Interviewing for my Oscar Moment

For those of you who are wondering, I still don't know who won Creative Burlington's illustrious award for literary artist of the year.  I'll find out on February 3rd.  In the meantime, they video interviewed me.  The idea is for them to have a nifty video for each of the finalists so they can be introduced Oscar-style at the fancy awards night. 

So a few days before my interview, I got a tickle in my throat.  Then William got sick too and spent three days on the couch watching tv and refusing to eat anything (he also vomited each day at precisely 6 o'clock).  It's my own fault really.  When a friend of mine (hi Natalie) came to my door and told me her kids were all snotty but could she please bring them in to play anyway, I totally let her come in and spread her germies.  Well I learned my lesson!

Anyway, yesterday I went with my Mom to the Creative Burlington office (a tiny building on Lakeshore) to have our interviews taped.  By this time I had a phlegmy cough, froggy voice, and was feeling slightly nauseous.  The lady who greeted me asked if I was "one of them or just along for the ride."  I thought to myself, if I she doesn't know me, I must not be the winner.  I should have said something witty and clever, but instead I whined "I'm one of them" like a grade-school student being forced to play dodgeball.

My Mom went first.  I watched her being filmed and she answered all the questions and looked and sounded very professional.  Next it was my turn.  My Mom left so I wouldn't be nervous. Sitting in the chair was way different than watching my Mom sit in the chair.  All the lights were on me, and each light was as bright as the sun.  I squinted for a few minutes then one of the video people "Sarah" gave me a mic to put on.  I had to feed a wire up under my shirt, and snap a battery pack to my butt.

I won't repeat the questions and answers because I'm sure you're all going to spend $65 to see the awards show and will see the finished video then. I will say that I managed to get through it all without coughing.  Huzzah! At the end of the interview I read some of my work, so they could splice that in too. We were told to prepare a minute of work, which is not quite a page of text. When you're writing a novel, even one as short as mine, one page is nothing.  But I chose a scene that would knock your socks off.  I hope the end product isn't too embarrassing.

I'm always sick when I have to be on camera.  I had a cold when I did this thing too, but everyone said I was fabulous anyway.

Anyway, I already won something: an Arts Matter T-shirt.

William and Jadzia's William and Jadzia T-shirts

My good friend Scottish Carol sent us these personalized t-shirts, one for William "the Best Big Brother in the World" and one for Jadzia which is very similar to one we had for William when he was a baby (only of course it says "Jadzia" instead). On the back of the onesie it has Jadzia's date and time of birth and weight, which makes it extra special. And, with a name like Jadzia, this may be the last item with her name on it she will ever own.

Thank you Carol!

In other news, something's up with our roof, lots of ice, lots of water, more on that as the story develops.

In other better news, today I tried on a pair of my pre-pregnancy jeans and they fit! Not as well as before, mind you, but the point is I got them on and zipped them up. Woohoo!

Someone bought a t-shirt!

This one.

That's right, your chance to be the first to own an original atheistinthecloset.com design has passed. But never fear, there are plenty of designs that noone has ordered yet! (Including the "I Believe in Cookies" shirt. That one is classic).

On a completely unrelated note, check out my son in his new polar bear sleeper. Can you believe it's cold enough in August to wear this thing?

We have a mortgage! (and a floating baby and a business)

We have signed both mine and my husband's souls over to the bank, along with our life savings, just for the pleasure of paying more money for the condo we already live in! This is a big deal because not only will we get some equity (which I think is bank-talk for magic fairy dust), but it means we have fulfilled all my previous mental requirements to consider myself "a grown-up":

• a)grown-ups get married (check)


• b)grown-ups have kids (check)


• c)grown-ups have a mortgage (check)

Yikes! I'm going to have to come up with new criteria. Like, perhaps I need a real job before I truly mature. This journey into adulthood seems unsafe....like maybe I should be wearing a life jacket...

Speaking of life jackets (and really forced segues), William wore a life jacket at water babies today, look at him all cute:

In case you're wondering, no I am not naked in this picture, that is a strapless bathing suit. Anyway, notice how I'm not holding William at all? He can swim ALL BY HIMSELF.

In other news, I would like to end this blog entry with a shameless plug for mine and my husband's new online t-shirt business, which I have doubts will ever make any money. But if you happen to not believe in God, and want to advertise that fact on a t-shirt, go to: atheistinthecloset.com . In the closet....because we sell t-shirts...which you store in your closet...get it? Anyway there are nine super-cool designs so far. Some of them I think are cute even if you're not an atheist. So throw us a couple bucks will you? We have a mortgage for Spock's sake!