Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Free the Dog!


I've been planning to post today about my new favorite show, Dog the Bounty Hunter. I'd been hearing some buzz about this show for a while, and since I've read all twelve Stephanie Plum novels, I sort of feel like a bounty hunter... I mean if Stephanie can do it... ;)


So I tuned in and fell instantly in love with the show. The cool twist to it, is that it isn't just "Cops" but with a bounty hunter. Each show starts with them all pumped up to get some criminal off the street. But by the time the get the "bad guy" in the back of their big black SUV, they're already feeling badly for the the guy (or girl) and talking to them about how to get their life straightened out. Sometimes they forgive the bond. Sometimes they offer them a job. Always they try to instill hope that they can turn their life around.
He says he always tries to live "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and the show really captures that. Also, the interplay between Dog and Beth is hilarious - they're both larger than life characters, except they're real. I love that.


Then, before I posted, I looked up some info on my man, Dog, online, only to find out that he's been ARRESTED! What for, you might ask? His hook is that he's been on both sides of the law. He did some hard time in Texas before straightening out, so he gets the way the criminal mind works. Did he slip up? Did he revert to old ways? No. He brought in that punk Andrew Luster, the Max Factor heir and convicted rapist. Andrew is now doing a 124 year sentence, because, of course, he's GUILTY. He fled the country during his trial for poisoning and rape and was convicted in absentia on 86 counts including multiple rape charges. And what does Dog get for it? He's arrested because he did the take down in Mexico where bounty hunting is apparently, techincally, illegal.

Fortunately he's out on bail because, being a bail bondsman, they don't consider him a flight risk. Still, I'm buying my Free Dog shirt and wearing it proudly. I'm not the only one. Twenty-nine congressmen signed a letter to Condoleeza Rice asking that he not be extradited. If convicted, he could serve 4 years in a Mexican prison. So far, Ms. Rice hasn't responded. I'd like to add my voice to the mix.
Free the Dog!

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Christmas Boxers

To Santa or Not to Santa


"We shall find peace. We shall hear angels. We shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds." Chekov's words sum up how I feel about Christmas. It seems like we are just *this* much closer to heaven - as though it bowed down to touch Earth, so many years ago, and every winter does again. There is an exquisite magic about the entire season for me, and I've tried hard to pass this onto my children. So far, Kira seems to have the same sense of wonder about it and I couldn't be more happy.

But, I do get a little sad when I see the magic, and the faith, and the belief that is so much a part of the season co-opted by Santa Claus. Don't get me wrong, I love Santa, and he's all over the house with his little bag of toys, but the posters that say "believe" under a picture of the man with the bag, rather than under a manger feels like the wonder and majesty of Christmas being misdirected.

Last Christmas, I had to decide very clearly how I was going to handle Santa when Kira asked, point blank, (or rather asserted) that Santa was real.

My parents never told me that he was real, but "Santa" still always brought the big presents that couldn't be handled with conventional wrapping paper - doll houses and bicycles and such and we were always very excited to hear that "Santa" had one more gift for us... then ran and hugged Mom and Dad. I didn't want to completely deprive her of the fun of Santa Claus. I knew houses where Santa was nearly a swear word, and that always seemed unfortunate.

I said that Saint Nicholas was very much real and we read all about him, and the three girls he saved from slavery and all of the gifts he gave. I told her that Saint Nicholas, or Santa, gave gifts just like God gave us Jesus and that's why we give gifts to each other at Christmas time. She seemed pretty satisfied with that.

I figure, while I'm telling her that the long awaited King was born of a virgin, heralded by angels, witnessed by shepherds, worshipped by astrolgers, and is coming back one day - best not to also tell her that a guy in a red suit brings the presents. One day she'll grow up and know that Mom and Dad brought the presents, so why would I then expect her to believe in the rest. I feel like her faith is a precious thing.

So how do others of you deal with Santa? Is it a concern in your house? Did you do what your parents did? Or did you do something different?

Thursday, December 07, 2006

I'm here, really!

First off - I'm sorry for the sad lack of posts. I have the month of December off from my office job (I refuse to say off from work, because, I'm certainly working!) so, lots less time in front of my laptop. ;) In the interlude, my big girl has turned SIX! WOW!!! Stay tuned for a retrospective in pictures.

For now, I wanted to share a recent conversation. For background, Kira is learning a memory verse every week for each letter of the alphabet at school.

As I'm bringing silverware to the table I hear...

Kira: "Daddy! You took a bite! Mommy isn't here yet and we didn't even pray!"
Daddy: "What? I didn't take a bite."
Kira: "Yes you did, I saw you!"
Daddy: (extra innocent voice) "I don't know what you're talking about, Kira!"
Kira: "K Verse, 'Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.' John 34:13. I just thought you should hear that, Daddy."