Wednesday - November 21st

[Ammy]

Hello...anyone else up and at work already like me?

I can't wait to be done and enjoy a four day holiday!!!
My food is planned and packed for lunch, supper will be at home, so it will be PP!!

I started listening to Christmas music today...I LOVE it, but it's a bit early for me.
What do you do when you're SURROUNDED by it on the radio, in the stores, and on Yahoo music????

[Ottawa]

Up and at it.
Co-worker still not in and has done 2 tasks in 2 days.

Tonight will be Dreamfields pasta with hamburger, strips of beef, zucchini, and peppers. I'm down another pound and have a strength class at lunch.

A light touch for the day.

It's time to diet and exercise when...

...you try to do a few push ups and discover that certain body parts refuse to leave the floor.

...your children look through your wedding album and want to know who Daddy's first wife was.

...you get winded just saying the words "six-kilometre run."

...you come to the conclusion that, if God really wanted you to touch your toes each morning, He would have put them somewhere around your knees.

...you analyze your body honestly and decide what you should develop first is your sense of humour.

...you step on a talking scale and it says, "Come back when you're alone."

...to you, "Itsy-Bitsy Teenie-Weenie Yellow Polka dot Bikini" and "The Impossible Dream" become the same song.

and ...
...you accept the fact that you can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but not while you're wearing a bathing suit.

[Rhyme'n Reason]

Good morning!

We have a half day, so I'm feeling the vacation excitement! I'm so ready for days off--and we are off until next Thursday, thanks to the deer hunting fanatics around here. :D

Thanks to all for the encouragement over my weight loss this month. When you have as far to go as I do, it can just feel impossible.

That being said, I am so ready to have a great PP day tomorrow. I can't wait to enjoy the day without being stressed out over food--what I'm eating and what I'm not. I'm taking my preplanned food with me and adding turkey, and that's all. I plan to enjoy being with the family.

Randy, speaking of the weight falling off quickly...you've been doing some of that yourself, I believe. Your crock pot supper sounds wonderful.

Amy, I'm with you on the Christmas music. I love it...all of it--but it does seem a bit early. I did get my Celtic Woman Christmas CD out and put it in my car stereo this week.

Have a superb PP day (and holiday), everyone.

[hawk]

Good morning AMy RANdy and RuTh!!!:D

Glad to see you all up and at em. :D

Today is baking day for me. BE GOOD LYNN!! Ok I will...:cool:

It is a nasty rainy day!! :confused:Yuk..I need a few more things to finish my baking. I will be dashing in and out of the car...Hey..I can finially dash!:slywink: I am extreemly grateful for that. :DI'm working on it daily.

You all have a wonderful day...

I need to find a joke, just have not yet. Thanks for the smiles Randy.

[Gaelen]

Morning all...a busy day at work today, catching up because so many people took today off that I can actually get some things done!

Plans are shaping up for the continuous holiday pot luck...I am definitely making some almond muffins to take with us... :rolleyes:

Here are some thoughts to ponder for this wacky Wednesday:

How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?
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Why do you have to "put your two cents in".. but it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to?
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Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?
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Why does a round pizza come in a square box?
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What disease did cured ham actually have?
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How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?
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Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up like every two hours?
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Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?
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Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?
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Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They're going to see you naked anyway.
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Why is "bra" singular and "panties" plural?
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If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him?
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Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane ?
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If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat?
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Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!
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If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?
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If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
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Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?
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Why did you just try singing the two songs above?
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Why do they call it an asteroid when it's outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it's in your butt?
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Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?
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Happy Holidays, all.
I will be offline from sometime tomorrow afternoon until late Sunday afternoon. Have a good weekend!

[hawk]

If I blow in my dogs face...He licks my nose like crazy! He loves me.

[maxlharris]

Currently not happy about the holiday. Am trying to book my rotation out in the field, but everyone important is out of the office. Leaves me in limbo. Bad planning by me, let downs from other people, and this is where we are. Sigh.

Any rate, looking forward to Thanksgiving. Dunno why, but am looking forward to time spent with family.

[Bonnie]

I'm looking forward to the holiday, but will have to work on Friday. No Black Friday sales for me. Of course, I refuse to get up outrageously early to be at stores by 6 am anyway.

The computer center has been hopping since our regulars will not be able to use it tomorrow.

Christmas music starts tomorrow. Hubby and I have a deal, he doesn't have to listen to Christmas music until Santa arrives at Macy's but once Santa arrives I can play Christmas music constantly, if I want to.

[gitfiddle]

I am not quite ready for Christmas music yet--at least the kind on the PA systems. I have some great CD's ripped to my work computer, though. A couple of years ago on the shopping trip after Thanksgiving we were in one of those precious gift shops and I heard a song playing. I wandered up to the cashier's desk to see if I could find out what it was. She told me and pointed to a rack of CD's. I bought it immediately!

I *did* put out the few Christmassy objects I keep in my office so they'll greet me on Monday morning. They're subtle. I love the holidays, but I just can't jump into the season with both feet. Friday will be soon enough.

I've got to go to the store on my way home tonight and pick up some groceries. It's gonna be a madhouse! I also am looking for some time to print my Christmas cards. Each one has a front and a back and is hand cut. Takes a while.

Very wacky reading today! I haven't got anything handy to contribute. I wish you all a sane and happy Thanksgiving. I'm looking at the next few weeks without trepidation. Actually, January is my bad month. Leftover goodies ignored by my family usually scream at me.

[Ammy]

6am??
I have been hearing of stores opening at 4am, and now I just heard that one store is opening at 12:01am...

WHY???!!!!!!

To save $2 on something?? Or even $20??
I just don't get it!

6am is as CLOSE as I come to shopping, and that hasn't happened in the last few years. The thrill of the "saved dollar" is just not as exciting as in the past.
Buy less stuff for the adults I'm purchasing for. They don't need anything anyway!

(However, let me just say as a side note that I absolutely ADORE Christmas and love buying my family gifts, but now I buy them something I spend a lot of time thinking about and know they will use and enjoy. I don't buy them what the stores put on sale.)

[Karole]

My NEW PARROT


Recently I received a parrot as a gift.
The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse
vocabulary. Every word
out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced
with profanity.

I tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by
consistently saying
only polite words, playing soft music and anything
else I could think
of to 'clean up' the bird's vocabulary.

Finally, I was fed up and I yelled at the parrot.
The parrot yelled back.
I shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even
ruder.

So, in desperation, I threw up my hands, grabbed the
bird and put him
in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked
and kicked and
screamed.

Then suddenly there was total quiet.
Not a peep was heard for over a minute.
Fearing that I'd hurt the parrot,
I quickly opened the door to the freezer.

The parrot calmly stepped out onto my outstretched
arms and said
'I believe I may have offended you with my rude
language and actions.
I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate
transgressions and I
fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude
and unforgivable
behavior.'

I was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude.
As I was about to ask the parrot what had made such a
dramatic change
in his behavior, the bird continued, 'May I ask what
the turkey did?'



HAPPY THANKSGIVING to every one. Hope all goes as planned for us all.

[Gaelen]

LOL...and they say 'ignoring a behavior' won't resolve anything. ;)

I love Christmas. I love Thanksgiving. I love Solstice, too. ;)
However, I have a firm rule...no visible or audible examples of a holiday to come until we are done with the holiday that is next on the calendar.

I absolutely HATE when the Christmas decorations come out three weeks before Halloween. Poor Halloween, and Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving and Hannukah and Solstice--all their thunder is completely stolen by Santa appearing on October 5th! I have always disliked 'rushing' the holiday...but that got even more pronounced, for me, when I got sick. I wanted to really enjoy the present, and I felt like I was always being rushed into some future holiday instead of being happy enjoy the holiday we were actually closest to on the calendar.

Now, I decorate in mid-December, AFTER I get back from the Cleveland Classic shows. The tree goes up the week or so before Christmas. Occasional holiday music interspersed with other music is fine--but continuous Christmas carols don't do it for me. I also have some great non-traditional (bluegrass, acoustic, meditative) holiday music from local musicians and from some national artists, and I love listening to that. But it's not continuous caroling...ack!

Amy, the Black Friday thing, for me, never used to be about the wacky things they'd put on sale at 6 a.m. (and that's late--around here, it's 5 a.m.) However, I *do* pay attention to the ads that are coming out for that weekend, because there are often other very good deals which are offered all weekend long on things I need to replace for myself. And there are often coupons good all weekend at certain stores--you can never ignore a 25% off all purchases at someplace like Barnes and Noble, or Borders, or Bed Bath and Beyond--or Cabelas, REI, or EMS for that matter. ;) But a LOT of those can be done online, and now I do probably 75% of my shopping online (again, very targeted to what an individual will like/love/really need).

[Ammy]

Amy, the Black Friday thing, for me, never used to be about the wacky things they'd put on sale at 6 a.m. (and that's late--around here, it's 5 a.m.) However, I *do* pay attention to the ads that are coming out for that weekend, because there are often other very good deals which are offered all weekend long on things I need to replace for myself. And there are often coupons good all weekend at certain stores--you can never ignore a 25% off all purchases at someplace like Barnes and Noble, or Borders, or Bed Bath and Beyond--or Cabelas, REI, or EMS for that matter. ;) But a LOT of those can be done online, and now I do probably 75% of my shopping online (again, very targeted to what an individual will like/love/really need).

TOTALLY...and most of the "early bird" sales are for very few items. I can spend a bit more and get it later on...

[hawk]

Good for you Amy. The lines waiting to get into the stores. The running the pushing, the shoving. sheesh....Our outlet mal opens at midnight.

I knew what I wanted to get my two 2 yr old grandaughters by looking it up on line. The shipping was expensive and the store was near by , so yesterday I went out and there were two of what I was looking for left. I bought them, found my grandson what I knew he wants and bought it.. I have the 13 year old grandaughter to shop for. I take her birthday shopping on Dec 20(her birthday) and she buys clothes. I usually take note of what else fits and pick it up also. She is the only one I don't have finished before Thanksgiving. But she gets what she really wants.And we spend time together.

As for the adults...they don't want to exchange this year. I have one sister that is like my twin and we make really cool stuff for each other.We will never stop exchanging stuff. The others are scrooges.

My adult children ussually get something unusual that I know goes with their life style, and is really for the kids. Like a trampoline or a fooseball table. This year, I am buying them individual things that are personal.It's good to search on line and find what I want even if I do go to the store to get it. Saves steps and crowds.

Another gift idea...cookie of the month...for 12 months.

Lunch out once a month with grandma...

Movie gift certificates.

Gift cards to Barnes and Nobels.

gift cards to my daughter in laws hair dresser...

any other ideas???

[maxlharris]

In a real first, I have purchased my wife's birthday gift ahead of time and have arranged for her to have it on her actual birthday (Dec. 7th). I am usually of the type who either waits very long or if I buy early, can't help but celebrate early. DW hates that, so, delayed drop ship.

Even better news. I am, in all liklihood, going to be in Philadelphia for December, January and February, so I can come back and surprise her for her birthday. Heh heh heh.

[Ottawa]

Hawk,
I have begun a picture for my daughter as a special gift but haven't painted in years. Mondays are our "creative" nights and I have the idea down and have begun some test washes for the background but have not commited to a full size painting yet. I'm always a little nervous starting something like this and it costs several sheets getting it going right before really commit to the actual detailing and even then may make a mistake that I cannot cover up or modify with foreground.

We do name draws for the adult gifts (we each buy for one adult) and buy for each of the grandchildren. That is almost complete and we will have Christmas at our home this year with everyone coming. We hope to pop down to Peterborough for a day/night and see the extended family as well.
The meals will be low carb with bread/buns/rice for those that "need" it to "balance" how they eat. We will have some seasonal desserts and I'll lengthen my fasting window around those days to avoid any carry over into the New Year.


BTW: Does anyone know these popular Christmas songs?

1. Quadruped with crimson proboscis

2. 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. without noise

3. Miniscule hamlet in the far east

4. Ancient benevolent despot

5. Adorn the vestibule

1
2
3
4
5

[maxlharris]

BTW: Does anyone know these popular Christmas songs?

1. Quadruped with crimson proboscis

2. 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. without noise

3. Miniscule hamlet in the far east

4. Ancient benevolent despot

5. Adorn the vestibule

1- Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
2- Silent Night
3- Oh Little Town of Bethlehem (Though I'd call it the middle east)
4- Good King Wenceslas?
5- Deck the Halls

[Ottawa]

5/5 Correct!

Ready for the big money round????

Deal or No Deal? Audience?


1 Loyal buddies that are important to ourselves collect closely to ourselves again.

2 Boppin' while circling the tannenbaum...

3 O approach, y'all devoted happy and victorious...

4 Urban walkways, congested walkways, trimmed in a festive manner...

5 Ah! The atmospheric condition beyond is terrific...

6 I spied my maternal parent osculating a fat man in red

1
2
3
4
5
6

Requires 5/6 to proceed to the next round
This must be for Missy's Tupperware ;)

[LisaS]

I dislike all the advance celebrating coupled with no celebrating in the actual Christmas season. I'd much rather have nothing until Christmas, and then have all the parties and feasting confined to 12/25-01/05.

the preparation time for a feast/holiday is different than the festal time itself and to conflate the two dilutes and cheapens both. IMHO.

[Mitra]

as far as I'm concerned, the Christmas season is from 12/25 to 1/5.Well, I'd write the dates the other way round, but that's when I celebrate Christmas too. The tree generally goes up sometime around 20th Dec, and comes down on 6th Jan.

[LisaS]

Yes - it is Christmas ... not pre-Nativity/Advent. There are different things to be done in the preparatory season, different songs & carols too.

[hawk]

Hmmm. I don't know if I can be as good as Max...

1.auld lang syne?? ( stumped)
2. Rock around the Christmas tree
3. Oh Come All Ye Faithful
4.City side walks busy side walks dressed in holiday style(silver bells)
5.Oh the weather ourside is frightful..( let it snow)
6< I saw mommy kissing santa clause.

[gitfiddle]

Well, I'd write the dates the other way round, but that's when I celebrate Christmas too. The tree generally goes up sometime around 20th Dec, and comes down on 6th Jan.
Ours does too, although I'd keep it up a lot longer if I didn't have a husband. ;) What saddens me is that on the morning of the twenty-sixth, all the secular radio stations drop the Christmas music like a hot potato! To me, Christmas Day is the *start* of the season. Advent is merely the anticipation.

Randy, I'm stumped on the first song of the money round too. Throw us a bone!

[Missy]

I'd play....if there was Christmas Tupperware on the line....:cool: lol

[hawk]

MISSY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HI!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HI Carol.. I'm glad it is not just me...

[hawk]

All I can think is the Beatles song...Come together...

[Missy]

Hi Hawk! :D

sigh.....lengthing to make it POST! :cool:

[Ottawa]

Hmmm. I don't know if I can be as good as Max...

1.auld lang syne?? ( stumped)
2. Rock around the Christmas tree
3. Oh Come All Ye Faithful
4.City side walks busy side walks dressed in holiday style(silver bells)
5.Oh the weather ourside is frightful..( let it snow)
6< I saw mommy kissing santa clause.

You got all but the first one and I think Carol is pretty close as well ...

Loyal buddies that are important to ourselves collect closely to ourselves again
relates to ...
Faithful friends who are dear to us, gather near to us ...



On track today but Fitday doesn't cover the Dreamfields pasta very well and I'm not going to go to the effort of "building" a new food.

Estimated and adding 10%
IF: 20/4
Cals: 1800
Carbs: 560 - 25 = 35 ECC
Protein:140

[maxlharris]

Hunh? I thought Christmas started on November 1 and lasted until at least January 15th.

Happy middle of Christmas everybody. Or Thanksgiving as you maybe know it.

[Gaelen]

As for the adults...they don't want to exchange this year. I have one sister that is like my twin and we make really cool stuff for each other.We will never stop exchanging stuff. The others are scrooges.

Y'know, every once in awhile, that comes up in our family, too.
Somebody thinks that it would be a huge good idea to pick names at Thanksgiving and then ONLY buy one gift. They usually say that doing more is just getting too expensive, or too time consuming, or some combo of both. Well, geez. Your holiday gift list is only as big and expensive as you let it become. I simplify by getting gifts only for the people I want to gift to, and I don't send holiday cards. I wrap in the comics and decorate the packages with red and green markers. Last year, I gave gifts to about 50 people for around $200, total, including wrapping, decorating, packing materials and shipping the ones that needed to be shipped. I don't mind the time it takes to be creative--anybody can throw money at gift-giving and be successful. To me, the fun of it is in being able to find the present that will make someone smile withOUT going into debt!

I'm not all that into getting tons of gifts early--some years that happens, and other years, I'm still shopping on Christmas eve. But for me, it's not about 'exchanging' gifts. I don't give gifts to everyone (although I usually manage a house gift to every 'family' I visit...cookies, caramel and candy-dipped apples, fudge, a CD of special music...something.) And I don't expect gifts from everyone, either. It's not about the size of the pile of packages--it's about whether there was any thought put into them, IMO. ;)

I've never felt compelled to have a present for everybody under the tree every place I go. And I don't usually see all of my family in one place at the same time...there's my brother, sister-in-law, his kids (only there for a few hours), her kids (some in their own homes, so we might not see each other until New Year's), my sister and her kids (one who now lives 4 hours away with his wife, so again, limited visits), her significant other and his kids, my mom, miscellaneous friends and neighbors, girlfriends of the nephews, 6 coworkers, my boss, four or five close friends. Then I have a single brother who lives out of town and who I'll see next weekend (but not at Christmas) and a married brother who lives in the UP with his wife and the two youngest nephew/niece. And there are usually some people who've been especially good to me during the year that I like to remember at the holidays. But to me, each gift is because I *want* to give that person a gift...not because I think that they think that they're going to get one... ;)

When the kids in the UP were toddlers, I often didn't send presents at all, but waited to give gifts to my brother on one of his visits here. And some years, I have only sent a card--depends on my energy level at the time. My niece and I have a birthday within days of each other, at Thanksgiving, so I always send a gift then. We 'exchange' gifts within our work group...but it's usually practical stuff that we really enjoy (one woman gives everyone a new calendar from their favorite comic, one guy always gives Amazon gift certificates, I usually send Barnes and Nobel or Land's End gift cards tucked inside Christmas ornaments.) Last year, we added a co-worker to the group who is an Orthodox Jew, but she's celebrating holidays, too--so while I don't expect a present, I include her in the celebrations by bringing her some special baked goods from the kosher bakery in NYC that is on my brother's block--pick them up when I have my December visit to Dr. Personality and give them to her when I get back.

As for all of the local adult relatives...it's a very special satisfaction in being able to find something unique for each person that doesn't cost a whole lot but that they'd never splurge on for themselves. It can be as simple as a new travel mug that I get personalized, or special christmas ornaments, or something more complex (like the photo ornaments, which I expect will be a great hit.) And if they don't have a gift for me, well...that's not the point. It's about whether I want to give a gift to *them*, not whether anyone should feel compelled to give one to me.

That's how the whole holiday card list fiasco mushroomed out of control, I'm sure of it. ;)

One year I sent holiday cards at St. Patrick's Day. That was the last time I even tried. Now I send holiday cards, with new pictures of the dogs, to the dogs' breeders. I send a special card to my niece, and another to my nephew, who are out of town (little kids LOVE getting mail.) The nephews who are away at school get cards, because teenagers LOVE getting mail from 'home' too. And to my friends in the UK who work for the software vendor I support, I send e-cards...sort of a silly tradition we started after the first year we worked together, and we keep it up intermittently for birthdays and holidays.

Gifts should be an expression of fun and thanks and amusement...not an obligation.

[Anniesnan]

I had, finally, a great one plan day yesterday.

Despite aggravations:D

Just in time to be off today.

I'm of a mixed mind about the holidays this year and don't know exactly how I am celebrating or gifting.

[Mitra]

To me, Christmas Day is the *start* of the season. Advent is merely the anticipation.While I was out shopping this morning, I saw an Advent calendar based on the 12 days of Christmas :confused: :lol:.