Monthly Archives: November 2009

Miscellany

To our veterans, thank you

11 November 2009 – 9:22 am

Untitled-1

Courage is almost a contradiction in terms.  It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die. 

~G.K. Chesterton

Today, here in the United States, is Veterans Day.  It is a day to remember those courageous men and women who have fought for freedom.  They’ve stood in harms way – they’ve encountered countless horrors – on our behalf.

Yet even with a day set aside, it’s often easy to forget.  Perhaps we get caught up in the festivities of an extra holiday; perhaps we simply chalk it up as their job; perhaps we’re so against fighting that we lose sight of the sacrifice. 

And yet, we mustn’t forget …

Most of us will never truly understand the sacrifice made.  We will never be able to grasp the terror or even imagine the threat.  And that’s precisely why they do what they do.  They often miss out on the everyday joys of life, so we might enjoy them.  They give their lives, so we might be free to live.   

Let’s take the time to remember.  But let’s not stop there.  Let’s continue this honor by living lives worthy of their sacrifice.

And to our veterans – for giving us this opportunity – for the courage to stand guard for our freedom …

thank_you

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Miscellany

Desideratums of delight

10 November 2009 – 8:40 am

Thirty-six goals as I head toward thirty-seven {drumroll, please} …

  • Laugh.  A lot. 
  • Dance a jig.
  • Preferrably because I’m getting published.
  • Or because I went on a date that was not painfully miserable.
  • Visit family.
  • Visit friends.
  • Enjoy my food.
  • But not too much.
  • And keep on working it off.
  • Drop a dollar in the pot.
  • Remember to pray for those who are persecuted. Every. Day.
  • Write letters.
  • Listen.
  • Call people by their names.
  • Be the best employer EVER.
  • Be a better steward of my time.
  • And money.
  • Be the proud owner of this.
  • Learn a bit of design.
  • Celebrate the little things.
  • Take the time.
  • Build a snowman.
  • Deliver treats.
  • Plant flowers.
  • Enjoy the great outdoors.
  • Frolic.
  • Fall in a pile of leaves.
  • Puddle jump.
  • Dream.
  • Act on my dreams.
  • Be a good example to those who are younger.
  • Learn from those who are older.
  • Help people to read better.
  • And write better.
  • Build up my library.
  • Learn to truly believe that ALL things are possible through Christ who gives me strength.

*The Drop Cap is, of course, brought to you by Jessica Hische.  Visit her site here.  As of yesterday, you can even see how she goes about creating a drop cap.  It is awe-some!

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Miscellany

The instigator of magic

9 November 2009 – 9:34 am

birthday_chair

Well, it’s official.  As of yesterday, I am now thirty-six years of age.  Thirty-six.  Do you realize how old this would be if my six-year-old self could see?  So.  Old.  And yet, I managed to celebrate with the best of them.  There were…

… ecards

… musical cards

… Facebook messages

… phone messages

… gifts

… songs

… food

… fun

… frivolity

And, like any respectible birthday, the celebration will continue well into the coming weeks. 

Thirty-six years and birthdays still hold a certain magic. 

Can’t be helped of course.  My mom was the instigator.  Because of her, birthdays have always been special.  From the moment I woke up to the time I laid my head upon my pillow, magic was afoot.  They were days filled with favorite foods, decorations, CAKE, fun and laughter.   Even as I’ve grown, she has a way of ushering in a new year with such pomposity, I actually believe anything is possible.  Even if my circumstances may hint otherwise. 

So to my mum, thank you – for not only giving me life, but teaching me how to celebrate it …

  love_you

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Miscellany

… I only play one on TV

4 November 2009 – 4:00 am

My cousins and I were sitting around, chatting, when the subject of Napolean Dynamite was broached… 

Me:  Egads!  Like it wasn’t bad enough that we’re known for potatoes, now we’re known for the likes of Napolean Dynamite.  I traveled all the way to Denmark and that’s all a guy could say, ‘Idaho – isn’t that where Napolean Dynamite is from?’  Sigh.

Mags:  Yeah, well we’re known as the land of balloon boy.

Hay:  I’ve got you all beat – Forks. 

Who knew she lived so close to Forks?  Certainly not I.  And apparently, the only thing worse than hordes of Twilight fans mid-pilgrimage, is having to take your husband to a doctor in Forks to have a hook removed from his calf.  My cousin, being a nurse, would have rather gone elsewhere; but seeing how her husband’s ankle was numb, it was a bit of an emergency. 

The doctor came in, took a look, and applied a local anesthetic.  The nurse asked what tool he wanted.  He glanced over at her display of carefully organized, STERILE instruments.  No … actually … I want some pliers.  Oh, you read it right.  The poor nurse stared blankly for a moment before mumbling, Okay, I’ll check with maintenance.  She came back with a grip and a needle-nose.  The doctor made an incision, took the pliers and yanked. 

True story.

We sat there, stunned.  It’s like the Twilight Zone, I said.  Yes, my cousin answered, that’s exactly what it is.

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Miscellany

Halloweeners

3 November 2009 – 8:52 am

Can I just tell you – it was perfect weather for a road trip.  Blue, blue skies and sunshine that lit up trees and danced upon the water.  Loved.  As for Halloween, ours looked something like this …

The day began with a sky of pink …

halloween_sky

And breakfast at R.J.s.  Naturally.  It’s only THE best breakfast in all the world – which means we ate entirely too much and were then forced to walk it off so we could eat more.  It was, afterall, a holiday.  That’s what you do.  Here we are getting ready to head out … 

halloween_walk

You can’t really tell from the picture, but I’m wearing clogs.  That’s right – I walked well over 2 miles in clogs.  So crippled.  But good times.  We even worked up the nerve to walk past this …

halloween_creepy

It’s an abandoned hotel.  And when I say abandoned, I mean abandoned before it was ever finished.  Pity too, because it could have been cool.  Now it’s just … well … creepy.  Speaking of which …

halloween_me

halloween_mom_code

halloween_hay_heid

halloween_mags

halloween_shelb

halloween_sonja

halloween_clan

What a bunch of halloweeners!  But we did have fun – laughing, munching, making memories.  And when it was all said and done, we drove back to the hotel under the gentle glow of a spectacular moon …

halloween_sky2

A fitting end to a frightfully good time!

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