a subset of derek

Life itself has a beginning and an end for each of us. Sometimes the interactions of beginnings and ends make life very interesting and educational.

Earlier this month, my great-aunt, Paula R. Campbell, returned to the essence. There are people who you meet who have this presence without really striving for such. Aunt Paula had that kind of presence. Every time I interracted with her, she was sharp and engaging. One thing about my family is that the women in my family aren’t meek. My mother, grandmother, aunts, cousins, all the way up to my 91 years young great grandmother (who is the strongest of all. She showed me you don’t have to be loud to be strong) are all women of strength. Aunt Paula definitely fit the bill. Though I didn’t get to see her as much as I would like (one of the drawbacks of having a big family), she will be missed.

After my first mini-vacation (I had Christmas and the day after off…I am off to work after this post.), I am thinking about Christmas and here’s my thoughts:

-My son still loves Cars. We watched it on Christmas Day.
-James Brown has passed away. That’s not a song title. He really is. Dilla and the Godfather of Soul in the same year…sad but, we still have this…

-Gerald Ford is dead too. I was born during his 2 year and 5 month term in the White House…he and I also share a birthday: July 14th.
-I saw pics of my dad and I saw one of him eating. It was fairly recent and it made me think of one of the last things he said to me..

“Don’t be a knucklehead like your old man”

I didn’t get it when he first said it but he meant “don’t make the mistakes I made”. To me, one of them is not eating right. I miss him.
-I have 3 work days left in this year.
-The Browns BETTER beat Houston.
-I hope the Cardinals don’t fire Denny Green.
-What kind of complaints will the sports media come up with after Ohio State runs the table again?
-How will Ted Strickland do as governor of Ohio?