Reaching 200, Saying Goodbye, and Denny Crane

Hello, and welcome to Number 200. I know, I know... I insist on keeping you updated with 'milestone' post numbers, when you'd really just rather read what bizarre things have popped in my head. Alas, you are not so lucky. You see, I started this whole thing with a few simple items: About 100 Things You Should Know About the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, Little Computer People, and a 'fix' for running Oregon Trail 5 on Windows XP... Those were all in August of last year. My original intent was simply to have a place where I could keep that info handy for myself. Little did I know then what an important out-let this would become, nor the things I would come to share with all of my friends that read it (and those who essentially scold me for not posting everyday, since they are checking every day...). Much like the 200th episode of a TV show, I celebrate (as it were) the 200th time I sat down to create a new entry and share ideas, laugh, cry, and share with you the generally useless tidbits of trivia floating around between my ears.

To paraphrase one of my favorite movies (Creepshow 2), "Thanks for the ride, folks! thanks for the ride!"

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My cousin Nick and I (sidebar: I apologize for referring to him as my nephew in an earlier post. I fixed the post, so it reads correctly.) sat up Wednesday night until 2:30 Thursday morning, talking about many of the things that he's gone through, that I've gone through, and developing plans for the future (mainly his plans, but still...). He has had a very hard life. Some of it brought on himself by things he's done, people he's been acquainted with, etc, and some of it through the circumstances in which he found himself. I am not one to "choose" sides, but I can certainly "see" the many sides to a story. He's a good guy (I almost said 'kid' but he is almost 25 now..) who has been through things I could never imagine. He is very smart, and really has learned from the steps (and mis-steps) through life, and is keenly aware that ten years have passed since his 'current life' began.

Nick left today (Thursday). He hugged our necks and boarded the Greyhound bus. Though I don't know what I could have done any differently, I wish I could have done something, said something, maybe made some kind of difference in his life. If you're out there reading this, bro, know I'm praying hard for you and your plan B....

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Finally watched the season finale of "Boston Legal" tonight (yes, we DVR'd it...). For me, the two best parts were Denny's, "I once captained my own spaceship, you know" and the toast "to next season."

I am one of those weird people that likes when a show lets you, the viewer, never forget that it really is just a TV show... :-)

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Friday presents the last day of school for Shan and Tyler (Emily's last day was last week). It's funny though, how 'last day' means different things to different people - for Tyler, it is the start of summer; for Shan, the start of professional development, room-cleaning, etc... Long, long gone are the days when teachers actually got the summer 'off.'

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I was going to share some of my "Yahoo Answers" with you, but I'll save that for another night, when I want to post but don't know what to say.... :-)

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Last thought: Life truly is too short to hold back the things you want/need to tell someone. If you need to forgive someone, do it. Tell them. If you want forgiveness, ask. If you care about someone, tell them. If you want to thank someone for something they did or said or inspired you to do, thank them. If there is something you have 'always wanted to do,' but for whatever reason you never did, do it. Seriously. Look, I want to ride a bull. Just once, just because. I'll let you know when I do (assuming I am still able to post following the ride!). I'd like to skydive once. It's on my list. Make a list...of as many of the things you "need/want" to do before it's too late, and cross them off as you do them. It may be some simple things, some hard things. Doesn't matter. Write them down and promise yourself to do them. Especially the areas that involve saying things to people. You never know when the next time you see them is the last time you'll see them (or talk to them or email them)...

And, if your efforts go 'unrewarded,' it doesn't matter. What matters is that you said/did what you wanted/needed to do or say.

I'll even start: Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for taking the time to read through all my ramblings. It means more to me than you may ever know......