Dearest Rachel – To address the question you wouldn’t have to ask if you were actually present – since conversation with a live person doesn’t require adding titles to one’s topics – yes, this is about sports in general, but no, this doesn’t have to do with baseball, from whence the term itself hails. You’dContinue reading “Double Header”
Tag Archives: life
What Makes Us Tick
Dearest Rachel – You might think that, by waking up with such a title for this morning’s letter, I’d be announcing some great theory of existence to you. A grand purpose for humanity or, on an individual basis, an explanation for what keeps each of us going, day after day. But no. I’d like toContinue reading “What Makes Us Tick”
Just Not My Scene
Dearest Rachel – You probably know what’s coming here. Back in the day I always used to believe that I wasn’t a picky eater; given a situation where it was called on to be polite, I’m able to eat anything… and yet, somehow I wind up balking when confronted with some of your mom’s cooking.Continue reading “Just Not My Scene”
Sitting On the Pain Scale
Dearest Rachel – The problem with emotions and feelings is that it’s difficult to explain what one is feeling in a way that another person would understand exactly. Oh, we might be able to give a general idea to an audience what something feels like – and usually, that’s the best we can hope forContinue reading “Sitting On the Pain Scale”
Screwing Up the Schedule
Dearest Rachel – No sooner did I hit ‘publish’ on yesterday‘s letter when two things happened to upend my day. First of all, “Riri” wrote back, right after I got through telling you all the reasons why she wouldn’t. I still promise to tell you more about that, but on top of her explanations (someContinue reading “Screwing Up the Schedule”
Keep Your Head Down, Keep Your Mouth Shut
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know why – I never do, because no one can understand dream logic once they’re awake – but last night saw me hitchhiking across Canada, of all places. It was during their football season (which ended several weeks ago in real life, so the timing of this dream is aContinue reading “Keep Your Head Down, Keep Your Mouth Shut”
The Lists We Still Need to Deal With
Dearest Rachel – Well, it’s just how things work in the American holiday calendar, I suppose. We no sooner get through with one that, by name and nature, reminds us to be both content and grateful for what we have, than we begin on the one whose whole purpose seems to be the diametric oppositeContinue reading “The Lists We Still Need to Deal With”
The Irony of Weekend Snow
Dearest Rachel – They tell us that we’re in for a real dose of winter starting today, and going well on into tomorrow, honey – somewhere in the neighborhood of six inches to a foot, depending on who you listen to. It’s that time of year, after all, and for all that I make anContinue reading “The Irony of Weekend Snow”
Dreams of Alter Egos
Dearest Rachel – It’s been a while since I’ve had a dream worth telling you about (and had both the time to write it down before it dissipated and no real topic to discuss with you that might supersede it). The problem is, while it may have answered a long-known problem of science fiction whileContinue reading “Dreams of Alter Egos”
Half the Holiday
Dearest Rachel – I was getting serious flashbacks from 2020 yesterday morning, honey. You remember that year; we’d all been tested for Covid before Thanksgiving, for the sake of the folks (and, I think, at the recommendation, if not requirement, of the government when it came to such gatherings at the time). Yours and Daniel’sContinue reading “Half the Holiday”
The List We All Need To Make
Dearest Rachel – I don’t really need to tell you about all this, since I already did at the time (and basically in the moment – which means that the story I related over the course of several letters may have been clouded by my emotions at the time, for obvious reasons), but during thatContinue reading “The List We All Need To Make”
Still Not There Yet
Dearest Rachel – I’ve been writing to you a lot this past week about our difficulties in getting ourselves acclimated to our home time zone; it’s just under a week now, and we’re still not there yet. Compare that to our trip out, where we basically fell in line with the local time after aContinue reading “Still Not There Yet”
Just the Two of Us
Dearest Rachel – Ordinarily, upon waking up to darkness, assuming (as has been the case for the last couple of days since returning home) that’s it’s just an hour or two before I would normally get up of a Saturday, only to discover that it’s actually barely two in the morning, would be cause forContinue reading “Just the Two of Us”
Oh, The Places We Didn’t See
Dearest Rachel – In some ways, I don’t know how we managed it back in the day; before you were able to let me retire, we tended to be short on time, because even though I was given five weeks of vacation time after so many years of service, it was hard to squeeze suchContinue reading “Oh, The Places We Didn’t See”
Not Ready for Central Time
Dearest Rachel – Setting aside that he’s dealing with the cold that he caught on the last day or so of the trip (which I may very well catch soon enough, and is why, despite it being Thursday, we won’t be over at the folks’ place for dinner this evening. Dad is getting more andContinue reading “Not Ready for Central Time”
So Many Random Little Thoughts
Dearest Rachel – Some days, I wake up in the wee hours of the morning with no desire for anything but to roll over and go back to sleep. I thought this morning was going to be the same – especially given that today is a Saturday; who wakes up early on a Saturday? ButContinue reading “So Many Random Little Thoughts”
Not Done Out Of Boredom
Dearest Rachel – While I’m specifically writing to you with these letters – complete with references to things only you would know from actual experience – I’m well aware that there are people reading this over your shoulder. It’s what happens when you put something out on the internet; someone else will stumble across itContinue reading “Not Done Out Of Boredom”
For Me, A Costume
Dearest Rachel – It feels like it was so long ago – and it was, a good year and a half before your departure – that dress shirts and ties were de rigueur attire for me, as a member of the white collar work farce. You might also remember that I loathed it, especially theContinue reading “For Me, A Costume”
One Twelfth of My Life
Dearest Rachel – It starts with the incongruous admonition about eating with a dignitary, and the need to control ones appetite in front of one. Which probably meant more back in the day, when a ruler’s favor (or lack thereof) toward you could mean the difference between life and death. Granted, I’ve heard stories aboutContinue reading “One Twelfth of My Life”
Putting Words in Your Mouth
Dearest Rachel – I’ll be honest, I’m actually falling behind the curve at this point when it comes to AI-generated material these days. Over this past year, I’ve seen some really impressive stuff in terms of videos and the like; mostly as quasi-political cartoons (which have now been democratized to the point where anybody withContinue reading “Putting Words in Your Mouth”
The Haunting I Wish For; the Haunting that Comes
Dearest Rachel – As much as it seems frivolous to do so, we did spend a lot of time together as a family in front of the television (either in its original capacity or as a computer monitor), so I suppose it’s appropriate that this letter has to do with a video Daniel and IContinue reading “The Haunting I Wish For; the Haunting that Comes”
The Latest Bit of Family Slang
Dearest Rachel – I honestly can’t remember when I last visited our village public library, despite the fact that it’s supposedly one of the largest in the state (although obviously superseded by that of Chicago itself, I don’t think there are too many others that are larger). Sometimes, if I think about it, I assumeContinue reading “The Latest Bit of Family Slang”
Text Silence
Dearest Rachel – For all that I’ve told you about the more-than-occasional mad rush of messages I get from folks I meet on dating websites, this story is about the opposite side of the coin. Sometimes, you want to keep things going, just to make sure, but things go silent on the other end ofContinue reading “Text Silence”
No Particular Point to the Moment
Dearest Rachel – If I’m to be honest with you – as well as myself – about this series of letters to you, that they’re as much a record of life happening in the days after your absence as anything else, I should be telling you about the events of the past evening. For someContinue reading “No Particular Point to the Moment”
An Experience Not Meant to Be Shared
Dearest Rachel – There are too many things that I do that are solitary pursuits these days that I wish were not so, but can’t be helped at this point. Back in the day, we would do these things together (and in certain times and cases, we would drag Daniel along in our wake, butContinue reading “An Experience Not Meant to Be Shared”
Less of the Same, More of the Usual
Dearest Rachel – The beauty of a morning flight is that, when you arrive, you still have most of the day to ‘enjoy’ the place you’ve landed in. The… dare I say ugliness?… of that same situation on the return trip means that you’re dropped right back into the responsibilities of home that you neglectedContinue reading “Less of the Same, More of the Usual”
Story Arc
Dearest Rachel – It would amuse me no end for some theorist channel to happen across this sheaf of letters, read a whole bunch of them over your shoulder, and try to make sense out of them as if they were the components of an ARG or an extended literary work. Applying the tropes ofContinue reading “Story Arc”
Ill at Ease
Dearest Rachel – Monday morning, and something just doesn’t feel right. Much as I’m planning to head to the ‘office’ for what should be an ordinary day (with a side request to help the folks deal with “a credit card situation,” which probably just involves an internet communication issue), there’s this sense that I’m forgettingContinue reading “Ill at Ease”
Primera Mañana
Dearest Rachel – I’m not sure what you would’ve thought of this place, honey. I’m still trying to get used to it myself. After yesterday’s travels (particularly the obscenely early start to the day), I retired at what might otherwise be considered a ridiculous hour of nine o’clock, but which you might have at least beenContinue reading “Primera Mañana”
I’ll Never Quite Get Used to It
Dearest Rachel – I have this goal regarding travel that, one day, I’d get to the point where it’s a perfectly normal thing to show up at the airport, get on a plane, and be on my way to wherever it is I’m wanting to go without another thought. It’ll be almost a routine thing;Continue reading “I’ll Never Quite Get Used to It”
Too Tired to be Frantic
Dearest Rachel – Early tomorrow night, I’m going to need to head off to bed by five or six, so I can wake up at three, summon myself an Uber (both Dad and Daniel offered to drive me there until I informed them both of the time I needed to be there, at which pointContinue reading “Too Tired to be Frantic”
Food at Home
Dearest Rachel – It’s so memetic that there isn’t a single iconic image to represent it; all there is to it is a basic script. Child asks for restaurant food (usually from a low-grade fast-food place – and yes, I know that’s something of a redundancy), to which the mom replies that “we have foodContinue reading “Food at Home”
His Opinion Matters
Dearest Rachel – I don’t remember who told me this, specifically, but in the immediate aftermath of your departure, I was advised not to make any major rash decisions in my life. No major purchases, no attempts at pursuing ‘Megumi’ (who hadn’t been given that name at that point, let alone had her criteria fleshedContinue reading “His Opinion Matters”
Prime Moment
Dearest Rachel – I have a couple of topics for you sitting in the wings at the moment, but I’ll reserve them for a day when I have less going on, both in terms of the lack of something happening to relate to you and the time to commit them to pixels. This one isContinue reading “Prime Moment”
The Right to My Day
Dearest Rachel – I don’t think that I’ll ever fully comprehend the ‘gym rat’ mentality – nor, as I’m sure you would expect, do I wish to; to do so would be to become one, and for all the desirable effects, there are more than enough adverse ones, primarily having to do with attitude, thatContinue reading “The Right to My Day”
Queasy
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know what’s been going on the last few days, honey, but every so often – at least, when I bother to think about it – there’s been this nagging sense of unease in the pit of my stomach going on. Now, it’s entirely possible that it’s simply due to anotherContinue reading “Queasy”
To Tell About Our Days
Dearest Rachel – As humans, we have a surprising amount of difficulty explaining to others how we spend our time, and what exactly we do with it. Or maybe it’s just me, which basically illustrates my point. You see, even though we know, intellectually, that it’s not so, we find it hard to imagine thatContinue reading “To Tell About Our Days”
Returning from the Woods
Dearest Rachel – As she attempts to recover from her unplanned tryst with Prince Charming late in the second half of Into the Woods, the Baker’s Wife sings “back to life, back to home, back to child, back to husband… you can’t live in the woods.” Of course she doesn’t get back to all thoseContinue reading “Returning from the Woods”
Refreshing Inertia
Dearest Rachel – The world outside my door may be speeding by at a ridiculous pace – when I woke up for the first time a couple of hours ago, there were an insane amount of unread articles in my news feed to go through – but that doesn’t mean I have to move atContinue reading “Refreshing Inertia”
Have We Lost Our Minds (Again)? Did We Ever Have Them?
Dearest Rachel – Despite the relative tranquility of our own personal lives, we were born into a world of utter chaos. The year of my birth was a particular annus horribilis; I can – and often do – imply the date by connecting it to the assassination of Martin Luther King (I have an alibi,Continue reading “Have We Lost Our Minds (Again)? Did We Ever Have Them?”
Constructive Notice
Dearest Rachel – This morning, when I woke up and reached for my phone (to see what time it is, honest! I’m not gonna look through my news feed until I know I’m not going to go back to sleep, and need to use the washroom. Yes, that happened this time around, and yes, itContinue reading “Constructive Notice”
Of Plumb-bobs and Progress Bars
Dearest Rachel – You probably remember earlier iterations of The Sims much better than I do (even now); while I bought myself a copy of Sims4 a while back, I never really got into it. Heck, I barely bother to play Civilization these days, and I got into that game. I guess there are soContinue reading “Of Plumb-bobs and Progress Bars”
Random Groggy Thoughts
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know if it’s more funny or annoying (I suppose it all depends on how groggy I am at the moment); I can be falling asleep trying to watch a YouTube video of an early evening, but as soon as I decide to make it official, and set the channel toContinue reading “Random Groggy Thoughts”
They Still Remember You
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday was my first day back at the ‘office’ in a while; when Friday is taken up by a walk in the woods, and Monday is a national holiday, suddenly the weekend doubles in size (setting aside the fact that any day could be considered a weekend if I so chose to).Continue reading “They Still Remember You”
In Prandium Veritas
Dearest Rachel – You’re well familiar with my rule regarding long-distance travel; if it takes longer to get somewhere and back than the time spent at the destination, then it really wasn’t worth the time to bother with. It always struck me as overly cruel when executives from my old workplace were required to flyContinue reading “In Prandium Veritas”
(A Lack of) Holiday Weekend Plans
Dearest Rachel – It used to be so simple when it came to certain holiday weekends – or really, any weekend in general, but let’s set that aside for now. We had things that we did on a regular – whether annual or weekly – basis, and didn’t really have to give much thought toContinue reading “(A Lack of) Holiday Weekend Plans”
Things I Never Considered
Dearest Rachel – When we set out for the island a couple of weeks ago, Daniel went and got your urn to take with us (after all, that was the whole point of the trip). But at first, he also made to gather up the water bottles we’d surrounded it with on the sunroom coffeeContinue reading “Things I Never Considered”
The Chill and the Damp
Dearest Rachel – When April showers May come your way They bring the flowers That bloom in May That’s all well and good, but what’s to be said about the showers that come in May? Does this mean they’re deferring the blossoms until June or something? And if they are, that’s not necessarily a goodContinue reading “The Chill and the Damp”
Maybe We Don’t WANT Closure
Dearest Rachel – Happy fifty-fifth birthday, honey. This is it; the day we set you adrift the way you wanted to be. This is why we’re here – right down to why we’ve waited so long – we wanted to make sure your closest friends were here to share this moment. Given how long it’sContinue reading “Maybe We Don’t WANT Closure”
Until the Last Minute
Dearest Rachel – This is really not my style, honey; you know that. Raised as I was, arriving somewhere fifteen minutes early was considered late. If we’re heading out to the island, I’d prefer to leave town as soon as possible – and have the car loaded up as much as possible the night before,Continue reading “Until the Last Minute”
When It All Came Together, and It All Fell Apart
Dearest Rachel – I’ve been meaning to write you on this topic for some time, although I’ve always rather hesitated about doing so. It’s always seemed both bigger than I can cover in a single post (although I don’t seem to have a problem with a couple thousand words about what happened the weekend beforeContinue reading “When It All Came Together, and It All Fell Apart”
Cramping My Schedule
Dearest Rachel – I’ll admit, I had planned to skip my usual weekday workout this morning anyway. Sure, I hadn’t hit the gym all weekend, due to working in the booth – which required a lot more active attention to details than some times, due to the unpredictable nature of baptism weekend – nor didContinue reading “Cramping My Schedule”
When We Are The Terror
Dearest Rachel – It would seem that not all nightmares involve being personally terrorized; sometimes the nightmare involves being the terror itself, all while appearing to be perfectly innocuous. Such was my dream from last night, and a vivid one it was, honey. As far as I could tell, I was part of some classContinue reading “When We Are The Terror”
It Can’t Rain Forever
Dearest Rachel – While I might point out that I’m still sleepy this morning from having stayed up later than usual with Daniel watching videos last night – and I may have gotten a little too smug about dropping my weight down to two-oh-six after yesterday morning’s workout (had leftover salad to serve as myContinue reading “It Can’t Rain Forever”
One Final Trip (part four)
Dearest Rachel – It’s annoying to get reminders of things you need to do at the most inappropriate and inconvenient times. I spent Sunday morning in the audio-visual booth, listening to a sermon entitled ‘Roadtrip’ (about the conversation on the road to Emmaus – it was the week right after Easter, you understand), and foundContinue reading “One Final Trip (part four)”
I’d Tell You Everything
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday really had me going through my news feed rather than trying to finish a topic that I couldn’t resolve in that moment. In the process, though, I ran across a tweet – okay, a retweet of a retweet – that really made me stop and think about what I would doContinue reading “I’d Tell You Everything”
News Feed Fire Hose
Dearest Rachel – I had actually started a topic yesterday afternoon that I was going to work on for you for today, but it doesn’t seem like I’m going to arrive at any resolution to it soon enough, what with the weather being sunny today and rainy thereafter until the weekend – which means thatContinue reading “News Feed Fire Hose”
Work Keeps You Sane
Dearest Rachel – I really thought that coming back to your hometown would hurt more than it did. As I’ve said before, what with you being gone (to say nothing of your folks, who served as your anchor to the place), there’s nothing for me in the place anymore. It represents somewhere – and moreContinue reading “Work Keeps You Sane”
The Last Trip Home
Dearest Rachel – Honestly, I never thought I would be setting foot in Macomb again. I may know my way around the place, even after all this time, but I couldn’t imagine having a need to return there. Of course, as it turned out, it wasn’t a need of mine that brought me back. WithContinue reading “The Last Trip Home”
A Little More Sun
Dearest Rachel – It would seem that this morning exercise routine, reluctant though I am to follow it, is something of a self-perpetuating cycle. I put in some seven-plus miles on the treadmill yesterday, and by nine o’clock, I was as ready to fall asleep in my chair than actually bother with watching another videoContinue reading “A Little More Sun”
Cheat Day (and a Half)
Dearest Rachel – I’m not sure if you’d be grateful for it or wondering about the topic’s recent absence, but you might have noticed that I haven’t been telling you much about my weight loss journey for the past week or so. Much of what’s been going on has had to do with my carContinue reading “Cheat Day (and a Half)”
Defying the Pattern
Dearest Rachel – You’re probably well aware that the human mind sees patterns where none actually exist. It’s how concepts like pareidolia come into being; we see a pair of similar marks balanced atop a slightly larger mark, and instinctively imagine a face (two eyes and a mouth; there may be more, but that’s quiteContinue reading “Defying the Pattern”
When Even the Experts are Stumped
Dearest Rachel – By the end of the day today, it will have been nearly a week since dropping the car off at the dealer’s for what I rather thought would have been fairly routine – if admittedly less regular than just a simple lube, oil and filter – maintenance. Sure, a multi-point inspection wouldContinue reading “When Even the Experts are Stumped”
All the Time in the World?
Dearest Rachel – Daniel has been asking me multiple times throughout the past day whether I’ve heard from the dealership about the status of the work being done on my vehicle. After just a single day of me appropriating his/your car, it would seem that he would like it back. It seems a little weird,Continue reading “All the Time in the World?”
When the People Are Dying
Dearest Rachel – This is definitely not one of the tunes we swapped between us when we were courting after I graduated from college, but it’s true that at least one of Tonio K’s songs was in that lineup. This one has way too much social commentary to be considered a love song, to sayContinue reading “When the People Are Dying”
Why Tiny Houses?
Dearest Rachel – The other day, I was telling you about how I fell down a rabbit hole of real estate listings, particularly in a place that we’d both individually been to and wanted to return to, but never got the chance to do together (let alone take Daniel with us to show him whatContinue reading “Why Tiny Houses?”
They’ve Stopped Making It
Dearest Rachel – It’s a silly little line that hits early on in A Charlie Brown Christmas, but it occasionally resonates with me for reasons I can’t quite pin down. The gang are catching snowflakes on their tongues as they fall around them (Lucy, fussbudget that she is, insists that she never engages in suchContinue reading “They’ve Stopped Making It”
Same Singer, Different Songs
Dearest Rachel – At the moment, I’m short on both inspiration and time, when it comes to talking to you this morning. The former is probably due to the uniformity of midweek; when days look the same every time you open your eyes to the not-yet-dawn, what’s to tell you about? The latter has toContinue reading “Same Singer, Different Songs”
Are Things Not Satisfactory?
Dearest Rachel – There’s an old joke about a child who, for the first few years of his life, appeared to be completely mute, much to the consternation of his parents. They took him to doctors and specialists, who couldn’t find anything wrong with his vocal cords or his neural connections. Eventually, they gave upContinue reading “Are Things Not Satisfactory?”
I Can Smell the Barbeque
Dearest Rachel – “We need to talk.” Those four words (and their variations) have chilled the blood of boyfriends and husbands throughout the world for generations. We always somehow knew the that the topic of conversation was going to be an unpleasant one, and we were likely to be receiving blame for the situation itselfContinue reading “I Can Smell the Barbeque”
…And There It Is…Again
Dearest Rachel – And to think, I was going to write you about this girl last week in fairly glowing terms, especially considering the level of proof she seemed to have given me. But after setting her story aside for the moment in order to cover actual events happening in my life, things… began toContinue reading “…And There It Is…Again”
Ice Cream Headache
Dearest Rachel – It should come as no surprise that, upon returning from the cruise last month, I found myself not only no longer dancing around the two-ten line that I’d been considering a near-permanent plateau after four or five months, but hovering around the two-twenty line I hadn’t been at for as many monthsContinue reading “Ice Cream Headache”
Making Myself Useful
Dearest Rachel – Freud had a word for it: “sublimation.” While it’s now mostly used in its physical, chemical sense of a solid transmuting to gas, skipping over any possible liquid state (like carbon dioxide does, for example), he used it to refer to taking one’s baser instincts and diverting them to where they couldContinue reading “Making Myself Useful”
Accustomed to the Emptiness
Dearest Rachel – To a certain extent, I think that I’m living the life I expected to when I graduated from college with no one to my name but myself. Much as some folks used to denigrate the university experience as an opportunity for certain females to obtain their “Mrs.” degree (is that still aContinue reading “Accustomed to the Emptiness”
Rid of the Taxman
Dearest Rachel – This should probably be a letter for another two months from now, but it’s at the top of my mind at the moment, so I think I’ll tell you about it today. If nothing else, I’ve been having to do more about it over the last couple of days, so while there’sContinue reading “Rid of the Taxman”
The Luxurious Option
Dearest Rachel – I often used to say, somewhat in jest (but not entirely) that when we got sick, the three of us would wind up dealing with the same amount of cold over different time periods. Whereas I would be essentially incapacitated for a 24-hour period, and Daniel would feel pretty poorly for aContinue reading “The Luxurious Option”
Assume That They’re All Fake
Dearest Rachel – So… tomorrow is Friday, a day we all celebrate, for our various reasons – even if only because most of our fellows are (temporarily) released from their workaday prisons (which they may or may not recognize as such, but whatever). It is also Valentine’s Day, which for the fifth year in aContinue reading “Assume That They’re All Fake”
Stocking Up Before Getting Socked In
Dearest Rachel – It looks like there’s about to be some interesting – in the sense of that famous Chinese curse – weather coming our way. Yesterday morning, the folks warned me that we could end up with between eight and ten inches of snow in the next twenty-four hours; as a result, they hadContinue reading “Stocking Up Before Getting Socked In”
Eggshell Anniversary
Dearest Rachel – The other day, when Lars called to arrange a day on which we might meet to walk this week – despite the fact that we’ll be heading out of town together this weekend, and will have plenty of time to walk, be it through airports, over beaches or from one end ofContinue reading “Eggshell Anniversary”
I Can Feel It In My Bones
Dearest Rachel – I think there are certain things about life that you don’t – can’t, even – figure out until you reach a certain age. When I was a kid, for instance, it absolutely puzzled me that my grandfather (and later, my father) could fall asleep in his rocker-recliner, despite it being in theContinue reading “I Can Feel It In My Bones”
They’re Barely Pretending
Dearest Rachel – Back when I first considered subscribing to an online dating service, Jan cautioned me – even as she was encouraging me to sign up in the first place – to think of it in terms of entertainment, as opposed to pinning my hopes of actually finding true love there. Best not toContinue reading “They’re Barely Pretending”
What Constitutes ‘Work’
Dearest Rachel – I’m not sure when he started doing this – I want to say it was while I was abroad, which would explain my uncertainty as to the specific timing – but it was within the past year that Logan switched up his work schedule. Originally, when he first moved in, he usedContinue reading “What Constitutes ‘Work’”
Scorch Marks and Smoke Wisps
Dearest Rachel – Toni asked me the other day, upon realizing that the anniversary of your accident was coming up soon, if I was planning to do anything that day to honor it and you. Now, when I read that sentence after writing it, it makes it sound like she was asking if she couldContinue reading “Scorch Marks and Smoke Wisps”
He’s Not Santa Claus
Dearest Rachel – In so many ways, it was the sort of Christmas anyone could ask for. A quiet, subdued one, to be sure, but our family hasn’t had little kids running around tearing up the place for the better part of a decade. We all ate way too much (well, except for Dad, andContinue reading “He’s Not Santa Claus”
(Not An) Instagram Christmas
Dearest Rachel – I never was much for any of the social media juggernauts; I never had an account on Facebook, unlike you (although now that I’ve linked your account to my phone, I get notifications just about every day about one or another of your friends posting something and supposedly tagging you – toContinue reading “(Not An) Instagram Christmas”
Needing More Rest
Early to bed, and early to riseMakes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanack Early to rise, and early to bedMakes a man healthy, but socially dead. Yakko Warner, Animaniacs Dearest Rachel – After a night rehearsing for the Christmas Eve service (and hoping in vain that I could find aContinue reading “Needing More Rest”
Intermittent Sleep
Dearest Rachel – It’s December, so it should be permissible to speak of Christmassy things now. Despite not getting out over the Black Friday portion of the holiday weekend, I’ve gotten a reasonable amount of gift shopping under my belt – although in fairness, the real challenge, our son Daniel, I’ve not yet started on;Continue reading “Intermittent Sleep”
Working From Home
Dearest Rachel – Were I still gainfully employed, and deriving my living from so being, this would be a debilitating quirk of mine, this insistence that I be at home when Kris comes over to clean the house. It’s not out of any desire to supervise her or her work; even if she didn’t alreadyContinue reading “Working From Home”
Before Our Time
Dearest Rachel – Unlike you – who appreciated my description of you as five years old with forty years’ experience – I never felt all that comfortable as a kid, and made an effort to grow up as quickly as possible. I related better to my elders than I did to my peers (although, comeContinue reading “Before Our Time”
Not Much to Tell, No Time to Tell It
Dearest Rachel – It seems weird to say that today is likely to be the most routine day of the week. After all, the whole point of the weekend is that it is different from the rest of the week; a respite from the hurly-burly of workaday life. But when one’s day-to-day is no longerContinue reading “Not Much to Tell, No Time to Tell It”
What’s the Crowd in Heaven Like?
Dearest Rachel – I do so hope that, when my time comes and I show up at the Pearly Gates, you’re aware enough of my arrival to come and greet me there and walk me around, because I am not going to feel comfortable, walking around among that huge crowd. I know it sounds sacrilegious,Continue reading “What’s the Crowd in Heaven Like?”
No Time to Spare
Dearest Rachel – I’m sure that some of these letters look a bit like they were pre-written, rather than covering the events of the day – which probably make them look a little less heartfelt. It’s what happens sometimes when I’m trying to say something to you every day, when there’s not a whole lotContinue reading “No Time to Spare”
Upending The Schedule
Dearest Rachel – Assuming you’ve been keeping an eye on me like I always ask you to, you know what my schedule looks like on an average day. For that matter, it’s not that much different than it was when you were still around, come to that. I’d get up in the morning, head overContinue reading “Upending The Schedule”
Those First Few Realizations
Dearest Rachel – Good morning, and I hope you’re enjoying your forty-fifth month in the Kingdom. I admit to not always acknowledging these months anymore as they pass. Much of the time, it’s because I’m actually preoccupied with what passes for my usual life, and I don’t notice the day has come and gone untilContinue reading “Those First Few Realizations”
Blanket Approval
Dearest Rachel – It was like walking in on a rehearsal in a Broadway theater. It seemed like you were playing the lead role; something that quite literally was out of character for you, but somehow looked like you were perfectly comfortable with. It wasn’t long, however, before you noticed me in the empty audience,Continue reading “Blanket Approval”
The Ship That Hasn’t Sailed Yet
Dearest Rachel – So this is it; a day that I’ve promised myself would come, in which I’m doing the whole ‘tourist in my home town’ bit. Oddly enough, I’m doing something that we’ve done before – which, considering how little time we ever spent in the city (apart from admiring the annual Christmas decorationsContinue reading “The Ship That Hasn’t Sailed Yet”
Finding Myself Well
Dearest Rachel – Hope this letter finds you well. I also hope that you don’t mind that it’s coming to you a bit later than I usually try to get them sent to you, but the events of the morning have kept me busier than usual; plus, they strike me as being more worth tellingContinue reading “Finding Myself Well”
Twilight Thoughts
Dearest Rachel – In the twelve hundred plus days since your departure, I’d like to think that I’ve come to terms with my situation. You’re gone, and you aren’t coming back. Nor should I wish to drag you away from the paradise you’ve attained. Likewise, there’s no sign that Megumi is on the horizon, orContinue reading “Twilight Thoughts”
The Extent of the Effect
Dearest Rachel – “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” So goes Isaac Newton’s first law of motion, the product of the Enlightenment concept of experimentation and observation, as opposed to blind acceptance of received wisdom from generations past. Best envisioned (and demonstrated) on a billiard table or a croquet lawn, thisContinue reading “The Extent of the Effect”
Sleeping Through the War
Dearest Rachel – To be fair, for me to describe last night thusly is to completely mischaracterize it. After all, while the fireworks displays that are part and parcel of the Fourth of July are meant to represent the clamor and fire of early modern warfare in which this nation was birthed (perhaps not unlikeContinue reading “Sleeping Through the War”
Letters to Rachel 