the next eight things I think about.

Starting now.

1. I’m eating animal cookies (not crackers… these are definitely cookies.) I wonder how they decided which animals to immortalize in crunchy, sweet form, and why the platypus and the aardvark never get a fair shake. And who will advocate for the tapir?

2. There’s a huge difference between cold coffee and iced coffee. Because I worked at Starbucks back in the day, I know this difference occurs because, with iced coffee, you add ice immediately to hot coffee to fast-chill it. This method prevents the oils from going wonky, thus preserving the flavour. However, as I am drinking cold coffee right now, I know that the true difference is that cold coffee tastes like ass.

3. Gradon and I are considering taking his son to NYC for the day when I’m in Boston in October. Both of them have been to New York a number of times, but I’ve never been. I’ve developed a mental collage of the city, however, from Woody Allen movies and the New Yorker and Law and Order (all versions) and a million other pieces of cultural stimuli. I’m pretty sure I will be goggle-eyed and tourist-faced throughout the day, and since we’d only be there for eight hours or so, I’m DEFINITELY sure that I will be overstimulated by the time the day is done. Like sticking your face into a tornado just to feel the breeze.

4. I haven’t posted a picture of my new haircut/colour on my blog, but it’s dark and has bangs, so really… you’ve seen it before. Every single time I get anything done to my hair, I tend to remember the worst case scenarios of the past: greenish highlights, weird bangs, fluffy ends, the authoritarian German stylist who CUT IT IN A VERY DECISIVE WAY. In fact, I am genuinely shocked and delighted when it goes well. This time, I was so thrilled, I was flipping my hair around like a git when I left the salon, and accidentally clocked my head on a streetlight. Loud enough, in fact, that it made a CONNGGGGGGG noise. Lesson? Joy is fleeting. Also? They will one day shave my head not in response to a head injury, but to prevent one.

5. Things that are organically farmed and produced are awesome. So are McNuggets with BBQ sauce. Things that are vitamin-packed and full of goodness are awesome. So is cotton candy. What this tells me is that I enjoy the black and white of nutrition. The Chiaroscuro Diet.

6. I’ve been watching Glee since it started. Everyone seems to have an opinion on this show, whether they’ve seen it or not. “I hate musicals!” “I hate teen things!” “I love choirs!” “I hate sports!” “It’s formulaic!” “It’s fresh and original!” I hate Fox network!” “I love that it comes on after So You Think You Can Dance!” “I’m itchy!” That last one was me.

7. Vancouver has been so consistently lovely this summer that fear is mounting about what fresh hell will be wrought upon us when the sunshine ends and the rains take hold. In this way, Vancouver weather is like a three year old: a long period of excitement invariably means tears before bedtime.

8. I’m not sure why I chose eight things. Eight is a funny number. Seven was probably more logical, but dammit, because you’ve come all the way here to read this, it was important to me to go the extra mile. So, some short and random things. I find I stare off into space a lot more when I listen to piano-based music. I don’t eat enough fish. I have a wind-up nun on my desk. I haven’t been to the water enough this year. I wish it was acceptable to sing out loud while you walked along the street. I wish I was perfect. I don’t wish I was perfect. I’m glad none of us is perfect, but I’m also glad that french fries are.

in memoriam

Up until 2007, I didn’t know many people personally who were in New York during the 9/11 attacks, or anyone who lost a friend or family member that day.

Now I know several.

Their stories are humbling and shocking and painful in ways that I can’t begin to put into words.

So what I’ll do is say thank you to the people that stepped up to help in the aftermath, and to the people who continue to cherish and share the memories of those they lost, eight years ago today.

And I will never forget.