I'm a bit of a holiday nomad. Since I had the habit of moving quite a bit in my 20's, I got used to spending Christmas with, well, whoever was around - instead of having an annual trek towards "home".
"Home" wasn't a particular house or even hometown. My grandparents were all in Florida for the winter, so we didn't have a multi-generational showing each year. This is not a fact I usually lament. I have great holidays.
But this year, my mother was in town and we went to spend it with her cousins. Her cousins and their spouses and their kids and their kids' kids. Their Christmas is so much different than mine and yet, exactly what'd I'd like my own Christmas to be. Loud and busy and full of tradition.
Tradition is something I treasure. In fact, I keep a small box of traditions of friends and family I've heard of over the years. Simple, wonderful ways to celebrate the true gift of the season - togetherness.
Families, both born of blood and of the heart.
Friends, old and new.
Strangers, who may have come from afar, but who are welcomed to celebrate and join our collective family.
Home, where we go to be ourselves and to cherish our infinite blessings.
My Christmas wish for you, is that you have or make for yourself such a home. Fill it with traditions that celebrate those near you, as well as those lost. And pass them on, for they are the memories we'll cherish forever.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
16 Things You Probably Don't Know About Me
1. I own, on dvd, all seasons of: The West Wing (Cool), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Moderately Embarrassing) and Dawson's Creek (I am hiding under my bed in shame)
2. I am an ordained minister and have performed 5 wedding ceremonies. I've realized it includes my favorite things: a. Talking to people and hearing about how they've met and their experiences up until that point, b. Taking those anecdotes and writing a new story, c. Speaking in front of people. If you know another job that combines those three things - send me your ideas. I think it's the perfect job for me.
3. Brad Pitt bumped me on a New York City street while he was jogging. He apologized, smiled and kept running. I don't get star-struck, but that smile - made me go weak in my knees.
4. I have become an "accidental" collector of antique typewriters. I pulled an old Underwood out of the garbage in NYC and since then have been given several by friends. If you're thinking of collecting them, DON'T. They are heavy as a mother scratcher. However, I do like looking at them on my shelf and one day imagine them in this cool study.
5. My worst "after school" job was at Popeye's Fried Chicken and Biscuits (I shouldn't have to explain why) and my best one was working at a health club. Handing out towels to a bunch of sweaty guys - yeah, way worse ways to spend your Sat/Sun mornings.
6. I have attended 5 different colleges. Can you say unfocused?
7. I worked as a company manager for a small theater in Connecticut for 3 years. While there, I spent an evening as companion to Hal Holbrook (his daughter was in one of our shows). He was a delightful man.
8. In Junior High, I wrote a soap opera called "Soapy" featuring all my friends. It was passed around "note-style" from locker to locker amongst my girlfriends. I just re-read it recently. It's embarrassing - mainly at how bad the writing is.
9. The worst punishment I ever received growing up was being grounded from my bicycle for two weeks. Yeah, I didn't get into a lot of trouble.
10. My sister and I once looked at all our Christmas presents before the big day. My mother found out, threw the presents in the middle of the living room floor and yelled "Here's Christmas!" For future reference, don't trust my sister when she says she'll take all the blame if you get caught.
11. I'm planning to participate in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Jackson, Mississippi one day. My fellow Sweet Potato Queens are all invited to join me.
12. I'm lucky to have great girlfriends, more than one best friend - and that my sister fits into those categories as my oldest and dearest.
13. One of my recurring dreams is of walking down the lane from my grandparents' house at the lake and picking asparagus with my grandpa in the nearby field.
14. I am currently reading 5 books. I rarely pick up one book, read it and then pick up another (except with the Potter books)
15. My favorite breakfast place: Mo's Midtown Diner/Hartford, CT; favorite lunch place: Food Dance Cafe/Kalamazoo, MI; favorite dinner place: Brother's BBQ/New York, NY
16. I drove 4 hours with my friend to a Patty Griffin concert, sat in the front row and then drove 4 hours back... on a Thursday night.
2. I am an ordained minister and have performed 5 wedding ceremonies. I've realized it includes my favorite things: a. Talking to people and hearing about how they've met and their experiences up until that point, b. Taking those anecdotes and writing a new story, c. Speaking in front of people. If you know another job that combines those three things - send me your ideas. I think it's the perfect job for me.
3. Brad Pitt bumped me on a New York City street while he was jogging. He apologized, smiled and kept running. I don't get star-struck, but that smile - made me go weak in my knees.
4. I have become an "accidental" collector of antique typewriters. I pulled an old Underwood out of the garbage in NYC and since then have been given several by friends. If you're thinking of collecting them, DON'T. They are heavy as a mother scratcher. However, I do like looking at them on my shelf and one day imagine them in this cool study.
5. My worst "after school" job was at Popeye's Fried Chicken and Biscuits (I shouldn't have to explain why) and my best one was working at a health club. Handing out towels to a bunch of sweaty guys - yeah, way worse ways to spend your Sat/Sun mornings.
6. I have attended 5 different colleges. Can you say unfocused?
7. I worked as a company manager for a small theater in Connecticut for 3 years. While there, I spent an evening as companion to Hal Holbrook (his daughter was in one of our shows). He was a delightful man.
8. In Junior High, I wrote a soap opera called "Soapy" featuring all my friends. It was passed around "note-style" from locker to locker amongst my girlfriends. I just re-read it recently. It's embarrassing - mainly at how bad the writing is.
9. The worst punishment I ever received growing up was being grounded from my bicycle for two weeks. Yeah, I didn't get into a lot of trouble.
10. My sister and I once looked at all our Christmas presents before the big day. My mother found out, threw the presents in the middle of the living room floor and yelled "Here's Christmas!" For future reference, don't trust my sister when she says she'll take all the blame if you get caught.
11. I'm planning to participate in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Jackson, Mississippi one day. My fellow Sweet Potato Queens are all invited to join me.
12. I'm lucky to have great girlfriends, more than one best friend - and that my sister fits into those categories as my oldest and dearest.
13. One of my recurring dreams is of walking down the lane from my grandparents' house at the lake and picking asparagus with my grandpa in the nearby field.
14. I am currently reading 5 books. I rarely pick up one book, read it and then pick up another (except with the Potter books)
15. My favorite breakfast place: Mo's Midtown Diner/Hartford, CT; favorite lunch place: Food Dance Cafe/Kalamazoo, MI; favorite dinner place: Brother's BBQ/New York, NY
16. I drove 4 hours with my friend to a Patty Griffin concert, sat in the front row and then drove 4 hours back... on a Thursday night.
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