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Hello.
My name is Angel.
And I’m a reality TV addict.

I’m in recovery now.  I haven’t watched a reality TV show for three seasons.  And it’s hard.  It’s real hard.  Especially when my friends on facebook talk about the American Idol theme song giving them chills and the girl from Tennessee, and the one who rode the Aeroplane.  It’s hard. 

Yeah, I’ve dabbled in them all.  Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, The Biggest Loser, Big Brother, but my show of choice would have to be Survivor.  I was hooked on Survivor for years.  Never missed a show.  Never.  I started pushing my family away because of it.  It was before DVR and I would tell them “Don’t call me or come around on Thursday nights from 7:00-8:00”.   Nothing, I mean nothing, was more important to me than Tribal Council.

One season, I was watching 3 reality shows at once.  Survivor, DWTS, and AI.  Hours and hours of my life spent living vicariously through other people.

Then I just gave it up.  Went cold turkey.  Something had to give.  With reality TV, my family wasn’t getting fed, laundry piled up, windows didn’t get scrubbed.  Oh, wait, that doesn’t happen still.

(hanging head in shame)  But today, I had a relapse.  I’d been hearing people talking about “Pants on the Ground”.  Everybody, all around me, that’s all I hear.  I just couldn’t take it anymore.  I had to know.  I HAD to experience it for myself.

http://www.youtube.com/v/cnsDeyLDTY8&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1

That’s my story…..it’s sad, but true.

God Grant Me the Ability
To Refrain from Reality TV Shows
Strength to change the channel
And to Get my Windows Scrubbed.

RTVA, I’m not only a member.
I’m also the President.

During a math workshop, I learned a couple of facts about Albert Einstein. 
1.  He was divorced.
2.  He had developmental problems and language delays.

My curiosity was piqued with these newly attained tidbits, so I went to the library.  I believe in books you know. 

I checked out a big fat biography on Einstein. I’m going to lap it up and then bore you with my knowledge of relativity and quantum theory (as soon as I find out what that is).

Then I’ll use big words like antidisestablishmentarianism.
Maybe I’ll hang his portrait in my house.

Just you wait.

Remember that cute little romantic comedy called I.Q.?  Walter Mathau, Tim Robbins and Meg Ryan……great movie.  Walter Mathau plays Einstein.  Go rent it if you haven’t seen it.  It’s delightful.

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.”

Guess who said that.

Tonight I conclude Day #13 in a 21 day partial fast known as the Daniel Fast.  We’re doing it in my church as a way of giving God our first:  the first 21 days of 2010.
It’s been a tough day.  I am craving peanut butter and chocolate.  I plan on blogging about it when it is completely over.  And I’ve decided I look pretty good in sackcloth.

“I’m tired of apples.  Give me pound cake!”

Guess who said that.

I have a fear.

It’s a legitimate fear.

It’s not the kind that keeps me up at night, but it’s real all the same.

I’m afraid books are going to go away.

In our time of ever advancing technology, is it possible that in my lifetime, there will no longer be books? I shudder.

On my red, rubbermaid tub of a nightstand is a basket full of books that I’m currently reading, want to read, or have started and abandoned.  Here’s a sampling:

1.  French Women Don’t Get Fat—Mireille Guiliano (a diet book)
2.  Bird by Bird—Anne Lamone (a writing book)
3.  Breaking Free—Beth Moore (a spiritual book)
4.  Best Friends—Martha Moody (a bestselling book)
5.  The Beck Diet Solution—Judith S. Beck (a diet book)
6.  Eat, Pray, Love—-Elizabeth Gilbert (a spiritual book)
7.  A Cup of Comfort for Writers—various authors (a writing book)

There’s kind of a pattern there.  Eating and writing—two fun things in my life.  Spirituality—a necessity for me.

I’ve had a couple friends tell me I should get an Amazon Kindle or the Barnes and Noble reader called The Nook.  But I don’t want to.  Because I’m an old fashioned girl that’s why.  And once upon a time I swore I’d never wear capri pants either, and they’re all that’s in my spring/summer wardrobe now.  And while we’re on the subject of fashion, I don’t want to tuck my jeans in my boots. I think it’s a fad. That’s what I thought about capris too, and now five years later I’m still wearing them.  I hope you other ladies are too, or I suddenly feel really foolish and out of date.  Quick!  Sign me up for What Not To Wear.

I hope Kindles and Nooks are fads too.   I’m afraid they’re not.

I adore books. 
I like turning pages of books.
I appreciate the cracking sound of a brand new hardback book when it’s first opened.
I savor the smell of a new book.
I relish sitting in my classroom with second graders at my feet and a book in my hand showing the pictures and talking about stories.
I enjoy the sound of Bible pages turning.  Someone, perhaps Beth Moore, once said it’s probably the same sound as the angel’s wings.

The thought of not having those simple pleasures saddens me.

{somebody please hand me a tissue}

To think that everyone will just be pushing buttons on electronic devices in church someday.  Can you picture that?

It’s just wrong. 

Maybe I’ll start a crusade.

Maybe I’ll protest.

I’ve secretly always wanted to be a hippie.

Buy more books,
Angel

P.S.  I found these delicious cookies I blogged about here at World Market.  Buy yourself some and let me know if they make you dream of your grandmother.

My husband has a dream.  Not the Martin Luther King Jr. kind either.  His dream is to be a drummer.  He is always banging on something.  The steering wheel, the kitchen counter, my head. 

For Christmas I splurged and got him some Under Armour for those freezing days of feeding cattle.  Or for those freezing nights when it the windchill is -2, like right now.  He’s so cute in his long, red underwear with the butt flap that I hated to upgrade, but he requested them, so I complied. 

 As I was heading back home, I passed a music store.  And the thought occurred to me, what if? 
What if I got him some drums? 
I knew they cost a pretty penny, so I pulled in to do a quick price check, just a price check. 

I was greeted by a ditzy college girl and asked how I may be helped.  I mentioned I’d like to price some drums.  She directed me to a dark room in the back where guitars hung from the ceiling and a couple of pierced, tattooed guys sat restringing guitars.  I felt like Shirley Temple in a XXX store.  Timidly, I stated what I’d like look at and began to feel even more out of place when Tattoo asked,   “Are these for yourself?”

Uh…..no.

Tattoo showed me the best drum set for a beginner drummer and informed me of a lay-away plan.  I eagerly signed up. 

I got a catalog, dog-eared the page, and quickly left. When I got home,  I laid the catalog in the box beneath the long-handles and wrapped it up nice.  I could hardly restrain myself from telling Jason as soon as he got home, but it was still  several days until Christmas.

We exchanged gifts a couple of days before Christmas, mostly due to my incessant nagging for my own present. 

Jason was thrilled when he found the catalog

Jason was able to wait about 2 weeks before he went to the music store and paid the rest of the balance himself to get them sooner.  So now, there are drums in my living room and earplugs in my ears.   Jason has banged on them, watched DVD’s, and has had two guys over to tune them and give him some quickie lessons.   I’ve even sat at the piano and played a couple of songs with him. 
 
The only problem is, I suck.

If you live next door to us, I apologize right now.   But my little drummer man is in hog heaven.

It is Tuesday, isn’t it?

The last couple of days a sickness with the ferociousness of the Egyptian plagues came through this household.  It hit Jason about 7 minutes and 34 seconds before it hit me.  I have never been more thankful for a home with two toilets.  I spent the night hugging the commode and praying for Rapture.

Speaking of Heaven, I had the most delicious taste enter my mouth over the holidays.  Well, maybe not the most delicious, but pretty darn close.  Along with the celestial taste came one of those time machine moments and I was transported back to my grandmother’s kitchen, fresh cookies baking, and the Tennessee Waltz playing on the radio.  My amygdala, that little part of my brain that stores memories and emotions, was on fire trying to place the taste of this fine little cookie.  I think that’s the amygadala, if not,  just pretend I’m as smart as I pretend to be.

These cookies are Caramel Wafers.  They came from The Netherlands, their website on their cute little box says http://www.daelmansbanket.com/ but I can’t for the life of me find how to get more of this divine little boogers.

Not on an entirely different note than boogers, my big dog Drew has dribbled, piddled, vomited, and chewed up a curly headed doll in the last hour.  Jason says he can’t handle prosperity.  Afterall, we do have 2 toilets.

I got a fancy schmancy camera for Christmas. 

It’s got a lot of initials and numbers on it.

Things like ISO sensitivity, 

and Active D-Lighting, 

3.7,

 1/4, 

AF,

AE-L,

FN.

These initials I savvy.

WTH?

I hate to be a braggart and all, but despite my lack of understanding of this photography lingo and/or settings, I can do some pretty amazing things with it.

Like this.

And this.

I think this one belongs in a gallery or something.

If only I could attain a cooperative model, I’ll be pro in no time.

This has been a good Christmas season.  I think I’m taking a liking to it.  I’ve been a Grinch, a Scrooge, and a Humbug most of my adult life.  That started happening after I quit getting so many presents because these little despicable things called “grandchildren” entered the family and stole my thunder and my “baby of the family” status.  But I’m not one bit bitter about it.

We have a white Christmas this year.  Before you have quintessential visions, stop right there.  It’s not a bit pretty.  There isn’t anything pretty about snow blowing 50 mph. 

We had a beautiful communion service last night at church and that is the beautiful part of it all.  Amid all the wrapping paper on the floor, the turkey carcassess, the pine needles stuck in sock feet, pause for a moment (or more) and ponder the miracle and beauty of Christmas.  With all the complicated things in life, this is truly the most simple.

A virgin.
A stable.
A baby boy.
A hope for a lost world.
Emmanuel.

Merry Christmas.

Love,
Angel