I get so excited for the Christmas season. Sadly it’s always over as quickly as it arrives. As I begin to take down the decorations it feels like I was just putting them up yesterday. However, it is a good excuse to clean and, perhaps, rearrange if the mood suits me. Be that as it may, here is a quick Christmas 2022 recap.
This year we had Christmas in Connecticut (haha) with my in-laws. We made the drive with 3 humans, two dogs, and gifts for 14 people. The weather on the way there was pretty bad. There were three weather-related accidents that caused a backup. Our 10-11 hour drive took us 14 hours, but that was the worst of it.
While I had to work for a little bit during our visit, it was still a fun time. My in-laws know how to serve some delicious food and create a great Christmas atmosphere.
My one regret was that I did not have enough time to put out all of the lights that I wanted to, but there’s always next year 🙂
It was truly a blessed and wonderful Christmas. I hope yours was as well.
Taking a moment to wish you all a safe and Happy Halloween. I typically don’t do much for Halloween, it’s not really my favorite holiday. It barely makes the top 5. Yes it’s fun, but there are several other holiday’s that I enjoy more. Granted, aside from Christmas, it is the only other holiday where I put up decorations (although not quite to the same extent as Christmas).
I don’t dress up and I don’t go to any parties. I will hand out candy to the neighborhood kids and take my own out trick-or-treating. After that, Halloween essentially ends for me; then it’s a test of will power not to eat any of the left over candy.
I’m at that point again where I am running out of blog ideas. I know I am behind on a couple of my parodical posts (i.e. HMDYK) but I am in need of more ideas. Last year I did a monthly “Top 5” of something related to the movies and perhaps that’s something worth revisiting.
Maybe I should try to write more movie reviews. As part of my Monthly Movie Theme I try to watch something new (usually part of a streaming service). Perhaps, regardless of how recent the movie is, I should still write some kind of post about it? I know there are some great movies available on Hulu, Amazon Prime and HBO Max (I no longer have Netflix, their content isn’t worth the price anymore).
Write What You Know
This is an old piece of writing advice authors often hear when struggling to write. The problem is I feel like what I know is a bunch of minute and not enough substance. I probably know too much about the Star Wars universe and that only appeals to a limited audience (not that I have an extensive audience). I do plan to continue writing about Star Wars but I need to expand my list of topics.
Honestly, I wish I could write more tech related topics. I work in software development, I’ve been a software engineer since I finished college. However I often feel like I’m more of a jack-of-all-trades and a master-of-none; meaning I feel like I don’t have an “expert level” understanding of something to write about.
I’d love to figure out how to grow my audience, so if you happen to come here frequently, please leave me a comment on which posts you enjoy and any suggestions you have of new/more topics. Remember, if you are leaving a comment for the first time, it must be approved before it appears.
I’m way overdue for a new post. There are reasons for the draught, which I will get into a little later. Recently we went out of town for a family baptism. Instead of staying for just the weekend, we saved several hundred dollars and stayed three nights. We left early Friday morning and returned late Monday night. The destination … Boston, Massachusetts. I have never been to Boston before so we made the best of the extended stay. It was, pardon the pun, a wicked fun trip!
America’s Birthplace
Old State House, the site of the Boston Massacre that started a revolution
If you are an American history buff, then I’m sure you are aware of the role Boston played in the Revolutionary War. I am, by no means, an expert on American history, but I remember most things from history class. Boston has a rich and amazing history and not just it’s role in our independence but also how it became a city. I’m not going to talk about everything I learned about it’s history because I encourage you to go experience it for yourself.
I highly recommend taking the Boston Duck Tour. You will learn all kinds of historical facts not only about Boston but about America too. I also recommend taking the Freedom Trail, which is a historical path through the city. We did not have a chance to do this but it’s on the list for next time.
Other Sites and Activities
Aside from taking the Duck Tour, we tried to do as many other “Boston things” as we could. Every day I tried clam chowder at a different place. My favorite is the bowl I had at the Warren Tavern in Charlestown. Fun fact, founded in 1780, the Warren Tavern is the oldest tavern in the country. George Washington once hung out at this place and it’s also believed to be haunted.
Had a beer at Cheers
We also saw a game at Fenway Park, against the the Yankees. While the Red Sox are essentially in last place, that night they did win 3-0. We rode on the swan boats, had lunch at Cheers, toured Havard University, visited the Children’s Museum (which is next door to the Boston Tea Party Museum). There is more to do than I expected so we will have to go back.
Boston is a very clean city. There is no trash on the streets or in the alleyways. I rarely saw any litter. I’d say the one thing I didn’t like about our trip to Boston is an unexpected souvenir.
Covid.
We almost made it three years without ever catching covid. We went to Disney, attended weddings, parties, a 5K and never caught it. One trip to Boston and BAM! This is the reason for a delay in my posts.
Despite catching the ‘rona, I’d still do it all again.
/cheers (heh heh, how fitting a sign off this time 🙂 )
I can’t believe how fast this year is going. We are already in June, the halfway point of the year. That means it’s time for my 2022 intentions mid-year review (already!). I’ve had to make a few adjustments to accommodate for a few changes and I will discuss those when we get there. This post is a nice break from the plethora of Star Wars posts I’ve been making. To be fair, May is Star Wars month and there is a new series I’m excited to discuss.
I have lived in Cincinnati 14 years this month. Prior to 2008 I grew up in Northern Indiana which means I’m a Cubs fan and a Bears fan. (Side Note: I’m a Miami Dolphins fan first but that’s a tale for another day). As a non-Bengals fan living in Cincinnati I am excited for the city and the fans. As a Cubs fan, I think back to the 2016 World Series. I know the feeling. It doesn’t matter if its 108 years or 33 years, the joy and euphoria is still the same.
I’ll admit that it’s hard not to get caught up in the energy. There is a small part of me that feels like I should run out and buy a Bengals shirt or a hat. It’s infectious, but I can’t claim to be a “closet Bengals fan” when I have friends/co-workers that have lived here their whole life. They have endured the rough years and disappointing seasons. As a Cubs fan, I can definitely relate to that as well.
To Root or Not To Root
I’m happy for Cincinnati and I’m excited for the fans. My wife was living in Chicago when the Bears won in 1985. The feeling you get just walking down the street is so electric that we want our kid to feel that too. So, despite having grown up a Bears fan, we will root for the Bengals.
Granted there is a small conundrum. My dad has been a Rams fan for as long as I’ve been alive. We can’t neglect the feeling of not only eliminating the 49ers but the rare opportunity of having actual home field advantage in the Super Bowl. I guess, for me personally, it’s a wash who wins. I’ll be happy for Cincinnati or I’ll be happy for my dad. Either way I win.
I’m also glad that I actually care who the Super Bowl contenders are this year. It will be nice that it’s not Brady or Mahomes or Rogers. Although I don’t think anyone predicted it would be the Bengals and the Rams!!
