Tuesday, July 16, 2013

R is for Really Ridiculously Spoiled


I enjoy my birthday. I like the presents and the weeks-long celebration. There are people that believe that birthdays are for children or they don’t like so much attention centred upon them. I am not one of these people. I love the multiple birthday lunches and funny and thoughtful cards and whatnot.

 


It started a few days before my birthday when a mysterious package showed up on my doorstep. I opened it the minute I got it in the door…even though it wasn’t even my birthday yet. I’m a birthday rebel. The package was from Sugarplum; she sent me a box of sunshine. I actually squealed when I pulled back the tissue paper.


 

 
BFF came north to take her mom to Les Mis so I got to see her for lunch one day. She took me out for lunch at a very cool New Orleans style diner and bought me a very thoughtful card. Sometimes BFF will send me mail: she’ll go out and handpick a card from a specialty store, take the time to address it, and take it personally to the post office. She could spend hours driving all over town just to send me mail. But I know better than to expect flowery or informative correspondence. Often there’ll be a drawing of a guy smoking a cigarette (that’s all she knows how to draw) or just a simple “hi.” I know what she means though.
 

This is my birthday card from BFF. It is not written in or even taken out of the protective plastic wrapper…but I know what she means. That girl makes me giggle more than most people.

 

Another friend took me out for dinner one night. I could spend every waking minute with this friend: we have a lot in common and have a history together that’s pretty interesting (there's a good chance she'll be a blog post sometime). I stumbled away from the dinner with a belly full of amazing food and wine, a heart full of encouragement and understanding, and a pocket full of gift card for Anthropologie!

The rest of the week was filled with more lunches and gifts. I was taken out for lunch with some really good football-mommy friends; Thursday-night-friend brought me a new book and a treat from DQ; I was just all around really ridiculously spoiled.

 

And I got a pretty and new laptop.
 
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Friday, July 5, 2013

Q is for Quiz


Twenty-five questions from a random internet quiz. My challenge is to answer all of them and not delete any of the questions because I think they’re stupid.

1. What time did you go to bed last night and were you alone?
I went to bed around 130. I don’t usually go to bed that late but I got home late from Twin A’s lacrosse game and I like to have some time to relax before bed. Also, I was watching a show and I just couldn’t stop myself from watching the next episode and then the next.

I was alone save for my thoughts and dreams and a good book.


2. If you could be given ANY gift, what would it be?
It just so happens that my birthday is coming up, so I’ve been giving this a lot of thought. Probably I’m supposed to answer this as unselfishly as possible or with some thought given to non- material things like “one more day with my deceased grandfather.” Today I feel a little more practical so: a fence to block the sound of those stupid dogs next door, a new garage roof, a new shed beside my house, a maid for a day, a new kitchen floor, an iPad, a trip to Europe or New York or even Toronto, and a week at some resort by myself.


3. What was the last film that really moved/disturbed/thrilled you and why?
At the beginning of the year, I made a resolution to go to the theatre more. That lasted about a week, but still, I’ve seen more movies this year than any other year, so I guess I’ve accomplished my resolution just the same. The other night, I saw This is the End. There were thrilling and disturbing parts but really it mostly was hilarious.  


4. What is your favourite TV show of all time ( ie. you've seen them all, can watch it over and over again, and quote lines from it?) Friends. There is never a situation in life that doesn’t relate to a Friends episode. I probably wouldn’t say it’s my favourite show but I’ve seen them all, I watch them over and over again and I can quote lines from it, so obviously it’s up there.


5. What’s your favourite way to wake up and what’s the first thing you do? My favourite way to wake up is after I’ve slept all I can and I wake up on my own, not because I’ve heard any loud noise (I’m talking to you dogs next door). And then I like to just lay there: read my book, play with my phone, daydream. I don’t mind waking up so much but I often really dislike actually getting out of my bed.  


6. What would you call yourself if you could choose your own name?
Lily


7. If you had to do a Bush Tucker challenge (you have to eat insects/grubs, etc.) what would be the worst thing you had to eat? Eating anything that is still living is pretty gross; I’m not sure I could pick just one thing to be grosser than another.


8. What’s the worst/most embarrassing CD/Album you've ever owned and do you still have it?
I can’t think of an album that I’ve owned that I’m embarrassed about, but it does remind me of a story. I once had a boyfriend who drove a Pontiac Tracker. He had a soft top for summer and one day he parked it in a seedy parking lot. As is bound to happen, the top was slashed and his stereo along with most of his cassette tapes went missing. In his tape case, he had every Doors album ever made, many other Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, Kiss albums: respectable music for the time. He came back to his car to find that they’d taken the whole case and left one tape sitting on the driver’s seat: Vanilla Ice.

9. What would be your dream vehicle (bikes, cars, boats, Batcar and Millennium Falcon is allowed!)?
Remember how KITT from Night Rider was the coolest car ever?  But if you owned it now it would not really be that cool. Personally, I like the look of the BMW SUV.


10. What’s your favourite fantasy people sandwich?
What the hell is a fantasy people sandwich? That sounds like something I wouldn’t eat in a Bush tucker challenge.


11. What characteristics do you dislike in yourself?
This is just an opportunity for judgy and self-righteous people to go on and on about if you don’t like something about yourself then you should just change it. I’m not falling into that trap my friends.


12. Your favourite item of clothing and why?
Mens X-large t-shirts and lounge pants. They are comfortable. If I’m in my house, that’s what I’m wearing.


13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it be and who would it be with?
I’m not sure I could pick just one place. There are so many places I want to see. And I would definitely want to go with Twin A and Twin B. They are who I’m most comfortable with.  


14. If you could have any animal/creature, what would be your ultimate pet be?
I don’t want a pet. It’s not that I hate animals, but I just don’t want to care for one. Feeding, vet bills, finding someone to watch them when I go on vacation, watching them die…not interested, thanks.


15. What did you want to be when you were little and do you think you ever will be?
I wanted to be a nurse and a ballerina and a stock broker and an architect. A teacher, an airline stewardess, and a factory worker. I am none of those things.

PS. I wanted to be a factory worker because Sesame Street made it look so cool. I also really enjoy watching How It's Made.


16. What’s the next planned event you're looking forward to in your life?
I have plans for lunch with BFF next Tuesday. I’m totally looking forward to that.  


17. What were you doing before you started this?
Uhhhh…I started this over a week ago. Today I was gardening before I got back into it.
Before:
After:

18. What was the last thing you ate that you really shouldn’t have? I made a cake yesterday. It’s the easiest cake in the world. Pour four cups of rhubarb in a pan, sprinkle strawberry Jell-o on top, then sprinkle a box of cake mix on that, then pour a cup of water on, cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for half an hour. Anyway, I had three pieces of that yesterday. Oops. And also, yum. 


19. If you were an ice cream flavour, what would you be?
Neapolitan. I’m never just one thing. I don’t like to be put in a box. Not cause I’m claustrophobic though. I mean a metaphorical box.


20. Who was the last person you spoke to that you didn’t want to talk to? I don’t make a habit of speaking to people that I’m not interested in speaking to.  


21. What was your favourite toy as a child?
Fashion Plates. It was this toy that let you design outfits. It had patterns that you could use as well. I had a piggy bank shaped like a telephone, so I would take orders and then design outfits for my customers. It was awesome.  I wish I still had that.


22. When was the last time you cried laughing and why?
I saw This is the End the other night.


23. What is stashed under your bed/mattress?
Shoes. Lots and lots of shoes. Bins full of them.  


24. What did you dream about last night?
I don’t remember dreaming. This is a dumb question. And I’m really glad this is just about over.


25. What are you really afraid of?
Many things. Mostly something bad happening to my kids. I’m also scared that someone who looks exactly like me will commit a crime and I’ll get accused and not have an alibi. And I’m afraid of getting old and not having as much mobility and being more achy and painy. And I’m afraid that I’m never going to finish this quiz. And I’m scared that you stopped reading, but not really that scared because this is really boring. Sorry.
 
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