lost in translation

i got a call yesterday from my new friend at AFD (alliance francaise denver). she was following up on our brain storming about the "champagne and chocolate" event planned for members in february.

"so.... remember that magnum of expensive champagne that was donated for the event? " she began... well, i thought i clearly explained to the benefactor that he should keep it climate controlled in his wine cellar until the party." he had called AFD on another matter and when AFD friend brought up the subject of the february party and expressed appreciation for his donation of the champagne was mentioned.... ( the magnum was the inspiration for and the center of the event)... he responded: "oh, i drank it."

5 parties in 4 nights

party one: industry party on wednesday night :a mini-reunion of sorts that included a high school friend and a previous denver experience(pde) connection, and a new work friend(nwf). the pde generated an invite to an ornament exchange that would have included even more pde people from the newly wed/newly bred days. last night nwf gave an invite for the party her husband was throwing for his employees, which involved "cooking with friends"/and of course the eating and fun involved in preparing a 6-course meal. party 2 and 3 were a bust because i'm fighting a rare yomama bout of flu symptoms. i guess i should include the fact that i actually had 2 party invites for last night: darlene's(party 4) - party with my people- party (in geographically impossible fort worth). but party 5 is on tonight... the eog holiday party (already this will be my 2nd year) that's a whole lotta parties. me likie.

north star no longer leads wise men to jesus

and now this story out of florida: it is expected by local officials. if you put a "baby jesus" in a manger display... it will be stolen. apparently this is a new tradition. but conscientious overseers somehow found it in their budget to fund a line item for "baby jesus's" very own GPS tracking device. and it payed off. they found the latest "baby jesus" victim in an abandoned house a few miles from the scene of the abduction. what next for "baby-j", a pied-a-terre with security and maid service?

you want me to what?

i don't like to switch lines at the grocery store. inevitably when you switch they have some computer glitch or need to check a price or some other drama that delays the deed to twice as long. i really didn't want to, but then.... the previous customer zipped through and he stood there waiting for me. we exchanged pleasantries, i gave him my store card for the discounts. he then looked me in the eye and said: "would you like to sing something today for our customers?" i stared back at him while i considered taking my pulse to see if i had temporarily lost consciousness and was hallucinating. he continued: " i asked my boss if i could ask people to do this today, he said no, but i'm doing it anyway." realizing i was indeed awake, i replied "you don't know who you're asking, i am a singer as a matter of fact and i have programmed myself to say yes to such a request, and therefore am awaiting your selection of a christmas song." he checked me out (my groceries that is) and just as i thought he had changed his mind about the whole thing, he made his selection. he dialed up the intercom on the phone, handed it to me and i verily rendered my sweetest few bars of "white christmas" to the aisles of cans, boxes, deli, produce and unsuspecting customers. i handed him the phone, he asked for a round of applause in my name. i smiled graciously, took my bows and exited with paper not plastic. clerks thanked me on the way out. what a wonderful surprise... on more levels than i can begin to count.

one last thing to add: i passed a hair salon on the way home... the business name was: curl up and dye.

Oh O! got your magazine today.

oprah, honey, it's hard being a media icon. i see that you have taken on more of your own weight, and, i suspect, some of the weight of the world too. you do so much, care so much, give so much. i really appreciate everything you stand for and have given to the public. i have learned many insightful and helpful things from you. thank you oprah. please take care of yourself because there are many great things ahead for you. now be a dear and pass the brownies.

snow

a cover-all blanket of white fluffy snow settled on the denver cityscape overnight. it quiets everything as it falls and binds together on any surface, be it land or branch, rooftop or roadway. it slows down and whitewashes outside and contrasts the warmth and activity of inside. by day it glares back at the sun and gives up its grip on solar absorbing surfaces and clings to more accommodating sites. great chunks of icy wet melting snow separate from the roof peaks. inside, i hear it sliding its weight down the slope, over the roof tiles, scraping its frosty underbelly as it bumps over the gutters and falls with dead weight onto the patio or into the gardens. each time it elicits a "what the hell?----- oh, yeah" response when i hear it. it is winter in colorado, there is snow. this is the christmas season. there are angels in our midst, and scrooges.

a response to granny

i got this email from my "politically incorrect former neighbor" who sent obama slander my way all during the election and after. this is a response to her, which i will not send, but i feel needs a response. she and those of her ilk, could not even imagine how "unchristian, unamerican and unacceptable" their words and actions are. they are the worst of what they accuse everyone else of. to all like this i proclaim the challenge: "let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

here is her email:
"MERRY CHRISTMAS...
On the way home last night, I was listening to the radio when a newscaster
called his little 91 year old granny to talk to her about the "Holidays". He
mentioned that he had noticed that Christmas has become so "politically
correct" that no mention of Christmas is made by most retailers, we now wish
people "Happy Holidays."

His granny said she missed the Old Fashioned Christmas when everyone
wished each other "Merry Christmas".

I thought about it and agree...so this year I will be making a conscious
effort to wish everyone Merry Christmas...my way of saying that I am
celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. So I'm asking my email buddies, if
you agree with me, to please do the same.

And if you'll pass this on to your email buddies, and so on...maybe we can
prevent one more treasured tradition from being lost in the sea of
"Political
Correctness."

God Bless and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

My response: what i actually considered sending back in response:
the continued attempts at political correctness, which at its heart is an ongoing study of the constitution and interpretation of its language into actualizing its intent, is difficult for some. it means change. our country is, was and always will be about change. nostalgia is inevitable, but we have the freedom to indulge in this however we want. we are still blessed to live in this land that is forever TRYING to advance itself and do the right thing for all. we have the freedom to worship, pray, believe, move about and speak our minds (with very little restriction and even if it seem idiotic and offensive to others ). what better gift to remind ourselves of. may we keep a mindful heart of the prince of peace for ours and the earth's salvation. merry christmas.

what i would not consider sending back:
alongside mudslinging, lying, hateful and unacceptable assaults to our senses in the name of partisanship, this election year has made us all cross-eyed and convulsive. what kind of a twisted circus we must seem to the world. it appears that we hate each other. and on behalf of some, the negativity and doom-saying did not end with the election. some even continued to try to promote divisiveness rather than unity. let's put it aside with a christmas spirit that is full of hope, promise and support for the new administration in the struggles our country has ahead. amen and go zen.

can i get a bon jour

alliance francaise de denver is a great place to volunteer, n'est ce pas?  it was a swirly kind of snow day.... like living in a snow globe.  the snowflakes chased each other in the sky and raced sideways to the ground.  i chose to ignore it piling up in the streets and head for a volunteer call. i knew the desperate plea for help from suzanne was some kind of omen.   the whole experience was happy right down to the chocolate and the art and meeting Guillaume. i announced early in my intro there, that i know i was meant to be here and today i was hoping to find out why.  alas, as i was stuffing the brochures my answer came.   i had been researching language schools for americans in france and was having little success.  within the brochures i was handling was their program for linguistic stays in france......  numerous locations, up to 30 days stay with a family or private accommodations, 15 hours of french/wk and unbelievable prices.  magic happens in the high plains of america. a prochaine!

it can't be december

just by chance i noticed the date.   okay, so i haven't posted since i left town without my computer.  fire me!  it is december 2. it was my father's birthday.  since he died when he was younger than me, that is how i will always remember him.  it is impossible to imagine what he would look like alive today and 82 years old.  there was nothing i did not love about him.

i am back in denver after a long car trip back.  going to ok and tx was exciting and happy. returning to co was not.  i was tired, the car was getting blown all over the road, there was black ice on the road when we hit co, there were no smiling faces waiting for me.  

the house project continues.  fireplace rock placement yesterday and today.  floors tomorrow.

tip of the day:   DO NOT rub your eyes while eating anything with wasabi!