One year, seven months, and ten days later....

Hi.

So a fantastic friend politely asked me last night why I don't blog anymore. I didn't have an answer. And HRH has been kindly suggesting for many a blue moon that I jump back on the blogging train. Well, turning one year older yesterday may or may not have made me wiser (time will tell if that is in fact the case), but I do have a few resolutions of mine that I want to pursue for the coming year of my life. So with that spirit of perseverance, penance, and plenty to say, I stretched out my finger muscles, did a few warm up typing exercises (Hello, Twitter and as my Dad says, "tweetering"), and I believe I am ready to say hi and to reacquaint myself with my poor, neglected blog and with all two of you who still have me in your feeds. :)

To not spend too long trying to inadequately capture everything that has happened since I blogged last, here's the cliff notes version:

In the last year/near future, I
(1) still live in Toronto
(2) passed my comprehensive exams
(3) met and married a Torontonian man
(4) grew my hair out
(5) fell in love with the public library system
(6) am teaching an Intro to Marketing course next semester,(7) successfully mastered the art of baking a multilayered cake
(8) bought a Christmas tree and its ornamental fixings.

Okay, so some of those things are a little more awesome or life-changing than others (*ahem* like buying a Christmas tree - nothing says you are an adult like purchasing your own tree and ornaments), but that's life as I know it right now. Married, living on a student budget, sitting under the lights of her Christmas twinkle lights, with the public library to keep me entertained when I need a break from the studying/class prepping, and lots of sugar to keep me up while I work on the evil thing that shall not be named on this blog. (Hint: Starts with "d" and rhymes with missertation...which is derived from the root word of miserable.)

So, I don't know what has/will take you to my blog, and I don't know what I have to offer you to keep you entertained on a consistent basis (which, if you do want some day-to-day happies, check out TheShoeologist.com or Pinksuedeshoe.com - two blogs by two amazing friends of mine who also happen to be twin sisters, and I don't think it's a coincidence that they both rock. I read their blogs daily and find much to enjoy!). I'm not crafty, though I want to learn how to be. I'm not a fabulous photographer, though if I could pick a hobby that I would totally rock at, that would probably be it. I'm not a fantastic chef, though I do love to bake goodies that bring smiles and happies to those around me. I'm not the girl who can do it all and be it all, and by so doing, share the secrets of successful living, though if I could, I would share every secret with you without reservation. I don't have adorable children that I can show doing adorable things, though if I did, I just might be tempted to sing their adorable praises.

I may not be all the things that I wish I could be and by extension relate the coolness of my life with you. But what I can do is just be me. And so what does that mean for you and what you can expect on this blog? Here's the recipe. (see? I'd love to share recipes. But I need to learn and use them first. So hold that thought and hope for the best for my culinary pursuits):

ME =
* a heaping tablespoon of honesty* a teaspoon of witty neuroticism
* a dash of self-reflection and ponderings on life's oddities, twists, and pitfalls
* 1/4 of a cup of giggles
* 2/3 of a cup of questions that I have yet to answer for myself
* a pinch of cultural references
* a heaping portion of parentheses (because that's just how I roll)
* a sprinkling of gratitude
* with everything baked in a pan of random nonsense

I can't guarantee what the next year will bring in my life or on this blog, but what I can promise is that I will be me, and I will do my best to consistently share mewith you. And if your recipe of life being similar to mine and as such you jive with me, or if you just want to join in the randomness that so often besets life, I hope you come back and visit.

And so....with that....let's begin.

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'Tis the season to be jolly! If you aren't in the Christmas spirit and find yourself relating more to the Grinch than Cindy Lou Who, I suggest watching "The Muppet Christmas Carol." It's a delightful rendition of the classic Scrooge story, with hilarious one-liners, catchy tunes, and one scene that makes me laugh every year without fail. This scene is one you will miss if you're not careful - but is worth the price of the movie all by itself. When the Ghost of Christmas Present takes Scrooge to the streets of London to sing about how it feels like Christmas, there is a street missionary band playing along...and one of the little players whacks another one in the face with his bell. The poor "belled" player falls over, and when he gets up, he has these "angry eyes" that mean business. He proceeds to chew out the other player and then takes it up a notch and begins to head butt him until the scene is over. Classic. Love it. Watch it here, with the aforementioned scene starting at the 1:57 mark. My family has watched this show together every Christmas for probably the past ten years, and have lovingly dubbed him as "Angry Eyes." And if I somehow fall asleep while watching it during the season, I will rewind specifically to that part. Is that somewhat silly of me? Perhaps. But when I need to get into the spirit, this scene in particular and show in general is a surefire way of bypassing the caroling and crowds and jumping into the joy of Christmas. So cheers for the Muppet jolly, gentle readers!

And with that, I leave you with a question/plea for help. I'm celebrating my first Christmas with my husband and I will not be going home, and I don't want to spend the holidays curled up in a corner wishing I was home with my family. So I need Christmas cheer and Christmas traditions to start in my new family. Which leads me to my question:

What are your Christmas traditions that you couldn't live without that inevitably invite the Christmas spirit?