Click

I just watched the movie Click. The movie stars Adam Sandler, it's kinda funny, kinda cute with a drastically unfunny turn at the end. I think everyone should rent the movie, especially at the beginning of a new year. It will certainly give you something to think about.

Happy New Year!

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Tomorrow is one of my first well-deserved days off. I feel like I've been working non-stop, which isn't true, but it feels that way. I think I'm getting a cold which just compounds my desire to do nothing tomorrow but lay in bed with a good book.

I hope everyone's holiday was great and that Santa brought you everything you wanted. I got lots of great, useful gifts. Plus lots of lovely shiney things from NittanyBri. He's determined that I'm very easy to shop for since all he has to buy are shiney things. I did get one super-duper gift from NittanyBri, one of those gifts that comes in the little blue box from this place. We did lots of eating and drinking over the last couple of days. There's tons of left overs in the fridge. A full refrigerator is always a comforting feeling. At least we know we won't starve anytime soon!

The animals got something nifty too from NittanyBri. He got them their very own circulating, filtered water drinking fountain. But, they'd still much rather use the tub or the sink. Silly animals!

Sadly, one of my last remaining aunts had a stroke the day after Christmas. There's no hope of recovery. She is 87 and was not in bad health, so I can be thankful at least for that.

I hope everyone has a wonderful New Years. I'm not quite sure what we'll be doing on Sunday night. There are a couple of options. I hope this impending cold I feel coming on stays away at least until after the weekend. Have fun, stay safe and be happy for the new year!

Holiday Greetings

For those of you not on my mailing list, here's the picture we used for our Christmas card. It was somewhat entertaining taking this picture. One cat was hissing at the other, Jasmine back there on the fireplace mantle was trying to act like she didn't know us. No doubt they were a little annoyed that we made them wear silly shiney bows around their necks!

We hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas!

Mmmmm Food!

It has become quite apparent over the last several days that I have no concept of what day it really is. I have no idea when Christmas is either. I mean I know it's on the 25th but is that next week?!?

Over the holidays I've been working at a store that sells books and CD's and has been completely swamped with customers. This past Saturday was the worst I had seen it. And it was on Saturday that my lack of interest as to when exactly Christmas falls this year resulted in the uptight "older" customer to shriek at me "What day do you celebrate Christmas?!?" Surprisingly, I just left her make a complete fool of herself because the customer standing next to her remarked "Old people suck." Thank you dear customer whoever you were!

I've been trying to coordinate with my sister what kind of food we will be making for the holidays. This year I decided it would be nice to have a big meal on Christmas Eve and have a brunch on Christmas Day. So, we'll have the traditional fare on Christmas Eve consisting of stuffing, sweet potatoes with mini-marshmellows, cranberry salad, and some form of roast beast. I'm hoping my sister takes on all those dishes (hint, hint) so I can make the following:
Cheesy Spinach Squares
Fiesta Rolls (tortillas with cream cheese and hot peppers)
Texas Caviar (chick peas, corn, black eyed peas marinated in vinegar and sugar...delish!! It's Nitannybri's favorite!)
Spinach Dip (you know the kind that comes in a bread bowl)
Frittata of some sort
And maybe either my sticky buns or Michael from Smoke and Mirrors famous French Toast Casserole.
We'll also need lots of champagne for Mimosa's!

And, since I have no concept of time lately, I guess I better get to the grocery store for all this stuff!

This Is the End

I've cleaned out my notebooks, I've taken the last of the tests, all the papers have been turned in and all the library books have been returned to the library. As of 10:30 a.m. today I officially start my semester break!! WHOO HOO!!

I am so relieved and thankful to be done and one semester closer to graduation.

I have had a fairly easy finals week. I only had two finals to start with. My other two classes only required a final paper to be completed, no tests. The first of my finals was last Friday, my other final was today.

Tomorrow I have absolutely nothing, I repeat nothing on my calendar. Nothing to study for, no papers to write, no homework, and no work, work either. I plan on sleeping in or at least taking a nap and enjoying the abundant sunshine and near 60 degree temperatures. Anyone want to do lunch?

Christmas Memories

As always the holidays get here too quickly and then in the flurry of activity they are over. Again this year, I haven't had the chance to decorate because of school and work and frankly I just don't have energy to dig all the crap out just to have to put it away again. We haven't even had the chance to do our Christmas cards yet which I hope we get to do this weekend.

I miss having a real Christmas tree in the house, but I do not miss having sappy cats walking around smelling curiously of pine with the tell-tale broken Christmas balls laying underneath the tree. I do have the holiday music in the CD player and that usually puts me into the holiday spirit.

Lass just got her tree up and it got me to thinking about all the things that are cherished Christmas memories for me. Perhaps they are memories for you as well.

When I was a kid, we always went to my Aunt Emily's house for the holiday weekend. She lived about an hour and a half away which gave my dad and I a lot of time to sing Christmas Carols in the car as much as possible. (This happened even in the middle of July.) My mom particularly loved when my dad sang, because he couldn't carry a note and she was an excellent singer. My nephew seems to have gotten my fathers inability to sing on key. Away in a Manger is a song that always reminds me of my father. Maybe we sang that one the most.

By the time we got to my aunts, she had her place decorated from top to bottom. She always had lots of colored holiday lights especially the old fashioned kind that bubbled when they got heated up. She had one of those ceramic trees painted white that had the plastic colored "balls" that would light up when you put a light bulb underneath. No one decorated like she did!

We decorated at my house too and we usually had a real tree my dad did the lights and I usually got to decorate. We had a handmade manger scene that always went under the tree. After I was done doing the decorating my dad would always say, "that's the most beautiful tree ever."

As I got older, we didn't go to my aunts as much as we had when I was kid. We would usually have Christmas dinner at my sisters with my sister's in laws. There was always tons of food, cookies and presents.

Sadly most of my family is gone so the big family gatherings don't happen anymore. But, as with any family, you make new memories as the years pass. This holiday I'll be making new memories as I join NittanyBri and his family and he joins mine. My nephew will be home from college in time for the holidays but will be leaving shortly afterwards for Fort Lauderdale which is completely not fair!

A Bittersweet Celebration

Today I am thrilled for a friend of mine. She's been somewhat of a "quiet" artist for a long time. She's been taking lessons for a while at various art associations and has really developed her skills. I actually had the pleasure of being a model in one of her classes from which she drew a really lovely pastel of me, had it matted and framed and gave it to me. It's huge!

Today she is celebrating the opening of a show of hers at a local library. These works are water colors, pastels, etc. There will be wine and cheese, served by some of Wanda's friends.

The picture below is the invitation to the opening today and that is one of her water colors. Sadly, she had to put her own cat to sleep yesterday. Hopefully it doesn't dampen her spirits for this really exciting thing that's happening in her artistic career.

R.I.P. "Boomer"

Just Me and My Shadow

Under Pressure

For those that know me know I do not like this time of year for various reasons two of those reasons are that it gets dark too early, and it's cold.

However, this time of the year brings some good things too. First and foremost, it's the last week of classes, end of the semester, fini, ende, kaput! I did my presentation last night from my independent study so that is all done. Thanks Nittanybri and Dean for being there for me! The rest of my audience was made up of three Art professors...no pressure!

Tomorrow I hand in one of my last Ethics papers. Friday is my final in Sociology. That leaves next week which is finals week. I will only have one final next week in Art History and I have the final Ethics paper to turn in. Then I'm really done. This week will be the most difficult. But it's already Tuesday!!

My Debut

Tonight I am going to be doing a presentation at school based on my semester-long study of the concepts of the female and notions of power in African art.

I created my Power Point presentation, put flyers around at school, emails were sent out to potentially interested individuals. I wasn't nervous till now. I shouldn't be nervous. I'm used to getting up in front of people and talking. There will be professors there from the art/art history department, my advisor-the most intelligent woman I know. ACK!

I will have my cheering section with me....Nittanybri and Dean. Thanks guys!!

The Job I Should Never Have

Today I took Lester (my cat) to the vet for his weekly fluid injections. This seems to have been keeping him in relatively good shape considering his purported grave condition. You may remember that Labor Day weekend I was told that he should be put to sleep because he was in kidney failure. He's still in kidney failure, that will not get any better. But, he's still eating and "supervising" because he is the king of everything and he has been maintaining his weight over the last few weeks. Thanksgiving turkey left overs certainly didn't go to waste. I don't think any creature in my house had more turkey than Lester. He's coo-coo for turkey!

Soon after I got into the vet's office, I was waiting for the tech to come pick up Lester and take him back for his fluids when I heard it. The sobbing. From a little boy. I looked over and saw him with his head peeked back around the corner into the exam room. He turned around and rubbed his eyes, then came dad, then came mom who had also obviously been crying. It soon became apparent that these people had just put an animal to sleep, which then resulted in the tears pouring down my face. This is the second week in a row that and animal was being or had been put down when I was there. I can usually keep it somewhat together until I get out to the car and then I cry all the way home. Now we know what job I should never have!

Hollywood Nights

Tonight is the student government winter formal for the school I go to. I got a pretty "little black" dress from Macy's a couple of weeks ago for the occasion. So, we'll get all dressed up, have dinner and drinks, dancing etc. The theme this year is A Night in Hollywood. All the tables are named for movies. The table we're sitting at? Breakfast at Tiffany's of course!!!

I'm a little apprehensive about the event since there is such a huge age gap between me and the "usual" students that will be there. I'm sure it will be fun, could even get interesting in that there will be alcohol for those over 21. Everyone might end up naked in the pool, and wouldn't that be fun?!?!