Mar
28
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So, my peeps, I have told you, MANY MANY TIMES, that Teh Internets are not a safe and friendly place. They are filled with many people with ill intentions, which is why I never post our names, or unprotected photos, or any of that stuff. I mean, we’ve been hacked in the past, but this week we’ve learned of another shady character lurking around blogdom.
Oh yes. We have discovered A BLOG STALKER.
Between 1 am and 2 am on March 23, somebody did a LOT OF SEARCHING through my blog.
A lot of people have had really nasty experiences with blog stalkers. They can be really nasty pieces of work. Now, to be fair, in this case, it seems that this is DEFINITELY NOT the case with our blog stalker.
Generally speaking, most blog stalkers are just stupid people who try to glean information from your blog, and most of the time, they are looking for gossip or, more specifically, if you are talking about THEM. Because they do not care about what you are writing — unless it is about THEMSELVES.
It is always, in fact, ALL ABOUT THEMSELVES.
So we are not too worried. A look at the searches our blog stalker employed to get around in my blog are full of terms that let me know, quite specifically, who they are and what they were looking for. The Google-fu, it is NOT strong with this one. Oh no.
(I can’t lie. The search for “cinnamonopus air conditioner dad” just about made me pee my pants.)
Also? We have two stats counters on the go, so we know where they are, and what their IP address is… so we are not concerned.
We are, however, endlessly diverted. It has been hilarious looking through this stuff and seeing what they were searching for. And equally fun was knowing that they were stonewalled at every search. Because, DUDE. I am SO not going to post that kind of stuff on TEH INTERWEBS.
I mean, COME ON.
So we had a giggle about it. In fact, quite a few of them.
But then Kelly emailed me this morning to tell me that my stalker showed up on HER blog. And here’s the kicker: they googled “cinnamonopus death” to get there.
CINNAMONOPUS DEATH. Did you SEE that?
DUDE. They were searching for ME, and DEATH.
Now, I am famous for getting email from remarkable people. Santa emailed me once. Also, so did the Pope. But the piece de resistance, the spam-to-end-all-spam, was of course when I got the email from DEATH. So I got to thinking, and there are a few possible scenarios:
1. Somebody was searching for me because they think I am dead. DUDE. Would I still be blogging if I were dead?
2. Somebody thought that by typing in “cinnamonopus death” that it would send a command out into the universe and I would, instantaneously, drop dead. Well, that is CERTAINLY some optimism right there. Either that, or they are not really clued in on how this whole Internets thing works. Either way, I gotta think they are disappointed right now. Possibly they should have started small, with “cinnamonopus toothache” or “cinnamonopus sick” or something.
3. Somebody knew I got an email from Death, and was trying to horn in on my action. Well all I can say to that is: Honey, you want to get in on my fantastic spam email? Too bad. You need to start SMALL, and work your way UP to the likes of Santa and The Pope and Death. Try talking to Kelly. Her appliances are ALWAYS emailing and insulting her, and I am SURE she’d be happy to pass on your email address to them.
4. I am dead, and nobody bothered to tell me. Well, I HAVE been tired recently. But you would think SOMEBODY would make mention of it if I were actually DEAD.
So, blog stalkers of the world, you’re going to have to get up PRETTY EARLY IN THE MORNING… no wait, you did that, and it didn’t work.
Lemme try that again: Okay, blog stalkers, you can’t beat the power of the stats programs to monitor your every click and search. We’re watching you, and having a whole helluva lot of fun doing so.
And for the rest of my friends out there, to set your mind at ease, I just have to quote Mark Twain and let you know that “Rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated”.
Dec
1
Today is World AIDS Day. It is a day I always remember, and AIDS research and assistance charities are very close to my heart, even moreso now that we have a daughter that comes from a country that has been very hard-hit by this disease.
I am not going to ask you what you are going to do on this day. Charity, if one engages in it, is a very personal thing, and AIDS charities and work are not everyone’s first choice — to say it can be a somewhat politicized cause is probably a fair statement, even in this day and age.
I am, however, going to tell you what I am doing today, and all this month, actually.
I am knitting red squares for the Knit-a-Square project.
Knit-a-Square is a charity project in which people all over the world knit or crochet 8-inch squares. Those squares are then packed up and sent to South Africa, where they are sorted and sewn into blankets to give to children who have been orphaned by AIDS. Sometimes, they are also sewn into sweaters for kids to give them something to wear when the weather gets cold. But the end result is to give comfort and warmth to kids who have been devastated, and continue to be, by the loss of their parents to a really opportunistic, nasty disease.
Have a look at the site. Some of those kids could break your heart. But seeing them wrapped in blankets, THEIR blankets, sometimes one of their only possessions in this world — well, that’s what got me knitting.
Squares are easy. And quick. Two things I love in a knitting project.
The charity knitting group I belong to on Ravelry has chosen to use World AIDS Day as the stepping stone for this month’s knitting challenge — to knit red squares for the entire month of December. Not only is it the colour of the AIDS campaign, but it is also a colour of the Christmas season. However, because of the stigma attached to AIDS in many countries, the only caveat is to avoid the red ribbon motif, and instead make “plain jane” simple squares. Well, I am not good at patterns anyway, so that works fine for me.
Every time I look at my daughter, or at some of the other kids adopted from Ethiopia, it is hard not to remember the phrase “there but for the grace of God go I”. And having met a birth mom who was dying from AIDS and who had lost a husband to AIDS, whose daughter was being adopted by a Canadian family, while we were in Ethiopia… well, how could I pass up this challenge? This woman had such grace, such dignity, such beauty in the face of such a devastating situation — and her only goal was to make sure that her daughter had a family to love her and care for her for the rest of her life. As a mom now, I completely understand. I get it. And it makes me marvel at her strength and her selflessness.
I cannot think of her without wondering how she is. I cannot think of her without sending up a silent wish for her to live her remaining days in peace, and hoping her death is one without too much sadness and suffering. I cannot think of her without tears.
Every square I knit this month will be in her honour. She touched me greatly.
And while she had the strength and the resources to make an adoption plan for her beautiful girl, many cannot. And so I will knit, this month and always, to ensure that those moms’ and dads’ beloved children have something to keep them warm, some small consolation in a devastating time.
I cannot change the world. But I can do something. This is what I choose to do, and why.
And if you knit or crochet, and you feel you want to do something, have a look through the Knit-a-Square site. And get your sticks and hooks moving for a good cause.
************
Looking for some good reading to put on your Xmas list? Well, since we’re on the topic, I have two recommendations.
- And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts — This book outlines the beginnings of HIV/AIDS, and the early days of research, fear, politics and ignorance. It is a long but brilliant read from someone deeply affected by the disease in his community, who later succumbed to it. More than once, I wanted to heave the book across the room in anger and frustration at the issues surrounding AIDS and HIV in the West.
- 28: Stories of AIDS in Africa by Stephanie Nolen — This powerful, compelling book outlines 28 stories of people living and dying with AIDS in present-day Africa from someone on the ground talking to and getting to know the people involved. Some of the stories will absolutely break your heart. And some will inspire. And I defy anyone connected with adoption in Ethiopia to read the story of the little girl caring for her brother, both orphaned by AIDS in Addis, and not feel the urge to hug their children that much tighter.
May
15
… because the lovely and brilliant Hazel got her referral yesterday! A gorgeous 4-month-old girl is now set to be the centre of Hazel’s world, the apple of her eye, the joy of her life. Stop by and give her your congratulations!
Feb
11
Please humour me a bit of bragging here, as yesterday I passed the 10,000 comment mark! Huzzah! Janice’s comment yesterday was officially number 10,000! (Sorry Janice. There’s no prize. Unless you count the admiration of your peers as a prize. Or seeing your name on Teh Internets. Sorry. I got nuthin’.)
Okay, sooooo… more than half of those 10,000 comments had to be spam, right? And if I look at my handy-dandy software, it shows that of ACTUAL REAL comments, I have 2,851. But STILL. The official number says over 10,000. And that is what I am going with. So there.
I don’t care. It’s February. It’s dreary. I am going to take this as an excuse to celebrate and RUN WITH IT, dude.
But I am trying to lose weight. DAMN. What the hell kind of celebration can you have with CARROTS AND CELERY, for the love of doG? I can’t even have dip with them!
OH! That’s it! SUGAR-FREE JELLO FOR EVERYONE! My treat!
Hm. Doesn’t have the same ring to it as something more decadent, does it?
Feb
10
Okay. If you visited my blog between about dinnertime yesterday and breakfast time today, PLEASE do yourself a favour and do a thorough virus scan of your computer. Seems some bastard hacked my blog yesterday and dropped some unfriendly code on it. It seems to be low risk, but still. Better safe than sorry. So… virus scan, quarantine what you find, and delete it.
This is one reason I always say that Teh Internets are not always a friendly happy place. It’s bastards like that who spoil the fun for the rest of us.
Thank you. You may now resume your regularly scheduled programming.
(And thanks Shelley for the headsup. You rock my world in yet MORE ways!)
Nov
28
We all get older. And with that, our memories tend to fail.
Well, I am here to tell you…. the same thing happens with computers, man.
Were you here looking for me the last couple of days? Because if you DID come here, you were probably staring at the middle of a great big empty.
Sometime around midnight Wednesday, our creaky old server finally bought the farm. Yes, that’s right: to paraphrase my beloved Monty Python (with obvious apologies), it’s passed on! This server is no more! It has ceased to be! It’s expired and gone to meet its maker! It’s a stiff! Bereft of life, it rests in peace! Its mechanical processes are now history! It’s off the twig! It’s kicked the bucket! It’s shuffled off its mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin’ choir invisible!! THIS IS AN EX-SERVER!!
So, yeah. The thing died. And with it, so did all our blogs and websites, and our email server.
EEP.
I found it early Thursday morning, and let BDH know. Now BDH is brilliant with computers, really brilliant. He can fix almost anything that breaks around here, computer-wise, and as you know, computers are our main source of entertainment; hence, he has earned the nickname Big Damn Hero. So, a quick diagnosis on his part determined the memory in the machine had finally died, and it was expensive, and we were NOT going to pay to replace it in such an old machine.
But that left us with the dilemma of what to do to get our virtual life back up and running again.
Last night, we proceeded to take bits and pieces out of the server, and tried to McGyver them on to BDH’s existing machine. Now, that thing is already resembling a house that had too many renos done on it — it once was a cute little cottage, then we added a sunroom, then we added an extra bathroom, then a second storey, then….
But the computer was having NONE OF IT.
So BDH got more frustrated and more determined. He began copying files from the two main drives we had salvaged from the server onto his computer’s hard drive. And when I went to bed last night sometime around 11, he was still at it.
I woke up this morning at 6:15, showered, got the baby up… and while I was getting Stinkerbelle up, BDH appeared at the door of her room.
He told me she Stinkerbelle had been up around 3:30 for a bottle and a diaper change. Which was convenient, because he was just going to bed at that time.
He’d been up half the night, but he had gotten our blogs back up and running. This was no mean feat, I can tell you. AND he upgraded this one while he was at it.
So we still have no email server, and we will probably just let that go. It’s too much of a hassle. We haven’t decided for sure yet, so if you are looking to reach me by email, you can use my gmail address (which is, of course, cinnamonopus) for the time being.
And every time you visit here, be sure to give a mental “Huzzah!” to BDH and his technical wizardry. He really IS our Big Damn Hero.
May
15
The totally awesome Rana — whose blog I always enjoy reading because she’s so positive (and I encourage you to read it too) and is one of THE most together people I can think of — is starting on a project called 40 Days of Change. And I think I might do it, too.
It’s sort of a commitment to change, to grow, to improve your life, but in a small, measurable, achievable way. It’s to help you find more positive in your life by focusing your energy a bit. It comes from her yoga instructor (and, as you know, I am a big fan of Teh Yoga, and do a class every day in which — in BDH’s words — “Chaz kicks your ass”) and it seems to be a great little plan for me right now, at this place in my life.
I encourage you to read Rana’s whole post on the 40 Days of Change to get all the background, but I’ll borrow a bit of it to give you an idea what it’s all about:
“Your intention is yours. YOU decide what you will commit to each day. It may be about swimming, or Tai Chi or gardening for you. It may be about being kind to the beings in your life, cultivating gratitude or growing your meditation practice.
Please let this sink in….I am not going to tell you what to do, nor is your 40 days going to look like everyone else’s. Intentions come in all shapes and sizes
.
So…set an intention for the next 40 days that is SIMPLE and DO-ABLE. SIMPLE….SIMPLE….SIMPLE. [i.e. I will roll out my mat and do 1 asana/pose every day; I will smile more often; I will walk more; I will eat something green every day].
Setting an intention is a way to align and connect with what is important to you RIGHT NOW. It is a personal agreement that puts an energetic focus on your vision of your life. It is also about action, since it actively directs your attention.
My suggestion for setting your intention:
Grab a journal, a pen and a quiet moment. Light a candle. Celebrate in your heart your willingness to participate. Ask yourself the following 4 questions:
1. What is it I wish to enhance?
2. Is there anything I want to let go of?
3. Is there something I yearn to discover…uncover?
4. What is it I’d like to manifest?Once you’ve set your intention, acknowledge it and let it go. Drop it into your unconscious and go about living. Relax and be receptive to the magic…create space for the new to enter…accept and celebrate who you already are, creatively stepping into your vision.
One last suggestion: Choose a buddy you can share your intention with, then keep it close and seek your own inner counsel first. Be aware of your intention, but don’t try to “WORK” on it!
Trust yourself, trust your intention….trust the process.
Seems simple enough, right? And it’s a nice, positive process for making change. So I thought, for me, this fits in well with my mindset these days, of working to make some changes in my life. And it also meshes with the stuff I am learning in yoga. So I thought I’d try it. I have no idea what I’ll do yet — I need to think about it a little. And I’m going to set Monday as my start date because I like the idea of the 40 days being a goal, too.
I’ll post my intention and keep you updated, as Rana plans to do. And as she has said, if you want to do your own 40 Days, go for it. And if you do and you want to share, then feel free. Or keep it to yourself — it’s all good.
So, here’s to 40 Days to making a positive change in one’s life.
Apr
30
I love spam. Not the potted meat product (although I am sure it is lovely for some), but the junk mail one gets in email. I find it endlessly amusing.
BDH and I, on our long drives to and from infertility appointments, and sitting and waiting in parking garages for umpteen infertility treatments and blood tests, would laugh ourselves silly reading aloud some of the insane spam we would get. It certainly helped pass the time (and the many, many emails I got offering to help enlarge my penis certainly made for a running gag on the infertility front, of course.)
Nowadays, spam forms the bulk of a continuing email dialogue between The Guilty Squid and myself, which runs from surreal to silly.
Witness.
Steak and Flattery
From: The Guilty Squid
Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 8:48 AM
To: CinnamonOpus
Subject: Hmmm…Ralph wants me to stuff my pockets with MONEY – EVERY day!!!
Lisa tells me the secret to looking 14 years younger is a better love life.
And Vic Dobner wants to give me free Omaha steaks.Money, youth, love and good food.
Must be my lucky day.
From: CinnamonOpus
Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 9:02 AM
To: The Guilty Squid
Subject: RE: Hmmm…That Lisa? Is nothing but a FLATTERER. I tell you TRULY.
But how can one not accept the generous offer of one Vic Dobner?
From: The Guilty Squid
Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 11:10 AM
To: CinnamonOpus
Subject: RE: Hmmm…Honestly, I would like nothing more than to name someone Vic Dobner. Best. Name. EVAH.
********************
Friends vs Stalkers
From: CinnamonOpus
Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 4:57 PM
To: The Guilty Squid
Subject: Thank doG for Sidney JenningsBecause I got an email from him saying “Relax. Take a deep breath. We have the answers you seek.”
I just feel SO MUCH BETTER now.
And, I mean, why would I NOT trust Sidney Jennings? Has he ever lied to me before? Oh, I think NOT.
From: The Guilty Squid
Sent: Friday, April 25, 2008 10:31 AM
To: CinnamonOpus
Subject: Re: Thank doG for Sidney JenningsNicole Costner is BASTARD people, I tell you truly.
She just asked me, “Kelly, What’s wrong with your face?”
Bitch.
From: CinnamonOpus
Sent: Friday, April 25, 2008 11:08 AM
To: The Guilty Squid
Subject: RE: Thank doG for Sidney JenningsWhoa. That’s the second time she’s lipped off at you.
Stalker.
********************
Insults and Unusual Offers
From: The Guilty Squid
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2008 8:53 AM
To: CinnamonOpus
Subject: I must look as bad as I feelI’ve had a terrible head cold this weekend.
To top it off, what do I see in my inbox this morning?
Steve wants to know (Steve, you ‘member, member? You ‘member. He was so NICE to me last week.) how I like carrying “THAT MUCH CELLULITE”.
And Tami Hohn wants to know why I have “Body Drama.”
Truly, I’m hating these people today.
From: CinnamonOpus
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2008 11:17 AM
To: The Guilty Squid
Subject: RE: I must look as bad as I feelOh that’s no good. They’re all ganging up on you, hitting you when you are down! The BASTARDS.
But I guess “body drama” is better than “body trauma”. I think they’re all just jealous; your body is DRAMATIC. Theirs is ORDINARY.
And, at least they’re not offering you a “herbal solution to bigger manmeat”. I don’t even know what that MEANS.
********************
Rude Spam or Charity Drive?
From: CinnamonOpus
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 11:30 AM
To: The Guilty Squid
Subject: Is this suddenly an epidemic?Joe Bell emailed me to say “Help Stop Premature Ejaculation!” And I am concerned – is this now a widespread problem? An epidemic? Is this a foundation that needs my support? Will telethons be happening? Will there soon be commercials with men with big teary eyes saying “This is Larry. He’s quick off the gun. With your help – for just pennies a day – you can give him the sex life he deserves. Help Larry smile again. Give now. Give generously.”
I live in fear.
From: The Guilty Squid
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 1:03 PM
To: CinnamonOpus
Subject: Re: Is this suddenly an epidemic?I fear the pamphlets with the cartoon mascot drawn gaily upon the front.
Dec
12
You know what I want? A nice, big journal-type book for writing things in.
I heard about this really neat idea in something I read once. A woman and her family kept this big book around — I kind of picture it as a nicely-bound book full of blank pages, not ruled, kind of like a scrapbook — and whenever an idea came to someone, or there was a thought or a quote that needed to be jotted down somewhere, or a sketch of something they wanted to do or make or whatever needed to be made (for I remember one of them being a bit of a sketcher), then they had this book. They could just write it down.
It’s not a journal, per se. Not like we are used to, like what blogs have become — it’s not a place for writing long bits of prose. And it’s not a notepad for writing down shopping lists and random phone messages. I mean, that’s what notepads by the telephone are for.
No. This is something more. Something that captures those bits of life we want to remember as they pass by, or plans we might have even if we never complete them, or things we’d like to try to do or make or remember. It’s like a bunch of mental “ooh, note to self:” moments, all made real.
I think one of these books would be a fab addition to our household. We are always picking out phrases we like from things we watch or listen to. We’ve always got these hopeful lists of potential house projects on the go. We often have ideas for things we’d like to buy or things we’d like to do to the house. I think of things I’d like to try to cook. And sometimes, we just have moments to capture. One of these books would be a great place for that. Although, I think ours would need to have lines. (And of course, we’d need a place to put it. Someplace that doesn’t get buried under bills and keys and other remnants of daily life.)
We’re very digital people. And I suppose we could do something like this digitally. But a book is so much more… real. We’d have it right there at our fingertips. And it’s central, and it would always be there, and we could always refer to it and flip through it.
And I think it would be cool to look back after a year at all the stuff that we’ve put in there. Look at all the thoughts and ideas we’ve jotted down. Laugh at the funny things our child might come out with while eating his lunch. Check out the sketches of things we’ve made and pictures of house ideas we’ve pasted in. Having a look at what some of the interesting moments of our day to day life have been.
I wish I could remember where I read this idea. If I had had one of these books, I could have written it down.
Nov
30
In honour of a year ago this week, when I was given an awesome and COMPLETELY necessary smackdown by some of the coolest librarians on the planet, here’s wishing you all a happy
“Unofficial International Hug A Librarian (and Return Your Overdue Books, Dammit) Day”
(But only if they WANT you to hug them. Remember, peeps, unwanted touching is WRONG. And also? Some of these librarians will lay you out. Don’t mess with them, man.)
It was a great time had by all, and so I designated Nov. 30 a holiday. And although I don’t use the blog anymore, I kept the Peevish Kitty blog open JUST for this day.
Librarians continue to rock my world, and they should rock yours, too.
Also, remember kids: don’t drink and blog.
May
14
I’ve gone to bed with a lot of different men recently. Oh yes I have. But BDH knows about it, and he’s okay with it.
For the past week, I’ve cuddled up in bed with Rupert. Oh, sure, he’s beautiful, but don’t let that pretty exterior fool you — he has some substance too. He’s saucy, he likes to gossip — but he’s got that romantic tone and that devil-may-care attitude that I just love. He tells a story very well. Sure he’s a big queen — but I don’t mind. I’ll spend a few more evenings with him this week, I am sure.
Then there’s The Doctor. The Ninth Doctor. MY Doctor. He’s good for a little light bedtime entertainment every now and then. Full of angst and drama. Always getting involved with trouble. And he’s got that — CONNECTION — with Rose. (Oh, she’s all right.) But I love that he’s passionate and brilliant, and he likes saving the world. He’s got that knight-in-shining-armor thing going on, which is irresistible. I may have to go to bed with The Doctor again sometime.
A few weeks ago, it was Sidney. Classy. Elegant. He’s a man who knows his own mind. And he’s just done so much and had such an interesting life. Curling up in bed with him makes you think you’ll learn something by the end.
But it’s not always so wonderful, going to bed with these famous men.
I went to bed with U2 a month or two back. They were pleasant and interesting enough, don’t get me wrong. But OY — HEAVY! And big, too. Hardly any room for me in the bed. And that Bono guy sure can talk.
Apr
30
Click here to view the interview with Stephanie Nolen on The Hour this past week.
Stephanie Nolen is the Globe and Mail‘s Africa bureau chief. She’s well versed in all matters African and sociopolitical, but recently she’s come into prominence for her book 28: Stories of AIDS in Africa.
28 is the number of millions of people in Africa living with HIV. And so, she has chronicled the struggles of 28 individuals living with the AIDS virus, each one representing one million Africans with HIV. From the excerpts I have read in the Globe and Mail, and from the reviews of Bono, Stephen Lewis and others, it’s a brilliant read.
Check out some of the reviews of the book by clicking on the link I provided above. I guarantee you that you’ll be hard pressed to resist buying the book, just based on the reviews. The woman tells some compelling stories here. They are just 28 of 28 million, and that number is growing.
Watch the video. Buy the book. Learn about the issue. Help change the world.
Apr
2
I love Owlhaven’s blog. She is wise, insightful, and funny, and I read her every day. And today, she pointed me and her other readers in the direction of this lovely post on a blog called Our Big Crazy Family that just made my heart hurt.
Go. Read. Cry.
Mar
14
The challenge, should one choose to accept it, is to write 30 posts in 30 days.
As I read in Shane Nickerson’s blog via Wil Wheaton’s blog via my newsreader (got that?), this fellow Shane posted a few days back that he has decided to do a 30-blog-posts-in-30-days personal challenge. He came up with this 30-in-30 plan, it seems from the rules he laid out for his challenge, to motivate himself to write more regularly and with more thought to content than he has recently. And Wheaton spread the idea along through one of his posts, and challenged people reading his blog to do the same. It looks like people are taking up the challenge.
Writing a blog doesn’t always come easy. Sometimes it’s really hard to think of something to write about. A lot of times, especially on a blog like this where stuff is more personal, there are enough things going on in everyday life that I can always manage to put pen to paper, metaphorically speaking. But some days, I draw a total blank. There are days when I get up and I have nothing. Nada. Zero. Zilch. There are days when I am so NOT motivated to write anything. Days when I am sick, or tired, or busy, or whatever. And on my other blogs, where research and forethought are required, it is much harder. I really struggle sometimes to find content that inspires me to write or, in the case of my volleyball blog, write something in some way that doesn’t bore people to death.
So I think it’s an interesting challenge, and I’m going to do it, starting tomorrow. I think it will be a good exercise for me. I’m usually pretty good at writing most days and not skipping too many, but there are things I’d like to improve on. I need to do it for a few reasons, not least of which is the continued motivation. If there’s a goal, I want to try to live up to it. But also, it’ll help with keeping my focus. Instead of coming to my computer and faffing around looking for a topic or inspiration, I hope this will get me into a better routine of writing and research.
But I am going to need to set some of my own rules for myself. Maybe “rules” is the wrong word; possibly “ideas” or “guidelines” would be better. I don’t want this challenge to be a chore. I want it to help expand what I am doing now and make me a better writer.
So, 30 posts in 30 days. Could you do it? If you have a blog, give it a try.
We shall see if I can. (Eep. No pressure…)
Feb
20
Adoption Journey – Day 30
I have been reading a lot of blogs about Ethiopia these days and one, Ferenge Addis Blog, had some interesting facts about Ethiopia in a recent post. I decided I’d post some of them, with the Canadian equivalents where I could find them, so if you’re interested, you can learn a few things about the country Mystery Baby will come from.
- Population: 74 million (Canada: 33 million)
- Population below poverty line (US$0.50 per day): 50%
- Number of native languages spoken: 88 (Canada: 2 official)
- Currency: Ethiopian Birr (=US$0.113)
- Religion (percentages vary wildly by study): 51% Orthodox Christian, 33% Muslim, 10% Protestant
- Life expectancy: 41 years (80.22 years in Canada)
- Average annual income: $110 (Canada $30,000)
- Child malnutrition: 48%
- Completed primary school: 2.6% (Canada: 97%)
- Literacy rate: 42.7% (Canada: 97%)
- Births per female: 5.4 (Canada: 1.61)
- Child mortality: 123 per 1,000 (Canada: 6.9 per 1,000)
- Infant mortality: 77 per 1,000 live births (Canada: 4.69 per 1,000)
- Maternal mortality: 673 per 100,000 live births (Canada: 3.8 per 100,000)
- Women who receive pre-natal medical care: less than 1%
- Births taking place at a health facility with trained staff: 6% (Canada: 98%)
- Number of cell phones: 410,600 (Canada: 16.6 million)
- Number of television stations: 1 (Canada: 80)
- Number of internet service providers: 1 (Canada: unknown, but a lot)
Many thanks to Ferenge Addis Blog for providing all the facts and figures as we learn more about the land of Mystery Baby’s birth. And for giving us something to think about.
Feb
11
I’ve been spending a lot of time reading on the internet recently. Mostly because my U2 biography is a giant coffee-table book and when I try to read it in bed, it crushes my chest. The internet is lighter.
I’ve really enjoyed reading Meg Fowler recently. She writes, I think, in a similar fashion to how I do — I think (because I don’t know her, I am only imagining) that she probably writes very much like she talks. I like that style. I like the whole “storytelling” aspect of it. Plus, she’s funny like a funny thing that’s funny.
And then, of course, there’s our very own lovely and talented Fiona at Confessions from the Home Office. Fiona also has a lovely storytelling style, full of gentle wit. And she is my exercise guru. (Do not tell her about the snack food fest that’s been happening here this weekend — OOPS. Never mind.)
For those of you who are fans, Zach Braff has a blog. It’s kind of in newsletter format, sometimes intermittent, but he has a fairly earnest style of writing, very kid-in-a-candy-store, that makes me think that he’s just as jazzed to be part of the entertainment business as you or I would if we were suddenly plopped down in the middle of it. He seems to be a decent sort.
And then, for my own personal geekness, I’ve installed an RSS reader. So now I’m getting feeds direct to my desktop about adoption, Ethiopia, volleyball, entertainment… totally the laziest way to surf the ‘net. I like that now, the internet is my bitch, man.
And now, off to read.
Jan
26
I’ve been doing so much research this week, my eyeballs are rolling around their sockets. So today, I took a little time out to appreciate things.
- This morning, at 4 am, a beautiful little 7 1/2 pound girl was born to a co-worker and friend of BDH. She was eagerly anticipated, although early, and already much loved.
- I sat and watched the snow fall today. It has been bitterly cold here recently, but looking out over the conservation area, as deer walked by, it was lovely.
- I had a good laugh at my and Kelly’s expense today, rereading a post she made on her blog that captured one of our many IM conversations one evening. I laughed so hard I cried and wheezed. It was brilliant.
- We’re doing our best here to get healthy before the time comes for us to welcome a child into our home. I’ve been walking on the treadmill each day, and although I get all sweaty and nasty, I do enjoy the exercise.
- Sometimes, a cup of sweet milky tea and two cookies really IS all you need.
- Silly can be good for the spirit. Thanks to 5 minutes on homestarrunner, now I will be randomly yelling “Emergency Marketing Meeting!” a lot. And hoping for an opportunity to say to someone “I don’t know whether to puke or have a seizure.” And I’ve decided that my new favourite phrase is “It is time to resort to extreme measures. With Gene Hackman.” I can see that being VERY useful.
Jan
9
I have been told.
This evening, BDH called home to say hello. His mom answered, and the small talk got around to the topic of their new computer. Both BDH’s mom and dad are learning to use their new computer, purchased as a Christmas present, and they’re doing really well with it. They’re sending email, using the internet, practicing typing, and just generally getting comfortable with the tools and toys. While BDH got things set up and running, part of my job is to help teach them about how to use the internet, since it is My Best Thing Evah. I mentioned that next week, when we are visiting, we will have to try some new things.
My mother-in-law (let’s call her “Mom”, for that is not her real name but what we call her) first became interested in the internet because she started reading my blog while she was on vacation late last year. She likes to read my blog to keep up to date on what is happening with us, because it is immediate and irreverent and sometimes even interesting. It’s also something she can get to on the internet without help from anyone, so she has been checking it faithfully since the got the computer.
So tonight Mom was on the phone and said that she noticed that I had not blogged since — WAIT FOR IT! — January 7th. Sunday. That’s TWO DAYS AGO!! And so, she told me to get up off my fanny and get to it! (At which point, I mentioned that I would actually have to get ON my fanny in order to blog, but this was not the time for impertinence. You don’t mess with Mom. She’s small, but she’s wily. And she is the keeper of the wine, so I shan’t anger her.) She said she relies on me for news! I’m how she keeps up to date on stuff! I was exhorted to get writing. (I think there was an implied “MISSY!” on the end of that — I cannot be sure.)
And so, I find myself duly chastened. I do not want to let my readers down. Especially since there’s wine to be drunk come Sunday.
So, this blog’s for you, Mom! (*waves*)
Dec
28
There’s a lot to be said for doing what you love. I have been happier in recent months than I have been in many, many years.
When I was in high school, wondering what I would do with my life, I knew one thing for sure: I would die inside if I had to spend my time in a corporate environment, in a cubicle. I dared say this out loud to my family, and rather than support me and my search for a job that would make me happy, that was outside the office environment, instead they got all huffy and took it personally (like it had anything to do with them). They said I insulted them and what they do and what they want to do. They said I should consider that the corporate world was where I’d make the most money. I didn’t discuss it with them again.
For awhile, I worked as a teacher. But eventually, I ended up in the world of cubicles and bizarre corporate politics. I hated it. I hated every single minute of it. But it made me lots of money, so I stuck with it. And I got more miserable as the years went on.
So, when I found myself without a job, I sat down and thought about what it was I wanted to do with my life. My husband has always wanted me to do what makes me happy. The only thing that has ever made me happy is to write. I was discouraged from writing as a career in the beginning because of so many reasons — writing won’t make me any money, I have no experience, what if I am not any good at it — but as I spent my time with no job, thinking of what to do, slowly my thoughts turned back to writing. BDH encouraged me to really consider it. And so, I faced the possibilities that scared me in the beginning. “I won’t make much money,” I said. “So what,” said BDH. “We’ll get by.” “I have no experience,” I countered. “So get some”, said BDH. “Just start writing, and see what happens.” “What if I am not any good?” I asked. This was a pretty big one. BDH said, “I enjoy what you write. People enjoy what you write. You’re good enough for them. You’re good enough.”
So I started to think it was possible. And now, I am a writer. I have blogs of my own. I blog for volleyball. I submit stories to online publishers. I am a writer.
I will be lucky if I make in a year even a fraction of the money I used to make in the corporate world. But on the other hand, I am luckier than I ever thought possible. I am doing what I love. I am happier than I have been in many, many years. I am enjoying what I do every single day. I am a writer.
Nov
30
Go on over to Peevish Kitty and check out how:
- I am shown to be a complete doofus,
- Librarians rock our world, and also the internet, and
- I feel compelled to write an apology for point #1.
And then, follow some links and learn.
Nov
25
One of the things I enjoy doing most in life is reading. I always have loved to read, even as a small child. So it gives me no end of pleasure to find that the internet is chock full of good reading, in the form of blogs.
I go to my friends’ and family’s blogs first, of course. I am fortunate to have friends who are good writers, and I love being able to talk about stuff they post. I like that they enjoy blogging as much as I do.
I love to read hollywood farm girl, the blog put up by Tammy Lyn Michaels, who is Melissa Etheridge’s wife. Although she’s had precious little time to blog since the recent birth of her twins, when she DOES blog, it’s a treat. She has a wonderful way of expressing herself, sometimes in prose, other times in poetry. She’s got a great voice, and I find some of the turns of phrase and the way she expresses herself really delightful. Often moving, often funny, always insightful, hollywood farm girl is a good read.
Another blogger that I really enjoy is Wil Wheaton. Wheaton, you may remember, was geek boy Wesley Crusher in Star Trek. Well, he’s all grown up, and he’s one of THE original bloggers in the world of bloggers. His blogs tend toward the geeky side, but he writes about his geekiness with a wry sense of humour. We also share an interest in the same kinds of music, so I love those posts. And when he writes about his kids, and how they’re growing up before his eyes, he tugs at your heartstrings.
And when I am looking for a laugh, I go to Jay Barnes. I find myself laughing hard enough sometimes when I read his blog that tears are running down my face. The “Cadbury Egg Cake” is a thing of beauty. And I find myself recently saying, “KABLAMMO! YOU are WELL!” to various sick people I have met up with. (My husband looked at me rather confusedly when I said this to him the other day. And then hit me on the head with a cartoon hammer.)
So keep an eye on my blogroll and link lists. You may find some good reading, or at the very least, an interesting diversion from the usual internet fare.
Nov
17
This is the 3rd post in my “Get In The Game — Make a Difference” series, and one that is refreshingly Canadian in nature.
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I’m a fan of Rick Mercer, since the early days of This Hour Has 22 Minutes. I love his rants, which I find hilarious, spot-on, and — yes, I’ll admit it — kind of sexy. I think the ways he gets access to the highest political leaders and show them in a more “regular Joe” kind of light is wonderful. (His trip to Harvey’s with Chretien was inspired.) I find his “talking with Americans” segments funny and subversive in a Michael Moore kind of way, only gentler and without the venom. So, I linked to his blog, and have been reading periodically.
One of his recent blogs, about a cause dear to his heart, caught my interest. He posted a long-ish blog on the Spread the Net campaign, which I found to be a fascinating read (Go read it. You can come back here after. I won’t be upset.) I also think the cause is a worthy one.
Spread the Net is a campaign to ship bednets to some of the poorest regions of Africa, where mosquito-borne malaria kills over 3,000 children a day. This campaign will bring down the transmission of malaria in African kids, and therefore the number of deaths from malaria, by protecting them as they sleep with bednets. All it takes is ten dollars (Canadian! A bargain!) to buy a insecticide-treated bed net to protect what will probably be a bed full of kids (usually more than one child sleeps in a bed in these poorest regions). The bednet provides FIVE YEARS of protection from mosquitoes. FIVE YEARS. For TEN DOLLARS. How easy is that? How many kids could be saved by such a simple measure? It’s a brilliant idea.
The campaign is a UNICEF-sponsored campaign, spearheaded here in Canada by Mercer and MP Belinda Stronach. (Yes. THAT Belinda Stronach. She of the rumoured propensity for dalliances with married men. Just put your thoughts about her behaviour aside for a moment, okay? Keep your eyes on the prize here, people.) It was an idea that was the brainchild of Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. Simple, elegant, and effective. That’s what you need to make a difference on a grand scale. And this campaign has it in spades.
So if you’re looking for a place to make your difference this week, check out Spread the Net. Spend 10 bucks. And know that for five years, some children may be protected, and maybe live long enough to make a difference in their world.
Nov
14
I’m a bit of a biography geek. I love reading biographical and autobiographical books. When I was young, I thought that sort of information must be as boring as shit. But then, as I tore through paperback novel after paperback novel, reading books in 3 hours, I thought to myself that there must be better reading out there.
I blame Holidays in Hell by P.J. O’Rourke. In university, I started reading P.J. O’Rourke in Rolling Stone magazine. As a journalism junkie with a bent for foreign correspondents, I loved the stories of foreign lands and people, the descriptions of war-torn places, the up-front look at faraway places. So one Christmas, I asked for Holidays in Hell. And honest to God, the book made me laugh so hard I had an asthma attack. Sitting on my bed in my room in Ottawa, reading out loud to a boyfriend, laughing so hard I was crying and could barely breathe. This is some funny stuff, I thought. It’s compelling. It’s interesting. AND it’s kind of like (*gasp*) NON-FICTION. So I started looking a bit at other sources of interesting non-fiction.
First, I started out reading music books. Well, more specifically, I first became enchanted with Alan Cross’s “Ongoing History of New Music” series on 102.1 The Edge/CFNY. The man is an encyclopaedia of new music, and he does his research. As a music fan, I was fascinated by the behind-the-scenes information he provided about my favourite bands. I loved to hear the history of certain songs or bands or musicians. He made me think more about what I listened to. I gobbled up any liner notes that he wrote on any CDs I could find. So then, when he came out with a series of books, like The Alternative Music Almanac and the Alternative Rock book in the 20th Century Rock and Roll series, I was hooked. From there, I moved on to more musicians and their auto-/biographies — Sting, Rosemary Clooney, Midge Ure, Bob Geldof (of course), Bob Marley — and coffee table books about The Beatles, the guys from Monty Python, and Geldof in Africa. And then, on to movie stars. Still anecdotal, still entertaining stuff.
Then along came Nelson Mandela. (Well, not really.) I picked up Long Walk to Freedom. Heavy, intense stuff, but well written. I learned so much, but never felt like I was reading a boring textbook of information. I was being told a fascinating story by a fascinating man. Why read fiction when you can find this kind of engrossing, dramatic reading in the story of a real live person?
My bookshelves are now full of these biographies. I have stacks of them by my bed, and under my night table, and in the corner. I pick up the odd fiction from time to time — usually a travel book — but for the most part, I devour biographies now. I love the information, still about places I have never been and people I will never see. I love the conversational style. I love the pictures.
Right now I am reading Michael Palin’s Diaries from 1969-79. It’s a good 1000 pages, I think. (He’s one of the members of Monty Python, for those of you wondering.) He kept a diary consistently from 1969 on. It’s quite a fascinating glimpse into the life of one of my favourite personalities. I am learning so much about what it was like to be a part of a television series and a comedy troupe and movies that I loved so much. There are some interesting details about the times, the people and the work, and he has a lovely style. It’s a good read. I am hoping that he decides to continue to publish his diaries, so I can read about his life during his A Fish Called Wanda and Around the World in 80 Days and the like. I guess it depends on how this first book is received. But I am hopeful for more. It’s another glimpse into a world I will never see, at people and places I will never know. (I bet Michael Palin would make a great blogger.)
And after that… In a bag beside me on the floor I have the U2 autobiography U2 by U2, books on Jimmy Stewart and Audrey Hepburn, a Caribbean cookbook by Morgan Freeman…
I’m always eager for more good reads. Let me know of any you discover.
Nov
8
Although I have been sitting on my backside for a week and a half, I have been busy. It’s been a good opportunity to stretch my mind, since I am not doing a whole lot of stretching of anything else.
Over the past 10 days, I have learned so much. I wrote a couple of days ago about the changes to my blog. It’s been fun, making changes and trying new things. I’ve explored some possibilities in function and form. Some of the stuff has blown up with error messages, others have just done… well, NOTHING actually. But I love the toys. I love to try adding in all kinds of new things. I’m also thinking about what I can do with our other site, and what things I can write about out there in other blogs on other sites.
And, of course, I’ve implemented the ads. That was also a learning exercise, just figuring out what it was all about, and what options I had, and how to implement them. I do not, by nature, have a head for business. If something involves numbers, I totally zone out. So, I did a lot of research. I read many, MANY blogs on the subject. But I feel like a whole new side of things has opened up to me, because I had never really understood ads before, although I had seen them around. And it’s not like I am an expert, but I learned something.
I’m also spending a good deal of time on small projects. I’ve tried to work on some things to optimize my blog, like resizing the photos I have so that they will load faster when people come to my site. I’ve been researching (of all things!) negative scanners, so I can take all our old pictures and negatives and preserve them digitally. I have also opened up all the lines in the Treehouse store, and have begun planning (with Kelly, my partner in crime) some treats for Christmas time for the Treehousers and marketplace shoppers.
My husband, the brilliant BDH, has purchased a portable laptop desk for me, so I can do my blogging and writing and creating in the comfort of my comfy IKEA lounge chair. If only all learning were this much fun, and comfy, I might have enjoyed school a lot more.
