Achoo, it's Tuesday

1. Since I was off yesterday, today felt like Monday. But I see it is time to think again. Doing this weekly is giving my brain some exercise.

2. We were in Richmond VA all weekend for a huge volleyball tournament. There were 48 courts with games happening each hour. You can't imagine the noise. Since I have a cold and my ears are stopped up, it was even worse.

3. Good part is Savannah's team won their division! We were all happy when we realized the worst they could finish going into Monday was third. Since they were up against the two biggest clubs around (one from Raleigh and one from Charlotte) we were glad of that third place guarantee. But they beat both of those clubs to win it all!

4. Makes being sick, in hotels, on the road, not seem quite so miserable.

5. Yes, I worked today but tomorrow I'm going in late. I took two Nyquil tablets and had some Bailey's over ice... so if I doze off in the middle of this, you'll know where I went!

6. Two more weeks and I'll be packing for Belize. I'm excited, and also a little nervous. I don't like leaving my girl for a week- plus, I'm going to be missing two volleyball tournaments!

7. I came home today with the intentions of taking some cold medicine and taking a nap. I fell asleep before I could take the medicine. Guess I needed the sleep, huh?

8. I hate being sick. Luckily it doesn't happen much. My ears hurt from the pressure and it is making my teeth hurt.

9. I was supposed to go to weight watchers tonight. Guess they're going to have to see me next week. I had lost 5 lbs as of last week. I'm hoping being sick (and not paying attention) doesn't hurt too much.

10. Why is it that food is a comfort? All I wanted today was soup, bread, and potatoes. Comfort food.

T3- From Romeo and Juliet to Ghostly Girls

The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
And the continuance of their parents' rage,
Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

1. I'm thinking about language tonight. Savannah has to memorize the prologue to Romeo and Juliet. It is hard to read, but wonderful to dive into the richness of a language that we have lost. Have you ever thought of all the words we don't use anymore? I doubt if anyone in Shakespearean England ever said "say what?"

2. I love my Kindle. Not only because I could just go there and download and begin to read right away, but also because of the built-in dictionary. If I am unsure of a meaning, I just put the cursor right before the word and the definition pops up. I've used this feature a lot, because I usually know enough about the word to not actually have to look it up in a dictionary, but with this handy tool, I can be sure of every nuance of the word.

3. While I was downloading Romeo and Juliet, I also downloaded A Midsummer Night's Dream. That is my favorite! Probably because I love the mischievous Puck, but I also love how the humans sleep while the fairies mess with their lives!

4. Ok, so I know there are no such things as fairies... or are there? Don't you know there is more out there than what we can see? A friend sent me a picture of a ghost today. If I didn't know the girl who sent it, I wouldn't believe that it was a real, undoctored picture. But it was. A ghost- right there.  See her?



5. Yes, I do believe in ghosts. I don't know why they're here- I hate to think you could get "stuck" here after you die- but I know the Bible talks about them. And there are demons- that is even more scary. Because you really can't believe in one and not the other.

6. Then there are angels. Not the fluffy, dress-wearing, harp-playing ones, but the heavenly army, armed to do the work of God. That might be scarier than the ghosts!

7. So what else- aliens? You'd have to work a little harder to convince me of their existence in a pop-culture way. No little green men showing up to do medical experiments on me! But I do believe that there is life "out there" - I mean, look how vast the universe is! And you're going to tell me that we're the only intelligent life? (And I could argue the intelligence of some people some days!)

8. And of course, those of you who know me know that I believe in God, and in Jesus. Their existence doesn't depend on my belief, but my existence certainly depends on them!

9. So yes, it is dangerous to get me started thinking. My mind spirals off in countless directions. Aren't you glad you read this far?

10. It is bedtime. I've been having issues with sleep- mostly, I'm tired until it is time to go to bed and then I'm up until 11:30 or so. I need to be asleep an hour before that! I guess I haven't recovered from turning the clocks back. Maybe that is good- we'll be in Belize in 4 weeks and on central time for awhile. Maybe that will help straighten my sleep patterns out!

Yada yada...

I don't like New Year's resolutions. I think they're wonderful for about a week, then they mean nothing. Yeah, I need to lose weight, spend less money, exercise more... but I need to do that all year long, not just at the beginning of the year!

However, I do think the new year is a time for new beginnings. It can be a catalyst for change if you let it. So I've been thinking about what I want to do differently in 2012 besides the usual. And I drew a blank.... until today.

I noticed that a friend was going to be in town this week who I haven't seen in almost 25 years (we figured spring of 1987 was the last time.) This is a fellow saxophone major who left college in our sophomore year to try to make it big in New York City. We kept in touch for a year between several friends, but most of us lost touch afterward. Facebook has made us friends again.

John (pictured above) made it in "the biz" and is touring with the Broadway road tour of "Memphis." They're in Charlotte this week so he and I made plans to meet for lunch today. Part of me didn't want to go- it meant driving (and parking) in downtown Charlotte, taking about 4 hours of my day off, and chancing meeting a friend who I may find out I didn't really know after all.

But I shouldn't have even worried about it at all! We had a blast- found a wonderful soul food restaurant and spent 3 hours catching up, possibly sharing details of our lives that we wouldn't share with people we were in contact with every day. It was like those 25 years weren't there between us and we were able to just fall back into a friendship that has existed all that time. 

So I think this could be something to work toward in 2012- reconnecting with people. I don't know who or when, but somehow I shouldn't let 25 years go by if I can help it. I need to take a chance and step out there, make some contacts, and see what I can put together. And it may mean meeting some online people in person, too. Since Susan and I spent a day with her family in Dollywood 2 years ago, I haven't connected with anyone else online. And I understand that Eby Jo and Bill and Karen had fun today in Kentucky- so it can be done!

I don't know where and how, but I'd love to take some day trips to those of you close enough. Or try to take a vacation close to some friends. I'll have to give it more thought, but this is more than one of those resolutions that will be gone in a week. Even if it is another year before I see anyone, it will be a step forward.

I love typos.... was working on our website and instead of "click here" I typed "lick here" - brings a whole new dimension to the online experience!

Christmas 2011

This is my niece, Savannah and Brandon before we started opening presents. It is about 11am- looks like they just got up, huh?

I know, I've been mia again. It has been an interesting, but altogether nice, Christmas. Started on Friday night when Savannah and I went to the Men's Shelter in downtown Charlotte to prepare and serve dinner with 6 others from my Sunday School class. Saturday found me kicking the eldest out of the house for stealing and lying; then taking a nap and going to my mom's for Christmas with the extended family. Sunday was relaxed and easy- opening presents, easy dinner of ham and baked potatoes. And I've been off for the past two days so I have a lot of things put away already. Not the outside lights though. Was going to do that today but it rained. So I guess they'll stay out until at least the weekend! Have some presents to mail tomorrow, but they're boxed and ready!

Baby Seal Enters House and Naps on Couch

Annette Swoffer fell victim to a home invasion – of cuteness! Lucky the seal pup, named for its knack for crossing busy streets without a scratch, wound up asleep on Swoffer’s couch after apparently entering her home through a cat door, Dec. 11, 2011, according...

Link

Ten "Bah Humbug" Thoughts...

1. It took me a minute to remember that it is Tuesday! I took today and tomorrow off to get some Christmas shopping done and totally messed the week up in my head.

2. I'm just not in the Christmas mood yet. It really doesn't feel like December. Part of it may have to do with the warm weather. The other part is just the year flying by too fast. My internal clock hasn't caught up.

3. I did go shopping today and got at least two things crossed off my list. I'll do most of the rest tomorrow.

4. I don't have any decorations up either. I am to the point that they're either going to have to go up now or not go up at all. It is a lot of work to have to un-do in three weeks.

5. I know I sound like Scrooge- I feel a little bit like Scrooge. Not in an "I hate Christmas" way but in an "I'm too tired to bother" way.

6. Savannah has her first JO volleyball tournament this weekend. I can't wait to see how this team does- this is the highest level she has ever played at and every girl on the team is beyond good. I have no idea how much she'll even get to play, but she is learning a LOT!

7. They've had a lot of drama in school this week. One of the boys in her class called in a bomb threat to the school. Now he is expelled and several others have been suspended for a week. We all just want to know why? Seemed like a good, smart kid from a good family. I know, you never know what happens behind closed doors.

8. I went to the Y today. It makes me feel so much better to go, but I'm sure good at finding excuses not to. Although my back is hurting, and hurts every time I go. I suppose I should ice it down. I go to the chiropractor on Thursday, so maybe she can give me some better advice.

9. I'm so sleepy. It felt like a good soup night, so I made potato soup and had a salad. Now I have all this warm milk in my belly. I could sleep like a baby.

10. My new driver is doing well. She doesn't like to be corrected much, but I'm learning how to do it constructively and gently. I suppose holding onto the handle and screaming wasn't the best way.... lol.

Good night everyone!