A Hat That Lets Rain In

 My journey continues with Scattershot, Bernie Taupin's memoir. I just read an excellent quote from the book, attributed to Frederick the Great:

"A crown is merely a hat that lets the rain in."

I just love that quote. 

As I may have said earlier, I wish Taupin discussed the originations and inspirations for his lyrics a bit more, because he is one of the best of all time; nevertheless, it is a well-written and fun read. I am enjoying it.

Last week we went to my daughter's last high school fall play. The beginning of many "first lasts" as the year continues. I try not to get sentimental about it, but deep inside, I am a big fucking sap.

Ava's last fall play as stage manager.

Ava has been selected to do an internship at the local hospital, which also happens to be my employer (she swears she did not name drop, even though I told her to. I have found it is not what you know, but WHO you know in life that gains you meaningful employment). This past week has been insane, trying to get everything done (background checks, immunizations, photo for ID, answering a thousand questions from a thousand different forms) so she can start on Monday.

Anyway, she was selected to intern with various departments at the hospital and clinic and I think it will be a fantastic experience for her. But between school, theater, her own part time job and this internship, she's burning the candle at both ends, plus a third end which has never been discovered before. Luckily, the internship is just two days a week and lasts only five weeks. 

The sun has not revealed itself for at least three days. It has been gray, overcast, occasional snow flurries in the air and chilly. We are no longer in the vibrant fall crown of October. We are now in the shades of gray belly of November. 

I do just fine with the seasonal change until daylight saving time ends. When the clocks fall back an hour... let's just say I do not deal with constant darkness very well. Neither does my daughter. Undoubtedly we both have undiagnosed Seasonal Affective Disorder, or whatever it is called. 

A photo of my backyard back in 2009. Soon it'll look like this again. Not looking forward to it.

Ava is getting some help from a school shrink, which I am thankful for. I am pounding Vitamin D. In the past, this is the time of year when I start pounding beer/alcohol as well, more than I should. It has never effected my job or my home life, but I've always used the excuse, "It helps me get through the dark months." 

This year, I am very aware of that pitfall and I am making a conscious effort not to go there. I know the vicious cycle it creates. I am thinking of buying one (maye two!) of those bright therapeutic lights. I've seen them actually work for people, to help them get out of the wintertime funk. They are not very expensive. I just might do that. I'm also going to write more here. That helps me too.

Ya know, I never thought I'd move from Minnesota, but the older I get, the more appealing spending winters in Arizona sounds. That's still a few years away, but the gears are turning in the back of my mind.

✴

I decided we are going out for dinner tonight, the four of us. We aren't going to have too many of these moments anymore with Ava going to college next year and it has been a long, stressful week (although it has been very productive, too). We deserve an evening out.

Tomorrow we are going to Fargo to an NDSU football game. The Bison are good, but definitely not great this year; not national champions great -- the first time in about 15 years I've had to say that -- but it is still very fun to go to a game and spend time with family after the game. Anything to break up the routine, even for a day.

Speaking of family, I cannot end without wishing a Happy Birthday to my mother. She passed away unexpectedly some 33 1/2 years ago, but she will never, ever be forgotten. November 8th would have been her 95th birthday.

My mom, taken in the mid-1980s, doing what she loved to do.