A Wet, but Merry Christmas.......

Today is Christmas Day, of course . It always seems to rain on Christmas. I was more interested getting things for other people this year than what I would get. But I did clean up well. About 150$ in cash, an LP of The Killers (believe it or not, yes, I had asked for one), an I-talian wallet from my brother in Germany, some socks, and a red sweater, and a book on Ireland.

I dont think dad liked his back massager, but he liked the glasses we gave him. (Gretchen and myself).

We had a very good dinner with a ham and sweet potatos. We had chocolate and sweet potato pie for dessert.

I am listening to the Killers record and its very interesting in their songs. I dont know if they are one of those bands that may transform in the coming years or not, but their music is not as worldly was their name suggests, and a lot of it has to do with faith. But I suspect that something could be changing on the music scene. Perhaps their stark popularity with secular audiences is for a reason. The Killers are a secular band- but, I do hear something in their songs-something thats different and something very Christian about them. Whether they intended to be so or not.

Listen to this lyric from "Why Do I keep Counting?" : "If I had the answers I wouldnt bother you father"......

I think we may go to the Jefferson later to see the Christmas tree. I dont think we'll get a White Christmas but I can always look at a postcard from up north.

Crystal Bernard lights up my life.......

Yes, Nicole Kidman is my number one, but there's really something about little Miss Crystal. I liked her ever since I saw her as a kid on Wings. She still looks really good. I think shes a nice church goin' gal too. But I normally am not all that fond of blondes, but she has a charisma and sweetness that is very rare. Id like to see more of her in the future. I like her little song about not being related to monkeys. I think shes really cute.



"Im no kin to the monkey no, no, no, the monkey's no kin to me yeah, yeah, yeah. I dont know about his ancestors, but mine didnt swing from a tree!"

Go Crystal, Go !


Anyways, today wasnt bad. Im feeling better from my cold. I have to work tommorow night on Christmas Eve, but only til 8. Then I shall go to church.

People should stay home when they're sick !

I called in sick to work again today. The lady manager didnt sound convinced (I sound like Louis Armstrong right now) and asked if I had a Drs note. But anyways, I guess I just come in Christmas Eve. I dont want to make other people sick.

I have a super bad cold right now, and before a very mild fever and chills. So I really am sick.

But I just know some clown came in and gave me this cold. Somebody with a hacking cough handing me change and then it makes me sick. I wish folks would just stay home when they are sick. They think somehow they are being noble by going to work. All they do is wind up making other people sick.

Im watching this show, I think its called Laguna Beach. I normally hate reality tv but I guess Im just bored out of my mind.

I feel really awful, so forgive me for sounding so harsh.

I hope God can teach me to be more patient. The job is going ok, but honestly I could stand on the street corner singing and make more money in 2 hours than working a whole day at barnes and noble.

Christmas In The Fan

Every year for awhile the church I go to has the Richmond Concert Band play this time of year. I have been doing solos in the show since about 2001. So this year I did "Christmas Joy"- the song I wrote for my Christmas TV special. Everyone seemed to really like it. At the reception they told me. It was held on Sunday and I spent most of the day at church. I had a nice little band with me. Mr Simmons played bass and Larry played congas. Then a kid about my age who is a jazz musician named Ryan Corbitt played his guitar. He is a good piano player too.

So it sounded pretty good with them. They didnt over play it or anything . The keyboard had a lot of presence and the acoustics are really nice.

I had a rough day at work today. Not feeling too well and I dont get along with this supervisor. The other one is fine. And I accidently gave this lady a discount with Borders books coupoun. But it didnt say it on the front only in tiny print on the back. So this guy who was running the music today, he got all upset with me. Hes a real mean guy. I dont like him at all and when Im around him, I get sick almost to my stomach. Must be some kind of bad energy or spirit around him .

But I did feel stress waves. Ill be so glad once this job is over.

It will be a Merry Christmas indeed.

Party

I played piano and sang some Christmas tunes at Heritage Oaks, a large retirement home on the north side. But the old folks there were lively and upbeat and it was a nicer more old fashioned kind of place. And they had a lot of good food too. So they had a good time and some were dancing.

I enjoyed it.

I met this girl at work I really like. But I dont know because its not a good idea to get involved with people you work with. But she is a real doll. Im still having thoughts on Miss Lindsay and I dont know which one. But in my heart, I just feel Im gonna be busy with my career and having a relationship isnt too good right now.

I know God has bigger plans for me, and it might even getin the way or cause some viccissitudes.

I like to keep things open and free . But I think maybe I just fall for every girl I meet who reminds me anything of my mom or Nicole Kidman.

Anyways, I did some extra Christmas shopping and took Aunt Virginia out this morning to get her shopping done. She is getting better little by little. Going outside is a big step for her.

Winchester Weekend

Saturday, the 9th, we drove up to Clarke county to do the Christmas plantation tour. The area plantations were decked out for Christmas. We arrived first in Berryville to get the tickets. Mainly, we wanted to see Lucky Hit, where our ancestor Richard Kidder Meade lived. It was a nice tour. The current owner showed us some of the outbuildings and the layout of the land. He assured us the Meade family were kind to their slaves. The feeling there was very nice, but I felt I was being watched for representing my people.

The land in Clarke county is beautiful. White Post was where the Meades came to settle after they came up from Tidewater Virginia, along with the Carters, and other planters of that area. We stopped at Meade Memorial Church in the little village of White Post (it really is simply a White Post), and saw the church and the grave sites.

Then we toured Long Branch (a much grander, Gone With The Wind styled mansion), and then Montana Hall. We stopped in Winchester at Cork St Tavern. I had the most delicious sandwich there. It was a turkey club with bacon bits and monterey jack cheese in a wrap.Then we took a walk on the downtown mall and stopped at Dollar General for some cough drops and shoe polish.

I really love Winchester. The Patsy Cline vibe and the charming people, its a very American town.

The hunt country drive is also nice too. I like the rolling hills and the horse farms. They remind me of my childhood. Its nice to get out of Richmond. Richmond can be its own little bubble some times. There's a world beyond Richmond. I love the beauty of that part of Northern Virginia. I detest Fairfax, but anything west of Herndon is alright.

I really enjoyed it.

I had to work today and Sunday at the bookstore. Its right busy lately.

Nope, Im not from Front Royal.......

Ive had many people ask me if I were from the Shenandoah Valley. Front Royal, in particular. Which is odd because I have never lived in the Shenandoah valley- the closest being where I grew up in Loudoun County, which is in Northern Virginia. I would make trips to Winchester a lot but otherwise have little connection to it. Then to make it even more crazy, some people say they can tell Im from Richmond. I remember doing an interview at a radio station in Charlottesville a few years back, and the guy said he could tell I was from Richmond because I had "that Richmond accent". A few years earlier also in an interview the camera man said it was "rich" and another man said it was a true Richmond accent.

Perhaps the confusion is that I actually (if I even have an accent at all, which I really think I dont) have a northern virginia piedmont accent mixed with inflections from a die-in-the-wool Richmond mother, and father from the Midwest. So I guess it all comes out like a Shenandoah Valley-Richmond-Midwestern thing.

Oh, well anyways, I took this little 'ol test. Here's my results....

What American accent do you have?

Your Result: The South

That's a Southern accent you've got there. You may love it, you may hate it, you may swear you don't have it, but whatever the case, we can hear it.

The Midland

Philadelphia

The Inland North

The Northeast

The West

North Central

Boston

What'>http://www.gotoquiz.com/what_american_accent_do_you_have">What American accent do you have?
Quiz'>http://www.gotoquiz.com/">Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

I just dont click with some people.....

My day in the music department at barnes and noble wasnt that silky smooth. I just didnt click with the trainees there. I can usually tell right when i meet a person if we can jive. And somehow I knew that I wouldnt. Some people I just dont really connect with. It could be a personality clash. Anyways, working with them was kind of unnerving and i felt uncomfortable. I pick up their vibes and it wasnt very good. We werent on the same wavelength.

I had trouble working the register too and I have never used one before. I did ok though, but they werent that patient with me. I really hope it goes better tommorow and Thursday. But they are cross training me so I can work in all parts of the store.

I actually liked the cafe better. The cafe people were warm, friendly , and really nifty. These music department people you'd think they'd like music,but really they just work there and I dont connect with them.

But anyways, its a little money so I can buy Christmas presents.

My Christmas dvd is all finished.

Rambling on. But anyways, I also get a stress wave from Kroger's. Whenver I come out of Kroger's I feel stressed out. That never happens when I leave Ukrop's. I dont know why Im so sensitive to the energy fields, but I really do notice it when I cant be on the same page.

Cafe Ole'

My work this week in the cafe at Barnes and Noble wasnt a total nightmare. It actually went better than I expected. On Tuesday I was just told how to steam milk and make the basic expresso drinks. The next day basically I was on my own with these two girls and I made most of the drinks, as well as the speciality numbers. I quickly learned how to make the gingerbread late', cappachino, frappachino, etc. I still dont know why folks cant just order a coke. But if they want their silly coffee drinks I can oblige.

I did right well because I only had one complaint. I didnt stir the white chocolate mocha enough and it tasted 'only like regular coffee'. The trick is you have steam milk and have it ready. And its gotta be a certain temp or you have to discard it. Then there was a rush and I had to make several drinks at once.

Anyways, Im relieved because next week Ill be in the music department.

Today wasnt bad. I went to pick up a little black adapter so I can play 45's I got of Suzy Bogguss. And the guy let me have it for free. But I found out the other guy who sold me the needle for my hi fi passed away. He wasnt old either.

And then later I did a bit of Christmas shoppping. Gretchen and I ate at Palani Drive tonight. They are local Richmond vegetarian kind of place, but they have regular food too. I had a fish wrap. And it was pretty good.

Dad was in a bad mood today. I think he wants me to clean up the house more.