But can you believe that baby turned into this girl?
HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY ZOE!
21 March 2012
A Decade of Zoe
In honor of Zoe's 10th birthday, I've decided to post 10 pictures of Zoe from her first year. (Mostly because I couldn't choose only one.)
That might be more than 10, I lost count.
But can you believe that baby turned into this girl?
But can you believe that baby turned into this girl?
13 March 2012
Eleven Questions Meme Part 2
As a follow up to the Queen's Eleven Questions, I was tagged with these Eleven Questions by Ms. Musings. As before, I am not fully following the rules but here are my answers anyway.
1. How do you mark the end of the week and the beginning of the weekend?
These days it is when I shut down my PC and put it away in its case. That is my signal that unless something dire happens, I am off duty until Monday morning.
2. What is your idea of luxury?
Hotel living. Has to be a nice hotel, of course, with a real down comforter and a nice bathroom. What's more luxurious than not having to pick up after yourself, having food of your choosing brought to you, throwing your dirty towels on the floor, or fancy soaps in the bathroom? A nice hotel can feel downright decadent.
3. Tell me a book, a drink and a food that all complement each other.
Fluffy novel and candy. Water to drink if you must.
4. What is one thing you love about the house (flat, apartment, yurt, whatever) you live in, and one thing you would change?
I love the location of my house. I chose my house because of it. Walk to town, walk to the beach, walk to the train. Close drive to everything else. For me, that is perfect. However, I would change the number of bathrooms by adding a master bath. I would really, really love to have a master bath (en suite of course).
5. What is something about yourself that you have made peace with?
I really enjoy chick lit/romance novels. For a long time it was like a dirty little secret, but now I'm out in the open and happy about it. If you're judging me by what a read, so be it. I don't think anyone is doing that though.
6. If you’re browsing in a real world bookshop, what will make you pick up a book that you’ve never heard of by an author you aren’t familiar with?
The cover. I do tend to judge that first. An attractive cover (that is not part of a woman's body with no head) draws me in every time.
7. If you could (or do) have it your own way, what’s your decorating style? (Plain, floral, girly, austere, classic…?)
Contemporary with a touch of whimsy, but only a few tchotchkes. I share the decorating at my house with my mother. Her tastes are more mid-century modern with a nod towards antiques and tchotchkes. Our tastes mesh well, I think. Neither of us are very girly or floral and we both love the color red. If you've been to my house, you've seen that.
8. What never fails to cheer you up?
A candy store, going to the movies, planning a vacation and most of all, Zoe's laugh.
9. What are you going to do when you retire that you don’t have time for now?
Read, go to the movies, go to the theater, go to museums, bake, and drawing/painting. I do some of these things now, but not nearly as much as I'd like. Especially the last three items. I find it very hard to make the time for those things while working and raising Zoe. I often wonder what I will have time for when Zoe is at college, but I don't like thinking to hard about that either.
10. Given the chance, which house in literature would you move into, and why?
Pemberly? No, that might be a bit too grand for me. OK, I'll take Tinker Grey's NYC apartment in Rules of Civilty.
11. What don’t you wear, not because it doesn’t suit you, but because you don’t think you’re the type of person who wears that style/colour/a poncho?
Floral prints. I never wear them. I've made occasional exceptions for truly abstracted florals, but anything truly floral you would never find in my wardrobe.
1. How do you mark the end of the week and the beginning of the weekend?
These days it is when I shut down my PC and put it away in its case. That is my signal that unless something dire happens, I am off duty until Monday morning.
2. What is your idea of luxury?
Hotel living. Has to be a nice hotel, of course, with a real down comforter and a nice bathroom. What's more luxurious than not having to pick up after yourself, having food of your choosing brought to you, throwing your dirty towels on the floor, or fancy soaps in the bathroom? A nice hotel can feel downright decadent.
3. Tell me a book, a drink and a food that all complement each other.
Fluffy novel and candy. Water to drink if you must.
4. What is one thing you love about the house (flat, apartment, yurt, whatever) you live in, and one thing you would change?
I love the location of my house. I chose my house because of it. Walk to town, walk to the beach, walk to the train. Close drive to everything else. For me, that is perfect. However, I would change the number of bathrooms by adding a master bath. I would really, really love to have a master bath (en suite of course).
5. What is something about yourself that you have made peace with?
I really enjoy chick lit/romance novels. For a long time it was like a dirty little secret, but now I'm out in the open and happy about it. If you're judging me by what a read, so be it. I don't think anyone is doing that though.
6. If you’re browsing in a real world bookshop, what will make you pick up a book that you’ve never heard of by an author you aren’t familiar with?
The cover. I do tend to judge that first. An attractive cover (that is not part of a woman's body with no head) draws me in every time.
7. If you could (or do) have it your own way, what’s your decorating style? (Plain, floral, girly, austere, classic…?)
Contemporary with a touch of whimsy, but only a few tchotchkes. I share the decorating at my house with my mother. Her tastes are more mid-century modern with a nod towards antiques and tchotchkes. Our tastes mesh well, I think. Neither of us are very girly or floral and we both love the color red. If you've been to my house, you've seen that.
8. What never fails to cheer you up?
A candy store, going to the movies, planning a vacation and most of all, Zoe's laugh.
9. What are you going to do when you retire that you don’t have time for now?
Read, go to the movies, go to the theater, go to museums, bake, and drawing/painting. I do some of these things now, but not nearly as much as I'd like. Especially the last three items. I find it very hard to make the time for those things while working and raising Zoe. I often wonder what I will have time for when Zoe is at college, but I don't like thinking to hard about that either.
10. Given the chance, which house in literature would you move into, and why?
Pemberly? No, that might be a bit too grand for me. OK, I'll take Tinker Grey's NYC apartment in Rules of Civilty.
11. What don’t you wear, not because it doesn’t suit you, but because you don’t think you’re the type of person who wears that style/colour/a poncho?
Floral prints. I never wear them. I've made occasional exceptions for truly abstracted florals, but anything truly floral you would never find in my wardrobe.
06 March 2012
Eleven Questions Meme part 1
The Queen decreed that I should participate in this meme and who am I to refuse?
Here are the rules:
And here are the Queen's 11 Questions:
1. Have you ever liked a movie more than the book? If so, what movie(s)?
That doesn't happen very often, but I will say most recently it happened with Hugo. Admittedly the book was for children, but even so, it was quite good. However, the movie was spectacular. It was my pick for the best picture Oscar (although I knew The Artist would win).
2. Um opening for Oh I don't know. I don't go to concerts. Never went to many as a kid. I did see New Order a lot, but I can't honestly say seeing them again would be my dream. I guess I'd like to see the Beatles, but I would hate all that screaming. Concerts tend to make me claustrophobic. So really any good singer-songwriter like Amos Lee or Adele or the like in a very small venue with a very small audience would be a dream concert. Fill in the blanks. (You can fill them in with performers dead or alive.)
3. If you're making dinner and don't need to take into account anyone else's tastes but your own, what do you find yourself having over and over again?
Grilled cheese on sliced sourdough bread with apple slices on the side and a good book to read while I'm eating.
4. You get to interview the author of the book you are reading right now. What's the first question you'd ask?
I am currently reading After the Party by Lisa Jewell so I think I would ask Ms. Jewell where she came up with the idea for her previous book, The Making of Us. (BTW, I just ready Ms. Musing's reply to this question and I bow to her literary supremacy. My goodness that woman knows her stuff. I'm just her fluffy-headed friend.)
5. If the world becomes one in which all new novels are only published in digital format, what will you miss most?
Browsing shelves of new books in bookstores.
6. If you had been gifted to play any musical instrument brilliantly, what would you choose to play? (Or maybe you are so-gifted. If so, what do you play?)
I am rather un-gifted in the musical arena, but if I were to be gifted, I would want to be a singer. I was in the chorus all through school and I truly love to sing. I just wish I had a good voice.
7. The "war between the sexes" has been around since the beginning of time. What do you think is the biggest problem between the sexes today?
The biggest problem is any notion that equality has been achieved. It has not. Just because women are in the workplace and women are leaders in government and some men stay at home with their kids, does not for one second mean that we have achieved equality. Women CEOs are still called that, same with Women Senators, and even Women Athletes. As a woman working in the corporate world, it is something you think about all the time.
8. If you could switch places with any celebrity for three months, with whom would you like to switch places?
Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine. If I was going to be any kind of celebrity it would have to be a musician, preferably a rock star. Rock stars can be fashionable, or not. They can be political, or not. They tour, they go on TV, they often make it into movies. And if they f up, people cut them slack, because, hey, its rock and roll.
9. You can eat at any restaurant in the world. Where would you eat?
That's a tough one. I'm not much of a foodie, but I do like a nice dining experience and atmostphere. My favorite thing is to eat outside so, right now, I think I'd choose the outdoor shack on the beach at the hotel in Aruba where I spent my honeymoon.
10. What book do you wish you hadn't wasted your time reading last year?
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. Great concept, terrible execution. A complete disappointment.
11. Would you like me to answer all these questions myself?
Obviously.
OK, don't tell the Queen, but I am going to break the rules. I have already been tagged with another eleven questions which I am happy to do, but I can't come up with yet another eleven and there's no one left for me to tag. So, I'm taking a chance and breaking the chain. Please forgive me.
Here are the rules:
- Post the rules
- Answer the eleven questions that were asked of you by the person who tagged you
- Make up eleven new questions and tag eleven new people to do the meme
- Let them know you tagged them
And here are the Queen's 11 Questions:
1. Have you ever liked a movie more than the book? If so, what movie(s)?
That doesn't happen very often, but I will say most recently it happened with Hugo. Admittedly the book was for children, but even so, it was quite good. However, the movie was spectacular. It was my pick for the best picture Oscar (although I knew The Artist would win).
2. Um opening for Oh I don't know. I don't go to concerts. Never went to many as a kid. I did see New Order a lot, but I can't honestly say seeing them again would be my dream. I guess I'd like to see the Beatles, but I would hate all that screaming. Concerts tend to make me claustrophobic. So really any good singer-songwriter like Amos Lee or Adele or the like in a very small venue with a very small audience would be a dream concert. Fill in the blanks. (You can fill them in with performers dead or alive.)
3. If you're making dinner and don't need to take into account anyone else's tastes but your own, what do you find yourself having over and over again?
Grilled cheese on sliced sourdough bread with apple slices on the side and a good book to read while I'm eating.
4. You get to interview the author of the book you are reading right now. What's the first question you'd ask?
I am currently reading After the Party by Lisa Jewell so I think I would ask Ms. Jewell where she came up with the idea for her previous book, The Making of Us. (BTW, I just ready Ms. Musing's reply to this question and I bow to her literary supremacy. My goodness that woman knows her stuff. I'm just her fluffy-headed friend.)
5. If the world becomes one in which all new novels are only published in digital format, what will you miss most?
Browsing shelves of new books in bookstores.
6. If you had been gifted to play any musical instrument brilliantly, what would you choose to play? (Or maybe you are so-gifted. If so, what do you play?)
I am rather un-gifted in the musical arena, but if I were to be gifted, I would want to be a singer. I was in the chorus all through school and I truly love to sing. I just wish I had a good voice.
7. The "war between the sexes" has been around since the beginning of time. What do you think is the biggest problem between the sexes today?
The biggest problem is any notion that equality has been achieved. It has not. Just because women are in the workplace and women are leaders in government and some men stay at home with their kids, does not for one second mean that we have achieved equality. Women CEOs are still called that, same with Women Senators, and even Women Athletes. As a woman working in the corporate world, it is something you think about all the time.
8. If you could switch places with any celebrity for three months, with whom would you like to switch places?
Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine. If I was going to be any kind of celebrity it would have to be a musician, preferably a rock star. Rock stars can be fashionable, or not. They can be political, or not. They tour, they go on TV, they often make it into movies. And if they f up, people cut them slack, because, hey, its rock and roll.
9. You can eat at any restaurant in the world. Where would you eat?
That's a tough one. I'm not much of a foodie, but I do like a nice dining experience and atmostphere. My favorite thing is to eat outside so, right now, I think I'd choose the outdoor shack on the beach at the hotel in Aruba where I spent my honeymoon.
10. What book do you wish you hadn't wasted your time reading last year?
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. Great concept, terrible execution. A complete disappointment.
11. Would you like me to answer all these questions myself?
Obviously.
OK, don't tell the Queen, but I am going to break the rules. I have already been tagged with another eleven questions which I am happy to do, but I can't come up with yet another eleven and there's no one left for me to tag. So, I'm taking a chance and breaking the chain. Please forgive me.
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