Wednesday, January 16, 2008

This and that

Thanks to everyone for their kind words and support over the last little while. It is greatly appreciated, and I am reminded yet again that I have wonderful friends and am greatly blessed by the number of awesome people in my life. Grandma's funeral was Saturday and it was, I think, a fitting tribute to her. Simple and elegant, lots of laughter and fond remembrances, full of comfort and acknowledgement of a life well lived and that she had come to the end of her days in peace and surrounded by love. I was honoured to participate in the eulogy and I think I did well -- SerdMom told me afterwards that we painted a beautiful picture of her and helped everyone who was there to know her a bit better, which was exactly our goal. We will miss Grandma dreadfully, but I am thankful that we had her as long as we did, and I know that her influence will journey with me through the rest of my life.

Other random life observations:

Is it ever appropriate to say to someone, in public, "Excuse me, ma'am, but you appear to have forgotten your pants?" Like, say, on the bus? When she is all bundled up in a coat, hat, gloves, knee high boots ... and tights? (I should add that her coat only came to her waist, so I can say with some certainty that she was not wearing a dress. She appeared to have some sort of sweater on that covered her bottom, barely, and then ... tights.)

People who allow their cell phones to ring repeatedly and loudly at the theatre should be shot on sight. Just sayin'.

J and I saw Macbeth at the NAC last night. It was a fantastic production. Macbeth is one of my favourite Shakespeare plays, mostly because there's a lot of action in it (unlike, say, Hamlet, where he spends the majority of the play standing around dithering) and the themes are so universal. This production is set in WWII Scotland, and the director envisioned Lady Macbeth as a Wallis Simpson type, which was an interesting take on the character. The production values were top notch and the acting was superb. Sometimes these "updated" adaptations of Shakespeare are difficult to pull off, but this one worked beautifully. It also included one of the best moments of "we're live, dumbass" theatrical shenanigans I've ever seen ... during the banquet scene as Macbeth was soliloquizing down front in the background someone opened a bottle of champagne and managed to spray it across the entire stage and a number of the other actors. It was fascinating to watch their reactions as they fought desperately to keep it together and clean up (while staying in character), without distracting from the very tense scene that was supposed to be taking place. The carefully blank faces as each actor passed his or her napkin (thank goodness it was a banquet scene!) down the table were hysterical and the whole thing was just a perfect example of the joy and excitement of live theatre. Macbeth, by the way, never so much as blinked and continued on with the scene beautifully. I would have loved to have been backstage during intermission, though!

And finally, is it the weekend yet?

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

The circle of life

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun. A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill and a time to heal ... a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance ... a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to lose and a time to seek; a time to rend and a time to sew; a time to keep silent and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Congrats to Null and Britgal on the arrival of their new precious bundle of joy. Welcome to the world, little one. May your stay here be long and happy and filled with only good things.

My Grandma died Sunday night, after a short illness. She was 93, and had lived a happy long life filled with many good things. We are blessed that her final illness was brief and her passing was quick and peaceful, but we will miss her dreadfully. I am lucky and honoured to be able to say that I see a lot of her in myself, and that is a legacy I will carry proudly. She was the original Madame Librarian and a really, really cool lady. I remember when I was living in Denmark she would write me faithfully every week, and her letters were always just like sitting down and having a wonderful conversation with her. She was clever and witty and always had a great story to tell. In the last few years her body failed her bit by bit, but her mind remained sharp and clear to the end. My sister and I were able to get down Sunday afternoon to see her and say goodbye, and while she was no longer able to communicate with us she smiled at me and reached out her hand for me to hold and I know she knew I was there. I take comfort in that.

To everything there is a season.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

2007 Wrap Up

First of all, he liiiiiiiiiiiiiives. For those who had given up checking Serdic's blog out of despair, he blogged last night. Just doing my bit to keep the world informed.

We had a blast last night, and went to my friend J's for a rockin' party. Good friends, good wine, a good year to celebrate, and someone to kiss at midnight. What could be better? J is one of my dearest friends and has seen me through good times and bad, and there's no one else I would have rather celebrated the end of 2007 and the promise of 2008 with. I just hope her head doesn't ache too badly today (at least no more than mine does -- in the cold hard light of day that last glass of wine was probably a mistake).

Someone sent me this survey a little while ago and I thought it was a good way to wrap up the year. It's a bit long, but bear with me. Feel free to post your own answers to some or all in the comments or on your own blogs.

1) What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before? Fell in love.
2) Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't really make 'em, other than the generic "be a better/thinner/richer person"
3) Did anyone close to you give birth? No, although friends adopted and we're waiting to hear on some other friends who are anticipating a birth very soon
4) Did anyone close to you die? No
5) What countries did you visit? Italy, the US
6) What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? I can't think of anything that was really lacking this year; more money, maybe
7) What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? February 1, first date with Serdic
8) What was your biggest achievement of the year? maintaining a healthy relationship and all the big changes that came with it
9) What was your biggest failure? not losing any weight
10) Did you suffer illness or injury? nope
11) What was the best thing you bought? my iPod Nano
12) Whose behavior merited celebration? can't think of anyone in particular, my friends and family in general are worth celebrating pretty regularly
13) Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? so many people, mostly politicians and celebrities; I don't have a lot of people in my real life who disappoint me
14) Where did most of your money go? travel, moving
15) What did you get really, really, really excited about? trip to Italy, moving in with Serdic
16) What song will always remind you of 2007? Hallelujah, the k.d. lang version
17) Compared to this time last year, are you:
- happier or sadder? happier
- thinner or fatter? about the same
- richer or poorer? richer
18) What do you wish you'd done more of? travel
19) What do you wish you'd done less of? complaining
20) How did you spend Christmas? with the family and the boy
21) Did you fall in love in 2007? God, yes
22) How many one-night stands? none
23) What was your favorite TV program? Amazing Race
24) Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No, in fact I am trying to reduce the "hate" and have reached out to a couple of people I left things on bad terms with
25) What was the best book you read? Innocent Traitor, by Alison Weir; it's a novel about one of my favourite historical figures, Lady Jane Grey, who was queen of England for nine days
26) What was your greatest musical discovery? Jim Cuddy
27) What did you want and get? love
28) What did you want and not get? can't think of anything
29) What was your favorite film of this year? Stardust or Enchanted
30) What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? family celebration; I was 31
31) What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? having more money, I guess
32) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? discovering my inner hottie
33) What kept you sane? friends and family
34) Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Colin Firth -- the answer to this question is always Colin Firth ... yum
35) What political issue stirred you the most? war in Afghanistan
36) Who did you miss? my Grandad
37) Who was the best new person you met? duh
38) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007: Don't put things off, saying you'll do them later ... later isn't always there. Live while you can.
39) Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: I'm who and where I want to be