Freaky Friday

TGIF!  When you have two three-day work weeks in a row (IMEA and Thanksgiving), it's funny how long a five-day work week can seem! It helps that I love what I do, though!

So, it's finally Friday!  What's freaky?

This.  A sad freaky thing.  Scott Weiland, singer from the Stone Temple Pilots, passed away yesterday on his tour bus.  My husband was going to run sound for him tomorrow night at a local night club.  RIP, Mr. Weiland.

This.  Last night was our winter UNI Children's Choir concert.  I do so many concerts at school and have done so many over the years, that I don't usually get nervous for them, but I was a bit nervous about this one.  I'm not sure why, other than perhaps it was because this choir is still new to me and it was my first concert with them.  It was wonderful, however, and I am so proud of how beautifully those kids sang.  I have the best assistant directors and administrative director and our accompanist was top notch!  Thank you to everyone who helped us pull it off.  Our next concert?  Singing with the symphony next Saturday for their family concert!  I'm SUPER excited for that.  Singing with a symphony is an amazing experience.  The kids will love it!

This.  Tonight the Krampus movie opens. Angelle and I are planning to go tonight if we can make it work with everyone's activities. Who is Krampus?  Krampus is from old German folklore and is said to be the shadow of St. Nicholas.  That's why Krampus Day and St. Nicholas Day are on the same day (which I believe is actually Sunday, December 6).  He is also known as the "Christmas demon", which is a darker way of describing him, but he does have horns, a hideous tongue that's apparently too long for his mouth, cloven hooves, a pitchfork and a tail.  I hope you've been good this year, because his job is to travel with St. Nicholas and collect the naughty children in his bag, then take them down to his lair.  I'm not sure what he does with them there, and I don't think I want to know. Freaky.

This.  Speaking of St. Nicholas, I LOVE ST. NICHOLAS!!  I have a friend who always celebrated St. Nicholas day by leaving her children's shoes full of candy, money, and nuts.  I've never actually gotten around to celebrating to that extent, but there is something about him that I've always loved. In the spirit of St. Nicholas, I like to perform small random acts of kindness during the Advent season. Usually this manifests as paying for the car behind me in a drive-through.  Usually it's the Starbucks drive-through, but last night it was Taco Bell.  What fun!  It's a joyful thing to do and if you check out this site, Kind Spring Smile Cards, you can order "pay it forward" cards to use.  I'm currently out of the cards, but am going to order some more.  Have you performed any fun random acts of kindness lately?  It gives you a freaky good feeling inside.

This.  Whether you are Christian, Jewish, Pagan, Wiccan, Muslim, Hindu, an Atheist or an Agnostic, this season is the season of giving.  No matter what you believe, I believe we can celebrate together.  I will say "Merry Christmas" when I see you, so please don't be offended.  It has nothing to do with me thinking everyone should be a Christian.  I also say "Happy Halloween" in October, and "Happy Thanksgiving" in November. I say it because, gosh darn it, I LOVE HOLIDAYS!!!  And I LOVE JOY!!  I love the holidays  in all their contexts; pagan, secular and religious.  I LOVE decorating, I LOVE traditions, I LOVE holiday music and fun. Whatever you do and however you celebrate, try to find the joy of the season and keep the spirit of giving in your heart.  That's what it's really all about, and I think that's freakishly awesome.  

So, celebrate your path, dare to be freaky, and enjoy this beautiful Holiday season while it's here.  Make a wish, dare to dream, help someone else's dreams come true.  Give joy, give kindness.  It's the best gift you can give to yourself. Freaky how easy that is.