Urban Vancouver

(Remember the rules… you gotta choose, even if you like or loathe both! That’s the point of Choose Ye. If it was, “Hey, Whatever”, you’d be at someone else’s blog! Huzzah!)

Resolutions or no?

Happy to be back to work or OH NO?

New sheets or new shoes?

Organized or disorganized (generally?)

Details or big picture?

Ice cream or salad?

Traveling this year, or staying close to home?

Big life plans or more of the same?

New love or old?

Wishing for a makeover or totally content?

More red meat or less?

Fitness or sofa?

Fresh hobbies, or digging into new ones?

More carbs or less?

Go out more, or go out less?

More relationships or more independence?

MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME!

Okay, so my lovely Gradon, my friend Shelley, and my friend Mike have all challenged me to do blog memes.

I don’t generally DO blog memes, mostly because I think starting with memes is like calling up an Amway salesperson and requesting to buy a single product, or doing the initial offer with Columbia House.

Suddenly you become a giant meme target, and there’s pressure on you to do more, and then your life isn’t your OWN.

Okay, that’s not really true, but still.

People tell me I am a giant hypocrite because my Love Lists could be classified as memes. To them I say, “Giant? What are you trying to say about my ass?”

I am only doing these two because a) Gradon is Gradon; and b) Shelley just got engaged, who am I to take away from her joy? and c) Mike is really persistent and will haunt me to my death until I do it.

Okay, the first one was for Gradon and Shelley. The challenge was to show off the sixth photo on the sixth page of my Flickr account (where I store photos online.) Here it is:

Awww.

It’s been on my blog before, this shot, but AWWWWW. There he is, the man who challenged me to do this. He’s awfully dear. I like him a great deal. May I have your air miles so I can go see him for free? Thank you!

The next meme requires me to mention seven random or weird things about me.

Um.

WHAT ELSE HAS MY BLOG BEEN ABOUT?!? Is there anything LEFT?!

But here, I’ll try:

1. I have chipped my two front teeth twice on karaoke microphones, on two different occasions.

2. I never remember to eat leftovers, no matter how yummy they may be, or if I am starving for something. Out of sight, out of mind. It’s now to the point where I’ll mention them to Catherine, so at least SOMEONE can benefit. She’ll remember. Otherwise? Certain abandonment.

3. I like to crank up the fireplace and open my deck door, because the combination of a blast of warm air and the fresh cool air fighting in my living room is PERFECTION.

4. I don’t really like talking on the phone. Not because I don’t enjoy talking to people, but because the phone misses so much of the nuance and body language that I enjoy in conversation. I prefer face-to-face talking, or texting. I love texting. I make an exception to all of this for a) Gradon b) my parents c) my long distance friends or d) clients (but I prefer emails there.) Or phone calls under ten minutes in length. I know. Weirdo. All that said, apparently I am fun on the phone. Huh.

5. I hate it when people spell my name wrong in emails when it’s RIGHT THERE (my full name, not Meg. Meg is hard to screw up.) I long ago learned to be okay with “Megan” (Meggin) when it’s actually “Meaghan” (Mee-gan) in speech, but HEY, THE PROPER SPELLING IS RIGHT THERE. I know “Meg” sounds like it would come from “Megan”, too. But in an email? NO EXCUSE. So in response — sometimes, not always — I’ll find a way to subtly misspell their name in my reply (if possible) to see if they get confused. 75% spell it properly thereafter. What do you mean, I have too much time on my hands?

6. I will only drink Coke Slurpees, within the greater Slurpee family. All the rest are gag-worthy.

7. I have a semi-giant phobia of food poisoning and gastrointestinal ailments. I used to get horrible stomach pains from stress or excitement (still do at times), and I think now that’s the kind of pain I dread more than any other. Though I am sure there are worse pains, that’s my “PLEASE, NO!” pain. And I’ve had a lot of pains to choose from. And have BEEN a pain. And AM a pain. But if food does not look or smell EXACTLY like I think it should? No go. This may be connected to #2 in this list.

I’m not tagging anyone else to do a meme. That’s where I draw the line.

Because a line must be drawn somewhere! Like down the middle of roads! And on measuring cups! And on the floors of gymnasiums!

Imagine life without THOSE lines.

That’s right.

But hasn’t this been fun?

MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME!

1. Coughing.
2. Working.
3. Sitting down.
4. Fussing.
5. Tripping over things when I am not sitting down.
6. Staring blankly into space.
7. Second-guessing myself
8. Blowing my nose.
9. Breaking nails.
10. Complaining (I know, I know.)

A late afternoon shot up through the trees. One of my favourite photos I have ever taken.

Six left when I opened the door, but how many remain?

Click here.

I love my wee red guys.

I found this utterly compelling, and really convicting in a sense, too. To choose what you really love in the face of expectations is a powerful sacrifice.

(via Dave Johnston)

Normally I’d be doing a Love List here, since it IS Friday AND it’s the first Friday of the year.

It seems wrong to consider doing anything else!

But as I was walking home, I was rewarded for the first time I’d worn a skirt out of doors in months.

As I walked down the icy snow/crunchy snow/slick ice/frozen whatnot road about a block away from my home, my Uggs (it was not their fault, they’ve had gorgeous grip) hit a patch of what felt like banana peels sprayed with Pam, and BOOM… I hit the ground.

The crunchy, stabby, uneven ice-packed ground.

Bah.

My first fall of the season, period.

Skirt now ripped. Leg hacked to bits. Wrist worse for wear. Blood on Uggs (I’ll get it out, I weather-treated them well). And I’m pretty sure I’ll have bruises in places I’m not aware of yet.

Damn the no-road-clearing. Damn the melt-freeze-melt-freeze cycle. Damn the pretty day that convinced me I could take the risk and not look like bleeeargh in my old jeans.

I mean, oh well. Could be much worse.

But I don’t feel LOVEY, per se. I’ll try for it tomorrow.

Happy January 2nd!

I was going to do a quiz for you, entitled “Hockey Penalty or Inappropriate Dating Strategy?”

Then I got to “holding the stick”, and knew I would make my dad cry.

This is what it means to be a nice blogger. Or a daddy’s girl. One of the two.

Anyway. Go Google “hockey penalties”, and you’ll see exactly what I mean.

And chuckle a little, if you’re lame like me.

Coming tomorrow: “Toilet Tissue Brand or Stripper Name?”

1. Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque: Smells like toothpaste, goes on like bathtub caulk. Rinse away, and GLOW. For oilier to normal skins, especially for random breakouts.

2. Carmex: The lip balm of champions. When I get down to half a pot, I often put in a chunk of lipstick (one that’s nearly down to the nub) and melt it together in the microwave (45 seconds should do it) with the lid off. Stir with a toothpick, and you have a nice, sheer gloss that your lips will love.

3. Mountain Ocean Skin Trip: This stuff smells like the best beach you ever went to, and sinks in fast to soften skin for hours. And there’s nothing weird or chemical-y in it.

4. Palmer’s Crack Butter: Really, the name is enough to make it onto the list. Ha! But seriously, folks… it heals my heels. And anyone who knows how much time I spend barefoot knows that this is ESSENTIAL.

5. Watkins Lemon Hand Salve: My cuticles never go astray with this salve. And it smells like sunshine itself.

6. St. Ives Microdermabrasion Scrub: Gentler than you might think, and really effective for keeping skin smooth and fresh. My trick is to mix a bit with my face wash every second day to exfoliate without getting too aggressive. In summer, I’d probably use it straight up three times a week.

7. L’Oreal Vive Pro Nutri-Gloss Line: Everything is under $9, and it really does smooth your hair. Not sure about the pearl thing, but hey… it’s pink! And it works!

8. Aveeno Body Washes: Awesome. All of them. I even make Gradon use them.

9. Blistex Original: My mom would poke me in the eye if this didn’t make it on here. There is no ailment she would not try to cure with Blistex. But seriously — the sore nose you get from a cold? Blistex it! Cut not healing? Blistex it! Lips beyond repair? Blistex them! Got a lame boyfriend? DUMP HIS ASS and then… uh… use Blistex.

(No, seriously. It’s a bit chilly in here.)

Happy 2009, y’all!

I can’t believe 2008 has come and gone, but that’s likely because I spent a good portion of it either working feverishly, or in a lovesick daze.

The latter is preferable. Huzzah!

I will be doing my ‘Year In Review’ post (or face a blogging fine, I think), but not tonight. Maybe not until next week. MAYBE NOT UNTIL LATER ON NEXT WEEK, I DON’T KNOW.

Certainly long after everyone is tired of ‘Year In Review’ posts, because…

MegFowler.com: Proudly Just Behind the Curve.

So what is this post all about?

Well, I have made a personal commitment to myself to post EVERY SINGLE DAY this year (unless an emergency arises, and then I’m not exactly going to beg the paramedics to park near some WiFi.)

That’s right… EVERY SINGLE DAY.

And posts of all kinds, too. I’m going to be covering topics like:

Beauty
Technology (you know, like calculator watches)
Words I Hate
12 Best Candies to Get Stuck in Your Teeth
Men’s Fashion Do’s and Don’ts
The Best Music Out There
My Five Most Outlandish Injuries
Stories of the Bus

…. and MANY MORE!

So make sure you stop by, huh?

Okay, okay… those aren’t the actual lyrics from “Silver Bells”, but they might as well be because HELLO! Winter?

She be rough on your looks.

Most women (and men!) end up struggling around this time of year with dry hair, wind-burned skin and a host of other cold weather-related ailments. If you live somewhere cold, that is.

(If you live in California, go back to the beach and button your lip.)

(Ahem.)

Some people think the weather needs to be cold and dry to wreak havoc on your body, but we get the once-over in the Land of Humidity and Rain (where I currently live), too. Because humidity isn’t really the issue at all.

The problem lies with things like forced-air heating indoors, the inevitability of rapid temperature changes and fluctuations, rough-textured clothing (wool, especially), and wind and moisture (be it snow or rain) assaulting you the moment you step outside.

That’s why I’m confident that no matter where you are… I can help!

I’ve dealt with every crazy kind of winter you can think of, through six different provinces and two states — from - 60 C with wind chill and blowing snow, to 4 C with freezing, pelting rain.

And that’s why my friend Kath requested that I do a post on winter beauty and skincare.

I’m going to go from head to toe in a series of posts, and share my thoughts and secrets on how to keep everything in good shape until spring rolls around again.

Broken locks…

Depending on your hair type, you can face everything from mad static to brittle, damaged hair when November rolls around. Some people even find their hair gets more oily when their scalp tries to compensate for dry, harsh weather. Your goal is to restore the balance.

No matter what your hair type, try and use cooler water when you wash your hair (even if you’re dying for a hot shower) and don’t rub your hair with a towel — wrap it and let the moisture absorb without traumatizing your hair!

Curly Girlies

Curly-haired girls sometimes love the dryness of winter, because they can easily avoid the frizzies caused by humidity. But if hair gets TOO dry, it still won’t hold a nice curl. A rich conditioner and a good curl cream can prevent any damage and keep waves and ringlets looking lustrous.

Also consider weaving your hair into a loose braid before you put any knitted hats on — it prevents frizz-via-fibers without disturbing your curl (straight-haired girls can do this, too, but you’ll get waves — no hat head, though!)

If you are going outside for a day of activity (skiing, snowboarding, etc.) you can even add a little bit of conditioner to your curl cream and smooth it in before you braid and put on your hat — you’ll get extra protection, AND super-soft hair when you rinse it out later.

(Conditioners:Neutrogena Triple Moisture, Terax Crema, Frederic Fekkai Luscious Curls Conditioner or Shea Butter Hair Masque, Wella Kolesterol. Curl creams: Frederic Fekkai Luscious Curls Cream, John Frieda Dream Curls Curl Perfector.)

Straight Up, Now Tell Me…

Girls with straight hair often end up with crazy static from hats and hoods, or dry, brittle hair from wind and the cooling/heating of going in and out of doors. If you have thicker hair, you can handle a richer conditioner and a smoothing/protecting cream. With finer hair, you need a conditioner that seals your hair shaft without weighing it down, and a light serum that does the same.

(For Thicker, straight hair, conditioners: Pantene Moisture Renewal or Ice Shine Conditioner, John Frieda Weather Works Weather Proofing Conditioner, Bumble and Bumble Creme de Coco. Thicker, straight hair, cremes: Bumble and Bumble Styling Creme, Ojon Hydrating Styling Creme.)

(For Finer, straight hair, conditioners: L’Oreal Vive Pro Nutri-Gloss, Pantene Full and Thick, Bumble and Bumble Seaweed Conditioner, Frederic Fekkai Glossing Conditioner. For Finer, straight hair, creams and serums: Frederic Fekkai Smooth Hair, Oscar Blandi Jasmine Oil Serum, John Frieda Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Cream.)

Face it… you need help.

I wouldn’t begin to think I could diagnose all the different issues people have with their faces in the winter. Dry skin, scaly skin, eczema, rosacea and MORE… all of it can flare up like mad when the temperature drops.

Without even mentioning products, here are some basic tips to keep you looking fresh and supple.

1. Keep your water temperature down: Use tepid water to wash your face, no matter what your skin type is. Hot water can strip oils and cause dryness, or artificial oil buildup when your skin rushes to replace moisture.

2. Adjust your cleanser: Winter skin is easy to strip. If your skin feels tight after you cleanse, try using a lotion or oil to wash your skin instead of a gel-based, lathering cleanser — though oilier skins will probably be fine.

Normal and dry skins can get away with just a rinse and a moisturizer/SPF if they cleansed well the night before.

Note: contrary to conventional logic, cleansing oils don’t make your skin greasy — rather, they help restore balance to problem skins of ALL kinds. I used the Origins oil cleanser below on my oily-with-random-dry patches (thank you, autoimmune issues) and it restored the balance nicely.

3. Exfoliate without shredding: A simple, alchohol-free toner used daily, or gentle scrub with uniform beads used a few times a week may be enough for fine skin. Thicker, oilier skins can take a beta-hydroxy acid moisturizer or a microdermabrasion scrub a couple times a week.

4. Moisturizer and sunscreen are MUSTS. Period. Apply moisturizer when skin is damp to maximize effectiveness.

5. Wear sunglasses when you go outside: Sure, it’s cloudy. Sure, it’s snowing. You can’t even SEE the sun. But you CAN see glare… and as soon as you squint? Hello, eye lines. Get a nice rich eye cream to combat any lines starting up, and then cover those peepers!

6. Maintenance is key: If you feel parched during the day, try a moisturizing spray over makeup — it should sink right in, unless you’re Dame Edna.

7. Give lip service: A thick, occlusive balm is best for lip protection. If you want to wear lipstick or gloss, go for moisturizing formulas. Try to avoid licking your lips, too — you rob them of moisture without adding any for longer than a moment.

And now for the products!

Cleansers, for all skins: Cetaphil, Origins Clean Energy.

Cleansers, oily: Origins Checks and Balances, St. Ives Olive Cleanser, Biore Warming Cleanser.

Cleansers, dry or sensitive: Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser with Feverfew, Origins Pure Cream Cleanser, Clinique Foaming Mousse cleanser, Kiehls Oil-Based Cleanser.

Scrubs/toners/exfoliators: Clinique 7-Day Scrub Cream (all), Aveeno Positively Radiant Toner (all), St. Ives Microdermabrasion Scrub (Normal/Oily), Origins Modern Friction Scrub (Oily), Weleda Iris Toner (Oily), Dr. Hauschka Intensive Treatment 03 (Dry and Sensitive), Kiehl’s Calendula Toner (Sensitive), Benefit Woman Seeking Toner.

Moisturizers, all: Clinique Dramatically Different Lotion, Cetaphil Moisture Lotion, Weleda Wild Rose Moisturizer, Benefit Do It Daily! SPF 15. Origins Have a Nice Day SPF 15.

Moisturizers, oily: Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer, Clinique Super Rescue Anti-Oxidant Lotion, Kiehl’s Yerba Mate Tea Lotion.

Moisturizers, dry or sensitive: Weleda Skin Food (for VERY parched skins), Aveeno Ultra-Calming with SPF-15, Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief, Origins Never Say Dry.

Serums: Estee Lauder Idealist, Boots Restore and Renew No7.

Eye creams: MAC Moisturelush, Clinique All About Eyes Rich, Benefit EyeCon, Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins, Juice Beauty Green Apple Nutrient Eye Cream.

Lip balms: Carmex (metholated for serious chapping), Philosophy Kiss Me (emollient, great smell), Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour Cream (use everywhere!), Smiths Rosebud Salve (great for cuticles, too!), Aquaphor Ointment, Kiehls #1, Benetint Lip Balm SPF 15.

Moisturizing Sprays: Caudalie Eau de Beaute Beauty Elixir, Clinique Moisture Surge Spray, Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist.

Coming soon: Body and Feet… and specific problems. And then — Winter Makeup!

1. Noise-canceling Earphones: I cannot live with the inability to hear someone yelling, ‘There is a BEE ON YOUR BACK. A BEE.”

2. GPS Systems: I rely on bus drivers to know where I am. And if I get lost, I just go to a nice police officer on the corner and ask for help. And when I say police officer, I mean Starbucks employee, because we actually have one of those on every corner.

3. The smart part of the SmartPhone: Everyone in my life expressed some horror that I would never truly be away from email, like they were watching me tighten the tourniquet on my arm with my teeth and wildly flick a syringe. But I don’t think I’m an addict, no way. It’s all good. I don’t need email on my phone. And if you give me the laptop, I will totally let your family go.

4. Laser Eye Surgery: Well, I actually have perfect eyesight, but also? I want to shoot lasers OUT of my eyes, not INTO them. Sheesh.

5. Nintendo Wii: I don’t need to spend any extra money to wave a remote around in acrobatic frustration. I can do that with my current TV remote because the batteries are running out and you need to whack it three times and hold it up REAL high to change the channel. And the day I let a game system tell me how old and fat I am is same day I go all Office Space on its ass (warning, Mom: language.)

6. Bluetooth earpiece: The voices in my head said there wasn’t room for another one.

7. Massaging chairs: I sat in one once, and it felt like an Alien was trying to get out and attack me like Sigourney Weaver. Also, what if the chair goes rogue and punches my spleen?

8. USB Thumb Drives: You ever tried to stick one of those things in your thumb? Jeepers.

Yeah.

Well, aren’t YOU just zooming to a close!

What, you think you can just rush to the finish line because YOU’RE all done, Mr. 365? No, I don’t THINK SO.

Where is my time to reflect? Where is my time to list the blessings and challenges that have defined you? Where is my golden opportunity to engage in navel gazing during the one week of the year that people seem to think it’s a worthy use of time?

You’re not going to stop so I can write a few sentimental posts about how my life has changed, how I’ve evolved, how I’ve tugged at the Tiller of My Life and set a new course?

Fine, then. See if I care.

2009 is ready for me already, and I have a feeling we’re going to get along EVEN BETTER than you and I did!

That’s right, you heard me…

Not only will I get to keep all the good stuff I got from you for my next 365, like Gradon and new boots and a good Bernaise recipe, but I can also leave behind all the stuff you gave me that I DIDN’T like, like pneumonia, hives, and bananas that went brown too fast.

I mean, bananas will still do that. BUT I WON’T BUY THEM. NOT EVEN A ONE.

So there.

Love,

Meg

1. The gout.
2. Fingerless gloves or toeless socks.
3. The joke my grandfather kept trying to tell about the rabbi, the milkmaid, the goat, and Jerry Falwell.
4. An iguana.
5. Moldy.
6. Assless chaps (although, really, they’re ALL assless in the end. Pun intended.)
7. Any Time-Life musical collections bought from infomercials starring actors you can’t remember the names of.
8. Publisher’s Clearing House Jewelry (no, wait, I DID get that. Don’t ask.)
9. A teddy bear holding a heart that says “I Wuv You”
10. Shingles.
11. Stuck in an airport.
12. Caught in the rain (oh, and I don’t like pina coladas, either.)
13. Herpes.

Merry Christmas!

I am late to the punch, but I did enjoy some punch (my mom’s recipe: grapefruit soda, lemonade, and strawberries.)

Christmas is (sadly) over for another year, though my dad keeps protesting that we should adhere to the Russian Orthodox Christmas calendar (though we are neither Russian, nor Orthodox.)

We didn’t have a Christmas eve service (due to abundantly snowy weather), but we DID have Chinese takeout and a viewing of Kung-Fu Panda (do you watch cartoons with your parents? No? YOUR LOSS.)

It was another Christmas missing my brother and newly-minted (in March) sister-in-law, and my first Christmas missing my significant other (why does boyfriend continue to sound like an odd title to give someone in his thirties?), who spent the day as he spends most days… 3,000 miles away.

Sigh. (I have to say something parenthetical here to keep up the flow, but really, just… sigh.)

I helped my mom whip up a stellar Christmas feast for her extended family, most of whom apparently were born without volume switches (a detail I included because I know they’ll read this, and then protest — loudly — the next time I see them.)

I also tried to see how many red jello cubes I could fit in my mouth to entertain my mom and dad. It didn’t go as well as planned, seeing as a portion of the same ended up in my (matching!) bra.

(Yes, I just wrote about my bra. Merry Christmas!)

Now I’m tucked into bed, but I wanted to leave a few words here in commemoration of the season. I’m going to write a little Christmas list of things I wish I could have gotten people this year, and though I’m sure I’ll forget a zillion fantastical things, well… it’ll have to do.

MY CHRISTMAS LIST OF THINGS I DIDN’T GET FOR PEOPLE BUT WOULDN’T IT BE NICE IF I HAD (OR COULD, OR IF IT WERE EVEN POSSIBLE)?

Mom and Dad: For Mom, a new Titanium back so she becomes the Six Million Dollar Mom and can lift crazy heavy things and never worry about a crick or a disc slipping like the economy. For Dad? I’d like to see GQ forgo fragrance samples in future issues, and just include suit samples. And by that, I mean full suits in good wool that fold out from the pages like the best pop up book EVER.

Sean and Carey: For my brother, a magic kilt that would enable him to travel through time to see different civilizations and meet great historical figures and also not display his bits in a stiff breeze. For Carey? A wellspring of patience to deal with my brother. KIDDING (mostly)! No, no… for Carey, I’d send her on a fantastic vacation somewhere NOT -30 C, where she could shop for shiny things all the live-long day.

Catherine and Eric: Well, for starters, I’d have had Catherine arrive in San Diego when she INTENDED to, and not at the end of a 36-hour odyssey of doom brought on by your least favourite airline and mine, Air Canada.

Perhaps they were acting in the Canadian spirit of our “low population plus large land mass” equation, and trying “low staffing plus major travel volumes.” Except that with the first equation, it means we enjoy a spacious country where each citizen gets two square miles of our very own and a personal salmon stream.

What do you get with the second equation? FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS. NOT OKAY.

Anyway, she’s there now (for the love of Pete. Err… Eric.)

Back to the list: I’d give the two of them super duper plane tickets that enabled them to go on awesome, awesome vacations (they could see the world!) but suddenly flash Catherine back home if she wanted to sleep in her own bed at night (she likes that, unless she is in a cushy-wushy hotel bed. And still, sometimes even then, her bed wins.)

Gradon: There are really a bajillion things I would give dearest Gradon, from snappy suits to a speedy new laptop to a big old loft apartment where he could indulge his minimalist decorating taste to the HILT (can you be minimalist to the hilt? Hmmm.) What I would give him MOST and FIRST, however, is THE BEST JOB EVER where his creative aplomb AND cool technical skills would be used effectively and he would be paid MANY MONIES. Why? Because he is awesome and a work ninja.

(I know, I know, that one was all sincere. I might as well be ringing bells and getting angels their wings at this point.)

I’ll add more to my list tomorrow, but for now, I’m going to go back to coughing up a lung. Or perhaps a hairball. Which is what I am getting my parents’ cat for Christmas, since she’s not a big fan of mine.

Merry!

yes, it’s christmas time
suddenly my heart is warm
burns like the yule log.

i don’t like eggnog
smells like a gassy baby
oh yeah, and some eggs.

presents everywhere
each one was chosen with love
even the re-gifts.

folks get along cuz
it’s that special time of year
and also spiked punch.

Yeah, we just have a BIT of snow:

Totally unheard of in Vancouver. But hey — there’s a first time for everything!

Catherine is about to board a bus en route to Los Angeles because her flight to San Diego (to be with Eric) was canceled. A 36-hour ride.

I’m hoping my dad isn’t totally insane to be making the journey out here to get me in feet and feet of snow. He refused to stay home.

I’m coughing up a lung. This feels oddly familiar.

Christmas eve service is canceled. As it should be, in this weather.

Whee!

I love Christmas like few others, and I refuse to be a crank about it, but please keep Catherine (most of all) and my Dad in your thoughts and prayers.

I know of many, many people who are having a much rougher time than I am this season, so keep your thoughts with them, too.

My lungs? Just send a vacuum.