I had originally thought of posting a new favorite thing of Christmas each week. That was before I left TN for my vacation home and discovered my schedule is pretty full most every day and I have very little desire to post anything when I am out having fun with all my family and friends! So... let us leave it at this: I love Christmas more than any other season. All of it! The good. The bad. The sometimes ugly, the always pretty, the wonderful smells and home-baked goodies, then sounds and smiles and cheer. The sorrow that is lifted by strangers (saw a woman who had been in an accident the other day crying and being comforted by another woman, likely strangers given the time frame involved), and even the hectic hustle and bustle as we try to give to those we love and cherish gifts that speak to a small degree of those feelings. Christmas, to me, is simply the best holiday.
What have I done since being on vacation? Well... here is the recap to date, starting on the 17th.
Tuesday, all day flying. Arrived in Utah where my Dad picked me up, shuttled me home and after a brief moment or two off I went to see Tyler's Jr. High Christmas Choir program followed by a visit with Loren and Kari before heading to the hotel to get some much needed sleep.
Wednesday, Rachel's school Christmas program was followed by lunch with Loren and then some time to shop before heading to Kamryn's dance recital.
Thursday, Maddy and Jack's school Christmas program through the wonderful snow storm that decided to make this Christmas more memorable for me. More shopping followed by a quick dash back to Lehi for Kamryn's Christmas program. Dinner with Mom and Dad and then back to the hotel for sleep.
Friday, lunch with Mike and Dad in SLC, babysitting Rebecca and Karsyn followed by dinner with Mom and Dad and some shopping mixed in-between.
Saturday, movie day with the family! We started with Jack and Maddy's basket ball games, brunch and then the movie Frozen in Lehi. Everyone who was in Utah was there (first time that has happened)! I wish Sean and Linzy and their family could have been there with us as well but it was great to have everyone present. Here is a quick list: G-Ma and G-Pa loveridge, Mom and Dad, Bill and his whole family, Mike and his whole family, Tonya and her whole family, Heather, Leslie, Me, and Cynthia with her family (co-worker of Mom's who graciously accepted the tickets when Loren's family couldn't make it). All in all there were around 23 of us filling 24 seats (sometimes the floor). I know the people in front of our row were maybe a little put out by us all... but to see almost our entire family there was special. Even if there was a complete fiasco at the start with the tickets (long story short they goofed, they apologized, we got 24 free tickets for the future, some free popcorn and drinks, and in the end enjoyed the movie all the same). Dinner at Bill's wrapped up this very busy day!
Sunday, Church and a quiet evening with Mom and Dad followed by a card game with Loren and Kari and their kids before heading back to the hotel.
Monday, more shopping in the morning. I helped make some snowmen and went to The Hobbit with Mom and Dad then spent more time shopping afterwards.
Tuesday, Frozen with the Shirks, my last little bit of shopping followed by dinner at Bill and Steph's and enjoying some of their Christmas traditions. Finished this day with wrapping the gifts I had bought this past week and watching a Christmas Carol with Mom and Dad.
So, here I sit in my hotel room after a very busy week preparing for Christmas day. It is now just past 11:15 PM and I am ready for some sleep so I will wrap this post up. The rest of my trip is quickly filling up and I am beginning to realize that while 2 weeks is a decent vacation... it would be much nicer to live closer and be able to enjoy the company of my friends and family on a more regular basis. I am grateful to them all for letting me share this holiday season with them and if I went a little overboard in some areas... you are all worth every bit of it. And more.
Merry Christmas to all of my Family and Friends.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Tis The Season
Now that Thanksgiving is done and December is approaching the midway point I can blog about what is my favorite holiday of all. There are many things about Christmas that make the holiday special to me. The focus of this post will be on music.
I love Christmas music. Not the silly ones we would sing as kids like "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" or "Here comes Santa Clause". No, the Christmas songs that I love are the more "traditional" songs. Songs like "Silent Night", "Little Drummer Boy" and "Oh Come All Ye Faithful".
It seems that, at this time of year, more people try to be nice. More people try to lend a helping hand. More people turn their thoughts to feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and spending time with family and loved ones. Why is that? What is it that can take a society and shift its values, even if only for a few weeks? I believe it has to do with the music. No other Holiday is so tied to music. Certainly there are patriotic songs around the 4th of July or some love songs around Valentines Day (hate this holiday by the way) but these are nowhere near as openly played or enjoyed. Is it any wonder that, after listening to music that encourages people to contemplate the birth of the Savior, people are... well... nicer?
And so, if you are struggling to find a little Christmas Cheer, feeling down or a little "off" this year... try listening to the music. The REAL music of Christmas. Listen to the messages inside, feel the spirit that will follow, and let your focus shift.
I really do love Christmas Music.
If I can figure out how to do it, I will get a music player gadget attached and load some of my favorite songs on it.
I love Christmas music. Not the silly ones we would sing as kids like "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" or "Here comes Santa Clause". No, the Christmas songs that I love are the more "traditional" songs. Songs like "Silent Night", "Little Drummer Boy" and "Oh Come All Ye Faithful".
It seems that, at this time of year, more people try to be nice. More people try to lend a helping hand. More people turn their thoughts to feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and spending time with family and loved ones. Why is that? What is it that can take a society and shift its values, even if only for a few weeks? I believe it has to do with the music. No other Holiday is so tied to music. Certainly there are patriotic songs around the 4th of July or some love songs around Valentines Day (hate this holiday by the way) but these are nowhere near as openly played or enjoyed. Is it any wonder that, after listening to music that encourages people to contemplate the birth of the Savior, people are... well... nicer?
And so, if you are struggling to find a little Christmas Cheer, feeling down or a little "off" this year... try listening to the music. The REAL music of Christmas. Listen to the messages inside, feel the spirit that will follow, and let your focus shift.
I really do love Christmas Music.
If I can figure out how to do it, I will get a music player gadget attached and load some of my favorite songs on it.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Thanksgiving
One of the neat things about working in a variety of hotels over the past decade has been seeing the different traditions in place in each area. In Sedona they had a pumpkin carving competition every year and really got into it, in Branson we decorated a Christmas tree with ornaments donated by the local performing groups, and here in Pickwick TN they have a big pot luck style meal in place of the monthly staff meeting (I will post a picture of this at the end). While shopping for a few odds and ends to complement the meal I couldn't help but notice the proliferation of Christmas décor/items for sale and the relative lack of Thanksgiving anything. And so I have decided to give Thanksgiving a bit of time this year on my blog. It is a unique holiday, one where the gifts that are shared have more to do with time and talents than money.
I have distinct memories of Thanksgiving as a child. As I have thought back on these memories one thing stands out in my mind... while I know we had tons of food, and really good food at that (lots of exceptional cooks on all sides of my family!), I remember more the time spent with people. I remember sitting around the pool table at Grandma/Grandpa Loveridge's home. I remember playing with my Hansen cousins. I remember long drives with my Brothers, and later my Sisters although the drives were not very long at that point in my memory for some reason. The memories that are the strongest involve people. Correction... they include family. Perhaps this is a part of why we see so little of Thanksgiving in the stores nowadays. Somewhere in the not so distant past the family unit has become unpopular (just take a look at the current T.V. programs available if you think this isn't true). And yet, to me, Family is more important now than ever before.
And so, if I had to list one thing I was Thankful for at this time of year it has to be my Family. I am blessed with a Mother and a Father who love each other and, while not perfect, do a pretty good job of caring for each and every one of their children. I have 3 wonderful Brothers and 2 very special Sisters. I have Sisters-in-law, a Brother-in-law, Nieces and Nephews, Cousins and Second Cousins. Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and some friends that while not "blood" related deserve to be included as a part of my Family. When I look at them all I have to admit I am blessed.
And so, this Thanksgiving when I am at work allowing my employees to spend time with their families, I want everyone in my family to know how thankful I am for you. Each and every one. The picture below includes all of my staff save for two who couldn't make it. As you can see on the table, the food portion of Thanksgiving is well handled here in the South. I will avoid commenting overly on the family portion save to say this: it is broken. There isn't a single person in this photo who can say their family is happy together. I see this more and more. Divorce, infidelity, perversion, death, abuse... the list goes on and on... do not under value your own family unit and its importance. If you are not actively working towards improving your own families relations, they can only be deteriorating. I could go on with my "advice" but I think I am getting a bit too preachy and that wasn't the purpose of this, so instead I will finish the post with the promised picture and my wishes for everyone to have a very happy Thanksgiving!
I have distinct memories of Thanksgiving as a child. As I have thought back on these memories one thing stands out in my mind... while I know we had tons of food, and really good food at that (lots of exceptional cooks on all sides of my family!), I remember more the time spent with people. I remember sitting around the pool table at Grandma/Grandpa Loveridge's home. I remember playing with my Hansen cousins. I remember long drives with my Brothers, and later my Sisters although the drives were not very long at that point in my memory for some reason. The memories that are the strongest involve people. Correction... they include family. Perhaps this is a part of why we see so little of Thanksgiving in the stores nowadays. Somewhere in the not so distant past the family unit has become unpopular (just take a look at the current T.V. programs available if you think this isn't true). And yet, to me, Family is more important now than ever before.
And so, if I had to list one thing I was Thankful for at this time of year it has to be my Family. I am blessed with a Mother and a Father who love each other and, while not perfect, do a pretty good job of caring for each and every one of their children. I have 3 wonderful Brothers and 2 very special Sisters. I have Sisters-in-law, a Brother-in-law, Nieces and Nephews, Cousins and Second Cousins. Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and some friends that while not "blood" related deserve to be included as a part of my Family. When I look at them all I have to admit I am blessed.
And so, this Thanksgiving when I am at work allowing my employees to spend time with their families, I want everyone in my family to know how thankful I am for you. Each and every one. The picture below includes all of my staff save for two who couldn't make it. As you can see on the table, the food portion of Thanksgiving is well handled here in the South. I will avoid commenting overly on the family portion save to say this: it is broken. There isn't a single person in this photo who can say their family is happy together. I see this more and more. Divorce, infidelity, perversion, death, abuse... the list goes on and on... do not under value your own family unit and its importance. If you are not actively working towards improving your own families relations, they can only be deteriorating. I could go on with my "advice" but I think I am getting a bit too preachy and that wasn't the purpose of this, so instead I will finish the post with the promised picture and my wishes for everyone to have a very happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Tis The Season
I apologize in advance for skipping ahead to Christmas and I do promise to give Thanksgiving its due in a future post, but seeing as how multiple members of my family and friends have asked for information on my Holiday plans and what I want for Christmas I figured I would hurry and get that information shared. I also apologize to any for whom this post is irrelevant or a waste of time. I never said my blog would be all that exciting and since I don't have kids to write about you are stuck hearing about me and my life. Just be thankful I don't post pictures of myself in a bathing suit without a shirt on. There, I was able to tie in a little bit of Thanksgiving. ;)
First and foremost!
I will be home for Christmas this year! It has been close to 5 years since I was able to celebrate Christmas day in Utah and I am looking forward to it. I fly in on December 17th late, and fly out on the 30th early. To everyone who may check out my blog, here is your chance to schedule time with me! If there is something you want to do, some time you want me to spend with you, some children performing Christmassy stuff... please let me know! This link will connect you to my Calendar, I will do my best to keep it updated with any requests/information. You can text me, leave a comment here, or email me at Daniel.Loveridge@hotmail.com.
Here is the link (assuming it works):https://cid-31bdf444f9f606f8.calendar.live.com/calendar/private/6e145d08-9fde-4c0c-a1b8-eda80fa5f73e/5ad21a4a-72fc-4899-b9cc-8f0adced4ab7/calendar.xml (Sorry, it seems this isn't working properly no easy calendar view).
Now, for those that have wanted to know what I want for Christmas (if this is not you, don't bother reading any further, you have been warned).
I hate doing this. I know the value of a Christmas wish list when it comes time to shopping and love getting them from everyone else so my shopping time isn't as challenging... but when it comes to putting down what I want, it isn't so easy. Generally... when I want something... I buy it and don't think to wait for someone else to get it as a gift. It is just this habit of mine that makes it so hard for everyone else to shop for me for Christmas. I honestly prefer not to get gifts. I don't turn them down mind you, but I would rather give them than receive them. I will write a little more on gifts and my attitude towards them later, maybe after Thanksgiving, but for now I will swallow my pride and provide a list. In no particular order, just throwing things out as they come to mind:
Cookies - fresh, home made, no nuts.
A new wallet (mine is still good, but getting close to needing to be replaced)
Books - Fantasy is my favorite Genre but I am not opposed to trying something new. Churchy books are also always acceptable and, probably, should be my favorite Genre. I should work on that.
Sunglasses
Any DVD of Hayao Miyazaki (my collection of his works vanished during one of my moves)
Sorry if the list is rather small, and maybe I will add to it later if I can come up with anything else, but I did say this wasn't very easy for me to do.
First and foremost!
I will be home for Christmas this year! It has been close to 5 years since I was able to celebrate Christmas day in Utah and I am looking forward to it. I fly in on December 17th late, and fly out on the 30th early. To everyone who may check out my blog, here is your chance to schedule time with me! If there is something you want to do, some time you want me to spend with you, some children performing Christmassy stuff... please let me know! This link will connect you to my Calendar, I will do my best to keep it updated with any requests/information. You can text me, leave a comment here, or email me at Daniel.Loveridge@hotmail.com.
Here is the link (assuming it works):
Now, for those that have wanted to know what I want for Christmas (if this is not you, don't bother reading any further, you have been warned).
I hate doing this. I know the value of a Christmas wish list when it comes time to shopping and love getting them from everyone else so my shopping time isn't as challenging... but when it comes to putting down what I want, it isn't so easy. Generally... when I want something... I buy it and don't think to wait for someone else to get it as a gift. It is just this habit of mine that makes it so hard for everyone else to shop for me for Christmas. I honestly prefer not to get gifts. I don't turn them down mind you, but I would rather give them than receive them. I will write a little more on gifts and my attitude towards them later, maybe after Thanksgiving, but for now I will swallow my pride and provide a list. In no particular order, just throwing things out as they come to mind:
Cookies - fresh, home made, no nuts.
A new wallet (mine is still good, but getting close to needing to be replaced)
Books - Fantasy is my favorite Genre but I am not opposed to trying something new. Churchy books are also always acceptable and, probably, should be my favorite Genre. I should work on that.
Sunglasses
Any DVD of Hayao Miyazaki (my collection of his works vanished during one of my moves)
Sorry if the list is rather small, and maybe I will add to it later if I can come up with anything else, but I did say this wasn't very easy for me to do.
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Movie Review - Ender's Game
It goes without saying that I am a bit of a movie buff. I tend to go to the theatre at least 2 times a month to see the newest movie that has caught my interest. Since I have no kids to post pictures of, or a wife to wax poetic about... you will get some regular movie reviews from me here. I will try to limit the number of spoilers, or give warnings before posting them, but if I fail in doing so you have been warned in advance.
And so... Today's movie was Ender's Game.
I need to preface this by openly stating I have read the book, and recently. I am not what I would call a fan of Orson Scott Card. While I find his writing to be entertaining and in some ways creative, he crossed a bridge with a series I read decades ago that completely turned me off. The movie's trailers got me to read the book which I found to be decent enough but disturbingly violent when you realize the age of the main and supporting characters. So, enough about the book and on to the movie.
Overall the movie wasn't too bad. But neither was it very good. On a scale of 1 - 10 I would give it a 5.
The good: Special effects were great and I was pleasantly surprised at their handling of the youth violence without skipping it. It really is a key part of the story and they didn't skip it but neither did they overly focus on it. The main character did a great job of looking sad. Too bad there was little other emotions visible.
The bad: One of the biggest challenges all movies based on a book face is deciding how to condense all the story capability of a book into a 2 hour (sometimes 3) movie without making it feel overly rushed or choppy. Then there is the artistic license people use to change the storyline even further, not to mention the producers who want to make their own changes and by the end of it all very few movies every fully represent the book. This was very much the case in this movie. Choppy/rushed? Check. Artistic License used to change the storyline? Check. Producers messing around? Check. If you are a fan of the book... don't see the movie or tell yourself the movie is named something else and not related to the book. My biggest disappointment with the movie was the pacing. If you haven't read the book I fear you would be lost in the movie and yet having read the book I found the storyline still to be choppy and, at times, confusing.
This movie has no nudity and very limited foul language but does have a lot of violence, adult topics (genocide), and some psychological abuse themes.
And so... Today's movie was Ender's Game.
I need to preface this by openly stating I have read the book, and recently. I am not what I would call a fan of Orson Scott Card. While I find his writing to be entertaining and in some ways creative, he crossed a bridge with a series I read decades ago that completely turned me off. The movie's trailers got me to read the book which I found to be decent enough but disturbingly violent when you realize the age of the main and supporting characters. So, enough about the book and on to the movie.
Overall the movie wasn't too bad. But neither was it very good. On a scale of 1 - 10 I would give it a 5.
The good: Special effects were great and I was pleasantly surprised at their handling of the youth violence without skipping it. It really is a key part of the story and they didn't skip it but neither did they overly focus on it. The main character did a great job of looking sad. Too bad there was little other emotions visible.
The bad: One of the biggest challenges all movies based on a book face is deciding how to condense all the story capability of a book into a 2 hour (sometimes 3) movie without making it feel overly rushed or choppy. Then there is the artistic license people use to change the storyline even further, not to mention the producers who want to make their own changes and by the end of it all very few movies every fully represent the book. This was very much the case in this movie. Choppy/rushed? Check. Artistic License used to change the storyline? Check. Producers messing around? Check. If you are a fan of the book... don't see the movie or tell yourself the movie is named something else and not related to the book. My biggest disappointment with the movie was the pacing. If you haven't read the book I fear you would be lost in the movie and yet having read the book I found the storyline still to be choppy and, at times, confusing.
This movie has no nudity and very limited foul language but does have a lot of violence, adult topics (genocide), and some psychological abuse themes.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Red Sox Fan
For those that know me it will come as no surprise that I was up "late" watching the end of the 2013 Baseball Season. As a life long Red Sox fan it couldn't have ended any better and I, along with the rest of "Red Sox Nation" will enjoy the memories of this season. As I watched the final outs I couldn't help but wish I lived a little closer to those I care about so I could celebrate with those I care about.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Celebrating 90 Years
I promised my Mom I would post the pictures I took while on a recent trip to my home town of Lehi, Utah. The motivation behind the trip officially was to celebrate my Grandfather's 90th birthday. Needing a break from work, missing my family and friends, and a real good deal on airfair didn't discourage me any either. At anyrate... here are the pictures. Well... the ones worth posting.
Grandpa with his birthday hat on and one balloon. I am sure he was excited to be wearing the hat... he didn't take it off the entire time so surely he enjoyed it.
My Dad and his Sister
Cousins!!
I actually got a picture of Bill's family all together and, mostly, sitting still. It didn't last long as a park is far too much temptation for little ones to ignore.
My Dad sharing a few words about his Dad.
Lexi and Grandpa (her Great Grandpa)
Proof a cake was there, albeit temporarily.
I love grandma's face in this picture. Not sure what she is thinking but there seems to be a twinkle in her eye. Maybe it is the hat.
Time for candy. Bill brought a bunch of candy and we launched it in the air for the little ones to chase down.
Candy from Heaven
Yummy!
Does it get any better than this? (Thanks Heather for Capturing this shot)
More candy from the sky
I was very greatful for the opportunity I had to return home for this celebration. As I have moved farther and farther away from what I still call Home I have, oddly enough, become closer to my cousins than I was before moving away. I have been blessed greatly by their open acceptance of me and willingness to include in their homes and families. This has made family reunions even more enjoyable than before as now I have a real connection with more than just my immediate family.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Beginnings
After having thought about creating my own blog for the past several months I have finally stopped thinking about it and have officially begun one. Where this will take me... I have no idea. How long I will stay at it... again I am clueless. I have followed several blogs of my family and extended family and realise I am missing one key element typically highlighted in blogs: kids. This will probably result in fewer photos being posted and fewer updates as my life is, to be honest, rather redundant. But for the next few months I will try to keep this updated semi regularly, if only so I have something else to do late at night while sitting in my quiet house.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)