8 Things

eems I haven't done a meme in a while (OED Online: meme, n. Biol. [Shortened < mimeme (see quot. 1976 1); ancient Greek that which is imitated (to imitate: see MIMESIS n.), after GENE n.2] A cultural element or behavioural trait whose transmission and consequent persistence in a population, although occurring by non-genetic means (esp. imitation), is considered as analogous to the inheritance of a gene.) so I tagged myself off Pam (I added the project section):

9 lots of 8 things about me:

8 projects I'm working on:
1. Rose's story - 25000 words into the first draft
2. Finding an agent for The Face of A Lion
3. Research for Rose's story (currently reading about pilgrimage, monasteries, the Jews in Spain, the Renaissance, Provence, etc., c. 1450 to 1525)
4. Knitting projects: a blanket, socks on the magic loop, a Victorian shawl and four or five other projects not yet begun
5. Finalising the scrapbook of our road trip photos
6. Organising all the papers in the house (okay, I'm not actually working on this, but I think about it often)
7. Short stories featuring Kedi
8. The February Houseparty (coming up soon on the Forum!)

8 TV shows I watch (not sure what this means, since I don't really watch any new shows, only DVDs of shows I like, every once in a while or reruns on DejaVu, depending on what they're featuring each month)
1. Last of the Summer Wine
2. Father Ted
3. Fawlty Towers
4. All in the Family (still haven't seen the UK version!)
5. The Golden Girls
6. Three's Company
7. Red Dwarf
8. Doctor Who

8 favourite places to eat and drink
1. Up north at Steve and Di's
2. Turkey - yup, anywhere in the country
3. My mother's house
4. The pub - usually McKibbin's downtown
5. Someplace with a really good steak
6. Wagamama in the UK
7. I'd like to try Jamie Oliver's restaurants
8. That homemade ice cream place at Atwater market in the summer

8 things I look forward to:
1. Publishing a book and holding it in my hands
2. More family
3. Upcoming concerts by Blue Rodeo, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, etc.
4. Seeing Runrig live in concert someday
5. Reading (I need to take another reading holiday off work and curl up on the sofa for five days or so...)
6. Driving from Calais (after taking the ferry from Dover, natch) to Istanbul
7. Travelling to places I haven't been yet (Italy, Sweden, Germany, more US states...)
8. Trivia with Livia at O'Hara's on Thursday nights!

8 things I love about winter:
1. Bragging rights. It might be -35 and my face about to fall off but at least I can compla - er, boast about it
2. Staying indoors on a freezing sunny day and sitting in the sun, pretending it's summer sun cos it's so warm
3. Opening the back door and watching my cats try to figure out what snow is
4. The train station and the trees in the nearby parks early in the morning on a day with a gentle snow fall
5. Knitting scarves and hats and actually using them
6. Skating!
7. Cocoa!
8. Blankets!

8 things on my wish list:
1. Travel. Okay, let's be specific and start with Italy and more of Scotland
2. Read all the books I own, set up a proper library, and get more books
3. I like Pam's "Get rid of all the clutter in my house and Keep It Out"
4. To walk from Scarborough to the Lake District. Or any other walking path in the UK. I'm not picky
5. Drive across Europe, Canada and the States. Not necessarily as part of the same trip
6. Now then, what's the difference between a wishlist and things I look forward to? I'd like to see Runrig in concert. And the Manic Street Preachers. And the Divine Comedy. And so on
7. Finish the first draft of my current novel by the summer
8. An intern to organize all my papers, CDs, library, notes to self, saved clippings/brochures/etc., files, recipes... and to set up a garage sale for me

8 things I am passionate about
1. Truth
2. Accuracy. Especially when it comes to grammar, the written word, dialects, historical facts, etc.
3. Writing
4. Knitting (and other handicrafts)
5. Music (by which I mean subcreation. You know, real bands, not manufactured formulaic nonsense)
6. Travelling. The freedom of being able to get up and go whenever I feel like it
7. Reading
8. Trying to get at the essence of food. No additives, chemicals, preservatives, genetic modification, hormones, etc. I tried buying cream the other day. To my mind, cream should have one ingredient: cream. Not guar gum, carrageenan, salt, sugar or anything else

8 things I have learned from the past
1. You know that little voice inside you that knows when something is off? Listen to it
2. Don't second guess yourself on a test or exam
3. A good mood goes a long way toward harmonious relations with people, especially those you have to work with. Don't whine or moan or snap at others
4. Don't talk too much. Listening's better
5. There's a lot to be said for the euphoria of a gorgeous day in the woods
6. Get a pet. Or two. Or three
7. Learn how to write. Don't use peak when you mean pique. Don't say your when you mean you're. It's hard to think clearly if you don't have the vocabulary to think with
8. Live in a small town before the age of 10, a big city between 10 and 20, and travel often after that

8 things I want/need (well now, what's the difference between this and a wishlist?)
1. A real library in which I can set up all my books (want)
2. A sideboard/cabinet to display all my wool and current knitting projects (you know, instead of tote bags scattered around the place) (want)
3. Every Friday off (dream)
4. The ability to get up an hour early each day to write (need)
5. Blue Rodeo concert tickets (must buy soon to get good seats)
6. A pint. And a dram
7. A daily fruit basket with all the fruit pre sliced (another dream)
8. An agent

8 people I want to tag
Jenny
Jen
Claire
Kristen
Rachel
Helen
Kait
Cindy
and anyone else who enjoys lists!