New Year’s Brain Dump

Sitting in a recliner on New Year’s Day wondering what everyone else is doing.

I envision traditional families doing traditional things — like spouses relaxing together snacking on food while the kids play on this lazy, relaxing day off from work (for us who are non-essentials at our occupations).

I am next to my 92 year old father who is sleeping with a laptop in his lap.  I’m watching a show that he chose to put on. I don’t want to switch channels because he will wake up every now and then and will enjoy the show that he chose.

I’m overthinking things. Some might say that I’m “reflecting”. I say that I am emotionally processing every thought in my brain. Hopefully I am fighting a cold and the emotional feelings are part of my body trying to fight off the illness.

The days are pretty short here in Michigan. So I sit here watching the day darken at only 4:45 pm. I had “planned” on going for a short walk today, and I’ll feel a little guilt about not completing that task — I’ll feel the guilt until it is too dark for me to go out anyhow.

Positive thinking. I CAN do it! Let’s see . . . [insert random thought: does it matter if I add two spaces after a period mark like I was taught 600 years ago in school?  End of random thought.]  Okay. Let’s see . . . dad is here at age 92. That is a positive thing. I am absorbing as many memories as I can with him so that if I sit here next New Year’s Day without him I won’t have regrets.  I am fed, housed, clothed and loved.  Those are all positives.  Good. I can do this. I have a 40-hour/week job which I have kept for 2.5 years now. That is good. I have a little nest egg (little in comparison to what my non-parent friends have accumulated). I am mobile. I’ve made it to age 60 (that is something a reader of my earlier post reminded me about). I have health insurance. I have friends who remain my friend in spite of long periods of time when neither of us communicate with the other.

Keep it positive.

Okay. I’ll take that short walk.

Happy start of 2024!