I have received some very bad news. I didn’t contract some terrible disease or lose my job or anything like that. This bad news came in a letter from my cable company.
They have decided to add a bunch of channels.
Why is this bad news? Well, I don’t think I’ll see my wife or daughter again once the channels hit my set unless they come down to the basement to see me.
The time to Christmas shop has almost arrived. Yes, I know some people have already started. A select few crazies have even wrapped up their shopping. That’s just crazy.
Christmas shopping should not begin until we finish with Thanksgiving. I don’t see how anyone can really focus on buying presents without suffering through a tryptophan coma.
We celebrated a very special moment in our house last week. I honestly thought of calling CNN so they could break into whatever trite election coverage they had on at the moment. This was that big.
My wife played Parcheesi with me.
Bridget has developed a great love for playing board games. We have encouraged this because it’s something we can all do better and – I can’t believe I am saying this – a game of Chutes and Ladders or Mancala is better for a kid than watching TV or playing a video game.
Both Maria and I grew up playing a lot of games so we enjoy this diversion. Well, we do most of the time. Like all kids, Bridget likes to win and sometimes goes a little too far in her quest for victory.
Sometimes she learns a lesson. But sometimes she makes a little sad face and decides she doesn’t want to play anymore.
Which brings us to the momentous decision by my wife to open up the Parcheesi box.
Because of my background as an athlete, I try to tough it out sometimes. I also think I get this trait because of my four older brothers. While growing up, I had to learn that calling for Mom’s help too soon might get me more noogies than I had originally anticipated.
Regardless, I tend to not complain much about physical ailments. That contributed a lot to me waiting so long before getting my heart and cholesterol level checked out earlier this fall.
In the end, the tests showed that I was just being a big baby worrying about my heart, but I did have to start paying attention to my cholesterol.
I knew this day would come. Some of my siblings have this problem. A lot of other people do. I didn’t expect to be spared. So now I take a pill each night.
But I didn’t expect one pill each night to make me feel so old. It’s not the side effects or anything. I just feel old having to take care of a serious condition before I turn 40.
This is where my usual non-complaining gene kicks in. I know others have it a lot worse than I do, and I should be happy that I know about the problem sooner rather than later.
Still I felt old. And stupid. At least after the first night I got the medication.