For Your Christmas Viewing Pleasure

I'm just kidding ... seriously kids! Didn't Santa visit your house? At Spiritdoll, Kara listed John Denver and the Muppets singing "The 12Days of Christmas"
as one of her favorite things and Endment left this link in a comment there. Since I'd never seen
this video clip before, I assume there could be others in the Blogosphere who might enjoy it today. So, on this WINDY day in Southern California (as I go peel Satsuma tangerines to bring & share at Christmas dinner), sit back and enjoy if time permits ... or invite the whole family to watch with you.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Spreading the Word -- Discover the Inner Christmas and Other Holiday "Stuph"

In case you didn't know ...
Ladybug, Kikipotamus, Sandy, Karen and Kara have their 12 Random Christmasy Things about themselves up at their blogs. Just click on the links to read their lists (and mine) if you haven't already done so, and if you wish to join the fun ... please do. The more the merrier! Remember to leave a link to let us know when your list is up so we can all visit.

Something Special
Kara's list ends with a link containing this brief but timely and inspirational Inner Christmas Movie created and offered by Lynn Jerico who reminds us "... wonder and wisdom live in questions, not answers." I hope you'll pause a moment to click and watch it because I'm glad I did. I suspect many of us will be considering "The Twelve Polarities" and participating in the "Twelve Minutes of Inner Christmas Practice" between December 25th and January 5th this year. Thank you Kara!

For those with time
to linger and consider the season
(seriously or otherwise):

1. be inspired by this T-13 collection of Bible verses about Christmas at Brain Freeze

2. savor this touching personal experience at Los Angelista's reminding us we can all do something, no matter how small ...
if we're paying attention with an open heart
3. for Christmas Facts see Michelle's T-13 at Artventuring
4. for Christmas Activities to do with Kids (big and small) complete with "how to" links visit Believer in Balance
5. if you need a laugh or two to get you through the day check
out these hilarious Christmas Cartoons at Burnt Offerings

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

A Christmasy Video Experiment with YouTube

After enjoying so many video presentations on other's blogs, and discovering THIS hilarious Christmas Countdown video at Lins Honeyman's blog through His Girl Friday's recommendation this morning at Wellied on Life ... I decided THIS was worth the effort to teach myself what I need to know to do this thing for myself here. Perhaps I was foolish, because the clip took forever to load there ... but what the hey? It's worth the wait to laugh yourself silly! Seriously!!! If this doesn't work, you can click on either link to find and watch the clip ... but I've got my fingers crossed.

Hooray! It worked for me ... so it should work for you. Warning ... it DOES take a bit of patience, so while it's loading from YouTube, get yourself a cup of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, eggnog, or whatever you choose ... and give yourself a "break" enjoying "Frank Kelly's 12 Days of Christmas." If you encounter difficulty, check out Melissa's advice from Part of Everything that I've added below the YouTube screen and leave a "thank you" at her blog.

For slow or choppy online videos, try the following:

• Click the "play" button.
• Once the video starts to load, click the "pause" button and let the rest of the video load.
• If you watch the status bar at the bottom of the video, (the bar with the pointer that tells you how far into the video you are) you can see the bar filling up.
• Once the status bar is full and the video is loaded, click "play" again and the video will usually play through much better.

This will work for most online videos regardless of how old or slow a computer is. The key is to wait until the video has fully loaded before attempting to view it. Try it!

Twelve Random Christmasy Things About Me

No "M" word here ... just some Hoopla!

I've been "tagged" by Mama Zen for a little Hoopla, and although I'm sorely tempted to hold onto this for my Thursday Thirteen activity (making it a baker's dozen rather than 12) ... as Mama Zen sez ... time is short for others to play so here I go.

The rules
(though by now you realize
I have difficulty being told what to do):

1. List 12 random things about yourself that have to do with Christmas
2. Please refer to it as a 'hoopla' and not the dreaded 'm'-word (which, for you bloggy newbies, is meme)
3. You have to specifically tag people when you're done. None of this "if you're reading this, consider yourself tagged" stuff is allowed...then nobody ends up actually doing it. The number of people who you tag is really up to you -- but the more, the merrier to get this 'hoopla' circulating through the Blogosphere.
4. Please try and do it as quickly as possible. The Christmas season will be over before we know it and I'd like to get as many people involved as possible.

In no particular order ...

1. For the first 4 years in our very first home, we purchased live Monterey pine trees to display indoors and decorate. After Christmas we planted these in our yard. When we sold the place after living there 10 years (to move here to the beach), these were HUGE trees with lots of memories attached! Leaving them behind was difficult.

2. I'll be celebrating the holidays this year with friends rather than family because my sister and her husband are on the East Coast (in Georgia) while I'm at home in Southern California. They'll move on to Florida for the winter on the 26th and plan to continue their 2 year trip across the USA.

3. Here are some of the Christmas mugs hanging in my kitchen. If you stop by, I'll be happy to serve you Starbuck's Christmas Blend coffee in the morning and/or make you tea (or hot chocolate) in the afternoon.




4. I haven't put up a tree for several years, but I do decorate with a few special things each year. I shared one such display yesterday at Sacred Ruminations here and intend to share other holiday decorations and traditions between now and Christmas.

5. I create original holiday cards each year to send to friends and family. I'm usually rushing at the last minute to get these in the mail before Christmas comes so they usually arrive between Christmas and New Year's Day. This year I'm worried they might not get out at all because I'm spending so much time blogging. Sigh!

6. Like Mama Zen, I watch "It's a Wonderful Life!" every holiday season, though not always on Christmas Eve.

7. When growing up, we didn't have much money and often gave "gifts of our time & service" to one another ... a tradition I continued throughout my 34 years in the classroom by providing a variety of holiday "coupons" my students could fill in, decorate, and/or assemble into books for friends and family members ... offering services like back rubs, hugs, a variety of specific chores (without reminding), etc. Everyone seemed to enjoy giving and receiving such gifts to one another.

8. When we bought THIS house in 1980 (it was well beyond our means at the time and necessitated serious spending cutbacks) we created and gave as gifts "Invitations" for an evening at our "Dinner Theater and Playhouse" ... complete with official "tickets" (containing instructions for making "reservations" ... along with a variety of menu, film, and video-game choices. Many of our friends had never played video-games at the time and enjoyed "reserving" games & videos as they selected from Chinese, Italian, English, & Mexican cuisine for their special evening at the beach with us. Doing this permitted us to spread holiday expenses throughout the year and spend quality time with friends and family. Interestingly, once we could afford to purchase and give gifts again, everyone missed these yearly invitations even though we continued to entertain regularly.

9. I'll miss my sister's Christmas cookies this year. She always makes the best chocolate chip cookies, but my favorites are the buttery sugar cookies using my mom's recipe.

10. And that reminds me that I'll miss making tamales with her for New Year's ... a tradition we've practiced for a decade or more.

11. Like Mama Zen ... I believe in Santa and one of my favorite Christmas books is THE POLAR EXPRESS. Since I didn't see the Tom Hanks version when the movie was released, perhaps I'll rent and watch it this year.

12. Attending candlelight services on Christmas Eve is a tradition in my family I still enjoy.

(I couldn't resist the bakers dozen idea) so ...
13. Although I don't have a tree, I do hang ornaments and angels throughout the house. Most of these were gifts from students throughout the years ... many hand made by them with loving care ... all bring back lovely memories.

If there are new visitors to my blog today, you can see how I used to decorate for the holidays here.

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Now ... I'm tagging
Annie, Kikipotamus, Sandy, and Ladybug!

Kara
and Karen,
you can do this only if
you promise
not to stress yourselves out!
As Mama Zen says
the more the merrier so
if anyone else
feels the urge to participate
leave a link here so I can read your answers.
So
how
about
YOU?

Small Reflections Christmas Carol Quiz Answers

As promised, here are the answers to the 1st Annual Small Reflections Christmas Carol Quiz. Thanks to everyone who played, hummed, and sang along. I'm told #1 & 9 were doozies! I guess we all have our favorite carols, and these are two of mine. I didn't realize they were obscure when I created the Quiz, but now I do.

1. There’s a Song in the Air

2. What Child is this Who Lay to Rest

3. Angels From the Realm of Glory

4. Joy to the World the Lord Has Come

5. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

6. O Come All Ye Faithful

7. The First Noel, the Angels Did Say

8. We Three Kings of Orient Are

9. In the Bleak Midwinter, Frosty Wind Made Moan

10.Good Christian Men Rejoice

Be sure to watch for this lovely award created by Mary (with snow added by me) as you wander the Blogosphere.

FeedBurner Links, Photos, and Christmas Stuph

My Head is Pounding,
but I've got a FeedBurner Link
and a picture by my name
so ...

After beginning early this morning with good intentions, I find it's well into the afternoon before I've return to write and publish this. Once again, Kara saved the day by helping me clean up the mess I made and finish the installation. Thanks my friend! :)

I've jumped on the RSS FeedBurner band-wagon. After finding links like this on other blogs useful to me as I've wandered the Blogosphere, I decided to experiment here. I'm not sure exactly how all this works, but since I've used a "reader" for a while now (thanks to Annie), if linking up like this makes it easier for others to keep track of things, I'm willing to give it a go. So ... you'll notice the RSS "Subscribe" logo in my Sidebar. Hopefully this makes it simpler if you use a "reader" and wish to subscribe. If you encounter problems, please let me know so I can make modifications as necessary.

While I had Kara on the phone, I asked her to help me add a picture to my profile (something I've been trying to do for a couple of weeks now without success because I couldn't figure out WHERE to add it) but she directed me to the Bloggers Dashboard. Yes, it was there all along in the upper right hand corner ... clear as day! EDIT PROFILE (duh). I've searched every menu in Settings and Layout multiple times on numerous occasions, but it never occurred to me to check the Dashboard. Sigh! I don't think I've looked at that page since late October when I created my blogs. Doesn't the holiday wreath Mary made for me look festive? I'm happy to add that I've already passed this information on to another blogger seeking help a little while ago, and share it here for anyone else struggling with this challenge.

I'm pleased to report that I've been keeping things under control finally with Google Reader by choosing the "Mark all as read" option every time I add a new blog ... something I could have done all along, but for some reason couldn't make myself do until "rambling" about this dilemma recently at Sacred Ruminations and deciding to take action. MSN is another matter.

And finally (as promised previously) here are the "now you see them, now you don't ... oh there they are again" holiday decorations in my neighbor's yard. It seems these little Christmas Critters scurry to take cover when the rains come, but return to their places when the sun comes out again. Only in Southern California, right?

Last Call!

Christmas Carol lyrics will be posted tomorrow morning, so if you haven't done so already, be sure to email your Christmas Carol Quiz answers to me before you turn off your computer tonight. Remember, it's not necessary to have all ten. Send what you've figured out and celebrate the fun! My e-address is: smallreflections@gmail.com

T-13 thanks, Friday Hugs, Christmas Carol Quiz info, Windy California Weather, & Problems Leaving Comments on either Blog

First off ... thanks for all the heartfelt comments left about yesterday's T-13 here! I'm overwhelmed by the supportive encouragement from everyone, and I've added a series of personal responses to your feedback (within the comments section) yesterday and this morning ... some of which are longer than my average daily post. LOL

I gave some thought to using the one I wrote and left this morning as a post for today's offering, but figured I'd simply reference it here and move on to other things. I do encourage others to consider the question of what you might do if you knew you couldn't fail, and invite you to leave a link here if you decided to do so. I'd love to read (and comment on) your lists!

Regarding the Christmas Carol Quiz. Several of you have indicated (with creatively colorful language) that a couple are giving you fits. May I suggest you email me the answers you have today and relax. Absolute accuracy isn't necessary to have a good time, and (as others discovered previously) ... sending the list removed stress allowing answers to arrive unbidden. You can always send another email with additional answers as they show up. Google gives me LOTS of free storage! I'm currently using 0% of the available space there. You have until midnight on Saturday, December 15th, to send me your list. I'll end the suspense and post the answers on Sunday, the 16th ... and will email the HTLM code for the award to participants then as well.

A little more than a week ago, we had stormy weather in Southern California (no snow or ice, just wind and rain). Interestingly, the palm fronds all landed in a pile in the middle of the street (see the 3rd row in this collage for those first pictures) ... something we've never seen happen before. After taking a few photos, I went on about the day's activities without giving it any more thought ... although all of us in the neighborhood assumed someone from the City would send a crews to gather them up at some point.


This morning, the pile remains ... though someone has moved them from the middle of the street to a pile near the curb (see photos on left side of collage). One can only guess how long they'll remain ... but the street sweeper does come next Monday (on MY side of the street where the pile currently resides) ... so we'll see what happens in a few days. Does anyone know how to change the sequence of pictures when creating a collage with Picasa? I've got no clue how the program decides to arrange the pictures in a collage, but it clearly has nothing to do with the order in which I take the snapshot. Sigh! So much to learn ... still.

If any of you need to feel warmer today, I hope my photos help. Certainly, I've enjoyed YOUR winter weather vicariously without having to shovel sideways or bundle up to go outdoors ... so thanks for sharing and I look forward to more wintry pictures as I wander the Blogosphere.

Finally, I've received email from a few folks who have found it difficult (if not impossible) to leave comments on one or both of my blogs. If you experience problems, please let me know so I can look into the problem and figure out how to solve it. I like reading and responding to comments, so I wouldn't want anyone to feel frustrated or discouraged.

Thursday Thirteen #2

Thirteen Things I’d Do If I Knew I Couldn’t Fail (in no particular order)

1. Submit a manuscript for publication
2. Participate in a Poetry Slam
3. Create educational environments to empower kids and inspire them to explore whatever interests them (for however long it does) … allowing & encouraging them to follow their dreams and desires rather than “contain themselves”
4. Become a “motivational speaker” and/or storyteller in the oral tradition
5. Fix my leaky faucets myself
6. End world hunger
7. Rid the world of violence, war, aggression & hostility
8. Learn to draw and/or paint to illustrate my writing colorfully
9. Teach Molly & Ms. Kitty to be friends
10. Calm myself and overcome self-doubt
11. Clear clutter from my home and distractions from my mind … learning to focus on one thing at a time and make decisions easily
12. Set up a foundation, a scholarship, and/or create a legacy for the future
13. Learn to speak and understand other languages.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

For
easy
access,
I’ve listed
more T-13 links
along with
the Thursday Thirteen
Blogroll to my
sidebar

Reminder: You've got 2 more days to figure out the Christmas Carol Quiz answers and email them to me. Did you notice the "snowy" effects in the award Mary created that's now displayed in the sidebar here? As previously announced: Peajay, Joy, John and Carrie were the first 4 Bloggers to get all 10 correct and have the Small Reflections Christmas Carol Quiz Award to post on their Blogs.

Who's going to be next?

How Much Do You Know About Christmas?

I'm not sure what possessed me today, but I clicked on "What's new" at Blogthings and found this Holiday Quiz (and another I've posted at Sacred Ruminations). Perhaps you'll do better than I did ... and perhaps even want to gloat in comments?

I
guess
I don't know
as much as I thought I did
but I'm going with
the data as presented to me
just because.
Sigh
7/10?

You Know a Lot About Christmas

You got 7/10 correct You know tons about the history and traditions surrounding Christmas. When you celebrate the holidays, you never forget their true meaning - or all the little fun details. Random Christmas fact: Thomas Edison has the first Christmas lights, three years after he invented the electric lightbulb.

How Much Do You Know About Christmas?

(I suspect everyone may know more than me.)

Reminder: You've got 6 more days to figure out the Christmas Carol Quiz answers and email them to me. In fairness (and for full disclosure), Karen asked for "hints" in a comment on yesterday's post and I responded as follows (though I don't know whether or not there are hints here):

Karen said... Seeing this reclamation project is making me think about taking on my own yard. And by the way--argh, woman!! The quiz is driving me crazy! There are two that I can't figure out (TASITA & ITBMFWMM)--will there be hints as we get closer to deadline?

I responded: Karen - LOL ... those are the same two that gave all three of the, previous winners "fits" as well! I believe Joy used the phrase "holy guacamole" in HER email to me regarding ITBMFWMM. Interestingly, that one ended up on the list because (while I was creating the list) I was listening to a Barbra Streisand CD on which she sings this song. The 1st, TASITA, was MY favorite as a teenager. Hmmm ... I wonder if those qualify as "clues" and if I need to "post" this information for everyone?

As previously announced: Peajay, Joy and John were the first 3 Bloggers to get all 10 correct and have the Small Reflections Christmas Carol Quiz Award to post on their Blogs. Who's going to be next?

Happy 6th night of Hannukah
to all those who celebrate
this holiday.

Visual Scribblings #4

Here's a 4th visual piece I created with my MultiMate and Palm V years ago. Once again, I have no clue what it says. I created each of these as experiments while learning how this device worked, and found them in my picture files recently. Some of the previous word doodles became readable when enlarged once published. I'm giving this one a try today, just because.

In case you missed the earlier ones, they can be found here, here, and here. Finally, you can find a Visual Piece I created years ago by hand. It does become readable when enlarged.

Reminder:
You have until December 15th
to email me your answers to the
Christmas Carol Quiz

Congratulations
to Peajay for being the first
one to figure out all ten correctly
and send me email.
Who's next?

With Gratitude and Blessings to Mary for this Lovely Award for all those who Participate in the Small Reflections Christmas Carol Quiz

Mary
(of Mary's Writing Nook)
volunteered to create an award
for my Christmas Carol Quiz participants
and this is what it looks like :)

Isn't it lovely?
I plan to add a little "bling"
between now and
December 15th when I post the answers
so it will "sparkle & glow"

So, my friends, check out the details
in my previous post and put your thinking caps on!

Time's awasting :)

Christmas Carol Quiz (with thanks to Akelamalu for the idea)

Over at everything and nothing, Akelamalu has created a Christmas Carol Quiz but, alas, I missed the deadline of last weekend (since I didn't discover it until today). However, I don't believe she's posted answers yet ... so perhaps there's still time to play. I've got them all figured out but one, but I can't find her email address. Such is life!

I've created a similar Quiz here. Play or not as you choose, but I'll post answers on December 15th. That's about 2 weeks from now. You can email your answers to me through my profile so you don't give the answers away prematurely :)

To borrow her instructions: Just to get you in the mood for Christmas ... remember the Nursery Rhyme quizzes? Well this is a bit like those only the initials represent the first line of Christmas Carols and Songs.

Here's an example:

O.I.R.D.C. - Once In Royal David's City - get the idea?

So here's my version of the Christmas Carol Quiz:

1. T A S I T A
2. W C I T W L T R
3. A F T R O G
4. J T T W T L H C
5. I C U A M C
6. O C A Y F
7. T F N T A D S
   
8. W T K O O A
9. I T B M F W M M
10. G C M R

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I have nothing to offer but "fun" as a reward because I have no clue how to create these clever buttons, but I come from a generation (now mostly extinct like dinosaurs) where such rewards weren't necessary incentives. We entertained ourselves and one another with a wide assortment of mental games involving words :)

Surprise!
See the nifty
Christmas Carol Quiz Award
Mary created
by clicking here.