Pandora's Other Box

  Well… It really is not as dramatic as the title might suggest. I am talking about that kind-of-lost string of days between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Everything and everyone moves along at a snail pace. In some cases, due to an overabundance of cheers on Christmas Eve and Christmas day and, at other times, because it just seems that every-body we see is simply plodding on at a slower pace than usual. We had a quiet Christmas this year. This was in part to make up for a Thanksgiving when there were some19 revelers adding to the noise and subtracting from the food and drink to be had. And the other part? Well, many of those said revelers came from out of town and it costs money to do this. Too close to part with the money it implies to come out again. Even if to revel with “free” food and drinks. And, frankly, we were a little tired of all the reveling as well. So, we ordered take out from a local restaurant, to be followed by treats and a movie. At home. For those who may ...

           Today I sit here just to pass the time and try my luck at actually writing what I hope can morph into a blog entry. Since it is my commitment ( to self, anyway ) to begin again to write at least one entry per week, I guess this exercise is in anticipation of next week’s delivery. Perhaps a meandering exercise while later getting into more defined topics.           Wally’s Pond is a mental… oops, that’s a dated term… a virtual place where I can retreat to think and to just let my imagination fly. I am noticing, however, and with a degree of concern that my imagination’s take off and flight is more cumbersome than it may have been some time ago. Like everything else in life, it may be due to a lack of practice since, for reasons primarily beyond my immediate control, my time has not allowed me to do this writing exercise, which I truly enjoy doing.        ...

No, I am not talking about the political panorama, though this would certainly give much to comment on . It has been now some 3 months since the magical ( really??) threshold of Gulp!!! 70 was reached, breached, and pushed aside. Well I do believe it is magical for, in today’s environment, they ( whoever “they” are ) say that 70 is the new fifty. Nifty. ( well, that last one gave me away !!) When I was young eons ago, those who were over 65 were considered venerable folk, worthy of befriending and listening. Well, for politeness sake if nothing else… What I do remember is they tended to be paunchy, with less hair ( well, got me on that one!), unable to do much more than walk around, talk about “good ol’ times” and go to a friendly get together, or two, of similar folks. And yes, I do enjoy looking back to earlier years of my life ( how else could I have completed these 400 entries ?) to reminisce but certainly not to live there. Today, at age 70 one is wont to have as man...