friday, i’m in love

2017: when I was all out of original ideas, motivation, and creativity. Chrissy posted and answered these Christmas questions last weekend and I quickly copied the idea. 

---

Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper with satin ribbon. 

Real tree or artificial? Artificial. In theory I’d like a real tree but it seems completely impractical. 

When do you put up the tree? Last weekend in November or first weekend in December. 

When do you take the tree down? After the Epiphany in January. My grandma is a super religious Italian and taught us about Epiphany and the only thing I took away from it was that it’s cool to keep all your pretty decorations up through the first week of January. 

Do you like eggnog? Oh. My. God. NO! 

Favorite gift received as a child? I’m not sure. Way back in 1982/83 Cabbage Patch dolls were all the rage and impossible to get. My Mom’s sister was gifted one (a girl doll) when pregnant with my cousin who ended up being a boy so she gave it to me for my first Christmas. I loved that Cabbage Patch SO MUCH. 

Do you have a nativity scene? I have my Mom’s but have no intention of putting it out. 

Hardest person to buy for? Easiest person to buy for? Depending on if I have a good idea or not, the answer to both is sister.

Mail or e-mail Christmas cards? Mail. Always. People need to know they are remembered and loved and Christmas is the perfect time for that. And look, maybe someone will take offense to this, but I’m gonna say it anyway, just sending a family photo that was printed and shipped from a warehouse with no additional heartfelt message or a card that just says “Merry Christmas” inside doesn’t feel special. Make people feel special. I have 3 social media accounts, I know what your kid(s) look like, so why are you paying SO MUCH to print and send cards if you aren’t saying something heartfelt, too? 

Favorite Christmas Movie? Muppet Family Christmas (which I LOVE LOVE LOVE but also invokes a little Christmas PTSD) and Sound of Music (which isn’t Christmassy at all, but is a Christmas Eve tradition) and The Holiday (it is so unbelievable but fantastic). 

When do you start shopping for Christmas? I pick up something at any time of the year if I see a perfect gift, but I do 90% of my Christmas shopping (online) on Black Friday. 

Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I have traded things with Laura when Mom puts our stuff in the wrong stocking, but I don’t think I have given something to someone else.  

Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Pierogies on Christmas Eve. Christmas bread on Christmas morning. 

Clear lights or colored on the tree? White. I HATE coloured lights. 

Favorite Christmas song? Blue Christmas by Elvis. (ps: here’s a Christmas Spotify playlist I made a few years ago)

Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel. I would much rather stay at home but I only have 1 (double) guest bed and a table that seats 2. 

Angel on the tree top or a star? Neither. 

Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning. 

Most annoying thing about this time of year? Grinchy me says everything. It’s so happy and there is all this pressure to be perfect and have a loving family and be able to cook and have enough money for gifts. 

What I love most about Christmas? Lovely me says everything. There’s hope and twinkle lights everywhere. 

34 questions

I’m all about “age is just a number” until I remembered I was in the 9th grade 20 years ago. TWENTY YEARS! I remember the first few months of grade 9 like they happened last year not two decades ago. Damn. 

Then again, I was asked for my ID at the LCBO last week because the cashier could tell I was over 19 but not how many years over. Bless your sweet heart, Janice. Moisturizer, SPF, and curl your eyelashes, friends! 

Anyway, here are 34 things on my 34th birthday. 

1. What’s your favorite movie? Movies? Sound of Music and GI Blues. 

2. A book you plan on reading? The book on my nightstand is We Were The Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter.

3. Favorite TV show that’s currently on? Home Town. Or Younger. (Ok, ok, Canadian friends, Younger is very hard to watch – thanks to Chrissy for letting me use Hulu when I’m in the US – guuuuuys, if you see it when it’s back on MUCH or E! you’ve gotta watch. Team Josh all the way!) 

4. On a scale of one to ten how excited are you about life right now? 7.2

5. Twitter or Instagram? Both? Come find me: allisonbridgman on both.

6. What’s your favorite meal? Breakfast. 

7. Favorite Starbucks holiday drink? Chestnut praline latte. Getting my first one today and I am really looking forward to it. 

8. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate? Milk. 

9. Coffee or tea? By which you mean a delicious beverage or dirty leaf water? Definitely coffee. 

10. What’s your favorite band? Arkells! 

11. If you could sing a duet with anyone, who would it be? Max Kerman and we would sway and hug and jump around the entire time or Buddy Holly or young Elvis. (ps: I can’t sing) 

12. If you could master one instrument, what would it be? Acoustic guitar. 

13. If you had a tattoo, where would it be? On the inside of my finger. (No Laura, no)

14. Dogs or cats? I think cats. 

15. What did you have for lunch today? Today: BLT with avocado. Every other day this week: super buttery oven toast with a sliced apple and slice of 7 years aged white cheddar. 

16. What country do you wish to visit? Austria. 

17. What’s your favorite color? Blush pink. 

18. If you had one superpower, what would it be? Teleportation. 

19. Favourite words? Sojourn and hooligan. 

20. When was the last time you cried? Yesterday. 

21. Do you like your handwriting? Love it. 

22. Best thing you bake? Christmas bread. 

23. What are you listening to right now? Here’s a little playlist for you: Riptide by Vance Joy. Step Into The Darkness by Said The Whale. Real Love Baby by Father John Misty. Everything is Alright by The Glorious Sons. Scars by James Bay. And Then Some (acoustic) by Arkells. Good Old Days by Macklemore f. Kesha. Come A Little Bit Closer by Jay & The Americans. Heartbeat by Buddy Holly. Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Stevie Wonder. White Lightning by The Cadillac Three. And if you’re ready, Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley. 

24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? My Dad. He calls almost every day which is sweet until it isn’t. 

25. Who was the last person you sent a text to? Ma Pooks, Megan. 

26. Scary film or happy endings? Happy endings. Idyllic made-for-tv Christmas movies are my most favourite. 

27. Four people alive or dead that you would like to have dinner with? Obama, Max, sister, and my now-deceased adopted grandma Rosie. 

28. Hugs or kisses? Hugs!

29. Where were you born? Toronto General Hospital. Emergency C-Section, Thursday, November 10, 1983, 1:43am. 

30. What is the farthest you have been from home? Rome: 7,077 km away. 

31. Favorite childhood book? Corduroy.  

32. What would be the title of your autobiography? Tell me about the time you were broken. 

33. Favorite animal? bears! 

34. Mountain cabin or beach house? Can my mountain cabin be by a lake? I’d like that. Or a small beach bungalow in St. Simons. 

 

---

Indulge me: what would be the title of your autobiography? 

ps: I’m trying to spread a little love today; join me in doing something nice for someone else. It would absolutely make my day to hear about it – tag me (@allisonbridgman) and use the hashtag #34LOVEballoons 

oh hello, november

making: super fun plans for the weekend(s). I have somewhere to be/something to do 3/4 weekends this month and that is SO unlike my life. 

simmering: beef stew. Like, every week till April, probably. It’s my favourite dinner in the winter. 

drinking: coffee. Hot. 2 a day. 

reading: nothing at the moment. Just finished The Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheene (enjoyed it) and Love and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Ford (also liked it). Up next: We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter and Not Me by Michael Lavigne. 

missing: baseball. Already. It’s been 2 days. 

playing: hooky Monday for a birthday trip to Target. (my birthday is next Friday, I like cards)

wishing: it doesn’t snow till December (sorry to all my pals in Alberta)

crushing: fun-size chocolate. Not so fun when you’re ridiculously full from eating 17 fun-sized pieces of chocolate. 

remembering: those rainy grey days. If you’re wondering what November – March is like in Southern Ontario, it’s this: mostly overcast, with or without precipitation, millions rejoice when the sun comes out for more than 2 hours. 

waiting: for the premiere date for New Girl. I need some Nick Miller in my life. 

craving: tacos. 

wondering: how I can manage to cut my fingers so easily. Within 2 days I slashed 2 fingers on my right hand; I didn’t even notice I had gauged the pad of my middle finger until I put the freezer down and the was blood running down my arm. The one on my pinky? Have no idea. There’s also a splinter from the back of a wardrobe and a bruise from a 50lb slab of marble. You’ll be happy to know I think I’m done moving things for a while. 

loving: my new dining/bistro table. The top is the 50lb slab of marble that bruised up my arm. Worth it though. There is no formal dining space in my apartment and the kitchen counter isn’t extended to have stools so I have been eating on a TV tray pulled up to my couch. I lucked out and found end-of-summer-season bistro table and chairs on major discount and they’re perfect. 

needing: a good 9 hours of sleep. I blame baseball; the World Series was great but the games were ending after midnight.

smelling: “Autumn” from Bath & Body Works. Like “Leaves” but muskier. 

wearing: socks. Grrrrrrrrrr….

watching: Christmas movies on Lifetime. The sun may never come out anymore but there’s 3-4 made-for-tv-movies to occupy my work hours. I have made no secret that my very UNguilty pleasure is holiday movies. I love them so much. 

listening: to Riptide by Vance Joy on repeat. If you’re looking for a little CanCon (aka: not Vance) check out the newest albums from Glorious Sons and Rural Alberta Advantage. 

opening: the windows then wondering why I’m cold. I like fresh air and it was so warm in September and October than I keep forgetting that it’s cold now and I shouldn’t open the patio doors in the morning. 

giggling: at pets in Halloween costumes. So wrong. So great. 

feeling: like a big complainer. Whoops. But cold and dark suck. Ohhhhh, and daylight savings ends Sunday. Let us step in to the darkness; let’s step into the darkness (song from Said the Whale. So appropriate – also v catchy)

pimping: ebates (referral link). I try not to pimp things out unless I really love it, but holy moly, guys. Why did I watch the ebates commercials for so long before signing up. I do 90% of my shopping online. In the last 11 months I’ve made over $100. Don’t have it? I would HIGHLY recommend you sign up for an ebates account before Black Friday/Cyber Monday holiday shopping.

friday (morning), i’m in love

Do you read Cup of Jo? It’s in my feed and I’ll click through when something piques my interest. Joanna’s morning routine was recently featured on Huffington Post and being the huge internet creeper I am, I loved it; I love reading about people’s perfectly plain, mundane, normal mornings. 

Since I haven’t found anything entertaining on the internet in ages, I thought, this morning I’d share my morning routine with you based on the same questions posed to Joanna. (minus the ones about life pre/post kids, obviously)

What time do you get up in the morning? Usually between 7:30-8am

Snooze button? Nope. Even when I had an office job I’ve never hit a snooze button. I used to have an alarm set for 7:08am but would wake up between 6:55 and 7:05 everyday. 

What do you wear to sleep? Gilligan & O’Malley pjs from Target. 

What’s the very first thing you do when you wake up? Open the patio door to let the crisp morning air in.

Do you exercise in the morning? If I’m going to work out, it has to be first thing in the morning. I get progressive lazier throughout the day and it just won’t happen. 

Coffee or tea? Coffee. Always coffee. 

What’s your go-to breakfast? Other than coffee, I’ve been bad at breakfast lately. I’ve been bad at all meals lately, actually. I go through these strange phases where cooking seems so hard and every food sounds unappetizing. For the most part, I keep breakfast simple: either oatmeal with raspberries or yougart with strawberries, toasted coconut flakes, and sultana raisins. 

My ideal morning is: waking up early, getting a coffee and watching the sun rise over the ocean or a mountain, then tucking myself back under a duvet and reading a magazine or watching something on Netflix. 

 

---

What is your morning like? 

oh hello, october

sleeping: a lot. 

cooking: even though I was sweating through dinner (go away October heat wave) I made a roast pork loin with mashed potatoes and green beans with caramelized onions. So worth the sweating. 

drinking: raspberry lemonade crystal light. 

reading: just finished November 9 by Colleen Hoover which I loved the structure and then thought more about some of the scenes, which are a little rapey, and then I liked the book less. Picking up Love and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Ford at the library today. 

(also) reading: Sparks of Bravery by sister. A personal story she shared with Calgary Heritage Roasting Co. about her move to Alberta 6 years ago. 

wanting: actual fall temperatures. 

looking: forward to helping a friend decorate her new office! 

enjoying: all the sunshine. A rare occurrence for Ontario. Sure, it’s sunny, but we also have a disproportionate amount of cloudy for no reason days (I’m looking at you, January 2017), but it’s been so sunny lately. Which, obviously, great! (ps: it’s definitely raining right now.,,and more Friday and Saturday)

wondering: what version of “Dream Weaver” is in the newest Leon’s commercial. I’m obsessed with the raw and raspiness of it, but can’t find the source. The vocals seem slower than Gary Wright (original singer) and there is none of those space beam-type sounds from the original. Ugh. I just love the commercial version so much.

smelling: Leaves. The candle. Smelling outdoor leaves is weird. I had read somewhere that people were loving Bath & Body Works “Autumn” more than “Leaves”, so in a moment of weakness and great deals I bought a few Autumn with my fall supply of Leaves, and those people are wrong. Leaves is so much better. BUT, if you are a dude or like muskier smells, Autumn may be for you. 

wearing: really baggy tank top and really baggy lounge pants. My hair is not clean. I’m looking rather disheveled. 

watching: Daily Show monologues and Late Night with Seth Meyers’ A Closer Look. I need my politics with a heavy side of sarcasm and humour. 

(also) watching: fall tv! It’s back! I’m down with all the regulars: Chicago PD, Fire, and Med (whenever it’s back), Criminal Minds (watched the next day in daylight hours), Mindy Project & New Girl (whenever they’re back on), Grey’s Anatomy (it’s been 14 years, I’m going down with the ship), Scandal (last season), and This Is Us (shockingly, I don’t cry that much). Tuned in to a new series 9JKL on Monday; it looks like it has crap ratings on IMDB, but I liked it. What are you watching? 

listening: to…be nice…the adult alternative station on Stingray (radio stations on cable tv). It’s like hipster tunes for people over 30..35? Not so much easy listening, but enjoyable background music while reading a book. 

giggling: at panda videos on instagram. Pandas are jerks. But they’re the cutest jerks. 

missing: sister, Jess, and mountains.