Rabbit Prints

As a child, I loved sending and receiving mail just because it...

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:25:00 -0500

As a child, I loved sending and receiving mail just because it was fun. It was more fun as an adult because it’s nice to receive something that isn’t a bill.

I don’t write as regularly as I used to, partly because the instant gratification of email is hard to resist and partly because I sometimes forget to see the joy and excitement of my own life because I’m “too busy” - whatever that means.

Every once in awhile, however, I’ll come across some stationery and think, “I’m going to surprise someone with a letter.”

Today, that’s Rachel: one of my oldest and dearest friends, and the person everyone should rush to interview when I’m famous. She knows all of my secrets.

(A fair reminder to her, however, that I also know all of hers! ♡)

My Overview of Valentine's Day: Past and Present

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:28:56 -0500

Valentine’s Day did not get a lot of recognition in my home when I was growing up. By that, I mean it wasn’t a holiday when my mom would stay up all night cooking pancit and rolling lumpia. I would wake up to a nice card and some chocolate, but that was it.

I spent my teenage years pining for a Valentine, mostly because I was inexperienced enough to think that love plays out exactly like my favorite romantic movie (or maybe my second favorite, since it still saddens me that the princess left Gregory Peck behind). Eventually, I learned otherwise.

My first Valentine’s Day as part of a couple was ruined by my then-boyfriend excitedly mentioning a great place we could visit. It sounded fun, until he added, “Yeah, I used to take [his ex’s name] there every Valentine’s Day and she loved it. I figured you would, too.”

The next boyfriend I celebrated with did a fairy tale set up complete with dropping by unannounced with a dozen long-stemmed red roses before whisking me away to a beach side resort. That getaway was ruined by his continuous questions about what did my friends’ boyfriends do for them and he bet that they weren’t as romantic, thoughtful and extravagant as he.

The boyfriend after that… Well, we’d only met a few days prior to February 14th. He was an artist who drew a picture for me and presented it with an ornately carved box infused with amber. He said that he wanted to recognize the day without being overbearing or false. That was very sweet.

Overall, however, I’ve spent my adulthood not observing the day. I’ve spent the last few years doing a little more than I normally would because I have a son and it’s fun for him. Other than that, I’m more excited about February 15th, which is when all the V-Day candy gets marked down.

Somebody has a delightfully twisted sense of humor.

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:24:08 -0500

Somebody has a delightfully twisted sense of humor.

I was going to write, “When I was small, I liked to stand...

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:04:00 -0500

I was going to write, “When I was small, I liked to stand just outside of the ferris wheel barrier, stare up and imagine that I was about to be crushed.” That, however, would be a lie. There is no past tense about it. I still like doing this (and, yes, I still get freaked out).

Bug: That day when Daddy and Auntie K and me were walking and we...

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:59:47 -0500

Bug: That day when Daddy and Auntie K and me were walking and we came home and Portia was in the street? That was a bad day.

Photo

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:59:53 -0500

I snapped this a few months ago when I was walking to meet...

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:58:05 -0500

I snapped this a few months ago when I was walking to meet Typowriter. Someday, I’ll get a group of friends together and we’ll splash around while the Rembrandts are playing in the background. Eventually, we’ll all be arrested because that’s what happens when you’re not the opening sequence of a sitcom.

I miss summer. I really do. (See other yellow-themed photos at...

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:28:20 -0500

I miss summer. I really do.

(See other yellow-themed photos at Mellow Yellow Monday)

Christmas 2011: This thing has a name. It even has a backstory....

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:24:50 -0500

Christmas 2011: This thing has a name. It even has a backstory. I’ve been told both but remember only the agreement my friends have: whenever Wife has an occasion that calls for her good china, husband gets to bring out Yorick to balance out the decor.

This is one of the trees in my backyard. It looked pretty upon...

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 10:50:08 -0500

This is one of the trees in my backyard. It looked pretty upon first glance, a little ominous in a photo, and downright hilarious when I thought of how I could hang those little scary Blair Witch dolls from the branches and freak out my dear friend Rach (don’t worry, girly: I would never do that - mostly because it’s too cold to do so…and because this tree isn’t in your backyard).

I love my sister in spite of - or maybe because of - the fact...

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 10:47:28 -0500

I love my sister in spite of - or maybe because of - the fact that she is the type of mad woman to move back to California but declare that she misses the change of seasons.

This picture is dedicated to her (and an invitation to come and shovel my driveway if she misses this stuff. The day I took this, my freshly shoveled walkway had filled back up within an hour).

Photo Friday: Day’s End

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 01:11:46 -0500

Photo Friday: Day’s End

Literarily

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:23:31 -0500

Bug: I want more noodles!
Me: There aren't any more. You ate the last serving.
Bug: Give me some of yours!
Me: Look, kid: I'm not the freaking "Giving Tree." *muttering* Trying to take everything until I'm just a stump on the ground...

Behold: the first Christmas present that my son has obtained for...

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:59:35 -0500

Behold: the first Christmas present that my son has obtained for me on his own!

Apparently, his school hosts a yearly event where the kids pick out presents for their special someones (like ME!) He chose this all by himself. The thing I found most interesting is that it’s something that I would have picked out on my own.

Tempering all of this was the way he beamed and declared, “It’s a candle holder, Mommy! Now we can make fire.”

Settle down, Beavis.

My son has been saying that he wants to be the person who drives...

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:51:00 -0500

My son has been saying that he wants to be the person who drives the police car when he grows up. I thought this meant that he wanted to be a police officer but noticed that he always puts the criminal Lego man in the driver’s seat of the Lego police car.

I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come.

A free pony! I am intrigued, yet skeptical.

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:58:16 -0500

A free pony! I am intrigued, yet skeptical.

I was looking for a photo to use for this week’s theme and...

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 15:02:14 -0500

I was looking for a photo to use for this week’s theme and came across this one. I’d forgotten about it. It was taken during one of my epic four hours walks - a.k.a. “I have writer’s block. Maybe if I walk around the city, something will inspire me.”

Theme Thursday: Books

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 09:08:00 -0500

I traveled for over an hour on a highway partly hidden by snow, and then down a rural route that was mostly dark and slightly slippery. All of this was done to claim the one copy of a book that had not yet been borrowed (and on which were approximately 400 holds).

This is the book that started me back on the road to visiting my local library, not because of the effort of driving so far (and in dangerous conditions), but because it reminded me of the joy of having hundreds of books at my fingertips for free.

On my last night in the United States, my friend Ben gave me a...

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:56:05 -0500

On my last night in the United States, my friend Ben gave me a set of post cards. Each featured a vintage image with a snappy caption. I absolutely adored these and held onto them for all this time.

I still adore these but have decided it’s time for them to spread the joy and amusement.

Retaliation for implying that somebody is a Twilight fan:...

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:52:27 -0500

Retaliation for implying that somebody is a Twilight fan: it’s my first Christmas card of the season. Well played, Miss Bella Jaye. Well played indeed.