Sisters.
Cookies.
Friends. (Twins!)
Snow.
Tree.
Santa.
Christmas sunrises.
Cat.
Treats.
Love.
Happiest of Christmases to you all!
I wish for you all the brilliance and joy this bonkers world can offer.
Tag: Holidays
Good strong words that mean something
So there’s this scene in Little Women, when all four sisters are lying in bed together. It’s just after Amy has fallen through the frozen pond while ice skating (arguably almost dying, had it not been for the speedy response of Jo and Laurie), and she is apologizing to Jo for being just THE WORST© (seriously, Amy March has always been my least favourite March sister and I won’t even get into the fact that she is the one that ended up with Laurie, because WHAT THE EFF right?) because she had burned her sister’s book in anger over the fact that she was too young to attend the opera with her and Meg.
Too convoluted an opener? Then you must, MUST read the book!
Or at the very least watch the movie version with Winona Ryder and Susan Sarandon. It is really bloody great.
Anyways, Amy then asks her sister, “Do you love Laurie more than you love me?” and Jo responds aghast, “I could never love anyone as I love my sisters!”
MEEP. My heart hurts just thinking about this phrase.
You see, that folks – THAT is exactly how I feel about these gals:
My sisters are two of the most important people in my entire life, and it absolutely slays me that they live so gosh-darned far away, as this means that the majority of the time I see them is when they are looking back at me through their respective computer screens.
It also means that usually one (or both) of us is lying in bed, completely knackered after a day of racing about our respective cities, desperately trying to stay awake and concentrate on what the other one is saying.
When all I really want to be doing is sitting on a sofa with both them, drinking a glass of wine, and laughing about all the ridiculous things we do in our lives, whether together or separate.
For instance, always thinking we can recreate that scene from Little Women and sleep in the same bed together (often on Christmas eve), only to just destroy ourselves in the process of trying.
And in only one week’s time, this will be a reality!
(Hopefully sans shared bed, of course. Seriously, I also end up stuck in the middle.)
Holy crapola, I cannot wait.
I am especially excited because this Sunday I am headlining my very first comedy night, and Kate (my older sister) and her wife will be here to see it.
YEAH!
I have fifteen minutes to bring all the laughs that I possibly can.
Elsewhere on the docket, they are currently filming Supernatural pretty much right in my backyard:
I used to get super jazzed about television and movie filming in my city, (Kate and I actually used to steal those arrow film signs you see littered about Vancouver and we’d use them to decorate our respective bedrooms. And by we, I mean she did it first, and I, as the younger sister, copied her lead) but now I’m pretty blasé about the whole thing.
It has to be a show I really, really love for me to get all shirty over something like that. (However, I’m pretty sure I would live in a perpetual state of bonkerness if Marc and I were ever to move back to the UK and put down roots in London because I would just constantly be on the lookout for all my favourite panel show comedians. Good grief.)
Oh, a this also happened:
And finally, in but three days I will be on vacation until the 6th of January.
During that time I will be doing nothing save running, eating, laughing, writing, reading, sleeping, and spending all of the time with all the beautiful, magical, brilliant loves of my life.
I so very much hope that all of you will be doing much of the same.
Like sand through the hourglass
Holy frick on a stick it’s been two week since my last post.
WHERE IS THE WORLD SLIPPING AWAY TOO?
I don’t know about you folks, but here in Vancity it is frozen like a frozen thing. We’ve had big puffs of fluffy white stuff falling from the frigid grey heavens for two days straight now. I don’t go anywhere without my massive winter coat and big boots because goodness knows I wouldn’t want to end up stranded in a rogue snow drift unprepared!
Goodness knows.
Speaking of unprepared – can we hit the pause button so I can possibly get my act together and think about what needs to happen in preparation for the big December Two Five?
Everywhere there might be a feeling of Christmas, but there’s also a feeling of urgency and stress!
Egads.
In similar news, Marc and I keep racing about like mad gophers, trying to keep up with all of our work and volunteer-related commitments.
I’m still doing the comedy thing, but definitely taking on less gigs than earlier this year, what with my sanity being held together by an all too fragile thread. I’ve also been hosting the Storytelling Show, running up a storm (up until the buckets snow started falling to the ground that is), and doing a ton of United Way speaking engagements.
We’ve also been knee-deep in DIY home repairs (Ms. Java can you hear me? I have foolishly followed in your footsteps!), repainting our walls, and installing new carpet in the upstairs.
I am pretty ready for our house to go back to normal.
Whatever that is.
BUT HOLY COMFORT BATMAN.
Who knew what a difference a new carpet could make? I never!
It’s seriously like walking on heaven. My little feets smile up a storm every time I get out of bed and step on that sweet, soft carpet-y goodness.
Riiiiight….
OKAY.
I promise to actually write a real blog post this week, not just this insane mish-mash of my life’s eccentricities plus a collection of photographs of all the delicious treats I eat.
But until that time!
Here we go…
YES.
Cat.
Birds.
Book.
Boy.
Happiest of days to you my fab chaps!
I hope that everything for you is both merry and bright.
Dressed in holiday style
Hi Chickadees,
T’is the last week before the lovely Mr. M and I begin our Christmas hols in earnest. I am so very ready to hang up my hat and to celebrate the end of 2012 in style.
My husband has been sleeping on average three hours a night, and working eighteen hours a day, so I can only imagine how ready he is for a vacation.
I am also trying to figure out how much I can possibly stuff in my carry-on suitcase, because the last thing that I want to do when flying clear across this massive country is check my luggage, as there are just too many ways for it to be lost betwixt here and YHZ.
Canada is great for many things (ex. maple syrup, universal healthcare, Rick Mercer), however there are times when I think living someplace – Switzerland, say – would be so much easier, particularly whilst making travel plans.
See also: cheese and chocolate selection, tennis players, and bank accounts.
This weekend was a mixed bag of Bollywood comedies, cookie making madness, freezing runs, brief snowfalls, open mics, and new episodes of The Hour on Netflix.
Seriously dudes, if you’re not watching this show START NOW.
It’s some of the best television I’ve seen in quite some time.
In the interim, here are some snaps from life here in the madhouse:
Cookie monsters.
Early morning beauty.
Bookshelf love.
Fire cat.
Tonight we are off to deck the halls (with boughs of holly) at M’s parents house, and trim their tree with happiness and care.
(Although when I asked him what he was most excited to put on the tree, the madman just kept repeating “turkey.” We shall see how well that turns out. Also, re-read the sentence about him being massively sleep deprived.)
Happy Monday you beauty cats!
May it be oh so merry and bright.
Getting into the spirit of things
The days are growing shorter, the nights colder, and sometime over the past week, the holiday season seems to have landed here in our fair city.
Arriving at work just the other day I was greeted by boughs and garlands hanging from every (street) corner; New Westminster skytrain station is bedazzled and bedecked with lights of all shapes and sizes; and no matter what coffee shop I patronize, I’m sure to find red cups, and holiday flavoured drinks and snacks.
A word to the wise dear readers – avoid anything “marshmallow”. I ordered one of these drinks last week (a toasted marshmallow latte to be specific), and while it was a valiant effort on the part on my barista, espresso and synthetic Jetpuff syrup is not a combination meant for this world.
Goodness knows.
And as we creep ever closer to December, and all the festivities that automatically come with our twelfth month, you might be asking yourself what kind of gifts you will be purchasing for all your friends and family.
This can be a delicate dance for some. I know for me, this is one of my most favourite parts of the holidays. I get a thrum in my tummy just thinking about the chance I’ll have to find something beautiful and fitting for all the wonderful people in my life.
I want to make sure that whatever it is I end up purchasing is beautiful and interesting and original – something the person may not have previously thought about, or knew even existed.
I love December, and all the razzle-dazzle of the month, because of the time I get to spend with family (this year M and I are flying down east to spend Christmas with my mother and sisters), the outings and parties with good friends, and the quiet time (if only an hour or two!) I get to spend with my husband.
As we creep ever closer to candy canes, tree trimmings, snowmen, and Christmas carols, I am gearing myself up to watch my three favourite holiday movies OF. ALL. TIME.
Now, whilst I understand that there are a number of fab films out there that do well to sum up the holiday spirit, in my humble opinion these three movies will never be beat:
1. Muppets Christmas Carol.
I LOVE this flick.
Michael Caine as Scrooge! Gonzo as Charles Dickens! Rizzo as his ever-hungry side-kick! Ice skating penguins! Singing cabbages! Cheese-less peasant mice!
Meep.
Normally I’m not even that big a fan of singing in movies, but heck, that rule is thrown out the window with gusto when it comes to Jim Henson and his gang.
How can you not dig that tune?
(Seriously, if you don’t, you will be visited by three ghosts tonight. Get ready for one heck of a ride when the bell strikes one.)
2. Home Alone
Now, this may have quite a lot to do with the fact that I have the sense of humour of a eleven year old boy, but this movie never, ever, fails to crack me up.
Watching Marv and Harry get the absolute crap kicked out of them makes me laugh so hard I cry.
(So I might be a bit of a sadist as well.)
For the past fifteen years I haven’t been able to eat cheese pizza without saying: “A whole cheese pizza just for me!” or thinking that eating two tictacs will ruin my dinner.
Plus: Catherine O’Hara. My comedy goddess and make-believe mum.
3. Love Actually
LOVE IS ACTUALLY ALL AROUND WHEN YOU WATCH THIS MOVIE.
This is M’s an my “official” Christmas movie, and we watch it every year sometime in the lead up to the 25th. We love it. We quote it year-round.
A golden oldie for a golden oldie! Just in cases! WISCONSIN BABES! Dip it in yogurt and cover it in chocolate buttons! Sexy Carl! Hurry up big boy! Arbore…montagno…bello…bella…Frankie Valley…oh shut up…!
I always say that if I were to go back and do more graduate work, I would do it in film studies and I would write my thesis on how this movie is evidence of a perfectly scored film.
Every song works so well in every scene, it’s a bit mind boggling. Nora Jones to dance to! Dido when she find out you’re in love with her! All you need is love at your wedding! Joni Mitchell in the face of infidelity!
SO. BRILLIANT.
So excited! Now I cannot wait even more.
What about you folks? What movies do you like to watch this time of year?
You supply the titles, while I make the popcorn.
This is going to be good.
Rant and Roll 