Thursday, December 8, 2011

Booking Though Thursday: Mystery or Love Story

It's been a long time....
btt button

Booking Through Thursday December 8, 2011: All things being equal, which would you prefer–a mystery? Or a love story?

My answer: I'm not sure what all things being equal refers to, but this is an easy one: LOVE STORY. You could have paired almost any other genre against mystery and I would pick the other genre (except Western...then maybe I would pick mystery). For some reason I really don't like mystery novels...I find the suspense frustrating...I just want to get on with it!!! I do like love stories in their own right too!!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Intentions for 2012

December 6 Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it?
Last year my answer was a scarf, and my answer is scarf again this year!! I've made a few scarves this year with some delicious wool I found in Halifax, and then some fairly decent wool at Michael's. I am really enjoying living in Red Deer,but among the many many things I miss about Toronto are the wonderful yarn stores!!

December 7Community Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?
In 2010 I discovered the blogging community. In 2011 I have discovered the "mommy" community in Red Deer. For a smaller city there are SOOOOO many opportunities to meet other new moms-many of which are free! I've met people through the Babytimes program at the library, from one of the prenatal programs I was in, and from swimming lessons. In 2012 I would like to connect more deeply with this mommy community, but I also wouldn't mind meeting other people (in Red Deer period) that have similar interests that may or may not have babies (or kids).

Monday, December 5, 2011

Intentions for 2012

Last year I participated in a blog thing called REVERB 2010...unfortunately I can't find anything on it anymore and nothing similar for this year. So I thought I would review what I wrote last year and respond to the ones that I think are interesting or important. We'll see how it goes. I'm heading back to Winnipeg next week and probably won't be doing much (if any blogging) but I'd like to at least try it out a bit.

 Reverb 2010 started out last year (December 1)
December 1 One Word.
Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you? with one word for the year-I had selected the word "EXCITING" and boy has it ever been exciting. When I wrote this post last year I was just starting to tell people that I was pregnant but hadn't posted it on the blog, I was also expecting Dave to find a job-little did I know it would bring us to Red Deer separately!! So January 2011 started out with my husband moving across the country, and me going on maternity leave early and moving out here in April, living in a house rather than a tiny apartment...oh ya and having a baby!

So now that it is the end of 2011 I would say that while my year was exciting, I would now say that "CHANGE" best encapsulates my experiences this year.

 My word for 2012 is "BALANCE". As the year progresses I know I will need to find balance in my life for my family and for myself. I know that in becoming a parent things change. I don't want to use the words :Give up" or "lose out" because that is not at all how I feel. But there are things that I (and we) don't do now that we have a son (WE HAVE A SON!!!) i.e. going to the pub frequently, staying out super late etc, doing groceries at 9pm, reading all the time etc, but I haven't once felt like I'm losing out-but I do know that I (and we) need to make sure we take some time for just mom and just dad, and just mom and dad, so that we can be better parents-so 2012 will be about finding that balance.


December 3Moment. Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).
Last year my moment involved fireworks at Lake of the Woods -something that I very much missed this year, since we didn't make it out there during our trip home with a new baby!
This year my answer is EASY!! The moment I felt the most alive was the day Félix was born and the midwife handed him straight to me as he was born. All I really want to say about that day is that it was everything I thought it would be and more. It's unreal to think that I gave birth to something so perfect. 


December 5Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why?
Last year I wrote that I had let go of the need to finish every book I started in 2010 and that for 2011 I wanted to let go of what I can't control- I think I managed to get at least a bit better at this. I did let go of reading period in the last half of this year because I was kind of busy tending to my baby!! I've started to  get back into a bit (it helps that he goes to bed at 8pm now so I do have some time again). In 2012 I think I will continue to try to let go of the things and people I can't control (this will likely be a lifelong goal).

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Book Review: The Golden Acorn


I found Catherine Cooper's The Golden Acorn on amazon.com as a free Kindle book. Clever considering there are two more in the series and they each cost over $7! Oh well, the first one WAS free and I don't HAVE to buy the other two, except I do. I want to describe it as a young adult novel along the lines of Harry Potter but I guess that's not true (although it is VERY much a YA novel).  It's easy to call any book that has magic in it "like Harry Potter"...so no it's not like Harry Potter but it does have magic in it, and there is a prophecy about the main character Jack that he is "The one", even though he himself among others, does not believe this to be the case. A very quick and easy read, The Golden Acorn was entertaining nonetheless. I must admit I'm a sucker for magic, other worlds, talking animals, prophecies, and rooting for the underdog (when you know he's going to win).
Now to PAY for the nest one... Glasruhen Gate!