The Biggest Ever ...

"Hey Karen, haven't seen you in a while - wow, you're looking great - so trim!"

"Thanks, I know I've lost weight. I can actually get into some outfits that I haven't worn since before I had the L-boy. To tell you the truth I weigh about what I did on my wedding day "

How wonderful - there's a silver lining to everything I suppose. It's too bad that I got here by not being able to eat properly for the last couple of months. Not eating is highly overrated.

I'm having surgery tomorrow.

*****

Book Clubs are Hazardous for Your Health

There's this thing called complacency. Complacency mixed with a little vino while noshing on mini pizzas and samosas during an enthusiastic discussion about "The Forgotten Garden", combine that with excitement about the Royal Wedding which was coming up the next day...well, let's just say that can create havoc on an unsuspecting gallbladder.

Yes, remember that little episode? That was over two years ago, and what followed was the darkest period of my life. Little wonder that I wasn't in such a hurry back then to go within a one metre radius of a hospital for elective surgery.

I guess there's no thwarting mother nature. So despite my best efforts with watching my rich, fatty food intake over the past couple of years, it's come back to bite me.

*****

"So what were you doing during the Royal Wedding?"

Well I certainly won't forget April 29, 2011. Nothing like a gallbladder attack to wake one up for historic nuptials. Hey, I was up anyway. I promised myself that if I could get through the pain, I would make an apointment with my doctor to get this looked at. Stat.

*****

"Oh, what's this?"

Not the most comforting words from your surgeon. I figured it wasn't a great thing to have something palpable down the belly way but assumed it was a result of the gallbladder issues.

Cue the CT scan, which ultimately proved that it was indeed my offending organ. It's just that they're not normally so freakishly huge.

*****

Tomorrow afternoon I should feel lighter, both physically and metaphorically. The relief from the chronic pain and relief from the worry of diet is so welcome. The irony of losing weight in time for bikini season, but having surgical scars to show for it, is not lost on me.

Who am I kidding? I'm too old to be wearing a bikini anyway.

I'm looking forward to having a Dairy Queen chocolate dipped ice cream cone. And some Bodyjam to go with that. Summer won't start for me until then.

Walk

Baby Steps. Learning to blog again.

Yes, I'm back from an over four month hiatus.

In that time, my incompetence as a mommy blogger has been evidenced by the following:

• Blogher ads officially requested that I remove their link. That's okay - I was making less than zero revenue;
• I didn't provide any witty anecdotes about a great family ski vacation in Tremblant (well, I didn't ski, but it was fun nonetheless)... no fun pics (including space age inflatable leg boots a la "Lost in Space" that encased my tired legs during a spa treatment), no oohing and ahhing about the private hot tub and the wonderful accommodations, the non-stop gondola rides with the girlie, the pride in seeing my boy survive a bloody ski-to-the lip incident only to pick up and continue another 3 hours of snowboarding...
• Also absent - posts about major life milestones for not just one -the horror- but both of my kids:

My girlie lost her first baby tooth .... and now she's on the verge of losing the second;

My boy turned eleven. He's a tween now, people, and overnight he began eating two dinners and sleeping in every morning;

• I didn't weigh in on any of the hot parenting topics such as the TigerMom/Fun Mom debate - itching, just itching to get in on it but alas, left it too late;
• I missed writing about the beautiful Royal Wedding:
• I didn't reminisce about how I woke up way early to watch the other fairytale Royal wedding as a teen.
• I did not dish about how gorgeous Kate is and how I wholly approve of pretty much all of her fashion choices,
• Didn't note that William is still handsome despite starting to look more like his father than his mother these days ...
• (when we get totally caught up later, you'll understand why I was other wise occupied during the Wedding Day);
• Both US and Canadian versions of So You Think You Can Dance have started and I've said big, fat, nada...
• I didn't mention with glowing pride that both kids got A+ grades on their report cards... (oh, I guess I just did)
• I haven't gone on and on and on about gorgeous, spouse-endorsed crush - he speaks French, Mon Dieu - Bradley the Coop
• We lost a household member (poor Goldie, RIP) but gained a couple new ones. Did. Not. Blog. About. It.

My bad. But here we are.

And what would a post from me be without the occasional musical reference?

I've rediscovered the Foo Fighters. Their performance on SNL around Easter time, sealed it - they need to be on our couples' concert list soon (this just in - found out that I'm traveling when they're playing the ACC in Toronto come August - not happy that the Man may be going without me * sob *).

Can't think of a cooler alt. Dad in their 40s than Dave Grohl.

Enjoy.

Soggy Saturday Morning and posting about hawt

There you go, SEO types, what a perfect title.

Well, people don't read blogs on Saturdays anyway.

First of all, thanks to all my beloved bloggy peeps for your words of encouragement. I actually spruced up my C.V., attached it to my e:mail and hit "send" to my friend the Head Hunter (let's call him, H.H; I know the term these days is "recruiter" but, the girlie's been watching Madagascar 2 about 25 times non-stop in the last couple of days, and that resounding tribal beat, you know... and besides, I'm old, so we'll use H.H.)

As I was saying in my previous post, about my lack of walking-in-heels-prowess... I met with H.H. this past week. I think I'd mentioned that I've "known" him for over 10 years, actually contacted him wayyyyyy back when I was trying to break into the field. He didn't have any jobs for me then, but he had some great advice. And after I did eventually get into industry, I would chat with him from time to time about hiring etc. But I've never met him face to face. And never really thought about what he might look like.

I remember in my last job, I was working with our HR manager and she asked me if I had ever met H.H. And I said, no, I hadn't. She suggested I should, because uh, he was pretty good looking. He was actually a gymnast when he was younger. I was surprised, we laughed about it a bit, because whenever I've talked with him the image in my mind has been of a science geeky type, as his voice is a little squeaky. I don't know how else to describe it.

Since I've been home with the kids, he's followed up with me from time to time. And I've contemplated finally meeting him, just for coffee etc, as suggested by my husband. After all, it's always good to keep your foot at least partway through the door, and this fellow's quite connected. If I ever want to launch back in, this is a good guy to know.

I got to his office, parked in the concrete jungle and couldn't figure out which entrance was the right one...hence my poor toesies, as I did a bit more walking than I had intended. Finally finding the building and floor, I popped into the washroom, as I always do before meeting, just to check on the face shine, for any last minute stuff between the teeth etc... I wasn't really nervous because it wasn't an interview. Just a chat to find out about an opportunity, and to finally meet in person. Still, it felt weird to be in a corporate environment again.

I walked out into the hall, just as this fellow was stepping out of the men's washroom, and he looked at me and said, "Karen?" just as I uttered "H.H.?".... while sucking in my breath and totally not believing how incredibly fine he was, and OMG, he was wearing a great casual outfit, blue long sleeve fitted -tee with khaki pants, and yes, he looks like he was indeed a gymnast... stop salivating, Karen!

All kidding (well, not entirely) aside, we had a great meeting, talking about my career, what I wanted in my work life, what opportunities he had... the usual stuff. I was there for over an hour, but had to leave to get the kids. Yes, the kids, yeah, them ;). Yes, married with kids. Well, both of us, very happily at that.

We'll see where this all goes (the job thing, I mean) but it felt good to be talking about work again, my accomplishments, and not so much about being a Mom. I love being a Mom, but there's the other part of me that's taken a back seat. I said as much to him, that I don't want all the years of education, training, experience, my skill set and the career that I built to be wasted after working so hard for it. And I remain conflicted.

I got home and here's my little e:mail exchange with the husband:

Me: "BTW, met with H.H. today. He's quite hawt. Hurry home."

Hubs: "See-i toLd you it would be worthwhile mtg him."

Me: "You know, if we weren't already married, I'd sooooo have an internet affair with you ;). "

We're demented, I know.

Happy weekend!

Type A much?

I contemplated accompanying hubs on his most recent trip for business. I initially jumped all over it because he actually asked if I wanted to go (the opportunity doesn't come that often because of all the work he's got to do, and he's not always comfortable with the optics. But I take my lead from him).

But with BlogHer coming up, and our family vacay ... and the fact that I didn't think the kids would appreciate spending the week doing workbooks at Grandma's (she runs a really tight curriculum, especially during summer holidays)... I thought better of it.

And the hubs is apparently relieved with my decision too.

I got the following message this morning, letting me know that after having to switch planes he finally got there:

"Arrived safely-waiting in a ridiculously long customs line.....its times like these I am glad you aren't here :) not bc I don't love you but I don't miss a play by play account on the delay..."

Know me much?

Friday Fragments - Much Ado about Nothing

So this is how the week has been. Not a heck of a lot happening, but the good news is that there be GRASS on the lawn. Hallelujah!

Our tree in the back that has been slowly dying, just eeking back to life every spring ... has finally bit the dust. Poor thing, it looks so sad, but the worst of it is that the foliage that used to provide us privacy is no longer there. We can see every program that our back door neighbour watches on his huge screen TV. The good thing is that it's primarily sports. Whew on that one.

*****

I had a great girls night out with my oldest friend last Friday. As per usual, the evening flew by as we got caught up on (mostly her) shenanigans since we'd last seen each other at the high school reunion in February. She's got men clamoring to go out with her... we just wish they were the right kind of men. Annoying, really. It pains me to see her have to go through all this dating crap, but that seems to be the way it is once you reach a certain age.

Guys who are interested seem to be in a few main categories:
1/ they've never had a serious relationship and are way too set in their ways and afraid of commitment. In other words, weird beyond belief.
2/ they're divorced, bitter, have a lot of baggage and are afraid of commitment.
3/ they're married and looking for a diversion.

So I'm being ever the busy body. Despite the fact that my mother's matchmaking capabilities left a lot to be desired (not for lack of trying), I myself might give it a shot for my gal pal. I've got ONE single male friend. That's it. But there's another part that is thinking I shouldn't go there...

*****

My Mom is home after a month away, and she is already so busy. I spent Monday with her as she had some appointments and errands. She looked great in her denim outfit and seems to have a renewed sense of energy. I really admire her, she's amazingly independant and so social. Most of the time when I call her, she's on her way out the door. Incredible.

*****

Speaking of fragmented, now that my knee is almost back to normal, and my back is not so abnormal ... my laptop is now sick. It's not swine flu, but I had a serious "blue screen" sighting this morning, reading "registry failure" before I had my morning coffee. Which according to my IT pro brother is, how shall we put it, "NOT GOOD".

And considering that idiot me never saved most of my 2009 photos from the laptop elsewhere, this is considerably MORE THAN not good unless my brother can somehow recover those files. GAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

*****

I just had pizza for dinner. Let's hope I don't end up in emerg.

Happy weekend everyone!

Bitch, moan, wail

I was officially discharged from physio last week! Yay, knee is pretty much good to go, Bodyjam here we come (well, in a bit)...

Yesterday, thinking about going to the gym, helping the kids get their backpacks on ...

SPAZ- MATTACK!!!!

What the HELL was that?

PAIN.

Oh my frickin' crap, my back is out.

Bloody, bloody, bloody hell.

Can't I catch a break?

Or at least a margarita or a mojito at 8 AM for all my troubles.

(Serves me right for even thinking about the gym. And for carrying that 500 pound shredder into the house on my own. And where the heck did I hide that Robaxacet, anyway?)

I'll be fine *sob*, really I will *sob*...

Back to black

Along with other things recently, this blog has suffered somewhat. So I decided (and hopefully I won't regret) to do something about it. I joined Problogger's 31 days to build a better blog (31DBBB).

I've already missed some of the first assignments, including the following:
1/ SWOT analysis... on my blog? This is old school biz school. But I suppose I should take a stab at it, being a verified old skooler and all.
2/ Develop an "elevator pitch" for my blog. Marketing 101 again, I suppose. I think it will certainly come in handy at BlogHer '09, though. If people take pity and chat with me in the bar food line, I'll have something more interesting to throw at them. One would hope.

Both those items are now homework.

I'm rolling the next couple of assignments into one. Today we are putting together a list post and practicing promotion. I'm also going to give you some useful advice based on experience. Recent experience, trying to go back to my original *cough* hair colour.

So here we go ...

Ten things that you NEED to know before you colour your own hair.

(I did this, not only as my salute to frugality in honour of our recessionary times, but also because the last salon colour I got lasted about 4 days before grays started peeking out, and I don't have another two hours and $70 to waste again any time soon.)

1/ Pre-prep work: Do the allergy test. Just don't put it in a conspicuous spot where people will wonder if that's a honkin' new mole or you're just happy to see them.

2/ Prep work: Read the instructions from beginning to end, BEFORE you start. That way you won't miss the part about framing your face with face cream so you can clean off the " scream" effect more easily later.

3/ What to wear: Borrow an old shirt from the man. Just don't forget that there's a reason he wanted to chuck it, as it is HUGE and that drips that you don't wipe away immediately will end up giving you "dirt-neck". Ewww...

4/ Surround Sound: During the rinse cycle, don't have the TV on "Tyra" while they are discussing Facebook and Twitter addictions. Or at least turn the volume down so you don't know what you're missin' or what you should be dissin'. (Tyra? WTH?)

5/ The Area: Clear the decks. Give yourself ample room for splash and remove all possible targets within a 6 foot radius. And it's not a moshpit, so try to keep your head as still as possible when you're slathering. I forgot about my last foray into Jackson Pollock-ville.

6/ Pre-pre-prep work: Cut your hair to one inch length.

7/ How long? Regarding those "10 minutes to go" kits? Realize that 10 minutes only refers to the time that the colour should sit in the hair. But there's a dilemma. Do you time from the start, or when you've completed the whole head... because by the time you finish it could be closer to 20-30 minutes.

And then you're totally emo.

Make it easy on yourself. See #6.

8/Survival tip A: Keep the gloves on, or if possible, upgrade to longer elbow length versions. Black rivulets of hair dye cannot pass for cool henna tattoos. Cannot.

9/Survival tip B: If you wear specs like I do, put aluminum foil on the arms. You're not baking them, but they do actually save them from wrecking during the development time.

10/ Survival tip C: But don't wear your glasses while you're actually putting the colour in your tresses because it's difficult to work around the foil. And therein lies the problem, particularly if you're blind as a bat like I am. Just cross your fingers and be thankful that you can't see the back or the top of your head.

So that's the list!

And now, I will tweet this.

Mission accomplished. Next mission, a decent haircut.

Whaddya think?




(The boy thinks it looks awkward, as in "good black, in a totally emo kind of way, Mom". A good thing?)

Picking up sticks

I had a physiotherapy appointment this morning, to strengthen the knee that collapsed during the biggest nightmare of my life. There's nothing quite like having your body fail you while watching your father slip away.

I finally got organized, and let's face it, woke myself out of this slumpy fog that I've plopped myself into the last three months. Wishing and hoping that it would get better on its own was not exactly working.

The good news is that the ligaments are intact and there's no permanent damage. Bodyjam is NOT forever out of my grasp - whew! And the ladies at the clinic didn't think I looked like I was in my 40s (although I think it's fairly easy to look young when you're in the company of 60-70 year olds.) It's better to look good than to feel good, right? I wish, as I don't think I'm doing so hot in either department these days.

The bad news is that I have lost muscle in that leg. And apparently I also have flat feet (a friend told me this wasn't uncommon after pregnancy. Who knew, I thought my shoe size grew because my feet were getting fatter). After this morning's session, it's also apparent that I've lost a lot of respiratory strength. Five minutes on bike, five minutes of lunges, five minutes of balance board and five minutes of jumping on a mini trampoline (albeit, on one leg) equals a whole lot of huffing and puffing that just about KILLED me.

So I've made up my mind. Pre-the period of drama known as winter 2008, my regular routine included exercise. I went to the gym at least three times a week. I didn't realize how much I needed the normalcy of this routine to keep me going and to keep me emotionally stable. To keep it going for my kids, for my family, for my husband, but most importantly for me.

It was easy for me to slip into the cloud of self-pity. Whenever people ask me how I've been (at appointments, with people I hadn't run into in a while), my standard issue, "Oh, actually everything has sucked, I've had two gall bladder attacks, I wrecked my knee, my Dad was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer and died 10 weeks ago"... was making people feel decidedly uncomfortable and wondering why they had asked me in the first place. I must stop doing that.

I'm tired of being tired. After spending an evening with a difficult to watch, but infinitely inspirational DVD last night, I have no excuses for NOT getting back into life. Really getting back into life.

Not being able to get in the car or go up the stairs without fear of an uncomfortable twinge in my knee? Try waking up three weeks after a massive stroke and only being able to move ONE EYELID!! And then having the tenacity to use an ingenious method of communication developed by your therapist, to communicate and then dictate your memoirs, one letter at a time, and live to see it published only days before your death.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le scaphandre et le papillon). See it.

My sticks scattered this past winter. I need to pick them up. Be grateful for what I have, for what I am capable of, for the NOW.

And with the help of my daughter and the rest of the family, we might even build a better picture for tomorrow.

Answer Period Part Deux

Oh I know, I'm being inconsistent with my title, but that's me living dangerously. You do realize that this is great therapy for me, right? Of course, we've got a few more questions, so there will be a Part 3. (I know, I cannot SHUT it!!!)

Let's continue the madness started in Part 1 ...

7/ From Cheryl: What inspires you?

Great question. For me it's not so much what, but who. My family inspires me. It's the legacy of my father. Starting with my mother who's done so much in her life. She recently suffered such a tremendous loss with my Dad's passing, yet she's keeping it all together. The hardest thing for me is to see her crack every so often as the grieving process continues.

Watching my siblings thrive in their careers and their family lives is really rewarding. You'd think that with almost 9 years of parenting under my belt, I wouldn't have anything to learn from them, but even though their girls are just 19 months old, they're both such amazing parents.

And in my own little family unit, my husband who I can't say enough about. He's an inspiration not only at home, but to his team at work. He's very encouraging and loves seeing his people grow and move onto bigger things. This carries through on the homefront too. He's so patient at home with me and especially with the kids. They absolutely adore their Dad, and it's easy to see why. I am a very, very lucky lady.

But finally, it's my kids who inspire me the most. Because they are my life and they make me continually strive to be a better mother, a better person. These little people are the ultimate reflection of me and what I can accomplish if I really vow to never give up. All those years of frustration trying to have our family were often unbearable, but for me it was never an option to stop. I get inspired every morning when they open up their eyes and say "Good morning Mommy" and wrap their arms around me. Cliche though it is, they do complete me.

8/ From Kami: My question for you is what did do career wise before making the decision to be at home with the kids?

I worked in the pharmaceutical industry in scientific affairs. Because I worked for a multinational company, I also had opportunities to travel a bit. Just enough to be exciting but not to be exhausting. Although I didn't realize it at the time that I started this career, it does lend itself well to working from home. So now I can consult. I've been able to pick up a project here and there, so there is the opportunity to increase my workload if I want to.

And do you see yourself returning to a job out of the home anytime?

I ask myself this question a lot more lately, since both kids are now in school. I don't know if I could return to the same role as I had before. I know that once I get on that wheel, my very ambitious and competitive hat goes on. Budgets, strategic planning, operational improvements, those were the types of things on my plate that I had an affinity for. In fact, that was the part of my job that I enjoyed the most and I suspect that I would want to keep climbing up that ladder again. Which would require more people management, more travel, and hence time away from home.

(Okay, so now that I'm done over-validating myself...)

Although the temptation is there whenever I get a headhunter call or my son is the middle of arguing with me about his assignments and the girlie decides that she needs to find the diaper for her doll at that same precise second ... it's not in the cards for me just yet. It should be interesting in the next few years. I find that as the kids get older, they continue to need me on a totally different level, what with activities, more involved homework etc. now becoming a reality.

9/ From Kami again: And when did you start bodyjamming and why? And also tell me again why you love it so. I am so not coordinated so I gotta know :).

I started bodyjamming around three years ago, as soon as they rolled it out at my gym. [And if this was an attempt to get me to vlog another routine, nice try :)]. I was getting bored of step aerobics and I've always loved to dance. I love the hip hop choreography, and routines are infused with disco, jazz, latin, crump... I find it works my brain just as much as it does my body. It's such a great workout and it feels like you're out at a nightclub with all your friends. The other bonus is that the music is very 'now' so it keeps me current. My boy thinks I'm pretty cool now that I can show him some moves to music that he knows.

I've made a few friends at the gym during these classes as the instructors make you feel like you're at their party. There's no other way to explain it. The beauty of it is that you don't have to be a great dancer - it does take about three classes to get to know the routines, but it's fairly repetitious and they keep the same choreography for at least 6 weeks. Everyone feels included and has a great time.

I think you would absolutely LOVE it.

I'm only sad that I wrecked my knee (and that woman ran her cart into same said knee...grrr!!!) and will undoubtedly miss the marathon fundraiser this year. I was actually contemplating training to be an instructor; I guess I'll have to pend that for now.

But our local Park & Rec now has the following classes :


Can you believe that? Maybe I should check it out so I can qualify to live here.

10/ From one of my first blog pals, (who I now know in real life as well ) fab new momma extraordinaire C from Manitoulin: Probably the same question as Domestic Goddess (In Training)'s question. Got a favourite post? If so, which one and why?

Do I have to limit it to one? Out of 500, that's a tough call. I'm really all over the place in this blog, which is logical since I am all over the place in real life as well. But there are a few more that definitely stick out in my mind. Since I'm already cheating ...

Under the category of "funny" there was the Pink UFO. I like this one because it illustrates exactly why I need to have this blog.

Under the category of "not so funny and bullying", there was this. There's still a tiny part of that little girl in me.

Under the category of "life isn't always rainbows and cupcakes", any of my infertility posts, but this is the one that began it all. I like it because it started my story, and provides the conclusion without giving everything away. This story will also continue shortly, because this month is the 5th anniversary of the cycle that became a wondrous success.

And more recently in its own category, "Lucky". I still cry when I think about this one.

11/ From Cherry: When you go to BlogHer this year, is there anyone you might be star struck by? If so, then who?

BlogHer, I am so pumped about it. And also extremely nervous. (Why oh why aren't you coming with me?). But so excited to meet some of my blog friends in person, all of whom are "stars" in their own right.

That's the beauty of blogging though, that there are bloggers out there with huge fan bases, those who have been interviewed in print and on TV, and still make time to comment on little blogs like mine from time to time.

There are so many bloggers I'm looking forward to meeting and just seeing, maybe touching their hands, squee?? I think I'll have to bring a chin-bra just to keep it off the floor as I make my way around the conference...

12/ From Huckdoll, a FOUR parter (and only because I love you girl ;):

You're stuck on a desert island.

1) With who? (one person, can't be your hubby cause he'll be taking care of the kiddos).

I'll have to admit my recent celebrity crush is biased because I've recently seen this fellow in a few good movies , including period pieces (I love period pieces).

James McAvoy, skinny, little pale Scot with the puppy dog eyes. Oh, I know he's a young'un (you already know that I'm a cougar), but did you also know that I'm only a couple years older than his WIFE? So, yeah, I'd probably have a chance with him.

On second thought, let's just stick to someone my own age (well, hubby's age), with yummy Clive. See? He does period pieces too...


2) Which one CD? (a band, can't be a mix tape...and yes, there is a CD player).

Just ONE? But I NEED to shuffle!

The first one that came to my mind was "So" by Peter Gabriel because I love "In Your Eyes" and the duet with Kate Bush ("Don't Give Up")... but this album was released the year that I met the husband and we listen to it a lot. Not too kosher if I'm on the island with Clive.

I can't decide. Let's see what's in my CD player on shuffle...

Moon Safari by French Band Air.

Best make-out album of the 1990's according to pitchfork.com. Figures.

(Do you think hubby will want me back if this is what happens while he's at home with the kids :)?)

3) Which one beauty product?

Lipstick, preferably MAC just because they used to be cool.

4) Which one book?



The Gargoyle, because I am this close to finishing it, and there are actually several love stories in one.

*****

Whew, I don't know about you, but I'm wiped.

Next stop, Part Three...

(images from Google...)

Answer Period Part 1

Post 500!

As promised, here are my mediocre answers to your brilliant questions. Now because I tend to be quite long winded, I've decided to split this post up, in order to give your scrolling finger a break.

So grab a cuppa and here we go...

1/ From Domestic Goddess: I guess my question is which post is your favorite? Anything stick out?

Me: This is a tough one, as I do have a few that come to mind.

When I first started blogging, it was about the kids, here there and everywhere, always about the kids. This was a place for their fun stories, a spot to capture all the little milestones that I can still look back on. But the blog became more about ME. As I became more emotionally vested, and I began writing more from the heart, I was able to post more meaningful pieces.

Almost a year ago I wrote about the boy next door. I still think about this post from time to time because it's not one of my typical "look what my kid just said, hardy-har-har" moments. It gave me pause to think about what a huge responsibility it is to be a parent. I haven't seen him much in the last year, so as an update, I still don't know what happened. His parents are still the fine neighbours they've always been, so I'm assuming that things settled down.

I'm glad this question was asked again so I'll link again in the next round. There are some other nuggets that I managed to spit out when I had super blogging mojo. Hopefully more "real" posts will surface again soon.

2/ From Busy Dad: what was your favorite toy growing up?

Me: Okay, this was supposed to be easy, right? Let's see, maybe it was this...

Just kidding, I'm neither that ancient nor that mathematically inclined.

I did love board games and think I owned every Milton Bradley/Hasbro cardboard box ever created in the 1970s. Payday, Masterpiece, Sorry, Monopoly, Clue...

3/ From Mrs. Mogul: Hmm what is arrowroot made of?

Me: Lots of addictive ingredients apparently.

4/ From my old friend Knatolee (well, she's not old, but she's longlost from my teens and I just discovered that she is also a blogger) : if you could live anywhere in the world (with your loved ones, of course), would you still live where you live now?

Me: Probably not. I've been living in the same general area for most of my life. Not to say it's boring, but as I get older, I realize there's so much more of the world to see and experience, and live. It's funny, when we first got married, my husband was the one who had some wanderlust, thinking and dreaming about living in far away lands, and I was always reluctant to pick up and move. Now that we have our own little family unit, if there were opportunities elsewhere, as long as the schooling and healthcare were decent, I'd be a lot more open to it.

4b/And how do I get a following like yours?

Me: A following? Uh, I don't know about that ... I'm flattered. I am most appreciative of the readers that come back here more than once, and there are some great blog friends that I've made in the last couple of years. People that I feel like I know, and have gotten to know that much faster than if we'd met face to face (remember me, right, the quiet one?).

There is so much fantastic reading out there, I could spend days just staring at the screen (and have been guilty of that more than once in a while). Although I started this in 2005, I really kicked it up a notch with NaBloPoMo in late 2007 - early 2008 and visited a lot of blogs, bloghopping, commenting tons, participating in blog carnivals, dipping into the social networking thing. Honestly, it's a lot of work and a time suck to put it eloquently. And the time spent on my posts, editing, picking apart, perfecting... it's insane.

But I love it. No matter how many times I've turned my back on it in the last few years, taken blog holidays, I've always come back. And I am beyond thrilled when I have new readers and develop new blog friendships, which continues to happen even to this day. I used to have "petit-morts" anytime my comments numbered above 20, but nowadays it's not so much about how many comments but what they are, and how I feel after I've completed a well-written post.

5/ From Yo Momma: would you rather be in between an Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt sandwich or a Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhall (however you spell his last name) sandwich?

Me: Girl, you ARE a perv, and a riot!

I'd definitely prefer to be Reese's peanut butter cup/spooning with Jake. Angelina and Brad are just too pretty for me and they've got too many kids who just seem to swarm around them all the time... even with their individual nannies around.

And have you seen how BUILT Jake is, um, yum... (okay, I'm simmering down now ...).

6/ From Melissa: what is your earliest childhood memory?

Me: A good memory - tinkering away on the piano in the basement, then hopping on my tricycle for a little ride before going upstairs and following my Mom to the ice-cream truck outside.

A not so good memory - bawling my eyes out at 3, getting wrenched from my Grandma's arms and put on the schoolbus to Chinese school for the day, with my flat polyester pillow and lunch box in tow.

6b/ if you could change one thing in your past, what would it be?

Me: It would be to go to university away from home. Ironically, of the schools that accepted me, I chose the one that I could commute to from home, the only school that gave me zero scholarship. My parents didn't want me too far away, and my boyfriend at the time stayed local. It's stupid, what puppy love can do.

I think it would have been a great life experience to actually live on my own, a rite of passage which I really regret not having had. I hope that when my kids get to that stage they won't be afraid to venture further...I may not like it, but I think it's an important part of growing up. Although I think I still turned out okay.

*****

So that's it for Part 1.

I'm still open to more questions (this is great blog fodder, do you think I can keep this up for the year???). Feel free to just let 'em rip.

Poof Mommy - or " I have Jennifer Aniston's hair "

...circa 1994.



What the hell?

My usual hairstylist is on maternity leave, so I booked another appointment for a simple cut with the same girl who subbed for her last time. The last time she did a pretty decent job. Even gave me a decent colour.

This time? Does something about my face scream "blow-out"? Or maybe it's because I had my son with me ( he who should have been in school but had me take him home after a sudden GI flu attack on the schoolbus, and then miraculously recovered in time for me to take him with me to my appointment).

I know I'm a suburban soccer mom, but I've never walked into the salon with my hair styled like I was trying to be an Asian Heather Locklear. Not that there's anything wrong with Heather's hair, or with the old "Rachel" style for that matter ... just not for me. The poof doesn't sit well with Chinese locks.

"Don't worry Mom, it'll look much better after you come out of the shower!"

Even my 8 year old gets it.

Fragile world

This past Sunday's experience with cholecystitis made a couple things abundantly clear to me.

First up, the fragility of the human body. You don't know how fragile you are until something goes awry. Luckily for me, this was the very first time I had ever been admitted into an Emergency Department. The only other times I'd ever been to hospital were all related to my pregnancies - all very positive pain experiences (if you can call any pain positive). The pain with this gall bladder attack was just unbelievable. And I felt so helpless having to reach out to someone to help me. Helpless is not a word I like to associate with myself, not at all.

Before deciding that I needed treatment, as I was desperately using the heating pad over my convulsing abdomen, while trying to use all of my brain power to somehow will away the pain, the only thing I could think of was, "I cannot go to the hospital. I don't want the kids there and I don't want to wake Mom and Dad up at this ungodly hour. I've got to just wait this out a while longer and lick it. L boy will go ballistic if he finds out his Mommy is in hospital."

So much easier said than done, however. In then end, of course, I succumbed. But the other thing that was crystal clear - it is not about me anymore. I know it ceased being about me the day that I had the boy. However, this innate concern for them first, amidst excruciating pain and massive hypotension ... all I could think of was "who's going to look after my babies?"

Amazing isn't it? And luckily for me, my parents were able to be here for them.

I know for a fact that every time Ian phoned home, L was the first to pick it up to get news. According to my mother, he was asking about me every 10 minutes, looking out the window every 5. He was so anxious, just as I knew he would be. The girlie, well, she's still too young to understand, so I didn't take it personally that she didn't ask for updates. When I finally got home after over 14 hours, I could see the boy's red-rimmed eyes when he literally flew up to give me a big hug. I asked if he'd been crying, but he wouldn't admit it. The girlie came up excitedly too, but it was as if I'd just returned from a weekend in NYC.

I'm sure my boy's vivid imagination was coming up with all sorts of scenarios and he was just so relieved to have me back. His safety net restored, his world back in order now that Mommy was home.

*****

My father was admitted into emergency yesterday for some pain that he's had for a couple of weeks now. At first I thought it might be similar to what I had (although it's highly unlikely that gall bladder disease is infectious, just a bad coincidence). However, he stayed overnight in hospital to have a more comprehensive scan this morning. And now he's waiting for news from a specialist ... in oncology. Ugh.

I am sitting worriedly by the phone now. Waiting apprehensively for the updates on my father, my Daddy. And hoping that the news will be good so that my world order will be back in place.

(Edited to add: at the time of this posting, he's been in hospital for two nights. I suppose it's better that he's having all the tests done now, without delay before the craziness of the holidays. I'm hoping that it'll all be good...)

When two worlds collide

What do you do when "real life" meets "art"? Well, I wouldn't necessarily call my blog art, unless you're talking about my kids' masterpieces, which are the one exception. But if nothing else, blogging has certainly become one of my passions, and better yet, something I discovered in recent times, during my middle years as it were. Uh, yeah ... sigh...

I entered this blogging world full of naive glee. What better way to capture the goings-on in my day to day life, to further explore my love of writing while at the same time creating my own memory book of childhood. My kids' childhood, which is passing by so quickly that at times it seems as if it will just float way and disappear like a helium balloon into the sky ... unless I ground it somehow with words. So I can still feel it in my grasp at the click of a button, as it threatens to fade with each additional inch of height, each new glance of attitude or offhand remark that reminds me that these little people of mine, they won't stay kids forever.

And the wonderful blogging community that I found was so totally unexpected. That anyone would actually read this and come back?! It's become a conversation with a whole lot of really cool people, something this geek-gone-wild would have never imagined in a thousand years.

You guys all know me as one Karen, though. I blog under a pseudonym, albeit a fairly transparent one.

Not that I'm all that different in real life. But only a very few of my real life friends and relatives know about this little place. I've preferred it that way. The freedom of relative anonymity is something sacred.

What do you do when the lines touch?

I was recently interviewed for a piece in a newspaper, a very benign article, but it would be featured nationally (and of course be accessible to the world). I was even willing to be photographed for it. And although I agreed to use my real name, the reporter had contacted me via the blogging community (yes, my blogger friend is so popular that I consider her a community unto herself now ). So I asked whether it would be mentioned that I was a blogger ... and then I had to think long and hard as to whether or not to let her use my kids' names in the article.

There was a part of me that went, "Squeeeeee!!!!! This will be the BEST blog fodder! I can link and this will drive more people to my blog, there will be more bloggy friends, more comments, wow, this will be the most wonderful thing!!!"

But the other part of me went, "Ugh, where am I going with this?"

Because in the real world, I am a consultant in a very, very conservative sector. I really don't need potential, current and past clients reading about my kids' poop, my flat ass or my obsession with BodyJam. Or about my somewhat eclectic take on music, my addiction to blue nailpolish, BCBG, anthropologie, and anything related to shopping. Or especially how peculiar I looked as a brace-faced teen.

So after several frantic phone calls and e:mails to my husband (why, oh why do I stress myself out like this)... I made the decision to ask the reporter not mention the blog, nor my husband, nor the kids' names.

But I'd still be happy to pose for a picture if she wanted. Passive-aggressive attention whore that I am.

In the end, she didn't mention that anyone interviewed was a blogger. And she kept my kids' names out (although in hindsight, that wouldn't have been a huge deal considering my blog was kept out of the equation). And she understood completely the reason for my reticence, even agreeing that it was prudent to keep the two worlds apart, given my situation. After all, Google is indeed one powerful machine.

This little thing, just blown way out of proportion due to my internal neuroses.

So now I'm sure you bloggy geniuses have figured out who I am in real life. Just don't tell anyone, okay?

Oh my crap, here we go again...

Friday Flashback - Geek

I'll let you in on a secret.

I was a homely kid. Oh I know, I know, you don't believe me ...the gorgeousness that is me, there is no bloody way, right? (all of this coming to you tongue-in-cheek in a MOST sarcastic tone...).

It wasn't so bad here:

But to go from there, to the following in a couple of short years???

Glasses? Check.

Bad hair cut? Check.

Acne at 9 years of age? Check.

No bra required? Check (well, still checking as we speak).

Braces? Well of course -- Check.

Scrawny, skinny, shy ... Checkmate.

Brace yourself:

(don't know why I'm smiling so much in this shot, maybe the braces were coming off soon? It could NOT have been because I was loving my peasant outfit or how my hair flipped just so, maybe I was just in a fog because I couldn't see without my glasses on...)

I thank my lucky stars all the time that my grandparents emigrated to Canada and that my father had good health and dental insurance plans for us while growing up. Because if I were still in China, I would be a lonely old maid right now. Absolutely no doubt about that.

And kids, we all know how cruel they can be.

Fortunately, our boy seems to have taken after his father and appears to be fairly popular, at least at this stage of his childhood. His Dad was the kid with the long hair and tight painter-pants, who knew all the cool music, but would still chat with you on the schoolbus even if you wore homemade clothes (a quote from an old friend of his who likes to tease him...).

Not that being popular is the be all and end all, but it certainly doesn't hurt.

The one thing our boy also inherited, unfortunately for him, are his parents' sets of large chompers. Very large teeth, in a small jaw, means major overcrowding, and nowhere for the adult teeth to go. He's got a cross-bite and over-bite ... two for the price of one. As we both needed orthodontic work, we knew braces were in the future for him (and likely his sister) but I wasn't expecting it to come so soon. He's not even 9 years old.

I brought him to the dentist today for the extraction of his two baby eye teeth. Oooff. Those roots were big. But he did so well, the laughing gas didn't hurt, and he was such a trooper. I was so proud of him. These days they do things preventatively, before the bones harden. So rather than waiting until he's older, like when I was a teen, they're trying to shape things going forward.
He's taking it easy now, after playing Wii fit for about 20 minutes (you CAN'T keep an 8 year old down). And he's warned me, apparently the going rate for the tooth fairy for these mega eye teeth is $20 per tooth!!!!

Uh, I don't think so. Wishful thinking, little guy. The $9.99 Polar Bear Webkinz is gonna have to do, buddy!

For more flashbacks, check out my gal pal at Mommy Always Wins...

Desperado...

Thirteen Things ...times three and then some.

I know, this is cheating. But I'm desperate. And I completed this on Tuesday.

It's just past the middle of NaBloPoMo and I've got nothing. So a meme it will have to be. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I borrowed this meme from my bloggy pal Melissa (just in time, I must say). Well, at least most of it. I left the last question off because I'm a tad superstitious.

So here we go...

1. Do you like blue cheese? LOVE it.

2. Have you ever smoked? Yes, but not tobacco. Oh wait, maybe a couple puffs of cigar. But not even mary-jo-wanna. I did light up and inhale some weird herbal cigarettes that stunk; just to prove to myself that I could smoke if I wanted to. So now I know that I definitely don't want to.

3. Do you own a gun? No.

4. What flavor of Kool Aid was your favorite? Strawberry or cherry ... whatever the red is.

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? No.

6. What do you think of hot dogs? Like them. Helped my kids polish off 54 of them, don't you know...

7. Favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas "You'll shoot your eye out" Story.

8. Favorite thing to drink in the morning? Coffee.

9. Can you do push ups? Some, but the lazy-ass lady kind.

10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? The ring that hubs bought me for the birth of my boy. Silver with encrusted diamonds and garnet stone, engraved with the boy's name and birthdate.

11. Favorite hobby? Blogging, how'd you guess?

12. Do you have A.D.D? Don't think so, but that would explain a few things.

13. What’s one trait you hate about yourself? I can be very impatient, often with my kids.

14. Middle name? Mary

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment.
1) I drank too much coffee.
2) I have nothing to post tomorrow.
3) I need to get the invitations out for the girl's party

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Coffee, tea, water

17. Current worry? Getting my work project out without breaking my back.

18. Current hate right now? That hubby's working more weekends than he's not, at least it seems that way.

19. Favorite place to be? With my family.

20. How did you bring in the new year? We were in Mont Tremblant, in a ski condo, watching Shrek 3 with the kids. I think we slept through midnight.

21. Where would you like to go? Manhattan. Lurve NYC. Someplace I've never been? Ireland maybe Russia.

22. Name three people who might complete this: Go for it if you need it!

23. Do you own slippers? Yes.

24. What shirt are you wearing? Wine coloured sweater hoodie.

25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No. Too slippery ... okay, stop there.

26. Can you whistle? Not really. I can yell, though.

27. Favorite color? Purple.

28. Would you be a pirate? No. I get seasick.

29. What songs do you sing in the AM?: Top 40 stuff that the girl wishes I wouldn't. Like Pink, Katy Perry, Akon, Neo, Lady Gaga, Madonna ...

30. Favorite Girl’s Name: Quinn

31. Favorite boy’s name: Aidan (stop laughing, if we'd had a twins for the last pregnancy, it was definitely a possibility ;0)

32. What’s in your pocket right now? Grocery list.

33. Last thing that made you laugh? My husband's hair (a constant state of amusement for me... I need help).

34. What vehicle do you drive? Honda Odyssey. In universal bland tan. Wasn't my first choice but you can't beat the convenience when you've got kids and crap. Don't hold it against me.

35. Worst injury you’ve ever had? Probably happened when I was a kid, at about 3 years of age. I was being chased by my cousin Batman and fell into a wooden baby toilet seat ... my two front teeth were slammed back up into my gums. I don't remember it, thank gawd...just writing this made me cringe.

36. Do you love where you live? Pretty much.

37. How many TVs do you have in your house? 4

38. Who is your loudest friend? Probably my oldest friend, but she's at least a tie with me. It's an Asian thing... we yell.

39. Do you have any pets? Goldie the goldfish.

40. Does someone have a crush on you? I think so. My little girl is going through an "I love mommy" thing 24/7.

41. Your favorite book(s): Books, what are they again? I'm partial to the "Walter the Farting Dog" and "Knuffle Bunny" series, but I'll have to check my Goodreads. Maybe I need to jump on the Twilight wagon?

42. Do you collect anything? Everything. I'm a packrat. Magazines are my biggest thing (I think I've got almost every issue of Canadian House & Home since 1995, hidden in the walls ... don't tell my husband).

43. Favorite Sports Team? You know, I'm pretty lame. I don't follow any. Other than the hometown teams I don't know of many.

So are you still awake? Sorry it was so long.

Hope you have an awesome Thursday!

My Halloween Treat

Halloween was another busy and fun day this year.

I usually go all out with the decorations; my shopping strategy of picking up everything on clearance the day after celebrations actually worked --- I remembered where I had packed it! This year I only managed to get a spider balloon up, some of the faux webbing, and the usual stickers on the door. The man did the honours this year with the pumpkin carving.

It was successful this year. Given the strange weather of the past few days, it seemed like a dream that it warmed up to give us one of the most lovely evenings in recent memory. The kids got dressed up, and we went over to our friends for a casual dinner before they headed out en masse for trick-or-treating. I headed home to pass out the treats.

In between doorbell rings, I managed to clean up the halloween prep mess in the kitchen. The critical thing for me was to ensure that every seed salvageable from that pumpkin would be saved.

You see, I'm the proud daughter of a professional seed and nut eater. Any image I have of my Dad watching television includes a bag of snacks of the nut variety sitting right there with him.

Childhood Halloween memories for me include the cleaning and roasting of freshly salted pumpkin seeds. While we would be out trick-or-treating with my Dad, my mother would be at home roasting the pumpkin seeds. I looked forward to those salty snacks almost as much as I did the sweet loot at the end of every Halloween night.

So while my kids were out with their friends and their Dad, I prepared the seeds.

And after they returned home, surveyed their treasures, had a couple of treats before getting into bed, I set to work on making my treat.

Spread out on an oiled pan, and salted liberally, popped into the oven at 325 degrees to bake for about 25 minutes. And voila. But by this time the man had decided to hit the sack as well.

Too bad.

Now it's just me, my crunchy pumpkin seeds and the TV. Won't my Daddy be so proud of me?

They say it's your birthday

(and are these not beautiful, courtesy of my SIL who went all out over T-giving)

It's my birthday too, yeah.

Meh.

So today's the day, and all of Canada is so excited, hopefully they'll go out and vote!

What's on today's agenda? Well, I started out with half and half cream in my coffee instead of 1% milk, I have to do a little work, run a few errands, vote ... but I will treat myself by checking out a newly renovated mall. Sans kids.

Thank goodness for life's little pleasures.

The last few years of birthdays, it hasn't been more than just another day really, another few pounds after a feast with family. This is the problem with having a birthday around Thanksgiving.

Roast beef dinner on Saturday; steak dinner last night with my parents and sister's family; and special birthday dinner with the man tonight. No beef or duck for me, though, as apparently I don't want to be a quack (ancient Chinese rules).

Yes, I am missing my favourite gyrating workout night to go to my fave restaurant in our neck of the woods.

They say that before you hit 45, it is possible for a woman to get rid of an advancing gut with exercise. So thank goodness there are still a couple of years left where there is hope.

Hope starts tomorrow ;).

PS. I did something crazy - well for me - that I just may post in a couple of days. I have to wait until I'm good and drunk to share it though.

Won't give up my day job

It's been hard to blog lately because of work committments. And it's a struggle, to be honest, figuring out the right balance, how to organize my day so I can focus while not feeling that I'm neglecting my little kindergartener who is still home for half the day. I've even had to put her into daycare for a couple of days a week just to get things done. Of course I also need to make quality time for my 8 year old who is growing so quickly; thank goodness he is still enjoying his "Mommy & Me" time before we pick his litte sister up.

Don't get me wrong, I'm really enjoying what I'm doing, the chance to use my skills in a more productive fashion. The opportunity to put on a suit and real heels. Volunteering at G's kindergarten class is certainly rewarding but after so many years at the school, I can still barely figure out how to make 120 double-sided copy booklets without chewing up a dozen sheets and jamming the photocopier twice.

Working from home is really the best arrangement, and this was always the plan. But rushing around my suburban neighbourhood the last little while, absorbing the sights and sounds of ...

well, not much really, except other mini-driving moms on the road chauffeuring their kids back and forth, doing the groceries, loading up at the newest Costco that just opened up ...

So it was only natural that a few recent observations seemed to link up in some cosmic fashion that suggested a potential second vocation for me.

Numero uno: Aradia fitness - this pole-dancing studio opened up not far from me a while ago, and I pass by it on a daily basis.

La deuxieme: I had to pick up some milk early on the weekend and made a quick drive to the Walmart. What did I see there at 9 AM on a Saturday morning? A girl walking into the store on the arm of her boyfriend, wearing these beauties:

Walmart, seriously.

The third sign: The stripper dip move in Bodyjam release 34, performed to Gwen Stefani's "Rich Girl" , which I am trying to perfect.

Stop laughing, I'm really getting there. Just ask Hubby, who happened to pop into the gym studio briefly on the weekend and watch approvingly while I was gyrating to Sean Paul...



(basement parties I've been to have never been that fun ...)


Wow, to be young, hot, able to dance like that and hold the power.

But as I sit here on my 40-something ass, having my coffee after downing a couple of Ibuprofen to combat the aching hips that almost hip-hopped- out at last night's workout, I've decided. I should just get back into my home office, to the data and mounds of paper that await.

After all, I have to let my body recover and re-energize, especially if I'm gonna learn how to work that pole.

Thursday Thirteen: catching up

Since September started, I feel like my life is a handful of sand, with all the grains slipping through my fingers. I don't know what it is, I just feel overwhelmed ...I can't keep up. Sort of like I'm doing the "running-man" and getting nowhere fast.

Hence, very little "real" blogging going on for me, and I'm really missing it. Not just the writing, but the bloghopping, and I'm not even getting to my regular reads. I am really, really missing the community. I find that you only get back what you put in, and lately, it's not happening for me. I am finding minimal to no blog time.

Perhaps because of the following:

1/ It's the first time both kids are in school. I think I'm still feeling the adjustment of having my baby girl in school, and on top of that, her taking the bus. She loves it, but that only makes me feel marginally better.

2/ Even though the girlie started kindergarten this year, and I do get a couple of hours free in the morning, the time WHIPS by. I feel I get nothing accomplished in that time.

3/ Nothing accomplished likely because I went from zero to 2 work projects within a one week period. With timelines in the weeks, rather than months. Yay for some pay; but how is this supposed to work with a kindergartener still at home half the day? Things that make you go " hmmmmm....?"

4/ One of these projects required onsite consultation with over an hour commute. Traffic, what the hell is that??!!! Now I remember why I hate commuting.

5/ Hubby's work travel has picked up again. Let's see now, he's away 2.5 weeks out of 4, including the weekend. Nice. I am just in awe of single parents. Totally and utterly.

6/ My trips to the gym were few and far between in the summer. You'd think that all this running around would help me stay in shape. Not really, I just feel constantly stressed, out of breath and in a rush. So I've been catching up, big time. The pain, oh the pain.

7/ I am not cooking enough and eating more prepared foods. Just to keep up with the pace. This is horrid, I know. If I could only get my act together and plan accordingly. So I think my unhealthy eating habits are affecting my energy level.

8/ With hubby away, I have no one to drink with. No, stop laughing, I'm serious here. My bottle of ready-to-pour Mojito is just sitting there, as are some lovely bottles of Argentinian and Washington wine, and some Niagara rieslings.

Drinks to lower my stress level. Maybe I need one now.

9/ The lessons have started. I feel guilty because my boy wants music lessons for the first time this year and I have yet to book them, primarily because I'm hesitant to do more running around. Isn't that awful? I need to get my act together to maybe find someone who will come to the house; but that may cost a mint.

He's so cute, he offered just to take lessons online to save time and money. He's only 8, sometimes his maturity astounds me.

10/ I am just uninspired. I am missing those "a-ha" bloggable moments, those little nuggets of life that usually just have me tickled pink to write about.

11/ I can't get to sleep much before midnight every night. I've always been a nightowl, but I thought the theory was that as you got older, you didn't need as much sleep. I'm blowing that theory out the window; I almost feel like taking a nap every afternoon. Usually at about the time I have to go pick the boy up from school.

12/ The new TV season has started, and it's so much easier to sit down in front of "So You Think you can Dance Canada", enjoy the pure talent and dream about "what if"... than coming up with an intellectually stimulating blog post. With the big shot season premieres coming up in the next couple of weeks (Lipstick Jungle, Eli Stone, Grey's, CSI ...), the blog will be in dire straits, just dire.

Oh who am I kidding, I don't have energy to get up off my arse and turn the computer on after I've gotten the kids to bed. One button on the remote is about all I can handle.

13/ The computer screen is bugging me, I think. Because now I have actual WORK on my computer that needs to be done. For the longest time my computer was my salvation, away from all the baby, kidstuff, my escape to write. About anything and everything ... except about work.

The newspaper, now that's what I've been getting into. Having a kick at old school.

I think I've just started a new stage in life; and it's all about adjusting to my new reality.

So if I post a little less for the next while ...

Fashion Friday: Boots and Dora Edition

Last week I mentioned that I didn't have any new additions to my closet because I had gained weight.

But WAIT a minute, that didn't mean I couldn't go out and buy FOOTWEAR!!!

*****

I was reminded just a couple of days ago of one of the benefits of living in the burbs... big box discount shopping malls. Sure, it's certainly not the same experience as walking along Bloor Yorkville, Queen St. West, or Yonge & Eligible (three great shopping districts in Toronto). But one can still grab a Starbucks latte and stroll right on into STYLESENSE. This is a new shoes/bag/accessories emporium that has opened up two locations IN THE BURBS. Brought to us by the retailers who started Winners. Ads have popped up within the last week on the radio, in the paper, on TV.

Shoes?! Bags ?! Why, I just HAD to go to the grand opening which happened yesterday morning. And contrary to what I told my friend Bec that I wouldn't do, here is the evidence for you all to see.

My new BOOTS:

1/ Unlisted - too cute to resist and the price to match (let's just say under $40)...


2/ Tahari - classic boot, not too high, with tuxedo buttons. Salivated and purchased...


3/ Max Studio - not technically a boot, but a shoe/boot. Buckles and all, in a dark antique brown...


Now I also bought a new briefcase because I have work again. Thank God, because how else am I going to pay for all these new items?

(I won't mention my purchases at Lucky Brand Jeans either. My husband may be reading.)

Oh, and in case you were wondering where DORA comes in, this is what she will look like in thirty-odd years, complete with glasses due to the fact that she read too many maps as a kid ...


(yes, my new haircut!)

Happy Weekend everyone!