1/2 OR 183/365

Six months.
183 days.

However you look at it, I am half way there!*

* Admittedly, as I'm posting this, it feels like less of a "half way!" and more of a "ONLY half way?"

182/365

181/365

Needed a head shot for a photo contest. This is not the one I submitted, but "leftovers" sure make my day's blog work easy.

180/365

Tonight's Skype conversation: PD Days, new outfits, and vegetable metaphors.

 

179/365

Layer up; it's snowshoe time!

178/365

"But I don't wanna take a photo today!"

177/365

Time to start organizing those papers...

176/365

"Because I'm trying to type, that's why."

175/365

Of course, the indicator of any good party is how much cleaning up there is to do the next day.

174/365

Birthday celebrations concluded last night with a gathering at my house. I always enjoy having company over. I love my space, and I love fellowship within it. Certainly not a wild or crazy evening, my party was nevertheless a lovely evening of laughter, food, and fun.

It was also one more thing that reminded me of how blessed I am in my friendships and community. As I mentioned previously, the birthday celebrations started two weeks ago. My family in SK took me out for a lovely brunch. My six-year-old niece, ever-purposeful in so much of what she does, wore an entirely-red outfit in my honour. This really touched me as a reminder of the intentionality with which I am considered by those close to me.

The following week--my actual birthday--I was spoiled again. I had suggested a simple Birthday-Grey's Night, but the girls took that idea and ran with it.

I sat in JP's kitchen, watching the three of them move animatedly around pots, cutting boards, and appliances, piecing together their fondue creation. I know that they were having fun creating simply because they were creating. But I also know that this idea had come about as they had considered me. Just me.

This--at this point, right here--was a wealth of blessing.

Last night, my friends continued to pour the light of celebration and love upon me. And all I really had to do was take it in. (That and the rum-chocolate mousse!)

(As a side note, I had ten people in my house for this event, and my anxiety-disordered cat remained upstairs for the entire evening. She also stayed in the living room, where everyone was gathered, for at least half of that. She enjoyed cuddles from more than one person, and did not hiss at anyone. This is a birthday miracle, if ever I saw one.)

173/365

When I host a party, I also tend to become a walking Dyson advertisement.

172/365

About a year ago at this time, there was so much snow on the ground that when my friends and I snowshoed around the city's parks, we were flush with the tops of benches and large garbage cans. This year's precipitation levels have been the complete opposite. In some ways--particularly ways that involve a driveway and a shovel--I am grateful. That being said, I have missed the snowshoeing. As have my friends.

Currently, we are on Day 5 of a deep freeze stretch. But on day one of this stretch, it snowed. Enough to actually cover stuff. And enough to justify snowshoeing, -30C or not.

Sure, we could have tromped around the field in just our boots and actually been just fine. But that's not the point. It's half way through January in Alberta and we hadn't yet been able to break out the snowshoes. That's just not right. We were chomping at the bit.

We did pace ourselves, voting for a half-hour trek instead of our usual hour. It took us about half an hour just to get ourselves dressed and geared up. We are poorly out of routine. But now afterwards, as I rehydrate and have a bite to eat, I am awash in that endorphin-driven, post-outdoor-activity feeling of satisfaction.

Could it be that I actually find myself wishing it would snow a little more???

171/365

Around 8:15 this morning. It actually got a bit worse before it got better (and by better I mean -26C). On the plus side (ha, ha), it was bright and sunny all day long.

170/365

Hot bath on a super cold day: lovely.
Hot epsom bath after a deep tissue massage: relaxing.
One bath serving both purposes simultaneously: awesome!

169/365

The ASL sign for "cold." I've been using it a lot today.

168/365

I can either snow blow my driveway in the cold, or I can snow blow my driveway in the cold. So I chose in the cold.

167/365

Who says chocolate martinis are just for Christmas?

166/365

Birthday celebrations continue; first [non-chocolate] fondue!*

*(Don't ask why I waited 31 years--I don't know that, either)

165/365

And the crossover process continues...

164/365

Work: where it is not unusual to find blue ice cubes in the freezer.

163/365

Amongst the fun--built-in webcam. :)

162/365

MY MAC IS HERE!!!!!

161/365

The long journey home...

160/365

Let the birthday celebrations begin. :)

159/365

Movie night. I can taste the butter and salt as I type :)

158/365

If you put the dreidel song in their heads, they will want to make a dreidel. When you ask if they have clay, they will say they can use play dough. When you ask if there is currently play dough made, Mom will say no, and she will make a new batch. They will ask what Hanukkah colours are. You will say "blue and white" but when the food colouring actually comes out, they will want every colour. You will show them how to mix the food colouring into the play dough; you will end up with a rainbow all over your hands.

In the end, you will make three unique dreidels.

You will be so touched that your niece and nephew enjoy a custom from your own culture. And you will have rainbow on your hands to remind you for the next several days. :)

Rock You Like a Hurricane! OR 157/365

Hurricane simulation at the mall--SO worth the $2!

156/365

Each engaged in our own screen; oh, technology.

155/365

Friends, tunes, coffee. We are good to go. :)

Create for 2012 AND 154/365

So, if spontaneity was my guiding word (not to ever be confused with my Guiding Word) for 2011, what have I chosen for 2012? Again, I didn't have to think hard, but it isn't a word I necessarily chose as intentionally as last year--this one more just sorta came to me.

Cre·ate (kr-t): (v) to cause to exist; to bring into being. To produce through artistic or imaginative effort.

This one has somewhat of a broader scope to it. While I think it will definitely focus around my photography, I do not want to limit it to just that. I want to take advantage of opportunities to create in any activity.

• To create relationships--with people at work, with people in my community, short-term or long.
• God calls us to be in relationship with others. I have purposely paid attention to this calling for a few years now, and continue to seek growth in the way I connect and interact with others.
• To create my own -- my own space, my own food, my own comfort.
• I am moving swiftly through Year Two in my house. I filled rooms with my colours, the garden with my vegetables, and the whole house with my essence. I look forward to taking the best parts of last year and continue to create in my home.
• To create for the eye -- ah, the photography.
• I am very excited about finally purchasing a Macbook Pro. It should arrive in the mail sometime next week. In short turn, I will load Photoshop and Aperture onto its hard drive to work in conjunction with the great graphics hardware that the laptop will have on its own. After recently looking back on some older photographs, I was surprised to see just how much skill I really have gained since expanding my photography beyond just snapshots. Both in pure images, and in my ability to artistically and/or aesthetically enhance images. I can't even start to imagine the new things I will learn how to do with my images through new programs (and continued practice in the field, of course).

Because the word "create" implies something that currently does not exist, there may very well be other areas in which I create--for myself, or for others. As with every new year--every new day--2012 is an unknown. I feel like the words 'create' and 'discover' may end up going hand-in-hand.