Let hatred turn into friendship because of your existence. – My fortune cookie, Sunday, November 13
In line with the almost completely nonsensical nature of this statement, this weekend was a patchwork smorgasbord of activity, some of which I will attempt to recount here.
The bonfire was awesome. (For details, read the entry below.) It was very, very fun to have Daniel back on the right coast. I also came to a realization about dances and economics: scarcity does in fact create demand. The Hoedown on Saturday night found me more occupied with dances than at any other social event I’ve been to before. The principle here is that if one wants to feel popular, one should leave for a year or two and then return to said place. Either that or it’s just a lot easier to ask a girl to dance when you know you won’t see her again for a long time. Of course, it was also very weird in the sense that I didn’t know the vast majority of the people there. But there were plenty of people who mattered, many smiling faces, many do-si-dos and courtesy turns and promenades (as well as attempted murder by swinging off the ground… *cough* Noble!) And what’s really fun, I’m actually familiar enough with contradancing now that I can be somewhat skilled on a dance floor – or at least follow a leader well enough to make it look good!
In other news, Christmas is around the corner. I started (key word, started) my shopping at the Leesburg outlets on Saturday. Starbucks is already decked out in its tinsel and red cups with disturbing pictures of people attacking each other under mistletoe. Doing laundry on Sunday afternoon I realized that more than one (and since I’ve realized a lot more than one) of my neighbors around here already have their Christmas tree lit up in the living room. I don’t know if this is a cultural thing or what, but it’s sort of weird. Now, I’m a big proponent of Christmas. Huge fan. I’m even planning on getting us a real Christmas tree for our place this year. (Who wants to come over and help decorate it?) But trees up at least a week and a half before Thanksgiving? Really?
And then the items I’d ordered though a fundraising catalog provided by our Chief of Staff’s daughters arrived today. Christmas wrapping paper and gourmet hot chocolate (the true must-haves of the townhouse during winter). There is now no doubt that Christmas is coming… and after my girls and I go to “A Christmas Carol” at Ford’s Theatre on Saturday night, I know I will have to work hard to resist the urge to start decorating the townhouse, break out the Christmas CDs, and begin humming “Good King Wenceslas looked down…”
Great. Now I’ve worked myself up for a regular excitement. Have a mentioned lately that I love Christmas?
In non-yuletide tidings, my bill (H.R. 4078) has a real live honest-to-goodness hearing in the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee on Thursday! I am so excited because I didn’t think it would see the light of day and if anything, it would just be used to spur action in some other way, but now we have some major endorsements and a hearing! This is very fun in my book… but then again, I also greeted some of my fellow staff members by saying “Happy Part D-Day!” If you don’t know why that’s funny, don’t try figuring it out. The point of the example is that I am slowly becoming a healthcare nerd of the first degree.
In closing (and on a serious note), I’ve been thinking about Dido's “Life for Rent” recently. It was my song of the weekend. I remember when I first heard the lyrics of the song, I was struck by how true it is that, in the temporal sense, nothing I have *is* truly mine. And the reassuring thing is there is nothing I could say or do to make it mine; any thought that it was, regardless of how sure it seemed, would simply be a delusion. And a dangerous one at that.
But there is something to be said for investing in life and truth and beauty and people. Our Heavenly Father certainly invests in us. Does He act more as a renter or a buyer? Does He simply hang a few well-placed pictures on short nails in the walls to make the place look nice… or does He do some tearing down of walls and refurbishing? And how much are we willing recipients of that investment? If we’re not… do we deserve to be changed into His likeness?
I’ve always thought that I would love to live by the sea
To travel the world alone and live more simply
I have no idea what's happened to that dream
Cause there's really nothing left here to stop me...
It's just a thought, only a thought
But if my life is for rent
And I don't learn to buy,
Well I deserve nothing more than I get
Cause nothing I have is truly mine
While my heart is a shield and I won't let it down
While I am so afraid to fail so I won't even try
Well how can I say I'm alive?
But if my life is for rent
And I don't learn to buy,
Well I deserve nothing more than I get
Cause nothing I have is truly mine
5 comments:
Daniel Chapin? I miss that guy.
I read HR 4078. It seems THOMAS left out the "written by Leeann Walker" part. The bill seems quite sensible, though I'd say that it isn't a bad thing if some number of doctors don't accept Medicare - I've heard if they accept it, they have a bunch of restrictions on their practice they must follow (I don't remember any details, perhaps I'm all wrong). But if it gets enough favorable looks, it's sure to pass - congratulations!
Dear, I think it's "Good King Wenceslas looked OUT..."
I like the fortune cookie, even if I really have no clue what it means. But friendship is easy w/ you around. . . lol
Derby - yes, Daniel Chapin. And a clarification on the MMAA (H.R. 4078): I didn't actually write the legislation; I titled it. I only jokingly refer to it as my bill to urk JP. The problem with not enough docs accepting Medicare is that all seniors are "guaranteed" access to a Medicare doctor under Medicare. If not enough docs are involved, patients won't be able to get in when they need to. This is problematic, especially when you consider that docs must comply with ALL Medicare regulations if they take even one Medicare patient. That means that if they want ANY share of the Medicare pie, they must comply, which is why the vast majority of docs participiate - guaranteed money. Anyway, I know that was probably way too detailed... :-P
Kelly, I sit corrected...
Ash, you're cute, as usual ;)
I saw the "Christmas Carol" at Ford's Theater last year with my family - it's a good time. It's fun and odd being inside that theater... it's brimming with history and old and beautiful to see, yet WE are in there. I tend to get this somewhat reminesant (not QUITE the right word...) feeling about being someplace that people lived and history happened so long ago at present day. Anyways. :o)
I'm in town now until Tuesday evening and I'll be back again Dec 15-Dec 28 (then I fly to what seems like my REAL home - beautiful SD!) until New Years Eve. I'd love to see you at least once!
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