One Year Anniversary

Wow. I have been here in Geneva for a whole year. Where does the time go? Well, let's look and see, shall we? What happens in a year? A lot and nothing, it seems.

A year ago Thursday, I was living in North Carolina, when it suddenly became clear to me that I needed to be looking after my mom in Geneva, NY. My reasons for doing so were partly selfishly motivated, partly altruistically motivated.

I had no work in the area, the woman I was seeing chose to break off our relationship, I had an altercation with a friend and I just couldn't see anything keeping me in the area. Except for my house. More on the house later, perhaps. (Nope, not this post...)

Mom had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's back in January of 2011. But things had not been optimal for a while before that. I had had to take her car away in November of 2010. Some basics were being neglected and she had told me some things that made my heart ache. On top of that, I cannot stand the idea of my mom in a nursing home (at least not until her brain goes completely and she needs 24 hour care and can't handle basic tasks or remember basic things - like where she is or who she is or who I am). I figure at that point, the woman I have known and loved for 52 years will be basically gone and only a shell will be remaining.

So, I tossed a lot of stuff in the car and drove up here.

During the year that has passed, mom and I have done several roadtrips together, both short and long. Two trips to NC. Two trips to Maine. And various day trips around NYS - including a trip to the State Fair. We have done some work on the house and yard - not as much as I would have hoped, but anything is better than nothing. Mom is taking her medicine regularly, showers on occasion, eats fairly regularly and seems to be generally healthy and happy.

Over the year we have done some doctor's visits, some physical therapy and ruled out her needing hearing aids just now. Yay! We have done some cultural activities - going to plays, going to the opera, going to festivals (like the Garlic Festival), to a Renaissane Faire  and the circus. Mostly, I have done what I can to lessen mom's stress level and be as supportive of her as I possibly can be and to help her exercise her brain.

I have tried to carve out some sort of life for myself up here. My original thought was to go back to school and become a Chiropractor or perhaps a Chinese Herbal Medicine Practitioner - neither panned out. The big stopping factor was the need to do a year of human dissection. Not my idea of a good time, sadly. I am sure I would have gotten over it and gotten into it, but it daunted me enough to stop going forward. I was accepted to the school, though!

Next, I worked on and finished a decent version of Diary of a Plate Addict - a fun book, filled with pictures and words and stuff. Hmm, doesn't sound very appealing. If you like a chain of places called The Flying Saucer or if you like me a real lot, you must buy a copy of this book. From me. For an exorbitant cost. I have only sold 69 copies so far and still have a couple hundred lying around the house. So, do us all a favor, buy a copy. Now.

Following that project, I was a bit at a loss as to what to focus my personal energies on next. Lots of projects, nothing leaping out. So I decided to take some classes. After a bit of research, I ended up taking a Spanish Class at Hobart and William Smith. I think I eventually passed. I did enjoy the class (despite it being at 9 in the morning) and learned a good bit. Enough to make me very comfortable saying hello and goodbye in Spanish. Most of the time. After Christmas, adrift mentally once again, I decided to take a different plunge and teach myself how to write applications for iOS. I have three or four game ideas and a meditation clock idea (though lots of meditation apps are already out there) that I would like to see come to fruition eventually.

I have not done a lot of remunerative work. I did work for an Opera and earned a little money there. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed working in the theatre. Sigh. And I also earned a teeny bit of money helping someone move. I had been planning on doing it for free, but she insisted on giving me money - and who was I to refuse?

Romantically, well, it has been a pretty lame year. I did sort of date one person for a few months, but that ended with a whisper over the holidays. (She said she would contact me after the holidays and never did...) I have also had a bunch of inappropriate crushes and that is about it. Double sigh.

Read books, watched movies, went out to the movies, did a lot of Daily Challenge stuff, played xBox and generally had a very pleasant year!

And that is what has happened in a year. There is probably more, come to think of it...

What will next year bring? Wait and see is really the only answer. Thank you all of my loyal readers! Your eyes are appreciated!