2007: A Year in Review

I did this meme last year too.

So the idea is to go back into your backlog of blogs and use the first sentence from the first post for each month of the past year. here we go.

JAN - Welcome to day one, and i have to say i return to this job with mixed feelings.

FEB - Dear Saskatoon Drivers, what the hell is your problem?

MAR - an old friend who i didn't keep in very good contact with while in Calgary emailed me and asked me to sum up the last 4 years of my life in an effort to catch up with each other.

APR - Sadly, April onest went by without one single gag or practical joke.

MAY - While randomly surfing the internet, i came across the website for a movie called The Golden Compass.

JUN - So B-rad is off on his little fishing trip with the boys... and i say "Little Fishing Trip" because this is basically the prep-course or precursor to THE BIG FISHING TRIP with the boys wherein several of his brothers/cousins get together on a boat and drink alcohol under the pretense of catching fish.

JUL - a long time ago a friend and i saw this one lady comic on tv, and she was talking about "living the dream".. she said that if you wanted to live the dream, you should aim low.

AUG - Trying out something new today for a little kickstart to the ol' mental capacity thinger... so, i guess the object is to say thirteen things about myself or whatever comes to mind so here goes: My name is Laura.

SEP - Well, something good came of me being sick for the last couple of days.

OCT - Just a quickly to start off the week...last night - went to see Tegan and Sara - so awesome.

NOV - This would totally look cute on you. :D

DEC - I was tagged by Witchypoo a while ago... don't worry, i didn't forget!

What did i learn from this years Meme in Review? i post a lot more often on the 2nd of the month than the first. In fact, i'd say 80% of my first monthly posts were on the 2nd.

Tonight - everything is up in the air. B-rad isn't feeling too well, he's got a scratch and a frog in his throat. So, if he's feeling up to it, there may be something happening. if not, we'll just rent some chinese porn and bring in the New Year the way Nature intended. With sex. :D

My body's too Scrabulishious for you Babe

today B-rad added the scrabulous application on Facebook... for those of you who don't know, it essentially lets you have an online game of scrabble and does all the adding and calculating double/triple word/letter scores for you.

anyway.

As he sat in the basement, i sat in the rumpus room with my dear sweet lappy Fiona II... i open my facebook and see that B-rad has started a game with me.

what do we do?

we spend an hour, sitting in different rooms on different floors, playing a game of scrabble.

at some point b-rad says from the basement: "y'know, i suppose we could get out the scrabble board...and actually play a game."

"Yeah, we could."

did we?

no. we did not.

and b-rad kicked my ass.

time for a rematch.

snoogins.

2007 festivus cheer.

The last five days have gone by in a whirl of food, family, food, screaming children, food, music, food, and food. Did i mention food? seriously, there was enough food at the gatherings i attended to feed a small village for several weeks. And then after the appetizers, my sister-in-law says: "okay, now who's ready for supper??" Supper??

It was nice to see my broski from Cowtown. little bugger, i miss him somedays.

There was something off about this years festivus. all the magic from my childhood is gone.

My grandma and grandpa were there for festivus - and that may have had something to do with it. My grandma is the kind of lady who talks about everybody else... Auntie Shirley, Cousin Michael, Great Uncle Gordon... never the people she's around.
and Grandpa, well... i can take a small amount him at a time, but they were at my parent's house for three days. So, by the end of it, i was pretty ready to knock his block off if he pinched me one more time. Yes, fine, he's not a drunk anymore, but there was a time when he was a drunk - and i remember that.

But there were some highlights.

• Me, Broski, B-rad, Dad, Muffy and her Girlfriend went tobogganing on Christmas Eve Day. I haven't worn snowpants since, like, the 6th grade. Good times. there were a few times when i totally bit the dust - or snow, and a couple times i inadvertently gave myself a snow enema.
• Willy Billy McNilly, Broski, B-rad and i went to see The Golden Compass and i was delightfully pleased with the moive. i had just read the book this summer, and the movie was very similar to who i saw it in my mind
• Xmas at the inlaws went well, the kids were all buzzing on sugar highs and someone busted out the karaoke and it was a huge hit. Even my pops in law sang a song or two
• B-rad gave me two tickets to see The Phantom of the Opera in May! Sweet.
• My bro and Sis-in-law hosted a big ol' music jamboree at their new house
• B-rad, Willy Billy McNilly and i went for supper yesterday and then watched about four hours of Carnivale.
  
• today B-rad and i looked at purchasing some crazy music machinery... and then we drove out an hour or so to teeny tiny town Skatch... for family curling.
  

with no real New Years Eve Plans on the horizon, i'm sorta looking forward for vegging for the next few days - chillin and relaxin' before heading back to work.

i hope you all had a fairly festive holiday and that santa brought you some kick ass stuff.

all that build up??

all that build up for 20 minutes of presents, a good hour of eating, and then sleeping on the couch?

plus 2 brothers being Debby Downers - don't know why they're so antisocial.

and there wasn't even any booze to smooth the rough spots.

kinda felt like - i had to be SUPER OVERLY FESTIVUS SPIRITY for my mom's sake - she tries so hard, and that is exhausting.

but all of that aside, it was a pretty good holiday.

cheers everyone,
have a drink for me...cuz my Mormish family doesn't drink

C'mon!! You know the words!!!!

you can't tell me you didn't headbang right along with Jack...

82 - x365 Leyna M

my cuz...i have very few memories of you... and the ones i do have go from you being tiny - like 5, then there's a biiiiig gap - and suddenly you're 17 and all into gangsta rap, you could hardly tell there was a young woman in all those baggy clothes. this was almost 4 years ago - you were sullen and quiet when i saw you last. You were married this summer. Your pictures show a happy, glowing, young lady. You're becoming your own person, and craving family attention - thanks to Facebook, we actually communicate over the many many miles between us.

This afternoon was the Work Funk-shun Non-Denominational Winter Lunch. We met for lunch at Pesto's, which was fabulous. I'd been there before for a farewell lunch for a co-worker. Both times i have been there, the food was delicious.

I was surprised when coworker #1 gave me a beautiful bracelet she made herself... she even made the beads!!

She's so talented.

Then after the lunch, coworker #2 handed me a new water bottle. We had just talked about how my Nalgene bottle was toxic and i shouldn't be using it anymore...sad... anyway, she gave me this pretty metal waterbottle...it's toxin free!

She's always looking out for me

81 - x365 Brian P.

When she left you, you did everything in your power to make the marriage work. You sold the old house and bought a new one to make her happy. You practically bent over backwards for her. You have been like an Uncle to me, always smiling and laughing. Full of jokes and funny faces. I will always admire how hard you tried. You are a special spirit - and even now, years later, you are able to stay on good terms and even call her your friend. I hope, because i love you like family, that you find someone who will try as hard as you did.

80 - x365 Muffy

i remember that day, in your mom's basement, when we got out your mom's old guitar - Norman - and i showed you the 9 chords i new. F, G, A, C, E, Em, Am, D, Dm. You took that and with those simple chords began a life of a singer/songwriter. i'd be lying if i said i wasn't jealous of your songwriting ability. You seem to have written a new song every week... and they're so good!! you have a way with music, and lyrics, and i wish i had just a FRACTION of that talent. B-rad loves working with you, and i think sometimes he wishes that it was easy for me to write as it is for you.

You are happier than i've seen you in years. You are the Muffy i knew once upon a time.

Bloggy Love is one of the Best Loves...

...and no chance of infection either!!

A little while ago, i was given a few awards - and with my life being Cah-RAY-zee with Festivus and with me trying to get all my Shiznit done so i can take the week of Festivus off, i haven't had time to post my new awards, and thank those lovely ladies who gave 'em!!

I was given this loverly award by Witchypoo who is a newish bloggy pal o' mine, who is also CANADIAN! (right?) Anyway, like Witchypoo says over at her place:

To me, it really does represent our community, and the amazing friendships
we gather and hold close to our hearts.

and it's totally true. Everyone all over the world - connecting over the web, forging relationships - some of which have turned into face-to-face honest to goodness friendships!! I love this award, Thank YOU!!

I'd like to give this award to

Saviabella
because she is one of my bestest blogging friends who has been able to cross the interweb barrier and become a permanent fixture in my life. Love to her.

Teeni
at the Vaguetarian Tearoom. We met quite by chance months ago - through a MEME no less. And since then Teeni has been a peach of a pal and always leaves me comment love. And on the few occaisions that we have chatted on line and emailed, i've come to think of her as my Sista-from-another Mista! Seriously, i have a feeling she's a long lost cousin to my whacky family.

das Schmutz
for a number of reasons.... you took time out of your crazy life to help me many times with blogging behind-the-scenes issues... you fixed the one thing that made me most crazy about my blog by making the whole thing wider!! and i'll have a special place for you in my bloggyheart, and my human one too, FOREVER!! Also, when we finally met face-to-face i loved you immediately! :D

...and another one!!!

Man, i tells ya, i'm about to get a big ol' swelled head up in here!! This one was given to me by... Teeni and this is what SHE had to say:

Here is what dictionary.com said for a definition:

1. thorough; blatant; unmistakable: a bodacious gossip.
2. remarkable; outstanding: a bodacious story.
3. audacious; bold or brazen.

And she chose ME!! aww.... i'm perdy sure that's a compliment, right teeni?? Well, i am very please to accept this award, so thank you!

I'd like to give this to:

Real Live Lesbian
she puts it out there!! The other day she was BOMBARDED BY BOOBS!! how can that NOT be bold and brazen??? What a brazen hussy!!! :)

V
cuz well, if you have been over to read his blog... you'd know that he's quite througough, audacious, bold AND brazen. His articles on Fucking the Man are great and informative, plus in real life... he's Batman.

and last but not least:

abigailroad
when i think of Brazen, i think of this lady...who not only goes braless in the summer, but bottomless too!!

So thank you again to those loverly ladies Witchypoo and Teeni. You are both awesome.

PS... i would totally give awards out to guys if i thought they got as excited about them as ladies do... for my manfolk out there... you fucking rock. ===D~~ gross.

Fiona II

can you believed that i am blogging this...from my RUMPUS ROOM....while watching TV Porn ...in my UNDERPANTS!?!?? well, i'm not actually in my underpants, but the rest of it is true.

That's right, Fiona II is settling into the family - i can definately tell that she's not Fiona I. There are some minor differences in the new operating platform; Leopard. My old laptop was running Tiger...so there are a few things to get used to... but i look forward to it.

Reunited...and it feels so Goooooood

After a long six weeks.  She is back. Welcome to the Cutest Little Blog on the internet....Fiona II

To read up on the first Fiona go here.... to see how she went away, go here...

Four Calling Birds, Three French Hens, Two Turtle Doves, and a Meme done by me

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Burger King Drive thru
2. Admin Coordinator
3. ReproGraphics Manager
4. Stawberry Picker

Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. Monsters Inc.
2. Team America World Police
3. Napoleon Dynamite
4. Big Fish

Four places I have lived:
1. CowTown, AB
2. Saskatoot, SK
3. Home of Kokanee Beer, BC
4. Dawson's Creek, BC

Four TV Shows that I watch(ed):

1. Lost
2. Heroes
3. Prison Break
4. Seinfeld - it never gets old.

Four places I have been:

1. Cancun
2. Vienna
3. Amsterdam
4. Old Faithful

People who e-mail me (regularly):

1. Paige
2. Crystal
3. Haloscan
4. Facebook

Four of my favorite foods:

1. Perogies and Farmer Sausage
2. Blue Cheese and Pear salad with Roasted Almonds and Raspberry vinagrette
3. Egg Salad
4. Bruschetta

Four places I would rather be right now:

1. In bed
2. Hawaii - or someplace equally warm
3. buying Fiona II
4. New York, NY

Four friends I think will respond (tag, you're it!):

1. Paige?
2. Melsie?
3.
4.
again, i'm leaving the tagging up to you...there are so many memes right now a girl could get hurt!

Four Things I am looking forward to this year:

1. Consolidating
2. 10 Year High School Reunion in Vegas
3. Actually taking holidays this year and doing something fun
4. Summer, i'm done with Winter.

79 - x365 Sarah H

You are 6 years my junior...I have watched you with your dad, my uncle, and i feel terrible that he treats you the way he does. I'm glad you decided to go to college in a different city, you've become more your own person and gained confidence that was being stifled at home. My one hope for you is that you find a way to forgive our Grandma and spend some time with her before she's gone. This might mean you have to swallow your pride and suck it up... She really does love you, she just has her own way of going about it. And i worry that it'll be too late and you'll regret it for the rest of your life.

78 - Ian O.

You were a 'buddy' in high school. You played drums in band, you wrote a self-made comic called "Flying Man", you had the cutest dimples. I knew you through Dickface, but luckily when that went sour and ended - it had no effect on our friendship. We shared the same period spare, and often hung out in the School Entrance. We had to be ready, becuz at any moment - either one of us could call a spontaneous: DANCE PARTY. When that happened, the unspoken rule between us stated that we each had to drop what we were doing and dance. That's one of my favourite high school memories.

77 - x365 Janelle M

You live life hard. You enjoy what you do, and you don't take no shit from NOBODY. you smoke, drink, party, travel, work hard, and get the most out of the time you have on this planet. Your sisters worry about you, but i think that your health issues motivate you to live on the edge and never regret a second of your life. I admire that about you.

76 - x365 Charlene M.G.

The first time i met you was in Grade nine at B-rad's Zombie movie party. but the first time i REALLY met you was later on in Senior Year. You were visiting B-rad, your cousin, from Flin-Flon (yes, a real place). There was a good old fashion small prairie town Bush Party over at Sticky Panties (the name of the party spot...i have *no idea* why it is named thusly). We were hanging together, dr