It's the most wonderful time of the year...

Christmas is, by far, my favorite holiday. And holiday season for that matter. I feel like my birthday even gets lost in the shuffle in my mind because of how excited I am about (well, maybe not totally, but to some degree).

There were always lots of Christmas traditions in my house. Decorating the house was always a big thing. We had one of those card things where you hang all of the Christmas cards that you get on a ribbon over the doorway. This always seemed a little counterintuitive to me, as then you couldn't read them, but I guess it made for a nice decoration. Mom was also big on bells. Bells bells bells. Bells on every door handle. I think it was really just so she could track my movement through the house for that month. The bells have faded a bit, I think partially due to the standard war between the cats and the Christmas decorations.

We also always had a Snow Village, those little houses that light up. We started out with just a couple of houses, and gradually grew into a small town complete with nearby country (farm house, frozen pond, lighthouse etc.). I remember having fun setting those up but hating pulling them out of the styrofoam they were packed in. Ugh, I still get goosebumps. At one point we had a train set for under the tree, but I feel like most of my memories of the train involve it making it 1/4 of the way around the track and then something going wrong.

The Christmas Tree itself was always the central piece of decorating, of course. When I was younger we had a smaller one that I could decorate with colored lights, and bubble lights and little ornaments I made. On the main tree went the white lights, the glass balls, the apples, the star, and many many other ornaments that had been collected over my parents' lifetime and mine. The ornament collection is pretty random, there is no overriding theme like some folks have, but at this point I know every ornament on there and they all have some sort of special meaning.

We usually had an advent calendar, which is fun, but as someone pointed out recently a bit frustrating to only get that one bit of chocolate each day. A few years we did the 12 Days of Christmas for some family friends, taking them different goodies on each day and leaving them with a note; this was especially fun as we got to ring the doorbell and run away. A couple years we had folks do that for us which was very kind of them, and lots of fun as a kid trying to figure out who it was or catch them in the act!

Part of the 12 Days of Christmas usually was the Christmas cookies (though of course we still did them in years we didn't do that). We would make roughly a zillion cookies and give them to pretty much everyone we knew. I remember always having a blast with the cookie cutters, and not having the most success with the rolling pin. We still have most of those cookie cutters, and I definitely still have favorite shapes to cut out.

Christmas Eve was always when we had our big dinner, not on Christmas Day itself. We would usually have Christmas Eve dinner and then go to church. That night, I would always get to open one present (of the ones from my parents clearly, since Santa had yet to come), though I think this was really a bit of a scam - the present I was "strongly urged" to take usually ended up being a new set of pajamas...convenient, that.

Christmas morning I wasn't allowed into the living room until Mom got to turn on the lights on the Christmas tree...I think this was something that her parents used to do, though I couldn't tell you why I think that. We would always have a special Christmas brunch, complete with ableskivers (Danish round pancakes...like pancakes but in ball form) which I have sort of learned how to make. They're pretty tricky. That usually left more time the rest of the day, since we'd had the big dinner the night before, which always made for relaxing with the family.

One of my favorite parts of Christmas day was in the afternoon calling all of the friends and family and wishing them well and just catching up with them. It is rare that I talk to my extended family, and so I always appreciate the chance to talk to them every year on Christmas. It is a nice way to spend the afternoon, though I think I appreciate it more now than I did as a child. This usually involves all of us getting on separate phones throughout the house so we can all be on at the same time.

It really is an exciting time of the year! I love the hope, the music, the celebration and the fact that people really do seem to have something of an attitude shift this time of year. Maybe it's all in my head, but I really think it affects people. Even if we get lost from time to time and wander away from the meaning of it all, I think the wonderful reasons to celebrate still bubble over and make it the best time of the year.



...And just in case you were concerned, I do manage to wait until after Thanksgiving to start listening to Christmas music...most years.

10 Things I am Thankful For

(Or to be grammatically correct, Things For Which I am Thankful)

1. My family
2. Friends who I know will support me through anything
3. All of the mentors who have shaped my life and helped me find my way
4. Teachers who wouldn't give up on me, even when I did and didn't want to try anymore
5. The great people I work with, who are colleagues (and friends) who make me laugh, challenge me to think and I know that I can always count on
6. Living in a country where I can freely practice my religion, speak, and generally act as I choose, where I can make my voice heard in a democratic process and I am not persecuted for any of these things
7. My church here in Charlottesville and all of the people there who I know care for me and who inspire me daily in their incredible love for others
8. Having a fireplace
9. The educational opportunities that I have been given and continue to receive
10. Music and its power to make me cry, laugh or smile, even when I don't feel like doing any of those things

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Today I went to the mall with Robbie and Jessica. We had a good time, checking out the tree (definitely fake) and learning that at Short Pump there is a switch to turn on the giant fire pits (though anyone can turn them on). We noted that, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, it was on the edge of being okay to celebrate the imminent arrival of Christmas. Not actually okay in my mind, but close to it.

The problem being that the "holiday" section in stores has been carrying Christmas stuff since, oh, about Labor Day. Perhaps not that long, but it feels like it. You sort of feel bad for Thanksgiving. No one really decorates for it anymore, and it just gets wedged in there between Halloween and Christmas. While it is not as important a holiday as Christmas, I would argue it's more important than Halloween...giving thanks for all that we have is something that we don't seem to do as often as we really should.

Of course, Christmas seems to hold its own against New Years pretty well. You see stuff for that cropping up in the stores in mid-December, but Christmas decorations are still holding full court. I feel like if Christmas wasn't the dominant holiday in the calendar (what else really matches it?) we would be buying heart shaped Reese's cups right now (you have to love the holiday themed Reese's...I'll say no more).

The problem, it seems to me, is that too many big holidays are all jammed together. Let's look at the calendar, conveniently arranged (and I'm referring only to large, secularized holidays that involve significant public observance and celebration):

October: Halloween
November: Thanksgiving
December: Christmas
January: New Year's
February: Valentine's
March: St. Patrick's Day*
April: Easter
May:
June:
July: 4th of July
August:
September:
*Jon argued for the inclusion of St. Patrick's Day. It might not quite fit the description, but I will let it in for now. Mainly because it bolsters my argument. Good research methods there, right?

So we have 6-7 months of solid holidays (note that Halloween is almost in November) and then it's as though over the summer the holidays take a...holiday... Here is my proposal:

January: New Year's
February:
March: St. Patrick's Day
April: Easter
May:
June: Halloween
July: 4th of July
August:
September: Valentine's
October:
November: Thanksgiving
December: Christmas

This spreads it out nicely - it's light later for Halloween (and warmer), and let's face it, Valentine's Day is currently in a month when it's generally cold and miserable. Given, Thanksgiving might still get edged out by Christmas, but at least Halloween wouldn't be taking away its time in the spotlight.

I hope everyone is looking forward to a Happy Thanksgiving!

Where Did the Civil War End?

So this past weekend I had a great time playing host to my father and stepmother, Richard and Jeanie, here in Charlottesville and surrounding Central Virginia (quite a bit of it, as you will see). Dad and Jeanie last visited last fall, so it was good to have them back, and there was still plenty of ways for us to entertain ourselves. Last time we did the Monticello thing, UVA thing, Shenandoah NP thing...but there was plenty left!

On Thursday I daringly (at least I thought it was daring) decided that when they arrived I should have them over for dinner...that I would make. I enjoy cooking, but it is rare that I do it for oh, more than one or two people, and about, well, never, that I do it for my parents. Fortunately it all came out great (and I now have a good chicken chili and black bean recipe if you want it), with special thanks to Kim for the cornbread recipe and the marvelous Maggie for bringing along a great salad (this was a group effort).

One of the highlights of the trip was on Friday when we went out to lunch with everyone from my office. This was a blast, as I love the people that I work with, and it was fun for them to see my parents again (this is becoming an annual event) and also just nice for all of us to spend some time together not working. Dad and Jeanie regaled them with tales of the house construction and especially the solar power system, which everyone remains duly impressed by. (I have learned when explaining what my Dad does to point out that he installs solar *power* systems, since when I say he installs solar systems I get lots of odd looks)

We also toured Montpelier, the home of President Madison, which was fascinating, largely because it is still under "reconstruction." Apparently the owners of the house in the 20th century redid quite a bit of it and they are working to restore it to how it would have been when Madison owned it. Which is a different experience of history, and quite an interesting one. Our guide complained that they kept discovering yellow paint in lots of rooms as they did the archaelogical work...apparently she isn't such a fan of yellow. I hope to go back a few times before they finish the work to see the process.

We continued our historical tour with a visit to Appomattox Court House, which is the *town* where Lee surrendered to Grant, effectively ending the Civil War (historical note: I am aware the war did not suddenly end when this happened...if you want a detailed discussion of the end of the Civil War, I'm afraid you are on the wrong blog). This trip was interesting mainly because it turns out that Appomattox Court House is a TOWN! Not just a court house. In fact, the court house itself was closed the day of the surrender, so it was signed in a the McLean family home.

When I realized this, I felt as though I had been somehow cheated in my historical education. I always remembered learning the surrender was at Appomattox Court House, and assumed that meant the court house in Appomattox. Checking around, I have found out many others didn't know about the McLean house. It was an interesting experience in checking something I'd believed for quite some time, in any case. Other than that, the trip was a bit disappointing. After living in Williamsburg for so long, I think any historical sites that I visit without living people going about their other-century business just doesn't quite have the same draw. Perhaps I am asking too much to be entertained, but really I think there is so much added value in the living history aspect.

We also went to an apple harvest festival in North Garden, where the bluegrass group Applejack Jam was playing; they're one of my favorites and don't play many shows, so I always like to go out and support.

All in all it was a great visit; good to see Dad and Jeanie and fun times touring around Central VA with them. Next year they want to do some hiking, which I am all for. That and the annual Sorensen Institute lunch with Marc's parents, and we're already building a schedule for next October!

On My Failure as a Blogger

Is anyone reading this?

I find that doubtful at this point, given my multi-month silence from the blogosphere.

I will freely admit my failures here, and really what can I say? Maybe the pressure got to me to tell interesting or amusing stories, maybe it was the criticism of my scathing movie reviews or the fact that starting off with stories about your trip to Finland really just sets you up for something of a downward trend...maybe.

Another option is that I forgot my username and password, along with which email address I had attached this to, and couldn't free the blogger emails from spam filters to recover anything.

Or perhaps I simply chose to travel through time to this moment, skipping over those few months.

I will leave the decision to you, non-existent reader.

But I am back (password restored, time travel completed, confidence failures overcome...) and ready to take up the mantle once more.

Stories to come...

By the Power of the Sun...

So I have reemerged from College Leaders Program land, which means that I can rejoin the real world for at least a couple weeks until the High School program. I am sad to see the folks leave, but also glad to have a bit more of a normal schedule so that I can do important things like, well, write on the blog.

There are of course stories to tell from CLP06, but I think they need a little bit of time to mature...ranging from a tubing trip down the James "River" (ie bed of rocks with a little water on them) to the creation of "MJ" as yet another nickname for me it was a good time. But that is, as usual, another story.

I just booked a trip out to Colorado to visit the family. Dad and Jeanie are building a house in the mountains in Southern Colorado, and the trip out there last summer was therapeutic, so I am looking forward to seeing them and also just getting away from it for a while.

I enjoy spending time in the (real) mountains (where it is nice and cool), being away from technology and out of contact with most of the world and also just doing some manual labor. There is something to sanding a deck or helping carry drywall that is refreshing when most of my days are normally spent in an office.

Last summer I got to experience the modern equivalent of the caveman who created fire: creating electricity and running water. Now I know this might seem to run counter to the whole "roughing it" idea, but this is part of the beauty of visiting now while the house is under construction. Not only do I get to (for the moment anyway) be disconnected from the outside world, I also get to help create the modern world in the mountains. It is an odd sensation. I feel like it won't be the same to go down to the mountain when there's internet and tv and, well, telephones.

Now the really cool thing about all this is that the house is solar powered. I got to help dad assemble one set of solar panels and also wire the power coming off the panels into the house, giving us power for the water pump (running water!) and a light I used to read at night after that.

The solar panels are really cool, they actually are designed to move with the sun and maximize the amount of power that they generate, all without using any power to move. I knew nothing about solar power before, and now I only know a little, but Dad and Jeanie are becoming quite the experts. In fact, they have their own business installing solar systems for other people now. Check it out at Sun Mountain Solar.

With oil prices skyrocketing, I'm all about alternative sources of power. So maybe someday when I have a house I can talk them into helping me put in a solar system. Of course, like many alternative sources of energy there is a high up front cost but then you make it back over the life of the system. It is an interesting prospect, anyway.

I am excited about the trip to Colorado, though I'm told they might have the shower working by then, so it is becoming less and less a camping expedition to go visit the house. I hear this time I'm in for some painting, which is great, even if it doesn't bring the same thrill as creating electricity.

How the summer flies by...

X3 is "On Notice"

Warning - this is generally a tirade against the movie X3. If you haven't seen it, be forewarned that I talk about the plot a lot in order to make my case for why this movie was a huge disappointment to me. That being said...

I should start out with a few disclaimers. One, I will freely admit that I am a superhero fan, and I have been since I was a kid. When I was a teenager, I loved reading comics and watching the Saturday morning cartoon versions of these superheros. My favorites were always X-Men, Spiderman and Batman.

So I've been pretty excited in recent years when these stories have made it to the big screen (Batman Begins, despite its flaws, was a brilliant return to what the original was all about and not the campy (while amusing) Batman of movies such as Batman Forever and Batman & Robin). I loved the first two Spiderman and X-Men movies, and in both cases I thought the second was actually better than the first. I'm still eagerly awaiting the third Spiderman film, though with my X3 experience I'm a little more wary now. I mean, really, there's enough material there to last beyond two movies, right?

Apparently not! What made the first two movies work so well was their faithfulness to the comics. I say this not just as a fan of the original comics, but also because those comics were so wildly popular for a reason - they were good stories. So I wasn't surprised with the popularity of the first two X-Men and Spiderman movies given their faithfulness (with a few notable and necessary exceptions) to the comic book stories, characters, etc.

The sad thing about X3 is that apparently they decided there really weren't any interesting things left to tell from the comics, so they took the characters, some semblance of a plotline from the original stories and then just threw them into this great new story in which they all show off their powers a lot for the sake of special effects.



--warning: spoilers start here--



I realize that the X-stories are hard to tell in film form because there are five million characters, but killing off Cyclops after he's had about 2 minutes of screen time was ridiculous. Given, the movie version of the character has kind of sucked anyway, but to just brush right past his death was kind of crazy. Especially to have Jean kill him because she "doesn't know her power as the Phoenix."

I understand they couldn't use the original Phoenix saga - aliens blah blah blah - would have been way to complicated. But this one was a sore disappointment. And I think my real complaint was that the plot was almost suffering from a split personality: they were trying to tell this story about Jean, which only worked moderately well, as she spent most of the movie just looking angry and standing there silently, and the story about Magneto. I don't really understand why Magneto recruited Jean, given that for all her "awesome power" (apparently her powers now include the ability to just rip things apart with her mind) she mainly just stood there.

I won't even get into the ridiculous death of Professor X, the mutant "cure" being used to turn Mystique and later Magneto into an ordinary human (ridiculous!) or the horrible final abuse of Rogue's character. These things just make me upset.

Just to end on a positive note, I will give them credit for a few things that made me smile/laugh (other than the terrible dialogue). Seeing Bobby finally turn into a fully-blown Iceman did my childhood heart well, that was a lot of fun. And having Beast around in the final battle scene, complete with Churchill quotes felt more like the story I remembered. I also appreciated seeing the "Danger Room" in action, complete with Sentinel, and Colossus of course rocks.

Now I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed for Superman Returns (the trailer looks great!) even if Superman was never my favorite superhero, and wait anxiously for Spiderman3.