photos of christmas things and other things

I constantly get up to get something and then come and sit back down having forgotten completely what I got up to get.



My landlord came by today to fix the handle on the toilet which has been broken forevs. Obviously he would come today. Today as I was sitting there thinking: hmmm maybe I should clean up a bit? it's ridiculous in here... especially the bathroom...
CLASSIC.



Downloading Christmas music now, tidying here and there. Thinking about sorting through all the gifts I've bought and possibly wrapping them up.



For some stupid reason I bought a lot of big gifts. Or bigger gifts. And now I have to cart them all home. Oh, the crosses I bear!
haha christ joke.

Sorry.


this is the bottle of wine I brought to the tree-trimming party I went to on Friday. I decorated the bottle with those ornaments and then the ornaments went onto the tree! Fun!
That is my new Christmas teatowel, also.


here are the pictures from the dance party that happened at 2 a.m. at the agency party we went to.
Actors, man.

that guy really wanted to be in this picture, I think. Yep, he was in a TV show with APB. Recognizing people off Canadian TV is weird.
Also weird is when the TV in the bar is playing people who you are partying with.


Here is the first gift I gave this season! It was for the Mrs. and I made her open it up right away. I should've taken photos of the actual gift, but I didn't.

Those ornaments also went on the tree.


yeah yeah too bad I didn't do a better job on these nails. Some had tiny diamonds!
I can't wait 'til I'm at home and I can have my nails done all the time. Damn no-nail-polish-at-work.


The Mrs. does decorating and buying and stuff for film sets and she has a great sense of style. She knows how to put things together in ways that I find really appealing. Their house is really remarkable. I didn't take too many photos of it, sorry.


part two of my Christmas gift for her.


Oh Christmas Tree!

I got into an argument with some people over tasteful trees vs. a mishmash of ornaments with "sentimental" value.
haha you can guess which side I'm on probably just from the quotation marks.



Mrs.'s tree is a great mix though, with handmade and antique and vintage ornaments but they're all pretty. No shitty kid's crap on here. (haha, sorry if that's your tradition...)


More photos from that party later. Too many, in fact.



Mum, this is the plate I was talking about.


do you think it's oven proof? It doesn't say either way.
I like it a lot though, I don't want to break it...


WORKING WORKING WORKING.

then possibly a theatre party?
possibly stalking jl at a skateboard party?
possibly coming home to clean up this sty and pretend like I'm a responsible human?

EXCITING POSSIBILITIES FOR ME!

things grow up, apparently

Hey remember this little grey fellow?



















The Mrs. adopted him months ago and I haven't been over to visit her much on account of she works way too much, but I went over this weekend for her annual fancy Christmas party (more photos from it later for surez) and guess what?



He's huge! So big!
He's such a teenage tom cat, it's awesome. Pretty chubby and very very fluffy. Also cuddly and nice. Awwww I miss my kittens!

Also, just looking at him by those cords makes me nervous because holy cow would Theresa chew through them in approximately 1 second. ughhh.



So unbelievably big!

i wish i had a river i could skate away on

I don't really own very many Christmas decorations. I realized that when I bought a tiny (fake) tree and now it's been sitting on my dresser and I don't really have anything to put on it. I could make some ornaments, that's for sure...
But who would see it, even?
I guess I'd post pictures on the internet. No one really comes over these days. I should do more entertaining. No babes have been over in one billion years.
Which I kind of like. I thought I liked having babes over but if you keep your house to yourself then it's like a little oasis. Quiet and still and no one touches your things or overstays their welcome.
Haha, I'm queen of overstaying welcomes.



But it's funny that this apartment that I have lived in for 5 and a half years is not fully my home.
Is a home not a home until you have a family in it?

Living alone is interesting in terms of decorating and arranging. I'm only doing it for myself and so that's good; I make all the decisions and no one makes messes of my stuff. But then there's also no one to do things for. No one to make dinner for or clean up for or have projects with or enjoy the prettiness of things with.
If I decided it were lonely then it definitely could be.
Right now it isn't, though.

My mum bought her house before she had kids and she's never been married. Just owned an entire house to herself. Ha, in Toronto that seems so extravagant and silly. A whole house for just one person?
But it was nicely decorated. She was a bit older, I guess.
I still have time to get better at being a homemaker.

The idea of being grown up enough to have my own full-sized Christmas tree and full-sized partner and tiny children kind of makes me want to barf onto my own face. In a good way?
Overly terrifying.

I always go home for Christmas and so there's no point to me having a real Christmas tree here. But my mum's Christmas tree is not my Christmas tree. Well, it is. Sort of.

We're all still like kids right now. We're getting so old but still such adolescents.
That's alright.

If I lived in Saskatoon then I would have a Christmas tree because I wouldn't be going home for Christmas I would already be at home (?) sort of.
Maybe my family would come over to my house on Christmas eve.
But I would have to still sleep at my mum's because how else would we do stockings?? Let's be serious now.



Do I secretly want to move back to Saskatoon?
Not really a secret.
But I love Toronto. I do not want to not live in Toronto. I want Saskatoon to be next to Toronto.
I'm jealous of my friends whose parents live in Mississauga or Oakville or Owen Sound or Tweed. A quick drive and you're back in the bosom of your loving family.

I wonder if there will be a time where I fully feel like a Torontonian.

Please, Life, work yourself out so that I can live part time big smoke part time prairie party.
Thanks.

++++++ =

such a lovely party time tonight!

I didn't really take any pictures at all, but I feel okay about that, I was too busy living it up. Tomorrow I'll have to live it down...



Started off at my friend's tree trimming party. Hi, does your house have a Christmas mat in the kitchen? Yeah? Then we will be bffs forevs.
Tree trimming + red wine + brie + date squares + animated discussions about student teacher relationships/boundaries (yeah I'm still in love with my voice teacher leave me alone) = lovely lovelinesses.



From there moved on to my friend's agency Christmas party. Free drinks + food (why hadn't I had a jalapeno popper until tonight?) + Dr. Tom + our favourite news (?) personality + sitting in booths talking about love and such + watching awkward/awesome dance parties = well worth traveling up Bay street.



Thennnn (at 3:10a.m.) had to hit up Sneaky Dee's to meet up with fellow adventurers to fully close up the night. Loud jokes + going over how funny 30 Rock is + nachos + copious amount of water to try to pretend that we're not going to be hungover tomorrow + feeling nostalgic for summer 2k7 = sighs and lovely goodnights.






It's 5:09 a.m. now, It's fortunate that I don't have anything really pressing to do tomorrow.
I got three Christmas gifts boughten and done with today. Shopping with Cpt. Heh down Queen. I like getting things done and completed.

Ohhhh and had a lovely brunch with Cpt. and JL forevers this afternoon.





Heck, today was the best kind of day.
And the good thing is that this month looks like it's going to be more goodness after more goodness.
I love December.



I'm a bit homesick, though. More than glad to be going home in two weeks!

grammar party

I watched Home Alone the other night with JL and his roommates and ate catering left-overs and his nicest roommate (seriously this guy is so nice!) gave me whiskey and cranberry juice.

Anyway, I totally forgot how awesome Home Alone is! It's so great!
He's soooo little, though. So teeny tiny. That never really registered with me when I was a kid, how actually little he is in this movie.


"I went shopping yesterday. I got some milk, eggs, and fabric softener."

Also, I love his tuque. Get it for me?



Is it weird that I find it interesting when people talk about spelling and grammar? Also when it comes up on our online family forum (awesome/embarrassing -- whatever, you wish your family liked each other enough to want to communicate all the time on the internets) I kind of like it.



My family is quite smart and I'd wager it's the puzzle part of the grammar/spelling stuff that we find entertaining.





I did not know my granny, as she died before I was born, but I'd be willing to bet that a lot of our ridiculousness comes from her.
From my aunt on the forum:

"Once when I was walking through Eaton's I saw a sign which read: The Stationery Department has Moved. So I repeated this to Mum and she laughed, then added snootily, "I suppose you don't know that the word stationary is spelled differently when it refers to writing paper and when it refers to movement."

She was right, of course."



I do get a bit annoyed when people are terribly uptight about all this, but that is mostly because I'm self-conscious of being not-the-best at it.









My mum has a best friend she's known since university (although it turned out that they grew up mere miles from each other) and she always refers to this woman as "my Friend" and whenever she only says "my Friend" then I know who she's talking to. Anyhow, this woman lives in Ottawa, not in Saskatoon but she's visiting my mother this weekend. She emailed my mother her plans for the visit:

"Actually, I think you and I differ in our expectations of this visit.
My idea is that I will spend several hours pouring out my heart,
describing my woes, and you will sit there with looks of compassion,
understanding and concern flitting across your face. Oh and
admiration! Respect for my courage and forbearance in light of these
trials and tribulations. Occasionally, I will pause and gently
encourage you to share some of your own difficulties. Fortunately, you
will not expect me to listen long to these trivialities! How does that
sound? Oh, and then we will just get drunk. No, first we will eat,
and then we will get drunk.
OK!"


Yeah, I'm finally sort of getting around to editing/posting photos from my Saskatoon visit in August. Except not really. Except I bet it'll be another few months until they're actually all done...

my blog is not like this blog

100 Massey is not the kind of blog I normally read.
Although, to be fair, I'd prefer it if I read a whole bunch of different sorts of things.
Anyhow, I like it.
Quite a bit, actually.



I think I like it because it's like a more realistic version of a party photo blog. It's dirtier and less good-looking and more appealing to me somehow.
Less hipster more truthful.

Unidealized but still romantic. Does that makes sense? Kind of.

It looks like what I'd like bits of the TV show I'm writing to look like.



I'm only stealing the photos that have me in them, that seems fair.

You should go look at it, though. I like the photos of beers and backyard parties and people giving the finger and dudes losing various items of clothing and everyone drinking whiskey. And the ones of drugs and shot glasses and random people making mean faces and the babes on skateboards. And I like the captions.

These guys, this group in general, have this sort of ruthless confidence that is really appealing.
And that I'm kind of jealous of.



Yesterday at Aunties and Uncles McGruff gave me some tomato tortilla soup to take home and I've eaten almost all of it already (3 bowls).
I love Aunties and Uncles. That's all.

two best videos

that I've seen today.


How effed is this?? I want to see this episode! I kinda hope it's aliens and not nazis. Pretty crazy either way.


And actually this one I saw yesterday and it has been absolutely everywhere on the internets, but in case you haven't seen it:



I know, right?



Holy piss it's pissing rain outside and windy, I can hear it.
I prefer light melty snow to cold, cold rain. Especially in November!
This is not Christmassy at all!

I thought I was going to get stuff done tonight but instead I've been watching tv-on-the-internet and going through my google reader.

Now I'm going to go walk the dog and then hopefully by the time I come home I will be ready to accomplish things like all the gift-making I meant to get done tonight... We'll see!

too much too do too bad I got up at noon

Good morning!

Oh, I see it is 2 p.m.
hmmm.

Is Bell getting better at customer service and products?
I went by a Bell store to talk to the dude about maybe getting an iphone and when I left I didn't feel like crying?
Weird, hey?

I haven't decided for sure yet but maaaaaybe. The guy was pretty nice and seemed to be offering me some okay deals. Except that I'm sure there's always better to be had. Hard to get them without being a bitch though. I'm bad at demanding things.

If I get an iphone I'm going to cover it in diamonds. Obviously.


Also, I keep forgetting to post this because I am a bad blogger but remember when we went to the Macallan tastings? And I blogged about it here

and here, well please dudes can you fill out a survey about it for me? And if not for me then for The Redwood? The Redwood is a haven for women and children in Toronto needing housing/support/counselling/etc. And if you fill out this survey $2 will be donated to them! Easiest donation you'll make today!
Here is the Survey! It's right here so please click the link and then fill it out okay thanks!


Okay BRUNCH TIME

YIKES GUYES

so it looks like I will be putting on a Christmas Extravaganza Bonanza!
Hoowee!

Save the date, ladies and gentlemen -
Tuesday December 15th 2009
location pending 100% confirmation

I hesitate posting until everything is fully locked down because I have an irrational fear (rational?) of things being pulled out from underneath me once I talk about them... BUT
SO FAR
it's looking AWESOME.


Featuring members of Weather Station, Entire Cities, Born to Busk, Sports, plus Sarah Burton and Caitlin Burgess and even some funny comedy! And more! Even more!
Possibly a supergroup playing Christmas covers!


Yikes!

I know, right?

There's even whispers of an MCDA reunion... (I wouldn't bank on that one though since we've rarely been in the same room together let alone on stage)


So you want to play too?
Do you have a Christmas story you want to tell or some comedy to say or songs to sing or video to show? Because you could maybe, just let me know as soon as possible!


Fuck I love the holidays and I've never organized a proper show before but man-oh-man do I love a party-all-the-time experience.
I'm excited!
I will now be devastated if this doesn't happen!

It will! I believe in Christmas!


Now, here are some photos of the little-photographed (and all-around skittish), Theresa:




Yep, she now lets me pet her sometimes and occasionally even falls asleep beside me. Amazing.



OKAY GOTTA RUN!
1:15a.m., I got places to be.

#701

That's not too bad. 701 posts on this blog.

I've had an online diary since around this time in 2001. Wait, let me check. Since December 7th 2001.
Basically since when we first got the internet (on an old mac mum got from work).
Oh the internet!

I miss the openness and carefree lifestyle of my diaryland days. I wrote everything! I constantly wrote people's full names all the time! No one really read it and I wasn't worried about getting into trouble for what I decided to put out for anyone to find. Ha, I was trying to get people to read it! Trying to get babes to find it and care enough to read it and care what I thought of them.

Not that I didn't get into trouble for saying too much or admitting to things, but it was only by friends... no random strangers trying to take me down a level or two.

Here is my wishlist from Christmas 2001 according to Diaryland:

A NEW CAR!
air popcorn maker
CONVERSE!(size 4 boys for shoes)
fife and penny whistle
gel ink pens! (lots and lots and lots)
beads (wood and big plastic)
hemp thread
thin elastic for jewlery
stickers
crayons
blue bic crystal pens
neat craft stuff
toys!
activity toys
a big kettle
a nice round toaster
the breakfast club
dirty dancing
c.d.s:
weakerthans *fallow *left and leaving
r.e.m. *up *green
guided by voices *the one that has motor away
elliott smith *xo *self titled (kill rock stars) *roman candle
belle and sebastian *tigermilk
tori amos *songs from the choirgirl hotel
bjork * debut *homogenic *selma songs
madder rose *panic on
books:
anything by francesca lia block

Pretty good, hey?
I think I have all those CDs now and I own pretty much everything by Francesca Lia Block.. What the fuck is an "activity toy"? Haha, big plastic beads (raver) and hemp thread (hippie).
I still need a big kettle but definitely not a toaster since I barely ever get to eat toast. A lot of that is still things I like.


These days blogging makes me a bit nervous. I'm nervous of negative comments and of blog trolls. I'm constantly censoring myself or second-guessing ideas as being too much or too little or annoying or something else offensive.

I'm uncertain about putting this site out there as marketing, for myself or anyone else. I have no problem getting behind products that I like or making links, and I definitely like free things... but I worry about the kind of audience that brings. I'm not certain I could deal with negative feedback directly to me (via email or comments, or what have you) every day.
I'm not sure I have the disposition or the sanity.

I like blogging, though!
I just wish I were able to be more myself about it it somehow.


Whoa, apparently I've been referring to myself as Meredith Rachel Mistletoe since at least 2001.
I remember how disappointed I was when I found out that Mistletoe wasn't a real last name. My favourite Christmas book, Christmas On Exeter Street, lead me to believe it was.


In other news, I bought 4 kinds of cheese today. $50 worth of groceries. I want to eat everything.
I think I'm going to make macaroni and cheese casserole this week. Do you want to come over?

you know what would be good with mac and cheese? Bloody marys. Just sayin'.


Oh, also, I'm going to go to multiple Christmas parties this week (four, at least!!!!!) how excited am I?
Tooooo excited.