if you haven't read the post "writing about writing" then do that before reading this one.
this afternoon i decided to look around the attic to see if i could find my file box that i kept stuff in that i had written and sure enough there was the short story i thought i had lost. i had to stand there in the attic and reread the whole thing.
i suppose i have written better since, but when you think something you've written is lost is becomes larger than life, pulitzer prize winning work.
i also discovered the portfolio of my final assignment for my 12th grade creative writing class. i was afraid to even get that one out of the box!
and since i was asked... the excerpt in the last post is from book 2 (remember i haven't finished book 1 yet) about a warrior woman that becomes a queen. i did say i loved to write fantasy.
God's peace y'all
searching for the sacred
Thursday, February 07, 2008
writing about writing
i wasn’t exactly tagged by the pobble, but since she said she was interested i will do my best.
What is the last thing you wrote? a sermon for ash wednesday.
Was it any good? actually i think it was… you can always read it for yourself
What’s the first thing you ever wrote that you still have? i would have to searching through boxes in the attic to answer that.
Write poetry? i used to, but i was horrible at it.
Angsty poetry? please see the above answer
Favorite genre of writing? fiction, but rarely ever get to write it.
Most fun character you ever created? don’t know about “fun” but my favorite is a man named olin
Most annoying character you ever created? a guy at a diner who insists on playing the same song on the jukebox over and over again.
Best plot you ever created? well, hopefully it’s the one i’m working on
Coolest plot twist you ever created? the birth control berry
How often do you get writers block? every saturday night
Write fan fiction? nope
Do you type or write by hand? yes
Do you save everything you write? i try to, but invariably things get lost
Do you ever go back to an old idea long after you have abandoned it? i hope to go back to the book someday… does that count?
What’s your favorite thing that you’ve written? alas, a short story i can no longer find
What’s everyone else’s favorite story that you’ve written? hmm, i don’t know
Do you ever show people your work? well, people get to hear what write every week, but yes, i often share… i’m needy that way
Did you ever write a novel? someday…
Ever written romance or teen angsty drama? yes, when i was a teen
What’s your favorite setting for your characters? fantasy lands where i can make anything happen
How many writing projects are you working on right now? well, if you go back to the two books i have started… and i have another sermon due on sunday.
Do you want to write for a living? in a way i already do, but that’s what i’d like to do when i retire
Have you ever won an award for your writing? when i was in 8th grade i won a contest for the zoo for an essay i wrote on teddy bears. i still have the mug i got as a prize
Ever written something in script or play format? yes
What are your five favorite words? i love them all, but i am fond of the word: cryptic
Do you ever write based on yourself? i’m sure i do
What character have you created that most resembles yourself? all of them have something of me in them
Where do you get your ideas for your other characters? they are just born
Do you ever write based on your dreams? you mean the kind you have when you are sleeping?
Do you favor happy endings, sad endings, or cliff hangers? i’ve never been a fan of cliff hangers, though i do enjoy endings that aren’t neatly tied up in a bow.
Have you ever written based on an artwork you’ve seen? no
Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write? only because of the squiggly lines my computer makes on the screen when i do something wrong. can’t stand those lines.
Ever write something entirely in chatspeak? no
Entirely in L337? good Lord, why would anybody do that?
Does music help you write? no
Quote something you’ve written. this would be from the second book:
My father was a soldier, but then so was my mother back in the time when the great lands were at war and unnamed. The moment I could lift my newborn head my mother strapped me to her back and followed behind his regiment; her body tensing each time he followed the charge into battle. If it was for fear of his death or desire to join the fight I do not know, nor do I know for which side she prayed for victory to be granted.
She had been the enemy and captured; given to my father as a prize for bravery by his commander because he had said that only my father could tame her. I suspected that she grew to love him as she grew to desire peace for lands constantly divided by the pettiness of warlords.
After each battle we would sort through the dead and wounded looking for him, but my father was indestructible though scars decorated his body like trophies or medals he would display with pride. I was his only child and never once did I believe that he would have preferred a boy to the girl that I was. And if my mother grew to love him he loved her as well, weeping openly at her grave more so than I cried for her. She died in childbirth, a battle of its own kind that produced only another death; brother or sister I was never told. Its little body was wrapped up with my mother’s and lowered into the ground amid whispers that she had been too old to bear another child. Her burial was more than most received at the time; the countryside was covered with mass graves filled with warriors and peasants alike.
I grew up in death, not a life for a young girl, but it was mine and I embraced it.
anyone else wanna play?
What is the last thing you wrote? a sermon for ash wednesday.
Was it any good? actually i think it was… you can always read it for yourself
What’s the first thing you ever wrote that you still have? i would have to searching through boxes in the attic to answer that.
Write poetry? i used to, but i was horrible at it.
Angsty poetry? please see the above answer
Favorite genre of writing? fiction, but rarely ever get to write it.
Most fun character you ever created? don’t know about “fun” but my favorite is a man named olin
Most annoying character you ever created? a guy at a diner who insists on playing the same song on the jukebox over and over again.
Best plot you ever created? well, hopefully it’s the one i’m working on
Coolest plot twist you ever created? the birth control berry
How often do you get writers block? every saturday night
Write fan fiction? nope
Do you type or write by hand? yes
Do you save everything you write? i try to, but invariably things get lost
Do you ever go back to an old idea long after you have abandoned it? i hope to go back to the book someday… does that count?
What’s your favorite thing that you’ve written? alas, a short story i can no longer find
What’s everyone else’s favorite story that you’ve written? hmm, i don’t know
Do you ever show people your work? well, people get to hear what write every week, but yes, i often share… i’m needy that way
Did you ever write a novel? someday…
Ever written romance or teen angsty drama? yes, when i was a teen
What’s your favorite setting for your characters? fantasy lands where i can make anything happen
How many writing projects are you working on right now? well, if you go back to the two books i have started… and i have another sermon due on sunday.
Do you want to write for a living? in a way i already do, but that’s what i’d like to do when i retire
Have you ever won an award for your writing? when i was in 8th grade i won a contest for the zoo for an essay i wrote on teddy bears. i still have the mug i got as a prize
Ever written something in script or play format? yes
What are your five favorite words? i love them all, but i am fond of the word: cryptic
Do you ever write based on yourself? i’m sure i do
What character have you created that most resembles yourself? all of them have something of me in them
Where do you get your ideas for your other characters? they are just born
Do you ever write based on your dreams? you mean the kind you have when you are sleeping?
Do you favor happy endings, sad endings, or cliff hangers? i’ve never been a fan of cliff hangers, though i do enjoy endings that aren’t neatly tied up in a bow.
Have you ever written based on an artwork you’ve seen? no
Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write? only because of the squiggly lines my computer makes on the screen when i do something wrong. can’t stand those lines.
Ever write something entirely in chatspeak? no
Entirely in L337? good Lord, why would anybody do that?
Does music help you write? no
Quote something you’ve written. this would be from the second book:
My father was a soldier, but then so was my mother back in the time when the great lands were at war and unnamed. The moment I could lift my newborn head my mother strapped me to her back and followed behind his regiment; her body tensing each time he followed the charge into battle. If it was for fear of his death or desire to join the fight I do not know, nor do I know for which side she prayed for victory to be granted.
She had been the enemy and captured; given to my father as a prize for bravery by his commander because he had said that only my father could tame her. I suspected that she grew to love him as she grew to desire peace for lands constantly divided by the pettiness of warlords.
After each battle we would sort through the dead and wounded looking for him, but my father was indestructible though scars decorated his body like trophies or medals he would display with pride. I was his only child and never once did I believe that he would have preferred a boy to the girl that I was. And if my mother grew to love him he loved her as well, weeping openly at her grave more so than I cried for her. She died in childbirth, a battle of its own kind that produced only another death; brother or sister I was never told. Its little body was wrapped up with my mother’s and lowered into the ground amid whispers that she had been too old to bear another child. Her burial was more than most received at the time; the countryside was covered with mass graves filled with warriors and peasants alike.
I grew up in death, not a life for a young girl, but it was mine and I embraced it.
anyone else wanna play?
God's peace y'all
Friday, February 01, 2008
what kind of world do you want
i've now gotten this link for more than the tenth time in my email. i've also been alerted to it via a message board i frequent.
yes, five for fighting is donating $.49 to autism speaks for each time the video is viewed and that's great.. and you should all go clink on the link... really, because it's wonderful.
and yes, i appreciate all the people who have seen it and thought of me... but i already know about the video and have watched it several times. i think i saw it for the first time a year ago... when the band first created the site.
so please, no one has to forward it to me anymore... if you want to forward it... please do.. just to someone else. the band (according to the email) wants over 10,000 hits and i can't do it all myself.
God's peace y'all
yes, five for fighting is donating $.49 to autism speaks for each time the video is viewed and that's great.. and you should all go clink on the link... really, because it's wonderful.
and yes, i appreciate all the people who have seen it and thought of me... but i already know about the video and have watched it several times. i think i saw it for the first time a year ago... when the band first created the site.
so please, no one has to forward it to me anymore... if you want to forward it... please do.. just to someone else. the band (according to the email) wants over 10,000 hits and i can't do it all myself.
God's peace y'all
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
a day in the life
like i was saying, not long ago one of my high school friends found me. (actually 2 have found me but that's another story). he was a year ahead of me and one of my dearest friends. we were a part of the popular crowd only because we really liked one another and could care less what other people thought. honestly, my high school had lots of clicks, but no real popular crowd and i was lucky to be able to hang out with other groups of people.
i grew up in philly and philly is all about the neighborhoods, which when i was in high school were still pretty ethnic. each group had their own space at the school. for example, if i remember correctly, the east lawn was where the south philly italians hung out and the south lawn was where the punks hung out. (but it was a long time ago and i could be remembering the lawns wrong).
i do know that i spent a lot of time on both lawns and in other areas of the school and i don't ever remember there being territorial debates about who was welcome where.
but back to my point... in our emails back and forth to reacquaint ourselves he asked me what a pastor does and i have been trying to find time to actually sit down and explain my job. it occured to me that perhaps i had already done that since at the end of every year and the start of a new one i have to write an annual report that includes all the stuff i did over the last year. here's an edited version with the edits in italics.
there are three pieces to the pastor pie: congregational, synodical (a geographical area of churches headed by a bishop), and community (while this is typically the area around the church it can also be national or international.)
Congregational:
I served on all committees of the church including the Church Council and Childcare board; taught adult forum and confirmation classes, preached, presided, and planned all worship or provided supplies; visited the sick, shut-ins, and other members; performed 3 weddings (1 of non-members); supervised all lay staff (secreatry and the staff of the childcare); held office hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays (Thursdays in 2008 will be used for visitation days); managed the insurance for the flooding at the rental house; Attended Borough Board meetings in regards to the rental house (a house the church owns, once rented, and now is trying to sell); trained in Kids, Money, and Stuff (a stewardship program for children and youth) for continuing education; organized the booth for and attended the Harvest Moon Festival; and designed and maintained the new website for the church. (i also do funerals, but while may people died in 2007, none of them were from my congregation.)
Community:
I participated in the Ecumenical Ministerium (the other churches in town) by attending meetings, preaching at the Thanksgiving and Good Friday Services and speaking at the Virginia Tech Memorial Service; I led worship services at 5 different nursing homes and or rehabilitation centers; Represented the church and childcare at the Duck Race Dinner, gave the invocation at the Memorial Day Parade (I even marched in it) and at an Eagle Scout Ceremony; submitted a sermon for Voices (a local community paper); walked during the Crop Walk (a walk to raise money for hunger), and maintained our relationship with the other lutheran church in town through the Gardener Cooperative with joint services for an Animal Blessing and Ash Wednesday as well as a week of VBS.
Synodical:
I attended weekly pericope studies (the bible readings for sunday) with other area pastors to prepare for preaching, attended meetings of our Conference, served on the Synod Worship Team, attended Synod Assembly where I assisted with worship; and attended 1 ordination and two installations of area pastors.
so there is just a taste of what i do. of course each and every day is different. today i have to work on the service for ash wednesday which means putting together the bulletin and beginning to prepare to write a sermon (sermon preparation/writing takes a minimum of 8 hours each week, but usually no more than 10). and i have a huge load of filling i'd like to get done when i go over to the office.
guess i'd better get to work.
God's peace y'all
i grew up in philly and philly is all about the neighborhoods, which when i was in high school were still pretty ethnic. each group had their own space at the school. for example, if i remember correctly, the east lawn was where the south philly italians hung out and the south lawn was where the punks hung out. (but it was a long time ago and i could be remembering the lawns wrong).
i do know that i spent a lot of time on both lawns and in other areas of the school and i don't ever remember there being territorial debates about who was welcome where.
but back to my point... in our emails back and forth to reacquaint ourselves he asked me what a pastor does and i have been trying to find time to actually sit down and explain my job. it occured to me that perhaps i had already done that since at the end of every year and the start of a new one i have to write an annual report that includes all the stuff i did over the last year. here's an edited version with the edits in italics.
there are three pieces to the pastor pie: congregational, synodical (a geographical area of churches headed by a bishop), and community (while this is typically the area around the church it can also be national or international.)
Congregational:
I served on all committees of the church including the Church Council and Childcare board; taught adult forum and confirmation classes, preached, presided, and planned all worship or provided supplies; visited the sick, shut-ins, and other members; performed 3 weddings (1 of non-members); supervised all lay staff (secreatry and the staff of the childcare); held office hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays (Thursdays in 2008 will be used for visitation days); managed the insurance for the flooding at the rental house; Attended Borough Board meetings in regards to the rental house (a house the church owns, once rented, and now is trying to sell); trained in Kids, Money, and Stuff (a stewardship program for children and youth) for continuing education; organized the booth for and attended the Harvest Moon Festival; and designed and maintained the new website for the church. (i also do funerals, but while may people died in 2007, none of them were from my congregation.)
Community:
I participated in the Ecumenical Ministerium (the other churches in town) by attending meetings, preaching at the Thanksgiving and Good Friday Services and speaking at the Virginia Tech Memorial Service; I led worship services at 5 different nursing homes and or rehabilitation centers; Represented the church and childcare at the Duck Race Dinner, gave the invocation at the Memorial Day Parade (I even marched in it) and at an Eagle Scout Ceremony; submitted a sermon for Voices (a local community paper); walked during the Crop Walk (a walk to raise money for hunger), and maintained our relationship with the other lutheran church in town through the Gardener Cooperative with joint services for an Animal Blessing and Ash Wednesday as well as a week of VBS.
Synodical:
I attended weekly pericope studies (the bible readings for sunday) with other area pastors to prepare for preaching, attended meetings of our Conference, served on the Synod Worship Team, attended Synod Assembly where I assisted with worship; and attended 1 ordination and two installations of area pastors.
so there is just a taste of what i do. of course each and every day is different. today i have to work on the service for ash wednesday which means putting together the bulletin and beginning to prepare to write a sermon (sermon preparation/writing takes a minimum of 8 hours each week, but usually no more than 10). and i have a huge load of filling i'd like to get done when i go over to the office.
guess i'd better get to work.
God's peace y'all
Monday, January 28, 2008
we're having a heat wave
well, not really all that hot, but the heat is up and running today. the plumbers (yes, plural) suggested that i pray over it so i laid my hands on the *&#% thing and called out, "BE HEALED!"
and after they worked on it for almost 2 hours it was working again.
we still need a new furnance, which will include needing a new chimney and major electrical work, but the house is actually warm again!
God's peace y'all
and after they worked on it for almost 2 hours it was working again.
we still need a new furnance, which will include needing a new chimney and major electrical work, but the house is actually warm again!
God's peace y'all
Friday, January 25, 2008
chilly willy
there have been a lot of things going through my mind that i've been meaning to blog about. a dear friend from high school just got in touch with me. i hadn't heard from him since i graduated high school... which was a long time ago. when i told him that i was a pastor he responded with "it's hard to imagine anyone i went to high school with becoming a pastor. what does a pastor do?"
so i've been thinking that would be a good topic for a post. few people really get just what kind of stuff i do... but right now i am too cold to try to put together any kind of list like that.
why am i cold?
well, it all started last night when i sat down to watch pan's labyrinth (which was very good) and realized that i was freezing... so i cranked up the heat and huddled under the covers to read subtitles. by the end of the movie i decided that it had started to heat up and i turned the thermostat down to 69-70 degrees for the night.
when hubby woke up this morning it was 50 degrees in the house.
we cranked the heat back up and i checked the pilot in the basement for the 3rd time... it was lit... and we went on with our day.
it was when i got back from lunch with hubby (we had a little date at the olive garden... yummy salad, bread sticks, and soup) that i decided to call the plumber.
now here's something pastor-ish... i live in a parsonage, which means that the house belongs to the church. i pay utilities, but no rent and when something goes snafooey the church has to handle it.
well, it seems that the heater is older than the house. ok, i'm exaggerating and the house had originally been heated with coal, but this is besides the point because the plumber can't fix the problem because he doesn't have parts that old.
here's the problem: the pilot is lit, but the burner isn't lighting. so heating the house is much like trying to cook something on a gas stove by the heat of the pilot flame.
hence... i am chilly willy.
i have the heat set at 80 and it's about 60 degrees in the house. and oh, it's below freezing outside.
the good news is that the plumber called one of his other plumber friends who works more with gas than oil, which is his specialty, who thinks that he might be able to do something to fix the problem for now, but he can't come until monday morning.
i'm praying (yes, another thing i do as a pastor) that he will be able to do something to get the heat working for now because clearly the next step is to replace the heater, which is not as simple as it sounds and far more expensive than i care to think about.
all this after the kids have been sick off and on for the last week or so. that in and of itself is post worthy because of the goat rodeo that was...
... so i am off to put on two pairs of jammies, set up the electric heaters i borrowed, and watch what i hope will be a semi-entertaining movie.
stay warm and God's peace y'all
so i've been thinking that would be a good topic for a post. few people really get just what kind of stuff i do... but right now i am too cold to try to put together any kind of list like that.
why am i cold?
well, it all started last night when i sat down to watch pan's labyrinth (which was very good) and realized that i was freezing... so i cranked up the heat and huddled under the covers to read subtitles. by the end of the movie i decided that it had started to heat up and i turned the thermostat down to 69-70 degrees for the night.
when hubby woke up this morning it was 50 degrees in the house.
we cranked the heat back up and i checked the pilot in the basement for the 3rd time... it was lit... and we went on with our day.
it was when i got back from lunch with hubby (we had a little date at the olive garden... yummy salad, bread sticks, and soup) that i decided to call the plumber.
now here's something pastor-ish... i live in a parsonage, which means that the house belongs to the church. i pay utilities, but no rent and when something goes snafooey the church has to handle it.
well, it seems that the heater is older than the house. ok, i'm exaggerating and the house had originally been heated with coal, but this is besides the point because the plumber can't fix the problem because he doesn't have parts that old.
here's the problem: the pilot is lit, but the burner isn't lighting. so heating the house is much like trying to cook something on a gas stove by the heat of the pilot flame.
hence... i am chilly willy.
i have the heat set at 80 and it's about 60 degrees in the house. and oh, it's below freezing outside.
the good news is that the plumber called one of his other plumber friends who works more with gas than oil, which is his specialty, who thinks that he might be able to do something to fix the problem for now, but he can't come until monday morning.
i'm praying (yes, another thing i do as a pastor) that he will be able to do something to get the heat working for now because clearly the next step is to replace the heater, which is not as simple as it sounds and far more expensive than i care to think about.
all this after the kids have been sick off and on for the last week or so. that in and of itself is post worthy because of the goat rodeo that was...
... so i am off to put on two pairs of jammies, set up the electric heaters i borrowed, and watch what i hope will be a semi-entertaining movie.
stay warm and God's peace y'all
Monday, January 21, 2008
ode to a good night's sleep
ok, this isn't going to be a poem (poetry has never really been my thing), but rather just an update on the whole sleep thing and how i haven't gotten much for some time now.
i seem to be going to sleep later and later lately. the lights had been going out at midnight, but now i don't seem to be getting to sleep until after 2am. don't know why except that i seem to dread the idea of tying to fall asleep and so i'm staying up later and later in hopes of it being easier to actually fall asleep once in bed. ha.
on thursday we took the prince to the dr's for a follow-up on his ears which continue to get infections. it sounds as though we will be seeing an ear, nose, and throat dr to determine whether or not to get tubes. while i really don't want to do it i'm almost relieved at the thought that maybe this is going to solve some of the issues the poor kid has with his ears.
while at the dr's office the prince fell asleep on my lap in the exam room. the night before he had been up partying: jumping on the bed, laughing, getting into all his toys. i figured he was tired after his late night and didn't ask the nurse or dr to check his temperature even though i did think he was a bit warm.
later hubby and i decided that we have amazing instincts with the kids, but are too stupid to follow through with them.
this we decided after taking the prince home and my informing hubby that he had thrown up in his bed several times and why didn't i mention to the dr that i thought he was warm!
he slept most of the day and night, waking up to eat some toast and an apple, but we kept him home from school the next day to be on the safe side.
friday night i went to bed like usual, but the prince wouldn't let me stay in bed. he cried most of the night and my instincts failed me as to why. after getting about 3 hours of sleep i got up to get on with my saturday, which was a work day.
i tried to get into bed before midnight and actually succeeded, except that i was up with him 4 times. when i talked to a friend about it later she suggested that maybe he was having night terrors which would account for the fact that at one point he was running up and down the halls shrieking bloody murder.
after no more sleep than the night before i woke up at 8am to get on with my sunday, also a work day. thankfully i was able to take a nap in the afternoon and while the prince got me out of bed twice before 1am he either slept through the rest of the night or i slept through his not sleeping through the night. (though i am guessing he slept since i find it physically impossible to sleep through either of the kids crying.)
another bit of news is that his lead levels are still about the same, though his body burden did drop a bit his blood level is still below the number where they would chelate him. we'll see the ent the same day as we take him to the lead clinic. hopefully they will go up just enough for a short treatment to get things moving.
now it is time to finish the bedtime routine and read a book with the princess kitty so we can write a book report by the end of the month. and maybe... just maybe i'll get some sleep tonight.
God's peace y'all
i seem to be going to sleep later and later lately. the lights had been going out at midnight, but now i don't seem to be getting to sleep until after 2am. don't know why except that i seem to dread the idea of tying to fall asleep and so i'm staying up later and later in hopes of it being easier to actually fall asleep once in bed. ha.
on thursday we took the prince to the dr's for a follow-up on his ears which continue to get infections. it sounds as though we will be seeing an ear, nose, and throat dr to determine whether or not to get tubes. while i really don't want to do it i'm almost relieved at the thought that maybe this is going to solve some of the issues the poor kid has with his ears.
while at the dr's office the prince fell asleep on my lap in the exam room. the night before he had been up partying: jumping on the bed, laughing, getting into all his toys. i figured he was tired after his late night and didn't ask the nurse or dr to check his temperature even though i did think he was a bit warm.
later hubby and i decided that we have amazing instincts with the kids, but are too stupid to follow through with them.
this we decided after taking the prince home and my informing hubby that he had thrown up in his bed several times and why didn't i mention to the dr that i thought he was warm!
he slept most of the day and night, waking up to eat some toast and an apple, but we kept him home from school the next day to be on the safe side.
friday night i went to bed like usual, but the prince wouldn't let me stay in bed. he cried most of the night and my instincts failed me as to why. after getting about 3 hours of sleep i got up to get on with my saturday, which was a work day.
i tried to get into bed before midnight and actually succeeded, except that i was up with him 4 times. when i talked to a friend about it later she suggested that maybe he was having night terrors which would account for the fact that at one point he was running up and down the halls shrieking bloody murder.
after no more sleep than the night before i woke up at 8am to get on with my sunday, also a work day. thankfully i was able to take a nap in the afternoon and while the prince got me out of bed twice before 1am he either slept through the rest of the night or i slept through his not sleeping through the night. (though i am guessing he slept since i find it physically impossible to sleep through either of the kids crying.)
another bit of news is that his lead levels are still about the same, though his body burden did drop a bit his blood level is still below the number where they would chelate him. we'll see the ent the same day as we take him to the lead clinic. hopefully they will go up just enough for a short treatment to get things moving.
now it is time to finish the bedtime routine and read a book with the princess kitty so we can write a book report by the end of the month. and maybe... just maybe i'll get some sleep tonight.
God's peace y'all
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
misery is a butterfly or don't you want me baby?
bds over at two dollar productions recommended this meme and I thought, hey cool I should do that… then the pobble did it and I couldn’t resist.
The rules:
1. Put your music player on Shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER WHAT. (This is in capital letters, so it is very serious.)
4. Add editorial comments in parenthesis after most song names.
(ok, so here is the 1st parenthesis… i have several play lists on my music player including one that is entitled “jesus rocks” with all my gospel music, but the two lists i listen to most are my contemporary music and my 80’s music, so i had to do this twice. the first answer is from the playlist that i listen to most, the second is from my 80’s list)
1. IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY? Beautiful Disaster - 311
Just Like Honey- The Jesus and Mary Chain
2. WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY? Believe- Red Hot Chili Pepers
Should I Stay or Should I Go? The Clash
3. WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL? Bitterweet Symphony- The verve Pipe
Love is a Battlefield- Pat Benatar
4. HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY? Epiphany- Staind (well, it was tuesday when i got this answer and hubby always says i have epiphanies on tuesdays)
Crazy For You- Madonna (actually, just crazy)
5. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE? Cobrastyle Teddy Bears (i seriously thought about skipping this one, but i followed the rules)
Vacation- Go Gos
6. WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO? I Write Sins Not Tragedies- Panic! At the Disco (ok, this one made me giggle)
Moments in Love- Art of Noise
7. WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU? Mother Mother- Tracy Bonham
Psycho Killer- Talking Heads (i need to have a long talk with my friends)
8. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS? No Way Out- The Foo Fighters
Stupid Girl- Garbage (no i don't, honest!)
9. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN? Hole in the Earth- Deftones (there’s a hole in the earth? i never thought of that)
Do You Really Want To Hurt Me- Culture Club (i think i might have some issues)
10. WHAT IS 2+2? Oh! Gravity- Switchfoot
Right here Right Now- Jesus Jones
11. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND? When Your Heart Stops Beating- Plus 44
I Wanna Be Sedated- The Ramones
12. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE? The Kill- 30 Seconds to Mars
Relax- Frankie Goes to Hollywood
13. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY? Don’t Lose Touch- Against Me
Golden Years- David Bowie (i'm not even 40 yet - golden years... geeze!)
14. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? Icky Thump- The White Stripes (sometimes i think i am that already)
Jessie’s Girl- Rick Springfield (doesn’t everyone want to be jesse’s girl?)
15. WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE? Undone (the Sweater Song)- Weezer
Rush- Big Audio Dynamite
16. WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU? Painted By Numbers- The Sounds
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun- Cyndi Lauper (oh, daddy dear you know you’re still number one…)
17. WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING? China Girl David Bowie
We Could Be Heros- David Bowie (funny thing is that both songs are bowie and that pobble got this one too! and we didn’t actually play any bowie at our wedding! but who is cooler than david bowie?)
18. WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL? Teenagers- My Chemical Romance
Shock the Monkey- Peter Gabriel (for God’s sake, i might not actually be dead!)
19. WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST? A Certain Romance- Arctic Monkeys
Obsession- Animation
20. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET? Baby One More Time- Dilana (the biggest secret might be how much i love this song)
Down Under- Men at Work (honest, i was born in philly)
21. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS? Hey Kids- Jet
All I Want is You- U2
22. WHAT SHOULD YOU POST THIS AS? Misery is a Butterfly- Blonde Redhead
Don’t You Want Me Baby- Human League
The rules:
1. Put your music player on Shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER WHAT. (This is in capital letters, so it is very serious.)
4. Add editorial comments in parenthesis after most song names.
(ok, so here is the 1st parenthesis… i have several play lists on my music player including one that is entitled “jesus rocks” with all my gospel music, but the two lists i listen to most are my contemporary music and my 80’s music, so i had to do this twice. the first answer is from the playlist that i listen to most, the second is from my 80’s list)
1. IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY? Beautiful Disaster - 311
Just Like Honey- The Jesus and Mary Chain
2. WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY? Believe- Red Hot Chili Pepers
Should I Stay or Should I Go? The Clash
3. WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL? Bitterweet Symphony- The verve Pipe
Love is a Battlefield- Pat Benatar
4. HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY? Epiphany- Staind (well, it was tuesday when i got this answer and hubby always says i have epiphanies on tuesdays)
Crazy For You- Madonna (actually, just crazy)
5. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE? Cobrastyle Teddy Bears (i seriously thought about skipping this one, but i followed the rules)
Vacation- Go Gos
6. WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO? I Write Sins Not Tragedies- Panic! At the Disco (ok, this one made me giggle)
Moments in Love- Art of Noise
7. WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU? Mother Mother- Tracy Bonham
Psycho Killer- Talking Heads (i need to have a long talk with my friends)
8. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS? No Way Out- The Foo Fighters
Stupid Girl- Garbage (no i don't, honest!)
9. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN? Hole in the Earth- Deftones (there’s a hole in the earth? i never thought of that)
Do You Really Want To Hurt Me- Culture Club (i think i might have some issues)
10. WHAT IS 2+2? Oh! Gravity- Switchfoot
Right here Right Now- Jesus Jones
11. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND? When Your Heart Stops Beating- Plus 44
I Wanna Be Sedated- The Ramones
12. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE? The Kill- 30 Seconds to Mars
Relax- Frankie Goes to Hollywood
13. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY? Don’t Lose Touch- Against Me
Golden Years- David Bowie (i'm not even 40 yet - golden years... geeze!)
14. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? Icky Thump- The White Stripes (sometimes i think i am that already)
Jessie’s Girl- Rick Springfield (doesn’t everyone want to be jesse’s girl?)
15. WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE? Undone (the Sweater Song)- Weezer
Rush- Big Audio Dynamite
16. WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU? Painted By Numbers- The Sounds
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun- Cyndi Lauper (oh, daddy dear you know you’re still number one…)
17. WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING? China Girl David Bowie
We Could Be Heros- David Bowie (funny thing is that both songs are bowie and that pobble got this one too! and we didn’t actually play any bowie at our wedding! but who is cooler than david bowie?)
18. WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL? Teenagers- My Chemical Romance
Shock the Monkey- Peter Gabriel (for God’s sake, i might not actually be dead!)
19. WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST? A Certain Romance- Arctic Monkeys
Obsession- Animation
20. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET? Baby One More Time- Dilana (the biggest secret might be how much i love this song)
Down Under- Men at Work (honest, i was born in philly)
21. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS? Hey Kids- Jet
All I Want is You- U2
22. WHAT SHOULD YOU POST THIS AS? Misery is a Butterfly- Blonde Redhead
Don’t You Want Me Baby- Human League
Thursday, January 10, 2008
undecided?
i still don't know who i am ultimately going to vote for in the presidential primaries. i keep going back and forth on this issue and wish i could just decide. however, i do kinda like the fact that i'm having such a hard time deciding since it has been a very long time since i have felt this way about 2 candidates.
and so finding this link was actually helpful. the candidate calculator asks just a few questions, but then tells you who you most match up with. i didn't even know who my first choice was, but my second choice was one of the two i am thinking about. my other choice was way down on the list.
God's peace y'all and don't forget to vote when the time comes.
and so finding this link was actually helpful. the candidate calculator asks just a few questions, but then tells you who you most match up with. i didn't even know who my first choice was, but my second choice was one of the two i am thinking about. my other choice was way down on the list.
God's peace y'all and don't forget to vote when the time comes.
Friday, January 04, 2008
of hot pink, fuzzy robes
this past christmas i asked for a specific list of things and received just about all of them. the spoons being just one of the things i truly wanted.
i also got itunes from my brother and slick. it's been fun adding some new music, though the album i've been waiting for doesn't come out until march and i suspect that by then i will have spent all the itunes. (but my birthday is in march, so i have hope).
i asked my parents for a gift card to see the hair dresser we all visit with. she and my mom have become good friends and before xmas when my mom went to get the certificate she told gloria about hubby's test. gloria responded by writing a second certificate just from her. i can't wait to go get my cut, color, and my eyebrows waxed. (i'm started to get a little hairy above the eyes.)
when hubby's mom asked what we wanted for xmas from our pollyannas i said i needed a square frying pan so i could make more than one piece of french toast or grilled cheese sandwich at a time. and guess what my wonderful mil put under the tree for us!
and then there were the gifts from hubby and the kids. i mentioned to hubby that perhaps next xmas i was going to ask for jewelry, but that i really wanted a pretty long sleeved nightgown for this year... the nightgown looks really good with the white gold diamond hoop earrings they gave me.
months ago i mentioned to the pobble that i wanted a new cutting board. and it came with a hot pink fuzzy robe. i think i have lived in the robe since christmas. it's one of my new favorite things.
even with all the stress of the past few weeks i've realized how much i've really enjoyed this past christmas. it's not all about the stuff that i got though i can't remember the last time that "santa" listened so well. being around family and friends was such a joy.
it's been two years now that we have been able to spend christmas at home; exactly the same amount we weren't able to spend at home the two years before. traditions seem to be reinventing themselves. we even spent new year's with the prince's godparents, something we missed doing for a few years because new year's was falling too close to sunday and we couldn't travel.
even missing friends at the table this year wasn't such a downer. not having the pobble here for christmas (last year she was the guest who wouldn't leave) was sad, but the joy of knowing that she was happy where she was made the melancholy go away.
and we saw hubby's nephew who now lives in hawaii. and one brother-in-law, hubby, and i went out for drinks with his neice. nephew was 13 when we got married and hubby bought my engagement ring the day of the neice's 8th grade graduation. it's scary that they are growing up so fast (actually, they are totally grown now) but how much fun was it to see them as the adults i always knew they would become!
all in all it was a wonderful holiday time... a warm, hot pink, fuzzy holiday.
God's peace y'all
i also got itunes from my brother and slick. it's been fun adding some new music, though the album i've been waiting for doesn't come out until march and i suspect that by then i will have spent all the itunes. (but my birthday is in march, so i have hope).
i asked my parents for a gift card to see the hair dresser we all visit with. she and my mom have become good friends and before xmas when my mom went to get the certificate she told gloria about hubby's test. gloria responded by writing a second certificate just from her. i can't wait to go get my cut, color, and my eyebrows waxed. (i'm started to get a little hairy above the eyes.)
when hubby's mom asked what we wanted for xmas from our pollyannas i said i needed a square frying pan so i could make more than one piece of french toast or grilled cheese sandwich at a time. and guess what my wonderful mil put under the tree for us!
and then there were the gifts from hubby and the kids. i mentioned to hubby that perhaps next xmas i was going to ask for jewelry, but that i really wanted a pretty long sleeved nightgown for this year... the nightgown looks really good with the white gold diamond hoop earrings they gave me.
months ago i mentioned to the pobble that i wanted a new cutting board. and it came with a hot pink fuzzy robe. i think i have lived in the robe since christmas. it's one of my new favorite things.
even with all the stress of the past few weeks i've realized how much i've really enjoyed this past christmas. it's not all about the stuff that i got though i can't remember the last time that "santa" listened so well. being around family and friends was such a joy.
it's been two years now that we have been able to spend christmas at home; exactly the same amount we weren't able to spend at home the two years before. traditions seem to be reinventing themselves. we even spent new year's with the prince's godparents, something we missed doing for a few years because new year's was falling too close to sunday and we couldn't travel.
even missing friends at the table this year wasn't such a downer. not having the pobble here for christmas (last year she was the guest who wouldn't leave) was sad, but the joy of knowing that she was happy where she was made the melancholy go away.
and we saw hubby's nephew who now lives in hawaii. and one brother-in-law, hubby, and i went out for drinks with his neice. nephew was 13 when we got married and hubby bought my engagement ring the day of the neice's 8th grade graduation. it's scary that they are growing up so fast (actually, they are totally grown now) but how much fun was it to see them as the adults i always knew they would become!
all in all it was a wonderful holiday time... a warm, hot pink, fuzzy holiday.
God's peace y'all
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
I GOT SPOONS!!!
when hubby and i registered for our flatware over 11 years ago we picked a set that was higher in quality on purpose. i expected that we would never own a set of actual silver (until my parents and uncle suprised us on our 10th anniversary with my grandmother's set). i wanted something that i could put out with the china and use every day.we picked a simple, but elegant pattern, but then discovered that we couldn't register for a slotted serving spoon. for 11 years i have been without a slotted spoon and somehow our teaspoon numbers dwindled from 12 to 4. now how you lose spoons i don't know, but they have disappeared like socks in the dryer.
so, for christmas hubby's family does a pollyanna. my mother-in-law organizes it and our rule is that she and the grandchildren don't participate, only the siblings and spouses. when she asked for ideas for me to give my pollyanna i went to oneida.com and looked up my pattern and low and behold... there was a slotted spoon.
i wanted it! i needed it! 11 years without one and i was this close to having a dream come true.
and guess what. i got 4 new teaspoons and my slotted spoon from my wonderful sister-in-law!!!
sometimes dreams do come true.
christmas and new years were wonderful, but i am too tired to say anymore at the moment. i still have to read with the princess kitty and pack lunches for the kids for tomorrow because it is back to school tomorrow! hey, another dream come true!
God's peace y'all!
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
HAPPY HOLY-DAYS
i started saying happy holidays before it was considered the pc thing to do. i've had the priveledge of knowing people from different faith and non faith traditions all my life.
and while today is christmas i know that this is a holy time for many, even if the "holiness" of the day is secular.
i would take the time to google all the different names for this day and season, but i have to go make breakfast for the silent prince (the princess kitty is still dreaming of sugarplum fairies)and finish getting the house ready for our company today.
so happy holy-days to all of you. may they be a blessing and a joy. may sorrow and sadness fade away in your lives. may the world come to know and embrace peace. and may there be love in your hearts and in your homes.
God's peace y'all
and while today is christmas i know that this is a holy time for many, even if the "holiness" of the day is secular.
i would take the time to google all the different names for this day and season, but i have to go make breakfast for the silent prince (the princess kitty is still dreaming of sugarplum fairies)and finish getting the house ready for our company today.
so happy holy-days to all of you. may they be a blessing and a joy. may sorrow and sadness fade away in your lives. may the world come to know and embrace peace. and may there be love in your hearts and in your homes.
God's peace y'all
Sunday, December 23, 2007
death takes a holiday
mike farrell, better known as bj hunnicut on M*A*S*H wrote an episode of the show that aired december 15, 1980 entitled "death take a holiday." in the episode instead of enjoying the christmas holiday party, hawkeye, bj, margaret, and father mulcahy try to keep a soldier from dying until after christmas day is over.
when they are unsuccessful, haweye changes the clock so that it reads after midnight on december 26 saying, "look, he made it."
some of you may remember me talking about my brother's friend karen who had been battling breast cancer. she almost died at halloween, but recovered and was able to go home. ever since i have been hoping that she would live through the holidays.
this morning my brother called as i was attempting to get out of the house to get to church. as soon as i heard his voice on the phone i knew why he called. why else would he call on a sunday morning right before church?
karen died last night.
as wonderful as this time of year is and all the joy that surrounds it it is also filled with so much loss for so many people.
please remember karen and her family in your thoughts and prayers as well as all those who are so touched by loss this time of year. may they all be blessed with the peace that is intended in this holy time.
God's peace y'all
when they are unsuccessful, haweye changes the clock so that it reads after midnight on december 26 saying, "look, he made it."
some of you may remember me talking about my brother's friend karen who had been battling breast cancer. she almost died at halloween, but recovered and was able to go home. ever since i have been hoping that she would live through the holidays.
this morning my brother called as i was attempting to get out of the house to get to church. as soon as i heard his voice on the phone i knew why he called. why else would he call on a sunday morning right before church?
karen died last night.
as wonderful as this time of year is and all the joy that surrounds it it is also filled with so much loss for so many people.
please remember karen and her family in your thoughts and prayers as well as all those who are so touched by loss this time of year. may they all be blessed with the peace that is intended in this holy time.
God's peace y'all
Thursday, December 20, 2007
what it's really about
went to finish my christmas shopping at the mall today. everything is done, but the goodies that santa leaves in our stockings (which should find their way into a shopping cart when i do the grocery shopping for christmas dinner.)
i went into the hallmark store to find ornaments for the kids. at one point as a young child my mom started giving my brother and me ornaments every year so that when we grew up we would have things to put on our tree. decorating the tree is always a stroll down memory lane.
standing in line i let a woman go ahead of me. she was holding an ornament that was maybe 3/4" tall in the shape of a candy cane with a girl's name on it. it was a tiny little trinket, hardly anything at all. we started chatting the way people sometimes do when they are standing in a long line. it was an ornament for her daughter. she told me she tried to give her one every year for christmas. i told her that i was doing the same thing.
then she said that it was a lean christmas. she was rubbing this little ornament between her fingers and looking at it the way you look at something that you have to settle for because you can't afford anything else. i knew this look. i've looked at things that way too.
i told her there would be better christmases. i had been there too.
and then the woman behind the counter asked for the next person in line and she walked up to the register and i jumped behind her and asked the cashier if i could buy her ornament for her.
at first she refused, but i said it was only $3 and i really wanted to buy it for her and would she please let me.
see, hubby had a biopsy last week. we haven't really shared this with many people because to tell everyone seemed to make it worse. but yesterday the doctor called and said there was no malignancy. i told the woman that my christmas had come early and i just wanted to do something nice for someone else.
so the cashier rang up her ornament, put it in a bag and handed it to the woman, whose smile was totally worth every cent and then some.
at the doorway of the store she turned around and yelled merry christmas to me.
as i was finishing up my purchase the cashier said what a nice thing that was that i had done, "why did you do it?" she asked.
"she told me that she was having a lean christmas. i've been there and this is really what it's all about isn't it?"
of all the gifts that are in my house waiting to be wrapped, that was the best one i bought this holiday.
God's peace y'all
i went into the hallmark store to find ornaments for the kids. at one point as a young child my mom started giving my brother and me ornaments every year so that when we grew up we would have things to put on our tree. decorating the tree is always a stroll down memory lane.
standing in line i let a woman go ahead of me. she was holding an ornament that was maybe 3/4" tall in the shape of a candy cane with a girl's name on it. it was a tiny little trinket, hardly anything at all. we started chatting the way people sometimes do when they are standing in a long line. it was an ornament for her daughter. she told me she tried to give her one every year for christmas. i told her that i was doing the same thing.
then she said that it was a lean christmas. she was rubbing this little ornament between her fingers and looking at it the way you look at something that you have to settle for because you can't afford anything else. i knew this look. i've looked at things that way too.
i told her there would be better christmases. i had been there too.
and then the woman behind the counter asked for the next person in line and she walked up to the register and i jumped behind her and asked the cashier if i could buy her ornament for her.
at first she refused, but i said it was only $3 and i really wanted to buy it for her and would she please let me.
see, hubby had a biopsy last week. we haven't really shared this with many people because to tell everyone seemed to make it worse. but yesterday the doctor called and said there was no malignancy. i told the woman that my christmas had come early and i just wanted to do something nice for someone else.
so the cashier rang up her ornament, put it in a bag and handed it to the woman, whose smile was totally worth every cent and then some.
at the doorway of the store she turned around and yelled merry christmas to me.
as i was finishing up my purchase the cashier said what a nice thing that was that i had done, "why did you do it?" she asked.
"she told me that she was having a lean christmas. i've been there and this is really what it's all about isn't it?"
of all the gifts that are in my house waiting to be wrapped, that was the best one i bought this holiday.
God's peace y'all
Monday, December 17, 2007
a dark christmas
we haven't gotten a tree yet; maybe tomorrow. the fact that i am hosting chritmas dinner and the dining room table is filled with christmas crap i gotta put somewhere isn't stressing me out to very much, at least not yet.
what's stressing me out is that if you pick up any box of christmas lights and read the warning on the box (yes, they have a warning on the box) it says that handling the wires on the lights can expose you to LEAD and you should wash your hands after touching them. here's the article.
i'm going back to the days when you put actual candles on your tree and just hoped you didn't burn down the house!
God's peace y'all
Sunday, December 16, 2007
cancelled
ah, new england in the winter.
i cancelled church this morning. our street is a sheet of ice and on a hill which means that you have to go up and down at least once to get here. it's also not on the most well-travelled road, which means that the snow and ice from the last storm had just started to melt. i've been stressing about it since friday when i first heard the weather reports. it was a bit of a relief to get up and see all the other church's notices of cancellation on the tv screen. at least that way i knew i wasn't alone.
there have been a rash of fires in the area lately. i was on the phone with a mom from a neighboring town last night seeing what we could do to help her and her family as i was reading a report on-line about a family here in town whose house had just gone up in flames. at the same time she was telling me about another family who suffered tragedy when the dad ran back into the house to rescue his other children after having just saved one and died with the kids.
the mom i talked to has 4 kids and one of them is special needs. i remember well what it was like to be displaced at the holidays, but at least i still had all my stuff. they lost their two pets: a dog and rabbit. it's heartbreaking. i sent out emails last night at about 10:30 to see if people had stuff they would donate and one woman (who works nights) had a list of things to me in an email she sent before 4 in the morning.
i'll spend some time today digging through our things and finding boxes to pack it all in. they literally need everything.
meanwhile the prince and the princess have been sick most of the week. who knew that such small bodies could produce so much snot? the princess kitty blows her nose and i am amazed by it. as hubby says, "i am both disgusted and impressed." there will most likely be a delay for school tomorrow, but i am wondering if i shouldn't just bite the bullet and take them to the doctor's. the princess would rather not miss school. so far she has perfect attendance. oh well.
and for those of you who feel a bit stressed by the fact that christmas is just around the corner. here's this.
God's peace y'all
i cancelled church this morning. our street is a sheet of ice and on a hill which means that you have to go up and down at least once to get here. it's also not on the most well-travelled road, which means that the snow and ice from the last storm had just started to melt. i've been stressing about it since friday when i first heard the weather reports. it was a bit of a relief to get up and see all the other church's notices of cancellation on the tv screen. at least that way i knew i wasn't alone.
there have been a rash of fires in the area lately. i was on the phone with a mom from a neighboring town last night seeing what we could do to help her and her family as i was reading a report on-line about a family here in town whose house had just gone up in flames. at the same time she was telling me about another family who suffered tragedy when the dad ran back into the house to rescue his other children after having just saved one and died with the kids.
the mom i talked to has 4 kids and one of them is special needs. i remember well what it was like to be displaced at the holidays, but at least i still had all my stuff. they lost their two pets: a dog and rabbit. it's heartbreaking. i sent out emails last night at about 10:30 to see if people had stuff they would donate and one woman (who works nights) had a list of things to me in an email she sent before 4 in the morning.
i'll spend some time today digging through our things and finding boxes to pack it all in. they literally need everything.
meanwhile the prince and the princess have been sick most of the week. who knew that such small bodies could produce so much snot? the princess kitty blows her nose and i am amazed by it. as hubby says, "i am both disgusted and impressed." there will most likely be a delay for school tomorrow, but i am wondering if i shouldn't just bite the bullet and take them to the doctor's. the princess would rather not miss school. so far she has perfect attendance. oh well.
and for those of you who feel a bit stressed by the fact that christmas is just around the corner. here's this.
God's peace y'all
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
when the punishment fits the crime
a month or so ago 3 teens were killed in a car accident. the driver was a young man who had just gotten his license back after driving drunk. he was underage.
one of the girls at church was friends with the girls who were killed (the driver's sister and one of her friends who were 14-15 yrs old.)
many people have been very hard on the parents who let their son drive a brand new car even though he had a dui on his record. my heart bleeds for these parents, but i agree... the princess kitty would never drive again until she lived on her own and had her own car if she ever drove drunk while under my roof.
many people blame the system that allowed a teen to drive again. i believe he shouldn't have been allowed his license back until he was at least 21.
so finding this picture and caption on my homepage tonight helps me remember that sometimes there is justice.
Members of the Maricopa County DUI chain on a work detail as deputies gurad them Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2007 in Phoenix, Az.. Men convicted of drunken driving will don bright pink shirts and perform burials of people who died of alcohol abuse as part of a new chain gang in Phoenix. A sheriff's dept. spokesman said the DUI chain gang is the first ever that's dedicated to one type of crime.
(AP Photo/Matt York)
God's peace y'all
one of the girls at church was friends with the girls who were killed (the driver's sister and one of her friends who were 14-15 yrs old.)
many people have been very hard on the parents who let their son drive a brand new car even though he had a dui on his record. my heart bleeds for these parents, but i agree... the princess kitty would never drive again until she lived on her own and had her own car if she ever drove drunk while under my roof.
many people blame the system that allowed a teen to drive again. i believe he shouldn't have been allowed his license back until he was at least 21.
so finding this picture and caption on my homepage tonight helps me remember that sometimes there is justice.
Members of the Maricopa County DUI chain on a work detail as deputies gurad them Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2007 in Phoenix, Az.. Men convicted of drunken driving will don bright pink shirts and perform burials of people who died of alcohol abuse as part of a new chain gang in Phoenix. A sheriff's dept. spokesman said the DUI chain gang is the first ever that's dedicated to one type of crime.
(AP Photo/Matt York)
God's peace y'all
Monday, December 10, 2007
more christmas gift ideas
i've only gotten two gifts so far this year. i am way behind on shopping. this might have to do with the 2 grand we just had to spend on the cars.
please don't remind me how many shopping days we have left.
in the process of making my list for what to get for who i found this site. if you still haven't finished your shoping this year consider spending lots of money here. it will go a long way.
God's peace y'all
please don't remind me how many shopping days we have left.
in the process of making my list for what to get for who i found this site. if you still haven't finished your shoping this year consider spending lots of money here. it will go a long way.
God's peace y'all
Saturday, December 08, 2007
the wheels on the bus go slip and slide
driving home from doing some visits yesterday the snow began to fall. it wasn't bad at first, just what the weather forecast predicted, but once i was on the highway i realized that it was starting to stick. it wasn't supposed to do that even with the unbelievably cold temperatures.
once home i ran over to work to pick a few things up from my office then walked home realizing that the road outside was turning white. inside i mentioned to hubby that i had a few things to do on the 'puter. upstairs i started to settle in when i remembered that i was going to call my brother, but in order to multitask i needed my bluetooth which was in the truck so i went out to get it.
i didn't make it past my front steps because the pickup truck that was right outside my door kept sliding all over the road. it was right in front of the driveway and the back end refused to straighten out every time it moved. for about 10 minutes i stood outside cringing as i watched it narrowly miss a parked car and the watch children sign that is posted in the grass between my house and the driveway. at one point the driver and passenger got out of the truck to peer down the steep hill they would certainly go tumbling over if they tried to continue down the street.
not being able to take it anymore i ran to my truck, now somewhat certain that the pickup was not going to come careening into me, but rather down the hill instead, and got my bluetooth. brother never answered my phone call.
hubby was now outside waiting for the buses to drop off the prince and princess. the princess usually goes right over to the day care next door, but when she got off the bus and saw daddy she decided to come straight home.
the prince usually gets off the bus at about 4:05pm. i knew that the bus would be late because of the weather, but when the phone rang at 4:05pm and the caller id said it was the school district i knew there was an issue.
it was the school social worker. the buses still hadn't arrived at the school to pick up the kids. (i found out today that they were trying to match drivers up with routes that they were more familiar with so that they would be better able to navigate the icy hills.) all the kids were watching a movie inside and would be on the road as soon as they could.
i asked if i should come pick him up. we have 4-wheel drive and pretty good brakes, but the social worker convinced me that it was safer to just let the buses come when they could.
that was my first mistake.
at 5pm i called the school and the buses had just left. they were going to take their time and i was just fine with that. i wondered how they would maneuver up my street and called my mom.
that was my second mistake.
"i don't want you to be worried mom, i just wanted for me to be less worried." she laughed that little laugh that told me it was too late... now she was worried and then she informed me that my dad was trying to get up their driveway and had just narrowly missed slipping into the wall. their driveway is the only thing steeper than my street.
at 5:30 i had started dinner. i knew the prince would be really hungry by the time he finally got home and then the phone rang again. this time it was the aide on the bus. they were stuck and waiting for a sand truck to unstick them. hubby started insisting that he was going to go get him, the princess kitty started to freak out, and i began to regret the fact that the only booze in the house was beer.
15 minutes later i called the bus back. they were still stuck, but much closer than i had originally thought. i got directions to their location and hubby got into the truck and went in search of him. now i was worried about both of them. i had already talked to my mom again and this time my dad called. i was on the phone with him when it occurred to me that i should have asked hubby to call me once he had the prince. i began to wonder how soon i should give up on the worried and concerned about their safety feeling i had to the worried and scared feeling i was verging on.
2 seconds after hanging up with my dad hubby called, "i have the package." he told me, but he didn't want to drive back up the hill to our house so instead he was going to park at the grocery store at the bottom of the hill and walk up with the prince.
and dinner wasn't too over done by the time we finally sat down to eat it.
dad called hubby today and told him that there were kids in the next town over who were stuck on a bus until 11pm last night. the d.o.t. claims they had no idea the bus was stuck.
God's peace y'all
once home i ran over to work to pick a few things up from my office then walked home realizing that the road outside was turning white. inside i mentioned to hubby that i had a few things to do on the 'puter. upstairs i started to settle in when i remembered that i was going to call my brother, but in order to multitask i needed my bluetooth which was in the truck so i went out to get it.
i didn't make it past my front steps because the pickup truck that was right outside my door kept sliding all over the road. it was right in front of the driveway and the back end refused to straighten out every time it moved. for about 10 minutes i stood outside cringing as i watched it narrowly miss a parked car and the watch children sign that is posted in the grass between my house and the driveway. at one point the driver and passenger got out of the truck to peer down the steep hill they would certainly go tumbling over if they tried to continue down the street.
not being able to take it anymore i ran to my truck, now somewhat certain that the pickup was not going to come careening into me, but rather down the hill instead, and got my bluetooth. brother never answered my phone call.
hubby was now outside waiting for the buses to drop off the prince and princess. the princess usually goes right over to the day care next door, but when she got off the bus and saw daddy she decided to come straight home.
the prince usually gets off the bus at about 4:05pm. i knew that the bus would be late because of the weather, but when the phone rang at 4:05pm and the caller id said it was the school district i knew there was an issue.
it was the school social worker. the buses still hadn't arrived at the school to pick up the kids. (i found out today that they were trying to match drivers up with routes that they were more familiar with so that they would be better able to navigate the icy hills.) all the kids were watching a movie inside and would be on the road as soon as they could.
i asked if i should come pick him up. we have 4-wheel drive and pretty good brakes, but the social worker convinced me that it was safer to just let the buses come when they could.
that was my first mistake.
at 5pm i called the school and the buses had just left. they were going to take their time and i was just fine with that. i wondered how they would maneuver up my street and called my mom.
that was my second mistake.
"i don't want you to be worried mom, i just wanted for me to be less worried." she laughed that little laugh that told me it was too late... now she was worried and then she informed me that my dad was trying to get up their driveway and had just narrowly missed slipping into the wall. their driveway is the only thing steeper than my street.
at 5:30 i had started dinner. i knew the prince would be really hungry by the time he finally got home and then the phone rang again. this time it was the aide on the bus. they were stuck and waiting for a sand truck to unstick them. hubby started insisting that he was going to go get him, the princess kitty started to freak out, and i began to regret the fact that the only booze in the house was beer.
15 minutes later i called the bus back. they were still stuck, but much closer than i had originally thought. i got directions to their location and hubby got into the truck and went in search of him. now i was worried about both of them. i had already talked to my mom again and this time my dad called. i was on the phone with him when it occurred to me that i should have asked hubby to call me once he had the prince. i began to wonder how soon i should give up on the worried and concerned about their safety feeling i had to the worried and scared feeling i was verging on.
2 seconds after hanging up with my dad hubby called, "i have the package." he told me, but he didn't want to drive back up the hill to our house so instead he was going to park at the grocery store at the bottom of the hill and walk up with the prince.
and dinner wasn't too over done by the time we finally sat down to eat it.
dad called hubby today and told him that there were kids in the next town over who were stuck on a bus until 11pm last night. the d.o.t. claims they had no idea the bus was stuck.
God's peace y'all
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
still here
honestly, i haven't forgotten about you all out there in blogland. i've been crazy busy now that we are in advent and getting ready for christmas. for many of you the stress of this time is about holiday shopping and decorating and partying. for me it's work on top of all those other stresses.
especially because this time is so commercial and i have to remind people that ultimately that's not what this time is about. not that i don't love the commercial, i do. i spent 2 hours downloading christmas songs onto my ipod so that i could listen to them before christmas and get into the holiday mood.
the weather has gotten very cold and we have been getting tastes (nasty at that) of winter weather. my truck, which i just had worked on to the tune of $600+ no longer has heat. ok, i can bundle up to drive, but this also means no defrost, which can make it difficult to see while driving. now i have to bite the bullet and find more time to put it in the shop. i have a GREAT mechanic, but he takes his time getting the work done.
hubby and i could share his car, but his seat doesn't move back and forwards (we don't know why). hubby is 6'3" i am 5'2". my feet don't reach the pedals unless i put a pillow behind my back. this is fine when i have to run to the store a few blocks away, but to go any distance... forget it!
i've also been working on the church's website: http://www.salemlutheran.blogspot.com/. i posted this there:
Don't know what to get that person who has everything? In doing your Christmas shopping this year consider giving gifts that continue giving.
At Heifer International you can make a donation in another person's name that will help purchase livestock from a hive of bees to a cow that will support others who depend upon such things for their livelihood.
Know someone who loves coffee, or chocolate, or handcrafted items? LWR (Lutheran World Relief ensures that when you make a purchase from their coffee, chocolate, and craft projects that the people who grow and make these things are given a fair price for their work ensuring that they too can have a Merry Christmas!
God's peace y'all
especially because this time is so commercial and i have to remind people that ultimately that's not what this time is about. not that i don't love the commercial, i do. i spent 2 hours downloading christmas songs onto my ipod so that i could listen to them before christmas and get into the holiday mood.
the weather has gotten very cold and we have been getting tastes (nasty at that) of winter weather. my truck, which i just had worked on to the tune of $600+ no longer has heat. ok, i can bundle up to drive, but this also means no defrost, which can make it difficult to see while driving. now i have to bite the bullet and find more time to put it in the shop. i have a GREAT mechanic, but he takes his time getting the work done.
hubby and i could share his car, but his seat doesn't move back and forwards (we don't know why). hubby is 6'3" i am 5'2". my feet don't reach the pedals unless i put a pillow behind my back. this is fine when i have to run to the store a few blocks away, but to go any distance... forget it!
i've also been working on the church's website: http://www.salemlutheran.blogspot.com/. i posted this there:
Don't know what to get that person who has everything? In doing your Christmas shopping this year consider giving gifts that continue giving.
At Heifer International you can make a donation in another person's name that will help purchase livestock from a hive of bees to a cow that will support others who depend upon such things for their livelihood.
Know someone who loves coffee, or chocolate, or handcrafted items? LWR (Lutheran World Relief ensures that when you make a purchase from their coffee, chocolate, and craft projects that the people who grow and make these things are given a fair price for their work ensuring that they too can have a Merry Christmas!
God's peace y'all
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
"and vivian followed."
