Left Coast Mama » National Blog Post Month

Post Laundry Depression

Gwen — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:35:31 +0000

I have a first world problem. I am totally jonesing for my iPhone. I feel a little bit twitchy. I haven’t taken an instagram in over 24 hours. I watch with jealously as my husband, who did not launder his iPhone, watches his twitter feed, or takes a picture. All because I got thrown up upon and I forgot for a minute, well 20, about my iPhone.

Tonight I am going to a tweetup without a smart phone. I am also going to a concert with Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer without a smart phone. Anthony will sound witty as he tweets during the event. I will be mute until we get home. No instagrams, or twit pics for me.

Poor Me.

More Truth: What I Love About Me

Gwen — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 04:34:21 +0000

Since I spent the morning cleaning and baking, and we all spent the afternoon caching, I am tired and not sure what I want to write about so I shall tackle Day 02 of the30 Days of truth.

Day 02: Something you love about yourself.

It is a lot easier to find something you don’t like about yourself than to find something you love about yourself. I love that despite being shy I can put myself out there, go into situations where I know no one and get to know people.

I love that over the last two years I have gone out of my way to go and meet new people that I have been interacting with on twitter and on blogs. I love this especially because Anthony and I have made some very good friends. These are people that I know I can call to go out and talk, or if I need some help. I love that they know that they can call on me for either of these things as well. I love that our kids get along.

I have some very good friends now, all because I decided to put my shyness away and pretend to be confident. I guess sometimes pretend confidence can lead to real confidence, even if you sometimes still feel like hiding under the bed.

Letting Go of the Reins

Gwen — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 03:42:58 +0000

I have for the past few years been in charge of a church choir in an unpaid position. Before that I was a singer in the choir as a favour to the organist. This year I am not in charge. This year they brought in a new organist who is very young and very enthusiastic. It is a good thing in some ways, but I must admit I am having a bit of a hard time with the change.

I love the enthusiasm that the new organist has for the organ and music. He is a fantastic organist and can play like nobodies business. He doesn’t however know the practical accoustics of the church, and he doesn’t yet know the core of people who put so much into the Advent carol service every year. Oh god, he doesn’t know the politics of finding the readers, the extra people who come to be part of the choir and service. Ugh.

This is my problem. How do I help him be paid for a job I did without payment? How do I help him in such a way as to make sure that I am not pushing my ideas on him? How do I get the people who make this service possible come back this year? How do I give him my practical knowledge of the building’s accoustics without sounding like I am telling how to do his job?

My other problem? How do I get over the feeling of not being appreciated? I did a lot of work for free while the interim organists were paid per service. I tried not to be bitter, and mostly I am not. I know that I didn’t get the choir to sing more often because I had a lot on my plate and organizing took a lot of my time. I might have been much more motivated if I too, had some sort of an honorarium, like all the other musical organizers and interim organists had.

I am feeling a little ambivalent about this year’s service. Do I try to pressure the outside help to come and help again this year? Do I just give over the music to M. and hope he doesn’t screw it up? Or do I put aside all my feelings, try to get a meeting with him and make sure we have all the bases covered for this year and let him change what he wants next year?

I hoped that by writing this out I might come up with some answers, but I am still not sure. I feel like I was excluded from all the decisions that lead up to him being appointed organist and choirmaster, and it is a hard transition. I love this service and I want it to be beautiful. I also don’t want to feel like a stranger in my own church and choir. Sigh. Maybe I need to find a new choir outlet and let this one be. Anyone want a good alto? Apparently I am cheap.

Welcome to November! NaBloPoMo Here We Go Again!

Gwen — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 04:16:28 +0000

How is is already November? How is my youngest already 2? The answers to these questions are all a matter of time moving faster than I’d necessarily like it to. So since I feel that I am not nearly ready to write much after being tired from a long day of swimming lessons, school and rounding up the boys, I am presenting a mostly picture essay of our Halloween. Too bad none of my pictures of the boys turned out.

We went all out with the decorations this year. The boys had fun putting up the spider webs with me.

This weekend was a fun mess of Halloween, movies, geocaching, cleaning and more Halloween. On Friday Aidan had both a class party and the annual Halloween Howl that evening. While he enjoyed all of it, the pinnacle of the whole evening was probably the firefighter patch one of the parents gave Aidan. This parent was a firefighter for Delta and was very impressed with Aidan’s costume. Aidan was happy with all that he was able to do and had a blast. When he got home he was very tired and it took him all of about 5 minutes to get to sleep.

Saturday Aidan and I went to see “Scooby-Doo: Curse of the Lake Monster” and I think it wouldn’t be exaggerating too much to say that Aidan really didn’t like it. I am not sure why, but he was so worried about the scary parts that even the funny, parts had him upset. Good thing the movie wasn’t too long and when we met up with Anthony and Quinlan all was fine. We had a good day playing tourist downtown.

I think it is fair to say that Sunday that Aidan was excited to be going trick-or-treating. So after a long day of cleaning, drama class, pumpkin carving, we finally made it into our costumes and out the door to go hunting for candy. As usual we went down to False Creek Co-op next to False Creek Elementary. This is a complex that really does Halloween well. They get a tonne of kids and they really decorate and get into the holiday.

This is typical of the complex. Most places are well decorated.

One of the more interesting pumpkins at the co-op.

Even simple carvings can be very effective.

Aidan was having a hard time waiting for his little brother. As he said, I was so excited I forgot my manners.

After knocking, Aidan noticed the hand coming out of the mail slot . . . he backed up pretty quickly.

Again, sometimes simple is very effective.

We trick-or-treated for about an hour, but we decided that we were finished when we had to keep reminding Aidan to say thank you. He was so excited about all the candy, and he wanted to see what he was given right away that he kept forgetting. While Anthony and I understood, we decided that before we got too much more frustrated with the lack of manners we had better quit for the night. I don’t think Aidan was too disappointed.

When we got home, I got out the tripod and took some pictures of the pumpkins I carved. Some turned out, but I still have a lot of work to do with balancing the colours and light situation. The first few are outside, but since there was too much light that I couldn’t adjust I continued the shoot inside. And before you ask, it had nothing to sdo with cold or how hard the concrete and tile were on my knees. Really, nothing at all.

Quinlan has a thing for owls and this is my fall back pattern.

I was running out of time so this one is just a free form simple carving.

Another owl simplified from a picture in the October Martha Stewart Living.

See the SPOOOKY web?

Next year I think I will do a pumpkin with only stars. Now if only I had a starburst filter this would have been a fantastic photograph.

I like the way the three pumpkins are so different, yet they go well together.

Hope you had a great Halloween!

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Related: blogging, children, Family Time, Halloween, My Boys, National Blog Post Month, Pictures.

Not Ready for a Mac . . . Yet

Gwen — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:12:32 +0000

I was sitting here half watching the Dancing With the Stars finale and wondering what the hell I should write about on this the 24th day of NaBloPoMo, when a little yellow shield popped up in the bottom corner of my computer. Yes it is time for another windows update. It will probably include an update for IE which I never ever use. It is almost enough to make me get a Mac.

Of course I say I might go for a Mac, but there is no way that I could justify it at all. I have a good netbook and a laptop. Besides, how on earth would I figure out the mouse? I am 2 button and scroll wheel kinda girl. I can’t even get the weird signals on the touchpad to work properly. I also can’t get over the cost, especially since I am planning on going to blogher this year.

So what do you say? Is there anything to this Mac envy? Is it really a better system, or does it just pretend to be one? What are the pitfalls of owning a Mac?

In Which I Write About My Intentions for the Month of November

Gwen — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:24:20 +0000

I am planing to write a blog post every day for the month of November as a part of (unofficially) NaBloPoMo. I am also planning to write at least one children’s story. I am still unsure if this will take the form of an “I Can Read” chapter book, or a picture book. Aidan will be helping me with some ideas and as an audience.

My children’s books will be geared towards a 4-7 audience with lots of adventure that isn’t too scary or too babyish. According to Aidan my first one should be about a seahorse being chased by a shark. I think this will be a picture book idea. I am also thinking about flying work horses, magic forests and perhaps some seafaring adventures. Who knows what my imagination will come up with.

So here it goes. Thirty posts in thirty days. A children’s picture book and a novel. Life in the meantime. Wish me luck.

The Last Post (For National Blog Posting Month)

Gwen — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 21:49:11 +0000

Wow! I did it! I posted every day in November. I survived trying to do too many things this month. I survived and actually wrote some decent posts. I was able to juggle taking care of Aidan, guides, choir and all the organization that goes with that. I survived losing our organist to a family emergency. I survived trying to get another organist. I survived getting two instead. I survived typing up the bulliten. I survived the hives and headaches. I actually got my closet clean, though I forgot to take the before picture so I could enter it for the Organizational challenge. Oh well, maybe the next one. I have another post I want to write for later but I just wanted to make sure that I boasted that I finished at least one thing I started this month.

Damn, Haven’t I blogged Today?

Gwen — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 06:07:45 +0000

I guess that I can’t really blame it on the power out today since it was only 20 minutes. I could blame it on the sushi making, that took much longer than I thought it would. I made a cake, but then it was from a mix, so not enough time there. Well, how about the time I spent with the boy, doing laundry, dishes and driving. That took up a big portion. Making supper? Well Anthony helped. Ok, I guess I really need to blame it on 2 things. 1: Playing Guitar hero with Anthony. 2: Watching compelling dancing shows while eating cake.

Yes, I admit it. I love and never miss Dancing With the Stars. I even vote. Just one question, why in the name of all that is holy, do they put the horrible fake lashes on Marie Osmond? It is no wonder she had a hard time with the Mambo, she could hardly see.

Menu Plan Monday

Gwen — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 21:47:11 +0000

I had a good week last week and kept mostly to the plan. Let us see what this week brings.

Monday: Hamburger with raw veggies

Tuesday: Homemade veggie sushi for me and the boy and frozen dinner for Anthony.

Wednesday: Slow-cooked chicken

Thursday: BBq’d steak, mashed potatoes and side vegetable

Friday: Open

Saturday: low-cooked something or other

I was taking a quick look through the links and I found another Gwen. I will check out her blog and see if there is anything in common other than the name.

I love Guitar Hero (Reprise)

Gwen — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 07:43:28 +0000

Just when I thought I couldn’t love Guitar Hero any more we got the second bundle from Futureshop in the mail. We had been thinking that we would just take it back to the store since it was unopened and we had a copy. Then we thought about getting a second guitar so we could play together. After a bunch of hemming an hawing we open the second guitar and spent the last three hours playing. Just so there is no confusion we can’t get a second guitar for the Wii without getting another copy of Guitar Hero. If we could we would have sent the set back to the store in a flash to get another controller.

I think that as fun as having my husband and son telling me that I rock, playing with Anthony is even more fun. I am also finding that I love playing the bass parts. A lot of them are much harder than you would think and I am not so bad. The only problem is almost forgetting to blog and the little fact that I need to be up and out of the house by 8:30 am tomorrow.

Oh, well the post is in and I am off to bed. Expect a Remembrance Day post tomorrow. (I will also bug Anthony to post about Aidan and Daddy’s Big Adventure today.)