Meet Up With the DoHos!

Tags

bloggers, Blogging, Halifax, Maritimes, meet-ups, travel

Yes, they got in touch with me.

Just in the nick of time, too. We had finished at the Maritime Museum (where I had a great time with my niece and nephew – I’ve seen their exhibits many times, but the new tribute to being gay at sea was a lot of fun) and PH was on the verge of reluctantly abandoning me on the waterfront so he could get to Dartmouth in time for his nephews’ track and field events. But they messaged and said they were headed to the Economy Shoe Shop, so he dropped me off on Argyle St instead, making me promise to not let the internet strangers steal my kidneys.

I hung out there with Babby while a variety of scenarios played out in my head. They were going to change their minds at the last moment and decide to go to a restaurant on Quinpool or somewhere instead, and I would have a really long hike or would have to figure out the bus schedule. Or they would change restaurants and not even tell me.

OR, I decided, they would show up, but afterwards inform me that they were all going to Peggy’s Cove. I wouldn’t be able to come along because I didn’t have the car and car seat, and so would be left wandering disconsolately around the city with Babby in tow until my husband returned from Dartmouth at the end of the day.

Meanwhile Babby got fussy so I sat on a flower box and nursed him. Now, I have long since resigned myself to strangers seeing my boobas. I used to have a little nursing canopy for more public situations, but Babby now thinks that that is a great game of peekaboo, and any covering gets whipped off immediately. If there is one thing more awkward than showing everyone your booba, it’s desperately trying to cover your boobas but failing miserably. So I just haul ’em out without shame, because then at least I retain a semblance of dignity.

However, nursing on a public street while a hobo shuffled by periodically and commented on my baby’s big brains was a new experience.

Then they arrived – I recognized The Urban Cowgirl right away, because she posts pictures of herself in a variety of outfits, and I was quickly introduced to blondevixen, CO, So Dramatic, Too So Much Alex, AllieLG, MomofTwo, ATXGirl (aka The Squeaker), Darleya, and Sakura (who has published a REAL book and everything!). Of course, I knew OF them all from the Dooce Community, and had read their blogs, even, but meeting them in person is a strange feeling.

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We had a fun lunch at the Shoe Shop and then walked around Barrington St and Privateer’s Wharf. We missed Curiosity, so we brought her image with us!

at four thirty PH found me and after a round of hellos and goodbyes we packed Babby into the car and went home. Babby, who had not slept since 10 that morning, was so worked up that he babbled to us for a while (no doubt regaling his Daddy with tales about his day with the DoCo ladies) and showed no signs of settling down until he finally conked out after a hearty round of Old MacDonald. 

It was a good day. And I got to keep my kidneys and everything!

In Which I Threaten to Descend Upon The Maritimes With Murderous Robots In My Wake

Tags

bloggers, DoCo, Dooce, Nova Scotia, robots, travel, twitter

I’m going to be home in less than a month! 

Since Perfect Husband hasn’t been home for more than two or three days (at Christmas) in years, we’re taking a proper vacation in Nova Scotia. We’re going to catch up with old friends and relatives, make them all admire our baby while he spits up all over them, and then I’m going to dump water on his head.

I’m not religious, and PH is downright atheist, so a Christening seems a little odd, I know. But I believe in doing a naming ceremony for the baby. All cultures tend to have some form of tradition around naming the baby or welcoming him into the family, and in our culture, a Christening seems like the only way to do that. I wish we could just formally name him and welcome him to the family and eat cake without anyone trying to cleanse my child of inborn evil or dedicating his life to Christ, but that doesn’t appear to really be an option.

Plus, I think it’s important to my mother, who is the daughter of an Anglican minister.

In any case, I’m very excited to be going home. I am looking forward to seeing my friends, my family, and maybe taking Babby to Peggy’s Cove or my old university.

Among the many people I can't wait to see are my boy cousins, one of whom drew this awesome picture of my fur babbies

The extra-awesome thing is that the Halifax Meetup of Dooce Community members is totally happening while I’m home. I can’t wait to meet all of these bloggers. I hope they like me.

If anyone else wants to meet up with my while I’m in town, I’d love to schedule you in. Drop me an email or twitter or some such (I’d just like to point out that after all that pressure to join Twitter, I finally have and I only have 9 followers. I haven’t felt this much of a loser since I was one of the first people I knew on Facebook and wandered around going “hellooo? Is anyone else on here?”).

I’m leaving in midMay (since I don’t have the restriction of vacation time) and PH is joining me later. That means I’ll be flying across the country with Babby alone. AGAIN. It’ll be worth it, but oh boy, it’s going to be a long flight.

NOTE: to all of you creepy internet stalkers who think you know that my home will be empty and are already planning to break in and masturbate gloomily in the kitchen – TOO BAD! Perfect Husband will be home for the first while, and then when he leaves the house it will be guarded by robots with axes.

And they won’t be Asimov “Three Laws” robots. They’ll be, like, Chopping Mall robots.

So yeah. Watch out.

I spent way too much time agonizing over this…

Tags

bloggers, blogs, I'm Reading, memes, movies, Shhh

Okay, I’ve been thinking for days over this meme posted by Sweet Salty Kate. On Hallowe’en night, there will be a random draw of respondents for a chance to win a signed copy of her upcoming book  The Dread Crew: Pirates of the Backwoods signed by the author, and a spot in the reviewer’s circle on the author’s blog at kateinglis.com. But don’t do it. The more people who do this meme, the lower my chances are of winning, and why would you want to do that to me? Why?

Anyway, here it is! I feel like there should be a list of honourable mentions at the bottom, I left out so many of my favourite books…

1)  You are facing an epic journey. You may choose one companion, one tool and one vehicle from any book or film to accompany you. Or just one of the three. It’s up to you. What do you choose?

Okay. I have decided to take Westley, aka The Man In Black, from Goldman’s Princess Bride because the man is witty AND unstoppable. Inconceivable! Then I would chose Pullman’s altheiometre as my tool, because that’s just dang handy AND pretty. But… I don’t want a vehicle. I would instead prefer a trusty mount. I can’t decide whether I would rather have Bree, from A Horse and His Boy (definitely handy and intelligent, but perhaps a tad too smug) or Artax from The Neverending Story (pleasingly servile, but quick to give up in difficult circumstances). Hmm…

2)  You can escape to the insides of any book. Where do you go, and why?

I know it’s terribly trite, but… Harry Potter. I mean, COME ON. I want to worship at Dumbledore’s feet and then get Hagrid to introduce me to some unicorns. I also want a pet as smart as Hedwig or Crookshanks.

3)  You can bring one literary character into your current life. Who do you choose, and why?

I think I would bring Stargirl into my life. She would make me want to be a better person and there would never be a dull moment with her around.

4)  __Where The Heart Is__ or ___Good Night Mr. Tom____ is my go-to book. I could read that book fifty-seven times in a row without a break for food or a pee and not be remotely bored. In fact I’ve already done that but it wasn’t fifty-seven times. It was sixty-four.

5)  Of all the literary or film characters that made an impression on you as a kid, who was the most enviable?

Ooh… this is a toughy. I could pick Hazel, from Watership Down, who gets to have adventures AND be Chief Rabbit, plus he gets to be a rabbit, which I thought was pretty awesome to begin with. Or Meg from A Wrinkle In Time, who despite being a total brat not only wins the love of the intelligent and protective Calvin, but gets an ADORABLE little brother (I would have killed for a smart, thoughtful, adoring baby brother) AND gets to be babied and cuddled by Aunt Beast. I love being babied. Then there’s White Fang. Man, I used to spend hours pretending that I was White Fang’s side kick, hunting rabbits and stuff and fighting with him for the Love Master. White Fang was KICK ASS.

6)  Of all the literary or film characters that made an impression on you as a kid, who was the most frightening?

E.T. Even though I knew he was nice, I was still terrified that an evil E.T. would appear under my desk and come at me, arms flailing and gibbering.

7) Every time I read ____His Dark Materials_______, I see something in it that I haven’t seen before. Those books have so many levels, man.

8)  It is imperative that ___The Giver_____ be made into a movie. Now. I am already picketing Hollywood for this—but if they cast ____a sixteen year old_____ as ____Jonas______, I will not be happy. I will, however, be appeased if they cast ___Hugh Laurie as the Giver, though they’d have to give him a beard and age him a bit_____.

9)  ___The Water Babies______ is a book that should never be made (or should have never been made) into a film.

10)  After all these years, the __kid being trapped in the closet with the dead dude_____ scene in the book/movie ______The Goonies______ still manages to give me the queebs. Although that’s tied with the scene in Hatchet where the kid finds the skeleton of the dead pilot underwater and it has bits on it and it wobbles.

11)  After all these years, the ___Stone Table/Aslan Resurrection_____ scene in the book/movie ___The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe______ still manages to give me a thrill.

12)  If I could corner the author ____James Herriot_____________, here’s what I’d say to them one minute or less about their book(s), __…pretty much everything he ever wrote_______________: Your stories are amazing, and funny, and heartwarming, and I love your self deprecating humour and I found studying veterinary technology SO much easier because of reading your books – I already knew all this veterinary medicine from when I was a small child. Want to have dinner? TELL ME MORE STORIES.

13)  The coolest non-fiction book I’ve ever read is __A Short History of Nearly Everything___. Every time I flip through it, it makes me want to ____read it out loud to my future children because it is hilarious in its informativeness_____________.

Can I come in?

Tags

Blog Her, bloggers, Blogging, blogs, intovert, meeting people

On my first day working at Sketchy Vets, back before I got my current job, a vet arrived late and heavily pregnant. She was clutching a photo in her hand. It was her 3-D ultrasound pictures. We immediately swarmed the lady, exclaimed over the baby inside her, and responded suitably to her comments about the baby’s lips and ears, and who the baby would resemble. Eventually, I caught her eye as we looked at each other, rather than at the baby picture, for the first time.

“Hi,” I said awkwardly (I don’t know why I bother with that modifier. I do everything awkwardly. If I don’t add an adverb to something I describe myself doing, you can assume the awkwardly) and sticking out my hand with a grin, “I’m Carol. I don’t know your name, but I’ve seen pictures of your insides.”

Last night reminded me of that moment. But times a million.

Blogging is a very personal thing. Whether you are quite private about yourself, or whether you let everything hang out for the world to see, your blog takes on an essential part of your soul. Blogs have an atmosphere, like the smell of someone else’s linens, which reflects something about that person’s personality. Are they tidy, or slap dash? Do they have a sense of humour about themselves? Are they happy, or unhappy? Are they thoughtful, or judgmental?

When you find a blog that you like, you begin to feel like this person is your friend. Even if you never make a comment, you feel like you know this person. You remember key moments in their life, and you have struggled with them through their various tribulations. You have seen their insides.

Last night I met bloggers. I did a totally uncharacteristic thing which was completely alien to my introverted nature, but I actually walked into a bar, openly admitted to two waitresses that I didn’t know who I was looking for, peered into the faces of a lot of strangers, and then approached a couple of women at a table and said (awkwardly), “Excuse me… this might sound odd… but is one of you named Kate?”

Sweet/Salty Kate is a blogger who (whom?) I have followed for a while now. I found her through Hannah’s blog.  When she posted that she was coming to Vancouver, and that she wanted to meet random readers who might live out this way, I knew I had to go. Since I know that Hannah knows Kate in real life, I felt fairly certain that she wouldn’t turn into a mass murderer or sell my kidneys over Ebay (on top of the fact that I have been reading her blog and have therefore seen her insides and there was no mention of kidney resale in there.) It was like hearing that a celebrity you like wants to meet random fans and is inviting them to dinner.It’s scary to go, but if you don’t you’ll just kick yourself for the rest of your life, right?

I didn’t go alone. OH, no. I of course had to drag Perfect Husband along.

“…Love?”

“Mm?”

“I want to do something kind of weird tomorrow night.”

“Hot.”

“No, I mean I want to go to a bar to meet a bunch of people I’ve never met.”

“Who are you, and what have you done with my wife?”

Once I explained, he accepted immediately that he would meet me downtown and we would go to this thing. By the time I got downtown, I had worked myself into a real lather. I wouldn’t recognise them, and would look like a fool. I mean, more so than usual (Perfect Husband bet against this happening. I owe him 20 bucks). I would find them and they would be really uncomfortable with a total stranger whose blog they hadn’t even read actually showing up, and would call me a stalker. I would realize what a total loser I am. I mean, more so than usual.

Perfect Husband knew I was nervous. When I met him in Gastown, he handed me a small, black velvet bag and I found a string of natural pearls inside. “I bought a clasp, but it isn’t attached yet,” he said apologetically. Then he told me how awesome he thinks I am, took me to dinner, and then it was time to risk looking like a moron (I mean, more so than usual).

Hi, I’m Carol. You don’t know me, but I’ve seen your insides.

The oddest thing is, Kate looked and sounded just as I expected her to look. How did I know what her voice would sound like? Thankfully, she and the other bloggers had had more experience with meeting fellow bloggers, and didn’t find it nearly so weird. Kgrrl told me that she had also felt really weird the first time she did this. I think the worst part was that we weren’t meeting on equal footing. If two bloggers have been reading each other, they told me, your first conversation could skip right over all that small talk (the stuff I hate) right into “so, how is it going with such-and-such??” Plus, since I only knew East Coast bloggers before, I was meeting most of these other women for the first time, both inside and out. Kristin of Better Now I had looked up since Kate first linked her, and I had peeked at the other people’s blogs. There was Hillary of Two L’s Please, and Gwen… but what could I talk to these people about?

Well, it turned out that Perfect Husband grew up not five minutes from Kate. They started talking about mutual acquaintances. Then Gwen turned out to know Kate from back when they were in Junior High. They had been following each other, but not recognizing each other, for so long. I asked questions about Blog Her, and was amazed and charmed by the little blog business cards that serious bloggers carry. Blog cards. It’s so dorky that you just have to love it. I mean… come on. BLOG CARDS.

That was the craziest thing about last night. Most of these women were slim, sophisticated looking people, beautiful and… totally alien. When you yourself are chunky, left handed, bespectacled and constantly coated in dog hair, you don’t really approach thin, blonde, laughing people. They remind you of the girls who made your life miserable in high school. But here I knew that these women were dorky too. Still cooler than me. Much cooler. They, like, exercise and stuff. But I had something in common with them. We like to open ourselves, and let people in.