Troublesome Tree

As Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, my mind has begun to drift into thinking about Christmas.  I love decorating the house!  And while we are not quite up to Griswold status, I think we do quite a fair job.

 

One of my favorite holiday memories is that of helping my Grandma put up her Christmas tree.  There was just something so magical about it.  But, I have noticed quite a shift within my own family and can’t help but wonder if others are experiencing the same thing.

 

The quest for tree perfection has now taken the place of fun, family bonding time.  Complaints can be heard throughout the entire tree set up process.  Groaning as the tree is dragged in from the garage.  Mumbling as the “heavy” tree is lifted from its box.  A few curse words upon plugging the tree in only to find that an entire strand  of lights remains dark.

 

After the lights have been fixed, it is time for the ornaments to be hung.  Instead of being able to hang them anywhere (as I once could), I am now informed, “No, no.  Not there.  Over there.”

 

Did you know that there is a correct way to hang an ornament hook?  Typically, I like to close the end of the hook that holds the ornament by bending it in towards the hook body.  I also like to close the top portion of the hook firmly around the branch on which the ornament is placed.  I have seen too many ornaments slide off of the tree from simply placing the ornament on a branch.

 

This caused quite a commotion.  “What are you doing to the hooks?  How am I supposed to get this off of here?”  Funny, I thought we were focusing on putting UP the tree, not thinking about taking it down.

 

Then, the arguing begins.  Person A does not like how Person B is stringing the lights.  Person B does not like how Person A is hanging the ornaments.  Inevitably, a fight ensues.  I can no longer hear the Christmas music playing.  And I wonder, why does the tree have to be “perfect?”

 

I must admit, I used to be like Person A and B above.  I thought that my tree needed to be put up my way.  Certain ornaments HAD to be placed in specific spots.  Garland MUST be draped in such a way. 

 

Then I realized, it doesn’t matter how the lights are strung or where the ornaments are hung.  It’s about the time you spend with those you love.

 

Bless my wonderful husband for pointing this out to me.  After helping Grandma put up her tree and then my mom put up hers, I was usually so angry and frazzled from the day’s events that putting our own up was a nightmare.  But, Matt then convinced me to put up our tree a bit earlier than my family’s standard tradition.

 

Gritting my teeth, I allowed him to drag the tree in last year.  I was convinced that it wasn’t going to be the same.  And you know what?  It wasn’t.  It was…so much better!

 

Music was blasting, we were dancing, singing and laughing.  And we even stopped to smooch several times when we found a particularly sentimental ornament.  We had  FUN!

 

I found out that it didn’t matter if Winnie-the-Pooh’s honey pot was at the top or bottom of the tree.  Yoda can mingle with Snoopy and Woodstock.  As long as the ornaments I cared about were somewhere on the green monstrosity, I was happy.

 

My idea of the “perfect” Christmas tree has been forever changed.  It no longer needs to look like a photo from a Macy’s catalog.  What matters most is that the tree is dressed with the most important decoration of all:  love.

 

Happy tree trimming!

 

Problems for Penny

Loyal blog readers,

I wanted to let you know that there appears to be an issue with the St. Louis Metro Pet Magazine photo contest.  The links do not appear to be working.  When I tried to view Penny's picture, it states "Out of Subscription."  PLEASE KEEP TRYING TO VOTE!  Head to the Stlmetropet Facebook page and look for Penny's picture.  Then, just click on the "Like" button.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!

Vote for Penny!

A few weeks ago, I saw a flier advertising a pet photo contest for the soon to be released St. Louis Metro Pet Magazine.  Having five dogs, the decision wasn't easy.  In the end, my husband and I decided to enter Penny, our three-legged fur baby.

We know that Penny has an amazing story that deserves to be told.  She is unlike any other dog in the world.  And her spirit is unbelievable!

You can imagine my excitement when I opened an e-mail today stating that Penny's photo has been selected to be a part of the contest!  Now, I need YOUR help.  To vote for Penny, simply click on the following link:  Vote for Penny. 

Please vote for Penny so that she can spread her message of love and acceptance!  We appreciate your support!

Holiday Hustle

Every year, Christmas decorations start appearing earlier and earlier in stores.  This year, I began seeing Christmas trees at Macy’s starting in mid-October!

Don’t get me wrong.  I LOVE Christmas.  It is my favorite holiday (and my birthday, too!).  But, I think that we, as a nation, should slow things down a bit.

Halloween seems to get quite a bit of attention.  Specialty stores, such as the Spirit store and Johnny Brock’s Dungeon, pop up at the end of September in vacant store buildings across the country.  But what happens the day after Halloween?  They sell everything for 50% off in hopes of liquidating their merchandise and then they disappear into the wind.

The next logical step would be to think about Thanksgiving.  However, no one seems to focus on this forgotten holiday.  In fact, many stores are now staying open on Thanksgiving Day.

Why are we neglecting one of the most important American holidays (in my opinion)?  This day is about so much more than just gorging ourselves on delicious food and watching numerous football games.  We are supposed to be remembering the true significance of that day. 

People from two different nationalities came together to help each other survive and thrive.  Instead of fearing those that were different from us, we happily embraced the Indians (especially Squanto) for their vast knowledge of an unfamiliar land.  To pay respect and tribute those that came to the pilgrims’ aid, they set up a great feast in which they praised God for all of the bounties that they had received.

Now, hundreds of years later, we seem to have only one thing on our minds:  shopping.  Yes, that’s right.  We shovel in our food as fast as we can, bundle up our children and extended family members and head out to brave the elements in a shopping exstravaganza!

What does this say about us as Americans?  As we shove our way past other shoppers, trying to beat them to the biggest bargain, we are forgetting about some very important people:  the workers.  Those that we push all of our goodies to on the convayr belt, wishing they would hurry up so we can be our way to the next store.

And heaven forbid if the worker doesn't make small talk.  Did we ever stop to think for a moment that these people are being forced to work and cater to our narsasistic ways instead of being at home with their families?  That would tend to not make me a very friendly person, either.

Everyone deserves time off from work to enjoy the holidays with their family.  That is the point of a holiday, after all.  And to simply say, "They should get another job," is easier said than done thanks to our not-so-spiffy economy.

Once the dust has settled from Black Friday, we charge full speed ahead into Christmas.  But, I fear that we are missing the true point of this holiday, too.

Hassled Ham

Upon earning my Technician Class Amateur Radio License, I was over the moon!  I had secretly studied for weeks.  Then, I surprised my Dad (who has been a ham for over 40 years) with the great news.

He was so excited!  And I am super proud to be a part of this special group of communicators.  So proud, in fact, that I wanted to purchase vanity license plates with my call sign, KC9VZR.

My Dad has had his ham plates for years.  I always loved spotting other fellow "hammers" by way of their license plates.  One time, my Dad even called one of the hams on the air because we were right behind him on the highway!  I thought that was the neatest thing (even with the invention of the cell phone).

That is when the trouble began.  I went to the State of Illinois website to see what I needed to do to procure my plates.  There was a form that I had to fill out along with a check for a nominal fee.  I happily completed the form and wrote the check.  My ham plates would be arriving soon!

In two weeks, I received a rather full envelope from the state informing me that I neglected to fill out a box on the form.  So, I filled out the box and sent everything back.  Then, I waited.

Two weeks later, I received the envelope yet again stating that the address that I provided does not match what "they" have in their system.  Begrudgingly, I took the entire packet to the credit union that was handling my car loan.  An associate informed me that since I got married, I needed to change my name and address on the car title...to the tune of $113!

What?!  I decided that I would need to change the information eventually, so, I changed it.  I then sent the information off again.

Sure enough, two weeks later, I received the envelope AGAIN.  Now, the state wanted a copy of my marriage license to prove that I was actually married.  To me, this took the cake.  I was tired of having to prove that I am who I say I am.

Let's face it:  why in the world would a criminal try to purchase ham license plates?  And with my specific call sign?  What does KC9VZR mean to a non-ham?  Absolutely nothing.

What really rankles me is the fact that my fellow male hams do not have to go through such trials and tribulations to procure their license plates.  Why is the state making it so difficult for female hams?  We deserve the right to proudly display our call signs on our vehicles.

I have not yet sent the packet back again (for the fourth time).  Don't get me wrong, I most definitely want my ham plates.  However, I am very frustrated that this entire process has been so difficult (and costly).

On the bright side, I just made my final car loan payment today.  In three weeks, I should have the official title.  Perhaps then, I will be able to secure my coveted plates.

Coveted Car

I woke up before my alarm clock started beeping.  Tossing and turning, I attempted to fall back to sleep.  But, I was too excited.  I felt like a kid on Christmas morning.

 

Today is a very special day.  Why?  It is the day that I am making the final payment on my car loan!

 

To be honest, I never thought that this day would come.  It always seemed so far away.  And now that the day has arrived, I can hardly believe it.

 

Way back in 2008, the wonderful Ford Taurus that my Grandmother had given me breathed its last.  My parents spent so much money trying to keep it alive.  But, they finally looked at me and said, “You need a new car.”

 

Silly me, I thought that meant that they were going to buy one for me.  See how spoiled I am?  You can imagine the shock and huge reality check that I received when I began signing the paperwork stating that I would be the sole person paying for this new vehicle.

 

And, being the young, naive individual that I was, I happily told the dealership that I wanted to make the largest monthly payment that they had.  Stupid me!  In my mind, I figured that I could pay the car off faster that way instead of dragging it out over the course of 15 or so years.

 

Soon after purchasing the car, I got married.  And I’ll admit, times were tough.  My brilliant idea was not very helpful in the short term.  We often lived paycheck to paycheck.

 

But, I can proudly say that I NEVER had to ask anyone for assistance.  My husband and I tightened our belts, dug our heels in and kept looking forward to November 13, 2013.

 

Looking back, I would probably do the exact same thing.  As my husband recently pointed out, I am actually coming out ahead in terms of interest.  And I love knowing that the car is now officially mine.

 

I won’t say that this is my first “grown-up” life lesson, but, it certainly is an important one.  I worked hard at diligently paying off my car, even if it meant skipping going to the movies or avoiding the mall altogether.  And that, Charlie Brown, is what being a grown-up is all about.

 

Sometimes, you have to give up doing the fun stuff in order to focus on the important stuff, like paying bills, purchasing groceries, etc.  Unlike credit card debt (which we won’t get into), I will actually be using what I paid for every day.  And it feels a bit different now when I step into my 2009 Chevy Cobalt.  Every time I turn the key, I keep thinking, “I own this car!”

 

What an amazing feeling!  This just goes to show that you truly can achieve any goal, no matter how difficult (or impossible) it may seem.

 

Ruined Reunion

My 10 year high school reunion is coming up at the end of this month.  And as dorky as it may sound, I have been looking forward to it for quite some time.  Catching up with friends, dancing (making a few ex-boyfriends jealous).

So, you can imagine my excitement when I received an invitation via Facebook.  It appeared that the reunion would take place on two days: an event on a Friday evening and an event on Saturday afternoon.  My mom explained that there is usually some type of a picnic on one day and a semi-formal dance on the other.

I couldn't wait to go dress shopping!  Images of me and my husband sashaying around a dance floor filled my head.  But, then I read a Facebook post from one of my fellow classmates.  This person stated that she wasn't going to "waste $20 to go to a bonfire."

A bonfire?  As in sitting outside and cooking hot dogs?  For a reunion?

I contacted another fellow classmate to try to solve the mystery.  Unfortunately, she was just as clueless as I was.  A few days later, I received another Facebook message from the person coordinating the reunion.  She wanted to know who was going to be participating in the chili cook off.

What?  We've gone from a bonfire to a chili cook off?  I have never heard of having such an event at a reunion.  I politely responded that I would not be partaking in the cook off.  Then, someone asked if anyone was bringing buttered noodles.

Let me get this straight.  The coordinator wants $20 a person and we have to bring food?  While not thrilled with the idea of a potluck, I thought it could still be fun.

However, the final invitation crushed all of my reunion fantasies.  The event will be one day only, feature a chili cook-off, bonfire and hayride.  A dance floor will also be available.  The cost is still $20 a person (jumping to a whopping $30 after November 8th) and you have to bring your own drinks (this includes soda).

My husband voiced what I had been thinking, but too afraid to say, "That doesn't sound like it's worth $40.  Maybe we shouldn't go."

Not go to my 10 year reunion?  I remember watching episodes of "Full House" and "Family Matters" where Jesse and Carl went to their high school reunions.  They got dressed up, met up with friends, and had a great time.  I guess basing my idea of what the perfect reunion should be upon a few television shows wasn't such a good idea.

But, I had to agree with my husband.  I simply cannot justify spending $40 to go sit outside somewhere and hope that the people who liked me in high school show up and want to converse.  And by the time you purchase the ingredients to make a side dish and your own drinks, we estimated the cost to be about $60 dollars.  I can think of a lot better ways to spend that money.

I was intrigued to see a message from the coordinator stating that people needed to RSVP and pay soon, otherwise, the reunion may be cancelled!  And I can't say that I am surprised.  I am sure that I am not the only one that feels like this reunion isn't what it should be.

Knowing this person, I know that she thinks she always knows what's best.  She is always right, no matter what.  But, I think that she should have come up with about five different ideas and let her fellow classmates decide by means of a vote.  Instead, she charged ahead with what she thought people would like and is now finding out that not many are interested.

The town that we come from is very small and has the reputation for being "hickish."  And I can't help but feel like the reunion is holding true to that stigma.  We sound like a bunch of country bumpkins trying to throw a hoedown.  Why couldn't we have gone for something a bit more sophisticated and grown up?  Hayrides and bonfires, while fun, sounds a lot like the things we did as high schoolers.

Sadly, I have decided to skip the reunion.  For my fellow classmates' sake, I hope that the event is not cancelled.  Perhaps someone will think of me when they roast a weenie.  Good luck, class of 2003! 

Disasterous Diabetes

The day that *Zack was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, he thought his life was over.  Even his doctor was surprised by the test results.  Zack is not your "typical" diabetic.

He is a very tall and slender man.  And he has never smoked or touched alcohol.  So, why was this happening to him?

Zack has always had one huge problem:  an addiction to sweets.  Even when told that dinner would be in five minutes, he would still insist on having four Keebler elf cookies.  Then, he would eat every morsel of food on his plate and follow it with four more elves.  Not to mention that the dinners he was frequently consuming were often covered in layers of cheese and loaded with carbs. 

As soon as Zack told me the news, I raced to his house for an intervention.  I quickly discarded every sweet in the house (much to the happiness of my co-workers).  He stood sullenly in the corner of the kitchen.

"Well," he sighed.  "There's only one thing left to do."

"What's that?" I asked.

"I'm going to sue those elves," he joked.

But, his humor didn't last long.  For some strange reason, Zack felt like an anomaly.  He just knew that he was the only person in the world with diabetes.

I quickly looked to my other best friend, Google, for some answers.  And I was certainly amazed at what I found.  There is actually a website devoted to famous people that have/had diabetes (http://diabeteshealth.com/read/2008/12/17/5681/famous-people-with-diabetes/)!

From actors and scientists, to musicians and pro-athletes.  Needless to say, I went through quite a bit of paper and ink.

I proudly thrust my pile of new found knowledge in Zack's hands.  He glumly accepted my findings and I left him alone to reflect.  It wasn't long before I received a call that went something like this:

"Lauren, guess who had diabetes?"

"Who?"

"Thomas Edison!"

He was finally realizing that he wasn't alone at all.  In fact, he was in good company.

I soon found out about the Step Out Walk hosted by the American Diabetes Association.  I thought that this would be a great event for Zack to go to.  Reading about people having the same disease as you is not the same as seeing a huge group of sympathizers in person.

But, wouldn't you know, Zack wasn't comfortable with telling people about his diabetes. In fact, he wanted to keep it a secret.  This made me incredibly sad.  Zack felt like there was something "wrong" with him.  Like he wasn't the same person any more.  Like he was "diseased."

Why was Zack trying to live the life of a leper?  I pointed out to him that I have hand eczema, which is considered a disease.  But, I don't refuse to leave the house during the winter months (when it tends to flair up).

Having a disease doesn't mean that you are the disease.  And you certainly are not defined by it, either.  You are still the exact same wonderful person that God made you to be.

Zack's tendency was to then focus on all of the things that he couldn't eat any more.  He was choosing to define his life by food.  And there is way more to Zack than just his impressive appetite.

After many talks with family and friends, he decided to begin eating healthy.  And guess what he discovered?  He could still go out to eat!  Many restaurants are now offering low carb options that are super delicious and good for you.  Plus, he rediscovered an old favorite:  salads.

While Zack hasn't fully cleared the hurdle of Acceptance, he has begun to jog into Tolerance.  He has even started wearing a medical alert necklace (under his shirt, of course).  Try as he may, he will never be able to hide one thing:  his true strength.




*name changed