Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #394 - Talking again #3 - Throwback Thursday

Lori's 11th birthday -  August 9th, 1980

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #394 - Talking again #3 - Throwback Thursday

Hi Mom, good picture, eh? One of the few from the early days with the Big Guy in the photo. This is around the time I started calling him "The Big Guy," taking off on Advertising accoutn executive Herb Tarlek (Frank Bonner) in WKRP in Cincinnati who always said "hey, Big Guy" when he entered the office of General Manager Arhtur Carlson (Gordon Jump). Later, this was shortened to "Beej" for "BG" because of BJ Honeycutt (Beej) on M*A*S*H. Thank you Internet for helping my failing memory.

Hi Mom, it's Thursday. Actually, it's Friday, but I don't think anyone is paying THAT close attention.

Hold on to your arm rests, Mom, this one's random. I make no excuses as I jump from topic to topic.

This is my favorite time of year. I am being mindful that it is my favorite time of year as I am enjoying it. June-September. That's the best for me. I like the other seasons, and I try not to complain about them, but I do wish that the weather, the length of the day, the reduced work load, the strong feelings and good chemicals in my system could always be this way.

So, I am reading this book or rather that I am listening to. I do not wish to reveal which one so as to avoid spoilers. But there's a character who is in poor health and then dies, which made me think of you. But I did not cry as I listened to descriptions of her and then of her death. But I did grow... wistful.

I have been helping Ivan with car stuff. I have more time than my wife who works very hard. Though Ivan's father has taken point in being with Ivan when he took his test the second time, I scheduled both tests, helped him get his license and registration and insurance for Liesel's old car, which she is giving him, and then took him, TWICE, to get he car. The first time we attempted to get it -- it's in Richland near yours and Dad's condo -- we could not drive it away because the battery was dead AND the registration expired. With the help of the delightful Dave Delano who owns a car business with storage options in Richland, we were able to charge it up and get it going. Ivan is off with it now. I have not seen him. But then, that's Friday stuff, which is technically tomorrow by the date and time stamp system of the blog.

I have been casting off work. Lake Michigan College's summer session has wrapped, but I still owe the students some grades, though my final grades are not due until August 23rd. Park finished its summer session with final grades due Tuesday. I sort of took the weekend off and did not bust any out as I know I should have, so I was extra busy Monday and Tuesday. And yet, I still found time to both go for a walk with Liesel and Satchel and to take Liesel to lunch with our friend Tom Meyers. I managed to finish them despite these breaks. I do know what I am doing though it often feels like I do not. CTU finishes next week, so I have been wrapping up some late submissions for which I owe grades.

In more significant news, I have decided to take just one class a term, at least for the foreseeable future. I have also decided that I prefer to see my therapist every two weeks rather than going to every three or four weeks or longer between appointments. But as for the schooling thing, the pressure to finish my new degree sooner rather than later has subsided somewhat. As the new term approached, I realized I like having more free time in my schedule. Two classes I have found is too much. It led to many arguments with my wife over the last year because of how busy I am.

Right now, this summer, I have devoted myself to get ready to re-take Calculus in the Fall. But I have not really made very much progress. It dawned on me that if I was struggling to find time to do Calculus when I have extra free time, then how will I find the time to do it when I have less free time? When I am teaching two more courses plus taking another course besides? Then it occurred to me that if the pressure to get this degree program finished sooner rather than later has subsided somewhat, then it does not matter when I retake Calculus. Maybe I can take more time to prepare. So, the new plan is to re-take Calculus in the winter.

Another benefit of delaying Calculus is that I do not have to attend a class that meets four days a week. Because of my schedule, I will still be on campus four days a week, but the schedule is very manageable with no class commitments until three or 4:30 p.m. respectively each day. I can get A LOT of work done before I head off for those classes, and I can go early if need to do homework. It looks like an ideal schedule. I should even be able to make time for dog walks.

That's it, Mom. This seems enough for now.

As always, I like sharing with you, though I miss seeing your facial expressions.

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Reflect and connect.

Have someone give you a kiss, and tell you that I love you.

I miss you so very much, Mom.

Talk to you tomorrow, Mom.

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- Days ago = 396 days ago

- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1608.04 - 10:10

NOTE on time: When I post late, I had been posting at 7:10 a.m. because Google is on Pacific Time, and so this is really 10:10 EDT. However, it still shows up on the blog in Pacific time. So, I am going to start posting at 10:10 a.m. Pacific time, intending this to be 10:10 Eastern time. I know this only matters to me, and to you, Mom. But I am not going back and changing all the 7:10 a.m. times. But I will run this note for a while. Mom, you know that I am posting at 10:10 a.m. often because this is the time of your death.