Day three-hundred-sixty-five

I didn't have any plans for this last post, so I decided to go back and look at my very first post. Wow.

Here's something I wrote that now strikes me as very ironic:

"I want to speak plainly to whoever chooses to read what I write. I want to share things that are genuinely interesting to read, and for me, things that are genuinely interesting to write about. My one rule is 'If I wouldn't read about it, I won't write about it.' "

I'm struck by that last sentence, as there is so much that I've written that is so boring to read that I can't bring myself to go back and read it. I guess I didn't stick with my original plan, but only The Lord knows how things would've been if I had. Would I have continued if I stuck to "the one rule" too stringently? Only God knows.

What can I possibly say about this blog? It's been one year-long experiment for me, an experiment in diligence, in writing and reporting faithfully, and it's been an opportunity to express myself in a way that I didn't have before. All in all, it's been a big plus for me. I want to thank those of you who've hung in with me through this whole thing, and I hope you'll follow me to the next blog, which should be starting soon.

When the next blog gets started, I want to try some different things, like doing more reviews or writing about issues that are meaningful to me.

Okay, let's put this blog to bed.

Day three-hundred-sixty-four

How appropriate that one of the very last posts for this blog should be about a subject whic has provided much fodder: I have news about work.

Today, we had a brief meeting where we learned that we're going to have a new manager in digital. His name is Mike and we've seen him around the building for the last couple of months. I didn't know who he was, but he'd periodically drop around and inquire after certain items, and whether they'd been sent or not. Honestly, I thought he was one of the sale guys.

Anyway, we will finally have a manager whose job duties, and thus, whose attentions, aren't divided between different departments. Mervin will still be running imposition, which involves coordinating between here and the home office in Manila, and with scheduling printed items for ganging, which is way too complicated to get into here. All this means is that we'll finally have a manager who's going to manage.

That's not to say that Mervin has been a bad manager. There have been times when he seemed rather removed from us, which he was in a physical sense, as his office was on the other side of the department and off the warehouse floor, where we are.

Anyway, things will hopefully improve as Mike gets better acquainted with how the digital department runs.

…

Last day tomorrow. I don't have anything special planned, so we'll see how things go.

Day three-hundred-sixty-three

Just two more days of this blog before it gets retired. It looks like we'll be going with a whimper.

Yesterday, I started preparations on the new blog, when I ran into a problem I had when I first started this blog. Namely, I'm having trouble thinking of a good name. I don't want a repeat of That Blog by That Guy. Every time I say the nam of this blog, I hate it a little more.

So, I'm leaving it to you. If anyone out there has an idea for a name for the new blog, let it me in the comments section here or in the Facebook link for this article. If anyone has an idea that I like, I'll consider it for a potential title.

I don't want a name that I just settle for; that's how this blog got its' name. Don't want to repeat that.

Day three-hundred-sixty-two

Another lazy Sunday. Nothing to say for today. I think I'm ready for this Christmas vacation to be over.

I find that as we're closing in on New Year's Eve, it's getting harder and harder to actually sit down and write these entries. It seems like I'm anticipating leaving this blog behind and moving on. While I'm glad that I've kept up with it, I will admit that writing this blog has sometimes felt like a chore.

I guess I'm just ready to be done with this blog.

I would say that this blog wasn't all that I thought it would be, but when I started writing, I didn't really know what I wanted this to be. A lot of it has been just me venting, mostly about work. I certainly didn't set out to make this blog a place to come and complain about work.

That's not to say that I haven't learned anything from blog writing. It's taught me something about discipline, having to write something every day (not counting the four days I've somehow missed along the way). At the moment, I have no plans to do daily updates on the next blog. I would also say that it's made me more aware of the value of preparedness in writing. I couldn't say how many times I've sat down to write an entry and I honestly didn't know what I was going to write about.

It might also help not to write in an environment where I'm distracted. Even as I write this, I find myself distracted by an episode of Speed Racer on YouTube, wherein a giant Monster Car powered by lightning is terrorizing the Scottish countryside. All of that is true, by the way. Speed Racer's plots can get that strange.

Day three-hundred-sixty-one

Today is the last Saturday post for this blog. Looking back on the four times I actually failed to post on a particular day, I believe they all fell on Saturday. It might be because Saturday's mark sub a break in routine.

It's not even 6:30 pm yet, and this day feels like it's dragging on. I've pretty much decided that these long holiday weekends aren't too good for me. By the time they wrap up, I've become so lazy and bored that I actually anticipate going back to work on Monday. With the New Year's holiday, we're having another short work week next week.

…

Even as the year is winding up, it's getting a little more difficult each day to write these entries. When I stop to think about it, I'll always a little amazed that I actually hung with writing for so long. The new blog isn't going to be (or at least, isn't planned to be) updated daily, but often enough that I'll hang with it without feeling like I have to generate content just to have something. It's one of those things I'll have to figure out when the new blog begins in the new year.

Day three-hundred-sixty

Happy Boxing Day to you all. Not that it means much to those of you who read this blog, since Google tells me that no one who reads this blog is from outside the U.S.

As a quick addendum to yesterday's Christmas post, I got what I asked for this year. I received a Visa gift card and a copy of The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Amazing Colossal Episode Guide, both of which I was very happy to receive.

Having these long weekends completely throws my days off. It's only Friday, but it "feels" like a Saturday. I keep thinking that I've got church in the morning when, in the back of my mind, I know that I don't. I like the long weekends but they don't do me any good when it comes t keeping track of time.

Today is also the second Friday in a row that I haven't worked. With New Year's next week, I will not have worked a full work for three straight weeks. I like having the time off, especially I now have paid time off and paid holidays.

I think we'll cut it short for tonight. I'm watching the Ninja Turtles movie with my brother. See you later.

Day three-hundred-fifty-nine

It's about 8:00 pm as I write tonight's post. Our cousins are here to celebrate Christmas with us. I'm taking a little time away from the group to get this posted in a timely manner.

It's been a nice, quiet Christmas this year. We grilled carne asada for dinner, so much that nine people could barely finish a quarter of it. Lots of leftovers for the next couple of days. As someone who doesn't care for leftovers, that means it'll justmean lunch for me tomorrow and that's all.

As I sit here, I just realized that we didn't do something we usually on Christmas Day. Typically, we will gather as a family and read the Christmas account from the Gospels. The last few years, one thing we've done differently is that we now open our gifts on Christmas night rather than the morning. I think that, as a result, the Gospel reading has unintentionally fallen by the wayside. I don't want that to stop. Christmas has become secular enough.

Even as believers, we need to be reminded of the importance of Christ's birth; God Himself becoming a man and dwelling among us. Hebrews tells us that Christ is our sympathetic high priest who understands our temptations, having been tempted Himself in every way (Hebrews 4:15), and that He is able to help those who are tempted (2:18).

I'm sitting here, thinking about those verses, and thinking about how much I needed to be reminded of these things. God knows and understands our struggles, because in the person of Jesus Christ, He did not even withdraw those troubles from Himself, though without sin. There's such a prevailing idea that God doesn't know or doesn't care about the problems of the world. Scripture makes it clear He does know and He does care.

Day three-hundred-fifty-eight

Today is Christmas Eve. In one week, I will write the last post of this blog. No review for tonight. Last night's Dragnet review was the one I was anticipating the most, and besides, I haven't watched anything else Christmas-related.

Even as I've decided to retire this blog at the end of the year, I haven't really given the new blog a whole lot of thought. While I have considered doing things like writing more reviews, I'm still not too sure what direction I want to take things. Should I blog weekly, or only as often as I feel like it? I don't know that I still want to do it daily, as so much of what I've written on this blog is little more than filler. So much of the blog's content is just me either venting about work or just using work to make the entry for the day rather than coming up with some actual material.

Well, I guess this whole blog has been one big experiment, so I the next blog will be another experiment.
...

Tonight was spent getting some last-minute things ready for Christmas tomorrow. My sister Olivia has spent the evening baking and went to the grocery store earlier for dinner tomorrow. My brother Joe and I were getting our barbecue ready; we'll be grilling carne asada for dinner. Mom and Dad have wrapped their gifts, I think. My sister Laura, I believe, has finished her seasonal job at See's Candies. We're all going to be together this year.

I hope that your Christmas is a blessed one, and may the Lord bless the day for you. Tomorrow, I want to write about my first Christmas as a believer.

Merry Christmas to you all.

Day three-hundred-fifty-seven

As I promised yesterday, I'm back tonight with another Christmas review. Tonight, I'll be looking at an episode of the 1960s iteration of Dragnet, titled "The Christmas Story", which originally aired December 21, 1967.

On Christmas Eve, Sergeant Joe Friday (working in Burglary/Auto Theft division in this episode) is sitting at his desk, making out the last of his Christmas cards. Bill Gannon, his partner, comes in with a little fir tree cutting for a table-top Christmas tree. Gannon gives Friday a little grief for buying his girlfriend a monogrammed stationary set for Christmas, until Gannon lets slip that he bought his wife a sewing machine.

They get called out to the San Fernando Mission Church, where the parish priest, Father Rojas, reports that the baby Jesus statue has been stolen from the Nativity scene. Father Rojas emphasizes how meaningful the Nativity scene is to the largely poor parishioners. Friday and Gannon begin searching for the statue but face little chance of getting it back in time for Christmas the next day. They try a store that sells religious figures but don't learn anything useful.

Friday and Gannon are visited by one of the altar boys, who tells them he saw a man leaving the church with a bundle about the size of the statue.  They determine that the man is named Claude Stroup and that he has a record. Friday and Gannon find Stroup at the mens' hotel where he lives. When they take him downtown for questioning, it quickly becomes clear that Stroup has nothing to do with the missing statue and they release him.

Friday and Gannon return to the church to tell Father Rojas of their failure to the find the baby Jesus statue. As they are about to speak to the Father, a little boy comes into the church, pulling a wagon with the baby Jesus statue inside it. The boy, Paquito, tells the men that he prayed for a new wagon and promised to give the baby Jesus a ride if he got one. Paquito admits to taking the statue, but all is forgiven. Friday and Gannon depart to celebrate Christmas.

…

"The Christmas Story" is in fact the third time that Dragnet creator/star Jack Webb adapted this story. It was first adapted for the radio version of Dragnet under the name "The Big Little Jesus" on December 22, 1953. It was then produced for the first TV version of Dragnet and aired just two days after the radio version, on Christmas Eve, 1953. As with every episode of Dragnet, " The Christmas Story" is based upon an actual event. Unlike every other episode, this story is taken from the files of the San Francisco Police Department rather than the Los Angeles Police Department.

Series creator Jack Webb strove for a level of technical accuracy that had not been seen before in a police series. Appropriate terminology and techniques were applied to the scripts. This could vary in anything from investigative technique to evidence gathering to depicting the duties of officers throughout the department.

As far back as the 1950s, Webb sought to make clear, though his character Joe Friday, that police work takes long hours and effort to doggedly pursue evidence to catch criminals. Webb presciently noted that brilliant deductions based on scant evidence don't really happen in actual police work, as seems so prevalent on police shows these days. Dragnet sought to depict policemen as hard-working people making sacrifices for the greater good, and worked to improve both public perceptions of the police and how police could and should work within the community.

Day three-hundred-fifty-six

No review tonight. I didn't have time to watch anything for one, but I promise to have something for tomorrow.

I have some work-related news for today. I found out today that the company won the Do What It Takes Challenge. As a result, I'll not only have December 26 off with pay, I'll be getting my eight hours of PTO back.

Secondly, I found out that our work schedule on Christmas Eve has been shifted back by management. First shift will be working from 2:00-7:00 am (yes, that early) and second shift will be working from 7:00 am-12:00 noon. Remember that I have four hours of PTO for Christmas Eve already in place. I asked my manager if it was even worthwhile for me to come in for an hour on Wednesday, and he said no. So, once work ends tomorrow at 10:30 pm, I'll be on vacation through Sunday night.

So, come back tomorrow, and I promise I'll have a review for you.

Day three-hundred-fifty-five

Tonight, night six of my Christmas reviews. My brother and I watched what is routinely considered one of the worst movies ever made, 1964's Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.

Normally, I would write a fairly detailed summary of the plot, but that's not really necessary for this "classic". The plot is as follows:

Martian children are depressed, and the King of Mars, Kimar, is told that Mars needs a Santa Claus. Despite the objections of a renegade Martian, Kimar abducts Santa to Mars along with two kids, Betty and Billy Foster. The renegade Martian, Voldar, tries to undermine Kimar and Santa's efforts to bring Christmas to the children of Mars. However, Santa stops him with the help of the kids and of Dropo, a goofy but kindhearted Martian who Santa makes the official Santa Claus of Mars. 

…

I don't want to give this movie any more attention than it deserves, because this movie was the worst thing I've had to watch for these Christmas reviews. Instead of writing a fully detailed review, I'm just going to write bullet points listing some of my observations.

-This movie doesn't seem to have been made for a lot of money. There are a couple of action sequences where it seems the only direction was "Whatever you do, don't break anything! We don't have the money to replace it if it breaks!" Also, one scene features the worst polar bear costume I've ever seen; it's hard to generate suspense if I'll have to be intoxicated for you to begin to be scary.

-Santa Claus is about the most unlikable character in this movie. He tries to say funny things but none of what he says is funny; he's so bad even the kids in the movie don't laugh at him and typically, child characters would be written to find everything Santa says wildly hysterical. If anything, it gave my brother and I the impression that the child actors were the only ones who realized what a stinker they were making. Also, he has kind of a creepy vibe about him. It might be due to the fact that the actor playing Santa opted to affect a rather sinister laugh rather than just doing the typical "Ho, Ho, Ho!"

-I have a hard time imagining anyone actually enjoying this film as a "good movie". It's so boring that adults would fall asleep trying to sit through this with their kids. As for kids, I can't really see this movie holding a child's attention for very long. A lot happens, but none of it adds up to much. Also, the movie takes nearly a half-hour to get going plot wise. That's far too long for an eighty minute movie, and if given a choice, I can't picture a kid sticking with this movie for the long haul.

Can't recommend this film, unless you're an aficionado of bad cinema. 

…

Okay, that's done. I promise things will be better tomorrow. Just know that I've been sitting on this movie for the last couple of years, but I finally sat down and finished it. I guess I can cross this one off the list.

Day three-hundred-fifty-four

Day five of my Christmas reviews. Tonight, The Simpsons Christmas Special, otherwise known by the name "Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire", which first aired on December 17, 1989, twenty-five years ago this week.

Homer and Marge show up late to the Springfield Elementary Christmas pageant, featuring Bart in the fourth grade choir singing "Jingle Bells" ("Batman smells/Robin laid an egg…) and Lisa as the torch-juggling Tawanga, the Santa Claus of the South Seas.

Back at home, the kids begin making out their Christmas lists: a pony for Lisa and a tattoo for Bart. Homer, meanwhile, finds out he won't be getting his Christmas bonus. Marge takes the kids Christmas shopping with her jar full of Christmas money, but is forced to use it to get laser removal for the tattoo Bart tries to get behind her back. This leaves the family without funds for Christmas, though Homer has kept the truth about his bonus from Marge.

Depressed, Homer nurses a beer at Moe's Tavern when Barney comes in wearing a Santa suit. He gets Homer a secret part-time job as a mall Santa, but Bart discovers the truth when he jumps in Homer's lap and yanks his false beard. Left with only thirteen dollars after deductions for his efforts, Homer is talked into trying his luck at the dog track with Barney. He dismisses Barney's hot tip after hearing about a dog named Santa's Little Helper, taking it as a sign. Barney's dog wins while Santa's Little Helper takes a distant last place.

Homer and Bart try searching the parking lot for a discarded winning ticket, but get nowhere. As they start for home, they come across Santa's Little Helper, tossed out by his owner for losing too many races. Homer and Bart take him home, seeing a kindred spirit in a born loser. Homer comes in and starts to confess to the family about his bonus, but Bart brings in Santa's Little Helper to the surprise and delight of the family. In the end, Homer saves Christmas for the family after all.

…

This is one of my favorite Christmas specials ever; it might be the one I like the most.

Having turned thirty this year, I'm old enough to remember those earliest days of The Simpsons,  when parents believed that Bart Simpson was a bad influence. Maybe he was at the time, but looking back on those oldest episodes, Bart's antics can sometimes seem almost quaint in comparison to what happens on television now. Times change, I guess.

By the time of this special, the Simpsons characters had already been on television for two years, as brief shorts on  The Tracy Ullman Show, which debuted on Fox in the spring of 1987. This episode depicts a time so early in the actors' performances that Homer still had traces of his original voice, which slowly evolved over time. At this point, actor Dan Castellaneta was still doing, as he put it, a bad Walter Matthau impression. At this point, Homer hasn't quite taken on that higher-sounding slow-headed pitch his voice would have.

Day three-hundred-fifty-three

First of all, before I begin tonight's Christmas review, I should point out that I've been under the weather since Monday night, and I haven't been to work since then. With Christmas being next week, and my vacation time kicking in, I'll be having another short week. At least, I'll be getting paid for it. Anyway, that's the reason why I've been able to do these reviews and get them posted early each evening.

In any case, once again I'm having trouble getting the review started. I got caught up in an episode of The Andy Griffith Show, in which Andy and Barney stage their class reunion, and Andy reunites with his high school girlfriend. It's a very good episode, especially since the comedy largely takes a backseat in the story in favor of Andy's reuniting with his girlfriend Sharon, and subsequent understanding of why they couldn't make it work. Check it out on Netflix if you can.

Alright, let's get this review started. I've stalled long enough.

…

Tonight, we'll be looking at the Christmas episode of the 1960s series The Avengers, entitled "Too Many Christmas Trees". The series has nothing to do with any of the Marvel Comics books or characters, or any of the recent movies, other than that the 2012 Avengers movie had to be renamed Avengers Assemble in Great Britain because of the rights to the name.

In the story, British agent John Steed has been having bizarre dreams that seem to predict future events and feature a sinister-looking Santa Claus. He dreams about seeing the death of a colleague who's fallen under suspicion, and wakes to find the colleague's death is front page news, the result of severe neurological trauma.

It becomes clear that a group of genuine psychics are behind both the deaths and Steed's dreams. The group is also responsible for the leaked information that first cast suspicion on Steed's dead colleague. Meanwhile, Mrs. Emma Peel invites Steed to spend Christmas with her at the country home of Brandon Storey, a publisher with an obsession with Dickens. When they arrive, we find the psychics among the other guests and house staff.

Steed's dreams continue, now depicting him as Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities, a mysterious woman leading him to the guillotine. His dream again comes true when the woman, Janice Crane, shows up as a guest for Christmas and is herself one of the psychic conspirators. At the party that evening, Janice tries a "parlor trick" on Steed where she reads my mind, preparing for the final psychic attack. Mrs. Peel drops a glass to break Janice's concentration, but it seems the work has been done.

Steed begins acting strangely, singing old nursery rhymes to himself. Mrs. Peel discovers that Steed was to be drugged to help him sleep (and be vulnerable to psychic attack), but Steed himself thwarts this. The singing is a form of mental defense, confusing his attackers with literal nonsense. Steed has already deciphered what's happening, and his singing was prescribed by Doctor Teasel, a seemingly sinister guest who actually works for the same government ministry as Steed.

Steed's dream imagery lead him and Mrs. Peel to the conspirators. A physical confrontation thwarts the conspirators' plans and reveals that the true ringleader (and the man behind the sinister Santa Claus) is their host, Brandon Storey.

…

This is one of my favorite episodes of The Avengers, full of atmosphere as it evokes an old-fashioned Dickensian Christmas. Storey's obsession with Dickens extends to Dickens busts throughout his large house, character costumes at the Christmas party (Oliver Twist, Jacob Marley, and the Artful Dodger among them) and the Hall of Great Expectations, recreating Miss Havisham's neglected wedding feast.

This episode's Dickensian connection runs deeper than its plot-line. Series star Patrick Macnee (John Steed) had a small role as young Jacob Marley in the 1951 adaptation of A Christmas Carol, simply titled Scrooge, in which guest star Mervyn Johns (Brandon Storey) played Bob Cratchit. I cannot prove it, but I tend to doubt his involvement was any sort of coincidence, considering that Scrooge was quite popular at the time, and is generally regarded as one of the more faithful Dickens adaptations.

…

This review was hopefully informative, and for me, a wake-up call that I should've been doing stuff like this a long time ago. I guess it's one more thing to do differently when the new blog starts in January.

Day three-hundred-fifty-two

Tonight, night three of my Christmas reviews, featuring A Garfield Christmas Special.

Like the Three's Company episode last night, the special had trouble keeping my attention, even though I've enjoyed it in the past.

Jon Arbuckle decides to take Garfield and Odie to his family's farm for Christmas. Waiting for them are Jon's mom and dad, his grandma, and his younger brother, Doc Boy ("In case you've forgotten, I'm also your only brother."). Big family dinners, lots of songs of varying cheesiness, and Odie's plan to make a backscratcher for Garfield fill out the twenty-two minute running time.

At one point, Jon's dad reads the family the same story he reads every year, Binky, the Clown Who Saved Christmas ( "I don't know about you, Jon, but for a couple of minutes there, I was getting pretty worried", says Doc Boy). Jon and Doc Boy try to coax their parents out of bed at 1:30 am to open presents, and we learn that Doc Boy wears onesie pajamas with feet and a fluffy bunny tail. Doc Boy, it should be noted, is a grown man.

Garfield finds a bundle of love letters for Grandma that Grandpa had written her when they were courting, calling them the greatest gift she could've received. Odie gives Garfield the backscratcher, made from a wood plank, a plunger handle, and a hand rake. A good time is had by all in the space of twenty-two minutes.

…

A Garfield Christmas Special is a fun little special if nothing too extraordinary. If you grew up enjoying the show Garfield and Friends, you'll enjoy this special, but chances are you've probably already seen it. I grew up with the show and enjoyed it far more than I ever enjoyed the comic strip. Everything about the show was better: the characters were funnier and did far more interesting things than the stale, repetitive jokes of the comic.

This may be damning with faint praise, but you could do much worse than A Garfield Christmas Special. I wouldn't call it a classic, but check it out if you want something light for the kids that you won't hate yourself for having to sit through. 

Day three-hundred-fifty-one

Day two of my Christmas TV/movie reviews. Tonight, I'm watching the Three's Company Christmas episode, simply titled "Three's Christmas".

Jack, Janet, and Chrissy exchange gifts on Christmas morning, leading to Jack wearing one pale blue sock and one argyle sock (each one half of a pair each given to him by Janet and Chrissy). As gifts are exchanged, we learn that Chrissy is a nickname for Christmas, making her full name Christmas Snow. The trio decide to throw a Christmas party, only to discover all their friends are already invited to a different party, but they're not.

Meanwhile, the trio's landlords, Helen and Stanley Roper, come home prematurely from a Christmas weekend at her brother's house, as he and Stanley don't get along. As Mrs. Roper notes, "they keep hitting each other." Not wanting to settle into a non-celebratory Christmas, Mrs Roper invites Jack, Janet and Chrissy to a get-together at their place, which the group reluctantly accepts. As soon as Mrs. Roper leaves, Jack gets a phone call; they're invited to the big Christmas party after all! Chrissy makes the group attend the Ropers' party as promised, Jack and Janet figuring to bow out early for the other party.

The group arrives to find themselves the only guests at the Ropers' party, a pink plastic table-top Christmas tree awaiting them ("It doubles as an air freshener," says Mrs. Roper). Lame card tricks, single fingers of scotch, and tons of bad singing by Mr. Roper abound as the evening progresses. When Mr. Roper tries to get everyone to dance as he (poorly) plays reveille on a trumpet, Jack, Janet, and Chrissy finally find their excuse to leave for the other party.

Mrs. Roper is furious that Stanley has ruined another celebration for her, but it's revealed he had ulterior motives. A phone call earlier in the evening wasn't Helen's brother as he claimed; it turns out they were also invited to the big Christmas party as well, and Stanley had been trying to get rid of the trio so they could attend.

In the end, a fun time is had by all, with the group having to carry Mr. Roper home for Helen ("Just leave him under the tree, I'll unwrap him in the morning.")

…

Tonight is the first time in quite a while that I've watched this episode. As best as I can remember, it was before last Christmas when I watched this episode last. This time around, the show was having trouble keeping my attention. When I was younger, I was a big fan of Three's Company, when the show ran in syndication. I didn't watch it again for years until a few years ago, when the show was released on DVD. It's joined Gilligan's Island and the 60s Batman series as shows I loved when I was a kid, but don't quite hold up before my adult eyes. That's not to say these shows are bad, but that they don't bring quite the same pleasure as when I was a kid.

That said, the episode does have some funny moments: Jack thinking about whale-gutting in the Arctic and what he'd rather do than go to the Ropers' party; Chrissy's phone call to her boyfriend, a commercial actor ("the star of Armpit Theater"); Mr. Roper and his horn ("Everybody dance!").

If you're a Three's Company fan, I'd recommend it, but you've probably seen it already. If not, you can skip this one and not miss much.

Day three-hundred-fifty

Tonight is the first night of my Christmas TV and movie reviews. We'll be looking at the "Christmas Story" episode of  The Andy Griffith Show, which first aired December 19, 1960.

In this episode, Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife are getting ready to celebrate Christmas with friends and family, when shopkeeper Ben Weaver runs in local man Sam Muggins for moonshining. Old, cantankerous Weaver is not in the Christmas spirit, and doesn't care if locking up Sam separates him from his family for the holidays.

Andy, ever resourceful, makes the best of the situation, "arresting" Sam's wife and children as "accessories" to his moonshining so they can be together for Christmas. Andy even moves their whole Christmas party into the jail (with Barney dressed as Santa) so everyone can celebrate together.

Weaver, meanwhile, finds himself caught up in the Christmas spirit but can't bring himself to join in the celebrations without cause, resorting to getting himself arrested just so he'll have an excuse to be at the party. A good time is had by all, with Weaver drinking up the only evidence of moonshining he had against Sam Muggins.

…

I very much enjoy The Andy Griffith Show. I think what I like best is its' attitude about trying to see and find the best in people. In a modern sitcom environment where humor is derived from hateful behavior between characters and a generally inaccurate understanding of irony, TAGS' humor is radical in its willingness to just let its' characters say and do funny things. The humor is derived from the situation and how the characters respond rather than simply letting them make inane smart-aleck remarks that almost gleam with lack of creativity or inventiveness.

Also, TAGS also depicts something you'd never see on a modern sitcom: people singing hymns. This episode featuring the characters singing "Away In A Manger", whereas a modern Christmas show would probably feature "Jingle Bells" or some other secular Christmas song. I'm always a little surprised when I hear an actual hymn on a TV show.

…

Come on back tomorrow; I think I'll tackle the Christmas episode of Three's Company.

Day three-hundred-forty-nine

As we wind this year, and as we pass further along into the Christmas season, I've decided to do something a little different.

Starting tomorrow, I will write a review of a Christmas special, a Christmas-centric episode of a TV show or a Christmas movie. Hopefully, I have enough to get to at least Christmas Day. Among the shows/movie I'm considering are:

-Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
-The Andy Griffith Show 
-The Avengers (the British spy series from the 1960s, not the Marvel Comics version)
-Three's Company
-The Simpsons
-Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds
-A Garfield Christmas
-Dragnet (the Christmas episode that was done three times: once on the radio, on TV in the 1950s, and a third time for the 1960s revival)

That's where it'll start. Hopefully, I'll keep it up. If I find anything else, I'll probably throw it in.

Day three-hundred-forty-eight

Today was one of those days where I didn't do anything I had planned to.

I was planning to go to church this morning as I didn't go last Sunday, but Mom came into my room at 7:00 am to let me know that she and Dad were not going in, so that left me without a ride at the last minute. Also, I was supposed to go out to lunch with friends after lunch to celebrate another friend's birthday. Plans were on to do so until about 11:45 this morning when it came out that no one could get ahold of her, or had heard from her in about three days. This doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem as this friend is notoriously difficult to contact. Whatever the case, those plans fell apart around noon.

James 4:13-15 says:
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”

How many time have we made plans where we failed to trust The Lord wand His guidance, or take into account what His plans may be? Lately, it seems like I've been doing just that. Last Thursday, when I came home so frustrated from work, I was absolutely ready to quit my job, consequences be damned. If I had followed through on my threats, I would've been acting on impulse rather than trusting God to carry me through circumstances that were difficult. That's something I've continued to struggle with, but I think I need those difficult circumstances to see where it is I'm lacking. 

Lord, help me to turn from quickness of temper and anger, and help me to trust in Your guiding hand in trying times. Amen.

Day three-hundred-forty-six

Apparently, if we have nothing to do right now, they're willing to let us go home early. That's why I have no compunction about writing tonight's entry while still on the clock.

Today was a much better day than yesterday. It seems like first shift has gotten the message from Mervin. When we came in, it was quite a bit less busy than it was yesterday. That was beneficial since for a period this afternoon, other projects for our packers left me as the only person packing in digital. Fortunately, we were able to come together, and with some help from Justine, the UV machine operator who had nothing else to do, we got a jump on work for next week.

Some other brief news: if we successfully complete the Do What It Takes challenge, apparently those who put in for PTO on December 26 will get their hours back. Good news for me.

Thank God that things are getting better. I kind of still want to find another job, but we'll see what happens.

Day three-hundred-forty-five

It's late, so no long post tonight. Just a request for prayer.

Today was an incredibly busy, frustrating day. Too much work, not enough help, one manager who keeps bothering us about work, our actual manager who doesn't do anything, not enough time, and now the news that we've bought another company and our workload is going to increase even more.

Pray that God would grant me peace, patience and wisdom in dealing with work, and that He would impress upon my heart to be diligent in searching for other work. Also, that God would ease my temper, whic has been quick to raise and is getting harder to control at work. I'm concerned that I may actually snap at someone before too long.

Day three-hundred-forty-four

Our insurance enrollment period at work has begun. As a result, we had a meeting today where we learned that we've added Kaiser Permanente to our insurance plan. I don't plan to change my coverage as my plan covers me well enough. We also have the opportunity to get coverage from Aflac if we want to. The problem is that I was more than halfway home from work when I realized that I left the folder containing all the information from Aflac at my station at work. I haven't committed to anything, so this may happen or not.

Whatever the case, since we had the meeting, one that took place literally a handful of minutes after we punched in, we lost forty minutes of productivity today. Forty minutes is a lot time when there's a lot of work to be done and a fixed amount of time in which to finish it. Thankfully, we got (almost) everything done on time. Hopefully, tomorrow won't be so bad as today.

Of course, Thursday is typically the busiest day of the workweek. Maybe it's a good thing I left my Aflac paperwork at work. I was wondering if I was even going to be able to take the time to even have a meeting about any of this. No matter what happens, I have to trust in God's provision in every circumstance.

I've constantly prayed for God's provision in staying physically safe at work. He has been faithful to keep me safe. No matter what happens, I have to trust it all to Him.

Day three-hundred-forty-three

Within a few days, the blog should break 6,000 views since January 1. Thank you for those of you who've hung with this blog, and I hope you'll follow me to the new blog I plan to start in the new year. Yes, I've decided to let this blog end on December 31, and start a new one.

As I write this, I'm having a late meal at the dining room table. Chewy, our long-haired Chihuahua, has ambled over, and is licking his lips. He's not getting anything from me. He's alrady been fed and he certainly doesn't go hungry.

I have often wondered if our dogs ever remember the people to whom they've previously belonged. Herbie was adopted from a shelter, Chewy and Buddy were found on the street. Do the dogs remember them, or do they eventually forget?

Now that I think about it, they must've had other names, too. Herbie was named by the shelter where he was adopted, Chewy was named for his destructive habits, and Buddy was named for his friendly demeanor (although he also alternated as Booster for a while; that's what it says on his Christmas stocking. Yes, he has a Christmas stocking; all the dogs have one.).

Day three-hundred-forty-two

Today was not too busy; most of what was due today was done by the time we came in, but we left a ton of work due tomorrow or late for first shift in the morning. It's shaping up to be a very busy week.

…

This morning, I had a massive realization about myself; in particular I had a realization about my spiritual walk. It's taken me nearly three years since I was saved, but I realized that I've had a fear of spiritual failure. I've been afraid of sinning, and I think it's led me to doubt the forgiveness of God.

Scripture says that if we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteouness (1 John 1:9). I think that since I was so afraid of doing wrong, it was leading me to doubt the goodness of God. I had to confess my wrong attitude and ask God to help me to turn from it.

May I start anew moment by moment.

Day three-hundred-forty-one

Here marks the end of the first full weekend of December. We have our tree up and our outside decorations put up. Compared to a lot of people, we tend to keep the decorations fairly simple. None of us are particularly interested in going all-out; it's a hassle to put up tons of decorations and it's a hassle to take them all down.

I haven't begun my Christmas shopping yet; I won't be able to do so before Thursday, when I get paid again. I will actually get paid twice between now and Christmas, as the second time will actually be on Christmas Eve. I don't have any credit cards at the moment, though I have been considering getting one. I'm just not interested in going into debt for Christmas.

This year, I'll be sending out Christmas cards for the first time. I'll be doing just a few, for the people to whom I want to send one, plus they'll be the ones for whom I have their addresses. I want to get those down as soon as possible so they'll get where they need to go in a timely manner.

I'm guessing this is going to be a busy week. Prayer would be appreciated.

Day three-hundred-forty

I was going to write something for today, but I don't have much time to do it. We're putting up our tree right now. Come back tomorrow.

Day three-hundred-thirty-nine

Today has been one of those days. Way too much to do with not enough help, and one lousy manager breathing down our necks, so obnoxious that I very nearly lost my temper with him (and sort of did, privately).

I know I've said this before, but what happened today has really soured me on wanting to continue working here. I think I might by ready to quit this place. I want to find something else where I can get  my work done and have effective management. I don't need to be micromanaged by one manager (who isn't even my manager at all) or essentially gnored by my actually (ineffectual) manager.

I could really use some prayer about this, even if I'm not sure what to pray for. Prayer for patience in finding another job, I suppose. Also, prayer for patience in the job I have now. Also, that God would heal my quick-to-anger attitude. If nothing else, today has forced me to confront that I have quite a temper and that it doesn't take much to turn it up.

Day three-hundred-thirty-eight

Today is three weeks until Christmas. I haven't begun my shopping yet, and I won't be able to do so until I get paid next week. Hopefully, I'll be able to get something nice that my Secret Santa recipient has asked for. Plus, I have to but a gift for my Secret Santa at work. We're going to have to draw names on that soon, too.

Lately, a couple of our managers haven't been around. I found out from my co-worker Christina that the company bought another building somewhere in Los Angeles. We do not own the building in Van Nuys that we presently occupy. My first thought was, "I wonder if we're going to move?" Christina said not to worry. Our building is certainly growing and I've wondered in the last if we would actually outgrow our present facility.

Here's the problem I face: if we relocate to anywhere further than, say, Glendale (where my last job was located), I would seriously have to consider quitting. I don't make enough money and I don't work the best hours to be a commuter without a car. Of course, since I don't know what's going to happen, I need to wait, be patient, and pray for wisdom from God about this potential change in my work situation.

Of course, if there's one upshot, this news has sort of relit the fire under me to find a different job. At the very least, if I need to move on, I should consider doing it soon.

Day three-hundred-thirty-seven

Good day today. Not too busy almost until the end, when two big orders were almost late. They weren't our fault, though.

Today, I was invited to take part in a Secret Santa at work. There's a $25.00 limit, which is not too much. I've never had to buy a gift for a co-worker before. I may just get a Visa gift card or something. I want to play it safe.

Speaking of gift cards, I wrote my wish list for Christmas the other night (yes, I am thirty and still write a wish list), but today, I decided to rewrite it. I realized that I wanted to get the item I really wanted, I was going to have to take some things off. So, this year, no gift cards. Those are what I ask for when I'm asked to pad my list out. 

Unfortunately, because gift cards are the easiest items to buy, those are the items I usually get. For me, gift cards are pretty ancillary. If I get them, fine; if I don't, fine. They're never what I really want, just what I'll settle for. I don't feel like settling anymore. 

Recently, there have been many occasions where I've been tempted to ask for nothing. I'm still sort of considering that. There's not a whole lot I'd really want, and technically, anything I really wanted I could just get myself, as I know what I would want. 

I actually sort of did this for myself once. It was Christmas 2010. Dad drew my name for Secret Santa. When he saw my list, he just gave me his credit card and told me to order it. Honestly, I loved it because I got exactly what I wanted and I didn't have to pay for anything. I sort of hope Dad drew my name this year. 

Day three-hundred-thirty-six

Today was a light day work-wise. That means that at least the next day will be ridiculously busy.

It's been raining all day. One of our managers said that he had heard that we would need another ten days of rain like today just to get out of the drought we've had. Weatherbug says that we have a 50% chance of rain for tomorrow. After that, partly cloudy for the rest of the week. We'll see if the weather holds.

Today was the first day I used the umbrella my brother Joe bought for me. It was to replace the umbrella I lent to him that he left in the basket of a bike that wound up being stolen. The canopy of the umbrella has already broken off two of the arms. I'm already going to have to replace this umbrella and I've barely gotten any use out of it.

I guess the lesson is not to let somebody cheap out on you if they have to replace something of yours they've lost or damaged. That's what I get for letting Joe replace the $10.00 umbrella with one he bought at the dollar store.

Day three-hundred-thirty-five

December 1. Where has this year gone?

I was going to write about work today (busier than usual, but got some help from a new girl whose name I couldn't spell if my life depended on it), but it occurred to me as I was about to start tonight'so post that the year is almost over.

So much has happened in this past year that it's amazing how time has past. Friends moving, other friends having their first children, the first full-time job I've had in over seven years, Mom retiring, spiritual growth, and a myriad of other things. There's been ups and downs, joys and sorrows, triumphs and frustrations.

Through it all, God has been faithful to guide me, watch over me, love me, and correct me. So much has happened that I can only be thankful for. So much more more lies ahead. I don't know what'll happen, but may I (and all of us) trust the Lord through it all, and give thanks for each and every circumstance (1 Thessalonians 5:18). I know I need to.

Day three-hundred-thirty-four

I'm having a little trouble getting started this afternoon. My brother and I are talking the abusrdities of really bad movies and TV. I suppose the best thing to take away from it is that if one is in the right frame of mind (that is, you can poke fun at bad acting, lazy writing, etc.), even bad programming can yield some entertainment. 

…

Right now, my brother and I are watching El Chavo del Ocho on Univision. There's a tragic undercurrent to what is ostensibly a comedy. The show is about an orphan who lives in a poor neighborhood (vecindad) whose has no one to take care of him. His friends (and enemies, really) are two kids who each come from a home missing a parent. Everyone in the vecindad struggles to get by, being essentially working poor.

I would like to say for the record that I don't think the show is dumb. It is very farcical, as the characters all play the same roles in the same repetitive group of situations. It's not really any better or worse than any other shows of its kind. 

They say everyone laughs at different things, but if I've learned anything, it's that people will always laugh at what they know. If people know what it's like to have to struggle to get by, as in El Chavo, then they find humor in seeing the same thing, because they can relate.

Day three-hundred-thirty-three

This has proven to be one of those do-nothing Saturdays. Apart from helping Mom break down a yard sale she staged this morning, I haven't really done much of anything.

Since everyone is home right now, we ought to do our Secret Santa drawing. Years ago, we decided as a family to individually draw names for giving Christmas gifts to another member. We could give gifts to as many people as we want, but we're each only committed to one person. This removes the burden of having to spend too much money on a lot of gifts. It makes it easy for everyone to do shopping, especially now that everyone in the house is presently employed.

We don't really worry about gifts for extended family, unless they may come over. Typically, we don't get anything and we don't send anything. Everyone seems to be fine with that.

I really only want a couple of things this year. Whoever draws my name is going to have it easy.

Day three-hundred-thirty-two

Today was a pretty good day at work. Not slow, but not too busy.

…

I wrote that last sentence almost ten minutes ago, and I'm not really getting anywhere with it.

…

That sentence was written about ten minutes ago from right now (11:16 pm). When I was baking at the Loftus' house on Wednesday, I told my friend Joshua that I was thinking about retiring this blog and starting another in the new year. He recommended doing updates on a weekly basis; that way, I had adequate time to accumulate material.

It's a good idea, especially tonight when I'm having trouble churning out a post. Although, looking at it, I guess I just did.

Good night.

Day three-hundred-thirty-one

We got started to dinner kind of late this Thanksgiving, but everyone's gathered to eat together. We don't have all six of us together for dinner too often, as we all have such different schedules.

Lately, I've been confronted by a lack of gratitude in my life. Scripture tells us we are to give thanks to God in all things, as is His will for us (1Thessalonians 5:18). I've struggled with gratitude in difficult times. I've even had to confess bitterness in hard times. Still, God is faithful to forgive us as we confess our sins. May God breed thankfulness and a grateful attitude in me, turning from ingratitude.

I'm tired and full. I think I'll wrap this up. See you tomorrow.

Day three-hundred-thirty

Today was, bar none, the best day I've had in a long while.

I had an early start at work. Things are different when you show up to work six hours earlier than normal. First shift definitely has a different vibe; it lacks the (perhaps necessary) urgency of second shift. Fortunately, I was able to take the opportunity to get things done that would normally get left for us on second shift, like all the folded material. It was the easiest day of work I've ever had, no joke.

About an hour ago, I got back from baking pies for the Loftus family. I hope and pray they turned out alright, because they were honestly not my best effort. I had to do some substitution on the sugar (brown instead of regular) and I didn't have a regular rolling pin. Also, the pastry had a little too much water.

Still, it was good to have the time with Samantha and Joshua. He was telling about their hopes to support and eventually become long-term missionaries. They've been a huge encouragement to me, and I hope I've been so for them. Hopefully, I'll get the chance to see them again before they head back to Texas.

I got the chance to share some things with which I've been struggling with Josh. He gave me some things to think about and pray about. He reminded me to keep praying and making the time with others, really investing in others like I should be. Pray that I would be diligent in doing so.

Day three-hundred-twenty-nine

I want to get this posted early, as I won't have time when I get home. I have to get up at 6:45 tomorrow morning, just so I can be sure to be at work at 8:00.

Some good news for today. It hasn't been very busy today, which is nice, considering that we're losing a workday on Thursday. Also, I found out that my PTO was approved for December; that's an answer to prayer for you.

…

Lately, it seems like my thoughts have been very troubled. I've been kind of down the last few days, and I tend to think it might be fatigue. My mood definitely turns gloomier when I'm not rested. It's going to be a very busy couple of days, starting with my hours being all over the place.

That's not an excuse to act badly, or to be ungrateful to God. Pray that He would sustain me through this time. Maybe this is time for growth, or maybe I'm being tested. Whatever the case, pray that I would remain in prayer, and to trust in His sustaining power.

Day three-hundred-twenty-eight

Today started out busy at work but lightened up during the day. It hasn't been so busy considering that we're going to lose a workday this week. Of course, that could change over the next few days.

I'm going more frustrated with work. Even though I submitted the form to be considered for cross-training on the roll label machine a month ago, I have not heard word one about anything on that front. I also do not know if my submission for paid time-off at Christmas has been approved and that was submitted two weeks ago. Also, I think the company waited too long to stage the job fair; by the time they clear through all the applicants, it's going to be after Christmas and the holiday push will be over.

I've been praying for patience in dealing with work issues. The Lord has been good and faithful in answering that prayer favorably. I need to keep praying about my PTO, since I'm not sure what's happening in that direction. Pray that the Lord's will be done and that I would get an answer soon.

I don't know; I keep thinking I should move on, but in those moments where I search for another job, it usually looks like I've already got the best job I could possibly have at the moment. Pray that the Lord would grant me more patience in work, and that He will lead me elsewhere, in His time.

Day three-hundred-twenty-seven

Right now, they're showing one of those ASPCA commercials where the animals are in cages and they play incredibly sad music. Nobodyikes these commercials because they're so unashamedly manipulative, but if that's what they're going for, at least they're successful. 

I've felt kind of down today. Maybe it's fatigue, I don't know. I find that when I'm tired, my emotions tend to rise more to the surface.

Samantha and Joshua came into town last night and were at church this morning. It was nice to see them and I look forward to seeing them again on Wednesday night. They're going to be here for two weeks, so hopefully I'll get a few opportunities to see them.

…

My life is so much better than when I was unsaved, but it's still very lonely sometimes. I don't get to see any of my sisters and brothers as often as I'd like, and I've been confronted more and more by how much I miss not being part of a regular Bible study. I need that fellowship, and I need to make the effort, something I've neglected in the past. 

Hebrews 10:25 admonishes us "not to forsake the gathering of the brethren, as is the habit of some." I've been guilt of being a part of the "some" in the past; pray that the Lord would help not be so in the future. 

Day three-hundred-twenty-six

Today is the laziest day I've had in a while. I woke up late, took a nap, and I feel like I could fall asleep right now.

It's been an extremely busy week, and next week is going to be just as busy, if not more so. I only work four days next week, but they'll be very busy with the loss of Thursday. Also, I'm working earlier on Wednesday. On top of that, I have two more pies to bake for my co-worker Christina.

That's pretty much it for tonight's post. May we be ready for worship tomorrow morning. Good night.

Day three-hundred-twenty-five

I'm glad this day is almost done. It's been the busiest day we've had at work in a long while, and it's only going to get busier. A couple of times, I had to stop and quietly pray that God would grant me patience in dealing with everything that had to be done. Thankfully, He did.

I hope that we'll start seeing some of the results of the job fair from two weeks ago. Today revealed that we need more people ASAP. We are also starting to have problems with first shift again; namely, leaving stuff unfinished that they should be completing, and we on second shift are left to finish. I know that first shift won't finish everything, but they should be sending out stuff to be finished on their shift, because it can be worked on and shipped out on their shift. We need to have another meeting with Mervin.

…

By the way, with all the talk about my glasses, I neglected to mention in yesterday's post that my new glasses came in. Actually, I got a call from Walmart Optical on Wednesday afternoon an hour before work, but I had to wait until the following day. Thank you to those who've prayed for me during a rather difficult two weeks.

Day three-hundred-twenty-four

I just realized that I now have less than six weeks of writing this blog for the year. I haven't thought much about it lately, but I think I've pretty much decided to retire this blog at the end of the year and start a new one January 1. It think it's just getting time for there to be a fresh start. I don't want to stop writing, but I think I could be going about it differently.

…

Today was the Thanksgiving potluck. As far as I can tell, the pies were a success. I don't think I'll be taking home any leftovers.

I know I've mentioned this before, but I don't eat the pies I make. I truly have to rely on the response of others to know if the pumpkin pies are any good; personally, I don't really like pumpkin. I also realize that it's difficult for people to understand why I would make a pie I wouldn't eat, but that's the way it's been since I've started making them. Even though I don't eat them, if I'm going to make the effort to make them, I might as well make the effort to do it right.

Thank You, Lord, for blessing this day.

Day three-hundred-twenty-three

This morning and early this afternoon, I made my first pumpkin pies for the year. I was doing on my own for the first time ever, but there weren't any problems. At least, there weren't any that won't be apparent before tomorrow.

As we've moved into fall, I've been anticipating posting my pumpkin pie recipe. People really seem to enjoy it, so I often get asked to make it. This year, with the blog up and running, I'm going to post it in one place for everyone to see. 

I should quickly give credit where it's due, and say that I got the recipe from my sister Olivia, who in turn adapted it from the recipe on the cans of Libby's Pumpkin Mix. However, Olivia made a crucial modification to the recipe that makes all the difference. 

Let me know how it turns out, if you decide to use it.

…

This is the complete two-part pumpkin pie recipe. Whether you use this recipe or pass it on to anyone else, PLEASE READ THIS WHOLE RECIPE BEFORE BAKING. This recipe will make two pies.

Part 1: Crust (courtesy of The Los Angeles Times California Cookbook)
Ingredients-
* 2 cups flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup shortening
* 1/2 cup butter
* 4 tablespoons cold water (keep a glass of ICE WATER for this)

1. Combine sifted flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in shortening and butter until lumps are pea-sized (use pastry cutter, if available). Add water and stir with a mixing spoon until mixture is moistened; add more water 1 tablespoon at a time, if more water is needed. Make sure the pastry is malleable, but not too wet.  Press pastry into a ball, then cut into two even portions. Place dough balls onto plates, cover with aluminum foil, and chill in refrigerator for 45 minutes.

2. While pie crust mixture is chilling, prepare pie filling (as will be described in Part 2).

3. After 45 minutes, take the pie crust pastry from the refrigerator. Roll out the pastry on a well-floured board using a well-floured rolling pin. (At this point, preheat the oven at 400 degrees for exactly 10 minutes, so you may have to work very quickly.) Carefully transfer pastry into pie pans, and gently press into place. Trim off any excess pastry so that it will not hang over the edge of the pan. Pierce pastry all over with a fork. Carefully pour pie filling into the pastry, being sure not to fill the pastry to the top.

4. Making sure the oven rack is second from the bottom, place the two pies next to each other in the oven. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then turn oven down to 325 degrees and continue to bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, check pie by piercing center of pie with toothpick. If the toothpick picks up wet filling, continue to bake the pies, checking them again every 4-6 minutes. When the toothpick comes out of the pie more or less clean, the pie is done.

Part 2: Filling (you will need three bowls: small, medium, and large)

NOTE: You will be making the filling while the pie crust pastry is chilling in the refrigerator.

Ingredients-

* Canned pumpkin (either one 29-ounce can or two 14.5 ounce cans)

* 2/3 cup sugar

* 2-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

* 1-1/2 tsp. ground ginger

* 3/4 tsp. ground cloves

* 2 cans condensed milk (do not substitute evaporated milk)

* 4 eggs

1. In the small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, sifting each spice as it is added.

2. In the medium bowl, add the condensed milk and mix in each egg one at a time. 

3. In the large bowl, mix the pumpkin and the sugar-spice mixture together, adding the sugar-spice a little bit at a time. When that is mixed, pour in the milk-egg mixture. Fold the milk-egg mixture into the pumpkin-spice mixture using a baking spatula until the mixture becomes a uniform light orange. At this point, go back to Part 1, step 3 to finish pies.

…

Good luck, and May God bless your Thanksgiving.

Day three-hundred-twenty-two

Today was a very busy day, hampered by a bad computer system at work.

It's becoming clear to me that the internal shipping system at work is having problems, which I tend to think are being caused by our increased workload. I think the system is overwhelmed and our work is going to suffer for it.

If things are working well, I could ship four to five items per minute. Today, I could ship one or two a minute. At one point, it was so slow, it took three minutes to send one item. That is asinine, and it cannot last, unless the company is unconcerned with timeliness.

We also seem to be having the problem of items going missing. Two roll label orders are lost, whoever they may have ended up. One was for 30.000 labels and had to be reprinted. It's getting bad. Honestly, I think we're getting overwhelmed.

Pray that God would grant me patience in dealing with work problems, that things would start happening on cross-training soon, that my glasses would come soon (it's getting harder), and that I would be patient with work in general. I'm starting to get that itch to move on, again.

Day three-hundred-twenty-one

I'm going to keep it short tonight. My vision is getting very fuzzy.

Last Friday, Almond was given his computer login. Tonight was the first time I could actually teach him to ship. After the last items for today went out, I gave him the opportunity to send out some stuff for tomorrow. He's seeing that there's a lot to know to ship one item and it all has to get right. This being the first time he's shipped, he did all right and he'll get better with glasses.

…

I hope my glasses come soon. It's getting so that my eyes are getting tired earlier each day. I finished the bottle of Advil I took to work for headaches that I'm getting from not having my eyewear. Pray that they will come soon. With the baking I have to do on Wednesday, this is going to be a very busy week.

Day three-hundred-twenty

Not going to write much today. My eyes hurt and I'm starting to get a little bit of a headache. Also, it's an opportunity to post early.

I got back to church this morning for the first time in a couple of weeks. Today was the first time I've really heard our new pastor in Doulos preach. He definitely has his own style, what he himself characterized as more of a tag-team approach where he and one of the other leaders would trade off on handling subtopics in the larger lesson. I don't know if this will be a common thing, but it's definitely a more dynamic style that most people (at least at Grace Church) probably aren't used to.

I got to meet some new people today. A few people I've known by face but not name, plus a new guy named David who started in Doulos about a month ago. I admit that I liked the new trend of giving everyone a few minutes after getting seated to meet someone around them who they didn't inow. I think it helps to break the ice in a group where it's kind of difficult to meet others.

Pray for me, that I would not let myself grow lax again abot attending church regularly. As I'm sure I've said before, I don't regret the times I've gone to church, it's the times I haven't gone.
 

Day three-hundred-nineteen

Late last night, after I got home from work and had already published yesterday's post, Dad and I had a long talk, one of a kind that we've had before but haven't done on a while. I needed it, and I think Dad needed it too.

We wound up talking about all kinds of things, most of it having to do with our mutual walks in The Lord. We came to realize that we struggle with a lot of the same things and find ourselves dealing with a lot of the same sin issues, issues that Dad said his father struggled with. The Old Testament often speaks of sins that persist "to the third and fourth generations" (Exodus 20:5, 34:7; Numbers 14:18; Deuturonomy 5:9). There are some personal things that wisdom would suggest I not share here.

Dad and I do have one thing in common that I can share: it's far too easy for us to withdraw from others. Dad admonished me, lovingly, about my poor church attendance as of late. I couldn't sven get angry about it at all, because I knew he was right and that it had already been weighing on my mind and heart. Dad, meanwhile, admitted that he withdraws from others because it's easy for him to Borge that others aren't worth the time and effort. He knows it's wrong, as God commands us to love another, and He equips us to do so. Pray for us in this area, that we would follow the Lord in loving our brothers and sisters like we should.

May the Lord bless our gathering together to worship Him, to edify one another and be edified.

Day three-hundred-eighteen

Something that has become clear to me very recently is how I am still very prone to worry.

Today, I submitted the form to get the paid time off I've wanted at Christmas, as I've finally accumulated enough time off. When I brought the form to my manager, Mervin, he held onto it and said he wanted to talk to me about it first. That discussion hasn't happened yet.

Of course, I grew concerned that I might not get the time I've wanted because of the absences I've have. From the day I began in February through today, I estimate that I've been twelve days for illness. Only twice have I failed to bring an excuse, as I didn't have a note since I couldn't see a doctor to get one. I have never been penalized or otherwise questioned about my absences as I've always called in beforehand. I've never even been considered late.

Christina told me not to worry about it when I told her my concerns. Proverbs 3:5 reminds us to "Trust in the Lord with all (our) heart(s) and lean not on (our) own understanding". I confess that I do the opposite. I'm all too willing to trust myself and doubt The Lord. I know that's wrong and it's something I sturggle with, mightily. When I try to understand what God is doing on my own, all too often and too easily I lead myself astray. I need God's wisdom, and as sinners, I think our natural bent is to resist such wisdom. I've been praying that The Lord would help me in this, and I would ask that you keep me in your prayers. I appreciate that very much.

Day three-hundred-seventeen

So I had to take the day off again. If I counted correctly, that makes ten days since I was first hired on February. This is probably going to come up when I get my employee evaluation in January.

I was able to get my eye exam at Costco today. The eye doctor told me that my vision has actually improved since the last time my eyes were checked, over six years ago. I had my eyes dilated and the drop could last up to eight hours, so the doctor said to take the day off.

When she examined my eyes, the eye doctor also performed a retinal photo on each eye. She wanted to show me that I had what she called a "freckle" on the back of one of my eyes. She did not think it was anything serious but did advise me to get my eyes checked again in a year and to be sure to check the "freckle" again to be sure it wasn't anything serious.

The Lord answered my prayer that I was going to be able to get my glasses covered by my insurance. Costco Optical wouldn't take it, LensCrafters wanted too much money out of pocket and didn't seem sure about my insurance. I wound up going to Walmart in Porter Ranch, which not only took my insurance, but also had glasses that met my demands; that is, plastic frames and actually fit my head without feeling too snug.

I was getting frustrated with Costco Optical, and even more so with LensCrafters. LensCrafters was especially frustrating was they not only couldn't confirm my insurance, but their markup was absurd. There were a couple of times where I had to stop and pray that God would help me to be patient. I think God has been testing my patience a lot lately to show me how much my patience and trustin Him need to grow. Pray for me in this area.

Still, I have a lot to be thankful for. Things are generally improving at work, I got my new glasses (in seven to ten business days), and God is causing me to grow. Now, if I would stop neglecting to have fellowship with my brothers and sisters…I guess that's something else to pray about.

Day three-hundred-sixteen

It's the last break of the workday as I write this. The week is now more than half over.

Tomorrow morning, Mom and I are going to Costco to see about a walk-in appointment to get my eyes checked. Hopefully, it won't take too long or cost too much money. Once I get my prescription, I'll need to get new glasses. Pray that wherever I go for new glasses will accept my insurance. If I read the booklet correctly, my coverage should cover up to $130.00 for new lenses and frames.

Other than that, there's not much to say for today. I know I need new glasses as not having any is starting to affect my work. I'm making mistakes I could be avoiding if my vision were clearer. Pray that God would meet my vision needs however He chooses to meet them.

Day three-hundred-fifteen

No blog tonight. My eyes hurt, I feel more tired more usual at this point in the week, and I'm technically writing this brief post on company time.

Come back tomorrow.

Day three-hundred-fourteen

Day five of no glasses, although today, I did make some headway.

I spent the better part of an hour this morning trying to find an optometrist on my health plan. I finally found one close to home, but he was looked all the way to mid-December. I would've had to wait for a month if I went with him.

Fortunately, I have an alternative.

This Thursday, when I get paid, I'm going to Costco and I'm going to just spend the $45.00 or so and see the optometrist. This is somewhat better because I can say the optometrist as a walk-in and not miss work. If I want to, I can also get my prescription filled there, although my brother claims Walmart optical may be cheaper. I'll go with whoever will take Blue Cross' vision coverage.

There's something to pray about, apart from buying a new wheel for my bike, which I started pricing today.im going to have to shell out at least $40.00 to purchase. Oh well.

Day three-hundred-thirteen

Day four with no glasses. I don't seem to be any closer to finding them. I am now legitimately mystified as to where they could be. Fortunately, I don't have a headache.

I'm thinking I should make an appointment with the optometrist to get my vision checked. If I can't find my glasses, then I'll need to replace them. Besides, my frames are old and I'm overdue for an eye exam anyway.

…

I just stopped writing for about ten minutes because I was distracted by an article on Ain't It Cool News. I'm just not feeling it tonight.

Pray that, tomorrow, I would do what I need to do in order to get an eye appointment scheduled, and soon.

Day three-hundred-twelve

Just a couple of quick things for today.

First off, I am now into day three without my glasses. Admittedly, I haven't really taken the time today to search for them. I think I'm actually getting used to not wearing them. There were a couple of times where I caught myself pushing my glasses back up the bridge of my nose only to remember mid-act that I didn't have them. I haven't gone this long without glasses in a number of years. Again, please pray that I would find them and that God would sustain my eyes in the meantime.

Second, the fundraising yard sale was a big success, which was a big answer to prayer. Between items for sale and the baked goods and lemonade, they succeeded in raising almost $1,100.00. Obviously, nobody knew how much the sale was going to pull in. It was truly a blessing from The Lord.

Well, I think I'm going to wrap it up early today. Hopefully, I'll sleep better tonight than I typically do and that I'll be ready for church in the morning.

Day three-hundred-eleven

Not going to write much tonight. I still haven't found my glasses and it's getting harder to see. Please pray that I would find them soon, and pray that I would be patient in looking for them. I think God is using this time to show me how much my patience and trust in Him have been lacking, and honestly, they have been.

Tomorrow is the big fundraising yard sale. Pray that it's successful and that things may go smoothly, Lord willing. It's going to be an early day for everyone, especially for me in that I wont even be off work tonight until 10:30; the yard sale is scheduled for 7:00 tomorrow morning.

I think that'll be all for today. It's getting harder to see what I'm typing.

Day three-hundred-ten

Not going to type much today. I have misplaced my glasses and I am trying to write without them.

I prayed before I left the house today that I wouldn't get a headache and The Lord heard my prayer. I have t got a headache but my eyes are starting to get sore. Pray that I would find them.

I haven't had much trouble reading the computer screen today, which is good as I'm still having to handle all the shipping. Today has been busier than its been in a couple of weeks, and I should've remembered that today was Thursday, and it was likely to be busier anyway. I always seem to forget that.

Anyway, pray that the job fair on Saturday would be fruitful. We're definitely going to need more help as things go along, especially once the second digital press is up and running.

Day three-hundred-nine

I'm writing today's post while I'm sitting at lunch. As I sit here typing, I'm actively trying to stay awake. It's been one of those days that hasn't been super busy, so it feels like it's dragging. Of course, by the time lunch ends at 6:30, the workday will be more than half-over.

Tomorrow is the day people are supposed to start dropping off donated items for Mom's yard sale this weekend. Thankfully, the weather is supposed to be good for the day. Pray that my back stops acting up, as I know Mom is counting on my help moving things. Whatever happens, I know it's going to be an early day for everyone, which is going to be tough, since I'll still be getting off work at 10:30 the night before.

I think this is going to be a short post tonight. Come back tomorrow and we'll see what happens then.

Day three-hundred-eight

I've got to get this entry posted early tonight; I won't be able to do so later, without risking publishing it late. After I get out of work at 10:30, Mom and I have to rush out to Chatsworth to pick up my sister Laura at her temp job. She only has another day there at the most before she begins working at See's Candies. She's really looking forward to it.

Today, I had another work-related first: I sat through my first sexual harassment training meeting. Fortunately, no embarrassing twenty-year-old video featuring bad actors in extremely contrived situations. It was a pretty straightforward PowerPoint presentation. With the sore back I've had for the last day or so, I didn't mind getting to sit for an hour. Actually, my back is doing better in general today. I'm thankful for that.

Some good news I've been waiting and praying for: I've been approved for the shift change on Wednesday, November 26. I'll be off work at 4:30 pm to help Tammy Loftus bake pumpkin pies. Turns out that I was approved as soon as my master Mervin signed the paperwork. Go figure.

Day three-hundred-seven

I'm home now. Today was the first day where I've run the room now that Ana has moved to first shift. Our two new packers, Almond and Jose, are learning and getting better each day. Thankfully, they are hard-working and teachable, and I'm grateful for that.

After we got back from lunch, a muse in my back that had been sore since Isolde up this morning, began to very painfully tense up. I was already walking somewhat awkward since my back was sore, but this took the cake. Now that I'm home, I can go to bed soon and pray that it will start to release. Thank theirs for sustaining me through those last four hours of work.

Thankfully, it wasn't a busy day today, as we spent most of it actually getting ahead on our work. I think Ana moving to first shift is already making a difference. If they can move more things out quickly, it's going to be better for everyone.

Meanwhile, continue to pray about cross-training on the ABG machine, and that I can get the special I want for the day before Thanksgiving.

Day three-hundred-six

I want to post this entry early tonight; as dark as it is outside, it seems late enough already.

I feel like writing something, but I don't really know what. This is one of the big reasons why I want to shake up my writing in the new year. It's not very easy to come up with daily content, especially as I've come to lean on the crutch of writing about work. 

As we move into the holidays, there's going to be much more for me to write about. In the coming weeks, I'm going to begin my baking for the season. I'm already committed to at least six pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving. I do plan on posting my pumpkin pie recipe in a few weeks. Since I didn't have a blog last year, it's going to drag a lot more people for whoever wants it.

I do know that immediately after Thanksgiving, I have to bring the fall bins down so Mom can put our fall stuff away. That has to happen quickly since the Chrsitmas bins will have to come down right after, plus the artificial Christmas tree.

Mom and Olivia are already going to be making their first batch of peanut brittle of the year, tomorrow. Candy making is difficult, about the level of handling hot tar. Sweet, hot tar, with nuts in it.

I guess what I'm saying is that it's going to be busy, at home and work, for quite a while.

Day three-hundred-five

I'm finding that as we get closer to the end of the year, my enthusiasm for this blog is starting to wear thin. Part of it seems to be that this blog has been essentially an online journal, sharing my thoughts and feelings, but mostly a lot of just talking about whatever happened on a particular day. While I'm amazed that I've kept it up, I'll readily admit that the blog hasn't been all that it could be.

I've been thinking about retiring this blog at the end of the year, and starting a new one January 1st. While this blog has been an opportunity to share with others, I think I want to try something different with the next one.

First of all, I don't want to just write about "here's what happened to me today". While I haven't decided yet, I'm considering not doing daily updates. I held myself to updating daily because I felt at first that if I didn't do it daily, eventually I wouldn't do it at all. Going the daily update route has been a mixed blessing, to say the least. While daily updating taught me the discipline to write, the downside has been that much of what I've written is t very interesting to read. Typically, I don't go back and look at what I've written, because I know that much of it is just regurgitating the events of the day.

Secondly, I really only want to write what appeals to me. I've been thinking about writing more prepared material, like movie or TV reviews, food items, etc. I want to continue to write about my walk with the Lord, but I've never really set out to write a specifically Christian blog. There are many of those, and I've generally elected to write about those issues with which I've dealt as a believer, frankly because those are the things I can best speak to as a believer.

Thirdly, I want a better title. Almost as soon as I titled this blog, "That Blog by That Guy", I've hated it. Therefore, unless someone comes to me with a better name, the new blog is tentatively named A Blog Called Sheila. I like this name because it's lighthearted, memorable, and I like the name Sheila.

Day three-hundred-four

Good day today.

Our two new shippers, Almond and Jose, are getting better at their work. They're starting to see how much there is to do and to know if you're going to work in digital.

Tonight, however, seemed to be a bit of an eye-opener for them. We finished up our work in digital with almost an hour left, so we got sent to the warehouse to help there. More equipment is being moved in, so the last of the shipping had to be done so stuff could be moved around. Almond and Jose got the opportunity to see that things work quite a bit differently in digital than in the rest of the warehouse. In some ways, our work is more difficult, and yet, also easier than elsewhere.

I also had a reminder of how things work differently, as I have not done warehouse work regularly since my second week with the company, back in the latter half of February. That's a long time ago, although it doesn't seem so long. The time just goes by quickly.

…

There's something else I thought about writing about, but I'll save that for tomorrow. I don't want it to just be a tag on today's post, especially since it doesn't really have anything to do with work.

Day three-hundred-three

Mom and I went to visit Joe Miller at the hospital. He looked pretty good, but spent the half-your drifting into and out of sleep. Pray for Joe, as he's having trouble sleeping at night, and the doctors and nurses are trying to get Joe onto a regular schedule. We certainly continued to talk to him, as we were told he could hear anything we say. I told Joe that all that had happened to him had convicted me of my need to pray for my brothers and sisters, and I hadn't been.

…

We got another new employee at work today. That's makes two new packers in digital just this week.

Just as we've finally gotten enough help, we found out today that Ana is movng to first shift on Monday. She's been trying to get moved to first shift at least as long as I've been woroing in digital, and that's been since late February. Admittedly, my first thought was if this was going to hurt my chances of geting cross-trained on the ABG machine. Without Ana, I'm the only packer on second shift currently able to actually scan and ship items.

Eventually, the new packers, Almond and Jose, will learn to ship and get their logins and passwords, but that's going to take some time. Once I realized what was happening, to say that I was frustrated would be an understatement.

I think the Lord allowed this to show me something about myself. Again, I have prayed that God would search out those secret sins that are deep in my heart, and today, He showed me that I am still very quick to anger, and in that anger, I am quick to unbelief.

I don't want to be possessed of a bitter, angry unbelief. It is an area of sin in my life that I think I've been reluctant to deal with, oddly enough because I don't want to be angry and unbelieving. I had elected to deal with it by ignoring it, essentially. I can't ignore sin in my life, I have to deal with sin head-on. Scripture tells that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteouness (1 John 4:9). Pray that the Lord would impress upon me to trust in His faithfulness to forgive my sins, and that this would motivate to confess my sins to Him.

Day three-hundred-two

As I write this, my last break of the workday is half over. Where does the time go? Wherever it goes, it never comes back, that's for sure.

Again today, our workload has been light. We've already finished everything for today and are tammy the opportunity to jump on tomorrow. Our cutting machine was down for a while, as things have been rearranged in digital shipping again. We seem to have more space, which we'll need once the second digital printer is running. Also, we now have a second cutting machine to match the new printer.

…

We found out today that Joe Miller has been moved out of ICU and into his own room. Mom and I plan to pay a visit tomorrow. Keep Joe in your prayers; he has a long road to recovery, plus his mom says he's not eating enough, so a feeding tube may not yet be out of the picture.

May The Lord bless the time together as we seek to encourage Joe and those around him, friends and family alike.