| Friday, December 30, 2005 |
| Making up for lost time: parties, sales, seeds! |
In continuing the game of catch-up, I don't want to let this week go by without blogging about a bunch of other cool things, which certainly made up for all the NON coolness of being sick for several days beforehand. Buying a new laptop on Monday (as I finally wrote in yesterday's entry) was the BIGGEST news, "but wait -- there's more!" ;)
 Tues., Dec. 27: family party
My two cousins (Julie and her son Brandon) who were supposed to come with my aunt to the party on the 23rd, which was cancelled due to me being sick, came on the 27th for a secondary party and gift exchange, along with two more cousins (Ron and his son Joshua) who were staying with my aunt while visiting from Texas. Along with my folks and myself, it was a crowded party of seven at the dining room table! :) A very FESTIVELY decorated table, I might add! The only person missing was my aunt. We had a great brunch and a fun gift exchange, with everybody liking their presents!
I was so happy to feel better that I even made (the day before) a delicious Mandarin orange fluff pie whose recipe I found in an old dessert cookbook I almost sold on eBay! My best friend "Milgwimper" (she doesn't like her name used) who blogs at Some Like It Hot has been bugging me to post some more entries about my adventures in cooking/baking, so hopefully the photos below will placate her *grin* Unlike she, I'm not very good at cooking, although I'm OK at baking. Even her husband cooks more than I do! However, I truly am trying to build my confidence, even if it's a little at a time. And this pie helped, even though it was a super-simple recipe involving just a few things: store-bought chocolate pie crust, mandarin oranges, mandarin orange juice, water, orange Jello, lemon juice, lemon zest (could substitute orange zest), and Cool Whip (which I substituted for beaten whipping cream).
Click a pic for a larger version. I don't know why the pie looks two-toned in the second pic; it really isn't!!
Tues., Dec. 27: Bath & Body Works sale
I actually visited my favourite place of indulgence BEFORE the family arrived, but they are more important than my shopping trip, so I put them first. But now I get to write my "confession", as Shari of L.V. has been eagerly awaiting all week! Then again, she got a personal email from me on Dec. 27, the first day of the Bath & Body Works semi-annual sale and holiday clearance, so she already knows every last item I bought, from lathery shower gel to creamy skin lotion to sparkly lip gloss to refreshing body splash! Everything smells and/or tastes like either sweet treats, baked goods, fresh fruits or flowers. Or some combo thereof! Let's just put it this way -- when a store with such amazingly delicious and indulgent bath and body products marks a bunch of things down by 50% to 75% -- I'm there! A few things I actually keep for myself at these events, and a few I save to give as gifts, but MOST I buy so that later, once B&BW no longer has the items on the shelves, I can turn around and sell them on eBay. It's all about supply and demand, baby! ;)
I think Shari's the only person, outside of myself, who could find so much commentary to write about each and every B&BW purchase. Check out The Bountiful Damage Report if you're curious. I love it, not only because she writes well and amusingly, but also because it validates my own compulsion to wax verbose about my purchases!! *giggle* I think she's also the only person who has half a dozen or so B&BW shops within convenient driving distance for her. I guess Las Vegas is truly like the buffets it's known for: too much to pick from, and too many places to pick it! So, shall I plan my next Vegas trip during B&BW's June sale? ;D We can shop 'til we drop in a whirlwind of Shariness!
Weds., Dec. 28: lunch festivity
The first fun thing I did Wednesday was attend a deliciously catered farewell/congratulations lunch for my friend and former co-worker Bea, former longtime editor of the Evergreen Times, part of the Times Media Inc. family of community weekly, twice-monthly and monthly community newspapers.
Not only was it a great treat to see Bea again (joined by her hubby and daughter) but also a bunch of other cool folks from the Times and elsewhere. And the lunch repast was amazing: Caesar salad, garlic bread, several types of pizza, calzones, and fried calamari and dipping sauce. The portions were enough to feed an army! I believe it was all from Megabyte Pizza, which also happens to be located in the Evergreen/Silver Creek area of San Jose. I've been there a few times myself, and it's quite good.
Bea is leaving the Times to work full-time as campaign manager for San Jose Mayoral candidate Dave Cortese, who currently is a San Jose City Councilmember, representing District 8. I haven't yet decided which person I'll vote for next year when San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales' term is up, especially since I'm sure more candidates will throw their hats into the ring down the road. However, from what I know of Dave, he definitely is a worthy contender. (He's also a Democrat, which is a plus in my book!) I hope Bea has an edifying, interesting and exciting time working on the campaign. She's a super-nice, super-organized and hard-working person, so I'm sure she'll do great.
Weds., Dec. 28: "coffee talk"
I forgot where that saying came from (where you pronounce it like "kauwfee tauwk" - LOL) but I think it's pretty funny. At any rate, I had to leave Bea's lunch party sooner than I wanted, because I was meeting my friends Nicole and Tammy for coffee at the Starbucks in the cool town of Los Gatos . Nicole's one of the few friends I've known since middle school who I'm still in touch with. Tammy is a friend I met through Nicole. Well, okay, that was my first time meeting her, but I can always tell after hanging out with someone if they are someone I'd like to consider a friend. And Tammy is. :)
Anyhoo, due to distance and work conflicts, Nicole and I only get together a few times a year. At least now that she moved back to her native Bay Area, it's easier -- once upon a time, she lived out of state! We met in Los Gatos because I had to check my P.O. Box there (long story) and Nicole wanted to see the town again, as she and her parents used to live there. (Well, in the Santa Cruz Mtns part). We met at Starbucks because Nicole insisted on buying me a dessert and my guilty indulgence, the Java Chip Frappuccino (click with caution; it's addictive!), in exchange for a book she bought from me the other week on eBay. I didn't realize she was the bidder until after the auction closed. As soon as I found out, I emailed to tell her NOT to PayPal me the money; I'd just give her the book as a Christmas gift.
I also gave her a packet of more than two dozen hand-harvested 4 o'clock seeds, as she really wanted some, and they're really easy to grow. I know I haven't been obsessing in this blog about 4 o'clocks lately, but that doesn't mean I don't think about them! Visit my Sept. 28 entry "My 4 o'clocks are sprouting!" for the start of it all, or check out "Garden update: 4 o'clocks" written on Oct. 6 or "Garden update: 4'oclock SURPRISE" written on Oct. 31 for more -- including photos! Heck, here are two sample photos now! (Click for close-ups)
 
Sadly, most of the seedlings in the first container succumbed to what appears to be damping-off. That's odd, since they were the ones NOT transplanted! (Tony thinned the original container by pulling and transplanting about half the seedlings into a second container). The second container seedlings are doing well, but what's doing best are the seeds I planted along the fence. They took off like rockets and -- get this -- even formed FLOWER BUDS! In mild winter climates like the Santa Clara Valley, you can sow fours in late summer/early fall, have them grow all through winter (which includes bulking up their tuberous roots) and then enjoy the beautiful and fragrant summer bloom! After their first year and every year thereafter, fours go dormant in fall and do nothing until early summer, when they resprout from the large tubers. But during their first year, when growing from seed in a mild winter clime, I guess sometimes they get a little confused (or eager?) and set a few flower buds in the middle of winter! I'll be sure to post photos when the first bud opens! :)
Thurs., Dec. 29: more laptop adventures
Yesterday, my old friend Mark, who among other business ventures runs a computer consulting/technical support biz called Go Guys , made a house call to help me set up and configure my new Toshiba Satellite laptop (see yesterday's blog entry), along with the wireless router, the anti-virus/firewall software and various other things. (I still have my iMac desktop, don't worry!) Long story short about the laptop, there's still an as-yet unresolved issue with the router, which I'll explain after Mark returns Sunday or Monday. That's right -- another house call! But at least it's him and not the Geek Squad! I've heard very good things about them, and I'm sure they make great house calls too, but Mark is more flexible and more affordable. Plus I've known him at least 4 or 5 years and can vouch for the fact that he's a very nice person and a hard working family man. I'd truly recommend him to ANYONE! :) Like every other independent tech consultant, he's extremely proficient with everything PC-related. However, unlike every other consultant, he's also extremely proficient with all things MAC!
Oh, and in between all the things I just wrote about this week, I also squoze in some time (on Weds) to shop the semi-annual sale at The Body Shop , but it wasn't nearly as big/good as Bath & Body Works. I also went grocery shopping in several different stores on two different days AND made an unplanned trip to the chiropractor one day when my upper-left trapezius muscle went majorly and painfully OUT! :(
And now I think I'd better try to hit the hay early, since tomorrow night is New Year's Eve! :D I hope no one was bored to tears reading about my week. I know I certainly wasn't bored writing about it. In fact, I'm excited all over again, just thinking of everything!
Today I am feeling   (interpret as you wish! heehee) |
posted by ScaryShari @ 10:02 PM   |
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| Thursday, December 29, 2005 |
| Making up for lost time: NEW laptop! |
As sick as I was Dec. 22-24, and recovering from being sick on Dec. 25, I've sure made up for lost time since then! So much cool stuff has happened that I don't know where to start -- so I'll begin at the beginning! ;)
Mon., Dec. 26: computer shopping!
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I wasn't keen on venturing out on Monday, since "The Day After Christmas" is notorious for crowds and hysteria, and I didn't want to be a part of it after being holed up for several days. However, I had no choice but to go to Best Buy , my fave eclectic electronics store, and fortunately less than 2 miles from my home. I went because I saw in their newspaper ad insert that they had lots of sales and rebates that one day! Among them was a Toshiba Satellite L25-S1192 laptop for $499! Well, it was $750 but with a $250 rebate. I'd no idea Toshiba makes dozens upon dozens of different laptop models, and a ton in the Satellite series alone! *chuckle* That's crazy! Apple makes a good number of different Macintosh models, but not ANYWHERE near many!
Speaking of Apple, despite being a loyal Mac user since the late 1980s and owner of several Macs, I guess I've become a semi-turncoat. I'm stuck with Mac OS 9.2 because this older G3 iMac can't comfortably upgrade to OSX, due to being slightly under the recommended processor speed and amount of memory and hard drive space. And since no new Mac software runs on anything lower than OSX, and more and more websites every month have functionality that doesn't work on OS 9.2 versions of Netscape or Internet Explorer, I'm feeling more and more like I'm marooned with a dinosaur.
And unfortunately, Macs are STILL much more expensive than their PC counterparts, be it laptop or desktop. The least expensive Mac iBook I could find was between $900 and $1,000! Why would I spend that when I can get a much more universally compatible PC laptop for half that price? When you're as poor as a churchmouse as I am, a $500 price difference is a HUGE deal! *blush* I'll always love the friendly Mac interface and everything about the way Macs work. I don't ever plan to get rid of this desktop either, but there are just too many incompatibilities between the world at large, and Macs. Even with OSX, there are still some companies that refuse to make software for it -- only for Windows!
When I can afford it, I definitely DO plan to buy a Mac that runs OSX. I don't know if it will be a desktop or a laptop, but I do want one. However, with my personal financial and job situations, that wouldn't happen for who knows when?! As it is, the compressor in my car's air conditioner has been making more than normal noise for the past few summers, but I've never had it fixed because it's so costly. IF the thing fails, I'll get it fixed and choke down the monstrous $800-$1200 repair bill. Until then, the A/C works great -- just a wee bit noisily! *chuckle* And yes, I MUST have A/C during the summer in my car. I've become quite heat-intolerant the last several years and hot cars are the worst. :( I'm also afraid of bugs getting in the car and distracting me, so I won't drive with the windows rolled down. I know too many people who've had it happen!
Anyway, in case anyone is geekily curious about my specific laptop, you have its number: L25-S1192. Oh, and it has an Intel Celeron M processor, if that matters. ;) As for me, I'd just call it a Toshiba Satellite L-series. The review in this link makes it sound like I got a bare bones laptop, but the truth of the matter is that I really can't afford ANY laptop, and probably won't any time in the near future, so I had to buy the most bargain-priced I could find, but which still allowed me to do what I wanted/needed. Plus I can always add memory to it, very simply and fairly reasonably. As it is, this Toshiba lap has MORE memory, a BIGGER hard drive, a FASTER processor and MORE multimedia capacity than my iMac G3, so it's far from bare bones to me!!
I also bought a Linksys wireless internet router at Best Buy for $70 (but only $40 after rebate), and of course Best Buy's extended 3-year service plan/warranty for $199, which includes not only unlimited repair work but also 1 free replacement laptop battery per year! I had an incident with the retractable lens of a digital camera I bought at Best Buy, and let me tell you, it's GREAT to have their extended service plan/warrantee. They took care of everything (a lot, as it turned out) and it cost me nothing! (Well, aside from the price of the initial plan, which was a good deal but I forgot how much it was).
I didn't do anything else on Monday, not even open the computer box, because I was too physically and emotionally tired from all the excitement! Not very in character for hyper me, eh? *grin* Well, just remember I'd just gotten over from a nasty virus and 3 days of fever! I also didn't do anything else because there were preparations to be made for a family party the next day (Tuesday). But it's 11 p.m. right now, so I won't write about that cool event until the morning. I also have to write about the not one but TWO cool events that took place on Wednesday, not to mention the complicated computer set-up adventures that finally took place TODAY! (Thanks, Mark! I couldn't have gotten all this laptop stuff going without you!) Ah, and don't worry Shari of L.V. -- I haven't forgotten about including a mini-confessional about my guilty side trip to Bath & Body Works for the half-yearly sale! ;D I promise that's on the way also!
Today I am feeling   gleeful/accomplished!! |
| posted by ScaryShari @ 9:56 PM |
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| Monday, December 26, 2005 |
| Happy eBay anniversary to me! |
This isn't really a "belated" wish, since I didn't actually forget the festive date of Dec. 22 -- I just felt too sick to blog about it at the time! But since it was my OWN festive date, I forgive myself for not blogging about it until now. ;) eBay didn't forget about it either; they even sent me the following "card"...
That's right; on Dec. 22, 1998, I became a card-carrying member of the cult! *smirk* My I.D. there is acorn58. It's hard to believe it's been seven years! eBay was just three when I joined, prompted by my friend Nicole. I should've known she'd give good advice, as she's one of the few friends I made in middle school whom I'm still in touch with. She'd had good luck buying and selling books (and other things) on eBay, and thought I'd likewise enjoy the idea of buying and selling in the online auction format.
She was right! Nicole was also an excellent and patient mentor. She introduced me to basic HTML code and tags, which helped me design good-looking auctions in the days long before eBay had pre-made frilly templates sellers could use -- for an extra fee, that is! I continue to use and expand upon my HTML knowledge to this day. Thanks again for everything Nicole! :)
Over the years, I've tried to follow the self-imposed 2/3, 1/3 rule. My eBay activity should comprise 2/3 selling and 1/3 buying in any given year. That way, I'm always in the black, not in the red! As a seller, I've enjoyed much success (and a few failures) selling a crazy quilt of items! Between my simple but cheerful HTML designs, my good quality self-hosted digital photos, and especially my writing/editing skills in creating descriptive and persuasive text, it's hard for me NOT to sell something. *blush*
Some of my best luck has been with collectible used books from a series, especially Time-Life Foods of the World (sshhh!) and The Three Investigators kids' mystery/adventures (sshhh again!). Sorry, but I can neither confirm nor deny where I find these gems. (heehee) I also used to have good luck selling collectible glassware/barware with the names and/or logos of sodas, liquors and liqueurs, but I don't scout out that stuff anymore.
Another success has been shopping at places like Bath & Body Works, Body Shop and Victoria's Secret their semi-annual sales and clearances, and buying at big discounts a variety of bath and body items that will no longer be available in-store for another half-year. Sometimes items won't come back at all, but rather have been discontinued. Either way, I wait a few weeks after the last day of the sale, then turn around and sell the now in-demand items on eBay. B&BW (my fave, and coincidentally also that of "Shari of L.V.") starts the December version of their twice-yearly sale tomorrow, so you know where I'll be! And not just for things to sell on eBay, but to buy a few things for my indulgent self and as gifts for others. Body Shop also has a semi-annual sale on its website, but I'm not sure if it's also in stores. I'll have to call them.
What I've had the most success BUYING on eBay is just about anything with any combination of the following motifs: oak trees, oak leaves and acorns. From jewelry to postcards to stickers to housewares, I've found it! I probably wouldn't have half the beautiful oak-related things in my collection if not for eBay. :) I also used eBay to buy a talking bingo caller, cards and chips this past spring when I formed the Bingo Belles, my monthly gals-only bingo and friendship group. Oh, and I can't forget melt-and-pour soapmaking supplies: I found great deals and a great variety of fragrances and colorants from eBay sellers who could afford to charge less because they have no actual storefront. And then there are all the miscellaneous purchases I've used eBay for that I can't even begin to name, from socks to CDs to Beanie Babies!
And now that I've finished gushing about eBay *grin*, I won't gush but rather will briefly plug a few of my "sponsors", whom I get compensated for mentioning in my blog and linking to with specific key words. (Regular readers already know about this.)
If you like flowers and like the idea of buying/sending them via a thoughtful, well-designed website, check out DotFlowers. I prefer silver jewelry, but if anyone is looking for gold jewelry, you might want to visit Lussori. When I saw their website (even with compensation, I never mention a site before I visit it myself), I was surprised that they're based in Carmel, a beautiful seaside town just an hour's drive from me. (I guess I thought they'd be in Italy!) Speaking of precious metals, for those interested in the silver prices market, you can find plenty of helpful info from the folks at Monex Deposit Co. FightingForYou.com is a site I've seen in the past, and I like it, as it provides info and tools for folks involved (or getting involved) in personal injury/illness lawsuits relating to everything from prescription drugs to dogs to airbags. I'm supposed to link to them by saying New York personal injury, but I couldn't figure out a way to tie in the Big Apple. Oops! There - I just did! ;D
P.S. Quick health update -- as "better" as I was getting yesterday, I feel even "betterer" today. It wasn't strep, and the doctor said it wasn't severe enough to be flu, so I guess it was just a random virus! Thank you everyone who emailed or commented with well wishes. *blush* And thank you even MORE for keeping my dad's health in mind. :) I hope everyone continues to have a happy and HEALTHY holiday season and a great new year!
Today I am feeling  content. |
| posted by ScaryShari @ 3:13 PM |
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| Sunday, December 25, 2005 |
| Funny Christmas scene - ouch! |
 
[sing to the tune of "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer"]
Santa has collided with a street tree,
Skiing through the streets of San Jose!
You can say there's no such thing as Santa,
But cameras do not lie -- or so they say!
In all honesty, I actually took these photos in December 2004. There's a side street (court, really) off McLaughlin Avenue in San Jose where the homeowners go all-out decorating their home and landscaping for Christmas. They also took the liberty of decorating a street tree with this scene of violence! (LOL) I don't know if they repeated it in 2005, but I'd assume they did. I thought it was so crazy, I had to photograph it. It also moved me to rewrite a stanza of the maddeningly catchy carol, Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer! (This link not only provides the full lyrics; it also has a MIDI file with a cool instrumental version of the song).
I hope anyone reading this who celebrates Christmas is having a wonderful day full of family, friends, food, gifts and -- most importantly -- good health. :) The same wish goes for anyone reading this who celebrates Hanukkah, as the first of its seven nights begins tonight.
I'm happy to report I'm feeling better since Friday morning, when last I blogged. My fever seems gone, and my throat culture was negative for strep. Thank you to all the folks who sent me get-well wishes, either via blog comments or email. *hugs* If you could extend those wishes a bit longer, NOT for me, but for my dad, I'd be grateful. As I mentioned in the prior blog entry, he has advanced COPD, which means even the smallest infection can cause big trouble in his bad lungs. He's also 82, so he doesn't exactly have youth on his side either. :( We are all hoping and praying he doesn't come down with what I had!!
Today I am feeling  hopeful. |
| posted by ScaryShari @ 8:34 AM |
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| Friday, December 23, 2005 |
| It sucks to be sick! |
I think I might have strep throat. :( Early in the week, I was in close contact with a woman who had strep, but I didn't know it at the time. Ironically, it was while I was in line at the Kaiser pharmacy to pick up my generic version of Prilosec (for acid reflux). The woman was directly in front of me for a while. I learned of her strep when she walked to the counter and said she was picking up antibiotics for strep (and boy did her voice sound BAD!)
I normally always have Kaiser send my prescriptions in the mail during cold and flu season, but the container these particular pills come in is large and I don't think would make it through my mail slot. Then again, we have a great mail carrier, Ed, who always knocks on the door when something doesn't fit, rather than just leaving a note and making me come to the P.O. So, I will NEVER order any prescriptions to be picked up at the pharmacy until April or May -- mail delivery only!
Anyway, yesterday afternoon I started feeling kind of "funny", but I thought it was because I'd just finished dusting and vacuuming the house, which often irritates my nose and throat. However, by bedtime I knew I had a fever, my throat was sore, and my muscles were so achy I couldn't get comfortable. Normally I'd think this is a virus, but because I was so close to a highly contagious person with strep throat, I fear I might have the nasty bacterial infection myself! (I checked online and the incubation period is short -- you usually get sick in 2 to 5 days!)
I'm going to Kaiser soon for a throat culture. I feel so depressed and guilty about getting sick, because my folks, my aunt, my cousin Julie, her son Brandon and I were all supposed to get together here for a festive pre-holiday lunch and gift exchange. Of course that's been cancelled. :( And this is after my mom and I decorated and planned a special menu, my aunt made my grandma's famous whipped cranberry jello mold and Julie was all set to fete us with one of her special hot appetizers. Fortunately, Julie and Brandon are coming back on Tuesday for another celebration, because her brother Ron and his son Joshua (my cousins also, duh) will be in town from Texas. The only person who'll be missing on the Tuesday reprise is my aunt, which I feel bad about. Maybe at the last minute she'll be able to get off work and join us! (I sure as heck don't plan to be sick by Tuesday!!)
I hope everyone stays well and has a very HEALTHY holiday season! And if you think of it, please send good thoughts my dad Al's way. Thanks! He has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and an enlarged heart. Even the smallest infection has the possibility of creating very serious complications for his bad lungs -- that's why everyone in the family gets flu shots! So on top of feeling sick myself, I'm sick with worry about my dad!
Today I am feeling    sick/sad/worried! |
| posted by ScaryShari @ 9:46 AM |
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| Wednesday, December 21, 2005 |
| Winter holiday confluence |
I've always liked the sound of confluence, although I rarely ever find ways to use it. Perhaps I should add this to my Favourite Words List? BTW, yes, I took the snowy oak photo above. You can click it for a beautiful close-up. :) Special prize if you can guess where I photographed it! (Except for Tony; he can't guess, as he already knows!)
At any rate, today marks the beginning of an exciting week-long period, due to the confluence of all four December holidays! That would be, in order: Winter Solstice (today, Dec. 21), Christmas Day (Dec. 25), the first of the seven nights of Hanukkah (Dec. 25) and the first of the seven days of Kwanzaa (Dec. 26).
In my opinion, there are three main reasons for celebrating a holiday. One: it's something your family traditionally celebrated so you do too. Two: it's something you didn't necessarily grow up with, but you celebrate out of respect for other family members (or a spouse) who celebrates it. And three: it's something you like and identify with, whether you grew up with it or not. I celebrate all of the above holidays except Kwanzaa, and each for a different reason. :)
This is not a diss of Kwanzaa; I simply don't know all that much about it and don't know anyone who celebrates it who'd be willing to include this eager but inexperienced white woman. *blush* But from what I do know of it, I find it very appealing, especially since you can follow any religion or even no religion, and still celebrate Kwanzaa.
Since today is the Winter Solstice, I'll keep my commentary on that. Hopefully I'll remember to write on the other three holidays as they come.
The first of winter is upon us; the shortest day of the year and the longest night. This point of balance, from which the sun is "reborn," is celebrated with a variety of religious and/or spiritual rituals by followers of earth-based religions, including Druids, Pagans, Wiccans, some Native Americans and some folks whose spiritual path has no name at all; they just know it centers around Nature and the earth.
Some folks also call it Yule, where we get the term Yuletide from. Yule is the name for an old pagan festival celebrated at the winter solstice. Its name comes from geola, Old English for "yoke." The solstice is like a yoke or balancing point of sorts, at which time the sun is at its lowest ebb.
The traditional Yule log is a carryover from European traditions of ceremonial bonfires ushering in the solstice and keeping the long, dark night at bay. The fire kindled by this log--ideally of oak--traditionally should burn until Jan. 1. The oak tree was (and still is) symbolic of wisdom, strength and fertility--all traits appropriate and useful this time of year.
The evergreen plant mistletoe--which incidentally often grows on oaks--is sometimes called the Golden Bough in Celtic traditions because of the colour its berries take as they age, although only among certain types. There are actually many mistletoe genera and species, with berry colour variations including white, golden, pink and red. Druids in times of olde thought mistletoe had qualities of healing and fertility, which might explain the tradition of couples kissing under it. Mistletoe was also thought to contain the "essence" of the dormant, bare tree during the winter. In truth, mistletoe is a partial parasite -- it attaches to the host tree's branches and "drinks" water and nutrients from the host's vascular tissue. However, mistletoe is also a photosynthesizing green plant, which means it makes some of its own nutrients as well.
The most common image of the holiday season--the Christmas Tree--also carries symbolism. Many earth-based religions feel trees are sacred, or at least deserving of special respect. Like the mistletoe, evergreen trees flourish when most other plants die, and so represent life and rebirth. Tree lights used to be made of candles in glass bowls. One interpretation of the lights is that they represent and contain the sun's warmth. I think that's beautiful.
And on that note, I'll stop, lest someone accuse me of writing an essay! *grin* Just remember: after tonight, we gain about 1 extra minute of daylight per day!
Today I am feeling contemplative and happy. |
| posted by ScaryShari @ 8:08 PM |
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| Monday, December 19, 2005 |
| A season of GIVING! |
A few happy holiday stories to share...
First I wanted to mention ones of my all-time favourite nonprofits, the Family Giving Tree .
I feel strongly about it because its CEO is a longtime friend, Jennifer Cullenbine. I also feel strongly because I've seen, from an insider's view, how the FGT works and how immensely it brightens the holidays for kids, families, seniors and homeless folks who otherwise would have no gifts or joy at Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa. I've also been volunteering in the gift warehouse since 1997, and hope to for years to come! :)
Based in Milpitas, the FGT had its genesis in 1989, when Jenn and her classmate/friend Todd Yoshida were pursuing their MBAs at San Jose State University , where I earned my bachelor's degree several years after them. The FGT started out providing gifts just for disadvantaged kids in one school district (I think that's right?). Over 16 more years, the FGT has expanded like kudzu! OK, maybe not that voraciously, but currently partnering with more than 180 social service agencies throughout the Bay Area is nothing to sneeze at!! In 2002 (a stat I had handy), more than 50,000 needy kids served by these agencies got gifts, thanks to the generosity of the corporations, supermarkets, banks, schools, etc. that host Giving Trees in their lobbies/storefronts/offices AND the people who pluck "wish tags" off the trees, shop for the gift wish of the given child, and return the gift to the same tree they got it from. Some gifts are fun (like games, toys and Walkmen); others are practical (like sweats, jackets or sleeping bags).
This Saturday, I spent 5 1/2 hours in a donated Santa Clara warehouse as a "supervisor elf", although I didn't just teach folks the ropes -- I worked alongside them, sorting and checking more gifts than even the North Pole could hold! It warms my heart that even in a year in which many people donated to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and many other people were un- or under-employed in the Bay Area, they still took the time and money to fulfill gift wishes. I noticed one little girl's wish tag said something like "needs a warm blanket, likes lavender." Not only did her unknown benefactor go out of his/her way to find a LAVENDER blanket, but he/she also included a comforting kid-sized PILLOW as well! That person rocks!! :)
It also warms my heart to see kids and teenagers volunteering alongside their parents, or with their youth groups, scouting groups, etc. If this doesn't teach them about charity and generosity, I don't know what will! (There are also plenty of adults who volunteer with their companies). I was particularly impressed with 10-year-old David. Not only was he meticulous in sorting and checking gifts, he was also very thoughtful! When he saw that a child whose gift wish was "Anything" (how sad) was given a tiny hand-held game that required skill with numbers, David thought the child might like a game that doesn't require a particular skill and allows the player to have fun socializing with others. So he went (with me) to the area of the warehouse ("the store") filled with gifts that were duplicates or had lost their tags, looked at the games part of it, and substituted a Jenga instead. Normally we only shop the store if a child's wish hasn't been fulfilled at all, but I was so impressed with David's sensitivity that I let him do it in this case. :)
This reminds me of how my cousin Ron in Texas took his 5-year-old son Joshua to a dollar store to buy items (from toiletries to toys) to send to families left homeless after Hurricane Katrina. Not only did Joshua learn the importance of thinking about not just yourself but OTHERS, but Ron actually let him pick out a bunch of the items himself! He loved it. I'm sure by 10 (or earlier) he'll be just like David! :) In a society where pre-teens and teenagers have so many "social preoccupations," from shopping/hanging out in malls to taking pictures with cellphones to flirting on the Internet, it's heartwarming to see how many can and DO find time to help others less fortunate.
  
Speaking of doing something nice for strangers, today I received a gift from my Secret Santa! His name is Vincent J. Brown Jr. I don't know anything else about him because he hasn't yet emailed to introduce himself. Vincent, if you're reading this (I know the Secret Santa site gave you my blog URL), I'd love to thank you personally, so please drop me a line! :)
I learned Vincent's name because it was on the packing slip from the Amazon.com merchant from which my gift was shipped. Even though the Secret Santa site recommended we not spend more than around $15 on our gift recipients, Vincent went a little over and bought me something on my Amazon wish list for $18! (Well, $17.99 for you sticklers *grin*). It's a beautiful natural-colored (non-bleached) cotton T-shirt called Advice from a Tree. (There's an inspirational book of the same name; click this link for more info). Thanks again, Vincent! :)
I'm sure everyone already knows how the Secret Santa site works, either from clicking on my Secret Santa banners, or from reading my excited introduction to the concept in my Nov. 21 blog entry or my even more excited Dec. 11 entry, after I received the name of the person whom *I* am playing Secret Santa for! Again, I owe a festive debt to my namesake and omnipresent character in my blog, Shari of Las Vegas! If not for reading about the "virtual" Secret Santa concept in her blog, I probably would not have found out about it, let alone participated.
"And now a quick word from our sponsors." ;) Speaking of gifts and the kindness of strangers, I'm still participating in that program where I receive compensation (via PayPal) each time I name, and link to, a variety of companies. (It's a lot better than distracting ads in banners along the top or sides of my template!) So please bear with me while I plug a few sites.
I know I've already mentioned the pet tags at LoveYourPets.com, but I've been asked to mention them again. I don't mind, as I love animals, and the site has lots of cool non-commercial areas, like "True Pet Stories", "Cool Pet News", "Pet Health & Safety" and "Pet Humor". I don't know anyone who sustained heart damage from Vioxx, but if you're interested in the current Vioxx class action suit, you might want to visit this link from FightingForYou.com. I likewise don't know much about investing in precious metals, but if I had the time and money to do so, the 30-plus-year-old Monex Deposit Company might be one of my resources.
And that concludes my entry of happy holiday stories!
Today I am feeling content. |
| posted by ScaryShari @ 4:24 PM |
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| Saturday, December 17, 2005 |
| Squirrelly? Me? But of course ;D |
Always on the lookout for blog quizzes that have enough choices to actually produce accurate results, and that haven't been written by a slang-saturated teenager or an illiterate typist, I found ANOTHER! :)
This one, The Cute Animal Quiz (a title after my own heart!), is something I found in the blog of a friend of one of my friends. I think? *blush* I spent this morning looking at so many blogs of friends and friends-once-removed that I lost track. The actual website the quiz resides on is CuteDucky.com, if you can believe that! I haven't checked out the site completely yet, but it seems to be for animal-lovers.
And now, without further ado -- here is the quiz result for rodent-lover ME! The result is accurate for a variety of reasons. ;D I hope some of you will take this quiz, so I can see if the animal my intuition has assigned you is correct! There are many good questions and a good variety of animals you might turn out to be (more than just the 5 below).
 Squirrels are quick and cheerful animals who spend their time scurrying, scavenging, and playing. As a squirrel, you are often seen jumping happily from branch to branch up in the treetops. Squirrels are foragers searching for nuts and seeds, and they are social animals often seen chasing and playing with other squirrels. You were almost a: Monkey or a ParakeetYou are least like a: Turtle or a Bear CubDiscover What Cute Animal You Are!
Today I am feeling   fun-loving!
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| posted by ScaryShari @ 9:49 AM |
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| Wednesday, December 14, 2005 |
| MEME: '7 Things' |
It seems numerical memes are going around blogdom lately. Not only did I just come across this one, the Seven Things Meme, but I also recently saw a resurfacing of the Four Things Meme that I posted here back in October. I guess good memes are always in circulation. :)
I haven't done ANY meme in a long time, because I don't want to make them feel passe'. However, this one, like the prior one, was fun, interesting and simple, so I liked it. I won't "tag" anyone like I did when I posted the other meme, but I'd love if some of my fellow blog friends "stole" this to use themselves!! :) I always learn something new when I read one of these, no matter how much I already know about a person. And now, here are my answers...
7 things I say most often:
"Cool!"
"Hi!"
"Is that you?"
"Sorry!"
"Blub!" (long story)
"I had an away." (another long story)
Laughter (if that counts as something to "say")
7 things I'd like to do before I die:
Visit Europe
Road-trip (or RV) across the U.S.
Get married
Have a dog, a cat, a pair of chinchillas and a fish pond
Own my own soap and candle boutique
Earn enough money so I don't have to worry all the time as I do now
Write (or at least edit or compile) some type of book
7 things I can do:
Speak in front of a group and actually feel psyched, not terrified!
Find the spelling, grammar, punctuation & style errors other editors miss.
Make people laugh/cheer up with great ease.
Grow trees, plants and flowers with great love.
Write ballads and sonnets (though my poetic muse is currently dormant).
Fold a paper or linen napkin into a bustier (my only party trick, but a hilarious one!)
Swim
7 things I cannot do:
Ride a bicycle
Play most sports well
Higher mathematics (or even "lower", for that matter! LOL)
Get up easily in the morning
Tolerate intolerant people
Hunt (I'm not a vegetarian; I just don't want to kill animals)
Eat rare meat or raw fish
7 things that attract me to the opposite sex:
Sense of humour
Sensitivity
Chivalry/gallantry
Loves animals
Nice eyes (any colour is fine)
Moustache
Brawny/hairy build
7 celebrity crushes:
Jeez, I haven't had a "crush" on a celebrity in I don't know how long! My celeb crushes were much stronger in my youth. *chuckle* The first 4 names are from my pre-teen and/or teenage years. The next 2 are from my college days. The last is from the late 1990s to early 2000s.
David Hasselhoff
Sting
George Michael
Simon LeBon
Brad Pitt
Mel Gibson
Kix Brooks
Today I am feeling  cheerful & a little embarrassed! |
| posted by ScaryShari @ 9:12 PM |
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| Tuesday, December 13, 2005 |
| All the nuts aren't in the trees... |
...they're on the STREETS and in the STORES!
How sad that a month like December, which is supposed to be about peace, love, giving and festivity, brings out the absolute WORST in some people! :(
First, the nuts on the streets
In the last 2 weeks, I've seen more bad drivers than I've seen in the prior 50 weeks of this year! Not surprisingly, I've also seen more accidents too -- from fender-benders to major injury accidents (or at least ones that LOOK like there were major injuries, judging from the cars!) In fact, I just saw one today on the northbound side of Hwy 85, just up from Cottle Road. Good thing Kaiser Hospital is nearby!
You name the automobile-related offense; I've seen/heard it multiple times the past 2 weeks on the freeways, highways and even the city streets: speeding, speeding and weaving, tailgating, excessive honking, talking (and playing with) cellphones, dirty looks, not letting merging traffic in, driving on the shoulder, not using turn signals, and sharply and recklessly zooming in and out of traffic like the title character of the 1980s video game classic, Frogger . (cool graphic, that!)
I've NEVER seen it this bad, and I don't really understand why it's worst in 2005 than in previous years. If you can offer a good excuse for why anyone behind the wheel of a deadly weapon should engage in sheer recklessness, thoughtlessness, rudeness and near-insanity, please let me know! In the meantime, I'm getting downright AFRAID to drive anywhere until January, and I'm not kidding! :( And this from someone who is normally very optimistic and idealistic.
Now, the nuts in the stores
I don't like offending anyone, and usually bend over backwards NOT to, but I'd like to tell the "holiday boycotters" to get a life! I find it hard to fathom that some folks have NOTHING better to do than boycott Sears, Wal-Mart, Target and whatever other stores/companies are wishing customers "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". I know some ultra-right-wing Christians feel American society has become too secularized, especially around Christmas. I agree they have every right to feel that way, and I can easily imagine that if I were an ultra-conservative Christian, I'd feel that way too.
However, I think they need to get down off their high horses! Can you imagine the GOOD they could do if they devoted all their time, money and energy to volunteering/community service instead of these knee-jerk campaigns to boycott stores, spread negative publicity about said stores, rile up the troops, etc.?
I especially want to address Fox News anchor John Gibson, who has written a diatribe called "The War on Christmas: How the Liberal Plot to Ban the Sacred Christian Holiday is Worse than You Thought." This is one of the most asinine things I've heard all year! First of all, Mr. Gibson, since Christianity is the overwhelmingly dominant religion in the U.S., that means there are LARGE numbers of liberals who are also Christian, and who celebrate Christmas. You are guilty of great PREJUDICE and STEREOTYPING if you think that all liberals are against Christmas! Most liberals, whether Christian or any other religion (or no religion at all) are NOT against Christmas! Shame on you for thinking so hatefully and unfairly! "Let he who is free of blame cast the first stone."
And as for Gibson's misguided notion that there is a "PLOT" afoot to "BAN" the most popular holiday in America -- well -- that's the worst, most flimsy, and most hilarious conspiracy theory I've ever heard in my life!!! All I have to say to Gibson about that is this: perhaps you should see a psychiatrist or psychologist for your DELUSIONAL DISORDER and your IRRATIONAL PARANOIA!
At any rate, I am no longer addressing Mr. Gibson. He's not worth me getting all worked up over (tho I'm already worked up). Back to the thing about Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas -- if you're Christian and someone tells you "Happy Holidays," you can still totally identify with that saying. You might prefer to hear "Merry Christmas," but "Happy Holidays" means Christmas to you anyway, so what's the big deal? You're still getting a festive wish.
However, let's say you belong to one of the many OTHER religions in the U.S., such as (in alphabetical order so I don't -- oh my gosh -- OFFEND anyone!!) -- Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Native American beliefs, Paganism, Shintoism, Sikhism, Taoism, Wicca or Zoroastrianism. There are also agnostics and atheists, and if you think there aren't large numbers of those, you have your head in the sand.
If you follow any of the above religions, or no religion, and someone tells you "Happy Holidays," you can still identify with it, because it's a greeting of friendliness, happiness and hope. There's nothing offensive in it. Especially since there's NO denying that several holidays take place in December, whether you observe them or not: Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa and New Year's Eve.
HOWEVER, if you follow any of the above religions, or no religion, and someone tells you "Merry Christmas," that's something you CAN'T identify with. Not that it's anything bad either. I personally do NOT feel members of non-Christian religions (or no religion) should feel offended when wished "Merry Christmas," because the Christmas-wisher obviously means well, and probably has no idea WHAT religion the other person follows. But, I can see why some non-Christians might feel offended, or at least feel excluded, by such a wish. Hence, we have "Happy Holidays" which is supposed to offend NO ONE.
And yet it seems to offend certain extremist Christians to the point that they are RUINING the holiday season by taking up arms (figuratively, of course, lest someone accuse me of libel!) and wasting their time boycotting stores for saying something as evil and HORRID as "Happy Holidays." Since when did that phrase become the demonization or demoralization of America?!? Stores (and people) who say "Happy Holidays" are only trying to be FESTIVE and FRIENDLY and find some type of COMMON GROUND way to wish everyone a good December! Give me a break!!
Sorry I wrote such a rant. *blush* Between the bad drivers and the boycotters, I have very little patience left. But, I do feel a lot better now that I blogged about it! *grin*
Today I am feeling   several things; interpret the faces as you wish! |
| posted by ScaryShari @ 9:14 PM |
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| Sunday, December 11, 2005 |
| I'm a 'virtual' Secret Santa! |
It's official -- I am now a "virtual" Secret Santa! I've been eagerly awaiting this for three weeks or so, and it's finally happened!
If you're a new reader to my blog (or simply an absent-minded one), please peruse my Nov. 21 entry, How to be a 'virtual' Secret Santa for a funny and fun commentary on how I came to sign up for an online gift exchange and why it excites me so much. You can also visit the Secret Santa website itself for more info; just click on the festive banner at the top of this entry.
In a nutshell, I love gift exchanges, especially those along the lines of Secret Pals or Secret Santas. I've never worked in an office that did the Pals thing, but I *have* done a few Santa exchanges in my day. Now that I'm a freelancer/independent contractor who works from home, I sadly have NO chance to do any of this. Fortunately, ever-cool (and oft-mentioned) Shari in Las Vegas blogged about the Secret Santa website one fine November day at Shari.com, I read about it, checked it out and immediately signed up!
It's the brainchild of U.K residents Cal Henderson, Denise Wilton and Tom Coates (credit where credit is due!). They began it several years ago, and it's been growing ever since. I myself tried to get the word out and encourage lots of folks to sign up; I don't know if I was successful or not. Being a Secret Santa is as simple as stuffing a stocking! :) The website guides you through an easy registration process, which includes a link to your publicly viewable gift wishlist on an eclectic shopping site such as Amazon.com . You can also provide a link to your personal web page or -- as most folks provide -- your blog! (It's nice for your Secret Santa benefactor to be able to learn a bit about you).
On Dec. 10, the Secret Santa elves emailed me (and the thousands of others who signed up) with the name and wish list link of a random person somewhere in the world -- mostly the U.S., U.K. and Canada. We're supposed to buy one or more gifts from the recipient's wishlist that equal approximately $15 (not counting shipping). At the same time I received the info for the person I'm playing Santa for, some other complete stranger received info for ME, and will be buying one or more things from my own wishlist. TOO FUN! ;D
I don't want to say too much about my gift recipient, since it's such a small world -- who knows but someone reading this might know the person?! But I will say this much: it's a man; he's married, has two young children and lives in the southern U.S. I read his blog and enjoyed it. He seems thoughtful and friendly. He is very active in his church and most of the folks on his 'Blogroll' all seem to have religion central to their blogs. However, he also sounds open-minded, not afraid to question his beliefs and is quite interested in (and respectful of) other religions. Too bad more of the world isn't like that! :)
He only has 12 items on his Amazon wishlist, all of them are books, and most are of the same genre, which doesn't make for a particularly fun shopping experience for me. But that's OK -- as long as he is happy, that's what matters! As for my Secret Santa, he or she will have NO such problems, as I have more than 45 items to pick from on my wishlist!
No, I haven't gone mad. *smirk* I have a large wishlist for three reasons. First: whenever I see something on Amazon I really like throughout the year, I add it to my wishlist so I can search for it later on eBay, where good deals and steals abound. If I don't have it on the wishlist, I'll forget it ever caught my eye. Second: several members of my family use the wishlist for holiday and birthday gift ideas, so it's handy for them to have one place to look. Third (and most recently): I liked the idea of providing my Secret Santa with a wide variety of gift ideas. Not only does that make it more fun, but in case some items are not immediately available to ship, the Secret Santa can browse for other items that ARE.
If you're shaking your heads with bemusement that someone could write such a rambling commentary on the whole Secret Santa thing, I encourage you to read Shari's blog entry on the topic! ;) You'll see that she and I have more in common than just our first name!
And now, I leave you with a final thought, snipped from the almost-end of the email I got this morning at 8:05:25 GMT from the Secret Santa elves. It sounds like some cheezy, frilly thing I might have written myself, but I assure you, I did not! (LOL)
LOVE AND RAINBOWS AND PUPPIES!
Don't forget, Santa will have worked the hat-o-matic
for you as well! And someone out there is going to
buy you a present! Then everyone will get a present!
Everyone will be happy!
Today I am feeling  giddy and festive! |
| posted by ScaryShari @ 9:35 PM |
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| Saturday, December 10, 2005 |
| And BINGO is our Name-O! ;) |
Funny how childhood songs like "BINGO Was His Name-O" are so fun when we're kids and seem so inane when we're adults. "There was a farmer had a dog" -- what kind of weird grammar is that for kids? *chuckle* Then again, I still feel the urge to clap my hands when I hear this funny, catchy tune, so I guess there's something to be said for it after all.
Anyway, I've been waiting all day to blog about last night (Friday), and now after a day of sleeping in, cleaning the house, doing laundry and various other mundane tasks, I have a bit of time to blog before getting dressed and going out for dinner.
I wanted to say how HAPPY I am about the bingo game last night at my house! At 9 players (8 plus me), it was the biggest crowd since I "founded" the group this past March. I hope everyone had a fun and FESTIVE time! ;D Thank you Becky R., Becky S., Coleen, Ina, Jenny, Jo, Karrie and Lisa for a great game! And thank you Ina for helping Gladys find her voice again for calling bingo numbers. I'm glad almost everyone won something, and am especially glad Becky S. won something, as it was her first time playing with the Bingo Belles. I hope it won't be your last, Becky! :) It was the last game for Jo, who'll be moving to N. Carolina soon. Good luck, Jo!
Since I haven't posted any PHOTOS in this blog for quite a while, here are two group shots from last night's game. If you need to see a larger-sized image, click either photo to view it up-close. For those gals on the mailing list who haven't yet made it to one of our games -- come on down! ;D Look what you're missing!
One of the reasons I'm so stoked is that I got the Bingo Belles together, as a matter of necessity, this past March (even though I've never "started" a group before). As many folks already know, I played in a similar group, the Bingo Babes, for several years. Sadly, they turned into (or always were but hid it), a clique-ish, intolerant and uber-conservative bunch who, in a juvenile manner, pretended to disband in February, only to re-form without telling me and another player.
We were slightly younger than the rest, and liberal, but were always friendly and respectful, kept our opinions to ourselves and believed that everyone is capable of getting along for just 2.5 hours once a month to play a game we all enjoy, despite any differences. Apparently the others were too intolerant and exclusive for that! I found this hurtful, not to mention ironic, since the other player and myself did the least offensive things of anyone! We always brought very good bingo gifts, never took cellphone calls at the bingo table, never made the others feel on-the-spot to buy something we or a loved one was fundraising for, never bragged about our families, and never used the table as a forum to rant and rave about hot-button religious, political and/or moral topics.
Among the OTHER players were folks who brought gifts that were clearly used or several-times re-gifted and/or so undesirable you wouldn't even bring them to a white elephant exchange; who'd make/take inane, loud and very long cellular calls at the bingo table; who'd solicit everyone to buy the cookies, popcorn, cookie dough or giftwrap their kids were selling for fundraisers; brag on and on about their husbands or children to the point that we all knew it by heart; and perhaps worst of all, grind the entire fun game to a halt while they vehemently expounded upon very controversial religious, political and/or moral matters that should definitely not be discussed when you don't know the views of everyone you're ranting to. :(
A third player dropped out of the old group due to the above junk and the "eviction" of myself and the other player, and now the three of us, plus a new group of very awesome gals, have more fun as the Belles than the Babes will ever know! ;D And that's all I have to say about that! (The Bingo Belles know who these other two players are, but since my blog is public, I don't need to say their names.)
Today I am feeling very cheerful! |
| posted by ScaryShari @ 4:21 PM |
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| Welcome to my blog: 'Meandering Missive'! |
 - Name: ScaryShari
- Location: South Bay Area, California, United States
My blog here has been abandoned, sorry! But PLEASE come and visit me at http://scaryshari.livejournal.com -- I update my blog several times each week. And Live Journal is far better than Blogspot/Blogger in many ways!! :)
View my complete profile
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