A life remembered

Hey everyone,

Sorry I haven’t posted in a few days.

Our family recently received some sad news- Deron’s dad passed away this weekend. His health had been declining for awhile and while his death was not unexpected, it is nonetheless surprising. Deron misses his dad but is strong as always. SUPER big hugs for him.

And as our family recovers from this sudden change, it has become increasingly important for us to pause and remember Jon’s life. Based on Deron’s recollections and the stories pouring in from friends and family, a few things have become quite clear to me:

Jon was a hero

He volunteered to serve in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. Even though the University of Florida had recruited him to play baseball, he chose to serve his country. Honorable indeed.

Jon was a legend

He worked for many, many years in the Yuma school district as a teacher and principal. He was the kind of teacher that everyone loved. He was the kind of teacher that students remember forever. The kind that teased you, made you do silly things, but taught you to have fun with learning. His also worked tirelessly to improve the quality of education for immigrant populations, advocating for year-round schooling.

Jon was very proud of his son

While not an effusive person, Jon had  a way of radiating love and admiration for his son. Every time we met, he’d give a little half smile and would hug Deron tight.

Jon was excited to be a grandpa

He wanted a grandchild SO MUCH. During the early years of our marriage, Jon advocated strongly for a grandchild, every single time we saw him. We finally had a kid after five years of marriage and introduced Henry to Jon.

Here is a picture from Jon’s visit in February:

Lastly, Jon will be missed. Very, very much. 

TV and I are breaking up

Alright…I’ll say it… I’m giving up TV.

Okay, mostly giving up TV.

At some point in the last few weeks, it dawned on me that I watch a lot of TV. I mean A LOT of TV. Check out my About page, it’s about TV. And after doing a quick calculation in my head, I figured that our TV is on at least six hours a day. That’s a lot considering I’m only home (and awake) for eight hours max.

So, I’m giving it up.

To give you some context… to give you a sense for the enormity of this decision… I grew up in a household with five TVs. Five! That is one TV per person. And that’s not counting the TV that was in our van. There was a TV in almost every room of the house. And they were always on. I was entranced. For me, TV was more than a habit. It was a way of life. I’d come home from school, grab a snack, and sit down to watch the Rosie O’Donnell Show. TV was just part of my routine.

And over the years, that never changed. My choice in programming did but the TV was always my friend, my buddy. TV got me through the nights when Deron was gone at work. TV nurtured me while I cared for our newborn son. TV has always been there for me.

But lately…well…I find myself asking “Where is all my time going?” Why can’t I find time for my hobbies? Why can’t I find time to read? Why can’t I find time to take care of myself?

And then, boom!, I looked at my friend TV with new eyes. It was no longer my friend. The TV was now holding me back. I was losing my precious waking hours to TV nonsense. Did I really want to watch Dancing with the Stars more than I wanted to work on my blog or my craft project or take a relaxing bubble bath? No!

The TV is getting the ol’ heave ho. We’re going through a break up. We’re done.

My time is better spent talking to my husband. Playing with our son. Relaxing in a quiet moment. And now if I want to watch a high quality, well-regarded, personal favorite program, I will choose to watch it on Hulu. At my convenience. On my terms.

I’m taking ownership.

TV, you no longer have control over me. Your reign is done.

Boo-yah!

Day 10 done. 20 days to go.