Happy Birthday, Rod Serling

RS was a fan of the Christmas spirit, despite the fact that he was Jewish. He once described himself as a Christmas present delivered unwrapped (born on Dec. 25, 1924).

It's late in the afternoon on Christmas day, and Bizarro is lying beside me taking a nap. The lasagna will come out of the oven very soon, and I believe dinner will be set shortly. It's been a good couple of days here at the Bizarro household in Cleveland, though I will feely admit that I really wanted to be with my family gathered at Pat & Beckie's last night. They passed the phone around when I called so I could briefly chat with everyone - even Owen! I went into a bit of a funk after watching "White Christmas," that being Mom's favorite Christmas movies. I perked up later on, though, and then of course was the midnight unwrapping of gifts and eating a petit meal around 1:00 am. Needless to say, I slept in today.

Yesterday we hit a couple stores, including my favorite Italian grocery this side of the North End - Alesci's. It was like heaven; I could've spent the entire day in that place. I fully intend to return tomorrow and buy some home-baked bread, and more capicola (and I didn't have to pronounce it "cappa-cola" for the guys at the meat counter!). The smells and sights really bring back a lot of sense memories from childhood.

Also had a glorious trip to Half-Priced Books with a gift card from the in-laws, and came home with a few prizes, including the director's cut of Blade Runner, and a Twilight Zone-themed collection of short stories edited by Carol Serling (RS has one story in there which I haven't read). The fluffy purchase was a tarot card set with Egyptian iconography and supposed hieroglyphs.

The days have started to meld together as they often do here, with all the sitting/lying around that goes on, so I have made a point to do yoga and journal and DO things as often as possible. It's so tempting to fall into that spaced-out state that this house seems to encourage. I'm doing my best to keep myself pulled together in that respect, if for no other reason than not to gain 5 lbs before I get home.

And speaking of which, it's time to take the lasagna out of the oven. Happy Christmas, all !

Christmas Time Is Near

This was my very first record as a child. The next one was, I believe, the soundtrack to Star Wars.

I rather identify with Alvin, especially "Let's do it again! Whaddya mean, 'over do it'?"

Tomorrow we drive to Cleveland, so yesterday and today have been filled with preparations, shopping, house cleaning (cause I despise coming home to a dirty apartment) and an attempt at detoxing before the onslaught of greasy meat, fried everything, and sugar bombs. I am going to eat small portions and avoid rice, and we're bringing our favorite Brown Cow chocolate yogurt and oatmeal. At least I can have a decent breakfast (although Bizarro will eat every scrap of the fried eggs, bacon, sausage and rice that his dad fixes for breakfast EVERY DAY). If this week-long trip doesn't give him a blocked artery, it'll be a miracle.

Then of course on the way back to New York next week, we're stopping over at our beloved Splash Lagoon. I had to pick up a pair of flip flops for the occasion, since I did away with all mine after I was told that they were hurting my ankles (after spraining them both last year). The Splash Lagoon and hotel pool will get me started on a good exercise program for the winter. I plan on using the pool where I work this break.

Soon I'll be posting my Best/Worst of 2009 (that'll be a doozey) and my Bliss List for 2010, so keep an eye out.

Meantime, I'm sending warm Christmas and New Year wishes. Yesterday was Yule, so from now on the days will get a little longer, the nights a little shorter. Here's to the coming of the Sun!

I'll Be Home For Christmas...

Just created my Pandora holiday music station - classics like Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, and of course my guy, Perry Como. There's also Dean Martin, Sinatra, Burl Ives, Johnny Mathis.

Classes are done for 2009. By this time next week I will be completely done with finals and grading. I have already started getting into the Christmas Spirit, which by the way is completely possible for a non-Christian. 'Cause guess what? We're all about the same thing: peace on Earth, good will to all. That's what it's all about, folks. This year is very special - my first Christmas without both parents, but again I keep feeling this inescapable RELIEF, as if my Mom and Dad are telling me to go ahead and enjoy myself in full, at long last. I intend to!

It'll be great to see my in-laws for the holiday, and to soak up the Cleveland holiday spirit (leg lamp, anyone?). Meantime, I've decked out our apartment in lights and some very special decorations that came from Mom's - and in the case of the "Jingle Bells" - from my childhood. The Jingle Bells is an ancient (older than me) door ornament, a huge bell-shaped affair with a music box that plays... you know. It's hanging right next to our door and I love it. I can see it and pull the string from my desk for a quick shot of Christmas Spirit any time.

I want to know your favorite Christmas songs! Leave a comment and let me know!

My Top 5 6 Christmas Songs

1. Home For the Holidays, by Perry Como
2. Jingle Bells, by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters
3. Mele Kalikimaka, by Bing Crosby
4. Happy Christmas (War Is Over), John Lennon & Yoko Ono
5. Wonderful Christmastime, Paul McCartney
6. Adeste Fideles, by Nat King Cole

Here we go...

I am really quite peeved that I've caught another virus (cold). WTF? I'm doing everything right, I'm getting acupuncture to strengthen my immune system, and STILL I get sick. I've about had it with this body. I'm ready to trade it in for a better model. Sleeker, stronger, less weepy, and with working joints.

This is the last week of classes at both colleges, so I can't be out again. It's final script reading and grammar review time, respectively, and I need to be here for this work. I just need to make it through another week (with finals) and then I'll be on break.

Ahh winter break, that wonderful time where I get to catch up on sleep and writing, in which I don't get paid for a month. There will be no Xmas presents this year. There will be no sending out 50 xmas cards, either. My immediate family gets cards, and that's it. I'd rather call the people who are far away that I think about at the holidays.

I don't know how people with kids do it. I can barely keep myself running; I couldn't imagine having to be in charge of small human beings keeping their shit together as well. Especially in this day and age.

Okay, here's my list of things I want to do/see/eat in Cleveland approximately two weeks from now (in no particular order)

+ Cleveland Museum of Art
+ Caribou Coffee (to hang out and write)
+ Alesci's Italian Grocery and Deli - Capicola and sausage! (And can I just say I'm so fucking sick of the yokel-locals around here insisting on calling it "cappa-cola." Plebes.)
+ Christmas lights downtown
+ Visit my friend Pat H., one of the teachers from my trip to China in '04. That woman can DRINK!
+ Play Scrabble with my sister-in-law, so that the Moning (Tagalog for kitteh) can sit herself in the middle of the board and mess up the tiles.
+ Make lasagna for my Filipino family.
+ Go to one of the swanky bars on 6th and sing that Cleveland tourism video song "It's the perfect place if you're a douchebag."
+ Drive around the Flats and sing that other Cleveland tourism video song "The Flats look like a Scooby Doo ghost-town."

More holiday cheer from Plan59.com

Blogger's photo uploader stopped working, so I had to wait until later to post these:


That's a chilly house they have there. I guess walls were too expensive in the '50s.


Her husband's floozy - stored in the freezer for future, um, snow balling.


I'll have what she's having...


OH NO THEY DIN'T!

Holiday Cheer...Mid-Century Modern Style!

Of course, when you're the woman of the house STUCK IN THE KITCHEN ALL DAY MAKING A HUGE-ASS CHRISTMAS DINNER, it's handy to be able to chat on the phone while you smoke a pack of cigs and nip the cooking sherry. Ahhhh the good old days.



Speaking of that pack of cigs...



Did you know that in the '50s, they played with toy trains in their underwear? By themselves? In the attic?

(All images from Plan 59.)

Stick a needle in me!

Went to my first of 6 acupuncture treatments today and got my batch of Chinese herbs. It really was a relief, to know what's going on and why and to know that something is being done.

I have to say that post-flu, I've been feeling much more centered, emotionally and mentally. It's like being down for that week and a half pushed the re-set button. I also think a lot of the introspection and EFT I did while I was down had an effect. My head feels lighter and clearer, and I don't feel quite the same heaviness that I was dragging around with me for months.

I am optimistic that the holiday season won't be as bad as I'd once feared. Tonight I had to go to the mall for an errand, and I was pleasantly surprised that the Christmas Consumer decorations and muzak didn't bother me. I've struggled with Christmas every year since my dad died in 1979, and walking through a store at the holidays quite often would leave me in tears. This time, though, something was different. I kept hearing in my head "You deserve to enjoy Christmas. We're happy, and you should be too." That thought kept running over and over, and at one point (in Yankee Candle) when my favorite of all Christmas songs came on - Home for the Holidays by Perry Como - I was singing along and smiling. There was no dark sadness or feelings of despair. I felt like at last, Mom and Dad are together and the holidays are again a time for joy, new traditions, and happy memories to be shared and made.

Didn't that just sound like a Hallmark card? But it's all true.

Progress is being made, and I have another piece of good news to share: I have 2 weeks of writing retreat in January 2010 at the same place I've gone to over the last 2-3 years. Wow, what an incredible gift! My recent meeting with a new manager has inspired me with notes and possibilities and I am soooo ready to write, revise, and create.

I'm off to drink my nasty-tasting Chinese herbs now.

Christmas

Mom is snoozing on the couch right now. We had a lovely dinner (ham, smashed potats, creamed corn, mushed up carrots for Mom's diet). Mom opened her prezzies and we watched some Christmas stuff on TV. Getting her here was quite a trial - getting her ready, getting her meds from the nurse, getting her in the car, getting her wheelchair, O2 compressor and walker in the car (along with Don in the backseat). And we'll have to do it all in reverse in a while (in the dark, no less).

My Christmas gift was having Mom here. She is weak, though. God she looks... not so great, actually. Very tired, with difficulty concentrating. She is as happy today as she's been in months, I think. If nothing else, this is the greatest gift we could have given her.

Happy Holidays!

It's the eve of Xmas Eve, which means tomorrow we're heading to Momazoo's for a couple days and I'll be incommunicado.

Have a safe, warm, peaceful holiday week, everyone.

Happy Christmas 1968

The year I was born...



(for your listening pleasure)

White Stuff

It be snowin' like a mutha. My plans with PMP for tonight have been put on hold thanks to this frakkin' snow, and she says she may be leaving town tomorrow instead of Saturday. Sucky! She'll be gone for a month or so, and that's a long time with no PMP.

I am ensconced on my futon with all my grading. Listening to the Lite Rock station - the only station that seems to play Christmas music. I have to sit through all the shitty lite rock garbage to hear the xmas tunes. And I'm still waiting for my favorite rock xmas tune: Paul McCartney's "Simply having... a wonderful Christmas time." They didn't even play the REAL John Lennon "War is Over" cut - they played some lousy remake.

Kay. Back to grading.

Some Useful Perspective

I decided not to let the past week's downturns affect me. The important thing is that I have a new teaching job for next semester, and who knows, it might turn into something more lucrative AND reliable. And if not, at least I've got something nailed for the next 6 months.

My Exec. Producer is scheming other ways to get the money from the grant committee. I'm waiting to hear from him now, and in the meantime, I'm looking at other funding sources (which I was going to do anyway, since there is still a lot of funds I'm out from the summer). And, I'm giving it to the Universe.

I only ranted for one day, so that's an improvement. There was a time in my life that that kind of news would have kept me down for a few weeks, as those who've known me a long time can attest to. So this, too, is good.

Today we're putting up the holiday tree! Salty Miss Jill and her hubby are coming over later to partake. I have rum and eggnog at the ready, and some tasty treats as well. The weather is pretty cold and snowy, as you know if you've looked at the news today, so it'll be a good night to get a fire going in the fireplace and hunker down with good friends, holiday spirit(s), and my own sweet Bizarro. I wish PMP could be here, too, but I'm sure she's having fun in The City That Never Sleeps.

I was supposed to visit Momazoo tomorrow, but the weather is supposed to get even nastier, so I will probably be sticking around here, getting some laundry, grading and other school stuff done. Probably just as well.

One more week of Out of Town University, then I can focus on winding down the other job, then it's Winter Break! Soon I will post all the plans I have for Break. Be assured that among them is some much-needed and well-deserved R&R.

Nog

Tis the season for drinking egg nog and rum. I picked up both items yesterday while I was grocery shopping. They are necessary elements to the tree trimmin' which I will be doing this weekend, hopefully with Salty Miss Jill. If PMP were around I'd have her over too, but I know she'll be in New Yawk in a swanky pair of new shooz and a pahty dress.

Only 3 days left at Out of Town University. Actually 1 day of actual class, then game-day, then wrap-up and evaluations. I found out yesterday that I am expected to hand-deliver my grades to the registrar, which has got to be the most back-assward, stone-age thing I've heard in awhile. Helllooooo there's this thing called the IN-TER-NET and you can use it to POST GRADES. Jeezus. So I made it clear that I am not driving an extra 2.5 hours the week before Christmas just to walk the grades into the registrar's office (I was told that I can't send them in via certified mail). That means that when I get my students' papers next Tuesday, I will grade them in a flurry of caffeine and up-all-night activity, and hand the papers back on Thursday, and my grades to the registrar that very day. D-U-N, DONE!

And speaking of grading, I have a crapload of that to do for my other class...

58 Shopping Days Left

Holy jumpin' Jee-ay-zuz on a pogo stick -- there're less than 2 months 'til Xmas! 58 days, 6 hours and 36 minutes, to be exact.

I have decided that I need to lose 20 lbs. No kidding, this year has not been kind to me, and this semester has been excruciating in the "is THAT my ass?" department. None of my clothes fit right. Today I tried on a pair of worn old brown cords that I love for slumming around the house on a Saturday and they were marginally almost comfortable - until I sat down. Then I thought my gut was going to implode. Yeah. Bad sign.

So, I am taking advantage of our workout room here at the BeeHive (that's my new name for our apartment complex). It's not very pretty and it often smells fugly, but there are 2 ellipticals and 2 treadmills, and a sauna. And it's free. And I have no excuse not to be in there 3 days a week for at least 30 minutes each session. I mean krist, I have an iPod arm band and everything.

I refuse to buy myself any clothes (other than workout clothes) until I've dropped at least 10 pounds. There will be no "xmas present for myself" in the area of clothing items this year, unless I have shed some thigh fat between now and Dec. 24.

And yes, we are headed to my Filipino in-laws for T'giving week, which means I really have to be on my best behavior. 'Twill be difficult with all the chips and candy and sweets and fattening food abounding at their house. 'Twill be a test of my mettle.

It's 6:20 p.m. and already dark. Poo.

At least I got some writing done today, as well as laundry and some hauskleening. Tomorrow I need to grade papers - and go to the workout room.

Christmas Photos

Gathering Speed

Yesterday Bizarro and I lay around in our pajamas all day, eating leftovers and watching sci fi like the geeks that we are. Specifically, we watched 6 episodes of "Torchwood" he'd downloaded, as well as the Doctor Who Christmas Special, and a few episodes of "Chef" (I bought him the 3-series DVD set for Christmas).

Today I did some shopping - all the 50% off shit for next year - plus a couple things I needed around the house (a cutting board and some picture frames). I think I'm going to visit some friends on Friday, so tomorrow I need to get to the office, pick up my check, and use the copier for my student loan income contingent forms. Yay. Having a hard time getting back into the swing of things. Tomorrow I really need to set aside a large block of time to do some writing.

My nose is fracking cold. It's fracking cold in this apt.

Photos coming soon, Promise. In the meantime, be sure to check out Brave Humans (see link on the sidebar).

The Day After

Another Christmas behind us. You know what? This has without doubt been the best holiday in over 20 years for me. Since dad died (when I was 11), Christmas has always been a very bitter-sweet affair. More bitter than sweet. I've gone through the motions year after year without feeling much of anything other than loss and sadness. Last year wasn't so bad, but this year was truly a time for accepting peace into my heart.

I am so grateful for everything in my life - my passions, my work, my family, friends, and of course Dharma. My health, my sense of humor, my resilience. My husband's love and warmth, his support and HIS sense of humor. My mom - having a relationship with her now that was never possible when I was younger. Having her here with us is a true blessing.

I'm planning a recap of 2006 as we wind down the year, just as I did for 2005. Also, pictures from Christmas at Momazoo's are forthcoming. Right now it's 7:36; I've been up since 5:00.

Weather outside: raining and dreary. Weather inside: warm and contented.

Cruise Control

After the heinous 2 weeks I just suffered through, I am taking it easy today. It's shitty and rainy out anyway, so what better time to sleep in, read a book and let my body and mind decompress. The only thing I may do later is some of Bizarro's laundry, since yesterday I finished all of mine, plus sheets and towels. Whew!

I keep thinking, if it's this bad with only two of us, imagine what having a youngster will do to the laundry situation. And that's JUST the laundry situation. Imagine all the other unimaginable tasks and the volume of housework that will increase tenfold. What was that about taking it easy today? Now is not the time to worry about this stuff, I'm sure.

I did all my errands yesterday, thank gods. I'm all set to bake pumpkin PAH (filling from scratch, pre-made crust) and all the other goodies for Christmas weekend at MZ's.

We'll be driving down on Christmas Eve day and staying over. There's midnight mass and then opening presents afterward, then eating sausage and angel hair spaghetti and oil at like 2 a.m. It's a family tradition - a hold over from the days when you couldn't eat anything for a certain number of hours before taking Holy Communion. So they wouldn't eat dinner, to go to Midnight Mass, and then would do all the festivities just after mass, complete with dinner at 2 a.m. Then on Christmas morning, sleep in and let the kiddies get up at the crack of dawn to play with their toys (already opened after mass).

I LOVED it when I was a kid. The grown-ups would go to midnight mass and I'd stay home and sleep (someone stayed home with me), then someone (usually my sister-in-law) would get me up when they all came home and it was Christmas! The tree was lit, Christmas music playing, and everyone was there - my parents, my brother and sister-in-law, sometimes friends of my parents, or my sister-in-law's family, and for a couple of years, my Uncle Louie. It was a wonderful party in the middle of the night - SO exciting for me as a kid. I still revert to being 9 years old when it comes to Christmas Eve. Even though mom doesn't have a proper tree any more, her apartment is decorated (by yours truly) and will be filled with love.

Funny how much I still get into Christmas, seeing as how I'm a Buddhist. But you know, Christmas doesn't have to be about a person (i.e. Jesus), even though I do recognize Jesus as a master and teacher. It's what the spirit is supposed to entail - compassion, love and the coming of the light (Solstice was of course the pagan timing chosen by the early Church on which to hold Christmas).

And with that, I will return to my lazy day. Congrats to Mr. Club and Hot Mamba, enjoying the holidays in their swanky new pad!