My Christmas Gifts to Litsters

I thought for sure you'd have some smart ass gift for me by now.

Obviously what we had wasn't important enough to you.

sequelae said:

I see why so many women are proclaiming their love for you. Nice image. Stirring.

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Well, that's the beauty of the headless. We're as pretty as you can imagine.

breakwall said:

Whew!
I was hoping I was on target.

Although I never would have picked a GRE book. And good luck and study hard!

...and I feel the love.

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GRE books don't make good presents. You did perfectly!

I was going to get you this, but I had no idea if it was appropriate.




As an added bonus, I'll scoop up some of this and send it your way:

breakwall said:

Well, that's the beauty of the headless. We're as pretty as you can imagine.

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Then perhaps this companion gift will warm the cockles of your heart this cold season. A canoe.

sequelae said:

Then perhaps this companion gift will warm the cockles of your heart this cold season. A canoe.

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*cackle*

If her head were tilted back just a little bit more, she'd be perfect for him.

Good thing you stuck with the canoe.

Raidho said:

*faints*

Holy shit. Seriously. I was looking at a Rumi book today, but decided to get a GRE prep book instead. It might actually be the same book.

For the record, I have just officially fallen in love with you.

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Oh sure, you wanted to marry me the other night! Pfft.

Rumi is one of my 'go-to dudes' on more than a few occasions.

This is a favorite:

Guest House

Rumi

This being human is a guest house
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.


[Please pardon the slight hi-jack, Break.]

IndieSnob said:

I thought for sure you'd have some smart ass gift for me by now.

Obviously what we had wasn't important enough to you.

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OMG!

I totally have the best gift for you! I thought of it this morning...

Now, this isn't some picture of a gift, this is the real thing. It's a link. And it's a link to one of the best things to happen to radio since FM.

It's The Ongoing History of New Music.

There is an archive of over 225 past shows, ranging from compelling subjects as the history of Payola, to Alt-Rock Music Mysteries, to Why Performers Hate Their Record Labels, to The History of the Sellout.

But this one is my favourite.

How To Talk Like a Rock Snob

Raidho said:

*cackle*

If her head were tilted back just a little bit more, she'd be perfect for him.

Good thing you stuck with the canoe.

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How often can you find a canoe with built in entertainment and a heating unit?

sequelae said:

Then perhaps this companion gift will warm the cockles of your heart this cold season. A canoe.

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Wait...

...I haven't found the canoe yet...

Raidho said:

GRE books don't make good presents. You did perfectly!

I was going to get you this, but I had no idea if it was appropriate.

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Is that a tabla? It's gorgeous!

breakwall said:

OMG!

I totally have the best gift for you! I thought of it this morning...

Now, this isn't some picture of a gift, this is the real thing. It's a link. And it's a link to one of the best things to happen to radio since FM.

It's The Ongoing History of New Music.

There is an archive of over 225 past shows, ranging from compelling subjects as the history of Payola, to Alt-Rock Music Mysteries, to Why Performers Hate Their Record Labels, to The History of the Sellout.

But this one is my favourite.

How To Talk Like a Rock Snob

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You could have just left it at "I hate your music snobbery guts, IS".

I'm seriously crushed here.

breakwall said:

Wait...

...I haven't found the canoe yet...

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Use your senses, your hands, feel canoe, be canoe, cut silently through the water...
Are you feeling it yet?

Cathleen said:

O



...The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

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that's just...wow.

breakwall said:

Is that a tabla? It's gorgeous!

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It's an ashiko.

Giving Tree Music.

It's actually mine. They come in themes, and mine is "Oceanic."

That's how much you touched me. I'd have at least shared custody of it.

IndieSnob said:

You could have just left it at "I hate your music snobbery guts, IS".

I'm seriously crushed here.

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You don't like my gift?
I visit this site once a week to listen to every new installment.

Although you never speak to me, I have no idea why and since it's Christmas I'm hoping maybe we can start afresh. A gift for you:

Cathleen said:

Oh sure, you wanted to marry me the other night! Pfft.

Rumi is one of my 'go-to dudes' on more than a few occasions.

This is a favorite:

Guest House

Rumi

This being human is a guest house
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.


[Please pardon the slight hi-jack, Break.]

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Cathleen, my love for Breakwall would never, ever interrupt our impending hetero-catlady-nuptuals.

God I love this...and the quote he pulled out too.

These seriously could be the best two presents I receive this year.

Raidho said:

It's an ashiko.

Giving Tree Music.

It's actually mine. They come in themes, and mine is "Oceanic."

That's how much you touched me. I'd have at least shared custody of it.

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That's lovely! I am astoundingly flattered.

I found a sound link: http://www.kompoz.com/compose-collaborate/home.track.project?projectId=1759&trackId=2822

how cool is that!

allium said:

Although you never speak to me, I have no idea why and since it's Christmas I'm hoping maybe we can start afresh. A gift for you:

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That is a cool camera.
I wonder if the shutter button is the hardest button to button...

I don't think we cross paths too often.

But it's a season for putting the old to rest and starting anew.

And in that spirit...


These are beach pea pods. They are a hardy plant and grow in almost any location, if tended to occasionally. When the bloom, their flowers are like bursts of colour sparking out of the lush leaves.

sequelae said:

Use your senses, your hands, feel canoe, be canoe, cut silently through the water...
Are you feeling it yet?

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I think this is one of those exercises that one wants to take their time doing. Maybe hours...

breakwall said:

that's just...wow.

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Raidho said:

Cathleen, my love for Breakwall would never, ever interrupt our impending hetero-catlady-nuptuals.

God I love this...and the quote he pulled out too.

These seriously could be the best two presents I receive this year.

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Perhaps there's lots of room for others -- a guest house of sorts.


Here's another from my 'good reads' file. It isn't clear who wrote it but it was attributed to a Sufi from the years Rumi lived.

The Cracked Pot

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master’s house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer? "What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your masters house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts." The pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the masters house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again the Pot apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pots side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my masters table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."


Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Fathers table. In Gods great economy, nothing goes to waste. Don't be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and you too can be the cause of beauty. Know that in our weakness we find our strength.

breakwall said:

That is a cool camera.
I wonder if the shutter button is the hardest button to button...

I don't think we cross paths too often.

But it's a season for putting the old to rest and starting anew.

And in that spirit...

These are beach pea pods. They are a hardy plant and grow in almost any location, if tended to occasionally. When the bloom, their flowers are like bursts of colour sparking out of the lush leaves.

Click to expand...

Thank you - they look a lot like Sweet Peas - which I love.

I will plant them and nurture them carefully.

See PM

I've apparently lost my ability to post pictures.

How sad.

The next 20 people get a bottle.

Raidho said:

I've apparently lost my ability to post pictures.

How sad.

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it's not your pic, but it's a close substitute.