Month: December 2011

Aaah, Friday morning

It’s the end of a long, long work week.  I am ever so happy.

I keep telling the kids: I only have one nerve left and you’re getting on it!  Of course, I’m kidding, and they know it, but I can feel that my patience is rapidly waning.  Dec. 23rd can’t get here soon enough.

This morning, though, I’m enjoying my morning coffee and looking forward to a busy, but fun, weekend.  We’re going shopping tonight, then tree hunting tomorrow — we cut our own tree at a tree farm we’ve been visiting since we moved to Bon Accord 21 years ago.  Then, on Sunday I’m going to do some volunteer Christmas gift wrapping in support of JDRF for Gibbons School.  I have wrangled Tim into helping, so I’m sure it will be a hilarious time.  He’s a consummate clown and crowd pleaser.

Watched X-Factor last night.  I am really enjoying this show, am astounded by the caliber of talent that exists out there, but that is ‘undiscovered’.  Until Simon Cowell.  Whom I adore.  He’s like Oscar the Grouch, only much better looking.  He may be a steely eyed business man, but, in the tiny bit of research I’ve done on him he is also a caring, compassionate philanthropist.  And his genuine concern for the singers he has mentored, as well as some of the others on the show, shows each time one of them was sent home.

The only true criticism I have of this show is that I don’t agree that children under the age of 16 should be allowed to enter.  It is painful to watch these kids after they have been rejected.  Emotionally, they are too fragile to handle such huge disappointment.

They have spent weeks being built up as ‘an amazing artist’,  ‘a true recording star’, ‘brilliant’, ‘an extremely talented singer with a bright future’ and on and on and on.  They don’t have the experience or the mental and emotional ability to deal with the reality that this is all for television ratings.  There can only be one winner, everybody else, no matter how good they are, or how much they believe in everything they’re told, will be a loser.

Which is not to say that they are ‘losers’.  Anyone who can sing and perform the way these contestants have is anything but a loser.  They are all talented, creative individuals and I hope that many of them — Drew, Rachel, LeRoy — go on to have huge success.  But watching Rachel and Drew after they were eliminated from the show was more than painful.  These girls are little more than children, watching them disintegrate on stage was awful to witness.

I know they’ll be fine; they have strong, loving, supportive families.  And let’s not overlook the fact that Simon, or LA or some other producer watching all this unfold will sign these young stars to a recording contract.  But, I just don’t think children should be subjected to the kind of world they are being expected to compete in at such a young age.  I hope that they raise the age limit for future shows.

In the meantime, my money is Josh Krajick.  He is one amazing artist.  And I can’t wait for his first album.  Also, I have to give a shout out to Chris Renee — he was amazing last night.  The song he finished with — well, it was simply beautiful.

And, those are my thoughts for this Friday.  Have a good one, everybody!

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Tuesday

Well, today is over. There’s that to be said.

I’m telling you, the little darlings are starting to wear on us.  I just keep focusing on the fact that we only have 2 and 1/2 weeks of school left.

I’m watching the Michael Bublé Christmas special.  It’s delightful.  I love MB — saw him in concert once, compliments of my friend, Annette.  One of the best memories of my life.  He is so talented and entertaining.  And, he’s Canadian!

One of his guests is going to be Justin Bieber — who I have never even listened to — I just know all the little girls at school love (LOVE) him.  I’m not sure, but I think he’s Canadian, too.  Hmmm.  I guess I’ll finally get an education as to what the Beeb is all about.

I am really looking forward to Christmas this year.  It just feels like it’s going to be such a good Christmas. My sister, Tracy, is coming from Ontario.  It will be great to have her around for the holidays.  And then I’m looking forward to nearly 2 weeks of ‘down’ time.  I don’t want to travel anywhere, don’t want to take on any projects.  I just want to be home.

Oooh, Michael is doing the ‘Elvis the Pelvis’ moves and singing “Blue Christmas”.  Love it!

I am giggling with pleasure!

Now, I’m going to take a slightly more serious tone.  Was listening to As It Happens on CBC tonight, and they aired a story about how the US military has a program of giving away its outdated equipment to small, local police forces.  We’re talking tanks, armoured personnel carriers, grenade launchers, robots, stores of munitions and god knows what else.  The scary thing about this to me is:  what happens if something terrible does happen?  You have all these small communities armed to the teeth and then you get little despots and dictators who take over and take control and they could hold these communities hostage.  They could enact and enforce their own sets of rules.  This is not outside the realm of possibility (or a Stephen King novel) and it really troubles me.

There are citizens of the US who are opposed to this program, but apparently it’s been in effect for over 3 years.  Started following 9/11 — no surprise there.  Unfortunately, those opposed can’t do anything about it.  The police forces taking part in this believe they are doing the right thing and have the best interests of their communities at heart.  But, I say, good intentions can be easily forgotten once catastrophe or disaster strikes.  Am I wrong in thinking that this could lead to a police state?

Okay, but to lighter things.  Justin Bieber is singing.  He’s not bad.  And, he’s even kind of cute.  I can see how he might one day become a Michael Bublé type performer himself.  Some of the girls in the audience are actually crying!  He needs to pull up his pants, though.  His underwear are showing and that’s just silly.  Oh, well.

Anyway, all, that’s it for tonight.  I’m going to go look at recipes for biscotti and make myself a latte.

 

It’s Monday — and 20 days from Christmas

 

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

It’s been a very busy time here in Bon Accord.

Since I finished NaNo I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus from writing.  But I can feel that I need to get back to it now.

I have some ideas spinning around the old noodle so I’d best get at them.

I’ve managed to get a little decorating done.  The banisters are decked out, and the Dickens’ Village and other assorted houses inherited from Tim’s Mom are all out.  It takes a while to set them up, what with the fake snow, the lights, etc.  I will post a picture in a couple of days.

Work is going at the frenzied, pre-Christmas, I’m on my last nerve here!, pace.  The kids are wired up and ready to done.  It gets like this every year, I should be prepared for it, but I’m not.  Don’t think too many others are, either.

Weather here in Bon Accord has been lovely — strange, but lovely.  We have days of amazing winds (nothing like they’ve had in Calgary, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, mind you) and mild temps.  I think, the Sunday before  last it got up to +12 degrees.  This Sunday it was +1 or somewhere thereabouts.  Today the temp was +6.  We’re supposed to have 40km – 70km/hr winds tomorrow.  Then, I think the temp is supposed to start creeping downwards.

I’ve heard somewhere that January and February are going to be brutally cold.  Oh joy, something to look forward to.  Maybe I’ll take a leave of absence when it gets really cold and pile up all the books I’d like to read and just stay indoors til it starts to warm up again.

This is a very rambling sort of blog.  It has no purpose, no point.  I just felt like writing.    Unfortunately, this is the best I can do at the moment.  I am very tired, still, and so, am on my way to bed.

Sweet dreams everyone.