680 Beautiful winter scenes

If you live in central or northern Ohio or Indiana, you've probably seen more snow this past week than you care to. Anvilcloud, a retired Canadian teacher who has been taking a Christmas break in the country, has posted some lovely winter photographs on his blog.

679 Dear Preferred Former Member

Considering the letter I sent them some years ago, I'm really surprised they want me back. It was a "record club," although I guess that is a cd club now. I'm old enough to remember vinyl. But here's what I told them:

Please discontinue my membership for the following reasons:

Your mailings are omnipresent, never-ending, stuffed with things I'm not interested in. If I'm interested in music why assume I want new checks, skin care products and Disney junk?

Your bills are confusing, hard to read, and difficult to find in the envelope.

The due date is so small and hard to find in the mailings, one needs a magnifying glass. If it is a good service/product there is no need to trick the unwary and careless into buying it.

The offers are monotonous. Although I expressed an interest in a type of music, "Christian," that is all I hear about and they all sound the same--like boy bands.

Your shipping charges are so high that after having ordered only 2 disks and 2 tapes, I owe $31.46. That is no bargain. I can do better at Kroger's.

Thank you for removing me immediately as a member of whatever it is this company is called. You may keep my free points and the free subscription bonuses--they are too expensive to cash in.

As I said, why would they want me back? Why would I rejoin? This letter is from the "Office of the President." He says he's serious about wanting me back. Wants me to test the music at his website. 100,000 sound samples. 12 CDs for the price of 1. Sure, sure. Tell me another story. And how did they find me? I've moved since I took this scam the last time.

678 An expensive vote count

The recount bill is in--$1,500,000 for the Democrats to gain 300 votes. $5,000 per vote we Ohio taxpayers have shelled out. Story here.

Captain Ed comments: “That certainly proved a productive use of Ohio's resources. The Secretary of State estimated that Ohio's taxpayers will eat about $1.5 million for the complete recount, far outpacing the $113,000 the Greens and Libertarians paid for the effort. When that money isn't available for more voting machines or a few workers get laid off because of the budget crunch, perhaps Buckeye State voters will remember that this useless bill was brought to them by the Democrats and fringe parties.”

677 Insurers to Natural Disasters--"Stop It!"

``The terrible effects spreading all around the Indian Ocean and reaching as far as the Horn of Africa are a further reminder of the global threat from natural catastrophes,'' executive board member Stefan Heyd wrote in Munich Re's annual disaster report.

"They underline our long-standing demand for prompt and rigorous measures against global climate change. After the disappointing outcome of the recent climate summit in Buenos Aires, time is running out." Reuters Story here.

2004 will be the second most expensive disaster year for insurers, second to 1995 which had the devastating Kobe earthquake.

And how about that Jan Egeland of Norway who first called the US stingy in its response and now is backtracking. I personally wouldn't give a nickel to the United Nations after the way it misused the oil for food program. Find a good church agency like Mennonite Central Committee or Lutheran World Relief that has low overhead and a small administrative staff and put your relief money there.

676 Fetus starts kindergarten?

The St. Louis Post Dispatch is still calling that baby girl Stinnet who was removed from her dead mother's womb a "fetus" two weeks after she was brutally "born." I can see the headline when five years from now this precious little one starts school. Past, present, future. A human being.

675 Christmas Surprise

Of course, gifts should be a surprise, but when you make lists and check them twice, you sort of know. However, my husband surprised me BIG with a lovely painting of my mother working in her garden, a scene that everyone in the family remembers so well. Her motto was, "I can't change the world, but I can change four acres," and her family farm property looked like a well kept park. This format is too small to see how lovely this painting is, but even though her face is hidden by the sun hat, I'd know this lady anywhere.


My Office

674 Celebrating with Baby Jesus in many shapes and sizes and nationalities

The list of nativities and creches ran to over 20 pages as we toured yesterday the 19th century home of Donna and David, friends of ours from church. Providing four viewing times on three days near Christmas, they helped us enjoy their wonderful collection with personal reflections on the history, collectibility, value and meaning of each piece and set. They ranged from 19th century Russian paintings to carved wood from the Philippines, metal from India, ceramic from Peru, and porcelain from Hallmark. From kitschy-tourist trinkets to handmade by their children, to valuable sets by known contemporary designers and craftspeople, each piece is loved and receives pride of place in windows, walls, chimney columns, corner cupboards, tables, buffets, refrigerator, and doorways. Some of the most loved and precious were those played with or selected by their daughter who died 8 years ago in an auto accident. Glancing through the cataloged list I see:

• Holy Family by Josef Ammann, wrought iron, 1998, purchased in Erfuhrt, Germany, July 2002.
  
• Nativity Figures by Kim Laurence, Christmas present for David, 1999.
  
• Papier mache and plastic, hand painted Fontinini. Italian. Gift from Donna's mother, 1974.
  
• Painting with cactus needle, Elvis Castillo, Mexico. Purchased in San Antonio, 2003.
  
• Straw Madonna Plaque, East Germany. Purchased York, England, 1989.
  
• Precious Moments, Cloth. Lil's Hallmark, 1986.
  
• Neapolitan Santons, Chalkware. Naples.
  
• Sarcophagus relief from Catacombs in Rome reproduction. Vatican Museum Shop, Rome 2003.
  
• Italian Crucifix, wood, 18th century. Colorado Springs, 1970.
  
• Miniature Pewter, Spoonbill Pewterers, Massachusetts. Purchased from Columbus Cancer Clinic Shop, 1987.
  
• Baby Jesus, redware, Ann Entis. A show of hands. 1988.
  
• Nativity plaque, enameled brass. Israel. 1987.
  
• Wire in Goose egg, Slovakia. FOTC convention, 2003.
  
• Holy Family Figurine, Christopher Radko, 2004. Curio Cabinet, 2004.
  
• Peaceable Kingdom Christmas Plate 1989, Edna Hibel. Gallery Art Center, 1991.
  
• Linen needlework, early 16th century in 19th century frame.
  
• Nativity figures, Kenyan soapstone. Imported by 10000 Villages, 2004.
  
• Peanuts Holy Family, Hallmark, 2001.
  
• Flight into Egypt, Peru, Ceramic. Augsburg, 1993.

And hundreds more. But each set and piece announced the first coming of Jesus in its own unique way. After the tour and our hosts' comments we gathered around Donna's kitchen table for wonderful homemade refreshments and memories appropriate for the season--and even the kitchen window spaces were filled with scenes of that first Christmas.

673 Christmas for new Christians

According to my FamilyTreeMaker genealogy software, we are step-relatives, but I've only seen him once--at the wedding that put us in the same database. However, I do know that this year Christmas has a whole new meaning for him and his family. And for others refreshed, renewed, or newly aware.

James Davis, Religion Editor of the Sun-Sentinel (Florida) had a unique Christmas story to share for the Christmas issue, "A Newly Found Faith," stories about new Christians and how Christmas this year was going to be different. Instead of "Giftmas" or parties until they dropped, or an occasion for huge family get-togethers, this year it was going to be about Jesus Christ.

Story tip from Terry Mattingly at GetReligion. This site is not always kind to Christians (covers all faiths), but has had good coverage of the "Christmas culture wars," even the accusations that the stories we hear amount to summer "shark attacks" news stories--i.e. overblown.

Looking forward to 2005

Karol has had a really, really bad year, and is looking forward to things getting better in 2005. She writes very movingly, particularly about her grandmother's death. Read the whole essay here.

671 Christmas--the Word

The disappearance not only of nativity scenes and wise men but even the mention of the word "Christmas" has been quite a story this year. I saw a news item about a pastor (in Atlanta?) who was telling his flock not to buy at stores unless the word "Christmas" was mentioned in the promotions. It is sort of an odd backlash for Christians, who for years have been telling each other that Christmas is way too commercialized and losing its meaning. There is an old tradition of Christians attempting to put the skids on the commercializing of the holiday.

Mark Roberts writes: "My own theological ancestors, the Reformed Puritans of Britain, attempted to get rid, not only of Christmas carols, but also of Christmas itself. They attempted to “purify” the church of both secular and Roman Catholic elements. When they were in power in Britain in the middle of the 17th century, the Puritans actually succeeded in making the celebration of Christmas illegal. No carols, no fun, no Christmas! The earliest Europeans in America, coming from English Puritan stock, did not celebrate Christmas, and in fact made a point of not doing so. In fairness to these folk, however, we should understand that the secular and pagan celebrations of Christmas were often filled with drunken excess, rather more like Mardi Gras in New Orleans than most secular Christmas celebrations today (except, perhaps, for office parties run amuck)."

Little did we know that the valiant and ever ready ACLU would help us with that problem by taking the holiday away from us! However, I saw a story in the Washington Post, "Money Is Not Enough at Christmas; Many Filipino Immigrants Ship Presents Overseas," By Phuong Ly, Washington Post Staff Writer, on Friday, December 24, 2004; Page B05, in which "Christmas" the word is in the headline, and used 5 or 6 times in the story. The writer may not chose the headline, but it could be that WaPo watches the news too. Anyway, I wrote Ly expressing my appreciation for the acknowledgement of the reason we have this celebration each December.

670 Kittens

Fatboy Slim in three and a bit minutes performed by kittens!
Via MonkeyFilter

Can't decide if I like this. Opinions?

669 Festive Christmas Salad

The family gathers here tomorrow for dinner and gifts. The table is set and most of the food is prepared. I'll pop the meat in the oven before we leave for church. I'm not using the "good" china, but rather my colorful blue and white color scheme with special Christmas plates and mugs.


Snowflake by Debbie Mumm

I'll be serving a festive red, white and green salad. In my recipe box it goes by the name, "Broccoli Salad," but its colors are so seasonal I've renamed it. I think the original (before my revisions) came from the premiere issue of Taste of Home.

1 bunch broccoli, separated into florets
1 head cauliflower, separated into florets
8 bacon strips, fried and crumbled
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 dry pint grape tomatoes
2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/3 cup sugar (I use Splenda)
2 tablespoons vinegar

In a large salad bowl, combine broccoli, cauliflower, bacon, onion, tomatoes and eggs; set aside. In another bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar; mix until smooth. Just before service, pour dressing over salad and toss. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Tips: Amounts are quite flexible. Use any amount of broccoli and cauliflower you have on hand. Doesn't seem to make much difference--same with bacon. I don't use the onion. Added a little crisp celery for some extra. I don't use that much sugar/Splenda, but doesn't seem to change flavor much. Serve in a clear glass bowl to show off the pretty colors of the season. And oh yes, I use a small red bowl of my mother's to mix the dressing--that's just an extra touch for memories.

668 Winter Wonderland

Yesterday it rained; then it snowed 6 or 8 inches; then early this morning at about 34 degrees, it started raining again; now the temperature is dropping and it is turning to snow. Icicles are dangling from the trees. I'm watching the weather channel, and the change from snow to rain runs right through our county, north to south. Going out this morning doesn't look like a good plan.

Still scoring pretty low

You are 27% geek

You are a geek liaison, which means you go both ways. You can hang out with normal people or you can hang out with geeks which means you often have geeks as friends and/or have a job where you have to mediate between geeks and normal people. This is an important role and one of which you should be proud. In fact, you can make a good deal of money as a translator. Normal: Tell our geek we need him to work this weekend. You [to Geek]: We need more than that, Scotty. You'll have to stay until you can squeeze more outta them engines! Geek [to You]: I'm givin' her all she's got, Captain, but we need more dilithium crystals! You [to Normal]: He wants to know if he gets overtime.

Take the Polygeek Quiz at Thudfactor.com

666 Library Dreaming

Yesterday I attended the Departmental Librarians Christmas luncheon at a local restaurant. I sat next to one of the assistant directors of OSUL who had been my former boss. We spent a lot of time discussing the plans for the renovation of the Main Library.



These plans had begun before I retired in 2000. They will include the relocation of the Education, Psychology, Social Work, and Human Ecology collections to Main from Sullivant Hall which my husband worked on in the 1980s (the space that now houses that library will be remodeled to house Technical Services, the Information Technology Dept., and lots of public PCs with production software in addition to library resources; the Music/Dance Library will stay),



the closing of the Main Library for several years, and the demolition of the 1970s addition to the Thompson Main Library to which I returned professionally in 1978.

It must have weighed heavily on my mind (or it was the onions in the soup), because I dreamed Pat came to my house to ask me to come back to work. Except, it wasn't Pat, it was Barb C. from our Lakeside summer community, whose Christmas card label hasn't been used because she and her husband have moved and we don't have the new address. But I told Pat-morphed-into-Barb, "No," because I was having too much fun being retired.

Then our calico cat decided it was time to be fed. (She has issues from having been homeless.) First she jumped atop the dresser and adjusted the blinds, then she returned to the bed and sat on my chest, with her tail in my face watching the bedroom door. If I move even slightly, she uses my body as a springboard to rush out of the bedroom into the bathroom where she waits to hurry me along in my morning routine.

Consequently, I never found out if Pat, the assistant director, was disappointed or relieved that I turned her down. Or was that Barb? Or Lotza Spotza?

665 A picture is worth a thousand ACLU lawyers

Two large photos in two different newspapers caught my eye today. In the Columbus Dispatch it was a photograph of a fabulous, elaborate, snow-sculptured Santa Claus in northeastern China. Originally the Anti-Christian Lawyers Unrelenting just went after the nativity scenes, now it is red and green, Santas and Christmas trees, all of which are pagan in origin. Anyway, in this regard, the non-Christian Chinese have more freedom of expression than we do.

And in the USAToday there was a photo of another non-Christian nation and peoples celebrating Christmas without the assistance of lawyers and school principals. This one was of blind Palestinian children having a Christmas party at the YMCA (which if it has parties in the USA for American children probably calls them "holiday celebrations"). The party is sponsored primarily by the Mormons, the Jews, and the Presbyterians.

664 Another baby sleep story

A few days ago I gave my advice for getting children to sleep. Here's a great story about what a little one needed and what we need, too.

663 Frivolous vote challenge thrown out in Ohio

Overlawyered has the story about the challenge to the Ohio election results.

"The Ohio Supreme Court's Chief Justice threw out a lawsuit backed by Jesse Jackson and funded by a partisan Massachusetts election monitoring group. The lawsuit claimed that Pres. Bush unfairly won Ohio due to some indescribable fraud by his supporters. . .[w]ithout listing specific evidence, the complaint alleges that 130,656 votes for Kerry and John Edwards in 36 counties were somehow switched to count for the Bush-Cheney ticket."

662 The Perkins Cat

The Ohio State University Libraries used to have a departmental library at the Perkins Observatory in Delaware, OH. For 63 years the University had an arrangement with Ohio Wesleyan to maintain the Observatory and that ended in 1998. I believe HUDL (Heads of Undergraduate and Departmental Libraries) met there shortly before the astronomy collection was disbanded and moved to Ohio State. Perkins had a library cat named CAT. CAT was in charge of rodent control and really didn't care much for visitors, according to this story. There are a number of libraries that have cats, the most famous were Baker and Taylor, two Scottish Folds named for a book distributor. When I was the veterinary librarian, I had their poster on the bulletin board. There was even a documentary made about library cats, called Puss in Books.

660 Letter to Santa

This is the most beautiful letter to Santa you'll ever read.

And here is a heart warming story by a Florida librarian.

My December 21st poem (posted last year on the 21st).