A “chaw” of tobacco is the nasty lump of brown ruffage hillbillies and baseball players chuck inside their cheeks for a variety of reasons which never include addiction. The larger the “chaw”, the more distended the cheek and the less it resembles the original human’s face.
I can hardly imagine a better description of 2016.
It is now New Year’s Eve – well, New Year’ Day by now, ha ha – and we are all waiting impatiently to welcome some relief.. Wow! Do we ever need it.
Should I be serious and say what I believe???….. or simply take advantage of my friends’ good nature and wish them well, fully and correctly expecting a genuine smile in return? I’m definitely holding off on Part 2 of my ego-stroking baseball tale – of my not so fab pitching career, lol – but something in me insists on not letting it get away. Later for that. I guess I will perform my usual autobiographical crap meet to no one’s surprise and just supply some thoughts on what this past year meant to me.
Whatever else can be said, 2016 was a tremendously active year for me, welcomed quietly in Louisville just days after closing out a visit to San Diego and my daughter Alena. The reunion with Alena’s Mom, Alice and my own ex-wife was also a celebration of sorts at the time. Typical of my last few years, we were celebrating my ability to visit in the first place, lol, if nothing else. My near miss with just plain dying offered enough spiritual juice to let us all express the love and respect we each have for one another and to dismiss any remaining rubs in favor of enjoying life itself. It had worked great. The incredible turkey gravy put together by Greg’s mother and new Mother in Law to Alena, Julie Gorton, highlighted a Christmas brunch after a night spent out at she and Gary’s place. Yes, I ended up just plain drinking it, lol. Like a boss!! It’s funny how the greatest tastes are so memorable. Now and then we have to thank The Creator for slipping us such a great benefit as a sense of taste. That gravy was sent straight from Olympus, man. 😉
4 months later, I was back in San Diego with a brand new suit, some killer red Converse all star low cut Chuck Taylors, about 20 more extra pounds with my patented Extroversion Jones re-kicking back in. It was very much a Communion for the Ages all on its own, this time for my family and my newly-extended family and a huge dollop of friends of all of those. Weddings are an accounting nightmare, and not just financially, lol. The number of happy faces you want to know more about from the bottom of your heart runs over at the top and just spills everywhere. The extravagance of Soul of weddings and the stuff surrounding them has been my closest brush with the literal experience of Paradise. I cannot imagine a better time.
sniff, sniff 😉
4 months after that, I experienced another selfishly wonderful event – a Reunion with my classmates from 50 years back – Owensboro High School’s Class of 1966. Speaking of soulful extravagance and the good fortune of living in our current times!!! I am sure everyone feels their particular class was somehow special. I am equally sure that is a good thing for all concerned. (Note also, my red Converse All Stars are still in bidness.)
I adore this group of people with a huge heart. So many of us were integral in the formation of our personalities, many from 12 years old and upwards. So many are appreciative, therefore, of the work we supplied one another. That we remain actively involved in spite of our various winding paths to where we find ourselves today is a choice made easy. We not only actually really like each other, we also respect one another. The love at this event, punctuated by the uber funky stylings of Steve Bare and the reunited Avrons, ha ha, was off the charts. I found it a virtually Peak Experience and one I personally really badly needed in these days of he seeming Permanent Rehabilitation I find myself enduring yet again.
We misbehaved really, really well. I went home partially sober, lol. Even made ot to the class breakfast the day after!!
We were also reminded how ephemeral this can all be……with a list of those departed before us. I saw tears while reading this scroll.
We reminisced about our old friends from the past………….
LOL, good, I mean, really good times.We got lucky with so many fine and gracious ladies, it has to be said. And, Lordy, we had a zillion military veterans. 1966, duh, lol.
So, a week after this memory and soul extravaganza, I went back under the knife for a 10 hour long surgical procedure where I found myself almost croak and from which I am now successfully making progress in yet another rebab.
In the meantime, everyone who was fun in rock and roll – except for the incredible Keith Richards, anyway, lol – went and died. David Bowie, Prince, George Michael – the list is tiring to even look at.
And, later, The Donald Trump was elected as President of the United States. Now that’s what I call closing out the year with a bang.
I adore this group of people with a huge heart. So many of us were integral in the formation of our personalities, many from 12 years old and upwards. So many are appreciative, therefore, of the work we supplied one another. That we remain actively involved in spite of our various winding paths to where we find ourselves today is a choice made easy. We not only actually really like each other, we also respect one another. The love at this event, punctuated by the uber funky stylings of Steve Bare and the reunited Avrons, ha ha, was off the charts. I found it a virtually Peak Experience and one I personally really badly needed in these days of he seeming Permanent Rehabilitation I find myself enduring yet again.
We were also reminded how ephemeral this can all be……with a list of those departed before us. I saw tears while reading this scroll.
