Saturday, February 28, 2009

Niagara Falls

I never did show you pictures of our trip to Niagara Falls.
Here are some of them.
This is our hotel:


My traveling companions:


The view from our room:



And the best view from our room:


You can always count on a decent meal at Timmy Ho's:


And I always love to see the English/French translations on everything.
Reminds me I'm not in the U.S. anymore.

Friday, February 27, 2009

How Not to be a Role Model

You have got to see this article.
Seriously.
Read it, you won't believe it.
It's about a woman ticketed for breastfeeding her daughter while driving.
If you think that sounds bad, listen to the woman explain her rationale.
I showed this to DN2 who is 10, and she just couldn't get over this woman.
So read the article, and tell me if you find it hilarious, unbelievable or horrific.
Here's the link.
Oh, and the daughter doesn't look as if breastfeeding is her only form of nourishment, so she couldn't have waited?
Watch the video, just watch it.
I just don't think this is the type of role model La Leche League has in mind.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Thursday Quiz - Spies

I've been watching Three Coins in the Fountain, and it makes me want to visit Rome.
Have you ever seen this movie?
Each time I watch it, I like it more.
It's still dated, but it grows on me.
Actually there's a movie with Ann-Margret set in Madrid called The Pleasure Seekers that is a 60s version of Three Coins.
And Ann-Margret is the coolest.
If I became a spy, I would pretend I was Ann-Margret and I would become:



Your International Spy Name is Honey Intrigue



Your Code Name: Volcano
You Reside in: Berlin
Why You're a Good Spy: You're sneaky


Yes, Honey Intrigue.
Awesome.
What's your spy name?

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Sharing Secrets

I'm up late tonight because I just got back from an event on campus.
We went to see Frank Warren give a discussion about Post Secret.
It was everything I expected it to be, and more.
First let me tell you, Frank is a truly wonderful, humble, and deeply sensitive man.
He endeared himself to the audience by being self-effacing, and making everyone feel that sharing a secret is a treasured opportunity to connect with another human being.
As I watched him discuss secrets that didn't make it into his first book, he stood in front of the projected image and I was struck by the tall shadow he cast onto the screen.
It occurred to me that Frank is the priest to whom we confess our secrets, and that tall shadow, showing no face, is the almighty amorphous being, a god-like creature.
Well, it sounded better when I shared it with my friend Wendy, but I think you know what I mean.
Anyway, I see the post card, I see the man, but I also see that he is so much more than that. Frank stumbled upon his meaning in life and now he is someone intent on performing a service to the world.
(Frank Warren the deus ex machina.)
He is very much into making people aware that there are alternatives to suicide too.
As part of the event, he opens up the microphone and invites people to share their secrets.
Honestly, some of them were too painful to share here, and some had scary specifics about exactly what secret that person carried around with them.
Everyone, and I mean everyone, even the biggest naysayer who didn't want this to happen (he's a faculty member), left affected.
He told me he has a lot to think about.
Good.
That's a start.
We hung around afterward and got to meet Frank.
DN1 was the coordinator for this event - she pushed to get him on campus - so she was determined to meet him.
Here she is with Frank:


I was glad to have the opportunity to let him know I love what he is doing.
If you haven't discovered Post Secret yet (and if you've been reading my blog, I've told you several times to head over there), perhaps now is the time you'll stop and take a look.
And who knows, maybe he'll show up in your neck of the woods someday.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Book Rate

I went to the post office today to mail some books to Caroline.
Before the rates for delivery could pop up on the little screen, I told the man at the counter to send them book rate.
I've had luck with that method of delivery before, and the package is only going to California.
That's my rationale.
The guy said, "You do realize that delivery speed for book rate packages to California is 2 weeks."
I scoffed, and said, "I don't think it will take that long, I have faith in the U.S. Postal Service."
It was his turn to scoff at me, as well as the people behind me in line (really, they did - well I work with one woman, so she was laughing at me, not just being cruel).
He said, "They've changed the rules now. These packages go by truck, and they don't wait until the truck is mostly full, they wait until it is full full, and then they go."
Full full being a new method of measurement, I gather.
So, Caroline, expect to see your books by spring break.
Don't blame me for the delay, though, it's that full full truck we're all waiting on.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Reading Roundup - Week Eight

This week I devoured a book.
I didn't actually eat it, but I did read it, and read it, and read it until it was all gone.
I couldn't stop.
It was The Glass Castle (14).
I really liked it quite a bit, and I'm glad I didn't turn it back into my committee chair without finishing it.
See, I had a meeting on Friday, but I hadn't finished the book.
You know how it is when you're "forced" to read something.
Seriously, though, how was I forced?
No one was holding a gun to my head, I asked for this book, and actually sent someone over to the office to pick it up for me (I love our student workers, I do), so it was all voluntary.
It just becomes that feeling of having to read something because there's an obligation attached to it.
I don't like obligations, apparently.
And authority - I have a problem with that too.
Now we actually chose a different book for the freshman class than this one, but I was going to play off on conveniently forgetting the book at home.
No one asked for it anyway.
Good thing.
I think Jennifer summed up the story perfectly - a dysfunctional family that still loves each other deeply.
And boy were they dysfunctional.
I also read Eggs in Purgatory (15), first in the new series by Laura Childs. It was a cute little mystery, fulfilling the obligatory cozy requirements in one book - knitting, books, and a restaurant. Plus recipes!
Gee, it's almost like she planned it that way.
The writing was better than I expected, and the plot was well-developed, but why can't we have some characters who don't have perfect lives, or lots of money. How about some mystery where the protagonist is a high school dropout and lives in a trailer (down by the river).
I suppose I'll just have to write that one myself, and I think I'll name her Dawn.
The good thing about having so many books going at once is that I'm finally able to finish some, and one that I just finished is Haunted (16).
I had seen the movie, which stars Aidan Quinn and a young Kate Beckinsale, so I knew how the book would end, but I wanted to read it anyway.
It's a well-written ghost story, that didn't cause me any alarm, but then I had seen the movie.
I couldn't find this book in our library, so here's another reason to love Inter-library loan since this time the book came to me from the Cherry Hill Public Library.
Man I just love that.
Now, did anyone watch the Oscars last night?
Of these three women, who do you think had the best gown?
Jennifer Aniston






Angelina Jolie






Sarah Jessica Parker

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Thongs

I had such great plans for this weekend.
And I got nothing done.
Don't you hate that?
I did watch The Secret Life of Bees with DN2 and we made these book thongs:




They're not much, but they were fun to make.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Psych

Wow, I would be posting a long entry with plenty of pictures of our trip to Canada, but we're upstairs in the bedroom watching a bunch of episodes of Psych.
I do love that show, so no time to chat right now.
Must go laugh heartily with my fam.
If you haven't seen the show yet, what are you waiting for?

Friday, February 20, 2009

Sportsmanship

Do you want to read a motivating story?
Here's one for you - the story of a high school basketball team that proves there is so much more to the game than who wins.
Read the article here.
Tell me if it doesn't make you feel good.
And tell me if you're not crying at the end, because I was.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Thursday Quiz - Seeing is Believing

Almost six years ago we started watching a new series on Showtime that blew us away.
It was Dead Like Me (DLM).
We watched it faithfully on Sunday nights at 10:00 -- I remember the time because I was taking classes and my assignments were always due by midnight on Sunday evenings.
I would try and get the papers done before 10:00 pm so I could enjoy the show unfettered by a deadline, but invariably I would end up working until 9:59, watch the show, and then frantically finish my work in that last hour between 11:00 pm and midnight.
Boy I don't miss that, but I do miss DLM.
We own both seasons on DVD and will watch the show from time to time, but the series was abruptly cancelled after only two seasons and we longed for more.
Then we heard there was a movie in the works.
It came out on DVD yesterday, and I watched it this evening.
Did it satisfy my need to watch DLM?
To a certain extent - it had many of the same characters, and it offered them a resolution -- but I'm still not sure.
I think I will have to watch it one more time.
(But the "new" Daisy? Ick. This actress was Totally NOT Daisy.)
DLM, for those who have never seen the show, offers an idea of what happens to you and your soul once you die.
In some ways it was reassuring, because we just don't know.
This series provided you with possibilities that can not be ruled out, variations on death that seem like wonderfully benign alternatives to the scary unknown.
All the time, you are aware that this show is just the product of someone's fine imagination.
There's comfort in there, absolutely.
So, with that in mind, I thought I would do a religious quiz today to see what it says about me.
Well, and because we just celebrated the bicentennial of Charles Darwin's birth (hey, I think we can believe in God and evolution - for example, the nail on my pinky toe keeps shrinking day by day, soon it will be all gone), here's a little quiz:




You Are a Believer



You definitely believe in God - and you're very unwavering in your religious beliefs.
In fact, religion and spirituality are definitely big parts of your life.
Religion shapes how you view right and wrong, as well as the decisions you make.
It's hard for you to imagine how your life would be without your beliefs.


Of course it's like George Lass says, "We all have to go sometime."
Until tomorrow, then.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Bedtime for Bonzo

This blog has been called on account of sickness -- I have a cold.
Will resume normal blogging tomorrow.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

If it's Tuesday, it must be...

...no, not Belgium.
We're still in Canada, but we'll be back.
In the meantime, listen to one of my favorite Canadian bands.
Tell me if this doesn't take you back 30 years.
Oh yeah.

You've gotta love those Canadian performers.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Reading Roundup - Week Seven

Can you believe we're this far into the year already?
It's been a doozy so far, that's for sure.
To be honest, I don't miss taking a class this semester.
I just have to make sure I head back next semester - I only have four classes (and my thesis) to complete before I finish my masters, so I don't want to give up just yet.
Sadly I can't quite focus my reading just yet.
I'm still trying to get my pleasure reading done in one big gulp.
Only one book finished this past week, Tom Holt's You Don't Have to be Evil to Work Here, But it Helps (13).
Quite a good read - I liked it, and remember just last week, or the week before I was totally off Tom Holt.
Well, not totally off, but on a break.
I started The Glass Castle this week, and I'm checking it out for the Freshman Reading Selection Committee.
Has anyone else read this book?
Any thoughts?
Alright, off to get ready for our trip.
Bon voyage!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

In the News

My town made CNN today.
As DH noted, never for a good thing.
Here's the article talking about the double homicide that happened yesterday morning at our hospital.
My brother says he's not coming back home anymore - he's going to stick it out in Colorado with the coyotes.
Seriously, we hardly ever have major crime committed here.
It's been a weird week, though, what with the plane crash and this murder sandwiching Friday the 13th.
Are we going to have to go through this again next month?

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!
Hope your day was great.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Thoughts on a Tragedy

By now you've all heard about the horrible plane crash just outside of Buffalo.
What an awful tragedy.
Talk of it has filled our day at work.
My thoughts are definitely with all of the families.
What brings it closer to home is that DN1 knows the girl who lived in the house that was destroyed, as this girl is a student at her school (our school, really, I work here too).
Of course the local press was out here on campus trying to get statements from students.
They certainly can be vultures.
In retrospect, it must have been nasty outside last night.
I woke up this morning to snow and ice, but geographically the Buffalo area always gets hit worse by the weather, so they must have had it really bad last night.
It's just so sad.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

My inner child needs to go to Disneyland

Check this out.
I thought, let me find a quiz for Thursday that talks about something Disney related.
After all, don't we use Disney as a standard for family fun, how classic novels should be (re)interpreted, and how a small town should be?
Isn't Disneyland marketed as being the happiest place on earth?
Trust me, I've watched tons of Disney movies (one last night and one this morning), so I know Disney.
And, as I've mentioned before, I've been to ALL of the Disneyland parks - yes, every one.
Now you can imagine my surprise when I took this quiz to find out about my inner child -- a quiz I chose primarily because it has a Disney question on it.




Your Inner Child Is Sad



You're a very sensitive soul.
You haven't grown that thick skin that most adults have.
Easily hurt, you tend to retreat to your comfort zone.
You don't let many people in - unless you've trusted them for a long time.



Wow - perhaps you should feel sorry for me.
I'm feeling pretty sorry for myself right now.
And my outer adult is sad now too.
If I had the money I'd be on my way to Disneyland (or Disney World, or Tokyo Disneyland, or Disneyland Paris) right now just so I could cheer up my inner child.
Dang.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Guidebooks

My friend Angelo, who lives in Georgia, and whom I've known for over 20 years (which is a long time in Marine Corps years), sent me some pictures today.
First a little background.
When in boot camp, you are issued "knowledge" which is a nice way of saying books you have to study.
If you're standing around doing nothing, you had better be studying your knowledge (and don't lean against that bulkhead while you're reading).
And all the material is testable.
(Go ahead, ask me the hand/arm signal for gas attack, or what the NBC markers are, or how long you have to safely don and clear your gas mask - once that stuff is in your head, it stays in there.)
One of the "knowledge" books I received was the Marine Corps Guidebook:

The other book was the Essential Subjects book (which -- shock the hell out of me -- is available for sale on Amazon!).
By the time you get out of boot camp, those things are pretty ratty since they were carried in your cargo pocket (the pocket on the side of your trousers), and rolled up in order to fit.
When I got to Quantico in the mid-80s they published a new Guidebook with updated information.
Frankly I'm still waiting to be issued a new copy, but apparently it's only issued once.
I have to admit I'm still a little shocked about that, but what can you do.
Anyway, Angelo, who was then Corporal C (and is now Gunny C USMC (Ret.)) was used as a model for some pictures in the new Guidebook.
Literally, I've forgotten about this, but I'm glad Angelo reminded me.
He's the one being transported.




And here he is injured on the ground.



Look how young you look, Angelo.
We're twice that age now, can you believe it?

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Burt on Roku

I got my Valentine's Day present early from DH.
He got me exactly what I wanted.
And I love it.
The Roku Digital Video Player from Netflix.



Talk about an easy setup - the only help I needed was in connecting the HDMI cables.
So my choice for the first movie?
Well a Burt Reynolds film, of course.
Semi-Tough.
Gosh, wouldn't you take the 1970s version of Burt Reynolds for your first time?
For movie watching I mean.

Monday, February 09, 2009

Reading Roundup - Week Six

I'll let you in on a little personal secret.
It's something I must reveal, because when I tell you that I've only finished one book this week, The Magician's Nephew (12), and it is a children's book that is 180 pages long, you'll wonder what my problem is.
Seriously, I wonder the same thing.
I'm not in classes, I am obviously not accomplishing much knitting, so what's the deal?
Well I'll tell you why I always have more than one book going at a time, and why I can't finish any in a timely manner, and perhaps we'll solve this mystery together.
It's because when I put my books down, I just can't find them when I'm looking for them, so I pick up a different book, carry it around, read it, lay it down, and then lose it too.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
It's likely that I would have finished The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but damned if I know where the book is.
So I picked up Tom Holt's You Don't Have to be Evil to Work Here, But It Helps.
Pretty interesting book, picks up the story of J.W. Wells Co. from where it left off when Paul Carpenter took off from the firm.
Anyway, now that I'm all well and good into this new book, I'm sure I'll put it down, and won't be able to find it.
Fortunately I'm reading about four or five books right now, and with another eighteen on my to be read list, so I've got all bases covered.
And have you seen it?
This is what I'm talking about.
I'd love to have one.
Maybe someday...

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Passing it along

I have a song in my head and it won't go away.
It's been hanging around for almost 24 hours.
Seriously, I heard it last night on Prairie Home Companion.
Now if I follow the rules established by Homer Price I can rid myself of it.
Not familiar with Homer's rules?
You might have to read about them in this particular book, but that's the only hint I'm giving you.
Here's the song:



If you can't stop humming or singing this song, and I can, then I know I've been successful.
Sorry to do this to you, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
(BTW, in the version I grew up singing, Dan was indeed late for his supper, and as supper was over, dinner was cooking, and old Dan Tucker just stands there looking.)

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Not too sick to knit

I stayed home from work yesterday.
Well everything was fine until just before I left for work.
Then I couldn't decide if I was going to throw up, or if "it" would work it's way out from another end.
I had to stop by work, but I could barely walk for fear of losing "it".
After coming home, I ended up sleeping for about 2 1/2 hours, and felt better.
I still fell asleep before 9:00, but fortunately "it" is gone.
Thank goodness.
I did begin working on SN1's scarf, but didn't make too much progress.
Enough, but no picture yet.
Trust me, you'll be glad to see the final product. All that in-between stuff would take forever because I'm a slow knitter.
I did feel better to go to the movies this afternoon.
What an excellent movie it was too.
We saw Coraline.

It was fantastic, even SN2 kept saying how much he really liked it.
Truth be told, we all know that any movie that has Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders in it is going to be great (even if it is only those two who are any good).
In this case the whole movie is good, albeit a tad scary.
I tried to knit, but dropped a stitch on a scarf I'm making for charity (trying to fulfill a personal goal this year), so I just gave up and enjoyed the movie.
For the record, no dry spots.
Entertaining from start to finish, and I stayed for almost all the credits.
Go see it.
Let me know what you think.

Friday, February 06, 2009

Thaumaturgy

See that word?
The one up above.
Yeah, that one.
Isn't that an awesome word?
Have you ever seen it before?
I never have - it's totally new to me.
It came into my email inbox via an ad for a local private school.
Guess you can tell who had the public school education since there was no thaumaturgy involved in a certain person's high school education (that would be me).
Want to know what means?
The act of performing miracles; specifically magic.

I keep wanting to spell it differently, like with "therm-" instead of "thaum-".
I'll have to get over that if I want to add this word to my vocabulary.
Anyway, it's Friday, and hopefully I'm off to see a free French movie tonight on campus.
If I go, I'll blog about it tomorrow.
No frogging or finishing for me this week.
I'm still trying to work out things from before.
It's hard when all the knitting you do is on the weekends.
I wish I had time during the week to knit, but it's so darn cold all I want to do is get into bed and sleep.
Well I am anemic, remember?
For now I'll leave you with a fun Meme that I stole from Wendy.
No hard words in here.
Your Name - Julie
Four letter word - jive
Boy name - Javier
Girl name - Jamie
Occupation - janitor
Color - jade green
Beverage - juice
Something found in a bathroom - Jacuzzi
A Place - Joliet, IL
Reason for being late - jacked car (or carjacking - whichever you prefer)
Food - Jujubees (this is a candy, that is considered food, right?)
Something you shout - Jackass!

"J" is a cool letter, but not a very relevant one in our lexicon.

P.S. I wish that I had known the word thaumaturgy earlier in the week, so that when I went out to dinner with Sheri and Jean we could have talked about it. What fun that could have been!

Thursday, February 05, 2009

Thursday Quiz - What type of soap do you use?

Here it is, Thursday again.
Only two more work days to slog through and then we'll be at the weekend.
I can't wait, for more reasons than one.
Why? you ask.
I'll tell you.
This is what I got in the mail yesterday from Netflix:



Yes, it is what you think it is.
Well, not all of it, but I did get Season One, Disc One of Knots Landing.
I should be getting Disc Two tomorrow (there are five discs altogether).
Did you ever watch this show?
I did, and I think I really started watching it when we lived in Okinawa, where back then we had one American tv station and you watched what came on.
When you're held captive like that, you watch a lot of shows that you probably wouldn't normally watch, just to be watching tv.
Sad, but true.
And I think that's how I got involved in Knots Landing, the later years.
I bought some new yarn at AC Moore the other day, some for charity, and some to make SN1 a hat and scarf (Bernat Satin - acrylic and easy to wash).
The scarf is cabled, but it is a very simple cable, and it was a free pattern on the label (and on their website - requires free account to access patterns).
With an easy pattern to follow, I know I can focus my attention on what is going on in the cul-de-sac with Gary and Val.
Did you realize this show lasted for 14 seasons?
Remarkable.
In honor of Knots Landing, the quiz for today is a Soap Opera Name Generator.
I'm pleased with mine:

Your Soap Opera Name Generator is:
Pipa Howard

For the record, my maiden name was Pipa Worthington.
With a name like that, I really think I would have hyphenated.
Say it with me - Pipa Worthington-Howard.
Nice.
Daddy has money, I bet, but I must be in hiding or something, what do you think?
If you want to find out your soap opera name, go to Quizopolis.com
Now, I wonder which house Pipa would be living in.
Hmm......
Must watch and wonder.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Reading Roundup - Week Five

Sorry this post is a bit late for my books.
Yeah, I'm sure you're really upset about that.
I bet Monday rolled around and you thought, dang, why isn't she telling us stories about books she's read.
It's tough for you to slog through, probably, but I need to keep track, just for my own edification.
As I told Knitting Reader yesterday, or the other day, or whenever, I'm using GoodReads to track my progress over the year, and it is helpful.
One year I wrote down the title of every book I read, and that might not have been even over one year, but over a couple of months.
I liked doing that.
It sure doesn't help, though, when you have friends, you know who you are, who suggest even more books for you to read.
My to-read list is at 20 right now, but after I hit the library today to pick up three books she suggested, it will be obviously larger by that many.
Arrgh.
I need a vacation so I can read.
Or have someone come read to me so I can knit at the same time.
I'm not necessarily reading quality books yet, but I did start The Magician's Nephew, Book One of The Chronicles of Narnia series.
I am classifying that as research for my thesis, the topic is still undecided, but it will be about young adult literature in some way.
This past week I've finished two books, inter-library loans both, so I can get them back to Bayport NY and Topeka KS, if you can believe that.
I love that the books come from such far off spots just for my reading pleasure.
Love it.
It literally thrills me to no end.
Sometimes I just sit and look at the facility stamp and think about how the book came here.
I live in a backwater place here, not much happening but the cold so I have to entertain myself somehow.
So this week's books are both by Tom Holt, Earth, Air, Fire and Custard (10) and Falling Sideways (11).
The first was the final book in a trilogy about Paul Carpenter who works at J.W. Wells as a junior clerk. They do magic there. He's a nebbish, but outsmarts everyone.
After reading five books by Holt in one month, I think I'm ODing on nebbishy protagonists.
In Falling Sideways I found out we're descended from frogs.
It's fantasy, folks, not theology or science.
Interesting, but another nebbish who conquers the situation.
One more Tom Holt book to read and I'm through for a while.
No offence to Tom, just in case he's reading this blog.
Not likely.
(But if you are - love your books!)

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Annual Silent Poetry Reading

Did you realize yesterday was the Annual Silent Poetry Reading for blogs?
I always forget.
I think I was a day late last year.
Isn't that just like me, and I bet I'm a dollar short too.
Not to make this too somber of a post, but my favorite poetry is that of the World War I poets. There's something so poignant, yet strong about the message sent through the words of Englishmen who suffered in a horrible war, and from so many who died young.
Wilfred Owen is one of these young men, whose story is strikingly sad. Fortunately his poetry lives on to remind us of what war is really like. You may recall he wrote the most famous poem of WWI - "Dulce et Decorum est".
Anthem for Doomed Youth

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
- Only the monstruous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, -
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

Not a happy poem, but one that resonates with a message that transcends any specific war.
Here is a photo of Wilfred Owen - his eyes say it all:


Thanks to Major Knitter for reminding me of this day.

Monday, February 02, 2009

The dog is in the yard with what?

While the cats were inside wrecking havoc with the yarn....



....the dog was outside making friends with a groundhog.



Hey Mister Groundhog, did you see your shadow today?



(For the record, this is not a real groundhog -- it's a Webkinz. And before you ask, yes, it is mine. His name is Charles.)

Sunday, February 01, 2009

31 and counting

So I blogged everyday in the month of January.
Can you believe that?
I can't.
Fortunately I haven't really identified this as a strictly knitting blog, because sometimes not a lot of knitting gets done in my house.
And fortunately I haven't identified this as a strictly book blog, because....well, do I have to repeat it?
You get the idea.
Sometimes I just GO (yes, capital G-O) through life and don't have time for much other than that.
One of the reasons I think I'm able to blog, or allot my time better, is because I'm not involved in a class.
In the early days of the semester it's not so hectic, but the manic feeling of trying to accomplish everything by the end of the semester usually kicks in about 4 weeks before class is done.
Regardless, I'm not there this time.
Plus it's been quite peaceful at work for the first month, and I am enjoying that to the max.
You can't even imagine what a difference that has made for me.
I'm even planning an overnight vacation to Niagara Falls for mid-month.
We're heading to this place on the Canadian side.
DN2 is so excited she just likes to sit and look at the map - she has everything memorized already.
We're taking one of her friends along so that she can really have a good time.
Truth be told, I'm kind of excited too.
And I'm already wondering what knitting and books I'll take with me.
Does anyone know of any good yarn stores in the Niagara Falls area?
I think there's one on Grand Island, but I don't know if we'd stop there.
I might have to look at the knitmap to see.
Honestly, though, I have enough yarn to see me through.
We are in a recession after all.
So, that's my story of 31 days of blogging - 32 actually if you count today.
Think I can make it through February as well?