HappyNess, CrazyNess, SleepyNess, whatever applies

Gus Gus is HappyNess Ness

Saturday, December 31, 2005

The Would-Be Blog Musings

Yesterday brought with it not only death cramps, a house invasion consisting of Jane, Lizer, and Heather, but also an unusually-and-exceedingly-peculiar-and-altogether-quite-impossible-to-describe (and unexpected) coffee-free coffee date.

Segue-less transition. What is it in us humans that makes us so replacable? Is the media to blame, as they seem to be the root of all our problems? (Who is "they" anyway?) Is it the inability for people to form lasting relationships? Insecurity? Self-gain? Does maintaining a friendship take so much more effort than discarding one half-used to start another that will only be half-used before discarded?

I've got to give Derek some credit here. As hard as he tried to replace me, and made me feel that he had entirely, he said he never could. His admitting this, in a way, really helped me a lot with moving on. Someone thought that I was irreplacable, and even though our paths would separate, that's still an okay thing to admit. I learned this early on with Tony, Megan, Landon. I have had many amazing frriends (and boyfriends) that have come and gone but could never be replaced-- I couldn't possibly think of doing so. And eventually it becomes okay to let some go entirely, but still valueing the amazing things you've learned from them.

This leads me to a conclusion that perhaps none of us are at all replacable- hence whey God made us all unique- and people that feel they need to replace us just have an emptiness that will never fill no matter how many friends or girlfriends they go through. I dunno. But the need to talk about one's-self so adimently and thoroughly on the serface (though not thoroughly at all) indicates some struggle to prove to me that there's life outside of a communication we used to have - like I didn't already know. Five years ago, with Ryan, I would have told him anything and everything in a struggle to show him how successfully my Ryan-free life was running (but he never made the effort to get in touch-- I should give some credit here!) I'm not saying I minded yesterday. I was glad for the updates and all the good news! It just strikes me as strange that someone who keeps so much from you could possibly have so much to tell you. But I do like being told. I'm not trying to be ungrateful here. I just appreciate a friendship that's worked on and maintained so much more. But I guess these longing absences teach us what we really have or are capable of building up.

Wow. My dear friends. You have listened to me vent, so unafraid of me when I display emotions other than my usual sanguine self. My biggest catch-22 is how much I like to talk about myself-- because I like to open up so that you'll open up so I can know you. Isn't it funny? The girl who's always talking about herself just really wants to know you... and she comes across as self-absorbed. Maybe I shouldn't be trying to figure out yesterday at all. Maybe someone else is just caught in that space between friendship and ex-girlfriend independence. I just don't like being stuck in the middle of a course that someone else is running. Probing into deeper life would have been the best and worst thing to have done. I'm frustrated with ambeguities. I have no reason to trust him and no reason not to. That's a rock and a hard place! He must know something that I don't that's making him ill-at-east, or he'd get off the fence and figure out if we're actually friends or not. Until then, I'm getting closer and closer to my goal of 100 songs - which I'm looking forward to celebrating with the sweet and excited Megan Dillary (eep, don't know how to spell her last name), and whoever else cares and is in close proximity.
Well, it only took me forever to get here:

HOT OFF THE PRESS VOLUME 10
Is available if you push the right buttons and ask nice.

Happy Reading.
Happy New Year.
Happy Birthday to Lizer and Nick P.

-PricelessNess

Monday, December 26, 2005

Christmas Post-- foiled again!!

Christmas by me.

Christmas Eve-day begins with the door flying open loudly and a sudden "I want to kill something" sensation that can only come from having the light turned on suddenly without your half-conscious consent. This is Grandma's version of a wake-up call at 7:00 in the freakin morning. 7:02... 7:02 and 30 seconds... and then again at 7:04.... I must have been officially woken up a good twenty times... not that I would have had the chance to go back to sleep if I had so desired. We had to leave the house for church at 9, and by the time I relented to the high-pitched and continuous "Get up!! Let's go!!" sounds, I now had an hour and a half to get ready.
We went to the church in Avonlea (45 minutes-ish from Moose Jaw), where Melissa (my trendy cousin), MJ and Myself (I wouldn't want to be the only one without an "M" name) sang Oh Holy Night in three parts, and led the chorus singing.

Christmas Eve is also the traditional time for eating Grandma's chicken noodle soup and opening presents. The first tradition began way back when, when relatives of my Grandma-- then just a mother-- came for dinner on the wrong day. Chicken noodle soup has been the custom ever since.
The second tradition has also been this way since I was born. Us kids never had to go through the stage of being weaned off of the belief in Santa Claus, because we never waited until Christmas morning to open gifts, and Santa never freakin brought us anything anyway. Jerk.

Christmas day we all sleep in until 11. Melissa comes over around noon-thirty and begins the pain-staking all-day hair process. This has become tradition as well. MJ gets her hair cut. Then MJ gets blonde streaks. Nessa then in turn gets the foils. Michelle calls. MJ gets rinsed out. Then Nessa gets rinsed out. Chris calls. Jenni and Topher call. Break for Turkey dinner. Travis calls. Mmmmmmmmm.... so full.... cannot function. Melissa passes out in a turkey-induced stupor. Ness and MJ join Mom, both Aunts and Matthew (other cousin) in playing a rousing game of Rook. Davie calls. Mmmmm more food... nuts, chocolate, cider, tarts... so full I can't remember what the crap I ate. Ness calls Caleb.
Jeremy arrives from Toronto.
Ness gets her hair cut. MJ gets low-lights put in.
Pause for Jer to open his Christmas presents. Ness had drawn his name and bought him a guitar cuz she's the coolest person ever.
Ness gets the red put in. MJ rinses out. Ness rinses out.
Ness plays Alone and If That's Who You Are for Liss and Jer. Liss goes home. Jer works on a new song he's writing with his new guitar that I think he should name Betsy-Sue.
Ness blogs.

Oh yes, the presents.
Limeny Snicket: a Series of Unfortunate Events-- books 1 through 10 - from Trav.
"Under one condition!" journal from Davie.
New luggage and a "Saskatchewan Sings!" CD from Mom
New tank top from Dad
Wicked-- the book-- from MJ
Huskie sweats from Ther
Pictures-of-me-and-other-awesome-people calendar - from Bobber
Toronto shirt, cow change purse (do we all know Ness loves cows?) strange yet curiously addictive German imported mints - Jer
Also a Roots back pack, socks, a dice game... from 'tives.
New hair-do from Liss!! I'm hot.
But we all know that now, don't we?? ;)

-RedicNess (There, that's for you, Trendy #1).

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Counting down the hits of 2005.


Nessa's Soundtrack 2005. (Wow. I just wrote 2006. And I actually had to double-click on the calendar to find out what year it is. Getting a little ahead of myself)
Each selection pretty much embodies that period of time, whether thoughtful, goofy, or reminiscent of days gone by.

January: Waste - Brennan's version
February: Day One - Sarah Slean
March: Picky Penelope - as rehearsed by the L2I-- warning, very catchy!!! Michelle and I walked around singing it without realizing it, all the time!!
April: Saskafunk - as rehearsed throughout the entire studio!!
May: Pass That Dutch - Missy E.
June: Hollah Back Girl - Gwen Stefani
July: Teenage Dirtbag - (kareoke with WaDelia, MJ, Bob and me... "A-Star-Star")
August: Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield
September: Take My Hand - Shawn McDonald
October: Alone - Me!
November: This Christmas - as sung by Jane Monheit (yes I start the Christmas spirit early)
December: I'm Not That Girl - Wicked

Recommended lyrical viewing: Waste, Unwritten, Take My Hand, Alone, I'm Not That Girl. These particular songs are very sonorous of that month's mood.

The spell-check recommends the word "waddle" for "WaDelia". In case you needed to know that info.

*archivedNess

Saturday, December 17, 2005

HomeComing

Snow on the ground.
In the air.
Frickin cold.
Tim Hortons at the airport.
A Canadian flag flies in the distance.

Family.
Friends.
Heather drops by.
Boston Pizza with Michelle and Shancelle.
Joined by Phil, Ty, and Caleb for cards.

AJ's coffee.
Bubble tea.
A big lug of a horse-sized dog sleeping on my feet.
Earl's for lunch.
Chicken Kung Pow.
Spadina Freehouse for Supper.
Icy roads and reduced speeds.
Signs marked in kilometers.

Teaching singing.
Sitting in on Michelle's dance classes.
Hugging many children.
All smiles.
Soundchecking a rehearsal.
Taking notes during the performance.

Performance.
Alfred.
New songs.
Friends finally getting to hear the melody to the words they've already seen.
Reunion with Joan.
Actually playing the new violin part I wrote for Lullaby.
Joan weeps and I sing.
"Don't cry baby..."

Accepting a shot.
Turning down a drink.
Singing "Get the Party Started"
and "On the Radio".
Dancing to Holla Back.

Missing my Kentucky friends.

Just in case you were curious.

-Saskatooness

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Old Songs

North Pole:

The sun'll come out, tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow
There'll be sun...
...Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow, you're only a day away!!!!
(well, after midnight "tomorrow")
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
-------------------------------------
South Pole:

I was playing some old songs in my poetry binder today (well, before midnight "today"), and I came across this old one. I wrote it during the choir retreat (the one that the boys got sent home from for sneaking into our cabin at night), for an English assignment related to the short story "And the Children Shall Rise" [Matthew 10:21].
The lyrics intrigued me anew, so I thought I'd post them for you.

Dangerous Wish

Trust me so I can have control
So I can wind you, make you win or lose
You have been elected ally
And yes I know that no, you didn't choose.

You'd like to get inside my head, wouldn't you?
I'm not sure myself of what's in there
And I know your dream clouds float on every move I make
But that's your own mistake

I've seen so much I know so much (I think I do...)
When would I have time to feel the pain?
To want to know me deeply is a dangerous wish
Who can tell from right or wrong or sane?

You'd like to get inside my head, wouldn't you?
I'm not sure myself of what's in there
And I know your dream clouds float on the sound of my velvet voice
But that's your own choice

And I won't take the blame
I won't demonstrate such shame
Climb my barricade, you'll fall
And I'm not responsible at all

You'd like to get inside my head, wouldn't you?
I'm not sure myself of what's in there
And I know your dream clouds float on cracking open my vault
But that's your own fault

Stand by in wonder at my silence
Stick around and watch me quietly rant
Could you go on living if I disappeared?
I know you never could, and I like that you can't

You'd like to get inside my head, wouldn't you?
I'm not sure myself of what's in there
And I know your dream clouds float on the mystery of my life
But that's your own strife
That's your own strife

That's your own
Strife

--BiPolarNess

Sunday, December 11, 2005

NEW POST NEW POST NEW POST!!!

Okay, I know. I should've updated as soon as I got back from New York. But here's the deal.
Two days ago was the recital for mine and MJ's Prestonsburg students. I accompanied my students in new shoes which I had never peddled in before (who ever thinks of that??!), but it was fine. The kids did really great. We felt very proudly.
Yesterday was the Wesley Foundation Formal. I went with my friend Trav. I took lots of pictures for my Canadians so you can see all my peeps dressed up to the nines.
Okay, now New York. Wicked was incredible. I'm thoroughly addicted to the soundtrack. The Opera was amazing too. There were 15 minute intermissions between each act (3 acts) to change the set. The sets were amazing. In one winter landscape scene, it actually started to snow on stage. :O
Trav. gave me this advice before I left New York: "Don't look up! Cuz then all the New Yorkers will know you're a tourist."
Well, not only does New York have incredibly tall buildings, there's TV screens all over them. Not just billboards, but actual commercials. So I stared up with gaping jaw and I don't care who knew I wasn't from there!!! Rockefeller was cool-- that tree is very very big. What else? Uh... MJ and I only got lost on the subway once and had to take a cab because of time restraints to get her to her audition in time. You have to actually stand out in the street to hail a cab. They ignore you if you're on the curb.

I'M HOME IN FIVE DAYS!!! LA LA LAAA!!

Travis got me the first 10(!!!!) books of the Series of Unfortunate Events for Christmas. I haven't gotten my Christmas list out to the 'tives yet... I'm not actually sure if I'll get it out at all... Hmmmm... I should get on that.
Today I'm getting some Christmas preparations done.

There ya go. Not terribly eloquent or witty, but you are updated.

-ProcrastinatingNess

Friday, December 02, 2005

Good-Bye Forever!!!

Well, no, okay... more accurately, good-bye until Wednesday.
I don't know if I'll blog in New York or not, but my guess is I'll be way too busy sight-seeing and shopping. Maybe ice-skating in front of a particular giant Christmas tree... sounds miserable, I know, but I'll try to "put on a happy face".
I'm leaving in about an hour to go teach in Prestonsburg. MJ and I are staying over at one of her student's family home, then we're road-tripping it tomorrow all the way to NYC...
"NYC, just got here this morning...
Amen, for N...
YC!!!"
All and all, I'd say the week will be... Wicked.

Bonus points if you can name the three musicals I referenced in this post ;)
(Oh and P.S. We're unable to see Carmen at the Met cuz it's not playing the days we're there, so we're seeing La Boheme instead.)

MusicalNess (music-cull or music-caal??)