I Like The Shiny Ones

As the year draws to a close, I pause to reflect on a gift that kept on giving: my Shoe-A-Day desk calendar. When I was presented with the calendar on Christmas morning 2007, I thought, What a strange gift. I like fun shoes, but a page-a-day calendar? An interesting choice, but will it catch on?

Did it ever! The calendar is a HIT in my office! The facility manager (a burly, hooded sweatshirt-wearing, shovels-show-while-he-smokes kind of guy) comes in almost every morning to see the new day's shoe. Some days are mundane - just how many strappy black sandals does one calendar need? - while others are just ridiculous - lace-up spring-bottomed moon shoes? Really? But no matter the shoe, be it lovely or loony, a conversation was always started, and I grew a little closer to my office mates and learned something about fashion, too.

Next up: the 2009 purse-a-day calendar. I can't wait!

shoe-a-day - A

So... What's New?

I love Facebook.  I really do.  I have over 400 Facebook friends - some of whom I see every day, and some of whom I haven't spoken to in over ten years.  It's fun.  I find it's an easy way to stay "connected" to people that you may just want to say hi to every now then; on the flip side, it's also easy to send messages to your co-workers in the next room if your boss can access your email.  Not that I do that.  My boss is one of my Facebook friends.

But I digress.  The thing I DON'T like about Facebook is the question "so what's new?"  When someone asks me what's new, I want to tell them the NEWEST thing I can.  For example: what's new with me?  Well, the theater where I work is going to show The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which is cool, and I got a Christmas box from my dad yesterday, which is awesome, and I really need a pedicure.  That's what's "new" with me.  But someone you haven't talked to in over ten years doesn't want to hear about your janky toenails... but I can't in good conscience start the "what's new" answer with "Well, I graduated from college."  Because that would be answering "what's old?"

Facebook - A-

"What's new?" - C-

Christmasy Things

I've wrapped the presents, decorated the tree, addresses the cards (they're going out later today)... and later this week, the gay carolers will be at work!  Yay!  Let the holidays begin!

happy cartoon lesbian carolers, especially the one with the stereotypical haircut - A

Cannonball Read

When is a resolution not a resolution?

When it's a challenge.

I have decided to participate in Cannonball Read in 2009.  The objective: read 100 books in one year (you can read more about it here).  That's about two books a week, and there are rules: No books smaller than 200 pages.  Short story collections only count if they are at least 6 stories long.  No graphic novels.  And I'm adding my own rule: if I've only read it ONCE, it's fair game (I'm talking to you, The Glass Castle and Water for Elephants).  

I'm a little scared.  This will probably drastically cut into my TV time.  But I'm up for it.  I will come out of it smarter, maybe, with tired eyes, for sure, and hopefully with some new-found inspiration for blog posts.

In the meantime, please send your book suggestions!

Cannonball Read - incomplete, but I'm thinking it's going to be an A+