Francis

So this is Francis.  He is just as adorable in person (doesn’t he look bossy?)  I’ve started project 365 and Francis naturally debuted day one. 

Project 365

Okay friends! I’m going for it. My project for the new year will be a photo a day. If I were a planner, I would have thought of this on December 31. But I’m me. Get ready (starting tomorrow) for 365 days in photos on Flickr. Prepare yourself for lots and LOTS of animal photos.

In related news, the family is one animal more diverse. Francis the mini rex rabbit came home with me last Saturday. He’ll be making his photo debut shortly. Let go of everything you knew about buns though. Francis is one of a kind. He and Maddie are the most unlikely team of tricksters. Aside from the friendship with a rat, Francis lacks all sheepish bunny habits. He is fearless and curious. He is also able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Yesterday he managed to slam dunk himself in the toilet bowl. I didn’t see it happen so I can’t really comment on the physics, only that I found a sopping wet rabbit sitting in a nearly waterless bowl. Punier buns would have died of fright. Not Francis. He was a bit put-out by the humiliation of getting stuck in the john, but fright, never!

In Review

I wanted to write something about my life in 2007, but every time I tried to compose a post,  I tripped up.  Memories became confused.  I couldn’t remember when 2006 (or 2005 for that matter) ended and a new year began.  I finally settled on a top ten type list of sorts – something to outline the moments and experiences that carried the year. 

 10.  Books of 2007 – There were lots of good reads.  I especially loved: 

• She’s Come Undone  – for reminding me that coming of age still makes for a great read. 
•   The Golden Compass – for taking me away from reality and back to reality all at the same time. 
• The Glass Castle – for grabbing my heart and squeezing – I will always love the Walls children.
• Madame Bovary – because the greats are great for a reason.  They don’t make characters like they used to.

 9. Movies (er, TV too) of 2007:

• Imagine Me and You – for a good cry, I watch this on Sunday mornings.  Luce!
• The Golden Compass – I’m with Roger Ebert – naysayers be damned!
• Paradise Lost – This documentary made me want to actually practice law.  For 2 hours. 
• Ratatouille – because RATS RULE!
•  The L Word – for proving that bickering can be good and a cast with no men can be great.

 8. Foods of 2007:

• goat cheese – I’m sure some more advanced culture will one day worship it.
• pomegranate – how did I live 26 years without it?
• soy latte – the mocha fiends of the world are missing out.  This is the stuff of the gods. 

6.  Big Changes of 2007:

• New Job(s) – who ever thought I could hold down a full-time job and then some?  Not me.  The experience made me grow. Probation was a real start to my system.  I am so happy to finally be settling into a role as an educator.
• Trying Medication for Depression – yeah, it was a failed attempt, but it got the ball rolling.  I am so much happier since simply acknowledging that I can’t do this alone and I’m not a ruined person.
• Settling into “Being in Love” – eventually, I stopped feeling suspicious of my poor boyfriend and learned to enjoy partnership.

5.  Worst Moments of 2007:

• Papa in ICU – Things have been tough in our little family this year.  Seeing Papa so very sick was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to watch. 
• Ryan’s Sinus Surgery – Sure, he wasn’t going to die, but it was pretty stressful.  You know how much you love someone when you’re sitting in the waiting room.  In those moments,  your love either expands or flops.  Mine expanded.  I cried when I saw him in recovery.
• Conditioning the Bar (Part 2) – enough said.
• Loosing Ash

4. Happiest Moments of 2007:

• Papa coming home – For Good! – There was no happier moment this year than seeing Papa come home to his chair and Charlie dog. 
• Jon’s Graduation  – college was a time of change for Jon.  It was something to watch him walk across that stage and think of what a journey this has been. 
• Baby Pippy – One day Sean and I went to Durel’s Pet shop.  I was interested in ferrets, but I decided to sneak a look at the ratties.   The first time I held her, that was it.

3. The Unexpected  of 2007

• Becoming the Rat Girl – So Pippy led to Pinky, then Ash and now Maddie.  I have become so passionate about rattie advocacy!
• Embracing the Role of Educator – I never wanted to do exactly what either of my parents did for a living.  Turns out, I love being a mix of each.

2.  Branching Out in 2007

• Trying new painting mediums – I finally gave acrylics an earnest effort and it turns out that I like them. 
•  Bicycling – Thanks to Kathryn, I rediscovered how great cycling can be.  Granted, I’m a completely cushy bike rider all the way, but my effort is serious!  I hope to do more riding in 2008.
• Photography – Mom and Dad gave me a Nikon Coolpix for Christmas 2006.  These days, I love to photoblog more than anything.  I spend so much time on Flickr (which has changed my life BTW) organizing and cataloging. 

1.   Wishes for the New Year

• Meditation – I hope that in 2008 I spend more time working on awareness.
• Read more Books – I lost lots of hours to bad TV in 2007 that I wish I could get back.  In 2008, I will make a better effort to visit the library and pick up great reads for down time.
• CLEAN! – I want to be more clean and organized.  I am also fully aware that this will be on my to do list all year and for the rest of my life.
• Be Positive – I am such a sourpuss.  This year, I will focus on the good (as much as a sourpuss can).  Even if The Secret  is a load of garbage.