Reverse Procrastination?

So, though I told everyone that I would be setting aside my novel until my short story was ready for submission to competition, I ended up writing an easy 3 000 words yesterday afternoon. It was wholly unexpected and I'm not sure whether to be proud of myself for reaching the 80 000 word mark, or mad at myself for not actually working on my short story.

I have decided that proud would probably serve me better.

Due to my record of doing the opposite of what I say I'm going to do, today I shall do nothing.

This weekend I watched the men's figure skating on the CBC. Shawn Sawyer skated a fantastic routine, only to be ousted at the last by Patrick Chan, whose routine was virtually flawless. It was a spectacular show.

Patrick Chan, whose grounded and intelligent interviews during the recent Vancouver Winter Olympics made me a fan, truly deserved his 4th Canadian National title. You can see his skate for yourself here. Watch it. It's truly inspired.

Congrats Mr. Chan.

Today is, of course, Robbie Burns Day. I wish I could have a scotch and some haggis in honour of the poet, but I have training tonight, so will be missing out on the celebrations. I think that I might buy a haggis for later on in the week when I'm actually home to enjoy it.

Born this day in 1759, Mr. Burns is most probably famous for writing the lyrics for Auld Lang Syne. This is, unfortunately, not true. According to Mr. Burns himself, the tune was an old folk song. He simply recorded it. All the same, he was a brilliant poet and rightly celebrated.

Happy Robbie Burns Day, everyone!

Have a scotch for me, will you?

The brazen Scottish often out-shout their quieter cousins, the Welsh. Today is the feast day of St. Dwynwen - the female Welsh saint of lovers. That's right, today is officially the Welsh version of Valentine's Day. Not only is Dwynwen pleasing to say, it offers a refreshingly commercialisation-free day to celebrate the love between couples. Sick of busting your butt for social expectation on Valentine's Day (which is my very least favourite day of the year. Ever.)? Take your loved one out (or in) for a romantic dinner this evening.

Just be prepared for random outbursts of Auld Lang Syne.

Onto today's Forgotten English word/phrase of the day:

Babies-in-the-eyes:

The miniature reflection of himself which a person sees in the pupil of another's eye on looking closely into it. Our old poets make it an employment of lovers to look for them in each other's eyes.

- James Halliwell's Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words, 1855

Love in expression of the eyes - the little babe Cupid, and hence the conceit, originating from the reflection of the onlooker in the pupil of another's eyes.

- Ebenezer Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 1898

Bird of the eye, the little refracted image on the retina. In many languages there [is an] endearing term of this kind. The Greeks call it the girl or virgin; and our ancestors talked of the 'baby in the eyes'

- Rev. Robert Forby's Vocabulary of East Anglia, 1830