Virtual Crop Week #32-Drop on in!!

Message from Jenni/c-leaper:

The VCW ladies are having a Gift Exchange for Christmas this year.

Here's how it works:

You post on this thread, or PM me, to let me know you're interested in joining. I'll PM you back with my email address. You then send me, via email, your full name and street address.

Around November 15/16, I'll mix up the names and "draw" names for everyone. Then I will contact you to let you know who your gift recipient is. You'll have approximately three weeks (until December 7) to get your gift in the mail.

About the gift:
1. $10 limit
2. NONONONONONO gift cards for sb supplies. (That would be too easy.)
3. Suggested gifts would be: gift cards for restaurants*, buying sb supplies and sending them to the person based on what you know of their interests, putting together a package of sb supplies from your stash and sending that, a Christmas ornament that will remind them of you, anything else you can think of that seems fun.

*If sending gift cards for restaurants, please be sure those restaurants actually exist in their area. In the past, I've had a person send me gift certificates to a fancy-schmancy candy store, but the closest store of that kind is two hours away from me.

Any questions? Just ask!

Have you ever felt your hair sigh with relief when you let it down?

This one really irritates me: http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0046/0046_01.asp

I remember my mom had a stack of those tracts and that one was in it. For the longest time, it was my severely uneducated opinion about all LARP players.

• DawnInAZ Said:

My dd emailed this thing about "Why dogs bite people" If you want it, I'll email it to you. It's hilarious.

• DarkSideAnna Said:

I think there's a real threat to some people and to other's it's just fun. All depends on the people themselves.

I got into witchcraft and I know it works. I also know what counters all witchcraft and evil, too. I like C.S. Lewis's take on demon to apply to witchcraft as well, I'll paraphrase it. "Christians make two mistakes when it comes to demons. One is to totally discount their existence. The other is to give too much credit to their powers."

I think we can have "doors" through which good and bad things can come through. Where some people can watch horror movies, others like myself can't. But I can read pretty much anything without being bothered too much while other's won't read the sci-fi stuff I love.

I even had a beautiful deck of tarot cards. After I surrendered myself and my life to Christ, I knew I had to get rid of those cards. But I do not believe that others believers had to throw away their cards if they had them. Nor do I think it wrong for me to buy another deck if I was rightly lead to.

Some people have a hard time with reality and role playing games may be too much for their minds to handle without crossing that proverbial line. KWIM?

I sent it. You should remove your email address from here.

You can still plan those pages and get them done at home when you have a free moment.

How's the Cuttlebug? Have you gotten the Sidekick yet? I mean has your dd gotten it yet?

Pastor was talking about leaving tracks in restaurants with the tip. I had to mention if that's done, make sure to leave at least 20% tip. Nothing worst than a cheap Christian. If the service didn't merit 20% then don't leave the track either, since neither the tip or track would be appreciated.

I've had people leave me a track and no tip and I know I gave good service. Those tracks went right into the bin because I felt those people weren't walking the talk so no need to read anything left by them. If the tip was good, I would read the track later. This was before I was saved (a Christian). Most wait people hate working Sundays here in the South. You get to see the worst of Christianity in restaurants from these well dressed blow hards.

And now in comes the morning crew! I'm a bit late this morning. Just not feeling well. Still battling thie cold - it thinks it is winning. Well I've got news for it... it may be winning this battle, but it will not win the war!! I will over come this lousy cold!

I really want to take a cake decorating class. I think that would be tons of fun.

Now that I have hijacked this thread, I will take a moment to brag on my daughter. She just got her first report card for first grade. Savannah made
99 in Reading
99 in English
100 in Spelling
97 in Math
97 in Science
96 in Social Studies
100 in PE
98 in Music

She made an S in handwriting, which is still good. Considering Matt's & my handwriting, we're lucky any kid of ours manages above a U.

Pardon me while I do the Parent's happy dance!

• DarkSideAnna Said:

Me too.... And I'm not even thinking about making those great cakes like Vivian does! Just something simple...

I may when we get a 2nd fridge. Right now, there's just too much stuff in the fridge. Oh .. and MIL came with 1 suitcase full of dried seafood and other stuff for making Chinese soup. I am surrendering my kitchen to her for 3 months except for making pancakes and baking...

*WARNING* Long story!!!

Sorry to leave ya'll hanging about my good news!! Several things were going on all at once- all of a sudden. SOOOO...

I'm a SAHM, hubby has a decent job that doesn't pay . Money's tight, bills aren't being paid, and we fight over stupid stuff that turns into big stuff...I just started doing MemoryWorks so I can have some kind of money for scrapbooking. I had previously (about 3 months ago) offered to 2 different friends of mine to watch their babies (we are having a baby boom!!!!) and both of them thought it would be better to put them in daycare...WTH?!?! So no extra money that way...and I was really hoping to watch them. Anyway, there's this other friend, yesterday he stopped by with baby to visit and mentioned that he was wanting to work at some other job and didn't want to put baby in daycare. I said I would watch her if they wanted. I didn't really think I would hear about it again, but he called today and I'm gonna watch her!!! YAY!!
It will be a big adjustment at first b/c Ethan is soooooo jealous and sooooo all about mommy, but he'll get used to it...eventually!

Have you ever felt your hair sigh with relief when you let it down?

• moxiegirl23 Said:

It is actually quite embarassing. PM time!

Liz - Where and when are your two shows? You can pm me if you don't want to post it.

• NonnasLove Said:

Yes, tracts are the religious pamphlets, usually with the steps of redemption, Roman road, etc... Saw a scary one once, all about hellfire & damnation. The artistry was something else.

• NonnasLove Said:

Before we were married, when DH and I first got together, I found out he played D&D and went ballistic on him preaching damnation, tried to make him promise to never do it again etc, etc.(I was a really terrible girlfriend/fiance BTW). He just told me "You have no idea what you are talking about" and hung up the phone. We didn't talk for a couple days. Now that I know more, whenever I think of it I do this I have apologized profusely to DH since then, but I still feel like a dumbarse for freaking out over a bunch of nerdy guys ordering pizza and playing D&D instead of going club hopping.

Hi Pat, Anna, Suzie, Vivian! all other lurkers

A little tired tonight. It has been raining since the weekend and now it is cold. It is only 45F outside and the furnace is not turned on yet.

A definite disadvantage of renting from a relative. Every year I have to practically beg and freeze a while before my aunt fires it up. I do have 3 space heaters (bathroom - so cold to take a bath without one, bedroom and in front of the TV), one of which was acting up last time I used it so I will replace it- can't take chances with heating elements.

I should be working on a presentation that I have to give next week but I am procrastinating. For some reason the boss and co-workers think this is a good skill to develop. What they fail to understand is that I put public speaking on par with volunteering for a lobotomy! I don't want those skills. I don't want to present at meetings. BLECH.

OK, my rant over.

I don't wanta cook tonight! I came home from work to see the spicy breaded, boneless skinless chicken breasts box in the trash, which means DD and her friend ate them up! Arrgghh! Those things are not cheap! (about $8 for a box of 6)

Maybe someone else will come up with dinner.

Oh! The lab called..they've scheduled the MRI for my knee for next Tuesday..

PSA
Some of you might have gotten this email forward:
"In case you haven't heard, there is a make-up line (featured on Oprah) called E.L.F. - stands for eyeslipsface (www.eyeslipsface.com). Anyway, it is a higher-end line that Nordstrom's has recently purchased...so, all online products are on clearance so they can wipe out the inventory. Everything is only $1.00. Then, on orders up to $15.00 - you can enter promo code carolina (the first line) and it will take 50% off."

E.L.F. is a real company that sells makeup, but it is sold at Target and drugstores, not Nordstrom and it is certainly not "high end". The promo code works, but you will be getting cheap c ra ppy stuff(what does one expect for $1?). Please, please don't buy these as stocking stuffers or even for yourself(unless you like super-cheap, low quality stuff). I was duped a while back by someone raving about it on a talk show and I ended up throwing away my whole order because I could not stand the cheap makeup smell or how it applied.

You definitely get what you pay for.

*WARNING* Long story!!!

Sorry to leave ya'll hanging about my good news!! Several things were going on all at once- all of a sudden. SOOOO...

I'm a SAHM, hubby has a decent job that doesn't pay . Money's tight, bills aren't being paid, and we fight over stupid stuff that turns into big stuff...I just started doing MemoryWorks so I can have some kind of money for scrapbooking. I had previously (about 3 months ago) offered to 2 different friends of mine to watch their babies (we are having a baby boom!!!!) and both of them thought it would be better to put them in daycare...WTH?!?! So no extra money that way...and I was really hoping to watch them. Anyway, there's this other friend, yesterday he stopped by with baby to visit and mentioned that he was wanting to work at some other job and didn't want to put baby in daycare. I said I would watch her if they wanted. I didn't really think I would hear about it again, but he called today and I'm gonna watch her!!! YAY!!
It will be a big adjustment at first b/c Ethan is soooooo jealous and sooooo all about mommy, but he'll get used to it...eventually!

I think there's a real threat to some people and to other's it's just fun. All depends on the people themselves.

I got into witchcraft and I know it works. I also know what counters all witchcraft and evil, too. I like C.S. Lewis's take on demon to apply to witchcraft as well, I'll paraphrase it. "Christians make two mistakes when it comes to demons. One is to totally discount their existence. The other is to give too much credit to their powers."

I think we can have "doors" through which good and bad things can come through. Where some people can watch horror movies, others like myself can't. But I can read pretty much anything without being bothered too much while other's won't read the sci-fi stuff I love.

I even had a beautiful deck of tarot cards. After I surrendered myself and my life to Christ, I knew I had to get rid of those cards. But I do not believe that others believers had to throw away their cards if they had them. Nor do I think it wrong for me to buy another deck if I was rightly lead to.

Some people have a hard time with reality and role playing games may be too much for their minds to handle without crossing that proverbial line. KWIM?

• yardstick76 Said:

My vote is for the morons with passive/aggressive issues.

• DarkSideAnna Said:

That was a difficult read!

Oh Liz.. you just made my point!

Some people are more vulnerable, and dark forces use those opportunities to snatch them, via games, via healthy exercises like Yoga, Tai Chi, cults ... it is bizarre ...

BTW, these dark side are NOTHING like the sweet Dark Side Cookies we get from Anna!!! (Now I want some.. can you send some virtual ones over, Anna?)

That said, I feel that the concepts in Star Wars is very Asian.. the Jedi/apprentice, the distinctive Good vs Evil, Yoda's philosphy... the light saber.. the talking from the dead (Ben). The only deviation is the strong Princess character.. although we have those in our legends too.. but they normally exercise powers thru marriages.

Goodnight Viv!! Not sure I will finish all my challenges, but I am giving it a good try at least!

I was so tired I fell asleep on the couch at around 9pm.. and slept till now. I'm going catch up a little, then go to sleep...

Our pastor said the same thing. He said: "Folks, please do not leave any tracts in the restaurants UNLESS you leave a great tip! Otherwise, it is so insulting. If you don't want to pay tip, don't use a tract to cover it up."

I agree with him so much. I've never waited tables, but I know it is tough work and I know most waitresses depend on the tip because the base salary is not good. Even if the service is not good, I always leave tips, but I'd tell the waitress. If she's rude, I'll tell the manager, if the manager's rude, I won't go back to the restaurant anymore... but I always leave a tip. And a much bigger one if my kids make a mess....

• scrappycath Said:

Hi, Cath Hope you feel better!!!

• DarkSideAnna Said:

Me too.... And I'm not even thinking about making those great cakes like Vivian does! Just something simple...

I may when we get a 2nd fridge. Right now, there's just too much stuff in the fridge. Oh .. and MIL came with 1 suitcase full of dried seafood and other stuff for making Chinese soup. I am surrendering my kitchen for 3 months except for making pancakes and baking...

• Texas Suzie Said:

Abby got the hellfire and damnation one when she went trick or treating last year. Luckily, I saw it first.

Vivian, one of the things I love about you is that you share your religion via love, you're open minded and you are patient in thinking that someday your message will be accepted. At least that's my take on you. Patience when it comes to Stickles and other glitter glues however...

Some people have a hard time with reality and role playing games may be too much for their minds to handle without crossing that proverbial line. I've known a lot of people like this well enough that I think I can offer some insight into them for you all. The players I know/knew who have crossed the line didn't have a good reality so they preferred to make fantasy their reality. No relationships, no friends except for the other gamers, severe lack of social skills, usually had a mental problem or two that was never treated, incredibly smart but too smart because their intelligence got in the way of interacting with people. Parents that didn't care past the good grades and not ending up in jail, addicted to something or knocking girls up. (I think this is why exMIL all but jumped for joy when she met me.) The game offers them a chance to be someone they're not: suave, strong, witty, brave, the whole knight in shining armour thing. So they slip into the game more and more. My exBIL joined a cult after he gamed because he was exactly what I described to you. Of course the $9000 in one month phone bill he racked up in 1-900-HOT-HOTT calls probably was a reason for running away, too.

John LARPS because he thinks its fun. Luckily he's comfortable enough with himself to know it's a game. He likes to pretend and beat people up and this is a way he can beat people up and not get in trouble for it. For him, and some other healthy people, it's a bit of make believe, a break from work and reality that makes them a better person in reality for their little vacation.

Ok, babbling now and there's no one here to stop me!