Sights and sounds

Welcome to this week's edition of the Hodgepodge.  It's a busy time for me and everyone, but I enjoy this question-answer session, so I continue to make time for it.  What do you make time for during the holiday season?

Thank you Joyce for the the questions - without further ado, my answers!

1. According to Oxford Dictionaries, the 2013 word of the year is 'selfie.' Your thoughts? When did you last take a selfie?  Do you post them online somewhere?  Do you prefer to be in front of the camera or behind the lens? 

I think 'selfie' is a good choice for the word of the year.   It certainly has become widely known, and it is another example of how technology is changing everything in our world, including our language.   The last selfie I took was about a month ago, on the day I got my hair colored - and wanted to show my daughters and my sister.  I attached the pic to a text to the three of them.  I have NOT posted any selfie pics on Facebook though.

As for my choice of being in front of the camera or behind it, I enjoy both!  I LOVE to take pictures and now with digital photography, I love being able to take many shots and delete those I don't like.  I can be a bit over the top with the number of pictures I post on Facebook - of my family, my dogs, and the beautiful area where I live!  I know. And yes,  I also like being in pictures IF (it's a big IF) I like the way I look in the shot!!  Again, thank goodness there is a delete button!

2.  Will you send out Christmas cards this year?  If so, are they ready to go?  If not, are you glad or sad about leaving the tradition behind?

I am not ready to give up on this tradition!  In fact, in November I ordered cards and they are sitting here on my kitchen table, waiting for me to get going on them.  My card list is smaller than in the past.  I don't send cards out to people I see all the time. But, I still enjoy hearing once a year from some "old" friends in far away places, so I know I need to send cards to hopefully receive some.  I love receiving the cards with pictures and/or letters about the past year.

Oh! I really need to get working on mine!  ( :

3.  Do you trust easily? 

Yes!  Perhaps too easily. But that's me!   I believe in taking people at their word, and honoring the word.  I don't want to be cynical and think someone is purposely lying to me.  That's a sad way to be.

4.  Pine - cinnamon - peppermint - vanilla (sugar cookie)...  of those listed, which one is your favorite December scent? 

Cinnamon is my favorite!  I like pine aromas, but in small doses.   And to tell you the truth, peppermint and vanilla (sugar cookie) can be too sweet smelling and make me a little sick.

5.  Did you do more talking or more listening yesterday. Was that by choice or necessity?

I've got to say it was about 50/50 yesterday.  I had some nice interactions in the afternoon when I was at my church's quilting get-together.  We meet once a month and I help lay the squares out and pin them.  Others then stitch, tie, etc.  I worked yesterday with a church friend, Mary, and we spent the time catching up on our families, etc.  She and her hubby just got back from a cruise for Cincinnati Reds fans which I found very interesting!  There was one current player but also some retired Reds players on it with them.  I have thought about going on a country music cruise.  (Bet you are not surprised!)

I also spent a little time talking with my next door neighbor in the evening - while we walked our dogs on the street together.

6.  What's the last song that got stuck in your head?  (Sorry if it's back there now! ( :   ) 

I have a strange brain because I find that I am often humming - while I'm working on a project, or cleaning, or whatever - and it's not really one particular song.  I kind of make up songs as I hum!  I do it often!  I know...weird.   But, to answer the question, I suppose the last song that got stuck in my head was "The Highway Don't Care" (Yes, April - it's A Tim McGraw song!!).  I love it - and "pretend" I'm singing the Taylor Swift part. Hey - don't judge me!?!

7.  Which world explorer would you most like to have traveled with, and why?

First I have to say, I am not adventurous enough to go "where no man has gone before" and I'm guessing there were no Hyatt Hotels there! But, to answer the question, I suppose Ponce de Leon was my kind of guy, looking for the Fountain of Youth! ha!

8.  My random thought. 

I wrote a blog a couple of weeks on this, but it bears repeating!  As I go through this busy time I am doing my best to remember that Christmas is about the birth of the baby Jesus.  That's what I celebrate!! I love family time together too of course. But, all that other stuff, is just the  "extras"...and I need to keep focused on "the main event!!"