Tommy K on Everything

I was once tasked with having to draw a picture for my dad in the first grade for father’s day.  We were supposed to draw something that we had in common or an activity we enjoyed doing with our dad.  My drawing was two stick figures sitting at a stick kitchen table that had on top of it, a giant bottle of ketchup.  We both really liked ketchup.  For a long time, that was the art he kept in his office.

Not ever really being a “joiner,” I did the bare minimum of extracurricular activities in high school to get into college.  I participated in the literary magazine contributing a profound and moving ode to ketchup.  I read it recently and it is only matched in ridiculousness by absolute and affected teenage suffering.  I showed it to my parents and they asked if I was on drugs.

A girlfriend of mine used to joke that I didn’t like food.  I only used the food as a vehicle for ketchup.  It would look gross if I sat down with a bowl of ketchup and a spoon.

My husband loves to cook and is terrific at it.  Frustration would overpower the accomplishment he felt whenever I slathered oodles of ketchup on whatever he had just cooked up.  He doesn’t take it personally anymore.  I love ketchup.

Ketchup on eggs, ketchup on macaroni, ketchup on everything.

A while ago I bought a beautiful piece of art to add to the dining room that fully expresses my thoughts:

 

Trippin' on Travelin'

I am scared of flying.  Not so much of the heights, I find the airplane so darn claustrophobic.  This is why I prefer window seats.  The trip is more peaceful when looking at the plots of land and how they’re divided.  A few wispy clouds are alright too.  Truth be told, I still take a Clonazepam if it’s a morning flight or a couple of cocktails if the flight is after noon.  Friday’s flight is at 10:15 am.  I might just consider that close enough to noon.

Not being in control scares me the most.  When the plane is preparing to land, I slam my foot down on the imaginary brake in front of me to help out.  You’re welcome other passengers.

I try to not make a big deal about the actual flying part; I don’t really need to add to my neuroses.  I have a routine and that seems to help.  I guess routines would make a lot of things in my life easier, but I just find them so…routine.

I have started to make my bed every day, so I guess there’s that.

Bobaloo won’t just drop me off at the airport, he actually walks in with me and watches me go through the security checkpoint and waves goodbye when I go down the escalator to the tram.  Sometimes before that, we’ll sit at the bar and have a couple of farewell beers.

I touch the outside of the plane before I get in and pray for a safe trip.  I buckle up and get settled in my window seat and usually don’t make small talk with the person next to me.  If it’s a turbulent flight, I try not to make other people nervous.  I do not leave my seat, ever.  I have never been in an airplane bathroom.

I put my headphones on and read a book.  Usually, I can’t focus enough to read for real.  So I pretend to read a book.  Pretending to read is relaxing too.  I downloaded some new tunes for this trip.

It takes me an hour and a half to get where I am going. 

My dad picks me up and takes me straight to the bar for a couple of drinks before heading back to the house where my mom is waiting.

This post makes me sound like an alcoholic.  I’m not.  I just really don’t like flying.

2013

I found this cool listy list at Librarian Girl’s blog Pop Culture Librarian, her blog is awesome and funny and you should read it.

Ready to get reflect-y?

1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?  I went to my first NFL football game.  I took a train trip by myself.  I went to Pikes Peak. 

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions from last year and will you make more any for 2013?  I don’t think I made any last year, not really my style.  I didn’t make any for this year either.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?  A couple of my girlfriends had babies that are adorable and didn’t object too much to my snuggling.  My sister-in-law also had a baby, who I would like to meet soon.

4. Did anyone close to you die?  Way to be a downer questionnaire.  Yes, both of my grandmas.

5. What trips did you take?  I took a couple of plane trips to Minnesota and Wisconsin.  Bobaloo and I took a short road trip to Wyoming.  I enjoyed being a homebody this year.

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?  I would like more peace of mind or a maybe a car.  Let’s go with the car.

7. What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?  Probably the day the world didn’t end, 12/21/12 just because it was just so damn goofy!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?  I found a much needed new job.  I love it.

9. What was your biggest failure?  I lost touch with some folks who are important to me.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?  Only of the mental kind.

11. What was the best thing you bought?  I bought an alpaca wool blanket for my mom for Christmas and she loves it!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?  Pizza, for being consistently gooey and awesome and there for me.  And Bobaloo, for similar reasons.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?  Doesn’t do much good to say mean things here.

14. Where did most of your money go?  Who knows?  I had a lot of fun, so probably towards that.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?  Getting Fish!  Getting a job!  Getting a dog!  Getting to move!

16. What song will always remind you of 2012?  I listened to Vetiver’s “Roll on Babe” quite a bit while walking or getting ready in the morning.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?  Considerably happier.
ii. thinner or fatter?  Thinner.

iii. richer or poorer?   I’m love-rich.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?  Traveling.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?  Worrying.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?  It’s over.  Bobaloo and I spent Christmas Eve at the local watering hole and it included rum and dirty jokes.

21. Did you fall in love in 2012?  Always.

22. How many one-night stands?  This is kind of awkward.

23. What was your favorite TV program?  I finally got into Parks and Recreation (thanks Netflix!) and I really like New Girl.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?  Nope.

25. What was the best book you read?  Ooh.  Only one?  I really liked Moloka’i by Alan Brennert (fiction) and Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne (non-fiction).

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?  I went to my first Wilco show this summer and it was nice. 

27. What did you want and get?  A Presto Pizzazz Pizza Oven. 

28. What did you want and not get?  Waste not, want not.  Or, want not get not.  I don’t know.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?  I didn’t really see too many movies that came out this year.  I found Goats on Netflix and enjoyed it.

30. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?  I went to Dave & Busters (best steak in an arcade setting) with some really great friends, drank rum, and won some tickets.  29.

29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?  Infinite amounts of cash money.  Would I really be happier though?  I’d like to think so.  I don’t really prescribe to the age old idiom, “mo money, mo problems.”

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?  Thrift store chic?  I kind of stick to the same old stuff, although I bought my first pair of skinny jeans and they totally accentuate my chicken legs.  Bawk!  Bawk!

31. What kept you sane?  Ha!

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?  Lovie Smith.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?  Not the time, not the place.

34. Who did you miss?  Near and dear, near and far.

35. Who was the best new person you met?  I have met so many awesome people and strange characters it is impossible to pick.

36. Tell a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:  Geez.  Where do I start?  Asking for help is not weakness.  People are more often than not compassionate if you give them the chance.  It’s okay to take space and time to sort out emotions and feelings and that kind of crap.

37. A song lyric that sums up your year.
After all that I've been through, you're the only one that matters
Climb to safety
You never left me in the dark here on my own
Climb to safety
I can feel the water rising, let me be your ladder
Climb to safety
I promise you'll be dry and never be alone

Here's to another year!