Category Archives: Memes and Link-Ups

7 Quick Takes: Resolutions for 2018

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7 Quick Takes

Kelly is back from her Advent blog break so the Quick Takes resume! Here are my resolutions for 2018.

— 1 —

Make healthier choices. I stunk at this one in 2017 despite having TWO PE classes for school. I’ve had two consults with a nutritionist this fall and have the tools, so it’s just a matter of using them.

— 2 —

Sort out my medical stuff. Right now, I’m looking at two possible surgeries over Spring Break and once I’m done with school for the year. My BTL got postponed because my OB/GYN was on vacation for the month of December and honestly, I’d rather see someone else in her office because I really didn’t click with her. (Yes, I’m “getting my tubes tied”. We’ve seen that pregnancy is deadly for me and my OB/GYN doesn’t want to do a hysterectomy because I’m young. It’s quite hard to be “open to life” when doing so could kill you.)

When I saw the ENT and he did the nasal telescope, we discovered that my septoplasty in 2008 was just the lower parts and not the upper parts… which is problematic because the upper parts need to be done. Sooo… I’ll probably be doing that over Spring Break because I know from experience that it will mean a week without sleep because of the stuffiness.

Then there’s my back…

— 3 —

Not eat any blue paint. This is in honor of my friend Rick who passed away almost 5 years ago. He’d make a resolution like this every year so I do now as well in my attempt to live like Rick.

— 4 —

Finish crocheting projects. I finally got my mom’s socks done. I have other projects on my hooks.

— 5 —

Take Daniel to church with me at least monthly. I took him on Sunday morning for Advent IV and he chattered through the service and needed to walk the aisles and to the fellowship hall a few times. He did NOT want his tablet and finally settled when I handed him a bag of Cheerios. This all triggered a panic attack… but I survived and didn’t get any nasty looks. My church rallied around and supported me. While one of the Mary’s Guild was holding me and letting me cry, another person took Daniel for a walk. People thanked me for bringing him, which is a MASSIVE change from Jon’s church in Galt where people claimed to want him in church but gave me nasty looks if he made a sound, or relegated me to the nursery where I could listen (in theory — it didn’t work in practice) but was cut off from everyone.

In short, I have a tribe and I need to start taking Daniel to be with them.

— 6 —

Pray more. My prayer life sucks right now. Must fix it.

— 7 —

Make 45’s life more difficult. Why yes, I do have plans to be a social justice warrior in the new year. How did you guess? 😀 Got my pussy hat, my special shirts, and my marching shoes!

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly the unicorn at This Ain’t The Lyceum!

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: December 17, 2017

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For Today… December 17, 2017

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… dark. It was a beautiful rainy day.

I am thinking… about politics. I still need to write about Doug Jones’s victory on Tuesday but I’ve had things to do this weekend.

I am thankful… that my homeboys are having a better season than last year. The Browns still suck but they are known for that. (Their record this year is currently 0-14.)

One of my favorite things… gloating about my Niners winning to Seahawks fans (whose team was outscored 6-1).

I am wearing… jammies. Church clothes were a long-sleeved black shirt, black paisley skirt, black tights, and black flats. I switched out the skirt and tights for jeans.

I am creating… socks.

I am listening to… various things.

I am hoping… to start the decreases on sock #1 for Mom tomorrow.

I am learning… to just trust the crochet pattern.

In my kitchen… deciding on the menu for Christmas.

In the school room… Daniel has school for two days and then is off until the 2nd.

Post Script… this sounds like something from The Bloggess but without the taxidermy. (This is the Bloggess piece being compared.)

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: Advent Music Edition

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7 Quick Takes

Quick Takes didn’t happen for me last week because of not feeling well. (I was off all of my allergy meds and my migraine preventative for allergy testing.) Kelly is on a blogging break for Advent (except for this piece of news!!!!!) so I’m being a bit lackadaisical about getting my Quick Takes up “on time”.

I could talk about my feelings on Doug Jones winning the Senate race in Alabama this week (hint: it’s relief, not unbounded joy and desire to rub it in people’s faces), but I think I’ll do the non-controversial option and blog about my favorite Advent music. (I will probably write a stand-alone post on the Senate race but I’d like to be able to sleep tonight and politics tends to be an upper for me.)

— 1 —

“Gaudete” by Anúna. Technically, this is a Christmas carol. However, it’s Gaudete Sunday this weekend so I’m including. Anúna is one of my favorite groups for interesting arrangements so I’m using Michael McGlynn’s arrangement.

— 2 —

“Prepare the Way, O Zion/Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus” by Miserable Offenders. Rob, my priest’s husband, introduced me to Miserable Offenders at choir practice when we were preparing “What Is The Crying At Jordan?” for church last Sunday. I love how they’ve arranged these two hymns together even though I prefer Hyfrodol for “Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus”.

— 3 —

“Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord” from Godspell. Godspell is Jon’s favorite musical so I’ve watched the movie version quite a few times and I used to listen to the soundtrack during Lent while I was at work in 2008. Helen, my priest, has a similar sense of humor to mine so we may or may not have ended up having an impromptu Godspell singalong at the end of worship on Sunday.

— 4 —

“My Savior’s Love Endures” by J.J. Heller. The Magnificat is one of my favorite passages to read, pray on, and sing. I happen to love this setting of it.

— 5 —

“Come, Oh Redeemer Come” by Fernando Ortega. My dear friend Thomas introduced me to this song four (?) years ago and I adore it as I adore most of Fernando’s music. It embodies the feel of Advent beautifully.

— 6 —

This setting of the Trisagion prayer from the 1982 Hymnal. My church in San Jose used this in place of the Gloria during Advent in 2015 and I am quite enamored with it. I love the minor key and being connected with 1500 years of praying with the Church when I sing it or say the much longer prayer. (A more modern version by Fernando Ortega can be found here.)

— 7 —

“Sleepers Awake” by J.S. Bach. This is one of the three Bach chorales I hear most frequently and it’s one that immediately relaxes me when I hear it. The hymn “Wake Awake for Night Is Flying” is interspersed in it and I sang it twice with My church in San Jose. (I’ve been blessed with all of my church choirs to get to do some amazing choral music.)

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum in a couple weeks.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: December 11, 2017

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For Today… December 11, 2017

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… sunny. It’s in the 40’s but doesn’t really feel that bad out.

I am thinking… about things related to my divorce. I have various things to send to my attorney.

I am thankful… my allergy testing is over. My forearms and my left shoulder are covered with welts but those should go down soon. I’m also allowed to take all my meds again.

One of my favorite things… having the house to myself.

I am wearing… short-sleeved flag tee from Old Navy and black jeans. They needed access to my forearms and left shoulder today for the test so they asked me not to wear long sleeves.

I am creating… socks.

I am listening to… Loreena McKennitt.

I am hoping… to sleep better tonight.

I am learning… about various types of chronic pain.

In my kitchen… making lasagna, bread, and cookies to take to a friend tomorrow who just had a baby.

In the school room… Daniel is getting more and more verbal. His teachers are smitten with him.

Post Script… Regarding the war on Christmas.

Shared Quote…

Nice kitty...

A moment from my day… This was our gradual hymn yesterday. I could totally hear Loreena McKennitt recording it.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: December 3, 2017

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For Today… December 3, 2017

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… sunny. We had some rain as church was ending but it looks like that has passed over us. I’m glad I had my coffee this morning because the weather change can be a migraine trigger and caffeine helps with it.

I am thinking… about my Comprehensive Problem quiz for my Sage class. When it submitted yesterday evening, it claimed that I got 10/50. Either my server burped and deleted answers or the computer scored it incorrectly. Unfortunately, I don’t know if my instructor is going to look at it before Friday. (It’s due at 11:55 p.m. on Thursday night.)

I am thankful… to pretty much be done with work for the quarter. I’m just waiting for a teammate to post her presentation so I can comment on it and then I will be done!

One of my favorite things… when my escape room game actually cooperates with me.

I am wearing… jammies. Church attire today was a charcoal-colored long-sleeved shirt, black slacks, and black flats. I traded my slacks for jeans later on.

I am creating… nothing.

I am listening to… Fernando Ortega’s music.

I am hoping… my Comprehensive Problem quiz gets corrected in my favor.

I am learning… how to solve puzzles in the escape room games.

In my kitchen… nothing. My grandmother had a fall so no family dinners for a few weeks. I made do with a quesadilla and salsa tonight.

In the school room… Daniel’s speech is exploding.

Post Script… Jimmy Kimmel invites Roy Moore to put up or shut up when it comes to his Christian faith.

Shared Quote… From a gentleman at my church:

An apology from a man.

It’s problematic for me because this gentleman has *ALWAYS* treated me with the utmost respect. He shouldn’t have to apologize on behalf of his gender. He was further saddened when he learned that I have a #MeToo story (actually more than one).

A moment from my day… A favorite setting of the Magnificat.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: Coming Up On Advent Edition

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

*facepalms* I swear… the following exchange takes place at least weekly:

Me: “45 can’t get more offensive than he did with [insert event].
45: “Hold my beer.”

Monday’s embarrassment to the country: calling Elizabeth Warren “Pocahontas”… while meeting with Navajo code-talkers from WWII… while standing under a portrait of Andrew Jackson.

The Navajo Nation was not amused by this. Even better, Peter McDonald, the president of the Navajo Code Talkers, gave a beautiful speech talking about diversity making us stronger.

— 2 —

Pain is part of life. Emily DeArdo wrote a beautiful piece on the fiction of a painless life. It is definitely recommended reading, especially in light of all the “wrongful birth” lawsuits going on.

— 3 —

Holy moly. First Matt Lauer, then Garrison Keillor. Part of me wants to deny this and think this must be a witch hunt, but when you hear the details of what allegedly happened, it does appear that both of them (and everyone else) behaved improperly in some way/shape/form. Denying it, however, doesn’t fix the fact that something big had to have happened and it also invalidates the experience of anyone who has a “why me” story, myself included. I almost want to agree with Mike Pence in not being alone with a member of the opposite sex ever, but that’s also not the answer. (Not to mention, there’s nothing wrong with a meeting in a public place like Panera for something like strategic planning.)

— 4 —

Pope Francis’s words on healing. I don’t think a devotion to Christ’s wounds will fix every wound life throws at me, but it’s an interesting thought.

— 5 —

Online meetings. My Quick Takes are going up an hour late because I had to host an online meeting for school. Thankfully, it went well. 🙂 Zoom (the platform we used) is pretty cool.

— 6 —

Advent calendar fun. A few weeks ago, I posted about Jacquie Lawson and my fairy godmother (one of my mom’s college friends) sent me one of her alpine calendars this year. Yay!!!

— 7 —

Some lovely Advent music. For those looking for excellent Advent music, I offer my Advent playlist.

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: November 26, 2017

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For Today… November 26, 2017

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… dark. It was cold and rainy here today, something that is not good for those in the area who are dealing with flooding at the moment.

I am thinking… about my last bits of work for the quarter. I’m done with my PE class and I have two assignments left for Sage, and four left for Electronic Communications.

I am thankful… for not only passing my challenge test for Business English but also getting an A on it. Hermione is satisfied.

One of my favorite things… worship with my people at St. Paul’s.

I am wearing… jammies. Church clothes were a long-sleeved burgundy shirt, black slacks, and black flats. I switched out my slacks for jeans when I got home.

I am creating… documents for Sage.

I am reading… mostly Reddit these days.

I am hoping… to get as much as I can done tomorrow.

I am learning… payroll procedures in Sage.

In my kitchen… my dad will be making turkey enchiladas in the next couple of days.

In the school room… Daniel is happy to be headed back to school tomorrow after a 4-day weekend. Mama is also happy about this!

Post Script… something for geography geeks like me!

Shared Quote… my thanks to Sweatpants and Coffee for this one.

Being vulnerable...

A moment from my day… my favorite hymn for today (Christ the King Sunday).

Closing Notes: I’m hoping we sing this Trisagion during Advent…

Hosted by The Simple Woman.