Freak out session

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I have learned I have my first committee meeting in 5 weeks, where I have to talk about what I've been doing on my MSc so far (har har) and then give a talk. Then a week later give a 30 minute talk on it.

Nothing to make you hyperventilate and try and play catch up on a project you can only work at in your free time when you haven't really had any for the last 2 months. I honestly am fighting the wig outs, as I feel like I'm eternally behind, what with everything from January and then my kitchen still being incomplete. I have tried to fit in a few days of normality this week, as I don't think I'll be getting any until...oh...mid april. I will be working saturdays or sundays (or both) until then too. Blech.

*sigh*

Well... I signed up for this. No use whinging about it.
Here we go.
I've taken the time to get my shit together and I'm starting at hard core catch up.
I figure I have to try my best...then I know I've done what I can. This is too important to me to screw up...I've decided I'm going to reward myself with a few weekly workouts at the kinesiology centre when I keep up here. I've got a free membership while I'm in school...I should use it as often as I can, seeing as I'll be practically living here the next 6 weeks :)

Why didn't anyone tell me podcasts were so cool?

My brother went and introduced me to podcasts tonight. I just wrote them off as something I wouldn't find interesting. Plus my iPod is so ancient I'm not sure it can *do* podcasts...and I didn't want to tempt myself with things I couldn't have.
Well...I had no idea.

I'm doomed.

So many electronic mixes...science lectures...audio adventures...
Not enough time...
Hope I have time to download some off them for my many hours in the lab as a lab slave. Brother mine lent me his old nano to use in the lab as my little podule is getting her battery replaced...so podcasts are a go. I've already got a Prisoner audio drama, psytrance DJ mixes and a science lecture on it's way to my lappy...then to the podulette.

Technology is a sweet sweet mistress...one that makes me feel slightly old and "out of it", but her siren song simply cannot be denied...

Open letter to the breast cancer cell lines in the incubator

Dear cancer cells,

Would you please cooperate and grow in your little flasks for me? Don't you see how your little friends MB-435S and HBL-100 are having a great time floating about in their new homes? Yes, I know, I know... it's true that I want to figure out better ways to grow you up so I can better identify you and kill you, but really-it's a team effort here. Come on...show a little love. I need your help with this.
I can't do this without you...you need to pull your weight on this project.
My Master's won't write itself you know.

Make with the growing please...

Sincerely,
Geo

Why you should not hire me to reno your house

I finished caulking and painting in the kitchen yesterday - only the cupboard doors left now. When people on renos make perfect caulking beads and run their finger along I want to know just how they do it without being covered in goo...I haven't worked that out yet. Now that it's done I can start putting things back in the kitchen - a functional kitchen. I can hardly stand the excitement! I'm going to do it bit by bit to reorganise and declutter the kitchen...

I discovered a very evil thing though - when Dad and I carefully measured and cut the glass tiles to fit around the outlet holes in the kitchen with the diamond saw we were very proud of ourselves at how well they fit. Unfortunately, I learned yesterday when trying to put the covers on the outlets that we had neglected to make sure there was room for the little screws that go in to hold in some of the the plate covers.
Yeah. Not cool.
It's all glued and grouted and sealed now, so I'm putting on my thinking cap as to how to get around this. I think I've found a solution - putting thick metal plate covers and adjusting the outlets out a bit and bracing them with wire or metal, leaving room behind the adjusted out outlets for the screws to go through. I might have to grind down the screws a bit in length or find some super short ones. It's a little annoying thing that is rather a big deal and annoyingly, neither Dad nor I noticed this, even when he went through at the end of the job and carefully adjusted the outlet height for the covers! I could try and drill holes in the tiles, but that's just asking for trouble. That is a last resort. I think I'll try my adjustoplate thingymabob first. Or velcro...or double sided tape...or something. *sigh*
It's always something you take for granted that is the biggest deal of all.
Here's crossing my fingers - if anyone has any solutions I'd be grateful...

Damn gremlins...

Once again, I am convinced we have gremlins.

For weeks now (since renos started) we have been unable to find the remote for the volume of our TV. Not a huge deal...but it has gotten more and more and more annoying as time has gone by. Honestly, it's the fact that we couldn't find it in a house of reno clutter. That we are the "kind of people who lose a remote control" you know? There's only 2 of us here...3 if you count Dad when he was here. It just got to the point that whenever we'd watch something we'd rant and search for the remote for a while...essentially raining on whatever mood we had had when starting out.

And the thing is I've searched the whole house. Multiple times.
Today, after another rant about how pathetic we are to lose things like this in our own house I calmed myself, did some painting and caulking and then took the time to calmly and methodically search every room in the damn house (again).

And know what?
Found it.
Guess where it was?
In the couch under the cushions we sit on to watch TV...where we BOTH have searched at least 5 times.Where we have sat for 2 weeks...
It was there, not concealed just like it had been waiting for us all along.

Gremlins man.
I'm telling you...

exactly what I had in mind

After sleeping late and french toast with strawberries, J and I are both sitting in comfy squishy chairs in the sunshine under fuzzy blankets, each with a purry cat in our lap, books and drinks at hand.

Ahhhhh...

Sometimes you just need more unicorns....

I know it might just be the cold meds talking but I would like nothing more at the moment than to go home, take of my shoes and socks, put all the christmas decorations and junk currently shoved out of the way in my crazy craft room out into the main digs and paint a giant mural of Tank Girl on my craft room wall. The one by the door. White on the red red wall...

Instead I am at a dull dull job trying to look busy. I am pretending to be an adult...pretending to be a responsible human who cares about my supervisor's petty problems. And most of all, for some strange reason...today...like a five year old who just fell and scraped her knee...I want my Mum.

I want a weekend of normal life. No chores. No renos. No sneezing.

Just pancakes. Fruit. Chai tea and fizzy drinks with little umbrellas. J and I in the sunshine reading books.

Oh, and more unicorns please...

Uh oh

After a week or so of working with sick coworkers who kept sneezing on things before they gave them to me my throat is sore...and everything tastes like salt.
*sigh*
Hopefully it passes soon and doesn't blossom into a full out cold.
That will teach me to burn the candles at both ends!

RENOS...now with more blue

Ah...last night was the second coat of blue on the cupboards. And I'm glad I get a few days break...I was so tired I made silly mistakes. I need a break. I watched 2 men's figure skate routines and crashed asleep. Thankfully that's it until the weekend...where I might just slack off and just grout and seal the cupboard edge and relax...the renos are taking over and I would like a bit of relaxing - it's a catch between wanting to be done and wanting to just relax a bit. Thankfully tonight I am going to my brother's for supper and relaxing. Can't work there :)

And as promised - here are a few photos of the whole shebang:

BEFORE:

THE ONGOING SAGA:
out comes the counter and sink...and in with the new counter:

George is here... He made us burgers!! Tiles are in! Range hood is in...
After sanding, grouting the tiles and priming the cupboards (Geek helped. Howling is helping...):

Then came the blue...finally!

And THAT is what I've been doing the last few weeks. BUT, now I can relax and let the paint cure for a few days...thank goodness.

So.
Tired...

On a completely off topic, I have had the Wax Mannequin song Umbrella in my head all day...I can't find the video, but I wish you could hear all of the "and Gun" album...it's great.

This mellow song "This Weather" will do in a pinch but it doesn't even come close to capturing whatever Wax Mannequin is...

With lyrics like "pick up a power blaster. You can shoot the lasers. You can be a master like the heroes on TV. You can shoot them 1 by 1 or 1,2,3..."
Ah...time to relax a bit...

Damn it feels good to be a gangster

My science gangster shirt arrived friday...heh heh. I'm wearing it right now. :) Mee hee.

This weekend was a workfest.

I have sanded and primed my cupboards and the tiles are grouted-that stressed me out, as I'd never done it before, but it worked pretty well. I sanded, primed and painted all the holes in the walls from the wiring so they look normal again...I did well, you can't tell there were ever holes! The best part was when I put the first coat of blue paint on the cupboards yesterday...it looks GOOD. Oh and did I mention I also spent most of saturday helping J's brother & family move into their new house? Then, in a moment of insanity I invited my brother and his wife over for supper yesterday. I used George in my nearly nonfunctional house to make a big supper of roast and such, along with 2 kinds of pie. Lime for us and raisin for Dad (thanks Grapecat-Dad said it was good and to say thanks for the recipe). I had the whole crowd over because I wanted to get together one last time - Dad has decided to head home today. He's done every possible repair to the house we could think up (seriously....everything we can think of...we've never had such a functional house...) and he says he wants to head home for a few days. He has some things to do there for his brother and he is doing better than he was. Although he'll be lonely, I know it's the next step. He didn't want to put it off too long. I'll miss him - it's been nice to have him here and be able to help him adjust and look after him. I know it'll be hard for him, but I think he'll be OK...just lonely. That will be the hardest part I think.

It was a bit of a nuthouse yesterday (OK all weekend really) and things are still largely in disarray, but it's' coming along. I can see the end. One more coat of paint on the cupboards and I have to seal the grout and then I can put things back in the kitchen. This weekend I can finish the doors and then we can put them back on too. Luckily you can buy new nice hinges that are the same size as the old ones (and don't suck) so they should go back on quite simply. Then the handles. Then I can stop and just come home and do my Master's like I'm supposed to be doing.

Heh.

The end is in sight.

And I have mashed potatoes and gravy for lunch.

Damn it feels good to be a gangster...

Living in the DMZ

The renos are going well, but our house is a gong show. The kitchen is in the living room...on and under the table. So I have set up another table in the middle of the living room to eat at, which is rather cluttered.
Sure George is now in the kitchen where he belongs (so...cool...), but after today the old stove will be in the corner of the living room until it's' picked up. Then there's the trail of sawdust and dust (that I can't ever get rid of and vacuum up...out out damned spot) going downstairs to where Dad has his tools and saw set up...and the laundry area that until tomorrow I haven't been able to do laundry in, and all the drywall patched areas that are dusty...

So no clothes, a gong show of a house...it's driving me slowly batty. If things aren't put back exactly where they were (ahem J) they disappear into the "stuff" apocalypse slowly taking over the house. Like our one cordless phone. And my glasses. Heh.

Don't get me wrong...the kitchen is maybe a week from being done. After the weekend it will be down to painting cupboards and putting the doors and handles on them. It looks better than I had imagined - and is exactly what I wanted. It's great. I'm grateful...just going a bit batty.

I do feel slightly like tossing a match in the living room and going out for coffee for a while though. Knowing the whole main level is covered in a fine layer of dust and that I will have to clean it ALL (even the damn blinds) is making me somewhat tetchy.

I will persevere though. Hopefully by the end of February I will have my house back.
AND I went to bed early last night and got 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep. LOVE that.
I just keep reminding myself - soon it will be AWESOME :)

Beaker has coffee.

Like Beaker...I have had too much cofffee...
So tired...but still so much to do...
Work all day. Reno all night.

Gibbedy gibbedy gibbedy...

Rowlf Sings : You and I and George

Today George (my new stove) is going come to live in my kitchen. Yes...I wil hug him and squeeze him and I will call him George.
I've been singing this in my head all morning...I'm sure I"ll drive Dad and J nuts with it when I cook with it for the first time.

Meep.

Tile MASTER!!!

Dad and I worked on the house ALL weekend.
Yesterday (thanks to my house being somewhat shoddy and my Dad's not making lists) we made 3 trips out for stuff and spent 17 hours working. Yes...apparently my sink pipes, tap valves and the sewer gas pipes were damaged and needed to be all replaced before the sink could go back in...
Whew.

BUT - The wiring is completed and inspected (all those wires and circuits and subpanel passed! Way to go Dad!). THEN Dad and I cut and installed the new countertop. THEN Dad installed the sink back with a new faucet (looks awesome) while I patched and filled and sanded the8 holes in the walls from running the wiring (my kitchen is now up to electrical code - hooray!). THEN Dad and I put up ALL the glass tiles for behind the stove and for the backsplash. We finished last night at 11, but it's done except for the grouting. I placed and Dad cut. We work very well together. We were determined to get it all done, as I can't take more time off until friday, and George (the stove) is being installed tomorrow, so the tiles had to at least be in place by then. And I was determined that if I took a day off to do it, I wanted to DO IT.

The tiles are white and blue glass...I have grout that is a light grey, but I'm still humming and hawing...maybe light blue? White?? I'm so indecisive. I have a few days to change my mind...the thinset needs to cure.

I have changed my mind about refinishing the cupboards...turns out they're poorly made, so instead of trying to sand and refinish them with varnish, I'm going to paint them a nice blue colour. Then we can put on the new handles. Dad is still cutting down the cupboard above the stove so we can put in the range hood fan. And there's some lights for above the sink...but MAN... so much done!
Dad's been happy to be busy. I'm just giggling, as I've been imagining all this in my head since last JUNE...it's awesome to have it happen.

I will post pics eventually. Right now I'm very behind on my MSc as I spent ALL weekend working on the kitchen and not it (heh) so I have LOTS to do. Soon I promise.

Right now...worky worky for me...

Metropolis

I am so excited. Tonight, in the old Roxy theatre, I get to see a film print of Metropolis

You know, one of my favourite films?

In 1927 Fritz Lang made a silent black and white film...a science fiction film. It is amazing.

And tonight I can see it in a theatre that looks like it did in the 20s...and....AND the Saskatoon Symphony will be playing the original german sheet music written to play with it while the film plays.

Yup...J and I are going out on a date. It's been too long...

SHAZAM!

Geo's Plays a Game

Game for review: Settler's of Catan Dice Game

Rating: sub-meh (just shy of dullsville)

Well, what can I say?
Last night at my brother's my sis-in-law pulled out this game after supper and a few rounds of dominoes for a "change of pace"...and it pretty much killed all fun in the room. She loves this game, but I have to say - I don't. Not only is it rather convoluted and confusing at first (especially if you haven't played the original Settler's of Catan Game, which my Dad and Mako hadn't) but it's just not that fun. It's a convoluted much duller version of Yahtzee. If you like dice games, just play dice games. Don't bother with this. We didn't even finish half the game...
Heh...Can you tell I didn't like it?
I should clarify: I love Settler's of Catan. It's a relatively simple strategy game that only goes for a max of 2 hours and can be fun for 1-4 players. The dice game version of it is just capitalising on people's love of the game, and it sucks all the strategy and game play out of the original. It turns it into mindless dice rolling.

Final Review: Just play the original game. If the original is too hard for you...well...go eat some vitamins and learn something dammit. Come on. You've got to try harder.

Geo out.

Doves - Jetstream

The new Doves album makes me happy. So happy I had to pop in and post this so you could hear it too...

Jeststream is like flying low over the ocean faster and faster until the sun breaks the horizon and splashes light all around you and you can't help but laugh out loud.
Yes.

Light goes on. Light goes off. Light goes on. Light goes off.

I now have a light switch for the kitchen in the hallway so it's not above the stove. Not having a switch right above a gas range seemed wise...call me crazy. There's holes all over in the walls and things cut and drilled for all wires, a new subpanel and wiring for a light in the pantry (meep). Dad is amazing. I can't believe he can just up and do all this stuff. And to code :). Yes I will soon be able to plug in 2 things in my kitchen at the same time and not blow a breaker! I can scarcely believe my good fortune.


Heh. My Dad's a wiring machine.
He's very good about just making things happen. Things I know nothing about how to do. Yes. It's coming along. He's happy to be busy. Another day of wiring and then it will be new counter top and faucet day. THEN tile day. Then a rangehood....THEN OVEN!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA!

*ahem*

Yes. Good start on things I'd say.

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Mouse! Mouse! Make your presence known...

Let the renos begin...

I now have my kitchen in my living room.
It's very odd...