post Christmas

Finally I have my computer back and working. The hubby got a new router and all is well in techie land. As a result of the "malfunction," I missed blogging my thoughts and observations on Christmas Season 2012, but there will be another opportunity in twelve short months. It is just as well since Christmas is such a hectic time. As usual, I enjoyed the music, putting up the tree and reminiscing as I place each ornament on its branch, and especially time - always too short - with my beloved family. Now on to the future. Each moment we head into the future, but it is especially apparent as one year ends and a new one looms before us. I quote someone who penned these words, Yesterday is but a memory, tomorrow an uncharted course...

Look who I ran into today.

Santa must have left his coat and hat at the NP today while he was out doing some last minute shopping in South Carolina.

Practice Makes Perfect

Once again, I am happy to be contributing my little alto voice to a big, upcoming Christmas choir program. When we started practicing back in early October, all the songs were new to me but one. But I have attended choir practice almost every Sunday since, have taken the score home a time or two, and have became familiar with the once strange and challenging music. Now I really like it. All of the singers needed to be encouraged to use proper pronunciation, to listen to our same part neighbor as well as the rest of the choir, to perfect the timing, and sometimes we had to stretch our breaths and voices. This morning we had our dress rehearsal for tomorrow night's concert. We went over each piece with the magnificent orchestral accompaniment, and we made beautiful music together. What I thought of was how thrilled I was to be a part of it, and how each person there has worked to bring about the lovely and almost perfect sounds of Christmas.

Why?

Twenty-seven years ago when I was a new psych nurse, we didn't see the violence that we see today. People were still manic, schizophrenic, anxious and so forth, but we didn't see such aggression and hatred being acted out. I think the patients had more of a moral compass in spite of their mental problems. What a sad and horrible event today with the murder of a bunch of little school kids by a deranged young man. What was going on in his head. I don't know, but there have been two changes in our culture in the past twenty-seven years that I believe negatively affect young people. One is the proliferation of drug use. The other is gaming. Many of those "games" are all about murder and mayhem and kids get hooked on the thrill. I imagine many who play begin to see the games as acceptable behavior, and reality rather than fantasy. These influence thought, and without a moral compass, the thoughts are put into rage filled actions. What an unbelievably devastating day for many parents in that small town in Connecticut.

Did my ancestors ever make this?

There is a small German restaurant on Woodruff Road that has become a favorite, especially since I spent a week in Bavaria loving the sausages and the rest of the cuisine. Interestingly it is mostly frequented by Germans. Yesterday I stopped by for a delicious Reuben sandwich and in addition, I bought some bread from their tiny bakery. The guy I got this from said it is King's bread. It seems to be a pumpernickel with seeds and nuts. It is a dense, truly German tasting bread that can probably be eaten for breakfast with jam, with sliced meats for lunch, or along with wienerschnitzel at supper.