For Today

FOR TODAY (borrowed from Farming on Faith)

Outside my window ... the snow is refreezing from today's sun. Little remains of the snowman that my husband and kiddo built (and was then knocked down overnight by some asshole kids, no doubt).

I am thinking ... that I need some chocolate soon. The after-Christmas sale at Walmart was great for candy - M&Ms, turtles (pecans, caramel, and chocolate ... oh my), and Reese's peanut butter bells.

I am thankful for ... a husband that is great with our kids and is helpful around the house. Even on his laziest days, he's still way better than most :)

From the kitchen ... the dinner dishes are washing. I have a pile of recipes I need to sort through.

I am wearing ... my favorite PJ pants (from The Gap, I think they're supposed to be workout pants) and my favorite T-shirt from college.

I am creating ... lots of border kits. I signed up for SO many swaps that are due in January (around the 15th). I don't know why I did that - I guess 2010 just looked so far away. It's been fun playing catchup, though :)

I am going ... to finalize my New Years resolutions soon.

I am reading ... A Long Stone's Throw by Alphie McCourt. He's no where near the storyteller his brother was (the late Frank McCourt). I'm almost done.

I am hoping ... to declutter all the "hot spots" in my house my April 1. (I also hope that the stuff I give away is enjoyed the stuff I sell brings me and my family some moolah.)

I am hearing ... Tatiana from The Property Shop. She's fabulous. She's Canadian and she's fiesty and successful. It's a wonderful combination.

Around the house ... things are quiet. The kiddos are in bed and Husband is off for a poker night.

One of my favorite things ... mashed potatoes. I made so many over the holidays, and I ate most of them (since we were snowed in and unable to share them with all the people I had planned on).

A few plans for the rest of the week: Finalizing my New Year's resolutions and goals, get the bathroom painted, and take a trip to Dallas on Wednesday (I have SIX boxes of books, CDs, and DVDs to take to Half Priced Books).

Stolen from Miss Brit.

What is your most marked characteristic?

I have opinions.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

Accountability. I've found it in far too few of them.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Warmheartedness. I think that's a hard one to come by genuinely.

What do you most value in your friends?

Genuineness. I like people who just lay it all out there - whether you like them or not.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I take things personally. A lot.

What is your favorite occupation?

It's tied between crafting and holding a sleeping baby.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Quiet morning, beach, time to read and canoe.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

When you can't even fathom the idea of that quiet morning, beach, and time to read and canoe.

In which country would you like to live?

I fear the Evangelical Christians are taking over America, so some of us will need to seek religious freedom in other parts of the world. I think England would be a nice (and ironic) choice, but I might like Greece (but I'd like to visit first).

Who are your favorite writers?

Frank McCourt, it saddens me that he passed this year and we won't get anything else from him. He didn't even get published till he was in his 60s, and he had those great stories in his head for all those years. His books are the best and least-pretentious memoirs I've ever read. I also love Wally Lamb and John Irving. While I don't think Stephanie Meyer or Megan McCafferty are awesome at the craft of writing, they have good stories with good, raw emotion in them.

Who are your favorite poets?

Sharon Olds.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction?

Dr. Larch from The Cider House Rules.

Who is your favorite heroine of fiction?

Jessica Darling. Say what you want, I love those books.

Who are your favorite composers?

Is it inappropriate to say Black Eyed Peas? All that classic stuff is great too, but ...

Who are your favorite painters?

Aside from Ra Ra Superstar (he's an artist who is a Venice Beach regular, we didn't see him last time we were out there and his site is down, all this combines to concern me) ... I like Matisse and Georgie O'Keefe. Dali is fascinating, but I don't think I'd hang his stuff up around my house.

What are your favorite names?

Oh, I can talk about names ... so much of it depends. Who are we naming? Myself? My kid? A boy? A girl? Twins? Your kid? A pet? It's a very serious issue. I still like Reeve for a boy and recently taken to Gwendolyn (nickname: Winnie) for a girl. I really like Leah too. I like my kids' names too.

What is it that you most dislike?

Poor customer service (whether it's on the end of a cable company, an airline, the government, healthcare, etc.).

Which talent would you most like to have?

Hmm ... maybe only needing two hours of a sleep a day? I mean, sleeping is nice, so I wouldn't want to lose it completely, but it sure eats into a lot of useful time.

How would you like to die?

I can name plenty of ways I do not want to die (airplane crash, fire, drowning, beating, after I've lost my mind, etc.).

What is your current state of mind?

I'm far too focused on my sore throat and body aches to be too deep right now.

What is your motto?

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi