June 3: Weighing In, Turkey Dinner, New Cartoon

Sundays are the days I weigh in.  In the morning, I go to the bathroom, relieve myself of any excess weight that I can (if you understand what I mean).  Then, I strip down and step on the scale.  Some Sundays, I end up swearing at the scale for a few minutes, calling it a lying, hypocritical communist bastard.  Other Sunday mornings, I am pleased with the results.  Today, the scale and I are on friendly terms.  I'm not going to be taking it out for ice cream sundaes tonight, but at least I'm not going to make it sleep on the front porch.

Not a lot to blog about.  Church this morning.  The praise band in which I play got recognition today.  Each member of the band received a special certificate.  That was nice.  Not that we play in the band for recognition, but it's always good to know that your work is welcome and appreciated.  (Yes, that was a subtle hint for all readers of my blog who aren't official disciples to become followers.  Or at least post a comment.  Even saints get lonely.)

Well, dinner is almost on the table.  Deep-fried turkey with all the fixings.  Mashed potatoes.  Stuffing.  Corn.  I apologize to any of my readers who are vegan.  (Yup, that means you, Wondertwin.)  Have a great sabbath, everybody.

Saint Marty has to de-bone a turkey now.

Confessions of Saint Marty

June 2: Little Fan, Childish Eagerness, Daughter, New Cartoon

"You are quite a woman, little Fan!" exclaimed the boy.

She clapped her hands and laughed, and tried to touch his head; but being too little, laughed again, and stood on tiptoe to embrace him.  The she began to drag him, in her childish eagerness, towards the door; and he, nothing loth to go, accompanied her.

The Fan in question is Scrooge's little sister.  The boy in question is Scrooge's younger self.  Fan is the only relative of Scrooge we meet in the novel besides Fred, Fan's son, and Fred's wife.  This scene from the past hints at the close relationship Scrooge had with his sister, a "delicate creature, whom a breath might have withered," as the Ghost of Christmas Past describes her.  Fan is everything that Scrooge is not:  loving, warm, compassionate, and generous.  She is the best part of Scrooge.

My daughter's last day of school for the year is Monday.  On that day, she officially leaves elementary school behind her and becomes a middle schooler.  I'm a little melancholy at that prospect.  I know there's no way to keep my little girl little forever, but it seems like just yesterday that my daughter was in kindergarten.  She really is the best part of me.

Yes, I'm going to become sentimental and mushy in this post.  This time of year always thrusts me into a state of reflection.  It's graduation season.  Children leaving one stage of life and entering another.  Pupas turning into butterflies.  Of course, the kids have no idea what they're in for.  My daughter is done with recess and Halloween costume parades.  I have a nephew who will be a high school senior next year.  One more year of school-age worries, and then the adult world for him, with all its attendant worries.

See, I told you I was going to get all mushy and sentimental.  It doesn't help that I'm going to a graduation party this afternoon for the son of one of my best friends.  Perhaps that's why I get so meditative around this time of year.  If all these kids are getting older, that must mean I'm getting older.

Naaahhhh.  Saint Marty isn't getting older.  Just wiser and more talented.

Confessions of Saint Marty

June 1: Project Happiness, Early Success, Rest of Day

I've decided to type my second post early today.  That way I stand less of a chance of screwing up Project Happiness.  Yes, I've had some early success with maintaining a positive mood and attitude.  I haven't made fun of anybody.  I haven't gotten snippy on the phone with anybody.  I haven't felt like saying, "You know, my life would be much happier if you weren't so stupid," to anybody.  So far.  That's why I'm cutting my losses and blogging early.

The rest of my day is going to be busy.  (When I survey my weekly schedule, I really don't have a day that isn't busy.  All I have are days that are less busy than others.  Currently, my least-busy busy days are Saturdays.)  I have to go grocery shopping.  Then I have to pick up my daughter from school.  Then I have to drive my daughter to her tap dance class.  Then I have to take my wife and son for a walk or some kind of physical activity.  Then McDonald's.  Then I pick my daughter up from the dance studio.  Then I go home.  Then I get my son bathed and in bed.  Then I clean the bathroom.  Then I sweep and Swiffer the floors.  Then I dust.  Then I...Sorry, I got carried away.  I don't think there's anything after dusting.  You get the idea, though.

The only thing I will promise is that I will try to complete all of the above tasks with a stupid smile on my face.

Saint Marty can do stupid smiles.

Can't do smiles quite this stupid, however

June 1: All in His Best, Blithe Sounds, Choosing Happiness

He dressed himself "all in his best," and at last got out into the streets.  The people were by this time pouring forth, as he had seen them with the Ghost of Christmas Present; and walking with his hands behind him, Scrooge regarded everyone with a delighted smile.  He looked so irresistibly pleasant, in a word, that three or four good-humoured fellows said, "Good morning, Sir!  A Merry Christmas to you!"  And Scrooge said often, afterwards, that of all the blithe sounds he had ever heard, those were the blithest in his ears.

At the end of the novel, nothing has really changed in Scrooge's life.  He's still a businessman.  He still lives in the same moldy, old house.  He still works in the same offices.  His only living blood relative is still his nephew Fred.  He's still a wealthy man.  However, in 24 hours, he's gone from "bah humbug" to "Merry Christmas."  And the only thing that's really changed is Scrooge, himself.

Scrooge's entire mindset has altered.  Instead of seeing greed and stupidity in people, Scrooge now sees goodness and hope.  When he hears someone say "Merry Christmas," Scrooge no longer thinks of boiling the speaker in a vat of figgy pudding.  He welcomes the salutation as one of the blithest sounds he's ever heard.  Scrooge is choosing happiness.

And that's my wisdom for this morning.  A coworker just told me she got pulled over by a State Police trooper for speeding on her way to work.  That would have been enough to put me in a shitty mood for the rest of the day.  The State Trooper just gave my coworker a stern lecture and a warning.  My coworker said, "That guy was really nice.  I'm counting my blessings."  My coworker is choosing happiness.

I'm going to try to walk around in the world today "all in my best."  No bitching.  No catty remarks.  (Well, maybe a few.  I can't go completely cold turkey.)  No "bah humbugs" in any form.  I will greet life today with a smile.

Saint Marty will let you know how it works out for him.

This would make me blithe today