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.

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

'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?

Ooh...pretty

A friend of mine is hosting a give-away on her blog, http://sherbetblossom.blogspot.com/2009/05/pandora-giveaway.html. I highly suggest checking it out, because the bracelet is totally girly pretty!

Masculinity & The Media

The Bittersweets.

Sometimes, around this time of year, you just need a good laugh, with a hint of sarcasm, an a twinge of truth, a pinch of an alternative perspective, and something for the sweet tooth. Thank you, despair.com. Really. Thank you.

Quotable Quotes

I was reading a qualitative analysis article this weekend. Exciting life I lead, eh? Anyway, I was slogging my way through the 40+ page literary adventure and rightfully tuning in and out at random intervals, though the pages magically kept on being turned, when I found a truly gem of a quote that I think should be shared with all: "The sensation of being bored is usually a signal that you have ceased to think." Dare I say, how true is that? I read that sentence and burst into giggles because I had thought just 30 seconds before how bored I was reading that article. Obviously I had ceased to think, without recognizing that my higher mental operations had recently terminated. Opportune timing for a quippy, and highly applicable quote. I wonder - what other quotes are there that speak to us - or perhaps make us, or those in our close proximity, giggle at opportune moments?

May I offer some examples to get us thinking:

"Marks for trying, George, but I would not allow you to redress my deficit were you the last man on Earth." ("Lost in Austen") - Try using that on someone sometime and see what type of reaction you get. Come on. I triple dog dare you.

"Patience, Grasshopper." (Gilmore Girls - *moment of silence for the yesteryears of quality Gilmore-dom and quick-witted dialogue*)

"Ain't this a geographical oddity. It's two weeks from anywhere." ("O Brother Where Art Thou")

"I'm sorry, Father, but the truth is, this is not my day for talking seriously." "Well, what do you mean, sir?" "I mean that I only talk seriously on the first Tuesday of every month, between the hours of noon and three." ("An Ideal Husband")

"Fashion is what one wears oneself. What is unfashionable is what other people wear. Other people are quite dreadful. The only possible society is oneself. To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance." ("An Ideal Husband" - having just one from this show would be criminal.)

"One always passes along good advice. It's the only sensible thing to do with it." ("An Ideal Husband." Okay - to stop at just two would be negligence in the highest order)

"I do not approve of anything that tampers with natural ignorance. Ignorance is like a delecate, exotic fruit. Touch it, and the bloom is gone. The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound. Fortunately in England, at any rate, education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did it would prove a serious threat to the upper classes, and probably lead ot acts of violence in Grosvenor Square." (The Importance of Being Earnest")

"You're talking gibberish." ("That Thing You Do")

"Savvy?" ("Pirates of the Caribbean")

"Today, you will have the honor of playing one of the greatest game ever. A game of skill, agility, cunning. A game with one simple rule: DODGE.". . . "The whistle makes me their God." ("Supernatural." Dean. In gym shorts. Tube socks. Red sweatband. Posing as a high school gym teacher. Pure unexpected joy on a Thursday night, let me tell you.)

"It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a large fortune must be in want of a wife." (Do I really need to tell you what this is from? Really?)

Person #1: "Question." Person #2: "Yes, I would date Gregory Smith." (Me. This is a me quote. Shameless self-promotion, I know. But this one consistently gets entertaining reactions when used in everyday conversation.)

I am Prince Caspian." (Okay, once again, do I need to put the movie? Yeah. No. But you may be thinking, "when could I ever use this in everday life? Even if you don't say this to anyone, say it outloud when you're feeling down with a sissy Spanish accent, and it will work its magic. Trust me.)

"Ham Porter: Hey, Smalls, you wanna s'more?
Smalls: Some more of what?
Ham Porter: No, do you wanna s'more?
Smalls: I haven't had anything yet, so how can I have some more of nothing?
Ham Porter: You're killing me Smalls!" ("The Sandlot")

And for the "Psych" montage: "I've been having this recurring dream where I'm flying over Auckland on the back of a swan made primarily of cocoa. His name is Clem." "My pilot's license? It's out back in the Cessna. Or perhaps you're referring to my license to kill. Revoked - problems at the Kazakhstan border. I'd give you the details, but then I'd have to kill you... which I can't do because my license to kill has been revoked." "Rally the horses, Jules. We're about to crack your case like an egg. And then we can make umlauts with shallots.... and justice." "Can you check for a John Doe, please? Actually, can you check all the does? Tae-quon, cookie, play, dosee..." "Shawn, this misplaced malevolence you have with the spelling bee is getting monotonous. Stop hating on the bee." "Shawn: Well, at least that gives us the "how". Now we just gotta figure out the "why", which reminds me, Gus, will you please get us those tickets for The Who? Gus: Where?" "You're killing my Jujubees!" "I'm sensing some bad jujumagumbo in here!" "Yes but what isn’t clear is why people always say “goes with out saying” yet still feel compelled to say the thing that was suppose to go with out saying." "The Cheetah is the worst name for a pickup line in the history of mankind. Remember, you treat a woman like a person, then a princess, then a greek goddess, and then a person again. Besides, I think Operation Colonel Sugarlemons is a much better move for a place like this." "That's like a genocide of color... somewhere a rainbow is weeping." "Shawn: Wanna split a pineapple? Alice Bundy: I'm sorry, do I know you?
Shawn: My name is Ichibod Fletchman. Sticky Icky to my boys. But that's neither here nor there. What's important is that this baby is 82% Hawaiian and I've got all afternoon. Alice Bundy: Are you a crazy person? Shawn: It's funny I was about to ask you the same thing. Only I was going to add "who likes to make toast" to the end of mine." "Gus: You named your fake detective agency "Psych?" Why didn't you just call it "Hey, we're fooling you and the police department; hope we don't make a mistake and somebody dies because of it."
Shawn: First of all, Gus, that name is entirely too long; it would never fit on the window. And secondly, the best way you convince people you're not lying to them is to tell them you are!" "We love you like a brother, well step-brother. Ok maybe like the weird kid that lives down the street and only eats mayonnaise on saltines."

Now. What are your quotable quotes?

My Life in Photos: Part 2

When I left Toronto to go home for Christmas, there was hardly any snow on the ground. I came back and was suddenly grateful for the giant boots and fur-trimmed coat my parents graciously bought me in Utah, though I do feel about 40 pounds heavier when I wear them. But they did allow me to take these photos on a brisk, sunny (hooray! love the sun!) afternoon.









The pond by my apartment is populated in the summer with Canadian geese. If they're smart or at least have a semi-functioning internal time table, they've left for the winter. The paths along campus are shockingly snow-covered, and even parts of the paths are closed for the winter. Who knew? I personally like the bucket-filled-with-salt-snow-removal-system.

My life in photos: Part 1

So, I have a new toy. A red one. It's shiny. And it's red. It takes pretty pictures. And it falls within the red chromatic area. Unfortunately, because it's my new camera, I can't take a picture of it. But just imagine. Red. Oh yes, I love it. But the best part of it is that I can finally take pictures of where I'm living and what it looks like up here in the arctic tundra also known as Toronto. Let me introduce you to what I see most days: my apartment. It's a bachelor apartment, with just enough for me to mess up with articles and yoga balls.










Each photo is a view from a different part of my room. So it probably looks a bit bigger than it is, but there ya go. The last one is the view from my third floor window. In the summer, it's pretty with all the trees and leaves. Imagine my surprise when I realized how close the buildings were to me when the leaves fell!