Happy Christmas!!

Some photos from our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Christmas Morning

As you can see, we're DEFINITELY having a White Christmas - it's just beautiful!!

Hope you're having a lovely holiday!

Teresa

Best of the Season to everyone...

no matter which holiday you're celebrating :) Enjoy!

Teresa

Skating!!

Sean managed to clear a small area of a nearby pond on which we can skate. It's unusual out here for that to happen, so we were thrilled to be able to strap on the blades and glide :)

From Skating on the pond

From Skating on the pond

From Skating on the pond

Hope you all have a lovely holiday season, whatever holiday you are celebrating :)

Teresa

Currently Reading: Second Chance by Jane Green
Link of the Day: Indulge Yourself - Natalie Damschroder's blog

Holiday season madness...

Time is just flying by - can't believe Christmas is a week today! We've had a busy week, hence my relative absence in the blogosphere.

Last Friday I worked at the library, then that evening we headed up to Secret Cove for Sean's office Christmas party - here's a pic of us having a good time:

From November December 2008

On Saturday afternoon we tromped into the woods to find a Christmas tree. We'd seen a few on our walks over the last few weeks and finally settled on one, so Sean demonstrated his lumberjack skills:

From November December 2008

and carried it home:

From November December 2008

We took a brief detour during a grocery run to Gibsons on Sunday to visit Georgia Beach - Sean had forgotten about it, so I've never been there before. It's GORGEOUS:

From November December 2008

From November December 2008

When we arrived home, we went out on the deck and decorated our little tree:

From November December 2008

After losing several really nice decorations last year, we went with some very simple plastic "dingle balls" (as Sean calls them) + lights:

From November December 2008

Monday I was at work all day and Tuesday Sean and I worked on Christmas cards after taking a walk in the crisp winter air. When I woke Wednesday morning, the first thing I saw snow falling, lots of snow! What a lovely thing to see the week before Christmas and makes me happy yet again that we chose a house design that allows me to see outside as soon as I open my eyes.

It snowed all day:

From November December 2008

and covered our tree:

From November December 2008

When Sean got home from work (he's now back working the early morning shift), we walked down to see how our little pond is freezing - it's doing well. Sean cleared some snow off - he hopes to skate on the weekend!!

From November December 2008

Here's another shot of our winter wonderland:

From November December 2008

and Sean heading back to the house with his snow-clearing broom:

From November December 2008

The snow was so gorgeous, we decided to walk to the postbox - here's the view along the way:

From November December 2008

After dark, we went outside to see how the house looks with the Christmas lights on:

From November December 2008

And finally, here's what the tree looked like once the snow stopped falling:

From November December 2008

Today was spent doing yet more Christmas shopping - I'm ALMOST done now. Yay!! And so far I've done it all without leaving the Coast. This weekend we'll be busy with our Wigilia prep as I'm working Monday and Tuesday next week. Fortunately almost everything can be prepared beforehand.

I'm also trying to knit the last of my gifts as I have the chance! So my hands are rarely still.

How about you - how is your holiday prep going?

Teresa

Currently Reading: The Learning Curve by Melissa Nathan
Also Reading: Second Chance by Jane Green
Link of the Day: Will Write for Chocolate

When historical fiction goes wrong...

I was reading a work of historical fiction yesterday evening and came very close to flinging it against the wall. But a) it is a library book b) it has a plastic cover that would make a mess if it lands on the woodstove and c) I don't want to dent the wall.

It was very disappointing and what's worse is that the author started off drawing me right into her world with a great story and historical detail. The first sign of trouble came with a few info dumps, but I was willing to let those go and just skim. Then it happened - a HUGE historical error - the death of a real person four+ years too soon. It just yanked me right out of the story and I couldn't go back. I tried, I did, but I just couldn't let it go.

Now, under other circumstances I might have kept going. Had the book been more of a wallpaper historical, I might have brushed aside the mistake, but in this case I couldn't, because until I ran into this error, I'd been immersed in another era, courtesy of the author. Even the info dumps, though awkward, convinced me she knew her stuff. So when this mistake reared its ugly head, I just couldn't ignore it and began to question all the other historical details.

To make matters worse, there was no Author's Note. I checked, hoping to find an explanation there (it would have had to have been a pretty good one, mind), but nada. So I was left questioning whether or not the author KNEW this particular person died later and just moved it up for convenience sake OR if she just didn't know and threw the reference in regardless. And that was my sticking point. Up till that point, I'd trusted her, and now that trust was broken, I couldn't lose myself in her world any more as I no longer believed in its veracity.

On various listservs, forums and groups I've discussed the question of historical accuracy and have conceded that there are times an author can fudge. My opinion hasn't changed, BUT I like to know why and that's why the Author's Note is so important. If you can't convince your publisher to give you room for that note, I caution you against making changes (historical or otherwise) your readers will catch (and some of them ALWAYS will), or risk losing them for good.

Have you ever put a book down for the reasons I've discussed? And do you find it worse if the author has created a world you believe in, then ruins it with an inaccuracy?


Teresa

Currently Reading: I'm between books - have several to choose from
Link of the Day: The Worshipful Company of Glovers of London (link courtesy of Claire Delacroix / Deborah Cooke)

My NaNo total etc..

As you can see from the badge in my sidebar, I finished with 15, 387 words. Not bad, considering I only managed to write on 8 of the 30 days. An average of 1923 words per day. I really wish I could have found more time for writing, but things were crazy over the last month. So I'm going to let go and just be happy I managed to achieve what I did :)

Life is super busy overall right now, between work, school prep, writing, Christmas prep (I'm knitting quite a few gifts) and just housekeeping, I don't have much spare time. Grey weather has affected me somewhat, but I'm taking my Vitamin D like a good girl and working through the blahs. It's hard to believe we're at Christmas yet again - our second in this house! Hopefully we'll find a good tree for the deck over the next couple of weekends.

I'm so looking forward to starting school. Working at the library has been a real eye-opener for me, making me realize just how right I am for this kind of job. Why didn't I figure this out earlier? Oh well, better late than never :)

Back to writing - Deborah Cooke/Claire Delacroix had a great blog post the other day about Boulders (the huge obstacles that tend to arise in the middle of most mss). What do you do when faced with those plotting obstacles? I try to play the What If game, as well as examining the story elements Deb talks about.

I always love to hear how other writers deal with the elements that plague us as we write our masterpieces.

Teresa

Currently Reading: Stately Pursuits by Katie Fforde
Also Currently Reading: The Write Type by
Link of the Day: Top Ten Plotting Problems by Alicia Rasley

My workspace...

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends!!

Melissa asked about what my workspace looks like. After organizing it a bit, I managed to take this pic:





It's been a busy week so far. I worked Monday and Wednesday, while on Tuesday I stayed home and did some organizing in my office, prepping for when I'll be a student again as well as some more NaNo work. This morning Sean and I took the car in to have its winter tires put on - it was nice to spend time together on a weekday morning.

This weekend there's a big craft fair AND a big pottery sale. We'll be attending both, in search of Christmas presents (I'm trying to buy local). I'm also knitting a hat for my middle nephew:

From November 2008

From November 2008

In between all this, I'm hoping to fit more writing in and at least break 15,000 words for NaNo this year. Better than nothing!

Oh - and I just found out I'm off the wait list and into the second course I wanted - Records Management - yay!!

How about you? Are you busier than ever?

Teresa

Currently Reading: Lucy in the Sky by Paige Toon
Link of the Day:Viking Kitties (an oldie, but a goodie)

Thanks to Margaret Moore...

for the link to this great post from her blog (she links to it, it's not a post she wrote).

Teresa

Currently Reading: Lucy in the Sky by Paige Toon

Out in the fresh air...

After two days in the library (which I thoroughly enjoyed) I spent much of today enjoying some of our glorious late fall weather here on the Coast, which has done wonders for our grass:

It was sunny and about 8º C, so I put on my work clothes and went out to haul pruned branches and assorted deadfall from various areas around the house:

Of course, I managed to get distracted by the sun and the scenery, and took this cool b/w photo:

I love playing with the black and white setting on my camera and have considered getting Digital SLR camera at some point - it will give me more flexibility and allow me to get even more artistic with my photos.

By the end of the afternoon, I'd achieved more than enough for one day:

Yes, I could've been indoors writing, but the weather just couldn't be ignored. The rain starts again tomorrow, leaving me with ample opportunity to add to my NaNo word count. Plot points have been flitting through my head, so I know the story is still percolating there. By tomorrow it will be ready to move from my head to the computer.

After I finished my work, I went for a walk to get the mail. Along the way I took another arty shot:


followed by one of the hill down which I walk and the mountain in the distance:

It sure felt good to light a fire and relax with my book, a sandwich for dinner (Sean was out at work) and a glass of wine.

How about you? Do you enjoy outdoor work - even the kind that makes you ache the next day?

Teresa

Currently Reading: Wedding Season by Katie Fforde
Link of the Day: Tufts Digital Library

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to school I go...

I arrived home from work today to a message from Langara telling me I've been accepted into the Library Tech programme, Flexible Option - which means, I'll be doing the course work online. Yay!

At first I'll likely only take one or two courses at a time, but I'll also get credit for some of my undergrad courses from Queens, which is nice.

It's very exciting and a bit scary too! Still, it feels right, which tells me a lot. I've always been one of those geeks who enjoys school (well, ok, except for the Math part, so when I got to Grade 13 and was allowed to drop Math, I was in heaven!), so I guess it really isn't a surprise. The first courses I'm hoping to take will deal with acquisitions and records management. (If Sean is reading this, he must now STOP laughing!)

My plans to write when I got home pretty much went out the window when I woke up at 4:30 this morning and couldn't go back to sleep. Tomorrow, however, is another day :)

So, if you could go back to school (and wanted to), what courses would you take?

Teresa

Currently Reading: The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
Link of the Day: Resource Blog for Library Techs

Slow but steady progress...

Another 2000 words yesterday, for a grand total now of 8032. I didn't write at all on the weekend as Sean and I had plans for Saturday. Sunday I probably should have written, but was in a total funk, despite exercise and yummy birthday cake from my m-i-l (chocolate zucchini cake - just scrumptious). It took me a while to figure it out, but finally I realized that even though I don't mind the rain on a conscious level, the overall lack of sunlight recently has left both Sean and me with mild cases of S.A.D.

On Monday I worked a full day and was just zonked in the evening - we watched two more eps of Robin Hood before turning in early.

We'll see how things go today. This afternoon I have a phone interview for the Library Tech programme I applied for, then have some related email testing to complete and return within a strict time limit. It's possible I'll get more of Henri and Madeleine's story written once all that is completed. Not sure I'll be able to concentrate on it before the interview. We'll see.

I know for many people this means I'm not taking NaNo seriously enough, but for me, NaNo is a chance to kickstart my stories and gives me a goal to work towards. I can't just drop the rest of my life, it doesn't work that way.

So - how 'bout you? Are you surviving November weather? (well, we know those of you in SoCal and TX are *g*, but the rest of us aren't so lucky!) Does the weather affect your mood/writing?

Teresa

Currently Reading (and almost finished): The Intelligencer by Leslie Silbert
Link of the Day: Cats in Sinks (silly fun for a grey November day)

Lest we forget...

Today, please join me in remembering those who served and all who are still serving to keep us safe.

UPDATED

This morning we went to the Remembrance Day ceremony in Sechelt, held at the cenotaph there:

From Blog Photos

It was a lovely service and lots of people turned out. The rain even stopped - it had been pouring up until about an hour before things started.

Teresa

Just past the 6000 word barrier...

Not bad for three days writing. In the end, yesterday, I didn't get any writing done. I went to work, came home and talked to my mum on the phone for quite a while, then made dinner. Sean and I also watched two eps of The Tudors and by the time he went to bed (he was working the early shift this morning, waking up at 3:30 am) I was just too beat to write.

But I've made up for it today and added another 1900 words to my total. It's possible I'll get more in later, after Sean and I have celebrated my birthday with lunch :)

Here's a photo of me with my little NaNo writing companion:

From Blog Photos

She made sure I stayed put, though in this shot the paw she had on my shoulder is kinda lost in my hair *g*.

After finishing today's quota, Sean and I went out for lunch to celebrate my birthday. It was back to the Wild Bistro for yummy sandwiches and more of that Licorice Spice tea. Now I'm settling back down with the laptop to answer some email and see if my characters have any more to tell me before it's time for dinner.

Hope you're all having a great day :) Even those of you here in rainy BC with me.

Teresa

Currently Reading: The Intelligencer by Leslie Silbert
Link of the Day: Old is the New New

Today's NaNo work at the Wild Bistro...

netted me 2184 words, for a two day total of just over 4000 words. Yay! I may even manage more tonight.

The Wild is a fantastic place to write - lovely atmosphere, yummy treats (the Elvis muffin is delectable) and a wonderful selection of herbal tea (today's choice - Licorice Spice).

Here's the setup I had there for a couple of hours:

From November 2008

Once again, the story just flowed AND my characters started adding to the plot. I was almost loathe to stop, but it was getting to the point where if I didn't, I wouldn't have finished the errands I needed to do on the way home in time.

Still, I was pretty thrilled to break the 4000 word mark in just two days and to have surpassed my daily goal by over 300 words :) Tomorrow will be more tricky as I have to work during the day and the lunch room isn't the ideal place to write. Hope to write in the evening instead, but it will depend on just how tired I am. Then again, Madeleine and Henri might not give me a choice!

Teresa

Currently Reading: The Intelligencer by Leslie Silbert
Link of the Day: A fun link from the Historical Archives of The Onion

NaNo progress at last...

Today I managed 1875 words and I'm pretty happy with that. Much of the opening scene had written itself in my head and fortunately it flowed out when I put my fingers on the keyboard. Interestingly enough, I was able to write with the radio on in the background, so I could keep tabs on the US election. I already know I'll have editing to do on the scenes I wrote, but much of that will be word choice etc - one of the things that slows me down is trying to figure out if certain words were in common use during the time period in which I'm writing. I hate jarring readers with something that's obviously not right. But I've learned when doing NaNo just to keep going and go back later to fix those kinds of things.

So, if you're doing NaNo too - how is it going?

If not NaNo, how are thing with your ms?

Teresa (very impressed with Obama's speech and really hoping he's able to stick to the promises he's made)

Currently Reading: The Intelligencer by Leslie Silbert
Link of the Day: CBC News America Votes

A slow NaNo start...

I really wish today was November 1, so I could start with a bang, but it's not. Tomorrow we're going into Vancouver, so other than in the ferry line-up, I won't be able to write. But with me NaNo is never an every day thing, because much as I love writing, and I do, I won't give up the other things in life that make me happy, like spending the day with Sean, just to say I won. In the end, my writing is still secondary to my life with those I love. And I'm not ashamed in the least to say that.

Teresa

Currently Reading: The Intelligencer by Leslie Silbert
Link of the Day: RévolutionFrançaise.net

Practise really does make...

ok, well, not Perfect, but it certainly improves almost anything we do, including writing. Of course, we all know that, but with writing it's sometimes hard to SEE the improvement. Sometimes it takes seeing it work in other areas to believe in its efficacy.

As regular readers know, I'm a big fan of Nia. This month marks two years since I began regular Nia classes. (Stay with me now, this DOES connect to my first paragraph *g*). I loved it almost right away, but one of the few moves I really didn't like at all was the shimmy. Why? Because I couldn't shimmy to save my life - I'm not kidding, I looked like an idiot trying to make my shoulders do something they'd never done before. And at 40+, they really weren't keen on learning something new and different.

My mother-in-law told me to just keep at it, keep trying that shimmy and eventually, my body would adapt and I'd be able to do the move with at least some measure of competence. So I did, much as I really hated it and was relieved when we did less shimmy-intensive routines. For at least a year, I swore I'd never get it and that I might as well give up.

During my second year of Nia, however, I noticed a change. It was subtle at first, just a little bit of movement. Then one day we came to a shimmy section of a routine and I realized I was doing it properly, not brilliantly, mind, but well enough that someone watching would know I was shimmying. It was so cool. Now I really enjoy the routines when we shimmy, all the more so because it was something I worked so hard at and finally saw the results.

In our writing, I believe it happens the same way. We write and write and write, sometimes never feeling like we're making progress, as though our dialogue is still stiff, our narrative awkward and our pacing all wrong. We work hard at it, get critiques, read craft books and study the writing of others. And keep on writing. And then suddenly, it jells and those reading our work see it as well.

Granted, most of us never achieve writing perfection, but just like me and my shimmy, we do reach another level, after months/years of very subtle changes as a result of our constant effort and study. Changes we can't see on a day to day basis, but changes that are there nonetheless.

So, the next time you read your work and think it's crap, remember me and my shimmy.

In Other News
Today I'm sending off my application to the Library Information & Technology Diploma Programme at Langara College in Vancouver. Yep, that's right, I'm hoping to go back to school in January, as I'm applying to the Flexiple Participation Option, which means I'll do everything online. I had thought of the MLIS programme at the University of British Columbia, but nothing there is available online and the thought of commuting, even two or three days a week was pretty daunting. This way (if I get in) I can keep working at the Sechelt Public Library - I'm one of several casual Public Services Assistants hired recently. So far I'm just loving my job and wishing I'd made this career choice 20 years ago. However, I can't change the past, so I'm at least trying to change the future by applying to the programme and working over the next few years to earn that diploma.

Does this mean I'm going to give up my writing or my attempts to get published? No way. I often work better when I have more on my plate, though at certain times I imagine my mss might suffer a little. But writing has been a part of my life for so long that I feel confident in my ability to fit it in, even when things get busy. My characters generally give me no choice.

In view of all the above, I've decided I might as well attempt NaNo again this year, to help jump start me on one of my stories that I've pretty much completely revamped. I had a chapter or so written, but decided a few months ago to change much of the backstory and plot (encouraged to do so by my hero/heroine), so this will give me the opportunity to get going and see what happens.

So - anything new and exciting with you? If you've gone back to school, did you enjoy it?

Teresa

Currently Reading: The Intelligencer by Leslie Silbert
Link of the Day: Wonders and Marvels

Cute cat pic to start the week...

From Chloe and Cleo - October 2008

I just managed to capture this with my camera before Cleo jumped down. It's only when they tussle up there that I get really nervous!

Off to work soon - I have a writing related post lined up in my head, just have to find the time to get it out and onto the blog *g*.

Teresa

This week...

I worked on Monday and Tuesday. So far, I'm loving my job - so much to learn and lots of interesting people to meet :) My co-workers are all great too - next week I work three days and I'm really looking forward to getting back there.

I did, however, at some point over the last few days, catch a cold. Fortunately, the symptoms didn't start till after work on Tuesday. I've spent the last couple of days drinking gallons of herbal tea, researching final details for the ms I hope to submit soon and reading Susanna Kearsley's The Winter Sea. It was really hard to put down and I finished it earlier this evening. I'll post a review of it soon.

Next week I hope to do a couple of writing related posts.

Teresa

Currently Reading: What Casanova Told Me by Susan Swan
Link of the Day: "Historical Fiction - Masters of Past" by Sarah L. Johnson

Autumn weekends on the Coast...

The past two weekends have been gorgeous. Here's a photo I took last Sunday - you can see the grass is starting to grow:

From Blog Photos

This weekend we spent much of our time outside. On Wednesday, burning season opened (the period during which landowners can legally burn brush/deadfall - within limits *g*), so we took advantage of the glorious weather (sunny and about 10º C, to build a fire and haul stuff to it for burning. We had it going pretty well yesterday, so well in fact that the core stayed hot, hot, hot overnight - this is what we saw this morning when we stepped out onto the porch:

From Blog Photos

And our grass is now visible, even in early morning light:

From Blog Photos

Meanwhile, on the clearing next door to ours, the mist had settled in:

From Blog Photos

Inside the house, the cats have been up to the usual - being cute:

From Blog Photos

From Blog Photos

From Blog Photos

and occasionally (especially in Cleo's case) a bit naughty:

From Blog Photos

I'm working tomorrow and Tuesday. Tomorrow is my first full day shift - should be fun as it's also the first day EVER the Sechelt library will be open on a Monday!

How about you - how was your weekend? Did you do anything interesting?

Teresa

Currently Reading: The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
Link of the Day: Old Roads of Scotland

Book Review: Every Secret Thing...

Last night I finished this fantastic book, written by Emma Cole (awa Susanna Kearsley). I'm a big fan of SK's books, so when I saw she'd branched out into suspense fiction, I immediately checked my library and was thrilled to find they had a copy.

Journalist Kate Murray is surprised when a man approaches her on a London street, saying they need to meet and talk about a long-ago murder. She's even more surprised when he tells her she has her grandmother's eyes. Minutes later, he is dead, the victim of a hit-and-run.

Spurred into action, Kate decides she must find out what murder he was referring to and how he knew her grandmother. But after the old man's nephew, then her own grandmother are killed, she realizes things are more complicated than she'd thought. On the run and in disguise, she heads to Portugal, where the man's past lies, tied up with the British Secret Service and war-time espionage.

I LOVED this book. It was one of those I didn't want to end. The mystery is deftly plotted, with plenty of twists and turns while Ms. Cole's multi-dimensional characters, past and present, keep the plot moving at a swift pace without sacrificing depth. War-time New York and Lisbon are brought to life with just the right amount of period detail. The contemporary settings, including Toronto and Whitby, ring equally true.

Kate is a believable heroine, well-motivated and easy to cheer for as she unravels the past while trying to keep herself alive. Deacon, her mysterious informant, is gradually revealed as a man of integrity and loyalty, one who made a supreme sacrifice for the woman he loved.

I think what impressed me most, though, was the way the author dropped subtle hints throughout the story. Some of them I picked up on, others I didn't. It was a fascinating read, trying to keep up with the various threads and waiting for the next clue to be revealed. At one point near the end, a big coincidence threatened to pull me out of the story, only to be explained in a unique and plausible manner, another testament to the writer's talent.

The movement from present to the past and back was handled deftly, told through the eyes of several different characters. A lesser author might not have been able to handle such a device, but Ms. Cole succeeded brilliantly. Each was distinct and added key elements to the plot.

I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves mysteries, stories set in WWII or just a damn good read. A copy will most certainly find its way onto my Keeper Shelf, alongside my other SK titles. In fact, I'm now reading the latest book by Ms. Cole's alter-ego. The opening chapters of The Winter Sea promise another enthralling read from this talented Canadian author.

Teresa

Currently Reading: The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
Link of the Day: History of Camp X

Happy Thanksgiving....

to all my fellow Canucks :) Hope you're having a lovely holiday weekend.

It's raining here today, but that's ok. I've lots to be thankful for.

Teresa

Thanks for all the feedback!!!

I really, really appreciate all the comments and suggestions. Back soon with new posts. My life is busy right now as I adjust to a p/t job and preparing to submit an application to a library studies programme.

Teresa

Currently Reading: Every Secret Thing by Emma Cole
Link of the Day: Versailles and More

Generating blog traffic - honest feedback needed...

I have to admit I feel I'm at a crossroads here. Do I close down this blog or not? I'm not really clear if people are reading and not commenting, or just not coming by anymore. If it's the former, has my blogging style changed so much? Am I not talking about interesting stuff? Just curious.

I fully realize that blogs probably have a natural life, and maybe this one has reached its end.

OTOH, is there something I blogged about in the past you'd like to see more of?

My skin is pretty tough, so please be honest :)

Teresa

Currently Reading: Every Secret Thing by Emma Cole
Link of the Day: My friend Sharon is on the Nov cover of RT Bookclub!

Watching the debates...

I don't normally discuss politics here, and won't actually get into too much detail on my personal political views, but last night I had a great time flipping between the two debates.

For my American readers - Canada is in the middle of a Federal Election campaign, though, unlike yours, it's only about five weeks *g*. Our leaders debated in English last night (the French debate was on Wednesday) and I'm still so undecided, I decided to watch. But I've also been following the American campaign and admit this is the first time I've ever tuned into the VP debate.

Sean was out, so I made dinner and got comfy on our bed and set the remote up so I could switch back and forth with just one button. The styles were very different - in Canada we had a moderator, but the questions were ones video taped from voters. And, for the first time, instead of using podiums on a stage, the leaders were seated round a table. I liked the less formal setting, but I gather not everyone did.

The contrast with the very formal, American process was interesing, yet somehow made it all the more compelling to try to keep up with both. I'm one of those middle-of-the-road people when it comes to politics. I'm aware of the issues and certainly have a general idea of who is who and what they stand for (if anything), but I don't generally read a lot of the newspaper stories, blogs etc.

Years ago, I was involved in the Queen's University Model Parliament, along with my friend Lucy. Though I admit at least part of the appeal of that was the fantatstic parties *g*. Still, it taught me a lot, way more than I learned in the one PoliSci class I took.

But then I got rather jaded, and tuned out to an extent. The issues surrounding both these current elections has, however, regenerated my interest. Hence my channel bopping last night, between both the debates AND the post mortem process. Another Model Parliament crony is now a major pollster, so I tuned into the channel where he was commentating, as well as our two news networks AND CNN. Meanwhile I also read reaction to the Biden/Palin debate online.

Talk about multi-tasking! But it was a fascinating evening. And I now remember why politics, in all its forms, drew me in in the first place.

How about you? Have you been following the current campaigns?

Teresa

Currently Reading: Every Secret Thing by Emma Cole
Link of the Day: 18th Century London

18 years ago today...

Sean and I were married. Hard to believe - the time has gone so quickly.

In honour of our 20 years together (we started dating in 1988) I put together this video:

From Movies

Clicking on it will take you to the picasaweb page where you can toggle the box in the lower right corner of the video to play around with size/smoothness. You might want to pause it after it first starts to let it load fully, so you're not buffering and playing it at the same time - it's jerky unless you have a super fast connection. Click to play once it's loaded.

It actually shows up best on the Facebook version, but I can't share that version publicly (they're working on that feature).

Teresa