Is anyone good at thinking up titles?

Well, Christmas was lovely, even though it was two days early, and the drive back home wasn't too bad - though it was definitely winter road conditions!
It was lovely to spend time with my Grandparents, and to hang out with Mum and play some real Scrabble, instead of just Facebook's Scrabulous. I still beat her most of the time in person, too ;-)
I had a couple crash days when I got back to the Loops, just being a homebody and enjoying the time alone. I got my house more in order, and spent time with friends I hadn't seen in months. Tonight, my "little brother" whom I affectionately call Brianna (and he just loves that) and I watched the Bruce Willis movie "Live Free or Die Hard" which was huge and cheesy and full of corny one-liners which was precisely what you expect (even want!) from an action flick. I cooked dinner for us, and we ate some steaks I had left in the freezer. Explosions and steak - a very manly sort of night. Also occurring was the checking (and re-checking) of the hockey scores, in which the 'Nucks stomped the Flames 5-3. W00t! Brianna is torn, though - he's a BC boy all the way, but he lives in Calgary and works at the Saddledome. It makes for somewhat divided loyalties. ;-)
Anyhow, I'm well, and still around, so I thought I'd pop in. More soon, I'm sure, but for now, I've a lot more reading and writing to do. Ciao!

On Depression

Those of you who know your way around the blogosphere are very likely you know of Dooce, aka Heather Armstrong. However, if you don't, she's a popular blogger who's been writing about her life, her family, and her depression for several years now. From her site today, I clicked a link to a post her husband Jon had written on what it means to live with someone who has clinical depression. You can tell by reading it that it takes some special adjustments, and a lot of patience, but you can also tell that he loves her very much.
I thought that some of the people who know me might benefit from reading it, because it's hard to know what to do, or say. Or, if you want a greater understanding of depression for another reason, it's still well worth a look. If you'd like to read, click here.

Slow Lane

Well, the last few days have been pretty uneventful, but not in a bad way!  I've been mostly just hanging out with my mum and grandparents, and drinking more tea than I have in months ;-)  

Last night Mum and I joined one of her best friends and the friend's daughter and mum (my "Grandma Lynn") for a multi-generational exploration of the Butchart Gardens Christmas Show. It was lovely, and nice and warm, too!  I'm having a bit of a time adjusting to above-zero weather after the first month of winter at home, but I'm sure not complaining!  I tried to get a few pictures, but since it was dark, they obviously didn't turn out too well.  My camera's not fancy enough nor are my hands steady enough to handle that sort of thing!

After the light show, we went over to "Auntie" Wendy's (Mum's friend) for some delicious pizza and chat, and I shanghaied their piano for a little while to play for the first time in months.  I was forced to acknowledge that I only really know two Christmas songs off by heart.  Since they're my favourites (What Child is This and O Come Emmanuel) I guess that's not so bad!

I'm heading over to the Gs' with Mum again in a little bit and we'll have dinner and watch the hockey game there, then I'll stay the night and head to church with Granny in the morning, then the rest of the day is reserved for working on a long-procrastinated essay.  I'd better take it easy, ya'll, this life is about more than I can handle.  

  

Je Suis Arrivee

Hi. I'm at the Gs, and not dead. Huzzah! And goodnight :P

A Pox on Bossy Old Men!

I'm getting ready to leave for Christmas holidays at my Grandparents' house tomorrow, and this involved picking up some new wiper blades at WalMart and filling up on gas. I decided to switch out the wipers at the gas station since the filling overhang was about as sheltered as I was likely to get! So I fill my tank, top up my windshield washer fluid, and get to work on the wipers. I pop the old ones off, and get the first one on with no problem. I have a bit of a brain fart with the driver's side and am sort of standing there looking at it when this 60-something man pulls up in a white Buick and decides that I need his help.
"Here, let me get that for you, young lady."
"Oh, that's okay, thanks! It's just been a while since I did this last, but I got the passenger side, so I'm sure it'll be no problem."
"No, no, let me have it."
So I give in to him, and he tries to put it on. And tries. "Hm, did another little piece come with this?"
"No...but the other one worked fine. I'll get it, don't worry!"
"Hmm..." Fiddles some more. "Well, I think you have the wrong one, here."
"No, I don't think so, I checked the little product guide, and this is the one they said for the 2003 Honda Civic. Please sir, I'm sure I can figure it out, I'll be fine, you just go on."
"Hmm...do you have the old one?" Digs it out of the trash. "Hm, I see, I see." Fiddles, fusses, and eventually gets the old one back on. Great, I think, we have now regressed five minutes.
And then he gets the old one back on somehow. "Hmm," he says (yes, he really did say hm that much.) "Well, I seem to have got it on," (No, really?) "But it shouldn't be moving like this." He slides it back and forth. "You need the one with the screw here." Points. "Where did you get this?"
"Wal Mart."
"Well, you keep this package here, and you take it back to them, take it to their...what's it called?"
"Automotive?"
"Yeah, their automotive department, and get them to help you out there."
"Right...well, thanks sir. You have a good night, now."
"Yup."
So he leaves, and I pull my car forward because some poor woman has been behind me waiting for the pump. I get out, go pay, then head back to my car. I have a look at the wiper, take two seconds, and pop it on properly - as I'd been wanting to do since about one minute into the man's effort. I shake my head, get in the car, and drive home.
But it bothers me...it pisses me off to know that he never would have stopped if it were a young man there. It's my car, and even if I don't know how to do it, then I want to follow the instructions and get it done so I'll learn! It's not the offer to help that bothers me, though. Heck, that even happened last year, albeit with a much younger man, in the WalMart parking lot. The difference was, when I said, "No thanks, I'm okay" to the younger man, he listened. Chivalry is the offer to help, chauvinism is continuing to push your way of things on me after I've refused it. My need to be kind and polite, especially with the fish symbol on the back of my car, overrode my annoyance at the gas station, but now that I'm home? I'm a bit peeved at the man. So anyway, a pox on bossy old men!

PS - Speaking of old men, just of the non-bossy variety...hi Grampy! ;-) I'll give you guys a call when I leave town in the morning (probably around 9 or maybe 10) and keep you posted as to my trip. I'm stopping in Van for a while to visit a friend, but I'll let you know when I get on the ferry, too! Love you! And see you tomorrow!!! :-D

Whirling Dervish

Well, I'm just a little dizzy today...and it's not entirely the cold medicine, either! I stayed up all night studying with a couple other people from class, and though I tried to have a little sleep, I just couldn't pull it off. We wrote the exam at 9 o'clock this morning. I think it went okay? I hate waiting for exam results - and apparently we won't get these until we come back to class after the Christmas break. Boo-urns!
Anyhow, my...that is, my friend's...thing with the snacks is all taken care of now. I...oh, ok, I...because it's a pain to write it in third person :P I stopped by the grocery store and grabbed one thing of oven-ready phyllo -type hors d'oeuvres, then got the stuff for and made mint chocolate chunk brownies (an experiment...currently in the oven), spinach dip and a sourdough "bowl" and the ever-present veggie platter. Someone's gotta take care of the healthy people ;-)
Pam, knowing that I was sorta crazy today, also volunteered to help out, so she's making some cookies (shortbread or sugar cookies, or something like that. We figured she should do something Christmasy.) I know I always go a bit overboard when I do snacks, but I don't go over budget (the church reimburses us for what we buy for YA.) I really enjoy it, though, and to be honest, I love having people tell me I'm a good cook!
One of the things I dislike most about living alone is that I don't often cook, because there's no one for whom to cook.

Hypothetical Question

If perchance my friend was stupid enough to volunteer to bring snacks for something for 20ish people, smack dab in between her exams, what would you suggest she take? It can't be just a few bags of chips, you understand, as she does have a reputation to maintain. I'd...I mean, she'd...also like it to have a bit of a holiday flavour. Some time involvement is ok, as a bit of a study break would be appreciated, but it can't be an all day affair! Any suggestions, my dear internet friends?

Grace!

Hi there. I' in the midst of trying out a new wintry sort of template, but I'm halfway through editing it and realizing I've a lot more studying to do if I want to go out to care group tonight! So for now, it looks crummy and un-matchy and is driving me nuts, but just bear with me!
(Oh, and in editing? I realized I had a months-old typo on one of the sidebars. Shoot me now.)

Wonderland

It is snowing like mad out there! I'm glad that I won't have to drive again until after the roads are cleared. It's only December second, and I've already had more than enough of brushing snow off my car! Actually, I don't mind the snow brushing so much, it's the ice scraping that gets to me! Which is what happens, of course, when you drive your car and get it all warm, and then sit it in a snowy parking lot for a few hours while you watch a movie. Or, if like in the forecast, you go from -8 to +10 in a twelve hour period, then back again. That ought to be fun! But, I digress.
This afternoon, Laura, Jodi and I went to see a Disney movie. About a princess. I felt like I was about twelve again, and I loved it! We saw Enchanted, where a sickly-sweet cartoon princess gets warped into modern-day Manhattan. The way it mocked and yet totally maintained the "happily ever after" was really fun! Amy Adams did a great job as Princess Giselle, and McDreamy...well, I suppose we know what to expect from him! I also had fun figuring out some of the other characters - "Hey, that's Peter Pettigrew!" or "Ooh it's Maureen from RENT!" I'm generally not so hot at recognizing actors and actresses, but I always feel so clever when I do!
Now, though, I've got to get down to some serious textbook reading...and leave Wonderland behind.