Sunday Stealing: The Christmas Meme

From Sunday Stealing
The Christmas Meme


1. Do you send Christmas cards?

A. Yes. I sent out about 60 cards this year.
 
2. How soon do you start shopping?

A. September.

3. Who do you shop for?

A. Friends and family.
 
4. Do you put up a Christmas tree?

A. Yes.
 
5. If so, is it fake or real?

A. Fake.
 
6. Do you like tinsel?

A. We have it on the tree.
 
7. Do you use homemade or store bought ornaments?

A. Store bought.
 
8. Do you put Christmas lights outside your house?

A. We didn't this year but we have in previous years.
 
9. Do you put lights on the tree?

A. It came with lights.
 
10. How about popcorn and cranberries?

A. No.
 
11. Is there a wreath hanging on your door?

A. Yes.
 
13. Do you hang up your stocking?

A. Yes.
 
14. Does your family read "Twas the night before Christmas?"

A. No, but sometimes I recite just for fun. I know most of it by heart.
 
15. Christmas movie?

A. It's a Wonderful Life
 
16. Character from any Christmas Movie?

A. Scrooge
 
17. Christmas Song?

A. Do You Hear What I Hear?
 
18. Christmas Memory?

A. That time I asked for a BB gun and nearly shot my eye out. No, wait. That's a movie.
 
19. Give or Receive?

A. How about both?
 
22. Ham or Turkey?

A. Either. I don't really care.
 
24. White Lights or Colored Lights?

A. Colored lights.
 
25. Blinking lights or still lights?

A. Blinking.

26. Were you Naughty or Nice this year?

A. I was nice. I'm always nice. I'm so darned nice that nice just falls right off of me in the middle of the parking lot.
 
27. What do you want for Christmas this year?

A. I didn't really ask for anything this year except for a food laminator. That, my dears, is what I call a food vacuum sealer thingy.

28. When do you open your gifts?

A. Christmas morning, for the majority. But some I open early, with friends or family members. My brother and I have a tradition of exchanging presents on Christmas Eve.
 
29. What's the best gift you've ever gotten?

A. Well, it won't be a food laminator, even if I get one. My husband gave me pearls last year and I really liked those.
 
30. What's the worst gift you've ever gotten?

A. Well, it won't be a food laminator, even if I get one, since that is what I've asked for. I don't know that I've ever gotten a bad gift; I am always grateful for whatever anyone cares to give me. Now the worst Christmas bonus I ever received from an employer was a measly $2.00, which I considered a terrible insult at the time. I'd have rather he'd gone out and bought me a box of chocolates, which at that time he could have done for that amount of cash.
 
31. Who gives you the most gifts?

A. My husband.
 
32. Have you ever had a secret Santa?

A. Not in many years.
 
33. Do you like wrapping gifts?

A. I don't anymore. I used to enjoy it.
 
34. Do you put change in those red buckets?

A. Sometimes.

35. Do you burn a yule log?

A. Nope.
 
36. Can you name all the reindeer?

A. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixon, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph, and Olive the Other Reindeer.
 
37. Do you bake cookies?

A. Yes. I also make darned good fudge.
 
38. Have you ever seen your mommy kissing Santa Clause?

A. I'm not going to answer that.
 
39. Have you ever gotten a kiss under the mistletoe?

A. Yes.
 
41. Do you drive around and look at the Christmas lights?

A. Sometimes.
 
42. Have you ever left Santa cookies?

A. I'm sure I did when I was quite young.
 
43. Have you ever sat on Santa's lap?

A. Yes.
 
44. Who do you celebrate Christmas with?

A. My husband, my family, my friends.
 
45. Where do you celebrate Christmas?

A. My house, my in-laws house, my father's house, sometimes. In restaurants with friends. You celebrate Christmas wherever you are when you're with people you love.
 
46. Have you ever had a white Christmas?

A. Yes.
 
47. What part of Christmas do you look most forward to?

A. The end of it, at least, this year. I'm feeling a little less happy this year than I have in previous ones.
 
48. Have you ever had your picture taken with Santa?

Yes, I have.

Me with Santa in 2012. (That's my
father in the red suit. Really.)
 

Saturday 9: Happy Holidays!

Saturday 9: Happy Holidays!

1. As you can see, Sam (the author of this meme) loved giving her annual wish list to Santa. Yet some children are reluctant to climb into Jolly Old St. Nick's lap. Did you enjoy the tradition or were you shy? Or did you by pass it altogether -- either because you wrote him a letter or because your family didn't celebrate Christmas?

A. When I was quite small I think Santa scared me, but after I aged a bit I didn't mind. I don't recall ever really writing letters. Also, I had figured out by the time I was five years old who Santa really was, which rather took the fun out of it. I was too smart for my own good.

2. Are you currently on the Naughty or Nice list? How did you get there?

A. I would hope I'm on the Nice list. I am there because I am good to my husband, kind to my friends, and polite and moral to every one else. I try to treat people like I want to be treated.


3. Did you ship any gifts to friends and family this year? If so, which one traveled the farthest?

A. I sent my grandmother, who is 94 years old and has dementia, a card with a letter inside it. I hope someone reads it to her and she has some moment of clarity wherein she understands some of it. She lives in California and I am in Virginia. But the gift that traveled the farthest went to England, to my friend, Inga.

4. Did you buy yourself a gift this year?

A. Actually, yes. I purchased two sweaters that were on sale on Black Friday because the price was terrific, and I am cold all the time. The sweaters are very warm. 
5. What's your favorite holiday-themed movie?

A. It's A Wonderful Life, although I am also partial to versions of A Christmas Carol. And it isn't Christmas without Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

6. Thinking of movies, Christmas is lucrative for Hollywood. Have you ever gone to a movie theater on Christmas Day?

A. Not that I recall.

7. Have you ever suffered an embarrassing moment at the company Christmas party?

A. I haven't been to a company Christmas party in years, since I'm a self-employed freelancer. 
8. What's your favorite beverage in cold weather?

A. Hot chocolate.

9. What will you remember most about 2014?

A. I imagine most of my readers know the answer to this one: my husband's terrible farm accident wherein he caught his arm in the hay baler. That was an eye-opening experience for us both. We are hoping for a better 2015.

The Brilliance of Tolkien

Every year since the movies came out, I revisit Tolkien's world in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. I have the extended versions of each movie, which has scenes not viewed by the majority in the theatrical release.

This go-round, I was struck by the scene in Return of the King where Sméagol becomes Gollum. You can see a short clip of it here.

As the Ring takes Gollum, the former Hobbit-like being says, "We forgot the taste of bread, the sound of trees, the softness of the wind. We even forgot our own name."

He is so busy worshipping his new god, The One Ring, that he loses sight of every thing else. In the beginning, he weeps to be so alone, but eventually, he is more comfortable alone.

And so I began to wonder, are we all now Gollums, trapped here in our capitalistic society, where we worship not a single empowered ring but instead are so busy chasing after the worshipped manna (money) that we, too, have "forgot our own name."

You are saying, "Of course I know my name," aren't you? But it is not your given name that I speak of. I am speaking of your sacred name, your secret name, the name that life blessed you with. The name you would know if your feet felt the earth, the wind touched your skin, and you foraged for your own food. The name that you would own as yours, had you been given the choice. It's probably not the name you use now.

We have stepped away from simpler times, built ourselves concrete mansions and roadways, shied away from all that is natural and good, have we not? Our ceremonies are staid affairs, boring and culturally inclined - because we risk ostracism if we burst forth from societal norms and dance naked beneath the stars.

Our lives are singular now, built around devices that sneakily suck us in as creating connectedness. Instead, they make us more alone, so that we are fornicating with ourselves in the dark instead of making love with great passion to someone who has touched our soul. We sit in crowded coffee shops, a person to a table, or a group not speaking. Does anyone talk any more?

Today's society is built upon a past that apparently we decided, at some point, we must outrun, not embrace. Every morning my Facebook page, my newspaper, and my other information outlets have news foul enough to send me weeping into the farthest corner of my house, where I might crawl into a fetal position and hide my sorry head. I read it, as do you, as if it means nothing, as if the deaths of others do not diminish me. But we know that they do. We must know that, somewhere in our core.

We seem to have forgotten that each of us, no matter how small, can make a difference, and that our presence and our present matters to the future. We are living only for the next coin. How, I must ask, can this be healthy?

As we ravage nature, destroy her wonders, and plunder the earth, what exactly are we losing? Are we not losing resources as well as ourselves? I wonder if we are moving beyond that which is human, and evolving into some other creature. And if so, what kind of creature will we ultimately become?

We are not detached from this world. We are not Gollums hiding in caves, worshipping our golden rings. We are part of the universe, the greater good, and society as a whole. Why do we act then like Gollums, speaking riddles in the dark, knowing there is no one to answer?

It is time, I think, for a new revolution. We are free people but we have enslaved ourselves with consumerism, our passion for ownership, and our desires for more. We have no idea what it is like to dance naked beneath the stars, to feel the grass beneath our feet, to taste the tender softness of an apple plucked fresh from the tree. More worrying, most of us don't care about what we have lost, because we are so far removed from it. We don't miss what we've never known.

Christmas, alas, is the ultimate consumerist holiday, teaching our youth from a very young age how to ask for what they want, not how to give in return. I'm as guilty as the next person, I'm sorry to say, except perhaps in saner moments like this one in which I am writing. My eyes open occasionally to let Gollum go, freeing him to seek his Precious elsewhere. But the fell darkness that we have created doesn't take long to cover up whatever light I may stumble upon. My eyes darken.

I want this revolution, if not for the world, then for myself, and for you. Open your heart. I want to open my heart. I want to remember what it is like to love with yearning, to not ask for more than I need. In a world that is full of more, I want to learn how to do with less.

Am I strong enough to resist the call of The One Ring? Are you?

Thursday Thirteen

Today I thought I'd list 13 people I am thankful for:



Me and my #1 Dude

1. My husband. He is my number one dude, my best friend, my boon companion, my provider, comforter, lover  - all rolled into one big cuddly package. He is the best.

2. My brother. He is the only other person in this world who shares my childhood memories with me, and has any chance of halfway seeing them from my point of view.

3. My father. We don't spend a lot of time together, but he's still my dad.

4. My doctor. I have a wonderful primary care doctor. She listens, spends time with me, and gives really good hugs. She doesn't hesitate to say she doesn't have all the answers and will send me wherever she thinks I need to go to find those answers. She's not in with any of the big health care providers because she couldn't spend the time she wanted with her patients. She told me once she had been constantly fussed at by the bean counters for a big facility she once worked for because she wasn't in and out of a patient's room in 10 minutes. She will spend 40 minutes with me if I need it. Isn't that real health care? I think so.

5. My physical therapist. I have a terrific physical therapist who is caring and an expert at her job. She gives a lot of thought to my issues and comes up with inventive and creative ways to help me deal with my very weird and somewhat unusual pain and abnormalities. We laugh a lot together, too.

My friend Leslie

6. My friend Leslie. She has been my friend for more than 30 years, and how many people can say they have had a friend that long? We met when I went to work at the same law office, back in 1983, and have been friends ever since. She's a gentle and kind soul, and I am delighted to have her in my life.

7. My friend Brenda. We've been close friends for over 15 years now, which is also a long time. She keeps me on my toes and is always ready to lend an ear when I need a chat. She's a dear person.

8. My friend Teresa. She's a relatively new friend - we've known each other for about four years now, and been good friends for two. She has helped me tremendously with this health situation, and she was beside me when my husband was seriously hurt this summer. She's super sweet and I am grateful she's in my life.

9. My aunt, Carolyn. I don't see her much because she travels all over the country (and out of the country, too!) doing specialized computer stuff that I do not profess to understand. She's always been there when I needed her.

10. My mother-in-law. She has been a good mother-in-law and she raised my husband, so she must have been a good mother, too. She is going strong at 81 and living an enviable life for her age. She's in great health, too. I admire her ability to make a new life for herself after the death of my father-in-law, and how she just goes on and does what she wants to. She is a good role model.

Chris & Emory

Trey

11. My nephews. A three-in-one here, with the boys all grown young men now. Emory is studying medicine, Chris is a certified welder, and Trey is in college studying to be a nutritionist or something like that. I am very proud of all of three of them. They are fine fellows, and while I don't see as much of them as I would like, they do drop in occasionally to check on their ol' aunt and uncle.

Zoe'

12. My niece. She's a spiffy teenager, now. A beauty pageant queen and a dancer, Zoe' is the light in her father's eye.

13. Santa Claus. Ha! Fooled you on that one, didn't I? But what would this time of year be without that jolly ol' elf, and the lore surrounding him? All that eye-twinkling and cherry red checks stuff, and ho ho ho-ing. Isn't it fun? Doesn't it make for a splendiferous and remarkable bounty of color in an otherwise drab and dreary time?

And last but not least, I am grateful for you, dear blog reader, whoever you might be, wherever you are. I don't know who most of my readers are, but I know some of you, and I appreciate each and every one. Thank you for visiting me and spending part of your time reading my words. I wish you much joy and great festivities during this holiday season.




Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 374th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

My Christmas Letter

We send out about 60 cards this time year, wishing folks a joyous holiday and Happy New Year. I write personal notes in some cards, particularly to those folks whom I haven't seen in some time, or am not friends with on Facebook.

I enjoy remembering these people with kindness and love, sometimes with a story or a prayer when I think of them. However, we do not send out a holiday letter. My husband hates them and shudders at the mere mention of one. He doesn't read the ones we receive, though I do. I don't mind them. I like knowing how folks are doing and what they are up too, even if half the time I don't know who or what they're talking about.

Most folks know I am a writer of sorts, so I occasionally am asked why I don't send out something with my cards. The above would be the reason - I don't override my husband's protests (except on really important matters). The other is, I don't think we're that interesting. But if I had written a letter to stick in the cards (which have all gone out in the mail), it would have read something like this:

The year's nearly over, time's running out quick
It's been 18 months now since Anita's been sick.
It's been a rough time for this Firebaugh clan.
The summer went sour when James injured his hand.
He fought the hay baler like a knight on a steed,
but had to cry, "uncle" when the thing made him bleed.
His angel was watching, the doc saved his arm
by September he was back working the farm.
For six months, physical therapy filled up their time.
"Growing old sucks," Anita's been heard to opine.
She uses a cane now, thanks to a bad foot
And while she's still writing, she's not touched her book.
They both have gray hair, (what hair James may have)
and each morning starts out with some smelly joint salve.
Such creaking and groaning, these two when they rise
they sound like Rice Crispies, that childhood surprise.
Though the year's been a hard one, they put on bright smiles
and send you good wishes from across the miles.

Happy Holidays, whatever you do,
may your upcoming year be the best one for you.

Or maybe I could have written something like this:

Dear Friends and Loved Ones,

What a year we've had! James, as most of you know, caught his hand and arm in a hay baler on July 5. I will never forget that awful day, the way he drove himself home on the utility vehicle and then told me he'd just "cut himself" and needed stitches at the Daleville urgent care. The look on the poor doctor's face when we removed the old sheet James had wrapped around his arm would have been laughable had I not at that moment realized the extent of the injury. Needless to say, the doctor called an ambulance.

After two surgeries and five days in the hospital, James came home. I have to give a big shout-out and thank you to my brother, who was very helpful throughout this ordeal. He even changed the hot water heater elements for us, which unfortunately went out on the day James came home (and he was so longing for a shower, poor man!). Also many of you (you know who you are!) stepped forward to lend a hand, either helping with farm chores or bringing us a meal. I'm grateful.

James was housebound most of the summer - and that is not a good thing for a plow boy, I must say. He was diligent with his physical therapy, though, and was soon back at work. I am happy to report that he has recovered most of the function of his hand. He grinned from ear to ear just this past week when he was able to work the throttle and brake on his motorcycle. Oh happy day!

As for me, in January I went to UVA for my abdominal pain, but no one had any advice except to find a pain specialist. I had a CT Scan in the spring, which showed nothing, and a visit with a local surgeon produced no tangible results, either. An endoscopy in September indicated that my multiple bleeding ulcers (diagnosed in October 2013) were better. Though not quite healed, they certainly were no longer the concern they were the previous fall. That was my personal best news all year (James' recovery, of course, took the cake.)

I began physical therapy in April, and have been going consistently since August (there was a break there when James was hurt, of course). The PT has helped a little, but unfortunately, I developed a weird issue with my right foot. (Of course it's a weird issue, it's me!) My gait changed, and my foot turned outward. One theory is the adhesions in my abdomen (that's what the diagnosis on the pain is, scar tissue build-up) pulled my pelvis out of alignment, causing me to walk incorrectly on my foot and ankle and damage a tendon. I see a specialist on December 31 about that. Way to start the New Year, eh?

I also went to UNC in August for additional diagnosis on the belly pain. UNC has a Women's Hospital and I had no idea they had such a huge facility there. They couldn't help, either, though.

The cows are good - James likes the new paddocks and water troughs he installed the summer of 2013. That is working well for him. He continues to stay busy with not only the farm but also his septic tank installation work and his work at the fire department. He would like to retire from the fire department soon, but like most folks have found, health insurance is an issue.

I enjoy watching the deer out the window. Sometimes they come right up and look in the house. They are curious animals. I have also been doing a lot of reading. Current events make me sad.

The rest of the family is well. As far as I know, both of our immediate families are doing okay. We're very proud of nephews and our niece. They are growing up to be fine young people.

Hope your year has been blessed and wonderful, and that 2015 is a joyous one for you.

The Firebaughs


Anyway, that's why we don't send out letters in our Christmas cards.

Sunrise, Sunset

Sunrise

 

Sunset

 

 

A Happy Man

On July 5, as regular readers may remember, my husband smashed his hand and arm in a hay baler. He required two surgeries and hospitalization. He's been seeing an occupational therapist since August.

He has regained most of the use of his arm and hand, but his last remaining concern was using the throttle and brakes on his motorcycle. So his machine sat in the garage. Until yesterday.

Yesterday, he went for a ride.

All of that therapy and hard work paid off.

He said he had no trouble with the controls at all.

He's been riding a motorcycle since he was 12 years old.

There he goes, almost back to his old self. His physical therapy ends this week - they're letting him go. He has about 90 percent of his use back in his hand, and they expect the rest to come back over the next six months.

Not only is he a happy man, he's a very, very lucky one. We certainly have this miracle to be thankful for this Christmas.

Sunday Stealing: Have You Ever

The Have You Ever Meme
From Sunday Stealing

Have you ever:

1) . . . been lost in a maze?

A. Only the maze of life, which is a labyrinth that constantly trips me up.
 
2) . . . been attacked by a wild animal?

A. Not that I recall. I've been attacked by a dog.
 
3) . . . ridden a camel?

A. No. This question made me think about a song by Ray Stevens called Ahab the Arab, who had a camel named Clyde.
 
4) . . . pet a rat?

A. My mother killed one once with her shoe during her Christmas party.
 
5) . . . been a member of a gym?

A. No.
 
6) . . . been in a helicopter?

A. I've been in a hot air balloon. Is that close?

7) . . . cheated at a test?

A. Not that I recall.
 
8) . . . ridden a tractor?

A. I live on a farm. What do you think? I've not just ridden on a tractor, I've driven one, too.
 
9) . . . passed wind/gas in an embarrassing situation?

A. I'm sure I have but I can't recall any particulars.
 
10) . . . played the bongos?

A. I think in elementary school they were one of the instruments the music teacher handed out. And this question made me think of this scene from The Big Bang Theory.
 
11) . . . handled a snake?

A. I've killed a few. One I shot about 8 times with a .22 rifle, and another I hacked to pieces with a hoe.
 
12) . . . assembled furniture by yourself?

A. Yes.
 
13) . . . been scuba diving?

A. No.
 
14) . . . had a disastrous interview?

A. I've been on many interviews for jobs and I didn't end up with the position, so they must have been somewhat disastrous. I've also performed many interviews as a journalist, and a few of those did not go as expected.
 
15) . . . sold your services?

A. :::pulling mind out of gutter::: I am a freelance writer, and I have been paid for that service, as well as my photography.
 
16) . . . raised money for charity?

A. Yes.
 
17) . . . won a giant sized cuddly toy from a fair?

A. I've won things at fairs, but not giant-sized things.
 
18) . . . milked a cow?

A. Yes.
 
19) . . . used the phrase "back in my time" to someone younger than you?

A. Probably. Back in my time they didn't have memes like this, that's for sure.

20) . . . invented a fairly unique meal or drink?
A. Can't say that I have.

Saturday 9: Felix Feriae

Saturday 9: Feliz Navidad (1970)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

I had no idea that song was from 1970. I am so ancient.


1. "Feliz Navidad" is Spanish for "Merry Christmas." Can you wish us happy holidays in a language other than English or Spanish?

A. Felix Feriae, which hopefully is the correct Latin for Happy Holidays. Someone correct me if necessary.

2. According to ASCAP (the American Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers), this is one of the 20 most played holiday songs of the last 10 years. What's the most recent carol that you heard?

A. Winter Wonderland, which isn't really a carol but just a seasonal song.

3. Which Christmas song do you hope you never hear again?

A. The 12 Days of Christmas. There are some funny versions of that song that I don't mind.

4. This week's featured artist, Jose Feliciano, was honored to perform this song at the tree lighting ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. If you were to win a trip to our nation's capital, which sites would you visit?

A. The Library of Congress and the Smithsonian.

5. As a very young child, Jose taught himself to play the accordion. If you could suddenly, easily learn to play any instrument, which would you choose?

A. I can already play the guitar, the piano, the flute, the saxophone, the organ, the dulcimer, and the banjo, though I only play the guitar in any decent fashion. If I were to add another to the list, I think it might be the harp. If I could play one of the above better, it would be the piano.

6. Jose says that hearing early 1950s rock on the radio made him want to become a singer. What's your favorite music genre?

A. 1970s Southern rock, if that's a genre. By that I mean, The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, and the Doobie Brothers.

7. At 17, Jose had to drop out of school to help support his family. Too young to enter bars, he played guitar in coffee houses for tips. Have you ever worked a job where you regularly received gratuities?

A. I played in a band when I was younger, sometimes we received tips.

8. Jose and wife Susan have been together for more than 40 years. Who is the happiest married couple you know?

A. Well, my husband and I are pretty happy together, even though we have our trials and tribulations. But most people do. I have some friends who I think are very happily married, but I won't name names. As far as celebrities go, I have no idea.

9. Jose wrote and performed the theme of the 1970s show, Chico and the Man. What's your current favorite TV show?

A. Big Bang Theory and The Newsroom.

Thursday Thirteen #373

Well, it's one of those Thursdays when I am clueless as to what to list, so I'm going to beat my forehead on the desk and see what I come up with.

. . .

Ow. And ouch. Hmm. That didn't help much. Now I have a headache!

Here's an idea. Maybe it did work. Christmas is coming, so how about 13 gifts to give.

1. A card. Have you seen the price of these things lately? $6.99 for some of the nicer ones. Thank heavens there are still some $0.99 ones around. At those higher prices, though, the card itself becomes a gift. Too bad for most people they are just something to toss in the recycling bin (I cut my cards up and use them for book marks).

2. A smartphone, or GPS, or some other technological doohickey. If you have a loved one who is still in the dark ages, consider getting them an update.

3. Clothes. Always a good choice, especially if you stick the gift receipt in the box so they can be returned. I read somewhere that clothing is the most returned item. It is so easy to see some cute little top and think, O, Betsy would love this! And so you snatch it up. 

4. Food. I think food is generally a welcomed gift, especially if you give something nice, like an Etzler Ham, or a gift box of mixes. Jellies are good, too. Or those boxes of mixed stuff like from Hickory Farms or Figi or whatever. Yum. As for me, I am always happy to receive a box of Cella's chocolate covered cherries. Homemade is good, too. Fudge and cookies, please.

5. Cash or gift cards. I hate to give cash but for the young ones, it is the best. I stopped giving gift cards for the most part, because that forces people to spend money where you want them to spend it. The young folks especially need to buy gas for their vehicle more than they need another CD or whatever. Older folks might like a restaurant gift card, and for that hard-to-buy for relative, gift cards to a department store are good.

6. Books. This should have been first on my list. I always give books and love getting books, even though my house is smothering in books. Can one ever have too many books? Books are also much more expensive than they used to be. Dime store novel? More like $10 novel.

7. Things people collect. I try not to give what I call "sitty-around" things, but if someone collects something, that's different. If you have a friend who collects salt shakers or little gnomes or ugly fairies (anybody remember those troll dolls from long ago?), then by all means, feel free to add to the collection.

8. Coffee mugs. I like coffee mugs with cute sayings on them. Generally everybody has room for one more coffee mug, and if you're considerate about what it is on it and get something aimed at your recipient, a coffee mug can be a great hit. Maybe you can find one made in the USA or whatever country you live in? Make that your challenge.

9. Some kind of crafty thing. The farmer's market and other craft shows are wonderful places for finding unique little doo-dads that I can't think of this early in the morning. You just never know what people are offering.

10. A letter. What? A letter? In this modern day and age? Well, yes. A very thoughtful letter telling someone what he or she means to you might be the best darned gift you can give. And I guarantee it probably will be one of the best darned gifts that person receives, especially if it is full of love and goodness, memories and joy. Celebrate the people you love. They aren't going to be here forever.

11. Cooking stuff. If you know someone who is a chef, or maybe someone who has been married for 30 years who doesn't like to cook much but whose stuff has rather worn out, maybe some cookware would be nice. Try not to give things that cause cancer, though I am not sure what that would be since everything causes cancer.

12. An experience. You can give tickets to plays, movies, boat rides, airplane rides, hot air balloon rides - pretty much anything you can think of. Maybe your friend wants to go mountain climbing. Just don't give them a ticket to something they can't actually participate in. For example, someone like me who's in physical therapy and using a cane probably wouldn't go on a ski trip. So be thoughtful.

13. Time. How often do you give of your time? Time is eaten away by work and personal responsibilities. Do you *make* time to spend with your friends, or talk to them on the phone, or do you not speak to them for six weeks and still expect them to be there when you call? Clicking "like" on Facebook isn't the same as spending time with someone. If you want someone in your life, you have to make that person a priority once in a while. Because otherwise, you know, they're not a priority and they'll figure that out eventually.

How about you? What would you give for a present?


Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 373rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Fog

Hidden

Books: The Book Thief

The Book Thief
By Markus Zusak
Copyright 2005
550 pages

The Book Thief is the story of a young girl in Germany during World War II. It was my book club's read for November. I did not finish the book and instead watched the movie.

The movie in no way does the book justice. Infrequently, movies surpass a book, but that is not the case this time. If you saw the movie and have not read the book, treat yourself to the book.

This novel is listed as young adult, and I am not sure why. I certainly would not give it that classification. I suppose it is because it is about a young girl and not an adult that places it in that category. I would put this in general fiction. Or literature.

Liesel at the age of 9 becomes the foster child of a German couple. Her mother leaves her there, for unexplained reasons, though there are hints that the girl's real mother is a communist and thus on the run. Along the way, Liesel's brother dies, and at his graveside she steals a book about grave digging. That is her first theft of books.

The story uses the theft of books as a thematic device, but this is really a novel about language and the power of words. Words have strength and beauty, but they are also hateful and ugly. The words we choose to use as human beings says a lot about who we are as people. The words we use as a society, the words we condemn or uplift, also says much about us as a whole. Hitler, the book points out, was a master wordsmith, and many people fell at his feet to follow his plan of world domination, among other things.

This book saddened me because I could not help but make comparisons - how do we differ today from 1942? Today we don't have leaflets, we have fake news outlets that call themselves media, and journalists who are anything but journalists, but who are instead entertainers playing journalists on shows like Fox & Friends.  It is all a numbers game and humanity is lost in the shuffle.

Humanity lost itself in World War II, as well. The book points this out subtly, but that theme is in the story line as well. Where does our humanity go, I wonder? How is it that we lose it so easily?

This story is told by Death. Death personified as a watcher and a soul-uplifter, though not in the ways of an angel. But in the ways of someone who catches the spirit as it slips from one world to the next. Death as a reporter, really - a journalist in the truest sense.

The writing in this story is beautiful, poetic, and lovely. Even when the words sting and one feels the whip of a German soldier, there is such craft and worthiness here that it is difficult not to see what is happening. These words are visual, and I applaud the author for his writing grace.

5 Stars

Sunday Stealing: Are You?

From Sunday Stealing
The "Are You" Meme

Are you:

1) psychic in any way?

A. One of my friends thinks so. Two days before my husband was injured on the farm this summer, I was out with a friend and I kept calling my husband to check on him, something I seldom do. My friend said I was having a premonition about his accident. I have had other things happen that make me wonder.
 
2) a good dancer?

A. Two left feet and a little bit o' rhythm, but I gotta dance 'cause that's all about livin'.

3) a good singer?

A. I can carry a tune and I don't even need a bucket!

4) a good cook?

A. I make killer fudge. I can roast meat, stuff like that. But I ain't no Julia Child.

5) a good artist?

A. My drawings look like baby squiggles. I am a somewhat decent photographer, if one considers that art.

6) a good listener?

A. I am a journalist and thus a skilled listener. The key to being a good listener is to ask open-ended questions (not yes or no queries) so that the other person talks. Asking why is always good. Don't ask, "Do you like your job?" but instead ask, "Why do you like your job?". It will elicit more responses.

7) a good public speaker?

A. I'm afraid I get very nervous when I am speaking in public, though I am better at it than I used to be.

8) a good babysitter?

A. I never had children of my own, and I haven't had to take care of a young child in many years, so I would say probably not.

9) a good mechanic?

A. I can change a tire. These days, no one can be a good mechanic. Too much computer crap under the hood.

10) a good diplomat?

A. I give good advice. I don't think that is the same thing, though.

11) a good employee?

A. I work for myself, and I am not a good employee. When I used to work for someone else, I was a very good employee.

12) a good dresser?

A. I wear jeans and T-shirts. For dress clothes, I have a closet full of Alfred Dunner from J.C. Penney, which I have recently learned is a major designer faux paux. However, they are the only clothes that fit me.

13) a good swimmer?

A. I can stay afloat. When I was younger and stronger I was a much better swimmer. But then, weren't we all?

14) a good skier?

A. I have never skied. I am not athletic so my guess would be no.

15) a good gift giver?

A. I try to be.

16) a good musician?

A. I am fair. Not good, just fair. I play well enough for myself.

17) a good comedian?

A. I am told I have a wry wit and a keen sense of humor.

18) a good cleaner?

A. When I am well, yes, I am a good cleaner.

19) a good actor?

A. I have never acted in any capacity so I don't know.

20) a good writer?

A. I have a bunch of writing awards that say I am a good writer. So I suppose I am.

Saturday 9: Lucky Star

Saturday 9: Lucky Star (1983)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1. Have you ever wished upon a star?

A. I have, but knowing my luck it was probably really a UFO.

2. In the 1980s, Madonna considered her wrist bangles one of her fashion trademarks. What's one of your fashion trademarks?

A. I'm not sure I have one, but generally I wear silver or white gold. Fashion has never been something that interested me.

3. Though she got good grades, Madonna could be disruptive at school, known for turning cartwheels in the halls between classes. Can you do a cartwheel?

A. Hell no.

4. Her high grade point average earned her a dance scholarship to the University of Michigan, home of the Wolverines. Do you follow college football?

A. Not really. However, living in the Roanoke Valley, it is really hard to escape a Virginia Tech game. For one thing, the traffic is terrible on game weekends. For another, it's in your face on TV. In our house we support University of Virginia even though neither of us went there. My college, Hollins University, is undefeated in football over the last 100+ years. (It's an all girl's undergraduate college, no team!)

5. Madonna co-starred in the movie version of Dick Tracy. Do you enjoy comics?

A. I love the comics. Our local newspaper decimated the Sunday comics a couple of years ago. I lamented the loss of Prince Valiant, though not enough to look for it online. I grew up on Barney Google and Snuffy Smith, Beetle Bailey, and yes, Dick Tracy. And none of those are in the local newspaper, now.

6. She played Argentinian First Lady Eva Peron in the biopic, Evita and directed a movie about Wallis Simpson. What famous 20th century woman do you wish you could meet/could have met?

A. In my secret dreams, some famous writer like Anne Lamont or Barbara Kingsolver (or even Janet Evanovich) would become my mentor and pull me kicking and screaming into the world of the novel. Eleanor Roosevelt would also be a good choice of someone to meet. I also would like to meet Melissa Etheridge and Sheryl Crow.

7. Madonna authored a children's book called The English Roses. Tell us about a book that had a big impact on you when you were a kid.

A. One of my favorite children's books was called Miss Osborne the Mop, by Paul Gage. Published in 1969, the book told the story of a mop who came to life and helped two children over the summer. The story was quite imaginative and inventive and it appealed to my sense of fantasy, which apparently has always been strong.

8. One of Madonna's "vocal idols" is Ella Fitzgerald. Who is your all-time favorite female singer?

A. I'm not really sure I have one, but I do like Melissa Etheridge and Sheryl Crow, mentioned above, Natalie Merchant, and believe it or not, Dolly Parton. I think Dolly Parton looks horrid now with all that plastic surgery, but in her time she was a real mover and shaker and broke down lots of barriers for women in music.
 
9. Madonna once did a Pepsi commercial. What beverages are in your refrigerator right now?
A. A pitcher of water, another of unsweetened tea, a two-liter of Diet Dr. Pepper, which my husband drinks (I won't touch the stuff), and milk. If Boost counts, then there are some of those, as well.

Book Club Christmas Party

I belong to a book club that meets every other month. We've been getting together for 10 years now and have read and discussed a great many books.

We meet at the library, but in December we meet at a local eating establishment and read poems to one another. We have great fun.

I took these photos using my Nikon Coolpix L22, not the best choice of camera for the venue. I should have taken along my Canon as it works better for these types of events.

Peggy & Pat

Genevieve and Ulla

Pam and Beth

Group shot. That's me in the blue on
the right. I'd handed my camera over
to Harriet.

Another group shot.

The ladies here are Joy, Betty, Peggy, Pat
(on the back row) and me, Pat (yep, two
Pats), and Dreama.

This was Peggy's Brandy Rum something or
another. It looked delicious.

Harriet taking photos.

Me looking drugged. I wasn't drinking
but I was hurting as I'd had physical
therapy earlier that day.

Bobby Lou, Meredith, Harriet, Dreama

Pat reading her poem

Mary Lou, Sudie, and Harriet

Me reading my poem, with Harriet,
Dreama, and Pat looking on.

Mary Lou reading her poem.

Most folks brought poems written by someone else; I read a poem I had written (mostly because I was told to). Mary Lou read a poem a student had written.

We always have a good time. It is a great bunch of ladies and we enjoy one another's company. Sometimes this is the only time I see these women, though I consider all of them my friends.

Book clubs are wonderful things.