Epona'Bri Mind Body Soul Awakening

Chocolate Dippers

2012-01-29T19:07:00.000-08:00

Dip each of the following things in melted chocolate or white candy
coating. Place on waxed paper and refrigerate until set:

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies: Dip half way in melted chocolate or white candy coating.

Coconut Macaroon Cookies: Dip half way in melted chocolate or white
candy coating.

Shortbread Cookies: Dip half way in melted chocolate or white candy
coating.

Marshmallows: Use the party toothpicks that are extra long and have a cellophane frill on the end. Use them to hold the marshmallow while dipping and as the holder when they are eaten. Can roll in candy sprinkles after dipping.

Fortune Cookies: Use small tongs to dip the entire cookie in melted
chocolate.

Pretzels: Dip half way or all the way in chocolate or white candy
coating. Dip one half in chocolate and let set and then dip the other half in white candy coating for two color dipped pretzels. Use "stick" pretzels or "knots."

Potato Chips: Dip half way or all the way in chocolate.

Coffee Beans: Place flavored coffee beans on waxed paper on a baking
sheet. Pour melted chocolate over. Chill until set. Flip with spatula an and pour more chocolate to coat other side. Chill until set. Eat like candy.

Ice Cream Cones: Dip the top 1" or so of an ice cream cone in melted
chocolate. Roll in candy sprinkles, if desired.

Chinese New Year

2012-01-25T20:18:00.000-08:00

It's the year of the Dragon, but I am the year of the Tiger...

The Year of the Tiger

Years: 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022

Characteristics: A brave individual, the tiger is competitive and unpredictable. Willing to accept any challenge, the tiger is very concerned with maintaining his honor. The tiger is a born leader but can be a bit selfish. The tiger is also very intelligent and alert, generous and well-liked.

Life: Because he is quick to jump at opportunities and is always taking charge, the tiger tends to get exhausted. He bounces back pretty quickly, however, but this can affect his health. The tiger is always looking for a challenge and may go from job to job. A fast learner, the tiger is best suited for a leadership position. Careers the tiger should considre include an advertising agent, travel agent, actor, writer, pilot, flight attendant, musician, comedian or chauffeur.

Love: The tiger is very passionate and will never bore his partner. While the tiger is often the dominant partner in a relationship, he is also trustworthy and polite. A tiger's partner should be active and adventurous, just like the tiger. The tiger is most compatible with the Horse, Dragon and Dog

Famous Tigers: Tom Cruise, Emily Dickinson, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jay Leno, Karl Marx, Marilyn Monroe, Marco Polo, Groucho Marx, Queen Elizabeth II and Jon Stewart

http://www.chacha.com/topic/zodiac-signs/gallery/1914/the-mystique-of-the-chinese-zodiac/14508

Panhala

2012-01-23T21:39:00.000-08:00

door of being, dawn and wake me,
allow me to see the face of this day,
allow me to see the face of this night,
all communicates, all is transformed,
arch of blood, bridge of the pulse,
take me to the other side of this night,
where I am you, we are us,
the kingdom where pronouns are intertwined,

door of being: open your being
and wake, learn to be ....

~ Octavio Paz ~

( Sunstone/Piedra de Sol, translated by Eliot Winberger)

Web version: www.panhala.net/Archive/Sandstone_I.html

Web archive of Panhala postings: www.panhala.net/Archive/Index.html

To subscribe to Panhala, send a blank email to Panhala-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Diane von Furstenberg Mikhaila fringed leather biker jacket

2012-01-16T06:01:00.000-08:00

Diane von Fürstenberg jacket (see more cropped biker jackets)

Seeing, in Three Pieces

2012-01-13T15:04:00.000-08:00

Seeing, in Three Pieces

Somehow we must see
through the shimmering cloth
of daily life, its painted,
evasive facings of what to eat,
to wear? Which work
matters? Is a bird more
or less than a man?

There have been people
who helped the world. Named
or not named. They weren't interested
in what might matter,
doubled over as they were
with compassion. Laden
branches, bright rivers.

When a bulb burns out
we just change it--
it's not the bulb we love;
it's the light.

~ Kate Knapp ~

(Wind Somewhere and Shade)

Web version: www.panhala.net/Archive/Seeing.html

Affirmations Are Working!!

2012-01-13T13:40:00.000-08:00

"Today, or at least this morning, I feel calm, peaceful and loving."

"I spend lots of time thinking delightful thoughts. I truly love myself."

The affirmations are working very well.

While I'm still detoxing, it is going much easier and I am feeling so much better.

I actually am "thinking delightful thoughts" and feel "happiness".

The tumor wound has scabbed over and I'm trying hard to leave it alone and keeping it dry.

While my leg looks worse, it actually feels much better; less pain and tightness.

I've lost 12 pounds in the past 13 days. My body appears to be healing on many different levels, and finding it's balance. I am not on a diet and I'm not trying to loose weight, I'm just letting it happen.

Numerology: I noticed these times just before getting up at 1pm (after going back to bed at 6am, after getting up at 1pm to write the notes about a new book idea)

12:12

an indicator of great understanding and wisdom...

knowledge is gleaned from life experiences which enables a sense of calm to prevail...

considered to be the ancient number of completion as it signals the end of childhood and the beginning stages of adulthood (Yes!! It only took me 60 years to become an adult!)

12:32 (2, and 3 in addition to 12)

2: Balance (two sides); stability; reflection; Represents the dual nature of the human being. As One represents a point, two represents a length. Two is theory and practice; wisdom and method. Two is Yin; Two is The life-force. Two is Spirit.

3: Creative power; growth (emotional and mental). Three is a moving forward of energy, manifestation. It is The Triad, being the number of the whole as it contains the beginning, a middle and an end (something that has been a challenge for me; finishing things). Body, mind and spirit. Three is birth, life, death (death can also mean an ending to one project, chapter, etc). It is past, present, future (I had a tendency to get stuck in the past). The symbol of three is the triangle (which is one of my personal symbols, another is spiral).

12 minutes before 1

1: Unity, the sum of all possibilities. One springs forth, upsurges.

Twelve:

Cultural References (because my belief system is quite Eclectic, I related to all of these)

There are twelve fruits of the Cosmic Tree. It is said that there are twelve days of return to chaos at he Winter Solstice, when the dead return celebrated in the Saturnalia in Rome. There are twelve days of Yuletide and Christmas; these celebrations are also found in Vedic, Chinese, Pagan and European symbolism. The days are said to forecast the meteorological pattern of the twelve months of the coming year.

Buddhist: There are twelve members of the council of the Dalai Lama.

Celtic: There were twelve paladins or peers of Charlemagne and twelve knights of the Round Table at King Arthur's court.

Chinese: There are twelve Terrestrial Branches:

(chih) Boar

Cock

Dog

Dragon

Goat

Hare

Horse

Monkey

Rat

Snake

Tiger

These are the Beasts of the Constellations and are under the six branches of the Year Tree; there are six wild,---Yin and six domestic---Yang animals represented.

Christian: There are twelve Fruits of the Spirit; Tribes of Israel and there are twelve Apostles. There are twelve gates and foundation stones of the Holy City. There are twelve days of Christmas.

Revelation: Twelve indicates God working in the world through man as in the twelve tribes of Israel and twelve apostles. The woman of 12:1 with a crown of twelve stars on her head represents the Old Testament people of God who bring forth the Messiah (cf. Gen 37:9). We have the new Jerusalem with twelve gates and on the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (21:12). The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (21:14). Both these indicate that the New Jerusalem has saints from both the old and new testaments. Also associated with the New Jerusalem are the numbers 144 and 12,000 which are multiples of twelve. 1,260 days, 42 months, time, times and half a time, three and a half days. These numbers are either three and a half years or three and a half days or in other words a half week (of years). When these periods are used in Revelation they indicate either persecution or protection.

Graeco-Roman: Herodotus says there are twelve gods and goddesses of Olympus. Hesiod mentions there were twelve Titans. Twelve is also the number of the Tables of the Law and the days and nights is Saturnalia.

Hebrew: There are twelve fruits of the Tree of Life and twelve gates of the Heavenly City. There are twelve loaves of the Table of the Temple, which represented the months of the year. Aaron had twelve precious stones in his breastplate. There were twelve sons of Jacob.

Hermetic: There are twelve months of the year and there were twelve torments.

Islamic: Twelve descendants of Ali, the Imams or directors rule the twelve ours of the day.

Zodiac has six northern (wet) and six southern (dry) signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius are fire, hot and dry, East. Taurus, Virgo, Capricorns are earth, cold, dry, South. Gemini, Libra, Aquarius are air, hot, wet, West. Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces are water, cold, wet, North.

Mithraic: Mithra had twelve disciples.

Sumero-Semitic: There are twelve days of duel between Chaos and Cosmos.

Source for numerology: http://www.crystalinks.com/

Artwork is from Josephine Wall

Never Ever Give Up!

2012-01-11T18:02:00.000-08:00

by Jane Powell

“Small victories are worth celebrating.”

We’re a results oriented society, so we tend to hold off celebrations until we’ve reached our final goal. But the truth is that every day holds wonderful successes and important victories. I’m talking about celebrating progress.

Progress can be realizing mini-goals that lead to your ultimate goal, or it can be something more subtle or unexpected, something that happens that has meaning for you. For example, perhaps you were blamed for something at work that was not your fault. Instead of remaining quiet, you confidently stood your ground. Maybe you received a compliment and were surprised by how good it made you feel.

The really wonderful thing about moments like these are that they can happen anytime and sometimes when you least expect them. They can also turn everything around. Just when you begin to second guess yourself, you’re reminded of your progress.

Don’t give up. You are making progress!

A Polyvore Set from A Friend

2012-01-09T02:37:00.000-08:00

Life is too short so I'm gonna..... by kateo featuring long ball gowns

Weight

2012-01-01T01:33:00.000-08:00

I know a lot of people will resolve to loose weight for the new year. This is a picture of me when I was 23.

I was always told how fat I was and how much better I'd look if I just lost 20 pounds. I wore a size 12, walked several mile everyday, danced every night.

I finally did loose 25 pounds and I was miserable.

When I look at this picture, I don't see a fat person. It's too bad I did when I was that age.

Now that I am fat person, I am learning to accept myself the way I am. I lost 50 pounds when I got cancer and had to have chemotherapy. Then I got in trouble for losing weight!

This is the way I am, the way nature made me. I think of all of the time I wasted trying to fit into someone else's mold of what I should look like. I know a lot of people who have biases against other people because of their weight. I've even had some backhanded compliments concerning my weight. And some that were not so complimentary.

I found this "Daily Om" article and it seem to back up my feelings. People look at a fat person and assume that they have heart problems or diabetes. But I don't have either of those. I have family members who have diabetes, and it's not due to their weight. It's sad that people judge others based on how they look.. their size, their health, their color, their lifestyle. And then you add their belief system and political stance, and you almost don't have a chance. My wish for the new year is that people do what is best for themselves, no matter what that may be, and that everyone would be able to accept those differences. And if those differences trigger some kind of problems, then maybe we could identify what they are and learn now to cope with them. Goddess knows, that I have several of my own, and I'm now working hard on how to handle and understand them.

So, here is my first step.

Redefining Health
Throw Away Your Scale

No matter what our weight, we can use the cues from our physical and mental selves to judge how healthy we are.

Health is not a numerical concept and cannot be defined using statistics. Human beings, however, tend to want to quantify well-being into easily understandable figures. We feel compelled to ascribe numbers to every aspect of wellness, from the qualities of our food to our fitness levels to the physical space we occupy. As a consequence of social pressures, we turn our attention away from health and focus instead on the most contentious of these figures—weight—checking our scales to see how we measure up to our peers and role models. Yet each of us is equipped to gauge our relative healthfulness without any equipment whatsoever. When we have achieved a state of wellness, we feel buoyant and energetic. Some of us are naturally slim, while others will always be curvy. No matter what our weight, we can use the cues we receive from our physical and mental selves to judge how healthy we really are.

When you throw away your scale, you commit to a lifestyle that honors the innate wisdom that comes from within your body and within your mind. It is logical to examine how you feel while considering your health—a strong, fit, and well-nourished individual will seldom feel heavy, bloated, or fatigued. If you have concerns regarding your weight, remind yourself that at its proper weight, your body will feel buoyant and agile. Movement becomes a source of joy. Sitting, standing, walking, and bending are all easy to do because your joints and organs are functioning as they were meant to. When you are physically healthy, your mind will also typically occupy a place of well-being. Mental clarity and an ability to focus are two natural traits of whole-self health. Surprisingly, promoting this type of easy-to-discern wellness within yourself takes no special effort outside of satisfying your hunger with nourishing, wholesome foods and moving your body.

The numbers you see on the scale, while nominally informative, can prevent you from reaching your healthful eating goals by giving you a false indicator of health. You will know when you have achieved true health because every fiber of your being will send you signals of wellness. When you choose to listen to these signals instead of relying on the scale, your definition of well-being will be uniquely adapted to the needs of your body and of your mind.

~ Daily Om

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T00:16:00.000-08:00

‎"I don’t really have a New Year’s resolution. I am who I am, and I don’t want to be somebody else." ~ Karolina Kurkova

I don't make resolutions, I make goals instead.

Winter Wonderland

2011-12-25T01:45:00.001-08:00

Winter Wonderland by cindieponabri on polyvore.com

Snow Funny

2011-12-16T14:45:00.001-08:00

First Day of Winter?

2011-12-15T03:04:00.000-08:00

One thing that has always bothered me about the modern calendar is that it calls December 21st as the first day of Winter, when it's actually Midwinter. December 21st is the shortest day of the year and the night is the longest and then the days start to get longer until we reach Midsummer, on or around June 21st, when we have the longest day of the year and shortest night (in the Northern Hemisphere).

Many Pagans celebrate three harvest holidays; Lammas, or Lughnassah, the First Harvest, on August 1st (the actual first day of Autumn); Mabon, the Second Harvest on Sept 21st (traditionally called the first day of Autumn; and Samhain, the Third Harvest, on October 31st, also known as Halloween and the Celtic New Year's Eve. Although in some cultures, they only recognized two seasons.. Summer and Winter, and Samhain was considered the end of Summer.

I don't know if they thought of the "harvest" as being an Autumn event, or that it was just the stepping stones to the end of the growing season of plenty. Winter was the season when they huddled together, repaired and made new tools, told stories, and hoped that their food supplies would last until summer arrived again. By the time of the longest night, the ancients went from being afraid that Summer would never return and created rituals to encourage the Sun God to bring back the warmth and sunshine to creating celebrations that honored the fact that "he/she/they" did.

Why call the solstice the beginning of the winter or summer season? Many Celtic tribes considered the first day of winter to be around November 1st, just after the Feast of Samhain. Winter peaked at the solstice and then ended around February 1st, when Spring began. Even today, many farmers start planting crops in February and March, before, according to the calendar, it's actually Spring. Essentially, the first day of Spring, which is the Spring Equinox, could be considered the mid point of springtime, or mid-Spring.

In many cultures, the Winter feast celebrations took place from the beginning of November until February 2nd, also known as Candlemas, Groundhog Day, St. Brigid's Day, and Imbolc. Imbolc means "in the belly" and refers to the birth of lambs. Most cultures consider the birth of baby animals and new growth as events that happen in the Springtime, so it kind of makes sense to me that the first day of Spring would be on Feb 2nd.

"Among agrarian peoples, Imbolc has been traditionally associated with the onset of lactation of ewes, soon to give birth to the spring lambs.... this could vary by as much as two weeks before or after the start of February." (Nora Chadwick "The Celts")

It probably shouldn't be a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but maybe acknowledging that Winter started in early November, would take away some of the surprise of cold, snowy weather that blanketed much of the Northern hemisphere while we still have Autumn decorations up. And psychologically, thinking that spring arrives in February instead 6 weeks later on March 21st, no matter what the groundhog might say, allows people to cope with the possibility of 6 more weeks of snow. After all, since it is technically Spring, warm weather, sunshine and the first sight of crocuses could be right around the corner.

You Matter

2011-12-14T23:45:00.000-08:00

“Every piece of the universe, even the tiniest little snow crystal, matters somehow. I have a place in the pattern, and so do you!”
~ T.A. Barron ~

Friendship

2011-12-14T23:31:00.001-08:00

glitter-graphics.com

Winter Ball

2011-12-13T20:11:00.001-08:00

Winter Ball by cindieponabri featuring long gowns

Life Is...

2011-12-13T19:38:00.001-08:00

Life Is... by cindieponabri on polyvore.com

A Set Made for Me By My Friend Kate

2011-12-13T16:27:00.001-08:00

The Art of Gifting with jcpenney by kateo featuring a striped shirt

Panera Bread Grilled Steak Salad with Giant Croutons

2011-12-11T22:34:00.000-08:00

Panera Bread Grilled Steak Salad with Giant Croutons

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds 1" thick beef tenderloin steaks
1 Panera Sourdough baguette
extra-virgin olive oil
blue cheese sprinkles (optional)
1 10oz bag baby spinach leaves
1 head red leaf lettuce
1 16oz can mandarin oranges
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)
3/4 cup sliced almonds (about 3 ounces)
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced into rings
Your favorite Poppy-seed salad dressing

For the grilled steak, rub both sides of each steak lightly with
vegetable oil, and then season with salt and pepper. Grill steaks
on one side, turn and finish grilling to desired doneness. (About 5
minutes on each side for medium rare.) Transfer steaks to platter
to stand until cool, about 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until
well chilled. Just before serving, slice each steak diagonally into
thin pieces.

If you prefer, coat the bottom of a large, heavy skillet with 1
tablespoon of vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat. When
the oil is hot but not smoking, add the steaks and cook on both
sides to desired doneness. (About 5 minutes on each side for medium
rare.) Prepare the steaks for serving as above.

For the giant croutons, cut bread into slices 3/4" to 1" thick.
Place the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake
slowly in a 300° F oven until they are lightly browned and crisp
(approximately 25-30 minutes). For extra flavor, lightly brush each
slice with olive oil after they have baked for 15 minutes. If you
wish, sprinkle blue cheese crumbles over the slices for the last
minute or so of baking, just until the cheese softens.

For the salad, mix all the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.
Add dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad equally and arrange on
six plates. Top with slices of grilled beef. Add a giant crouton to
the side of each plate and serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings

Source: Panera Bread

Religious Lies

2011-12-11T19:47:00.001-08:00

It's amazing how two different groups of people can come up with two completely different meanings for one word. Take the word "Yule", which many people celebrate this time of the year. Instead of Christmastide, they celebrate Yuletide, while some of us celebrate both.

Yule is a very old word, although no one is quite sure when it first was used, it is certain that it is much older than Christmas or Christianity. Many Christian sites insist that "Yule" is an old Babylonian word for infant, baby or child. But that isn't true. Most Pagan sites will say that "Yule" is an old Nordic word meaning wheel. But this isn't true either. Recent research by linguists say that the word "Yule" is much older than the development of the wheel, which was not known by the Celtic and Nordic people until after 2500 BCE. They say that it simply was a name for a 12-day festival that took place during the longest nights of the year, possibly coined just for the event.

I wish all people would do their research and check many places before they post something and deem it to be the truth. Because there really isn't two definitions of any word simply based on your belief system. I constantly see this, especially during holidays, and especially at Christmas, (the origin of candy canes and the meaning behind the 12 Days of Christmas specifically come to mind).

A while back, I stumbled onto a very angry Christian website that practically was screaming at readers about how evil Halloween was and that no one, especially not Christian believers, should ever celebrate it, He "confirmed" for his readers that it was evil devil-worshiping witches who promoted this awful so-called holiday in an attempt to corrupt young innocent children. When I questioned the website owner and writer about where he found this information and how much research he had done, he assured me that he spent an incredible amount time on research. When I pushed him further for his sources, he said he read several versions of the Holy Bible. When I pushed even further, he said he also visited other Christian sites. When I asked if visited any Pagan sites or any unbiased educational sites (such as Religious Tolerance), and I could almost hear him gasp.

You can only get a true answer to any question if you consult a variety of sources. If you only read sources that back up your claim, especially when they give the answer practically word for word, you are not getting the whole story, and it's possible that you are giving out incorrect information.

I've had some people ask me why does this matter? If they want to think and believe that Yule means infant (or that Halloween is evil), what's so wrong with that? Because it's not true. It's amazing how many people think it is okay to say whatever you wish and call it the truth. They feel if they can get enough people to believe it, then it will become true. Like the museum that shows dinosaurs roaming the land with the cavemen, even though there is absolutely no evidence that this ever happened and much evidence that shows that dinosaurs died out a long, long time before man arrived.

Yes, I know, people are going to say, 'but she is a Pagan, so of course, she will say that the Pagan definition is correct.' Wrong. Go back and read what I wrote and you'll see that I said that Pagan definition was incorrect too. Plus, I was a Christian before I was a Pagan. I didn't leave Christianity because I didn't like them. I became a Pagan because it was a better fit for me. I still study Christianity and read the Bible and other Christian books, as well as books from many other religions, I've been a student of world religions for over a decade. I have been a member of many churches of different denominations including Methodist, Unitarian, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Catholic and Evangelistic. I found many things that I loved and enjoyed about each of them.

I feel that everyone should just be honest and truthful about information, especially when it comes to religion and "especially" when you are writing about someone else's belief system. Spreading misinformation about other religions is not going to make your religion and viewpoint look better, or even good. If you are going to lie about that, what other things could you be lying about as well?

All religions have their good, beautiful and loving attributes and also their mistakes, bad history and skeletons in the closet. While all religions are inspired by a higher power/creator/deity/God, they are all created by man, and "man" makes mistakes. Wouldn't it be better to admit those mistakes, correct them and treat everyone else the way you wish to be treated, you know, like the Golden Rule suggests?

I've never quite understood what is so terrible about people, groups or organizations borrowing or incorporating ideas from other people, groups or organizations? It happens all the time. In most cases it is a compliment because someone thought it was a good idea to begin with. But could it be in this competitive culture that we now find ourselves in, that it's more important just to be first?

That is going fairly hard to achieve since no one really knows who or what came first, since we can only depend on artifacts and the written word. In regards to religion, it's known fact that there were religions long before Christianity was started. Since Christians know and for the most part accept this fact, why is it so necessary to "teach" incorrect concepts to their followers about other belief systems? Are they afraid that if they knew the truth that their followers might be more interested in a non-Christian church and leave their pews and collection plates? Those who might be so inclined will eventually discover that their church was not telling the truth about other belief systems and will leave anyway. But maybe something good might happen and surprise the church leaders. Their followers just might be impressed that a church body who is so keen on the finding the truth was actually teaching the real truth about other religions, or even other churches. Instead, born again Christians would be calling Catholics and Mormons true Christians and teaching that Pagans are not godless, unchurched satan-worshiping heathens. Oh, for the record, "Heathen" simply means "of the hearth" which indicates home and family, and "Pagan" means "of the country"... because we honor the earth and nature.

So, why not just teach and share the truth about all of the people of the world, no matter their belief system? That's what Jesus would do, that's what Jesus taught. Even Pagans know and honor that.

Some of My Favorite Christmas Movies

2011-12-09T09:20:00.000-08:00

Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938) — Teenager tries to find romance as Christmas approaches.

Bachelor Mother (1939) A department-store salesgirl finds and begins to care for an abandoned infant at Christmas time.

Meet John Doe (1941) — A newspaper reporter turns a bum into a national hero, but the man threatens to commit suicide by leaping from the town hall after he's exposed as a fraud. The climax takes place on Christmas Eve.

Penny Serenade (1941) — Tearjerker includes a child's Christmas pageant scene.

Holiday Inn (1942) Musicians prepare for a white Christmas at a cozy lodge.

The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942) Hobbled, self-centered New York wit makes Christmas unbearable for the family whose Ohio home he has commandeered.

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) — A Missouri family has itself a merry little Christmas, as well as three other seasons.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946) Attempting to commit suicide on Christmas Eve, a man is rescued by a guardian angel and shown what his hometown would be like had he never lived.

The Bishop's Wife (1947) An angel helps a bishop rearrange his priorities.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Macy's Santa, with help from the U.S. Postal Service, restores a little girl's faith. Remade for television in 1955, 1959, 1973.

Little Women (1949) Starring Elizabeth Taylor

The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) When the Lemon Drop Kid (Bob Hope) accidentally steers Moose Moran's girl away from a winning bet at the racetrack, he is forced to come up with $10,000 to repay the angry gangster. Fortunately it is Christmas, a time when people can be persuaded to part with money for the right cause.

White Christmas (1954) As in Holiday Inn, musicians bring Irving Berlin's lyrics to Vermont lodge. (The story is not a remake, however.)

Desk Set (1957) — TV network researcher and computer expert clash, then find romance.

Babes in Toyland (1961) Apprentice toymakers Stannie Dum and Ollie Dee rescue Tom Tom and Bo Peep from Bogeyland in this Disney adaptation of Victor Herbert's operetta.

(Mr. Magoo's) Christmas Carol (1962) — An animated and musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' famous book, A Christmas Carol, with Mr. Magoo as Scrooge.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) — Stop-motion adaptation of the popular song. Rudolph, and Hermey the Misfit Elf, overcome rejection for their differences and help Santa Claus make his Christmas Eve trip.

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) — 28-minute animated special in which Charlie Brown searches for the true meaning of Christmas, by directing a Christmas play while shunning the hyper-commercialization of the holiday.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) — Mean and stingy green creature wants to ruin Christmas. (Animated; musical)

Frosty the Snowman (1969) — Animated special. Magic hat brings snowman to life.

Love Story (1970) — Romance blossoms between wealthy law student and doomed schoolteacher.

Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974) — A mouse and a clockmaker try to appease a disgruntled Santa after he has received an insulting letter.

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (1977) Jim Henson's telling of the true meaning of Christmas based around a struggling mother and son who each sacrifice an item of great importance in order to give the other the perfect gift for Christmas.

A Chipmunk Christmas (1981) - A sick boy makes Alvin realize the true meaning of Christmas.

A Christmas Story (1983) All Ralphie wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder BB gun.

Trading Places (1983) A rich man and a poor man switch classes as part of a social experiment through the holiday season.

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (1984) — After suffering a fatal heart attack, a man (Mickey Rooney) is granted a brief return to life so that he can show is California-bred grandson his first white Christmas in New York.

The Night They Saved Christmas (1984) — An oil company dynamites in the North Pole in search of an oil field, unaware that they are endangering Santa Claus.

One Magic Christmas (1985) At Christmas time an angel shows a young mother the true meaning of the holiday.

Santa Claus: The Movie (1985) Big-budget "biopic" for the fat man in the red suit (David Huddleston).

The Christmas Gift (1986) — A widowed architect and his daughter visit a town where everyone believes in Santa Claus.

A Smoky Mountain Christmas (1986) — A singer retreats to an isolated mountain cabin for a quiet holiday, but finds seven orphaned children there.

Christmas Comes to Willow Creek (1987) — Two truck-driving brothers attempt to transport a load of Christmas gifts from California to an economically strapped Alaska town.

Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) Ernest Worrell helps Santa.

Scrooged (1988) Modern, dark-humored interpretation of Dickens' story, with Christmas spirits visiting a cynical, selfish TV exec, played by Bill Murray.

Funny Farm (1988) — A couple buys their dream farmhouse in the country, but a series of disasters lead them to plan a divorce. They attempt to sell their farmhouse by bribing the local townspeople to create the perfect fantasy Christmas to impress prospective buyers.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) The Griswold family plans turn to disaster, this time at Christmas.

Prancer (1989) Girl nurses a wounded reindeer.

Home Alone (1990) Kevin is mistakenly left home alone by his family on Christmas.

All I Want for Christmas (1991) Two kids plot to reunite their estranged parents at Christmas.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) Kevin mistakenly travels to New York City without his family on Christmas.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) Jim Henson's creations tackle Charles Dickens' festive favorite.

Sleepless in Seattle (1993) — Woman responds to plea from lonely widower on Christmas Eve radio program.

Miracle on 34th Street (1994) Department store's Santa, with help from the U.S. Postal Service, restores a little girl's faith.

The Santa Clause (1994) When Santa falls off his roof, a harried ad exec is required to assume the mantle.

Little Women (1994) Starring Kristen Dunst

The Ref (1994) — A cat burglar is forced to take a bickering, dysfunctional family hostage on Christmas Eve.

The Angel of Pennsylvania Avenue (1996) — A Family Channel TV production: Three children travel to Washington in the hope of convincing President Hoover to release their wrongly convicted father from jail in time for Christmas.

Jingle All the Way (1996) Dad, while searching for season's hot toy, finds season's true meaning.

The Preacher's Wife (1996) Remake of The Bishop's Wife.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) A furry green creature wants to ruin Christmas for denizens of Whoville.

A Christmas Visitor (2002) — A family decides not to celebrate Christmas for 11 years after their son dies, but when a stranger visits them for Christmas, they realize he is the miracle their family has been waiting for.

The Santa Clause 2: The Mrs Clause (2002) Sequel to The Santa Clause; Santa must find a Mrs. Claus.

Christmas with the Kranks (2004) When a suburban couple decide to forgo Christmas festivities, preferring to take a cruise to the Caribbean instead, their neighbours refuse to allow such Scrooge-like behaviour.

Noel (2004) A series of events link five disparate strangers in New York on Christmas Eve.

The Polar Express (2004) A magical train takes a boy and other children who stop believing in Santa Claus up north to meet the man himself.

Surviving Christmas (2004) A smug, cynical young millionaire pays a family to spend Christmas with him.

Samantha: An American Girl Holiday (2004) — A wealthy girl visits an orphanage during the holiday season, and tries to house them.

The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006) Santa battles Jack Frost to keep his title.

A Grandpa for Christmas (2007) — During the Christmas season, an old-time film-star/singer/hoofer, who is estranged from his daughter and 9-year-old granddaughter, suddenly finds himself bonding with his granddaughter when her mom is hospitalized.

Moonlight and Mistletoe (2007) — A man runs a year-round Santa Town.

The Santa Suit (2010) Drake Hunter, the president of Hunter Marketing, has the perfect plan to boost sales for his father's toy company over the holiday season--hire department store Santas to promote his father's merchandise. When the real Santa Claus turns Drake into a Santa lookalike, Drake finds himself working as a department store Santa.

WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT LIFE CAN BE LEARNED FROM SANTA

2011-12-08T23:07:00.000-08:00

-Encourage people to believe in you.
-Always remember who's naughty and who's nice.
-Don't pout.
-It's as much fun to give as it is to receive.
-Some days it's ok to feel a little chubby.
-Make your presents known.
-Always ask for a little bit more than what you really want.
-Bright red can make anyone look good.
-Wear a wide belt and no-one will notice how many pounds you've gained.
-If you only show up once a year, everyone will think you're very important.
-Whenever you're at a loss for words, say: "HO, HO, HO!"

Flash mob at Copenhagen Central Station. Copenhagen Phil playing Ravel's Bolero.

2011-12-07T04:29:00.000-08:00

Best Macaroni and Cheese

2011-12-06T23:16:00.000-08:00

This recipe is a creation of mine based on the kind my mom and grandma used to make. I get a lot of compliments on it.

Cindi

1 cup small elbow macaroni
2 T. butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground dry mustard
1/4 t. pepper
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes
1 medium onion, chopped

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in large nonstick pan over low heat. Cook onion until translucent. Stir in flour, salt, mustard and pepper. Cook over low heat 20 seconds, stirring constantly, until butter is absorbed; remove from heat. Gradually beat in milk with wire whisk. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Stir constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.

Stir in cheeses until melted. Stir pasta into sauce. Pour into a casserole dish and sprinkle with a bit of paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes and until bubbly and golden brown on top. Serve hot.

Interesting Thought

2011-12-01T02:37:00.000-08:00

The glass is always full. It is the ratio between air and water that changes.