So, there's been one upside to the incredible wave of cold sweeping Wilmington...
The oil froze.
The oil froze!!!
And it is has now been removed from the porch and from the life of my beagle, Gertrude. And also from the lives of the stray cats that have been hanging around it. I kind of feel like we just demolished the neighborhood bar or something. The bar of oil.
It is a good day.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Reason #328 That I Suck
is that I forgot Poem Sunday. Which I've been saving up poems for... well, forever. And so, I now decree that it is Poem Monday. Yes! Poem Monday! Bigger, better, and... on Monday.
Adam and Eve
by Tony Hoagland
I wanted to punch her right in the mouth and that's the truth.
After all, we had gotten from the station of the flickering glances
to the station of the hungry mouths,
from the shoreline of skirts and faded jeans
to the ocean of unencumbered skin,
from the perilous mountaintop of the apartment steps
to the sanctified valley of the bed--
the candle fluttering upon the dresser top, its little yellow blade
sending up its whiff of waxy smoke,
and I could smell her readiness
like a dank cloud above a field,
when at the crucial moment, the all-important moment,
the moment standing at attention,
she held her milk white hand agitatedly
over the entrance to her body and said No,
and my brain burst into flame.
If I couldn't sink myself in her like a dark spur
or dissolve into her like a clod thrown in a river,
can I go all the way in the saying, and say
I wanted to punch her right in the face?
Am I allowed to say that,
that I wanted to punch her right in her soft face?
Or is the saying just another instance of rapaciousness,
just another way of doing what I wanted then,
by saying it?
Is a man just an animal, and is a woman not an animal?
Is the name of the animal power?
Is it true that the man wishes to see the woman
hurt with her own pleasure
and the woman wishes to see the expression on the man's face
of someone falling from great height,
that the woman thrills with the power of her weakness
and the man is astonished by the weakness of his power?
Is the sexual chase a hunt where the animal inside
drags the human down
into a jungle made of vowels,
hormonal undergrowth of sweat and hair,
or is this an obsolte idea
lodged like a fossil
in the brain of the ape
who lives inside the man?
Can the fossile be surgically removed
or dissolved, or redesigned
so the man can be a human being, like a woman?
Does the woman see the man as a house
where she might live in safety,
and does the man see the woman as a door
through which he might escape
the hated prison of himself,
and when the door is locked,
does he hate the door instead?
Does he learn to hate all doors?
I've seen rain turn into snow then back to rain,
and I've seen making love turn into fucking
then back to making love,
and no one covered up their faces out of shame,
no one rose and walked into the lonely maw of night.
But where was there, in fact, to go?
Are some things better left unsaid?
Shall I tell you her name?
Can I say it again,
that I wanted to punch her right in the face?
Until we say the truth, there can be no tenderness.
As long as there is desire, we will not be safe.
Adam and Eve
by Tony Hoagland
I wanted to punch her right in the mouth and that's the truth.
After all, we had gotten from the station of the flickering glances
to the station of the hungry mouths,
from the shoreline of skirts and faded jeans
to the ocean of unencumbered skin,
from the perilous mountaintop of the apartment steps
to the sanctified valley of the bed--
the candle fluttering upon the dresser top, its little yellow blade
sending up its whiff of waxy smoke,
and I could smell her readiness
like a dank cloud above a field,
when at the crucial moment, the all-important moment,
the moment standing at attention,
she held her milk white hand agitatedly
over the entrance to her body and said No,
and my brain burst into flame.
If I couldn't sink myself in her like a dark spur
or dissolve into her like a clod thrown in a river,
can I go all the way in the saying, and say
I wanted to punch her right in the face?
Am I allowed to say that,
that I wanted to punch her right in her soft face?
Or is the saying just another instance of rapaciousness,
just another way of doing what I wanted then,
by saying it?
Is a man just an animal, and is a woman not an animal?
Is the name of the animal power?
Is it true that the man wishes to see the woman
hurt with her own pleasure
and the woman wishes to see the expression on the man's face
of someone falling from great height,
that the woman thrills with the power of her weakness
and the man is astonished by the weakness of his power?
Is the sexual chase a hunt where the animal inside
drags the human down
into a jungle made of vowels,
hormonal undergrowth of sweat and hair,
or is this an obsolte idea
lodged like a fossil
in the brain of the ape
who lives inside the man?
Can the fossile be surgically removed
or dissolved, or redesigned
so the man can be a human being, like a woman?
Does the woman see the man as a house
where she might live in safety,
and does the man see the woman as a door
through which he might escape
the hated prison of himself,
and when the door is locked,
does he hate the door instead?
Does he learn to hate all doors?
I've seen rain turn into snow then back to rain,
and I've seen making love turn into fucking
then back to making love,
and no one covered up their faces out of shame,
no one rose and walked into the lonely maw of night.
But where was there, in fact, to go?
Are some things better left unsaid?
Shall I tell you her name?
Can I say it again,
that I wanted to punch her right in the face?
Until we say the truth, there can be no tenderness.
As long as there is desire, we will not be safe.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Still Learning
So, I'm back to starting all my posts with 'so.'
Lessons learned in the last 24 hours: I am the only person who thinks lion peen is funny. It is ok to mix paper and plastic recycling in New Hanover County. I should have said hi to that girl I saw in Subway who looked like someone I went to high school with, because it really was her and not my self-centered tendency to think everyone is someone I know.
Regarding recycling:
I was still dormant during the great election post extravaganza of 2008, so I did not get to share in the collective joy of the blogosphere, though I wish very much that I had gotten myself together in time to take part. Anything I say now is pretty much a rehash of the tears and tentative stirrings of hope supplied by those bloggers more talented than I, though I shared those feelings, and because of them, I made a promise.
I promised God (or whomever) that if America could elect Obama, I could start recycling. The problem with posting this is that I now have to admit that, heretofore, I did not recycle. Erm. Yes. Meg is very bad. This is now corrected.
But now I am constantly calling my sister and plaguing her with questions that everyone else has known the answer to for ages, like, Do I have to take the caps off my plastic bottles? What if the tin can doesn't have the symbol on it? Can I still recycle it? Should I rinse? Crush? Good God, this is complicated!! Seriously, I have attempted to recycle everything that has crossed my path this week.
But seriously, this is my way of saying that I am committed to a changing future, that I am committed to doing my part in it, and that I am willing to put my money where my mouth is.
Lessons learned in the last 24 hours: I am the only person who thinks lion peen is funny. It is ok to mix paper and plastic recycling in New Hanover County. I should have said hi to that girl I saw in Subway who looked like someone I went to high school with, because it really was her and not my self-centered tendency to think everyone is someone I know.
Regarding recycling:
I was still dormant during the great election post extravaganza of 2008, so I did not get to share in the collective joy of the blogosphere, though I wish very much that I had gotten myself together in time to take part. Anything I say now is pretty much a rehash of the tears and tentative stirrings of hope supplied by those bloggers more talented than I, though I shared those feelings, and because of them, I made a promise.
I promised God (or whomever) that if America could elect Obama, I could start recycling. The problem with posting this is that I now have to admit that, heretofore, I did not recycle. Erm. Yes. Meg is very bad. This is now corrected.
But now I am constantly calling my sister and plaguing her with questions that everyone else has known the answer to for ages, like, Do I have to take the caps off my plastic bottles? What if the tin can doesn't have the symbol on it? Can I still recycle it? Should I rinse? Crush? Good God, this is complicated!! Seriously, I have attempted to recycle everything that has crossed my path this week.
But seriously, this is my way of saying that I am committed to a changing future, that I am committed to doing my part in it, and that I am willing to put my money where my mouth is.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
It's All Happening At the Zoo
So, Thomas and I went to the zoo on Sunday.
There's this zoo here in Wilmington--it used to be called the Tote-Em-In Zoo (which I never understood. The name always made it sound to me like some good samaritans found a giraffe in the woods and just toted it in!) but is now called Tregembo Animal Reserve or something like that.
I'd never gone there before because I'd always heard that it was sad--that the animals were miserable, etc. But then on Friday night we ran into some friends at the bar, and they said that it was fun and that there was a porcupine there that would dance for peanuts.
Hold the phone, I said. You can feed the animals?
Yeah, we were so there. Frankly, I had hoped to touch things, but that was not to be.
I did see this awesome cockatoo that spoke as if it were possessed by the devil, and I'm pretty sure said, "Fuck," to me:
See the evil glint in his dark, dark eyes???
And then I took pictures of animal porn. Some intentional, some unintentional.
Intentional Porn:
Hahahaha! The bearded dragons are on top of each other!! Because it's like they're having sex!!!
Unintentional Porn:
Umm. Yeah. Not the best angle for this lion.
I had fun throwing peanuts to the monkeys and speaking to everything as if it were my new best friend, because the proximity was such that I felt as if everything WAS my new best friend.
And here is the porcupine of awesomeness, who started the whole thing. I did not feed it any peanuts because the sign did not say that it was ok to feed him peanuts. And I have very strict morals about these things. Which is why I take pictures of lion bits.
There's this zoo here in Wilmington--it used to be called the Tote-Em-In Zoo (which I never understood. The name always made it sound to me like some good samaritans found a giraffe in the woods and just toted it in!) but is now called Tregembo Animal Reserve or something like that.
I'd never gone there before because I'd always heard that it was sad--that the animals were miserable, etc. But then on Friday night we ran into some friends at the bar, and they said that it was fun and that there was a porcupine there that would dance for peanuts.
Hold the phone, I said. You can feed the animals?
Yeah, we were so there. Frankly, I had hoped to touch things, but that was not to be.
I did see this awesome cockatoo that spoke as if it were possessed by the devil, and I'm pretty sure said, "Fuck," to me:
See the evil glint in his dark, dark eyes???
And then I took pictures of animal porn. Some intentional, some unintentional.
Intentional Porn:
Hahahaha! The bearded dragons are on top of each other!! Because it's like they're having sex!!!Unintentional Porn:
Umm. Yeah. Not the best angle for this lion. I had fun throwing peanuts to the monkeys and speaking to everything as if it were my new best friend, because the proximity was such that I felt as if everything WAS my new best friend.
And here is the porcupine of awesomeness, who started the whole thing. I did not feed it any peanuts because the sign did not say that it was ok to feed him peanuts. And I have very strict morals about these things. Which is why I take pictures of lion bits.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sunday, November 09, 2008
So, Hi There
Having just spent approximately 800 years trying to fix this layout, I'm giving up in disgust and just saying Hi.
Hi!
I missed you.
So much has happened, and I totally meant to hop on the NaBloPoMo bandwagon again this year, but I blew it, so we'll just have to see how it goes.
For my triumphant return, I would like to share with you the story of my beagle, the oil baroness.
Every New Years, Thomas and I have a party. It used to always be a Fondue party (or as Thomas calls it, Fun-due), but more recently we've been having Ugly Sweater Parties for New Years instead. Anyway, I think the last time we had a full blown fondue New Years was two years ago. And that's how long the huge jug of peanut oil that we bought and barely used has been sitting on my back porch.
Frankly, I'd grown fond of the jug. It was like my personal thermometer or something. Every morning when I let the dogs out, I'd check the oil. Frozen? Need a sweater. Not frozen? 3/4 sleeves ok. It was just a fixture, like the tree that randomly grew up through the porch. Annoying, but finally just part of the landscape.
Anyway, we went on a mad porch/yard cleaning spree before holding an oyster roast last Saturday, and Thomas tried to throw the jug away. And the plastic that had endured two winters on my porch... well... shattered. So, not all of it shattered, thank God, just the top of it, and we covered it up with plastic bags and vowed that as soon as we got a hard freeze and the oil froze again, we'd get rid of it somehow.
Flash forward to my Beagle, who is suddenly hiding under the house all the time. WTF? Why is she doing this? And she won't come out, even when I offer cheese. I keep having to get a flashlight and go after her. And why is her head so gross and oily?
Because she's been under the porch, rolling around in (and eating, I'm sure) 2 years old peanut oil.
Yum-may.
Hi!
I missed you.
So much has happened, and I totally meant to hop on the NaBloPoMo bandwagon again this year, but I blew it, so we'll just have to see how it goes.
For my triumphant return, I would like to share with you the story of my beagle, the oil baroness.
Every New Years, Thomas and I have a party. It used to always be a Fondue party (or as Thomas calls it, Fun-due), but more recently we've been having Ugly Sweater Parties for New Years instead. Anyway, I think the last time we had a full blown fondue New Years was two years ago. And that's how long the huge jug of peanut oil that we bought and barely used has been sitting on my back porch.
Frankly, I'd grown fond of the jug. It was like my personal thermometer or something. Every morning when I let the dogs out, I'd check the oil. Frozen? Need a sweater. Not frozen? 3/4 sleeves ok. It was just a fixture, like the tree that randomly grew up through the porch. Annoying, but finally just part of the landscape.
Anyway, we went on a mad porch/yard cleaning spree before holding an oyster roast last Saturday, and Thomas tried to throw the jug away. And the plastic that had endured two winters on my porch... well... shattered. So, not all of it shattered, thank God, just the top of it, and we covered it up with plastic bags and vowed that as soon as we got a hard freeze and the oil froze again, we'd get rid of it somehow.
Flash forward to my Beagle, who is suddenly hiding under the house all the time. WTF? Why is she doing this? And she won't come out, even when I offer cheese. I keep having to get a flashlight and go after her. And why is her head so gross and oily?
Because she's been under the porch, rolling around in (and eating, I'm sure) 2 years old peanut oil.
Yum-may.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Monday, February 04, 2008
Checking in Briefly
to say that I have invented a word.
Nawesome.
Nawesome is the opposite of awesome.
Start saying it now, because it's going to be a thing.
Nawesome.
Nawesome is the opposite of awesome.
Start saying it now, because it's going to be a thing.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Jumping the Shark
Gina's Friday poll today was about whether or not blogging has jumped the shark.
Though my presence in the blogosphere right now is spotty at best, I still love my blog and intend to return to it soon. But I must say that everyone's pretty quiet right now.
I think I just have too many hobbies. Yesterday morning, before I went to work, I was looking at the eyesore that is currently my lawn, and I was thinking that I really must get around to cleaning things up in time for spring. And then I thought, when? Between school, walking and writing, my life is eaten up entirely. Lately I've been having to go to bed at 9:30 or 10, just to secure myself 7.5 hours of sleep and I feel as if I just run from one place to another without ceasing.
I have no idea how writers are supposed to balance their creative drives against a full time job. I seem to be in this sort of all or nothing head space, where I write frantically or not at all. Which is all to say that I'm sorry I haven't been blogging. When I do have time to sqeeze it in, there's nothing to say. I went to work today. I came home and checked the internet to make sure it hadn't exploded while I was away and then I walked 4 miles. I came home and wrote until dinner time, graded papers and then wrote until bed. That is all. I am profoundly boring.
I sometimes think of simply announcing that I'm going on hiatus, but then I'd just break my word, suddenly appearing to announce that my nose has been whistling a lot lately, or some other humiliating tidbit.
Cause that's how I roll.
Though my presence in the blogosphere right now is spotty at best, I still love my blog and intend to return to it soon. But I must say that everyone's pretty quiet right now.
I think I just have too many hobbies. Yesterday morning, before I went to work, I was looking at the eyesore that is currently my lawn, and I was thinking that I really must get around to cleaning things up in time for spring. And then I thought, when? Between school, walking and writing, my life is eaten up entirely. Lately I've been having to go to bed at 9:30 or 10, just to secure myself 7.5 hours of sleep and I feel as if I just run from one place to another without ceasing.
I have no idea how writers are supposed to balance their creative drives against a full time job. I seem to be in this sort of all or nothing head space, where I write frantically or not at all. Which is all to say that I'm sorry I haven't been blogging. When I do have time to sqeeze it in, there's nothing to say. I went to work today. I came home and checked the internet to make sure it hadn't exploded while I was away and then I walked 4 miles. I came home and wrote until dinner time, graded papers and then wrote until bed. That is all. I am profoundly boring.
I sometimes think of simply announcing that I'm going on hiatus, but then I'd just break my word, suddenly appearing to announce that my nose has been whistling a lot lately, or some other humiliating tidbit.
Cause that's how I roll.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Holiday! Celebrate!
Actually, very little celebration has been going on.
I was so bone tired on Friday that I was coming down with a cold, so I got in bed at 4:30 and failed to get out again until 6 the next morning. It was much needed rest, the kind that your body just sort of seizes from you when you are too idiotic to take care of it yourself.
Writing is chugging along. I am amazed at how much difference practice makes in how quickly I can compose, though the editing process remains long. Thomas has been letting me read aloud to him, which is a tremendous help, as suddenly I can hear that adverbs have totally run away with me once again, and that I have used the word wound eight times in two paragraphs.
I loaded Thomas's iPod yesterday, so that is good. And I have managed to create two separate libraries in iTunes, so that my precious iPod will not be sullied with prewar Jazz, nor will Thomas have to put up with my love of Morrissey.
Otherwise, life is quiet. I had my hair cut today and it is way, way too short, but time will fix that, I suppose. As it does all things.
I was so bone tired on Friday that I was coming down with a cold, so I got in bed at 4:30 and failed to get out again until 6 the next morning. It was much needed rest, the kind that your body just sort of seizes from you when you are too idiotic to take care of it yourself.
Writing is chugging along. I am amazed at how much difference practice makes in how quickly I can compose, though the editing process remains long. Thomas has been letting me read aloud to him, which is a tremendous help, as suddenly I can hear that adverbs have totally run away with me once again, and that I have used the word wound eight times in two paragraphs.
I loaded Thomas's iPod yesterday, so that is good. And I have managed to create two separate libraries in iTunes, so that my precious iPod will not be sullied with prewar Jazz, nor will Thomas have to put up with my love of Morrissey.
Otherwise, life is quiet. I had my hair cut today and it is way, way too short, but time will fix that, I suppose. As it does all things.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Forgive My Silence
I'm writing again.
Which is good. Very good.
So, naturally I'm overtired and prone to fits of crying. (Not so good, but an acceptable trade off).
I hope everyone is well.
Which is good. Very good.
So, naturally I'm overtired and prone to fits of crying. (Not so good, but an acceptable trade off).
I hope everyone is well.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
In Mid Sentence
(those who are not five years old may wish to stop reading now)
Much like the famed I had my tonsils out! incident, on New Year's Eve, someone asked what the make believe land on Mr. Roger's Neighborhood was.
I answered that it was the Land of Make Believe.
No, no, everyone said. It was something else.
No, I'm sure! I yelled. That's why Lady Elaine Fairchild is the name of my--
here I gestured wildly in the direction of the house. Apparently the words "dress form" had fallen out of my champagne-addled brain.
--thing!
My friend Jason stared at me in disbelief. Your thing is named Lady Elaine Fairchild?!
Why, yes. Yes, it is.
Much like the famed I had my tonsils out! incident, on New Year's Eve, someone asked what the make believe land on Mr. Roger's Neighborhood was.
I answered that it was the Land of Make Believe.
No, no, everyone said. It was something else.
No, I'm sure! I yelled. That's why Lady Elaine Fairchild is the name of my--
here I gestured wildly in the direction of the house. Apparently the words "dress form" had fallen out of my champagne-addled brain.
--thing!
My friend Jason stared at me in disbelief. Your thing is named Lady Elaine Fairchild?!
Why, yes. Yes, it is.
Friday, January 04, 2008
I Have These Two Things to Say
1. My camera is broken. Annoyingly, the screen remains blank unless you forcefully hold down a mysterious button, and then quickly take a picture. Even then, the pictures are sometimes pixellated beyond recognition. This is irritating when trying to take pictures of actual humans who do not enjoy the process of "Wait--ok, I got it. No, sorry. That one's blank. Ok, trying again. Yes! No. No. Ok, one more time? Thanks guys, sorry, sorry. Got it that time! Yay!"
This accounts for the rather dubious nature of these photos, and the distinct lack of Donnie whose sweater most assuredly warranted archiving. So, sorry everyone.
But this brings me to:
2. Ugly sweaters are funny.
Jason wins, I think. Please note the faux-leather fringe gracing his back.
This accounts for the rather dubious nature of these photos, and the distinct lack of Donnie whose sweater most assuredly warranted archiving. So, sorry everyone.
But this brings me to:
2. Ugly sweaters are funny.
Jason wins, I think. Please note the faux-leather fringe gracing his back.
Monday, December 31, 2007
JKR Documentary
I know, I know. But it's my blog, so you have to put up with my obsessions. :)
Here's a link to the JKR Documentary that aired in England yesterday.
Here's a link to the JKR Documentary that aired in England yesterday.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Year's End
New Years Meme-age
Where did you begin 2007?
Singing Driving Down Highway 40 with a bunch of drunken revelers in my living room. I was also menaced by an o'possum.
What was your status by Valentine's Day?
What does this mean? Married for almost 2 years.
Were you in school (anytime this year)?
No
Did you have to go to the hospital?
No, thank God.
Did you have any encounters with the police?
Nope.
Where did you go on vacation?
No vacation this year. :(
What did you purchase that was over $500?
Yikes. I only spend that much on computers and cars, so nothing.
Did you know anybody who got married?
Several! Congratulations Becki and Jacob, Kim and Sam, Kirby and Erica, and Kim and Ben.
Did you know anybody who passed away?
No.
Did you move anywhere?
No. My moving days are thankfully over for a while.
What sporting events did you attend?
Blech....sports.
What concerts/shows did you go to?
WE Fest.
Describe your birthday.
I turned 30. Togaliciousness ensued.
What's the one thing you thought you would not do but did in 2007?
Wrote my first novel. Never dreamed I'd do that.
What has been your favorite moment(s)?
It's hard to name a favorite moment. Finishing Deathly Hallows, finishing the novel, celebrating my birthday, poetry readings on the porch...
Any new additions to your family?
Oscar Peterson, the yellow-bellied slider.
What was your best month?
October was pretty good. The drama of the summer had ended, I was writing, we celebrated Halloween in style...
What music will you remember 2007 by?
Depeche Mode and the Smiths ruled my iPod, with honorable mentions by these songs:
Stolen by Dashboard Confessional
Alone by Heart
Save Me by Aimee Mann
Crash by Dave Matthews
Made new friends?
Always. I thrive on friends.
Favorite night out?
Discovering THE Chocolate Cake at Circa with Thomas.
Overall, how would you rate this year?
A very spiky year. Lots of peaks and valleys.
Other than home, where did you spend most of your time?
At work, of course, with Lula's in a distant 3rd.
Change your hairstyle?
Ha. That only happens once every 3-4 years. This was not one of those years. It's maybe a little redder than usual.
How old did you turn this year?
30. Finally starting to freak about that, a little.
Do you have a New Year's resolution?
My resolution is always to have no resolutions. Whatever happens, happens.
Do anything embarrassing?
Please. This is me were talking about. I do 10 embarrassing things every day.
Buy anything new from eBay?
I love eBay. Every once in a while we have to have an intervention. This year, I mostly bought CDs for the iPod. I remember buying Cloudcuckooland by the Lightning Seeds, God Bless Satan by Mephiskapheles, Apollo 18 by They Might Be Giants...
Get married or divorced?
No.
Get arrested?
Of course not.
Be honest - did you watch American Idol?
I adore American Idol. I didn't miss an episode.
Did you get sick this year?
Inevitable when one is an elementary school teacher. But the immune system gets stronger every year.
Been snowboarding?
I don't do snow or sports.
Are you happy to see 2007 go?
Well, I'm looking forward to 2008. 8 is my lucky number.
Additional things:
My parents just left us, so we've finally completed the Christmas season. Everything went really well, and it was great to see them. Here is an update on Christmas loot:
Please check out this amazing bracelet that Thomas bought for me:
Book Lust:
For Christmas, I recieved:
Run by Ann Patchett
Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo
The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
also working on my new Early Reviewer book: Now You See Him by Eli Gottlieb
Happy New Year to everyone. Celebrate fully and safely and best wishes for the year to come.
Where did you begin 2007?
Singing Driving Down Highway 40 with a bunch of drunken revelers in my living room. I was also menaced by an o'possum.
What was your status by Valentine's Day?
What does this mean? Married for almost 2 years.
Were you in school (anytime this year)?
No
Did you have to go to the hospital?
No, thank God.
Did you have any encounters with the police?
Nope.
Where did you go on vacation?
No vacation this year. :(
What did you purchase that was over $500?
Yikes. I only spend that much on computers and cars, so nothing.
Did you know anybody who got married?
Several! Congratulations Becki and Jacob, Kim and Sam, Kirby and Erica, and Kim and Ben.
Did you know anybody who passed away?
No.
Did you move anywhere?
No. My moving days are thankfully over for a while.
What sporting events did you attend?
Blech....sports.
What concerts/shows did you go to?
WE Fest.
Describe your birthday.
I turned 30. Togaliciousness ensued.
What's the one thing you thought you would not do but did in 2007?
Wrote my first novel. Never dreamed I'd do that.
What has been your favorite moment(s)?
It's hard to name a favorite moment. Finishing Deathly Hallows, finishing the novel, celebrating my birthday, poetry readings on the porch...
Any new additions to your family?
Oscar Peterson, the yellow-bellied slider.
What was your best month?
October was pretty good. The drama of the summer had ended, I was writing, we celebrated Halloween in style...
What music will you remember 2007 by?
Depeche Mode and the Smiths ruled my iPod, with honorable mentions by these songs:
Stolen by Dashboard Confessional
Alone by Heart
Save Me by Aimee Mann
Crash by Dave Matthews
Made new friends?
Always. I thrive on friends.
Favorite night out?
Discovering THE Chocolate Cake at Circa with Thomas.
Overall, how would you rate this year?
A very spiky year. Lots of peaks and valleys.
Other than home, where did you spend most of your time?
At work, of course, with Lula's in a distant 3rd.
Change your hairstyle?
Ha. That only happens once every 3-4 years. This was not one of those years. It's maybe a little redder than usual.
How old did you turn this year?
30. Finally starting to freak about that, a little.
Do you have a New Year's resolution?
My resolution is always to have no resolutions. Whatever happens, happens.
Do anything embarrassing?
Please. This is me were talking about. I do 10 embarrassing things every day.
Buy anything new from eBay?
I love eBay. Every once in a while we have to have an intervention. This year, I mostly bought CDs for the iPod. I remember buying Cloudcuckooland by the Lightning Seeds, God Bless Satan by Mephiskapheles, Apollo 18 by They Might Be Giants...
Get married or divorced?
No.
Get arrested?
Of course not.
Be honest - did you watch American Idol?
I adore American Idol. I didn't miss an episode.
Did you get sick this year?
Inevitable when one is an elementary school teacher. But the immune system gets stronger every year.
Been snowboarding?
I don't do snow or sports.
Are you happy to see 2007 go?
Well, I'm looking forward to 2008. 8 is my lucky number.
Additional things:
My parents just left us, so we've finally completed the Christmas season. Everything went really well, and it was great to see them. Here is an update on Christmas loot:
Please check out this amazing bracelet that Thomas bought for me:
Book Lust:
For Christmas, I recieved:
Run by Ann Patchett
Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo
The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
also working on my new Early Reviewer book: Now You See Him by Eli Gottlieb
Happy New Year to everyone. Celebrate fully and safely and best wishes for the year to come.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Talented People Love Me
Thomas saved my life by giving me a wonderful, huge, flat-screen monitor, which could not have come at a better time, as my monitor gave out on Christmas Eve day, and we all know what happens to me when I cannot connect to the internet. Thank God that was averted.
Thomas also gave me the Harry Potter movies box set, which came in a little trunk that I can take with me when I finally get my Hogwarts letter.
Thank you, Thomas.
Two of my favorite gifts were things that people made for me.
Michelle made me the most amazing tablecloth:
My little sister-in-law Jessica made me the Potter Puppet Pals:
I'm humbled to know such giving and talented ladies.
Thomas also gave me the Harry Potter movies box set, which came in a little trunk that I can take with me when I finally get my Hogwarts letter.
Thank you, Thomas.
Two of my favorite gifts were things that people made for me.
Michelle made me the most amazing tablecloth:
My little sister-in-law Jessica made me the Potter Puppet Pals:
I'm humbled to know such giving and talented ladies.
Merry Christmas!
Do I believe my site meter that only one person has visited today? Surely not, as despite the holiday, I've spent the better part of 4 hours online. Yes, I'm sick on Christmas again this year, and consoling myself by spending quality time with the internet.
We had a nice visit with Thomas's family and are home now, presents opened, preparing to launch again into the fray tomorrow, to prepare for my parent's arrival on Thursday.
No matter what, I'm still glad it's Christmas.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
We had a nice visit with Thomas's family and are home now, presents opened, preparing to launch again into the fray tomorrow, to prepare for my parent's arrival on Thursday.
No matter what, I'm still glad it's Christmas.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Counting Down
So, I finished the wrapping today and did some last minute baking for a Christmas party tonight...I think I'm actually going to finish everything in time, so that's good.
Last night, Thomas and I went down to Lula's and hung out with some friends. Thomas was asking, "Who would win in a fight, Little Orphan Annie or Dick Tracy?" (Who would win in a fight is one of our favorite games.) I told him that when I was little, I was always embarrassed to sing "(The Sun Will Come Out) Tomorrow" because it had the word "bottom" in it (as in, "bet your bottom dollar that tomor-rooooo...") so I was convinced that it was dirty.
As we cackled over my childhood obsession with Annie and my apparent fear of the word bottom, Thomas pointed out that I'd been singing a weird song around the house lately.
I should note that I spend 99% of my time (while not at work) singing. I sing in the shower; I sing while I cook and clean; I sing in the car. I'm mostly singing whatever played last on my iPod, but lately I've been singing a lot of Christmas songs. I really miss caroling.
Anyway, he was like, "Yeah, it was something really odd, like Radar Love." I looked at him with disdain and announced that I would never sing Radar Love. Then I thought about it for a while and realized that I had been singing Hot Blooded the other day while baking, and Thomas confirmed that he was, in fact, remembering Hot Blooded.
"Why were you singing Hot Blooded?" he asked.
"I don't know. It was hot in the kitchen from the oven."
Apparently now I just choose songs by free association.
In other news, I'm pretty seriously considering attending Portus this year. Ashley, want to meet me in Dallas?
Last night, Thomas and I went down to Lula's and hung out with some friends. Thomas was asking, "Who would win in a fight, Little Orphan Annie or Dick Tracy?" (Who would win in a fight is one of our favorite games.) I told him that when I was little, I was always embarrassed to sing "(The Sun Will Come Out) Tomorrow" because it had the word "bottom" in it (as in, "bet your bottom dollar that tomor-rooooo...") so I was convinced that it was dirty.
As we cackled over my childhood obsession with Annie and my apparent fear of the word bottom, Thomas pointed out that I'd been singing a weird song around the house lately.
I should note that I spend 99% of my time (while not at work) singing. I sing in the shower; I sing while I cook and clean; I sing in the car. I'm mostly singing whatever played last on my iPod, but lately I've been singing a lot of Christmas songs. I really miss caroling.
Anyway, he was like, "Yeah, it was something really odd, like Radar Love." I looked at him with disdain and announced that I would never sing Radar Love. Then I thought about it for a while and realized that I had been singing Hot Blooded the other day while baking, and Thomas confirmed that he was, in fact, remembering Hot Blooded.
"Why were you singing Hot Blooded?" he asked.
"I don't know. It was hot in the kitchen from the oven."
Apparently now I just choose songs by free association.
In other news, I'm pretty seriously considering attending Portus this year. Ashley, want to meet me in Dallas?
Friday, December 21, 2007
On Break
So, it's my first day of Christmas vacation, and the dogs woke me up at 5:50. Which is fine, I guess. It was at least 20 minutes after I would have usually gotten up. For once, I did not go out and get obliterated on my first night off, so today I'm reasonably prepared to do the 8,000 things still on my to do list. This will be one of the least restful breaks I've ever had--there are at least 2 major things to take care of on every single day of the 12 days I have off, but I'm still happy to be in my pajamas right now.
Last night I watched the movie Once. It was as wistful and lovely as everyone said it would be. Then I read the rest of Olive Kitteridge and felt wrapped in the comforting arms of art. A good book came in the mail yesterday. And I scored another Early Reviewer book for December, so I'm feeling that at least my intake of other worlds is high right now. I'm having trouble writing, but I think that has, for once, to do with my breakneck schedule, and not my terrible procrastination. I've been dabbling in several projects, but I have one that seems to be about to supercede the rest. I'm going to try to wait until January to begin it, though. The holidays are going to be hard enough.
Today's list includes:
Shopping for Christmas dinner
Wrapping all the presents
Taking a good friend to the airport
and...hopefully? A beer or 4.
Last night I watched the movie Once. It was as wistful and lovely as everyone said it would be. Then I read the rest of Olive Kitteridge and felt wrapped in the comforting arms of art. A good book came in the mail yesterday. And I scored another Early Reviewer book for December, so I'm feeling that at least my intake of other worlds is high right now. I'm having trouble writing, but I think that has, for once, to do with my breakneck schedule, and not my terrible procrastination. I've been dabbling in several projects, but I have one that seems to be about to supercede the rest. I'm going to try to wait until January to begin it, though. The holidays are going to be hard enough.
Today's list includes:
Shopping for Christmas dinner
Wrapping all the presents
Taking a good friend to the airport
and...hopefully? A beer or 4.
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