named the“Best Cookie Baker” in Eugene. What a thrill, and I honestly can’t ever thank her enough, except for providing ample amounts of free cookies and hugs.
I’d like to forget the demise of AIPCO, the poker club that I’ve been a part of for the past decade, and that has provided a decent chunk of added money to my annual budget for most of those years. But after declining crowds for the past few years, it just became too small to actually justify continuing to run every month.
I’m thankful that I was able to finish the final year as the player of the year one last time, and got my 7th and 8th titles in the process.
Staying on the poker theme, I’d like to forget that the numbers in my home game have also dropped considerably over the past year. I’d like to forget having a big falling outwith one of my favorite players and favorite people, which caused some of that decline.
But, I am so very thankful for the people who still come to my game every Tuesday, or even those that just come every once in a while. They have become very much like a family tome, and I don’t know what I’d do without them. Anyone reading this that wants to come play, please message me,I’d love to have you here. Free cookies!
I’m very thankful to everyone that showed up for my first ever birthday party. It was wonderful to see all of you, and spend some time with you. I have never been the type of person that likes to have that type of attention directed towards me. I prefer to remain in the background and shadows, but it was actually a very fun night, and I was happy to do it. I have no idea if I’ll ever do it again, but it was a fun night.
I’d like to forget that a number of people weren’t able to make it. Bastards, you’re now cut out of my life forever. Kidding. I still love all of you, and realize that you all have lives that are filled with things that are far more important than hanging out at our house.
I’d also like to forget that someone would come into a home as a guest, and steal all of Sara’s pot. Seriously, who DOES that?!?!
I’m thankful for the wonderful culinary experience of spending Thanksgiving at Seth and Ra’s house. So much wonderful food, and so many wonderful new friends made.
I learned the best new cheesecake flavor of the year was the last cheesecake I made this year. White chocolate, cranberry and hazelnut. First time I have ever sat down with a Kitchen-Aid bowl of leftover batter and a spoon, and just gone to town. Seriously, if you’re wanting to order a cheesecake in the next year from me, and you’re having a hard time coming up with a flavor to choose,you really can’t go wrong with this one.
I’d like to forget that I didn’t do any coaching again this year. I miss it very much, but am also realistic enough to know that my work schedule doesn’t allow me to do it much at all. I’m hopeful for both of those things to change in the future, but only time will tell.
I’m thankful beyond words to Aline Kangas, for a truly above and beyond gesture of a “random act of kindness”. Next to Dave and Patti’s gift from a number of years ago, it is probably the nicest “completely out of the blue” thing anyone has ever done for me.
I’d like to forget that for the last few months (and for the next few months), Sara is spending half of her time in central Oregon helping to take care of her grandmother while she battles breast cancer. It has been difficult on both of us, and on all the animals, and it will be nice when it’s over.
I’m thankful that Archer is already renewed not only for the new season starting tonight, but for next year as well. Funniest show on TV, folks. If you’re not watching it, you have no idea just how much laughter you’re missing in your life.
I’d like to forget that this blog is primarily either “thankful” or “like to forget” and not nearly enough “I learned”. I felt very stagnant this year, and don’t want to feel that way in 2015. I want to learn more this year, I don’t even care what it is. I just want to keep pushing my mind forward.
I’m thankful for finally having a day at my site where there were Elk in the field that my booth overlooks. Only one day, but they were out there all day. And it was just very peaceful to look out there and see them.
I’m thankful that I still have a job I enjoy with the county. I passed up a few opportunities to get on full-time, because it would have required me to take a position or work in a place that I wouldn’t have enjoyed nearly as much. And as much as I hate not having any money, I have reached an age and a mental state that just values being happy more than being financially stable. I love the spot I work, and I’m really only willing to leave it for a full time position in a spot that I’m going to enjoy just as much. So for now, I’ll continue to stress over every single month’s bills, and continue to hope that I can put years of “Robbing Peter to pay Paul”financial strategy to work in keeping us solvent. At least I’ll be doing it with a smile.
I’m extremely thankful to Dani for her overly generous Christmas gift that will allow Sara and I to attend Kinkfest for the first time this year. It’s something we’ve always wanted to do, but really have never been able to justify the expense.
I’m thankful that once again Sara won the battle with the yard. It was a landslide the first part of the year, and then turned into a much closer battle towards the end, as she was unable to spend much time on it for the latter half of the year with her constantly being gone. But she did win, and we once again ate food from our yard.
I’m thankful to have gotten a cooking gig at the end of the year, and to have been able to do it with Sara, and for people that are just really wonderful people.
That cooking gig also allowed me to learn two things. First, I learned how to cook live Maine lobster. I’ve only cooked West Coast rock lobster before, but was told yesterday that they were perfectly cooked, so I’m pretty happy to have nailed it on my first try.
I also learned that maybe I should charge more for my cooking gigs. I told the host how much, and he got this absolutely shocked look on his face. I thought he was upset at it being too high, so I started to ask him about it, and he just said, “No, I can’t believe it was that cheap.” He was kind enough to tip the difference between what I charged and how much he thought it would be. Hell, I just love cooking.
I’m thankful for how amazing the show Person of Interest is on CBS. I’ve talked about this show in previous year’s blogs, but let me reiterate, if you’re not watching it, you’re really missing out. I don’t know that I have much to offer up as far as new shows this year (maybe one will pop into my head later in this blog), but if you want a show that is just consistently well written, well acted, and that will fill you with dread at what is technologically possible in this day and age, this is a great show. Remember years ago when the Will Smith movie Enemy of the State came out, and everyone was like, the government could TOTALLY do that. Yeah, this is like a much higher tech, advanced for today’s paranoia, weekly version of that.
I’d like to forget how few movies I went to in the theater this year. Partially because of the cost, partially because of Sara’s previously mentioned distaste for seeing movies in the theater, partially because of time. But I didn’t get to see a bunch of things that I wanted to see in the theater. That also leads me to another one…
I’d really like to forget that they closed down the $1 theater in Gateway. Bastards. Now the ONLY option to see a movie in a theater is to pay an outrageous amount. Thanks.
I learned how to make the most decadent version ever of everyone’s favorite comfort food, mac and cheese. Seriously, like multiple blocks of cheese in it, more cheese on top, a cheddar béchamel sauce, it’s like crazy over the top good. And then, as I do with all recipes, I kept tweaking it, adding more butter and bacon and yeah, I can probably only make it once or twice a year, because each time it takes six months off my life.
I’m thankful for all the new friends made this year. I’d try to list you all here, but honestly, then I’d forget some of you, and I’d feel terrible for that.
I’d like to forget that Courtney and Ted moved to Texas. Here’s to hoping that some amazing opportunity opens up in Oregon and you come back. I realize that probably won’t happen, but I can dream, right?
I’m thankful for having the opportunity to watch Andrew create glass in the grand opening of his studio. It is both really cool, and incredibly mesmerizing to watch someone do that.
I’d really like to forget both the rash of police violence in the past year, and the reactions (over-reactions, really) to much of it. I wrote a blog recently about it,so I won’t go into much of it here, but basically I believe two things: Most cops are great people doing the best they can in a brutal job; and the bad cops are like the bad 2-4% of every profession, every religion, every fringe group in the world. They shade opinion on the institution as a whole much more than they should, but as long as the vast majority continue to protect them, it will only continue to erode the public trust and make it that much more difficult to enact positive change.
I learned that even though I’m about the least religious person any of you will ever know, I can and do REALLY respect and enjoy the person who is arguably the MOST religious person on the planet. Thank you Pope Francis for bringing logic, common sense, and a sense of decency to an office that I never thought would possess any of those things.
I learned how to better deal with the anxiety that pretty much crippled me in 2013. It has been very slow going, and the changes have been very gradual, but I have definitely noticed myself being in a much more healthy mental state this year. I still battle depression at times. I still battle anxiety at times. But I’m doing less of it now than I was a year ago, and I’m thankful for that.
I’m thankful that Moirae has come out of her shell much more this past year. She still won’t let you pick her up, and she still won’t jump on our lap, but she does actively ask for love and attention more now (she is currently curled up near my feet wanting love). If you pet her on HER terms, she’ll let you do it for hours.
I’m thankful that I actually wrote a little bit more this year. Not much more, not nearly as much as I WANTED to write, but I did write more. I’m hoping that the crippling writer’s block that has plagued me for the past few years is lifting along with the depression and anxiety, and that I’ll actually be able to write even more in 2015. I'm realistic enough to know that it might not happen, but I'm thinking positive thoughts.
I'd like to thank both Meisha and Spider for really encouraging me to think more positive thoughts more often. You're both awesome.
I’d like to forget that I once again failed to send out handwritten cards in 2014. Seriously making an effort to change that this year. It is on my modest list of new years resolutions.
I’d like to forget that I sold WAY fewer cheesecakes this year than I did last year. Come on people, order more cheesecake.
I’m thankful that I sold a LOT more cookies this year than I have in previous years. (Best new flavor was the newest—White Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Covered Cranberries) Thank you all, now buy more cookies. ;)
I’d like to forget the season that the Tampa Bay Bucs had in football, but I’m at least thankful that they were the WORST team in football,because that means they’ll be able to draft Marcus Mariota. Don’t screw this up, people.
I’m thankful for Kim Warren’s help in helping to prepare the food for the year end poker party. Sara and Adora were out of town this year, and Kim was willing and able to step in and help me prep another amazing meal for my poker players.
I’m thankful for the experience of watching Madison Bumgarner absolutely dominate in the World Series. Not a fan of the Giants, but I have been a pitching coach for25+ years, and no one that enjoys pitching can ever watch that and not have the simple reaction of, “Wow”.
I’d like to forget the special hell that has been trying to get the title of my mom’s car transferred over to me. Dad lost the title. Title had never been taken off the original finance company. Tracking down a company from 1989, who says, “SURE, we’ll release the lien, just fax us a copy of the title”. D’oh! If I had the title, I wouldn’t be IN this situation. But hey, at least there’s TWO whole DMV offices to service the quarter of a million people in the Eugene-Springfield metro area, so it’s not like I have to wait three hours every time I go in there. Oh, wait…
I’m thankful to have won a “Create a Caption” contest for Tokatee golf club, where I came up with a truly funny saying for a picture. It won me a free round of golf there.
I’d like to forget the fact that I didn’t actually use the free round of golf before they shut down for the season.
I’d like to forget the day last summer when I realized that our fridge had gone out, and that we lost a whole bunch of food that we can’t afford in the first place.
I’m very thankful that we were able to find a fridge on Craigslist in under two hours for $40. I’m also thankful for Summer and Carl’s help in loading that fridge intothe truck. And I’m thankful for Tim Dutton massively overpaying for a batch of cookies to cover the cost of the fridge. Yay for more random acts of kindness.
I’m so thankful that Amazon is going to revive the live action TV series, The Tick, with the original cast. Sooooooo funny.
I learned that Tesla can still rock pretty well live. Hadn’t seen them since 1987, but they played the Lane County Fair this year, and sounded great.
I learned that you can watch a LOT of poker on You Tube. Pretty much everything. WPT, WSOP, EPT, old episodes of High Stakes Poker, new tournaments from around the world. It’s all on there, commercial free and complete.
I am thankful for the seven year run of Sons of Anarchy, even if (spoiler alert) damn near everyone died in the end.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm thankful for hugs.
Another regular, I'm thankful for the hot tub, despite the fact that I'd like to forget how much it costs to own a hot tub.
I'm thankful that Isis seems to have FINALLY learned how to dodge the lethal weapon that is Kharma's tail. She hardly got smacked in the eyes at all this year.
I’d like to forget that the Supreme Court of the United States values corporations more than it values women.
I learned how to make cinnamon roll coffee cake. Freaking awesome.
I am thankful that I want to continue to grow, as a person,as a friend, as a partner. I can’t imagine living a life without wanting to continue to become a better person.
I am thankful for all the people in my life that help me accomplish that goal.
I learned that when Sara takes the dogs with her to central Oregon, the cats play SOOOOO much more. I mean, they just run and play for hours. All three of them. And then the dogs come home, and it’s like some Bizzaro universe, where they act like “Nothing to see here”.
I’m thankful for the Diablo’s reunion party at Wildwood falls. I’d like to forget that it has to be a “reunion” party, and not just a fun party with all the people that we know and love. I miss Diablo’s. Thank you for so many wonderful years, Troy.
I’d like to forget that I didn’t do nearly as much hiking this year. My hiking buddy moved away,then the new hiking buddy moved away. Hoping to have found a new, new hiking buddy, Trisha, you’re up.
I’m thankful for the fun that was Guardians of the Galaxy. Marvel had a really great year, as the new Captain America was sooooo much better than the first one.
I’d like to forget that I once again had to raid my retirement fund, to pay off the tax burden from raiding my retirement fund LAST year, all because of that incredible bitch, “She Who Shall Not Be Named.” I’d also like to forget that it’s now nearing two years since the initial crap-fest, and despite reassuring my lawyer that she “Really feels a sense of responsibility to make good on paying me back”,she’s not done a damn thing to even remotely take steps to pay me back. But hey, no worries, not like we struggle to pay bills every… single… month. Bitch. Okay, rant over, back to happy thoughts….
I’m thankful for kitten memes and peaceful photos on the internet, which help calm me down after thinking about anything to do with the last paragraph.
I learned that El Taco Express makes really good, really cheap tacos.
I’m thankful that they are finally, FINALLY, making the Shannara books into a visual medium. I would have been happier with a Peter Jackson level movie, but hey, TV is at least something.
I’d like to forget that said TV show is going to be on MTV. I really hope it doesn’t suck. Casting Manu Bennett as Allanon was GENIUS though, so I'm remaining hopeful.
Oooh, I did remember that there’s a new TV show I’m thankful for. The Flash. So much fun. It’s like an hour of smiling every week. I’m also thankful for the “Holy Crap”moment in the first episode of Season 2 of House of Cards. Hadn’t come that far off my couch since SOA killed off Sheriff Hale.
I’d like to forget last year’s Superbowl. I like the Seahawks, no complaints that they won the title. But what a terrible game, terrible halftime show, and awful commercials. Seriously, that just sucked all around.
Speaking of worthless entertainment shows, I’d really like to forget that after coming home from our cooking gig on New Year’s Eve, we had the misfortune of stumbling onto the Pitbull NYE celebration on TV. Can someone please tell me how he’s a music star big enough to have his own NYE special? Seriously, America, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, THIS IS WHY WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS!!!
Sorry for those of you still upset about it, but I’m still so thankful for Obamacare, and the fact that I have health insurance. I was able to go to the doctor this year,lots of times, whenever I needed to. I didn’t ever have to choose between paying bills that month, and getting meds refilled. It’s a step in the right direction, even if not perfect. (Well, not perfect for YOU, it's plenty perfect for me at the moment).
And speaking of steps in the right direction, I’m thankful that 2/3 of the country has embraced marriage equality. I’m thankful that Oregon legalized pot, and look forward to the rest of the country beginning that change as well. (BTW, these statements come from a guy in a LTR with a woman, and a guy that has never once in his life smoked pot and never will—seriously, these are just such ‘common sense’ positions to me, I don’t understand the people that oppose them).
I’d like to forget that I let my weight creep back up over 200 pounds this year. Still under 210, but need to get cracking and get it back to the 195 range that I was in for all of 2013. Sugar, how I loathe thee.
I’d like to forget how much I am still missing my Mom. I’d also like to forget how much I still miss Chance. Damn. Just really don’t handle loss very well.
I’d like to learn how to handle loss better.
I’m thankful that I have a roof over my head, food in my belly, relatively good health, great animals, a wonderful and supportive girlfriend, and an overall decent life. I would love to have so much more, but when it really boils down to it, I’ve got the important things covered.
I think it’s about time to wrap this column up. So let me finish by saying that more than anything else, I am thankful for each and every one of you. If you’re reading this, you’re a friend of mine, and I truly believe I have the greatest collection of friends in the world. I feel blessed every single day to have you all in my life. I wish that I could say more to all of you, I wish I could let you all know just how much you mean to me. But I don’t know that any amount of words could ever convey the amount of love I have for all of you.
So I just say, Thank You. Thank you for being you, for being in my life, and for the joy you bring me every day. You make the down times easier to bear, and you make the happy times that much better.
And if you’ve made it through all of this, thank you for giving me a few moments of your life. Here’s to great things for all of us in 2015.
