How did it get to be the end of the year so quickly? Time seems to fly, the older we get. Recently, I have been seasonally blue and in an effort to bring myself out of this funk I find myself in, I am trying to think about the good things in my life so, in no particular order- here goes:
Bobby, ok, you all saw THAT coming as Number One. The birth of my first grandchild makes this a banner year, if NOTHING ELSE. Holding that sweet, peaceful baby in the first moments of his life will always be with me. I love him.I dream of the man he will become and hope I am a continuing part of it. I have so many adventures planned for us.
Chris. Always. I have been lucky, after years of unhappiness, to find my husband. Sometimes I want to pinch myself to see if this really IS happening. I am thankful beyond measure that he is in my life and in my corner. He loves me when I am unlovable. He came with the bonus of a great extended family. I have more cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews than I know what to do with, and I love them. My Mother-in-law is the sweetest woman, I am lucky to have her.
Baseball. Yes. Baseball. I went to a Dodger game this year and got seats behind home plate. We were on tv! Yikes. It was a very cool experience and I would LOVE to do it again, if that were possible. I love baseball. The first thing I got my grandchild, before we knew who he was, was a Dodger outfit. He's a FIFTH generation fan. It's in the DNA.
Books. This year I have read some wonderful books; the whole Alera Series by Jim Butcher was a wonderful thing to listen to in the car. I was totally BUMMED by the death of Diana Norman, aka Ariana Franklin in the middle of her "Mistress of the art of Death" Series. She left book four as a cliff hanger and then DIED. oy. I enjoyed the books, even if they were somewhat implausible and Adelia's affection for Rowley Picot was, in my opinion, somewhat misplaced.
Friends. I have the world's BEST group of friends. It was fun over the holidays to get together with a few of them. My friends are a great group and I am happy when I have them in to dinner and introduce them to each other. I love having people in our home for dinner and plan to do more of that in 2015.
Music. I really am not up at all on current bands and music, but I am finding local musicians who delight and inspire me. I have been bar-tending at McGroarty for our "Fourth Friday" events and while it has NOT been as packed in the house as I might have liked, this next year seems promising as we revamp the program a bit. Despite a few missteps into some MAJOR potholes, we managed to keep the doors open to the Center and the New Year has some wonderful event planned. ( Yes I am going to plug one) We have a "Timeless Tile" event, where YOU create your own tile which can be displayed at the Center for all to see or taken home for you to enjoy. The cost per tile is $25. Explore your inner artist for a worthy cause! The date is January 18. Be there!
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Feeling icky
I have been up for several hours, just being lazy and scrolling through Facebook posts. WHY? I have no idea, but as the song says, I just can't seem to get moving. I'm hungry, but don't want anything that I have in the house, nor do I KNOW what I want to eat, so that's a problem. Bleh. I had promised myself that I would take down Christmas today and pack everything up. I have to clean the walk-off rug that one of the visiting pups "christened" I need to go to the grocery store and do laundry, but I am NOT feeling it. I am wasting my time on Facebook. Maybe I am NOT really wasting time as much as stalling for time. I am "visiting" with my far away friends. Yeah, that's it.
I have been edgy lately and wonder if the changing season has affected me. I feel restless and unsettled. Maybe I just need a good book.
I have been reading "I would have loved him if I had not killed him" a gorgeously written novel with Gothic overtones. It's slow going for me, but I am trying to get the pace of the novel and really read it, not speed through it. I have been listening to books on tape a lot more lately. They are great for the ride to and from work. I waded through Alice McDermott's "After this" and wondered why I bothered. The novel was a slice-of-life piece, well written but unsatisfying as to the conclusion. There really wasn't one, to tell the truth. No real point to the story except to examine the life of a family over the course of many years. I suppose that is why I like mystery novels so much. There is a conclusion. There is a problem and a solution, all tied up in a neat bow. Except for Agatha Christie. I hate Agatha Christie. HER solutions never allow the reader to come to a conclusion before the denouement. She always withholds some key piece of information and has the detective spring it at the Big Reveal. ugh. I want to try to come to the conclusion myself, then go back to see where I missed it in the reading if I did not get it. The "aha" moment in the book, if you will.
I stopped listening to "How right you are, Jeeves" as the narrator was bugging the crap out of me. His "American" accent- supposed to be a New York playboy sounded more like Monte Montana. Totally WRONG and annoying and as the playboy is a major character, I gave up the book in utter disgust. I did the same thing with a Fitzgerald novel a while back. The reader had some weird tic that was driving me crazy and after about ten minutes, I realized that I could NOT be trapped in the car with this reader for one minute longer.
I wonder what my friends are reading and can recommend. Anyone have a book to take away the Winter blahs?
I have been edgy lately and wonder if the changing season has affected me. I feel restless and unsettled. Maybe I just need a good book.
I have been reading "I would have loved him if I had not killed him" a gorgeously written novel with Gothic overtones. It's slow going for me, but I am trying to get the pace of the novel and really read it, not speed through it. I have been listening to books on tape a lot more lately. They are great for the ride to and from work. I waded through Alice McDermott's "After this" and wondered why I bothered. The novel was a slice-of-life piece, well written but unsatisfying as to the conclusion. There really wasn't one, to tell the truth. No real point to the story except to examine the life of a family over the course of many years. I suppose that is why I like mystery novels so much. There is a conclusion. There is a problem and a solution, all tied up in a neat bow. Except for Agatha Christie. I hate Agatha Christie. HER solutions never allow the reader to come to a conclusion before the denouement. She always withholds some key piece of information and has the detective spring it at the Big Reveal. ugh. I want to try to come to the conclusion myself, then go back to see where I missed it in the reading if I did not get it. The "aha" moment in the book, if you will.
I stopped listening to "How right you are, Jeeves" as the narrator was bugging the crap out of me. His "American" accent- supposed to be a New York playboy sounded more like Monte Montana. Totally WRONG and annoying and as the playboy is a major character, I gave up the book in utter disgust. I did the same thing with a Fitzgerald novel a while back. The reader had some weird tic that was driving me crazy and after about ten minutes, I realized that I could NOT be trapped in the car with this reader for one minute longer.
I wonder what my friends are reading and can recommend. Anyone have a book to take away the Winter blahs?
Friday, December 26, 2014
Post Christmas thoughts
It's o-dark-hundred and I am trying to get myself together to go to work. It's going to be interesting, and I hope someone is there before me, as I do not have a key. They re-keyed and did not make enough so I didn't get one. If no one is there, I cannot get in. Just another reason these days for me to seriously consider retirement or changing jobs. I am at the very worst, about six years from retirement. My job, although I love most aspects of it, is demanding. Some days I just don't feel like I am doing all I could be. Maybe it's just lately, the change of the season, the sameness of things that makes me want to do something else. Maybe I just need a real vacation where I do nothing but relax. Wishful thinking at this point, because as the poem says "I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep". Now I know that Frost was talking about death, or at least that's the discussion that I remember having about it in some long ago Lit class, but quotes out of context can sometimes be applied to other things. Maybe I just need to figure out what is bugging me and take steps to correct it.
On Christmas Eve-eve, Chris and I went to a coffee house show of an artist I discovered via Pandora. Her name is Corrinne May and she has the most glorious voice. I HAD to get her Christmas album "The Gift" for one song ,"The Answer", which is more a hymn of praise than a Christmas song. Her voice just soars on it. It was lovely to go out with my husband for an evening of just us doing something. Both of us have been so busy and so tired that we haven't had as much "us" time. We are making plans to actually schedule more time together, if that makes sense. We need to make sure there is time for us to be together, just us. Is it possible to build in a "do-nothing" period in our schedules? I am not programmed that way. I need to change the programming.
So, for those of you not working today, have a lovely day after Christmas. The stores should be insane today. I never go to those clearance sales, too much a reminder of Orbach's bargain basement for me. You have to be a certain "vintage" to remember that place. You'd be fighting with some Sherman Oaks matron over a sweater with holes in it that was selling for two bucks. SO not worth the effort! The after Christmas sales really kill any holiday spirit, no season of "peace on Earth and Goodwill toward man" as you are grabbing that box or ornaments you don't need but they are 75% off so you get them, just beating someone else for the grab. My little house is cluttered enough with stuff I already have!
On Christmas Eve-eve, Chris and I went to a coffee house show of an artist I discovered via Pandora. Her name is Corrinne May and she has the most glorious voice. I HAD to get her Christmas album "The Gift" for one song ,"The Answer", which is more a hymn of praise than a Christmas song. Her voice just soars on it. It was lovely to go out with my husband for an evening of just us doing something. Both of us have been so busy and so tired that we haven't had as much "us" time. We are making plans to actually schedule more time together, if that makes sense. We need to make sure there is time for us to be together, just us. Is it possible to build in a "do-nothing" period in our schedules? I am not programmed that way. I need to change the programming.
So, for those of you not working today, have a lovely day after Christmas. The stores should be insane today. I never go to those clearance sales, too much a reminder of Orbach's bargain basement for me. You have to be a certain "vintage" to remember that place. You'd be fighting with some Sherman Oaks matron over a sweater with holes in it that was selling for two bucks. SO not worth the effort! The after Christmas sales really kill any holiday spirit, no season of "peace on Earth and Goodwill toward man" as you are grabbing that box or ornaments you don't need but they are 75% off so you get them, just beating someone else for the grab. My little house is cluttered enough with stuff I already have!
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Christmas Day
I posted this on my FB page, along with a picture of my Bobby with Santa. Notice he's MY Bobby. I love that little boy.
Merry Christmas, everyone! This year, our family has been blessed in so many ways, not the least of which is Robert Benjamin Aguirre. Christmas is a time to reflect on the gifts we received during the year, not just what's under the tree on Christmas morning. So to each of you here, I say thank you. You have made me laugh, made me mad and made me think. You have shared your joys and the challenges that are before you and in sharing we have made the load bearable. Have a wonderful Christmas, and for my friends who don't celebrate Christmas, I hope the joys of the season of holidays are yours. Much love to each of you, from our family to yours.
We followed a Myers family tradition and opened our gifts last night. When I was a child, and Santa still came to the house, we would be put to bed early, my mother always saying that Santa would not come until I was asleep. We would be awakened by my mother, who would exclaim "Santa's been here!" and we would go out to the living room to find it piled with presents. We would open them and enjoy them before my father had to go to work. My Dad was in the restaurant business and worked the 11-7 shift, and he almost always worked Christmas Eve. Although my mother always said that we were following the German traditional Christmas celebration, I suspect it was because my father wanted to see us open our presents, and as he came home around 8 in the morning, there was no guarantee that he would get home before we discovered that Santa had indeed come. During my first marriage, I tried to get my husband to continue this tradition, which he was more than willing to do when it came to opening HIS presents, but when we had Kate it was another story altogether. He made her wait until Christmas morning. It just never seemed like the magical Christmases I remembered as a child. I hope one day to have Bobby here for Christmas. I even have the pickle ornament. There is a tradition of hiding a pickle shaped ornament in the tree and whatever child finds it will get a special gift ( a jar of pickles, perhaps - lol)
I am getting ready to celebrate Christmas with friends who are more like family than just friends. I am making the traditional food of Christmas- lasagna! I am looking forward to looking around my crowded table and seeing people I love enjoying a meal and each others company.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! May the joy of this season be yours.
Merry Christmas, everyone! This year, our family has been blessed in so many ways, not the least of which is Robert Benjamin Aguirre. Christmas is a time to reflect on the gifts we received during the year, not just what's under the tree on Christmas morning. So to each of you here, I say thank you. You have made me laugh, made me mad and made me think. You have shared your joys and the challenges that are before you and in sharing we have made the load bearable. Have a wonderful Christmas, and for my friends who don't celebrate Christmas, I hope the joys of the season of holidays are yours. Much love to each of you, from our family to yours.
We followed a Myers family tradition and opened our gifts last night. When I was a child, and Santa still came to the house, we would be put to bed early, my mother always saying that Santa would not come until I was asleep. We would be awakened by my mother, who would exclaim "Santa's been here!" and we would go out to the living room to find it piled with presents. We would open them and enjoy them before my father had to go to work. My Dad was in the restaurant business and worked the 11-7 shift, and he almost always worked Christmas Eve. Although my mother always said that we were following the German traditional Christmas celebration, I suspect it was because my father wanted to see us open our presents, and as he came home around 8 in the morning, there was no guarantee that he would get home before we discovered that Santa had indeed come. During my first marriage, I tried to get my husband to continue this tradition, which he was more than willing to do when it came to opening HIS presents, but when we had Kate it was another story altogether. He made her wait until Christmas morning. It just never seemed like the magical Christmases I remembered as a child. I hope one day to have Bobby here for Christmas. I even have the pickle ornament. There is a tradition of hiding a pickle shaped ornament in the tree and whatever child finds it will get a special gift ( a jar of pickles, perhaps - lol)
I am getting ready to celebrate Christmas with friends who are more like family than just friends. I am making the traditional food of Christmas- lasagna! I am looking forward to looking around my crowded table and seeing people I love enjoying a meal and each others company.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! May the joy of this season be yours.
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Merry Christmas!
I don't write those Christmas letters, although most of the time I enjoy reading them. I love the honest ones, not the ones that sugar-coat and brag. If I were to write one, it would be all about Bobby anyway!
It's Christmas Eve and I am SO not ready, so I am up early but still trying to jumpstart my motor. I am totally unfocused, but my house is NOT "company ready" so I need to get at it. I have a plan, but I am already behind.
Sigh.
Last night I did something nice for ME! I went out to hear one of my new discoveries, a singer songwriter named Corrinne May. You have heard me enthuse about her, but she was wonderful. She even had the crowd sing along, Christmas carols I have not sung in a very long time. I picked up her Christmas cd "The Gift" and another one ( it's in the car and I forget the name). I spoke briefly with her, thanking her for helping me get my holiday spirit going. She was very sweet. I will be posting a review of BOTH cds later this week.
Christmas Eve is the time when my family always celebrated. I am missing my mom this year, but Chris found a wonderful thing. We had a box of slides from my Dad's house. He was an amateur photographer early in my parents' marriage. Chris bought me an early Christmas gift of a slide viewer/scanner. So far I have seen photos of their trip to Atlantic City, and photos of my mother at the beach and in Central park. I had forgotten, I suppose, how pretty she was. I am hoping to convert all the photos to... something.. and am looking for kind of an art project that has been on my mind. I am not much of an artist myself, but i CAN assemble nicely. We will see. At any rate, now I can scan all those photos I have. It's going to be an interesting time!
If I don't write more tomorrow morning, I want to wish everyone reading this a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS ( if you celebrate, that is) Whatever you celebrate this season, thank you for being part of my life and my writing journey. I do this for myself, to keep my hand in the only "art" I do, but I appreciate the comments and the feedback. May the joys of the season be yours!
It's Christmas Eve and I am SO not ready, so I am up early but still trying to jumpstart my motor. I am totally unfocused, but my house is NOT "company ready" so I need to get at it. I have a plan, but I am already behind.
Sigh.
Last night I did something nice for ME! I went out to hear one of my new discoveries, a singer songwriter named Corrinne May. You have heard me enthuse about her, but she was wonderful. She even had the crowd sing along, Christmas carols I have not sung in a very long time. I picked up her Christmas cd "The Gift" and another one ( it's in the car and I forget the name). I spoke briefly with her, thanking her for helping me get my holiday spirit going. She was very sweet. I will be posting a review of BOTH cds later this week.
Christmas Eve is the time when my family always celebrated. I am missing my mom this year, but Chris found a wonderful thing. We had a box of slides from my Dad's house. He was an amateur photographer early in my parents' marriage. Chris bought me an early Christmas gift of a slide viewer/scanner. So far I have seen photos of their trip to Atlantic City, and photos of my mother at the beach and in Central park. I had forgotten, I suppose, how pretty she was. I am hoping to convert all the photos to... something.. and am looking for kind of an art project that has been on my mind. I am not much of an artist myself, but i CAN assemble nicely. We will see. At any rate, now I can scan all those photos I have. It's going to be an interesting time!
If I don't write more tomorrow morning, I want to wish everyone reading this a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS ( if you celebrate, that is) Whatever you celebrate this season, thank you for being part of my life and my writing journey. I do this for myself, to keep my hand in the only "art" I do, but I appreciate the comments and the feedback. May the joys of the season be yours!
Monday, December 22, 2014
Monday Monday
I've been busy getting ready for Christmas. It looks like we will have about ten people for Christmas dinner. I am making an Italian feast and hope that it goes well. I love cooking and lasagna is my "signature" dish I am making sausage and peppers with polenta as well; stuffed mushrooms and two kinds of pie for dessert. Is that overkill? I will make a nice "Kitchen sink salad" I am trying to gear up my brain for what I will need to do this. I am looking forward to the company this year.
Christmas is a time of reflection, or it should be. I am trying to slow down and focus on the meaning of the holiday. People are dragging out that "Jesus is the reason for the season" that really irks me. Jesus is ONE reason for the season. There are other faiths who celebrate during this time of year. You don't need to embrace them, but you should try to be as accepting of other's beliefs as you would want them to be of yours. This is particularly true of one or two of my Christian friends who get their knickers in a twist about Christmas being the ONLY holiday at this time of year. uh..... OK then. Someone asked me, as I was making latkes last week, if I celebrated Hanukkah. I replied "I'll celebrate anything" Christians conveniently forget that JESUS was Jewish. He wasn't Christian, that came after he was gone. His philosophy and his life may have started the religion, but HE himself remained Jewish.
My house is still a wreck, the tree isn't decorated and I am trying to get my act together. The place looks like Scrooge's house and I need to get it ready for celebrating. It's too bad I have to go to work this week. Work gets in the way of living, doesn't it? Hopefully, traffic and moods will be lighter this week. I have been trying to listen to Christmas music this week, but the stuff on the radio is god-awful crap. I AM going to try to go tomorrow night to see Corrinne May at the Peets in Tarzana. She has a most glorious voice. Her album is my new favorite of the season. I hope she has it for sale tomorrow!
Christmas is a time of reflection, or it should be. I am trying to slow down and focus on the meaning of the holiday. People are dragging out that "Jesus is the reason for the season" that really irks me. Jesus is ONE reason for the season. There are other faiths who celebrate during this time of year. You don't need to embrace them, but you should try to be as accepting of other's beliefs as you would want them to be of yours. This is particularly true of one or two of my Christian friends who get their knickers in a twist about Christmas being the ONLY holiday at this time of year. uh..... OK then. Someone asked me, as I was making latkes last week, if I celebrated Hanukkah. I replied "I'll celebrate anything" Christians conveniently forget that JESUS was Jewish. He wasn't Christian, that came after he was gone. His philosophy and his life may have started the religion, but HE himself remained Jewish.
My house is still a wreck, the tree isn't decorated and I am trying to get my act together. The place looks like Scrooge's house and I need to get it ready for celebrating. It's too bad I have to go to work this week. Work gets in the way of living, doesn't it? Hopefully, traffic and moods will be lighter this week. I have been trying to listen to Christmas music this week, but the stuff on the radio is god-awful crap. I AM going to try to go tomorrow night to see Corrinne May at the Peets in Tarzana. She has a most glorious voice. Her album is my new favorite of the season. I hope she has it for sale tomorrow!
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Rambling thoughts on a Thursday morning
I hate it when the microwave in my office tells me "Enjoy your meal" when it is done. When did machinery get so... bossy?
I'm tired and I don't think there is enough coffee in the world to keep me going today, but as usual there is a lot on my plate so, "suck it up, buttercup".
This year the holidays are bringing out the humbug in me. I seem to be going through the motions without the joy . I need to find my Merry Christmas, you know? A lot of people are feeling that way this year. I was talking to one of my co-workers about how Christmas seems to bring a sense of obligation to some people, they have to give gifts to people when they really don't want to be bothered or they have to go to parties. Sometimes it's "the cost of doing business" and you need to do certain things. It's hard sometimes to put a happy face on it and go along. Sometimes when you do that, the situation becomes much nicer than you thought it would be. I was thinking about Jacob Marley "I wear the chain I forged in life." I wonder what "chain" a lot of people drag with them through life and how we can make it lighter.
I found, via Pandora, a singer I am enjoying. Her name is Corrinne May. Her voice is so sweet and clear, like a crystal bell. I am listening to her Christmas album, "The Gift" , or part of it, on youtube. I really need to buy it, so I have it.
I think I am finished baking cookies, at least for now. I will probably make a huge batch of fudgies for Christmas and maybe one kind of cookie. I need to see what my husband would like me to do, He is so sweet about helping me. This year I baked less than usual. My oven is quirky and burned some things. Probably needs a new thermostat. Gotta talk to the landlord. I made, sugar cookies, oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, fruit cake, cranberry bread, haystacks, fudgies and fudge. I made chocolate chip cakes for my office mates. Taking it to work today, so I'd better pack and scoot. I have to get to the parking lot before 8:30 to get the discounted price!
I'm tired and I don't think there is enough coffee in the world to keep me going today, but as usual there is a lot on my plate so, "suck it up, buttercup".
This year the holidays are bringing out the humbug in me. I seem to be going through the motions without the joy . I need to find my Merry Christmas, you know? A lot of people are feeling that way this year. I was talking to one of my co-workers about how Christmas seems to bring a sense of obligation to some people, they have to give gifts to people when they really don't want to be bothered or they have to go to parties. Sometimes it's "the cost of doing business" and you need to do certain things. It's hard sometimes to put a happy face on it and go along. Sometimes when you do that, the situation becomes much nicer than you thought it would be. I was thinking about Jacob Marley "I wear the chain I forged in life." I wonder what "chain" a lot of people drag with them through life and how we can make it lighter.
I found, via Pandora, a singer I am enjoying. Her name is Corrinne May. Her voice is so sweet and clear, like a crystal bell. I am listening to her Christmas album, "The Gift" , or part of it, on youtube. I really need to buy it, so I have it.
I think I am finished baking cookies, at least for now. I will probably make a huge batch of fudgies for Christmas and maybe one kind of cookie. I need to see what my husband would like me to do, He is so sweet about helping me. This year I baked less than usual. My oven is quirky and burned some things. Probably needs a new thermostat. Gotta talk to the landlord. I made, sugar cookies, oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, fruit cake, cranberry bread, haystacks, fudgies and fudge. I made chocolate chip cakes for my office mates. Taking it to work today, so I'd better pack and scoot. I have to get to the parking lot before 8:30 to get the discounted price!
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Christmas music
I know I talked about "Christmas Music" that isn't really Christmas Music ( I forgot to mention "My Favorite things" from the Sound of Music, love the song, just not about Christmas)
I have been trying to get into the Christmas spirit, by listening to music that evokes the religious aspect of the holiday. I caught the tail end of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" last night, where Linus reads from Luke to remind Charlie Brown what Christmas is REALLY about; not presents and Santa or parties, but love. If you follow the Christian faith, Jesus birth was an act of God's great love for us. At Christmas, we should remember that and try to send that love out into the world, shouldn't we? Maybe try to remember to "keep Christmas in your heart all year long" as some hokey Hallmark movie told us to do. But it's true. At Christmas, we try to be nicer to one another. I look at this as a time of reflection and to say "thank you" to people who have been with me throughout the year. The tradition of obligatory gifts smacks me as wrong. My gifts, albeit baked things mostly these days, are gifts from my heart. I hope people enjoy them.
But as usual, I digress from my main thought which is, what songs are resonating with me this year. I heard a song called "The Answer" yesterday on Pandora. So beautiful, I need to look up the artist and get her music. Not a Christmas song either, but one about faith and love.
I have been singing "The First Noel" and "What Child Is This" in the car. I need to find my Holiday Harmony cd from my favorite band in the world, America. They have a beautiful rendition of "The First Noel" Some of the songs on the cd irritate me, but that one and "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas" does it for me. I have said it before and it bears repeating that it is NOT Christmas in my house until Nat King Cole sings "The Christmas Song" aka "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire". Chris made me stop what I was doing last night and just sit quietly and hold his hand while the song played. He saw that I needed to slow down a bit. I am too busy these days and need the quiet moments, no matter how brief. I think I need to do less and in the coming months will be looking at just how to do that!
I have been trying to get into the Christmas spirit, by listening to music that evokes the religious aspect of the holiday. I caught the tail end of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" last night, where Linus reads from Luke to remind Charlie Brown what Christmas is REALLY about; not presents and Santa or parties, but love. If you follow the Christian faith, Jesus birth was an act of God's great love for us. At Christmas, we should remember that and try to send that love out into the world, shouldn't we? Maybe try to remember to "keep Christmas in your heart all year long" as some hokey Hallmark movie told us to do. But it's true. At Christmas, we try to be nicer to one another. I look at this as a time of reflection and to say "thank you" to people who have been with me throughout the year. The tradition of obligatory gifts smacks me as wrong. My gifts, albeit baked things mostly these days, are gifts from my heart. I hope people enjoy them.
But as usual, I digress from my main thought which is, what songs are resonating with me this year. I heard a song called "The Answer" yesterday on Pandora. So beautiful, I need to look up the artist and get her music. Not a Christmas song either, but one about faith and love.
I have been singing "The First Noel" and "What Child Is This" in the car. I need to find my Holiday Harmony cd from my favorite band in the world, America. They have a beautiful rendition of "The First Noel" Some of the songs on the cd irritate me, but that one and "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas" does it for me. I have said it before and it bears repeating that it is NOT Christmas in my house until Nat King Cole sings "The Christmas Song" aka "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire". Chris made me stop what I was doing last night and just sit quietly and hold his hand while the song played. He saw that I needed to slow down a bit. I am too busy these days and need the quiet moments, no matter how brief. I think I need to do less and in the coming months will be looking at just how to do that!
Saturday, December 13, 2014
I'm making a list and checking it twice
These days, I can't seem to remember all the things I need to do, so I have become a list-maker extraordinaire. At work, I have little "p-slips" as they used to be called with stuff to do all over them. When I complete the task, I toss it in the recycle bin. Very satisfying at the end of the day to toss all those notes in the bin. At home I make a list of things and put it by the computer. I check things off and cross them out and when I am done I recycle that list too. Sometimes I don't get everything on the list done and have to decide whether to forget about doing it or transfer it to a new list.
I do too much.
I admit it. There is too much on my plate and I have NO idea how NOT to do what I think I need to do. Today I am baking cookies, packing and driving out to my daughter's house. We are supposed to go shopping at the outlets and then I am coming home tomorrow. It's a lot of driving. I am not looking forward to it, but I AM looking forward to seeing my little Squeaker. Just to snuggle a bit with my boy. He's getting big and doing all kinds of things.
How did Christmas get here so fast?
I am so not ready for it. I am trying to get into the "Christmas Spirit" but the pace of my life these days will not slow down enough for me to enjoy it. As a child, Christmas couldn't get here soon enough. As an adult,it's here before you know it. I've done SOME of my shopping, but the real baking can't begin until next week and I have three days to do it. I need to make a list ( see, a list!) of what I need to bake and what I need them for, so I can get myself scheduled and bake efficiently. Traditionally, I make oatmeal, chocolate chip and sugar cookies. I make fudgies for my husband and haystacks. I bake fruitcake that people REALLY like, and pumpkin bread and brownie bites. This year I am adding the five-minute fudge to the mix. I will probably be baking cookies Monday and Tuesday, the breads on Wednesday. I don't need to make as much as I have done in the past; one year I baked 90 dozen. This year maybe 5-6 dozen of each will do. My list will help! I usually give to neighbors and friends and take some in to work.
Want some cookies? Let me know! I'll add you to my list.
I do too much.
I admit it. There is too much on my plate and I have NO idea how NOT to do what I think I need to do. Today I am baking cookies, packing and driving out to my daughter's house. We are supposed to go shopping at the outlets and then I am coming home tomorrow. It's a lot of driving. I am not looking forward to it, but I AM looking forward to seeing my little Squeaker. Just to snuggle a bit with my boy. He's getting big and doing all kinds of things.
How did Christmas get here so fast?
I am so not ready for it. I am trying to get into the "Christmas Spirit" but the pace of my life these days will not slow down enough for me to enjoy it. As a child, Christmas couldn't get here soon enough. As an adult,it's here before you know it. I've done SOME of my shopping, but the real baking can't begin until next week and I have three days to do it. I need to make a list ( see, a list!) of what I need to bake and what I need them for, so I can get myself scheduled and bake efficiently. Traditionally, I make oatmeal, chocolate chip and sugar cookies. I make fudgies for my husband and haystacks. I bake fruitcake that people REALLY like, and pumpkin bread and brownie bites. This year I am adding the five-minute fudge to the mix. I will probably be baking cookies Monday and Tuesday, the breads on Wednesday. I don't need to make as much as I have done in the past; one year I baked 90 dozen. This year maybe 5-6 dozen of each will do. My list will help! I usually give to neighbors and friends and take some in to work.
Want some cookies? Let me know! I'll add you to my list.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
black, white and stupid
I wonder why people are trying so hard these days to make a racial "thing" out of everything. Isn't there enough REAL racism in the world today without looking for it in anything mentioning a color that is ascribed to a race?
Cases in point:
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, there was a meme going around about how "Black Friday" referred to the selling off of blacks the day after Thanksgiving to other owners, essentially holding a "Fire sale" of humans and how we should NOT participate to honor those slaves. The MAJOR flaw in that thinking is that Abraham Lincoln, remember him- the Emancipation Proclamation guy?- was the one who created Thanksgiving as a national Holiday. So.. there was NO big selling off of blacks, who were called "Negros" as a more common generic term during that period in time, if I remember my history. Black Friday is a term from BUSINESS, meaning that the sales put them "in the black" and they had made a profit. Black ink was a good thing in the ledger book.
A few years ago, Pixar announced it was developing a film, tentatively called "Brave" a small group of Native Americans, without bothering to discern the plot, protested Pixar's exploitation of Native Americans. The film was about a red-haired Scottish girl. There were lot of Scottish stereotypes in the film, but those exist in literature as comic relief or to move the story along, don't they? You don't say everyone behaves this way, but you paint a character with a large and somewhat unbelievable brush to make the tale move.
White Christmas????? There is a huge protest about the singing of the song in New York recently. Uh.... it's about SNOW and a nostalgia for the snowy Christmas of the past. It has nothing to do with pale people like myself celebrating the birth of Christ with only other pale people like myself.
I think we should look at real issues and try not to make a mountain out of a molehill, although I will admit to being hacked off at the term "Paddy Wagon" that was used by LAPD as a St Patrick's Day free ride program. "Paddy" is a pejorative term for an Irishman. Every year I would call and talk to the officer in charge about how insulting that was to Irish people. He didn't care, but eventually they stopped using it. The inference that they needed a special vehicle to lock up all the drunken Irishmen was not something that should have been associated with what is for Irish Catholics, a holy day. Here in America, it's a day to drink green beer.
Don't get me started on the little "Fighting Irish" guy that represents Notre Dame.....
Cases in point:
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, there was a meme going around about how "Black Friday" referred to the selling off of blacks the day after Thanksgiving to other owners, essentially holding a "Fire sale" of humans and how we should NOT participate to honor those slaves. The MAJOR flaw in that thinking is that Abraham Lincoln, remember him- the Emancipation Proclamation guy?- was the one who created Thanksgiving as a national Holiday. So.. there was NO big selling off of blacks, who were called "Negros" as a more common generic term during that period in time, if I remember my history. Black Friday is a term from BUSINESS, meaning that the sales put them "in the black" and they had made a profit. Black ink was a good thing in the ledger book.
A few years ago, Pixar announced it was developing a film, tentatively called "Brave" a small group of Native Americans, without bothering to discern the plot, protested Pixar's exploitation of Native Americans. The film was about a red-haired Scottish girl. There were lot of Scottish stereotypes in the film, but those exist in literature as comic relief or to move the story along, don't they? You don't say everyone behaves this way, but you paint a character with a large and somewhat unbelievable brush to make the tale move.
White Christmas????? There is a huge protest about the singing of the song in New York recently. Uh.... it's about SNOW and a nostalgia for the snowy Christmas of the past. It has nothing to do with pale people like myself celebrating the birth of Christ with only other pale people like myself.
I think we should look at real issues and try not to make a mountain out of a molehill, although I will admit to being hacked off at the term "Paddy Wagon" that was used by LAPD as a St Patrick's Day free ride program. "Paddy" is a pejorative term for an Irishman. Every year I would call and talk to the officer in charge about how insulting that was to Irish people. He didn't care, but eventually they stopped using it. The inference that they needed a special vehicle to lock up all the drunken Irishmen was not something that should have been associated with what is for Irish Catholics, a holy day. Here in America, it's a day to drink green beer.
Don't get me started on the little "Fighting Irish" guy that represents Notre Dame.....
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Keyboard warriors
The Executive Director of my union used the phrase "Keyboard Warrior" to define people who sit and complain on the web or via email, but don't actually DO anything about the problem. In the last week, I have received TWO such missives from people regarding a group I am involved in. I would like to answer them in a snarky way but must maintain my professional distance, however I am feeling a bit evil so here is a generic response.
"Thank you so much for taking time to point out the obvious. Your powers of observation are astonishing. Are you a genius? Without your keen insight to the problem we have been working to resolve for the last several months, we would NEVER have KNOWN there was a problem. Your offer of help.. wait there was no offer of help in your letter...let me start that again.. your solution to the problem was... oh WAIT AGAIN, you didn't OFFER a solution, you just sat at your keyboard and complained. Gee, THAT was helpful of you. I suppose I should just say, thank you for your input. Do you also bring coals to Newcastle?"
There I feel better.
When a problem appears, if I complain to the management, I often am sympathetic and try to offer some sort of remedy. It's something I learned in business practices early on. A co-worker warned me NEVER to go to a certain boss with a problem unless I had one or two possible solutions. He said it showed her that I was thinking about it, not just reacting to it. I am, by nature, a problem solver which has served me well in my current job and in many facets of my life. I hope never to be considered a "Keyboard Warrior" but a do-er in the world.
"Thank you so much for taking time to point out the obvious. Your powers of observation are astonishing. Are you a genius? Without your keen insight to the problem we have been working to resolve for the last several months, we would NEVER have KNOWN there was a problem. Your offer of help.. wait there was no offer of help in your letter...let me start that again.. your solution to the problem was... oh WAIT AGAIN, you didn't OFFER a solution, you just sat at your keyboard and complained. Gee, THAT was helpful of you. I suppose I should just say, thank you for your input. Do you also bring coals to Newcastle?"
There I feel better.
When a problem appears, if I complain to the management, I often am sympathetic and try to offer some sort of remedy. It's something I learned in business practices early on. A co-worker warned me NEVER to go to a certain boss with a problem unless I had one or two possible solutions. He said it showed her that I was thinking about it, not just reacting to it. I am, by nature, a problem solver which has served me well in my current job and in many facets of my life. I hope never to be considered a "Keyboard Warrior" but a do-er in the world.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
"Christmas" songs
Well, it's that time of year again. Everywhere you go they are playing "Christmas " music. Some of it is so awful, I wan to flee the place where I am just to get away from it. It seems everyone who ever sang has recorded some kind of Christmas song. Some of them are quite good. I love James Taylor's "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas" for instance, but I love James' voice so MOST things he does are just fine with me. We were in a restaurant and they were treating us to "Country" Christmas. Some of it was ok, but one song had so much vibrato on every single note, it was painful. I think it was Carrie Underwood, who has a nice voice in most circumstances. Chris and I leaned in closer to talk to block the noise out.
It got me thinking about the songs we sing at Christmas and what "Christmas" songs are not really about Christmas. I don't mean songs that don't talk about the birth of Jesus, which despite rampant consumerism, is the meaning behind the holiday. The word holiday itself comes from "holy day" , doesn't it? So in no particular order:
Winter Wonderland. Yeah. Go back and listen to it. No mention of Christmas.
Jingle Bells. All about a sleigh ride.
Sleigh Ride. Ditto.
Good King Wenceslas. One of my favorite "carols" to sing when I go caroling, which I have not done in ages. It does not mention Christmas, but does talk about "the Feast of Stephen" which is the day AFTER Christmas.
Let it Snow. It's about a hot date.
Frosty the Snowman. This goes without saying, but it shows up at "Christmas" concerts on a regular basis.
I will be doing my holiday baking in the next week or so. I am baking for the McGroarty Holiday Boutique, where we will be doing a cookie decorating booth on Sunday; Saturday is the Chili-bowl sale and a bake sale. I am not sure what I am baking for that, depends on my mood, I suppose. I will be listening to Christmas music as I bake. As always, Nat King Cole will usher in the season for me. It is NOT Christmas in my house until Nat sings. I bake a lot over the holidays. I know I will be baking my mom's fruitcake. Before you knee-jerk about fruitcake, I have to tell you it's really good ( or I wouldn't bake it, you don't catch me making stollen, which is just god-awful) Stop by the house and I will load you up on cookies!
It got me thinking about the songs we sing at Christmas and what "Christmas" songs are not really about Christmas. I don't mean songs that don't talk about the birth of Jesus, which despite rampant consumerism, is the meaning behind the holiday. The word holiday itself comes from "holy day" , doesn't it? So in no particular order:
Winter Wonderland. Yeah. Go back and listen to it. No mention of Christmas.
Jingle Bells. All about a sleigh ride.
Sleigh Ride. Ditto.
Good King Wenceslas. One of my favorite "carols" to sing when I go caroling, which I have not done in ages. It does not mention Christmas, but does talk about "the Feast of Stephen" which is the day AFTER Christmas.
Let it Snow. It's about a hot date.
Frosty the Snowman. This goes without saying, but it shows up at "Christmas" concerts on a regular basis.
I will be doing my holiday baking in the next week or so. I am baking for the McGroarty Holiday Boutique, where we will be doing a cookie decorating booth on Sunday; Saturday is the Chili-bowl sale and a bake sale. I am not sure what I am baking for that, depends on my mood, I suppose. I will be listening to Christmas music as I bake. As always, Nat King Cole will usher in the season for me. It is NOT Christmas in my house until Nat sings. I bake a lot over the holidays. I know I will be baking my mom's fruitcake. Before you knee-jerk about fruitcake, I have to tell you it's really good ( or I wouldn't bake it, you don't catch me making stollen, which is just god-awful) Stop by the house and I will load you up on cookies!
Monday, December 1, 2014
What happened to manners?
I swear, I think I am getting old. I wonder these days what ever happened to common civility and manners. Can I blame technology?
People walk down the street with their eyes glued to the screen on their phone; they don't look where they are going. When you say, rather loudly "EXCUSE ME" before they barrel into you, they look up and often times as not GLARE at you, as if YOU are the problem. Heaven forbid you should interrupt their VERY IMPORTANT text message about a sale at Macy's.... My husband calls it the Zombie apocalypse.
More than once this weekend, in restaurants, I have wanted to walk over to grown adults and say "USE YOUR INSIDE VOICE" This is particularly true of people who still do the "cell yell" I am not sitting with you, I don't need to hear the details of your conversation from across the room. One woman was having a conversation with a woman she was sitting with at a tiny table that was so loud I wondered if she were talking on her cell phone, but no she was shouting at her dinner companion about a party she was planning. I wanted to ask her what time we should all be there and what I should bring.
As we approach the frantic holiday season, even the grocery store is hard to navigate. Every year I complain that there is so much CRAP piled in the aisles that you can't get a cart down it. I have been know to move displays to the center of the aisle to get to the thing one the shelf - that is NOT what is in the display- and LEAVE IT THERE. Complaint to the store, only result in change for the moment. Once they had so much product piled in front of the shelves you couldn't GET to the shelves. Any of them in this particular aisle. I realize you may have too much stock, but you aren't going to sell it that way. Sometimes I worry that the place is a fire hazard, or the Collyer Mansion.
My invisibility superpower is in full force in the stores. Yesterday, this woman sailed her cart down the center of the aisle, almost hitting me. "EXCUSE ME! I called out to her, as proper manners SHOULD have elicited a similar response, but NO, she didn't even acknowledge my presence. Hmm, I wonder how I can use this superpower for good in the coming month of holiday insanity. I have to think about that one.
People walk down the street with their eyes glued to the screen on their phone; they don't look where they are going. When you say, rather loudly "EXCUSE ME" before they barrel into you, they look up and often times as not GLARE at you, as if YOU are the problem. Heaven forbid you should interrupt their VERY IMPORTANT text message about a sale at Macy's.... My husband calls it the Zombie apocalypse.
More than once this weekend, in restaurants, I have wanted to walk over to grown adults and say "USE YOUR INSIDE VOICE" This is particularly true of people who still do the "cell yell" I am not sitting with you, I don't need to hear the details of your conversation from across the room. One woman was having a conversation with a woman she was sitting with at a tiny table that was so loud I wondered if she were talking on her cell phone, but no she was shouting at her dinner companion about a party she was planning. I wanted to ask her what time we should all be there and what I should bring.
As we approach the frantic holiday season, even the grocery store is hard to navigate. Every year I complain that there is so much CRAP piled in the aisles that you can't get a cart down it. I have been know to move displays to the center of the aisle to get to the thing one the shelf - that is NOT what is in the display- and LEAVE IT THERE. Complaint to the store, only result in change for the moment. Once they had so much product piled in front of the shelves you couldn't GET to the shelves. Any of them in this particular aisle. I realize you may have too much stock, but you aren't going to sell it that way. Sometimes I worry that the place is a fire hazard, or the Collyer Mansion.
My invisibility superpower is in full force in the stores. Yesterday, this woman sailed her cart down the center of the aisle, almost hitting me. "EXCUSE ME! I called out to her, as proper manners SHOULD have elicited a similar response, but NO, she didn't even acknowledge my presence. Hmm, I wonder how I can use this superpower for good in the coming month of holiday insanity. I have to think about that one.
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