As I ride in the car in the dark, damp and cold I look outside and see darkness. Taillights here and there, a few oncoming cars and streetlights on the few exits that pop up. The brightest thing about the moment is this phone, the digital choice to blog at the moment. Oh have I mentioned I am not the driver? So no worries on that end for all those thinking I’ve gotten so bored to blog and drive.
Why am I on the road in the middle of the night? Kinda sorta selfish actually. See today is officially my birthday. Yay, go me right? Maybe. Thanksgiving always sucks up some of that fun, or having to share outings or whatever with my dad because he was always in town to visit. His was 5 days ago.
Anyway, back to my selfishness. I couldn’t decide how I wanted to do the traveling thing since I knew there would be holiday traffic if I waited till late Wednesday night and leaving Tuesday afternoon would have me away from River longer than I would like (my 90yr old grandmother is allergic to cats and I’d rather keep her healthy) although Ares is in his safety harness in the back seat because she loves him to death. So, this gave me a window of when to leave. How do I get to enjoy my birthday without it being completely usurped by holiday and travel? 3am road trip. I’ll get to my destination by brunch and will get the rest of the day for me. The best part? (VEGGIE friends look away or don’t hate me) I have nice juicy steaks marinating in hickory smoke flavor and I’ve got potatoes and buttery bearnaise sauce waiting to be fixed at the destination. This, my friends is my birthday standard. I don’t ask for gifts just two things, be nice to me and give me a steak.
Now you may be wondering how do I celebrate the years it falls on Thanksgiving? Why with thanksgiving steak of course!! Priorities.
As frustrating this time of year can be to all for the general purpose I struggle with many things added to it that makes me happy to be able to choose steak over other things in life. Some days are better than others and I can only come to terms with things during the moments, never a quick fix for what’s inside.
So I travel begrudgingly to family gatherings during a time I want to Hobbit up, grab Ionia for that much anticipated get together we should be doing with drink on hand. I do this for probably the most wonderful piece of the darkness that surrounds ( except for the steak) and that is to look at my happy sister in law holding her first child. I can’t wait to look into the little girls eyes to see what greatness the future has planned for her. That, over anything else, is worth a trip.
So happy birthday to me and let’s hope I get to drink a little wine. All my friends out there, put on your imaginary party hats, horn blowers, the random piñata, light that imaginary cake, lift your glasses and toast with me. Remember, be nice 😀
J.S. Riddle 
Charles Yallowitz
/ November 27, 2013Happy birthday and enjoy those steaks. Thanksgiving isn’t too bad a holiday to have a birthday close to.
JS Riddle
/ November 27, 2013Tell that to little me who never got real birthday parties 😦
Charles Yallowitz
/ November 27, 2013Hard to explain things to a little one. My birthday shows up on Passover rather often. Means no cake or pizza.
JS Riddle
/ November 27, 2013Oh that would be difficult for a kid so I definitely think you understand.
Speaking of Jewish holidays, bet the Turkey business will boom over the double holiday tomorrow. I’m hearing lots of fried turkeys.
We do our own version and because we are visiting family no menorah for us 😦
Charles Yallowitz
/ November 27, 2013Maybe. Hanukkah isn’t as big as holiday as people think. It’s really one of the smaller ones with no feasts or much beyond lightning the Menorah. We play a game with a top and have potato latkas, which is where the tradition tends to end. The reason the gift-giving and the attention started is because it’s so close to Christmas. This way Jewish kids didn’t feel left out when all their friends were getting presents.
JS Riddle
/ November 27, 2013Oh in the south its a big thing with the celebrating with food part. Recipes galore and many gatherings. Kind of works well with thanksgiving especially regarding the oil part of it.
Its a tad more festive than passover time. Although I do enjoy a liberal women’s seder. That is something in its own. I love the traditional plus the singing and dancing
Charles Yallowitz
/ November 27, 2013The festive part of Hanukkah stems from the proximity to Christmas. Yeah. It’s blown up to help Jews deal with the season.
JS Riddle
/ November 27, 2013Which is interesting when it was sacrilegious for a christian to celebrate christmas.
I’m hiding out during all this season so I won’t be a grump or deal with people. 🙂
There are other things in December still. Solstice, Humanlight, Kwanzaa, and pearl harbor day aka in laws anniversary, lol
Charles Yallowitz
/ November 27, 2013Didn’t know it was ever sacrilegious to celebrate Christmas. Odd since ‘christ’ is in both names. I’m just waiting for New Years where I get drunk texts from friends who don’t have kids or can get babysitters for the day.
JS Riddle
/ November 27, 2013In earlier days the celebrating people do now were considered no no because it was supposed to be reflective, grateful, yet somber. In America Puritans made it clear for quite some time it wouldn’t be tolerated yo be joyous and excitable. I think it was similar elsewhere. Charles Dickens was very close to foretelling the way people celebrate the holiday. I found it quite interesting
Charles Yallowitz
/ November 27, 2013Interesting. I’ve always been confused by the multiple denominations of Christianity and figuring out what the difference is. There seems to be so many.
JS Riddle
/ November 27, 2013Oh yes very different, even as the denomination splits within itself. When a person like me who loves to do research and doesn’t understand something lots of things get learned, more than the original intent.
I still would love to be able to take a whole comparative religious set of courses through the ages. Mind would be blown
Charles Yallowitz
/ November 27, 2013I tried to take a religion course in college, but it was level 400 and open only to Anthropology majors.
JS Riddle
/ November 27, 2013That would have been interesting just to sit through even if you couldn’t get credits. Teachers lose out on that. That being said Coursera is starting to have some wonderful free online courses. Aside from Greek history and mythology, I’ve taken animal behavior smd the history of humankind, presented by university of Jerusalem I believe (I’d have to look) they are putting more religious based courses to cover the vast interest. I know it helps in my ideas of a past and present for my writing
Charles Yallowitz
/ November 27, 2013I just wander Wikipedia or all the mythology books I have. One of these days I hope to have time for something like on-line courses or vacations or sleep. 🙂
JS Riddle
/ November 27, 2013I download the videos and play them on my laptop while chores or mom stuff. I had 1 night of good sleep the other week. I remember it well.
Charles Yallowitz
/ November 27, 2013I just toss and turn the last few weeks. Think I’d be confused if I ever got a good night’s sleep.
JS Riddle
/ November 27, 2013I will drunk message blog you from my couch on new years.
Charles Yallowitz
/ November 27, 2013We’ll see what I’m doing then. Probably doing a final 2013 push for the third book.