Tuesday, March 26, 2024

 Tuesday, March 26, 2024

    It looks like I skipped writing anything on March 25^th. Oh, well.

,

  Today is the 68th anniversary of my dad's death. He died when I was fifteen. Long time no see, but I think of him. While for most of my dating life, I was drawn to people like my mom. (They say we are attracted to the people who are most like the parent we got along with the least.)  When I decided I would date anyone who I didn't think would do me physical harm, Mike was my third date. He looked somewhat like my dad. He was an intellectual. He had had some downright weird similarities. My dad had two law degrees; Mike had two Ph.D.s. The first degree they got when they were young. Mike got his first Ph.D. in 1972. He started his second one in 1994, twenty years later, and completed work in 2004.

I don't know exactly when my dad completed his studies in Germany, but he got news that he passed the New York State Bar exam on June 13, 1945. Mike got his second degree to fulfill his dreams. My dad did it so he could work as a lawyer in this country. He had to get a second law degree. German law and American law are based on different systems. They both died at the same age as their mothers': my dad was 52, and Mike was 78. They had similar temperaments. They were both nervous men who had control over their behavior. They were both affectionate. They were both in-charge kind of guys. Mike was not paternalistic with me. We were equals, well, as much as we could both muster, given our backgrounds.

   I did some stinking thinking this morning. I tried to curb it. I watched my mind return to the negative thoughts like a moth to a light. Huh? What do I get out of it? I really don't know. I do believe I wouldn't do it if I didn't get a perk. 

   I had a call from the account yesterday; my taxes for 2003 were done. For the first time in my life, I owed nothing to either the federal or state governments; they owed me. Wow! I felt guilty. I  would contribute to the government coffers if I could be assured they were used to help the poor instead of the military. Who says there's no benefit to $30,000 in medical bills?

    I had an appointment with twenty-six-year-old S. The flow of her reading was better than yesterday. Yesterday, I asked her if her mind's spinning was better, worse, or the same. In the previous session, she revealed she spoke slowly and took long pauses to prevent unintended words from coming out of her mouth. I chose not to do the spin-release exercise with her. I just told her to observe the movement in her mind. Today, I asked her if her mind had stopped giving her all those extra words. Yes. Holy Cow! I'm so glad I let her solve this on her own.

    Judy called. She was on the road heading to the airport, hoping to find plumeria trees in bloom. She needed flowers for leis for Holy Thursday. On Sunday, the priest instructed everyone to bring one. It's too early in the season for the plumeria to be in bloom, so she will have to buy a lei.