The melt

The snow is melting so I may even try and go to the store today. FYI I did make it out for Christmas, I got a ride and met them on the main street where they had plowed - it was delicious and worth the effort! Anyways, since then I have not left the house. I didn't even bother shoveling since I was still tired from half the driveway I shoveled on Christmas Day. Boxing Day I spent in a complete groggy state, everything but lying down was tiring. I managed to perk up yesterday and get some cleaning done so I feel pretty good about that at least. If I can just keep that up today I should get alot done...but it's already after 11:00 and I haven't gotten off the computer yet. I'll try and get off my ass soon. Try but no promises.

Christmas Eve

I am stranded, but enjoying the cozy indoors. If I can't make it out tomorrow for Christmas dinner at least I have perogies in the freezer!

Burger Time

A smile gone wrong

Back

So, I am back home and EXHAUSTED! It was a crazy busy week and I got 3 hours of sleep and had to get up 1 a.m. my time to catch my flight today...But, I should really start the recap from the beginning.
Tuesday - Mom's chili, bowling with Todd x2 and I KICKED his ass. Woot!
Wednesday - my Mom & my Christmas gift exchange, steak from Saskatchewan (ask my Mom), and Speed Dating w/ Sharon (don't tell my mother) which was surprisingly okay and made me think I might try it again. Funny enough I had said to Todd the day before that I would never go, but as usual the 'never say never' thing is so true.
Thursday - meatballs at Auntie Mary's for lunch, and she even made shortcake with raspberries! Yum! Dinner at my co-workers, also steak, and my first cat of the week. I forgot what it's like to play fight with a clawed cat...
Friday - Auntie Nettie's for lunch, hottubbing with Brenda (3 cats and the CUTEST humpy dog I ever met) which by the way is crazy to do at - 25ish, our hair froze and I got a cold/wind burn on my forehead, then more cats at Julie & Eric's as well as a yummy refried bean sample.
Saturday - a day with the kids, which was great despite everyone thinking it would go poorly - death, destruction or worse - embarrassment, McDonald's (though I still didn't break my rule because I didn't pay), and then all-you-can-eat Sushi at Miso which was delicious (2 servings of gyoza). I also had an interesting time getting home because Cousin Mikie passed out half way through The Hulk movie and I couldn't wake him up despite 20 minutes of punching, slapping and yanking his arm. He did wake up enough to say 'turn off the light' so I left it on as a petty gesture, said good bye to Elwood and headed out into the cold Winnipeg night. Don't tell my Mom by the by. She would freak. Anyways, some crazy person was walking along the busy road trying to stop cars so I hoofed it across the street and went up a side street to the closest gas station. It took 3 attempts to get through to the cab company and then another 20 minutes for the cab to come. In the meantime the crazy person came to the gas station and proceeded to repeat her life story over and over and say 'I'm so juiced...I don't know where I am...can I get a cab?...I'm so juiced...I'm going to tell you the truth, I'm juiced....' and so on. I have to give credit to the 2 guys there, they were very patient and helpful. As soon as the cab came though I ran and jumped in, and almost burst into tears. He actually played the M.I.A. I know and love so I finally calmed down and got home by 2:30 a.m.
Sunday - brunch at Carol's - eggs benny, 1 more cat named Shit Face, Baked Expectations ( the Thai wrap is good by the by) w/ Christine(s), drinks with Cathy
Today - At the Airport by 4:30 a.m. central time, and I was wide awake until I got onto the plane and then I couldn't stay awake to save my life. I was stuck at the Edmonton Airport for a few extra hours due to all the weather problems and did some last minute Christmas shopping there. I admit I was getting frustrated waiting and envisioned violent acts on strangers. The Christmas spirit really didn't kick in until we were actually landing in Abby and I could relax. I had to dig Little Car out of the parking lot stall and barely made it into my driveway because of the giant pile of plowed snow in front of it but at least I'm home. Hal was a bit traumatized I think because he wouldn't come out from under the bed, but he's back to normal now.
Overall, it was a blast. But, bloody hell am I happy to have 2 weeks to recover.

Catch man

I am finally on holiday - no work for over 3 weeks! THREE WEEKS!!!! Woo hoooooo!!! Ok, so I have to clean up, get ready for Christmas, etc. but it's still such a relief and I look forward to all the free time. I'm heading back to the Peg next week so I can't slack off too much but that didn't stop me from watching 3 hours of Pimp My Ride today, and clearly I'm still on the computer now rather than cleaning. Whatever! I'm on holiday!
My week with Millie was actually fun. I think Clyde really enjoyed the company, or at least it was something interesting. She's the biggest suck I've ever met. And, she got a little bored during the day so my recycling kept getting scattered across the house. All the things Clyde use to do is what she did so it was a bit of a wake up call for me. She also got through my Clyde barrier and ate all of Hal's food. Poor cat, he spent the week running and hiding from her. The first day after she left he still hid in the bedroom but by the next day he was running around the house just because he could. I am also brutally out of shape and the walk around the block really tuckered me out, it's so lame. I really need to get my sh&% together. But, I guess I have 3 weeks to recharge and hopefully get back on track.

Hmmmm

So, Isaak was finally voted off So You Think You Can Dance. It was a bitter sweet victory for me because he had really been improving and handled himself very well so I couldn't feel overly joyful. Though, of course I was relieved. And, Nathalie made it to the top four which is what I wanted but I felt so sorry for Lisa. However, she's going to do very well career-wise so that's good. Check out the latest clip:
http://watch.ctv.ca/so-you-think-you-can-dance-canada/top-6/show-highlights/
On a semi-personal note, I had a dog date today. I was asked to watch 1 of 3 dogs for a friend and due to my inability to say 'no' I am now committed to watch Millie for a week while her parents are away. Today I picked Millie up and brought her to my house to meet the pets. I took her for a walk first and HOLY F&$% am I out of shape. I might as well check myself in at the hospital now and be done with it...but I won't. Anyways, then I brought her in and Clyde woke up and barked at her which scared her a bit and then he went back to sleep. Typical Clyde. Then Hal came out of the room and saw Millie. He puffed himself out and looked like the Halloween cat model. Millie was really intimated which I thought was actually pretty funny. Then I coaxed Millie to come over and Clyde woke up and barked again and Millie went to sit in the bathroom. Hal was either intrigued or trying to be the house muscle because he sat by the bathroom and watched Millie. It wasn't until I went over and petted Hal and got him to move down the hall that Millie finally had the guts to move out of her haven. Then later she went into my bedroom and sat on the dirty laundry and Hal again sat there watching her and Millie was too intimidated to leave. I got Hal to move and then Millie went out and back to the bathroom. It wasn't exactly a successful introduction but no one got hurt. I just feel bad if Millie is going to spend a week in the bathroom. Hopefully it will get a bit more comfortable after a few days...I pick her up Tuesday so wish me, and her, well.

Recap

I am watching Pirates Of Penzance. It's ridiculous, but still fun to watch. It's been a while so thought I would post an update on my very exciting life. There was sarcasm there but I assume you wouldn't get that. Last weekend was fun though. It was my b-day weekend so I actually did stuff. Too much even. Luckily I had taken Monday off so had time to recover. Apparently Fireball and Jello Shooters are just too much for aged body. I finished the second book in the Twilight series. I love Jacob Black. I wish Edward would have stayed the hell away. I know this goes against popular opinion but that's how I feel. I ate a hell of a lot of Salad this week, which is good. Salad wraps to be exact. I also went for Vietnamese food and enjoyed their Salad wrap and of course Spring Rolls. Vietnamese without Spring Rolls is like Japanese without Gyoza. I guess I just really like fried food. I blame that on my Dad, the King of the Electric Fry Pan. This week's So You Think You Can Dance was equally frustrating - since Isaak is still there and Arassay got voted off. Of the four girls I didn't know who would go and wasn't sure who I would be more heartbroken about. Of course I voted for Nathalie but they're all so good. I have to give Isaak credit though - he is definitely getting better and I liked his solo. I just think it sucks total butt that Vincent got voted off. I voted for him like crazy on Wednesday but just like in the election my vote just doesn't seem to count. Democracy is a bitch. I do officially have a ticket for the Top 10's show in Vancouver though - well, I don't technically have it yet but it is purchased. I am SO EXCITED! If Francis was in the Top 10 I would be even more excited but the world is a brutal place. As for the Zoo, one of the Chinchillas jumped on my head - luckily he jumped right back into his enclosure and not OUT. It was hilarious. They're so light it felt like someone hit me with a toque or something. Other than that I need to clean up, as usual. I also bought new underwear - my newish bra's underwire snapped the other day and while I was at the zoo yesterday it started to poke into me. It was horrible so I whipped it off on the way home and went into the Bay to get an emergency bra. Unfortunately I couldn't find my usual style/brand so had to settle for a substitute but I got 2 this time in the hopes I can prolong their limited existence. I also got some undies 'cause they were on sale but being the mathematically challenged person I am I ended up paying for an extra one because I didn't get the concept 'Buy 2 and get 1 free'. Whatever. I did get Birthday money so that covered it either way. It feels weird being in public braless though. But, it's not as weird in Abby since the whole leisure suit/muffin top look is still so prominent anything goes really.
Later.

I was angry but now I am just very very sad

Well despite all my efforts (ie. voting repeatedly for 20 minutes) Isaak remains and Danny was voted off - DANNY! What the hell is wrong with this country? Who is voting for Isaak and why? I was so angry but as the dancers did their solos and then gave their parting words...I started to cry. It's a frickin' tragedy! Ok, a little anger remains. If Isaak makes it to the top 4 I am moving to Mexico. F&$@ Canada!
ps: this is NOT a promise, just a gesture

Remembrance Day

It's almost 11:00 so I am watching all the Remembrance Day stuff on T.V. and waiting for the the main service. I get VERY emotional despite the fact I have no personal ties to veterans. I do however feel extreme empathy for those that do. It's also interesting that they now cover the services in Kandahar and that the military brings families of soldiers that have died there to attend and see where their children died. Very moving and heartbreaking.
Anyways, on a lighter note after 3 solid days off I finally managed to clean my kitchen. It's like living in a different house.

Lazy, again

I have 5 days off, 1 1/2 down 3 1/2 to go. So, I may either have multiple blog posts out of boredom OR this may be my last as I enter into extreme laziness. I just don't know which way it will go. Little Car got some love yesterday at Toyota. I was having some steering issues so they fixed that, no charge which was awesome, but it was only a loose belt not something more serious. After that though it's been all about the couch. I started watching Twin Peaks finally and have gotten to the episode where Audrey's being held at One Eyed Jacks...I forgot how great the show really was. I know I loved it but all the little brilliant things about it had faded a bit. Like the scene where Andy steps on a board at Leo's place and hobbles side to side trying to stay upright. I laughed so hard. Or Bobby's Dad, and the Log Lady. Sheer genius. I am going to watch the rest this evening. I may also brush my teeth and shower, but that is optional. I think I will try to go out tomorrow, or maybe Monday, and I will have to attend to hygiene issues for sure before then. I figure since Clyde usually smells like poop and Hal likes his own butt I don't think either of them will mind if I slack off a bit, you know?

Broken hearted

Francis has been voted off. F&%$ing hell and BULL S&^%! Ahhhhhhh!

Waiting for the results

Ok, tonight will be the show where the final 10 dancers will be decided - yes So You Think You Can Dance, duh - and I am a bit nervous. The only couple I could do without is Izaak and Kaitlyn, though I would be sad to see them go as well. I just don' t think they're as strong as the other couples. Anyways, yesterday's show was great. Niko & Arassay kicked total ass, of course, but I voted heavily for Francis and Natalie because I think they deserve to be in the top 10 and are one of the underdogs as far as voting goes. I will find out in about an hour and may cry, regardless of who it is. If it's NOT Kaitlyn or Izaak I will be very very upset...One of my favourite routines was Lisa & Vincent's 'House' number, it was awesome and I love that song. Check it out for yourself:
http://watch.ctv.ca/so-you-think-you-can-dance-canada/top-12/show-highlights/
Oh, I'm biting my nails!

Nice day at the Zoo

I brought my camera AND I got some good photos at the Zoo yesterday - this is rare as I either forget my camera and or can't get decent pictures. My favourite is the soft shelled turtle pic - usually it takes off under the water if I walk by but was up for a photo yesterday and posed nicely. So cute! It was a nice day, a little overcast but not raining, so I think the animals were really enjoying the day too.

New Hair

I got a haircut yesterday and am SO PLEASED!!!! Anything short of a mullet would have been fine but it's nice to have a good, and really different, haircut. I couldn't stop touching it, and I was even oggled a bit. If only I could look nice more often...

Favourite routine

My favourite routine this week was Niko & Arassay's Hip Hop routine:
http://watch.ctv.ca/so-you-think-you-can-dance-canada/top-14/show-highlights/...
LOVED IT! I am sad to see Caroline & Jesse go, but I am really proud of Isaak & Kaitlyn's routine this week. I can't wait till next Wednesday

Movies

I rented 3 movies yesterday: The Visitor; The Band's Visit; and Run Fat Boy Run. I wasn't sure what I wanted to see so I went for quirky and obscure. I had seen previews of Run Fat Boy Run but had not heard of the others. Run Fat Boy Run has some ridiculous and slightly nauseating moments (watch out for the foot scene, that's all I will say) but was very charming and funny and I really enjoyed it. The Band's Visit is a foreign film about an Egyptian band, the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra ( I couldn't remember it so I had to google it...), that ends up stranded in an Israeli town for a night. It's very subtle and brilliant. I loved it! The band's members wear these ridiculous blue suits, one of the younger members is quite the Romeo with an obsession for Chet Baker, and the loneliness the actors were able to portray was quite heartbreaking. The Visitor was also very touching and awkward and brilliant. This amazingly sad and socially awkward professor ends up falling in love with hand drumming. I highly recommend it! Three for three. Sometimes it really pays to just take a chance.

Post election

What did I learn yesterday watching the election coverage? Rick Mercer is funny, and nothing really changes. For funny election coverage stuff check out his website:
http://www.rickmercer.com/index.cfm

Poor Kevin!

Okay, so this past week's So You Think You Can Dance Canada was very exciting. For the first time I got to vote and all the performances were good, some were amazing, but it made the voting very difficult. I missed the results show on Thursday so watched it yesterday and I am so sad about Bre and Kevin. The solos were all amazing, though I can see why the judges chose the way they did I still thought Kevin's solo was amazing so was a little shocked. Anyways, he's from Westbank apparently, another B.C.'er. Hopefully he won't take it too hard because he's a wonderful dancer! I am looking forward to next week's show already, which technically is this week...
Check out the website for the interviews: http://www.ctv.ca/mini/dance2008/index.html

Dishwasher update

So after half a year I finally told my landlady about the dishwasher issue. Then, a few weeks later I reminded her. Then, later that week my landlord came down and had a look. Then, a few weeks later, ie. yesterday, I got a call that they called a dishwasher guy and he said to just run it a few times without any dishes in it to get rid of the suds. The suds wasn't really the main issue but ok. So, I run it and there's no suds. The lesson I have learned is that I won't ask them to look at anything again. Screw it. If I really need something repaired I will either never use it again or I will live on the street. The exception will be if there's a flood, or I blow all the electrical. That I think I should still tell them.

Vile - but what a vacuum!

I found 2 ketchup packets when I was vacuuming under my couch cushions...at first this shocked and horrified me, but then I felt it was at least mildly funny and ridiculous enough to share with you all.

Wet dream

Ok so I finally met my Soul Mate. It's a Dyson. Yes, today I finally got a vacuum (my previous one being completely fried and an electrical hazard) and it's an older model but was within my budget and honestly I wanted to get home right away just to be able to vacuum. It took 2 minutes to put together - already a plus! - and I already vacuumed my place. It's seriously the wet dream of vacuums. It's easy to manoeuvre, gliding easily across the carpet. Clyde hair a foot away actually gets sucked towards it. I don't think I can pull out the cord because it comes out at the top & is well made. I can't fully express the joy I am feeling right now. It's bliss. I told my Mom I was going to vacuum again just for fun and I wasn't joking.

Emotional

I finished Deathly Hallows today and cried ALOT. I forgot about certain...tragedies and after reading all the books in succession I think I was even more emotionally attached to the characters than before. Anyways, life goes on. I will now read the 12th? in the Stephanie Plum series and hopefully get over Harry Potter in the process. Wish me luck!
Other than that Belly dancing has begun again, difficult but fun. I really need an outfit. I'm not ready for the bejeweled bra but perhaps a sheer & flowy skirt or poofy pants. I'll have to look into it.

Fluff Friends

I have just created a URL for my Fluff Friend Ronan - one of my Facebook app addictions:
http://ronantheradish.fluff-friends.com
I'm trying to collect Pirate treasure at the moment so any help would be appreciated!

Sunshine

I have been busy, and slightly or more accurately EXTREMELY tired, but today I feel a bit better and have even started cleaning. I got a crap load of free alcohol this week which was great - on top of the sugary or salty treats provided occasionally at work I received a bottle of wine & a bag of left over beer after our work conference this past week. The wine was a thank you for my hard work at our awards dinner - blush, blush with a bit of squirming - this past summer and the bag of beer was just being at the right place at the right time. It was actually a funnish week, crazy busy but I had 2 whole days attending the conference meetings so that part was actually quite refreshing. It was also a blast hanging out with everyone and lots of laughter. We had a BBQ one evening and I finally got to eat steak and had a Drumstick with a caramel centre so that was a nice end to a ridiculous summer. I had 5 free meals in total this week - yippee!
After a few days of rain there's a bit of sunshine breaking through the clouds this afternoon so I feel refreshed and almost ready for another crazy work week. I finished Order of the Phoenix and have paid off my first loan in Animal Crossing. I am lazy but keep busy during my non-work hours nevertheless.

Another week

So, after much longing and a mild but growing obsession I allowed myself to purchase a Nintendo DS and Animal Crossing this payday. As usual with a purchase of anything over $20 I feel a bit of buyer's remorse but at the same time I am very excited and am happily fishing and bug catching once more. I really deserve to treat myself once in a while...right? Of course I do. So far I caught a Puffer Fish, a Sea Horse, a Monarch Butterfly, and more - all very exciting. This may sound lame to some of you, but it's actually really fun! I am still getting use to the new controls but it's going ok.
Clyde just pooped on the floor, lovely. I guess I should go clean that up. Later.

Tomorrow!

Yay! with some trepidation...
http://www.ctv.ca/mini/dance2008/

Tired

Not much has been going on. Works busy again & I've had to cut stickers...but I'm sure you don't care about that. I am now on Season 2 of X files & re-reading Goblet of Fire. I did watch the first show of the new 90210 show - at much pressuring from my dear friend Tracey, and partly cause I really wanted to see it - and it was pretty much the same crap, just in a thinner younger package. To be honest though I was entertained, though mildly ashamed about it. I also caught the season premier of Bones, in jolly old England. Booth (spelling? not a clue...) was a bit irritating though, was he that ridiculous last season? Not sure what's happening this week. So You Think You Can Dance Canada is starting soon but I need to find out exactly when.
On a personal note my dishwasher may be fixed soon! And, I went for Indian food yesterday and have to say that Saag Paneer (again, spelling? I think I'm at least close) is the sh&%.

Addendum

Oh, yes, in regards to the butter...I made Chicken schnitzel with veggies & toasted pita bread. I put just butter and salt on the veggies & brushed some oil on the pit and a bit of salt. Delicious! It's so nice to have time to cook my dinner again. Though the more I cook the more dishes there are to wash...

Butter

I have a stiff neck, literally not figuratively. All day at work people kept asking if I had a sore neck. "You look stiff...". Yes, thanks, do I normally look like this? Anyways, the Extra Strength Advil liqui caps are the sh%$ so I managed to survive. I actually had a fun weekend so perhaps this is punishment. I did my dishes Friday, which is great. Saturday was the Zoo & face-painting in the afternoon. My Zebras are getting pretty good. Someone asked for a specific species of Cockatoo - so they basically got a white bird. How can I draw what I have never even seen before? Then it was a friend's b-day party in the city. There was sushi, gyoza, and cupcakes so that pretty much made my week. Everyone was very friendly and easy to talk with so other than the occasional awkward pause things went smoothly and I had a nice time. The only downer was the drive home because there was a traffic jam due to a truck overturning on the side of the highway and I was stuck for about a 1/2 hour just before the Portman. 11:00 p.m. on a Saturday. Lame a$$. Needless to say I wish I had taken a cupcake for the road. I slept till after 11:00 on Sunday which is amazing and Clyde didn't even poop on the carpet. Then dinner at Linda's - chicken this time. Afterward I watched a really lame movie on the Women's network. Perhaps that's when the neck pain started. I don't know.
Since the Olympics area over - and I'm very proud of our Canadian athletes by the by! - I am now hoping I can get more done around my house, but will more likely just watch more crap T.V. I am on Disk 3 of Firefly but that won't take my longer. Since my payday is coming up I may try and get Season 1 of X-Files. If I can than I'll get the rest of them, up till Mulder leaves at least because I saw them on sale at Zellers, hopefully they're still there. That will be my next big purchase. I can't wait!

Woo hoo!

Just a little update on the Olympics for you...I just watched Simon Whitfield win Silver in the men's triathlon. He honestly looked like he was falling behnd then sprinted ahead of everyone on the last bit. The German overtook him though the last few metres. Very exciting! I started pacing on the last couple of laps, and I actually got a bit choked up. I wanted him to win! Amazing race. This morning Ian Millar and his team won Silver in the show jumping competition. I also got a little choked up. Canada hasn't won a medal in that event since the 60s apparently. I remember his disappointment in the last Olympics so I was very happy for him. Exciting day.

Tomorrow

Today is my last day before work. Tomorrow morning I have to get up and go. I have been slowing tensing up but it actually gave me a bit of a motivational boost to clean so my kitchen is almost clean. The dishes are actually done. The floors are clean. The counter is partially clean. And, the top layers of crap on my kitchen table have been removed. I dealt with my mail. I did most of the laundry. I cleaned the carpets. It's much less disgusting in here now. If I can keep it together & just maintain things during the next month I should be okay. The biggest problem is the patio right now but that can wait a bit longer. I didn't want to volunteer today, though it ended up being slightly overcast so I probably could have handled the heat. Yesterday I bailed before noon. I felt horrible. It was just too hot and my back was sore...etc., etc.. I'm glad I stayed home though because I got a lot of sh$% done.
By the by, I saw Pineapple Express the other day. Very funny. I recommend it, but with the warning that it's all about pot - not the cooking utensil - and is full of ridiculous violence.

p.s.:

I became officially bored today and none of my plans worked out...I even left my house and tried to catch the 7ish Batman movie - finally - but the 7ish was actually 6:45 and the other theatre was 7:00 even so I didn't make it. How lame ass is that?

Holidays

So, I have been watching an incredible amount of the Olympics mixed in with some Angel Season 4, and now 5. The men's gymnastics was the most exciting event so far. The 2 Canadians in the all-round competition did really well and I look forward to seeing them in the next Olympics. The baseball & softball teams are also doing great. Apparently they're not going to include either sport in the next summer Olympics though - which I don't get. There's handball for Christ's sake - I don't even know what that is - but they won't include two very popular and widespread summer sports? I think that's crazy, but perhaps they have some logical reason or maybe they just suck. I'd have to look into it to assess it accurately. As far as Angel goes it took me a while to get to Season 5 because when I finally got around to buying Season 4 it was the new packaging and I needed some time to commit - I prefer things matchy matchy and I kept thinking I could maybe exchange it for the old packaging somehow. But, my summer goal was to watch it and then finally see Season 5 which I missed while it was on T.V. except for a few episodes. This morning I finally saw the puppet episode which was genius. Speaking of which there's a new season featuring Faith, or technically the actress who was Faith, called Dollhouse. I'm excited. I also got a holidays game, Roller Coaster Tycoon 3. It's been a huge time suck which is great. Tomorrow I may actually do stuff, which is about time really. Though I do feel justified being excessively lazy - I deserve a break!

Joshua

Today was the final show for the season of So You Think You Can Dance. Now I know Cousin Mikie doesn't like the excessive T.V. talk but you don't have to read this Michael! For some crazy reason, maybe just the personalities of the dancers or the fact that I watched the whole season this time around, but I really cared about the dancers and even though I wanted Joshua to win I would have been happy for any of the top 4. Yesterday Twitch & Joshua did a Russian dance, very similar to the Ukrainian dance I grew up watching, and ROCKED! Today's episode was great because they danced some of the best routines of the season again and brought on some of the dancers from previous seasons. However, I teared up when Courtney had her speech/montage and just got more emotional as the show progressed. I felt guilty for not wanting Twitch to win, though he seemed quite happy for Joshua as well, very sport-man like of him. I am so sad it's over! My co-worker and I have been talking about driving down to Washington for one of the top 10's shows. I generally end up not going to stuff out of sheer laziness but I think I need to make the effort. Hopefully the Canadian version lives up to this season. I think they should add a Belly Dancing number, and tap, and of course whatever else they can. I need to blow my nose now...

Clyde & Hal

Rentals

I rented Under the Same Moon, The Darjeeling Limited, & Sweeney Todd this weekend. Under the Same Moon is a Mexican film, subtitles of course, and is about a young boy who sneaks over the border to find his mother in L.A. - great movie, a bit of a tear jerker, and the young actor, Adrian Alonso, was amazing. The Darjeeling Limited is a Wes Anderson movie starring Adrien Brody, Jason Shwartzman and Owen Wilson. Admittedly I didn't get the hotel short before the film at all - but the movie itself was a very slow building comic genius that had me laughing like a mad woman by the end. Bill Murray makes a brief appearance, too. Loved it! Sweeney Todd is great - I could NOT watch any of the gory scenes, I had to keep closing my eyes, but enjoyed the effort. Upbeat musical meets death and tragedy, wrapped up nicely by Tim Burton. Can't really go wrong - just don't eat before you watch it.

A much anticipated update, I'm sure

So, I am almost through the worst of our busy season. I even spent Saturday not working, and went to the Folk Festival in Van. It was a beautiful day and I had a wonderful time. I have a bit of a crush on the singer from Lau, a celtic band from Scotland. I also really enjoyed Jenn Grant, unusual singing style but very melodic. Bela Fleck was there with Abigail Washburn and I discovered I have been pronouncing his name wrong for the past 10 years...It is "BAYla" not "Bella". Oops! Trying to watch him play from VERY far away from the stage was a bit annoying. There was this ridiculous family that kept getting up & standing & talking about 20 feet in front of me. They finally packed up and left half way through his solo. If I wasn't a pacifist and dreaded imprisonment I would have killed them. Spirit of the West was also there & we danced. I am so old and decrepid though - I got winded, twice, through their famous drinking song (which by the by should be the Canadian national anthem officially). Then there was the fun of people watching. And, for anyone who enjoys people watching a Folk Festival is a treasure trove. Regular people behave differently and occaisionally insanely at them. And, it attracts all the nut balls too. The funniest are the hoola hoopers. There were people with their hoola hoops all day but the big stage had the cream of the crop. There was one younger h-h-er who made h-h-ing sexy - which is HILARIOUS! "Ooh, I'm so sexy - watch me!" (Or so I envision her thoughts). There were a few men in various types of skirts, the occaisional top hat, the bra-less, ZZ top beards, and I'm pretty sure I saw one of the actresses from Dances with Wolves (but in normal clothes, not any of the previously mentioned items). Overall, a great day. I spent Sunday immobile and napping.
Other than that, I am just waiting till the work business is over!

Victory

I beat the Devil on Medium! Yeah! I DO ROCK!!!

Not much

It's been a while, so I figured I should make an effort. I don't really have much time or effort to spare but I do want to keep my readers happy, or at the very least mildly pleased. As for what's been going on in my life, well, I am on the last disk of Angel Season 1. I beat Guitar Hero on Easy & after much practicing finally beat Slash on Medium. Yay for me. Last week I worked 17 3/4 hours of overtime, which is insane. I did finally buy some vegetation on Sunday evening so have eaten Salad, fruit, etc. this week. The week before it was all about the carbs. It makes me think I will get Scurvy, though in all practicality that is very unlikely. I am feeling quite stressed out but am coping for the most part. I had 1 major freak out at work but was compensated but much chocolate so that was nice. Belly Dancing and Ball are now over, though I played only 3 games this season. My next task is to get the Zoo's summer newsletter done. That's going to be difficult but once I get that off my plate I think I'll feel better. Clyde is ok - though experiencing diarrhea this week. We also got in trouble with the neighbour for some nighttime barking so I have been keeping him in all night which may not be helping. If only he was quieter when he barked...That's pretty much it. I need a break, but that won't happen till August so I have to keep it together a few more weeks. Wish me luck.

lost post

I just wrote a really entertaining post & lost it all because of some frickin' glitch. ARGHHH!!!!
Too bad for you!

Saturday

I took today off from the regular routine, slept in AND LOVE IT! Oh, yes, this is how it feels to be relaxed. I had forgotten. What's been going on? Well, I got sick again which sucks beyond belief. That's why I opted to stay home today, to try & get back on track. The cough is still going but not as bad as yesterday. I got out of bed after 10 - 10! I am watching So You Think You Can Dance, despite the fact that I didn't want to start watching until the bloopers were over. It's just been on all week so it seemed unavoidable. As for my own dancing, I think the pole dancing (did I tell you I am taking a pole dancing/exercise class?) is not for me. My bad knee just can't take it. It's been sore all week, and the week before. I am thinking of bailing. Normally I would stick it out but I don't want to jeopardize my Superstar Bellydancing career potential. I guess we'll see. On the home front, my short stint with a working dishwasher has been shot to hell. It won't drain & spits out all of the soap. Frickin' awesome. Oh, yeah, and my cordless phone buttons are shot. It takes 10 seconds of painful pushing on the "8", "6" and some of the other numbers to dial. I want to throw it against the wall. It's time to get a new phone I guess. I am cheap though so maybe not this week. That's about it folks. Till next time!

Finally - a long weekend! Woo hoo!

I am so glad to have 3 days off, in a row. It's wonderful. Also, my dishwasher seems to be working again. Apparently jiggling the spinner thing around can actually fix it, at least temporarily. Who knew. I am hoping to clean my house thoroughly but do have some more social things planned. Zoo on Saturday, game night Sunday. I also MUST go bra shopping. My main bra broke, my back-up bra broke, so it's been the sports bra which smooshes them a bit. I can't live like this! I must have proper support. On a less personal note, it's also super sunny & warm here so I should do some patio clean-up. It still has the white trash look right now - meaning two vacuums, ply wood, particle board, bits of cement block, a broken garbage can doesn't look nice in my neighbourhood. Unfortunately, there's a good chance I may waste my time playing video games. I guess we'll see.
T.V. talk: The Office season finale & Lost this week - holy crap! And, wow - holy crap! You know? The Office had some really funny moments, as usual, and Ryan the jerk got...well, if you haven't seen it I won't spoil it. Lost was just crazy - why the lies? That's all I will say.

Getting busy

Overtime has started so I don't have much spare time. Today was relaxing though, I even slept in till 10:30 which is a miracle. I did go to see Iron Man Friday which was awesome. Great cast - Robert Downey Jr. is awesome. He is AMAZING at cheek. And, the Iron Man suits were really cool. Going to the local theatre on a weekend though is really irritating. Adolescents everywhere acting stupid. I felt like I was at the mall. Luckily our theatre was full of comic geeks so they actually shut up when the movie started. I went to Tim Hortons yesterday and it was the mall plus - young girls with babies, creepy old guys, adolescents, kids dressing like teenagers...I wanted to scream. Good danish, bad atmosphere. I will never go inside again - strictly the drive-thru from now on. If people want to be idiots that's their prerogative but I really can't handle watching it. Back to work tomorrow. Great.
ps: I just learned that I have been spelling "prerogative" incorrectly for my whole life - not that I get to use that word much but I am embarrassed.

The fiasco

After weeks of procrastination I HAD to get stuff done before my trip to Calgary so the last few days have been insanely hectic. Productive, but mildly painful. Anyways, after a few hours of sleep I got up, finished up the new ramp as best as possible without being able to hammer since it was 4:30 a.m., finished packing, etc. and headed for the Airport. I got there a half hour before my flight left but had to wait in the speedy self check-in line about 15 min. so the guy told me I missed my flight. They couldn't get the baggage on, I should be an hour ahead, and so on. I assume my face showed my shock & dismay because he was very nice & got me booked on the next direct flight at 9. Stand-by but there were lots of seats so not much of a worry. You know me though, I HATE difficulties and FREAK with difficulties involving travel. I had to eat candy to prevent myself from bursting into tears in front of everyone. I went to the washroom after getting my new not-quite-confirmed ticket and balled in the toilet stall for about 10 minutes. Then I went for coffee, had a mediocre croissant, and read #5 of "confessions of Georgia Nicholson". The concession lady told me to have another coffee at no charge even, which was awesome. The flight was ok. Then, I went to pick up the rental car. My card was declined due to the $500 deposit I didn't know existed so again I was a little upset. Luckily Janet was able to come to the Airport & rescue our plans. We went to eat and Janet got splashed with some fountain beverage and I got a bit of pop in my eye.
After that though - smooth sailing. Ah a mini-vac. I had a nap even.

Lame a$$

Today was really just way too pathetic not to share for a laugh. First of all there was a mouse in my kitchen this morning. As usual, I got up and let Clyde out. I closed the door and Hal was playing with his cat nip container in the kitchen for a while. Clyde came back in and I ate breakfast, had a coffee and started to get ready for work. Clyde was in the living room and Hal was napping on the futon but I heard something in the kitchen so I went back to look and saw a mouse next to my plant. I opened the door and got the broom and tried to scare it out. It ran across the living room and I freaked a bit because I didn't want it to end up living with me. Luckily it headed back to the kitchen when I went towards it. Clyde was completely oblivious and decided to go outside so I opened the door all the way. After about 5 minutes of me hovering with the broom the mouse finally headed for the great outdoors. It took off across the yard and Clyde finally noticed it and started barking. A little late in my opinion. So, Hal clearly didn't even notice or care there was a mouse around and Clyde didn't notice so my whole theory that a mouse wouldn't be able to come in is shot to hell. It was a really cute mouse and I wouldn't mind having a pet mouse, but I am not ready to welcome another animal into the family & I certainly don't want it bringing all it's mouse friends over. I definitely can't kill it. I feel guilty killing a spider, which I also don't do unless it's between me & my shower or bed or something. I did make it to work and work is work so I won't get into that but when I got home I found Clyde had pooped on the carpet. Great. Then, when I let him out I stepped on the ramp and it broke in a new spot so I have to herd Clyde up the middle so he doesn't fall through...
On top of the joys of today I have a bug infestation I'm dealing with. Oh, yeah, and there's diarrhea on my curtains.

Better

I have been sick. After recovering from my cold from a couple weeks ago I caught some crazy ass bug and got all sick and feverish this week. I even took a day off which is very unusual for me - planned vacation days are one thing but admitting defeat is another. I truly believed I would not get very sick so after spending all Tuesday evening slightly feverish and napping on and off on the couch I went to work Wednesday with some serious denial and spent the day hacking up bits of lung and spewing infectious air onto my co-workers. Apparently one of them has already gone down and was home today because of it. I gave up yesterday morning and called in sick with the promise that I would try to come in after lunch. As lunch approached I felt less and less like moving so I called again and said I wouldn't make it. After several more hours of napping my fever finally broke and I spent the evening in relative okayness. I tried to play Zoo Tycoon for a bit even but didn't last very long. I did however do a load of laundry and have a shower which felt very productive, and was of course hygienic. Today I am mainly just really stuffed up so sound really sick. I could hear people snickering at me on the phone though some people were very supportive and sympathetic. Statements like "you poor thing" really ease my pain. I also like being called "dear".
On the up side I did find a great place to take visitors or even just go for a walk by myself- the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve. It's awesome and I actually got some decent bird pics! Can you spot the goose in this one?

Burrito goodness

Today was a payday and as a treat I got take out on the way home. A new Taco Del Mar location has opened up near my home so I got their 'Mondo Burrito'. Whole wheat tortilla, black beans, shredded beef, guac, sour cream, cheese, etc.. It's huge and difficult to eat while driving but after 2 red lights I decided I'd chance it so started to nibble. Then when I got home I devoured the rest. Devoured! It was so good!. And, no dishes.

Progress

My cold has gotten better, I washed my dishes (2+ hours, yikes!), and I manged to stop playing Zoo Tycoon for the whole evening. That is progress. Oh, and I also made a meal, ie. cooked/baked with pots and pans, not just warmed up in the microwave. I made the cabbage casserole again. Damn is it good.

Almost Easter

Thanks to the genius of Cousin Mikie I am now addicted to Zoo Tycoon 2. It's really the perfect gift - this coming from the person who gave me an inflatable Batman for Christmas...Anyways, lots of video gaming fun has been had but boy is it a time sucker. On top of that I have also gotten sick and feel stuffed up and yucky overall. Luckily Good Friday is a stat so I had a day of gaming and nose blowing. Today was back to the real Zoo as usual, except I got to help clean out the Hippo enclosure and while I was doing that I got to spray water into their mouths with the hose - which they really like. I had to do it a bunch of times. It was hilarious. They come by the gate and open their mouths up wide until you oblige them. I personally would not want someone to do that to me - perhaps a coffee or something. I kept thinking of my Zoo in Zoo Tycoon while I was there, just like the time when I went out and saw the Roller Coaster Tycoon umbrellas back in the day. Addictions can be fun but also make it harder for me to get around to doing dishes and laundry, or even grocery shopping. I used up my last cup of soup today so I must go to the store soon or face starvation. Fudge and soda crackers are not going to nurse me back to health, though I love them both.

The week

I finally got a Library card - yay! - and have been researching Sandhill Cranes for the Zoo's newsletter. It's been fun, but after about an hour I remembered that researching isn't all that. I managed to eke out some locally relevant info so I pat myself on the back for my moderate success. I also washed 3/4 of my dishes and did a load of laundry. Not much, but it is progress. I also finally went shopping & bought some necessities like toilet paper and honey - not to be used together, just out of both. I also got rye bread, Smart Pop popcorn and unsalted soda crackers. I do need to get sh-- done this weekend, no excuses. The newsletter needs to be finished tomorrow at the latest and I'm having my co-workers over for a gaming night on Sunday so I MUST clean. It should be doable. I just need a couple frog and camel pictures & then a bit of editing before I submit it to the marketing/promotions Manager. And, as for cleaning I just need to finish up the rest of the dishes, clean the floors, vacuum, and tidy up. Wish me luck & an unusual amount of umph!

Blahs

I've completely been slacking at work. It's not deliberate, just happens. Things are kind of slow, with the expectation it will be busier soon so it's hard to get motivated but there's guilt & a sense of dread. Anyways, I know you don't give a f--- (not flip) about my job so I'll get to the more amusing tale...Okay, there really isn't much amusing to tell. Except, my co-worker brought her dog to work after lunch today which is awesome. He's a little dog, ie. the size of a Clyde toy, and we played tug of war & he ran around the office. It was awesome. He really enjoyed the recycling. Today was also Treat Day - and I was the Treat Bringer. Since I did not remember until 7:20 a.m. today I had to bring what was edible & in my house:

• Taco Chips
• Salsa
• Dried Cranberries
• Ferrero Rocher
• Lindt Easter Eggs

Luckily we also had a potluck yesterday - a co-worker's good-bye lunch - so there were also beverages (work-friendly) and some other snacks left.
Also, our first batting practice was yesterday. A little hard on the arm but after the heating pad last night & my co-workers magic pills - extra strength Advil liquicaps - I felt much better, just a bit stiff. I REALLY have to get a new batting glove as I now only have one. Technically I could get away with just one but it's better for my poor palms if I have two. Lastly, I'm signed up for Level 2 Belly dancing for the next session. I'm on the road to Belly dancing super-stardom!

I won, I won!

Played Pillars of the Earth boardgame and WON!!! At first I thought I didn't have a chance in hell because the rules sounded like complete gibberish. However, once we actually played a few rounds it started making sense. I tried to just get more points, not a really intricate strategy but since we weren't sure how to play it seemed like a good thing to focus on. So with some luck &, I'd like to think, some MAD gaming skills I got the most points at the end of the last round. Yay, and triple Yay! I would have to say this game is a bit confusing but they smartly break it down into stages so after going through the different stages things finally make some sense. Hopefully my gaming friends won't be turned off by my sweeping victory because I would like to play it again next time. Unfortunately my track records is very poor so another win may not be in the foreseeable future.

Happenings

I haven't been much in the writing mood but finally have some interesting stuff to share:
1. My vacuum is fixed and the carpets have been vacuumed! Frickin' awesome!
2. The shadow boxes I got for the Volunteer's touch-table at the Zoo were 40% off - also, frickin' awesome!
3. I actually went OUT to my friend Heidi's Leap Year B-day Party. It was fun & I danced to that song...you know the one...oh, never mind!
4. I touched the cockroaches today. I had the chills after but I was proud of myself for doing it. As some of you may know I REALLY get creeped out by Roaches.
5. I got to feed the Grizzly - by hand. Super cool! She's such a sweetheart, very gentle, and apparently loves grapes.
Tomorrow is game night so wish me luck. It would be nice to actually win. We're playing a new game so hopefully I can figure it out quickly & kick all my co-workers butts.

Credit! Excellent!

FINALLY traded in my books today. I got $50 credit & they even rejected about 10 books so I bought a few books but left the rest as credit. This means that I can go & buy books whenever I want. Excellent!
Also found Dream Catcher - the sequel to Picture Maker! Yay!

Updates

So, I may or may not have gone on & on about Yield vs. Merge with you BUT I sure have been elsewhere. I have been ranting about it, shaking fists, almost crashing into people. It's been the bee(s) in my bonnet. Then, the other day as I'm going onto the highway I see a Merge sign. The very same place where I almost hit a lady 'cause I thought I had the right of way & how dare she merge on a yield. Yeah, my apologies all round. I did however confirm that the other side where I get cut off all the time is a yield sign FOR SURE so I will continue to get mad at those people.
The water contest at work is also getting a bit heated. There has even been some slanderous writing on our stats wall - stuff like "You suck" or "You like peas". Then there was some actual bullying, shoulder checking, blocking and verbal abuse (me). Thank goodness there's only 1 more week or it will tear us all apart.
Lastly, I have finished Prisoner of Azkaban and am now about to start book 4 of the confessions of Georgia Nicolson series. Can't afford the next Harry Potter yet but I will get that next pay day.
Oh, yeah, and Clyde still kind of likes the tripe BUT still prefers his treats. I have however tried a few new treats so he's really loving the variety. Hal as usual just does what he pleases including watching the birds come to the feeders as the sun rises. Then he comes inside for the day & sleeps.

Oops!

My dear friend Janet pointed out that 1500 litres of water is insane. What I actually meant was 1500 ML and our limit is 2.5 litres per day....What can I say? I suck at details.

Wuv

We are having a water drinking contest at work. To avoid the Wii incident where the lady actually died we have a maximum amount per day of 2500 litres. Today I got in 1500 which is about as much as I can drink and I had to forgo my lunch time coffee to be able to. Despite the lower amount of drinking than some of my co-workers I am still peeing every half hour. It's fricking irritating. There are 3 times of about 6 or 7 people each so overall we're 2nd. It's getting a little competitive & the loosing team keeps recruiting new people due to others being off sick - and what I say to that is boo frickin hoo! But, there are certain people in a power position on that team & so it's hard to do anything about it. On the bright side tomorrow is Valentine's Day which means we pass out Valentines & candy. That rocks! I also have to wear red/pink but since I am pinky & red physically I usually just wear my normal clothes with some festive accessories like my 30 year old Valentine Bee brooch. It says "Be Mine" on it but it's so faded it's now hard to read.
That's about it other than reporting on my Facebook addictions: Triumph & Wrestler. The Wrestling application is great because on top of just wrestling moves you can TRASH TALK. Hilarious. Triumph is basically a strategy game, and despite a very low period where I couldn't beat anyone I've finally gotten enough troops to win battles. I am so pleased!
Oh, yeah, and we learned the inline box step & 3 point turn in my Belly Dancing class yesterday. Fun times.

Grr Argh!

Today I almost started a house fire & broke my vacuum. Last week sometime the wire holder that the cord goes through into the vacuum came out because I stumbled & stepped on the cord as I pushed the vacuum & lost my balance. Today I did the same thing except the wires just came right out & started burning the carpet and a spark flew a foot away. Yep, it's so funny yet so bloody frustrating. Now I cannot vacuum once again and I will need to take it to the shop once again and explain why it's broken once again. Grrr Argh!

Soap Cucumber

Soapy cucumber is very unpleasant to eat. I recommend thoroughly rinsing your cucumber! This is not at all an analogy or metaphor, I just ate cucumber that absorbed the soapy water I was using to clean the peel. Blahhh!

Shopping update

I bought: The first two Harry Potter novels; hardcover to match the last one 'cause I'm a bit of a geek that way; books 3 & 4 of of the confessions of Georgia Nicolson (still missing book 2 damnit!); a donut; my niece's gift - finally!; Mom's birthday gift, 2 cherry placemats which are perfect! Oh, yeah, and some mango salsa because the sales guy was very entertaining & I felt he deserved my money plus it tasted really good. So, not too much but perhaps a bit of a splurge on the books. It's just that this book warehouse had some good prices so I couldn't resist. Tomorrow is another outting with Tracey though so I have to ease up on the spending or I'll end up on the street with my books, and that ashtray, and this thermos...The Jerk, get it?

Reflection

I've had 1 1/2 days off this week due to snow/ice conditions and now have a planned day off today. I feel like a bum. However, I can't say that it sucks. I did just drip jam on my white shirt though - lame, and possibly retribution... Anyways, the season premier of Lost was on yesterday. I think I know where they're going with this now, and I'm not sure I like it. But, as always, it's interesting and I'm sucked in already. I did cry a bit when Hurley told Claire about Charlie, I admit it, and the cabin - spooky! That's all I will say as I hate spoilers. Can't wait till next Thursday!
Tracey's in town this weekend, thus the planned day off so today is a City day, with the Red Onion and sushi on the agenda. In a timely manner today is also pay day therefore I can shop, to a point. Unfortunately it's also rent time. And, did I tell you about my outrageous phone bill? Apparently I forgot to pay for November - oops. Then when I tried to pay for December there were problems getting through so I decided to leave it till the next month. Then, I called my friend Warren in England to catch up in early January. So three months and an overseas call - yeah, I almost cried.

Some funny bits

Things I have learned recently:
Do not heat up a turnover in the microwave for more than 10 seconds - ouch!
I should do dishes more than once a week.
Particle board does not make good ramp material.
There is not much on T.V. to watch on Sundays.
I do have a chocolate addiction.
Labyrinth was released in 1986, not 1983.
Turn down the element when steaming cabbage.
Coatis are adorable.
Fredrick the Great is an ass.

untitled

As an aside, I just read my horoscope which said to eat vegetables & avoid temptation. So, in protest and because I also love cookies I ate some shortbread. Take that lame-ass horoscope. What do you know? Clearly nothing.
Since this week was payday, thank goodness, I splurged a bit and bought some stuff at A&B Sound. My intention was to get the Sigur Ross DVD but they were sold out so I just bought one of their older albums - it was only $8.99 so quite affordable. Turns out the second CD is a bunch of their videos. CRAZY videos. My friend recommended them to me, though qualifying it by saying that you need to turn off the lights, light a candle & then listen to them. I would go so far as to say they are a little trippy if you get my meaning. It's un-music, meaning it just flows and you question whether you're actually hearing a song. Interesting though, and definitely worth the price. I also got Alicia Keys - surprised? Well, she's talented & I really liked what I heard from her debut. It was only $9.99 (do you see a trend here?) so again quite affordable. The funny thing is, and this is typical Jennifer, is that I was trying to figure out which song went with the waitress video. You may have no idea what I'm talking about but that was one of the songs I really liked, but I don't think it's on this album. And last, but certainly not least, I got Fiddler on the Roof finally. Again only $17.99 so right in my budget. I did watch it on Saturday though I napped between the various daughters marriages. I nap when I watch Lord of the Rings too, it's sort of a thing now. If I want to nap I put on Lord of the Rings. Anyways, I LOVE Fiddler on the Roof. It just doesn't let me down. I have to say I really love shopping. I almost went clothes shopping too but that seemed like I was pushing it. I'll have to wait till the next payday and then maybe a new pair of shoes is in order. Cheap shoes, obviously, but they have to be cute. Preferably 'Mary-Jane's'. Maybe red.

Humiliation

I tend to have road rage, I know that, but generally I think I'm a decent driver. I try to be courteous. But, 1 thing that drives me absolutely mad is when people going onto the highway merge onto the off ramp but they're going 20 km/hr and the people coming off the highway are going 100. This happens continuously at my Exit to work. The worst was when a truck almost plowed into me because they did not even shoulder check. There is no merge lane and a yield sign - which if you are paying attention means YIELD, slow down, the other person has the right of way. But, apparently to 70% of Lower Mainland drivers this means speed up and cut off the person coming. That's all fine and dandy but they can only speed up so much and compared to how fast you're going it doesn't help and today I was forced to slam on my breaks so I would not rear-end a big truck. The humiliation part is coming up soon. So, trucks piss me off more often than regular cars because they're 100x larger than Little Car and cut me off either because they can't even see me or because they know I have to accommodate them or they'll crush me. Therefore, a truck that merges instead of yields REALLY pisses me off. So, this morning as I slammed on my breaks I honked and then realized just how lame my horn sounded. I mean 'beep' is not at all threatening, nor does it convey the depth of feeling I'm experiencing. I need a scary intimidating horn so even the big trucks that try to run me off the road will fear me. I think it's time to pimp up Little Car, then everyone who should yield will yield because they'll be afraid of coming near me. I think it's a brilliant idea. I'll have to look into this.

Shortbread & War

I am excited to announce that I purchased my first (in a long time) video game for my computer - Age of Empires 3 with the War Chiefs expansion. I have played the demo for a couple of weeks and am addicted but there's only so much you can do in New England & Texas, seriously. So, on the way home today I saw a break in the right lane traffic & zipped across to the highway exit and went to EB. I was there to purchase but little did I know that it was actually affordable, only $39.99. Thank goodness. But, I haven't been feeling great today - due to feminine issues - and just wasn't up for making dinner so I ate crackers & cheese and installed the game. However, for some inexplicable reason it kept getting held up on some bloody sound file so I fiddled around a bit and after an hour it was finally ready to go. I felt a little yucky so I ate some Shortbread and began my quest for world domination. The map that came up though had Llamas & Ostriches or maybe Rheas? Not sure, anyways, you can slaughter the native animals as well as build a Mill or collect berries to get enough food...I always feel a little guilty even with virtual slaughter. On the demo when I saw one of my settlers slaughtering a baby Buffalo I almost cried. Anyways, wish me luck & I will try to still post regularly & not spend 100% of my time playing video games. One healthy thing is that my Belly Dancing started again so I am at least doing some exercise. Yay for me.

A scary movie plus

I went out - yes, actually out - Friday to see The Orphanage. I really like it, and it also scared the crap out of me but luckily it wasn't as much of a horror as other horros. Basically, I can handle the Scream trilogy and I Know What You Did Last Summer but not The Ring or Nightmare on Elmstreet. I did have to turn on all of my lights when I got home & kept looking over my shoulder but I slept well. I am only a little jittery today.I'm not going to give anything away but I do recommend it. Just stay calm & be patient if you do see it. That's all I will say.
In other news, I got my a$$ kicked in Triumph today - a Facebook application. These jerks kept attacking me and I couldn't beat my attackees defences & lost money, troops, tanks, jets. It sucks. I now have no money to buy more troops. I am doomed.

Home sweet and more sweet home

I am back from the Peg & happy to be home. It was nice to visit & see my friends and family, but I also missed Clyde & Hal and my own bed. My fridge is full of baking yummies - peanut butter & marshmallow square, various cookies, my Auntie Mary's chocolate cup thingees. I also imported real Manitoban perogies and cabbage buns. I have enough food to live off of for months, however my concern is to get enough nutrients so I do not get scurvy. I definitely wouldn't want that so I ate some veggies and fruit today, as well as drinking orange juice. No scurvy for me. Anyways, good haul from Mom: 300, the latest Harry Potter, chocolates, deodorant, toothpaste, trouser socks (her term, not mine), 2 robes, and more. Plus, new mitts, gift cards, shortbread, slippers, etc. from my other loved ones. My CD was a big hit, as well as the T-shirts though the white one was a big snug so Mom may only wear the blue one out in public after all.
On top of the endless feasting, etc., I got to play Guitar Hero for the first time. Damn is that fun. I of course loved it but was also surprisingly not bad. If only I had more disposable income! I also had a plethora of Silver Clouds so did not feel too hot on the plane ride back yesterday. Speaking of which, for those of you who have not yet heard this story, I got a puker next to me on the plane ride there. Since it was New Years the two young guys that sat next to me had been out partying and the guy on the aisle seat started puking as soon as he sat down & continued to until we landed. I hadn't slept myself & was feeling crappy as it was so found it difficult to not start hurling myself. Needless to say I did not bother to have the free snack or beverage & avoided looking towards the aisle at all. I tried watching T.V. but the guy in the middle seat kept hitting my control buttons so I would get a French channel suddenly or the volume would go down or whatever. I gave that up & turned on my iPod but could still hear the retching. It really sucked, but definitely makes a good story. My only consolation was that the second half of the journey was puker free.