So I started my Christmas Village...you know...the one I swore up and down I was NOT doing this year under ANY circumstances.
Yep.
That one.
I got all the kristmas krap out of the attic on Sunday, and set it all out. Houses on one table, people and accessories on the other, electrical gizmos to enhance the village experience in between the two. A box of trees here. Bag of mountains there. Lord & Taylor shopping bag full of wires under the table. Styrofoam as far as the eye can see.
Hey, Mike Rowe...want to see a dirty job? Come over to my house and set up my ville...I'm covered from head to toe with ground styrofoam snow, chopped mylar and glitter...two different kinds of glitter, at that! And let's not forget the tackywax! Gotta have the tackywax! Otherwise everthing just sort of topples over from the floor vibrations...and once you have your scene set, the LAST thing you want is for your damn people or your stupid streetlights to topple over.
Yes, as you can see, the Christmas Spirit has filled me.
The end result is usually quite stunning visually. It's not so much the scale of it~compared to others, my village isn't that large.
The devil, as they say, is in the details...and I try to put as many of those in as I possibly can. Alleyways with trash cans, street details like firehydrants and telephone poles, a festive village square. It's time consuming and at times, maddening, but in the end, I guess its pretty worth it.
But I seriously cannot wait to finish.
I missed the first showing of Dirty Jobs tonite...hope I stay awake for the second show. Gotta have my Mike Rowe fix! I hear tonite he gets to sniff diapers...bet he was thrilled ;)
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
...and so it begins...
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. It's a time when we are supposed to sit back, enjoy a feast with our loved ones, and reflect on the past year, giving thanks for how good we have it. Just like the Pilgrims did all those years ago in Plymouth colony. They were grateful for living thru the harsh winter, and for the friendship of the Indians, who helped them survive.
Except that, we don't exactly DO that anymore, do we?
Instead, we obsess over where we are going. Who is going to be there? Who's coming to our house? Who's bringing what? Is the turkey big enough? What kind of potatoes is she making? Who's doing the dishes? What time does the WalMart open for those Black Friday sales?
Where is the thanks?
Where is the gratefulness?
Where is the reflection?
Everything is rushrushrushrush.
Everyone's worried about getting past Thanksgiving and on to Christmas.
No one stops to smell the turkey anymore.
Thanksgiving has stopped being about giving thanks and has become the Official Kick~off of Christmas.
So, on this Thanksgiving eve, I've decided to sit down and reflect on what I am truly thankful for, instead of dwelling on what is lacking in my life. Oh, there is plenty that is lacking~job satisfaction, someone to love and share my life with, a home of my own...the list is long and makes me feel sad.
But what do I have? What have I been blessed with? What should I be joyful that I have and give thanks for?
I've been blessed with parents who care a great deal about me, maybe too much. But they are always there, a safety net so that when I fall, at least someone is there to help me up.
I'm grateful that I have a job. Inasmuch as I despise what I do these days, and like where I work even less, at the very least, I make a little bit of money and can splurge at Bloomies once in a while when they have a sale. The Michael Kors pumps on my feet are proof of that. I am thankful for them, and the sale that put them there.
I'm thankful that FoxNews resigned Shepard Smith to a multi~year deal at a high salary. I like Shepard and I'm glad he's being treated right by his employer. Actually, I'm glad that I see someone who is good at what they do being treated well at their job. I may not be treated or paid very well for breaking my back at my job, but at least I know there is hope because I can see that there are indeed employers who reward good employees. Maybe someday I will have one of those jobs.
I'm thankful that I found Dirty Jobs on Discovery channel. It makes me realize that there are people out there who do what some of us would consider beneath us so that we can live in a civilized world. I am grateful that I found Mike Rowe. He and his beautiful chest are easy on the eyes and he makes me smile. He gives me hope that there are indeed men out there who can make me laugh without having to drop their pants.
I give thanks for the good friends that I have. For Sherri Ann, who, while we don't speak often, has been a steady beam of light for me for some 30 years. For Katy, who's helped me get thru more than she knows. For Ruby Anne who is like the southern version of me. I don't have a lot of friends, but the ones I have are good and strong and true.
I'm grateful for my mind. Because, while I sometimes fear I am losing it, it is what keeps me going, what helps me get thru. It is what helped me to write the book I hope to one day publish. Hopefully, one day soon.
And, I'm thankful for my sense of humor and the ability to laugh at myself~before others can, I hope.
There may be a lot of things that I want in my life that I don't have, and maybe some things that I have that I don't want, but there are always things to give thanks for. Remember, no matter how bad you think it is, there is always someone who has it worse. Tomorrow, I will have a good dinner with my family in a warm, dry place. Not everyone can say that.
So, please, on this Thanksgiving, on the eve of the blessed holiday season, take a moment or two to sit and think...and thank.
Except that, we don't exactly DO that anymore, do we?
Instead, we obsess over where we are going. Who is going to be there? Who's coming to our house? Who's bringing what? Is the turkey big enough? What kind of potatoes is she making? Who's doing the dishes? What time does the WalMart open for those Black Friday sales?
Where is the thanks?
Where is the gratefulness?
Where is the reflection?
Everything is rushrushrushrush.
Everyone's worried about getting past Thanksgiving and on to Christmas.
No one stops to smell the turkey anymore.
Thanksgiving has stopped being about giving thanks and has become the Official Kick~off of Christmas.
So, on this Thanksgiving eve, I've decided to sit down and reflect on what I am truly thankful for, instead of dwelling on what is lacking in my life. Oh, there is plenty that is lacking~job satisfaction, someone to love and share my life with, a home of my own...the list is long and makes me feel sad.
But what do I have? What have I been blessed with? What should I be joyful that I have and give thanks for?
I've been blessed with parents who care a great deal about me, maybe too much. But they are always there, a safety net so that when I fall, at least someone is there to help me up.
I'm grateful that I have a job. Inasmuch as I despise what I do these days, and like where I work even less, at the very least, I make a little bit of money and can splurge at Bloomies once in a while when they have a sale. The Michael Kors pumps on my feet are proof of that. I am thankful for them, and the sale that put them there.
I'm thankful that FoxNews resigned Shepard Smith to a multi~year deal at a high salary. I like Shepard and I'm glad he's being treated right by his employer. Actually, I'm glad that I see someone who is good at what they do being treated well at their job. I may not be treated or paid very well for breaking my back at my job, but at least I know there is hope because I can see that there are indeed employers who reward good employees. Maybe someday I will have one of those jobs.
I'm thankful that I found Dirty Jobs on Discovery channel. It makes me realize that there are people out there who do what some of us would consider beneath us so that we can live in a civilized world. I am grateful that I found Mike Rowe. He and his beautiful chest are easy on the eyes and he makes me smile. He gives me hope that there are indeed men out there who can make me laugh without having to drop their pants.
I give thanks for the good friends that I have. For Sherri Ann, who, while we don't speak often, has been a steady beam of light for me for some 30 years. For Katy, who's helped me get thru more than she knows. For Ruby Anne who is like the southern version of me. I don't have a lot of friends, but the ones I have are good and strong and true.
I'm grateful for my mind. Because, while I sometimes fear I am losing it, it is what keeps me going, what helps me get thru. It is what helped me to write the book I hope to one day publish. Hopefully, one day soon.
And, I'm thankful for my sense of humor and the ability to laugh at myself~before others can, I hope.
There may be a lot of things that I want in my life that I don't have, and maybe some things that I have that I don't want, but there are always things to give thanks for. Remember, no matter how bad you think it is, there is always someone who has it worse. Tomorrow, I will have a good dinner with my family in a warm, dry place. Not everyone can say that.
So, please, on this Thanksgiving, on the eve of the blessed holiday season, take a moment or two to sit and think...and thank.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
One More Day....
All I have to do to have a nice 4 day weekend is get thru one more day of misery. Think I can pull it off? Goodness knows today was the LONGEST day in a long time! Good Grief how time drags when you don't want to be where you are!
So Shepard Smith wished us all a Happy Thanksgiving tonite...he's off for his holiday. I remember a couple of years ago, the day before Thanksgiving, he was quite excited. Said he thought of Thanksgiving as a "grazing" holiday, since all you really did all day was sit around and eat, then eat some more. He's right. Most traditional families do just that.
But not mine.
No, mine has to go to the casino for Thanksgiving.
No turkey.
No cranberry sauce.
No stuffing.
No asparagus patties.
I sound like Ralphie narrating A Christmas Story at the end, when the Bumpus's dogs get into the house and eat the Christmas turkey.
Guess I'll be having something from the buffet for dinner. Maybe they'll have turkey? I know we had turkey dinner that Thanksgiving we spent at Walt Disney World.
Told you we were different ;)
So Shepard Smith wished us all a Happy Thanksgiving tonite...he's off for his holiday. I remember a couple of years ago, the day before Thanksgiving, he was quite excited. Said he thought of Thanksgiving as a "grazing" holiday, since all you really did all day was sit around and eat, then eat some more. He's right. Most traditional families do just that.
But not mine.
No, mine has to go to the casino for Thanksgiving.
No turkey.
No cranberry sauce.
No stuffing.
No asparagus patties.
I sound like Ralphie narrating A Christmas Story at the end, when the Bumpus's dogs get into the house and eat the Christmas turkey.
Guess I'll be having something from the buffet for dinner. Maybe they'll have turkey? I know we had turkey dinner that Thanksgiving we spent at Walt Disney World.
Told you we were different ;)
Monday, November 19, 2007
$hepard $mith
So the big news in the news game today was Shepard Smith and his new contract with FoxNews.
Historically, Shepard has never discussed the terms of his contracts, which is something that I think is his prerogative, really. It's not my business how much he makes. I'm not signing his checks.
But this contract is different.
In a deal that is said to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 years, 7 to 8 million dollars per year, Shepard Smith has now eclipsed his cable news peers and become the highest paid cable news anchor, putting him in the same neighborhood as network stars like Brian Williams.
Somewhere, Keith Olbermann is crying.
I do have to say, it's about damn time. I know that I have taken Shepard to task previously in this blog, but it's not because I don't think he's good. Quite the opposite. I think he's amazing newsman, and I have stated that in the past. No other anchor man on our television today, network or cable, works as hard as Shepard does, or throws himself as deeply into his stories as Shepard. Sometimes emotional, sometimes funny, always on his game. To me, he is worth every penny.
Of course, that doesn't mean constructive criticism of his shows is off limits here... ;)
Real and true congratulations to you, Shepard Smith, and an old Irish blessing for you:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Historically, Shepard has never discussed the terms of his contracts, which is something that I think is his prerogative, really. It's not my business how much he makes. I'm not signing his checks.
But this contract is different.
In a deal that is said to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 years, 7 to 8 million dollars per year, Shepard Smith has now eclipsed his cable news peers and become the highest paid cable news anchor, putting him in the same neighborhood as network stars like Brian Williams.
Somewhere, Keith Olbermann is crying.
I do have to say, it's about damn time. I know that I have taken Shepard to task previously in this blog, but it's not because I don't think he's good. Quite the opposite. I think he's amazing newsman, and I have stated that in the past. No other anchor man on our television today, network or cable, works as hard as Shepard does, or throws himself as deeply into his stories as Shepard. Sometimes emotional, sometimes funny, always on his game. To me, he is worth every penny.
Of course, that doesn't mean constructive criticism of his shows is off limits here... ;)
Real and true congratulations to you, Shepard Smith, and an old Irish blessing for you:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Just Sayin'...
I got home tonight in time to catch the last 10 minutes of the new and improved FoxReport with Shepard Smith.
Now, before I go any further, regular readers of this blog (if there are any of you LOL) and anyone who knows me personally, all know that I do indeed love Shepard Smith. I feel he's the best anchorman out there today, and one of the finest field reporters in the game today. He's also not afraid to laugh at himself and crack a joke, even if it's not in the most appropriate spot.
OK, disclaimer in place, I now can proceed.
I flipped on FNC just in time to see a report from the Palestra.com, a college news website that seems to have caught
Shepard's fancy. Apparently, tomorrow is a big game for Ohio State University's football team and the students were celebrating by tossing themselves into a body of water...in 40 degree temperatures. College kids usually do crazy things like this...at least they did back in the day when I was in school. But...is this news?
The next segment dealt with Vegas...David Copperfield's first show since the rape allegations, and OJ Simpson. The ever classy Trace Gallagher was in Vegas, reporting on Copperfield. Then Shepard launched into a story about OJ and his "posse"...detailing the differences between and "entourage" and a "posse" in a segment called "Just Sayin'", with a graphic of what looked to be a silouhette of Shepard, shrugging.
OK, back it up there, Smith. Aren't you the man who, while doing press to promote the changes being made to FoxReport, said how you were getting rid of the teases and what not to bring MORE news to the people? In fact, I am looking at an interview you gave to TV Guide online this past August about just such a thing.
And here is a quote from that interview...
"We have to do more news. We've already given up the "coming up" teasing that we were known for in the early days. We've taken all of the time and put it into content. We did that because viewers said that's what they wanted. Viewers have said, "Stop telling me for 45 seconds what you're going to do in the next four minutes." So we have. We're not going to do more crap. We're not going to do more titillating [stories], Hollywood-movie reviews and jokes. We're going to do less of that. There are other places that do that better than we do. I don't make any apologies for the way we've done it in the past. There was an atmosphere where it was acceptable because people didn't have so much of it. We need to do news."
Things called "The Daily Britney" and "Just Sayin'" and items about college kids getting pumped for a big game from Palestra.com aren't "news"...at least not by the definition that I know news as. They may be interesting, curious, entertaining and maybe even funny. But they are not news.
Personally, I don't care what is used to fill a newscast. Just don't promise me more news and deliver more gossip.
I'm just sayin'...
;)
Now, before I go any further, regular readers of this blog (if there are any of you LOL) and anyone who knows me personally, all know that I do indeed love Shepard Smith. I feel he's the best anchorman out there today, and one of the finest field reporters in the game today. He's also not afraid to laugh at himself and crack a joke, even if it's not in the most appropriate spot.
OK, disclaimer in place, I now can proceed.
I flipped on FNC just in time to see a report from the Palestra.com, a college news website that seems to have caught
Shepard's fancy. Apparently, tomorrow is a big game for Ohio State University's football team and the students were celebrating by tossing themselves into a body of water...in 40 degree temperatures. College kids usually do crazy things like this...at least they did back in the day when I was in school. But...is this news?
The next segment dealt with Vegas...David Copperfield's first show since the rape allegations, and OJ Simpson. The ever classy Trace Gallagher was in Vegas, reporting on Copperfield. Then Shepard launched into a story about OJ and his "posse"...detailing the differences between and "entourage" and a "posse" in a segment called "Just Sayin'", with a graphic of what looked to be a silouhette of Shepard, shrugging.
OK, back it up there, Smith. Aren't you the man who, while doing press to promote the changes being made to FoxReport, said how you were getting rid of the teases and what not to bring MORE news to the people? In fact, I am looking at an interview you gave to TV Guide online this past August about just such a thing.
And here is a quote from that interview...
"We have to do more news. We've already given up the "coming up" teasing that we were known for in the early days. We've taken all of the time and put it into content. We did that because viewers said that's what they wanted. Viewers have said, "Stop telling me for 45 seconds what you're going to do in the next four minutes." So we have. We're not going to do more crap. We're not going to do more titillating [stories], Hollywood-movie reviews and jokes. We're going to do less of that. There are other places that do that better than we do. I don't make any apologies for the way we've done it in the past. There was an atmosphere where it was acceptable because people didn't have so much of it. We need to do news."
Things called "The Daily Britney" and "Just Sayin'" and items about college kids getting pumped for a big game from Palestra.com aren't "news"...at least not by the definition that I know news as. They may be interesting, curious, entertaining and maybe even funny. But they are not news.
Personally, I don't care what is used to fill a newscast. Just don't promise me more news and deliver more gossip.
I'm just sayin'...
;)
Don't Try This At Home!
www.elfyourself.com
if I could figure out how to get the one I made in here, I'd do it!!
edited to add...figured it out!!
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9519425061
if I could figure out how to get the one I made in here, I'd do it!!
edited to add...figured it out!!
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9519425061
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