Crazy Eights, for Tesa and Tiz

EIGHT THINGS FOR WHICH I HAVE PASSION:

1. God. Saviour, Healer, best friend, I Am. He is everything to me, truly. God is the reason I sing, the reason I write, and most importantly, the reason I somehow manage to drag my sorry butt out of bed in the mornings.
2. Family. My sisters and I are so incredibly different but I wouldn't trade what we have for anything in the world. And you got my thoughts on Mum a couple weeks ago. The Gs, Mum's parents...love 'em like crazy. The rest of the fam, well that's more driving me crazy, but hey. ;-)
   
3. Songwriting. I've never thought that I was particularly amazing at it, but it's an incredible way to express myself, and say things I could somehow never otherwise articulate.
4. Music. Though it often converges with the previous item, listening to and playing music is a joy all its own. It's been way too long before I sat at a piano, and I really, really need to remedy that. Melodramatic as it sounds, I don't think my soul is quite right without it.
5. Horses. It may have been a few years since I had my own, but if the Equine Facilitated Mental Health Workshop a couple weeks ago taught me anything (and it did, ohhh it did!), it reminded me precisely why I love horses. They're beautiful and majestic, but earthy and gentle and compassionate and intuitive, and, well, this sentence could run on forever ;-)
6. Children. I love kids. There was a sign in the nursery before we started renovating at the church that said, "Babies are such a nice way to start people." I concur! And even though there are definitely the less charming moments, I think overall, children are so amazing with their generosity of love and vivacity!
   
7. "My" Kids. The kids I work with at the daycare are an eclectic mix coming from a variety of backgrounds, but I see such amazing potential in all of them. Obviously, they're the coolest kids ever and I'm not the least bit biased :-P
8. Food. Not always the healthiest passion for me, but I love to cook and to eat! I'll try anything once but I definitely have my favourites. Mostly, I love to invite a friend over and just go totally crazy making them something utterly delicious!
   

EIGHT THINGS I’D LIKE TO DO BEFORE I DIE:

1. Spend Christmas in Paris. And if I can manage it, not speak a word of English the entire time. (Could be tricky if I end up having a hubby who's a francophobe, but we'll see haha.)
   
2. Write a novel. Even if it sucks, I want to finish one.
   
3. Record a CD. (Okay, I'd like to do this before the end of the year. Finish the blasted thing!)
4. Get my Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology. (Again, not so much the death timeline, let's say more like next 7 years.)
5. Take a photography class.
6. Run a marathon or half-marathon. Be fit enough to do so without lions, tigers and bears chasing me.
   
7. Go on a sailing trip, at least a long weekend.
8. Visit every continent.
   

EIGHT THINGS I SAY A LOT:

1. "I said no. If you do that again, there will be a consequence." (Huh? I don't work at a daycare, really :P )
2. "Le Sigh"
3. "You're so cute. How'd you get so cute? Who'd you bribe?" (To the cat. Ima dork.)
4. "Walking feet please!"
5. "Ugh. I need to do dishes."
6. "I fail at life."
7. "I win at life!" (not remotely mercurial.)
8. "I love you."
   

EIGHT BOOKS I HAVE READ RECENTLY:

1. Shopgirl - Steve Martin
2. The Big Bad Wolf Tells All - Donna Kauffman
3. Gods in Alabama - Joshilyn Jackson (in progress)
   
4. Hard to Handle - Lori Foster
5. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger (Also in progress.)
6. Thigh High - Christina Dodd
   
7. Sucker Bet - Erin McCarthy
   
8. Bones to Ashes - Kathy Reichs
   

EIGHT MOVIES I HAVE SEEN EIGHT TIMES:

1. Sweet Home Alabama - "So I can kiss you anytime I want!"
   
2. The Princess Bride - "You keep saying that word. I don't think it means what you think it means."
3. The Shawshank Redemption - "The funny thing is - on the outside, I was an honest man, straight as an arrow. I had to come to prison to be a crook."
4. Lord of the Rings - "Fool. No man can kill me." Eowyn removes her helmet, runs the Nazgül through. "I am no man."
5. The Lion King - "Doesn't matter, it's in the past!" "Yeah, but it still hurts!"
6. Forrest Gump - "Me and Jenny goes together like peas and carrots."
7. Monty Python's The Quest for the Holy Grail - "You're not my king! I didn't vote for you!"
8. Finding Nemo - "This is the Ocean, silly, we're not the only two in here."

EIGHT PEOPLE WHO SHOULD DO THIS MEME:

1. Whoever
2. feels
3. just
4. that
5. particular
6. brand
7. of
8. crazy.