Showing posts with label Randomness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Randomness. Show all posts
Mar 22, 2009
OTP (6) -- some humor from Hackney
"Love Poem" by Banksy
Beyond watching eyes
With sweet and tender kisses
Our souls reached out to each other
In breathless wonder
And when I awoke
From a vast and smiling peace
I found you bathed in morning light
Quietly studying
All the messages on my phone
Oct 14, 2008
Jul 10, 2008
random meme (love it!)
I've been tagged by Loco Lara. Thanks, hon!
Here are the rules:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
Seven Facts About Me:
1. I have a very small tattoo on my right hip. It's my sorority letters & symbol. I would really like to change it, but am not sure how to do so without serious pain or money.
2. I love to do electrical work, especially anything with the breaker box. Running wire is my least favorite.
3. I want to become a runner, ie someone who loves to run. I dreamed once that I was running through the country, and loving it. I'm afraid I'm too lazy to make this dream a reality.
4. I used to ride horses, hunter-jumper and horse trials. I would LOVE to ride competitively again someday, if I could find the time and the money.
5. I can't decide if I'm an introvert or an extrovert. (You're welcome to vote on this one.)
6. I like to go to movies by myself; no need to find someone who also wants to see that weird indie flick or that tasteless slasher. Also, no one tries to steal my popcorn or Jordan Almonds (THE candy of choice at the movies).
7. I love doing tequila shots, in moderation.
OK, here's who I've chosen: Mike, Joy, Melinda, Peter, Jodie, Janet, Diane, and Alana. I can't wait!
Here are the rules:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
Seven Facts About Me:
1. I have a very small tattoo on my right hip. It's my sorority letters & symbol. I would really like to change it, but am not sure how to do so without serious pain or money.
2. I love to do electrical work, especially anything with the breaker box. Running wire is my least favorite.
3. I want to become a runner, ie someone who loves to run. I dreamed once that I was running through the country, and loving it. I'm afraid I'm too lazy to make this dream a reality.
4. I used to ride horses, hunter-jumper and horse trials. I would LOVE to ride competitively again someday, if I could find the time and the money.
5. I can't decide if I'm an introvert or an extrovert. (You're welcome to vote on this one.)
6. I like to go to movies by myself; no need to find someone who also wants to see that weird indie flick or that tasteless slasher. Also, no one tries to steal my popcorn or Jordan Almonds (THE candy of choice at the movies).
7. I love doing tequila shots, in moderation.
OK, here's who I've chosen: Mike, Joy, Melinda, Peter, Jodie, Janet, Diane, and Alana. I can't wait!
Jun 24, 2008
I'm back with a cool literary meme
You know you've been away from the blog too long when your dad says, "I think something's wrong with your blog; it isn't showing any posts since mid-May."
The rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.
"In the spring there were cold rains, that turned the street into canals and bogs; the mud would be so deep that wagons would sink up to the hubs, so that half a dozen horses could not move them. Then, of course, it was impossible for anyone to get to work with dry feet; and this was bad for men that were poorly clad and shod, and still worse for women and children. Later came midsummer, with the stifling heat, with the dingy killing beds of Durham's became a very purgatory; one time, in a single day, three men fell dead from sunstroke."
That's page 123 of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. To tell the truth, there were actually 2 books closer to hand, but neither Around the World with Phineas Frog nor My First Book of Sushi had 123 pages.
And if you're reading this, you're tagged.
I have lots of interesting things about which to blog, including
- Papafest
- motherhood & parenthood
- our trip to Texas last month
The rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.
"In the spring there were cold rains, that turned the street into canals and bogs; the mud would be so deep that wagons would sink up to the hubs, so that half a dozen horses could not move them. Then, of course, it was impossible for anyone to get to work with dry feet; and this was bad for men that were poorly clad and shod, and still worse for women and children. Later came midsummer, with the stifling heat, with the dingy killing beds of Durham's became a very purgatory; one time, in a single day, three men fell dead from sunstroke."
That's page 123 of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. To tell the truth, there were actually 2 books closer to hand, but neither Around the World with Phineas Frog nor My First Book of Sushi had 123 pages.
And if you're reading this, you're tagged.
May 14, 2008
One Quick Question
We're just traded in Miranda's plastic sippy cups (and our nalgene bottles) for Sigg bottles. Now the question is... What's the latest on the non-stick cookware debate? What's the best (as in safest) cookware to use? Any thoughts? Anyone???
May 13, 2008
A Quiet Meme
Sorry for the absence. I would really love a wireless card, so I can blog when I have a few minutes to spare in the evening, instead of during my library time when I have a million things to do. Anyway... here's a lovely, somehow centering series of questions from my deep-thinking friend at Morning Coffee.
Outside My Window … someone walks past the Francis of Assisi fountain.
***
I am thinking … that I should start outlining my submissions for the Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics. And that I should probably get a shower before heading out to the Carnegie Center with Miranda tonight.
***
I am thankful for … our babysitter Marie, who takes such good care of Miranda on Wednesdays so I can study.
***
From the kitchen … probably a bowl of cereal later.
***
I am wearing … jeans, sneakers, and a Dallas Cowboys t-shirt. And a blue bandana around my hair.
***
I am creating … a tomato and cucumber garden alongside the driveway. Also, a huge mess.
***
I am going … home from the library in about an hour.
***
I am reading … Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury.
***
I am hoping … that Billy is enjoying his trip to the mountains of North Carolina.
***
I am hearing … almost nothing, I'm in the quiet room at the library.
***
Around the house … are lots and lots of hangers.
***
One of my favorite things … sitting on my front porch with Miranda, watching the birds at the feeders.
***
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... finish laundry, finish veggie beds, plant veggies, paint with Miranda, Miranda's end-of-school party, pack and fly to Texas on Friday for my uncle's funeral.
***
Here is a picture thought I am sharing … Miranda decided last night that she MUST try a boiled crawfish. I pulled off the tail and set it down, then turned my head for one second, and bingo -- down the hatch. Shell and all. The thought? BE BOLD.
If you are reading this, consider yourself tagged. If you complete this meme on your blog, please leave a comment.
Outside My Window … someone walks past the Francis of Assisi fountain.
***
I am thinking … that I should start outlining my submissions for the Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics. And that I should probably get a shower before heading out to the Carnegie Center with Miranda tonight.
***
I am thankful for … our babysitter Marie, who takes such good care of Miranda on Wednesdays so I can study.
***
From the kitchen … probably a bowl of cereal later.
***
I am wearing … jeans, sneakers, and a Dallas Cowboys t-shirt. And a blue bandana around my hair.
***
I am creating … a tomato and cucumber garden alongside the driveway. Also, a huge mess.
***
I am going … home from the library in about an hour.
***
I am reading … Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury.
***
I am hoping … that Billy is enjoying his trip to the mountains of North Carolina.
***
I am hearing … almost nothing, I'm in the quiet room at the library.
***
Around the house … are lots and lots of hangers.
***
One of my favorite things … sitting on my front porch with Miranda, watching the birds at the feeders.
***
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... finish laundry, finish veggie beds, plant veggies, paint with Miranda, Miranda's end-of-school party, pack and fly to Texas on Friday for my uncle's funeral.
***
Here is a picture thought I am sharing … Miranda decided last night that she MUST try a boiled crawfish. I pulled off the tail and set it down, then turned my head for one second, and bingo -- down the hatch. Shell and all. The thought? BE BOLD.
If you are reading this, consider yourself tagged. If you complete this meme on your blog, please leave a comment.
Apr 28, 2008
Feb 10, 2008
Six Word Memoirs
Jenell at the Paris Project posted this idea. It's an interesting exercise to make concise and accurate statements -- about anything, much less about your life. Here are a few of mine:
Decided To Do A PhD… Why???
Texas Born, Then Virginia, Now Kentucky
Marriage And Motherhood – Not For Wimps
Temperance – Not Just Against Alcohol Anymore
Guatemala And Appalachia – Paths To Growth
Creative Lives Of Faith In Lexington
Plato, Aristotle, Stoics, Augustine, Aquinas, %@*#$!
Marriage, Family, Church, Neighborhood, City, World
Trying To Live A Healthier Life
Peace And Contentment Through Honoring Covenant
What are some of yours?
Jan 22, 2008
Meditations on food that will not end up in my thesis
I was shopping today, and started thinking about food and how strange we can be in our relationship to it. Not just in over- or undereating, but in our likes, dislikes, habits, and secret cravings. Here are a few of mine. I'm not going to tag anyone, but please play along!
1) We’ve been trying to eat whole-grain bread, but I still love a ham sandwich (with either miracle whip or mayo) on white bread. Lettuce and tomato optional. What is it about ham and white bread?
2) Cook either a chicken or a turkey, roasted in the oven. Make sure to leave the skin on, and rub it with olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper. The minute it leaves the oven (the very minute), place it on the range top and begin eating it straight out of the pan. You’re not allowed to remove it from the roasting pan.
3) I like jello salads, pretty much any kind. I like how southern women call them “molded salads”. My mom used to make one with cherry jello, bing cherries, and a little port wine. It was awesome.
4) My sister and I always like to eat tuna fish sandwiches (again on white bread), with Campbell’s cream of celery soup. This is a meal Ellery and I often eat together, since we were kids. I don’t know why we enjoy it so much, but we do. The tuna fish must have mayo, lemon juice, sweet relish, and chopped celery. No substitutions.
5) My mom used to make a spaghetti dish that Ellery and I still love. You open a can of Franco-American spaghetti and put it in a saucepan. Add ketchup and Italian seasoning. Mix, heat, and serve. The next day, make a spaghetti sandwich out of the leftovers. Yum yum yum.
6) I’m very particular about the big Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. I mean, if I’m a guest somewhere, I’m an easy guest, but if I’m preparing it myself, there are certain rules to follow. First, you have to have a turkey. Second, the dressing has to be my mom’s recipe. Third, you have to have both homemade cranberry relish and the kind from a can. Fourth, no fancy veggie dishes – just green beans or asparagus. And if there’s anything left of the turkey after #2 above, I love eating days and days of holiday leftovers. Make a sandwich with turkey, dressing, gravy, and a little cranberry sauce. Wow.
7) Sometimes I get a 12-pack of soda, put them in the fridge, and then chain-drink them throughout the day.
8) I love celery with velveeta cheese melted in the trough. This is soooo my Mimi (paternal grandmother).
9) My mom makes meatloaf with onions and raisins. It’s great. Then, make sandwiches from the leftovers, with French’s yellow mustard.
10) I love eating cereal (especially the less-than-healthy ones) with whole milk and half-and-half. Or heavy cream, even better. (Hey, if you want to eat water on your cereal, just use water and stop the charade that is skim milk.)
11) I love cheese toast – white bread with a slice of American cheese, put under the broiler until the cheese poofs up and the top gets nice and brown. Ultra-yummy.
12) When food is supposed to be hot (especially soup), I like it very hot, where you're just able to eat it.
13) Last but not least… this is almost too embarrassing to write. I still like to get Gerber’s meat sticks and eat them straight out of the jar. And I’m proud of it, so what!
This really was a meaningless post, but it was fun to write!
1) We’ve been trying to eat whole-grain bread, but I still love a ham sandwich (with either miracle whip or mayo) on white bread. Lettuce and tomato optional. What is it about ham and white bread?
2) Cook either a chicken or a turkey, roasted in the oven. Make sure to leave the skin on, and rub it with olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper. The minute it leaves the oven (the very minute), place it on the range top and begin eating it straight out of the pan. You’re not allowed to remove it from the roasting pan.
3) I like jello salads, pretty much any kind. I like how southern women call them “molded salads”. My mom used to make one with cherry jello, bing cherries, and a little port wine. It was awesome.
4) My sister and I always like to eat tuna fish sandwiches (again on white bread), with Campbell’s cream of celery soup. This is a meal Ellery and I often eat together, since we were kids. I don’t know why we enjoy it so much, but we do. The tuna fish must have mayo, lemon juice, sweet relish, and chopped celery. No substitutions.
5) My mom used to make a spaghetti dish that Ellery and I still love. You open a can of Franco-American spaghetti and put it in a saucepan. Add ketchup and Italian seasoning. Mix, heat, and serve. The next day, make a spaghetti sandwich out of the leftovers. Yum yum yum.
6) I’m very particular about the big Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. I mean, if I’m a guest somewhere, I’m an easy guest, but if I’m preparing it myself, there are certain rules to follow. First, you have to have a turkey. Second, the dressing has to be my mom’s recipe. Third, you have to have both homemade cranberry relish and the kind from a can. Fourth, no fancy veggie dishes – just green beans or asparagus. And if there’s anything left of the turkey after #2 above, I love eating days and days of holiday leftovers. Make a sandwich with turkey, dressing, gravy, and a little cranberry sauce. Wow.
7) Sometimes I get a 12-pack of soda, put them in the fridge, and then chain-drink them throughout the day.
8) I love celery with velveeta cheese melted in the trough. This is soooo my Mimi (paternal grandmother).
9) My mom makes meatloaf with onions and raisins. It’s great. Then, make sandwiches from the leftovers, with French’s yellow mustard.
10) I love eating cereal (especially the less-than-healthy ones) with whole milk and half-and-half. Or heavy cream, even better. (Hey, if you want to eat water on your cereal, just use water and stop the charade that is skim milk.)
11) I love cheese toast – white bread with a slice of American cheese, put under the broiler until the cheese poofs up and the top gets nice and brown. Ultra-yummy.
12) When food is supposed to be hot (especially soup), I like it very hot, where you're just able to eat it.
13) Last but not least… this is almost too embarrassing to write. I still like to get Gerber’s meat sticks and eat them straight out of the jar. And I’m proud of it, so what!
This really was a meaningless post, but it was fun to write!
Jan 9, 2008
Quotable Quotes from SCE
- Ok, buddy, that's the only shade of green the light's going to turn.
- I'm not a luddite, I'm a patient customer. I wait until it's a proven thing.
- Yale might give you a chair to hold, but would they give you a pot to sit on?
- I'm happy to pay for your dinner, you poor impoverished grad student... 20 dollars???
- We need to keep our comments brief, preferably under 1 minute each.
- I definitely like the 1974 version of Charlie Daniels' "Easy Rider" better than the 1988 version.
- I'm hoping to be employed this time next year.
- How much is that book, with the discount?
- It's too late in the day to be eating beef, don't you think?
- Those have to be the wives of all the folks at the youth ministers' conference, next door.
- I think we've underestimated the degree to which ___ is indebted to the thought of ___ in this matter.
- How many of you would like a free sample of our house cabernet?
- I just think it would be nice to return the car clean. Just a drive-through car wash, that's all I'm suggesting.
- You're nothing to me, both of you, but fleas on the backs of rats. You're just vectors.
Jan 3, 2008
Yet another thing to do in my "spare" time
The Countess at the 32-Aker Wood tagged me for this meme. (And what does "meme" stand for, anyway?) Since I'm away from home at the SCE conference, I actually have more spare time than usual, at least until tomorrow. So, here goes...
8 Things I'm Passionate About
8 Things I Say Often
8 Songs I Can Listen to Over and Over
8 Things That Attract Me to My Best Friends
8 People Who Should TOTALLY Do This Meme
8 Things I'm Passionate About
- My faith community, Communality. After almost 10 years, I still love sharing my life with these folks.
- Traveling. I love going anywhere, anytime. Seriously -- just throw a dart at the map, and I'm up for going there, right now.
- Reading. I love reading new books, the excitement of the newness of the tale. And I love re-reading old books -- James Herriot, Anne of Green Gables, Watership Down, Louis L'Amour, Stephen King, Tolkein, Barbara Kingsolver -- and re-experencing the tales that I've grown to love. Billy once said that I'm a true lover of books, and I'm flattered by the label.
- Staying connected with my friends and family (and I hope my friends who are out there reading this will agree!)
- Making a home. I'm realizing more and more that I love homemaking, cooking, decorating, hosting, making the people I love feel at home.
- My dissertation topic (sorry, my thesis topic, in British parlance). I'm really enjoying thinking about temperance and the ways in which it could help us think about consumption more clearly.
- Being a parent to Miranda. I love her so much! I really see how parenting is a magnum opus, a life's work that has to be entrusted to God for its completion. (I feel this very distinctly right now, being away from her for a few days.)
- Learning how to be a life partner to my husband.
- Travel to Iceland and ride horses around the old volcanos (doesn't this sound awesome???)
- Be able to say that I've read each and every book in my house (yeah, right)
- Reach and maintain my ideal weight
- Own a clawfoot tub, where I can steep like a tea bag
- Make a real contribution to the field of moral theology (Christian ethics), something that makes a difference
- Be a real part of the lives of my extended family
- Watch Miranda grow up and have a good life of her own
- Take an extended roadtrip across the US, really seeing the sites
8 Things I Say Often
- No MA'AM!
- What do you say? ("Please" and "Thank You" are the usual expected answers.)
- I love you (to various people that I love)
- Hey Munchie!
- Why did I decide to do a PhD???
- Honey, have you seen my... (keys, phone, purse, etc etc)
- What time is it?
- I'll get up in five minutes.
- Wealth as Peril and Obligation: The New Testament on Possessions
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- The Confessions of Saint Augustine
- Sitka (Louis L'Amour)
- Donde Viven Los Monstruos (Where the Wild Things Are)
- Ruthless Trust: The Ragamuffin's Path to God (Brennan Manning)
- Ender's Shadow (Orson Scott Card)
- Wizard and Glass (Stephen King)
8 Songs I Can Listen to Over and Over
- "Whisky River" Willie Nelson
- "Hammer and a Nail" Indigo Girls
- "Gift to Me" Martyn Joseph
- "Scarf Dance" Psalters
- "You'll Be Mine" Stevie Ray Vaughan
- "Somebody" Depeche Mode
- ""Volcano" Jimmy Buffett
- "Spring" Vivaldi
8 Things That Attract Me to My Best Friends
- A sense of fun, wanting to experience life in all its craziness
- A shared sense of purpose and meaning
- A shared willingness to prioritize our friendships over time and distance
- An amazing sense of humor (almost always)
- A willingness to speak to me clearly, directly, and candidly, not coddling me or pulling punches
- A willingness to love me despite my faults and through my failures
- A history of shared experiences ("Remember when we...?)
- The value of a deeply invested friendship
8 People Who Should TOTALLY Do This Meme
- MeesheMama, because she's absolutely hilarious
- LazyMom, ditto
- Melinda, ditto
- Loco Lara, because she needs a break from her 3 girls and her job
- My sister (even though she doesn't have a blog), because she needs a break from her twins and her pregnancy
- Lisa Samson, because she's a great author and so good with words that I like reading anything she writes
- Her daughter Ty, because she's exceptionally cool
- My husband, even though he doesn't have a blog
Dec 21, 2007
I am woman, see me wire
Years ago, I worked for the Appalachia Service Project, doing home repair for low-income folks in the Appalachian Mountains. I learned quite a bit about construction, much of which I've forgotten, and my favorite was always wiring. It's interesting, and it has the best tools. But it's not the kind of construction skill that you find lots of opportunities to use.
So, we just switched our hot water heater from gas to electric. In an attempt to save some $$$, I said I'd wire it myself. The catch was that our electrical panel has plenty of power (200 amps) but a shortage of available spaces for new work. (We're also hoping to finish part of our basement this year, so we'll need to add more curcuits for that, too.) Our electrician came by and suggested we install a new sub-load panel, which creates new spaces for new work. He graciously gave me some pointers, I purchased the materials, and the result is below.
Here is where I attached the 10-3 wire to the water heater. It actually looks very tidy!
Here's our new water heater.
On the left is our existing breaker box, which has far too few spaces for its 200-amp capacity, and too few for a house this size. On the right is the new sub-load panel. I removed a circuit from our now-unused baseboard heater and installed a 60-amp breaker, which I then used as the main for the new panel. Note the large black wire connecting the two panels.
You can see the main wire at the top -- red, black, white, and bare copper. On the left is the 30-amp breaker for the water heater. To its right are 6 spaces just waiting for the new circuits in our basement remodel.
Here is the finished product. And 2 hours after we turned it on, we had hot water!!!
So, we just switched our hot water heater from gas to electric. In an attempt to save some $$$, I said I'd wire it myself. The catch was that our electrical panel has plenty of power (200 amps) but a shortage of available spaces for new work. (We're also hoping to finish part of our basement this year, so we'll need to add more curcuits for that, too.) Our electrician came by and suggested we install a new sub-load panel, which creates new spaces for new work. He graciously gave me some pointers, I purchased the materials, and the result is below.
Here is where I attached the 10-3 wire to the water heater. It actually looks very tidy!
Here's our new water heater.
On the left is our existing breaker box, which has far too few spaces for its 200-amp capacity, and too few for a house this size. On the right is the new sub-load panel. I removed a circuit from our now-unused baseboard heater and installed a 60-amp breaker, which I then used as the main for the new panel. Note the large black wire connecting the two panels.
You can see the main wire at the top -- red, black, white, and bare copper. On the left is the 30-amp breaker for the water heater. To its right are 6 spaces just waiting for the new circuits in our basement remodel.
Here is the finished product. And 2 hours after we turned it on, we had hot water!!!Dec 15, 2007
Christmas List -- Yes, you too can play along!!
I found this on 32-Aker Woods, and shamelessly stole it.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Paper is my favorite, but I'm pretty picky about the color schemes (I tend towards paper-bag brown, with deep but soft greens and reds, with raffia ribbon), so I'll go with bags if I can't find any paper I like.
2. Real or artificial tree? I can't even type the words "artificial tree" without getting the heebie-jeebies.
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the first weekend in December, or the weekend after Thanksgiving, whichever comes first.
4. When do you take the tree down? I hate to rush it; Epiphany seems like a good time, as we're trying to celebrate the Christmas season throughout its actual end, which is Epiphany.
5. Do you like Eggnog? Yes, the kind in the carton! Yum.
6. Favorite Gift you received as a child? My horse Pocus, absolutely.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? I have quite a few; I like to collect them from different places I've visited. Maybe I'll do a pictoral blog about them.
8. Hardest person to buy for? Ummm, they're all about the same.
9. Easiest person to buy for? Miranda, for now -- there are so many things she likes!
10. Worst Christmas gift ever received? The can of "potted meat product" I got at the Wesley Foundation staff gag gift swap.
11. Christmas Cards...Snail mail or E-mail? Snail mail, although it seems like a waste of time and money sometimes. But, in the end I love sending and receiving them. I guess it's part of the season to extend yourself in these kinds of ways.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Emmit Otter's Jug-Band Christmas. Everything else, as good as they are, are just distant contenders. And if you don't know this movie, go to Amazon and get it, right now.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I like to shop throughout the year, as I see things people might like. I also like to shop on my trips overseas, get something a little different.
14. Have you ever 'recycled' a Christmas present? Yes, lots, and let's leave it at that.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My mom's dressing. And each and every bite of leftovers of EVERYTHING.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear, although Billy may lobby for colored next year. I love how clear lights look -- so clean and crisp.
17. Favorite Christmas Song? "Merry Christmas From The Family" by Robert Earl Keen. (Although there are a few selections from South Park that I'm rumored to enjoy...)
18. Travel at Christmas or Stay Home? Both. We like spending Christmas Day at home, then going to relatives on the 26th. The best of both worlds!
19. Can you name Santa's Reindeer? Only if I sing the song.
20. Do you have an Angel or a Star on top of your tree? A golden angel.
21. Open the Presents Christmas Eve or Morning? When I was growing up, we did presents on Christmas Eve, and Santa on the Morning. But I think we might change it a bit, open one the night before and the rest after Santa. I'd like to keep Christmas Eve as clear as possible for church and reflection.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Decorating and marketing for Christmas before Thanksgiving. And the terrible commercialization.
23. Shopping...Mall or on-line? A mix of both.
24. Do you decorate outside for Christmas or just inside (or at all?) Just inside for now, maybe we'll be more inspired next year.
25. Favorite Christmas cookie? My mom's mint meringues. Nothing better.
26. Do you own Christmasy clothing or jewelry? I used to, but not anymore. Miranda does have several cute holiday dresses.
27. Do you believe in Santa? Don't you???
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Paper is my favorite, but I'm pretty picky about the color schemes (I tend towards paper-bag brown, with deep but soft greens and reds, with raffia ribbon), so I'll go with bags if I can't find any paper I like.
2. Real or artificial tree? I can't even type the words "artificial tree" without getting the heebie-jeebies.
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the first weekend in December, or the weekend after Thanksgiving, whichever comes first.
4. When do you take the tree down? I hate to rush it; Epiphany seems like a good time, as we're trying to celebrate the Christmas season throughout its actual end, which is Epiphany.
5. Do you like Eggnog? Yes, the kind in the carton! Yum.
6. Favorite Gift you received as a child? My horse Pocus, absolutely.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? I have quite a few; I like to collect them from different places I've visited. Maybe I'll do a pictoral blog about them.
8. Hardest person to buy for? Ummm, they're all about the same.
9. Easiest person to buy for? Miranda, for now -- there are so many things she likes!
10. Worst Christmas gift ever received? The can of "potted meat product" I got at the Wesley Foundation staff gag gift swap.
11. Christmas Cards...Snail mail or E-mail? Snail mail, although it seems like a waste of time and money sometimes. But, in the end I love sending and receiving them. I guess it's part of the season to extend yourself in these kinds of ways.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Emmit Otter's Jug-Band Christmas. Everything else, as good as they are, are just distant contenders. And if you don't know this movie, go to Amazon and get it, right now.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I like to shop throughout the year, as I see things people might like. I also like to shop on my trips overseas, get something a little different.
14. Have you ever 'recycled' a Christmas present? Yes, lots, and let's leave it at that.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My mom's dressing. And each and every bite of leftovers of EVERYTHING.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear, although Billy may lobby for colored next year. I love how clear lights look -- so clean and crisp.
17. Favorite Christmas Song? "Merry Christmas From The Family" by Robert Earl Keen. (Although there are a few selections from South Park that I'm rumored to enjoy...)
18. Travel at Christmas or Stay Home? Both. We like spending Christmas Day at home, then going to relatives on the 26th. The best of both worlds!
19. Can you name Santa's Reindeer? Only if I sing the song.
20. Do you have an Angel or a Star on top of your tree? A golden angel.
21. Open the Presents Christmas Eve or Morning? When I was growing up, we did presents on Christmas Eve, and Santa on the Morning. But I think we might change it a bit, open one the night before and the rest after Santa. I'd like to keep Christmas Eve as clear as possible for church and reflection.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Decorating and marketing for Christmas before Thanksgiving. And the terrible commercialization.
23. Shopping...Mall or on-line? A mix of both.
24. Do you decorate outside for Christmas or just inside (or at all?) Just inside for now, maybe we'll be more inspired next year.
25. Favorite Christmas cookie? My mom's mint meringues. Nothing better.
26. Do you own Christmasy clothing or jewelry? I used to, but not anymore. Miranda does have several cute holiday dresses.
27. Do you believe in Santa? Don't you???
Dec 14, 2007
Most excellent Seinfeld quote
"Somewhere in this hospital, the anguished oink of the Pigman cries out for help." -- Cosmo Kramer
Dec 5, 2007
Non-tagged, shamelessly stolen, now it's your turn, interesting book list
I stole this from my friend Ty's blog. Call me crazy, but I like stuff like this. If you'd like to play along, leave me a comment when you've done your own list!
* Bold the ones you’ve read.* Italicize the ones you want to read.* Leave in normal text the ones that don’t interest you.* Put in ALL CAPS those you haven’t heard of.* Put a couple of asterisks by the ones you recommend, anywhere from 1-3 depending on how much you recommend them. (I put a ++ by those I started but didn't finish.)
1. The DaVinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)***
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)***
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)***
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)***
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)***
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)***
9.OUTLANDER (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A FINE BALANCE (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Rowling)*
12. ANGELS AND DEMONS (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)*
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)*
16. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)*
17. FALL ON YOUR KNEES (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)***
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)*
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)***
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)**
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)++
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)**
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)**
34. 1984 (Orwell)***
35. THE MISTS OF AVALON (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)*
38. I Know This Much Is True (Wally Lamb)*
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. THE ALCHEMIST (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHAULIC (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. The Bible ***
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)*
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)**
50. She's Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)**
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)**
53. Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card)***
54. Great Expectations (Dickens) *
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)**
56. THE STONE ANGEL (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)*
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)***
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)++
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. FIFTH BUSINESS (Robertson Davies)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)++
69. Les Miserables (Victor Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)**
71. Bridget Jones's Diary (Helen Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)++
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)**
76. THE SUMMER TREE (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN (Betty Smith)**
78. The World According to Garp (John Irving)*
79. THE DIVINERS (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)**
81. NOT WANTED ON THE VOYAGE (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)***
83. REBECCA(Daphne DuMaurier)
84. WIZARD'S FIRST RULE (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)**
86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)****
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)***
88. THE STONE DIARIES (Carol Shields)
89. BLINDNESS (Jose Saramago)
90. KANE AND ABEL (Jeffrey Archer)
91. IN THE SKIN OF A LION (Michael Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (William Golding)**
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)****
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)*
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)*
98. A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE (Barbara Taylor Bradford)**
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)
* Bold the ones you’ve read.* Italicize the ones you want to read.* Leave in normal text the ones that don’t interest you.* Put in ALL CAPS those you haven’t heard of.* Put a couple of asterisks by the ones you recommend, anywhere from 1-3 depending on how much you recommend them. (I put a ++ by those I started but didn't finish.)
1. The DaVinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)***
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)***
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)***
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)***
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)***
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)***
9.OUTLANDER (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A FINE BALANCE (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Rowling)*
12. ANGELS AND DEMONS (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)*
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)*
16. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)*
17. FALL ON YOUR KNEES (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)***
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)*
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)***
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)**
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)++
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)**
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)**
34. 1984 (Orwell)***
35. THE MISTS OF AVALON (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)*
38. I Know This Much Is True (Wally Lamb)*
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. THE ALCHEMIST (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHAULIC (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. The Bible ***
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)*
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)**
50. She's Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)**
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)**
53. Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card)***
54. Great Expectations (Dickens) *
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)**
56. THE STONE ANGEL (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)*
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)***
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)++
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. FIFTH BUSINESS (Robertson Davies)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)++
69. Les Miserables (Victor Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)**
71. Bridget Jones's Diary (Helen Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)++
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)**
76. THE SUMMER TREE (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN (Betty Smith)**
78. The World According to Garp (John Irving)*
79. THE DIVINERS (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)**
81. NOT WANTED ON THE VOYAGE (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)***
83. REBECCA(Daphne DuMaurier)
84. WIZARD'S FIRST RULE (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)**
86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)****
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)***
88. THE STONE DIARIES (Carol Shields)
89. BLINDNESS (Jose Saramago)
90. KANE AND ABEL (Jeffrey Archer)
91. IN THE SKIN OF A LION (Michael Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (William Golding)**
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)****
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)*
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)*
98. A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE (Barbara Taylor Bradford)**
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)
Dec 1, 2007
semi-meaningless post concerning high school and the present
I saw this on a friend's blog, and thought it was interesting (in one of those meaningless ways). If you want, add yours in the comments section. I want to know more about you!
5 things I liked in high school that I don't like now:
5 things I liked in high school that I don't like now:
- purple eye shadow (why didn't anyone tell me how I really looked with that stuff on?)
- Wham, Culture Club, and Reba McEntire
- Big hair, Texas-style (that is, really big hair, especially the bangs)
- Ronald Reagan
- white wicker furniture
5 things I didn't like in high school that I still don't like
- getting up before 8am
- writing papers for school
- pretensious or snobby people (probably because I was something of a nerd, and still am)
- The Canterbury Tales (I'll keep trying, though)
- very tailored clothing
5 things I liked in high school that I still like now
- Prince, Violent Femmes, and George Strait
- denim miniskirts (still one of my favorite items of clothing)
- long hair (as long as it's not too big)
- dressing up for special occasions, and staying up late with good friends
- Rocky Horror Picture Show and Monty Python's Holy Grail
5 things I didn't like in high school that I do like now
- commemorating special occasions, such as graduations (for some reason, I was more averse to this back then, much to my parents' rightful disappointment)
- spending time with my sister (Ok, that sounds harsh, but you know how sisters can be in high school -- it's ruthless! And now she's truly a best friend.)
- drinking beer (really, I hated it in high school, it was wine coolers back then)
- learning languages (I hated studying French at Lubbock High, but now I'd enjoy it)
- The thought of being in my 30's -- sounded dreadful, but it's great
Mar 9, 2007
Rock 'n Roll Never Forgets!!!
Four words: Bob Seger in concert.
One word: ROCKIN'.
Thanks honey for a fabulous date night!
Jan 19, 2007
Four Out of Five Weight-Loss Experts Recommend Solzhenitsyn over Herriot...
I realized something last night. If I’m hoping to lose a little weight before our next baby – which I am – then I need to be more selective about my bedtime reading. Picture the scene: It’s late in the evening, several hours after dinner, and I’m snuggled into bed with a cup of hot tea and a good book. Trouble is, all my favorite bedtime reads are full of people eating large, tasty meals which are described in such detail that I’m almost drooling.
Take last night, for example. I settle into my pillow and open a perennial favorite, James Herriot’s The Lord God Made Them All. Here’s what I found: "a piled plateful of sausages, scrambled eggs and fried potatoes", "a glorious vegetable soup with pieces of sausage and dumpling"; "on the plate rested a ring of mashed potatoes into which he poured hot fat containing bacon and onions"; "dessert was sago pudding, thickly sprinkled with cinnamon".
Hmmm, now I'm a little hungry. I put down Herriot and reach for Jan Karon’s 2nd Mitford novel, A Light in the Window. But there's more temptation here: "Crab cobbler! He stared at the dozen flaky homemade biscuits poised on the bed of fresh crabmeat and fragrant sauce"; "baked beans, cole slaw, and ribs from home"; "the dessert of orange mocha cake with fresh cream".
OK, now I'm really hungry. I throw Mitford in the corner and pick up the classic Anne of Green Gables. Wouldn’t you know it? They’re at the dinner table: "The kitchen was filled with appetizing odors emanating from the oven, where the chickens were sizzling splendidly"; "she proceeded to prepare her bread sauce for the chicken, mince her onions for the soup, and whip the cream for the lemon pies".
Perhaps I should seek an era when food wasn't so readiy available. I find Laura Ingalls Wilder under the night table and read the following: "Almanzo ate the sweet, mellow baked beans. He ate the bit of salt pork that melted in his mouth like cream in his mouth. He ate the ham. He bit deep into velvety bread spread with sleek butter. He demolished a tall heap of pale mashed turnips, and a hill of stewed yellow pumpkin. He felt very comfortable inside. Slowly he ate a large piece of pumpkin pie."
You've GOT to be kidding. Wait, I know a certain source of material deprivation. I go to the bookshelf and get Louis L’Amour’s Milo Talon. And wouldn't you know it, those damn cowboys are eating "a plate of beef, scrambled eggs, and fried potatoes".
This is ridiculous. In desperation, I reach for the last book on the table, and thankfully find the following: "The men were chasing bits of rotten fish among the cabbage leaves, and they didn't leave anything, not even the gills or the tail, they even ate the eyes"; "he scooped up the last bits of mush with the soggy crust of moldy bread."
Finally. I have found hope in Solzhenitsyn's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.
Take last night, for example. I settle into my pillow and open a perennial favorite, James Herriot’s The Lord God Made Them All. Here’s what I found: "a piled plateful of sausages, scrambled eggs and fried potatoes", "a glorious vegetable soup with pieces of sausage and dumpling"; "on the plate rested a ring of mashed potatoes into which he poured hot fat containing bacon and onions"; "dessert was sago pudding, thickly sprinkled with cinnamon".
Hmmm, now I'm a little hungry. I put down Herriot and reach for Jan Karon’s 2nd Mitford novel, A Light in the Window. But there's more temptation here: "Crab cobbler! He stared at the dozen flaky homemade biscuits poised on the bed of fresh crabmeat and fragrant sauce"; "baked beans, cole slaw, and ribs from home"; "the dessert of orange mocha cake with fresh cream".
OK, now I'm really hungry. I throw Mitford in the corner and pick up the classic Anne of Green Gables. Wouldn’t you know it? They’re at the dinner table: "The kitchen was filled with appetizing odors emanating from the oven, where the chickens were sizzling splendidly"; "she proceeded to prepare her bread sauce for the chicken, mince her onions for the soup, and whip the cream for the lemon pies".
Perhaps I should seek an era when food wasn't so readiy available. I find Laura Ingalls Wilder under the night table and read the following: "Almanzo ate the sweet, mellow baked beans. He ate the bit of salt pork that melted in his mouth like cream in his mouth. He ate the ham. He bit deep into velvety bread spread with sleek butter. He demolished a tall heap of pale mashed turnips, and a hill of stewed yellow pumpkin. He felt very comfortable inside. Slowly he ate a large piece of pumpkin pie."
You've GOT to be kidding. Wait, I know a certain source of material deprivation. I go to the bookshelf and get Louis L’Amour’s Milo Talon. And wouldn't you know it, those damn cowboys are eating "a plate of beef, scrambled eggs, and fried potatoes".
This is ridiculous. In desperation, I reach for the last book on the table, and thankfully find the following: "The men were chasing bits of rotten fish among the cabbage leaves, and they didn't leave anything, not even the gills or the tail, they even ate the eyes"; "he scooped up the last bits of mush with the soggy crust of moldy bread."
Finally. I have found hope in Solzhenitsyn's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.
Dec 14, 2006
Bum Steer Indeed!
I love, love, love the magazine Texas Monthly. It's just fabulous. Even as we're trying to simplify our lives and eliminate what we don't need, I'm sorely tempted to resubscribe.
Thanks to Will for giving the blogosphere and early heads-up to this wonderful issue of TM, and especially its Bum Steer of the Year! I myself love to hunt, but I think I'd give this guy a wide berth.
PS -- I"m trying to figure out what it says about me, that I posted the last 2 items on the same day.
Thanks to Will for giving the blogosphere and early heads-up to this wonderful issue of TM, and especially its Bum Steer of the Year! I myself love to hunt, but I think I'd give this guy a wide berth.
PS -- I"m trying to figure out what it says about me, that I posted the last 2 items on the same day.
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