Friday, December 29, 2006

Friday Five: Dream a Little Dream

The Typist here, playing this week's Friday Five (although I'm sure the other owner of this blog dreams frequently of chasing squirrels and bunnies).

"In the Last Days," God says,"I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people: Your sons will prophesy,also your daughters; Your young men will see visions, your old men dream dreams. When the time comes, I'll pour out my Spirit On those who serve me, men and women both, and they'll prophesy."(Acts 2:17-18, The Message)

On this final Friday of 2006, it seems appropriate to speak of dreams. A very important dream about a lighthouse played a role in my journey towards ordained ministry, and mine last night were vivid and included a flying church. Please feel as untethered yourself in responding to this Friday Five. Tell us all about:

1) a dream you remember from childhood: See answer to #3.

2) a recurring or significant dream: One of my mother's hobbies was stained glass. More than a decade after her death, I had my one and only dream of her thus far. In it, she was showing me a large multi-paneled stained glass window, and one of the upper corner panels was clear glass. She didn't say anything, but gestured at that one, and I got the distinct impression it was for me to finish. (Hoping it was a metaphor, as I have no plans to take up that hobby... but soon after, I felt called to a much more active role in the life of the church, and I know she sorely missed being active in church during her illness.)

3) a nightmare: As a small child, I had such a vivid dream that the amusement park in our hometown had burned, that I convinced my big sister to drive me there that morning to check on it, even though it was closed that day.

4) a favorite daydream: That I can one day become a full-time philanthropist.

5) a dream for the New Year: That I will become more open to that particular life change I find especially terrifying. Tried getting there this year, and it didn't happen.

First New Blogger Post!

Here we are on the New Blogger. Don't want to jinx it, but hey, that didn't seem like it was too difficult.

We had a great Christmas, yes we did. The Boy and I got a new Squirrely to share (we've already broken one of the squeakers, but now it sounds like crunching bones, so that's good, too), and we each got one of these fake bones that the thumb-havers want us to chew on instead of real bones. Something about not cracking another molar. I've eschewed mine thus far. But I think it's buried in the chow bin right now, so maybe when it comes out of there it'll smell better.

The Typist is making noise about more travel. I hope she hides her suitcase from The Boy, because he's pretty neurotic when it comes to that sort of thing. Not wanting to Get Left and all.

She says she's going to get to see some of our blog friends, though: Reverend Mommy, Rev Abi, and John the Methodist, to name just a few. Wish I could go, but she tells me that Molly and Amie and their thumb-havers won't be there, anyway, so I wouldn't have much fun. Better to just stay here and hang out with The Alpha so he doesn't get lonely.

Friday, December 22, 2006

2006: Year of the Best Lazy Christmas Tree Ever

The red box of ornaments sat on the fireplace hearth for, oh, 3 weeks at least.

One ornament (purchased in honor of The Boy's arrival to the pack last year) came out of the box and made its way onto the tree, but only because it defies description and had to be shown to a certain visiting niece late on the night of December 5.
Yes, that's a wide-eyed goose.

Running.

With a tomato strapped to its back.

No, we don't know why. But it does capture the spirit of The Boy quite well.

A nice little cross received as a gift landed there, too, but besides that and the pre-lit niftiness, the tree remained bare.

Until The Typist decided that the stack of Christmas cards on the kitchen counter had to go somewhere else, and she and The Alpha nestled them in the branches of the tree. It's as crafty as she gets these days -- no, wait, she started knitting lessons the other night -- and we're all quite pleased with it:

There's even a card from a Blog Friend on there:


Oh, and The Typist and I joined RevGalBlogPals today. It's about time. We've played plenty of Friday Fives and all.

Merry Christmas!

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

The Alphabet Meme

Mindy gave The Typist my letter, F, over the weekend, and we are just now getting to it. The delay is not my fault; I have plenty of time on my paws. Somebody's been flitting around to activities not involving dogs, though.

So, finally... 10 things I love that begin with F:

1) Food. My food, The Boy's food, thumb-haver food...although I don't get much of that.

2) Friends! Friends who come over. I like to hear "coming over." Because that usually leads to friends.

3) Family. Our pack is really really the best pack to have.

4) Fall. The tan in my coat looks really, really pretty when the leaves start to turn. Plus, fall air smells especially good.

5) Fetch. Actually, I don't so much fetch as I do capture, then taunt the thumb-haver that wants me to bring it back. But Fetch starts with F.

6) Football. It's a nubby football that screams when I bite it. The Alpha doesn't let me have it very often because it screams when I bite it.

7) "Free puppy": a phrase we all know has no truth to it, but somehow it got me to where I am anyway.

8) Fast chases around the living room with The Boy.

9) F is the letter that starts off my last name. So I like F.

10) Flowery bandanna that I got for Easter one year.

The Typist says no more posts until we switch to the new Blogger, so who knows when that'll be.

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Friday Five on a Saturday: Yuletide Favorites

From the RevGals:
For this mid-December Friday Five, let's explore some Yuletide favorites.

1) It's a Wonderful Life--Is it? Do you remember seeing it for the first time?
Eh, honestly? I'm bored by nearly everything filmed in black and white. (But no, I do not want Ted Turner to colorize it; I'll just have a nap in front of it instead, thankyouverymuch.) I love b&w photography, though; go figure.

2) Miracle on 34th Street--old version or new?
How 'bout neither?

3) Do you have a favorite incarnation of Mr. Scrooge?
Either Bill Murray or Statler the Muppet.

4) Why should it be a problem for an elf to be a dentist? I've been watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for years now, and I still don't get it.
Elfin food groups are not conducive to good dental care; most of them would rather live in blissful denial, feasting on candy canes, cotton candy, candy corn, and syrup.

5) Who's the scariest character in Christmas specials/movies?
The Bumble
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, Muppet Version
That Mean Magician Who Tries to Melt Frosty
Your Nomination
This is a tough one. I kinda like Will Smama's Osmond insinuation, but of the four above, I'd have to say the Muppet Ghost.

Wow, The Typist isn't a heretic, either!

Turns out she and all her blog-friends so far aren't as bad as they were afraid they might be.

You scored as Chalcedon compliant. You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451.

Chalcedon compliant

83%

Pelagianism

67%

Modalism

50%

Monophysitism

50%

Apollanarian

42%

Arianism

33%

Gnosticism

33%

Nestorianism

25%

Adoptionist

25%

Monarchianism

17%

Albigensianism

17%

Docetism

8%

Socinianism

0%

Donatism

0%

Are you a heretic?
created with QuizFarm.com

Friday, December 08, 2006

Fa-la-la-la-la, La Friday Five

From RevGalBlogPals... seems I can't give just one answer to each of these this time around:

1. A favorite 'secular' Christmas song.
The Christmas Song ("Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..."). I liked it even more when I learned that it was written during a summer heat wave in an effort to think about winter, with the hope of cooling off through the power of suggestion.
Another favorite: Christmastime is Here, from the Charlie Brown special. I got to sing it at two parties last year -- one as official entertainment, the other an impromptu with a jazz pianist friend!

2. Christmas song that chokes you up (maybe even in spite of yourself--the cheesier the better)
What Sweeter Music by John Rutter. Except I'm not allowed to get choked up if I'm in the choir that's singing it.
Also, the last verse of Once In Royal David's City, but a different last verse than the one brought up by Quotidian Grace:
Not in that poor, lowly stable with the oxen standing by
We shall see him, but in heaven, set at God's right hand on high.
Where, like stars, his children crowned
All in white shall wait around.

3. Christmas song that makes you want to stuff your ears with chestnuts roasted on an open fire.
Santa Baby (with apologies to Songbird for dissing her answer to #1, but really... it's just creepy, folks...).
Also, Jolly Old St. Nicholas, for its blatant bring me stuff message.

4. The Twelve Days of Christmas: is there *any* redeeming value to that song? Discuss.
Yes, I think there is. While not on my personal top 10 list, it's easier to sing if it can be acted out with gusto (especially the Lords a'Leaping part).

5. A favorite Christmas album
I spend so much time rehearsing music for Christmas that I seldom buy a Christmas album just for listening to. But Barenaked Holidays (from the Barenaked Ladies, of course) is a pretty good one in our collection, as is Trans-Siberian Orchestra's big popular release from a few years back.