Wringing Out the Old/Ringing In the New

With a full acknowledgment that I'm not a huge fan of the hoopla surrounding New Year's Eve, I thought I might combine a Tiz List of things you might not know about the past year(-ish), and a Tiz Wish List for the coming year. Having never done this, before, we'll just jump in and see how it goes.

1) I think that, when a rental property advertises a "fireplace" it should be an actual fireplace, and not simply a wood-burning stove.

2) I hope to go somewhere with a real fireplace for at least a couple of nights.

3) I hate to do the semi-forced "Happy Birthday" (or whatever) greetings on the social networking sites.

4) I've gotten to the point where I ignore most of the reminders.

5) I'm hoping to send more real greetings, so that the forced ones simply don't have to happen.

6) After a decent amount of semi-self-imposed austerity, I have begun shopping for fun, again. Just a little.

7) I started with new underwear, followed by new shoes.

8) Sometime in early January I have to decide if I'm keeping the new shoes.

9) I'm keeping the new underwear.

10) My favorite thing about the new dryer is the lighted control panel - even more than the interior light and the melodic "time's-up" buzzer.

11) I think a cruise would be fun - but I'd need at least a porthole, if not a balcony.

12) Our favorite delivery pizza place will add second toppings to the "one topping special."

13) I miss getting more "real" mail.

14) I'd rather get a handful of good birthday cards instead of a hundred online "happy birthdays."

15) I'd prefer it to be a rather large handful.

16) I have come to realize that I get tear-y-er at really happy/joyful/silly things that move me than at really sad things.

17) I'd like the chance to get a whole lot of tear-y at a whole lot of happy things in 2011.

18) We went to an incredibly simple wedding this year that - when I recently saw one of the pictures - made me feel that warm happy almost-tear-y feeling, again.

19) I have never used the words "pee" and "poop" as much in my life as I have in the past 3 months of trying to get a certain dog to do her duty when we go for walks.

20) Nothing makes me feel more inadequate than being unable to make my friends (or family) happy.

21) Or at least comforted.

22) I think I've reached my limit of mean-ness, rude-ness, and apathy that I can stand without reaction. (I asked for a customer service person's manager on the phone last night because - while she had certainly done all of the required actions on the phone - she had simply been mean and snarky the entire time. Was her customer service lacking so massively that it was deserved? Probably. Was it an over-reaction, even so? Probably. Is this a total digression? Definitely.)

23) I have way too much "stuff."

24) I hope to start getting rid of some "stuff" in the coming year. Possibly starting with old underwear and shoes.

25) I've now reached 10 followers on my blog. (Welcome, Mr. Number 10!)

26) My goal for 2011 is to have add at least 11 followers.

27) Okay. I'd settle for simply having at least 11 followers by the end of the year.

28) I'd still kind of like a kilt.

29) I am constantly amazed by people I know who are following at least some aspects of their dreams on a daily basis.

30) And it happens in Michigan and England and California and - I've heard - it can even happen in Cleveland.

31) I hope to, once again, figure out what my dreams are.

32) Maybe a West-Coastal-drive vacation would be good.

33) I should use my French more.

34) I really hope Disney doesn't stop making princess movies, even if they don't rake in the big bucks.

35) We have a knack for going to dinner somewhere, deciding we really enjoyed it, and then finding out the place has closed before we have a chance to go back.

36) We'd like to find a few new favorite places that don't close before we can go back.

Alright. Three dozen randomnesses, all written on a December afternoon where Minneapolis actually had hail. (Yes. Really. Hail. Not Sleet. Have I mentioned that we've been having strange weather?)

Now it's time to chill something bubbly, start looking toward dinner, and set the TiVo for the Rose Parade in case I don't get up in time for it.

Here's to whatever's next!

Okay. What's With The Weather?

I know I've been complaining about the weather this winter. And, well, I think the weather has deserved it.

This week has just been weird, though. We've had warm temps yesterday and today. And today we've had rain. Lots of rain. Enough to actually cause a bunch of the snow to compact. It's been a bit like spring. It's been nice.

But tonight and into tomorrow we're expecting freezing temps, freezing drizzle, freezing rain (see a theme?), and snow.

By Saturday, we could be pretty much iced in. And, yet, last night we walked to an open house without coats on.

This is going to be a long winter.

Mid-Short-Week Wednesday

Have you ever noticed that on short work-weeks, the days all seem wrong?

You know, like when it's Tuesday, but it feels like Monday? Or when it feels like Friday, but it's only Thursday?

I love it when it feels earlier in the week than it is. I mean, when it feels like Monday, but it's already Tuesday (or even Wednesday), it's a great feeling to know that you don't have to deal with as much week ahead.

On the other hand, when it's one of those weeks where it feels like it ought to be Friday, but it's only Thursday (or, again, Wednesday), those weeks are just painful.

Well, I'm having a strange combo of those this week. I was off from work on Monday (on my way back to town from Christmas), and I'm going to be off on Friday (we have all of New Year's Eve off because New Year's Day is on the weekend).

So yesterday (a Tuesday) felt like a major Monday. And tomorrow (a Thursday) is going to feel like a Friday. But today... today was simply a Wednesday.

Movie Monday - How to Train Your Dragon

One of the perks of spending Christmas with family is partaking in events you might not otherwise do. Like learning all about new robotic toys. Or watching dance practices in the living room (while imagining the shiny red tutu, of course). They also involve watching movies you might not otherwise have seen.

For me, this weekend, that movie was "How to Train Your Dragon" - which my nephew got for Christmas and waited for us to all sit down to watch.

And, you know what? It was really good.

Sure, there's a plot involving action and adventure and - non-spoiler-alert - dragons, but the portion of the movie that adults might get is the stuff about finding out who you are in the world. There is a whole sub-story about friendship and bravery and speaking up for what you believe in. And it's so deftly woven into the fabric of the dragons and the fire and the action and the comedy that it actually works.

Yes, I know that the movie was out a while ago, and that I'm really late in reviewing it. But I'll give it an A-, anyway. Not sure why it's not an A, but it just wasn't quite.

Itching for Something

After all of the presents are opened, and the dinner is eaten, and the meltdowns have occurred, it's all about the itch.

The itch for that one gift you didn't get. The itch for the leftovers that are waiting in the fridge calling your name. The itch because you're in a strange house with different humidity and so your skin is dry as dust.

I prefer the second of those. Or even the first. Aoife, unfortunately, is prone to the third.

Christmas Preparation: Beware "Present Face"

Here's hoping you don't have to worry about "Present Face" over the next few days, but - if you do - here's something that you can think about which will hopefully make you smile in spite of yourself.

(Now if only I could figure our to embed videos, this would have been so much less cumbersome...)

Go here to Garfunkel and Oates's YouTube page, and enjoy!

Theatrical Thursday - Mirror Mates

So, when was the last time you had the chance to get in at the very start of something big? Or the last time you put a dollar down on something and hoped to see it take off like a standing ovation? Or the chance to help someone's dream come true?

Well, here's your new best chance!

A very good friend of mine, and some very good friends of hers, are trying to put together backing to mount a staged reading of a brand new piece of theater: Mirror Mates: A Two Faced Farce.

Mirror Mates is, indeed, a farce which takes place in two settings: a home for the chronically ill, and a decrepit dinner theater. And the players play characters on both sides of the... well... for the sake of this posting... mirror.

From what I've heard, it's really a trip, and a lot of fun. And you (yes, you) have a chance to be involved!

They've launched a page on the website called "Kickstarter" that helps people spread the word about new projects and raise money. You can pledge anywhere from a dollar on up, and - here's a cool thing - if they don't make their initial fundraising goal, your credit card won't be charged at all. So you don't have to worry about donating money that never goes anywhere. If you get charged, that means it's going!

Anyway... Here is the link to the Mirror Mates Kickstarter pledge page - there's all sorts of information about the show, about the people involved, about what you can get for your money, and - no surprise - how to make that pledge.

I know it's the Holidays, and we're all kind of strapped, but if you can donate, please do. (And don't forget - they won't be charging anyone until February 1st, so try to make your pledge based on your cashflow in a "regular" month, not a Christmas-present-buying one.)

Thanks!