April 18, 2007

frus-ta-rating.

It's pretty frustrating to run across so many roadblocks while trying to figure out this eBay stuff. One after another. Oh well...I'll get there!

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Most Heartbreaking of All

Not only is Virginia Tech closed for the rest of this week, but local high schools and grade schools are also closed today so people can attend funeral services. Imagine such widespread loss, that so many funerals will be held today.

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March 10, 2007

Where's Solomon's Wisdom When You Need It?

Read this article and enjoy.

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February 22, 2007

For my perfectionist friend.

Recently I heard a friend described via a story. She was trying desperately to make a blini (a kind of thin, thin pancake). She couldn't, and the story teller said, lovingly, "You know, sometimes you can't be perfect. You just can't be perfect at everything."

Well, friend-you-know-who-you-are, I read this in the Kitchenware Textbook I've been studying and thought of you. (By the way, my computer connection can't seem to handle Amazon. So I'll update this post with a true bibliography soon. In the meantime, please don't sue me for plagiarism.)

CREPE PAN

DESCRIPTION: Shallow plain steel or aluminum pan, no more than 8 inches and as small as 5 inches in diameter. Sides may be slightly curved or angled. A pan 4 or 5 inches across may be a blini pan, for making the Russian buckwheat version.

USE: Making crepes (thin French pancakes) or other, similar pancakes.

USE TIPS: Wipe with oil after making each crepe and keep the pan hot. The smaller models are for dessert crepes, the larger models for entree crepes. Keep steel pans well seasoned for best results.

BUYING TIPS: It is much easier to get good results with a high-quality, well-seasoned crepe pan than with a regular skillet. Plain steel or thick anodized aluminum and nonstick pans are good choices here. Do not confuse this with the fancy, flat crepes suzette pan.

Ettlinger, Steve. The Kitchenware Book. Research Consultant: Irena Chalmers. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 1992.

I emboldened the bit that made me think of you. Maybe your crepe pan wasn't top quality and that impeded your perfection? Now that you are in a place where you most likely have higher quality cookware, consider trying again. Or, in lieu of that, remind yourself that you are an awesome event planner.

---

Here's another tidbit for the same friend:

Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa and lover of French cooking, said on her show today that she loves French flower arranging. She was in Paris and showed us several examples of each technique.

Would you believe she showed us a pink bouquet? It featured roses, peonies, and sweet peas, but it was pink and perfect. Just thought you'd like to know. It's another feather in your cap, to remind you that your event planning is a highly developed skill, and that the event you recently planned was perfect.

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He's That Important

I noticed tons of state troopers on I-24 Tuesday evening. I commented on it to my mom and to the Dude (yes, I was on the phone while I was driving).

Then yesterday on my way to work, I noticed 8 state troopers and cops from the 24/75 split to the Hamilton Place exit. I couldn't figure why, but I just shrugged it off. This was north-bound 75, by the way, away from down town and toward Knoxville.

It all became clear when I got to work. My coworkers mentioned that they thought I'd be late, because of the President's visit. I wasn't late. I was on time.

Our manager was late, though, because she couldn't get through downtown to get to the store from the warehouse. She got to the store after 5, and spent the whole afternoon lunching and shopping.

Another colleague had taken a long lunch, walked with her colleagues to a park, where they saw his motorcade and even saw him waving from his limousine window. She reported that he wanted barbecue for lunch so he ate at a local barbecue place--and that he ate with two Cigna employees (because his visit was all about healthcare) and that he didn't clear out the restaurant for his visit...but nobody could drive by (colleague saw this from her office window) and there were Secret Service everywhere.

And I heard him on the radio last night.

That's not a very interesting report, is it? I know. That's the extent of my interaction with President Bush yesterday. He's one of the most powerful people in the world and definitely the most powerful person in our nation, and he visited our little city yesterday! So if I went downtown tonight, I could eat at the very restaurant he did! Wow.

Here it comes: the moral of my little fable.

Some people spend their lives just on the fringes of life with Jesus. They know He snarls traffic sometimes. They know someone who saw Him. They read about Him. They hear what He has to say on the radio or maybe on TV. They see how many people value Him and also see how many people hate Him and make a big point out of telling everyone, but they themselves don't really have much to do with Him. They just carry on with life, thankful that today the traffic is running, today they can go downtown on a whim, and tomorrow they can wake up and go to the park on a beautiful weekend day to enjoy the sunshine.

I'm not expected to know or really be involved in Bush's personal life. I'm not a family member or a member of his staff. I'm not a Texan. I'm not really into politics, so I'm not even sure of my opinion on the Iraq War. But I know he's important and very powerful.

If this is your brand of Christianity...you know He's there and He's important, but He doesn't really change your daily life or affect you much, then slow down. Read what He has to say and see if He might indeed be talking to you. Don't just drive on by and go on with life. I'll go on with my life since Bush's visit. But Jesus really is important; Bush's presidency will end, foreign policy will change, and in just a few years he'll have a chapter or two in history textbooks and will fade into memory. In a few decades, centuries, or millennia, he'll be no more interesting than Julius Caesar or King Richard Lion-Heart is to us.

But Jesus is so much more important than any of us. He's never going to fade into the background, never going to be just a chapter in a history textbook, never going to be just worm food. Because He's alive, He rules, and He's coming to judge us all. Please know Him, so that when He comes, you'll be ready.

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December 04, 2006

Lesson Plans

Do we really believe everything is for our good and His glory??

I remember in my Educational Psychology class (which was taught by the worst. professor. ever!) learning that though we teachers will never be perfect in bringing perfect application to our lessons and units, still we try. We know that we can never take dominion over every detail in our classrooms, but we trust our Heavenly Father, the Perfect Teacher, that He brings all details to bear in our education. His goal: to make me, His student, like Christ. His methods: everything in my life. His means: perfect.

But when something unexpected comes, do we choose to believe that? Do we? When I have to change my tire and that makes me run late and my dad tells me about a line-crew-man who died at his recent professional conference (leaving a widow and a son), do we believe it?

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Your Word is a Lamp

Yesterday morning in church I sat there crying. It's such a marked difference from my workplace, to sit in a pew surrounded by people who love me and mean it. My husband, his family (they flew in for Madrigals, yay), and my church people.

I had a bad day Saturday. It's not a good place to work, and I was full up to here [points to eyebrows] but now I'm sick of it. Sick, sick, sick. I've had enough.

So I sat there crying because it's hurtful to be treated unlovingly. It's wrong. Sinful behavior hurts people around you, and Saturday it hurt me.

I wrote about this a few posts ago, and just a reminder, here's something Christ showed me during that prayer session:

But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
    redeem me, and be gracious to me.
My foot stands on level ground;
    in the great assembly I will bless the LORD.
-Psalm 26:11-12

So he already showed me that my workplace is not the place where I belong, the place where I am with like-minded folks. I know that my workplace is where I am surrounded by evil-minded folks who do not love and do not know God. But when the unlovingness comes it still hurts.

So--Sunday I was crying and asking God for the answer. "Jesus, what is the purpose in this? My brain knows you have a purpose, but my heart does not. Please show me."

Here comes the answer!

The very next part of the service was The Reading of the Law, wherein we hear some portion of Scripture. Yesterday: 1 John 3. Read it, if you please.

    See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
    Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
    For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
    By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
    By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

And the verses that stood out to me? Written in my Bible as if they were glowing, or bold, or italicised, or hyperlinked? Planned before the foundation of the world to teach me and give me new hope? Placed on the pastor's heart to read yesterday--and the pastor not knowing I needed to hear them? Read them:

Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. --I John 3:13-14

A reassurance that my sensitivity to the difference between love and not-love is a right sensitivity. A reminder that there is a real difference between me (part of the body) and Them (not). And a reminder of the Gospel, of the Truth we partake in when we eat the Bread and drink the Wine.

And then we ate communion and it was driven home again. What a blessing to be part of the communion of the Body of Christ. God is faithful.

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November 28, 2006

Slow Down, You Move too Fast

One of my old friends, Alyssa, told me about smoking. She said smokers don't necessarily enjoy a cigarette while they are smoking it, but that they are already looking forward to the next one. I thought (judgmentally) that they ought not be smokers, then. But then she related it to my indulgence in a bag of chocolate chips. "Do you enjoy each handful as you wolf them down? Or are you looking forward to the next one even while you are eating your current handful?"

She made a good point.

That was (let's see...hmm) 4.5 years ago, and I'm still trying to learn that lesson. I'm not a smoker, but I do love to eat. And I still tend to eat way too fast, instead of eating every bite and savoring it.

The moral of the story? Listen to Simon and Garfunkel. They knew what they were singing about: Slow down. You move too fast. You've got to make the moment last.

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September 13, 2006

Living at Home

When I graduated from college, I moved back home to live with my parents. I moved right back into my old room, back into the old life. I taught at my old high school (I do not recommend that...it's tough to move into a role that just isn't there for you...imagine going to faculty meetings with colleagues who were your teachers just four years ago!).

Living with your parents would not work for a lot of people. Many of my college friends were surprised at this turn, and those who also moved back home had a tough time. But you don't know my parents. Or, if you do, you understand. It was really great! I had a good year with Mom and Dad. They're really neat people, and I loved getting to know them better and developing a neat friendship with them.

Then I moved to Hawaii. I was very lonely there and spent a great deal of time on the phone. I had to leave before the school year was over, so I moved back home after 4 months.

I lived with Mom and Dad for 2 years minus 4 months. Then I moved to Central Pennsylvania. Dated the Dude (long distance dating). Traveled a lot (drove to Western PA and Center Hill often) and called folks often on my long drives. Got engaged. Moved. Got married.

I kept in close contact with Mom and Dad while I lived in PA and dating the Dude. They knew what was going on even though they lived 1400 miles from me. But because they lived so far away, I also maintained close contact with my church in PA. They were also a family to me.

I was telling this story to a church-lady friend here in Chatt. She was especially excited about the part where I lived at home after I graduated from college. She's of the opinion that young women should live at home till they marry. She is also of the opinion that people should marry young. She and her husband will likely not allow their daughter to go far away for college, because then she'd have to live in the dorms instead of at home.

I have yet to really pick her mind and understand where she's coming from on these convictions, but I have plans to do that very thing. In the meantime, I think on it a lot.

Living at home worked really well for me. It would not have worked as well for my sister. She did live at home for a semester after she graduated, but then she moved to Chatt to 1) plan her wedding and 2) be near her fiance. However, she has also spent extended amounts of time living in Mom and Dad's house. The month before her wedding. 8 weeks while her husband had an internship in Denver. 4 weeks just now. And it goes well. This is 99% because my parents are awesome and 1% because we all miss each other so much when we're not together that we really value the Together Time we do have.

Ok...so here's the question...what do you think of this issue? Here's a summation of the issues (as I see them. Please draw other issues to attention if you see them):

And as you answer, don't be afraid to be politically incorrect, or to criticize my political incorrectness. Really tell the truth. Call a spade a spade if you see one.

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May 07, 2006

Why I Hate being Lazy

1. People love hanging out with you, but they soon realize you never get anything done.

2. It's terrible to live with the guilt that I should be doing something else.

3. I can always find something else to do besides my responsibilities.

4. The standard always shifts; what will be "good enough" tomorrow certainly was not up to snuff yesterday.

5. It's easy to justify laziness by saying "I'm paying attention to my relationships" or some such excuse.

6. It becomes way too easy to rope the people in your life into doing those very important things for you. It also becomes way too easy only to have people in your life who will be the go-to people for you.

7. Knowing that the Lord does love excellence, that he tells us over and over that laziness is a terrible sin, but telling yourself that "unlike those perfectionists, I'm not controlled by an external cultural standard."

8. Telling yourself that "I'll never achieve perfection, so it's useless to even try."

9. Unlike the perfectionists who do tasks for people, I never seem to do tasks for people, at least not without constant reminders. It gets wearing to be the friend/sister/parent/spouse of a lazy person, because I always say "Oh, I forgot!"

10. Realizing that God's grace covers my foibles and follies, but hating that my personality or spunk or 'perspective' (especially compared to those perfectionists!) won't connive him into cutting it for me--he already did, and his perfection is damning to my lazy imperfection even while being the propitiation for that very laziness.

11. Struggling every day to learn new habits, to work against my lazybones self to do what's required of me. It's an uphill battle every day, and there's never any coasting!

12. Unlike perfectionists, I have a 'pop-psychology' term for my sinful pattern. Laziness sounds really harsh, so I just call myself a 'procrastinator.'

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March 31, 2006

Moderately connected thoughts upon returning from Dahlonega

I haven't written a good "On this day in history" post in a while, and have allowed our engagement anniversary to pass by. No worries, friends, I'll do some serious backblogging, but first I must post some of my deep thoughts regarding marriage.

---

I just returned from a little trip to Sister's in North Georgia. She and her husband are housesitting and their temporary home is great, and it was a really nice time to be there with her.

I noticed the way she and her husband interact. One of the things I value most about The Dude is his friendship, and I see that Sister has a friendship with her husband too. They get each other and value each other...and let a lot of crap slide.

---

I often tell myself and my single friends that I used to be single and I get the struggle, I get the pain...I get it. But I wonder if I really do. I remember being single and hanging out with my Newlywed Sister and being pissed off at her telling me she understood how I felt. Now that I've crossed the Grand Canyon (got married) I don't think I can claim that I do get it now...that I understand your feelings, singles.

I remember the feelings. I remember them well, but I don't have them now. I've adjusted to the state of matrimony, of being half of an us and living with a roommate that I love and live for (he would die for me...it's a fair trade off), I don't remember the single estate anymore.

Anyone out there ever had chronic pain? Or recurrent pain? You don't remember the pain once it's passed. You remember that it did hurt at that time, but you can't recall the actual texture of the pain, the way it rippled up and down your leg when you tried to move it, like fire and ice and an axe all at once only inside your leg but not in the bone... That's how we Married People who remember Singleness are. We recall the loneliness of being single, but can't feel it again.

---

One of my college profs used to say "We have more in common than we have separating us" when she spoke of gender differences--biological, psychological, behavioral, and so on. That's true for Marrieds and Singles too.

--

Think of this, Singles. I was recently looking for a teaching job (again) on a job board and kept getting my hopes up then remembering "Oh yeah. I can't just up and move to Atlanta, to Florida, to Arizona, to San Francisco where the jobs are. I'm stuck here."

I'm not stuck in a bad way (I am not complaining!). But I'm glued to this man where he is and he's glued to me. In the past I could (and did!) up and move to where to jobs were, and now I can't. That's one thing you have over us Marrieds.

---

Sister was telling me about one of her grad. school classmates who complains constantly. They're 2.5 years into the 3.5 year program, so the sobriety of knowing that "200+ people applied to be in this class at this university, and I'm one of 24 that got in...tons of people would be happy to be here where I am" has worn off.

That's typical, but then Sister mentioned that this classmate also attends that same church as Sister and her husband. (How often do I complain and turn people off to the gospel? How often do I complain and turn my own thoughts off how much God has blessed me and onto how much he is using my struggles to grow, discipline, and refine me?)

---

The Dude has been grading papers this week (it's his spring break). He's really tired of it, and finally turned the tube onto a Stupid Movie. It's good to hear him laugh.

---

Thanks to Bobbo for the shout out on your blog. I'm very complimented.

The first time I thought "___ is like ___" was in high school...traveling to Denver every Friday night with Dad (1.5 hours one way) to Latvian Folk Dance Practice. I love dancing, esp. the polka, and I'm good, and it's fun.

Dancing a fast polka is like marriage. You have to trust your partner, you have to listen to the tempo and speed up or slow down as necessary, and you have to move as if your two bodies are one. This moves the center of gravity out of your torso, forward into the space between your bodies. You counterbalance each other and lean back into each others arms. Every couple has to figure out that fine balance for themselves, and practice, and trust each other. The crux is that you're not walking, you're not running, you're not an individual anymore...you are part of a dance pair and your body can't move like you're out there all alone anymore. You have to acknowledge your partner with more than just lip service...with your whole physical being you have to KNOW that it's not just walking anymore.

Boy-o that was rambly! I guess you have to be a dancer to get it. A polka-ist.

---

I hear big splashes of rain outside my window. I love the sound of rain and the smell of it.

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March 09, 2006

Pride and Pique and Revenge

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3 NIV

That's the verse in NIV, the version I grew up on. Here it is in ESV:

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Romans 12:3 ESV

It kept popping into my head yesterday, at the most inconvenient times. Every time I was singed by the subtle heat of a customer's pride, arrogance, consumerism, or disdain, I wanted to quote it at them.

But then I realize that the verse was written for me to take it to heart, not for me to hit others with. It doesn't matter if others need to hear it (well, it does, but keep reading while I rework what I mean by that).

It's not my job to go around chiding others for pride which hurts (or just irritates) others. It's my job to listen to the Holy Spirit teach me when he brings verses like this one into my head. He'll teach others in his time.

And, besides that, my desire to lecture others yesterday was not brought on by a desire to serve and love others. It was brought on by pride, by pique, by the desire to get back at these people who don't care about the cashier enough to look at her while she rings them up. Sheesh. So the verse is for me. Let me call it to mind again, and while I do, you read it again.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Romans 12:3 ESV

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February 24, 2006

Buttonisms, as promised, served reheated as leftovers. Happy reading, and may you giggle at his excellent use of words to convey what everyone else is thinking. May we all become more willing to refuse to let mediocrity slip by uncommentated.

I wish I could convey Dick Button's sarcasm, tone of voice, and cadence in these comments, but I can't. You'll have to imagine, or watch for yourself next time he commentates on skating. Only four years to Vancouver!

On one skater's form: "She has a nice wide-swinging hip movement."

On one skater's bumping into the rink barrier: "She almost made it into the first row!"

In response to the woman commentator (I can't remember her name; what does it matter anyway, since she's a foil for Dick anyway) who claimed that one woman burst onto the skating scene about 10 years ago: "Forgive me for saying this, but she hasn't burst onto this ice at all. It's like there's no fire there."

In a complimentary way, in regards to one woman's clean and calm choreography: "Not a lot of excess arm-flailings."

After a boring perfomance: "Not a with-it perfomance in any way, shape, or form."

After a spin, the description of which Dick Button himself gives: "That was an unattractive sort of production of a spin just to get more points, but that's what the new rules call for, so take it or leave it."

And one more, surprisingly given by the woman commentator. This may be the most inane commentary given all night; Dick may be blunt and surprising but at least he's intelligent in what he says. Anyway, the Woman Commentator said "The difference between Sasha and all the other skaters is that they skate to [the music] Romeo and Juliet, [big dramatic pause here] and Sasha is Juliet." (What? She's 14? She's secretly married? She's heroic and courageous and mature? She's going to kill herself in her own tomb over the body of her dead husband? WHAT do you mean by that, Woman Commentator? Stop trying to sound so intelligent and keep your commentary to skating. Leave the literature to the rest of us.)

So there you have it. I'm sure there were more, but I mashed potatoes last night and The Dude fell asleep on the couch, so I didn't write them down. I did record the skating, though, so I could watch the whole thing again just to hear if I missed any Buttonisms, but I don't care that much. But email me if you'd like to borrow the tape for yourself.

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February 11, 2006

Mr. Button, tell us the truth!

The Dude says “Dick is the Simon of figure skating.” (He means Simon Cowell, the mean American Idol judge.) Dick always tells the truth. “That’s not the most attractive death spiral I’ve ever seen.” “That circular footwork is … slow.” "Nobody knows how to do a sit spin anymore. Don't they know to sit down all the way and spin?" "Finally, someone getting into a death spiral without that horrible sqatting position." And of course the ever-perennial, multi-useful “What was that?”

We always watched figure skating in my family. It was an Event, and I remember the Lillehammer Olympics the best. That was the winter of Nancy Kerrigan, of Paul Wylie, and of Ekaterina and Sergei. It was the opening ceremonies of Scandinavian design and really pretty handknit sweaters. (Remember, I’ve got Scandinavian blood. It’s normative to me.)

Anyway, we always watched figure skating in my family. We would ooooh and aaaah over the new routines and the artistic scores and groan and get upset over poor judging. (We didn’t have the chance to be involved with the Sale-Pelletier Figure Skating Scandal of the Salt Lake Olympics because I was in college and my sister was newly married; we all lived far from each other.)

My Uncle Janis always enjoyed the figure skating, too. Certainly the funniest part of figure skating is Dick Button’s commentary. (Cerainly the funniest part of Mr. Button is his name. Say it with me: Dick Button. Dick Button. How can you not laugh or at least giggle embarrasedly?) Uncle Janis laughed and laughed at Dick’s commentary, because he just tells it like it is, unlike the shallow and uncritical commentary others give. They talk about the competitor’s upbringing, the coaching history, health issues, body type, costume design, anything besides “That was terrible!” Dick is refreshing. And his commentary brings back good memories.

Can you imagine if everything had Dick’s commentary?

Maybe we should all be as critical and honest as Dick is. Let’s speak up, people, and point out that the emperor has no clothes. If we don’t, who will?

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January 06, 2006

Advice from POS

POS is Point of Sale, or the register. I work at a department store (think Foley's, Dillard's, Macy's, Proffitt's, JC Penney's, and Kohl's-type place), and I have worked two weeks on POS.

Today I worked for the first time in about a week and a half. Before, it was the Holiday Season (can I call it Holiday Hell?). It was soooo busy! It was a zoo. Today was slower, but still busy. It's a job, after all. And thank heaven: I was not working on Dec 26. But I WAS shopping, and it was almost worse. It's so much more stressful being the subject of that horde, rather than a reliever of the horde.

ANYway, here's the promised advice from me, your friendly register-operator.

  1. Please hang up your cell phone. It's rude. Plus, if you're yakking with your husband/boyfriend ("I love you! Can't wait to see you! Drive me to the next store, honey!")/sister/mom/best friend ("Oh my goodness, I got the cutest bag...you wouldn't believe the line here...")/child ("no, we're having fried chicken for dinner. What? No! No beans and franks! Chicken! Chicken and rice, and no more backtalk!"), you won't see what your big sale clearance items are ringing up as, and you'll complain when I total your purchase and it's more than you thought it would be, causing you to irritate me, delay yourself, and delay the line of customers behind you when I have to void out your purchase and re-ring each item, hand-adjusting the price of each ratty, skanky Juniors clearance rack tiny belly shirt you're buying. Sheesh. So hang up.

  2. Speaking of making sure you get your prices, watch the monitor. It's not rude. It's savvy. It's ok to make sure you get the advertised price.

  3. If you are unhappy with the price something rang as, then ask them to check the price. But then don't get rude or snide or impatient when the register girl pages that department, waits for the call back, and explains the problem. You probably won't get the price you want anyway. The register is rarely wrong. (It's a computer.)

  4. Many stores have their own credit cards. Don't be rude to the checkout person who asks "Would you like a Jumbo Store Credit Card?" They have to ask. The managers are watching, and if the register girl doesn't ask, she gets in trouble. Politely decline if you don't want it.

  5. Have your form of payment ready.

  6. If you pay by cash, it's no skin off the store's nose to give you change. If you want to get rid of all your pennies, then for Pete's sake have them all centralized in your change purse. Don't go digging around in your Mary Poppins purse looking for that one darn penny. (Holy cow! It's a penny! It will not kill you to hand me an extra nickel and just get four more pennies for the next time!)

  7. If you pay by check, have your ID handy. The checkout girl needs to write the Driver's License number on the check.

  8. If you pay by card (credit/debit Visa/Mastercard/American Express/Discover), be ready to sign. Have your ID handy if your signature is worn off the card. Have your ID handy if you have not signed your card. Have your ID handy if you wrote "See ID" on the signature strip on your card.

  9. If the register girl asks for your ID, show it.

  10. If the register girl needs to type the ID number in her computer, either take the ID out or let her hold the whole darn wallet. She won't steal from you. She just needs the ID number!

  11. Have your ID handy.

  12. Wait patiently while your register girl rings your items, takes them off hangers, folds them, tells the register how you are going to pay, gets your receipt, hands you a pen, compares signatures or asks for ID, and bags your clothes.

  13. If you shop with children, please try not to push them so hard that they have crying, hungry, exhausted meltdowns in the register area. Let them shop with you, but do it in short bursts.

  14. If your kids are buying something under your supervision, then let them hand the register girl the item, let them hand the register girl the money, let them take the change from the register girl. Let them suffer the consequences if they went over their allowance ("No, Judy, you don't have enough money for those jeans. You'll have to get something else."). Where else will they learn responsibility?

Whew. All that after only two weeks.

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January 05, 2006

Where did her personality go?

I've been an Enya fan for a long time. I suppose it started on all those summer cross-country road trips we took when I was a girl. Colorado Springs to Oakley, Kansas, to Kansas City, to St. Louis, to Chicago (to visit Aunt and Uncle), to Center Hill, Pennsylvania. That's rougly 30 hours of driving. Some years we added side trips, extra legs: one year we went to Pensacola, Florida; there was the year Sister was looking at colleges and we did the College Tour Trip which featured every small Christian college in the Southeast that offered scholarships for women's soccer and in which we spent a few days at the beach in North Carolina; one year we drove to Chicago via I-80, instead of 70. (Ick. Turns out it can get worse than Kansas!)

All that driving needs good music (backgroundy music!) in the family minivan's tape deck.

So every year Mom and Dad would get two new cassette tapes: Enya, for background music, and Phil Collins, for sing-along music. (Even anti-Phil people have to admit that he can be pretty catchy and fun for families to sing along to.)

So, I like each of Enya's albums:

Watermark. My godmother hosted a dinner party and I remember hearing "Sail Away." There was also a commercial I vaguely remember that had one of her big-hit songs. But I mainly remember this album and it's last track (the one with the thunderstorm!) while driving west to Las Vegas. Although I grew up in Colorado Springs (the cradle of the Rockies) and knew Eastern Landscapes also, seeing the deserts and the rock formations and the canyony canyons in Utah astounded me, and this album was in the tape deck at the time, and I link the astonishment of the canyons with this album, particularly the last track, "Storms in Africa II." Wow.

The Celts. Although this came out before Watermark, we purchased The Celts later. I like the mix, but no tracks or memories really stick out in my memory, even though I like this album for itself.

Shepherd Moons. As Sister called it, "the blue one." This was when I noticed that Enya likes photos of herself that make her look ethereal, or unearthly. "Look, the title has the word moon in it, and she looks like she's standing in the moonlight. Maybe she is a moonbeam!" My favorite tracks here are "How Can I Keep from Singing?" and "Book of Days"...which, by the way, was somewhere in the movie Far and Away.

Those were the albums from my childhood. From college years, I recall the following:

Paint the Sky with Stars. I bought this before another Las Vegas road trip (hey! my aunt and uncle lived there! not the Chicago ones, other ones), and I remember wanting time to process the transition between being an Independent Dorm-Dwelling College Student and being The Younger Sister At Home Again. Not much sticks out from this one (mostly because they're from other albums!), except for "Only If..." and "Anywhere Is." Mom loves "Paint the Sky with Stars," and I play it for her when I want to soothe her.

The Memory of Trees. I loved "The Memory of Trees" the summer after I graduated from college. I'd lie in my bed in the Student Apartments, just inside an open window, and listen to the wind in the trees in the dark outside the window, feeling the cool air after a long day in the hot AraMark kitchen, and listen to this on constant repeat till I fell asleep. I also like "On My Way Home."

A Day Without Rain was a gift from Aunt (the Chicago Aunt) sometime after college. I liked it a lot, and still do, but it never enthralled me like the others did. Still, it's a Good Enya Album, dependable and sound, if a little short.

You may ask what brings all this on. "What brings all this on, Worker?" I'll tell you: she's made a new album!

Amarantine. As part of my Post-Christmas "Merry Christmas to me!" birthday-money-and-Christmas-money-shopping-spree, I bought this album. I listened to it in the car as soon as I could, and studied the liner notes, and have yet to form an opinion. I guess it was pretty insipid, since I don't have a strong attachment to it.

Sigh. What began as exclamation points in my mind turned into commas and ellipses once I began listening to it. I listened to a lot of studying music in college, and this can go into that collection: background, background, background music. One Amazon reviewer called it "Music to slit your wrists by." It's not that bad, but it certainly doesn't seem to have personality.

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January 04, 2006

I just want to say...

...thank you.

Your inventor truly was inspired. Truly.

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November 17, 2005

A Thought about Submission

I know the Biblical ideal of submission is not the image of a puppy that just piddled on the floor and now has his tail tucked between his legs and his head bowed in shame, but that idea is nonetheless there. (Picture that image and the angry words "Submit, woman!" Yeah, that's what I struggle against.)

That is not what submission is!! It's not, and Scripture is clear on that. But to help my struggle, I read last night that the NKJV rephrased "submission" as "willingness to yield" in James. I like that better than "be submissive." It's "Mrs. Work, be willing to yield."

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November 04, 2005

Pithy Quotes and Blog Sabbatical

Dear Friends,

I've neglected my reading. I haven't been taking in anyone else's opinions on things, and have consequently grown too opinionated (read: b**chy) here.

I'm sorry.

So, until further notice, you'll see occasional pithy quotes here. Others' opinions, but not my own.

And I'm not reading anyone else's blogs, either. Don't worry, I'll catch up when it's time to come back. But I need some boundaries.

Your Friend,
The Newest Worker

*****
Update 14 Nov 2005
I've begun reading blogs again. But only once a day, or maybe every other day.
*****

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November 03, 2005

Leaving College Isn't the Solution

Hey, people, especially Covbloggers...

Leaving/graduating Covenant isn't the answer to getting a life.

Being able to drink, do drugs, have sex, dance, and skip chapel isn't the answer to having a life.

Being freed from the grind of papers, hundreds of pages of reading each day, midterms and finals, isn't the answer to having a life.

Getting a life is often a task frustrated by responsibility. You think it'll be easier on the 'other side' of matriculation? Nope. Now you've got loan payments, rent, car payments, car repairs, grocery shopping, bill paying, checkbook balancing, daily meal preparation, church attendance, an actual effort at finding community for yourself (as opposed to tottling down the hall to your friend's dorm room where someone's always awake), traveling, keeping up with family, keeping up with college friends who've all scattered all over the continent and the globe, &c.

You have to make a life where you are. You have to prioritize what you want, and if you want a life, don't get bogged down in excuses. Being a Covstudent, living in Covdorms, eating in the Covdining hall, being under the Covcontract--these are excuses.

Stop making excuses to yourself and live your life. Each stage of your life has benefits and drawbacks.

Continue reading "Leaving College Isn't the Solution"

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October 31, 2005

Happy Reformation Day

I attended a Christian school from Pre-school through 12th grade, then went right to Covenant College. We did the faux-Halloween too, and by the time I was in college I was a little Reformationed-out. I'd roll my eyes and say, "It was the 95 theses, not the 95 thesis."

I knew everything. (Wasn't that a dramatic paragraph break?)

But this year I'm thoughtful. Husband and I watched Luther Saturday night, and I really enjoyed the movie. (Though I was dismayed when, in his interview in the DVD extras, Joseph Fiennes seemed to think the whole purpose of Luther's life and action as depicted in the movie was to promote individual freedom, when his lines clearly indicated Luther was acting out of submission to Scripture. Sola Scriptura and all that. Poor Joseph doesn't get it!) And Pastor Roop preached a good sermon last night, emphasizing purposefulness behind celebrating Reformation Day as more than just a "non-Halloween costume fall festival." Here are some highlights:

---------------------------------

2 Timothy 3:10-17: You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

An R. C. Sproul quote from the most recent Tabletalk: The modern church is threatened by the shortsightedness of severe myopia. (I've been looking for this quote and when I find a specific reference I'll update this entry. In the meantime, I'm sorry. It was a really good quote.)

A key question: Why don't we pay more attention to those Christians who ran this race before us? We act as if all things are new. There seems to be no room in our lives, and in our churches, for history, for old things, for old songs, for remembering the past.

Luther addressed two issues:

  1. Authority. In other words, he addressed the formality of the Roman Catholic Church, its authority, and its power over individual Christians' lives.

  2. Soteriology. Soteriology, or the study of salvation, especially in regards to the doctrine of justification and how that's accomplished. One way to understand justification in relation to authority. Is justification accomplished by God and described in Scripture, or is it accomplished by papal decree, by groveling before and venerating relics, by purchasing indulgences in your own name or in others' names (deceased or alive!), by trusting in Church Councils' decrees?

    Luther made his famous quote ("Unless I am convinced of error by the authority of Scripture.... On this I take my stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen.") based his conviction on Scripture alone, and eventually laid the foundation for the Reformation principle Sola Scriptura.

From the text (2 Timothy 3:10-17), we can learn several things.

  1. In order to stand up to those who question what you are preaching:
    Timothy should remember and follow the example of those who have gone before. Timothy was to remember the example of Paul, his mentor. Stand for Scripture even in the midst of immense pressure!

  2. Timothy should stay true to convictions built into life by his mother, grandmother, and Paul.

We learn about the origin and purpose of Scripture:

  1. Origin: from God. ("All Scripture is God-breathed...") "God-breathed." The source of Scripture has three doctine-textbook definitions:
    A. Organic inspiration: God did not possess the writers of Scripture and mechanically move their hands; he did, however, inspire the writers. We can trust God's sovereignty in the lives of the writers to the farthest extent possible. God planned every word of the Scriptures (they are trustworthy!) but did not do that in the "possession" method.
    B. Plenary inspiration: All the Bible, in all its parts, is inspired. There are no parts of the Bible that are 'less' inspired than others.
    C. Sufficiency: All we need is there. It's certainly not all I want, but God has given me, and all of his children, all we need to live Godly lives. We don't need to add anything!

  2. Purpose of Scripture (...and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.")
    A. Teaching. Scripture gives wisdom, salvation, and faith in Jesus Christ. It's a handbook of salvation. It alone teaches us how men and women who are sinners can be saved. How are we saved? Through faith in Jesus Christ. Scripture also teaches us doctrine. The content of the church's doctrine comes only from Scripture, and not from any other source. (This was part of what Luther was upset about! The Roman Catholic Church was using teaching besides Scripture to guide its doctrine.)
    B. Reproof. When God's people go wrong in their doctrine, lives, faith, or anything else, we are corrected by Scripture. That's what Scripture says about itself: it's useful for reproof!
    C. Correction. When we are on the wrong path or living in a wrong way, Scripture corrects us, and is sufficient. [We've been listening to a sermon series on The Matthew 18 Reconciliation pattern. This point relates to those sermons, and I'll most likely blog about that too. It's fomenting in my head these days.]
    D. Training in Righteousness. Our doctrine and lives should be in line with Scripture.

------------------
So, as I was saying, I'd been Reformation-Celebrationed-out. Sometimes the silly fall festivals churches hold do seem like nothing more than a sanctified version of the dress-up-and-go-get-free-candy way of celebrating everyone else does, with the added bonus of knowing that the candy the fall festivals hand out is safe to consume. But here's another thing I like about my church, another way I'm being challenged by the teaching and fellowship there. The teaching and fellowship challenged the cynicism in my heart surrounding this aspect of American Reformed Christianity.

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October 05, 2005

Blogthing Frenzy VII: Wednesday Bonus!

Your Brain's Pattern
Your mind is a multi dimensional wonderland, with many layers.
You're the type that always has multiple streams of though going.
And you can keep these thoughts going at any time.
You're very likely to be engaged in deep thought - and deep conversation.
What Pattern Is Your Brain?


But I looked at all the answers and I don't think this one is the only right answer for me. It's too simplistic of a test. Oh well.

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Bible Reading

Does anyone else out there struggle with faithful, daily, conscious Bible reading? I do.

Yesterday I read 5 NT chapters, and a chapter each from the 5 OT genres.

I was struck by God's mercy.

In Genesis 1, God made all things. I read for the first time an underlying sense of excitement and exhilaration. "Hey! Let's divide the waters and call them 'sky' and 'ocean'! That's a great idea!"

In Joshua 1, God calls Joshua to lead his people, and tells him repeatedly to be strong and courageous. Be strong and very courageous! Be strong, won't you, and courageous? Be strong, and be courageous.

In Job 1, Job finds out about all his losses one after another. While one messenger was talking, the next ran up to him and told him of his loss. Oxen, donkeys, sheep, camels, servants--and sons and daughters. Bam, bam, bam. All gone! And he goes and worships God. It doesn't say why, but I can guess it's because he realizes it was all gifts from God anyway, and having all that wealth was all more than he deserved. He can hold gifts with an open hand because they are precisely that: gifts.

In Isaiah 1, the prophet chastises the people of God for being wicked. Here, and here, and here, are specific verses that caught my attention. God is perfectly justified in reacting in wrath and anger. He could wipe them off the face of the earth if he wanted to! But he restrains himself, because he's full of kindness and compassion. The tone of the passage is pleading and sorrowful, because he knows what kind of glory his people deserve! They should be a shining jewel in the desert, but because of their own obstinancy, they have sores on their heads and entire bodies. Even when the prophet talks about the upcoming doom, it's not to scare the people because THE END IS NEAR; he talks about the upcoming doom as a blessing: it's going to purify the people and the land. Read that part here. Take note of verse 25. God's tone here is one of love. He's tired of seeing his beloved people so filthy and diseased, and desires to purify and cleanse his people, not destroy them and wipe them away.

In Hosea 1, God calls his prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute and to be her husband. She conceives several children, who may or may not be Hosea's, and they receive God-ordained names. Jezreel (the site of a terrible battle during Israel's history), Lo-Ruhamah (not-loved), and Lo-Ammi (not my people). This is an object lesson for us, and even though we behave like prostitutes and conceive sin in ourself, fully deserving to be disowned by God, our master who loves us, he still shows us mercy:

"Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.' The people of Judah and the people of Israel will be reunited, and they will appoint one leader and will come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel.

Hosea 1:10-11

But don't take my word for it! Read it yourself!

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HP Thoughts V

[Voldemort said,] "It is a disappointment to me. . . I confess myself disappointed. . . ."

One of the men suddenly flung himself forward, breaking the circle. Trembling from head to foot, he collapsed at Voldemort's feet.

"Master!" he shrieked, "Master, forgive me! Forgive us all!"

Voldemort began to laugh. He raised his wand.

"Crucio!"

The Death Eater on the ground writhed and shrieked; Harry was sure the sound must carry to the houses around. . . . Let the police come, he thought desperately . . . anyone . . . anything . . .

Voldemort raised his wand. The tortured Death Eater lay flat upon the ground, gasping.

"Get up, Avery," said Voldemort softly. "Stand up. You ask for forgiveness? I do not forgive. I do not forget. Thirteen long years . . . I want thirteen years' repayment before I forgive you. Wormtail here has paid some of his debt already, have you not, Wormtail?"

He looked down at Wormtail, who continued to sob.

"You returned to me, not out of loyalty, but out of fear of your old friends. You deserve this pain, Wormtail. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes, Master," moaned Wormtail...

HP IV, pp. 648-49

Continue reading "HP Thoughts V"

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October 03, 2005

There's this cool new invention...

...and you may have heard of it.

Citizen of Chattanooga*, please join the 21st century. When you are driving, and you want to turn, there's a wonderful way to communicate that to other drivers. It's called a turn signal. Some people call it a turn indicator.

When your hands are on the steering wheel (assuming they are on the steering wheel, not operating a cellphone, the radio, a child's car seat, a mascara wand, a curling iron, or a french fry box), you may access the use of this wonder tool by reaching the 5th finger on your left hand. There's a stick there protruding from the steering column! To indicate that you are turning left (that's this way <-----), push the stick down. To indicate that you are turning right (----->), pull the stick up.

Because you are not the only person at the intersection, on the road, on the interstate, or in the parking lot. Please consider using this handy, helpful, and informative device. It's standard on a car, anyway, and it might save you from an expensive, irritating, and/or inconvenient time dealing with your insurance company because of the car crash you cause by your selfish and irresponsible driving.

Thank you.

-------------------------

*I've noticed poor driving in all the places I've lived: Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, and Pennsylvania. However, I currently live here, and you've provoked me frequently enough that I finally rant.

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September 28, 2005

HP Thoughts IV

As Harry took off his glasses and clombed into his four-poster, he imagined how it must feel to have parents still living but unable to recognize you. He often got sympathy form strangers for being an orphan, but as he listened to Nevile's snores, he thought that Neville deserved it more than he did. Lying in the darness, Harry felt a rush of anger and hate toward the people who had tortured Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom....He remembered the jeers of the crowd as Crouch's son and his companions had been dragged from the court by the dementors...He understood how they had felt...Then he remembered the milk-white face of the screaming boy and realized with a jolt that he had died a year later...

It was Voldemort, Harry thought, staring up at the canopy of his bed in the darkness, it all came back to Voldemort....He was the one who had torn those families apart, who had ruined all those lives....

HP IV, p. 607

Continue reading "HP Thoughts IV"

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September 21, 2005

Giiiiilmoooooooooore Giiiiirls!

H-whoa-man. I love this show.

Last year in Central Pennsylvania, I had friends (M & H) whose home I would invade once a week for dinner and The Amazing Race (or dinner and Survivor). Well, Amazing Race was on Tuesday nights at 9, so we had to watch something between the end of dinner and Amazing Race.

H is a big Gilmore Girls fan, so we watched that. I loved it.

I love how deadpan everyone is. I love how silly they are with what they take seriously. I love how the dialogue is so fast and silly and funny and just funny. I love how Rory and Lorelai get along, and how they are confused and certain and figuring it out.

Two weeks ago, the WB showed the last two episodes of last season's Girls. Last week was the new season (woohoo!), in which Rory moved into her grandparents' pool house (which Grandma soon redecorated), went to court but lost (she stole a boat last season) -- now she has to do 300 hours of community service in 6 months -- also Lorelai proposed to Luke and he said yes...then he proposed to her in the moonlight with a beautiful ring.

Last night Rory began her community service. Her car is still impounded so she had to interrupt Grandma's DAR meeting to get Grandma to drive her (which Founding Father do you thing would be the best lover? Your complexion is beautiful! You're porcelain! You'll match our drapes when you start working for us), heard Grandma's suggestions at avoiding fights with the prisoners (don't go to community service with your Fight Face on).

Lorelai, meanwhile, was doing laundry and walked into her bedroom but the wall was missing! Her future brother-in-law who is a wanna be contractor took a sledgehammer to it so that he could repair it and get some experience. She bought a dog (defensively. Apparently she killed a gerbil, a turtle, and a parrot during her childhood) named Coco, which was a rescue dog (he's afraid of people watching him eat, going down stairs, words beginning with the letter Q, people who drink out of bottles, and other names. Lorelai is going to ease him into the name Paul Anka over the next few months. When she carried him down the stairs and onto the sidewalk, she discovered he's also afraid of mailboxes). She got mad at Luke for telling Rory about the engagement.

Whew. It's a good show. Tune in, people. Tuesdays, 8pm, the WB.

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September 10, 2005

Art Museum 'Deep Thoughts'

Expressing his initial ideas for a new home for the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, Cloepfil commented, "In making space for contemporary art, the architecture must first serve the artist; not by attempting to render a 'background' for the art, but by providing the artist with a specific spatial presence, an intentional vacancy that achieves meaning through the art itself." --Cloepfil. Emphasis mine.

Cloepfil, Brad. Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. 10 Sep 2005. . Click here for the site.

So. What if my life is an art museum for someone else's art? It is! God calls me to do good works so that he would be glorified.

God, make my life an intentional vacancy so that others notice you, not me. Let me be emptied of self so that you would be exalted. And let it be in a quieter way than this architect designed his museum. Let me be truly invisible compared to the wonder and glory that you are, and let me not make a big deal about how I want you to be glorified in me. Just be my masterpiece and I'll be your spotlight, your frame, your setting, your display case. You must become greater and I must become less.

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The Broken Road

I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you
Every long lost dream lead me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

I think about the years I spent just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there you understand
It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true

Every long lost dream lead me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

--Rascal Flatts, The Broken Road

Continue reading "The Broken Road"

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September 09, 2005

2 Month Anniversary

Two months ago today, Husband and I married.

I love you, Husband. Since last month, I've learned more about why I love you. Here are some new reasons:

Continue reading "2 Month Anniversary"

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Books to Read

Obviously this list is going to grow.

Pontifex, Frederick Buechner

Posted by The Newest Worker at 03:10 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

September 07, 2005

What is the deal with all these people dying?

First Noah Duble.

Then, practically the entire Gulf Coast.

Then Senor Smisson.

I just got an email from Dad saying that the Basketball Coach at my old high school died of a massive heart attack Monday. He was at my wedding (with his wife).

Oh, Jesus, come and make things ok! Come, Lord Jesus!

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September 02, 2005

This entry describes my thoughts also. You should read it and be enlightened.

Nole Me Tangere's September 1st entry.

Good read.

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August 27, 2005

Harry Potter Thoughts III

Read this excellent essay. Really thought-provoking!

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August 15, 2005

Carrot on a Stick

Why is “just when you stop looking” such a big deal in the world? Before Husband and I started dating, that was what so many people said to me: “...and you know, just when I stopped looking, there he was! He’s my hero, and I love him. God brought him into my life at just the right time!”

Ok, God did bring Husband into my life at just the right time, and Husband is the best gift God’s given me besides salvation! I love him and can’t wait for the next 5 weeks! (Haha!)

Continue reading "Carrot on a Stick"

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August 10, 2005

Harry Potter thoughts II (more on Ron)

Sitting here in Greyfriars reading HP V, I am thinking more about Ron and the twins...

Continue reading "Harry Potter thoughts II (more on Ron)"

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August 08, 2005

Harry Potter Thoughts I

This post contains spoilers.

(You know, by this time, if anyone is posting about HP, you can pretty much assume it's got spoilers.)

Continue reading "Harry Potter Thoughts I"

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August 04, 2005

Why the Shock?

I went to The Church Across From the College last week (almost two weeks ago) and you'd be surprised at how many people said:

"You married him?" or
"You married her?"

Continue reading "Why the Shock?"

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August 03, 2005

Now Reading/Listening

In college, it was unhip (at least in the English department) to listen to Contemporary Christian Music and to read Christian fiction. So for me to admit what I'm reading/listening to in such a public forum is a big step. But here I come, into the fresh clean light of truth!

I am reading
Geisha, a Life by Mineko Iwasaki
Memoirs of a Geisha: A Novel by Arthur Golden
The Protector by Dee Henderson
Several Martha Stewart cookbooks
Southern Living Christmas cookbooks ($1 apiece at McKay's! a steal!)
Ephesians (in the Bible)

I am listening to
Cher (Jeep gave me a ton of his Cher...he was "Cher"ing with me!) My favorite is It's a Man's World
The Opera Band's Amici Forever
Husband's Alabama (not my fave, but I love Husband)
Avalon's Testify to Love: The Very Best of Avalon

I like Cher for housework, Amici Forever for cooking, and Avalon for whatever.

So...what are you reading/listening to? Tell the truth, even if it's unhip.

Posted by The Newest Worker at 02:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack