Holiday Homonyms

We got over Cyber Monday --what a rush! --shopped without going out in the cold or out on a limb (credit cards were hidden away, fortunately.)  The offerings were incredibly generous; and I’m glad sales soared 19.4% over last year, to boost our economy.

This morning my second thought was of holiday homonyms.  Last week we happened to land on an educational TV channel conducting an English class all about homonyms.  Imagine the thrill of finding something worth watching, for a change!

(I better make this fast.)  To quote a favorite dictionary I often use:

www.whitesmoke.com (See the Free … Online Dictionary on the right.)

homonym [noun]

1. two words are homonyms if they are pronounced or spelled the same way but have different meanings

[ I believe this definition, unlike others I won’t discredit, is rightly inclusive, if clarified with "and/" like this:  ... pronounced and/or spelled the same ... ]

Before I let you go find some better ones on your own, here are a few examples my MS spellchecker failed to catch, plus one that’s spelled correctly in context:

Christmas is hear! Bee of good cheer!

Their must have been some magic ...

... and a partridge in a pare tree.

Christmas present is here to stay.

May yore daze be merry and bright, ...

... with every Christmas card I right.

Wishing you happy holidays!  Have fun with family and friends!

A few of  the innumerable lights in our park 26 Dec 2009

Rivalry is Fun

Plenty has already been said about it, including a little friendly discussion at Thanksgiving dinner.  (Yes, we all still love each other.)

Two of our oldest, wisest grandsons (brothers) revealed a little rivalry between them, and agreed to share with me a thought about THE GAME this year.  Now it’s apparent they decided not to fuel the familial fire, and opted to keep their feelings to themselves.  Like I said --very wise.

Me?  Hints: My wife & I graduated from THE University of UTAH, Dad was on the polo team at THE University, and red has been my favorite color since I was a kid.  However, I can’t even remember what year the BCS-bound Utes beat the Cougars 48 to 24;  (does anyone know?)   And I love to see the Y win lots of games, so I'm sorta neutral ... you know --disengaged.  So, I say, "May the best team win!"

( Go Utes!!  You're the BEST!!! )

The Giving Thing

OK, I wrote about THANKS, as in Thanksgiving.  Now it's the day before ...
(I can hardly wait -- the antithesis of fast food.)  But wait -- retailers are all saying it's two days before ...;  (millions can hardly wait for … you know what.)  This is all about the GIVING part, the official “start” of Christmas shopping, though we are halfway to the "deadline" already.

This year I like to think of Black Friday -- (Googled) “About 355,000,000 results (0.18 seconds)” -- as a social, fun preparation for giving, in the spirit of Christmas, as retailers give great discounts and shoppers have family & friends in mind.  However, I will not be participating.  I prefer to be “far from the madding crowd” (which my 1 follower will recognize as an allusion to Hardy’s 1874 novel by that name.)  I now consider it a spectator sport to be enjoyed from the comfort of our cozy home, as I watch CNBC news on our old “big-screen” TV.  This Friday really is critical for our national economy, so I cheer them on!

May you relax and enjoy the next two big days, “as you like it” (yes, we recall William’s play).  And be generous to my helper, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, who rightfully reminds us all of this season of giving.

Glimpse of Gratitude

“Happy New Year!” is how I started my gratitude journal at “3:45 PM 1/1/2009 [F5 key on MS Notepad] Thurs. cc252” (a place familiar to the few people who might read this.)  I had determined to “start and keep a ‘gratitude journal’ this year.”  Introducing my work of brief daily notes, “My daily gratitude is [foremost] to my Father in Heaven.”

Now as we approach Thanksgiving, I share a few notes to remind myself of daily miracles, and possibly help others see what is really happening around us, in spite of the constant “noise and clutter” of the world.

“10:57 PM 1/4/2009 Sun.  I'm especially thankful today for our daughter … on her … birthday.  [She] is spiritual, lovely, talented, caring, fun & humorous.” [and very good looking!]

“3/17/2009 6pm [flashback:] 12/22/08 10:27a "I-15 N.Ogden and north: huge snow. Big rig just slid off [doing a 180] at Willard bend!  right in front of me!  It was a miracle I wasn't hit!”

“8:28 PM 3/18/2009 Wed. I was cut off and nearly hit by careless drivers twice today, once by big SUV on way to work …, another on I-15 by a car.   Thank God for someone up there watching out for me.  And what a beautiful day it was!”

“11:23 PM 4/19/2009 Sun. [a birthday]  [My wife] and I are so grateful for our "baby" daughter!”  [a beautiful woman making extraordinary contributions to the world around her.]

“1:26 PM 5/10/2009 Sun. --Mothers Day.  Today I am most grateful for my angel mother, a shining light in my life, growing brighter each year.  I feel she is close; and although she is very involved doing the Lord's work on the other side, she's not too busy to influence my life for good.  I am also so thankful for [my wife], the wonderful mother of our five children; and for her mother, another great light in my life.”

“9:45 PM 9/23/2009 Tues.  I'm thankful for having had my job for 2-1/2 yrs, and for all the wonderful people I've been privileged to serve.”  [And a super boss!  I will be forever grateful for Arthur;  his hiring me was a miracle.]

“Sat. [after Thanksgiving Day 2009]  A family walk at GSL Shorelands Preserve [on the boardwalk] was wonderful --just what we needed.  Watched [with grandchildren] "The First Thanksgiving" animated video from Living Scriptures; grateful for the Pilgrims' sacrifices and faith.”

T.G.I.F.

Having read my “Acronym, Initialism, Abbrev.” posted on October 26, 2010, you will instantly recognize TGIF as an … (you got it!)

ini·tial·ism / noun /

"an acronym or abbreviation formed from initial letters, specif., one pronounced using the letters' names rather than phonetically (Ex.: CD, DNA, ...)" 
-- YourDictionary.com

Disclaimer:  This is not a promotion for the restaurant, where it's sure delight at the red-and-white, and you can “stretch your taste buds’ limits ...”

Since 1971, TGIF for me has been "Thank Goodness It's Forever."  That's how I feel about my young bride (a few years younger than I, anyway).

At Thanksgiving time, for many it's "Thank Goodness It's Food!"  But the key operative word is THANK, and the word Goodness was originally God, the ultimate source of goodness and life.

May this season provide food for feelings of gratitude; and Thank God It’s Family.

Answers to “Name That …”

On Saturday, November 6, 2010, I posted these 10 “examples of what you can put together yourself, according to your group’s interests.  They come from TV, radio, newspaper, magazines, and movies …”

"It's 4pm ... Do you know where your money is?" –Maria

"The Portwenn Effect"

"great music — sound ideas"

Rome temple

"When in Rome"

"Prepare for the Blessings"

The Last Great Places

"That's logistics ... a continuous link that is always in sync ..." (UPS)

The 3-D Evangelist (Jeff K.)

"We ride!" --Lucky D.; "We fight!" --Ned N.; "We love!" --Dusty B.;

(always together ... forever!)

Here are the ANSWERS, intentionally out of order, to provide a little further challenge to the reader.  Match them with the examples above.  It’s super easy, like fast food for the mind.

"... an ambitious female New Yorker who throws a magic coin into a fountain ..." --touchstone.movies.go.com/wheninrome

[This is all too easy –sorry!]  thenewlogistics.ups.com

¡Three Amigos! (1986) – “unemployed actors accept an invitation to a Mexican village ...” --imdb.com/title/tt0092086

[Our] “mission is to enrich the lives of radio listeners” -- Classical89.org

Ensign, Oct 2010, pg 41, article by Russell M. Nelson --lds.org

"DreamWorks' Jeffrey Katzenberg fires back" --Forbes.com (11/8/10 issue)

To start “the Closing Bell program on CNBC ..., anchor Maria Bartiromo always says …”  --Wikipedia

Church News 10/30/10 cover;  to be completed in 2013

“The Nature Conservancy protects Earth's most important natural places”

-- Nature.org

“Doc Martin. Season 1 : Ep. 4 …” -- Hulu.com;  “... fictional” – Wikipedia

Sing for Food

Listening to the youth choir CD, "Libera in Concert" (5/30/07 in the Netherlands), I feel moved to write.

Last Sunday, as Halloween was over, we started practicing Christmas music in our local church choir.  I was amazed how fast everyone got into the holiday spirit by singing those traditional songs.  The music helped prepare my heart for teaching that afternoon.  I felt wonder that day, at the love Jesus offers us.

This morning as we got ready for choir practice when we'd rather sleep late, I pondered on what prompted me to get into choir over a year ago.  When I was about 15 years old, my caring father started taking me to church choir practice with him, and it wasn't too bad.  Soon after, on Feb. 3, 1965, I received through a distant relative, a special admonition to share my talents.  Of course, most young people hear that from parents and others.  Maybe a reason I responded as a 15-year-old was to have use of the car when I turned 16.  It turned out to be a preparation for East High choir, which I enjoyed as a junior and senior;  (I loved performing sacred music in church meetings and on other occasions with my new friends.) 

Now I recall a big reason I joined the choir last year was food!  The director held practices in her home near ours, and always served heavenly refreshments afterward.  I confess that the food really got me going!  So take note, choir recruiters and directors:  fast food to go!  Then watch your numbers grow, especially if parents planted seeds at an early age.

Five Forever Favorites

Here I focus on five favorites I feel stuck on for life --five you won't find in my profile.  (Specifically, I thought of products in the marketplace:)

1. Chocolate (my favorite fast food!)

2. Cheddar cheese sandwich crackers (Keebler, etc.) (lunch on the go)

3. Notepad, a Microsoft Accessory (lean & fast on any PC)

4. Dockers loose-fitting, lightweight slacks (from DI and JC Penney)

5. New Balance walking shoes (sturdy, lightweight)

I could go on and on with this list, but then it wouldn't be a fast read for such trivia.

Why do I get philosophical about such mundane things?  They are not of great importance to me.  Simply put, they serve to simplify and stabilize my life.  It’s my comfort zone; (especially chocolate, which I must add to my Favorite Movies list no one looks at.)

Full disclosure:  I am not being paid by any manufacturer/producer; nor do I, or anyone in my family (that I’m aware of), own stock in said companies.  (What a comfort to get that out in the open!)

How fast can you list five of YOUR forever favorites?

Post-Halloween Post

I almost forgot:  a couple of Halloween memories are begging to be shared.

0ur new neighbors, the Jones Family (for real), clearly love Halloween, the second most favorite holiday in this country.  The front of their house was all in the holiday spirit –creative and fun.  My favorite headstone in their front-yard cemetery, next to “GONE FISHIN’”, had the epitaph, "I'LL BE BACK".  It first reminded me of a scary movie character, then more thoughtfully, of "the greatest story ever told".  I wouldn't even try to keep up with that family at Halloween --just enjoy the show.

The big hit with kids at our house was the old wooden black cat with a long dowel for a tail.  Onto the tail, Grandma stacked chocolate-striped cookies with a hole in the middle.  The grandchildren loved pulling them off more than they did eating them (as evidenced by leftovers I saw in the garbage afterward.)  One 4-year-old would have taken them all to eat as the main course if his mother hadn't restrained him.  If you ever see one of those cool cats at the DI, grab it!

Now that #2 is over, I’m thinking about MY favorite holidays, and favorite works of Christmas music.  Speaking of fast food, I may share my feelings about the rush to clean up in the middle of my Thanksgiving dinner.  It’s OK --I understand; and I guard my plate.

Name That …

Several years ago, my wife and I put on a party in our senior community; (we were the "youngsters" living there.)  The activity we created that everyone loved was "Name That Movie" (clips of old classics, of course).  The social room with a kitchen and big-screen TV was perfect for this. It was like what we did decades earlier with young couples for Valentines in East Mill Creek; (you guessed it –lots of romantic movies.)

The idea came from the old “Name That Tune”  --“a television game show that put two contestants against each other to test their knowledge of songs. Premiering in the United States on NBC Radio in 1952,  …”  --Wikipedia.

The following are examples of what you can put together yourself, according to your own group’s interests.  They come from TV, radio, newspaper, magazines, and movies –to search and learn/verify the source, or medium.   Try it with a friend and see who can guess first, before relying on the Internet, or who can search the fastest, right out of the gate.

"It's 4pm ... Do you know where your money is?" –Maria

"The Portwenn Effect"

"great music — sound ideas"

Rome temple

"When in Rome"

"Prepare for the Blessings"

The Last Great Places

"That's logistics ... a continuous link that is always in sync ..." (UPS)

The 3-D Evangelist (Jeff K.)

"We ride!" --Lucky D.; "We fight!" --Ned N.; "We love!" --Dusty B.;

(always together ... forever!)

I hope you searched and found a few.  It’s fast, and food for fun.

Do Drivers Hear / ESP?

My New Year's resolution for 2008 was, while driving, to stop commenting about other drivers on the road, like they could hear me or use ESP.  My wife encouraged the change.  Yes, I had the common habit of verbalizing negative thoughts about Utah and Idaho drivers who were obviously not as skillful, attentive, and courteous as I was (60% of the time), especially as a medical courier.  Knowing how careful I've been since Driver's Ed. at East High School (OK, not always), some behavior I see, especially on freeways, is unconscionable.  (I finally got to use that word heard every election time --just try to pronounce it!  And let's hope that most voters make/made the correct choices this day!)

My reactions in a variety of irritating situations:

"Are you out of your mind?"   "You idiot!" [Sorry about the harsh language.]   “Get off my tail!”  "I wish you would please look more carefully before changing lanes!" [jk]   “You can GO now!” [I said that a lot, trying my best to be patient.]

As you may imagine, my life after rage was mellow, even as my keen observations continued, limited to non-verbal, “deserved” criticism (including big-rig drivers, believe it or not).  Seriously --it made a big difference in my life, for which I will always be grateful.  I just wish I could see drivers getting better, kinder and gentler, instead of the opposite.

Travelog:  Our road trip to PA and NY last June (to visit our daughter and family) was delightful, especially with the more relaxed Midwestern drivers.  Maybe somehow they could hear me or use ESP.  And the Kansas Whiskey Creek baby back ribs beat any fast food we ate on the whole trip!

May you enjoy the scenery along the way.