First Time Ever Friday 5

First Time Ever Friday 5 on Rev Gal Blog Pals central.

Did I need to play today because it's the last Friday Five on the Rev Gals main site rather than on their Facebook? I usually enjoy significant lasts and important firsts, so that might be. Or do I need a reason? That also could be the case. After mentioning how parents often record their kids' first of almost everything, our host 3dogmom said, "but as we get older we often just absorb 'first times' into the rhythm of our days." I'd never seriously considered that, although I know my list of four firsts for today excited me when they happened. Most likely I played today because 3dogmom asked for "...some firsts that you recall, experienced recently, or anticipate?" Anticipate totally hooked me in... yes. it did.

Four recollections:



1.
This one's my classic endlessly looping 8-track tape, so it's probably already on this blog a few times: my first solo flight as a passenger in eighth grade, to Detroit Metro/ DTW.

2.
Not far behind: first MLB baseball game ever on that visit to aunt, uncle and cousins: Detroit Tigers at the old Tiger Stadium. Don't remember who they played, but Tigers won.

Thanks to google image search for Tiger Stadium photos with legal reuse rights from 2006 and 2011.



3.
The first time I took communion in a Roman Catholic Church—the Cathedral of St Bavo in Haarlem, the Netherlands. That morning we sang a hymn to the tune of Kremser, so beloved in the USA as "We Gather Together," a special favorite in churches throughout New England. Just this noon I received HC at the local RC cathedral for the sixth time in fifteen days, countless times over the past six months.

4.
For a pair of simple yet unforgettable teen milestones, the first time my vehicle was first in line at a red light, and the first time I passed another vehicle. Unlike (probably) most people, I don't remember the first time I drove all by myself.

5.
Anticipation! is making me late, is keeping me waiting...
Because I've no idea what brand new first, or second first – in the wise experience of Christina Rasmussen's grief website – God has in store for me, or when.

back to school 5

Monica hosts today's Back 2 School Friday 5!!!

I haven't played Friday 5 in eons, but school always is fun and easy to write about, and I want to commiserate with the kids in town who started elementary, middle, and HS a couple weeks ago. Commiserate? Back in my day we didn't go back to school until after Labor Day. I also needed to play cuz I've captured a few school bus pics and needed an excuse to blog one. Or two as the case may be, since I well may edit my post and add more images later.

1. I've done an exceptional number of years of formal school that you can read all about on my academic transcripts, but favorite thing about school? I love being on campus! I enjoy and need the structure and expectations of the classroom. I love starting new notebooks. Writing papers.

2. My most memorable and most important teacher had to be Mrs. Hartley, senior year of HS. From kindergarten on, school did not interest me at all. I didn't hate it, but I sure didn't love it; it was what you did, though I did most of my homework and almost always was on the B honor roll. The idea of the required year of US History in order to get my HS diploma distressed me. I didn't know what history really was, and the way early grade teachers had presented it as tame facts, pale figures, and events not connected to any other event bored me into spending most of my class time drawing and designing. Mrs. Hartley taught us to ask why, to find reasons, to cite sources, to make conjectures... she brought history to life; she made learning alive! And the rest of my story with school is history.

3. At lunch I sat with anyone I happened to notice or sometimes someone who noticed me. Generally a time to eat quickly with little conversation and then move onto the next class or activity.

4. Favorite school supply/ies? Probably notebooks. Every late summer-early fall I bought a tall stack of 70 page, wide ruled 70 page spiral bound. Every late summer-early fall I still buy a few spiral bound notebooks and a couple of classic composition books. I also like packs of new pens, and, of course, Crayola® crayons, but my crayon supply typically is sated enough I can't justify buying more just because they're there in the store. Always a few packages of wide lined filler paper and a couple of new vinyl binders. Because of the way I think and work, these days I go through a lot of paper and notebooks, with my adult SS class prep, and use a fair amount for journaling and other life necessities, to a sufficient extent I often need to by more in the spring when none of the school stuff still is on sale.

5. "kids these days" are missing out on fresh air, free and unstructured time, being relatively free agents. They've also gained awareness of the rest of the world and of other cultures.

Friday 5: Mardi Gras Edition

3dogmom hosts today's Friday Five: Mardi Gras Edition on Rev Gal Blog Pals



Stack of Pancakes via morgueFile, "by creatives for creatives"
1. What type of Fat Tuesday celebration your church will hold next week...

Church I've mostly been attending in Current City since July isn't having anything special for Fat Tuesday. One of my churches in Former City always had a pancakes and sausage and butter (and assorted greases, fats, etc) party with an admission/attendance fee to benefit the local ecumenical multi-service center.

2. Are there other ways of acknowledging the roots of Mardi Gras that you’d like to employ (a possible title for this subject might be, “Beyond Pancakes”)? (Note: this is a trick question.)

"Beyond pancakes?" Because it's still winter, I've been indulging more often than usual in tempting, tasty foods and treats to take the sorrow-filled edge off a season where most people have at least a touch of seasonal depression, even if it doesn't meet DSM criteria.

3. Have you found ways to weave the playful nature of Carnival into the preseason observances of Lent?

I've been facilitating Sunday morning lectionary study and last Sunday I briefly recapped where we've journeyed since Advent as we anticipate upcoming T-Fig (day after tomorrow), then I reminded everyone we're getting ready for baptism and resurrection. Isaiah's "feast of fat (again!) things" is the first reading for Easter afternoon /evening! Please note current signature scripture on this blog.

4. What kind of celebratory breather would you enjoy for your own sanity before the solemnity of Lent takes hold?

"Celebratory breather" is the same answer as my #2.

5. Speaking of sanity, what works for you as a means of sustaining your spirit through the Forty Days and Triduum?

During Lent 2015 instead of attempting multiple Lenten Disciplines and doing only a couple only partly halfway, most days I followed the daily lectionary readings on PCUSA.org. It's a two-year cycle not related to the RCL, and I love that it takes us through the psalter multiple times each year.

light and love Friday 5

light, love, laughter Friday 5 on the RevGals.

Host Julie has a healing idea: "For Friday Five this week, let’s keep the light, love and laughter going with a random selection of things to make your heart sing."

1. Music: a song or orchestral piece that stirs your soul

The Beethoven Symphonies – especially #1, 2, 4, and 7 – transcend time, place, and mortality (what? The Ninth Symphony didn't make my Bests List? Nope, it didn't and never does). Lately I've been listening a lot to Kari Jobe singing...

We Are

Every secret, every shame.
Every fear, every pain.
Live inside the dark, but that's not who we are.
We are children of the day.

So wake up sleeper, lift your head.
We were meant for more than this.
Fight the shadows, conquer death.
Make the most of the time we have left.

We are the light of the world.
We are the city on a hill.
We are the light of the world.
We gotta, we gotta, we gotta let the light shine.

Songwriters: Chuck Butler, Ed Cash, James Thiele, Hillary McBride // Published by Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, Music Services, Inc.

2. Indoor Place: have you got an oasis at home that you can hide away in?


It's not in my actual current dwelling place, but one of my oases in the city is the Armand Hammer Museum. I always check in for special art exhibits, and I attend Mindfulness Meditation almost every early Thursday afternoon.

31. Outdoor Space: is it water, hills, woodland? Is it the fresh country air or the bustling city?


The Hammer Museum I mentioned in #2 is a sanctuary amidst urban bustle; for this line item it's one of the most ethereal outdoor spaces anywhere: Ramsey Canyon Preserve in Sierra Vista, southern Arizona. These views show Mount Huachuca in the background.

4. Picture: this may be a piece of art, something you created, something someone gave you.

In the interest of not continuing to search for famous artist art I legally can repost, I'l link to the liturgical art page from my design site. As my landing page tells the world,

In the beginning...a small bell chimed.
Creativity! It chimes like a small clear bell at the heart of the human spirit!

My own creativity makes my heart sing, my spirit ring.

5. Person: do you have a go to person, for when the world is crowding in?

No one specific at this time, but since I've been in this town I've met many many trustworthy, friendly, non-threatened and non-threatening people. I'll mention the fun and conversation at every Sunday post-liturgy brunch at the church I've mostly been attending; also, a couple of my current housemates are grace and peace to me.

busy busy busy... Friday 5

busy, busy, busy.... Friday 5 on RevGalBlogPals

Julie hosts and wonders:

1. What sums up Autumn – or Fall – or Spring if you’re in the southern hemisphere – in a word or a picture?

A Large Ice Blended® Pumpkin Spice "festive blend of creamy pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove" at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf sums up the season. I get mine with coffee extract and whole milk; topped with whipped cream. I love their other flavahs, too, but after discovering this gently spicy autumn-specific variety last fall in Previous City, I hardly could wait to enjoy it again. This pic is the nearest CB&TL café rather than the drink I described, but it gives you basic inspiration and current location.


2. What are you doing outside this month, that you’re not likely to do again until next year?

In this mild to temperate coastal southwestern USA climate I'm comfortable outside twelve months of the year, but I don't expect to take more than a few more walks on the beach during the rest of the months with "R" in their names. In this case, "until next year" means the month of May.

3. what preparations are you making to get ahead of the busyness?

Ahead of winter holiday seasonal busyness?

Gradually finding ways to be locally involved that also offer potential to meet new people. Printing and assembling my notebook portfolio, because despite the internet, you still need something that's actually printed to show potential print clients your print media capabilities.

For the past few years, winter holidays scarcely have existed for me, but in this new city I may challenge myself to branch out and at least check out a few of the 7,000 local and regional meetups. It looks as if the church I've mainly been attending (please note #4 on this Friday 5) may have its own annual Thanksgiving Dinner. Along with a lot of my other belongings, my recipes are in storage, but I've already found my best Pumpkin Dessert recipe online and will recreate that to take wherever I go for dinner. Christmas and New Year's Day 2016 will follow, and I haven't considered then. Yet.

4. what is changing, moving, evolving in your church life?

I'm delighted to be facilitating Sunday morning adult bible study through All Saints Day.

5. and, for fun... what do you do to stop the busy?

Paradoxically it helps me to keep a running list of everything I've done for design clients, for myself (blogging, my own designing and image editing, design site updates, journaling, housing searches), for others (bible study preparation, replies to some types of email inquiries—pro bono design counts as client work). Just as spending a couple of dollars or even a few pennies eventually adds up to a substantial amount, so do those incremental productive activities. Having done that, I can allow myself time to take a nap, a slow stroll, a drink or snack at one of the many many local restaurants and cafés without necessarily reading a book to review or sketching out future design comps at the same time.

Just be. Simply enjoy.

1st things 5

On RevGalBlogPals Julie hosts Friday 5 for the first time today with a First Things Edition. Earlier today I played Five Minute Friday, and I want Julie to get a good turnout, so here's my Friday Five.


photo of Detroit Metro Airport with legal reuse rights from Wikimedia Commons
1. Can you remember the first time you travelled a long way to meet someone special?

My clearest related memory is flying solo as a passenger to DTW (Detroit Metro) to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousins. I was 12 or 13 years old, and I've even talked about it a few times in a few blog posts.

2. Share a memory of a first visit to a new country, state or place that was unexpected or unusual.

The change of pace and general milieu as soon as I cross the international border from southern California into northern Mexico always thrills me. It's slightly less marked between Arizona and Mexico, but still fun, exciting, and adventuresome. I'll also mention that despite life in USA and Canada generally having a sense of sameness, each state and province still has its own distinct and distinctive feel and way of being who they are and how they are.

3. What is the first thing you do on waking each day? Is it always the same?

Still the same! Quickly recollecting what client design I need to do that day, checking emails and orders online, anticipating breakfast and doing breakfast! Yay!

4. Have you met up with other RevGals? Maybe at an event?

No, not yet, but I've talked on the phone with one ring member a few times, and private emailed a couple of others. Closely related, I've met in real life several friends I first got to know online.

5. Is this your first Friday Five? If not, can you remember the first time you played?

Yes, I clearly recall my very first ever Friday 5, very long ago and soon after I joined up with the RGBP blog ring. It even still resides on my blog: Christmas Music.

Thanks, Julie!

falling in love 5

falling in love Friday 5 on Rev Gal Blog Pals.

Marie hosts today and asks us, For today’s Friday Five, tell us about your favorite fall things.

1. What's your favorite fall food?

Too too many to list or even to remember all at once! I especially love the bounty of root veggies we get in the fall, but I happened to have a picture of Apple Pie from the town of Julian, the Apple Capital of California, so apple pie's my choice for today.



2. What’s your favorite item of clothing that you get to pull out in the fall?

Fave fall clothes have to be sweaters, followed closely by corduroy anything.

3. What’s your favorite fall scene in nature? (Pictures encouraged!)

We don't have a lot of foliage variations here in southern California, but I've lived in New England and in the Intermountain West, when glorious colors help take the edge off winter moving in for a duration. Based on my experiences in those there parts of the country, I've included a couple of my own takes on autumn hues.

4. What’s your favorite thing that happens in the fall? Back to school? Sports season? Something else entirely?

Despite loving summer school and attending a least a class or two whenever possible, I've always enjoyed (make that "LOVED!") back to school with its liturgy of stocking up on stacks of notebooks, papers, pens, journal books, binders, markers, crayons, and folders. Getting some new clothes in current styles and colours; a fresh haircut—sometimes a new hairstyle.

5. And finally, because surely not everyone is as in love as I am, what is your least favorite thing about fall?

As much as I've tried to imagine them as and to do what I can to help make them fertile ground for incubating ideas that will emerge during early spring, the shorter days, longer nights still bother me a lot.

head of the class friday 5

Deb hosts Friday 5+ about school and asks, It’s Back-to-School time! Are you that “A+ Student for life” or the King/Queen of Detention? RevGals want to know! We are all still learning (or re-learning) some kind of lessons!

Tell us about your learning edges in:

1. Reading: what’s in your “to-be-read” stack?

Although I love Love LOVE ideas, I'm not much of a reader, but as an Amazon Viner I was ecstatic to get The Call: The Life and Message of the Apostle Paul by Adam Hamilton to review. So far I've read only two chapters, and as usual, I love Hamilton's practical scholarship and his attention to real life applications.

2. Writing: are you blogging? Journaling?...

Blog-related: I recently went through my entire 13-year old blog to be sure all book reviews had current amazon links and a cover image; to be sure all links were live and opened in a new window/tab, which meant antiquated asp and php pages had died, and some of them didn't have an automatic redirect to their current page or site. Because this is the 2nd decade of this century I made sure all images were large rather than thumbnails, because you know everyone has broadband.

What am I writing? Blogs: I've been doing Kate Montaung's Five Minute Fridays; I've been paper journaling some at the coffee shop, snack shop, and sandwich shop.

3. ‘Rithmetic: Family budget? Church budget? National debt?

Trying to keep afloat and also deal with the fact I still get a monthly paper bill / invoice / statement from the last entity my mortgage note went to, in spite of wisely and necessarily having gone through foreclosure during November 2013. My style with this one is also known as Head In The Sand. Between the County, HOA, and mortgage, I owe an amount close to the National Debt. My financial adviser, friend and former neighbor's Dad who's a title expert, told me that entity had "no legal authority to foreclose."

4. Music: favorite new hymn or worship band?

Still listening to a lot of Mary Chapin Carpenter! Since migrating up this way a couple months ago, both churches I've attended – PCUSA and ELCA – have exceptionally excellent, though very traditional music and liturgy. I want a bit of rocking praise, some music with a bit of edgy excitement and style, I'm also on the American Guild of Organists supply keyboard list. The placement guy added me very quickly and I've received several friendly, welcoming emails from him and the chapter dean! Very different from experience in Former City. Getting some Sunday, Saturday evening gigs may lead to meeting some fun people and learning interesting music.

5. Detention: uh huh... If you were supposed to report for detention today, what would be the note on the slip?

Talking, socializing in class.

PS
Student for life here; I love being on campus, and as greedy as I am about learning, I'm not crazy about more formal virtual school. I took an online class in Cascading Style Sheets a few springs ago, so I know. However, we had mandatory chat once a week, and I enjoyed those interactions, especially since I sort of knew some of the other students from real life.

BONUS: Recess!

RevGals just want to have fun! What’s your favorite way to unwind?

From summer 2008, here's my teaching edge. I LOVE teaching middle school age, so not surprisingly, I like teaching confirmation. I taught VBS during summers 2013 and 2014, but don't have pics of myself from either of those years, since I took most of the pics—and blogged some of them here. I've been enjoying walking through the Westwood neighborhood, and I'm looking forward to moving to the very exciting, noisy, colorful section of Korea Town, K-Town – next week. I've been grazing through the close to 9,000 local meetups, and hope to take in a few fun ones, and maybe a couple related to writing or art.

Friday 5: taking stock

For Friday 5 today, 3dogmom hosts with an opportunity to take stock. She reminds us, "We're midway through summer (for us northern gals and pals), a good time to pause for a moment to take a breath before the force of autumn's gravity takes hold too fiercely, and pulls us into its grasp of programming and schedules and commitments."

1. What is one thing bringing you joy today?

I'm enjoying the (literal) Group (Mount Everest curriculum) group (Vacation Bible School) texts from the church in Previous City. I moved 120 miles north about a month ago, and the Children's Ministry Director defaulted everyone from last year into the group. I could unsubscribe, but these texts are too fun!

2. What is a disappointment you are experiencing today?

Another very mild case of what might have happened if I'd spoken up for myself more often, actually dared talk about myself! I so understand I hesitate to do so because of all the too many people whose only topic of conversation (conversation? make that monologue) is themselves, but people know only what they sensibly can perceive. I try hard to be a class act, and I believe saying more about myself would enhance rather than detract.

3. When you think about the past six months, when did your soul feel most awake?

Lots of times, but I'll mention the Triduum liturgy of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Resurrection.

4. When did you experience a sorrow or regret?

In addition to my response to #2, I wish that somehow I could have stayed linked up, linked in, or whatever it would have been with some church to a sufficient degree I could have gone on the ELCA's recent youth gathering to Detroit. Detroit is my dream city. In 7th or 8th grade I took my first solo flight to Detroit Metro (as a passenger: no desire to pilot any type of plane); experienced my first MLB game in the old Tiger Stadium. I prepared intentionally every single step of the way to do inner city ministry, and wonder if Detroit's in my future?

5. For what is your soul most longing?

For that elusive community of recognition, embrace, and participation; for meaning and purpose. Hey, this is not a hunter-gather society!

Bonus: is there a word or image that succinctly summarizes how you find your soul today?

I'll take this scene from yesterday afternoon of my current around the corner because I'm happy to be here and hoping for a real future—replete with meaning and purpose. Another pic from the group is my current blog background.

hither & yon friday 5

Today on RevGalBlogPals, 3dogmom hosts a Friday 5 because, "After traveling through 13 states to arrive at 6 distinct destinations over the last five weeks, I am road-weary, and ready to be home for a good, long stretch. The sojourning inspires today’s Friday Five."

Share with us:

1. a favorite city, and what makes it so.

Amsterdam: all-around excitement and energy; (especially culinary) diversity; museums; music (maybe esp the Concertgebouw Orchestra in the Concertgebouw; easy access to lots of other fun cities.

2. a favorite getaway spot, far from the maddening crowd (far being a relative term).

The desert! Always the desert! Notice the name of this blog? The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a zoo, natural history museum, aquarium, and botanical garden all in one place.


3. a great local eatery that you stumbled upon while passing through from one place to another.

I don't remember its name and I've no clue if it was an eternal feature or ephemeral, but I need to tell the world about the diner in the Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg, TN, with some of the best pancakes imaginable. Fun, funky, irregular shapes, lots of butter, some kind of generic maple-flavored syrup. I also had the best vanilla soft serve ice cream imaginable during that passing-through to the next (land-locked) port of call.

4. a landscape that inspires or nourishes you.

The desert, always, the desert! Ramsey Canyon Preserve has the greatest ecodiversity possible within a given space.


5. a place you long to visit.

In whatever order someone offers them to me: Singapore – Hong Kong – New Zealand – Australia.

blooming things friday 5

For the weekly RevGals feature, Deb hosts today's blooming things Friday five; here's my chronological show of 14 blooming local specials over the past few years.

•Nasturtiums from summer 2007
•VBS 2013 tree
•VBS 2013 blooming markers and crayons;
•Balboa Park botanical building, August 2013
•Balboa Park botanical building and lily pond, august 2013
•Balboa Park botanical building and lily pond II, August 2013
•Rocks on Fay Bike Path, La Jolla, January 2014
•Unidentified sprouting green on Fay Bike Path La Jolla, January 2014
•Unidentified (by me) plant along Fay Bike Path, La Jolla, January 2014
•Fay Bike Path, La Jolla, Agave Americana/ Century Plant, January 2014
•VBS 2014 Jesus Loves You Tree
edited to correct the next three dates to the year 2015
•San Diego, CA, Lemon Tree, February 2015
•Avocado Tree in San Diego, CA, February 2015
•Blooming Fence, Tierrasanta, San Diego, March 2015

whatcha reading? friday 5

For today's whatcha reading friday 5, Mary Beth hosts and asks: What are you reading these days? Any genre, give us novels, magazines, websites, newsletters...

books:


1. By Richard Martin, Coal Wars: The Future of Energy and the Fate of the Planet

2. Walter Brueggemann, Out of Babylon—I am soooo Brueggemaniac!

3. Our next discussion document on the Faith, Order & Witness Committee will be the World Council of Church's Faith & Order Paper 214—The Church: Towards a Common Vision.

4. Let's All Be Brave: Living Life with Everything You Have by Annie F Downs

5. Oh My Goodness! publicity sent me a book I hadn't even heard of, just finished, and enjoyed very much: Jesus Swagger: Break Free from Poser Christianity! I need to post my blog and reviews soon.

websites:

I especially love houzz and Better Homes & Gardens

birthday 5

they say it's your (my?) birthday 5 on RGBP central

0) This year the moon was dark for my birthday, so resurrection's on the way.


1) Are you a cake or pie person? What type do you savor on your big day?


I love both cakes and pie when either is done well, although cake with ice cream is my preferred birthday dessert, but preferably not one of those church patio/fellowship hall standard Costco cakes. However, to make and buy a comparable size cake of high quality ingredients would take lots of skill and a lot of $$$, and very few even would care.

2) Growing up, did you have a favorite “birthday meal?” How about now?

Never had a fave birthday meal, but I still deliciously recall my 16^th birthday dinner. HS best friend Sheila's Mom made the most amazing mac 'n' cheese, so that's what I requested for my milestone birthday. What, no steak? No fancy dinner out? No, it had to be her mac 'n' cheese. For birthday dessert that year I had an scrumptious cake from a Jewish delicatessen-restaurant-bakery they knew I also liked a lot.

3) What birthday traditions or rituals from younger days have followed you into adulthood?

My main thing is still being delighted if someone or some ones remember my birthday, not disappointed if they don't. The first few years I was on Facebook I loved my Facebook birthday, but since I've pretty much quit doing profile in favor of keeping my design page alive, I hid my birth date for 2015. I also enjoyed going down the list and thanking everyone, but my total energy's scarce, sparse and needed for survival and channeling dreams.

4) What’s the most memorable gift or celebration you ever received for your birthday?

Most memorable? I really enjoyed ice cream sundae and serenade with the Monday evening bible study peeps that met at my house every week at one of the now defunct Farrell's Ice Cream emporiums quite a while ago. The guys' group that met somewhere else joined us, too! I also loved a couple years ago when pastor's family of Church On The Hill donated chancel flowers in honor of my birthday.

5) How do you like to celebrate others on their day?

Whatsoever celebration(s) they desire! I'll join them for dinner, for cake, I'll write on their wall and wish them a happy day and a wonderful year.



6) This year the moon was dark for my birthday, so resurrection's on its way. yes. it. is.

5 about winter (2015)

Today Deb hosts 5 about winter because, "It's official. If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, you are experiencing winter. SO...tell us:"


1. Winter: What do you think about it in general? Do you love it? Hate it? Or say, “meh – it’s just another season!”

It all depends! As long as I can get truly warm enough, I enjoy wearing heavier sweaters, hoodies, and lightweight jackets. I am loving the visible evidence of longer days, as well. I've lived in New England where I had major problems with winter wind chill, blizzards, snow, slush, and my inability to get warm enough too much of the time. Maybe cultural stuff, too? But I got a fantabulous education from schools in that geographical area, and also loved the summers. And I've lived in the Intermountain West, where in general it is possible to get warm in winter. Even if you're not a skier, and even if you need to shovel it, powder snow that falls lightly from heaven to earth and blankets the ground is so very different from the heavy stuff.

2. Footwear: Show us or tell us about your favorite winter shoes/boots.
Show:



...and tell: I got these at least 6+ years ago at the Kmart that became Sears Essentials for a brief time, and that now is a Korean grocery store named "Zion"—owned by a Korean presbyterian. Everyone who has been there raves about it, despite Ranch 99 being about one block away on the other side of the street. I'm correct on length of ownership because I remember wearing these chunky boots the Sunday Karen and Rebecca came into town from Vegas for a Chargers game, visited me after, and we went out to dinner at Outback. They commented how cute they were!

3. Discuss: Pedicures in winter – necessity or silly?

Necessary only until the week before Thanksgiving Day; after that they can sabbatical until Holy Week.

4. Toasty toes: Whether you knit your own or buy them, tell us what socks keep your feet toasty warm!

Hand-knit or high-end bought socks would be so cute and cool, but they tend to wear out and not enough people see them, so I usually buy regular normal socks in the normal regular store, and for cozy warmth I usually layer more than one pair under boots like the ones in my pic as well as under combat style and shorter type boots.

5. Driving me crazy: What do you wish the drivers around you would do to make travel during the winter months a little less nutty?

Not so much the drivers, but the city / county / fed / state Streets & Roads powers that be. How on earth can streets in an area with zero snow alongside the coast and in the valleys, with land that never freezes at this elevation have some of the worst potholes in existence?

BONUS: What’s the weather like out there? Share a picture so we can shiver or be jealous!

I am so due for a major change—I've been at least in burnout mode, close to breakdown for too long now, so I pushed myself to Friday 5 today and to take some shoe selfies and a few of the view out the front door. Here are two! I love the shadows!

1st random 5 of 2015

First 2nd Friday random 5 for 2015.

MaryBeth hosts today's random 5, and tells us, "In honor of Karla, the usual sponsor of this page on the second Friday, I announce it as a random Friday Five. But with a theme: NEW."

1. If you have one, what is your new resolution?

I haven't even started to imagine resolving anything again.

2. Many folks choose a new word for a year’s beginning, as Marci’s congregation does with StarWords. Do you have a word for the year?

MB linked us to Marci's page, so I asked her for a StarWord. Marci's word for me is "Grace"!!! I immediately thought of words from the very first stanza of the hymn, "Come, come, ye Saints":

Though hard to you this journey may appear,
Grace shall be as your day.
William Clayton, 1814-1879

No further commentary necessary.

3. What is your new favorite exclamation/phrase at times of joy or frustration?

It continues to be, "Oh, no! Not again!" Mostly more disappointment and frustration these days. Somehow I need to find local community. And local opportunities. Somewhere.

4. Do you have a new favorite food, or an old one you are newly enjoying?

Neither exactly new nor old, but I'm loving freshly made Summer Slaw from the grocery store. Forever I've enjoyed the creamy vinegary tang of cole slaw, and this version with tiny tomato bits and slightly different ingredients every time I buy it is my latest preoccupation. Typically it includes radishes and green bell peppers. Sometimes jicama, too. I've given up trying to figure it all out.

5. Finally, in general: what is your new favorite thing?

My new favorite things needs to be my conviction I have a future that includes service and community.

post Christmas-Eve-Day recovering 5

post-Christmas Eve-Day recovery mode 5 on RGBP central

1. What’s your "chill out" foot gear? Slippers or socks? Or Birkenstocks? (Poem not intentional)

Slipper socks with a pair of thick warm boot socks underneath.

2. A holiday treat or beverage that just makes you say “AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!”

I LOVE plain vanilla-flavored, totally unspiked egg nog. Please do not ruin it by adding any type of additional flavors, real or fake. Essentially I want a thick rich creamy milkshake with a hint of cinnamon, a sprinkle of nutmeg.

3. What sight or sound moved you during the season? (This can be good or bad.)

Although I captured her pic, I don't have permission to blog it, so I'll write about the striking image of the teenaged thurifer on Christmas Eve—esp watching her censing the assembly. How wonderful – and moving, too – that liturgical role has moved from an ancient guy to a young girl!

4. With whom did you enjoy sharing time with over the Christmas season?

I'm still in transitional housing, and my friend/colleague/landlady/housemate and her pomeranian have been out of town for two months now, so GreenEyedKittehs AlleyMalibu ("AM") and Roxy were pawsome company. I attended Christmas Eve liturgy at Church on the Hill and took a lot of pics for their website that I admin; had a yummy Christmas Day dinner with a friend and some of her family.

5. Was there someone missing from your festivities? How are you doing with that?

Yes, too much still missing. How am I doing with that and dealing with it? I actually had a pleasingly enjoyable Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and look forward to enjoying the rest of Christmas, excited as always about celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany. Continuing with the hope that Advent encourages us into, I anticipate newness and mostly positive changes all during the upcoming year 2015.

Advent of Advent 5

It's mid-November, and MaryBeth hosts an Advent of Advent Friday 5.

I invite you to sit quietly ... and consider five things about Advent. They might be images, practices, hymns, anything you like. Just let the thoughts wash over you. Be peaceful with them. Be blessed with them.

1. I'm excited as we begin a New Year of Grace we'll again be in Mark's lectionary year and start out loud, clear, brazen, and pleading with one of my favourites, Isaiah 64:1-9—"O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence!"

2. I love Michael Spyres' glorious interpretation of "Comfort, ye." As one of the commenters on the video insisted, "It is supposed to ring above the hills like a clarion," as this performance does. Truly.

3. The annual Lessons & Carols: A Festival in Word & Song to Prepare for Christmas at University of San Diego on Friday, 05 December 7:30 and Sunday, 07 December 2 pm. Two years ago I attended both days, because I had to hear Daniel Pinkham's (auto-corrected to "Pumpkin," but I caught it. Too bad?!) Christmas Cantata twice. The site hasn't yet listed this year's music.

4. A short list of fave Advent hymns includes "Prepare the Way, O Zion, "Lift up your heads, ye might gates," "Wake, Awake" (along with the many fabulous organ settings of «Wachet auf»), "Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending." All those are super-fun to lead from the organ, too.

5. Shorter days, longer nights as we anticipate Winter Solstice and get to light more candles, wear lighter, brighter – sometimes funner – clothes... Why do some people think autumn and winter signal a time to begin wearing dark somber colours?

PS Because of YT vids coming and going, I've deleted direct links, but kept the song titles so you can find your own vids.