Last Post About The New Year, I Promise

I'm sure everybody is sick of posts about New Years Resolutions/New Year's Eve/2009 etc. Frankly, I am too. But I read a great post by my friend Ann and I want to share her ideas with you. Basically, she and some friends came up with titles for 2008 and did some pre-titling for 2009. 

For me, 2008 was all about "Undeserved Blessings" - the biggest one being my daughter, but I was also blessed with a great new job, a wonderful new community, a consistent old community, a loving family, I could go on...

As I think about what I want 2009 to be about, the phrase "Seized Opportunities" comes to mind. I want to recognize and capitalize on spiritual, professional, and relational opportunities much more in the coming year. I want to stop being a thinker and start being a doer. 

How would you sum up 2008 and what is your pre-title for 2009?

I Am Officially Old/ Cinnamon Challenge

I spent the better part of yesterday in my pajamas. In fact, I spent all day in my pajamas. New Year's Eve totally wiped me out. Luckily, it wiped Harper out too. She spent the day napping and playing quietly with her toys (she's awesome). For a mom and a kid who are used to being sound asleep by 10pm, staying up to see the ball drop was a stretch. Don't worry, I didn't make Harper stay up until midnight. Against her better judgement, she went to bed around 10. 

On another note, at the NYE party that we went to, the question of whether or not it is possible to eat a tablespoon of cinnamon came up. One party-goer took the challenge...and failed miserably. Being the rationalizer that I am, I couldn't understand why it was so difficult. I figured that if I was patient and didn't panic, I could successfully swallow the cinnamon. 

So... I tried it in the safety and privacy of my own kitchen this morning. And...I was wrong (thankfully no video was taken). It was, in fact, horrible. The burning. The suffocation. I too failed miserably. I'm not saying it's impossible. With the proper training and conditioning, I'm sure it can be done. I'm just pretty sure that I am not the person to do it. But hey, you give it a try and tell me what you think. If you are too chicken, watch other people's attempts on YouTube. 

Christians Are Lame

I was listening to the local Christian radio station last night and I heard this gem of a song. 

                                 

It's Bebo Norman's apologetic ode to Britney Spears. Seriously? This is lame. Don't get me wrong. I feel for Britney. She's broken just like the rest of us, but her brokenness is broadcast all over the world and people revel in it. What I take issue with is the sad state of Christian music (of which this song just happens to be a perfect example). 

99% of the Christian music that is played on the radio is horrible. I hardly ever listen to Christian radio because every time I do, I am frustrated by what I perceive to be a huge missed opportunity. Music is a powerful force. Worship music (true worship music, not lame Christian elevator music) can have an amazing effect on people. There is great worship music out there - music that will appeal to all types of people, Christians and non-Christians alike. There is even secular music by bands like U2 and Coldplay that could easily be classified as worship music. I just wish the Christian radio stations would play more of the good stuff and less of the elevator music. 

Unfortunately, music isn't the only area that Christians insist on being a wet blanket about. Just imagine all of the stupid bumper stickers/t-shirts/wwjd bracelets etc. that you have seen. Why do we as Christians insist on being lame? Probably because being lame is easier than the alternative. Jesus was not lame. He was innovative. He was radical. He was controversial. Maybe we should take a hint from Him and actually try to be followers of the innovative, radical, controversial Christ instead of lame Christians. 

                                     

New Year's Resolutions - Part 2

I really like making New Year's resolutions. I enjoy the self examination. I like envisioning the newer, better, shinier me. So what if I hardly ever keep them past March. Every little bit of self improvement helps, right? You already know about my plan to read more books. Here are a couple of other things that I would like to accomplish.

1. I resolve to watch less TV. This one is going to be a hard one for me. The TV is my friend. But it does get in the way of more meaningful activities (like reading). So, I am going to put some serious limits on how much TV I watch.

2. I resolve to dress more professionally. My job is such that I can wear jeans and a t-shirt everyday if I want to. And until now, I have taken full advantage of that perk (as do most of my co-workers). However, now that I am beginning to think about the next stage of my career, I think that I need to upgrade my wardrobe a little bit. I have already started to make room in my closet (I have a big bag of clothes ready to be dropped off at Goodwill). Now all I have to do is find the change to buy some new clothes. I don't know. Maybe this is just a phase. But I'm pretty sure that I can find some sort of a middle ground between being comfortable, professional, and resistant to mouse guts. 

3. I resolve to be more physically active. I know. Everybody has this on their list. But it really is something that I would like to do. On a regular basis. In fact, I would actually like to find a way to get some of my girlfriends in on the action. I'm convinced that if we could come up with something fun and heart healthy, we could all really commit to following through. Any suggestions?

Ok, I probably have a few more resolutions on my list. However, in an effort to protect my fragile ego, I just can't bring myself to share the things that I really need to work on. Hopefully, I'll make good on those unspoken resolutions and you'll notice without me having to tell you what they are... 

Happy self-examining. Happy following through. Good night and good luck.

Science Friday - Pickle Edition

Harper has a new favorite food. Pickles! A girl after my own heart. 

In the spirit of Science Friday, here are some things you may or may not have known about pickles.

• Cucumber pickle factories commonly ferment cucumbers in large outdoor vats of salt brine. These vats usually have no cover, and are wide open to falling bird droppings, insects, and other airborne objects. However, according to Jim Cook, a food scientist with the Minnesota-based pickle manufacturer Gedney, tanks are left open for an important reason: The sun’s ultraviolet and infrared rays prevent yeast and mold growth on the brine surface—potentially a much more serious problem than bird droppings. 

• Many people consider pickle brine a useful commodity. It’s been used as a soup stock, a hangover remedy, a drink, and - for many eastern European women - a cosmetic.

• Pickles played an important role in Colombus’s discovery of America in 1492. Around the time of Colombus, many transoceanic voyages were thwarted because crews suffered from scurvy, a disease caused by lack of vitamin C. Colombus’s ship stocker, a man named Amerigo Vespucci (who was a pickle merchant turned explorer), stored ample quantities of vitamin C-rich pickles on the Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria, helping to prevent scurvy outbreaks on the historic voyage across the Atlantic. 
  

Harper's First Christmas -- Part 2

Harper got lots of good loot, but I think that this thing is her favorite (next to Flo The Flamingo, that is).

Rob and I were pretty conservative with what we got Harper this year. We knew that she was going to be inundated with presents from her fan club. I did however, get her one special gift. I have wanted to get her a pair of these since I found out that I was pregnant. Rob and I both have a pair, so it is only right that she have a pair too. 

Harper's First Christmas

Just when Christmas was starting to lose some of it's magic, Harper came along and made it fun again. She had a fantastic first Christmas. Stories, videos, and more pictures will follow. For now, here are a few of my favorites.