If you do it loudly and with confidence...

You again...

2010-10-30T06:37:00.000-07:00

I grew up in small towns from the top to the bottom of this province. (And just so you know, Southern Albertans, Edmonton is not considered "Northern Alberta". Not by a long shot.) One thing that is common to all small towns and rural areas is that you will always see people you know when you venture out of your house. Usually it is when you haven't done your make-up or are at Wendy's on the day you move and see the guy you really want to impress. (Nothing says "Hey, how you doin"? like a greasy ponytail and sweats)

Even in Lethbridge I would always see someone I knew. That is probably because of the high number of Mormons, as well as the fact that I had lived there quite awhile. My friends and I used to play the "Costco Game" where the winner was the person who knew and could greet the most people while shopping there.

Seeing people I knew on a daily basis was one of the things that used to drive me kind of crazy about small towns and cities. So I was surprised to find that this was one of the things I miss most while living in Toronto.

Toronto is big. I mean, I am pretty sure I have never seen so many people in my life combined as I do in a day here. I never see the same people twice, and I realize that I miss seeing people I know when I am out and about. What I do tend to see are people who look like the folks I know. I have seen the Toronto version of lots of Albertans!

So next time you run out for something at the store and you are looking pretty rough (This absolutely does not apply to Denise) and you run into someone you know, greet them heartily for me!

It was a [school] yard smash!

2010-10-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

I live across the street from a school. This is great for several reasons including great property values, nice location, when I cross the street a crossing guard stops traffic for me, etc. It is kind of annoying for the fact that those kids are really loud. I mean like someone must be murdering them loud. On days that I am studying in my room, recess time is break time for me too.

Today I was researching on the ole' Mac when I heard "The Monster Mash" playing from across the street. I looked over to the school and saw that all the kids were walking around the playground and then around the block to awesome Halloween songs. They looked so great and they walked with such pride and excitement! (yes, some of them were still screaming bloody murder, but I guess it is appropriate on today, of all days)

You kids rock! I can not tell you how much this made my day!

Happy Halloween weekend, everyone! Are y'all dressing up?

The only thing missing was the Fortress of Solitude...

2010-10-03T07:52:00.000-07:00

I know that this post is long overdue and the only excuse I have is my difficulty with uploading pictures to my blog... I am still trying to figure out how to paste them to the place in the post where I want them to be. Well, that and my fear that my captions won't be witty enough!!

Here is me in front of the Falls. (You may remember this picture from such episodes as "My facebook profile picture".) The day was absolutely beautiful and the spray from the falls was pretty intense. You can't tell, but I am covered in a fine mist of water (truly, nature's moisturizer!) The view was spectacular, and generally unobstructed as there weren't too many people there. In talking to Jessica the other day, (she was there in the summer), we both noticed how very fast the water was moving, and how much of it there was.
Here is a picture of Travis and myself, and it is taken by his sister, Amy. We spent the whole day in Niagra Falls, and they both shared with me their favourite things about the falls and the town. This picture was also taken only moments before I decided to test my theory that one of the people in the crowds was actually Clark Kent, and I jumped over the edge...
Another amazing view!! I have to say, I was absolutely humbled by the magnitude of the falls and the quantity of water. I could not resist a comment about how these were nothing to Cameron Falls...
Ok, this is a view from the Maid of the Mist. Going on that boat ride was the BEST decision I made that day. It was completely crazy!! When the boat goes right below the falls (see picture below for reference), it is like you are in the middle of a rainstorm from the spray. We somehow manoeuvred ourselves to the front of the boat (there were tons of people there!) and as we were right under the falls, I really couldn't see anything besides the water pounding into my eyes.

Here is a view of the main street of the town, which was pretty cheesy. A lot of hotels, restaurants, wax museums, and weirdly, assorted haunted houses. I can't tell you how much I didn't want to go to a haunted house, although if I had had a desire, there were plenty to pick from.

All in all, a great day!!

A lovely Saturday and a stressful week...

2010-09-15T10:35:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday, I decided to forgo the downtown celebrity hunt at the TIFF and I went instead to a Celtic Festival at Kew Gardens which is in the Beaches area of Toronto. It was about a 10 minute ride on the streetcar. (The streetcar runs along Queen St, and it is about a 5 minute walk from my house to Queen)

There were little booths selling many things including Irish jewelry, Scottish shortbread, and British candy. I sat and listened to some music by the Scarborough Pipes and Drums, and my far-off Scottish blood was dancing along.

After listening for awhile, I walked through Kew Gardens, which are absolutely beautiful. There were lots of families, people with dogs, homeless people, and even singletons like myself.

I walked down to the shore of the lake (Ontario), and there was a boardwalk with tons of people. It goes quite far, heading west all the way past downtown. I sat for a bit on a bench and watched the sailboats on the water.

I then walked along Queen Street east which is a wonderful little neighbourhood full of little shops and restaurants. I found a beautiful little walkway / parkette called the "Discovery Walks".

It wound its way up into a quite nice area with some beautiful houses. A lot of them were hidden by the trees (like the next picture), but you could still see how incredible they were.

It was a perfect Saturday afternoon and I really enjoyed scratching the surface of the city just a tiny bit more.

This week I am in school and it is definitely an adjustment to get back into a "scholarly" frame of mind. I have been to 2 of my classes so far, and it is hard not to feel overwhelmed when everyone else sounds like they know everything already. Hello! I thought we were here to learn? I think it is that most of the students are much more culturally and globally aware than I am. I will just have to do a lot of reading and research on the topics of the classes and hope that I can provide even a small opinion.

I hope that you all have a great week!

My first week in Toronto

2010-09-04T14:32:00.000-07:00

So, it has definitely been a bit of a quiet week. I had had many plans of exploring the city, but the heat and the humidity kept me either pretty sweaty and exhausted or indoors.

There have been some highlights for sure. On Tuesday, we went to Ryerson University to see Peter Katz play, and he was as wonderful as always.

On Thursday, I went to Ontario Place, the Molson Canadian Ampitheatre to see the Jonas Brothers!! They were pretty cute, but I found the music was so loud, you couldn't really hear them. If that makes sense.

Today I went to a little tea shop that is just around the corer from my house called "Steeped and Infused". I got some tea and a beautiful little tea pot. I am drinking it with pleasure today because it is windy and cool...

Next week I have plans to see some great sights, especially since the weather is supposed to be much cooler...ahhh

In the meantime, here are some pictures of my house and my room to give you an idea of where I live!

Summer in the city means...

2010-08-31T13:11:00.000-07:00

Hello from the largest city in Canada!! I have arrived in my new home for the next 18 months to 2 years, and I am starting to become a bit more acclimatized. It is extremely hot and humid here, the likes of which I could not have even imagined during my 33 years in the desert. It is unbelievably crowded and jam-packed with all different kinds of people. It is full of many, many things to see and do. I have been laying a bit low over the last few days due to a bit of fear, heat stroke (real or imagined), and tiredness from the trip out here, but have had the chance to see a few things. I am also in the middle of a 2 week long holiday, and so I am going to start exploring...

On Monday, I went to the University to find my building and do some registration stuff. Luckily, my building is probably the easiest to find on campus, as it is right on a main avenue and subway line. I came out of the subway at St. George station and walked about 25 steps. This was a blessing as the temperature yesterday was 34 degrees. (I was not so blessed as I tried to make my way home on the street car later, and not knowing exactly where I as going, walked a lot longer than I probably needed to.)

That evening, Travis showed me around downtown and along the lakeshore. It had cooled down a little, but it was still extremely balmy. We ate at a wonderful little Thai restaurant and then proceeded to walk around for the next 3 hours. It was great exercise, and I was able to see the legislature, city hall, lakeshore and a smidgen of the university campus at night.

Here is a picture of Dundas Square(I think!!), right across from Eaton Centre on Yonge Street.

Lovely!!

Tonight we are heading to Ryerson University to see Peter Katz play!

More to come soon!

Up and Down

2010-08-05T10:46:00.000-07:00

Well kidlets, I am 20 days away from leaving our fair city. 20 DAYS. I think it really hit me when I went in to the Telus Store yesterday to see if they could offer me some sort of student plan (p.s., they were monumentally unhelpful...are you shocked?). I told them "I am moving to Ontario in a few weeks", and though I have said it before, it suddenly seemed extremely real. I am moving to Ontario in a few weeks. Yikes.

I am extremely conflicted, of course. I am dizzy with excitement at the prospect of embracing new challenges and taking a pretty big step towards my goals. I am thrilled at the prospect of living in a bustling metropolis where I can spend hours exploring and shopping!! (Have I mentioned my love of shopping?) I am terrified at the thought of leaving the only province I have ever known, and being the farthest away in my family. None of us have ever moved this far away before. I am heartbroken to think of the family and friends I am leaving.

I am ready, though. I have a place to live with two other women who seem really nice. I am not too far from the University. I have enrolled in courses for the fall and the winter semesters. I have arranged to sell my car. I have given away my bed and am in the process of downsizing the rest of my possessions (including my books, which was pretty difficult) as I am moving to a furnished room. Hey, on that note, Denise and I are planning a day in the near future when we are going to have a free "yard sale" of sorts. I say "of sorts" because it will be inside the house and people can come and take whatever we don't need or can't move with us. Details to follow.

Also look in the next few weeks for me to do a few posts about some of my favorite spots in Lethbridge. Kind of a sentimental thing, but a farewell to this city!!

See you again soon!

The good ol' days...

2010-06-21T07:16:00.000-07:00

I realized yesterday that I have become quite the old fogey. That's right folks, I am now complaining about the weather and the price of gas, shaking my head about the shenanigans of "those kids today"; as well as fighting the urge to yell out my window at the people who are stumbling around outside the apartment building, holding their beer in one hand and trying to "playfully" punch each other with the other one.

My realization has been sneaking up on me for the last few months, but it hit me like a ton of bricks yesterday when I referred to the "flood of '95". I think my exact words were "This is nothing compared to the flood of '95". Yikes!

Have a great week, everyone!

Like it's 1899...

2010-06-09T18:08:00.000-07:00

First off, please join me in wishing our dear Denise a very happy birthday today!

Ok, now let me tell you about my morning. I woke up with plenty of time to shower only to find that we had no hot water. When I discovered this lovely fact, I carefully weighed my options and came up with these four.

1. I could leave early and shower at the gym in the College. This did not appeal to me at all because I really do not enjoy public showers and I didn't want to pack everything up and there are no separate change rooms...you get the picture.

2. I could have a cold shower. No.

3. I could use about a 1/2 cup of cornstarch in my hair and go to work without showering. Well, this wasn't really an option because I hadn't showered in 2 days... This could only lead to

4. Calling in "dirty". I could have stayed home in a cloud of my own filth just waiting for the hot water to magically reappear. Sadly, I was needed today.

After considering all of these not-so-great ideas, I ended up boiling a pot of water on the stove. I then added some cold water to that in the tub, and got about 2 inches of water in which to wash everything. It was kind of a juggling act, but I think I managed about a 95% in cleanliness.

Pretty good, huh?

It stands for Professional Computer, right?

2010-06-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

I am not sure how it happened, but over the last few months, I somehow forgot that I actually have a blog. The possible reasons why are numerous. It may be that I got really involved in selecting and enrolling in my classes for next year at the University of Toronto. It could also be that I was busy with Young Womens. Another likely distraction is Twitter and my deep desire to know what celebrities and common folk alike are doing on a daily basis. Whatever the case may be, it has been quite the hiatus and I am finding it difficult to get back into the swing of things.

I guess I can just start with the big news of the day: I am getting a laptop this evening!! It is actually the first "real" computer that I will be semi-purchasing (there is a lot of help coming from Mom and Dad!!) as I don't really count the 2 I inherited from my dad in the past. One of them I left beside a dumpster in Edmonton...classy! The other is still up above my closet as I wasn't really sure how to set it up. I am just now realizing that I may have to step out of my Luddite comfort zone and attempt to become tech savvy. There's a book for that, right?

Anyway, I was going to go with what I know and get a PC, but I think that my father has some sort of aversion to even being part of a purchase of said machine. He has convinced me to go the way of the rest of the family, visit the dark side, and get me a Mac. Now, the "gentleman" at Laptop World would have me believe that a PC user such as myself would not be able to easily transition to an Apple; however, he did not account for the fact that I am not really an expert at using a PC. To say that I am a proficient would most likely be a gross overstatement. I do get by, but not without the help of my extremely tech savvy roommate. So, I am starting fresh. I am going to learn as I go. I know it will not be easy: even with my limited PC abilities, I have experienced some "frustrations" when trying to use my parents' Apple. My dad has been known to hear me ask him (several times) why I can't just close the "windows".

Wish me luck!! If you have any advice, it would be much appreciated!

If I have a party for my car, will you come?

2010-03-10T12:08:00.000-08:00

Song of the day:

I am going to find the song of the day by hitting shuffle on the ol' ipod. So, here we go... (I am now taking this moment to perform said task...)

So, the song of the day is "We might as well be Strangers" by Keane. Yes, thank-you Ipod, this is a fantastic song. It was featured on their first album, Hopes and Fears, which really deserves a listen if you have not hither-to-here fore...listened.

Here is a link to the song.

Story of the day:

After many 2 appraisals of my car, several phone calls to my insurance company, and some awfully weird and new sounds coming from my car, I found out yesterday that the damages were too great, and that my car is now a write-off. How sad is that? Also, how extremely ill-timed. I only needed the thing to last me until the middle of August, but that is apparently not to be. The insurance company will give me a pretty paltry cheque for the value of my car. However, it is more than I paid for it, so the joke is on them. Hah!

I do have a few options in the works for a car. Updates to come as soon as something more concrete is in the works. I will tell you what I will not be doing: I will not be renting a car from Enterprise for 5 months for $5000 dollars.

See you tomorrow for poetry day.

Town Day

2010-03-04T19:57:00.000-08:00

Hello to you all from this most wonderful of Thursdays!! First (and most exciting) announcement of the day: I have been (almost officially) accepted to the University of Toronto. The department for Adult Education has accepted me as a...Grad Student (wow! I love saying that...), and they just have to send their recommendation back to the Registrar (hey, does anyone else still miss bureaucracy?) who will be sending out the official Acceptance letters at the end of March. When I got the email this morning, I read it a few times, because it kind of sounded like the department had only recommended me. However, upon several more readings and consultations, the fact that the email began "We are delighted to inform you", as well as the fact that I have been a assigned a faculty advisor, I have decided that it is real. I have been offered the chance to complete my Masters of Education in Adult Education and Community Development.

I am still going to wait to see if I am accepted at Mount St. Vincent in Halifax, but Toronto was my number one choice. I am just so unbelievably excited!!

Because it is Thursday, I couldn't leave you all without your weekly dose of poetry. I wrote a poem yesterday that is kind of in direct contrast with the sunshineness of today, but it is extremely topical for our week at work. So, sorry for the downer, but I really like this one.

Autograph

He speaks with his hands
his knuckles bear the marks of her face
Each one has taken something-
her fearless smile
every open expression
her brightly mocking eyes-
even the upward swing of her chin
is smeared across his skin.

All these pieces of her
weight his fingers like
championship rings.

He hits her with his mouth
every word dances
like a boxer's swiftest jab
that finds its mark every time
with vulgar accuracy-
darkening and shadowing her soul until
she is half again last year's woman
the palest copy of a long-ago girl.

In the good times
his silence is full of screaming and
his sweetness is a portent.

Opem your eyes, look up to the skies and see...

2010-03-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

Song of the Day!!!!

The song of the day comes to you from one of the cds I scored in the exchange this year. It is "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen, and it was from Leinani's cd. Thank-you to her for the resurgence of this song in my life. This song also ties nicely into...

...Story of the (back in the) Day!!!!

The movie Wayne's World came out when I was in grade 9, and I went with my friends into Lethbridge to see the movie. Of course, I loved it and because "Bohemian Rhapsody" was featured so very heavily in the movie, I embraced the song as well. I basically thought I had invented the song when my parents let me know that no, it had been around for awhile. I never did get much into Queen, but as I listened to the song again this morning, I was reminded of an experience I had with the song and HMV at the mall. At the time the movie came out, the song had a huge comeback, and it was everywhere. I happened to be in HMV a few months after Wayne's World was released. The song came on over the speakers, and every person in the store started to sing it. When it got to the infamous head-banging part, everyone in the store (including me...I was about 15) started dancing. It was actually a pretty significant occasion in my life. I had never been to a concert before, and to see people come together through music was exciting. I felt so cool to be part of that moment.

So, if you get a chance, listen to the song. Take yourself back. Enjoy something truly campy and spectacular.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2omuoO_hIbQ

A truly great start to the week!!

2010-03-01T09:55:00.001-08:00

Did I say earlier that there would be no cost to me for the repair of my car? I apparently forgot about the most hateful word in the english language : Deductible. Actually, I am getting off pretty cheaply as the deductible (yuck!!) is only going to be $250. Still, that is $250 that will never see my Visa bill. After I talked to my insurance lady (who was actually very nice!!), I had a dark few minutes where I cursed the unknown driver who is actually responsible for my predicament. Then I realized that he/she will probably have to foot the entire bill for their damages (hah!). I also came to the conclusion that as trials go, this one is pretty minor. Plus, I really do need some sort of distraction from the month of waiting I have until I get any acceptance (yes?!!) or rejection (no thank you?) letters from the Universities I applied to.
I talked to both universities, and they both said end of March, beginning of April is the earliest I will hear. Kill me!!

Anyway, I am going to leave you with an excerpt from an article in the National Post about the cost of the Olympics. Something to think about, anyway...

During the Games While 100,000 free condoms had been provided to the roughly 7,000 athletes and officials staying at the village -- about 14 condoms per person -- the Village ran out of prophylactics on Day 13, forcing an emergency restocking. Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2626214#ixzz0gwsKGxyH

Thanks, Universe for the cosmic slap!!

2010-02-26T12:57:00.001-08:00

One and all: I would like to address your attention to my post yesterday which literally dripped and reeked with sunshine. Now, cut to me today sitting in the back of a police car. How did I get there, you may well reasonably ask.

The story, I am sorry to say does not involve me committing any crime. (I will assume that there has now been a collective sigh of relief). It does include me coming out of my building this morning and finding that someone had hit my car in the night, and left the back left side all crunchy. I called the police and my insurance company, and then bussed it to work. When I originally talked to the police station, they requested that I complete a report online. I was a bit loath to do this, thinking that they really couldn't do anything for me anyway. However, one of my concerned neighbors called the police as well, so they could contact me in case I didn't know about the "accident". The police did call me, and because I had not moved my car and there was still "debris" around it, they sent a constable to come check out the scene. One of my co-workers graciously drove me home to meet with him, and I got to sit in the back of the police car. I felt a little dangerous...

Anyway, I am now playing phone tag with the insurance company, but it seems as though they will be able to fix it with no cost to me, owing to the fact that it was a hit and run. So, hopefully a happy ending.

Let's hope that nothing else too crazy happens today. I am very fortunate that it all seems to be working out quite well. Plus, it is even nice weather for when I am carless, so taking the bus and walking will be enjoyable.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! Drive carefully out there...

The result of cup-cakes for breakfast...

2010-02-25T09:17:00.000-08:00

I have had a wonderful morning today and it is due to three very important factors:

1. It was light as I drove to work today!! I cam so excited for almost Spring, and I can't wait for the ever-approaching days when I can wake up with the sun. Right now that privilege is only reserved for Saturday and Sunday mornings when I sleep in to the unholy hours of 8:30 or 9:30 am. There is something so magical about laying in bed with the sun streaming in your window. Add a great book to the mix and you have one fantastic morning.

2. My breakfast was a peppermint and chocolate cupcake that Denise had got for me at Crazy Cakes. While this is not a very healthy breakfast, it is certainly a sweet one! Thanks to Denise for getting the cupcakes...

3. Weekly staff meeting at work. These are always enjoyable, but today we found out that one of my co-workers and his wife are expecting a baby!

Today being poetry day (another reason to celebrate this Thursday!). I am going to include a poem by Yeats. I had read it originally when I was in High School, and it has been a favorite ever since. I recently became reacquainted with it when I attended Jessica's Ariose concert a few weeks ago, and their choir sang a beautiful choral setting of the poem.

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the mourning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

-William Butler Yeats

Thoughts about school and other stuff

2010-01-28T09:43:00.000-08:00

I was thinking the other day that the Lethbridge College was a lot like high school. There are a lot of lockers, it's a small campus, and according to some of the instructors, a lot of the students are about as motivated as your typical high school student. I found something today that only cements my theory. Some one had written on one of the tables in the Centre Core, "School Sucks!". My first response to that is, "Why are you here, then"? I would like to think that College students are more mature than your usual vandalizer, and that they are making the choice to be at school. Say what you will about the students in our program, at least none of them are writing all over the school.

Well, on a more personal note, today is poetry day!! I wrote a poem yesterday, but I am not really satisfied with the first stanza. It doesn't seem to go with the rest of the poem. Hmm. I am going to put the working copy here, so you can see the creative process (or whatever), and then next week I will include the edited, revised, possible totally different version. No title yet...but then again, I am really bad at thinking of titles.

Enjoy!

I haven’t written for days-
My paper is cold and empty
(like your heart)

I tried exploring there
Tried to excavate
beneath the cool exterior

I wanted to feel the beating
bleeding chaos that you
hide so quietly

But my search was futile-
The messes you’ve left
Lie deeper than even your heart.

You have buried them in the earth-
Reached into the dirt and
Pushed them down

An offering for her heart.

A day in the life

2010-01-27T08:42:00.000-08:00

The other day a friend asked me if I liked my job because it was different all the time. I realized that this is exactly why I like my job. While working with a variety of different people (students, instructors, the other members of my team), there is always something new and different happening.

Sometimes they are frustrating or negative events such as a student who feels like he needs to yell at me every time I suggest he do some homework. This same student loses or forgets his keys at least twice a month, and so I am on excellent terms with the security and information people, which is where he inevitably goes to panic. (He knows that if he comes and lets me know, that I have an extra key to his locker, I won't get that upset or worried, and heaven help us all, he loves the drama!)

On the other hand, sometimes I have a really great conversation with instructors about how much they like having one of the students in their classes. Sometimes I get to sit down with the other people I work with and hash out a specific problem one of us may be having. I get to see our students when they finish a long and complicated assignment (one in which I have usually invested a lot of time and effort myself), submit it, and get some great feedback. The pride and accomplishment that this brings makes every day worth it.

I spent years working in retail where money is god, the bottom line, and the final goal. I always wanted to work in a job where I actually helped people, made a difference. Now that I am there, I find it extremely rewarding.

So, bring on the challenges. They may want to make me tear my hair out, but at least they keep things interesting.

Looking ahead

2010-01-26T09:15:00.000-08:00

So, I think the New Year is shapin' up pretty good. Ashley's wedding is coming up in May, and we are looking forward to that. Denise has a job, so she can start buying work clothes and competing for most stylish in the office again. (I already know she will win!) My parents are planing a big move to the great white north which they have wanted to do for many years. Our friend Travis is in school, with plans for even more education. I myself have applied to grad school in far off places, and have also set a life contingency plan in place if I don't get in.

This is a year for positivity. This is a year for moving forward. This is a year of independence. I am pretty excited, aren't you?

Recently, Laura commented on one of my favorite songs from my 2009 Year in Review cd, "The Sun will Rise" by Brendan James. The words are extremely apropos for the 2010 outlook:

The sun will rise the sun will save me
The sun will change me change the way I feel
The day will make this heart a fortune from the fruit of a hundred orchards
From the water rivers bring

The sun will rise the sun will save me from the night the sun will change me
Change the way I feel
I've had enough of the hard and harder times are tough and I've drifted farther
Farther from myself

I won't dwell baby on my failures
It won't help baby it won't bring changes
I won't run baby when all I want is to run
I won't forget the morning's sure to come

The sun will rise the sun will save me,from the night the sun will change me
Change the way I feel
The love I want the love I need is sure to come is sure to lead me
Lead me home again

The light is low the night is burning, my head is still but my mind is turning
Turning round again
If only I can make it through this lonely night if I can do this
If I can drift away

Then the sun will rise the sun will save me from the night the sun will change me
Change the way I feel

I live only to amuse others

2010-01-19T11:06:00.000-08:00

So, here is a story from yesterday:

I was leaving the library when I saw who I thought was Ed Stelmach sitting at a table in the Centre Core. I can tell you, I was pretty darn excited. I went back into the library and asked the ladies if they knew who the gentleman sitting out there was. They told me it was Glenn Secretan, who is an instructor here at the College. I told them I thought it was the premier, and they got a pretty good laugh about that. But, seriously. He looks just like him.

I can't decide if this is a failing of my eyes, my good sense, or my ability to recognize our esteemed provincial leader. It could just be my insatiable desire to see a celebrity, any celebrity.

Whatever the reason, I at least gave the librarians a bright spot in their day.

Stuck in the Middle...with you?

2010-01-18T17:59:00.000-08:00

So, here is a story from the weekend:

I was convinced by some of the ladies in my ward to attend the 31+ Activity on Friday night. It was a Games night, and so I went with a positive attitude and my very cutest shirt. Unfortunately, the games turned out to be a 1965 version of Scrabble, a 1943 version of Tile Rummy, and a not so rousing game of volley-ball. Now, let me illustrate to you my feelings of the volley-ball: More horrifying than a trip to the dentist, but not as awful as basketball. I somehow ended up playing, and as per usual, embarrassed myself fully. The best part of the game, nay, the night, was the gentleman who was always right behind me on the court. Every time he served, he would almost hit me with the ball, then come up and apologize whilst touching me. (Coincidence? I think not.) I kept thinking that he looked familiar, but I couldn't place his face. It wasn't until later, when I heard his name, that I realized he used to be a good friend's step-dad. Not only that, but his marital hi-jinks make Charlie Sheen, Spencer Pratt and every other dead-beat husband look like a knight in shining armor. Yeah.

The other man I met told me that he and my mom were in Institute together (yeah, that's gonna win points) and asked me some pretty personal questions about her.

In case I have not said it before, I am saying it now. I am done with those activities. Like dinner, yesterday's news, whatever. I am not giving up, I am just taking a break. Focusing on other stuff. Going back to younger men.

Does anyone want to come over for a viewing of "17 Again"?

"No regrets, no looking back, no good-byes"

2010-01-16T16:31:00.000-08:00

So here it is: my track list for the 2009 Year in Review cd. After much debate, personal struggle, hair tearing, and battles with computers / itunes, I finally have chosen the songs that reflect my life this year. Good news, chilins, there are hopeful songs as well as ones that just might make you want to kill your self.

I discovered a truism this time around: the music really does pick you. I had so many ideas of how I wanted the cd to look, but certain songs just held on and would not be ignored. Only now, as I am giving it a listen from beginning to end, am I hearing some lines that I never noticed before.

So, if you get a chance, take a listen to any and all of these songs. They are all-age appropriate, so listen without guilty conscience. Who knows, you just may find some truth yourself. At least you will discover some pretty wonderful music.

"The Later Years...
...time to put away childish things"

1. Don't Stop Believin' - Glee Cast
2. No Envy, No Fear - Joshua Radin
3. Everyday People - Sly and the Family Stone
4. Incandescent - Rob Szabo
5. The Underdog - Spoon
6. All we ever do is say Goodbye - Jon Mayer
7. Puttin' on the Ritz - Fred Astaire
8. The Sun will Rise - Brendan James
9. Sleepwalkin' - The Good Lovelies
10. A Place called Home - Kim Richey
11. This is the Last Time - Keane
12. Cathedrals - Jump, Little Children
13. The Great Collapse - The Zolas
14. Where we gonna go from here? - Mat Kearney
15. Eyes - Rogue Wave
16. Come Thou Fount - Sufjan Stevens

You might not want to read this one...

2010-01-15T09:33:00.000-08:00

I spent the other night doing something extremely self-destructive. At fist glance, it didn't seem to be so harmful, more like a casual stroll down the yesterday road, but memory is a very powerful thing. (I really hope that you're interest is peaked with this ridiculous build-up!)

I was at my parents house about a week ago, and my dad found my "special box" for me to go through. As I pulled out various pictures and keepsakes, I was bombarded with memories and feelings. Some of the items included: a recorder I got from my parents when I was in grade three, my handkerchief that I embroidered for the Cardston Temple dedication, a large green bottle that I have no memory of purchasing, a stuffed raccoon that had Jessica's name on it (oops!), many report cards from elementary and junior high school class pictures, and the best discovery of all, my journals from junior high and high school.

I took my journals downstairs with me to read before bed. I hoped to have a good laugh at my angsty rants and endless descriptions of boys who I liked. I was not disappointed with the latter. Each entry from junior high was filled with Baby-sitter's Club-like descriptions of the boy that I was obsessed with. Yes, obsessed. The saddest part was that I would describe every minute encounter with a boy, especially the one in question, in great detail. Unfortunately, due to my crippling shyness with the opposite sex in junior high, the meaningful moments almost always went a little like this:

"Today I saw (boy in question, I am sure Andrea will know who I am referring to) and he looked at me." There was never much more that this. Maybe a prolonged look after which we both "flicked our eyes away", a la The Fascinating Girl. I also ended each entry by writing, "I hope (boy in question) likes me.

Really? Really?

While Junior High merely made me want to vomit, High School was a little more thought-provoking. By then, my writing skills were somewhat more improved, but I expressed a lot of feelings which I have hoped never to feel again. In High School, I spent a lot of time being jealous of friends who always seemed to have no trouble dating, and my feelings of being left-out and left behind came rushing back. As I look at myself today, I like to think that I am a somewhat successful and self-adjusted adult who feels fulfilled with the life she has chosen / been blessed with. Unfortunately, that self-conscious and disappointed girl is there, just under the surface. She usually stays pretty hidden, but as I read through my experiences from that time, she came to the fore-front, and I am having a very difficult time keeping her at bay. As much as I would like to be happy with being single, sometimes I can't let go of those feelings of everyone else moving ahead with their lives, while I am left behind.

I think the moral of the story is to keep the readings to a minimum, and remember that I had a pretty great time in High School. I had some amazing friends, and I started a life-long friendship with my sister, Andrea. How grateful I was for her friendship then, and throughout the years.

I am considering instituting a regular series here on the blog, which would include excerpts from the slightly less embarrassing Junior High posts.

Is anyone interested?

"I don't care what your momma says..."

2009-12-23T11:31:00.000-08:00

"...Christmas is almost here!"

So , its my last day of work for 2009!! I should really be doing some paper work, but it will still be here when I get back in January. I have got to have something to do before classes start, and as all of the students are registered, have schedules made, and know where their classes are, there will not be a lot to do on the 4th and the 5th.

We have not been working very hard at all today, mostly having a pretty good YouTube party with Christmas videos, movie trailers and wedding pictures. I am also leaving early today, so I can enjoy the incredibly sunny day!!

This is the first Christmas in 5 years that I will not be working on either the 24th or the 26th of December. I actually get 10 days off and I can not wait. Never mind that I just got back from a week's holiday in Disneyland!!!! I am getting my pictures from Jess and Adam in the next couple of days, and so I will be doing a Disneyland post with pictures, lists, and general wishes that I was still there...

Merry Christmas, everyone!!

About time for a rant

2009-12-21T12:50:00.001-08:00

Dear NBC,

I am sorry that because I am a Canadian you think my opinions are irrelevant. Remember how you sent me an email that encouraged me to complete a survey about your programming? I do. Remember when you sent a few more emails which encouraged me even more to express my valued words? I do. Remember how I started the survey and answered several questions only to be "politely" declined because I do not currently live in the U.S.A? Yeah, I do.

You may find this hard to believe, oh great peacock, but there are people outside your country who watch your shows. There are even some in Canada: the rumours are only partly true...our igloos have t.v.s, and some of us even speak English!! We watch "The Office" and "30 Rock". Just so you know, I have stuck with you through some pretty bad times. Remember "Heroes", Season 3? Or, how you pulled the plug on "Scrubs"?

So, the next time I apply for tickets to see one of your shows, check the address I have entered before you send me a hundred emails asking for my input. Or, have the first question on your survey be "Do you live in the U.S.?". Either way, it saves me and you the hassle.

Yours, most sincerely,
Jenny Olsen
Canada

p.s. I really hate "Deal or No Deal".

A hodge-podge

2009-11-17T07:35:00.000-08:00

So, I have started to kind of get into Hockey. Well, I am not memorizing players, or buying stupid amounts of paraphernalia, or wearing jerseys, or even watching any games. I am checking the rankings of all the teams every day, and making some friendly predictions about who will win each game that is played. I was right about 4 out of 6 of the games last night - find me a bookie, its time to make some cash!!

Also, for your information, San Jose is #1 in the western division, and New Jersey is leading in the east. (New Jersey!!!)

Last week I had a session with a personal trainer, Kloe, at the gym here at the College. She had done up a program for one of my students, and she is really nice. I signed up, and she developed a program for me to work out. To prepare, I have been doing about 15 minutes of cardio for the 3 weeks. Now, my program is 5 days a week, an hour on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 40 minutes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I did my first hour long yesterday (20 minutes or cardio and 40 minutes of weights and core strengthening). I will tell you that it was ridiculously hard, but I got through it by sheer will and a lot of anger.

I was having a really bad day yesterday, pretty mad about a lot of things. I realized I was a bit out of control after I pulled a Jessica and threw the proverbial glass of apple juice (in the form of a strongly-worded facebook message) into the face of someone else who didn't really deserve my anger that day. (Well, he kind of deserved it). When I went to the gym , I channelled that anger, and after I was done, I had a most relaxing and peaceful evening.

Anyway, along with my gym routine, I have decided to change my eating habits as well, and follow the Canada Food Guide. I think it will be a bit of work at first, figuring out serving sizes, but its not really a diet, more a healthy lifestyle change.

Please wish me strength and will power. Heaven knows I am going to need it.

My case for forgiveness...

2009-11-13T12:45:00.000-08:00

I am sorry that I have been away for so long from ye olde blog site. I wish that I had good excuses but, true to me and my laziness, I do not. I do, however, have a few paltry reasons for my absence…please peruse them thoroughly before you judge and hand down a sentence for my crime of neglect.
So, to plead my (somewhat flimsy )case, I will provide a list (are you surprised?) of my justifications.

1. I have been helping to plan the Lethbridge Mid-Singles New Years Eve bash. I have had to rely on a group of people to plan this monstrosity, and what I originally conceived as a classy New Years Eve party has now become a dance. So. Not really where I wanted to go with it. I really just wanted a party where there were lots of activities and people could dance if they wanted to. However, the vision of the elegant evening I wanted to create doesn’t seem to be shared by most. Heaven help them, they only want to dance. It is nice to have help planning an activity, and I just have to sort of wash my hands of the event in the sense that I will gladly not take the credit for an evening that I really wouldn’t have planned if I had my choice.

2. I have been watching “Heroes”. I borrowed the first three seasons from a friend, and I remembered how much I loved, loved, loved season 1. I have gone into a Heroes hibernation, the likes of which have only been seen in such episodes as “The great Scrubs disappearance” or “The day we watched an entire season of Angel”. I will emerge soon enough. I am currently watching season 2, and it is nice to just skip through the parts I don’t really care about. I am only watching it to get to season 3, which I have not seen yet!! So, if you don’t see me, you can just blame it on my deep love for Peter Petrelli and Mohinder Suresh!!

Ok, so the list is pretty short, but there are a few other things that I really don’t want to talk about, and a few that I am keeping under wraps for the time being. Stay tuned, things will hopefully get pretty excited in the next couple of months. In the meantime, I will try my best to keep you updated and entertained.

For those who love a good muffin top!!

2009-10-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

Just found this today and I have only one thing to say...

LOVE IT!!

An alternative Poetry Day

2009-10-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

I am living in a very interesting type of Hell today. I can not get my high-school grad song out of my head. Now, I am sure that some of you have a few questions, and so I will do my best to address them now.

1. Why, Jenny, do you have that song in your head? Gentle reader, I would give away almost everything I own (excepting my seasons of "Scrubs" and my time-share in the X-files DVDs...I need something to do with my time when I become a shut-in) to know the answer to that question. The song has dug its way into my brain, in true X-file fashion.

2. How is it that, Jenny, you remember your grad song when you graduated almost 15 years ago? Well, I was one of the two very talented members of the threesome who wrote the song (yeah, you read that right!)

3. What is the song like, Jenny? There is only one thing you need to know about this song: It is an absolutely terrible piece of music, and I take a small share of the blame for my participation. The story of how "Next Step to Forever" came to be starts on an evening in my grade twelve year at the Temple Street Chapel where 3 people met to create a song that would represent the class of 1995. The song started out as a pretty terrible instrumental piece by a girl in our grade, and it was to be adapted (lyrics and a melody added) for the grad song. Having no music writing experience, I was not a lot of help with the melody. However, being an amateur poet, I felt myself equal to the task of being a co-librettist.

For your enjoyment and mirth, I am going to give you some sample lyrics of "Next Step to Forever", a song that has been performed only twice. The first was a few selected classmates and myself, accompanied by piano (and, heaven help me, I think organ as well) with the utmost sincerity, in May 1995 at our graduation ceremony. The second performance took place almost 2 years ago, featured only myself and the Concert Mate, and was sung for the pure delight of Denise and Eric Garner.

You will see that the title is Next Step to Forever. There was much debate about which preposition to use, to or is. I personally still wish we would have titled it
Next Step: Forever

Next Step to Forever

Our time has come
and it's like we are one
We've made each step together
Our next step is forever

Our search is on
We must step to where we belong
Stand tall and let them see inside you
And show what we can do

Time will go on for us to dream
may our hearts be ever seen
Let us stand tall with esteem

Love's all around
We must step to where it is found
The best is right here inside you
Your heart will guide what to do

We will be strong as we ca--rry on
We'll meet each day that comes
Our next step is forever.

You're welcome.

Winter wonder

2009-10-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

Announcement:

I am doing up Christmas this year...DOING IT UP!! I can't wait to decorate, sing, bake, eat, and generally annoy my roommate and work colleagues with an overload of Christmas cheer. To get all of you excited, here are some Christmas images that are bound to thrill...

Yes, this is a picture of my very favorite Christmas cd. I will be playing it quite regularly, but maybe I will keep it to my car as not to drive Denise too crazy!

O.k., picture number two. I like this one cause that beard is UNBELIEVABLE (I couldn't believe it!!) This is one Santa who looks pretty real. Awesome!

I love this one because Santa and the reindeer are really cool. (How cool are they?) They are so cool that they are wearing sun-glasses and they are doing the awesome poser rap-style fold arms and lean. Yeah.

So, I think that I have saved the best for last. Nothing says Christmas like a bunch of dolls in front of fake food that they wouldn't be able to eat anyway. They do look happy, though.

So, I invite you all to share in my endeavor which I have forth-with dubbed "Christmas Crazy". Unfortunately, at the College, I am not allowed to use the word Christmas which leaves me with two alternatives:

1. Say it anyway and risk offending all and possibly being reprimanded or fired

or

2. Come up with an alternate name like "Season's splendour" or "Holiday hub-bub"

Please let me know which one you think I should do...

Stuff

2009-10-06T20:12:00.000-07:00

Here are some things that have been pretty great:

-achieving a perfect smoky eye

-Mint hot-chocolate from Esquires

-hanging out with beavers

-a really great balsamic vinegar from the most unlikely place

-classic-heart-breaking-can't get enough of it-can't stop singing it music

-a long-anticipated beard

-General Conference

-Thanksgiving a week early with a pretty amazing game of Trains!

Poetry Day!!!

2009-10-01T12:37:00.000-07:00

For our dear Thursday, I have a poem that I know 2 musical settings for. The text is "I will make you Brooches" by Robert Louis Stevenson. I originally sang one of the settings by Winifred Bury in the Rotary Festival in Cardston!! The other setting is by Vaughn-Williams for his "Songs of Travel". I have only sang this version in my kitchen (quite apropos when you see the lyrics), but I am a bit more partial to it.

Enjoy!!

I Will Make You Brooches

I will make you brooches and toys for your delight
Of bird-song at morning and star-shine at night.
I will make a palace fit for you and me,
Of green days in forests and blue days at sea.

I will make my kitchen, and you shall keep your room,
Where white flows the river and bright blows the broom,
And you shall wash your linen and keep your body white
In rainfall at morning and dewfall at night.

And this shall be for music when no one else is near,
The fine song for singing, the rare song to hear!
That only I remember, that only you admire,
Of the broad road that stretches and the roadside fire.

- Robert Louis Stevenson

Back to retail, back to rage

2009-09-30T14:12:00.000-07:00

I realized that since I quit Chapters, I have not had nearly as many rant-type posts. It is not because I didn't like working there (I really did!), but that retail can often bring out the worst in people.

Case in point: last night at Walmart. To give a little back story, while perusing the store during the (allegedly) amazing anniversary sales at Walmart last week, I stumbled upon selected seasons of "The Gilmore Girls" for $13 each. So...considering that Denise and I were at a loss now that we couldn't watch it on t.v. at 4:00 pm every day and we had developed (or in my case re-visited) a bit of an affection/addiction to the Girls, I gladly scooped Season 4 and 5 up and took them home to join our ever-growing family of TV on DVD.

Cut to me, last night. All was well until I tried to watch a few episodes fro disc 4 of Season 5 and realized that the disc wouldn't play at all. After an embarrassing garbage dive, I found the receipt and hightailed it off to my fave late-night hangout with my trusty roommate in tow. When I went to exchange the DVD, I was informed that the store policy for returning things that were originally wrapped in plastic was that if the plastic was removed, they could not be returned...even if they were defective. The girl told me reluctantly that I could exchange it for anything else in the store, but that I couldn't get cash back.

Does anyone see the flaw in the logic here? As much as it would be convenient, defective items are not labelled as such, and especially not outside the plastic. If something is defective, how is that my problem? Why should I essentially have to pay for something that doesn't work? I don't usually get upset while shopping, but I let my displeasure be known with this "policy". It seems absolutely ridiculous! I was lucky that there was another copy available so that I could exchange it, and I only barely restrained myself from asking the Customer Service girl if she could please tell me if disc 4 in this copy would work.

So, the moral is: don't buy DVDs from Walmart unless you are psychic. That, or find a way to get the discs out without removing the plastic.

Wait...maybe I have figured out why the DVD was on sale...

"you've seen how I sparkle when fall nips the air"

2009-09-29T11:51:00.000-07:00

I am so excited for the weather!!!

Fall is my favorite season for the following reasons:

-the smell of the change in season...I swear I can actually smell a difference and it is wonderful!
-the clothes which include sweaters! cardigans! jeans! jackets! layers!
-the turning of the leaves...at the College there are actually quite a few trees, and so my drives to and from are so colourful and beautiful
-riding in my car is not the slice of purgatory that it was all summer (black interior+no air-conditioning= an armchair in the waiting-room of Hell)
-the beginning of school which always fills me with a sense of renewal and promise

I know that I am probably going to be nay-sayed on every side, but I love the cooler weather. I am a true Canadian girl, and the heat just makes me cranky and sweaty. In the fall and winter you can always throw on a sweater or jacket (and look amazing!!). In the summer, however, I can only take so many things off without embarrassing myself and/or others.

Thoughts? Arguments? Collective sighs of relief for the reprieve from the desert-like heat?

Comments are always appreciated!

Poetry Day ( with a little bit of jenny for free!!)

2009-09-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across a blog today and I found some words of wisdom: "It's ok to wander. It's ok to explore."

These words made me think about how I can often get so caught up in worrying that I am not moving forward in my life, that I am not more "successful". At some point I think we have to realize that it is ok to stop where we are for awhile and look around us. We might meet someone new, we might be able to help someone in a fundamental way, we might be able to take a vacation, we might start seeing ourselves in a different way. We might even learn something valuable about ourselves or someone/something else.

Awhile ago, my Dad told me that instead of moving "up" in his career, he was going to branch out. He started to find different boards/foundations to be a part of. As a result, he started to develop new interests and discover strengths and abilities he didn't know he had.

I have realized that I want to do the same things in my life. I love to be involved in a lot of activities, service opportunities, and jobs: it helps me feel like my life is more fulfilling, I get the chance to meet so many great people, and I can stay busy.

It is so important to be happy where we are in our lives. Sometimes that does mean taking a breath and looking around for awhile. I found one of my favorite poems by Robert Frost today that I think adds something to my thoughts and discussion. I have a special place in my heart for Robert Frost, because I inherited a collection of his poems from my Grandpa after he died. My grandpa loved and wrote poetry, and I have always felt a special bond with him even though I was 12 when he died.

Have a wonderfully happy weekend!

A Time to Talk
by: Robert Frost

When a friend calls to me from the road
And slows his horse to a meaning walk,
I don't stand still and look around
On all the hills I haven't hoed,
And shout from where I am, What is it?
No, not as there is a time to talk.
I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,
Blade-end up and five feet tall,
And plod: I go up to the stone wall
For a friendly visit.

The sky is falling...

2009-09-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

For the delight of everyone working or attending class in the Andrews 2700 wing, there has been massive roof construction going on today. This has included and has not been limited to constant banging, noises that have literally shaken the building, and doors and pathways blocked (different ones every hour so that one feels as though she has taken crazy pills).
There is nothing like a rhythmic banging to aid you in your efforts to come up with personal and professional goals for the upcoming year…

In other news, the heavens seem to be smiling down on all my wonderful friends, and I am beginning to wonder when it will be my turn. While Denise was reunited with someone from the past, and Ashley has suddenly found herself in a regular-type relationship, all I can boast is an awkward side-hug that is probably better left unmentioned, and a strange Pot-luck goer who was a little too attentive for someone I have never met. Sigh. I am about one happy friend away from singing that I “guess I never will be lucky in love” Quel Fromage!

I hope you are all having a wonderful week!

Until next time…

the best Monday in a long time

2009-09-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

Hello to you all and a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed welcome from the land of the non-ill. It feels amazing to be able to breathe again...two nostrils, no waiting!! I am actually having a fantastic day thanks to a busy schedule today, a lazy Saturday, a late night pizza session, a "great talk" with a good friend or two, and a beautiful sunny day.

So, not only was Saturday a lazy day, but it was also the first Ashley Flickinger Poetry Exchange extravaganza (she didn't name it that) We met at her house for an evening of poetry reading and delicious drinks. There was a handful of people there and I only knew about 2 of them. I read 3 of my poems,which was an extremely nerve-wracking experience. I think they were well received...there were snaps aplenty, but I think there were also a few people who may have been asleep.

This week looks to go quickly as it is busy and ends with a bang...Stake Conference.

Keep dreaming, everyone!!

The fisherman's friend is more like a frenemy...

2009-09-11T12:53:00.001-07:00

I have always liked to compartmentalize my life. (Maybe that is why I can't help liking Don Draper, even if he makes the worst decisions when it comes to women!!!) When I was younger, I didn't like to mix friends and family, so I would rarely invite friends to stay over at my house. I was protective of both parties, and didn't want misunderstandings or confusions. These days, I hate mixing friends from different parts of my life (work, church, etc) because it is often so awkward to bring people together who have nothing but me in common. What should we talk about? Me? Seems a bit egocentric.

Am I a different person with all of those people? If so, is that a bad or a good thing?

Not sure what prompted these musings, probably my swollen glands are pushing my brain into new and strange shapes which, in turn, is provoking some unusual thought activity.

Yes, I am sick - like unto the proverbial dog, and all that. I am 85% sure that I do not have the flu of the pig-people, just a seasonal cold; but I am washing my hands every 2 minutes just in case. (I am a good girl and do what the President tells me!) The result is that my hands are severely chapped (I could probably use some goose grease and a pair of kid gloves right about now) and I am wasting a lot of water and soap. On the upside, I am hopefully not passing on germs to my fellow staff or any of the students. If I had gotten sick just a week before this, I could have stayed home from work, but this week was chock full of beginning of the year commitments. I plan to have a very relaxing Saturday...purely medicinal, of course.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Pretty much going to ruin your Thursday

2009-09-10T14:08:00.000-07:00

Hello party people...and those who are shut-ins (I respect every one's right to socialize or not...according to their will)

I have come to you today to tell some truly horrific news: The Criminal Justice students at the Lethbridge College are no longer required to dress up in professional wear on Mondays.

Wha-a-a-a-a-at?

This information will mean nothing to you if you are one of the following people:
1. Someone who has never attended or been employed by the Lethbridge College, LCC, or any other handle it has been given
2. A personage of the male persuasion (unless you are the type who does enjoy the sight of a clean-cut man-boy in a suit and tie)
3. A heartless and obviously blind female.

I am 32 years old, but I enjoyed the sight of a veritable sea of youngish men in suits as much as my 20 year old self did. It really brightens up a Monday. Honestly, sometimes it was the only thing getting me to work after the weekend.

So, now it is back to a "case of the Mondays" for me every week. Sigh.

Anyway, to cheer you all up, I have found a poem that I wrote about 2 years ago to the month. You will be happy to know that this one does not have a story from my life behind it...merely musings. When you read it, please allow me the privilege of misusing a comma and inventing a word. It is poetry, after all!!

September 2007

This is how my heart breaks:
one awkward regret at a time.

Oh, I had visions
of different scenes-
ribbons of eloquence
that would stretch out to
bring you back
when my beautiful words
(my perfect words)
had made you understand

But.
those shiny bands
(who can tell how strong?)
were severed by my ineloquence
and your silence.

JKO

Smoking never loooked so good...

2009-08-31T20:21:00.000-07:00

O.k., wow.

Denise and I are hopelessly addicted to a little series called"Mad Men" that airs on AMC Sunday nights. I will be the first to say that the show is a little bit racy; however, with a main character that looks like Don Draper, and with the costumes and overall design of the show (which is set in the 1960's), we can't seem to get enough.

Did I mention that we love Jon Hamm as Don Draper?

In the spirit of my love for the show, here are a few other things I am crazy about right now:

Reading

Grey shoes

lentils

chocolate lava cakes with fresh raspberry coulis

my white sunglasses

The Office

Ciao!!

2009-08-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

For L.

If she taught me one thing,
It is this:

Know what you want and never
Settle for less.

This is it:
I wonder if she wanted to go?

This one goes out to all the bois, and Rachel of course...

2009-08-25T12:58:00.000-07:00

Here is something from "The National Post", Saturday Aug. 8th:

"Corinne Maier, mother of two, has some advice for would-be parents: Don't. Resist the societal pressure to procreate, she argues in a witty manifesto against parenthood called No Kids, 40 Good Reasons Not To Have Children. "This little book is intended to further discourage those potential parents everywhere who are beginning to wonder if having children is really worth the trouble," she says, adding that children will kill your desires, transform you into slaves and, inevitably, disappoint you. The book caused an uproar when it was released in her native France, a country that boasts a baby boom."

There has been a lot of response/backlash about this book in the Post, and all over the internet.
Here is one of the responses by a columnist from today's edition of "The National Post". It gave me hope that there are still people of optimism and faith in the world.

"The future freaks me out"

2009-08-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

Question: Is an event that features both Barry Gibb and Miss Havisham memorable or just downright crazy? This is a query that I tried to answer yesterday.

Last night I attempted my second foray into the wild world of the 31+ Singles scene. There were a few ladies going from my ward, and they invited me to attend with them. As Denise was out of town and I was at a bit of a loss, I acquiesced.

The event was held in Barnwell, and it was an aptly named "Corn Bust". As per usual, I was the youngest one there. Really, I felt like such a fraud while we were all introducing ourselves, and the common descriptive statement was "I have (insert # here) grand-children and (insert # here) great grand-children" (As Andrea says, "Yowsa"!) I did dance twice, both with men over 50, and the one was definitely a septuagenarian if he was a day. He was also the one who, after I told him where I worked, said "You must be good at your job" (with no real further explanation of why he thought that) and pulled me a little closer.

The d.j. was a regular entertainer, with comments and stories enough to choke a horse. He mentioned three times that he had a girlfriend (yeah, yeah, we get it!!) and when she finally showed up, she brought her teenage kids along. The music he played was eclectic, ranging from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day" to Abba's "Take a Chance on Me" to Randy Travis and "Forever and Ever, Amen". Despite the range of music, however, the only dancing that was done was jiving and a slow two-step. I invite you all to picture people trying to jive to Bon Jovi. It will boggle your mind. There was also an ongoing battle between the d.j. (who has a girlfriend, don't you know!) and the "older" folks there. They would ask him to turn down the music, He would, albeit begrudgingly. Then, when the next song came on, the volume would start to rise again. This delightful cycle continued until we left at 10:30.

Now, back to the celebrity and fictional character I have already mentioned. As for Barry Gibb, he was definitely there, hair and beard firmly in place. (Although, sadly, not talking about the issues) I saw a few people try to talk to him, but he only sort of twitched or mumbled. I was really hoping he would favor us with a song, but that wish was not realized. As for Miss Havisham, there was a lady from our ward who was there who I had never really talked to before. She is in her 60's, now single, and as crazy as anything. She started telling us a story that had happened 20 years ago. A man had wanted to marry her, but when she said yes, he married someone else instead. Luckily, it was revealed to her in a series of dreams that she would still be married to him one day. She thinks about it every day, still dreams about him, and although he is still married, it has been revealed that on a specific day next year, they will be wed. I tried to keep an impassive face throughout this story, and I think I succeeded. The rest of the ladies I was with were also keeping up a pretty good front, we all avoided direct eye contact with one another, and waited until she was gone to express our confusion and fear for her well-being.

The announcement for the next activity was that it was going to be held at my new favorite spot, the Magrath Stake Campground. However, everyone was encouraged to bring their great and grand children, so I am thinking that caveat automatically excludes me form an obligation to go.

As much as I joke and mildly exaggerate about the whole experience, I really do feel very out of place and extremely young. I don't think I have to feel guilty for not wanting to go.

Anyway, have a wonderful weekend, one and all.

A hodge-podge...to say the least

2009-08-20T11:46:00.001-07:00

For all of you readers out there...and I know you are few and far between...the reason that I have not updated recently is that I am just too darn lazy. I should probably be more embarrassed to admit that, but no. In some sort of defense of myself, things have picked up a bit more lately and promise to even more in the coming weeks. This cheers me as I enjoy being busy, as much as I may complain otherwise.

(Sidebar: if you are a fan of Amy Winehouse, come down to the library at the Lethbridge College immediately because she is sitting right beside me....oh, that hair...)

There are a few things that are keeping me busy.

1. I have learned how to correctly use a colon: it is important to have an independent clause preceding it, and it generally sets off a series or summary after. Thank-you to Braden for peaking my curiosity about this much maligned and misused punctuation mark, and thank-you especially to the Google for always answering my questions, no matter how big or small.

If you liked that, a quote from Kurt Vonnegut Jr. regarding the semicolon.
Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you've been to college.

2. I participated in a Lethbridge Stake rite of passage -making Elephant Ears at Whoop-Up Days. I was very hesitant to participate; however, it was brought to my attention that the money goes towards the Youth programs and so I felt a sense of obligation. Luckily, we had the opening night at the fair, and so it wasn't overly busy. It was a lot of fun to work side by side with some of the people in the ward that I hadn't really gotten to know before. The weather was quite cool as well, and it wasn't too hot inside the booth.

3. I am now the Young Women's President in our ward, and while I am very nervous to take on the responsibility, I am so excited to be a part of the girl's lives. I had a first meeting with my presidency, and we all shared the same vision for how we want the direction of Young Women's to go. We have a lot of great goals, and I hope to win many a Ward Council in the upcoming months.

4. I have been reading voraciously as of late and here is a list of my latest books -

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer. This was an absolutely delightful novel, written entirely in letters. The characters are engaging, and the story is sweet with moments of humour and intensity. Read it, you will not be sorry.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. I wouldn't describe this novel as delightful, rather creepy, Gothic and absolutely engrossing. I read it all in one night, and about 2/3 of the way through, I was so scared that I envisioned myself laying awake all night in sheer terror. Thankfully, the creepiness abated with the resolution of the story and the explanation of the mysteries, but there are some fantastic final twists that kept me hooked right until the very end. If you do not like Gothic literature, you may want to either avoid this book, or read it during the day times only.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. This is ostensibly a book written for teens, but the themes of death and selflessness resonated with my (very few) adult sensibilities. The story takes place in Nazi Germany, and it gives an interesting perspective on what it must have been like to be a German under Hitler's regime. It is absolutely heart-breaking at times, and I cried for my last hour of reading the book. If you like books about the holocaust, read this one. If you are looking for something both sad and triumphant, read this book. Read this book.

I will end this grotesquely long post with a poem by John Updike that I think captures my feelings about Leita's death. It has been almost 2 months, but I still think about it almost every day.

Perfection Wasted

And another regrettable thing about death
is the ceasing of your own brand of magic,
which took a whole life to develop and market —
the quips, the witticisms, the slant
adjusted to a few, those loved ones nearest
the lip of the stage, their soft faces blanched
in the footlight glow, their laughter close to tears,
their tears confused with their diamond earrings,
their warm pooled breath in and out with your heartbeat,
their response and your performance twinned.
The jokes over the phone. The memories packed
in the rapid-access file. The whole act.
Who will do it again? That's it: no one;
imitators and descendants aren't the same.

Everything you have been waiting for...and possibly less

2009-08-09T20:17:00.000-07:00

So, here it is. Blog #200. I have to say, I thought there would be more fanfare than this...maybe trumpets playing, a montage of me alternately writing and reading my posts, Martinellis and a large cheer when I pressed the "Publish Post" button. Sadly, there are none of those things. Only a dark kitchen and a sick roommate on the couch....hooray!!

Also, please don't think that because I waited so long to write it, that is going to be a mind-blowing post. Sorry, you just get par for the course today.

So, now that this post is starting to feel like a viewing of "Wolverine" (Ummm, is the story ever going to start?), I will get to the point. I spent about 2 hours the other night reading over my blog from the beginning. It was a disturbing, eye-opening, funny, heart-breaking and banal journey that has brought me to right here in 2009. I realized a few things:

1. I sure love a good list
2. While working at Chapters, I loved a good rant
3. I sure wrote a lot more before Facebook
4. I think I used to be funnier
5. While trying to be cryptic to other readers, I am now pretty confused about some of the things I have written about.
6. I do some seriously stupid/questionable things.

To illustrate the last point, and to celebrate a return to Poetry Day, here is something I wrote last night. It comes after I read a line in a book that I may have had a run in with last year. Didn't work out so well then...and...still pretty sad. However, I hope you enjoy.

A brief moment of understanding E.D.

I once told you these words:
"You are the man
I have always wanted to meet".
Actually, to be honest,
I wrote you the words-
I just couldn't form them
with my mouth.

In the most cliche of all confessions
they wouldn't shape around my teeth.
Only parched
in my desert of a throat.

They did, however,
fairly sing from my fingers
and fly
to press precariously on the page.
Then with one unbelievable leap
(arms wide, eyes shut)
I sent them careening to you.
Settled in.

And you?
(the story suddenly swoops
your way)
You said nothing-
wrote no response
to my most fragile
and feathered offering.

And hope?
Well,
it's perching still-
with dark eyes
that glitter on my bruised soul.

Back from the "sad"

2009-07-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

O.k., so here it is: Post #199. It almost feels like a penultimate one, but fear not, gentle readers, I will not be stopping at 20o.

I am sorry for the lack of posts as of late. My excuse is that not only did I call into work "sad" the other day, I have been using "sad" as an excuse to avoid many things. Washing my car, cleaning my room, doing the dishes (thanks to Denise for helping me out here), and also writing on the blog.

If you are following Denise, you will know that there is a hole in our lives right now. I also miss Leita terribly. Her memorial service was on Saturday, and I wish I could sit down with her to find out what she thought of it. I think she would have loved to hear her mom talk about her early life. I am pretty sure she would have forgiven me for singing pretty shakily during my song. I know she would have loved to hear Denise's words about their friendship, and seen the beautiful video presentation she put together. I really would like to know what she thought about the crazy lady, who, during the "open mic" session, said that she hadn't known Leita. This did not stop her from telling the story of when her roommate, Cindy, had died from cancer 30 years ago. The story was long, but at least it was mildly inappropriate as the lady implied that Cindy visited her on a regular basis. I suppose that like Cousin Stickles, funerals brought back her own sad loss.

Anyway, things are slowly getting back to normal. I have been promising a HP6 review, so here it is: I didn't especially love it for the following reasons

1. It wasn't as dark as I wanted it to be. It almost felt like a romantic comedy at times, and the intense parts of the movie were few and far between.

2.They added stuff that I didn't like, such as the burning down of the Weasley's house. Huh?

3. The Harry and Ginny story wasn't great. I prefer the kiss in the book, and when , in the movie, Ginny bent down and tied Harry's shoes, I couldn't stop myself from yelling "Barf"!

4. I thought Daniel Radcliffe's acting left much to be desired. He did such a great job in the 5th movie, and so I expected the same level of emotion and intensity in this one. However, he just seemed embarrassed to be part of it all, or kind of like a guy who just wandered in to Hogwart's.

5. Dumbledore's death happened too quickly, and the movie ended too quickly after he died. In the book, the scene in the tower where Dumbledore was begging Snape to kill him was heart-breaking, but in the movie, it just went by so quickly.

6. I HATED the reveal of Snape as the "Half-Blood Prince". It came at the most inappropriate and awkward time, and it felt like they just threw it in at the end because they realized that they had just let that aspect of the plot get buried under everything else, and they had better hastily tie it up. When Snape suddenly says "I'm the Half-Blood Prince" it was way too cheesy, and I had to restrain myself from yelling "I'm the Half-Blood Prince in the manner of "I'm Darby Shaw!" It is probably a good thing that Jess wasn't there...

After all of that, I didn't hate the movie, I just thought it could have been better. Maybe I am just getting tired of HP movies. So, bring out your torches, and lynch me any time. I know that most of you are still mad I didn't like "Wolverine", and that I am still refusing to see "Star Trek".

I think I am just getting crotchety in my old age.

See you on the 200th post!!

"The temperature's rising, it isn't surprising..."

2009-07-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

Here is the ice-cream combination that I invented last night: key-lime ice cream with raspberries and marshmallows. Oh, Marble Slab, you do indeed bring delight.

I am going to see Harry Potter tonight, and so the next post should hopefully be a review of the movie. I would get to it tomorrow, but it might interfere with my plans to find a tree and lay under it all day. It is supposed to get to 31 tomorrow, so I can't think of anything better to do...

Enjoy the heat!!!

2009-07-15T12:29:00.000-07:00

Dear Leita,

You have been an incredible support to me through all the years that I have known you.

Remember when you were the Compassionate Service Leader and were ready to help with anything? I am sorry that I didn't use you more. When I wanted to plan a party for Denise, you were there to help make it happen. When I wanted to get my dream of a Mid-Singles group off the ground, you came up like an organizing fiend and it became a reality. Our first activity was such a success, and it was due to your advertising and ingenuity. I don't know how I will continue it without your dedication and perseverance.

You were an amazing friend to me. I remember we had a girl's sleep-over about 3 years ago, and you brought the game "Girl Talk". It was the first time I had played it, and there is a picture of me out there pushing a penny on the floor with my nose. You always reached out to me when I was anti-social, and I was so glad to find out that we were actually family!! In the last year, you have shared some of my favorite experiences and events, from birthday parties to the Mid-Singles Conference in June. I will always treasure the experience of tag-team speed-dating with you. I thought we were a dynamic duo! I am sorry I ditched you on the Saturday for the lamest of all reasons, and I wish you would have told us how sick you were feeling. You always thought of others before yourself, though. I wish I could have been a better friend to you. I wish I had been less selfish.

You will continue to be an inspiring example of someone who has great faith in Jesus Christ. This was evident in your faithful temple attendance and your endless service to others. As you lay in the hospital, you were more concerned about the mid-Singles activity, and us remembering friends' birthdays than yourself. Your quiet acts of compassion were noticed, and I know that you will be serving even more people now that you have the full capacity to do so.

Let's be honest, there were things about you that drove me crazy. You lived by extremely high standards and you wanted everyone else to as well. I am afraid that many of us failed you numerous times. You always wanted to include everyone, even when there were people we couldn't stand to have around. Once you had an idea, you would see it through until the very end, even if it was uncomfortable for others. You were driven and determined, and you often got me out of my comfort zone. Thank-you.

Leita, you will be missed more than words can ever express. I am a better person for having known you, and I hope that you are well and happy and working hard and laughing with all of our awesome ancestors. Please say hi to them for me!

Love,
Jenny

2009-07-06T13:39:00.000-07:00

A bright and blustery good morrow to you all (I actually don't know what that means...) I am blogging in celebration that I have finished the "Term End Reflections" for the two students I work with. I h-a-a-a-a-a-t-e paperwork, and when I get it finished, I like to spend at least 30 minutes doing something completely frivolous. I can't count the email I sent to my Dad about the program for the reunion (accompanied by many frantic texts to various family members: "Will you be performing?") because that is only work of another variety...though not technically College related. Good thing my boos is away for the afternoon.

Anyway, that was a ridiculously long intro, so I will get to the crux. Young Women's Camp is this Thursday. I am alternately hot and cold about it, but I am semi-excited to purchase a day-pack, hat, and wine gums, assemble a tinfoil dinner, borrow a sleeping bag from Jean, get some ear plugs for the girls who will be sharing my tent, and try to come up with some awesome ideas for the firesides I am organizing.

It is so interesting to be doing these things in the role of a leader. There is a lot more work, and you have answers for things, but it is nice to have people look up to you. Just another step on my journey to adulthood, I guess.

I feel like I'm 4 all over again

2009-06-29T10:51:00.000-07:00

Here is the story of the day.

Today I had to get the first of two mumps vaccinations that I need in order to assist one of the students in volunteering at the hospital. The reason I was getting injected was because my immunization records have been lost somewhere in this province. For three days I called every health unit in every town I have ever lived, only to find out that my immunization records were last seen leaving Magrath in 1989...and they never made it to their intended destination of Cardston. Kill me!!

Cut to me today at 10:30, sitting in the waiting room of the Lethbridge Community Health Unit, surrounded by infants. When I went into get the shot, the nurse asked me if it was for my child. I had to tell her, that no, it was actually for me, but that due to my fear of needles, I was probably going to be a bigger baby than most of the actual babies who were in there. The nurse was very kind, and I made it through relatively unscathed. I didn't faint, but my heart rate wasn't too leisurely paced.

The best part of this story is that I have to go back for a second shot on July 27th.

Here's hoping that the rest of my day goes better...

"You kids can't handle the quiet parts!!"

2009-06-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

This week was the opening for "Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen" (Duh-duh-duh...)

Will I be seeing this movie in the theater? The answer is no. In case any of you have not heard the story, I fell asleep while watching the first Transformers in the theater...twice. Yes, I fell asleep at the exact same moment in the movie both times - basically as soon as the big action scene is beginning. In my defense, I went to a 10:00 show both times, I am not a guy and therefore was not cheering and crying through the whole movie, and let's be honest, action sequences are too boring for me to pay attention to.

So, because the sequel has even more action, and considering I may have lapsed into a bored-coma during the trailer for Fallen, I will not be in attendance. Well, unless some ridiculously handsome gentleman offers to pay for me, buys me some cola-type beverages, and takes me to the earliest show they have (although, not a matinee, cause afternoon is my sleepy time...I really am an old lady).

You also need to know it isn't just me who thinks this might not be the best movie of the summer; I decided to go for back-up. So, for your enjoyment (or outrage), here are a few reviews of the movie (see The National Post, Wednesday, June 24th, 2009):

"It's like watching a blender for two hours while someone shouts at you. And then the last half hour is the same, except it's more like having your head strapped to a washing machine while you watch a blender and someone shouts at you." -Paul French, FHM

"At once loud and boring, like watching paint dry while getting hit over the head with a frying pan" - Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

"Go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together. Then close your eyes and use your imagination. "
- Roger Ebert, The Chicago Sun-Times

You can stand under my umbrella, Ella.

2009-06-22T10:22:00.001-07:00

I had such a great moment on the weekend when I went with the youth for a baptismal trip to the Temple. As we were waiting to go in, I noticed an old man walking by us. Well, what I actually noticed was that he was really, really old. Like 180,000 years old. He was extremely stooped over and moving at a pace that would make a turtle impatient. As he passed me, he said that he liked my shoes. (I was, of course, wearing my bright yellow heels) I said that I did as well, and he remarked that they were actually gold. I said that I referred to them as my golden slippers. He loved that! The exchange absolutely made my day.

I really do get more comments about those shoes than any others I have. People must love the colour yellow.

Anyway, on to another week, my last one alone. It has already started out great with the most wonderful rain this morning. I have to say, I enjoy the rain so much more now that I have a car, and don't have to schlep around on the bus.

Have a wonderful Monday!!

"You can't dust-buster a baby!"

2009-06-14T13:21:00.000-07:00

I would like to start a new segment here at the ole blog entitled, "Things not to do".

1. Things not to do alone:

-go to Costco - this is really a team event because there is so much to do and see. Also, who are you going to play "Let's see who knows the most people here" with if you're all by yourself?

-participate in "Target Hunger". I had to drive and look for the bags on people's doorsteps, and pick them up too. I almost got in an accident several times while trying to drive, spot the yellow bags, and all the while, try not to look like I was casing the neighborhood, or staring creepily at the men out mowing their lawns.

-watch the season finale of SNL, hosted by Will Ferrell. You can't endlessly quote back your new favorite lines to yourself. ("You can't dust-buster a baby!") You can't remember fondly the 45 times you have watched "The best of Will Ferrell", and cheer when he included some favorite characters - During the Jeopardy segment, I was wishing with all of my heart that Ashley and Denise were there with me to enjoy both Sean Connery and Burt Reynolds.

2. Things you shouldn't do in the summer:

-drive in the "Red Rat" while the air-conditioning is on the fritz
- play your music at full volume at 1:00 am with your windows open. Especially some weird "Fleetwood Mac" concert
-run out of ice

I just ran outside for a minute to enjoy a sudden summer shower, and to breathe in the smell of rain on the warm pavement.
I am pretty sure that is what heaven smells like.

More to come throughout the week...let's see if I can survive living alone, as Denise is on holidays.

Ciao!

"Everyone's watching to see what you will do!"

2009-06-12T10:06:00.000-07:00

I can not even begin to express my joy about the fact that it is almost officially the weekend!! I have been looking forward to my "days off" all week, and I have a few plans, as well as some glorious hours to fill however I want.

Tonight I am going to see "Said the Whale" at The Slice with Ashley. Tomorrow morning I will be picking up bags full of food for "Project Hunger" and taking them to the Stake Center. Then, I have all Saturday afternoon and evening for pure relaxation, with a little bit of prep for my YW lesson thrown in there. On Sunday, I am going out to Magrath for my Dad's birthday dinner, and then spending the night there.

It has been a particularly busy week at work, mostly because my boss is away, and we are not only taking over her student load, but I am preparing for our upcoming student interviews. This includes booking the room, forming a committee, meeting with prospective students, getting the advertising out there, and setting up an interview schedule. Fortunately, this is the stuff that I really enjoy!

I wish all of you a magical weekend, especially our dear Denise who is heading down to the Promised Land with her parents.

Lucky!

..."You say its your birthday..."

2009-06-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

Today marks that last day of the Denise Garner birthday celebration multi-day extravaganza! Her actual birthday was yesterday, but we have been celebrating for a few days, and certainly in style:

Sunday: We had a beverage party at our house with drinks provided by Afton. We had the house full to capacity, and the best part of the evening was the 2 hours of karaoke we played on the xbox. The highlight of the singing was a toss up between 2/3 of the party belting out "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles, Ashley singing some sort of weird rap song about lip-gloss, or Braden favoring us with a country song (me thinks a sight I had thought never to see). Denise and I were our usual competitive selves, and I have to say that as usual, we were pretty amazing at the Karaoke.

Monday: Denise and I had a birthday dinner with the parents, and then she, Leita and I went to see "17 Again"...again and enjoyed a variety of outfits on Zac Efron.

Tuesday: Denise's actual birthday on which she went to dinner with Ashley.

Today, I am going to pick up the birthday present I ordered, and I will give it to her this evening. It is pretty awesome, so I am excited!!

Happy Birthday, Denise. I don't think it is possible for either of us to have a quiet celebration, as much as we say we want it.

Testification

2009-06-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

This, ladies and gentlemen, is my 189th post. Thrilling? Yes. Worth a mention? Absolutely.

Here is evidence for the awesomeness of the number 189:

189 (number)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
One hundred [and]eighty-nine189 is the natural number following 188 and preceding 190.
189 is a centred cube number.

There are 189 lochs in Scotland... (from travelblog.org)

Some sources say that there are 189 countries in the world. (The UN says that there are 192, but are those guys really trustworthy? I am sticking with my nebulous claim of 189. Let's be honest, some countries don't even sound like real places. Finland? fake name.)

According to the 2000 Census by the United States Census Bureau, the villages of Cobalt, Missouri and Riverside Oregon had 189 people.

There are 189 dog friendly cities in Georgia.

In Martial Arts, there are 189 classical Golden Dragon forms.

There are 189 scenes in the shooting script of the 1982 movie "Gandhi".

For poetry day, here is an interesting tidbit. On May 31, 2008, Walt Whitman's 189th birthday,there was a gathering in Washington Park to read "Song of Myself" in its entirety. No small feat, if you know of this poem at all. So, I will include a section here:

From Song of Myself

Stop this day and night with me and you shall possess the origin of all poems, You shall possess the good of the earth and sun, (there are millions of suns left,) You shall no longer take things at second or third hand, nor look through the eyes of the dead, nor feed on the spectres in books, You shall not look through my eyes either, nor take things from me, You shall listen to all sides and filter them from your self.

I love a piano

2009-06-02T12:36:00.000-07:00

If my blog is looking different these days, it is because I am experimenting with the different applications, etc. I am having a difficult time with it because my new template isn't as easy to manage. Also, I am technologically slow, so what would take a normal person a few minutes takes me at least an hour.

Kill me!!

This past weekend was the Sarah Slean concert in Calgary. It was my 4th time seeing her, and I definitely enjoyed it as much as the other times I have attended. For me, her voice gets more rich and interesting with each concert, and I actually prefer her with just the piano. The intimacy of just singer and piano makes it more of an emotional experience, and her mad keyboard skills bring out the sound of all the absent instruments. I have always preferred music more acoustic, though.

She played a variety of songs, including some covers by Leonard Cohen, Dolly Parton and my favorite, a song called "Black Flowers" by Lynne Miles.

It was especially fun to meet my Internet friend, Laura. She mentioned that it was weird to officially meet someone when you read their blog, and so know all about their life. It really wasn't awkward at all, and I too look forward to real-life friendship.

2009-05-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

This has been one of my favorite poems since High School. In English 30, we used to prepare for our Diploma Exam by reviewing tests from past years. I remember finding this poem and copying it out by hand. I also remember that Mr Hardy had book shelves in the back of the classroom that had some poetry books. He used to let me borrow them, and it was at that time that I truly developed a love for poetry.

An Arundel Tomb

Side by side, their faces blurred,
The earl and countess lie in stone,
Their proper habits vaguely shown
As jointed armour, stiffened pleat,
And that faint hint of the absurd -
The little dogs under their feet.

Such plainness of the pre-baroque
Hardly involves the eye, until
It meets his left-hand gauntlet, still
Clasped empty in the other; and
One sees, with a sharp tender shock,
His hand withdrawn, holding her hand.

They would not think to lie so long.
Such faithfulness in effigy
Was just a detail friends would see:
A sculptor's sweet commissioned grace
Thrown off in helping to prolong
The Latin names around the base.

They would not guess how early in
Their supine stationary voyage
The air would change to soundless damage,
Turn the old tenantry away;
How soon succeeding eyes begin
To look, not read. Rigidly, they

Persisted, linked, through lengths and breadths
Of time. Snow fell, undated. Light
Each summer thronged the glass. A bright
Litter of birdcalls strewed the same
Bone-riddled ground. And up the paths
The endless altered people came,

Washing at their identity.
Now, helpless in the hollow of
An unarmorial age, a trough
Of smoke in slow suspended skeins
Above their scrap of history,
Only an attitude remains:

Time has transfigured them into
Untruth. The stone fidelity
They hardly meant has come to be
Their final blazon, and to prove
Our almost-instinct almost true:
What will survive of us is love.

Phillip Larkin

2009-05-27T12:43:00.000-07:00

Things I am absolutely crazy about lately:

- Flip-flops

- Journey -the band

- Crepes

- Choir reunions

- Big Turk

- Opinion articles from "The Onion"

- How I met your Mother

- Nachos

- Strawberry and Banana fruit and veggie juice

- short hair

In other news, Christian Bale has been deleted from the spot of Celebrity Trump, and probably from any other list I may have had him on. He is just too crazy and just too darn hideous these days. Of course, when I went to find a recent "ugly" photo of him, all that came up were really pretty ones. Sadly, this is about as ugly as I could find:

Although, please feast your eyes on this delightful this picture of him...

Right?

I will tell you right now that this is the end of a 17 year affair, which started with my very first viewing of Newsies, which I saw in the theatre when I was 15.

So, I am taking suggestions for a new ultimate celebrity trump. If anyone has any good ideas, please let me know.

Are they good or are they bad?

2009-05-25T08:15:00.001-07:00

I woke up this morning in 2008. May 2008, to be precise. No, I am not a time traveller, Superman, or even a character in a yet-to-be written romantic comedy about a girl who ages backwards 1 year every Monday. ( ooh, I think there is a screenplay idea...)

I emerged from sleep at 6:30 like someone clawing their way out of quicksand: head pounding, eyes gritty, throat like the Gobi and stomach definitely nauseated. When I stumbled into the bathroom, I discovered the reason for my hang-over like state was the lingering smell of marijuana smoke pumping through the vent.

I thought we had left the pot smoke behind at our last house, in 2008, but apparently someone thought that Sunday night / Monday morning would be an excellent time to roll up a fatty of non-fellowship and bad fun.

So. Thank-you to our neighbors for assisting me in being late for work, leaving the house without eating breakfast, forgetting my phone, and for the 10 minutes I spent on the couch watching Dawson's Creek.

I should be fully awake by noon. 2:00 at the latest.

If you have ever wondered what a semi-coma looked like...

2009-05-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

So last night I had a bit of a set-back. I was watching t.v. when I suddenly had a craving for Fish and Chips that was not to be ignored. Most people that know me have been instructed to never let me eat them. To give Denise her due, she put up a really good fight when I suggested it. However, I decided to lift the ban for one night.

Denise and I went to Moxies where I consumed both extremely large pieces of battered fish. Almost immediately regret set in to my stomach with a vengeance. I think it was worse than usual because I have been avoiding really fried food lately. Yeah. Cut to me, two hours later, lying on the couch in what can only be described as a "Fried Fish Semi-Coma". For all of you curious readers out there, here are the symptoms/manifestations of the condition:

1. Lethargy. A lethargy so profound that it found me watching "Casino Royale" with a ridiculous amount of commercial breaks. I really didn't fee like watching this movie, especially with it being dragged out to 3 hours, but I was too lethargic to go over to the Movie shelf. I was also too tired to make an actual phone call, so I engaged in a texting session with our dear Greg.

2. Forgetfulness. At 8:20, I looked at the clock and realized that I had forgotten to go to my AquaFit class. This is unfortunate because exercise could only have helped me at that point.

3. Giddiness. There wasn't hallucinations, but there was a pretty rousing games of non/celebrity make-out challenge that resulted in a challenge for Denise so horrific, it almost forced her to choose death.

4. Nausea. My stomach was practically bubbling with all of that grease, and lying on the couch was the only possibility.

Today, I have repented of my ways, eaten delicious and healthy leftovers for lunch, and am looking forward to bbq'd hamburgers tonight courtesy of Denise's mom.

Here's to never lifting the ban again.

Get in shape, girl

2009-05-14T10:37:00.000-07:00

You might as well kill me right now and I will tell you why:

I have decided to give up some of my favorite things, and to introduce some newer and slightly painful ones in their place. I hit a weight so high last week that I decided that it was absolutely time to change my physical lifestyle. I knew that I needed to set some realistic goals, and so I have given myself a year to lose a certain amount of weight, and I think it will be doable. Unfortunately, there are a few sacrifices that are involved. I have decided to cut way, way back on the breads and pasta. I will instead be eating the whole grains as much as possible. Is this a fair trade? Heck, no. I am also cutting out the sugar, except for fruit, and this is already making me sad. I went to a retirement party for a colleague yesterday, and the desserts looked amazing... Luckily there was cheese and crackers. This is not to say that I won't occasionally partake, but it will not be on a daily or even weekly basis. The biggest decision I have made is to stop eating fast food. This one is really hard, because sometimes I am just too tired to cook, and it is so easy to run out for a hamburger. I also really, really, love hamburgers. I will just have to go home to my parents more often to partake in the barbecued hamburgers there. (Did you get that, Mom?) Just when you thought that the regime couldn't be any more depressing, I am adding in Aquafit 4 times a week, and walking more. Actually, I really enjoy the deep water jogging, although during the extended cardio session last night, I was ready to punch our unbelievably cute instructor in the throat.

So, it has been a week, and a hard one at that, but I have already seen some results, and it feels good to be actually doing something positive. I think the hardest part will be having the patience to do it over a year and be happy with the results coming gradually. I live in a society where I want everything right now, and with the littlest amount of effort possible.

Wish me luck, and if you see me venturing anywhere near a Wendy's, please stop me.

"The Circle Game" isn't as fun these days.

2009-05-08T13:02:00.001-07:00

I got a bit of a wake-up call today. I went to profile section of my blog and there it was. Age: 32. I had remembered that I had a birthday, but I somehow forgot that I am actually a year older. I am not usually bothered by my advancing years, but it was definitely a "pause for thought" moment when it was there, staring me in the face for the first time.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

The Thrill is Gone

2009-05-06T12:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a sad story from yesterday: Andrea gave me a Visa gift card so that I could buy a purse with it. You might not now that I made a vow not to buy a purse this year. So far, I have kept this resolution, despite being sorely tempted time and again. Andrea assured me that because it wasn't my money, it would be o.k. to get one. But, I could not find one that I really liked within the price range. There were some that were o.k., but nothing really called out to me and begged me to take it home. That is probably the first time I have not found at least one bag that I liked. Either my relationship with purses is fading, or I have terrible luck. Let's pray for once that it is the latter.

So, last night I was laying on my bed, looking at my newly set-up book shelves, and I thought I would give a few recommendations from my personal library.

1. Rebecca by Daphne Dumaurier. This is a classic, and deservedly so. It is a romance/mystery that engages you from the first page. It is told in first person, and the narrator is compelling in her obsessiveness and insecurity. Read it - I do at least once a year

2.The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery. This is one of her lesser known books, but the characters are absolutely delightful. Although it is highly sentimental, it has a lot of humour and bits of sarcasm to balance it out.

3. Anything by Anne Perry. She is a Victorian mystery novelist, and her description and portrayal of Victorian London is fascinating. Her exploration of societal customs, fashion, and social issues make each book extremely interesting. Her first series is being re-published, so start with The Cater Street Hangman

That is a few, and I will be bringing more to you in the coming weeks.

2009-05-05T12:57:00.000-07:00

I have stolen this questionnaire from both Denise and Laura, so I am sorry for the unoriginality. I really used to hate doing these, but now I can't get enough.

Before I paste it in, a thank-you to everyone who made my birthday so great. A special shout out goes to a few people:
1. Mom and Dad for the birthday money - it is awful to day, but shopping might be my favorite thing in the whole world.
2. Denise for the surprise party. I had no idea, and it was so wonderful to feel so loved. Thanks also to everyone who attended and for trying my favorite drink. Hope it wasn't too perfumey for you. Thanks especially to Leita for the fun present.
3. Thanks to Jess and Sam for helping to sing Happy Birthday. Always a favorite phone-call.
4. Thanks to Cam and Greg and Gabe for the texts.
5. Andrea and Chris for the gift card. I am going this afternoon to buy the purse that wasn't.
6. Everyone who wished me Happy Birthday on the Facebook. I actually looked like I had more than 3 friends for once. Yay!
7. Ashley and Braden for their beautiful musical renditions of inane modern pop music.
8. The Korneluks for the movie, the Frozen Yogurt, and the return to a new and improved Denny's. It's like a real restaurant.

So, if you are not all bored yet, here is the newest questionnaire.

1. First thing you wash in the shower?
My face - I have a real routine in there, and the one time I didn’t do it in my usual order, I got really confused and washed some things twice and forgot others entirely.

2. What color is your favorite hoodie?
Black. Unfortunately, it is also my Lethbridge College hoodie, but it just fits really well.

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?
No.

4. Do you plan outfits?
Always. I sometimes stay awake for an hour planning different outfits. A common question at our house is “What are you going to wear tomorrow”?

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now?
Happy. I had a fantastic birthday weekend, and this week is shaping up to be a great one.

6. What’s the closest thing to you that's red?
The guy next to me is wearing a red shirt.

7. Tell me about the last dream you remember having?
I dreamed I was back in University and there was a test in the class that I hadn’t attended all semester. Classic.

8. Did you meet anybody new today?
No, but is only 11:38, so there is still hope.

9. What are you craving right now?
A Chef’s Salad…Weird, right?

10. Do you floss?
I go through phases. This month I definitely am.

11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage?
Coleslaw, or my mom’s dee-vine Kitchen sink Salad which is henceforth to be known as Coleslaw Plus.

12. Are you emotional?
There are bathrooms all over this province that will attest to the fact that I am indeed an emotional person, sometimes overly so.

13. Have you ever counted to 1,000?
Yes, and in response to Denise’s question why…for funsies.

14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?
I lick it. It lasts longer.

15. Do you like your hair?
When I have invested at least 30 minutes into it, then yes, I do.

16. Do you like yourself?
I’m not the worst.

17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush?
I have no beef with him. Sure. We could always bond over our love of The Google.

18. What are you listening to right now?
Other students in the computer lab who are talking about their spring classes. The cd that is playing in my car right now is “White Ladder” by David Gray.

19. Are your parents strict?
Not strict…consistent.

20. Would you go skydiving?
Only if someone pushed me out of a plane.

21. Do you like cottage cheese?
Any way I can get it.

22. Have you ever met a celebrity?
I have met Blue Rodeo, Sarah Slean, and our wonderful Peter Katz.

23. Do you rent movies often?
I used to a lot, but hardly ever these days. I go to the movies a lot.

24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in?
My necklace.

25. How many countries have you visited?
U.S.A., England, Wales, and Ireland. I also flew over Greenland, so I have a special place in my heart for that barren wasteland.

26. Have you made a prank phone call?
Yes…but it is a story probably better never told.

27. Ever been on a train?
One at Fort Edmonton, and the thrilling ride at the Valley Zoo in Edmonton.

28. Brown or white eggs?Anyone who knows me knows that I am all about the aesthetically pleasing, so I love the brown ones only because they are prettier.

29.Do you have a cell-phone?
Yes I do, and I hate it!! Only 10 more months until my contract is up and I can get a pretty new one.3

0. Do you use Chap Stick?
Call me Camilla Kershaw, I have started to carry at least 2 in each purse.

31. Do you own a gun?
Let’s see…I grew up in a town where almost every family had an “accidental” shooting of one sibling by another. I do not.

32. Can you use chopsticks?
For about 10 minutes, and then my hands go weirdly spastic and kind of forgetful.

33. Who are you going to be with tonight?
My Young Women’s girls, my dear Denise Garner, and if I can wrangle it, George Clooney.

34. Are you too forgiving?
I didn’t use to, but I can be these days.

35. Ever been in love?
Yes.

36. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow?
Being awesome. Doing stuff. Probably drinking some juice as well.

37. Ever have cream puffs?
Maybe I have, and maybe…I have. I have eaten them, made them, worshipped them…whatever.

38. Last time you cried?
I watched “The Secret Life of Bees” on Saturday, and cried through the whole thing.

39. What was the last question you asked?
“Are you going to lunch?”

40. Favorite time of the year?
Fall. I love the weather, I love the feeling of renewal, and I love the clothes.

41. Do you have any tattoos?
No, but I always wanted one.

42. Are you sarcastic?
Only when people are really stupid.

43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect?
That movie is about flowers, right?

44. Ever walked into a wall?
I don’t think so, but I am pretty clumsy, nonetheless.

45. Favorite color?
Blue – all shades.

46. Have you ever slapped someone?
Yes. I slapped a guy in grade seven but I can’t remember why. Now, if the question were “Have you been slapped in the face, there would be the time I deserved it (ask my Mom), and the times I didn’t (ask my sister, Andrea)

47. Is your hair curly?
When I force it to be, generally it is just fuzzy.

48. What was the last CD you bought?
Adele – 19. Wonderful!!

49. Do looks matter?
Not really. For me it really is about personality….and maybe a little bit of hygiene. There is no law against showering.

50. Could you ever forgive a cheater?
If I was dating someone and they cheated, no way. If we were married, I think so.

51. Is your phone bill sky high?
Only because my plan gouges me on a daily basis.

52. Do you like your life right now?
Sure. It’s pretty good.
53. Do you sleep with the TV on?
I fall asleep with the t.v. on. Is that the same?

54. Can you handle the truth?
If my hair is done.

55. Do you have good vision?
I wear glasses for driving, the movies, and when my eyes are tired.

56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people?
Maybe for about 1 day, but after that, who cares? I really can’t waste the energy.

57. How often do you talk on the phone?
As little as humanly possible. I am ridiculously awkward on the phone.

58. The last person you held hands with?
My nephew, Steven. I had to keep him from falling in to the swimming pool.

59. What are you wearing?
A blue flowered skirt, white top, and gold flip-flops. Could I be any cuter?

60.What is your favorite animal?
I love giraffes. They are so tall and graceful.

61. Where was your Facebook picture taken at?
At my parent’s house

62. Can you hula-hoop?
No. I am monumentally uncoordinated.

63. Do you have a job?
Yes. Do I work? Sometimes.

64. What was the most recent thing you bought?
Groceries at Safeway last night.

65. Have you ever crawled through a window?
Yes, when I was locked out of the house.

66. Is your hair up?
No.

67.Is your phone right beside you?
In my bag.

68.Do you have a gf/bf?
“All the single ladies, single ladies…”

69.Do you wish you were somewhere else?
I wish I was at home, reading “Tara Road” and drinking juice.

I think this guy ate Alf

2009-04-24T12:32:00.000-07:00

This picture gave us hours of entertaiment at work today!! Somewhere there is a guy who is either really proud of this picture, or has been trying desperately to remove it from the internet machine.

Please do not think I am an awful person for loving it!!

Return to Poetery Day...c'mon, you've kinda missed it

2009-04-16T09:46:00.001-07:00

This has been one of my favorite poems since I was a teenager - I think I liked it back then because of its mildly over-dramatic sentiment. However, some of the lines still resonate with me today. Especially "A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew,/A formula, a phrase remains,—but the best is lost."

Dirge Without Music

I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground.
So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind:
Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned
With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned.

Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you.
Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust.
A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew,
A formula, a phrase remains,—but the best is lost.

The answers quick and keen, the honest look, the laughter, the
love,—
They are gone. They are gone to feed the roses. Elegant and curled
Is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know. But I do not
approve.
More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the
world.
Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave
Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;
Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave.
I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.

Edna St. Vincent Millay

2009-04-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

I am rather pleased to be writing again, although it does mean that I am finished my holidays and back at work. Sigh. I was glad to be home and see my lovely roommate, but work is always hard to adjust to after 10 days off.

"10 days off, Jenny? Pray tell, what did you do, where did you go, and what personage magically appeared while you were there?"

Well, boys and girls, I did a fair few things during my wonderful holidays. Firstly, I finally took the plunge and hightailed it to the centre of the Canadian universe: that wonderful metropolis of Toronto. I had been promised that this was a city not to be missed, and it did not disappoint. I flew in on Thursday, Apr. 2nd at 12:42 pm, and took a bus and the subway to my hotel. My hotel was a converted mansion which was built in the mid 19th century. Its claim to fame was that Hemingway lived there for a bout a year in the early 2oth century.I was staying right off Bloor Street, which is a busy and happening thoroughfare. Thursday evening I walked down Bloor and did a little sight seeing while trying not to look too much like a tourist. I miserably failed at this because I was constantly looking up and narrowly missing running into other pedestrians. I was reminded of my trip to New York City because there was just so much to see.

That evening I went to the Peter Katz / Rob Szabo concert which I enjoyed very much. The location, "Hugh's room" was big enough to fit a decent crowd, but small enough to be intimate. I was sitting down quite close to the stage, so I had a great view. The sound was really fantastic, and both guys sounded amazing. Rob Szabo had such a beautiful voice, and I became a fan of his the moment he began to sing. I bought a cd and spent a few minutes talking to him. Peter Katz played everything off his new album (he was actually in the studio last week), and I liked all of it. It was different seeing him in his home town, because all of his friends and fans were there. He was more relaxed and pretty crazy at times, but I had a mild feeling of being an outsider due to his numerous shout-outs and personal jokes. He was, however, as charming, generous, compassionate and talented as he always is, and I got the brief chance to shake his hand and say hi.

Friday I went to the Royal Ontario Museum which was infinitely more than I had been promised. It was enormous: five floors, each one like a maze where I got myself lost a couple of times. The highlights:
1. "The evolution of style" This display had Western european furniture and decorations from the Medieval period up to the Vicorian era. It was really quiet in this wing because it wasn't as exciting for the kids, but I was completely mesmerized.
2. The Canadian History exhibit. It was really neat to see the artifacts from the Hudson Bay period in the 17th century, furniture from Upper and Lower Canada, and the numerous paintings of the landscapes and the people.
3. The Asian exhibits. The furniture and the statues were breathtaking in their detail and craftmanship.
4. The restaurant. The food was delicious, the prices reasonable, and the recycling was so advanced that although all of my waste was disposable, I only threw away my napkin.
5. The mosaic on the ceiling of the original building. In the centre of the tiles it read: "That all men may know His works" I was really touched by this inscription, and the idea that the earth and all of its treasures are a reflection of God's wisdom and influence.

Saturday I went downtown and did some shopping a sightseeing. Eaton Centre was great, and there were so many fun little boutiques on Queen Street. I finished the day off with a trip to Indigo Books and Music, which was so big and beautiful - the stuff that Chapters dreams are made of.

I really enjoyed my trip! I loved walking and taking the subway, the ridiculous amount of culture there was, the friendliness of all the people I met, and the pace and energy of the city itself.

I came back to Edmonton on Sunday, and spent some time with Jess and Andrea. On Wednesday, Andrea had a baby girl, Rachel Lee! I have to say that I am still flummoxed by the idea of childbirth. You go to the hospital and you come home with a baby, like they are giving them away for free there. Maybe if our stomachs were transparent and I could see it growing it wouldn't be so strange (well, strange in a very different way!) Babies just seem to magically appear out of nowhere.

So, I am back in Lethbridge and in the midst of completely changing the set-up of my room. I finally have my dresser assembled (thanks, Dad!) and am going to do a second book-shelf next. Pretty soon it will be done and maybe I will have an Open House.

"Party on my bed and everyone's invited!!"

Wait a minute...

What I did on my sabbatical...

2009-03-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

It didn't really feel like a holiday, but here are a few of the highlights:

1. I planned a trip to Toronto for April 2-5. This is going to be a very short vacation, but a needed one, nonetheless. I was sitting at home about a month ago wanting to do something really crazy (Spring Fever really gets to me, I guess!) and I saw that Peter Katz was having a concert on April 2nd in Toronto. I booked my plane ticket, got a hotel, and reserved a ticket for the concert. I am going to Toronto!! I am really excited to go by myself, and can't wait to venture east of our fair province. As it stands, in Canada,I have never been further east of Brooks (home town of our dear dear Denise, and site of the controversial Alberta Summer Games where I was forced to be on display in a manner both humiliating and [unintentionally] kind of slutty. If you don't know the story, too bad. It is something that Jess, Andrea and I try not to speak of.)

Some of the other things I will be doing in T.O. are the Royal Ontario Museum (which I will soon be calling the ROM), the Bata Shoe Museum (combines 2 great loves!!), shopping on Queen Street, ogling the high-end stores on Bloor Street (Holt Renfrew, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany and Co, just to name a few) and doing as much walking as possible!!

2. I planned an Open House for our program here at the College. If anyone wants to come and find out more about what I do during the days, you can come to the Sunflower Room from 4 pm - 7 pm tomorrow, talk to all of us and eat some great refreshments. (By the time I am posting this, it has already happened, and it went very well. So...sorry that y'all missed it!

3. I had a Lethbridge renaissance, of sorts. Last Saturday, I took Travis around the wonders of the downtown because he had never really explored our metropolis. Some of our highlights included Chinatown (all 2 stores of it!), Blueprint, Nicholai (the new furniture and design store), a new used book store (we cased the joint in the name of spying for Chapters), and best of all, Progress Clothing. I had not stepped foot in that store for 20 years, and I am pretty sure that the winter coats are the exact same ones I perused at that time. If you have not been to this store, please go. It is quite an experience.

4. I have started doing Aqua Fit: Deep Water Jogging. My boss, Jean and I are going to go at least twice a week, and so far, it has been an amazing workout. You get a chance to raise your heart rate, and work pretty much all of your muscles. My stomach is sore, but I hope there are going to be killer abs in my future...

Well, I am off to watch "The Office" and "30 Rock". I will be thinking of all of you when I am getting off of work 4 hours early tomorrow. Hooray for a slightly longer weekend!

So's Christmas.

You have probably forgotten about me...

2009-03-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

I have tried to write for the last week. Really! It seems, however, that the longer I go without writing, the easier it is to procrastinate another post. Sometimes I can even pretend that my blog doesn't exist, but every time I log on to the computer, the guilt starts to eat at me and I realize that March has almost gone by with nary a word from me. I could probably come up with 100 excuses as to why this is, but let's not embarrass any of us with that nonsense.

This last Saturday I had the privilege of attending the Opera at the Met, all in the comfort of my local movie theatre. I have wanted to attend a live broadcast for about a year now, and so I give all credit and thanks to Amy Still who went with me. We saw "La Somnambula" (which means "the sleepwalker") by Bellini. I had never heard of the Opera before, but the music was beautiful, and the story suitably dramatic and romantic. Read about it here:

http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/history/stories/synopsis.aspx?id=268

I am really excited to see more operas, and the line-up for next season is pretty great. It includes Tosca, Aida, and Hamlet.

Hopefully this will be the first of many new posts!

Someone should tell Sophia Loren what decade it is...

2009-02-24T13:27:00.000-08:00

O.k., so I am still learning about Blogger. This picture goes with the last paragraph of this post. I am not smart enough to even figure out how to delete it or put it in the right place.

So I have solved a little mystery - call me Sherlock. I had misplaced my gold circa 1986 prom dress that I love to pull out for special occasions. I was so sad because it really was very classy and timeless. I was at my wit's end all weekend until I tuned in to the Academy Awards on Sunday night. Thank the heavens and all of the angels, it turned up. Sophia Loren was wearing it.

I am not really sure who told her that the dress was a good idea. Her stylist probably thought that such a garish gown might possibly distract from the train wreck that was her face. It makes me so sad that because of plastic surgery, a woman who was probably one of the most beautiful in the world, now just looks like a burn victim. I am reminded of Catharine O'Hara's character in "For Your Consideration". After she is nominated for an award, she undergoes plastic surgery, and the result is terrifying. (If you have never seen this movie, watch it immediately!)

Besides Ms. Loren's fashion adventure (and thievery...hm!), the Academy Awards were pretty enjoyable. They showed their recession roots when it took about 30 seconds to open up the curtains for a video presentation, but the musical numbers were exciting (directed by Baz Luhrman!) and Hugh Jackman was "just as cute as [he] could be"! (if anyone can identify this slightly altered quote, you will be the winner of this post, and my undying admiration for your knowledge of 1960's live action Disney films.) The clothes were understated with hints of couture (see Kate Winslet's dress and Jessica Biel's), the politics were about as over-bearing as they could be (We get it already, California!), and the right movie won Best Picture. Seriously, if you haven't seen Slumdog Millionaire, you really need to. Here is an interesting fact about the director: He also directed one of my favorite movies, "A Life Less Ordinary".

This past weekend was also the premiere of the "25-35 Lethbridge Midsingles" group with a fabulous pot-luck on Friday night. Leita and I have been planning to get a group started for awhile, and so we organized and advertised the pot-luck. At 7:00 pm on Friday, when there was only one person there, I was pretty worried. However, by 7:20, there were about 50 people there. It was such a tremendous success!! See the picture at the beginning of this post! There is so much excitement for another activity, and we are going to start planning right away!

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

This post comes to you today from the desk of the sick and the lethargic

2009-02-18T13:06:00.000-08:00

I was about to say that I hate being sick, but that would be implying that there are those who enjoy it, and I can’t imagine that there is anyone who likes feeling like garbage. “Yay! I have literally no energy, and my face is leaking.” No. These are words you will never hear from a sane individual. Of course, there are those hypochondriacs who, in the words of my father about his Aunt Edith, do enjoy their bad health. These people, however, probably also enjoy a good funeral and a really exciting car crash. I am suddenly reminded of a commercial on television for which Denise and I have an abject hatred. It is a face wash ad which begins with 2 girls saying “I hate pimples!”. It really bothers us for the following reasons:

1. The girls look like they have never seen a blemish in their lives
2. Doesn’t everyone hate pimples? I mean, the statement doesn’t even merit a worthwhile conversation due to its glaring obviousness.

Anyway, enough of my craziness for one day. Yes, I am sick with a cold and slight case of the flu, and I am very perturbed because I had held out for so long without getting ill. I have also been promised good stories from a certain friend, but I can’t go visit anyone right now without reigning down illness and possible irritability on them.

As for good news, however, I have just finished a poster for our Information Session that we are hosting next month, and I have emailed it out to many people.

I also had the opportunity to go to the new East Indian restaurant, Taj, yesterday. It was absolutely delicious. It was a lunch buffet, so there was homemade Nan (to die for!), rice, and these amazing fried potatoes. Then there were various sauces and meat dishes to have with them. The Butter Chicken was the stuff that dreams are made of… If you get the chance to go, head to the lunch buffet from 11-2. It will give you the chance to sample a variety of dishes. As for the room, the decorations were quite understated, but there was a plethora of hookahs about the place. My only complaint was that it was really small inside.

Have a great Wednesday, everyone, and here’s to hoping that you stay healthy…

Beauty and...the actress...

2009-02-17T09:16:00.000-08:00

Oh, my sweet Ryan Adams. In the words of the immortal Jesse Mcartney, you do indeed have a "beautiful soul", even if your hair is extremely unfortunate

Now I know I am a bit behind on this news, but I just read that Ryan Adams and Mandy Moore are engaged. I have to admit that this seems like a weird couple to me. Does not the picture speak volumes? He looks like the eccentric and talented musician that he is (I may be a bit biased..."I love you Ryan, you should have picked me"!!) and she looks like a regular-type mediocre musician/actress. Once again, I may be a bit biased in this summation of her professional skills as I have only seen her in teen movies. I did just watch "A Walk to Remember" this weekend as our DVD machine was not working, and I had to resort to our VHS collection. (Really, just a terrible movie - could Shane West be a worse actor?) So, that was the image of her I had in my mind when I heard of the forth-coming nuptials: A sickly overly-Christian teenage girl who is dying of leukemia.

Mandy Moore's character: "I told you not to fall in love with me!"
Shane West's character: a confused silence followed by an extremely awkward grimace

Just chalk up my disdain of her to jealousy that she has dated both Zac Braff and Ryan Adams, I guess.

This week is Reading Week, and I only have students in quite sporadically. I am pleased to be able to catch up on paper work, but especially to spend quite a bit of time planning our Information Session / Gala that we are having on March 26th. Yay! Planning events is what I love to do.

So, if you are feeling like you want to know a bit more about what I do, then come to "The Sunflower Room" between the hours of 4pm and 7pm on the specified day to hear about our incredible program. There will be refreshments, so it will be worth your while.

New template!!

2009-02-16T15:41:00.000-08:00

I am pretty excited for my new Template...especially since I downloaded it myself! Isn't it beautiful? I love the flowers, and it is really going well with the new floral theme that is beginning to pervade our house these days. We have decided to embrace our girlishness, and our decorations are following suit.

I am home today because it is "Family Day", and it is a good thing it is a holiday because I feel like garbage. I am nauseated and feverish, and just generally enjoying my bad health. Anyone who knows me knows that I am an absolute baby when I am sick, and I relish the role of martyr. Just ask Denise, who is much sicker than I am, but who is a trooper. I did go out to lunch with my parents and cousin Jeff, but I politely declined the opportunity to see "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" with them. I have little to no desire to see that movie.

Enjoy your Family Day, everyone!

A quick update

2009-02-12T09:40:00.000-08:00

My dear blog is like an old friend that I just can't seem to make time for. So, news:

1. Today is my last class with the Home Alone Course. Thank the heavens and all of the angels, I will be finished with Satan's little darlings.

2. I did my last shift at Chapters on Tuesday, and I no longer work there! It is extremely hard to believe, but I will now have the majority of my evenings and Saturdays free...well, at least until I can fill those up as well. The staff were so wonderful, they all pitched together to give me a $50 gift card. I am really going to miss a lot of the people there. Who will I deconstruct 30 Rock with without Rob? Who will let me know about all of the amazing Bargain cook books, if not Karen? Kathy did let me know that I could come back any time, and I am thinking about it for Christmas.

3. Things here at the College have gotten beyond crazy with students acting out, one of our team members quitting, and school work increasing every day. If we make it through the semester relatively unscathed, it will be a Spring miracle.

4. I really want to get healthy and active, but I am finding it harder than ever. If anyone has any ideas to get motivated, please let me know...

Have a great Thursday, everyone!

Something you may not have known about me

2009-01-29T19:38:00.000-08:00

Y'all should probably stop reading this post cause I am going to let you in on a little secret. I am boring. It is true. How do I know this, you may ask? It has been told quite vehemently to me every Thursday night for the last 3 weeks, and I have a sneaking suspicion I will continue to hear it for the next 2. It has been told to me by at least 10 people, and they were pretty serious about it. In fact, tonight, one person even showed me a piece of paper where he had written the word "boring" in tiny letters about 50 times. He told me that this was just how boring my class was. What I wanted to tell him was that with his ugly little smirky face, his incessant eye-rolling, the slumping in his seat, and the Napoleon-like sigh every time I suggested any new activity, he was not really my favorite person either.

So, for all of you who do not live in Lethbridge, and have thus heard my complaints, I am teaching the "Home Alone" class again. this time I am teaching it at Galbraith school every Thursday for 5 weeks at the unholy hour of 3:45-5:45. I just finished week 3, and it is still touch and go at this point whether I will make it through the next two. The classes have consisted of me trying to be heard over the yelling, laughing and fighting of 16 children. (There are 18 in the class, and two of them are absolutely delightful. The other 16 are the pure spawn of Satan, I swear) The first week they complained the entire time that they were bored, that they hated everything, and that they just wanted to go home. The second week, after I had spent hours creating activities and about 15 dollars on snacks for them, they complained because I tried to make them do things. This week they went back to saying they hated everything and that they wanted to go home, and that, of course, they were bored. A few of them kept goping on and on about how they just wanted to be at home watching video games.

I feel as though I am not teaching them anything, I am just trying to get them to STOP TALKING for 1 minute. I realized that I could never have the patience to be a public school teacher because it would just be behavior monitoring all the time, and I really don't like being told I am boring and that children hate everything I try to do for them.

Anyway. Sorry for the rant. It will be over in two weeks.

Otherwise, things are pretty good. Work is getting crazy, but at least they like me there.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!! I will be in Edmonton so I will be having a great time!

I really miss Communications class...

2009-01-12T12:27:00.000-08:00

The following "poem" is an assignment that I was helping one of the students to do. It is for a communications class, and I thought I better do it as well.

For funsies.

I am

I am a thinker, a reader, a writer, a talker
I wonder when I will feel like I am successful in my own life
I listen to great music, friends when they need me, my own thoughts
I see goodness wherever I am able, the humor in many situations, too many faults in myself
I want to be loved wildly, a closet full of shoes, to be more generous, to try more new things
I am generally a happy person

I pretend to be more confident than I really am
I feel blessed for all that I have
I read books that I love over and over again – they are like old friends
I worry that I may never be financially stable, about my family and friends
I value my parents’ opinions, my religious and personal beliefs and commitments, the importance of education, knowing your family and personal history
I am a spiritual being having a human experience.

I understand that there is a plethora of things I will never understand
I say things that make people laugh, things I wish I could take back
I dream about being a singer
I try to help others, new recipes, to be brave
I hope to feel good about myself, to be more patient
I am interdependent

Cabbage rolls, anyone?

2009-01-07T12:15:00.001-08:00

A happy Ukrainian Christmas to everyone and anyone who partakes in such festivities. I remember putting on a Ukrainian Christmas with my roommates for our friends my first year of University. It was a lot of work and a lot of money. Back then we weren’t really good at organizing things, so it was A LOT OF WORK. We did it at the West Institute Building (the only one in those days!), and we cooked for about 25 people. We did some traditional dishes and some regular-type ones as well. Looking back, we probably should have done a pot-luck…

Anyway, on to more current topics, there is a question that is plaguing me today. I am writing an ISA (Individual Service Agreement) for one of the students that I work with. How this document works is the students share some of the goals that they have for their college experience, and we put some objectives in place to help them achieve their goals. The student I am writing the ISA for has a goal of getting a boyfriend. So, my question is thus: How can I help her to do something I have been trying to do for the last 15 years, but failing miserably at? Hmm. It’s a puzzler, alright.

Things are finally getting a bit settled here at school: we almost have all text-books purchased, there has been only one near-tears experience (shockingly not me!), almost everybody has bus money to get to the College, we have had our free hot-dogs, and our first staff meeting of 2009 is tomorrow morning. I think it is going to be a great semester!

Until tomorrow, and poetry day!!

Cheers

...thy name is Karma

2009-01-06T10:40:00.000-08:00

I have come to the conclusion that you should never say your beliefs/points of faith out loud, because you will be called on it later. I say this because I have had, excuse me, am having such an experience these days.

It all started on December 28th, when Andrea, Chris, and I were having a discussion about the scriptures that say that if you are making good decisions in your life, then all things will work together for your good. I mentioned that I believed this promise to be true, and that although we are faced with trials in our lives, we are still able to find happiness. Things will work out for us, although not always in a way that we anticipated. I also voiced my opinion that there are some realities that come our way that we just have to accept, because there is nothing we can do. Here are a few things that have happened since I said this:

1. My flight to Edmonton was cancelled because the flight attendant was sick, and all back-up crews were in Vancouver.

2. One of the student's classes changed times and days, which completely wreaked havoc with the rest of his schedule.

3. This morning I spent 30 minutes looking for my keys at my parents place, only to have Dad find them in my Mom's purse?

In all these cases I could have completely freaked out (well, I was pretty close this morning with my Dad) at someone else. I supposed I could have felt as though my life was ruined because I had to wait a few extra hours to fly, or find another class to fit into the student's time slot, or be 30 minutes late to work this morning. Instead I said a silent prayer (or three!) and went about my business. Not so shockingly, everything has turned out just fine. I got to Edmonton with lots of time to spend with Jess and Adam, we got the student into another class in the exact same time slot in a post-Christmas type miracle, and although I was late this morning, I got to drive in the light!

I saw a quote the other day, and if you will forgive me the cheesiness, I think it is great.

"We can not stop the wind, we an only adjust our sails"

Peace.

A look back

2009-01-04T12:13:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone!

Since I already did my progression to being an adult post a few weeks ago, I kind of covered the changes I made this year. So, I will once again steal Denise's idea, and do a highlights of 2008 post.

1. Travel - I had such an amazing time in Ireland this spring. The best part was traveling over by myself, and realizing that I can do things on my own. Sure, it was scary at times, but it was such a rush to find out everything, and make it from Lethbridge to the apartment in Dublin successfully. I also traveled to Edmonton last week, and enjoyed flying as opposed to driving.

2. Concerts - Ashley and I made it to "The Slice" for some small but enjoyable shows, we saw Sarah Slean in Calgary, where I passed my love for her music on to my friends!, and we had the amazing opportunity to see Peter Katz twice.

3. New job - I work with some fantastic people, and it is still great to be able to tell people I have a real adult-type job.

4. Working as a key-holder/master at Chapters. I got to work with the phenomenal management team, and I really enjoyed the responsibility of being in charge. I didn't know it would be so hard to step down, but it really was. I will miss working closely with the managers, and I will miss being able to call the shots occasionally. Some of the staff have already tried to boss me around since my return to the floor, but I will not be letting that happen any time soon. I have still been there longer than most of them.

5. The Midnight Masquerade - From the planning meetings to the decorating to the Television interviews, it was undeniably a ridiculous amount of fun. I gladly worked many overtime hours to help make it a success, and everyone who was involved put their hearts into it as well.

6. Moving to the North Side - Denise and I have a lovely apartment, and I am in a great ward. I really enjoy living with one other person. We are slowly decorating and making the place really ours. We would like to make it feel like a less temporary place, but I do keep telling Denise that she needs to get married soon so I can turn her room into a library!

7. Getting a car - I love having the freedom to be able to drive to Magrath if I want, or go to Calgary for the weekend. I am so grateful to Jess and Adam for helping me out.

I have had a great year, and I am looking forward to 2009. I have some resolutions, and I look forward to more great concerts, traveling stories, and maybe even some dating type stories starring me, instead of everyone else. For one last look back, though, I am including my track listing from my 2008 Year in Review cd entitled "No Dress Rehearsal"

1. Drive - Bic Runga "make me feel alive when I ride with you"

2. Viva la Vida - Coldplay "I used to rule the world"

3. If I were your Woman - Gladys Knight and the Pips

4. Your Wish is my Wish - Sarah Slean

5. My Brilliant Feat - Colin Hay "The world, it won't wait for you"

6. Rise and Shine - The Cardigans

7. Come Around - Rhett Miller "Sometimes my heart tricks me in to thinking someone else will do."

8. Between the Bars - Elliot Smith (every year end cd needs at least one downer, and who else but Eliot Smith to provide?)

9. Love on the Rocks - Sara Bareilles "Dulls my senses, drives my pain...but I do it again"

10. O.k. - Peter Katz "Try as I may, you might still walk away"

11. Stolen - Dashboard Confessional (this song, which I heard on "Scrubs" is a homage to my obsession with said show this year)

12. I am Aglow - Sarah Harmer "Does it matter that what I remember might be just my own imagination painting scenes more pretty?"

13. Free Fallin' - John Mayer (What is a year end cd without him?)

14. This Winter I Retire - Said the Whale (one of the great bands from "The Slice")

15. White Flag - Dido

16. Change Your Mind - The Killers "If the answer is no, can I change your mind?"

17. Now that You're Gone - Ryan Adams (this one might actually make you want to kill yourself)

18. Let your Loss be your Lesson - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

19. Life is a Song - Patrick Park "Maybe life is a song, but you're scared to sing along"

20. Which Will - Nick Drake (a song full of pertinent questions)

Mostly a movie review

2008-12-27T07:52:00.000-08:00

My promised post is a few days late, but it is the holidays after all. I would have written last night after work, but I went and saw "Australia" instead. I thought it was great, and I will say that Hugh Jackman really lived up to his "Sexiest Man of the Year" title. Yowsers! He was dirty, bossy, emotionally unavailable for the first 3/4, then teary-eyed and driven by a sense of justice for the last bit. The movie itself was big and had elements western, romance, comedy, and war-time action. At times it seemed to be trying to be too many things, but on the whole, the central themes tied it together. I think I loved it so much because it reminded me a lot of "The Man from Snowy River" with its sweeping shots of the landscape, and the afore-mentioned combination of romance, action, etc... It definitely had some of Baz Lurhman trademarks, especially some of the camera shots, and the story-telling elements. I will absolutely be seeing it again.

Well, Christmas is over, and it is time to start a new year. I have finished my "Year in Review" cd, and will be posting a track listing next week.

Here is the poem that I mentioned in conjunction with the e.e. cummings. On another reading, it isn't as much like his poem as I thought, but I still think it was weird that I had never read his before I wrote mine. Maybe I am being too fanciful, and they are not similar at all. Anyway, I wrote this poem in December 2005.

Trees for Sale

Standing in lines
taller and tallerest
kings of the motley lot.
Missing arms and fingers
lend a desperate air
to their straight shoulders and spines
limbs, some bent and sparse,
reach out to embrace
someone for Christmas-
my throat catches at their dignity
especially the ones
who were missed last year
praying these twelve months
will only have made them more-
these are the quietest and heart-achingly proudest.

But it is the little ones
I love the best
standing beside the kings
with unformed branches
truly green
in this cruel buy and sell world
knowing they will never measure up
but plucking up chins anyhow
hoping that somewhere
they will appeal to
the small ones of the world
People like me
who also ride this life
rooted close to the earth.

If I had a house
I would take them all,
line them up in every corner
let them take off their strained
"please love me" smiles
and give them something shiny to wear-
anything to erase the bright
searing memory of the saw,
the screaming realization
of what it means to be chosen
(things they never told you)
and the slow death
of fulfilling their destinies.

JKO, 2005

...a Good Night

2008-12-24T20:09:00.000-08:00

So here I am on Christmas Eve...my absolute favorite day of the year. There is a feeling of anticipation, the presents are still gloriously mysterious and full of promises, there is much baking and making of caramels, an appetizer supper, and a general feeling of relaxation because all of my presents are wrapped, and I have two days off in a row. Heaven!

Yes, my presents are wrapped, and they look glorious. I splurged and bought wrapping paper and wired ribbon from my favorite new haunt, Costco. Because the paper was a bit more expensive, it wrapped up a treat and creased beautifully in all the right places. It also helped that I took about 1.5 hours to wrap about 8 gifts. Finished off with the ribbon, the gifts look absolutely elegant. The paper is a textured gold, and the ribbon is a striped green and gold (go Golden Bears!)

Here is something kind of weird. Because Christmas falls on a Thursday this year, I was looking to resurrect the old Poetry day with a seasonal poem. I found a Christmas poem by e.e. cummings the other day that I really liked. The weird part is that I wrote a poem about three years ago that is really similar. Both poems are about Christmas trees, and there are some themes and lines that are too close for comfort. I had never read the cumings poems before, and I wrote mine while travelling on a greyhound bus, looking out at a field that contained rows of spruce trees. I of course don't have the poem with me, but I will post it tomorrow so you can see how it compares to the one I am posting today. Am I just crazy? Please read tomorrow and weigh in if you so desire.

little tree

by E. E. Cummings

little tree

little silent Christmas tree

you are so little

you are more like a flower

who found you in the green forest

and were you very sorry to come away?

see i will comfort you

because you smell so sweetly

i will kiss your cool bark

and hug you safe and tight

just as your mother would,

only don't be afraid

look the spangles

that sleep all the year in a dark box

dreaming of being taken out and allowed to shine,

the balls the chains red and gold the fluffy threads,

put up your little arms

and i'll give them all to you to hold

every finger shall have its ring

and there won't be a single place dark or unhappy

then when you're quite dressed

you'll stand in the window for everyone to see

and how they'll stare!

oh but you'll be very proud

and my little sister and i will take hands

and looking up at our beautiful tree

we'll dance and sing

"Noel Noel"

So, I am off to bed.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all...

Just when you thought you knew me

2008-12-22T12:36:00.000-08:00

I really am addicted to these quizzes/questionnaires. So, if you will indulge me, here is a pretty fun one:

A

- Available: I think the real question is: when am I not?
- Age: old enough to know better
- Annoyance: sound of my high heels on the dry snow
- Animal: cat
- Actor: Christian Bale
- Actress: Kate Winslet

B
- Birthplace: Cardston, Alberta
- Best Friend: That would be my lovely roommate...Denise
- Body Part on opposite sex: legs
- Best feeling in the world: the one I get when I am singing
- Best weather: light jacket weather...it is all about the layering!
- Been in Love: Yes
- Believe in God: Yes
- Believe in Ghosts: Yes
- Believe in Evolution: I believe that things are always changing and evolving

C
- Candy: Rockets...ah, Halloween delight
- Colour: all shades of blue
- Cried in school: Almost everyday in Junior High. It is all about the bathroom.
- Chocolate/Vanilla: Vanilla
- Chinese/Mexican: Mexican

D
- Day or Night: Day
- Dream vehicle: a BMW
- Dance: when I get the chance
- Dance in the rain?: Not as of yet, but there is always hope
- Do the splits?: Uh, no.

E
- Eggs: omelet
- Eyes: blue

F
- First crush: His name was Dade and it was in grade three
- First thoughts waking up: Do people actually think first thing in the morning?
- Food: Anything Jess and Adam make that doesn't have the blue cheese
- Fear: the dark
- Favourite channel: Food Network

G
- Greatest Fear: finding a dead body...pretty irrational, I know!
- Giver or taker: A little of both
- Get along with your parents?: Yes
- Good luck charm: as of late? My sparkly Le Chateau shoes

H
- Hair Colour: brown
- Height: about 5' 2'' (on a good day)
- Happy: Yes
- Holiday: Christmas
- How do you want to die: not in any way that would be embarrassing to tell for the rest of eternity.
- Health freak?: I aspire to be
- Hate: being patronized...especially when people tell me to calm down. Try it. I dare you.

I
- Ice Cream: anything cherry
- Instrument: piano

J
- Job: facilitator with Inclusive Post-Secondary Education at Lethbridge College and peddler of the books at Chapters
- Juggle?: No

K
- Kickboxing: No, but I have always wanted to learn
- Karate: no
- Keep a journal?: yes

L
- Longest Car Ride: Lethbridge to Bryce Canyon, Utah
- Laughed so hard you cried: No, but definitely laughed until I couldn't breathe
- Love at first sight: no way...it is all about personality
- Last person out for dinner with: Travis

M
- Milk flavor: chocolate
- Movie: Just one? "The Man from Snowy River"
- Mooned anyone?: No
- Marriage?: Depends on who's asking
- Motion sickness: Yes. Oh, my yes.

N
- Number of Siblings: 4
- Number of Piercings: just my ears
- Never: date someone just because you're lonely

O
- Overused Phrases: Snappers
- One wish: to travel all over Europe
- One phobia: spiders

P
- Place you'd like to live: England
- Perfect Pizza: my mom's cheeseburger pizza
- Pepsi/Coke: Neither

Q
-Quote: "Be the change you want to see in the world" - Gandhi
"I don't understand the question, and I won't respond to it" - Lucille Bluth

R
- Reason to cry: broken heart
- Reality TV.: I. hate. it. so. much. I. could. punch. it. in. the. face.
- Radio Station: CBC 2

S
- Song: Seriously! Just one? "Looking for Someone" - Sarah Slean
- Shoe size: 8
- Salad Dressing: Dijon mustard vinaigrette
- Sushi: yes. Especially 7-11 sushi
- Scent: grapefruit
- Skipped school:yes
- Slept outside: is there anywhere else to sleep in the summer?
- Skinny dipped? Absolutely
- Sing well?: Sure
- In the shower? I always sing in the shower
- Swear?: only in my head
- Stuffed Animals?: a chicken and a Panda
- Strawberries/Blueberries/Raspberries: Yes/yes/yes
- Slept in a bed beside you? only Jessica

T
- Thunderstorms: both terrify me and make me happy
- Touch your tongue to your nose?: no

U
- Unpredictable: I don't think so. My friends and family seem to know what I will do at any given time

V
- Vegetable you hate: Brussel sprouts
- Vegetable you love: Everything but brussel sprouts
- Vacation spot: New York! Best trip ever!

W
- Weakness: men with a great sense of humour
- When you grow up: I will live in the city and have more shoes than I know what to do with
- Which one of your friends acts the most like you: I don't know if I would wish that on anyone
- Who makes you laugh the most: Jessica
- Worst feeling: waiting

X
- X-Rays: I have a vague memory of wearing a lead vest

Y
-Year it is now: 2008
-Yellow: love it

Z
- Zoo animal: giraffe
- Zodiac Sign: Taurus

- Zodiac sign: Taurus

"Hey, I can reach the tap now for the very first time today"

2008-12-18T11:54:00.000-08:00

"I wonder if I'm growing, I wonder if I'm growing? My mom says yes, I'm growing, but its hard for me to see!" -Raffi

Not only do those lines from Raffi (including the title of today's post) make me tear up a little, but they equal truth. I have a hard time feeling like a grown-up most days, but as I started to write this post, I started to see some things about my life this year.

Last week I officially became an adult. How? you may ask. Well I will tell you. The answer is that I got a Costco membership. Yes! My very own!! No longer will I have to rely on the kindness of others (Thanks, Braden!) or wait until someone is going so that I can revel in the delightfulness that is Lethbridge Costco. Samples! Books! DVDs! Yam Fries! Occasionally, mini-doughnuts!! There are, of course good and bad points to this acquisition. The good points are all mentioned above. The bad aspect (o.k., there is only one!) is that I will spend way too much money there. I have a hard enough time controlling myself when I am not driving the cart. I will probably need some sort of supervision, so if you ever need to go, please let me know and we will go together. My only stipulation is that you have to at least attempt to discourage me from buying one or more of the following:

1. a Kitchen-aid (sp?)
2. the entire series of "Gilmore Girls"
3. a black-forest cake if there is no discernible gathering approaching
4. a life-size singing Santa
5. a trampoline
6. a box of chocolate bars
7. a Lobster roll

Getting the membership was part of my year long transition to adulthood. This year I got a new adult-type job, I bought a car, I travelled to Europe by myself, I moved to a Family Ward, and I am learning to wrap a present so it doesn't look like it was done by a blind man with only 3 fingers. Denise and I were talking about how the theme of 2008 was "Change the fate", and as I look back, I did just that. Pretty exciting. I often used to think that we have to become the person we aspire to all at once, that it would just happen. I am starting to realize that it is possibly an evolution instead of a transformation.

Thanks for all of the support in 2008, I really couldn't have gotten to where I was without your help. Here's hoping that we will all get the chance to grow a little more in 2009. If anyone has any suggestions for a title/theme for next year, let me know.

Here are some (pretty darn awesome) ideas:

2009

"The stars for me will shine"
"This year is mine"
"The journey is mine"
"This year will be fine"

Talk to you soon!

If you show it, they will come

2008-12-09T11:41:00.000-08:00

I had a bit of an epiphany today...it all begins with a little story. I was watching a movie in the cave today with one of the students. There was not really any one else in there, but that was due, I am sure, to what movie it was. (I am too embarrassed to admit that I watched it, albeit, only the last half, so the title shall not be revealed) When it was finished, the (really tall and oddly attractive) guy from the Student Association came to put in the second movie of the day, and it turned out to be the brand-spanking-new release "The Dark Knight". As the movie got underway, I noticed an interesting phenomenon start to occur. Guys started appearing out of nowhere to watch. They just kept streaming in, and even bunched up on the couches together.

So, epiphany? If you want to find the men, go to the Superhero movies. The darker and grittier, the better. If you want them to come to you, you should probably buy the movie, and then casually let it be known you have it. If my calculations are correct, you will hopefully have the men-folk beating down your door within the hour. Try it out and let me know!

Once again it has been a disgracefully long amount of time since I wrote anything. (I do not count yesterday's post as it wasn't really original) Here is some of what I have been doing

1. taking the expression "mutton dressed as lamb" to heart. I attended Denise's Ward Christmas party, and semi-pretended that I was still young enough to be there. The food was great, but the entertainment was... interesting. I will not say more, but I will testify that there were many moments of unintentional comedy, which we all know is the best kind. There were at least 3 moments where Denise and I clasped hands in shared amusement/agony. I will say that I didn't know it was possible to sing the verses of "Leaving on a Jet plane" in 3 different keys, but the chorus always in tune.

2. working with a new student. She is a lot of fun, but pretty crazy as well.

3. eating at the Keg. Seriously, I have eaten there twice in the last 2 weeks. The first time was fraught with peril . We had to wait for an hour, I didn't get my salad, and my steak came well-done and then when I sent it back, rare. (I took it home and out it in the GF grill for about 4 minutes, and had the most beautifully cooked medium-rare steak for Sunday morning breakfast.) The second trip was with the Managers a couple of nights ago. This time my steak was delicious, and we were regaled with some quasi-risque stories from one of the ladies. Ah, it was enjoyable to watch Travis squirm upon hearing Jo's descriptions...

4. Going to Calgary to watch Cam in the "Messiah". She did a wonderful job on her solo, and Greg and I were treated to the delightfully disgusting sight of a boy throwing up in to his father's hands and the floor during the Hallelujah chorus.

5. Singing in the Telethon!! After Dad "lost his voice" on the morning of the blessed event, we had to completely re-work our program, and so it was a bit of a gong-show getting some numbers together. But, in true Olsen fashion, it came off with only minor hitches that we breezed right over. "Dignity. Always dignity."

6. Substituting one habit for another. I am giving "Scrubs" a break, and thoroughly enjoying "30 Rock", and "Sports Night" (for about the 4th time through)

Have a great week, everyone.

Kill me, another quiz...

2008-12-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the "template" today, but work is really actually busy these days. Hopefully I will have some real live updates for you any day! But, in the meantime, here are a few things you might not have known. If you did, then too bad.

Where is your cell phone: On my desk beside me now… I just got 4 new messages in about an hour because my phone was on vibrate in my bag.

Your boyfriend/girlfriend: Is either dead or hasn’t got the memo yet.

Your hair: got a cut on Saturday and is looking particularly fantastic.

The room you're in: is my office. Bigger than Denise’s, but also windowless.

Your fears: the dark, finding a dead body in any natural body of water, spiders, needles, and the possibility of being under-dressed for any occasion.

Where did you hang out last night: At the “First Presidency Christmas Devotional” broadcast, playing Pres. Monson bingo with Denise (she won with “widows”, whereas my choice of “Canada” was completely overlooked), and then to “The Keg” for a manager’s dinner. Ah, Crème Brulee…they name is indeed delicious.

What are you not good at: wearing appropriate footwear, brushing the snow off my car (...although, that could have something to do with the fact that the brush cost 2.99, and was purchased at 7-11), turning off the t.v. when I am watching Scrubs, cleaning my room, giving up on a hopeless situation

What are you wearing: my uniform, as of late: a black cardigan, camisole, and jeans.

Your mood: cautiously optimistic

Missing: a few signatures from instructors for students’ audit forms

Your car: is a blessing in the winter. I do not miss the bus.

Your favourite colour :is pink…"Think pink!”

What is your salad dressing of choice: either Asian sesame, or a mustard vinaigrette I made myself

What food could you eat everyday and not get sick of it: Sandwiches

What are your pizza toppings of choice: cheese, cheese, cheese

Which of your five senses you think is keenest: Smell. I could really take this “talent” on the road and be a superhero by smelling things like chemical warfare or dirty villains

When was the last time you had a cavity: probably right now…I really need to go to the Dentist

What colour do you think looks best on you: either Royal blue or a very vivid fuchsia

Where to now: if I knew that, I would probably already be there…

"What more could there be..."

2008-11-25T14:10:00.000-08:00

"...than people in a room, singing unafraid the same tune" (P.K. "Carried Away")

If you are a follower of Denise's blog, then I am sorry for the similar post today. But. But.

Peter Katz. (thank heavens he will never read this and know of his crazy stalker. It's true. I even watched him get out of his van from my car last night!) The show was incredibly intimate, funny, emotional, breathtaking, heart-breaking, friendly, basically everything you could want in an evening. We sat right up close, and there were not a lot of people there. I guess this was pretty sad for Peter Katz, but fantastic for us. We sang along with all of our favorites, and delighted in the new songs. He mentioned a few times how much he was enjoying the small show, and we cheered him to the end. After his set, and after we got the chance to meet him (and hug him!!), he did another 40 minutes of requests from the audience. We talked to him again before we finally got out around midnight. It was late, but the time went so quickly, and I could have stayed there all night listening to him.

His music was filled with every emotion, and he radiated with a love for what he was doing. He is such a kind and compassionate man, and it came through in everything he said and sang. He let us know how grateful he was that we were there to support him, and I am surprised that he was not more taken aback by our great excitement to talk with him. Did I mention that he hugged me?

Back to the real world today, I think I had some kind of music hang-over all morning. I was also still under the PK musical spell, and couldn't really focus on anything. So...not a great day for the work. Tomorrow I am attending a training session that will enable me to teach Abuse Protocol. It is aptly named..."Train the Trainer". It goes from 9:30am-4:00pm, and there will be lunch provided. I don't know whether I will be able to contain my excitement or not. However, it will be nice to get a break from the school for a day. I really do like my job, but it is pretty stressful right now.

I think I will end my post with a little segment I will have running until Christmas Day. It is entitled "Things I don't want for Christmas":

1. A blanket that has a picture of my family on it...or really any picture.
I have to see said blanket every time I venture out to the Walmart (I know, the best solution would be to stop going there) and it creeps me out every time.

More to come next post!!

Listen to Peter Katz...you will not be sorry. Find him at www.peterkatz.com, or of course, on Youtube.

Why I will never be an elementary teacher...

2008-11-24T11:07:00.000-08:00

So, here is the news for the day. I have been writing here on the blogger for 2 years this month. I looked back to my first posts, and realized that 2 years ago this last weekend, I went on my first and only preference date. (If you were not a reader then, check out the story from November 2006...it's a gooder).

Last week was extremely busy, and here are a few of the things I was doing:

1. Working at Chapters on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Monday and Wednesday were pretty slow with not a lot of customers. In fact, on Wednesday, we were supposed to sell about $ 17, 000 (for those of you who do not have to attend Chapters meetings, that is a ridiculous amount to come up with on a Wednesday not in December!), and we made about 10, 000. I was actually a little afraid that I was going to be fired because that is the furthest from the budget we have probably ever been. Yeah! Friday and Saturday, however, were absolutely insane with Christmas shoppers out in spades. And, along with the Christmas shoppers comes some of our favorite things at Chapters Lethbridge: cranky people, line-ups, books that no one can find, messes around the store of gargantuan proportions, complaints about the U.S. / Canadian price differences (really? really?), and cranky people.

2. Work at the College is pretty insane right now with new students, old ones leaving, trying to pick out classes for students when they say no to every class you suggest (*$%@...), trying to compile schedules that don't conflict with everyone else's, tracking down instructors to sign audit forms, assignments to help finish, tests to study for... Come January, things will certainly settle down, but right now I am just counting the days until Christmas.

3. This past Saturday I taught the first session of a two part class through the Family and Life Studies here at the College. The class is called "Home Alone" and it is for children ages 8 - 12 who are going to be alone at home for whatever reason. It goes over safetly issues, leisure activities, nutrition, responsibilities and then first aid and the test are next week. I prepared for it all last week, and I was pretty nervous as I didn't really know what to expect. It went...o.k, but the kids were pretty crazy, and when they weren't crazy, they were really whiny. I found that 5 hours was a long time to have them for. Fortunately, next week there will be more activities, and I am going to make the test review as fun and as interactive as possible. It has been a good experience, and it is also great to get myself known here at the College in case I want to move to another department,

4. I attended Emily's baby shower and I got a chance to hold little Max, who is absolutely adorable. It was great to see Emily again, and spend a little time with her. I really do need to get together with her and tell her all the news.

This week I don't work as much, but I am going to see Peter Katz tonight at "The Slice" AWESOME!! He is so wonderful live. On Wednesday, I am going to Kade, Erinn, and Cam's Christmas concert at Southminister, and on Thursday we go out to Cardston for the Telethon. Telethon!!

Enjoy the week, everyone, and look for a PK review tomorrow!

Local spinster makes good

2008-11-15T08:35:00.000-08:00

Before I explain what the title is referring to, I have a warning for all of you who are currently featured on the facebook. Don't do anything, ever, without at least considering the possibility that someone will be there with a camera to capture the moment, and then display it to the virtual world. I have had a few experiences lately with this, and I have just had to reconcile myself to the fact that my extremely non-photogenic face will probably be featured at any given time in someone's album. I mean, they weren't exactly beating down my door prior to Facebook, so it's not like it is hindering my dating chances. However, please consider the fact that whatever you do, and wherever you go, there will probably be someone wielding a camera close by. You may not even know it until 3 days later, when you are regretting saying the things you did, or wearing the shirt that you did.

So, if you are tired of being caught unawares, here are a few things that you can do to avoid future regret.

1. Take a page out of Denise's book, and never, ever, go into public without your face on. This includes late night visitors to your house, early morning pop-ins, (and now that I have a camera Denise, really any time you are not in your room. And that does include the possibility of me waiting out in the hallway for you to come out of the bathroom)

2. Don't say anything that could be taken out of context, misunderstood, make you sound boy-crazy, or really anything at all. Many cameras have video recorders on them now.

3. Un-tag yourself in any picture that comes up on your profile. This is time-consuming if you are a social person, or just friends with someone who loves to take and display pictures, or really, if you leave you house at all. So, quit your job, and stay in to be there the second a picture of you goes up.

4. This next one may seem drastic, but follow my example and just don't go out at all. If you are not where the cameras are, you should be safe.

5. Pull an Alec Baldwin or Russell Crowe, and just go beat the crap out of the paparazzi scum who tried to photograph you in a bad pose. Although, remember that you are not a celebrity, so you may not be treated with the kid gloves by the law.

6. Get off Facebook. It's just another popularity contest, High School nightmare, way to be rejected kind of place anyway. (O.k., yes, the hypocrite is coming out in me here as I will probably be ion Facebook for awhile to come!)

7. Just go with it.

O.k., onto the title. Last night I went back to the 2nd Ward to sing some War-tyme music for their Remembrance Day Fireside. It went very well, and people were quite pleased to see me back. I really enjoyed it because I got to sing my favorite songs from that time period, and as I looked out over the audience, I could see people singing along, or smiling as they remembered hearing that music back in the day. I, myself got a little choked up when I finished the set off with "The White Cliffs of Dover"

Have a great Saturday everyone, and if you want to see me, come in the Chapters. I will be there all day...

"We lived our lives in fear!"

2008-11-12T13:47:00.000-08:00

November 12th, 2008.

Last night I had the opportunity to watch one of my all-time favorite movies: Strictly Ballroom. For those of you who do not know of this movie, contact me immediately and I will lend it to you, for you must see it. It focuses on the ball-room dancing community in Australia, and it is worth watching for the costumes, the delightful histrionics of the different women in the movie, some great dancing, and some really crazy characters. It is directed by Baz Luhrman, and it predates “Romeo and Juliet” and “Moulin Rouge”. If you didn’t like these movies, you should still watch it because it isn’t as drug-induced as R and J, or as obnoxiously loud as MR.

I was talking with my parents about movies you can find that are real gems. My mom and I discussed the argument that if you have never heard of a movie, it might be an indicator that it is not overly awesome. This point has been proved probably hundreds of times, specifically when my Dad goes to the library to pick movies. He will come back with titles you have never heard of, and they are usually the worst movies ever made. However, in favor of hidden gems, I thought of “Cold Comfort Farm”, and “Persuasion”. Both of these I discovered by accident, and both are absolutely wonderful. They are both British movies, and quite independently made, so that may explain why they were virtually unheard of here.

Any thoughts or examples for either point?

"A little bit softer now"

2008-11-11T18:44:00.000-08:00

If anyone tells you that I am a prolific blog writer, it is a lie and you should not believe him or her. Push this person down and tell him/her to stop lying. I could say that there are good reasons that I have not written in a while, but that also would be a falsehood. We all know that lying is bad, and I really want to go to the picnic at Barry's farm, so I will tell the truth. Here are the reasons: I am lazy, I have not been to the computer lab with the students at work lately (which probably means I have actually been working), my life is extremely boring with the only drama being semi-real (really, more imagined); there were brunches to plan and wow people with, episodes of "Bones" to watch, First-Aid courses with kind of adorable instructors to take, Irewards contests to win, a nursery to get organized, a roommate to make time for, and let's not forget staff meetings, getting stood up, Haunted houses to go through, costumes to make, and flirting to do.

So, I apologize to people who read my humble entries, but I don't have any excuses at all.

I am taking advantage of the holiday today to update, and also to stay out in Magrath...in the fantastic bed!! Today is Remembrance Day, and as the College is closed, I am enjoying my first day off in a couple of weeks. This morning Denise and I prepared a brunch for our friend Amy's birthday, and if I do say so myself, it was quite a success. We had bagels and cream cheese, mini muffins, fresh fruit, and a frittata. It had been some time since we had hosted any kind of gathering, and I remembered my love of being a hostess. I am already thinking about doing a Christmas party, so if anyone has any ideas for one, let me know. I was just invited to a Christmas party on the facebook, but I declined due to it being named an "Adult-only" party. Now, I know it was only thusly named so that people won't bring their young children, but I just couldn't bring myself to attend. Plus it is being hosted by a married couple, and I get enough of that at church.

This last Sunday I was standing outside the Bishop's office, waiting to be set apart, and I was surrounded by a goodly number of ward members. The executive secretary, who is an older man, came up to me and asked/yelled "Do you have a husband here?" I replied "no, no" as quietly as I could while simultaneously trying to fade into the wall. Now I know that he was just seeing if I had some family to be there for my setting apart, he didn't really know who I was, and he could possibly be the new poster-child for low-grade voice immodulation, but I was not overly thrilled for the reminder.

Anyway, I am feeling a terrible desire to read some "Pride and Prejudice", and I think my laundry is about done.

Please, everyone enjoy the rest of your holiday.

I am terrible at picking titles

2008-10-30T13:28:00.000-07:00

It has been way too long since I posted something of my own creation, but I just have not been able to write any poetry. Maybe my life is going too well, and as we all know, most poetry is fraught with misery and heartache.

About 3 weeks ago, I had an idea for writing poetry that involved looking up a word in the dictionary, and then writing a poem around it. The word I looked up at that time was maelstrom. I have tried to write for the last 3 weeks, but nothing would come. The word maelstrom has been jumping around my brain the whole time. Then, last night I was laying in bed when a phrase came into my mind. I immediately jumped up and wrote it down, knowing I would forget it if I didn’t. (It is the last 2 lines of the following poem) So, with both these preparations in place, I sat down today and wrote. To warn everyone, I have been reading some pretty flowery love poems as of late, and I am sorry, but it shows in the poem.

Anyway, as always, enjoy; or don’t.

Opus

There are a thousand songs
I have written about you
I sing them
I am singing them
I do sing them.

My favorite one is about your smile-
how it burns and breathes
and brings me back
from the maelstrom that is
Your indifference.

There is anther one in my repertoire
about the magic
that still pervades your voice.
When you say my name
I am drowning in your words.

These songs-
They are legion
But they all end like this:
“You finish sentences
I started with my eyes.”

-JKO

Apparently it is not a quiz

2008-10-29T09:46:00.000-07:00

For any of you wanting to know me a bit better, here is a little questionnaire I borowed from my dear Denise.

Last Movie I Saw In A Movie Theater?: “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Boo. I am way too old for that movie…

What Book Are You Reading? “The Twisted Root” by Anne Perry (I just love me some Victorian Mystery) and “The Shock Doctrine” by Naomi Klein. Can never read just one book at once.

Favorite Board Game? Hello!! “Boggle” me baby! Even after the serious trouncing I received from Chris this Thanksgiving. I think I need to practice.

Favorite Magazine? Definitely either InStyle or Entertainment Weekly.

Favorite Smells? Mint and Lavender tea brewing, The laundry soap I’m using right now, Cinnamon buns in the oven, the smell of rain on the sidewalk, the cologne I helped Braden pick out

Favorite Sounds? Rain outside my window at night, my nephews laughing, Travis’s beat-box, music I love!!

Worst Feeling In The World: your heart breaking

First Thing You Think of When You Wake? How warm and comfortable my bed is, or a dream I just had

Fast Food Place? Lethbridge College Cafeteria…oh my gosh, that half-pasta combo is my nemesis of life…

Future Child’s Name? I only have girls names: Zoe and Charlotte

Finish This Statement—“If I Had a Lot of Money,” I would travel all over Europe.

Do You Drive Fast? I do on the highway…especially in my new red car! Yeah, Baby!

Favorite place you have visited? Definitely New York City, and especially Fifth Avenue at night.

Storms—cool or scary? Both…but anything worth experiencing should be cool and scary.

What Was Your First Car? Dodge Omni. What? You have never heard of those? Shocking. It was the oldest piece of garbage any human being could ever drive. It used to stall/die everywhere, my favorite place being the intersection of 4th Ave and 5th street (right by the Alec Arms) where a homeless guy pushed it on to the side of the road. The man who sold it to me warned my Dad not to buy it, buit I would not listen. Ah, memories.

Favorite Drink? Cranberry juice. Anyway I can get it.

Finish This Statement—“If I Had the Time, I Would…” learn Italian, hang out with my roommate more, actually prepare for Nursery, practice the guitar, sleep for a week in the awesome spare room bed.

Do You Eat the Stems on Broccoli? Yes, and it you peel them, they are even better!

If You could Dye your Hair Any Other Color, What Would It Be? Red…no I am just kidding. Probably blue.

Favorite Sport to Watch? I don’t watch sports as a rule, but if I have to, then probably Hockey.

What’s Under Your Bed? Luggage and socks

Morning Person or Night Owl? I can barely stay up past 11:00 pm, so definitely Morning person.

Over Easy or Sunny Side Up? Scrambled or omelet. Always mix your yolks and whites!!

Favorite Place to Relax? Libraries. All libraries.

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor? Anything with cherry

If I tried, it would probably just turn into an Irish one...

2008-10-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

I am supposed to be cleaning up the office in preparation for a visit we are having on Friday, but the 15 minute "warm-up" I did about an hour ago has tuckered me out. I put the word warm-up in quotation marks because the instructions for said activity featured words like "suicides" and "lunges" (Usually the only deep-knee bends I do are the ones I perform to get my freshly laundered pants to fit). This was followed by a rowdy game of volley-ball which has left my arms pleasantly pink and speckled. So, I am sitting here in the office, and mentally planning where I am going to put everything so that when I actually do start, it will only take half the time. I know, I know. The logic is astounding!

The person whose visit we are preparing for is our very own MLA, Bridget Pastoor. (Every time I say her name, I voraciously r-r-r-oll the r. *I hope that I do not do it when she is here...I don't think I could keep a fake Scottish accent going for very long) She wants to know what Inclusive Post-Secondary Ed is all about, and we are going to dazzle her with our knowledge, and our (hopefully) organized office.

Enjoy the rest of your day, everyone!!

"I don't understand the question mark, and I will not type it."

2008-10-21T13:05:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I took my life into my hands (well, at least my hair and eyebrows). I was participating with one of my students in her Therapeutic Rec class, and we were making "plaster-type" masks, using our own faces to do it. (I know Leita is remembering the good times right now!) I had originally planned on only doing my student's face-mask, as I wasn't really feeling the idea of letting someone else cover me in Gypsoma. So, I got C. down on the floor, slathered a ridiculous amount of Vaseline on her face, wetted the strips of Gypsoma, and went to town. We finished quite early, and somehow I was convinced by both C. and the instructor, Donna, to get one done too. So, I laid back, and prepared for the worst. Thankfully, Donna helped my student to "mask me up", and I emerged with all facial hair intact. I now have a mask to decorate next week!! Yay!

Sunday night, I had a great visit with friends, and after talking to them, I decided to be as positive as I could be. So, I woke up Monday morning, leaped right on to my knees, and said a prayer that I would be able to be positive, and spread positivity like a virus. So, although every little thing went wrong at Chapters, I somehow maintained a smile, and I kept all my Chapters peeps happy too. Seriously, though. One of the till printers broke, one wouldn't print receipts, a shelf broke, the fax machine wouldn't work, we were way under-staffed so I just ran around all night, I couldn't find books, and one of the new computers wouldn't type a question mark (?). But, we were somehow able to laugh about it all, albeit somewhat nervously. Anyway...the point of this little rant is that prayer is a powerful force in our lives. I felt sustained all day, just because I asked for it.

Try it.

This Friday I am going up to Edmonton to get my new car!! I paid for it last week, and I will be insuring it and registering it in the next couple of days. The only negative part of this happy scenario is that I have to go up either on the bus or with Erika on Friday night, and then drive back Saturday morning to be at Chapters for 4:30 to work. Fortunately, I do enjoy the highway driving, and I am thinking about buying an audio book. (It really is about time that I read "The Secret") So, when you see me next week, I will be driving a new red car. If I do have to take the Greyhound up, please say a prayer for my safety. It's pretty hard to drive your new car if you don't have a head.

Enjoy your Tuesday, everyone!

"I called you, but not on the phone...so you probably didn't hear me.

2008-10-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

I am not sure if this blue is obnoxious or not...I will create a little test for all of us to determine if it is o.k. So, if after a few viewings you feel any or (heaven forbid) all of the following symptoms, please contact me immediately.

1. Do you feel "funny" inside?

2. Is everything you look at now blue?

3. Does it give you neuritis?

4. Are you now about 80% sure that you live in the ocean?

5. Are you uncontrollably shouting at people?

6. Are you lulled into a state of oblivion?

7. Are you constantly singing a certain song by Eiffel 65?

I guess only time will tell.

Have a great Monday!

This blog will remain titleless...

2008-10-17T09:19:00.000-07:00

Well, today I am all alone here at the College, as the rest of my staff are presenting at a conference in Medicine Hat. I was supposed to go, but my presence, and more specifically, my key holding/mastering abilities are required at the Chapters this evening. Oh, to be dispensable again…

So, I am in the computer lab this morning with one of the students and I am trying my best to think of something to write today. There is a guy just down the way who is coughing up a lung, and all I want to do is yell at him to “have some compassion for my nerves!” I am sure if I did that, he would echo Kitty’s sentiment that he doesn’t cough for his own amusement. It seems as though everyone is getting sick these days. At least half of our students have caught the cold that is going around, and I count it as a miracle that I have not yet succumbed. It has been a pretty quiet week, as one of my students was sick almost every day, and the other one couldn’t get here because her “husband’s” van wouldn’t start. (I put the word husband in quotation marks because she is living with him, but they are not married. And he’s creepy.)

I am pretty excited because I am watching my new movie tonight – “Mystery Science Theatre 3000: The Movie”! I used to watch it quite frequently about 10 years ago, and I just ordered it from Chapters. For those of who you who do not know of it, it is a guy and two robots watching an old really terrible sci-fi movie called “This Island Earth”, and giving a running commentary the whole time. Is it as nerdy as you can get? Heck Yes! Will I enjoy it as much I used to? Absolutely.

Have a great weekend, everybody! Here is a shout-out to all the ladies in the Victoria Park Ward who are attending the Relief Society Retreat this weekend. Eat many, many wine gums just for me. And, maybe tell a few questionable stories.

2008-10-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)

The Distance - Cake

2008-10-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

Sorry to everyone I am friends with on Facebook, but I wanted to post this note here as well. It was a lot of fun, didn't really make sense mostly, but was frighteningly accurate a few times.

Anyway, try it out if you get the chance!!

1. Put your iTunes/Ruckus/Napster/etc on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Tag 10 friends who might enjoy doing this as well as the person you got it from. (I won't do this part, but I seriously enjoyed doing the rest...Thanks to Zach for the fun!)

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Last Year's War - Sarah Slean

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
She is - The Fray

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Sleep, Please Come to me - Matthew Barber

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Life On Mars - David Bowie

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
In the Bleak Mid-Winter - Sarah McLachlan

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
City Girl - Tegan and Sara

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Come Downstairs and Say Hello - Guster

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
The Smoking Guns - The New Amsterdams (I am not a murderer...I promise)

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Even an Ugly Man - Hawksley Workman

WHAT IS 2+2?
House of Cards - Radiohead

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
While my Guitar Gently Weeps - Beatles

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Mamma Mia - ABBA (Yowsers!)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Kill - Jimmy Eat World (I am sensing a theme...)

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Wild Honey Pie - The Beatles

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
The Henny Buggy Band - Sufjan Stevens

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Tina Toledo's Street Walkin' Blues - Ryan Adams (A killer and a prostitute!! Ha!!)

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Cosmic Girl - Jamiroquai

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Medicine - Guster

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Brand New Pair of Roller-Skates - Melanie Safka

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?Rocky Raccoon - The Beatles (Don't tell Denise...)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Key - Devics

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
No Blue Sky - The Thorns

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Videotape - Radiohead

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
A Long December - Counting Crows

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Take a Chance on Me - ABBA

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Don't Pass me by - The Beatles

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Everyone's in Everyone - Patrick Park (Huh?)

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Alone Here - Hawksley Workman (Now that is illuminating...)

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Hear You Me - Jimmy Eat World

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
A Case of You - Joni Mitchell

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Step Back - Royal Wood

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
The Distance - Cake

poetry day!!

2008-10-09T12:22:00.000-07:00

Here are some gems...enjoy!

Opal
by Amy Lowell

You are ice and fire,
The touch of you burns my hands like snow.
You are cold and flame.
You are the crimson of amaryllis,
The silver of moon-touched magnolias.
When I am with you,
My heart is a frozen pond
Gleaming with agitated torches.

Faults
by Sara Teasdale

They came to tell your faults to me,
They named them over one by one;
I laughed aloud when they were done,
I knew them all so well before,—
Oh, they were blind, too blind to see
Your faults had made me love you more.

Failing and Flying
by Jack Gilbert

Everyone forgets that Icarus also flew.
It's the same when love comes to an end,
or the marriage fails and people say
they knew it was a mistake, that everybody
said it would never work. That she was
old enough to know better. But anything
worth doing is worth doing badly.
Like being there by that summer ocean
on the other side of the island while
love was fading out of her, the stars
burning so extravagantly those nights that
anyone could tell you they would never last.
Every morning she was asleep in my bed
like a visitation, the gentleness in her
like antelope standing in the dawn mist.
Each afternoon I watched her coming back
through the hot stony field after swimming,
the sea light behind her and the huge sky
on the other side of that. Listened to her
while we ate lunch. How can they say
the marriage failed? Like the people who
came back from Provence (when it was Provence)
and said it was pretty but the food was greasy.
I believe Icarus was not failing as he fell,
but just coming to the end of his triumph.