Pi in the Time of Social Distancing

0314_piday

A little more than fourteen years ago, I ventured out to the internetz and discovered an entire world of voices just as disgruntled as mine.  I thought if they can do it, so can I.  And one day I just started.

I didn’t pick Pi Day / Albert Einstein’s birthday on purpose.  It was just the day I loosed my inner pyromaniac.  Some days are bright, happy blazes, and others were full-blown five alarmers.  Regardless, it’s been a slow burn for a long time.

The years have expanded the web’s depth and reach.  And sharpened my resolve as I honed my voice.

In the last several year’s anniversary posts, I’ve hinted at my mother’s decline in health. She is now in an assisted living facility that is currently locked down to protect their frail and frightened charges. She has a cute little room, we call it her “Apartment,” on the end of a hall. It overlooks the back of the property, including a nice little garden. She can see the trees. She has always loved nature and gardening. Hopefully, she’ll make it through this scare and be able to enjoy both. She still remembers me, most of the time. I understand why dementia is called “The Long Goodbye.”  Every time I see her, she is changed.  She is diminishing, slowly evaporating before my eyes.

I visited as often as I could until the lockdown. Now it’s phone calls and dropping supplies off at the door. These are difficult days. The blog has suffered, along with other areas of my life.  But I’m still active on the web in discussions I care about and contributing to other sites.  I know the time will come when I sadly have too much time because my responsibilities to others have ended.  Hopefully, we will still have enough free speech left that I can speak my mind here.

If you’re new to this dark little asteroid, you can check out the one post that started it all, plus all thirteen of the previous anniversary posts – The First, Year One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen.

Many, many friends have been made and lost along the way. So many prayers said. So much support offered. Special thanks go out to Fausta for her continued friendship, and as always to The Anchoress, Elizabeth Scalia, my blog-mother. It’s all her fault. She continues to amaze and inspire me.

This never-ending media tantrum, which brought out the worst in all of us has gotten even more rotten.  Let us pray as one for America’s future, protection from disease, domestic safety and sovereignty.

Thorin Oakenshield, the magical Boston Terrier, is now two years old. He rules our roost and charms everyone who crosses his path. Except certain men he doesn’t like the looks of. They must be Orcs in disguise.

Thirteen is a Lucky Number

Pi-Day

My, my. Thirteen years old. Mouthy brat.

A little more than thirteen years ago, I ventured out to the internetz and discovered an entire world of voices just as disgruntled as mine.  I thought if they can do it, so can I.  And one day I just started.

I didn’t pick Pi Day / Albert Einstein’s birthday on purpose.  It was just the day I loosed my inner pyromaniac.  Some days are bright, happy blazes, and others were full-blown five alarmers.  Regardless, it’s been a slow burn for a long time.

The years have expanded the web’s depth and reach.  And sharpened my resolve as I honed my voice.

In the last several year’s anniversary posts, I’ve hinted at my mother’s decline in health. She continues to live in her home, but no longer drives. A caregiver visits during the week.  Her weight has fallen drastically and now she’s like a ghostly little bird. She still remembers me, most of the time.  But simple daily tasks are harder for her.  I understand why dementia is called “The Long Goodbye.”  Every time I see her, she is changed.  She is diminishing, slowly evaporating before my eyes.

So I spend as much time with her as I can.  Some days are difficult. The blog has suffered, along with other areas of my life.  But I’m still active on the web in discussions I care about and contributing to other sites.  I know the time will come when I sadly have too much time because my responsibilities to others have ended.  Hopefully, we will still have enough free speech left that I can speak my mind here.

If you’re new to this dark little asteroid, you can check out the one post that started it all, plus all twelve of the previous anniversary posts – The First, Year One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, and Twelve.

Many, many friends have been made and lost along the way. So many prayers said. So much support offered. Special thanks go out to Fausta for her continued friendship, and as always to The Anchoress, Elizabeth Scalia, my blog-mother. It’s all her fault. She continues to amaze and inspire me.

This never-ending media tantrum which brought out the worst in all of us has gotten even more rotten.  Let us pray as one for America’s future, safety and sovereignty.

Baby puppy is now a year old. Thorin Oakenshield, the magical Boston Terrier, rules our roost and charms everyone who crosses his path.

Ground Control to Major Tom

So, yeah. My overwhelming life just became even more overwhelming.

A quick update:

The Day Job just piled another person’s worth of responsibilities on me. Like a big, stinking barrel of fish. That isn’t smuggling a Hot Dwarf into a down-trodden town. Bad form. Bad form, indeed.

The Mom Job continues it’s long, slow slog into the sunset. Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease. Tomorrow is her birthday. She will be 84, finally older than Dad was when he passed away. Some days she doesn’t remember him. Too many hard choices lay ahead.

The Job Where I’m Mom has changed a good bit in the last year. Young Padawan got married before Christmas to a lovely young lady. GradSchoolGirlThatsAlmostDoctor gets her hood and silly hat in May, and can officially put the ‘Dr’ in front of her name. We will make our last school-related trip to NY/Long Island. Any after that any travel there will be purely for fun. While we won’t miss the sideways stinging rain that seems to magically appear each time we’re there, we will miss the short security lines at MacArthur airport.

In about a month Hubz and I will be traveling to the British Isles with 200 of our closest friends for a choir tour and mission trip. Besides being a bucket trip for us, the group will perform at many churches and finish up at The Proms. For a family of musicians, that ain’t half bad.

More to come as I scrape the rust off this old thing.

And Yust Like That, the Blog is Twelve.

al_pi

A little more than twelve years ago, I ventured out to the internetz and discovered an entire world of voices just as disgruntled as mine.  I thought if they can do it, so can I.  And one day I just started.

I didn’t pick Pi Day / Albert Einstein’s birthday on purpose.  It was just the day I loosed my inner pyromaniac.  Some days are bright, happy blazes, and others were full-blown five alarmers.  Regardless, it’s been a slow burn for a long time.

The years have expanded the web’s depth and reach.  And sharpened my resolve as I honed my voice.

In the last several year’s anniversary posts, I’ve hinted at my mother’s decline in health. She continues to live in her home, but no longer drives. A caregiver visits during the week.  Her weight has fallen and now she’s like a frail little bird.  She still remembers me, most of the time.  But daily tasks are becoming harder for her.   I understand why dementia is called “The Long Goodbye.”  Every time I see her, she is changed.  Just a tiny fraction.  But she is diminishing, slowly evaporating before my eyes.

So I spend as much time with her as I can.  The blog has suffered, along with other areas of my life.  But I’m still active on the web in discussions I care about and contributing to other sites.  I know the time will come when I sadly have too much time because my responsibilities to others have ended.  Hopefully, we will still have enough free speech left that I can speak my mind here.

Twelve years is longer than two of my career stops. Most cars/marriages/fruit cakes don’t last that long. Many other blogs (and friends) have fallen away. They are missed. Others, not so much.

If you’re new to this dark little asteroid, you can check out the one post that started it all, plus all eleven of the previous anniversary posts – The First, Year One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, and Eleven.

Many, many friends have been made and lost along the way. Many prayers said. So much support offered. Special thanks go out to Fausta for her continued friendship, and as always to The Anchoress, Elizabeth Scalia, my blog-mother. It’s all her fault. She continues to amaze and inspire me.

This never-ending media tantrum has brought out the worst in all of us.  Let us pray as one for America’s future, safety and sovereignty.

Oh, and we got a puppy.

Is This Still a Thing? After Nine Years, You Betcha

Pi-Day

It has been a long year. And I admit my guilt of long-term absence from the interwebz, citing my own time-constraints as an alibi. But yes, this blog is still a thing.

Caring for my mom has become a part-time job. I don’t mind it so much, after all it is a season of life we all must pass through. I’m thankful for every day that she still knows who I am and we’ve not had to retrieve her from some highway rest stop due to some unintended walk-about. But I know those days are coming and we’re fighting them off like the vandal horde they are.

It does take time from other things. Like the little blog here. But enough about me and my new normal, at least for this week.

Nine years is longer than two of my career stops. Most cars/marriages/fruit cakes don’t last that long. Many other blogs (and friends) have fallen away. They are missed. Some more than others.

If you’re new to this dark little asteroid, you can check out the one post that started it all, plus all eight of the previous anniversary posts – The First, Year One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and Eight.

Many, many friends have been made along the way. Many prayers said. So much support offered. Special thanks go out to Fausta for her continued friendship, and as always to The Anchoress, Elizabeth Scalia, my blog-mother. It’s all her fault. She continues to amaze and inspire me.

Let the wild rumpus start!

Eight Years of ME, Talking About Stuff

pi-be rationalAnd another blogiversary rolls around. Last year’s little black cloud has become a tsunami of Charlton Heston/Ten Commandment’s proportions that I only manage to stay ahead of on a daily basis.

Philippians 4:13, always my favorite scripture, has become a mantra of sorts.

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

Eight years is longer than one of my career stops. Most cars/marriages/fruit cakes don’t last that long. If you’re new to this dark little asteroid, you can check out the one post that started it all, plus all seven of the previous anniversary posts – The First, Year One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, and Seven.

Many, many friends have been made along the way. Many prayers said. So much support offered. Special thanks go out to Fausta for her continued friendship, and as always to The Anchoress, Elizabeth Scalia, my blog-mother. It’s all her fault.

As I adjust to this new normal, I’ll be lurking about more often. Really. I will.

Prayers for Stephen Green & Family

Pray for rain and safety for Coloradians. Including fellow blogger Stephen Green (aka VodkaPundit) and his family, who live too close to the fire line.

Not Even a Bridesmaid

Forget the bride. I can’t even get the flower girl gig.

Yet again, I am left off this list.

Lance wasn’t on it, again, either. And he’s even written for John and wasn’t mentioned in the mea culpa PS #3.

I blame ACORN.

Call for Prayer and Help

The internetz is an amazing thing. Before, prayer warriors only learned about needs through letters, prayer lists and phone calls. Now, with the push of the Publish button, thousands will take to their knees to pray for someone they’ve never met. I know. I’ve felt those prayers on more than one occasion. Now it’s our turn to care for another friend we haven’t met yet.

Amusing Bunni, a favorite commenter at many sites for years, has learned she has terminal liver cancer.

Please pray for her and her family. More details here.

Off to RedState!

Tomorrow morning we leave at the crack of dawn, heading to Jacksonville and this year’s RedState Gathering.

Hopefully the wi-fi will work so I can post a bit. This year’s agenda looks great, and as usual, Erick does a wonderful job organizing the entire weekend.

Plus we get to greet a brand new, squeaky new Senator!

Blog O’The Day

Mind-Numbed Robot has the best photo-shop evah. Head on over leave him some galactic love.

New Blog in the Blogroll

Due to the dreaded sickness, I am even more behind than usual.

There’s a new blog in the blogroll – Nathan Smith. Nathan is a fellow Peach Punditeer. Follow the link and share some galactic love!

The 2011 Fab Fifty

Doug Ross has picked his Fabulous 50 Blogs for 2011. Alas, I am not listed (there’s always next year!), but my pal Fausta was named Best Latin American Coverage. Woot!

Second Verse, Same As The First

Well, after a week of non-planned-mental-absence, nothing much has changed. While I gather what is left of my thoughts, amuse yourself with the following:

Eric Holder hasn’t quit, yet.

The Herman Cain smears have started, right on schedule.

Our beloved Gerard has pulled a Lazarus on us. Thankfully, according to insider reports, he is mending nicely and will be back to his fully-operational Death Star status soon.

“Every writer is unique, both in thievery… and in execution.”

24-20. Heh. Gators eat boogers.

An uncle explains redistribution of wealth to his nephew.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear…

…but an old friend starting up a blog! Check out Deep Thoughts from The Deep South, where the story unfolds of a regular guy with a regular house that’s going to be in a Ben Stiller movie. This is going to be fun!

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