I have not scrapbooked in so so long. Right now my stuff is all over the house and really I have no time for this but I also know that if I make no time I’m never gonna get to it. Thing 2 is 9 months old and I haven’t done a *single* page about him. I’m all for not worrying about being ‘caught up’ but at some point he’ll be old enough to notice if I don’t do something about him ^_^

And yet I have stash so much stash. Must make, or sell. That’s the deal here.

One thing I have done though is take a picture on my iphone of something each day and I’ll be putting them up here tomorrow.

Mary Jean Iron: Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return

Apparently the snow isn’t thawing until Wednesday at the earliest. Our nursery is closed, my children are way too young to entertain themselves, both my husband and I have a backlog of work. The house is full of toys and noise and pent-up energy.

Stressed doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Toby has been out on my sledge with Daddy. I am working, albeit from under the comfort and warmth of my duvet. Next door have had their baby girl ahead of schedule (and the snow!). The last Christmassy thing for me to do is to put together my scrapbook album for this season.

by El Fotopakismo

So, this year, I’ve decided that I shall really work at learning Japanese. I know it’s the trendy language to learn and that I’m just jumping on the big ol’ bandwagon, but hey, it’s mine and I’ll ride it.

So, learning kanji and learning a decent amount of vocabulary are my aims for this year. I have some modern textbooks and resources, I have Remembering The Kanji and a slidepack, I have a playlist of Japanese music and radio shows. Now I just need the gumption and to make the time for it. I really want to do this so I shall have to move it up the priority list, starting today.

I’m going to update my progress here to keep track of what I’ve worked on.

Goodbye for now

Every year I knew Christmas was over on the 5th January. I know 12th night is the 6th – a big thing in France I think – but you see, we would almost always be back at school by now (as the kids are this year, snow aside) but also the 5th is my mum’s birthday. She would always have the decorations down to make space for her cards on the mantelpiece and, even now, to me the 5th is Christmas done and dusted and time to return to ‘normal’ life. I like that Christmas overlaps the old year and the new but now is time to sort the recycling for collection, put the wrapping paper away for another year, and pack away the decorations.

I took all the shinies down over the last couple of days and dragged our tree (still looking pretty good!) to its frozen end outside the house ready to be chopped up and used by the city parks. Our cleaner very obliging vacuumed up the trail of pine needles it left in its wake. I spent yesterday sorting laundry and today I’m back on client work.

Yep, Christmas is over and 2010 is here. I’m excited. Bring it on.

But clients are starting to clamour. My attention is being called upon. Back into the fray I go.

Animation Smash!

Last year I decided to read 52 novels, and I think I did just about do that (even if some of them were in my beloved audiobook form). This year my goal is to read some simple manga in Japanese, and work through a couple of Japanese videogames.

Right now this involves 2 dictionaries, a syllabary reference chart, pen, paper and a whole bunch of patience. Like an hour to understand one simple paragraph. Yeesh.

Actually, I’ve never really set myself this sort of rule. Never thought I could learn a new language but I really want to do this. I think that’s what makes the extremely s-l-o-w finger under the word reading still fun to do.

“Toby, what was your favourite bit of Christmas?”

“When Santa and Rudolph ate their snack!”

2010 by redstamp

So, as I get older the wonder of Christmas (wonderful though it still is) is replaced with an excitement at the New Year. I posted about it a day or so ago, of sorts, but I still don’t understand why NYE gets the fuss. I’d much rather celebrate January 1st. The New Year is a time for me to think about new opportunities and I’m looking forward to embracing them, making changes, trying to form new profitable habits, setting new goals.

And I know it isn’t just me. Whole spades of twitter friends have said they are glad to see 2009 go and ready to embrace 2010. It’s a raw new world out there, sometimes amazing and sometimes terrifying, but I’m all set to tie up loose ends and look to pastures new.

Watch out, 2010. I’m sincerely ready to kick ass and take names.