Who Does This Happen To?

Snowed In With You
by Over the Rhine
from the album Snow Angel
words and music: Bergquist/Detweiler

When you come home
And all the world's asleep
I'll close my eyes
And breathe with sweet relief
This world has had you
Long enough for now
And when I get you home
I'll show you how

I wanna get snowed in with you
I wanna shake off these winter blues
These ain't no blues that I can use
And when the lights are gleaming
I'll be leaning into you
What's a girl to do?

I wanna get snowed in with you
I'm gonna make every effort to
Be so good to you
That when the snow melts away
You'll want to stay
Snowed in with me

Till it's time to take down the tree
And it's all I really need baby
To be alone awhile with you
What's a girl to do?

Drift with me
While we're still awake
Every new snowflake
Is like a wish we make
Dream with me
Leave your cares far behind
Is all love snowblind?
Let me awake in time to find

That I'm snowed in with you
I'm gonna make every effort to
Be so good to you
That when the snow melts away
You'll want to stay
Snowed in with me

Dear Cara,
Okay, here is the plan. You and Herb go outside. Face Southeast. Then blow really hard and fast. Maybe you can move your weather system towards me. Share the white Chirstmas.
Love,
J.

Dear Jennifer,
As I told you last week, we could not wear jeans to work at my first counseling job.
So, I must confess . . .
It was not all that long ago that I wore black velvet overalls with an orange fleece turtle neck (from a garage sale) to work.
Then I worked at a boys group home.
After the first week or so, I was pulled aside and told that my clothes (kahkis and a t-shirt) were too revealing.
SO, for a year, I wore oversized shirts and men's cordory shorts to work.
Classy.

Dear Cara,

This story is kind of a secret.

Back in the day of the VCR, after watching a movie on VHS, my dad would hit rewind so that the movie was playing in reverse. I explained that he should stop the movie. Then hit rewind. I explained that it was faster and better for the VCR. I had to remind him of this a few times.

A few weeks ago I walked into the family room soon after my parents had finished watching Million Dollar Baby and noticed that the DVD player was the movie playing in reverse.
I asked, “Dad, what are you doing with that DVD?”
He replied, “Backing it up.”
And I said, “Oh. Well, ya know it’s kind of like a cd. So you don’t have to rewind it.”

This really happened.
It’s true.

Love, Jennifer

p.s. Last week on business casual Friday someone in my office wore brown corduroy overalls. Seriously.

Dear Jennifer,

I hear you on the Christmas wear . . . or "not to wear" as the case most definitely is!
Now, I know, for absolute certain . . . that we can be friends.
Real friends.
Like, the kind that would actually meet in real life! yes.

I have not see not seen too many of these faux paus out here in Colorado this year . . . . more of a mid-west and southern thing, I think. Also, I am not working at a non-profit anymore. That seems to make a difference too.

I used to laugh because my boss wouldn't let me wear jeans to work. Now, I can appreciate that. Even though we were a non-profit, we were a professional counseling agency. No jeans if fair.

But . . .

You have to understand . . .

I was wearing nice jeans

with a super cute, professional top . . .

and earrings . . .

and makeup . . .

and nice shoes with a heal . . .

and probably even a belt, if i recall!

You have to admit, you can make jeans look nice.

But no.

No
no
NO.

No jeans.

Not even on Friday.

But . . .

It was okay for women to wear pilled sweaters with 3-d flowers and second-hand too-short slacks . . .
baggy dresses . . .
mismatched everything . . .

heck, I even got away with some atrocious outfits . . .

as long as they were not jeans.

I never understood that.

Oh, it’s my turn!

Dear Cara,

I would like to share with you, Jennifer’s Guide to Things Grown Women Should Not Wear for the Holidays.

1. Jingle Bells

2. Anything that jingles

3. Antlers

4. Santa Hats

5. Flashing Christmas light earrings

6. Holiday Suspenders

7. Large swooping plaid taffeta skirts

8. Christmas bows as accessories

9. Christmas Sweaters

10. That goes double for Christmas Sweaters with attached bells, bows, and lights.

The very limited exceptions to these guidelines are as follows:
Grown women may wear the aforementioned only if they work in a daycare.
However, only one item from said list may be donned at a time.
Do keep in mind that you are shaping the young minds of girls who will one day become women. You wouldn't want to confuse.
This exception does not apply to Christmas Sweaters. They are never to be worn.
Furthermore, chose wisely when wearing jingle bells. You may think they are cute. But they are annoying to everyone else within ear shot.

Merry Christmas!
Jennifer