munch munch munch

Odd day. I'm hungry and in the strangest mood. I ran across a few questions I feel like asking you. (thanks to MistyMawn)

Who are you?
Why do you visit me?
What's a perfect day?
What one song could you listen to over and over again...why?
Rain, wind, snow, sun, clouds, or hail....which are you?
What do you dream about?
What's the silliest thing you have ever done?
Do you take your self too seriously?
Pick one person, where would you go, what would you do and for how long?

Now it's only fair to answer these questions:

Who are you?
I'm a strange girl. I like cheese and cats and sunshine and lying on my back in the yard looking at the stars.

Why do you visit me?
I visited Misty Mawn's site via the creative scribbling site and was excited by all the creativity and talent there. I'm always inspired to see other's ideas of beauty and joy.

What's a perfect day?
No work, J is home and we can do whatever we choose. Sleeping in, pancakes with fruit, long naps and walks in the sun...just being together. No greater joy.

What one song could you listen to over and over again...why?
Everloving by Moby. The music is so beautiful and so deeply emotional. It really resonates with me in a way I don't quite understand...I can get lost in it.

Rain, wind, snow, sun, clouds, or hail....which are you?
I am the sun. I shine dammit.

What do you dream about?
Strangely enough, lately, that my cats can talk and that I can fly...not voom superman fly, just hover about fly. I also dreamed I could play my hand like a flute by blowing in my thumb a few weeks back. That was a good one.

What's the silliest thing you have ever done?
Outside Banff, at the mountainside lake that used to be on the old canadian $20 I clasped my palms in front of my chest, struck a pose and yodelled my best viking maiden yodel at the mountain valley...it echoed spectacularly.

Do you take your self too seriously?
Quite honestly, most of the time not seriously enough...I do tend take my faults too seriously though.

Pick one person, where would you go, what would you do and for how long?
Right now?
J
a cabin in the woods
naughty things
at least a week

I wish it were friday...

So close...

Hey!
Wow! I can see the sun! It finally stopped raining a half hour ago and now there's a small patch of blue and the sun is beaming in my window and...oh bugger it's gone again.

I do not want what I have not got...

Reading a few weblogs I've been struck with the fact that the best things in life really are free and I have a lot to be grateful for. It really is my goal/reservation for the year - to be grateful with what I've got.
Here is a list of what I really need to be happy...

-J
-music
-The kitty kritters (Geek and Gavin)
-nibbly tasty edibles (or at least a way for me to make them...)
-A home to be safe in
-Health
-LOTS of plants and growing green things
-Hugs and long naps in the sun
-Walks and bike rides in the outdoors
-Friends & Family
-A good book or two
-Something creative to do on a rainy/snowy day
-A bit of time every once in a while to dance like a monkey, camp out in the wilderness and/or be by myself (if combined - bonus!)

I mean there's other things, like a nice cold beer in the bath, walking in the rain, a nice dinner out, that sort of thing...but I don't need them. They're just a nice bonus every once in a while.

Not too shabby when you look at it that way. Pretty good life I think.
Good day to you all - may happy thoughts abide with you.

Scribbles about love

Sunday Scribblings for this week...

My first love.
Well I thought it was love, and I suppose it was what I needed it to be at the time. With my husband now, whom I love deeply, I know what true, complete love is, but at the time, years ago, when I really cared for someone for the first time, I was sure it was love...for a while.
I’ve always been rather shy and more than a little odd and more of a tomboy. Guys were friends, not dates. As a result it seems I had many a friend over the years fall in love with me, with me sadly not reciprocating (although sometimes not for my lack of trying). I dated a few people when I was younger, but honestly, it was more of a one sided thing for them than me…I just couldn’t seem to “click” in a way I needed after the initial “hey, you’re sweet” wore off. I think I left a few hearts broken on the way…and I miss the friendships I had with them in the end. The "nice girl effect" I believe my friend Heather called it...
But the first person I ever cared deeply for?
We were close friends for most of a year and as the college year ended I realized I really cared for him. I’d been through a few tough things in my life in the previous year and was having difficulty being close to people in general, but he made me feel special and I wanted to be near him –I think it was that I really finally I felt safe with him. Before he left to fly home to Ontario I told him I cared about him and he admitted that he felt the same. We talked on the phone and he even flew me out that summer to stay with his family and get to know them. We were close and dated for over 2 years. Then, I went away to a different school for university and began to realize in the the first few months apart that he really was just a kindred friend…one of my best, but not someone I had ever really loved romantically or felt passionate about and probably never would. In the end, we talked and after a few tears remained close friends. Years later, he’s happily married to his true love…and so am I. After him I swore off dating and love as a silly thing I just couldn’t get the hang of and contentedly got on with life. I suppose that’s why I stumbled upon true love after that – I finally knew what I needed…and it managed to sneak up on me unaware!

And my first love – my true love? He saved me from a horrible “lurker” at a friends wedding, and afterwards we spent the next week together. We were immediate friends and were inseparable…eventually both falling for each other and unable to stop our growing feelings for each other...like nothing I'd ever known or felt before. In a few months we’ll have been together 11 years and I’m now happily married to him, and though it’s not always fairy tales and clouds, he makes me truly happy and I can honestly say I am truly in love. J is my sweetest and truest friend and love and makes me feel I am the most wonderful woman on the planet.

Again with the rain business

It's rained on and off for weeks now.
I'd just like to say that I am done with all this rain business.
Yup...Completely finished.
If I only because if don't mow my backyard soon our home will become lost in the safari landscape... it's wet enough we have a mushroom growing on our front patio! Our vines in the front do look amazing though...
Now if I could just convince the weather to cooperate for more than a few hours...I've watched A lot of Aqua Teen Hunger Force lately to keep myself from going squirrely and I've moved on to 6 Feet Under now (good show BTW). I'm getting white and pasty and need some sunlight!

Boomtown

Friday night was fun. Exploring Boomtown all dressed up, nibbling on cheese and fruit.


All the places in the museum were open with staff in period costumes there to show you around and answer questions.
I even got to snoop around in the old pharmacy - man I could have spent hours in there!




The trolly car they managed to find from the city is still in pretty good shape. There was so much to see!

The dinner was yummy and afterwards there was a musical review written and directed by Henry Wolfe. He's a local actor who's done a lot (he was on Broadway and even Dr. Who back in the day) and the show was good. J's always admired him, largely because of the Dr. Who thing and got him to pose with him and the magic chair (from the review).They even managed to get the premier into it and midly embarrass him. Good times had by all I suspect.

All that and I went to Waneskewin park yesterday with J and hiked all the trails and saw the exhibits. I've never been before, it really is interesting and a great short hike (about 5K or so)> Top it off with a fine frackin finale of BSG last night and sleeping in this morning and man I'm a happy camper. The finale was so good we watched it twice munching on bannock burgers.
Now I just have to fit in the XMen movie and a family dinner today sometime. Whew!
Now? Well, I've got muffins (pumpkin...mmm) beeping in the oven so I gotta go.

yum

38 49...and a gash on your hand

Man. I just found out that the Theivery Corporation and the Flaming Lips are doing a show together at the Hollywood Bowl in LA in July. Wow...I'd love to be there. It's only probably cost the same as J's eyes for the whole trip but hey...
Man, not a lot of bands I like come near me. I mean I've gone to Calgary and Edmonton to see U2 and Gomez and a lot of great DJs, but I've wanted to see the Lips and Thievery Corporation for ages...OK and Moby...and Coldplay...but I can never seem to get to see them. They perform too far away in Vancouver and it is just too much $$ for us to go. But, I suppose if I'm ever in Washington DC I'll have to go to the Corporation's club (that's assuming I get in).
Until then, I guess I'll just have to wait...and drink cocktails in Boomtown.

Blows your mind practically fantastically

I'm so excited. Tonight J and I have tickets to the Saskatoon's Centennial Celebration thingamadoo. It's an ever so fancy cocktails and dinner type of thing (period costumes are encouraged, but we don't have any...) with events and program after dinner. PLUS it's in the Western Development Museum...and the whole "Boomtown" replica 1915 town part of it will be open, with a bunch of new displays set up (like an old restored streetcar) and other new exhibity things for the Centennial. J and I've been giggling and saying "swinging party, pity I wasn't invited!" the past few days counting down to it...and to day is the day. Hooray!
It is so rare we get to go to fancy things like this that are something we're really intreseted in. I get to dress up all pretty and wear heels and everything. Woot. J has always been fascinated with old Saskatoon and local history and has books of photos and history of the city. It should be a great evening and I can't wait. I haven't been to the museum in ages...

Happy 100th birthday Toontown!

New glue, blue glue, gluey gluey

Know what I think is a great idea?
After licking a lot of envelopes for mailing I think flavoured envelope glue would be a freakin fantastic idea. I could really have gone for a box of cheese, bacon or pickle flavoured envelopes today. You could even get all gourmet if'n you wanted. And I want. (I'm thinking roast lamb with mango chutney for sure)
Because quite frankly, the regular glue is just awful.
It'd make the world a better place, I just know it...
Anyone want to give me a squillion dollars to do it?

Please?

Nifty

J had his one week checkup yesterday. His eyes are 20/20.
So far so good!
And the best part is, other than saline drops, no more rounds of a squillion eye drops 4 times a day. His eyes are healing up very well so far.
Nifty!

"If you're gonna spew, spew in this"

Wow I'm full.
It was the summer potluck in our building at work. 70 people each brought food from all over the world. I brought chocolate derbys with vanilla filling (sorry magnus, I forgot to take a picture). There was even octopus. We ate it ALL.
It was all soooo good.
I think I'm gonna asplode.

What's in a name?

I started laughing this morning when I called my cat the wrong name. I realised that our 2 cats, Zeke and Gavin have really developed a LOT of different names over their 12 or 13 years with us. Zeke was named by me cuz he just looked like a Zeke, and Gavin was named by J and his roommate after the kid played by Bruce McCulloch on the Kids in the Hall that talked too much and was always asking questions like "if my head were made of meat how much would it weigh?" cuz he meows too much. Zeke is now pretty much Geek all the time (due to his ability to fall over while licking himself and panic and jump into a wall). Gavin is still mostly Gavin, but he has been called Chudley a lot lately...just cuz he *is* a chudley. The thing is, I began to list all their names that we call them regularly and was pretty surprised, as there's quite a few:

Zeke: Geek, Ezekiel, Fizzgig, furball, Geekamo, goober, widget










Gavin: Chudly, Chudly Fundumples, Spewey, "the Vomitor", furbag, tubby, bunny feet







And of course, they both answer to "Treats!"

Three Wishes on a Rainy Tuesday

The Sunday Scribblings project for the week is to list your Three Wishes. As my typical self, it took me a few days to get round to it. There are a few grand saving the worldy sort of wishes, but, as these seem to change and are al little too "big" for lil' old me, I offer you my 3 fondest wishes at this very moment just right now thank you very much:

1. That J's eyes will heal up well with no complications so he'll be able to enjoy his good "new" vision with (if we're lucky) no more glasses when he's all healed up.
2. That my Mum's heart will get stronger and she will be healthy so she can stay with us for many years. I luv my mummy.
3. That, despite the ups and downs of life, J and I will be happy and content with what we have.

Right now, these are the things that matter most to me.

Muffin muffin muffin oh muffin muffin hey

Back at work after a long weekend of laziness, long walks and vegging. My uncle was up visiting from Georgia and he and his new liver are doing very well. My parents were down for the afternoon too and after a family shindig there was a lot of food and napping and even more eyedrops. J's eyes are amazing - he can see perfectly, but there's lots of different drops for post op care and he has to take it easy with them for a while as they're healing and feel itchy a lot when he overuses them (and the natural tear response is kind of suppressed right now). Apparently they may digress a bit as he heals but they are amazing right now - I hope they stay just the way they are.

I am currently eating a perfect muffin invention of mine. A pumpkin muffin. Yum. They have become an addiction at our house. So I must spread my addiction to these moist healthy yummy muffins around...

My Pumpkin Muffins
3/4 c sugar
1/4 c oil
2 eggs
3/4 c pumpkin puree
1/4 c water

Whisk these together well.

Mix in another bowl:
1 1/2 c flour
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t pumpkin pie spice (or 1/4 t each allspice and nutmeg and 1/2 t cinnamon)
Stir into the wet til just mixed and then stir in 1/3 c pumpkin seeds (raw unsalted) and bake at 375 for about 15-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool & devour with a steaming hot cup of integrity.
Me and my integrity are done our coffee break. Bye.

Energise

Reading that they are going to auction off some old Trek stuff has me in an odd mood. Honestly, I never was too much of a serious Trek fan (J is far more of the fan than I) although I did watch the stuff in high school and seriously got into watching DS9 for a while. I'm more of a Star Wars girl myself. Strangely, the auction has had me recall a few of the odd Trekish things I've stumbled across on the net over the years:
I swear to god this STILL makes me snicker every time I hear it...
AND, Apparently Captain Picard has a weblog.
Who knew?

This is Les Nessman, WKRP's Fish Eye in the Sky!

Well, here I am, back at work today. J is at home, fending for himself in the dark with a muffin, water and the phone and some pizza in the fridge. I'm concerned and hated leaving this morning, but he can use his eyes a bit now so he'll get by just fine until I am home. Hopefully he'll probably sleep most of the day actually...lucky bugger. If not, he'll have a heck of a dull day...as we discovered yesterday it is amazing what little you can do without being able to see that we do regularly.

It's funny - the safety inspector checked out my lab on Wednesday and suggested I tape off my desk in the low level lab as a designated clean area where nothing labby enters. It keeps me and my PC safe and means I can have a cup of java here at the desk if I want to...very cool I must say. So this morning I taped off a little floor area around it. Now that Ive done it all up though I have to say I feel a lot like Les Nessman with my yellow taped off office on the floor...

"Oh my..."

So, the surgery was a very scary thing for J, what with forcing open his eyes and an automated machine suctioning to his eye and stretching it, then cutting a flap in his eye and all. Apparently the next laser part was the least stressful of it all. It took about a half hour for the whole thing. The surgery suite was separated from the waiting area by frosted glass so I could sort of hear what was going on in little snippits. Nervous time all round and I am so proud of him - after hearing about it I'm not sure I could have done it. But, according to the surgeon, it went well. It really helped that he was a copy of Doc Connel from BSG...somehow put us at ease. Now it is just hanging out in the dark basement for a few days and letting his eyes heal a bit before taking on the world with shades on for a few weeks. 3 sets of drops 4 times a day too...I'll get my nursemaid badge that's for sure!
Yet, I have to say, what happened this morning made it all worth it. We had a post op check up with the surgeon and after, at about 7 with the sun just coming up we went out to the car and J just stopped and stared. He'd kept his eyes shut pretty much til then to help healing but he just stood there with a look of utter awe and amazement on his face. "Oh my..." he said, "I can see everything..." and he turned around slowly and just took it all in with a tear running down his face. I'm getting choked up just thinking about it...
So, it'll be a dull next few days and then a bit of a struggle until his eyes settle in and are healed but in the end it turned out well and hopefully he won''t need glasses at all.
Thanks for happy thoughts and prayers offered up. Gotta go check on him. Bye...

Here we go...

Well...it's that day. Laser eye day. Eep.

2PM is when the magic happends. Wish J luck and if you are of the praying sort, offer up a few words for him.

I'll let you know how it went later.

Inferiority ahoy

Kids like this make me excited for the future and feel really pathetic at the same time. I feel rather lame in comparison at the moment.

And I wonder, what ever happened to teh "let's make a volcano" science project? There was nothing like this when I was a kid. I've been science fair judge the past few years here and it's getting crazy what kids with the right contacts can do for a science fair project. Some of it rivals what I do every day and they're, what, 14?

I think I need a beer...

Dweeby pants extravaganza

I've been whining lately that my clothes are all worn out, so I went shopping over the weekend to get a few things like pants and some shirts to be a little less scruffy at work. I really like them and do have to say that shopping is more fun now that I'm in shape and can choose from lots of styles. The 2 pairs of pants I got are great - until I irreversibly ruined them. I'm short, so all pants must be hemmed before I wear them...and somehow I managed to hem them WAY shorter than I'd like, with no way to make them longer again. I have NO idea how - the pants for J I hemmed at the same time are just fine of course - it's just me with the dweeby pants extravaganza. (Heh heh...pants extravaganza. Just rolls of the tongue...)
At any rate, I am currently sitting at my desk wearing my great new pants that are way too short for my taste. I like them enough that I'm wearing them despite this until I can figure out how to add an inch or so to them.

Sigh. I suppose the world is reminding me to imbrace my inner dweeb.

Supervogs of PAIN!

Anyone have any tips for breaking in hard leather shoes?
I'm trying to break in my lovely new fluevogs once and for all, but they're hard leather and my feet are oh so soft and squidgy. I'm tempted to rub oil into them or maybe get them wet and see if it helps to wear them around, as they are hard and rubby on the tongue, ankle and back of the shoe by my heel. I love them, they just don't like me. They were my birthday gift to myself last year and I like them too much to give up on them...any tips? My feet can't take too much more...

Books I would Write (Sunday Scribblings)

The books I would write, if I ever really got round to it, would start with a few children's books. They would introduce kids to how cool science is and definitely have some pop-up thingys in it. I've always loved pop up books, and as a kid I always wanted to know how things worked and where they came from and about all the strange bugs and plants and animals and where they came from and how to make a volcano and ways to do cool things in my house without blowing it up. There's gotta be other kids like me out there, so I'd write it for us. If it were an adulty kind of book, I'd love to do a research book on a topic I've always been intrested in: historical medicine and science and women. In university I took a course on midieval history and medicine in regards specifically to women and it was fascinating to me. I'd love to research more and learn about the changing roles and attitudes of women throughout history and just how this was based on or influenced society, medicine and other things around them. Plus, basically it would (I hope) pay off all the trips around the world I'd need to make to research it...and it would be fascinating!

BUT in reality, I do believe would (and probably will someday) make a cookbook. I love to cook and I'm always inventing or tweaking things to try and find new and delicious things. Then I want to share them with the world, and this seems the best way to do it. I tried my hand at it editing and designing a cookbook for our local community station (which turned out ever so well AND they have my hippie crack granola bar recipe in them...) and I'd love to do a REAL cookbook for people like me who love to make real tasty food and then eat it while making groany sounds and saying things like "dear GOD this is good". It'd likely have a silly name like "Mmm Mmm Time for Pie" and have a grinning picture of me standing in the middle of a giant pie (think "happiness pie") on the front of it.

Sunday Scribblings is a project to inspire and create. Wanna know more? Go here...

Day off

Three words: "tofu corn dogs"

Yum.
I knew that twinkie pan was a good idea....

All these years I've been spelling it wrong (*blush*)

According to Wikipedia: geosmin "which literally translates to "earth smell", is an organic compound with a distinct earthy flavour and aroma, and is responsible for the earthy taste of beets. The human nose is exquisitely sensitive to geosmin, able to detect it at concentrations down to 10 parts per trillion.
Geosmin is produced by several classes of microbes... ...and released when these microbes die."

I was told, when I worked for the water lab, that it was the grassy earthy smell from algae and other organic compounds and the reason we had carbon filters for the water....and that it was spelled geosomin, pronounced similarly to jasmine. I always liked the sound of it (but not so much the smell of it). But apparently I can't spell...

My eyes are dim

Forgot my glasses again...
So I get to wear my ultra cool lab goggles all day.
Classy.

Why I dance...

There are times when the music of my heart
and the notes that swirl around in my head
slip from the decks and back into my mind,
and the sounds that fill me with happiness
fill the hearts of those around me just the same.

It is then that I dance for joy

When the music is so powerful I feel I am bound to it
as though a spell has been cast,
and I will simply wither away if I do not respond
and become one with it
and immerse myself in the feeling it brings...

It is then that I dance with joy

I dance for noone else but me and those who watch me from above;
for all the times I would not let myself be free.
I dance for all the little things that make me
glad to be alive,
feel hope for tomorrow,
and dream that I and my body are
for the moment all there is in the universe...

And when I tire and simply cannot go on,
still the music dances around my mind,
filling all the nooks and corners
that have dimmed and cluttered with the tedium of life
and polishes them clean with vivid color:
yellows, orange, red and gold,
and all the colors of the sun and the moon,
and all there is within my soul
that beams out of my eyes
when I am at peace.

That is why I dance...
why there are times when I truly feel
I cannot do anything else.

amen

"Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
Work like you don't need money, Love like you've never been hurt and Dance like no one's watching".

~Afrobev

Eye Eye Captain

It's odd...J just found out today that he will be getting laser eye surgery next wednesday. We've been saving for years, but it's always been a "some day" thing that might not even happen anyways, given his phobias of surgeries and doctors and all that. A few weeks ago, having saved up enough we figured "well he should probably find out if it is actually possible". If not we figured we'd have one hell of a holiday. As it stands he'll get a week holiday, but not quite he same amount of fun. And I get to look after him and try and be kind as he heals. He's a bear when he's sickand I'm an overactive nursemaid so I anticipate this should be quite the adventure...
I thought it was just "zap and you're done" but apparently they have to nick open your cornea and then zap...about 1 minute per eye and you're awake during it...I imagine you're kind of sedated but it is still creepy to say the least. J is quite tense about the whole thing.
Then it is just a week of hanging out in the dark and trying not to be too bored, no showers or swimming (or sex) for a week or two until the corneas are all back on properly.
Still, everyone I know who has had it done doesn't regret it. And seeing as J is quite blind, it would be nice for him to be able to see well without glasses, even if his vision isn't perfect. No more "what if I break/lose my glasses" problems. I have specs but I can get around without them quite fine.
It's just all so sudden. The optometrist said he'd get in soon, but this is almost too soon. On the other hand...less time to think about it and freak out and back out. I'll let you all know how the big day goes when it comes around.

Rain Rain Go Away

I do so like
to ride my bike
But in the rain
is such a pain

Sunday Ramblings: Shoes

I had a sad moment yesterday. I put on my trusted old Birkenstock sandals to discover the cork sole is cracking...they are finally nearing the end.
I'm of the barefoot variety- sandals as often as possible (none of those between toe torturers tho thank you very much). Even though I work in a research lab I wear them right up to the door and swap them out, getting in as much cozy foot time as possible. Shoes are merely a necessary evil, and my Birks make my foottime a pleasure.
My beat up white birks have been around for so long they are almost like a comforted old friend. Back in grade 12, over 14 years ago, on a trip to Vancouver with my best mate at the time I was overwhelmed by the big city and had an incredible time visiting, seeing the ocean, penguins and feeling "adult" really for the first time in my life. It was a time of learning about myself, forming opinions and really thinking about what was important to me and where I might go in the future. I'd saved and saved for the trip and at the end, I still had some $$ left. I wanted a memory bank of sorts to take with me and Kar and I wandered Granville Island and Robson St. where I found a store selling Birkenstocks. I got a white pair (...I thought I was being so unique) and picked the animal free kind as I was just starting to care about that sort of thing. I put them on, and honestly, for the last 15 odd years I've taken them off as little as possible, trendy or not. They've gone with me to other continents and wandered the Cliffs of Moor in Ireland and the paths on J's grandfather's home by Letcombe Regis in England, stumbled around Edmonton and Banff, hiked through Cypress Hills, Dawson Creek and Little Bear Lake, through Toronto and Niagra Falls and even helped me feel less geeky on classical choir trips through the states in College. They came with me to weddings and funerals and many late night barbecues and stumble fests now they represent summer and relaxation. I grudgingly trade them for my Superstars (another shoey love story) to dance in, and only because of snow and rain.
Sadly, they are falling apart and I am torn. Rebuilding them is nearly the cost of a new pair. Should I let the past go and start new, or rebuild my old companions for 15 more years of adventure? I suppose I'll have to decide soon...

Sunday Ramblings is a creative writing/blogging idea from Sunday Scribblings. I know it's monday, but I'm a bit slow...

We all know that crap is king

I truly feel the need to point out that when buying storage shelves, taking the "hey it's the cheapest one they have!" route is definitely the wrong way to go. 2 1/2 hours of cursing results in a wobbly innefectual shelf that will be so much effort to assemble you won't want to bother taking it apart to return it.
Us? Our monstrosity is downstairs, propped up on bits of wood to be level, and will be a tool storage shelf forevermore. With any luck if we put enough stuff on it it won't fall over...well not on me anyways...
Someday I'll learn.

Me from A to Z

A-Age: 32
B-Bed size: queen, with 4 posters, twinkly lights and drapey fabric.
C-Chore you hate: vacuuming /cleaning the toilet
D-Dessert you love: Pumpkin cheesecake
E-Essential start your day item: coffee and lap cat
F-Favorite actor(s): at the moment, Christopher Bale
G-Gold or Silver: Depends on what it is. Not much for jewelry really.
H-Height: 5'4"
I-Instruments you play: kazoo, xylophone, bongos, recorder and a few guitar chords
J-Job title: Laboratory Technician III
K-Kids: nope
L-Living arrangements: Me and my luv in our house down by the river (much better than a van)
M-Mom's name: Yvonne
N-Name something you love to do: dance, cook
O-Overnight hospital stay other than birth: none, unless you count waiting room/room visits for sick family and friends
P-Phobia: spiders and beetles and...um...the dark (*blush*)
Q-Quote you like: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life”
R-Right or left handed: right
S-Siblings: Sister (42 yrs), brother (38 yrs)
T-Time you woke up today: 6:25
U-Unique habit: Cleaning and hiding dishes before I can cook in the kitchen
V-Vegetable you hate: turnips
W-Worst habit: Slobbiness/procrastination (a dead tie)
X-X-rays you've had: My head (for my TMJ)
Y-Yummy food you can make: Oh baby, too many things to list! My cheesecakes top the list though.
Z- Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Thieves. The filthy thieves...

I feel all paranoid. My mother in law just called to say their house was broken into today. Nothing was really wrecked, and a few small things like the DVD player, some jewelry, money, cameras and their phone are gone. No prints or footprints to be taken, as they were all too smudged. The half footprint they found was from a skater shoe so they figure it was some kids looking for some easy cash. Yeesh...in Warman? I figured it was a small town. I mean in my home town as a kid (300 people), someone broke into the store and it was talked about for years...guess the world is changing. J's Mom is trying to be positive; I mean nothing was wrecked and everyone is safe and it's ony stuff, but having someone in your home uninvited is just enough to give me the creeps...and it wasn't even my home.
The bummer of it is, one of the cameras stolen was our film camera - the Elph Jr. It'll probably be replaced with insurance, but it had sentimental value. We bought it for our England trip and took some nice pictures with it. We'd lent it to J's grandma to take on her 3 week bus trip through the states but it was to "fancy" for her and se wasn't comfortable taking it. We don't use it much, but still.
Oh well..guess I'll go spend the rest of the evening updating our list of serial numbers for our stuff.
Eep.

A few little things...

Inspired by Sherbert's weblog, I have a few things to say...

10 years ago – I was in my second year of university, trying to decide my major, working 3 jobs and had just met this interesting guy named JJ at a friend's wedding. I had just moved out of a house with a couple of friends (as one was crazy) and into a new place with my roommate Malcolm, and was driving a brown Pinto wagon.
5 years ago – I had just graduated and gotten my first "real" research job a few days ago, moved to Saskatoon on my own to stay with J's folks until I could find a place to live for J and us (he was still back in Regina). I was also in the final planning stages of our wedding and had hair down to my butt. I was driving a clapped out old Chevelle I had borrowed from the inlaws as J had "our" car in Regina (an old mustang with a lightning bolt on the hood).
1 year ago – Working at the University labs, I had just finished painting our back door and lower hallway, was declaring I'd never paint again cuz I was fed up. I had purple streaks in my very short hair and was feeling oh so thin as I weighed less than I ever had in my life. J had just started a new job and we were pretty happy, after having been to a friend's wedding and visiting old friends I hadn't seen for years. We had just started to drive our "new" car, an old grey Tercel given to me by my brother.
Yesterday –Same job, longer hair and same car. I worked hard, ate way too much, made yummy stirfry with Jay while deciding what paint chips to pick for painting our living room, which he couldn't really see, as he'd had his pupils dialated for an eye exam to see if he can get lasic surgery and they hadn't gone back to normal yet. Watched a film with friends and ate too much junk food, as I felt rather crappy all day.
Today – Am brutally tired and have had 8 cups of coffee today to stay awake. I've been busy all day and am psyching myself up to do another experiment at work. Tonight I plan to have a nap, maybe make gyros for supper and then hang out with friends.
Tomorrow – Plan to sleep as long as humanly possible, eat a yummy breakfast of crepes and then spend the day out in the yard doing stuff and then the evening organizing the basement. I do believe I might make a yummy food treat that takes an uber amount of time like meat buns. There is a friend of a freind DJing at a local club so we may go for moral support (hopefully he's good).

5 snacks I enjoy – Popcorn, nacho cheesies, granola bars, pita chips and hummus, anything dipped in salsa and sour cream...now I'm hungry.
5 bands that I know the lyrics to – TheFlaming Lips, Coldplay, The Police, U2, Moby
5 things I’d do with $100,000,000 – Take a horseback safari across India, pay off all our debts, build an observatory on the roof of my house, Buy a Miata and a mini and build a garage to put them in, and make a big pile of whatever was left and roll around in it naked before investing it so I could live off of it and do whatever I damn well pleased for the rest of my life.
5 locations I’d run away to – Ireland, Banff, England, New York, Little Bear
5 bad habits I have – I bite my nails, I am a horrible housekeeper, I tend to ignore people when I'm in a hurry, I eat too much, I have no patience
5 things I like doing – Cooking and eating what I just cooked, making stained glass windows, hiking, dancing, making campfires.
5 things I would never wear – Hobbit pants, low low rise jeans, between the toe sandals, stiletto heels, lipstick
5 shows I like (still on) – Battlestar Galactica, Trading Spaces, Cold Case Files, BBC News, Doctor Who
5 movies I like –Equilibrium, Star Wars, Amelie, When Harry Met Sally, Matrix
5 famous people I’d like to meet – Marie Curie, David Suzuki, Pierre Trudeau, Leonardo DaVinci, Joan of Arc
5 biggest joys at the moment – napping in the sun (with J if at all possible), listening to music, spending time with J, cooking elaborate foods, sitting out on the deck
5 favourite toys – Kitchenaid mixer, my glass grinder, my iPod, my bike, our new Mania light.
5 people to tag – magnus, Pete, Betty, Trent, Cindi

Great sleep, no you're never gonna get it...

Zzzzz.......if I did sleep last night, I sure don't feel like it. The night didn't seem that long, but wow...tiredness. It was one of those lay down, blink and hear the alarm sort of things. I couldn't even exercise, I just stared out of the window in my exercise gear with a cat on my lap and drank some grapefruit juice instead. I figure biking to work will just have to cover it today (it was a beautiful morning on the path today - no wind, clear sky and lots of little gophers peeping at me on the way by).
On an up note, I watched Equilibrium again last night with some friends. I felt rather crappe all day and evening, so it was nice to relax and just veg. I still absolutely love that film (and Christopher Bale is mmmmmmm too). As a bonus, the house full of hippie visitors we were supposed to get this weekend aren't coming until next weekend (maybe) so I have all weekend to sleep and do a few things around the house.
I also discovered that apparently I have just enough air miles for a hot balloon champagne ride, but I have to find out if it is for 1 or 2 people. I'd like to surprise J with it on our anniversary, as we've both always wanted to go on one but if it is just for one, it wouldn't be very good gift ("hey hon - go out to the field and look up at about 6 PM ...it'll be me, waving at you!"). We have a family vacation at Waskesu (never been there but trying to be optimistic about it) on the weekend of, so I'm trying to think of something nice for just the 2 of us to do the weekend after...not too easy to be romantic with your entire family around. Ideas anyone?
Ah, well, lots to do, so I'll get on it and not bore you with the mundane details of my life.
Have a good day.

This will be a day long remembered

At the risk of revealing how geeky I am, let me announce that Lucas is going to release the ORIGINAL versions of Star Wars, Empire and Jedi on DVD!
WOOT!

I wanna hold your ear, baby...

Oh man. My friend magnus posted about the Muppet Wiki site on his blog and I'm reverting to childhood as we speak. I've always loved the Muppets and now I can geek out and check up on all my old childhood friends. So many memories...
It'll also confirm a few things J and I have debated about for years...he remembers 2 characters:

Captain Vegetable

(he even knew his song:
"Here I am, captain Vegetable, with my carrot and my celery!"

I now have proof he was not crazy!)




He also remembers Super Computer. I didn't remember either of them and now I know what the Captain looks like, although there isn't an entry for Super Computer yet...maybe he can do one.

I was partial to Grover the waiter and Supergrover myself...I have many memories of tearing around the house singing the "near and far" song with a towel cape. I also recall an old 45 called "Bert Sings" and doing "the pigeon" a lot on rainy days...and now I have the B-side "I wanna hold your ear" in my head.

Cool...and they said the internet was a waste of time!

The Sound of Science

Kitchen soundtrack: Paul's Boutique; Beastie Boys


I just finished a wonderful experiment. I finally had time and I made up muffins out of miscellaneous things in the kitchen I found and YUMMMMMY they are indeed. So good I had to tell the world. Raspberry buttermilk cornmeal pinenut muffins actually. I'm making an apple buttermilk spice cake for work too (it's in the oven as I write this). There's rum in it. I'm excited.
I think cooking is a lot like labwork: a protocol, precise temperatures and conditions and cooling times and you may need various wierd instruments and tools, and not everyone has the knack for it. Personally I think my labby abilities are directly overlapping with my kitcheny ones.

On a side note - there are birds in my birdfeeders! Yay! I noticed them when I put the cake in the oven. I ran out to take a photo of the robin, but he flew away as I took the picture. And so I offer you a photo of my overgrown back yard. (yes I know, I've got to mow it. If it would stop bloody snowing I would get to it...). He was on the feeder hanging from the tree. Just picture it...sorry it's all I got!

"Hey ladies in the place I'm callin out to ya..."

nifty

Neat...I'm on the website from the Star Wars party...

WIsh I'd hid my camera tho. I thought it was out of the shot...

Chilly Willy

Guess what? I woke up this morning and it's freaking snowing.

SNOW - ING !

That's just not right.
There's tulips popping up and buds on the trees...and a shiny new bike for me to ride.

Brrrrr...

A pointy pointy

So they think they found a set of pyramids in Bosnia.
If it is indeed true, that'll shake up a few historians, as to how and why it was there and just who built it. I can't wait to hear the odd theories that will come up about it...I am bothered that they are digging in a historical site to get to it though. Perhaps they could do some sort of imaging to prevent digging where it isn't necessary. It may all turn out to be an elaborate cock up in the end after all if there's nothing under the hill but a few stones.
I, for one, can't wait for some pictures of something other than those few stones to see if it really is true and not just some guy's theoretical find. I am fascinated by archeology. I went througth a 3 year phase in school where I seriously wanted to be an archeologist...and they do want digging volunteers. Hmmm...

the keeper of the cool

Number 9...Number 9...Number 9...

I am so stiff...I think if you listen closely when I walk you can hear me creaking!
It was a busy weekend, we tore down the deck and pressure washed the whole thing, walls and all, mopped it out and then put some furniture back in it, and stored the rest for other use or (can't believe there is still some stuff left for this!) for the next dump run. It took all day, but the deck is clean and ready to use, and now when we get around to painting it, it'll be all ready to go. Friends came over for BSG and we played some Settlers of Catan afterwards. Sunday we spent in the yard, raking and weeding. It's not done yet, but we made a good dent in it, although I am so stiff today from it you'd think we were out there all weekend.
Sunday night, to celebrate, I made some nori sushi rolls(with no fish for J) and we sat out on the deck and nibbled and drank a bit of wine. Then we got to listen to some sweet sweet music.
If you know me, you know I do love Beethoven. My musical taste really varies, but I have a soft spot for Beethoven and for musical theatre, courtesy of my Dad who used to wake us up on the weekends by blasting Beethoven or HMS Pinafore at us and conducting it while we ate breakfast. I learned to appreciate the 5th and 9th symphonies of Beethoven as favorites from when I was in a classical choir in school and I always swore I'd go see the 9th symphony performed if it was ever nearby. Well, a few weeks ago the Saskatoon Symphony was performing (finally) with a full choir and soloists, but I couldn't go. I was really bummed out about it, but J and I found a superaudio CD of the symphony on ebay. Superaudio is a very good thing - the sound quality is absolutely unmatched...I've got some Beck and Pink Floyd, but until now, no classical music. We ordered it so I could have a night at the symphony sometime (sweet guy eh?).
Last night was that sometime and it was wonderful. It's a remastered recording from 1977 so it doesn't take full advantage of the superaudio format, but it was fantastic. The recording was amazing (like being there in the room with the orchestra) and the choral performances gave me chills and brought tears to my eyes. And to think he wrote it all in his head...it's still wafting through my head this morniing. Beautiful.