Monthly Archives: November 2009

30 November 2009

Homily Sunday

By Nicki

I thought of my friends I have recently made through Momalom’s Five for Ten challenge.  I thought of Lindsey at A Design So Vast.  I thought of many friends as I sat in Mass on Sunday.

 

I hate the readings at the beginning of Advent.  They talk about destruction.  The Gospel talked about the world’s tribulations before the second coming of Christ.  These readings bring me down.  Then, Deacon George began talking.

 

Deacon George talked about how these readings were meant to bring out what will happen but that, as we wait, as we prepare, we should not distress or stress.  We need not waste the time we have here stressing over what is to come.  We need to be in the moment.  We need to present today, not stressing over tomorrow.

 

So, while I never thought of waiting as taking away from the here and now, I guess it does.  I will try to be in the here and now.  I will try to be present in my life today.  I will try to be in the moment because it is, after all, the moments that matter.

3 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Just my Thoughts, Religion

29 November 2009

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train

By Nicki

While I am unsure how many years this train has been stopping in Binghamton, the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train stopped at the rail yard on Conklin Avenue last night.  In the eleven years that the train has been in existence, the concept and Canadian Pacific Rail have raised over four million dollars and two million pounds of food for local food banks.  Last night, CP gave the Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse (CHOW) a check for $1500 on top of what the community donated in either cash or food at the event.

 

The crowd was huge and the music fantastic.  Here are some of the over sixty pictures I took while we were there.

 

1 comment   |  tags: , , | posted in Just my Thoughts

29 November 2009

Waiting

By Nicki

I have been thinking about waiting lately for many reasons.  My friend Steve blogged about Robert Heinlein’s book Stranger in a Strange Land in an entry entitled “Waiting Is .” In Heinlein’s book, the phrase “waiting is” was used to help one understand that waiting was necessary to come to full understanding with one another.

Another reason for having waiting on my mind is because I am learning to wait, to be patient, again in my life.  I have a lot of things going on and I, as is the case with most of us, want it NOW.  I know this is not going to happen but I should be better experienced at waiting, at patience, but  I am not.

Today is the start of the Advent season in the Roman Catholic church.  Advent is the four weeks prior to Christmas – the four Sundays.  Advent is a season of preparation and of waiting, of anticipation.  Many years ago I bought a book by an author who is expecting her first child and is the wife of an Episcopal priest.  Awaiting the Child:  An Advent Journal is written by Isabel Anders, with a forward by Madeleine L’Engle.

As I pick it up each year to follow the readings through the days of Advent, I am struck by how fast our world spins.  In the times of Mary and Joseph and Jesus, the world was a slower, simpler place.

We are called to listen.  We are called to wait in anticipation for the joy that is to come on Christmas Day.  I will, probably regularly, refer to the daily items I read in this book for the next four weeks.  Please slow down.  Enjoy your life, your family.  Wait on the miracle that is to come.

5 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts, Religion

28 November 2009

Do We Try to Do It All?

By Nicki

I am not as concerned, although the question do we want to have it all is slightly associated with this question, with the have it all question today.  I know that the have it all question has plagued discussions between all kinds of people.  My question is do we – as in women and mothers specifically – try to do it all.

 

You are probably thinking I may already know the answer to this question.  I certainly try to do it all.  Let’s take yesterday as an example.  I am a West Virginia University alumni.  While I do not get to see the Mountaineers play frequently, I try to watch when they are on in my area.  So yesterday, the day after Thanksgiving, consisted of the following “want to dos.”

  • Breakfast with my sister before she left to go back to New Jersey
  • Laundry as the college kid was going to need to take all that clothing back to school with him
  • My friend Gary’s open studio (Gary Rith’s Pottery)
  • A side trip to Ithaca to walk The Commons
  • Home to make dinner
  • The WVU-Pitt football game, more commonly known as The Backyard Brawl
  • A gig at a local bar that my friend’s son and husband were playing

 

Needless to say, I got a bit tired watching the football game.  Granted, I made the mistake of watching the game in my bedroom.  I fell asleep and missed a very exciting ending to the game and slept through the gig.

 

So this morning, a friend said to me that I try to do it all and then crash in the middle of my plans.  I do listen to my body.  If I am tired, I will crash without a doubt.  I have done it many times, including last night.

 

So, the question is, do we try to do it all?

8 comments   |  tags: | posted in Just my Thoughts

28 November 2009

Thanksgiving 2009

By Nicki

The holiday itself is over but hopefully, we are all still being thankful and grateful for what we have.  I could not convince my family to let me have free reign with the camera on Thanksgiving Day but here are a few shots – including a table shot – of what the day was like in Conroy land.

3 comments   |  tags: | posted in Family, Food and Recipes, Just my Thoughts

28 November 2009

Gary Rith Pottery

By Nicki

Yes, I know.  You all are sick of hearing about local shopping.  Well, sorry.  Here is one more for today.

Yesterday, my Black Friday shopping consisted of going to Gary Rith’s open studio.  Gary is a potter who lives in Etna, NY.  His studio is part of his home and is a wonderful, cozy place.  You can always find Gary’s home/studio as it is the purple house on Main Street, NYS Route 366 in Etna.

I did buy a Christmas present.  I will not say what or for whom but it is one more person off my list.  Below are some shots of works in progress at Gary’s yesterday.  Below the pictures are various web sites Gary has.

Works in progress and works finished



Gary’s Blog

Gary’s Etsy Shop

4 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Just my Thoughts

28 November 2009

Shop Local

By Nicki

Yes, again!  I will drive this thought home every chance I get as I believe it is important to support our local businesses.

In 2008, the City of Binghamton did a push at holiday time for local shopping in the city.  I have not heard or seen anything like it since that time.  Some local businesses have taken to advertising as a cooperative but it is not the same thing and I think there are five or six of them that are together.

Last holiday season, I recall hearing ads on the radio to shop in Johnson City but have not heard them yet this year.  One local mall is in Johnson City but the ads were for Main Street, not the mall.

I have recently blogged about The 3/50 Project and shopping locally during yesterday’s Black Friday rush. Yesterday, I became aware of a concerted effort by over 70 businesses in the Greater Ithaca area to promote local shopping.  Granted, Ithaca is about 40 miles away but that is not a long trip for me since I do have at least one client in that area.

Local First Ithaca has its own web site and a fan page on Facebook.  By shopping locally, you can get a stamp at participating shops and enter for chances to win cash cards.  This is a wonderful way to advertise and to spread the advertising across many businesses so the cost is not exorbitant.

Let me know what you have found for shopping locally.  Where are you and should we all come support your local economy by shopping in your town?

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts

27 November 2009

Black Friday

By Nicki

I have blogged about Black Friday many times.  I have mentioned Black Friday in even more posts.  That having been said, I am going out this Friday.  I am heading to Etna, NY to a pottery studio to do some holiday shopping.  If you would like to support an artist, you can see Gary’s items on his Etsy shop.

 

I wrote, back in 2006, about both Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  Then, in 2007, I wrote about Black Friday again.  So I know you are all thinking, “what more could she possibly have to say?”

 

I use to be a confirmed Black Friday shopper.  I would get the Sunday paper and every weekday paper the week of Thanksgiving.  After the turkey went in the oven on Thursday morning, before heading to Mass, I would plot out the following morning’s madness.  What the heck was wrong with me?

 

This year I have joined a group on Facebook, The 350 Project.  The challenge for this Black Friday is to stop into at least one locally owned business and spend money there.  Tell the business owner how thankful you are that he or she is in business.  Don’t let the big stores lure you in.  Shop local and keep your money in your community.

10 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts

26 November 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!

By Nicki

I know, everyone is doing a gratitude entry.  I have held off.  I am just not sure I can voice all those people, all those happenings, all the good in my life.  You, nor I, do not have the time but I will try anyway.  Know that, as with any great thank you, someone, something will be forgotten.

 

I am thankful, as a freelancer, that I have work.  Many businesses have cut their freelancers as well as full-time employees.  I do not want to have to pick up a retail job if it is not totally necessary.  I am not saying it might not come to this but at the moment, all is good due to a new client I picked up in September.

 

I am thankful, though they often frustrate me, for all six of my wonderful children.  They bring more joy and happiness to my life than they will ever know.

 

I am thankful for my friends, those who live close and those who may not live so close.  We laugh together.  We run or walk together.  We pray together.  We live life together.  And that living would not be as sweet without friends.

 

I am thankful for my family.  Most do not live all that close to me but we see each other when we can.  I love you all!

 

I am thankful for the blogging community.  Many of you have been visiting me for a long time.  Many of you may have just come by recently.  While I write for me – these ideas have to come out of my head somehow, they would not mean nearly as much to me if you were not there reading them.  Thank you for reading and hopefully, we will all meet someday.

 

I am thankful for my health.  It has taken me a long time to get on a path that was healthy.  It will take a lot of work to stay on this path.  I will persevere.  I have written about how I got to the place I was in when I started living healthier in 2007 in two different blog entries – Healthy Lifestyle Journey, Part I and Healthy Lifestyle Journey, Part II.  I will continue to work on my physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

 

I am, last but by no means least, thankful for those I don’t know but for whom a life of service to our country is important.  They sacrifice their family lives so that I can have mine.  They sacrifice their freedoms so we can have ours.

 

There are so many more people and, yes, things that I am thankful for but I am getting ready for Mass, a run and a day of fun in the kitchen.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

1 comment   |  tags: , | posted in Just my Thoughts

25 November 2009

Twenty-five Years Ago Today

By Nicki

I know, who cares what happened on November 25th, 1984?  It is not a particularly important date in world history.  It is an important Sunday in my personal history.  Twenty-five years ago today I became a mother.

 

The day started out the same as many Sundays.  I woke up earlier than need be.  I tend to wake up before my alarm goes off to this day.  I sat in the rocking chair for a long time – the same one that now carries a load of cloths in my bedroom but that will change eventually – as my stomach hurt.  I was 23.  What was I to know about how labor would feel at the beginning?

 

I got up and showered.  Then, decided maybe we should go to the hospital.  I thought my water had broken.  I was to find out later that was wishful thinking.

 

Eddie was born during half time of some football game, approximately 2:15 in the afternoon.  I might have been in labor six hours.

 

Anyway, I need to bake a cake – to celebrate his birthday and to celebrate my becoming a mom.

7 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Family, Just my Thoughts

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