Sunday 24 February 2008

Committing my predictions to the inter web.

Every year my sisters and I have some sort of Oscar gathering and every year we print out a ballot and fill out who we think are going to be the winners for the night. I don't think I have ever won. I think the best I ever did was around 11 out of 24. But still I love to try and it adds a level of tension and excitment to watching the ceremony.

For a full list of nominees click here.

Here are my predictions for the winners of the 80th Annual Academy Awards. Who I think will win is in green and who I want to win is in purple.
*update - I am putting in the winners in Red.

Best Motion Picture
There Will Be Blood
Juno
No Country For Old Men
Best Actor
Daniel Day Lewis
Johnny Depp
Daniel Day Lewis
Best Actress
Marion Cotillard
Ellen Page
Marion Cotillard
Best Supporting Actor
Javier Bardem
Javier Bardem
Javier Bardem
Best Supporting Actress
Tilda Swinton
Cate Blanchette
Tilda Swinton
Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood)
Jason Reitman (Juno)
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen (No Country For Old Men)
Best Original Screenplay
Michael Clayton
Lars and The Real Girl
Juno Yay!
Best Adapted Screenplay
Atonement
No Country For Old Men
No Country For Old Men
Best Cinematography
Atonement
Atonement
There Will Be Blood
Best Editing
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Bourne Ultimatum
Best Art Direction
The Golden Compass
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd
Best Costume Design
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Across The Universe
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Best Makeup
Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End
Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End
La Vie En Rose
Best Original Score
Atonement
Atonement
Atonement
Best Song
Once (Falling Slowly)
Once (Falling Slowly)
Once (Falling Slowly) I squealed in delight when this won!
Best Sound
Transformers
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Bourne Ultimatum
Best Sound Editing
Ratatouille
Ratatouille
The Bourne Ultimatum
Best Visual Effects
The Golden Compass
Transformers
The Golden Compass
Best Animated Feature
Ratatouille
Ratatouille
Ratatouille
Best Foreign Film
Mongol
Falscher, Die
Falscher, Die
Best Documentary
War Dance
War Dance
Taxi To The Dark Side
Best Documentary Short
Sari's Mother
Sari's Mother
Freeheld
Best Short Animated
Meme Les Pigeons Vont Au Paradis
Meme Les Pigeons Vont Au Paradis
Peter & The Wolf
Best Short Live Action
Tanghi Argentini
Tanghi Argentini
Le Mozart Des Pickpockets

I ended up with 10 out of 24. Pretty typical results for me. I am so thrilled for Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova for winning best song for Once. And Diablo Cody for best original screenplay for Juno.

Saturday 23 February 2008

Out with the old and in with the new.

I bought this dish today.

Now that I am getting rid of old things, I am making room for new and lovely things. I have no plans to just build back up a collection of stuff, but to pick and choose nice pieces to add to my life. This fit the bill. It is beautiful, artistic and practical and I love it.

The artist is laura McKibbon and here is a link to her website www.culdesacdesign.com if you are interested in checking out what else she does.

Friday 22 February 2008

Love letters.

In my bedroom closet, tucked away on the shelf, I found a mandarin orange box filled with letters from high school. These were old notes written back and forth with friends during classes, letters from friends like Charlene and Shawn who had moved away, and then a whole bunch of love letters. Poetry and proclamations of adoration from Jeremy, Tim and Ryan. I had intended to not even open the box and just chuck it out without revisiting anything. I told Shawn I was going to do this and he said he'd like to have the letters he wrote me. So I ended up having to go through the box anyways and I am glad I did. (Thanks Shawn) It was a trip.

I scanned some of the notes written in classes and had a smile or two over what they said. I also felt some embarrassment over things I had written. I even blushed once or twice sitting alone in my room reading these notes. There were a couple so mortifying that I actually got up and shredded them instantly.

I had about 25 letters from Ryan and I held the first one in my hands for a minute trying to decide whether I would read it or not. I decided not to and I started a 'get rid of' pile with Ryan's letters.

I came across the letters from Tim and read them. They made me feel the most ...I don't know what word I want here. Sad doesn't quite fit, nostalgic maybe, but not entirely. It was just weird. He said such nice things to me and about me but there is a level of detachment that I wouldn't have picked up on consciously back then. I know that I always felt a little unstable with him but I couldn't have pinpointed why. These letters have all the clues in them for why we broke up, I just wasn't seeing them at the time.After reading each letter from Tim, I put them into the 'get rid of' pile. It was hard to do but totally necessary. I figured these were going to be the hardest to get rid of. I was wrong.

Jeremy's letters were my favourite. I only had 4 from him and I kept 3 of them. They are sweet and funny and completely endearing. I laughed when I read them and struggled over keeping them. I finally decided that I had done so well with getting rid of every other letter that I could justify keeping these 3.

By the end of going through the box, along with those 3 letters from Jeremy, I ended up keeping a letter from my Grandma and a funny note from Stef, plus some pictures that had ended up in there.

The bedroom closet project took all day long and while my closet and room look great, I now have a pile of stuff in my hall that I need to take down to the trash, put in recycling or drop off at the Salvation Army.

My typical pattern of behaviour here is to let those boxes and bags sit there for weeks before I do anything with them. I have some level of discomfort about taking things to the Salvation Army and I need to shake that and just do it. It's the reason I like Big Brothers so much; they come to you.

Thursday 21 February 2008

It's all coming together.

Well, I am still on a roll. All of my spare time over the past week has been spent on cleaning, purging and organizing. Even my dreams have been about letting go and/or hoarding.

My bedroom looks great and I am thrilled with it. My bed is so comfy and luxurious now. I hung new pictures, bought new plants, got rid of things I didn't love and moved the things I do love to the forefront. I keep walking in there just to look at it.

I bought a new kitchen table off of Craigslist and then picked up the perfect chairs for it from Ikea. When I got the table home, it didn't fit where I though it would and so I had to (got to) rearrange the layout of my apartment. I am loving the new setup of my space now too. It feels good, clean and simple.

I still have too much stuff and am getting rid of things in stages. I wouldn't call myself a hoarder by any definition of the word but I do like to hang on to certain things out of sentimentality. I have been letting a lot of those things go this week. I am learning that the thing isn't what is special. It's the memories that hold the meaning.

Sunday 10 February 2008

It's about time!

I want to write something new but I have no idea what to write about. I am feeling good and inspired but not necessarily for writing. More for cleaning and decorating.

I got all new bedding yesterday. New sheets, pillows, duvet cover, pillowcases, mattress pad, a lamp, and plants. Ok so the lamp and plants aren't exactly bedding but I am excited about them too. Plus they are a part of the overall newness of things in my bedroom. I am finally ready to make my space exactly what I want it to be. I started with the bathroom last August and am finally doing my bedroom now. I am then going to move on to the kitchen and living room.

Fun times!

Tuesday 5 February 2008

It's a girl!

Lily Kate
7 lbs 1 oz
born at 7:49pm Feb 5th
Happy and healthy

I love her already!!

Still waiting...

It is 8:48pm and the last news came at 5:30 by way of a text.

"Nothing yet. Standing by."

I can't stand the wait!

It's time!

The first call came in at 9am and I missed it. I checked my messages at 11:12am and called him right back.

"She good. She's sleeping right now. At noon they will induce labour and give her the epidural."
"Ok. wow! Give her my love and good luck."
"I will. Thanks. I'll let you know when there is anything to know."

I am still waiting for the second call.
I love you Meg.

Friday 1 February 2008

It's February - Let the birth month begin!!

February just so happens to be my favourite month, for some fairly obvious reasons; It's got a cool name (also the most commonly mispronounced), it's the shortest month of the year, every four years it gets an extra day, and it is the month that my birthday is in!

My birthday is coming up in a week and the festivities start tomorrow. As many of you know, I really do call February my birthmonth and starting tomorrow is my birthweek and then specifically next Friday is my birthday. I do like to celebrate as much as I possibly can. It's the one time in my life that I feel quite justified in asking everyone to do what I want them to do. I get to pick the restaurants, the homemade dinners, the venues, the movies, the snacks, the guestlist and on and on.

Tomorrow, my dear friends LS and ED are making me breakfast and then the three of us are going shopping together. I am quite looking forward to it.

I haven't planned out the rest of my birthweek yet because for the first time in many many years, I can't decide what to do. I'm sure it will all come to me in due time so I'm not sweating it yet. I have been fighting a nasty cold all week so that has removed some of my excitment and planning abilities.

I also want to wish a happy birthday to my Febmates....(shout out to you prairieox) there are many of us and I always feel a special connection to my fellow Februarians.

Cheers~
kt