I’ve linked this about a hundred times to everyone I know. I guess it’s about time I posted it here, too. And yes, this was the first song I attempted to learn on the ukulele. I’m just that predictable.

You’ve now been infected by the explosive awesomeness that is chip music and The Pixies.

(Thanks @Joe!)

Adding to my new “Death by Cuteness” segment…

Look at those innocent eyes.

Those fluffy whiskers.

That bow-tie.

Now that I am not in the US, do I still have to give thanks to all the awesome, fun, generous, kind, beautiful, intelligent, thoughtful, polite, funny and generally amazing friends I have?

I think the answer is yes… though I really should be thankful for them every day. It would just be extremely odd if I expressed it every day. As much as I would love to throw my arms around my friends, squeeze the air out of them, kiss them on each cheek and identify their moisturiser (they better be buying from The Body Shop and not Bath & Body Works – or else)… I have to hold back. Because that would just be creepy as hell.

Plus, it’s much more fun to share whine and cheese than to shower someone with compliments (mostly because I would run out of adjectives to describe how utterly great some of these people are). Right?

Personally, I find it difficult to show appreciation to the people I care about (and who care about me, too). I struggle with sounding “sincere enough”. It’s easy to rant… but to rave about my friends? The words escape me. I just know that they are people I respect and they possess great qualities.

So here’s my haiku dedicated to my old friends (and some new ones, too!) – because anything worth saying is best said in seventeen syllables.

Words seem too futile
to use in thanking the few
great heroes I’ve known.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Discovered the BBC’s 2003 “Best Loved Novels”. A couple important revelations:

1. I’ve not read a great number of these books – and I should, just so I might find common conversational ground with the average person who has read about six books on the list. Also, less of those “OH. MY. GOD. You haven’t read [insert book here]?” exclamations of horror.
   
2. I’ve always wanted to read many of these books – but put them on the backburner while I read fodder, played way too many computer games, knit (I assure you, I can’t read and knit at the same time), made up various excuses that I soon would, etc.
3. This list doesn’t even include the books I want to read that aren’t popular enough to make the top 100
4. It might help me overcome my struggle with this … “English” thing - not my first (nor second) language.
5. I should read more fiction, in general.
6. The list of books I want/should read is growing exponentially longer each year - if I keep this up, I will have a list long enough to wrap my entire body with. Like a mummy. Except wrapped in tissue-thin paper, not expensive linen.
7. I’m almost a quarter century old and I better get cracking
8. Why no Graham Greene in the list? - Clearly, no one appreciates angry men.
   
9. I’ve not read Alcott, Austen and (some of) The Brontes - Though I’ve seen the movies. Yes, I can feel you judging me already.
10. By listing down what I have not read, I will expose myself to public ridicule and will therefore be more motivated to read all of it and prove myself – I work best under peer pressure. Continue Reading »

(Thanks @Kevin!)

Plastic sheets trap air.
Free them with your fingers – Pop!
Instant ecstasy.

I should strap someone to an FMRI while they pop bubble wrap. There HAS to be a correlation between mood and bubble-wrap-popping. Could this be the beginnings of bubble-wrap treatment?

Here’s to kids having a twisted sense of humor: