Welcome to the 11th edition of the screaming pages Thursday Thirteen.

Back in November, I posted a Christmas Wish List because the hubby was complaining that he didn’t get hints. He wanted to know exactly what it is I was hoping to find under the tree. Christmas has come and gone and I’m here to report that I didn’t receive a single thing on my wish list. This week’s Thursday Thirteen is a list of things I found under my tree.

Warning: This list will aptly demonstrate that I am spoiled rotten.

Bonus List: We have two Christmas traditions in our house. The first is that we buy one tree ornament for each year we’ve been together (here). The second is that we receive presents from just about anyone – cats, dogs, fictional characters, imaginary friends, etc. The rule in our house is that you only receive one gift from Santa and one from each other. These are usually the two biggest gifts. All other items under the tree are tagged as being from someone else. The name on the tag often relates in some way to the gift or a family joke. Below is a list of gifts given or received and who they were from.

Technorati Tags: thursday thirteen, t13, meme, Christmas, presents, gifts, traditions

I’ve just finished Lauren Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada and enjoyed every minute of it. Well written chic lit can quickly evolve into a great guilty pleasure.

The only mistake I made after finishing the book early this morning was in immediately running out and renting the video version to see how similar the movie storyline is to the book. It was a huge mistake on my part. If you’ve seen the movie, you should really read the book – it’s a bazillion times better than the movie could have ever hoped to be. If you’ve read the book but haven’t yet seen the movie – don’t waste your pesos. At this point, I wouldn’t even suggest watching it if you have access to free tickets/movie rentals, etc. If you’re on a flight and this movie is playing, cover your eyes and plop your iPod earbuds in your ears. Avoid it at all costs.

What’s so bad about the movie? Characters names are randomly changed. Jobs are changed. Something as simple as the university the heroine graduated from is different. The changes made to the characters did nothing to enhance their roles in the movie. Characters who, to me, seemed larger than life in the book (such as Lily and Alex) are merely cardboard cutouts in the Hollywood version. In celluloid, there seemed no point in keeping the characters on screen, yet in the book they’re major players.

*sigh* I know better than to watch a movie version of a book I liked. It always ends badly. When will I ever learn?

Technorati Tags: read-a-ton, reading, books, The Devil Wears Prada

I hope and pray that all of my new friends in Manila, and those whom I’ve never met, remain safe.

A powerful quake struck off southwestern Taiwan on Tuesday, triggering a potentially destructive tsunami that was headed toward the Philippines on the second anniversary of the deadly waves that killed thousands in south Asia.

Source: Canoe News

Like most people touched by loss, I remember exactly where I was when the ’04 tsunami struck. Dad had been diagnosed with cancer a few months earlier and the hubby and I trekked to Winnipeg to spend Christmas with the family. It was the last Christmas I spent with my dad.

Mom, dad, the hubby, my sister and I were all holed up in the sis’ tiny one bedroom apartment for the Christmas season. We were telling stories and the TV was on for background noise.

Christmas ’05 was spent alone in a hotel room in Manila, Philippines.

Technorati Tags: tsunami, Philippines, Manila, earthquake, Christmas

Anyone who is actually paying attention to what I’m posting about reading will have to have been scratching their heads yesterday when I posted that I had completed seven books. You see, I’ve only blogged about six to date.

My seventh book wasn’t really a book – it was a short story that Zoe posted on her site for others to read and critique. Finishing a review of the work-in-progress counts as another book read for anyone participating in the contest. It actually makes a lot of sense to ask for feedback on a book while people are in the mood to read and comment. I read and sent my feedback a few days ago, but hadn’t mentioned it here before.

I’m tracking all of the books I’ve completed on my Shelfari reading list. As of this morning, I have 9 books on my completed list with the story counting as #10. Yesterday I spent the day reading Alesia Holliday’s American Idle. It’s a quick and fun read. I spent half of the time giggling away to myself while eagerly flipping pages. The only downside to the book is that it relies very heavily on current pop culture references. While the book is a hilarious read in 2006, I’m not sure it would have the same impact 20 years from now. In fact, I’m not sure American Idle would translate well outside of North America (and possibly Western Europe).

Books eight and nine were read in the middle of the night while I waited for Santa to arrive. Each weighed in at under 200 pages and were written a personable tone.

Jennifer L. Shawne’s Baby NOT on Board is a quick read and focus’ on a welcome topic for those of us who don’t have children. Rather than leaving the impression that there’s something wrong with a woman (and couple by extension) that doesn’t follow the traditional family path (2.4 kids), Ms. Shawne highlights all the good points of being childfree. It’s not for everyone, I’m sure a lot of parents would be less than impressed with this book, but I quite enjoyed it.

Madelyn Cain’s The Childless Revolution examines the recent movement towards childfreedom and childlessness. Ms. Cain is careful to separate out those who have consciously chosen not to have children (childfree) with those that wanted children but have been unable to have children (childless). She reviews the increasing number of women who are not becoming mothers and the way they are viewed in society. This book is more accessible for others. Ms. Cain herself is a parent and uses her own connection with infertility issues and the experiences of friends and family to build a connection with a wider readership base.

What’s next? No idea. I’m anxiously awaiting the wakening of the rest of the house so I can determine if any new books have made it into the house. I think I hear some 2 footed mice stirring…

Technorati Tags: Read-a-ton, reading, books, childfree, childless

This Christmas is our first without dad. The role of family peace maker or go between has fallen to my husband in dad’s absence.

Mom arrived earlier in the week and, as expected, there have been moments of tension. I need to work harder to keep my emotions in keel. I know I have a habit of shutting off and pushing people out at times. You know that old idiom “if you can’t say something nice…?”, that’s why I tend to shut down and walk away. It seems to me that life would be easier if I didn’t say what I wanted to or do what I wanted to all the time. I have no idea how I’ll survive mom’s visit since there is just no way for me to please her…

Mom was reading a package from Hospice that discussed grieving and dealing with grief over the holidays. Apparently there was a section in the pamphlet containing suggestions for keeping a lost family member “alive” during Christmas. One of the things mentioned was to keep a stocking for the individual and have the children write letters to their parent. Mom’s determined that all of us will do this this year – and I’m really uncomfortable with it. I’m sure it’s comforting for some to write letters to their deceased parents or siblings but based on my emotional and physical reaction when I just think about the concept, I know that this is likely going to cause a lot of friction when the stockings are filled later tonight.

Since I know there’s absolutely no way to make my mother understand my point of view, I know that I’ll end up doing it just to make her happy. Then, I’ll end up angry and resentful and my husband will need to step in and place peace keeper between the two of us for the rest of the time she’s visiting us. Welcome to Christmas at our house.

Here’s wishing you and yours a merry, love-filled, and relaxing Christmas where everyone’s needs are met.

Technorati Tags: Christmas, traditions, stockings, grieving