Wednesday Hodge Podge

Hosted by Joyce!

1. Here we are entering the last month of the year 2020. 2020!! Every year The Oxford English Dictionary publishing team chooses a word that captures the general mood of the year we're leaving behind, or the one word that will leave a lasting impact on the world at large. This year they needed sixteen words in order to cover the whole enchilada. 

While two of the other major dictionaries selected pandemic as their word of the year, Oxford came up with a long list including-bushfire, impeachment, acquittal, coronavirus, COVID-19, lockdown, social distancing, reopening, Black Lives Matter, Cancel Culture, BIPOC, mail-in, belarusian, moonshot, net zero (read more about each word here)

Of the words listed which ONE would you say should be in the number 1 spot? Which word/phrase on this list would you be happy to never hear again? 

So many of the words had such impacts on lives it is hard to choose. I will definitely say that this has been a dramatic year, and most of it  bad!   Mainly, because we see so little resolution or moving toward positive culmination.  The one that I never want to hear again is social distancing. At this time of my life I can feel my age creeping up on me.  Sometimes I wonder how many good years are ahead of me.  So I am particularly eager to make the most of every moment.   

I hate the time I’ve missed being able to be with my small family.  They mean so much to us. 

2. What one word from your own list of words describing this year sums up/best reflects your 2020? Tell us why. My year has been so varied I cannot seem to come up with one summative word.  My first month was taken with knee therapy sessions, then I was laid low with shingles for 6 weeks, then a horrible intestinal infection followed by dehydration then a severe onset of crippling gout.  Then I had an impinged shoulder and was going shoulder therapy sessions through the summer.   All the while missing my dear family, friends , prayer sisters,  no one was meeting, but we sure were zooming! How does one incapsulate that into one word? The year of “YUCK”!

3. Do you like peppermint? Peppermint mocha, a candy cane, peppermint bark, peppermint tea, York Peppermint Pattie, peppermint ice cream...of the peppermint treats listed, which one is your favorite? Will you bake anything featuring peppermint this holiday season? Peppermint is not my favorite herb.  I’d say , “no”.

4. Besides Christmas, what do you associate the color red with? How about the color green?   Red makes me think Valentines, patriotism, and the blood of Jesus. Green is spring and new life!

5. Is your tree up? Real or artificial? Is your house decorated? Is your shopping done? Started? Wrapped? On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being Scrooge-like and 10 being Buddy the Elf, how's your Christmas spirit? Our artificial tree is up.  When Amanda was little a live tree was crucial, and also if the grands come, but for the two of us artificial suffices.the house is partially decorated, I’ve done  no shopping, and may not,   We decided to not give as many gifts and it seems a gift card kind of year.I have loads of Christmas spirit,  I’ve got one surprise gift box ready to mail to the grands and then another to go the next week.  Just little things to make Christmas special.. activities to keep them occupied!

6. Insert your own random thought here.I am so glad I chose to do Ann Voskamp’s  On-line study.  It helps me focus on what is really important!