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| A Facebook find. :) (h/t to my longtime CNBC buddy & sometimes commenter here, Doubleme. :) ) |
Showing posts with label memes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label memes. Show all posts
Sunday, January 22, 2023
Abso-frickin'-lutely :)
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
Back to school week :(
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Zoe Clark-Coates has the best stuff. :) Thinking of everyone whose kids should have been starting school this week, even the kids who only existed in our dreams. |
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
Amazing
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| @brianandreas on Instagram, via @gatewaywomen :) (Not entirely sure I'm entirely "past it" -- but mostly so!) |
Thursday, May 27, 2021
Sunday, April 11, 2021
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Chasing rainbows
I stumbled onto this post in my Instagram feed this morning by The Dovecote, a UK-based organization that supports childless women (it's actually a repost from a bakery called The Kitsch Hen!). When I saw that today is apparently "Rainbow Baby Day," I winced a little. I love rainbows, and I am so happy for my friends who got their "rainbow baby" ...but of course, any talk of "rainbow babies" is always a reminder that I didn't get mine, that (as some childless friends have put it) I've been stuck standing outside in the pouring rain these past 22 years, metaphorically speaking. ;)
So I was happy to read on in the post (always read the whole post, people!) and get a thrill of recognition that my childless tribe had not been forgotten. :) That, in fact, someone recognizes that those storm clouds still might have a silver lining, that the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow might not be a baby after all. Thank you, The Dovecote & The Kitsch Hen! I don't often share stuff like this on my own social media feeds, but I shared this one on Facebook because I was so tickled.
(And because of this post & my desire to share it, I learned how to embed an Instagram post into my blog, so there's that too..!)
Saturday, July 25, 2020
Saturday night odds & ends
- How is it possible that it's already July 25th?? The days drag and one blurs into the next and the next and the next, but somehow this year is rapidly slipping away...
- I recently got on the scale for the first time in four months, since this pandemic began. My clothes from previous summers still fit, so I probably would have just cruised on blindly (lalalala...) -- but I have my annual physical coming up next month (unless it gets postponed again -- already re-booked from May...), and I didn't want any nasty surprises on the scale there (and of course, the dr's scale is always at least a few pounds heavier than the one I have at home...!).
- I was somewhat pleasantly surprised that despite four months mostly in couch potato mode, I've only gained one pound. Now, my pre-COVID weight was nothing great -- the heaviest I've ever been actually, and I just upped that number by another pound -- but I figure things could be a whole lot worse, right? #winning?
- I spent a couple of frustrating hours on Friday night -- including a longwinded live chat with my Internet/email service provider -- trying to change my email password. This was one of the things I'd been asked to do in order to restore access to my supermarket points, after my card was hacked in March, right at the beginning of this pandemic (which I mentioned here -- a huge hassle in itself). Frustratingly, I wound up locking myself out of my online email account, as well the ISP website itself!!
- After much wailing & gnashing of teeth, I managed to restore ISP access on both my Microsoft Edge & Google Chrome browsers on my laptop... and I was finally able to access my email online through the ISP email site on Chrome, via the Outlook program on my laptop, and on my cellphone -- but NOT through the online ISP email site on MS Edge on my laptop. I decided 3 out of 4 ain't bad and called it a night...! :p Technology can be a blessing, but it can also be a real hassle sometimes...!
- I posted about this on Facebook & had a few people tell me to just get a Google Mail account. I HAVE a Google Mail account, but I mainly use it for Google Alerts & other junky email stuff. I like being able to download my email through Outlook, and I have had the same email address for almost 20 years... I'm kind of attached to it. ;)
- I continue to be agog over the photos in my social media feeds of my friends (and others) -- in Canada as well as in the U.S. -- socializing in groups (sometimes large groups), at bars and restaurants and backyard pool parties and barbecues, arms around each other, no masks in sight -- a high school class reunion, for one example. You would never guess there's still a dangerous pandemic raging around the world!
- A friend (a loss mom we met through our support group) posted one of those "Never have I ever" memes on Facebook, where you scored one point for each thing on the list you haven't done. #7 on the list was "Birthed children." One of her (male) friends commented "#7 is a gimme." Another guy commented, "If there's a #7 there should automatically be something that excludes women. Like peed in a urinal." I had to bite my cybertongue... not all of women have birthed children ("woman" does NOT automatically equal "mother")... not all of us CAN birth children, or even CHOOSE to birth children... and not all of us who have birthed children (I went through labour & delivery, I would take that point!) got to hear them cry or take them home. I don't know if it was male cluelessness specifically or society's cluelessness generally, but it rubbed me the wrong way.
- It's not too early to start thinking about World Childless Week, which will be held Sept. 14-20 this year. :) Organizer Stephanie Phillips is asking for submissions on the daily topics, which include Our Stories, Diversity Day, Ageing Without Children, Men Matter Too, Comments That Hurt, We Are Worthy, and Moving Forward. A submission form and further information can be found here.
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Reflections on my COVID-19 experience (so far)
A little while back, I shared some COVID-19-related questions/prompts from a scrapbooking project about the pandemic. I thought they might also make good blogging prompts :) and said I would think about doing a future blog post to answer some or all of these questions. Here it is! (It will be interesting to see if any of my answers change, further down the road...!)
When was the moment you knew this was serious. Where were you and what happened?
We'd been hearing about the virus for quite a while -- first in China, then on cruise ships, then in Seattle, then Vancouver... The WHO declared a pandemic on March 11th, followed by various American & Canadian governments. The world figure skating championships in Montreal were cancelled that same day (something I'd been looking forward to watching) -- and then the next day, the NHL suspended the entire hockey season (!). (This, I think, was the moment that **** got real for most Canadians...!)
Dh & I looked at each other that night & agreed it might be smart to head to the supermarket the next day (Thursday, March 12th -- even though we'd already done our usual grocery run a few days earlier) & pick up some more food and cleaning supplies, just in case... (We also made stops at the drugstore as well as the bookstore/Starbucks.) The supermarket was not packed (yet), but it was much busier than usual for around noon on a Thursday, and there were a lot of grim-faced people stalking up & down the aisles with loaded carts. The shelves were generally still fairly well stocked -- although the soap, cleaning supplies, pasta & some of the canned goods were starting to look a little picked over. We'd already heard about people stockpiling toilet paper, and sure enough, when we came around the corner of that particular aisle, there was not one package of toilet paper of any kind to be had. I went back there while dh stood in the checkout line with our cart and I took a photo. I posted it later on Instagram & Facebook, with the caption, "So apparently the threat of the zombie apocalypse has reached [the supermarket here]." That, for me personally, was a defining moment. (I think of March 12th as "the last normal day," when we were still out & about doing "normal" things... even if things were already starting to feel a little less normal than usual.)
Looking back now, is there one particular news article or story that stands out to you?
I can't think of one, offhand... as I mentioned, hearing that not only were the world figure skating championships cancelled but the entire NHL season was being suspended was a "whoa, I guess this really is serious!" moment.
I remember a couple of news stories earlier on that brought home to me just how very contagious this virus was, and that you could be a carrier even if you weren't feeling sick yourself. One was about a choir in Washington State that decided to carry on with its regular practice on March 10, and 45 of the 60 members subsequently became ill (& several died). Another was about a cluster of cases & deaths among people who had been to one man's funeral in Georgia.
What was the first meme that caused you to laugh out loud?
I went back through my Facebook timeline, and while I had reposted a couple of humorous memes earlier in March, this one, from March 10th, was probably the first one that got a literal LOL from me (you might have to be Canadian to appreciate it...! -- Tim Horton's is a popular national doughnut/coffee shop chain, named for the late NHL hockey player who started it).
What have you observed in your community that has been heart-warming?
Personally, I haven't been out in the community much to observe anything! But we saw a child's drawing of a rainbow taped to the window of a house nearby while we were out walking. Likewise, on a fence along the main road near our building, someone has posted a large homemade sign thanking frontline workers. Both those things made me smile.
What has been the biggest change to your everyday routine?
Our everyday routine is really not all that different from what it was. We're both retired, so we spend a lot of time at home anyway... there have always been at least a few days during the week when we stayed at home and didn't go out, when we had laundry or housecleaning to do, or when the weather wasn't nice.
But we DID get out a couple of times a week -- for lunch, for grocery shopping and other errands, to the bookstore/Starbucks for a leisurely browse, to the mall, to visit BIL & family, for dinner on Saturday night. These days, we don't go out AT ALL... so that's been a big change. Dh goes out for groceries & to pick up any prescription refills, once every 7-10 days, and we go for the occasional walk when the weather is nice enough. That's it.
(Not that there's many places we could go, even if we wanted to. Malls are closed, restaurants are limited to takeout & delivery. Some stores that were previously closed -- the bookstore, Best Buy, Home Depot, etc. -- are now offering curbside contactless pickup of online orders. Garden centres were just allowed to reopen, but again just for curbside pickup. Grocery stores & pharmacies have been open all along, but they are asking that one person per family shops just once a week, with masks on.)
How has family life been altered in your home?
Not much. We already spent a lot more time together than most couples I know, partly because that's our habit, partly because we're retired, and partly because I don't drive (& even if I did, we only have one car -- we have only ever really needed one car). We're both homebodies/couch potatos at the best of times -- but we've both been a bit bored/stir crazy at times in the absence of the little outings we've been used to (dh moreso than me, I think).
What have you learned to do because of this pandemic?
How to stay inside (almost all the time) for 8 straight weeks without completely losing my mind. (I think??)
How to make a no-sew mask out of a teatowel or sock, & possibly some elastic bands! (I have not needed to wear one yet, since I've barely been out of the house, let alone around people -- but when the time comes, I have lots of how-to articles & videos bookmarked, lol.)
How to use (if not completely master) some new apps like WhatsApp and Houseparty.
How to conserve toilet paper/how long a roll generally lasts (lol) and be more mindful about wasting food.
What change has created the most disappointment for you?
The cancellation of so many public and family events that I was looking forward to: the world figure skating championships in Montreal, the Elton John concert SIL & I had tickets to on March 29th, all remaining local performances of "Hamilton," which we were supposed to be seeing this weekend, a family dinner at a restaurant to celebrate dh's aunt's 75th birthday, Great-Nephew's baptism on June 14th (now rescheduled to September)... Not being able to spend time with Great-Nephew, period (probably the biggest disappointment of all! -- especially after waiting for him for so long, and moving here specifically because we wanted to forge connections to the younger generations of the family).
I understand why these things were cancelled (& I probably would not have wanted to risk going, given the current situation), but it's still been disappointing.
What has surprised you?
Maybe I shouldn't be surprised (after everything else that's happened in the last four years...), but it's absolutely, stunningly, mind-boggling to me to see just how many people (Americans, but also some Canadians) are actively (proudly!!) resisting doing the things that are proven to reduce the spread of the virus, like staying home and wearing a mask in public. The rush to re-open (ignoring the established guidelines), the willingness to put financial gain ahead of people's lives... it's very difficult to fathom.
Also: I'm surprised that I haven't read more! But apparently I am not alone in finding it hard to focus on a book right now...
What has not surprised you?
This pandemic has brought out the worst in some people... but it's also brought out the best in many more. Some lovely stories of what people are doing to help each other out. And the dedication of the frontline hospital staff in the ICUs (at great risk to their own wellbeing, especially with the lack of PPE)... it hasn't surprised me, because that's what they do (we saw it here in Toronto with SARS almost 20 years ago) -- but it does make feel thankful for their expertise and their dedication.
What about the future creates feelings of worry or fear?
Not knowing when I am going to be able to travel to visit my family again. Worrying about my parents, who aren't taking the social distancing recommendations as seriously as I think they should (albeit they do live in a small rural community in a province where the case numbers are much lower than they are here).
What have you truly enjoyed about sheltering in place?
I like staying at home a lot of the time anyway, & I like spending time with my husband. :) The pandemic has not changed that. I haven't been able to focus much on reading books (which has been disappointing), but I'm in two different online book discussion groups that I enjoy tremendously. I've also been trying (not entirely succeeding, but trying...!) to get to the bottom of my email inbox (all my daily newsletters...) and blog reader, and that keeps me busy.
Who or what has impressed you in a positive way?
I did not vote (and doubt I will ever vote) for the current premier of our province (more specifically for the local candidate of the party he leads... we do not directly elect provincial premiers or the prime minister in Canada). He's done a LOT that I do not agree with and that I flat out think is wrong and harmful. At the very beginning of all this, he took a lot of flack (rightfully so) for telling people to go on vacation (for spring break) and have a good time.
But I will give him credit: he very quickly changed his tune when the magnitude of this crisis became apparent, he has listened to the medical experts, he has worked together with the prime minister and federal government and other provincial premiers, and he has said & done the right things for most of the time since then. Unlike (cough cough) certain other leaders of other governments I can think of...
Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, has also impressed me with his command of the situation.
What will you do differently when life normalizes?
I'm not sure life is going to "normalize" for quite a while yet (if ever...)...! But I'm pretty sure everything I've learned about handwashing during this time -- its importance and how to do it better -- is going to stick with me for a very long time!
Also, I've never been someone who pays for everything with a piece of plastic (debit or credit card)-- I've always carried & used a healthy amount of cash, especially for smaller purchases (watching people pay for a $3 cup of coffee with a credit card drives me up the wall...!!) -- but I have a feeling I'll be doing that more often in the future. A lot less contact involved (especially if I can just tap & go).
What memory or moment will talk about in ten years?
I will tell Great-Nephew about how hard it was not to be able to see & hold him, and about how we brought him his Easter gifts and waved to him from behind the glass of the front door. (And about how the dog broke my heart, scratching and whining at the door because he wanted to greet us in his usual way so badly!)
When was the moment you knew this was serious. Where were you and what happened?
We'd been hearing about the virus for quite a while -- first in China, then on cruise ships, then in Seattle, then Vancouver... The WHO declared a pandemic on March 11th, followed by various American & Canadian governments. The world figure skating championships in Montreal were cancelled that same day (something I'd been looking forward to watching) -- and then the next day, the NHL suspended the entire hockey season (!). (This, I think, was the moment that **** got real for most Canadians...!)
Dh & I looked at each other that night & agreed it might be smart to head to the supermarket the next day (Thursday, March 12th -- even though we'd already done our usual grocery run a few days earlier) & pick up some more food and cleaning supplies, just in case... (We also made stops at the drugstore as well as the bookstore/Starbucks.) The supermarket was not packed (yet), but it was much busier than usual for around noon on a Thursday, and there were a lot of grim-faced people stalking up & down the aisles with loaded carts. The shelves were generally still fairly well stocked -- although the soap, cleaning supplies, pasta & some of the canned goods were starting to look a little picked over. We'd already heard about people stockpiling toilet paper, and sure enough, when we came around the corner of that particular aisle, there was not one package of toilet paper of any kind to be had. I went back there while dh stood in the checkout line with our cart and I took a photo. I posted it later on Instagram & Facebook, with the caption, "So apparently the threat of the zombie apocalypse has reached [the supermarket here]." That, for me personally, was a defining moment. (I think of March 12th as "the last normal day," when we were still out & about doing "normal" things... even if things were already starting to feel a little less normal than usual.)
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| Empty shelves where the toilet paper should be, Thursday, March 12, 2020. I originally posted this photo on this blog, here. |
Looking back now, is there one particular news article or story that stands out to you?
I can't think of one, offhand... as I mentioned, hearing that not only were the world figure skating championships cancelled but the entire NHL season was being suspended was a "whoa, I guess this really is serious!" moment.
I remember a couple of news stories earlier on that brought home to me just how very contagious this virus was, and that you could be a carrier even if you weren't feeling sick yourself. One was about a choir in Washington State that decided to carry on with its regular practice on March 10, and 45 of the 60 members subsequently became ill (& several died). Another was about a cluster of cases & deaths among people who had been to one man's funeral in Georgia.
What was the first meme that caused you to laugh out loud?
I went back through my Facebook timeline, and while I had reposted a couple of humorous memes earlier in March, this one, from March 10th, was probably the first one that got a literal LOL from me (you might have to be Canadian to appreciate it...! -- Tim Horton's is a popular national doughnut/coffee shop chain, named for the late NHL hockey player who started it).
What have you observed in your community that has been heart-warming?
Personally, I haven't been out in the community much to observe anything! But we saw a child's drawing of a rainbow taped to the window of a house nearby while we were out walking. Likewise, on a fence along the main road near our building, someone has posted a large homemade sign thanking frontline workers. Both those things made me smile.
What has been the biggest change to your everyday routine?
Our everyday routine is really not all that different from what it was. We're both retired, so we spend a lot of time at home anyway... there have always been at least a few days during the week when we stayed at home and didn't go out, when we had laundry or housecleaning to do, or when the weather wasn't nice.
But we DID get out a couple of times a week -- for lunch, for grocery shopping and other errands, to the bookstore/Starbucks for a leisurely browse, to the mall, to visit BIL & family, for dinner on Saturday night. These days, we don't go out AT ALL... so that's been a big change. Dh goes out for groceries & to pick up any prescription refills, once every 7-10 days, and we go for the occasional walk when the weather is nice enough. That's it.
(Not that there's many places we could go, even if we wanted to. Malls are closed, restaurants are limited to takeout & delivery. Some stores that were previously closed -- the bookstore, Best Buy, Home Depot, etc. -- are now offering curbside contactless pickup of online orders. Garden centres were just allowed to reopen, but again just for curbside pickup. Grocery stores & pharmacies have been open all along, but they are asking that one person per family shops just once a week, with masks on.)
How has family life been altered in your home?
Not much. We already spent a lot more time together than most couples I know, partly because that's our habit, partly because we're retired, and partly because I don't drive (& even if I did, we only have one car -- we have only ever really needed one car). We're both homebodies/couch potatos at the best of times -- but we've both been a bit bored/stir crazy at times in the absence of the little outings we've been used to (dh moreso than me, I think).
What have you learned to do because of this pandemic?
How to stay inside (almost all the time) for 8 straight weeks without completely losing my mind. (I think??)
How to make a no-sew mask out of a teatowel or sock, & possibly some elastic bands! (I have not needed to wear one yet, since I've barely been out of the house, let alone around people -- but when the time comes, I have lots of how-to articles & videos bookmarked, lol.)
How to use (if not completely master) some new apps like WhatsApp and Houseparty.
How to conserve toilet paper/how long a roll generally lasts (lol) and be more mindful about wasting food.
What change has created the most disappointment for you?
The cancellation of so many public and family events that I was looking forward to: the world figure skating championships in Montreal, the Elton John concert SIL & I had tickets to on March 29th, all remaining local performances of "Hamilton," which we were supposed to be seeing this weekend, a family dinner at a restaurant to celebrate dh's aunt's 75th birthday, Great-Nephew's baptism on June 14th (now rescheduled to September)... Not being able to spend time with Great-Nephew, period (probably the biggest disappointment of all! -- especially after waiting for him for so long, and moving here specifically because we wanted to forge connections to the younger generations of the family).
I understand why these things were cancelled (& I probably would not have wanted to risk going, given the current situation), but it's still been disappointing.
What has surprised you?
Maybe I shouldn't be surprised (after everything else that's happened in the last four years...), but it's absolutely, stunningly, mind-boggling to me to see just how many people (Americans, but also some Canadians) are actively (proudly!!) resisting doing the things that are proven to reduce the spread of the virus, like staying home and wearing a mask in public. The rush to re-open (ignoring the established guidelines), the willingness to put financial gain ahead of people's lives... it's very difficult to fathom.
Also: I'm surprised that I haven't read more! But apparently I am not alone in finding it hard to focus on a book right now...
What has not surprised you?
This pandemic has brought out the worst in some people... but it's also brought out the best in many more. Some lovely stories of what people are doing to help each other out. And the dedication of the frontline hospital staff in the ICUs (at great risk to their own wellbeing, especially with the lack of PPE)... it hasn't surprised me, because that's what they do (we saw it here in Toronto with SARS almost 20 years ago) -- but it does make feel thankful for their expertise and their dedication.
What about the future creates feelings of worry or fear?
Not knowing when I am going to be able to travel to visit my family again. Worrying about my parents, who aren't taking the social distancing recommendations as seriously as I think they should (albeit they do live in a small rural community in a province where the case numbers are much lower than they are here).
What have you truly enjoyed about sheltering in place?
I like staying at home a lot of the time anyway, & I like spending time with my husband. :) The pandemic has not changed that. I haven't been able to focus much on reading books (which has been disappointing), but I'm in two different online book discussion groups that I enjoy tremendously. I've also been trying (not entirely succeeding, but trying...!) to get to the bottom of my email inbox (all my daily newsletters...) and blog reader, and that keeps me busy.
Who or what has impressed you in a positive way?
I did not vote (and doubt I will ever vote) for the current premier of our province (more specifically for the local candidate of the party he leads... we do not directly elect provincial premiers or the prime minister in Canada). He's done a LOT that I do not agree with and that I flat out think is wrong and harmful. At the very beginning of all this, he took a lot of flack (rightfully so) for telling people to go on vacation (for spring break) and have a good time.
But I will give him credit: he very quickly changed his tune when the magnitude of this crisis became apparent, he has listened to the medical experts, he has worked together with the prime minister and federal government and other provincial premiers, and he has said & done the right things for most of the time since then. Unlike (cough cough) certain other leaders of other governments I can think of...
Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, has also impressed me with his command of the situation.
What will you do differently when life normalizes?
I'm not sure life is going to "normalize" for quite a while yet (if ever...)...! But I'm pretty sure everything I've learned about handwashing during this time -- its importance and how to do it better -- is going to stick with me for a very long time!
Also, I've never been someone who pays for everything with a piece of plastic (debit or credit card)-- I've always carried & used a healthy amount of cash, especially for smaller purchases (watching people pay for a $3 cup of coffee with a credit card drives me up the wall...!!) -- but I have a feeling I'll be doing that more often in the future. A lot less contact involved (especially if I can just tap & go).
What memory or moment will talk about in ten years?
I will tell Great-Nephew about how hard it was not to be able to see & hold him, and about how we brought him his Easter gifts and waved to him from behind the glass of the front door. (And about how the dog broke my heart, scratching and whining at the door because he wanted to greet us in his usual way so badly!)
Thursday, April 2, 2020
"Quarantined without kids, how is it?" (Seriously??!)
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| I've actually seen several people post this one on social media recently :p (including a couple of new moms). (I'm chalking it up to new mom lack of sleep... at least, I hope there's a logical excuse...!) A few people on a CNBC forum I'm on also saw it... as you might imagine, there were a few... *cough* ... INTERESTING (unprintable!! lol) responses!! Seriously -- many of us CNBCers are feeling even more isolated than usual from our families & friends and anxious about how our loved ones (especially our parents) are coping. I worry every time dh leaves our cozy condo to get some supplies at the supermarket (even if it is just once a week or so). What would I do without him?? (I try not to think about it.) Some childless women don't have partners & live alone. They are feeling especially isolated and vulnerable right now. We wonder, if anything happened to us, would anyone truly miss us? It's nice to have people reach out, check in, and know that you're thinking of us right now. BUT we're also feeling a bit overwhelmed by the increase in online activity and by all the requests for us to participate in chat groups and Zoom calls, etc. (which, we know, will inevitably become focused on kid and family-related matters) (and we wonder, where were you been in the months before all this unfolded?? Are you *really* interested in how *we're* doing -- or are you just hoping for a listening ear & somewhere you can dump all your own frustrations & anxieties right now?) THINK about it: Is there ANYTHING "relaxing" about living through a global pandemic for ANYONE, with or without kids?? (Seriously.) (Thank you for attending my TEDTalk, lol.) |
Saturday, January 4, 2020
Post-Christmas odds & ends
- Back from Christmas holidays & slowly getting back to normal. It wasn't a bad Christmas overall, but every time I visit, I am more and more acutely aware that my parents are rapidly aging. (And so am I, to put it bluntly...!)
- My angst around Christmas these days is not so much around my lack of children (because I've always had the comfort of returning to my childhood Christmas traditions with my family of origin) but more the knowledge that once my parents are gone, so will my holiday comfort zone, and then there will be some very dramatic changes to come... Many people make the break from their childhood Christmas celebrations and start their own when they get married and start families of their own... I never really have, and while I am glad I've had that comfort zone, especially in the wake of loss & permanent childlessness, I can see that it's going to be all the harder when the time finally comes to let go...
- My mom went over to the neighbours' house after Christmas to see their visiting grandchildren. She asked if I wanted to come with her. I said no. She kept showing me photos of her friends' grandchildren & great-great grandchildren on Facebook the entire time we were there. Most of the time, I really don't need or want to see that stuff. I might know her friends, but I don't really know most of their kids -- & I don't need the constant reminders of my failure on that front... :p (although I'm sure she didn't intend it to be taken that way).
- We were having coffee at BIL's when we got back home, and he was talking about how we need some girls in the family... "Who's going to take care of us when we get older? These guys [his two sons/our nephews]??" I thought, "You have two wonderful sons, and two beautiful daughters-in-law, and now an adorable grandson -- and YOU'RE worried about who's going to take care of YOU?? Who's going to take care of dh & me??" I love my brother-in-law, but it was one of those thoughtless things that people with kids say without really thinking about who they're talking to. Eyeroll. (I mentioned it to dh after we left, and he said, "I knew you were going to say that!" lol)
- I am slowly catching up on writing and posting all the blog posts I had half-written and mulled over in my head, and am sllllooooowwwwwllly catching up on my blog reading & commenting too.
- Mind-blowing meme on Facebook: 2050 is now as far away as 2020 was from 1990. (And my age then will be... oh, never mind...!)
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
There are mothers all around you
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| A Facebook find. It's Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day (in Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month). Light a candle tonight at 7 p.m., wherever you are, to create a worldwide wave of light in remembrance of our babies. |
Thursday, June 13, 2019
Influential
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| A Facebook find. :) I love this. :) I think it's something we need to remind ourselves as childless women, when we feel invisible and insignificant and overlooked, when we feel sad about whether we'll be remembered and what kind of a legacy we'll leave when we're gone. Sometimes the little things matter as much or more than the big stuff. |
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Someone else's survival guide :)
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| A Facebook find. :) What I've been trying to do here on this blog for the past 11+ years. :) |
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Reading reflections
Thank you, Raven Rambling, for this meme! :)
1. Who was your first (or only) literary hero?
In terms of characters? -- Nancy Drew. :) I inherited a copy of "The Clue of the Tapping Heels" from my mother, and the first book I can remember buying with my own money was "The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes." I was 7 -- I bought it at Eatons when I was with a church group for a youth rally in a larger town a few hours away from mine -- & I believe it cost something like $1.29 of my carefully saved allowance. :) My collection grew from there, and I also read Nancy Drews from the library or borrowed copies from friends.
In terms of my first author hero(ine)s, that would be L.M. Montgomery, author of "Anne of Green Gables" (as well as "Emily of New Moon," "Pat of Silver Bush," "The Blue Castle" and so many other wonderful books). The fact that she was Canadian was a plus. :) As an adult, I have read a lot about her life. She was a complex woman, and my admiration & respect for her and her accomplishments has only grown as I've learned more about her life and all the obstacles she had to deal with.
2. What book changed the way you looked at life?
I read "Looking Back" by Joyce Maynard when I was about 12, which I've written about in this blog before, here. The idea that someone just 7 years older than me could write a book, so well -- and one about her own life, experiences and observations, no less -- was mind-blowing to me. Not to mention that I could relate to so much of what she was writing about -- the Beatles vs the Stones, SRA labs at school, and most especially her loathing of phys ed class and team sports. :)
3. What book(s) can you read over and over?
I don't re-read a lot of books these days.... too many other books waiting to be read! But I've read some of L.M. Montgomery's books multiple times. I do like to read "The Blue Castle" again every several years. :)
4. Hardcover, paperback or e-book?
I will read any & all of the above. :) Hardcovers seem so much more substantial :) paperbacks are cheaper & not as heavy, and e-books are great because they are so portable and don't take up much space (or luggage weight, when I'm travelling/commuting). Most of the books I buy are paperback, but I will buy hardcover if it's an author I really like &/or a book I really like and don't want to wait to read until the paperback comes out.
5. What are your earliest reading memories?
My mother & grandmother both used to read to me, before I could read myself. I do remember the neighbour lady who lived across the street helping me sound out words in a book. (We studied phonics when I was in grade school, and I am a firm believer!) We had lots of Little Golden Books & other books in the house. My favourite (which I still have, although it's pretty beat-up) was called "Alexander Kitten" -- a present from my paternal grandparents (their names are inscribed on the inside cover). It's about a little orange & white kitten who lives on a farm and who is constantly getting into trouble. (Memorable line: "MEOWCH!" cried Alexander Kitten... And away he skittered!)(I will sometimes (still!) say this whenever I have an "ouch!" moment, lol.)
(I just Googled it -- I can't believe I found it on Goodreads!! See the cover, above.)
It wasn't too long before I was reading myself. I think I was 4. I was reading Bobbsey Twins & Nancy Drew books by the time I got to school, and I remember lugging my paperback copy of "Gone With the Wind" to school with me when I was 11 or 12. :)
6. What are you reading right now?
I am still plugging along on "Russian Roulette." My D.E. Stevenson reading group is starting its next selection, "Spring Magic," soon. And I'll be reading the next selection for the local library book club in time for its late April meeting -- "The German Girl" by Armando Lucas Correa.
(Speaking of the library book club -- I went to my first meeting at the library last night. We were discussing "Beartown" by Fredrik Backman, which I read & reviewed here. The meeting was an hour & a half long. There were a LOT more people than I thought there would be, about 18 -- 17 women and one man, lol. A few looked to be in their late 40s or 50s (like me), but I would say most were in their 60s or older (one older lady was shocked! SHOCKED!! by some of the language the boys in the book used, lol). With that many people around the table, there tended to be a lot of side conversations going on, & every now & then, a chorus of "SHHH!!" would start. Nevertheless (as a one-time group facilitator myself), I thought the librarian leading the discussion did a pretty good job of keeping the commotion down & making sure everyone who had something to say got a chance to speak. I will be back!)
Thanks for reading along, and feel free to answer the questions in the comments (or on your own blog). I’d love to see your responses!
1. Who was your first (or only) literary hero?
In terms of my first author hero(ine)s, that would be L.M. Montgomery, author of "Anne of Green Gables" (as well as "Emily of New Moon," "Pat of Silver Bush," "The Blue Castle" and so many other wonderful books). The fact that she was Canadian was a plus. :) As an adult, I have read a lot about her life. She was a complex woman, and my admiration & respect for her and her accomplishments has only grown as I've learned more about her life and all the obstacles she had to deal with.
2. What book changed the way you looked at life?
3. What book(s) can you read over and over?
I don't re-read a lot of books these days.... too many other books waiting to be read! But I've read some of L.M. Montgomery's books multiple times. I do like to read "The Blue Castle" again every several years. :)
4. Hardcover, paperback or e-book?
I will read any & all of the above. :) Hardcovers seem so much more substantial :) paperbacks are cheaper & not as heavy, and e-books are great because they are so portable and don't take up much space (or luggage weight, when I'm travelling/commuting). Most of the books I buy are paperback, but I will buy hardcover if it's an author I really like &/or a book I really like and don't want to wait to read until the paperback comes out.
5. What are your earliest reading memories?
(I just Googled it -- I can't believe I found it on Goodreads!! See the cover, above.)
It wasn't too long before I was reading myself. I think I was 4. I was reading Bobbsey Twins & Nancy Drew books by the time I got to school, and I remember lugging my paperback copy of "Gone With the Wind" to school with me when I was 11 or 12. :)
6. What are you reading right now?
I am still plugging along on "Russian Roulette." My D.E. Stevenson reading group is starting its next selection, "Spring Magic," soon. And I'll be reading the next selection for the local library book club in time for its late April meeting -- "The German Girl" by Armando Lucas Correa.
(Speaking of the library book club -- I went to my first meeting at the library last night. We were discussing "Beartown" by Fredrik Backman, which I read & reviewed here. The meeting was an hour & a half long. There were a LOT more people than I thought there would be, about 18 -- 17 women and one man, lol. A few looked to be in their late 40s or 50s (like me), but I would say most were in their 60s or older (one older lady was shocked! SHOCKED!! by some of the language the boys in the book used, lol). With that many people around the table, there tended to be a lot of side conversations going on, & every now & then, a chorus of "SHHH!!" would start. Nevertheless (as a one-time group facilitator myself), I thought the librarian leading the discussion did a pretty good job of keeping the commotion down & making sure everyone who had something to say got a chance to speak. I will be back!)
Thanks for reading along, and feel free to answer the questions in the comments (or on your own blog). I’d love to see your responses!
Sunday, March 17, 2019
"Just enjoy the trees"
 |
| A Facebook find :) and something I think we as childless women feel especially pressured to do, in lieu of having children to focus our energies on. |
Monday, February 18, 2019
#MicroblogMondays: "Probably Mom"???
Because this is the unspoken flipside of the coin here, isn't it? -- i.e., if you're a woman, and someone IS listening to you, your name probably ISN'T Mom.
To be clear, I don't believe whoever wrote that memo was thinking in terms of moms vs non-mothers. It was just one of those jokey things that parents say to each other, especially when they're having a rough day, right?
But (from my perspective as a childless woman) that's the point, isn't it?? Nobody tends to consider the childless/free, in a world where parents are in the majority. It's not just that nobody's listening to us (and if you think your voice isn't being heard or doesn't count, try walking in our shoes as childless women...!); nobody realizes that our experience might be different. It's generally just not on anybody's radar.
I'm sure it's true that a lot of (most?) moms don't feel listened to sometimes (especially by their kids!). One wise childless friend noted that kids tend not to listen to their moms OR dads -- but "not being heard or listened to is a woman thing, for sure."
Another noted this meme might be true in the context of parents speaking & children listening (or not!) -- she thought her goddaughters were (sometimes) more likely to listen to her than their own uncool parents ;) -- but not so much in terms of women speaking & being listened to in society at large.
A few commenters on the original post noted this could also apply to a teacher. (True.) A couple added, "Or wife!" But nobody seemed to question the inherent pronatalism in the meme.Realistically, I don't think motherhood (or non-motherhood) has much to do with it. If you're a woman and you don't feel like people are listening to you, it's likely because you're a woman, and women generally aren't listened to or taken seriously as much as men are.
What do you think?
You can find more of this week's #MicroblogMondays posts here.
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Monday, December 31, 2018
2018 Year in Review
Time for another Year in Review post for 2018!
I started doing this year-end meme eight years ago -- and, although I feel like many of the answers don't change much from year to year, it's still a great way to look back and keep track. (All of my New Year's/Year in Review posts have now been tagged with the label "Year in Review.") Feel free to use the questions on your own blog (& let me know if you do!).
1. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't really make new year's resolutions anymore -- they tend to be pretty much the same ones, year after year (although I have modified some over time, and even deleted ones that no longer apply). Here are the perennials, and the progress I made (or didn't) in 2018:
Enjoyed a long-anticipated and rare girls' weekend away with two former work colleagues in a part of the province I hadn't seen before.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No. (But with two adult nephews now married, we are hoping to see some great-nieces and nephews in the not-too-very-distant future...!)(They will get no pressure from me on that front, though!)
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, sadly, my wonderful father-in-law, at age 89 on Aug. 9th. :(
5. What countries did you visit?
We did not leave the country in 2018. (While the United States is less than a two-hour drive away, I have to admit, I have no great desire to cross the border while you-know-who is in charge...)
6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?
More travel, even just day trips. More new experiences. I am very much a creature of habit, I will admit, but I do like getting out & exploring too, and whenever I do push myself to do it, I come back exhausted but also exhilarated.
7. What date(s) from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
April 14th, Younger Nephew's wedding. :) August 9th, the day FIL passed away. :( August 5th & 7th, November 14th and other related dates -- 2018 marked 20 (!!) years since the stillbirth of my daughter.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting through FIL's diagnosis, decline, death & funeral, with all its reminders of my rollercoaster pregnancy and stillbirth, covering almost exactly the same timeframe, exactly 20 years earlier.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Over the past several years, I've said, "Not speaking my mind enough, and drifting instead of taking the initiative to get things done that I wanted to do." Unfortunately, I think that still applies. :p
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No -- but I'm definitely feeling older these days, with parts of me (knees in particular!) getting creakier and not working quite as well as they used to...! :p
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Tickets to see Paul McCartney with my sister. :) Expensive, but well worth it!
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir, Canada's ice dancing sweethearts (if not each other's, lol). Seeing them win an unprecedented second (third, if you count the team competition) gold medal at the Olympics in February was a huge moment of national pride for Canadians.
The students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, who turned tragedy (a mass shooting at their school by a fellow student in February) into triumph with their March For Our Lives in March, and their ongoing campaign for sensible gun laws in the U.S.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Donald Trump & Co. Need I say more?? :p
Ontario Premier Doug Ford (older and meaner brother of the late crack-smoking Toronto Mayor Rob Ford), who is following in Trump's footsteps, and sorely testing the theory that Canada is a kinder and gentler place than the United States. :p
14. Where did most of your money go?
Beyond the usual bills -- and books, lol -- we had a few large expenses during the year. There was our nephew's wedding (including my new dress & the alterations -- which cost as much as the dress itself! -- and gifts -- bridal shower, wedding & housewarming). We spent a lot more on gas & road tolls, travelling back & forth across the city more frequently over the spring/summer months to visit FIL. And I wound up buying a new laptop and printer when my old laptop started acting up more frequently.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Our nephew's wedding. Seeing Paul McCartney with my sister. :) The opening of a new subway extension at this time last year, with a station nearby, making it much easier to get downtown.
16. What song will always remind you of 2018?
"Havana-na-na-na..." I can't even tell you what company used that song for an ad, but it's an earworm I wish I could get rid of...!
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?
More or less the same, on all three fronts.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Travelling. FIL's illness & passing threw a bit of a monkey wrench into even our plans to travel to see my family this summer. And then going to see them in the fall instead precluded a trip anywhere else. But there's always next year...
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Sitting around the house. :p
20. How did you spend Christmas?
As usual, we spent Christmas with my family on the Canadian Prairies, where a white Christmas is practically guaranteed! (Still here for New Year's!) Ham dinner & presents on Christmas Eve with PND & the Little Princesses, stockings and turkey on Christmas Day.
21. Did you fall in love in 2018?
No.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
We enjoyed the Thursday night lineup of The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, Mom & a reboot of Murphy Brown (albeit it hasn't been quite as good as I'd hoped).
Designated Survivor, season 2, wasn't as gripping as the first season -- but I kept watching anyway. ;) It was cancelled by ABC, but has been picked up by Netflix.
And I enjoyed the latest seasons of Victoria & Poldark on PBS, and The Handmaid's Tale on Bravo.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you did not hate this time last year?
No.
24. What was the best book you read?
While I didn't read a huge amount of books this year (albeit more than I did last year -- 27 -- see #1), most of the ones I did read were pretty good. As usual, I read a lot more non-fiction than fiction: 9 fiction books to 18 non. Four of those 9 novels were by my old favourite, D.E. Stevenson, for our online fan/discussion group. On the non-fiction front, I enjoyed several excellent biographies/memoirs (one of my favourite genres); feminist writing, including several books on the subject of women and anger; and several books related to current U.S. politics and the Trump presidency.
It's always very hard for me to pick a single book as "the best," and this year, there were quite a few that would contend for that title. They would definitely include:
As in the past, I must admit, I don't listen to a lot of new music. I did enjoy rediscovering Queen -- they weren't one of my favourite bands when I was growing up -- but they were THERE -- and seeing "Bohemian Rhapsody" at the movies (and being able to sing along with just about every song in it) made me realize all over again that I was soooooo lucky to grow up listening to some pretty fabulous music. :)
26. What did you want and get?
A new computer. A white Christmas. :)
27. What did you want and not get?
Still waiting on that sunspot vacation. ;) (Or any kind of vacation that doesn't involve visiting family, lol.)
28. What was your favourite film of this year?
We saw 15 movies in the theatres in 2018 (compared to 16 in 2016 and 2017, and 23 in 2015)(listed here in the order we saw them in): Star Wars: The Last Jedi, The Post, Darkest Hour, The Shape of Water, Black Panther, The Avengers: Infinity War, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Ocean's 8, The Incredibles 2, Christopher Robin, Crazy Rich Asians, Fahrenheit 11/9, A Star is Born, First Man, and Bohemian Rhapsody.
As with books, it's hard to pick a favourite -- we enjoyed them all! "Bohemian Rhapsody" didn't get great critical reviews, but we both enjoyed it hugely -- also "A Star is Born" (both featuring great music!). I also enjoyed "Crazy Rich Asians," possibly even more so than the book. Nice to see a good rom-com again! :) And while the sequels will never top the originals, I LOVED seeing Mark Hamill & Carrie Fisher again in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."
Least favourite? That's easy: "The Avengers: Infinity Wars." A real downer, not at all what I expected, and NOT what I needed on Voldemort Day. :p
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 57, and it was two days before our nephew's fiancee's bridal shower. The weather was absolute crap, but I still managed to get out of the house for a manicure & pedicure, lunch & bookstore visit, and then dinner out later. :) 58 coming up shortly (!).
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A little more travel beyond the limits of the Greater Toronto Area.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?
It hasn't changed much in recent years. Comfort counts more than being fashion-forward! Since retirement, I spend most of my days in yoga pants (or shorts, in the summer) & T-shirts, lol. Lots of Old Navy. ;) And they opened a Lucky Brand store at the mall near us. Love their stuff!
32. What kept you sane?
(This question assumes sanity on my part, lol. ;) ) Once again this year, I would credit a good mixture of downtime at home, and getting out of the house. We were tied to home more than usual because of FIL's illness, which added to our enjoyment of the times when we were able to get out & do a few fun things.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
UPDATE See #12.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
In last year's answer to this question, I expounded on the issue of freedom of the press and media bashing. The shooting at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland on June 28, and the murders of five employees (including four journalists), made me LIVID in a way I very seldom get. I could literally feel my blood pressure going through the roof as I watched the early reports on television, and wound up dosing myself with a "stress release" blend of essential oils trying to calm myself down. I was thrilled to see that they were among TIME Magazine's featured "Persons of the Year" -- "The Guardians and the War on Truth."
The other political issue that is near & dear to my heart is the whole issue of equality and women's rights, which are (once again) under threat. It was great to see so many women elected to Congress in the U.S. midterm elections this fall!
35. Who did you miss?
FIL. We still go to visit stepMIL every couple of weeks, but the house feels strangely quiet & empty without him there.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
As I answered last year, I really haven't met an awful lot of new people lately; at least, none that I see often/regularly. I would love to have a good different answer to this question in 2019!
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018.
This year brought home to me, once again, that while the days & weeks sometimes drag, the months & years go by far too quickly. Enjoy them while you can!
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
I will have to think of this one....
I started doing this year-end meme eight years ago -- and, although I feel like many of the answers don't change much from year to year, it's still a great way to look back and keep track. (All of my New Year's/Year in Review posts have now been tagged with the label "Year in Review.") Feel free to use the questions on your own blog (& let me know if you do!).
1. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't really make new year's resolutions anymore -- they tend to be pretty much the same ones, year after year (although I have modified some over time, and even deleted ones that no longer apply). Here are the perennials, and the progress I made (or didn't) in 2018:
- Lose weight. Alas, I am (once again) more or less the same weight as I was this time last year... I go up a few pounds, I go down, I go up again... :p
- Exercise more. (And hopefully lose more weight...!) Massive fail on this one. :( Still haven't gotten into a regular walking routine here (& probably won't even try now until the weather improves) or found a yoga class, as I keep saying I'm going to do...!
- Write more in my journal (blog??). Haven't written in my paper journal in years. As for blogging, I recently marked my 11th (!!) year in this space. And I actually did wind up writing more in my blog this year (158 posts, including this one -- an average of about 13 posts per month) than I did last year (139). In fact, 2018 has been one of my most productive blogging years since I first hit "publish," coming second in terms of numbers of posts only to my all-time high of 172 posts in 2008, my first full year of blogging. Go figure!
- Read more of the books that have piled up around the house. Once again, I set myself a goal of 24 books read in 2018 (via the Goodreads reading challenge -- the same as 2017 & 2016). After failing to reach even that modest goal last year, I was happy to hit #24 by mid-November, and will finish out the year with 27 books read to my credit. (All books read were -- or soon will be -- reviewed on this blog under the tag "2018 books.") I'm hoping to keep up (or even increase) this pace in 2019, although I will probably stick with the same target again, since it seems like a pretty realistic one for me.
- Keep the clutter at bay. (Goal slightly reworded from previous years.) Having downsized from a 1,200 square foot, three-bedroom house (not including basement, garage & garden shed) to an 875-square-foot condo (plus one not-very-big storage locker) in 2016, there's a LOT less clutter than there used to be -- and a lot less space for it to accumulate. But the piles of books are growing, and I'm running out of spare hangers in the closet, which tells me it's probably time to do some weeding again...!
- Return to scrapbooking & complete unfinished projects. (Goal reworded from previous years.) Sadly, I have not done any scrapbooking since fall 2009. And I donated the bulk of my scrapbooking supplies, including most of my substantial collection of pretty patterned paper, to the thrift store before we moved (sob!). I did keep all my unfinished projects, tools & a few other things, though. (They are sitting in a couple of plastic bins down in the storage locker.) So who knows, I may pick it up again at some point in the future...
Enjoyed a long-anticipated and rare girls' weekend away with two former work colleagues in a part of the province I hadn't seen before.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No. (But with two adult nephews now married, we are hoping to see some great-nieces and nephews in the not-too-very-distant future...!)(They will get no pressure from me on that front, though!)
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, sadly, my wonderful father-in-law, at age 89 on Aug. 9th. :(
5. What countries did you visit?
We did not leave the country in 2018. (While the United States is less than a two-hour drive away, I have to admit, I have no great desire to cross the border while you-know-who is in charge...)
6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?
More travel, even just day trips. More new experiences. I am very much a creature of habit, I will admit, but I do like getting out & exploring too, and whenever I do push myself to do it, I come back exhausted but also exhilarated.
7. What date(s) from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
April 14th, Younger Nephew's wedding. :) August 9th, the day FIL passed away. :( August 5th & 7th, November 14th and other related dates -- 2018 marked 20 (!!) years since the stillbirth of my daughter.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting through FIL's diagnosis, decline, death & funeral, with all its reminders of my rollercoaster pregnancy and stillbirth, covering almost exactly the same timeframe, exactly 20 years earlier.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Over the past several years, I've said, "Not speaking my mind enough, and drifting instead of taking the initiative to get things done that I wanted to do." Unfortunately, I think that still applies. :p
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No -- but I'm definitely feeling older these days, with parts of me (knees in particular!) getting creakier and not working quite as well as they used to...! :p
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Tickets to see Paul McCartney with my sister. :) Expensive, but well worth it!
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir, Canada's ice dancing sweethearts (if not each other's, lol). Seeing them win an unprecedented second (third, if you count the team competition) gold medal at the Olympics in February was a huge moment of national pride for Canadians.
The students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, who turned tragedy (a mass shooting at their school by a fellow student in February) into triumph with their March For Our Lives in March, and their ongoing campaign for sensible gun laws in the U.S.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Donald Trump & Co. Need I say more?? :p
Ontario Premier Doug Ford (older and meaner brother of the late crack-smoking Toronto Mayor Rob Ford), who is following in Trump's footsteps, and sorely testing the theory that Canada is a kinder and gentler place than the United States. :p
14. Where did most of your money go?
Beyond the usual bills -- and books, lol -- we had a few large expenses during the year. There was our nephew's wedding (including my new dress & the alterations -- which cost as much as the dress itself! -- and gifts -- bridal shower, wedding & housewarming). We spent a lot more on gas & road tolls, travelling back & forth across the city more frequently over the spring/summer months to visit FIL. And I wound up buying a new laptop and printer when my old laptop started acting up more frequently.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Our nephew's wedding. Seeing Paul McCartney with my sister. :) The opening of a new subway extension at this time last year, with a station nearby, making it much easier to get downtown.
16. What song will always remind you of 2018?
"Havana-na-na-na..." I can't even tell you what company used that song for an ad, but it's an earworm I wish I could get rid of...!
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?
More or less the same, on all three fronts.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Travelling. FIL's illness & passing threw a bit of a monkey wrench into even our plans to travel to see my family this summer. And then going to see them in the fall instead precluded a trip anywhere else. But there's always next year...
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Sitting around the house. :p
20. How did you spend Christmas?
As usual, we spent Christmas with my family on the Canadian Prairies, where a white Christmas is practically guaranteed! (Still here for New Year's!) Ham dinner & presents on Christmas Eve with PND & the Little Princesses, stockings and turkey on Christmas Day.
21. Did you fall in love in 2018?
No.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
We enjoyed the Thursday night lineup of The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, Mom & a reboot of Murphy Brown (albeit it hasn't been quite as good as I'd hoped).
Designated Survivor, season 2, wasn't as gripping as the first season -- but I kept watching anyway. ;) It was cancelled by ABC, but has been picked up by Netflix.
And I enjoyed the latest seasons of Victoria & Poldark on PBS, and The Handmaid's Tale on Bravo.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you did not hate this time last year?
No.
24. What was the best book you read?
While I didn't read a huge amount of books this year (albeit more than I did last year -- 27 -- see #1), most of the ones I did read were pretty good. As usual, I read a lot more non-fiction than fiction: 9 fiction books to 18 non. Four of those 9 novels were by my old favourite, D.E. Stevenson, for our online fan/discussion group. On the non-fiction front, I enjoyed several excellent biographies/memoirs (one of my favourite genres); feminist writing, including several books on the subject of women and anger; and several books related to current U.S. politics and the Trump presidency.
It's always very hard for me to pick a single book as "the best," and this year, there were quite a few that would contend for that title. They would definitely include:
- all the books I read on women & anger (variations on the theme, all very well written and absorbing);
- "Educated" by Tara Westover (my review here)
- "Prairie Fires" by Caroline Fraser (my review here).
As in the past, I must admit, I don't listen to a lot of new music. I did enjoy rediscovering Queen -- they weren't one of my favourite bands when I was growing up -- but they were THERE -- and seeing "Bohemian Rhapsody" at the movies (and being able to sing along with just about every song in it) made me realize all over again that I was soooooo lucky to grow up listening to some pretty fabulous music. :)
26. What did you want and get?
A new computer. A white Christmas. :)
27. What did you want and not get?
Still waiting on that sunspot vacation. ;) (Or any kind of vacation that doesn't involve visiting family, lol.)
28. What was your favourite film of this year?
We saw 15 movies in the theatres in 2018 (compared to 16 in 2016 and 2017, and 23 in 2015)(listed here in the order we saw them in): Star Wars: The Last Jedi, The Post, Darkest Hour, The Shape of Water, Black Panther, The Avengers: Infinity War, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Ocean's 8, The Incredibles 2, Christopher Robin, Crazy Rich Asians, Fahrenheit 11/9, A Star is Born, First Man, and Bohemian Rhapsody.
As with books, it's hard to pick a favourite -- we enjoyed them all! "Bohemian Rhapsody" didn't get great critical reviews, but we both enjoyed it hugely -- also "A Star is Born" (both featuring great music!). I also enjoyed "Crazy Rich Asians," possibly even more so than the book. Nice to see a good rom-com again! :) And while the sequels will never top the originals, I LOVED seeing Mark Hamill & Carrie Fisher again in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."
Least favourite? That's easy: "The Avengers: Infinity Wars." A real downer, not at all what I expected, and NOT what I needed on Voldemort Day. :p
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 57, and it was two days before our nephew's fiancee's bridal shower. The weather was absolute crap, but I still managed to get out of the house for a manicure & pedicure, lunch & bookstore visit, and then dinner out later. :) 58 coming up shortly (!).
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A little more travel beyond the limits of the Greater Toronto Area.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?
It hasn't changed much in recent years. Comfort counts more than being fashion-forward! Since retirement, I spend most of my days in yoga pants (or shorts, in the summer) & T-shirts, lol. Lots of Old Navy. ;) And they opened a Lucky Brand store at the mall near us. Love their stuff!
32. What kept you sane?
(This question assumes sanity on my part, lol. ;) ) Once again this year, I would credit a good mixture of downtime at home, and getting out of the house. We were tied to home more than usual because of FIL's illness, which added to our enjoyment of the times when we were able to get out & do a few fun things.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
UPDATE See #12.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
In last year's answer to this question, I expounded on the issue of freedom of the press and media bashing. The shooting at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland on June 28, and the murders of five employees (including four journalists), made me LIVID in a way I very seldom get. I could literally feel my blood pressure going through the roof as I watched the early reports on television, and wound up dosing myself with a "stress release" blend of essential oils trying to calm myself down. I was thrilled to see that they were among TIME Magazine's featured "Persons of the Year" -- "The Guardians and the War on Truth."
The other political issue that is near & dear to my heart is the whole issue of equality and women's rights, which are (once again) under threat. It was great to see so many women elected to Congress in the U.S. midterm elections this fall!
35. Who did you miss?
FIL. We still go to visit stepMIL every couple of weeks, but the house feels strangely quiet & empty without him there.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
As I answered last year, I really haven't met an awful lot of new people lately; at least, none that I see often/regularly. I would love to have a good different answer to this question in 2019!
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018.
This year brought home to me, once again, that while the days & weeks sometimes drag, the months & years go by far too quickly. Enjoy them while you can!
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
I will have to think of this one....
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