Festive Spirit

Honest Ed's window at Bathurst and Bloor.
Yonge and Dundas Square.
The Swarovski Tree at Toronto Eaton Centre.

Around this time of year I start to get festive. Most people do, when it comes down to it, but I have a feeling my festivity isn't like other people's . Since I wasn't raised celebrating Christmas, it's not the religious aspect that attracts me (and there's stating the obvious!) but rather the sparkle and shine of it all. Gifts are great, but I prefer the sales because they mean I can get a necessary item for better value. This year it's either a television set or a dishwasher. I have a feeling that in terms of necessity, the dishwasher is going to win.
Sarah and Mom decorated the main floor for the holidays yesterday and it looks so warm and inviting. The little tree is all lit up on the buffet, the stair railing is adorned with gold tinsel (the kind NOT dangerous to stupid cats) and gorgeous red ornaments are hanging on almost invisible threat from the chandelier, making them look like they're floating above the holly-print tablecloth and pine-themed centrepiece. I'll take pictures. It looks great.
Today the weather is crummy and it makes me not want to go outside, but I told myself I would go to the gym and since I didn't go with mom in the morning, I need to go now. I figure I'll hit the library on my way back and pick up a few DVDs, and then clean my room a little once I'm home and put in some laundry. There's my play-by-play of the day. Oh, and I have work at 6 where I'll be buying a tiny Christmas tree for the family room for exactly $2. Good times.
Mom leaves for Edmonton on Thursday. I want to go with her, but since I can't I hope she has a really great time.

Jingling and cringling (whatever that means),

-Laur

The people that we meet...

Nanowrimo is over. When midnight struck on November 30th I was awake and watching as word count validation shut down and my status as a 2008 winner was cemented. I felt tired and somewhat relieved; November was an extraordinary and month and while I had a lot of fun, I was kind of glad to be finished. The almost overwhelming feeling of bereavement and grief didn't hit me until the next night while I was at the TGIO (Thank God It's Over!) party at the Victory Cafe on Markham Street. The above picture is of the Nano Trifecta of Evil: Laura Winberg, Nelson Yu and Natalia Lopez-Woodside, three writers who met at the first Brunch social at Pickle Barrel Atrium a week after Nano began and will probably remain friends for the next 5, 10, or even 20 Nanowrimos.

This is Natalia. She is my other half. We figure we were separated at birth (though with the 3 year age difference [she's older] there would be a lot of explaining to do) because we're so similar it's scary. People kept asking us throughout Nanowrimo, did we know each other from before? You know each other so well, you probably go way back. Not the case, but a little creepy and definitely a lot of fun. This picture is of her at the all-night write session at Sanctuary on November the 22nd. We sat across from each other, both plugged into our iTunes as we wrote, and looked up at each other at the same time whenever we had something to say. It was neat. I hit 50K that night, and Natalia hit it right before the 30th. I love that we both won.

This is my super happy face from right after I hit 50,000 words. There isn't an adequate grouping of words to describe how happy winning made me. I only hope I can do it again.

I met a lot of amazing people during Nanowrimo, from my long-lost twin to a feather-duster survivor to a transgendered person to a 40 year old man with purple hair who worships bunnies. I hope that I'm in Toronto next year so that I can do it all over again with the same bunch of awesome people, but if I'm not, I'll find Nanoers where ever I am and think about my Toronto Nano team fondly as I write.

Until next year,

L. Rose Harrington, author, Halloween Firsts