Christmas in Austin Texas
Like most towns during the holiday season, Austin brings out their festive lights. However, there are two areas in town known for displaying an awesome array of lights- 37th Street, and the Trail of Lights in Zilker Park.
Starting back in the early 80s, neighbors on 37th Street in Hyde Park came together to create a completely unique Christmas light experience that is creative, wacky, and fun- what today would be deemed as, “Keeping Austin Weird.” Resident Jamie Lipman began wildly decorating his home, and his neighbors followed suit. Discarded motorcycles have been wrapped in hundreds of lights, bushes were sculpted into automobiles (including headlights), BBQ cookout scenes were created, and several strands of lights crisscrossed the street.
From the rooftop of one house, massive amounts of lights were strung, and every 5 minutes a volcano erupted with a cloud of smoke, and the lights turned red, mimicking lava pouring down a mountain. Lipman would go all out, decorating his front and backyard, with thousands of lights, and covering his home in black plastic to have his homemade creations show up better and brighter.
Though the street has gained national attention for its creativity, it has gone through many changes in recent years. Old residents have moved out, and a new crowd moved in. Even Lipman himself moved from 37th Street last year, though he has offered to come back and help set up his famous lights. Time will tell if the new neighbors will keep the spirit of 37th Street alive.
Boasting 300,000 lights, The Trail of Lights is put on by the city of Austin, and grows bigger every year. The Trail of Lights was originally named Yule Fest in 1965, and is a one mile strip of static and moving displays located in Zilker Park.
“The 12 Days of Christmas” display was the first created, and still holds a prominent position at the beginning of the trail. Many of the beautiful craggy oak trees have brightly colored lights from the bottom of their trunks to the tips of their highest branches. Along with the 43 lighted displays, shops selling trinkets, hot food and apple cider dot the trail. A variety of local dance troupes perform on the entertainment stage, Santa holds court for a throng of youngsters, and a massive Yule log burns night after night.
For most visitors to the Trail of Lights, their trip begins or ends at the Zilker Tree. Located just south of the trail, the Zilker Tree stands 155 feet tall, and is not really a tree at all, but one of Austin’s original moonlight towers. The towers were erected in 1894 as the city’s first illumination system, and 17 of the original 31 still stand.
The tree hosts 3,309 lights, and children and adults alike can be found underneath the tree with their heads up staring at the lights, and spinning in circles until they crash to the ground. This year’s tree lighting ceremony will be held on December 2nd at 6pm, with the Trail of Lights open evenings through December 31st.
If you are interested in Austin you can find information on Ki’s Austin Real Estate Blog http://www.escapesomewhere.com/austinblog/. Ki’s site has info about the Austin real estate http://www.escapesomewhere.com and a Austin MLS Search http://www.escapesomewhere.com/realestate_searchthemls.html.
Using Webconferencing To Hold Family Get-Togethers
During World War II when Italy was fighting on the side of the Axis, a certain number of American aviators were shot down over Sicily and Southern Italy near Naples. Those that were taken prisoner by the Italians found something interesting ..the welcome mat was out !!! The Italians were so interested in making connections and building friendships with Americans living in Chicago, New Jersey, Rochester, and Pittsburgh that they forgot they were in the middle of a war. Family was family, war or no.
Even the Germans were quick to explore connections across the war zone. Chicago had a huge German population. Again, they were more interested in exploring family connection than fighting a war.
That was way back in 1942. Since then, the world family has expanded beyond belief. In every country, there are people that have friends and relatives living all over the world. A family living in Rochester NY may have close friends and relatives living in Salerno, Italy, Naples, Italy, and many points located elsewhere around the world. Even now, there are huge segments of our population that have relatives in Viet Nam, China, India, Russia, and Korea.
How do they stay in touch? The long distances and high costs of global travel make it impossible. So, they now can do the next best thing. They can set up an electronic “family room.” The “family room” is always open. All a family member has to do is log on to the conference, and in three minutes or less, he or she is in the room along with all friends and relatives located all over the world. They can exchange their latest photographs, and even show videos of themselves to all family members. The “family room” is the next best thing to being there in person. Even friends and acquaintances can be invited in, no matter where they live. For example, look at these family events that can be displayed:
Julie living in Rochester NY just had twins. Her husband Steve just took some awesome videos of her in the hospital. Through Secure Webconferencing, the whole family gets into the “family room” to see the new twins and have a celebration, no matter where they are in the world.
Sam just bought a new house in Oakland, New Jersey. With his video camera and Secure Webconferencing, he takes the entire family on a tour of the whole house, especially the swimming pool and the basement rec room. Awesome !!!!!
Jeffery and Linda just got engaged. What better way is there for the whole families of the engaged couple to get together and meet one another than over a “family room” – or maybe more than one “family rooms”
Getting the family together, no matter where they live has never been easier. All you have to do is just sign up with one of the many webconferencing programs that are available today. The program you select will give you the sign up URL and the methods how you can get set up as a Moderator. You can then give all of your family attendees the URL to log into the conference. Your family is good to go !!!
Bob Carper is a veteran consultant in information systems He holds a a MBA from Pitt. For additional information go to
http://www.mypowermall.com/biz/home/10561. His blogsite is http://www.html-secrets.net/blog. You may also contact him at robertcarper06@comcast.net
Valentine Gifts That Are Sure To Please
The best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Use this advice to give a Valentine gift to your man that he will love, and hopefully share with you!
1. Strawberries dipped in Chocolate or Fondue Chocolate and Strawberries go great together. You can almost always find them ripe these days in the grocery store. Bring them home and dip in melted chocolate, or create a chocolate fondue using 16 oz. of one or two types of chocolate 1 and a half Cup of cream. They will look and taste wonderful and are easy and fun to share.
2. Cookie Bouquets Flowers are lost on men, but not cookies! Cookie bouquets are decorated and plain cookies in a variety of shapes that are stuck to the top of wooden dowels made to look like a bouquet of flowers. It Is a spectacular gift that is fun and yummy!
3. Cheesecake in a Heart Shape and Rich luscious cheesecake is always a pleaser. You can purchase heart shaped cake pans at most department and discount stores, or any of the new fun shapes that are available. He will love the homemade effort.
4. Just Chocolate and Do not know whether he likes Milk, Dark, or White Chocolate? Buy him an assortment of fine chocolate that you can share! Make sure you pay attention to see if he eats the caramels and leaves the nuts. You will know for next year.
5. Champagne & Truffles and Chocolate Truffles and Champagne are a memorable duo indeed! Ask the local wine shop for recommendations for a sure fine combo that will make your Valentines Day a special experience for you both.
6. Dinner By Candlelight and Make his favorite food, create a romantic table for two at home, and then wear something spectacular. This Valentines Day dinner will be one to remember.
7. Restaurant Gift Certificates and We all lead busy lives and if you are like me, the entertainment portion of the budget is the first to go when saving for something big. Treat your cost conscious honey to dinner at his favorite restaurant. His favorite restaurant, not yours. The one he never goes to because it is too expensive. He will protest, but he will love you for it!
8. Gift Basket Gourmet and If your man is the one who is the spectacular cook, create a gift basket that contains the fixings for a gourmet breakfast or dinner. Buy all of those expensive but necessary ingredients and then stand back and watch him have fun creating a masterpiece!
9. Candy Bouquet- Similar to the cookie bouquet but made with candy bars attached to dowels to look like flowers. This one is guaranteed to be gone in a snap!
10. Caramel or Chocolate Popcorn and Fresh popped popcorn and homemade caramel is irresistible. Package it in a Valentine’s Day gift and you are ready to go!
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Thanksgiving Demands Change
The storm raged against the bow of the ship reminding the pilgrims the cost of freedom. Freedom to believe in God the way they wanted to worship Him. Freedom to govern themselves without the constrains of a culture built on classes because of a person’s wealth and position. Freedom to work in jobs of their own choosing and not ones that were passed down from generation to generation because they were in the poorer lower class.
The rain pelted the masts of the ship and the lightning flashed creating a dim reflections on the hard worn out faces of men, women and children. These were the early settlers, who dared to look to God for the strength to pursue a new and different life in a far off land. Families that turned their backs on their cultures so they could have a brighter future in a brand new world.
A anchor hooked onto a massive chain lowered quickly into the water abruptly hitting the shallow ground with a splash. The weary travelers smiled as morning dawned and the storm lifted. They glanced out at the land and dreamed of the future they would have. America, the land of opportunities. A land where they would build better lives free from the oppression of the wealthy upper class.
The first year was hard because what they knew about farming was different from what the land produced, but they didn’t give up! They prayed and asked God for help and He sent the Indians to teach them how to farm the land. They taught them about the climate and how to grow the right kind of crops for the land. They learned as each year passed and with each year as they survived they celebrated with a meal of Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving to God that they were alive. Thanksgiving that they had risked everything and survived another year. Freedom was what they gained. Freedom to worship God in any way they desired. Freedom to be their own class of people. America was a land where thanksgiving demanded change.
The bravery of the first settlers created a country that changed the face of the world. In the years to come the United States of America gave birth to a government founded by the people and for the people. All because people had the courage to separate themselves from the belief systems and governments they had once been apart. All because they chose to fight against their mother land for the sake of freedom.
Matthew 10: 21-23, “Men will hand over their own brothers to be put to death, and fathers will do the same to their children; children will turn against their parents and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But whoever holds out to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, run away to another one. I assure you that you will not finish your work in all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”
During the time of Jesus the same kind of fight occurred when men chose to believe differently from their religious up-bringing. A war was fought over religion that made each person either stand up, change or fall on their knees and be oppressed by the rich and powerful in Jerusalem.
The Pharisees and the Sadducees had become so powerful, they were no longer leading the people on the right way to worship God. Instead they were cursing the people and manipulating them into giving them all of their money. They used God to control people to do their will.
The only way the people survived the oppression from the teachers of the Law was to give their lives to Jesus. Jesus gave them the freedom to worship God from their hearts. They no longer needed the Pharisees to teach them because now God would teach them on the inside by means of the Holy Spirit.
Because they chose the freedom given to them by Jesus they were forced to run to other countries by members of their own families. They were like the first pilgrims reaching out and fleeing to other lands so they could have the freedom to worship God according to their own convictions.
New land, new way of worshiping God has always been at the forefront of all those who chose to follow God separate from the belief system they were raised to be apart. Anyone who has ever lived has had to make a choice to either conform or to fight for change.
The power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in my heart has given me the freedom to be my own person. Freedom to be who God made me to be. Freedom to live the life God chose for me to live with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving demanded a change in me because God made me gay.
Matthew 10: 34-39, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the world. No, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. I came to set sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law; a man’s worst enemies will be the members of his own family.
Whoever loves his father or mother more than me is not fit to be my disciple; whoever loves his son or daughter more than me is not fit to be my disciple. Whoever does not take up his cross and follow in my steps is not fit to be my disciple. Whoever tries to gain his own life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will gain it.”
As I was preparing for our Thanksgiving meal I commented to my daughter about how it just didn’t seem as special as it used to be. It was no longer about the fun of trying out new recipes and anticipating the family gathering. In truth my life was completely different from when I was my daughters age. My parents were dead and my brothers and sister and I didn’t get along, because I was gay. Even my own children had problems with their siblings.
Everything about my own life showed how accurate these scriptures were for me. In order to follow God today you must believe separate from what the religious right believes is true. Too many use the Bible for oppression. They take the words and use them to throw out their children and ignore family members.
Too many churches and religious Pharisees of our time use judgment as a means to condemn, everyone who doesn’t believe like them, to hell. It is only with the Holy Spirit that a person can learn on the inside separate from the church God’s true will for their lives.
John 12: 47, “If anyone hears my message and does not obey it, I will not judge him. I came, not to judge the world, but to save it.”
Today we live in a totally different world than our ancestors. We are free to believe the way we choose. We are free to work at whatever job we want. We are free to believe in God and worship Him the way we desire. But when it comes to Thanksgiving we must remember that these freedoms come with a price. A price that pits family members against each other and starts religious wars. It is a price that doesn’t have to occur if we will only put aside our differences and listen to God within our hearts.
Jesus came to bring a brand new teaching to the world of grace. Grace gives us the power to make mistakes. Grace gives us the power to love who we want to love. Grace opens our world to the truth that we are in a world game of good against bad. A game that teaches us the difference of right and wrong through our families and countries that we are apart. An individual game of life meant to change us into different people on the inside.
Because I am gay I look at the world completely differently than the religious right. I see where the humiliation I suffered made me a better person. I don’t judge. I love unconditionally. I embrace change in anticipation of learning something new.
Anyone who acknowledges the game of life will understand that suffering, death, war, famine, natural disasters and illnesses have a way of humbling us and changing us on the inside. When we have God principles living in our hearts we embrace the bad along with the good. For God gives us the power to endure all things because Jesus saves us from the corrupting forces of evil in the world.
I am so thankful that I am gay, even though I am persecuted. I am so thankful for my family even though they don’t have anything to do with me because they are part of the religious right. I am so thankful that my ancestors traveled to the new world allowing me to worship God apart from those who use God to control people. I am proud to be an American. Thanksgiving Demands Change. And I have changed and I thank God for the work He has done in my life.
Linda C Dipman author of THE GAME OF LIFE IT’S ALMOST OVER http://outskirtspress.com/gameoflife presents: AND HIS LOVE SHONE DOWN my true life story! It describes all the persecutions I endured. Lovinghandsministry.com