Top Secret

Attention secret agent operatives.

Your mission should you choose to accept it, is to decipher the code used in the following list of Agent names and reply to this posting with your secret agent name once you have figured out the code.

Agent 12WW7BA - Whittaker

Agent 8SS7GJ - Sarah

Agent 27CR7BJ - Caleb

Agent 4MS7BM - Miles

Agent 26DS7BS - Duncan

Agent 21DS5BO - Derek

Agent 16MS5GM - Mackenzie

Agent 12CS5BN - Cooper

Report to Agent 26NV10GN via comments to this post when you have completed your mission!


This message will self archive....

(can you tell we've watched a lot of Get Smart and Inspector Gadget lately?)

They aren't weird... they're cool

Derek contracted pink eye. He's here since his mother is in Canada. But we don't want pink eye. Whittaker is finally starting to feel better and I definitely don't want to add pink eye to his list of problems.

So we did what any one might do in this situation. We came up with a way that Derek could continue to interact with us, without risking contamination. We had to convince him that he didn't look weird at first... so we all joined in and wore the super duper, pink eye blocking goggles. He didn't feel so weird anymore and now we go about our day as usual.

So far no one else has pink eye! HOORAY!

Cloudy with a chance of sensitivity

A few nights ago, Derek's behaviour bee had reached the top. (doesn't make sense cause I didn't blog about the 'bee-haviour' game we've been playing, but not the point to this blog!) So as his prize we rented the long awaited for movie, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. We love this book. We knew the movie wouldn't likely be just like the book but we didn't anticipate how it was. (don't worry... no spoilers in this blog)

I'd like to say we all enjoyed it thoroughly. But I can not tell a lie. Well I could, but I won't. What I don't understand is why this movie affected two of my boys so much. We were watching, eating our popcorn and laughing at all the appropriate moments. I had stood to bounce Whittaker, and suddenly I was being attacked by two boys who were SOO concerned about the welfare of the characters in the movie. The images onscreen were not too disturbing, the music was not too daunting, I wouldn't even say that the movie had an overall scary feeling. In fact the other four children in the room were laughing hysterically and already repeating some of the characters lines and laughing some more! No, my two sweet, sensitive boys were concerned about the subplot story lines. The not so main characters. The emotional well being of the cartoon characters they had only met via a dvd only a mere 75 minutes earlier.

Miles prides himself on being the kid who isn't afraid of anything! These are boys who love Star Wars and such. If it had only been Duncan I might not have thought anything awry. He reacted similarly in the movie Bolt and Wall-E, until he knew that things would turn out all right. But Miles?

So while Derek rolled around on the floor roaring with laughter, Cooper repeated catchy phrases over and over and over while laughing each time and explaining why they were so hysterical, Caleb, Patrick and Sarah watched intently, laughing at all the appropriate times and also at the two laughing hyenas. Miles and Duncan clung to me for emotional support to help them through the final moments of what we had thought was a light children's flick!

Now that they've seen it through to the end... They want to see it again. Apparently they aren't concerned anymore because they know .... well I won't spoil the ending for anyone.... but I will say... there are some meatballs involved!!!

If for no other reason... I recommend watching this movie because there is a character who could easily be Patrick's double!! if it wasn't for the fact that it's a cartoon... and as far as we know Patrick doesn't have a double.

Party to the beat of a different drummer

Inauguration party time!! No, I'm not a year late....

Just the Kenzie's new room inauguration party. It was a private party... without much notice... but it was well attended. No speeches, no toasts, no oaths, just some rockin' air band, karaoke singin' fun!

Our lead singers!

Derek, joined late because apparently it was a BYOM affair. (bring your own microphone) He had to search his room for the one he knew was in there somewhere.

We changed it up a bit with our keyboardist. Some were into the groove more than others. Our drummer.. well .. our drummer was in true form. He had attitude. He walked out. He had terms. He made faces. He was the life of the band!


Cooper recently began drum lessons and the concept of just air drumming was all wrong in his opinion. We finally convinced him that Caleb could 'really' play the piano and he was just air playing. Once he caught on he worked the camera. We told him that the drummer sets the mood and he hammed it up!

The New Look

Extreme room makeover season premiere.
The design teamed laboured over this room vacillating between a butterfly room (a favourite of Kenzie's), or an under the sea room (her other wish, and she had lots of lovely shell collections from visits to both the Pacific and the Atlantic). In the end, removable magnetic butterflies on turquoise waves meant we could do both.. though not at the same time.

The grunt labor, aka Mummy Channa, exhausted herself over the course of one week, pulling up old wood flooring, laying the new floor, patching drywall, painting and finally touching up before moving furniture back in.

I availed myself for Kenzie care and for curtain selection, and butterfly placement. I'm indispensable, I know.

The result....

A happy Kenzie!

A goofy Caleb posing in the girly surroundings!

A persistent Derek, needing to be included in any and all photographic moments!
This was our only troublesome area in the room... how to make the arts and crafts drawers blend in.

Three room makeovers to go this year... the recipients are definitely antsy to be next!

The Condiment Cavalry

It's case lot sale time...

"It's like a Mustard Army!" Cooper exclaimed...

Not to be outdone, Kenzie ran downstairs and brought back up up the
Ketchup Cavalry and they proceeded to have a battle....

Spend a Penny

Aren't words a funny thing?

Growing up we weren't allowed to say certain words. Obviously swearing was out, but so were some other words that were deemed derogatory or too rude to be used. Amongst these words were some that are used to describe... shall I say certain bodily functions. Yes. Beyond saying, "I have a need to utilize the facilities.", my mother had issue with certain terms used to describe what one might do in there. We weren't to say for example, "I gotta wizz", or "I gotta take a crap". Even the terms, poop and pee were too crass for use in my childhood home. Using the terms, urinate or defecate might have been allowed, even wet or bowel movement, but what child wants to announce those words? We didn't even allude to 'going #1 or #2'. Over the years I heard many ways of putting it, "gotta ride the porcelain bus", "going to powder my nose", "need to relieve myself", 'gotta see a man about a dog', 'water the horse', and 'nature's calling'. What's left other than to soil oneself for the sheer reason of being unable to express your need?

My mother liked the phrase, "I need to spend a penny". She began using it long ago and has become well known amongst the grandchildren for saying it. Where did this little euphemism come from? I've known for a while now that it was something she picked up from her Scottish roots. The origin was googleable.. (I love google), so here is what I found on Wikipedia,

Meaning
To use a public lavatory.
Origin
This refers to the use of coin operated locks on public toilets. It was used mostly in the UK and mostly by women (men's urinals were free of charge). Such locks were first introduced, at a public toilet outside the Royal Exchange, London, in the 1850s. The term itself is later though. The first recorded citation of it is in H. Lewis's Strange Story, 1945:
"'Us girls,' she said, 'are going to spend a penny!'"
'Spend a penny' has now gone out of use, partly because charges have changed and partly because it was always a coy euphemism, which now seems rather dated. The writing was on the wall for this phrase, so to speak, from 1977, when the Daily Telegraph printed an article headed "2p to spend a penny".

And so it is that my mother has passed down an antiquated euphemism to her grandchildren.

But wait! It gets better!

This week Channa and I made a little discovery that further solidifies the 'Spend a Penny' phrase needs to remain in use. With grocery sales in January, we found ourselves searching out the best prices on typical household items. We were buying bulk beans, and cases of green chilies. It was simple to figure out the best price per ounce on the canned and dry goods. Until, that is, we arrived at the toilet paper! The options astounded us. There's one-ply, two-ply, three-ply, big rolls, regular rolls, double rolls, quilted, post recycled product, non-bleached, 12 packs, 4 packs, 36 packs... How does one narrow that down. Well we did. Aside from deciding to return to using old department store catalogs as a means of wiping. Channa visited the stores feeling the charmin' so to speak, while I crunched the numbers. We needed to choose one that we felt would please the masses (our families) backsides. We got it down to the per sheet price.

Did you know that if you use approx. 10-12, 2-ply sheets of the best priced toilet tissue, you'd be spending one cent each time you (fill in the euphemism you feel comfortable with, here)?

Don't get me started on the allowable terms for gaseous reactions...

I've fallen and I can't get up...

This is a new position... I think I like this sitting business.

Uh oh, um... someone... please... this doesn't feel quite right...

Oh, how embarrassing. This is my first day at this, if you could just look the other way for a minute...

If at first you don't succeed, try try... um... oh no... this feels all too familiar.

I meant to do that! Really... I think all this sitting stuff is SO overrated!

Best Buddies

Ones is 4 and one is 14
One is short, the other tall
One is blond the other dark brown
One has blue eyes, the other brown
One is carefree, the other responsible
One is the youngest, the other the oldest
One is a picky eater, the other begs to cook
One weighs 40lbs, the other ... can lift 40 lbs
One has a size 12 child's shoe, the other a size 12 men's
One can't finish his meals, the other offers to finish for him
One goes to a booster seat in two years, the other a driver's seat
One is excited to start school soon, the other excited to be done soon
One gets up late and goes to bed early, the other gets up early and goes to bed late



But they're Best Buds!

sigh, My head hurts.

At the end of a long day, at the end of a long week, I long to feel finished. I wish that was how I felt. I was supposed to have the CD's made for the Primary activity tomorrow... maybe Sunday will have to do... I just never got to them... I was hoping to print out the FHE schedule for the year... I never got to that either... I was also hoping this week to get some semblance of order back in the house... I found the living room after I put away Christmas. I found my bedroom after I did 9 loads of laundry. I found the kitchen and then lost it again, because while I work with Caleb and take care of Whittaker, I've allowed Sarah and Miles to prepare the meals. The rest of the house continues to be missing... lost in the shuffle of one project or another. I don't even look forward to Saturday to relax knowing that Patrick will finally be back in town.... because the day is already booked solid with a select few moments in it long enough for breathing before getting to the next thing.

Caleb is preparing for his first set of high school final exams. While reviewing all his coursework, there are also the end of semester big projects to complete. As his 'learning coach', as they refer to me in his internet classes, I'm finding myself wondering how it is I don't know the things I'm supposed to be assisting him with. How is it that I've never even considered some of these things. I realize I wasn't a braniac in high school, but I never flunked anything. I paid attention and got the general idea.

So why don't I remember anything about types of rocks present in geological cross cuts, and how they can relate the history of the earth's atmosphere? Was I sick that day? Is this common knowledge discussed behind my back? Seriously, he has to know this stuff? What happened to memorizing the periodic table?

Ok fine... a poor example. So what is the weather pattern being forecasted in the following cities which lie in a straight line from west to east from Chicago, IL, to Pittsburgh, PA. Using the available data of temp., pressure and current weather conditions, predict Pittsburgh's weather for the next 48 hours.
Did I miss the day he entered meteorology101? I'm still trying to keep up with Miles science classes study of weather. I've learned more this year than I ever did in any classroom. With Miles I'm learning about cumulonimbus clouds, how to make hygrometers, and barometers and what their purposes are. With Sarah I've learned about the moons gravitational influence on the ocean and the tides. Now with Caleb... well I'm not sure if I'm learning or not.. I'm definitely flummoxed with each assignment.

We worked all day. Caleb has a dreadful sore throat, a racking cough and would like nothing more than to curl up in a ball and sleep but these deadlines are looming and we're reading everything we can find to try to understand the concepts so that we can do the projects successfully and then return to reviewing for his final exams next week.

Talk to me in about 10 years.... I ought to know everything by then!

As far as celebrating holidays every day goes...... Thankfully today was bubble bath and English toffee day and that is exactly what this aching, aging body needs.... and luckily I know where Patrick's Christmas orange with English toffee is still stashed... ha ha ha ha

I'm not going to take it anymore day!

The kids had finished school, and Whittaker was asleep and I had sat down to whip out a silly blog for 'I'm not going to take it anymore day' when the phone rang. Caleb had just walked Duncan down the street to a friends and they had seen some rat like creature walking down the side of the street. My friend wanted to know if I knew what it was, she had to go pick up her kids from school and couldn't stop for a closer look. I don't think my choice to stay home during the day and teach my own children necessarily obligates me to be the available ratlike creature identifier! But I went outside to take a peek.

This is as far as the silly blog I'd been working on ever got.... My kids can attest that I won't tolerate certain things. Whistling in the same room as me... definitely no whistling in the car, chewing gum noisily, chewing gum for more than 15 minutes in my presence, WHINING, calling me ma'am! But this year I've decided to add some things to my list of not tolerated items.

At this point outside the creature has hidden under a neighbours car. My job of identifier wasn't an easy task.... I'm not a big creature fan so I didn't want to get too close. I went back into the house for my camera. The zoom can get closer than I was willing to have my body. With each glimpse my assistants were claiming, "It looks hungry, should I get some food?", "I think it's limping, it's hurt. Can we get a cage and fix it's leg?", "It has a cute face, I think it's someone's pet."
The neighbour had come out and was trying to coax it out from under the car... not sure why though, by throwing snowballs at it, not sure about why the snowballs either. I was snapping photos, but the shadows and the dark tires and the fact that I didn't want to lay down on the street in the ice to get a great shot limited my photographic success.

The creature was indeed ratlike with a black leathery tail at least 8" long and a fuzzy body almost the size of my cat. It had huge hind feet and it's front paws were very clawlike. It moved slowly and deliberately, not exactly a scurry. It was aware of our presence, but not terrified by us.

As we were outside attempting to identify the creature, the traffic which still haunts our street each week day at this time began to arrive. I'm sure they wondered why we were out of our houses and all looking at the gutters. At this point the owner of the car that it was hiding under came out to go to work. She hopped in and moved her car slowly. The creature slowly crawled up onto the boulevard. We definitely got a good look at our mysterious visitor. My skills at idenitfying creatures is non existent. I was as clueless as the rest. Although it was ratlike, it just didn't seem to be a rat, but other than that, my diagnosis was ??? The creature headed out across the street. He made it amongst all the cars that were slowing for him to cross and crawled up on to the snow bank on the other side.
What happened next happened so quickly that if you'd blinked or turned around to hush the barking dog in the yard behind you... you would miss it. I wasn't so lucky. I didn't blink or turn around to hush the dog like my neighbour did. I was privy to the white minivan that had careened down the street oblivious to the strange occurrings of the day. The van sped past me and whipped around the circle cul-de-sac without any thought to the people standing by and obviously no thought to the creature we were all observing. He made a fatal decision to return to our side of the street and left the snowy bank for the road. The crunch, the squeal and then the thud as the back wheel also hit, and then watching the writhing body as it gave up the ghost.

We still didn't know what it was but now we were faced with the new dilemma of who is going to remove its remains after it's thoughtless murder! Other cars had slowed, swerved carefully, and this van hadn't. In fact the driver didn't look back or even pause to consider what she had driven over and I'm sure she felt the bump. (remember, this thing isn't small, it' s like a cat!)

The next vehicle stopped, the driver opened the door and took a look at the suffering animal. Then he closed his door and went on to the walkway to retrieve his children. Once his children were in the car he turned around and came back. I had walked towards home to retrieve a shovel. He pulled up to the animal again. His children now all looked at the poor creature. I approached him. "Do you know what it is?"

"A muskrat."

After only a minute or two of chatter he went on his merry way, or perhaps subdued ways depending on how he felt about the muskrat.

I moved his remains to the side of the road with the shovel. I didn't know what else to do. Can you put muskrats in your garbage can? I didn't want it to be continually run over. Twice seemed insensitive enough. I went home.
I googled muskrat. Now that I know that they are typically nocturnal animals that hibernate for the winter, I feel worse. Why wasn't he in his little den on the banks of the canal hibernating far from the cruel traffic laden streets!! He's almost completely an herbivorous creature, so he wasn't out to hurt anyone. I began imagining what could have happened to lead to his being on my street, and I cried... ok I was also preparing dinner and chopping onions, but it was sad I tell you!

If this doesn't prove that there is rush hour traffic on what should be a quiet cul-de-sac, I'm not sure what will.

As for my original blog thoughts... I don't think I will tolerate senseless muskrat killings on my street anymore!

(I don't know how to get the photos off of my phone camera yet...)

Japan and Mexico

Both Japan and Mexico are far away. Their holidays today of, coming of age day and 3 kings day aren't ones I'm familiar with. Hmm.. how do I celebrate?

It was taken care of for me. I received an email from my brother John and his family that live in Japan. It was a wonderful letter and slide show of photos from the last 16 years of their family growing and enjoying each other. It was beautiful! I loved it.

It reminds me that the world is shrinking with each technological advance. These are precious gifts that we can have in this fast paced world to know, learn of, and see family on the other side of the globe. Although I've never visited their incredible treehouse home, I am in awe of how elegant it is from the photographs I've seen. I haven't seen my 2 nephews in almost 4 years, but I know they've grown and matured into intelligent, handsome young men who have gained a passion for life from their dad with a sense of propriety from their mum! I've followed the incredible exploits (wrong word choice I'm sure), of my brother as he's hobnobbed with the upper class and the elite, he's followed his dreams and he amazes everyone he comes in contact with. Although we don't here or see much of Hiro, I know she is that beautiful swan on a pond. She exudes elegance and class, and under the water, behind the scenes, she's paddling her feet and keeping it all together.
You can tell a lot from the photos of a family and John's family photos say,

Love, Laugh and Live!

We love hearing from family and friends. I suppose for a coming of age holiday post, the fact that I would prefer to hear from loved ones than material possessions...must mean I'm growing up! As for Mexico's 3 kings... well those kings brought 3 gifts... I can't think of 3 better gifts than the example to Love, Laugh and Live!

We love the Japanrights!!

Bean there!

This is a holiday I've bean preparing for without knowing it!

I've got great bean recipes, even a bean cookbook!

Breakfast beans -- Fule Medames, an Egyptian breakfast of beans and eggs.

Snack bean -- Veggies with hummus. I didn't realize how much I liked garbanzo beans until the last year or so.

Lunch beans -- Black bean veggie burgers! A favourite around here.

Dinner beans -- Our favourite chili from the ranch because all the kids will actually eat it! (not really a chili, more of a one pot bean soup)

Dessert beans -- Bean fudge, mmm
I've made chocolate chip bean cookies and a bean spice cake before, but so far the bean fudge is the best bean dessert.

Happy Bean Day!
may I recommend steering clear of the premises for a day or so....

Jeopardy I could actually win

-The number of hours sleep both Whittaker and I had last night

What is 9 hours?

-The type of exercise I did today.

What is walk on the elliptical machine?

-The number of pancakes Duncan ate this morning.

What is 5?

-Packed up the Christmas tree, ran the dishwasher twice, swept the floor and changed 6 diapers, played game online for family night

What is all I managed to do today besides feed Whittaker and teach school.

-Pack up all of the Christmas decorations, run the dishwasher twice, wash large dishes by hand, tidy up the kitchen, sweep the floors, vacuum upstairs, change 6 diapers, feed Whittaker, teach school, clean the bathrooms, laundry, organize my desk, prepare for Primary activity on Saturday, print out game for family night, call and change Caleb's ortho. appt., call Duncan's allergist for appt., return library books, start reading 'A Wrinkle in Time' with kids, and make veggie soup in crockpot.

What is today's to do list from this morning?

-Number of times I sat down to try to write a blog today.

What is 4?

-missed getting on video again.

What is Whittaker laughing?

-Algebraic equation. (can't be more specific... because I don't understand)

What is ridiculous argument Patrick and Caleb are having over a school subject.

-longing for but can't have because Whittaker is wide awake.

What is getting to go to bed early tonight?

-Mint truffle hot cocoa with a scoop of french vanilla ice cream.

What is beverage I'm enjoying as I type this blog while Whittaker smiles at me from his play mat?

-Holiday in January to celebrate today

What is Trivia day?

Here's the bonus round....

-Comment you left me.

???

:-)

hocus pocus

I'm usually a huge skeptic. I don't go for superstitions and such but I'm beginning to think the power of suggestion is very real!

So according to the January calendar, today is chocolate covered day. I rarely do candies. Any that are here are thanks to Patrick or the kids. But of all days for me to discover a partial box of chocolate covered orange sticks!!!! Somehow I've managed to celebrate another January holiday without any effort.

They're gone now!

Party time

For a few years now we've thrown a New Year's bash with these friends. They've all become older and much taller over the years. We even threw a bash after we moved and they continued to come. Last year they couldn't all come only 3 of them could so we went to the wards New Year's bash. This year the ward decided to continue the tradition and all our friends could make it. It was time to decide, hold our own like olden days or cart them all to the bash at the church... We carted! We showed up with our 14 children in tow. Channa picked up one early, he wouldn't make it to midnight!

Games, a huge area to run around, basketball, wii's, movies, colouring, and snacks! The bash had it all. Did I mention snacks?.... yeah it had it all... after a week of suffering Duncan was finally back to himself... and then....

We rang in the New Year with benedryl, a cold compress and frustration. Once again... just the exposure to nuts, doesn't even have to eat them!

We returned home after midnight to pop the mess and noise makers at home instead of at the church. Balloons filled with confetti and sparkles... my driveway is festive now! We saved Duncan's for him til' morning. The idea was to pop them in the air and watch the sparkles float down around us... some tried other methods... like biting the balloon.... I wonder if I'll ever understand teenage boys. We partied in the New Year and then started sending kids to brush teeth and get to bed as fast as we were able. (Note in the first photo of the group... Duncan is there... just lying on the couch with a cloth over his eyes.)

The morning after. Next year... I think we'll go to bed early.

p.s. Do I file photos from New Year's Eve party under 2009 or 2010?

January Jewels

January is a quiet months as far a birthdays go. And so are the fellas who have birthdays this month.

1st - Dayton turns 17!
19th - Denny turns 14!

Teenagers across the pond from each other.

Although a quiet month for our family, January can be a hopping fun month if you celebrate all the following January holidays!

Certain weeks of the month

• 17-23 Handwriting evaluation week
• 20-24 No name calling week
• 23-30 Cowboy Poetry gathering week

All month long,

• Change your facebook profile to a Muppet character all month
• typically the coldest month of the year in the northern hemisphere and warmest in the southern hemisphere.
• Bath Safety month
• Get organized month
• Oatmeal month

And specifically,

1- New Year's day
Noises are traditionally made at midnight. It used to be thought that it would ward off evil spirits. Our ancestors would have found the world a pure place with the sounds we're capable of making now with technology.

Resolutions began back in roman times... they would indulge themselves in acts they wouldn't normally have done and then use New Years as a confessional time and a new beginning... the puritans didn't like to waste the New Years eve on foolish things but as a reflection time to vow or pledge to improve their weaknesses.

The custom of singing Auld Lang Syne on New Year's Eve goes back to the British Isles from the 18th century when guests ended a party standing in a circle and singing this song. It was written by Robert Burns in 1788. The music was a traditional Scottish folk melody. What does it mean? "Old long since" aka 'the good old days'. Meaning forget about the past and look ahead to the new year with hope.

2- 55 MPH speed limit day
Obviously this must be a fairly new holiday since the capability to travel at 55 MPH is less than 100 years old!

3-chocolate covered day
4-world hypnotism and trivia day
5-bean day
6-in Japan, coming of age day and in Mexico, 3 kings day
7-I'm not going to take it anymore day
8-bubble bath and English toffee
9-positively penguins day
10-cut your energy costs day
11-clean off your desk day
12-
13-rubber duckie day
14-organize your home day
15-national fetish day
also on the 15th, the solar eclipse which can be seen in Africa and Asia
16-appreciate a dragon day
17-judgement day
18-Winnie the pooh day
19-rid the world of fad diets day
20-camcorder day
21-national hugging day
22-answer your cats questions day
23-handwriting and pie day
24-belly laugh and compliment day
25-bubble wrap appreciation day
26-national peanut butter day
27-holocaust and Thomas crapper day
28-
29-Thomas Paine and world leprosy
30-inane answering message day
also on the 30th is the new full moon... it is called the wolf moon since the wolves are hungry at this time of year and they howl in hunger at the moon
Miss America Pageant will have it's 89th pageant today
31-inspire your heart with art day

Only two out of 31 days without a purpose... what shall we do... I've decided to celebrate a holiday every day for as long as I can keep it up... how non committal of me! But quick we should come up with something for the 12th and the 28th!!! Any ideas?

Mantras

I did just fine in 2009, but now I'm working on a mantra for 2010.

As I rhymed through the alphabet there were plenty of options available.

Use a pen in 2010

Visit Big Ben in 2010

Follow the wind in 2010

Clean the den in 2010

Be a good friend in 2010

I know where I've been in 2010 (obviously this only works in US... others rhyme 'been' with queen)
Let's do it again in 2010 (same rules apply as above, again rhymes with rain)

Check on the hen in 2010

There's more around the bend in 2010

Take care of my men in 2010

Keep in touch with ken in 2010

Pray each day, amen in 2010

Study about fen, in 2010

Take a walk in the glen in 2010

Don't live in a pigpen in 2010

Feed the wren in 2010

There is no end, in 2010

Don't use too much cayenne in 2010

Visit Cheyenne in 2010

Turn off ESPN in 2010

I'll see you when? I'll see you then in 2010

Become a comedienne in 2010

Keep up with CNN in 2010

Steer clear of phen phen, in 2010

Click send in 2010

No time for sin, in 2010

Spend time with Gen (evieve), in 2010

Be Canadian in 2010

Exchange your yen in 2010

Find my zen in 2010

Perhaps I should have started at the end of the alphabet.. could have saved a lot of time.

Happy New Years

Hooray! Hooray! It's New Year's Day

Hooray! Hooray! It's New Year's Day!
The day we start anew.
So this year I've decided
to become a kangaroo.

Or maybe I will learn to fly,
or how to walk through walls,
or how to turn invisible,
or surf on waterfalls.

I'll make myself elastic
and I'll teach myself to shrink.
I'll turn into a liquid
and I'll pour me down the sink.

I'll visit other planets
and meet aliens galore.
I'll travel to the distant past
and ride a dinosaur.

I've got so many wondrous plans.
I'm starting right away.
Yes, this will be the best year yet.
Hooray! It's New Year's Day!

--Kenn Nesbitt