Monday, December 29, 2008
Christmas Break
I'm enjoying family and food right now, so I'm taking a break from blogging. But I should be back in schedule next week!
Friday, December 26, 2008
The Ultimate Story, Part 3
And when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold! Magi from the east came into Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the one who was born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and we came to kneel and worship him.”
But hearing this, King Herod was troubled and all Jerusalem with him, and gathering all the high priests and scribes of the people, he inquired from them where the Christ is born.
And they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it ahs been written through the prophet: ‘And you Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, by no means are you insignificant among the rulers of Judah, for from you will come out the one who rules, who will tend like a shepherd my people, Israel.’”
Then Herod, secretly calling the Magi, ascertained from them the time when the star appeared, and sending them to Bethlehem, said, “When you go, make a careful search with care concerning the child, and as soon as you find him, inform me, in order that I also, when I go, may worship.”
And the ones hearing the king went and behold! The star, which they saw at its rising, went before them until, coming, it stopped over where the child was. And seeing the star, they rejoiced very greatly with great joy. And coming into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. And opening their treasures, they presented offerings to him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And being instructed by means of a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew by another way to their country.
Matthew 2:1-12
But hearing this, King Herod was troubled and all Jerusalem with him, and gathering all the high priests and scribes of the people, he inquired from them where the Christ is born.
And they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it ahs been written through the prophet: ‘And you Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, by no means are you insignificant among the rulers of Judah, for from you will come out the one who rules, who will tend like a shepherd my people, Israel.’”
Then Herod, secretly calling the Magi, ascertained from them the time when the star appeared, and sending them to Bethlehem, said, “When you go, make a careful search with care concerning the child, and as soon as you find him, inform me, in order that I also, when I go, may worship.”
And the ones hearing the king went and behold! The star, which they saw at its rising, went before them until, coming, it stopped over where the child was. And seeing the star, they rejoiced very greatly with great joy. And coming into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. And opening their treasures, they presented offerings to him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And being instructed by means of a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew by another way to their country.
Matthew 2:1-12
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
The Ultimate Story, Part 2
And shepherds were, in the same country, living out-of-doors and guarding over their flock during the watches of the night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were afraid with a great fear.
And the angel said to them, “Don’t fear, for behold! I proclaim to you a great joy which will be to all the people: that there is born to you today a savior who is Christ Lord in the city of David. And this is to you the sign: you will find an infant who has been wrapped in swaddling and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly it happened with the angel an assembly of a heavenly army, praising God and saying, “Glory in the highest to God, and upon the earth peace among men of favor.”
And it happened as the angels went into heaven from them, the shepherds were saying to one another, “Now let us cross over to Bethlehem and let us see this word that has happened, which the Lord disclosed to us.”
And they went, hurrying, and found by searching Mary and Joseph and the infant lying in the manger. And seeing, they made known about the word which was spoken to them about this child. And all who heard marveled about what was spoken to them by the shepherds. And Mary protected all these words which she encountered in her heart.
And the shepherds went home, glorifying and praising God concerning all which they had heard and seen, just as it was spoken to them.
Luke 2:8-20
And the angel said to them, “Don’t fear, for behold! I proclaim to you a great joy which will be to all the people: that there is born to you today a savior who is Christ Lord in the city of David. And this is to you the sign: you will find an infant who has been wrapped in swaddling and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly it happened with the angel an assembly of a heavenly army, praising God and saying, “Glory in the highest to God, and upon the earth peace among men of favor.”
And it happened as the angels went into heaven from them, the shepherds were saying to one another, “Now let us cross over to Bethlehem and let us see this word that has happened, which the Lord disclosed to us.”
And they went, hurrying, and found by searching Mary and Joseph and the infant lying in the manger. And seeing, they made known about the word which was spoken to them about this child. And all who heard marveled about what was spoken to them by the shepherds. And Mary protected all these words which she encountered in her heart.
And the shepherds went home, glorifying and praising God concerning all which they had heard and seen, just as it was spoken to them.
Luke 2:8-20
Monday, December 22, 2008
The Ultimate Story, Part 1
And it happened in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world be registered. This first registration happened when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all were going to be registered, each to the city of himself. And also Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth to Judea into the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family of David, to be registered with Mary, who, being pregnant, was promised to him. And it happened while they were there, the day for her to give birth were fulfilled, and she bore a son, her firstborn, and she wrapped him in swaddling and put him to bed in a feeding rough, because there was not for them a place in the inn.
Luke 2:1-7
Luke 2:1-7
Friday, December 19, 2008
The Tale of Despereaux
Title: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of ThreadAuthor: Kate DiCamillo
Genre: Mid-grade (8-12 years) Fairy-Tale
Excerpt from “The Last One,” Chapter One of The Tale of Despereaux:
This story begins within the walls of a castle, with the birth of a mouse. A small mouse. The last mouse born to his parents and the only one of his litter to be born alive.
“Where are my babies?” said the exhausted mother when the ordeal was through. “Show to me my babies.”
The father mouse held the one small mouse up high.
“There is only this one,” he said. “The others are dead.”
“Mon Dieu, just the one mouse baby?”
“Just the one. Will you name him?”
“All of that work for nothing,” said the mother. She sighed. “It is so sad. It is such the disappointment.” She was a French mouse who had arrived at the castle long ago in the luggage of a visiting French diplomat. “Disappointment” was one of her favorite words. She used it often.
“Will you name him?” repeated the father.
“Will I name him? Will I name him? Of course, I will name him, but he will only die like the others. Oh, so sad. Oh, such the tragedy.”
The mouse mother held a handkerchief to her nose and then waved it in front of her face. She sniffed. “I will name him. Yes. I will name this mouse Despereaux, for all the sadness, for the many despairs in this place. Now, where is my mirror?”
A small mouse with big ears is banished from mice-dom for falling in love with a human princess.
The Craft: The writing from The Tale of Despereaux is the kind that produces mixed results. For example, the traditional fairy-tale narrator intrudes obnoxiously upon the reader during the course of the story. Yet that same voice is humorous and charming adding a special flare to the story.
The story itself is a fun fairy-tale with a twist. But the story is structured like three different stories with two sandwiched in the middle of the other one. It makes the individual stories cohesive; yet the overall tale feels fragmented.
Despite the flaws, the story draws the reader in. I only wish the climax had been a bit stronger, which left me slightly dissatisfied.
The Story: The content of The Tale of Despereaux does not stand out with any major vices and virtues. The love shown is the romantic kind (that is, driven by emotion, not commitment), but the story also displays the need to do right because it’s right, not because you’ll receive anything in return or because you might even succeed.
As far as other issues, only beware of the tail-chopping.
Summary: I didn’t find The Tale of Despereaux impressive, but neither does there appear to be anything majorly wrong with it. Rather it is a simple, fun tale needing moderate discernment. Those who enjoy fairy-tales would probably enjoy this story.
Rating: 3 (for writing), 3 (for content), 3.5 (overall)
Buy Despereaux here.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Ten Favorite Christmas Songs
Digging out my screwball version of the “12 days of Christmas” last week has brought many other favorite Christmas songs to mind. So here are ten of my favorite Christmas songs in no particular order. (I won’t say my top ten because I have so many favorites that would be utterly impossible.) Interestingly many of them are story-based—big surprise for a writer, isn’t it?
“I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas.”—The original Gayla Peevey version is best, if you can find it.
“Of the Father’s Love Begotten”—So haunting, both in lyrics and music
“Snoopy’s Christmas”—A light-hearted song that is just a lot of fun.
“Carol of the Bells”—Not only is a great piece with many personal memories attached, it is also part of a favorite musical film transition from the original Home Alone.
“In the Bleak Midwinter”—A beautiful piece, and especially good in combination with “I Wonder as I Wander.”
“Number One Day of Christmas”—“12 Days of Christmas” Hawaiian Style. Never fails to make me smile.
“Little Drummer Boy”—A good reminder on the days when I feel like I don’t have much to give.
“The Christmas Shoes”—I told you I liked songs that tell a story, and this one makes me cry, in a good way.
“March of the Kings”—Also known to classical music lovers as “Farandole” from L’Arlesienne Suite no. 2 by Bizet. I’ve loved the sound of the music for as long as I can remember for reasons completely unknown to me.
“Mary, Did You Know?”—Probably in my top five favorites, it’s a haunting way to tell the whole story of Christ. It sends chills up my spine every time I hear the last verse.
“I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas.”—The original Gayla Peevey version is best, if you can find it.
“Of the Father’s Love Begotten”—So haunting, both in lyrics and music
“Snoopy’s Christmas”—A light-hearted song that is just a lot of fun.
“Carol of the Bells”—Not only is a great piece with many personal memories attached, it is also part of a favorite musical film transition from the original Home Alone.
“In the Bleak Midwinter”—A beautiful piece, and especially good in combination with “I Wonder as I Wander.”
“Number One Day of Christmas”—“12 Days of Christmas” Hawaiian Style. Never fails to make me smile.
“Little Drummer Boy”—A good reminder on the days when I feel like I don’t have much to give.
“The Christmas Shoes”—I told you I liked songs that tell a story, and this one makes me cry, in a good way.
“March of the Kings”—Also known to classical music lovers as “Farandole” from L’Arlesienne Suite no. 2 by Bizet. I’ve loved the sound of the music for as long as I can remember for reasons completely unknown to me.
“Mary, Did You Know?”—Probably in my top five favorites, it’s a haunting way to tell the whole story of Christ. It sends chills up my spine every time I hear the last verse.
Monday, December 15, 2008
The Stages of Desensitization
Very few things—good or bad—happen instantly in this world.
A baby must grow for nine months before it’s ready to live outside the mother’s womb. A dead tree takes several years to completely rot. A country is built into a world power in decades or even centuries—and decays over the same.
Desensitization is the same.
It doesn’t happen in a moment, but progresses over several stages. The progress can occur over a single story, but most of the time it results from a continuous bombardment of the same idea through a series of books and movies.
I’ve identified five successive stages (although earlier symptoms may show up simultaneously during later ones):
Rationalization—questioning the evilness of evil
Justification—“necessary” evil; the end justifies the means
Complacency—anything goes; there is no right or wrong
Snobbery—calling good evil and evil good
Gluttony—the craving for more and greater evil
This is, of course, only a snapshot of the five stages. So over the next few weeks, we’ll look at them in-depth.
A baby must grow for nine months before it’s ready to live outside the mother’s womb. A dead tree takes several years to completely rot. A country is built into a world power in decades or even centuries—and decays over the same.
Desensitization is the same.
It doesn’t happen in a moment, but progresses over several stages. The progress can occur over a single story, but most of the time it results from a continuous bombardment of the same idea through a series of books and movies.
I’ve identified five successive stages (although earlier symptoms may show up simultaneously during later ones):
Rationalization—questioning the evilness of evil
Justification—“necessary” evil; the end justifies the means
Complacency—anything goes; there is no right or wrong
Snobbery—calling good evil and evil good
Gluttony—the craving for more and greater evil
This is, of course, only a snapshot of the five stages. So over the next few weeks, we’ll look at them in-depth.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
On Vampires and the Christian Faith
After I’ve done reviews on two vampire books back to back—one published by a Christian author and a reputable Christian publisher; one by a Mormon and a secular press—the natural question arises, how should we as Christians view these supernatural beings?
It is a hard question, one I’ve struggled with long and hard during this past month. Traditionally I’ve written vampires off as evil and something to be avoided, end of the discussion. However, the rise of CBA vampire novels and Twilight’s “good” vampires has forced me to reexamine my views.
Can vampires be good? Is it possible for them to be the hero of the story? Can Christians write and read about them? Especially after reading Shade, I felt torn.
Paradoxically, it was Twilight that helped clarify the issue. In the middle of the novel, the question of where vampires came from arises. Edward, the vampire hero, responds, “Well, where did you come from? Evolution? Creation? Couldn’t we have evolved in the same way as other species, predator and prey? Or, if you don’t believe that all this world could have just happened on its own, which is hard for me to accept myself, is it so hard to believe that the same force that created the delicate angelfish with the shark, the baby seal and the killer whale, could create both our kinds together?”
Here was the key, I realized. If I can understand the origins of vampires, or answer definitively where they cam from, I’ll know how to deal with them. For supernatural beings do exist. Some are of God. Some are of Satan. So are vampires evil, as I have always believed, or can they be a mixed race (some good like angels while others are demonic) as Twilight suggests? Why or why not? The answer lies in the world which vampires inhabit: most vampire stories happen in the “real” world (historical or contemporary), as opposed to an imaginary fantasy world. This means the world is intended to mimic the real one in which we live and as such must play by the same basic rules. (Whether the author consciously acknowledges those rules or not is immaterial; if he doesn’t keep to them without a reasonable explanation, the world won’t seem realistic.) In this case, Edward hit upon the ultimate rule: we live in a world created by Elohim—the God of the Bible, the Creator of Genesis 1:1.
So if God created the world, did He, as Edward suggested, also create vampires?
After some study of Scripture, I must answer no. God did not and would not create vampires, at least not directly.
Why? Because to create vampires as we know them—as blood drinkers, whether human or animal—would directly violate His character and standards. For of all things created, blood is considered the one of most sacred in Scripture. It is where the life is contained (Leviticus 17:14); eating or drinking carried strict consequences in the Law (Leviticus 17:10-14); the shedding of blood is necessary for forgiveness (Hebrew 9:22); drinking/eating it was one of four things forbidden to Gentile Christians (Acts 15:28-29); and it is through the blood of Christ that we are made right with God.
This is not to say God could not have created a supernatural race that would later drink blood, but the drinking of blood would have come from Satan twisting what God had created, just in the same way sin—lying, murder, adultery, coveting, etc.—results from the twisting of the human heart. Therefore, if a race drinks blood—human or animal—it is not of God. Anything not of God is of Satan and evil.
Does that mean Christians cannot write about or read about vampires?
That would be like saying we could not write or read about demons (Screwtape, anyone?), or for that matter, humans bent on evil (What?! No villains?). But how the vampires are portrayed must conform to Scripture.
So a story where vampires are evil would be fine. A redemptive vampire tale would also be viable. But just as God provided His Son on the cross to destroy sin and death and continues to give his people a route out of temptation, an author would need to provide a way around the drinking of blood. That way does not need to be easy, nor does the good vampire need to take it at first. But the action should carry negative consequences, and for the vampire to be a true hero—that is, on the side of good—he must choose to live by the standards of God and not drink blood.
At least for the moment, that’s my take on the topic.
It is a hard question, one I’ve struggled with long and hard during this past month. Traditionally I’ve written vampires off as evil and something to be avoided, end of the discussion. However, the rise of CBA vampire novels and Twilight’s “good” vampires has forced me to reexamine my views.
Can vampires be good? Is it possible for them to be the hero of the story? Can Christians write and read about them? Especially after reading Shade, I felt torn.
Paradoxically, it was Twilight that helped clarify the issue. In the middle of the novel, the question of where vampires came from arises. Edward, the vampire hero, responds, “Well, where did you come from? Evolution? Creation? Couldn’t we have evolved in the same way as other species, predator and prey? Or, if you don’t believe that all this world could have just happened on its own, which is hard for me to accept myself, is it so hard to believe that the same force that created the delicate angelfish with the shark, the baby seal and the killer whale, could create both our kinds together?”
Here was the key, I realized. If I can understand the origins of vampires, or answer definitively where they cam from, I’ll know how to deal with them. For supernatural beings do exist. Some are of God. Some are of Satan. So are vampires evil, as I have always believed, or can they be a mixed race (some good like angels while others are demonic) as Twilight suggests? Why or why not? The answer lies in the world which vampires inhabit: most vampire stories happen in the “real” world (historical or contemporary), as opposed to an imaginary fantasy world. This means the world is intended to mimic the real one in which we live and as such must play by the same basic rules. (Whether the author consciously acknowledges those rules or not is immaterial; if he doesn’t keep to them without a reasonable explanation, the world won’t seem realistic.) In this case, Edward hit upon the ultimate rule: we live in a world created by Elohim—the God of the Bible, the Creator of Genesis 1:1.
So if God created the world, did He, as Edward suggested, also create vampires?
After some study of Scripture, I must answer no. God did not and would not create vampires, at least not directly.
Why? Because to create vampires as we know them—as blood drinkers, whether human or animal—would directly violate His character and standards. For of all things created, blood is considered the one of most sacred in Scripture. It is where the life is contained (Leviticus 17:14); eating or drinking carried strict consequences in the Law (Leviticus 17:10-14); the shedding of blood is necessary for forgiveness (Hebrew 9:22); drinking/eating it was one of four things forbidden to Gentile Christians (Acts 15:28-29); and it is through the blood of Christ that we are made right with God.
This is not to say God could not have created a supernatural race that would later drink blood, but the drinking of blood would have come from Satan twisting what God had created, just in the same way sin—lying, murder, adultery, coveting, etc.—results from the twisting of the human heart. Therefore, if a race drinks blood—human or animal—it is not of God. Anything not of God is of Satan and evil.
Does that mean Christians cannot write about or read about vampires?
That would be like saying we could not write or read about demons (Screwtape, anyone?), or for that matter, humans bent on evil (What?! No villains?). But how the vampires are portrayed must conform to Scripture.
So a story where vampires are evil would be fine. A redemptive vampire tale would also be viable. But just as God provided His Son on the cross to destroy sin and death and continues to give his people a route out of temptation, an author would need to provide a way around the drinking of blood. That way does not need to be easy, nor does the good vampire need to take it at first. But the action should carry negative consequences, and for the vampire to be a true hero—that is, on the side of good—he must choose to live by the standards of God and not drink blood.
At least for the moment, that’s my take on the topic.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
The Novelist’s 12 Days of Christmas
To be sung (at the top of the lungs) to the tune of “The 12 Days of Christmas”:
On the first day of Christmas I sent to editors The Next Great American Novel.
On the second day of Christmas I sent to editors:
2 manuscripts
And the Next Great American Novel
On the third day of Christmas I sent to editors:
3 Sample chapters
2 manuscripts
And the Next Great American Novel.
On the fourth day of Christmas I sent to editors:
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 manuscripts
And the Next Great American Novel.
On the fifth day of Christmas I sent to editors:
5 Endorsements
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 Manuscripts
And my next Great American Novel.
On the sixth day of Christmas I sent to editors:
6 Chapter outlines
5 Endorsements
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 Manuscripts
And my next Great American Novel.
On the seventh day of Christmas I sent to editors:
7 Book proposals
6 Chapter outlines
5 Endorsements
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 Manuscripts
And my next Great American Novel.
On the eighth day of Christmas I sent to editors:
8 Cover Letters
7 Book proposals
6 Chapter outlines
5 Endorsements
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 Manuscripts
And my next Great American Novel.
On the ninth day of Christmas I sent to editors:
9 Good credentials
8 Cover Letters
7 Book proposals
6 Chapter outlines
5 Endorsements
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 Manuscripts
And my next Great American Novel.
On the tenth day of Christmas I sent to editors:
10 Query letters
9 Good credentials
8 Cover Letters
7 Book proposals
6 Chapter outlines
5 Endorsements
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 Manuscripts
And my next Great American Novel.
On the eleventh day of Christmas I sent to editors:
11 SASEs
10 Query letters
9 Good credentials
8 Cover Letters
7 Book proposals
6 Chapter outlines
5 Endorsements
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 Manuscripts
And my next Great American Novel.
On the twelfth day of Christmas editors sent to me:
12 Rejection slips
11 "Keep your day job."
10 Hard critiques
9 "Doesn't meet our needs."
8 Helpful hints
7 "You were close."
6 Encouragements
5 “Let’s have a look!”
4 Competing offers
3 Book contracts
2 Big advances
And a new novel written just by me!
On the first day of Christmas I sent to editors The Next Great American Novel.
On the second day of Christmas I sent to editors:
2 manuscripts
And the Next Great American Novel
On the third day of Christmas I sent to editors:
3 Sample chapters
2 manuscripts
And the Next Great American Novel.
On the fourth day of Christmas I sent to editors:
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 manuscripts
And the Next Great American Novel.
On the fifth day of Christmas I sent to editors:
5 Endorsements
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 Manuscripts
And my next Great American Novel.
On the sixth day of Christmas I sent to editors:
6 Chapter outlines
5 Endorsements
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 Manuscripts
And my next Great American Novel.
On the seventh day of Christmas I sent to editors:
7 Book proposals
6 Chapter outlines
5 Endorsements
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 Manuscripts
And my next Great American Novel.
On the eighth day of Christmas I sent to editors:
8 Cover Letters
7 Book proposals
6 Chapter outlines
5 Endorsements
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 Manuscripts
And my next Great American Novel.
On the ninth day of Christmas I sent to editors:
9 Good credentials
8 Cover Letters
7 Book proposals
6 Chapter outlines
5 Endorsements
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 Manuscripts
And my next Great American Novel.
On the tenth day of Christmas I sent to editors:
10 Query letters
9 Good credentials
8 Cover Letters
7 Book proposals
6 Chapter outlines
5 Endorsements
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 Manuscripts
And my next Great American Novel.
On the eleventh day of Christmas I sent to editors:
11 SASEs
10 Query letters
9 Good credentials
8 Cover Letters
7 Book proposals
6 Chapter outlines
5 Endorsements
4 Synopses
3 Sample chapters
2 Manuscripts
And my next Great American Novel.
On the twelfth day of Christmas editors sent to me:
12 Rejection slips
11 "Keep your day job."
10 Hard critiques
9 "Doesn't meet our needs."
8 Helpful hints
7 "You were close."
6 Encouragements
5 “Let’s have a look!”
4 Competing offers
3 Book contracts
2 Big advances
And a new novel written just by me!
Monday, December 8, 2008
What is Desensitization?
A couple weeks ago, I reviewed the popular teen novel Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, and in it I mentioned the problem of desensitization. But what exactly is that?
As the word itself indicates, it means to lose sensitivity—that is, you can no longer tell apart two very different, even opposite, things.
Remember the science experiment with apples and potatoes? In that project, someone was blindfolded and their nose plugged. Then you gave him slices of potato and apple. If the done right, the person could not tell them apart.
The same thing can happen in fiction.
However, unlike the apple-potato experiment, true desensitization is usually a gradual process, occurring over several books or movies. (Although as Twilight showed, you can progress rapidly if properly handled.) And since the five stages of desensitization happen slowly, the reader is often unaware of the problem.
But the result can be devastating. By the time you reach the fifth stage, you are not only calling good evil and evil good, but like a drug, you crave more and more of the very thing hurting you.
And that is what desensitization is.
As the word itself indicates, it means to lose sensitivity—that is, you can no longer tell apart two very different, even opposite, things.
Remember the science experiment with apples and potatoes? In that project, someone was blindfolded and their nose plugged. Then you gave him slices of potato and apple. If the done right, the person could not tell them apart.
The same thing can happen in fiction.
However, unlike the apple-potato experiment, true desensitization is usually a gradual process, occurring over several books or movies. (Although as Twilight showed, you can progress rapidly if properly handled.) And since the five stages of desensitization happen slowly, the reader is often unaware of the problem.
But the result can be devastating. By the time you reach the fifth stage, you are not only calling good evil and evil good, but like a drug, you crave more and more of the very thing hurting you.
And that is what desensitization is.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Christmas Rush
Christmas is coming.
The signs of it are many. Fresh snow covers the ground. Twinkling colored lights decorate houses and trees. “Little Drummer Boy” or “White Christmas” greets you every time you walk into a store.
But there’s one way I can really tell that Christmas is right around the corner: My to-do list has doubled in the past week, with “urgent” items tripling.
Rooms to clean. Rooms to reorganize. Rooms to decorate.
Music to listen to. Music to play. Music to practice.
Gifts to buy. Gifts to make. Gifts to wrap.
Movies and television specials to watch.
Concerts, parties, and family gatherings to attend.
Plans to make. Traditions to carry out. Desserts to eat.
And I still have my normal work to accomplish somewhere in there. I don’t suppose anyone has a cozy igloo for rent, preferably decorated in Christmas lights and stocked with hot chocolate?
The signs of it are many. Fresh snow covers the ground. Twinkling colored lights decorate houses and trees. “Little Drummer Boy” or “White Christmas” greets you every time you walk into a store.
But there’s one way I can really tell that Christmas is right around the corner: My to-do list has doubled in the past week, with “urgent” items tripling.
Rooms to clean. Rooms to reorganize. Rooms to decorate.
Music to listen to. Music to play. Music to practice.
Gifts to buy. Gifts to make. Gifts to wrap.
Movies and television specials to watch.
Concerts, parties, and family gatherings to attend.
Plans to make. Traditions to carry out. Desserts to eat.
And I still have my normal work to accomplish somewhere in there. I don’t suppose anyone has a cozy igloo for rent, preferably decorated in Christmas lights and stocked with hot chocolate?
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