Merry Christmas One and All!

It's those last few days before Christmas. Last night I stayed up until 2:30 AM. Call me crazy, but the cards are finished and all of my wrapping (uhm, at least for the presents that have been purchased!) is complete. Now, on to my dwindling list. 

It can be hard to remember why we do this every single year. But as the stress piles on over the next 48, remember, this is a season about giving. Every Christmas story holds that eternal truth.... more blessed to give than to receive. May you have a very, Merry Christmas and a Peaceful New Year!


Melissa


PS- Karen and I will return after the New Year. Have a wonderful Christmas Break!

Friday Fun- Bringing Home Christmas

Christmas is a week away! Amazing how exciting that phrase can be for children, yet strike terror in the heart of adults who still have a long list of things to get accomplished. :) (Uh, that would be me, but what's new, right? Flying by the seat of my pants seems like my way of life this year!)And while I know this is supposed to be the day of the week where I characteristically poke fun at myself or tell you of my latest shenanigans, I have to share this article with you.  Read it all the way down. It's completely worthy of it. 
This, my friends, is exactly what Christmas is all about -reaching out and giving. Seeing beyond ourselves an into the life of someone else. Making life brighter and offering hope, even just a glimmer for a moment. Helping people believe that there is good in the world, and we are not a completely lost and hopeless cause. Christmas is about our most basic of human needs- to love and be loved.
May we all reach out in some way this Christmas!


Yours, keeping my eyes open,


Melissa

…SAID THE YOUNG TO THE OLD!!!

I was in the locker room the other day, talking to a friend of mine, when something came up that led to the fact that I am old enough to be her mother. A teenage mother, yes, but her mother nonetheless!

And then she said something to me that I’ve heard several times before. She said, “Oh Karen, you don’t look 49, you look great!” It was at that moment that I realized that that statement really isn’t the compliment I always thought it was. That’s what young people say to old people when they want them to feel better about being old!

No, really! Think about it. What else are they going to say? “WOW! You’re 49? Really? You ARE old enough to be my mother! Holy Cow!!! Here, sit down, you must be exhausted from that walk in from the parking lot. Can I get you anything?”

Of course they aren’t going to say that! They’re going to say how great I look…for my age. That’s like saying that dress looks great…on me. (It would look hideous on anybody else, but you can pull it off, Karen!) A left-handed compliment at best if you think about it!

Ha ha! Okay, I’ll cut those youngsters some slack and let them “compliment” me if it’ll make them feel better. But I don’t promise anything once I turn 50!!!

Karen

Tuesday Trails

Rabbit trails, that is. I'm the queen of it. My students are always trying to get me to rabbit trail. I think they make it a game of bets. But I'm on to them. I've got their number now! Of course, I just gave the rest of my final exams...


I know I didn't blog yesterday. I think I'm rebelling. Life has been full of so many deadlines and appointments and lists and tasks lately that yesterday I just refused to blog. Oh, I tried, but to no avail. this must be a symptom of something deeper, no? 


Nevertheless, now that finals are done and I'm not doing any services or performances until Christmas Eve, it's time for The Great Dig Out. I would take a picture of my office, but it's a little embarrassing. There are at least six piles of something to be sorted and completed. I can't help it. I try to keep it tidy, but when I get really busy as I have been lately, it just all goes into it's separate pile. I know right where everything is, it just doesn't look very nice. 


Maybe while I'm sorting, I'll do some life sorting as well... Hmmmm.....


Yours, feeling extra contemplative on this rainy day,


Melissa

Friday Funny- O Christmas Tree, Poor Christmas Tree!

Christmas Tip #438


I thought this might be a helpful tip for our dear readers. Let's just say I know this is true from personal experience.


If you have wood floors, and an ornament falls from the tree, it will break. When it shatters everywhere, naturally you will want to clean it up. You may use a broom, but more than likely a vacuum.


When you get the vacuum, you will need to use the attachment in order to get all the shards up. When you use that attachment, be very, very careful that you don't accidentally suck up the tree skirt that is wrapped and buttoned around the bottom of that tree as if it grew there. 


Because artificial Christmas trees have a tendency to slide on wood floors. And they slide fast. Just sayin'.


Yours, taking a break from cleaning up under the Christmas tree,


Melissa

WEDNESDAY CHUCKLE!

I don’t know why, but this one just made me laugh! It was written by Stuart Bernstein in the New York Times.

I found myself walking behind an attractive and fit young man wearing only a white undershirt, athletic shorts, sneakers, and earbuds. Just ahead of him, a slow-moving elderly man came towards us with the aid of a walker. When he saw the front of the fit guy I had seen only from the back, he stopped in his tracks, pointed frantically at him, and yelled, “1959! 1959!”

The younger man removed an earbud, slowed ever so slightly as he got closer, and leaned over, as if to give a listen to the old man, whose smile suddenly grew wider as he loudly explained, “I looked just like that in 1959!”

Here’s hoping I still remember what I look like 50 years from now!

Karen

Monday Madness-Almost Misadvent!

Well, Dear Readers, I would like to start this out with,"You will NEVER believe what I did...". But if you've been reading this for any amount of time, you will know that I'm not always the best at keeping everything together. 

Last night was the Ladies Advent by Candlelight at the church. It's a larger event, about 650-700 women in attendance. On this night, we all gather for a program that reflects the journey of Advent (the time leading up to Christmas Day) and focuses on the arrival of Christ as a newborn baby. Afterwards, we all go downstairs to enjoy coffee and dessert at tables which we host. We're in charge of decorating the table as we desire, bringing our own china and dessert and whatever we choose to make the evening enjoyable. It's a beautiful evening, and tickets sell out usually within the first week. 
This year I was in charge of the music portion of the program. When they asked, I immediately set to work and called my friend/mentor Jacque DeShetler to be our featured guest. We spent about 2 months planning and preparing the evening. So you would THINK I would have all the details down, right? I had the program all mapped out, my dress and jewelry thought through, got to the church at 2:30 to set up my table, rehearsal at 3:00. At 6:00, I'm speaking with the program coordinator and women start to file into the sanctuary, perfectly dressed in their Christmas finery... I'm standing there in my YOGA PANTS and TSHIRT and I'm thinking,"Wow. These ladies are going to sit for 40 minutes and wait for the PREservice music?" I turned to Julie and said,"Uhm, what time do we start again?" 
"6:30," she replied.
"You mean the preservice music, right?"
"Uhm, no, Melissa. The PROGRAM begins at 6:30. The preservice music (of which I was doing) begins in ten minutes."
Good thing I had my running shoes on! 
I ran into the back to tell the others the news. And in less than ten minutes I changes into a cocktail dress, pulled my hair up, makeup and heels and walked onto the stage. And when I asked Julie about it she says,"I thought you were just really chilled. I had no idea you were confused."


CLEARLY.


Yours, thinking I'll triple check all the details next gig!


Melissa

Saturday Sass!

Good Morning Dear Readers!


It's Saturday, the morning after Christmas parties. I walked outside to check on Lola (aka The Lolinator) just in time to see her going down the slide. Not. Even. Kidding. That dog never fails to surprise me. 


So, my weirdest moment of the week? I was standing in line at Starbucks. This is the Starbucks next to the school where I teach and to say that the clients are an eclectic group would be putting things mildly. It's one of the reasons I love it, though. So I'm standing in line getting my coffee and I feel someone encroaching in my personal space. Sometimes it gets a little crowded in there so I just went with it. 



But about the time the gentleman behind me leaned in by my ear and played the theme from The Lone Ranger (badadum, badadum, badadum,dum dum!) by popping his cheeks, let's just say, I knew it was time to move. Except I couldn't. I was frozen. It took me so off guard, I didn't know what to do! Do I turn around and say something (as in please don't ever do that to me again)? Or do I applaud? Shout out "Impressive! Bravo!"? Apparently, this is not the first time he has serenaded someone. The barista at the register deftly took over. I looked up in time to hear him say,"Good Morning John!" and give me a look that said,"Just keep moving, ma'am. Everything is as it should be."


Okay, then. All is well. And now, on to watching Phineas and Ferb.  


Yours, going with it,


Melissa