Navidad Tres

Well, okay. I was tagged by Coach. I will comply, with this Christmas 3. I want to comment though. I know that many in this crowd are bemoaning that it's Advent and not Christmas. I agree....to a point. I think it is possible to keep Advent and still participate in the secular aspect of the winter festival that is "The Holidays" and THEN truly celebrate Christmas.

What are your three favorite Christmas songs & who sings them?
I Wonder as I Wander, In the Bleak Midwinter, Sleighride
Julie Andrews, Julie Andrews, Boston Pops

What are your three favorite "Christmas" foods?
Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies, Egg Nog, Gingerbread

What are your three Christmas secrets?
Secrets? Are there secrets? I like decorating alot. I love little fake trees (especially tinsel ones!). I have a fake tree, a white fake tree. I thought if it's fake it should be really fake. I have trouble keeping myself from adding "just one more little thing" ad nauseum to my family's gifts. Will that all do for ya? :)

How was your day at school?

HO baby. The Windy Seminary will have to put in a strong case to talk me out of the Brotherly Love Sem. (I don't give the Mothership much hope either, sorry Mark/Trish).

Just had a lovely visit. Saw some people I knew. I met many people I feel like I've known...and of course met RevHRod. :) YAY!

I also, just really accepted that the blog is now semi-anonymous. I guess I'll go back and check my archives..might do some deletion ;) Don't be checkin' now!

Okay, bedtime. Back to work tomorrow.

I got no Moxie!

Okay, for quite some time now, I've been thinking of the Lutheran Husker every time I go to the grocery store and see bottles and cans of Moxie soda on the shelf. It's always been a favorite of my Grandfathers, but I'd not had any. I've been meaning to try some. I was just usually in a little rush and had my arms full of other things.
Yesterday I was in the store picking up one item and decided that I should finally try this stuff! Wouldn't it figure...that ALL they had for Moxie was a six pack of DIET. I just have to imagine that DIET should not be my first taste of Moxie. So LH, I shall have to wait til the Big Y stocks more Moxie and I'll give you a full report.

Thoughts from...what is it? Oh, Friday evening.

Well, I love extended holiday weekends where I don't have any commitments until Sunday morning! Woo!

I started tackling some major deep cleaning of the condo. I let the clutter get away, I do.
Last year around this time I was just starting the symptoms of a 2 month virus. You shoulda seen my place then! I had zero energy, etc. I also barely decorated for Christmas.

This year, I've been thinking that I want to decorate super early, and put up whatever I've got! I feel the need to make up for last year. I want to have people over for dinner or holiday movies, or tea. I was hesitant to think of the tree yet....wanting to respect Advent...but...I'm pleased to read around the blog block...and see that many ordained types are already pulling out the conifers. I will hold off on any creche til later. But all of the ho ho ho stuff is going up. My advent wreath is coming out...and I'll be hitting the big craft store to get some nice candles.

Of course, I need to finish cleaning first....the decorating is my reward! (I'm such a child)

Looking forward to visiting RevHRod early next week!

What Would Jesus Buy?

I've heard of Rev. Billy....and I just read about him in last month's Sojourners magazine.
I think this is THE movie for this holiday! (Mind you I haven't seen it yet but I sure plan to).
I love that the movie site provides links to fair trade stores, etc.

It's this time of year that makes me think of trying to do one of those years where you commit to buy nothing brand new. Like this.

All of these early Christmas sales and deals and music blaring....it gets me thinking early...but not of spending copious amounts of cash at these stores.....but of making wise and helpful and responsible purchases this year.

Meme (is it 'meem' or 'mimi'?)

LutheranChick and someone I just checked out today, Just Jill, did this meme, so I played.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? I suppose from the gal in the Bible of the same name :) Middle name is for a deceased aunt.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? I think recently watching something sappy on TV (which was interesting....cuz i don't watch much TV).
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? It's passable. Nothing more. Nothing less.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Turkey I guess. Although a deli sliced Chicken is a nice change.
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Nope, that'd be the cart before the horse here ;)
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I think so.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? I won't answer this with sarcasm....but oh my yes.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS I sure do. I was jealous of my friend Jenn when I was younger for getting her's out because she got all that ice cream.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Ten years ago I woulda. I wouldn't write off sky diving.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Life.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Not usually.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Physically, I'm a weakling! Emotionally....yeah most of the time.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Cookie Dough, or Black Raspberry
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Eyes.
15. RED OR PINK? If we're talking shade of sunburn I guess pink.
16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I'm cluttered mentally and...well around the house a bit too :)
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Hmm, I don't see my little cousin (college) or my brother (teaching college) too often.
18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Gray pin striped....and no shoes!
19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Pizza.
20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? My upstairs neighbors watching an action flick. I'd like my old upstairs neighbors to return.
21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Purple.
22. FAVORITE SMELLS? Candles at church....just lit, just snuffed. Laundry rooms when the dryer is running....that runs into freshly laundered sheets.
23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Um, Bob.
24. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Basketball, Baseball.
25. HAIR COLOR? brown.....red highlights in the summer
26. EYE COLOR? very light blue
27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? nope, i don't want to poke my eyes with my finger daily.
28. FAVORITE FOOD? I'm not a real foodie...um...mac n cheese or grilled cheese?
29. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings. I don't like the scary movies.
30. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Uhhhh....I'm not real sure but I think "Little Miss Marker"
a lesser known Julie Andrews flick from the 80's with Walter Mathau.
31. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Purple.
32. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer, I don't like driving in winter weather!
33. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs are always good. Haven't had much opportunity for the second lately beyond the cheek variety ;)
34. FAVORITE DESSERT? chocolate
35. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW? Plural please. I'm still trying to finish (in my spare time, ha) Lamb (the Gospel According to Biff) and Christianity for the Rest of Us.
36. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Dell....why DO I have a mouse pad? I have an optical mouse!
37. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? I flipped the channels to fall asleep, so nothing really.
38. FAVORITE SOUND? beautiful music....sweet sweet notes that just invoke emotion...like the clarinet bit that leads into Rhapsody in Blue or some really sweet notes sung in Carmina Burana...etc.
39. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Stones, I'm just Beatled out.
40. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Whichever is farthest...Seattle or LA
41. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I'm a skilled musician on an uncommon instrument.
42. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? 20 minutes from where I sit...here in the East.
42. WHAT TIME IS IT NOW? Time to do dishes I guess.....grumble.

Check out the Chick

Please go over to my pal Lutheran Chick's blog and read her post for today (Tuesday).
It's got chutzpah!

Okay, here ya go

Three things were accomplished since my last post.

I visited a div school.......school Y.
I'm not in love with it. Their open house was meh. Still, if they want to give me a full scholarship then I would have to consider! I made friends with a UCC Mdiv candidate. We had fun chatting, and I think we'll keep in touch. We both left feeling that we thought we'd like to stick to "our own" for school even though we are both interested in diversity and ecumenism.

THE CHECK is IN THE MAIL
Thank you St. RuthRE's for covering the app fee. The whole candidacy packet is out.

The brother finally knows
The rumor mill almost killed me :) He was warmly receptive actually!


So, big PHEW's today. Now to set up a couple more school visits.

Happy All Saints! (hey,......what is the part of a pipe organ that makes a tinkly bell sound? what's it called? the Y school's chapel organ had it....used in in verse for of the song for the day...it was rad.........did that make any sense?