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Showing posts from 2005

Some things I’ve learned . . .

along the way and thought I would throw them out and share with you on this coming of the New Year. Happy Holidays! I've learned... That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes. I've learned... That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for. I've learned... That money doesn't buy class. I've learned.... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular. I've learned.... That the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can? I've learned.... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts. I've learned.... That when you plan to get even with someone, you are letting that person continue to hurt you. I've learned.... That love, not time, heals all wounds. I've learned.... That the easiest way for me to grow a...

What can I say . . .

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Here's a nother childhood fantasy destroyed . . . Ain't no gold under that rainbow. And this reminder sent from a friend to those during this holiday season, Always remember . . . Happy Holidays! Ice

The Box

Once upon a time in the land of hushabye Around about the wondrous days of yore They came across a sort of Box Bound up with chains and locked with locks And labeled kindly do not touch, its War A decree was issued round about All with a flourish and a shout And a gaily colored mascot tripping lightly on before Don’t fiddle with this deadly Box or break the chains or pick the locks And please, don’t ever play about with War Well, the children understood Children happen to be good They were just as good around the time of yore They didn’t try to pick the locks, or break into that deadly Box They never tried to play about with War Mommies didn’t either Sisters, aunts, or grannies neither Cause they were quiet and sweet and pretty in those wondrous days of yore Well, very much the same as now, not the ones to blame somehow For opening up that deadly Box of War But someone did Someone battered in the lid And spilled the insides out across the floor A sort of bouncy, bumpy ball made up...

Ice's 10 rules for dating my daughter

As my youngest daughter has grown up and started dating it has become apparent that I needed to break out the rules again for dating my daughter. Before the holidays I had a strange thing that happened and wanted to share it with you. On one of the weekends before the Thanksgiving holiday some little girls stopped by the house to sell some gift wrapping paper for a school project. This happens every year and talking with the neighbors kids was nice seeing how they were doing and what was happening in their school. One of the young girls asked me if we could get the car that parked at the edge of our property to move it a little as it blocked the trail the kids use across the property as a shortcut to walk to school. They walk in the snow in below zero temperatures uphill both ways so it was not a problem for them to ask. I stated that I believed the vehicle belonged to the house on the other side of the road and up on the hill. (I figured they were parking there sin...

Diary of a six day Bahamas cruise. . .

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The holidays have been busy so nothing new here on the Northern front. I'm posting this one tonight as I spent time writing a Anniversary toast to a friend and ran out of time tonight. This was sent to me by a friend, enjoy. Richard had to cancel going on the cruise because of work, but he insisted I go. DEAR DIARY... DAY ONE I am all packed and ready to get on the cruise ship. I've packed all my pretty dresses and make-up. I'm really excited. DEAR DIARY ... DAY TWO We spent the entire day at sea. It was beautiful and we saw some whales and dolphins. What a wonderful vacation this has started to be. I met the Captain today and he seems like a very nice man. DEAR DIARY ... DAY THREE I spent some time in the pool today. I also did some shuffle boarding and hit some golf balls off the deck. The Captain invited me to join him at his table for dinner. I felt honored and we had a wonderful time. He is a very attractive and attentive gentleman. DEAR DIARY ... DAY FOUR Went to...

Snowzilla

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He’s been in all the papers and on TV all last week. MSNBC and USA Today From Florida , to Europe (I think), in web blogs all over the internet, and brought up on weather forecast’s on television he’s becoming a star. Baltimore found him. He’s the cool dude here in Anchorage t hat has the neighborhood buzzing and people from all over stopping by. Snowzilla , the 16 foot tall snowman built when there was not a lot of snow on the ground. The kids in the neighborhood brought sleds full of snow from their own yards to help bring this character to life. With a top hat, carrot nose, corn cobb pipe, and scarf Snowzilla stands sentry over the ‘hood. Build it and they will come . . . and they did! While I was there watching the snow fall a nd talking with the tourists from Florida I would guess there were 60 people stopping by in the 15-20 minutes I was hanging out. Over 1000 people a day are stopping by to see the “novel...

Christmas Thoughts

At this time of year, and all year really, we all need a moment to remember patience and good will. Even though Icewind is hesitant to put religious messages before you, the sentiments below are worthy, whether you pray to God or seek your own inner guidance. Oh Lord, help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children. Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester. Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares. Help us to remem...

Apollo 8's Christmas message from the Far Side of the Moon

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In a time that now seems so long ago in a year that had been heart breaking for many of us. 1968 was a very electrifying and appalling year , stressful and chaotic with many things happening around the world and in America; the assassinations of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, the Vietnam War with the Tet Offensive, the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, student uprisings continuing along with the riots during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago just to name a few. I was in my last stages of high school and as a child of the 60’s was totally fascinated by the Space Program. We would drive from Atlanta to Cape Canaveral (later the John F. Kennedy Space Center ) Florida to view the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo launches. Each one was something to see and experience. As the size of the rockets grew so did the sound and vibrations of the ground from several miles away. To watch a rocket rise from the beaches on the Florida coast and rise ...

Employee Christmas Party MEMO – Continued

December 22...To All Employees I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing Patty Lewis a speedy recovery from her stress-related illness. I'll continue to forward your cards to her at the sanitarium. In the meantime management has decided to cancel the Holiday Party and give everyone the afternoon of the 23rd off with full pay. Terri Bishop, Acting Human Resources Director Ice

How I tried to write last night

Last night I went to my company’s Christmas Party. Upon my late return home I tried to write my nightly blog. Too much Crown and a really good time I could tell that I was not going to be able to do it. I decided instead to write what popped into my mind over about a 15 minute period before I crashed. It’s not pretty and I laugh tonight as I re-read it again. “ I'm a long-necked, double-filled Guinness . I'm a open-minded, aging redneck. I'm an ancient cocktail and an un-stressable air pocket. I can swim, but I can't be seen. I am full of tact but lack decent spring water. I hate going to the forest because of all of the rain delays. I've witnessed a happening; but I may never have heard your voice. I hear that the Iberian peninsula is beautiful this time of year, but I doubt I've ever been there. Twice I have fallen, but neither time did I get up because I hurt. I can beat you to the beginning, but you'll get me in the end. I used to rank ...

Now the fun stuff . . .

Employee Christmas Party MEMOS - Continued December 19...To All Employees I have arranged for members of Overeaters Anonymous to sit farthest away from the dessert table and for pregnant members to sit closest to the restrooms. Gays are allowed to sit with each other. Lesbians do not have to sit with gays; each group will have its own table. And, yes, there will be a flower arrangement for the gay men's table. Happy now? Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director December 20...To All Employees People! People! Nothing sinister was intended by wanting our CEO to play Santa Claus, even if the anagram for "Santa" does happen to be "Satan”. There is no evil connation to our own little "man in a red suit." Patti Lewis, Human Resources Director December 21...To All Employees Vegetarians! I've had it with you people. We're holding this party at Luigi's Open Pit Barbecue whether you like it or not. You can just sit...

Winter Solstice

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Solstice means. . . standing-still-sun Winter Solstice is when. . . because of the earth's tilt, your hemisphere is leaning farthest away from the sun, and therefore: The daylight is the shortest. The sun has its lowest arc in the sky. Longest Night of the Year Are you afraid of the dark? If so, then December 21, 2005 is not the day for you. The sun appears at its lowest point in the sky, and its noontime elevation appears to be the same for several days before and after the solstice. The origin of the word Solstice comes from Latin Solstitium, from sol, "sun" and stitium, "a stoppage". Following the winter solstice, the days begin to grow longer and the nights shorter. This year December 21 is the Northern Hemisphere's winter solstice, the shortest day—and longest night—of the year. The length of days changes throughout the year. In the summer, the sun often sets after 9 p.m. In the winter, it may already be dark as you ...

Happy Holidays from my heart

I try not to do too many serious things but this is from my heart. . . This week marks the winter’s Solstice. Many of us here on the Northern Frontier get a three-day weekend, will have family get-togethers or spend time with our friends during this Holiday Season. We may barbecue (I still do even with the snow as a relocated Southerner) and drink beer (yes, conservatives will mock the liberals for drinking imported beer, liberals will mock conservatives for drinking overly fizzy domestic beer.) and I will typically be hoisting a Guinness and drink a little Crown during this festive season. It is our chance to reflect on another summer gone by, the time at the river fishing, the travels, the long days of sunshine and warm weather. For some, it was the end of a summer break and time they returned to school. For some moderate independents, it will be another reminder that we American adults go year after year without real vacations, as the Europeans - those who survived the ...

Anger Management

With the holiday season upon us and tempers flaring up at any time I thought this might be a great time to bring up a subject we can all work on to relieve the pressures of everyday living. Occasionally you have a really bad day, and you just need to release some of the anger and frustration that was building all day. Don't take it out on your best friend or someone “you know”, please do the smart and sensible thing and take it out on someone “you don't know”. You owe it to your friends to make someone else miserable. I was sitting at my desk when I remembered a phone call I'd forgotten to make. I found the number and dialed it. A man answered, saying "Hello." I politely said, "This is Icewind . Could I please speak with Robyn Carver?" Suddenly a manic voice yelled out in my ear "Get the right f**in number!" and the phone was slammed down on me. I couldn't believe that anyone could be so rude. When I tracked down Robyn's corr...

Sunday's Ramblings

This is just a few things for today. I enjoy watching the acting and conflicts on the TV series “ The West Wing ” and one of the actors, John Spencer died Friday. He will be missed both in the show and by those who knew him in real life. R.I.P. John Spencer “ The West Wing ” He told a story about Friendship on one of the episodes in 2000 that always stayed with me and I would like to share it with you: A man falls down a hole and can't get out. A doctor walks by and the man shouts, "Hey! I'm stuck down here. Can you help me?" The doctor writes out a prescription, tosses it down and walks away. A little later a priest walks by. The man shouts up again, "Help! I'm down here and can't get out." The priest says a prayer and walks off. Later still a friend walks by. The man shouts, "Hey, Joe! I'm down in this hole and can't get out." The friend jumps down into the hole. The man says, "Why did you do a...

WHAT A LIFE ! ! !

It would most likely kill me but that's another story! Most of us men are clueless in trying to figure out women. We try real hard but for some reason can't quite get it right. Here are a few examples: A couple made a deal that whoever died first would come back and inform the other of the afterlife. The biggest fear was that there was no heaven. After a long life, the husband was the first to go, and true to his word, he made contact. "Rose... Rose...." "Is that you, Douglas?" Yes, I've come back like we agreed." "What's it like?" "Well, I get up in the morning, I have sex. I have breakfast then I have sex. I bathe in the sun, I then have sex twice. I have lunch, then sex pretty much all afternoon. After supper, I have sex until late at night. The next day it starts again." "Oh, Douglas , you surely must be in heaven." "Not exactly, I'm a rabbi...

We Laughed all Night

We were out with friends tonight getting into the Christmas spirit way up North. The lights all over the city shining brightly and the decorations Downtown and in neighborhoods looks really great. Anchorage is in the middle of the “City of Lights ” Festival which runs from October until March. This runs from just before Halloween until the last dog crosses the finish line in Nome , Alaska at the conclusion of the Iditarod Dog Sled Race. We had a great time tonight eating “All you can Eat King Crab legs” from one of our favorite little restaurants, Phyllis’s Café and Salmon Bake. They are open this winter with a nice cozy feel. There is an outdoor area for summer dining along 5 th Avenue , one of the main streets Downtown. Great food, funny stories (we all laughed way too much and were entertained by the floor show), and a musician who played songs and talked with everyone. This will be another quick post of a couple of items. Employee Christmas Party MEMO ...