Monday, January 31, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 31, 2011

Today is Backwards Day. Not to be confused with Opposite Day, which we celebrated on January 25. Although, it seems the two days are similar. And popular with school age children. Why are we letting school age children create so many days? I'm kidding. I like kids, so I don't want to get any hate mail. But it seems very silly to have two days, very similar to each other, within the same week. I think having either Backwards Day or Opposite day is sufficient. We don't need both. Today is also 'Inspire Your Heart With Art' day. I am not much of an artist, or an art lover even. I can draw stick people. There are very few art pieces in our house, and the ones we have are mostly landscapes. I could look at mountain landscapes all day. The other artwork in our house is the work of my incredibly talented niece. I currently have two pieces of her artwork on our refrigerator. Although I always end up asking her 'what is it?', I enjoy her work. And I was so thankful that the large, round object with a head and 'AMY' written in her four year old writing was in fact, NOT her vision of Aunt Amy, but rather a turtle; and she wrote 'Amy' as in 'To: Amy'. Art comes in many forms, including photography. I sorted through photos this weekend, updating my albums with pictures from the end of last year. As I went through the pictures, I realized I took a lot of pictures of the mountains in NY when I was there in October. I put them all in a little album that doubles as a picture frame. I chose my favorite and put it on the front. I put this little album on my dresser, so that each day I can see the pictures and feel grounded. In just a couple of days, every time I look at this picture I feel inspired, connected, and happy. I honestly feel my heart sing. This art that inspires me is the most beautiful of all art: nature.Check Spelling (this picture is the road to my Mom & Dad's house, although from this perspective, you are driving away from their house).

Sunday, January 30, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 30, 2011

Today is Escape Day. We all have those moments where we wish we could just run away; escape. Whether it's from your job, your family, the housework, or just the day to day ups and downs of life. This time of year, a lot of people are looking for an escape from winter. Everyone has their favorite method of escape. Some people like to take bubble baths, others might like a day at the spa. Parents enjoy a night out without the children. For others, sports are a method of escape. My favorite way to escape is to take a vacation. Especially if I am going home to NY. It helps me unplug from the day to day things that pull me down; recharge my battery, and refocus on what is the most important to me: my family. But it's not always possible to hop on a plane and head to NY. Reading provides another great escape. A well-written work of fiction transports you to another location or time. Even non-fiction works can move you. I frequently read books about the Civil War, and it is so easy to get lost in the 1860s. Everyone needs an escape. Even if it is just for a few minutes each day. Take care of yourself first, the world will wait.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 29, 2011

Today is Puzzle Day. I don't mind doing puzzles, but it isn't one of my hobbies. I think because I already have too many hobbies, and try not to add to it! Every time I've gone to NY lately, Sydney wants to do a puzzle with me. It's always the same one, a Disney Princess puzzle she has at my mom's. She says 'Lets do a puzzle' and we start the puzzle, and then after a couple of minutes, she goes on to something else. By that point, I'm determined to finish the puzzle, so I stick it out. It's a children's puzzle, so it doesn't take long. My sister has always loved doing puzzles. The year that 3D puzzles came out, Mom bought her one for Christmas. It was Notre Dame Cathedral. My sister worked and worked on that thing. It frustrated my mom, it frustrated me, but my sister kept going. I think it stood 3 or 4 feet tall when it was done. It was neat, but not for me. One year, Laura made puzzle pictures for everyone. She did the puzzle, glued it, then matted and framed it. The one she made for me is a mountain scene, and goes perfectly in my bedroom. She put a lot of work into all of our gifts that Christmas! There is a running joke in our family about puzzles. If you have a puzzle, and my mom is around, you might hear us say 'hide the scissors'. Mom's sister, Aunt Arlene, told us that as a kid, Mom would get scissors and cut the puzzle pieces to fit. And this is not just a tall tale told by an older sibling. Mom has tried to do puzzles with us, and she quickly gets frustrated. I have even heard her say 'Oh, where are the scissors?'. So we usually don't include Mom when we are doing puzzles. Erich's Dad likes to do jigsaw puzzles, so for a couple of years we bought him a puzzle. One of the malls in Cincinnati has a nice puzzle store, so we would pick out a very elaborate puzzle for him. Since he was a German teacher, we thought it was really great if we found something German related. Then he complained to Erich that everyone always bought him puzzles for Christmas. (You have to know him, after 10 years, I'm still trying to figure him out). So we stopped buying him puzzles. I guess he likes them, but was tired of only receiving puzzles for Christmas. I do enjoy doing crosswords or word searches. Which are also puzzles. Word searches are great ways to kill time in airports or on the airplane, if you aren't sleeping. I also play many online games which are brain teasers or puzzles. I have read that keeping your brain active may help with the fibro fog, so I play these games as ways to stay sharp. At least, that's my story!

Friday, January 28, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 28, 2011

According to my 'official' calendar, today is Kazoo day. I don't really know much about kazoos, so I'm going to write about something more important. Today is the 25th Anniversary of the Challenger Explosion. I feel the news barely touched on it tonight. Maybe I just wasn't watching at the right time. It just doesn't seem it has gotten the coverage that it deserved. That is very sad. ABC World News said it was my generation's Pearl Harbor or JFK assassination. I think that is possibly very accurate. There are a few days that we will always remember, and the Challenger disaster is one of them. I was 9 1/2 years old when it happened. Back then, that extra half year made you so much older! I was in fourth grade. I remember that we had watched other shuttle launches in the gym/cafeteria at school. I remember our Principal, Mr. Lewin, bringing in the one TV the school had. It was maybe a 19"? That seems so small, but I'm pretty sure the 27" I have in my living room now is much bigger than what we had at school. It was on a rolling cart, and was usually kept in the library. Teachers signed it out and it was rolled down the hallway to the room as needed. When the shuttles launched, we had an assembly. Little blue chairs were lined up in the lunch room, and we sat by age. The Kindergartners and first graders sat in the front, fourth and fifth graders in the back. Yet the day of the Challenger launch, I distinctly remember we had a half day. I think it was teacher conference day. I didn't see the Challenger disaster live on television. I remember getting to our babysitter's, her name was also Amy. We all got off the bus, and ran to the house, excited to have a free afternoon. I remember Amy meeting us at the bus, and she was crying. Her face was a mix of sadness and disbelief. When we went inside, the TV was on and she explained to us what happened. If we had not had the half day, we would have been gathered in the lunch room in Stephentown. I probably would have been sitting next to Drew, my best friend. And, like so many children across the country, we would have been glued to the screen. I know my parents talked to us about what happened, but I don't remember their words. I remember everything felt numb; it was surreal. We talked about it in school. We learned more about each of the astronauts, and about Christa McAuliffe. Yet there really was no way to make sense of it. My grandparents saw it happen in person. They lived in Central Florida, and could watch the launches from their house. Even though they were about 80 miles from Cape Canaveral, they could still see the launches. The space shuttle program was big in the 1980s. It was exciting. My grandparents made sure they were outside every time a shuttle launched. They gathered with their neighbors in the cul de sac and looked to the east. And so they were there, that January morning. They saw that infamous 'Y' of the smoke. Grandma knew something had gone wrong, and Grandpa ran inside to turn on the news. It haunted them for years, and I don't think they ever went out to watch another launch. Any of my friends who wanted to be an astronaut rethought it after the Challenger. It was the first devastating event in our lives that our parents could not easily explain. I also think this may have been the start of my fear of flying. The image of that smoke trail remains frozen in our minds. A decade or so later, I found myself studying the Challenger Disaster extensively in college. You wouldn't think a Communication major would be studying the space shuttle. But the Challenger disaster is used to show students what can happen when communication breaks down. It was held up as the 'classic example' of a failure to communicate. In the years since that sad January morning, different people came forward that they suspected the O-rings could fail in cold weather. For whatever reason, this either didn't make it through the chain of command to the top, or was ignored (from what I remember studying it, this is debatable). The lessons to be learned go far beyond science. If you ever have the chance, I encourage you to visit Kennedy Space Center. My Grandparents used to take us there once a year. I know I've been since the Challenger Disaster, possibly once as a teenager. It is a terrific place. I highly recommend the Astronaut ice cream, even though now you can get it in other touristy places. Take some time to honor the adventure and spirit of those we have lost.

A Year of Blogging: January 27, 2011

Yesterday was Chocolate Cake Day. If I hadn't been sick with a stomach bug, I would have made a nice yummy chocolate cake to celebrate. I had hoped to make a cake last weekend, and never got to it. I'll try again this weekend. I have a checkerboard cake pan, and I was planning to make a chocolate and cherry cake- so the checkerboard would be alternating squares of chocolate and cherry. Erich thought that would be a good combination. I don't know if I'll be that elaborate- the checkerboard cake is actually a pain in the butt to make (I have no idea why I wanted to make it last weekend), but at the very least I'll make a chocolate cake (or cupcakes) with vanilla frosting. Chocolate cake has always been a part of birthday celebrations in our house. It is my father's favorite. Sometimes he would get a fudge marble cake, which is a yellow cake with chocolate cake swirled in. Sometimes he would get a chocolate cake with raspberry frosting. I never cared for that, it was too sweet for me (and that's saying something!). But the most special treat was the Chocolate Mayonnaise cake. Did you just wrinkle your nose? Most people do when I talk about the Chocolate Mayonnaise cake. I haven't made one in years, but I know I could get mom's recipe. The mayonnaise replaces the eggs and the fat you would normally have in the cake. You really don't taste the mayonnaise when the cake is baked. It is a very moist cake, and extremely rich. You don't want a big piece. Chocolate Mayonnaise cake is my dad's favorite. My mom still makes it a couple of times a year. And I bet- if I didn't tell you it was a chocolate mayonnaise cake, you wouldn't know the 'surprise' ingredient. My sister usually wanted a chocolate cake for her birthday too. I rarely had chocolate cake for my birthday. There were so many other options: cherry, strawberry, carrot. We usually made a carrot cake for Mom's birthday, using the family recipe. All this talk of cake has me hungry. I'm definitely going to make one this weekend- and likely it will be chocolate. What a yummy day!

A Year of Blogging: January 26, 2011

I'm a little behind with my daily blogging. January 26 was Australia Day. Last week, I wasn't sure what Australia Day was. Fortunately, I work for an international association. We have chapters in several countries all over the world. Including Australia. While my primary responsibility is to handle the US Membership; occasionally I interact with the other chapters. In fact, I met the head of our Australian chapter and his wife at a conference a couple of years ago. They were lovely people, and so easy to talk to. Although I did have a hard time with their accents sometimes. I email them semi-regularly. On Monday they emailed me and were telling me that Australia Day was Wednesday. They said Australia Day is the equivalent to 4th of July in the USA. It is summer in Australia right now. There have been devastating floods in Australia (or OZ as they call it), people have lost their homes, their livelihoods, some have even lost their lives. I see it on the news, and just cannot imagine what that must be like. Today I had a lovely email from our Australian chair, and he was telling me what they did on Australia Day. He played trombone in the brass band he belongs to, at a lake, while people enjoyed crocodile, or kangaroo burgers. That seemed so exotic to me, but I remember him telling me that kangaroos in Australia are like the deer here. There are so many that they are almost a nuisance. He also told me a neighboring town had a horse race planned, but had to cancel it because a pack of kangaroos got on the track just before the race started. Reading that made me laugh. I know the organizers of the event probably weren't pleased, but for some reason it made me think of Mary Poppins. Overall, I think it sounded like a lovely way to celebrate your national holiday. Very similar to the way we celebrate Independence Day. Well, except for the kangaroo burgers!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 25, 2011

Today is Opposite Day. All I can think of is 'Opposites Attract'. When I was younger, I was struck by how completely opposite my Grandparents were. I even told my parents once that my Grandparents were mismatched- Grandpa Primeau is a very strong personality. He can be beligerent, and is always very forceful. Grandma Primeau on the other hand is usually very meek. On Mom's side of the family, it was the opposite. Grandma Wager was the strong personality, very independent. Grandpa Wager was a very calm, gentle soul. My mother said 'Yes, but could you imagine your Grandpa Primeau and Grandma Wager together?' and that thought was very funny. Two bulls in a china shop funny. I guess it is true that opposites attract, but I don't think you have to be complete opposites. Erich and I have some similar interests- reading for one. We are both intellectuals. Stupidity irritates us. Yet he is more science driven and I am more history and English. Our tastes in music, movies, books are worlds apart. He grew up in the city, in a small family. I grew up in the country and have an extended family that now numbers nearly 60 people. He is quiet and I'm a chatterbox. Our political and religious views are so far apart, they aren't even on the same spectrum. Yet somehow all of it works for us. Perhaps if you are too much alike, there's not enough different to spark your interest. Yet, if you are too different, you have no common ground. Cheers to everyone who found the balance between being clones of each other and being from other planets!

Monday, January 24, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 24, 2011

Today is Compliment Day. I am not very good at accepting compliments. I am trying to get better. I have this image of myself doing this 'aww shucks' head duck when people give me a compliment. That may be a bit of an exaggeration. I know I usually blush (especially if someone is complimenting my intelligence, or something I have made). I try to thank the person giving the compliment. Giving compliments is much easier for me. A compliment from me will always be genuine and heart-felt. I am not a person to throw empty words around. I know each of us has something that sets us apart. Things get done when people work together. And it is easier to work with someone knowing you are appreciated. The world would be a nicer place if everyone tried to compliment other people regularly.

A Year of Blogging: January 23, 2011

Yesterday was 'Measure Your Feet Day'. That seems silly. Doesn't anyone old enough to buy their own shoes know the size of their feet? I haven't had to measure my feet in more than 20 years. It's been basically the same since I was 10 years old. I say basically, because sometimes I get lucky and a 9 1/2 fits. Although, I only try the 9 1/2 if I put on the 10 and it is too big. I don't start out with the 9 1/2. And I'm always pleasantly surprised when I leave the store with a 9 1/2. I have never been one of those women who tries to fit into a smaller size than she really wears. I have to be comfortable. I have worn a size 10 since I was 10 or 11 years old. At the time, it was hard to find a size 10. The summer I was 10, we were trying to find shoes for my uncle's wedding. The dresses were a dusty rose color, which was hard enough to match. Add to that super huge feet, and it was almost impossible to find shoes. We looked up and down the east coast (we went to Florida with my Grandparents that summer, so we stopped at every shoe place between NY and FL). Somewhere in the Carolinas, we were at an outlet mall, and Grandpa asked the salesperson if they just had two matching boxes we could have, and he'd strap those to my feet. I was mortified! But shortly afterwards, we found shoes that not only fit, but matched the dress! This same Grandpa always told me it was ok that I had big feet, because you had to have a solid foundation so you wouldn't fall over. I'm about the most graceless person you'll ever meet, so I don't think the 'solid foundation' counts. I have gotten past the embarrassment I used to feel at my feet. Maybe I've just gotten used to it. I know I can't go to the clearance rack and find a sweet deal, and I also know that a cute little shoe does not look so cute or little on my feet. These days, it is much easier to find size 10's, even at outlet malls. I no longer have to buy all of my dress shoes at Payless. I can buy them at any store. I've never been really big on shoes anyway. As with most of my clothes, I look for function, not fashion. If I find a pair I like, I often buy it in multiple colors. Especially if I can get it in a 9 1/2!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 22, 2011

Today is Blonde Brownie Day. I was an adult before I found out brownies could be something other than chocolate. I'm still not completely sure what a blonde brownie is, but a quick internet search revealed something that looked like cookie bars. I have seen maple blonde brownies on restaurant menus. They sound good, I love maple. Yet chocolate trumps maple every time for me, and 9 times out of 10 I will choose a chocolate dessert first. I don't think I've ever had a blonde brownie. I must try that sometime. I am a big fan of regular, chocolate brownies. I have always liked brownies. Any willpower I have goes right out the window if you wave a brownie under my nose. Although Erich likes them even more than I do. I make brownies frequently, and they never last more than a couple of days. Another reason I'm not skinny like a stick! I think I need to go make a pan of brownies.... and maybe enjoy one in a brownie sundae.

Friday, January 21, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 21, 2011

Today is Hugging Day. I could use a hug today. I would also like to be able to give my Dad a hug today. I think he could use it. My Grandmother finally came home on Wednesday. She hasn't been home in about six weeks. She had surgery December 6 and was in the hospital until the week before Christmas, when she was transferred to a nursing home/rehab center. She's been there ever since. The family was happy to have her home, even though it meant everyone needed to pitch in and take turns being there with her. But Grandma wanted to be home, and she wants to die at home. So at least it felt like she was where she wanted to be. Today the visiting nurse came, and deemed the house unsafe for Grandma. She said Gram should not have been released from the nursing home. So she was headed back to the hospital today, and is being re-admitted to the hospital. They have to re-admit her to the hospital so that she can go back to rehab. One step forward and several steps back. And the drama continues. All the while, her precious time dwindles. Anyway, I didn't mean to bring everyone down. Back to hugging. I have gotten more affectionate as I've gotten older. As a kid, I used to tell my dad I couldn't give him kisses or hugs because I had to make more. I then took my Tupperware dishes, mixed up hugs and kisses, and gave him some. I was surprised to hear Sydney tell him the same thing. I never told her that, so I don't know where she picked it up. I still am not really big on kissing, but I've gotten better at hugging. A hug can be welcoming, it can be comforting. When there are no words, there are still hugs. My favorite hugs are Sydney hugs. She has recently started giving bear hugs. She runs into my arms, wraps her arms around my legs as tightly as she can, and squeezes. Every time she does this, I feel love pouring over me. It feels like my troubles disappear instantly. I imagine Drew will give even bigger bear hugs, because he's already a very strong little guy. I may have to wear padding when he starts hugging me!

A Year of Blogging: January 20, 2011

Yesterday was the 'Day of Renewal and Reconciliation'. I wasn't sure what this meant, and was too beat in the evening to figure it out. I still wasn't sure what it meant today, so I looked it up. Online. I know. It is convenient, I have to admit. So it turns out this Day of Renewal and Reconciliation is something President Obama created. It was his first official act as President. Obviously, I was paying attention. I keep my politics very close to my heart, and therefore am not going to get into this one. I was thinking I could use a Day of Renewal. I have been struggling in the past month. I don't feel depressed, but I suppose it could be depression. There has been so much drama in my life since Thanksgiving, I just feel like every day life pounds on my head a little, pushing me further down. I was actually surprised the other day because I looked so very tall. I don't know if it was the shoes I was wearing (sneakers instead of my usual Crocs), the new sweater which was very flattering, or just an optical illusion. But I looked so much taller than normal. Maybe I just felt less bogged down by life. Winter is always difficult with the Fibro, and I think everything is just working together. My personal life has stress, there's stress at work, it's cold out, and it all comes together into not being able to sleep. Then when I do fall asleep, I don't want to get up. It's not laziness, it's just pure exhaustion. A vacation would be a good way to renew. But I don't have one planned until April. So I'm going to give myself a little break this weekend. I have an appointment at the salon, and I'm going to tell Mark (my stylist) to do what he wants. So who knows what I will look like when I leave the salon. I have a massage scheduled too, which is more a necessity than a luxury. I may throw in a little retail therapy, even if it's just treating myself to something not so good for me at the grocery store, like the triple chocolate cake from Dorothy Lane Market. And I may watch some of my favorite movies. Just do something for me. I'm not going to think about the organizing projects I want to get done. It's going to be too cold to organize my closet, or do any projects in my room (my room is above the garage, so it gets very cold). I'm going to put on something warm and soft, and have a mini vacation- right here in my living room. Maybe come Monday I will feel renewed and will have a better outlook. With any luck, my pain issues will be better, and things will be more pleasant. January 20 was also 'Penguin Awareness Day'. I happen to really like Penguins. They are one of Erich's favorite animals, so you will find Penguin things scattered throughout our house. In honor of Penguin Awareness Day, here is a picture my brother in law took at the Boston Aquarium in June. I love this picture, it is so sweet!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 19, 2011

Today is Popcorn Day. I hope you will forgive me for not celebrating this day. It's not that I don't like popcorn. I do. It was never one of my most favorite things, but every so often, I liked eating popcorn. If we went to the movies, I might grab a couple of handfuls of my sister's popcorn. My favorite was kettle corn. We discovered it at some craft fair years ago, and I was hooked. Any time I saw it at a festival or craft fair, I bought myself a big bag. While regular popcorn is buttery, this was sweet. It was crispy and covered in sugar- mmm. Not the healthiest option, but certainly a delicious one. I haven't been able to eat popcorn for about six years. I had emergency gallbladder surgery at that time, and since then, I cannot eat whole grains, oats, or corn. I did not know this at first, so once I was able to resume eating regular foods, I made a sandwich on my favorite honey wheat bread; and very shortly afterwards, I was incredibly sick. It took me a while to figure out what was causing it. Eventually I realized oats and corn products were on my list too. I kept forgetting, though. Then I bought a bag of kettle corn and almost instantly regretted it. I miss eating whole wheat bread and cereal and oatmeal. I have to be very careful when I go out to a restaurant. If I'm ordering a sandwich, I ask what kind of bread or bun is part of the sandwich. I know some people think I'm a very picky eater. I have to be- because making a wrong choice leaves me ill for at least a day. So I'll celebrate popcorn day with some ice cream!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 18, 2011

Today is Winnie the Pooh Day. I think that's a fun day for the middle of January. January can be such a dull month- at least for those of us who live in colder climates. Christmas seems like it was ages ago, the blustery wind doesn't hold even a promise of spring, and everything outside is gray. The snow, so pretty when it first falls, is now dingy and disgusting. A few renegade dried leaves stubbornly cling to the otherwise bare branches of the trees, but they offer no color. You see the gray bare branches, the white snow, and the gray sky. It can get pretty depressing. Winnie the Pooh is a great way to lift your spirits! I'm sure there are people who do not like Winnie the Pooh, but most people I know like Pooh, at least in some form. It feels like Winnie the Pooh has been a part of my life forever. One of my earliest memories of reading involves Winnie the Pooh. I was three, and my Dad was reading to me. Dad has never been very good about reading out loud, he gets nervous and tongue-tied. Dad was reading a Winnie the Pooh book to me and he said 'Tiger'. I corrected him (I was an editor even then!) and told him "No, Daddy! It's Tigger". I then took the book from him and read it to him. I have always enjoyed the Winnie the Pooh stories. I felt drawn to different characters. I liked Owl because he was so smart. I liked Eeyore because he's the underdog, and I always pull for the underdog. But my favorite of all was Tigger. I can't explain why I have always loved Tigger best. He just goes about the Hundred Acre Wood bouncing and trouncing and having fun. I definately think some of the attraction is that 'He's the only one!'. In the past few years, we've been able to share Winnie the Pooh with Sydney. It has been great introducing her to the characters; hearing another generation giggle as Tigger bounces along. Sydney's nursery was done in Classic Pooh. Pooh is a common nursery theme, but it was a little harder to find Classic Pooh. Thankfully, Target came to our rescue! My mother and I carried the theme through to Laura's baby shower. We decorated everything in sage and lavender (because we didn't know Laura was having a girl until the shower). Laura wanted a picnic- her birthday is in November so she didn't get a lot of outdoor parties. So we had a Winnie the Pooh picnic. Mom rented a tent and put it up in the backyard, she bought little fans that we used as name cards, and each table had a Pooh character on it (we bought a lot of stuffed animals!). There was the Pooh table, the Tigger table, well, you get the idea. We made little signs and put them throughout the yard: a sign pointing below the garage showed you where Rabbit lived, the big maple tree in the yard became Owl's house, and Mom's house was Christopher Robin's house. We found a CD of Kenny Loggin's 'Return to Pooh Corner' and set up the CD player near the entrance to the yard. We had the song playing on a continuous loop throughout the party (it was several years before I could stand to listen to that song again!). The only thing missing was Tigger bouncing on everyone! Soon we will be able to share the joy of Winnie the Pooh with Drew. I am looking forward to that. Winnie the Pooh always makes me feel better, and I'm glad that we can share this timeless classic with another generation. Thank you, A.A. Milne!

Monday, January 17, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 17, 2011

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I haven't had it as a day off since I was in high school, so to me, it seems like any other day. This year, the reporters on TV all referred to it as 'MLK' day. I found that highly annoying. We've gotten so used to texting and shortening words that we are even shortening people's names. Seriously, it's only one day, can't you just say the full name? Or even just say Dr. King. That at least shows a little more respect. Maybe I'm ultra-sensitive to people's names being shortened. Mine gets shortened all the time. You might wonder how you can shorten Amy. People call me 'Aim' . And I hate it. I especially hate it when people who do not know me call me Aim. My jaw clenches in frustration when I hear it. Of course, people who know me know I don't like to be called Aim, so I guess it is always people who don't know me that do it. I read somewhere that in a business setting, you should not assume it is ok to call someone by the shortened version of their name, unless they have given you permission to do so. For example, don't call Robert 'Bob' unless he said 'Call me Bob'. My mother always said she picked names for Laura and I that could not be shortened- Mom's name is Kathleen and she has always gone by Kathy. And yet, people can't say two syllables so they say just one- Aim. Today is also 'Ditch New Year's Resolutions Day'. While I didn't make any resolutions, I did commit to doing this 'blog a day' project. Well, I committed to myself. And I honestly thought about ditching it today. It comes down to quality versus quantity. While my other two blogs are very good quality (in my humble opinion), this one isn't living up to my expectations. I think I had delusions of grandeur- that writing every day would open these incredible insights. It would spur me to look at things differently. Most importantly, it would push me to publish my books. But I'm a writer. I already look at things differently. When something happens, I instantly start thinking of how I will tell it to others, revising and revising until I have set just the right mood. I am already putting quality into my two blogs- the ones that have more meaning to me. That's the stuff holding my novels or stories. Not my day to day musings. One of the greatest quandaries a writer can address is quantity versus quality. Do you put out story after story, following a cookie-cutter formula? Do you strive for the name recognition such as Nicholas Sparks or Debbie Macomber? Or do you go for quality- that one masterpiece that puts you in the world of Margaret Mitchell or Harper Lee? This is something I have struggled with for years. And I think, I would rather have that one masterpiece that gets read and reread every year. I have read Gone With The Wind at least once a year since I was about 13 years old. I never tire of it. I still delight in each page, and cherish the story. That is what I want for my own book- when it ever gets published. Not that I could ever hope to hold a candle to Margaret Mitchell; but I want my book to make an impact on the reader. One they never forget. I sat here tonight, and thought about making this my last entry on this blog. 17 days in and giving up on it. Yet I don't give up easily. And usually, if I set my mind to something, I am determined to do it. Maybe I've already faced my biggest demon: this blog is quantity. I will only do it for one year. In the meantime, I put my quality posts on my other two blogs. At least I'm writing each day. I still want to write. I'm not bored with it, just disappointed in myself. Then again, I have always been my biggest critic. So this blog will continue. At least through the end of January. :)

Sunday, January 16, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 16, 2011

Today is Nothing Day. Which seems perfect for me, because that is what I did all day. Well, almost. I read the newspaper, got a shower, and am working on 6 loads of laundry (only five may get done). Other than that, I sat on the couch watching the Food Network, because Erich was doing school work and using the laptop. I fell asleep on the couch with the dogs. My pain levels are high today, which meant I didn't even want to try to tackle a project around the house. I guess I did the perfect thing today-nothing! I think another great way to celebrate Nothing Day would be to watch Seinfeld reruns- after all, that's a show about nothing!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 15, 2011

Today is Hat Day. We used to have Hat Day in high school. I think it was part of 'spirit' week. Each day had a different theme. The last day (I think? Someone might correct me- many of my high school memories have been suppressed) was 'Green and Gold' day. Our school colors were green and gold (I know, beautiful, right? I was so thrilled when I got to Hanover and found out their colors were red, blue, and white). Then there was a pep rally. I forget which sport we were getting enthused about. Basketball? As I said, the high school memories are kind of foggy. I liked to wear outrageous hats for Hat Day. Most of the year, I am not a hat person. I used to wear hats when I went to the races with my dad, but that was partly for protection from the sun. Plus, race days were always 'no fuss' days- no matter how girly you were, you didn't fuss on race day. So putting a hat on my head was one way to make sure I wasn't playing with my hair all day, looking in mirrors every chance I got. I still don't wear hats very often. I have a big straw hat I wear when I'm going to be in the sun. I look like a dork, but it keeps the sun off me. I will be 70 years old and still have this very pale skin. Occasionally I will wear a baseball hat, and at Christmas I sometimes wear a Santa hat. That is the extent of my hat wearing. I remember the hat I wore for hat day one year. It has probably been 20 years, but I still remember the hat. I bought it at Disney World. It was so outrageous, it was funny. I saw it, and just had to have it. This same year, my sister bought one of those leashes that moves like it has a dog on it, but it is just an empty leash. I walked around my grandparents cul-de-sac wearing my hat, and Laura walked her 'dog'. One of the neighbors actually asked my grandmother if Laura was 'special'. No, just trying to turn heads! I couldn't find a picture of me wearing this hat, but I have this great picture of my Grandpa wearing it. Not only is he wearing it, he's being a total goofball. I laugh every time I see this picture.

Friday, January 14, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 14, 2011

Today is 'Dress Up Your Pet' Day. Whomever thought that up must have little toy dogs that you can put into cute little sweaters and booties. You could get matching rain coats for you and the dog and go on walks together. I can assure you, the person who created this day did NOT have Beagles. Beagles do not like to be dressed up. They are hunting dogs, after all. You can't go on a fox hunt wearing a sweet little wool sweater. The rabbits don't take you seriously if you have bows on your ears. Beagles are no-fuss dogs. You don't have to groom them like you do a Cocker Spaniel. They don't need to be bathed every week. They need to be fed, and brushed occasionally. And they do not, under any circumstances, need to be dressed. I learned this the hard way. I first tried dressing them up for the 4th of July. I found hats for each of them, and put the hats on them. I turned to get my camera, and when I looked back, Cobalt was working on the strings on Onyx's hat, and she was working on his. I was able to take a couple of quick pictures, and the hats were off. I thought perhaps they just didn't like hats. I normally do not participate in Halloween, but I tried to dress up the beagles for Halloween in 2002 (the first Halloween we had them). We weren't going anywhere, I just thought it would be cute to have them dressed up for the trick-or-treaters coming to the house. We found a caterpillar costume for Cobalt, because he has always been our Cuddle Bug. And for Princess Onyx, a devil costume. Because, by the time she was 10 months old, she was already quite the devil! I dressed Cobalt first, and set him on the couch next to me as I prepared the Devil Princess. Cobalt was very disgruntled, and immediately started trying to get this thing off of him. Onyx was determined not to let me get her completely dressed. Erich took pictures to document my struggle. I kept smiling.... even as Onyx chomped down on my hand. How very appropriate, the devil dog is biting me! And if you look in the picture, you can see Cobalt trying to get his costume off. I am not one to let a little bite stop me, so in the winter I tried again. I was worried that they would get cold when they went out in the snow. We adopted them in the winter, and their first winter they were too small to go into the big backyard. They had a little grassy patch off the patio. By the time they were one, they were playing in the big yard regularly. So I bought each of them a nice fleece coat. Cobalt's was blue and Onyx's was purple. The coats had a velcro strip that went under their bellies. I also bought them fleece booties- mucklucks for dogs is what they were called. This would protect their delicate paw pads in the ice and snow. My parents were visiting that Christmas, and it had snowed. I bundled the doggies into their nice warm coats and booties and sent them out to explore. My father was watching them from the house, and he started laughing so hard tears were streaming down his face. The dogs were kicking their paws up in the air, as if they had stepped in something extremely offensive and they had to get it off their feet. Little fleece booties were flying all over the yard. Once they were free of these shackles, they walked over next to each other. Cobalt's head was facing Onyx's tail, and vice versa. Then, just as cows and horses work together to keep the flies away, my dear beagles worked together to get the fleece coats off. Cobalt grabbed the velcro tab under Onyx's belly with his mouth, and she grabbed his with hers. Before I could reach the camera, the coats had been shed. Both dogs shook fiercely, as if to lose the traumatic memory, and went romping about the yard. The way they work together makes me think the person who created Dress Up Your Pet day only has one dog. If you have two dogs together- who needs thumbs? For many years, this remained my last failed attempt to dress the dogs. I can put bandanas on them- they love wearing bandanas. Maybe it makes them feel rugged (even if the bandanas are pale green and covered in Easter Eggs). But no other 'clothes'. This summer, I tried again, thinking maybe they had outgrown the 'I don't like clothes' stage. I put their 4th of July hats on them. The result was pretty much the same. They both frantically pawed at the strings, and then they moved next to each other and undressed their sibling. So I have finally learned my lesson. Four tries, one bite, and a lot of laughter later- I know the only dressing up of my dogs will be bandanas. Good thing I've made them one for each season!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 13, 2011

Today is Make Your Dream Come True day. I am certainly more conscious of my dream this year than I have been in the past. For years, I have wanted to get published. I never really get the ideas out of my head and onto paper (or a computer screen). I kept thinking someday. Then I see all the people getting published. Some of my friends have achieved this goal. I work with financial advisors, and it seems every other person has published their own book. I decided I needed to stop thinking someday, and start focusing on this. I don't anticipate my books being best sellers. I really don't anticipate them having any more of a following than a few friends and my family. But what if they do take off? I wouldn't have to pump myself up every morning to go to the office. I could finally realize the dream I've had since I was a teenager- of being a writer. I won't know unless I try. So I am trying this year. Even if I get to a rough draft- it's farther along than I have been. It's a step toward my dream. And that is progress!

A Year of Blogging: January 12, 2011

Well, I knew the day would eventually come that I would be unable to write the blog entry on the day I was talking about. And what do you know, it came a little over two weeks into this experiment. Fear not! I plan to catch up tonight. I've already figured in the event of sickness or vacations, I can write before or after. Yesterday I was down with a migraine which left me unable to function for most of the day. By the time I was functioning again, I really didn't have any energy to blog. Yesterday, January 12, was Pharmacists' Day. I truly appreciate the pharmacists at my local pharmacy. They are an integral part of my care regimen. I have so many doctors: my general practitioner, my neurologist, the allergy doctor, the gynecologist, the respiratory doctor. I have a low tolerance for medications, and frequently one of these doctors prescribes a medication, and I only end up taking it for a month. This combined with the Fibro fog causes me to blank out on my medications. I cannot remember what has been prescribed. Sometimes, I don't remember what I'm taking. This of course is a problem when more medications are prescribed. That's where my friendly pharmacy staff comes in. I get all of my prescriptions at one location, so they can easily see everything that I take. They are great about answering my questions, and helping make sure I don't have any interactions. The head pharmacist is very sweet. Last month I was refilling both migraine medicines (I have one for immediate relief, and a different one to take when the migraine lasts more than one day). He was very concerned, asking how frequently I get migraines. I told him that sometimes I can go weeks, even a month or more without them, and sometimes I get them in clusters. He was very sympathetic, and made me feel like he really cared. It was very nice to know I was not just a number, but actually a person. When you are dealing with your health, it's nice knowing people care.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 11, 2011

Today is 'Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friend' day. When we were kids, it was always so much fun to jump in puddles. I'm sure our moms didn't like it- mud on the laundry, coming into the house in clothes that were dripping wet. I remember jumping in puddles, but I don't remember splashing my friends. Although my 'memories' may only be one or two times. I didn't like to get dirty as a child, I was kind of prim and proper. So I can't imagine I splashed in puddles very long. Maybe as a toddler or preschooler, but I'm pretty sure that stopped once I got to grade school. As an adult, I don't think I could splash a friend. I'd feel badly about soiling her clothes. She might think I'd gone mad, deliberately getting her dirty! Although, maybe that is what we need. To reconnect with our inner child and take pleasure in small things. To let go of the troubles we carry as adults. Sometimes I watch my niece playing and having fun, and think 'oh to be four!' . I've forgotten how to be so carefree. I wish I could capture that again, even for a brief moment. We didn't have any puddles today, it snowed here. Maybe I can create the same effect by throwing snowballs at someone!

Monday, January 10, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 10, 2011

Today is Peculiar People Day. As I see it, that means it's a day to celebrate each and every person! Each one of us has traits that others might consider peculiar. What I consider normal is not what the person sitting next to me might consider normal. I know people think of me as a bit odd. And I'm okay with that. Being normal is boring. It is the peculiar traits in others that makes them memorable. For instance, my bear friends (and by that I mean friends who collect bears, not friends who are bears) are special to me because they collect bears. While others may wonder at grown women collecting teddy bears, this trait is what endears each of these women to me. Friends who think of their dogs as children might be thought of as strange by those who have only human children. To me, parents of fur babies are kindred spirits. It takes all kinds of people to make the world go around. It would be very dull if we were all the same. And if we were the same, how would we know what was different? Take a few minutes today to celebrate what makes you unique or different. Because we are all peculiar people to someone!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 9, 2011

Today is Apricot Day. I really don't have a lot to say about that. I don't care for apricots. People argue over the pronunciation. For the record, I have always said app-ricot. (Oddly, a friend on Facebook just had this same discussion with several of her friends the other day). www.holidayinsights.com says today is also Play God Day. Wow. I'm really striking out here. That doesn't really give me anything to write about either. So I guess I'll tell you that according to the list printed in the Dayton Daily News on January 1; January is National Mentoring Month. I think all of us have someone who has mentored us, at some point in our lives. I know many of mine are teachers. A couple of English teachers in high school, an English professor in college, several of my Communication professors, and then other teachers who really made a difference in my life. Of course, my biggest mentors would be my parents. While there is not one person whom I have tried to imitate exactly, there are a great number of people who have had a tremendous influence on my life. You wouldn't be reading my blogs if it weren't for two English teachers who helped me discover my love of writing, and who encouraged me to keep at it. I have also been fortunate to mentor others, and make a difference in their lives. For me, it was a truly fulfilling experience. I think everyone should serve as a mentor at some point in their lives. If you haven't, I encourage you to give it a try. You never know when a little action is going to make a difference in someone else's life.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 8, 2011

Today is Man Watcher's Day. Hmm. My first thought was 'that won't be very interesting to write about'. I'm sorry. I'm not a man-hater. I have a lot of wonderful men in my life. And at some point, every single one of them has driven me to the point of wanting to pull my hair out! When we were kids, my mom got so irritated with my dad one day that she told us not to marry a man. My sister and I looked at her bewildered, trying to figure out what she was trying to tell us. She told us some day we would understand.
I get it now. That old saying you can't live with them but can't live without them! Of course, the same can be and has been said about women. I've always been a people watcher, but I don't know that I've focused so much on men. I tried today, but I didn't have many men to watch. We went to Target. The men in the store were wandering around behind their female counterparts, looking like they'd rather be anywhere else. Erich looked that way too. I guess shopping for shampoo and cleaning supplies weren't that thrilling to him. I actually think he only went along because we were planning to eat out. There were even fewer men in Kohls. I did have a male clerk, which seemed so odd. I've always seen female clerks at Kohls. I didn't really have a lot of time to observe him, but he did have on way too much cologne. It was one of those where you get this head rush when you get the first whiff. Whoa! That's what I thought. At Olive Garden we had a few more guys. We were seated at this little table, and so I had a man right across from me to watch. Well- watching people eat has never been a big draw. :) I have noticed though that chivalry is not dead. Men still hold doors open for women, even when it is in the single digits outside. Every once in a while I come across a man who sees me coming, and steps aside and opens the door- allowing me to pass before him. That is always so nice. Most men now hold the door open behind them after they've already passed through the door. Either way, I really appreciate the gesture. I thank each and every one of them. So I wonder when Woman Watching day is? Maybe there isn't one- because watching us do even the simplest of tasks would make you dizzy trying to keep up!

Friday, January 7, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 7, 2011

Today is Old Rock Day. At first, I thought 'old rock? As opposed to new rock? Aren't all rocks old?' Not wanting to look like an idiot (well, any more than I might usually...), I consulted my personal rock guy for this blog: Erich. One of his Bachelor's Degrees is in Geology. His PhD was also in Geology. So the guy knows rocks. I used to bring him rocks from my various vacations. But rocks are kind of heavy in your suitcase. Now I take pictures of rocks for him. I asked Erich why would it be old rock day, not new rock day. Or why not just 'Rock Day'. Is a new rock only 1 million years old? Erich told me new rocks would be rocks that are currently forming from volcanic eruptions. Magma. I remembered that from my college geology courses (we were required to take a certain number of science courses. Not being a science oriented person, I figured Geology and Astronomy were my best bets). Magma is a new rock, since it has just formed. All other rocks are old. The rocks in your driveway or the pebbles on the beach are old. I guess it does make sense then to have 'Old Rock Day'. You could really injure yourself playing with new rocks.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 6, 2011

Today is Bean Day. I am 100% certain my sister did not celebrate. She doesn't like beans. I think the only time she fixes green beans in her house is Thanksgiving and Christmas, when she makes the green bean casserole. My brother-in-law likes this dish, so she makes it for him. But she doesn't eat it. My sister has always hated green beans. The eye doctor used to tell her she had to eat them for her eyes. My mom got to the point that if we had green beans, we had to have mashed potatoes. This way, my sister could hide the flavor of the green beans in the potatoes. Then, to sweeten the deal, Mom would usually make chocolate pudding for dessert. My sister loves chocolate pudding, and it helped her choke down the beans knowing she had a sweet reward waiting for her. I have always loved green beans. I prefer them fresh out of the garden, but you can't always get them fresh from the garden. In the summers, I used to sit on the back porch (which is sort of the front porch because it faces the driveway, and it's the one we always use-we never use the true front porch), and snap the ends off the beans. For me, that is always something that makes me think of summer. Mom always let my sister and I choose the vegetable for dinner. If it was my turn, we had green beans. If it was my sister's turn, we had peas. When mom didn't want an argument, we had corn. If I had known today was bean day, I would have fixed pork chops with a side of green beans for dinner. But I didn't know this until after dinner. I'll celebrate tomorrow night with a nice helping of yummy green beans!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 5, 2011

Today is Bird Day. We spend a lot of effort making sure the birds in our neighborhood are very happy. Fear of poisoning them led us to stop buying commercially made bird food. We have been going to Wild Birds' Unlimited for the past year and a half or so. We get different food based on the season. Right now, we are feeding them the winter blend, which gives them more energy for the winter. We have a bird feeder a couple of feet off the patio. Then we added a suet holder on the patio, this is for the woodpeckers. Last year we added a finch feeder because the finches were eating out of the sunflowers we planted, and it was pretty having them around. This year we added a peanut feeder- it holds peanuts in the shell. This was supposed to be for the blue jays, but the cardinals like it, as do the squirrels. We also added a little feeder to the window, it has suction cups that hook to the window. The problem with this one is that the birds hooked their claws into the screen, so now we have to replace the screens! Sometimes, instead of putting peanuts in the peanut holder, we just put them onto the roof of the doggie condo which is below the windows. Then the birds fly up and take the peanuts right in front of us. The trouble with feeding the birds is that you end up with squirrels. And the pesky birds, like grackles and starlings. We put out the food to get Cardinals, Blue Jays, Finches, Tufted Titmouse, and occasionally woodpeckers. We have a lot of Wrens and the aforementioned pests. And we have a very large hawk in the neighborhood, who appears to truly appreciate our efforts. The hawk will sit in our yard for an hour or so at a time. I guess he's waiting for lunch to arrive. I took this picture from my dining room window. The hawk was sitting on our patio fence, maybe six feet away from me. We've put a lot of effort into creating a wonderful habitat for the birds. Erich and I both enjoy watching them from the house, and I'm getting better at taking their pictures through the window. You have to be kind of stealth, and move behind the curtain without them noticing you. I've gotten so 'close' that the birds are looking in the windows at me. Unfortunately, as much as we tried to make the yard bird friendly, our neighbors had other ideas. Erich's dad cut down the lilac bush that bordered our yard. The birds used this as cover, and would fly from the bush to the feeder and back. The neighbor on the other side of us cut down the hedgerow that ran along our fence. It was on her side, but it was still a home for the birds. We've noticed this winter we have fewer cardinals than we've had in the past, and I suspect the lack of bushes has something to do with it. We started planting our own, but it will be a few years before they are big enough to provide shelter for the birds of the neighborhood. For now, I continue to go to the window every time I hear the blue jay cry. I keep hoping our cardinals will come back soon, and our yard will be once again filled with the harmonious songs of our feathered friends.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 4, 2011

Today is Trivia Day. I love Trivia. I've always loved learning, and it seems I've picked up bits and pieces along the way of a whole lot of things. Although now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever played a game of Trivial Pursuit all the way through. The times I remember playing, it would drag on, and we'd all move on to something else. I enjoy watching Jeopardy, and trying to get the correct answers. I did take the online test a couple of years ago, but never got called. It was the science questions. I never did well in science. I guess I fit the stereotype of girls not doing well in science and not liking science. Yet today I share my life with Erich: Dr. Bloodaxe. He has five degrees, and three of them are in science (2 in geology, one in Chemistry). If we could do Team Jeopardy, he and I would do well. He would get the European History, Science, Political, and Computer questions, and I could handle the US History, Sports, and the Pop Culture ones. We would probably beat Ken Jennings! Well, maybe not. One night I was watching it, and in the course of the night between the Regular Jeopardy and Double Jeopardy Rounds, they had the following categories: NHL, NASCAR, and The Civil War. I ran the categories! It gave me great satisfaction, even if it was just in my living room. In Honor of Trivia Day, I will share some Trivia with you. What is the only location where you can see 3 bends of the Ohio River? 'The Point' at Hanover College, my Alma Mater. Incidentally, this was a question on Jeopardy once. Or so they told us at Hanover. If Hanover sounds familiar to you, perhaps you have watched 'Cheers'. Woody Harrelson is also a Hanover Alum (class of 1983). His character, Woody, is from Hanover, IN. While it's not as bad as it's made out to be on Cheers, it really is kind of in the middle of a bunch of corn fields. Or at least it was when I went there. I haven't been to Hanover in 9 years or so. Did you know the Battle of Bennington in the Revolutionary War did not take place in Bennington, VT? It actually took place in a small town outside of Bennington- Hoosick, NY. This is not far from where I grew up. My great-aunt would take Laura and I to the Bennington Battlefield, in Hoosick, and we'd have a picnic lunch there and just walk the grounds. I could go on and on. I have several books of trivia (what? You're surprised?). Maybe this is why I have trouble sleeping at night- my head is too full of trivia!

Monday, January 3, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 3, 2011

Today is 'Festival of Sleep' Day. Now I am all for having a day to sleep! I like sleeping. Last night when I slipped into my bed and felt my soft blanket around me, it felt like my own little piece of Heaven. Certainly, when my alarm goes off at 7:20 am and it is still dark outside, I could easily snuggle back into my blankets. I think though, that this official sleeping day should not have a fixed date. Since it is a fixed date of January 3, it will sometimes fall on the most unfortunate day- Monday. Such as it did today. That is really a cruel joke to play on people. I never sleep well on Sundays, certainly not when that Sunday ends a three day weekend. Last night was no different, I woke up wanting just a few more hours of sleep. People all over the world stumbled back into the office today, wondering why the weekend ended so soon. Then I find out it's Festival of Sleep day. I really don't think that would be a valid excuse for nodding off at the office. A few months ago I was complaining to a colleague about being tired, and she suggested I just shut my office door and go to sleep. While she was a colleague, she was in another country, so maybe things are different in other countries. Here, it's not really acceptable to sleep in your office, unless your the boss and make more money than anyone can imagine. I think Festival of Sleep day should be a fixed day, rather than a fixed date. Maybe the second Saturday of January. This way, you're past the holiday excitement, you've gotten through the first post-holiday week back at the office, and it's Saturday, so you can sleep in and celebrate the day the way it was meant to be celebrated: snuggled under a mountain of blankets, deep asleep.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 2, 2011

Today is 'Run up the Flag Pole and See if Anyone Salutes' Day. Huh? I figured I'd hit stumbling blocks in this experiment, but I did not anticipate hitting it on Day 2. I had no idea what this was supposed to mean, so I googled it. Sometimes when I use google to find out something, I feel sad. So much of my education was devoted to research, to learning how to research. Several years in high school we had to do a major research project. We would go to the library, where the librarians would give us instructions on how to use the card catalog, the periodicals, and the new computer search (which basically gave you a list of possible books or articles- it certainly wasn't Wikipedia!) . I was going to college libraries for research as a sophomore in high school, because I wanted to do the best I could and needed access to resources I couldn't find at the school library or the town library. So I went to the big leagues. When I was in college, one of the courses I had to take was Research Methods. It was a requirement for my major. Many of the majors had it as a requirement. Again, it was teaching us to use the library, to look at all the resources available to us. It was a precursor to completing your Independent Study, which was basically a Senior Thesis. It is also the only class that stood between me and a minor in Political Science. It was required for both my major in Communication and my minor in Poly Sci. They would not allow me to count the Communication course as the Poly Sci course, and I really didn't have time or energy to take the same course twice. I have always hated redundancy. So I have an 'emphasis' in Poly Sci, not a minor. Now all of this information is available on the internet. Do people even use libraries any more? For anything other than internet access that is? I get sad when I think of teenagers today who think doing research is consulting Wikipedia. Sure, it's great for quick little things I want to know, but if I were doing a research paper today, I'd like to think I'd still be going to the library, wandering among the stacks. Checking out more books than I can carry, and then going home and scouring over those books for relevant information. Anyway, I digress. According to holidayinsights.com , today is actually 'Run it up the flag pole and see if anyone salutes Day'. So the paper had a typo. There's a surprise. Apparently this is an common expression. I've never heard it, but holidayinsights.com says it is common in media circles. (Yet, they typed it wrong in print!) Anyway, it means if you have an idea, float it out and see what people think. It is a day to celebrate creativity, or to be creative. Try out a new idea. Well, I guess I am doing that with this blog. The paper should be more careful with their proofreading though. I had visions of people trying to run UP a flag pole. Which would be easy to do if the flagpole were horizontal, say, on the ground. But then, wouldn't it just be a log or a pole?

Saturday, January 1, 2011

A Year of Blogging: January 1, 2011

January 1 is New Year's Day. Everyone around the world knows that. Apparently, we are all so busy celebrating New Year's Day that we don't bother assigning another 'unofficial' name to the day. My family was never really big about going out for New Year's Eve. We usually had a quiet night at home, maybe Mom & Dad had a few friends over, but it was never anything wild. I always thought it would be fun to get dressed up and go to an elegant party. I did that once with my ex-boyfriend. I bought a very pretty ball gown, got my hair done, and we went to Columbus. We spent the night at a hotel, and attended the party in the hotel ballroom. I felt so elegant, so pretty, and so out of my element. My dress was a sapphire blue. It had spaghetti straps, a fitted bodice that had sequins on it, and then a full skirt with layers and layers of crinoline. I went to the salon and had my hair put up in pins and curls. I even painted my nails-a truly rare occurrence in my life. We did dance some, but I really don't enjoy dancing. As we sat at this party, I kept thinking I couldn't wait to get out of my corset style bra. We had plans to go the following year as well, and I bought this black velvet dress that hugged every curve I have. It was still a long dress, it had a lace train that swept the floor. The dress was cut low on top and high up the leg. It was really quite a daring dress, and I think I was relieved when we broke up in the fall, because I don't know that I'd have ever had the nerve to wear such a sexy dress. I don't know what I was thinking the day I bought it! Now, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day seem to be just like any other day for us. Erich and I are not party animals, we are much more solitary creatures. We were both up until after midnight last night, but we just got caught up in whatever we were doing and lost track of time. New Year's Day is also my Grandpa Primeau's birthday. Today he is 85 years old. Dad said the family was going to Grandma's nursing home for a pizza party. When I saw him last month, he didn't seem that old. But he has looked pretty much the same all my life; just a few more lines on his face, or more of a slowness to his walk. He still drives, although in truthfulness he probably shouldn't. He doesn't hear so well, and lately all of his focus is on taking care of Grandma. He has lived longer than either of his parents did, his father died at 78 and his mother at 77. He has already buried his older sister, and countless friends. I don't know how many years he has left, but I know I'll always think of New Year's Day as his birthday.