I just came to a realization. 

About why I so enjoy writing novels. 

(One of many reasons.)

I like bossing people around, but I don’t actually want to be anyone’s boss.

💃💃💃

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I finally watched An American In Paris and I loved the scene in the cafe when Henri is describing his girl and it plays out on screen with these dance sequences. The way he talks about her, she is everything and nothing at the same time, which I can see as being very appealing to men with fragile egos. 

Happy Valentine's Day! I made this GIF like 10 months ago and have been saving it for today. Do you know how much self-control that took? Also I've been trapped in my house for like 10 days in a COVID quarantine so for christ's sake at least leave a comment or something.

Hey, fiction writers. My LinkedIn corporate copywriting instructor is also talking to YOU.

 

 

It's been one year since COVID hit Canada. Here's some of what that year looked like for me.

February 6, 2020: Finished my new manuscript and sent it to my agent. Probably the worst time in modern history to be submitting a novel like this. Or maybe any novel at all.

February 12, 2020: I remember watching this and thinking... UH OH. THE WORLD IS ABOUT TO GET REALLY FUCKED UP. And yet...

 

... there is still so much (fucked up) beauty.

March 2, 2020: The vibes were weird in the bookstore near my work that day. People were staying away from one another, and rushing. Masks weren't normalised at that time, though I remember regularly thinking about wearing one. (I didn't because I worried what people would think of me if I did.) 

March 13, 2020: St. Clair subway station during morning rush hour. The train had just arrived, but I was the only human on the platform. Surreal.

March 14, 2020: Twitter is starting to get it.

I watched a lot of Star Trek Next Generation those first few months. I often fell asleep
 with it playing in the background, only to be jerked awake by the opening/closing credit HORNS.

First time I saw him use the term "Chinese virus." Racist twat.

Home office.

This photo was taken on a weekend, but was representative of our work-from-home arrangement in March. Anthony at the table / me at the desk in the "office" (see above) or sitting/lying on the floor somewhere. We had to take calls in the bathroom sometimes because our condo was so small. This arrangement did not last long because Anthony had to go back into work. I wrote a very cringeworthy poem about that.

March 23, 2020. Our first grocery delivery ever.

Washing the lentil chips, as one does.

March 28, 2020: State of hair when one has to cut one's own bangs. Not bad considering I have to take my glasses off and can't really see what I'm doing.

 

We just happened to have two N95s! Benefits of being married to a manufacturing engineer.

So many Vertex puzzles.

April 4, 2020: And this is how I read now.




Safe place to sit: The dead-end street outside of our condo.

 

Cycling on Anthony's bike so my muscles don't rot.

Reading smart $#it so my brain doesn't rot.

Eating good vegan food so my gut doesn't rot.

And yet, despite those efforts, this is representative of the results.

God is dead. 

Thank goodness for this album!

Waiting in line for cookies. (Thank goodness for cookies.)

Thank goodness for friends!

Wait... other things are still happening?

May 8, 2020: vegan GF banana bread.

FRIENDS!

May 30, 2020: Watching the SpaceX launch with Anthony was so much fun.

FRIEND!

First bookstore visit after $#it got really real.

June 2, 2020: Remember when we were supposed to put a black square in our instagram feeds for Black Lives Matter? I HATED that idea. Why say nothing when you can say something? Why just say something when you can do something? Anyways, I supported The Bail Project instead. 

A bunny sighting in The Beaches is good luck...

... So is four tubs of hummus.

Birthday Simpsons puzzle!




Birthday Simpsons donuts!

Day-after-birthday visit to the ER. (Not COVID related.) Oops! 

Don't worry! We still managed to finish the puzzle!

I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU.

August 8, 2020: Toronto is so pretty sometimes.

Sometimes, the books I read made me want to write again...

... and sometimes so did tweets.

Buckwheat crepes.

August 20 - September 20, 2020: I watched a LOT of the Tour de France during this time. AND AND! The commentators said my name on TV because I submitted a question about riders' superstitions via Twitter! Thrilling.

Wow.

Sept. 12: Beginning of condo renos. 

MORE Star Trek? Yes! More Star Trek!

Haha my brother added the "NO VACANCY" sign.

September 27, 2020: Found this house in the Beaches on MLS after a two-year search. 

The condo renos continue...

... And continue... 

(Lentil shepherds's pie interlude.)

... And continue.

New mirror to help us sell our condo. (New sweater to help me generally.)

October 18, 2020: Got my first TV writing credit!

October 28, 2020: Our condo goes up for sale. 

My obsessive rescue-dog trolling continues.

THERE ARE NO WORDS.

November 10, 2020: Our first dinner in our first house.

First coffee after I swore to give up coffee.

First sugar after I swore to give up sugar. (Goes well with coffee.)

November 28, 2020: Bye bye, condo. You were good to us.

Hello, new neighbourhood.

Really committed to eating sugar again.

My first-ever outdoor Christmas lights.

December 24, 2020: Can see surfers on the lake.

January 4, 2021: Can see new sweater from space. 

January 9, 2021: I announced the winners of the ...

... Cecil Connelly Awards for ...

... Literary Persistence. 

January 10, 2021: I had my first COVID test. There was no line; and it didn't hurt, just tickled. I spoke to the nurse who administered the test. He was so kind and careful, and when I thanked him for everything he was doing, he said "it's hard on everyone, not just us." When I came out from the exam room, a woman in her 80's was there for her test. Some relatives brought her in. She was very scared and agitated. It was heartbreaking.

Another one of these notices from the government, plus a text from Anthony. They are unrelated, but both reference the end of the world. A SIGN?

The Zoom divorce that shook the world.

January 18, 2021: After years of trying to get a hypoallergenic dog from a rescue, we gave up and decided to get one of these guys from a breeder. The wait list is long, but I'll post a photo when we get the little dude!

FIN.