So Long 2006

So Long 2006, originally uploaded by Ms Cin.

I've closed the books, filed (most) of the papers, considered a wrap party, but in the end, I think we did well to part so quietly.

Here's looking at you kid.

Lines Not Appearing in This Film

I'm always a little surprised to wake up on the 28th or 29th and find that life is returning to normal so quickly after all the holiday craziness. You'd think that with all the prep work that people do, it would last longer, but no - life calls and you've no choice but to answer.

Lunchtruck and I have a fairly steady routine - on Boxing Day we tend to stay home and avoid the 6 million people at the post-Christmas sales. I don't normally need a deal that badly, and I bruise easily. Instead we allow ourselves to indulge in a post-holiday feast, watch movies, and hang out. If we get antsy, we go for a drive. By the 27th, we are antsy, wondering how our nice neat abode got so cluttered. The piles of stuff start to get sorted, newly-received presents get new homes, and puttering occurs. By the 28th the underpinnings of life demand my attention, and grocery shopping, taking out the garbage, picking up more cat food, returning phone calls and reading emails all start to happen again.

This year was a little different. We actually entered a store on boxing day in search of some DVDs, and managed to get out relatively unscathed (although I did have a few minutes of panic when I lost sight of him in the electronics section). We didn't know it at the time, but that one event caused us to slide into our regular routine that much faster, and here it is, the 29th, and I feel like all the holiday madness was weeks ago.

Lunchtruck surprised me by bringing home two classic movies from our local independent movie rental place on Wednesday night. I normally wouldn't mention that it's independent, but experience has shown me that most of the chain rental stores don't tend to carry classic films, or if they do by chance have a section for them, black and whites are considered film noir (regardless of whether or not they are) and 'classic' starts with Star Wars, to quote Roger Ebert.

Last night we indulged in The Godfather, a movie I haven't seen since I was a child, and which Lunchtruck claimed he'd never seen. We were both enthralled. Even with the violence, it was cinematic magic. We had an ongoing battle about who the artist was that played Kay, with me insisting it WAS Diane Keaton, and Lunchtruck saying he didn't think so. Guess who was right?

Tonight I took a break from the ongoing re-creation of my publishing project (stupid program malfunctions...) and opted to settle in with the felines and watched Casablanca, another movie Lunchtruck had not seen from start to finish. It's been ages since I saw it, and this time round I still loved the dialogue, the sets, the obviously phony backdrops, the plot, but I caught myself considering the more technical aspects - lighting, composition, line and form... And then laughing at myself for being the photography geek I am. I mean, really, when Ingrid Bergman's Ilsa Lund is professing her love to Humphrey Bogart's Rick Blaine, who in their right mind is going to be considering the catchlight in her eyes and the shadowing of the room? Apparently, I do.

As for the famous line "Play it again, Sam" - you guessed right - it doesn't appear in the film. Not even the trailer.

Thursday Thirteen #24, Phrasing

* Header Graphic by Mandy

13 Phrases I Wish I'd Used More In 2006

1. Yes.
2. Thank you.
3. Please.
4. That was kind/thoughtful/sweet.
5. I missed you.
   
6. I like you.
7. I respect you.
8. I love you.
9. No.
   
10. No, that doesn't fit into my plans right now.
11. No, I don't see me changing my mind about that.
12. I need to consider that for a while before giving you an answer.
    
13. That's not something I discuss with strangers.
    

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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The Birthday

Today was my grandmother's 85th birthday. For those of you who were in town, you know it was surprisingly pleasant, weather-wise; the sun shone, the air was mild, there was even a hint of warmth.

I always have a tough time coming up with a gift for my gran. Over the past few years she's got rid of many things as a way of decluttering her home, and I don't like to add to that, so 'stuff' isn't something I consider seriously.

This year I opted for the gift of time together - we (my mom, gran and I) met at the Vancouver Art Gallery and checked out the Emily Carr exhibit, then had lunch at the Gallery Cafe. I had already been quite a few times, and though that as neither my mom or gran had been yet, I might be able to give them something special.

For my grandmother it was like visiting old friends - some of the paintings were part of the gallery's permanent collection, and she commented on them as we stopped to enjoy them. Others were generously on loan from other galleries across Canada and the world, and became new acquaintances. Those that she liked she spent a little longer with, and those that didn't please her she gave a respectful bit of time, but didn't stop to visit long.

I can remember being a young child when my grandmother first talked to me of Emily's writings and of the subtleties of the native art we were privileged enough to see up close. I think time and experience has deepened her understanding of what she read, for she talked to me not only of the way in which Emily's brush strokes changed, but also how her attitude towards her subjects changed. Listening to my grandmother, I was reminded that Emily was many things to many people, but that in the end the only person she really ever wanted to answer to was herself.

I'm glad I stepped out of the usual and opted to spend the time together. It may have been meant as a gift for my grandmother, but I think I got one just as big back...

Things I Didn't Bake

What with one thing and another, all my hoped-for pre-Christmas baking time went towards other pressing concerns. But there was a wee bit of baking in the condo, courtesy of Lunctruckus Domesticus, who happily pulled out his mom's recipe for mince pies and made a mess of our kitchen the morning before Christmas.

They're gorgeous aren't they? They made the place smell heavenly, and the cats drool.

The best part? Lunchtruckus Domesticus tidies up nicely after himself, so the kitchen looked fabulous afterwards.

For You

Making Life Brighter: Beatrix Potter

I was not one of those children that grew up reading Beatrix Potter and AE Milne - my world wasn't populated by talking bears and mischievous beasties, and perhaps I was the poorer for it. It wasn't until I was an adult that I actually read all the Potter books, and knew I would have loved her world. Then, a few months ago, I found out that fiction-writer Susan Wittig Albert had embarked on a mystery series called The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter, and was drawn in even further. I wanted to learn more about the person behind the stories.

So when I heard that a movie was being made about her life, I was intrigued. What I'd read had made her out to be a rather put-upon young woman who eventually found a way to make her own life, in her own way, despite parents that were on the over side of bearing.

The movie itself focuses on her friendship and eventual engagement with her publisher, Norman Warne. Living up to the mongoose code (Run and Find Out!) I went a-hunting and found: The Miss Potter Movie Blog, a Wikipedia entry and, of course, the World of Peter Rabbit website which links to the uk movie site.

From all accounts the movie ought to be quite good, and I look forward to a lazy afternoon in the company of Miss Potter (Renée Zellweger), Norman Warne (Ewan McGregor) and Millie Warne (Emily Watson) in the new year.

Knitting & Jazz

Mocha & Yarn, originally uploaded by Ms Cin.

My knitting group had a different kind of night on Wednesday - we all met at Cito Espresso for an evening of knitting and jazz. It was the first time I'd been there, and I was pleasantly surprised - the design is fabulous (it feels like a loft set up by a serenely gifted minimalist), the coffee and desserts wonderful, and the music was inspired. If you haven't been to Cito Espresso, I say don't wait, pop in and check them out for yourself.

Rock 'n' Roll Sock 'n' Sole

In Christmases past, there was a peculiar stream of advertisements on Canadian TV that suggested that the truly unimaginative gave socks for Christmas. Socks became the Christmas equivalent of giving a household appliance to a woman on her anniversary when what she really wanted was jewelry. I guess the message struck home, because over time, socks became the Rodney Dangerfield of gifts, and folks who gave socks may as well have worn T-shirts proclaiming their social unacceptability to the world.

I was reminded of all this earlier today as I valiantly dug around in my dresser drawer, searching for one of the 3 pairs of black socks I own. There was cursing, and questioning: Why don't I own enough dark socks to get me through the week? Who hated women enough to invent the ultra-binding phenomena that is the knee-high? Why do my favourites always lose their mates?

I did eventually locate my favourite pair of socks (old-school, below the knee, bought at a kids department so they fit perfectly and are oh-so-comfy), but it got me thinking. I've been needing socks for ages. Ages! So why hadn't they made it to the Need to Buy list? Why hadn't I made the effort to procur a nice collection of socks, preferably the ones with the particularly cushiony soles?

I thought and I thunk, I thunk and I thought.

I was side-tracked by the possibility that I had too much time on my hands if I was thinking this much about socks.

Then I carried on with the thinking, and in the end, I decided that the noble sock should be stigmatized no more, that not only would I add socks to my "Need to Buy" list, not only would I buy at least one pair of socks today, not only would I make a point of telling my family of my sock quest, but that I, I would learn to knit socks in 2007.

I can't believe it's taken this long. Especially when you consider the stats. According to Monthly Socks the average person in North America buys 2000 pairs of socks by the time they reach 65. They've also got a neat little sock calculator, so if you've ever wondered how many pairs of socks you've probably worn in your lifetime, you can now figure it out and sleep better at night.

As for me, I'm going to go find out more on the basics of sock knitting, starting with Knitty's Sock Basics 101, and figuer out how I can make at least 1 of those 2000 pairs of socks...

Dear December Cold...

I wrote this on monday night, but was feeling so icky that I didn't even have the energy to edit it. It's a day late but bear with me, I'm posting it anyways...

... Go away. I've not time for you.

This would be the cup of tea that's helping me stave off a cold. And I literally do mean cold - I'm freezing, so I'm wearing a sweater and a fleece jacket, and I've stolen the cats favourite blankie, all so I can huddle in our wee computer closet, and work on my project and get back on track.

Monday Morning Love List, #46

Love - That I found the perfect ginger snap cookie recipe.

Not So Much - That I won't be able to enjoy making the ginger snaps until this weekend, after I've sent my latest project to the printers. I know it's not even a blip in the grand scheme of things, but I really was hoping to do some baking early on in the week.

Love - That Her Highness (aka Cleo) has a new 'toy' which directly translates into some much needed exercise for her tubby butt play time.The toy? A vanilla-coloured ribbon stolen from one of my padded hangers. When she's not actively playing with it she likes stroking it with her paws - what a princess!

Love - That Lunchtruck's parents are back from England. I missed them. Have I mentioned I'm one of the lucky few who absolutely adores her in-laws? Yeah. Be jealous :)

Not So Much - The brioche stitch sweater saga continues. I added on a good 4 - 5 inches to it this weekend, but I still feel like I'm not getting anywhere. I may need to set it aside for a while and work on something else just to get my knitting confidence back.

Love - The possibilities a fresh week provides.

So... what's on your list today?

Nothing To Do But Smile and Carry On

I feel like the frustrated heroine in a badly written novel. Why? Because I've lost approximately 5- 6 hours worth of work on a project. And I'm way past deadline, but that' a whole other story. I think Publisher hates me. Is it possible for a program to know when it's being abandoned? All I know is that I was going along quite happily, and then suddenly everything froze, and when I got the machine going again, I discovered my automated saves hadn't.

I'm so glad I'm moving to InDesign.

In other news, I'm happy to report that our little tree is no longer naked - in fact, she's quite nicely dressed in silver and crystal. I brought some white lights home earlier in the week and wrapped them round the tree, and this inspired Lunchtruck to decorate.

The photos a little blurry, but that's my own fault, I really ought to buy a remote for the camera, but haven't got around to it. She's a sensitive thing.

Like Scarlett says, "Tomorrow is another day".

And Now, The Obligatory Christmas Meme

A luverley cuppa + doing this meme has ramped up my Christmas spirit considerably...

Blame it on Domestic Bliss!

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Hot chocolate, preferably made from scratch like the one we do for the family brunch christmas morning.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa can't wrap to save his life, so I help him out. There are already two under the tree, ready and willing to torture Lunchtruck with their gift-y possibilities.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I like white.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No. But I'm not averse to the idea.

5. When do you put your decorations up? The goal we set for ourselves is December 1st, but the past few Christmases that hasn't really worked out. Now that I actually have a strat-approved tree suitable for our tiny home, I think the December 1st goal is much more attainable.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?The devon custard on top of the pudding. Yum.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? I've got two: the year my very preggers momma dressed up as Santa for the kids, and the year I got my first Christmas present from Santa Paws.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I have no idea - I kinda always knew, but it never stopped me from enjoying it all.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yup - we spend Christmas eve with my family, and Christmas day with lunchtruck's family.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? This year it'll be white lights, silver ribbon, and crystal snowflakes. I'm sure the cats would prefer edibles, but then I'd spend the next few weeks picking up the detritus.

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? Love it. Preferably when I've nowhere I need to be except right there, there's something delicious cooking in the oven, and I can enjoy it with those I love.

12. Can you ice skate? Yes, but it's been ages.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? As a child, not really. I loved everything I got, even the socks. As an adult, I'd have to go with the Pamela Masik canvas my sweetie bought for me a few years ago.

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays for you? Being with those I love.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Peppermint stick ice cream. It's only available seasonally, which is a shame..

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? [Updated - I somehow managed to skip this one!] That would be waking up on Christmas morning with my bedmates and staying snuggled in there until the last possible minute, than making the dash to the kitchen to make us a spot of tea. I'm soooo predictable.

17. What tops your tree? At the moment nothing. But give it time - I'm sure we'll be rescuing Mulder from it any moment now.

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? I get more excited about the giving, although I do like receiving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? I'm not sure if it qualifies as a Christmas tune, but I've always associated Ave Maria with Christmas - preferably as performed in the original Fantasia or by the incomparable Joan Baez.

20. Candy Canes? Can I have more devon custard instead?

21. Favorite Christmas movie? Tough call! It's a toss-up between White Christmas & the original Charlie Brown Christmas.

22. What do you leave for Santa? Tums.

Of Tummy Alarms, Christmas Crankies, and Getting Back to Festive

I hit a low point this morning.

A really low point.

Yelling-at-the-cat-for-doing-something-he-does-more-or-less-every-single-morning-of-his-life-come-rain-or-shine low.

I am a terrible, horrible excuse for a human being - or at least that's how I felt at 5:45am this morning. Honestly - who yells at someone because their tummy alarm has gone off? Sadly, I was just as grumpy with my beloved.

I cannot wait to get into this weekend's baking and shake these Christmas Crankies.

Mood Swings

The Christmas Blahs have struck again.

This happens to me most every year, but I really did think that this year would be different. I was doing pretty well, going out during my lunch hours, considering possible options, finding "just the thing" for someone on my list, and happily taking it home. I'm lucky - my list is nice and short because most of the people in my life prefer experiences over stuff, and would much rather have a good gab and a meal than receive a gift they'll never, ever use.

But then, round about Monday, I felt the old weariness overtake me and I couldn't bring myself to set foot in the mall by my office. I found myself making excuses. The thought of seeing another grim face determined to scratch off another name on ye olde shopping list did not excite me. The non-traditional christmas music in the stores really got to me, and I had the inexplicable desire to snarl at overly-chirpy sales people.

Obviously I was not fit company for humans, and barely fit for wee beasties.

But recognizing you have a problem is the toughest part, and since I've managed that I think I can help myself out. I have a plan; tomrrow night I'm going to get the ingredients to try out a new recipe, turn on some of my favourite Christmas music, and make some cookies. Cause really, who can feel blah when they're surrounded by cookies and icing?

In The Now

I've had this quote posted next to my computer for a week or so as a reminder to be present.

It's been difficult - the world I live in pretty much demands multitasking & forecasting, to the point that when I focus on only what's at hand, all the other things waiting in the wings start waving their arms wildly, trying to get my attention. There are times when ignoring them all can be just as exhausting as trying to deal with them all.

Perhaps that's one of the reasons I like my solitary activities, and get quite zealous when someone tries to cajole me into spending my leisure time on something that mimicks my work time. There are a lot of folks out there who won't take no for an answer, who have no issue with demanding explication, and even worse, feel free to judge and weigh in with their opinions if I do provide one. For the most part I've manged to stay polite - opting for a simple "No, that doesn't fit into my plans right now."

Recently someone got rather confrontational, (I believe the exact phrase was "what have you got going on that's so important that you can't do this?") and I was so shocked I just stood and stared. It was tough to tell whether they were saying it in jest or not - it didn't come across like they were joking - and the expectant silence afterwards indicated that they really were expecting me to explain.

How to get out of that gracefully? I don't think I managed it well - I gave myself time by taking a sip of my tea, tilted my head and said "I've got too much going on, what with family and all."

So - your turn - how would you handle such a situation?

Monday Morning Love List #45

Love - That our quiet little home is inching towards a more festive feel. True, so far there's only a naked tree and some lights round the window, but the promise of more decorations to come is what's putting a smile on my face.

Love - That some of the dogs in my building are also into the festivities. I've seen bandanas, hats, coats and, my personal favourite - a flashing collar with red and green led lights.

Love - That a friend recently directed me to a website chockful of crock pot recipes. I've got a short list of recipes to try - now on with the cooking!

Love - That no more school has translated directly into some much needed lap-time for the kitties. Her Highness has been most vocal about her lack of snuggle time...

Not So Much - I've had to frog a part of my sweetie's brioche stitch sweater, twice this past week. Argh.

Love - The possibilities a fresh week provides.

So... what's on your list today?

It's Nakid

The Christmas tree that is.

I came home Friday night with the intention of dressing up the tree and making it all nice and purty by the time Lunchtruck returned on Sunday.

But then I realized that the string of lights I had simply wasn't long enough... and that I hated the cold blue cast they gave to the tree. So I tried dressing the tree with everything else we owned, and came to the conclusion that we were too diligent in getting rid of the things we didn't love, because now, now there's not enough to dress a 4.5 ft tall tree.

Who the heck doesn't own enough ornaments for a 4.5 ft tree?

Sigh. I took everything off the tree and made a list:

• Fairy lights (paperwork for tree recommends a string of 300)
• Tree skirt
• actual frickin' ornaments.
• Tinsel? Garland? The silver ribbon we have is NOT working.

And here I thought my holiday spirit would be enough...

Guilty or Innocent?

It's been eons since I did a meme, and this one from Bookwormom caught my attention when I visited her a while back.

1. Dated outside your race?
Not a big fan of that word but yes, guilty. Not only did I date a caucasian, I married one.

2. Singing in the shower?
Guilty. What - you don't like my repertoire?

3. Spit in someone's drink?
Innocent, and totally grossed out at the idea. Who came up with that?

4. Played with Barbies?
Guilty, I think. To be honest I was always more into lego and hot wheels.

5. Made someone cry?
Guilty. I can be pretty poisonous when I get past a certain stage of anger.

6. Opened your Christmas presents early?
Innocent.

7. Lied to a friend?
Guilty. I've learned never to tell a friend what a rotten jerk her current beau is, even if she asks me.

8. Watched and cried while watching a soap opera?
Innocent. Never got into soaps.

9. Played a computer game for more than 5 hours?
Heh. Guilty. I refuse to name names.

10. Ran through the sprinklers naked?
Innocent, but wouldn't that be fun?

11. Ate food that fell on the floor?
Guilty - 5 second rule always applies to chocolate. More often than not the ravenous Mulder sweeps in and pounces. His favourite? Chicken.

12. Went outside naked? As an adult?
Innocent. I think. Does forgetting to close blinds count?

13. Been on stage?
Guilty

14. Been on stage naked or close to it?
Innocent, unless an overly gauzy harem outfit counts.

15. Been in a parade?
Guilty, and with a whole bunch of belly dancers.

16. Been in a school play?
Guilty - and multiple times.

17. Drank beer?
Guilty. Prefer a nice round port to beer though.

18. Gotten detention?
Guilty- once for smoking once for...can't remember the other one. It was in 7th grade though.

19. Been on a plane?
Guilty. LOVE to fly.

20. Been on a cruise?
Innocent.

21. Broken into a house?
Guilty. My own. Also, the music cabinets at school when my teacher lost his keys and needed access right this minute!

22. Gotten a tattoo?
Innocent, but considering it. I've got a few drawing kicking around...

23. Gotten piercings?
Guilty, I've got a few.

24. Gotten into a fist fight?
Does 1st, 3rd and 4th grade count?

25. Gotten into a shouting match?
Good grief yes! Guilty.

26. Swallowed sea/pool water?
Guilty. It's unavoidable.

27. Spun yourself in circles to get dizzy on purpose?
Guilty (and done it on a swing too).

28. Laughed so hard it hurt?
Guilty.

29. Tripped on your own feet?
Guilty.

30. Cried yourself to sleep?
Guilty

31. Cried in public?
Guilty. Not my finest hour.

32. Thrown up in public?
Innocent. See number 33.

33. Lied to your parents?
Innocent. Absolutely innocent. I've NEVER done anything my parents would disapprove of. Really.

34. Skipped class?
Guilty.

35. Cried so hard you threw up?
Innocent. And... EW!

Thursday Thirteen #23: The Armchair Traveler

(Header created by me, just because I felt like it..)

A few days ago I was looking through the bookshelf for a book, when a couple of titles from our minuscule travel section caught my eye and practically demanded I visit with them. The Encyclopedia of Sacred Places by Norbert C. Brockman is a lovely and comprehensive book of sacred places around the world, and whets my appetite for "old stones". It's what started the revised version of the list in the first place. The Art of Pilgrimage (Phil Cousineau) is a book I've babbled about before, but it too called my name. So, with no further lead-up, I give you...

Thirteen Places On My Dream Travel List

1. Machu Picchu, Peru - The fact that it wasn't discovered until 1911 stirs the Indy in my blood. It's been at the top of my list forever.
2. Angkor Wat, Cambodia - Re-discovered in the 1850's by French archaeologists, Angkor Wat has figured in movies such as Tomb Raider (the first one) and in Phil Cousineau's travel recollections.
3. Cairo, Egypt - I blame this one on the kind adult who gifted me with a colour-catalogue style book on Tutankhamen when I was a pre-teen. For a while there I had a serious crush on Howard Carter...
   Nikko, Japan - According to what I've read, it was established in the eighth century and became a training center for Buddhist priests. The Tosho-gu Shrine,Rinno-ji Temple, and Kegon Falls are just some of the places I'd like to see for myself.
4. Borabudur, Java - Rediscovered and rejuvenated by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles in the early 1800's. Where to begin explaining the strength behind the image of its two thousand carvings? Check out The Lost Temple of Java by Phil Grabsky. The photos are extraordinary.
5. Glastonbury, England - I was lucky enough to spend the day there a few years ago, and the strange, strong energy was palpable. Chalice Well, Glastonbury Tor, the Lady Chapel at Glastonbury Abbey? I could spend weeks there.
6. Queen Charlotte Islands, BC, Canada - Probably the most accessible of the bunch, the Charlottes were Emily Carr's lifelong obsession, and probably one of the earliest links I had to native history here in BC. The only things I've ever seen of this culture are in museums, and while I appreciate that, it's a little isolating.
7. Paris, France - Like you couldn't see that coming from miles kilometers away! All that history laid out in the arrondissements, the Louvre, Versailles....
8. Jerusalem, The Holy Land - the desire to see this for myself has been with me for as long as I can remember, and when I read "Digging for God and Country, Explorations, Archaeology and the Secret Struggle for the Holy Land, 1799 - 1917" by Neil Asher Silberman a few years ago, I knew it was a place I needed to go.
9. Marrakesh, Morocco - In 1917 the Saadian Tombs were discovered and restored by the Beaux Arts Service. When I go, this is where I want to stay.
10. Granada, Spain - Specifically, Al Andalus. The name most of us know it by is Alhambra. a poetic sounding moniker that, depending on who you read, is translated as 'The Red" or "The Red Fort"in Arabic. It became famous in North America when Washington Irving had his Tales of the Alhambra published in 1831.
11. Petra, Jordan - Yes, it too figured in an Indiana Jones movie. But long before I sat in the dark and watched Indy put himself through the paces in order to save his father, a friend of the family showed me photographs of this desert city, and I knew I wanted, someday, to touch the delicately carved stone for myself.
12. Santiago, Chile - Born there. My family's history lies there - that's enough of a reason to go, don't you think?
13. Chichen Itza, Mexico - well, really that's just one of the sites I want to see in Mexico. Add to that Teotihuacán,Tulum, and Palenque and...

Looks to me like I could probably do a second list and perhaps, next week, I will. I've neglected whole continents!

Your turn - where would you go? Not sure? Here's a jumping off point.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. Caylynn
2. Sweetkitty
3. Sanni
(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants