lights and shiny things galore

I just got back from decorating a church for my sister in laws wedding. Lots of lights and blue touule and bows and beads...a bit much for my taste but she loves it, so hey, it's all good. My folks should be arriving any minute now for the wedding tomorrow (Dad's going to put in my window...I'm so excited!!) and tonight is a barbecue and rehearsal. Tomorrow is the wedding and sunday I hope is lots of sleep and doing nothing. My friend bougt Donny Darko and wantes to watch it, so hopefully we can watch it then...I haven't seen it yet. J's suit is ironed and my long blue bridesmaid dress is pressed and ready to go...I think this may all go off without a hitch!!

I don't have much interesting to say, I just wanted to pop in and say hi. Why? well, Today has been a good day so far, and this weekend should be busy and full, so I'm looking forward to it. I'm happy. It's cool and I want to spread it around...I didn't even have to run around like a madman cleaning the house for my parent's coming as I've been keeping up with the whole cleaning thing...THAT was cool. I can see why people keep up with it. It used to be if people didn't come to visit the place never got a thorough cleaning. J even managed to get us in to see Buck 65 last night...he is great live. It was a great show. Like I imagine a mellow twangy Beck might have been a few years ago, freestyling back in his Satan Gave Me a Taco days.

But I digress...
Happy weekend all. I'll post a few pictures of J and I in our finery sometime soon when I crawl back into life after Operation Get Jen Hitched. Buhbye.

Music (Sunday Scribblings)

Sitting down to write all the thoughts that rushed into my head at one simple word is daunting. Music is a huge part of my life.
I’ve found in life that music can mean different things to different people.
It can be a background to activity, a pick me up when you’re down, a motivator for chores or exercise…sometimes it just makes you want to laugh or cry. It can bring back memories and feeling…it even helps you learn better when you listen to it while studying or working. To me, it enhances life.
To me I think that with music, there are little cracks in your soul that music can seep through, if you let it. For me it is an escape, to revel in and let wash over me. It is the gooey honey syrup coating that washes over and saturates my gulab jamun-like squishy inner parts. I can sit for hours listening to music and if I could have a soundtrack to my daily life I would jump at the chance. There is the odd style of music I’m not into (country and hip hop) but a lot of music I like is not for you too, so it all evens out I suppose.

Over the past few years I’ve really come to find a peace and energy in music. Music has become a huge part of my life and although I can’t play any instrument (I’ve tried many and for the sympathy of those around me I’ve stopped!) I can sing rather well (I am the showertime diva). I love many kinds of music, but each for it’s own reason.

Classical is timeless...For swanky events, labwork and a good glass of wine.
Heavy music is for venting ... fordriving about with your windows down like a silly high school kid and yelling along with the vocals to vent out stress.
Jazz…it’s for the soul. For philosophizing and deep discussion of the world and life and all that sort of thing. Sexy yet smart.
Funk? Iit makes your body move. It’s sexy and sultry.
Reggae teaches you to bob your head, take a deep breath and sit back and enjoy life.
Ambient music? Well it was my greatest discovery. It’s what is playing in my head all the time, and if I’m lucky enough there’s an ambient artist out there who thinks like me and I get to hear it.
Sexy music…well it gets your mojo going...
And electronic? Well, that’s my favorite at the moment. In this genre there is some music that is only for dancing -music that flows in your mind and fills your spirit with joy and frees you so you dance and release yourself into it to be truly free. It sounds corny I know, but there are those rare times when I’m dancing that I feel like I am totally alive … Don't get me wrong. I'm a shy 30-something scientist and I don’t enhance my dancing. I don't have to -it makes me feel alive. I can't explain it any better than that. I'll leave off with a poem I wrote a while back that might just explain a bit more of how music makes me feel:

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 itand 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.

"He had a dream about a hand...I think it was the one from the Addam's Family..."

Busy day with Phil Keaggy on the brain for some reason...odd cuz I haven't listened to him in probably 3 or 4 years. Maybe it was having Circle Slide by The Choir on last night that brought it back.
Man -It's been a hectic day - up early to exercise and at work, off at a run! I've been busy non-stop all day at work- didn't even eat until 2! With any luck the repair guy who is coming back today will fix the our machine...it's wobbly and squeaky now (you can hear it upstairs. I'd like to see them try to say it's cosmetic and try and charge us to fix it...it didn't do anything before they "tuned" it up for warranty checkup). Needless to say we're not going to Sears for anything like this anymore...too many hassles and screwups with this machine.
But nobody cares about that ... on with life.
I got to go and see a great funk show last night - Pocket Dwellers...They had horns, flute and a DJ too. Good stuff...they even got the crowd going on a tuesday night in Toontown...not an easy task. They had a bit of reggae thrown in at times...really good act. I was sad to see them go and I hope to pick up their album soon. I'm developing a real soft spot for funk music. They were actually opening for a hip hop guy but I didn't really care for them. Cardinal Official...apparently very well known, but didn't seem like that big of a deal. Hop hop just isn't my thing and the guys were a little too full of themselves...they kept talking down to the audience and started the show late...admittedly we weren't probably the most energetic audience I've ever seen, but needless to say we left before they were done...why stay up late on a work night if the band is sucky. Guess I'm just not a hip hip fan. I can honestly say it was the first hip show I've been to. Jay was introducing the bands on behalf of the station and so we got to get in for free and I would have paid to see Pocket Dwellers (if I had the $$) but not the hip hop...it was nice to be out and be busy. We had a good time.
Today is another day. Hopefully the rest of it will go well too...I'm pretty optomistic so far, so we'll see how it goes. All we really have to do tonight is pick up Jay's suit and get a gift for the wedding. It will be fun to get all dressed up on saturday. It's supposed to be sunny (knowck on wood) so hopefully it'll be a nice day. I guess we'll see. I am a little scared as I'm having my hair done before it with the girls and I may end up looking like a cotton candy or a q-tip. We shall see...cuz...I mean the Qtip look is stylin...right?

They say bad luck comes in threes...I wonder what #3 will be

So we had a warranty tune up on our exercise machine today. It made a tiny clicking sound for a day or two, so we had a guy come in a tune it up, cuzwe bought an extended warranty for it and haven't had anyone in since we got it last April. The thing is, after the tune up, now it makes a horrible clacking sound so loud you can hear it on another floor of the house. The guy said "OK it's done" and then left, so J didn't know about it until he'd already left the house and J went to use it and heard the sound...so now we get to see if we're stuck with this sort of thing forever (warranty doesn't cover cosmetic repair...) or if the guy screwed it up or what. Let's just say we don't need this right now. It was so loud I could hear it over the phone when he called.
I don't get it, how does oiling and tuning a machine make it louder??
Jay is going to try and tighten up things and see if it is fixed. If not someone has to come back and (I hope) fix it under warranty...cuz we sure can't afford to pay to fix it right now and I don't think we should have to. And I wonder, did the guy try it before he left? Are we stuck with this...cuz that would suck. And honestly..it's just dumb.
Gah, if it's not one thing it's another. Why does bad luck come in piles? I could use some of the good soon...I"m beginning to feel like we're being picked on.

Meep moop blandygoop

Word of the day: somniferous

Blah.
I'm tired. I didn't sleep well. I guess I didn't realise I was until I tried to go to sleep...mostly as J is stressed out. Lets just say I'm not the happiest camper at the moment - not miserable, just moogy. My challenge for the morning is to stay awake -I have to help invigilate an exam all day - it will be somniferous (he heh...what good is word of the day if you don't use it? ;) ). I brought the last Dune book to try and help me stay awake, but I don't know how well that will work, as I have to watch for cheaters. At least I can bring in some coffee...ah, we'll see how it goes. I hope I can cheer up...I don't want to be moogy all evening too. It can wear you down afer a while.
Ah life. Gotta love it...*sigh*

Calciferous

Today's word of the day is calciferous.
Say it with me now:
cal-cif-er-ous

Ahhhhhh...the sweet feeling of knowledge seeping back into the brain....

Don't touch it, it's evil

A busy weekend for me. The hordes of old menonnites have come and gone. The wedding shower went well, and I am amazed to say that although there was over 40 people in the house yesterday, there is no trace of them other than a bit of leftover food. J took off with a book, the iPod and a lawnchair and hung out with the gophers by the river while the house was invaded by women (lucky). J's sister was happy and felt very loved, and that is what counts I suppose. I feel bad saying it though, but I'll be happy when the wedding is over next weekend...it's been a busy time, not to mention expensive...ah well, you only get married once right? (well hopefully)

On friday night J and I went out with his old coworkers to a few local bars. It was a fun evening - they're all a great bunch of people to hang out with. I hope it all works out in the end, as J really enjoyed working there, and they're a fun group to hang out with even outside of work. It did everyone some good to blow off a bit of steam. There were paper hats (made out of the want ads) and plenty of beer for all. We even tried to put mentos in a bottle of Coke to make a fountain but we somehow screwed it up...a bit of a let down really, it only erupted about 4 inches. All in all, a fun time

Saturday night J, Lowell and I watched Time Bandits. I forgot just how fantastic that movie is. It was hard to track down on DVD, but I'm glad we did. The imagination and creativity in that film is just midboggling...makes you feel like a kid again. The humor is original and sarcastic. Terry Gilliam is brilliant, and more than a little insane...

It's been a very busy but good weekend. And now, it is back to work for me...lots to do. Bye!

No caption required

Heh heh...I love it that names like this get approved. The fact that Simon says "spin faster" on one of the captions made me laugh even harder.



Yup, you guessed it, I'm brain meltingly bored. It's the kind of day where you drink a lot of water just to have something to do later...I am so glad it's friday. I'm trying to be optimistic, but it's a bit of a challenge today.
Anyhoo, since I drank a bunch of water I gotta go...
Bye.

If you want to know the things we see, then step inside our skins

Words of the day: Justified and ancient


I am fascinated by the KLF. I listened to their album The White Room this morning out on the paths and although it's a bit dated (too much 90's womany singing on a few tracks), it still is a great album. I have been inspired and energised by the KLF and their music, and they continue to energise me when I hear them...even this morning there were times I started to spontaneously jog just from the music. At times they were a bit excessive and more than a little ecccentric, but they said a lot and did a lot...and they were among the people who pretty much pioneered the techno/sampling style of music...which I love. Their Chill Out album is right up there with the Orb's Journey to the Ultraworld CD for all time brilliant ambient albums and the White Room and Doctorin' the Tardis (as The Timelords)still make me want to listen to the stereo way too loudly even now, years after they've gone away. One of the selfish reasons I have for peace to be declared all over the world is to hear a new KLF album...they promised they'd record again if it ever happened. I'd like to track down a copy of their album that they had to burn due to sampling and copyright problems back in the 90s. Seeing as it came just before the White Room, I bet it would be good.
Sure, they burned a million pounds and sent a goat to a hotel lobby, but they made good music and had a lot to say.
...and ANYONE who calls themselves the Justified Ancients of Mu Mu gets a nod from me.

I luv you big brudder

It's my brother Glen's birthday today.
Happy birthday big brudder.
Luv ya!

Riding on the bus

Disclaimer: I'm not up for posting jokes, but a coworker told me this one this morning and it made me laugh out loud and then I've giggled every time I thought about it for the last few minutes. Plus, it seems to juxtapose nicely with my previous post...and juxtapose is my word of the day

A bus carrying a lot of ugly people crashes into an oncoming truck, and everyone inside dies. As they stand at the Pearly Gates waiting to enter Paradise and meet their maker, God decides to grant each person one wish because of the trauma they have experienced. They're all lined up, and God asks the first one what the wish is.
"I want to be gorgeous," and so God snaps His fingers, and it is done. The second one in line hears this and says "I want to be gorgeous too." Another snap of His fingers and the wish is granted.

This goes on for a while with each one asking to be gorgeous, but when God is halfway down the line, the last guy in the line starts laughing. When there are only ten people left, this guy is rolling on the floor, laughing his head off.
Finally, God reaches this last guy and asks him what his wish will be.

The guy eventually calms down and says: "Make 'em all ugly again."

Beauty Tips

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.

~Audrey Hepburn
(another reason why I think she is the very definition of beautiful...)

A meme at the end of a long day

I found this on Crazy Dust In My Coffee...she said everyone who read it should do it. I am a lemming, so here goes...keep in mind I'm in the lab at work (after hours to try and avoid the rain I might add) so some of the answers might be a bit...um...odd.

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn on page 18 and find line 4.“Only 6% of those polled cited scientists as first or second choice of professionals to be trusted, compared to 68% who cited doctors, 45% priests, 25% solicitors and 20% police.” (from Hazardous Waste and Human Health)
2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What can you reach? There’s a preserved specimen in a jar, a photo of J and the cats...and a penguin clock with a dead battery.
3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?The 4400
4. Without looking, guess what time it is? 4:32 PM
5. Now look at the clock, what is the actual time? 4:36 PM. (woot)
6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear? The air conditioner unit.
7. When did you last step outside? 7:52 am when I got off the bus.
8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at? My e-mail
9. What are you wearing?My oh so short brown pants, beige tshirt and superstars.
10. Did you dream last night?Yes.
11. When did you last laugh? On my coffee break.
12. What is on the walls of the room you are in?A picture of me in a sari, the periodic table, a calendar, a picture of a mouse and a print of the painting called "The Alchemist", the eye wash station and my lab permit.
13. Seen anything weird lately? Last night my cat was staring at something and growling at it...only there was nothing there. A bit spooky actually.
14. What do you think of this quiz? You know me, I love quizzes.
15. What is the last film you saw? XMen 3.
16. If you became a multimillionaire overnight, what would you buy? A new eavestrough so my basement would stop filling with water when it rains (which lately is every day...) . Other than that, get my family whatever they need, and a couch for my living room. THe rest I'd probably give away to research and charity after I paid off my house.
17. Tell me something about you that I dunno. I discovered to day that I am turning into my mother...sigh. I dropped something and made a Marge Simpson like growl of irritation just like she does...shudder.
18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do? Everyone would have a home and the food they needed to get by.
19. Do you like to dance? To the right music, oh yes. I didn't used to though.
20. George Bush.#43. I don't understand...
21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her? Robin
22. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him? Max
23. Would you ever consider living abroad? Yes
24. What do you want GOD to say to you when you reach the pearly gates? welcome home.
25. Five (5) people who must also do this meme in their journal. Well I hate to dictate, so I'll just say that if Magnus, Thoth, Pete and maybe Cindi and Betty were to do this I'd be oh so amused. Trent could too in the comments...inquiring minds want to know.

Sunday Scribblings: Bed

My bed reminds me of what a wonderful man I am blessed to share my life with...

A few years ago for my birthday I was banished from the upstairs of the house for the day while he puttered about and strange sounds came from our bedroom. After a romantic meal of chinese take out (hey, he can't cook but he knows how to please!) I was led up to my surprise.

He had transformed our bedroom into a romantic, wonderful, relaxing place. Our bed has four posts and is (was...) a plain metal frame. He had draped it with with a canopy of sheer white fabric and interwoven white lights and dangling crystals everywhere through it. It was the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me. Our wonderful comfy bed has been transformed into a romantic place where we now spend lazy and romantic times, where we can veg and nap and read and...well you know.
It is one of my favorite places to be and every night as I lay under twinkling crystals and lights i know that I am loved deeply and truly.

Just another sunday scribblings...

Note to self #2

-Don't eat lots of crap food all evening and stay up really late on a work night-

Last night was a big veg fest. I had a boring training conference to go to all day. Part of it was useful training and the rest was tedious product sales, but it was free and a day off work to learn new things with free lunch, so not that bad.
I got home in yet another day of pouring rain and after a nap we thought "ah screw it. If it's going to keep bloody raining for all eternity then we'll just amuse ourselves inside". One of J's old friends came over with some DVDs and we just ate junk food and watched stuff all night. He works at HMV and picked up some ATeam and Night Rider on DVD for cheap...what a howl. I haven't seen those in years. I forgot how good the ATeam was and how silly Mr.T. was. And David Hasselhoff's hair - wow. Big doesn't begin to cover it! Best of all, the Macs on 25th has slurpee/ice cream concoctions for sale so we took a break in the middle of the premiere of the 4400 to zip over and get one. Yum. Then it was sweettart candies, popcorn and tea until the wee hours watching more 4400.

Today...man I feel like I have a small nest of gerbils in my stomach...almost like a hangover. It's wierd. I have to learn that junk food is called junk food because it really is junk (but soooooooo goooood). I still did get out of bed and excercised (despite feeling like I'm hungover) and here I am at work but man, I could just sleep. But back to work...
And so, I go easy on the crap food from now on...at least until tonight.

Offside for women

With the current sports fury around here (Edmonton in the Stanley Cup finals, and the World Cup on right now) I found this great explanation of offside for women. For the first time in my sports challenged life I actually understand what offside means! For all you sports challenged individuals out there, here goes...

You're in a shoe shop, second in the queue for the till. Behind the shop assistant on the till is a pair of shoes which you have seen and which you must have.

The female shopper in front of you has seen them also and is eyeing them with desire. Both of you have forgotten your purses. It would be rude to push in front of the first woman if you had no money to pay for the shoes.

The shop assistant remains at the till waiting. Your friend is trying on another pair of shoes at the back of the shop and sees your dilemma.

She prepares to throw her purse to you.

If she does so, you can catch the purse, then walk round the other shopper and buy the shoes! At a pinch she could throw the purse ahead of the other shopper and "whilst it is in flight" you could nip around the other shopper, catch the purse and buy the shoes!
BUT, you must always remember that until the purse has "actually been thrown", it would be plain wrong for you to be in front of the other shopper and you would be OFFSIDE!

SIMPLE!

Papadums and Little Bears

I'm baaaaack.
Didja miss me?

I had a nice relaxing weekend up at the lake. The new and improved cabin is not much bigger, but the ceiling is higher and Dad put in tonnes of windows so it seems huge. There's also a new couch...really nice. A step up from our usual garage sale stuff for sure. It's nice to see my Dad doing something for himself - he's always doing stuff for other people.
It rained all friday and saturday so I had a leisurely time helping my Mom. With her heart, she has to take it easier than before (and she hasn't quite gotten the hang of it yet), but I helped her pace herself and hang up all the pictures back on the walls all over the cabin (and YES we measured first...every man who came over on saturday to the cabin that afternoon said "looks good, are you sure it's straight -did you measure to be sure?"...grrr. Yes women can do these things too!). Mom and Dad had a bunch of their friends over for a barbecue saturday night so I helped out Mom again and then relaxed drinking wine by the fire and smelling pipe tobacco. Dad's taken up the pipe again and I love the smell of pipe smoke. J got to be all manly and help out my Dad lay some laminate floor at a friend's cabin for part of the day so he was kept busy in the rain too. There was many a scotch and cigar to be had at the end of the day. Pretty good life I figure - retirement seems like a sweet deal.
The sun even came out sunday so J and I could take a 2 hour hike around and then sit and drink beer and talk with my Dad and his friends while they took a pipe break from working.
One of the amusing things from the trip is one of Dad's friends (the one with the cabin that J was helping at) has remarried recently to a really cool lady he met in BC. She's lived mostly in Victoria and Vancouver so she's pretty outspoken and "modern" as my Mom would say. She brought papadums to supper saturday night - I like this lady already. Add to that her being a vegetarian who likes irish ale and all the old farts at the lake are amused - she said it is funny how many people have "stopped by" for no reason just to get a glimpse of Ray's "odd" new wife. I think she's awesome and sure makes it more interesting for me up there as a break from the slow pace of most of my parent's friends.
I never thought I'd be eating papadums and chutney on the deck at the lake.
Yummy.

The universe exploded 'cause of one man's lie

Mm Hmmm, Sha la....
Got U2 on the brain this morning after my morning walk. I must say that a good soundtrack for a brisk walk by a river on a foggy morning is Achtung Baby. I've been on a U2 kick lately, listening to all of their albums that I have around (even the Passengers CD, which was a favorite of mine for study music in university) and after a week I still can't decide if Zooropa, Achtung Baby or Pop are still my favorite U2 album...although Johnny Cash might swing things to his side in the end.
It is strange how may U2 songs are linked to significant memories of mine...Zooropa is linked to a wonderful New Year's morning a few years ago when I awoke with the realisation that I was engaged, One was the song playing on the airplane channel when I flew over to Ireland, Achtung Baby reminds me of my summer in Vancouver, Daddy's Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car brings back many a Mr. Macphisto-like singing fest in my car while commuting to a summer job, Lemon reminds me of summer afternoons spent goofing around with my brother and seeing the Pop concert is linked to so many songs and memories...but I digress.

Sorry I can't hang around. I have a bunch to do today and then I'm taking off early with J to go up to the lake and visit my parents for the weekend. I can't wait. Dad's fixed up the place and just maybe we'll be llucky and it's not raining up there. Hope you all out there have a nice weekend!

I gotta go...
Yeah I'm running out of change
There's a lot of things, if I could, I'd rearrange

Karma chameleon

"Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म from the root kṛ, "to do", [meaning deed] meaning action, effect, destiny) is a term that comprises the entire cycle of cause and effect. Karma is a sum of all that an individual has done, is currently doing and will do. The effects of all deeds actively create present and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life, and the pain in others."


OK...
If there were ever an example of karma it was what has happened over the past day or so.
I returned the iPod to the nice girl who lost it and made her happy, doing the right thing.
Today on the way home my tire went flat and as I started to walk my bike home a nice couple stopped and said "flat tire? we can help" and proceeded to take off my wheel, change out the tube and pump it back up for me. AND a bike officer stopped by during this to be sure everything was OK.

I have seen both sides of just doing the right thing, and it IS indeed a good thing.
There is hope for the word...

Indeedly do

It was employee appreciation picnic today - basically we get to dress casual and have a longer lunch hour, and have lunch outside on the campus greens - $2 for a burger, drink and rice krispie square - not too shabby really. When I was getting my food I noticed an iPod nano in a case in the grass. I tried to see if anyone around knew whose it was (I checked the color and playlists so the person would have to give me a bit of info to claim it). I am totally amazed that a few people I asked tried to convince me it was theirs (not very well either...one of them didn't acually know what it was - it just looked expensive to him I guess...). Then later, when I left info with campus security to post vague info and my number to call to claim it, a few losers actually CALLED me to try and claim it...seeing as they couldn't describe anything specific about it or where it where it went missing I told them to try again later (the fact that they didn't really argue was what totally convinced me they were scummy)The girl who did actually lose it was ecstatic and could tell me all manner of wierd things about it, I am sure I got the right person. So I get to return it to her tomorrow...apparently she's a campus groundskeeper and listens to it all the time at work to stay sane. She was so happy. It was great. I like to think doing nice things just adds to the happiness out there and it'll spread it's gooey goodness all about her too.

It got me thinking tho- how many people would just have kept it or tried to sell it? Based on the number of people with enough balls to try and claim it from me, I imagine it's a pretty high number. I just know how crappy I'd feel if I lost my iPod, plus there's no way I could use or sell something I knew was stolen...the guilt would eat me up. I suppose if noone tried to claim it after a couple of month's I'd give it to my nephew or something, as I have one and he wants one. No need to be greedy. I don't know if I could even sell it if I did desperately need the money. It's just plain wrong to me.

So, at the risk of being a little too smug, I feel like I've been good today. I was thinking about leaving a message for the world earlier...I suppose this will be it.
It feels good to do the right thing.

With fingernails that shine like justice

I feel like a zillion bucks this morning.
This morning instead of plodding away on the eliptical trainer in the basement I grabbed my shoes and the iPod and went out on the riverpaths and jogged..well OK mostly I walked really fast. But it was amazing. The sun had just come up and there was a breeze and everything is lush and green from the weeks of rain we've had and the river was shiny with all the pelicans having breakfast at the weir. There were a lot of smiling walkers and joggers out. I always say how lucky I am to live where I do, right by miles of trees and riverside paths and I can't believe I've never taken a morning exercise stint outside before.
This will definitely be happening again.

On a totally different topic, I was researching nutrition and portion sizing yesterday (something I have no real concept of, I just eat til I'm full...and sometimes that's a lot!) and I found these 2 links at the Portion Distortion site. They have 2 links to quizzes and images about how portion sizes have changed over the past 20 years...holy crap. No wonder that the recent CBC study found that about 1/4 of Canada is overweight. How could we not be? Fewer and fewer people can even afford to eat healthily and when they do, they eat too much...

Craziness.
All this talk about food has made me hungry. It's my break so I'm going to go and have a coffee and one of my marvelous homemade muffins...which are just the right portion size thank you very much!

Spanish castles in space

This is neat.

I've got my tin foil hat on standby

The world is trying to talk to me.
A few days ago I was sitting alone and saw a message written on the wall in black marker that said “You are beautiful”
Yesterday there was a big red sticker on the locker next to mine that said “smile”.
This morning as I walked to my lab, there was a scribble on a hall chalkboard that said “You choose to be happy – so have a happy day”

Neat.
I think I’m gonna leave a message for someone else to find…

Quote of the day

"Is writing that america is the geo-political equivalent of a mercury drinking mad hatter a political statement?"

~Moby

And another thing...

Slow day...since I have nothing really exciting to say, and zero creative juices, but a many minutes to spare, here's a bit of useless info about my life right at this very moment:

Current attire: Jeans, orange v-neck shirt, silver specs, superstar runners
Current mood: Grumpy and out of breath. I forgot my purse at home so I had to bike home and back at lunch.
Current music: "Comfort Eagle" by Cake
Current annoyance: That when I really honestly give it a good try to be all out sloshed for the first time in years I get nothing more than a bit of a buzz. I suppose I should be grateful tho - I was up all perky taking J for breakfast at Smitty's the morning after my sister-in-law's stagette and I think I was the only woman not feeling like death warmed over the next day. I do bowl better after a few beer though.
Current thing: Getting up the nerve to call a painter to paint our living room. I have the money, just not the nerve to commit to getting it done. Not sure why, but it's getting silly.
Current Song in my head: Symphony in C by Cake
Current video in player: The Christmas episode of Dr. Who
Current DVD in player: sis Feet Under Season 2 Disc 2.
Current refreshment: mmmmmmm....cccoooffffffeeeeee.
Current worry: Can we afford what we have to do over the summer with all the family wedding and holiday stuff going on? I never live on credit and I hate spending all our savings. It wierds me out...I refuse to live beyond our means. I think we're nearly the only people we know who try and be this way.
Current thought: Just what does it take to make someone happy? Can it be people? Things? Is true you can't get your happiness from anywhere else but inside of you? And if you've lost it, how do you find it again?

Songs that make me happy:
-"Short Skirt and a Long Jacket" by Cake
-"Receptacle for the Respectable" by Super Furry Animals
-"Go" by Moby

Things that make me happy:
-Looking about at my tidy living room
-Glancing over at J and realizing yet again that he doesn't have any glasses on
-Discovering new delicious food. I made mango syrup with french toast yesterday. Woot.

Three things I'm thankful for:
-Sunshine peeking through the endless clouds and rain FINALLY!
-My iPod...it makes cleaning so much better when I've got my own private concert to listen to while I'm doing it.
-My bike...I can really cruise on that thing if I have to! Made it home and back in 25 minutes!

And so, there you have it. My current state in a nutshell.
Heavy on the nuts.
Bubye.

Mysteries and revelations

If I could have any mystery revealed to me...
It would be how to make those I love happy. Not a fake, cosmetic happy, but a contented, OK with themselves and OK with life sort of happy. To find what they really need and help them achieve it.
Life is too short and, for the most part, too good to spend it unhappy.

Smell the roses while you can...

As for one mystery I'd rather not know: when I and those I love will leave this world.

Just another Sunday Scribbling...

Not sure how to take this...

Your Personality Is Like Acid

A bit wacky, you're very difficult to predict. One moment you're in your own little happy universe... And the next, you're on a bad trip to your own personal hell!

True...but I've never really put it that way before...

Rainy day

It's my day off and I've been puttering about cleaning and getting ready for J's sister's stagette tonight.
Just to show how much rain we've had (and how bored I am), here's how we amuse ourselves in our front yard...

Gotta go handcuff my sister-in-law to a blow up doll and go glow bowling.
Ta!

Ultimate cuteness

I do believe this video is one of the cutest things I have ever seen.

My new favourite breakfast

Vanilla yogurt with purple seedless grapes and a glass of grapefruit juice...and some coffee of course.
Yum.

Cleanliness is next to...

Cleaning.
I don’t like to do it.
At all.
If you look in the dictionary under slob, there’s a comment about me there and maybe even a photo of my house under “natural habitat of”. 2 unorganized people married and we bought a house? What were we thinking? A prime example of our skills is the fact that we only just got a lawnmower and trimmer for our yard and it’s been 3 years of jungle (but at least no more borrowing from family when the jungle gets out of control). There is a yard under our safari – who knew?
Lately, J’s & my complete lack of tidying skills has pushed me over the edge. Don’t get me wrong, the house is not dirty, but it is cluttered and varying levels of messy. We just don’t have enough places to put things, so either we have too many things, or need storage…or both. Plus, anything we use is usually left where it was used last…making one heck of a mess with time wasted looking for stuff. We usually have a fit every few months and tidy up as best we can, but we never get rid of clutter piles and actually organise our life much.
Either way, the knowledge that I will be hosting a wedding shower for J’s sister at the house in 3 weeks that will include many old Mennonite ladies has sprung me into action. It is a good thing I think. I found a site on-line (Flylady) that divides your house into sections, prompting you to do things in each section every day/week. Some are just logical things, like sweep out the back doorway, which I just don’t think to do. Others are more detailed, like ways to organize and actually get rid of what you don’t need. It’s a bit hokey, but I need help, because even after removing a tonne of other people’s junk from our house, we still have a long way to go with our stuff. The idea is you tidy 15 minutes a day minimum, eventually getting clutter out and a sense of order in, along with developing a few morning and evening habits. Normally I don’t go in for things like this, but I have proven I am utterly incapable of this sort of thing on my own...so here goes. The truth is I’d love to just invite people over and not need to apologize for the mess.
I started this June 1. I've been doing a bit every day and already a few places in the house that were always cluttered are now cleared off and I’m starting to get into the habit of just picking something up and putting it away when I’m done with it…this may seem logical to the rest of the world, but it is nearly an epiphany to me. Quite honestly, J’s been looking at me like I’m nuts when I do it now, as it’s totally out of character for the most part.
The cool thing is I can actually see improvements and it’s encouraging. It’s like when I changed my eating & exercise habits...I want to find out what actually works for me; start small, and do it forever, not just when I feel like it.
The trick is to see how long I can keep it up. The whole point of posting this is that I’m going to update every month about if I’m keeping up with the whole thing. Wish me luck…and just maybe I’ll invite you all over to my clean house some day for a BBQ…and you can even come inside!
I just want to be able to sit back with a Harp and think – “ah, my home!” and not ignore all the things that I need to do enjoy it…as long as I’m trying that is enough for now.

Boo urns

In the words of Emmanuel Zorg "I am very disappointed".

We went with friends for a night out for beer and wings and to see The Omen last night, what with it being 06-06-06 and all. Now I've never seen the original, and I don't expect much at all from cheesey/scary films...but MAN this film was just boring. They had an interesting link to current events in the first few minutes, but after that it just tanked. When people in the theatre are laughing at a scary movie and looking at their watches, you know it's not good. I was, well, bored. Not scared. Not even kind of scared - and I get scared at stupid movies (the Ring, for example, freaked me out for weeks). Other than a few interesting ways for people to die, it was just silly and to quote the Clerks animated series "I want my 8 bucks back". I enjoyed the pie I had at a coffee house after the movie more than the movie...and it wasn't very good pie.
The only good thing that came out of it is a plan for us all to get together for an all night fest of cheesy horror films and MST3K them all night. Hope that comes to be. I know The Omen won't be one of the films of choice for that night though.

Addiction

I have become hooked on Six Feet Under.
I didn't realise it until we finished season one on thursday and then I had to wait a few days to borrow season 2 from a friend. I was out all afternoon and evening after work yesterday, helping plan a stagette party for J's sister and got home late. I was actually joking about it last night when I got home saying I was going through withdrawal...and J grinned and led me downstairs to the couch, turned ont he TV and lo and behold...season 2!
Cool...

Earliest Memory

Until I was 5 we lived on an acreage in a house with blue trim down by a stream with blueberries and frogs and birds all over the place. My best friend lived down a windy path a few minutes away. I loved it.
My first memory that I can piece together that isn't just images is of our kitchen curtains. They were orange...you know, the old seventies orange patterned waffly fabric kind. They framed a big picture window that looked out over the trees. I remember a bird hit the window - a big fat robin. I ran outside (I think I was about 3) and picked it up. It was still breathing and I was worried about it. Mom helped me make it a little "bird bed" out of a towel and I just laid down on the deck and stared at it until it got up shook it's head a bit and flew off. I was so happy. I spent the next few weeks looking for "my robin" (I think I called it Robbie or something original like that...) until our puppy Scottie wandered into our yard as a stray a few weeks later. After that Scottie was all I could think about for ages.
Those goofy curtains are up at my parent's cabin now...they're ugly. But Mom can't get rid of them and I don't think I'd want her to. They are just right some how...

Sunday Scribblings is a creative writing project. Check it out.

Being normal is delicious

What a day...I was blindsided by a migraine this morning and I pretty much hid in the dark until this afternoon while I tried to convince the guy with the icepick behind my eye to go for a smoke break. Everything had an aura around it and light was the enemy..I know how vampires feel when I get like this. J was sweet, he kept me company, listened to me moan and made me spirals and cheese and iced tea (he can't cook much but he makes the best KD in the 'verse).
And as I am reminded of every time I have a dazzle headache, I have to say that there is nothing like agony to make you appreciate the wonderfullness of just feeling normal.
Normal is fantsastic.
Freaking wonderful in fact.
I am nearly delirious to be sitting here sipping a cup of coffee and feeling ever so everyday and completely and totally ho hum average.
I have celebrated my normality with waffles and strawberries and whip cream for supper...being normal is delicious.

Yesterday you walked me home

Yesterday as I walked home,
carrying my umbrella in the crook of my arm,
the sun shone brilliantly on the path.

Walking by the river
I noticed a man by a bench up ahead.
His profile dressed in blue and brown
made my heart skip a beat.

You turned your head and smiled at me
with eyes like molasses.

I smiled back.

I blinked and I was standing beside you,
holding your hand
and watching the pelicans fly
past the clouds and under the bridge
as we started our walk home.

4 X 4...Y?

I love these people. They are trying, in the UK, to get changes made to legislation to have SUV drivers who live in urban centres to pay extra fuel tax and essentially try and make their owners understand tha SUVs are for the wilderness and back road hauling, not commuting to work, driving the kids to school or buying groceries and stopping at Starbucks. Me? If I had to go big, I'm a wagon person myself...my pinto wagon made me realise you buy a car you need and drive it for what you need it to do. Having said this, I doubt I'll ever need one again though. We have a little putt putt Tercel - small, good on gas. Occasionally we get miffed when there are larger things to haul, but if we have to we figure out how to arrange it. We do NOT need an SUV. Even if we had kids. My parents drove me and my brother and all our stuff around in a little Chevette for years and we were just fine. Heck, buy a trailer for the odd time you need to carry more. Don't drive a huge gas guzzling monster. The fact that my sister in law wants a hummer for a wedding car nextmonth is a sign of how wacked out things are...

Anyways, I'm ranting off topic. I think these guys have a great idea. They are trying to make drivers more responsible and aware, to save fuel and reduce pollution and try and get us all back in to the mindset of just getting what we need. They even have "fake" tickets to print off and put on SUV dashboards that ask the drivers why they are driving an SUV in the city and remind them that there are alternatives.

We need to do this here in Canada. Anyone else up for it??