powerpuffwomen

11:40 pm: You dumbass
That's irony.

I re-read that me-me, and how I am navigating this insecurity, (and using the word navigating is no accident here) and on a night like tonight I am like, WTF????

Tonight I pretty much parallel parked a 38 ft. sailboat on a dime---in one swing mind you, in front of a bunch of racers done for the evening, (one of them being my instructor from a prior course who said, "Look at you!" with a thumbs up.)

Nailed it.

Thrice mind you, I docked Melissa, textbook.  Once just port-side with no impediment, once making a tight u-turn into a tight space in-between two other cruising boats alongside a dock, and then once backing in...omg it felt so good to have this boat under my control and it did exactly what I asked and expected it to do. (Did I mention I went second after the first guy *bleeped* it up.

Now I just need this kind of confidence when I am on the boat with hubby, and I know better, and have to exert my authoritay! But see, this is the kind of thing I feel like you have to treat delicately, like in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" when they convince the dad that she needs to go to school and make it seem like it's his idea.  But what's hard is that Mr. I Am Always Right" gets angry when he is challenged.

This is why that insecure girl comes out.  She hates angry Dave.  So she tried to placate or walk on eggshells to avoid him.

She needs to kick his ass from here to NYC.

11:53 am: I have no words, but obviously she does
My daughter wrote this last night. I want to make a joke and say "oy the pre-teen emo angst emerging" but knowing her as I do, and being a parent now, these words made gave me pause, and put myself in a child's shoes just for a moment.



no she's not 5 but I guess that is where she chose to set the narrator.

 

10:02 am: Memories, Meatloaf, pesto, and poetry: an appreciation (public)
I'm not sure if anyone will understand this post or why I'm posting it, but I haven't been moved to write much in the past few months, and last night I was.

( Here's the throw, here's the play at the plate---Holy cow, I think he's gonna make it! )

01:35 pm: The 3 Day...
I will say that this year's experience did not have the same intense "impact" that last year's walk had on me, but I think that's only natural. It was the second time around, and I knew what to expect, and what was coming. That's not to say it wasn't emotionally moving, or wonderful. Plus, I got to experience the intense joy through the eyes of my newfound, first-time walker friends.

( more under the cut )

There are so many more stories, I'll have to do another post tomorrow. This one is huge already, and not dial-up friendly.

12:39 pm: Looks like Sabine made her last entry
and no, she's not coming after your ass with a gun or anything.
*insert huge eyeroll here*

http://alinguafranca.blogspot.com/

03:07 pm: fiction
There once was a girl
who had a little curl
right in the middle of her forehead.
And when she was good,
she was very, very good.
And when she was bad,
She was horrid.

I come home to find you on the sofa, bare-chested and in jeans, a sight for sore eyes after a long, sad day. I plop my purse down and curl up next to you. I can't resist nuzzling your skin with my nose, inhaling every essence of you. It's warm and sweet. Then I twirl my fingers though the chest hair you've let grow out, just for that very purpose. I bet your skin would be salty to my lips if I pressed them where they rested, below your shoulder, next to your nipple.

Your arms wrap around me tighter, pulling me closer. You stroke my hair. Encouraged, I take the nipple into my mouth, making you arch against the back of the couch. I cock my head to see your grin surrounded by bright flush cheeks. I want to reach up and caress that beautiful face; to lavish love upon it for the way it looks at me. But I stay still.

"You minx, you're so naughty."
"You like me naughty," I say.
"I love you naughty."

It's then I reach up to stroke your face. Damn visceral sentimentality; it threatens to betray me. I close my eyes against the oncoming tide.

"Hey." Your voice gently caresses my heart. "What is it?"

My smile presses against the skin of your chest. I can feel your heart beating under my cheek.

"It's nothing. It's everything. It's the Grand Canyon, a microbe, and everything in between. It's the Treaty of Versailles and a pinky swear." I open my eyes even though they are wet. You are bemused.

"You love me naughty.
You love my goodness.
You love my bad, ugly, beautiful, cranky, messiness.
You love my scars.
You love my spirit.
You love my failures."

I stop and you nod ardently.

"Why?" I ask.
You lean down and kiss me. "Because you love me naughty. And you love my bad, mean, and ugly. You love my ego, pride, and temper. You always see my innate goodness, and love me in spite of myself."

I nod. "Cool."

Your laughter rings rich and warm. "Cool?" You pull me up so I'm cradled on your lap, and I let my head loll against your neck and shoulder. A warm breeze comes through the sliders. You reach for the remote, and out of the dim of the evening light the hometown team appears in glorious high definition stereo.

"We are so going to kick your ass."

I poke you and whisper in your ear:

"No matter to me. As long as I get last licks."


~end.

08:24 am: better
I wanted to take that link out and share it here, because I actually *had* meant to narrow that list down. *sigh* That was stupid to talk about why I f-locked like that not thinking... At least I do stupid shit like that less now. LOL

http://alinguafranca.blogspot.com/

I think she writes well.

11:59 pm: come on! play!
This is just for smooshylooshy I wasn't going to do this but I shuffled my ipod on my way home from work and got a really interesting list of tunes, LOL. There's only 10 or so though. I am to post the first line or so of the songs that came on for you to "Name that tune"! Some are really easy.

1) All I can say is that my life is pretty plain.
2) Oh my love, my darling
3) Use every chance you've been given, she replied
4) Breaking my back just to know your name
5) Like anyone would be, I am flattered by your fascination with me.
6) If I didn't love you I'd hate you.
7) Is it all in that pretty little head of yours?
8) When you try your best and you don't succeed.
9) I'd like to put you in a trance.
10) If you need me, call me.
11) God sometimes you just don't come through.

Give it a go folks. I will strike the ones guessed.

I just have to add, I am watching TDS from this week, and Jon Stewart has just remarked that Bush's comments on Iraq in Japan are a Haiku. ROFLMAO!
"I've consistently
Said as the Iraqis stand
Up, we will stand down."

Hee.

07:23 pm: name that tune
I am at work and it's finally slow, as is the f-list. LOL Can I lure anyone out of lurkdom with a game? Long, long, ago, in a land called the Clutch, we used to challenge each other's knowledge of song lyrics. I'll start with an easy one. *g*

"Well the years start coming and they don't stop coming
Back to the rule and I hit the ground running"

12:50 am: Tired...
I've had such a long day; yet, I need to continue since I haven't all that needed to be done today. Sigh. I just needed to get that off my chest. I just read a few irritating work emails that came in tonight, and that just made me cranky. Okay, so I realize this was totally not enlightening a post but it did make me feel a bit better.

Okay, I should get back to it if I eventually want to get to bed. I have a busy day tomorrow too. Maybe I should have skipped choir tonight. Oh well, everything will get done eventually.

02:02 pm: Fugly is the New Pretty.

Yet again, I feel the need to share a link to a site that makes me laugh.  I present the Go Fug Yourself blog.  Go check today's entry; Janet Jackson was swallowed by a cotton candy factory. LOL  I don't know why it's fun to look at bad clothes but it just is...

Today's Merriam-Webster word is "Ruritanian", an adjective meaning: "of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an imaginary place of high romance."  I need to use this word somehow today.

Buttercup

 

07:32 pm: In honour of the day of lurrrrrve...

What is more appropriate than a link to a blog about bad dating? LOL  These girls are a bit elitist but they still cracked me up because although I have not yet hit the speed dating scene, I have been a) tempted to try it, and b) have done the online dating thing.  Bad dates, if anything, at least provide some good stories.

On a totally different note, I have lived for most of my life with people who are totally uptight when it comes to cleaning.  I like a clean house too but I'm more easy-going about it.  Maybe except when it comes to the kitchen.  Anyway, I have come to accept anal retentiveness in a pretty zen fashion.  Still, I can't help but be slightly annoyed when, after I've cleaned the whole apartment thoroughly, they reclean some more.  I just feel like I've wasted my time.  Yet, they'll bitch if I don't pull my weight, cleaning wise (Not that I think I shouldn't help to clean, but clearly, I'm not up to snuff even though I'm conscientious.)  It's one of those quagmires.  

Buttercup

08:21 pm: The Safety of Books
I just realized the Powerpuff Women abandoned this journal for over a month. I happen to have something to say tonight so, on with the show...

Buttercup


Safety of books


There are 2 places in the world where I totally feel sheltered from the world: my parents’ house and bookstores/libraries. I can certainly understand feeling safe with my family close by but I am puzzled by the sense of comfort that I feel at being surrounded by endless rows of books. Really, any bookstore will do, regardless of their being located in an old dingy basement or offering the modernity and luxury of a cup of coffee and a hi-fi stereo system supplying classical music. I guess entering a world where books are masters is always something I could get behind

Books were my allies from an early age. When I look through the family photo album, I can be seen clutching an image book or a novel at most of my birthday parties. Books were amongst my favourite gifts as a child, maybe only second to Cabbage Patch Kids dolls! I loved books so much I asked my mother to teach me how to read when I was barely 3. We had 3 shelves embedded into the wall of the staircase leading to the basement, and they were full of books. There was a very long row of novels as well as numerous reference books. I remember sitting on the stairs picking up novels one by one, staring at them intently, and then opening them at a random page to read a few passages. I must confess that, to this day, I have not read many of them from cover to cover but they still feel like close friends. Most of all, I was fascinated by the thick books. To this day, I love atlases, encyclopedias and dictionaries. You learn so much about the world from these enormous volumes. My brain was amazed there could be so many combinations of words to fill these pages.

My mother always made sure she cultivated my literary interests. She took my brother and I to biweekly trips to the library. We would spend so much time carefully picking out books. My brother loved the comic book section but I preferred novels. I read entire series quickly; I devoured anything I could put my hands on. It wasn’t long before I graduated to more adult novels. I must have been 8 or 9 years old when I read the entire saga of “Anne of Green Gables”. I could certainly relate to Anne with her daydreaming, her dramatic streak, and her love of Gilbert. That is not to say I wasn’t still enjoying my fair share of Sweet Valley High novels at that age because I was. It took me a while to outgrow those.

As I got to be a teenager, I slowly moved away from novels. I had an increasing reading load for school, and in my spare time, I started to favour movies as a means of relaxation. Somehow, I started to believe I didn’t need novels in my life. Sure, I still read but it was mostly non-fiction. I also became an ardent lover of magazines, especially of social issues bent. I’m hard pressed to figure out when my complicity with escapist books left me. I read the occasional novel but I was hard-pressed to fall head over heels for them.

Then, two years ago, I read “Life of Pi”. I fell in love all over again with novels. Just like that. I started to yearn to read novels. I just finished “Reading Lolita in Tehran”, which articulated why reading novels is so important. The great ones are carriers of socially-relevant messages, and can be motors of change. Novels develop our ability to dream. Isn’t that what we need to imagine a world?

I’m currently reading “Pride & Prejudice”. I’m enjoying being immersed in 19th century British society. Elizabeth Bennet is such an amazingly smart woman, who was way ahead of her time. I’m happy to take time out of my schedule to share her tale. May I never forget again the power of good books and the pleasure I get out of spending time with them. Of course, the fact that novels have men like Mr. Darcy in them doesn’t hurt either.

12:03 am: 101 in 1001
Entry updated on February 10 with my progress!!! :)

Well, I read Jessica's Ultratart blog from time to time, and she borrowed a concept I thought was great: http://ultratart.typepad.com/ultratart/2004/09/101_in_1001_1.html . I thought I might try this. It's sort of a life list. It's a good incentive to get me doing new things/things that are long overdue. I guess they are the optimal form of resolutions for a non-resolution taker like me. LOL So, without further ado...

Here is the 101 things I want to do in the next 1001 days.

1. Get my Ph.D. You bet on it that is a big one.

2. Have a mega-post Ph.D. bash where I drink all the champagne I can muster.

3. Oh, and a very elaborate meal to top this all off.

4. Get rid of my old computer, which has been cluttering my bedroom for far too long.

5. Buy a food processor so I can make more complicated recipes. I want one of those pretty KitchenAid red ones. Not that I'm superficial. LOL

6. Organize all my favourite recipes into some kind of binder/index card/other form of system.

7. Try golf.

8. Make the numerous CDs I promised to friends. [Completed on January 22, 05]

9. Buy a pair of pretty but not practical shoes without feeling guilty.

10. Go back to NYC. [Completed on January 28, 2005]

11. Travel to Europe or to the South Pacific.

12. Go skydiving or parachuting because doing something scary can be good for the soul.

13. Call my grandmother more often because doing something nice is also good.

14. Go ballroom dancing.

15. Spend an afternoon with my 95-year-old great aunt.

16. Run a half-marathon.

17. Devote at least an hour a week to non-work books. [In progress as of January 22, 2005]

18. Reorganize my too-vast journal articles collection.

19. Get my Monet poster up on my wall.

20. Watch the "Guys and Dolls" DVD that has been sitting on my shelf for months.

21. Read all five books of the "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy".

22. Knit a scarf.

23. Which means, learn to knit!

24. Lose weight & stick with it. I'm not even going to venture a number. Any weight loss will be a gain for my health.

25. Visit Casa Loma.

26. Go to the ballet more often. [Got a membership for the 2005 season]

27. Find a frame for that picture I have been meaning to give to a friend.

28. Buy a fancy piece of lingerie.

29. Make a cheesecake from scratch. Not the greatest thing to go with the weight loss but I'll bake only one. LOL

30. Buy bubblebath and treat myself to a nice long hot bath so that I look like a prune when I come out. [Completed in February 2005]

31. Go skiing at least once. It's been too long, and I actually used to rock the slopes.

32. Buy a small black purse for special occasions.

33. Go see U2 in concert. At least, attempt to get tickets!

34. Take another wine tasting course.

35. Also start a wine journal to remember which ones I like, and which ones should be avoided like plague.

36. Read a book about wine.

37. Start learning a new language. I'm thinking Spanish.

38. Travel somewhere where I can practice said language.

39. Get a massage.

40. Find true love. Well, you have to have tough ones in there.

41. Be more patient with my family. Also a challenge.

42. Visit the Air & Space museum in my hometown.

43. Go to the zoo.

44. I must have cotton candy while I'm there.

45. Write a good poem or speech for my dad's milestone birthday.

46. Give money to charities and/or homeless people more regularly.

47. Eat a lobster.

48. Get caps on my front teeth.

49. Spend a peaceful weekend at a cottage/cabin and relax.

50. Swim in the ocean. Any ocean.

51. Learn the names of all my students in a tutorial. (I'm so bad at matching names to faces.) [In progress, January 2005]

52. Improve my poker-playing skills.

53. Play a game of Scrabble. It has been too long.[Completed January 30, 2005]

54. Have my own apartment and decorate it as I please.

55. Repaint/varnish a piece of furniture.

56. Visit the Ben & Jerry's factory in Vermont.

57. Try blue mountain coffee.

58. Host a dinner party all by myself.

59. Fix the cable hooking to the TV more permanently so that I don't have to muck with it every other day. Tape doesn't work.

60. Get my own Christmas tree.

61. Decorate it.

62. Make bread.

63. Clean my inbox and organize messages.

64. Make my own pesto.

65. Garden. I've always wanted to grow my own herbs and/or vegetables.

66. Play tennis at least once!

67. Getting a set of matching dinnerware.

68. Start building a retirement fund.

69. Give blood at least once.

70. Have a set of photographs taken by a professional. I had one done years ago, and they are still the most gorgeous pictures of me.

71. Release a book in nature with Bookcrossing.

72. Sing solo in front of a group of people.

73. Hang a windchime besides my window because it is such a soothing sound.

74. Go see a movie at the Bloor cinema.

75. Read about musical composers to be able to know more about Mozart, Beethoven, Vivaldi, Puccini and Bach.

76. Collect all the articles for my dissertation in a timely fashion.

77. Experience the world as a blonde or a redhead.

78. Go see a play at Shakespeare in the park.

79. Make a fancy picnic and go eat it in a park with a good book.

80. Buy new winter boots.

81. Put together my teaching portfolio.

82. Call my professional association in my home province to discuss my file. I really don't want to do it. Sigh.

83. Roadtrip!

84. Learn to use Photoshop.

85. Spend a weekend at a spa.

86. Create a system to organize my incoming papermail, books,...

87. Make my own cup of coffee every morning instead of going to the coffee shop.[In progress, January 2005]

88. Bring my cat to the park so she can play in the grass.

89. Get a better chair for my workdesk.

90. Send letters to my goddaughter.

91. Buy an iPod. Or get one given to me. LOL

92. Have a girly movie night with my best friend.

93. Go iceskating despite my chronic inability to stay upright on skates.

94. Bake treats for all my close friends.

95. Read Pride & Prejudice. As long as I'm at it, throw in rewatching the series as well. [In progress as of January 28, 2005]

96. Spend a whole day in bed.

97. Build my own website.

98. Go tour wineries not far from here.

99. Treat myself to Godiva truffles.

100. Go berry picking.

101. Last one is a freebie. LOL

Buttercup

03:03 pm: I love the Christmas holidays...
I have been sleeping, spending time with friends and family, watching movies, shopping, eating nice food... Heavenly! I got to dig in my mom's DVD collection, and watch my favourite mini-series of all time: "The Thorn Birds". It's actually not as cheesy as people think. I concede that it has the inherent cheesiness of many movies/series made in the 80s (LOL) but it is a fascinating saga of a family living on a sheep farm in Australia. The story starts in 1920 and goes until the early 60s. It is interesting because it is an interesting characterization of the way of life in that period and region, and it explores how generations after generations make the same mistakes, albeit in different forms. Their life is also woven with the influence of the Catholic religion, mostly in the form of Father de Bricassart. It's also a tragic love story, which appeals to the drama queen in me. It is better to read tragedies than experience them! LOL Anyway, I could write a long essay on why I like this book/movie. I have written one but I won't bore people with it. LOL I think it has interesting women in it, who ultimately try to do the right thing or at least right some wrongs. Some of the male characters do too, but some of them are ultimately too consumed by their ambition. Now, I need to reread the book. :)

Another series I love a lot too is "Anne of the Green Gables". I need to see if it's been released on DVD. I should read the books again. I haven't read them in years. I always related to Anne because I had a fertile imagination and I could appreciate her dramatic streak. I was also very driven to succeed in school.

Oh yeah, I went to see the movie version of "The Phantom of the Opera" the other night. It wasn't bad but it left me pretty indifferent, which is rarely the case for musicals. I didn't even get out of there humming the tunes. The guy who played the Phantom didn't have a great voice, which was a bummer since I'm sure there are many men who can sing it very well. Bah.

Buttercup

06:30 pm: An Entry With An Assortment of Topics
My entry today is a mix of everything, some of it uplifting and some not-so-enjoyable. After all, life is just like a box of chocolate.

The good news, I finally have some time off. Thank God. I need to sleep, and recharge my battery. Oddly, nowadays, when I'm in my worktown, I miss home, and when I'm home, I miss my own apartment and my cat. A sort of no-win situation. Still, I'm happy to see my family. It's nice to be with them. At the same time, I'm such a different person than I was when I lived with them all those years ago, it's hard to relate sometimes. I feel they don't really understand me anymore or they assume things that are not right because I've done a lot of growing up. Oh well... Life marches on. I don't want to allow me to be sad about it.

My dad's thousand-dollar question last night was regarding my plans after graduation. I told him of options that were available to me, and all he could say was: "With all your years of education, shouldn't you be able to earn more? I mean, since you're single, it's going to be more challenging to get by moneywise." Thanks dad, for combining my 2 existential/crippling fears, finding a job and finding a man, in a little ball. I know he means well, and as a parent, he is just looking out for me and is worried, but honestly, this should not be a conversation we have within 30 minutes of my arrival. At least, it was not my mother hammering me about my weight. You gotta see the silver lining where you can. LOL Honestly, I never thought my parents were nagging until I moved away. Sure, we had long discussions but I never felt they were trying to point out all the flaws with my life. It's probably only my perception that has changed. I never have people question my moves in worktown since I do my own things and run the show. I guess my approach to life has changed from what my parents taught me. It's good in many ways but it makes me sad that I'm not a kid who can be protected anymore. It makes me feel lonely, as if I have no one but myself to rely on. I know that is an exaggeration but I still feel it.

Anyway, I try to keep the faith that I will find love. I know I'm lucky in so many ways. I have had a good life so far. I look at that terrible news of the woman who was killed because this other woman wanted to steal her unborn child. What terrible news, for a family who had already 2 other members murdered in the last 4 years. Sigh. In my hometown, the news are inundated of stories related to child molestation. Yesterday, a very famous and well-liked agent/producer in my neck of the woods was convicted of molesting 2 popular child stars over years and sentenced to 3 and a half years of jail, which does seem very little for all the pain he inflicted. This sentence, however, is quite standard here, considering the laws. The girls who were abused are now grown up, and are still dealing with the repercussions. The producer confessed to the wrong-doing but he didn't see how it could still affect these girls after all these years. Jackass. I've been pondering whether the law should be more strict. I don't think retribution in form of jail time eases the pain for the people who must deal with the after-math of the aggressions. I think it's good that society acknowledged the harm perpetrated against the victims, and that this man is now a registered sex offender. It will hopefully prevent him from reoffending. Jail time, if used for therapy and such, is certainly valuable. But is jail really a deterrant to sexual offenders, especially ones who are not violent, and thus are a insidious rather than immediate danger to society? Something to ponder...

05:42 pm: Christmas Holidays: Why Aren't You Here Now?
I'm dying for the holidays to be here. I can't wait to spend time with my family. Here are my top 10 holiday wishes/plans that I need to put down to get me through the next few days:

10)Helping to put up some Christmas decorations & wrap gifts.
9) Sleeping!
8) Reading non-work-related books.
7) Going shopping to find some nice Xmas bargains.
6) Spending the day in my PJs watching movies.
5) Sleeping!
4) Baking Christmas cookies all afternoon.
3) Did I mention sleeping?
2) Having dinner with my best friends.
1) Being surrounded by my family.

What are your Christmas wishes?

05:55 pm: Tasteless Piece of Pop Culture
See: http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/12/08/beckhams.nativity.reut/index.html

I'm far from being a religious person but it seems to me there should be respect for people's religious icons. Mocking something satirically is fair game, but when it's just cheap pop culture exploitation, it's pathetic. For once, I have to side with the Vatican officials when they say: "This is worse than bad taste. It is cheap." Thus, in summary: "Shut up, Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum".

06:24 am: National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
December 6th is a special day in Canada. Fifteen years ago, fourteen women were just going about their day at l'École Polytechnique, University of Montréal's engineering school. They were shot by a 25-year-old man who burst into some classrooms. He separated men and women, and killed some of the women. He then committed suicide. In a letter he was carrying on him, he said feminists ruined his life. He had been refused admission to Polytechnique, and felt women had taken his spot. Regardless of this man's issues and reasons for committing such an atrocious act, this event was a powerful catalyst to enact stricter gun control in Canada, and bring awareness to violence against women, especially domestic violence. The gun control movement has been led by one of the women who was studying at the school at the time of the tragedy.

I was a child when this event occured but I still remember so much of it. On the 10th anniversary of the tragedy, I saw a documentary about the aftermath of the event. It was so troubling to see the guilt and sadness still carried by the women witnessed this shooting but were spared, were wounded but survived and by the men who felt they didn't do enough to stop the shooter.

Above and beyond this event, this is a day where women say no to being victimized, and stand up for themselves. This doesn't just apply to Canadian women but to women around the globe. There will be memorials as well as candlelight vigils held across Canada today commemorating all women who have fallen victim to violence. I've attended them in the last few years, and they are powerful display of feminine solidarity. Those are times when I really believe we can make the world a better place. I hope you stop for a few seconds to wish for a world without violence towards women.

As you may have noticed, I never mentioned this shooter by name because he is not the one we should remember. May you rest in peace: Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Barbara Maria Klueznick, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie Saint-Arneault, and Annie Turcotte. I'll wear my white ribbon today, and be grateful I'm able to study in peace.

10:08 pm: and it's winter.
OK. I know you will hear this at least 10,000 more times before March, but I. HATE. WINTER. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it with the fire and passion of a thousand suns. I hate my winter clothes and I hate how dry it is (even with two humidifiers and cups of water on every radiator in the house), I hate taking a cab because it's too cold to walk 8 blocks, I hate putting on 4 layers of bulky clothes every time I walk outside and stripping them off every time I walk inside. I hate red noses and wind-burned cheeks and losing one of my gloves and not being able to sit in the park and wearing the same pair of boots for 4 months because they're the only ones I don't mind getting salty from the sidewalks. Oh, and also, when your nose is so cold that you can't feel the inevitable snot running out of it, because I get bronchitus EVERY YEAR. Oh yeah. That's the best.

Whew! I kinda feel better. ;-) I'm procrastinating right now. NOT completing a necessary task that will force me to introspect. I'd rather get on the couch and watch "White Christmas." But I must, so here I am, not doing it. *g*

I always forget to read the comments, but I just saw yours, Bubbly, from the other night (when I was alone but not lonely). Thanks- that really means the world to me. Especially since tonight, I *am* lonely. Even though I had plans and bailed on them of my own accord. It's lonely and still and quiet in here, and I want to escape but I need to focus.

Send me focus vibes!!