Here comes Santa Claus

Pete and I leave for MN next Thursday. I can't believe Christmas is that close. It seems like just yesterday that I complained about it being 90 degrees by 10 a.m. Now I'm sad that most of our trees are bare.

It will be weird to spend Christmas away from home. Last Thanksgiving was my first time not at home, and before that, my first Easter and birthday away. But the plan is to switch families each year, and I'm really looking forward to a white Christmas. Snow cream, anyone? I don't think they do that in the North.

I also realized how many more Christmas cards two families and a Bible study group require. To date, we have mailed 51 cards and I'm sure there will be some stragglers. I also decided to mail cards to a few of my interviewees -- the ones whose stories really inspire me and make me look forward to my job. ...

Thanks to Mom and Michael's, I did a little decorating and decided that I'm wearing gloves next time I hang garland. It's a pain in the butt, and Scotch tape fails at keeping it on the mantle. I was trying to avoid holes in the mantle, but Pete finally put them in anyway so the garland can hang with wire.

You'll also notice some random pictures of a Hershey's cocoa can. I brought it from Hilda's when I moved, thinking, "Well, I can't find an expiration date, but it's cocoa, so it should be fine." A few weeks ago, I was looking at the back where you can order a recipe book. The offer expired in 1989. ... I can't believe I used it in my chili.

Pete and I were going to keep it as a conversational piece, but I threw it away a couple of weeks later when I cleaned house. ...

Oh, and here's a video of an annoying woodpecker outside the bedroom window. Last week, it ran into the window every five seconds a full half hour before my alarm went off. Then it decided to shuffle back and forth, which obviously had to be recorded. I say it looks like M.C. Hammer.

After watching the video, my friend and former co-worker, Jim, commented on Facebook, "Can't peck this."

Apple vs. Manhattan Declaration

Apple recently pulled an application that promoted the Manhattan Declaration, a movement to protect conservative Christian values. It focuses on three main issues: the sanctity of life, dignity of marriage as one man and one woman and religious liberty.

Backed by more than 480,700 signatures, declaration signers include big names like Chuck Colson and James Dobson. A petition to reinstate the app, pulled over Thanksgiving weekend, has more than 43,170 signatures so far.

The petition is written to Apple's chief executive officer Steve Jobs. Last I heard, Jobs has not responded to the petition directly, but an Apple PR rep told "Family News in Focus" radio that the app violates guidelines by being "offensive to large groups of people."

The app was originally rated 4+ for "no objectional content." The decision to pull the app came after a small but vocal pro-abortion and pro-gay marriage group protested.

App Store guidelines state:

"Apps containing references or commentary about a religious, cultural or ethnic group that are defamatory, offensive, mean-spirited or likely to expose the targeted group to harm or violence will be rejected."

I have read and signed the declaration and I find no reference to any of those things. Disagreeing with pro-abortionists and gay marriage is not the same as being "defamatory" or "mean-spirited." I wonder if protesters would describe their own disagreement with people like me the same way.

I'm tired of small groups of people calling foul and saying Christian beliefs are unfair to them. "It's not fair for you to have a say, but I want mine." The next thing you know, people will ask Apple to pull the Bible app because they're offended. No one is asking them to download these applications. 

What if a small group of non-drinkers found the Pub Crawler or Cocktail Recipes apps offensive? I can't help but think the collective response would be "get over it."

What if a group of educators protested the "Boring School" app where students try to hit the teacher with a wad of paper? "It's harmless," some might say.

How about the "Hacker Evolution" app where you have to hack eight virtual servers to win the game?

Could Apple also pull the "iMenorah" app, the "Celtic Lunar Astrology" app or "Tarot Reading" apps? What if I'm offended by those beliefs, even though they contain no hateful or disrepectful language?

How about the apps for Bible quizzes or Christian networking? Will Apple pull those, too, because people are offended by Christian beliefs?

I applaud Apple for removing such apps as "baby shaker" — which I do think could have dangerous consequences, but I think this is a step in the wrong direction. And not just because I support the declaration. 

Frankly, if there was an app where people could sign a pro-abortion document, I would disagree on the issue and hold fast to my own views, but I wouldn't protest it. You have your opinion, and I have mine. I'm also not Jewish or into Tarot readings, but that's the great thing about America. You do your thing; I'll do mine. How can you try to shut me up when you know you'd kick and scream if I did the same to you?

In a column in the San Francisco Chronicle, Colson wrote: 

"Apple has every right to decide what to offer in its app store and what not to offer. But it is chilling that such a culture-shaping company would so quickly take sides in a debate.

"There is something more at stake here than whether Apple hosts a particular app; whether or not we are capable as a society of maintaining the free marketplace of ideas. Because the open and civil exchange of ideas is essential to democracy and a free society. The kind of society that has produced entrepreneurial geniuses like Jobs."

Read more about the declaration at www.manhattandeclaration.org.

Little Ms. Homemaker and ruthless beauty gurus

I suppose the above should be Little MRS. Homemaker, but it doesn't flow right.

***

I recently bought our first wreath at Walmart. I never understood why Mom got so excited about hanging wreaths at home, but I admit I couldn't wait to hang my own. It's a tad cheesy, but I like it.

I also got a three-piece candle set and just found out that I'm terrible at photographing candles.

I'm also loving the colorful trees in our backyard, but haven't attempted to rake any. I honestly don't see the point. Plus, the leaves cover the bare spots.

***

So I'm off work tomorrow and thinking about getting a haircut, another one of my pre-Thanksgiving plans. I searched the Web in search of tips for styles that would compliment my face shape and this is the first thing I found: http://hairstyleschat.com/best-hairstyles-for-round-faces.html

Note that it basically says it's unfortunate to have a round face and you should do everything in your power to downplay it. That's how I read it at least.

"Not everyone has perfectly shaped bodies or faces. For people with a round shaped face, and therefore it can be difficult to find hairstyles that look best with your features."

First of all, that's not even grammatically correct.

"The best hairstyles for round faces are the ones that thin out the look of the face."

So now I have chipmunk cheeks?

"Accessorizing the hair is also something the client should look into doing, as this can draw attention away from the facial shape and actually cause individuals to focus on the hair."

I'm sorry, I didn't realize I had an unattractive face shape that went out of style with the Victorian era. This clearly wasn't written by a round-faced person.

I've done this search before, and it usually tells me to get a bob, which isn't happening. Maybe if I had a button nose, but I don't, so forget that.

I like this site better: http://www.stylebistro.com/Hairstyles+for+Round+Faces?zam_c=Round-Face-Display&gclid=CLOmreLwpqUCFdhi2godW2sEIg

It says to "embrace your round face."

I do, however, refuse to try this one: http://www.stylebistro.com/Hairstyles+for+Round+Faces/articles/EXXMioTNYzd/Kate+Winslet

Ick. I could never pull that off. ... But I do like that they compared my face shape to Penelope Cruz, Mandy Moore and Keira Knightley. Now if I can just get a personalized hair stylist. ...

Pull your pants up

(I wrote this for my blog at work, but we now require people to register, so consider this a freebie.)

***

East Laurinburg is considering an ordinance to ban saggy pants across Scotland County. If passed, it would charge people with indecent exposure if pants (or skirts) are three inches or more below the waistline.

(Also see http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2010/10/14/1039207?sac=Home)

Other areas around the country have attempted similar rules, met with warnings and rulings that such ordinances would be “unconstitutional” or “discriminatory.” The ACLU says it could lead to racial profiling and limit expression.

Really? What expression is that? I can’t dress myself?

I, for one, have had my fill of guys walking down the street or around the mall, holding their pants up because if they didn’t, they would fall down. Boxers are meant to be worn UNDER clothes, not fully visible to everyone who passes by. Is that supposed to make you look tough? Attract women? I assure you, it does neither.

To make it worse, many of them have belts on! What’s the point if your waistband is at your knees? Why even wear pants?

It reminds me of the Huggies Pull-Ups jingle: “I’m a big kid, look what I can do. I can wear big kid pants, too!” I guess they haven’t heard it.

As for the racial profiling argument, I don’t think it holds water. I have seen many guys of all colors wear pants so low you would think they are male leggings.

I don’t know about wasting valuable court time on all the indecent exposure charges this ordinance could create, but I like Georgia’s approach. In September, the mayor of Dublin signed an ordinance that charges violators $200. Some locals there find saggy pants offensive.

I’m not offended, just annoyed with a twinge of disgust. Some guys wear their pants so low that it’s not much different from walking down the street in just their underwear.

(Fellow reporter, Jason deBruyn, says if you want to look stupid, you should be allowed to.)

If nothing else, a fine just may be for their own good. Think about it: You get a pair of pants that fit and voila! You automatically increase job opportunities and your perceived IQ. Plus, your chances of tripping decline dramatically.

The same kind of thing applies to girls. In college, a girl in my math class often confused a headband for a skirt. I switched seats so I wouldn’t see what underwear she chose for the day.

East Laurinburg’s proposed ordinance doesn’t address the length of skirts, but does speak to hanging too far below the waist, which can also lead to a little show-and-tell. Personally, I’d rather not be privy to my neighbor’s taste in boxers or thongs.

“Mommy, wow! I’m a big kid now!”

Recent adventures

I never wrote about Alex's wedding last month.

So Alex (who once drove a 1970-something truck and carries a pocket knife at all times) got married in September and I've never seen such a classy bride. Here's Alex practicing her posture:

She ate a chocolate protein bar in her wedding dress 20 minutes before the ceremony.

It seems odd to me that Alex and I are both married now. It wasn't that long ago that we practiced our monologues together for Spanish class. ... It was a very nice wedding, though, and Alex and Zach entertained us with air guitar to "Don't Stop Believin'."

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Denver for a Religion Newswriters conference. The only way I got to go was with a scholarship. I roomed with two girls, one from Jackson, Tenn., and one from Switzerland. I made so many contacts there and came back with a bunch of story ideas, so I'm making it my goal at work to write one religion story a week. So far, so good! I also explored Denver some with my roommates and another girl at the conference. I really like Denver. Very clean with a bunch of different kinds of people and lots to do. Marie-Laure (Swiss roommate) and I went to the botanic gardens and another lady and I walked around the Platt River the last day. I wish I had seen more of the mountains, but I did get a good reflection from the building across from the hotel.
Last weekend, I went ziplining with Mom, Margaret and Margaret's two girls at Navitat in Asheville. It was for Mom and Margaret's birthdays and sooooo fun. Mom thought she was going to have a heart attack on the highest line -- 20 stories up and almost 1,000 feet long -- but she didn't. I heard her say, "Hoo-wee!" halfway through. I also spent a little time at home. I did the bouncy thing with Emily in the mall food court (my shoes didn't fit in the cubby hole), and Seth and his friend, Matt, went hiking. Mom told them to watch out for bears and weird people. She also filled me in on the latest happenings at church: Lightning struck the organ and Mom and Dad were happy because whoever plays it plays too loud.

"I was glad. I know that's mean," she told me.

Now one of the ladies in church keeps praying that they can get another one or something, but Mom said she doesn't want to pray in favor of that one. Meanwhile, she's teaching Emily to pray for people and not just Webkins. (Oh, and she and Dad got some yellow mums for having the youngest child in their Sunday school class or something like that.)

The day after ziplining, I met Pete and two couples from church at Grandfather Mountain. It was cold. I thought it was really foggy, too, but I heard a guy say it wasn't fog, it was the clouds. Either way, I could barely see in front of me when I drove up.
I did decide that I want a pet black bear, though. I think this one's name is Mildred.

So this weekend, Pete has been in MN. You would think I have all this alone time, but I really haven't. Not that I'm complaining.

Thursday (the day he left), I met a girl from school, saw Ashley and her new baby, then Sara came over after work and we watched "Mamma Mia." Not a great plot, but it makes me want to be a dancing queen. Friday, I had a few friends over for a game night, and Saturday, I worked then had Bible study. Today, I went to church then the Latin festival with a friend and now Deb is over! I do look forward to having Pete back, though. :)

Cleaning supplies and peanut butter ... but not together

I just finished another round of cleaning the house and compiled a list of my favorite supplies:

1. Paper towels with the following saying: "Gardening is a way of showing you believe in tomorrow." I thought that was deep for Bounty. Philosophy and clean countertops in one.

2. Windex. But not just any Windex. Windex that doesn't leave streaks on the hard-to-clean stovetop, even though that's not the actual cleaner for it. 3. Swiffer Wet Jet! Pete calls it a diaper on a stick, but I like it. In other news, my favorite snack is an apple with peanut butter and chocolate chips. Like this:Plus a small glass of milk (see background). Mmm, deliciousness.

I did, however, discover that I have an issue with natural peanut butter. I've decided I don't like it as much and, despite the TWO places it advertises "no need to stir," I definitely have to stir it. Ick. I like my PB sans watery stuff on top.Oh, and here are a couple of random bits:

We now have a couple of extra "pets," both wandering cats that we haven't named yet. I saw one sleeping on our bench and thought it was dead, but I was wrong. (Which is good because I don't know how to dispose of a neighbor's dead feline.)Pete has also discovered what happens to gummy worms when you leave them in a hot car too long:

Confirmation that Pete is wonderful

Waiting for me on my desk at work yesterday. :)

8 years and counting

Emily turned 8 Sunday. She got a guinea pig as an early birthday present and named it Waffles, but it died three days later of a respiratory infection, which I didn't know guinea pigs could get. Luckily, Mom and Dad had two weeks to return it, so they got another one and Emily named it Milky Way.

I'm not one for rodents, but it's pretty cute, although it, too, is now sick, so I hope it doesn't die. (Emily tried a couple of fish earlier this summer, and that didn't work, either.) Mom says this one also has a respiratory issue and ear infection. To quote Mom exactly, "He stumbles around crazy like, bless his heart." She has to give it antibiotics, and she said it makes her appreciate Daisy (the dog).

Emily likes it, though, and totes it around everywhere. She said you can't touch it after putting perfumy things on because it is "sensitive to scentses."

Pete and I went to TN over the weekend to partake in the celebrations. Emily had just returned from Justice (formerly Limited Too for those of you in the dark like I was) and showed me the hand soap that she got at "Bed Bath and Body Works."

The next day (Saturday), we went to the park to meet a bunch of Emily's friends, including several girls with more energy than the Energizer bunny and a cute boy named Phillip who always wanted to sit next to Emily. She had a Hawaiian theme, so everyone got leis. (Mental note: It's easier to know which kids belong to your party that way.)

Oh, and I got to decorate cupcakes for her Sunday school class. I tried to make a baseball, but it looked like blue ivy.

Abortion clinic

I went to an abortion clinic with Stephanie, Ester and Mike on Saturday.

Stephanie goes a lot and told me to expect one group of protesters to have posters of aborted babies and microphones. She was right. As I drove up, one man stepped a little closer to my car with a disgusting picture of a baby. Another guy yelled at me not to do it as I parked in the parking lot.

Of course I wasn't there for myself, which they realized when I moved my car to the street. Protesters aren't supposed to park in the parking lot I guess. I waited on the other three to get there and we stood on the sidewalk (we aren't allowed near the building).

We didn't yell or call people murderers as they walked in the door like the other group did. We just asked people as they drove up if they wanted some information. A few people took it, but most didn't. One man said he and his girlfriend (?) would read it before they went in, but I think her mind was made up.

I honestly think the other group of people (all guys) have good intentions -- they made some true, hard-hitting points -- but I think their approach is all wrong. Maybe a mic is the only way to be heard sometimes, but yelling at people just turns them off. Yes, deal with the issue, but also consider the people involved. And evangelizing, while important, might not be the best place to start in such a situation.

One Hispanic woman brought her daughter to give out information. Another older lady sat in a lawn chair, videotaping the protesters. Stephanie said she puts videos on YouTube to show how crazy "we" are.

On the flip side, two security guards hung around their SUVs, smoking, playing a guitar or turning on loud music to drown out the mic. One got into an argument with one of the protesters and threatened to blow him away. (So that's OK, but you agree with abortion?) He ripped up one of Ester's handouts after asking if he could have one.

Some women looked upset driving up. One couple had a little girl in the backseat. Most avoided eye contact or drove into the parking lot as quick as possible.

I’ve never been in their shoes, so I can't pretend I know what they are going through, but I do know that ending an innocent life is wrong.

We see it on the news all the time: a person murdered at the bus stop, a parent drown his 3-year-old. We shake our heads and know it’s wrong, but what happens when abortion comes up?

Maybe a woman says she isn't ready to be a mother. I can relate to that. I’m 24 and married, I have a job, and I’m not ready to be a mom, either. I’d like to be someday, but babies take time, energy and money. They’re a lot of work.

But a pregnant woman is already a mother. A baby begins forming at conception. It has a heartbeat at 21 days old. It wouldn’t be easy to swallow if I found out today I was going to have a baby, but it would be my responsibility and Pete's, too. Actions have consequences.

One woman said she wasn't there for an abortion. I think she drove a friend.

Maybe a person doesn’t personally agree with abortion, but thinks people should make their own decisions.

If a person came up and held a gun to your friend’s head, what would you do? Hopefully you would plead with that person not to shoot. But if he then turns to your friend’s child, what do you do then? Say, “Well that’s OK, as long as her mom agrees”?

Just because you can’t see the baby or doctors hide the ultrasound doesn’t mean there’s not a life in there.

Maybe a woman was raped or the baby is deformed. I can't imagine dealing with that and hope that people in that situation know there is support for them. Yet God says no child is a mistake. There’s a plan for each one of His children. We may not understand it yet, but He has our best interests at heart and uses situations, even like that, for good.

Abortion isn’t the easy way out; it’s not a solution to any anxiety, anger or pain. This is a decision that follows a person a lifetime and ends the life of another.

One boy, probably about 17, drove his girlfriend on Saturday. I didn't hear all he said to one of the protesters, but it was something along the lines of "well, we didn't want it." It's not asking a waitress to hold the tomatoes; it's a person.

My friend had an abortion last year at the age of 21. She wonders what her baby would look like, how he or she would smile or if her son or daughter would have her sense of adventure and bad sense of directions.

I don't know the people who went to the clinic Saturday, but I care about them. They have options; some couples would love to have children but can’t. There are doctors who will see them for free and others who will help care for that child. An innocent child shouldn't suffer because it's inconvenient for the parents. We all have a right to life.

Game night

Pete and I decided to host a game night last night. This is what I found out:

1.) Game night is not games + friends.

2.) Game night is Pete mowing + me pulling weeds and picking up sticks in the yard for 3 hours + cleaning the house + making punch and a meat/cheese/cracker platter + putting mirrors and candle holders on the wall + buying and hanging the curtains I've been wanting + staying out of Pete's way when he gets flustered hanging the curtains ("It would have cost 10 cents more for a decent anchor!") ... and THEN games + friends.

The mowing and cleaning had to be done anyway, but I was thinking how much work goes into hosting something and it made me laugh. You want to be a good host, but I'm sure that guests rarely notice the dusted blinds, clean windows, weedless flower beds or spotless toilets. Still, I want everything to be just right; heaven forbid they go home with dirty bare feet or spot a spot on the stove. (Of course, I'm also one of those who likes to be tidy and says everything has its place, so I'm often like that even when no one is around.)

We ended up with 9 people, including Kevin and Catherine's cute-as-a-button 8-month-old, and it was a lot of fun. We ate, talked and made fun of each other during Cranium (think human puppeteering and Pete trying to act out a hampster wheel). We never fully finished it, but Pete and I were dead last. (I say it was because our playing piece had a bouffant that weighed it down.)