Hey look, Esoteric Bowl is Blog of the Day. I’m semi-famous! Being the last Blog of the Day for 2004 makes it just a little more special.
I’m wondering though, will this moment of fame be deducted from my fifteen minutes?
Thanks to the good people at Blogliners
And so we come to the end of another year. In some ways it feels as if the year flew by so quickly, yet there were times during the year when it felt as if it all dragged on for far too long. Such is life, I suppose. Nonetheless, 2004 is soon to be only a memory.
I like to think of the new year as nature’s way of periodically restoring a hope which can often be lost in the course of a lifetime. With each new year comes a renewed sense of hope and opportunity for reaching one’s potential and discovering all that is possible. If the new year didn’t occur naturally, there would surely be a need for its invention.
Resolutions have become as much a part of the new year’s tradition as watching fireworks and drinking champagne. While most new year’s resolutions tend to revolve around the modification of certain behaviors, there are some resolutions which focus on expanding one’s self in pursuing one’s dreams.
One of the great things about living in America is that there is a sense that it’s never too late. In other parts of the world, life is often expected to unfold in a certain way; one either accomplishes certain things at a specific time in life or one doesn’t pursue such things at all. It’s different here in the States. We applaud the grandmother who decides to return to college to earn her degree. We celebrate the forty-something couple that decides to have their first child. We marvel at the retiree that has taken up skydiving, and we find inspiration from someone that has decided to fulfill their lifelong dream of learning to play the piano.
I’ve never been one to follow the beaten path. I have reaped the benefits and paid the price in walking my own trail in my own time. Admittedly, there have been those occasions where I’ve done things ass-backwards, and in doing so, I’ve left behind some unfulfilled gaps. For 2005, my main new year’s resolution is to fill in some of those gaps, to seek possible opportunities and to hold on to the hope and belief that it’s never too late.
Happy New Year!
These past few days I’ve had every intention of writing. But each time that I’ve sat at the keyboard, I’ve felt a loss for words. Every thought seems rather unimportant, each idea more trivial than the next. The act of writing itself feels like a struggle, yet saying so feels and sounds somewhat petty when one considers what so many are now facing.
Past experience reminds me that the more time passes between posts the easier it will be to put off writing for another day. And as the days mount, the more difficult it is to get back on that writing horse. In less than a weeks time away from writing, my writing muscles feel like their getting soft and out of shape. And so I write this post with more attention towards flexing my stiff writing muscles and less focus on the creative process.
It’s always good to have more than one creative outlet, so when one well turns dry there is always another source for creative expression. Sometimes when I’m at a loss for words, the best medicine is to take the camera out and explore the photo opportunities. Seeing the world with a camera in hand often provides perspective and inspiration to write.
I’ve had a cold these past few days. Fortunately I’m feeling much better today. There were a couple of times when I thought the cold had passed, but then the symptoms would reappear a little while later. It’s never fun being sick, especially during Christmas. While I hope everyone is well and enjoying the holiday, I made this list just for fun:
Signs You Are Sick During Christmas
* Mistletoe kisses are replaced with a half-assed wave.
* Instead of adding rum to the egg nog you add Nyquil.
* Fruitcake actually tastes good.
* You really do see sugarplums dancing in your head.
* You’re unable to jingle half the way.
* Christmas stocking makes convenient handkerchief.
* You see Mommy kissing Santa, but you’re too weak to give a damn.
* Your sneezes are mistakenly interpreted as wishing others “Kwanzaa”.
* Unknowingly formed a mound of Kleenex into the shape of a Christmas tree.
* Everything smells like Ricola.
If you gaze into familiar eyes
of someone from your past,
let them be the first to speak;
And if they fail to do so,
allow them to be invisible.
If they offer food and drink,
gulp until your belly is full;
For they will walk away from you in disgust
whether you choose to eat or not.
If they happen to invite you into their home,
remember what home used to be like
before accepting their suggestion.
If they offer you employment,
show them your walking-stick
and remind them
that it’s not a flute.
If they should accuse you
of not reaching expectations,
take no offense;
Their lecture is for themselves.
Smile instead,
and remind them of the seasons;
Reasure them
that Spring shall come again.
Say it with conviction,
as if you truly believed it.
Keeping with the Christmas theme, and in honor of Hump Day; Words and phrases associated with Christmas that sound like sexual slang:
* Scrooge
* Tiny Tim
* Stocking Stuffer
* Bulbs
* Decorating the Tree
* Fruitcake
* Jingle Bells
* Eggnog
* Boughs of Holly
* Nutcracker
* Mistletoe
* Sugarplums
* Gifting
* A Partridge in a Pear Tree
The 13th of December is here, which means that there are twelve days until Christmas. The Christmas Spirit has arrived in full force, yet it takes many forms and is expressed in various ways. While there are many degrees to the Spirit of Christmas, there are Seven Major Levels of Christmas Spirit:
* Christmas Spirit Level 1: The Christmas Spirit at this level is somewhat like smoking marijuana for the very first time. You think that maybe you feel something, but you aren’t quite sure. Either way, the holiday fudge tastes extraordinarily good.
* Christmas Spirit Level 2: The Christmas Spirit at this level is very much like cheering for your alma mater football team. You’re a team player and it shows in your efforts to be festive and cheerful around others, but you quietly know that it’s all for not, it’s just another losing year.
* Christmas Spirit Level 3: The Christmas Spirit at level three is somewhat like unfulfilled sex. You appreciate the effort that is made by others, but you don’t receive what you really wanted. Still, you do your best to “ohh” and “ahhh” convincingly through the experience.
* Christmas Spirit Level 4: The Christmas Spirit at level four is a continuous buzz. You’re high on power-shopping. You’re high on a sugar rush from overeating. And you’re high on eggnog. The continuous buzz may not be the Christmas Spirit per se, but it feels good nonetheless.
* Christmas Spirit Level 5: The Christmas Spirit at level five is often found only in crafters. Many crafters possess the Christmas Spirit throughout the year, but this is due in part because they are half elf. With every wreath that is created, with every knitted toilet-seat cover that is made, the Christmas Spirit level of the crafter increases.
* Christmas Spirit Level 6: The Christmas Spirit at level six is somewhat like going on a long-awaited vacation. You have devoted an endless amount of time and energy into making the plans and arrangements, and you’ve taken care of every minor detail to ensure your plans unfold without a hitch. You are determined that you and others are going to have a very Merry Christmas, or else!
* Christmas Spirit Level 7: The Christmas Spirit at level seven is an unexplainable phenomenon. It is best described as pure joy, where selfless giving at all levels feels good and right and it makes you smile until your face hurts.