Well…as 2014 comes to a close..one cant help to look back and reflect on the year gone by. Thanks to modern day alien technology..apparently Facebook has decided to take it upon themselves to do this for us. Super thoughtful of them. Instead of using Zuckerbergs interpretation of my years highlights, I thought I would round out the year with my 14 Favorite things for Two Thousand Fourteen. I know..everyone is getting flashbacks of the painfully long, drawn out gratitudes of the summer. Well, you are in luck. It wont be quite as long in the tooth. Atleast I dont think…whos to say.. Feel free to move on if you are already nodding off. No offence taken. Just more free therapy for yours truly. (foot note - As is my way, going for chronological accuracy) 1 The year started with some kick ass Ukulele jammin with my partner in crime for all things slightly off the beaten track - PetiePie. Atleast I think it did..I may have lost some time..but pretty sure it was this year…well assume it was. Altho I have not really picked it up since the classes ended - it will happen, and I will perfect What Are You Doing NYE - Zoe Deschanel/Joseph Gordon Levitte style. Not the singing..just the strumming. Super fun..a bucket list item..the seal has been broken and just gotta get back at it. But definitely a favourite thing I attempted this year. It was a Bday gift from Sir Peter - but before he gave it to me I had terrible anxiety flashes that he actually got me tap dancing lessons - also on the bucket list - but am not quite ready for that yet. PS..it should be advertised in afore-mentioned classes you are to sing along..cuz NOT EVERYONE CAN SING!! Just saying... 2 January 2014 also afforded me probably the most meaningful and amazing musical theatre experience of my fangurl life. Toronto had a sit down production of Les Miz at Mirvish, featuring Canadian Ramin Karimloo who made a name for himself in the UK as the youngest Phantom and also created the title role in the sequel Love Never Dies. Blah blah blah…google him. His voice will melt your soul. So…whats the big deal? There was a Charity concert, one nite only, where Colm Wilkinson - our Canadian Phantom from the late 80s early 90s (whom I saw in 91 at Pantages and was my gateway drug to Broadway obsession years later)..played the Bishop for this one nite - and passed the proverbial candle sticks to Ramin Karimloo…and they duetd at the end. What would be the equivalent to make yall get why it was notable? Its like Wayne Gretzky facing off with Crosby…or Anne Murray doing Legends with Carly Ray Jepson…Any old who. It was a big deal. 3 Sometime in June I joined a run club for remedial runners. I like to say I was coerced..which isnt really true..cuz I wouldnt have done it if deep down i didnt know I needed it. I hate it. Ive hated it since day 1..and hate it to this day. Painful, unpleasant..but necessary. Makes you regret the 20 years of delicious cheesecake and pasta that has turned you into a slow moving, sloth like lazybones jones. But grateful and glad I sucked it up and did it. Did I mention it is hateful? Yes, I did..didnt I? 4 Also around this time, Mister Peter Johnson and I rebranded our little Dutch Oven Diaries hobby and broke into the world of retail. Sorta…we participated in the Lunenburg Craft Festival and created a frenzied demand for our jams and whatnots: Dutch Oven Delights. A labour of love, but at the end of the day…the long, long, long day of picking, processing, freezing, cooking, bottling, canning, and decorating our product…it is totally worth it. The Hospital Gift Shop was kind enough to take on some of our product this fall, and we also are in The Carrot here in Hali. Peter hooked us up with an Etsy store, and now the world is obsessed with our Midnight Mustard Pickle. Ok…maybe not obsessed. But we have a cult following…yes..many are family and friends and co workers… but look out Stonewall..we are coming for YOU!! 5 As for musical magic..my daily obsession of the Skydiggers was enabled and encouraged both in their Hali The Carleton Music Bar & Grill 4-nite stint in June, as well as the best Xmas present ever from Sir Adam Alguire, attending our first Skydiggers - A Legendary Horseshoe Christmas a few weeks back. Everyone has a go-to fave performer/band/musician. Some dig Il Divo (not mentioning any names Faye Young)..some like country..disco..pop..crooners..hair nation…mind melting metal, or an eclectic mishmash of all of the above. But as amazing as every note, song, and minute of each nite of their performances was (oh..and it WAS)…what stands out in my mind the most, and makes me belly laugh each and every time, was experiencing Beth, experience her first Diggers live. I intentionally parked us in front of Peter Cash, and it paid off in more than the obvious way..if u know Beth at all...it was hard to concentrate on the band and not on her. If u are nice, she may reenact it for you. If u r lucky. Probably the best nite of entertainment Ive experienced. Oh, and the band was great too. 6 There were some long overdue Out of Towners visits this year...The Hobreckers Chris & Kristi and their California girls did their annual summer visit, featuring a specially requested tour of Lunenburg, by none other than Miss Lunenburg 1993 herself. Go big or go home right? Sadly I didnt get to introduce them to the mayor or get the key to the town (do we have a key to the town or was it already given to Tom Selleck)..I digress..we did however convince them to venture out in the #TreacherousFog that day for the worthwhile trip to to the south shore. Yes - Kristi - you have your very own custom hashtag..2nd on the Cali front was my Brier Island Buddy Jeff from the days of WBLI torment who squeezed in an italian dinner to showcase his very specific and distinct wine tastes (cough! wine snob mucky muck) now that he & Rachelle get to spend their spare time quality-controlling the Cali Vineyards. I must say a Sonoma Zinfandel has quickly become my friend.. And Lastly..its an accountant two-fer..Lori from the rock rounded us up for a girls nite out..minimal bean counter talk..for some eats at the Fireside. Always a delight to see you girls. 7 With August brought a fabulous family wedding in Rocky Harbour..my sister Kate officially declared her love for all of eternity to her handsome guy Andrew. A spectacular weekend of family, celebrations, an impromptu incoherent speech by yours truly patenting the very lady-like wide-leg speech stance, followed up by the hilarious Kennedy crew of 15 wise crackers. One is the loneliest number…hahaha..just kidding. Im just glad i didnt have to FOLLOW Jills wit. 8 With the changing of the leaves brought on my first yoga headstand. Yup. Its amazing how good it feels for all the blood to go rushing to your head. What a rush…(groan). Gotta say I was pretty proud of myself. Yes, it lasted 2.7 seconds the first time (I know which ones of you are smirking…insert your smutty metaphor her). But I felt like a yogi rockstar. (I think a yogi rockstar would be wearing babu pants and playing a satar #LoveGuru)…so that visual aside…next stop a 20 minute plank. Yah..not likely in this life. 9 Heres where things got pretty crazy. My impending (cough cough) 40th birthday came intact with normal mid-life crisis anxiety. A) Its MIDLIFE! How when you feel 18, can 1/2 your life be over?!?! And B) ITS 40!! Ugh.. I had rounded up all my super duper besties to partake in some awesome local live music of Lunenburgs own 3 Way Radios halloween dance. We were long overdue for a group shindig, and what better reason to come together to show them what is looming in the not so distant future for them…40. All but 2 of my nearest and dearest confirmed, so it was set. Unbeknownst to me, there was secrecy, deceit and scheming amuck…Adam, Erin, Peter and the worlds most honest woman (Faye) had worked tirelessly to plan a Broadway themed surprise party, complete with Broadway character costumes, menu, and a hilarious complete Playbill of my life. Complete with cast, crew, critics reviews..nothing left to the imagination. Blew my ever lovin mind. Best nite of my life. 10 To try and cope with my #ThisIs40 hysteria, I had planned a 5 day; 7 show excursion to the greatest place on earth - NYC, to self indulge in…ok…me. And I did. And it was awesome. And Im not sorry. And I highly recommend it. 11 This one is hot off the press - a special shout out has to be given to mommy dearest and her technology breakthroughs of late. Tackling the iPad on her own…through gritted teeth..makes her daughter very, very proud. Its no small undertaking, and I am truly bursting with pride that you are going for it. It seems like a little thing…but its really a giant leap for all mankind. 12 Christmas Eve Night 2014 was the best I can ever remember. Coulda been the Willy Nelson…coulda been the wine… Nope, Gord Downie..just crazy fun with ma family..and our first annual Festivus Selfie turned out fabulous I would say. Just great, quality time with the people ya love. What more could you ask for? Well..a really delicious artisanal cheese tray doesnt hurt. 13 No matter how much I fangurl or obsess to travel like a shoeless nomad in search for the elusive holy grail (We already got one!) - its because of the plethora of amahhzing family and friends, that I have to do it with, share it with, or come home to. I think Ive been given way more than my fair share of awesome people to share my somewhat unconventional life with - you are all amazeballz and wouldnt trade any of you for the world. You will always be on my favourite list. 14 And lastly, Im excited for what is yet to come in 2015…Im hopin its gonna be some kinda time... Feliz Navidad, Jose. xo
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 03:17:47 +0000
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