christmas at vanderbilt

christmas in the hospital is quite the affair! so many people came this morning with food, danishes & coffee, lunches, candy & the like to share with patients, families and employees. it was sweet really. i'm thankful that no one in my family is on the trauma unit this christmas - after seeing so many families there with a loved one who's not doing so well, it makes me grateful that even though i can't be with them all, that all the people i love most are walking around on their two legs and healthy. wow; it is such a gift! merry christmas to my family - in chattavegas and my special place. (eep!) speaking of trauma, though; james-the-fish is not well. if there were an icu for fish, i would put him on it. if you have any last words for him, please send quickly. email will work. i will read all his mail to him. sigh. that is all. more postings when i get home.

christmas pics

i will not get to give stacey her christmas thumping in the early morning hours - linda; please try!


















i guess the "ugly" in "ugly christmas sweater party" need really not be mentioned.....








jins & i at her christmas party. i don't know how to crop jins - need help!

arts & crafts nashville style

so we have some fantastic street markets/shows here in nashville. the last few i've been to, it's been a definite exercise in willpower to keep my cash in my wallet. the creativity & beauty that people can make out of the simplest and most random stuff! (check out kellerblue.etsy.com or www.FringeLore.com for just a few examples) i really miss my mom and sister when i'm at these places, as i know how much they'd love to see it all, and how much fun we'd have people-watching & and stashing away ideas for later...i hear myself parroting my mother (whom I would always tease for saying so); "i could make that!" (i would always say to her, and say so to myself; "Yes, but will you?) ahhh, but the answer is not always no. i just bought a small, odd-shaped little mirror from the thrift store last week for my room - it just needs some weird pretty stuff glued and nailed on to become the masterpiece it longs to be. i will help it get there. the mirror cost me $1.50. the art supplies might come to $5 (mostly I just need modge-podge). the random little stuff i'm putting on (little pieces of watches, old looking lace, a button or two, scraps from magazines): free. It amazes me how much joy I get out of creating something from almost nothing. perhaps i am, indeed, made in my Master's image.... so i paste, pound and snip away. with much joy, and a little sadness at the realization that i cannot share this fun with the ladies in my life who have been so instrumental in fostering creativity in me. thanks ladies! you know who you are. (but just in case you don't; one of your name starts with "l" and the other mistakenly believes 'ice weasels' are dirty). to anyone who thinks there are not enough pictures on this blog - you are right! pictures are a-comin...

ode to a dog

i love dogs. these two little chubbers are from grandma hawk ("miss margaret")'s house. taffy on the left and bear on the right. they are hilarious together. i have several dogs i borrow in the absence of my own; harley-the-english-bulldog is one. he lives in the pet shop underneath our condo and takes me on walks around the neighborhood. during these outings i try to pretend that it is actually me taking him on a walk, but this is not usually the case. (caesar chavez would probably chide me in this relationship - i am definitely not the leader of the pack!)...everybody in the hood recognizes harley though and just adores him, though he looks like he could eat you (and if you happen to be a small child',s toy; he will!). when he sees me come in, he will run up to meet me and bring little things to show me. it's so funny to watch the mafia don of dogs trying to frisk around like a little poodle. he does it badly and i love him all the more for it.

ellie (possibly sweetest dog and bestest, leastest annoying of all small canines) & i have 'spend the nights' when her parents are out of town. she is like a real grown up dog but in the tiniest body ever. whenever you talk to her she cocks her head to the side and listens attentively. she is very affectionate and loves to run at high speeds around her parents (ruthie & will)s' beautiful home. i can't help but laugh when i'm around her.

cutie pie (also pet shop owner's dog) is for yapping back at. she's even tinier than ellie, a mere wisp of a dog. at first she was very threatened by harley's very assertive and 'taking over' sort of friendship with me, but now she knows she also has a place in my life and my lap. she'll run right up when i come into pampered paws and curl up in my lap and just sit there quietly.... sigh. i am ready for a dog, God. really i think i am. patiently waiting. love julie

things you would tell your mother

so this is funny, starting a blog for your mom. i wonder how many people have done that. i wonder what those people are like! scary thought... i guess this isn't all that different from sending out a mass e-mail to the family; except you're not forcing it on anyone. okay, so some people would have to edit quite a bit if they were to blog, knowing their mom's would be reading it. i, fortunately or not-so-fortunately, have no such reservations. i think this is because 1. my mom already knows a lot of crazy stuff about me, and 2. i love to shock her. mabye instead of toning things down, i'll purposely spice things up. "the secret life i wish i lead." this could be fun.