catching up (or a cream cheese update)

I’ve wanted to avoid the sort of post that says “sorry I haven’t been posting lately,” but well, um…It would appear that I haven’t been posting much lately. So, um…Sorry?

Things have been busy, and I find myself too tired to write the posts I’ve been meaning/wanting to write. (It has not escaped my attention that I haven’t even posted a “Themed Things” list in 3 weeks.) I mentioned a few months ago that I would be spreading myself a bit thin over the next few months, much like too little cream cheese for too big a bagel.

Well, as often happens, I enthusiastically used a lot of cream cheese up in those early weeks. But the truth is, there is still a lot of bagel to cover. I’ll be co-teaching an 4-week course starting this Tuesday, which will need a healthy amount of cream cheese. Then my group at work is planning to submit at least one abstract (hopefully two) to a conference with a deadline of January 18th, for which we have a lot of work to do, and for which I have committed quite a bit of cream cheese. There are other school- and work-related odds and ends I’ve committed to, which will require dabs and dollops here and there. Holiday travels and activities, while good, ended up taking up more cream cheese than I’d anticipated. Phoebe requires quite a lot of my available cream cheese, as always. So it would appear that blogging is the part of the bagel that has had to go with the thinnest coating of cream cheese, and at times must make do with no cream cheese at all. I’m not yet ready to give up that part of the bagel, but realistically, it may not get a decent layer of cream cheese for a few weeks yet.

There are lots of things I’d like to share, like photos from our trip and other stuff that’s been going on. I also have a few posts I’ve been planning, both of a serious and a frivolous nature.

(Speaking of things of a frivolous nature, I noticed a couple of weeks ago that due to some sort of WordPress change, suddenly a whole list of pages I’d carefully hidden away were exposed right there on my front page index, including a page that consists entirely of the word pants repeated 100 times. My stats indicated that this page was viewed 8 times before I hid the pages away again, and that other related pages were also viewed. If you are among those people who stumbled across those pages, I can only wonder what you thought of them. I mean, beyond the usual, “damn, alejna’s weird.” Or “wow, she really does love pants.”)

back home and such

We’re back home now, as promised. We pulled into our driveway at around 12:30 Sunday night. We’ve been catching up with various things, such as phone calls and emails. And sleep. I’ve been pretty wiped out, though.

Tomorrow I head into town for my first work meeting of the new year. I don’t really have time to write much, as I have things to do to prepare, and am also going to try to get a workout.

So, I offer up a couple of photos of Phoebe from our travels to illustrate some of the range of emotions she can show.

Glee:
gleeful_phoebe.jpg

Gloom:
gloomy_phoebe.jpg

oof

Here I am again. Not home, but not where I was last time. We’re now down in New York to visit John’s parents for a post-Christmas Christmas celebration. Phoebe will find herself believing that Christmas is a holiday that features no fewer than 5 present-opening sessions…

We took the red eye back to Boston Thursday night, and our eyes were appropriately red when our flight landed at 6:00 a.m. on Friday. Phoebe got some sleep in my arms, but I couldn’t get too comfortable, largely because I was often trying to keep Phoebe from kicking or poking the passenger next to me, and well, because I had a toddler on my lap in a cramped space. (I was very resentful to see that there were empty seats on the plane, but that they weren’t offered to the people traveling with a toddler-in-lap.) John got no sleep. The flight was otherwise pretty uneventful, as was our drive back home from the airport. We were immensely relieved to see that the reported snow had melted from our driveway, and that we could pull in without shoveling and chiseling at ice.

The plan was to then pack up and head right down to New York, as one of John’s sisters was visiting his parents for a few days. Since John got no sleep on the flight, we deemed it wise to delay for a bit and get some sleep before the 4-ish hour drive. John went to bed after dealing with some work, and then I thought Phoebe and I could get some rest, too. However, seeing as Phoebe had actually slept on the plane (as well as while she was carried out of the plane, while we
got our bags, and went back to the car, not to mention more sleep in the car), she was less interested in sleep, and more interested in being reunited with her toys and books.

Anyhow, I did get about 3 hours of sleep yesterday, John got a bit more than that, and we headed down in the evening. We didn’t really even repack. We just unloaded a few gifts we’d received, and loaded up a few gifts to give, and lugged down our big suitcases full of dirty clothes. At least that way we knew we’d have what we needed.

We head back home tomorrow evening.

As you might guess, things have been rather busy. Good, but busy. I have spent whole days without even opening my laptop, and have had scant actual time to myself for the past couple of weeks that didn’t involve being in a bathroom. (A shower is a glorious thing, by the way.)

Work stuff has been piling up, which I’ll need to get to soon. I see that I have several important emails to respond to, which will involve some actual thinking. An important abstract is due in just over 2 weeks. I have loads to do to prepare for the course I’ll be co-teaching in January. (I’m in denial that January technically begins in a few days.) On the exciting front, though, John got me some really sweet recording equipment for Christmas that I’ll be able to use for my research. I now have a USB pre-amp to use with my laptop that was recommended by my advisor.

I also have over 500 unread blog posts. I think I need to cut down. (But I’ll try to drop in a say “hello” over the next few days. Even if I have to take my laptop into the shower to accomplish this.)

the ornaments I made

Here are some of the ornaments I mentioned making in my last post.

These ornaments are made from hammered copper and brass, with accents of wire of various metals, and glass beads.

triangle drop 1 blue drop
garland tree squiggle tree small burst
tiered tree hollow tree flame drop
mesh burst mesh burst detail

Here are a few hammered spirals that didn’t yet make it to the finished ornament stage. But I like the way they look.

spirals in hand

Photos by John.

presents that make me feel happy

I sent some holiday gifts this year that really made me feel good.

There are some family members for whom it has become increasingly harder to come up with ideas for gifts, since we don’t see or talk to them often enough to know their tastes well. When I can, I try to choose a book or CD that I liked, thinking they can at least pass it on to someone else if they don’t like it. In other cases, when I don’t have books or music in mind, I try to keep the gifts compact or consumable so that the recipient won’t be burdened with storage of something they might not really like. (I wrote some more thoughts about gift-giving at this time last year.)

This year, I was multiply inspired by some blogs I read. First, Mad of Under the Mad Hat described and showed photos of her impressive craftiness, and asked what sorts of holiday crafts her readers were up to. I replied that I had in the past made some Christmas tree ornaments, but that my own days of craftiness were largely behind me. Then Sage of Not So Sage went and showed her own crafty endeavors.

Somewhere along the way, I started reminiscing about the things I used to make with my hands, while dreading the experience of holiday shopping. And I thought to myself, “wouldn’t it be great to spend my time and energy making gifts, rather than desperately hunting for gifts and parking spaces?”

So I decided to dig out my supplies, my brass and copper wire, my tools and my beads, and to make some ornaments. (I’ll post some photos later.) My plan was to give an ornament to these hard-to-buy-for relatives, and supplement with a donation to Heifer International, or some such.

But then my next inspiration came in the form of a post from jen of One Plus Two. In her preamble to the November Just Posts presentation, she mentioned a project described by Jess of Oh, The Joys: the rebuilding of a school library in New Orleans that had been destroyed during hurricane Katrina. There is an Amazon wishlist for this school whereby people can purchase books for this library, and have them sent directly there.

So the idea fell into my lap what I could give to those various people. I picked out books from the wishlist that I thought would be appreciated by the giftees: music books for/from the musicians in the family, a history book for/from a history buff, art books for/from the artists. And for each gift I bought, I printed up an image of the book, and wrote a little note saying “We sent your gift to New Orleans!” (And briefly describing the project.) I got on such a roll, I even bought extra gifts for/from people I already had other gifts for.

I have to tell you, as I wrapped up my hand-made ornaments, and enclosed the notes, I have never felt so good about the gifts I sent.

african-american_art.jpg ellington.jpg aunt_flossies_hats.jpg be_a_friend.jpg

here I am

Just in case anyone out there is wondering where I am, I am not where I usually am. We’re out in California to have Christmas with my mother, sister, brother-in-law and nephew. Things got pretty hectic with work and pre-travel preparations before our Wednesday departure (not to mention general burnout from having too much going on), and I didn’t even manage to get online out here till late last night. But here I am. The trip is going well so far, but things are still busy.

Also, here is a recycled picture from our last vist out here to distract you from the complete lack of content.

so_big_phoebe.jpg

I’m dreaming of a pants Christmas

Yesterday, I was most pleased to be able to share with you all a bit of holiday cheer in the form of a Christmas pants song. Which leads me to think there could be far more holiday pants songs. On top of that, this week’s Monday Mission asks for posts in the form of Christmas lists. And I thought to myself, “I should make a list.” So, here I offer you a very Merry Christmas Pants Playlist. Pull up your festive pants and enjoy!
pants_tree.png

Pants Holiday Playlist

  1. Deck the Pants
  2. Pants We Have Heard On High
  3. God Pants Ye Merry, Gentlemen
  4. Hark the Herald Angels’ Pants
  5. O Little Pants of Bethlehem
  6. I Heard The Pants On Christmas Day
  7. Jingle Pants
  8. The Little Drummer Pants
  9. O Pants, All Ye Faithful
  10. Silent Pants
  11. O Holy Pants
  12. The Twelve Pants Of Christmas
  13. Pants to the World
  14. Pants Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
  15. Ding Dong Merrily on Pants

the magic of Santa’s pants

‘Tis the season to be jolly. To deck the halls, hang the mistletoe, and face angry mobs at the mall while trying to find the right gift for Aunt Margaret that she’ll probably return or regift anyhow. But in all the hustle and the bustle of holiday preparations, let’s not forget about the important things. Like family. And friends. And pants.

I offer to you the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theater‘s memorable song, Santa’s Pants.

Thanks to raincoaster for spreading the love of pants, and the love of socks.

fresh from the oven

To cheer you up on this holiday season evening, allow me to offer you a platter of freshly baked cookies. Actually, I don’t have any cookies, but I can offer you this Themed Things list of cookie-related goodness.

Some Cookies for You

  • That’s the way the cookie crumbles: an expression suggesting the resigned acceptance that an undesired event or outcome can’t be changed.
  • “Faraway Cookies:” Sandra Boynton’s touching love song about a yearning for cookies. (Off Philadelphia Chickens):

    Oh, Chocolate Chip Cookies
    so high on the shelf
    hiding inside of the jar
    I’m not tall enough
    to reach you myself.
    So near, and yet so very far

  • Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar? A song usually sung with young kids. Usually without any actual cookies or theft thereof.
  • Cookie Monster: a blue Muppet from Sesame Street who likes to eat cookies. And other things. Also known for his battle cry of “cookies!!!!” (He also sings, which you can hear on YouTube.)

    • cookie_monster.jpg gingerbread_man.jpg

  • The Gingerbread Man¹:
    An folktale about a human-shaped cookie who comes to life and runs off, taunting those who chase him:

    Run, run, as fast as you can!
    You can’t catch me!
    I’m the Gingerbread Man!

  • Cookies for Santa: A tradition of leaving a glass of milk and a plate of cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve.
  • A quiz to let you know what kind of cookie you are, stolen out of Raincoaster’s cookie jar. It would seem that I am a fortune cookie.
  • I like to imagine improbable fortune cookie fortunes, but in case I can’t think up any of my own, there are fortune cookie generators available. This one is also one I lifted from the Raincoaster cookie jar. (She’s going to have to find a safer place to hide her cookies.³) This is the fortune I got:
    My Fortune Cookie told me:
    You will pay for your sins. If you have already paid, please disregard this message.
    Get a cookie from Miss Fortune
  • In Amy Tan’s book The Joy Luck Club, one of the characters works in a fortune cookie factory and tries to nudge a suitor to propose by carefully planting fortunes in his cookies.
  • Girl Scout Cookies. Traditionally sold by Girl Scouts. (In fact, during my brief tenure as a Girl Scout at the tender age of 10, the only Girl Scout activity available to me was selling Girl Scout cookies.) I am also reminded of this scene from The Addams Family movie (1991):

    Girl Scout: Is this made from real lemons?
    Wednesday: Yes.
    Girl Scout: I only like all-natural foods and beverages, organically grown, with no preservatives. Are you sure they’re real lemons?
    Pugsley: Yes.
    Girl Scout: I’ll tell you what. I’ll buy a cup if you buy a box of my delicious Girl Scout cookies. Do we have a deal?
    Wednesday: Are they made from real Girl Scouts?

    • chocolate_chip_cookie.pngchocolate_chip_cookie.pngchocolate_chip_cookie.png

    ¹ If you want to see some very attractive gingerbread men, Mad just posted some photos that make me want to get baking. Or at least make me want to visit someone who does some baking.²

    ² As further proof that this is the season for cookies, BipolarLawyerCook has posted not once, but twice on cookie-related topics. Cookies!!!

    ³ Except maybe for these cookies made from jellyfish. I think they’re pretty much safe wherever.