Out on the Limb

In southern USA, Hoppin John is the traditional good luck New Year's Day dish (with corn bread, of course). I have tried to honor this tradition each year by cooking, at the very least, black eyed peas & onions for good luck.

To tell the truth, Hoppin John just doesn't do it for me any more....not even the vegan version.

So I looked around to see what other cultures consider "good luck" eats; and here is what I found:

(1) mandarin oranges - Chinese
(2) nuts & raisens - Roman
(3) anything ring-shaped - Dutch
(4) anything sweet - Italian
(5) carp - Vietnamese
(6) cabbage stuffed with oysters - Chinese
(7) cake shaped like a snake - Italian
(8) anything green - everybody ($$$)
(9) one grape every hour on the hour - Spain
(10) seven foods on the table that begin with the letter "S" - Iran

A snake is New Year's good luck because it sheds its skin; hence, we are reminded to shed troubles of the past as we begin the new year).

I have no idea what the deal is with the grapes in Spain. I'm intrigued (but then, I get intrigued easily). So here's my plan, because I really want to load on the luck in 2006.

Main dish must be cabbage(8) stuffed with oysters(6) and carp(5).

Desert is a snake-shaped(7) fruit cake loaded with dried mandarin oranges(1), nuts & raisens(2), topped with green(8) jelly beans(4). The head of the snake cake must be ring-shaped(3), and I think I'll fill the ring with the green(8) grapes that I'll need every hour on the hour(9).

But I still need seven "S's". OK. In the S bowl will be strawberries, squid, syrup, sinnamin (give me a break!), sour cream, sweetbread (ewww), and sauerkraut. Stir it all up reaallllll good....and then give it to a couple of students at North Penn High School.

Thanks to City Hippy and Kiki for thinking of me. Here it goes:

7 things to do before I die:
become a centenarian
be a mentor
make peace with Time
help save the rainforests
tour Nepal
ride in a hot air balloon
give more to Earth than I took

7 things I can't do:
french braids
build a spaceship
make flaky pie crusts
jog
understand calculus
swim the English Channel
give up hope

7 things that attract me to blogging:
"meet" people
experience different cultures
sharing
be a minuscule part of internet history
keep a journal (of sorts)
display my own photos
tweak the template

7 things I say most often:
Whisper, leave the cat alone
slow down, please
sure thing
I don't know
I can't believe I did that
in your dreams
YES

7 books I love:
"Meditations from the Mat" by Rolf Gates
"The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho
"Pilgrim at Tinker Creek" by Annie Dillard
"The Sotweed Factor" by John Barth
anything by Margaret Mead
"Catch 22" by Joseph Heller
"Yoga for People Too Lazy To Do It" by Geoff Dyer

7 movies I watch again and again:
Umm. You've got the wrong gal.

7 people I want to join in:
Myloh
Sonal
Ms Meow
Mina
Scandal
MJ
Spyder Z

Susan Butcher diagnosed with leukemia; needs bone marrow transplant.

Updates on her progress can be found at www.susanbutcher.com
Several links are available at Susan Butcher's site to learn more about bone marrow transplants and opportunites to be a donor.

Financial donations are also needed: http://www.susanbutcher.com/donations.html

Susan is currently undergoing treatment at:

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
1100 Fairview Avenue North
P.O. Box 19024
Seattle, WA 98109
University of Washington

Note: No flowers or fruit allowed in ward at Seattle
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Cards can be sent to:

Susan Butcher
P.O. Box 60249
Fairbanks, AK 99706
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My admiration of Susan Butcher and her accomplishments is huge. I'm praying that a bone marrow donor match is found soon for Susan.

I named my cat "Butcher" after Susan. Butcher-the-cat was obviously strongest of the litter. It was soon obvious that Butcher-the-cat was hell bent on exploring her world fearlessly. She was the only cat I've ever known that insisted on climbing down a tree head first. It wasn't easy, but she just refused to back down!! haha Since gravity doesn't cooperate too well with the head-first method, Butcher-the-cat resorted to dashing down the tree head first before gravity could swing her 'round....or so it appeared. She was a very strong cat.

We love you, Susan! Get well soon.
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Today was my 1st day back at work after the collision. I wore my neckbrace to protect myself from thoughtless turning; but my neck muscles were still all pretzely.

It is nice to be home blogging and listening to the never-ending drizzle outside. Thanks to Artamnesia for sharing the photo thru Creative Commons. Artamnesia also has a fine collection of cat photos and Chicago scenes.

By the way, I'm a Pantheist:

Pantheism:
1. A doctrine identifying the Deity with the universe and its phenomena.
2. Belief in and worship of all gods.

...and I'm also a Pagan:

1. One who is not a Christian, Muslim, or Jew, especially a worshiper of a polytheistic religion.

...and I'm married to a hedonist:

1. Pursuit of or devotion to pleasure, especially to the pleasures of the senses.

The dog is a hedonist, too. I'm sure of it.

I'm lost. I'm just so lost...
So if the house sells soon, then what?
Former plans gone.
New plans vague.

I feel as if I'm standing on a 1 square foot chuck of ice...and global warming is going to take my ice chunk away.

Phew. I've got to get out of this anxiety-ridden transition phase.
What do I want?
What do I REALLY want?

I want to be useful. I want to love and be loved. Not the surface-skimming stuff, either. I want to face my true destiny without wavering. I want peace to prevail in my heart. Peace for the whole world would indeed be nice....but, heh, that's out of my control. I'll settle for a peaceful heart and mind.

Goodnight. See y'all in the next little square on the calendar.

Happy Holidays vs Merry Christmas

I was really hoping to avoid the tired old debate about which festive greeting to say to whom.

OK, here's my take: Say whatever you feel comfortable with. You don't need to carry around a Hoyle with you to play by the "rules". It's your mouth and your brain....say what you want. As long as your greeting comes from the heart, all is well.

I prefer to say "Happy Holidays" because I view that greeting as more inclusive and open-minded when I'm speaking to people I don't know well. We aren't all Christians (thank the Gods!).

So why am I re-hashing this? BECAUSE, in one of my Yahoo groups some old bugger said none of us should be saying "Happy Holidays" because it is Christmas, after all. Period. According to him, we should ALL be saying "Merry Christmas". Ah, well. That's ignorance for you.

Who made Christians the center of the universe? Oh, that's right. The Christians did...for Christ's sake!.

Santa baby, I desire a kind and patient computer guru to sit by my side until I understand.

I've got an Epson 2200 printer and can't figure out how to get the printed color to match what I see on the screen. I've searched for Yahoo groups...and sure 'nuff...there is more than one group addressing Epson printer questions. I've selected a group and will dig into their info-base tomorrow.

Graphics. I really need help with graphics.
Animated graphics would be nice...

How about it, Santa? Can I please have a temporary nerd of my very own?

With best wishes for your safe flight around the globe Saturday night. (Please ignore that disturbing photo of the jet below),
Deb

Your Brain's Pattern

Your mind is a creative hotbed of artistic talent. You're always making pictures in your mind, especially when you're bored. You are easily inspired to think colorful, interesting thoughts. And although it may be hard to express these thoughts, it won't always be.

I don't know this couple. I don't even know who took the picture.

I love the expression on their faces and wanted to share this photo with you.

Hope your day is filled with love.

Excuse me while I rearrange some of the building blocks of my life to create a new pattern. While we are waiting [insert elevator music] this blog will remain somewhat impersonal.

By the way, 2006 is the Year of the Dog.

I'm telling you again, folks....SLOW DOWN!!

I was just minding my own business....heading home.

Holiday shoppers and other frantic hurried peoples:

SLOW DOWN