A round peg in a square hole

Funny, this life.

2007-10-11T12:18:00.001-05:00

I've been chewing the thought of starting a fresh, new blog for the past couple months. It feels so strange to return to this page after such a long absence. I'm sure my readership has all but disappeared, but I'm more concerned about those who join me now. Checking over the archives you'll see some large gaps here and there, sylistic changes and perhaps wonder: WTF?

Basically, while I have been musing here for years, I definitely get distracted by other things in life. Shiny objects, pretty boys, hours of overtime, etc. I'll do my best to sum up an overall life update here.

Sean and I are wonderful. Work is insanely busy, but oh the adventures I've been on. Family is well, my neice is gorgeous and I miss her madly. Facebook is changing the world. Britney is going down, and Lindsay is rising again. I've traveled all over, New York to Whistler, with a few stops in between. This month I have Fargo, Churchill (to see the bears) and Kansas City on my radar.

I am here again largely because I want a place to write from on my travels. I'll try to cover some of the highlights of this year's visits on here too. At least I won't run out of things to write about for a while.

:)

Her lumps?

2007-04-02T17:13:00.000-05:00

It's strange. I've had so many experiences I've wanted to write about, just have been struggling to find the words. Strange experiences last week in Calgary which culminated in me losing my wallet somewhere in the airport. Thus I returned to Winnipeg, less a few hundred dollars, my credit cards and various important wallet-documents.

Aside from all that and my now disconcerting lack of credit cards (I rely on that thing WAY too much)... I am really here to share this (totally confusing) video with you. I don't even know what to say, but I was weirded out. Enjoy.

Snow's gone

2007-03-27T13:22:00.000-05:00

Ah! I swear I am trying my best to keep up the bloggy land, but work and life keep getting in the way. Sun/Mon was Brandon, Wed/Thurs is Calgary - then some home time this weekend just to ramp up for Sean's bday, then Easter and a million socials/weddings/family obligations, then off to Edmonton and Saskatoon. I love being busy and it's good for keeping me out of trouble - but I really need to buy some shoes and am not quite sure when I'm going to do that. Maybe Edmonton... hmmm...

On a different note, a very dear friend of mine is in an extremely unhealthy relationship and although I try my best to be supportive, I feel as though I cannot enable her negative behaviour. She knows how I feel but keeps going back to him. It makes me sad. :(

Springtime eyeballs

2007-03-23T09:01:00.000-05:00

Officially, as of 8-something-or-other this morning, I noticed spring had arrived. During my short walk to work the birds were twittering through the air and singing, the run-off was pooling into puddles on the sidewalk and a cute little red squirrel ran alongside me for a few paces. I felt like freaking Mary Poppins.

I'm sure we'll get one last spring dump, but for now I'm just happy with the sunshine. The sun was also rising as I left the gym around 7am. :)

I was inspired today by Chris who I don't actually know, but I'm pretty sure he lives close to where I grew up, just north of the city. A few days ago, he posted a terribly frightening photo of his eyeballs which made me wonder what mine looked like up close.

Now my eyes are browner than brown and thankfully, my photo did not turn out as scary as Chris':

Brown, some streaks of black maybe. Yes it hurt to take this photo.

Now my Sean has very pretty blue eyes, maybe that makes the difference? Therefore, in the name of science, I jumped on him, tied him down and shoved my camera in his eyeball, with the flash on.

Blue, silver. So pretty.

Conclusion: Chris - There is something wrong with your eyeball.

mm spring

2007-03-21T11:29:00.000-05:00

Today is blog post #666. In order to capitalize on the evilness of this post, the devil is making me do a meme. YAY FOR SPRING THOUGH!

9 lasts:

Last dollar spent: $1.25 on tea my morning tea with the girls
Last cigarette: I think I had a drag of one in November...
Last beverage: Water, water, water
Last movie: 300 (yay for naked men killing eachother)
Last phone call: Jerral
Last song played: John Mayer on the iPod this morning
Last bubble bath: Sunday afternoon
Last time you cried: Whenever I watch Intervention
Last thing you ate: Chicken stir-fry leftovers

8 have you evers.

Have you ever dated a best friend: No, my best friends are usually girls... and sorry ladies...
Have you ever skinny dipped: Ha, Yes! I live in a province with 100,000 lakes and not very many people! Come on!
Have you ever kissed somebody and regretted it: Regretted, no.... realized it wasn't the best idea? yes.
Have you ever lost someone you loved: Like misplaced? Some nights at the bar I've lost my friends...
Have you ever been dumped: For sure. I'd probably dump me.
Have you ever been drunk and threw up: Yes.
Have you ever ran away: Of course.
Have you ever wanted someone u thought u couldn't have then found out they liked you: Yes. I win.

7 states you've been to:

1. North Dakota
2. Colorado
3. Texas
4. New York
5. Illinois
6. Wisconsin
7. Michigan

6 things you've done today: (in no particular order...)

1. woke up
2. ate
3. got excited about my friend's thesis
4. drank 1.5 litres of water
5. danced in my living room
6. worked

5 of your favorite things in no order.

1. Almond butter
2. travelling
3. cherry slushies from the movie theatre
4. my boyfriend
5. new underwear

4 people you can tell [almost] anything to in no order..

1. Jerral
2. Tricia
3. Sean
4. My mom
(they all get to know different things)

3 things that make you smile.

1. sunny days
2. forehead kisses
3. my mom's quilts

2 things you want to do before you die.

1. forgive
2. keep smiling

1 one thing you can't live with out
love

Test The Nation

2007-03-18T21:59:00.000-05:00

Anyone else catch CBC's Test The Nation tonight? I had fun playing along and was happy to find out I am not a complete idiot.

I would have thought I'd do much worse on language, and much better on logic. *shrug*

Looking forward to the more complete results breakdown to come. Winnipeg's Ace Burpee and Wheeler both were in the front row of their Radio DJ team - GO WINNIPEG!

Tsk tsk, naughty

2007-03-16T14:44:00.000-05:00

Ah yes, finally. The Black Rod has surfaced from the last of Crocus-laden posting to comment on something else, even if it is merely to rip on the editors of the Free Press.

I wondered after reading Gordon Sinclair's column on March 13 if I was the only person out there who was a little confused as the picture he was trying to paint. For those of you who missed this charmer, Sinclair tells the story of an experience he has after filling his tank with gas, then realizing he was without cash. Instead of apologizing profusely for his own erroneous behaviour, he goes on to describe how the situation escalates ("What are you going to do - call the cops?" "Yes") to a full tantrum reminiscent of poor behaviour by even a two year old, culminating with him tossing his vehicle registration at the clerk's head as he storms out.

I am not sure if the article is a sad attempt at an apology to the woman who had the misfortune to be working behind the counter that day, or as The Black Rod suggests, Sinclair's attempt to scoop his own story. Either way, the entire pathetic act made me sick to my stomach. He should have been charged with assault, along with being a major ass.

Please YouTube, don't fail me now. THIS is why they invented security cameras!

Bag lady

2007-03-14T21:48:00.000-05:00

Guess who has this bag?

Well THAT is Nicky Hilton... but it looks better on me. My friend Sabrina buys the BEST PRESENTS EVER! It was a Christmas present but I just happened to this post on one of my Celebrity Gossip blogs. Ha.. how awesome! Go me and my fake Fendi!

Busy busy busy

2007-03-09T07:30:00.001-06:00

Sorry can't talk today, I'm blogging.

Honey I'm home...

2007-03-07T14:22:00.000-06:00

I'm home! DC was super fun - but rather exhausting! Arrived in snow-covered Winnipeg late, late, late last night and awoke this morning to find Sean's car with a dead battery. Took it as a sign to take the day off and recover, I'll be back at it 100% tomorrow.

On the good side I got to spend the morning going over photos and put them online. Check out the album if you like.

Washington DC

Take the good with the bad

2007-03-01T11:06:00.000-06:00

Bad news first: I am not a millionaire. Not even a hundred thousand-aire. *sigh* I guess I'll have to keep slaving away like the commoner I am.

Good news: I am off to DC! I am working a trade show this weekend in Washington, DC and am super excited to go see that other nation's capitol (capital?)! Sean is coming with and we have big plans to cram as much sight-seeing into the small moments of free time that I have. I really just want to see the Washington Monument, Reflecting Pool, White House (only from the outside because Canadians aren't allowed in) and the National Museum of the American Indian. Sean's also planning to the Spy Museum, Art Museum and hopefully we'll make it to Arlington Cemetery.

Be prepared for lots of very touristy photos next week (and maybe this weekend if my hotel high-speed doesn't suck). Have a great weekend (both of you who read this.. lol)

Disgruntled employees

2007-02-28T13:37:00.000-06:00

Much excitement around the neighbourhood today, because of this :

A man drove a white Dodge Ram truck up the front stairs of the Workers
Compensation Board building at 333 Broadway Ave. just before noon today.

The man gave himself up voluntarily to police without incident just
after noon.

There were concerns of a bomb scare and police have taped off several
city blocks.

The WCB building has been completed evacuated but police are
also asking people in neighbouring buildings at 363 and 325 Broadway Ave. to
also leave their buildings.

Broadway is closed between Donald and Edmonton Streets, the closure
includes the cross streets at York and Assiniboine Avenues.

I'll snap some photos on my way home if the police tape is still up and the streets are closed. I think the whole neighbourhood has been evacuated and is now sitting in the café at the Convention Centre...

*UPDATE*
I forgot to mention that my office is right behind the WCB Building...

From the Winnipeg Free Press (much more exciting!):

Breaking News

Police seal off streets after man drives into building on Broadway
Updated at 12:55 PM
By Mike McIntyre

A dramatic scene is unfolding in downtown Winnipeg at this hour.
Police took a man into custody moments after he deliberately drove his pickup truck into the Workers Compensation building on Broadway just before noon.
Witnesses say he was pulled from his vehicle at gunpoint.

There is ongoing concern because the man claimed to be in possession of an explosive device.

Hundreds of Broadway office workers have been evacuated. Other office workers and residents in apartment buildings have been asked to stay away from windows.

Police spokesman Sgt. Kelly Dennison said the police bomb squad is now on the way to check the vehicle for any explosives.

“All evidence is he was holding something very suspicious in his hands,” said Dennison, adding it was possibly an object that looked like a detonator.
Several officers on the scene saw it.

Witnesses said the man was seen circling the WCB building in his vehicle earlier in the morning.

Dennison said four blocks have been evacuated and people should avoid the area on the way home tonight.

"We don't know how long this will take," Dennison said. "We can all see the congestion this is causing," he said.

The area blocked off is on Broadway, from Donald Street to Edmonton Street.

"Everybody has to get off the street, or into a building or back a block. Stay away from the windows. Put your cigarettes out," an officer shouted at dozens of people who had gathered on the street.

Sirens can be heard non-stop as cruiser cars from across the city are brought in to assist with traffic control.

*SECOND UPDATE*
from cbc.ca

CBC reporter Sheila North-Wilson spoke to the man moments before he was put into a police cruiser; he said he was tired of the "tactics" of the Workers Compensation Board and CN Rail.

Oscar Overview

2007-02-26T11:42:00.000-06:00

This will not come as a shock to many, but I watched the Oscars last night. What may be shocking is that I somehow charmed my love to watch it with me, which made it that much more fun. As we laughed, cheered and (mostly) rolled our eyes through the almost FOUR hours, here is what I came up with as the most note-worthy moments of the whole show:

The only reasons we didn't completely fall asleep: Jack Black & Will Ferrel.

I had never heard of her, but she was obviously very well known by the ones in the room: Sherry Lansing's Dress was easily my favourite of the night.

Hugh Jackman as an accent? Are Sean and I the only people who didn't know this?

As if Clint Eastwood (and anyone else other than Penelope Cruz) can understand Italian. Faker.

What was up with Philip Seymour-Hoffman? He looked like he has been sleeping in a back alley for the past week. Do you think he's growing dreds or just forgot to comb his hair... for the past month? (How is there not a photo of that somewhere on the internet?)

After being "offered" assistance to write acceptance speeches (we hope he didn't take them up) Forest Whitaker went up and made the most genuine and sincere acceptance speech of the night. How can you not LOVE this man?

Did we just see Jennifer Hudson's nipple?

As if they skipped Anna Nicole during the dead famous people montage

Another skeleton

2007-02-21T10:36:00.000-06:00

I've revealed to you all some of my past dirty secrets. I like to think of myself as reasonably intelligent, moderately successful, somewhat adult... but then I realize that I love:

Justin Timberlake
Reality TV
Celebrity Gossip

Now I wholeheartedly embrace all of these things knowing that other than Justin, they are not the most positive aspects of my existance, but then again I don't think "So You Think They Can Dance" defines me as a human being. But then came Britney. Whoa.

Even I have long lost patience with Ms. Spears and her antics. If you're going to go off the deep-end, at least do us all the favour of spouting off some religious mumbo-jumbo like Whitney, diva-out like Mariah or release a sex tape like... well like every other girl in Hollywood. Don't just be a whack job for a sake of it! I need a little more substance than "its not barf, its peanut butter", "she didn't pass out, she fell asleep" and "I shaved my head because of lice"... or "drug tests"... or "meth induced psychosis" (is there anyone who isn't cheering on TeamKevin at this point?).

No one can feel sorry for the child star. Watching a successful, worldfamous, multi-millionaire popstar implode is exactly what people want. I hate myself for being on the side of the fence that secretly cheers this sort of fall from grace - what does that say about me? Or us for that matter?

Britney's apparently back out of rehab as of this morning, the Anna Nicole case has only just begun and that crazy video of her with her face painted like a clown freaks me out and I just can't stop reading about this crap! How many more days until summer?

(Blizzard today)

Digging out

2007-02-20T09:12:00.000-06:00

I haven't actually convinced myself to either give up the blog, or jump back in with full force, but with springtime comes rebirth and new beginnings... I'm convinced (even after this morning's pretty little snowfall) that winter is on the way out. After the past month of insanely cold weather, -20 feels blissful.

As for what I've been up to, its been wintertime and I, along with many others it seems, have been stuck in an uninspired deep freeze. I dream of paddling, rollerblading and beaches. Every winter I wonder why I didn't go away somewhere warm. Instead of blowing my cash on lipsticks and shoes, a beach and some mojitos would do wonders to combat the winter blahs.

I don't like justifying my all to regular bad behaviour, but I am very happy as work is going rather well. Hopefully something more permanently positive will be crossing my path soon. Upcoming trips to Washington, DC and even a week in Brandon are always good for a change of pace. It's nice to finally feel some hope that the ice will melt again and the bod will feel some rays... soon.

This morning's post was mostly kicked off after reading this, a great article on 2010. As those who know me well know by now, my dreams of olympic involvement have been rather unceremoniously dumped after I received of some not-so-gentle blows to my ego around December. I'm still slightly stinging, but must continue to indulge my love of all things Olympiad through regular stories. I do hope we don't have to wait until late-09 to feel a sense of ownership for the rest of us non-WestCoast Canadians.

Bad day

2007-01-14T19:52:00.000-06:00

Rough day. Chargers lost, so far 24 isn't really rubbing me the right way, and the ice gog is coming. THE ICE GOG IS COMING!!!

hi

2007-01-12T11:11:00.000-06:00

Hi! Yeah I don't really blog much anymore. Of all the unoriginal things that I've done, that has probably been the pinacle. I have meandered off the path du blog more than once, and I'm sure I will again. Not to fret though, I'll be back. They always come back (at least the good ones do).

Do you all really need an update on my life? Nah. There was November, there was December. Fa la la la ... blah. Welcome to 2007.

I'm doing pretty great, thanks for asking. You look rather lovely yourself! This probably isn't my return, but because there are some readers out there who are not my mom ... I thought I would share with you what its like in Winnipeg today. I believe the techinical term for this weather is effing cold. I wouldn't be a proper Manitoban if I didn't pop my head up to complain about the weather.

Plus, I needed to make a return before Jack Bauer did!

I'm alive

2006-12-10T10:02:00.000-06:00

Hi,

No valid excuse, between seasonal blahs, holiday madness, work insanity... you know it always seems life gets in the way of things I want to do. :) It's a nice problem though. The last month or so has been pretty tough, but I think I'm settling in to winter time now. Working on some major changes for the spring, and I'm looking forward to it. I do miss the blogging, but I was told once...

It is better to remain silent and thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.

Christmas party season started a couple weeks ago as well, here's last night's appearance.

GO LIONS!

2006-11-21T10:53:00.000-06:00

PHEW!

This past week has got to have been one of the... hmmm... I'm not quite sure of the adjective to use here. It was definitely one I won't forget, that's for sure, and some other Winnipeggers agree with me.

It all started last Tuesday with the arrival of the teams who were playing this past weekend's CFL Grey Cup Championship Game. I was a volunteer team host and was lucky enough to have been paired up with the team who was to win the big game, but we were still 5 days away from that at that point. It was an amazing opportunity, I met some pretty awesome people, I had a blast, no I can't tell you about everything that happened, no there DEFINITELY isn't any photos, but the Lions organization were a joy to have met.

I went out every night. I went to the game. I had amazing seats. I am glad to not be drinking beer anymore. CFL fans are the most amazing fans anywhere!

Surprisingly, the game itself was rather quiet, but then again, the best way to quiet a rowdy crowd is to have them drink heavily for the 4 days leading up to the big event. Even I sat quietly drinking my water and hot chocolate, cuddled up in multiple layers and a warm blanket - quite the departure from the previous 3 nights of mad-dancing, beer-swilling, high-fiving madness. I only wish I had brought my camera...

I was so immersed in the full-on Grey Cup madness that I find it difficult to fathom anyone not experiencing the party to the maximum. Last night I was so happy to eat a real meal, spend the evening on the couch with my love and in bed early. I feel human again today despite a nagging cold that has swallowed up a whole bottle of Cold F/X.

This all came with a price though, I am insanely behind with work commitments and definitely need to put my nose to the grindstone. Hopefully after this week I will return to the wonderous full-frontal blogging I like to partake in, but today, those little tidbits are all I can afford. Hope you all are wonderfully well. GO LIONS!

I can now go back to being a Bomber Fan

Grey Cup Time

2006-11-14T14:44:00.000-06:00

Hi Friends,

Won't be around at all due to Grey Cup Festivities... Have a wonderful week!

Quiet updates

2006-11-08T23:21:00.000-06:00

Updated the blogroll, it's decidedly getting out of hand. I use Google Reader to keep tabs on all of you... Blogrolling died, Bloglines pissed me off, Google Reader is only mildly annoying.

If you want me to add you, let me know. My email is now colourfully evident.

Oh man, this makes me want to go back to University...

2006-11-07T15:23:00.000-06:00

The good guys over at Dust My Broom posted an interesting story on something apparently rather well known to University students Nationwide: The Western Canada Business Games.

Click here for the full story originally from The National Post.

Hmm, sounds like a fun weekend. This of course, leads me want to Google these infamously debaucherous games and see what I can come up with...

Not surprisingly, my work firewalls prevents many of the pages from showing up, blocked for pornographic/nudity reasons (I bet the IT department is wondering what I'm up to). But ooh, what's this? A bio on a nice young man named Mark Hawkins, at Calgary Technologies Inc.... seems he likes to be "actively involved in a variety of sports including soccer, football, golf and all mountain related activities".

However, Google cache is home to many dirty secrets...
"A proud fifth generation Albertan, Mark is actively involved in a variety of sports including soccer, football, golf and all mountain related activities. His volunteer time is currently devoted to chairing the Board of Director for the Western Business Games, an annual business conference for business students from universities all across Western Canada."

I guess Calgary Technologies Inc. thought it best that little blurb be removed at some point between October 28 and now...

So alright, since my blog has sunk to the gossip level, I might as well share this little tidbit too:
TMZ reports that Britney Spears has filed for divorce from joke-of-a-rapper husband, Kevin Federline. After her surprise hottie appearance last night on David Letterman, I guess all her work in the gym hasn't been for naught. Publicity move? Maybe. Smart move? Definitely. Its just too bad there are children in the picture.

Go Blu... uh.. GREEN!

2006-11-06T15:57:00.000-06:00

Well friends, it's official: Colour Me Green. Bombers lost a heart-breaker yesterday (let me emphasize that the Bombers LOST, Toronto did not win), so I think it's safe to say that the majority of Winnipeggers are on the Roughrider bandwagon.

That's all I got today, I'm always fuzzy on Mondays. I did get a call from some store reminding me that I get 20% off everything in their store on my birthday! Wow, that's pretty nice. Too bad my birthday was 2 months ago.

I also did something kind of scary today. We'll see what happens. I'm nervous although I'm not sure I have any reason to be.

I hate when people are all mysterious like that.

Free Gainer!

2006-11-03T13:46:00.000-06:00

Afternoon sleepies are winning against me today. I'm not quite at the point where I want to turn my lights out in my office, close the door and curl up on the floor for a little bit, but the thought isn't exactly unappealing at this moment in time. Lots going on this weekend but as long as I get one sleep-in I'll be happy.

I awoke this morning to my internet world being abuzz about the Calgary Stampeders ban of the Saskatchewan Roughriders' mascot Gainer the Gopher from this weekend's CFL Western Semi-Final Playoff Game. Just to clarify, Gainer is not banned from the entire stadium as originally reported, he's only banned from the field. This news was followed up by Alberta Premier Ralph Klein's support of the ban, stating "It's very well known that we do our best to prevent Saskatchewan rodents from entering Alberta".

How nice. I would now like to take this opportunity to announce that for the first time in my life I am going to cheer for the Saskatchewan Roughriders this weekend. I hope 10,000 Rider fans show up, each with a stuffed gopher.

That does seem sort of strange, but in a world where I end up on this list of hot blondes, anything is possible I suppose.

Have a great weekend!

Awesome me

2006-11-02T14:13:00.000-06:00

How awesome am I? Somehow I managed to break and then fix my computer. Now when I say "break", I'm not messing around. Windows Explorer no longer worked and I couldn't do anything on it. After two hours on the phone last night with Technical Support, the final recommendation was that I would have to reinstall windows. *sigh*

Thank god I never was very good at taking direction and instead fixed it myself. I don't really know what I did other than replacing a dll file, seemed too simple. Pardon me for feeling like a genius today. I shall reward myself with a latte. Beware world, here I come.

Oh yeah, because of my issues yesterday, I didn't get to tell you about James Blunt and how awesome he was. The Winnipeg Sun actually got something right with their review of his show. I was happily surprised after the opening band's too loud set, and Mr Blunt's slightly awkward entrance where Sean and I couldn't figure out if he was on drugs, or just really happy to be there. His facial contortions and twitchy eyes make me think there was something more than just adrenaline flowing through his blood stream. But then there were times, when his genuine smile and boyish good looks would take over and I'd mentally smack myself for having such evil thoughts about such a sweet boy.

The whole concert was worthwhile for the two short moments when the rest of his band would take a break, leaving James on stage, alone with his piano. Before Goodbye My Lover Blunt joked that "I'm at the piano so you know its gonna get heavy now", and No Bravery was accompanied by amazing images of time spent in Kosovo (Blunt served with the British Army).

The jokes felt canned but this heartfelt performer was easily forgiven.

Love don't live here anymore

2006-10-31T14:04:00.000-06:00

Oh Ryan Phillipe, what were you thinking? I'm sure Ms Abbie Cornish is fun and cute, but cheating on the Oscar-winning mother of your children to whom you've been married for 7 years? Each day I lose a little more faith in such things.

Sadly, Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz is seperating as well. His wife Baillie filed for divorce the day after he was elected. Although I'm sure he was not surprised, his quiet campaign and low profile during the election sure does make a lot more sense now.

Thank god my Sean and I are spending tonight being shmoozy and lovey-dovey in row 3 of the James Blunt concert, I need some love.

Halloween Fun

2006-10-29T21:04:00.000-06:00

As per usual, the party posse had a fun night out in good fashion, this year celebrating Halloween as a super troup of super friends! It all started out at one of our friend's places, who dressed up as Mr Incredible (soon to be known as Mr Incredibly Drunk!). Here's the group shot, we looked pretty darn impressive, if I do say so myself!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Flags of our Great Movie

2006-10-27T14:49:00.000-05:00

I hadn't mentioned yet, but earlier this week Sean and I went to see Flags of our Fathers, Clint Eastwood's latest offering. Loved it. Loved it. Loved it!

Now I wasn't the biggest fan of Mr. Eastwood's 2004 Oscar Winner, but mainly because I felt it started out strong, but ended weak and straight-out lame. I do understand the appeal, but even being the sappy chick I am, I wasn't squeezing out any tears at the end of it, and stared in bewilderment at the people a few rows ahead who were outright sobbing.

Anyone who knows me though, knows I'm down with the war epics, especially true-stories. Flags of our Fathers is the exact kind of movie I can lose myself in easily. Even though I was clinging to a strong shoulder during the intensely loud battle scenes, the embarassingly honest way Eastwood portrays story of the "Heroes of Iwo Jima" made me question my own moral standing on war and battles.

I'm definetely interested in reading more on the life and story of Ira Hayes, the Aboriginal soldier and one of the 3 survivors of the famous photo which is the basis for most of the movie's storyline (but online searches aren't giving me too much hope). Also, the original book, written by the son of one of the other survivors, John "Doc" Bradley, is a must-read for me over the winter. Please tell Santa Claus.

Aside from all this war-movie-talk. I am looking forward to some serious HalloweenPartyAction™ tomorrow night. WonderWoman is making another appearance, and she has a hot date with Zorro tomorrow night! Watch for pics on Monday.

Love, true love

2006-10-25T10:53:00.000-05:00

Caffeine addiction is a slippery slope. I can't even remember what day I fell off the wagon. It was a rough week, I just needed a little pick-me-up. It wasn't a big deal, what's one time?

It's not like I dove straight in to the espresso or anything. It began with a cup of tea now and again. However, back in school, they sure didn't talk about Orange Pekoe when warning us about gate-way drugs. Then at my birthday dinner, I saw my father drinking a Chai and succumbed to the peer pressure. A little cappucino here, a latte there... before I knew it I was secretly visiting a different coffee shop each day so it didn't feel like a true problem.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and I still had options left over.

Oh sweet caramel latté, how you soothe my soul. Steep my Tea or Earl Grey with milk! The delicious ecstasy we also call pumpkin spice latté's are guzzled silently at my desk, feeling the warmth spread from the paper cup into my chilled fingers, I smile softly at my extra-hot, non-fat secret.

Dear caffeine, how I love thee. I have tried so many times to forget you, but you continue to worm your way into my existance. Your charms seduce me, fill my void, make me whole. I laugh at my foolishness in thinking I could spend a cold, grey winter without you.

Once again, I am yours.

Photo Monday

2006-10-23T20:34:00.000-05:00

This is Mel and I and our hot bald men. <3

This is the handsome Deacon James. b Oct 18, 2006

And this little sweetheart is Daniel Timothy James b. Oct 20, 2006

Yay Babies!

2006-10-20T09:09:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not pregnant. Don't even think it you crazy reader!

Big congrats and tons of love to my girl Tricia who gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Deacon James on Wednesday, October 18th around 10ish am. I can't wait for pics!

And another congrats to my dear friends Marcelin and Mandy who welcomed their latest son this morning at 3:00am, Daniel Timothy James.

Yay for everyone else reproducing the world. All these babies just make me miss my neice that much more, so you need a new Sarah pic. Hi honey!

Torture

2006-10-19T15:55:00.000-05:00

Every 10 minutes, someone's cell phone has been beeping with notice of a voicemail. This has been going on for almost 3 hours. I am contemplating breaking something.

Movies are how to rule the world

2006-10-18T09:37:00.000-05:00

Hi friends! Me and my drama-free life have not nearly been as interesting as all of you. You naughty little bloggers... I'm addicted to reading about your strife-filled lives. Between crazy affairs, angry exes and the civic election, you all complete me.

*hearts hearts*

Last night, my love and I went to the movies. In Winnipeg (and Ottawa apparently) you get what's called Big Ticket Tuesdays: Movie, popcorn & drink for $8.95. It's a good deal, even if the bastards won't let me substitute a slushie for the stupid drink. Anyway, so we like to go on Tuesdays and somehow the rest of the world hasn't figured out about this great deal, so let's keep that on the d-lo mm k?

Where was I? Oh yeah, movies. We went to see the new Robin Williams movie: Man of the Year. What? Robin Williams you say? Oh that movie looks so funny! I want to see it!

Stop.

Do not go see this movie. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200 dollars. If you've seen the previews and think it must be super funny because the trailer is funny, just watch the trailer a few more times because that's all the funny parts of the entire movie. It was painful.

More importantly though, we saw the preview for Déja Vu, Jerry Bruckheimer's latest... which caused me to think - hey didn't he come out with a new show this year? Oh yeah, he did! He also has that one from last year, then there's that legal drama that I always confuse with the other legal drama, and of course, most famously the CSI Tri- fecta... and that is only a portion of his television shows!

As for movies, 2006 saw Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Glory Road, while 2004 had National Treasure, King Arthur, AND Fearless. Jeez, those are all pretty big movies.

What about little films like Gone in Sixty Seconds, Remember the Titans , Pearl Harbor, Black Hawk Down, Armageddon, Con Air, The Rock, Bad Boys, Bad Boys II (I'm getting tired), Enemy of the State, Days of Thunder, Beverly Hills Cop, Beverly Hills Cop II , Top Gun, American Gigolo ... ok I think you get the picture.

Basically, Jerry Bruckheimer is responsible for molding 21st action movies. But the moral of the story is that no matter what, every guy likes to see hot chicks dancing, especially on bars.

Ooga Booga

2006-10-13T10:57:00.000-05:00

Hiya kids! Happy Friday the 13th...

It's been a weird week. I still haven't been sleeping well at all, for those of you paying attention. Chalk it up to unhealthier than normal eating and lack of paddling in my life, but its really starting to piss me off. I'm up too late, too early, in the middle of the night, tossing, turning, blech. Totally not like me. I'd love to get back into the habit of working out in the morning as opposed to the evening, but its tough when dragging my sorry butt out of bed before 7.45am is so painful. I'd have to get up at about 5.15 to get to the gym in for the 6am class, which shouldn't be that bad, assuming I get to bed at a decent hour. This week has seen me awake until 1am almost every night, not even doing anything interesting either! Mostly just staring at the ceiling. Any suggestions?

Last night went to see Phantom with the Momma for her belated birthday present. It was quite the impressive show and it was a first for the both of us, however, not one I'd see again. The guy who played the Phantom was amazing, maybe if the rest of the cast were as good as him, I'd have enjoyed it more?

So after a few days of technical f-ups, I kicked blogrolling to the curb and am now a happy new user of Bloglines. Eat it blogrolling, I am sick of your neglect!

I am feeling a smidge overwhelmed with this sudden onslaught of winter weather, continued stresses at work, impending holiday festivities and lack of time to do some things that make me happy (although other than spending time with Sean, I'm not sure exactly what those things are). I feel disorganized and slightly chaotic, like the days just slip by... and I don't like this feeling. My control freak tendancies are starting to... well... freak out a bit. They'll be a change coming soon. We'll see what I can come up with.

Have a great weekend friends! Look out for men with chainsaws and axes (it IS Friday the 13th afterall).

You know the blog pickin's are slim....

2006-10-11T09:01:00.000-05:00

You know the blog pickin's are slim....when these lame surveys are what I post.... I said I would though. So just do it!

1. Who are you?

2. Are we friends?

3. When and how did we meet?

4. Do you have a crush on me?

5. Would you kiss me?

6. Give me a nickname and explain why you picked it.

7. Describe me in one word.

8. What was your first impression?

9. Do you still think that way about me now?

10. What reminds you of me?

11. If you could give me anything what would it be?

12. How well do you know me?

13. When's the last time you saw me?

14. Ever wanted to tell me something but couldn't?

15. Are you going to put this on your blog and see what I say about you?

Oh no

2006-10-10T15:10:00.000-05:00

It's snowing. Welcome to winter.

You thought the hug video was sad?

2006-10-06T11:20:00.000-05:00

Ganked from my pretty blogger friend Jill.

Strongest Dad in the World; From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly

I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay for their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots.

But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.

Eighty-five times he’s pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in marathons. Eight times he’s not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars-all in the same day.Dick’s also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back mountain climbing and once hauled him across the
U.S. on a bike. Makes taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?

And what has Rick done for his father? Not much-except save his life.

This love story began in Winchester, Mass., 43 years ago, when Rick was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs.“He’ll be a vegetable the rest of his life;” Dick says doctors told him and his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. “Put him in an institution.” But the Hoyts weren’t buying it.

They noticed the way Rick’s eyes followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the engineering department at Tufts University and asked if there was anything to help the boy communicate. “No way,” Dick says he was told.“There’s nothing going on in his brain.”“Tell him a joke,” Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a lot was going on in his brain.

Rigged up with a computer that allowed him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? “Go Bruins!”

And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the school organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, “Dad, I want to do that.

“Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described “porker” who never ran more than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he tried. “Then it was me who was handicapped,” Dick says. “I was sore for two weeks.” That day changed Rick’s life. “Dad,” he typed, “when we were running, it felt like I wasn’t disabled anymore!”

And that sentence changed Dick’s life. He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979
Boston Marathon. “No way,” Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren’t quite a single runner, and they weren’t quite a wheelchair competitor.

For a few years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then they found a way to get into the race officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the qualifying time for Boston the following year.

Then somebody said, “Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?” How’s a guy who never learned to swim and hadn’t ridden a bike since he was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick tried.

Now they’ve done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans in
Hawaii. It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud getting passed by an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don’t you think?

Hey, Dick, why not see how you’d do on your own? “No way,” he says.Dick does it purely for “the awesome feeling” he gets seeing Rick with a cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.

This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best time’? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992–only 35 minutes off the world record, which, in case you don’t keep track of these things, happens to be held by a guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the time.

“No question about it,” Rick types. “My dad is the Father of the Century.”

And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries was 95% clogged. “If you hadn’t been in such great shape,” one doctor told him, “you probably would’ve died 15 years ago.” So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other’s life.

Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass., always find ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in some backbreaking race every weekend, including this Father’s Day.That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy.

"The thing I’d most like," Rick types, "is that my dad sits in the chair and I push him once."

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!

Do me a favour

2006-10-05T09:04:00.000-05:00

...and click this.

Birthday Presents

2006-10-01T22:38:00.000-05:00

So last year I received the following t-shirt as a present from my darling friends:

This year, Sabrina thought she'd one-up the t-shirt (yes it's candy).

I hate to see what I'm going to get next year.

Cute

2006-09-30T10:42:00.000-05:00

Cute
Originally uploaded by soggymuffin.

What's new with you?

2006-09-28T09:44:00.000-05:00

With all that's been going on in the world, I'm astounded as to how little my blog has been outputting lately. It's like all this excess mucus in my head isn't permitting me to sort through my thoughts enough to get them on screen.

One thing I did want to share is something I found on my friend Ms M's blog is this.

Someone find me and hug me today!

Winnipeggers are all in a tizzy about a surprise visit by a little skateboarder to Winnipeg yesterday. You may have heard of him. TONY HAWK.

Something only slightly more shocking than the world's most famous skateboarder giving a public approval of our city's skatepark is the fact that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are currently tied for first in the East?! I'm predicting a grand loss to Montreal tomorrow, but last week's pathetic showing by the Al's made me giggle inwardly as I watched the blood pressure of The Don (Matthews) rise by the second. Sorry Don, but the rest of Canada is eating up each second of your fall from grace.

Speaking of my boys in blue, I was coerced into buying my Free Press this morning off these two
handsome gentlemen this morning on the corner of Broadway and Smith. Anything for charity.

Also in the sports world, everyone is talking about the non-suicide attempt by Terrel Owens. Do I think he was trying to kill himself? No. Do I think some people were just WISHING he was trying to kill himself? Yes. Sad, but true.

Hmm, only sports news today? There's nothing new on Stromi-Gate. We're all tired of hearing about it anyway.

I have a busy weekend planned, but in between a wedding of some very dear friends and my paddling team's end of year crazy party I hope to make a brief appearance at the DMB Manitoba blogger party. Don't know that I'll be recognized by the majority of that crew, but it's always nice to put a face to a screen-name. There's a few Manitobans I check in on regularly that would be intriguing to share a toast with. The bad news is that I'm sure I'll miss the interesting part as my only option for attending is early, as opposed to later when the beer is freely flowing and discussions abound.

I'm almost not sick anymore! Yay!

*EDIT* - How could I have possibly forgotten to mention THIS?!?!? Apparently Screech is a kinky little boy. Mental note to google "Dirty Sanchez" when I get home, although if it is what I think it is, I'm going to regret that decision.

Lazy Sunday

2006-09-24T13:27:00.000-05:00

Hello my friends out there in the land of the blog. Hope you're well! I am on Day 6 of my battle with this fantastic flu-cold-death thing I have caught. 4 days of TLC from my love had me on the mend, but one day of paddling in the cold Brandon weather made my runny nose graduate into a dry cough. Today I am spending the day in bed, drinking OJ and rubbing Vicks Vaporub on the bod (it's just not the same when you have to do it yourself). Why can't our arms have been engineered just a little bit longer so we could rub that sore spot right in the middle of our own backs?

So I didn't think it was possible, but today's news of Canada's latest Puck Bunny makes me like her even less than I already did. Like come on, I would have high-fived her for the Clinton affair, but a hairy little troll like Domi? Ugh.

I forgot my camera at home this weekend so I don't have any fun pictures to share, sorry. The good thing is the bloggers out there are going through much drama and strife these days, which has been keeping me more than entertained... so I am not feeling so bad about how boring I've gotten. How many days till Jack Bauer comes back?

Home sick

2006-09-20T09:33:00.000-05:00

Home sick today, I was quite impressed to see one of my favouritest bloggers, Mr Fabulous pay homage to my home country. Thanks Mr Fab.... even if you missed some good Canadian bits, the beaver comment makes you alright in my mind.

Sniffle

2006-09-19T21:35:00.000-05:00

So this year, in celebration of turning another year older, I decided to get sick. I say "I decided" so I feel like I had somewhat of a say in the situation, when in reality nothing could be further from the truth. My hectic life has caught up to me finally, and I can do nothing except whine a whole bunch and thank god I have a cute boy to take care of me. My sinuses hurt and NyQuil is my friend.

I need to get better ASAP. I'm open to suggestions on brilliant cold remedies.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2006-09-18T10:50:00.000-05:00

I'm pausing for a mere moment in my hectic day to wish myself a happy birthday. I must be getting old as I am actually more excited not about a whole day devoted to me, but that this is my last really crazy week at work and next week I should actually be able to sit down at my desk for more than 26 seconds at a time and put the nose to the grindstone on a few projects that are flirting with being overdue.

For my birthday proper I am working, working, then working some more. However, this past Saturday I had a fabulous time out with the party posse rippin' up the dancefloor at none other than everyone's favourite bar-that-feels-more-like-a-houseparty, The Palomino Club. Anyone who knows anything about me, knows my longstanding love affair with this establishment, and mocks me regularly for it. What can I say? The people are friendly, the bartenders remember your drink, you can dance all night to music from Bryan Adams to Justin Timberlake and there's everyone from the ever-famous cougars preying on young boys to toothless cowboys drunkenly hopping around the dance floor to drunken bachelorettes covered in penis paraphenalia to gay men with mustaches two-stepping with eachother (yes, really). This place is nothing short of a big love-in and I almost always end up hugging some stranger throughout the night as I wish them happy birthday, or happy breakup or happy... Saturday night.

At any rate, that bar has shown me many a good night, and will continue to do so I'm sure. I look forward to entering my cougar days, following in the footsteps of those before me, drinking cheap wine and dancing with my daughters. But if I ever wear leather pants, shoot me.

Uh what?

2006-09-15T13:32:00.000-05:00

Snow in Calgary? WTF???

Are you being serious?

I am wearing a flouncy skirt and open toed heels today! Summer is NOT over. I refuse to put away my sandals and tank tops, my short skirts and sleeveless blouses. My toes like the fresh air and my shoulders like the sunshine!

I have just been waxed and pedicured! I demand another 3 weeks of the ability to look cute and summer-y. White skirt wearers UNITE!

Dubuque Iowa Dragon Boat Races 2006

2006-09-12T22:38:00.000-05:00

Driving in to Dubuque, IA. Around 6am, Thursday, September 7, 2006.

After driving all night, we all had a celebratory beer at 7.30am.

Practice on the Mississippi River.

Boys will be boys - even on very cold days.

This was a much more logical plan to deal with the rain, IMHO.

The races were Taiwan style, with a flagcatcher and two races per heat. You would race against one team at a time over 300 meters, pull the flag, turn around, switch lanes and do it again. Your combined two times was your heat time.

A few of us stuck it out till the end.

My very pregnant friend Tricia and I

2006-09-12T22:21:00.000-05:00

Wedding Photos

2006-09-12T22:16:00.000-05:00

My Sean and I

2006-09-12T22:05:00.000-05:00

Sick and tired

2006-09-12T21:20:00.000-05:00

I totally realize that I am neither cute, nor funny enough to get away with such scrimpings on the blogging-dom. I miss being kind of funny and cute-ish, but moreover I miss being AROUND.

No I'm not home yet. Tomorrow - maybe. Probably not.

I've been reading you all though - busy little beavers that you have been. I think the next few posts are going to be photos. Just because I can.

For those of you behind on my wacky road travels, I got home from Edmonton last Wednesday. Was picked up by my friends in a minivan and we all drove straight to Iowa. Got home from Iowa last night at 11, had time for some amazing-boyfriend cuddles and went to work this morning. Left at 3 to come to Brandon.

Yeehaw.

It's my birthday in 6 days. Countdown has officially begun!

Blimey!

2006-09-04T10:13:00.000-05:00

RIP Stephen Robert "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin

(22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006)

Steve Irwin, the man known around the world as the "Crocodile Hunter," has died in a stingray attack off the Great Barrier Reef.

Irwin, 44, had been filming a documentary off Port Douglas in northern Queensland when he was killed by a stingray barb through the heart. He was rushed to hospital by helicopter, but he died en route.

Full story...

Mid-vacation Check In

2006-09-03T22:49:00.000-05:00

Yay family!

So I know, I know... I forgot to write you all to say goodbye. Sorry friends.

Well today I am in Edmonton, still feeling slightly hungover after a very fun wedding last night. My cousin Sherry and I emceed (that's us in the photo) and we seemed to do alright. Highlights of the night include multi-generational chicken dancing, dancing in a circle then my aunt bustin' a move, Sherry and Uncle Steve breakin' it down to MC Hammer, singing the Grease theme to eachother as a family. I think we scared the new in-laws.

So I'm here 'till Wednesday, then flying home where I will promptly leave to Iowa for the weekend of Dragon Boat Racing. My brain is too fried right now to be any more witty - just wanted to say hi.

<3

What are you looking for, exactly?

2006-08-30T10:44:00.000-05:00

Oh jeez.

It all started out so innocently. I logged on this morning to check my site stats, as per usual. Saw a few familiar clickers, pondered how this blog could possibly still be getting so much traffic (and then sending it my way), then noticed some strange referrals. Every good Sitemeter junkie has made a post about strange google searches that ended up people at their blogs, so here's mine.

Of course lots of people get to me by various searches involving "round pegs" and/or "square holes". People mostly tend to be looking for photos of said pegs and holes. Why? Got me.

I also get a bit of traffic for "Rockstar Supernova" and "So you think you can dance" searches, which makes me realize that my blog is pretty lame.

Sometimes I wonder what caused people to do certain google searches like:

M Peg happy people dancing

Not sure who M Peg is, or why there's so many happy dancing people, but hey - whatever.

Or maybe you're looking for something very specific like:

daddies girl

Haha, dad would be so proud

or how about if you wanted to buy an:

indigo montoya shirts

I want one!

Then of course, there's the natural pornography searches like:

"sex with " winnipeg

Now I would have to dispute this, I may have dated all of Winnipeg, but I certainly haven't had sex with them.

or

winnipeg naughty nights

Scratch that daddy being proud part.

And the whole reason for this post, the search that got people to my blog today...

pee hole insert

*sigh* I'm on page 16 of the results.

:(

2006-08-29T11:43:00.000-05:00

Manitoba's political bloggers are back in full-force, having arguments over who is cooler in Manitoba. I'm just glad they've given up on guessing eachother's real identities for a couple of weeks.

Mr Sausage (I love calling him that) wants some interactivity on the Fort Rouge Race.
Hack's prepping for Provincial Nominations but also offers interesting tidbits on the upcoming Civic election.*
This place always has an opinion, but then again, so does this guy; although the latter usually causes me to cringe a little.
If there's anything that really turns me off, is smug blogging, (but then again we could argue that blogging in and of itself is a completely self-serving pastime, therefore humility has no place around these parts). Don't get me wrong, I'm sure you all have figured out my left leaning tendancies make it tough to disagree with the basics of the messages, but the word selection tends to rub me the wrong way.
There are a few others here, here and here. A blog for everyone!

On a completely seperate matter, there has been a ongoing strange happening in my life that I've been meaning to blog about for months and as of today, I can no longer keep this freakish occurance to myself.

Now I am not hugely tall, although my license says I'm 5'10", I'm maybe a generous 5'9" in stocking feet. However, at my desk, I am lucky enough to have bestowed upon me a rather comfy, adjustable chair that I like to keep at the highest setting. Anyone who has worked with me can attest to my tendency to kick off my shoes whilst working and (at least in the wintertime) I can be seen wandering the halls of my offices wearing suits and skirts paired with handmade moccasin's.**

At any rate, as I said, I like my chair at the highest setting, where my feet are comfortably flat on the floor and the knees at a less than 90 angle, and every day when I leave, the chair is set as such. The next day as I meander into my office, turn on the computer and get started on my day, I ease into my chair only to find... somehow the chair pixies have lowered the seat to the lowest possible setting. My knees feel like they're up into my armpits.

It's like clockwork, every day I raise the seat of the chair back to my preferred height, every morning some strange force has lowered the seat at least 6". I swear I am starting to feel like I am going crazy. Are the cleaning people messing with my mind?

There are two more things that are making me think my world is being turned upside down today (you all know how I don't handle change very well...)

Driver Licensing changes: "Sweeping changes to the Manitoba driver’s licence unveiled today include no smiling for photos, no wearing eyeglasses, and no headwear". *sigh* I currently have a very cute, smiling driver's license photo, while my un-smiling, glasses-less passport photo makes me look like a drug smuggler. So much for THAT!
No more Q-94 FM??: It's driving me batty that I don't have a radio I can tune to 94.3 FM right now just to see what's there. Dead air? Someone in Winnipeg help me out here. I'll have to wait till I get in my car this evening, I suppose.

Happy Tuesday everyone. Thankfully my blood donating experience last night was completely uneventful, which is much less exciting than the last time when my arm wouldn't stop bleeding, I passed out and then was yelled at by a crazy CBS volunteer named Kitty. She wasn't there last night which is probably why it went well.

Final thoughts for today: You know summer is over when the Pumpkin Spice Latte has returned to the Starbucks Menu.

*I remember Fresh IE from back in the day. Him and his wife Sheila are an ambitious young couple and are certainly going places. However, first impressions are hard to overcome... I wonder sometimes if he thinks the same thing about me?

**Causing me to be dubbed the "Moccasin Diva" in past years

Stale

2006-08-28T21:29:00.000-05:00

End of summer? Busy-ness? Lack of strife?

Blech. Who knows. I'm blog stale.

I leave on Friday morning for 5 days in Edmonton, then 5 days racing Iowa. Then its my birthday (wanna come party?) then before I know it, I'll be cooking up a turkey for Thanksgiving. My god.

I'm doing really well. I check in on all your blogs quite often but just haven't had the chance to let any sort of thought stream roll around in my head for long enough to generate a post. These final few summer weekends are slipping through my fingers, just like everyone else I'm sure.

Check out my Flickr Album as I've uploaded lots of new pics from over sumertime.

Rockstar Supernova thoughts - Lucas is in the lead in my mind. After last week even I am a fan of him although he's just a skinny, dirty, punk kid (not my thing at all). I think the whole Dilana Drama is only partially true. I figure she must have been so far ahead in the online/phone voting that the producers had to knock her down a few notches. She's a good rocker yeah, but I don't really like her that much. Sorry Hack but Storm won't make top 5. Toby had AWESOME chemistry with the band last week... I could actually see him fronting that band and doing a good job. Assuming he doesn't screw up too badly... he's my bet.

Garlic breath

2006-08-24T17:39:00.000-05:00

I think all my toxins must be coming out of my body in the form of negative energy. Wow. I have been in a pretty bad mood for the past 24 hours, for absolutely no reason at all. I am always so happy, annoyingly so... most people will tell you. I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that I'm kinda just sitting around doing nothing this week and avoiding temptations. Apparently temptations are good for my moods even if they are bad for my body. Haha

I just had some Brown Rice Pasta for dinner and let me tell you, that was mighty fine shizz. Either that or I was so starving I couldn't tell the difference. I must admit that I cheated a bit though... I added about 1/2 teaspoon of pesto to my pasta, which would probably equate to about 4 mg of parmesean cheese. Oh well. I deserve it after choking down the bad tasting crap I've been drinking for the past 5 days.

2 more days to go. Sean has already promised to feed me something high-fat and low in nutritional value for dinner on Saturday night. Bless his heart.

ugh

2006-08-23T19:27:00.000-05:00

Hi.

I'm grumpy and in self-imposed solitary confinement tonight. Me and Supernova are having some bonding time together. The lack of white flour and refined sugars in my body is tough to handle today. I hope tomorrow is better. I should go exercise but I'm even too grumpy for that.

LOL @ me.

I'll be better tomorrow, i swear!

Everything has changed... absolutely nothing's changed

2006-08-22T11:47:00.000-05:00

Phew! I'm pretty hectic today but just wanted to pop in and say hi. It's Day 3 of the cleanse which always is the hardest so I started it out right this morning. I dusted off the ol' juicer and juiced up some fresh pineapple, carrot and cucumbers for my liquid breakfast. After throwing it in the blender with some ice, a little water so it wasn't too strong and my weird vitamin mix concoction, I had a big cup of yummy healthiness that I walked to work with. Yes, that was me, the girl sashaying down Carlton street this morning with a big plastic cup of mysterious liquid.

As the lunching hour nears, my mind keeps wandering off work to mouth watering thoughts of the delicious lunch buffet downstairs. Mmmm, curried lamb and butter chicken with that spiced cauliflower whatever-its-called and rice... and samosas... *drool* Anyone wanna go for Indian food next week?

Last night for dinner I had brown and wild rice with green lentils and some steamed broccoli. I only use fresh herbs when I'm cleansing, lots of garlic and zero salt. I should have counted but I'm pretty sure I went pee upwards of 15 times yesterday. It's like clockwork, on the hour, every hour.

So needless to say I'm not that interesting this week as I wait for scary things to be excreted from my body. Likely nothing will happen because I'm rather healthy to begin with, but it would be really fun if something did! Tonight I have paddling and although I should have exercised last night, I ended up cleaning my apartment a bit and painting my toenails and that was much more fun (and needed).

Probably the main reason I am cravin curry so much is that this morning I was emailed an update on the increased security measures. This release was about a week old, but it did a great job clarifying the liquid substances banned from carry-on baggage.

For example under the "DRINK" category, it states the following:

NOT PERMITTED

Any drinks in cans, bottles, plastic containers, cardboard cartons, etc

PERMITTED

Empty containers such as flasks and mugs.

Ok, I got that much... makes sense, now how about cosmetics:

NOT PERMITTED

Lip gloss in containers or pots
Liquid foundations
Liquid eyeliners
Liquid eye shadows
Mascara
Lip balm in pots
Nail varnish

PERMITTED

Powder-based foundations
Compact-based foundations
Powder-based eye shadows
Lipsticks
Chap sticks
Lip balms in solid form
Eye pencils

Hmm, mental note to pack all makeup in checked luggage. I'll skip a few categories and get to food:

NOT PERMITTED

Any liquid-based food products in packets, tubes, plastic or tin containers
Pasta or any other foodstuffs in sauces, gravies or other liquids
Jams and syrups
Sauces
Pastes
Yoghurts
Soups (carton or otherwise)
Stews
Curry

PERMITTED

Sandwiches
Crisps
Fruit
Vegetables
Other solid foods

Hmm, this is making me hungry. I would presume this release is discussing "curry" as a meal, as in "chick pea curry" as opposed to a big bag of spice... but it makes me wonder what would happen if you tried to take a packet of curry on a plane with you.....

If you're interested in the rest of the listing (it's quite lengthy) send me an email and I'll share. Happy Tuesday everyone!

Away with the toxins!

2006-08-21T10:11:00.000-05:00

It's actually kind of nice to be back in the office this morning. I don't feel like I've had much time around these parts lately, and there certainly isn't a shortage of things for me to do, so this will be brief.

I've started my cleanse. For those of you who were fortunate enough to not be around in the spring when I last detoxified my body, you'll find the next week to have me in strange moods, with cravings bordering on fanatical for various strange food combinations, namely steak with chocolate icing... mmm... No I've never actually consumed those two items at the same time, but the longer I go without fun things, the better it sounds.

This time around I have opted to go the slightly more expensive but much less effort path of
Natural Factor's 7 Day Total Nutritional Cleansing Program. This program consists of 2 different meal replacement drink mixes and a liver/colon detox pill combination. Yesterday was day 1, and other than drooling over the delicious aroma of Sean's Steak and Shrimp while I munched my lettuce, it was cool. The package insert did warn of possible adverse gastro-intestinal reactions, so popping my pills before going to a 3 hour show probably wasn't a good idea; however, I am very happy to report that I did not notice a thing.

So basically the plan is that I mix a (surprisingly) yummy drink for breakfast, have fruit for morning snack, have another mix drink at lunch, afternoon snack of veggies and fruit, then light dinner. I did have some chicken last night, but I will be cutting out meat for the rest of the week. I am fully stocked up in brown rice and lentils, my favourite, as well as lots of fresh veggies for added fun and excitement along the way (woohoo, I'm a wild woman, I know).

Last time I never really found I was starving, I just missed some of the foods I cut out. Namely, Starbucks and Steak. Most cleanses are pretty flexible as to what you should and should not eat. The most important thing, I find, is to cut out sugar, salt, anything processed, caffeine and bad starches. The bad news for me is that, it's Day 2, its 10.21am, and I am hungry. Very hungry. The even worse news is that today is still an easy day! By Day 3 your body starts to realize that something wacky is going on, and then Day 4 it just gets full out angry with you (Feed Me Seymour!). After that it's downhill.

So that's my plans this week, so far my only thing to report is that I had quite the giggle last night after discovering something in the herbs makes my pee practically glow in the dark neon yellow. It's rather shocking, but fun. Am I weird because I find those sorts of things amusing?

Wish me luck!

Honey, I'm home

2006-08-19T11:33:00.000-05:00

Hi!

Phew, I have been such a naughty blogger, leaving you all alone like that. I'm sorry baby! I would say I am never going to do it again, but... well... you know. The good news is that this was the second last trip for the summer, so soon enough things will be back to normal. I really don't deal well with change to my routine.

I won't give many details of my time away as it was all work, all the time and therefore all I did was wake up at 5am, work from 6am till midnight, then go pass out in my hotel room of whatever city I happened to be in. I did get to check out a few Folklorama pavillions - namely Irish, Metis, Hungarian and Pearl of the Orient. Somehow I ended up part of the show at most of them... I gotta try to blend in more.

I am back home now and so happy. Other than the mounds of laundry and fact that my apartment needs to be cleaned so badly, its great to be here! Today is sunny and beautiful, and trust me, I'd rather be rollerblading out at birds hill and then laying on the beach, but I will be responsible and stay close to home today. Maybe tomrorow...

Things that made me go hmmmm....

Travis should have won!
Saw this movie last night and aside from the obvious slips in logic, it was a nice love story.
Don't tell anyone, but I love this song and this song and uhhh

HOLY CRAP... hold the show. I was just searching on YouTube for links for these songs and this is what I found by accident. Frankly, I have nothing else to say. Enjoy!

Click here for the video

If you show me real love baby I'll show you mine

2006-08-12T05:39:00.000-05:00

Tired, not much sleep. Miss you. Heading back to Winnipeg this afternoon for a little Folklorama action. My group is awesome. Fargo was fun. I shopped A LOT.

Don't hate me for my song quote in the title, I haven't slept much.

On the road again...

2006-08-10T10:04:00.000-05:00

As if I just lost my post. Fuck.

Ok fine. Here's the short version. I've spent the last 3 nights in my own bed so of course I have to hit the road again. I'll be gone for a week, blogging may or may not occur. I'm mainly happy about going shopping and hoping my group is fun and energetic.

Every day with GuyIThinkIsFantastic gets better and better.

No I have not yet unpacked my apartment. Please send the unpacking fairies over while I'm gone.

When I get home, I have three days off in a row and I am staying in Winnipeg. I think Sean and I actually have two days off TOGETHER. *GASP* I can't even imagine! Don't worry though, I'm back on the road for almost 2 weeks immediately following that, so even if he gets sick of me, I got it covered.

Last night's So You Think You Can Dance was awesome (as awesome as reality tv on the Fox Network can get, I guess). Travis should win.

Didn't catch Rockstar SuperNova, was it on last night? Checked the website this morning and saw that Jill was booted off, that's good... didn't care much for her. They're down to 8 now, I'll have to actually start paying attention. Hopefully this guy will put up his promised synopsis and help me out.

Signing off as your favouritest smitten love kitten,

xoxo
D

Tuesday without the suck

2006-08-08T15:25:00.000-05:00

Hi friends,

Did you have a nice weekend? I hope all your beautiful bodies are tanned and lovely now. It's hard to wrap my head around the possibility of having done anything but drink wine and tan after my fun-filled weekend.

On Friday, Dwayne Chloe and I all cut out of work early and got on the road to Bemidji. C was a total goddess and brought the satellite radio so we spent the 4 hour drive rocking out to 80's and 90's metal. Highlights included the US Customs guy asking Dwayne how the hell a guy like him ended up with two hot women for the weekend.

We arrived in Bemidji with plenty of time to check-in, have some dinner and meander our way down to the race site and even join in on the parade of teams. The three of us were obnoxious enough to represent our whole team of 21, and we almost had them convinced that that was how we did it in Canada - two paddlers and one steersguy. At any rate, the rest of the team showed up eventually and we had lots of fun racing. The people were great and the venue was lovely.

After an obligatory post-racing beer with the team Saturday night, the three of us hopped into the truck and headed off to the cottage. Chloe's family has a beautiful property around 45 minutes west of Fort Frances, Ontario and her mother was an amazing hostess - always ensuring I was well-fed and fully wined up. The weather wasn't great on Sunday, but Monday made up for it. I am definetely tanned now - maybe even a little burnt.

That was the short version of the weekend. There was danger by way of a very close brush with a tornado on Saturday's drive (never have I seen a sky like that before), thrills by way of an emergency water rescue mission on Sunday afternoon (boys are way too stubborn), amazement by way of a flock of very large pelicans with over-protective attitudes (get out of the way ducks) and a beautiful bald eagle whose interest was piqued by our curious presence in the middle of the lake (thank god I don't look THAT Much like a big fish) and merriment by way of the great company and wonderful time I had all around. All in all we put almost 1100kms on Dwayne's truck and I am sure I am not the only one today wishing we had just stayed out there. Thanks Chlo for an awesome weekend.... I am only sorry I didn't have a camera to share some of the amazing moments with you all now. Trust me, it was beautiful.

Today I am back in catching up, only to prepare to leave again on Thursday for another trip - this one all business. I'll be gone this time for 6 days, but hopefully not completely disconnected from the blogging, and outside worlds. We'll see.

Over the weekend, it appears that not only has the Winnipeg Sun confirmed that my two reality television interests are the only decent ones out there, but my blog-friend Dan Lett (aka Mr Sausage) thinks it's the key to world peace. I'm sure the charming comedian Hack would agree that Rockstar Supernova DOES make the world a better place - though he is pretty transparent on his reasons for watching the show. You boys sort out our big beer drinking, problem solving date and I'm there!

My other exciting news for today is that this morning*, I bought my honey and I some freaking awesome seats to this concert at the MTS Centre on October 31. We will be the mushy couple singing to eachother on the floor, row 3, in between all the other mushy couples and swooning girls throwing their panties on stage. I am SO pumped!**

*Yes I know, Ticketmaster says they don't go on sale till this Saturday, but it's embarassingly easy to get pre-sale tickets, email me if you really can't figure it out.

**I really just like doing these footnotes like Hack does. Haha

Long weekend!

2006-08-04T09:41:00.000-05:00

Well the weekend is being kicked off right now by a rather rainy Friday morning. Hopefully it only can get better from here!

I'm off for the weekend! Tonight we drink beer in Bemidji, tomorrow we dragon boat race in Bemidji (and hopefully don't embarass ourselves too much). Then the party posse are off to Chloe's cottage around Fort Frances somewhere to fish, tan, swim and basically just laze around until we have to drag our sorry butts back to the city on Monday night. The plan is to take my camera, but that doesn't actually mean that I'll remember to pack it when I run home to meet my ride in an hour.

Hopefully I'll be a little bit browner when I come back and a little bit more relaxed. Have a great long weekend everyone!

xoxo
D

Please still respect me in the morning

2006-08-02T21:21:00.000-05:00

As with any blog, I must comment on television shows. Those who know me know I really don't watch television at all (except this which doesn't really count as a tv show, its a lifestyle lol). Anyway... with my schedule lately, Wednesdays seem the only nights I am really home - especially this week with my honey working evenings.

**DISCLAIMER**
Now before I divulge my deep dark secret here, I want you all to know that should something else, anything else come up, I would be outta here.

/end disclaimer

Alright, so tonight as I continued the neverending unpacking saga, I caught two shows I enjoyed WAY too much. Rock Star Supernova "Yeah not so bad", you're thinking.. right? HA! Wait for it... As I type this, this very moment.. I am sitting on my couch with the laptop smiling on the inside, though praying no one is peaking in my windows to see how much I am enjoying So You Think You Can Dance *sob*.

I realize that the little place in your heart you have for me just got a little darker. I know there is now no way you could ever be with me. I see that I should just curl up into the fetal position and cry myself to sleep now... but I CAN'T HELP IT! I love this show.

I do wish I could say it was my first time with this, my guilty pleasure.. but no, tonight is my 3rd or 4th episode and I'm familiar enough to actually have a preferred contestant. Natalie is so amazing, but Travis is certainly looking pretty impressive tonight... wait a second.... stop! Just as I typed that the clouds opened up, lightning flashed across the sky, God is talking to me.

Sorry God, but gay boys dancing hiphop are WAY too entertaining to turn away from! If I watch this next week though, someone stage an intervention.

Holy traffic spike, batman!

2006-08-02T12:23:00.000-05:00

Thanks to those self-proclaimed naughty folks over at Comments Closed I have seen an insanely large amount of traffic in the past 36 hours, all because of this. The Manitoba blog community is a funny place, if you're not anonymous and scandalous, you're cute. I am flattered, thanks!

Introductions are in order...

2006-07-31T08:49:00.000-05:00

Having a talk with my Sean last week he kindly pointed out "you read a lot of blogs". Yeah, I do. Not nearly as much as some people, but my blogroll is filled with some pretty rockin' folks. I have a couple I have been meaning to add as well lately, like ~d, a sexy writer who blesses us all with her poetry and prose of growth and love; our favourite sweet-as-sugar reporter - Dan Lett (see? I told you compliments get you everywhere with me!); and while you're at Dan's, be sure to browse the other Winnipeg Free Blogs while you're there... Tom Canada has a great sense of humour and always shares great photos of the Bombers and new addition Milt Stegall gives honest, genuine commentary on the games and team - making me love our Bombers that much more.); plus last, but most CERTAINLY not least, everyone's favouritest gossiper: TRENT over at Pink is the New Blog.

So my little blogroll posse over there is made up of hometown boys and girls mostly of the attractive variety; not so happy married people and not so happy single ones; a whole slew of attractive and fabulous daters (oh man, I could be here for hours listing everyone.. but you're getting the picture). Basically there is a great mix, from Swiss Miss' Sex and Recipes to the great mixed minds of Dust My Broom.

I check in with you all daily and although I don't comment as often as I should, I definetely am paying attention. So when I read that Mr Fabulous had signed up for Myspace, I was utterly dismayed and saddened. Thankfully, the internet stars are aligning today courtesy of everyone's favouritest Lozo and I can direct Mr Fabulous, along with everyone else to this, Lozo's Completely Objective Review of Myspace. Lozo is cute and he likes to talk about poop and masturbating, usually in the same post. Oh yeah, he's funny too sometimes.

Although sometimes he loses me in his disgusting and offensive commentaries, he'll take me to the edge of devotion, then pull me back into his loving arms with brilliant posts such as that. Why is Myspace so popular? I just don't get it! I refuse to succumb to the Myspace hell hole - are you on Myspace? WHY?

On a totally unrelated note, upon arising in the morning, I check the weather before getting dressed for the day. This morning I clicked on to see a humidity of 98%. This caused me to wonder:

Can it actually be that humid and not be raining?

Apparently it can. Apparently it just makes it feel like I was swimming the 4 blocks to work instead of walking. Apparently I made the right decision by not straightening my hair. Apparently Winnipeg has been moved to the rainforest.

Stay cool, kids.

Sunday, sweaty sunday

2006-07-30T21:31:00.000-05:00

Hi friends, I hope you all had a nice weekend. What started out Friday as cold and windy in Winnipeg ended up being another sweltering Sunday today. I also started out the weekend with a great tan and am ending it with racoon eyes, sandal lines and white upper thighs from my shorts. Nonetheless it was an alright weekend. This is a photo of my team, Dragon Power, winning the Division B final. We had a bit of a tough time this weekend... seems to me like we are our own worst enemies - psyching ourselves out when it comes to crunch time. Nonetheless, we had fun in the end and won cool little backpacks and a trophy to boot.

Hope you all had a good one - I'm heading off to bed (yes it's only 9.30 here).

Friday friday - oh where does the time go?

2006-07-28T12:53:00.000-05:00

Another weekend, another week gone, my god - SUMMER IS HALF OVER! What have I been doing with my time? Today my tanned-body was shocked into hiding within a fleece all day after waking up to a chilly mid-20's degree ice box. Just goes to figure, right when I get used to this heat wave, the cool weather comes rolling in. Everyone at work is wearing fleece jackets and shivering - what a bunch of wimps we are! I hope it warms up a smidge for our race tonight!

I feel the land of bloggers struggling a little, generally speaking, these days. I think its probably a little to do with summertime and everyone being hectic? Who knows. That's my excuse anyway. I'm also a little worried after hearing about one of the most Fabulous Bloggers of all time losing their job over their blog. Scary stuff. Also had an interesting conversation with my guy (oo, did I just call him MINE?) about blogging and relationships, and I'm not really cool with sharing all those sorts of personal details - as juicy as they may be.

Dan Lett of the Winnipeg Free Press also wrote this interesting post about the anonymous world of bloggers and the lack of accountability. I like that the people I care about most read my blitherings. It's too easy to come on and spew random abuse and not think about fall out.

Anyway, as I obviously don't have much to talk about today - here's a pretty picture from my trip last week! Have an awesome weekend everyone!

xoxo

And then this one time...

2006-07-26T15:08:00.000-05:00

Hello friends! I am so glad to be back and into my regularly(ish) scheduled updating. I think I've pretty much caught up on most of your blogs by now, and phew. You all have been BUSY. Seems rather common that most people are running around like chickens with their heads cut off with summer plans, life, new loves, unhealthy indulgences and general chaos. I love it! I too am crazy nuts busy at work all this week, but wanted to sneak in a quick update before I headed off for the night.

Indulged a little too much after paddling last night, but had some great laughs with great people. I love my friends. We were laughing over my history with one of the performers hitting the stage this weekend in the festival beer tent, a local gem, JP Hoe. Go give him some love and listen to some of his tunes on his MySpace (the only real value I see in MySpace is when artists can post up their songs for our free listening pleasure).

So some of you already know, but I am a long time band camp attendee. Yessir, 7 years. That's hard core. Band camp was fun, yes I played the flute, no it was nothing like they make it out to be in the movies. I returned each year to band camp during the same week, and over the years a small posse evolved of about 8-10 of us. We were the cool kids, or at least the cool-ish kids - and yes I realize at band camp that's really not saying much. It was fun, there was drama and innocent relationships. I had blue hair one year, we were all teenagers and loving summertime.

ANYWAY, the point of all this... who was a part of my posse? None other than.. Mr. JP Hoe himself. Yes. I went to band camp with JP Hoe. We have run into eachother over a few hazy bar nights over the years, and its always funny and somewhat surreal, but its really fantastic to see someone local and so talented do what I remember making him so happy - over 10 years ago. I'm sure he'll rock this weekend and I'm excited to see him play live, for the first time since those sunny afternoons with his guitar in the grass.

So give JP some love - I think I'll have to dig up some great photos from those blue haired days to post.

Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday...

2006-07-25T10:20:00.000-05:00

Yeah I know I said Sunday, but wow... I was exhausted! I have been fortunate enough to have spend the past week on a totally amazing business trip where I experienced Manitoba from a whole new perspective. I made many new friends and had a once in a lifetime opportunity to go whale watching in Churchill. I have yet to write my report and sort through the hundreds of photos I have but I'll be sharing some of the pictures and thoughts over the next week as I wrap my brain around my amazing experiences.

So I basically was away starting last Monday, returning home to my apartment this past Sunday afternoon. Upon arrival chez moi, I was completely and utterly dismayed to find that the unpacking fairies did not visit my abode in my absence and my entire apartment continued to be littered with my belongings in boxes and chaos abounding. So what did I do? I had a nap.

Sunday night was ladies night out at the Concert Hall where momma, Grandma, a family friend and I all got gussied up and took in Chicago. I never did see the movie as I only managed to painfully make my way through about 8 minutes of this piece of crap before I put myself out of misery and shut it off. However, being a general big fan of musicals, I was happy to have thoroughly enjoyed the live version of Chicago. The singing was wonderful, dancing impressive, even Grandma didn't flinch at all those scantily clad hot bodies. It was a fun night!

Then I slept. Lots. I even slept in! Until 9. Monday had lunch with an old, old friend from out of town (yay), visited the dentist (boo), had dinner at mom's (yay), did laundry (boo), and UNPACKED! At least a bit. I had to clear a walkway for the delivery guys to bring in my couch today. Speaking of which, my building needs bigger elevators - thank god I don't live on the 10th floor. Sorry guys!

So that was my week. I see all my lovely blogger-buddies have been quite busy over the past week. I feel so out of touch and hungry for your updates. You know you're a junkie when....

One thing that totally blew me away was this. My my Mr Lett, compliments really WILL get you everywhere! I am quite flattered, thank you. I find the Free Press blogs kind of a pain to surf to, but I'll definetely be clicking that way more often now.

So it's Fringe Festival time again and I think that maybe for the first time I won't be able to make it there. I missed opening weekend, this week is a little nuts with birthday parties and paddling, Dragonboat Races (come cheer!) are this weekend and because I know you are all wondering... GuyILike may officially be upgraded to GuyIAmCrazyAbout and frankly, the only real issue right now is how we can possibly find some time to spend together, alone. We may Fringe on Wednesday but it also might be nice to just spend some time walking and talking. We'll see. We're both suckers for the nice weather and fun things to do, so anything is possible.

Ain't summer grand?

Oops

2006-07-18T22:55:00.000-05:00

Sorry kids, gone all week. Be back Sunday/Monday.

Miss you. Love you. Blah blah.

xoxo
D

This is my title.

2006-07-14T09:08:00.000-05:00

Paddling last night left me bruised and the girl in front of me bleeding (Sorry Sue). The beers after paddling left me tired this morning and with a screaming headache. I left my change purse at home so I can't even go buy a tea. I think I'm going to go panhandle from my co-workers.

Thoughts this morning:

Shit, I need to pack.
Those see through-y light cotton shirts are perfect for this weather.
Please don't wear said white shirt with a white bra with BIG ORANGE FLOWERS ON IT
Periods really do come at the most inconvenient times.
The lady who did my pedicure last night is so amazing. I have art on my toes.
No really, I need to pack.

<3>

Its all about meme

2006-07-13T16:18:00.000-05:00

Ok, one more post.. since one of my latest and greatest findings Ms Mysterio did it.. so shall I:

Four Jobs I have had:
1. A&W Drive-thru girl
2. Accounts receivable for a heating and cooling company
3. Travel Membership salesperson (yay high pressure)
4. Communications Director

Four movies I could watch over and over:

1. The Notebook
2. Dirty Dancing
3. Pretty Woman
4. Black Hawk Down

Four Places I have lived:

1. Selkirk/Winnipeg (They're close enough together to count as one), Manitoba
2. Windsor, Ontario
3. Edmonton, Alberta
4. Mont-Joli, Quebec

Four TV shows I love to watch:

1. 24
2. Sex and the City
3. Family Guy
4. So you think you can dance (ok I only saw it once and I am totally embarassed at how much I enjoyed it)

Four places I have been on vacation:

1. Mexico
2. Miami
3. Dallas, Texas
4. Vancouver

Four websites I visit (almost) daily:

1. Winnipegweather.com
2. All the blogs on my blogroll (yes ALL of them)
3. My workplace's blog, to read industry news
4. Winnipegsun.com (when I'm too lazy to read the real thing)

Four of my favorite foods:

1. Caramel Macchiattos
2. Diet pepsi
3. Homemade bread
4. pizza
Wow I sound so unhealthy

Four places I would rather be right now:

1. Outside
2. ANywhere with Sean
3. Getting a pedicure
4. On the beach with Sabs

I'm just chasing time again

2006-07-13T15:26:00.000-05:00

This is why I could never be a writer. This is the 3rd time in the past 2 days I've attempted to craft an entry but everything comes off as trite and just... wrong. I'm not even sure what I want to talk about, but I miss clicking that Publish Post button. So let's see what I got today.

TheBoyILike and I have fallen into this (frighteningly) comfortable pattern of IMing every night. Its very sweet, even though a few of the conversations have consisted of a late night "Hey, miss you, very tired, goodnight" and that's all. I am very much looking forward to seeing him this weekend, because as much as I like him this way, I prefer being able to smell his scent and see him laugh.

This week has been pretty busy for me prepping for a business trip next week. I am hoping my stops will include internet so I will be able to update, but who knows. I also might just make you miss me for a week so its THAT MUCH BETTER when I return!

In addition to the work hecticness, its been INSANELY hot here which causes me to:
a) wish I was outside when I am inside freezing in the a/c; or
b) wish I was inside when I am outside sweating.
It's weird to carry a sweater to and from work with me when it is 43 degrees celsius outside, but that's summertime in Winnipeg!

OH MY GOD! I can't believe I haven't mentioned this yet!? I went to my new apartment yesterday on my lunch. Wow. I so love. LOVE LOVE! I went to take measurements for drapery and all that, as I saw some curtains the other night I loved, and ended up measuring the whole freaking place. It's so big and roomy and... empty! The girl who had it before me had about a million couches (including one in the kitchen) and 5 aquariums with various reptiles and crawly things in them. It's even bigger than I remembered!

So after I saw the place, I was perusing around online for a new couch (it's time) and found the super-cool room designer on The Brick's website. I had wanted to post the little schematic I did of my living room, but now the website is being stupid. So screw it. Trust me though - its fabulous! I bought my new couch last night and am on the hunt for a sexy accent chair. Bad news is I won't get my couch until July 25 because it's on backorder... good news is I dont really care because I'm away till the 23rd anyway! Sorry friends, we'll have to sit on the floor to watch tv and drink beer this weekend. It'll be like we're 18 and too broke for furniture again.

I am rather sad because its looking like I won't make my annual pilgrammage to the Selkirk Beer Gardens though. Conor you had best represent well, my friend! Look out for my high school counterparts - they're the drunk people with 3 kids each and beaten down attitudes.

Bomber Game Saturday, I like the Blue. I don't know if they'll win and the spread is only -2.5 on Montreal... tough call. My Pro-Line calls would probably be:

Calgary (-3.5) over Hamilton
Sask (+6.5) over BC (don't laugh... I'm serious)
Montreal (-2.5) will tie with Winnipeg

$5 ticket will get you about $41. Feel free to buy me presents. I shall be in attendance with GuyILike, of course, and somehow we will be mingling not only with my sister, but also my mom. Totally by accident, but my mom is pretty awesome and he's pretty awesome, so I'm not worried.

On a completely unrelated note, I've noticed that my blogroll has gotten rather lengthy. Yes I read them all, yes I love them all. It's funny how small this little blogging community is.

So that's all for a Thursday. I got my hair done last night and feel sexy today.

Meow.

Look out world!

Leaving your mark

2006-07-11T09:48:00.000-05:00

Ganked from Darcey at Dust my Broom

The obituary of Fred Clark, as published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Frederic Arthur (Fred) Clark, who had tired of reading obituaries noting other's courageous battles with this or that disease, wanted it known that he lost his battle as a result of an automobile accident on June 18, 2006. True to Fred's personal style, his final hours were spent joking with medical personnel while he whimpered, cussed, begged for narcotics and bargained with God to look over his wife and kids. He loved his family. His heart beat faster when his wife of 37 years Alice Rennie Clark entered the room and saddened a little when she left.
....
During his life he excelled at mediocrity. He loved to hear and tell jokes, especially short ones due to his limited attention span. He had a life long love affair with bacon, butter, cigars and bourbon. You always knew what Fred was thinking much to the dismay of his friend and family.
...
He died at MCV Hospital and sadly was deprived of his final wish which was to be run over by a beer truck on the way to the liquor store to buy booze for a double date to include his wife, Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter to crash an ACLU cocktail party. In lieu of flowers, Fred asks that you make a sizable purchase at your local ABC store or Virginia winery (please, nothing French - the *censored*) and get rip roaring drunk at home with someone you love or hope to make love to.

Read full here...

Musings without a muse

2006-07-10T13:13:00.000-05:00

Well it's going to be pretty much impossible to encapsulate that great weekend into a post, so I'll give point form highlights, not in any order at all:

Eating an amazing dinner made by volunteers in the sunshine last night with my BFF Sabrina while listening to Richard Thompson (a little mellow, but an amazing guitar player)
Volunteering, period. I'd do it again for sure next year.
Discovering new favourites and old favourites and seeing them all on stage together.
Tanya Tagaq = AMAZING. Nuff said.
Tons of Fun University = This year's fave for me.

There were tons of amazing other acts I wish I had the chance to see, but we can't do it all right? Very fun weekend but I feel a distinct inability to put anything more into this post today. As much as I've been so awesome lately and in great moods, I feel the demon's fingers poking out from underneath the closet doors. The waves of anxiety are lapping at my feet and now and again a big one rushes up to throw me off balance. I'm not sure what is making this happen, but its making me anxious about being anxious (what a vicious cycle). I keep hoping if I just ignore it, it will go away. I'm on about week 3 now. One day last week (Tuesday) was terrible. Friday was just uncomfortable. Today I'm alright. Tomorrow who's to know.

I'm a tad frustrated, and have been avoiding blogging about this as a part of the "ignore the problem" strategy. However, maybe if I just write it down and realize how stupid this all is, I'll shake it off. Man up. Suck it up!

Other things to be happy about:

I move Saturday!
There is this boy I really like and he is coming back to Winnipeg on Saturday
BoyILike and I are intending to spend every moment together from when he arrives home on Saturday until I leave on Monday!
Did I mention I am moving in to my new apartment on Saturday?!

We talk a mile a minute desperate just to talk....I take you out for dinner, we're speechless while we walk

2006-07-07T11:24:00.000-05:00

No matter how cute a kid is, I don't think I've ever had any sort of feeling resembling a desire to kiss their bellies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, 53, is quoted as saying:

I felt an urge to squeeze him like a kitten

Full Story here...

Uh. What?

***************

So I am taking the afternoon off to meet Momma at the Folk Fest. We're spending the afternoon at concerts, then volunteer in the evening and she is meeting up with some friends. She gets James Keelaghan and I get Greg MacPherson. Yes sir, today is a great day!

Last night was so beautiful, a little hot to begin with, but the gracious breeze kept up, a few soft clouds rolled in and it was great. I am going out today with numerous bottles of frozen water and a cooler of ice. Yay for volunteering in a shaded area!

I felt like such a city girl out in the park. With the fire warnings set to "extremely high" the grass was actually crunching under my feet as I walked to the festival. Hopefully this morning's slight drizzle will help a bit. Grass should feel good under the toes, not cut my feet.

Once I got to my shift, they pretty much just threw me in without training, no problem, I can figure it out. Take tickets, give wristbands. Let's go. What? Slow down? I actually got in trouble for going too quickly. Apparently efficiency isn't exactly what they had in mind.

I don't know exactly what attendance numbers were at last night, but between the beautiful weather and a pretty freaking great lineup, I think they probably did rather well.

Once again, over-zealous volunteers completely blow my mind. You are a volunteer. Relax. The world will not end if you make a mistake. We're here for a good time, not a long time...

So other than that, I got home last night completely exhausted, yet was still happy to have a nice IM conversation with TheBoyILike. He's great. He likes me, I like him. It's just one of those things that just feels right. For once in my life I don't feel like I'm in any sort of rush to... to... I don't know what. But I like it. He's truly a pleasure to discover.

He's out of town right now on business, returning in about a week only to have me leave town for another week. Hopefully when our ships pass in the night there will be some sort of getting together, for a kiss at least (because his are really nice, for the record). In a perfect world this would happen sooner rather then later, but I have a feeling he'll be worth the wait.

I probably didn't mention him much before now because I hate to blog-curse things, but I think I'm officially at the point where it warrants a mentioning. Consider him mentioned.

Back to Folk Fest, as suggested I'm definetely catching the Richard Thompson set on Sunday night. I'll let you know what I think.

TGIF!

Newsflashes from my brain

2006-07-06T13:49:00.000-05:00

It's been a quiet couple days for me in preparation for Folk Fest. Not camping this year though, all the camping passes are sold out. It really is a blessing in disguise I think. The thought ofmelting away in the blistering sun and heat stroke really doesn't sound all that fun.

However, sleeping in air conditioning = very fun.

*****

Is it just me or does it feel like there are pregnant women everywhere right now? September baby boom I presume?

*****

Updated the blog roll. Been finding new blogs and have been found by some new fabulous people. Comment me if I've missed you.

The good thing about this is that I've found a bunch of new, awesome blogs to read. The bad thing is I realize how little I have to say now. Hopefully I'll feel more inspired soon.

*****

I need a nap.

*****

Did a walking tour today on my lunch. Was supafabulous.

*****

Does absence make the heart grow fonder? I hope so.

*****

I move in 9 days. Holy crap.

Belated Canada Day wishes

2006-07-04T10:42:00.000-05:00

[Via The Sorry Centrist]

The Vancouver Sun's Shelley Fralic penned a list of 130 Reasons to Love Canada for Canada Day, and although there are a number on this list I raised an eyebrow at, the majority were brilliant and I have selected just a few that warmed my heart this morning. In addition, go visit Centrist's original post for a great recounting of when our National pride was renewed and invigorated by a beer commercial. I love this country.

My Selections:

5. Polar bears. Big, white, beautiful.
8. Wayne Gretzky. You don't have to be a hockey fan to call the pride of Brantford a great athlete, and one classy guy.
16. Snow. Because we can't control it. And can't stop talking about it.
17. Cindy Klassen. Speed skater extraordinaire, her six Olympic medals are the most won by a Canadian.
25. Cougar. King of the Canadian jungle.
34. Beer. There are just some things we do better.
42. Narwhal. Think about it. A unicorn. In the ocean. Awesome.
48. Maple syrup. Without which pancakes would just be a stack of fried flour.
56. Giant pumpkins. Nova Scotia's Howard Dill had an idea. It grew to 1,446 pounds.
58. Manners. Some call us conservative. We call us polite.
60. Water. We have it. Crisp, clean, cold. Lots of it.
61. 32 Million. Because we could all move to California, and there'd still be room to roam.
64. Poutine. French junk food. The real reason we put up with Quebec's familial hissy fits.
65. Alex Trebek. Who is that sophisticated, stalwart Jeopardy wrangler?
71. Leonard Cohen. For having a way with words, and lyrics. For Suzanne.
82. The border. An 8,891-kilometre room divider.
84. Lake of the Woods. 14,542 islands, 65,000 miles of shoreline. Now that's cottage country.
91. The Friendly Giant. Before Bert and Ernie, there was Jerome and Rusty and that little chair to rock in.
94. Nunavut. For being there, quiet and self-contained, the crown of a nation.
95. Burton Cummings. For American Woman. And These Eyes. And because this is my list, and he's my crush.
98. Ken Read. For carving the path to Olympic downhill dominance, and for putting the crazy in Canuck.
100. Bob and Doug McKenzie. For making hosers, and the Great White North, totally hip.
101. Steve Nash. Here's to the little guy who made it in the basketball bigs.
104. Winnipeg. Mosquitoes, wind, sub-zero winters and pancake horizon, yet 700,000 of us seem to like it.
105. Barenaked Ladies. If we had a million dollars, we'd send them a thank-you note just for being sassy.
108. Blue $5, purple $10. No monochromatic greenbacks for us. Our money is funny.
109. Blame Canada. Terrorists. Blackouts. Social liberalism. Thanks, South Park. It's fun to be the scapegoat.
116. Beaver. Because, as a national symbol, the eagle is just so obvious.
119. Moose. Improbable forest titan. With quite the rack.
120. Inukshuk. Rock's best balancing act, and our ubiquitous answer to Stonehenge.
121. Zed. Because we're alphabet purists, and Zee just won't do.
124. Highway signs. Green and white and read all over. Easily.
126. Alanis Morissette. Her 30 million Jagged Little Pills proved there's no fury like a pop singer scorned.
131. Dinosaurs. No, not Ralph Klein, but the paleontological pile of bones in Drumheller's Royal Tyrrell Museum.
134. Louis Riel. Because every nation needs a rebel with a cause.

Happy Tuesday that feels like Monday

2006-07-04T09:33:00.000-05:00

Weekend News

I hope this guy is in shameful hiding, realizing what a waste of skin he is today.
What a career. I mean yeah, none of us are surprised, but it's sad to see him go. My Puck Bunny friends from Windsor/Detroit used to swoon over him all the time. I met him once in a "club", so briefly. And by met I think it was more like he was at a table with some guys we were talking to and was completely ignoring everything around him - chatting to another guy about something important.

***************

Happy 4th of July to my friends in the USA, and belated Canada Day to my dear Canadians. A brief overview of my weekend in point form, you may see a theme as we go along:

New laptop - YAY
Bombers Won - YAY
Dancing with friends - YAY
Beach and tanning - YAY
SM (not to be confused with S&M) - YAY
Visit with my dear friend Kelly, wine, laughs - YAY

(IE: It was great).

You know it doesn't sound so exhausting when it's all laid out like that. But I made the mistake of having a bit of staying out late last night (oh and every other night this weekend) so today I have a case of sleepy face and foggy brain. This week is (thankfully) a short one and with Folk Fest here this weekend to distract me, I have vowed to behave and get lots of sleep in preparation.

I've been surprised at some of the weird aversion people my age have to the Winnipeg Folk Festival, brushing it off as a juvenile, childish reason to party, get drunk and have sex with strangers in tents. Apparently my Folkie experiences are quite different from theirs. I spend the day wandering from stage to stage, sunning, listening to some amazing music and spending time with friends. Sure there are party animals, but there are party animals everywhere. *shrug* Sometimes I think I live in a different world from people.

That's about all I got for now. I meant to take photos this weekend but ... yeah.

Woohoo! Take off your shirt!

2006-06-30T15:28:00.000-05:00

Watching World Cup Soccer with a colleague for a few minutes this afternoon at York Hotel in their lounge. No women other than the waitstaff in the entire place, which was full of beefy men, including these guys in town for tomorrow's game. Saw Italy's 2nd goal. The guys either cheered or aww'ed.

I just thought "Take off your shirt".

I don't think soccer is the sport for me.

Whatcha waiting, whatcha waiting, whatcha waiting for...?

2006-06-30T10:09:00.000-05:00

Somehow this post ended up a lot more sad than I ever intended. My apologies to the happy people out there! I really am in a great mood today... I swear! Happy Canada Day!

For those of you who made it through that freaking long list up there... you'll see by #53 that I am aspiring to life a live without regrets. The Four Agreements is a book a read a few years ago when I was going through a tough battle with being depressed. I hesitate to call it "depression" because I do believe there is a disease that alters your brain chemicals and makes you unable to feel happiness - and I do not believe I have it. I believe I was sad because I allowed my negative attitude to overtake me. I allowed myself to fall into the pit of despair so far I don't know that there was anyone who actually knew how far gone I had gotten. I'm bad with admitting to weakness, so bear with me here, this is difficult.

If there was any word that could sum up that time in my life, it was just sadness. I had never been so sad in my life. It overpowered everything I did and even though I had a smile on when I was out for work or play, I'd go home and cry for hours afterwards. I woke up in the morning and tears would fall before my feet hit the floor. It was so exhausting and it pains me that even a day was wasted like that.

The situations that occured leading up to this really didn't matter, to be honest. Sure my relationship had crumbled, I had been dumped by a man I thought loved me, I was frustrated in my job, I was suffering from low self-esteem; but did all these things happen because I was down or was I down because all these things happened? What came first, the chicken or the egg? Who gives a crap, make me an omelette!

I don't say this to be melodramatic, or solicit pity. I most certainly have never been able to so honest about this to even those I love dearly. I was alone because I didn't know how to reach out, and I didn't know what the hell it was I wanted someone else to do that would make it better. I just wanted to not be sad and did everything humanly possible to run away from the grief. I stopped eating. I lost weight. I self-medicated. I hid. I ended up in the hospital. Most importantly, I felt hopeless and not in control.

My negative attitude was a poison I allowed to overtake me. Negative people were in my life and we fed off eachother. It's much easier to wallow than make it better and boy I certainly learned that lesson. Everything happens for a reason and everything is exactly how it is supposed to be, right now. I had to realize the only wrong I had suffered from was the wrong I was doing to myself. I did not have control over what everyone else did, I could only control how I reacted. I can not control how people treat me, I can control how I treat other people. You being sad has nothing to do with me, me being sad has everything do with myself.

This is not to say that one day I just woke up and said "Ok, I'm done being sad now." and everything was alright. Sadness is easy to feel and I still am very afraid of the emotion because of its previous dominance in my life. Both times Jeff and I broke up the sadness was on a very fine line of overwhelming me; in fact I am sure I lost a few battles against it, but only for a day or two.

So why did this all come up today, you are wondering? Well, let me tell you. I met someone amazing. He blows my mind. However, he is sad and there is nothing I can do to help him. It makes me sad to even think of his suffering and I just want to tell him that it will be okay. I'm still hiding from my own sadness, and wish I could ... what? I don't know. I just wish I could.

100 Facts Of D

2006-06-28T11:44:00.000-05:00

I've been challenged by my fantastic chiropractor to do a list of 100 things I want to do/complete/experience in my lifetime. I've been giving it a bit of thought and it really does sound tough. I think I will keep my list until I get at least to 50, then post it on here.

I like lists, they make me happy. So today, I'm going to start off easy and try to list 100 Facts About Me. They're probably not that interesting, but I'm just wondering if I can actually do it.

My driver's license says I'm 5'10" but I really think I'm only about 5'8"
I played the flute for 7 years.
I went to bandcamp (7 times), and and loved it.
I used to have blue hair.... and then purple.
I love my family and think they're pretty awesome.
I have 4 tattoos
I've pierced everything I want to pierce, although I've taken most of them out.
I hate that I have a hard time telling people my secrets.
Pearl Jam was the best concert I have ever seen. I will never forget that night as long as I live, and not just because of the music.
I am right handed, but I wear my watch on my right hand.
I used to figure skate and I still dream that I am gliding on the ice.
My favourite sport to watch is football
I wear sunglasses all the time because I'm afraid of getting wrinkles
I love that my skin is brown
I love beer.
I have cute toes, but.. I have size 11 feet.
I use periods a lot when I'm chatting.
I am going for lunch right now.
I am back and bad with time.
I'm usually late.
I'm fiercely loyal.
I prefer dogs to cats.
I love sushi
I love cherry slurpees.
I've always had pretty awesome jobs, I am very lucky that way.
I still see the same dentist I had when I was 12
I don't like bananas
I love to dragon boat
I wish my hair was longer
My best friend is Sabrina
I can type about 85 wpm, mainly because I used to chat a lot.
I am terribly disorganized
I never went to university
I don't think I'm very stylish, but I wish I was.
I'm not sure where the years went.
I own about 50 pairs of shoes, but at one time I had over 100
I don't like taking aspirin/tylenol/pills
I love Crest White Strips
I really don't know what you all think.
I am scared one day someone will figure me out.
I am shy.
I am a virgo (not a virgin, I mean my birthday is September 18th)
I was born in 1979
I am afraid of birds
I was a vegetarian for 6 years
I do not have an addictive personality at all. I quit smoking, drinking and any other vices with ease.
I find lisps and suspenders sexy
My mother trained me to identify which Beatle was singing during which song, melody and harmony. I'm not as good as I used to be, but I can still do it.
My parents divorced before I ever remember them being together.
I wish I knew if I were pretty.
I've Googled people I had crushes on in high school just to see what they're up to. Apparently I liked smart boys - most of them are doctors now.
I'm not really that big of a fan of chocolate, but licorice makes me happy.
I've cheated on one person in my entire life - when I was 18. I hated the man I was dating but I still think its my only regret in life. I will never do it again. Ever.
I am pretty tough on people I care for.
I'm not easy to get to know. I am pretty guarded with my feelings.
I wish I could sing.
I was not baptized.
I have never really believed anyone I've dated when they said they loved me.
I am very pro-choice. But I don't know if I could have an abortion myself now.
I have O+ blood and donate regularly....because
When my mom was 10 she almost died from blood loss when she had her tonsils removed.
The best thing I ever did was a youth program called Katimavik, and then not come home afterwards.
I think everyone should be tested regularly for HIV
I have social anxiety, but I hide it very well.
One of my biggest fears is vomiting in public
While I'm driving, I make up words with the letters in people's license plates. My dad taught me that.
I envy my brother for travelling the globe.
I have finally forgiven everyone. Except Jenn Stewart. I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive her.
The book "The Four Agreements" changed my life. It was given to me by two of my favourite people in the world
I want to wear more dresses
I love wearing jewelry
I can't downhill ski, but I love to cross country
I am very girly, but love to wash off the makeup and workout
I think girls who refuse to sweat are lame.
I'll never tell anyone how many people I've had sex with or how much money I make.
Kissing to me, is the most intimate form of romantic affection.
I love to hug my friends.
When I was about 7 I accidently saw a scene in a horror movie that I have never been able to get out of my brain. It still haunts me.
I always vote.
If I haven't had dinner by 7pm, I'd prefer to just not eat at all.
I am a closet romantic.
I wear a size 12 and I'm ok with that.
I love Caramel Macchiattos from Starbucks, I get one almost every day.
I'd love to settle down with a nice boy and get married, but the idea of it scares the crap out of me.
At my first gynecological appointment when I was 16, the doctor was a large Norweigan woman who told me I had good birthing hips. I was rather proud and still am.
I have a birthmark in the corner of my eye that people usually think is a big gunk of makeup. I like it.
I've only had 4 real "boyfriends", but I'm a serial dater who has never had a bad date.
I had an affair with a married man once and I worry that I will never trust marriage now because of it.
I've had a crush on Alex Trebek as long as I can remember.
I doubt I'll ever find a guy as great as my dad.
I really want to go to Vegas, but I don't gamble
I prefer being a passenger to driving.
I haven't drank actual drip-coffee in years.
I have never broken a bone in my body and I'm very afraid as to what it is going to feel like.
I prefer the prairies to the mountains
I have two middle names
I can only wink my left eye.
I love to dance, and really do go to the bar just to dance with my girls.
I want to be with someone who is a good slow dancer.
I still love Pearl Jam just as much as I did in high school, but I haven't bought any of their last 2 albums.

Time Flies

2006-06-27T09:33:00.000-05:00

DSC01806
Originally uploaded by soggymuffin.

She's already 2 months old and absolutely magnificent. As per usual it's Tuesday and I'm tired so you're getting a photo that was taken last night.

You stink!

2006-06-26T15:33:00.000-05:00

In my province, smoking is forbidden in all enclosed public places. As a non-smoker, I am very grateful. However, I refuse become one of those former smokers who are now all self-righteous and superior because they quit. You see, I smoked for almost 12 years. I quit 3 years ago. In September I shall be celebrating my 27th birthday. Do the math. I'll wait.

Yes. I was 12.

I'm not proud of it, but that is what happened and who I am. I will jokingly tell people that I started smoking and drinking coffee around that age in effort to stunt my growth (I'm the tallest in my family), when really I just did it because my friends did it. *shrug*

Anyway, after smoking for that many years I had finally had enough. I decided to quit and I did. That was that. It was not at all that difficult because I had pretty much just made up my mind that smoking was gross and I had had enough. This coincidently was the same spring I took up running as I was on a relay team for the Manitoba Marathon - and trust me, it hurts alot more to run when you've had a cigarette or five the night before. At the time, I was also just about to start dating a non-smoker which also makes it much easier to quit.

One of the side-effects of the long-term inhalation of cigarette smoke, is loss of sense of smell. Inversely, upon quitting, one discovers the plethora of odours this world has to offer, namely one's own self - us humans are pretty smelly creatures I discovered. I like to think that I am a rather clean person, in fact as a girl I feel it is my duty to have soft skin and to smell nice. Poor Nova used to just shake his head and laugh when after about 3-4 months of not smoking I had a full week of constant paranoia about the odours emanating from my body. You see, I apparently had no idea what SKIN smelled like. Nonetheless, I am now secure in my pleasant smell.

So the reason this all comes up today, is I just returned to my office from a meeting I had sitting at an outdoor table at a café. About 30 minutes into my meeting, a man sat down at the table next to us and proceeded to light up a cigar. Now, let me clarify that I have enjoyed more than a couple of cigars in my day. I don't mind the smell of cigars, the taste, I understand the appeal, I really do. Maybe not when they are bought from 7-11, but nonetheless I digress.

He lit the cigar, and for the next 15 minutes proceeded to slowly smoke us all out. As the breeze would shift, billows of smoke would waft across our table, leaving us gasping for air and squeezing our eyes. I proceeded to feel extremely nauseous and wonder if I was going to be able to make it through this torture.

We wrapped up around the same time Smoky McStink did and everyone headed in their different directions. I have now returned to my desk and am covered with the stink of smoke. It has permeated my hair, clothes and is stuck to my skin. My hair is completely overwhelming me and making me feel sick. I don't even have time to go home and change before I go to my mother's house for dinner and a visit with my beautiful neice. Sarah is going to have awful memories of her stinky auntie holding her.

I realize everyone is free to smoke their cigars in the open places of patios, but that doesn't mean I don't have the right to complain about it. Blech.

The Weekend is HERE!

2006-06-23T10:46:00.000-05:00

Bomber game tonight should be fun. My sister and I are going to go, no she won't be wearing that costume but I will be wearing my new tshirt that my friend Dwayne made for Chloe and I that says this:
Don't mistake me for a large man named Dwayne though, he'll be wearing his as well.

This has got to be one of the funniest sports interview answers of all time. Ricky Williams enjoys himself... or not? No he does, I think? If anyone can decipher this, let me know. Because when I know what I know, I think I know knowing that what I know is knowing.

I love working downtown. Moving downtown in a few weeks is going to be even MORE fun! Somehow my dear friends have talked me into moving myself, as opposed to hiring people. I hope they realize that my contribution will involve unlocking the doors and buying the beer. The fun part is that my mom always cooks a big pot of yummy something to feed the masses, my mom is SO awesome.

Oh yes, about downtown. I just had to make a little trip to Portage Place to pick a few things up for a luncheon here at work and here a few random quotes I heard along the way:

Halleluiah for me! Halleluiah for me! Halleluiah for me!
~Lady in the stall next to me in the washroom

I ain't cuttin' her grass anymore, she rides me too hard.
~Guy in line at Tim Horton's

You know you're a man when you get new mulcher blades for your tractor!
~Guy's friend in line at Tim Horton's

Have a great weekend!

I'm 27 this year!

2006-06-22T13:21:00.000-05:00

So thanks to Dustin for this.

Thursday. I think?

2006-06-22T11:30:00.000-05:00

Apparently I do not function well without sleep. I am on Day 4 in a row of getting less than 4 hours of sleep at night and officially I am not doing well. If someone could get a hangover from not drinking, I have one right now. My head feels like it weighs about 50 lbs and I am walking around in a mostly foggy, hazy condition - nodding and smiling where necessary (and probably some times when not). Why am I doing this to myself you ask? All in the name of Jazz baby...

Last night I saw a very cool band at the Pyramid at a show headlined by Kardinal Offishall. Now no disrespect for Kardi, but I just wasn't really feeling him. Decidedly my taste in music is slightly more on the "funk" side of the spectrum than the "serious Hip Hop" side of things, but I was mainly just tired and for only having 175 people in that small venue, the music was EFF-ING loud!

So needless to say, I'm not quite eloquent enough to get more into reminiscing today, so you're all safe from that crap.

Ooo!

2006-06-21T16:05:00.000-05:00

I totally just bought a new laptop and I'm WAY excited! Holy impulse buy. New toys yay!

Happy Aboriginal Day - go hug your favourite brown person! Oh and happy birthday Grandma (she's 86 today). My grandfather has been gone for almost 20 years now and she still says she could never be with anyone else because she's still in love with him. She says no man could ever compare to him. I'm not sure I know what that would feel like, and that makes me sad. Is that sort of undying devotion around anymore?

I like to think I could surrender to a situation completely like that, but honestly - I don't think I could. I think the only time I really did 100% was with "Nova" (**name changed even though he's far from innocent), which I think I'll have to get into one of these days soon. That relationship did me lots of good, yes - but it also did me lots of not good. I don't blame him for what happened anymore, but I recognize how different I am because of it.

Ok, we'll get into it now, I have a few minutes before I have to go...

Nova and I knew eachother for a couple months and then "dated" for about 4. My heart still aches a little when I think about how much I loved that man. I still feel myself soften and smile a little when I think about how he made me feel back then. I realize now that there was no way the relationship could continue with such an unhealthy, naive worship I had for the ground he walked on.

We had gone out 3-4 times before he kissed me and I do not remember how I drove home that night. It was heartbreakingly sweet how he held me in his arms and touched my hair - it was a moment we have laughed at since as definetely one of the top 10 kisses of all time. Up until that moment I had been rather hesitant to give much to it, he was very tall, very good-looking, very blond, very charming and just a little too smooth (you know the type). Basically I was in trouble from the start.

After that night I was officially smitten and at some point in the next couple weeks he called me his girlfriend and that was that. There was no "talk", there was no proclamations of devotion, he said it once, I said "uh ok" and we were together.

I don't think it was very long before I met his parents and daughter, and we were in a steady routine of sunday family dinners. Somehow it all just became .... very Beaver Cleaver. Around the same time I had just started a new job where I worked at home (which was very difficult unto itself) and trying to sort out a new lifestyle of "working" at home while being in a new all-consuming relationship that had somehow slipped WAY TOO QUICKLY into mundane home-life was hard on both of us.

And then I went away for the weekend....

I just wanna use your love.. tonight

2006-06-20T15:52:00.000-05:00

So I just watched the first half of the England-Sweden match over lunch with my best gal-pal Sabrina. After an hour of intently absorbing this serious rivalry... I have concluded that dear lord, England's goalie is hot. Hello Paul Robinson! MEOW!

In other news, last night's Jazz Festival was SO awesome. I haven't loved a show like that since I saw Beady Belle in 2003. The show was opened by the always great Peanuts and Corn, and headlined by Mike Relm WHO WAS COMPLETELY PHENOMENAL. He had the small-ish crowd loving him by the end of his set, dancing and there were times when we were just all shaking our heads at what he was able to do. He scratched video - which I had never seen before - plus was SUPER nice as we all hung out before the doors opened and watched the hockey game. I bought his CD and have been grooving all day. Go visit his website - he has lots of free downloads. Go. Now.

I had more to say, but I'm very sleepy now. I wish I was 19 again and didn't need sleep. Getting old is pretty boring.

How do you determine your self-worth?

2006-06-20T15:12:00.000-05:00

I am worth $2,034,060 on HumanForSale.com

How could you not love her?

2006-06-19T11:01:00.000-05:00

Baby Pics June 2006 029
Originally uploaded by soggymuffin.

Shall We Date?

2006-06-19T10:28:00.000-05:00

Hi friends, hope you had a nice weekend. Last night I was a volunteer at the Winnipeg Jazz Festival where I spent the evening with a couple really cool ladies I met talking about life, love and men. The night was beautiful, the music was fantastic and beautiful people were out in full force. The conversation flowed easily on topics such as relationships, divorce, wedding rings, menstrual cramps and attractive men, I hope to see them both again soon.

I think I have already mentioned my tendancy to date Sept-June and remain single throughout the summer, but one the ladies from last night - Sonia - pegged me so well when she said "You just haven't met the one that you want to share all the good parts with". This has been very true, I've never been 100% myself. I've also been meaning to remark on a scene from a really bad movie (please don't think less of me for watching it - but I had loved the original) that really made me think.

Why is it that you think people get married? Because we need a witness to our lives....You're saying... Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go unwitnessed, because I will be your witness. ~Beverly

Please note one of my other favourite quotes comes from this movie

I like a woman built for comfort, not for speed. ~Scott

So armed with this knowledge, I sort of feel somewhat phony going on all these dates, but then I realize I'm just having fun. Dinner doesn't equate to marriage! Plus I honestly believe that if I met the right one, it wouldn't matter what time of year it was.

On a somewhat related note: every man should read this. Sorry guys but it's completely, 100% true. Women are not that mysterious, they're probably just not that into you.

Friday afternoon, Are we there yet?

2006-06-16T16:04:00.000-05:00

Thank goodness, another week over and done. And we survived with all our bits still in tact - yay! I hear the weather outside is somewhat past the line of "balmy" right now - with a humidex of 34 dripping degrees. I'm almost tempted to skip my post-work Friday trip to the gym in favour of an extremely sweaty rollerblade in Bird's Hill, but I have "plans" for 7pm and seeing as how I don't have my blades WITH me and I don't like to keep people waiting TOO long.... the air conditioned cardio class it is!

I've had a nice week of actually working IN my office, which has allowed me to catch up on some items. I always wonder exactly how I ended up with the most amazing job karma ever. Somehow I have managed to stumble through life ending up without a university degree, but totally amazing jobs. After basically partying away the years in Windsor when I should have been in university, I returned to Winnipeg in 2000 and have really had way too much luck since then. I certainly hope I am not taking these opportunities for granted!

This weekend should be nice, I have the following planned:

Gym, at least twice. Plus a rollerblade if the rain schedule works with mine
A trip to the movies to see L'Enfant. Alone if I must.
Jazz Festival Sunday night - Moses Mayes, God Made Me Funky, etc
Oh crap, I need to pack!

I hope you all have a great one!

xoxoxo

-D

Goodbye Mr Dressup, Again.

2006-06-16T12:09:00.000-05:00

What is wrong with the world when Saved by the Bell is still on the air, but Mr Dressup gets cut.

Mr Dressup Off the Air

WTF?

2006-06-16T08:40:00.000-05:00

Where's my blog?

*Edit*

Oh, apparently I just had to republish. How stupid. Sorry friends.

One more sleep till Friday!

2006-06-15T10:29:00.001-05:00

Hi Friends,

We all need a downer day eh? Reading back, yesterday seemed a little manic-depressive for me, when really it was a nice peaceful awakening sort of moment I just wanted to share. I'll have to work on that.

So for today, I would like to share with you all that it a SLURPEE ALERT DAY!!! How brilliant! Throughout June there will be days designated as Slurpee Alert Days where slurpees will be 1/2 price from 7am-11pm. Everyone go buy a slurpee! Go buy two! Seeing as how Manitoba is the reigning Slurpee Capital of the World and all.

And now I leave you with a fun meme i jacked from my buddy Mr Fabulous.

What curse word do you use the most? Fuck. Mother fucker specifically, I feel like "mother fucker" isn't used enough these days.

Do you own an iPod? God no, I am so out of touch

Who on your MySpace “Top 8” do you talk to the most? I'm not on Myspace either. I get harrassed all the time to sign up, but it only takes me 2.3 seconds of profile browsing to see how freaking lame it is. I'm sure I'll do it one day at a moment of weakness, or if I ever turn into an 18-year-old girl who's hungry for negative attention from BoYZ.

What time is your alarm clock set for? I use my cell phone and it goes off at 6:30am

What color is your room? Right now it's Blue, but I'm moving in exactly one month

Flip flops or sneakers? Flip flops, its summertime and I'm a pedicure addict.

Would you rather take the picture or be in the picture? That depends, I go through phases of feeling artistic and expressing myself through photography. But mostly I like to be photographed, I like how happy I usually look.

What was the last movie you watched? 8 Mile, last weekend, for some strange reason. In the theatre was... The Da Vinci Code

Do any of your friends have children? Yes, most friends do, but most very close friends don't. Weird, I've never noticed that before.

Has anyone ever called you lazy? Haha, yeah! I've called MYSELF lazy!

Do you ever take medication to help you fall asleep faster? Warm milk? Wine? Do those count?

What CD is currently in your CD player? An acoustic mix made for me by a boy who obviously wanted a date. It's all John Mayer, Dave Matthews and sexy folk music.

Do you prefer regular or chocolate milk? Hmm, the only time I drink milk is in my latte, and that's always non-fat

Has anyone told you a secret this week? Yes

Have you ever given someone a hickey? Ugh, maybe on someone's arm for a joke.

Who was the last person to call you? My dad to give me directions to the car dealership, thank god I'm finally getting my window fixed!

Do you think people talk about you behind your back? Yes, of course. I think it's human nature. I only think about 10% of it is bad though.

Did you watch cartoons as a child? Tom and Jerry!

How many siblings do you have? Older brother, younger half-sister.

Are you shy around the opposite sex? I act kinda stupid and aloof if I like them.

What movie do you know every line to? The Princess Bride - My name is Indigo Montoya... you killed my father... prepare to die!

Do you own any band t-shirts? One (maybe two) Pearl Jam shirts

What is your favorite salad dressing? The dill stuff from the Cafe across the street... oh man SO GOOD

Do you read for fun? If I can get into the book right away, yes.

Do you cry a lot? Not anymore.

Who was the last person to text message you? RDH and IP, I was getting hockey updates all evening!

Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop? Desktop, but I think its getting to be laptop time again.

Are you currently wanting any piercings or tattoo? I've inked and stabbed pretty much everything that I've wanted to at this point.

What is the weather like? Sunny, humid, warm - a storm is brewing.

Would you ever date someone covered in tattoos? I have and I would.

Is sex before marriage wrong? If by "wrong" you mean "necessary" (sorry mom)

When was the last time you slept on the floor? Hmm, probably that year we went to Regina for the football game and there were 7 of us in one hotel room

How many hours of sleep do you need to function? Just to function? Pfft, maybe 3. But to function well and without caffeine - at least 6. 7 is better.

Are you in love or lust? Haha, I refuse to answer this question on the grounds that it may incriminate me in the future.

Are your days full and fast-paced? Very full, I'm always on the go!

Do you pay attention to calories on the back of packages? Heck no. I'll watch my fat and sodium intake though.

How old will you be turning on your next birthday? 27 in September. Feel free to get me presents.

Are you picky about spelling and grammar? Yes, but MoRE sO IF u tYpE lYKe dis

Have you ever been to Six Flags? No, Canada's Wonderland, yes.

Do you get along better with the same or opposite sex? Both, I'm pretty likable I think.

Do you like cottage cheese? Yes, with crushed pineapple in it!

Do you sleep on your side, tummy, or back? Tummy or side

Have you ever bid for something on eBay? I don't have an account, I've had people bid FOR me though.

Do you enjoy giving hugs? I love it. I am totally a hugger. Can we hug now?

What song did you last sing out loud? 38 years old, this morning in the shower. I sing pretty much all day though. I catch myself singing in the elevator all the time when people look at me funny.

What is your favorite TV show? 24, its the only one I watch.

Which celebrity, dead or alive, would like to have lunch with? Dave Matthews

Last time you had butterflies in your stomach? Last night, the hypnotist almost got me I think?

What one thing do you wish you had? More time with my family

Favorite lyrics? Even though its very emo of me to say: Everything changes - Staind

All this and I haven't even had my Starbucks™ yet

2006-06-14T09:34:00.000-05:00

Thanks Blogette for this...

Click here to see Julie Banderas of Fox News lose it on a religious heretic. I'm inspired.

***************

So this morning I flipped the television on briefly with the intent of watching sports highlights while getting dressed and heard something that made me think. The television had been left on Bravo! and there was a man being interviewed about his writing. He said that people write in journals not to record events in their lives as they happen, but to figure out why it is that they happened. He writes to figure out what it is that he is all about, because he really has no clue.

It feels somewhat strange to bounce my blog around from lame Memes about my inner fairy princess or what-have-you to my personal life, but I suppose that's just me flirting with my own desires to communicate my emotions to the populace, and not being sure how to do it. I've always found writing gave me a certain level of self-discovery, whether I liked it or not, over the years. This time around has been fascinating, likely because of my current situation.

Ending my relationship with Jeff was one of the most empowering things I have ever done, and not for any malicious reason towards Jeff at all. I am a well-known control freak. I am an organizer, someone who will start herding the cattle just because I can't stand to see them milling around. My friends know this, and have to love it otherwise they'd hate me, its just how I am and its what makes me happy.

I had never done what it was that I wanted before, really. It seems silly, but I think that's why I have never been happy in a relationship. I never felt like I was doing things because I wanted to. I would sit back and let it all happen, let that part of my life just happen, as opposed to leading it where I wanted it to be led.

Reading all this now, its so silly and trite, but really, I feel like this has been a TSN Turning Point in my life. One of those "ooooooh!" moments. I'm slowly figuring what I'm all about.

A round peg in a square hole

Funny, this life.

Her lumps?

Snow's gone

Springtime eyeballs

mm spring

Test The Nation

Tsk tsk, naughty

Bag lady

Busy busy busy

Honey I'm home...

Take the good with the bad

Disgruntled employees

Oscar Overview

Another skeleton

Digging out

Bad day

hi

I'm alive

GO LIONS!

Grey Cup Time

Quiet updates

Oh man, this makes me want to go back to University...

Go Blu... uh.. GREEN!

Free Gainer!

Awesome me

Love don't live here anymore

Halloween Fun

Flags of our Great Movie

Love, true love

Photo Monday

Yay Babies!

Torture

Movies are how to rule the world

Ooga Booga

You know the blog pickin's are slim....

Oh no

You thought the hug video was sad?

Do me a favour

Birthday Presents

Cute

What's new with you?

Lazy Sunday

Home sick

*Sniffle*

Happy Birthday to Me!

Uh what?

Dubuque Iowa Dragon Boat Races 2006

My very pregnant friend Tricia and I

Wedding Photos

My Sean and I

Sick and tired

Blimey!

Mid-vacation Check In

What are you looking for, exactly?

:(

Stale

Garlic breath

ugh

Everything has changed... absolutely nothing's changed

Away with the toxins!

Honey, I'm home

If you show me real love baby I'll show you mine

On the road again...

Tuesday without the suck

Long weekend!

Please still respect me in the morning

Holy traffic spike, batman!

Introductions are in order...

Sunday, sweaty sunday

Friday friday - oh where does the time go?

And then this one time...

Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday...

Oops

This is my title.

Its all about meme

I'm just chasing time again

Leaving your mark

Musings without a muse

We talk a mile a minute desperate just to talk....I take you out for dinner, we're speechless while we walk

Sniffle