Miscellaneous Missives

I decided 2011 was a year of firsts according to my Christmas card.  Actually my card was kind of a five truths and a lie.  I had pictures of my firsts/truths (horseback ride, combine ride, World Series Game, U2 Concert, and trip to Guatemala) as well as my first/lie (drinking beer on the 4th of July).  It was a fairly amazing year since it was also my first time to Puerto Vallarta (although not Mexico).  If you are counting (and I did), this is my 37th post surpassing the needed 30 making a successful blogging challenge although I only have comments on 26 of my posts, so maybe it's a fail. 

While my posts on Facebook are typically irrelevant (as with my posts on my blog), I have at least one friend who always posts relevant information.  Today she posted the picture that I've stolen for my blog.  Of course I had no idea today was the anniversary of The Massacre at Wounded Knee.  I often to quite often wish I was more informed.  The picture initiated my doing a bit of research (using Sweetsearch.com) about the massacre.  Basically, in typical fashion, the white men didn't appreciate the Ghost Dance of the Natives.  Yes, there's more ...

My PT suggested that I try riding the exercise bike since I'm getting zero cardio with my hip problems.  It's become part of my routine, and I'm happy to have some exercise since I'm sure it will be even more limited after my surgery (unless that Christmas Miracle that alleviates the pain and therefore cancels the surgery comes).  Since I'm in Okoboji, I went to the YMCA.  The $10 day pass seemed a bit steep since I only wanted to ride a bike for 30 minutes, but they were kind enough to let me use my YWCA membership (of which I had no real proof).  From what I can tell the Y has two names:  YMCA of the Okobojis and The Bedell Family YMCA.  Berkely Bedell was the founder (?) of Berkley's (fishing company) and was an Iowa Democratic representative.  I realize it seems like my post is going downhill quickly, but I am trying to make a point... give it a little more of your valuable time.  Anyway, I was happy to be able to ride their stationary bike...

Last night I went to get my sixty-four cents, out of my change compartment in my car, to buy a fountain Diet Pepsi at SA.  As I was digging for the last penny, my finger nail dug into chocolate.  Since I tend to eat (often to quite often) in my car and tend to eat chocolate (often to quite often), it's not surprising that I have chocolate pieces in the change compartment.  This has happened before, but tonight I decided to clean it out.  Tuesday they will clean the inside and outside of my car as they do every two months.  I thought about waiting for them, but why would they know to take the change out, so they could take care of the chocolate mess?   Anyway, I also decided to clean the change ($8.94) too. Did I mention this is my 34th post of this blog challenge?  Who says one can't post about absolutely nothing?!

Our Advent theme at church was "We are those who dream."  Yesterday as I sat in the sanctuary, I was mesmerized by the giant dream catcher hanging from the ceiling.  I wondered what others visiting the church must think to see the Native American dream catcher in a Christian church.  A good source told me that Santa Claus often attended the 4pm service and sat in the upper right balcony.  For some reason, he missed yesterday, and  I only made it to two of the three services.  Instead of attending the 11pm service I started watching the first season of The West Wing .  I think I made a good decision.  Today I made a poor decision.  Instead of watching more West Wing, I decided to watch A Christmas Story for the first time.  Why do people watch this each year?  It's painful to quite painful to watch it the first time.  It will never happen again.

  Christmas Party at South Danbury Church  by Donald Hall December twenty-first we gather at the white Church festooned red and green, the tree flashing green-red lights beside the altar. After the children of Sunday School recite Scripture, sing songs, and scrape out solos, they retire to dress for the finale, to perform the pageant again: Mary and Joseph kneeling cradleside, Three Kings, shepherds and shepherdesses. Their garments are bathrobes with mothholes, cut down from the Church’s ancestors. Standing short and long, they stare in all directions for mothers, sisters and brothers, giggling and waving in recognition, and at the South Danbury Church, a moment before Santa arrives with her ho-hos and bags of popcorn, in the half-dark of whole silence, God enters the world as a newborn again.   (Poem taken from another blog.)     Since I have a small family, Christmas Eve for me has never held the excitement  it does for those with larger fam...

Typically I don't attend staff gathering because I don't want to get stuck talking to people I don't really appreciate.  Last night I went and enjoyed the people (except one) with whom I talked.  In reality I stayed a bit too late and had too much holiday cheer.  This became obviously clear tonight at the gym as I sweated out that cheer.  Today I learned about an app ("Don't Drink and Dial") that may come in handy for people during this season of holiday cheer.  It made me laugh.  There was certainly a time in my life in which this app would have been helpful.  Enjoy the holiday cheer safely.  Happy Holidays!