Friday, December 13, 2013

Wake me up, when December ends

The older I get, the more stressful December becomes. It seems like the pressure of upcoming travel, cooking, and gift shopping, as well as the financial strain that all of this puts on everyone, just makes people mad. I mean that in the British sense and in the American English one.

In past posts, I've talked about how much I hate the cold. Winter in New England is brutal. Mind you, I've been to both Iceland and Canada in the winter, and they are both colder... and we do get more hours of sunlight here. Yet, the dark, cold isolation of winter, coupled with the insanity of what seems like everyone around me gets to be a bit much.

A few years ago, I spent Christmas break in New Orleans, which was more my speed...except I was five months pregnant and I would walk so much, my legs would swell twice their size. I did enjoy napping with the floor to ceiling windows open and, god knows, I had a good excuse to taste all of the amazing food!

I also spent a few Christmas breaks in Key West and San Francisco, which were also quite nice. Well, except for the rain in San Francisco, but that, I can deal with. If all I need is a light weight sweater at night, I'm golden. Funny, considering my genetic make up is mostly European countries with cold winters (Irish, English, German...French Canadian, which is not Europe...and Southern Italian, which is warm). The other extreme, Mexico in July, was just intolerable for me, though, so I guess I'm being too tough on the cold.

Getting back on point, this time of year seems to bring out the worst in people. First, you have Thanksgiving, which is now really just an extension of Black Friday, when people would rather stab each other in the face and then pee on the wound to get a slightly less expensive piece of crap flat screen tv, than actually have to sit down and eat with their extended family, whom they probably don't talk to more than twice a year. (Wholly run-on sentence, Batman!) Next comes Christmas, which actually lasts for something like 6 weeks. The rudeness quotient goes up by, at least, 150%. I remember when the holidays made people nicer. Not anymore.

The only thing I really look forward to is the week off between Christmas and New Years. Things seem quiet, for the most part. But, then, January 2nd rolls around and the hangover wears off and it's back to business as usual.

You may have guessed that I like summer the best. Everyone seems happy and relaxed, even at their worst. Since New England is just one big winter with a couple of months of summer thrown in, people tend to be at their best when the ground thaws and the beaches start beckoning. I am guessing it is because the great outdoors allows us to actually have some breathing space from one another. We are not trapped in our homes, cars, offices, shopping malls... Such close closed quarters could drive anyone mad. Like the douchy woman that would rather block a whole line of people from checking out than move one inch to the right; or the jerk who blew the yield sign to the highway off-ramp, during an icy snow storm, and almost slammed right into me, flipping me off as he did it. I hate everyone.

I'm thinking my best plan of recourse is to just buy a private island in Tahiti and stay there during the month of December. I'll stock it up with everything I need to get me through. Maybe I'll start a Fundly or some online spare change crap that should really be used for people who need money to help them with Cancer treatments and not some jerk who wants to go out and buy an extra XBOX, while he is out of work. Did I mention I hate people? Good, because I do.



Tuesday, December 10, 2013

I've been super busy lately

I meant to keep up this blog after the November blog-a-day challenge ended, but December has been kicking my ass. I do intend to write again at some point...so stay tuned!


Saturday, November 30, 2013

An impromptu survey with my 2.5 year old

1. What is your favorite color? Red
2. What is your favorite food? Popsicles
3. What is your favorite movie? Cars
4. What is your favorite animal? Elephant
5. Who is your best friend? Owl (?)
6. What is your favorite activity? Art
7. What is your favorite drink? Vanilla Milk
8. Are you a cat or dog person? "Uh....doooogggg!"
9. What's your favorite season? "McQueen says winter!"
10. Who is your favorite character from Cars? El Chu (that's from Planes) & McQueen

Here is a painting by my son (I added the black border, obviously):




Friday, November 29, 2013

Tomorrow is the last day of NaBloPoMo

I have to say, I will not miss the pressure of feeling like I have to come up with something to write every day! (Ha, ha!) However, it really has been fun and good for me. Since I stopped working full-time, I don't write nearly as much as I should. It has been helpful to start practicing again. Now, if I could get back to reading anything besides the internet and magazines!

Seriously, reading after having a child is difficult. The stress and lack of sleep make it hard to concentrate on anything for long periods of time. Christ, even reading a multiple page article can take hours or even days!

Speaking of Christ, I started reading Zealot by Reza Aslan. So far, it is really fascinating, but, again, only about two chapters in and the reading is slow going. In the meantime, I keep seeing books I really want to read, like McRobbie's Princesses Behaving Badly, but I'll probably start and not be able to finish those either, so why spend the money, right now? I look forward to getting through at least one book, hopefully the Aslan one, by the middle of next year!

It's crazy to think that next year is only about a month away. The older I get, the faster time flies by. I sincerely hope to one day regain that part of my brain that is currently missing and seems to have been removed, when my child was pulled from my body.


Thursday, November 28, 2013

PS - Happy Thanksgiving!

To all of my readers here in the US, Happy Thanksgiving! To all of my fellow Jews (well, I'm a half-Jew, but still...), Happy Chanukah! Hope your day was filled with the warmth of time spent with friends and family. I, personally, ate and drank too much. Is it possible to gain 25lbs in one day? I hope not!




The Liebster Award


I was surprised yesterday in my comments section by Nora from NoraDemi.com. Apparently, she has nominated me for something called a "Leibster award." Thanks so much, Nora! That's very cool of you!

One thing I love about blogging is getting to meet cool new creative people. I met one of my best friends from Iceland through an old blog! I think this will be a fun way to continue to discover new writers.

In order to take part, I have to answer Nora's questions and create some of my own.



1) If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I've thought about this a lot. There was a time in my life, where I felt restless and wanted to be anywhere but here. I traveled a ton and discovered a lot of new places that could have been "the one." However, when it comes down to the details, they have really been just great places to visit. While my default answer would be anywhere in Scandinavia or France, honestly, the more realistic place for me would be the San Francisco Bay Area.

2) What is one think you miss about being a kid?
Not having to worry about paying bills and feeling like anything was possible. 

3) Who is your favorite actor or actress?
Alexander SkarsgÄrd

4) What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?
Don't let anyone into your head who doesn't pay rent.

5) Are there any foods you’ve never had but would like to?

That's a tough one. I've had all kinds of weird foods from rotted shark to whale. I think maybe real Kobe Beef from Japan. I've had the American equivalent, but I hear the real thing is mind-blowing.

6.) What is one possession or object that make you happy?

I take it we are talking material things here. I try not to gain happiness from material things, as they really have no value, unless it is sentimental. I would maybe say old photographs of family... Although, I'd be lying if I didn't say I love my iPhone. As a stay-at-home mom, it is kind of my window to the world.

7.) Do you believe in soul mates?

Not really. As someone who worked many years with scientists who studied the mind, the brain, and human behavior, I am not sure what I think of the idea of the soul. I think that people have chemistry or they don't. The rest takes work. No one person is ideal for anyone - everybody has flaws. Some people are just better for us than others.

8.) What countries have you traveled to?
I haven't traveled to as many countries as I would like to. World travel is so incredibly expensive. So far, I've been to Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Iceland.

9.) What are you scared of?
Death, spiders, snakes, heights, being trapped in small spaces.

10.) What is your favorite meal of the day?
Dinner

11.) Are you a dog person or cat person?

Both

12.) Do you believe in luck?
Yes, and karma.



Here are the bloggers I nominate*:

1.) Living on Dreams & Stardust

2.) Random Musings

3.) Musings of Lanna Lee Maheux

4.) Ramblings of an EdMan


*There are many more I would love to nominate, but they do not meet the requirements. Therefore, I can only do 4 for now. I realize this breaks the rules, but it is the best I can do. I used to read a ton of small blogs, but, unfortunately, I don't get much time, since I constantly have to keep my eye on the wee one.


Ok, nominees, here are your questions:

1.) What movie deserves a sequel?
2.) If you had to lose a body part, which one would you choose?
3.) What is one thing you always wanted as a kid, but never got?
4.) What was the plot of the last dream you had?
5.) What is the worst job you ever had?
6.) What is the weirdest thing you've ever seen or experienced? 
7.) Where is the worst place you've ever visited? 
8.) What is the worst thing you've ever eaten?
9.) What is the best feeling in the world?
10.) What is your spirit animal?
11.) Would you rather never eat again (and not die) or never have sex again?