Jesus's

In connection with my last post, here is my address of the spellcheck not recognizing Jesus's as a word.

The fact is that some say you can show possession with Jesus by simply adding an apostrophe to the end (Jesus'), the issue I have with that is that there is only one Jesus. I'm not actually a believer in the power of spellcheck, I use it to catch mistakes, but I do not rely on it to catch all my mistakes. I know it doesn't catch them all and in this case it is flat out wrong.

We have options when it comes to language and spelling. That's part of what makes it all so confusing. You can show possession by adding only an apostrophe to a person's name that ends in an S. But that violates the rules. The rules say apostrophe before S if the noun is singular. You can spell cancelled with two Ls, like that, or with one, canceled. Tomatoes, potatoes, and tornadoes have an E before the S. Who decided tomatoes and potatoes need that E, but tornados doesn't.

This is turning into a random rant, but here's the final note... Who decided it is necessary to add an 's to make something plural, and how did that idea get spread around? We see it all the time and it is so very wrong. Please, don't ever do it.

36 Days

Yesterday, a lady on the radio had the audacity to suggest that we are knee deep into the Christmas season. I, of course, yelled at her, but I don't think she heard me. We are just getting started. Our toes are barely covered in Christmas-y-ness. Yet, people seem to think that December initiates Christmas wind-down mode. What is up with that? I strongly dislike the radio stations that quit playing Christmas music on December 26, and am thoroughly disgruntled when TV stations stop playing holiday movies before New Years. The season doesn't even begin until December 25.

I e-mailed our priest a couple of days ago asking about adding a short Christmas program for the Religious Education students after a Mass in December. His response gave the go ahead, but he also said, and I don't think entirely in jest, that it would actually be an Advent program. He is completely right! We are preparing for Christmas. Christmas comes when Jesus is born.

Christmas is definitely highly commercialized, and I have to admit I love all the Christmas stuff: lights, food, decorations, gift wrapping, cards, songs. But, Christmas is completely about joy. We should be joyful because our Savior was born. Huzzah! Not already tired of all the holiday parties, gift giving obligation, and family gathering.

I love celebrating the season for as long as I can.... October 10 is my Christmas-tune-listening start-date. But, our real Christmas celebrating should be concentrated on those good, old twelve days of Christmas. Which don't actually start until December 25. Boy, am I glad I still have 36 days to celebrate. I like to celebrate Jesus's birth everyday, but you get less funny looks singing "O Come Let Us Adore Him" in November than you do in April.

And another thing... I just ran a spell check and the computer is tell me that "Jesus's" is incorrect. That will have to be addresses in a later post.

MN Museum

Yesterday I visited the MN History Museum. I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. There were 6 major exhibits in all. One included a simulated grain elevator complete with many levels and tunnels. The purpose for the expedition was to explore the "Greatest Generation" exhibit featuring war experiences of the pre-baby boom generation. The exhibit did a great job of summing up life in war times.

I learned something valuable. Butter turns white after 7 years. In the MN150 exhibit the butter head of the Princess Kay of the Milky Way from the year (2003) I was a dairy princess and competed for the title was on display. It didn't look so good, I'm glad it's in the museum because I wouldn't want to eat it any more.

I will definitely have to go back soon. We road a bus sponsored by the public library. It was a great trip, but much too short. We breezed through most of the exhibits, only 3 minutes to see 100 years of history in a house, and didn't even get to look around in the gift shop.

I don't think much about history or take advantage of the information that is available to me. I need to get out more, visit more museums, and take advantage of all there is to see, do and experience.

Comments

I don't feel like my brain works as well lately as it has at other times so far in my life. I have to admit, I have always thought of myself as having reasonable intelligence. I don't think that any more. Many things have contributed to this conclusion. I had just had a bad moment--see the next paragraph.

I just now discovered that people have commented on my blog posts. The first comment came in July of 2009. I guess I'll have to check the "Comments" tab more often.

Now on to a problem: I've recently discovered that several (4 of who I am aware) people are reading this blog. I started the blogging thing to work on my creative writing and to motivate myself to so some form of journaling. Neither has happened. So, now I am trying to conceptualize what my blog content with be. I like structure and I like to meet deadlines, reach goals, etc. One thing I do not like to do is set goals. Actually, setting the goal is not the problem. Sticking to it is where I get in trouble. I only set little goals and then I don't bother achieving them because something else of a higher priority comes up. Therefore, on top of an excuse to do the simple action of writing and have some form of journal, this blog may also become a goal achieving development tool.

That sounded complicated; now my brain is tired.

Time for bed.

Praying for Power

Days like today make me thankful and make me wonder. I wonder if I could live without electricity... I'm sure I could, but I know I don't want to. Because of today's weather, rainy-wet-extremely windy!, many people are without power. My sister and I went shopping tonight only to find that one of the main stores I wanted to visit was closed due to a power outage. I just heard on the news that many homes are without power, and I just found out when I came home that I uncle and his family are without power, which wouldn't be a huge deal except that he is a dairy farmer and has been unable to do the evening milking without power to run the milker pump. This basic everyday necessity was unheard of 150 years ago, and now we are completely dependant.

Not only are we dependant on power, but we seem to have problems when our cell phones die, or our internet doesn't work.
This day and it's obstacles help to put things in perspective and remind us of just how great we've got it. I have to thank God for those little reminders.

Speaking of thanking God... I just found out tonight that Garth Brooks' song "Unanswered Prayers" is being made into a Lifetime movie. I am so excited. I've always loved the message of that song, and of course I like a good Lifetime movie.

Back to God and life's good things... we have so much technology, so many resources and so much potential right at our fingertips. I hope we all use it. I know I need to be better at taking full advantage of all of the opportunities I'm given, as well as the skills and abilities I have. If I put it all together I know I am capable of accomplishing much.

Now the only problem is--what is it that I want to accomplish?

Pirate Ship, School House, Uffda!

I have to admit, sometimes my life is pretty darn easy. Today, for example, I am subbing in a high school media center. Though I will have 3 hours of unruly, large groups of students, half of my day will be spent largely alone, checking out the occasional book and supervising a few study hall students who will wander in and out. So, what am I doing in the meantime? Decorating a school house. It's actually kind of sweet. I have a white tag board school house silhouette and I get to make it pretty. I did a pirate-ship this summer for a program at the public library (I should post a picture) and I was asked to work some magic with the school house. So far I've cut light salmon/tan colored paper into strips, for siding, and I've traces roof pieces of out of coffee sleeves (those cardboard things that go around hot cups at coffee shops). Days like this are great, I get things done, while I get paid to do other things.

I feel a little bit guilty sitting here and being paid to do very little actual work. But, I've realized something as I've had a few jobs and done some different things... in many cases, we are being compensated for our time, not just our productivity. Of course, that doesn't mean we should sit at our jobs and do nothing, but it does mean that sometimes someone just needs to be present. Time is a valuable thing, therefore, we should be compensated for giving our time.

I've also used some of this bonus time to look into teacher license renewal and think about getting a real job. Both should be goals of mine... that's as far as I got in my thoughts.

Lately, I have felt a serious push to get organized and declutter my life. I took a quiz last night in an organizing book. To my astonishment, I was only on the 2nd level of needing to get organized. I expected to be off the charts. My main issue is that I simply throw things away. I need to be better as passing things on to other people, worthy causes, or rummage sales. I think part of my problem is that I don't want to throw good stuff away, but I don't want to deal with finding a new place/home for things, therefore keep and toss become my only options.

I also need to expand my regular speaking and typing vocabulary. I know plenty of words, why don't I use them?

Monday Blessings

With my extremely flexible and varied schedule, I never know what the day may bring. I wake up with some sort of plan in mind. That plan usually involves some kind of cleaning task, organizing assignment, or reading plan... how often do those things happen?--we won't go there. Today's plan involved nothing. Now that I've started my TV fast, I find myself sitting on the couch doing nothing for periods of time. This morning I planned for that to not happen.

It didn't. I awoke to the ring of the telephone. I was asked to babysit my 9-month-old cousin. Of course I agreed, as I had nothing else going on. I've realized more and more how fast children grow and I want to spend as much time with the children in my life at every stage that I can. His mother called me ten minute later to warn me that her 4-year-old was staying home because he found out I was coming and my 9-year-old cousin was going to be at their house as well. These three turned out to be the greatest blessing the day could have provided.

I love childhood. Though I am happy to be an adult, missing college greatly as of late... there's enough there for a few posts, I love to play child's games and with toys and to simply enjoy children. They have nothing to worry about, and for a time I have the opporunity to experience that too. We played pirates, pirate language and sword-fighting included, we even gave the baby a bubble wand to use as a sword. I even enjoy the "again" parts of playing with a 4-year-old when he wanted to slide down his slide on a snow sled into the sandbox over and over. And then later when we finally got the "Mouse Trap" game board set up we made the net drop on to the mice at least 22 times. There is something soothing about repeating these activities and seeing him find joy in them everytime. We played train, making noises while pushing a laundry basket train car around the house full of stuffed animal "customers."

We even played memory. I love that Jake, the 4-year-old, is learning to use reason, logic and memory to play games. His rate of learning and retention is incredible. He got the first match of the game. It was by sheer luck, but it was a triumphant moment. We all give little kids "help" when playing games so they can succeed. Of course we helped him, but he had success in the game all on his own. I find myself trying to imagine what these children will be like as they grow. I can't wait to find out and to know them at each stage in their development.

I wonder often if I have the patience to be a mother. Can I love someone enough? Will I be any good? If what I experience and feel with my cousins is any indication of what motherhood may entail, I certainly hope I get the chance to have that experience.

I don't work tomorrow and therefore have no plan. I wonder what blessings Tuesday will hold.

Oops I did it again

Here I go, about to ramble on about how I was going to blog but didn't. Actually don't would be more accurate. I would be interested to see if there is some kind of genetic thing attached to not taking initiative and finishing things or keeping up with things. I would be interested in a medication that would fix this problem.

I am so good at starting projects... knitting, crafting, cleaning, organizing, even reading books and terrible at finishing them. There has to be something that can help with that.

Every summer I make a long list of projects to do and books to read... I usually accomplish a big fat zero of the things on the list. What the heck is my problem? Will I ever overcome it. I certainly hope so.

Are there really not enough hours in the day? No, I am just really good at wasting time. Giving up television would change my life. I am seriously thinking about a No TV month and recording my progress in life's long list of things to do.

Sleep

I'm tired. All week I have tried to go to bed early, but I don't fall asleep until almost midnight. Then when the alarm goes off at 6:30, I am mostly awake and I get up. Something is seriously wrong with this picture. Tomorrow I don't have to set an alarm, so I am going to try an experiment to see how long I can stay in bed. I would bet I'll be up by 7:50. The hardest part of making it that long is that I really want to take a nap... now!

Uh oh!

I was looking through my older blog posts... Holy horrendousness. I obviously wrote some of them when I was in a bad spot and did not proofread. For those of you who've read them, I sincerely apologize for some of the attrocious grammatical errors. It's hard to believe that all of the thoughts came from me. I've had many ups and downs in my last two years, and I didn't realize how much writing I really did about those things.

On to today...
I won a quilt! I thoroughly enjoy Bingo and not only do I get to play two Sunday's in a row(next weekend is Ham Bingo) I am already a winner. Thinking about some of the life highlights up to this point... I've come to the realization that I'm lucky. It's easy to say, and we hear it all the time, "I never win", but I can't say that. And I certainly cannot complain. I feel very lucky, for the opportunities life has given me and for the winnings I've been blessed with. Today, I won a quilt. It happens to have a deep purple backing, and I just happen to love purple right now. In February I went on a free vacation to Laughlin, Nevada--something I won after placing a bet on a Vikings game, and in college I won $300 in a drawing.

Life is good, no cause for complaints, and if you ever hear me say "I never win", slap me. Not only have I won'things', but God has granted me so many other blessings. Making a friend, getting to play an important or even minute role in someone else's happiness, those are prizes that we win from God often and don't truly appreciate. Thank you God! I appreciate them.

Commonality?

I am not an animal fan. I am not mean to them, but you could say I don't appreciate all that they have to offer.

My family has a dog. This dog isn't all bad. He is well trained: he stays away from me and knows not to cross the carpet line into my bedroom. I do get a kick out of him sometimes and have even petted him once or twice (we've had him for 3 years). I constantly remind him that we are not friends and he tends to get in my way a lot. Plus, his hair covers everything. I try not to look at the bottom of my feet when I wear black or brown socks.

What shocks me about this dog is how much he and I seem to have in common. He likes to lay around in odd positions on the floor, he loves pepperoni, and we have similar taste in craft items. Today, my sister was vacuuming around his area his bed and toys lay between a couch and loveseat that are back to back)( and found an object. She asked me if I was missing anything... when I looked at what she had, I was stunned. Toby (the dog) took my corner rounder. This object has no real use in the world other than to round the corners of pieces of paper. I love rounding corners, but the dog can't even use the thing. Last weekend, he took one of my favorite rubber stamps. Somehow, he got the rubber off the wood. The rubber was in perfect condition, the wood had some teeth marks. Perhaps he looks up to me and wants to be like me, or maybe he just likes to toy with my mind.

There seems to be very little logic behind his item choices. Shortly after we got him he chewed on a crochet hook, and tried to eat my favorite highlighter. The highlighter was a loss; I've used the crochet hook since. Then, this winter, he began playing with a ball of yarn.

I'm beginning to wonder if he's trying to get on my good side or just wants to be a crafter.

8 Months!

I haven't blogged in 8 months! That is terrible. Yet another example of the non-committal person in me. As I've said before, I should blog or journal everyday... I do nothing about this. What the heck is my problem.

Alas, I will consider this a new beginning. Well, at least until my next post (most likely 6 months from now).

My sister and I explored a new and exciting store today. Aldi, a grocery store chain, intrigued me. I heard about it on television and thought it would be interesting. That it was. Unlike most grocery stores we are used to with thousands of different products, this one has basic products and brand names we've never heard of, but the prices are great. That was the fun discovery of the day.

I continually become more and more aware of the effects maturing has on life, and how we are all so very similar. As a teacher, I've met many students. I can't wait to know some of them when they grow up. Growing up has such a profound effect on all aspects of life.

If this blogging thing is going to become a habit, I'll have to come up with a more interesting method. Perhaps a topic of the day. Tomorrow's topic will be cleaning. I made an unbelievably ambitious list of things to do. It will take me a couple of weeks, but I think I will feel better if I do everything on it.

Until then,
Chantelle