RevGal Friday Five: Back to School

1. Is anyone going back to school, as a student or teacher, at your house? How's it going so far?
   No and I thinks of anything else witty to say.
   
2. Were you glad or sad when back-to-school time came as a kid?
   Being an only child after a few weeks my summers usually get bored and a return to a regular schedule was usually greatly appreciated.
   
3. Did your family of origin have any rituals to mark this time of year? How about now?
   My parents aren’t really into rituals or traditions so the answer is sadly no. I guess the closest I could come with would be back to school shopping for clothes.
   
4. Favorite memories of back-to-school outfits, lunchboxes, etc?
   I must admit being a fashionista want-a-be the process of choosing my first day of school outfit was something I always LOVED. I continued this personal ritual through college and sadly into seminary.
   
5. What was your best year of school?
   I am not sure is I remember. I guess maybe my senior year?

RevGal Friday Five Labor Day Edition

Here in the USA we are celebrating the last fling of the good ol' summertime. It is Labor Day weekend, and families are camping, playing in the park, swimming, grilling hotdogs in the backyard, visiting amusement parks and zoos and historical sites and outdoor concerts and whatever else they can find to help them extend summer's sun and play just a little bit longer.

It is supposed to also be a celebration of the working man and woman, the backbone of the American economy, the "salt-of-the-earth” nieces and nephews of Uncle Sam. With apologies to those in other countries, this is a Friday Five about LABOR. All can play. Put down that hammer, that spoon, that rolling pin, that rake, that pen, that commentary, that lexicon, and let's have some fun.

1. Tell us about the worst job you ever had.
Pretty much anything in the food service industry. God did not intend for me to be waitress. I was bad, I mean I was really bad.

2. Tell us about the best job you ever had.
Once again I have a hard time name the best so here are the top three (in no particular order). [1] Director of the Children’s Library and Resource Center when I was in seminary. Being surrounded but children’s books and curriculum was wonderful. [2] Not really sure if this counts since it was an internship but the church where I did my internship in seminary. [3] In high school I worked at a dry cleaners. The work itself was boring but the people where awesome and I really had a lot of fun.

3. Tell us what you would do if you could do absolutely anything (employment related) with no financial or other restrictions.
I would be an associate minister with Responablities in Christian Education, youth, worship, and mission. I looking for a job if anyone is interested.

4. Did you get a break from labor this summer? If so, what was it and if not, what are you gonna do about it?
Yes I do get a break but that because I am currently unemployed. Did I mention that I was looking for a job. :)

5. What will change regarding your work as summer morphs into fall? Are you anticipating or dreading?
I think that I have mentioned that I am current in the market as it where.

Bonus question: For the gals who are mothers, do you have an interesting story about labor and delivery (LOL)? If you are a guy pal, not a mom, or you choose not to answer the above, is there a song, a book, a play, that says "workplace" to you?
Not being a Mom when I think work I think Dolly Parton.

Working 9 to 5

Tumble outta bed
And stumble to the kitchen
Pour myself a cup of ambition
Yawnin, stretchin, try to come to life
Jump in the shower
And the blood starts pumpin
Out on the streets
The traffic starts jumpin
And folks like me on the job from 9 to 5
Chorus:

Workin 9 to 5
What a way to make a livin
Barely gettin by
Its all takin
And no givin
They just use your mind
And they never give you credit
Its enough to drive you
Crazy if you let it

9 to 5, for service and devotion
You would think that i
Would deserve a fair promotion
Want to move ahead
But the boss wont seem to let me in
I swear sometimes that man is out to get me
Mmmmm...

They let your dream
Just a watch em shatter
Youre just a step
On the boss mans a ladder
But you got dream hell never take away

On the same boat
With a lot of your friends
Waitin for the day
Your shipll come in
And the tides gonna turn
An its all gonna roll you away

2nd chorus:

Workin 9 to 5
What a way to make a livin
Barely gettin by
Its all takin
And no givin
They just use your mind
And you never get the credit
Its enough to drive you
Crazy if you let it

9 to 5, yeah, they got you where they want you
Theres a better life
And you think that I would daunt you
Its a rich mans game
No matter what they call it
And you spend your life
Going funny if you want it

3rd chorus:

Workin 9 to 5
What a way to make a livin
Barely gettin by
Its all takin
And no givin
They just use you mind
And they never give you credit
Its enough to drive you
Crazy if you let it

Fade:

9 to 5, yeah, they got you where they want you
Theres a better life
And you dream that I would daunt you
Its a rich mans game
No matter what they call it
And you spend your life
Going funny if you want it

RevGal Friday Five: Fall Transformations

For this Friday's Five, share with us five transformations that the coming fall will bring your way.
Bonus: Give us your favorite activity that is made possible by the arrival of fall.

1. Completion of my requirements for ordination
2. Permission to look for a job as an ordained minister in Presbyterian Church (USA)
3. The ability for the first time in my life to live 100% financial independent
4. The possible of my next move being my last for at lest 5 years
5. Moving forward

Bonus: fall means the coming of October and is my favorite month of the year and here is why. (1) Fall is finally here (2) Fall is finally here so it starts getting cool (3) Fall is finally here so you can drive with the windows down, the music turned up all the way and sing at the top of you lunge, annoying everyone around me (4) Fall is finally here so I can wear my oh so cute sweaters, shawls, and other cold weather gear (5) Fall is finally here so there is just something about the weather that makes me want to go to football game (6) Four words – State Fair of Texas. You name they fry it (included coke this year), cattle, and one of the largest Farris wheel’s in the world, can you ask for much more. (7) The monarch migrations is at it highest (8) Halloween, ok I know that Easter really should be my favorite holiday but I love Halloween. Dressing up, wearing elaborate make up, pretending to be some else (if anyone can name the culture reference I just made I will give you a gold star), and handing out and overdosing on candy, what can I say I love it. (9) The leaves change but north Texas has nothing on the colors in Georgia (10) Carving Pumpkin, the like one crafty thing that I am good at. (11) I have reason to watch Hocus Pocus. Bette Milder, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Mijimy, and a talking cat. (12) Other fabulous movies that are a must watch during the month of October: Sleep Hollow (both the Tim Burton and the Disney versions), The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Let’s Do the Time Wrap Again), The Shining (hhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeee’s, Johnny), Beetlejuice (Beetlejuice, Beettlejuice), Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Practical Magic, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, Bedknobs & Broomsticks (you have no clue how much I loved this movie when I was a kid), Ghostbusters I & II, the Haunting (the 1963 version, the new was crap), Carrie, Young Frankenstein (I love to role in the hay), Clue (I have always wanted Miss Scarlet’s Dress), Teen Wolf, Gremlins, The Worst Witch, The Goonies (Hey, Yoooooooou Guys), Arsenic and Old Lace, and Halloweentown. (13) The craziness of Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas has not yet started (14) The days get shorter (15) The sun sets sooner (16) Taking walks in the crisp air (17) Apples are at their best (18) Lots of evil laughing (19) Having a reason to drink hot chocolate, tea, and Starbuck’s Carmel Apple Cider (20) Elvira Mistress of the Dark (21) Having a reason to curl up under a blanket, with my dog and at lest on of my cats in front of a fire with a book or good movie (22) I will miss the honking of geese migrating (we don’t really have geese here) (23) The smell of the cool air (24) Like marking items off a to-do list or days off a calendar the planting that was done back in the spring and summer has reached its completion. It is time to harvest the fruit of months of hard labor. I love completing things (I particularly enjoy marking things off of lists and days off of calendars. I am sure that says something about me but I am not sure what.)

Why I think the Olympics is a Symbol of Hope and World Peace

RevGal Friday Five - God Days of Summer

It's August. An oppressively hot and humid month where many of us live.

I remember the Al Pacino movie though not much about the plot. Just that it was very, very hot. And he had giant sweat stains on his shirt.

As I pass through this year's dog days in my felon ridden neighborhood (OK, just two housefuls. But isn't that enough?), I am trying to focus on the blessings apparent around me, past and present, that I might not notice, necessarily. In that spirit, this week's Friday Five goes thusly:

1. What is your sweetest summer memory from childhood? Did it involve watermelon or hand cranked ice cream? Or perhaps a teen summer romance. Which stands out for you?
See my answers to question #3 in RevGal Friday Five . . . Hot Town, Summer in the City... from Friday, June 22, 2007: Paraphrase: A Mission Trip that my youth group took to Wyoming.

2. Describe your all time favorite piece of summer clothing. The one thing you could put on in the summer that would seem to insure a cooler, more excellent day.
I don't know if I have one all time favorite but generally I love wearing dresses an skirts year round but there is something about them during the hot summer months feels nostalgic to me.

3. What summer food fills your mouth with delight and whose flavor stays happily with you long after eaten?
I first thing that comes to my mind is summer salad. It what we made (and continue to make) when it 100 degrees outside and its just to hot to turn on anything in the kitchen. It a concoction of cottage cheese, bell peppers, onions, lemon juice, jalapenos, and just about anything else you want.

4. Tell us about the summer vacation or holiday that holds your dearest memory.
It would most definitely be the vacation I took last summer with my BFF. We went to LA and had an AMAZING time. WE have been friends since junior high and even way back then my friends dream was to go to California and be on The Price is Right. We had always planned to go when we both had enough money but . . . then . . . Bob Barker announced he would be retiring and that was it, we started planning. If you want to full scoop here is our website.

5. Have you had any experience(s) this summer that has drawn you closer to God or perhaps shown you His wonder in a new way?
It would hard to not be shown God's wonder in a new way and work in Children's Hospital. Particularly since the area's of the hospital that I cover are the pedantic intensive care unit and the level one trauma unit emergency department. I of course can't speak in specifics but I am sure that you can use your imagination.

Bonus question: When it is really hot, humid and uncomfortable, what do you do to refresh and renew body and spirit?
I am not sure if I do one particular thing. The only thing that is comes to mind is going to the movies which is always refreshing.

RevGal Friday Five & Farcical's Long Awaited Return to the Blogosphere: Lock Me Out, Lock In In

1. How do you amuse yourself when road construction blocks your travel?
   It depends on my mood on that particular day since this is the Friday Five here are five:
   1) Make/edit/rearrange playlists on my MP3 player,
   2) Call people I have been putting off calling,
   3) Listen to NPR but I guess that I do that 90% of the time I am in the car anyway,
   4) Sadly I have been known to clean my upholstery but that’s only if traffic isn’t really moving,
   5) Listen to the CDs I keep in my car but having listen to in forever


2. Have you ever locked yourself out of your house? (And do you keep an extra key somewhere, just in case?)
   I don’t think so but that really seems like something I would do. I have locked my keys in my car more times than I care to mention here.


3. Have you ever cleared a hurdle? (And if you haven't flown over a material hurdle, feel free to take this one metaphorically.)
   I can’t think of any literally hurdles but I can’t of many metaphorical ones. The biggest would mostly like be the gifts and challenges I have been given from being dyslexics. Even spelling the word correctly was a hurdle I had to deal with today


4. What's your approach to a mental block?
   Uh . . . well . . . hmm . . . Sorry couldn’t help the bad joke. Usually I try to put down whatever it is that I am blocked from and do something else for a while. Then when I came back I will have fresh eyes and usually the mental block is dislodged.


5. Suggest a caption for the picture above; there will be a prize for the funniest answer!
   USA latest immigration policy

I am Still Here

It has been a while since I checked in and since today was my first day of my yearlong residency at Children’s Medical Center. First things first I still LOVE my new apartment. Me and my roommate are doing well and once everything finds a home everything will be perfect. Frankie is still not sure about all the noises outside but he is generally happy wherever Mom (that’s me) is. Tonight we have a welcome to the Village dinner at the Country club. (a side – I honestly never thought that I would be a person who belongs to a country club so I fill like I need to explain, they call it the village country club but really it is more like a community center. They have a workout room, tennis, pool and stuff like that. There is no golf course and membership is a benefit of being a resident.) So that should be cool. At lest it is free food.

As for my first day at Children’s. It was long, It was boring, and I am tired. I will be back to Wednesday after orientation is over and the “real” work begins. I still have moment of “OMG what have I gotten myself into” but I think that feeling will lessen but I am not sure it will ever go away. I will let you kow.