In my last post I wrote a little bit about this figurine Ville gave me for Christmas back in (I think) 1988. Neither of us had much money in those days, nor were we into expensive gifts. I went to the Camarillo Pic 'n Save and found this piece for $2.89. Given our weird bond with Wolfgang and Nannerl Mozart, this seemed like the perfect gift.
Before Christmas, I went to her house in Oxnard, some 10 miles or so away, to exchange gifts with her. As we stood in her mom's living room, we handed each other our gifts and began opening them. That's when we busted up laughing. We'd gotten each other the same gift.
Her mom, who was standing there, said, "Well, I guess we all know where you two shopped!"
This little $2.89 figurine has only increased in value to me over the past 20 years; I wouldn't trade it for the most expensive gift in the world!
Pages
11.30.2008
11.29.2008
My Christmas Wish List
As I look around our home, I realize that most of my prized possessions are little things that cost next-to-nothing, or were handed down. There's the white figurine Ville bought for me at Pic 'n Save for Christmas 20-odd years ago, there's a dancing 18th century couple figurine that Joel got at a second-hand store, and there's the Buddha Micah gave me. There's a pair of hand-painted ceramic heart earrings my step-grandmother made, a silver box, a heart-shaped candle jar, a round, silk embroidered box from China, an wood inlay coaster from Spain, a table scarf from Norway, an old edition of The Lady of the Lake by Walter Scott. Not one of these things cost more than five dollars, and yet, they are the material possessions that I cherish most. So, here is my list:
- Christmas tree ornament from Hobby Lobby
- Vintage dish, vase, or pair of wine glasses from a thrift store (I LOVE thrift store stuff!)
- Old books from the used book store
- Picture frames with a meaningful photo
- Puzzles
- Cozy socks
- Coasters
- Small figurine from an antique or thrift store (did I mention that I love thrift stores?)
- Guitar picks, note pads
- Classic oldies CDs
- Sealing wax and seal
- On-sale gift books
- Table scarves
- Glass paperweights
- Candle holders
- Antique miss-matched silverware from a thrift store. Not an entire set, four teaspoons are nice.
11.28.2008
101 Christmas Gifts under $10
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- Gourmet coffee with a personal coffee cup
- A "blank book" and pen
- Teacup with a bag of tea samples
- Deck of cards and book of card game rules
- Homemade cocoa mix in a homey jar (wrap the lid with gingham and tie with a ribbon)
- Collage of special photos
- Gel pens and stationary
- Bottle of sparkling cider
- Inexpensive bottle of wine
- Home baked bread, include recipe
- Basket of deli cheese and fruit
- Holiday serving bowl or platter
- Christmas tree ornament (paint 2008 on it, something like, 2008 - Friends for 10 years!)
- Scented candles
- Decorative napkins and napkin rings
- Funny bar napkins, swizzle sticks, or shot glasses
- Fancy chocolate bars tied with a ribbon
- Gardening gloves with a plant, or flower seeds
- Hand decorated photo album
- Herbal soups tied in lace and ribbon
- Makeup tote
- Homemade cookie mix with instructions for baking
- Special coffee cup filled with candy
- Vintage dish, vase, or pair of wine glasses from a favorite thrift store
- Vintage costume jewelry from the same thrift store
- Gourmet popcorn and flavored oil
- Locally made barbecue or steak sauce with basting brush
- Pancake or waffle mix and a bottle of real maple syrup
- Old book from a used book store. Classics and poetry are especially nice.
- Board games
- Jar of pure honey with biscuit mix
- Note cards
- Picture frame with a meaningful photo
- Glass jar filled with candy
- Muffin mixes with muffin pan
- Set of dish towels and dish cloths
- Nail polish kit
- Pretty night shirt
- Basket filled with kitchen gadgets from a dollar store
- Video rental gift certificate
- Pepper mill and fresh peppercorns
- Handwritten copies of your favorite recipes
- For the pets, gourmet dog biscuits or cat treats
- Small clock or radio
- Decorated shoebox for keepsakes
- Colorful Post-It notepads
- Address book
- Puzzles
- Sewing supplies
- Favorite quote embroidered on a nice handkerchief
- Makeup brush set
- Cozy socks
- Home baked cookies and/or fudge
- Sets of special chopsticks
- Basket of Christmas cookie cutters
- Holiday guest towels
- New calendar
- Coasters
- Incense and holder
- Small figurine from an antique store
- Aromatherapy essential oils
- Emergency cell phone charger
- Silly tie for Dad, with the purpose of being silly
- Hand cream
- Massage oil
- Fleece throw
- Slippers
- For musicians: guitar picks, sheet music, note pads
- Something geeky
- Tasteful fridge magnets
- Sample box of chocolates from a chocolatier
- Classic oldies CD
- Sealing wax and seal
- Pound of roasted cashews
- Scarf
- Mittens
- Sketch book
- On-sale gift book
- Nature gifts
- Bird feeder
- Table scarf
- House plant
- Glass paperweight
- Candle holder
- Trendy costume jewelry
- Decorative padded jewelry box
- Bubble bath or bath salts
- Small pail of electrical tools and tape
- Garage dads always need note pads and shop pencils
- Gag gifts
- Golf tees
- Mustache trimming kit
- Travel sewing kit
- Money clip
- Desktop calendar
- A homemade book of "naughty" coupons
- A homemade book of coupons for a massage, foot massage, hairbrushing, etc.
- Desk supplies
- Roll of pretty fabric. Buy remnants and tie with ribbon
- Wall decor that's on sale (check places like Hobby Lobby)
- Antique miss-matched silverware from a thrift store. Not an entire set, four teaspoons are nice
Happy shopping! And remember, there's no need to trample other people in celebration of the birth of the Prince of Peace.
Black Friday, But Not What You Think
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This is twice in the space of three months that he's been so sick; not easy for a mom to handle, regardless of a kid's age. You never stop being a parent, do you? My son's autism only exacerbates whatever he comes down with, and I worry...
11.27.2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
11.25.2008
Things I've Done - a Meme
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1. Started your own blog (duh)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise (I spent New Year's Eve 1994 on a party cruise boat in New York City. Does that count?)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant (I bought a restaurant meal to give to a homeless veteran on my way home from work)
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day
101. Seen more than 5 movies in one day
102. Spent a night in jail
103. Ridden a unicycle
104. Slept on the floor
105. Passed out drunk
106. Cheated a railway company
107. Lied about my age
108. Been South of the Equator
109. Been baptized
110. Been to Japan
Let the Holidays Begin!
We almost have everyone home for Thanksgiving. Lauren came in yesterday afternoon, but Nathan won't be here. Our friend Dr. Scott will be joining us, which is great because we've been inviting him for years. Now, if only our checks would get here so that we can buy the food! It's kind of crazy-making, wondering where mine is, has it been sent, will it get here in time...
Yesterday's bout with a flu bug had me in bed, but I still put in 11 hours for a client. Don't ever think that working at home as your own boss is easy, or that it means fewer hours. There's no calling in sick, and no one to pick up the slack if you're unable to carry your own weight. Billable hours are hours out of your day. But not to complain, I'm thankful to be working at something that I really enjoy. Hell, I'm thankful to be working at all, especially right now when so many people are out of work and will be sitting down to a Thanksgiving table in their homes from which they'll be expelled as soon as the holidays are over. (Isn't it nice of Fannie Mae to give these people a temporary stay of execution... pfeh!)
Anyway, we're doing an old-fashioned Thanksgiving, the kind we remember from our childhoods. No fancy recipes by Tyler Florence, just the standard, memory-inducing fare. I miss the family of my youth for some reason this year, but I keep reminding myself that we've created the family of our children's youth, and that's pretty darned cool. It's just hard to settle in on the fact that Nettl and I are "the folks" now. In my family, "the folks" were my grandparents.
I'm amazed! You know how every Christmas I gripe about the commercials about buying diamonds? I haven't seen one of those this year. In fact, the Buy! Buy! Buy! ads are conspicuous by their absence, and it's really nice. Maybe this season of tightening the belt is what our country needs to get us back to what the holidays are really about. I have seen a couple of commercials with the ridiculous message to buy someone a car, or two. Yeah, right. Not even giving that a second's breath this year.
I'm feeling much better today! Hell, I feel good enough to put in 16 hours!
Yesterday's bout with a flu bug had me in bed, but I still put in 11 hours for a client. Don't ever think that working at home as your own boss is easy, or that it means fewer hours. There's no calling in sick, and no one to pick up the slack if you're unable to carry your own weight. Billable hours are hours out of your day. But not to complain, I'm thankful to be working at something that I really enjoy. Hell, I'm thankful to be working at all, especially right now when so many people are out of work and will be sitting down to a Thanksgiving table in their homes from which they'll be expelled as soon as the holidays are over. (Isn't it nice of Fannie Mae to give these people a temporary stay of execution... pfeh!)
Anyway, we're doing an old-fashioned Thanksgiving, the kind we remember from our childhoods. No fancy recipes by Tyler Florence, just the standard, memory-inducing fare. I miss the family of my youth for some reason this year, but I keep reminding myself that we've created the family of our children's youth, and that's pretty darned cool. It's just hard to settle in on the fact that Nettl and I are "the folks" now. In my family, "the folks" were my grandparents.
I'm amazed! You know how every Christmas I gripe about the commercials about buying diamonds? I haven't seen one of those this year. In fact, the Buy! Buy! Buy! ads are conspicuous by their absence, and it's really nice. Maybe this season of tightening the belt is what our country needs to get us back to what the holidays are really about. I have seen a couple of commercials with the ridiculous message to buy someone a car, or two. Yeah, right. Not even giving that a second's breath this year.
I'm feeling much better today! Hell, I feel good enough to put in 16 hours!
11.24.2008
Why I Love Ventura #1: Street Murals
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In the area that was torn down when the 101 freeway went in, an o-l-d area known as Tortilla Flats, other murals have been painted that include a portrait of Jerry Garcia. During the 1980s, the Grateful Dead were yearly visitors, giving weekend-long concerts at the fairgrounds. These concerts, and the people they drew, gave Ventura a certain bohemian quality that survives today.
See more pictures of Ventura's murals here...
11.23.2008
Africa, You Rascal!
Ever since I saw Disney's Third Man on the Mountain at the Saturday afternoon matinee when I was eight years old, I've been fascinated by the Matterhorn. But you know what's really cool? the top "pyramid" is actually a piece of Africa! The mountain was formed by the African and European plates stacking up together, Africa being on top. I know. I'm turning more and more into a real nerd.
11.22.2008
It Takes Time
I can be such a dough-head, and it's always the little things that reveal this side of my personality. Here I sit late at night, web surfing, futzing around online, and drinking wine. I yawn, and I yawn out loud. Not loudly, but just out loud. Then it occurs to me that I CAN yawn out loud. I mean, other people I've been with were like the bitchy lady in that "ListenUp" commercial (watch the ad here). The poor guy is sitting in bed enjoying a TV show and his wife snaps, "Would you turn that down, please!?"
Yeah, I've lived with her.
How can it take me nearly 10 years to realize that not only am I'm loved and that I can be me, but that I CAN be me? That I can freakin' yawn out loud? I think that if Nettl wanted to change me she would have started a long time ago.
When I think about it, that wasn't a yawn, it was just me exhaling.
Yeah, I've lived with her.
How can it take me nearly 10 years to realize that not only am I'm loved and that I can be me, but that I CAN be me? That I can freakin' yawn out loud? I think that if Nettl wanted to change me she would have started a long time ago.
When I think about it, that wasn't a yawn, it was just me exhaling.
Aiming For the Stars
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He taught me so much when I was a kid. He was an inventor and he had me building my first crystal radio when I was 9 years old for a science project at school. Always patient, slow, and easy-going, he was fun to learn from, and I swear he knew absolutely everything...
11.20.2008
The Armchair Circumnavigator: Île Amsterdam
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Here's the geographical stuff:
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Ships bring small groups of visitors, as well as supplies, every two months because the only access is by sea. There are a few amenities which make their existence tolerable: a gym, a running track, bicycles, and the occasional game of pétanque, a form of boules. Photography is a popular pastime, and taking long walks across the island has its rewards, particularly when encountering the indigenous wildlife. For reasons of personal safety, no one is permitted to wander off alone or without a VHF radio beyond the limits of the base, as the volcanic terrain can be hazardous. Summer tours range from €4,800 to €6,200. Yikes!
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For other nomadic souls: 37°49'33"S, 77°33'17"E
More info...
I think I'll make this a "regular" feature. It was a lot of fun!
Yellow Wind
11.19.2008
Ex Libris
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1. Fiction
2. Autobiography
3. Non-fiction
4. A fourth book of your choice from any genre
Explain why the books are essential reads in no more than 30 words per book (this part might not be so easy). So here are mine...
11.18.2008
Taking the Day Off
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Worrying, caring what people think, being the chores cop, knowing it all, playing Gandhi, putting out fires, answering my phone, handling details, multi-tasking, working it out, holding it in, sucking it up, planning ahead, solving problems, being a cheerleader, saying the right thing, being diplomatic, being Super-Everything, putting everyone else first, trying to be a saint, making the bed, remembering past failures, mentally and emotionally flogging myself, and worrying about other people's problems.
Today, I'm staying in my pajamas and taking a rest from all that. If I've learned anything at all in my life, it's that these things will always be waiting there until the next day. Sod it!
11.17.2008
Depression is Depressing
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I know why it's called a "depression". You work your ass off and there's nothing there to show for it; the money is swallowed up before it even gets a chance to draw its first breath, and juggling basic expenses is becoming a rare art form. One is not allowed a simple sense of accomplishment when the paycheck is deposited in the bank, because it's already spent...
11.15.2008
Saturday Story Time: I Was a Lady of the Canyon, Reincarnated
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Instead of putting up the earlier post and then my updates as an addendum, I'll work the new points in to make a cohesive whole. Sorry, some of you will have to read it again to get the new stuff. I promise I won't do it again. I don't like repeating myself that much...
11.12.2008
Top 10 Best Literary Insults
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11.10.2008
This is the Future
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Scarborough Fair
To be sung to the tune of "Ring Around the Rosy":
Scarborough dropped the F-Bomb! Scarborough dropped the F-Bomb!
I'm busting up. Just remember, when Olbermann, Maddow, Stewart and Colbert are making their jokes, you heard about it here first.
After profuse apologies, Joe said, "I'm not worrying about losing my job, I'm worried about going home to my wife."
(Hope you heard it too, Earl.)
Scarborough dropped the F-Bomb! Scarborough dropped the F-Bomb!
I'm busting up. Just remember, when Olbermann, Maddow, Stewart and Colbert are making their jokes, you heard about it here first.
After profuse apologies, Joe said, "I'm not worrying about losing my job, I'm worried about going home to my wife."
(Hope you heard it too, Earl.)
No More Qs!
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11.09.2008
Happy Birthday!
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He's had a tough year, with the death of both his grandfather and his father, but still, he found the courage and passion to compose, record, produce, and market his CD, Temple of Unmanifest Dreams. He constantly amazes me with his creativity, and dedication to his art...
11.08.2008
A Saturday Meme
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11.06.2008
11.05.2008
Election Night: Pictures From Our House
11.04.2008
This Says it All
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His heart beats with a fervent hope for all he feels inside.
He says that we are better than fear and hate and spite,
As he holds out hope for all of us to conquer might with right.
And he's going back to Birmingham to reclaim what he's lost,
He never minds the danger and he never counts the cost;
He carries on the torch of hope, although the flame's been tossed,
Yes, he's going back to Birmingham, the road already crossed.
Her son has never known the hate upon dark hearts ingrained,
She would not have him learn that now after all that she has gained;
A daughter of the storm's recess, her hope now swells unchained,
As she teaches him to fully live the freedom that's remained.
And she's going back to Birmingham to reclaim what she's lost,
She never minds the danger and she never counts the cost;
And she still dares to have the hope upon her heart embossed,
Yes, she's going back to Birmingham, the road already crossed.
Our voices rise in one accord, "Equality for all!"
We will not trip or stumble, we will not shun the call;
Marching on the Freedom Trail with hope that will not pall,
Believing that the path we forge will lead to peace for all.
And we're going back to Birmingham to reclaim what we've lost,
We'll never mind the danger and we'll never count the cost;
And we still dare to dream the dream whose flame will not be tossed,
Yes we're going back to Birmingham, the road already crossed.
Going Back to Birmingham © 2008 S.K. Waller
11.03.2008
Serusly...
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On Friday night, we watched The Shining. Funny, it was so scary when it came out in 1980. Now, all I noticed was the bad acting, Shelly Duvall's incongruous Texas accent (she's supposed to be from Vermont), and the terrible dialogue...
11.02.2008
Let Me Talk to You
Please note that I'm not writing this entry as I write, but as I speak. You're going to have to deal.
Although I tell you guys everything here on my blog, or pretty nearly everything, I've never shared with you what I'm about to. Blame it on the merlot, or the optimism I feel, or that I've finally passed through the end of a personal year and I've now begun my own New Year. (I was born under the sign of Libra and we've recently passed into Scorpio.)...
Although I tell you guys everything here on my blog, or pretty nearly everything, I've never shared with you what I'm about to. Blame it on the merlot, or the optimism I feel, or that I've finally passed through the end of a personal year and I've now begun my own New Year. (I was born under the sign of Libra and we've recently passed into Scorpio.)...
11.01.2008
Clocking In & Out
I never quite know what to do with myself on Saturdays. As a web designer I really love my work, and it's hard for me to put my clients' sites on the back burner when the weekend arrives. Because Nettl's home, I feel more motivated to work and less inclined to futz around on the internet.
One of the first rules of owning your own business is to create work time and off time and never the twain shall meet, but because my work is of a creative nature I have a hard time thinking of it as work. One of the pluses is that I can create a work week that suits me. I've pretty much established mine as Tuesday through Saturday. Still, because I spent over 25 years in the Cubicle Jungle, I still can't establish strict working hours. As a result, I tend to put in 12+ hour days.
I work on the system of billable hours and keep a detailed and honest time sheet for each of my clients. On it I record the date, hours to-and-from, and a detailed description of the work I do. That way, there are no surprises and everything is transparent. I work, I get paid. I don't work, I don't get paid, rounded up or down to the nearest half-hour.
Today, I'm watching The West Wing on Bravo while working on a photo gallery for a client. But first, I need some lunch, then I'll clock in.
One of the first rules of owning your own business is to create work time and off time and never the twain shall meet, but because my work is of a creative nature I have a hard time thinking of it as work. One of the pluses is that I can create a work week that suits me. I've pretty much established mine as Tuesday through Saturday. Still, because I spent over 25 years in the Cubicle Jungle, I still can't establish strict working hours. As a result, I tend to put in 12+ hour days.
I work on the system of billable hours and keep a detailed and honest time sheet for each of my clients. On it I record the date, hours to-and-from, and a detailed description of the work I do. That way, there are no surprises and everything is transparent. I work, I get paid. I don't work, I don't get paid, rounded up or down to the nearest half-hour.
Today, I'm watching The West Wing on Bravo while working on a photo gallery for a client. But first, I need some lunch, then I'll clock in.
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