End o' Week Musings

It's been the slowest quick week ever!

I wasn't feeling well Friday, so I went home from work early and spent the bulk of my weekend in bed resting. I was determined to make the Philm and Halford concert at the Grove in Anaheim Sunday night and I did!

The show was great. Philm was very interesting, as they draw from a wide range of genres to produce a unique metal sound. And Halford, well, Rob's still got the voice and his band is full of energy. There will be a review of the show with photos by Keith Durflinger at http://www.dabelly.com/ after the 1st, plus an interview with Jerry Nestler of Philm.

The rest of the week, I took it easy. My back has been acting up a bit, so I focused on doing exercises and stretches for it, as well as hot and cold treatments like in physical therapy. I'm feeling quite a bit better today.

It was fun this morning, as I breezed in with a bundle of gifts for my co-workers and went to work playing Santa's elf. I love to surprise people with presents and give them a smile!

I'm off work tomorrow, but I'll be sticking close to home. My brother, mom and I may meet up for breakfast or lunch and later, I'm taking mom to Westminster church in Pasadena for the late service, which will be filled with a music program. There is going to be bell/chime players and my mom and I both love that.

Christmas I'm sleeping in, unless Santa's reindeers make too much noise on my roof! I plan to stay quiet at home and mostly alone, although I do have a few visitors who plan to stop by.

Next week is wide open and waiting for adventure-- can you believe I don't even have plans for New Year's Eve?! Aw, but the week is young!!

Now to get you in the mood for caroling Christmas Eve, I'd like to share a video with you that my friend Manny sent me: "MERRY CHRISTMAS from an unlikely source.......... GWAR!!!"

Check this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuvHWRsCn5w

In rotation this week: "A Very Metal Christmas," "Santa and Satan: One and the Same?," Annie Lennox's "A Christmas Cornucopia," 38 Special's "A Wild Eyed Christmas Night," "A Wilderness Christmas" and "Voices: Chant from Avignon."

Photos we got 'em: Pet photos from the Internet, a card my friend DJ Ken sent and a shot of me and Santa at Arcadia Blues Club last week from my friend Mike (I never did get my pony!)

Thought o' the week: The best gift of all is you. It's a wild rush of shopping madness for many of us during the holidays, but sometimes the present most appreciated is the easiest to give.

This really came home to me last night when I called one of my friends to chat. She was very down and stressed out. She talked and I listened. Her biggest gripe was that everyone was trying to cheer her up or tell her what they thought she needed to make her happy and what she wanted was time to herself to cry, yell or do whatever she needed to cope with her feelings- alone.

The only thing I told her was you don't have to give in to what everyone wants you to do and don't let them guilt you into it either. We all go through times when we need to be alone with our feelings. Other than that, I listened and, by the time she was ready to say good bye, she was sounding much better.

I could go buy her some fancy gift, but instead I offered to be "on standby" if she wanted to talk and, if she wanted a visit, I would come armed with a bottle of her favorite wine.

So remember, it doesn't need a designer label or have to be lavish, the gifts we charish most usually come from the deeds and words of others. Now go one step further and think beyond the holidays to sharing the gift of yourself - a smile, an ear, a kind word - the whole year through.

Keep on rockin'

Mickie