Saturday, December 31, 2005

a little 2005 word association...

...borrowed from my brother

sadness: regrets
intelligence: the last place i expected to find it, Ronde Barber of the Tampa Bay Bucs
wealth: is not monetary
father: missed
society: self-absorbed
selfishness: NAACP
drama: news sensationalism
persecution: "Merry Christmas"
pleasure: camera
cost: house
love: him
religion: deeply personal
forget: past failures
travel: CT
walls: emotional
state: rapid growth
fate: embrace
immortality: eternal
family: in my heart
weather: Autumn in New England
memory: sweet
future: bright

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the slate wipes clean: moving forward into a new year

i've dealt with my ghosts
and i've Faced all my demons
finally content with a past i regret
i've found you find strength
in your moments of weakness
for once i'm at peace with myself
i've been burdened with blame
trapped in the past for too long...

(excerpt from "I'm Moving On" by Rascal Flatts)

there's a new wind blowing like i've never known
i'm breathing deeper than i've ever done
and it sure feels good to finally feel the way i do...
and i'm letting go of all my lonely yesterdays
i've forgiven myself for the mistakes i've made
now theres just one thing, the only thing i wanna do
i wanna love somebody, love somebody like you
yeah i wanna feel the sunshine shining down on me and you
when you put your arms around me
you let me know theres nothing in this world i can't do...
(excerpt from "love somebody like you" by Keith Urban)

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you have GOT to be kidding me...

Straggler Storm Zeta Churns in Open Atlantic: the 27th storm is named a month after the end of the hurricane season...

Just when you thought the busy Hurricane Season was over, another one has brewed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.

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no i am not being productive yet today

found this on Isn't this kind of personal?

go to www.googlism.com and enter your name...

dawn is right for me? (hmmmmm...)
dawn is effective and (and what??)
dawn is breaking (here come the "crack of dawn" jokes now...)
dawn is back because 'the price is right' (must be a heck of a price since i don't think i can be easily bribed to do much for cash!)
dawn is £7 (how about this: dawn is now confused!)
dawn is always (always what??! c'mon people. you have to start finishing these thoughts!)
dawn is upon us (look out! hehehe...)
dawn is a friend of the muses (i wish the muses were a friend to me though! oh wait...all my scrap stuff is in storage right now. be a friend to me later please muses!)
dawn is canceled and why (i'm CANCELED?! how can this be??! and yes WHY!)
dawn is bright'ning (that's me: little miss sunshine!)
dawn is thoughts of a rural woman by rebecca brown (who, pray tell, is rebecca brown & why is she thinking of me?)
dawn is a graduate of southern illinois university (nope. no i am not.)
dawn is pregnant (i am WHAT?? this is a hell of a way to find out...)
dawn is not shy (ok someone has the wrong dawn here. maybe this not shy dawn is the one that's pregnant and/or canceled...)
dawn is nigh (nigh crazy maybe...)
dawn is available for freelance (yes perhaps but not for free)
dawn is coming (to...?)
dawn is the (QUEEN. oooo...i like *this* fill in the blank lol)
dawn is so sweet (yes! told ya so! and INNOCENT! SWEET & INNOCENT!)
dawn is your (methinks this one is a little TOO open to interpretation...)
dawn is waking (at 2pm?! been up for hours actually)
dawn is an acronym for "discipling a whole nation" (sheesh not *too* much pressure there!)
dawn is followed by night western donors amid the chaos of haiti (*looks over my shoulder* i don't know what night western donors are but if they are associated with Haiti they can't be good...)
dawn is sprinkling in the east (sprinkling??)
dawn is an exquisite luxury vacation / holiday home located just steps away from a spectacular sandy beach on the lush north shore (news to me...)
dawn is stealing (i most certainly am not!)
dawn is filled with dreams so many dreams (awww...well this one is nice...)
dawn is always posting (ok so sue me. YOU keep coming back to read it though! lol...)
dawn is (yep, i just AM)
dawn is a massive undertaking (not too sure how exactly to take *that*)
dawn is suffering from the riley factor (ohhhh so that's what my problem is. one question. what's "the riley factor"??)
dawn is so sweet (yes. yes i am.)
dawn is a supremely geeky outcast and the victim of an endless stream of attacks (hey!! i am not!)
dawn is not a popular girl (ouch...no need to be MEAN)
dawn is waking melody (that does not make up for the several nasty comments that have been made)
dawn is always happy to autograph books (sure why not? not sure what good it will do anyone but...*shrug*)
dawn is just back online this week (nope been online for alot longer than that)
dawn is a little piece of gold that offers wealth and talent to be heard (still doesn't make up for the snippy little remarks made earlier)

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2005: a year in retrospect

got this from my Andie-girl =)

JANUARY
1. Did you have a new year's resolution this year?: of sorts--another trip around the sun
2. Who kissed you at midnight?: no one, i was home alone
3. Did it snow where you live?: about once every 30 or 40 years i'm told
4. Have you ever been to Times Square to watch the ball drop?: nope, been there at Christmastime on several occasions but not for New Year's Eve--doesn't really look like it would be "my scene" though either. too many people around to vilate my laws of personal space.

FEBRUARY
1. Who was your valentine?: lol Alison & Baby Girl were
2. What did your valentine get you?: i got the funniest card from Alison & a photo from Baby Girl
3. When you were little, did you buy valentines for your whole class?: yep sure did--i remember the year Cara P cried because we ate the Hershey Kisses off the ones she made too. what did she think we were going to do with them??

MARCH
1. Are you Irish? not even a tiny bit
2. Did you wear green on St. Patty's Day?: if i did, it was by accident
3. What did you do for St. Patty's Day?: nothing special i'm sure

APRIL
1. Do you like the rain?: as long as i don't have to drive in it--only someone who has lived in FL will understand though. it's something like driving in a blinding blizzard on a sheet of ice.
2. Did you play an April Fool's joke on anyone this year?: no i was too busy making sure no one played one on me!
3. Did you get tons of candy on Easter?: nope, just one Reese's Peanut Butter Egg

MAY
1. What's your favorite kind of flower?: tulips, daisies, pointsettas. oh & Easter lilies. =)
2. Do you like the spring? yep. in FL Spring means orange blossoms & absolutely perfect weather as opposed to slush & mud puddles lol.
3. Finish the phrase: "April showers bring...": May flowers. man, i couldn't think of a single clever thing to say instead. blah. lol...
4. What would you think of as a spring color?: sunshine yellow, sky blue & spring green--like sunshine in a clear blue sky & brand new grass--and the colors of my coming-soon Master Bath =)

JUNE
1. What year did you graduate from school?: high school? 1994
2. Did you go on any vacations last June?: a mini one to CT for Baby Girl's 1st birthday party

JULY
1. What did you do on the 4th of July? cookout at the "in-laws" house
2. Did you go on any vacations during this month?: nope

AUGUST
1. Did you do anything special to end off your summer?: LOL! hunker down! it's hurricane season then =P
2. What was your favorite summer memory of '05?: surprising Alison by telling her she was coming down to FL for her birthday in September
3. Did you go swimming a lot in the summer?: never do, i'm much happier on dry land
4. Did you go to the beach a lot?: haven't been even once since moving to FL...how strange is that??

SEPTEMBER
1. Did you attend school/college in '05?: nope
2. Who is/was your favorite teacher?: ever? probably Ms Norton (high school homeroom teacher & junior year English)
3. Did you like fall better than summer?: i do in CT, i *love* Autumn in New England...down here fall is what happens to trees when hurricanes rip through. =P September is the peak of hurricane season in FL.

OCTOBER
1. What was your favorite halloween costume ever?: the year i was a baseball player with a real jersey & everything
2. What's your favorite candy?: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
3. What did you dress up like this year? i didn't

NOVEMBER
1. Whose house did you go to for Thanksgiving?: technically we went to "the inlaws" but they are living at a friend's house right now while they are waiting for their house to be finished. apparently this living arrangement is contagious...
2. Do you like stuffing?: only Stove Top
3. What are you thankful for?: family, friends, someone to love & an uneventful hurricane season in Central FL

DECEMBER
1. Do you celebrate Christmas?: yes i do...and i say Merry Christmas too. =P
2. Have you ever been kissed under mistletoe?: no! what the heck?! lol
3. What do you want this year for christmas?: for my new house to be done. still waiting...
4. What's the best present you ever got for christmas?: ever?? i couldn't pick a favorite.
5. Do you like cold weather?: i live in FL & whine when the thermometer reads lower than 45*. what do YOU think?! i do like when it's brisk & refreshing outside. i love the way snow looks. but i do not like endless cold weather.
6. How would you rate your year on a scale of 1-10?: some parts were a definite 10...others fell off the bottom of the chart...overall? maybe a 6...

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in case there was still room for a shred of doubt...

...2005 is officially a year i am not sorry to see go.

let's just hope this is one of those things we'll look back on someday & laugh

*sigh*

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Thursday, December 29, 2005

way way WAY too much information about me...

...but i figure one of 2 things: if you're reading this you either a) already know all this anyway or b) i'm never going to see you anyway, so what's the difference?

by the way...i copied this from Chele

at first glance, there appears to be 187 of these. i assure you, there are not. there's still a lot of them though. =P i *could* go back & number it correctly but i am not quite THAT ambitious lol...

001) What time did you start this?: 906pm
002) Name?: Dawn
003) Date of birth?: October 12
004) Sex?: female
005) Height?: 5'7"
006) Eye color?: blue
007) Weight?: between 117-120,fluctuates througouht the month
008) Location?: at my computer
009) Where were you born?: Bristol, CT
012) Do you have crush on someone?: sure, if that's what you want to call it...
013) Do you have a bf/gf?: uh huh
015) How long have you been together? some days it feels like forever
016) What are you wearing right now?: black track pants & a green longsleeve polo
017) Would you have sex before marriage?: yep but only with someone i love
018) Have you ever had a crush on any of your teachers? nope
019) Are you a virgin?: nope
020) Do you smoke?: only if 2nd hand counts
021) Do you drink?: occasionally
022) Are you ghetto?: BAHAHAHAHAHA!! i am as "white girl" as it gets
023) Are you a player?: not that i am aware of
024) What are your favorite colors?: navy blue, barn red, chocolate brown & silver (not all together though lol...)
025) What is your favorite animal?: beastuses (which would be "Dawn" for puppies)
026) Do you have any birthmarks?: yep
027) Have you ever gotten your ass kicked?: not literally, but many times figuratively lol
028) Who are your best friends?: they know who they are =)
029) Have you ever beat someone up? ME??!
031) Have you ever been slapped?: by babies lol
032) Do you get online a lot?: oh yeah lol...all day at work, in the evening before bed, in the morning while i eat breakfast & various times on the weekend
033) Are you shy or outgoing?: very shy until i am comfortable with you
034) Do you shower?: everyday, sometimes twice
035) Do you hate school?: no but i might feel differently about that if i were still in it
036) Do you have a social life?: when i feel like it
037) How easily do you trust people? rarely--it takes a long time to earn my trust, but once you have it, it's yours...until you betray it, then it's gone with very slim chances of restoring it
038) Have you ever lied to your best friends?: nope, i've not told them some things on rare occasion but if they point blank asked me i wouldn't lie about it
039) Do you have a secret people would be surprised knowing? yep...some people
040) Would you ever sky dive?: are you out of your flipping mind?!
068) Have you ever been out of state?: out of which state?
069) Do you like to travel?: a little but i'm always happy to get home again
071) Have you ever been suspended from school?: never
071) Do you want to get out of your hometown?: did that almost 4 years ago, 1200 miles out in fact
072) Are you spoiled?: by the people who love me =)
073) Are you a brat?: i'm a girl--definition: i *can* be when necessary
074) Have you ever been dumped?: yes =(
076) What's your favorite drink?: ice cold water
077) Do you like Snapple?: don't like any tea, yucky aftertaste
078) Do you drink a lot of water?: not as much as i once had to (120oz a day for medical reasons) but probably about 80oz
079) What toothpaste do you use?: colgate total gel with whitening
080) Do you have a cell phone or pager?: cell phone for emergencies only
081) Do you have a curfew?: never had one
082) Who do you look up to?: people taller than me
083) Are you a role model?: if i am, no one's clued me in!
085) What name brand do you wear the most?: Victoria's Secret
086) What kind of jewelry do you wear?: minimal--just a watch & a necklace, earrings & a bracelet if i'm really dressing up
087) What do you have pierced?: just my ears, once each
088) What do you want pierced?: all set thanks
089) Do you like taking pictures?: omg! behind my camera is one of my happy places!
090) Do you like getting your picture taken?: used to HATE it but i don't mind now...depends on who's asking though ;-)
091) Do you have a tan?: maybe standing next to a true albino (or is it "pigment-challenged person" these days??)
092) Do you get annoyed easily?: long fuse, not pretty when you reach the end of it, some people have a tendancy to know the shortcut though
093) Have you ever started a rumor?: LOL only in good fun
094) Do you have your own phone/phone line?: ummm...yes, i have my own house. well...not at the moment lol but i did & i will
095) Do you have your own pool?: nope, too expensive to run & maintain for someone who could never swim again in her life & be perfectly content
096) Do you have any siblings?: 2 younger brothers
097) Do you prefer boxers or briefs? i am assuming you mean on guys...and i have to be honest: there's very little about men's underwear that is flattering lol
098) Have you ever been played?: yeah...
099) Have you ever played someone?: played them? no. hurt them? yes.
100) Do you get along with your parents?: yes...but you can get along with almost anyone from this distance ;-)
102) How do you vent your anger?: yelling. oh the yelling. or if i'm really really mad, i get very quiet & just fume in silence & shoot evil glares.
103) Have you ever run away?: from home? no lol
104) Have you ever been fired from a job?: one time by a woman who clearly had some mental issues--best thing that ever happened to me ultimately because now i have the best job *ever*
105) Do you even have a job?: yep
106) Do you daydream a lot?: well my mind wanders sometimes & i am always thinking but i don't know that i actually daydream alot
107) Do you have a lot of ex's?: no...haven't dated that many guys
108) Do you run your mouth?: if someone pushes enough of my buttons i do
109) What do you want a tattoo of?: nothing
110) What do you have a tattoo of?: nothing
111) What are your favorite flowers?: tulips, daisies, pointsettas
112) What does your ex bf/gf look like?: which one? LOL
113) What does your most recent crush look like?: my most recent crush? last time i saw him, Italian...and if you know me at all, that tells you it's been a LOOOOONG time since i had a crush lol
114) Have you ever been bitched out?: yep lol...sometimes i even instigate it
115) When was the last time you bitched someone out? ummmm...Tuesday at work
116) Are you rude?: nope--honest & direct, but not rude
117) What was the last compliment you received?: "you are the woman" when i told the owner of the company i work for how much we invoiced today lol
118) Do you like getting dirty?: define dirty
119) Is your bellybutton an innie or outie?: innie
120) Are you flexible?: more so in the figurative sense
121) What is your heritage?: German & French-Canadian
123) What does your hair look like right now?: see photo in left sidebar. like that.
124) Could you ever be a vegatarian?: NO! i like meat. (note to reader: please remove mind from gutter before continuing)
125) When was your last real heartbreak?: February 2004
126) Describe your looks?: again i refer you to photo in left sidebar
127) If you had to completely dye your hair it'd be what color:? maybe a lighter shade of brown, close to blonde, but not quite blonde
128) Would you ever date someone younger than you?: been there, done that
129) Would you ever date someone older than you?: oh hell yes! LOL
130) When was the last time you were drunk?: maybe 6 years ago? i prefer a vague buzz. hate to feel out of control of my senses.
131) When was the last time you went on a date?: like an actual DATE?? been a long time
132)Would you rather give or receive oral sex?: depends on my mood i guess
133) Have you ever given? yep
134) Have you ever received? yep
135) Have you ever had an eating disorder? nope
136) Do you have one now?: nope
137) How many rings until you answer the phone? right now, as many as it takes for me to get to the phone. when i have caller id, depends on how many till the call registers...and then i may not answer at all ;-)
138) Have you ever been skinny dipping?: nope
140) Do you look more like your mother or father?: it depends which one i am standing next to--i'm a pretty equal mix of them both
141) Do you cry a lot?: nah, not a lot
142) Do you ever cry to get your way? no, i hate crying in front of anyone
143) If you had to amputate one limb, what would it be?: none! i am rather fond of them all & find each one quite useful thanks! i'd rather not tempt fate by trying to play favorites. =P
144) What phrase do you use most on the phone?: uh huh
145) Are you the romantic type?: if the right person chooses to bring it out in me
146) Have you ever been chased by cops?: God no!
147) What do you like most about your body?: my height...and tat i'm evenly proportioned
148) What do you like least about your body?: my ass (or lack there of) and my knees
150) When was the last time you threw up?: November 1999. i do not recommend catching a stomach bug on Thanksgiving night after you eat 2 complete meals...
151) In the opposite sex, do you prefer blondes or brunettes? brunettes as a rule but i guess the latest evidence points to blond...
152) What do the shoes you last wore look like?: black ankle boots with a kick ass heel! (or what i call a "salesman stomping heel" at work lol)
153) Do you ever wear shirts to show your belly?: maybe if i lift my arms up or move in a direction that raises the bottom of my shirt but not one that shows it all the time
155) Is your best friend a virgin?: that would be difficult for me to believe since they have all had children lol
156) Have you ever f***ed someone up?: i guess it depends what you mean by that...
157) Have you ever been f***ed up?: i'm sure some would say i have been, mentally anyway...
158) What color are your underwear right now?: um… not wearing any! LOL i'm on my pjs
160) What size shoe do you wear?: 7.5 or 8, depends on the shoe
161) What jewelry are you wearing now?: none, i'm in my pjs remember?
162) What is your screen name: daybreak1012
163) Would you pick a wedgie in public?: ummm...NO
164) How are you feeling right now?: i'm ok...been better, been worse, kind of content with most everything going on in my life right now...other than this new house thing stressing me out
165) When was the last time you were at a party?: December 3rd, company Christmas party
166) Have you ever given a lap dance?: lol...no
167) What do you sleep in?: my bed
168) Has there ever been a rumor spread about you?: yep
169) What is one of your bad qualities?: i hate disappointing people
170) What is one of your good qualities? i never give up on someone i love
171) Would you marry for money?: i'll get married for love or not at all
172) What do you drive?: 2002 (i think? maybe 2001...) Mitsubishi Galant that i hate but now officially own
173) Are you more of a mama or daddy's child?: Daddy’s
174) When was the last time you cried in school?: you understand that it's been more than 8 years since i've been in school right?
175) Do you wear Chucks?: nope
176) For two million dollars, would you pose for Playgirl? Playboy?: hmmmmm...i doubt it
187) What time are you finishing this?: 1047pm but i've been chatting on AIM the whole time lol

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well this makes me feel a little ill...

Bruschi (leg injury) day-to-day

pleaseohpleaseohplease just let this be Belichick's typical "we have very little to reveal about the status of any of our injuries unless they are clearly unable to play anymore for a while"...

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Wednesday, December 28, 2005

1 week into winter

this is how it feels outside this morning:

(photo by Peter Welch)

ok so that's really a photo of VA. i said it *feels* like this outside, not it *looks* like this outside. freeze warnings issued for this morning though for those of you who doubt me.

quit laughing. yes we have to be warned that it will freeze.

before you make fun of me, do you like orange juice? do you enjoy not paying $10 for a half gallon of it? then we Floridians need to be warned of these things since the orange crop is about to be harvested & if they freeze, OJ will become scarce. the orange groves have to go through special measures to prevent that from happening. in fact freezes happen at the most inopportune times for orange groves: harvesting through blossoming.

so there.

and by the way. we get frost advisories too. even i think that's funny.

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Tuesday, December 27, 2005

*rubbing my elbow*

i don't know why they call it a funny bone. it's not funny when you bump it.

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Baby Girl's Christmas

i ♥ me some Baby Girl photos & Mommy was so awesome to get them to me right away
=)

couldn't you just eat up those round baby cheeks? *sigh*


i LOVE the look on her face in this photo...so captures the childlike wonder we need to keep in touch with this time of year. =)


and this one just makes me laugh. how funny is she?? *giggle*
plus Auntie Dawn misses Baby Girl & needs her to stay little...and she looks so small in this photo that it makes my heart happy...

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and the lights go down...

big game last night. not only a division game for the Patriots (in which case division meaning rival) as they fight to move up to #3 seeding in the playoffs but also the end of a football era: Monday Night Football on ABC. after a 36-year run, MNF on ABC is no more.

in odd coincidence, the Jets lost to the Browns on the first ever MNF back in September of 1970 by a score 31-21...just like they did in the final ABC broadcast of MNF last night to the Patriots. the Patriots came out fired up, on a 4 game winning streak, allowing only 10 total points in the last 3 games.

though Brady didn't have a stat-blowing game, he was cool as ever. "smooth like a good drink" they called it--and while football announcers tend to annoy me more than anything else, that particular analogy suited Tom to a tee. it was a tough, hard-hitting, frosty football game--just the kind i love to watch (says the girl watching from the semi-comfort of a couch in a rented house that's not nowhere as comfy as my typical perch in the leather recliner but at least a far cry warmer than anyone in attendance at that game!).

unless the hard-hitting results in things like Tedy Bruschi, Asante Samuel & Bethel Johnson ending up on the sidelines due to injuries sustained. i know that football is arough contact sport & that's the way i like it best. i know that the Patriots are playing for a shot at #3 seed for the playoffs. i know they have been on a hot streak & want to keep up their momentum. but as a team plagued with injury all season that is just now getting healthy again & playing like defending Super Bowl champs finally...more injuries scare me. KEY injuries scare me. we have to protect our key players: Brady, Troy Brown, Vrabel, Bruschi, Johnson, Seymour, Samuel, Branch, Vinatieri, Dillon, Fauria, Faulk, McGinest...i'm not sure at what point you draw the line between keeping momentum & playing for seeding against making sure your top players are healthy for the playoffs when you need them the most, especially in a conference as tough as the AFC, where in my humble opinion, it's open season & anyone reaching the playoffs is a formidable threat this year.

that's not to say that the game wasn't filled with some highlights as well. like Mike Vrabel being the first lineman to get 2 touchdowns & a sack in the same game.

and a great feel-good moment for the Jets (which i could appreciate since my team was the one winning the game & it didn't threaten their victory lol). the game ended with the 2 oldest QBs in the NFL playing: 42-year-old Vinny Testaverde and 43-year-old Doug Flutie. late in the 4th quarter, Vinny threw for a TD which upon completion gave him the record for most consecutive seasons throwing a TD pass: 19. i like to see the veteran QBs have a time or 2 to still shine. i think they've earned it. just a moment to revel once more in the glory days. when it came down to the final few games of the season & he hadn't thrown for a TD yet, Jets' coach Herm Edwards said that he would be putting Testaverde in to give him a shot at the record, especially in front of his home crowd. he said he owed Testaverde something for offering to come out of retirement to help his old team when both the #1 & #2 QBs got taken out for the season & the #3 was a green rookie with no experience. Vinny said the team didn't owe him a thing--he had gotten that one last chance to walk out on the field & that was enough for him to get back into the thrill of the game. but Edwards said he owed Vinny this opportunity & he gave it to him. i have a lot of respect for that & i've always liked Herm Edwards. he is soft-spoken & makes no excuses for his team, and still finds reasons to be proud of them even in a season as disappointing at the 2005 one turned out to be. so for Vinny, the last TD on ABC's MNF was his. =)

as the curtain falls, i feel a little nostalgic. i know that there will be more Monday night games. they'll just be on ESPN. but there won't be anymore John Madden on Monday nights with his goofy commentary & his horse trailer. no more Hank Williams Jr & "are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!" and no more of the telltale MNF soundtrack that announces the return to the game. for true football fans...i think you know what i'm feeling as the picture fades for the last time.

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word assocation for the week of December 25, 2005

from Unconscious Mutterings

I say ... and you think ... ?

Virus:: stomach
Poop:: what Catherine did at Applebee's 18 months ago
Smart:: ...cookie
Agent:: 007
Wrap:: ...up in a blanket
Brass:: top of the police department
Waste of time:: useless
Suspicious:: appears to be up to no good
360:: ...degree turn-around
Dummy:: idiot

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Sunday, December 25, 2005

Christmas Day: Oh Come Let Us Adore Him!


I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men

And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men”

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Saturday, December 24, 2005

Christmas Eve: The hour has come...

















Sing sweet and low a lullaby
Till angels say Amen
A mother tonight is rocking
A cradle in Bethlehem
The wisemen follow through the dark
A star that beckons them
A mother tonight is rocking
A cradle in Bethlehem

A little child shall lead them
The prophets said of old
Through storm and tempest heathen
Until the bell is tolled

Sing sweet and low your lullaby
Till angels say Amen
A mother tonight is rocking
A cradle in Bethlehem

("A Cradle in Bethlehem" sung by Vince Gill)



...and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in swaddling cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:7

JOY TO THE WORLD!
THE LORD HAS COME!
LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING!

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a few final thoughts on Christmas Eve before i slip into bed in search of sugar plums to dance in my dream

in one of my posts back toward the beginning of the month, Heather wanted to know how Santa delivers presents to houses in FL since the vast majority do not have working chimneys.

i didn't want to leave this unanswered & so i quote from one of my favorite Christmas story books that answers this very question:

This is the story of how once a year
I fly round the world with eight trusty reindeer.
And bring to each child in each house in each land
A wrapped Christmas present, delivered by hand.

Of course there are secrets that I cannot tell--
Like the specially marvelous magical spell
That I cast when I order my reindeer to fly
Several hundreds of miles in the blink of an eye...
Or the trick that I use to make myself thin
If a chimney's so small, it's too tight to get in,
And another if there is no chimney at all,
When I squeeze through a keyhole and into a hall.
(excerpt from "Santa's Christmas Journey" by Roger Brooke)

hopefully that answers that question for anyone who wondered...and now i am off to sleep.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

I’ll be home for Christmas,
You can count on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree

Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love-light gleams
I’ll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams...

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a little Christmas poll







what is on top of your Christmas tree...?
a star
an angel
one of those ornament looking things
Santa Claus
a snowman
a snowflake
a bow
something else


  

Free polls from Pollhost.com

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the celebration in your heart

i've been to the Candlelight Christmas Eve service & now i'm sitting here tonight in my Christmas pjs: flannel pajamas pants & a long sleeve white tee.


i'm in a borrowed home with all my Christmas decorations safely packed away in a storage unit. i don't have a Christmas tree this year to put my presents under. just a "Christmas table". the only trees i've enjoyed have belonged to others or were lit in soft white lights at church tonight.


i'm not celebrating with friends & family. in fact i'm home all alone tonight. but the warm light of candles in festive holiday scents dance merrily.



it doesn't matter that the traditions have been tucked away for right now. i miss the ones i love, but for me, tonight, in the quiet house, i have Christmas. i am at peace with the happy memories & the warm feelings...because after all, Christmas lives in your heart.

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is it just me?

...or does Christmas Eve night seem to have a stillness all its own...?

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reflections on Christmases long ago past...

it's funny what trips off a chain of memories with no warning at all sometimes. ever since the last few mornings were so crisp & chilled, i've been thinking back on the Christmas Eves of my childhood.

we had the best traditions for Christmas during my growing up years. one of my very favorite ones was my grandmother's sister & brother-in-law--Aunt El & Uncle Will--would have a huge family party at their house every year. cousins & aunts & uncles...the house was jam-packed with family. decorated to the hilt with all these great heirloom quality ornaments. the old-fashioned Christmas tree with the large bulb lights & real tinsel. the dining room table laden with all sorts of potluck dishes. the kitchen filled with ladies & cookies & desserts. the cool storage room downstairs off the finished basement connecting to the garage, filled with the red plastic cases of soda--the original glass Pop Shoppe bottles in all the yummy flavors. the whole affair was done up in true German Christmas fanfare: family & merriment & lots of happy noise.

i remember that we would chomp at the bit for 8pm when we would finally leave for Auntie's house, clamoring at Dad, asking for the millionth time when we would be going. the excitement as we loaded into the car for the 15 minute trip to Hill Street.

i remember in living detail the lawn blanketed in snow, hard & crunchy. the 4 foot lit candle & the tin colder & the candy cane that adorned the snow drifts in the front yard along the sidewalk, glowing in the darkness. the bite of the icy cold night air as it burned your nose & turned your breath into a frosty cloud & the cold that threatened to take your breath right away. the click of dress-up shoes on the frozen concrete of the sidewalk leading to the front steps.

everything in contrast to the warmth--both physical & emotional--that waited inside.

i remember playing with the cousins & running up & down the stairs from the basement to the living room where the adults sat in chairs lining every available wall space--looking for Dad or Gram or Gramp for a quick minute & then dashing off again.

i remember the thrill of excitement at finally being old enough to leave with Dad at 10:30 to go to the 11pm Candlelight Christmas Eve service. the quiet hush filling a dimly lit church filled with pointsettias & garland & evergreen. the quiet not at all solemn but of joyful anticipation, that awestruck quiet with which you gaze at a newborn baby...when in essence that was exactly what we had come to do. the soft warm glow of a church filled with candlelight as we passed the flame one to another & sang old familiar carols. the voices swelling up as we sang Silent Night in both English & German. the calls of Merry Christmas we wished to the other worshipers as we crossed back through the chilly parking lot, scurrying to our cars & our homes & our families & our parties.

i remember getting back to Auntie's just before midnight & all the kids gathering in the foyer, listening intently for that string of jingling bells & that HO! HO! HO! coming up that front sidewalk. SANTA! and his sack of gifts for all the children. popcorn & miniature candy canes being tossed out to all the laughing adults.

i remember gathering downstairs as the crowd started to thin out in the wee hours to sit around the piano & the accordian players to sing Christmas carols.

i remember 2 or 3am when we would finally bundle up again to head for home. we were tired but still exhilarated & running on childhood holiday adrenaline i am sure. we watched out the car windows, peering into the night sky that can only exist in the middle of a winter's night, cold, black as coal, studded with gleaming diamond-stars, watching to see if we might spot Santa & his reindeer whizzing through the sky enroute to another home to fill with gifts. we had to hurry you know...Santa wouldn't stop if we weren't in bed & we didn't want him to pass over our house. we rushed into warm jammies & made sure a couple cookies & some cider was waiting for Santa (who was tired of milk by now you know). i would beg to lay on the couch till i got sleepy with the Christmas tree glowing in multi-colored light in the darkened room, our Christmas stockings still hanging limp & hopeful of being filled with treats & treasures when a small boy & girl finally had sugar plums dancing in their heads...

wonderful sweet childhood memories.

in this spirit, i am getting ready & heading out to the 10pm Christmas Eve service i finally found...to relive a little of the Christmas magic that still glows like candlelight inside my heart & my memory.

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Advent: The Angels


The final candle is the angels candle, symbolising their peace and the message of good news that they offer.

PEACE: amid all the hustle & bustle, all the planning & preparing, all the list-making & gift-wrapping...the message that the angels brought that night, their tidings of good news & great joy, is where Christians find their peace. the promises of old are fulfilled & the long-awaited Savior has arrived. the sort of peace i find inwardly supercedes all the stress & all the pressure to get things done as i redirect my focus onto the true gift this season has to offer me. it always amazes me that the joyful message that the angels bring--a means that would surely seem to be terrifying if you think about it. i mean after all, bright light & loud voices announcing things & singing from the sky in the middle of the night would certainly catch ME off guard. this message, though one of joy, brings profound peace.

again i felt the need to pick 2 verses from songs that seem to capture the true joy & magnificence by which the angels brought their glad tidings:

Hark the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on
earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"
Joyful all ye nations
rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Hark the herald angels sing,
"Glory
to the newborn King!"
(Hark the Herald Angels Sing)

Sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation
Sing all ye citizens of
heaven above
Glory to God, all glory in the highest!
O come let us adore
Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!
(O Come All Ye Faithful)

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

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch
over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory
of the Lord shown around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to
them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all
people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ
the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and
lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared
with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on
whom his favor rests."
Luke 2:8-14


it's this sense of peace that makes this season such a special one for me. you can feel this kind peace in the middle of an over-crowded mall as easily as on a crisp starlit night blanketed in fresh-fallen snow. it is peace born of hope that is fueled by faith that brings me such Christmas joy. the four advent candles: HOPE, FAITH, JOY, PEACE. my wish for you all is that your Christmas is filled with these as well.

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Friday, December 23, 2005

Sing Along: December 23, 2005

what i'd give if i could keep
just this moment
if only time stood still...
(lyrics from "The Gift" by Jim Brickman)

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better late than never?

those of you who have been around for a while might recall the infamous "Phantom of the Blog"--my mysterious, anonymous leaver of comments.

well brace yourselves ladies & gentlemen. he finally has a reprisal to my "Phantom of the Blog" post! may be a wee bit overdue but it entertained me so much, i *had* to share. this kind of clever literary genius can not go unappreciated.

in my email i received the following:

"No, no," said Dawn. "By the hair of my chinny chin chin, I will not let you come in."

"Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in," said the The hurricane.

So the hurricane huffed and he puffed and he huffed and he puffed. But the house of bricks did not fall down

and Dawn's whining about hurricanes in her blog slowed down a bit ;)

The hurricane was very angry, but he pretended not to be. He thought, "This is a clever chick. If I want to catch her I must pretend to be her friend."


So the hurricane said, "Dawn, if you will be ready at six o'clock in the morning, I will take you to Disney. We shall find some fudge.

"Very well," said Dawn. But the third little chick was a clever little chick. She knew that the hurricane just wanted to get her.

So the next morning the third little chick set off for Disney at five o'clock. She filled her basket with fudge. Then she hurried home before it was six o'clock

At six o'clock the hurricane knocked on the little chick’s door. "Are you ready, little chick?" he said.

"Oh! I have been to Disney," said Dawn. "I filled my basket with fudge."

The hurricane was very angry, but he pretended not to be

Then the hurricane said, "If you will be ready at five o'clock in the morning, I will take you to Epcott. We will get a giant turkey leg."

"Very well," said Dawn.

Next morning, Dawn set off at four o'clock to find a giant turkey leg. She was at the turkey leg stand, when the hurricane came along

Dawn was very frightened, but she pretended not to be. She said, "These are fine turkey legs, Mr. hurricane. I'll throw you one."

She threw one down, but it rolled away down the road. The hurricane ran after it.

Then she ran out of Epcott. She ran all the way home and shut her door quickly

The hurricane was very angry, but he still pretended not to be.

He went to the little chicks house and knocked on the door. "Dawn," he said, "if you will be ready at four o'clock this afternoon, I will take you to the fair. We will have some fun on the swings and roundabouts."

"Very well," said Dawn, since the fair is in Downtown Disney, its kind of like being in the park.

At two o'clock Dawn set off for the fair. She had great fun, riding on the swings and roundabouts.

Then she bought herself a Its a small world boat.

As Dawn was going home she saw hurricane coming up the hill. Dawn was very frightened, so she jumped inside her its a small world boat.

The boat began to roll down the hill. It rolled faster and faster. It knocked the hurricane down.

The hurricane did not know what had knocked him down. He was so frightened that he ran away as quickly as he could.

Dawn jumped out of her its a small world boat and carried it home.

The next day the hurricane came and knocked on Dawns door.

He said, "Dawn, I did not go to the fair yesterday. A great, big thing came rolling down the hill and knocked me over."

"Ha-ha!" said Dawn. "That was me, inside my its a small world boat!"

When the hurricane heard this he was very, very, very angry indeed.

He said, "Dawn, I am going to eat you up. I am going to climb down your chimney to get you."

Dawn was very frightened, but she said nothing. She put a big pot of water on the fire, to boil

The hurricane climbed on the roof. Then he began to come down the chimney.

Dawn took off the lid from the pot. Into the pot the hurricane fell, with a big splash. And that was the end of the hurricane.

The third little chick was too clever for him.

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Thursday, December 22, 2005

hey! this is looking something like a house now isn't it!





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as seen posted in our Rubber Shop...



hee hee hee hee hee hee hee...

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puppy love



look at that little face. all a-snooze on his new pillow, all his very own. that is the happiest puppy ever. see that velvety nose & those silky ears & that soft fur? don't you just wanna snuggle him?

=)

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for Heather

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Christmas at Disney

first of all, i am just going to say that if you get the chance to eat at Biergarten in Germany at Epcot, especially at Christmastime, you so have to take the opportunity. it's set up buffet-style & all the food was so yummy, i felt like i was eating my grandmother's cooking once again. things i tried that got my seal of approval: cucumber salad. tomato salad. potato salad. chicken soup. roast beef. roast pork. roasted potatoes. carrots. sauerkraut. (real) German franks. pretzel bread. apple streudel.

ok i promised Christmas at Disney & i'm moving right along to the photos but you just don't eat food that good & not tell people about it.

(photos from MGM, Epcot, the Boardwalk & Magic Kingdom--please forgive the slight blur to some of the photos. it's really hard to hold still & get a clear nighttime, no-flash photo when it's 35* & you're shivering uncontrollably. i need a tripod lol.)





















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oh the weather outside is frightful...

ok so it's just the tempertaures that are frightful especially when you add in that nasty wind chill. see that peninsula on the bottom right of the map?



that is FLORIDA. and those are what are known as FREEZING TEMPERTURES--literally!! those temperatures are fine & dandy for any place north of the Sunshine State but we Floridians have thin blood & NO tolerance for things like frost & ice. so knock the crap off & take your frigid weather back New England. WE DON'T WANT IT DOWN HERE!!

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Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Santa's watching?

apparently somewhere in the Tampa area Santa Claus is leaving Christmas cards with $53 cash inside on any cars he sees with parking tickets on them. the inside of the card reads: don't let this parking ticket spoil your holiday.

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definition redefined

Main Entry: un·nerve
Pronunciation: -'n&rv
Function: transitive verb
1 : to deprive of courage, strength, or steadiness
2 : to cause to become nervous :

unnerve: to sneeze 3 times while driving 75mph down the highway in morning rush hour traffic.

talk about heart-stopping.

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yet another shining moment for Red Sox fans

another Red Sox defector & one i never thought would CHOOSE to go. unbelievably disappointed.

=(

and just what the hell kind of comment is THIS:

"Sad to say bye to some of the greatest fans in the world. Unfortunately they had to see this day, but it's time for me to move forward," Damon told WBZ television in Boston.

nice. thanks a lot Johnny.

i'm not sure whether to be depressed, disgusted, disappointed or disallusioned at this point. one thing i am not though is surprised. you'd think i'd be used to this by now...

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Tuesday, December 20, 2005

a class act

i kept meaning to say something about this since Saturday but you know how old age causes things to slip your mind & all. =P or maybe it's just that my brain is too full...

but at the end of the Redskins' blowout of their rival team the Cowboys, whoever was in the audio booth started playing the old country song "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys". Redskins' head coach Joe Gibbs immediately called upstairs to tell them to turn it off. no reason to add insult to injury in a game that was already humiliating enough for Dallas.

another point in the respect column for Joe Gibbs.

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Monday, December 19, 2005

Advent: The Shepherds


The third candle is the shepherds' candle, representing the joy that more than half of Advent is over.

JOY: back in the days of the First Christmas, shepherds were often ridiculed & looked down upon as uneducated, rough & unsocialized. yet they were somehow chosen to be the first told of Jesus' birth. at first glance, i guess one might wonder why these rough & tumble men would be honored as first recipients of the news of the King's birth. but can you imagine someone with education being informed by a heavenly body that the King had been born in a dirty stable full of animals? would they have believed like the shepherds did? but these lowly men in a field late at night--they were shocked but they also accepted. and as scared as they must have been, they went right away. and when they saw the baby, they knew joy. they were jubilant. they told everyone they saw what happened to them & that they had seen the promised King. would educated men have been so quick to go to the stable? or would they have discussed it for a while first? would they have seen, believed & rejoiced immediately? or would they have needed to study & think, make sure this was what it was claimed to be? maybe in taking too long to examine & ask for facts instead of just accepting & believing, we lose the chance to experience that enormous joy that simple faith would allow us.

i couldn't pick just one Christmas carol about the shepherds, so i picked one verse from several that i felt told the story of the shepherds:


The first Noel the angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as
they lay
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's
night that was so deep
Noel, noel, noel, noel!
Born is the King of
Israel!
(The First Noel)

Silent night,
holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heav'nly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the
savior is born!
(Silent Night)

Shepherds why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
(Angels We Have Heard on High)

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

When the angels had left them and gone into heave, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying i the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told
Luke 2:15-20

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep...."
John 10:11


another reason for the shepherds as perhaps the foreshadowing the Bible is so famous for? because Jesus Himself was sent to be the Good Shepherd? so rich in symbolism. but for today, i just want to focus on the JOY. the JOY that promises do come true. the JOY that Christmas makes me feel. the JOY that Christmas is growing ever closer. as we wind down the season of preparation, I hope that you find the time to allow yourself to feel this JOY as well.

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you know what bugs me?

going to an event & finding out that photos are not allowed to be taken.

the photographer in me was just crying when they made that announcement at the Carr Performing Arts Centre. i had the opportunity to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular on tour in Orlando & i couldn't even capture some of it on my camera to look back on. =(

there were these beautiful sparkly sets...gorgeous costumes...the Rockettes with their famous hich-kicks...and all i have are these few lousy photos i found online.

*sigh*




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