The Christmas Spirit.
I’m feelin’ it.
Can You?
The Christmas Spirit.
I’m feelin’ it.
Month: December 2008
Day Eight
:::: A Twelve Day Journey To Christmas Day-
OR
Will Anita Marie Get Her Fiji Mermaid THIS Year?:::
Today
On
Day Eight
Having Dodged The Bullet
I Go In Search Of
Another
We were supposed to have a windstorm
here in Washington State
and some of us here did.
We were suppose to be sitting here in the cold and dark
and some of us are.
So every time I hit a light switch, or when I sat down to write
my first reaction was to laugh hysterically
and my second was to be grateful.
I mean Churcy Grateful.
Which doesn’t happen often to me
as the Big Guy Upstairs
and I
have had issues this year with each other.
However.
As I considered my Fiji Mermaid-less life, my lack of Christmas Spirit and the mindless, thoughtless ” Holiday Greetings” I’ve received from people who don’t bother to find out if I’ve lived or died over the year I’ve concluded that
I’m so glad I have been at home,
keeping to myself
with the lousy weather as an excuse to not be out in the world
for fear that I’ll run into someone ( while shopping…shudder ) and when they ask
” So how’s your Christmas Shopping coming along? “
I know that will call what posses me forth and suddenly
The Christmas Demon in me will appear,
her will spin her head around a few times just like Linda Blair’s in the Exorcist and when she stops she will shriek, ” what do you care, you’re not getting anything anyway.”
I hope it snows some more.
I don’t think I’m ready to face a world full of Christmas.
Yet.
On Day Seven
:::: A Twelve Day Journey To Christmas Day-
OR
Will Anita Marie Get Her Fiji Mermaid THIS Year?:::
Today
On Day Seven
We Find Out That It Really Sux To Be Me
Just after Thanksgiving, I start getting
The Letters.
By that I mean
Those Letters
that tell you what the sender did over the year.
And what a great year they had.
Which is wonderful for them.
My Mom LOVES to get those in Christmas Cards, she used to read them to us and she would even hang them up with the Christmas Cards and pass the news that she found neat on to her friends.
My Mom is Filipino and she grew up in Hawaii and that means – among other things- she’s into ‘talking story’ so yeah, she’s into those letters.
I’m not sure how I feel about them- I actually look forward to one of the Christmas Letters I get from a friend, who honestly doesn’t like the computer and travels. Every year I get these whopping long letters ( and presents- ) around Christmas.
No fooling it’s awesome and don’t think I don’t put a lot of thought into what I’m going to write back.
HOWEVER
Call it me getting Grinchlike in my advancing years but if someone has had a hellaciously bad year
( Some people do, so I’ve heard )
you may want to use some common sense before sending out your
“Snow-Are You Newsletter ”
First off:
Would you give details about your kid’s lives- where they work, go to school, where they can be found during the day, WHAT KIND OF CAR THEY DRIVE, even a picture of them to a perfect stranger?
Of course not.
So why share that happy news with ‘dear friends’ who wouldn’t know your kids unless your kids walked up to them and stuck a sprig of Holly into their left eye?
In addition
you may want to consider who gets your ” Happy New(s)Year ” post which always contains a travel intineray.
Myself I didn’t go on trips that would be the kind of news I could share back ( not that those kinds of letters actually invite conversation )
for example, this year I went to a Funeral ( only one, what can I say, in my book it was a good year ) and I mourned the death of my friend who shot himself in the head just after Thanksgiving over 25 years ago- and the place I go to in my Soul when I reflect on that time in my life isn’t going to be showing up on the Travel Channel anytime soon- let alone in a ” Holly -Are- You Newsletter “.
And as to the cool things the letter writer did over the year-
if the receiver had no idea that your life’s goal was to swim with the Dolphins and what it took for you to get to that point where you actually go to a place so that you could, indeed, swim with the Dolphins- they’re not going to understand why oh why you’re sharing that bit of glad news six months after the fact.
Rule of thumb:
If your co-worker whom you hate -and the person you sit next to on the bus or train or the person in the check out line ( the slow one ) knows more about what is going on in your life then your Season’s Greet-ees, you may want to consider putting that news into a letter, encased in a Christmas Card and sending it off to ” All “.
Besides.
Christmas Cards are not intended to be suck -up ( gee I’m sorry I spent the year not thinking about you) gifts.
– Things like flowers and wine and
FIJI MERMAIDS
are suck up gifts.
In case you missed that.
During the Holiday Season I run into a lot of friends from my past- they’re in town visiting family, sometimes they give their old friends a call and sometimes all we do is talk outside in the snow, or we might toddle off for a drink or meet up for a little while for a bite to eat.
And that’s when we talk about what’s been going on in our lives.
Those times are pretty wonderful and when they happen I feel lighter, do you know what I mean?
Sending a letter to eveyone in your address book to say how wonderful things are for you is a bit like playing Chicken in Santa’s Sled with a drunken elf at the reins, if you don’t care how the person at the other of of your letter is really feeling and how they could take your letter…..
you may want to consider nixing the letter and instead add an extra line at the bottom of your card that says something real like:
Thinking Of You.
Photo:Christmas Story-A Fansite
:::and now for a Christmas Song That I really do enjoy sharing:::
Once In A Christmas Song
It was just before Christmas when I heard the Trans-Siberian Orchestra for the first time.
My Mom had told me about a video for a Christmas Song and how it was about a little girl and her kitten who escape into a snowstorm take over an Orchestra in the woods and how even though you saw all these images about how the world was a conflicted place, for that one night the girl, her cat and her Orchestra win.
I wasn’t sure what she meant.
And then my Mom said, ” it reminded me of your stories Marie. “
Thanks Mom.
For Getting It.
Marie
CHRISTMAS EVE/SARAJEVO 12/24
(Instrumental)
As He flew over the countryside
He was still listening
When from a little church below
He heard a voice begin to sing
Christmas Canon
THIS NIGHT
WE PRAY
OUR LIVES WILL SHOW
THIS DREAM HE HAD
EACH CHILD
STILL KNOWS
WE ARE WAITING
WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN
ON THIS NIGHT
ON THIS NIGHT
ON THIS NIGHT
ON THIS VERY CHRISTMAS NIGHT
Do You Know What Today Is?
:::: A Twelve Day Journey To Christmas Day-
OR
Will Anita Marie Get Her Fiji Mermaid THIS Year?:::
Today
On Day Six
Anita Marie Asks…
Do you know what today is?
Before I tell you let me tell you about my day.
Today it snowed.
I baked.
I played with my cats and wondered if
I was stranded in my car on the side of the road in this snow storm
would I care about what I wanted for Christmas?
If the power went out like it did last year, and it went back on across the street two days before the power was restored on my side of the street and I had to sit in my dark house and watch the Christmas Lights on my neighbors house go on in the evening and cast little rays of happy lights on their plastic Christmas yard ornaments would getting a Monkey Fish seem like something I would be thinking about?
That I should be thinking about?
You bet I would-and I DID- because I think it’s those wild dreams that give us the strength to deal with the world when things get absolutely unbearable.
I’ve made it my mission in life to see those dreams of mine come true…
and sometimes they do
and when they do it is always so worth the effort it took to keep them alive.
Now here’s the answer to the question.
Today
::It’s Christmas In Heaven That’s What Today Is:::
That’s Right, It’s Snowing
Here in Washington State we just don’t have regular old snow- HELL NO
We have Thundersnow
Trap us on the Freeway here in Washington?
Oh.
I think not.
In this image from a Department of Transportation traffic camera, a driver who apparently abandoned their vehicle walks down State Route 520 Thursday morning.
What you don’t see here is that a few minutes after this picture was taken cars started to turn around and drive the wrong way down the Shoulder ( behind this pedestrian ) so that they could get off of the freeway.
fyi
you can click the pictures to get to the orginal news stories.
And if you think that here in Snohomish County we just build snowmen or ride sleds down one of our many hills or drive to the Malls and spend all day there eating Salted Pretzels and drinking Coffee with fancy French and Italian names because school was cancelled and we couldn’t get to work so we stayed home
HA HA ON YOU!
We do stuff like this:::
Snow Dare: Jayden trying to sit in the snow filled chair as long as he can.
Now for the best part of Snow Days
The Comics!
Stay Warm Everybody and if you ARE warm remember- to much Sun is bad for your skin.
Ha.
a.m.
Day Five
:::: A Twelve Day Journey To Christmas Day-
OR
Will Anita Marie Get Her Fiji Mermaid THIS Year?:::
Today
On Day Five
Anita Marie Concludes That:
Diamonds maybe a Girl’s Best Friend
But a Fiji Mermaid will never fall off the back of your toilet
and into the toilet bowl and end up costing you hundres of dollars in Plumbers fees.
It snowed today here in Snohomish County
which was pretty wonderful.
My husband picked me up from work, which was even better because I didn’t have to take the bus home- and instead of enjoying the snowfall from the freeway on a bus which was sure to smell like Lattes and wet wool I got to enjoy it from my own kitchen which smelled like Quiche and warmed up eggnog with PLENTY of nutmeg.
It also meant that we watched some TV earlier in the day then unusual and I’m not sure if it’s always like this but there were lots and lots of commercials and wouldn’t you know it- they were all about buying really expensive presents…get this
FOR THE WOMEN IN YOUR LIFE.
And all of the gifts were jewelry related.
Hurray!
That Fiji Mermaid is as good as mine.
First up this guy is waving a diamond ring under his girlfriend’s sleeping nose.
It’ wasn’t a diamond chip on a delicate silver band in the shape of a heart or something- oh no, this thing was big. I’ll bet the band was platinum too.
I pointed it out to my husband and said:
“Hey. Do you think that’s one of those blood diamonds?”
He waited for me to continue- you know after 20 years together he knew there was more.
” Aren’t you glad that I’m not asking for one of those? WOW look at the size of that thing- and what are they sleeping on? Is that a futon? I’ll bet she makes him sleep on the side that slopes down more- you know on the drafty side of the room.”
He took the remote and turned the channel and …
some guy bought a diamond bracelet for his deaf girlfriend and when he signed the line that was designed to bring a tear to the eye I said:
” He’s bought her a diamond bracelet and he’s only just learned to sign ” Merry Christmas? ” How long have those two been together? A week? What a sap. But when you think about it, if a man has been with a woman for say twenty years or something like that don’t you think she would deserve maybe two bracelets? Perhaps even earrings and a necklace to match?”
” I suppose. “
“So, like, you’d get me jewelry is I asked for it?”
Actually, after spending the last week asking for Pickled Punks and Fiji Mermaids the look on my husband’s face was saying- no I take that back,
It was crying out:
” God I wish you would.”
“Good thing I’m not shallow, right? “
He agreed.
My husband was also watching me the same way my dogs watch me when I come up to them with their Flea Drops hidden behind my back.
” Yeah. I’m into the Spirit of the season- you know doing heart felt things for other people and all. Like bringing a little joy into their life and recognizing their uniqueness”
By the time I was done pointing out that it was okay to get strange presents for strange people there was another commercial on and in this one an entire family was presenting a Mom with a necklace set with the birthstones of her children.
She was crying.
Her kids were crying.
My husband was almost crying.
” Boy. I mean thats’ exactly what I’d want- my kids hanging from around my neck- what an efficient way to do it- this way they could do it all at once and from a distance. Now that gift took some thought. Don’t you think?”
My husband turned the TV off and now I’m writing and I think he’s talking to my sister.
That’s it guys.
She’s out there waiting for you to bring her home.
Happy Fishing.
a.m.
Day Four
:::: A Twelve Day Journey To Christmas Day-
OR
Will Anita Marie Get Her Fiji Mermaid THIS Year?:::
And Now For A Seasonal Greeting-
Hey!
Merry Cursemas Everybody!
I figure if I put some effort into giving really unique gifts for Christmas that in turn will inspire my nearest and dearest to cough up the gift I would dearly love to receive on Christmas morning..
To recap- I’ve been asking for a Fiji Mermaid for 30+ years and my family have NOT been giving me one for 30+ years.
It’s a weird tradition.
Anyway this year I think I’m making progress – I think it’s dawning on my husband and sister that I’m serious about my mermaid.
So as to not be coy or vague about what I want for Christmas I’ve designed a full out campaign and this is phase one-
I call this phase:::
Gifts that keep on giving-
mostly giving what you want.
For my cats I’ve chosen the following- okay they don’t give presents but maybe if people see I’m willing to do this give this gift to to creatures that I dearly love…well…
For my nieces- all of them- I’m going to send them this clip- with the suggestion that they share it with their parents often- in fact, I’m also going to get them versions of this song and CD and DVD just so they can really stick it I mean share the experience on a 24/7 basis.
Oh yes, there’s an empty shelf in my office and it’s the perfect place for the ultimate Christmas gift.
I can hardly wait for Christmas Morning.
Day Three
:::: A Twelve Day Journey To Christmas Day-
OR
Will Anita Marie Get Her Fiji Mermaid THIS Year?:::
- Photo: It’s A Cryptid World
Today
On Day Three
Readers Want To Know
Is that your Christmas Present
or
Did Something Die
Under Your House Again?
I enjoy Politics.
I enjoy being part of the process and I really enjoy the psychology of it all- I mean- after I’ve been to meetings or talked to Politicians or Politicos I can sit down and knock out three solid horror stories one after the other.
Most of the times on those twisted ones I get comments like-
” What kind of mind can make you feel sorry for twisted demonic creatures who ride the bus home from work and spray paint death threats on walls? Yours I guess “
-yeah well-
the sad thing is there is no real cross over room for my writing and for my activism, so while I’m doing one I’m not involved with the other.
So the Anita Marie that wonders and then writes about what a cannibal is thinking while making pies out of her victims or what happens when a perfect marriage is ruined when a vampire wife turns human and has to leave her undead husband behind is not the same Anita Marie who understands why and must deal with the Political Machine and why it does what it does to friend and foe alike.
It’s not all grim un-fun work though.
I’m not going to downplay it- sometimes celebrities show up at events and that is very very cool.
One year I saw Richard Dreyfuss at the DNC is Boston and he gave this great speech at a breakfast meeting for the delegates. Michael Moore was seated as a Delegate at the same convention and I actually watched Wolf Blitzer interview Everclear’s Art Alexakis.
That aside though there aren’t many things that feed my creative spirit to be found in the political world.
And then today I found this picture
and this thread:
We’re huge fans of the new Doctor Who. David Tennant is not a bad looking fellow.
See evidence below:
I found these pictures at The Democratic Underground
and at the Democratic Underground- they’re asking:
Anyway… we’ve engaged in a debate. Is David straight, gay, or bi? Does anyone know for sure?
:::thread HERE:::
I mean, can think of one person who visits here that will probably take that thread and …well…she won’t be happy…but I am because I had no idea anyone involved with Politics cares about David Tennant, having totally pointless fun or wondering about something other then Stupid Sarah Palin and that dork Governor in Illinois.
Now.
I’m off to collect some info about how to make my own Fiji Mermaid.
I figure once those body parts start showing up AT MY MOM’S HOUSE ( like I’d let UPS leave stuff like that on my front door step where anybody could walk off with it ) my family will be all over this Fiji Mermaid thing.
Besides- how could you not have fun looking for a Fiji Mermaid?
Exactly.
And fun is just what the Doctor ordered.
a.m.
Now For Your Holiday Enjoyment
Christmas On Mars.
Really.
It’s a movie:::
Day Two
:::: A Twelve Day Journey To Christmas Day-
OR
Will Anita Marie Get Her Fiji Mermaid THIS Year?:::
Today
On Day Two
Readers Want To Know
Why the Hell Does This Woman want a Monkey/ Fish For Christmas?
- original Fiji Mermaid & P.T. Barnum
Last year my nephew, who was dieing went into the hospital sometime around Thanksgiving. A few weeks later he went into a hospice and before his birthday in July he died.
I think it was just before Christmas when we went to see him in the hospital.
He was blind by then, he could still talk a little and he was very aware of everything going on around him, so my sister-the famous Esther- and my adorable baby brother who nick named me Cheetoh- our spouses and parents and kids all crowded into Andy’s bedroom and did what we always do when we get together.
We laughed and told stories …
and then it started to snow.
I was reading Andy stories from my blogs and for awhile everyone left the room but they hung around the door and I think that if there was any one reason for me to have been a writer – it was for that moment.
Because my nephew was proud of me.
I told him about writers and artists I’ve met on line- he knew you- my friends there at The Soul Food Cafe- Heather and Lori, Cle, and Jane, Gail and Jill. I told him about Sylvia and Vi and Lois and Winnie.. I told him about Max and Kitty and how they wrote screenplays- he was a movie fanatic you know.
I told him about the funny things that people write and how serious they are about their work and how one day the story I’m writing about a Werewolf who wants to be a Magician will be a book one day.
And when I was done he said, ” Oh Wow.”
Those were the last words he ever spoke to me.
I remember it was snowing.
So, at this time of the year when things are so hard for everyone-when most of what I feel tonight is grief because it is snowing and it is cold
you may be wondering: why do I write about my quest my very own
Fiji Mermaid?
Because Andy would have got one for me- that’s why.
He’d think that something like a Fiji Mermaid would be the perfect thing for me to find under my tree on Christmas morning.
In fact, I’m sure he still does.
So because he can’t get me that ultimate gift.
I WILL find her for the both of us.
You just wait and see.
a.m.
December 2008
::: this music clip is here because Andy loved the California Raisins when he was a little boy- and we used to call each other ” Cab ” because of the opening lines in this video-we used to run them together for fun- plus we loved the song- so enjoy::::
Irregular Bones 