ypsi~dixit

I think my favorite part of the event was when Forrest and I were finishing our shopping, we came out of Nelson Amos Studios, and all down the street you could see families and couples with stockings in hand going in and out of each of the shops. It really would have made a nice holiday picture.

Once the stockings are distributed tomorrow, Y. plans to check with Nancy to solicit feedback for possible changes next year.

I also plan to do more advance toy-buying for $10-donation stockings.

And it's deuced difficult to write with glue. I might spring for some colored-glue-pen thingie from Michael's, or what have you.

Jim: It does indeed make a nice holiday picture--even if only a mental picture. Lovely!

Forrest's idea to decorate with mega-stockings was a great idea. How festive it looked!

The atmosphere is what i loved. It was such a happy, even joyous feeling in the air. No tired shoppers dragging to another store--instead, people were attentively searching for items for a younger boy, or older girl, and bringing much thought and care to their careful purchases. It was just marvelous to see. Real beauty.

I had a great time at the Stuff Your Stocking Night, and hope it dose become something to look forward to each year. It is impressive that such an event could be put together in only two weeks.

I would like to make a few suggestions for next year. It might be nice if each store that was taking part had some sign out front to let everyone know, say a large stocking. I also think it would be good, if the stores had the items for the event at the entrance so everyone could find it right off. I hope I do not sound like nitpicking. We now have a year to think about it and plan.

I will close with one last thing. It make it successful for the years to come, keep it fun for all who take part.

Listener: It was one week. :D Yessir.

CONGRATULATIONS on making such a great contribution to our town, esteemed Y. It sounds like it was so wonderful. I love the (mental) holiday picture--thanks, Jim. I only wish I could have attended. I planned to but I am forced to face the fact that tree-buying, decorating, meal construction, marathon cookie-baking (six kinds!) AND stuffing my stockings simply will not fit into a single day.

Only six kinds? (chuckles indulgently).

No pfeffefffferneusse? How about sugar cookies? Salt cookies? Cinnamon tingles? Lemon reveries? Angel niblets? Frosting trumpets? Coconut splats? Pitchblende crumbles?

It ain't Christmas without a coconut splat.

Unfortunately, I couldn't make it out. I'm glad to hear that everything went well. Congratulations.

I thought the event ROCKED and will defintely chat with L about how to make the event even better next year. Thank you so much for a such great time!

My wife and I are always on the lookout for something that supports local business and local charity without a religious (or political) agenda.

The Stuff-Your-Stocking night did all of that in spades, and our little boy, Jack enjoyed the walk around town to stuff the stockings.

Well done Laura, Jim and FF (whose name I forget, but whose face I know well)

Looking forward to next year's event.

Well for those of you who missed the event, I have some pictures posted on my site at:


http://www.cafeluwak.com/photos.php

I thought the event was a lot of fun - and we also picked up some other gifts in the process. I think our best stocking score was the Endangered Species chocolate at the Food Co-op - candy bars with cute pictures of bears and seals and stuff on the wrappers, and on sale right now!

The moon and sun are celebrating in Sagittarius, and energies line up to prepare for tomorrow's compelling new moon. Getting the most of this powerful transit requires introspection and personal time. Figure out the area in your life you'd most like to improve, and be ready to take your first action to that end tomorrow.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). It's a basic human need to be acknowledged -- one that you feed so well in others and often neglect in yourself. You'll be the subject of compliments. Don't deflect them like usual. Soak it up.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Your stars are lucky in areas that involve sales or trading. You do well when you apply yourself to pleasing the customer. Tonight keep your ear to the vine; rumors carry some truth.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Though you strive for perfection, the truth today is that the job is done when you can work on it no more. Secondhand shopping is favored -- you'll find a treasure. Tonight, touch is healing. Your best masseuse is a Cancer person.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You're a model of excellent behavior. Of course, it's been said that, as a rule, well-behaved people rarely make history. Consider an area of your life in which you might allow yourself to cut loose.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). It's not arrogant to admit the existence of truth, which is what you're doing when you take note of your talents -- though this is perhaps better done in an intense conversation between you and you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Keeping the personal stuff light and carefree brings luck. Singles: A short-lived romance only leads to new and better relations -- and before you even have time for regret.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). If you slack off, nobody will mind. So it falls to you to push yourself. Dig down deep for motivation and a little self-discipline. This is how you'll prove yourself as a leader.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Everyone needs you, so here's how you can be several places at once: Adore and appreciate loved ones with such intensity that they can feel your presence even when you're miles away.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). The stars show you visiting your past. Sure, you were there, but which version of you? You're growing so fast now, it's hard to relate to all of the people you've been.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Trust yourself. You know when you're comfortable. And when you're not. You know that, too. If you're in the wrong situation, your "gut" practically screams at you now to get away.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You may feel very high school-ish in regards to relationships. It's natural to want to be accepted by "the populars." But do consider why you might be putting certain people on a pedestal.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Stress kills brain cells. And your big plans are going to require all the brain cells you've got! Do some deep breathing, smile and relax. Mindless activities are a wonderful idea.

Eerily accurate.

Lisele: Here, too:

an intense conversation between you and you.

Not to mention you.

Mark: Thanks for your kind words. Hope to see you next time.

Angel niblets? Frosting trumpets? Coconut splats?

Er, on second thought these sound a bit too much like some of the fine services advertised in the back of the Metro Times...perhaps better just to banish them from your memory.

Nancy: It was really cool that you had the info-table there; it really made the purpose of the whole event crystal-clear, not to mention added some badly-needed legitimacy. :D

I look forward to hearing constructive feedback from clients, via you, in the interests of making the event the most appropriate and most enjoyable one possible for them.

Local astrologer Rod, what a pleasure it was to meet you, after seeing your picture on your blog for so long! And your wife Misti and adorable Jack in his green elf costume which seemed to be wholly handmade, no less. Very cute!

You had much good feedback and very kind words for us at the event itself. The good advice was absorbed, transcribed, catalogued, categorized, alphabetized, and vulcanized by my predominantly Virgo nature. And the kind words were luxuriously soaked up by the attention-sponge that is my Leonine sun sign. :D

Treasure Island: thankee kindly. As Lisele noted, I find your particular oracular forecast to often be right on the money. Weird.

Seriously. Yesterday I found thru Google a friend I've been looking for for 20 years. We were Catholic schoolgirls together... And, though joyous, it certainly brought up just the issues you predict.

Lisele: Yeah. Whenever I see one of those ads for contacting your old high school classmates, I think, "Well, there's a reason contact hasn't been kept up...why force it?"

Or the ad that shows a doltish-looking jock type guy and a bespectacled nerdy type gal with the legend, "They got MARRIED?!?!?"

Sakes, if you have nothing better to do with your time...

OK, good news: Jim received $30 more in donations at the cafe, and plans to wait till week's end in case there are any more and then give it to SOS.

That means we broke $400 in donations! Yay! Amazing.

I've just been staying at home not getting anything done. I've basically been doing nothing worth mentioning. My life's been pretty unremarkable these days. Eh.