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George Winston: Winter into Spring. Thanks for reminding me Adam...

Now I REALLY want to play piano. Repeat after me: You cannot "play" your desktop. People will also look at you funny if you do.

All I want for Christmas...

I got an iPod for Christmas! And it has 60 GB of storage so I can put ALL my music on it and stash my CDs in storage. Yipee!
If you start talking to me and I don't respond, I probably have headphones on, bopping to my new Fiona Apple album.

Holy Holidays Batman

What a holiday we had!

Friday, Tom and I both had the day off and got to work cooking and wrapping presents to go over to my sister's house to celebrate with my parents. My sister cooked a goose my dad brought back from his hunting adventures in Canada (I had a veggie roast, but I understand the goose was faboo), we had rosemary mashed potatoes, baked brie with apples, lots of yummy olives, gravy, a giant salad, a delicious pot pie made from scratch by Amber, and tiaramisu and cheesecake for desert. My dad wasn't feeling well so he turned in while Amber, Mom, Tom and I watched Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol.
Christmas Eve Amber and I were in charge of the shift at the parrot rescue. Fortunately we had great staff and were able to get all the work done AND share treats with the birds in 5 hours. I got home, showered and changed just in time for us to be off to see Tom's family in Eden Prairie. Another delicious meal with way too much desert was served! It was great to see everyone and talk politics. We participated in the annual gift game and somehow I came home with a golf club organizer...
Christmas Day was jam packed with TWO family visits. In the morning we went to see Tom's parents and open gifts. We had the traditional champagne breakfast and enjoyed seeing all the remodeling progress in his parents' house. In the afternoon, we went to the home of my cousins Janice and Scott. Even more wonderful and tempting food was served including a salad with dates and a delicious walnut oil dressing. After visiting with Scott, Janice, my cousins Phyllis and Duane (and their daughters Kirsten and Kallie - who had a very entertaining Iz and astronomy projector to play with) we headed home around 5 pm.
Monday I was off to the Landing (parrot rescue) to lead another shift. We flew through our chores and everyone was on their way home by 2:30 PM. The afternoon was filled with home improvement part deux. Tom's gift from me this year was a pair of SpeakerCraft in-wall speakers for his home theater. Tom purchased an additional pair to be side speakers in the ceiling. So we cut holes in the wall and the ceiling and dug around in the insulation AGAIN! Once the speakers were in I touched up the wall paint and we collapsed on the couch.
I had Tuesday off as well and decided to run errands. Yikes - so many people still shopping! Its like a shopping orgy out there. I took our change collection (7 years worth) to the bank. It was HEAVY!!! After the nice teller laughed at me she put the change in the machine which counted 4,600 coins. I was then off to buy a new shower curtain to go with the crescent shower rod and fabric shower liner my parents and sister gave me. A quick stop at Target and Barnes & Noble and I was done shopping.
I put up the curtain and arranged the beautiful bathroom accessories I got for Christmas. My bathroom is starting to look like a spa - I love it! Now I just need to get the wood off the walls...

Yes, Charlie Brown, it was a good holiday.

I have a personality?

You (No, not you silly, ME!) are an INFP!

As an INFP, you are Intraverted, iNtuative, Feeling , Perceiving.
This makes your primary focus on Introverted Feeling with Extraverted Intuition.

INFPs present a calm, pleasant face to the world. They appear to be tranquil and peaceful to others, with simple desires. In fact, the INFP internally feels his or her life intensely. In the relationship arena, this causes them to have a very deep capacity for love and caring which is not frequently found with such intensity in the other types. The INFP does not devote their intense feelings towards just anyone, and are relatively reserved about expressing their inner-most feelings. They reserve their deepest love and caring for a select few who are closest to them. INFPs are generally laid-back, supportive and nurturing in their close relationships. With Introverted Feeling dominating their personality, they're very sensitive and in-tune with people's feelings, and feel genuine concern and caring for others. Slow to trust others and cautious in the beginning of a relationship, an INFP will be fiercely loyal once they are committed. With their strong inner core of values, they are intense individuals who value depth and authenticity in their relationships, and hold those who understand and accept the INFP's perspectives in especially high regard. INFPs are usually adaptable and congenial, unless one of their ruling principles has been violated, in which case they stop adapting and become staunch defenders of their values. They will be uncharacteristically harsh and rigid in such a situation.

INFP Strengths and Weaknesses

The plastinated bodies are coming! The plastinated bodies are coming!!!

Its a little known secret that I was a science (primarily biology) nerd in high school and college. I even took advanced Anatomy & Physiology classes that had a cadaver dissection lab weekly. Its amazing to actually see the human body and how it works. Models help, but don't really do the impressive mechanics of the body justice.

Enter the plastinated bodies: The Science Museum will host the Body Worlds exhibit starting in May. I wanted to see this when I was in Toronto but didn't get a chance - and now it’s coming to my own backyard! How cool is that?

What I wouldn't give for a piano!

I am now officially in lust with the song "Parting Gift" from Extraordinary Machine. Its a very simple song with vocals over a steady melodic piano. I remembered for about the billionth time how I am drawn to the piano. And I am SOOOOOO itching for a piano.
I played quite a bit in high school and college - it was always my retreat when I found science (or boys for that matter) overwhelming. In Morris there were about 10 rooms with baby grand pianos I could lock myself in and play everything from Beethoven to Tori Amos for hours. I'm not claiming to be a virtuoso...far from it considering I haven't played at all in over 7 years, but I like to play none the less. And the urge to play has been nagging at me more and more for the last year or so.
I actually HAVE a piano, but there is a logistic nightmare in trying to get it to my current house. The piano is very old (about 120 years if I remember right) and the harpsichord attachment is in need of restoration, but it is a family treasure.
My great aunt was a housekeeper for a wealthy family after dropping out of school in the 8th grade. The woman had a beautiful mahogany piano with ivory keys that my great aunt admired. The woman promised that one day, when she passed away, that the piano would be gifted to her. Decades went by, and one day someone showed up at my great aunt's door with the mahogany piano. The woman had passed away and left the piano to my great aunt in her will. I love that story, and I love the piano which is currently at my parent's house.
I know its pretty much impossible right now to 1)transport it a very long distance to the cities and 2)get it into my house up the front deck. Someday I will have MY piano. And I will love it and treasure it and have it restored in all its splendor :) In the mean time I need to find another way to get my piano fix. I could get a keyboard, but there is just something about sitting in front of a piano, listening to it resonate, flying over the keys and working the pedals. Yes indeed. I need a piano.

Merry Kitschmas!

Here's a list of things I'd not like for Christmas :) The "Faith Chips" are particularly amusing.

Ship Of Fools

Recessed Lighting & Ceiling Paint

Tom and I were busy little home improvement beavers this weekend. We pulled down the existing track lighting in the living room and replaced it with recessed lighting (which I LOVE!). We then painted the entire ceiling which runs from the living room into the kitchen and down the hallway. On top of that we took an epic shopping trip to Menards and shoveled after the inch or so snowfall on Saturday. Whew!
The recessed lighting was suprisingly easy to install. The biggest challenge was dealing with the old insulation from the attic. The stuff seriously looks like sawdust! It was a real treat to inhale :)
I'd really like to add some color to the living room walls now. I'm thinking maybe a light taupe or green...the ongoing home improvement saga never ends, but its getting closer to fin.