It's Friday, and I had a few minutes to kill before heading out, so naturally I spent them productively:
http://www.bored.com/drawthings/save.php?id=825983

Your personality analysis based on this drawing:You like to fantasize and think of ideas.You are an open person and have a willingness to interact with others.You have a desire to live alone.You long to be loved.

Don't we all?

Just a quick post about a dream I had last night, because it involved you guys! In the 18+ months that I've been blogging, I've had a couple of dreams about some of the blogland "regulars", but always when I'd been blogging (and reading) a lot. Since I haven't been around much lately, it's interesting that I had one now.

Anyway, this dream was short -- msfitz, Catherine and anam were sitting around shooting the breeze, talking about the ways we coped right after our losses. Msfitz said that she was so upset that she wore her wedding dress for weeks on end, until it was almost in rags (very Miss Havisham!). As she was saying this, I noticed that she was about 6 months pregnant and that she had a little boy toddling around her. I can only hope that given her recent surgery that the dream was a premonition...

That's it for now... back to your regularly scheduled programing...

Hallmark has come out with a new "Journeys" line of cards that respond to "modern" issues. They've got one for empty nest syndrome, battling cancer and yes, even pregnancy loss:

Hallmark - Journeys

Mourning the loss of baby must be a real phenomenon if Hallmark came up with a card for it...

So, after my syrupy meme post, I'm back to being slightly cynical about things. As my friend (and blog lurker) pointed out recently, at least I still have my head.

OK, as Kate pointed out, it's only fair that I do this meme myself. So, here goes -- here are 10 positive things about myself:

1. I don't hold a grudge. I am able to forgive and forget with people that I care about.
2. I like spoiling people -- I get so much more pleasure out of making or doing something for other people than I do for myself.
3. My hair is thick and shiny, and has only gotten more so since the menopause (oddly enough).
4. I can walk relatively well in heels (and my calves are one part of my anatomy that I don't mind showing off).
5. I can type 75 words a minute.
6. Despite little practice, I can still play the flute well enough to accompany my mother (who plays the organ) at Christmas and Easter.
7. I tend to think of others first, and although this doesn't make me much of a corporate shark, it makes it easier to live with myself.
8. I can make a decent meal out of orphaned ingredients.
9. I always enjoy a good joke, even when it's on me.
10. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. (that's not necessarily a positive thing, but I'm under the gun!)

Alright, I've got to get back to work now! Thanks to Jill for keeping the meme ball in the air. Any one else feel like taking a shot?

For the first time ever (and possibly the last!) I've decided to take the bull by the horns and start my very own meme. What fun! I had an idea for this meme when I woke up this morning, and given Catherine's post today about low self-esteem regarding appearance, it looks like it's coming not a moment too soon. (Plus, Jill pointed out that things have been rather quiet in blogland lately, so maybe we need something to perk us up!) So here it is:

List 10 positive things about yourself, including at least:
2 things about your relationships/interactions with other people (can be anyone -- friends, family, strangers (being kind to strangers is something to be proud of, after all), pets, yourself)
2 positive things about your appearance
2 positive things about your professional/creative abilities
1 positive personality trait; something that you would never willingly change about yourself

That gives you 3 "wild cards" to spread around the above categories (or things outside of these categories)

Rules:
NO NEGATIVITY!
No qualifying your statements, e.g. "I remember most of my friends' birthdays, though I should make more of an effort to celebrate with them."
No item is too small to mention. "I have a very nice pinky nail" is a perfectly valid type of statement.

Remember: "Positive" is in the eye of the beholder. Try not to feel constrained by what other people might think.

This is not meant to be a smarmy cheerleader exercise, I just thought that we could all use some positive energy right about now...

(And I apologize that I don't have time to complete the meme for myself right now, but I promise that I will do it ASAP!)

It's a bloody mess out there. It had been snowing since the middle of last night and now the wind has really picked up and the snow has turned to ice pellets. We spent an unsuccessful hour trying to get the car out of the driveway and onto the street (that would be the royal we, meaning my husband spent an hour digging and driving and I came out periodically asking if I could do anything), so it looks like we're snowed in for the time being. I had a big meeting at the office this afternoon, which I really was planning on getting to one way or the other, but it's been postponed. All of which to say, we've got a snow day on our hands.

And why does this make me melancholy? Obvious reasons, I guess. I took a walk down to the corner store earlier and passed house after house with kids playing outside, fathers and sons clearing driveways, mums helping build snowmen... and I imagine in many of the other houses families were inside playing games in front of a fire or baking cookies or watching their favourite movies together. And I ache with the desire to have a part of that. I miss Lydia so much and I'm sad for all of the special days like this that I'll never get to experience with her. No matter how much I fill my life up with other things, that hole will always be there.

Oh, I think I need to go make a nice, warm batch of chocolate chip cookies. It may be a temporary fix, but I'll take what I can get at this point!