Phisch's blog

QotD: Just Can't Get Enough

nobody@vox.com(Phisch) — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 18:29:39 -0600

What is one of your addictions?
Submitted by Paperheart.

Hmmm. I'm not sure that I have an addiction in the sense of bad-for-you-but-you-do-it-anyway. I do rely on a daily dose of God via prayer and reading my bible and feel lousy the rest of the day if I don't get it.

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Christmas - a Feast For the Senses

nobody@vox.com(Phisch) — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 17:44:25 -0600

Sight

Christmas colors of red and green; white, silver and gold; pink, purple and white; blue and white
Evergreens dusted with snow
Twinkling, colorful lights on houses everywhere
Banners with “generic” holiday messages that give you a giggle because you know what they really want to say but won’t come out and say it
Pageantry at church

Sound

Carols on the radio, TV (XM Satellite Radio channels)
Giggling children who can’t contain their giddiness
People laughing when they get together
Stories told of Christmases past
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, O Come O Come Emmanuel, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, These Christmas Shoes (warning: need tissues), O Come All Ye Faithful, The Christmas Song, Carol of the Bells, O Holy Night, Mary Did You Know, Away In a Manger, Do You Hear What I Hear
Chiming bells
Carolers strolling

Smell and Taste
Somehow, these mostly go hand-in-hand at Christmastime

Spruce, eucalyptus, juniper and cypress sprigs
Gingerbread
Fruitcake (please send me those you won’t eat)
Stollen
Pfefferneusse
Peppermint
Chocolate
Sticky pudding
Lechon (fire-roasted, basted whole pork) and Mang Tomas sauce
Bibinka (rice cakes)
Ginataan (sweet rice dumpling, tapioca, coconut milk and fruit stew)
Apple cider
Cloves, star anise, cinnamon, nutmeg

Touch

Gift wrap
Warm sweaters
Christmas blankets on the couch
Sprigs of evergreen
Christmas tree balls
Woolen stockings
Tissue paper, ribbons, tape
Hugs

But Beyond All That…

Christmas is all about a King who was humbly born in a feeding trough. He was born to a couple who, instead of receiving acclaim were facing social scorn. Instead of signing decrees, His hands knew the hard and common work of carpentry. While He was the source of all wisdom, He chose instead to be obedient to the elders above Him in the social pecking order. He was homeless and penniless during His ministry. And He did give all of His life up for all the world even if it disdained Him. He gave His life for us because He loves us dearly.

From our family to yours, a very blessed Christmas and best wishes to you in the new year.

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Heroic Stories

nobody@vox.com(Phisch) — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 09:49:09 -0600

I've shared this on my main blog, but I thought I'd post about it on my Vox, too.

If you haven't heard of them, please check out Heroic Stories. It's a list serve you sign up for and contributors share stories of ordinary folks showing extraordinary kindnesses. It's published twice a week I think. I have no earthly idea only because my email software thinks it's spam sometimes and I have to figure out how to get around that (right now I just fish the newsletters out of my junk mail folder).

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Christmas Tree Skirt

nobody@vox.com(Phisch) — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 09:15:12 -0600

So, I made this last year for my SIL. This year, she took photos for me when she set it up.

treeskirt2-02

On their couch. I didn’t realize how big this really is.

treeskirt2-01

Nope, I didn’t sew all those by hand, but the faux suede fabric already had them embroidered on there. I did, however, have to sew the tie and the fuzzy trim by hand. The material wouldn’t go through the sewing machine because it’s so slippery and the tie wasn’t wide enough for it to feed through.

treeskirt2-03

Action shot!

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Oopsie

nobody@vox.com(Phisch) — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 20:36:46 -0600

I am a klutz. Learn from me.

1.) Never get in a fight with an Exacto knife. If you are like me, you're liable to cut off the tippy tip of your thumb, too. Unfortunately, the cut doesn't match the one on my right index finger (7 stitches) that I got because I had greasy fingers and tried to cut a block of cheese with the blade pointed in the wrong direction. My sister remnded me just now that happened on her birthday. No one's birthday is today, though. No stitches either, the doctor said there really wasn't anything to stitch. Not a deep cut, just wide. The nurse put on a bandaid that's kinda funny looking because it looks like a cast. My SIL will change it for me tomorrow, if I can wait till her party. She wants to see my booboo! Yeesh! Like she said, it takes a certain kind to work in the medical field.

2) If you get a cut and you need to put pressure on it to help it clot, it's a good idea to stay away from activities that get your heart pumping. Then, it might just undo what 10+ minutes of firm pressure fixes.

3) You know those marshmallow/hot chocolate combo packets? It's a good idea to open then and use them one at a time. If you don't, you'll learn how many, many minimallows are in those things and how much mallow dust you'll have to clean up.

4) Take advantage of auto-detect for typos in your browser when you type one-handed.

So...non-klutz related: it was confirmed to me by the nurse that you don't use hydrogen peroxide on an open wound (I had used alcohol which was correct). I read somewhere that H.P. can have an effect opposite of what you want, causing the exposed cells to break apart instead of allowing the blood to clot. They used iodine on me in the doc's office. I wish she'd used a topical pain reliever though. The doctor said that putting pressure on it would relieve the pain but that took a long time!

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QotD: My Favorite Holiday Traditions

nobody@vox.com(Phisch) — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 14:50:59 -0600

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions?
Submitted by sami711.

So many! When I was little, I used to look forward to the Saturday around December 15. This was the official day we started decorating and my dad would have a tree cut down and brought in for us kids to go wild over. Yep, my mom let us decorate the tree. The Sunday before Christmas would be reserved for my Auntie's house where we'd have dinner and exchange gifts. That was a special time because she always had some handmade something for each of us kids to take home. Christmas eve was spent running around town with my cousins, visiting a fair and enjoying rides and watching lights. We'd then go to church at midnight then head to my grandparents for more gifts and a dinner. Usually, my grandma spent the day orchestrating the preparations for the dinner for maybe 50 people. Sometimes, I'd be there earlier in the day just to watch. On Christmas morning, we'd open presents up with just our family much to bright and early but my parents rarely complained. We'd have a big breakfast afterwards.

Now, I try to make Christmas a big deal for my kids. Each day, we spend a little time reading our scriptures to prepare us for Jesus' birthday. We'll make time this week and weekend to go and look at Christmas light displays and do some shopping. My oldest will have some of his birthday money and he plans to spend it on presents on his annual shopping trip with his grandmother. We've already put together a gingerbread house and I'm sure we'll do more baking together. On Christmas eve we'll head to church and listen to the music and message as a family (usually they go to their own classrooms). After we get home, we'll be joined by family to have desserts and the kids will get to open presents from their aunties and uncles. We get to sing happy birthday to uncle who was born on Dec. 24 so he gets to open an extra present. On Christmas day, the kids patiently wait until after breakfast to open presents. We have a huge batch of blintzes with jellies and some coffee. Then the mayhem ensues and my hubby passes out presents and we all clean up after. Usually, there is one big present saved for last which makes it very, very special for my kids because those belong to them.

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Church Bulletin Faux Pas

nobody@vox.com(Phisch) — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 14:38:03 -0600

One of those emails passed along by friends to friends to friends...and so I pass them along to you:

These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services: (Summer, 2006 Release)

1: The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.

2: The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water." The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus."

3: Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 PM in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.

4: Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.

5: The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.

6: Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love.

7: Say "Hell" to someone who doesn't care much about you.

8: Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.

9: Miss Charlene Mason sang "I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

10: For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

11: Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.

12: The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing: "Break Forth Into Joy."

13: Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.

14: A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.

15: At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What Is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.

16: Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.

17: Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

18: Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.

19: The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility. Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.

20: The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.

21: This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.

22: Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.

23: The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.

24: Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.

25: The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

26: Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.

27: The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday: "I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours"

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Ebay: Reality

nobody@vox.com(Phisch) — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 22:40:41 -0600

If it applies in the local agora, it applies moreso over on Ebay: caveat emptor.

Here is a fine example of why. Did you read that? Almost $500 for a Wii, you think. Read again, I say.

It's perfectly within the Ebay TOS, of course, but you think that person can sleep with themselves at night? Hubby told me someone sold a PS3 box for a ton of money also.

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New Things

nobody@vox.com(Phisch) — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 22:17:30 -0600

First, new monitors. We are moving our computers indoors where it is much, much warmer than the garage. Since we have little room, hubby thought it best to get thinner monitors so I’m watching my typing happen on a new LCD monitor. Not bad! It’s very bright, I’m surprised.

Second, I almost have a new sweater. The pieces are almost finished—front two pieces are too long so I have to frog and bind off again, but thats very little work. Next the pieces are to be sewn together and i have to make a cord to go around the front pieces and the neck plus one to go around the waist. It should be ready in time for Christmas!

Third, the realization that school rules affect home life. My son, my mobile, active and wiggly son, has had his fill of sitting still. I kid you not: the kids are not allowed to run at recess or lunch periods. No running. Only jogging and walking. No tag, no freeze tag, no Red Light Green Light. They can play tether ball, but they have to line up to hit it one by one and then not too hard. He complained yesterday and today and had tantrums (he’s eight!) about not having any fun. Tonight, I finally found out why during our bedtime chat. Sad reality? Yes. Why? My husband is probably right, they probably want to avoid parents who may sue if Junior gets a booboo at the playground. Pain is a part of life, folks! If we expect our kids to live without pain, they grow up into spoiled adults! I know because I am living proof!

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QotD: I Bought This Just For You

nobody@vox.com(Phisch) — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 14:16:35 -0600

Are you a re-gifter? Have you ever re-gifted?
Submitted by Sandals.

I'm pretty sure I can honestly say I've never re-gifted anything. I don't really think so, anyway. Hmm...

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