Tag: contemplation

One Weird Thing

Thursday, March 10, 2022

I subscribe to a magazine. Yeah, those things that come in the mail you can read in a sitting or two without having to pay too much attention. What social media used to be, except it took longer to get it. I’ve always enjoyed those little random questions that sometimes make up a regular section.

The editorial staff responds to this month’s question: What is one weird thing you always carry with you?

How would I answer this? For starters, I would say “It depends on where I’m going, but if it’s always, then it wouldn’t be dependent on where I’m going.” And there Alice goes, down the rabbit hole of possibilities. I suppose I don’t have anything weird I always carry with me.

Work badge. Doesn’t count. Only at work.

Lip balm. Doesn’t count, I don’t always take my purse.

Oh, for crying out loud, just answer the question. Generally speaking. No one is checking. There is no test. No wrong answer. It’s just a question to get conversation going. To get the brain thinking. How weird are you? Don’t get so dang technical!

If I was a brave and cool type of person, I’d say tattoos. But I don’t have tattoos. But are they weird? I don’t think so. I do know I’d never get one not because I’m afraid of needles, but because I’m so indecisive about choosing one. Apparently I don’t want one badly enough.

Okay, one weird thing, one weird thing, one weird thing.

Gum. Doesn’t count. Not weird.

Water. Doesn’t count. Necessary.

My phone. Doesn’t count. Too normal.

A notebook. Doesn’t count. I’m too old to completely depend on tech.

But what constitutes weird? Unique, maybe? Odd? If I always carry something odd, then it would be odd rather than weird, unless it’s the same thing. Do NOT look it up to check for nuance. The word was weird. The question is what’s one weird thing you always carry?

It’s that picky little word, always that’s getting me. Ignore it. But it says always. Ignore it anyway. If you were on the editorial staff, what would you say?

Ignoring the word always, editing the question, and replacing it with frequently, I have my answer(s).

A teal pencil case full of a variety of colored pens, ranging from ball point to felt-tipped.

A carved olive wood heart my mom brought me from the Holy Land.

A tin full of glittery blue Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty.

A small notebook titled Get Off Your Apps.

I can’t come up with one answer. (This is almost as nerve-racking as choosing the annual OLW-one little word.) Once I got to thinking about it, I mentally emptied the contents of my bag. Now I have to put everything back, resisting the urge to get up and look at what I do have that I might have forgotten.

Are these weird? I don’t know.

What is something weird you always carry? Avoid over-analyzing the question. I already did that for you.

The Beginning of the End

Of Another Year

I sent S. back to school in January
the same day I ordered E's cap and gown
for high school graduation
The beginning of the end 
to the first year of middle school
the beginning of the end 
to the last year of high school

E's spring orchestra concert
that was cancelled twice
once for COVID
once for an ice storm
Is that the last time we'll watch him perform?

End of the year contemplation starts in April
not December
Calendars don't go in order around here
The beginning of the end of another school year
Did I do everything that needed to be done?
Is there anything I'm still missing?

Releasing E into the world, even though
he'll still be home for a while
the distance he's created to hang out
with friends one last time brings
the beginning of the end to his dependence
on us

S. turns 12 in June
The beginning of the end of 'tweenhood
We baked a cake on Sunday
at her request for us to spend time together
She cut the last slice in half for us to share
The beginning of endings continue
SOLSC Day 30