Hoarded topics

I hoard up topics to write about here, gathering them like Easter eggs, and then when I go to write them, I feel like I don’t do them justice; a quick mention to things that I thought I had a lot to say about. (Forgive the atrociousness of that grammar- I’m going a little stream of consciousness, here.) Combine this with the fact that a) the last time I blogged I was on the other side of the country, and totally meant to blog again while I was there, and b) this past weekend I got burned by my cousin for not blogging enough (and here I was thinking no one was reading!), and this all adds up to another of my resolutions to blog more often. Not sure when I’ll find the time to do that- work is stressful and busy and exhausting, I have book club and dinners out with friends, I signed up for a pottery class that starts in a few weeks, and since my return from the coast, I’ve renewed my efforts at the gym, and am there twice a week (at least- yay me).
So, lets work backwards, shall we? This past weekend was the Queen’s West Art Crawl, which featured none other than my cousin Mark (please refer to his comment left on the previous post to this one). I was duly impressed that one of the artist in our family (and there are more than you’d expect) was not only showing but successfully selling their art (to my knowledge, he is the first to have done so, though my cousin Steven may have done that already- but if he did I don’t know about it). But beyond the impressive public quality of showing his pictures, it was great just to see his work- his work is varied, and (being totally honest) I love some of it and appreciate all of it. Some of his pictures are very geometric, almost to the point of being mathematical; very Mark, but it doesn’t wring the emotional pull in me that I get in a piece of art that really gets me (I would never say something as cheesy and clichéed as ‘moves me’). Transfiguration I is without a doubt my favourite. I’d seen it on his web page (I’m adding the link to my blog, if I can wrap my head around the necessary HTML), and liked it then, but at the show (which was outside, in a park, on a gorgeous cold day- autumn is here!) he had a large blow-up of it, which made the impact that the image on the computer screen could not.
After the park, we (myself, the brother, the brother’s roommate, and the Robins, that is), grabbed dinner at the Green Mango (yum), then went to see the Beatles music movie, Across the Universe, which I’ve decided I very much liked- and poo on the critics who said it was bad.
Last weekend was actually the second time I’ve seen the Robs since BC- the brother and I get together with them fairly regularly, now, which is great. I like to think we’re expanding each others' horizons- they introduced me to Dim Sum, my brother is now addicted to the Green Mango, and the weekend before last, when Robin insisted we go to Sugar Mountain (bulk candy palace), I bought Every-Flavour Beans, and everybody tried them. (For you few unfortunates who are yet to be indoctrinated into the Harry Potter universe, this is a candy which is featured in the books; jelly beans in every flavour, and they mean every flavour.) Of the gross ones, the brother ate a dirt flavoured one (and others, though I don’t remember what they were), and I tried booger, ear wax, earthworm, and grass willingly. I also had sardine, but that one was an accident, as I thought it was butter popcorn flavour. Grass I found to be not unpleasant. Aunt Robin disagreed. Steven smirked as he chewed on an earthworm bean, claimed it was good, but when pressed, admitted it was disgusting. Robin was the bravest, having tried one of the vomit flavoured beans, so hats off to him. It was more than I was willing to do!
How was the last of my BC trip, you ask? It was amazing, in all ways. Mom and I took a road trip (with many stops) to Tofino, which also explains the lack of blogging for the rest of the trip. Cathedral grove was amazing, though Mom and I agreed that we wanted all the other tourists to go away, so we could be tourists there alone. It was restful, except the part where Mom almost fell into a wide, shallow stream, and a group of guys (male bonding tourists) made a plethora of jokes at us. Then we got to Tofino, which was a quiet, sleepy little town…with nowhere to sleep. Meh. We made our own way, found respite at an ironically named restaurant (Shelter), slept in the car, and were caught by neither cops nor bears. How very adventurous of us; it was a terribly bohemian thing to do.
The next day we got a hotel room first thing, crashed for a few hours, then went whale watching (orcas, a grey and a humpback whale), nature watching (baby bear, eagles, sea otters), and hit the hot springs (a highlight of the trip- if you’re ever there, stake out the last section, where the hot springs flow out into the ocean, and the ocean waves come in…waves of hot and cold…soooo good!)
By the time we got home we were happy but exhausted, so cancelled Salt Spring Island (something to do next time) in favour of Buchart (gorgeous but busy), and then I flew home. I had a great trip, and it was good to see Her. I really must go out there again, though my next trip isn’t planned until Christmas 2008- urgh. Oh well; I have England to save up for before that!

Busy summer

Okay, so it's been way too long since I blogged, so I figure a quick catch-up is in order before I really get rolling.
July was Harry Potter month, in all it's glory. The movie came out on the 11th, and believe it or not, I wasn't lined up at the theatre at midnight to see it. Hugh was in the middle of his last med school rotation of the year (and therefore way too busy to go to the movies with me), Lauren's in Australia (back from Thailand, but still not close enough to go to the movies with), Mom's in BC, the brother would just laugh at the mere suggestion...you get the gist. Anyways, the book club had planned to see the movie on the 21st, so I figured I could wait. That didn't last, though, since both my cousin and I get off work early on Fridays, so he called me and we went to see it on the 13th, then met my other cousin for dinner. So, that was the first time I saw the movie.
Then I saw it, as planned, with the book club, on the night that the book came out. There's a huge theatre next to an Indigo downtown, so we went to see the movie (in Imax 3D - awesome), and then went next door to line up for the book. It was a great night.
Anyways, I got the book and read that night...and the next day...and the next day...and had it finished by Sunday at about 3pm (I took my time). I loved it, though the ridiculous epilogue was, well, ridiculous. Meh.
And then the next week, Hugh was finally done with that rotation, so we went to see the movie. Yes, I saw it three times. Yes, it's that good.
And then I had one solid week of craziness at the office, getting ready for the Summer Sales Meeting in Collingwood, and spent the weekend packing for two back-to-back trips. Last week was Blue Mountain Resort in Collingwood for the SSM (informative, hard work, interesting but exhausting), and I got home from it on Friday around 4pm; about 12 hours prior to when I'd leave again to go to Victoria for a week to visit Mom.
...and now you're caught up, and here I am, in BC! My flight left at 7am and landed at 930am, which was pretty good for a six hour flight (time change trips me out). Mom picked me up from the airport, though not my luggage, as that was, apparently, left in Vancouver. So instead of going straight to Victoria, Mom and I bummed around the town the airport is in (don't remember the name right now; I was REALLY tired), did some shopping, went into a bakery and went a little nuts, and then had lunch at a Swiss bistro- yum. Then we checked the airport (still no luggage), and drove back to Victoria, where we did some sightseeing by driving around, since my energy level was in the negatives. Oh, but we did stop at the marina, where there are seals, and I fed them- very cool. Then, after running some errands, and looking at furniture cause Mom is still decorating her place, we went back to Mom's house, which is really nice. I met her cat, and the airport delivered my luggage, and then Mom made me spaghetti, and all of that was great.
Yesterday was pouring rain in the morning, so we tried to go to the Museum, but it was crazy packed, and we didn't want to spend the day in a lineup, so we did the museum gift shop and then left, and by then the rain had stopped. We went through the Empress hotel, and the Dragon boat festival, and shopping downtown. We did Mexican for dinner.
Today, Mom has to work, so I'm going to walk downtown and hit the bead shops (because I need beads, and also cause I'm hippie-hunting), and maybe the Museum too cause it won't be busy now, then Mom and Jerry will meet me downtown after work and we'll do dinner (probably Thai). Can't wait.
Anyways, that's long enough I think. I'll write more later; I'm using my blog as a travel diary.

Motorcycles and leeks

I had the best weekend!
The weather was a little cooler, which was a nice break from the constant, unleavened heat of the past few weeks. I met Hugh for lunch after work on Friday (summer hours at the office means I get off work at 1230 on Fridays), and we decided to eschew our movie-going plans in favour of a concert that was happening north of the GTA. We took Hugh's motorcycle! I love the ride up (it stopped being scary after just a couple of minutes). Yeah, I'm awesome. The concert was great- good music, kind of small townish (it reminded me of Bayfest back in the Sarn), good food, and, for some reason, apparently every cop in the greater York region. We think they were trying to justify their budget or something. They even did a fly-by with a helicopter. There were like, 200 people there; I've seen bigger weddings, seriously.
Everything about the night was great, except it got kinda chilly once the sun went down, and since Hugh and I had to take the bike all the way back, we left early, before it could get even colder. And, as fun as the bike was on the way there, it was not as fun on the way back. See, you can't wear glasses with a motorcycle helmet, and while I can see okay in daylight without my glasses on (things are fuzzy, but I can still tell what I'm looking at), this is not the case at night. At night, without my glasses, I am much closer to blind. This makes for an uncomfortable ride on a bike. Regardless to say, as fun as the day was, I was happy to get home.
Saturday I met up with an old friend (like, from elementary school), who is living in the city for the summer. We had a great time; we met up at St. Lawrence Market, where I learned that I cannot go to a market and not buy something. So I ended up with something random (leeks) hat I'd never cooked before and had no idea what to do with. Then we went out for lunch, talked for several hours, and agreed that we'd have to see each other again, soon.
Sunday I did domestic things, including making Mushroom and Leek risotto (had to do something with those leeks) that turned out awesome.
I'm terribly pleased with how my weekend turned out- now, if only the week will follow this trend.

Good times

It's annoying; I sit on the bus, or at my desk at work, or somewhere, and I think of blogs I want to write, or emails to family or Lauren, and then when I'm home there's always some other thing to do that steals my attention away, like the beading project I'm thisclose to finishing, or the chores I have to do or the books I'm reading or whatever. Suffice it to say that when I'm not writing, I'm often thinking about it. Which isn't much good to you, I understand, but there that is, nevertheless.
I've had a busy month. I've spent a lot of time out with friends, like movies and shopping with the girls from work, and book club, and dinners, and nights out with Hugh and his medschool entourage. I made a new friend in Hugh's roommate's girlfriend, and tonight I was out at a restaurant/lounge downtown to celebrate Andrew (from book club)'s birthday. There were about twenty people there, and when the night started, I knew four of them. It was interesting, meeting all those people from different parts of this one friend's life. Kind of mindboggling to think of the networks of people you're linked to by association (like if everyone got together twenty of their own friends, how huge that group would get, fast). It's a little pyramid-schemey to think about, but it also makes that 'nine degrees of separation' thing seem infinitely plausible.
I'm being weird.
Tonight was fun, though one of the best parts of the night was complaining about the restaurant in the car on the way home. The places downtown are largely like this one was; badly verbose prose-y menu that's trying too hard to be snooty, overpriced food whose quantity and caliber is not worth the cash you lay down for it, unaccommodating wait staff that aren't worth the gratuity you're strapped to cause they included it on the bill, and as soon as 10pm hits, the music gets jacked up so loud you can't hear yourself scream, and suddenly the place is 'standing room only' and the entryway is clogged with a cloud of smokers who are loitering out front, having conversations with their girlfriends and gesturing wildly with lit cigarettes in their hands. We had fun joking about how fun it would be to get lit on fire on the way out of the restaurant, too.
Not to mention, as soon as you go downtown, everyone is nuts. Walking to the restaurant (in daylight), some guy growled as me from the bushes beside the sidewalk. Full-on snarled. I would have been scared except there was another group of guys right beside at the time. Consequently, as I passed said group of guys, one of them asked me to rate one of his friends' ass. I gave him a six. I told you, everyone downtown is crazy.
Helped Mom pick out a couch today, made possible despite distance by cellphone and Internet at once. It was fun, and she likes that we've found a way to make it possible for me to help her shop. I'm looking forward to being there in August. Actually, that's where a lot of my focus is going these days. I'm making plans and trying to get things organized. It's still a ways away, and a trip like this really doesn't take much planning anyway, but I think I'm getting the jones to get out of the city again, and that's why I'm focusing so hard on this BC trip. I've found that while I like Toronto, it's good to get out of the city periodically; it keeps you sane. I would try and find a weekend to go to Orangeville, except Kev's pretty busy these days. This weekend he's off camping, and kiteboarding with Mark. I hope they're having fun- it's a great weekend for it, nothing but clear, warm weather for weeks now. I would have gone with them except I've put myself on a $ spending diet for the moment. Irregardless that the act that brought on this sudden urge for me to clamp down on the wallet was the splurgey, somewhat extravagant purchase of a gorgeous, wonderful, had-to-have-it Matt&Nat bag. We'll also ignore the fact that it's my second M&N bag bought in as many months. No more!
Anyways, tomorrow is another minor errands and cleaning day. It's annoying how much stuff you need to do when you're on your own, just to keep everything going. Like, when I was living with Mom, she did most of the grocery shopping, and I'd do most of the laundry, and we kind of shared the cleaning (I'm taking poetic licence here, Mom). But on your own, you have to do it all; the shopping, the cleaning, the laundry...everything. It's friggin tiring, man!
Anyways, as always, there's more to say, about how Laur's doing- she's in Thailand, now- and dinners and Cranium tournaments with Steven and the brother and the Robins (I've created a set of monsters, I swear), and about how the brother is doing (redid his kitchen counter, promptly ruined it, then fixed it and now everything's cool)...but I have neither the energy nor the time. I'm going to go have a peanut butter sandwich, to fill me up after that $20 undressed salad I got downtown, then watch IronChef and head to bed. Good times.

Happy Victoria Day!

I'm sitting in my apartment watching the tree line off my balcony, where I can see no less than seven sets of fireworks going off. Most are pretty far away, given, but still- this is a pretty sweet deal I've got here.
I had a great weekend. Got off work early on Friday, went shopping. Most of Saturday was spent cleaning my apartment, then the brother came over (with Eggroll) and we went grocery shopping (nice to have some help carrying everything home). Then I made dinner - the last of Mom's spaghetti sauce. He stayed over at my place for a few days, despite the fact that I had a date with my friends and left for most of Saturday. We went to the zoo- always a great time- and then out for Japanese food (yum).
Meanwhile, my brother was very, very productive on my behalf this week (big thanks, bro). He put stuff in my storage locker that had been taking up valuable closet space, he put up my curtain rod, he put shelves up in my bathroom, he built me a floating bedside table, and he WD-40'd every moving item in my apartment.
And, he left me with homework. Apparently, I'm now assigned the following tasks: to sort through my books and dispense those which are not needed, to buy wood filler and finish the shelf he built, to get rid of the two VCR's I'd been storing, with their accompanying VHS tapes (obsolete), buy fabric for that curtain rod I mentioned, and talk to my super about getting new closet doors, a new stove, and whether I'm allowed to have a barbecue on my balcony. Also, I need to buy soil and pot plants and re-pot the Jasmine tree and the Phil cuttings I took. Whew.
But in the meantime, I'm just gonna go chill on the deck and watch the pretty lights go off.
Hope you all had a good May 2-4!

Me in the Sea

Ignore this- I just wanted to get myself a profile picture.

Things are coming together

Today was a long, standing-water kind of day.
A lot of days this week have been like that (at work, at least). But, things are good, too. Like my apartment. Last weekend Ikea finally got my bookcase in, and Robin (to whom I owe a HUGE debt for this) helped me go get it. It took a little maneuvering, but eventually, he and I got it in the car. We picked up my brother, and after dropping the box at my place, we went to the Robins', along with my favourite boardgame, Cranium, which I had promised them all would be the best game they'd ever played.
Thankfully, they had no reason to call me a liar. In fact, I think I've created a monster...or three.
The plan had been to have dinner, play the game, head home. Simple. Neat.
Reality saw us laughing till we cried, yelling challenges, making one hell of a bloody mess, and finally crashing after dinner and four very long games of Cranium, around 4am. Then a game at breakfast. Then a game before dinner, after visiting Aunt Rose (she's doing well, btw; we took her out in the sun, it was a gorgeous day). Another game after dinner. I got home just in time for bed, more than 24 hours after first heading out. See what I mean about monsters?
Anyways, bookclub on Monday, which was great, but would have been greater if I'd remembered my umbrella (wet slacks suck). Tuesday I FINALLY found time to take my bookcase out of the box and knock it together. And it's PERFECT. I love it, totally. My place is clean, it has some vague notion of style...I'm finally starting to feel like this is 'the place I live', not just 'a place I'm staying', if you know what I mean. I feel like a grown up.
It feels good.

Winter's colouring outside the lines

I’m actually quite a big fan of winter. I love layering clothes, I like hot chocolate, I even have a necklace with a snowflake on it. But I don’t like it when winter colours outside the lines. In Toronto this year, Easter weekend was colder than Christmas. That’s colouring outside the lines, and I am greatly unimpressed.
This weekend was supposed to be putting the winter coat in storage, let the cats out on the balcony, wash the windows, change to canvas shoes weekend. Not bundle up in your thickest sweater, where did that glove go, what do you mean I’m out of milk I’m not going out into that weather again weekend! It sucked. No one was around, I was dogsitting for the brother, and it snowed, off and on, for all three pointless days of my weekend. I did go shopping, though it wasn’t nearly as pleasant as I wanted it to be. I wanted to wander up Yonge street and investigate the shops there (my main goal was Ten Thousand Villages). Instead, I took a bus straight there cause it was too cold to walk. And when I got there, they didn’t have what I wanted! Now, that doesn’t mean I went home empty handed; I bought a cute little grey stone box that is perfect for the thumbtacks I need for my bulletin board. And the prices there are better than I remembered. But I wanted a mortar and pestle (I’ve wanted one forever), and they had two, but they were both made out of rose-coloured stone, and I don’t do pink. I’ll go back there again when they get more stock.
I know, it’s a little weird, why do I want a mortar and pestle? In my brain, cooking will be more fun that way. It makes putting spices together like potion-making! Also, I have this idea in my head that I want to create some new kinds of cookies and things (ideas nipping me in the heels are Red Chili Pepper White Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Key Lime Blondies with Cream Cheese Icing), and for that, I need a mortar and pestle. I’m going to create my cookies, and if they turn out, I’ll pass on the recipes.
What else is going on? I spent five days in Niagara-on-the-Lake on business, though I did manage to come home with Greaves jam (yum).
I went to Pesach dinner at the Robin’s, which was REALLY good, though a little embarrassing, cause when it comes to Jewish customs and well, basic knowledge, I’m a bit of a dough head. We’re blaming my mother. Maybe I can find myself a book; “Judaism for Dummies”.
I’ve been talking to Laur a bit more now that she’s settled in her classes in Oz. She sounds like she’s having an incredible time, and she’s been accepted to a placement in Thailand! I’m so freaking jealous. I’m seriously thinking of going to teachers college just so I can do something like that (jk, it would be cool, but I’m much more likely just to save up or hope to win the lottery and go on my own). But it does sound amazing. I emailed Mom to email Jerry to suggest some places where Laur should visit. I can’t wait for more pictures (hint hint).
And speaking of pictures, I just printed off a pile of mine from Florida, and others’ from various places, and have put them up in my apartment. It’s not done yet, but it’s getting there. One conspicuously missing piece is that #%#$& bookcase I’ve been wanting forever. I’m not sure I’ve mentioned it, but there’s a bookcase from Ikea I’ve wanted forever, but alas, as I’m carless, it’s really hard to get it to me. Well, last week my dear, generous, helpful friend Emily offered to take me there in her pretty and very blue car, and after much shoe shopping, we made it, only to find them…tragically out of stock. I was shocked speechless, caught between hilarity, tears, and a full-blown tantrum worthy of a two year old. Ever since, I’ve been checking the online stock availability every day, and as soon as it shows up…well, I’m not sure what I’ll do, but if you spy me walking down the street with a large box strapped to my back, you’ll know why!

Jealous?

Okay, so I had a post that I wrote a couple of days ago, but for some reason this computer refused to publish it for me, and I got frustrated and walked away from it, so that's my explanation for the long silence. My post was short, just a quick update on how busy I've been having fun down here, doing a ton of stuff like kayaking, hiking, boating, bike riding, shopping, eating, fishing and more. We've been out in the gorgeous sun every day and my skin has lost that mid-Canadian-winter pallor, and I think I've also successfully undone the month-and-a-half's gym time I've put in so far (the food here is amazing, and the fam reunion has always been a time for indulgence- it just usually only goes on for a couple of days).
Though, believe it or not, I'm not totally horrified at the idea of going home. Don't get me wrong- I love this place, and my aunt's condo is fantastic (with many, many thanks to her for letting me stay here), and spending time with Mom again is great- but I'm also starting to miss my own bed, my own computer, my cats and my apartment, not to mention my friends.
Things I'm not missing? Keeping track of days (I know it's Wednesday, and I know March starts soon, but I get a little fuzzy if you ask me for anything more specific than that), the slushy streets, the salt-stained pant legs, and lugging home large heavy groceries like cat food and pop in -20 degree weather.
As for now, I'm going to leave the soft glow of the computer screen...to go lie beside the pool.

In Florida

I'm here! It's wonderful!

My S.O.L vacation

Okay, so yesterday I meet the brother at the bus station, because we're taking a bus to get to the airport to catch a plane to Florida for a sweet sweet two-week vacation in the sun.
I say to him, "Happy vacation!", and he says to me "My vacation doesn't start until I get to my destination; everything up until then is just a hassle."
My brother is a wise, wise man.
So, we get to the airport and meet my Aunt, with whom we're checking in, in hopes of getting seats together on the plane.
Well, she got a seat, at least.
Did you know that Air Canada purposely overbooks their flights? See, there's this 10% chance that people won't show up, so they overbook in order to ensure that the planes are always filled. But if everyone shows up for their flight, then someone is S.O.L.
Guess who?
So, then the customer service people (my aunt has flown away by this time), plan to send us to Fort Lauderdale that night. The plane would get in at midnight, so the bro makes them confirm that we'll have a hotel room for the night.
Smart move- Fort Lauderdale is having a boat show and there are no hotel rooms to be had.
So, we end up at the Airport Hilton in Mississauga on Air Canada's dollar, and we're flying out today, a day late.
We're tired, we're annoyed, the brother is sick (and I'm doing my best not to catch it), and unlike us, our luggage made it to Florida- so we've got nothing with us. No toiletries, no changes of clothes...
I know my last two posts were titled 'Florida can't come soon enough'. Well, at this point, it's overdue.

Florida isn't soon enough!

So tired. So happy.
It's kind of crazy how crazy things have been (and continue to be). Tonight I was at book club (a total indulgence, especially seeing as how I didn't read the book for this week). I (finally!) got to see Catherine's place (bachelor apt, smaller than mine, but somehow less cluttered), and she made us some awesome carrot soup, and we fried up perogies and potstickers to go with it (a random mix, to be sure, but it was goo-ood!) Then they made me hide in the bathroom while they got my birthday cake ready. Andrew treated us all to ice wine, and we had a great time together.
Yesterday (I've decided to work backwards) I went out for dinner with Hugh and Kevin- it was wonderful to be out with my boys- and before that, in the afternoon, Hugh and I did the Science Centre. That morning Robin made me his fabulous brie omelet for breakfast, because I'd spent the night at the Robins' after watching Garden State with them.
And that is only the tip of the iceberg. Tomorrow I have dinner out with the work girls, then Wednesday Hugh is coming over for birthday stuff (he won't define that any better for me), and Thursday Cath and Mary are coming here (though they've promised not to hold it against me if I pack while they're around!) I've reserved Friday for pedicure and packing, and Saturday we leave! I am so excited, because it will be great to see Mom, and the whole family, but also that with life this crazy, and work right now is wild busy, I am so in need of a vacation!
I'm sorry I'm being so brief- there are other things to cover here, like all the stuff that's going on with Mom and my friends, and other stuff that I'm into, but I'm just so tired from it all that I need my bed. Goodnight until next time!

Florida can't some soon enough

I was very pleased when I found this apartment; I like the location, the layout, it's clean... I know that older buildings have their problems, but I like the thick concrete walls they have, too. And the rent was decent, and utilities were included, so I don't have to pay for water, or electricity, or heat. Sure, I don't have to pay for heat- yeah, right.
The whole back wall of my apartment is one big patio door and window. A very old window, with a metal frame...that lets so much wind in there might as well not be any glass in it. I was very proud when I realized this might cause a problem, so I went out and got one of those plastic film insulator kit thingies, and put it up all by myself.
But, see the thing is, with the wind blowing in through the cracks, the plastic would bow out, bloated-belly style. Last night it was so bad it almost knocked over my lamp before finally tearing off the tape that held it down. Combine that with the fact that the temp here has dropped in the last week (and is just going to keep on falling), and my place was more than a little frigid. I was online with Laur and Hugh, and it was hard to type. My bed is right under the window, so I made up the pullout and slept there, under every blanket I own, wearing my new yoga pants (thick sweatpants) and a huge fleece pullover I stole from Lauren a million years ago. And socks, and slippers.
First thing this morning (well, noon at least, when I could finally convince myself to crawl out from under the warm covers), I bundled up and walked to the hardware store, and bought $20 worth of duct tape, something called 'weather shield crack seal' (think grey silly putty for windows), and another plastic film kit. I brought it home, tore the remaining old plastic off my window, and pressed that grey plasticine into every side of the window. I even used kleenex in the big spaces. Then I got out the new plastic film kit, and put that up as well as I could.
And when I pressed down the last corner...the whole thing bowed out like a bloated belly, and tore off the tape that held it down. I was so frustrated I could have cried. My hands were freezing, I hate it when my nose is cold (and it is), and I'd just wasted more of my money. In a fit I tore into the duct tape I'd bought (as a last resort, cause duct tape is, first of all, ugly, and second, a man's way of solving a problem). I attacked the window, covered every edge completely, along with most of the sill. I *think* I might have finally got it all. Tomorrow I'll go get another plastic film insulator kit. In the meantime, excuse me- I have to go cover my patio door with duct tape. Brrr.

Busy weekends

Hi All,

I just got told by my friend Lauren, who has taken herself away to Australia for a year (in case I haven't mentioned it), for not blogging enough. Which, I admit, I was aware I was neglecting. With Mom in BC now and Lauren on the other side of the world, I really should be updating now more than ever, but life's been getting in my way.
It kind of surprises me, that I'm this busy. When I was living with Mom, most of the things I had planned for after work on a weekday had to do with what she and I were doing, having for dinner, or where we were shopping. I kind of expected, once she was gone, that my life would be even more quiet, more sedentary. It's not.
I joined a gym (urgh). A few weeks ago I would have thought that 'urgh' was an automatic inclusion- it had to be there- but now I hesitate to include it. Other than a rocky start (cause I wasn't prepared for bubbly gym personel to reveal themselves as used-car-salesmen in disguise), I'm actually not minding the gym. Enjoying it?...I don't think I'd go that far. But, it's definitely more okay than I expected it to be. I go at least twice a week (except for last week, when I didn't go at all cause I twisted my knee), and the only problem I'm having right now is that when I'm there I work hard, till I'm sweaty and gross and my muscles are all jelloey, but the next day I don't hurt, and if I'm working hard enough...well, shouldn't I? I talked this over with kev, who said I should do more reps with the same amount of weight, which I've been trying.
Speaking of which, I went to visit Kev a few weekends ago. The plan was to go up Friday after work, but he was working late (again; it sounds like work is really a bitch for him, lately), so I went up Saturday morning. One major reason for going was to get my tattoo touched up (by my very cute tattoo artist, Sean), which I did, and I must say, Sean does beautiful work. Then Kev and I bought food and rented movies, and then spent the rest of the weekend mostly asleep. It was a great recharge-of-batteries weekend, for both of us.
Which was great, cause work is crazy right now. I'm kind of the administrator for a huge division-wide projecty thing right now. It's not as impressive as that makes it sound- this is actually part of my regular duties- it's just a ton of work, and a big headache, and I hate having to tell higher-ups what to do, which is part of what it entails. You want me to direct people who are lower than me on the workforce totem? Sure. Co-work with a peer? No problem. Tell a superior what to do...that's what gives me pause. And sweaty palms. Never thought of myself as that authority-oriented, but there it is.
Last weekend (getting back to the list of things that have been taking up my time), I went with the brother to my aunt's house, for dinner and a movie. Me, her fiancee, her brother and mine got together, and while we only watched half the movie, we did scarf down a ton of thai food and talk for- no kidding- the whole night. Seriously; my aunt picked us up at 7pm and dropped me at home at 7am. It was awesome, and it makes me super pumped for Florida, which is my family reunion that is coming up. I love staying up late with my Mom and her sisters and cousins, talking for hours. Also, we're talking about going to the beach, and on a boat, and fishing and a bunch of other things that I cannot wait for. Not to mention that it will be right over my birthday, so for the first time since I was, like, 16, I get to have lobster for my birthday, which rocks (he he, 'Rock Lobster!'- Lauren is ROTF). Plus, Hugh was over tonight, and VERY KINDLY (can you tell I'm grateful?) agreed to come and take care of my cats while I'm away, which is awesome of him, and it means that I have nothing more to worry about!
Everything lately seems to focus on this trip- last week I bought and hung (all by myself!) a full-body mirror, so that I could take a look at the summer clothes I have to bring with me and figure out what I need to buy. I went to the mall today and had some capris hemmed and got my hair cut (I usually go to the cheapy places, cause my hair is way too basic to need that expensive treatment), but the place I wanted was full, so I went to check out the price of another place (and this one was a salon/spa place), and then faster than I could figure out what was going on, I was getting into one of those hair-resistant, armless raincoat getups they make you wear, and this nice fellow was washing my hair (with a head massage thrown in- amazing), and then this girl was clipping away, and it was a little more than I'm used to paying, but was still doable, and I'm pleased enough with the outcome that I think I'm going back there. Hugh even called my hair 'sexy', which was pretty cool to hear. And come to think of it, I spent the same amount on my hair as I did on my new sandals, so maybe that is okay after all (don't you love how I justify spending money by spending the same amount of money on other things? That logic totally works for me...)
Anyway, there's other things going on, but it's all litte stuff. My apartment is still making baby steps towards being 'complete'. I decided I hated the couch cover I bought, and am going to exchange it. This means I am overhauling my entire blue-and-brown design for my livingspace- yay shopping! I would be dropping the brown completely (I'm actually very into black-and-white right now), but I'm still in love with the giant brown pillows I got for the ugly couch, so the new design is to be green, with brown highlights. Next week I'm going to get the new bookcase that my TV is going to be going on, and then I need the new couch cover, and then a duvet with cover, new pillows, and throw blankets. This is going to be so much fun! The only hard part about it is fighting with myself to hold off doing any of it (much of it) before I go on my trip. I should be waiting until I get back, to make sure the $ works out okay...but you know what it's like- you want to have your place the way you want it, asap! Well, at least I have a plan.

Happy New Year, Everybody

Good morning. It's very early and I'm a little dopey, though not hung over and sick, like Hugh (yeah, just needed to razz him a bit for that).
Last night was great. The clique (Kev, Laur, Hugh and I) went out to the Keg, had drinks at the bar while we waited for our table (hour and a half wait; double what they old us it'd be) and then had the best meal.
Then we rushed off to Hugh's place, cause he was supposed to be having a party and he was already late.
The party was great; there were lots of sweets, drinks, and music...we watched the ball drop and played Guitar Hero, which some of the med students said ruined the party, but med students are cracked, cause Guitar Hero rocks.
I called both Mom and the brother at midnight, which is a little awkward now as my midnight happens at their 9pm. But I figured I'd rather not have them call me at THEIR midnight, so it was a preemptive strike, so to speak (though as it turned out the party was still going here when the west coast was celebrating, so they could have called after all).
As for the rest of the holidays? (I'll go chronologically backwards); Hugh and I and his friend Veronica (med student) went out pubbing then came home to watch Talladega Nights (which wasn't as excruciating as I'd expected).
Laura and I got together for dinner, which turned into dinner and shopping and a movie. We went to see Night at the Museum, which was fun- lots of laughs, though it was kid-friendly humour.
The Robins and I went out for dim sum (my first time doing dim sum, but damn, that was good!), and also shopping and a movie...so, basically I did what all Jews do over christmas; I watched movies and ate Chinese food.
It was good, though- a nice break from work and I've enjoyed the rest. Am I ready to go back to it tomorrow? Ask me in a few more hours, I have to go back to sleep.

Experimental Cookies 101

So, cooking is fun when your kitchen is not stocked! I like making cookies. I did it at Mom's place a few times. It was fun because all you had to do was pull out the ingredients, pull open cupboards and drawrs to find the tools you need, drop the tasty little globs on the baking sheet and pop them in the oven. Chewy goodness in less than an hour.
But, I just moved into my own place.
That does not have the fixings for cookies.
So, I bought them. They were expensive, and heavy to carry home. My arms are an inch longer.
Now, I have begun making the cookies. I have the flour, the sugar, the eggs...
I have a bowl. I have a spoon.
I have no juicer, so I just squished my fingers into that orange until its guts came out.
I have no zester, so I cut chunks of the peel off and put them in my hand-held parmesan cheese grater (no explanation as to why I have one of those and no zester). That actually worked okay.
I have no baking sheets, so I bought one of those tin ones at the grocery store, but again, I was carrying everything home, so it bent in the wind. It kind of looks like a hubcap.
I have no measuring spoons. So, my philosophy is, just shake the box of whatever you need, and probably the right amount will come out.
I have no cooling rack, so I'm using my cutting board...this does not work.
Also, does anyone know why cookies come out bready? I wanted chocoalte-chip cookie consistency, not these doughy things.
But they taste damn good.

Rainy blowy dirty

A couple of days of lousy weather hasn't made me the happiest person in the world, but I've gotten a lot done lately. Work ended early on Friday (1130) with a momosa toast with the CEO in the caf. Then I went to the bank, where I opened an RRSP (been meaning to do that), and a savings fund for vacations (it's amazing that most of my life I've been dreaming of going places and never got there, and now I'm planning so many!), I've mailed packages to Mom and Laur and Kev, I've been grocery shopping twice, I finished my holiday gift shopping (a little late, but no one's around till after the holidays anyway!), and I've learned a few things. What have I learned? Well, for one, if you have to buy everything to make cookies from scrath, then cookies are expensive! And also, the makings for cookies are heavy if you're carrying them home. On the upside of that, though, is that soon I should (hopefully) have another recipe or two to add to my collection (I'll publish it here if the prevailing opinion on them is positive). Why am I making cookies? I'm going to go have dinner and watch movies with the Robins tomorrow. So looking forward to that, but there's so much to do! They're picking me up here, which means I definitely have cleaning to do, in case they come up to my apartment. It's not that this place is completely filthy, it's just that it's small enough that even a little mess is really bad looking. And I want my first place to make a good impression. Well, as good an impression as it can make, without curtains (I'll get to that soon). Also there's cookies to make, gifts to wrap, and laundry to do, and I'm dogsitting Eggroll while the brother's in BC, so I have the dog to take care of, which I don't really mind, except that it means we keep having to go out in this horrid weather (eew). Oh well. I'd better get to the cleaning if I'm to have everything ready and presentable tomorrow. Later!

Busy holiday thought-process blog.

Hello.
I've a feeling that it's been awhile since I last blogged, though I'm a little unsure because there has been at least one blog that I've written and not published, because halfway through writing it I realized it was unbelievably boring.
Which is strange because life lately has not been boring at all. I've been to two book club meetings, once where we all discussed The Secret of Platform 13 and stuffed our faces with Swiss Chalet, and once to spend a surprisingly un-torturous eight hours watching a BBC movie of a Charles Dickens book (Our Mutual Friend). Officially there is another meeting tomorrow evening, to discuss Day of the Triffids and stuff ourselves with Greek food, but I'm going to skip this one in order to spend the evening with Hugh before he takes off to Montreal for the holidays.
I went to Ikea last week and spent an inordinate amount of money, however much of it (most of it) was on curtains, which are kind of essential, so I don't feel too bad about it. The one regret is that as I have no car, I couldn't get everything I'd wanted at once, and thus I am still mirrorless, and my tv continues to rest on an end table that holds it just high enough for me to see half the screen from my bed.
Thursday I went to the mall with a friend, where we lighting-speed shopped for presents and then went to see Happy Feet, which was very good, and made even better by the Harry Potter 5 trailer which preceeded it.
And then friday there was a party at Lisa's new apartment that was quiet but fun, and funny when we realized that of all the people at Lisa's "Christmas Party", she was the only one there who celebrates Christmas.
And the brother was over here today. I gave him his Hanukka presents (well received, I think), and we went out and bought me a showerhead and a toolbox and sticky things with which to hang things on walls, and we bought him a fan for his house and we bought a fuzzy blue toy and pig ears for Eggroll and a ball and some catnip for the cats. Then we came home, inhaled subs for dinner, and got the cats all spaced out on kitty drugs. Even now The Three Legged One is wrigging around my desk chair so I have to be careful not to move anywhere on fear of flattening a tail, and the other one keeps periodically going into frantic searches for the tub of catnip that was formerly left on the bed, until I caught him trying to knaw his way into it.
So, that's the brothers', Eggrolls', and the cats' presents out of the way. I have presents for Mom (to be sent off with the bro on tuesday), but I want to see if I can find more. She's being unusually unhelpful this year with gift ideas, which are always harder to come up with when she's not around. I have part of Lauren's gift, and I know what I want for the rest, I just haven't found it yet. I have books for Kevin, but a) he knows about them, and b) I got them through work, so I'm not sure they count. So, even though I've felt like I'm behind in my shopping lately, I think I'm doing better than I'm giving myself credit for.
But does anyone have any advice on whether I should get something for my bosses, and if so, then what???

She's BACK!

Oh my god I'm online! It feels like I can breathe again.
Okay, so, first, that was a shitty way to leave off news-wise before my move, but as Mom can attest, the sudden absence of my internet connection was, well...sudden. And earlier than expected. So sorry for the lack of 'goodbye for now' email that I had totally intended to write.
But now I'm here! I'm sitting in my own first apartment, which is unbelievably cool, and I actually have internet and cable and power and heat and all those cool things that real, living-on-their-own people need.
The move was...well, moves are always hard,not to mention that I moved on the same day that Mom left, which, for the record, I don't recommend. Mostly it was hard and exhausting, and by Sunday night I was not the happiest of girls, but Hugh came over (friends are great things) and brought chocolate and popcorn and ice cream (which I am still eating- honestly, if you need calorie-fueled help, Hugh is the man to go to, people. Nothing like a doctor to help you clog your arteries!)
And ever since then I've been slowly setting up my place. First I moved the pile of my junk into the corner, then I moved it to the hallway, then I moved it to the middle of the floor, then I moved it in front of the bookcase, and now it's partly in the kitchen, and partly on the couch. But each time its moved, it's gotten a little smaller, which is good.
So, the place isn't perfect yet, but it's getting there. I still need the blue couch cover (though unearthing the couch from the boxes on top of it first would be best), and yes, I forgot to buy the juice jug I needed, so when I was desperate for lemonade, I mixed it up in an empty ice cream container (a little ghetto, but my undergrad days seem to be kicking in).
I could go on, but at this point I'm probably getting boring (you don't want to hear about me putting that plastic stuff on my window, no matter how proud I am that I did it all on my own, or how I figured out how to hang the chandelier in my bathroom, etc, etc...)
Mom got to the Vic okay. She said her flight was hell- delays, fat businessmen, drunken seatmates and multiple layovers- and when she got to the island it was (ironically) covered in snow. Apparently the once-every-twenty-years snowfall that Victoria gets fell, and the city ground to a halt; no plows, schools and businesses closed, and people wasdering around wondering what to do. I thought it was hilarious- Mom moves to the one place in Canada it's not supposed to snow (she hates winter), and it snows on her. Not to mention, it was unseasonably warm here that week.
...though our heat wave copped out last friday. Having lived in my new place for five days, I decided I wanted a break (not really, I just wanted out of the city awhile), so I went to visit Laur and Kev in Orangeville. Where Lauren bought me my Christmas/Hanukkah present- I got inked! I'm very pleased, even though this thing itches like crazy right now, and I'm going to have to have it touched up cause I think I got a crack (tattoos want to dry out while they're healing; if they do, your skin can split and what you get is a very thin break in the ink of the tat). Oh well- going to Orangeville to see my tat artist is just another good excuse to go visit Kev again...cause by then Lauren will be long gone (cry, cry) to Australia for a whole year. And yes, I should be getting more and more worried/sad/upset that my best friend is taking off to the other side of the world for forever, but honestly, the closer she gets to her trip, the more excited I get for her. I can't wait to hear what she sees and does out there. Have fun, lady!
In Orangeville there was also a blackout and a kick-ass game on Monopoly (and by that I mean Lauren and I got our asses kicked...Kev's scary-good at that game), and I watched Kev in the christmas parade, which was small-town cute.
And there's more...I joined a bookclub and I want to the TSO this week...so much, and I'll write about it all, I promise...but right now I have brand-spankin'-new cable tv callin my name!

The Calm Post-Storm

(For the record, Lauren did me the HUGE favour of posting this for me. Thanks!)


So, am I okay? That seems to be the question I’ve been getting, from everyone, lately. The proud part of me wants to get angry at the people who keep asking me that. But most of me feels that the question is rather justified. Mom left- she moved away, and I moved to my first place of my own on the same day. For the record, I would not recommend this to others. If you must do these things, do not do them in one day. It is rather difficult.
Not that the move was overly difficult. With a day’s hindsight I can see that, as moves go, it wasn’t one of the more Mission:Impossible-esque ones. I had lots of help- I don’t know what I would have done without Kev and Laur and their wonderful, beautiful car- and the brother and his roommate were both movers extraordinaire on my behalf. Despite the expected (and inevitable) bumps along the way (the wait to sign the lease, the painting not done in my new apartment, the missing storage-locker key), I got myself, my stuff, and my cats into the new place, and by the end of the night even had places for my friends and I to sleep.
Sunday was spent moving stuff around. Really- there was some minimal unpacking, there was great consumption of munchies, there was an interesting diversion figuring out how to work my new ancient stove. But mostly it was just shifting the clutter from place to place- the painting is going to be finished this week, but that means I can’t have stuff in the ‘to be painted’ places. I’ll wait till that’s done before I even TRY to get organized. But the beauty of it is, all the stress of the last month was because everything was on a deadline. Now, no deadlines. I can live in a pile of clutter for as long as I like!
I currently don’t have cable or internet at my new place, so this is being written by me and sent to Lauren, who is publishing them on my behalf (thanks Lauren- friends to my rescue again). It’s a good thing she’s agreed to do this, too; with no blog, not even a computer at home right now, I’m suffering. Seriously- I wrote this letter to my aunt last night that was really random. I should not be allowed to write things while ‘Garden State’ is playing in the background. I think I came off sounding like a spaz. Meh.
Anyways, as usual there’s more to say but I’m word-blocked, and much of it is boring (do you really want to hear about my victorious hunt though box jungle for my umbrella this morning?), so I’m going to leave off here. Best to all!

Geez louise, days are short!

Okay, so couch dyeing was a bust, but I'm over it. And as much as I love my bf (yes, I'm a 13 yr old), her taste in all things shabby-chic is not one I share (very often), and the couch falls into that category (sorry, Laur). Therefore, I have decided to bite the bullet and go back to Ikea for the blue couch cover. This follows a moderately fruitful shopping pilgrimage today which produced many things, including the perfect giant brown pillows for the couch, sheets for the pull-out (I feel like a grown-up; I have sheets for guests to use!), and an actual decorating plan for the (1920's? 1950's?) bathroom, which is a minty-seafoamish green colour with very deco tiles. For the record, I've decided it just SCREAMS kitschy-cool, and thus am now on the hunt for a black and crystal chandelier, black and white towels, and the most kitsch-fantastic wall art to be found. Suggestions are welcome!
Meanwhile, the aforementioned couch is turning out the opposite of what I'd had in mind- the brown couch with the blue cusions is now the blue couch with the brown cusions. Or, it will be, whenever I find the time to go back to Ikea. Which, I have no more of. Time, that is.
I move in four days. Frightening.
I have packed four boxes of books, plus one of books that will not be coming with me, though where they will be going is still airborne. I'll find them a good home.
And speaking of books, I joined a book club! Yes, I know, anyone whose ever known me is questioning why this didn't happen a very, very, very long time ago. but this group is really good. They're fun and young and eclectic, and they're real readers! Some of them are even sci-fi's and fantasy fanatics like me! I think I'm going to have fun. I'm sure I'll talk incessantly about it here.
So, yes, bookclub on monday and shopping tonight, and the weekend was spent (wasted) errantly trying to turn my couch brown, and also I went to Hamlet with some friends, many of them bookclubbers. Oh, and Hugh and I had dinner monday, too. So, basically, with three days before I move, I'm still wasting time and not packing! I love how I do this.

Insert scream of frustration here.

So, I bought a slipcover for my couch.
It was the wrong colour, but Mom suggested we dye it.
We spent lots of $ on dye, cause it takes a ton of dye to dye a couch cover. I used black and brown, becuase I wanted a deep espresso colour.
It was very very hard to do. We had to go out and buy more supplies three times. the thing soaked in our bathtub for two days. It was heavy and messy and it took forever.
But, then it was an okay colour. Not espresso, but I could live the with chocolate colour I'd achieved- I was proud that I'd done it on my own; that made me like it more.
I followed the directions. At the end, it said 'rinse with cold water until water runs clear, then wash separately in hot water to remove last of dye.'
I put it in the wash. I put the washer to 'hot'.
Now my slipcover is the colour of old pea soup.
I have spent too much $ on it already, I'm too exhausted to try and dye it again, and I'm so freaking disappointed...
Why is everything lately ending up like this???
Everything's a gong show. This sucks.
I'm going to go buy myself the damn blue slipcover. What a freakin waste of money.

Pack some books.

...written Thursday.

I slept well last night, but goings-on lately have been so wholly exhausting that I’m still tired today.
I know I haven’t blogged lately- trust me when I say that I’ve been busy. Short summary:

-Mortgage no, looked for apartment, ate deli, found apartment- 2nd floor, bach, a little rough, but good price.
-The brother moved! New condo is GORGEOUS.
-Sold Royal Doultons online, made me some bucks. Sent off three.
-Went to Hamilton with friends, hard-core partying, tired but good next day.
- Piano in old apartment taken away to reside with Laura until further notice (officially it’s my brothers’), large pile o’ boxes shows up to replace it.
-Packed some books.
-Went back to new apt building to drop off Confirmation of Employment letter, found out they had another bach. open, went to see it, switched to that one- 5th (top) floor, same layout, better kept-up, balcony…going to re-label #5 button in elevator to say ‘PH’.
-Packed some books
-Went shopping with work-friends Mary and Catherine. Hunt for mittens was fruitless, bought books.
-Chose colours for paint in new apt- blue kitchen, beige everything else.
-Found out two of three Royal Doultons arrived smashed, have little brother taking care of my problems!
-Packed some books
-Mom sold dining room table, table taken away. Notable lack of chairs in old apt.
-Whirlwind adventure in search of the perfect slipcover for ugly ugly couch that three-legged cat ADORES, found one of perfect shape and near-perfect size (we’ll just tell the couch to suck it in)…wrong colour. Purchased anyway. Upcoming events: Adventures in couch-dyeing!

All I have time for right now. Gotta go…well, guess.

Busy week (though, aren't they all?)

Hi People,
I am writing from Hugh's place (again). This has been a big week (they're all pretty big lately), and I'm rather tired. Though that could also have something to do with the fact that we were out till 230 last night (this morning, technically), and it's 9am and I'm already awake. I'm odd that way- give me a weekend at home, and prying me out of a bed requires a crow bar and a corkscrew (yeah, I didn't get that one either), but if I'm at my friend's place, I'm always up early in the morning. And it's not because I'm uncomfortable or the place is unfamiliar- I've been on that futon at least a million times- it's just a quirk, I guess.
Anyways. I went to see that apartment I mentioned (I think I mentioned it- the beautiful one). You know that thing they say about when something seems too good to be true, it usually is? Yeah- they're right. The apartment that was listed online, with the beautiful pictures, well, the beautiful pictures were of some other apartment. Grrr.
And my bankerfrriend totally came through. I had an appointment at the bank yesterday, and they were really nice and promised they'd get back to me right away (which is already more than I got from the first guy- jerk). So, it's by far not a done deal, and there are no guarantees that I'll get what I want, but at least they're trying for me. Combine this with the fact that banker is also the one helping me get a passport, and I've begun calling him my own personal Santa. Btw, Santa...I want a brown leather purse.
And it's not all been boring busy house stuff! Mom and I got unexpected tickets to Stratford last weekend, and saw Twelfth Night. It was great. Then on thursday, Hugh calls me up and asks if I want to go see Wicked with him and some med school friends? Yeah, I do! The show was really, really good, which was great since I really disliked the book. Admittedly, the week was also filled with a buttload of housecleaning (they're starting to show our apartment- annoying), and stress, and work, and stupid everything-that's-going-on stuff, but at least I'm enjoying the moments in between.
Now, I should get off Hugh's computer, cause I totally snuck on in the first place (Hugh's asleep- I couldn't ask!), and I want to watch a Scrubs episode or two before I jet home. Mom and I have a lot to do this weekend, and I have to go mess up my room- it's really really clean, and that's freakin me out.

Forthing

Please to imagine a giant pendulum, upon which I cling tenuously, being pulled through the air. Yup, that is my life. I’m up, I’m down, I’m back, I’m forth. Have you ever forthed? It’s very tiring.

Okay, so at the last check point my mortgage app was dead in the water, and I was wrestling with yet another Change In Plans. Since then I had regained my even-keeledness on the subject, and was moving forward with the revived plan to rent an apartment, and was actually starting to like the idea, in all its simplicity and lemmingness. Especially since I discovered (online) a place that looks pretty darn good (again, I’ve only seen it online- I’m reserving final judgement).
You’ll notice I said I had regained my equilibrium (see, here’s where the forthing comes in).
So, I blog about the stuff that goes on (the more I need to wrap my head around it, the more I blog about it), and Lauren reads the blog o’ Bethany, and (as it turns out) shows said blog to boyfriend (who is big-time banker type; tres impressive), and I get an email; do I want banker friend extraordinaire to help with the on-its-last-legs mortgage app? HELL YES!
There was also an extended phone convo with the across-the-pond aunt, which culminated in the tentative plan to (finally) get me over there for a visit circa 2008. This most excellent news was forwarded to the best friend, which (telephone-style) was also passed along to the banker, though (again with the telephone reference- we’re referring to the game here, people), was wrongly interpreted. Apparently, the grapevine now has me moving to Ireland next year. Wrong-o, friends. Not quite yet.
Anyways, so that’s the gist of it. I find myself (once again) in the waiting game, trying to see what is going to end up happening to me, one way or the other. Mom did have a point, the other day, though; I won’t be ending up homeless. It’s a comforting thought.

Paraskevidekatriaphobia

It might be because it's Friday the 13th. It might be because of some cosmic convergence of the planets. All I know is, I don't know how much more of this upheaval I can take.
I had a plan. It was a plan thought up by my brother (which makes it reasonable), approved by my mother (which makes it comfortable), and which I had definitely started to feel good about. I'd get a mortgage, buy a condo, have a place to live when Mom moved away. It was a good plan; I was starting to look forward to having a place of my own, a place to live.
That was probably my mistake. I should know better than to feel confident about something like this, to start to think about doing things like buying chaise lounges.
I called my mortgage guy (again) today- he's a little hard to get hold of. Know what he told me? That because I'd only been at my job for ten months (as opposed to twelve), I can't get a mortgage. Basically, this means that I have to find some hole to live in for two measly months, not even bother to unpack my stuff, then apply for a mortgage all over again and move a second time in a three-month period.
This sucks.
I hate moving. Hate it. I moved six times in five years in university- it was supposed to stop when I graduated. I finished school, I have a real job, I live in a big city- what more do they want?
I'm at Hugh's right now- this is one of the first times I've blogged away from home. I'm just glad I went to see friends tonight instead of going home. I don't like saying that- Mom's leaving, and I should be all cuddly and taking advantage of her being around and stuff, but everything's so crazy and high-strung right now (with both of us) that at home I'm either going crazy getting buried in all this stuff, or else I'm holing myself up in my room trying to avoid it all. Neither of these is a good option.
I vented for Hugh for, like, two hours over dinner tonight. It helped- talking to my own private impartial parties always helps strighten things out- but there is only so much better this situation can get, I guess, which is probably why I'm still feeling the need to vent by blogging.
Anyways, I should get back to said friends. Besides, Hugh's laptop is hard to type on.

Book bitch

You know what's a bitch? Books. Books are a bitch to box up. Books are a bitch to move. Books make moving a bitch. Moving is a bitch with books. Moving is a bitch, and I'd rather just read a book. Ha!

A little scattered.

Wrote this at work (on my break)

There are napkins in my shoes, and it is very uncomfortable.
Today kind of sucks. Its raining out; the kind of raining that makes you think that nature has something against you, personally. My slacks are wet (as if having to wear slacks wasn’t bad enough), and my pretty shoes are squishy.
The brother was over again last night; he needed to send away a thing he sold on ebay, and Mom has all the packing tape. But I’ll get to that later.
I was surprised to see my bro cause he’d been over all weekend (it was Canadian Thanksgiving, for you ex-pats and non-pats and such). He came over on Friday and announced that he’d heard about the most amazing thing.

The brother: It’s a turkey that’s stuffed with a duck, that’s stuffed with a chicken!
Mom: I know what you’re talking about; it’s called ‘tofurkey’…wait, no that’s not right…
Bethany: Those are going to be some pissed-off vegetarians at your table, Mom.
Mom (laughing): Shut up, you always make fun of me! ‘Turducken’, it’s called ‘turducken’.
The brother: Well, then I want one of those for Thanksgiving- let’s have trefucken.
Mom: dies laughing.
Bethany: I have to get home and blog this.
Mom: Don’t blog this! You always make me look silly!

…Sorry, Mom.
I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. Other than a big meal, my family (The brother, Mom, I and the Robins) got together and went to the movies. We saw ‘The U.S. vs. John Lennon’, which was very good.
I can’t seem to really grab on to any one subject today. Forgive me.
I said I’d come back to the packing tape thing. Packing tape, of course, refers to packing, which has begun. It’s official; my mother is moving across the country. I need to find me a new place to live. I don't know where that will be yet. And I'm working onthe money thing. I'm looking onto getting a condo, cause the prospect of renting is frankly depressing. Also, Mom and the bro are pretty convincing with how the whole money thing works (I never paid that much attention to it; I don't care for it, I never had, it's just not really who I am). So, I'm trusting them, and already told the brother that if something goes wrong with this plan, I'm moving in with him.

Now, I know there's a lot more to say, and my days are so busy (you have no idea how much is going on right now- changes upon changes, and we're trying to keep everything straight; that's impossible), but I'll try to blog again soon. Hopefully, more coherently. I'm not going to stop writing anytime soon, that's for sure.

I'll plant my tree in the middle of the spinning world

I kind of feel like the world around me is spinning really, really fast, and I'm standing in the middle of it, all still, just watching it speed past me. You know when you're in a car, and the scenery outside is moving, but you're not, and your eyes try to see what's out there, but you can only focus on one thing at a time, and so you miss things in between? I feel like that...
The fact that this is New Year is just terribly appropriate- new beginnings and whatnot.
By the way, I hope your new year is happy, and I wish you all the best. I got a really nice email from my Chicago cousin- we really ought to correspond more than we do.
I got the job; the one I mentioned before? I'm now a permanent employee of my company, with salary and benefts and real responsibilities and things. It's been a fast two weeks, learning the job, trying to get the hang of things, and trying to get everything that needs doing done, cause having to learn everything from scratch slows me down, so at the end of the day (even if I've learned a lot) I feel like I haven't accomplished much, because project-wise, I only finished one or two things. It's frustrating, but I'm coming along. And I'm really happy about the job thing.
And now I'm looking for my own place to live, which is this whole big thing, and kind of sudden, but that's because of something to do with the Mom I live with, and if she had a blog then you'd read about that there, but I won't put it down here. Suffice it to say, I need me a place to live.
I'll admit it was a little sooner than I anticipated (I know, I'm 25, and shouldn't be talking about STILL living with my mother), but I'd kind of been thinking that I'd have some 'saving up' time between getting the big job and moving-on-up. I think fate is holdning a rug and laughing at me on my ass. I'm okay with the moving out- I am- it's just a little sudden, and I'll admit, I'm not quick with the whole 'giant responsibility' thing. I'm processing.
So, we went out and looked at a few places, and I will say this; this is a bloody expensive city to live in. It kind of sucks. Really.
So, what I can afford is probably a bachelor apartment, an idea which I am not entirely comfortable with, and which, a week ago, I was dead-set against (there have been 'discussions' with Mom; I'm coming around). But I'm thinking now that if I can find something that is marginally more than a box, I might be able to do something with it. It's just the idea that if I invite someone over, I'm inviting them to my bedroom; that wigs me out.
On the other hand, I am liking the thought of having my own place. I told Mom some of my plans- I'm going to paint it blue and beige, there's a chaise lounge at Ikea I'll be buying, etc., and her comment was something along the lines 'aww, you're nesting', which I found rather distasteful and gross. I'm not laying a freaking egg, I just want my own damn house for the first time in my life (I'm almost 26, I figure it's about time).
So those are the two major things that have been chewing my brain, and a good reason why I haven't blogged in so long (a lot of the 'before' part of what I'm writing here had more to do with my mother than with me, so I was censored. BOO!)
There have been other things, though. Hugh's birthday is next week, and for it he wants to get a tattoo, which is something I have been thinging about (on and off, seriously and not) for years. Lauren, too, is up with this idea, and I wouldn't have been (Mom's pretty adamantly against them, her main argument being that when you get old, they sag and it's gross, and also, that you're doing something permanent to your skin that you might not want later.) My response to that is that a tattoo is something you get at one point in your life, and for the rest of your life, you can look at it and REMEMBER that point. Who cares if, when you're sixty, you're not the type of person who would go out and get a tattoo? You can look down at that whatever on your whatver and think of how, when you were 25, you were that type of person. Also, I kind of like the idea (warning, this is morbid) that when I die, and end up on some table in a morgue, that there will still be something there of me. It's like tying something of your self to your skin, which is otherwise kind of empty-vessel-like.
Anyways, like I said, despite all this, I wasn't really up for a tattoo, because I do work in a corporate world, so I'd like to be able to hide whatever I had on me, but I don't like the idea of tattoos that are in private places, because then if you want to show someone, you have to show your whatever, or else you can't show them at all. And I also don't like something like, on your back, because what's the point of getting something on your skin of you can't see it without a mirror and contortions? However, I've thought of the perfect place. It's private but not private, always hidden unless I don't want it so, and even if I was in the middle of the cafeteria at work, if I wanted to show someone, I could, and I wouldn't get fired. The only problem is, it would hurt a lot, and be really, really hard to heal. So, I have some thinking to do. I also have to settle on a design. I'm thinking a tree. Trees are permanence, they are roots, they are growth and life, they are solidity, knowledge, the balance of good and evil...they have a place in (just about) every religion, in every mythology. So, I'm thinking a tree. But, I'm open to suggestions.
There's more to write- we went to Rosh Hashona dinner last night with the Robins, and it was really nice, and their new place (yeah, everyone is moving) is great- oh! and my uncle gave me a piece of his artwork (he does wood carvings), and I am so jazzed about having one, this thing is awesome)...but I'm tired right now, and there's beading to be done. It's Sunday, and I have a great big day of bedsurfing planned. Wahoo.

Unintentionally wonderful

Forgive me; I wrote this blog on paper (old school) on the bus on the way home from work a couple of days ago...so, it's already out of date. But here you go, anyways.

I feel spun. Totally dizzy. Ever have a day that's just so beyond good- and none of it your own doing, like "I went to Disneyworld and thus had a good time", but an unintentionally great day, like "I tripped on a diamond on my way to work this morning" type of day. I just had one of those.
It started out normal. Then I got a call to go to one of the marketing managers' offices. We talked about a job for me. Then I talked to another mm- about a job for me. Then I talked to a third mm, who'd talked to an editor about me, for a job. Then I got called back to the first mm's office for a 'follow up', that included lines like "Your salary will be..." "You get full benefits and bonus...", and, "Your start date is..."
YAY!
Then, (like that's not enough), the prez of the division walked into my cubie at the end of the day, and asked me if I could help him with something. (This is a guy I never have contact with, he's so far above me. I didn't know he knew my name.) He leads me into his offie, sits down at his computer and says "I messed up my font, can you fix it?"
For a moment, the voice in my head is like, (dripping sarcasm) 'No, why would you think *I* could do that?' But then I saw what it was he'd done, and I totally fixed it. For the prez!
And I'll go on, cause there's just so many reasons why life is great right now. Like, guess what I'm typing this on right now? My new compy.
Yeah, the brother came over a couple of weeks ago and tried to reformat my computer, and it laughed at him and then lost it's brain. Within the same day, he had convinced me (and helped me) to order a brand-spankin-new computer! (You know my brother; the one who can talk a cat into water.) Now my new computer is here and it's wonderful! Its fast and un-bulky and shiny...I feel a little guilty, cause my old monitor was sort-of a birthday present from my aunt. But I used it and loved it well, plus it was kind of huge, and if I ever move my butt out of my mother's house, this new one will be much easier to move.
Also, last weekend the brother came over and he and Mom and I went kayaking, which I'd never done before, and it was very fun. Relaxing and natureful in the middle of Toronto; we saw herons and cormorants and ducks and minnows and dead carp and blackflies and lost tennis balls and shopping carts and a subway train. Then we went home and inhaled a pizza.
Anyways, I can think of a bunch more good things right now, but this is getting kind of long, and I've gotta go. Hope you're all doing great, too!

Life keeps getting in the way of beading

I don't really know why (it wasn't a deliberate act on my part), but in the past three weeks or so, every new jobn posting at work has looked really good to me- so I've applied. Its a good thing, ostensibly, except that three in three weeks (and all ther interviews are, like, now) is making it seem like I'm kind of eager to get out of there (except they're all positions within the company, so that's not exactly true). All I know is, work right now is busy, and therefore stressful, and I pretty much don't have time for all these interviews.
Except that they're a great excuse for buying new clothes. Which is great, except that my whole plans for yesterday were to park myself at this great beadstore I found (not as good as Deb's, but nothing is) and bead for hours at their 'free bead' session (basically just a bunch of beaders getting together). Its nice cause you get to meet new people, share techniques, show off your work, and get ideas for new stuff. But instead I got an interview scheduled for the next day, and had to forego beading in lieu of interview prep. Not that I'm complaining about having an interview- I just really wanted to bead.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get dressed- I have an interview!

Her as a mother can be an adventure

Know what's illegal in our building? Barbeques. Know what she has? A barbeque. Know what she did with it tonight? Made burgers. Then, an unintentional campfire, out of a bag of potting soil, that was next to...the propane tank! We finish our dinner, and she goes, "What's that smell?" Then, "Oh, shit", then, "Get me water!" "I need towels!"

Me: What did you do?
Her: I started a fire! Ssh!
Me: What do you mean, you started a fire, and also, 'ssh' does not logically follow the words 'I started a fire!'
Her: Just be quiet and get me water!

Yeah, so now I smell like a campfire (that has been put out, don't worry!), and she can't stop laughing about it.
"You know, I thought, when I put that stuff under the barbeque, that it might not be the best idea. I was right!" she says, and then accuses me of going off to blog in the middle of a crisis. The crisis was dealt with by the time I started this, though, and besides, as Lauren's blog states, Isaac Asimov once said, "If the doctor told me I had six minutes left to live...I'd type a little faster."

Long-awaited update (and it's not up-to-date!)

I have three types of mornings at work: there’s the bright, happy morning with work that involves activity, and a clock that goes extra fast. These mornings, I have an English muffin, if I remember and have time to go to the caf.

Then, there are quiet mornings, which involve the usual English muffin, and a cold pop or juice. It wakes you up, especially in warm summer days.

Then, there are hot chocolate mornings. Even in summer, they arrive. They’re the days better spent in bed, the days when, given the chance, you *might* have had a shower and got ready for the day…around three.

Monday (Today) was a hot chocolate morning.

I feel I need to recover from the weekend. We went camping, though honestly that doesn’t really cover what we did and why it left me feeling roadkillesque.

There was the trek to Orangeville, to Laur and Kev’s shiny-new grown-up residence (have I mentioned that?), which in itself is a marathon of public transportation: a bus, a subway, a train, an inter-city bus, and then a car ride. We met Hugh at their place (he’s just made purchase of his first motorcycle, and wanted the practice the drive up would give him). Dinner, then a bunch of laying around, including a movie. Late night.

Saturday morning saw us moving slug-like, until we got on the road (oneish?) and drove two hours to the campground. The site was nice- trees and everything- but this was pretty bare-bones camping on our part- we had a tent. And that was about it, in terms of camping gear.

We bought a pie-iron. Know what that is? It’s an iron square, that flips open and fits two slices of bread and filling in it. You put it in the fire and it makes pie-like concoctions. Think rustic sandwich-maker. We had grilled cheese for two days!

That night we went down to the beach around midnight. It was incredible- I don’t really think of myself as a city girl, but I certainly felt like one then. There were so many stars! I forgot that you can actually see the Milky Way. Now I remember.

Sleeping was…well, is camping sleep ever very good? Use your imaginations.

And then there was a day on the beach (mucho sun), and a LONG way home, with A&W for dinner. Not the best choice, but we wanted something fast and…fast.

The upshot? I don’t want to eat anything but salad for a week.

There’s a way to blog through email. I have to look into that. I keep thinking about stuff that happens and thinking “I’ll blog that”, and then I get distracted, or busy, or whatever, and forget about it. And then I feel guilty, which is not something I want from my blog.

This has been one busy summer, but it has definitely been a summer (there have been years when the friends we so spread out that we rarely (if ever) saw each other, and the only thing (it felt like) I did was work. Those were not summers. Those were days with a hot commute, and you enjoy none of it. But this summer is good, with beach days and 48 hour parties and, believe it or not, baseball games (the brother took me! It was fun).



But that doesn’t mean that this summer’s been nothing but wildness. Work is okay. They put me back down to part-time hours (for budget reasons; I’m still doing well there). I don’t like the lack of hours to get stuff done, and I’m definitely disappointed with the less money thing, but I’m not really railing against the ‘Fridays off’ thing as much as I could be. As for the whole deal with doing something other than being an intern? Well, as most already know, it’s pretty obvious I never went for that Calgary thing; it just wasn’t right, either the timing or the place or something amorphous and ephemeral that I couldn’t put my finger on, but that was there. My instincts haven’t steered me wrong before, so I trust them.

I have, however, put my name in the hat for another position. In BC.

Yeah, I know. I doubt I’ll get it- there’s lots of competition to go out there, and I’ve got to be the most inexperienced applicant there is, but once I thought about applying for it, things just kind of rolled that way, which is usually a good sign for me. Mom went out there last year, and when she came back all she said was “You’d love it out there; it’s where you belong.”

Princess and the pea

Today, I spent more money, in one day, than I ever have before in my life.
No, seriously- I've paid for places to live that cost me less than what I spent today.
I had to call the bank and get them to raise my limit (for the record, the bank is very helpful with that, and quick too!)
I bought a bed. And shoes, but the big thing was the bed.
Hooray, I have a new bed! It's gigantic and fluffy and brand-spankin-new and mine-all-mine and I'm happy and proud (and a little jittery about spending lots of my money, cause it's kind of precious stuff, and I don't have oodles of it).
But I'm glad I did it.
Bed shopping has got to be one of the most rediculous things you can do in public, legally.
You just walk into the middle of a store and lie down repeatedly. You bounce and you twist, and you make Odalisque poses and you say things like "Mushy isn't good, but I like the one with the bumpies" or "This one is too sinkey", while Mom prattles on about back support. Forget back support; I'm sleeping on cloud nine! (Maybe I'll name my new bed that, get a little sign for it...)
And the cats'll be happy.
Too bad I can't just put a kaibosh (sp?) on all spenditures from now on to let my wallet recover; I've gotta buy new sheets! And covers, and pillow cases, and more pillows...
And I think I'm going to get out my green beads, and bead myself a little green pea, to put underneath the mattress- for luck.

The world is one intimidating oyster

Okay, so I just (read: Tuesday evening) got back from a business trip to Montreal that my company sent me on. Yes, yes, it’s terribly cool that an intern got flown to Montreal, put up in one swank of a hotel (I’ve decided that swank can be a noun if I want it to), and wined-and-dined on the company dollar.

Speaking of which, man, was that food good. Montrealers and business people sure do know how to eat! Even the wine was good, and for me, that’s saying something.

But the thing to pay attention to here is, I was eating with the big businessman, namely my boss’s boss, the VP of marketing.

And what did we talk about? Well, among other things, what I was going to do post-internship.

Now, it isn’t like this snuck up on me. I knew this dinner would happen, I knew this is what we would talk about. I even knew what I was going to say.

See, my boss is a coordinator. She’s already said that I’m working ‘above an intern; you’re doing the job of a coordinator’. And frankly, that suits me just fine. My ideal was, come end-of-internship, change my title, and my pay, and leave everything else alone. I can be Bethany the marketing coordinator, in my familiar desk with the good locale, doing the job I know, and am good at, and like.

So this is what I say. I say, “I like marketing. I’d like to stay.”

And he says “What about sales?”

I try to say no politely. I think I need practice with saying no politely. Not that I wasn’t polite. I said something about wanting to be stationary for a while, having not had roots (or, for that matter, even my own pot of soil) for, like, ever. (If you follow my metaphor, that is. Lauren says I use too many of these, and that they’re often incomprehensible. She claims the need for a metaphortress to guard herself in.)

But yeah, so I’m like, ‘sales isn’t for me’, in different words, of course.

But see, my boss, he’s a salesman. And I think he kind of wants to sell me on sales. So he starts ‘selling’. (And it goes without saying how cool it is to have the big boss trying to talk you into a position.)

The money- wow.

The perks- wow.

The moving to somewhere I’ve never been- wow.

The never being home- ow.

The stress- ow.

And yes, I’m, as I said myself, fairly rootless. And it’s true that I own, like, next to nothing, and could pick up an move with about 30 seconds’ thought. But do I want to? I don’t really feel done with Toronto yet.

And sales sounds (and as far as I can tell, is) fairly exciting. But do I like exciting that much?

It may paint me with the fuddy-duddy brush to say so, but I kind of like the quiet life. I like sitting in front of the television and beading for hours. I like laying about on a Sunday with nothing to do, cause you’ve got time to do those errands later. I like staying in bed long hours after waking up, with the very very good excuse that I’m doing it ‘because I can’.

On the other hand, debt has a stress all its own. And sales is (pretty undoubtedly) where the money is. It would be good to get rid of those student loans before I hit my forties.

And it’s pretty damn cool to have my boss’s boss talking to me about moving not just into a full time place in the company, but way up there on the chain. You know what sales reps who are done being out in the field do? They become marketing managers. And marketing managers become VP’s. And then they do whatever they want, cause they’re just that impressive.

And yet, and yet.

There’s still the thought of Britain that haunts me (literally like a spectre of a Union Jack that floats though my brain at odd moments). If I’m so rootless that sales seems such a possibility, then why do I hesitate with the idea of moving over there? Well, for one, it feels like I’d be abandoning my student loan, which is ridiculous and I know it, I could pay that from England just as easily as I could from here, but part of me still wants to feel FREE…

And I haven’t even tried editorial yet. I don’t want to do another internship after this one, really, I’m ready for the real-thing job now, but going into sales means going for that whole marketing career thing, and I’m still not sure I want that.

Also, I wonder what happened to the trade dream? (Real lit books, like you find in Chapters, not textbooks). That’s what I got into publishing for, wasn’t it? And, if I don’t even try to go there, am I following the money? That’s not like me…

See, I knew I was looped on this subject, and now I’m sitting here typing endlessly, and it’s painfully obvious how looped I am.

And there’s more. I was about to type that I need to talk to Lauren to help me figure all this out (she’s a touchstone), but she and Kev are leaving for the tropics in a couple of days. Good for them, but now I’m thinking of how Laur’s leaving for Australia in a remarkably short time, and that’s just one less root I have holding me..anywhere.

Mom’s the same.

Heck, Kev doesn’t even live in this city, and Hugh’s busy all the time and that’s only going to get worse. The few times he does get off, he likes to go traveling- I’d probably see more of him if he was coming to visit me somewhere else than if we were still living in the same city.

So it comes down to a position, that pays well, comes with som e damn good perks, on my very own silver platter...but, with a lifestyle that I'm not sure is what I want, with a lot of risk of nothing going the least bit well, and with a choice that doesn't really feel like mine.
The world is my oyster, but I don't even know if I like oysters.

Contacts, contact, cat, and coat

I can’t decide whether this is a good thing or a bad thing; you wear glasses every single day, and it’s fine. Then one day (for very little reason), you wear contacts…and nobody notices. What I can’t decide is, does that mean your glasses are particularly good, that they allow your face to be focused upon and don’t distract others, or is it bad, that your frames do nothing for you? Would it be better to keep wearing them, since the added hassle of contacts seems to hardly be worth it, if wearing the contacts makes so little difference?
I can’t decide whether to feel pleased or put out.

That was yesterday. Yesterday was also the day that Mom and I had the brother over for dinner (breakfast for dinner; ham and eggs and hashbrowns and beans…mmm…). I should mention (so that this makes sense), that for the lazy everyday, Mom and I eat at the coffee table in the living room, in front of the tv (yeah, we’re unmannered plebes- bite me). And three around that table is a lot more crowded than two. Result? My plate sliding off the beveled edge and flipping over before hitting the floor. Do you have any idea how much mess that makes? Or how disappointing that is? It started out so tasty…
And then my snobby-assed cat stuck his nose up at it. We tried six times, he was disinterested. He stole the leftover ham off Mom’s plate and attacked that, he licked the brother’s plate clean. He wouldn’t touch mine. Jerk.

And we spent the night talking about what was new, including the plans Mom has to go back out west at the end of the summer. She keeps being so conflicted; she so excited about going, but at the same time she keeps stopping herself and saying ‘but this can’t continue this way…’ I get her conflictedness, cause she’s right, but she’s happy too. So boo to confusion, do what feels good (my everlasting philosophy).

Speaking of doing what is good and not always ideal, I bought (another) coat. Long ago (read: highschool), I had an addiction to buying coats that was less than good. I think I had five. Or six. For one season.
Anyway, I broke myself of that habit, mainly by refusing to buy a coat, any coat, for, like, a couple of years. And by then none of the old ones fit, but I was averse to buying a new one, and then it was a chore…
I’ve wandered off track here. My story is, I needed (desperately) a coat for spring, and couldn’t find anything nice or well-fitting. I didn’t think my demands were that bad- I didn’t want black, I didn’t want a trench, I didn’t want a belt, and I didn’t want to pay more than a certain amount (a big certain amount; I was frustrated, and that drives up what I’m willing to pay) for it. (This was weeks ago, btw). What did I end up getting? A short, black, trench with a belt. That I like ok. It did the job.
And now the weather is gorgeous, with tons of sun, and every afternoon is so hot that you can’t wear a coat. A coat is definitely no longer what I need.
So, of course, I found a beautiful, perfect, everything-I-wanted coat, and (unwisely, pointlessly, foolishly, indulgently) bought it. I love it. It’s green and white and long…it looks a little more like a Lauren coat than a me coat, and I want her to try it on, but she can’t have it.
It’s mine, as impractical as it is. And it will stay in that closet as long as it bloody-well has to, until I get to wear it. Even if I am forty by then.

Oh joyous day, kaloo, kalay!

My shopping drought seems to be over! I’ve been to three malls in three days, and I’ve got a ton a great stuff (purses and skirts and hats, oh my!). I adore spending money. Hard-earned money that I’ve willingly given up (from Vivah) to spare myself further aggravation. Yes, folks, as of a week today, my tenure at the jewelry store is through. Huzzah!
Actually, everyone’s had a good week this week. Lauren got accepted to teacher’s college, and has decided to fly away to Australia for a year, come February (cry, cry), and her program includes a short practical placement in Africa, which just couldn’t be any cooler (Bite your tongue- I can hear that bad pun about the weather in Africa that you’re dying to give voice to. Squash the voice, lest ye be judged, and found nerdly.)
Also, Laur recently did a job (she works for a company that does graphic design for ads and stuff) for the Royal Ontario Museum, for some symposium thingie on dining (of all things), and they gave her free tickets to the first night of the symposium, and she took me, and the keynote speaker turned out to be one of my old art history profs from Mac! She did a lecture on dining in the Roman ages, complete with slides, that was exactly like being back at school. It was very neat.
And Hugh and Lisa were (very randomly) offered a free movie at one of the most expensive Silvercity’s (great big movie theatre) in the city, and it was all about gymnastics (Lisa’s a gymnast, so- appropriate!), and Mom and I (after one good shopping blitz on Friday after work) went out for dinner, where we got great service from a cute waiter, who gave us three entrees (Mom’s first one was disappointing), and then they asked us some questions and gave us everything for free (how cool is that?).

And other big things have been happening. Jerry recently visited. I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned Jerry, or maybe I have, but only in passing. See, the whole Jerry thing started right around the time that Mom was getting all up-in-arms over my putting stuff about her on here, and I was pretty sure I’d lose my head if I mentioned him online, so I trod lightly.
But here come the stompin’ boots!
Okay, so for the record… Jerry and Mom dated in highschool (think flowerpower), and then left their hometown and went separate ways. This was forever ago, and now they’re back together. It’s a totally strange, but kind of simple-in-a-full-circle kind of way. Meh. She’s happy, the details are moo (a cow’s opinion).
And he came to visit! (This is a big deal- Jerry lives on the other side of the country, and hey, it’s a big country.) He was nervous about meeting the brother- that was cute. And he’s, like, freaky smart. He’s a good guy. (Jerry, don’t let this go to your head, though).
So, Mom was all ridiculous for a couple of weeks (lol). It sounds like they had a good time.
And what has she done since he left? She cut off all her hair. (Had it cut off by a stylist, that is. It wasn’t some freaky scissor-fest a la Royal Tenenbaums). Very risky, but I think it’s good.

What else is new? OH! Work is totally awesome (at the publishing place). They’re sending me to Montreal! I get to go to fly up all by myself (I sound like a four year old when I say that, don’t I?), and go to a conference, and have dinner with the boss and stuff! Plus, I got to book my own flight times, so I totally get some free time, which is cool cause I’ve never been to Montreal, and the company is paying (but it’s not like I’m doing anything wrong or anything- they approved it!). I’m so freakin’ excited!

Anyways, I think that’s all I can think of for now. I’ve been checking out this site called the Brick Testament that Jerry told me about, but honestly I have yet to get through it, or form a solid opinion of it, so I’ll hold off comment till later. Hope everyone’s week’s been good like ours, even if it rained.

The winds of change are a-blowin’

I’m going to quit my job at the jewelry store, I think.

I’m pretty sure.

I’ll know by Saturday.

I hate it there. I ranted to Lauren, wanna see?



God, I hope you check your email today.
I have been thinking, for three days, of quitting my job (at Vivah). I'm sick of their corporate bs, managers who don't know what 'management' means (or 'corporate responsibility', or 'responsibility' at all, or 'equality'...)
And the pay sucks ass and I'm barely making anything there and I'm sick of it.
But, it's not like my internship is stable or long-lasting or secure or anything. And I liked having a backup.
But then, jobs like the jewelry store are all over the place, and if I really needed another I could probably find one really easily, in a better mall, with a better company.
At the very least, it couldn't be worse.
Yeah, I know I haven't asked you anything yet, and I'm not really looking for you to tell me what to do here. I know this is my decision- I'm just working through it, I guess.
But the thing is, I have a shift on saturday, and theres some bs 'staff meeting' during it (and it's a good thing I'm aready scheduled, cause if I had to come in for that on my own time...), and the manager will be there, and I'm really thinking it's the best time to hand her my letter of resignation. I don't know why I have this feeling of 'now or never', but I do.
And I have no idea what to do. The fact that this job isn't a lot of effort is still true...but everyone else moves on, and I'm the only one who hasn't, and it's rediculous that I'm working at an internship that pays a third more than the manager makes at Vivah, and I'm still dealing with their crap.
And I know I'm rambling.
I've never left a job for a reason other than I was moving away for school. Except once, I left the ice cream place for Nordia. But that was a lot more money, and a permanent job, and a long time ago, when the only thing my money was going towards was candy and magazines.
Now I have bills and stuff.
Am I asking you for backbone? Is that what this email is about?
See, even I don't know.



Yeah, so that’s what I ranted to Lauren. And it’s true, about my ‘now or never’ feeling. I’m not sure where this idea came from, but I just know that if I’m not done with that place, officially, by Saturday, that I just won’t leave.

I want to leave, that much of my scattered thoughts have been nailed down. And I’m really not getting anything out of it anymore. And I’ve been there longer than anyone else, and my sales are good, but they neither notice, nor care.

My manager is nineteen, and was hired as a seller four months ago. And they made her a manager. I can't even ask for a reccomendation from that place because there's no one whose been there as long as I have, and no one I'd want one from anyways. Heck, I'm the oldest one there!

Mom says (truthfully and rightly) (is rightly a word?) that jobs like that are a dime a dozen. If I need another one later I can get one.

Hopefully I won’t have to. I love my publishing job, and want to stay in it (or at least have the option to) for the next thirty years.

But as for the jewelry store? Stick a fork in me, I’m done.