Brrrrrrrr

How's your morning going? I've been singing outside in 18-degree weather starting at 7:00 am. I can't feel my toes. Or my vocal cords. (Speaking of vocal cords, stay tuned. You're all about to see a lot more than you ever wanted to see.)

UPDATE: Go here to see video of the Chicago Chamber Choir singing for the WGN toy drive. (Scroll down for a few different CCC video clips. Oddly, the first video -- as of now at least -- is of someone from the publishing company where I worked for seven years. Crazy.)

Not Meant To Be

I report with some sadness that our short-lived experiment in daycare has come to a close. Today was the twins' fifth and last day of daycare. The situation was perfect, and the daycare provider was wonderful. The girls loved it. I was coming to love it, too.

Unfortunately, my main freelance gig, the one that's kept me steadily working for the last two years and the one I was counting on to pay for daycare, has suddenly and unexpectedly evaporated. I now am no longer able to pay for daycare, but since I don't have any work to do, I don't really need it.

The girls really had been thriving at daycare, so I'm disappointed that it didn't work out. Maybe I'll get a fab new freelance job soon and we'll be able to revisit this little experiment. Do you guys know anyone who wants to hire a gifted and talented freelance editor?

Some Holiday Songs For You

The Chicago Chamber Choir's annual Carols by Candlelight concert is coming up soon. Sadly, I'm sitting this concert series out due to an unavoidable conflict. But I plan to attend one of the performances and encourage you to do the same.

I will, however, appear with the choir on the WGN morning show this coming Friday, December 14, between 7:00 and 9:00 am Central time. If you're in an area that gets WGN broadcasts and can see the morning show, check it out! We'll be caroling a few times throughout that two-hour period as people partake in WGN's annual toy drive. Good times.

Spontaneous Foliage Combustion

My worst fears have been confirmed.

Child "witches" targeted in Nigeria

Revisiting the topic of witches (because we had such stimulating conversation last time): This is what comes of belief in witches. This is a very real example of the dangers inherent in such mystical and illogical thinking.

The Golden Compass

Airan and I don't get out much these days, so seeing a movie in a theater is kind of a big deal for us. Last night, we went to see The Golden Compass. I must admit that when I read the book a few years ago, I didn't love it. I didn't hate it, either, but I didn't think it lived up to the hype. The movie has received so much attention in the press lately that I feared it, too, would fail to meet expectations.

I'm happy to report that I was wrong. We loved the movie. Yes, it skips over quite a lot of the book, and some things are rearranged and presented differently. (The gaggle of tweens sitting behind us was outraged -- OUTRAGED -- by the changes.) But that's to be expected in any movie adaptation.

Of course, all the talk about The Golden Compass has focused on its atheist agenda, its nefarious plot to poison young children against organized religion. You all know I wouldn't really have a problem with such an agenda if the movie did actually have one. But I saw no evidence of any such message. Yes, the movie does encourage kids to question and challenge authority, and I don't think that's such a bad thing. Blind, unquestioning, cattle-like compliance shouldn't be what we want from our kids, regardless of our religion or worldview. The Golden Compass encourages kids to use their brain and draw their own conclusions about the world around them -- I second that sentiment.

The movie is quite mature, with graphic violence and scenes with kids in mortal peril -- the twins won't be watching it until they're at least twelve. Otherwise, I highly recommend it to all movie goers. The Golden Compass is beautiful and captivating, the story is quite engaging, and the cast is excellent. (Ian McKellan as the voice of Iorek! Brilliant!) Check it out.

Think of the truffles!

I spent yesterday morning at the French Pastry School in downtown Chicago. Airan had arranged this tour/demonstration for my birthday back in September, and I finally got to enjoy it.

And enjoy I did! Friends, I was dying to go to pastry school before. Now I am downright obsessed with the idea. Imagine the amazing breads, cakes, and candies I'd learn to make! And I'd share them all with you! Sound good? Great. Glad you're on board. You have the $20,000 I'm going to need for tuition, right? You can make that check out to me.

A few random thoughts on decorating Christmas trees

A few nights ago, we bundled up and headed out to our traditional spot to select this year's Christmas tree. This is quite a bit earlier than I usually like to put up the tree, owing to my fear of spontaneous foliage combustion, but the twins have been so excited about the decorations they've seen around the neighborhood that I just couldn't hold out any longer.

Alas, we were rushed while tannenbaum shopping, so while we picked out a lovely specimen of festive greenery, I was denied my customary ornament-shopping spree. I have a weakness for the ornaments, you see, and ever year I buy so many that we can no longer fit them all on our not-small tree. (To those of you who say I ought to take this as a sign that I needn't pick up so many new ornaments every year, I say humbug.) And so we have only two new ornaments for this year's tree:

Lovely, no?

As I believe I've mentioned in the past, I do not decorate Christmas trees with a theme, and I feel sad for all those who do. I never want to have a Christmas tree that doesn't have a place for gold-painted macaroni-and-glue ornaments made by the smallest hands in the house. These are, in my opinion, the ornaments to be most cherished, and will always be front and center on my tree.

Exhibit A

Dirty Ice

So, so gross: Hold the ice: What's in your glass might surprise you

The article asks, "Is toilet water cleaner than the ice that's in your drink?" And depending on where in the Chicagoland area you're having that drink, the answer might disgust and sicken you.

Do we STILL, in this day and age, have to remind people to wash their hands? Really?

Very Small Rocks

I don't even have words to express how I feel about this poll.

I mean, come on. Thirty-seven percent of evangelicals believe in witches?? As opposed to a mere 32 percent of mainline Protestants and Catholics?

Religion encourages irrational thinking. Period.

UPDATE: David brings up an excellent point: Wiccans do exist. So depending on what the poll means by "witches," maybe that number should rightfully be 100%. Either way, we're talking about crackpots. That is all.