2009 Passes

Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts on December 31, 2009.

One last look at the Christmas holiday in Germany.

A cool synagogue in Dresden.

Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady)

When I visited in 1997, this church was only a pile of rubble. Labelled with identifying numbers, the remains were painstakingly reassembled to restore the building to its former glory before the World War II bombings.

Herrnhunter Sterne

These stars were invented as Christmas neared in the beginning of the 18th century by a Moravian monastic brother as he tried to keep children entertained in school. Now, these stars, which symbolize the guiding Christmas star, hang all over the city, in streets, church steeples and in homes. (Fortunately, I was given one for Christmas and will be able to bring some German Christmas home with me for decorating next year.)

Also for the late night.

These Germans can drink! After hopping some pubs, Matthias realizes that the train runs a different schedule at 4 in the morning.

Glüwein is one of reaons to celebrate a German Christmas. Hot, mulled wine can be purchased on street corners, with a deposit down for the glass. Drinking it whileyou shop or people watch, you can later keep the cup, or return it for your deposit back. Of course, you can also just ask for a refill!

Nele (left), Anne (middle) and friend pause before we head out into the wonderful winter snow.

Some potential decorating ideas...

Since I'm planning to buy a home in Albuquerque, I thought I should consider one in Dresden, too.

Dresden Skyline

Vacation

Leaving for two weeks in Germany, followed by a few days in Boston with my godson and family. I'm sooooooo ready! Hopefully will get to post some photos while there.

Our first billboard campaign went live today...

In the throes of getting down payment in place; inspection completed; home owner's insurance and all that stuff; board meeting tomorrow; two proposals due to the Governor's Deputy Chief of Staff in the AM; everything at work in place before leaving; Christmas gifts and cards signed sealed and delivered; laundry done; locate a suitcase for travel; and packing. I cancelled a workshop tonight that I was supposed to lead and referred a hypnosis client to another hypnotherapist.

Three days to go!

You Might Be in the Southwest

...if you go to buy a windshield ice scraper at an auto store in the middle of December and the store has not yet decided to carry them.

Counter offer from seller of The Blue Goose has arrived. I am sending back an acceptance notification of the offer. There is still loads of paperwork, a house inspection, etc., etc. before anything is finalized.

All this before I leave the country next Friday morning!

Who's Dennis Lecturing Now?

Yeah, I finally managed the right night and time to be at the Governor's Mansion. That's Bill Richardson on the left, with whom I had some substantial conversation.

And now that my blog has recently contained the words "White House" "crashing party" and "Governor Richardson" I might as well use it to say hi to my friends over at the Secret Service...since I know that you are now reading this, too. (The SS guys frequent our shelter whenever a resident makes a threat against the president. That doesn't happen often, but we do have folks struggling with mental illnesses here that lead to some interesting encounters.)

Original house of interest, The Blue Goose, is back on the market. I submitted a bid.

New Home Ideas

Still house hunting. Decided against an 1898 Revival style in downtown as it would need more money than I have to fix up. But...

Here's a style that I think I might want to emulate:

Party Crashing

I met the woman whom the White House should have had as security to prevent Tareq and Michaele Salahi from crashing the party. She is the woman who stopped me from crashing Governor Richardson's home party last night!

I drove up to Santa Fe to attend a reception at the Governor's Mansion. Parked the van. Straightened my tie and proceeded in through the front door. Only to be stopped and told that my name was not on the guest list. Sternly.

Checked my invitation again. Oh, yes. It says that I'm invited to a reception alright...but not until next week! Hopefully, the same reception lady will not be present. Perhaps she'll be in D.C. training presidential security staff.

Precious

I'm thinking ahead to the Academy Awards. When they announce the nominee's for movies, they typically name the book that one is based on, if it is.

So with "Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" as part of its title, would they announce this movie as

"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire", based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire"?

Photo Gizmo Replaced

So I can upload pics again. These are from my flight with my parents in October.