Best Prom-posal Ever

I was already on my way to having had a wonderful holiday. My time spent in Kingston was filled with the pleasant company of my family, eventual peace amongst five cats and many days spent watching movies in front of my father's new 52 inch plasma TV. If I didn't want a TiVo before... My goodness do I want one now. But I digress.

The big news from the break happened when M and I took a much needed vacation to New York City. M suggested this trip back in November. Thanks to the generosity of friends and family we were able to fly down on frequent flyer miles, stay in a lovely hotel for almost nothing and live a little beyond our present means without all the pesky guilt and regret. For a long time I'd thought that this was just another bit of proof that we have the most amazing friends and family in the world (and we do) but it turned out that there was a hidden agenda.

I'd decided to let go my obsessive-compulsive self and let M organize the trip. He knows NYC much better than I do, the trip was his idea and I actually found myself enjoying the idea of just packing a bag, showing up and letting someone else worry about the details. Turns out it was the best plan.

We got to New York on Wednesday afternoon. M suggested that we head down to the village. It was a beautiful day, mild and sunny. We made our way Washington Square Park, a place near and dear to our hearts as I think we've watched When Harry Met Sally about a zillion times together. The last time we'd been there the triumphal arch was under reconstruction so I'd never seen it in all it's glory. It was really beautiful. The afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the park. I was really happy and relaxed.

M walked me over to the side of the arch and stopped. He turned to me and said "Now I can tell you the real reason why we're here. It's time for you to stop being my girlfriend," as he got down on one knee and pulled out a small wooden box.

Clone High fans will appreciate that as M asked me to marry him he said "I know this isn't a fancy prom-posal, but will you marry me?" I responded, through tears of joy, with "Yes! This is the best prom-posal ever!"

I remember feeling so many good emotions at the same time that a part of my brain must have broken. A lot of it is one big happy blur. I know it took me a day or so before I could really remember everything that happened. Even still I find I remember that I am engaged to marry someone so perfect for me and I get this big silly smile on my face.

I think that M and I were hugging and crying tears of joy for a long time before I even remembered to look at what was in the small wooden box. What was in it was too awesome for words. A sapphire the colour of the sky on a perfect day set in white gold. So blue and sparkly. And like that I was engaged to marry my best friend in the world.

And that was just the start of the most perfect 4 days. After a quiet late lunch and sending out a volley of text messages to let everyone in on the plan (read: almost everyone I know) know that it had gone well we went to see the hilarious Star Wars one-man show off Broadway. What better way to top off a day of great emotions with 90 minutes of laughter.

The next day involved walks through beautiful New York City in the rain, a serendipitous viewing of an exhibition of a collection of works of art from the time of Bohemian kings Karel IV, Vaclav IV and Sigismund at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, walks through the east side of Central Park and the Central Park Zoo (had to get a zoo in there to make it perfect for M). That night we enjoyed some delicious sushi and followed by ice skating at Bryant Park under the NYC lights.

Yesterday started with shopping at Sak's Fifth Avenue, something I have longed to do for more than half my life, and yes, it lived up to my expectations. Then we met up with some family friends for lunch on the upper west side and experienced the first re-telling of our engagement. After that it was a walk down the west side of Central Park, a little more shopping on 5th Avenue, topped off by dinner at a great restaurant in the village called Po.

We're home now. Happy and exhausted. I'm engaged and I feel no fear or anxiety about it. Just the overwhelming knowledge that this is the right thing and so much excitement about being able to plan a fun celebration of my relationship with M. I also feel so honoured to be with someone so thoughtful and wonderful that would put together a proposal and trip like this.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Aint That A Kick In The Head" by Dean Martin

HRH

Holiday time

Merry Chirstmas everyone. I hope you woke up to all kinds of loot and love this morning. I know I did.

It's been a pretty eventful holiday for people I know. Carly is engaged and M will be becoming a step-uncle this year. Everyone is growing up so quickly, and I'm here at home feeling like I'm eternally going to be the baby of my family. Of course, being the baby of the family isn't such a bad gig. ;)

Merry Chirstmas everyone.

HRH

Best part done?

How exactly did it get to be December 21st? Christmas shopping done, gift exchanges begun, not much left to plan or organize. Is it sick that having that done makes me sad?

Today's sing-a-long song: "Christmas is" by Lou Rawls

HRH

The power of suggestion

Every time I hear the track Planting the Seed from the Ocean's Eleven soundtrack I have the worst craving EVER for shrimp cocktail. My mind works in truly mysterious ways.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Constant Craving" by K.D. Lang

HRH

It begins

I held off this long. Here's a teaser of what's to come:



Today's sing-a-long song: "Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow" by Dean Martin

HRH

Reconstruction complete

After many months, I am now totally done physiotherapy. Three problems were brought in and all three were remedied in due course. Back trauma from my fall, sorted. Long standing issues with my knees, sorted. Thrown out back, sorted. All thanks to hard work, on the part of both me and my physio, and breathing my way through it all.

I'm overjoyed at being fully mobile again. It's pretty amazing. However, there is a downside. My physiotherapist was just awesome and a lot of fun. I'm going to miss our chats about all things nerdy. Not so much that I'm going to throw myself down the stairs or anything like that, but it was nice to have such a cool rapport.

In light of this long-overdue recovery, it only seemed apropos that Chris B e-mailed me this image today.



I'll be sure to stand up straight for ever more.

HRH

Signs that things are as they should be

• Christmas presents are wrapped


• Made pancakes for breakfast


• Watched more episodes of Carnivale and Return of the King Extended Edition


• Christmas cards are all written


• Could have slept in, but didn't need to


• Full flexibility restored


• Saw new Harry Potter movie with friends


• Got to shop, and clothing fitting wasn't the deciding factor


• Enjoyed Soma's "Drink of the Gods" hot chocolate


• M got to take lots of photos (see flickr roll)

Yay for good weekends

HRH

Pain in the neck

I woke up on Sunday with an unwelcome and familiar pain. The area between my left shoulder blade and my spine was a sharp, evil knot of pain. Much like the pain I'd felt last winter when I took a tumble down my front steps. The thing is, I don't remember falling down the steps and knocking the wind out of myself in my sleep on Saturday night. As such, the pain was quite a mystery. And quite painful, as pain usually is.

Having learned my lesson that back pain doesn't go away if you ignore it I called my physiotherapist first thing Monday morning and by the end of the day I was at his office being contorted and questioned, as we both agreed it's basically impossible to develop scar tissue like I had before overnight.

And I hadn't. In fact, I'd found an entirely new and exciting way to feel pain in the very same spot. One of my discs (disks?), where my the part of my spine that's considered my neck meets the part of my spine that's considered my upper back, is a bit out of whack. Some of it is stress, some of it is (gasp!) posture (but only when I'm seated) and some of it is sleeping in positions I know I shouldn't sleep in (it's hard to control that when you're asleep).

What's good is that my prognosis is a fairly full recovery in a bit over a week. But I have to wonder if this is going to be something I'm contending with for the rest of my life. This is the third time in my life that I've gone through physio for my back. Every time has been for something different. I live a really healthy life, I take good care of myself and am in good shape, yet...

Thank goodness for benefits and physiotherapists that enjoy talking about Star Wars.

Today's sing-a-long song: "The Bends" by Radiohead

HRH

Let's make it a trend

After watching M toil over his iTunes playlist of 20 favourite songs, I got thinking about what I would put on my list. So on the way to work today I passed the time by creating my own.

I think it would be interesting to see how this would change from season to season, or from mood swing to mood swing. I found myself cutting out songs because they were too new and hadn't really been proven past the fickly fancy phase that sees so many songs come in and out of my favour. Anyway, in no particular order.

1. "Teardrop" by Massive Attack
2. "New Born" by Muse
3. "Even Deeper" by Nine Inch Nails
4. "World In My Eyes" by Depeche Mode
5. "6 Underground" by the Sneaker Pimps
6. "Finale/End Credits" by John Williams from Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back
7. "Gorecki" by Lamb
8. "Let's Go Crazy" by Prince
9. "Every Breath You Take" by The Police
10. "Cigarettes And Chocolate Milk" by Rufus Wainwright
11. "Danse Macabre" by Camille De Saint Seans
12. "Always On My Mind" by the Pet Shop Boys
13. "Exit Music (For A Film)" by Radiohead
14. "Bachelorette" by Bjork
15. "Canned Heat" by Jamiroquai
16. "Stay (Faraway, So Close) by U2
17. "Violin Concerto In E Minor, Second Movement" by Felix Mendelssohn
18. "The Waitress" by Tori Amos
19. "Shake Your Rump" by The Beastie Boys
20. "Symphony No. 25 In G Minor" by W.A. Mozart

No sing-a-long song today. I've given you 20!

HRH

Wishing there was a short word to describe the Home Alone face

M just went out for the evening looking like the Czech Justin Timberlake (it's a good thing, people should wear hats more). Sadly because of an ass-kicker of a week and an exercise in sleep deprivation I am unable to join him as the Canadian and bearing-no-resemblance-to Cameron Diaz. When I get no sleep, my legs turn into jello and my eyes become rimmed with circles so dark I have all the goth girls trembling with envy. It's neither mobile or pretty, so I sent my beloved out to enjoy a festive winter's night on his own.

Being home alone affords me the opportunity to do things without embarassing myself. Not that M isn't amazingly accepting of the crazy concoction that is me, but somehow it's just easier to listen to Madonna or Kelly Clarkson CDs without feeling like I've become completely uncool.

Also, if my legs weren't a crampy useless mess, I would most likely be dancing around the house. I'm one of those people. Always have been. That girl who sings and dances in front of the mirror and shrieks in terror when someone walks in on her.

HRH

Why did I choose white?

So I'm enjoying my new lululemon Scuba hoodie. I'm a huge hoodie fan and this is so well designed and so comfortable. But it's also very white. I know all the reasons why I bought it in white. It looks amazing, it's outside my usual comfort zone and combines very easily for layering. But it's white.

White? Me? Dirt? Remember dirt? Was a white hoodie really a good idea for an obsessive-compulsive perfectionist?

I've just realized that I'm going to have to carry a lint brush and a Tide-to-go pen with me at all times. I've done stranger things to have things look right.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Sweetest Perfection" by Depeche Mode

HRH

Start spreading the news

I'm not entirely sure how it happened, but I was interviewed by the New York Times a week or two ago. Not for any great deeds done or for being a generally fantastic individual. I was interviewed for being really mean when I get hungry.

And today, that interview turned into this article in the NYT by Stephanie Rosenbloom called Moody? Cranky? Tired? Feed me!. And yes, that's me the third paragraph and beyond.

HRH