last blather of the century

It's going to be REALLY strange writing "2000" from now on, isn't it? In my mind, "2000" had always been the year far in the future, representing a time of spaceships and berserk computers. And can you imagine how your grandchildren will look at you in awe when they realize that you were actually AROUND at the "turn of the century"? :-)

Went out for sushi with friends last night (Andy, Christine, Elspeth, Luisa, Reid, Ronnie, Michael, Scott M., Andrew P.), then to another friend's house afterwards to play computer games (okay, I worked on my book and the others played Quake and Homeworld). Speaking of Homeworld, have any of you seen this new game yet? VERY VERY cool. Sadly, Scott M.'s car died completely on the way to the sushi restaurant (making his recent Scribbles comment, "I'll keep driving this beast until it drops dead on me" rather ironic)...he's going to have to buy a new one next week. Great to see Andrew P. again, home visiting from California (he works at Apple).

So what are you all doing about Y2K? Jeff and I have done squat so far; we're both 99% confident that Y2K will be a relative non-event. And what end-of-the-millennium festivities will you be participating in, if anything? We'll be watching videos with Brian and Helen during the day, having dinner with Scott D. (Scott and Jeff say they are cooking for me tonight AND cleaning up after, woohoo!), going to Andy and Christine's place in the evening for the Final Countdown.

Yes, the millennium purists among you will point out that the True millennium begins next year, not this year, but it's tough to ignore all the "end of the millennium" fuss going on all around you right now, isn't it? :-)

See you all in the next century...

happy new year

Here were the predictions and resolutions you all made for 1998, FYI:

• 
  Nine provinces simultaneously secede from Canada, leaving Quebec as the only one left. "Hey, that's not what we planned!" a Quebecois nationalist complains.
• Someone in a small town in Arkansas will be arrested and convicted of obscenity for using the expression, "Show me the money!"
  
• Voters in several states in the U.S. will make passage of tests in history and science a requirement for public office; 90% of state legislators will fail the tests.
  
• "Aliens and Freddie Party and Slaughter on the Beach" becomes mega-blockbuster hit of the summer.
  
• "Puppies Cooked in Brine" wins Pegasus for Best Filk Song.
  
• Now that it's no longer functioning, Mars Pathfinder will officially become the BHA Station.
  
• Landlords in Toronto decide together to raise rent just enough to put the cost of living higher than in New York City.
  
• Burger King decides to bring back its old fries, dubbing them Classic Fries.
  
• Bill Clinton decides he's moving to Canada after his second term ends, "because I can still win an election there."
  
• Microsoft will copyright the English language.
  
• Hmm . . To keep my cat on a diet, do another "filk road trip", eat Pringles only _once_ a month, and work out a bit more (note that I only say "more," no real specifics!) : )
  

Don't forget to make your predictions and resolutions for 1999 in
blatherchat!

Jeff and I went to a friend's house party last night, saw some folks we haven't seen in years. Today I'm helping Jeff out at his office (hey, I figure that at least that way we'll be spending time together :-)).

Happy New Year, everyone!

p.s. Hey, looks like I'm going to be interviewed on a nationally syndicated radio show called Moneyroom. Also for Sympatico Netlife magazine.

guest blather: alisa

Hi everybody! Look at me...I'm on the Blatherings page!! Boy is it cold outside! Had a great day with Debbie, Jodi and Allison today. Drove up from Buffalo, NY this morning and the roads weren't bad at all. When I got here, Debbie had made a scrumptious lunch of homemade soup and homemade bread!! Yes, that's right...Debbie cooked! =) It was delicious, and just what I needed for my stupid sore throat and cough. We talked and laughed for a couple hours. Ate the coffee cake that Allison and Jodi had brought. Yum! Then we braved the cold to walk to a drugstore so I could load up on cough medicine and cough drops. After that, we sat at a nearby Starbuck's and had hot drinks and talked the day away. Went to the Swiss Chalet for dinner...great chicken there.

I just love the snow...the UT gals all look at me very strangely. Guess they don't feel the same way when they have to slog through it day after day. =)

See you in Blatherchat everybody. Thanks, Deb, for letting me blather!!

sara's graduation

Andrea and Tom are getting married tomorrow!

Send them email

Today's blatherings photo is courtesy Joe Neff (thanks, Joe!). It was taken at FKO during
our concert, whilst performing "A Neurotic Love Song". The song got
a standing ovation, which was cool. :-) I have to confess that every time
we perform this song, I always vow that it's the VERY LAST TIME, that I'm
not going to humiliate myself anymore. And when we perform it again
at Didgeri-Douze next
February,
it WILL the last time, I swear! :-)

Forgot to mention, by the way, that both Jeff and I took part of
Wednesday morning off so we could attend our 4-year-old niece Sara's
graduation ceremony (from junior nursery school from senior nursery school).
We were highly amused by the jostling crowd of parents in business
suits clustered in front of the stage, clutching camcorders and cameras.
When it was Sara's class on stage, of course, I was up there jostling
with the rest. :-) Each child had a cardboard graduation cap, sash,
and was given a rolled-up diploma as their name was announced, as
well as their preferred future profession.

Sara said she wanted to be a vet (last year it was a doctor). There were
numerous future firefighters, policemen, dentists, and so on. The most
interesting chosen professions:

"When I grow up, I want to be the man who drives the cars up
the ramp at my daddy's dealership."



"A Spice Girl."



"A rock and roll star."



"A paleontologist."

After all the children had received their diplomas, all the classes shuffled back
on stage (chaos, as you might imagine) and they sang "Wing Beneath My Wings",
or at least part of it. Then came refreshments, and back to work.
Before going home, however, we dropped by for a brief visit to see Sara and Annie's new
pet fish, Flounder Bluey. He didn't seem too excited to see us, but at
least he was still alive.

po

Last time we babysat Sara and Annie, Jeff and I took them on a walk along Yonge Street. We bought them icecream and slushes. Annie managed to get half her icecream on her face within thirty seconds. At the playground, we played on the swings and the slides. I've discovered that going on the swings give sme motion sickness...am I old or what?? It's hard to say no, though, when a four-year-old wants you to go on the swings with her. So I grit my teeth and dutifully swing back and forth, trying not to throw up, while Sara is yelling, "Higher, Auntie Debbie! Higher!"

We promised Sara and Annie each a small toy. Annie chose a small plastic duck necklace. The duck was filled with bubble liquid, and after unscrewing the duck's head, you could blow bubbles with it.
Sara chose a Teletubby named Po (sp?), which is supposedly the smallest Teletubby. She was very pleased with Po, carried her (I think Po is a her) everywhere. The next day, however, we were warned that Sara had apparently lost Po. Her father retraced their route, looking for Po, but was unsuccessful. Sara was in tears, of course, but comforted herself with the cardboard tag that had been cut off Po's head. The tag had a picture of Po on it; she started carrying the tag around instead. "See?" Sara told us next time she saw us, showing us the tag. "I still have a Po." Uncle Jeff, of course, wanted to rush out right away and buy her another Po, but was convinced against it (or at least wait until her birthday next month). Fortunately, Po has been found...apparently Sara had stuck it in a special bag she had in her room and forgot she did so.

I know that story just thrilled you all to pieces. :-) Why do my niece's lives seem so much more exciting than mine? Wouldn't you rather hear The Story Of Po than about project management software?

Last night, Jeff and I decided to take a stroll along Queen Street West. Browsed Pages (great bookstore), peered into the windows of the Paramount where a mega-Chapters store is being completed, had a coffee at a corner Starbucks (I had a caramel macchiato, Jeff had a frappucino). We sat outside on the patio, talking for a while. Relaxing evening; we should do that more often.

---

Monday, June 21, 1999

webgrrls


Went to the annual Webgrrls bash on Friday night, had fun. Also got an Adobe book
bag with a bunch of freebies inside.



re: Sara graduation. My sister has pointed out that Sara was graduating from junior
to senior KINDERGARTEN, not nursery school. Humble apologies to Sara!



I have succumbed and bought FastTrack, a project management program. Never thought
I would need one, but it's going to help keep me sane, I think. :-)



Learned a new penny whistle piece called "Smash The Windows", lots of fun to play.
It's Chiff & Fipple's
Tune of the Month.