Winter Pride

I have owned a car for approximately 2.5 years and I'm beginning to notice a trend. Every winter, when the snow begins to fall in mass quantities, it takes a bit of time (which I rarely allot for) to brush off your car, warm it up, the whole deal. I've noticed that I get a feeling in my heart when I accomplish all this and get on my way. Pride. I feel proud of the fact that I'm the one brushing off my car. I scrape the windows, I shovel around the tires when I get stuck, I push the heaps of heavy, white snow off the windows so I can see. I'm doing it. Something swells in my heart when I'm in a parking lot preparing my car for the road and I look around to see scores of men doing the same thing, while their wives or girlfriends sit in the car warming up. Don't get me wrong, if the time comes when a gentleman offers to brave the cold on my behalf, I'm sure I'll gladly take him up on his offer. Until that time however, I will smile as I scrape.

Spell Check

There are some words that, no matter how hard I try, I can never remember how to spell. In general, I'm a fairly proficient speller. I have a couple tricks that help me remember how to spell certain words like "piece". The word pie is in piece. Piece of pie. That's how I know it's p-i-e and not p-e-i. There are some words that when I say them in my head they sound mispronounced but it helps me remember how to spell them. Like environment. In my head it sounds like envi-ron-ment, reminding me to include the 'n'. Still, there are words that no trick has helped. It doesn't matter how many times I misspell it, I'm destined to never know the correct spelling for sure. Here's a sampling:

Field-even typing it out I had to delete the misspelled word and do it again. This one gets me every time and drives me up the bend! I never know until I write it out and then I know because it looks wrong. Why I can't just picture it in my head before I write it down, I don't know.

Psychic-A customer at the store yesterday was looking for a book on psychic readings, I went to the computer while she stayed in the section and it took me forever to come up with the correct spelling. I kept coming up with physics books. So infuriating!

Vacuum-This word always looks wrong to me. Misspelled, correctly spelled, it doesn't matter. It looks weird to me so I alway just spell it with 2 c's and 2 u's, even though 75% of the time I'm fairly certain it's the wrong spelling.

Awkward-For a long time, I spelled this word 'ackward' because that's what I thought the correct spelling was. Truly. I thought other people were misspelling it.

I'm sure there are more that I misspell but these are a few that I can think of off the top of my head. Until next time, happy creating, happy writing, and may you know that you're not the only one who spells that word rong.

Slinky-It!

As previously shared, I am a big fan of Post-It's. Given that fact, it would be ridiculous of me to not share this wonderful video! It combines my love of moving Slinky's back and forth and Post-It's! What's not to love?

Hesitate

I've started and stopped a new post a half dozen times over the past couple weeks. I seem to have many things on my mind recently but I haven't thought through most of them enough to compile a coherent post. My guess is that I'll end up creating two or three posts within a matter of a day and a half. However, today is not that day so you'll just have to be patient.

The In-Betweens

As the first snow falls outside my tiny windows, I am reminded of my favorite season. It's not fall or winter. It's not even the ever popular season summer. My favorite season is the in-betweens.

My favorite season is the time between the seasons. When fall is just about here and the air acquires a certain crispness. When spring is just on the horizon and you begin to glimpse sprigs of green grass peaking through the snow. The times during the year when you feel like the weather is just about to turn a corner-those times are my favorite.

I'm not sure if it's anticipation of something new or the milder version of the season that is to come that appeals to me. But every year, when I see those first snowflakes fall, I take a deep breath and savour the in-between.

Story Hour

There are many reasons I love children's books. They take me back to a time where going to the library was so exciting(You mean we can just TAKE these books home?). When people read to me-my parents, my teachers, any one. I remember loving being read to. It was so relaxing and I can still see myself braiding my friends hair as we sat and listening to our teacher read us a story.

I've been working at Chapters for a little over a month now and my love for children's books has been renewed. I work mostly in the Children's Department(the department almost every other employee hates) and I am loving it. It's the most colorful part of the store, I can hear children of all ages exclaiming over books and, perhaps my favorite part, I get to talk to kids about the books I love. Over the past weeks, I have discovered some fantastic books that I am coming to love and some that I have loved for a while now.

I thought it'd be nice to share some of my favorites and maybe hear from you as to what your favorite childhood books are, either for you or, if you have them, your own kids.

1. Lost and Found-Oliver Jeffers

Oliver Jeffers is a favorite author of mine and this is the first book of his that I fell in love with. It's a lovely story of friendship and the illustrations are as beautiful as they are charming. Jeffers is the author of The Way Back Home, How To Catch a Star, The Incredible Book Eating Boy and most recently The Great Paper Caper.

2. The OK Book-Amy Krouse Rosenthal

This is the first book of two from Rosenthal that made my list. This book encourages kids that it's okay not to be the best at everything. The little stick boy shares about all the things that he tries that he's just "ok" at(sharing, drawing, somersaults, etc.) and how he knows that one day he'll be great at something! Now that I write it out it kind of sounds like the kid has low self esteem, but I assure you, it's not like that. It's quickly becoming a favorite!

3. Arnie The Doughnut-Laurie Keller

This is one of those books that both kids and adults find funny. Arnie has lived at the bakery with the belief that when people buy a doughnut they are, essentially, adopting that doughnut. So, understandably, he is thrilled when a gentleman purchases him and takes him home. He is horrified when he finds out the man's true intentions! This book made me laugh more than twice!

4. Little Oink-Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Little Oink is the third in a collection of three books that I love! Little Pea and Little Hoot are its predecessors. All three focus on a little animal (or veggie) that are not typical. Little Pea has to eat his candy so he can get spinach for dessert, Little Hoot's parents have to convince him to stay up really late when all he wants to do is go to bed at a reasonable hour and Little Oink just wants to tidy up. They are the cutest little books that come in hardcover and in a pack of board books!

A Sporting Good Time

When I come upon a group of people talking about sports I have a quick conversation with myself. It usually goes a little something like "...*sigh*...okay, well I have nothing to contribute to this conversation so I'll just be on my way." or sometimes "Can they not talk about anything else?" but even still there's something very appealing about it to me. A group of people, who may not have much else in common, come together around this team of people, around a sport that they love and support it whole heartedly!

I usually enjoy sports the most when I'm with at least one other person who really loves that sport. One Sunday afternoon I watched Phil Mickelson win the Masters with my brother in-law who loves golf! It was such a great afternoon and it's days like that that make me want to really get into a sport.

Now I've tried to commit to following a sport enough to actually have a conversation with someone. I thought "Ya know, I'd like to have an opinion on whether I think that player or team has a chance of going all the way....maybe I should educate myself!" But inevitably something gets in the way. Usually, that something is time. Following a sport takes such a time commitment and I'm just not sure I want it that bad.

M.I.A.

Early yesterday morning, I set aside what I was planning on wearing that day-jeans with two layered tank tops. I pulled on the jeans and one of the tank tops, leaving the other one for later(don't ask me why I didn't just put the other one on right away, I can't explain it). I go on with my day. Send a couple e-mails, work on my puzzle, check a couple things off my To-Do List and, generally, enjoy my morning.

Sometime in the early afternoon, I think to myself, "I should put on that other shirt now." I go into my room to retrieve said shirt and come out empty handed. The shirt has vacated the spot I assumed it was in. I try to recall where I put the shirt down, but to no avail. Now, this is not an unusual event in my household. I misplace a variety of things at a variety of times for a variety of reasons. Sometimes I get distracted by something else(the phone rings, I discover something that needs to be put away, I realize the dishes have been soaking a bit too long and if I don't do them now the water will soon be that disgusting tepid temperature you never want). Sometimes I put something down in an odd place with the thought that the obscurity of the location will help me remember where I put it(ie. Where's my brush? Oh right! I put it in the flour canister-that was weird!). But usually, I just end up racking my brain trying to think of the obscure location. So on this Wednesday afternoon, the missing tank top was not an extraordinary event. I'd find it eventually...right?

After searching half-heartedly for a time, I gave up, thinking I would find it sooner or later. However, the fact that my place isn't that big and I still hadn't found it started it eat at me so I resumed my search. This time, I methodically made my way through each room in my small basement suite: the living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. Even after looking in strange places that I would never have thought to put it(the freezer), I came up empty. I've looked in every reasonable and unreasonable nook and cranny in my place. The shirt is lost. Gone. A victim of my forgetfulness.

This forgetfulness has plagued me my entire life. It was rare that I wouldn't unintentionally leave something behind after a sleepover. Even in my college years, I would often leave possessions behind after visiting with my friend's family's during the holidays. This affliction has a couple possible explanations.

1. I have so many important things going on in my life that I can't be bothered by menial facts like where my shampoo is. I would like to think this one is true but I know how much time I spend on useless tasks such as searching the internet for a song I heard on some random commercial. Unfortunately, I can't claim this one as truth.
2. It's been suggested by my mother that I have a iron deficiency. I may have actually believed this one had this problem not been lifelong. It's not like I go through periods of forgetfulness. This is not a phase, this is my life.
3. Subconsciously, I want to forget things. Maybe I think that it's a conversation starter? "Hey, how ya doin'? Have you seen my glasses?" I must not trust my conversational skills. This one casts me in a slightly pathetic light, so let's just dismiss this one.

I don't know the reason for my forgetfulness. But I vow, for the sake of the my lonely tank top, wherever it is, that I will not stop looking until it has been returned to it's rightful place on the top of my dresser.



**I should say that the brush-in-the-flour-canister was merely an example. I have never, nor would I ever, put my brush in my flour canister. So if you've ever eaten one of my cookies, put your mind at ease.

What Is Life Without...

...cookies! I don't know what it is about baking cookies that I find so cathartic. I put my music on, get my recipes out and fill my house with the delicious smell of baked goods. I had a baking day today. With a bit of help from my friend, I baked chocolate chip cookies. I made peanut blossoms next, and I'll cap off my day with some banana chip bread. So delicious!

Post-It Love

I love Post-Its(see my post 'Wall O' Post-Its')! I am also a hopeful romantic! So naturally, when I saw this video I loved it too! :) Enjoy!

I Used To Think...

...my dad invented tuna casserole

It was quite embarrassing when I found out this was not the case...in my first year of university.

...life would get easier as I got older

Some days, I so wish this one turned out to be true. Alas, it seems to get more complicated, more heart breaking at times and, in some ways, messier. But at the same time, the older I get, the more I come to accept who God has made me, the more I strive for His plan and the more peace I find.

...I invented words

One of these words was 'gimp'. Why I thought I invented words, I have no idea.

...I would be friends with my friends forever

This one makes me quite sad. I'm not very good at keeping in touch and as a result, many of my childhood and teenage friendships have grown apart. Even some of my college friends aren't as close as they once were.

...Jonathan Brandis was the coolest


I don't really think I have to expand on this one. You can see for yourself. Pure '90's stud.







...I would never be like my parents

I don't know how many times in the past couple years I have thought, "Oh geez, I sound like Dad." or someone(my dad) has told me, "You sound just like your mother!" If I had known when I was younger that this would be the case, I don't think I would have been very pleased. But I now recognize how lucky I am to have so many of my parents traits.

**These next two are going to make it sound like I was kind of a lonely kid. I wasn't. I think I just had an over-active imagination at times.

...there was a city of teeny people that lived under my bed

This was a belief I held early in my elementary school years of life. I would put my face under my pillow and a big billboard with my face on it would appear in their city so I could make announcements. That's also where I could type messages to them. I guess I was their leader? I think if you had asked me then if I thought the people were real, I would have firmly denied it. However, I think there was a very small part of me that hoped they were really there.

...that my stuffed animals came to life when I left the room

Sometimes I would come into my room quickly and try to catch them interacting with each other. They were just so real to me. I loved them so much. Slowly, I came to the realization that they were, in fact, simply toys. And then 1995 came, and even though I was 12 years old, Toy Story rekindled my small belief and had me bursting into my room a few more times.

Wall O' Post-Its

This is my computer corner. As you can see, it is quite liberally decorated with photos, Post-Its and random paraphernalia. I love Post-It's. I'm not quite sure what it is about them that makes my heart swell with excitement. Perhaps it's the various shapes, sizes and colors they come in. Perhaps it's that fantastic sticky strip on the back! Who knows but I thought it would be fun to share with you some of my Post-Its. Here's a small sample:

I don't watch '30 Rock' regularly. However, these are two quotes from one of the few episodes I have seen. Tracy Morgan's character, Tracy Jordan, says these two things to Kenneth the Page. I think it's the word manatee that makes it so funny to me.

This was the title of an article I read a couple years back. In some situations, I have the tendency to keep my opinions to myself out of fear, lack of confidence, etc. I almost always regret it later.

I know, I know, this isn't technically a Post-It. Still, it's on my Wall O' Post-Its, so I'm including it. Now, Lucy has never been my favorite Peanuts character, but I really like this quotation.

This is something one of the teens from my church said near the end of a Facebook chat session. It was so upbeat and cheery that I had to add it to my wall.

Hahaha-this was from a commercial for a video game. It showed to guys playing the game and this is what one of the guys said to his buddy. It struck me funny. So severe, so competitive, so funny.

This comes from my subbing experience. I was working with a Grade 5/6 class writing poetry. A student called me over and said "Miss Tattrie, what rhymes with pancakes?" She thought of a word and tried it out in her poem to see if it would work-"Every day she wanted mancakes!" I suppressed a laugh and suggested she use another word.

I had to include this Post-It. The Office is one of my all time favorite shows. Their weekly antics always leave me laughing.

Sisters

I've seen movies where the two main characters have been friends since they met on their first day of school. In my mind, it's two girls. One of them is shy and slightly bookish, the other, precocious with a love of adventure-you know who I'm talking about. They've seen each other through parent's divorces, pet's dying, boy's crushing their dreams, dreams being built back up, yadda yadda yadda, you know the drill. The point being, I always get a twinge of jealousy when I watch those movies. I don't have a friend like that. One that I've known for my entire life that I'm still that close with. I have made amazing friends later in life, but no one has been there from the beginning. It's when this thought runs through my brain that I kind of frown at myself and think, "Hellooo! You've got a sister!"

Now, I could tell you stories from my childhood, concerning interactions between my sister, Shannelle, and I, that would be embarrassing for all involved, so I'll refrain from full disclosure. However, I do want to share one story that I bring up as often as I can. Our exact ages are slightly fuzzy in my memory, but my best guess would be that she was 10 and I was 7. The long and short of it is that Shannelle(with the assistance of a friend) convinced me, her younger, innocent, sister to go down the laundry chute. You may ask, why on earth would you voluntary go down a laundry chute? The answer is simple-candy. They bribed me with candy. Candy that, once I went down the laundry chute, had conveniently already been eaten. So my 7 year old self had risked life and limb, ducked past the exposed pipes underneath the sink(where the laundry chute was) and I didn't even get candy out of the deal. Understandably, I was distraught. I had been conned. But as I look over my life with Shannelle I see, and my parents tell us, that this was not the only occasion that Shannelle convinced me to do something I didn't particularly want to do. To this day, I am convinced that some family friends of ours think I am some sort of muffin addict. I would get an extra muffin for myself and for Shannelle because she didn't want them to think she was a pig(she was obviously okay with them thinking I was a pig). The stories could continue.

The truth is, I think I would have gone down that laundry chute without the promise of sugary treats at the end. I didn't have to get her that extra muffin and I didn't have to lend her my brand new Mickey Mouse sweater(I had to mention it Shannelle). I did it because she's my sister. We've seen each other through scary Santa visits, muffin crises, moving away from friends, grandparents dying, insincere fights and the fights we really meant. She's the friend who knows it all; was there for it all.

The morning my nephew was born, I remember this anxiety in my heart. I was excited to meet him, of course, but it was something else. It was days, maybe weeks later when I finally realized what I had been experiencing. It was this strange combination of pride and helplessness. I was so proud of her for doing the incredibly amazing thing of giving birth. At the same time, I was acutely aware of the fact that by doing this amazing feat, she had to go through extreme pain. Pain that I could nothing about. She had to go through it and I had to sit on the sidelines and hope she'd be okay. There are few times in our present relationship that I feel like the little, helpless sister. Most of the time, it feels like we're on equal ground. But there are times when Shannelle shows incredible bravery through painful circumstances and I get that anxiety in my heart. And although I know she's got to get through it somewhat on her own, all I want to do is get her an extra muffin and make it okay.

Bank Error In Your Favor

The best things in life are free


But you can give them to the birds and bees


I want money

I find myself sharing this sentiment the past couple days as money issues come to the forefront of my mind. Now, I know that technically, the best things in life are free: sun showers, laughing at a really funny story, taking a walk in an old neighborhood, making your nephew smile(although this does sometimes cost you a bit of your dignity). But there are times, like now, that I wish I didn't have to think about it. I like to imagine that someday, in the future, I won't have to worry about money. How I wish I could actually pull this card in real life.

It's Beginning To Look Alot Like Summer!

Every year, at about this time, I start to feel the urge to go on roadtrips, drive with my windows down, have BBQ's and listen to great music. As today is a particularly beautiful day, I've decided to share some of my favorite summer music. Some of this music I've been listening to for ages, other songs I'm just getting into(courtesy of some fellow music lovers).

1. Neighbourhood #3(Power Out)-Arcade Fire
2. Major Label Debut(Fast)-Broken Social Scene
3. Nothing To Worry About-Peter, Bjorn and John
4. For The Price Of A Cup Of Tea-Belle and Sebastian
5. Let My Love Open The Door-Pete Townshend
6. Me and Julio Down By Schoolyard-Paul Simon
7. Close To Me-The Cure
8. We Got To Leave-Caesars
9. Whoomp!(There It Is)-Tag Team
10. Let Forever Be-The Chemical Brothers ft. Noel Gallagher
11. Up Against The Wall-Peter, Bjorn and John
12. You Are The Best Thing-Ray LaMontagne
13. Talk To Me, Dance With Me-Hot Hot Heat
14. You're My Best Friend-Queen
15. Undeniable-Mat Kearney
16. D.A.N.C.E.-Justice
17. Good Lovin'-The Rascals
18. Whole Wide World-Wreckless Eric
19. Maybe Lately-Miracle Fortress
20. You Make My Dreams Come True-Hall and Oates

I highly recommend these tunes to sunny up your day! Enjoy!

Fifty People, One Question

Fifty People, One Question is something I discovered a while back on a friend's blog. I love peeking inside someone's life and wishes, even if just for a moment. The music, the style of the videos, I just love 'em. Check it out for yourself: Fifty People, One Question

Don't Look Back In Anger

I don't consider myself a hot-headed person. I'm usually fairly laid back. Sometimes smaller, inconsequential things bother me(when people don't signal, when people say "same difference", the word 'panties') but I'm annoyed and over it in seconds, maybe minutes. So when something bothers me, I mean really gets under my skin, I find it hard to deal with.

I should also mention that I detest conflict. It makes me uncomfortable and I generally like to avoid it at all costs. I can't even handle watching 'American Idol' because of the criticism and judging, I have a physical reaction. So, when that's how I respond to conflict, but I'm really bothered by something, I feel stuck.

It's something I'm working on.

Falling In Love At a Coffee Shop

Let me preface this by telling you-I am a hopeful romantic. I've been like this for years. I recently found an old poem I wrote that is too embarrassing to share here, but I will say it inspired the title for this post.

A few days ago, I was having a conversation with my family about Valentine's Day. Me being a single person, they made the assumption that I would hate it. I think most people make that assumption. Being single = hating anything that brings attention to the happiness of people in love. I, in fact, love Valentine's Day and don't really understand why people would hate it.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of turning the holiday into an obligation. You must: buy chocolate, flowers, lavish gifts, spend more money than you actually have, etc. But I don't think it has to be like that. One year I received a Valentine's card that was made from a single piece of white paper. He made it personal and it was great. I still have it, years later.

I see Valentine's Day as an opportunity to let people in your life know that you appreciate who they are to you. How many of us know, without a shadow of a doubt, that the important people in our lives know how much we love them. I've heard many people say, "I don't need one day out of the year to tell my significant other that I love them." That may be true, but do we take advantage of the other 364 days in the year? I doubt it.

We may not feel like we need Valentine's Day, but we've got it, so why not take advantage?

Jenn's First Time

This seems a fitting title for my first blog post. Incidentally, this was also the name of the band I was briefly a part of not long ago. We had a great run. There was much laughter and love for the music, but in the end, we realized we didn't have what it took to make it big. It may have been the fact that we all led such different lives. Some of us were in school, some worked a 9-5 job. A few of our band members were newlyweds, a couple of us were single. But I think, ultimately, it was the fact that, no matter how convincing the graphics were, we were not rock stars. We were just playing 'Rock Band'. And as much as we wish they would, the skills just don't transfer.