the fridge we have was left to us by j's parents when they moved away. basically anything left in the house was now ours. we scored appliances and other random stuff (like old skis in the basement rafters for example) which has definitely helped us over the past 3 years saving money to put towards our house.
there has been talk recently about not buying new appliances for the new house but to move the old ones in and wait a bit and then get new ones. i'm totally against this idea. this is a brand new house.. well, it will be. they haven't even broken ground yet. the last thing i want is to bring older things in. maybe i'm being snotty or something but that's how i feel. i was okay with bringing the washer and dryer cause they're in the basement anyways, but would still rather get all new appliances.
yesterday morning our 22 year old fridge was smelling bad, like burning. we went to work like usual. silly. we got home and the fridge was warm inside. most of our food was unsalvageable and had to be thrown out. just our luck: garbage day was the day before. let's hope it isn't too hot this week! but really, we were lucky we didn't have a fire or something.
so mr. fridge got emptied, unplugged and had written on it DNR and a smiley face with X's for eyes. DNR is short form for do not resuscitate (i had to look that word up). j has found us a bar fridge we can use this weekend.
pros, yes there are some: we get to finally get rid of all the stuff that j's parents so generously left us in the fridge and freezer. i love you both, but i've been wanting to get rid of that creamer-that's-not-creamer stuff for three years!
last night we went out shopping for a new fridge. we should be getting some discounts from our mortgage (perks) so we have to wait until we have the "package" in hand before we can buy. and this is a long weekend so i'm guessing it will be tuesday at the earliest that we get a new fridge. more likely later in the week.
we seem to have weird luck when it comes to stuff like this. remember in january, for the coldest part of the year, we had no heat? we ran out of oil before the new natural gas furnace was installed. it was freezing! ah well. i'm hoping that buying a new house will allow about 10 years of no major problems. as will new appliances.
Friday, June 30
Thursday, June 29
i'm your venus
this friday past i got home from work, showered, packed and we left for the cottage. at the cottage i managed to burn myself, most notably the front of my legs and the top of my feet. i showered after practice on sunday but didn't shave my legs cause they hurt too much.
so last night i finally shaved my legs and we were sitting at dinner - a bunch of us went to pub italia near the comedy club before the show - and i couldn't keep my hands off my legs. normally, even right after i shave my legs aren't super smooth. i make no bones about it: i don't have model legs, what with all the perma-bruises and indents from injuries past. i'm okay with that. and even though i wear pants at work i still shave my legs every day. i do it for me. i don't like shaving through lots of hair so i do it every day. honestly. for.me. but this is abnormal. my legs are silky smooth. i know you've seen the commercials for gillette or whatever shaving company where the model, who has probably had all of her body hair lasered off, runs a silk scarfy thing across her legs. that's what i feel like.
and so, i'm your venus.
ps. the show last night was hilarious!
so last night i finally shaved my legs and we were sitting at dinner - a bunch of us went to pub italia near the comedy club before the show - and i couldn't keep my hands off my legs. normally, even right after i shave my legs aren't super smooth. i make no bones about it: i don't have model legs, what with all the perma-bruises and indents from injuries past. i'm okay with that. and even though i wear pants at work i still shave my legs every day. i do it for me. i don't like shaving through lots of hair so i do it every day. honestly. for.me. but this is abnormal. my legs are silky smooth. i know you've seen the commercials for gillette or whatever shaving company where the model, who has probably had all of her body hair lasered off, runs a silk scarfy thing across her legs. that's what i feel like.
and so, i'm your venus.
ps. the show last night was hilarious!
Wednesday, June 28
i'm singing in the rain
is it possible to brainwash yourself? i was really hoping it was yesterday on my bike ride home. it was pouring and i was sopping wet. so i sang to myself. i sang over and over how happy i was and how nice it was to be out in the rain.
let me tell you this: i was NOT happy. all i wanted was to be home and dry. or just somewhere and dry. being dry was key.
i finally got home and i didn't even feel like showering because it was wet. and if i was warm i wouldn't have. but on top of being soaked, i was cold. so i hopped in the shower for a minute and then got dry.
and then we had to go out. we went to the design center and tried to sort out kitchen tiles and cupboards and counter tops. you wouldn't believe the selection - which just makes it harder to choose. we have a meeting with the designer next week.
absolute comedy is tonight. there are still tickets left so if you read this and live in the area and want to come and it's still wednesday, call me! that's a tall order.
let me tell you this: i was NOT happy. all i wanted was to be home and dry. or just somewhere and dry. being dry was key.
i finally got home and i didn't even feel like showering because it was wet. and if i was warm i wouldn't have. but on top of being soaked, i was cold. so i hopped in the shower for a minute and then got dry.
and then we had to go out. we went to the design center and tried to sort out kitchen tiles and cupboards and counter tops. you wouldn't believe the selection - which just makes it harder to choose. we have a meeting with the designer next week.
absolute comedy is tonight. there are still tickets left so if you read this and live in the area and want to come and it's still wednesday, call me! that's a tall order.
Tuesday, June 27
new blogger
welcome big T to the world of blogging!
the bubblewrap escape will prove to be entertaining and writen well, much better than this piece of s blog that i call my own. i'm a science girl afterall, not some english major who can use grammar properly and who doesn't have to make up words because they know more than a couple hundred. but not to worry, i like my own messed up sense of style and hope that my ramblings are somewhat entertaining. believe me, they are an exact replication of the ramblings in my head. they just aren't as complete. that would be boring and too exposing.
the bubblewrap escape will prove to be entertaining and writen well, much better than this piece of s blog that i call my own. i'm a science girl afterall, not some english major who can use grammar properly and who doesn't have to make up words because they know more than a couple hundred. but not to worry, i like my own messed up sense of style and hope that my ramblings are somewhat entertaining. believe me, they are an exact replication of the ramblings in my head. they just aren't as complete. that would be boring and too exposing.
obligatory weekend update
this weekend was beautiful - not a word i use often mind you. j and i went up to the cottage friday. i was able to get off work a little early and biked home as fast as my little legs would allow. he had gone out and bought groceries during the day - he gets every second friday off - and other stuff so all that i had to do was pack my bag and hop in the car.
and so i did. i made it to renfrew until i had to pee and eat. not bad. i can't remember what time we got there or what we did, but i didn't last long. i was asleep before 12 (maybe even 11). j woke me up and dragged me outside to see the crazy pictures he was taking. picture him, a huge smile on his face, running around in front of the tripod-ed camera with a flashlight waving his arms all over. i'll post the pictures on flickr tonight hopefully. anyways, it was bed early.
and no, i didn't wake up at the crack of dawn. i blissfully slept until 11. we got up and ate our bacon and eggs on the beach. then we realized we were out of water, well not exactly out. the water we had tasted like plastic so into town we went. we got water and strawberries and other fruit (who goes to a cottage without fruit anyways??) saturday was a weird day: we did a lot of stuff but really not much at the same time. we put the raft in the water and the dock out a bit farther. i raked the beach while j washed some boats. then we floated on the water for hours. we went out in the paddle boat looking for turtles. didn't find any. found a momma duck and three baby ducks though. at night we donned bug jackets and had a bonfire.
sunday morning was much the same thing, just started a little earlier. we left before noon and headed to the bonnechere caves, naturally-formed caves just outside eganville. it was really really neat. i highly recommend going. i will have pictures of that up on flickr soon too.
on the drive home i saw a huge turkey vulture and a hawk who almost flew right into the car ahead of us. crazy birds. we got back to town with just enough time for me to eat before my ball practice.
we could not have asked for better weather and the time alone was nice and relaxing. we are most likely heading up again this weekend after the canada day shenanigans that will no doubt take place.
ps. j bought catfood and by mistake brought it up to the cottage. there was some drama as to how we were going to get our cats fed, but thankfully, p stepped up and bought us some emergency catfood and the babies lived to see another day!
and so i did. i made it to renfrew until i had to pee and eat. not bad. i can't remember what time we got there or what we did, but i didn't last long. i was asleep before 12 (maybe even 11). j woke me up and dragged me outside to see the crazy pictures he was taking. picture him, a huge smile on his face, running around in front of the tripod-ed camera with a flashlight waving his arms all over. i'll post the pictures on flickr tonight hopefully. anyways, it was bed early.
and no, i didn't wake up at the crack of dawn. i blissfully slept until 11. we got up and ate our bacon and eggs on the beach. then we realized we were out of water, well not exactly out. the water we had tasted like plastic so into town we went. we got water and strawberries and other fruit (who goes to a cottage without fruit anyways??) saturday was a weird day: we did a lot of stuff but really not much at the same time. we put the raft in the water and the dock out a bit farther. i raked the beach while j washed some boats. then we floated on the water for hours. we went out in the paddle boat looking for turtles. didn't find any. found a momma duck and three baby ducks though. at night we donned bug jackets and had a bonfire.
sunday morning was much the same thing, just started a little earlier. we left before noon and headed to the bonnechere caves, naturally-formed caves just outside eganville. it was really really neat. i highly recommend going. i will have pictures of that up on flickr soon too.
on the drive home i saw a huge turkey vulture and a hawk who almost flew right into the car ahead of us. crazy birds. we got back to town with just enough time for me to eat before my ball practice.
we could not have asked for better weather and the time alone was nice and relaxing. we are most likely heading up again this weekend after the canada day shenanigans that will no doubt take place.
ps. j bought catfood and by mistake brought it up to the cottage. there was some drama as to how we were going to get our cats fed, but thankfully, p stepped up and bought us some emergency catfood and the babies lived to see another day!
Thursday, June 22
batman, the law-breaker
i have to admit that i break the law. daily. twice daily. when i bike i do not stop at every stop sign/intersection. i do what i please, as long as i'm alone on the road.
half of my daily commute is through residential neighbourhoods and you better believe i blow through every stop sign i come across. i treat them like yield signs. but i can tell you why i do this and why i think it's okay. first, let me say that if most of the traffic was bikes and not cars and the roads were proportionately smaller to accomodate bikes and not cars, i would obey all rules of the road. but in actuality, i believe that stop signs in residential areas are there for cars. if i blow through a stop sign and hit another car, i'm the only one who gets damaged.
plus, bikes can't move near as fast as cars and therefore, in my opinion, are much less threatening to pedestrians. that and the fact that they are much smaller and more nimble (depending on the driver of course).
by not obeying the laws, i do not believe i am putting myself at risk. i believe i am very safe on the roads and am only concerned for my safety when cars are around me. sadly, half of my commute is on busy roads, thankfully ones with bike lanes for the most part, but that doesn't help me feel safe near/around intersections. there is something about the way we drive these days - maybe distracted is the best word for it - that scares little me on my bike. i've been almost hit numerous times and i think for the most part it's been because drivers simply can't see me or don't see me. i've had one occasion when a driver almost drove into me while approaching me. i can understand if you're waiting to turn right and a bicycle comes up in your blind spot and you don't see them. she came up on me! she was in MY blind spot.
biking has made me much more aware or cyclists when i'm driving. i am much more sympathetic to them and aware that they are there and need their space. biking has also made me very aware of the speed at which cars travel. remember kids, speed kills.
half of my daily commute is through residential neighbourhoods and you better believe i blow through every stop sign i come across. i treat them like yield signs. but i can tell you why i do this and why i think it's okay. first, let me say that if most of the traffic was bikes and not cars and the roads were proportionately smaller to accomodate bikes and not cars, i would obey all rules of the road. but in actuality, i believe that stop signs in residential areas are there for cars. if i blow through a stop sign and hit another car, i'm the only one who gets damaged.
plus, bikes can't move near as fast as cars and therefore, in my opinion, are much less threatening to pedestrians. that and the fact that they are much smaller and more nimble (depending on the driver of course).
by not obeying the laws, i do not believe i am putting myself at risk. i believe i am very safe on the roads and am only concerned for my safety when cars are around me. sadly, half of my commute is on busy roads, thankfully ones with bike lanes for the most part, but that doesn't help me feel safe near/around intersections. there is something about the way we drive these days - maybe distracted is the best word for it - that scares little me on my bike. i've been almost hit numerous times and i think for the most part it's been because drivers simply can't see me or don't see me. i've had one occasion when a driver almost drove into me while approaching me. i can understand if you're waiting to turn right and a bicycle comes up in your blind spot and you don't see them. she came up on me! she was in MY blind spot.
biking has made me much more aware or cyclists when i'm driving. i am much more sympathetic to them and aware that they are there and need their space. biking has also made me very aware of the speed at which cars travel. remember kids, speed kills.
Wednesday, June 21
batman's head spins
i just got offered a 12-month term position with health canada. my head is spinning! i haven't accepted yet or signed anything, but i will call my new boss back today sometime to let her know. and then i have to talk to my boss and let her know. how are you supposed to concentrate when your head is spinning?? more soon.
Tuesday, June 20
the revolution, baby
what you are reading, ie. this blog, is going through a mini revolution. the revolution is this: i am trying to be more thoughtful and hopefully more entertaining and thought-provoking with my posts. but why then do i feel the need to give you the run down from my weekend? because i actually did stuff and have funny stories and pictures. so i'm going to take a break from my new way of blogging and tell you allll about my weekend. the best weekend so far of summer 06.
let's go back to friday night. i badly wanted to leave work early on friday, but no such luck. i got home at regular time and spent the night doing what i wanted to do. i can't remember what i ate or really what i did other than that i was content and i got some knitting done. thankfully this isn't a knitting blog because other knitters are so prolific that they would be bored silly by my lack of knitting content they would have long ago taken me off their bloglines (i still have to figure out what the heck a blogline is and what it does, but you get my drift).
i had to take my blue and black blanket off my big circs and put them on smaller ones so i could start a fuzzy green baby blanket (same pattern as before) for my boss. the people in my group have paid for the wool, i just have to make the blanket. easier said than done in 30+ degree weather.
so anyways, friday night was nice and relaxing and felt good. saturday was a little strange. we were woken up by the sound of a car pulling into our driveway. a car guy needed to use our driveway to do his brakes and so he did. for 8 hours. ug. glad that wasn't me. so i kept sleeping while j got up to help and hang out. again, i can't remember the specifics of my day really, but i do remember that there were pancakes made for me when i finally did get up and then i went to see my parents with s to give my dad his father's day present - a gift card for canadian tire.. tacky but oh so useful. he seemed happy.
and then it was (insert suspense here) saturday night. big t's birthday was sunday so she decided saturday was our night out on the town. we got dropped off downtown and had dinner at the empire grill. very nice upscale place that i wouldn't normally enter let alone eat at, but i'm glad i had the opportunity. the food was good and the service was excellent. and thankfully i remembered to take a picture (i actually got the waiter to take a group shot - see batman's camera on the right). the best part about the place was the prices were whole numbers. i mean that the pasta dish was $14, not $13.99. this is the first time i've seen this. i've always thought restaurants should cut the crap and just use whole dollar amounts and this one does. nice.
after a quick stop at the grocery store and the liquor store we went to a's apartment. one word: Jar. jar is the nasty concoction of vodka, lemons, limes and sugar. it's disgusting. i was glad to have something other than that to drink. and apparently, jar makes boys crazy.. crazy sick and crazy aggressive, but i'll get to that in a minute. a's place is really nice, nice balcony and nice view. we had a good time there, but finally decided it was time to leave for the bar. some of us trekked to hooley's which came highly recommended. turns out to be the weird mismash of weirdness. not great. we decide to leave not so long after and this is where things start getting weird.
we can't find paul. he "needed some air" and was lost. j went to find him, called him and found him, and then puked. gross. in the meantime we get a call from the apartment from the girls saying one of the guys was out of control so one of the guys who was with us went back and sure enough a huge fight broke out. the cops were called and our night was quickly brought to a halt. having three cop cars with their lights flashing and knowing your friends are being asked questions and have just fought is very sobering. and then there's p being very sick.
we finally got everyone home. there are so many little funny things, but this post is long enough as it is. we documented a lot of the p-story on flickr. let's move on to sunday. sunday was hot. i woke up because the sun was on me and i couldn't sleep anymore. i was good to my belly at first, giving it lots of water and gatorade. j and p slept until 2 and 2:30 so i did what i wanted. i lay out in the sun, i took my time doing stuff. it was nice. then we took a cake i made over to t's for her birthday. didn't stay long but it was nice. then j and i finished off the day just the two of us cause s was out all afternoon and night. i went to bed super early and that was my weekend.
congratulations, you made it through my monster post. i think i'll wait until tomorrow to post again.
let's go back to friday night. i badly wanted to leave work early on friday, but no such luck. i got home at regular time and spent the night doing what i wanted to do. i can't remember what i ate or really what i did other than that i was content and i got some knitting done. thankfully this isn't a knitting blog because other knitters are so prolific that they would be bored silly by my lack of knitting content they would have long ago taken me off their bloglines (i still have to figure out what the heck a blogline is and what it does, but you get my drift).
i had to take my blue and black blanket off my big circs and put them on smaller ones so i could start a fuzzy green baby blanket (same pattern as before) for my boss. the people in my group have paid for the wool, i just have to make the blanket. easier said than done in 30+ degree weather.
so anyways, friday night was nice and relaxing and felt good. saturday was a little strange. we were woken up by the sound of a car pulling into our driveway. a car guy needed to use our driveway to do his brakes and so he did. for 8 hours. ug. glad that wasn't me. so i kept sleeping while j got up to help and hang out. again, i can't remember the specifics of my day really, but i do remember that there were pancakes made for me when i finally did get up and then i went to see my parents with s to give my dad his father's day present - a gift card for canadian tire.. tacky but oh so useful. he seemed happy.
and then it was (insert suspense here) saturday night. big t's birthday was sunday so she decided saturday was our night out on the town. we got dropped off downtown and had dinner at the empire grill. very nice upscale place that i wouldn't normally enter let alone eat at, but i'm glad i had the opportunity. the food was good and the service was excellent. and thankfully i remembered to take a picture (i actually got the waiter to take a group shot - see batman's camera on the right). the best part about the place was the prices were whole numbers. i mean that the pasta dish was $14, not $13.99. this is the first time i've seen this. i've always thought restaurants should cut the crap and just use whole dollar amounts and this one does. nice.
after a quick stop at the grocery store and the liquor store we went to a's apartment. one word: Jar. jar is the nasty concoction of vodka, lemons, limes and sugar. it's disgusting. i was glad to have something other than that to drink. and apparently, jar makes boys crazy.. crazy sick and crazy aggressive, but i'll get to that in a minute. a's place is really nice, nice balcony and nice view. we had a good time there, but finally decided it was time to leave for the bar. some of us trekked to hooley's which came highly recommended. turns out to be the weird mismash of weirdness. not great. we decide to leave not so long after and this is where things start getting weird.
we can't find paul. he "needed some air" and was lost. j went to find him, called him and found him, and then puked. gross. in the meantime we get a call from the apartment from the girls saying one of the guys was out of control so one of the guys who was with us went back and sure enough a huge fight broke out. the cops were called and our night was quickly brought to a halt. having three cop cars with their lights flashing and knowing your friends are being asked questions and have just fought is very sobering. and then there's p being very sick.
we finally got everyone home. there are so many little funny things, but this post is long enough as it is. we documented a lot of the p-story on flickr. let's move on to sunday. sunday was hot. i woke up because the sun was on me and i couldn't sleep anymore. i was good to my belly at first, giving it lots of water and gatorade. j and p slept until 2 and 2:30 so i did what i wanted. i lay out in the sun, i took my time doing stuff. it was nice. then we took a cake i made over to t's for her birthday. didn't stay long but it was nice. then j and i finished off the day just the two of us cause s was out all afternoon and night. i went to bed super early and that was my weekend.
congratulations, you made it through my monster post. i think i'll wait until tomorrow to post again.
Friday, June 16
batman the adventurer
i was invited out for dinner last night and i went. i was told in the afternoon that we were going for sushi. in my head: eeek! in my response: sure! i'm up for that! i didn't think about it much all afternoon or i probably would have psyched myself out.
6:30 comes around and my ride shows up - big T. we pick up k and head out. thankfully this little sushi place isn't far from home.. i like going downtown but it just takes longer. so we pore over the menu for about an hour trying to decide what the hell we were doing. k had been there before i pointed us in the right direction. t and i fumbled until we had chosen 6 types of sushi.
our food came and then the fumbling with chopsticks began! i'm proud to say that i didn't fling a single piece of sushi across the room which i was totally anticipating doing. i definitely was not all kung-fu with my chopsticks, but i wasn't so terrible either. i've decided to stick with my left-hand (for those keeping score from my last post).
dinner was delicious. we had crab and spicy tuna and shrimp and tofu and cucumber.. hmm, and one more to make 6. i can't remember what it was though. i never thought sushi was a meal, i thought it was an appetizer, but we filled ourselves up.
all in all a very adventurous and interesting dinner. big t gets the bill and we get up to go and i, Klutzy girl with a capital K, knock over my chair backwards! who does that? i do. apparently.
then we walked over to dick's drive-in and dairy dip. no joke, that's the actual name of this place. t has always wanted to go and it just so happens her mouth and nose were on fire after a run-in with some wasabi. we sat down outside at a picnic table and ordered. after a while i noticed that i was stuck to the bench. that's right - i sat in ice cream. i was pissed, but not as pissed as when i got up and t and k laughed at me cause it was CHOCOLATE ice cream. all over my ass. right, me the night's entertainment.
we left there and stopped in at an adult store and looked around at all the weird and crazy things they have and laughed at some of the more ridiculous items. i mean honestly, some of those things, who uses them? i made it home without tripping or falling or spilling anything else on myself. i ran downstairs and put my bum in s's face and she laughed at me.
definitely a good night. definitely me being super adventurous (sushi?) and super klutzy.
6:30 comes around and my ride shows up - big T. we pick up k and head out. thankfully this little sushi place isn't far from home.. i like going downtown but it just takes longer. so we pore over the menu for about an hour trying to decide what the hell we were doing. k had been there before i pointed us in the right direction. t and i fumbled until we had chosen 6 types of sushi.
our food came and then the fumbling with chopsticks began! i'm proud to say that i didn't fling a single piece of sushi across the room which i was totally anticipating doing. i definitely was not all kung-fu with my chopsticks, but i wasn't so terrible either. i've decided to stick with my left-hand (for those keeping score from my last post).
dinner was delicious. we had crab and spicy tuna and shrimp and tofu and cucumber.. hmm, and one more to make 6. i can't remember what it was though. i never thought sushi was a meal, i thought it was an appetizer, but we filled ourselves up.
all in all a very adventurous and interesting dinner. big t gets the bill and we get up to go and i, Klutzy girl with a capital K, knock over my chair backwards! who does that? i do. apparently.
then we walked over to dick's drive-in and dairy dip. no joke, that's the actual name of this place. t has always wanted to go and it just so happens her mouth and nose were on fire after a run-in with some wasabi. we sat down outside at a picnic table and ordered. after a while i noticed that i was stuck to the bench. that's right - i sat in ice cream. i was pissed, but not as pissed as when i got up and t and k laughed at me cause it was CHOCOLATE ice cream. all over my ass. right, me the night's entertainment.
we left there and stopped in at an adult store and looked around at all the weird and crazy things they have and laughed at some of the more ridiculous items. i mean honestly, some of those things, who uses them? i made it home without tripping or falling or spilling anything else on myself. i ran downstairs and put my bum in s's face and she laughed at me.
definitely a good night. definitely me being super adventurous (sushi?) and super klutzy.
Thursday, June 15
damn it feels good to be a gangster
damn it feels good to be a gangster.. office space, anyone? anyone?
i was reminded of that song when i was thinking to myself that i'm so glad to be left-handed. i got hit by a pitch last night on the hand and thankfully nothing is broken and i have almost full use of it. my right hand i mean. and then i was thinking that being left-handed has so many perks. it is my belief that lefties are more capable at adapting to using their off hand than right-handed people.
and this isn't that we are more talented or gifted or able to use more of our brains, though i'm sure some lefties would say that is so. it is because the majority of society is right-handed. why? i'm not sure. but as a result, so many things are tailored to the righties. let me give you an example you probably have never EVER noticed: the writing on pens and toothbrushes and other hand-tools is all facing the correct way if held in the right hand. go check. i'm not lying. also, things like zippers on pants and coats and even how your workstation is set up - the mouse for example - all set up for right-handed people. i could go on.
i'm just fortunate that i wasn't born about 50 years before i was. my uncle is left-handed but he would get hit with a stick in school if he ever used his left hand. he is now very ambidextrous. so while this kind of punishment and narrow-mindedness is almost gone from people and society as a whole, there is still the residual ease for the right-handed people and the general lack of alternatives for those who are left-handed. ever try to find a left-handed baseball glove (i.e. one that goes on your right hand)? you'll find a hundred right-handed ones for every left-handed one. i'm talking from experience here.
being left-handed has also taught me to be more open to differences i see in people. it's not only about the physical handedness, it's also how people handle things, how they think and process events and problems. don't they say that we have two sides to our brains and that left-handed people are more artsy while right-handed people are more mathematical? i could have that reversed, but i don't think it's true anyways. i agree that different people approach problems (and life for that matter) using different methods but i do not think that it is one hundred percent related to what hand we prefer. i, for one, can be very vague and out there or i can see only black and white. sometimes i like that there are grey areas and sometimes they make me want to scream.
so while there are many things that i do exclusively with my right hand, i do them by choice and not because i can't do them with my left. you just get used to doing things a certain way and that happens to be things like brushing my teeth. i always use my right hand. does it mean i'm slower with my left? certainly. does it mean i can get by using my left? absolutely. this applies to everything i can think of except when it comes to cutting with scissors. i am completely useless with my left hand... ask my kindergarden teacher who would only let me use the green-handled scissors. i'm sure i got "plays well with others. needs work on her cutting skills. can stay in the lines while colouring" comments on my report cards. that's an example of the narrow-mindedness i was talking about.
i was also fortunate to have one right-handed parent and one left-handed parent. they let me decide which hand i prefered by placing all my tools (fork, spoon, crayon, whatever) in the middle. never on one side or the other. they did this with my brother as well. i became left-handed and he became right-handed. we are definitely different people but it stems from other things i'm sure.
i was reminded of that song when i was thinking to myself that i'm so glad to be left-handed. i got hit by a pitch last night on the hand and thankfully nothing is broken and i have almost full use of it. my right hand i mean. and then i was thinking that being left-handed has so many perks. it is my belief that lefties are more capable at adapting to using their off hand than right-handed people.
and this isn't that we are more talented or gifted or able to use more of our brains, though i'm sure some lefties would say that is so. it is because the majority of society is right-handed. why? i'm not sure. but as a result, so many things are tailored to the righties. let me give you an example you probably have never EVER noticed: the writing on pens and toothbrushes and other hand-tools is all facing the correct way if held in the right hand. go check. i'm not lying. also, things like zippers on pants and coats and even how your workstation is set up - the mouse for example - all set up for right-handed people. i could go on.
i'm just fortunate that i wasn't born about 50 years before i was. my uncle is left-handed but he would get hit with a stick in school if he ever used his left hand. he is now very ambidextrous. so while this kind of punishment and narrow-mindedness is almost gone from people and society as a whole, there is still the residual ease for the right-handed people and the general lack of alternatives for those who are left-handed. ever try to find a left-handed baseball glove (i.e. one that goes on your right hand)? you'll find a hundred right-handed ones for every left-handed one. i'm talking from experience here.
being left-handed has also taught me to be more open to differences i see in people. it's not only about the physical handedness, it's also how people handle things, how they think and process events and problems. don't they say that we have two sides to our brains and that left-handed people are more artsy while right-handed people are more mathematical? i could have that reversed, but i don't think it's true anyways. i agree that different people approach problems (and life for that matter) using different methods but i do not think that it is one hundred percent related to what hand we prefer. i, for one, can be very vague and out there or i can see only black and white. sometimes i like that there are grey areas and sometimes they make me want to scream.
so while there are many things that i do exclusively with my right hand, i do them by choice and not because i can't do them with my left. you just get used to doing things a certain way and that happens to be things like brushing my teeth. i always use my right hand. does it mean i'm slower with my left? certainly. does it mean i can get by using my left? absolutely. this applies to everything i can think of except when it comes to cutting with scissors. i am completely useless with my left hand... ask my kindergarden teacher who would only let me use the green-handled scissors. i'm sure i got "plays well with others. needs work on her cutting skills. can stay in the lines while colouring" comments on my report cards. that's an example of the narrow-mindedness i was talking about.
i was also fortunate to have one right-handed parent and one left-handed parent. they let me decide which hand i prefered by placing all my tools (fork, spoon, crayon, whatever) in the middle. never on one side or the other. they did this with my brother as well. i became left-handed and he became right-handed. we are definitely different people but it stems from other things i'm sure.
Wednesday, June 14
jenga
you know what i would like to do? i would like to convince every single canadian who is working for the government through an agency or on casual - any kind of non-permanent employment - to quit. just walk out. see ya, government!
and i would love to see how badly the whole government would deal with having all these holes. and the best part would be that since most of the temp help is in support roles (admins, it, other support) the government would crumble pretty quickly is my bet. and if a group could deal without their temporary employees they would certainly run out of pens soon enough and not know how to deal.
it's never going to happen and it's not because i couldn't convince everyone. it's because for every temp employee, there are 5 more waiting, without employment, for a job to open up. if i convinced everyone to walk out, the government would find more people to fill the spots. it's a nasty and endless circle. kind of like the no experience no job, no job no experience rut.
the government makes due with temporary employees because they are quick to get in, cheap and plentiful. the temporary employees work contract because they can't afford to not work and they can't find a permanent position. who will break this trend?? it has to be the government. the government is a huge body capable of surviving temporary losses in income/capital whereas your regular temp employee has to feed themselves and possible others.
government, if you're listening, i'm asking, nay pleading, that you look at the situation you have created with temporary help and HIRE ME!
and i would love to see how badly the whole government would deal with having all these holes. and the best part would be that since most of the temp help is in support roles (admins, it, other support) the government would crumble pretty quickly is my bet. and if a group could deal without their temporary employees they would certainly run out of pens soon enough and not know how to deal.
it's never going to happen and it's not because i couldn't convince everyone. it's because for every temp employee, there are 5 more waiting, without employment, for a job to open up. if i convinced everyone to walk out, the government would find more people to fill the spots. it's a nasty and endless circle. kind of like the no experience no job, no job no experience rut.
the government makes due with temporary employees because they are quick to get in, cheap and plentiful. the temporary employees work contract because they can't afford to not work and they can't find a permanent position. who will break this trend?? it has to be the government. the government is a huge body capable of surviving temporary losses in income/capital whereas your regular temp employee has to feed themselves and possible others.
government, if you're listening, i'm asking, nay pleading, that you look at the situation you have created with temporary help and HIRE ME!
Tuesday, June 13
baby kleenex
we went to costco last week and bought new laundry detergent. it smells a lot more than our regular tide and i think i just might be allergic to it because when my head hits the pillow at night i get so stuffed up. i had to have this pointed out to me - i didn't put two and two together.
so i'm sitting here at work sneezing away and all stuffy and runny at the same time. all the clothes i'm wearing were washed using the same detergent! i'm an idiot!
i went to grab a kleenex from a coworker's desk. i took the last one. she's going to be mad but i couldn't care less (she's a crank pot to say the least) but now i'm out of kleenex and still sneezing runny dripping (fun!) snot everywhere. i remember seeing kleenex boxes down in the caf a while back so i grab my pass and my wallet and head downstairs. i wasn't too busy anyway.
i get downstairs and get side tracked by my grumbling belly so i choose a sweet-smelling cinnamon bun - haven't had one in a loooong time and got so distracted that i forgot why i was down there in the first place. finally at the cash i remember and find kleenex. but they don't have boxes of kleenex, not even one. they only have those little packages, you know the ones, the ones that i never would ever be caught dead with.
well i walked out of there with a cinnamon bun and a flowery little rip-off package of kleenex. here, let me tell you the contents of my little pouch: 15 (15??? holy cow! that's SO many!) 2-ply tissues. have i ever mentioned that i don't like the word "tissues" either? ug!
but what is a girl to do? i needed kleenex and now i have some. 14 tissues left to be exact.
so i'm sitting here at work sneezing away and all stuffy and runny at the same time. all the clothes i'm wearing were washed using the same detergent! i'm an idiot!
i went to grab a kleenex from a coworker's desk. i took the last one. she's going to be mad but i couldn't care less (she's a crank pot to say the least) but now i'm out of kleenex and still sneezing runny dripping (fun!) snot everywhere. i remember seeing kleenex boxes down in the caf a while back so i grab my pass and my wallet and head downstairs. i wasn't too busy anyway.
i get downstairs and get side tracked by my grumbling belly so i choose a sweet-smelling cinnamon bun - haven't had one in a loooong time and got so distracted that i forgot why i was down there in the first place. finally at the cash i remember and find kleenex. but they don't have boxes of kleenex, not even one. they only have those little packages, you know the ones, the ones that i never would ever be caught dead with.
well i walked out of there with a cinnamon bun and a flowery little rip-off package of kleenex. here, let me tell you the contents of my little pouch: 15 (15??? holy cow! that's SO many!) 2-ply tissues. have i ever mentioned that i don't like the word "tissues" either? ug!
but what is a girl to do? i needed kleenex and now i have some. 14 tissues left to be exact.
Monday, June 12
new evidence suggests batman a hippy
in light of new evidence discovered today, experts are calling batman a hippy. in a distasteful showing of proper work attire, batman sported a free-styled lack of boobal support. in her defense, batman has this to say: "friday it was my shirt, monday it's my bra - what IS a girl to do??" sources say that batman's choice of clothing are smartly hiding this wardrobe malfunction and that coworkers have not yet noticed. she continues: "i'm clutzy AND forgetful. i haven't fallen yet today, but i sure did forget something important!"
let's just hope that this week continues on a better note and that all clothing is remembered and worn throughout the work day.
-- this has been some top notch reporting by blogger
let's just hope that this week continues on a better note and that all clothing is remembered and worn throughout the work day.
-- this has been some top notch reporting by blogger
Sunday, June 11
sick weekend
i wanted this to be a big weekend for going out and doing stuff but it was almost completely the opposite. j is really sick and i'm still getting over my cold/allergies so we stayed in both friday and saturday nights. here's the rundown:
we met my parents saturday at the model home and took them through it. it's amazing how many kids-references they could throw in to an hour long visit. apparently they've been thinking lots about us having kids. thanks, but no thanks. not yet at least. the house was just like we remember it and we still love it. we have another meeting on tuesday to talk about stuff. i'm not very informed but i'll report back later.
big T and bananapants came over last night. we were going to watch a movie but ended up looking at pictures and talking instead. they couldn't stay long, but i'm sure we weren't the best company anyways.
i hate to say that i didn't take part in the WWKNIP day yesterday. it just wasn't in the cards. i really like the idea and hopefully will be able to take part next year. until then, i will knit alone in my basement.. well maybe not always alone. maybe that should read "in the privacy of my basement" - better.
today i managed to go out and get a fender for my bike (i hate the wet-ass you get in the rain without one) and some wool for another baby blanket, this time for my boss. she's expecting at the end of july so i have some time. at least three weeks until she's off work. plus, my coworkers are paying me to make it. it's a good deal.
we met my parents saturday at the model home and took them through it. it's amazing how many kids-references they could throw in to an hour long visit. apparently they've been thinking lots about us having kids. thanks, but no thanks. not yet at least. the house was just like we remember it and we still love it. we have another meeting on tuesday to talk about stuff. i'm not very informed but i'll report back later.
big T and bananapants came over last night. we were going to watch a movie but ended up looking at pictures and talking instead. they couldn't stay long, but i'm sure we weren't the best company anyways.
i hate to say that i didn't take part in the WWKNIP day yesterday. it just wasn't in the cards. i really like the idea and hopefully will be able to take part next year. until then, i will knit alone in my basement.. well maybe not always alone. maybe that should read "in the privacy of my basement" - better.
today i managed to go out and get a fender for my bike (i hate the wet-ass you get in the rain without one) and some wool for another baby blanket, this time for my boss. she's expecting at the end of july so i have some time. at least three weeks until she's off work. plus, my coworkers are paying me to make it. it's a good deal.
Friday, June 9
naked
when i got out of the shower this morning i realized that i had forgotten to bring a teeshirt to work. i had a sweatshirt that i had left upstairs but that was no help getting me from the shower room in the basement to the 16th floor.
i sucked it up and put my stinky biking shirt back on.
as soon as i got to my cubicle i ripped it off and put on my sweatshirt.
thankfully today is cold enough that i shouldn't boil. so far i've been fine.
it's definitely chilly and raining outside. i care so much more about the weather now that i bike (have i mentioned that i'm starting to see some effects in my legs and butt?) i have limited space for what i can bring with me to and from work so i don't want to bring my jacket if it's not going to rain, but can you ever really trust the forecasts? they change by the hour (probably more but they can't update the websites quickly enough).
hmm, i also forgot my lip stuff. this spring has been really harsh to my skin. i've never had dry skin like i do now. my lips and ears are especially dry and usually i use my blistex at least 400 times a day. and now i'm without. i'm coping but i'm licking my lips all the time which will only dry them out more. woe is me.
i sucked it up and put my stinky biking shirt back on.
as soon as i got to my cubicle i ripped it off and put on my sweatshirt.
thankfully today is cold enough that i shouldn't boil. so far i've been fine.
it's definitely chilly and raining outside. i care so much more about the weather now that i bike (have i mentioned that i'm starting to see some effects in my legs and butt?) i have limited space for what i can bring with me to and from work so i don't want to bring my jacket if it's not going to rain, but can you ever really trust the forecasts? they change by the hour (probably more but they can't update the websites quickly enough).
hmm, i also forgot my lip stuff. this spring has been really harsh to my skin. i've never had dry skin like i do now. my lips and ears are especially dry and usually i use my blistex at least 400 times a day. and now i'm without. i'm coping but i'm licking my lips all the time which will only dry them out more. woe is me.
Thursday, June 8
jobs and laughs
i (finally) heard back about that job i interviewed for early april. i didn't get the job but i got put on a list meaning that i will hopefully get a job within the next 6 months. this is good: no more waiting and a potential job. i'm happy.
that's what i found out at work today. also at work i organized another fundraiser at absolute comedy for my baseball team. june 28th. it's a wednesday night but we did it before. please email me if you're interested in coming.
i am so ready for the weekend i can't even tell you. i want to sleep in so badly and i really need to give my ass a rest from biking. no ms tour for me. i'll settle for sponsoring my teammate.
dry post. interesting, not.
that's what i found out at work today. also at work i organized another fundraiser at absolute comedy for my baseball team. june 28th. it's a wednesday night but we did it before. please email me if you're interested in coming.
i am so ready for the weekend i can't even tell you. i want to sleep in so badly and i really need to give my ass a rest from biking. no ms tour for me. i'll settle for sponsoring my teammate.
dry post. interesting, not.
Tuesday, June 6
i know what i want for christmas!
this is earth week (didn't know, didja?) and so there are tons of information booths in my building during lunch time. yesterday there was a canadian geographic booth with tons of free magazines and a free map. you better believe i grabbed everything free they had and ran upstairs to start reading. it felt SO good to be reading about sciency-naturey stuff. so that's what i want for christmas - a subscription to the magazine.
it's never too early to talk about christmas present ideas. especially when they're for me. but you know, the older i get, the more and more i want things that i can use. i don't want something that will just sit somewhere. get me some tupperware or something else that i can use! is that so wrong?
so i haven't been feeling so hot since going to port perry. i think it has something to do with being wet and cold for a solid 24 hours. i haven't missed work but i missed my baseball game and in doing so i missed a pretty big spat between the girl we don't like and another player. girl-we-don't-like was trying to give relationship advice, and her only relationship experience is from the "romance with her cousin on the back of a tractor in the country" (not my words, believe me). i laughed real hard and wished i had been there.
it's never too early to talk about christmas present ideas. especially when they're for me. but you know, the older i get, the more and more i want things that i can use. i don't want something that will just sit somewhere. get me some tupperware or something else that i can use! is that so wrong?
so i haven't been feeling so hot since going to port perry. i think it has something to do with being wet and cold for a solid 24 hours. i haven't missed work but i missed my baseball game and in doing so i missed a pretty big spat between the girl we don't like and another player. girl-we-don't-like was trying to give relationship advice, and her only relationship experience is from the "romance with her cousin on the back of a tractor in the country" (not my words, believe me). i laughed real hard and wished i had been there.
Sunday, June 4
tournament a bust: team home early
the forecast said rain and rain it did. it poured. in fact it poured so hard that we never even made it on the diamond. the tournament coordinators had to cancel almost all saturday games and were trying to make a valid schedule cramming all games in on sunday. yeah, no thanks. i want to get home at a reasonable time. plus, it still might have rained sunday.
so we left. we were in port perry less than 24 hours. thankfully. our hotel (the roachhouse motel) was Disgusting with a capital "D". i didn't feel clean for one minute in that place, plus we were soaked the whole time so we all smelled like damp baseball gear. mmmmmm.
we got back to town after some detours - apparently a dam was about to bust and flood the highway so we had to take another route - and then we went out. out on the town. this is unusual for me and it made me feel like i was back in school. we drank at a girl's house and then walked to the bar with "road rockets" and then drank more and danced and got silly all night. we closed down the place and didn't make it home until almost 4am, after some late night puking in the park (not me thank god) and climbing trees (again not me).
after all that i slept like a log and now i'm up and i've been productive today and will be more productive at a practice and then it's chill time with dinner made for us and hopefully some vegging out in front of the tv. oh summer weekends, how i've missed you.
so we left. we were in port perry less than 24 hours. thankfully. our hotel (the roachhouse motel) was Disgusting with a capital "D". i didn't feel clean for one minute in that place, plus we were soaked the whole time so we all smelled like damp baseball gear. mmmmmm.
we got back to town after some detours - apparently a dam was about to bust and flood the highway so we had to take another route - and then we went out. out on the town. this is unusual for me and it made me feel like i was back in school. we drank at a girl's house and then walked to the bar with "road rockets" and then drank more and danced and got silly all night. we closed down the place and didn't make it home until almost 4am, after some late night puking in the park (not me thank god) and climbing trees (again not me).
after all that i slept like a log and now i'm up and i've been productive today and will be more productive at a practice and then it's chill time with dinner made for us and hopefully some vegging out in front of the tv. oh summer weekends, how i've missed you.
Thursday, June 1
more (slightly less serious) injuries
again with the baseball last night. the players on the team we were playing are a couple of years (10 in some cases) younger than us and so the game was very one-sided in our favour. i had to slide into third at one point and banged up my knee. it wasn't as bad as it has been but it's definitely hurting. i'm letting it breathe though. i'll bandage it this weekend most likely but for now it's out in the open.
i took the day off yesterday. it was not exactly the most honest thing i've ever done. i had an appointment in the afternoon and decided to stay home all day. i called my boss and told her what i decided and she told the big boss that i was sick. not true, but it doesn't really matter since i don't get paid no matter what my reason is for not being here.
so i slept in and then lay in the sun in my bikini for an hour. i went shopping for a bit and stopped by to see my parents. i completely forgot to buy a fender for my bike, but them's the breaks.
my doctor told me that since i no longer eat red meat i was probably missing b12 from my diet so i picked up some pills and started taking them. i've been told they will give me lots of energy. maybe i will even be good at getting out of bed in the morning... wouldn't that be fun. i drag my ass for hours in the morning. there are so many things that i would like to do before work, but i settle for brushing my teeth and getting dressed. those are the only two things i can cram in before i'm late for work. sad.
we're heading to port perry this weekend for a tournament. this is a very competitive tournament with some of the best senior teams from ontario. my team is very optimistic about our games, but i'm more realistic and just hoping that we don't get mercied in all 4. it's one thing to beat a bunch of 16 year olds, it's quite another to play on the same field as these teams we will be facing. i'll report back on monday.
i took the day off yesterday. it was not exactly the most honest thing i've ever done. i had an appointment in the afternoon and decided to stay home all day. i called my boss and told her what i decided and she told the big boss that i was sick. not true, but it doesn't really matter since i don't get paid no matter what my reason is for not being here.
so i slept in and then lay in the sun in my bikini for an hour. i went shopping for a bit and stopped by to see my parents. i completely forgot to buy a fender for my bike, but them's the breaks.
my doctor told me that since i no longer eat red meat i was probably missing b12 from my diet so i picked up some pills and started taking them. i've been told they will give me lots of energy. maybe i will even be good at getting out of bed in the morning... wouldn't that be fun. i drag my ass for hours in the morning. there are so many things that i would like to do before work, but i settle for brushing my teeth and getting dressed. those are the only two things i can cram in before i'm late for work. sad.
we're heading to port perry this weekend for a tournament. this is a very competitive tournament with some of the best senior teams from ontario. my team is very optimistic about our games, but i'm more realistic and just hoping that we don't get mercied in all 4. it's one thing to beat a bunch of 16 year olds, it's quite another to play on the same field as these teams we will be facing. i'll report back on monday.
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