My Sacred Life
Day 28
Ooops, my bad, I'm two days late with answers to the lovely Lisa's Manic Monday. Here's what she has for us this week:
Which personality trait has gotten you into the most trouble? [hahaha HOW appropriate!] Probably my procrastination. Or my lackadaisicalness (my, that's a long word) as pertains to things I don't like doing.
If you had to gain 10 pounds what would you eat to gain the weight? HAHAHA...like THAT will ever happen!!! Anyway...I'd eat lots of pasta and bread. *rolls eyes at Lisa*
How is your private self different from your public self? It's not...I'm pretty much the same privately as publicly inasmuch as what you see is what you get. I mean...I don't walk around braless (much) publicly, and I certainly don't pee in public (much) or engage in wild sex (anymore) in public, but other than that...
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Thanks to a suggestion from Michelle, I asked my boss for some Mondays & Fridays off in Decemeber, and she graciously agreed. So I'm off two Mondays, the 3rd & the 10th and three Fridays, 14th 21st and 28th! Woohoo!
Last night, I went to see The Song Remains The Same, an old Led Zeppelin movie, which was playing at a few theaters in the area. It was definitely hokey in some parts, but the concert parts were amazing. My friend said anyone who could watch Page and Plant and not be turned on was dead inside...I totally agree! Those boys were HOT! Watching the intensity on Page's face as he fingers fly over his guitar...*fans self*. WOW!
My Sacred Life
Day 27
Took a day off from work today...I'm still depressed that I have 60 hours...60 HOURS of vacation time left. First time EVER I've not used it all up. Sigh...
So anyway, I got the tree up, lit and tinseled...not sure if I'm going to put on any other decorations other than crystal icicles. Doing good for having said I wasn't going to put it up this year :-)
Woke up at 330 am ... do you all know how QUIET it is between 330 & 430? FREAKY quiet, that's how quiet!
Red berries
My Sacred Life
Day 26
SarcasticMom came up with Weekly Winners, and here's how you play:
Every Sunday, post your favorite photographs on your blog. It doesn't matter what they are of - just whichever ones are your favs from the previous week (Sunday - Saturday).
They must be your original photos, from the past week.
Use whatever format you like, include as many as you want, write as much or as little about them as you please.
[The only photos I absolutely do not want linked to this Meme are pornographic photos or otherwise extremely graphic photos (such as death/violence, etc.). You will get banned for this, and yes, I will be checking. Please, just use your good taste and common sense.]
So here are the rest of my favs from last week (I love this idea!!!)
It looks like the sage is covered in diamonds...I love this picture!
Prepared veggies, waiting to be cooked
Cappuccino, cannoli, anisette & water...delish!
Fresh rosemary, I just love the smell!
Funny Bones, my favorite snack cake. They were in the vending machine at work...I just HAD to ... yes, I know they're VERY bad.
My Sacred Life
Day 25
it's the Charlie Brown arrangement ;-)
What a weekend! I bought a bunch of books, almost finished one, saw a movie, went shopping, took some pictures, met friends...I was social! Hey...it happens every now and then LOL! I almost went shopping today again, but I thought a nice, peaceful walk in the woods was in order. The dogs and I had a great time, and I picked some pine needles to spruce (pun intended) up the place.
Did you have a good weekend?
Don't forget ... the Friday Fill-Ins are over here now!
1. I enjoy photography more than anything else.
2. Blogging satisfies my need for being heard (or seen or read!)
3. When I look at a full moon, I feel amazed! Last night's was gorgeous, rising up over Boston.
4. If I want a snack, I usually reach for a bag of chips or maybe some peanut butter on bread.
5. The most recent movie I saw, Live Free or Die Hard made me gasp at some of those wild crashes!
6. If only I had enough money to live the way I want to.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to last night I hung out with friends, tomorrow today my plans include keeping warm and Sunday, I want to walk the dogs!
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My Sacred Life
Day 24
This is the 85th Saturday Photo Hunt; the theme is "Hot";
Hot is what I wish it was...22 degrees outside, brrrrr!!! I'm going to bake a cake, just for the heat from the oven. I'd roast a chicken, except for all that leftover turkey and ham. But the pies ARE gone...so cake it is!
My Sacred Life
Day 23
Left the house at 9:30 am and didn't slow down til about 11:30 PM...phew, what a day! Met Michelle at Barnes & Noble, bought four books, had a cup of coffee and a chat, and headed to Megan's to pick her up. Drove to Medford, hopped on the T and headed to Faneuil Hall, where we wandered and took pictures and had lunch at Wagamama.
Then we walked around and took more pictures and headed to the North End where we had cappuccino and drinks and dessert. Sufficiently warmed, we walked over to the Four Seasons, where we ended the evening with a cheese plate, a martini and a nice glass of Sancerre.
Ahhhh...Christmas time in Boston!
My Sacred Life
Day 22
We had a great day today. I cooked and washed, cooked and washed, and I still had a sinkful of dishes after the meal.
Wolf, of course, could barely contain himself with all the delicious smells. I staged this photo when I was done cooking. Isn't he so cute?!
After eating, we vegged out in front of the tv and watched the latest Die Hard flick...lots of spectacular crashes, good plot. I give it a thumbs up.
If you celebrate Thanksgiving, i hope it was filled with good food and excellent company.
Ahhh...another day off tomorrow AND it's a payday! Life is good :-)
My Sacred Life
Day 21
On my walk with Wolf this morning, I noticed little areas of snow left over from yesterday's brushing and thought it looked beautiful! It was almost as if I'd been transported to a place where the plants were covered with glittering diamonds.
Imagine that!
Got almost all the ingredients for tomorrow's big meal...except two of the most important: chestnuts and cranberry sauce!!! So I'll have to brave the stores again today.
For those of you that celebrate Thanksgiving, are you ready?
It's Wednesday and you know what that means...time for What Is It Wednesday! Have you played?
My Sacred Life
Day 20
There's something about the first snow of the season that's magical. It makes me giggle and want to go out and make snow angels! It's pretty with the autumn colors shining through.
Which picture do you like best? It's the same one, with different photoshop techniques applied.
It's snowing!!!
My Sacred Life
Day 19
Since I enjoy this meme so much, I'm making it a part of "My Sacred Life". Yes, I didn't take a picture of it...but rules are made to be broken, no? Anyway, here's Manic Monday, hosted by Lisa and this is what she has for us this week:
What is your least favorite day of the week and why? I'd have to say Monday. After two days off from work, it's always a bit of a sticky wicket to get back into the work frame of mind.
What's the best way to end the day? Downing an ice cold martini? Tempting though that might be, the best way to end each day is to lay in bed and read for a bit. It's soothing and gives me my needed quiet time.
Which animal would you have left out of the ark? Skunks!!! They're beautiful, but OMG the stink!
My Sacred Life
Day 18
And I'm in the mood for a meme...luckily, Claudia tagged me :-)
7 random and/or weird facts about me:
1. I love mint chocolate chip ice cream...but it has to be white, not green.
2. It takes me forever to finish a bottle of diet coke...if I ever come to visit you, you'll find a bottle or three in your fridge (small ones, not a 2 liter).
3. I'll try tasting almost anything food related, which is how I put natto, sea urchin roe & chitlins in my mouth (not at the same time, and my rating is: yuck, yuck & yuck!)
4. It's impossible for me not to personalize my workspace, as anyone who's ever seen my office can attest to (think the Captain Jack Sparrow cardboard standup is overdoing it?).
5. If I love a movie, I can watch it over and over and over. Same thing for music...it takes a really, REALLY long time, if ever, for me to get sick of either of these things.
6. I enjoy the attention my dog, Wolf (seen above), gets when we're out walking, because I HATE/DETEST/CAN NOT STAND to be the center of attention and would much rather any attention be on someone else.
7. I can only learn about things that interest me...ask me about the stock market or how cars work and I'll yawn and fall asleep (believe me, I wish those things DID interest me), but ask me about the different kinds of olive oil, how many races of Elves there are, or what Snape's mother's name is, and I'll rattle it off in a second.
These are the rules:
1. Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself.
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
And as we all know how I feel about rules, seven of you consider yourself tagged if you'd like to play along!
Thanks, Claudia, I was wondering what I'd write about today!
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My Sacred Life
Day 17
This is the 84th Saturday Photo Hunt; the theme is "I love...";
I love brussels sprouts and pinecones, old recipes and salty chocolate, smiling dogs and traveling, a good cup of coffee, cool shoes, and of course, photography!
And I love my cousin who is celebrating a birthday today out on a cruise ship! Go wish her a happy birthday, if you so desire :-) Happy Birthday, Maribeth!!! Love you!
Today's entry inspired by Mrs. G!
My Sacred Life
Day 16
1. Tomatoes: Freshly picked from the garden, nothing better! These tomatoes are in my garden right now; the lovely Laura says if I pick them and put them in a paper bag, they'll ripen. We shall see!
2. Birthdays! Speaking of Laura, today is her birthday! Go wish her a happy one, please, if you're so inclined.
3. Laughter: This commercial had me laughing so hard! I love to laugh; it seems to me fun is vastly underrated in life.
4. Friends. These particular friends celebrated their 20th year since college graduation last year...and kindly let me tag along :-)
5. Grilled cheese sandwiches: Especially with bacon and tomato...comfort food extraordinaire!
6. Angel Perfume by Thierry Mugler. I know it's supposed to be a sweet, foody scent...but on me it smells like Christmas trees as well :-)
7. The ocean. The scent, the sound, the power...it rejuvenates me!
What are some of your favorite things?
My Sacred Life
Day 15
Stop!!!
Last thing I knew it was Halloween (which snuck up on me) and now...now it's a week before Thanksgiving!!! Granted, Thanksgiving is a week early this year...but still. I didn't realize turkey day was fast approaching until last night either. People doing their Thursday thirteens were talking about being thankful (and I was thinking how much I enjoyed the positive vibes). But it wasn't until I came upon one blog that spelled it out by saying that next Thursday was the day that I realized it. No WONDER my brother, who visited last night, said: "See you on Thanksgiving."
Can I wake up now and join humanity? Sheeeesh!
My Sacred Life
Day 14
I want a new drug
One that does what it should
One that won't make me feel too bad
One that won't make me feel too good
I went to see my new doctor this past Monday...0730, in my world, the @$$ crack of dawn. This is the first time we've met, and oh my...the news is NOT good, people.
I gained 20 pounds in six months. TWENTY. POUNDS. And I was fat before! Holy COW and I do mean COW. So my doctor and I, we talked about this weight gain. I said I know I should eat better and work out, but I can't bring myself to do either. She asked why and I said...um...I don't know? Standard answer for when I really don't want to delve deeper into why. But she picked and prodded, no easy task when it comes to me; a typical Cancerian with a THICK shell and very accustomed to side stepping and burying my head.
Here's the truth: I know I need to lose weight...but I'm embarrassed to go to the gym. Why? Cause I'm fat & ugly and I figure the people at the gym will laugh at me. They will laugh and snicker and think to themselves: "Why does she want to lose weight? She's so ugly it doesn't matter if she's 100 pounds or 300 pounds. Ugly is ugly." Yup. That's what I think.
I'd like to be able to think that people would think to themselves *sounds of crickets chirping*, i.e., they're not thinking of me at all, which is probably the case...and maybe this new medication will help.
Cause you know what? Ugly or not, my weight is not healthy and I'm of an age now where I need to really do something about it. So maybe I can go to the gym with the attitude that I need to lose weight to be healthy...yeah, that's it!
Wish me luck?
Also, don't forget...it's Wednesday and you know what that means...time for What Is It Wednesday! Have you played?
My Sacred Life
Day 13
Coming home last night I was flipping through the radio stations...do you know they're playing Christmas songs already??! I like to start listening the day after Thanksgiving...when I start decorating the house for Christmas. Although...I did listen all the way home!
And speaking of Christmas...I'd really like to do all my Christmas shopping on Etsy this year. Please take a look at Etsy :: Showcase and see if anything catches your eye. Then let me know! You'll have til December 7th. Because I'll pick one random person to send something to. Or maybe two...possibly three, cause I'm a fan of odd numbers. My way of spreading the holiday cheer :-)
Just keep it under $50.00, wouldja? Waaaaaaaaaay under ;-)
That is all.
My Sacred Life
Day 12
Because I had such fun at the beach yesterday, I thought I'd include another picture from it, one that others seemed to like very much, as well.
Since I enjoy this meme so much, I'm making it a part of "My Sacred Life". Yes, I didn't take a picture of it...but rules are made to be broken, no? Anyway, here's Manic Monday, hosted by Lisa and this is what she has for us this week:
What family traditions or customs would you most like to see preserved? Funny you asked this...I was just talking to my cousin last night about our family tradition of having plum pudding for Thanksgiving. It was always on the table, made with love by my aunt (her mom) and it's not quite to everyone's taste, but we LOVE it.
What do you feel is the least sexy part of the body? Nostrils. GAG.
What keeps you awake at night? Why? (This could be worries, recurring thoughts, pain or any other distraction. Read into this any way you wish.) Not much LOL! I usually don't have a difficult time sleeping. Call me well-adjusted if you must. ;-)
My Sacred Life
Day 11
Wolf and I headed up to the beach today; Dad had mentioned he'd heard on the news the waves were really big...wow! They sure WERE! Surfers are pretty much a rarity around here as the waves are never big enough for them. This guy had a hard time getting past the crashing waves to join his three buddies. Wolf did NOT appreciate seeing someone in the water; in fact, ALL the dogs I saw on the beach barked their heads off at him LOL!
Mmmm...the house smells so good, I'm baking orange marmalade spice cake. Co-workers will be happy tomorrow!
Happy Veterans Day to all veterans :-)
My Sacred Life
Day 10
I spent the day shopping for wedding gowns with my friend, Megan. She tried on...oh about 10 or 12 all told...but I think she fell in love with number three. I can't describe it other than to say her face just lit up when she looked in the mirror...she looked like a princess in it! There was one other she liked a lot, too...but the service at the second store, after the SUPERB service we had at the first, might have colored the experience a bit.
Afterwards, we had dinner at a Mexican place, played trivia at the bar, and I stopped for this shot on the way home. Far from perfect, but I like the lights reflected in the river.
Hope you had a great day, too!
My Sacred Life
Day 9
Last night I was restless. Not in the mood to read, or watch tv, or talk, or sleep. I should've hopped in the car and driven to the beach...but it never occurred to me.
I watched a bit of ER...and it brought back such horrid memories of living with my first ex-husband. He was an alcoholic...somewhat controlled as he'd've had to have been in order to function in the military. Prior to him joining the military, though, I can remember nights where he'd call me in a panic to tell me he didn't know where his car was. First time it happened, I thought it was stolen. Then I realized he'd gotten so drunk he didn't remember where he left his car...a good thing given how drunk he'd been at one bar or another.
So this morning, even though I got up late, I decided to take Wolf for a walk, clear my head and whatnot.
I saw this milkpod fluff and thought it looked rather angelic.
I felt much better when I got home :-)
My Sacred Life
Day 8
It was sooooooooo cold this morning! I almost didn't bring a camera with me on my morning walk with Wolf. My purse, where I usually keep my small HP, wasn't willing to give up its contents (i.e., couldn't find the damn camera). So I grabbed Dad's small Canon and off I went.
I don't really care for the freezing cold...anything below 40 is too cold to me. But I'll put up with it because I really dig the four seasons in New England! I like my summers hot, my winters cold, my autumns chilly and my springs filled with the promise of sunshine and warmth.
Wolf, however, would like it to be snowy and cold 365 days a year. Weirdo!
My Sacred Life
Day 7
I really didn't want to go to work today. Ever have one of those days? I finally dragged myself into the shower, got ready and drove to work. Once there, however, I found I didn't want to get out of the car. So I started reading a book I picked up a couple days ago, The Problem with Murmur Lee by Connie May Fowler. I can tell, just from the first few pages, it's gonna be a good'un. After finishing the first chapter...still not in the mood to go in, so I put my seat all the way back and stared out of the moon roof and then the windows...looking out at the world. This is what I saw. Not so bad...and I heard the birds chirping, the leaves skittering across the parking lot, blown by the wind...and finally felt good enough to go inside.
Oh and don't forget...it's Wednesday! Have you played?
My Sacred Life
Day 6
I love rainy days...as long as they don't equal a month, as it did in Japan. All June, all rain, all the time. After awhile, ANY sound you love would get a bit irksome if you heard it all day and night EVERY day and night.
But...I woke up this morning, early for me (6:40 am MaryEllen!!!) and decided to catch up a bit on my reading. How comfortable to be in a nice warm bed, snuggling with a plush shiba inu, listening to the rain fall just outside your window and reading a good book...ahhhh.
When it rains, it brings back memories of walking a mile to school in a raincoat and rubbers (hey, it's what we called 'em back then), splashing through the puddles. For some reason, it's also a bit of a melancholy memory...not sure why...maybe all that walking?
Do you like rainy days? Do they bring back memories for you? Wanna share?
Memes...love 'em or hate 'em?
My Sacred Life
Day 5
I love memes! I pronounce it meemee, whatever, they're fun! I know some of you dislike them and think they're mere blog fodder...but I respectfully disagree. I like them for getting to know folks better. If you think about it, a meme functions much like a prompt. You can elaborate on your answer or not. I'm selective about memes, and this one is one of my favorites: Manic Monday, hosted by my blog friend Lisa. This is what she has for us this week:
Describe yourself in one word: Quiet.
What is your favorite kitchen utensil and why? My 7" Santoku knife!
Those hollow recesses make for clean slicing, dicing, chopping and mincing and man does it work; this sucker makes quick work of anything from carrots to meat to...well...just...keep your fingers out of the way, k?
What is the one thing that frightens you the most about growing old? Just one thing, huh? Well...I guess becoming homeless is my greatest fear. I'm working on my finances now (better late than never) and hope to have things straightened out in a year.
Thanks, Lisa, for coming up with such an interesting meme!
My Sacred Life
Day 4
Well, the surprise party was a surprise! Course, I was late but that's me. Always late. Didn't so much matter in this instance, so it was all good. Pat was my best friend waaaay back in high school...so she knows me pretty well ;-)
I gave her a book, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon, an imp of a BPAL fragrance, Scorpio 2007, and a 2 ml bottle of Winter 1972, not so much for the scent...more because September 1972 was when we first met, and by winter...oh my the adventures we had. She appreciated the whoopie pies, too, another blast from our teenage past :-)
I left about 7 pm-ish...and boy is it dark back in the woods of the north country! On the way home, I was going to stop at my cousin's...she lives maybe 20 minutes away. I was driving along, minding my own business, when I noticed, in my rear view mirror, blue flashing lights. Great, fine, I'm getting pulled over. Hmmm...maybe those couple rum & cokes I had weren't such a good idea! Oh, crap, do I even have my registration? Did I put the new one in the car? Crap! So I hand over my license & paperwork to the cute cop, and ask him why he'd pulled me over (for once I wasn't speeding, thank [insert diety here] for the fact it was raining. He told me that my rear right light was out. Oh, thank you! I had NO idea...lalala (didn't have a valid sticker either, cause I keep forgetting to go get it done, thank [insert diety here] that it was a NH cop and not a MA cop). He let me go, just asked me to get it fixed. No problem, officer!
I go on my happy little way...get about, oh, five minutes down the road...when I get pulled over again, this time by a state cop. We go through the rigmarole again, and I mention to him that I'd just gotten pulled over not five minutes ago. He replies, "You might get pulled over five MORE times AND the next guy might not be as nice as me...he might give you a 23 dollar ticket." Heavens no! Not that! Damn, NH is way cheaper than MA.
Finally, I make it to my cousin's house. We have a good laugh about me getting stopped twice, her hubby offers me a drink, I decline, saying, "What if I get pulled over again?" We laugh at the thought.
We visit awhile, I play with the dogs and after about an hour, I hit the road for home. I get about a mile from her house...and BAM, I get pulled over AGAIN! I tell the cop what happened, we smile at each other ironically and he lets me go.
PHEW!
Today, I cleaned, shopped, took a walk, and baked Dad an apple pie (it's not pretty but it tastes good) to go with his dinner of pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts.
How was your weekend?
My Sacred Life
Day 3
I can't talk about where I'm going today, on the slim chance that by doing so I might spoil a surprise for someone! But...I was up til midnight baking whoopie pies last night as I promised to bring a dessert with me to wherever it is I'm going. Why did I choose Whoopie pies? They're one of her favorites and hopefully will make her smile. I made chocolate ones (traditional) and pumpkin ones (delish!).
Baking is one of my favorite things to do...measure this, pour that, mix togther and voila! A yummy something that someone will appreciate. What's not to like!
Off to shower and go for a ride to deliver some delicious goodness :-)
My Sacred Life
Day 2
I once said that I could be defined by my obsessions. I don't know that I'm obsessed (shut it!) with Johnny Depp (maybe his character, Captain Jack Sparrow) OR Alan Rickman (atho...as you all know I AM fond of Snape), but I certainly do enjoy both men's work on screen.
In the movie theaters this December will be Sweeney Todd. I've never seen the musical nor did I really have any desire to (I keep saying I don't care for musicals, although I've loved almost every one I've seen, the last being Les Mis, but that's a whole other story) but I am certainly looking forward to this movie. To see both of my favorite actors on screen together...well...can I just say WOOHOO!?!
Here's an excerpt from an interview with Johnny Depp...these two particular questions and answers intrigued me as I was very much a Dark Shadows fan back in the day (didn't care for another other daytime soap opera...just this one):
Q: And what about talk that you'd like to do a Dark Shadows feature, from Dan Curtis' old occult soap-opera TV series?
JD: If that comes to fruition, that's a dream come true, man. Barnabas Collins-- when I was a kid I wanted to be Barnabas.
Q: Why him? Why a vampire?
JD: I think a lot of kids did. He was super-mysterious, with that really weird hairdo and the wolf's-head cane. Good stuff.
Indeed! *swoon*
I've been wanting to participate in Carla's My Sacred Life Project, and I thought what better time to start than November 1st, when I also begin participating in National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo), too!
I'd like to thank Carla for the inspiration to show and talk about what is sacred to me. As she says, "It might be my altar, a candle I'm burning, my dogs, the garden, a friend, a book I'm reading, nature, something I did, someplace I went, something important to me, or, who knows, maybe just my morning bowl of Cheerios!"
I'm looking forward to this, and I hope you all will enjoy!
My Sacred Life
Day 1
Max is the one with the stubby tail and floppy ears; he's a mixed breed adopted him from Buddy Dog in Sudbury, MA. Wolf has a curly tail; he's a Shiba Inu and I adopted him from a co-worker.
Once I was a cat person; cats are easier for those of us that aren't so responsible; they don't have to be walked, they're ok on their own (with big bowls of food and water) if you decide you want to go out after work unexpectedly or even go away for a weekend. Cats are cool with that. Dogs? Not so much.
Dogs make you live in the present, completely.
Dogs have to be walked, or at the very least, if you're lucky enough to have a big yard, hooked to a run. But they can't hook themselves up; you're the one with opposable thumbs and YOU must do that for them.
You must brush them and feed them and pet them and throw toys for them! You must interact with them, each and every day.
I didn't have time for that when I was younger. I wanted to go, to see, to do. Now that I'm older...I've gone, I've seen, I've done and I don't feel that drive to HAVE to go out so much now. I'm more content and that translates into being the sort of person dogs like to belong to.
~ My Wolfie has made the big time; he's now a famous model!; isn't he just so cute?Please say the preceeding sentences in a high pitched voice, makes it sound ever so much better ;-) The site was designed by the wonderful and talented Monique.
~ I worked on decorating the tree a bit more last night...got all the lights up (so blue!) and just a few of the decorations, but I didn't like the way the pictures came out, so I'll try to take more tonight. I was going to do that this morning, but Megan reminded me of an obligation I hadn't fulfilled to I did those pictures intead:
~ Why do I love the crust on quiche, but not on pies? Must be the savory vs sweet thing.
~ Speaking of savory, have you tasted the new baked Doritos? YUM!
~ Pam tagged me to tell you Six Weird Things About Me. The problem with this is...I'm so weird I don't know what weird is. Here goes nothing!
1. I'll try eating just about anything once, which is how, at various times, I've put natto, sea urchin roe & chitlins in my mouth (my rating is: yuck, yuck & yuck!).
2. I don't like food that is artificially colored green, such as mint chocolate chip ice cream.
3. I enjoy being on the periphery when my dog, Wolf, gets attention while we're out walking (and believe me, he gets tons!), and when my friends get attention from cute boys, but I HATE/DETEST/CAN NOT STAND to be the center of attention and would much rather any attention be on someone else...maybe this is why so many of my friends are huge flirts...hmmm...
4. I procrastinate like no one's business, then stress out because I've procrastinated. Dude, just DO IT!.
5. I am deathly afraid of spiders and bees, but have a snake cross my path, and I'm cool with it.
6. I can only learn about things that interest me...ask me about the stock market or how cars work and I'll yawn and fall asleep, but ask me about the different kinds of olive oil, how many races of Elves there are, or what Snape's mother's name is, and I'll rattle it off in a second.
~ Ahhhh, the last NaBloPoMo post is done! I hope you guys enjoyed me sharing stuff with you every day, rather than just pictures and memes...if not? Well, we can go back to that no problem!!!
~ Ok, that's all that's on my mind right now...aren't you glad I shared?
Mincemeat pie
This traditionally English dessert makes me think of Professor Snape, sitting in his living quarters at Hogwarts during the Christmas holidays, savoring a small piece of mince pie. Not too sweet, full of dark goodness and a bit sharp...similar to his personality. Washed down, of course, with a freshly and precisely brewed cup of Lapsang-Souchong tea.What is mincemeat, you might ask? Mincemeat was originally an old English custom, a sweet, spicy mixture of finely chopped meat, suet and fruit. At some point, the meat was reduced or completely removed, and nowadays, it's usually a mix of dried chopped fruit (raisins, currents, apples, pears, citrus peel, etc.), spices and sometimes nuts, suet, and brandy or rum.
Here are a couple of recipes: this one is traditional (without meat); this one is from the Pennsylvania Dutch (with meat), in honor of Mom, who loved all things Pennsylvania Dutch. Also, I've included a link about the traditions of mincemeat.
Give it a try next time you see it at a holiday table...you just might be surprised at how much you like it!
I read somewhere on the internets that one should use three 100-light sets per tree foot. I have a 6.5-foot Christmas tree, this means I need 18.5 100-light sets. HUH??? I think that's waaaaaaaay too many lights. Eighteen? First of all, I'd be blinded, second of all, you couldn't see the tree, third of all, the electricity!Right now I have 3 boxes of blue and white faceted 70-light sets on the tree...maybe I'll add two more in solid blue and be done with it. What color do you prefer? All white? Multicolor? How about purple? Hmmm...
Megan and her Jimbo, laughing during a recent photo shoot
A friend of mine, Megan is the founder of a shopping website called A Girl Must Shop. If you're looking for interesting, unique and affordable gifts for Christmas, you must check it out! Megan has been getting a lot of positive press recently; first, she was featured in our local newspaper, the Lowell Sun, and today, she was interviewed on the UMass Lowell Sunrise Radio Program; man...what a voice!
Megan is the one who got me into blogging, and she also designed and set up my blog. This chick is one busy girl! She's got three projects that keep her quite busy: her full time job, her web design site and the aforementioned shopping site. She still has time for a dirty 'tini with a friend or two from time to time, tho!
So if you're looking for gifts for the holidays, check out A Girl Must Shop! You won't be disappointed :-)
Back in October, I mentioned having a contest, so here 'tis: I put my iPod on shuffle and these are the first ten random tunes that played. if you can name the song and the artist, I'll send you an Imp one of the perfumes (anything but Laudanum or Les Infortunes de la Vertu) I got from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab. Have fun! No cheating! And if all 10 can't be named, I'll award the prize to the person who gets the most right (damn...what command of the english language, eh?)
1. It's astounding, time is fleeting, Madness takes it's toll
2. I am still living with your ghost, Lonely and dreaming of the west coast
3. Fat flabby Annie was incredibly big; She weighed just about sixteen stone
4. This speech is my recital, I think it's very vital
5. Everybody's high on consolation, Everybody's trying to tell me what is right for me
6. Now that you are here with me, Baby, let's do it right
7. What they doing, They smile in your face
8. My eyes show me more than I've seen, But unlike my poor heart they're not cautious
9. Hey, hey, mama, said the way you move, Gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove.
10. Down to who knows who, just to socialize, I'm waiting for my girls, when you caught my eyes.
So...let's see if I can remember all that's gone on since I last blogged...
Friday: Walked the dogs in the woods, where apparently it was British day (or maybe I was in some weird twilight zone thing), since the 3 groups of people I passed in the woods ALL had english accents...and those were the ONLY people I saw. Came home and made Dad dinner, then headed out to pick up Diane for a movie (Bobby). Fantastic movie, by the way; written and directed by Emilio Estevez, it's about the day Robert Kennedy was shot and killed in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in LA. Excellent cast, which included Anthony Hopkins and Harry Belafonte as old friends, just to name a couple. Afterwards, we stopped at the nearby Outback, had a drink and talked about the movie (she was too young to remember the event) and about my friend's visitation by my Mom.
Saturday: Went to a craft fair with my cousin and Emily and then some outlet shops, neither of which was all too crowded! It was really fun having Emily along...she reminds me so much of my friend Gaylen's daughter Reva when Reva was her age...boy do I miss those days! Dropped them off, did some more shopping on my own and then went back to Maribeth's for dinner (thanks, guys!)
Two days without taking pictures...I'm slipping! Maybe tomorrow I'll get around to it. I hope I get around to putting up the window candles and the tree and decorating it tomorrow, too. Sometimes plans change in an instant and I'm pretty flexible. For example, Saturday, Diane & I were going to see the new Bond movie, but it was sold out (man was that theater crowded!!!), so we got tickets for Bobby instead.
Have you seen any good movies lately?
Above are my two favorite pictures from yesterday...my cousin MB and her young friend, Em, who fell in LOVE with Wolf...and I mean in LOVE! MB and hubby had such a great mix of folks yesterday...older, younger, some healthy, some fighting to remain so, interesting all!
Today, I think I'll clean, and possibly set up the Christmas decorations...and tomorrow, head back up to my cousin's (sans Wolf, sorry, Em!) so we can go to a craft fair.
Today, I think it's cool enough not to have to worry about ticks, so the dogs and I are off for a nice long walk in the woods. Whatever you do today, braving the crowds, shopping or just relaxing, I hope you have a great day!
Happy Thanksgiving! I bet this is the one kitchen appliance that gets the most work on a day like today! And those of you that have electric stoves, well, you know what I mean!
We've had a great day so far; delicious food courtesy of my cousin, great company, and a couple of nice long walks with the dogs! We're taking a break before dessert ;-)
Hope you all that celebrate Thanksgiving are having a fantastic day! Do you have traditions you like to follow each year, or do you play it by ear?
I bought this Christmas cactus for my mother last year...but didn't have a chance to give it to her before she passed away.
Usually, I have a very brown thumb when it comes to indoor plants...but as you can see, this one has flourished! I thought it had died or was very close to it last spring. Instead of throwing it out, however, once it got warm enough, I just put it outside by the basil & rosemary and basically forgot about it. Imagine my shock when I noticed it had not only died, but was blooming furiously!!!
I brought it back in the house a couple of weeks ago, and repotted it yesterday. Hopefully it will survive the repotting and my brown thumb and go on to ... remain a living memory.
My cousin and I received an email from a friend today; this is what she said:
Okay, here goes nothing. Janet, several times over the past year I get a picture of your mom in my head. This morning it was a barrage of words and then driving in the car clear as day she directed my thinking, I had to write it down because she said she didn't trust me "one whit" to remember it all. The messages are kooky but I have to give them to you. She said there was a chance you would close off and not talk to me so I almost didn't do this, as a matter of fact I am trying to talk myself out of it now. She wants you to call me to have me tell you about all these "slides" and she wants Maribeth on the phone in cause you hang up on me she wants to be heard all the way through. I'm sorry, I don't know what else to do about this. Here are my notes I wrote driving in the car this morning. Look at them and see if you want to call me. It is supposed to make you guys happy. It made me laugh at some parts, she's very direct. Surprisingly I was really nervous about getting it right. Again, I'm sorry to upset you, but there have just been too many coincidences the last few days to make me ignore it.
Now, before you go shaking your heads (I see you and you shaking your heads now), bear in mind that this person, like most of my friends, is NOTHING like me. She's career oriented, extremely driven, a no-nonsense type of person.
So, to hear this from her gives me pause.
Maribeth replied, in part:
This sounds so much like Uncle Betty. Thanksgiving was such a big deal for her and for us. All my Thanksgivings growing up were spent with her and Jan and the family. I have the SLIDES! Yes, when my folks went into their small apt, I got all the slides. I wonder if we look we can find some Thanksgiving ones from years gone by.
And the first thing out of my mouth was:
"...you remind me so much of my mother in that you don't understand me in the least LOL! WHY would I not talk to you? I think it's GREAT!!!"
She had an urgent sense of having to talk to me (and Maribeth), to make sure she "passed on the message"; and once the conversation was over, she had a profound sense of relief.
Maribeth...I think we need to set a place at the table for Mom this year, after all!
Have any of you ever had something like this happen to you?
Until recently, while driving, I mostly listened to my iPod, either music or books. What's changed? Christmas music, y'all! Hey...I can say y'all, I loved (and lived) down south for a couple years. Ahem. Anyway, a local station, Oldies 103.3, is now all Christmas music all the time...or at least until after Christmas. My top 15 Christmas songs (not in any particular order) are as follows:
1. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting) - Nat King Cole
2. Skating - A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack
3. Silent Night
4. Mele Kalikimaka - Jimmy Buffett
5. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
6. Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
7. Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairies
8. Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Bruce Springsteen
9. Christmas Wrapping - Waitresses
10. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
11. Jingle Bell Rock - Hall & Oates
12. Father Christmas - The Kinks
13. Santa Claus and His Old Lady - Cheech & Chong
14. The First Noel
15. River - Joni Mitchell
It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on...What are your favorites?
"Blessed are they who have the gift of making friends, for it is one of God's best gifts. It involves many things, but above all, the power of going out of one's self, and appreciating whatever is noble and loving in another." - Helen Keller
"To have a good friend is one of the highest delights of life." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
"There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship." - St. Thomas Aquinas
"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." - Anais Nin
"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." - Robert Louis Stevenson
The many faces of friendship!
I'm so very thankful for my friends...life would dull indeed without them! Thursday, I met Megan for a drink and afterward we wandered the mall. She spread good cheer wherever she went; amazing the power of positivity! Friday, I met my cousin, her husband & her daughter for a birthday dinner in Concord, NH; I think we all had a good time! Saturday, Michelle and I met for an impromptu movie (Running With Scissors, such a disappointment) and quick bite; while at dinner, poor Michelle got an earful of my woes. Today, Krista and I saw two scary movies from "HorrorFest - 8 Films To Die For"; Wicked Little Things and The Hamiltons (vampires!) while eating a nutrious and delicious supper of a hotdog (me), nachos (her), popcorn (both) and for dessert Reece's Pieces (her) and a chocolate wafer bar (me), washed down, natch, with twoHUGEmedium diet cokes. Don't go to the movies on an empty stomach!
November 8, 2006
November 10, 2005...
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Better mood tomorrow, I promise!
I've always had a thing for vampires. Ghosts...too phantasmal; mummys...too wrapped up; goblins...well, what IS a goblin, anyway? Vampires have a kind of sexy thing going...lips and teeth on skin, the biting, the swooning after the bite; it's kind of sexual, isn't it? Did you see Frank Langella (read the first paragraph under "Career") in Dracula? Antonio Banderas as Armand in Interview with the Vampire (Johnny Depp almost played Lestat in that movie...can you imagine?). Have you read Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire Mysteries? Or Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles? Or how about Colleen Gleason's Gardella Vampire Chronicles? I'm sure there are other examples out there that I'm missing, but you get my point. Vampires are HOT!
I usually like to dress up for Halloween as a vampire of some sort:
scary clown vampire
gothic vampire
Snape's vampire mistress
When I dressed up as a gothic vampire, I bought a set of fangs that you could mold to fit over your teeth. They stayed in place for exactly two seconds...and it made me think...hmmm...I should ask my friend and dentist, Kim (aka Dr. Binky), if she could fit me with fangs (removable, of course). I finally remembered to ask her recently and this is how the conversation went:
Me: Kim, can you make me some vampire fangs? ;-) "
Not batting an eyelash, she replied: "You know, I probably could make you vampire fangs, although that is not a request I get everyday."
me: "I'm here to spice up your life!"
Kim: "Everybody needs a spice up their lifer!"
FINALLY, I've learned the purpose of my life! I won't cure cancer, create world peace or solve life's thorniest issues...but I WILL spice up your life!
Any takers?
Rose Quartz Crystal
Recently, a blog friend of mine offered to send me a rose quartz crystal to use as gemstone therapy. She thought it might help with something I was going through. I said sure! Can't hurt! So she blessed the rose quartz in the Atlantic Ocean on a Sunday; she said it was a really beautiful, magical day with the sun shimmering on the waves. She let the crystal air dry in the sunshine and sent it off to me. I received it a few days later and put it to use that night. She recommended I lay down flat on my back and place the stone on my heart, letting the energy from the stone seep in.
She told me that "the soft, pink-colored light of the rose quartz encourages gentleness, tenderness and love. It envelopes your soul in loving vibrations that heal the wounds of your heart caused by hardness, lack of consideration or carelessness, and opens your soul so that it is able to give and receive love more freely. It teaches you to accept and love yourself, and opens your heart for all expressions of love and tenderness within yourself, in others and in all Creation. It makes you receptive for the beauty of music, poetry, painting and other art forms and enlivens your imagination and creative power of expression.
You know...it can't hurt and if it might help, I'm all for it! Plus, I believe that if YOU believe something, it will work (or come true); those vibes of positivity are wonderful! And whether or not you believe in such things, just the thought that someone cared enough to want to ease my pain...eased my pain!
Continue reading "NaBloPoMo #16: Alternative Forms of Therapy"
Bailey and Diane
I've always been a pet lover, but there have been times when I'm ashamed to say I haven't taken very good care of the animals in my charge. I won't go into detail, but there you have it.
For a very long time, I only had cats in my life. Cats are easier to take care of, they use a litter box, you can leave them home alone relatively safely as long as you put out two big bowls filled with water and food. So when my life was busier, when I was much more interested in being out and about as often as I could, cats were fine.
But now that my life has slowed down a bit, I find myself owned by two dogs. Yes, owned. I'm lucky enough to have someone to take care of Max and Wolf when I go away, or make spur of the moment plans for after work, but it's still tougher. MUCH tougher! I think about them more often, if they're ok, did my escape artist (Wolf) manage to break free, were they fed, is there enough water for them, are they having fun? Dogs LOVE to have fun! Wolf adores a good game of tug of war and he'll run after and retrieve certain of his toys til he (or more likely you) tire of it.
I notice when I am home, Wolf positions himself near me. And when I come home, usually I'm greeted at the door by both of them, although the last few times, Wolf was sleeping hard upstairs and didn't hear me til I started walking up the stairs. This worries me! Is he getting deaf? Is he sick? Or is it just the rain?
How about you? Do you have pets? Do you think cats are easier? How about chickens? ;-)
Max (foreground) and Wolf
* Receiving an email that answers a question you had in your heart in a positive way - check
* Getting soaked leaving work - check
* Meeting a friend after work - check
* Having a good dirty martini - check
* Seeing a movie ["Stranger Than Fiction"; love when they're talking about anarchy and the Clash is playing in the background LOL] that makes you think, laugh AND warms your heart - check
* Getting soaked again running to the car after the movie and still laughing about it - check
*Finding out when you get home you got a gift in the mail, picked out specially for you - check
* The ability to enjoy the little things in life when it seems there's not much to enjoy - priceless
What made you happy yesterday? What are you looking forward to today?
I love the way the lion looks in this picture...to me, he looks wistful, looking towards the future but thinking of the past. What does he look like to you?Another question: Do you rely much on your intuition? Maybe rely is the wrong word...do you believe in your intuition? I...am aware of mine, but sometimes I bury it or push it to the back of my mind, because at what point does intuition cross over into paranoia?
Recently, though, my intuition about being disliked [hahaha I wrote dislicked first] or unaccepted by a certain person was confirmed by a hateful comment on my blog. Yeah, yeah, sob, poor me, whatever. I'm not complaining in the least. EVERYONE is entitled to their opinions, and they are free to say whatever they like, however wrong they might be (that's a joke, you know). It's not like I didn't know how this person felt, but sometimes, it's still a shock to have an intuition so strongly confirmed.
Do you sensor much of what you write before you post it or are you one of those that believes you can say what you like because it's your blog? My blog is pretty much how I am in real life. I say what I feel, occasionally sensoring, but sometimes sticking my foot in my mouth. What person hasn't done that? You say oops, apologize and move on, if possible. Sometimes, it's NOT possible; sometimes you must sever the bond that connects you to a friend or family member. That's when I look back...missing someone despite knowing that severed bond is not accidental, but necessary.
It was a gorgeous day Saturday and I felt bad we were keeping John from a nice long ride on his Harley...but I think we entertained him sufficiently, not to mention feeding him and keeping him on track with a coffee (we were there from noon til about 6:30!).Here's our tattooist, John, working on Mo's tattoo; Mo was entertaining him by reading him bits from Cosmo LOL!
And here is Mo's newest tattoos!
John again, working on my tattoo (photo by Monique). His friend, who shall remain nameless, stopped by a couple times, but I think we scared him off!
My newest tattoo; of course, I named him Fawkes ;-)
Here's John working on Monique's tat
And finally, Monique's newest tattoo
Mo's appointment was about 3.5 hours long and the poor thing was in pain through most of it (she got her tats on her lower back), but toughed it out! Braver than me, I swear.
I arrived about an hour into her work, and just hung out, taking pictures and talking and running out for pizza and looking through John's extensive collection of tattoo and art books. He suggested a flower on my foot for my next tattoo...but I fell in love with this guy:
Isn't he just so adorable?
He's a silly baby dragon named Sebastian (I think) and he's making scary shadows in the light from the lantern. It's from a drawing by Amy Brown, she does the most amazing fairy drawings I've ever seen!
Round about 3:30, it was my turn. Didn't hurt hardly at all, but I made pain faces so Mo wouldn't feel alone ;-) I think it took John about an hour and a half, maybe two, for mine.
Last up was Monique...her tattoo was ... well, maybe it's too personal, and if she wants to say, you can read about it over on her blog :-)
"A soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone." -- Johann von Goeth
I'm used to walking alone. It's not a bad thing, it allows me to open up to things I might ordinarily miss because I'm too busy talking or whatnot.
Today, I'm off to get another tattoo. Some would say I have enough already or perhaps MORE than enough...but I don't get or not get tattoos for others, I do it for myself. I do it to mark milestones, to acknowledge a passing or simply because I've fallen in love with something.
I'll post pictures of it tomorrow...or maybe tonight...wish me luck!
I want to thank all who commented yesterday about mentoring. I appreciate your offers and ideas more than you know!
I need a mentor. There. I've said it. I've been thinking about this for awhile, but far be it from me to ask for help. No, I'd just rather ... well, let's not dwell on the negative, shall we?
I was asked to photograph two weddings in September, which I happily agreed to do. I didn't want to charge either couple anything as I wanted to use the photos to build up my portfolio, but both brides gave me money. And I was QUITE unhappy with the way the pictures turned out. Both brides say they like the pictures...but I think they're being nice.
A few other assignments were photographing children of friends of mine. Again, I didn't like the way the pictures came out, altho one Mom ordered copies and says she truly liked a few of the pictures (I don't expect EACH picture I take to come out...5 out of 20 isn't unrealistic, I don't think), but one of the other moms...well, let's just say she's looking for another photographer for her child's holiday pictures LOL!
The funny thing is...when I'm NOT trying...I get good shots! This one, for example, is adorable (to me):
I'd love to sit down with a professional and get some tips. It's not so much composition as it is lighting, altho some might take issue with that, too.
But...where to find a mentor? Any ideas?
I'm going to talk politics...run away!!! But come back, cause then I'm gonna talk about Lost!
When I got home from work Tuesday night, there were two empty beer bottles on the kitchen table (my precious Yuengling!!!). Now...neither Wolf nor Max has the ability to open a beer without breaking the bottle, so I figured it had to be Dad.
I said hi, walking into the living room...and he looked like his best friend had died. "Dad!", I said, "What's wrong?" His reply? "I'm watching the news, and it's not good...not good at all." You see, Dad's a Republican.
Fast forward to Wednesday night. Rinse, lather, repeat (minus empty bottles of MY damn Yuengling). He's convinced that with liberals in high places bad things will happen. I asked, "Dad...did any bad things happen with Republicans in office?" His answer? Silence. Stubborn bastid ;-)
Normally, my Dad and I are alot alike...but in this instance the apple fell far, far, FAR from the tree :-)
You Are 0% Republican If you have anything in common with the Republican party, it's by sheer chance. You're a staunch liberal, and nothing is going to change that! I'm scared by people who answered even ONE thing positively in that test. *shivers*
You Are 48% Democrat You aren't a full fledged Democrat yet, but it's likely the party that fits you best. You probably consider yourself an independent Democrat. You usually support the party, but you also think for yourself! Ok, done with politics. What did you think of Lost last night? How STUPID are the others that they didn't know Jack would do what he did? Damn, Sawyer and
MonicaKate are hot! He's just such an adorable badass!!! Look north? What did THAT mean? And what WAS the story Jack told Kate when they first met?Off to walk the dog; Thursday Thirteen is below!
I've seen this on a couple of blogs and I love the art on these cards. I'm, of course, the Moon :) Let me know if you do this one so I can see your card!Continue reading "NaBloPoMo #8: Hope, expectation, bright promises..."
You are The Moon
Hope, expectation, Bright promises.
The Moon is a card of magic and mystery - when prominent you know that nothing is as it seems, particularly when it concerns relationships. All logic is thrown out the window.
The Moon is all about visions and illusions, madness, genius and poetry. This is a card that has to do with sleep, and so with both dreams and nightmares. It is a scary card in that it warns that there might be hidden enemies, tricks and falsehoods. But it should also be remembered that this is a card of great creativity, of powerful magic, primal feelings and intuition. You may be going through a time of emotional and mental trial; if you have any past mental problems, you must be vigilant in taking your medication but avoid drugs or alcohol, as abuse of either will cause them irreparable damage. This time however, can also result in great creativity, psychic powers, visions and insight. You can and should trust your intuition.
What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.
I'm going to open this up to you readers...does it sound like me?
It's so awesome to have friends that can do things on the spur of the moment. I'm lucky enough to have two friends like that, Megan and MaryEllen. Don't think that either one of them are not busy chicks, either. Both have 2 hour commutes each day, both have what amounts to part time jobs (Megan's got her design business, ME's a competitive ice skater), both have lots of responsibilities. But...that being said, both are also adventurous fun lovers!
So when I was invited to join some friends at their annual Florida vacation, I jumped at the chance! That they told me to invite Meg & MaryEllen made it that much sweeter!
Now...here's my question! Anyone know how to get discounted 2 or 3 day passes to the theme parks there? Ideally, I'd like to get a 3 day park hopper pass which goes for $237.00; I'd settle for a two day pass. I'll be there the beginning of December.
I'm so excited! The parks will be all gussied up for Christmas! The first and only time I've been to a theme park at Christmas time was Tokyo Disneyland Park in Japan, and it was just beautiful. Plus...they've added an animatronic Captain Jack Sparrow who speaks to the POC ride...I think I'll be taking that one a couple times. Ahem. It was always my favorite anyway: yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me!
do some parents cater to kids? Have you guys seen the Pizza Hut commercial with the harried Dad, rushing into the house and tossing various fast food bags at his kids? The first time I saw it, I was dumbfounded!
When I was growing up, my brother and I ate what my parents ate. My mother didn't cook us separate meals! While we might not have liked everything she made, we were exposed to a wide variety of foods and liked at least one thing each meal. For example, I didn't like lima beans or peas and would gag when she made them. I'd pick them out of my tuna casserole or whatever it was and set them aside. My mother didn't punish me for not eating them, she didn't put them in a bowl and force me to eat them later, but neither did she leave them out when she was cooking the meal. When did parents become personal chefs for their kids? And more to the point, why?
I noticed this phenomenom at my cousin's surprise party. The kids didn't sit and eat turkey and mashed potatoes and squash and broccoli and stuffing and cranberry sauce with us. Know what they had? Chicken nuggets and mac & cheese (ok, I had some of the mac & cheese, but I still enjoyed the rest of the meal, too). My cousins and my brother and I would never have thought to NOT eat a meal like this, especially at Thanksgiving. In fact, we looked forward to it! It was a tradition! Apparently, these kids don't take after our side of the family LOL! I did notice that MB's daugter, Amanda, at least tried the plum pudding, instead of making fun of us for eating it (it's kind of a weird thing, an aquired taste, I guess). I find it strange that people don't at least taste something new...but I won't make fun of 'em for it...mostly ;-)
It's not mac & cheese or peanut butter? Then I'm not eating it! Hmmmph!
Drove to New Haven, CT yesterday to participate in a surprise party for my cousin, Maribeth. It was planned and put together by her sister, Mel, who did an OUTSTANDING job!
Maribeth thought she was going to enjoy a nice turkey dinner with Mel and her family and their parents, and instead, she got a bit of a surprise in the form of her daugther, my Dad and me!
Since lots of us in the family are shutterbugs, tons of pictures were taken! Unfortunately, my camera decided to have a headache, so I'm letting him rest a bit, then I'll try to download the pictures I took (96 LOL). In the meantime, here's one by Mel and one taken with my other camera:
Cousin Mel captured this shot of Dad & her mom, Rosa (they're first cousins), reminiscing over a photo album:
Don't they look happy?
A full moon accompanied us on the long drive home:
A friend of mine sent me an interesting email recently. She said: "Just wanted to tell you that I woke up from a dream about you feeling a huge sense of "ok, everything is going to be alright now". Don't know what that means, don't remember the dream, just that I felt very worry-free about you."
Which led us, in a typical meandering fashion, to the following conversation:
me: speaking of doctors and House, you watch that show, right?
her: not regularly, I love it though, I think House is hot.
me: I, of course, can't stand the show, but he was on SNL last week and he was a funny funny bastard!
her: don't you think he's good looking?
me: no, he's ok looking, i just HATE the character! so frickin' mean
her: I think that's what makes him so hot
me: yeah, well, you go on your masochistic lil way honey ;-) I'd prefer a man who is a bit nicer...say Professor Snape :-)
her: SNORT
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An excerpt from a interview with Alan Rickman in a French magazine, Total Star, back inApril/May 2005 (it's a rough translation from French to English):
TS: Did some fans address you with loathsome remarks?
AR: In fact, very little did. What is splendid is that people in general adore Snape. He is sarcastic, stubborn, etc, etc. But he is also fascinating. I have a lot of fun impersonating him, I take immense pleasure in playing someone so ambiguous.
Ok, I did absolutely horribly at the RIP Challenge! These were the books I was going to read:
1. Murder Most Scottish, an anthology (I did read a few stories out of it, tho, just not the whole thing!)
2. The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice (mmmm...Lestat, tho I liked Louis more in the movie)
3. Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories (same as #1, I read a few of the stories)
4. A Delusion of Satan: The Full Story of the Salem Witch Trials by Frances Hill (this one I couldn't find at the library)
5. Vampires: The Greatest Stories, a compilation of stories. (ditto)I finished only one book on it...and it was a book I'd already read, The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice. However, I DID read a fantastic new book called The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, which Carl so wonderfully reviewed here. Two books out of five is pretty damn pitiful for someone that ADORES reading.
Carl, can we have a movie challenge next time? ;-)
Don't you wish you could just sail away sometimes?
Because a few of the cool kids are doing it, I signed up for NaBloPoMo, too.
Fussy says: "No matter what you post - pictures, poems, observations, critiques, or bald-faced lies -- the hope is that the act of putting something of yourself out for the world to see every single day will make writing become a more fluid, natural, and integral part of your day.
A personal blog is a mirror, and just for one month you'll be able to capture an image of yourself every day while creating a time capsule of the good, the bad, and that time you pissed off your mom by updating your blob [Fussy said blob hahahah; Freudian slip regarding all the eating going on at Thanksgiving?!] during Thanksgiving dinner.
Plus, think how happy your regular readers will be, knowing they can get a reliable dose of your brilliance thirty days in a row. That means weekends, too, my friend."
So without further ado, here is my first November post:
I put this up on the door to the conference room at work yesterday; the powers that be decided a Halloween Pizza Party and costume contest would be fun; prizes were awarded (gift certs to Starbucks, Borders, etc).
I contemplated dressing up in my vampire wig, goth makeup and all black clothing, but decided to pass on that. My costume: the cool devil horns that I'd purchased in Salem last Sunday.
Unfortunately, not ONE person in any of the other offices in this six floor building dressed up. The Cafe help didn't dress up...the maintenance staff...no one. So it felt a bit odd...not that feeling odd is unknown to me!
The costume winner was a relatively new guy in the office who dressed up as Kip Dynamite (I didn't know who or what he was supposed to be...I just thought he was a sleazy 70s guy...hell, I didn't even recognize him!).
I also have a bit of regret about not going to Salem last night...it's just so cool to see the people that go all out in their costumes, but I did have a great time at Grendel's, so it's all good.
