LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM

O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent starts go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary;
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth.

How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming;
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him, still
The dear Christ enters in.

O Holy child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in;
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord, Emmanuel.

Arnold still needs a Sacramento Home

Via Voy, I stumbled across this old (but interesting) news.

Sacramento lawyer Steve Merksamer thinks he has the solution: Take the never-used mansion created by Nancy Reagan for subsequent governors.

Place to call home

This structure, not to be confused with the house Nancy and Ron lived in, is the 12,000-square-foot, pretentiously dubbed Casa de los Gobernadores, chosen by Nancy from more than 80 design proposals. It sits commandingly on a bluff overlooking the American River not far from the current governor's home. Wild turkeys roam the five acres that include a swimming pool and a sweeping lawn that doubles as a helipad. It has a dining room that comfortably seats 22. The home, like the White House, is divided into private and public wings. It features a large, manly den, partly designed by Ronald Reagan himself, perfect for smoking cigars and drinking cognac after a hard day cutting the budget deficit.

Moreover, it's on the market for a mere $5.9 million. "It's the kind of house built with security in mind," said real estate agent Geoff Zimmerman, who conducted a tour for a reporter. "It has 2-foot thick walls gauged to withstand even an artillery barrage. It's perfect for a very high-profile person."

The mansion would solve the Schwarzenegger-Maria Shriver tennis problem. It's only blocks away from the Arden Hills Country Club and Spa, which has the area's best, if not most exclusive, tennis facility.

Arden Hills is also where Olympians Mark Spitz and Debbie Meyer trained.

Let It Snow
Sammy Cahn, J.Styne (c) 1945

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, [F C7 F]
But the fire is so delightful, [F Abdim C7]
And since we've no place to go, [Gm D7 Gm]
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. [C7 F]

It doesn't show signs of stopping, [F C7 F]
And I brought some corn for popping; [F Abdim C7]
The lights are turned way down low, [Gm D7 Gm]
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. [C7 F]

When we finally kiss good night, [C]
How I'll hate going out in the storm; [Dm7 G7 C]
But if you really hold me tight, [C]
All the way home I'll be warm. [D7 G7 C7]

The fire is slowly dying, [F C7 F]
And, my dear, we're still good-bye-ing, [F Abdim C7]
But as long as you love me so. [Gm D7 Gm]
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. [C7 F]

Thank you for your prayers

Yesterday I asked for your prayers. Please keep them coming. While I should have been doing my work this fall, I was only interested in the recall and barely went through the motions. If I don't work at double or triple time, I'll lose thousands of dollars in commission. But I've already done really well this year, so that's not the worst part. I'm worried that for one reason or another, my customers won't talk to me now, and will I run out of time to make the changes they want. I pray that as I call them tomorrow and next week, they'll answer the phones and say Yes I can talk to you now.

My job is sometimes great. I get to help people achieve their dreams and I have made lots of people lots of money. But my assignment is too big. I have 250 customers who spend about a million and a half dollars annually with my company and it's too much. I would gladly trade some income for less stress.

On to a happier subject. How cool it is to have a permanent link from a Rugby-Playing Pirate. I wonder if he knows that George W. Bush was a wing at Yale?

Update: Oops, I was wrong, he was a fullback.

Good Morning

Good Christian Men Rejoice is thought to have originated in Germany. It was originally a very old Latin Christmas song, or carol,called In Dulci Jubilo. John Mason Neale translated the words around the middle of the 1800s. The words were translated by John Mason Neale in the late eighteenth century. The composer of the music to Good Christian men rejoice is unknown.

Good Christian Men Rejoice

Good Christian men rejoice
With heart and soul and voice!
Give ye heed to what we say
News! News!
Jesus Christ is born today!
Ox and ass before Him bow
And He is in the manger now
Christ is born today!
Christ is born today!

Good Christian men, rejoice
With heart and soul and voice
Now ye hear of endless bliss
Joy! Joy!
Jesus Christ was born for this
He hath ope'd the heav'nly door
And man is blessed evermore
Christ was born for this
Christ was born for this

Good Christian men, rejoice
With heart and soul and voice
Now ye need not fear the grave:
Peace! Peace!
Jesus Christ was born to save
Calls you one and calls you all
To gain His everlasting hall
Christ was born to save
Christ was born to save

Secret Santa is Coming to Blogland

I've got boatloads of work to do by Friday, so I'm just going to repost From Justene the Calblogger instead of writing my own clever comments. (please say a prayer for me that I get my work done)

Any of you out there with blogs, join us in spreading the holiday spirit. It's going to be fun. You might even get a cardboard cutout of President George W. Bush (I have one).

Yes, that's right. Buy a present for another blogger and a different blogger will buy a present for you. The only qualification for joining is that you have a blog and you will talk about the Secret Santa gift you get on your blog. Ebay is running the group machinations for us here. There is no requirement to buy a gift on ebay though. You can sign up by emailing me or one of my cohorts, Irish Lass, e-Claire and Ith. Include your blog address and a valid email so we can email you the "invitation" that lets you join the group. If you want to encourage others to join, add the graphic below to your site The more the merrier and we'll split participants into more than one group if we get too many.

It's Wictory Wednesday

Are you in a swinging mood? It's Day 10 and I've got a treat from Louis Armstrong. You can think great thoughts about George W. Bush while you look at this pic (courtesy of Ith)

Cool Yule

From Coney Island to The Sunset Strip
Somebody's gonna make a happy trip
Tonight, while the moon is bright

He's gonna have a bag of crazy toys
To give the groanies of the boys and girls
So dig, Santa comes on big

He'll come a callin' when the snows the most
When all you cats are sleepin' warm as toast
And you gonna flip when Old Saint Nick
Takes a lick on the peppernint stick

He'll come a flyin' from a higher place
And fill the stocking by the fire place
So you'll, have a yule that's cool

-Instrumental Jazz Break-

Yeah, from Coney Island to The Sunset Strip
Somebody's gonna make a happy trip
Tonight, while the moon is bright

He's gonna have a bag of crazy toys
To give the groanies of the boys and girls
So dig, Santa comes on big

He'll come a callin' when the snows the most
When all you cats are sleepin' warm as toast
And you gonna flip when the Old Saint Nick
Takes a lick on the peppernint stick

He'll come a flyin' from a higher place
And fill the stocking by the fire place
So you'll, have a yule that's cool

Have a yule that's cool
Yeah, cool yule

After you be-bop around the house, think about our President. He needs your help. Today is Wictory Wednesday. Every Wednesday, I ask my readers to volunteer and/or donate to the Bush 2004 campaign.

If you're a blogger, you can join Wictory Wednesdays simply by putting up a post like this one every Wednesday, asking your readers to volunteer and/or donate to the Bush campaign. And do e-mail the polipundit so that he can add you to the Wictory Wednesday blogroll, which will be part of the Wictory Wednesday post on all participating blogs:

How Are Your Lessons Coming Along?

It's Day 9 at Christmas Carol School. You probably know this one. I can't seem to find all the real verses.

Go Tell It On The Mountain

When I was a seeker
I sought both night and day,
I asked the Lord to help me,
And he showed me the way.


Chorus
Go tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere,
Go tell it on the mountain,
Our Jesus Christ is born.


He made me a watchman
Upon a city wall,
And if I am a Christian,
I am the least of all.


Chorus
Go tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere,
Go tell it on the mountain,
Our Jesus Christ is born.

I've Opened a Bar in St. Bloggersburg

When you stay at the Justineya Hotel, or after a great sporting event at EClairov Stadium, stop by for an ice cold vodka. You can walk from the Tomsky Station and send your husband over to cool his jets while you do some shopping at the Zomby Department Store.

On Thursdays, we have Karaoke Nights, which draw lots of participants from the Mesopotamium General Council office, as well as the students from Henderovich University.

Drinks are on the house for the Commissar

Der Kommissar
: by After The Fire
Lyrics by: Falco/Andy Piercy/Robert Ponger
Year: 1983


Zwei drei vier, one two three
It`s easy to see
But it`s not that I dont care so
Cause I hear it all the time
But they never let you know
On the TV and the radio

She was young, her heart was pure
But every night is bright she got
She said sugar is sweet
She come rappin to the beat
Then I knew that she was hot

She was singing
Don`t turn around, oh, oh
Der Kommissars in town, oh, oh
You`re in his eye
And you`ll know why
The more you live
The faster you will die

Alles klar, Herr Kommissar

She said, babe, you know
I miss Jill and Joe
And all my funky friends
But my street understanding
Was just enough to know
What she really meant

And I got to thinking
While she was talking
That I know she told the story
Of those special places that she goes
When she rides with
The others in the subway

Singing don`t turn around, oh, oh
Der Kommissars in town, oh, oh
And if he talks to you
And you don`t know why
You say your life
Is gonna make you die

Alles klar, Herr Kommissar

Ja ja ja ja ja.........

Well, we meet Jill and Joe
And brother Herr
And the whole cool gang
They`re rapping here
They`re rapping there
But she`s climbing on the wall
It`s a clear case, Herr Kommissar
Cause all the children know
They`re all sliding
Down into the valley
They`re all slipping
On the same snow

Hear the children
Don`t turn around, oh, oh
Der Kommissar`s in town, oh, oh
He`s got the power
And you`re so weak
And your frustration will not
Let you speak, la la la la

Don`t turn around, oh, oh
Der Kommissar`s in town, oh, oh
And if he talks to you
Then you`ll know why
The more you live
The faster you will die

Don`t turn around, oh, oh
Der Kommissar`s in town, oh, oh
Don`t turn around, oh oh
Der Kommissar`s in town, oh, oh
Alles klar, Herr Kommisar
Don`t turn around, oh, oh
Der Kommissar`s in town, oh, oh
Don`t turn around, oh, oh
Der Kommissar`s in town, oh, oh.....

Even though It's Monday

Day 8 in our Christmas Carols lesson says:

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Eddie Pola, George Wyle 1963

It's the most wonderful time of the year.
With the kids jingle belling,
and everyone telling you,
"Be of good cheer,"
It's the most wonderful time of the year.

There'll be parties for hosting,
marshmallows for toasting and
caroling out in the snow.
there'll be scary ghost stories and
tales of the glories of Christmases
long, long ago.

It's the most wonderful time of the year.
There'll be much mistletoeing
and hearts will be glowing,
when loved ones are near.
It's the most wonderful time of the year.