With that said, I would like to knit a pair of socks and cook the turkey that I meant to cook in 2011. And write a short story, the fiction kind.

Something else: I need to take a lot less social lunches at work. I hope my friends will understand that sometimes I need that hour to work on writing or to go outside for a walk. I haven’t been getting out for enough walks and fresh air at mid-day and it is taking a toll on my ability to be cheerful and also my ability to generate ideas.

Happy New Year, friends. Here we go.

"By 1977 you were a pro when the camera came out. I love your pose sitting in your rocking chair with your little toes wrapped around the armpost. That chair, by the way, was mine when I was young. I had made a new cushioned seat for it, done poorly because I was still learning how to be creative way back then. " - Mom

To my friends (near and far, real and virtual), family and the World: Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Peace and Love. Thank you for making my life beautiful.
XOXO,
Leslie

I’m giving this to you, she said when she handed it to me, because nobody else would like it. So the necklace passed from her jewellery box, to mine.

Margaret was right. Mom-Mom, she was called. She was my grandmother-in-law. There really was no other woman in her family who would have liked such an old-fashioned necklace: A delicate gold chain attached to the tips of outstretched butterfly wings – filigree, and a purple rhinestone for the body.

Because she gave me this old thing, I always felt she was the only person in my married-into family who saw who I actually am. I took the runner, hand-stitched in blue thread, from the top of her dresser when she died. Nobody wanted it either.

I wonder if any of them ever think of me, the way I sometimes think of them. And I wonder if it matters if they do. (It doesn’t.)

I never let my work define who I am. I always tell people I define my work, not the other way around. Sometimes we get confused and may think of our identity as a title we have, or a job we have and I think that is such an injustice to who we are as people.

…

Keep at it. Don’t give up. Don’t quit too early. Believe in what you’re doing. Make sure you’re passionate. Surround yourself with people that also share that passion.

Sometimes I forget that what I do in my day job doesn’t define me. And sometimes I really, really feel like quitting (today there were at least a couple of things I felt like quitting – though neither were my day job – life would be easier). But she’s right, and I will try to keep this advice front-of-mind. Thanks, Padmasree.

Portrait of Poco by Katie Sonnichsen

A few years ago Rob, a lawyer at work, showed me some portraits he’d had painted of his dogs. They were great and I asked Rob for the contact information of the artist which I then basically just tucked away. It never really seemed like the right time to spend my money on a painting of my cat. But then Poco died and it didn’t seem like such a crazy idea anymore.

If you click that link, you can see the reference picture Katie, the artist, used and how closely she captured him. I think it’s amazing. I also asked Katie to paint a second portrait which I cannot reveal at this time because it’s a Christmas present – it’s also fantastic.

While I was internet stalking Katie, I discovered that not only is she an amazing artist, she is also a firefighter. This makes her pretty much the most amazing girl on Earth.

Maybe you’re in the market for a pet portrait? Here’s Katie’s website. You will not be disappointed by her work, or her handshake.

I am still miffed with the Eaton Centre over the Santa/Skype issue, but I love, love, love these brand new metal reindeer they unveiled for the holidays. I have a couple questions about these guys that I haven’t been able to find the answer to yet. Like, who made them and where the heck do they store these things? They’re gigantic! I’ve been dying to take my new camera to the mall to practice on them, and I finally did it this morning.

I found out that I really can find time to write every day. It’s really hard, but yeah, that can happen. I know this because behind most of the posts that looked like just a picture or a video, there’s at least an hour, often more, of me tinkering on a real post (with words!) that I couldn’t get to come together. Not every writing exercise is fit for public consumption.

Some of the things I did not write about are:

• The writing class I took from March until June (taught by John Lorinc, a great writer and a real inspiration)
• How The Egyptian and I got back together (again)
• And about how I ended up going back to Ottawa in the spring
• An experiment I am conducting with red lipstick
• Why I’m thinking about moving
• My “girl crushes” (Mona Eltahawy, Michaele Jean, Patti Smith, Mindy Kaling)
• Swimming
• The horror of having a bra fitting
• The big trip that is happening in 2012 (I secretly fear that speaking of it out loud could cause it to somehow not happen)

And so on. Basically, I could teach a master class in avoidance. But, as Bryony pointed out around the NaBloPoMo midpoint, “LESLIE, YOU CAN BLOG MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR.” Too true. So, more content coming to poor, old, dusty Pink Collar – if only because I promised Leeanne – just not every day.

Dead Sea, Jordan

I was reading about the Dead Sea today. Imagine how all of those salt crystals must look, shimmering in the sunshine. Can’t even believe something so beautiful exists.

Okay, what? Santa, really?

If Santa’s so technologically advanced now, then I feel like I (I mean, kids) should have access to this dude all year long. If he only wants to be available once a year, then he better get his damn ass to the mall for some knee-sitting.

Amirite?

Havana, Cuba 2011