Fingers crossed, GC. The anon donor is a nice thing to read about. People can be just really good.
No power in the 'verse can stop me.
River ,'War Stories'
Spike's Bitches 47: Someone Dangerous Could Get In
[NAFDA] Spike-centric discussion. Lusty, lewd (only occasionally crude), risqué (and frisqué), bawdy (Oh, lawdy!), flirty ('cuz we're purty), raunchy talk inside. Caveat lector.
Cass - Dec 12, 2012 11:09:37 am PST #23805 of 30001
Bob's learned to live with tragedy, but he knows that this tragedy is one that won't ever leave him or get better.
§ ita § - Dec 12, 2012 12:53:41 pm PST #23806 of 30001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
Okay, so whatever internet community that donor's in, when they asked "What was the last big of random kindness you did?" every had a respectful moment of silence for his.
Speaking of secular Christmases, the two Indian guys I went to lunch with were avidly discussing what they were and weren't doing for Christmas--one is the odd one out for not having a tree, but all the parties he'll be going to will have trees, etc, etc...
These are the same guys that observed their new year with Diwali a couple weeks back--they're not Christian in the least. But they're doing (or broaching doing) more than my family's gift exchange and alcohol-laden meal on the 25th.
Interesting.
omnis_audis - Dec 12, 2012 1:45:25 pm PST #23807 of 30001
omnis, pursue. That's an order from a shy woman who can use M-16. - Shir
My sister flies in tomorrow to spend the week with me. I am waiting for the "why do you not have any xmas decorations up!!" Not sure how many times I will have to say "because I don't like them." before she realizes that I don't want any. And hope that she doesn't decide to decorate while I am at work.
Laura - Dec 12, 2012 1:51:09 pm PST #23808 of 30001
Our wings are not tired.
I remember relaxing with a Muslim mom at one of the soccer games when her son was on a team with mine. She was super excited about going with the kids to get a Christmas tree. It was her first year here (from Turkey) and she never personally knew anyone that had a Christmas tree before and she thought they were pretty. Her enthusiasm was adorable. She got that it was an unusual thing to be exited about, and yet she was going to have fun with it.
SuziQ - Dec 12, 2012 2:00:22 pm PST #23809 of 30001
Back tattoos of the mother is that you are absolutely right - Ame
This is the flip side of your experience Laura. When my parents lived in Iran (during the Shah's reign), my grandma was visiting and my parents wanted to decorate for Christmas. Somehow they found a pine-ish tree, that wasn't the least bit Christmas tree shaped and my grandma brought some garlands from the US. I remember my mom telling me that everyone they asked for help in putting this together was eager to help the American's celebrate their traditions. Again, this was in 1967...no way that would be the experience after 1980.
sj - Dec 12, 2012 3:12:18 pm PST #23810 of 30001
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
omnis, it's your home, and you should have it the way you want it.
I finished my Christmas decorating today. Our geeky little tree is filled with ornaments such a tardis and a Stewie from Family Guy. The rest is some white lights on the bushes (we found solar ones because we don't have an outside plug and a ceramic Christmas tree and a nativity my grandmother painted years ago in a ceramics class. Tomorrow I should start wrapping presents so that I'm not doing everything at the last minute again this year. Having to clean up for the builder tomorrow has actually gotten me into good shape house-wise.
askye - Dec 12, 2012 3:15:30 pm PST #23811 of 30001
Thrive to spite them
I talked to my Dad tonight, he was trying to find a way to fly up and surprise me for Christmas, but it's too expensive and the flights he could get were getting in at nearly midnight and leaving really early.
But it was incredibly sweet of him. He's also sending me Xmas presents and asked if Will would be willing to wrap them so I can unwrap presents. Will, of course, is doing this.
sj - Dec 12, 2012 3:21:22 pm PST #23812 of 30001
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
askye, that is super sweet.
Scrappy - Dec 12, 2012 4:32:24 pm PST #23813 of 30001
Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
I spent three hours (!!!!) putting together my mother's 11-year-old fake tree. Had to put in every branch separately and NONE were labeled. it looked great, though, and my brothers were both here. we figured out this was the first time we were all here doing the tree in about 15 years and my mom was very happy. She's doing very well--recovering slowly but surely. She is still housebound and on oxygen, but her surgery was not two weeks ago and the doctors are thrilled with her recuperation so far.
Laura - Dec 12, 2012 4:41:10 pm PST #23814 of 30001
Our wings are not tired.
What a delight for your mom, Scrappy. My mom loves when her chicks are all together too.
I likely have shared this tale before, but an old friend of mine financed his early retirement by inventing the machine that made the original fake trees. His invention actually made bottle cleaning brushes or some such and some one else used his design to make the trees, but he had the patent and made a bundle. Totally deserved all good things to happen to him and his family because they were lovely people. He found it delightful that so many enjoyed the fruits of his invention although he didn't celebrate Christmas himself.