It's Dec 1 somewhere...

Yippee! My birthday started early! Berniece mentioned it this evening, Lori sent me a birthday greeting in my e-mail, and my sweet MIL sent me an e-present...I tried not to open it, but then I decided it was already my birthday on the East Coast, so what the heck!

I love my birthday, but not for all the gifts and stuff. I just love it when people remember it. It's my special day, and my own special "new year". 38 was a pretty incredible year! I really enjoyed it!

Okay, I need to get some rest. I'm still sick and my energy levels are lagging. I just can't rebound like I used to. I remember going to work with walking pneumonia. Yup, those were the days....

Holiday recap

I think we may have had one of the best Thanksgivings ever! Jess made an awesome deep-fried turkey. I had heard murmerings of such a thing, but it really is pretty darn good! John had envisioned a bucket of KFC, but it wasn't like that at all. Just juicy meat and nicely crisped skin! I made home-made dinner rolls, with yeast and everything, but I forgot to add the egg (whoops!), so I was dreading the outcome. My resident bread specialist (Dylan) gave me the thumbs-up! They came out just fine. They were vegan rolls! It was a nice day just hanging out at Nancy's. I can cook up a storm if someone else cleans up...

Unfortunately, John and I are wrestling with a cruddy chest and head cold/cough. We've been hacking up some pretty nasty stuff. I haven't smoked in so long, I'd forgotten what that was like.

This week I am looking forward to:
My birthday*
More "Old Fashioned Radio Christmas"
Preparing the house for Christmas
The Messiah (to kickstart my holiday season!)
Hanging out with Jenny over a bottle of wine

I'm still trying to get my Christmas card production in gear. I feel much better today than I expected to, although my voice is already giving out because I've talked too much already.

*apparently, my subconcious is fretting over my mortality, and I had some sort of sci-fi euthanasia dream last night, straight out of the Twilight Zone.

Oh, Largo, you're killing me!

Wow, what a freakin' incredible night at the Watkins' show tonight at Largo. Jen and I just looked at each other with our jaws hanging. Afterwards, we both agreed we witnessed some kind of historical moment, a moment that can never be recreated.

There is a magical thing that happens when you get supremely talented people together, and they just jam their hearts out, and they are just spewing joy, joy, joy. God, I wish I could manipulate music like that! I am in awe of such talent! I understand basic chord progressions, but none of these folks took a shortcut, they were completely committed and loving it.

I love the feeling my brain gets when it torques. It usually only happens when I read about time travel (!), but I definitely felt it tonight.

And the Largo salad was yummy, as usual!

Losing my religion

I heard a news report the other day, and I'm sure I don't have all the facts, so I'll need to research it a bit, but the gist of the news blurb was that Catholic priests still have high morale despite the pedophile scandal currently hounding the Archdiocese. I couldn't help shouting at my radio "That's the whole damned point! Why aren't they outraged?!?!". I think that was the turning point for us. We tried to separate the "bad" priests (and Cardinals) from our own "good" priest, but once more and more information came out (despite the kicking and gnashing of Cardinal Mahoney), we just couldn't understand how our parish priest could be so silent about the issue. It's just not right.

And that is why we are jaded with our religion. So sad, too, because I wanted to make that a priority for my children. My boys have had their first communions but I don't think we'll have the girls pursue it. Not unless we see some big changes. Big changes. Like "goodbye Cardinal Mahoney" changes.

You just can't allow children to be harmed like that, there is no justification whatsoever for it, it was unconscionable then, and it continues to be as long as they are harboring secrets. The hypocrisy of it all.

Withholding my financial contributions was fine for a while, but it is now at the point where I can't even stomach the hypocrisy of sitting through a mass, or a homily, because I don't think I would be able to keep my mouth shut.

So, do I switch religions, or just be an inactive Catholic? And how do I explain that to my kids?

Ruminations

I answered the phone the other day and the sweet voice at the other end said nothing but "I know someone who's going to be 39 in just two weeks!". Thanks, honey, for reminding me...I really hadn't given it much thought. Until now! Historically, I've had a much more difficult time with the 9s rather than the 0s. I think I am spread so thinly right now, I don't have any strength left to fret about it. So I began the annual mental list of all the things I learned this year, my 38th.

1. Not all teachers are created equal. Some of them really do suck.
2. Being a mom means you really have to be your child's advocate. Other people don't always have your kid's best interest at heart.
3. Just because someone is a doctor doesn't mean they know what is best for your kid (or you).
4. Just because someone is a "reverend", doesn't mean he has any business performing weddings.
5. Having a Master's degree does not mean a person is intelligent. This year I met some very stupid people, and I was shocked and disappointed to learn they held Master's degrees. I would describe them as foolish and idiotic individuals. Persistance pays, I guess...
6. People really can be assholes. Even people you think you know real well!
7. Children grow up too quickly. And if you don't pay attention, you will miss a lot and never get it back.
8. Adventures in distant lands are pretty cool.
9. Castles are just how I imagined them.
10. I am really looking forward to getting to know the people who aren't here yet...nieces, nephews, sons- and daughters-in-law, grandchildren...
11. My parents are older than I envision them to be.

Malais

Somedays I get really frustrated with the world, and I wonder when we became unthinking packs following the loudest leader rather than free-thinking, logical individuals.

Our founding fathers are ashamed of us today. The American Revolution would never succeed in today's world.

Woe is our future...moving out of state is starting to look a little more appealing. There will be an exodus...and I'm not sure I want to be around with what'll be left.

Okay, enough dramatics. Chin up, eyes forward...

Meme for today...

I got this off the Monday Madness blog (mmadness.blogspot.com):

1. Sometimes I wish I could just __________.
2. If I could take a long weekend to ___________, I'd be very happy.
3. The world would be a better place if more people would just ________.
4. One of my greatest qualities is __________.
5. The one thing about me that I need to work on is __________.
6. Happiness is ____________.

Here are my answers:
1. Sometimes I wish I could just be in several places at once.
2. If I could take a long weekend to anywhere , I'd be very happy.
3. The world would be a better place if more people would just do what I say.
4. One of my greatest qualities is pretending I have "people skills".
5. The one thing about me that I need to work on is time management and saying no . Oops, that's two things.
6. Happiness is being a mom.

Feel free to cut and paste the questions and provide your own answers, for all the world to see!

He makes everything groovy!

Sixteen years ago
Today
I married my best friend.
The one I continue to
Laugh with,
Live for,
Dream with,
Love.

~~~

I am often amazed at how he can still make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Wild Thing, I think I love you!