"I Hate Martin Luther King, Jr."

I was watching TV recently with a friend when a blurb about Martin Luther King, Jr. Day came on, honoring him for his amazing works and noting the holiday in his honor this coming Monday. It was this weekend last year that Brian died. I turned away, and the tears started. "I hate Martin Luther King, Jr.!" I said. Naturally, that proclamation was met by some surprise. I explained that it was last year on this weekend that Brian had died, and that I just hated the weekend itself, not the man or what he stood for and accomplished. It's just that what was supposed to be a relaxed, laid-back long weekend ended in the worst day of my life, so I'll probably always have that association and, when I re-enter the working world, I don't think I'll look forward to the three day weekend each January.

Brian died on a Sunday morning. Tomorrow is that Sunday; Monday marks the one-year anniversary of the date, January 17. Ugh. Bad memories and associations with this time of year, to be sure.

I will get through the rest of the weekend and Monday, though, and I think I'll get through it okay. Life is throwing enough other things at me that I can't focus on the calendar too much, some good and some not-so-good. On the positive side, the Bears have a playoff game against the Seahawks tomorrow, and I love Bears football. Also, I'm in a skeeball league that plays tomorrow night, so I'll have something fun and new to look forward to as well. On the negative side, my grandpa had a stroke last weekend, so I'll be spending Monday driving south another 6 hours or so to go spend the week with him and my grandma (who spend each winter in the far south of Texas), to help out in any way I can and to support them as the "in sickness" part of their wedding vows kicks in. I think it will be great to see them, but it will be hard to see my Poppo when he is not in his normal state. (Much remains to be seen, but we're all hopeful for a full recovery.)

Also, just to update everyone....I'm now in Austin, TX for good. I am totally moved out of the Iowa house, though the closing is next Friday (I don't have to be there for that). I don't have any plans for any trips back anytime soon. This isn't to say I won't be visiting, just that I don't have any concrete plans for any specific trips. I don't know that this has really sunk in yet, since I did have so much back-and-forth over the past six weeks.

Right after my trip to see my grandparents, I have a girlfriend from Iowa coming to visit for the weekend. I am really looking forward to that! It does mean, however, there might not be another post for a week or so....