Thank you, David, for sharing all that. And for keeping us connected to you and JZ and M and E during this time.
I started a draft of my summary post, but it’s frankly way too long and exhausting for me to write, much less for y’all to read, so here’s a placeholder teal deer version:
This fucking year. Loss and conflict and loss and conflict and more loss and conflict. I love y’all. R was a rollercoaster and I had to get off that ride. Planting and tending seeds for a better 2024. More loss and conflict surely to come.
"I hate spunk." But, I swear, not always. But she might appreciate that I used the whole quote.
"Gumption" is a little...frontier for my taste, but if she liked it, what the hell? But I think I've always used "aplomb" to describe Casa Zmayhem, though, and only partially because nobody could say it about me in a billion years. Although, that is true...I hope my honesty generally makes up for my lack of style, someday. But I digress. While I was always sure that they were solid, I wasn't sure that the whole grace-under-pressure thing would persist under such trying circumstances. I think it did, mostly.
David Simon wrote in one of his books that the biggest surprise about seeing someone in their last moments was how often they looked like they had just gotten the answer to a vexing math problem. Like, "Huh. This is how this goes." If that is somehow universal, and not just something found in young men Looking For Trouble and Finally Finding It, I hope the answer was, like, everything beautiful she could have wanted without Hecubus joining her wherever she is, because we're not done with him yet.(And not just cause he promised to lay me out on the felt one day. But he did.)
a draft of my summary post, but it’s frankly way too long
Same, same. I am still working on it, and plan to post it on January 1st.
Yeah, I'm in the camp of I still can't muster the spoons to even begin to sum up this year.
What Topic!Cindy said. all of it.
not ready to sum up this year yet.
I am almost sorry to say it, but I had a decent year! I was going to say "no relatives' funerals," but my mother reminded me that my aunt's memorial was in January (after she died the previous fall). But still, no deaths in the family (after a rough previous year). My job got more interesting again, after a period where I felt underused and possibly under-respected. I took on new roles in my band and at church, and am stretching in all kinds of ways -- leading 50+ people in playing songs, chairing the search committee for our new minister. Sometimes I am tired from all of the stretching! But at least I'm not bored.
That is wonderful to read, Jesse! May 2024 continue the trend.
We need to share our accomplishments as well as our challenges. Joy is increased when shared, and burdens are lessened.
Yay Jesse! Misery may love company, but I am extremely glad that at least some people I know had a good year.
I am almost sorry to say it, but I had a decent year!
I am glad of it! May everybody have decent years!
