and you miss, are no lady

2011 Or Something Like It

2011-12-31T10:48:00.001-04:00

I didn't really start blogging again, as you may have noticed. I want to though because I like writing and I want to self-identify as a good writer. But I'm not sure even good writers do that.

I feel compelled to put ths year down on paper because it only happened the once and I have a poor memory.

So this year I only attended one funeral and one wedding. The funeral was for my Great Aunt Ethel. She was 85 or something and had completed her mission here on earth. When my grandmother turned 80 two years ago Aunt Ethel wrote "the 80's are great!" which is about as positive a thing you can say about living in a slowly rotting body that defies your will. I would see Aunt Ethel from time to time at family things and every time she would relay the story of me being her first visitor at the hospital when she had surgery to remove a tumor. I was only a few days old at the time so I guess it left an impression.
My grandher (pictured in the header) lost the last of her biological siblings this year, two sisters within days. She said, " I'm ready to let them go but I'll miss them." Still makes me teary.

The one wedding was for my sister in laws sister, which is kind of a lose connection but whatever. My friend was the photographer and I helped snap a few photos. I realized I loved it and could do it over again but also realized I hate post processing and the stress of capturing a major life event is too much for my weak constitution.

Other than that very little happened in 2011. I worked too much but I always do. I quit sugar and started again after a month. I didn't go anywhere interesting or even bother applying for a passport again. I didn't go to many movies despite intentions to do otherwise, but really, who even goes to the movies anymore?

This year I did go to a lot of concerts and it was GREAT. I plan to keep that trend going. I saw Old Man Luedecke, Arcade Fire, Gord Downie and they Country of Miracles and attended the Halifax Pop Explosion which was crazy and amazing and why didn't I kniw about it before?? Also discovered lots of new music that almost no one likes because I never have shared a musical taste with another human so why start now?

If I were to honestly look back on 2011 I would say that I'm generally pleased with the direction things are going in but I desperately need some more adventure in my life. I don't want to be boring anymore.

I had an epiphany when I visited my grandmother this Christmas. She dedcated her whole life to helping other people, raising children, feeding a husband, and at the end of it all she still spends Christmas morning alone and has dinner with people she barely knows because her family have made other plans.

Sounds horrible right? It's not, it's just how life worked out that day but the point I took away from it is basically and skeptically, we all end up alone at the end so might as well have an adventure while we can.

I don't mean that in the everyone hates everyone humans are terrible way that it sounds but I'm choosing to use the idea as an impetus to seek out new experiences this year (and every year).

We'll see what happens.

Sure, Why Not.

2011-08-22T21:59:00.002-03:00

I think I might blog again. Seems like the thing to do.

Movies of 2010

2010-12-11T16:20:00.003-04:00

Needless to say, it's been awhile.

As you may have noticed 2010 is almost done. It was a great year, lots of nice stuff happened. There weren't too many epic life changes, which is a nice break from 2009. My debt is a little smaller, my car rolled over it's 300 000th kilometer and I bought a couch. 2010: Good year.

I haven't, however, watched many movies. I'm pretty sure I've only been in a theatre twice this year, once for Inception and once for The Other Guys.* Am I too busy? Am I too poor? No. But I do have the attention span of a fruit fly (thanks, internet!) and two hours is a long time for a fruit fly.

Christmas/New Year's is coincidentally list making time AND the time of year when I tend to watch movies and discover new music. So, my goal is to watch all the movies from 2010 that other people think are good before the clock strikes midnight.

So far the twitter suggestions have been: (updated with thoughts)

Toy Story 3 - Loved it, of course

The Social Network - Great

The Town - Meh

I Am Love

Winter's Bone - Meh, a bit hoaky.

Never Let Me Go

Catfish - Nothing happens!

Let Me In (which I'm not going to watch, because I really dislike vampire stuff, always have)

I've also added to the queue, based on my tireless research:

Please Give - Detest. Awful, terrible story.

Get Low

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Am I missing anything? Suggest away! I'll try my darndest to get through most of these before the new year, but I'm not some kind of movie watching super hero**. You understand.

*Realized after posting that I also saw Letter to Juliet because I won tickets.
**Was not successful in watching everything before a completely arbitrary deadline, so I'm still plucking away at it.

Twitter Johnston

2010-07-20T12:41:00.009-03:00

Every town has it's ghost stories. Most start with some minute grain of truth and morph through the telling to grotesque tales of murder, mystery and metaphysical terror. Old houses made grey by the elements are the settings of disappearance and death. The stories serve as grim warnings for the curious to stay away or risk certain doom, which often succeeds in drawing in nosy, drunken trespassers.

I first heard about the "clown grave" on a bus driving us high schoolers home to Stellarton after putting on a musical at the DeCoste Centre in Pictou. The bus was dark, our faces were distorted with the remnants of theatre make-up, and the atmosphere was electric with the post-performance buzz. Some of the older kids started telling us stories about their experiences visiting this clown grave - his eyes followed them as they moved around the grave, his hand would be in a different position, they heard voices, saw lights in the distance... all very ghoulish, and nothing particularly frightening (unless you were the 8 year old girl we forgot was on the bus, she had nightmares for a week).

The stories made for an interesting bus ride, but I slept fine and there was no lasting trauma. A few months passed, maybe more, before I had the chance to visit the grave myself. And you know what? Even though we went in the daylight the thing was still enormously creepy.

I hadn't thought about the clown grave for a few years until this past weekend when I was camping in Caribou, just outside of Pictou. On Friday night we made a run for some necessities at Walmart (somebody forgot to pack underwear....) and on the way back we decided to make a little detour down to the Haliburton Cemetery. This time it was dark, so we kept the headlights on but even though we're adults, some of us parents, only two of us were brave enough to get out of the car. We didn't waste any time running over and snapping a few pictures before jumping back in the car and racing away.

The cemetery itself is obscured from sight by the tall grass and gangly trees that flank the entrance. To the left of the driveway the field is overgrown with grass as tall as the car. But someone seems to still care about the place because once you round the bend you can see the headstones emerge like beacons reflecting the headlights.

The clown grave itself is easy to spot. A granite and plexiglass case was added years ago to prevent any weather damage or ill-willed vandals and it stands out among the gray and black of the grave markers spreading over the field in rows. Getting closer, the figure of a small, sad clown emerges from behind the short pillars and its clear why it has inspired the stories I've heard:

George "Twitter" William Johnston

March 29, 1889 - April 29, 1962

See?? Isn't that creepy? Unfortunately, I have no tale of terror to add to the myth of the clown grave. Our friends beeped the horn and we ran back to the car giggling after only a few minutes. It was a cemetery at night, after all. What gets me about the grave itself is not the clown but the epitaph penned by Twitter Johnston:

"To talk beneath the moon
To sleep beneath the sun
To live in a land of going to do
And die with nothing done.”

Why was he focused on regret at the end? What was left undone? I could only find one little blurb about the man who wrote the verse, but to an onlooker it seems like he led an interesting life. He was an acrobat, a sleight of hand artist, a circus performer, a tumbler, he was a part of a vaudeville troupe and traveled fairly extensively. Sounds like someone who was following his passion - and yet at the end he's still looking over his list of things to do and lamenting that so much was left unchecked.

He maybe didn't think he got much done while he was here, but his nickname has become pretty influential in the past couple of years. We've been talking about him everyday and didn't even know it.

I'm trying to put a positive spin on his message, but it's not coming together. Maybe he was trying to leave us, like the audience at his performances, wanting more. In the end it sounds like he procrastinated on what he wanted his life to be about and was disappointed in himself. I dunno... what do you get out of it?

After reading about Twitter and listening to an interview with him from the CBC Archives, the clown grave feels less creepy. He was just a guy who made his living entertaining people during a tumultuous time in history. It's still sad, but in the end this is how he wanted to be memorialized. Weird to us now, but I guess it made sense to him.

You can read more about Twitter here* (website has since disappeared) and listen to a CBC Radio interview with him recorded three months before he died.

*You can see in one of the old photos that the umbrella there now was originally a bouquet of flowers. Wonder why they changed it?

Goodnight. Or is it?

2010-06-07T23:25:00.004-03:00

It's ten minutes from tomorrow and I've been up since 5:14 am. I know it was 5:14 am because twitter told me there was a huge thunder clap around that time. I don't know that because I actually heard the thunder but because I awoke to frightened felines outlining their escape from the great unknown with their claws into my legs.

Why don't I let myself sleep? Two days, 5 hours sleep, and I worked for 12 hours today. It's not even that I can't sleep because I know I'll be out in seconds as soon as I hit the hay (or as soon as I turn on the latest episode of Treme, which is more likely...)

The science of sleeping interests me due to the nature of my work which requires a mix of night shifts and day shifts. I used to think having to stay up all night for work purposes was about as low as you can get. But now that I've been doing it for four years I couldn't imagine doing anything else. Me work 9-5? EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK! That's crazy. I don't know how you people do it.

So, yeah, the science of sleeping interests me. I watched a clip the other day about what causes us to lose sleep, what effects how long it takes us to go to sleep... all that good stuff. As a kid I went to bed because it was 10pm. Some days I'd fall asleep easier than others, but I still went to bed when it was 10pm.

Now, I only drag my sorry self off to my bedroom when I'm so close to sleep I can barely stand-up and as a result I think I've lost the ability to actually go to sleep. I don't lie down on my bed until I'm absolutely sure I'll pass out in seconds. I rarely go to bed before midnight. I rarely get more than 6-7 hours sleep. I can nap like a mo-fo likely due to sleep deprivation but when it comes to a situation where I don't control when I go to bed (visiting, traveling) I almost panic (I use the term panic lightly, more like, worry or even ponder).

Whatever. In the end I just have to put myself to bed and commit to better sleeping habits. Get a new mattress, buy new bedding, vacuum under the bed (upgrade from a swiffer vac), get a better white sound machine, get light canceling curtains. It's so simple!

Not So Much

2010-06-06T00:21:00.003-03:00

Last we met I was gushing over a new found musical amour in Mumford and Sons. I've since listened to the whole album and I'm afraid I have to take it back. They're a couple-a songs wonder for me, and I'm a little sad about it. I wanted to love them, I really did.

Trouble is, all the songs sound the same and the lyrics come off as thesaurus dependent. What do I know, I suppose. Maybe that's how they talk in Angleterre. To me their sound is a tad inauthentic. Same rising emotions, same harmonies, same smug folkiness.

Can't win 'em all, I suppose. I still like the Little Lion Man song, just not the whole package.

Growing up I didn't go to a lot of concerts; pretty sure I didn't go to any, actually. There wasn't a whole lot happening in Pictou County but that's no excuse. The real trouble is I was more into Antonin Dvorak than Eddie Veder and missed a lot of what the 90's had to offer. First CD I bought was the Pocahontas soundtrack, which says a lot, really.

Fortunately, things have changed in the past year or two and I've experienced more live music. First for 2010 was the Halifax for Haiti concert (completely amazing). Then a couple of months ago I won tickets to Metric and just last night I enjoyed a little Matt Mays at the Fleet Club.

The Metric show was just a few days before their big Juno wins and Matt Mays was performing before a small crowd of apparently devoted fans. I'll definitely have to see him again since the folks I went with weren't the adventurous sort and spent the night seated and sober.

Some other names on my must-see list would be Hawksley Workman, Rufus Wainwright (although this note on the tour date list is... I dunno, weird?), Deep Dark Woods, Old Man Luedecke, etc. etc. Point is, I plan to take in a lot more shows than I have traditionally so here's hoping for a very musical second half of 2010.

Not your fault, but mine.

2010-05-17T00:43:00.003-03:00

I've discovered that I first wrote about yesterday's topic on July 6, 2009. Apparently I've thought about it before...

On another note I'm disappointed in you, internet. Why has it taken so long for you to tell me about Mumford and Sons? I love this song and as I so often do with a new song I've overplayed it today. Some day it'll be just another tune that I may or may not listen to when it pops up on the old Creative Zen. But today is not that day.

Have a listen. They say a swears so if you have little lambs around whose delicate ears have not yet been f-bombed, please take appropriate action.

There You Are

2010-05-16T07:18:00.003-03:00

I've been awake for 24 hours and therefore delirious. I worked last night after a day I saw all of. Get it? You get it.

I haven't blogged much, but you haven't been here either so it's all good. Here's a blog post in case you come wandering by. Hi. I don't drink tea so I don't have any to offer, but if I did you'd be the first I'd present it to, in my prettiest tea cup no less. I don't have any tea cups either, so just picture one. Preferably one with yellow flowers.

I've felt off balance lately, in that I haven't spent much time doing things I actually like to do. I was stressed out the other day (the tyranny of the gas light and the distance of the pay day), and couldn't think of anything I wanted to do that would be relaxing.

So I made a decision. It's been about a year since I bid adieu to hundreds of channels and other than what I watch at work I haven't turned my TV on for non-olympic or award show programming in about that same time. That doesn't make me a media hermit though, because the amount of TV shows I watch online more than makes up for what I'm "missing".

On sidereel.com you can keep track of your shows and see a schedule of when the shows you choose to follow are on. I counted them yesterday to discover that I am currently following 36 shows that are currently on the air, so it doesn't include shows like Dexter which won't start again until the fall.

36 shows! That's whack. And the majority are hour long dramas. That's a whack of life being sucked into make believe. What's worse is a lot of these are shows that I don't particularly enjoy watching. So why, why, why do I bother?

I said back a few that I made a decision, and it is that after this season I'll be cold turkeying a lot of the shows I've been following and not picking them up again in the fall. Grey's Anatomy is on the cut list (seriously, it's terrible). 30 Rock is off the team (I know it's smart funny, but it doesn't make me giggle). Fortunately a lot of shows aren't coming back such as Lost, Heroes, 24 and Flash Forward, so the media moguls have done some of the work for me.

I like being hip to pop culture, but it's really not important enough to waste that much time and energy on. I don't have hobbies, I don't have marketable skills, I don't know how to fix stuff, I've never baked bread.

All good life things that I could do simply by turning my attention towards them. So, allons-y.

And if you'll let me go on (I am delirious, remember. I didn't say it'd be good). I was watching TV last night, which is a common night shift "activity" and the commercials were really getting to me. Of course people like fast food - literally billions of dollars have been spent making sure it appeals to the majority of people. I haven't had any since January and I know I'm not missing anything. People dedicate their lives and lotsa money to finding something that may or may not work that is appealing enough for people to buy a lot of. I don't want to be sucked in to something because it has a big marketing budget.

I want to want something because 1) I need it (like real need not false market driven need, 2) it'll add value to my life and 3) I can't make it myself. Lofty goals I suppose but why not try?

Of course people like crappy TV shows like Grey's Anatomy and Criminal Minds. Billions of dollars goes into designing these things for us. How can we resist?

I would hazard to guess that in the majority of homes where a TV exists, it is left on all day. Why are we giving them so much power over what goes into our heads? I'm really not trying to sound like a hippie, but seriously. Think about the messages going into brains when hundreds of commercials surround us all day, whether we're actively listening or not.

Cut your cable (save your money), find a few good shows that you find entertaining and watch them occasionally. Pare it down to one TV and put it into a low traffic room. Shut it off for more hours than it's on. Then get a hobby, figure out how to fix something you broke, change a lightbulb, vacuum your car, plant a little garden, knit a scarf, learn how to play an instrument.

Can you imagine what a different place this would be if we did things with intention? If the information we took in made us better, more talented people?

Sounds great to me. Now let's see if I actually follow through with it.

Good Food

2010-01-04T13:46:00.003-04:00

photo credit: flickr user maistora

Months ago a friend of mine mentioned that there are organizations in Halifax that deliver organic food to your home. A blog post I read recently reminded me of this and I googled it. I gleefully discovered that it's true! You can have organic produce and a few other grocery items delivered to your home.

The company is called Home Grown Organic Foods and they operate a food delivery service as well as a store at 6188 Allan Street.

The user interface of the website isn't pretty, but it didn't take too long to figure out. I placed an order today and accidentally set delivery for Wednesday, but since I have no money, I meant to set it for Saturday. I sent off an email to the address given, so hopefully that all gets figured out.

I ordered the single size food box of fruit and veggies meant for one or two people ($30), plus a few other items like goat's milk yogurt and organic salsa. Hopefully it's not too much, though I'm going to have to significantly change my eating habits anyway if I decide to commit to a bi-monthly delivery. Which isn't a bad thing, not at all.

So we'll see what happens on Saturday morning! Or more importantly, what happens in the following days as I figure out what to do with good, healthy food.

Permanink

2010-01-03T09:36:00.003-04:00

I have wanted a tattoo for a long time. My love of indecision and fear of commitment are what holds me back, though I like to say it's the lack of funds. You always find the cash when you really want something, amirite?

When I happened across this photo I was immediately convinced that it was what I wanted. Love at first browse, if you will.

I'm also thinking that the photo I use in my blog header of my grandmother would make a snazzy tattoo. But then I would be murdered and buried in the woods, so there's that.

There's a tattoo convention coming up in Halifax and one of the artists comes from Quebec. I completely love her work, and having only seen a bit of it, I'm sure I'd love the rest too. Her name is Veronique Imbeault and she is good. Very, very good.

Hello 2010!

2010-01-01T22:59:00.005-04:00

photo credit: flickr user d_hawkey

2010 has finally arrived and here I am, resolving to do it differently, just like I do every year. I've been reading the resolutions and goals of others, and what puts me off of the idea is the insatiable optimism with which these posts are written. 2010 is going to be the best yet! New Year, New Me! etc. etc.

While it is weird to write a new date, shuffling the zero's around in new and unfamiliar ways and though a change of the date is an opportunity to make efforts towards real change, I'm a little leery of the whole thing. I've resolved to do things before, setting 01 as the starting gate but the reality of slogging through time rears it's ugly head and the fact that the baggage I carry doesn't miraculously disappear with a new year has stopped my best intentions at inception.

That's life though, I think. We all have baggage to deal with. And in saying all that, I'm still going to write down a few things I'd like to get done this year:

1) Improve overall health - this is purposely vague because it encompasses a lot of things, not least of which is the goal to floss every day.

2) Read more - um. This is kind of vague too. I'll have to flesh these out in the coming days. Another goal!

3) Write. Blog. This includes career related articles.

4) Publish - Or at least try.

5) Reconnect with old friends and get out of the house more to meet new ones.

6) Go on a trip - road or otherwise.

7) Attend a lot of concerts - I've been to 4 concerts in my life and this must change.

I think that's it. The first goal is quite big and involves little goals like dropping this pop addiction and eliminating fast food. As well as finding a doctor to get some things figured out and getting jaw surgery...

Anyway, when I think of living the life I want the preceding are all a part of it. Let's see where this takes us. New year, new me!

Goodbye 2009!

2010-01-01T22:32:00.002-04:00

It's been a long time since I last saw this "new post" screen. I think about writing something every now and again, but I've been avoiding it I suppose. My plan is to just jump back in and see what happens - especially since most of my big goals for 2010 involve writing.

Anywho, back to 2009. As a co-worker so eloquently said, "a lot happened". And when you smush a whole year into one little post yeah, a lot did happen:

My mother remarried in May - I was a bridesmaid, I was a blubbering idiot.

My father remarried - I was not a blubbering idiot, it was Christmasy and easy.

My grandfather died - Having never had a close relative pass away, this was a major learning experience. It also sucked greatly.

My nephew turned 1 - He's still awesome, and at the age of 21 months he can now say my name and since adults often have trouble with it, this is quite the feat.

I got full-time - I have job security, a reliable schedule, I'll never have to go through the interview process again and I'll have medical benefits in a month. This was a game changer.

I "bought" my first car - It's a 15 year old Camry that's still running greatish. It was my mom's before it was mine and I just do little payments every month. But it's mine gosh darnit! and I have the repair bills to prove it.

I re-moved out on my own - I had been sharing an apartment with the previously mentioned mother, but that changed in April and I have a 2 bedroom in Bedford. I will not be moving again until I can afford to pay someone to do it for me. Moving is the worst.

Oh what else... I guess that's the major "lights" (both high and low). Overall 2009 uh, happened? I dunno. It's hard to label it as "great" or "worst" because it just is what it is. I can say that there are a lot of things I would like to change, hence and therefore my next post will be all idealistic and plan-y.

Negligence

2009-09-20T00:32:00.002-03:00

I need some shoes. These gold flippy floppies are nice and all but 1) I'm not supposed to wear flip flops at work, and 2) it's getting cold. In times of yore I could make it well into November before switching to more substantial footwear but I must be getting old because I can't tolerate the cold as well as in my younger years. Plus my dried, cracked heels are begging for some protection.

I need a jacket. The idea of a fall coat confounds me. Something light enough and heavy enough and pretty enough. Thanks to these lumbering shoulders of mine, most coats available to me look terrible. But I want something nicer than run-o-the-mill windbreaker type thing. Does such a thing exist?

I need clothes. Man, do I ever! I've purchased maybe 3-4 shirts this year. One pair of capris. This year!!! Every time I go to a store I set out to try things on, regardless of whether I normally would wear it or not. I can't find anything! And what I do find is ridiculously overpriced. I work in a very casual environment so buying something fancy/office-y is a waste of money because I'm never going to wear it. The code is (literally, they wrote it down) nothing with holes, no rip offs, no inappropriate slogans. That's it! But can I find anything? Nope. It's annoying.

I need lots of other stuff too - new make-up, lamps, an oil change. But affording everything when you're just one little paycheque can be difficult. I know, call those Nobel people for we have a forward thinker.

Two complain-y posts in a row is about two more than anyone cares to read, but blog fodder is hard to come by at the moment. Although, since September 22 is just around the corner, and because September 22 means there are only 100 days left in 2009, I've decided to do up some goals for the end of the year. Nothing to crazy, but I'm a goal and list person and I have no goals or lists at the moment.

So there you have it.

I Wanna Be a Brace Face

2009-09-18T17:21:00.002-03:00

The last time I went to the dentist (back in 2005...) I was referred to an orthodontist who informed me that I have a Class III Malocculsion with open bite. Basically it means I have a really hard time eating certain foods, I talk funny and it hurts. Burgers and subs are especially difficult because I can't bite all the way through since my front teeth don't touch. It's not usually a pretty site. He also told me that I'll experience degeneration of the jaw joints by the time I'm 30.

That brings us to today. I get insane-o headaches (during which my right eye gets droopy - real attractive), stiff neck muscles from the strain of things being out of whack, my jaw cracks and creaks and my lisp is worse. The past couple of weeks I've also been getting moments of pulsing pain on the right side of my jaw. I'm still a few years from 30, but things are not looking great.

And you know what really sucks? I can't afford to get it fixed. I've been looking around at some local orthodontists and they all say it'll cost between $6200 and $11000 to get fixed. I'll be at the higher end because fixing my face will involve a year of braces followed by surgery, followed by having my jaw wired shut for 6 weeks.

I don't have dental insurance yet, but even if I did it won't cover orthodontics for me since I'm over 18. So that means crossing my fingers and hoping I qualify for financing. One other possibility is the Dal Dental Clinic. It's cheaper than a regular dentist, but you're being treated by a student. I don't even know if I'll qualify because I need a little more than you're average molar. I guess it'd be worth it for the cheaper cleaning...

Why in this world of universal health care are medically necessary dental procedures not covered?? I don't need prescriptions or my gallbladder removed - I just need my face fixed!

Wanderlust

2009-08-26T12:11:00.003-03:00

wan·der·lust (wndr-lst)

A very strong or irresistible impulse to travel.

It hasn't hit me in a long time, but today the urge to "Go" is sitting sqarely on my chest. During idle hours I take a mental inventory of my apartment, selling each item and hoarding the cash to be spent on a ticket, on gas, on a pair of shoes.

I can't go. I don't have the money, or a passport or the banked vacation time. And this is what I have to repeat in my head when I pass the airport, with my hand far enough away from the turning signal at the exit that I don't tempt my self-control.

I went out to the woods last night, though dragged would be a better verb. There's this deep, dark lake the colour of cola a short walk off the main road and apparently it's a great place to cool off in the summer. But this being a cool night already, I wasn't feeling it.

We wore life jackets and Heidi chose the broken boogie board. I'm not a strong swimmer (I never made it passed Otter) and the lake is deep so making it to the other side and back requires some artificial floating.

I almost couldn't do it. I'm not an aquatically adventerous person - I have no problem getting my hair cut in a foreign country by some hairdresser who doesn't speak English and who only offers soviet fashion magazines as aides. But throw in a water trap and I freeze up.

Even on the ferry ride to PEI I get squeamish looking over the edge, fearful that I'll lose control and suddenly leap over the railing into the frothy waves. It don't make no sense.

So I stood by the side of this lake while BJ and Heidi were trying to convince me that it wasn't so bad. I just stood there staring down at where my feet would be if the lake had been clear.

"Don't worry! It's really deep!" wasn't what I wanted to hear. In my head I could picture myself just jumping in but everytime I thought I could do it, I would recoil with giddy reluctance. I was annoyed with the other two because they put me in this position and a little annoyed at myself for being such a chicken.

Finally, I managed to ignore what was happening in my head and dove in. Not so much dove, as moved forward wetly but I was in and that's what counts. I made it across and back, continually smothering the irrational hesitation that had almost cemented my feet to the shore. I was done in record time.

The relief of completing the task quickly turned into frustration. I always tell myself that I'm going to do these great adventerous things - travel solo to off beat places, meet crazy people, do crazy things... but I can't even jump in a lake without flipping my wig (as the cool kids say).

Fear, hesitation and excuses - they'll gum things up every time. I'm not unhappy but I'm definitely not satisfied with how things are right now. I think this current bout of wanderlust is more than just the drive to travel somewhere, but it's a deep need to change my status quo and shake the cobwebs out of my foggy head.

There's a line of song you probably don't know, "there must be more than this", that keeps playing in my head over and over. Whatever it is, I really hope it's not on the other side of some creepy lake. But even if it is, I hope I can still get there.

I Can't Get Ova Nova Scotia

2009-07-14T22:59:00.007-03:00

It's been a few days, but I feel like I can't move on to something else until I talk about it.

As mentioned previously, I landed some tickets to the Paul McCartney concert that happened on Saturday. I was unbelievably excited before going, and it only kept building when my brother and I arrived to find ourselves near the front of the line (people camped there?) and then within 30 feet of the stage once they finally let us in.

I was probably too optimistic at first, thinking we'd get a chance to sit down in between sets and I wasn't alone. Some had brought blankets and spread them out for the opening act (Sierra Noble, I'd never heard of her either). One group felt that their blanket was sacred space and tried to defend it until the bitter end - but a crowd of 50 000 is hard to hold back when your only defence is some fleece and a flip flop.

I'm really glad we didn't end up bringing chairs. They had a section near the back gated off for chair toters, and a lot of people just dumped them and went to the front. A chair would have been nice, since we had stood for 3 hours in line and then another 8 hours once we got to our spot.

11 hours standing? Yeah, that's painful. It was cramped up there too with only inches between me and the next fan. I actually had bruising and swelling from an old injury... but whatevs, it was totally worth it!

My two main worries were not being close enough to see Sir Paul and having to go to the bathroom at an inopportune time. I could definitely see Paul and my plan to drink only enough water to not die worked perfectly! If I had left my spot there was no way I would have gotten back to it. Did you see that crowd??

Wintersleep went on stage somewhere around 6 pm and they were great, as usual. I think maybe they were a little tired from flying in from Ottawa only hours before, but they still rocked it and seemed to enjoy themselves. Not in a million years did I think I would see some guys I went to high school with open for a Beatle. That's insane!!

Next up was Joel Plaskett and he was at the top of his game! Full of energy and obviously thrilled to be doing what he was doing. He had what seemed like a short set, but it was really, really good. I can't believe he's not more famous cuz that dude's got some mad skillz. Yo.

Then of course, the moment I didn't know I had been waiting my whole life for. If you had told me when I was 13 years old that I would be seeing Paul McCartney live, in person, in my more or less home town I would never, ever have believed you. I didn't cry or freak out like I thought I would (maybe it was the dehydration?) but I was completely mesmerized for the next 2 hours and 38 minutes. Dude played 36 songs!

It is honestly one of the major highlights of my life, and I don't care how cheesy that sounds. Someday they'll hand me my first born and unless it breaks into a raucous version of "Drive My Car", I'll be a little disappointed.

Some highlights for me? Other than being super close for the whole she-bang - Live and Let Die was amazing (I could feel the heat from the stage!). I also wanted to hear Get Back, and Helter Skelter in the encore was a nice surprise too. Then naturally comes the communal experience of everyone singing Give Peace a Chance in unison with peace signs waving in the air. I didn't realize it at the time, but this is the first time Daytripper had been played in concert by a Beatle since their last performance in 1966. And lastly, he performed Mull of Kintyre with a little help from the 78th Highlanders. It's a boring song, but who could help feeling it with the Nova Scotia tartan displayed on the screen behind him and the bag pipes sailing across the stage.

So really, all the awesome things that everyone has already mentioned were awesome things to me too. I kept telling my brother that I couldn't believe where I was and who I was seeing. Even now whenever I see the fuzzy over-exposed shot on my cell phone I giggle like a school girl. Going to that concert was one of the best things I've ever made myself do, bar none.

What's next then? I've been wracking my brain trying to think of another concert I'd be just as excited to see, or something else I could do that would bring that much joy and satisfaction. While I'm sure there is something, at least for now the glowing memories of that show are blocking my imagination.

The videos I linked to are all really terrible. C'est la vie. If you wanted a good view, you totally should have gone :)

All You Need is... Patience

2009-07-09T16:08:00.004-03:00

Speaking of obsessions, I was completely in love with the Beatles when I was in grade 8. It wasn't cool in 1996, but the Anthologies had just been released and I was completely and hopelessly hooked. I taped them when it was on TV and proceeded to watch it over, and over. And over. And over again.

You get the idea.

My brother and sister hated it, but I couldn't stop myself. I used to run home after school to listen to one of the songs just so I'd have it in my head for soccer practice (it was Strawberry Fields, not exactly a complicated melody, but whatever). That year for Christmas I had been begging my parents to get me a Beatles book, but they told me it was sold out. When I opened my gift on Christmas morning and found the book I completely freaked out, crying and giggling so hard I could hardly speak.

It took me six months to save up for the Anthology on CD so imagine my disappointment when I went to Blockbuster and they had raised the price by a dollar. Mom wouldn't lend it to me either, so I had to scrounge up some more dimes before I could get it.

The first Beatles music I ever owned was a CD that started with, "Love Me Do". I still get goosebumps when I hear it, though the mad fixation has long paseed.

Today on the drive home it started to sink in that I'm actually going to see Paul McCartney live in concert this weekend. I'm not ashamed to admit that there are moments when I'm completely overwhelmed and have to catch my breath. I can't remember being this excited for something in a long freaking time!

What it comes down to now is worrying (me? a worrier?) about the details of the day - when should we get there? Early or just when the shuttle starts? What are the "bathroom" lines going to be like? How do I get as close as I can to the front? Do I bring a chair? Can I sneak food in? Or can I fake diabetes so they let me? Are my tickets real? What if they don't let me? I need to be close enough to at least see the guy...

I'm trying to forget about it and just enjoy myself whatever happens, because there's really no point in worrying about it. I'm bringing my camera to document the event that I'll be attending with my brother (he's recovered from the abuse I put him through).

Gah!!! I can't wait!!!

Conundrum

2009-07-07T00:53:00.005-03:00

Everything I do, I tend to do in fits and starts. I can be really passionate, or "obsessed" as some might say, about something but it's usually only for a brief spurt. Days, weeks, never years. Although sometimes the memory of how I felt about something in the past will be enough for me to become re-obsessed about it... if that makes any sense.

It's why I can't do knitting. That shiz takes patience! I've done a scarf or two, but having the focus and dedication to make something more significant than that is beyond me. My level of obsession depends also on the success I have in whatever particular area. I.e. papier mache was fun, but when my milk carton birdhouse went moldy in the closet, I quickly lost the urge

to boil newspaper and ruin pots.

One thing I'm interested in, but have had little capacity to persue (re: money) is interior design. I feel pretentious just uttering the words. And that's part of the conundrum. For awhile I'll idle away my time cruising through design blogs, determining my style (most decidedly mid-century modern), and looking at pretty prints on Etsy that tickle my fancy.

During these spurts of inspiration, without fail, the thought that this "interior design" business is such a uniquely western occupation. I think of people who's obsession is finding food, or scraps of metal to sell... Why spend money on "Keep Calm and Carry On" (don't by the way, that thing is sooo early 2008) when people are literally dying to live. How do we reconcile these unnecessary purchases? Why do we buy bottled water when our free tap water is perfectly potable and other people can't find a sip without their bodies being invaded by parasites that escape through their feet?

I'm very fortunate that I can spend time searching for a Dutch Teak Credenza from 1974 that will be so over priced because this is stupid Nova Scotia where everyone thinks their junk is worth something when it so just isn't. Seriously! They want $100 for a couch and chair set that everyone in this province has been related to at some point or knows where to find one in the basement of some aunt, cousin or hunting camp.

Back to the point... the conclusion I've come to is that yes, I am very fortunate to be living in a place where I can expend the brain energy on what style couch I like best or what curtains to hang. There are people out there who would love to do that but are too busy fighting for their right to vote or eat or raise children. That will always be true. My job is to live the life I've been given in a responsible way, informing myself of what's happening in the world and participating when I can (and we all can). But also taking the time to do things I enjoy and that make me happy, for however short a time that may be.

Photos above are some that I've collected of rooms that I love over time but failed to note where I got them...

Television, the drug of the nation

2009-07-06T13:39:00.004-03:00

At my old apartment I was in TV addict heaven. I had all the theme packs I wanted, I had a perfectly programmed DVR, I had a TV in my room where it lulled me to sleep at night and greeted me in the morning. DVR's are amazing, seriously. I never watched "real" TV, but did suffer from TiVO guilt - which is why I watched more Fringe and 90210 episodes than I really needed to.

When I moved, I decided to give up the expense of the set-up I had and go back to ghetto-vision (the trifecta of Canadian stations, plus a fuzzy french). I gave it all up, the DVR, the control, the guilt - cold turkey. And while I missed it at first, before the internet was connected, I don't find myself missing it at all. I don't even watch the channels I do have, mostly because I can't stand the lack of choice and the commercials. I do watch it at work, but that hardly counts.

This doesn't mean I've found more valuable ways to spend my time, of course. I've been watching a few series online, and I spend excessive hours on the interwebs doing nothing in particular. But I think this trend is starting to wane, hopefully I'll catch up on my reading and maybe even do something productive... a girl can dream!

I'm currently working my way through Weeds and Six Feet Under, and I recently finished Dexter. Turns out I have a bit of a thing for Showtime and HBO.

A wise professor once advised me to watch very little TV and read often. It's a simple equation that makes a lot of sense, and I've wanted to adopt it for years. It'll happen sooner or later, but in the meanwhile, I have some facebook creepin' to do.

Mom Got Hitched

2009-07-02T23:42:00.008-03:00

May 30, 2009

Due to frivolously changing the colour in the photo the navy blue dresses kind of look black... But regardless, we shined up pretty nice to see mom and Blair exchange vows and party with Elvis.

I wasn't joking. And here's one more, just because we look pretty:

Sheamus Turned One!

2009-06-22T21:37:00.002-03:00

My brother created a human and get him alive for a whole year! Well, 15 months at this point, but who's counting!

His first brithday was March 13, and I was a negligent auntie for not mentionning it sooner. But here he is on the day of days:

Oh. It's You.

2009-06-22T21:15:00.002-03:00

Don't you hate it when some blogger you've been following for twenty years suddenly decides they're too "good" for their blog and they have to look elsewhere for meaning in their lives?

Or when a blogger posts intermittent pleas for you the lowly reader to hang-on, I'll be back again someday?

Or when they just post pictures of they're completely scrumptious nephew in hopes that it will fill the light-less hole that is your life until regular blogging resumes again?

Then again, it is rather presumptuous to think that anyone cares at all. Not care, I guess, but notice. Is this thing on?

I like the writing thing, and for one reason or another I've been avoiding it like people who avoid things. Fear of success! You haz it!

Regardless, I think the time has come on this terrestial globe where we no longer need to talk about the how's and the what's and the motivations. Blogging, twittering, facebooking, exist and the story isn't, "Wow! They twittered a revolution!", but that the revolution happened in the first place.

Holy disjointed post batman!

Whatevs. The point is, I am hitherto and therefore expressing my intentions of returning to a more regular state of blog. To add a little blogamucil, if you will (and you shouldn't) to my daily routine.

But before we really get going here, I need to get some "this is my life" posts out of the way to document the major things that have happened in the past months. Don't worry, it's not much.

Now that you have the syllabi, I hope you have a marvelous day and thank-you for stopping by.

2009-05-12T20:44:00.001-03:00

Letting my sister live in my apartment was a terrible idea. I am going to lose my fraking mind.

On the plus side... I finally have the internet again.

Moving on ... somewhere?

2009-04-25T21:03:00.003-03:00

Have I mentionned I'm moving? Well I am, and tomorrow is the "big day".

The way things have worked out, I am unable to help in moving the stuff because I'm working. I haven't worked a weekend in months and it's a little weird, but at least I get out of moving?

I'm very fortunate however, that my family is able to help out and get me moved over to the new humble abode in Bedford. I've done Dartmouth, Halifax, and now B-town. I suppose next it'll be Sackville but we're not going to worry about that for awhile!

After much rigamarole I picked up the keys today and checked the place out. If you overlook the construction dust all over the floor, the crappy paint job, the "eyehole" in the master bedroom door, the missing closet door, the blue fixtures in the the bathroom, the stinking fridge, the noisy neighbours, the beige cabinets, the broken window latches, the lack of window screens, and the crazies, it'll be perfect!

And to top it all off, a kid I used to work with is doing the renos in another apartment and I keep running in to him. I think today is the first day he recognized me, but I'm obligated not to "make first contact", so we'll just have to wait and see what happens!

I think I'm a little anxious about this whole move because I'm leaving a cheaper place with more luxuries (i.e. washer/dryer in the unit, dishwasher, practically soundproof) for a more expensive place with none of those...

But that's ok right? I'm young enough to still live in sketchy places? At least the neighbourhood seems great - quiet with lots of single family homes. I just happen to share a building with a bunch of gangsta's and the women who love them.

Ah well, I'm sure it'll lead to some excellent blog material!

Yarg

2009-04-13T12:58:00.002-03:00

I'm not sure how many blog posts I've titled "yarg", but sometimes that's the only word I can think of.

I'm feeling a little stressed at the moment, and what better release than to blarg to the internet about it! When I feel complainy, or when others are being complainy I think to myself, "It's hard being white, isn't it?" This isn't a racial thing, as it may at first appear but it reminds me that I'm getting into poor me mode, and whatever I'm dealing with isn't really that bad. My life is not that hard.

On that note, I'm a little itsy bit stressed. I'm moving at the end of the month, and I don't know how it's going to happen. My brother has already said he's not going to help, and that annoys me. He can't anyway, because it's a weekday, but he said he wouldn't help before he knew that. So there goes one person with a truck. I'm also trying to buy a couch, but I need to pick it up and I don't know how that's going to happen...

I'll probably just hire somebody. I can move most of it just in my car, but I have 4-5 big things that are too heavy to move myself and too big for my car.

Then there's my tax situation. Let's just say there's been a bit of a gap since the last time I filed. I don't think I'll owe them anything (they usually chase you if you owe) but you never know so I just need to get it over with, and I plan to do that this week.

And lastly, I'm probably a little worried about moving into my new schedule this week. I have 5 day shifts this time, instead of the 1 I had in the old schedule. I stay up late and sleep in, so I have to change into a move normal schedule. This starts on Wednesday, so I have one night to do it.

And I need to get a cell phone, but I'm worried my credit might stymie that.

Ok, you're right. I don't have much to worry about. I also can't take care of any of it today, because it's a holiday (I've already tried, with no success). So I'm just going to make my list, watch a bad movie, and do my laundry. That, I can handle!

Donair Eggroll?

2009-03-26T22:46:00.003-03:00

I heard an ad on the radio today for donair eggrolls. The initial idea grosses me out, until I remember that donairs are freaking awesome. This is categorized with the new Big Mac Snack Wrap, which sounds gross, but who knows! I think they're aiming to create the illusion of healthiness. You can make anything healthier when you wrap it in a soft tortilla, am I right?

I'm currently watching The National and Rex Murphy is awesome. That's all.

You know what's gross? Like, really gross? A cat with the runs. Sorry, an overshare I'm sure, but seriously. I was a reckless pet owner and despite all the warnings I changed their car food abruptly. They loved the food, but Hank has been sick since yesterday morning. Sick all over the place. Beyond nasty.

I switched back and thank the good Lord above he's better today. And this is a very good thing, because no one likes runny cat poop in their shoe.

Sorry.

My Gears, They are Grinding

2009-03-20T16:12:00.003-03:00

That last post was my 400th. You're welcome.

You know what bugs me? Why is it that when I go to a retail store and make purchase, they want my personal information? I'm a people pleaser, so I generally oblige but I'm beginning to dislike the idea. They don't need my address, phone number and blood type in order for me to make a purchase.

Do you tip at fast food places (not including Tim Horton's)?

I was at a Subway the other day and when I was paying with my debit card the option to leave a tip came up. This was at the point where normally you're putting in your pin so since I had already put in a couple of numbers before I noticed, I ended up tipping about 100% more than I had planned. I'm kind of annoyed that they did that... it's normal for a regular restaurant, but Subway? I haven't seen that anywhere else...

Just a little bit longer

2009-03-18T21:53:00.002-03:00

So I'm turning onto Joseph Howe drive and get a red light on that little hill just before you're really on Joseph Howe. I feel a slight hesitation in the car when the light turns green and I hit the gas.

It's a '95 Camry, hesitations happen. However, in this case the hesitation was due mostly in part to my hesitation to put gas in the car before heading home from Dartmouth. The gage has been lower than that before, I figure I'm probably pushing it but take my chances.

This is happening at that awkward time of day known to many as "dusk". It's light enough that you can still see but dark enough that the lights at the gas station are off, leading me (in my fit of hesitation) to believe that the station is in fact closed. During rush hour. On a main thoroughfare.

I don't get me either.

Anywho, the reason I'm on this road is to pick up my mother from work. I continue past not one, but two gas stations on the way down the road, but there are no more hesitations so I quickly put my worries away and continued.

I picked mom up at the pre-appointed location. I left the parking lot not thinking about those earlier hesitations, but instead of the sushi I was going to buy at Sobeys (so good).

You're all bright people, I know you know what's next. The engine hesitates as we head over a slight embankment. Then instead of hesitating, the engine does more of a sputter. Not just any sputter... more like a bi-polar moment of "hey, I'm running, we can do this" to "um, I'm just gonna take a little break here, but you keep pressing that pedal! I may come back!"

Meanwhile, my co-pilot is becoming increasingly agitated, informing me of the various consequences of my inaction because I was obviously unaware that not filling the car when the light comes on may lead to the situation at hand.

We made it through two lights (that stayed green) and I turned into the parking lot of the closest gas station. Not a moment too soon, as the engine completely cut out on my approach and I had to coast to the only open pump.

I'm no Sully, but I think I did a pretty good job. Unfortunately my problems were not due to a flock of Canadian geese, but my desire to make every tank streach to the last drop. The situation probably could have been avoided, but I and my 14 year old car came out of it none the worse for wear.

And then I blogged about it.

Please Stand By

2009-03-03T16:00:00.002-04:00

I have the urge to blog, really I do. And that's much better than having no urge at all? Right? Basically what it means is some day I'll start posting regularly again, instead of the cop-out nephew photos, that while awesome, are hardly informative.

Some bullet points so I don't forget who I am:

- Mom's getting married May 30

- Which means I get to move out with no hard feelings or guilt trippin'

- Wahoo!!

Happy Paraskavedekatriaphobia!

2009-02-13T11:32:00.003-04:00

I know it's cliche and everything, but I can't believe he's 11 months old today! He can walk by himself, but prefers to hold your hands. He can talk too, but I'm not sure if he knows it yet... One more month and he'll be a whole year old! (That will be Friday the 13th too)

Departures

2009-02-12T15:45:00.004-04:00

I freaking love this show. It's just a couple of guys traveling around the world, and filming it in high definition. My favorite scene to date aired last weekend. They were visiting an abandoned city in Libya and decided to play an elaborate and poorly conceived game of hide and seek.

To see a part of it, follow this link - click Libya, then go to "Hide and Seek".

There's not much available on youtube, but here's a trailor: It airs at 8pm and 11pm Sundays on OLN

To Blave

2009-02-12T15:10:00.003-04:00

I've been feeling veritably ranty as of late. Not sure why, really. On more than one occasion I've heard, "What's gotten into you?", "Too much coffee?"

Most of it has to do with work, and though I can't really talk about where I do what I do, I think I can talk about what I do in the larger context, i.e. Youth Care in general. You don't know where I work (unless I work with you, of course) so I'm hoping there's no connection between the two. But in any case, my opinions on what I do have no connection or relation to that place where I do the things I do. Ya dig?

Lately I've been thinking about what I want to write/blog about, because I don't really feel like doing the personal diary thing anymore. Not that I've really been doing much of that lately, but I think you get my drift. Besides, not much has been going on in the personal life department, but if anything should happen, you'll be the first to know.

I'll save the actual ranting for sometime when I sit down and actually organize it into coherent thought.

What I've been diving into in the last 24 hours is research on how youth are using new media. More than that, how marginalized youth are using new media, and how care providers can and should interact in that arena.

Youth care happens in the daily life and lifespace of youth. The internet is no longer an information super highway - like when I was a teenager - but it's an extension of the lifespace. Youth Care Workers (YCWs) aren't present in that lifespace, so what do we do?

I find it fascinating and I'm going to talk about it whether you like it or not. Huzzah!

Hard Lesson

2009-02-01T15:54:00.002-04:00

One thing that is hard for me to learn and understand is that in the end, wherever you work, the only person looking out for your best interests is you. You may think that other people want to treat you fairly, but in the end, they will always choose what is best for them over what is fair for you.

I guess it's obvious, and I guess I'm too trusting. People are always on the look out for your mistakes, for some way to point out to the powers that be that they are in some way better than you. It may be under the guise of caring or of accountability, but it's not. It's just oneupmanship.

To each his own I guess. I just wish I was a faster learner.

Gorgeous

2009-01-31T13:50:00.001-04:00

10 months old already! I hear he's moved on to the world of walking, but I haven't seen it yet. Here are more photos, if you're so inclined.

Guilt-Trippin'

2009-01-13T13:06:00.003-04:00

So I'm sick... I thought it was allergies, and it may have started that way, but it's definitely moved into cold territory.

I called in sick last night, and just called in for my shift tonight so I'm currently dealing with the inevitable waves of guilt. Sure, it's only my 5th sick day in almost three years, but I still feel guilty. Am I really sick enough? Is my nose stuffed enough? Is my head sore enough?

Ah well, the deed is done and I will have to deal with the repercussions. The other issue is I'm about to have a few days off, so I guess I could soldier through my little 8 hour night shift.

Then again, I don't feel very good and the only reason I'm currently able to breath is because the pharmacist at Wal-mart changed my life and pointed out the best cold meds I've ever had. But they make me feel funny on the inside and no one likes a youth care worker in an altered state.

Except the youth. They looove it.

Now pardon me while I pass out on the couch in front of CBC Newsworld (see, I really am sick).

Baby New Year

2008-12-31T19:51:00.002-04:00

Highlights of the past year:

Birth of my nephew

Presenting at the National Youth Care Conference

Landing a full-time term

Re-wired a lamp

Lowlights of the past year:

Uhhhhhhhhh, hmm. Guess it was a good year?

Some people are anti resolution. Maybe they believe that you don't need a "date" to make changes, but any ol' day should do.

I for one, disagree. I need the date, the starting line, the celebratory glass of champagne (the one in my hand is x2), the huzzah! Let's go! Pep pep and on we travel! But instead of documenting my goals for 2009 here for all to see I'm going to take a page from Michael Phelps and keep my goals to myself this year. All that means is you'll have to stick around for a year to see if I'm successful. It'll be like a cliffhanger, only with less Emmy's.

This is the first year in a long time that I have both lived and worked at the same place for the entire calendar year. I can't tell if that's a good thing or not, but I would definitely like to see some more highlights in the new year.

mmm, champagne tasty...

I'm currently watching the Air Farce's final show. It's mostly out of a felt obligation, given that I haven't found it particularly funny lately, but I can remember listening to their radio show on CBC and then watching the TV show (also on CBC). That was back in the heyday of Canadian political satire (and comedy in general), an arena that has waned in recent years, though Rick Mercer is still top of his game.

Speaking of Canadian culture, I love The Hour. I usually watch it at either 4 or 5 am during my backshifts, and I'm not usually disappointed. The interviews are either awesome or epic fails, both keep me up. My issue is the lack of Canadian content. Sarah Palin on the New Year's Eve show? It's great that he gets a lot of big names, but I want to know more about Canadian pop culture, and that is hard to find.

Champagne distracts me, this post was supposed to be about me, goals and reflecting on the past year. I'm sure talking about the CBC is more riveting...

Something to Chew On

2008-12-16T20:17:00.002-04:00

Two new sites I've become mildly obsessed with : Videogum and Stereogum.

I had recently lamented about the state of the playlist on my Creative Zen. I was lost! Depending on top 40 stations (two of which now bless the Halifax soundscape, aren't we fortunate) for new music is good for maybe 3-4 songs a season, but that's it. And those songs have very short shelf-life on the "songs that don't annoy the snot out of me" list.

Enter Stereogum. I've only been perusing this site for the past couple of days but it's already expanded my Indie music vocbulary significantly. So to help you, dear reader, here's a list that will like, totally blow your mind, or not... whatever... (clicking the names will send you to the youtube videos... do it...)

Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal and He Doesn't Know Why

My Morning Jacket - I'm Amazed

MGMT - Electric Feel

Blitzen Trapper - Furr and Wild Mountain Nation

Frightened Rabbit - My Backwards Walk

The Constantines - Soon Enough

Bon Iver - Skinny Love

Not to be outdone is Videogum, which has significantly expanded my "viral video" vocabulary, and I couldn't be happier. So go here to see the virals that captured the inattention of the masses in 2008.

Paddy Cake

2008-12-15T13:18:00.004-04:00

Here's a little video of my nephew. Apparently he's not a fan of baked goods.

Bestill My Heart

2008-12-12T02:44:00.001-04:00

Seriously, have you seen a cuter child?
Here are some more.

I Take My Proroguies Hot

2008-12-04T17:22:00.003-04:00

First of all, may I just say - all of this political unrest is exactly what Canada needed.

I've said before, Canadian politics are boring and people don't vote because they aren't interested. Well looky here folks! Now everyone is talking about it. I haven't heard anything about Barack in a week and it's so nice! It means our own situation is finally a bigger news story!

And if you don't go vote in our next election, so help me!

Please forgive the following post, I need to get this out of my head...

pro·rogue (pr-rg)

tr.v. pro·rogued, pro·rogu·ing, pro·rogues

1. To discontinue a session of (a parliament, for example).

2. To postpone; defer.

So we finally got our answer. The Governer General has decided to grant Prime Minister Stephen Harper his request of proroguing parliament. This will pause parliament until the end of January when they will come back to the House of Commons to pass or not pass the federal budget. A budget, as Stephen Harper said, that will be put together with the least amount of time as any budget ever.

My opinion? Well thanks for asking!! I for one am glad the prorogue was granted. This will give time to cool off (or heat up), time for the parties to meet and figure out what the heck they're doing. It will also give time for the coalition to fall apart, and there is evidence of this already. What held them together was the prospect of success and that deadline of possible success is further away. The Liberal-NDP coalition wanted to take power without an election, and that ain't gonna happen now.

If we have an election in January, Stephane Dion would still be the leader because he's not resigning until May. In the most recent election (just six weeks ago) he ran the worst campaign in recent history and came out with the lowest percentage of the popular vote since confederation. I doubt you'll find many Liberals who would want to go into an election with Dion as leader. And why would Canadians vote for a party who's leadership will be changing in a few months? They haven't chosen a new leader yet, so we'd essentially be going in blind.

I'm kind of annoyed with the talking point put out by the Liberal/NDP saying that by proroguing parliament Harper is being undemocratic. Him asking the Governor General for proroguement is as democratic as two parties forming a coalition. It is all a part of the Westminster system of parliament, and it was well within the law for him to do so. As many have said, we elect a parliament not a Prime Minister.

I don't think he is unwilling to face the no-confidence vote and risk losing. He's just delaying it. He's not running away, he's calling for a time out. As they keep telling us, we're facing an economic crisis. Creating political instability is not going to help matters. If the coalition had gotten it's way and formed the government without an election we'd have three prime ministers in a very short time frame.

Everything that's been passed since this minority government has been in power has done so with the support of the Liberals or the NDP. Why didn't they do something then if there are so many problems now?

The government will face a confidence vote after they present the budget and it will remain or fall then. If the coalition is still unhappy we should have an election then. None of this other coalition ruling business.

And you know what really grinds my gears?!?!?!?!?!

I'm a Maritimer and I can say with confidence that we're used to being disregarded by the rest of the country. And, it's somewhat true, we can vote in the completely opposite way of the rest of the country and it would have virtually no impact (it's exactly what happened in the last election).

All the characteristics of a recession that Stephane Dion and Jack Layton talked about last night in their television addresses are things that have been happening in this part of Canada for a long time. People have been losing their jobs because of the economy for a long time. Cape Breton is practically empty! Once the rest of the country starts feeling the pinch, that's when it really matters. Forget about us, who've been dealing with it for at least a decade!

Anyway, no one's reading this anymore so I could really say whatever I want. But I can't think of anything so I'll probably go take a nap. Too much politic isn't good for the brain.

Quelle Surprise

2008-12-02T05:39:00.003-04:00

It looks like no one is super in favour of a coalition government. I took some time to read over the editorial columns of newspapers from across the country, and it's pretty predictable.

The Calgary Herald is firmly against it, but that's no surprise. The West is largely conservative blue and as some have said, a coalition government backed by Quebec separatists would make many be-spurred oilmen very unhappy.

On the other hand, The Chronicle Herald is not so very against the idea, and thinks we should give it a go. Again not a surprise, since us Maritimers tend to be a little more Liberal when we vote. We tend to feel alienated easily, but no one really cares since it's Western votes that ultimately determine the outcome (i.e. Atlantic provinces voted strongly in favour of the Liberals, but the Conservatives still "won").

I personally enjoyed The National Post article penned by David Frum (and not just because his mom was an excellent Muppet).

And if you're still paying attention... I don't think it's a good idea. One comment I read said that whoever leads this coalition will never be able to say, "This is the job Canadians elected me to do" - which says a lot about the character of this political game.

The NDP are going to have ministerial portfolios???!? A party that has never held power on the national stage like, ever?? It's ridiculous! And of course the Bloc will get theirs too... if Quebec ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

This is what happens when just over half of us show up at the polls. If we wanted something decisive more of us should have made a decision. I wonder what would happen this time if there was voter turn out like in 1958? I just re-read that article... the similarities are fascinating (maybe it's just me).

Who ever said Canadian politics were boring??

It's Simple

2008-12-01T17:22:00.002-04:00

I don't want another election this winter and I don't want a coalition led by a leader that Canada already decided it doesn't want.

I guess we'll find out who the politicians decide should lead our government next week. My bet is that the Governer General will order another election before a coalition government is put in place, but then who knows?

Dion to lead Liberal-NDP coalition, Liberals confirm

'Member That Daily Thing?

2008-11-28T23:51:00.002-04:00

Yeah, not so much.

One thing I did learn about this blogging every day attempt is if you don't have anything to say, you shouldn't say anything. It was a solid 8 of 30 day effort, but in the end it was not to be. I just don't have that much to add to the blogosphere :)

It's also hard to get motivated to write for the 2 people who stop by every day looking for Jillian Jiggs Pigs.

So did you hear that thing about a no-confidence vote in Parliament spurring another election?Like, next week? Please no. Please, please no. Just try to stick it out a liiiiitttle bit longer, mmmk? I don't want a coalition government of the three losingest parties. Canadians already voted, remember? You lost, move on. Give us a break already!

Who wants election turmoil during economic turmoil? The less rocking-y the boat is, the better.

This week my goal is to form a proper post, since it's been a while. Who knows.

To the Victor Go the Spoils

2008-11-08T22:24:00.002-04:00

I didn't win anything, but I still got the spoils...

I went to the Christmas at the Forum craft/antique fair, and came away with some delicious perishables. I never invest much in the crafty side of things having just taken 3 car loads of cast-offs to Value Village, I don't want to fill up again.

Anyway, on to the goods - some fudge, some spreadable dutch gouda, Avon Rouge (red wine) and a couple cupcakes.

I took this picture as soon as I got home. A good idea since the cupcakes and fudge have already vanished...

When All Else Fails

2008-11-07T23:35:00.002-04:00

... dicuss the weather.

Is it really November? October was cold, but this is weird. I wish I hadn't put away my window fan because it's veritably tropical outside these days. For me it really means one thing - flip flops. It's save to keep my toesies exposed without ridicule, since the thermometre is still in the double digits.

And to round things off nicely this evening, how about a prank?

Can You Lend Me a Feeling?

2008-11-06T00:43:00.002-04:00

This blogging everyday thing is a challenge. Especially for someone whose day usually lasts long past midnight. I'm sure the idea of NaBloPoMo is to post something of substance everyday, but my life isn't that substantial so the well of possiblities is kinda dry.

Maybe I'll really post something tomorrow. Or maybe I'll just complain again.

Yes I can!

Where were you when...

2008-11-05T23:22:00.002-04:00

I was watching TV at work, not a very entertaining story. I'll have to glam it up a bit.

Having witnessed the racism that runs rampant in the Deep South, it's amazing that he was elected. I lived, however briefly, in a place where white people go to one church, and black people go to another. Where you shopped at very specific Walmarts, depending on your race. The segregation there isn't systemic, like it once was, but still very palpable.

For me, being a Canadian, that kind of racism is almost unreal. I've seen the movies and read the books, but had not really seen it for myself. I'm sure that if you asked an African-Nova Scotian the same question, they'd have a difference answer, but I can only speak from my own experience. I don't think a lot of Canadians really "get" what living in that kind of cultural environment is like.

When I lived in Alabama I worked with a girl whose grandmother had been a slave and had told her stories about it. That's recent memory for people there, while for us up here it seems distant and disconnected from our modern life. Not so for Southerners.

All that is just to say that this is a monumental moment (regardless of your political leanings), and I'm very jealous. What do we have in Canada to get as excited about? I'd like to be in the "greatest country in the world", it looks like fun! It's a challenge to feel that glowing pride for your country when all the cool stuff is happening elsewhere, everything seems to pale in comparison. Where is our Oprah?

I Give Up

2008-11-04T14:50:00.006-04:00

So I'm a bit of a sucker for major world events. As much as I'd like to continue to casually ignore the american election, it's impossible, and it has impossibly sucked me in. I guess ignoring it for the past two years was a good idea, so I could save all my attention for the day that really counts.

Some thoughts will undoubtedly wander across my mind throughout the day, so maybe I'll add them to this post should I feel so motivated...

- I don't like the villification of the candidates. It's an old, old practice that goes back to the beginning of elections (ostracons, anyone?), but it's unhealthy, unhelpful and should go away. That however, would require the rewiring of the human psyche and that would take some effort. How many other presidential candidates have been labeled the antichrist? How many other candidates have been accused of hypnotising the electorate? There is nothing new under the sun...

- One fear I've heard is that if Obama is elected, then Christian morals will be threatened. Good! Bring it on! Since when has a little opression been a bad thing? Christianity started going downhill when the Roman emporer made it legal. What's the good of being faithful when it's easy? The government hardly has the track record of authentically defending Christian values. Maybe it'll force people to think about their faith instead of blindly accepting what they're told or what they grew up believing. Think! Come, let us reason together.

- I can't believe how differently the networks are covering this election... How you can say either side is unbiased it beyond me. You have to watch it all in order to get a full picture (I won't say accurate, that would be stretching things).

- I have a renewed appreciation for the Canadian electoral process. Not only is it shorter, but the actual physical process of voting makes more sense, is well thought out, and isn't nearly as prone to problems as the American procedure... People were voting using other people's backs... that's ridiculous!

- New word on the hate list: "problematical"

- Just got a facebook message from an Albania group I'm a member of congratulating Barack Obama on getting elected... I guess they are ahead of things there? Who knew?

- Alright, so he's really elected now. I don't care what side of fence you're on, it's still a significant moment and that speech was pretty darn good. I'm interested to see how the next four years play out!

Almost....

2008-11-03T12:27:00.002-04:00

So the election will be over tomorrow. How nice for them.

What hurts us Canadians and the democratic process is the decided lack of pop culture around here. If we had late night television and day time talk shows that people actually watched, I think politicians could be more influential. We don't have celebrity endorsements (at least that anyone cares about) or major political gaffs with any air time (or any real comedians to perpetuate the joke). The political pop culture that is currently inflating the ratings of shows like Saturday Night Live and The Daily Show doesn't exist in Canada.

How can Canadian politics thrive in the current cultural climate?

Squeeze

2008-11-02T22:07:00.003-04:00

So my little sick nephew is here for a sleep over, and he's asleep about 4 feet away from me. You don't realize the difference and hour makes when it comes to daylight savings until you're around a baby.

For those of you following along at home you may recall me mentionning something about a Fall Cure for the apartment. In lieu of a real post, here's a photo of my progress. That progress was deeply affected by a now mobile 7 month old... but that's ok, he's cute.

NaBloPoMo

2008-11-01T13:57:00.002-03:00

National Blog Posting Month.

It means 30 posts in 30 days.

I doubt I've had that number all year.

We'll see how it goes. This counts as #1.

Gratuitous Nephew Photo:

375

2008-10-25T20:39:00.002-03:00

There's this website called Apartment Therapy. It's a design blog from les Etats-Unis, and I've become moderately obsessed with it - you could, perhaps, call it my new temporary obsession.

Twice a year this blog hosts "The Cure", and right now we are currently at the end of Week 2 of the Fall Cure. The idea here, is that many of us live in sick homes that need to be cured. Not literally sick (though they could be), but more like sick as in a state of dischord - disorganized, disclean, disharmonious. The goal of The Cure is to change all that through a guided 8 week process. Each week focuses on one room or area of the house and there are certain tasks such as buying fresh flowers, taking one thing out of your apartment, and defining your style.

I've been all up in it (as the kids say) and enjoying myself. I've had some extra time away from work and have spent my days cleaning kitchen cupboards, reorganizing furniture, visiting the market, and taking cast-offs to Value Village (two trips to date).

It's been fun. But this time, just like every other time I've gotten obsessed with interior stuff, I always get the nagging thought of how ridiculous this all is. How spoiled am I that I get to think about new curtains? That my task for the day is to get matching hangers? Who cares! I know it's important to take care of the places where we live for our own well being, but it's such a unique Western problem... Most of the world can't have a drink of water and I'm going out for a new Brita pitcher.

How bizarre is it that the new wave in decorating shows is teaching us how to simplify and value what we have? Why do we need to be taught that? It goes hand in hand with this new recession business. Suddenly the boom is over and we have to start thinking like our grandparents did - learn how to be more self-sufficient, how to be stewards of our environment, figure out how we can contribute. It's about doing for ourselves to help the greater good.

I for one am kind of glad we're in an economic bust. I always find it interesting how we react to large scale change, it's usually predictable but still fun to watch (ask me if I'm still glad once the government cuts funding for my non-profit job, then I'll likely be singing a different tune).

Who else will be relieved once that American election is finally done? It's been going on for soooo long... is it all necessary? I can't ignore it anymore like I was trying to near the beginning. It's saturated everything everywhere and youcantavoidit. I'd just like to know who wins and go from there, all this drawn-out preamble stuff is redonculous.

Who are the losers?

2008-10-15T23:38:00.002-03:00

In case you hadn't noticed, Canada had a federal election yesterday. Not much changed. The Atlantic provinces voted against the tide like we usually do, and ended up mostly Liberal, while the rest of the country swayed a little more to the right re-electing the conservatives to power with a slightly more major minority government.

What gets me, is that it was the worst voter turn out in history. Fewest ever! Crazy! The last worst was 2004, so we're not seeing super positive trends at the moment.

I don't think it's because people feel there is no real choice. Like in most things, Canadians tend to drool over all things American, and I think it's really going to hurt us. America's a nice place and all, I've even lived there once upon a time. They're also really, really hard to ignore. Canadians are convinced we don't have a clear identity. We do, and always have. But it's not as neat and nicely packaged as that of our neighbour's, so we get confused.

We demean Canadian culture because it's Canadian. We laugh at our history because it's not important enough. We can't compute a strong dollar (that statement might be a bit outdated by now...). We don't applaud our athletes because they didn't win as much. Our unofficial national sport is played in a forgein country. Our weather is "worse" (I happen to like winter). We label ourselves as bland, boring and ordinary because we don't get noticed by our American friends that much, if at all.

We get excited when David Letterman mentions Nova Scotia when interviewing Ellen Page and when Regis talks about his trip.

We don't even vote for our own government.

I'm flabbergasted. Canada is superfantastic and it's no wonder no one else knows it, because we don't seem to even know it ourselves.

Onwards and Upwards

2008-10-10T21:50:00.002-03:00

The conference is done, and it was excellent!

We presented on Wednesday morning during the first session, and it was really nice to get it out of the way early. I wasn't too nervous going in, but I was definitely feeling some adrenaline... I don't feel like I did it the way I wanted to, but I received good feedback, so I'm pleased with that.

I ended up spending a gazillion hours on the powerpoint and not as much on what I actually said, so if I had a little more time in that area it would have gone differently.

I may have some future presentation projects on the horizon as a result of this, which is also quite exciting. I don't know much about this kind of thing and kind of figure it out as I go along, but I like it, no matter how much I complain. :)

I've been to a lot of conferences in my day - mostly the churchy kind, but I'm very familiar with the post-inspiration high. I'm looking for more sustainability out of this one though. There's no way I can continue to accept the way I had been doing things, that would be a huge failure in my books.

Regardless of what transpires from here, I'm excited about the prospects!

What's Business Casual?

2008-10-06T21:47:00.002-03:00

I'm going away for a conference this week (at which, I am presenting with 3 co-workers), and I think it's going to be great.

I'm in such anticipation of it's greatness that I've decided to let my immune system take a break so I could deal with a stuffy head, scratchy throat and try to remember my flash drive at the same time.

So awesome I can't even tell you. I'm only a little sick now, but by Wednesday it should be "fierce" only not in a fashionable way. We present in the morning, so I hope no one minds the pile of kleenexes that will undoubtably grow as the time wears on.

The real loser in all of this is my roomie for the week. As I was telling her a while ago, I don't snore much anymore (that I can tell), except when I'm sick. There's snoring, sneezing, snotting, all on top of nyquil induced blabbering... It's not a good time, and I'm the only one in the cottage who won't remember it. I'm hoping there's a couch I can sleep on to avoid any conflict.

Work conference means business casual. Business casual means I have to buy some clothes because all I got's casual without the business. I have clothing issues anyway, in that I never have enough (literally, not in a hedonistic way - I don't have a lot of clothes) and it's always when I'm looking for something that I can't find anything.

There's going to be a link to the super awesome powerpoint presentation I spent too long on on the company website, but then you'd know where I workm and we can't have that now can we.

Kleenexes used during the writing of this post: 4.

Echinacea is a lie!

Huzzah!

2008-10-01T21:22:00.003-03:00

Yeah, so the storm was nuthin', just some rain and wind. Not good if you're a recent Red Cross volunteer like myself, but awesome in that the leaves are still on the trees and there are hints of vibrant reds poking out of the woods.

I loves it when the leaves are more red than yellow - yellow leaves are a slice boring, but thanks to a ridiculously wet summer the woods are fire-y. Maybe I'll go for a walk in the woods, maybe I'll just take a picture from my balcony, depends on how adventurous I feel I guess!

I'm super happy to have Thanksgiving weekend off this year! We spend Thanksgiving at my Aunt's cabin just outside of the Keji national park and the drive down is stunning. Nova Scotia isn't exactly known for it's mountainous terrain, but the little bumps we do have are simply decadent this time of year! The cabin is on a little lake that's usually too cold to go canoeing on but we do anyway, and the food is awesome. Mmmm, cheesy potatoes, turkey, stuffing, homemade wine............ It gets a little boring once the cribbage breaks out, but hopefully there are enough little cousins to keep me entertained.

And then there's Sheamus.

I'm smitten. He's six and a half months already?? Geesh... He's still awesome and growing like a weed. He's just over 20 pounds, eats anything his momma gives him, including spinach and artichoke dip, he's conquered crawling backwards and makes silly grunt noises when he's trying to go forward. His eyes are still bright blue but his hair can't decide if it's red or brown.

I used to have more to write but he's.... just.... so.... distracting......

Batten Down the Hatches

2008-09-28T21:46:00.001-03:00

Five years ago today I missed Hurricane Juan. But five years to the day later we get Hurricane/Tropical Storm Kyle, so maybe I'll still get in on some excitement.

As of 10pm it's really not that bad. I drove over the harbour bridge a couple of hours ago and that was pretty nasty, but we'll see how much damage we actually get. I work tomorrow at 11am - regardless of whether or not the city shuts down, so I'm really hoping the roads are at least driveable.

I Give Up

2008-09-25T22:46:00.002-03:00

I can't help it. More and more lately I find myself listening to American election stuff. How can I avoid it? And though I am a patriotic Canadian, our current election campaign is unyeildingly boring. We're All-Bran and they're Fruit Loops.

Honestly, is anyone paying attention anymore?

I ran across our local Conservative candidate the other day. He was standing outside a gas station during rush hour waving a Canadian flag... it just seemed so sad...

Then there's Sarah Palin. I have no words. Granted, I haven't been paying much attention, but really - is it true that proximity to Russia counts as experience? I'm all for the underdog, but sometimes there's a reason why the big dog wins.

Moving right along -

I don't have anything to talk about. My nephew is still awesome and has been labelled "advanced", at least by the country bumpkin doctor. Still counts, if you ask me (and you did).

Work's going good. My scores are going up and I'm presenting at an international conference in two weeks, so that's fun.

Two weeks? Wha? Me? That's crazy talk! What shall I wear??

Yeah, that last thing is probably a little nerve wracking - I've never really tried to be "inspirational" before, so we'll see how that goes.

Let's move on. If I'm not your facebook friend, you can go follow this link and get to some photos from earlier this month.

I have tomorrow off, so maybe I'll be clever then.

Bye George

2008-09-20T23:14:00.003-03:00

I knew he was very sick, and very old. I even knew that he had gone to that part of the hospital you don't come out of. But I thought someone would tell me when he was gone, so I could go back and say goodbye.

George and his wife Juanita are hallmarks of my growing up, and I frequently think of them. They were an older couple from the church I grew up in and had taken a special interest in the kids and young families, having adult children themselves with distant grandkids.

Driving through the country just this afternoon, images of old country roads travelled at the onset of fall came to mind. I remember hiking through the woods and listening carefully for the distant hum of water falling into nameless brooks and rivers. They weren't nameless to George and Juanita. They took us to places we would never have seen or known about otherwise. Places where the snow holds on well past the logical end of winter. Where ragged ropes wind around the trunks of birches to steady a ten year olds descent to the water's edge.

My family went to visit them fairly often, less as we got older. Juanita always had paper and markers for us to make her a picture. I was shocked as she pulled them out when I went to visit the weekend before I moved away to university. All of them were there, and not only mine, but that of every kid that had visited.

I remember walking by the river behind their house, listening to stories and learning the names of flowers and watching for the faeries at their apartment building (an old stump with mushrooms growing up the side). I remember my brother carelessly picking a ladies slipper and Juanita's honest reaction - she let us know gently that you're supposed to let these things grow. I remember their dog Sandy dragging me up the hill through the brush and hearing Juanita giggle at the top.

When it got dark, we would go inside and chew on homemade maple syrup candy and squint at the thousands of slides they had developed over the years. Every flower, every insect, every rock on the shore was painstakingly catalogued, and they loved sharing it with us, even though we'd smudge them. They used to paddle down the river in the morning and photograph the flowers as they opened for the sun, and then again in the evening to watch them go to sleep. I remember talking in their living room after supper (or more likely listening to them talk) with their siamese cat Ming curled up on my lap.

George and Juanita's flower garden was a masterpiece. I went to visit once after I had moved away and she showed me an easel she had set up so that when you looked through it the purple and white flowers were framed in such a way that it looked like ocean waves. There were hidden treasures like that everywhere. Little animals hidden behind trees and plants that in any other yard would be tacky, but there they were perfect.

Everything about their house was perfect and it was all up for sharing (I think I still have a book of theirs...). George had been a paratrooper during WWII and was an expert carpenter. Juanita was a painter, cook, reader. There have never been two people more meant for each other, and I can't imagine one without the other.

George had dealt with cancer for a number of years and I knew he had been moved into palliative care, but I had assumed someone from the church would call us and let us know when he passed away. Tonight I was looking around the local paper's website and ran across his obituary. Needless to say I'm a little upset that no one let us know back on August 5th, but that's how it happened and here we are.

In the little flower garden beside their front doorstep there was a small statue of St. Francis of Assisi with little ceramic animals gathered in front of him. In a frame leaning against the wall was this prayer. I think it fits perfectly.

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

looC s'tahT

2008-09-14T15:39:00.004-03:00

So I was reading a book a little while ago (I know, shocker). I think it was Margaret Atwood's Robber Bride. I haven't finished it (again, a shocker) but I bought it at Value Village a few months ago, which is helpful since I had to break up with the library. Again.

Anyway. One of the characters could write forwards and backwards. For whatever reason, that came to mind sitting here at work, so I picked up two pens and went to town. Guess what! I can write backwards!

I doubt it is a sign of genius (is that appropriately self-deprecating? cuz if it turns out I AM a genius, I don't want to come off too gloaty), but I do wonder how common it is. Basically all I'm doing is writing forward with my right hand and mirroring it with my left. The left is a little squiggly but since it is the devil's hand, I've been ignoring it's potential and it's out of practice.

Can you write backwards with your non-normal writing hand? I think I've seen my mom do it, but I probably just put that in the crazy file and moved on. This was back when I thought typing without looking at the keyboard was crazy and she'd freak me out by looking in my direction whilst happily ICQing away.

Of course, she never used ICQ, but I enjoy the late 90's reference to the then new fangled social media.

Makes Me Smile

2008-09-10T17:31:00.000-03:00

Don't Let Your Sons Grow Up to Be Cable Guys

2008-09-08T16:16:00.002-03:00

At least not with Bell...

Oh how I wish there was more competition in Canada. Here you get to choose between two companies. Two! One is run completely by monkeys and it's been a while since I was with the other guys but I'm sure they at least consult with monkeys.

So I have Bell ExpressVu, but I want Eastlink digital cable because the satellite goes out too often and it's annoying. I called Bell to cancel, assuming there'd be issues. Sure! says chipper lady. You can cancel! That'll $249, please. I told her the reason I'm canceling, and she said that they can send a tech out to readjust the satellite, and if it's still a problem then they'd waive the fee.

So tech guy arrives today and tells me he can't readjust the satellite because he doesn't do that. Oh, and he's with the wrong contracted company. But, just for fun, he takes a look at the set up and sees that it's working fine, then it's not, then it is (it comes and goes, hence the problem). He calls Bell and tells them they sent the wrong guy. He presses another button or two, apologizes and leaves. Only now the satellite doesn't work at all. Thanks dude.

Bell calls me and tells me to call the contractor company I've always dealt with. Thank-you have a nice day. I call them, and another dude is coming over tomorrow at 4pm to take a look. Hopefully it'll at least get back to the level it was before the guy came over here and broke everything, that'd be swell.

I'm sure you find this as enthralling as I do...

I Can Go for Miles and Miles

2008-09-08T13:29:00.004-03:00

So the yardsale thing was a dud. I think we started too late and missed most of the good stuff, because when we hit the scene it was all junk... There were probably about 100 miles of yardsales dotting the old highway. We were pretty worn out by the time we got to the "official" 50 mile stuff. I think I spent about $3.25 altogether, but I was successful in finding some new cat dishes:

I think it's awesome, though Steve (pictured) tried to tear down the picture about 30 seconds after I put it up. She's such a diva.

Coming Up

2008-09-05T23:39:00.003-03:00

Stay tuned for full coverage of the annual 50 Mile Yard Sale happening tomorrow. It runs from Dutch Settlement to Sheet Harbour, and since you don't know where those places are, just believe me when I tell you that's a lot of miles of junk. Hopefully some of that junk will find a home with me.

I'll have my eye out for:

White Ceramics
Lamp(s)
Interesting storage/display thingy to replace my press wood bookshelf
Floral Sheets - used sheets are sketchy, this may or may not happen
Vintage Fan
Fabric that catches my attention
Mid-Century Occasional chair/Desk Chair

What I expect to find:

Thousands of VHS tapes - give it up people! They're garbage!
Thousands of Harlequinn Romances
Lots of Kitchen Gadgets
Figurines representing the minutae of human and animal life (or a mix of the two)
A plaque telling you to stand closer, because it's shorter than you think
CD's representing the various stages of Britney Spears
Plant pots with eyes and mouths glued on them and baby's breath for hair.

Oh wait.

Fine, I'll Do It

2008-09-04T13:59:00.003-03:00

I'm not sure why this blogging thing has been such a chore lately, but I've been avoiding it. I do however, feel obligated to do something, so here I am.

So it looks like there'll be an election in October (in Canada, that is), but who'd know it! It's either a really, really good idea for Stephen Harper to call an election before the Americans do their thing, or a really, really bad idea. On the one hand, no one will be paying attention and or be fully informend, or on the other hand, no one will be paying attention and or be fully informed. It good go either way for Steve-0.

I'm trying to choose to be informed and concerned about the goings on in my own country, but things are definitely overshadowed by the States. I can do something about the things here, I can have a say - this is where my brain should be (and my patriotism). And it is, it's just hard to figure out what's going on. Maybe if one of our party leaders was pregnant they'd get more attention.

So this weekend there is a gazillion mile yard sale through Musquodoboit (I bet you said that wrong), and up to Truro. Yes friends, I will be there. There is quite a junk racket going on the rural parts of Nova Scotia. Absolutely everything is for sale. I'm not quite sure how anyone is surviving, but apparently selling crap is quite lucrative (ludacris?). What would be ideal, is for there to be some way to melt all this junk down and use it's power for good. How much of it does one person need? Hopefully things are a little more promising this weekend, but I'll bring my camera just in case. So you should be my facebook friend :)

Who? Running for What?

2008-08-29T18:50:00.003-03:00

I'm doing my very best to avoid any and all coverage of the US election, and I must say, I'm doing a fine job. Obama who? McCain what? Like the fries?

Well maybe not that good, I know who the running mates are, I know they're having those little convention thingys at the moment, but quite frankly, if I were to truly avoid the whole thing I'd have to remove my frontal lobe and watch Danger Bay reruns all day (I used to have a crush on Jonah... don't know why looking back, but I also had a crush on Roger from Tarzan, who incidentally enough, was on Danger Bay for an episode - the more you know).

Anyway, I'm well aware that whoever wins this horse race will have some affect on me. We're neighbours, co-dependent economies, they have bigger guns, blah blah blah. But that doesn't mean I have to care about whatever happens from now until November, because, given the emblem on my recently expired passport, I don't have a vote, a say, or any leeway, nothin', nadda. And that my friends, is the way I like it.

Uh-huh, uh-huh.

I will, however, be following the Canadian election campaign which will likely be happening in the fall. I haven't been able to vote for one reason or another (last time I wasn't Canadian enough cuz I had been in the states longer than 6 months, and had only recently returned) and I'm going to take advantage of the opportunity.

I'll probably vote Conservative. Since none of the other leaders appear particularly competent. I believe my current representative is Liberal... but Halifax has a strong NDP streak, so I'm not sure what's happening up in this hood.

I just visited the NDP site, and whoa on the trying to be hip factor. That picture of Jack Layton is ridiculous. Looks like he'll be breaking into song a la "From Justin to Kelly" (go ahead, click on that link, I guarantee you will not be disappointed). They have widgets and facebooks and podcasts and youtubes. Then again, none of the parties have a particularly impressive website. After visiting the Conservatives it's evident that they have a hate-on for Mr. Dion. I bet that's an awkward conversation at the urinal.

So as for America... not that interested. It's a little too over the top for me, and I can only handle hearing about the same things for so long. They'll each be villified by their respective "unbiased" news networks, and frankly I don't care whether or not Obama refilled the Brita filter after drinking the last glass.

I'll listen for the winner in a few months, and tick off another box on the list of things I know, but other than that, I'm going to continue changing the channel when coverage comes on.

Look Ma! I Cleaned!

2008-08-26T16:41:00.005-03:00

Before

During

After

So the Olympics are over, and that should mean we're back to regular programming, but I've been distracted and unmotivated lately and a lot of things aren't getting done. I firmly believe the cure is running away to a foreign country, but they say that's "avoidance". Not that I have anything to avoid, really. But being somewhere else would be a great place to be right about now. Know what I mean?

But at least my closet is somewhat organized, that's something.

Oh Yeah, You

2008-08-15T12:52:00.002-03:00

I'm unmotivated. For everything I have to do, I have a reason not to do it.

Scratch that. I have no reason not to do these things, but yet, I continue to not continue or persue.

Be the change you want to see in the world. If you change nothing, nothing changes...blah, blah, blah, etc. etc. etc. You know that thing that's deep inside that you have to dig down to to excel in moments of adversity? The thing advertisers tell you can be found in the bottom of a sugary drink? "It"? Are you familiar with "it"? I can't find it, so if you could point me in the right direction, that'd be great.

It's not like I have to do something fantasticly difficult - I can't even "push" myself to take a book back to the library.

I think I need an epic journey... travel TV has ruined me. Not that I even watch TV anymore... my DVR is almost full, but for that I blame the Olympics.

Ah, the Olympics. That great unifying sporting event that holds the world captive each Olympiad. Even the Americans are getting into it this year, with NBC pulling in huge ratings. CBC is doing a great job, this being their last kick at the can before it goes over to CTV. It helps that the Americans have the greatest Olympian of all time... that's a pretty good for the marketing department.

The Canadians however, are a different story. Here we are heading into day 8 with no medals, whatsoever. It's really hard to stay patriotic and optimistic when Azerbaijan has won more events than we have. The countries that are doing well are those with major government funds dedicated to athletic success, i.e. China. When the Olympics are hosted by a dictatorship the host country always does well. It happened in 1936 when Germany was winning everything, and it happened in Moscow.

If Canada wants to be competitive on the world stage, we have to change our tactics and spend a lot more money... Is it worth it? What's the purpose of winning everything at the Olympics? It makes us feel good? Those with the success now are the biggest violators of human rights... how do we find a better balance? Can we, or should we?

Non-iversary

2008-08-07T14:01:00.004-03:00

Today is my annual "Missed the Blogging Anniversary" post. I stopped Livejournaling and switched to semi-grown-up blogging three years ago yesterday.

Three years ago is a long time to have not accomplished very much. But you know what, I'm ok with that... I guess...

I realized yesterday that tomorrow is not next week, so I'm going camping in the valley for the weekend. It'll be fun and mostly just nice to be out of the city. I had the chance to work a dayshift today, but I didn't take it and am working the night shift tonight. I should have taken it, but I just wasn't feeling another 5am morning. I actually fell asleep before midnight last night, which never happens, and I almost feel non-zombilicious today. Always a nice change.

If I get all packed tonight it'll be a gosh darn miracle, but a do-able miracle. My tent and chair have already gone on vacation, so I just have to worry about clothes, buy an air mattress because mine leaks and doesn't have a pump (I almost wrote pimp... that's an entirely different air mattress for an entirely different demographic). Hopefully I can find a flashlight because my bus doesn't arrive in the valley until 9:30 pm. Although given that I'll be in a backyard I'm not too concerned...

I haven't blogged lately because I've been focused on the faux paus of blogging (work). Somebody has to choose to do it differently, and I don't know how that's going to happen... one day at a time, I guess...

New pet peeve - text messaging. I absolutely hate it when I'm talking to someone and they pull out their little gadgety thinga ma bob and start typing away, while still talking to you. Hate it. Have some basic human respect people!! Especially when I'm telling you how to do something important at work... that makes me not want to work with you ever.

And on that note, I have laundry to do.

blue black red yellow green

2008-08-04T00:27:00.001-03:00

Can you guess what I'm getting excited for?

I'll give you a hint... it's over there in the left hand corner, scroll down. There! See it?

The timer may seem wrong but it's not.The competition actually begins two days before the opening ceremonies.

You're welcome.

The Challenge

2008-08-01T17:14:00.003-03:00

When I found out the name of this blog was 'And you Miss, are no lady' I figured it would be a perfect fit. I'm no lady either, and I'm also not Evelyn. I'm Ashley from This? Is Not the Life I Ordered and I am taking this blog hostage.

Mwuahaha.

OK not really, I'm just part of a blog swap and I got teamed with Evelyn, so you can find her at my place today. Which you will go check out, after you finish reading mine of course.

So as you have heard by now, my name is Ashley. Like Evelyn, I am going through a quarter life crisis of mass proportions for the past year, only I live in NYC which I am a strong believer only amplifies the crisis. I'm now 26, a full year older than a quarter century and well, its not any easier so far.

But that's not what i want to talk about in this post. (If you happen to read me, you'll know I go off on tangents. Like....ALOT)

I had a hard time coming up with a topic for this post, so much pressure to perform and be funny and witty and clever and a whole slew of great things a guest blogger is expected to be. I mean obviously i am ALL OF THOSE AND MORE but what if I really suck today?

So I was thinking of what I could possibly write about, looking to my adventures as a mid twenty something in the city and wasn't finding much inspiration. I then looked at my blog's archives and couldn't get inspired either. (Wow apparently I think I'm inspiring. I am painting a very egotistical picture of myself right now.) Then, over tequila sunrises at this great happy hour place near where I work, a good guy friend of mine dropped a subject right into my lap.

He then put his hand on my lap. I think its safe to presume he likes me a little more than friends.

ANYWAY. (Wow ADD much? Evelyn is so wishing she had been paired with someone else.)

We were talking about why I don't have luck with guys, how I have a hard time meeting people in bars. I don't know about you, but every time I go out, thinking I look like hot shit, thinking that guys would be idiots to not hit on me in this outfit, I don't meet one single person. The creepy guy will try to cop a feel, the barely 21 year old, never had a drink before in his life, little boy will try to have a conversation with me but usually before you know it, its the end of the night and I'm home. Alone. In my own bed.

How is it that I am so unapproachable? How is it that I have had over 30 dates in the past year but all were from Match.com? (Yes, I would say I'm the master at online dating. I'm just not very successful.) Why can't I meet guys in regular, normal settings?

'You're more of a challenge.'

I had to clarify that he didnt say I was challenged. He claims, despite his always ribbing on me, that i am just a challenge. (According to him)(because you already think i'm this crazy egostical bia) I'm the hot girl in the bar, with the nice body but I'm a little more of a challenge because I'm not going to smile at you right away. I take a little longer to warm up to people. I may make you work a little harder to gain my attention. I will chat with you should you try, but that's if you try.

Then there's our friend Dancer. You walk into the bar and she's all BAM! She's smiling at you, all her assets are shown and you know what you're going to get. She is going to let you buy her a drink, will talk nice to you and at the end of the night theres a good chance she's going home with you if you pay her enough attention. Dancer is a lot of fun, always the life of the party and always the one dancing on the top of the bar. I always love partying with her because its nonstop action, and I get to be part of her life for a little while.

If a guy walks into a bar and me and Dancer are standing next to each other, they're going to go for her, figures it won't be too hard to strike up a convo (and whatever else) with her. Me, I'm the challenge, I'm a little harder to get to. But (and he was probably just making all this stuff up just to make me feel better, especially this last part) the challenges are always the most worth it.

Part of me feels proud to be this little challenge type, to be worth all the trouble. But when guys don't ever want to go to the trouble to get past my walls? It's a little disheartening. What if being a challenge isn't such a great thing?

I think you need to be a little bit of both, a little bit of a Dancer, with just enough challenge to keep them on their toes.

I'm like friggin Mt. Everest, only the brave try and not that many survive. Balance? I've never heard of it.

So readers, where do you fall? And what are your tricks to keeping that right balance?

Now I will leave you to discuss amongst yourselves. Thanks for keeping me company and much thanks to Evelyn for being a lovely host and not deleting this blog post in disgust (that is, if she hasn't done so. :) )

Lampooned Summer Vacation

2008-07-30T16:21:00.003-03:00

I have to be honest... I'm annoyed that the annual summer camping trip has turned out like it has. The past two years some friends that I went to school with went camping and it was super fun. It is/was going to be an annual thing. We started planning a few months ago, a bunch of people wanted to go, and now though they still want to go but for various reasons can't. So it leaves me and one another couple.

A few minutes ago, the rest of this post was about how I was annoyed that my summer vacation relied on other people. It's not that I'm annoyed at the people, life happens... but things depended on other people's lives working out and that's not really reliable at all. I was annoyed not because I'm single, but because I'm single and all my friends are married - and that makes things harder.

But since then, we rearranged our plans and are now probably going to camp for free in my grandparents backyard, which happens to overlook the Bay of Fundy. We're going to go to yardsales, the Zoo, maybe hit a historic site or two, and eat s'mores around a bonfire on the beach.

I think that sounds alright...

It's Happy Week

2008-07-26T23:48:00.002-03:00

In a cosmic twist of fate I had to take the bus to work this morning. Not so bad you say? Good for the environment you say? All true, but my having to get up earlier and leave earlier is in no way good for the followers of "The Secret" because I emit enough negative energy under those circumstances to knock out Eckhart Tolle. Early is not my thang, but it happened, and I have lived to tell about it.

So I was on the bus today enjoying the serpentine route the #4 takes through downtown Halifax. I love downtown Halifax, it's cool, trendy, and quaint. I'm so not cool enough to be there... *sigh* anyway... This week happens to be Pride week. I was reminded of this when driving down Gottigen past several colourful flat-bed trucks with half naked men in cut-offs bopping about. It was a bizarre thing to see that time of day. Any time of day, really, if you think about it...

Day two past chiropractic adjustment, and things are great. I can move my neck more (though it still twinges every now and again) and no headache. I feel like I have to sit up more now so I don't waste the money.

I get re-cracked again on Tuesday, and I'm kind of looking forward to it. I'm seeing a connection between all the knots I have in my neck and back on the right side with other right side problems... the sore hip, the plugged ear... could I be lopsided? Maybe I lean too far to the left?

Tomorrow I'm going to go out on a limb and set some goals for the week. Maybe I'll share them with you, maybe I won't. But whatever happens, we'll always have... have... we don't have much, do we? Who are you anyway?

Addicted to Crack

2008-07-25T19:44:00.003-03:00

So I hit the chiropracter's office today in fine style... almost late but just in time. I worked the overnight last night so I had only slept from 8:30am until about 10:10am... which in case you're wondering isn't enough.

When I told a co-worker I was thinking of going to have my neck checked out, he told me I'd probably have a stroke.

I didn't heed his warning, given that the people who have strokes at the hands of a chiropracter are the same ones who have a stroke at the hands of a hairdresser - wrong movement at the wrong time, but bound to happen sooner or later.

I wasn't too worried.

Turns out that pain by my shoulder blades is a huge knot that he decided to dig into. That was fun. And then there was this thingy where he stretches out the muscle on the side of my neck. He asked if it was "recreating the pain". I'm not sure what it was recreating, but "pain" was at the forefront of my mind at the time, so I said "yup".

You'll say anything when someone is pulling on your jugular...

I think Blogger is about to go out, so I'm just going to post this without a witty wrap-up. Just punch yourself in the neck a few times and try to think of something funny, then we'll be able to relate.

Pardon Me

2008-07-25T04:55:00.003-03:00

as I barf on your shoes.

I currently have the night shift sickies. They usually strike around 4 or 5 am, resulting from I don't know what. I haven't been afflicted with the sickies in a long time, I thought it was a rookie all-nighter thing, and since I most decidedly am not an all-nighter rookie I thought I was past this stage.

But given the green colour of my gills it seems that I am not.

It could be the coffee. I don't drink caffeinated beverages because they were messing with my system and I'd get home after working all night and not be able to sleep - now that's a frustrating feeling.

But tonight I had a large cafe mocha from Timmy's, and that's what I'm gonna blame.

The night shift sickies is basically just nausea, a rock in your stomach, sensitivity to light, an inability to make rational decisions and general tomfoolery of the nervous system. It looks different for different people, but it always involves nausea. Some people get really cold and shaky, I get too warm... Basically, it sucks.

Speaking of barfing on people's shoes - a few years ago I was visiting with my aunt and uncle in Tennessee on my way home from Alabama. It was Easter weekend, and my flight was scheduled to leave on Tuesday morning.

Sunday afternoon we went to their friends house so the little ones could hunt for eggs over and over and over again. I wasn't feeling so hot, but I chalked it up to the nap I had had, since napping makes me feel yucky.

Why I didn't associate my upset tummy with the stomach flu those same little ones had recovered from a day before I arrived, I'll never know.

So we're sitting in the living room about to enjoy some Papa John's Hawaiian pizza. Things are gurgly, but I'm tough, so I ignore it.

I took one bite and knew it was over. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to make it to any kind of socially acceptable barf receptacle, so floor it was. I did however, in my manic state, try to block the flow with the lady's throw pillow, which now seems like an odd choice given the absorbency of said pillow. Later she told me she didn't care because it was from her mother-in-law. Glad I could help.

The little kids start crying, the adults start gagging. But thankfully my uncle is a nurse, and he adeptly dealt with the mess my guts had created.

It wasn't a good scene.

I then threw up every twenty minutes for the next 24 hours, so I didn't have much time to feel guilty. I moved my flight two weeks forward too, because I was in no condition to fly. So thanks to my disgestive fireworks I was able to see Graceland and the Memphis Zoo... not a bad deal!

Note to self: talking about barfing is the worst thing you can do when feeling barfy...

Stuck in Downward Dog - Review

2008-07-24T15:23:00.002-03:00

I was a little leery in choosing this book to review as a part of the Mini Book Expo. It falls under the "chick-lit" category - and I've never been particularly inspired to read anything from that category. After reading, "Stuck in Downward Dog" by Chantel Simmons, I'm still not.

"Mara Brennan is about to unravel. Three days after her twenty-eighth birthday, her boyfriend dumps her, leaving her with nothing but a basement apartment, a futon and a pile of unpaid bills. On top of that, her job, working as a receptionist at a cosmetic surgery clinic, is a nightmare; her boss is a tyrant; and her best friends have gotten ahead of her in the game of life. Mara realizes it’s time for an identity makeover."

There's nothing glaringly wrong about the book - It moves along alright, though it seems to take forever to get started. The characters (flat and obvious) are clearly developed (although the boss is hardly a tyrant), and there are no loose ends at the conclusion.

I'm no literary critic, but like with most art, I know what I like, and I didn't like this. It really isn't about anything. The rising action of the novel is an ill planned dinner party, and it falls short. I don't care about what this book is about. I can't relate to the characters, which is odd since I'm in the same stage of life as these ladies. I didn't like the main character, Mara, at all. She wasn't just naive and "zany" as others have described her. She was dumb and ignorant of the world around her.

I didn't laugh out loud either, just like I no longer laugh out loud to any early 2000's sitcom. These 261 pages are just that, a forgettable sitcom where TV actors go to fizzle away into nothing. It's just missing the plastic soundtrack and canned laughter.

I've read plenty of books where I have nothing in common with the characters, and still loved them, so that's not the problem here. Her problems are just so ridiculously mundane, I couldn't get into it, because I couldn't care less.

Maybe it's a Toronto vs. Maritimes thing? I don't know... there's just nothing of lasting value here. If you want to read a book that has no impact on your life, leaves you annoyed with the 20 something generation (even when you're a part of it), and that you care very little about, this one's for you.

There's a reason 90% of the books in library sales are authored by women, and this is part of it.

The Trend Continues

2008-07-23T21:33:00.003-03:00

I'm beat. Exhausted. Done in. Sleeeeeeeeepy.

But why? I worked today, but it wasn't particularly hard, challenging or difficult in any way. Still, I come home with the zombie glaze in my eyes.

I'm falling behind too. I have 10 or 12 books out from the library, which includes one by Margaret Atwood so Lord knows that'll take some energy to get through... and there's about 50 hours of unwatched TV sitting on my DVR, just waiting for me to revel in Deadliest Catches, So You Think You Can Dances and Third Watches (Man I love that show, and I'm coming to the end of the series, which makes me sad. Sure, Bosco isn't the nicest guy on the block, but I still loves 'im!).

I haven't gone to the gym lately... maybe that's it. I haven't been eating well lately either, which is most definitely it.

I'm going to try out the chiropracter on Friday, since I'm having neck issues. The kind of issues that prevent you from checking your blind spot so you just switch lanes hoping no one's there, and get beeped at cuz apparently the yuppie in the new grey Jetta was most definitely there and didn't want you and your '95 Camry sitting on her lap. But I digress.

I have this sore spot on my head... I didn't hit my head, so I was curious about it. Google curious, even. I googled "tender spot on head" and came up with a diagnosis relating to jaw issues. Which I totally have, and which are totally related to neck issues... I think it's all one vicious circle. So I kept rubbing the sore spot and now have nose and ear issues... and the ear issues have always been related to my short little neck, which has issues. See what I'm saying?

Dr. Google told me I have brain cancer, so I'm really hoping that's not it.

Maybe I should just sleep more often and google less. If only it were possible!

Sarah Gets Fooled Again

2008-07-22T16:56:00.004-03:00

My sister Sarah is a little on the gullible side... here be proof:

Impatience

2008-07-21T01:05:00.005-03:00

I'm tired, but I made a movie anyway.

Here we have my nephew Sheamus jumping on my sister Sarah's lap while I play around with the autoharp. My brother (baby daddy) is recording and giggling... It's short and cute... enjoy!

Recap

2008-07-21T00:17:00.009-03:00

So the reunion (of sorts) is all over and done with. If I didn't have the pictures to prove it I'm not sure I'd believe it happened. We arrived, we ate, we left. Quick and to the point - I guess that suits a Pierce family thingy.

It was a good couple of days and I've got some delightful videos to share with you... hint: there's an autoharp involved.

Maybe someday when I'm not so zombi-licious I'll upload them here. I'm tired, here's a photo or two from our the trip:

Titles Are Overrated

2008-07-18T11:36:00.004-03:00

Is overrated one word or two? Je ne sais pas.

So last night I got together with some friends to do birthday celebrating... Everyone punked out but 3 of us went downtown and it was lovely. I'm actually glad it was a small crew - I definitely enjoyed myself. We pulled into the driveway at 5:20am, which seems late, but given that all of us do shift work it's not that scandalous. It'd be weird if we were home much before that.

We ended the night at Freeman's Little New York on... on... I don't know what street it's on, but it was the best burger I've ever had, cheap too. Definitely worth a re-visit during daylight hours.

So that leaves us with today and having to drive for 3 hours to get to the family reunion in the valley. Sans air conditioning - and today is a scorcher. It's probably around 29C, but it'll feel higher because the valley doesn't have the luxury of ocean AC like the city does.

We're going to Margaretsville though, which is on the shore of the Bay of Fundy - aka coldest frickin' water south of the Arctic. In all the years I've been going there, I've only put my feet in once that I can recall... I'm excited to take Sheamus beachcombing while we're there - we'll get to introduce him to our rock "castle" that we used to play on as kids... it'll probably be more us playing and him drooling, but whatev!

It's hot here today... Hank isn't handling it very well. For example:

This is what he's been doing for the last two hours - so hot he didn't even move his head when I put the food out a few minutes ago. He's usually in front of the fan, but I don't think he has the energy to move that far.

I Likey

2008-07-17T15:03:00.003-03:00

I've spent waaaaaay too much time lately doing little customizations around here in the past two days. Way too much time. My cats are disowning me, I can feel it.

So much time I don't have anything to write about because the last two days have been me on a couch in front of fan, with occasional breaks to stretch, feed me and my cats and turn the fan on higher. It's sad, really, and the reason why I need a hobby to fill up my new found spare time.

At any rate it's starting to look like something I like, and once I get my new header, it will be totally superfantastic.

I do have other things I'm supposed to be doing with the time, but I'm not that motivated. One has to do with a presentation at work... as in... I need to write it because we're presenting soon. I'm sure I'll get to it...

I got a new digital camera for my birthday and it's awesome. It's just point and shoot, but I don't want anything more than that. I used to thing I wanted an SLR, and someday I might get one, but I'm no professional, nor do I wish to be one. So why spend that much money on something that won't return the favor?

I have to close the laptop now. Have. To. After I check my email and facebook, that is...

Change is A Foot

2008-07-17T12:05:00.003-03:00

I'm workin' on stuff, so things might go wonky here as I ruin everything...

Stay tuned...

The Anonymous Post

2008-07-16T06:00:00.003-03:00

So guys... here it is... a post from someone you probably don't know, anonymously. Mine's out there somewhere, but I'm not spilling the beans.

Here goes - unedited and unabridged.

When my husband I were first dating, he invited me to a company christmas function. This function was being held at a large hotel in the town we were from, and he had booked a room as he had planned to drink. He invited me to stay over night with him, and being the easy tramp I was.... ahem.. I mean, as I didn't want to offend him I said yes. (hehe). As the day arrived, I was soo excited to finally get to spend the night with this amazingly sexy guy. I went out and got my hair done, bought pretty new undies, the whole thing. You can imagine my horror when I got up that morning and the "female curse" or as I like to call it "Aunt Flo from Red River" decided to rear her ugly head. I was mortified! The next I was guaranteed hot sex all night long, my freakin' period started! And, as we had only been dating just over a month (yes, I was a tramp) I didn't quite know how to tell him, and I certainly wasn't going to back out.

So, he picks me up and I head out with him, my overnight bag not packed with sexy underwear, but with granny panties and tampons. He looked amazing all dressed up, and kept looking at me with that "hea baby" look. I managed to get through the dinner and dancing fine, and almost forgot about my "situation" until we went back to the room.

We started kissing, and somehow ended up on the bed. I became reserved at this point, not quite sure how to tell him my "situation". He immediately felt me pulling away, and very gently looked at me and said 3 words I will never in my life forget:

"Are you gay?"

I burst out laughing, a real big belly laugh that makes your eyes water and leaves you with hiccups. I assured him I was not gay, but was having a "female visitor".

That incredibly sexy man and I will be married 10 years next month, and we still joke about that time of every month when I'm "gay".

Blogshare Buddies

2008-07-16T03:23:00.003-03:00

Here's a list of all the other bloggers participating in the blogshare. I'm not telling you where my post is going, you'll just have to figure it out. I don't take any responsibility for anything that appears here. RSS feed at your own risk.

Vent Vox
Trudie - Life After AC
Swimming With Sharks
Stefanie Says
Shhh! Librarian-In-Training
Sauntering Soul
Sass Attack
Reflections in the Snow Covered Hills
Red Red Whine
Our Simplicity
One New Duck
Oh My Seven
The Occasional Truth
No Lady
Nancy Pearl Wannabe
Muse On Vacation
Messing With Texas
Melliferous Pants
Lizland
Live Work Dream
Just Below 63
Jonniker
Java Literally
Heidikins
Full of Snark
Face Down
Ex Everything
Everything I Like Causes Cancer
Did I Say That Outloud?
The Daily Tannenbaum
The Coconut Diaries
Citystreams
Catheroominations
Bright Yellow World
Breath Smiles Tears
And You Know What Else
Alyndabear
3 Carnations

Birthdaze

2008-07-16T00:16:00.004-03:00

So the birthday is over and both feet are officially planted into another age demographic. Now I check 25-39... weird...

Other than two hours sleep this morning, I've been awake since 10am on July 14th. For those keeping score, that's not a lot of sleep and I'm not a lot of sense making pancakes. I was awake for both midnights of the day, and that my friends, is very special indeed.

I had supper on the town with some good old friends, escaping with only a few minor embarrassments, and I was only intoxicated on life.

So the anonymous post will "go live" at 6am, and I'm looking forward to it. I still haven't written mine yet, and I have no idea what I'm going to do. But I'm pretty tired, so it should be a doozy (though not controversial, I'm afraid...)

I think I might be asleep soon... whether I like it or not. Thanks for listening.

Ma Fete

2008-07-15T03:57:00.002-03:00

Why, what day is it little lamb?

'Tis my birthday!

Blogshare

2008-07-14T13:34:00.002-03:00

So there's this blog called And You Know What Else and she does this thing called a Blogshare. I signed up, which means that on Wednesday, July 16, there will be an anonymous post here from someone neither you or I know. And I get to make an anonymous post on someone elses blog. Heck, maybe I'll even get a comment or two because Lord knows no one here likes to talk to me. Sheesh.

This sounded like a great idea until I had to come up with something to write... I'd like it to be relatively controversial, nothing too sketchy, just something I wouldn't be likely to post unanonymously. I'm working the overnight tonight, so hopefully I'll be inspired when the sleepies hit around 4am.

Almost 25

2008-07-13T18:47:00.003-03:00

Did you know that my birthday is on Tuesday? Cuz it is... And did I really just buy jeans at a regular people store? I'm pretty sure I did, but I haven't done that since high school, so it's a bit fuzzy.

Speaking of smaller jeans, the triumphant return to the gym will happen tomorrow. I haven't gone in about a month, and since I'm paying for it, I feel like I really should go. I was going to start going again today, but I went shopping instead.

People keep complaining about the heat around here, but I don't really get it, it doesn't seem that bad to me, though I reserve the right to complain later. It's been just over two years since I returned from Alabama, and I wasn't even there for the summer, but remembering the September heat there definitely makes this Nova Scotian weather pale in comparison.

I'm about halfway through "The World According to Garp". I've had it out of the library on various occasions since February and I'm determined to get it down soon.

The family reunion is next weekend. I plan to document the crazy as much as possible. Most of the crazy involves awkward family conversations. That's what happens when you put a bunch of people in a room who drive cars with bumper stickers that say, "I'd rather be alone in my living room with my reader's digest".

This will be a "dry" family reunion, no doubt. Which is something that apparently doesn't happen in Cape Breton... We're the boring, protestant kind of Irish.

Speaking of which, I forgot to wish you a happy Orangemen's Day. It was celebrated in various places around Nova Scotia until not too long ago (probably around the time people forgot what it was for). My grandfather remembers a big community picnic on July 12, and a parade. The community hall in Margaretsville was called the "Orangemen's Hall" until a few dozen years ago.

The more you know.

mememememememememememe

2008-07-09T21:42:00.015-03:00

I saw this meme and felt inspired...

1. My Kitchen Sink

2. Inside My Fridge

It appears that we may need groceries... mmmm, half eaten chicken carcass... but we always have lots of condiments!

3. My Favourite Shoes

The strappy sandals are my new favourites because they are strappy sandals. My feet do not easliy fit into any kind of shoe, so to find a pair like this was a special moment. Too bad they kill... The other pair are favs because they're pink.

4. My Closet

This apartment has zero storage space, so this is the best I've got for the moment.

5. My Laundry Pile

Don't worry, it's much bigger now.

6. What My Kids Are Doing Right Now

As you can see I don't actually have kids per se. I do however, have two cats. Hank was hiding. Currently both cats are stretched out in front of the window fan.

7. My Favourite Room

My room... I likes it. Though I appear to have some issues with colour coordination. All in good time my friends!

8. My Most Recent Purchase

The most recent purchases have either been food or presents, but these were fairly recent. Here we have a Rockstar stack of scrapbooking paper, because no match seems more natural than rockstars and scrapbooking ($5, Chapters Last Call Table). The long awesome plate thingy that serves little to no purpose was also a find from the last call table at Chapters for $5. So were the two leather albums, a measly $2 each. Lastly is the little notebook lying on the paper. It's Alice in Wonderlandy, and I luvs it. I'll put it on the shelf next to all the other empty, though pretty, journals.

9. Self-Portrait

This is me... after working from 7am-7pm... note the hint of crazy, only slightly obscured by the fatigue. Taken with my laptops webcam. Yes, I'm in my pj's.

In true meme style, I have to tag some people. However since most of my friends don't blog regularly and other people don't know I read their blogs, I don't have much to pick from. So here goes: Shannon, Emily and Amy (whom I don't know, but she linked me, and that makes me happy).

Danke

2008-07-08T00:39:00.007-03:00

BoingBoing has brought me a great deal of joy lately... It sure is a directory of wonderful things.

I was recently introduced to a little site for a Mini Book Expo. Here's the dilly. The site runner... I think her name is Lex, gets books from publishers. She then posts some info about the book and how many copies are available. You comment on the post, and tell her you'd like to review it. She sends it to you (at no cost to you), and you post a review on your blog. Pretty sweet, eh?

The sugar on top is that it's a Canadian site, and it's pretty much exclusive to residents of Canada (or at least those with a Canadian address). You can only get two at a time, in order to share the love, but as soon as you post your review, you can sign on for another one.

The two I'm presently waiting for are:

Vacation Adventures on a Cargo Ship - Adrian Peetoom: "In Vacation Adventures on a Cargo Ship, Adrian Peetoom recounts his voyages aboard the container ships Ville d'Aquarius and Sydney Star. Adrian and his wife, Johanna, had long been fascinated by cargo ship travel as a way to journey to foreign ports at a much more reasonable cost than the trips offered by large cruise ship companies. After Adrian retired from his publishing career, the couple embarked on two voyages. What Adrian and Johanna experienced will fascinate armchair travellers and those who may be interested in investigating container ship travel for themselves. "

and

Stuck in Downward Dog - Chantel Simmons: "Dumped by her boyfriend, stuck in a job she hates, and living in a basement apartment, Mara realizes it's time for an identity makeover. She devises the "OM List," a personal pathway to perfection that will guarantee her finding the perfect job, creating the perfect home, cooking the perfect meal, and being the perfect friend. Mara hilariously tries and fails at all the things she thinks will make her the sophisticated grown-up she wants to be."

The Downward Dog one has the potential to be very lame, but the lead character is 25, and that's a number I'll be introduced to this time next week!

So stay tuned for those reviews, I'm sure they'll be spectacular.

That's How I Roll

2008-07-06T03:48:00.004-03:00

Owning this t-shirt would be perfection. I say this to kids all the time. I do it because it makes me sound "hip", though by saying I'm "hip", I'm automatically not. But if I had this shirt, I could just point, and they'd know. That would be hip.

It appears I'm on a bit of a book kick these days. These kicks of mine come by every now and again, but they don't usually stick around that long. I've been obsessed with various things throughout my life, and to the naked eye they may seem unrelated... and they really are, I guess I would be the common factor... I remember obsessing over "Stars on Ice" for a week or two. I really, really, really wanted to go see them when they came to Halifax. This was back when it was Kurt Browning, Brian somethingorother, the blonde one who does the shampoo commercial now.... is it shampoo? I dunno, I guess the obsession wasn't that strong.

Then there was the Beatles phase that hit around grade 8. I used to call in to the radio station to make a request, but I was embarrassed so I used to make up a name. With any obsession, like addiction, there is some element of shame. I don't think many people outside of my family knew just how consumed by something I would get.

Then there were the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. That was probably the worst event of hyper-focus I've ever experienced. The Olympic obsession has probably had more staying power than the others, I'll still be glued to the TV during the Beijing Olympics... I feel like I owe it to the CBC (this being their last kick at the can). During the '96 Olympics I painstakingly cut out every article the Chronicle Herald had to give, and taped them into scrapbooks. I still have those scrapbooks.

I was a little less insane during Nagano in 1998, but only a little less so. I just did the article thing for the first week, but I saved every photo I could find online onto a bunch of floppy discs. I guess I had no concept of these things being immediately accessible from anywhere for the rest of my life, thanks to teh internets.

I can't really explain what happens when these phases hit. It's like an absolute, unsalvable compulsion. I haaaaaaaaaaaad to watch the Beatles Anthology just. one. more. time. I haaaaaaaaaaaad to watch all the Olympic coverage, I had to know everything. Whatever it was (is) my mind is completely consumed with it for a period of time. Those periods of time seem to be a bit shorter these days, but it still happens.

So as I was saying.... books are nice. If you like free books you should visit Bookmooch.com. It's pretty simple. You put some books on there that you have and are willing to give away. Then when people ask for one, you mail it to them. You get points depending on what you give away, and you ask for books, and people mail them to you. The cost is whatever you pay for shipping, but the books (and signing up) are free.

I'm hoping to shed some of the unwanted books that I've been carting around from place to place and collect some of the classics I'm currently missing. Right now I'm anticipating the arrival of Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient. I'm jonesing for some new livres.

jones - (jōnz) n. Heroin.
An addiction or craving. intr.v. jonesed, jones·ing, jones·es To have an eager or intense desire: "was jonesing for caffeine" [Perhaps from the name Jones.]

Perhaps.

Reviewo Numero Uno

2008-07-06T03:24:00.009-03:00

I just finished reading Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow (you can't really search inside unless you go to Amazon).

It's Science Fiction, not really my favorite genre, and after reading this, it's still not. The book itself is fine, good story, accessible to the non-Sci Fi'r such as myself, and in the end I even found myself caring about what happened to the characters. And that's a good thing. If you're rooting for the hero to die in the end, something went awry.

I'm not sure what it is, but there's something about science fiction that doesn't sit with me very well. A minor annoyance? I dunno... It's like listening to dischords over and over. It's similar to how I felt after listening to Joy Electric (don't go there, it's awful, awful music) or watching the first 10 minutes of Solaris (seriously, has anyone watched this entire movie?). Granted, the sense wasn't strong with this particular book, but it was still there in the back of my mind. If it were longer than 200 pages, I don't know that I would have made it.

In the end, it's not really a negative take on the book itself, but how I feel about the genre. And I don't think other people shouldn't like it, like I tell people they shouldn't like Ladder 49 (don't go there, it's an awful, awful movie), but I'm just not meant to be a fan.

Despite all that, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom is a good book. It's interesting, it's intriguing, it's different. It takes a little while to figure out, but I don't usually want the author to spell everything out in the first few pages. My distaste for Sci-Fi was overcome, if only briefly, and I was hooked in enough to want to know what happens and to figure out what the heck was going on in this future.

So there you have it.

Yes, Yes I Do

2008-07-04T20:50:00.005-03:00

So You Think You Can Dance is on again, and just like years past. I've been asked not to participate. Whatever!

The winner this year will be Twitch. You can tell just by how the audience reacts to him, but did he peak to early? I'm not a big fan of any of the girls this year, they all seem pretty similar. And who wouldn't look lovely and talented when smattered in brightly coloured feathers? I mean really! Kourtni what's her face was my favourite girl to date, but she was eliminated this past week. Show's what I know.

Pocket Full of Sunshine

2008-07-02T21:15:00.003-03:00

I work in a windowless building that is by the nature of my work filled with teenage boys. This, plus the fact that I work a lot of nights, makes it difficult for me to adjust to it being summer... Other than of course, the glowing stench of body pits and rotting sneakers...

Boys stink... but if you tell them they stink, they just cover it up with gobs of Axe, which is probably worse.

At any rate, in an attempt to get in the spirit of things I went to a gas station and got a slushie. A large, delirously blue, deliriously awesome slushie. It's like they bottled summer and then froze it, just so you could slurp it up and bask in the sugary goodness. But not too fast though, for the buzz kill of the first summer slushie is the inevitable brain freeze. Often so intense it makes you wonder if you'll ever see colour again.

I used to work at a gas station where they had the obligatory slushie machine, just to the left of the beef jerky and marshmallows. I'm not sure who was responsible for cleaning it, but I'm pretty sure that since I was the one wearing the blue and red polo with the name tag, it was probably me who was supposed to do something about the mold growing around the tap. I never touched the thing and cringed whenever kids would slop the sticky goodness into a plastic cup...

As far as I know, know one's ever died in any slushie related incident, so I'm probably off the hook.

Let the Wind Carry Your Blues Away

2008-07-02T01:14:00.005-03:00

Once upon a time, Dennis Wilson, the under appreciated second oldest Wilson brother, and founding member of the Beach Boys, did a solo project and called it Pacific Ocean Blue. And it is awesome.

Pacific Ocean Blue was originally released in 1977 and enjoyed moderate success before spinning off into obscurity. The album was out of print until a two disc special edition was released the end of June.

I forget where I heard about it, but I downloaded a track the other day, listened to it, and then downloaded the rest of the tracks because as I said, it's awesome.

Maybe it's the "mystique" of posthumous creativity... maybe it's because he was friends with Charles Manson (pre-murder). Maybe I was really born thirty years earlier... Whatever the reason, I love this record. I even have the whole kit (and caboodle, in case you were wondering) on my Creative Zen (the poor man's iPod), and not many artists get that kind of recognition.

If I were to make a movie, Farewell My Friend would figure prominently in the soundtrack. I luvs it. That and River Song, though River Song is pretty obviously from 1977 and very "Age of Aquarius-y" (which was incidently released in 1969), so unless it was a period movie, I don't think it'd be on the soundtrack... but I still like it. It's ridiculously sick, as the young ones say.

Dennis Wilson died in an alcohol related drowning in December of 1983, when I was 6 months old. Not really one of those "what were you doing when" moments for me, but it coulda been, and that's what counts.

I know a carpenter who had a dream
Killed the man but you couldn't kill the dream
Who said it was easy
People gotta be free
And the band keeps on playin'

- Dreamer from Pacific Ocean Blue

Happy Canada Day!

2008-07-01T12:21:00.003-03:00

I saw this today over on Boing Boing and thought it fit perfectly with Canada Day... What are we if not a country of immigrants and foreigners?

If we truly only had four minutes left to save the world, I'd think this would be a better weapon than that little Madonna/Justin Tmberlake number...

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

Nostalgia

2008-06-30T13:37:00.007-03:00

I was a voracious reader as a kid. It was common for me to spend a Saturday reading and get through 4 or 5 Babysitters Club books. I would walk down to the library and come home with a healthy stack, but not before having to convince the ornery librarian that I was old enough to read whatever I had picked out. I remember always having to go the bathroom when I got there and never having the courage to ask for the key...

Here are some of the series I devoured in Elementary School:

Little House on the Prairie - Laura Ingalls

I could still pick this up today and probably love it as much as I did then. I always had a fascination with pioneer days and the "olden times". I don't think I discovered these until grade 4 or 5, but I'm pretty sure I read them all in a weekend.

Anne of Green Gables - Lucy Maud Montgomery

I remember it taking me a while to collect and read the entire series. My middle name is Marilla, which is a name most people have never heard of outside of these books. I used to watch the movies and try to make my hair poofy like Anne's when she was older, but I could never get it to look right.

Bobbsey Twins - Laura Lee Hope

I don't remember much about the Bobbsey Twins, I think I read them when I was pretty young.

Encyclopedia Brown - Donald J. Sobel

It was hard to get through the whole book without just skipping to the end. I read these when I was pretty little too, but I don't recall being a huge fan. This was before I was a picky reader.

Boxcar Children - Gertrude Chandler Warner

Looooved these books. I loved the first one, all about how they lived in the boxcar. There was a secluded area behind my house near a swamp and I imagined them living there. These I also read in early elementary school.

Eric Wilson Mysteries

These aren't really a series, but they are a bunch of myteries for kids that take place around Canada... Lunenburg, PEI... all over. The author includes a lot of Canadian history and geography, I couldn't get enough. But there weren't a lot when I was a kid, and I could never (and still can't) read a book twice.

From Anna - Jean Little

I recall there being a series of three, "From Anna" being the first. I read these in grade 5 when my mother asked my teacher for some more challenging books. It's about a German girl who immigrates to Canada either during the first or second world war. It's probably still one of the best things I've ever read. There's a lot of history in it, but the characters are what you care most about. I still remember a lot of what happened in this book, which says a lot because I don't usually remember much once I put it down.

Babysitters Club - Anne M. Martin

I'd read 3-4 a day in early elementary school. I wanted to be Claudia. I was shocked later on when I went into a used book store and saw hundreds and hundreds of these pink books.

Sweet Valley High - Francine Pascal

The librarian was probably right, I might have been a little young for these but I read ' em anyway.

Stellarton Library

Yes, that's the whole thing

Summer 2008 Reading List - Updated Frequently

2008-06-30T12:32:00.007-03:00

List of Books I'm Most Likely Going to Read Depending on Whether or Not They Come in to My Particular Library Branch: (updated often)

The Robber Bride -Margaret Atwood

A Day in the Life of the American Woman: How We See Ouselves - Sharon Wohlmoth

Everything is Illuminated: Jonathan Safran Foer

A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard based on her diary, 1785 - 1812 - Laurel Ulrich

A Room of One's Own - Viginia Woolf

Somebody Else's Daughter - Elizabeth Brundage

The Sugar Queen - Sarah Addison Allen

Little Brother - Cory Doctorow

~~The World According to Garp - John Irving~~

Stuck in Downward Dog - Chantel Simmons

Vacation Adventures on a Cargo Ship - Adrian Peetoom

~~Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom - Cory Doctorow~~

UPDATE: I've decided to join the "Summer Reading Thing" Challenge. Having pursued many challenges in the past with little success (i.e. Dean's List Club, War and Peace Challenge), I'm signing up with some trepidation... At any rate, this list will likely change in the future to fit what I actually plan on reading, but this approximation will have to do for now.

And then...

2008-06-29T21:50:00.003-03:00

So I changed the layout again, not much, but I didn't like how squishy the text looked. Oh what I would do for knowledge of HTML. Heck, maybe I'll even take a course in it?

But how you ask? Considering I work an unpredictable schedule that changes at a moments notice? Well my dears, because I finally landed a full-time gig! Wahoo!

I work in a unionized environment, so it's a little complicated for you laymen, but what happened is my "knowledge" was assessed and I scored high enough to win a full-time term position. Basically what this means is I know my schedule from now until May (when the term ends). Until now I've been classed as Permanent Part Time, which means I have a guarantee of 40 hours every two weeks and all the hours above that depend on sick calls and vacation time that needs to be covered. So I've been working an average of 80 hours a pay period, but what the hours are changes on a day to day basis. My schedule now is the same shifts each pay period. I have every Friday off and four days in a row off every two weeks. It's sweet.

I added a little gadgety thing over there in the bottom right hand corner that tells me my blog currently has a Junior High reading level... I'm not sure how I feel about that but I've never really gone for literary excellence here, so I guess it's an expected result...

Speaking of reading: if you told yourself you were going to read 15 books in two months (July and August), what would you read? I was going to aim for 30 books in two months, but that's a bit lofty considering I couldn't even handle one War and Peace in 6 months.