Writing Challenge: Days 25 and 26

Another double post because I can't keep up...


Day 25: Four weird things about me

1.  Whenever I travel over water, via a bridge, I hold my breath the whole way. Also, I worry that I might drive the van directly over the edge of things at any moment. This feeling rises up when I'm passing transport trucks on the highway, too.

2. I didn't used to mind driving on the 401. Now, if I have to go past Oshawa, Peterborough or Kingston (coincidentally, my "limit" cities for hockey games and tournaments, if *I* am required to drive there) I have tons of anxiety and once chewed through six packs of spearmint gum in three hours.

3. I am afraid of things that live in water. I watched "River Monsters" once and feel that it was, quite possibly, once of the worst decisions of my whole life. And I've made some super bad ones...

4. I am addicted to J.D. Robb novels and have read every single one of them, so far. I have almost read every novel written by Nora Roberts, too. I may have a teensy little problem...

Day 26: Things I'd Say to an Ex

I'm sorry.

I love you.

Thank you.

Writing Challenge: Something I Miss

I miss lots of things:

My brother
Being thin
Sleeping past 7 a.m.
Being in school
Being short enough to lay full out in the bathtub (so, basically, I miss being 8)
Chiclets gum

My black blazer that I think I accidentally gave away to charity
Arches in my feet
Cobourg beach
Whistler and walking the Valley Trail home, no matter where I lived.
Being pregnant
Nursing
Little boy sleepers
My striped mittens
Truck stops
Having everything I own fit into a backpack
Ireland - a place I've never been, except in dreams.

Writing Challenge: Days 20-23 Because I Cannot Keep Up

Let's face it, folks....keeping up is not my gig. Clearly. But rambling about a variety of unconnected stuff IS my gig, so I'm all about this post today....erm, days.....


Annnnyhooo....

20th Question: 3 Songs on Shuffle and what my initial thought is:

(Incidentally, I did not know, until this posting, that iTunes will shuffle the music I download and then play it. Huh. Neat.)

The first song: "Stutter" by Marianas Trench. This is one my FAVOURITE car songs. My sons and I belt this one as a trio and there is usually ceiling drumming and seat grooving. Yep. We're cool like that.

Second tune: "True Colours" (Compilation) Another great sing-a-long song. We do wicked harmony with this one, if I do say so myself. A Pretty song, twisted into something louder, bigger, and blingier. As an added bonus, my sons throw themselves into the rap bit, which is hilarious to watch in the rear-view mirror. yo.


Third song: "O" by Coldplay. This is a hidden track from their "Ghost Stories" album and it closes my throat because I miss my brother and the children we were and the Fireplace Inns at Whistler, which is in no way connected to my brother, but this song sounds like how I felt, watching my very first snowfall there, a million years ago. I miss the girl I was there, too.

Maybe I just miss myself.


21st: My zodiac sign and does it suit me?


Sagittarius: (pinched from www.astrology.com)

"Sagittarius in a Nutshell:

Sagittarius seem to be guided by luck, good things happen to Sagittarius and this is usually because of their optimistic outlook and positive disposition which attracts good fortune. Despite hardships, Sagittarius is always optimistic that good things will happen tomorrow and the future carries good luck. Sagittarius have a vibrant, expansive personality that is free like a bird, Sagittarius cannot be contained. They are full of curiosity and they always look forward to the future, never dwelling on the past. Sagittarius are detached from emotions because emotions hold a person back, they do not like to talk about their feelings, they simply experience them and move on. Sagittarius can be reckless and irresponsible because they will jump at a suggestion of something new before they weigh the advantages and disadvantages. "

Yes, this is me. I am this. EXCEPT for the detached emotions bit. I have lots of emotions. I swim in them most of the time and likely express far too many of them.

Also, I spend a LOT of time in the past, in my head. Some would say too much time reliving and regretting instead of forging on, being athletic and charming and doing archery-type things...

Good thing I'm lucky, eh?


Day 22: My morning routine:


GET OUT OF BED! BRUSH YOUR TEETH! NO, YOU CAN'T WEAR YESTERDAY'S UNDERPANTS! BRUSH THEM, DON'T JUST SWISH THE TOOTHPASTE AROUND WITH YOUR TONGUE! DON'T MAKE ME COME UP THERE, BECAUSE IT WON'T BE PLEASANT...LEAVE YOUR BROTHER'S EYEBALLS ALONE!

And coffee. Blessed coffee....

Day 23: A family member I dislike

Seriously? No. I'm not answering this one. I am a people-PLEASER, not a family-war-starter.

Sheesh.

Writing Challenge: Favourite Colour and Five Fears

Another combination post. I think it's safe to say that this trend will continue...

My favourite colour?

Red.

Of course.

Five Fears.

Well, these are pleasant to contemplate (she says, oozing sarcasm)

1. Losing one of my children. Period, full-stop, this is, as I think it's every parent's, worst nightmare. I fear losing them in death, to a stranger, to the world. I once lost Matt in the mall for about 5 minutes and I discovered that icy, soul-destroying terror. I don't care for it. Don't care to ever experience it again and wonder how I shall ever let the children go, when it's time?

2. Dying and leaving the children behind. I've had a few friends who waged mighty battles against vicious diseases but lost. They both left behind two beautiful children and it closes my throat to think about their grief.

3. Heights. Although I DID go on the "Drop Zone" ride at the Waterfront Festival this summer, much to my children's shock and awe. It was awful and wonderful, in the same screech.

4. That I will never actually balls up and try to write for profit. I did, once upon a time, but lost my nerve, somewhere along the way. It's coming, but it's slow-going and I want to bang my own head against the wall and ask myself, "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???"

5. I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with....wait....somebody already said that one....

Nevertheless, I think it's one fear we all share, in one way or another.

Writing Challenge: Quotes to Live By

Boy, I'm honking at this challenge. I've skipped a bunch of days, here and am lazy, so I'm just going to answer today's challenge:

Two quotes that resonate deeply with me are these:

Photo courtesy of "Simple Reminders"



My dad has spent my entire life gently reminding me of this truth. From him, it is accompanied by a gentle tossing of his hands over his shoulders, as if to say, "It's behind you now."


The second quote that I love is part of a bigger piece called "Desiderata" a copy of which hangs on my family room wall. I enjoy the entire poem by Max Ehrmann, but the last few lines have touched my heart forever and they are these:

 

Writing Challenge: Two Words That Make me Laugh

1. Douchebaggery.

Is this not the BEST. WORD EVER? Douchebag all by itself is marvellous - two syllables, that delicious "ch" sound and a hard end. Douche. Bag. Say it out loud. Feel how lovely that is on your tongue?

Douchebaggery is even MORE delicious, isn't it? As in, "I wish he'd quit his douchebaggery ways right now!" (Adjective) OR "Stop your douchebaggery this instant!" (verb-y type word)

It's a multipurpose, made-up piece of yum!


2. Moist

This is a word that many people loathe - their reactions to its use are swift and surprisingly fierce. I hadn't really thought about moist much until an online friend expressed her misgivings about it. A mad and hilarious thread soon followed and for years afterward, we'd tease her about it, the way sleep-deprived internet besties will do.

Even now, a  decade or so in, someone will occasionally post a Moist Meme on her Facebook wall and I always giggle when I see it.

With apologies to Brooke, whom I love.

Writing Challenge: Relationship Status

I have been married to Mark for 12 years. Despite those years and the five we spent torturing getting to know each other before taking vows of forever,  we remain woefully unqualified to talk about marriage with any kind of wise authority.

In fact, I think it's safe to say that we are the cautionary tale upon which all pre-nuptial counselling sessions should be based.

We are the "what NOT to do" list.

Still...we have learned  some stuff. Well, I have. I shouldn't speak for Mark. He gets twitchy about that sort of thing.

1. Marriage works when your crazy complements someone ELSE's crazy.

When you're both control freaks who like to avoid confrontation but yell like lunatics far, far too often, this can make for a fraught relationship. HOWEVER, when the stars align and everyone's slept well and the full moon has passed and someone served lasagna for dinner, then our dysfunction can be funny. Maybe just to us?

2. Sleeping arrangements should be re-negotiated yearly. Perhaps monthly, depending on the moon cycle.

Mostly, that means that when my husband sticks to HIS side and doesn't allow his foot to stray onto MY side, all is well. When he doesn't press "snooze" 104 times before 5 a.m. well, that's loving and respectful and makes it so that I am more inclined to go downstairs and make coffee instead of passive-aggressively flushing the toilet while he's in the shower and then hiding behind the door when he yanks the curtain aside to holler.

Also, it's helpful that he can sleep through anything, including my dead-sexy sleep apnea machine.

(Dead-sexy, people. When paired with bed socks, a hooded sweatshirt and flannel pj bottoms, my bedroom attire is irresistible...)

*Pause for me to snort-laugh*

3. Communication is key.

We communicate, just not well. Do better than us and you're well on your way to wedded bliss. Or something...