60 to 60

 Day 48

 First things first. The Super Bowl. What an incredible game, an incredible half-time show, and the most incredibly stupid play with 26 seconds to go at second and goal at the one yard line! Whatever the reason, there was no good reason to risk the seemingly inevitable win.

Okay, I vented. Now, I do want to apologize for being remiss in my remittance. It's been just one of those blocks of time where I couldn't motivate myself enough to accomplish all I would have liked. I'll try to recap the last 10 days as best I can without boring you all with too many unnecessary details.

Since last I wrote, we had the unprecedented BLIZZARD-OF-MAMMOTH-PROPORTIONS 

 

 that turned out to be  . . .  a snowstorm. Instead of digging out from 24 inches, we here in my bucolic part of the world ended up shoveling about 4 inches. Not that I'm complaining. 

The Spring semester began, and so far I like my instructors, but knowing me, that may not last long. In any case, these classes should prove pretty interesting. The unfortunate thing is that, because of a cancelled class, and the fact that I STILL have not been able to pass the Algebra placement exam (Therefore not able to take the required math class!) I won't be graduating in May. I'll need one more semester in order to do so. I was really planning on May, and I'm hating that I couldn't realize my goal. However, the courses I will have under my belt will serve me well regardless, as these are the real core classes I need for my degree.

Unemployment benefits are running out the end of next month, so, as much as I don't like the idea, I do need to get a job pretty soon. The quandary is, what? I've been kind of half-assed looking, but not with any real interest or fervor. It's crunch time though, so I have to turbo boost my efforts.

This Saturday will mark my one year anniversary with my new car, and I've really enjoyed it. I have two years to go on my lease, and I'm predicting a problem-free twenty-four months. I take good care of my cars - I do the maintenance and rotate the tires when I'm supposed to, and I don't abuse the car, even though that would be easy to do, it's such a fun car to drive. My first Benz. I like the European cars. I've owned a Volvo, a VW and an Audi prior, and I have to tell you, there's nothing like driving the European cars. Solid as a rock, well-built, even the Volkswagen, and great handling characteristics. I had driven Infiniti for the six years I worked at the dealership - they give demos, which is unusual these days - and they were great cars as well, but there is a marked difference. The Mercedes is the best of the bunch though. As Ferris Bueller said:

"If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up"

So, I will be turning 60 in seven weeks. The one thing I will hopefully be able to give myself is the weekend at the Beatle Fest in Secaucus March 20-22. I've been wanting to attend this for years. I would have loved to have gone last year, the 50th anniversary of the British Invasion, but, alas . . . 

My father is 95 years old. He's been in a nursing home for two years now, and was doing as okay as could have been expected, but the last month, give or take, he's deteriorated a good amount. He has pneumonia right now, and they're giving him antibiotics, and trying to see that he has some nutrition. However, he's off in some other world of his own. I'm sure he knows on some level when he has us visit, but he is unresponsive. He is, of course, his same stubborn, defiant self! He won't let anyone do anything for him, waving his arms to chase away whoever tries. 

I'll get into a more philosophical bent when I have the time, but, for now, I must go, for I have errands and school. Just, please, take care of yourselves. Eat well, exercise, keep your minds active and maintain a strong network of good friends. You'll appreciate it when you're 95!