Holy Jumpin' Cats!!!

Happy Birthday Sesame Street!

2009-03-19T16:00:00.003-04:00

This week was the 40th anniversary of the start of Sesame Street. As a result, I have the following stuck in my head...

Thanks, Bird!

Running away from reality

2008-08-10T17:03:00.002-04:00

We spent the last week up in Northern Ontario in a cabin with no telephone, no TV and no Internet access. It was nice. I read a couple of books, a few graphic novels (Fables book 2 and 3 and the first couple of issues of Y - The Last Man), swam almost every day, ate a cheeseburger and fries at a roadside chip stand, and spent time with friends. I also probably abused my liver a tad, but it was very relaxing.

The city is noisy and bright in contrast. Up north we were near the highway but you could pick out the sound of individual transports as they motored down the road. At night, when the moon was down, there was literally no difference between lying in bed with my eyes closed and lying there with them open. And quiet... so very, very quiet that I could hear the sound of the DH's breathing.

I slept badly last night - a combination of street sounds and a cat who refused to leave me alone. I guess she missed me and that is sweet but if she doesn't leave me alone tonight someone is going to learn how to fly without the benefit of wings (OK, kidding all you PETA members).

I left the city burned out and frazzled and I return a lot more relaxed and that will last until about 10 AM tomorrow. I had some things to consider career-wise on vacation but I chose not to think about them and just "be" for the week. I'll worry about it all, when and if. This should be my new mantra.

It's stupid o'clock inthe morning

2008-07-30T02:55:00.002-04:00

And I can't sleep. Woke up about an hour ago with the air still and humid and a cat pressing way too many blankets up against me. My stomach hurts and I feel all out of sorts. Just occurred to me that it's ironic that I'm going to look like hell when I have the new picture taken for my health card tomorrow - heck, in a couple of hours.

Just watching Top Chef on the Food Network and playing with numbers. Years after leaving the finance industry I still find crunching numbers soothing. Guess that makes me a geek, doesn't it? But then we always knew that. Maybe it's a question of control - that doing cashflow or budgeting gives me the illusion that I actually have some control over things. When lately I feel that control is an illusion.

I've been feeling very stressed out lately, mostly because of work, in the immediate timeframe, but just by life in general sometimes. Three more days and I'll be on vacation, for better or worse, and whatever doesn't get done does not get done.

I do see a light at the end of the tunnel. Geez, I hope it isn't a subway.

Does the Interwebs have geography?

2008-01-30T21:16:00.000-05:00

I was just looking at the 2008 Bloggie awards at http://2008.bloggies.com/ and a funny thought struck me: they have categories broken down by country, such as American blog, Canadian blog, Latin American blog, etc. I noticed that Boing-Boing is picked as one of the nominees for best American blog... but I know that at least one of the founders of the site was a long-time resident of Canada now living in England. So my question is, what makes a blog American?? Is it based on where the IP is registered?

Geography and nationality are just vague concepts here in cyberspace. Of maybe they should be. Or maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part.

--------------------
I live in a rental co-op and I’m a member of the committee that has to interview prospective new members. My partner and I did an interview a few weeks ago with two very, pretty young men, and the weird thing is that while I saw that they were very decorative, I didn’t really feel the slightest stirring of longing for them. Hey, they were cute in the same way that a basket of puppies are cute, but not really anything more than that. I couldn't help wondering if my 20-year-old self would have been struck dumb at the sight of them? When I was a young woman I was never good at talking to good-looking young men, but now, meh, what the heck. That just another advantage of getting older and caring less about what other people think.

So, don't tell them but we’ve nicknamed them “Abercrombie & Fitch”. They were just that kind. I think I’ve just reached the “ma’am stage of life” where all males under 30 see me as some sort of asexual Mom figure.

Ah. Little boys, if you had any idea…

Almost time for the 2007 roundup

2007-12-26T07:14:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Boxing Day: the traditional day when people get up, bloated, hung over from the rich food and the free flowing alcohol and greet the day with a cheerful WTF??? Already the new year’s resolutions start percolating in the back of our minds. Yeah, well a couple of more days of indulgence never hurt any one, did they? Bwwahh-ha-ha-ha

I do have this overwhelming urge to go outside for a power walk or do weights or walk the building stairs. Oh kids, I am feeling the excesses of the season. Yesterday we had dinner/ lunch at the in-laws and, in true European hospitality, there was enough food to feed twelve people instead of just the four of us… and two bottles of wine even though only the MIL and I were able to drink – the FIL being restricted by liver issues and the DH being restricted by laws that frown on driving home drunk. The poor MIL was rather sloshed by the end since someone opened a second bottle of wine and we “had to” finish it. Darn, Portuguese hospitality will be the death of us all.

Still a good time was had. My in-laws are very outgoing people and actually a lot more easily understood once I’ve had some wine and the language barriers come down replaced by a combination of English, Portuguese and interpretative dance that becomes our method of understanding each other. It astounds me that I end up knowing more about my DH’s family that he does this way – but then he’s really not the type to ask the right questions, sweet man though he is.

One more day of indulgence today with an invitation out to friend’s for a Boxing Day Bacchanal. I look forward to it.

Hey look at this

2007-09-19T11:32:00.000-04:00

I'm actually doing a post. Way back at the end of July I was all keen for the blogging thing and I had intended to post more regularly... and then, well, life intervened. Some of the things that have happened have been personal and therefore, I suspect, not suitable for public consumption. Not that they are rude or anything – just that sometimes bad things happen to people I care about and it seems a tad selfish to whine about it. Compared to what they are going through, "I got nothing". Still, it’s hard to choke down sadness and be happy and shiny all the time. And I feel guilty.

I’ve probably already said too much. I live my life wrapped in this mental bubble wrap to protect my privacy. Annoying at times, really. You know, I really admire bloggers who can lay their whole emotional landscape out there for all to consume, like, for example, http://waiterrant.net/ or http://barmaidblog.livejournal.com/, but I'm not that what, brave? narcissistic? Self-promoting?

Ok that sounds mean. I enjoy reading both those blogs. I think they are both fine writers (and, after all, September is Writer and Editor’s month). Though self-promoting seems an accurate term for the author of waiterrant since he does have a book to promote. And really, there is nothing wrong with shameless self promotion.

That’s how I get work!

Grocery store ravings

2007-07-29T11:33:00.000-04:00

I spend a lot of time reading about sustainable agriculture vs. Big-Ag and it has become increasingly obvious that the one small thing we could do to help the environment and to help just the quality of general life is to make an effort to support local food producers and to try to buy locally as much as we can. This isn’t always going to be possible since the “local” produce in December in this part of the world is going to be limited, but we should at least try to support local farms where possible.

We went grocery shopping today (as we often do early on a Sunday). So, there we were in a certain National Grocery Chain this morning and I noticed that even the produce “made in Canada” were imports from BC. B.C.? We live within 200 km of some of the best agricultural land in the world, and this store is importing its fruits and vegetables from clear across the country? And tomatoes from Mexico? Cucumbers from California? What is up with that? The closest produce I saw was mushrooms which were at least from Woodbridge Ontario (probably via some packaging plant in Kansas). I find myself angry that we bought any of these and I vow that we are going to make much more of an effort to buy locally. So it is slightly less convenient, but it is a small price to pay for better, fresher, more environmentally conscious food. I would love to see a grocery chain that was willing to support local growers – but I guess that goes against the economies of scale that most groceries go for.

BTW, what happens to produce in grocery chains once they are past their prime? Are they just thrown out or are they at least composted?

Geez, is this going to be some sort of watershed food moment here? There may be more things later.

Shocking second entry in as many days

2007-07-25T08:04:00.000-04:00

If I am going to try to keep this blogging thingie going I'm going to have to actually post entries instead of seeing something and thinking,"Hmmm I should post that", but never doing it.

Ran across this yesterday and want to post it here so that I can find it when I want it. It sums up a lot of things I have been thinking about lately and reminds me that in a rat race, only the rats win.

For more about Alan Watts (the voice of this peice), see the Wikipedia entry here.

Going to a happy writing place

2007-07-24T10:11:00.000-04:00

Ok, so it has been a long time since I even attempted to add something to this blog. I’ve been thinking a lot about why it is that I don’t seem to have the energy to keep up regular entries in this thing. Could it be that I spend all day writing and that at the end of a workday I really don’t feel like putting hand to keyboard? Could it be that I really don’t have much to say? Is it because though I do have things to say I have the common courtesy to keep them to myself and not fill up the precious “interwebs” with still more trite trash that no one cares about?

Hmmm. Could be, rabbit, could be.

So why am I back here then? I dunno. I think I feel like posting again just because, well, I feel like it. You don’t feel like reading, go ahead and feel free to exercise your right to click that Next Blog button at the top of this screen… Go on. I won’t mind. I know your spare time is probably precious to you and there are other cyber-places that would be better for wasting it. But I have to warn you be careful if you do it at work. I clicked once and got some content that was definitely not workplace friendly. I can only hope that my employers are not as diligent about checking internet use as they would like us to believe they are.

Still here? Nice.

Ok, I still give you the option to go to http://www.i-am-bored.com/ whenever your interest flags. I recommend the Flash game, Bloxorz. It’s fun.

And on that note, I better get back to that job that they really pay me to do. Check back in. There might even be some new content before the end of the year.

Happy Bitter Cynics Day!

2007-02-14T08:19:00.000-05:00

I have always hated Valentines day. Ok, maybe there was a period in time when I didn't hate it, but of course that was back in the days when I still believed that when a man in his twenties said "I love you" it meant something more than "I love being with you" or "I love that you'll actually sleep with me". I do remember some nice VDs in my university years with my then-boyfriend who would buy me a box of chocolate-covered maraschino cherries and make me a card. Of course, my expectations and my bank balance where pretty low in those days. In my mid-30s, my friends and I used to have an "Annual Bitter Cynics Valentine's Day Lunch" for all of the people we knew who were as disillusioned with the entire thing as I was. I kind of miss those lunches. They were fun.

But today, I was coming into work at 7:30 because of poor weather conditions and as I was walking through the underground already the hoards are out buying chocolates and all the perfume stores, chocolatiers and florists were in full swing. Ok, I can't fault retailers for trying to get what they can out of the day, but frankly I find it mildly sickening. What a waste of money on transitory consumer goods!

I could start on the whole "Valentines day is an artificial holiday invented by card companies, and florists to make everyone feel bad. " schtick but, frankly, I am sure there are lots of people out there who will say it better than I can. I suggest, however, that if your beloved needs a calendar to remind themselves to tell you they love you perhaps they are not the right beloved for you.

Honestly, I think there is more love in the fact that my DH gets up with me at 5:40 AM each weekday, even though he doesn't have to be at work until 8:30, just to make me coffee before I go to the gym than there is in a boatload of roses or a whole Lindor factory.

I know he loves me every day. We don't need no stinkin' Valentine's day.

On a winter's night

2007-01-29T09:43:00.000-05:00

It was cold yesterday – cold and snowy in the morning and just plain cold and cold in the afternoon. Made me glad to actually have a car so that I could drive to my friends' house and I didn't have to huddle at the streetcar stop, overheat on the subway and trudge through the snow from the subway to their place. I'm still getting used to the novelty of it all. My feet were cold on the drive home since I was just wearing running shoes and a 1.2 litre engine takes a bit of time to generate significant heating in -16 C weather. Perversely, though, I like walking in the winter. Cars are good but I don't really in my soul want to be a car person.

I like the crunch of the snow under my feet and the weird muffled silence that I hear when I walk through quiet residential areas on cold Sunday afternoons. I like the feel of tucking my frozen chin back into the layers of polar fleece to warm it. I even like the way the muscles in my legs pickle in the cold. As long as my feet are warm enough and dry and I have gloves that keep my hands from going numb, I'm actually ok. I like how seeing my breath seems to connect me with the reality of self-locomotion. In the right conditions there is a curious rhythm that develops –breath in, cloud of frosted vapour, step into the snow, squeak of foot on snow, jingle of the ends on the zippers on my backpack, sound of rubbing wool on my sleeve against my coat's side, breath out.

This is the land my ancestor's chose. How much of a shock must have been to them and how bad must have been their lives in their native land that this seemed like an improvement? Scrabbling through the cold. We are soft and warmed in technologically advanced fabrics we can face the trip from home to transportation with only minor discomfort. How did they manage?

In the winter, we should never forget Alden Nowlan's poem "Canadian January night" and the line: "this is a country/where a man can die/simply from being/caught outside".

On reading something good written by someone else

2007-01-22T16:33:00.000-05:00

I stand in awe how easily some writers can make me cry. Ok, I have to admit I am a fairly easy mark (heck, I cry at Tim Horton's commercials), but sometimes reading the dewdrops that drip from some people fertile brains, I wish I could apply another title to myself. I can ramble on for hours about a hundred topics and say nothing – some writers can move me to tears in 24 words.

The truth is I am not a writer; I am a hack for hire. I tell, in simplest terms, how things work or how you, gentle user, can make inanimate objects obey your commands; and, all modesty aside, I am good at it. I feel your pain. I can make the obscure clear. I can keep you from tearing out your hair and saying words that could have you turfed from gainful employment.

But it isn't writing; it is crafting instructions.

Lightning strikes

2007-01-04T13:29:00.000-05:00

This day started weird and just got weirder. They called the entire project team into a room to tell us our Project Director died on Tuesday night. He was only 49 and looked to be in terrific health. It was a burst aorta, apparently, and very sudden. It's very sad and everyone here is in shock. I only worked with him for a month or so, but he was funny and lively and very bright. He is really going to be missed.

Now would be a good time to hug your kids or your spousal unit or your pets. 'Cuz you never know.

I've gone back and taken out some entries

2006-12-25T22:46:00.000-05:00

I was contemplating removing the entire blog since I haven't written in it for so long, and I might still come back and do that, but for now I've left some of the entries that I don't think are too stupid.

It’s Christmas day and we’ve had a very nice time. Watched some of the DVDs that my DH bought me (Avatar and Mallrats) and I’m fighting off a stupid sinus infection and sore throat. Way to celebrate a holiday. But it was nice anyway. Maybe a day on the couch was just what I needed. That and an overdose of Sinutab and nose spray. Oh yay!

We live in our own little comedy world

2006-08-26T17:28:00.000-04:00

We're thinking about buying a new car. On the way out to the in-laws this afternoon, here is the conversation we had (passing a Smartcar on the highway):
Me: You know, in a perfect world it would be cool to have a Smartcar. They are so cute.
He: Yeah, they are a cool idea.
Me: No trunk space, though. We wouldn't really even have room for groceries.
He: They must have some storage.
Me: Just the small space behind the seats. Not very practical, really.
He: Yeah, where would we put the bodies?
Me: Well, we'd have to limit ourselves to midgets.
He: That's politically incorrect. They like to be called "Little People".
Me: Little. People. then.
He (considering): or children.
Me: Yeah, children. Or contortionists… they fold.
He: True. And, or course, old people…
Me: Old people??
He: Their bones are brittle… and that makes for easy storage.

We're weird. But that is part of our charm.

Hey Alfie? What's it all about?

2006-07-26T08:56:00.000-04:00

Some days I think I should have called this “Random Thoughts in Search of a Theme” instead of Holy Jumpin’ Cats. This blog isn’t really about anything and I don’t post in it often enough to even call it an “on-line diary”. I should do something about that – and I think that something is either commit to write more often or to just wipe this thing off the map and stop taking up valuable bandwidth that could be better used by scrap bookers, some neocon wingnut, or a porn site.

We’ll see.

Cloudy Saturday morning

2006-07-22T10:39:00.000-04:00

Overcast and warm today. It's odd, but I love days like this, probably because they remind me of lazy cottage days. It's quiet on the streets still. I'm sure it will be busier later.

We went out to see Clerks II last night. Terrific movie. I have been a Kevin Smith fan since I first saw Clerks way back when… and this is such a nice update on characters that I really identified with. It's funny and sick and silly and sweet and somehow true. There is possibly the most brilliant re-enactment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy I have ever seen. Really loved it. Had dinner afterwards in a lovely garden patio, under a leafy canopy lit with little white lights. One day I would love to have a backyard lit with tiny white lights. We drank a bottle of white wine and ate calamari and pasta and gabbed. Weekdays are so hard to find time to just talk to one another… we are both so tired and he gets home so much later than he is used to. Weekends are our time to relax and reconnect.

I had a great time – but I'm a tad worse for wear today. Ok, I am getting old. Let's admit it.

Annual poke & prod

2006-07-21T11:42:00.000-04:00

I have holes in my arm. This week was the annual check-up/ boob squish/ blood test ritual. This morning was the blood taking… Or would be if the blood would flow from my veins rather than just leak pathetically. They can never find a spot. Today’s attempted locations of blood extraction were my right arm (no joy), my left arm (couldn’t even find one to try there) and, finally, the back of my right hand. The poor lab person had to literally nurse the blood out of my hand and finally gave up after getting 3 and a half vials. She’s going to send them off with a note. If they need more, I may have to go back.

Gawd forbid, really, if I should ever get some sort of condition that requires frequent blood takings I will end up looking like a pincushion. Maybe they’ll just have to install a permanent spigot in my arm. That would work. Maybe if I had blood in my veins instead of red mercury.

Had another long discussion with my doctor about weight and my family health history and all that jazz. I felt a bit annoyed when he tried to preach to the choir about the benefits of a low fat diet and all that. Sweetie, I know perfectly well what I should be doing – I’m just not doing it. Believe me, Mister Doctor Man, my issues are not due to any lack of knowledge on the subject of nutrition.

On a happier note...

2006-06-19T10:49:00.000-04:00

Since I can't manage to get streaming video feeds of the World cup games here at work (not sure if I would even if I could), I have had to make due with what is available. The real-time write-ups from The Guardian have been hilarious.

And, if it is an important game, The Sun is telecasting the audio portion of the games. The next best thing to being there. You can get to it from here.

I love the British commentary from both these sites - funny and knowledgeable.

Ok, and I have to admit I love the Brazilians. It hurts me to be backing a favourite, but there you are. No one dances with the ball the way they do. Saw the game against the Socceroos on Sunday and enjoyed it greatly, even though the Brazilians were really only the Brazilians for about 15 minutes of the game... but what a 15 minutes!! When these guys are doing what they do best no one else is quite the same. Pity they can't play 90 minutes like that. And pity Ronaldo seems to be so not Ronaldo. Makes me sad. They provide moments of beauty and comedy. They play the best when they seem to just be having fun. Not enough of that on Sunday - but enough to make it worth while. Frankly, from what I have seen they really shouldn't be considered favourites this year. But maybe that is why I love them.

You have to love a nation who has an actual word for taking a dive. Mark claims they see it as an art form.

I have an idea!

2006-06-19T08:24:00.000-04:00

What if we all just ignored Ann Coulter? If no one read the mean-spirited, poorly researched pieces of fiction that she calls a book; if no one paid attention to her web rantings; if no one even wasted valuable internet or print space on her, maybe she would go away. That would give her more time to spend time picking on kids in school grounds if no one bothered with her any more.

Don't know about you, but I'm willing to try it.

You know one day I am thinking that it is going to come out that she is actually a card carrying small L liberal in real life and that this has been some sort of massive ironic joke (a la Stephen Colbert) that she is cleverly slipping over on the American public.

Ok, THAT would be a good one.

Blog surfing

2006-06-12T07:49:00.000-04:00

When I am bored I have a new game: Blog surfing. It entails hitting that next blog button and letting the randomness of the script gods take you to someone else’s blog. It's fascinating. I've seen blogs not written in English (there seems to be a large portion in Portuguese, or am I imagining things?), and blogs in English on every conceivable topic, geographic location, ideological bent and talent level. Some blogs are obvious written by people who know their way around a sentence, can craft an argument like a jewelled watch and who actually have a point of view to put across; some are barely literate. I've read the mundane and the fascinating; the liberal and the extreme right wing. I read a blog the other day from a Christian blogger who was discussing the moral implications of SUV ownership. I read another from a group in Minneapolis whose blog contains random strangeness overheard or seen in their daily travels. I've read serious product blogs and more blogs about scrap booking and crafts than I care to think about.

This brings me to 2 thoughts:

1) People are fascinating. Ok, some are weird and self indulgence and delusional as to their own self importance, and some really don't have anything all that interesting to say to interest anyone they are not related to, but fascinating all the same.

2) Where do people get all there spare time? I'm struggling to post to this thing more than once a week. When I do post it's mostly when I'm doing it when I probably shouldn't be - at work or when I'm avoiding doing something real and constructive in my life like writing wedding "thank you" notes. Maybe they are really fast typists? Maybe they are just bored? I have no idea how they do it.

While the cat's away...

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

Or I guess I am the cat. On the other hand, one would hardly call Mark a "mouse". Anyway, he was away on business last weekend. It was odd, since it is the first time we have been part since we have been living together (4 years in cheerful sin and 1 month in wedded bliss) that he has been the one who has gone away. Felt weird and lonely and it didn't help that one of the darn cats kept staring at the closet door like there was a mass murderer hiding in there...

Took the opportunity to have dinner with some friends on Friday and Saturday nights. Saturday biked out to The Beach with my camera. Sunburned my arms and was almost homicidally annoyed at mindless "beach types" who felt it was ok to yammer away in the middle of busy sidewalks on their cell phones. It made me irritated and sad at the same time.

In one week

2006-04-29T10:51:00.000-04:00

In one week I will be sitting in a restaurant in a downtown hotel with my new husband. We'll probably order Eggs Benedict and happily take a refill on coffee. Hopefully we won't be too hungover since we still have to drop My Boy's tux off and then go home to pack. Not only that but so much planning has gone into this I want to remember the night. I want people to have a fun time and I want to have a fun time.

Hopefully I won't trip over the hem of my dress.

In one week and 12 hours we will be sitting in a plane taxi-ing for take-off, passports and British pound stowed in my bag. My first off-the-continent holiday in 4 and a half years. My first honeymoon.

All the wedding prep is more or less done. We have only a few more CDs to burn and the labels to fold and insert. Everything has been bought. It is all under control.

Only 6 more sleeps.

Watch this space

2006-04-16T10:23:00.000-04:00

So with a new name comes a new attempt to post a bit more frequently.

We bought a new digital camera yesterday. I guess I shouldn't necessarily say "new" since we never had an "old" digital camera. As with most technology, I am what people politely call a "late adopter". I held off getting a cell phone until TB was working contract jobs where he had no desk and I wanted to be able to call him during the day and even now I rarely carry the darn thing. I don't really even know how it works. We don't take it with us most days unless we are taking the car somewhere. I don't own a PDA or a Palm or a laptop. My Internet connect is high-speed cable but our network is not wireless. I keep my phone numbers in a paper Rolodex and I carry a paper calendar around in my purse for keeping track of appointments. I own an MP3 player but it isn't an iPod and I use it mostly to listen to the CBC at work. The only music on it is 80s tunes I use when I'm working out.

On the other hand I can tell you more than you need to know about using a Jumpstart image to build a UNIX server and I can tell FTP from AS2. I know a lot about technology without ever even being able to do any of it.

Anyway, I think the digital camera is one of the coolest toys I have ever had - even if so far most of the pictures I have taken are of our cats. It is so immediate. Take the picture, and ta-da, there it is.

Now if I only had a colour printer... Or, ahem, a USB port on my home built computer.

Freakishly exhausted

2006-04-05T15:16:00.000-04:00

I'm really tired today and none too coherent. Had a weird IBS attack last night - at least I think that is what it is. Unpleasant and painful. Made me unable to sleep and has left me groggy and crabby today. A three hour meeting this morning certainly did not help any.

I have so much work to do and no brain left to do it.

And not much to say, really.

They are apparently talking about bidding for a international world fair for Toronto for 2015. This could be an interesting idea. It's not the Olympics (thank goodness). That would be a major pain to deal with especially for those who live in the downtown core - and that is a lot of people. We'll have to see what comes of it.

The Griffin prize for best Canadian poetry is to be awarded soon. I don't recognize any of the names - but then I am not a huge fan of any poem written after 1620 or so.

I seem to suck as a blogger

2006-04-01T06:22:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in an age. Ok in my defense, I have been busy with work and wedding planning and just day to day life, but really... why do I have this thing if I am never going to write in it?

I'm starting to freak out over my weight again. Five weeks away from my wedding I am terrified I'm going to look like a bull moose in the dress. I think I am eating healthy, I go to the gym 4 mornings a week (and sometime on Sunday), but I feel swollen and bloated and I'm putting on weight. Sat down and took a look at what I have been consuming. Ok, so maybe I am not eating quite so healthy after all. Did you know that the average commercial muffin is 8 or 9 WW points? The daily points allowance for someone like me is 20 -25 points. I'm eating a third of my daily points as a mid morning snack.

Yikes.

Maybe this blog may have to be about my strange food obsessions for a while. No one here but us chickens.

The goal for today is to make sure I drink enough water and to eat a couple of vegetables. It's amazing I don't get scurvy or rickets or something. Ok, so rickets are actually viral in nature, but you get the point. I am mostly taking the weekend off wedding mayhem... other than doing a slight teak on the vows and perhaps emailing them to the officiant. Gonna go vist the Wee Moo tomorrow.

I've just been freakishly tired and the stupidadorable feline house invaders don't understand the concept of sleeping in. Thank goodness for the time change tonight... maybe they'll at least sleep in in the morning. It is bad enough the alarm goes off at 5:40 in the morning without them bugging me at 5:30. So they'll still bug me at dawn but that at least will be 6:30.

A nap is a good option for this afternoon.

Just what do I do at coffee breaks?

2006-03-11T07:30:00.000-05:00

After work went to the market, picked up a few things for dinner and then grabbed the streetcar home. What with my gym bag and my purse and my groceries, I was pleased to get a seat and happy it is near the door since it can be challenging to get out of the streetcar during rush hour. But once I settle down, I start hearing this really LOUD buzzing noise. I pull out my MP3 player earplugs and figure it must be the streetcar doors. It's invasive and irritating and makes me worry more than a bit about the continuing mechanical health of the streetcar. At least I'm not going many stops so I try to ignore it as best I can. I hop off at my stop, cross the street to make the connection onto the southbound car, and then, standing in the bus shelter I can feel this weird vibrating against my thigh. WTF? and then the light dawns - I have a battery-powered toothbrush I carry in the outside pouch of my gym bag in case I need to brush at the gym, and it is running!

The annoying buzzing sound was my toothbrush vibrating through the material of the bag against the dividing panel in front of my seat.

I can only imagine what people thinking: "Just what is buzzing in that woman's bag?"

Speaking of which Tennessee seems to be having a problem with things that vibrate since there is now legislation to ban the sale of sex toys. My favourite part of this story is that only people with "legitimate reasons for using sex toys in the course of their work" will be allowed to buy them... and that list includes, ahem, librarians. Are they kidding?? Ok, the Dewie decimal system isn't THAT exciting, but still... You would think lawmakers would have a few more pressing issues than trying to control what people do in the privacy of their own homes (or motel rooms or parking lots).

Oh and one more... also Tennesseesse and also to do with vibrating. I can't verify the story is true, though I did read it here. Apparently a woman was blocked from selling a yellow sponge in the shape of a duck at a flea market since it was also classed as a sex toy - because it had a little motor in it and it vibrated. Guys. It's a duck... The woman's kid likes to play with it in the bath.

I think someone has a dirty mind.

The Artful Dodger is dead

2006-03-02T21:54:00.000-05:00

When I was 8 years old I had the biggest crush on Jack Wild. He was the one who played the Artful Dodger in the 1968 film version of the musical Oliver. I don't now if it was the accent or the dark hair or the slight speech impediment but I thought he was just wonderful and that one day I would grow and marry him.

He died yesterday at 53 of mouth cancer.

So I was thinking about HR Pufnstuf which was probably the role he was best known for in North America. Remember that series? A weird English kid named Jimmy is trapped on "Living Island" with his magical flute named Freddie and protected from the villainous Witchie-poo by a bunch of overstuffed costumed weirdos lead by the Dragon-mayor H.R. Puf'n'stuf. There was a lot of bad jokes, poorly executed slapstick, and lame pop songs. Really quite cringeworthy. I watched it religiously. I wanted to be like Freddie - safely nestled in Jack's pocket.

You know, when you think about it, the show was really pro establishment and a reaction to social changes that were happening at the time. Think about it. Jimmy - the hero - liked folk music and easy listening pop music. Witchipoo- the villain - liked rock and roll. He was clean cut and conservative. She wore natural fibers and was ugly (a metaphor for not shaving her legs no doubt). And who says that thinly veined propaganda is a new invention? What way do you think Sid & Marty Croft voted?

Anyway, I guess I'll never grow up and marry the Artful Dodger.

This wedding is making me crazy

2006-02-27T12:40:00.000-05:00

Don't get me wrong, I do not in theory object to the concept of marriage though I've managed to avoid it for myself for a really long time, but now that I have committed to go ahead with it I am slowly being driven mad.

Ok, not mad, so much as obsessed. I'm a pretty modern type woman. I am not one of these "I've dreamed of my special day since I was 5" girls. In fact, I've never really considered myself a real girly-girl (or womanly-woman since I'm past that magic 40 number), but I find myself having to care about a bunch of stuff I really could care less about.

I just bought shoes... shoes in gold... with sequins... and heels. I NEVER wear heels. I bought shoes that I will probably only wear once in my life to go with a dress that I will only wear once in my life. An expensive dress - ok, it was on sale but it cost more than than any other single piece of clothing I have ever bought in my life.

Heck, I'm wearing a ring that cost more than than I paid for the loveseat in my living room (ok, it was on sale, too, when I bought it)- and I felt completely lost when it was in for repairs last week.

All I can say is WTF??? Who's idea was this after all?? That whirring sound you hear are my frugal pioneer ancestors spinning...

It's just not right...

2006-02-22T20:45:00.000-05:00

I have to admit I am not a huge hockey fan, in fact, I haven't consistently watched hockey since approximately 1975. I blame the Toronto Maple Leafs of the mid 70s for breaking my heart and destroying the spell the sport had on my wee Canadian soul.

As for Olympic hockey, the women's hockey was fun to watch but I don't really care that much if our overpaid male athletes beat any other country's overpaid professional male athletesÂ but it's wrong to make Wayne Gretzky look as if he is going to cry.

And I find myself somewhat depressed although I know I really shouldn't care in the least. What does make me angry is that the media spends all the time and energy covering these idiots who really don't seem to care (or need the fame) and they ignore a lot of other really great athletes (skiers, skaters, etc) who are producing and could really use the coverage. Coverage would mean more funding for these people. The average amateur athlete in this country lives at the poverty level. Does some NHL player who is already making $10 million a year worried about where their sponsorship is coming from? Unlikely.

Ok here is an interesting side note - "Gretzky" is in the Microsoft dictionary.

We did a bunch of wedding type stuff today: met with the caterers; bought our wedding rings, looked at paper for the invitations. I wish there weren't so many details to take care of and that everything wasn't so stinkin' expensive. I hate the wedding industry. They wanted $90 for a simple veil of off white gauze attached to a plastic comb in the place I bought my dress. Don't get me started on that whole process. Even not being a Bridezilla, this is pretty nerve wracking. Should we have just said screw it and done the city hall thing? Some days I dunno. Oh, and TB can't find his final divorce decree.

Yikes.

Much ado about nothing...

2006-02-16T22:15:00.000-05:00

So one of the headlines on the CBC Olympic site reads Gretzky won't face criminal charges. Hmm could that be because he hasn't done anything illegal? How many different ways can someone say "I didn't do it, I don't know anything about it, and stop asking". This gets my vote as the biggest non-story of the month so far.

Went out to dinner with a friend tonight and had a lovely time talking about mid-life crises, wedding crap, drunken incidences, husbandly jealousy and work. I need to go out and just gab with people more often. I tend to fall into the work- eat - TV or paperwork - sleep- gym - work rut. It's all my own fault. It's not as if anything stops me from going out to play.

I thought the "I think I'm getting sick" phase was finally going to break and I was going to actually going to develop a real live cold with actual symptoms and everything, but I'm feeling better again. *sigh* It's odd when I actually want to be sick to get it over with.

I wish life was a Bugs Bunny cartoon...

2006-02-15T15:08:00.000-05:00

I think there must be something wrong with me, but when I read a headline that says Pakistan cartoon violence spreads, am I the only one who pictures anvils being dropped on the head of an unsuspecting victim? Oversized rubber hammers? Wile E. Coyote pausing to assess the situation after he has just run off a cliff?

Not to belittle the seriousness of the situation or anything…

Really it would be better if it was cartoon violence.

I'm not a Luddite, I'm cheap

2006-02-12T13:31:00.000-05:00

When did the standard website size change from 800X600? I realize not every poor sod on the planet should cater to my lousy 15 inch monitor, but I also can't be the only web user who doesn't have a 21" screen of glory, can I? In the old days, people used to design to the lowest common demoninator so that - even if you had a bigger monitor - the website would just centre or resize as required. Lately, and by lately I mean in the last 6 months, I have noticed that most people seem to be designing to a larger resolution... and locking their designs to that size. What this means to me (and it is , of course, always all about me) is that I keep hitting websites that I can't see 40% of and that do not allow me to even scroll to view the page. My only option is to go and reset my resolution. I hate that.

Maybe my monitor is too small or my vision is bad, but cut me a frickin' break, will ya? At least until I go buy a new monitor.

Feb 11/06 - Today's ramblings

2006-02-11T11:27:00.000-05:00

Ok, so after a long pause I seem to be back. I make no guarantees this will be on an ongoing thing or anything, but we'll see.

What to talk about today? Politics maybe? Hmm... and I the only one who is not surprised that the Harper government is in power less than 24 hours before they are committing exactly the same sort of acts that they were shrieking like little girls about when the Liberals did them? They steal a Liberal electee by offering him a cabinet post. How is that right? I know when I voted, I voted strategically against a particular party even though I didn't particularly care for the candidate I was forced to vote for to achieve that end. It made me feel dirty (LOL and he didn't even have the decency to win), but I did what I thought was best to ensure the things I thought were important in my country were protected. I just know if I was in David Emerson's riding I would be screaming for a bi-election. So much for a "Change for Canada". Plus ça change... (plus c'est la même chose)

More later.

Friends don't let friends blog

2006-01-02T08:16:00.000-05:00

Or so they say.

But I feel the need to have somewhere to write down my thoughts - not with the idea that anyone will read them. If I wanted that I would have continued to post on on other sites. But other places I posted have a specific purpose and I want to be be able to babble about 1000 different things.

We'll see how this goes, shall we?