Filed under: life in general
Right, so instead of just inflicting this email chain letter/list on the usual people, I thought I’d bore the whole internet. Here’s 2008… the year that was.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Became a working mother. Ack.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I honestly don’t remember making any New Year’s resolutions. If I did, I’ve obviously blocked them out, so that would be a “no” on the did-you-keep-them bit. Probably won’t make any this year either.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Became an honorary auntie to one more little boy. A little over two years ago, my group of friends from University days had no kids. With the new arrival, there are now 4 boys between the 3 of us. Crazy.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Only a four legged someone.
5. What places did you visit?
Lots of campgrounds and beaches. Nowhere exotic.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Huh. That is a pretty broad question. I’m going to go with “a waist”.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory?
March 20, Sport’s first birthday with me. October 14, when I officially began the process to bring Little Brother home. The rest is pretty much a blur.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Going back to work without totally losing my mind.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not getting any courses done in my ongoing (really, really ongoing) certificate program.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Please, I can’t go a week without injuring myself. Nothing serious though.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Our new house. Close second, the swiffer with vacuum built in. Seriously, if you have hardwoods and/or wooden stairs, GET ONE.
12. Where did most of your money go?
The new house.
13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
See #12.
14. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I’m drawing a blank. I never listen to the radio anymore. (Say it with me … Lose – er!)
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier. Didn’t really think that was possible.
b) thinner or fatter? In the current Christmas-bloat-state? Fatter. Overall, about the same.
c) richer or poorer? You have been reading the news, right? Poorer on paper, I guess.
16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Running. No one to blame but myself on that one.
17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Eating. Chips are evil.
18. How did you spend your summer holidays?
Camping, beaching (yes that is too a word), swimming, playing, driving.
19. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Nope.
20. How many one-night stands?
None.
21. What was your favorite TV program?
Still the Amazing Race. I will also watch CSI whenever it is on, even if I have seen the episode 4 times. (Real CSI, that is, not the red-haired stepchild from Miami.)
22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate? No. Strongly dislike? Um… yeah.
23. What was the best book you read?
I barely read any books this year. I did discover the Lyn Hamilton archeological mysteries, which I really enjoyed – The Moai Murders, The Orkney Scroll, etc.
24. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Frog and Toad All Year. (See #14.)
25. What did you want and get?
Our new house.
26. What did you want and not get?
The right numbers in Super 7.
27. What was your favorite film of this year?
Well, any movie I saw this year (other than Horton Hears a Who) came out last year or earlier – but thanks to a few free months of Movie Central on Demand, I can say that I loved The Holiday and The Illusionist.
28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
36, and I don’t think I did anything in particular.
29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Those damn Super 7 numbers.
.
30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
I think most people would snort at the idea that I have a “fashion concept” at all. Particularly since a shopping trip on Monday was the first time I bought new clothes for myself since fall 2006.
31. What kept you sane?
It’s not like I was sane to start with, but my friends certainly kept me from losing my shit a few times. Martha, the schoolmarm, and Roxanne get most of the credit on that one.
32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Mmmm, Daniel Craig.
33. Whose behaviour appalled you?
A slight majority of California voters. To quote a blogger (who I don’t know), “Because at a time when America finally seems ready to set aside our petty differences, and come together to elect a man President who at one point would not have been allowed to vote in this country, at least everyone can agree that we hate queers.”
34. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
I learned to mistrust a few particular people. Sad but necessary.
Filed under: livestock
Why does this dog look so pathetic, you ask?
Because this is what he is gazing at.
“Woe is me… lying on the hard floor while that CAT hogs my bed.”
Filed under: Uncategorized
Conversation this morning at our favourite breakfast spot:
“What is cream cheese?”
“It’s that soft white cheese that you can spread on things.”
“Huh?”
“Like on bagels, when you have a toasted bagel lots of people spread cream cheese on it.”
“I still don’t know what that is.”
“It’s what’s in the middle of a Philadelphia roll, with the salmon.”
“OH! That. Ok.”
Man at next table: “SNORT.”
I guess it’s a little unusual to be able to explain cream cheese by referring to a Philadelphia roll. At least in the 5 year old crowd.
Filed under: livestock
There was leftover pizza on the counter. The cat got up there, ate all the ham off it, and then pushed it onto the floor for the dog to finish off.
They have discovered teamwork. I’m doomed.
I spent some time yesterday adding more links over there at the left. And of course adding the 1000 stars festival links meant I had to listen to the music, and watch some of the dances. I find that I have an emotional reaction to these clips. It’s hard to explain, but presumably it is the association with the trip to Ethiopia where I heard similar music and saw traditional dancing. It takes me back to being there – as does the smell of incense or Ethiopian spices. So if that’s my reaction after spending two weeks in Ethiopia, then as you might imagine, Sport’s reaction is much stronger – and fortunately, it’s a positive one. He enjoys the music, and knew one or two of the songs when he first came home. Sometimes the music will trigger talk about Ethiopia, or memories of his life there, and again, so far this has been positive. (In contrast, we sent a link to one of the songs they knew to a little friend from Ethiopia. He heard the beginning, demanded it be turned off, and then asked where his mother got it. She told him Sport sent it for him. His response? “Tell him not to send any more.”)
Here is my favourite of the dances. (HOW does that guy at the 40 second mark not dislocate his hip??)
And here is Sport’s favourite of the songs. This is a song that he knew, and sang for a little while after he came home before it vanished from his memory. (Teddy Afro made a version of this too.) Now it’s back in his repertoire of songs, thanks to … Youtube. Amazing, isn’t it.
Filed under: off topic
There are times when I read the news, and I think, That’s it. I’m not letting my kid out of my sight EVER AGAIN.
Or maybe I should just stop reading the news.
Filed under: offspring
… and never mind a good night, how about a later than 5:30 am wake up call?? Ack. I stalled until 6:00 but was then forced to accept the inevitable and stagger out to the living room. The whole “I believe in Santa/No I don’t” thing was amusingly in evidence. Sport happily announced that Santa had come and had eaten the cookies, but then started pulling stuff out of his stocking and thanking me profusely (who knew that a Batman Pez dispenser could yield a “You’re the BEST mom!!”) and asking me where I had gotten some of the items. So… not so much buying into the tale of the fat man in the red suit, then.
This can’t quite compare to last year’s Christmas morning video of manic giggling, but here are two short clips of Sport with his new Speed Racer racetrack. (They are super dark but the audio is really all you need.)
Who’s the real professional? Well, not the kid who can’t get the cars around the track more than once. Hee.
I don’t think I’ve ever posted this. We listen to it every time we go in the car, if I have the iPod with me.
Filed under: life in general
Cooking Ethiopian food for supper means…
… looking in the fridge, noting the two bags of onions and two cups of spiced butter, and thinking, “Hmmm, I wonder if that’s enough.”
… crying for half an hour, which is how long it takes to chop two bags of onions.
… using every element on your stove simultaneously. Plus the microwave.
…wreaking complete havoc on the kitchen.
… eating so much that you have to stagger to the living room and lie down for a while.
… realizing it’s worth all the trouble when the resident food critic says, “Mom. Thank you for this doro wat. Mom, what would we do if we didn’t have injera? I would cry and cry, all the time.”
My adoption peeps will no doubt recognize this. Only usually it’s not so… ragged.
OMG, the guinea pigs ate my CIC receipt. This could not POSSIBLY happen to anyone but me.
