I took these photos when Husband and I travelled to Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Jerusalem is sometimes referred to as the holiest place on earth, as three significant religions reside there, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. More than eight and a half million people live there in approximately 125 square kilometres of space. It's crowded - and hot.

Once in a while, you get to visit a place where you can feel it's power. Uluru, Australia, is one of those places. The air vibrates with an inexplicable energy. That's the way it was for us as we walked down the streets of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. We walked the same path, the Via Dolorosa, where Jesus pulled his cross along his final steps toward his crucifixion. We touched the marble slab where his body was anointed after his death. To stand at the places where Jesus was born and then resurrected was incredible.

The pictures show the juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern. Western commercial and economic influences are evident. Cobblestone walkways polished shiny from billions of footsteps over millennia—the Roman Empire's impact in architecture amid the cities modern-day inhabitants. It was a wonderland there - a truly magical place.

That's it for now. Have yourself the best day. I'll speak to you again tomorrow.

TJCorman

                                                                                                                                                Photo by Nick Fewings

I've shared some of my unforgettable memories—the reasons why family and friends are at the heart of Christmas for me. The people we love make up such an essential part of our Christmas memories.

My mom died of breast cancer when I was a teenager. Her death has defined my life in so many ways I can't describe them all, at least not in this short blog. But this note is not about death and sadness. It is about love and friendship. My mother's best friend was her sister, and her sister became my surrogate mother after my mom died. I have always been close to my auntie and her daughters. My auntie called me her fourth daughter, and my cousins have treated me like a sister. 

I've spent most of my Christmas' with my auntie and her family. Years ago, the house was full of people. Relatives had come from Manitoba, which made Christmas especially exciting that year. I got to snuggle into bed with one of my older cousins, whom I adored (still do), and getting to sleep with her, was a treat. But she sleeps with her eyes partly open, and that was disconcerting when Santa was on his way, and I had to get to sleep! Many years later, after I had my own home, sometimes Husband and I would pick my auntie up on Christmas Eve. We'd bring her to our house so that we could enjoy Christmas morning together. We would go out of our way to spoil her with lots of presents to open and delicious food to devour. That's what she did for us for all those years in between. Once breakfast was over, we would pile into our car and join the rest of the family to play games and eat turkey and fritter the day away. When my auntie became elderly, we reverted to staying at her house. And, even though Husband and I had an uncomfortable sleep on the sofa bed, that did not matter. We weren't spring chickens anymore ourselves, and our backs hurt after a bleary-eyed sleep, but what mattered was our togetherness.

Small memories like that are what makes Christmas great. The effort people put into being together. The thoughtful things we do for one another and the kind ways we treat each other. Being included and being part of something greater than ourselves helps us to feel love. This year might be a time to start a new tradition for you. Create more small memories. Treat yourself if you are alone. Do something different that you've always wanted to do but haven't yet. You'll look back and say, "Remember that year that we...." This year has certainly made us think differently about how to live and what we want from life. The compilation of small memories is what makes life worth remembering.

That's it for now. Remember to get your entry in for the Book Club Give Away Challenge by tomorrow at midnight. Have yourself the best day. I'll speak to you tomorrow.

TJCorman

I took this classic Christmas poem and turned it into an irreverent parody. These are only the first two verses. I'm not game to post the whole thing on my blog. You will have to wait for an in-person meeting at a book club dinner or some such event where we meet in person. Please accept my most sincere apologies if I offend you in any way. And I hope that Clement Clarke Moore pardons me for making his Christmas classic into a sexy joke. Gone now for over two hundred years, I hope he is not turning in his grave.​

T'was the Night Before Christmas Parody


T’was the night before Christmas and all through the abode,
Not a creature was stirring, not even the dog,
The bras and panties were hung on the Christmas tree with care,
In hopes that Saint Husband, soon would be there;
​
The adults were nestled all snug in their bed,
While visions of orgasms filled up their heads.
Mama in her negligee and I in my skivvies,
Had just settled down for a long night of jiggy.

                That's it for now. Have yourself the best day - and speculate on what the rest of my poem says!
                                                                     I'll speak to you tomorrow.

TJCorman

                                                                                                                                                    Photo by Katya Austin


T.J. Corman's List of Five Favourite Things in 2020

1. Chocolate - sorry husband - he made number one on the other list
2. Sex - I reiterate - sorry husband - chocolate is chocolate after all
3. Vodka - speaks for itself. I've discovered vodka late in life, but say no more, it made number three
4. Sunglasses - of course - goes without saying
5. Black hair dye - Obviously

That's it for now. Have yourself the best day. I'll speak to you again tomorrow.

TJCorman

This picture of Jolly 'Ole St. Nick was taken at, you guessed it, the local Light Up Festival. The photo on the left is the original. It's quite ordinary and not a spectacular picture, but as I've been stressing in previous posts, notice how different a simple photograph can look with the help of a filter. The centre photo uses the Star Dust filter, and the last image is using the Sketch Art filter. I love how the Christmas tree looks like it is a cut-out ginger cookie dripping with icing in the last picture. Think twice before you delete what might have the potential to be a creative shot.

I hope you've enjoyed my photography tutorials. It might seem a bit off track, but it's all part of getting to know me. Let me know what you get up to for hobbies. Please post some of your original photographs.

That's it for now. Have yourself the best day. I'll speak to you again tomorrow.

TJCorman

Above is another photo set, taken a couple of years ago at the Christmas Light Up Festival. The photo on the left is the original. It's an interesting photo in and of itself, but notice how it changes and improves with the greyscale filter.

That's it for now. Have yourself the best day. I'll speak to you again tomorrow.

TJCorman