* not with ink

March has ended far better than March began. Tonight's two highlights, you ask? 1. Meredith came for a visit. We ate lentil soup (with extra cumin) and lemon blueberry loaf (actually mini muffins) and talked about all the important things in life. I love her. 2. I received this text, from a friend who consistently sends fantastic texts (spacing and punctuation is precise to the text I received): I am hungry, now. Pass me a slice of pizza. You are a loser. I wrote this haiku  For you. I really wanted to use the word loser.

This is for my Modern Family viewing buddies. And Laura. This is for Karen, the wedding invitation designer (but only for people who already have fiances & want their invites to be designed by her). Please excuse the subtitles. This one is for Aimee, because she doesn't know George Stroumbolopoulos. And someone told me awhile ago that I should watch this particular interview. And this one is just for me. Because I love WLIIA , and good Canadian improvisers.

It's Monday morning, and we could all use a little humour in our lives. This was the best moment of the Junos last night: "Ankle bands...even though they're practical, no one raps about them." "Security rarely searches the elderly...so we got what we need, you know?" Roger Abbott died this weekend. Listening to him and his colleagues on Air Farce was my introduction to Canadian politics. Perhaps this explains my attitude and slight cynicism towards it all...Anyway. Here's a tribute reel of some of his funniest moments.

Text received: Your lack of blogginess is leaving an empty spot in my life. Reply: Thanks! Thoughts are piling up. It's been a crazy full week...hopefully tonight I'll sit down and write. ( Reply not sent: My lack of blogginess is leaving an empty spot in my life too.) On Wednesday, I went to see one of my favourite melancholy musicians perform. I have a few things to say about this: a. Slow Runner opened for & then backed William Fitzsimmons. I found this song to be the catchiest of their set: (ignore all the text & just listen) b. It was fun to eavesdrop on fans' conversations with Willie Fitz after the show. One dude has a tattoo of William's face ON HIS THIGH. He dropped his pants to show it - I gotta admit, it was a beautiful likeness. But seriously. A TATTOO OF HIS FACE. I wonder how much of an impact you have to have on someone's life for them to ink you into their skin. (Speaking of his William's face, every man I know has beard env...

I have a difficult time allowing and accepting negative emotions when I have made a decision, or a series of decisions, that have led me to that place. Since the decisions were in my control, the emotions ought to be also, right? Particularly if I do not regret my choices and would make them again if I had the chance. Examples: I chose to quit my job, and don't regret it. Therefore, I should not miss it. I turned Boy X down. So when he gets married/finds the love of his life, I have no right to feel sad or lonely. It was my decision to book every night this week with good activities. I am not allowed to feel stressed or overwhelmed by its fullness. I know I'm not the only person who thinks & feels this way. Who has found the solution!?

When it comes to the voice(s) in my head, there are a few sayings/phrases that have latched on to their own unique sound from videos or songs, and seem to be inextricably tangled up for the rest of my life. What is she talking about? You ask. What I mean is this: Whenever I think to myself (or say out loud), "It's how I feel." I hear the voice of Mike Birbiglia imitating the voice & hand motions of his girlfriend (now wife) "winning" an argument with him. Because I loved his show , My Girlfriend's Boyfriend . When I crave cereal I don't just dream of cereal and milk. I want "milk & cereal, milk & cereal, cereal & milk." I think this is one of the first viral videos I ever saw. (that shirtless guy has some pearly whites!) Every time I sigh and think, "I am feeling fat," the thought always continues, "...and sassy!" Which is directly the cause of this random and probably offensive video. Specif...

I just watched The Break-Up , because it is late Sunday afternoon, and that's how we roll. (spoiler alert) I expected them to get back together, and was counting down how many minutes were left, wondering if this was going to be the turning point. Well, it turns out they don't get back together. They break up. And stay that way.* I am upset about this. Why does it bother me so much when good people don't stay together? These people aren't even REAL for crap's sake. I don't understand how a couple gets to the point where they don't care anymore or they don't have any capacity left to love. Okay, I do understand how it happens...I just want to believe that it doesn't have to happen. Maybe my problem is that I grew up listening to this song: Oh, 60's music... On the movie front, I have more respect for this film and its realism. And for Vince and Jennifer for choosing to do the movie. *Kudos to Nadine, who has seen the movie b...

A conversation from last July: person A: You know, I used to think there was an ocean full of options. And then, as I got older, I realized it was more like a large lake. Maybe Lake Ontario...there's still a lot of selection, but not exactly an ocean's worth. person B: And then one day, you eliminate another realm of options, and you realize it's actually more like a little camping lake. person C: And then a little while later, you know yourself better and you realize it's more like a backyard pond. There are a few fish that fit you, but not that many. person B: And then it becomes a bathtub-sized puddle. person A: And then you realize it's a fishbowl, and there's really only one fish for you. And he's just swimming around, and around, and around, oblivious to everything except his happy little bowl.

A friend told me today that her heart is weary. This song came immediately to mind and has been strolling through my head since: I loves it. Like I loves my friend. (if you have trouble taking this folksy group seriously, close your eyes and listen. or watch this audio-only track ) Also today, I found out that one of my favourite fun songs has a new music video: Katie Herzig is my H-E-R-O-(i-n-e). And that bull reminds me of the night a zebra mask got passed around at a birthday party...so many laughs. It is fun to surprise someone on their way out of the bathroom.

So Lent is back, because that's what time of year it is. I don't care enough tonight to find my previous Lenten posts, and tell you all the things I've given up in the years since I knew what Lent was. You probably don't care enough to read them anyway (if I'm wrong, just search for "Lent" on this here blog). Anyway, the point. This year, I am not "giving up" anything, per se. Instead, I've added something to my daily routine and something to my weekly routine, and I'm going to "give up" whatever I need to in order for them to happen. I like this approach, because it will hopefully keep me from merely dieting/fasting/depriving myself. Instead, I'm focusing on what I'm adding to my life; and the necessary sacrifices are then in context.I am still very much making sacrifices, and very much going to be aware of the changes I'm making. But it certainly feels different than last year. {In other news, I had a...

Do you know how difficult it was to not tweet, blog, or post on facebook that I was going to Vancouver this last weekend!? The answer is very difficult . But I had to surprise some people. And I did (mostly). I also had an unplanned opportunity to surprise an old housemate, which was exceedingly fun: him: "But I just read your blog! You're in Toronto!" me: "Surprise! They invented the airplane!"* Um, I loved loved loved the weekend. As the plane descended over the city, I thought to myself, It feels good and right to be here. Am I allowed to call two places home? Then my friends met me one corridor-corner before I was prepared for them, and the next 54 hours flew by. I won't bother to recount all the greatness that was had and the laughter that we shared. I didn't shed any tears, but they were there below the surface a few times. I do need to record these three things: 1. Poetry needs to be in my life. Right now, Czeslaw Milosz and Margaret Atwood a...

Tonight I went to a poetry reading, which I've been wanting to do for the past year. Finally! As expected, half of it was inaccessible/difficult to grasp, and the other half was great. I jotted down some thoughts and notes and authors to check out. Notable quotes from the evening: host: (reading poet's published history) I can't say this!... My Gaelic fails me. friend: (a disappointed aside) Oh. I thought it was going to be "nigger." poet: (explaining obscure title reference) ...And that's pretty much it. Well, that's where it ends on Wikipedia. After the reading, for an unknown reason, I brought up a song that three of us had heard at David's Tea on Tuesday night: (for a clip of the original AND SUPER AWESOME vid, click here ) The line about a six-foot rabbit* moved us on to movies. Dannie Darko , which I have not seen, and Harvey , which none of the others have seen. Jimmy Stewart, folks! Pookas ! Y'all should check it o...

1. This name and epitaph on a headstone in the cemetery: Ouisville Earlington Sears Men on earth have done their best Angels in heaven can't do better First off, the name!!!!! WOW. And that epitaph...is it a quote from something famous, or just a weirdly nonsensical platitude?? 2. This conversation with C: C: So if I had a really long nose, I could breathe underwater, right? Like at the zoo. me: Yes. Do you remember what that animal was called? C: Um, I forget. me: A tapir. C: Oh yeah. (ten minutes later) C: Mumble mumble, I could breathe underwater, right? me: Pardon me? C: So if I had a really long dinky, I could breathe underwater, right? me: No. Only a long nose. C: Or mouth. me: I guess so, but I don't know if any animals have really long mouths. Actually, pretty sure this stemmed from a memory of our initial visit to the tapir, which happened right after we saw the rhino. (Other things I don't get include the proper spelling of Qaddafi, the reason blue cheese...