Let me start this post by wishing you and your loved ones a merry Christmas, if you are inclined to celebrate it! Excellent Good Okay Catholic that I am, this is an important day for me, and Christians everywhere.
This post’s title is clearly intended to evoke Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. It’s a cheap reference, as Are You There, God? is about a girl’s experience of going through puberty, and I used a similar-sounding title here because “God” kind of sounds like “Blog” and this title seems kind of appropriate since it’s been so long since I posted.
I have a few friends who blog who have taken extended absences from their blogs this year, too. That said, while they are posting less frequently than they have in the past, their posts are still more regular than mine. I am certainly the worst among us, but, as always, for me, it boils down to wondering if I have anything worth saying. I’m still not sure about that.
If you are reading this, thank you.
So, since it has been months since my last real post, I thought I’d take this occasion to highlight a few of the things I’ve been doing instead of blogging. As I write this, I’m even planning to upload some pictures! For this post! So you’ll believe that I’ve been doing what I claim to have been doing!
1) I’ve been working. You’ll have to take my word on this, without any pictures. (Pictures of me working would basically have me sitting in various locales writing frantically and, generally, grimacing.) I have been working a lot, it seems. Work is stressful. I keep hoping things will get better, but they haven’t, really. A lot of the competent, nice people I work with are moving onto other jobs; fortunately, there are still some competent, nice people around.
2) I’ve been traveling. Do you remember that one of my “resolutions” for the year was to get out of the country at least once? I managed to do this not once, not twice, but THREE whole times! All in the last third of the year! There was, in September 2011, a trip to London with two college friends:
Millennium Bridge, in London
In November, Purple Lightning and I went to Stockholm along with our mom, who was teaching a class there…
This is a view from Djurgarden Island. Of course, this picture looks significantly nicer in my computer's iPhoto than it will on your computer. Sorry.
In Stockholm, I was amused by a bunch of signs containing “fart”…
This means "entrance," in Swedish.
Finally, Purple Lightning, Blanket and I went to Iceland this month.
The highlight of the trip for me was when we got to walk on a glacier. We were given crampons to wear over our boots; these were literally life-savers.
The winds on the glacier were crazy, and, as you might imagine, the glacier was slippery, particularly where the snow had been blown away and the ice was exposed. Thank God for those crampons.
(I will be milking these trips, I’m sure, for future blog posts.)
3. I’ve been reading. If you’ve been following along in the text box in the right column of this blog, I’ve been doing a good deal of reading. My goal was to read 45 books this year; I’m happy to say that, unlike most of my other “resolutions,” that is one I’ve actually met. I read 2.5 books yesterday (meaning I finished one I was about half-way through and read two others in their entirety).
4. I’ve been baking. I think I will probably try to milk this for another post, but I’ve been doing a lot of baking. I now own four muffin tins and received two cupcake carriers for Christmas.
Seriously! Cupcake carriers!
I have been baking so many cupcakes for the folks at work that more than a few people told me on Friday they were surprised I didn’t bring any baked goods to celebrate Christmas. Oops.
Here’s a picture from one batch of chocolate cupcakes with chocolate-cream-cheese frosting cupcakes I made for work:
THESE ARE SO FREAKING DELICIOUS, YOU GUYS. Too bad this is a lame picture I took with my cell phone.
I’m hoping to get a few more posts up in the coming week or two. To end on a festive note, here is a picture I drew of an elephant for my friend today (she lent me her favorite book, which happens to be about an elephant):
Yes, I drew this, on my 'puter with the free Mac MSPaint-esque program I downloaded a few years ago.
Merry Christmas, all!
Sooooooooo glad u r back to blogging! I have only 2 comments:
1. If you ever need a travel companion, please call. I can be ready in an hour!
2. The cupcakes look deee-lish, and have now ruined my resolution to avoid sweets.
Fart is always an amusing word. I am so jealous of your trip to Iceland. And I am really envious of your co-workers, competent or not, who get to eat the fruits of your cupcake carrier. Hope you’re having a good week!
[...] you remember how I got two cupcake carriers for Christmas? I have already had a few occasions to use them and, believe you me, they make it a heck of a lot [...]