Letting Go in 2013

One of the hardest aspects of maintaining a blog is deciding what is worth writing about (and publishing) versus fleeting thoughts that are probably best left in my head.  With that in mind, I decided that I would use my first post of 2013 to share what I hope to let go of this year rather than talking about my resolutions.  Although I did make a list of resolutions, two actually; I need to keep those for myself.

 Shortly after the New Year's holiday, Danny and I attended the funeral for Jerry Kipp, the father of one of Danny's groomsmen, Matt.  Matt and his family have been very good to Danny and me; so we wanted to be there to celebrate Jerry's life.  As with the other special people we lost in 2012, he was much too young.  The service was really quite moving, and truly captured Jerry's zest for life and Ford Model A cars.  Jerry and others in his family are proud members of the Model A Club; a few of the cars are shown above - be sure to note the GPS in the Model A that Danny and I spotted en route to the funeral.  When we saw this car, we knew we were going to the right place. 

 As 2012 came to a close in the Pechie apartment, at about 8:30 p.m. (yes, I was that lame); Danny and I both recognized it had been a hard but very good year.  I would like to bring a positive outlook into this New Year, and with the help of a daily meditation book called The Language of Letting Go (thanks, Mom), I have to let go of some (read: a lot) junk that has been cluttering my thoughts and overall outlook for a while now.  Here are a few (again, read: a lot) of examples...

• My editor for Her Game Life is the "Sheldon Cooper" (from Big Bang Theory) of the football writing world.  For those of you who are not familiar with the show, you should watch it, but mainly this means my editor is very good at pointing out the problems (many, many problems) with my writing without finding one positive thing to say.  While this has knocked my confidence for a loop, I have the whole Bears off-season to try to find it again.
• The professional anxiety and pandemonium of the last two plus years is dissipating significantly; it is okay to adjust to a new/better "normal."
• Some relationships are not yet ready (or may never be) what I had hoped for/expected them to be.  I need to let go of these expectations and accept them for what they are in this moment.
• I am ready to say goodbye to this post-wedding weight that I have gained.
• Things that cause me to twitch and freak out probably do not bother Danny in the slightest.  Gasp! He and I see things differently.
• With this upcoming birthday there will be no denying that I am in my 30s.  At least most of this year I could say that I am just 30.  In my head, this is a worthy distinction, but I will start acting accordingly, whatever that means
• After seeing the movie version of Les Mis, I do not dislike the musical as much as I had originally thought.  While tickets to the play will remain the WORST birthday present I have ever received, I think I finally have a clue what the story is about.  Plus I stayed awake all the way through the show for the first time.
• I will probably never teach [Social Studies] in a classroom setting again.  I use this caveat because I teach 3rd grade Sunday School, and so I am not completely out of the teaching world.  I am slowly (but surely) condensing materials that I have moved all across the country down to a small number of electronic files.  I can only do one crate (subject) at a time because I always shed a few tears in the process.  I like to tell myself that I am living a different dream by contributing to a ministry/mission that has been part of my life since I was eight years old.  Now if I can just get a free-lance sports writing job on the side...  

It is not easy living in my head, but I suppose someone's gotta do it.  Thirteen days into 2013, I would saying I am doing pretty okay on my resolutions and only so-so on this whole "letting go" thing.  Here's hoping that through acknowledgement, I can truly begin to let them go.  There are so many other things that would be much more fun to dwell on, such as the fact that Jerry Angelo (the former Bears General Manager that I think is a complete yahoo) is in the process of interviewing for an open position with a new team.  Or the fact that the Bears head coaching vacancy is still open, and I am not at all qualified for the position (bummer).  Lastly, Duke lost their first game yesterday by falling apart in the second half to NC State; which means that Louisville will probably replace Duke for the top spot.  Oh my, the possibilities are endless!  My Dad likes to say that I look for things to worry about, and as usual he is right.  Although I sure hope this paragraph of thoughts would not count since he also taught me to have a sense of humor.  

 

An even better thought than all that nonsense; try to be more like Jerry Kipp with his calm demeanor, easy smile, and twinkle in his eye.

 

Now there is a good resolution for 2013, I am going to add that to my list!

A Few of my Favorite Ornaments

As I have already shared, Christmas is by far my favorite holiday.  I tend to set up the Christmas tree as quickly as possible, primarily because I cannot wait to bring the ornament collection out of storage.  I have quite a few.  So many in fact that Danny has suggested getting me a little tree for our bedroom.  That may be a post-Christmas clearance purchase, or perhaps we will just opt for a larger tree.

 

Each ornament has meaning to me; almost all of them were gifts.  I do not like to buy my own ornaments.  Rather, I like when someone else picks them out, either because they think of me or it holds significance to them.  Most of my ornament collection is from my grandparents who used to give each of us one annually.  This was one of two gifts that could be opened on Christmas Eve. 

 

I have also enjoyed seeing how Danny has also taken to adding to the collection.  When we spent our first Christmas together (2010), he brought one (ONE!) Star Trek ornament - the Starship Enterprise that lights up on the top - with him.  Now he has around five that are specifically his or are "ours together".  For instance, the ornament in between the two eggs and Raggedy Ann is from Pike's Peak.  We bought it shortly after Danny proposed. 

 

Another thing I love about bringing out the ornaments box is looking at the dates on each one.  Almost all of them have a year on them, except this random wooden reindeer.   I have absolutely no idea where it came from, or if it is even mine, hopefully I will remember to ask my Dad about it. 

 

I think most of the ornaments that I took pictures of need little to no explanation (e.g. the ESPN TV or the Bears "player"), but here are a few words on the others:

 

• The eggs: my Grandmom and Grandpop (Killmer) bought those in back to back years.  They are personalized with my name on it, and are quite detailed and beautiful.
• After Pike's Peak is Raggedy Ann - I had a lot of Raggedy Ann and Andy things from when I was little.  This ornament is circa 1983.
• Spike wanted to be sure that I point his ornament out - top right hand corner. That was a gift from Grandma Pechie. He likes knowing that he will be forever immortalized on our Christmas tree.
• The pink ball marks Baby's First Christmas (1982). 
• Grant Hill is still one of my all-time favorite basketball players (and crushes, which Danny does not appreciate very much).
• The Gingerbread House and Twister Roller Coaster ornaments are both nods to the grandparents, Killmer.  For years and years my grandparents would make a wonderful gingerbread house, and bring it out with them all the way from Pennsylvania.  Many wonderful memories exist around those houses because each one was invariably different but never failed to taste great!  The Twister is a wooden roller coaster at Knoebels Amusement Park in Elysburg, PA.  We went every summer for years, and always had a blast!
• This ornament was definitely a school project - me in 1986 - an "awwww" will hopefully now ensue.

 

I always enjoy hearing about other families' Christmas traditions.  Please feel free to share yours with me.

 

Happy Holidays to you and yours.

 

With love,

Laurie

 

 

 

 

My Top Five Christmas Movies

 

I absolutely love Christmas.  One of my favorite parts about the holiday season is being able to watch the movies that go along with it (without the weird looks for watching them in July or something).  Here are my Top Five Favorites, as well as one Honorable Mention.

 

 

Honorable Mention

 

Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962)



 

This one is an old family favorite.  Regrettably, I have not seen it in years since the only version we owned is VHS.  I love most versions of A Christmas Carol, but there is something extra special about the old animation and Mister Magoo.  Ironically someone referenced Mister Magoo a few days ago, and he was shocked that I knew who that was...

 

#5

 

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1964)

I will be the first to admit that I have absolutely no idea what the appeal is of this movie.  The stop motion animation may be odd, but the characters are lovable and the soundtrack is fun.  This movie never fails to get me in the Christmas spirit, and I also find myself hoping that none of my toys ended up on the Island (of Misfit Toys)...  Please don't tell, but Spike is getting an Abominable Snow Monster plush for Christmas.  It is already in his stocking, and I just hope it makes it to December 26th as Spike tends to be hard on stuffed toys.

#4

Love Actually (2003)

 

 

Yes, there is a movie from this Century on the list.  This is another film with a stellar soundtrack, actually one of the best in years, that can legitimately be listened to all year round.  I really enjoy how this movie follows a number of plot lines, yet manages to tie everything together.  There are some wonderful performances from Keira Knightley, Colin Firth, and Hugh Grant, just to name a few.  I will probably never forget my parents walking in on me watching this movie at exactly the wrong moment - there is a scene of questionable content.  To this day I am not sure they have ever seen it all the way through.  I also saw this movie for the first time with one of my best girlfriends at the Highland Town Theater, which makes it extra special (especially since we got cake at intermission).

#3

Die Hard (1988)

Well, this movie developed the reputation of being the "Killmer Family Christmas Movie" when my Dad referenced it in one of his Christmas letters.  Those letters had developed quite a reputation - perhaps he will start writing them again...  I digress. 

 

Die Hard (the first one) does take place on Christmas Eve, which is probably the only thing "Christmasy" about it.  There are some classic lines that include off-color language, but never fail to make me laugh.  Plus you can see some really bad 80s hair/clothes, and Bruce Willis when he was quite attractive.  I have never seen the sequels, and so I cannot speak to their merit.  The original for me will always be the way to go.

#2

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

 

 

Now, I grew up watching (and loving) classic movies.  So, it is quite odd that it took until my junior year of high school and a math extra credit assignment for me to see this well-known Christmas classic.  I was hooked from the moment I watched it.  Of course that could be because I have always been a sucker for Jimmy Stewart, or perhaps I just love the idea that things tend to work out in the end.  It is also interesting to think how life would be different if you had never been born...  When I bought the VHS copy of this movie it came with a bell ornament that still hangs on my tree today.  Sadly, I do not have the DVD yet.  *Danny - Christmas hint*

 



#1

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

This is one classic movie that I did see with my family.  I know they remade this movie in the 1990s (1994, I believe), but I refuse to see it.  For me, Maureen O'Hara, Natalie Wood, and Edmund Gwenn can never be replaced.  I actually saw the very end of this movie before I saw the rest, and I remember being quite confused over the significance of a cane in the corner...  I watch this one every year without fail.  I love the idea that "a nice old man can be proven to be Santa Claus."

What is your favorite Christmas movie?  I would love to consider adding yours to my annual repertoire (perhaps even in July).

Wedding Details

I had a great time (mostly) working on the details for the wedding.  The collage will expand if you click on it.  Here is a description of each, starting at the top left:

1. License plate place cards - for a full explanation on why license plates were key part of the reception decor, click here.  The short version: Danny and I are competitive dorks.
2. Champagne glasses, nope; Pilsner beer glasses instead, courtesy of my Mom.
3. I loved the creativity of our photographer using our rings on the Colorado license plate that was at our sweetheart table.
4. The Killmer-Pechie Press Special (Lone) Edition
5. Delaware is hands down the most boring license plate and it is HARD to find.  Just behind the plate you can see the lanterns that were a last minute find for our centerpieces (phew!).
6. My beloved cake pops - the bride and groom were our topper!
7. The "something blue" was my sparkly shoes.
8. My grandparents sent Tastykakes for all our guests as favors.
9. The Yttris gifted us with a baseball signed by each family member and Robin Ventura!
10. Denise and John gave us personalized jerseys that were used in our engagement shoot, and also served as our guest books.
11. Danny and I created tickets for the family/friends seated on the field.
12. Our flower girl, Celeste had a bucket instead of a basket; you can also see her beautiful shoes in the background.

The Spike Series: Inaugural Post

Hello, people, Spike here.  I last came to you in The Killmer-Pechie Press, but since that was an exclusive (read: one) edition, my Laurie said I could become a part of her blog on occasion.  She is looking for some kind of niche, and is hopeful that I can be it.  The only problem is, I have no idea what a "niche" is...  Oh well, I love my Laurie - so I am going to give it my best shot.

The picture above is not really my best work, but I was upset at being left alone with the man, and while the picture is a bit dated it also depicts this past week.  It has been kind of a rough week in my world right from the start when I was forced to wear this stupid hat. 

I do really like the woman in the picture though, that's Heather, she stays with me sometimes when the parents go away.  I don't like hats or clothes or pretty much anything that I am made to wear.  I digress. 

Next, my cousin Hulk came to stay with us for a couple days.  Hulk and I seem to have an understanding - we mind our own business.  I like him and all, but we do not have much in common other than we're both really cute; my hair is blond and my legs are short, his hair is black and legs are long.  Although, I do like to drink out of his water bowl, since it tastes better than mine; even though it comes from the same place (so Laurie says).  I was pretty sad when he left, but that was not even the low point.

No, the low point came on Friday morning when Laurie discovered red stuff in my eye.  She started freaking out, but I could not understand why.  I just wanted to play with my toy since that's what what I do when I am not snuggling.  Next thing I know we are at the eye doctor (which meant a VERY SCARY car ride - I do not like cars!).  I do like Dr. Hammond though, he calls me his favorite because he and I go way back.  The good doctor and the nice nurse lady (Maureen) told Laurie that I broke a blood vessel in my eyelid, but I should be just fine.  Phew - no special medicine required.  Laurie told me that I should ask Santa for some depth perception for Christmas so that I stop running into things.  Santa and I are tight, did you know that?  I have the evidence here to prove it.

Next week is not looking much better as I have to go to get my teeth cleaned on Wednesday (which means another car ride AND I do not like this vet as much).  Laurie thinks I don't know what's going on - but I am all over it, I am just putting on a brave front.  The day after the teeth cleaning is Thanksgiving.  I have been told not too hope for table scraps, but maybe I can convince the man to give me some fruit.  In case you ever want to give me some of yours, peaches are my favorite.

I think that is all I have to say for my inaugural post.  How did I do?  I will be back as soon as I have something new to report. 

Social Security Card Mishap, White Sox World Series Ring, Stitches, and a Fantasy Football Implosion

The title of this post is a summation of this three-day weekend.  In honor of Veteran's Day (bank closed), I took the day off to spend it with Danny.  Who knew it would turn into a day of rest (and Waffle Brothers!) following a crazy weekend.

At the beginning of last week I started the name change process (oh the horror) at the Social Security Office.  I arrived about 7 minutes after the office opened yet still waited just over an hour even though technically there were only three people ahead of me in my category.  Upon receiving my card on Friday afternoon, I promptly threw it in the dumpster.  Unfortunately I did not realize it until Saturday morning; by that time the garbage had been picked up.  No, I was not trying to tell Danny something in my actions, but perhaps Spike was since he was technically the reason I was throwing things into the dumpster.  I believe you can figure out what I was doing without spelling it out...

Saturday did take a turn for the better when Danny and I went to the Denver Rotary Club's Branch Rickey Award dinner that recognizes professionals in Major League Baseball for their exceptional community service.  The recipient this year was R.A. Dickey, knuckle-ball pitcher for the Mets was great to hear, but a past recipient, Roland Hemond (front-office for the Chicago White Sox) was my favorite part of the night.  Woody Paige of ESPN and the Denver Post was at the table next to us, but he left before I could ask him about the seemingly arbitrary scoring of Around the Horn; I digress.  At the end of the night, the event's founder introduced me to Roland Hemond as a die-hard White Sox fan.  He offered to let me take a picture wearing his World Series ring (one of two that he owns, but I did not care so much about the Diamondbacks ring)!  It was heavy and took up most of my thumb, but I sure had fun wearing it for a couple moments.

This brings us to Sunday - the day of stitches and an absolute implosion of BOTH my fantasy football teams!  The stitches were not for me, but I did get to drive Danny to the urgent care facility (after I called his insurance to find out which urgent care facilities we could go to).  He was very brave while getting five stitches in his hand after stabbing himself with a paring knife trying to core an apple.  While he assures me that it was not a cry for attention; I am not completely sure as a friend and I were just about to start a Hallmark Channel movie when he cut himself.  I am not kidding, it was pretty instantaneous...  Please draw your own conclusions.  Danny also had to assuage my concerns during a particularly narcissistic moment when I found myself crying because I was worried that I had not cared for him properly.  There are times that Danny deserves a medal for putting up with me.

Now to the football - I refuse to talk about my Bears other than to say neither male in the house helped me watch it on a delay.  In fact Danny was in bed while Spike snored on my lap - talk about defying gender stereotypes!  Anyway, I am in two fantasy football leagues, the family one and Danny's branch league.  Going into the weekend, I was in second place proudly contributing to the Killmer family domination, and a respectable fourth place after completely dismantling and then rebuilding my team in the work league.  Well, neither of my teams came close to breaking 100 points, in fact last I checked they were having trouble achieving 75 points.  If you are not familiar with fantasy football, this is NOT acceptable; especially if you are trying to make the playoffs.  Here's hoping that my teams turn themselves around on all football fronts.

Tomorrow (Tuesday), I will go to the DMV to get a new driver's license (definitely ready for a new picture); but an embarrassing phone call will also be made to the Social Security office to get yet another new card.  If the person sounds friendly, I may tell them the truth; if not, I will claim it never came.  Nobody said changing one's name is an easy process, but this is sheer ridiculousness!

All I Have to Say About the Election...

All I have to say about the election...VOTE! 

I am a (theoretically) licensed Government teacher, but I discovered that I do not enjoy covering a Presidential Election.  I did my student teaching during the Election of 2004 (George W. Bush defeating John Kerry).  Perhaps I am too non-confrontational for the current political landscape, which just feels like mudslinging and who can outspend the other.  I have also come to realize that living in a "battleground state" is not for the politically meek.  Oh my - the amount of money that has been spent on political ads in the Denver market has to be insane.  The candidates are everywhere - my television, radio, Pandora, even Hulu!  There is just no escaping it.

 

I will not use this forum to try to sway anyone's vote because let's be honest, I do not have that much power.  Plus it would be hypocritical since I have hidden more than a few of my Facebook friends for being "election over-posters."   What I do want to take a moment to talk about is our responsibility as Americans - to participate in the democratic process by voting!  This country was not built on complacency - if it was we would probably be drinking tea and eating crumpets with a toast "to the queen" on a regular basis.  We would also be sending our tax money to a monarchy without understanding why or how it is being used.  Remember the American Revolution battle-cry - "No taxation without representation"!   

It is especially important for women to vote both because we have had that right for less than 100 years (19th Amendment to the Constitution ratified in 1920), but also with the important women's rights issues that are at the forefront of this particular election.  Poor Susan B. Anthony and others have to be rolling over in their graves at the thought of the number of women who will not be casting their votes by Tuesday.

Now I am a registered member of a particular party, but that does not mean that I do not respect the other one.  With that being said, however, I am having a very hard time wrapping my head around the stance of the Romney-Ryan Campaign.  It makes me sick to my stomach to think that the important services that Planned Parenthood provides may no longer be available to women who need it.  I say services plural because it is not a one service organization.  It provides many valuable, potentially live-saving services to women; it does so much more than abortion related procedures.  Perhaps I have missed it, but what would take the place of PP if it were to close?  I have also been horrified by the number of people (men and women both) who are trying to tell other women what to do with their bodies should they be raped or violated.  I cannot believe that our God is one that would condone such an act let alone use it as a form of punishment.

President Obama's campaign/ideals are not above reproach either.  Do I think that he has all the answers?  Of course not.  

I just wish I knew when political parties became so polarizing.  I consider myself to be a moderate, and I do not think I am alone.  Yet those are not the candidates that are receiving the nominations, nor are those the campaigns that are being run.  I often feel as though voting for a candidate has become about picking between "the lesser of two evils".  Evil is such a strong word, but that is the expression.  It is not possible to find a candidate who represents everything that I believe in, and so I voted for the person that has a platform that I can get behind.

While I do not particularly enjoy politics, I respect the process.  I love the ideals on which this country was built on, and the people who helped create our system of government.  I respect your right to disagree with me, but I truly hope you will exercise your right and responsibility as a citizen of this country and VOTE.