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SpongeBob Mood Badge

SpongeBob Mood Badge: "Put the SpongeBob Mood badge on your page."

It's Just For Men

Yesterday, arguably one of the most historic days my lifetime I was disappointed to see my five-year-old bring this picture home.

At first glance I assumed it was a picture of Barack Obama. Our first president of color and he couldn't get the skin tone correct. How have I failed him as a parent?

Then farther down in the stack I found this.

Oooooh. So who was that first guy? Then it dawned on me. Joe Biden. With a bad dye job.

It seems so obvious...now.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand...

We're back.

While I was driving home this evening a song came on the radio that kind of irritated me. I think the song is called "My Jesus". I don't know for sure. It is kind of a preachy song which is why it was so irksome but it poses a question I find very thought provoking. The question that this preachy song poses is; what does your Jesus look like? So I wondered, what does Jesus look like to me? Immediately I knew. My Jesus can really nail the high notes. He looks exactly like Ted Neely, the actor/singer from the movie version of Jesus Christ Superstar. I can't help it. It is seared into my brain cells. When I was nine years old my Dad took me to see the movie and I was kind of blown away by it. It was the closest I would ever see my dad get to anything even remotely religious in my childhood and I grabbed that memory and am still holding on.

So I wonder if my kids will think of Jim Caviezel.

What does your Jesus look like?

Almost Skipping Christmas

One of these years I will get up the nerve to really skip Christmas. Maybe use the time to do some good deeds or something. But we all have to start somewhere right? So, this year I have come to this executive decision. No Christmas decorating. Actually, to say that I came to it might be stretching the truth a little bit. More like it was forced on me. Here is the scenario. After roughly two weeks of dodging and shifting Christmas boxes to make way for more urgent callings I have come to my senses and realized: one, these things are never going to make it out of the box, and two, Christmas is only a week away. Less than that if I count our Christmas with my husbands family. So back up to the attic they go. It's like a great weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It makes the after-Christmas clean so much easier to face as well. Now, before you go all bonkers on me, yes, we did get the tree up and decorated. So that's nice.

Now what do I do with all this time I just freed up? I know, Top Ten Christmas song list. Off the top of my head these are my top ten favorite Christmas songs with accompanying comments and if you are lucky, a link. I'm pretty sure they should be on your list too. And, in case you were wondering it does matter who the artist is. Very important.

Here they are in no particular order.

1. Ave Maria, Pavarotti - Maybe not technically a "Christmas" song but it's close enough for jazz. I like the Shubert version and it is heavenly when he sings it with the Vienna boys choir.

2. Little Drummer Boy, David Bowie and Bing Crosby - Oh brother. I remember seeing this as a kid and thinking, "Huh??" It was just cheesy enough to become a classic. Now David Bowie is the old one. Maybe he should do a remake with ummmm, Lil Wayne?

3. Still Still Still, Mannheim Steamroller - Of all the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas songs of all time this one, from A Fresh Aire Christmas, is my very favorite. The best way to listen to it is in a rocking chair (holding a small child or baby is optional) in a room lit only by candles or Christmas tree lights and a light snow falling outside. A fire in the fireplace is nice too but technically you shouldn't have a live tree in the same room as the fire. Then voila, for three minutes and forty three seconds you will be transported.

4. Wizards in Winter, Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Seriously, you should wake up to this every morning between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

5. The Christmas Song, Nat King Cole - It's not Christmas till I hear this song.

6. Santa Baby, Eartha Kitt - this song has been covered by EVERYone, and their dog too. Eartha Kitt is the only one really worth listening to. Also, be careful who you listen to this song with. It has magical superpowers on a certain gender.

7. Christmas Time is Here, Vince Guaraldi Trio - Again, not Christmas till I hear, or see, this song.

8. More, Bobby Darrin - Ok, this one for sure, is not a Christmas Song, but Kohl's used it several years ago in their Christmas ad campaign and I haven't been able to shake it. Love it baby. Grab a hairbrush and sing along. You'll be glad you did.

9. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Barenaked Ladies with Sarah McLachlan - Barenaked for the Holidays is a fantastic album. I recommend the whole thing but this song in particular will dazzle you.

10 Last but not least is a little ditty called The Abominable O Holy Night. I don't know who sings this but there is a story behind it somewhere, a very strange and weird story. This is a song that has to be heard to be believed and I'm just twisted enough to give you the link. Scroll down and press play. Enjoy

So, probably I've missed a few. If you think I've made some glaring errors make me a Christmas mix and send it my way.

And if I don't see you before 2009, Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy Happy New Year!

This is what I plan on doing the day after Thanksgiving. I'm going to interview my mom. I'm pretty jazzed about what Storycorps is doing here because I believe in the power of listening. Listening could save the world but it is an endangered species. Check it out and find a loved one to interview.

Shout out to my favorite listener!

My Favorite New Buzzword

Self Awareness.

The story of my life. And all this time I though it was low self esteem.

Brisk

I'm blogging again from the mobile device. I'm lucky if I can get near a computer these days, what with all the so called "homework" going on around here. It's possible we are spending entirely too much time in front of the Glowing Screen. Please forgive the typos. Blame my fat thumbs.

I can hear the cold outside. It's the kind of day here that makes me want to turn over in bed and bury myself for another couple of hours. Or better yet, stay all day and read a book. No such luck with a five year old. Or a dog, for that matter. And if I sit downstairs and try to remain quiet for any length of time (let's pretend I'm doing my bible study or something) I hear the beat of bongo drums on the roof of the house. Squirrels. I don't know what they're doing up there or what the fuss is all about, the walnuts and tomatoes are long gone. Maybe they are fortifying their nests against a frozen wasteland of a winter.The only time they make more noise is when they're all trying to make babies in the spring. Maybe we should look to the squirrels and get out from behind these Glowing Screens. Fortify our nests and such.

Right after I update my facebook status.

Square Pegs and Round Holes

Remember my dissatisfaction at the perceived deficiencies I found with my parent of teen bible class? Well, I was delivered from that class into our new children's wing to work in the Art room with the first through fourth grade. Whether this calling is divine or merely circumstantial remains to be seen, but it is a joy and a challenge.

So here is my dilemma. I found the cutest craft. It is a stuffed pumpkin which is perfect for this time of year. But. The deal with these crafts is, they must apply (more or less) to the story they are teaching that week. Thus, the challenge. The Story this week is about King Solomon. So, pumpkin - King Solomon. How do I make the connection? It is making my feeble brain hurt. If only I had, what is it called....oh yes, some wisdom.

Here is a link to the craft site 'cause I know you are going to want one for your very own.
http://crafts.kaboose.com/paper-bag-pumpkin.html

And a picture.

The Morning After

I'm owning it. I voted for Obama.

Ok, so this is a different feeling. I have been the democrat depressed that the republican won. I have been the right wing conservative republican depressed that the democrat won. Now I find myself in the position of being a right leaning Christian who voted for Obama. Yeah, I'm happy that he won but I probably would have been nearly as happy had McCain taken it. But, now I find myself feeling the weight of those who would question my beliefs and make assumptions about my decision, including some of my own family. To that I say, cool. Question away. Assume away. Been there and done that. I know what I believe and I'm at peace with it. Not everyone has to agree with me. Call me flip flopper, wishy washy, whatever, I see it as growth, with a healthy dose of cynacism.

I don't think the next four years will be as glorious as some believe nor as dire as many are predicting this morning. Probably it will just be a lot of hard work and very tough decision making while the political machine chugs along as slowly as it ever did. The dems didn't get their filibuster proof majority and that's something isn't it?

So, if you are depressed this morning, I know the feeling. But take heart, this too shall pass. It may take four to eight years but as certain as death and taxes it will pass. Then it will be your turn again.

There is One who is in control and He will work through whomever is leading our country. Should we believe that or not?

The Halloween Classics

Did you catch The Great Pumpkin on TV Tuesday night? We have it on DVD but there is just something special about having to wait an entire year to see those holiday specials on TV, with commercials and everything. Is there anything better than Charlie Brown?

A new(ish) classic, Nightmare Before Christmas is the DVD we tend to watch over and over this time of year. I can't get the songs out of my head till after Christmas. Unfortunately I am not allowed to sing "Kidnap the Sandy Claws". According to the five-year-old I don't do it justice. Everyone's a critic.

Candy Corn = evil. Do you have any? Could I have...just...one?

Tonight we carve pumpkins and if anyone is ambitious we will roast some seeds.

Have a safe and Happy All Hallows Eve Everyone and to my Catholic friends and family, Happy All Saints Day!

Fall Fell Full

Your mission today, should you choose to accept it, is to go out side and find a wooded area. It doesn't have to be heavily wooded just a few trees is fine. Then stand there, or sit if that is more convenient. And listen.

I prescribe at least one half an hour, or the full hour if you're ambitious, but I understand how busy you are so even if you can only manage a few minutes it will be worth your time.

Thank you and have a nice day.

my new toy

I am now blogging with my birthday present...my precious. Cough cough. Sorry, I don't know where that came from. Anyway I'm keeping it short because it's quite difficult to do this with my big fat fingers. Ok, maybe my fingers aren't that fat but these keys are teeny tiny.

Say hello to my new itouch!

Thank you honey!

Back-to-School

Yay! History was made yesterday!

Ok. Moving on.

My oldest started college two weeks ago. On the second day of classes he wondered out loud why I wasn't there to take his picture on his first day of college like I was for his first day of Kindergarten. Seriously. You think that the things you do don't matter, or worse, humiliate your children and then they surprise you by the things that do matter to them. It happens to me all the time, and it's always, every time, a surprise.

I was there to photograph my youngest's first day of Kindergarten. Very few things, if any, are embarrassing to the five-year-old. But I would rather have had a camera later in the week to get a photo of the day my college student came with me to pick up the Kindergartner. Our walk to pick him up was like a walk through thirteen years of time lapse photography. You see, the five-year-old goes to the same school that the rest of my children attended. The college student started Kindergarten there thirteen years ago. Tree's have come and gone, residents have grown up and moved, teachers have retired and some have passed. The biggest difference, though, is the tree in front of the kindergarten door. When the college student started kindergarten there that tree was just about as tall as he is now. Today it towers over the school providing excellent shade for those of us waiting to pick up half day students in the noon day sun. We were quite the trio walking home, me with my oldest and youngest. Sometimes it blows my mind. Since I had no camera, I will leave you now with this fine artists rendering of the sentimental scene. Enjoy.

Being Green

Life is all fun and games in Kindergarten. Every morning I wake the five-year-old up and ask him what day it is. He responds with a color. "It's yellow day" or, "It's blue day" Meaning that is the color of shirt they are supposed to wear to class that day. Today when I woke him up his answer was, "It's green day!" So, after dropping him off at school I sang to myself all the way home:
"I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone"

and so on.

It's funny if you think about it.

Olympic Updates

Beach Volleyball:
How about that beach volleyball huh? Who knew I cared so much. I kept waking up my husband with my nervous spasms every time they missed a point and thank goodness they won or I would have never gotten to sleep.

Usain Bolt:
Are you kidding me? I think he's a computer animation. No way anyone that big is that fast. And speaking of computers....

Our Computer Overlords:
From the opening ceremony to the detection of 100th of a second margins. Could the Olympics even be held without computers. I loved the green line that marked the world record time in swimming. I wish they could use it for track.

Parents:
The parents are killing me. It's not like I'm not emotional enough between hormones and the beginning of school. With every victory they cut to the parents in the stands then I pretty much lose it.

Mark Spitz:
He's still looking good! I kinda miss the mustache though.

I will be sad when the games are over. Then, slowly all the names and accomplishments will fade from my memory . Till 2012 rolls the highlight reels. I can't wait. But for now? On to the next event. I am starting the countdown to the season premier of Heroes

Got Faith?

I'm on pins and needles here wondering who our presumptive nominees are going to choose for their VP's. Not that it will really matter. Unless one of them chooses Michael Phelps, which has the added benefit of another Olympics in four years. Just in time for the next election cycle.

Meanwhile, I've got a question. My husband and I have a friend who is suffering great hardships. As a result this person is also struggling greatly with questions of faith. The same faith that used to be a defining characteristic in their life. It is troubling to watch, but understandable. My husband struggles with knowing what to say to this person and wanting to say the very thing that will "fix" them. I encourage him to just keep being there. It's not like we have all the answers. We do know the One with all the answers though, and I guess we'll have to trust that He will make them known. But, back to my question. If faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see, what determines who will and who will not keep the faith? Time and time again I see people of great faith travel through tragic circumstances and maintain their faith. Then there are those who are, instead, consumed by the circumstances. I absolutely cannot judge those who lose faith since I have not walked in their shoes. I suspect my question is rhetorical but my fearful nature desires an answer because, you know, what if? What if. Part of me wonders if it has to do with why we believe in the first place. Which leads me back to my other over-arching question, which is; why do you believe?

Gotta go ponder.

Multiple Choice

Ah...I can breathe. Summer has successfully been completed and brains have been re-engaged. Well, except for mine that is. I suppose when I have a few days to think about it I will be sad and lonely. No. I don't think so. I'll let you know if that changes though. So now that I have enough time to write something other than a status update on Facebook I thought I'd make up a little quiz.
That reminds me of a joke my mom once told me. A certain teacher enjoyed giving his class short quizzes. He called them his quizzies. One day he told the class that they would be taking a series of short tests. He called them his (...you fill in the blank...)

Oh my, that one made me laugh. Almost as much as the one about the moth balls. What was the deal with my mom?

Ok enough of that here is the quiz. It's multiple choice, don't you love multiple choice?

Question #1. What is that smell??
A. the dog
B. the laundry
C. the garbage accumulated after cleaning the fridge and freezer
D. teenagers
E. all of the above

Question #2. How does one get rid of the smell?
A. Clean
B. leave the house
C. thermonuclear device
D. make the teenagers clean
E. bribe the trash man to make an early pick up

Question #3. The Lucky Guess Method?
A. a method to aid in helping your high school freshman with honors geometry
B. how to determine which day your child absolutely needs gym shoes for P.E.
C. how to determine where said shoes might be hidden
D. how to break a gold medal tie between two Olympic gymnasts
E. A & D
F. B & C

Question #4. What is the best way to spend two hours of free time a day M-Th?
A. Coffee with Shalee
B. Yoga.
C. Working out my middle aged body to Dara Torres like proportions.
D. Lord of the Rings marathon.
E. spiritual and emotional nourishment
F. naps

Here is the answer key:
#1. E and a few other unmentionables as well.
#2. I can't decide on this one, it's a toss up.
#3. Most assuredly E.
#4. Watch for me in the 2012 Olympics.

Dare you to watch this...

...and not smile.


Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

21 years!

When my husband and I started dating we were young and in college. At one point in time, during that intense, passionate, infatuation stage of the relationship, I was working on an intense, passionate study of Marc Chagall for one of my classes. What timing! To this day I cannot see a Marc Chagall painting or print without getting all hot and bothered. Where you might see violin playing goats, giant chickens and random floating people I see the translation of true passion and romance.

Imagine a man who would contort himself like this just for you.

My husband, without much provocation, is still able to manage it. I am not gifted with fancy enough prose to express my affection for my husband, but I am gifted with the physical presence of my husband. For that I am eternally grateful.

Our marriage is now old enough to drink alcohol. Happy anniversary beloved! XXOO.