Christmas 1987

The Christmas of 1987 is my favorite to remember.  My parents had gone through a difficult year.  We had to move from our spacious home in the suburbs to a small run down farmhouse in the country.  My dad took a construction job that required him to be away from home for days, or even weeks on end.  It was a difficult time for my parents.  However, we (myself and my 5 siblings) had no idea that there was any turmoil afloat.  We loved that old farmhouse.  It was drafty and creaky and if you put your ear up against the wall in the boys room, you could hear millions of bees living inside the wall.  There was a creepy cellar that you accessed by lifting a staircase to reveal hidden stairs, that lead down to the damp room.  We played outside on an old tire swing, in the cornfield, and at the neighbors small fish pond.  There were stray cats and wild asparagus all over the area. We had nice neighbors but, you could tell that we were the poor family on the street.   

My oldest brother Johnathan has always been the perfect big brother.  This particular year he had decided that he wanted to buy gifts for all of us.  The rest of us happily depended on Santa to do all the gift giving.  He, being the kindest of us all, wanted to be able to give and not just receive.  After spending several Saturdays doing yard work for the neighbors, he had saved up 70 dollars.  It was a great deal of money.  Five days before Christmas he went to the store to buy presents.  He kept to his budget and was able to select a nice gift for each member of our family.  But, when he got up to pay for the items he found that his wallet was missing.  He was not sure if it was lost or stolen.  He was very upset.  He put the items back on the shelves and left the store.  He didn’t want to tell anybody what happened.  However, on Christmas morning we all had presents from Johnathan under the tree.  

After the disappointing shopping trip, he came home and started working.  He was determined to give us each a gift. He had taken some old wood from the garage, cut it into segments and carved our names into them.  Each member of my family got a simple piece of wood, carved, sanded and stained.  All made with scraps and old supplies.  

I still have mine. It is my dearest and favorite gift.

Hello

I saw on a website that your blog should reflect who you really are, and what you are passionate about.  

So... I am a nerdy hippie.

I am a new Nerd.  I haven't always been this way.  I have recently discovered a hidden part of my personality that wants to attend Hogwarts, be an ambassador to Earth aboard Babylon 5, and walk to Mordor.  (I know, I know... "One does not simply walk into Mordor")

When I was young I did not like reading and I was not good at it.  I had terrible comprehension problems and never enjoyed reading for school or for pleasure.  Years passed, many of them filled with distractions, and a lack of direction at City College.  I finally got my brain out of the clouds and at the age of 26 I transfer to Fresno State, where I join the School of Engineering to study Construction Management.  This course of study is strangely the reason I found a love of reading.  Towards the end of my program, I interned at the City of Clovis in their Planning & Development division.  The office was located very close to the library.  I went in one day and checked out J.R. Tolkien's, The Hobbit.  I had never read a fantasy book before.  A few weeks later I was cruising through the Harry Potter books, and after that, the scientific genius of Michael Criton.  I guess I am a late bloomer.  (I must give credit to Stephanie A. for encouraging me to read the Harry Potter books.  She was right, they are fantastic.)

I am crazy about recycling.  Internally, I go a little 730 (hospital code used to describe mentally-insane patients, often used in rap songs) when I see things that have not been properly disposed of.  I honestly do not know why this happens to me.  While I retrieve cans or bottles thrown into the trash, I usually have a silent conversation with the perps in my head.  It typically starts with a reprimand, then turns into an emotional appeal to their soul to take part in caring for humankind and our planet.  There are a million other things that should annoy me... but don't.   (BTW - this is all inside my head, I would never actually confront someone out load)  

Styrofoam is not recyclable!!! 

I love to garden.  Growing vegetables at home is the best. 

I am a pesca-tarian.  I eat fish, but no other meat.  I do not have a good reason for this.  I know that I probably should, but I don't. 

I love to hike, bike and walk.  I love to take pictures of beautiful things.  

I am also a lover of rules!  (Perhaps makes me an anti-hippie)  

Rice Crispy Squares are my favorite dessert.  There are a plethora of delicious treats that I enjoy, but I never get tired of Rice Crispy Squares.  I make them with extra butter and some vanilla.  I do not have a favorite marshmallow, I just buy whichever is the cheapest.  I coat the pan with extra butter and then smash the crunchy goo into the pan with my bare (cleansed) hands.  Then, I eat the remnants from my fingers.  45 seconds later I have already served myself, and eaten, 2 big chunks.  So good.

Any day, in which I get to pet a cat, is a good day. 

German Potato soup... In Germany!