Last night while laying in bed, Col and I decided to try something new (shut it, peanut gallery) …

We each took a turn telling the other something more than the typical “I love you” and “sweet dreams” and “OMG, I’m soooooo tired, I really hope the girls sleep in!”

I told him that he was my balance, strength, light, calm and tranquility when I feel like I have none, my motivating force; the only person who brings me total and utter peace when things get overwhelming.

He told me that my found spirituality, nature and love remind him of being a child and having dreams. He told me that in his busy days of commuting and working that I give him inspiration to be more, to dream more and to seek out his passions … and that it’s his favorite thing to come home to.

Quite possibly, it was the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard from this man I’ve been with for almost 8 years. I had no idea of the impact I make on his life on a daily basis.

You see, Colin often gets home between 7 and 8pm. On most days he basically walks in to me at the end of my rope as 7:45am to 8pm can be a long day with two four year olds who rarely nap anymore.

He comes in and sometimes I’m short and snappy and need help but I don’t often ask because here he is working 12 hour days to give us the life we have. But sometimes my head wants to explode and he knows that just by looking at me and takes over the bedtime routine without a word spoken.

I grab a glass of wine, crash somewhere and feel bad that I couldn’t manage the day in full from beginning to end and that I even allowed myself become overwhelmed to the point of snapping. And then he comes over and hugs me and tells me what a good job I’ve done, even if I haven’t really done much, makes me laugh about something – at myself mostly which feels really good – and I’m finally at my peaceful place with our girls sleeping and the day coming to an end.

See? Peace. When I’ve misplaced mine, Colin is there to help me find it.

Still, he doesn’t often get a taste of me like my readers of this blog do. At least I didn’t think so.

So last night I decided to change that. If I’m practicing love as a faith, it should definitely be practiced on my man first and I feel sometimes like I totally fail on that.

But when I heard those words come out of his mouth … that he actually notices … that I inspire him to dream like a child … it ignited a thousand fires within. It was like a nod from one of the most important people in my life signaling that I’m on the right path, doing the right thing. And holy moly was that ever music to my ears on top of being the most positive motivator to crash down the barrier I was stressing about yesterday.

ღ¸♪•°´*ღ.¸

Sharing on that level was one of the truly most passionate things I’ve ever done while laying in bed (fully clothed that is). I urge you to do the same sometime, too. We all need more passion … it’s such a shame looking around and seeing some people passionate about very little or nothing and just bitching about the minor irritations in life. Bah. That’s no way to live at all.

If you’re lucky enough to love someone, cup their face, look them in the eye and tell them exactly why. Not just I love you, not just I need you, not just I want you. Because you don’t need anything and your wants don’t matter when you’re giving … you’ll get back what you give … it’s fact!

Go deep into your heart, shake off any shyness or awkwardness (I totally felt shy when talking to Col so deeply but in effect I had long forgotten butterflies so it was worth it) and tell them what it is about them that you adore and the impact they have on your life. We don’t do it enough and “I love you” sometimes just doesn’t cut it when it’s said as part of a daily routine.

Break free of routine, obligatory words and motions …

Make love a verb, a constant action. Wow … just like happiness, love isn’t a thing! A person can’t find love or happiness, they must constantly create it, weave it, be it, give it. Wonderous! Hey, it only took me 30 years to figure that one out for myself and now that I have it’s mighty

LOL. Oh, wow. Yes, I’m such a geek … but at least a happy one <3

And Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow to my friends in the States! Be sure to spend your day off giving constant gratitude for all the beauty and wonder surrounding you and for being alive and well to enjoy it xo

ღ¸♪•°´*ღ.¸

Last night I dreamed about a massive series of tidal waves – and no, I haven’t seen 2012 yet. I stood in an ocean front condo and watched as waves formed and grew in size and speed, eventually taking out people on the street, cars and smaller, older buildings.

It was pretty much chaos and the dream was obviously filled with a lot of mounting fear, dread, anticipation, etc. and for some reason I didn’t die with everyone else, rather, I took the blows of at least five massive tidal waves. And then I just sort of woke up in the morning and totally forgot about the dream until a picture triggered the memory.

The closest picture I could find as a comparison to the ones in my dream was this:

I read somewhere in my blog travels something along the lines of, “dreams are the story your soul is writing” and I like that. I’ve always been a vivid dreamer, many times lucid; I don’t ever not have dreams. And they’re exactly as they are … my awakening to fear, love, insecurity, passion and emotion. My soul most definitely speaks in my sleeping hours … I’m visited often by people and self-truths that spark major emotional upheaval if even for that short time before I wake up and forget. That being said, I’d be completely lost without my ability to dream; they are mine to hold.

So here I am thinking about tidal waves … it’s not like it’s the first one of these dreams I’ve had either. That exact dream in the condo across from the ocean is pretty frequent, twice yearly I’d say.

To see a tidal wave in your dream, represents an overwhelming emotional issue that demands attention. You may have been keeping your feelings and negative emotions bottled up inside for too long. On a positive note, the tidal wave symbolizes the clearing away of old beliefs.

Over the past couple of days I’ve been dealing with some major overwhelming thoughts. I don’t believe there is negative emotion in there, but at the end of the day when all is said and done and I’ve found my peaceful spot, my head begins churning.

I feel like there’s a barrier.

What that barrier is, I can’t figure out, so my head works overtime trying to. And let me tell you … when you’re clear and at ease in the head and you come up to a barrier and can’t figure out why it’s there or what it’s made of, it takes a mental toll.

You see, I’ve found exactly what it is I want to do with my life. It struck me out of nowhere on the weekend and there wasn’t a question in my mind that it’s exactly what I’m meant – or want – to pursue; it’s the kind of career that I would do for no pay because I’d be assisting in the bettering of people’s lives and in the end, that would bring me the most fulfillment. Being paid for doing it would be gravy; a financial contribution to my family.

But in looking at my own life, I don’t believe I’m ready yet. And there’s that stupid barrier again … what is it? What the heck is holding me back? I can’t blame or point fingers because it’s only me. This is my life and it’s my responsibility to knock down or climb the barriers and once I’ve done that then I’ve just become my own first client.

So I’m having dreams of tidal waves. On one hand, it could mean I have overwhelming emotional issues and negative emotions bottled up inside. Great … I thought I was way past that point but maybe I’m not after all. Perhaps being so consciously positive is repressing negative thoughts or things and they have to be recalled and dealt with. And on the other hand, it could symbolize the clearing away of old beliefs – which I’m constantly working to do and it’s been a very positive experience that, so far, has brought me an abundance of peace.

So really, I have a lot of thinking to do and action to take. I know where I want to be – I see it, feel it, think it all the time … but other times I wonder if I should just fall in step with the masses and stop thinking so much on such a grand scale – just let life happen to me.

Thing is, I like to think and listen to my dreams and believe and actually take steps to a bigger, better self and happiness … I can’t settle with not. Not is safe, known, secure and comfortable. Those things are nice to include but they’re not for me as a final answer or life purpose or because mainstream society dictates that it’s the way it’s supposed to be – fuck that noise. Many people would call me crazy for that but having actual feelings and thoughts and ideas and acting on dreams that make me uncomfortable and not so secure … the unknown … excites and ignites me!

So, step one … knock over a barrier, sort of how a tidal wave would.

Be the wave

In this house, weekend mornings are super chill. Slooooow Mo. No clocks, no plans, no obligations. One of my favourite things to do on a Saturday is listen to a little inspiring music, pour a fresh cup of coffee and do a good meme.

So this morning it’s all about Explosions in the Sky ‘Birth and Death of a Day‘ – which I believe is the most inspiring musical creation in the history of music … oh my GOD, this song and video are so good that my mind wants to explode in pleasure after I do something wild like grow wings and fly around the world sprinkling golden fairy dust while kissing millions of cheeks and delivering taser shots of love … it’s seriously so inspiring and gorgeous … a reminder of why I’m alive … to experience beautiful things like this.

Oh, and a meme my friend, Raino, shared on her blog earlier.

So, so much love to her … she’s a gem. Her generous and giving spirit will be remembered every Christmas when I set out the beautiful tree skirt she sent me last year from across the country.

As for the meme, it’s a deep thinking one and I love it. Let’s do it …

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Perfect happiness, hmmm. For me it’d be a combination of excellent health … madly and passionately loving and being loved … the ability to create something beautiful everyday … to give myself to the world in a way that would bring light, hope and joy to people’s lives who are less fortunate than myself … opening my bedroom window to sunshine and breathing in clean, fresh air every morning then drinking a glass of fresh squeezed juice made from the oranges I just picked off the tree in my backyard.

What is your greatest fear?

Forgetting people, experiences, feelings, memories.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

None.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Ego, negativity, desperation to fit in or being without passion.

What is your greatest extravagance?

An hour all to myself in a hot bath, glass of wine to sip.

What is your current state of mind?

Ease, peace, calm, inspired, open.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

Kindness, passion, compassion and the ability to love and be loved.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Kindness, passion, compassion and the ability to love and be loved.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

Amazing and awesome! I think a new world is due … amasome … awezing … ?

When and where were you happiest?

In this moment.

Who are your favorite writers?

The thinkers and dreamers, the songwriters and poets, the ones who inspire and who aim to touch the stars and beyond.

Which talent would you most like to have?

To dance like Michael Jackson or one of his dancers in This Is It.

If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?

Our location – I’d love to steal them away to a warmer climate at the edge of the ocean in a hippie-esque community away from urban sprawl and pollution. A simpler, cleaner way of life.

If you died and came back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?

A wandering, adventuring soul with only a notebook and camera.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?

Nothing. Acceptance and self-love is a pretty amazing thing.

Where would you like to live?

Like I said before, a warmer climate at the edge of the ocean in a hippie-esque community away from urban sprawl and pollution. Somewhere I can grow gardens, flowers and orange and lemon trees.

What is your most treasured possession?

My photos.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Being without love or the ability to love.

What do you most value in your friends?

Ease, laughter, the ability to share themselves as well as listen, sing, dance, smile, cry and hug … and the ability to have comfortable silences and quiet contemplation in each other’s presence.

What are your favorite names?

Callie and Lily … but also, Brooklyn. That’s what I was going to name my daughter if I had only one.

What is it that you most dislike?

Wet cold, alarm clocks, negativity, angry, egotistical and harsh people, close mindedness.

What is your greatest regret?

No regrets, baby. I’ve loved my entire journey so far.

How would you like to die?

Suddenly … like if Earth just exploded into dust in the universe.

What is your motto?

Focus on the moment. Be love.

This morning, despite forecasts of heavy rain, I woke up to sunshine.

And this morning, despite staying up late to write yesterday’s post, I woke up with an abundance of energy. Not energy to run miles or cook up a feast or de-clutter and organize closets, but creative energy. The kind of energy in which you mentally redesign your home and dream of green plants, candles and twinkling fairy lights around bed frames.

The kind of creative energy that makes a woman want to romance her white spaces and each person who walks into her home.

This morning while bubbling over with creative energy, I read Tara’s blog and reveled in another one of her beautiful photos. You see, Tara takes seriously beautiful pictures of her world and occasionally finds hearts in nature; it’s one of my favorite things in the entire world about her and in my brain I call her art “found love”.

My absolute favorite was her found love in the sky.

After seeing her newest photo and in combination with my own creative energy, I decided that I want a feature wall in my house of found love consisting of Tara’s art, other people’s art and my own art. Every picture will have a story tucked into the back detailing the wheres, whens, who’s and whys; history of the artwork for when I’m no longer here and my girls wonder what was up with mom’s fascination with love.

Later in the day, my Twitter stream began humming with updates and prayers for a blogger I’d never read or known of before and in following the links I learned of a woman, mother of three and friend to many who had fallen ill to a massive stroke the day before.

Regardless of the fact that this woman is a stranger – my heart, energies and soul were transported to her for a brief moment. To her, her children, her husband and her family. Nothing else mattered then but to channel every ounce of light and positive energy I could muster up to members of my human family who were suffering.

And in doing so, so much was put in perspective.

I try to live for this moment only. Very rarely anymore do I think ahead to the next hour, day or month (save for the big kid stuff like grocery lists and planning Christmas, etc.); being in the now has become an incredibly powerful tool and combined with practices of love, compassion and empathy, my life has changed immensely.

Yet to read about a young, vibrant, happy mother falling so ill so fast? It reminded me of just how delicately us humans are woven.

It reiterated the importance of now.

And optimal health.

And love.

So this morning I decided to drop everything and dedicate myself completely to the day and my kids, giving constant gratitude for the fact I had a day, hour and minute with them. I began truly living in the moment, embraced all of that creative energy building up inside and began planning out my legacy – even if all that legacy adds up to is a couple of framed pictures of found love and a blog full of random, wonderful, heartbreak, healing, songs, pictures, love and awesome.

I began embracing my own inner child, all that is my children and their excitement for my brother’s birthday and Christmas and phoned up Colin sporadically throughout the day just to say I’m thinking about you and I love you … because life’s way too short and unpredictable to not to say it whenever you feel it.

And in not focusing on what I might write for tonight’s post, I found total peace in the knowledge that the people I love know it a little bit more. My mind was 100% focused on them when they were in my presence. It’s not like I spend constant time on the internet anyway, but so far this month I’ve spent far too much time consumed with what I’d write everyday to complete this NaBloPoMo task. Why? I don’t know.

What I do know is that I’ve been challenged and I’ve written a couple of posts that have touched people … and that’s all I really wanted.

When I write here I want to give something. Not something forced or scheduled or required by NaBloPoMo law. I want to share thoughts of worth and value or something I feel passionately about.

So I’m going to write because I’m inspired rather than challenged and when I’m not writing here I’m just going to love, focus on being the healthiest I can be, create my legacy and beauty in my surroundings and try to hone in on what magical and amazing things I’m meant to do in this life … because I know there’s something important to give and contribute to the world … I’m just not sure of what yet.

Today I discovered a few things: that the weatherman is full of shit … that creativity flows through my veins if I allow it … that creativity feels really damn good … that we’re such fragile and delicate creatures with no guarantees past the breath we just inhaled and that this moment is all we have no matter how young, healthy, vibrant, happy and loved we are … that it’s been a good NaBloPoMo ‘09 run and I’m extremely proud of myself for 18 days of posting … and that there will be no 4th try next year or ever!

Life is wonderful.

It takes a crane to build a crane
It takes two floors to make a story
It takes an egg to make a hen
It takes a hen to make an egg
There is no end to what I’m saying

It takes a thought to make a word
And it takes some words to make an action
It takes some work to make it work
It takes some good to make it hurt
It takes some bad for satisfaction

La la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Al la la la la

It takes a night to make it dawn
And it takes a day to make you yawn brother
And it takes some old to make you young
It takes some cold to know the sun
It takes the one to have the other

And it takes no time to fall in love
But it takes you years to know what love is
It takes some fears to make you trust
It takes those tears to make it rust
It takes the dust to have it polished

Ha la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is so full of
Ah la la la la la la life is so rough
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is our love
Ah la la la la la

It takes some silence to make sound
It takes a loss before you found it
And it takes a road to go nowhere
It takes a toll to make you care
It takes a hole to make a mountain

Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ha la la la la la life is wonderful
Ha la la la la la life is meaningful
Ha la la la la la life is wonderful
Ha la la la la la life it is…so… wonderful
It is so meaningful
It is so wonderful
It is meaningful
It is wonderful
It is meaningful
It goes full circle
Wonderful
Meaningful
Full circle
Wonderful

On November 18, 1981 a baby boy was born.

A few weeks later he was placed upon his two year old sister’s lap for a photo op. Adoringly, he gazed up at big sister with his big blue eyes – and she poked him – in the big blue eye. The pictures are of big sister looking up at the camera laughing and baby brother crying.

Five years down the road, baby brother and big sister were playing in their mom’s garden – digging holes to China or something. As big sister leaned over the stick baby brother was ramming into the dirt, she was jabbed less than an inch away from her eyeball and was left with a scar for life.

Baby brother still insists it was an accident.

Happy 28th birthday to my baby brother … the only person in this world who can bring the kind of laughs that make tears stream down my face … my concert and movie buddy … my midnight Tim Horton’s soup and hot chocolate comrade … my head’s up music guy … the only person who will lend me money if I need it without question or interest … the best skier I know … the easiest birthday and Christmas present I have to buy … a believer of nothing other than plain old science and evolution … a seriously fantastic cook … a huge conspiracy theorist … youtube and race car addict … one of the only people I know who has zero tolerance for drama, has no need to be accepted or fit into anything and will call a person out on their bullshit but won’t judge them for being full of shit … one of the smartest people I know.

And finally, to the best brother (or Uncle Jeff) a girl could have.

Happy 28th. You’re old.

Weird! This morning I took a cruise through my old Huckdoll’s Hood blog archives trying to find out when I flunked out of NaBloPoMo ‘08 and found this, written on this day last year. It’s a weird feeling to read it and be transported back in time, yet not even recognize the person who wrote it. So in the spirit of happiness and positivity, I present to you,

Most Depressing Post Ever
Most Cheering Post Ever

November 16, 2008
November 16, 2009

I guess the NaBloPoMo gods woke me up to make sure I got a post in or something because I’m cutting it really close here.
NaBloPoMo gods?? If there were such ridiculous things, they’d have to bite me because I’m a good hour away from cutoff as I write this.

(Note: In ‘08 my last NaBloPoMo post was November 17 before I flunked out. If I can make it to Wednesday, I think I’ll have me a win – a personal best that is. Another interesting (to me) fact is that I unknowingly used that Get Out of Hell Free card on the exact same day as last year, but last year because I was emotionally strung out and tired; this year because I was awesome and went out with big people. Still … coincidences like that are wonderful and weird to strange cookies like me)

The facts:

I’ve been asleep since 7:30pm, my girls since 5:30pm.
I’ve yet to go to bed but I’ll be under my blankets the moment this is published, my girls have been sleeping since 9pm. I love sleep and am super passionate about (and good at) it. I wonder if I do it well enough and learn all the ins and outs of snoring, sleep walking, talking, drooling and teeth grinding that maybe I can make like a mainstream mommy blogger, gather my fellow army of sleep lovers and throw up a big ruckus demanding to get paid for our dedication to the Zzzzzzs. Because we are good at it and deserve to be compensated for our passion, dammit! *stomps foot*

Baby Daddy and I are no longer together, obviously.
COLIN (how did I get away with ‘Baby Daddy’ for so long guys? Ick.) is sitting beside me watching Mission Impossible and hockey highlights. He’s cute in his gray snowboarding toque, blue jeans and Earth t-shirt.

It doesn’t feel good nor am I happy about it, but it was my doing. Again.
It feels really good and I am ridiculously happy about it. Getting to this point has been a long, uneven, pothole covered, roadkill dodging, foggy, bumpy road and it was both of our doings; both of us navigating together. For the first time.

I’m not looking for sympathy here. I made this bed.
Making beds is overrated.

Functioning is quite hard but I am managing to do it until my girls fall asleep. Then I stop.
Functioning is my favourite thing to do after sleeping and I do so fully, easily and happily until my girls fall asleep. Then I stop and drink some wine.

My eyes are tired and sore and heavy and the reason I fell asleep at 7:30 was more just because I needed a break from crying.
My eyes are fine but you know what? No one tells you as they jab you with the flu shot that your arm is going to basically swell in pain, rot and fall off for three days. Today I woke up with a fully attached and functioning left arm and what do I do? Smash my right elbow into the corner of a wall while gracefully doing laundry, sending shooting pains up and down my arm and rendering it less useful than my swine shot arm was. I cried inside.

Today was really hard emotionally.
Today was a bit of a mental challenge with it being the 3rd day of the Pineapple Express rainstorm, but emotionally? All med-free groove, man.

I don’t think I’ve smiled even once.
I think I’ve smiled at least 20 times each hour of today. I’m smiling right now, can’t you tell?

I want to make this blog private but I don’t have the energy or motivation to do it right now.
Bah. There’s nothing on this blog I’d waste my time on besides writing it. Life’s too short to obsess over blogging (except during NaBloPoMo) especially since the world will probably, at worst, end in 2012 and at best, the internet will die. Who’s going to care about their blogs then? We’ll have to tell our stories face to face. No online!! I KNOW.

I wish I had a hand to hold or a hug or anything.
I’m holding hundreds, thousands, millions of hands every day as I feel extremely connected to humankind. The most special ones are those of my girls and the handsome man sitting beside me right now and for that I am truly blessed.

I am probably not okay, but I will be soon I guess.
I am happy in such abundance that it’s overwhelming sometimes. I made this for myself and there is so much life changing power in fully grasping the concepts of love, compassion, giving and happiness.

Okay, I’m going back to bed now.
Okay. I’m going to bed now <3

“The bad news is, your choices and intentions, some people and places, those nights spent awake and all you’ve done, can lead you to the bottom of the pit. The good news is, this wouldn’t be the first time someone’s crawled, tooth and nail, out of hell.”

- I Wrote This For You … “The Ground Will Give Way“

Long summer evenings lounging on the patio watching the sky and sipping Riesling are long gone and in it’s place is cuddling in bed watching movies. Lame I know, but at least it’s not reality TV. Yet.

With the changing seasons I’ve become a movie nut. Here’s what I’ve seen over the past week:

1. Confessions of a Shopoholic

A horrible, ridiculous movie based on the Confessions of a Shopoholic novel which I adored. But this? Wow. It’s so bad I’ve fallen asleep to it twice and that never happens when I watch a chick flick. Make your man friend watch it as a form of torture only …

2. Spread

I’d put money on the fact that Ashton Kutcher wrote this, directed it as well as starred in it. As Colin would say, “If the camera focused on a girl for more than 20 seconds, he’d be fucking her within 10″. Quite accurate. It got really lame really fast as Kutcher’s character was not only a stupid man whore, but an idiot, boring and with ridiculous accent which was likely the most challenging thing about his role. To Ashton’s credit, it’s Ashton … the expectations were pretty low to begin with, I just never knew he’d fail those. What was the story of this movie again? I can’t even remember anymore. Oh yeah, whoring. Did this movie even make it to the big screen or was it a straight to DVD?

PS. The only cool thing in the movie was Anne Heche’s character’s house in the Hollywood Hills (then again, I’m loving architecture), but I want Anne back in her role in Men in Trees. This being screwed in the ass by douche bag Kutcher ain’t jiving.

3. My Life in Ruins

This cutesy continuation to My Big Fat Greek Wedding was alright. A sweet, easy and corny watch with the main character being about a 7/10 on the annoying scale; then again, nobody will ever be quite as annoying as Becky in Confessions. I will assume most of the scenery is taken from Greece and a movie setting anywhere other than North America is preferable. Nothing against North America, but I prefer anywhere else wherever possible. Cute, cute, cute. Cheese. That is all.

4. The Taking of Pelham 123

Now this is my kind of movie. Such a great show starring Denzel Washington as the good guy and John Travolta playing the bad in a hostage taking situation on a Subway car deep under the streets of New York City. Lots of suspense goodness here … and did I mention Denzel Washington? Because he can do no wrong, no wrong at all. (I’ll just mention here that I fell asleep at the ending, but only because I was sooooo snuggly and tired, not because it was boring. I still have to see the ending, but I’m sure it will not disappoint).

5. Four Christmases

Now here’s a movie that I’ve been wanting to see since last year starring some of my favorite actors, Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn. That and the fact I love any movie based around Christmas and will give them all a shot.

That being said, not too many laughs were had as the whole thing was sort of far fetched and forced, but I did enjoy the couple Reese and Vince made. They reminded me of how Colin and I were before kids – constantly trying to plan busting away from the family scene at Christmas. Heck, we’re still dreaming of an un-Christmas, or at least scooping a few of the family members and flying out of town to Maui. We love holiday spirit, but despise the hype and our fantasy is to spend the week on a beach with a Mai Tai shouting, Mele Kalikimaka!

6. The Hangover

Bradley Cooper. Sexy Bradley Cooper in a sexy black on black suit ensemble heading out for a wild night on the town to celebrate his buddy’s stag.

The entire world saw this movie before I did so I won’t get into much except that yes, it was hilarious. Totally far-fetched, which tends to put a damper on the truly funny, but that’s just me and my lameness.

Bradley Cooper makes up for it though <3

7. Dynasty by Warren Miller Entertainment

If you're not a skier or boarder, skip this one.

Better than last year and in the Top 5 of all Warren Miller Entertainment movies I’ve attended since I was 17. Though if you terrain park ski or just plain ski and enjoy more action, I'd say go for a Poor Boyz or Matchstick flick before a WME flick (Interesting fact: Dynasty scooped footage from Poor Boyz Productions – booo major booo).

Poor Boyz Everyday is a Saturday looks off the hook and Deadmau5's Ghosts N' Stuff makes this trailer ridiculous; these are the athletes I want to take pictures of some day. Rad to the power of sick …

It’s so obvious now that skiers have surpassed snowboarders at life.

Last year during NaBloPoMo I made this nifty badge with only one rule: that us insane bloggers attempting 30 posts in 30 days can use it just once. Today’s my day. If you need a day, feel free to use it.

There has been a pre-Christmas miracle and as a result I’m heading out tonight with people who possess enough birthdays to legally drink; posting just ain’t happening with important things to do like clean house for my babysitter and choose a wardrobe.

I know this is the crap post clogging your Reader some of you are whining talking about and I’m really sorry about that (not). Mark all as read, unsubscribe, never talk to me again, put me at the top of your shit list … I really don’t care …

Because I’m going O-U-T. It’s like, the stuff dreams are made of.

Love, love, love to you <3

Sometimes I wonder how I was born into this rainy city.

Rain, rain heavy at times, rain, light rain, rain, light rain …

“The beat goes on, the beat goes on
Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain
La de da de de, la de da de da”

The past oh … twenty years or so … I’ve wondered about this.

I’ve always had plans to bust away from the Pacific Northwest. In high school, it was all about going to college in a sunny state down south …

After visiting Hawaii a couple of times, it was all about becoming Mormon and attending BYU on Oahu. No booze, sex or caffeine, they say? No prob. It’s fricken university in Hawaii …

After graduating and realizing that booze, sex and caffeine were definitely things I enjoyed, it was all about Australia. I had this massive backpacking and hosteling journey mapped out in a notebook; it was full and beautiful and all that was standing in my way of blowing town was money and a long term boyfriend. I wish I still had that notebook just to remember how passionate I was about that …

After the boyfriend and I broke up, I still had no money but had this new motto: Work to party. At that point, I still hated the rain but decided that living in Whistler – 2.5 hours up into the mountains – would be ideal. Hit the slopes all day, work all night, live in a closet with four other people for $500/month. Whatever, there are actual seasons in Whistler … and tons of dry snow, which I live for.

Then I met Colin, fell in love and he also wanted to bust out of Vancouver and that made me love him more. But we remained here and fell in love with the rain. Walks in the rain, falling asleep to the rain, kissing in the rain, collecting rain in a bucket …

And we all know that after K-I-S-S-I-N-G in the rain comes marriage (or not so much in our case but maybe, you never know …) and a baby carriage (have you ever tried pushing a double Peg Perego while holding an umbrella?) and this rain started getting to me … the SAD kicked in big time.

But we’re cool now and this rain, rain heavy at times, rain, light rain, rain, light rain? Ain’t nothing.

Ain’t nothing-ish.

Sixty thousand days of rain is an excellent challenge to both my sanity and my inner Martha.

I mean … the pipe cleaner wreaths, cotton ball snowmen, crock pot stews, shortbread candy canes and LED-lit, Jingle Bells singing daddy ties we will create …

It’s like it’s own little twisted reality show

The family and I all received our H1N1 vaccinations this afternoon. I’ve spent the last few days and all of this morning trying to think of reasons not to get it though.

Perhaps it was because our family doctor was running a vaccination ‘clinic’ from 9am till noon; it’s not like we had a private appointment or anything and thoughts of standing in line … being shepherded with hundreds of nose-picking children and sick people … maybe a bit like a scene in front of an American Wal-Mart the day after Thanksgiving … a stampede for H1N1 vaccine.

I don’t know … it just didn’t jive.

From the way the media is making it sound (and trust me, I avoid the majority of media but I get some by accident) this vaccination is scarce and it’s only being given to certain people. I almost felt bad getting it, you know?

So I called my doctor at about 10am and asked her if the clinic was still on and if it was crazy there (hoping that they’d run out or had a line around the block because then we’d wait). She replied with, “It was earlier but not anymore (ugh). We’ve run out of vaccine (excellent) and have gone got pick up more (ugh), so don’t be here before 11:15.

And at 11:15 we arrived to a nearly empty office … wrote our names on a list after one other name. Had our own private room, a wonderful nurse who I’ve known for 10+ years and were in and out of there in 10 minutes with stickers for the girls.

Weird. Good weird, but weird nonetheless. Sometimes I’m shocked by the level of quality and healthcare services my family receives. I’m very grateful.

My girls dressed up like doctors and didn’t flinch at the needle. I was pretty proud of their composure … better than mine, that’s for sure. They’re bouncing and jumping around right now totally not phased and without a fever for the first time in their vaccination history.

So that’s good because I was mostly worried about them and their reactions.

My arm is super duper sore (supposedly this vaccination can make a woman without much muscle pretty sore – children and men usually don’t have issues) and the last thing I want to do is be typing on the internet, so this will be it for today.

We’re vaccinated now. And while I was personally totally against it, as a parent to small children, I’m just a tad more at peace.

I’ll continue with my fierce hand washing rules and healthy anti-flu diet supplemented with vitamins and minerals, moderate exercise and tons of sleep and hopefully my family, friends and everyone I love – including all of you and your families, whether or not you’ve decided to vaccinate against H1N1 – stay healthy and well.