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June 28th, 2009
June 20th, 2009
05:27 pm - The Eagle has landed
We arrived. We have bug bites and bruises from floor hockey. We have our lovely plywood cabin back, complete with Bat. We have a solid staff. The lake is warmish and clear and delightful. We have no kids yet...not until Wednesday. Monday I napped for 2 hours. Tuesday I napped for 2.5 hours. Wednesday I napped for 3.5 hours. *G* It was glorious.
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June 13th, 2009
09:14 pm - ready set...
Almost go!
Tomorrow AM we're heading for the great buggy central. We have to load the car, finish cleaning the apartment...and...that's about it.
By this time tomorrow my eyes and hairline will be all aflame with black fly bites. I can't wait!
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June 11th, 2009
12:01 am - And me without a dishwasher
Sunday my SO and I headed to my home to visit my Mom for a couple of nights. We hit the flea market and had mild success (pyrex coffee perk for Leah), chatted with Mom and Doug, had Doug diagnose the grinding noise in my car (removing bolts = 25 minutes-including acetylene torch, replacing part = 5 minutes) YAY, saw my cousin's newly renoed house, took a walk on the beach...and crashed really early both nights. Like...9pm early. It was good to be home.
Today Aaron has some sort of ugly gastro thing going on that I hope I don't catch. But my throat is sore. Again. BLAH. This evening I hit the gym where I ran into a former sort-of coworker. She's in a different department of the company I worked at last year. We had a good little chat. I didn't know her well but she was a friendly face.
Tomorrow Bat goes to the vet where I'm sure she'll tell us he needs 1000$ of dental work. :( It can't happen. :( :( But I'm hopeful otherwise. He's a good weight, behaving well, and his coat is super shiney thanks to the super brushing I gave him this morning. It was like I had 2 cats for a little bit there. He's had more pukey/hairballs this past year than ever, but I don't think it's anything to be toooooo concerned about.
This week's theme for the photo contest group is Abomination. Now...there's lots of participants who play the themes pretty straight...like posting a shot of a flood when the theme is flood, but I tend to see things a bit differently. I posted a photo of a perfectly spilled latte for flood. :) I haven't travelled and, though there are lots of things wrong with my neck of the woods/country, I imagined lots of people would post doomsday photos of environmental threats or sad children in foreign citites. But no one has posted. My struggle with the theme is finding something ironicly abominable. My choices were Aaron's display of Transformers, fake flowers, or empty cat food bowls (this tickled me a lot, but it's so damned hard to get him to meow on command beside his food dish!!). My entry: the sinks (yes, plural), and counter, and stovetop covered in dirty dishes.
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May 29th, 2009
10:50 pm - stolen from my Aunt
What Would You Do If...
Stranded in a forest alone: Look for fun fungi and salamanders
Sensed someone stalking you: wonder if they saw me picking my wedgie...
You suddenly developed superhuman strength: lift superhuman things!
You saw a dead cat: hit it with a stick
You saw a dead human: heehee....nooooo...hopefully it wasn't someone I knew-unless I saw them at a funeral.
Someone anonymously send a love note: hrm. i can't understand this. methinks there's a word or so missing
You become blind: search for ways to reverse it
Your car breaks down beside a graveyard: take a look around...hopefully not see my name
Your bestfriend calls you at 4am: well since he lives with me...i'd hope he was sleeptalking
You could bring back anyone from 6 feet under: I wouldn't. creepy
Someone kept staring at you: pick my wedgie
Someone ate your lunch: poke them with a stick
You're at a stranger's funeral: i have been to one. they're also no fun.
You got 100 free spray cans: experiment
A horse came chasing after you: duck?
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May 26th, 2009
10:14 pm - stuff
I gave my official notice yesterday, and today it was announced that my last day at the office is next Friday. WOOHOO. Can't come soon enough. The drama is at a minimum of late which is good, but the annoyance factor is huge. I've been listening to Harry Potter books...I've started in on the 4th one. I don't know if I'll make it through the 6th one, as I'd wanted to, before my last day. The actor who reads the books is awesome-a real talent.
Yesterday Value Village had their 50% off sale and I got me 2 pairs of pants for work this summer. Grand total of 6 bucks.
Aaron made an okra curry dish for dinner tonight. The flavour was good, and it didn't taste slimy, but the texture was off...thick? Something...I dunno. Not awful but not my favourite.
My building 'people' have organized a yard sale for this coming Sunday. I know...who holds yard sales on sunday? Yay for getting rid of stuff!
I love that Angela Bower plays a badass judge now. ay oh! oh eh!
I haven't got anything else exciting to say. Life is work, gym, sleep.
Oh...that's kind of a lie. We've been to the movies 4 times of late:
X-Mex: Wolverine: for a non-comic book reader who doesn't know anything about the characters except for what's been in the other movies, it was awesomely entertaining! I loved the opening credits. That's how you explain a back story! And I liked Gambit.
Star Trek: Highly entertaining. I didn't want to see it at all but I'm glad I did. The Spock guy looked SO MUCH LIKE Leonard Nemoy...it was creepy. And the skydiving thing? Oh what a bad way to die.
Terminator Salvation: Also entertaining. I'm sad that it wasn't REALLY Arnold, and that Linda Hamilton didn't appear onscrean, but it was interesting how they forced John into trusting the machine. However, I'm more sad that FOX has cancelled The Sarah Connon Cronicles. Those bastards!
Angels and Deamons: So highly NOT entertaining it's not even funny. You want to change the story so you don't offend people in wheelchairs and the middle easten community? Fine. You want to make the ONLY woman in the cast a simple piece of eye candy? Fine. You want to pare down the history lessons in the book to keep the movie in decent time check? Fine. But at least make the movie fun to watch!! The only mildly fun part was when Robert was trapped in the archives. Jeeze...they even nixed the fun helicopter part! Seriously...go borrow the book from the library on CD. THAT is entertaining.
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May 19th, 2009
09:22 pm - WORK DAMN YOU!
My immune system apparently is on vaca.
I am in day 1 of the 5th cold I've had since late February.
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May 15th, 2009
10:38 pm - It hurts!!
OMG.
There was nothing on TV tonight but America's Funniest Video's grand prize show. (hrmm...the best video of 2009? It's only May!!) Well there was this woman walking through a fun house...the part where the floor skids back and forth like you're on out of control cross country skiis. Well she lost her balance and fell over on her bum. But the floor kept jerking back and forth and she couldn't get up. But it kept jerking. And I started laughing. Then laughing harder. Then wheezing from the leftover cold of last week. Then coughing. Then laughing. Then drooling. Then crying. I was laughing so hard I had a moment when I thought I might yak. But she just kept jerking on the floor.
Aaron mocked me.
Then I laughed some more.
Now my throat hurts. Same with my tummy.
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May 3rd, 2009
April 23rd, 2009
10:59 pm - nom nom nom
Bat is trying to eat my insurance renewal papers.
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10:58 pm - photo!
Yay!!! The photo I entered in the contest garnered 3 votes and tied with 3 others for 2nd place. *G*
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April 20th, 2009
12:28 pm - Forget you, Grace!
Saturday night Leah and I went to Oakville for a restaurant dinner/bellydance event. Jim Boz, a massive name in the bd world, was teaching workshops at an Oakville studio Saturday and Sunday, and included in the festivities was the first in a series of Saturday night restaurant shows at this particular Turkish restaurant. The dancers were a lady from Oakville, my 2nd Teacher, and Jim Boz.
The buffet food was good, but not mind blowing and generally not hot enough, and the wait between our reservation and the start of the (less than 30 minutes of dancing) was immense! Our rezo was 7, and we found out when we got there the dancing wouldn't start until after 8:30. The company, at least, was good.
The Oakville dancer was lovely-subtle, talented, and much better when she got over her initial nerves. My 2nd Teacher was wonderful to watch. She left for her home province to be with her dying mom the next morning. She's not confident her Mom will survive, and I'm very sad for her and her siblings.
And about Jim...my only complaint is that his set was so short! I think they generally are at these kinds of shows, but he's so interesting to watch that I would have rather paid for a seat at a concert hall to watch him for 2 hours than eat a so so meal and just get a taste of his dancing. Alas, I'm neither skilled enough to be able to attend his workshops (yet), nor can I afford the 400$ price tag, so a taste is all I get.
There are men who bellydance, but the proportion of men to women is REALLY tiny. I've seen utube clips of shirtless, lubed up men in coin belts shimmying all over the place and they are completely unappealing. But Jim is intriguing to watch. First of all he's well over 6'2", and bald, muscular, bushy handlebar mustache....picture Hulk Holgan on a motorcycle with a gold coin belt. His dancing is strong, lyrical, skilled, musical and charismatic. I don't think he's my favourite dance out there (something about being too upright in his shoulders...or hand positioning) but wow. He went around the dining area and pulled a couple people up to dance with. One, of course, was the only man (the unfortunate lone husband) at our table of 20. The guy got up and was a great sport, shakin' it all over, while Jim sits down in his chair. I happened to snap a shot of the husband as he turned around and pretend-grinded Jim, as Jim was snuggling up with his wife. heehee. I am not allowed to post said picture though, because the husband doesn't want to explain to his guy friend why he missed out on UFC. *G*
So it was a good evening out, but I'm not sure I'd do that whole shebang again. It will depend on the dancer in question.
Sunday Aaron was off so the 3 of us went out to breakfast. We haven't been out for breakfast in ages. Then we went to St. Jacobs and found not much of anything interesting...except for a persianesque brass and stained glass lamp...I want it but didn't get it. Yet.
For dinner Aaron and I ate leftover jerk chicken legs. Now...it's been a while since we've had this jerk sauce and it's DELICIOUS but super hot(i found it at zehrs...not online). I told Aaron to put too much sauce on the chicken legs, though, so in between bites you have to cool down with milk. There's still lots of chicken leftover. ow ow ow!
Well this AM I woke up feeling OK but not great. In the car on the way to work I was willing the traffic lights to stay green for me. I made it to the office bathroom and oh dear. No puking, and not diarrhea but the next closest thing. I thought I was OK so I went to my desk but 20 minutes later? Not OK. So I came home. No need to deal with THAT at work.
In the afternoon I felt better so I took my car to get serviced. The shop manager wanted to keep it for a few hours because it was a busy busy day, and I said that was fine. So I spent a good chunk of time in a coffee house reading the paper and sucking on chamomile tea. I nearly fell asleep in there. Guess the Kitchener Record crossword wasn't too sparky! I wandered up and down King street for a bit, browsed a couple of big used book stores, then Aaron came downtown after he was done work. We picked up the car-with fresh oil and a cleaned out air filter system (no more jumping when I put it in gear!!!), grabbed pizza from the grocery store, and now I'm bundled under 2 blankets, a hoodie and a cat. And a laptop.
I don't know if it was the delicious jerk sauce that upset my intestines. It never did before...I was thinking it could have been the home fries at breakfast. I rarely eat deep fried foods because they upset me, and those home fries were deep fried. Ugh. No more of that! And I'll slowly ease back into the jerk sauce.
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April 17th, 2009
11:06 pm - Friday Nite Excitement!
Well, there wasn't much excitement. But it is Friday night, so I'm not a total liar. I could not stop giggling in Zumba class tonight. It's fun for sure, but I always have a goofy grin from ear to ear during the whole class. I can't help it. After class we lazed out completely. Aaron's been in bed for an hour and I'm just about there myself. We bought a roasted chicken from the grocery store and threw some potatoes in the oven. De-lish.
My cold is slowly leaving me. I still have a significant amount of goo in my sinuses, my throat is still sore, I'm still tired, and once in a while I have a good couple of coughs. Oh, and it feels like my throat is swollen-swallowing isn't as easy as it should be. But my eyes aren't drooping or red anymore.
Tonights actual excitement stems from the photography contest site I participate in. This weeks theme is "frisky" and I've submitted a tres silly pic of Bat-he's peeking out from under a sweater, eyes dilated like a pot head. To me it always looks like he's about to leap out onto an enticing thing out of the shot, but really he just burrowed himself under the sweater and watched me put away laundry that day. The only thing is the light is really poor in the shot, and my skills in that area are lacking. But I think I did a decent enough job at lightening the photo without making it look fake fake.
While I'm editing the photo there's a goofy grin from ear to ear on my face.
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April 16th, 2009
April 14th, 2009
06:21 pm - Health Status
Well after I wrote on Friday the phone rang-a number I didn't know. I answered in my 'go away you annoying telemarketer' voice, only to be laughed at my my Chef. oops! He and his wife were in town interviewing for the camp in the area and called us up for a couple of drinks. Aaron first said 'aw, no, I'm pretty tired' and I perked up right away. You don't refuse an invite out with your boss! Especially when he's paying! So we headed out to meet up with Chef and his wife, a usually shy lady who got completely smashed off 2 glasses of wine. A woman after my own heart! It was lovely to talk with them-almost 3 hours of relaxation and Chef's insights. He's very much a business man-tres different from me-and his outlook on things is always interesting.
Oh yes, we're going to camp. I had decided to go months ago, but Aaron was unsure if he wanted to. I can kinda see why he wouldn't want to go, but for me? It was a no brainer. Not only do I love being up north, my contract only goes for a couple more months and I don't see it being extended OR me accepting an extension. And I'll make at least 50% more up north. And spend about 30% less. So yay. I do wonder how long I can keep falling back on camp life, but I guess I'm a person who goes with the flow until things feel right-and currently things aren't close to right.
Besides yoga and a short market stop, I cannot recall what did on Saturday. Likely watched some of the season 1 episodes from "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Cronicles" with Aaron. But I did feel less sick. Sunday Leah, Aaron and I took her loaner Saturn Vue Hybrid out for a spin (her saturn was leaking oil-turns out a 5$ plug broke!). We hit Kitchener, Waterloo, St. Jacobs, Elmira, Fergus, Elora, Guelph, Morriston, Aberfoyle, Burlington, Hamilton, Cambridge...and points inbetween. It's shocking how quiet the Vue is at stop lights. It's a sweet ride-leather seats...ummm...that's about all I noticed. *G* I don't know cars.
Monday I was feeling pretty good, but around noon today my head started to fill and my sinuses were screaming and ears became sore and at one point my eyes watered over and I thought I should go to sleep. I haven't missed Tuesday yoga in months but I just couldn't go today. I want to go to my dance class at 7:30, but I wouldn't be able to make it through them both tonight.
My first dance teacher is no longer teaching at my gym. I guess due to low registration they can't pay her fees so she's out. In a way I'm not surprised, but I am sad. She's flitty and not the greatest at orginization, but she was very encouraging at the recital last weekend and at least I knew what to expect from class. Someone else is taking over the classes so I want to see who it is. I have suspicions that is could be a couple of people, but only time will tell.
Currently, Bat is curled up beside me (and will cry like a banshee for his dinner when I get up for dinner), my head hasn't cleared out a whole lot, I've finally watched the local news program (after about a month of not knowing what's been going on locally), and I don't have a clue what to make for dinner. It's an odd night where there's no leftovers hanging around here.
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April 10th, 2009
03:16 pm - blub blub blub
It's a long weekend. I'm sick. Of course. *le sigh*
I have no fever, chills, pain, or aches. Just stuffed sinuses, sore eyes, some sneezing and coughing. I'll feel OK, then get sacked by a huge wave of exhaustion, then an hour later feel fine again until I sneeze...blah. I tried to nap this morning and afternoon but no go. It was lovely to snuggle up with Bat and rest, but there was no sleeping to be had.
Today Leah, Mom and Doug are heading to Kelly's for delicious turkey with stuffing and all kinds of good stuff, AND apple pie, while I'm stuck here sneezing. I wanted to go, but I just don't want to get them all sick.
And Aaron just called from work...he'll be another couple hours. And he feels like he's coming down with the cold, too. :(
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April 6th, 2009
09:48 pm - Drama Rama
Wow...what a way to start a Monday.
I started off the day fine, then it all went downhill. I asked my coworker a question, said I would start a task as soon as I'd finished something else, then started said task, and she accused me of calling her stupid then refused to talk to me!
So I sent an email to my supervisor asking for a sit down with the 3 of us to clear the air. For almost 45 solid minutes my coworker monopolized the hour long conversation-I literally had to ask her to stop so I could get a sentence in. She accused me of "undermining our whole team" because I 'don't smile'. My supervisor sat there, twirling a pen around on the desk for the entire conversation. When I asked her to comment on the situation she put her hands up and said 'oh i wasn't involved in this situation. I have nothing to do with it.'
We're all in agreement that our team is under stress now-the company is busier than last year and management deemed we should have 1/2 the manpower over last year. To me, that means I'm busy, so I put my head down and work. I don't have time to yap about curry or my wedding cake or to fight on the phone with my kids or fiance in Jamaica. I don't have time to text message my kids or send inappropriate emails back and forth to people. Apparently, because I don't chat and slack, I'm bringing the whole team down. I have a 'sour' expression on my face. I slam things around (I work with giant heavy stacks of paper. they drop. things fall over on my desk. guess I'm an angry angry person!). This woman has never once asked me how I'm doing or how I'm liking the job. She's assumed the worst and most negative things about me. And today she snaps. OMG...she went on about how she's had a hard life and how she's worked there for 2 years and how she's not rude and how she's professional...I couldn't even think of anything to say. Then she cried. WTF!!
I admit, I don't like lots of things about my job. If someone asks me how my day is going I'll tell them. But I keep working because I've signed a contract and agreed to work certain hours for certain pay. If she takes my focused attitude as 'sour' or 'undermining' there isn't anything I can do about that.
I guess I'm proud of how I handled her. Even a year ago I would have said nothing to my supervisor and just let the issue run its course. But I was calm, stood my ground, conceded some points, and made it clear I thought this was an issue blown out of proportion by lack of communication. A year ago I would have gone home and cried to my SO about what I'd done wrong, and not have said anything for fear of rocking the boat.
Hrmm. Wonder how things will go tomorrow. Eggshells be d@mned!
Aaron's expression when I told him the whole thing blew up because I don't smile? *mind explode*
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09:32 pm - The Best Laid Plans
Sunday around 1am I got an email from my dance partner saying she was all set to go. Sunday around 1:30am I got a 2nd email from my dance partner saying she'd reinjured an old and serious back injury. I called her at a reasonable hour in the AM and she was raring to give the dance a shot.
We arrived at the hall and started to warm up but it was obvious she wasn't going to be dancing with me. She was hurting. I felt so bad for her. Then she and our teacher came up with the brilliant idea that I should do the dance solo. All the other beginner students bailed last minute, another classmate had family issues that date, and the other dancer was already in 3 songs that day and simply wasn't prepared.
Soooo....I danced my first solo! I messed up a couple of times but according to my family I did great and they couldn't tell where my booboos were. I'm happy that I did it. I was more shakey and freaked out after the song than before. During I was just trying to remember where to go! This pride thing...it's a strange feeling.
My second song went really well...I pinned myself in so there were no hip scarf malfunctions, and smiled away.
Kelly appeared to really like the show. She didn't clap or cheer much (dancers are a rowdy bunch!) but she did say I did really good, and talked excitedly about which performances she liked and which dancers were really good. Mom had a great time, too. I missed one of Leah's dances, but I'd seen it at the previous show. Kelly took pix of it.
Whew. I think if it had been a planned solo, or the option had been discussed last week in class, I would have refused. Adrenaline makes me do crazy things!
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April 5th, 2009
10:06 am - jingle jangle jingle!
Today is the 2nd of my 2 spring shows. I have stuffed my tummy with home fries, eggs and onions, blow dried my hair, packed my costumes and jingly pieces, watered my plants, and...uhhh...learned my songs! And packed safety pins. Lots of them. I am finishing up a cup of my perk decaf coffee, letting my kitty smell my breath (i dunno...he whines until he sniffs things then leaves them alone), and will go do something with my hair shortly. Hrmm...don't know where my pretty butterfly clips got to....
I am a touch nervous. Kelly is coming to the show today. Mom and Leah have seen me dance, but never Kelly. Our relationship is better than it was but still uncomfortable. I hope she's more of the 'omg I'd never do that' kind of embarassed rather than the 'omg I can't believe you put yourself out in public like *that*' kind of embarassed. She prides herself on never crying, puts herself out there as strong and in control, but really she's very emotionally sensitive (which i think expresses itself as anger often) and can have a silly and goofy sense of humour. But she's hurt me in the past and I guess I don't trust that she'll enjoy or be proud of my efforts. But ah....this show is for me, not her.
I'm looking forward to today-it'll be fun!
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April 1st, 2009
11:12 pm - busy busy
Monday night I did my ball class...super hard but awesome. Tuesday night I did yoga then bellydance. Tonight I did a practice with a fellow bellydancer then zumba. Tomorrow I'm going to a night of workshops at a local bellydance studio. Friday I'm doing zumba again. Saturday I'm doing yoga. Sunday is my 2nd show (2 songs, and Kelly and Mom are coming to watch!)...then repeat.
Last night was rough. Work was really frustrating and I almost got creamed on the way home (guy on a stupid cell phone had to pull over into the other lane because he didn't see me braking), then 500m later some bitch opened her window and yelled at me (because I didn't like the fact that the car she let pull out in front of me stopped in the middle of my lane on a green light). When I got home I was upset and relating the story to Aaron. The drive, combined with my bitching about what went wrong at work, put aaron on the defensive and we had a tiff...very rare. I was upset because I didn't know what to do about work and because I was scared from the drive...and then I got antagonistic. I spent a good portion of my yoga class in tears. Not good.
Today's work was no better. My supervisor continues to ignore me unless she needs something, and when telling (not asking) me to do someone else's job she's very short, snotty, and rude. I know I can't do it, but I fantasize about walking out, middle fingers waving all over the place. I was proud of myself for resisting the urge to tell her that 'a please and thank you go a long way'. At least I didn't cry tonight.
I am not looking forward to tomorrow. At all. I want to have a chat with her about how I feel I'm being treated by her. I admit I'm not chatty at work. I intentionally keep to myself. I don't need to be friends with the people I work with, especially when I don't see that we have any common interests. But I can be friendly. Even civil. She hasn't learned that skill yet. I don't think a chat with her is a good idea, though. I'm feeling so on edge and with this 'take this job and shove it' fantasy, I can't see it ending well. It might be fun in the moment though.....
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