Toodle-oo 2008

You've been quite the year, 2008. I stretched, I learned, I obsessed. I built up my art studio after a very long absence from the creative life and have started to work creatively again. I spent quality time with my son and saw him off to kindergarten. I had the summer off, something I wanted to do for a long time and it didn't even matter that it rained a lot. I got my hands dirty, in so many ways. I made some new friends and let go of one or two old ones. I had laser eye surgery and said good-bye to decades of glasses (and hello to reading glasses, but that's OK). I had some cancerous tissue cut out and have the scar to prove it. I let go of a few bad attitudes. I kept up with my exercise regimen and added yoga to my life. I adopted a neti pot and learned to love it. I've nurtured myself and been hard on myself. I've slept in, taken quiet time and done a pretty good job almost single-handedly raising my son to where he is now, a kind, generous, empathetic, funny boy of almost six. I've started the practice of getting up at 5:00 a.m. to have one precious hour to myself. I've given myself permission to take the last two weeks off of that early morning alarm. I started a blog and have been astounded at how it's added to my creative life. I've met so many wonderful people through the internet and luckily not received any nasty or derogatory comments (probably because only about 3 people read my blog, including family members). After taking ten months off of work, I found a job in these crazy and uncertain economic times, one that lets me work flexible part-time hours, so important to me and my lifestyle. I've made lots of people, as well as myself, laugh.

There is so much good that has come from this year. And one of the most important lessons was taught to me about regret, right at the end. I feel like I squeezed the most out of this year. I think I'm ready for 2009. One toe in the water, the rest of the foot on the shore, balancing. Thanks to everyone who contributed to making this year so wonderful, you will never all know who you are or how much you touched my life.

This has nothing to do with art, unless it's the art of whining

After a certain amount of navel gazing I think I realize why I've been so bummed out this last week. The famous saying of only regretting the things you haven't done and not the things you have rings true here.

Back in October or November, iMan announced that we (our son and myself) could accompany him to New Zealand for a three week stay in January where he would be working for a stretch. His employer would pay our airfare and hotel. This is a place I have always wanted to travel to but considering the cost and the time, it just never was a true opportunity for me. I was excited and of course a little nervous about leaving my life behind for that long. Then just as suddenly as the trip came up it was cancelled. Not for him, but for me and our son. I was disappointed but took it in stride, not going meant not leaving a job I had only started a few months ago. A job I am grateful to have found in these economic times. But nevertheless a job and not a career. Then shortly before Christmas the opportunity was back and I had to decide quickly as plane and hotel reservations had to be made. It was my last day at work before the holiday break and when I flew the idea by my boss he was, needless to say, not thrilled. Not only is he embarking on a new working partnership himself in the new year which means a lot of PR but it also leaves him in the lurch work-wise since I was giving him virtually no warning. I wasn't surprised but I was hoping he would say how he understood that I couldn't turn down this marvelous opportunity. Well, he didn't exact say that either. So having to make a quick decision, I turned down the trip.

Just yesterday I took my son and a new friend of his and that friend's mom skating. She's a wonderful woman (hi Sally!) I only recently met despite living a block away from each other and having sons the same age. She's also a New Zealander and she mentioned in the car that it is quite likely she and her small family will be moving back there come October. I was floored partly because a new friend I've made might be leaving my life but she's moving exactly where I want to be! I don't begrudge her anything, for goodness sake it's her homeland and where her family is. All the same I felt, well gypped.

I spent a turbulent afternoon and evening letting all the feelings come and overwhelm me and trying to figure out how I churned myself up into the proper little mess that I was. I was actually jealous. I felt trapped here in a city and a climate that doesn't make me happy. And I realized that I had made the wrong choice about my trip. I should have chosen to take the trip, taken my chances with leaving the job and my boss in a pickle. Which is where the regret comes in. It is said that people only regret the things they didn't do, never the things they did. I made my decision based on fear. Apparently I read somewhere that the largest fear women have is becoming a bag lady. On the other side of the gender spectrum, I'm sure the largest or one of the largest fears men have is being homeless. And it was this base and basic fear that guided my decision.

I think I learned a lesson in all this. I am still enormously sad about not going. And I hope that next time I have such a decision to make, even if it's under the gun like this last one, that I'll choose so that I won't have regrets.

Winding down

Well, this year is definitely winding down. I have been in such a rotten funk lately, I'm not sure why. I have this hovering non-sensical feeling that life is passing me by. I am grateful for so much but I feel stagnant. Maybe it's the short, dark days or the ridiculous weather. I know those two things always wear on me at this time of year. It all makes me remember back when I was much (much) younger and would go around saying, "I'm so depressed". I'd like to go back in time and slap myself across the face. Tell myself to get a grip. And I'm wondering if I'll feel like that years from now when I look back on this funk, wishing I was that kind of immature to complain to someone that I "feel so depressed". Now, I don't make to wish light of depression. I know full well that it is a serious condition. There is plenty I can do in the present moment to feel better but it's the bigger picture that is nagging away at me. I came across these ten questions apparently everyone should answer before the year is up. I'm curious, and up for the challenge so I'm going to see what comes of it for me. I'll try (almost) anything once and frankly I could use some inspiration to get me off of this attitude.

Last book of the year

I managed to polish off, "October" by Richard B. Wright in about a week. An easy read but intelligent prose. It doesn't come close to his, "Clara Callan" which I thought was brilliant but it was better than the rest of him that I read after Clara Callan. You know how it is when you discover a fabulous book then run out and try to get your hands on everything else he/she has written? This book is about death, a popular subject since, as they say, no one gets out of this alive. But in all it wasn't really depressing, considering. Not much else to say without giving the premise away.

99 MeMe Things

I've never done a MeMe, let alone a list of 99. But I took this from Oreneta's blog and thought WTF. Consider yourself tagged if you want to be. Hopefully not too much information for you.

THE 99 THINGS MEME

Things you’ve already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven’t done and don’t want to - leave in plain font

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars. But I wasn't happy about it. It was on the beach and the tide came in, waking me up with wet feet, luckily only wet feet!
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii. *sigh*
5. Watched a meteor shower. Plenty of them, they are very popular here in August.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity. A couple of times, always around Christmas to animal shelters.
7. Been to Disneyland/world. Once in California, twice in Florida.
8. Climbed a mountain. Nothing like Everest or Kilimanjaro but I live in a very mountainous area, so plenty to climb.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo. Not on stage, I sing all the time with my son.
11. Bungee jumped. I’d have to be sedated and bound and gagged.
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch. So much I want to learn with art(s).
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning. Can’t prove it but….
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train. We used to travel every summer to Nova Scotia when I was a kid and we’d have a sleeper car. Then when I got older I did but sat up in coach.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked. Once, during a bus strike. I was foolish and very lucky.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill. Yeah, but not in a long time – who wants to waste a good sick day when you’re sick?
24. Built a snow fort. Two days ago was my last one.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping. I’m bashful
27. Run a marathon. Longest I ran was a 20 km race.
28. Ridden a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person. Once in the winter too, that was amazing.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors. I’m not sure where that would be.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37.Had enough money to be truly satisfied. Of course there are various degrees of satisfaction. I don’t think I’d be any more satisfied with millions. Less stressed out but not more satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person.
41. Sung Karaoke. I’ve been paid to not sing.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance. Yes, it was horrible.
47. Had your portrait painted. A caricature, as a child.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain. It’s over-rated.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business. And gratefully, got out of it quickly.
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies. Girl Guide cookies (Canada you say?)
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Gotten flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood.
65. Gone sky diving. See number 11.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp. Not a camp, but the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C.
67. Bounced a check. I was young and foolish.
68. Flown in a helicopter. See numbers 11 and 65.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy. My mother is very unsentimental and all my childhood toys went out the door one day.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt. I’d love to do this, when the time presents itself.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job. Once, then talked my boss into giving it back to me.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London.
77. Broken a bone. One tiny one in my foot that had me in a cast from toe to knee for six weeks. Then on another occasion I broke my kneecap.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person. Flew over it in an airplane but I’ve never seen it from the ground.
80. Published a book.
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car. Once, when I was young and foolish. The payments nearly crushed me.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House. Yeah, and it’s not really white.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating. Not even a fish. Would a mosquito count if I fed it to a spider?
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone’s life. ??? Maybe indirectly, I’m sure we all have without knowing it. I’m sure I’ve saved my son’s life at least once a day since he was born.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous. That’s over-rated too.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one. My father then my husband within ten months of each other. A very difficult year that was.
94. Had a baby. I always wanted one. Then I thought it wasn’t going to happen, then when I was 42 and least expected it, but most wanted it.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swum in the Great Salt Lake. No, but I used to go regularly to float in isolation tanks in water with very high salt density.
97. Been involved in a law suit. Stressful.
98. Owned a cell phone. But rarely use all my allotted monthly minutes, I’m a bit of an old-fashioned user.
99. Been stung by a bee. Once

Been there done that, got the t-shirt: 48
Wish I had: 19
No desire: 32

Up and Down

Well, I came up for air then went right back down again. I am so discombobulated - not sure what day it is. I was convinced it was Monday, then realized because Coronation Street was on in the morning it had to be Sunday. Yesterday I thought it was Sunday, Friday I thought it was Saturday until I realized I needed to post my haikus. Good grief. It's been nice sleeping in and having a quite relaxed schedule with iMan doing most of the cooking. I'm just so mixed up! Briefly, until later hopefully, here is a shot taken with my (!!!!) new Nikon D90. It's not a long lens, just a 18-55mm so I cropped it with photoshop and am quite pleased with the clarity. It's also an indoor late afternoon shot which meant using the flash, which is so very superior to the camera I was using up until December 24th. I do need to look into a zoom or maybe the 18-200 lens.

Haiku Friday

It's Haiku Friday
Thought I'd forgot, didn't you?
Happy Kwanza too


Still full with turkey
And very grateful I am
Overwhelmed with gifts


Buried 'neath paper
Be up for air tomorrow
Be peace - Be well - Be

Funky

I've been in a kind of a funk the last few days. Seems that the impending holidays brings out the best and the worst in people. My home is a simmering pot of moodiness and gunk. Stirred up with a big wooden spoon. Images of sugar plums are dancing in my head, but a certain sadness prevails. Growing up, our home was always awash in volatile emotions, more so during holidays or special days such as birthdays or mothers day, fathers day etc. and I hate to think my son is being raised in the same kind of environment that is so...well, unnecessary. I've been working in my studio quite regularly thanks to the fact that the early morning alarm has been silent and will be for another (almost) two weeks. And that has helped, has also helped me to clarify what I want to set out as things to work on in the coming year and accomplishments to be grateful for in the past one. I like the change of calendar year. I like reflecting on the opportunities that have passed through my life and how much they have contributed to where I find myself now.

Last weekend Santa told me I looked tired (gee, thanks Santa for the honesty)and I was struck by a certain crone-ness when I realized the last 5 or 6 CDs (almost typed "albums" there) were all greatest hits or best of. That kind of did me in for a few minutes. I have to wonder how I can feel so old yet so vulnerable at the same time.

So Excited

Yeah, I'm so excited that Christmas is only five more sleeps away. But this is another thing I'm truly excited about. Over at Creative Every Day there was a post about Amy Krouse Rosenthal. I had never heard of her, but dammit I'm excited. The post includes a YouTube video that has made me want to...well, I'll let you see for yourself. It's inspiring. This amazing lady has also written an number of children's books that have me salivating at my keyboard to order and I'm also busy over at Chapters to see what's available here. But you have to watch the video. It will make you want to get up off your keister and DO SOMETHING! I love it!

One More for Today

I couldn't resist posting this lovely shot. I must have a suspicious nature because whenever Riley sits on Santa's lap I keep my eyes peeled for where Santa's hands might wander. Or maybe it's a sign of the times or my over-protective mother hen-ness. My son walked right up to the man today, whipped out the list he had been working on for some time and posed like a fashion model with the big guy. Lovely souvenir, dontcha think?

Two Short Books

"Why is God Laughing" by Deepak Chopra was the quick read I was looking for when I picked it up. It's written very much in the style of Mitch Albom's "For One More Day", but with a little less elegance. It's a consolidation of most of the current spiritual teachings making the rounds but the real meat of the book is in the last thirty-five pages where Chopra outlines his "Path to Joy". I don't mean to sound disparaging about the book, I did enjoy another of his fiction books, Buddha. But this book seemed like it was written while he was doing something else. Not surprising considering how much he does seem to get around.

"Sharing Good Times" by Jimmy Carter was another book I bought iMan for last Christmas. The former president of the United States and Nobel Peace Prize winner is a man I admire. The cover of the book has a photo of him and his wife posing with fish they have caught in what looks like a lake with a mountain background. Early on in the book I had a good laugh when he talked about how his mother always thought his brother, Billy, was the most intelligent of her children. I guess that is something only a mother can know. But he is equally at home living and writing about running a presidential race as he is fishing and farming. One very interesting confession he makes is that when he was younger, he took little regard in his wife's opinion in how their life would run. It was over time and a few humorous incidents that he came to build a true mutual relationship with Rosalynn and grow to admire and respect what she brought to them as a team.
Here is a quote that sums up the main lesson of the book:

"...and really for the first time, I was beginning to consult with Rosalynn and to accommodate her ideas and preferences before final decisions were made. I learned that real sharing was much more than laboring together at the warehouse or even dancing all night with each other and with friends. It included planning in advance and later savoring our experiences. What was especially challenging but enjoyable was treating my wife - and even sometimes our boys - as equal partners, with mutual respect for their opinions and with special delight in their pleasure. This did not come easy for me."

The book has just a smattering of his political life and includes snippets about many of his varied interests such as birdwatching, fishing and travelling. It was heartening to see how a man who started off almost as a male chauvinist could evolve into an open minded man of this time. The true richness of his life came from sharing.

Something's Fishy

I spent the whole day in my art studio. From about 9:30 to 4:30, coming out for an hour break at lunch and then to pick up Riley at school. Once home I got another hour in. And this is all I have to show for it:

There is incredible detail that the camera doesn't do justice for because it's a night shot and I am still working with my focus-challenged camera (I have asked Santa for a new one, but I think he, too, might have been hit by the financial crisis). It is on a measly 5 x 7, 140 lb. watercolor paper. Actually there is nothing measly about the paper; it is holding up quite well, I'm impressed because I haven't worked much with watercolor paper. I have started another collage on acrylic paper, mostly to give it a test run before my next class starts in January to see if I have the right paper for the medium. But I've digressed. I still will work this a lot more, but was curious to chronicle the process and compare what it looks like two weeks from now or hopefully, a few days from now.

Haiku Friday

This is obviously what is on my mind this morning, having just returned from driving my son and a neighbor's son to school.

It's bloody cold out
My car started this morning
Yes, there is a god

Lisa Leonard

Early this week a necklace I ordered from Lisa Leonard arrived. It was a Christmas present to myself and is more lovely than I could ever have imagined. I first saw her work from a posting at Karen's website. I went over and looked at her jewelry and craved it. It is handmade, personalized and incredibly beautiful. I chose my two words "Be" and "Peace" because they represent the fruits of so many of my struggles that have lessened in the last year due to a lot of hard work and opening of my spirit. I can't say enough about how much I love this piece. It also makes a beautiful sound when I bend over (no snide jokes, please), there is just something about it's simplicity and clean lines. Lisa Leonard rocks.

Good News

Yesterday was a bit of an oddball day. I'm still not sure what to make of it other than it seemed to impart a lot of good news in round about ways.

Early in the morning on my way to work, I got off the subway and in the corridor lay a homeless man, sleeping. Someone before me had taken the sandwich they had made and brought for their own lunch, nicely packaged in a tupperware style container, and left it beside his head. It was so touching. If I had had my camera I would have wanted to take a picture but in a crowd of people it probably would have looked crass. Not that I would have cared. But I thought what a wonderful testimony to the kindness of strangers.

Later that night I was out walking my dog. I heard someone calling behind me and I stopped to turn around. On the other side of the street was a teenager, running and beside me was his dog. Not leashed and obviously not very obedient. I reached down to grab the dog's collar so its owner could reclaim it but it jumped away from me and ran into the street - right into an oncoming car. I screamed and screamed like a freaking banshee, as if it was my own dog. The crunching sound of the impact is something I'll never forget, the sound that kept me waking up last night over and over again. But this is a good news story so I will hasten to finish it. The driver of the car stopped immediately to make sure that the dog had not gone under the wheels (it hadn't), but had been kind of blind-sided. The dog kept running across the street and its owner was able to grab it. I crossed the street, realized the guy was pretty young, so I checked the dog over, making sure it wasn't bleeding (it wasn't) and that it didn't have any broken bones (it didn't). I was worried it might have internal injuries but there wasn't anything concrete I could do about that unless the owner took it to the vet. And it seemed spirited enough - it took off down the street again with the owner chasing it.

What a day.

Five-a-Day

I saw this over here, then followed the link to over here and thought I'd join in. I'm not tagging anyone. But I like reinforcing the idea that we need to treat ourselves better. Especially women and especially as parents. We often lose ourselves in the shuffle, think that at all times our needs aren't up there high enough on the list to warrant proper attention. Since I've been treating myself better I know I am a better parent and generally a happy person.

Apparently this project originated over at Mindapples. The gist is for you to share with the world what five things you do that help keep you mentally fit. And then invite others to share with you.

Here are my five:

1) yoga and exercise, alternating days
2) creative expression
3) meditation
4) express gratitude
5) good sheets
6) Three Acres perfume stick in Amber scent (although I can't seem to find it anywhere anymore)

I've gone over by one and stopped myself because I would probably go much further and I think one of the ideas of this is to keep it simple. Some of these things sound strictly physical but they also give me a thought-thrill too so I left them on my list.

I Channel My Father

Lately I have been finding myself channeling my father. One of his better attributes was being in a sickeningly good mood first thing in the morning. He was a happy early riser, a shower-singer. And couldn't stand to see anyone sleep in. For as long as I lived under his roof, the only times I was allowed to sleep in was when I was sick. All the other days of the year he would come in my room (no matter what age I was), pull back my covers and whip up the window blind singing something like, "it's a beautiful day!" Or "rise and shine!" Or "you're wasting the whole day!" He would stay in that mood until around 11:00 a.m.

Now I often find myself simply giddy with being alive. I like waking up, even at the cold and dark hour of 5:00 a.m. which is when my alarm is set for on weekdays. I have an hour to myself before the rest of the humans in my house get up and it makes me feel drunk. Mostly between 5 and 6 I attend to my dogs' bodily functions then work out or do yoga. But I feel like laughing, like I have a secret or a private joke. Some aspects of my life right now are really in the toilet but I still get in the shower and get that same feeling my father must have had. It's unexplainable. I just want to sing. About having this moment, this one free wheeling ride. And lucky for me it lasts long past 11:00 a.m. At the end of the day I look forward to getting in a hot bath with my book, climbing into bed and journaling, taking some silent time before sleep. I'm still not sure how I got here, but I like it. I think I'll stay.

The Know-It-All

I bought this book for my significant other, iMan, last Christmas, kind of as a joke but also because it sounded interesting and if I read it, I might just learn a lot - a lot of what I don't know, tidbits? trivia? conversation starters? Coming in at just under 400 pages it took me two weeks to get through. The second week it was starting to wear on me, I think because it doesn't have a beginning, middle and an end. The story (although this is non-fiction) is about a 30-something male (married, Manhattan living) decides he is going to read the Encyclopedia Britannica from A-ak to Zywiec. Each "chapter" is a Reader's Digest abridged version of the encyclopedia, or rather the best-of. It was laugh-out loud funny many times but like the author, I have to wonder just how much I will retain of all those facts. I'm glad I read it, I know I am never going to attempt the same feat as the author (A.J. Jacobs) but I'm just as glad to be finished with it. I'm looking forward now to some quick fiction.

Haiku Friday

Here we go again.


Snow, snow, snow, snow, snow
It's only December 12
Get me out of here

Goldilocks and the Three Stalls

Maybe you can see where I am going with this. For the purposes of this narration, I am playing the part of Goldilocks. This is a true story. And I am sorry if I offend any one's sensibilities.

Goldilocks was finishing her work day and knew she had to take a trip to the loo before heading out into the cold for a long and snowy commute home. With the pass key to gain admittance, she opens her usual stall door. "Oh no!" she says. "I can't use this loo. This loo is stinky AND has not been flushed!"

Bang, goes the door to the stall next to her usual one. "Oh no!" she exclaims. "I can't use this loo. This loo has pee on the seat!"

Bang, goes the door to the stall next to the one that is next to her usual one. "Ah," she says with relief. "This loo is just right."

The End

Honestly, I can not fathom why people leave toilets in such horrible states. Why not flush?! Do they want the next user to admire their fibre intake? Why not wipe the seat if they splatter? Did they grow up in a barn? I can understand an urgent need to get IN to the stall. I can not understand an urgent need to get OUT of one, leaving as if there is a fire in the building. And these aren't "public toilets" where just anyone off the street can wander in. These are locked down toilets in an office complex. I live and work amongst heathens.

Dark

It is a dark day here and I don't mean that the winter solstice is soon upon us. Our first snow storm. *sigh* I am afraid I didn't handle myself very well either. My son is ecstatic, I am bitchy. I hate the stuff, hate shovelling it, hate slogging through it and especially hate driving in it. The forecast was for 1 to 2 inches but at 8:00 p.m. we have accumulated about 8 to 10. And now to end a perfect day the ice pellets have started (I know this because I just came in from shovelling the driveway). The current forecast for tomorrow is for rain, turning back to freezing rain then snow again.

I know there are people in the world with real problems and I shouldn't complain. But it's my party and I'll cry if I want to.

I Am A Television Whore

Maybe that title is misplaced. I don't watch much television per se. The only two shows I watch regularly are Desperate Housewives and Coronation Street. But the television is on in my house a lot. For a long time it was locked on TreeHouse and the last six months or so it has been pretty much locked on Discovery Kids.

After I dropped Riley off at school one day other parents were standing around talking about t.v. Most of them don't let their kids watch much. One said her t.v. was off Monday through Thursday and even after that it was heavily regulated. Another said he had definite time restrictions for his kids. I immediately felt like a television whore. And the biggest consensus was that they didn't like the behaviour of their kids when they watched what they felt was too much. They argued, threw fits, basically unpleasant stuff.

Ironically I rely on our television for some inner peace. I don't even hear it most of the time. But when I am one-on-one with my five-year old for months at a time I need some escape to keep my sanity. It allows me time to take care of the essential, have some time to think about something other than the non-stop (bless his curious soul) questions and attention. And frankly when I say we are going to turn off the t.v. and do something else (go outside, play a game or whatever) he easily agrees and is happy to do something else. It's not like he sits like a zombie, entirely mesmerized. He is always doing something else while sort-of-watching. And we do get out of the house other than school hours. He is enrolled in swimming and music. Weather permitting (above -20 C and not wet) we go to the park, down to the waterfront, walk the dogs - plenty of things that don't involve the boob tube. He goes over to friends houses and has them over to ours.

So why do I feel a little guilty that I am letting the t.v. run too much? I am a television whore. It has been two days since my last t.v. show.

The Consumer Files

At my last trip to Sephora I bought some of Philosophy's Simply Grace body lotion. And OMG I love it. I know, I'm gushing here and I don't gush easily. When it first goes on it smells a lot like the kids Coppertone we use and in a cheeky way that makes me happy because a part of my brain is thinking it's summer. As a lotion it's OK but the smell is amazing. I am a scent challenged person, cannot abide most perfumes - they give me headaches and make me nauseous but this scent is just clean. Clean clean clean. This is not an endorsement for their products, I'm not getting paid for saying how much I love them (but if anyone wants to float some money my way I am not averse to it if I really like something).

And another thing... awhile back, I think it was on Mir's blog that I discovered Wrap N Mats. They replace the lowly plastic sandwich bag so it's a no-brainer politically correct environmentally green thing to do. I ordered a couple from the Canadian distributor and they arrived within the week. Then I saw them over at Andrea's blog, who also gave them a great review. I figure I save putting about 16 plastic sandwich bags in the landfill every week, possibly more. I also ordered some from the US distributor only because they were offering different and more funky designs and they too came within 10 days. I like that the majority of them are made in the USA (some are made in China, I'm not sure why, but that's a choice you can make when you place your order) which gives it more points for buying locally. I can't kid myself and think that anything like this is going to be made in my own backyard anytime soon so buying something made on the same continent as me qualifies in my book. I've bought a number for Christmas presents (also inexpensive for me ship out because they weigh so little and pack down well). I'm doing my part to have a green Christmas.

Out-Right Theft

So here I am on Friday night, browsing some of my favorite blogs, mulling over the week. Over at Chaos Theory, Sherry has a link that sums up what is the hotbed of Canadian politics this week right here. I thought it worthy of stealing, or rather, linking - partly because I tend to be very apolitical and have a hard time getting my own artsy brain around what is going on. For anyone who gives a crap or wants to understand it in simple layman's terms I invite you to speed-read it. I guess we are making some kind of news these days.

Haiku Friday

Here's another quick and dirty one for today.

"Ho, ho, ho," I say
Buy hand-made is all the rage
Time for reflection

And another because I'm feeling so prolific at the moment.

It's cold and rainy
Vancouver's standard forecast
I wish I lived there

The awkward hour

Once a week I have an truly awkward hour. Thursday mornings I do volunteer work at my son's school library. Naturally, I chose the day he would be in the library, wanting to observe him out of our normal context. Either that or I just needed to hang on to him a little longer before turning him over to the wild and wooly world of school. So my routine is this, walk him to school, then continue on for a little while with my dog. Putting me home with just enough time to do, oh - nothing constructive before heading off to the library. I usually have between 45 minutes and an hour to burn. After my library shift I go downtown to my job or else I would start something, leave it in mid-shift and then come back to it. Sometimes I do the Sudoku from the newspaper, sometimes I catch up on a little Coronation Street. But I always find myself a little lost, wandering around, watching the clock to make sure I'm not late. Basically, it's an awkward hour. And I'm damn happy to have it.

B-F-Z

I am happy to announce that yesterday and last night my house was a B-F-Z (barf-free zone). Although I must admit that I walked around the place with a bucket in hand and every time Riley burped I went running.