Hi,

So, this very nice person named poisonrational has run into a bit of a tight spot. And, since 2009 is supposed to be better for everyone (I so decree it), we need to help her out....she only needs a few hundred dollars after all. Maybe you can find something you like on her LJ or her Etsy? Or maybe you can spare $5 or $10 to help her out? OR maybe you can stick this message up on your LJ and pass it on? Every little bit helps!

The information is here:

http://poisonrational.livejournal.com/175464.html

She's one of the good ones, folks.

Oh and...three days till 2009!

Moggy

You could've had your bad memories of the year shredded in Times Square. Too bad I didn't know in advance, we could've arranged a road trip. Ha!

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/Oddities/081228/K122806AU.html

Though we are not amused by the Red Sox poster shredding. Tsk.

Moggy
(Who will be burning the calendar yet again this year... http://vonandmoggy.livejournal.com/328785.html.)

Thank you for all of your support over the last year...for the laughs, the patience, the smiles, the virtual shoulders to sniffle on, and the advice...you helped to make an otherwise sometimes terrifyingly awful year, well, manageable.

And so, whatever you celebrate, be safe and have fun! Merry, merry!



Moggy

I liked you so much.



2008, what we have here is...failure to communicate. And I hope you know I'm officially done with you now.

Moggy

p.s.
I'm going to have 50 eggs in your honour, Paul. Or at least 2, anyways. You were one of the good ones for sure.

p.p.s.
Dammit.

Okay, so I've had a bit of a crappy time lately, as anyone who's read my last few posts could tell...it's not a big deal, just annoying stuff that makes me go rarr waaaaah sniffle sob grumble. You know how it is.

Well, actually, by "lately," I actually mean the last year or so. But never mind that.

Anyways, awhile back, the most wonderful tscheese did a drunk drawing thing where she drew suggestions under the influence. I suggested some combination of drunk hamsters and sunsets that led her to draw this wonderful thing that has been my desktop off and on for months and months now:



How fun is that? Way fun, that's how!

Wait, that sentence doesn't make lots of sense...anyways, never mind that. I like that picture a lot, that's what I'm sayin'.

So, last night, I'm getting all tipsy on wine and painkillers in the hopes that the combination will dull the various aches and pains I have right now and tscheese mentions that her friend is doing a similar drunk drawing thing. And I have no idea who this person is but I'm feeling silly and in the need of a smile and so I wander over and suggest...hey, please draw me a drunk hamster with a sunset, too! Cuz I'm cheeky like that.

And so the wonderful mshepley does me a drawing!



How cool is that? Made my whole day, I tell ya. Really. A true random act of wonderfulness!

And so now I have the startings of a collection...anyone else wanna give me a drunk hamster and sunset drawing? *puppy eyes*

As for me and my teethy problems...I'm currently biting a clove in the hopes that it will dull the toothache. And I can still taste the salt from the rinse earlier. Go, folk remedies, go...buy me some time till the antibiotics actually start to do something other than upsetting my stomach! And don't even get me started on the uselessness of painkillers. Pfftttttt!

Moggy (sore, tired, hungry, and kinda wishing she was a drunk hamster...)

1) Is it a bad thing that I'm perfectly content to spend Friday night sitting outside on the porch with the iPod playing my (very quiet) "sleep" playlist, a glass of cider, the laptop (for occasional e-mail checking), and a book?

2) Von is playing video games inside. We're not exactly party animals, huh...but content.



3) Less than two weeks to my doctor's appointment. Thank gawd. And that's all I have to say about that because this isn't meant to be a pity-me-I-feel-crappy post...I've done too many of those in the past. And will likely still do a few in the future, too, despite my best intentions.

4) Next weekend I'm doing something nutty in a place that speaks mostly French. Anyone care to guess what? I'll give you a hint: it's free!

5) In two weeks I'm going to a cottage. For a girl who's complained in the past about having nothing planned for this summer, the next two weeks are an embarrassment of riches. I still wanna do Boston but now it's going to have to be August because I'm stuck here till after the doctor's appointment mentioned in point #3 (and then I guess I plan around the new surgery date).

6) tscheese wins the prize for best post of the day. She's awesome...and she met a giant cockroach tonight!

7) I feel like writing for the first time in a long time. I have the...interest...and it's been gone a long time. We'll see if anything comes of it.

8) HEY! Did you see Von's post? C'mon, he needs some support: http://vonandmoggy.livejournal.com/367696.html

9) I forgot what I was going to put for #9.

10) Whatcha doing this weekend? Tell me something exciting. Or dull. Or make something up. I really just want e-mail to read tomorrow, okay?

11) Please see #8 again. For me.

Happy weekend! And now...back to my book. Mmm, book.

Moggy

Wow, it's been almost two weeks since I posted.

Oh my.

So, here, have a list...it might be a long list. I'm not sure yet. I'm winging it on half a pint of supper-cider and the painkillers I refer to as my Magic Pills.

The last little while...in absolutely no order.

1) The Prairie Viking stayed with us for a week and a bit...he's crazy. Crazy! He kept me up till 4am one night playing video games, dammit! *points accusingly* And I drank too much while he was here. We didn't really get a chance to talk books or writing, which was too bad...but it was really nice to see him. He doesn't get down to this end of the country very often; he really should just live here. Umm, I would drink more, though, so maybe he's safer back in Saskatchewan.

2) knifty_knitter surprised me with cookies today. Home-made, gluten-free cookies. She's the one who made me my lovely birthday cake back in December, remember? No, kuzu_no_ha and grain_damaged, you can't have her. She's mine, all mine!



3) On Monday I'm seeing Leonard Cohen in concert. I love Cohen. No, really...I love Cohen! I have (literally) loved him since I was a toddler...it was very amusing to me to get his albums on CD and realize that my parents had screened some of his more risque songs from their wee toddler. Don't Go Home with Your Hard-on for example. *snicker* Anyways, on Monday, at 7:30pm, I'll be sitting in a concert hall in Montreal and grinning like a maniac. Like a maniac, I tell ya! Von is coming with me but it's only a whirlwind trip...just one night. I wish we could go for longer but I guess that just means we'll have to go back again soon. Though I am hoping we can see Paul from Astro Books, who has been in hospital for the last little while...

4) Did I mention I'm seeing Cohen!? I did? Oh.

5) COHEN!

6) I got my employee review at the dayjob. I didn't bring it home with me so I can't quote from it but it was...well, glowing. I'm professional, a talented editor, a gem, and a delight to work with. *blushing* It was...well, it was nice. I don't always love working in an office but I seem to have landed in a good place.

7) Tomorrow is Rory Root's memorial. After a lot of tears, I did finally...place it. I'll raise a glass quietly tomorrow and cheers him. He's a loss to the world but, partially thanks to him, I'm close to a lot of comics folk whom I might not know so well otherwise. And, much as I hate having people yanked out of my life...I'd rather know the good 'uns than not. If that makes sense.

8) I am officially plotting two trips, pending money and all that stuff. Boston in mid July or early August and New York City in November. 2008 is dead to me but there's no reason I can't have fun in the meantime. (sarahcoyne, are you and Mark planning to be out of town this summer? Cuz I don't wanna come to town without being able to see you and the critters!)

9) I've felt crappy lately but Monday marks one month till the new specialist appointment...and I plan on raising hell and throwing a fit till he agrees to cut me open and get rid of what's hurting me. I think it's a good plan, don't you?

10) Von was on tv on Tuesday night...an hour-long interview. It was awesome! He did great...he was entertaining, suave, funny, and informed...the interviewer obviously liked him and his work...and I was very proud. And James Hendricks of Rogers tv? A really nice guy.

11) I have some random pictures but LJ is being a pain so have just this one for now...Bonny being a killer attack cat.



12) Ohhhh, okay...LJ let me upload that one. Let's try another one. Von and his pup:



13) Happy Summer Solstice!

And since 13 is a lucky number...I'll stop here.

How's everyone else doing??

Moggy

p.s.
Oooh cool...ice on Mars!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7465419.stm

Co-worker: "Dammit, I'm going to get rained on when I leave."
Me: *slouched at desk* "Huh?"
Co-worker: "It's looking really grey out there...bet it's gonna rain soon."
Me: *gets up, stretches, wanders to window* "Oh, blah...oh wait! I have laundry outside!" *races back to desk to call home*
Co-worker: *shouting* "Quick! Bring that laundry in!!!"

*ring, ring*

Von: *picking up* "Already done."
Me: *silence for a split second...followed by laughter*
Von: "I've been expecting you to call for a half hour."
Me: *still laughing* "Okay, I got nuthin'...thank you!"

In conclusion...Von knows I'll panic at the thought of nicely washed and sun-dried clothes gettin' water from the skies all over 'em.

That was earlier this afternoon...I am right now home and sitting outside (dinner is heating in the oven) with my feet up on a chair, a glass of wine nearby, and an extra-extra-strength Advil on its way to my innards. Don't worry, I don't make a habit of this and I never mix the narcotics with alcohol...but I wanted both right now. So there. Besides, the narcotics would only make me too stoned to enjoy my evening. And I want to enjoy my evening, dammit! When I go to bed, yes...but not till then. *tops up wine glass and sticks tongue out at no one in particular*

Speaking of which...HEY! I see you purply clouds! Don't you dare rain on me! I just got comfy!

*shakes fist at the sky*

Moggy

p.s.
Thanks to a very kind co-worker (she knows who she is), I had a restful weekend with my feet up and movies on. Since 2008 spit on a few more people I know, it was a nice break and I feel like I got some of my reserves back.

*goes back to shaking fist at the sky*

Dearest 2008:

I lay awake thinking about you last night. Until 3:30 a.m., even. I started to get really angry with you on Monday and it's been slowly reaching the boiling point all week. And then, last night, through a fog of medication and temper tantrum, I decided the following: you, 2008, have finally gone too far. You're over the line.

Way over the line.

It had to happen eventually, I mean you've been tapdancing just this side of the line since early January. You promised you'd be better! You promised! I mean, you saw how 2007 behaved, didn't you take anything away from that? I'm sure I was clear. It's obvious you're not a good listener.

2007 kicked my butt. I was sick most of the year, there was uncertainty and disappointments on the creative and bookstore fronts, friends got sick, friends died, winter went on for an eternity, I didn't get to see people I've been missing...I can't even remember what else. It was a shit(excusemylanguage)storm of a year and when it was finally over, it was a huge relief. I know the new year is just a date on the calendar but I was happy to pull that calendar off the wall and set fire to it. Literally. Oh and the tears.

Which brings me to you, 2008. HEY! Don't try and skulk away, get yer ass back here.

I'm not happy with you. So far, you've managed to dig up everything that was bad about 2007, heat it up again, and toss it back in my face. What did I do to deserve that? Hello? I thought we'd sorted this out but oh no...friends are sick again, friends are dying again, I'm constantly sore (and sorry for myself), Von is pushing on with his work but frustrated, I want to travel and I can't figure out when or how or why, and and and...the list goes on and on.

So, we need to talk, 2008. Because we're only five months in and I'm not sure I can take another seven months of you being such a huge prick. Can we call a truce? You grant me the five following things and I'll stop complaining about you in public. And steaming about you in private. Deal?

1) Something good for Von. I want some prints to sell at the art show (pictures to come in my next post) or something. I don't care. I just want the phone to ring and I want him to have happy creative news for me.

2) Something good for me on the health front. Again, I don't really care what...I'm just tired of waiting all day to take the one medication that blunts the pain a little at night (and which I can't take during the day because it makes me feel drunk). That's right, 2008, I whined about my health again. I know some people have it worse but I'm not happy with the situation. Fix it.

3) A trip. I want to go to Boston and see the Red Sox. Make it happen. Do what you know needs doing and get me on that plane/bus/train/bicycle/whatever.

4) No more serious illnesses or deaths in my circle of friends, both here and away. I've had it with the bad news. Don't f*ck with me, I'm serious here. And there's no wiggle room on this point, either. Just quit it. Edited to add: 2008's response to this letter was to give a close family friend a bad heart attack and put him into intensive care this evening. A close family friend I like a lot. *flips 2008 off*

5) Something else randomly good. Money, an unexpected present, a really beautiful day when I have no plans and an unopened bottle of wine...a random act of kindness. I don't really care what...just something unexpected. I want something good to happen and I'll be the judge of what's good!*

I hope you were listening this time, 2008. I'd hate to have to speak to you about this again. *picks up a big stick menacingly*

Yours reluctantly,

Moggy

*p.s.
That made me think of Sports Night, of course...I couldn't find the bit I wanted** but this one will do: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKdDSrMamww

**p.p.s.
Any of this sound familiar?

http://vonandmoggy.livejournal.com/312437.html