Strange season

Between Katie's birthday, the holidays, and attending a funeral yesterday, I've been in a strange mood. Thanksgiving being so late this year didn't help either, as it means Christmas came on way too fast.

I've also suddenly discovered that music from the 70s is at least as much "my" music as what I'd always thought, which was 80s. Not sure why; I'm guessing it's because I was younger and wasn't buying much music in the 70s, and/or that of course many of those musicians continued into the 80s. But a few weeks ago I accidentally tuned to SiriusXM channel 7 instead of 8, and then realized I had been happily listening for a while.

The result is that I've been obsessively playing Nile Rodgers (Chic, Sister Sledge) and Kool and the Gang and Steve Miller and more. Kt would be horrified, I'm sure. Especially when I threatened to buy a polyester leisure suit! (But actually I know she liked Sister Sledge We Are Family, having heard it at the end of The Birdcage.)


As a Grinch fan, she'd have appreciated this SMBC:

 

There's something awesome about a 50-year-old kids' cartoon becoming a meme.


And our little girl who figured out Santa was fictional would definitely have liked this one:

 

A bit dark, but still.

28

Katie would have turned 28 on Saturday. So many of her friends are graduating and/or getting married and it's just hard to grok.

We spent a quiet weekend, in part because I'm getting over a bout of BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo). This is the second or third such: I spent a miserable day in a hotel room in Ontario with Katie and Anita over a decade ago, with the room spinning, and then had a minor bout 16 months ago.

This one wasn't too bad—no actual "spinnies"—but of course it decided to hit while I was in California visiting company HQ, which was inconvenient. I bailed early, got home and crashed for ten hours or so.


On a brighter note, I spent the Saturday before Thanksgiving running judging at an FLL tournament in DC. Two of my judges were high school girls who reminded me of Katie in the most general of ways: young, enthusiastic, smart, and personable. One of them is the daughter of another long-time FLL volunteer with whom I've worked, and was actually a Capital Girl (long after my co-coach and I had moved on, but continuing the name and legacy).

And this morning I got email from her dad saying that she had been awarded the Katie Smith Memorial Award at this year's state FLL competition. This is an award given to a volunteer who is deemed to have helped spread the message and experiences available through FLL. Nice.

Another beautiful fall day

It’s a stunning fall day here. Not unlike nine years ago today. But understandbly I am so not in the mood for it.

Ran some errands, knew I was on edge, managed to keep my mouth shut at the woman strolling at half-speed through the store entrance, and the dude in line behind me at the bagel shop complaining loudly that they were out of his favorite, and the middle-aged guy in front of me at the grocery store checkout who acted like he’d never used a credit card terminal before. Not their fault: normal behavior, just suboptimal for me on this day of days.

A long walk listening to The Cure helped some. Kt, you should be here, responding to this, laughing at me for listening to 80s pre-emo and pushing something newer on me instead.

Missing you today and every day, my sweet girl.

Law and Order: Whoville

Another one Katie would have loved:

If you don't get it, go watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas immediately! (Yes, there are grown-up Americans who have never seen it. We don't know how they've survived to adulthood without having done so, but they do exist.)


Merry Christmas to all, eh?

Three Filled

I’m a day late getting this posted, but yesterday Katie would have turned 27. (If you don’t understand the title, it’s time to (re)read Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land—“three filled” is 27.)

We were watching the news a couple of weeks ago, a segment on the fires that destroyed Paradise, California, and Anita commented, “We’re so lucky!” Her point was that we generally don’t have natural disasters like fires and tornadoes here.

Of course she then stopped and asked, “Are we lucky?” Because of course “luck” comes in various flavors and degrees. And that question has been pinballing around my head ever since.

Overall, I think we have been pretty lucky. We have each other, and a very comfortable life, and that’s more than far too many people can claim.

But most of all, we were lucky to have almost 19 years of Katie.

And that’s my thought for the day.

Four million-odd minutes

(Yes, stealing a meme from Rent.) Eight years. Only yesterday, yet forever ago. A hard day.

I spent most of the day running judging again at a FIRST LEGO League Regional tournament. I've written about FLL before, but I’ll say it again: all of FIRST is great. It has programs for kids from 6 through high school.

And beyond: today’s overall champion was an all-girl team (for which I always have a soft spot, for obvious reasons), coached by five young ladies who are themselves FLL veterans. Back in the day, they won a Regional, then States, and went to Nationals. Now they’re giving back, and it shows.

As head judge, I have the luxury of floating around throughout the day, and I sat in on several judging sessions. Not to check up on anyone—we’ve got a crew of veteran judges who sure don’t need my help!—but so I can see a bit of the teams in action. Among others, I managed to catch both the Project and Core Values judging for this team, and so when my judges came back and rated them #1 in both of those categories, I could appreciate why.

As I said, a hard day, but the tournament was therapeutic for me. It’s always great seeing these young kids competing and having a ball, and reminds me of happier times with our girl.

26 Years

According to Deutsche Bank's chief international economist, Torsten Slok, the largest single age cohort in the U.S. now is 26-year-olds. Apparently there are 4.8 million of you. Minus one.

Twenty-six years ago today, that one was born. I used to joke that we should have named her "Pearl Harbor Smith": then she would have had my initials. But I think "Katherine Elisabeth Hillyer Smith" was a better name.
 

Meanwhile, one of Kt's and my favorite bands is retiring after 40 years of making music:

Saga spent the summer touring Europe. And every time I saw another gig announced, I couldn't help but think how much fun it would have been to take a week with Kt and go to three or four shows. That sure would have been a great trip, especially since she never managed to see them live, since they played so few shows on this continent.


For any Saga fans out there, here's a YouTube tribute from a fan (not me, someone who can play keyboards). Kt would approve.