Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Ponderings
I may as well admit it straight up: I'm a sucker for the holidays. About this time of year, I start missing family and friends and the routines that have become tradition for us at Thanksgiving and Christmas over the years. In particular, I miss helping my mom plan the dinner menu and work in the kitchen to get ready as relatives and friends descend on the house. The big oak table standing on its clawed feet will proudly bear its burden of mashed potatoes, turkey, stuffing, gravy, baked ham, cranberry sauce, macaroni and cheese, green beans seasoned with salted country ham, rolls fresh out of the oven, sweet potato casserole, steamed broccoli, pickled beets, deviled eggs, and whatever else she's decided to make or asked folks to bring, since my aunts are always eager to chip in with the food preparation or the cleanup.
After dinner, when we were kids and the weather was nice enough, we'd run outside and toss a football, play on the swings, or kick a soccer ball around. These days after dinner, everyone tends to linger a while, to sit and talk. And those of us who were the little kids then now find ourselves running around after the newest group of little kids, watching the football game (or SciFi channel, depending on what's on), or playing card games like canasta and Phase 10.
There's something soothing about ritual and tradition, and I guess what I fall for, every time, is the nostalgia. Memories are viewed through the Vaseline-smudged lens in my head, so the lighting is extra soft.
--
My job is usually pretty, well, mundane. Today, however, I faxed and then FedExed documents that could help to save a man's life by keeping him from being returned to his homeland, where his life would be forfeit the minute he crossed the border, thanks to his efforts to establish a democratic government there.
--
Congratulations go out to Ed, of course, for his new job; friends Lesley and Matt on the birth of their son, Paul Laszlo, yesterday; Debbi at Ginko Designs for practicing patience and thereby facilitating her recovery post-surgery for CTS; Harley for continued success with the WoD contest; Jeff for the many interesting projects that have landed on his lap; Mike for the contract with Goodman Games; Chris for the positive new developments in his life with school and family; EC for getting more projects with Arilyn and Danilo greenlighted; anyone else whose reason for celebrating has slipped my mind... (It's the nostalgia, I swear!)
--
I'm working on an index to a book I line-edited several months ago. And I've been flexing my developmental editing skills on a friend's manuscript. Two very different projects, both fun! Maybe the future holds more work of this nature: a writer/editor job is opening up where I work now, and I'm going to throw my hat into the ring for it. The woman who would be my boss anticipates making a hiring decision by mid-December. Hey, Santa... how 'bout a new job for Christmas, please!
After dinner, when we were kids and the weather was nice enough, we'd run outside and toss a football, play on the swings, or kick a soccer ball around. These days after dinner, everyone tends to linger a while, to sit and talk. And those of us who were the little kids then now find ourselves running around after the newest group of little kids, watching the football game (or SciFi channel, depending on what's on), or playing card games like canasta and Phase 10.
There's something soothing about ritual and tradition, and I guess what I fall for, every time, is the nostalgia. Memories are viewed through the Vaseline-smudged lens in my head, so the lighting is extra soft.
--
My job is usually pretty, well, mundane. Today, however, I faxed and then FedExed documents that could help to save a man's life by keeping him from being returned to his homeland, where his life would be forfeit the minute he crossed the border, thanks to his efforts to establish a democratic government there.
--
Congratulations go out to Ed, of course, for his new job; friends Lesley and Matt on the birth of their son, Paul Laszlo, yesterday; Debbi at Ginko Designs for practicing patience and thereby facilitating her recovery post-surgery for CTS; Harley for continued success with the WoD contest; Jeff for the many interesting projects that have landed on his lap; Mike for the contract with Goodman Games; Chris for the positive new developments in his life with school and family; EC for getting more projects with Arilyn and Danilo greenlighted; anyone else whose reason for celebrating has slipped my mind... (It's the nostalgia, I swear!)
--
I'm working on an index to a book I line-edited several months ago. And I've been flexing my developmental editing skills on a friend's manuscript. Two very different projects, both fun! Maybe the future holds more work of this nature: a writer/editor job is opening up where I work now, and I'm going to throw my hat into the ring for it. The woman who would be my boss anticipates making a hiring decision by mid-December. Hey, Santa... how 'bout a new job for Christmas, please!
