Happy Thanksgiving!

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is already here. I for one am grateful for a bit of a break from work. It's been rather busy, and I think the stress is what was causing all my migraines this past month. I haven't had once since last Monday morning, though, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Ted was sick in bed all day today with what seemed to be flu-like symptoms. I'm really hoping the chicken soup and lemon/ginger/honey concoctions will nip this illness in the bud. We can't to go his family's for Thanksgiving dinner if he's sick, as his two grandmas will be there. He's much better tonight, so I'm thankful for that! :)

I know that Thanksgiving is a time for family and all that good stuff, and I couldn't help thinking how difficult the whole holiday season must be for those who have no family, or for those who have recently lost loved ones. I haven't gotten too emotional about my dad in a really long time, but I did yesterday at work, just totally out the blue, with tears and everything. I think it was because the night before, I had gone to a gathering, and someone had brought their father who was visiting from England. There was something about the gentleman that reminded me of my dad, and I really missed him then.

Memories are funny that way. Just the tiniest thing can set 'em off. The twinkle in someone's eyes, the clarity and passion in someone's voice, the pattern of wrinkles on someone's face...Any one of these things can bring on the Flood.

I sometimes forget that the ache is still there. After all, one of my blog posts IS the #2 search result on google for "I miss my dad", second only to imissmydad.com. How that happened, I don't know. Every time one of them comments on that post, I think about all the people out there missing someone they love...

Anyhoo, I wish all of you fine folks a happy thanksgiving, and if you find yourself alone or lonely on this day and maybe on other days, know that if I were with you, I'd give you big hug...

Three Thoughts Thursday #4

#1—I've been thinking lately about my "past" lives. No, I'm not talking about "past" as in previous lives, but as in the totally different people I've been over the course of my 35 years. It's just so weird to think back to the various identities and sets of beliefs and circles of friends I've had. I've even had a number of different names. You'd think I couldn't make up my mind on who I was or something.

It's always a little awkward when I run into someone from one of these former lives. I have no idea what they've heard through the grapevine about my life since I last saw them. It's especially weird if they just assume that I'm the same as I ever was, especially regarding my thoughts on God and the Church (and by Church, I mean mainly the evangelical church in the U.S.).

Sometimes, though, it's a pleasant surprise to run into someone I haven't seen in a while. Like yesterday, at the Common, when I ran into a guy named Dave Fleuchaus who I used to go to church with. It was a very brief encounter, but still really nice, and I got to introduce him to Ted and Cadence. It's funny how a flood of memories can rush back from when you were essentially someone else. I sure do miss a lot of the people…

#2—Whenever summer rolls around, my thoughts drift towards the Pacific Northwest, home of my favorite city to visit—Seattle, WA. Surrounded by mountains and water, built on hills, draped in breathtakingly green raiment, covered by deep azure skies, and soaked in bountiful sunshine—summers in Seattle are simply gorgeous. I know they're notorious for their drizzle, but that's really mainly during the winter months. Summers totally make up for it.

There was a time when you could fly roundtrip to Seattle from Chicago for around $180. I think I visited there 3 times in a 9-month period back in 2002/2003. Ted went last year to drink beer with visit his bro Charles and sis-in-law Ali while I moped at home with Cadence. Now I'm itching to go back, but we've decided that we won't take any flying trips this year, unless it's Ted's dad who's doing the flying. Now that we have to buy a ticket for Cadence too, we'd have to spend at least $700 on airfare alone to go most places far away enough to justify flying. But still…

I really have a hankering for some fresh (flying) seafood at Pike Place market.

Or a REALLY AWESOME latte on Capitol Hill.

Or a picnic in Discovery Park.

Or watching folks busking on the street corners.

Or some really greasy pizza on The Ave.

Or a late night stroll through Red Square in UW.

Or just hanging out in Charles and Ali's backyard. And I could go on and on…

#3—I think I'm a total sap sometimes. It must the be whole getting old thing again.

See. Miracles CAN Happen.

Well, my laptop survived Tropical Storm Cadence. So far so good. And thank goodness because I had not yet uploaded my photos from Saturday night when we got to see our friend Jozka and his beautiful girlfriend Susannah who were visiting from Ann Arbor. Joe was the happiest I've ever seen him, and that made me happy too because I've often worried over him.

Joe was roommates with Ted @ 800 South when we first started dating. He and I bonded over Douglas Coupland and songs played on guitar. He's one of those people with whom I've shared some very special memories--moments of pure joy and pure sadness. He moved to Ann Arbor that summer after the Infamous 800 South New Year's Eve Party where we first met, so we were friends in the same city for only about 8 months. We only see him sporadically now, but it always warms my heart and brings back some of the sweetest memories ever.