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Another Holiday Diary Entry…still the Peripheral Introvert
Morning post, coffee, a lecture on Frost over. Putting a splash (big splash) of Bailey’s in this morning’s last cup of coffee. I mean it is a holiday, right?
ALBUQUERQUE SKIES, ALWAYS AND FOREVER BLUE. TOO MUCH BLUE.
I’ve been doing what I said! Organizing projects which get out of control and multiply in stacks of paper and books on every table so I somewhat obsessively rearrange the stack and feel that work has been done and there you have it in one very long sentence.
FALL.
Almost backed out of the walk until my California son called assuming it was already a done deal—so I put on my sneakers, took my camera and did a turn down by the ponds and the bike path and the Bosque. Very nice. Thanks Scott.
PROOF SCOTT.
It’s 5:15pm now and feels like a very useful and pleasant time has been had by all. Especially me. I did organize my travel library AND made it almost through Ginsberg. In fact listened to “Howl” just before I went to the river. I really need to hear the lectures on this one. Of course lines and pieces of it are part of the language of our lives but only in small doses. I’ve never studied it in its entirety. What better time than later this evening.
TRIBUTE TO A FALLEN CYCLIST.
Back later. Here’s the Bosque Thanksgiving afternoon 2014.
A Holiday Diary by the Peripheral Introvert. Entry #1
I LOOKED FOR PICS OF ME COOKING THANKSGIVING DINNER. NONE TO BE FOUND. DID FIND 3 PHOTOS ALTOGETHER OF ME IN A KITCHEN. HERE’S ONE. MINNESOTA, THE SUMMER I SEMI-CAMPED OUT IN “THE OLD PLACE.” IT’S NOT A HOLIDAY MEAL BUT DOES PROVE I COOKED.
Albuquerque New Mexico. Thanksgiving Day 2014. Low 60s predicted. Most of the cottonwoods along the river have shed their leaves so today’s walk will be on a crunchy path through a tawny-brown-gray landscape underneath the brightest of blue skies. I think the river will also be brown and slow as the Rio Grande always is down here—only up in the canyons below Taos is it blue and frisky.
Can I please establish though, right here, right now, that as a peripheral introvert I will grouse and mumble throughout the day because it is how I am. That is not because I want to be in a crowded room with too many people and too much predictable food with the merry sounds of big stupid guys running back and forth on a field to the cheers of their demented followers. Quite the opposite. I grouse because I can.
Although I will admit that if a catering van pulled up about 1PM, raced in, whisked a white linen cloth and heavy silverware into place, placed fresh flowers in the middle, set down a giant bowl of sage-seasoned, celery and onion enriched, butter infused bread stuffing and a pan of buttery cinnamony mashed sweet potatoes with the marshmallows all melted and gold-toasted on top, and poured a nice glass of champagne for me it would be okay. But in a contest between stuffing and solitude, solitude wins!
The Holiday Report by the Peripheral Introvert
Although I claim not to like most (maybe all) holidays there are some aspects of holiday-making that are quite wonderful. Not going to work and candied sweet potatoes and bread stuffing are the main ones.
There are also those few wonderful hours at the at the heart of a celebration when the whole world is quiet…but then Black Friday or the Peace-On-Earth Christmas Evening Blowout or the Christ-Arose Easter Night Shopping Marathon kicks in. Or alternately the crack of heads and clang of beer cans as football practices its tacky magic on America’s psyche.
Actually, for peripheral introverts there is virtually nothing besides being off work and the sweet potatoes and stuffing that is meaningful about holiday celebrations as they currently exist.
Peripheral Introverts aren’t necessarily grumpy, even though we occasionally seem that way! I, for example, have holiday plans which will not involve big groups, worrying about money, feeling depressed or eating too much—although I will continue to miss my mother because that’s what I do on special occasions.
In fact I have plans for my own holidays which only a few of my closest family, friends and comrades will be invited to share. But more about all that later.
The purpose of today’s post is really to introduce this new series which will be brought to you throughout The Big Winter Shopping Event called Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year. The Holiday Report will alternate Coming of Age posts, all intended to cheer you up by talking about excessive spending and old age. After all I was not put on this earth for happy chatter and sugar plum dancing.
TODAY 