Classic Examples I: Perfection

One special reminder this Easter weekend that the world is, sometimes, very nearly perfect.

That reminder is about as big as a handbag, and her brand new name is Avery Rebecca. Welcome to the world, little one. And all the congratulations in the world to your family, who, if your dad's any example, very possibly might explode from pride. Keep an eye on him, girl.

Thirty

So. Thirty. Wow. (Not to be eloquent, or anything.)

I didn't expect to feel ready for this great big milestone birthday, but I actually think I am. My twenties have been... well, a lot of things. Good and bad and big and little and - just a lot. And now, I guess I feel like I'm better at being me, sort of. I'm more like who I really am most of the time than I ever used to... but at the same time I think I'm awfully different than I used to be....

Ugh. I'm doing an awful job of explaining. Okay. There are two weird ways to sum it up.

First. I sing now.

Not on stage or anything, God no. Not even hardly ever in front of anybody. But before the last year or so, I always sang so quietly that I couldn't even hear it myself. I hadn't really sung out loud since I was about six.

And this is completely eye-rollingly maudlin, but true - it's a lot because I've found people who sort of turn me up. Who sing (and don't care if they're off-key). Who play my game. Who let me hear their songs. Who tell me I'm not making enough noise.

So I doubt I'm any better than I ever was, which was never very good. But I'm finally loud enough to hear myself. I can hear what I'm singing. I can also hear what I want and what I don't want. I'm loud enough to hear myself. And that is very good.

And the second... I use the word "home" now.

For most of my 20s, you wouldn't hear me calling anyplace "home." It was, internally, a very big deal to me. Because no place felt like home anymore. I was a nomad, a vagrant. "Home" was a word fraught with a lot of meaning, for me. It made me wistful. But now, I have people and places that feel like home. Moreover, I just feel at home in me, more. So it's nice to casually be able to talk about "home." That, also, is very good.

So who knows if 30's the new 20. But either way, I'm okay with it. In my 20s I had nine mailing addresses in four years. Worked seven jobs. Got three promotions. Put myself through grad school. Totalled two cars. Hooked up, dated, got engaged. Got un-engaged, dated, hooked up. Traveled 14 countries. Watched little people grow up into amazing adults. Had people I loved die. Lost friends, made friends, reconnected with friends.

Some of that I'm phenomenally proud and happy about, and some of it I'm not. But it's all made for a decade that I am so grateful for.

So. Thirty. Wow indeed.

That's the Way We Roll

There may be cuter Valentine's Day moments, but I doubt it.
Happy V-Day from my cousins and the Jonas Brothers.

You're All Getting These for V-Day

Congrats, B.

(Via Mighty Goods, on Etsy. Every time I think I can't love Etsy more....)

Oh Look, I Have a Blog.

Today I learned that the difficulty with having bought a gorgeous bag on holiday, with which you are head over heels in love, is that six months later when you have a question about it, you have to dust off your ghastly proto-French to try to find an answer. (Which, it being Parisians you are asking, you do not get anyway. But you’d expected that.)

The other difficulty is being head over heels in love with the entire collection and having the nearest boutique in Montreal. Ah, the long-distance relationship. C’est vraiment tres dommage; mais c’est la vie.

But. It has been a long time without a real post, hasn't it? Je suis desolee. Life has been wonderful-busy. Specially last week’s trip to Mexico with Mrs. Sac – with whom four days catching up and relaxing would have been fun anywhere in the world – but with whom four days in paradise were utter bliss. Spending days in bathing suits lazing on four-poster cabanas overlooking the Caribbean and swimming and snorkeling; delicious food and perfect weather and so much to choose from and nothing to do at the same time. Breathtakingly perfect.

And exciting – I didn’t expect to be bitten by a fish (jellyfish?), to pilot a boat or drive an ATV, to come within ten feet of a crocodile (alligator?), to see a Passion of the Christ-meets-Cirque de Soleil spectacular (stunt show? burlesque?), to get in a physical fight with a Russian (Ukranian?). And I now know that if I ever crave attention, all I need to do is go for a run in my “Former Stripper” t-shirt. Not, shall we say, a shy and retiring lot, the Mexican men. Thanks for the gift, Peter. Thanks ever so.

But it was all fantastic. Nothing like “The Ruins” – which my boss was so sweet as to lend me when he heard where I was going.

We did indeed “make a blast,” as we were instructed - and I enjoyed every second.

So now back to life. This weekend, the stunningly dreamy Matt Hall. Next week, a trip to Texas. Then, a stint in the Mansion. Coming soon, a Massive Birthday. A Massively Scary Competition. Life is never dull. Thank goodness!

It's Gonna Be a Happy New Year

New Year's posts usually are one of two things... lists of the Top Somethings, or wishing people a happy new year. Both overdone. The first I don't have the expertise for, and the second is well-deserved, but finished. So what do you get?

You get me telling you that I know how lucky I am, how many wonderful things I have in my life, and how hard I have to try to deserve them. I've had a truly amazing 2007, and a lot of those wonderful things aren't things; they're wonderful people. And it's eye-rollingly mushy, but it's true: I am just plain blessed to have shared it with them.

So here's what you get... a toast. Here's to doing the best to deserve more good things in 2008.

Christmas at the Blood Bank

On the right is Ana the phlebotomist.
On the left is blood donor Mr. Claus.

I SWEAR TO GOD.

The Royal Channel

This is the coolest thing on YouTube.

Not just because I'm a ridiculous Anglophile, although there is that.

But truly, The Royal Channel is genius. It's a government really getting new media - and, importantly, one already in power, not just a desperate candidate.

(Which is not to take away from YouChoose - just to point out that there's less need for the monarchy to do it, and yet they are. I'm pretty positive there's no White House channel. The Office of National Drug Control Policy has one (which... yawn), but if you search for President Bush? Let's just say it's not flattering.)

But back to the monarchy, because frankly, I like them better. And moreover, they got this right. The execution is perfect. The design is in keeping with YouTube but representative of the monarchy. There's new content, but there's almost a century of very cool old footage and links to pre-TV transcripts. (The Queen Mother's silent-film wedding procession, with her getting into her carriage in her cloche hat - fabulous. As well as Princess Elizabeth and Margarets' message to the evacuee children at Christmas 1940.)

Watching the Queen's first Christmas TV broadcast in 1953 is not only interesting in comparison to her first YouTube-televised Christmas message this week - but also because of what she says about what the advent of a novel medium can do to a society. The more things change... you know?

But yes. This is a lot of thinking for a holiday week. So. If that's a little much, you can learn how to say "bra" in German with Posh! (Along with... which one was Geri?)

If Only My Shopping Wasn't Done

Everyone on my list would be getting this.

Fa La La La La

Hee, this picture makes me happy. And it also makes me remember... OMGOMGOMG 11 days to Christmas you guyyyyyys!

(...I am twelve.)

So yeah, it's been an interesting week. The below post was one of my few grouchy ones, I think - because I don't like reading other people's bitches, so why would I write my own? But it was one of those times where when you think you've had it all thrown at you, is when you find out how wrong you were.

But that's all over and life is no longer bad timing and crazy people and chaos and unhappy surprises, oh no. Life is sunshine and rainbow and mistletoe and CHRISTMAS!

(Life is also anonymous IMs, thanks to my fun new widget over on the right. I'm not sure I'll keep it, but it is interesting, what people will say when you can't tell who they are. It's like being a slam book! But I digress.)

And now, I must go. There are presents to buy and wrap and give and cards to write and if I get any more festive I think my brains may leak out my ears.

Also I think I might be a leeetle overtired still, and just a tiny bit giddy, no?

Tis the season.

Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho Ho Ho

I realized tonight while lugging a box out of the FedEx distribution center and overhearing a conversation - that sometimes I get so concerned with how much I am doing that we forget that everybody ELSE is probably doing just as much.

Think about how often you hear people complain that they're working late or coming in early or picking up extra shifts or traveling or whatever. Yeah, maybe that's only because they're complaining, and maybe that's not so great, but they are doing all of that.

It's really pretty amazing, if you think about it, how much we all do. At work, I guess, mostly, but for each other too, really. We know how much we do ourselves, so sometimes it's probably easier to pay more attention to that than anything else.

But we should give each other more credit, I think.

And also, maybe we should all try doing a little bit less of it, at least for the next few weeks. If you spend all your time working and driving and shopping and wrapping and writing and baking and decorating... and not enjoying and being really quiet and just being there... it does miss the point, doesn't it?

Christmas sounds like snow falling. Listen for it.

Three Weeks to Christmas

Okay, this has to be a new land-speed record for me contradicting myself - but some TV is wonderful after all. Like this.

"The Christmas Toy" is a Muppet special from 1986. It isn't available on DVD so I'm so glad it's on YouTube. Watch all five parts - even with the yucky YouTube resolution, it's still fantastic.

It's making my night happy as I curl up in my sweats and sniffle. (And write Christmas cards.)

Weekly Roundup: Multiple Personality Edition

Idle Curiosity asks...

• How much does it hurt after you get kneed in the quad by someone almost a foot bigger than you? Sub-question: is it weird to find it comforting that your leg hurt his knee, too?
  
• How elderly are you when someone who was in kindergarten when you were in college now has a college boyfriend of her own?
• For serious, do there need to be American Girl history dolls devoted to the far-off era of the 1970s?
  

Voice of Experience answers...

• Even more than you'd have thought. Also, no it isn't.
  
• Very. But that's okay.
• No. But perhaps this is additional proof of the elderly-ness.
  

Music Snob notes that...

• There may be a great big junior-high-style crush on Lupe Fiasco going on right now.
  
• The JXL remix of Elvis Presley's "A Little Less Conversation" remains pretty fantastic.
• Fort Minor is fun (but as a Linkin Park side project it's not shocking).
  

Serious Note points out...

• That if you donate $3 to DarfurFast, you can protect a Darfuri civilian for a year. It's a guard for a mother to collect cooking firewood without being raped or killed by militia. On December 5, give up one of your little luxuries and send the money here.

Amateur Psychologist decides...

• Sarah will now get back to decking her halls, and will try not to be too topsy-turvy and happy-sad because it's been a long weekend full of quite a lot of stuff.

Weekly Roundup: What Have You Done for Me Lately Edition

Wow, I've been asking a lot lately, haven't I?

• Send my baby brother congratulations and good thoughts to keep him safe.
  

• Donate to Tracy's Amazon adventure, coming soon to a newspaper near you!
  

• Give Jeff five stars and a good comment.
  

• Help me find tickets for an amazing show.
• Edited to add: oh my goodness oh my goodness oh my goodness I'm going I'm going I'm going I'm going!

But I know you can do it. And if you do.... maybe imma make you some of these like Rin and I did today. Creative, festive, delicious, and just a little weird: just like us. Fear us, Pittsburgh Cookie Table.

Other odd goings-on this weekend:

• Realizing that there are not enough parking spots disguised as drag queens. Because if there were, I'd find them.
  
• Learning that women are like sailboats. Because you have to constantly change to keep up with them. Or because they're oceangoing vessels you dump money into. I forget which.
  
• Discussing the origins of zombies in front of priceless art.

So yeah. It's random.

But happy Memorial Day. Take a minute to remember somebody who did fight - is fighting - will fight - and think good thoughts for them. Sine qua non.

That's all she's got. Escalator.

P.S. Go for it, Olivia.

Weekly Roundup: Jon Is a Fine Piece of Ass Edition

I don't lie.

Kerrin being in Cancun, it's up to the rest of y'all to get bored this week and use these links. Whether you think the theme is Easter or candy I guess depends on whether you are more religious or hungry. It’s a roundup post and a Rorschach test all in one.

Good Cadbury: The Cadbury Bunny Ad
Bukbukbukbuk....

Evil Cadbury: The Crème Egg Conspiracy
Outed by B.J. Novak. Does the good brought to the world by The Office never end?

The Edible Easter Billboard

Happy Easter.

P.S. Confidential for Jon: so you can memorize them like Sac.

Twenty-NINE

Oh my God, you guys.

I have this really effusive, ebullient (because I really do know what it means, Kristen) post in my head about how wonderful my birthday was. However, I suspect you jokers will make references to champagne giggles and sugar highs and might imply insincerity on my part. That's why I didn't post last night at 3 a.m. when I was still bouncing around.

But for reals, it was amazing. A great day, a fun dinner, a fantastic night, and then when I finally got home, it was like Christmas.

I am the luckiest, I really am. So, just – thank you so, so, so much.

And great big love to the little old man in the Panama hat.

Hey, It's Lent: An Illustrated Lecture on Doing Good

Exhibit A: These are my cousins. Clearly, they're adorable. You'd help them, right?



Exhibit B: This is the very best Easter chocolate in the whole world. You'd eat it, right?

So if you click here to buy some, their grade school gets a donation! Good deeds, cute kids, and chocolate. Isn't technology wonderful?

(I recommend the peanut-butter Smidgens.)

Happy New Year

Regardless of your year, I suspect it was better than this person's. This is a real Christmas-card letter that a friend received from a (very distant, not blood-related) relative.

(Although my own relatives are wacky, I promise I don't know these people - but still, I removed identifying info. Crazy people need privacy too.)

And even if your year wasn't so good, I hope you had better sense than to do something like this about it.


Seriously, though.

Happy new year.

I hope you're happy and healthy and safe and peaceful, and make lots of wonderful new memories in 2007.

And I hope I do, too.

(Sev: Un bon Saint-Sylvestre réveillon, peut-etre. Et bonne année, toujours! Bisous.)

Appreciating Family and Creating Beauty

Two things that are really hard to do around now.

It's the holidays, and we all complain (at least once, at least a little) about how our friends, and our family, and we ourselves, can be so terribly imperfect and unendingly disappointing. Also around now, even the least artistic of us has been more craft-y than usual - wrapping and writing and baking and decorating and fussing.

James Kim died earlier this month trying to save himself, his wife, and two small daughters after getting stranded in a snowstorm. It's a tremendously sad story. But thanks to Patti I've discovered that a collection of artists is helping with an online benefit auction. It's a combination of both the family and the artistic impulses - except done to the highest power, not in our own little daily imperfect ways. It's stunning.

And so are the pieces themselves. I'm partial to these and this and especially (as little as I normally like gold) this. And this. And this. And ... well, they're lovely, is what I'm saying.

I don't know, honestly: maybe it'll be crazy expensive and you can't afford any of it. But that'll be a good thing, won't it, because all the money is going to the Kim family fund. But, maybe you could win something beautiful next week for an awful good cause.

You could even save it for a present next year for one of those people who get on your nerves (but who you actually love pretty tremendously).

Kerrin's Weekly Roundup: Crimbo Edition

Hope you do something good for someone.
Hope someone does something good for you.
Hope you have a moment of joy.
Merry Christmas, everybody.