There is not better time of year than the month of Christmas. It begins the day after Thanksgiving and ends on Christmas Day (although it is ok to have decorations up until New Year's Day). This month is filled with festive music, lots of sugary food, and a general feeling of goodwill towards the world around you. Although it is highly commercialized, there are certainly moments of peace and joy which stand out from the rest. Small gestures of kindness or service become observably apparent. The rare gifts of a smile are worth more than any present wrapped under the tree.
Family traditions bring cousins, siblings, parents and all other members closer together. Afternoons full of baking cookies or wading through the hordes at shopping malls echo year after years as resounding memories. The smell of pine, cinnamon and orange seep through the house. A decorated tree covered in brilliant lights, each ornament a symbol of years gone by.
But the best traditions are ones you share year after year and grow to include an ever expanding family. Our family has some very specific traditions. A feast on Christmas Eve while dressed in our absolute finest, reading the Christmas story from Luke 2 by the most recent or upcoming missionary and a family toast, singing songs with Santa when he comes (and even having to sit on his lap every year, but you get a present) and opening gifts from the extended family. It is a night like no other, and almost makes the next day feel like a let-down. So much incredible food and fun with the family makes the Eve of a holiday far more exciting than the actual day itself.
But at the end of the day, nostalgic memories of youth mingled with the promise of next year linger on crisp December air and all await the beginning of the season again.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
fair-weather friends
Since I highly doubt anyone reads these, I have no qualms about taking a post to rant. I know I am not the perfect friend. A recent conversation enlightened me to just how far I had let one friendship fall. Thanks to the other person's bluntness (a refreshing change of pace in the world, I might add), it might not be too late to salvage it. I have just one nagging issue that has been building up for years. I have never had a true best friend.
What that ends up meaning, is for years I have always had to be the one to call friends when I want to hang out. I'm always the one to extend the hand of friendship. I firmly believe that 80% of my friends only remain that way because I put effort into the relationship. It has been this way my ENTIRE life. I really try to be there for people. I listen when they need it, and I give them advice when they need it, but don't want it. I care about them, and I let them talk about their lives. Granted, in the past few years, I have opened up enough that I talk about myself more too. But the point I'm trying to make, is that in general I try to be a good friend.
But the sad truth is that no one has ever done the same for me. I have never had a friend that I could call up anytime I needed anything, to talk about anything, or one who would call me because they knew something was wrong. It is a rare occasion that someone else calls me to hang out. If I have a social life, its only because I feel I have to drag my people by their teeth to my house. It makes me feel a bit like a carpet that I let people walk all over. But on the other hand, I don't really feel that I have any other choice.
I joke that I must be storing up karma somewhere and that I must have some perfectly incredible husband waiting. I guess that if I am always there for everyone else, someday someone might be there for me.
What that ends up meaning, is for years I have always had to be the one to call friends when I want to hang out. I'm always the one to extend the hand of friendship. I firmly believe that 80% of my friends only remain that way because I put effort into the relationship. It has been this way my ENTIRE life. I really try to be there for people. I listen when they need it, and I give them advice when they need it, but don't want it. I care about them, and I let them talk about their lives. Granted, in the past few years, I have opened up enough that I talk about myself more too. But the point I'm trying to make, is that in general I try to be a good friend.
But the sad truth is that no one has ever done the same for me. I have never had a friend that I could call up anytime I needed anything, to talk about anything, or one who would call me because they knew something was wrong. It is a rare occasion that someone else calls me to hang out. If I have a social life, its only because I feel I have to drag my people by their teeth to my house. It makes me feel a bit like a carpet that I let people walk all over. But on the other hand, I don't really feel that I have any other choice.
I joke that I must be storing up karma somewhere and that I must have some perfectly incredible husband waiting. I guess that if I am always there for everyone else, someday someone might be there for me.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Notre Dame de Paris--The Concert
Imagine my delight and surprise while searching the web for clips from the musical, that I stumble upon a website advertising a concert......with the ENTIRE original cast from Paris................Playing all the songs from the musical (I think....the French translation was a little vague on what is actually being performed)........for one short tour just before Christmas! I was absolutely ecstatic! Who would have thought that this would ever happen! In 12 years, there has not been a reunion. It took a little digging online, but then I came across a Russian site and with some "help" from Google Chrome (not sure how helpful it was) I found out that for 4 shows, this entire thing was going down. BUT there was a catch--Russia.
Why the cast/producers/anyone would choose to host this in Russia is absolutely beyond me. I personally have nothing against Russia, and I actually plan on visiting it one day. But right now it is kind of a dangerous and expensive place. One would have assumed that if the cast of NDdP were to do a reunion concert of some sort, that it would be in Paris or Quebec. Alas, such was not the case. Undeterred, and uninformed as to just how crazy an idea this was, I looked up ticket prices and availability, and hotel information and compared the dates to my schedule. And wouldn't you know, one of the shows fit perfectly with my schedule. I would only miss the last day of class to fly there and come back a day before any of my finals. Granted, the timing of this (the weekend before finals) was not the most perfect, but it was definitely workable.
There was only one way that this could possibly work, and it would be to have the trip be my Christmas present. However, I thought I was clever and found a way to make it work. By using my Dad's frequent flier miles and hotel points the actual travel would be nearly free. If I bought the ticket myself, I couldn't feel guilty asking for this present that would cost so little. There was, of course, the slight problem of going my myself, but I figured that I would probably be ok.
When I sent my parents the proposition, I think that they did think carefully and weigh the options. The major issues of going alone and being in Russia were the major hang-ups. I couldn't go alone. That much was certain, but as it turned out, my dad couldn't go with me. The effort, time and money to get him the proper visa was astronomical. Also, the information regarding the true dangers of Russia in its current state for American tourists was enough for my parents to, reluctantly, crush my dream. For a few glorious days, I was able to hold to a dream that I would get to experience this once-in-a-lifetime show.
It was really hard for me to try and explain this to other people. Its just a show, a musical, and its all in French. Why is this such a big deal? I came to the conclusion that when something is beautiful and sweet and powerful in a way that speaks to your soul, there are no words to describe its meaning. I could not say it, because it was not something within the petty scope of spoken word.
Below are some links to pieces of the show that were posted online. I can only hope and pray, with the rest of the world, that the troupe decides to come to a place where more of their worldwide fans can come. I wait with baited breath and hope in my heart.
Long clip of the second act: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr3TGQHYJR8
Song "Belle"--Best song in the WHOLE WORLD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv6Xd-9rwnw&feature=related
And just for kick and giggles, here is the link to the original version of Belle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBXeXBpTVOk
p.s. I have to be honest. I like the original version of most of the songs in the play better. But the concert still looks AWESOME! I would sell my firstborn child to go to that show!
Why the cast/producers/anyone would choose to host this in Russia is absolutely beyond me. I personally have nothing against Russia, and I actually plan on visiting it one day. But right now it is kind of a dangerous and expensive place. One would have assumed that if the cast of NDdP were to do a reunion concert of some sort, that it would be in Paris or Quebec. Alas, such was not the case. Undeterred, and uninformed as to just how crazy an idea this was, I looked up ticket prices and availability, and hotel information and compared the dates to my schedule. And wouldn't you know, one of the shows fit perfectly with my schedule. I would only miss the last day of class to fly there and come back a day before any of my finals. Granted, the timing of this (the weekend before finals) was not the most perfect, but it was definitely workable.
There was only one way that this could possibly work, and it would be to have the trip be my Christmas present. However, I thought I was clever and found a way to make it work. By using my Dad's frequent flier miles and hotel points the actual travel would be nearly free. If I bought the ticket myself, I couldn't feel guilty asking for this present that would cost so little. There was, of course, the slight problem of going my myself, but I figured that I would probably be ok.
When I sent my parents the proposition, I think that they did think carefully and weigh the options. The major issues of going alone and being in Russia were the major hang-ups. I couldn't go alone. That much was certain, but as it turned out, my dad couldn't go with me. The effort, time and money to get him the proper visa was astronomical. Also, the information regarding the true dangers of Russia in its current state for American tourists was enough for my parents to, reluctantly, crush my dream. For a few glorious days, I was able to hold to a dream that I would get to experience this once-in-a-lifetime show.
It was really hard for me to try and explain this to other people. Its just a show, a musical, and its all in French. Why is this such a big deal? I came to the conclusion that when something is beautiful and sweet and powerful in a way that speaks to your soul, there are no words to describe its meaning. I could not say it, because it was not something within the petty scope of spoken word.
Below are some links to pieces of the show that were posted online. I can only hope and pray, with the rest of the world, that the troupe decides to come to a place where more of their worldwide fans can come. I wait with baited breath and hope in my heart.
Long clip of the second act: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr3TGQHYJR8
Song "Belle"--Best song in the WHOLE WORLD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv6Xd-9rwnw&feature=related
And just for kick and giggles, here is the link to the original version of Belle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBXeXBpTVOk
p.s. I have to be honest. I like the original version of most of the songs in the play better. But the concert still looks AWESOME! I would sell my firstborn child to go to that show!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
The Vampire Overload
I (along with the rest of the literate world) have noticed the explosion of vampire, and vampire-related books catering to the teenage populace within the last couple of years. I have to state, for the record, that I was a fan of this type of book LONG before Twilight shook things up. I openly admit that I am a fan of Stephenie Meyer's work as is pertains to her audience. While her writing itself may be lacking, I agree that her storytelling ability is unparalleled. The obsessive nature of her fan base speaks to that. I read the books. I enjoyed reading the books. I continue to re-read the books, albeit on rare occasions, and still enjoy them. I'm not too partial to the movies, and I have never considered myself a hard-core fan. Granted, I have been to every midnight showing for the movies......but that can only be attributed to how good a friend I am. Part of me is amused by the shock that men seem to have concerning the obsessive nature of the fan-base. Obviously they don't understand teenage girls very well.
However, I am a much bigger fan of several different series of books (all vampire related) which rank above the Twilight saga on my list. I do love a creepy and somewhat gruesome approach, but in general I stick to vampires that are more likable. The first time I brought a vampire related book home, my mom completely flipped. She still doesn't like my compulsive desire to read them.....
My favorite series of all time is the Night World series by L.J. Smith. I came across these books at the public library when I was somewhere near 8 years old. They are a tribute to the horror/romance genre into which so many vampiric novels seem to fall. Generally, the stories are short and sweet but they keep you in suspense and the series builds from a simple construct to an apocalypic finale. I love the concept of the soulmate principal, and how it becomes the tie for human-vampire relationships. But this fantasy world is not solely populated with blood-sucking, beautiful fiends. There are good and bad witches, shapeshifters, werewolves and a myriad of other creatures who haunt the night. The only downside to this series is that, 12 years after the publication of the 9th book, the 10th and final one is still to be released. Talk about keeping your fans in suspense! I continually check her blog to see if there are any changes to this uncompleted status. Alas, it is still pending in an unpublished (and possibly unwritten) state.
Next on my list is a fairly recent series by Richelle Mead titled Vampire Academy. My older sister gifted me the first two books in the series as a birthday present in March, and I have consumed the entire series since then. The final book was only released last week. This 6 book series creates a new and exciting universe for vampires....one with half-human/half-vampire combination along with drawing on existing ancient cultural folklore for the vampire characters. Although this series is primarily aimed at females (as most are) the strong leads are not the whiny helpless characters often loathed as protagonists. An apt and intelligent writer, Mead captivates an audience with a story that takes place in a world of the supernatural, but is not consumed with it. To give credit, This series started long before Twilight became popular, and it is not meant to ride the coat-tails of the teen vampire book movement. This series stands on its own two feet, and can cause a reader to sit up and take notice. I am excited for the spin-off series and can't wait to get my hands on anything else she has written.
The most classic of all vampire authors has to be Anne Rice. Her classic tale of Interview With a Vampire is heart wrenching and mentally exhausting in a way that more books should be. Too often the portrayal of a vampires in society are too human, and Rice addresses this directly. Her exploration of what it would actually mean to become a vampire and the loss of humanity is enthralling and intriguing. All of her related stories simply add to the amazing story. She does not sugar coat or make pretty anything. If you want to read about real vampires, she is the one to look up.
However, I am a much bigger fan of several different series of books (all vampire related) which rank above the Twilight saga on my list. I do love a creepy and somewhat gruesome approach, but in general I stick to vampires that are more likable. The first time I brought a vampire related book home, my mom completely flipped. She still doesn't like my compulsive desire to read them.....
My favorite series of all time is the Night World series by L.J. Smith. I came across these books at the public library when I was somewhere near 8 years old. They are a tribute to the horror/romance genre into which so many vampiric novels seem to fall. Generally, the stories are short and sweet but they keep you in suspense and the series builds from a simple construct to an apocalypic finale. I love the concept of the soulmate principal, and how it becomes the tie for human-vampire relationships. But this fantasy world is not solely populated with blood-sucking, beautiful fiends. There are good and bad witches, shapeshifters, werewolves and a myriad of other creatures who haunt the night. The only downside to this series is that, 12 years after the publication of the 9th book, the 10th and final one is still to be released. Talk about keeping your fans in suspense! I continually check her blog to see if there are any changes to this uncompleted status. Alas, it is still pending in an unpublished (and possibly unwritten) state.
Next on my list is a fairly recent series by Richelle Mead titled Vampire Academy. My older sister gifted me the first two books in the series as a birthday present in March, and I have consumed the entire series since then. The final book was only released last week. This 6 book series creates a new and exciting universe for vampires....one with half-human/half-vampire combination along with drawing on existing ancient cultural folklore for the vampire characters. Although this series is primarily aimed at females (as most are) the strong leads are not the whiny helpless characters often loathed as protagonists. An apt and intelligent writer, Mead captivates an audience with a story that takes place in a world of the supernatural, but is not consumed with it. To give credit, This series started long before Twilight became popular, and it is not meant to ride the coat-tails of the teen vampire book movement. This series stands on its own two feet, and can cause a reader to sit up and take notice. I am excited for the spin-off series and can't wait to get my hands on anything else she has written.
The most classic of all vampire authors has to be Anne Rice. Her classic tale of Interview With a Vampire is heart wrenching and mentally exhausting in a way that more books should be. Too often the portrayal of a vampires in society are too human, and Rice addresses this directly. Her exploration of what it would actually mean to become a vampire and the loss of humanity is enthralling and intriguing. All of her related stories simply add to the amazing story. She does not sugar coat or make pretty anything. If you want to read about real vampires, she is the one to look up.
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