Monday Musings - Just the Facts (and a few Habits)

That sweetie Beck tagged me for this meme which I have sort of done before, it was weird things about me. This meme is about facts and habits, so here goes.





No, not these Facts....


Here are the rules:

A. Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves. Will do.

B. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. OK

C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Not going to happen, everyone I know has been tagged.

8 Things About Me You Don’t Really Care About You Need to Know:

1) Habit - If I am doing more than one load of laundry during the day I sort the items by person as they come out of the dryer to make folding faster. I use three baskets, one for each girl and one for us. If I have towels I use another basket for them.

2) Fact - I have no tattoos, but my ears are double-pierced. I have not put earrings in the second holes in years. Want more? I did the second myself with an ice cube and sewing needle. This is true, I swear. It is also true that it usually took about three nurses to hold me to get a needle as a child.

3) Habit - I try to touch papers once, a habit I learned in my past office life. I either make a note, file it, or recycle it after I receive it. This doesn't explain all the things on my cork board in the kitchen, but it sure sounds good. Actually, the cork board is usually full of appointment cards or invitations, full of helpful maps and registry cards.

4) Fact - My middle name is Ann, without the "e". I have always wanted that "e" just like a certain Miss Shirley.

5) Habit - I never go to bed with dirty dishes. I cannot relax for the evening until my kitchen is clean. Other chores can wait, not the kitchen.

6) Fact - I rarely wear deodorant, it gives me a rash. Well, not so much a rash as it just irritates my skin. When I do use it I use Dove for sensitive skin which is the least irritating I have found. I shower everyday and use cornstarch powder and everyone always tells me how nice I smell. Even on the days I don't wear any perfume. I also don't get any sweaty marks on my clothes.

7) Habit - Checking my blog for comments or new posts on Google Reader five times a day.

8) Fact - I am considering having another baby...well it might be a joint decision, but you get the idea.


All Done

Meme too - Hey, that's two words

The lovely, funny, sassy and strong Alpha DogMa tagged me for this one word meme, surely a test for the long-winded me.






1 Where is your cell phone? Diaper bag
2 Relationship? Married
3 Your hair? Transition
4 Work? Nonstop
5 Your sister? Amy
6 Your favorite things? Books
7 Your dream last night? None
8 Your favorite drink? Iced Tea
9 Your dream car? Cabriolet
10 The room you're in? Small
11 Your shoes? Crocs
12 Your fears? Death
13 What do you want to be in 10 years? Traveling
14 Who did you hang out with this weekend? Family/Friends
15 What are you not good at? Disappointment
16 Muffins? Yum!
17 Wish-list item? Space
18 Where you grew up? Suburbs
19 The last thing you did? Groceries
20 What are you wearing? Capris
21 What are you not wearing? Socks
22 Your pet? None
23 Your computer? iBook
24 Your life? Nice
25 Your mood? Restless
26 Missing? Dad
27 What are you thinking about? Dinner
28 Your car? Van
29 Your kitchen? Clean
30 Your summer? Adventures
31 Your favorite color? Blue
32 Last time you laughed? Today
33 Last time you cried? Saturday
34 School? More?
35 Love? Plenty
36. Tag? Omaha Mama


Gives new meaning to choose your words carefully.

Meme too, Rhet Style

Why is it I am always the last to answer these things? Does it count that I at least do them even if it is after the fact...

It is my turn to be tagged by the explosive Blog Rhet Meme and since it was Bub & Pie who tagged me and she was my very first comment it really is fitting. I answered many of the questions in a post way back, but I will answer the questions and fill in any missing pieces. I have so enjoyed reading every one's answers and can't believe how many people have similar stories to mine. Then I am enjoying the stories that are completely different from mine too. All around fascinating stuff.

Here we go.

1. Go back to first or early post. How would you describe your voice back in those early days?
Who were you writing to? What was your sense of audience (if any) back then?

Hesitant. On a lark. These are two things that come to mind when I read my very brief first post now. Here is a bit of it:

This blog is simply for me to keep a living diary of everything wonderful and not so wonderful in our family. I was inspired by Catherine and have followed her since her first entry on Baby Center.

This will be my attempt at documenting our life.

For my sister Amy in South Korea a chance to keep track of us in a way only random rantings can.

I was writing to my sister and still am, even though she is nearing the end of her time in Seoul. I was also trying to better capture the fleeting moments - the minutia of daily life with small children. So that has been true to form. What I could have never predicted is what is has brought to me, and done for me. I had no clue of the true sense of audience or even what I was getting into really. I was following a writer I loved and found others I liked an awful lot more too and was just trying to figure out how I could be a part of it. I never dreamed anyone would care to read my blog and that is the truth.

When Catherine Newman left Baby Center I tracked her down and discovered she had a blog. I read her posts, it was just a few then and read her comments with just as much interest. These were people who I already had something in common with, we liked her writing and stories. As I started to check out the comments there were a few that stuck with me, writers I just felt very much at home reading. Bub & Pie was one of those blogs. I decided to try to start my own so I stayed up until 1am one night and poof I had a blog.

Then I stalled-big time. I kept reading my ever growing list of favourites based on Bub & Pie's Blogroll and beginning to comment. I read of blog burnout and became afraid before I even started...I kept thinking if this isn't rewarding or even fun then why do it at all? What have I done? Then I found Alpha DogMa and I felt a little less intimidated, we found each other early in our blogs and became fast bloggy friends. I was encouraged by her interest and could not get enough of her posts either. I struggled though when I read a great post on another blog and I would think this is why I don't need to write anything about anything (except about my family) since there are so many other great blogs out there, where I hear my own voice as I read the magic words.

Then Catherine (Newman) asked her reader's why they blogged and does it effect the way you parent. The answers I came up with actually helped me along in the process of blogging and helped me find my voice.

Some of the answers I came up with...

I started it to keep a living history of our family where everything feels so endless and fleeting all at once. I was completely inspired by Catherine's postings at Baby Center and her new blog. This is a slippery slope I have discovered. After reading only Catherine's posts for so many years I feel a bit like I over ate at the buffet by the gluttony of posts I am trying to read now. I read them because it is so personal and anonymous at the same time. I learn things, relate to people and generally take comfort in the fact that while we may not all be the same we all love our kids to death, are terrified daily of losing them, and generally can't even imagine life before them.

When I read great blogs like Bub and Pie, I constantly nod in agreement and say to myself I so hear you. These postings have always resonated with me in a way that nothing else ever did - kind of a kindred spirits thing without ever having met. These wonderful writers can put into words my feelings of deepest love, silliest worries, darkest thoughts and make it all seem so effortless.

So I guess the answer lies herein, blogs give you a sense of comfort that there are parents all over the planet going through the exact same thing you are going through. Reading and writing blogs heals your soul and is like a nice cool washcloth on your forehead all at the same time.

I KNOW I am a better and more mindful parent for having met these other wonderful families. I try very consciously to be more mindful and to remember we really do hold their hearts in our hands one of the most memorable lines I gleaned from Catherine.


2. Do you remember when you received your first comment? What was it like?
My first comment was from Bub & Pie on my second post aptly titled, "Blog Two" she said some wonderful things of course and I was hooked on the idea of comments. The goal of my early posts was to see if she would come back.


3. Can you point to a stage where you began to feel that your blog might be part of a conversation? Where you might be part of a larger community of interacting writers?

I think this happened for me about two months into my blog, around December 2006. There was huge dialogue happening about community and the debate about the validity of the blogging community. The fact that people were talking about it in such a way made it very clear to me that this was indeed a veritable community. I had a small, but devoted list of bloggers who visited me regularly and even though I knew I could stop at any time and disappear from the blogging world, I knew I never would. I owed my friends more than that and at that point I new I was a part of something larger.

4. Do you think that this sense of audience or community might have affected the way you began to write?

I think the best way to describe it would be to say I was trying harder. I wanted my thoughts to be clear, well-written, entertaining and enjoyable to read. I was much more conscious of trying harder to make everything flow. My voice did not change, nor did the content. Even though I was ultimately writing for myself, I was acutely aware of the fact that I was choosing this medium and not a journal on my night table and for that reason I felt a responsibility to my readers. In that way I suppose it did affect the way I was writing.


This was an interesting process to write about. A part of me is still really surprised sometimes that I have a blog, me a person who considered it a victory when I finally mastered programming the VCR. But, I do and I am proud of it and proud of the community I am a part of now. I have met more smart, savvy, and wonderful women here than I could have ever imagined.

I expect this journey to continue for some time. I fear I get much more than I give from this exchange, that however will not deter me. And if you told me back in October 2006 it would be possible to write an entire post without mentioning my girls I would have laughed. Or, if you told me this would be a place for more than the just the shameless promotion of cuteness again I would have laughed. So ha to all that.
















Edited to include a tag for Alpha DogMa...I swear I thought you were tagged already!

Monday Musings - Is it hot in here?

While on her grand adventure vacation Alpha DogMa and I engaged in a discussion about our high school/university Celebrity Lists. She challenged me in my comment's to make it a mini-meme, so for the hell of it - here goes. This goes with the disclaimer that actually sleeping with these people, or really anyone besides Hubby is rather an icky thought to me now. I fancy myself more in lust with these people, more along the lines they are nice to look at...Oh who am I kidding.

For those of you that read my blog with any regularity (thanks guys, you are small in number, but big in heart) I don't really dabble in this area. Call me a prude, but any kind of bow chicka bow wow or rumpusing is better left for others to discuss. Those who can make it all sound funny and sexy and not at all as awkward as I think it sounds when I say it. That said I am still going to play along, I could use a little eye-candy right about now.


The list is defined as:

A list created by the individuals of a monogamous relationship at the point of becoming exclusive in order to notate which celebrities they are allowed to have sex with, if given the opportunity, and will not have committed any kind of wrong-doing that may conflict with the current terms of monogamy agreed upon by the individuals of the relationship.


Uh, yeah right. So I won't mind a bit if Hubby dallies around as long as it is someone from his list. Let's suspend reality here and go along with it. What is funny is that while I am trying to recall my past list, I realized that there are not many changes. What does that say about me? I have a type and I stick to it? My tastes really have not changed or matured? I do not really want to delve too deep here, so here is my old list (to my best recollection), I am leaving out my current list, a girl needs a little mystery.

Celebrity List of the Past
1) Tom Cruise. I don't really need to explain Top Gun do I? This was before he was strange and all into his cult, I mean religion. I actually took Ron Hubbard's books out of the library to try to understand Scientology a bit. The God honest truth is I had no idea what I was reading, it was all gobbledy-gook. He still has his moments of appeal to me, but then I think of Katie's vacant face and it quickly vanishes.



2) "Holden Synder" As the World Turns - actor Jon Hensley. My step-Grandmother watched this soap and babysat me during the summer. I quickly became hooked into the Holden-Lily storyline and he is still on the soap today. I don't watch anymore, but I think he may have been my first real crush. I still love the name Holden to this day and always claim it came from, Cather in the Rye, um busted.




3) Denzel Washington
I think it was Malcolm X that did it for me since I can't really recall what the first movie I saw with Denzel was, if it wasn't that one. I loved this movie and he was amazing, and I was sold.




4) Harrison Ford
This one is obvious, Star Wars was my first taste of Harrison, a great boys name in my opinion too. Then there was Indiana Jones and my fascination with older leading men was sealed. All these years later he is still hot.



5) Bruce Willis

This began with Moonlighting and only got worse with the Die Hard franchise. While I think of him as "John McClane" from Die Hard his film career is really quite varied and I have enjoyed most of his films. He has that bad boy, not trying too hard quality I am so drawn to...and I like his voice which from my choices is pretty obvious I think that voices can carry me quite far.


There are a few new ones I could add in, but the mature leading men preference (as opposed to the latest boy toy actors) has not changed and now includes George Clooney, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant among others.

Who is on your fantasy list? Do you even still have one and has it changed much? I can't say I had thought much about this in recent years, but it was fun to think about!

Happy Monday.

Meme too, with questions (and answers)

Even though I was most tardy in completing the music meme, Alpha DogMa was kind enough to interview me for this very cool meme. Her questions are fab so read on....

ADM: What is the ugliest present you've ever received, and who gave it to you?

R&PG: Here's the deal - even hinting at an answer could potentially hurt someone and I really don't want to do that. I will give you this tidbit though, the strangest gift I received was two Christmas's ago my sister-in-law's boyfriend (grown man as SIL is older than Hubby) gave me KY Warming Massage Oil. I think it was meant to be a joke and he mentioned something about the clever commercials and since I was in marketing I would appreciate it. Huh?! It still makes me wonder sometimes.

ADM: What mammal is your most favourite?

R&PG: I am a classic dolphin girl. I love them and water and being an Aquarius it all just fits. When I was younger I always felt you could divide up girls by those who liked horses versus those who like dolphins. Personally, horses never did a thing for me and all those horse books like Sleeping Beauty were awful in my opinion. Funny thing is that now Hubby works with a client that is all about horses and he is so well versed it isn't even funny. He has taken Papoosie girl along on a couple of events and she is showing great interest, I must work harder to get her in front of the dolphins.

And just so you are thoroughly sick of this I based my honeymoon on a place where I could swim with dolphins. Our resort had a saltwater lagoon and you could visit the dolphins anytime you wanted. It was partly for the guests and a learning facility as well and we saw several school groups visiting early in the morning. Hubby being not a comfortable swimmer meant we did a shallow water experience, but it was amazing and I still smile when I think about it. The swimming with dolphins experience was on a lottery basis for adults (all kids automatically got in during their stay) since there were so many people wanting to get in. I was so obsessed I called from the airport before we even checked in to get my name on the next days list. I dutifully checked on the hotel TV to see if our name had come up for the next day and since it didn't we headed down to breakfast in this tropical paradise. Right after breakfast we started walking around the grounds and ended up a the lagoon. They were calling the names of the people coming to the session and while we are busy admiring the view etc. I kept hearing a name that sounded like it could be ours, but pronounced all wrong. I walked over and long story short it was us, but they could not put our name on the hotel TV since our room number had not been assigned in time. They had been calling and looking for us! Could we be back in our suits in 10 minutes? Yes!!!! What a great beginning to our honeymoon. Fate I say.

So, yeah, dolphins.


ADM: Recipes: hard and fast instructions from which you do not deviate OR basic guidelines that you readily and successfully alter?

R&PG: You are assuming I cook stuff I guess. Well, I think I am a bit of both. For example, I often make stew which I love. When I make my version I add in any veggies I find and simmer for as long as I think. I rarely follow any recipe anymore and even if I pull it out to check I hardly ever look at it. Recently I decided to try a new recipe for stew made in the oven (I usually make mine on the stove or slow cooker) so I tried it. The recipe said you must leave it in the oven or 3 hours and you cannot peak at all or it ruins it. This went against my logic, but it said no peaking or deviating so I followed it to the letter. Let's just say the stew was well-done and barely worth eating. Generally, if I am trying something new I stick to the recipe but, once I have done it once I am on my own.

ADM: Describe your ideal Friday night (can be as fanciful or as real as you wish).

R&PG: Hmmn. With or without kids? I will answer this twice based on with kids or without.

No kids (Fanciful)
Hubby comes home early with plane tickets for a weekend romp to a tropical island somewhere. We spend the weekend frolicking around the surf, eating and watching the stars. His choice would be Paris though, he has been lobbying hard for a weekend in Paris someday.

No kids (Real life)
Hubby comes home early and we go out for a lovely dinner at The Keg and watch a funny and smart movie that is my choice while someone else feeds my girls dinner and puts them to bed. Alternatively, we could skip the movie and and grab a coffee at Starbucks and wander around Chapters for a few hours.

With kids (Fanciful)
Hubby comes home early and we take off for a surprise weekend away at a really cool hotel with a great pool. We spend the weekend frolicking around the hotel pool, eating and lounging around our hotel room together.

With kids (Real life)
Hubby comes home early and we have time to have a nice dinner together and time to play outside together or take a trip to the park together to feed the ducks. Come home and have time for a game with the girls before bed. They fall asleep and we watch Survivor from the PVR. Sounds perfect.

ADM: People sometimes ask if we will try for a third child and hope for a daughter - do you get the reverse question an how do you respond?

R&PG: People do ask us sometimes if we are planning to try for a boy, usually looking at me of course. Um, talk to Hubby he's got the goods not me for making a boy - is my standard type answer. My general disdain for these types of questions is the assumption that we somehow have a choice and that there is a wrong way for a family to be, so insulting in the first place.

I have said this before that I really wanted a daughter and was thrilled when Papoosie Girl was born. This was based on my very limited experience with small boys. I will admit I love the clothes and long hair and the general girlishness of it all. That doesn't answer the question does it? So, yes we are asked and usually I just make some flip remark, sometimes nice and sometimes not. It depends on who is asking, for example, when my mother-in-law hints around I tell her for about $30,000 we could do gender sorting and ask if she is interested. Usually, stops the questions. And to be fair her questions are usually very tame, more like anytime I don't feel like coffee, I get the excited, "are you pregnant?" That reminds me of something else I once said when asked and it was something like, "I had better not be since Hubby has been working such long hours it could not be his".

Since we truly are still on the fence and have not decided either way if we are going to have another child the question does come up. Many of our friends say to us you know when you are done and many have, uh, permanently taken care of this decision. My dearest friend is currently pregnant with number three and while I am thrilled I (we) just are not sure yet. Our big trip this past summer gave us a taste of freedom of travel and movement and we keep seeing the light at the end of the tunnel getting brighter. It is not to say we don't wonder about another child. More love of course is high up there, another sibling for the girls another, but really we have no clue. So I guess we will have questions for a while longer. One more thing, Hubby is so fulfilled with the girls and does all kinds of "boy" things with them he is probably the only one who thinks trying for a boy is ridiculous. A deep part of me though would love to give him a son. Lame maybe, but the honest-to-God truth. Hubby is a deep, complex combination of "man's man" and "sensitive male". Put it this way, he knows more about crystal and china than I do and went to the Super Bowl last year to watch his team win. A part of me wonders just what kind of boy we would have?

I hope that covers it all. These are beginning to be fun. I think this is the part where I am supposed to offer someone else the chance to be interviewed - so if there is anyone who has not done this yet and is interested let me know.


*Hi Hubby, welcome to your grand debut!

Meme too, set to music

*Sorry to edit twice! The formatting went horribly awry.

This meme is horribly overdue and now the interview meme (thanks for the questions Alpha DogMa I will work on it soon) is all the rage, but that won't stop me from finishing this one. If I am one thing it is good on my word and I promised Alpha DogMa I would do this. So what if I kind of changed the rules a bit, I am doing it right?! Maybe I'll even add a good poop story to distract in a kind of smoke and mirrors way, if only Rosebud pooped that is - we are on day five of no action, and that is with several meds. Oh the Joys always writes about poop and everyone loves her poopiness, maybe it could work for me. So now that everyone is suitably distracted on with the show, not that there really was a story mind you - that happens when there is no poop to write about.

The original meme was to list seven songs you are into right now. Since this would out me as horribly boring and clueless of current music I have decided to mix it up a bit. I had the idea to do an 80's version since many of my favourite songs are from the 80's, but Sunshine beat me to it; so my version is seven songs I have been obsessed with at various points in my life. Why I think this is any less revealing of my lameness is not completely understood. So anyhoo...

For the record there was a time I was all about music, new and otherwise. I vividly remember sitting in my room with my tape recorder held up to my radio, taping the CHUM FM Top 30 each week, waiting patiently for my favourite songs to come on. My radio with built in cassette player was years away. Once I started dating (let's call him Mr. Wrong, the dreaded Man/Child with whom I spent eight long years) my music taste broadened. We were forever going downtown to Sam the Record Man and trolling the Import section for music. I will give him this, we were usually listening to stuff that would not make airways here in Canada for several years. Some of it I liked and some I didn't, but at least I was a little more aware of what was out there. Oh, I was still the queen of pop smultz don't get me wrong.

Nowadays I drive about 3 minutes to Papoosie Girl's school and back (detour at Tim's of course) and really only catch a few minutes of my easy-listening morning show in hopes they might talk about the weather since I am not so good at checking before we leave the house. Rain!? Where did that come from? If I do venture on a long drive I sometimes pop in a CD or listen to the radio, but usually I savour the silence. Now those who know me know that there is very little silence in my life. Chatty Mom = chatty girls. So to reveal my source of silence will out me as one of those people...hmmm. Truth all the way for this blogger, since I was never good at lying - think stuttering and scarlet cheeks. Our van has a DVD player (ducks in shame while good parents cluck wildly about such a thing) and I must admit I like it. I wish I could say our other car is a hybrid to make up for this, but it is not. It is a much smaller, more fuel-efficient car though if that helps.

When hubby's car was coming off lease we knew we wanted something a bit bigger to lug around all our stuff. We do a lot of weekend trips and drive quite a bit to visit family so making the jump to a minivan was natural. We were not really interested in any of the modest sized SUV's as they didn't have much more room than the car we were giving up. So we got a minivan for a fantastic deal since we bought in November when they were trying to get rid of the current year models and while the DVD player was not the deal-breaker it was a lovely bonus from our negotiations. I did briefly toy with the idea of not telling the girls, just not using it. Yeah right. I will say we do not use it for short trips, but once we hit a highway to somewhere, you can find it humming along. Did I mention the headphones? I never give them to the girls I just usually tune out the movie and drive along quite happily with my thoughts. Hubby likes for us to be able to listen to music so he gives them the headphones (again this is not very often - think driving to London to visit friends) I am usually amused and disgusted by these things on my girls heads. But I have to say it is a damn quiet ride.

So what the hell was I saying? Oh yeah the music meme, right so I used to listen to music and now I don't so much.


Seven Songs I have been obsessed about in random order:

1) When Doves Cry-Prince
I had a very big Prince thing in general and this song was a big favourite. I could listen to it over and over and never get sick of it, like all of my obsessions songs. I felt like these lyrics were speaking to me. I think it will become evident as you go through the list that many of these songs are telling the same story if you know what I mean. Keep reading.

How can you just leave me standing?
Alone in a world that's so cold? (So cold)
Maybe I'm just too demanding...


2) White Flag-Dido
This sums up the eight year Mr. Wrong situation, in nicer words than I could ever come up with. It was very hard to get out of this relationship for reasons I will take to my grave. In many ways there is just no getting over something like this , instead you move on, and in a way that says you have surrendered.

I know you think that I shouldn't still love you,
Or tell you that.
But if I didn't say it, well I'd still have felt it
where's the sense in that
I promise I'm not trying to make your life harder
Or return to where we were

3) You Oughta Know-Alanis Morissette
Gotta love a woman scorned. Any of the lyrics from this song would have been good. I loved this whole CD in fact.

Cause the love that you gave that we made wasn't able
To make it enough for you to be open wide, no
And every time you speak her name
Does she know how you told me you'd hold me
Until you died, till you died
But you're still alive

4) Time of My Life- Green Day
I have always loved this song while I have never been a huge Green Day fan. This song just strikes a cord with me and not just because it was on the series finale of Beverly Hills 90210.

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time


5) You Were Mine-Dixie Chicks
I always refer to this song as the "divorce" song in my head. It is a little known track from the Wide Open Spaces CD. I had never listened to Dixie Chicks until I saw them at Lilith Fair in August of 1999. They performed Wide Open Spaces and I liked them and the song. They didn't seem to take any crap. I got the disk and listened, this song made me cry and still does each and every time I hear it. My parents were divorced when I was quite young and there is still that little raw part of my child heart that never got over it. I actually liked a few tracks from Wide Open Spaces and really love their current hit Not Ready to Make Nice, I admire how they didn't back down from their convictions even if it meant smaller venues and reduced record sales.

I can give you two good reasons to show you love's not blind
He's two and she's four, and you know they adore you,
So how can you tell them you've changed your mind

6) King of Spain-Moxy Fruvous

Bonus points if you know who they are. I went to York University and had several classes with Jian Ghomeshi (he was Jean then though) and this was the band he was in. He now dabbles in TV and radio and has a new daily national radio show launching on CBC Radio One this month. In the York days I thought he was political, charming, exotic (Persian!), and so nice. I was not available (Mr. Wrong still), but Jian would often give me tickets to performances. I did manage to see them twice and still prefer my indie cassette to my CD. The songs were fun and smart and I was so into that, they put on a great show too. How could I not mention the hair, those long luscious curls? He was the guy I would never think of myself as worthy enough of - looking back I just feel sad for that girl.


Once I was the King of Spain - now I eat humble pie
A palatial palace, that was my home - now I eat humble pie
I'm telling you I was the King of Spain - now I eat humble pie
And now I vacuum the turf at SkyDome


Well, this has been a treat diving into the mosh pit of my psyche...last but not least

7) You Raise Me Up-Josh Groban
While I have never listened to any contemporary Christian music and I am not sure if he is mainstream or not, I really was into this song for a while. I still like in fact, just not in that endless repeat kind of way. It makes me feel good and often reminds me of my father. It is strange to be so young and not have a parent, although I realize I am not alone. You feel a bit like an orphan sometimes, like how things would be different if I had a father in my life. I say any song that makes you feel a bit better is a good one.

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

**************************************************

If you have made it to the end, I thank you for indulging me. I have always enjoyed all the trip down memory lane posts and I can see why they are such good reading. Looking back is a way to understand the present, a way to discern how the light shines on your life and how you turn your face up to enjoy it.

Meme too, just weirder

I know getting tagged for a meme is a huge compliment, so why then am I sweating? At least it is a topic close to my heart - how weird I can be.

Thanks to Mimi for this lovely compliment and her efforts to find out "what lies under that so-reasonable demeanor" of mine. Well, I don't know about my demeanor but here goes on the weirdness.

1) I have a Geography/Urban Studies degree yet it does nothing for my horrible sense of space or direction. I have listened to lectures, read textbooks and written papers on these topics and yet still I need very detailed instructions to move about easily. I have been known to take a longer route to somewhere just so I get there at all. This also extends to shopping malls, I always exit a store and head in the direction I just came from.

2) I have feet issues, a couple actually. I like my feet, all of my toes are in order. That is the toes all get progressively smaller starting at the big toe. Second toe is smaller than the big toe and all the way down the line. This is in my mind how toes should be and I often ponder how Papoosie Girl and Rosebud's toes will turn out, so far so good though. Other feet issues include my aversion to bare feet touching me, anyone's. Highchairs are designed for wee baby feet to constantly touch you, this I actually didn't mind but, keep those grown-up feet away from me.

3) I have a bit of the OCD thing happening. Mine is all about locks and the toaster. The toaster must always be unplugged when not in use. This does not extend to the coffeemaker or can opener or anything else in the kitchen, just the toaster. I have faked forgetting something to run back into the house to check the toaster. At night before bed I like to touch all the locked locks (front and back door) before going to bed. I also occasionally open our door to our garage to make sure the garage is shut but, that is only because hubby has been known to leave it open.

4) I like symmetry - a lot. I like stripes of any kind. I like my tea towels to hang just so which sometimes creeps me out and reminds me of that Julia Robert's movie with the insane husband she was trying to leave. I also like to dress the girls the same, I find it visually peaceful. If they are dressed different and I will be looking at them all day I find it a bit like a visual frat party. After our vacation last summer I discovered I am not the only person with this weirdness. Apparently, in terms of safety having the kids dressed the same is good for keeping track of them in large theme parks. So there.

5) I almost always go down the baby aisle at stores. I have no use for this aisle other than pull-ups but, I still browse through the baby food, formula, bibs and bottles. I am not sure why perhaps a sign I am not done this game?

6) Funny, I thought getting to six would be harder. I love cereal but, never eat it for breakfast. It makes an great bedtime snack or anytime I am hungry and am too lazy to make anything snack but, it is never eaten for breakfast. I don't like cold things for breakfast. If we go out I always order French Toast for breakfast and if we are at home I make toast. I don't like French Toast at home, yuck. Hubby has spent the last ten years trying to make French Toast in every possible way using every possible bread and I still hate it at home but, always order it out.

Is that enough? I hope so, since Rosebud has the getting up at 5am affliction going around and it is time for some shut-eye for this Mommy.

I don't think I am going to tag anyone since I have seen this everywhere but, if there is someone reading who has not been tagged, consider yourself it and go tell it on the mountain of weirdness.

Nighty night.

Meme too

Holy moly my first meme. Thanks Alpha Dogma for the tag...I feel a little sick following your glorious first attempt. If anyone thinks my first attempt pales in comparison come back after a few glasses of wine.

1. Do you like the look and the contents of your blog?
Actually, yes. I did a bit of tinkering the other day and I like the format (colours remained the same) and the labels. The labels are fun. Content is a work in progress. I like everything so far but, understand there is room (a few continents wide) for improvement.

2. Does your family know about your blog?
Yes and no. Whew, that covers it then?! My sister who is teaching in Seoul knows about it since one of my original reasons for starting my blog was for her to keep track of us. My hubby knows about it and that is about it. I have mentioned I have a blog to a few by accident but have never given out any info. I'm not really sure what their reactions would be and certainly don't want to find out. On a subconscious level I have kept it fairly neutral, there is always that "what if they find out" in the back of my mind.

3. Can you tell your friends about your blog?
As mentioned above I have told a few people by accident but, no none of my friends know about my blog in terms of how to find it.

4. Do you just read the blogs of those who comment on your blog?
Gosh no. I read tons, more than are on my blog roll and they have no idea I exist. I read what I like and that includes those who comment but, by no means is that all I read.

5. Did your blog positively affect your mind?
Oh yeah! I am insanely happy I can still string together a few sentences and cobble together something coherent once in a while. Mommy brain can be a silent but deadly condition.

6. What does the number of visitors to your blog mean?
They like me, they really like me! Seriously, it is so wonderful that someone would take the time to read anything I have written, then take the time to comment. It makes me feel all yummy just thinking about it. I have met the most wonderful people and for that I am grateful.


7. Do you imagine what other bloggers look like?
Not really. Although, I sometimes wonder about their kids. And, I sometimes think about running into certain bloggers at say the mall or a restaurant. How I would know it is them I am not sure. Then again some bloggers have posted their photos lately so maybe that is why I am not really preoccupied.

8. Do you think blogging has any real benefit?
Absolutely. If nothing else I enjoy it. My writing is improving, well maybe not to overstate, it is not getting worse. I am trying to get over my dash addiction - not easy mind you. Crappy punctuation pisses people off so I am trying to study all of Bub and Pie's posts.

9. Do you think that the blogosphere is a stand alone community separated from the real world?
Hmmn. Is this a trick question? Isn't it us people in the "real world" that make up this "stand alone community"? I'll leave this for the smart people to answer.

10. Do some political blogs scare you? Do you avoid them?
Honestly, I don't avoid them but I have never been to one either. I enjoy when mommy bloggers use their blogs for something other than poop stories once in a while but, I would never seek out a political blog. I guess the closest thing would be I love watching the Daily Show.

11. Do you think that criticizing your blog is useful?
Georgia peach. I bruise easily.

12. Have you ever thought about what would happen to your blog in case you died?
Not even once until I read this meme.

13. Which blogger had the greatest impression on you?
To be fair (which unfortunately makes me sound horribly lame) I had never visited a blog in my life until I found Catherine Newman's after she left Baby Centre. I was dazzled by this first introduction and I was not happy until I had my own. As for the present, I would have to say Bub and Pie. She captures life with such lively wit and serves it up with a depth of character that makes me embarrassed sometimes to even have a blog.

14. Which blogger do you think is the most similar to you?
Yikes. Well, since Alpha Dogma and I started our blogs at roughly the same time and stumbled upon each other, I will say AD. I do see myself in countless others, the good and the bad. I think that it what draws us in and keeps us coming back. The idea that you are not alone and there are parents all over feeling what you are feeling. It compels you to come back for more.

15. Name a song you want to listen to?
Right now? Why is this the hardest question? How about Green Day's Time of Your Life.

I guess it is my turn to tag someone but I think I have seen this on every blog I read. No tags for today just adding to the fun.