I Fought The Law, But the Law Won

Beth, my wife, got pulled over today by the Yellow Springs Police. She was coming home from work and a policeman noticed that her license plate bulb was out, so he pulled her over. No ticket, just a warning, but I still feel responsible -- I should have noticed that it was out and replaced it before something like this happened.

I got nothing at all accomplished today. Hendrix is still off on his winter break, and so he was home playing with Stormy all day. I got up around 8, made Beth some coffee, then went to the bank and got the flat tire on the Pontiac replaced so that I could drive the kids up to the bowling alley in Huber Heights in the afternoon while Beth worked. They bowled a game and had a lot of fun -- Hendrix bowled a 63, Storm a 60 -- and our friend Jim Chrissis stopped by to say hello and chat a bit.

We're going bowling with some friends there tomorrow to celebrate New Year's Eve, so I made our reservations for that. Should be fun - if I can find a babysitter.

Got no writing at all done today. Read a good chunk of Norman Spinrad's "An Experiment in Autobiography" and a bit of David Foster Wallace's "The Pale King" before I had to go to work at 9 tonight.

More tomorrow.

[Trading Places and Jackie Brown. The Pale King. "I Got It" by Gorilla Zoe] 

"The Years Grow Shorter, Not Longer..."

I find it hard to believe that 2014 is almost over. It's true that the years pass by more quickly as you get older - I didn't believe that when I was first informed, but by God it's true. And, end of the year or not, I'm not much for resolutions, but this is the time of year everyone seems to be making them. I'm going to try and resist.

I've also never been much of a diarist, to be honest. I have good intentions... I think to myself that "I know... I'll start a blog!" or "I'll keep a journal!" and my updates last usually three days or so and then just sort of die on the vine.

But I am getting older... tempus keeps fugiting and all that. In 2015 I'll be 50 years old. Half a century. A long way since Huntington WV on an early Sunday morning in the summer of '65. Beth and I have been together now for over 20 years, which is mind-boggling. Hendrix is 7 and in school... Storm is 3 and will be starting preschool next year.

I have more writing projects than I know what to do with, and none of them near completion. Make of that what you want. 

Look for more updates in this space as time and my (admittedly short) attention span allow.

Drinking

Drinking alcohol -- at least the way I have been doing it -- is a selfish act.

When I go our drinking with my wife, too often I drink too much. I am not a violent person when intoxicated -- I simply smile, curl up in a fetal position, and begin to snore. Doesn't matter where, really -- could be in my chair, or by the fire, or on the couch, or in the back seat of the car. But you can bet your bottom dollar that once the Jager bombs begin flowing, passed out and unconscious is where I will be. Meanwhile leaving my lovely wife to spend the rest of the evening alone with her friends, wondering where her husband was passed out THIS time.

Selfish. Inconsiderate. Rude.

I've done it too many times, during too many events, and I've been rude to too many people. For this, I want to apologize. I'm sorry, to all of you. But especially to my wife.

Drinking alcohol is not a good thing for me. I realize that I can live a perfectly good life without alcohol. I am aware that I may need help in order to stop drinking. From this day forward, I will do my very best.

Pray for me.