So much love...

So much to love today: this city, snow in this city (our first realll snow this year), sickie people with clever and devious senses of humor, and my camera phone to capture that humor and share it with other sickies like you. Awesome. I captured this little treat at the art supply store. It makes me laugh every time I look at it: the left arm raised in the SS salute, the head of that same body lowered in shame (presumably because of the salute) and the utter calm, nay, disinterest, of the second figure. And the giant legs, encased in plastic, looming ominously in the background. Oh, too much fun with wooden figure guides. Thank you weird art store supply sickie.

In other sectors of my less exciting life, I am struggling to push some of that love into my job search. No, y'all. I am not just looking to leave my firm because it has become a legal temple of Obama worship (he used to work there and now everyone feels the need to display a photo of himself with the master orator) but also because the creative juicesare evaporating and it's time to get honest about my life (and honest about how toxic er, a-hem, certain unnamed situations can be). Oh man. And not eating trash in all this just to survive? Well, hello miracle!

Ah, but it's Friday - and a snowy winter wonderland of a Friday at that. I know everyone loves when I say TGIF because it showcases my ultra-nerdy and not so covert love of goofy acronyms. Yay-uh! Have a great weekend, lovers.

Bunny Blur

I am going to have to go get another one of these photos for Easter. WOW. This bunny was amazing. A 20 pound lump o'love, Harvey is a permanent resident at "Parrots of the World" on Long Island. I fell so in love with Harvey I found myself inquiring about how to get my own. No No No! If you'd like to see this fondleworthy furball in all of his costumed glory, you can do so here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SScOSx9PuZs&feature=related. I am not kidding, it's worth it. The shopowner and animal expert featured on the video, Marc, was very nice, knowledgeable and clad in his usual turtleneck. I am as curious about what's under his turtleneck as I am about some of his turtles. (You can read that to mean extremely or not at all). I appreciated that he let me molest Harvey for mucho holding time. What a comforting little guy. And beautiful. Hellloooo. I am talking about the bunnnny!

My Funny Valentine

Yes, it's true. Valentine's day looms. I think I can officially say that I dislike the day. I love on every day BUT Cupid's commercial consumerfest. Ohhh man. Single, coupled, in love or out, it is a frontrunner in the race for least favorite holiday (losing, quite naturally, to the boring ones that at least buy me a day off from work).

This year's valentine's goodies include but are not limited to the following: nice 'n nasty fortune cookies (I made 'em); personalized undies (a recommended RIOT at http://www.teeshirtgallery.com/index.html - mine say, among other things, "open 24 hours"); homemade heart soap with poetry inscribed, and some generally goodly golf fun. And for MOI? Yes, something for my tortured, deserving, overgrown and overworked ticker: the daily reminder. Thar she blows: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9517553. I got two with gentle happy reminders for those days when I am falling off the wagon. 1) I live in joy and motion. 2) I want to be forever the me that greets change with open arms and heart. This last will remind me that my new job quest (not exactly as I would have planned it) is an opportunity. Change to be embraced.

Valetine's day is a good chance to embrace some self love. Or some acceptance. Yeah, that sounds palatable. I will try to get there first.

Speaking of love...I love being back and hearing from y'all too!

A Boink a Day Keeps the Blogging Away

Yeah! So, about the "anonymity" of the last commenter - not so anonymous this time! (If you're wondering about the title of today's rant, er, I mean, blog, please see comment from the "Reserved" post below, accusing me of drifitng from blogjoy as as result of regular boinking. Hey! Who talks like that? Brits? Jeez.) Buuuuuut, after minimal cajoling, here you have it, first blog of the new year. Better late than never, I say! I just needed a little encouragement. Isn't that all we ever need? So, some brief catch-up (in photos) below. The last few months have seen some change (everywhere but my waistline, God forbid) some major joy, some new direction (in the form of a job search and some soul searching), friends with new babies, the giddy good news of a sister back in the states, reunions, happy holidays, love, and general apathy about the blog - oh, you knew that part, didn't you?

Holidays since the last blog:

Halloween (Cleopatra)

I mean really. Cross-eyed much? I missed being the pirate. I really did.

Thanksgiving (Switzerland. France. Oh. And Amsterdam. Need I say more?)

Where else can you find (or be as excited as I was about) a GIANT Monchichi? Are these still made? Trendy somewhere? The picture tells me that this was no mere hallucination, a childhood fantasy with which to torment a younger, monchichi-adoring sibling. No sir. This puppy was for real! I guess it isn't really a puppy, is it? Well, at any rate, real. As real as the banana peel on which Brian slipped shortly after this photo was taken. PLUS good times at Chez Stewart (our last time with her as a European resident) and in teh caves in the marvelous Bourgogne region. Amen!

Christmas (family in New York - Heaven)

Drinking, cooking ,eating, singing, churching, gifting, rejoicing, napping, pajama-ing, stickballing in pajama-ing, joking, howling. General merriment abounded at Brian's house for the holidays. What a brave soldier he was!

New Year's Day (Florida, golfing)

Hey, I didn't say the picture was of golfing. Maybe I did some other stuff there too! Just maybe...

Martin Luther King Jr. Day (home, chilling. It was amazing.)

(No photo, can you believe it?)

Trying to get back on the horse is really much harder than getting back on the horse. Ignoring these gloom and doom economists in the midst of a job search is, shall we say, not great for the healthy eating resolution. Still, I persevere (please insert martyr font here). Thankful for each new day. Wooo wee!!! Thank you A. for the encouragement - and the interest.