Pappy, You Here?

*Aric is trying to call his brother on New Year’s Eve on his cell phone. At the same time, Aric and Marcia’s landline begins to ring. Thinking that the call is actually from his brother. Let’s listen to what transpired after Aric answered the phone.

Caller: Hello Aric. Happy New Year
Aric: Uh… Happy New Year to you too.
Caller: How are you today.
Aric: Um… I’m fine. Who is this?
Caller: This is Richard Simmons.
Aric: Yeah, right.
Caller: Dear Richard, My wife and I recently moved to the Bay Area, CA from
Milwaukee. I am a web production associate…

*We now take you back to Aric’s usual diatribe.

Okay, that was not the call I was expecting. I talked to Richard Simmons on New Year’s Eve. I had written him a few days before about wanting to get the ball moving again on losing weigh and he called me. I actually forgot that I included my number in the letter, so I was a bit shocked when he called.

We talked about how I had been doing, and all the changes, and the stress, and being overwhelmed with the current state of being anyway. I knew I needed to do something to get out of the rut I was in, but I wasn’t sure as to how. He talked to Marcia for a good deal too. I of course had to immediately call as many people that I knew to tell them.

Really, it was the New Year’s greeting that I needed. I have been feeling lethargic as of late. Call it work. Call it pre-daddy anxiety. Call it extra-terrestrial paranoia. Something was keeping me immobile, and as usual it was myself.

The other odd occurrence of the week was that one of Marcia’s aunts gave us a book for Christmas. Now that is not the odd part. The odd part was that it was the “The Tao of Pooh” by Benjamin Hoff. A very good book on Taoism through the usage of everyone’s favorite stuffed-with-fluff, hunny-lovin bear.

Now the book itself is not odd. Its a very good book. It is a book that I always have wanted to read, but never had taken the time to do so. And I just thought to myself earlier how I would like to start reading for fun again. Then this book arrives. Now Marcia’s aunt probably doesn’t realize this, but she created a little bit of serendipity when she sent this book. I wanted to start reading again, I always wanted to read this book, and then Marcia’s aunt sends it to us with me not saying one word to her or to anybody else for that matter.

In all it was a very good end to a very manic kind of year. It also prompted me to think of some resolutions for this new year.

Generally, I try not to make resolutions. Why make ’em if I am not going to keep ’em? But then I thought about it. Maybe I should make them. After all it won’t hurt, I could have fun with it, and I could possibly sell them on eBay if I don’t like them.

So here we go:

Aric’s Super Humongo Larger than Life Sized New Year’s Resolution (Patent Pending):

1. To win the kentucky derby at least once this year while wearing a kerosene powered grass skirt.
2. To buy Brian O’Connor, The Wayward Yankee, 2 beers. That’s right I said 2. And I did it in print, so this is all legalified, and authentified and such.
3. To finish them animatin’ figures I started oh so long ago.
4. To actually sit through the movie Titanic without wanting to harm some defenseless woodland creature for crimes against humanity.
5. but most important, to be the best that I can with what I have.

So to you all I say, Happy New Year. I hope this year brings everyone calm and solace.

Good night and Good luck,
Aric