Getting to Know Me

A fun game for when I don't have much to talk about. :) Click the above to go to the original site. :) Love surveys! :)

1. Have you ever snooped around someone else's house?
Not as an adult and not maliciously. I was a nosy kid so when I was younger yes - and I'm probably less shy than I should be if I'm looking for something (such as toilet paper, or a pen or pencil in someone's desk) about opening cabinets and drawers etc. But poking around for poking around's sake? No.

2. Can guys and girls be friends? ( thanks Jen!)
Absolutely and I can do you one better - I think even guys and girls with a romantic past can be friends! I'm still very close with my first boyfriend. Also, my best friend for a very long time was a guy (although that was never romantic).

3. Can you curl your tongue?
Curl it yes. Turn it over no.

4. Have you ever stolen anything?
Not intentionally. I've walked out of a store with something, realized it and returned it but that's about as close as it comes.

5. Would you rather talk on the phone or text?
Depends on with whom. Anyone who matters, I like talking to on the phone lol. But I'm also big on email/IM/chat. Not a big texter though.

6. Memorial Day plans?
No Memorial Day in Canada but we had Victoria Day last weekend. I spent the first night at my house with my in-laws, who babysat Little Tyke the next night while we went to Montreal for a birthday party, and then my parents came back with us to help us set up our back yard on the Sunday. The Monday we went swimming with my in-laws and had an early night as we were all sick and tired by then (literally, lol, not of each other).

7. What do you do to relax?
Depends. I'm a big reader, TV watcher, and internet surfer, so probably one of those. Or video games if I'm on a kick (not often, but when I do I really get into them).

8. Do you do anything to honor those that have died fighting for our freedom?
I'm incredibly close to my grandfather who's a vet, and my uncle and brother who were soldiers; we donate to charities when we can for fallen soldiers' families etc., and we observe Remembrance Day without fail. We've visited the National War Museum a few times as well, which is a wonderful and moving experience.

Not much to say ...

It's been a quiet week around here. Little Tyke caught a cold from us, which went to his poor little chest, leading him to be on his very first antibiotics. He's contagious, which means one or the other of us has been home with him all week, and which also means we've fallen behind in much other stuff - housework (except actual CLEANING, germ control etc.; tidying is a different matter). No biggies though, we had a really busy and exciting weekend so it hasn't been a bad time to stay home, and fairly quietly too (he hasn't exactly been Mr. Energy - although as the antibiotics are kicking in he's getting there, which is nice to see).

It's been a quiet week for work for me too, which considering LT being sick hasn't been bad - I was recovering from a cold which knocked me on my bum too, as was Ari, so really no complaints about the low-key-ness. Which should continue into the weekend - our only plan is having a couple of close friends over to test out the new back yard and barbecue for lunch on Saturday (provided LT is no longer contagious - we were going to take him to a drop-in playgroup for the first time, but thought better of it so he doesn't make the other kids sick). The rest will be getting the house back into shape after a sick week, getting back into the swing of church, and keeping up with my online school marking. And hopefully we're all back to routines - work, babysitter, etc. - next week.

Aaaw ...

Such a nice weekend.

• Friday we had a nice evening with the in-laws, although tired.
• Saturday we went to Montreal, our first overnight without Little Tyke, who stayed with his grandparents. While we stayed at kind of a skuzzy hotel, we still had a lovely time doing dinner with my family to celebrate my uncle's birthday. We hit the cobblestones on St. Arthur afterward and wandered the main before having some debaucherous fast food dessert and poutine and calling it a night.
• Sunday my parents 'followed' us to my house where they and my in-laws prettied up our yard and threw me an early birthday celebration, cake and all. Out back, we now have a gazebo, and a barbecue (YES!). It's so super-duper nice and I loves them for doing that for me.
• Today we took Little Tyke out to the wave pool before the in-laws headed home.

Our house is a disaster again, we're exhausted and I have a cold ... but all in the name of a lovely long weekend, it was worth it.

Happy Victoria Day Weekend Canada!

Enjoyed a lovely evening with the in-laws tonight ...
Off to Montreal to see my grandma, my parents and my brother who are visiting her ...
Having everyone at our house Sunday ...
A quiet Monday.
That's a long weekend, Canada Style. :)
Hope all of yours is as fun, enjoyable and full of love.

Pax!

The West Wing and Glee

Are two shows I have gotten into in the last couple of weeks, bigtime (West Wing obviously on DVDs as it hasn't been on the air in 3-4 years, and Glee via On Demand Programming and Tuesday nights on Global, 9pm). I highly recommend both if you are into (in the first case) political drama that tends to delve into 'funny' too, or (in the second case), well really, musical theatre, but funny, edgy, yet also campy musical theatre. This week's episode had guest stars in Idina Menzel and Neil Patrick Harris - both absolutely fantastical. And I recommend the Power of Madonna episode of about a month ago to anyone. :)

Life Update

So I haven't posted many of these of late as life has been too busy to write, but not interesting enough to write about - at least for anyone else (of course I personally am endlessly fascinated by the things I learn from my students every day, the new ways Little Tyke learns to communicate almost by the hour, etc.). But I figured enh.

• I'm doing alright. Still subbing, but that's picked up a bit, as has my work with the virtual school. All's well, more good days than bad days in the substitute teaching world, which means few complaints from myself, my employers, or my students. :) It's hummin' along, and as a sub who's qualified on the high school and elementary levels it means every day's a new adventure. I LOVE teaching different age groups, it keeps things fresh and I always learn something new from it that I can take along with me to other classes. Looking forward to some adventures in the month or so ahead - a week from tomorrow we're heading to Montreal for my uncle's birthday. Our first weekend away from LT, who will be in his paternal grandparents' capable hands. The Monday, my parents are 'following us' back to Ottawa, as well as my brother, to get their own LT fix. And one month from this weekend ... FLORIDA AND THE MOUSE!!! YES.
• Ari is doing pretty well as well - same things as me on the personal life front, and I think also getting a great deal of fulfillment on the professional front. Good performance reviews, good friends at work - we actually have a couple of things socially coming up in Ottawa with some friends of Ari's from work, and mine from Wondercafe ... it should be good.
• LT is developing along nicely. Walking, playing, and his comprehension is fabulous (he can point out his hair, nose, mouth and tummy on demand, say Dada, Yeah, No, Good, Up, etc. with *some* consistency). We aren't terribly concerned about his development at all at this point, but to the extent there's anything he's on the 'low end of normal' with its his communication, and we're heading to a speech therapy screening on Saturday. Everything else though speaks to a happy, healthy little boy - and even that, he's still hardly way behind, and it's still more than in the realm of 'normal kids develop differently'.

So yup. Some good times for our little family. How about YOU and YOURS?

Call Ya Muddah

If you haven't already, it isn't too late.

All seriousness aside, Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's I know. I'm not going to list them here because I'd no doubt forget someone ... but there are so many moms I have loved raising my children alongside, and I'll just trust you know who you are and how inspired I am by you.

But I do especially want to give a shout out to MY 'moms' ...

First - my actual, y'know, mom: I can honestly say there is no one I admire more than this woman. In 28 years, I have not met one person who doesn't think she is an awesome person. In recent months, I have only grown to understand more about her, her strength, and the true extent of what selfless really means. She sets an impossible standard that I can never, ever live up to - but I will spend the rest of my life trying.

My gramma - my mom had to come from somewhere right? She always has the time to speak to her grandchildren, and even when she's going through a tough time, she always managed to find a smile and a laugh for us. She and I have always, always been close and that means so much to me, and I hope it never changes.

My step-mother - I've said this about my step-dad and my mom, and I'll say it about her and my dad - anyone who can love and take care of someone who *I* love so much, and be so wonderful to me and my brother to boot ... this woman puts any tales of the evil step mother to complete, total and utter shame. Every year I get to know her I develop a new admiration for her and I love Monique very, very dearly.

My mother-in-law - Val is the coolest, calmest, most sensible person I know, and I think might even put my mom to shame at times with her excitement over being a grandma. OK ... then again, maybe not. That's a toughie lol. But especially nice when someone who is so often 'the voice of reason', is also incredibly fun and funny - which Val is. It's been such a pleasure getting to know her, and especially getting to see her with Liam the past year and a half, it's been a whole other side. :)

I love you ladies so very much. Thank you so much for taking care of me, and the men in my life. You are all awesome. Thank you. XO

And another

So I finished "What Happened to Anna K." this past week. It's a modernized version of Anna Karenina. Please note I have not read the original classic as I review this book.

1. Dead and Gone - Charlaine Harris
2. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
3. Reading Lolita in Tehran - Azar Nafisi
4. The Year of Living Biblically - A.J. Jacobs
5. A History of God - Karen Armstrong
6. Dreams from My Father - Barack Obama
7. Beloved - Toni Morrison
8. 'Tis - Frank McCourt
9. The Host - Stephenie Meyers
10. The Constant Princess - Phillipa Gregory
11. Wicked - Gregory Maguire
12. The Six Wives of Henry the 8th - Alison Weir
13. Eleanor of Aquitaine - Alison Weir
14. Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom
15. The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien
16. The Two Towers - J.R.R. TOlkien
17. The Return of the King - J.R.R. Tolkien
18. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling
19. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling
20. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling
21. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling
22. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling
23. Dracula - Bram Stoker
24. Paradise Lost - John Milton
25. The Inferno - Dante
26. Towelhead - Alicia Erian
27. Sex, Lies, and Headlocks - Shaun Assael and Mike Mooneyham
28. The Way the Crow Flies - Ann-Marie MacDonald
29. The Robber Bride - Margaret Atwood
30. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
31. This United Church of Ours - Ralph Milton
32. Anansi Boys - Neil Gaiman
33. American Gods - Neil Gaiman
34. Stardust - Neil Gaiman
35. Tess of the d'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
36. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
37. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
38. Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
39. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
40. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
41. Deception Point - Dan Brown
42. Digital Fortress - Dan Brown
43. The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown
44. Lolita - Vladimir Nobokov
45. Atonement - Ian McEwan
46. All the King's Men - Robert Penn Warren
47. Under the Dome - Stephen King
48. Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
49. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
50. Uncle Tom's Cabin - Harriet Beecher Stowe
51. A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess
52. Scarlett - Alexandra Ripley
53. White Noise - Don De Litto
54. Their Eyes were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston
55. Primary Colours - Anonymous
56. Revolutionary Road - Richard Yates
57. Ragtime - E.L. Doctorow
58. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - Muriel Spark
59. Misquoting Jesus - Bart Ehrman
60. Fast Food Nation - Eric Schlasser
61. My Years as Prime Minister - Jean Chretien
62. Memoirs - Pierre Trudeau
63. Shake Hands with the Devil - Romeo d'Allaire
64. Team of Rivals - Doris Kearns Goodwin
65. The Secret Mulroney Tapes - Peter C. Newman
66. Why I Hate Canadians - Will Ferguson
67. Planet Simpson - Chris Turner
68. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
69. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe - Douglas Adams
70. Life, the Universe and Everything - Douglas Adams
71. So Long and Thanks for All the Fish - Douglas Adams
72. Mostly Harmless - Douglas Adams
73. Fifth Business - Robertson Davies
74. The Manticore - Robertson Davies
75. World of Wonders - Robertson Davies
76. The Donnellys - James Reaney
77. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
78. Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand
79. Farenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
80. Not Wanted on the Voyage - Timothy Findlay
81. A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
82. Coraline - Neil Gaiman
83. The Crucible - Arthur Miller
84. Mirror Mirror - Gregory Maguire
85. Snarky Responses to Yahoo! Answers - Matthew Cory
86. Sorbonne Confidential - Laurel Zuckerman
87. What Happened to Anna K - Irina Reyn
88. The Silver Linings Playbook - Matthew Quick
89. Hey Nostradamus! - Douglas Coupland
90. Girlfriend in a Coma - Douglas Coupland
91. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
92. The 5 People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom
93. The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
94. Interview with the Vampire - Ann Rice
95. The Diary of a Young Girl - Anne Frank
96. The Bonfire of the Vanities - Tom Wolfe
97. Guys and Dolls - Damon Runyon
98. Good Book - David Plotz
99. He's Just Not that Into You - Greg Behrendt, Liz Tuccillo, Lauren Monchik
100. The Ultimate Weight Solution - Dr. Phil McGraw
101. Real Life: Preparing for the 7 Most Challenging Days of Your Life - Dr. Phil McGraw

Irina Reyn wrote this novel and I will say it is very true to the Russian writing style that I am familiar with (particularly via Chekhov and Ibsen) - very emotional subject matter full of pathos, dealt with in a very matter-of-fact and detached manner. Be prepared that this book is (intentionally, I believe - at least, this isn't a criticism, and intentional or not, it worked) not especially smooth; it jumps ahead in time in large chunks, and contains a lot of internal dialogue/monologue which can be choppy and stream of consciousness. Considering the book is basically a psychodrama in that sense, it works; life is not perceived as this nice smooth trip; neither is a person's thoughts, or their relationships with those around them necessarily. In that sense, it is quite true to life.

At the same time, while choppy and disjointed in places, it is written in a very sophisticated and formal manner - also reflective perhaps of Russian personalities interacting (as observed by many Russian writers), but also the fact that this book, while written from a psycho-emotional standpoint, is also about highly educated Manhattanites. The contradictions work to demonstrate that even the very educated and adroit, can be a touch mad; Anna K and her cousin's husband Lev provide fascinating foils to each other, and no one comes out of this book as a completely sympathetic character, with the possible exception of Anna K's poor husband Alex. I don't know if my enjoyment of this book would have been hindered or enhanced by a familiarity with the original text of Anna Karenina, but I nonetheless enjoyed this read - not a terribly long one and a bit of a relief after a few 600-100 page books in a row.

Curious Little Tyke Fact

He is fascinated with tummies. Today, he pulled up his own shirt, pointed at his belly button. Went over to Ari, pulled up his shirt, and did the same. He then did the same to me. I'm thinking this is a very cool moment in his development, where he learns he is a little person, just like Mommy and Daddy.

Enh, or maybe this is just a silly 'Mommy entry' that no one but me would be interested in. But I thought it was cute. Short and sweet - just like my blog tonight. Tired chicka right here. Back tomorrow with my latest book update. Until then, be well. XO