"Le meilleur de tous les cadeaux autour de n'importe quel sapin de Noël : la présence d'une famille heureuse tous enveloppés l'un dans l'autre." 🎄

Burton Hillis

Gif Tenor

W A T C H I N G

My mom said she wanted to see it for many years, but my grandfather didn't allow it. He was a fairly bigoted person.

I only ever saw pieces of it throughout the years on history channel or whatever it was.

USS Albacore (SS-218), a 311-foot, Gato-class submarine lost 7 November 1944 of the coast of Hokkaido Japan, she was presumed lost on 21 December 1944 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 30 March 1945, found 16 February 2023.

The USS Albacore earned 9 battle stars, received 4 Presidential Unit Citations and was responsible for sinking at least 10 ships.

Below is a listing of the ships compliment, their names are written in memorial at the National Memorial Cemetary of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii:

IN THESE GARDENS ARE RECORDED

THE NAMES OF AMERICANS

WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES

IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY

AND WHOSE EARTHLY RESTING PLACE

IS KNOWN ONLY TO GOD

Walter Henry Barber, Jr., Kenneth Ripley Baumer, Henry Forbes Bigelow, Jr., Edward Brown Blackmon, William Walter Bower, Allan Rose Brannam, Herbert Hodge Burch, Nicholas John Cado, John Joseph Carano, Charles Lee Carpenter, James Louis Carpenter, Pasquale Charles Carracino, Stanley Chapman, Douglas Childress, Jr., Frederick Herbert Childs, Jr., Perry Aubrey Collom, Audrey Cecil Crayton, Eugene Cugnin, John Wilber Culbertson, Philip Hugh Davis, Ray Ellis Davis, Fred Wallace Day, Julius Delfonso, James Leroy DeWitt, James Thomas Dunlap, Carl Hillis Eskew, John Francis Fortier, Jr., Gordon Harvey Fullilove, Jr., John Wilfred Gant, John Paul Gennett, William Henry Gibson, John Frederick Gilkeson, Charles Chester Hall, James Kenneth Harrell, Robert Daniel Hill, Allen Don Hudgins, Donald Patrick Hughes, Eugene Edsel Hutchinson, Burton Paul Johnson, Sheridan Patrick Jones, George Kaplafka, Nelson Kelley, Jr., Morris Keith Kincaid, Victor Edward Kinon, Joseph Mike Krizanek, Arthur Star Kruger,Walter Emery Lang, Jr., Jack Allen Little, Kenneth Walter Manful, Patrick Kennyless McKenna, Willie Alexander McNeill, Joseph Norfleet Mercer, Leonard David Moss, Richard Joseph Naudack, Encarnacion Nevarez, Joseph Hayes Northam, Frank Robert Nystrom, Robert James O'Brien, Elmer Harold Peterson, Charles Francis Pieringer, Jr., James Teel Porter, Jerrold Winfred Reed, Jr., Francis Albert Riley, Hugh Raynor Rimmer, A. B. Roberts, James Ernest Rowe, Philip Shoenthal, George Maurice Sisk, Joe Lewis Spratt, Harold William St. Clair, Arthur Lemmie Stanton, Robert Joseph Starace, John Henry Stephenson, Maurice Crooks Strattan, Earl Richard Tanner, William George Tesser, Paul Raymond Tomich, Charles Edward Traynor, Theodore Taylor Walker, Elmer Weisenfluh, James Donald Welch, Richard Albert West, Wesley Joseph Willans, Leslie Allan Wilmott, David Robert Wood

The Christmas Tree

Christmas tree legends The Christmas Tree, an article that explains its legend, origin and tradition, with some enlightening merry quotes to enrich the great value of the Christmas period. Snowflakes felt so awesome in winter season. There is a main figure in Christmas known as Santa Claus. And the main theme of Christmas is jingle bell, a very famous tune known all other the world. People use this tune a lot all over the Christmas event, and it feels so good like something very positive that will bring peace and happiness in our lives. Moving between the legs of tables and of chairs, rising or falling, grasping at kisses and toys, advancing boldly, sudden to take alarm, retreating to the corner of arm and knee, eager to be reassured, taking pleasure in the fragrant brilliance of the Christmas tree. T. S. Eliot It is curious to what a degree one may become attached to a fine tree, especially when it is placed where trees are rare. Christian Nestell Bovee The Christmas tree is the dot on the i. Frank Taylor The trees that bud and blossom forth, Throughout the world from south to north, Are tokens that a life will bloom When manhood's passed beyond the tomb. T. Augustus Forbes Leith Three things are needed to make a Christmas tree: ornaments, the tree and faith in the future. Armenian proverb I stone got crazy when I saw somebody run down them strings with a bottleneck. My eyes lit up like a Christmas tree and I said that I had to learn. Muddy Waters My beer-drenched soul is sadder than all the dead Christmas trees in the world. Charles Bukowski He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. Roy L. Smith It’s not what’s under the Christmas tree that matters, it’s who’s around it. Charlie Brown A Christian should resemble a fruit tree with real fruit, not a Christmas tree with decorations tied on. John Stott The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. Burton Hillis

Christmas tree origins I grew up with a Christmas tree, I’m going to stay with a Christmas tree. Thomas Menino The perfect Christmas tree, all Christmas trees are perfect. Charles N. Barnard Some Christmas tree ornaments do more than glitter and glow, they represent a gift of love given a long time ago. Tom Baker The Christmas tree is beautiful only when it is finished and when the lights can be turned on, the crib is not, the crib is beautiful when you do it or even when you think about it. Luciano De Crescenzo Taking down the Christmas tree makes it feel official: time to get back to joyless and cynical. Greg Fitzsimmons I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love. Linus Van Pelt What will we find under the Christmas tree this year? Oh my God, I think the roots! Carl William Brown Glittering tinsel, lights, glass balls, and candy canes dangle from pine trees. Richelle E. Goodrich The best Christmas trees come very close to exceeding nature. Andy Rooney There is new life in the soil for every man. There is healing in the trees for tired minds and for our overburdened spirits, there is strength in the hills, if only we will lift up our eyes. Remember that nature is your great restorer. Calvin Coolidge The earth reminded us of a Christmas tree ornament hanging in the blackness of space. As we got farther and farther away it diminished in size. Finally it shrank to the size of a marble, the most beautiful marble you can imagine. James Irwin Christmas tree stands are the work of the devil and they want you dead. Bill Bryson Look at a tree, a flower, a plant. Let your awareness rest upon it. How still they are, how deeply rooted in Being. Allow nature to teach you stillness. Eckhart Tolle He that planteth a tree is the servant of God, He provideth a kindness for many generations, And faces that he hath not seen shall bless him. Henry Van Dyke

Christmas tree quotes Now I’m an old Christmas tree, the roots of which have died. They just come along and while the little needles fall off me replace them with medallions. Orson Welles Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 25 feet tall. Larry Wilde They’ve got plastic Christmas trees now. They’re hard to tell from the real aluminum ones. Milton Berle I was only kicking down the Christmas tree to get the star on top. Ray Bradbury I don’t know what I believe. I guess that makes me a christmas tree agnostic. Stephanie Perkins Only look what is still on the ugly old Christmas tree!" said he, trampling on the branches, so that they all cracked beneath his feet. And the Tree beheld all the beauty of the flowers, and the freshness in the garden; he beheld himself, and wished he had remained in his dark corner in the loft; he thought of his first youth in the woods, of the merry Christmas Eve, and of the little Mice who had listened with so much pleasure to the story of Klumpy-Dumpy. Hans Christian Andersen A Christmas tree, the perfect gift for a guy. The plant is already dead. Jay Leno The Christmas tree, twinkling with lights, had a mountain of gifts piled up beneath it, like offerings to the great god of excess. Tess Gerritsen A dog looking at a lit Christmas tree thinks: they finally put the light in the toilet. Romano Bertola Christmas trees don’t grow on trees; they need rainbows, lumberjacks, and Leprechauns on unicorns playing jock jams on glockenspiels. Ryan Ross Make your plate look like a Christmas tree, I tell people, mostly green with splashes of other bright colors. Victoria Moran There’s no experience quite like cutting your own live Christmas tree out of your neighbor’s yard. Dan Florence

True natural Christmas trees The smell of pine needles, spruce and the smell of a Christmas tree, those to me, are the scents of the holidays. Blake Lively Christmas is a very enjoyable event ever. It is a great feast for everyone. Kids, adults and grandparents. Everyone enjoy this occasion very much. Parents give presents to their children and this brings happiness in their hearts. An enormous amount of joy comes through this period which is a real gem for us. Therefore how could we avoid talking of one of the main symbol of this religious celebration, which is certainly the Christmas Tree, so let's read about its fascinating history. The Christmas tree today is a common custom to most of us. There are many interesting connections to ancient traditions such as Egyptian and Roman customs, early Christian practices, and Victorian nostalgia. However, most scholars point to Germany as being the origin of the Christmas tree. Long before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special meaning for people in the winter. Just as people today decorate their homes during the festive season with pine, spruce, and fir trees, ancient peoples hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows. In many countries it was believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness. In the Northern hemisphere, the shortest day and longest night of the year falls on December 21 or December 22 and is called the winter solstice. Many ancient people believed that the sun was a god and that winter came every year because the sun god had become sick and weak. They celebrated the solstice because it meant that at last the sun god would begin to get well. Evergreen boughs reminded them of all the green plants that would grow again when the sun god was strong and summer would return. The ancient Egyptians worshipped a god called Ra, who had the head of a hawk and wore the sun as a blazing disk in his crown. At the solstice, when Ra began to recover from his illness, the Egyptians filled their homes with green palm rushes, which symbolized for them the triumph of life over death.

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Early Romans marked the solstice with a feast called Saturnalia in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture. The Romans knew that the solstice meant that soon, farms and orchards would be green and fruitful. To mark the occasion, they decorated their homes and temples with evergreen boughs. In Northern Europe the mysterious Druids, the priests of the ancient Celts, also decorated their temples with evergreen boughs as a symbol of everlasting life. The fierce Vikings in Scandinavia thought that evergreens were the special plant of the sun god, Balder. One of the earliest stories relating back to Germany is about Saint Boniface. In 722, he encountered some pagans who were about to sacrifice a child at the base of a huge oak tree. He cut down the tree to prevent the sacrifice and a Fir tree grew up at the base of the oak. He then told everyone that this lovely evergreen, with its branches pointing to heaven, was a holy tree - the tree of the Christ child, and a symbol of His promise of eternal life. Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it in the 16th century when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. Some built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles if wood was scarce. Another story tells that perhaps it was Martin Luther responsible for the origin of the Christmas tree. This story says that one Christmas Eve, about the year 1500, he was walking through the snow-covered woods and was struck by the beauty of the snow glistened trees. Their branches, dusted with snow, shimmered in the moon light. When he got home, he set up a small fir tree and shared the story with his children. He decorated the Christmas tree with small candles, which he lighted in honor of Christ's birth. Another legend says that in the early 16th century, people in Germany combined two customs that had been practiced in different countries around the globe. The Paradise tree (a fir tree decorated with apples) represented the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden.

Christmas tree in Rio de Janeiro The Christmas Light, a small, pyramid-like frame, usually decorated with glass balls, tinsel and a candle on top, was a symbol of the birth of Christ as the Light of the World. Changing the tree’s apples to tinsel balls and cookies and combining this new tree with the light placed on top, the Germans created the tree that many of us know today. In the 1840s and 50s, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert popularized the Christmas tree in England. Prince Albert decorated a tree and ever since that time, the English, because of their love for their Queen, copied her Christmas customs including the Christmas tree and ornaments. An engraving of the Royal Family celebrating Christmas at Windsor was published in 1848 and their German traditions were copied and adapted. Another story about the origin of the Christmas tree says that late in the Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen trees inside their homes or just outside their doors to show their hope that spring would soon come. Most 19th-century Americans found Christmas trees an oddity. The first record of one being on display was in the 1830s by the German settlers of Pennsylvania, although trees had been a tradition in many German homes much earlier. The Pennsylvania German settlements had community trees as early as 1747. But, as late as the 1840s Christmas trees were seen as pagan symbols and not accepted by most Americans. It is not surprising that, like many other festive Christmas customs, the tree was adopted so late in America. To the New England Puritans, Christmas was sacred. The pilgrims’s second governor, William Bradford, wrote that he tried hard to stamp out "pagan mockery" of the observance, penalizing any frivolity. The influential Oliver Cromwell preached against "the heathen traditions" of Christmas carols, decorated trees, and any joyful expression that desecrated "that sacred event." In 1659, the General Court of Massachusetts enacted a law making any observance of December 25 (other than a church service) a penal offense; people were fined for hanging decorations. That stern solemnity continued until the 19th century, when the influx of German and Irish immigrants undermined the Puritan legacy. The early 20th century saw Americans decorating their trees mainly with homemade ornaments, while the German-American sect continued to use apples, nuts, and marzipan cookies. Popcorn joined in after being dyed bright colors and interlaced with berries and nuts. Electricity brought about Christmas lights, making it possible for Christmas trees to glow for days on end. With this, Christmas trees began to appear in town squares across the country and having a Christmas tree in the home became an American tradition.

Christmas tree best wishes Research into customs of various cultures shows that greenery was often brought into homes at the time of the winter solstice. It symbolized life in the midst of death in many cultures. The Romans were known to deck their homes with evergreens during of Kalends of January 15. Living trees were also brought into homes during the old Germany feast of Yule, which originally was a two month feast beginning in November. The Yule tree was planted in a tub and brought into the home. But there is no evidence that the Christmas tree is a direct descendent of the Yule tree. Evidence does point to the Paradise tree however. This story goes back to the 11th century religious plays. One of the most popular was the Paradise Play. The play depicted the story of the creation of Adam and Eve, their sin, and their banishment from Paradise. The only prop on the stage was the Paradise tree, a fir tree adorned with apples. The play would end with the promise of the coming Savior and His Incarnation. The people had grown so accustomed to the Paradise tree, that they began putting their own Paradise tree up in their homes on December 24. Christmas trees have been sold commercially in the United States since about 1850. In 1979, the National Christmas Tree was not lighted except for the top ornament. This was done in honor of the American hostages in Iran. The tallest living Christmas tree is believed to be the 122-foot, 91-year-old Douglas fir in the town of Woodinville, Washington. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tradition began in 1933. Franklin Pierce, the 14th president, brought the Christmas tree tradition to the White House. In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge started the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony now held every year on the White House lawn. Since 1966, the National Christmas Tree Association has given a Christmas tree to the President and first family. Most Christmas trees are cut weeks before they get to a retail outlet. In 1912, the first community Christmas tree in the United States was erected in New York City. Christmas trees generally take six to eight years to mature. Christmas trees are grown in all 50 states including Hawaii and Alaska. 90 percent of all Christmas trees are grown on farms. More than 1,000,000 acres of land have been planted with Christmas trees. On average, over 2,000 Christmas trees are planted per acre. You should never burn your Christmas tree in the fireplace. It can contribute to creosote buildup. Other types of trees such as cherry and hawthorns were used as Christmas trees in the past. Thomas Edison’s assistants came up with the idea of electric lights for Christmas trees. In 1963, the National Christmas Tree was not lit until December 22nd because of a national 30-day period of mourning following the assassination of President Kennedy. Teddy Roosevelt banned the Christmas tree from the White House for environmental reasons. On the contrary the 2020 Christmas Tree is an 18 ½ foot Fraser Fir from West Virginia. It will serve as a centerpiece for Christmas decorations in the Blue Room of the White House. The White House Christmas Tree must stand 18-19 feet tall and reach the ceiling of the Blue Room, where the chandelier is removed each holiday season to accommodate the tree. And last but not least, if you want to choose the perfect Christmas tree visit the website of The American Christmas Tree Association (ACTA) which is a non-profit organization established to help families create holiday memories and build traditions by choosing the perfect Christmas tree. www.christmastreeassociation.org/ Instead if you need a good short story for your children about Christmas or the Christmas tree, you can find many of them at this link: https://americanliterature.com/author/hans-christian-andersen/short-story/the-fir-tree Top 10 Tallest Christmas Trees in The World Read also our other posts on Christmas  ; Christmas quotes ; 60 great Christmas quotes ; Christmas tree origin and quotes ;  Traditional Christmas Carols ; Christmas jokes ; Christmas markets in England ; Christmas cracker jokes ; Christmas food ; Christmas thoughts ; Read the full article

“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.” - Burton Hillis #burtonhillis #quotes #christmas #christmasquotes #christmastree #christmasgifts #family #inspirationalquotes https://www.instagram.com/p/CmHb5lsu8i0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

🎄La Navidad CAS

“El mejor de todos los regalos alrededor de cualquier árbol de Navidad es la presencia de una familia feliz” - Burton Hillis

✨ D e s c r i p c i ó n   d e l   a s u n t o   g l o b a l   y   p r o b l e m a   l o c a l

La Navidad es una de las principales festividades que se celebran a nivel mundial, en esta conocida festividad se suele compartir con la familia y se hace usualmente un intercambio de regalos, este día se caracteriza por la felicidad y debe ser pasado de manera disfrutable. Además del consumo de un delicioso panetón el cual es típico de la fecha.

Lamentablemente, algo que es necesario para celebrar esta festividad como se debe es contar con dinero, y es que si bien la intención no es obtener algo material, la ceremonia consiste de mucha comida compartida con nuestra familia. En el Perú, algo muy común sería la pobreza, “De acuerdo con el Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI), en el año 2021, la pobreza monetaria afectó al 25,9% de la población peruana”. Esto es realmente preocupante y realmente nos deja pensando si las personas con escasos recursos pudieron pasar esta festividad tan feliz compartiendo en familia. ¿Qué pasa con las personas que no tienen una familia o su familia es muy ausente? ¿Acaso ellos no celebran navidad?

Esta situación es realmente triste y es algo de lo que muchas personas han ganado consciencia. En el año 1949, John Cheever escribió un libro titulado “La Navidad es triste para los pobres”, dando a conocer que esta es la época del año donde notamos estas diferencias en cuanto a que tan privilegiados son algunos. La navidad, como la conocemos es una fiesta llena de comida, postres y villancicos, pero para ellos a veces no lo es… A veces solo se tienen unos a otros y no pueden vivir el espíritu navideño. Además, es importante indicar que esta fecha no solo no es disfrutable por este sector, sino también por personas que no cuentan con una familia o viven muy distanciados a ellos.

✨ D e s c r i p c i ó n   d e l   p r o y e c t o ,   a c t i v i d a d e s   y  p a r t i c i p a c i ó n   p e r s o n a l

En la actividad CAS “Navidad CAS”, se busca apoyar a la creación del evento de la Navidad CAS, la cual es ideada y realizada por nosotros, estudiantes de 10mo IB. Este evento consistiría en un sinfín de actividades divertidas donde podremos compartir, junto a los hijos del personal de limpieza de la USIL un evento previo a navidad, brindándoles la experiencia completa navideña que no todos pueden permitirse. Cada estudiante deberá encargarse de una parte del evento, entre ellos el baile, el intercambio de regalos, la preparación del chocolate, etc. En el proyecto “Navidad CAS” buscamos brindarles una experiencia inolvidable donde se divertirán un montón. Hemos elegido a este publico debido a que somos conscientes que no todos cuentan con los mismos privilegios que nosotros de tener una familia unida y con estabilidad.

La necesidad identificada vendría siendo los recursos para construir este proyecto. Al ser un evento muy grande existe un presupuesto por financiar en comida, bebidas, juegos, etc. Por lo que el estudiante debe abarcar un área especifica y apoyar con la organización o donación.

En esta oportunidad, yo me mantuve como participante. Me sentí realmente interesado por armas las canastas CAS, las cuales contienen una gran variedad de víveres y también las fotos navideñas, en las cuales organizaremos un escenario donde es posible tomarse fotos con la figura de “Santa Claus”, un personaje icónico navideño. Para prepararme, tuve que recolectar un equipo con quienes trabajaría cada área. Por otro lado, también tuve participaciones múltiples en cosas puntuales como traslación de cajas, grabación de la rifa, donación de víveres para la canasta etc.

✨ R e f l e x i ó n   p o r   c a d a   e t a p a   d e l   p r o y e c t o

Esta actividad aún no ha culminado, sin embargo, ya han pasado ciertas actividades! Actualmente estamos a 9 días de la Navidad CAS! Con respecto a lo que ha pasado actualmente, considero que mi rendimiento en esta actividad ha sido bueno. Realmente me siento muy entusiasmado por el día de la navidad CAS y poder ayudar a tantos niños a pasar un evento extraordinario.

Al investigar con respecto a la situación, sentí mucha empatía ya que nunca me había puesto a pensar en eso, pensar que mucha gente no puede permitirse celebrar una actividad tan importante para todos. En fin, considero que no cambiaría nada en cuanto a esta actividad ya que estoy cumpliendo con mi rol y disfrutando mucho ello. ¡Actualizaré esta reflexión al terminar esta actividad!

✨ R e s u l t a d o s   d e   a p r e n d i z a j e

Identificar en uno mismo los puntos fuertes y las áreas en las que se necesita mejorar - Al tener muy claro al inicio de esta experiencia CAS que me interesa la idea de reforzar mi empatía y hacer un cambio en la sociedad. En esta actividad logré darme cuenta de mis errores tanto como mis fortalezas.

Mostrar que se han afrontado desafíos y se han desarrollado nuevas habilidades en el proceso - Al decidir participar en esta actividad sabiendo que contamos con un tiempo muy reducido debido a los exámenes que se encontraban muy cerca. Suelo distraerme de mi objetivo muchas veces, pero estoy dispuesto a mejorar. En lo que va de la actividad, he podido retomar mi motivación por ayudar, si bien lo había estado haciendo, ahora me siento más motivado a seguir.

Mostrar compromiso y perseverancia en las actividades/proyectos - Al participar en todas las etapas de este proyecto de manera activa en relación a mi rol. En esta experiencia CAS, era muy importante trabajar activamente y considero que hice lo que estuvo en mis posibilidades para lograr el éxito de esta actividad. Además, he trabajado en actividades extra que han ayudado para la realización de esta actividad.

Mostrar habilidades de trabajo en equipo y reconocer los beneficios del trabajo colaborativo - Al reconocer el valor de trabajar en equipo para esta actividad. A pesar de que esta no haya concluído, he podido darme cuenta de la importancia de la participación de muchos compañeros en esta actividad que puede llamarse la más ambiciosa del colegio. De no ser así, esta actividad hubiese fracasado

Mostrar compromiso con cuestiones de importancia global - Al identificar cuales son las problemáticas, si estas son de enfoque global o nacional, y saber que hacer con respecto a esta. En esta actividad CAS, la problemática vendría siendo la falta de recursos de algunas familias para pasar una navidad armoniosa. Este es un problema muy común en el Perú y en el mundo en general.

Reconocer y considerar el aspecto ético de las decisiones y las acciones - Al reconocer que cualquier decisión tomada tendría una consecuencia ya sea positiva o negativa. En esta actividad CAS, fui responsable de muchas cosas tal como de armar la canasta navideña, donar víveres para esta, grabar la transmisión de los resultados de la rifa y demás. Cualquier actividad realizada inadecuadamente podría afectar como se desarrolla este proyecto, el más importante de todo el año.

REGALOS LLENOS DE AMOR ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

REGALOS LLENOS DE AMOR

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

“El mejor de todos los regalos alrededor de cualquier árbol de Navidad, es la presencia de una familia feliz, todos envueltos el uno en el otro”. Burton Hillis.

“El mayor regalo es una parte de ti mismo”. Ralph Waldo Emerson.

“Nadie se ha vuelto pobre por dar”. Anne Frank.

Hoy comenzamos el último mes del año, el de Navidad, el de los regalos, el de los días especiales y celebración con los que amamos… el de… “Vuelve a casa por Navidad”, el de extrañar tanto a los que están lejos o nos faltan en esta tierra, el de recuerdos de niñez….

Se cuenta una anécdota corta y preciosa a mis ojos, de modo especial en estos días en los que parece que lo que prima es correr de aquí para allá, comprar regalos y pensar en muchas cosas que en ocasiones son demasiado poco importantes en realidad. Permitid que la comparta con todos vosotros:

“Vivían en un pequeño pueblo, una familia con dos hijos pequeños, un buen día, el padre observó que su hija de tres años, había estropeado un rollo de papel dorado para envolver regalos, que tenían en la casa, pues… eran pobres y no les sobraba el dinero…

Se acercó hacia su hija y la riñó muy seriamente por estropear el papel de regalo, ya que se la encontró envolviendo una pequeña caja.

Al día siguiente, la niña regaló a su padre la cajita muy bien envuelta con el papel de regalo, el padre se sintió avergonzado por haber recriminado a su hija el día anterior.

Cuando abrió el paquete, observó que la cajita que contenía estaba vacía, por lo que el padre de nuevo se enfado y recriminó a su hija, que su regalo fuese solo aparente, ya que la cajita estaba vacía.

La pequeña, miro a su padre con los ojos llenos de lagrimas por no apreciar convenientemente su regalo y le respondió:

– «¡Pero, papá, no está vacía!. ¡Yo metí besos para ti!»

Entonces el padre, de nuevo se arrepintió de haberse enfadado con su hija y la abrazó cariñosamente, y le pidió que le perdonara.

Se cuenta que el hombre guardó su regalo dorado cerca de la cabecera de su cama durante muchos años y que siempre que le pasaba algo, tomaba uno de los besos que su hija con tanto cariño había depositado en la cajita, recordado el amor que ella había puesto en el regalo”.

La verdad es que me emociona esta pequeña historia, y tengo que pedir perdón por muchas cosas, por permitir meterme en la corriente del consumismo, porque, siempre intento regalar lo que me parece que va a gustar mas a la persona a la que que regalo, o a mí misma al comprarlo… Aquella cajita envuelta en papel dorado, estaba llena de besos guardados con el más profundo cariño, y a la hora de la verdad, eso es lo que cuenta. Dar y recibir cariño a todas las personas que quiero o, tal vez puedan necesitar algo.

Este año, de esos pocos amigos del alma que ya le quedaban a mi madre, esos que van enfermando, muriendo… pero que jamás se olvidaban de ella en unas fechas como estas, había un matrimonio que siempre tenía una fineza, y digo fineza porque así eran, cualquier cosa, no sólo con mucho cariño; sino con gusto y delicadeza. Hace unos cuantos meses partió él, y  al poco tiempo su esposa. Este año, ya no llegará esa fineza , que cuando llegaba, mi madre me hacía buscar en su viejo listín de teléfonos de siempre, y de los fijos. Siempre digo que conservamos el teléfono fijo por ella, para poder comunicarse con esos ya muy poquitos amigos del corazón que le quedan, con la única hermana que le queda…

¡REGALOS!

Hay muchas clases de regalos, unos porque llega el momento de hacerlos, regalos de diferentes clases, y los más bonitos del universos,…

¡REGALOS LLENOS DE AMOR!

En ocasiones son poco valorados, pero sigo pensando que la cajita de papel dorada llena de besos que guardamos muy cerca del corazón, y que abrimos, cuando lo necesitamos para tomar un beso sincero, es lo más precioso que existe, luego vendrá…. Lo que podamos de forma práctica; pero en palabras bíblicas…

“Y ahora permanecen la fe, la esperanza y el amor, estos tres; pero el mayor de ellos es el amor”.  1ª Cor. 13. 13.

Y hay un amor y un regalo que está muy por encima de todos los demás, el gran y maravilloso amor de Dios, que envió a su hijo al mundo para lograr nuestra salvación y vida eterna. ¿No te apetecería abrir ese regalo?  No está envuelto en papel dorado, está teñido de sangre preciosa, el más alto de los precios…

             ¡GRACIAS A DIOS POR SU DON INEFABLE!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

                          Beatriz Garrido ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Today’s Inspiration

Goddamn YouTube captions 😂😂😂

Youtubers who I’d love to be friends with/who I think it’d be really cool to be friends with: Hilly Hindi, Hannah Hindi, Brizzy Voices, Brian Hull, Noodlerella, Tessa Netting, and Malinda Kathleen Reese.

Now that I’ve finished season 4, I’m working on character teas for The Expanse. So far I have 60 teas lined up. We shall see how many more come with season 5. They’ll be up on Adagio by the end of the month, I think. I’m so ready to get to blending!

Season 1

Joe Miller

James Holden

Naomi Nagata

Amos Burton

Alex Kamal

Chrisjen Avasarala

Julie Mao

Sadavir Errinwright

Fred Johnson

Octavia Muss

Diogo

Jules-Pierre Mao

Anderson Dawes

Antony Dresden

Franklin Degraaf

Admiral Souther

Arjun Avasarala

Shed Garvey

Captain Shaddid

Inspector Sematimba

Dimitri Havelock

Elise Holden

Ade Nygaard

Season 2

Roberta Draper

Camina Drummer

Admiral Nguyen

Cotyar

Dr. Praxidike Meng

Mei Meng

Dr. Strickland

Secretary-General Gillis

Lt. Sutton

Solomon Epstein

Korshunov

Hilly

Corporal Sa'id

Private Travis

Season 3

Anna Volovodov

Klaes Ashford

Clarissa Mao

Riko Oshi

Monica Stuart

Cohen

Tilly Fagan

Katoa

Namono Volovodov

Hector Cortez

Season 4

Adolphus Murtry

Dr. Lucia Mazur

Esai Martin

Coop

Dr. Elvi Okoye

Dr. Fayez Sarkis

Chandra Wei

Nancy Gao

David Draper

Leelee

Marco Inaros

Phillip Inaros

Felcia

Mare of Easttown: What If No One Killed Erin McMenamin?

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

The following contains spoilers for Mare of Easttown through episode 4.

Who killed Erin McMenamin? That’s the question at the center of HBO’s atmospheric crime drama Mare of Easttown…alongside “how does Kate Winslet pull off that Wawa-saturated accent?”

The show offers no shortage of suspects. Seemingly every single character on Mare of Easttown has both cause and some sort of backwards reasoning for killing the innocent young mother played by Cailee Spaeny. Mare’s ex-husband Frank (David Denman) is rumored to have fathered Erin’s son DJ (though that theory is disproven in this week’s episode 4 “Poor Sisyphus”). Erin’s ex-boyfriend Dylan (Jack Mulhern) and his awful new girlfriend Brianna (Mackenzie Lansing) clearly want Erin out of the way. Deacon Mark Burton (James McArdle) has a questionable history at previous Catholic parishes. Then there’s the fact that successful author from out of town Richard Ryan is played by Guy “please cast me as the bad guy” Pearce. 

Even Mare’s daughter Siobhan (Angourie Rice) is pretty shifty – having technically been the last known person to see Erin alive. She’s also still recovering from the death of her brother and seems to have a strange streak of cruelty based on the bizarre events with her ex-girlfriend that leads to her grandmother sustaining a concussion in episode 4.

But what if Siobhan didn’t kill Erin – nor Richard Ryan, nor Mark Burton, nor Dylan, Brianna, John Ross, Father Dan Hastings, Chief Carter, or anyone else in Easttown? What if…no one killed Erin McMenamin? Allow me to explain. 

Crime dramas, the good ones at least, are very rarely about the crime itself. Instead crime dramas are useful narrative vessels to explore the souls of characters and their homes. People’s personalities are undoubtedly at their most heightened after a traumatic communal event. Stories about a murder within a community allow for a storyteller to really examine the nature of said community.

As its title implies, Mare of Easttown is particularly interested in both the people and the place it’s depicting. The Delaware County region of eastern Pennsylvania has often gone unexamined in movies and television but Mare of Easttown creator and native Pennsylvanian Brad Inglesby uses the show as an opportunity to portray the little-seen people who live in opioid-ravaged communities southwest of Philly. 

What Inglesby and the show thus far seems to be communicating is that life is much smaller, yet no less intense, in the hilly, forgotten areas of America. Easttown is a very insular place. Mare Sheehan was a basketball star at the local high school and opted never to leave, becoming a detective to serve the town she’d spent her whole life in. Mare’s life is hopelessly wrapped up in the lives of her peers. The fact that she can’t solve the missing person’s case of her friend Dawn Bailey’s daughter, Katie, is viewed as a personal slight rather than a professional failing.

When someone is breaking into homes in Easttown, Mare knows exactly who to look for because the husband of her friend just happens to have a heroin problem. Even Detective Colin Zabel (Evan Peters), of the more sophisticated county police department, solved his big career-making case by understanding the work schedule of one of his peers. 

The people of Easttown know each other intimately, and that’s why when one of their own turns up dead, so many of them seem like viable suspects. Just about everyone in Easttown has history with Erin McMenamin and her family, and therefore just about everyone seems to have motive and opportunity to have killed her. That level of knowledge of one another’s lives is a distinct advantage of living in a small community, but it also means that solving a murder case is an emotionally fraught endeavor. In fact, some cases that look like murder might not be murder at all. 

Why is Mare Sheehan so certain that Erin McMenamin has been murdered? Admittedly, the signs are there. Erin’s body is discovered at the bottom of rocky ledges in a trickling river. She is missing a finger, has a nasty gash on her head, and is naked save for her underwear bottoms. Mare quickly identifies the scene as a murder and the gash on Erin’s head as a gunshot wound. We never really have any reason to doubt her as this is a murder show after all, and Kate Winslet usually knows what she’s talking about. There’s also the fact that Erin’s murder comes in the wake of Katie Bailey’s disappearance. Surely, there is a serial killer in the community killing young women. 

But as the ending of episode 4 reveals, that may not necessarily be the case. Katie Bailey is alive, kidnapped by a local creep and imprisoned within the walls of Bernie’s Tavern. Not only that, but her kidnapper has abducted another local sex worker named Missy Sager. There is certainly a violent criminal on the loose, but it would appear that his M.O. does not match up perfectly with Erin McMenamin’s “murder.”

At the beginning of episode 3, the Easttown coroner shares her findings with Mare and Zobel. The autopsy identifies the time of Erin’s death sometime between midnight and 2 a.m. (pretty precise for a small town coroner, but we’ll leave that aside for now). There are no tears or abrasions present on Erin’s body. They also found no evidence of sexual assault. The coroner theorizes that Erin’s finger was severed by a bullet consistent with Mare’s theory, but they did not find any gunshot residue. Most importantly: the coroner notes that the bruises on the body are consistent, meaning they all happened at the same time. 

Read that last bit again: the bruises all happened at the same time. Doesn’t that sound like… a fall? Erin was found at the bottom of a cliff with consistent blunt force trauma spread evenly across her body. The only three things that suggest a murder are: Mare’s theory that the gash on Erin’s head was from a bullet, the missing finger, and the removal of Erin’s clothes. And each of those things could have an explanation beyond murder. 

Mare could merely be wrong about Erin’s head wound and the small town coroner goes along with the seasoned detective’s theory. A bear or another animal could have bitten Erin’s finger off post-mortem or it could have just been wrenched away from the violence of her fall. The lack of clothing is harder to explain away but perhaps Erin did indeed plan with hooking up with someone in the woods that night. 

In episode 3, Mare theorizes that Erin and her assailant disrobed elsewhere and that’s when Erin was killed by a gunshot, even though none of the area’s partying teens reported hearing gunfire. The ever-helpful county bullet-sniffing dogs do find evidence of gunshot residue and Mare then finds a bullet lodged in a tree. But do you know what that means? Someone shot a gun…in a rural area…in America. All trees in Delaware County should be presumed to have bullets lodged inside them until proven otherwise. 

Mare of Easttown excels in getting the viewer wrapped up in the local drama of all its characters. The town and the citizens within it are richly realized. Each new revelation about a suspect in the Erin McMenamin case feels deeply personal, because how could it not? Ultimately, the show could be banking on viewers making the same mistakes that its detectives do. 

Easttown is primed to accept a murder of one its youngest and brightest because why wouldn’t that happen in this shitty world? The murder of Erin McMenamin is tragic but it gives Mare and the people of Easttown one more opportunity to solve a mystery and make things right – to bring resolution to the Katie Bailey case. 

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Sometimes, however, there isn’t a boogeyman on the other end of a dead body – just a slippery rock and some shit fucking luck.

The post Mare of Easttown: What If No One Killed Erin McMenamin? appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3vVq1E8

There's a mighty big difference between good, sound reasons and reasons that sound good.

Burton Hillis

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.

- Burton Hillis

i love your enthusiasm for steve burton -finalfanasty

Hi! :D oh my goodness, thank you! I love Steve Burton, I think he’s fantastic as Cloud, he’s definitely my favorite Final Fantasy voice actor. I know that there’s always gonna be criticism towards each and every single English voice actor, but I feel terrible every time I read any of it. I don’t know why, I’ve just grown so attached to the English voices, because to me, a voice is a big part of a character and I’ve just identified the English ones to be a part of the characters’ identities. So it sucks reading about how people don’t like them, or how the Japanese ones are so much better. I’m sure they’re good, but there’s no reason to talk down on one to praise the other. And yes, the criticism hurts the most when it comes to Steve because he’s my fave. But, I know a lot of people also really like him in the role, and he has been Cloud’s voice for almost two decades now, so I don’t think he’s going anywhere, thankfully. 

Anyway, thank you! I think Steve does a fantastic job at capturing Cloud’s personality, and the different stages of his life. Like, comparing his acting in Crisis Core to Advent Children, for example. I think the people who say he’s too monotone don’t really get (or don’t agree with me when I say this) that Cloud is a little bit like that. He’s very stoic, calm and collected in a lot of situations, and I think Steve’s voice is perfect for that. I’m biased though, I actually prefer most monotone voices to those who shout and scream all the time. I find those a lot more pleasing to listen to (ex. Willa Holland as Aqua, David Gallagher as Riku, Doug Erholtz as Squall, Ali Hillis as Lightning). Anyway, despite that, I think Steve can also deliver the more emotional, tense moments, like his confrontation of Sephiroth in KH2, or his ghost!discussions with Aerith in AC. Plus, his voice is just really, really nice to listen to overall, and every time I hear it, I immediately think of Cloud. 

I don’t know, I just think Steve was the perfect choice for Cloud, and I’m thrilled he’s kept voicing him all these years, and I cannot wait to see what he does in the remake! 

Thanks again for sending me this, it made my day! :) 

Why Choose Moving to Lamorinda?

There are several reasons to choose Moving to Lamorinda as your new home. The public schools in the area are excellent. You will also love the fact that the neighborhoods are safe and walkable. The area is close to other business and cultural hubs. You'll be happy to know that there are numerous activities for kids and teens, too. If you're looking for an affordable place to raise your family, Lamorinda is a great choice.

If you're looking to move to Lamorinda with your children, consider choosing a neighborhood near the Lafayette-Moraga trail. The Burton Valley area is a popular choice for many families. The Ivy Drive area in Orinda is popular for its proximity to schools and is less hilly than other parts of the city. A great location near Lafayette's downtown is also convenient. The Ivy Drive area is also less hilly, so you won't have to hike up or down hills to get to your new school.

There are also many educational options in the area, including public and private schools. If you're a parent, a child's school is important to you. The city offers several high schools, and your child can attend one of them. If you don't want your child to attend a private school, a public school is the best option. If you don't want to go to school, then it's a good idea to consider moving to a community with a good quality education.

Before you make a move, consider your options. The University area is very attractive for students and has many public and private schools. You can choose from many different neighborhoods in the city. The most popular part of the city is the downtown area, where you can find the best schools. If you are a student, you should also consider the schools in the area. If you're a teacher, you should be able to get a good job.

Before you make your move to Lamorinda, consider the area. You should look for schools, parks, and other amenities in the area. If you're a student, Lafayette is a great place to live. The town of Lafayette is a great place to live. It is near the Lafayette-Moraga trail. If you're looking for a more urban location, you can opt for the Orinda-Moraga trail.

There are many areas in the area to choose from. Some are more affordable than others. You should consider the schools in the area and the neighborhoods in Lamorinda. Some neighborhoods are hilly and have excellent schools, but there are also many places where you can find affordable homes. You can choose an area that suits your needs and budget. The most important thing is to enjoy your new city. There are lots of reasons to move to Lamorinda.

You will have to figure out the best school district for your children. There are some elementary schools in Lamorinda that are part of the Lafayette-Moraga trail. There are also many good neighborhoods in Orinda, such as the Ivy Drive area. It's less hilly than other parts of the city, so you'll be able to walk easily. If you want to get a great school district, you should look into the neighborhood's location and school districts.

While you're deciding between two schools in Lamorinda, consider the area you'd like to live in. There are a lot of second-generation families in the area, and the schools are a wonderful place to raise children. A lot of people choose to live in this area because of the proximity to schools. If you're considering moving to Lamorinda for your family, you can find the best home for your budget.