This morning I feeling rather upbeat, compared to yesterday it was a difference of night and day. I happily listened to the radio all the way to work. My station of choice: the only one I knew of currently playing Christmas music.

It just kind of hit me with a startling realization: Christmas is almost here. Thanksgiving (and Black Friday) snuck up on me and flew by like a tornado tearing through a trailer park. I’ve bought only a handful of gifts, and we haven’t even put up any of the decorations yet. Oy ve, there’s so much to do!

I haven’t even mucked up my Christmas theme yet, ACK!

That said, I’m gently reminded why I love this holiday. The gatherings and coming together. The food. The fellowship. The food. Bringing joy to others. Have I mentioned THE FOOD? hehehehe

Seriously though, this is the time of year where I eagerly pour myself into as many projects as I can … and I’d like to extend a call for support for a couple which hold special meaning to me:

Send a Pin Up Calender to a Hospitalized Vet

There is a great post on Cookie’s site featuring this clever girl who has put her God given talents to work for a wonderful cause:

Pin Ups for Vets

Gina Elise is a model with a BA from UCLA. She has spent 2006 and 2007 on her project that combines what she knows (modeling, photography, history) to help a cause dear to her heart (hospitalized veterans and soldiers in need). So, she created a project called Pin Ups for Vets which is co-sponsored by American Legion Post 360 of Lake Arrowhead, California. Her 2007 Pin Up Calendar sold out and now she has her 2008 Calendar available.

Gina says this about her project:

Over the past year, I have heard and read incredible stories about the injured soldiers returning from military service. Their hardest battles have just begun, as they attempt to recover in Veterans Hospitals all across America . I was touched by each story, and knew that I had to try to do something to help our hospitalized Vets.

I came up with an idea to recreate a World War II style pin-up calendar that would have the dual purpose of raising money for programs that support hospitalized Veterans, and also serve as a GIFT for each and every Veteran, as they recover in a Veterans Hospital.

I always loved the beautiful pin-up photos and paintings from the World War II era that American soldiers took overseas with them to boost their morale. The troops often carried these “cheesecake” pictures with them into war to help remind them of what they were fighting for back home. One of the most famous pinup shots was taken in the 1940’s of actress Betty Grable, in a bathing suit, looking back over her shoulder.

With these old glamorous pictures as inspiration, I decided to try to recreate the feeling of these nostalgic pin-ups in my own photo shoots, and then assemble my pictures in a calendar for a fund-raiser to benefit the programs that support the hospitalized Veterans, injured in ALL wars, past and present.

Calendar donations go to:

• eyeglasses for Veterans
• the home health program
• recreational therapy
• spinal cord injury & amputee programs
• substance abuse programs
• women’s Veterans’ program
• chapel improvements
• homeless programs
• reading materials and subscriptions for Veterans
• social relief funds
• patio improvements, parking lot shuttle, courtesy cart
• televisions, wheelchairs, and outreach programs for the visually impaired…

… and so much more. It takes a lot to impress me, and I gotta say: more power to her! She’s taken on a very impressive project and I think it’s fabulous. I mean honestly, this is what you call using “the goods” for good! (kinda reminds me of another smart beauty I know … )

Calendars can be purchased for yourself, they can be sent to a soldier (any soldier or one you give the address for), or for a hospitalized veteran. Gina will be visiting our soldiers at Walter Reed in January and needs to bring at least 100 calendars with her. Purchase a calendar to give to a Soldier at Walter Reed here (option #2).

There are a lot of soldiers out there who will be spending Christmas away from their homes and loved ones. My brother-in-law, Michael, is one of them. Getting packages from home is more precious to most of them than anything — reminders of home, of who and what awaits their return, and what they are fighting to protect.

Treats for Troops

I received a Treats for Troops newsletter (also from Cookie … thank you, Sir!) earlier today and wanted to share it with y’all. Featured inside are selections from their holiday shops: various packages of all sizes that you can send to your loved one overseas — or just to any soldier. There’s also heart-warming stories and thanks, letters of appreciation from soldiers who have received one of their packages:

Atop the Treats for Troops newsletter is a quote — “Nothing makes a soldier smile like a package from home.” I’d like to be able to bring smiles to a few, if only a handful. And if some of you would like to help do so too, that would be wonderful.

Besides, if it’s good enough for Chuck Norris, then get off your duff and do it!

I received an email about this one who’s also gaining a lot of notoriety: Car Angel (www.carangel.com) — It’s a not-for-profit company that takes car donations and makes videos for kids and teens. They have given away 2.4 million plus videos to date.

For a sample of their works and/or to go donate car, visit them at www.carangel.com

… but I really DO want one of these for my bathroom:

Periodic Table Shower Curtain

I got the news this past weekend (via a UAB “welcome packet”), but it hadn’t really sunk in until I signed the papers this morning. As of today (well, November 1st actually), I am now a permanent state employee. My job here at UAB opened up a few weeks back and I applied and was approved for an upgrade from full-time temporary to permanent status!

YAY!!!!!

While my actual job doesn’t change any, I do get a few additional benefits, including the ability to start attending school. If memory serves me, UAB pays for 18 credit hours per year, so that’s a class or two each semester. Picking a major will be hard — right now EVERYTHING interests me!

So now I gotta see about getting my transcripts sent over here and how to start the application process and all that mess … but I’m excited!

I read That’s Fit pretty much every day. There are always a lot of good articles concerning general health and fitness tips, along with tasty (healthy) recipes and interesting medical-related articles. In general, it’s good stuff … I highly recommend them.

Well, today there was a post listing the top 5 safest SUVs — and wouldn’t you know it, my car is among the top 5.

The article starts off with: “There’s always been a general consensus when it comes to safe vehicles that bigger is safer…” I can vouch for that. I can remember my mother saying that every time we looked at cars. In fact, my first car was a boat — a Chrysler Fifth Avenue. The frame was solid — I, uh, “tested” the car’s durability on several occasions with various road objects and even took on a Toyota truck. (my car won ) And it had room, and then some! You could seriously stretch all the way out in the backseat and still have plenty of space to move around. Man, they don’t make cars like that anymore.

Anyways, the article goes on to say that ‘bigger’ is not exactly ’safer’ anymore. In fact, nowadays it’s actually more dangerous to drive a larger vehicle. In their comparisons, the Ford Excursion had 3 times the death rate of the smaller Excursion and twice that of the mid-sized Explorer! (and btw: the Explorer is no longer sold … maybe Ford should re-think this?)

Forbes magazine has published the list of 15 safest SUVs. Here are the top 5:

w00t!