Friday, December 17, 2010

Christmas Hodgepodge

Friday.

I am working two days next week. I decided that if I am going to take a vacation I might as well do it right. I know I am going to be bored at home but that is what being on vacation is really about.

I am second-guessing myself now because all the college kids are going to be home and wanting that last minute appointment and I won't be here. I am looking at the bank account and it is not looking that pretty. But I guess this is the kind of thing that we all have to deal with. If we take a vacation, nobody is making any money.

But for me, I get the added pressure of my wife spending money likes it is water. Don't get me wrong - I know we have to buy presents for the family and I like a good sale too, but I AM STRESSING OUT HERE!!! (I love you honey and I think you are a great shopper. And I love that you saved $27 dollars at Publix using coupons and the Publix card.)

I love this time of year, and I am so moved by my patients. I get Christmas cards from my patients and I just love that. I love having a relationship with them. I love that they think enough of us here to put us on their Christmas card list. Some even bring cookies, some bring cakes (oh, I love a good rum cake), and some will even bring presents. I am so blessed.

The staff lounge table is getting filled with goodies and it makes me warm inside. Fat inside but also warm. Speaking of fat, I downloaded this app on my phone called Lose It. Have you seen this?

You tell it how fat you are presently (or how much you weigh), you tell it how pudgey you are (or your height) and then you tell it your desired weight and how long you want to take to lose the weight. Then it gives you a daily amount of calories you can have.

You enter all your calories per day. It has almost every restaurant in its database and almost every brand of food from the grocery store. (But what it doesn't have is Mrs. Brown's rum cake that she brought me, so I didn't enter the three pieces of that I whoofed down.) After every meal, you enter what you ate and try to stay under your allowed calories. I mean this is not rocket science but it is fun. I have been under every day so, tall, dark and handsome here I come (okay, maybe average height, dark and handsome).

Let's talk about The Christmas Letter for a second. Have you started getting them? I don't want to tick you off because I know a lot of you write the letter. In fact, my wife wrote a letter. Here are some Gammichia guidelines to the letter (and I gave my wife the same shpeel).

This letter is about information - not bragging. Tell me about your kids. Everyone thinks their kid is the best, so don't go over board with this. Tell me your kid was on the debate team and loves it. Don't tell me that she is the only 8 year old on the high school team.

Successes are great, you being rich is also good - for you. Tell me your job is going great and you are so passionate your work. Don't tell me that you went from a Mercedes Convertible to an Aston Martin.

Laugh at yourself. Yy wife told everyone I ran in a marathon and she added my little trip to the medical tent.

This could be my last blog for the year. I don't remember if I told you that I am going north for the week after Christmas. Remember the mountain home we went to in the summer?



We got the same house for a week after Christmas. So, on Christmas day afternoon, we are getting in the family truckster and driving to North Carolina. My kids have never really seen snow so it should be great. This week, they got 8 inches of snow.
We are going to try to get in a little snow skiing and some tubing. The kids are so excited they can't even stand it.

We have invited our two cousins and their families so it is going to be a crowded house this time. I will take lots of pictures. Hopefully this trip won't involve a trip to the hospital, but you just never know. Maybe if it does, I can put it in next year's Christmas letter.

But listen, all my babbling shouldn't take away from what this season means. We lose the meaning of Christmas in all the BS that we have created. If you are Bible-believing person, Christmas should be about celebrating Jesus coming to Earth for the redemption of man. That is, Jesus coming to earth to show us the way then to die for us.

But that is what is so crazy about the Christmas story: the King of Kings coming to earth to save us (from ourselves) but he came and was born in barn and placed in a pig's trough. Not really the way we thought it was going to happen, but that is a conversation for another day. But you know what? He did it for me and He did it for you and I am really glad He did.

Merry Christmas and have a blessed New Year. We have a lot to be merry about.

Thanks for reading,
john

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.

For me as I get older Christmas is just not fun anymore. I seem to have all my other bills that are not holiday related to from November on.

It is kinda like going to the dental meetings they are simply not fun any more now that you might have to actually buy stuff.

Merry Christmas said...

Merry Christmas to all...

Anonymous said...

sorry to be a downer, but Dec 25 is NOT the birthday of Jesus, it's a PAGAN day. You can celebrate if you want, but please please please don't drag Jesus into the pagan stuff.

gatordmd said...

Dear Scrooge,

We all know that Christmas isn't the actual day Jesus was born.
But I think any day that people stop their very busy, introspective lives and celebrate God coming to earth as a baby, is a very good thing.
And to call people that celebrate Christmas a pagan is a real stretch.

I guess you don't celebrate Christmas.
So Happy Festivus,
john

jamie said...

hey john,

merry christmas! i just wanted to say thanks for a great year of reading your blog again, and having a glimpse into your interesting life. enjoy your holidays! thanks for being true to yourself and your beliefs, and also for being real. thanks again for the reminder of what Christmas is REALLY about...a celebration of Christ's birth.

All the best in the New Year!

jamie

Anonymous said...

Amen on the bragging Christmas cards! I remember growing up when, without fail, we would receive a 2-page letter from a family we hadn't seen or talked to in YEARS. I'm sure it was considerate for them to think of us, but is it really necessary to spend an entire paragraph per person (including parents) listing awards, achievements and expensive vacations? It held plenty of entertainment value for my family, however! On that note... have a great Christmas, and a blessed new year to you too!

Anonymous said...

I used to be guilty of too much bragging in the Christmas letter when writing about my kid but doggone it I sure was proud of him. I still am but have tried to tone down the bragging. It's possible to mend one's ways, LOL.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and thanks for another great year of blogging. Enjoy your time off and your trip. I look forward to seeing all the beautiful snowy pix and also look forward to another great year of blogs from you next year!

Anonymous said...

Dude, I've been following your blog for 6 months now. Its very conmforting to find that there is someone else out there that agonizes over a broken file, missed appointment or mat leave. This job doesnt entitel you to a good income, you have to be on top of your game to earn just under half of what the public thinks you make. I tune in just to see my own frustrations are co-owned by you and and how you eloquently verbalize them. Its as if I could speak them myself. Its really a great service that you're doing here for all of us trying to be better dentists But its starting to pain me on how giving you are to others at your own expense. I envy that but I think you're going too far. You're just a dentist, as am I. It's just a job. Lets remember that. I think the whole jesus thing is starting to adversely affect your life - you have no time or energy for yourself at the end of a stressful day. Maybe you'll get a reward when you die, I don't know, but you have to take a little more for yourself. So although I don't know everything I know having never met you that you're a great dentist and a great guy, husband father and friend. Just allow yourself some credit. We as your audience believe its due. Graham in Victoria BC

Anonymous said...

wow, thanks for the name calling, i should have expected that from a "christian".
there's a reason why the bible doesn't tell us when the birthday of Jesus is, guess you never give it any thought, huh?
pagan or not, let God be the judge, you will find out, some day...

Manipal King said...

Merry Christmans
Dental Surgeon Blog also deals about the topic in detal I tune in just to see my own frustrations are co-owned by you and and how you eloquently verbalize them. Its as if I could speak them myself. Its really a great service that you're doing here for all of us trying to be better dentists But its starting to pain me on how giving you are to others at your own expense. I envy that but I think you're going too far. You're just a dentist, as am I. It's just a job. Lets remember that. I think the whole jesus thing is starting to adversely affect your life - you have no time or energy for yourself at the end of a stressful day. Maybe you'll get a reward when you die, I don't know, but you have to take a little more for yourself. So although I don't know everything I know having never met you that you're a great dentist and a great guy, husband father and friend. Just allow yourself some credit. We as your audience believe its due. Graham in Victoria BC

Andrew H said...

John,
Thank you for your sincere words on your blog. I just found your site but I know I be spending some extended time reading it (as I wait for my late patient!). Merry Christmas to you and your family. Keep up the good work.
Andrew

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas (Now past) and have a safe holiday in NC. Looking forward to your thoughts in the new year.
Your fellow toothdoc in Toronto,
KenJ

gatordmd said...

Okay no more name calling and I am sorry for that.
It was totally in jest and I didn't mean to insult you.

Lets call a truce.
Maybe we differ on the intricacies of the ins and outs of our beliefs but it is apparent that we both agree that there will be a judgement.
(And I know that I am, as Paul would say, the chief of sinners)
And when that day does come I am glad we will both have Jesus on our side.

Hope you are having a good new year and I look forward to your comments next year.

John

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