Chinese New Year - a dream...

I woke this morning shocked to find myself in my little tiny twin bed. In fact, I had been dreaming so vividly that I truly thought I should be in another time and place.

I realized (upon waking) that I was a tiny Asian woman in my dream. I was having an important dinner and wanted to serve the best tea I had to celebrate. So, I pulled out an old antique tea set that was white with red dragons painted on it (note: I really own such a tea set and I was born in the year of the dragon).

As people came to the party they brought me more and more teapots with cups and we continued to fill them and fill the cups on the finely clothed tables for people to drink. At one point I was offered a box with 4 teapots inside. They were glazed in the brightest colors - red, blue, green, and yellow. The woman offering them to me asked if I would like to use one for the special occasion. I told her to have them all filled and I would share their splendor with everyone.

I was sipping tea and talking with friends when I was rudely ripped from my party by my alarm clock.

Now, of course, today is the Chinese New Year. Maybe, subconsciously, I had my New Year celebration while dreaming.

I like my friend, Enid's, interpretation better-

"I believe you have been given a blessing. You have many people giving you tea pots and staying to drink tea. You have many friends who enjoy your company and wish to spend time with you. You were given 4 teapots of the traditional colors for China. Representing not only earth, air, fire, and water but also the arrival at a destination along with a feeling of satisfaction. You were specifically asked if you wanted to just fill one pot and said.. 'fill them all'.. and then you shared with others. So, you are sharing these blessings. You can also look at it as confirmation that you have chosen correctly in some of your recent decisions."

The dream surely felt postive and wonderful- and, I am blessed with family and friends whom I love and whose company I enjoy.

It has been a Happy Chinese New Year- indeed!

Something Fun

So, duff has once again challenged me to a game- this time it is the alphabet game.

Here you go!

[A is for age:]
29

[B is for booze of choice]
Tequila- but I am limited to 1 shot or 2 margaritas because it gets me wild wild wild! I have been told my eyes change color after just one shot. So, Tanqueray gin and tonics do just fine.

[C is for career]
I don’t know if my generation really plans on having only one career. Currently, I am a career student.

[D is for your dog's name:]
Sigh… none at this time. Although I am indirectly an adopted parent for two cats- Tito and Joey as well as two dogs – Baxter and Tina.

[E is for essential items you use everyday:]
deodorant. toothpaste. toothbrush. computer. bed.

[F is for favorite song at the moment:]
favorite current song- “Six Days” by DJ Shadow

[G is for favorite games:]
scrabble, boggle, balderdash, catch phrase (thanks to Travis)

[H is for hometown:]
born: Helena

[I is for instruments you play:]
Piano- sort of… long time ago…

[J is for jam or jelly you like]
raspberry

[K is for kids?:]
Undecided. I am still working on getting my poo together. I would have to meet and fall in love with an amazing man. It’s possible.

[L is for last kiss?:]
My last kiss was the mini candy coated kind and I had it yesterday.

[M is for most admired trait:]
sense of humor, humility, and genuine passion and caring

[N is for name of your crush:]
I currently have 2 and neither can be named in this venue.

[O is for overnight hospital stays:]
none. *knocks wood*

[P is for phobias:]
claustrophobia, heights, and drowning

[Q is for quotes you like:]
“As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Nelson Mandella

[R is for biggest regret:]
Any hurt I have caused those that I love.

[S is for sweets of your choice:]
caramel filled kisses washed down with a diet pepsi

[T is for time you wake up:]
after a cup of coffee

[U is for underwear:]
on guys- boxers or boxer briefs

[V is for vegetable you love:].
Artichokes and asparagus

[W is for worst habit:]
fretting about that which I can not control

[X is for x-rays you've had:]
teeth and a toe

[Y is for yummy food you make:]
tequila-lime chicken, chicken fajitas, homemade chili with a kick, killer tuna melt, rock’n cheese dip, and pretty much anything in the baking realm- brownies, cake, cookies, muffins- you name it.

[Z is for zodiac sign:]
scorpio and dragon

There you have it- some gory details about me.

A different kind of love machine...

I posted these same thoughts to my My Space account today. Can you forgive me this once for cheating?

You know what? We got it good. I got it good.

Friends, family, loved ones... heat, food, clothes...a roof overhead.

I saw something today that I have not seen before. Outside of the giant consumer conglomerate Wal Mart there sat a blue and green 70's van with a big sign that said, "Mobile Soup Kitchen." Around the van and in the snow there were several lawn chairs with people sitting in them. Their bags were here and there on the ground and their hands were wrapped around steaming cups.

I remembered a conversation I had yesterday as I drove by with my two bags of items- not all necessities- sitting in the seat beside me. A friend and I had left another consumer conglomerate, Target, and passed a gentleman sitting at the corner asking for money. We discussed our guilt and called ourselves names for each time we just drove by without giving. But we also talked about praying for them and the times we bought coffee or food for someone on a corner and they were either grateful or disdainful- even turning down the food or drink while stating that they wanted money.

This van presented me with a new look at the street corners of capitalism. Someone, perhaps like my friend and I, had decided not to drive by but instead drive to these folks and offer them a hot meal along with momentary companionship.

As I returned home I prayed. I asked God to bless each and everyone around that van and then thanked Him for everything He has given me in life.

And, I wondered, is there a mobile soup kitchen in Helena? Shouldn't every city have one? Couldn't churches and other community organizations band together to support one or two vans in each locale depending on its demographics?