I feel like crap

This time physically like crap. Mood-wise I am doing fairly well today actually. But I've been battling this sore throat since Friday. It's enough to be annoying but not enough to make me stay home. Why is it whenever I get sick I have to get a sore throat? Makes me think I have tonsilitis or something. I also hate using cough drops. 6 years ago I had this really bad cold and I had to continuously use cough drops. Ever since then I am sick of using them even before I start.

So I feel like crap, and would have gone home sick today but I don't want to miss belly dance class, so if I am well enough to go to class, I am well enough to be at work.

I had a good weekend. Started a bit early by going to see Million Dollar Baby on Thursday night, very glad I did especially after it won Best Picture last night. Excellent movie. Don't want to give away the plot for those who haven't seen it yet, but very excellent.

Friday night I spent at home on the couch catching up on the week's TV shows I had taped. Laughed my ass off at Desperate Housewives, that is an awesome show. ER was also really good this week. Days of course made me yell at the TV repeatedly. I just realized I started to watch Alias and didn't finish the episode... I'll have to remember to watch the rest of it before I inadvertently use the tape for something else.

Saturday was an interesting day. I decided since I wasn't feeling so shit hot that I'd stick around home and try to get some rest before I had to head out for the evening. My mom called late that morning telling me she was bored and asked if she could come over and clean my bathroom. I now have the most sanitary bathroom in the city. She also wanted to tackle getting the rust stains out of my dishwasher. It is only as old as my house (2 yrs) but it seems the original owners were hard on things (like the stairwell, the sink, the doors, you name it). So she managed to get rid of some of the stains in it by mixing a concoction of Iron Out and vinegar or something. The bad part was she's a huge fan of these tart candles and she and I don't like the same kind of scents. I like roses or berry scents, she seems to like vanilla or cookies or something but whatever it was it was making me choke. I think I would have done better with the vinegar. I hinted to her not to put the candle on but she didn't seem to take the hint, so after trying to handle it I had to tell her it was killing me, then I had to open the back door and front windows to get the scent out. Since this is February and not July, it was pretty cool. No more weird scented tart burner candles.

Saturday afternoon I headed off to church where our pastor announced he was granted a 3 month sebbatical leave to begin right after Easter. We'll be getting a supply priest while he's gone, I think a priest retired from active duty but well enough to travel and preach (as opposed to our 101 year old priest in retirement at our parish!) He's currently residing in Newfoundland from what I hear. Always interesting to hear a different speaker every once it a while so it should be interesting. Our church is served by the Redemptorists, which is a separate collection of Catholic priests founded by St. Alphonsus Liguori. This is part of the reason why we're getting a fill-in priest from Nfld instead of somewhere else in town or within the diocese. Appointments to certain parishes last for 3 year terms, and our pastor's term is up this year, so in addition to receiving his sebbatical this year, we'll also hear whether he'll be with us for another 3 years or not. Have to wait and see what happens, I kind of hope they keep him here but whatever they decide we have to accept.

Saturday night I headed out to Tapps for supper with the gang and then off to see Aida at the enemy school, er, I mean St. Mac's. That's only the second time I've been in there. Still feels like I am on enemy turf, despite it being 12 years since grad.... OLD! I AM OLD!

Back to the musical - very well done. Especially choreography :) (there's my plug for J, choreographer extraordinaire). The musical itself was interesting, I didn't know anything about it going in, but it was easy to follow and the music was really good, as should be expected from Tim Rice & Elton John. The Egyptian princess was particularly entertaining, she had the part that was a blast to perform, I am sure. She was probably my favorite part of the show, I think, in her "My Strongest Suit" number. I did however question her Act II Scene 1 costume which from where I was sitting looked like fabric with little cabbages on it. I know they were meant to be flowers but I kept seeing cabbages. Or heads of lettuce. I was distracted by leafy veggies. Anyway, very good show, and congrats to all involved. Now you have time to relax! Or start cheerleading.

Got home Saturday night not long after 10:30 and since it's illegal to go to bed that early on Saturday night, I turned on the radio to 80s retro and began cleaning the house up for the Sunday night Oscar party. Vacuuming to the 80s, I was.

Sunday I got up and did some yoga, which I had been neglecting for the past 3 days due to not feeling that well. Started the laundry. Headed to Wal-Mart to buy a filter for my humidifier (way too dry in my house right now) and also came out with a clothes drying rack thingy so I can hang clothes to air dry on it in the basement. Stupid cheap piece of crap. Broke twice while I was trying to put it together, then couldn't get it apart to take back so I had this big 5' rectangle of metal hanging out in my car today and I took it back at lunch. $30 for this crap. I am going to look for a better one with no plastic involved.

The humidifier was something I hadn't unpacked since I moved. Of course I found a piece or two of mouse poop in it. How in hell did the mouse get in there? I've learned to stop asking that question. It's possible for mice to get *anywhere*.

Had the saga of Windows XP on Sunday. It seems older brother sent my mom a Windows XP disk for her computer, which falls on me to install. Ok, fine, but it will have to be on a weekend. Younger brother also wants the cd to install on his own computer and has been asking OB for ages for it. YB calls me up on Sunday and says Mum's in a panic, her computer has to be done today while she's out. I'm like, wha? I feel like shit, I'm trying to get my laundry done and prepare for my Oscar party. WTF? I said if she wants it done it will have to be brought over here. So he brings it over here, but then it doesn't like my mouse & keyboard so basically I can't do anything with it. Call my mother and ask what's the panic all about? I can't get it done today, I am going to have to take it into my office some weekend and get it done there where I have lots of equipment kicking around to help me out. She says there's no panic, that YB is the one in a panic because OB said Mum had to have the CD first and then YB could have it. Alright. I don't care who has what when, but I ain't fixin this computer today. Get YB to come back and take computer back to mum's, otherwise mother will be without a computer until the weekend and frankly I don't need 5 phone calls every night this week asking if it's done yet.

Sunday night was the big Oscar night. I hosted a small party, more like people needed a place to watch it and I volunteered. We all filled out an Oscar ballot and kept score to see who would get the most correct. I got 11. Enough for 2nd place, but I'd like to think I could do better next year. This year had to have been the earliest ending Oscars ever. It was over by 12:40am. I was prepared for anywhere from 1-1:30, I had arranged to be able to sleep in this morning to compensate. Thanks to everyone who brought food, very yummy all around.

Have to say I though Chris Rock was pretty good as host. Not spectacular, but good. Better than Whoopi or Steve Martin, but not as good as Billy Crystal. Though Billy's last couple of hosting jobs weren't as good as his first few. I also liked the presentations of trophies in the audience. Not sure how the nominees felt, they probably felt ripped off by not being able to get up on stage. As a home viewer I thought it shook things up a bit, instead of the boring same old, same old. Kind of kept things moving and you paid a little more attention to what was going on. Not impressed by having all the nominees on stage though, didn't care much for that one. Very nice not to have to sit through endless dance numbers, thanks for getting rid of that. But what was with the retrospective at the very beginning, and coming back from commercial breaks? Do we have to review the history of movies every year? Save that for milestone years.

And now, the part of the evening we like to call "WTF?" - Beyonce. a) why did she get to sing 3 songs, are there not other singers in the world? b) Beyonce cannot sing in French. Her name may have an accent aigu (sp?) at the end of it but that doesn't mean she can sing in French. c) Andrew Lloyd Webber, how did you ever agree to have her sing your Phanton song? Ruined! The girl who played Christine introduced the song, she was there, why didn't she sing it? Or better yet, where was Minnie Driver, who sang it in the first place? d) duet with Josh Groban? This was tolerable, but I don't think Josh Groban really needs a singing partner, he does quite well on his own. So it all comes down to this: "How do we make up for Chris Rock's comment to the media that no straight black man watches the Oscars? Let's get Beyonce on the show as many times as we can!!"

Why is it that every time I mention to my mother that I am having people over, she insists on calling in the middle of it? Get a life mother!!!! Stop trying to butt in on mine. I'm sorry you're bored out of your skull. Get a hobby. Do something. Stop calling me up because you have nothing else to do.

Well, it's 10:30 and I think that's it for tonight. I've gotten my rant in, and I need to get some rest to beat this friggin' sore throat!

10 random questions

I stole this from the University of Manitoba paper, so go ahead and steal it for yourself if you like. Why was I reading the UoM paper? Well, I wasn't, I was just looking for a semi-original random question list to do rather than steal from my friends' sites.

1. What is your favourite playground equipment?
Slides are fun but I think the swings are my favorite. Try swinging high and then closing your eyes, it’s a total rush. Best for when you're feeling down... you can't help but get the rush and smile no matter how crappy things are.

2. What is under your bed?
The cord from my electric blanket and the remote from the other side, since I have no one over there, there’s not much point in having it anywhere else.

3. What is the cruelest thing anybody ever said to you?
A friend once told me that I was Colonel Sanders’ worst nightmare – skinny thighs and no breasts. And I am still friends with this person!!!

4. Whose thoughts would you most like to read?
[edited by author]

5. What is the most disgusting thing you ever had to do?
One time my Dad accidentally unplugged the deep freeze and no one discovered it until a month later, just before my parents were going on a trip to Mexico. They left my older brother and I to clean it up, we each got $20. That had to be the most wretched smell on earth, month-old rotten deer meat. My parents didn’t have much fun either, they spent their time in Mexico throwing up and vowed never to go back there, and they never did. But I got my purple sombrero out of the deal so it wasn’t all bad.

6. What have you lost that you would most like to retrieve?
Memories from childhood (but just the good ones). I can’t seem to remember a lot of things. A lot of things are vague and fuzzy. Including memories I am sure I have lost from my world trip.

7. What is your guilt book?
Not exactly sure what this means, but I will guess it means a book that I feel guilty for reading. In that case, pretty much everything I read nowadays is trashy novel. After going through school and having to read novels chosen by English teachers, I have no real desire to read anything other than for entertainment. That being said, I do have “Tuesdays with Morrie” to read, but only after I read the book lent to me by a friend about a 30-year old woman who gets dumped after a long-term relationship and takes up belly dancing. I am not making that up.

8. Can you twist your tongue upside down?
Not all the way, but most of the way.

9. What is the one thing you know the most about?
I would have to say I know the most lines from Looney Tunes of anyone I know. Not many people can quote Robin Hood Daffy from start to finish.

10. Where would you most hate to be pierced?
Anywhere! Why do I need more holes in myself? I don’t even have my ears pierced. A lot of people don’t notice that I don’t have them pierced, which tells me I am saving money by not buying earrings because no one would notice anyway. I'm not really big on jewelry in general, I don't wear rings, only occasionally do I wear a necklace. That being said I will never turn down a diamond ring or anything, now that would just be crazy.

And the winner is...

me! Just as I was leaving to go to my mom's for dinner, there it was - the blue bag of flyers. Finally, my campaign can officially be called a success. Now if I can keep getting them every week I'll be all set.

Also dinner with my mom was just dinner. Phew. Just dinner is nice. Plus I have food for lunch & supper tomorrow.

Waiting, Watching, Wishing

Sunday afternoon. Still no flyers. They used to come Friday nights. The only good thing about it is I don't see any on my street, or the connecting street, so I am not the only one. But come on already.

A laptop tried to kill me on Friday. It literally sucked the life out of me. We're talking a Win98, 266MHz processor, you get the picture. I was trying to transfer files to this person's new laptop. Well, of course it's too old to have a burner. I sent my external burner to Moncton for someone else to use. Ok, let's transfer over the network. 2 hours later no real progress. I hooked up a crossover cable and let it process for another couple of hours while I did the rest of my work. Still not acting very nice. Finally I used the flash drive and managed to get everything except the email file off the computer. Holy crap, 700MB worth of email? Not totally surprising for this person given their position, but how in hell and I going to get this file transferred? My flash drive is only 512. Ok, maybe if I zip it I can get the size down enough that it will fit on the flash drive. After about 20 minutes of letting it compress the file I got up to go to the bathroom. Came back in and this person is sitting there checking their email. Since I hadn't unplugged the network connection, it was of course updating the email file. Well, there's a good 1/2 hour wasted. Set it to compress again. Finally it was done, I transferred it over. Wouldn't work. ARGH! I hate you Win98! Not much I can do other than to split the email file in half and copy it that way. That's when the real fun started. Took FOREVER just to move folders to another file. Then I had to compact the existing file below 512MB. zzzzzzzzz. Took hours... maybe days, I'm not really sure. In the end I was there until 6pm Friday night getting this friggin thing done. But it *is* done.

After that I headed home, got in my yoga before heading over to a friend's house. Watched some Simpsons and answered some Scene It questions. Yesterday I caught up on some TV then headed to church. I had said to myself the night before, I'll have to remember to go get gas before I go to church tomorrow. Did I remember? Noooooo. On my way to church I get the low fuel light, but I knew I had enough to get there and then get gas after mass. Got out of church and started hurrying, as I had a limited amount of time. The plan was to go to the early show and see Million Dollar Baby, so I had to stop for gas, go home and shower and change, and get out to the East side. Just got out of the shower when the phone rang and plans were changed. Ok, no need to hurry anymore. Spent the next 45 minutes deciding what to wear. This shouldn't have taken that long, I'm not sure why it did, especially since I ended up in just a sweater and jeans. I must have been in a subconscious trying on clothes mood. So despite the simplicity of my outfit, I only arrived at it after about a half-dozen combinations of various pants and shirts.

We watched Ray last night, I had seen it in the theatre but the rest hadn't. It was again very good. Then we headed out to the Somerset Pub for some karaoke. After my disastrous audition for Evita it's going to take a lot for someone to convince me to get up & sing, so I sat and people-watched instead. I commented before heading out to the bar that I was glad for the non-smokiness... and yet when I got up this morning and smelled my clothes, they were smoky. I was outside for a minute but not long enough to pick up that much smell. Boo! I did see someone sneaking a smoke inside the room, must have been from them. People watching was mildly entertaining last night but not a whole lot going on. A bar through the eyes of a sober person usually is kind of lonely, you always feel like you're missing out on the party.

I did find myself making progress though. Watching the couples there last night I was not bitter or jealous, I was content. I may not have been there with anyone but I was ok with that. Didn't have to worry about driving a drunk boyfriend home, hearing the wretched puking in the sink, and then being kept up all night by snoring that sounds like a freight train, no matter how many times you kick him to stop. So it's not all bad. In fact, after those select memories, it was kind of good. I'm getting to like things the way they are without someone else around to comment or mess it up. I like having this house as warm as I can get the stove to go because I am always cold. I like the fact that when I come home, everything is exactly where I left it. This may not happen every day, but right now I am good with the way things are.

What I am really looking forward to this year is actually enjoying a very drama-free summer. I always look forward to summer, mainly because it's warmer, things are green, everything seems happier. But with all of the stuff happening at the end of May last year and then spending the rest of the summer in devastation mode, summer just went by and I barely noticed. I remember sitting in my office on the warmest day of the year, didn't leave until about 9pm and then headed to the beach after the sun had gone down but there was still light. I remember thinking how nice it was to be at the water and have it still be this warm, and that it was likely to be the only night this would happen all year, and yet I spent most of my evening in my office just not knowing what to do with myself. So I am looking forward to relaxing and enjoying the summer, if we can just get some good weather. Enjoy my deck and front porch, and maybe get some landscaping done this year so it doesn't look like a big pile of mud.

Tonight I am headed over to my mom's for supper. I am hoping this is just supper and not any kind of "conversation". It's happened so many times now that I've become automatically suspicious when I get an invitation for supper. Sad but true.

One last check.. still no flyers.

Campaign Update #3

Finally looks like I am getting some true progress.

Canadian Tire: "Thank you for your recent e-mail to our office regarding the distribution of the Canadian Tire weekly flyer.Our weekly flyers are distributed in a variety of different ways in various regions.We have forwarded your comments to the person responsible for your region for further investigation.We appreciate the interest you have shown Canadian Tire and would like to encourage you to visit our website at www.canadiantire.ca where you could subscribe to receive our weekly eFlyer."


Sobeys: "Thank you for taking the time to write. I assure you that, at Sobeys, we are committed to providing exceptional customer service and we do take your comments very seriously.

I have been advised that your address was not in the database. The problem has been rectified and delivery will commence this weekend. A follow up call will be made to you on Monday to ensure you are receiving the flyer. I hope this meets with your approval."


Shoppers: "Thank you for your patience while we investigated your concern. We have confirmed that your address is targeted for flyer delivery. We have ensured that the carrier will deliver to your home."


Usually the flyers are delivered on the weekend so it will be interesting to see if they do show up. I take great joy in imagining the TJ getting multiple calls from companies all requesting that I be added to the delivery list, mwhahahahahaha

Unrelated ramblings

Is it just me, or does saying TJ now remind you of Tijuana after watching The O.C.? I love The O.C., a place full of only good looking people. Even Ryan's ex from Chino, the "scummy" neighborhood, was good looking. Her dirtbag fiance though, he wasn't. This show has brought me a new appreciation for Peter Gallagher. I didn't like him all that much in previous roles, but I think this just seems to make him a totally different actor, I am enjoying that. I don't mind the lesbian-exploration of Marissa storyline, though every time I watch it I can pretty much quote what my ex would be saying across town. Something along the lines of "nice!", with an inflection that can only be replicated by hearing and not reading, and he would be as giddy as a schoolgirl. Men and lesbians, it's a weird relationship. One which is not reversed - I can't think of any girl who would want to watch 2 gay men sleep together. Going shopping with them, though, is a different story :)

I think I have reached a new low - I am taping Alias tonight so that I am free to blog and iron the clothes I didn't do on Sunday. Sorry Michael Vartan, you didn't make my Valentine dreams come true so I have to dump you for ironing tonight. With all the men banging down my door and asking me out, I really could use a night off.... [jerks back into reality].... I haven't had a date in 5 years (living with someone does not count as a date, ha!). I find the older I get, the more I know what I want, which means I don't have any desire to date a bunch of guys just to have a date. Seems to me to be a waste of time... dating around helps you figure out what you do & don't like. I already know that. Let's bring on the guys looking to settle down. Someone whose favorite place to be is anywhere that has me in it (I think I've been reading too many trashy novels again). It's also my turn for a hot guy. I've had geek chic, but never a really hot guy. Who also goes to church. Tom Cruise is single again, and he likes the church... of Scientology. D'oh. This is why I will never find a man. It's a little scenario they like to call "impossible standards". What do you do when settling for someone doesn't work, and you have standards that are virtually impossible to meet? Nice catch-22, natch.

Campaign Update #2

A few more came in today:

Shoppers: "Thank you for your e-mail regarding our weekly sales flyer. Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience you may have sustained as a result of not receiving our weekly flyer. Your concern is very important to us and we have forwarded your address to our Department responsible for flyer distribution for further investigation. We appreciate your patience while we look into this matter for you."

That's promising. At least they sound like the actually read my email, so there Future Shop.


Superstore: "Thank you for your e-mail. We are looking into your inquiry through our flyer distribution partner. I will notify you when I hear from them. I appreciate your patience."

That also sounds promising. This is the first one I've received that actually sounds like they may try and get in touch with the evil TJ.

Campaign update #1

I've now heard from 3 companies. Here's where I'm at:

Sears: wrote me back again last night after my response and said "We have directed this important issue to our Corporate Customer Service representatives, one of our specialty agents will be in touch with you soon to rectify this matter." Probably won't get anything out of it but at least it was not as stupid an answer as last time.

Future Shop: They wrote this morning and said: "We appreciate any feedback that will allow us to improve the service we provide consumers. Please be assured that we are currently re-evaluating all processes and procedures regarding our web site. Also, we are assessing the functionality of our web site to ensure it is more user friendly." I haven't written them back yet but when I do, I will point out the fact that they appear to have automated responses and obviously didn't bother to read a word I said.

Zellers: My first good response. They said: "Thank you for your email. I have taken the liberty of forwarding your request to our flyer distribution department so that they may add you to our mailing list. Please allow 2 to 3 weeks for your first flyer to be delivered to you." Yay for Zellers. Thank you for actually reading my email, caring about what I said, and doing something about it.

Let the campaign begin!

Well, today I finally had it. Some of you are aware of my simple (yet somehow impossible) request that I have the weekly flyers delivered to my house. Just before xmas, they stopped being delivered. Since then, every weekend, I drive home, look to my neighbors on either side of me, and they both have their little blue bags with flyers in them. For some reason I am being snubbed.

I already have a hate-on for the Telegraph Journal because when I lived uptown, the carriers would never put the paper through the slot in my front door. They were too dumb to figure out that if you separate the paper into two halves, it would fit through the slot. Those of you who live uptown know that anything left outside is basically free for the stealing, so I would never get my paper. One day after I had had enough, I left a note on the door for my carrier, telling him that if he didn't start putting the paper through the slot, I was going to cancel my subscription. He wrote me back a note telling me to fuck off and that the paper wouldn't fit through the slot. Well let's just say I was pretty pissed. I cancelled my subscrition pronto, telling everyone that would listen what had happened. I ended up with I think only a week or 2 of free papers, despite the many I hadn't bothered to report missing because it happened every friggin day. Then they eventually sent me a bill for $16. Never paid it, screw that. Worst service ever. Not to mention the incessant phone calls from them, offering the paper at such-and-such a price. I have told them at least 4 times to put me on their do-not-call list, which really means "try her again in 4 months, she didn't really mean she never wanted to be called again."

So I already hate them. Don't enjoy having to call them up for anything. But I want my friggin flyers. I was getting them for 3 months and then they just stopped. I have called. I have emailed. I am constantly ignored by the Telegraph Journal. No one will respond to me, despite the voicemails and emails. Aren't you sick of hearing from me? If I'm not talking to the right person, at least have the fucking decency to return my call and tell me who I should be talking to. I have always been polite in all of my phone calls and emails. Yet I still am ignored.

My mother, who the older she gets the more & more she acts like a senior citizen, which is quite scary, decided to take it upon herself to write to the TJ yesterday and also complain on my behalf and threatened to cancel her subscription. So now it also looks like I need my mommy's help. Trying to forget about that one. She requested they call her. If they had called her today, she would have excitedly called me and told me all about it. I didn't hear from her, which means she didn't hear from them, oh big surprise.

So today after work I just decided it had been enough. I took the advice of a friend and emailed 8 companies whose flyers I should be getting. I didn't bother copying the guy from the TJ as he doesn't seem to give a shit. We'll see how it goes, I am hoping at least one of the 8 companies will be annoyed enough to hear that their marketing efforts are not reaching me that they'll do something on my behalf.

The worst part is, probably half the city throws these things out every week. I really like getting them and I can't seem to do anything to make that happen. The only thing I haven't tried is putting a sign on my lawn that says "Please deliver flyers here". My dad owns a sign company, I have resources.

This may seem like a silly campaign, but it all comes down to 1) I hate the TJ and want to do anything to annoy the crap out of them for a change; and 2) I especially hate being ignored. I cannot count the number of times I will be standing in line for something and the person behind the counter will look right through me and serve the next person. Seriously, this happens to me all the time. I may be skinny but last time I checked I wasn't invisible.


This just in: I just got my first response. Sears was of no help. They suggested I contact them again!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! Here's what I wrote them back:

Well I would think that contacting them at least 6 times, through phone and email, should do the trick. They do not return my calls or emails. This is why I am contacting various companies to let them know that the marketing information they are trying to convey to their customers is not reaching its intended destination. I would think Sears Canada Inc. would be a little annoyed that they are paying to produce these flyers, I am a customer who wants to receive them, and the entity you've given responsibility to for distribution on your behalf if is not doing their job. What is the point of producing flyers if they are not getting to the end consumer?

Basically you're telling me if I can't find a solution on my own, you're not going to do anything extra to help. That's fine. I'll remember that. Maybe one of the other companies I've contacted *can* be bothered to lend a hand to a customer.

I almost added a bit about "well I guess as long as the flyers are getting to people in Toronto, that's all that matters" but that was sounding a little too ranty. Stick to money issues and you have more of a chance. This won't get me anywhere but I had to write back after such a stupid response. Here, I'll tell you what I've done at least 6 times. Now you're telling me to try it for a 7th???!!!??? Gee, if beat my head against the wall 100 times today and 200 times tomorrow, I'll get smarter!!!! Yee-haw!

One down, 7 to go. I am hoping that Sobeys or Superstore, slightly more local than Sears, will care a little more. I'll keep you posted.

V day

Happy V day to one and all. V can stand for whatever you like it to be: Valentine, verb, vacuum, vortex, Venezuela... speaking of Venezuela, did you know that they are on the same time zone as we are? I think it would be cool to go to a foreign country and not have to change your watch. That's pretty geeky, I know, but I find it neat.


"You don't bring me flowers.... anymore."

So another V day has come and gone. No traditional fast-food Valentine's dinner that my ex used to do for us, it was a strange tradition but I find myself really missing it today. It was always a big joke but I think we both really liked doing it since it was sort of a way to buck the system.

No porch full of flowers from a secret admirer awaiting my return when I got home tonight. I'll keep dreaming.

I am actually not going to sit here and bash Valentine's Day, there are plenty of other people who sit around and do that. I am going to go out on a limb and say that I like Valentine's Day. Brave statement, I know. I am a sucker. As evidenced above, to me, it does not mean a fancy dinner. Something as simple as not working that night and spending time with your other half is really what I would look forward to. This time of year my ex would have to work late, so him actually coming home at 5:30 was a treat. So today I miss my ex, and our silly tradition, and hope he's not recycling it on anyone else.

Today also marks the 4th birthday of Hugs the Bear, also given to me by my ex on Valentine's Day. So a big Happy Birthday to Hugs, from me and all the rest of the zoo.

Started my day today by spilling CLR on my sweater. I rinsed it out and left it to dry, hopefully it will be ok. Also started the workday with an issue, which I managed to [hopefully] fix before leaving for belly dance class. Bad week for practicing again, I was supposed to practice last night but didn't. Next week we are going to review everything we've done in the last 4 weeks, so I absolutely have to practice this week. I did get a cd from the instructor, so now at least I can practice to music.

I accepted the chair position today. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully I don't have post-traumatic stress disorder flashbacks from having to think about accounting again. It also sucks not to have the ex there to ask questions to, he is way better than I am at it (which may explain why he passed the exam and I failed twice).

In response to the phone message I got tonight, yes, Franz Ferdinand does sound like 80s new wave... which explains why I thought to myself that was a good song :) Also really like the new Rob Thomas song, just heard it for the first time today, his solo cd is coming out shortly. As much as I don't like the whiny punk scene, I do like the new Green Day song, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, likely because it is not as whiny as others. What I am really loking forward to in the music department is the 20th anniversary special release of the Power Station, including some rare songs. 20 years? oy!

Strange Days Indeed

Before I blab about today, just a few words about last night, when I went to see Script Happens.
3 great plays, but I have to say the last was my favorite, and not just because I knew the writer & director. I can definitely relate to the rapid time flying, I have days like that. Those are not necessarily bad days though, I find the busier I am the better.

Some interesting things happened today.

Did my normal weekend routine of starting the stove. I also had a Finance Committee meeting at my church this morning at 11:30. Despite the fact that I was awake in plenty of time, I still left the house at the last minute, then at the bridge I realized I had forgotten my financial statements. Had to drop by work to pick up a laptop to take notes with, and then headed to church. I got there at 11:30 sharp but mass hadn't let out yet, so I drove home to pick up my sheets. I of course arrived back there 20 minutes later, but Father was just coming in so I wasn't teh last one to arrive :) It seems one of our members has decided to leave, he had been on the council longer than me (I think this is my third year?) Anyway, he was chair of the committee so we were now chair-less. Father asked me to consider taking over. I think this comes mainly from the fact that no one else wants to or has time to do it. But, if I sucked that badly, they wouldn't have asked. I've written the old chair to ask him what exactly is entailed in the position, so maybe I can get more of a feel for what would be involved. So I have that to mull over, but it looks like I'll be taking the position. Kind of scary, really. Especially considering the fact that I suck at accounting and don't like it, but it's not a career, just a volunteer position. As long as I put some effort in I'll be ok.

Headed off to the grocery store after the meeting, picked up some stamps so I could mail my goddaughter's birthday card. I am convinced that the role of godparent is really just another way to get a present. Now that sounds evil, but I don't think I'd be able to teach a kid anything about religion. I took 9 years of cathechism classes and all I remember out of it was various teachers telling various kids to be quiet. And my dad forgetting to pick me up a couple of times.

While in the grocery store I ran across a sale on prime rib, so after some thinking I picked one up and decided to invite my mom over for supper. Since she was working today, she'd be having an exotic meal of mini-wheats, so I thought if I am going to cook this it might as well be for 2 people to enjoy. So I had my mom over for dinner, and she didn't say anything crazy or upsetting and it was nice to be able to do something nice for her for a change.

Tonight I am going to watch the Grammys solely to be able to see U2. After that I may or may not keep watching. Also have to finish the laundry, do some ironing and practice some belly dance before class tomorrow night. I think I am ok with the basic walk. It's doing the 3 step turn fast that seems to be catching me up. Putting the movements together into a somewhat fast routine is challenging.

Anyway, Grammys have started and I have to go criticize the people who can't sing live. Bring on Bono already!!!

Various weekend musings

Well, the basement was dry by lunchtime yesterday, so that was good. No more has come in since. Still think I see mice out of the corner of my eye.

For those who watched Alias this week (or will be watching tomorrow at 4), I have one thing to say: PIN-EA-LLLLLLL!

I started doing yoga on my own at home around the same time I started belly dancing. It's nice to be able to touch my toes again. I am now on par with my 4 1/2 year old nephew, only he's still way more flexible than I am.

Speaking of my nephew, his dad, my older brother, is going diamond ring shopping this weekend. This is also his weekend to spend with my nephew, I wonder if my nephew has some kind of deep knowledge of rings or something. Anyway, my brother is close to getting engaged, which I find cool, but I have yet to meet his soon-to-be intended. I will meet her in April when I head to Montreal, spending an evening at the Bell Centre with Simon LeBon et al. I am such a Durannie.

Sitting watching TV this afternoon, I just couldn't take it anymore. There are just some commercials that make me want to pull my hair out, run from the room screaming, or if I had a really crappy old TV, I would throw things at it. Here, not necessarily in the order they annoy me, are the current culprits:

• The Always girl. Now, I like cotton too. I am wearing cotton right now. I do not, however, get excited and dance around the room with my blankie at the fact that my maxi pad now has even more cotton in it. And have you looked at this chick? Her makeup job looks like it was from 15 years ago. You keep dancing away while you're on the rag, lady. I'm taking your hot boyfriend out for a good time.
• The Tim Hortons "Proper Lunch" Lady. If this old bag came up to me while I was deciding where to eat, *I* would hit *her* with my purse. Shut up! You sound really creepy! I personally don't care what you think other people should eat for lunch, mind your own damn business!!!
• The Burger King drummer. I just shake my head. Not only is this moron stupid enough to put his tongue between 2 cymbals and smash them together, what in hell does that have to do with a burger? A new taste sensation? Go eat middle eastern food if you want a new sensation. This guy is such an idiot, all I end up thinking by the end of the commercial is that Burger King attracts morons to eat their burgers... my ex's favorite burger joint was Burger King... bada-bing!
• The Aero with Caramel bimbos. Stop talking with your mouth full. Obviously you were raised by a pack of wolves who howled with their mouths open. Just totally stupid.
• The Bailey's whore. Get a room, lady. Someone pay her the $200 she's looking for and take her upstairs. Then only make her drink one drop at a time, that seems to be what gets her off.
• The Alexander Keith's scottish guy. If I can't mute the TV when this guy comes on, I really do run out of the room screaming. He's an idiot in a kilt. He just stands there and yells at people in a bar. Normally that would get you beat up.
• The Palmolive talking hands. Whoever thought this would be a brilliant marketing campaign needs to be *fired*. These "things" are repulsive. It makes me want to purposefully *not* buy Palmolive. They offend me on a very low level, I just can't stand them.
• The Dentyne frozen head guy. This is an obvious attempt to make a "cool" commercial for the high school scene. Yeah, because I want a product that is so cold my head will freeze and fall off? I realize this is fictional and intended to be funny, but I just find it stupid. Throw his head out the window and get on with the date. Maybe you'll end up with an intelligent conversation.
• Sensodyne bitch who frigs up her guy's shower. Now listen, this is just mean. And you are obviously dubbed, which just makes the audio and video seem wrong together. I want to see the sequel commercial where he gets her back for the little water adjustment. Kick her to the curb, she deserves it for substituting her own voice!!!

The new houseguest

Got up this morning, follow the usual routine... oh good, I am a few minutes early, maybe I can dig out the compost bin and bring it to the curb. Where's my jacket? Oh yeah, left it downstairs to dry. Go downstairs.

Hello. You must be new here. My name's Liz. And yours is? Well, nice to meet you, flooded basement. Sorry to disturb your wrecking of my stuff, but I just came down here to get my jacket and go to work. What's that you say? You want to go and creep into the storage room and the bedroom to see what I have in there? Sorry, I think you'll have to leave now. Let's just brush you out... ah, I see you're a little obstinate this morning. Ok, well, since I don't really have a water-soaking-upping mop, I guess you can stay until I get back. Or my Dad shows up with a shop vac. Why don't you just make it easy for both of us and evaporate?

It's not that much, thankfully, and it came through the back door (makes it sound like I left the back door open last night - "come on in!"), so it's not from any cracks in the foundation or bad stuff like that. However, I can't tell if it's from the ditch the City dug in my backyard, or the gutter that is emptying out close to the door (who thought up that one?). The gutter is easily addressed. The ditch issue is not.

I did say to myself that I wanted to mop up the basement in order to get rid of the crack fill dust, but not quite like this. It came in the back door and mostly contained itself to that side of the house, it went down the hall but hadn't really gotten into the storage room or bedroom, which is where most of my stuff is. Any water in the basement, though, is not a happy sight. At least it didn't bring mice with it. I can deal with water. Not a good way to start my day though.

The b-pass lane

There are giant signs, in red, signifying the b-pass lane. There is also a blinky yellow light that grabs your attention. Why then do people insist on driving into this lane, see that there is no basket for their quarter, and just stop there, having a conversation with the commissionaire about how they're in the wrong lane? Some people are late and need to get somewhere. You are an idiot for going in the wrong lane. They let you drive a giant tanker truck, but it is obvious you can't read. They really can't make it any clearer for you. You are just an idiot. Don't do it again, asshole. I have places to go and I don't need you messing with my schedule.

Things that make me a freak

Not necessarily in a bad way either. Just strange things about me, good and bad.

1. I go to church. Every weekend. Even when on vacation. I am the only person my age I know of who goes this often, if at all.
2. I can't swim. Fell into a pool when I was around 4. One minute I remember myself above water, the next I am under water, and then everything went black and next thing I know, I was upstairs in the hotel room, sitting up and choking, my parents giving me orange pop to drink. Don't like pools. It is only recently that I can sit or walk around them.
3. I can't ride a bike. I had a bike, with training wheels. Couldn't keep my balance without them. Dad tried to teach me, but after some impatience and scraped limbs, I said to myself, to hell with this, I am waiting to get my license. So I did.
4. I don't drink alcohol. This is a common question from people - why don't you drink? Well, there are a couple of reasons. I have a relative that is an alcoholic, so I am sometimes afraid I might have inherited it. My parents never drank. I used to watch people at high school dances stumbling around, not remembering what they did the night before. I realize the difference between high school drinking and adult/responsible/social drinking, but at this point I don't really care to start. It has become my game of "well if I can make it through THAT, then why bother starting?"
5. I have 2 drawers of neatly folded, color-coded socks. This is what they call OCD.
6. I have an aversion to opaque drinks - milk, tomato juice, etc. I don't drink anything that light doesn't pass through. This is not a conscious effort, just something I noticed is a pattern. I don't even like chocolate milk, but I love chocolate everything else, unless it is...
7. Food shaped like animals. I can't eat it if it's shaped like an animal. I'm not sure why or how I developed that aversion. As a kid I remember eating animal crackers. Not anymore. No chocolate easter bunnies either. It's like I'm hurting them. If I hit an animal on the road, I would be sad, but nowhere near as sad as if it was a stuffed animal. I realize this is not right. One should feel more sympathy toward the living than the inanimate. It's funny that I am not a vegetarian. I love a good piece of steak, don't really care that a cow had to die so I could eat, but man, if it was shaped like a cow, look out.
8. I travelled around the world at age 10. Most people know this, I think, and I like to talk about it, but don't bring it up that often because some people take it the wrong way and make me out to be a braggart, which I am pretty far from being. I was going to say more on this but maybe I'll make it a separate post. Since this is my blog I can do whatever the heck I want, and don't need to worry about boring people. If you're bored, click that magical x in the upper right hand corner.
9. I love ham, and it has seemed to become somewhat of my trademark.