Here's the idea. Find something really kool to share with the community. It can be anything that can be posted here. A really unusual website. A favorite poem that you wrote. A painting that your cat did. A joke. Anything at all. Just post it here under the tree....

My kooky Virg. He did the darn est things.

Mumford and Sons et al. singing "This Train is Bound for Glory". Joyous!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb2uciHpe4U

John

A little background- One of the most enjoyable periods in my life was hosting a Role Playing Game for five friends a few years ago. We met one evening per month for about two years. I served as Game Master which meant that I didn't play but did work my butt off creating the Game just a few steps ahead of our party of stalwarts. One of our sessions fell near to the holidays and I could not resist. <We had saved Santa from the clutches of the evil Grinch the year before>

The following is from the text that I read to the group as the setup for the beginning of play. It is set in a darkening forest with heavy, wet snow coming down. I have made no attempt to edit or rewrite and it is not presented as a story. Think of it as an introductory script. Read it Christmas Eve after everone else has gone to bed and the world lies quiet.

<If you have never had the opportunity to play a RPG with a group of friends, I heartily recommend it.>

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Having spent the Winter Solstice and a few additional days with Esad's people, you have begun the return to Rennsaleer. It is near day's end and a heavy snow has been falling all afternoon You have begun to look for a spot to make what promises to be a cold and miserable camp when you come upon a now familiar figure standing by a snow-covered gate. Edith shows her true form, tall and formidable until she smiles. Wreathed in a long robe of white fur, she greets your group with laughter. "My dears, you resemble nothing more than a group of tired snow rabbits. But cheer up, you are all---and I include the men if they behave (She looks at Esad with a grin.)---you are all invited to a feast and a warm bed for the night. Will you join me and my friends? It is the night we celebrate the birth of an ancient teacher who early on combined the two energies of male and female. His name has been lost but we know him as Son of Maria and continue the ancient tradition of honoring his birthing. Come, a warm cabin waits for you and when you have rested, you can join the feast. This way. And mind what you step on, gentlemen. There are roses under this snow."\par
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She leads you past a large tent from which come music and laughter. Going on a short way, you come to a large log house. Inside, a fire is burning brightly in the high-ceilinged central room. Doors to either side open to short hallways lined with individual bedrooms.\par
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"Make yourselves at home. Have a hot bath if you wish and join us when you like. I will insist that you leave your weapons here, however. It would be inappropriate and they are not needed. You are safer in my home than you have ever been anywhere." <Smiles and leaves>\par
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You enter the tent and find that it is even larger inside than out. The center is held up by a great, lushly green fir tree. Perched upon its branches are thousands of multi-colored birds all singing merrily. Off to one side a large buffet beckons. Around the room are about two dozen women of various races. To your shock there are even a couple of goblins and an orc! Esad automatically looks around for a weapon until he catches Edith's eye and feels a rumble in his lower GI tract. He decides to adjust.\par
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The evening passes very pleasantly for all. Anna meets a wizened mage and spends hours in earnest talk, learning much in the process. Ruan finds herself at a table where women come by and sit for a chat before moving on to make room for the next and has met every woman in the place by bedtime. Diana and Redgar disappear when no one is looking and do not return. And Esad finds himself being pursued by the orcess who seems to have a thing for dwarves and insists on sidling up and pinching his butt. Near midnight they, too, disappear. Esad reappears an hour later, dishevelled and very confused. Then gives it up and goes to bed.\par
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The next morning there awaits a large gaily-wrapped package for each of you containing a great woolen coat of the highest quality. The cards read, "I don't travel much these days but thanks are certainly in order. Signed S. Claus." After breakfast, Ruan decides to take a walk in the now crisply clear air to get away from Diana's and Redgar's silly grins and Esad's lingering befuddlement.\par
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Edith & the Sisterhood [a continuation of the above]\par
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"Ruan, will you sit with me? There is something important that we must talk about and we have little time."\par
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"Ruan, I keep a close watch on the traffic past my gate. Most go by without even knowing it is there. Only those I choose can even see it. When your party approached I was intrigued. Three women in a party of five. Most unusual! And then you saved the girl at some risk to yourselves. Even the men acted selflessly upon impulse. A sign of at least a certain level of collective goodness. Then three of you didn't even want to accept a dead creature's gold. Most intriguing, if a bit silly. But it was evidence of principles beyond greed.\par
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So, I laid a tea in order to meet you. I was looking for a particular type of woman and thought your group worth checking even though the odds were small. Quite frankly, of the three, you were at the bottom of the list. I thought that if any were what I seek, it would be the fellow mage or, possibly, the druid. Roguish halflings just didn't match the profile. <SMILES>\par
Your two friends were what I expected---good women. But that was not what I was looking for. I was looking for a good woman with the potential to be ruthless. Anna and Diana have had relatively sheltered lives, at least thus far. However, you, along with your sister, grew up an orphan on the streets. That experience shaped you in a way that met my criteria.\par
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When I read you, I was startled on several levels. One was to find a match at all and a second was to find it in you. A third was to discover a kinship that I didn't expect. You see, I too was an orphan. I escaped the streets but grew up in a religious institution. We both share a certain aloneness from those years. As a result, in many ways I saw a young me. I have no daughters and retain enough ego to be drawn to you for that alone. <LAUGHS> In fact, realizing that my judgement could be clouded, I asked some friends to look you over. That was completed last night and my judgement was confirmed. That in turn has led to this talk. Ruan in a little while I am going to make you an offer. It will be the most momentous such you shall ever receive so you must listen closely to what I am about to tell you. You must make a decision before you leave here for the fates indicate you won't return for a very long time.\par
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Ruan, eleven thousand years ago men ruled the entire planet and had even travelled to other worlds. I know everyone thinks that that is an old women's tale. Well it is! It's also true. But, my dear, by ten thousand years ago it had all been lost. Strife and the dark forces had misused the powers available to men and the whole thing was destroyed. That period we know as the Great Dying. Few people made it through and the poisons that lingered for so long afterward wrought new forms of man, plant, and animal. Even the face of the earth was changed!\par
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In the years following the Great Dying, a group of women came together. They had concluded that men had been the cause of all the loss. They also concluded that the pattern would be repeated throughout time if nothing was done. You see, men, bless their little hearts, are such emotional creatures that they are prone to a form of temporary insanity triggered by their hormones, especially before middle age. They are ill-suited to wield great power. The Great Dying was the result of their madness, abusing powers they did not understand. Actually, it is more accurate to say that while their energies lend themselves to building empires, they do not lend themselves to running them. Women's energies, on the other hand, work just the opposite. It was clear to the women that for the longterm success of the species, female energy had to take a central role. A group known as the Sisterhood was born.\par
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Most of the history of those first years has been lost to the waters of time. But eight thousand years ago something unique to the history of civilization happened. A handful of Sisters had evolved telepathic abilities to the point that by combining their power they could serve as communication gates for non-telepathic members. Through them, any Sister could communicate instantly and totally with any other Sister who chose to take part, regardless of their individual powers. With time and continued evolution, the Sisterhood became a group mind, like a hive of bees minus the queen, and from that point on we preserve the memories of every woman who ever joined with us. In a sense we have even preserved the mind of the Sister though her body is long gone. They all live, think, and interact just as the rest of us do. Ruan, each of our members will exist for as long as the Sisterhood exists.\par
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This is hard to explain accurately and it is important, for you are being offered membership in our order. Normally you would have weeks to contemplate the idea, but these are not normal times. I am going to be forced to use analogy to try to help you understand. Consider a flock of birds and the way they are one with one another yet each is free to leave or rejoin as they wish. It is thus with us. When we are joined each is open to the other and their memories are your memories. The sensation is one of self-contemplation and self-love, not that of looking at or judging someone else. And be aware that each Sister, through me, already knows you completely and accepts you totally. That is a requirement that must be met before an offer is even made. You would be welcomed with open arms. Once a Sister has joined, her mind exists not just in her own body but also simultaneously in the larger mental network formed by thousands of other women distributed around the planet. So long as that network exists the individual bodies are redundant and when they die, the Sister's mind and her actual self continue to function in the safety of the larger group. I have dear friends wo are eight thousand years old and just as spry as ever. <LAUGHS> Ruan, among other things, I am offering you a form of immortality.\par
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Ten thousand years and eleven empires later, the Sisterhood still exists. We number some eight thousand around the globe. The women that you met last night are all my Sisters. Over the centuries, our members have worked to contain the pain and suffering as civilization evolved back toward its ultimate goal of one people. We have been queens and concubines. Princesses and prostitutes. Warriors and mothers. We have slept with kings and we have poisoned kings. When an empire arose and showed promise, we worked to make it succeed. When we judged it a threat, we worked to bring it down. We continue to work toward our goal to this day and an oath of support of that task is the only requirement for admission. The formal definition of the Sisterhood's goal is to guide civilization to a state of unity. Where each mind is both an individual and a member of the greater whole. Where all are loved and accepted and violence is viewed as self-destructive. Sincere support of that goal is the only requirement. We are each free to determine the course we will follow. Only the destination itself is defined. It works surprisingly well. When we disagree on the course to follow, we simply open to one another and understanding is instantaneous and total. Mutual agreement is automatic.\par
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Ruan, we are always looking for new menbers but we are very selective. I am offering you entry into our group. If you accept, much will be asked of you. But much will be given as well. Again, you must understand the nature of the Sisterhood. You know that when I "read" you two weeks ago that I knew you completely. Everything you have ever experienced is known to me. So is every thought you have had and every temptation you have considered. Members of the Sisterhood, upon acceptance, enter into this state with one another and their lives become one. Ruan, I share each life of my sisters for the eight millenia that have passed since our psychic powers developed sufficiently to make such intimate communication possible. The women of the first two thousand years are known as the Lost Sisters and are mourned. But no sister has been lost since and no Sister is ever alone. It is not that you will be judged. You have already been through that. All the sisters have read you through me and every one of them has urged me to make you this offer. You are accepted as you are. If you accept our offer of membership, we will reveal ourselves to you in turn as you develop the ability to handle it.\par
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If you accept and join with us, you will begin many years of training. For the most part, that task would fall to me. As your sponsor, I am also your teacher and mentor. I have full responsibility for you. Ruan, I must warn you, that responsibility extends to hunting you down and destroying you should you place our training in the service of evil. Eleven times in our history that has proven necessary. It was horrible.\par
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But that won't happen for we learned from our mistakes. There is no evil in you, my dear. As you move through the training you will gradually gain the ability to access the knowledge, memories, and hardwon lessons of our eight thousand living members and our 300,000 Sisters who have gone before. Until you can do so alone, I will serve as a gateway for you---another of my duties.\par
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During our first visit, I was distracted by the appearance of my old lover. Instead of talking with you then, it was all I could do to give the three of you enough gifts of power to assure your safe return. In the meantime, I investigated you and your friends' destinies. The combined powers of the Sisterhood are able to pierce the Veil of Time and gather information about the future. It is in the form of probabilities rather than certainties, but in many ways that is far more powerful since change is possible. Ruan, multiple forces are converging on your group. Momentous things are sweeping toward you and are almost here. Our analysis has lead to great excitement. You see, one of the possible outcomes leads directly to the twelfth empire! In fact, this outcome has a ten percent probability---incredibly high for such an event. Like it or not, child, and regardless of what you decide today, you and your friends are about to be swept up in the tides of history. We stand ready to help you and your friends survive, if you so wish. It must be your decision. If the decision is "yes," however, you and your friends should keep it to yourselves once you pass through my gate. The mighty of this world know all too well of our existence and fear us. What men fear they often destroy.\par
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Ruan, we have never had a Sister as a midwife at the birth of an empire. Always we have come to the centers of power after they had been defined. You would be unique and have our full backing. Your training will come from the greatest women who have ever lived. It will take many years, but you will, to the extent of your abilities, learn the ways of great wizards and warriors, queens and healers. We will come to you as you sleep and each morning you will know a little more. If you choose to accept. You must decide before you leave here, for the tides run full and it will be long ere we meet again if you pass on the offer. Now, I will answer your questions and you must decide before tomorrow morning, when you must leave, for you and your friends will be badly needed back in Rennsaleer very soon.\par
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A sensation like being in a great cathedral, its central nave stretching away and being lost in the misty distance as is the high arched ceiling. Scattered across the great floor are thousands of women, each smiling at you. Women of every type, race, and age. Not only human, elf, halfling, and dwarf but a smattering of the unexpected---goblins and their kin, and in the middle distance, my word, that must be a dragon!\par
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Suddenly, a choir of hundreds of thousands raise their voices in a single note of "Welcome!" You've never experienced anything like it or even imagined that it could exist. It is beyond the words you have. As you look at each face you find that you know her as Edith knew you, totally and unconditionally accepting. You feel yourself being swept away from your own identity and don't care in the least. The feeling is one of love and exhilaration---like a lover a thousandfold. You never want to come back....\par
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"Ruan, dear, I'm sorry but that's enough for now. Unity is dangerously addictive to the new initiate. Fortunately, it will be some years before you can enter that state without my help. Another of my duties is to act as a gatekeeper for you---both to enable you to enter and to keep you from staying overlong. You just experienced a grand council called to welcome you. We hold a similar joining at the tenth full moon each year and lesser ones at the turn of each of the four seasons. You will be at each of those. You will soon be able to access individual Sisters through me as well, particularly for your studies or if you or your friends are in danger and need to draw on their wisdom. But for now, simply live your life. You are a member of the Sisterhood and won't really be able to avail yourself of that until you're trained. But it will give you a great incentive to apply yourself. <SMILES>\par
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For now, you need to be aware of two command words. First, any time you wish to communicate directly with me or are in trouble, silently call my name as though I were standing across a room from you. I will respond immediately. Now that you are joined to us, your experiences flow into the group mind as they occur and since yours pass through me, I will be aware of why you have called so there will be no need for explanation. This could be important in an emergency.\par
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The second command will give you access to the stored knowledge of our order. If you need factual information, simply begin your question with the word "Sister." For example, if you are trying to read an ancient inscription, simply mentally form the question "Sister, what does this say?" One of our number almoost certainly knows. Upon asking the question you will know as well. The sensation will be that you suddenly remembered how to read the inscription. This works well with questions that have clear answers. It does not work so well with others such as "What is the meaning of life?" In fact, the latter is guaranteed to give you a headache. With a little practice you will know what types to avoid.\par
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Now, you and your friends must prepare to depart. It will take some time before you understand, but know both that I am with you and that you remain here as well. A very interesting time lies before you and your group. Being a part of it, even in the background , is exciting, even for the Sisterhood."\par
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The little drummer boy

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ_MGWi...%3DqJ_MGWio-vc

Great idea and thanks for sharing.

Here is one of my favorites.

I keep it on my browser and try to remember to watch it when I am having a difficult time.

GRATITUDE

reverett, thanks for starting this thread. It's a great time of the year to be thinking about all of the good things in life!

I know this is corny, but one of my all-time favorite songs. Louis with a little help from Kenny G:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f24kuKdM1tk

Just as I was wondering where i have been and why I have been this comes by me and this year my 82nd has lost it's fear.

Dwight Yoakam - one of those startling stars truly deserving of the title whether on Broadway or Nashville or on the Kentucky coal fields of his birth

singing my favorite carol. Silent Night with the voice of a hillbilly angel-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXPjw7IwKUI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qXQx...4177F3&index=7

Happy holidays to everyone!