Now the theme to "Living Daylights" is stuck in my head. Rats!
The past couple of years, I've finally given into the habit of sending the annual Christmas letter with our Christmas cards. As it will soon be time to send those greetings, I've been turning over in my head what I want to say in our letter this year. I'm just not sure. I kind of want to start out with the really important stuff:
Dear Friends,
We started off the year pretty miserable, both of us crazy. Fortunately, we're now both enjoying better living through chemistry. Now that we're both on the appropriate meds, life is a lot better!
I guess there really shouldn't be any stigma about that, but it sure doesn't seem like the usual, "We've shed some unwanted pounds, and Joey has started playing soccer" sort of headlines that people usually put in these letters. That, of course, brings me to the next thought,
Of course we still haven't been able to conceive after eight months of solid, organized trying. Looks like in December we'll finally be placing that call to the fertility specialists!
It's true, and it's real life, and as a theme that's what I want to share with everyone who might hear the most from us once a year in our Christmas cards. I just don't want this to turn out to be "Details from Debbie Downer," ya know?
There's lots of good stuff to report: Frankly, now that we're on the right meds, we really are feeling better than ever! We had a good year, took a few trips, improved the house that we now own, we're re-financing the mortgage already to an even better interest rate, we fucking LOVE Colorado, we hosted several traveling guests at the house this year, I learned how to knit socks, Ian got into nature photography, we grew closer to some local friends, and learned good Life Lessons, I now feel confident making chicken for tacos in the crockpot, oh yeah - Ian started a new job in April and I close out the year with a fat raise at work, and I'm finally reading Frankenstein for the first time... Eh. All things considered, that's really not such a bad annual report! Keep it both honest and upbeat -- I'll work on it.
We're off to the Flori-bama border tomorrow for the annual gathering with Ian's parents, and his maternal grandmother at Thanksgiving. White sandy beaches and warmer climes are in our immediate future. I am absolutely looking forward to it! It's always such a relaxed trip, and I really miss Ian's family. We did a spectacularly bad job of keeping in touch with them this past year, which blows my mind. I'm going to knit socks, read Frankenstein, maybe read some H.P. Lovecraft, too -- and chill out. YAY!
I've been working on the NERO National Event lately. On the one hand, I've made some new acquaintances who really impress me, and whom I like a lot without even having yet met them in person. There are just some truly on the ball, very sharp people on that team! It's been nice working with them as part of a creative team once more. On the other hand, I think I burned out a little early trying to meet a self-imposed deadline on one particular item, and my brain is fried. I hit a creative roadblock, and I just can't get over the speedbump of, "This is terrible." I'm glad that the chance to meet the immediate deadline has passed, if unsuccessfully -- the break this week, and time to let my brain wander will be good, creatively. That's when I (like many people) do my best work. A literal change of scenery is good for creativity as well.
We had a fun date night a week ago: Ian and I went to hear the Colorado Symphony Orchestra perform The Music of James Bond. What fun! I got to hear several of my favorites, including "Goldfinger," and "Live and Let Die" with the full orchestra. I've had most of the songs playing in my head on repeat since then. We saw "Skyfall" last Friday -- I enjoyed it much more once I got to the last three minutes, and I realized what they did there. The trail leading up to that point was less enjoyable for me. I would put this among my least favorites of the serious, not cheesy Bond flicks.
The next night, however, we went to see "Lincoln." Oh my goodness! What an amazingly good movie! I hate to use such a trite expression, but it is so very true that this surely will be an "instant classic." Brilliant writing, brilliant casting, brilliant acting -- just so well done! I just love everything about it, and I recommend it openly and enthusiastically. You should go cut yourself a slice of that pie!
That's about it for me for now. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!
Love,
Trace
Dear Friends,
We started off the year pretty miserable, both of us crazy. Fortunately, we're now both enjoying better living through chemistry. Now that we're both on the appropriate meds, life is a lot better!
I guess there really shouldn't be any stigma about that, but it sure doesn't seem like the usual, "We've shed some unwanted pounds, and Joey has started playing soccer" sort of headlines that people usually put in these letters. That, of course, brings me to the next thought,
Of course we still haven't been able to conceive after eight months of solid, organized trying. Looks like in December we'll finally be placing that call to the fertility specialists!
It's true, and it's real life, and as a theme that's what I want to share with everyone who might hear the most from us once a year in our Christmas cards. I just don't want this to turn out to be "Details from Debbie Downer," ya know?
There's lots of good stuff to report: Frankly, now that we're on the right meds, we really are feeling better than ever! We had a good year, took a few trips, improved the house that we now own, we're re-financing the mortgage already to an even better interest rate, we fucking LOVE Colorado, we hosted several traveling guests at the house this year, I learned how to knit socks, Ian got into nature photography, we grew closer to some local friends, and learned good Life Lessons, I now feel confident making chicken for tacos in the crockpot, oh yeah - Ian started a new job in April and I close out the year with a fat raise at work, and I'm finally reading Frankenstein for the first time... Eh. All things considered, that's really not such a bad annual report! Keep it both honest and upbeat -- I'll work on it.
We're off to the Flori-bama border tomorrow for the annual gathering with Ian's parents, and his maternal grandmother at Thanksgiving. White sandy beaches and warmer climes are in our immediate future. I am absolutely looking forward to it! It's always such a relaxed trip, and I really miss Ian's family. We did a spectacularly bad job of keeping in touch with them this past year, which blows my mind. I'm going to knit socks, read Frankenstein, maybe read some H.P. Lovecraft, too -- and chill out. YAY!
I've been working on the NERO National Event lately. On the one hand, I've made some new acquaintances who really impress me, and whom I like a lot without even having yet met them in person. There are just some truly on the ball, very sharp people on that team! It's been nice working with them as part of a creative team once more. On the other hand, I think I burned out a little early trying to meet a self-imposed deadline on one particular item, and my brain is fried. I hit a creative roadblock, and I just can't get over the speedbump of, "This is terrible." I'm glad that the chance to meet the immediate deadline has passed, if unsuccessfully -- the break this week, and time to let my brain wander will be good, creatively. That's when I (like many people) do my best work. A literal change of scenery is good for creativity as well.
We had a fun date night a week ago: Ian and I went to hear the Colorado Symphony Orchestra perform The Music of James Bond. What fun! I got to hear several of my favorites, including "Goldfinger," and "Live and Let Die" with the full orchestra. I've had most of the songs playing in my head on repeat since then. We saw "Skyfall" last Friday -- I enjoyed it much more once I got to the last three minutes, and I realized what they did there. The trail leading up to that point was less enjoyable for me. I would put this among my least favorites of the serious, not cheesy Bond flicks.
The next night, however, we went to see "Lincoln." Oh my goodness! What an amazingly good movie! I hate to use such a trite expression, but it is so very true that this surely will be an "instant classic." Brilliant writing, brilliant casting, brilliant acting -- just so well done! I just love everything about it, and I recommend it openly and enthusiastically. You should go cut yourself a slice of that pie!
That's about it for me for now. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!
Love,
Trace