November 30th is a
special day in my life because you see it was the day that I entered to the
world. Yes many moons ago, I was born in a Syracuse hospital. I don’t remember
much about that day in fact, I don’t remember anything about it. My parents can
tell a story or two of the wonderful day their only daughter was born and how
they narrowly avoided having me in the back of their car. I was a born late in
November right before the cut-off date for school. In New York, the cut-off
date was December 1st. I made it just in time (as usual). My mom had
a doctor’s appointment that day and the doctor told her if I wasn’t born within
the next couple of days they would induce. Well, when I heard that I decided I
would surprise my parents with a gift that night. My parents went home from the
doctor’s appointment not knowing that they would soon see him again. A couple
of hours later, I decided I wanted to be born and my parents rushed to the
hospital where I was born at 7:06pm. My mom will tell you that she was too far
gone for them to help with the pain so she had to have me naturally. What a joy
that must have been for her!
Next came the question on what
would they name me…My mom and dad had agreed to name me Colleen awhile back,
but my mom changed her mind (hey, it’s a woman’s prerogative) and wanted to
name me Christa. My dad was dead set on Colleen so my mom dropped the subject.
When I was born, the nurse asked my mom what my name was. My mom (the saintly
soul she is) told her Christa. Surprise!! Oh what I would have given to be
there…wait, I was there, um…Oh, what I would have given to remember the look my
dad gave my mom. There that’s better. So to commemorate my special day, here
are some fun facts about the day November 30th!
Famous Births:
®Mark Twain was born in 1835
®Winston Churchill was born in 1874
®Dick Clark was born in 1929
®Colin Mochrie was born in 1957
®Ben Stiller was born in 1965
Historical Events:
®On November 30th, 1782, Britain
signed an agreement recognizing U.S. Independence.
®On November 30th, 1938, Germany banned
Jews from being lawyers.
®On November 30th, 1940, Lucille Ball
weds Desi Arnez.
®On November 30th, 1982, Michael
Jackson’s new album Thriller is released.
®On November 30th, 1993, the NFL
announced a new team-The Jacksonville Jaguars.
Famous Deaths:
®Oscar Wilde died in 1900
®Zeppo Marx died in 1979
®Evil Knievel died in 2007
Holidays:
®November 30th is “Stay at Home
because You are Well” Day
®November 30th is National Mousse Day
There you have it! As you can see
November 30th is a special day and I am glad that I was born on it.
After all there can’t be that many people who can claim that they were born on the
day Winston Churchill was. So to wrap up this blog (I know that was corny) I
will end with a quote “Birthday’s are nature’s way of telling us to eat more
cake.”
When you’re worried
and you can’t sleep just count your blessings instead of sheep and you’ll fall
asleep counting your blessings.
When my bankroll is
getting low, I think of when I had none at all and I fall asleep counting my
blessings.
Anyone remember what song those
lyrics are from? Bing Crosby sings them so effortlessly in the movie White
Christmas, co-starring Danny Kaye. It’s a good Christmas movie in case anyone
is wondering. I have had that song in my head all day long and because of that
I began to think about my blessings. I started to name them one by one and I
realized how much God has blessed me and how fast it is to fall asleep counting
your blessings. So I thought I would write about Thanksgiving to you, my readers.
I at first thought I would name
my material possessions one by one but that thought was quickly dismissed as
the list but be short and boring. I then got the idea that I would tell you how
much having food to eat and clothes to wear is a blessing that so many of us
overlook and (although they are very essential items) there are things that are
more important than food and clothing. After all throughout my 23 years of
living, I have come to realize that friends and family don’t care what you
dress like (as long as you bathe) or what you eat (as long as you brush your
teeth sometimes) but care about what YOU are. You as a person and as an
individual. Most people equate being an individual by being like everyone else.
I have never understood that mentality but that’s another blog post. I have
struggled many times with confidence and self-esteem especially since I am not
as thin as other women. I have compared myself with other women many times and
wonder if men find me attractive if I looked like the other women. My family
says I’m pretty but they’re supposed to say that aren’t they? Since I am
single, the doubts and the self-esteem issues seem to build up at a faster
pace. I used to think if I had a boyfriend, I would be as confident as her
(points to other woman). I have to come realize that it is a childish effort
and a boyfriend can’t really give you confidence. You need confidence in
yourself and that’s how I came to the idea for this blog.
One of the things I am thankful
for is…(Drum roll please)…that I am me! I am thankful that I am Christa and I
am thankful I am a woman. I am thankful that I can wake up every day and see
curly blonde hair, blue eyes, and a “more to love” body. I am thankful that I
am a Christian and can use my talents as a way to serve the Lord. I am thankful
that I have a passion for music and can clunk around on the piano to make
somewhat of a good sound. I am thankful that I have a weirder than normal sense
of humor and have learned that sarcasm is one of my most trusted weapons (It’s
a joke I’m being sarcastic. HAHA!! I crack myself up!) I am thankful that I am
a very competitive girl who loves sports especially football (Packers all the
way). I am thankful that I have found so many good Christian friends who I can
be myself around because I have been known to create many awkward silence moments
(you know the ones where you hear the crickets). I am thankful that I love
Christmas so much that I start listening to Christmas music in July and have
already decorated my cubicle with Christmas stuff one week ago. I even have a
tree! I am thankful that I have this blog to talk about what I am thankful for.
I am thankful that when I go to sleep at night I can fall asleep without
finishing my blessings list. This year I am thankful, most of all, for being
me!
So my fellow readers-to end this
blog I bring you a quote and a video. The quote is from an Anonymous Person who
I think has the right idea about Thanksgiving “It isn’t what you have in your
pockets that make you thankful, but what you have in your heart.” The song is from
Josh Groban called “There’s so Much to Be Thankful For”
Till next week, Happy
Thanksgiving to all and to all a good night!
(I know, I know the last sentence
was from a Charles Dickens book. What did I tell you I have a weird sense of
humor. Bye!)
As the holiday time moves closer
towards us, I begin to reflect upon the memories of times past. Some have been tucked
away for safe-keeping and some are kept out in the open for everyone to see.
For me, long forgotten memories can surface with a sound, a smell, or a
picture. For instance, the smell of concrete reminds me of the time I went to
the Bill Rice Ranch in Tennessee.
It was unbelievably hot that time of year and the only air conditioned buildings
were the cafeteria and the auditorium. The camp itself held a number of music
competitions which were taking place all throughout the day so we had to make a
choice: suffer through the heat outside or suffer through some horrible off key
singers. We chose the latter and made our way into the auditorium and even
though our ears protested, our bodies enjoyed every moment of the cool air. The
building was made of concrete and it smelled cool and sandy. Ah what memories!
The sound of metal scraping a chalkboard (OUCH!) can transport me back to the
time in my College Freshman Music Theory class when my classmate dragged a
metal chalk holder across the board. It was horrendous but I’m glad to say that
the teacher never called on him again. A picture of me with my college roommate
reminds me of the good times we had in our room talking about dreams, the
meaning of life, and Diner Dash. Yes I got her hooked on Diner Dash and I’m
proud of it.
But all memories aren't good.
Seeing a cemetery reminds me of the time my Poppy died. It was the first time I
was confronted with death and the first time I had been to a cemetery. I had no
idea what was going on and all I knew was that I wouldn’t see him anymore. Many
people tried to paint happy faces on but I could see inside that it hurt them
to. I’ll never forget being there beside his casket and my Grandma bursting
into tears. My dad just wrapped his arms around her and tried to comfort her as
much as possible. Other memories cause regret and pain. Sometimes I imagine
myself in an ocean and I feel a tug. At first I am complacent to let it drag me
under until I realize I am going to drown. Its icy grasp won’t let me go until
I resolve that I won’t let it beat this time so I fight it. It’s a long hard
battle up to the top but I somehow make it. Gasping, I look around and nothing
is there but a calm sea, bright sun, and birds. Then I feel the tug and plunge
into the cold ocean again and again.
Regret is not something that I
wish to battle and I wish I could say that I am strong and that I don’t let it
get the best of me but I am human. There have been times that I can’t stand it
anymore and just break down crying but then I feel God’s loving arms around me
saying “It’s ok. It’s ok. I still love you.” I am reminded of the Legacy Five
song Take it to the Cross. The first verse is me through and through.
Another song that helps me is
Somebody’s Praying for Me.
I know that I got through the tough times because people were praying for me.
Memories can be good and bad even
funny or serious. They can be triggered by sights, smells, and sounds. They
transport you back to the place where it all happened. How wonderful our minds
work. So to end this reflective blog I leave you with a quote from Thomas
Fuller: “Leftovers in their less visible form are called memories. Stored in
the refrigerator of the mind and the cupboard of the heart.”
Earlier this year, I wrote a blog
about my bucket list. Can anyone guess what item was next on my list? That’s
right! It was going to see Straight No Chaser live. You win the prize **Clap Clap Clap** What is the
prize? A hearty pat on the back is all this poor person can afford.
Moving on to better things, I
went to see Straight No Chaser on November 3rd at the Palace Theater with a
good friend of mine Kristen. She had never heard of Straight No Chaser (what?)
and came along so I didn’t have to go by myself. I would have gone solo (if I
had too) but that would have been awkward. After all, who would take pictures
of me and the guys? I was not going to have that awkward moment of asking “Hey,
can I take a picture with you?” and then searching the crowd for some poor
unfortunate soul who might decide that taking a picture of their thumb was far more
interesting than what I had in mind. No sir, I brought a capable individual who
was familiar with my phone camera and could point and click like a pro. No
mistakes made here.
We ended up arriving at the
concert at 7:15 pm (it started at 7:30pm). Yes, it was close but after all I
had the tickets and no one would take our seats. I had purchased tickets for
front row balcony so I could see everything. The place was so beautiful until I
looked down and realized how high I was off the ground. However, my fear of
heights was quickly forgotten as Straight No Chaser sang their opening song
“Get Ready ‘Cause Here I Come.” Oh boy was I ready. I screamed like a 13 year
old teenage girl seeing Justin Beiber for the first time. I had waited 3 years
for this moment and I wanted to savor every second. Now, I can’t remember every song
they sang but I knew that I liked, no loved, all of them. Yes, all of them. I
have always been that one person to go to a concert and hear that one song that
just irks me. It kind of ruins the experience. With Straight No Chaser, I loved
every single song they sang and so did the crowd. The audience was on a
Straight No Chaser high by intermission and by the end of the concert we would
die for them if needed. There was this likability about all 10 of the guys. I
felt so comfortable with them and felt like I knew everyone of them personally.
It was like I was sitting in their living room watching them goof off and sing.
Not all artists have likability like they do.
They sang a multitude of songs:
I’m Yours/Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Big Girls Don’t Cry/Walk Like A Man,
Billie Jean/Poison, You Make Me Wanna Shout, and my all-time favorite song Fix
You. Fix You was so overwhelming. The emotion that all 10 of the guys put into
it must be draining. As the tune sweeps over the audience, you begin to feel like
they are the Pied Piper and we are the children. The coolest thing about this
song is the end. You forget for a moment that they’ve stopped singing because
you are so entranced. Sadly, I didn’t record them singing it but I did record
Bridge Over Troubled Water, 12 Days Of Christmas, Stayin’ Alive/Superstition,
So Sick of Love Songs, I’m Yours/Somewhere Over The Rainbow, and the Buddy
Holly Tribute Song. Those are all on my YouTube channel minus most of the
screaming (sorry).
Two songs into the concert, my friend turned to me and said “I’m in love!!” I
said, “I told you so.” I told my friend that it was on my bucket list to see
them and she said it was on hers but she just didn’t know it. I laughed. I took
great pride in pointing out all the guys, introducing them to her (last names
included), and letting her know if they were single or married. What? I am not
a stalker. If I am, may lightning strike me down, right now. What are you
backing away for?
After the concert, we stayed for
the Meet and Greet with SNC. This is where I lost my head and all common sense
bestowed upon me. I wanted to get my picture taken with Jerome and Mike
(Remember, this is where my friend came in) and I had a purse and jacket that I
needed to dispose of. After all, no one wants to make a bad impression by
leaving someone with a headache after your purse decides it doesn’t like
staying on your shoulder and wants to move to your elbow which just happens to
be near someone’s head. So, instead of me leaving my purse and jacket with my
friend who I trusted, I left it with a complete stranger who I had never seen
before. What a dumb blonde! After the picture was taken, I walked away to meet
Seggie. Thankfully, Charlie and Ryan pointed out the fact a complete stranger
still had my belongings. After almost turning 10 shades of red, I thanked the
stranger and moved on down the line. The guys were signing t-shirts and CDs.
Since I have their CDs but forgot to bring them, I had them sign my ticket. The
only thing is I forgot my ticket had my name on it and Seggie turned to me and said
“Hi, (name).” I replied “Hi Seggie Isho (pronounced E-show).” He looked puzzled
and said “You got it right.” Inside I sang “Victory is mine, Victory is mine,
Victory, today is mine.” My friend looked directly at him and said “She’s
obsessed with you guys.” If looks could silence… However, I still wanted my
picture with Ryan (see below) so I was nice to her until we got back to the
car. Thankfully, at this point, my face had returned to a normal color
and my common sense was restored in order to have a normal picture
taken with Ryan.
I know I have rambled on and on
and on and on about this concert but I can’t believe how good these guys
actually are. YouTube cannot touch the awesome power of hearing them live. I
have caught the SNC bug/spell and it doesn’t look like I will ever recover. It
doesn’t matter though I’m okay with that. They have inspired me in ways I can’t
even begin to talk about it because it’s the end of the blog. So I leave you
today with a line from one of their songs Don’t Dream It’s Over “Hey now, hey
now don’t dream it’s over.” Oh it’s not over….
Books have been around since
languages have been spoken. One of the simple things in life is to curl up with
a good book, a hot beverage, and a blanket on a rainy day and stay there
forever. With today’s technology, the paper books have become somewhat a thing
of the past. I dread the day when all the paper books are replaced with their
electronic counterparts in the name of being green. Someday our children won’t
be able to hold a hardbound book in their hands, smell the musty paper, and
have the thrill of turning the page when the hero is about to save his lover.
But since that day has not come, there is no reason for me to lament any longer
on the subject.
Without authors, we would have no
books and without any books, we would have no escape from our sometimes dreary
world. Reading
is enjoyable pastime in which you can escape reality and become Black Beauty
running in the pasture. You can become Prince Charming who saves Cinderella from
the evil stepmother or you can be Ben Hur in that famous chariot race. You can
become Sherlock Holmes and use your wit to solve the crime or you can become
Batman fighting the evil in GothamCity. Books can take you
anywhere. A good book can make everything in reality disappear and help you
build a world out of your own imagination. Just like the song in Willy Wonka
and the Chocolate Factory, Pure Imagination. Oh what enjoyment comes from
reading a book!
I tend to gravitate more to the
books that blur the lines between what is real and what is not. Jane Austen’s book
Pride and Prejudice is a great example of that style. Every word drips with
sarcasm and wit as she makes fun of then society’s rules that people cannot
marry out of their class. A more modern day author, Ted Dekker, twists reality
into something unusual. His scenarios seem so far fetched but once you read his
books they become real. Another author, Frank Peretti, opens your eyes with
symbolism. His book, The Oath, shows a clear picture of sin and what it can do.
It seems so obvious what he is talking about yet it becomes clearer with every
page turn. Stephen King is a good author as well. Although, I must admit I have
not read any of his books, his following alone is enough to convince me that he
is a great author.
Romantic novels are an attraction
for every woman no matter the age or personality. Although I had my stint at
these when I was a teenager, at this point in time, romantic novels have no
attraction for me. Why? The honest truth is they are so far from reality it
would never be true. One author I read had the same guy crying on every page. No
guy cries that much. You may like them but for me I can’t stand them.
So tell me who is your favorite
author and what books do you recommend I read? I would love to “try” a new book
after all “Books are the blessed chloroform of the mind ~ Robert Chambers
