hells yeah. I made turkey pot pie last night for supper, and it was effing delicious. The hardest part was making pastry, but it wasn't too bad. If you're ever looking to make said pie, basically you just mix all of your leftover turkey dinner stuff - meat, veg, gravy, and put it in a pie shell, and bake it. Mmmmm.
In other news, my cat has been barfing a lot, so we're taking him in for some tests this afternoon. I took him in on the weekend and the vet said she couldn't see anything wrong, but could run tests if I wanted. I opted for no, because apparently I'm a bad cat-mom. She did say though that her cat does the same thing and there's nothing wrong with him, so I felt not bad about not testing. So, hopefully they'll find something, but it won't be anything serious, and they'll fix it.
We have everything put away in our apartment, basically. I know I said that a while ago, but everything is organised now and looks good. We got a closet organiser that took the fiancé's dad the entire afternoon to install, but now we have shelving, which is very useful, since we only have one dresser between us and I currently have 2 wardrobes. The office needs some shelves or something, it has this giant desk thing attached to the wall, with one drawer and no shelves, so all the computer stuff is just scattered all over the place.
The baby continues to mambo daily, showing that he's not running out of room like he's supposed to. I just keep expanding to accommodate his giant-ness. Very thoughtful of me, no? I'm officially full-term now, and am hoping to go into labour at any moment. My sister's coming up tomorrow, that would be a fun way to welcome her! Anyway, see the preggo blog for full deets on preggo stuff, and some whining.
Tuesday, March 15
Monday, March 7
Friday, March 4
I rrrrolled and won!
I think that's a good sign. My first rrrroll up of the season, and I won a coffee. It's no thousand dollars, true, but it's better than a re-essayez. I gave it to my almost father-in-law. He was up here yesterday painting the nursery, and had a bit of an accident where the gallon bucket of paint knocked over and spilled all over the carpet. No good. Somehow though, he managed to get it out, and you'd never know anything was there if you didn't know. Even though I know, I can't tell. Mr. Clean and Shout Oxy Power did the trick. And lots of scrubbing.
My cat barfs a lot. The vet thought it might be worms, and gave him medicine for that, but he still barfs, so as I suspected (how would an indoor cat get worms?) it seems not to have been that. My vet said it could be hairballs that won't come up, so I'm now trying "intensive hairball treatment". It's basically normal hairball stuff, from the vet so it's a little stronger, given en masse for 3 days. Poor George. He hates it, so I have to squish it into the fur on his front leg so he'll lick it off. I feel bad using his natural instinct to be clean against him, but there's not much else I can do. I'm not cleaning up barf daily, that's just gross. I'm giving some to Mort daily too, he likes it, and it can't hurt. I'll switch to weekly after a bit.
Hmm, what else is exciting. I soaked my showerhead in vinegar and scrubbed it with a toothbrush so that water will shoot out of all of the holes, and in a relatively straight fashion. Who needs CLR? Not me! I also read reviews of a bunch of stuff on the Shopping Bags website, you should too. They've reviewed everything. Even cats. I also went with a friend to the Clay Café and painted a dinosaur piggy bank. All in all, a productive day, and a damn interesting one.
My cat barfs a lot. The vet thought it might be worms, and gave him medicine for that, but he still barfs, so as I suspected (how would an indoor cat get worms?) it seems not to have been that. My vet said it could be hairballs that won't come up, so I'm now trying "intensive hairball treatment". It's basically normal hairball stuff, from the vet so it's a little stronger, given en masse for 3 days. Poor George. He hates it, so I have to squish it into the fur on his front leg so he'll lick it off. I feel bad using his natural instinct to be clean against him, but there's not much else I can do. I'm not cleaning up barf daily, that's just gross. I'm giving some to Mort daily too, he likes it, and it can't hurt. I'll switch to weekly after a bit.
Hmm, what else is exciting. I soaked my showerhead in vinegar and scrubbed it with a toothbrush so that water will shoot out of all of the holes, and in a relatively straight fashion. Who needs CLR? Not me! I also read reviews of a bunch of stuff on the Shopping Bags website, you should too. They've reviewed everything. Even cats. I also went with a friend to the Clay Café and painted a dinosaur piggy bank. All in all, a productive day, and a damn interesting one.
Thursday, March 3
rrrrrroll up the rrrrrim!
I love it! I very rarely win anything, but whatever. It means that spring is coming, for one thing, and it does make drinking your coffee / hot chocolate more exciting. I had another ultrasound today, and am still not very impressed with the hospital here vs. the hospital in Moncton, but this will just have to do!
things are still a bit of a mess here, but there are a couple of piles of empty boxes, so when they get dealt with it'll be slightly better. I have roughly 8000 pieces of old mail, bills and such, that we don't need, but I have to go through them and see what's old and what's recent, and shred the old stuff. Good times. I also have a good-sized pile of cds and disks with no labels on them, so I have to go through them and see what's blank and what's useless. I just got my final bill from NBPower, apparently I've established an excellent credit record with them, and they thank me very much for my business.
OK, survey time. I hate Rogers. It's just a fact. They just sent me my final bill for our cable / internet service at the old place, since I've closed the account. Thing is, 2 things. One, the account isn't in my name, and they hassle me *every* time I call in, even though my name is attached to the account so that I'm able to call in and change things. Two, we didn't ask to have the account closed, just moved to here. Thus, them sending a bill to me personally, telling me to contact them soon to pay it before it gets sent to collections (pardon?) sends me into a near rage. I know I overreact a bit, but I just can't stand stupidity, especially when it's making me look bad. So, I don't really think I want to deal with them. We have to for cable, we have no options here other than sattelite, which is no better and no cheaper. I was going to downgrade my internet to hi-speed lite/express, which is still faster than dial-up, but only $30/month instead of $44. For the amount of downloading etc that I do, should be fine. Aliant has a deal on right now, that if you sign a year contract, their regular high-speed is $30/month also. Would be faster than the Rogers lite hi-speed, and I wouldn't have to deal with Rogers for internet. Which is good. They say there's a $35 installation charge, but I'm hopeful that I could work my way out of that, since I'd be switching to them and signing a contract. If not, I'll tell them to eff off, I'll stay with Rogers. Who has Aliant, is it good? I haven't had it for a long time, not since it first came out and was super super fast. I know it's not that way anymore, they (as well as Rogers) cap how fast you can download and upload. I think I'll just switch, it can't be worse, and their service is so much better. At the very least, they haven't truly pissed me off lately, and Rogers has, several times. They sent someone to our apartment to do the move, install the cable here, and the next week had no record of any of that, the request to move or the guy having been here. What? Just awful.
This post is random, I apologize.
things are still a bit of a mess here, but there are a couple of piles of empty boxes, so when they get dealt with it'll be slightly better. I have roughly 8000 pieces of old mail, bills and such, that we don't need, but I have to go through them and see what's old and what's recent, and shred the old stuff. Good times. I also have a good-sized pile of cds and disks with no labels on them, so I have to go through them and see what's blank and what's useless. I just got my final bill from NBPower, apparently I've established an excellent credit record with them, and they thank me very much for my business.
OK, survey time. I hate Rogers. It's just a fact. They just sent me my final bill for our cable / internet service at the old place, since I've closed the account. Thing is, 2 things. One, the account isn't in my name, and they hassle me *every* time I call in, even though my name is attached to the account so that I'm able to call in and change things. Two, we didn't ask to have the account closed, just moved to here. Thus, them sending a bill to me personally, telling me to contact them soon to pay it before it gets sent to collections (pardon?) sends me into a near rage. I know I overreact a bit, but I just can't stand stupidity, especially when it's making me look bad. So, I don't really think I want to deal with them. We have to for cable, we have no options here other than sattelite, which is no better and no cheaper. I was going to downgrade my internet to hi-speed lite/express, which is still faster than dial-up, but only $30/month instead of $44. For the amount of downloading etc that I do, should be fine. Aliant has a deal on right now, that if you sign a year contract, their regular high-speed is $30/month also. Would be faster than the Rogers lite hi-speed, and I wouldn't have to deal with Rogers for internet. Which is good. They say there's a $35 installation charge, but I'm hopeful that I could work my way out of that, since I'd be switching to them and signing a contract. If not, I'll tell them to eff off, I'll stay with Rogers. Who has Aliant, is it good? I haven't had it for a long time, not since it first came out and was super super fast. I know it's not that way anymore, they (as well as Rogers) cap how fast you can download and upload. I think I'll just switch, it can't be worse, and their service is so much better. At the very least, they haven't truly pissed me off lately, and Rogers has, several times. They sent someone to our apartment to do the move, install the cable here, and the next week had no record of any of that, the request to move or the guy having been here. What? Just awful.
This post is random, I apologize.
Tuesday, March 1
good news / faith in humanity restored
Well. When I went to the hospital many moons ago...or a month, whichever...I did not think I would be staying long. I drove around a bit trying to decide where to park; I didn't really consider myself to be an emergency, so that was out, nor am I a visitor or a physician. That left only the street for parking. So I parked, smiling to myself that it was late enough that I didn't have to pay the meter. Then, well, I ended up staying for 2.5 weeks. I was able to get my car moved the next day, but it already had a ticket on it. Not for an expired meter, as you might expect, but for being parked overnight on the street in the winter, which as you know is strictly verboten here in the Maritimes.
I sort of forgot about it, since I never actually saw the ticket myself, until I got a friendly reminder from the City, telling me that if I didn't pay within 30 days of the violation, I'd get another notice and the fine would go up. No good. So, today, day 29 I think, haha, I call to pay my fine. Just on a whim, I ask the woman if I can possibly talk to someone about the ticket, since it was really unavoidable. It's $30, after all. She says sure, and sends me to the commissionaire. He's a super nice guy. I explain to him exactly what happened, that I know very well not to park on the street, but I didn't know where else to park, and didn't think I'd be staying for any length of time. He agreed that there was very little else I could have done, and changed the ticket to a warning.
Happy camper. I was fully prepared for them to tell me to shove it, but they didn't. That was nice of them.
I sort of forgot about it, since I never actually saw the ticket myself, until I got a friendly reminder from the City, telling me that if I didn't pay within 30 days of the violation, I'd get another notice and the fine would go up. No good. So, today, day 29 I think, haha, I call to pay my fine. Just on a whim, I ask the woman if I can possibly talk to someone about the ticket, since it was really unavoidable. It's $30, after all. She says sure, and sends me to the commissionaire. He's a super nice guy. I explain to him exactly what happened, that I know very well not to park on the street, but I didn't know where else to park, and didn't think I'd be staying for any length of time. He agreed that there was very little else I could have done, and changed the ticket to a warning.
Happy camper. I was fully prepared for them to tell me to shove it, but they didn't. That was nice of them.
Saturday, February 26
floor space!
well, we're not quite done, but we put a good dent in the stuff that needed putting away today. I got all my clothes except sweaters away, which is no small task. I helped a little with sorting of boxes of junk collected from the computer desk and coffee table, and, well, floor, of the old apartment, so we've got most of that done too. The cats are very helpful with all of this, with their jumping in and out of boxes and whatnot. They've actually taken quite a liking to the nursery; it's nice and sunny in there most of the day, so they just laze around in the sun pools. I would too, if I were a cat.
I haven't showered yet today, and on any other day I probably just wouldn't bother, but I figure since it's poker night here tonight, I should look somewhat presentable. Does anybody want to buy an xBox? If I have to watch one more game of NHL 2005 I'm going to vomit. Seriously. It was very helpfully pointed out to me that I'll soon be surrounded by boys, except for some of my fish, but they really don't count. I'll be needing lots of girly visitors.
I haven't showered yet today, and on any other day I probably just wouldn't bother, but I figure since it's poker night here tonight, I should look somewhat presentable. Does anybody want to buy an xBox? If I have to watch one more game of NHL 2005 I'm going to vomit. Seriously. It was very helpfully pointed out to me that I'll soon be surrounded by boys, except for some of my fish, but they really don't count. I'll be needing lots of girly visitors.
Friday, February 25
funny, and yet really offensive
weird how that works out. go ahead, click. via Kim.
Man, I'm still super bored. I'll be done bedrest on Wednesday, but I'm not even sure I'll make it that long. I start to feel really gross after a while of just lying around. Lack of movement and fresh air is no good for me. I saw a woman on the View this morning who's been on bedrest since November though, so I really have no right to complain.
Still working very slowly on getting things put away. It's a bit tricky to get all the clothes away, because I have basically 2 wardrobes now. At least one and a half. I don't want to store the regular stuff anywhere, because hopefully I'll be wearing those clothes in the not-too-distant future. I obviously also have to keep the preggo clothes out, because I'm ENORMOUS. I now have only 1 box of clothes in the nursery, but only because we moved the other one into the bedroom. Meh, whatever. I'm on my own all day today, which is brutal. I do have the cats, and they follow me around whenever I do get off my ass, which isn't often. They like having someone home all day to follow and sleep on. I'm interested but not worried at all to see how they'll react to the baby. The little experience they have had with babies, they are either afraid of them or just show no interest, since the little ones can't pet them or anything.
The couch and something more substantial than mini eggs for lunch is calling, so I should go and answer one of them at least. I may get adventurous and put some clothes away later, but no promises.
Man, I'm still super bored. I'll be done bedrest on Wednesday, but I'm not even sure I'll make it that long. I start to feel really gross after a while of just lying around. Lack of movement and fresh air is no good for me. I saw a woman on the View this morning who's been on bedrest since November though, so I really have no right to complain.
Still working very slowly on getting things put away. It's a bit tricky to get all the clothes away, because I have basically 2 wardrobes now. At least one and a half. I don't want to store the regular stuff anywhere, because hopefully I'll be wearing those clothes in the not-too-distant future. I obviously also have to keep the preggo clothes out, because I'm ENORMOUS. I now have only 1 box of clothes in the nursery, but only because we moved the other one into the bedroom. Meh, whatever. I'm on my own all day today, which is brutal. I do have the cats, and they follow me around whenever I do get off my ass, which isn't often. They like having someone home all day to follow and sleep on. I'm interested but not worried at all to see how they'll react to the baby. The little experience they have had with babies, they are either afraid of them or just show no interest, since the little ones can't pet them or anything.
The couch and something more substantial than mini eggs for lunch is calling, so I should go and answer one of them at least. I may get adventurous and put some clothes away later, but no promises.
Saturday, February 19
you missed me
so here I sit at home. Better than the hospital, I have to say, though not terribly more exciting. The TV is cheaper though. I'm looking around, and when I see something I can do that doesn't look too physically demanding (no bending or lifting or anything) I'll think about doing it. I put some baby clothes in the top drawer of the dresser yesterday, that was pretty exciting. They're all clean and just waiting for a baby now.
The new place is great, very nice, very clean, which is a nice change from what we're used to when moving into a new place. Grant has gone to pick up the last of our stuff in Moncton, and is quite worried that I'm going to go into labour while he's away. I think I'll be ok. Big plans for the day include vegetating in front of the tv, thinking about showering (I just did yesterday, what's the rush?), and hoping that somebody else is as bored as I am and comes to visit me and my messy apartment. I'm pretty bitter right now that I'm not at the market; that's one of the best things about Fredericton. Hopefully in a few weeks.
The new place is great, very nice, very clean, which is a nice change from what we're used to when moving into a new place. Grant has gone to pick up the last of our stuff in Moncton, and is quite worried that I'm going to go into labour while he's away. I think I'll be ok. Big plans for the day include vegetating in front of the tv, thinking about showering (I just did yesterday, what's the rush?), and hoping that somebody else is as bored as I am and comes to visit me and my messy apartment. I'm pretty bitter right now that I'm not at the market; that's one of the best things about Fredericton. Hopefully in a few weeks.
Monday, February 14
yawn, or, I think I'm dying
but at least we get red napkins on our food trays today.
I've had about enough of this, I'll tell ya. I now have a wicked cold, for which I can take Halls and cough syrup. Not only don't the work very well on the actual coughing part, but they do absolutely nothing for the sneezing, head about to explode, general feeling like shit symptoms. Sweet. So yeah, good times
Sorry for the lack of updates, but there's really not a whole lot going on here. I have some lovely flowers that have (miraculously) not died yet, so that's nice. My roommate (Madam Snoreypants) and her baby (I Only Cry at Night) have gone home, so that's nice too. She was really nice, but not much fun to share a room with at night. Also now I can open the curtain and get some daylight on my side of the room. I thought of asking to move over to the window bed, but then I'd have a different phone number and stuff. Plus, theoretically, I'm only here til Wednesday. Wish me luck.
My lunch has arrived and looks DELICIOUS, so I must be off. I did get ice cream for dessert, that's pretty exciting.
I've had about enough of this, I'll tell ya. I now have a wicked cold, for which I can take Halls and cough syrup. Not only don't the work very well on the actual coughing part, but they do absolutely nothing for the sneezing, head about to explode, general feeling like shit symptoms. Sweet. So yeah, good times
Sorry for the lack of updates, but there's really not a whole lot going on here. I have some lovely flowers that have (miraculously) not died yet, so that's nice. My roommate (Madam Snoreypants) and her baby (I Only Cry at Night) have gone home, so that's nice too. She was really nice, but not much fun to share a room with at night. Also now I can open the curtain and get some daylight on my side of the room. I thought of asking to move over to the window bed, but then I'd have a different phone number and stuff. Plus, theoretically, I'm only here til Wednesday. Wish me luck.
My lunch has arrived and looks DELICIOUS, so I must be off. I did get ice cream for dessert, that's pretty exciting.
Monday, February 7
mmm, bedrest
so, obviously everyone is really concerned about why I haven't posted for so long.
...
jerks! all of you!
anyway, I'm in the hospital, on bedrest. It's a pretty rockin' time. I'll spare you the details, I'll post them all on the preggo blog, but suffice to say the baby wants to come out now, and we don't want it to! I'll be in the hospital at least until next Wednesday, or until I have the baby, whichever comes first. Hopefully next Wednesday comes first.
Due to the fact that I've been in the effing hospital for over a week now, there's very little going on in my life to report on. Hospital food is not very good, but I've had fantastic visits from friends and family, and have a good supply of pretty flowery plant things and candy.
The good news is that I did manage to (just) finish first semester. I had my last exam on Monday afternoon, got it marked (only 9 kids wrote, lord love exemptions), and got all my final marks into the spreadsheets so I could fill in the bubble sheets. I went to Toys R Us and made a registry for the baby, not a lot of things, but fun things. I came home, surfed a bit, and then started having a lot of braxton-hicks contractions. They're fake, they don't usually mean anything. Unless you're having them every 3 minutes. So, I came here, and haven't been allowed out since. Unfortunate. I week and 2 days to go. Emails and comments to entertain me are appreciated. I don't have to help in the moving to Fredericton, which is nice. For me, not for anyone else.
I'll be on a bit now that I have dialup and a computer, but for now, that's about it. Must off and update the preggo blog.
...
jerks! all of you!
anyway, I'm in the hospital, on bedrest. It's a pretty rockin' time. I'll spare you the details, I'll post them all on the preggo blog, but suffice to say the baby wants to come out now, and we don't want it to! I'll be in the hospital at least until next Wednesday, or until I have the baby, whichever comes first. Hopefully next Wednesday comes first.
Due to the fact that I've been in the effing hospital for over a week now, there's very little going on in my life to report on. Hospital food is not very good, but I've had fantastic visits from friends and family, and have a good supply of pretty flowery plant things and candy.
The good news is that I did manage to (just) finish first semester. I had my last exam on Monday afternoon, got it marked (only 9 kids wrote, lord love exemptions), and got all my final marks into the spreadsheets so I could fill in the bubble sheets. I went to Toys R Us and made a registry for the baby, not a lot of things, but fun things. I came home, surfed a bit, and then started having a lot of braxton-hicks contractions. They're fake, they don't usually mean anything. Unless you're having them every 3 minutes. So, I came here, and haven't been allowed out since. Unfortunate. I week and 2 days to go. Emails and comments to entertain me are appreciated. I don't have to help in the moving to Fredericton, which is nice. For me, not for anyone else.
I'll be on a bit now that I have dialup and a computer, but for now, that's about it. Must off and update the preggo blog.
Friday, January 28
because it's fun to start posts with "because"
so, exam week is over, but we still have one day of exams. That's hardly fair. Effing snow. I say fuggit, the theatre arts exam isn't that important, let's just skip it. But no. So I have kids writing an exam Monday afternoon, marks are due Tuesday morning, then we have probably Tuesday afternoon to 'prep' for semester 2, and then classes start Wednesday. Super. I still have no idea what I'm doing. Well, no, I have some idea, but no concrete plans. How hard can it be to get through 4 weeks and 3 days, really? Also, my prep class is moving to period 3, right before lunch, which is exciting. It's period 5 right now, and I generally feel like doing absolutely nothing by the time last period rolls around, so it's not a really productive time for me.
In other news...I have no other news. I was looking for a bit more feedback on the new colour scheme, but no news is good news, or you're all just too lazy to say anything. Except for the, yeah, one person who did comment. Thanks, Kim!.
For now, I have to go cook my sweetie some supper, and then just sit the hell down and relax for a bit. It is the weekend, after all. I have my very first baby shower tomorrow, I'm pretty excited for that. That's about the sum total of my plans for the weekend though. Finish marking exams, and relax some more. Sweet.
In other news...I have no other news. I was looking for a bit more feedback on the new colour scheme, but no news is good news, or you're all just too lazy to say anything. Except for the, yeah, one person who did comment. Thanks, Kim!.
For now, I have to go cook my sweetie some supper, and then just sit the hell down and relax for a bit. It is the weekend, after all. I have my very first baby shower tomorrow, I'm pretty excited for that. That's about the sum total of my plans for the weekend though. Finish marking exams, and relax some more. Sweet.
Sunday, January 23
because you all want to know more about me
I can tell.
via PSMC, via GG, via Trinity.
- I am: sleepy.
- I know: enough about the English language that I'm annoyed by much of what I see / read on tv.
- I have: too much stuff.
- I wish: for something every time I notice the time is 11:11. I have my sister to thank for that.
- I hate: ignorant people.
- I miss: being small and carefree.
- I fear: being alone.
- I hear: the 3rd blizzard of the week raging outside.
- I search: for the good in people. It can take a while.
- I wonder: what it will be like to be a mom.
- I regret: not participating in much while I was in school.
- I love: my family.
- I ache: when I think about how little I can impact the really big issues in the world.
- I care: what people think of me, even though I know I shouldn't for the most part.
- I always: smile at people when I make eye contact. It's involuntary, and I hope people don't think I'm weird.
- I am not: a very good liar.
- I dance: like a moron, I'm fairly sure. but I have fun.
- I sing: very often, and pretty well, I think.
- I do not always: clean my fishtank as often as I should.
- I should not: spend so much time on the computer.
- I write: much less than I used to. I'll put a link back up to the writings I had posted a while back, on my other site.
- I win: at Scrabble and Scene It.
- I lose: patience quickly when I don't understand something.
- I confuse: my students' names sometimes, even when they've been in my class for a while. I feel badly about that.
- I listen: to cds obsessively when I buy them.
- I go: a little stir crazy when I'm here by myself with nothing to do.
- I am happy about: the way things are turning out for us so far.
via PSMC, via GG, via Trinity.
- I am: sleepy.
- I know: enough about the English language that I'm annoyed by much of what I see / read on tv.
- I have: too much stuff.
- I wish: for something every time I notice the time is 11:11. I have my sister to thank for that.
- I hate: ignorant people.
- I miss: being small and carefree.
- I fear: being alone.
- I hear: the 3rd blizzard of the week raging outside.
- I search: for the good in people. It can take a while.
- I wonder: what it will be like to be a mom.
- I regret: not participating in much while I was in school.
- I love: my family.
- I ache: when I think about how little I can impact the really big issues in the world.
- I care: what people think of me, even though I know I shouldn't for the most part.
- I always: smile at people when I make eye contact. It's involuntary, and I hope people don't think I'm weird.
- I am not: a very good liar.
- I dance: like a moron, I'm fairly sure. but I have fun.
- I sing: very often, and pretty well, I think.
- I do not always: clean my fishtank as often as I should.
- I should not: spend so much time on the computer.
- I write: much less than I used to. I'll put a link back up to the writings I had posted a while back, on my other site.
- I win: at Scrabble and Scene It.
- I lose: patience quickly when I don't understand something.
- I confuse: my students' names sometimes, even when they've been in my class for a while. I feel badly about that.
- I listen: to cds obsessively when I buy them.
- I go: a little stir crazy when I'm here by myself with nothing to do.
- I am happy about: the way things are turning out for us so far.
because I can
needed a change, I suppose. May not quite be finished, but I think the change of colour scheme will keep me happy for a while. Make sure to reload to get all the new pretty stuff, and let me know what you think. As long as you think it's good. haha. No, really, I can handle well-said constructive criticism too.
Saturday, January 22
snow? again? really?
That's just silly. We once again have the red screen of doom on the weather channel, calling for some ridiculous amount like 40cm to fall tomorrow. Luckily, it's starting tomorrow morning, so hopefully it will be finished by Monday morning, and I can go to work, and my sweet fiancé (who is choosing to risk it instead of go home early like last weekend) will be able to make the treck back to Freddy. Tomorrow will probably be dedicated to not much, sticking close to home and watching tv or movies. I have to clean the fish tank. Wooh!
I had a relatively productive day today. Did some dishes, went to school to photocopy my exams, got some groceries for here and some cleaning stuff for the new apartment. That took me a surprisingly long time. Oh, I also got new wipers for both of our cars, and some good winter wash. Mine claims to be good to -40, you know, the classic blue stuff, but it freezes on my windshield when I try to wash it, when it's nowhere near 40 below. So, I got the same wipers and wash as last year, the motomaster teflon winter stuff, it worked really well for me last winter.
I am greatly enjoying wearing overalls today, they're quite comfy with their lack of waist. In other baby news, I now have just under 10 weeks to go, a baby shower next weekend thrown by the (future) in-laws (mom and aunts), and picked out a crib and dresser for the nursery. That's all, I'm trying to keep the baby stuff on the preggo blog.
We, well, the fiancé and his burly friends and family, moved a bunch of large stuff to Fredericton, to the new place. I am now without, and not missing horribly, I'll say, the futon, the loveseat (which is a pullout, and weighs roughly 2.8 tonnes), the kitchen table and chairs, my regular desk, and the giant tv stand. Also a bunch of boxes of books and stuff, and the 2 bookshelves. We still have a lot of stuff though. People keep telling me that of course this is a great time to clean house, and I agree, and I do throw stuff out, but really and truly most of the stuff we have is useful. Like, I have a lot of clothes, yes, but I wear them all. I go through every now and then and prune out what I don't. We just have enough stuff that we could live in a house and not need to get much. One of the biggest pains in the ass to move is the fish, since I have to catch most of them and drain a bunch of the water out. I'm not going to catch Cletus this time, he can ride in the half-full tank. I think that will be much easier on both of us than me trying to catch him with my inadequately sized net, and him being in a bag not much bigger than him for any amount of time. He likes to hang out on the bottom, or wherever, so it should be ok. If anyone has any great fish moving tips, pass them along. I've done this before, and am better now than I was, but I'm sure there's a better way.
I had a relatively productive day today. Did some dishes, went to school to photocopy my exams, got some groceries for here and some cleaning stuff for the new apartment. That took me a surprisingly long time. Oh, I also got new wipers for both of our cars, and some good winter wash. Mine claims to be good to -40, you know, the classic blue stuff, but it freezes on my windshield when I try to wash it, when it's nowhere near 40 below. So, I got the same wipers and wash as last year, the motomaster teflon winter stuff, it worked really well for me last winter.
I am greatly enjoying wearing overalls today, they're quite comfy with their lack of waist. In other baby news, I now have just under 10 weeks to go, a baby shower next weekend thrown by the (future) in-laws (mom and aunts), and picked out a crib and dresser for the nursery. That's all, I'm trying to keep the baby stuff on the preggo blog.
We, well, the fiancé and his burly friends and family, moved a bunch of large stuff to Fredericton, to the new place. I am now without, and not missing horribly, I'll say, the futon, the loveseat (which is a pullout, and weighs roughly 2.8 tonnes), the kitchen table and chairs, my regular desk, and the giant tv stand. Also a bunch of boxes of books and stuff, and the 2 bookshelves. We still have a lot of stuff though. People keep telling me that of course this is a great time to clean house, and I agree, and I do throw stuff out, but really and truly most of the stuff we have is useful. Like, I have a lot of clothes, yes, but I wear them all. I go through every now and then and prune out what I don't. We just have enough stuff that we could live in a house and not need to get much. One of the biggest pains in the ass to move is the fish, since I have to catch most of them and drain a bunch of the water out. I'm not going to catch Cletus this time, he can ride in the half-full tank. I think that will be much easier on both of us than me trying to catch him with my inadequately sized net, and him being in a bag not much bigger than him for any amount of time. He likes to hang out on the bottom, or wherever, so it should be ok. If anyone has any great fish moving tips, pass them along. I've done this before, and am better now than I was, but I'm sure there's a better way.
Tuesday, January 18
edit
apparently I was unclear in my post about that stupid anti-immigration flyer thing. Now my family thinks I'm being targeted by psychopaths. Have you never come out to find some random flyer on your car? If not, you are very fortunate indeed. Most people have. This is what happened here. The flyer had nothing to do with me personally, or my website, and I didn't think that I had implied that in any way, but just in case, here I am un-implying it.
that's all.
by the by, here's what he wrote back to me. I'm not even going to bother commenting, but I invite you to!
Dear (jallápenno):
Thank you for taking the time to express your views about our leaflet.
Fewer than 18 per cent of Canadians were born abroad. Europeans were the founding/settler people of Canada as we now know it. To say that everyone – and that includes the Natives, who migrated from Asia about 10,000 B.C. – came from somewhere else originally is to say nothing.
There’s a rule of nature. If you don’t control the territory you live in, you won’t have it for long. The Natives were overwhelmed by the newcomers. The reality is that they no longer control the land they once lived in. We have a choice. We can continue to say, “come one, come all,” despite our high unemployment rate. The result, according to Stats Canada, is that by 2050, people of European descent will be a minority. In other words, others, probably East Indians and Chinese will be the majority and, as such, willl impose their ways. If that’s okay with you, do nothing, because that will be the world your children and grandchildren will live in. If it bothers you, join us and seek real immigration reform and a Canada First policy.
Paul Fromm
CFIRC
that's all.
by the by, here's what he wrote back to me. I'm not even going to bother commenting, but I invite you to!
Dear (jallápenno):
Thank you for taking the time to express your views about our leaflet.
Fewer than 18 per cent of Canadians were born abroad. Europeans were the founding/settler people of Canada as we now know it. To say that everyone – and that includes the Natives, who migrated from Asia about 10,000 B.C. – came from somewhere else originally is to say nothing.
There’s a rule of nature. If you don’t control the territory you live in, you won’t have it for long. The Natives were overwhelmed by the newcomers. The reality is that they no longer control the land they once lived in. We have a choice. We can continue to say, “come one, come all,” despite our high unemployment rate. The result, according to Stats Canada, is that by 2050, people of European descent will be a minority. In other words, others, probably East Indians and Chinese will be the majority and, as such, willl impose their ways. If that’s okay with you, do nothing, because that will be the world your children and grandchildren will live in. If it bothers you, join us and seek real immigration reform and a Canada First policy.
Paul Fromm
CFIRC
Monday, January 17
help!
I have internet, but messenger won't sign in! I feel alone! I have today off, as predicted, because of the wicked-ass blizzard blowing itself all over the place here. The roads are actually pretty clear in front of my place, but that's because the plows go by roughly every 10 minutes. It pays to live across from the fire department.
Anyway, feel free to email me, I'm lonely. Still marking, will finish today, and will further impress myself with my Excel mastery while I create my marking systems. Free hot chocolate and popcorn to whomever decides to drop by! I can pretty much guarantee I'll be here to welcome you, I doubt there's much going on in the hub city today. Plus I don't want to shovel out my car.
I'm watching an amazing show about extreme surgeries, and this poor guy got his whole head and face really badly burned, so they're doing grafts, and it's really gross, but I'm interested to see how it turns out.
Anyway, feel free to email me, I'm lonely. Still marking, will finish today, and will further impress myself with my Excel mastery while I create my marking systems. Free hot chocolate and popcorn to whomever decides to drop by! I can pretty much guarantee I'll be here to welcome you, I doubt there's much going on in the hub city today. Plus I don't want to shovel out my car.
I'm watching an amazing show about extreme surgeries, and this poor guy got his whole head and face really badly burned, so they're doing grafts, and it's really gross, but I'm interested to see how it turns out.
Sunday, January 16
it never ends
well, it'll have to end after Wednesday, except for the exams, but there is just far too much marking crap in this teaching job. Especially for English, because there's really no other way to see if the little bastards are learning anything, if not by getting them to do things that I then have to mark. Anyway, I'm hoping to get finished up this latest bunch of stuff today so that I can focus on the horribly complicated exam exemptions process that we're test-driving this year. I understand that of course, there's no other time of year when we could really figure out who's exempt other than now, at exam / end of semester time, but it's just already such a busy time of year.
anyway, on a totally unrelated note...we went to see In Good Company last night, and it was pretty good. A little different than I expected, funny parts but not overall hilarious, but good. We had to park roughly a mile away from the entrance, because there was some kind of conference going on at Crystal Palace. So, went to the movie, enjoyed it, came out to find some hate literature on my car. I was astounded. I visited the website and sent them an email telling them how ridiculous they are, and I encourage you to do the same. Apparently they forgot the part of this country's history where THEIR relatives immigrated from somewhere less wonderful, and were allowed to stay and build a life here. I reminded them of that, but honestly, I'm not expecting much understanding from these folks. It just left a bad taste in my mouth at the end of the night to come out and find that crap on my car. I was surprised that it would even be legal to do so, and sad to be reminded that such small minds exist in today's society.
I'll get down off the soap box now.
anyway, on a totally unrelated note...we went to see In Good Company last night, and it was pretty good. A little different than I expected, funny parts but not overall hilarious, but good. We had to park roughly a mile away from the entrance, because there was some kind of conference going on at Crystal Palace. So, went to the movie, enjoyed it, came out to find some hate literature on my car. I was astounded. I visited the website and sent them an email telling them how ridiculous they are, and I encourage you to do the same. Apparently they forgot the part of this country's history where THEIR relatives immigrated from somewhere less wonderful, and were allowed to stay and build a life here. I reminded them of that, but honestly, I'm not expecting much understanding from these folks. It just left a bad taste in my mouth at the end of the night to come out and find that crap on my car. I was surprised that it would even be legal to do so, and sad to be reminded that such small minds exist in today's society.
I'll get down off the soap box now.
Thursday, January 6
marking!
I *finally* finished marking my students' short stories. It took me a really, really long time, because a) I hate marking, and b) the damn kids can't write. I had a few that were really quite good, but so, SO many more that were poorly written in every way. Lame plots, very little detail / thought, and enough spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors to make any literate person vomit. I had to keep taking breaks. Anyway, I won't go into details about the travesties against the English language that I have been forced to witness, but suffice to say I had to just stop correcting a lot of them and try to muddle my way through to attempt to at least get the gist of the plot.
I just looked over at my aquarium and my giant algae eater is on the side of the tank facing me, and he scared the living crap out of me. The light is off, and his underside is lighter with crazy labyrinthy patterns on it, and ... he's enormous. Scary. It's a very pet-centred desk I have here, both of my cats are currently laying in front of the monitor, which makes it tricky to type this post.
What else is new. We have 2 weeks of school until exams, which is fun, because I've never prepared an English exam before. I'm hoping to get some help in that area from the other grade 9 teachers, and hopefully have a look at old exams for the 113 English and theatre arts classes. There's then a week of exams, 2 turn around days, and then 4 weeks and 2 days until March Break. That's when I'm done like dinner. Ack.
I need a hair cut, that's pretty exciting. I think that's it though. I need to go to bed; I've been staying up late all week for some reason, and it's definitely catching up with me.
I just looked over at my aquarium and my giant algae eater is on the side of the tank facing me, and he scared the living crap out of me. The light is off, and his underside is lighter with crazy labyrinthy patterns on it, and ... he's enormous. Scary. It's a very pet-centred desk I have here, both of my cats are currently laying in front of the monitor, which makes it tricky to type this post.
What else is new. We have 2 weeks of school until exams, which is fun, because I've never prepared an English exam before. I'm hoping to get some help in that area from the other grade 9 teachers, and hopefully have a look at old exams for the 113 English and theatre arts classes. There's then a week of exams, 2 turn around days, and then 4 weeks and 2 days until March Break. That's when I'm done like dinner. Ack.
I need a hair cut, that's pretty exciting. I think that's it though. I need to go to bed; I've been staying up late all week for some reason, and it's definitely catching up with me.
Monday, January 3
Sunday, January 2
happy new year!
I have to say though, I've never really gotten the excitement about new years. I've even had a couple of years when I just didn't bother to stay up. Granted, those were years I was spending the break with my parents in PA, but still. As I get older and more mature (haha), I just don't really feel the need to wait for one more excuse to get blitzed and fend off slobbering strangers.
That said, this past 12 months has been quite eventful. As I was planning out my list of what has gone on, I noticed that Tirexl has beat me to the punch, but here is my list of what made this year so much more ... interesting? than years psst.
Made for some stress, I'll tell ya, but it's all going pretty well now. The alien baby thumps my innards as we speak, and the fiancé is happily playing NHL 2005. Things are good. I'm happy.
That said, this past 12 months has been quite eventful. As I was planning out my list of what has gone on, I noticed that Tirexl has beat me to the punch, but here is my list of what made this year so much more ... interesting? than years psst.
- I fully accepted the possible fate of continuing to work in a position I didn't consider my ideal, only to be told later that day that it was no longer available to me
- I got my dream job a few weeks later
- My parents moved back from the states to the much more visit-friendly Halifax
- Even though I had my job lined up, the fact that I didn't know exactly what I was teaching made it possible for me to do basically nothing the whole summer
- Also making that possible, the fact that I found out I was pregnant in late July, and was rendered unproductive for a couple of months
- Even though that was terrifying at first, it seems to be working out really well
- My sweetie got an engineering job that he really, really likes
- We got engaged
- We started looking for a house. We've put that on hold for now, but it's definitely a big thing.
- I can look at my fiancé and smile at how in love I am
- I can look at my tummy and smile at the giant alien baby growing in there, who seems to be trying to escape, or perhaps doing kung fu.
Made for some stress, I'll tell ya, but it's all going pretty well now. The alien baby thumps my innards as we speak, and the fiancé is happily playing NHL 2005. Things are good. I'm happy.
Sunday, December 26
Happy Boxing Day!
No shopping yet though. Santa found me and my family, and we gorged ourselves on turkey et al last night. Good times. We're hosting what has become an annual boxing day event here at our house this year, where we get together with my dad's sister and her family for dinner and general merriment, usually involving drinking and board games. We have a couple of new games this year, Battle of the Sexes and Scene It, which I got for Christmas. I also got a sweet pair of pink gloves to go with my sweet pink hat that I got last year. Very hard to find, apparently. Anyway, here in Halifax we're supposed to get like 50cm of snow. That's a lot. Moncton is supposed to get 30cm, which is also a lot, but it's no 50! Since we had only planned on leaving Tuesday, we're not too worried. It's supposed to stop tomorrow, just snow a crapload this afternoon and tonight. I'll keep you posted though.
I got loads of stuff, I must say. Some things for the baby, which is great, a jolly jumper thing and a snuggly carrier thing, and my parents got us a stroller / infant car seat that took us a good hour to put together and figure out how to use. The stroller was just a baby present though, not for Christmas.
Anyway, off to get clean and spend some more time with the fam. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods!
I got loads of stuff, I must say. Some things for the baby, which is great, a jolly jumper thing and a snuggly carrier thing, and my parents got us a stroller / infant car seat that took us a good hour to put together and figure out how to use. The stroller was just a baby present though, not for Christmas.
Anyway, off to get clean and spend some more time with the fam. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods!
Wednesday, December 22
the countdown is on
and the holiday visiting is officially beginning. The kitties are going this aft to their holiday hotel, I'm heading up to see my sweetie, and then on Friday we're heading down to see my parents. Wooh! I'll probably be online a bit, because everywhere I'm going for the next few days has internet, but just in case, I wanted to send out my happy holiday wishes to you all now.
Eat lots, drink lots (not necessarily alcoholic, mind you), and be merry. Enjoy your time with your loved ones, and I hope Santa finds you all!
Eat lots, drink lots (not necessarily alcoholic, mind you), and be merry. Enjoy your time with your loved ones, and I hope Santa finds you all!
Monday, December 20
wooh!
it's vacation, and am I EVER having fun so far!
just kidding.
So far, I've gotten up about half an hour later than I usually do on a Monday morning, to go to a dentist appointment I had completely forgotten about. Then, I went to the clinic to have some blood work done, which involved me waiting in line, then drinking something really sweet and gross, and then waiting for another hour, and then having my blood taken. Good times. I stopped in at Superstore to get some kitty litter and enough food to get me through the next 3 days. The boys will be spending their holiday with the almost-in-laws, as they have the past few years. They could, technically, spend it at my parents' place this year, since they're so much closer than previous years, but we'll only actually be there for a few days, and the a-i-ls' place is much close, and we'll be heading there after my parents' place anyway. They're heading there on Wednesday afternoon, after which I'll be heading up to Fredericton to see my sister and my sweetie, and hopefully Tirexl, whom I haven't seen for a while. I'm hoping to see Jenn soon-ish too, now that she's back in town.
I have to get the boys' stuff all ready to go, which shouldn't be too hard, since they have a litter pan and stuff where they're headed. I need to clean the fishtank and figure out exactly when we're coming back, and if I'll need someone to stop in and feed them before we do get back. Quite likely. They can go a couple of days, and have gone longer when the fiancé was left in charge, but I don't know that it's really good for them to do so. Must get this place cleaned up a bit, because coming home to a messy house is never fun when you've been away. I think that's it though. Shopping is done, wrapping is done except for my Grannie's present, which is large and can wait for now to be wrapped.
What last-minute things do you have to take care of in the next...4 days? I say 4, not 5, becuase in 5 it's actually Christmas, and there's not much you can do then, except open presents and eat lots.
just kidding.
So far, I've gotten up about half an hour later than I usually do on a Monday morning, to go to a dentist appointment I had completely forgotten about. Then, I went to the clinic to have some blood work done, which involved me waiting in line, then drinking something really sweet and gross, and then waiting for another hour, and then having my blood taken. Good times. I stopped in at Superstore to get some kitty litter and enough food to get me through the next 3 days. The boys will be spending their holiday with the almost-in-laws, as they have the past few years. They could, technically, spend it at my parents' place this year, since they're so much closer than previous years, but we'll only actually be there for a few days, and the a-i-ls' place is much close, and we'll be heading there after my parents' place anyway. They're heading there on Wednesday afternoon, after which I'll be heading up to Fredericton to see my sister and my sweetie, and hopefully Tirexl, whom I haven't seen for a while. I'm hoping to see Jenn soon-ish too, now that she's back in town.
I have to get the boys' stuff all ready to go, which shouldn't be too hard, since they have a litter pan and stuff where they're headed. I need to clean the fishtank and figure out exactly when we're coming back, and if I'll need someone to stop in and feed them before we do get back. Quite likely. They can go a couple of days, and have gone longer when the fiancé was left in charge, but I don't know that it's really good for them to do so. Must get this place cleaned up a bit, because coming home to a messy house is never fun when you've been away. I think that's it though. Shopping is done, wrapping is done except for my Grannie's present, which is large and can wait for now to be wrapped.
What last-minute things do you have to take care of in the next...4 days? I say 4, not 5, becuase in 5 it's actually Christmas, and there's not much you can do then, except open presents and eat lots.
Wednesday, December 15
so close
almost break time. I'm very excited. Actually, I'm very tired. I'm done my shopping, my gifts are wrapped, I even have a tree up, with lights but no ornaments. Why? Because I don't have any ornaments. I didn't mean to get a tree, I meant to get a wreath. They didn't have any wreaths, so I got sold into buying a tree. It's nice, smells good and whatnot, and the cats haven't peed on it or climbed it or anything, and it looks pretty with the lights on, so I guess it's good overall.
I have a test tomorrow for one of my classes, and I have some none-too-challenging work for my 9s, novel questions and some holiday related stuff. Friday I'm anticipating to be a total write-off. The Christmas semi-formal is tomorrow night, I'm chaperoning the 1st half. It goes until 11, and apparently basically everyone goes out to eat and / or drink afterward. Now, I would have had to go to school the next day, but kids seem to get to do basically whatever they want, for the most part. That, combined with the fact that all Friday afternoon is an assembly, leads me to believe that there will not be much accomplished that day. It's too bad really. We could end school whenever, but as soon as you get down to the last few days before break, the kids just go into holiday mode. They're like, why don't we just cancel school on Friday? Nobody's coming anyway! Well, for one, people are coming, some students have responsible parents, believe it or not. And for two, if we cancelled Friday, then Thursday would be the last day before vacation, and it would be just like Friday. They don't really get it, but whatever. So, tomorrow is Friday, in some ways. But, not in the way that you get to sleep in the next day because it's the weekend. Because it's not really Friday.
I made cookies tonight. It took me a while, because I kept getting distracted. I put lights on the tree, talked to my parents, sent a birthday card to the fiancés brother. Did eventually make cookies, and they're tasty. Now, cookies made, I think I have to go to bed. I even made my lunch for tomorrow. Go me!
I have a test tomorrow for one of my classes, and I have some none-too-challenging work for my 9s, novel questions and some holiday related stuff. Friday I'm anticipating to be a total write-off. The Christmas semi-formal is tomorrow night, I'm chaperoning the 1st half. It goes until 11, and apparently basically everyone goes out to eat and / or drink afterward. Now, I would have had to go to school the next day, but kids seem to get to do basically whatever they want, for the most part. That, combined with the fact that all Friday afternoon is an assembly, leads me to believe that there will not be much accomplished that day. It's too bad really. We could end school whenever, but as soon as you get down to the last few days before break, the kids just go into holiday mode. They're like, why don't we just cancel school on Friday? Nobody's coming anyway! Well, for one, people are coming, some students have responsible parents, believe it or not. And for two, if we cancelled Friday, then Thursday would be the last day before vacation, and it would be just like Friday. They don't really get it, but whatever. So, tomorrow is Friday, in some ways. But, not in the way that you get to sleep in the next day because it's the weekend. Because it's not really Friday.
I made cookies tonight. It took me a while, because I kept getting distracted. I put lights on the tree, talked to my parents, sent a birthday card to the fiancés brother. Did eventually make cookies, and they're tasty. Now, cookies made, I think I have to go to bed. I even made my lunch for tomorrow. Go me!
Tuesday, December 14
Darwin Awards
It's one of those things that isn't really funny, but really is...
Hard to believe, but another year has passed. Once again, it is time for the Darwin Award Nominees. The Darwins are awarded every year to the persons who died in the most stupid manner, thereby removing themselves from the gene pool. This year's nine nominees are:
Nominee No. 1: [San Jose Mercury News]:
An unidentified man, using a shotgun like a club to break a former girlfriend's windshield, accidentally shot himself to death when the gun discharged, blowing a hole in his gut.
Nominee No. 2: [Kalamazoo Gazette]:
James Burns, 34, (a mechanic) of Alamo, MI, was killed in March as he was trying to repair what police describe as a "farm-type truck." Burns got a friend to drive the truck on a highway while Burns hung underneath so that he could ascertain the source of a noise. Burns' clothes caught on something, however, and the other man found Burns "wrapped in the drive shaft."
Nominee No. 3: [Hickory Daily Record]:
Ken Charles Barger, 47, accidentally shot himself to death in December in Newton, NC. Awakening to the sound of a ringing telephone beside his bed, he reached for the phone but grabbed instead a Smith & Wesson 38 Special, which discharged when he drew it to his ear. (For whatever reason, residents of Southern states always seem to figure prominently among the Darwin nominees.)
Nominee No. 4: [UPI, Toronto]:
Police said a lawyer demonstrating the safety of windows in a downtown Toronto skyscraper crashed through a pane with his shoulder and plunged 24 floors to his death. A police spokesman said Garry Hoy, 39, fell into the courtyard of the Toronto Dominion Bank Tower early Friday evening as he was explaining the strength of the building's windows to visiting law students. Hoy previously has conducted demonstrations of window strength according to police reports. Peter Lawson, managing partner of the firm Holden Day, told the Toronto Sun newspaper that Hoy was "one of the best and brightest" members of the 200-man association.
Nominee No. 5: [Bloomberg News Service]:
A terrible diet and a room with no ventilation are being blamed for the death of a man who was killed by his own gas emissions. There was no mark on his body, and an autopsy showed large amounts of methane gas in his system. His diet had consisted primarily of beans and cabbage (and a couple of other things). It was just the right combination of foods. It appears that the man died in his sleep from breathing the poisonous cloud that was hanging over his bed. Had he been outside or had his windows been opened, it wouldn't have been fatal. But the man was shut up in his nearly airtight bedroom. According to the article, "He was a big man with a huge capacity for creating "this deadly gas" Three of the rescuers got sick, and one was hospitalized.
Nominee No. 6: [The News of the Weird]:
Michael Anderson Godwin made News of the Weird posthumously. He had spent several years awaiting South Carolina's electric chair on a murder conviction before having his sentence reduced to life in prison. While sitting on a metal toilet in his cell attempting to fix his small TV set, he bit into a wire and was electrocuted.
Nominee No. 7: [The Indianapolis Star]:
A cigarette lighter may have triggered a fatal explosion in Dunkirk, IN. A Jay County man, using a cigarette lighter to check the barrel of a muzzleloader, was killed Monday night when the weapon discharged in his face, sheriff's investigators said. Gregory David Pryor, 19, died in his parents' rural Dunkirk home at about 11:30 PM. Investigators said Pryor was cleaning a 54-caliber muzzleloader that had not been firing properly. He was using the lighter to look into the barrel when the gunpowder ignited.
Nominee No. 8: [Reuters, Mississauga, Ontario]:
A man cleaning a bird feeder on the balcony of his condominium apartment in this Toronto suburb slipped and fell 23 stories to his death. Stefan Macko, 55, was standing on a wheeled chair when the accident occurred, said Inspector D'Arcy Honer of the Peel Regional Police. "It appears that the chair moved, and he went over the balcony," Honer said.
Finally, THE WINNER!!!: [Arkansas Democrat Gazette]:
Two local men were injured when their pickup truck left the road and struck a tree near Cotton Patch on State Highway 38 early Monday. Woodruff County deputy Dovey Snyder reported the accident shortly after midnight Monday. Thurston Poole, 33, of Des Arc, and Billy Ray Wallis, 38, of Little Rock, were returning to Des Arc after a frog gigging trip on an overcast Sunday night when Poole's pickup truck headlights malfunctioned.
The two men concluded that the headlight fuse on the older-model truck had burned out. As a replacement fuse was not available, Wallis noticed that the .22 caliber bullet from his pistol fit perfectly into the fuse box next to the steering-wheel column. Upon inserting the bullet the headlights again began to operate properly, and the two men proceeded on eastbound toward the White River Bridge.
After traveling approximately 20 miles, and just before crossing the river, the bullet apparently overheated, discharged, and struck Poole in the testicles.
The vehicle swerved sharply right, exiting the pavement, and striking a tree. Poole suffered only minor cuts and abrasions from the accident, but will require extensive surgery to repair the damage to his testicles, which will never operate as intended. Wallis sustained a broken clavicle and was treated and released. "Thank God we weren't on that bridge when Thurston shot his balls off, or we might both be dead," stated Wallis. "I've been a trooper for 10 years in this part of the world, but this is a first for me. I can't believe that those two would admit how this accident happened," said Snyder. Upon being notified of the wreck, Lavinia (Poole's wife) asked how many frogs the boys had caught and did anyone get them from the truck???
(Though Poole and Wallis did not die as a result of their misadventure as normally required by Darwin Award Official Rules, it can be argued that Poole DID, in fact, effectively remove himself from the gene pool). "People are not stupid... They just have a different knowledge base"
Hard to believe, but another year has passed. Once again, it is time for the Darwin Award Nominees. The Darwins are awarded every year to the persons who died in the most stupid manner, thereby removing themselves from the gene pool. This year's nine nominees are:
Nominee No. 1: [San Jose Mercury News]:
An unidentified man, using a shotgun like a club to break a former girlfriend's windshield, accidentally shot himself to death when the gun discharged, blowing a hole in his gut.
Nominee No. 2: [Kalamazoo Gazette]:
James Burns, 34, (a mechanic) of Alamo, MI, was killed in March as he was trying to repair what police describe as a "farm-type truck." Burns got a friend to drive the truck on a highway while Burns hung underneath so that he could ascertain the source of a noise. Burns' clothes caught on something, however, and the other man found Burns "wrapped in the drive shaft."
Nominee No. 3: [Hickory Daily Record]:
Ken Charles Barger, 47, accidentally shot himself to death in December in Newton, NC. Awakening to the sound of a ringing telephone beside his bed, he reached for the phone but grabbed instead a Smith & Wesson 38 Special, which discharged when he drew it to his ear. (For whatever reason, residents of Southern states always seem to figure prominently among the Darwin nominees.)
Nominee No. 4: [UPI, Toronto]:
Police said a lawyer demonstrating the safety of windows in a downtown Toronto skyscraper crashed through a pane with his shoulder and plunged 24 floors to his death. A police spokesman said Garry Hoy, 39, fell into the courtyard of the Toronto Dominion Bank Tower early Friday evening as he was explaining the strength of the building's windows to visiting law students. Hoy previously has conducted demonstrations of window strength according to police reports. Peter Lawson, managing partner of the firm Holden Day, told the Toronto Sun newspaper that Hoy was "one of the best and brightest" members of the 200-man association.
Nominee No. 5: [Bloomberg News Service]:
A terrible diet and a room with no ventilation are being blamed for the death of a man who was killed by his own gas emissions. There was no mark on his body, and an autopsy showed large amounts of methane gas in his system. His diet had consisted primarily of beans and cabbage (and a couple of other things). It was just the right combination of foods. It appears that the man died in his sleep from breathing the poisonous cloud that was hanging over his bed. Had he been outside or had his windows been opened, it wouldn't have been fatal. But the man was shut up in his nearly airtight bedroom. According to the article, "He was a big man with a huge capacity for creating "this deadly gas" Three of the rescuers got sick, and one was hospitalized.
Nominee No. 6: [The News of the Weird]:
Michael Anderson Godwin made News of the Weird posthumously. He had spent several years awaiting South Carolina's electric chair on a murder conviction before having his sentence reduced to life in prison. While sitting on a metal toilet in his cell attempting to fix his small TV set, he bit into a wire and was electrocuted.
Nominee No. 7: [The Indianapolis Star]:
A cigarette lighter may have triggered a fatal explosion in Dunkirk, IN. A Jay County man, using a cigarette lighter to check the barrel of a muzzleloader, was killed Monday night when the weapon discharged in his face, sheriff's investigators said. Gregory David Pryor, 19, died in his parents' rural Dunkirk home at about 11:30 PM. Investigators said Pryor was cleaning a 54-caliber muzzleloader that had not been firing properly. He was using the lighter to look into the barrel when the gunpowder ignited.
Nominee No. 8: [Reuters, Mississauga, Ontario]:
A man cleaning a bird feeder on the balcony of his condominium apartment in this Toronto suburb slipped and fell 23 stories to his death. Stefan Macko, 55, was standing on a wheeled chair when the accident occurred, said Inspector D'Arcy Honer of the Peel Regional Police. "It appears that the chair moved, and he went over the balcony," Honer said.
Finally, THE WINNER!!!: [Arkansas Democrat Gazette]:
Two local men were injured when their pickup truck left the road and struck a tree near Cotton Patch on State Highway 38 early Monday. Woodruff County deputy Dovey Snyder reported the accident shortly after midnight Monday. Thurston Poole, 33, of Des Arc, and Billy Ray Wallis, 38, of Little Rock, were returning to Des Arc after a frog gigging trip on an overcast Sunday night when Poole's pickup truck headlights malfunctioned.
The two men concluded that the headlight fuse on the older-model truck had burned out. As a replacement fuse was not available, Wallis noticed that the .22 caliber bullet from his pistol fit perfectly into the fuse box next to the steering-wheel column. Upon inserting the bullet the headlights again began to operate properly, and the two men proceeded on eastbound toward the White River Bridge.
After traveling approximately 20 miles, and just before crossing the river, the bullet apparently overheated, discharged, and struck Poole in the testicles.
The vehicle swerved sharply right, exiting the pavement, and striking a tree. Poole suffered only minor cuts and abrasions from the accident, but will require extensive surgery to repair the damage to his testicles, which will never operate as intended. Wallis sustained a broken clavicle and was treated and released. "Thank God we weren't on that bridge when Thurston shot his balls off, or we might both be dead," stated Wallis. "I've been a trooper for 10 years in this part of the world, but this is a first for me. I can't believe that those two would admit how this accident happened," said Snyder. Upon being notified of the wreck, Lavinia (Poole's wife) asked how many frogs the boys had caught and did anyone get them from the truck???
(Though Poole and Wallis did not die as a result of their misadventure as normally required by Darwin Award Official Rules, it can be argued that Poole DID, in fact, effectively remove himself from the gene pool). "People are not stupid... They just have a different knowledge base"
Monday, December 13
survey time
due to recent events, I'm forced to consider my opinion on the death penalty. I'm just really not sure. There are a lot of faults with the system, for sure. In the article linked above there, you'll see what I mean.
"California's death row has grown to house about 650 condemned men and women since the state brought back capital punishment in 1978. Since then, only 10 executions have been carried out — the last one in 2002. It can take years for even the first phase of the appeals process to begin."
It seems kind of stupid to maintain a system which is intended to kill people but that doesn't, really. I think that life (literally meaning life, not 25 years) without the possibility of parole is a pretty decent punishment. Killing someone as punishment seems a bit eye-for-an-eye, old fashioned, perhaps barbaric. I know this is simplifying to the extreme, but is it not a bit strange to say to a child, 'do not hit your sister, no hitting!' as you smack said child? Sends a bit of a mixed message, no? Back to the killing people though, I think maybe they should just be locked up somewhere with only their basic human survival needs being met, and they should live that way for the rest of their lives. No free education, no weight training, no tv. If you're committed of a crime for which there is no seeming rehabilitation available, then you just get locked up, and the key is destroyed, and that's the end. I briefly thought that perhaps you should die in the way that you killed people, but that would never get past congress. As you can see, my opinion changes, but I think I feel now, and of course my opinion would quite possibly change if I were to ever find myself in a situation like Laci's family, that I might quite possibly want the satisfaction of knowing my daughter's murderer was no longer a breathing member of society...but I think as it stands now, I vote for life in a non-luxury jail cell.
Also, how would you ever know the person was guilty, for sure. You can go with the evidence, and especially now with all the high-tech DNA stuff and whatnot, it's pretty accurate. There have been quite a few convicted murderers on death row released due to new techniques and re-examining the evidence. Who's to say that in 15 years we won't have something else that totally outdates the stuff we have now, that may even prove what we're doing isn't all that accurate? How do you know? Should we just trust the evidence and the juries and judges and fry the bastards / inject them with deadly things? I just don't know. I think maybe that's one of my main issues with the death penalty. Surely the gross majority of convicted death-rowers are guilty, for real and for sure. But what about that one person who isn't? For whom there was enough evidence and just not enough of an alibi?
What do you think?
"California's death row has grown to house about 650 condemned men and women since the state brought back capital punishment in 1978. Since then, only 10 executions have been carried out — the last one in 2002. It can take years for even the first phase of the appeals process to begin."
It seems kind of stupid to maintain a system which is intended to kill people but that doesn't, really. I think that life (literally meaning life, not 25 years) without the possibility of parole is a pretty decent punishment. Killing someone as punishment seems a bit eye-for-an-eye, old fashioned, perhaps barbaric. I know this is simplifying to the extreme, but is it not a bit strange to say to a child, 'do not hit your sister, no hitting!' as you smack said child? Sends a bit of a mixed message, no? Back to the killing people though, I think maybe they should just be locked up somewhere with only their basic human survival needs being met, and they should live that way for the rest of their lives. No free education, no weight training, no tv. If you're committed of a crime for which there is no seeming rehabilitation available, then you just get locked up, and the key is destroyed, and that's the end. I briefly thought that perhaps you should die in the way that you killed people, but that would never get past congress. As you can see, my opinion changes, but I think I feel now, and of course my opinion would quite possibly change if I were to ever find myself in a situation like Laci's family, that I might quite possibly want the satisfaction of knowing my daughter's murderer was no longer a breathing member of society...but I think as it stands now, I vote for life in a non-luxury jail cell.
Also, how would you ever know the person was guilty, for sure. You can go with the evidence, and especially now with all the high-tech DNA stuff and whatnot, it's pretty accurate. There have been quite a few convicted murderers on death row released due to new techniques and re-examining the evidence. Who's to say that in 15 years we won't have something else that totally outdates the stuff we have now, that may even prove what we're doing isn't all that accurate? How do you know? Should we just trust the evidence and the juries and judges and fry the bastards / inject them with deadly things? I just don't know. I think maybe that's one of my main issues with the death penalty. Surely the gross majority of convicted death-rowers are guilty, for real and for sure. But what about that one person who isn't? For whom there was enough evidence and just not enough of an alibi?
What do you think?
Thursday, December 9
snow day, snow day, la la la
I didn't blog about it yesterday for fear of being lynched by all you non-snowday blessed readers. Today, I gloat. It was fantastic. I have to say, Wednesday is the best possible day to have a snow day, because it's a little mini-weekend right in the middle of your week. I worked one day, and it's Friday tomorrow! Sweet. I went out with 2 friends, got a couple of tops at Thyme and some conditioner. Not a horribly productive trip, but enjoyable nonetheless. I'm really really almost done my shopping, I need one more thing for my dad, and then I think I'll call it a day. I have this problem where when I go shopping, I buy too much. And usually a little something for myself. It's problematic lately, because I can actually justify buying clothes, since my current wardrobe is limited. I got myself a blouse, a shirt, and 2 ponchos. I have to say, I am *loving* the ponchos. I wore one today, and it kept me surprisingly warm, and I felt totally rockin in it. I received several compliments from students and co-workers. Also, I matched really well today, which probably helped. I never pictured myself as a poncho person, and I don't know that non-preggo me will be, but preggo me is diggin it.
I gave my 113s back their photo essay projects today. I've had them for a month, so it was time. I just marked them though, haha. Anyway, one guy lost 30% (3 days late, 10% a day) so only got a 66% when he really earned 96%. I had another guy who got a 60% because he really didn't follow the project guidelines at all. They both told me they were never doing another project, since it's just not worth it. I told them that quite the opposite, if you do things on time, and follow directions, you'll generally do quite well. They disagreed, so I said, yes, you're right, I should just let you hand things in whenever you want to and give you 100% regardless of effort or quality of product. That would be better. I'm just a big meanie. That at least got a smile out of one guy. The other guy (kind of an odd duck, really) said he wasn't doing any more work, and when I told him he'd have to leave the class if he refused to do work, he said "it would be a blessing to get out of this dump". That went over well. He had a chat with me and then with the vp. Good times.
Now, I must get myself some supper, quickly, before I succumb to the beckoning call of the golden arches...
I gave my 113s back their photo essay projects today. I've had them for a month, so it was time. I just marked them though, haha. Anyway, one guy lost 30% (3 days late, 10% a day) so only got a 66% when he really earned 96%. I had another guy who got a 60% because he really didn't follow the project guidelines at all. They both told me they were never doing another project, since it's just not worth it. I told them that quite the opposite, if you do things on time, and follow directions, you'll generally do quite well. They disagreed, so I said, yes, you're right, I should just let you hand things in whenever you want to and give you 100% regardless of effort or quality of product. That would be better. I'm just a big meanie. That at least got a smile out of one guy. The other guy (kind of an odd duck, really) said he wasn't doing any more work, and when I told him he'd have to leave the class if he refused to do work, he said "it would be a blessing to get out of this dump". That went over well. He had a chat with me and then with the vp. Good times.
Now, I must get myself some supper, quickly, before I succumb to the beckoning call of the golden arches...
Monday, December 6
holiday tips
via Trinity.
1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-aholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.
8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labour Day?
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.
10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Reread all tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.
1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-aholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.
8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labour Day?
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.
10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Reread all tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.
time flies, even if you're not really having fun
weird eh? I have 8.5 days of class left, since tomorrow I have the morning off for an appointment. My 11 class was like, you miss more time than we do! (which is funny, because they miss a lot of time, because they hate school, and also completely inaccurate; I only miss .5 days per month, plus one morning when we did the school matinee of our play). Anyway, I don't really give a shit. I'm getting much better at leaving lesson plans, which is good, because it really shouldn't be more work to take a day off than to go in and work yourself. Tomorrow, and for the next week, my 11s are working on a project for the novel Hunter in the Dark. I must say, I was pretty impressed with myself, because I could not find a blessed thing to help me teach that book. I had chapter questions, that's it. I made up a project with 5 choices, and I think there's something that appeals, as much as possible, to everyone. My 9s and I are working our way through The Outsiders, which is taking a pretty long time. I'm going to pick up the pace a bit and see if we can't get mostly done before the break. There are 5 chapters left, we should be able to do 2-3, I just have to speed them up and stop doing the stupid activities along the way. I have some good projects for them to do too, but we have to get through the friggin book first. As for the last day, we have an assembly all afternoon, but 3/4 of my classes are in the morning, so I'm just sort of hoping nobody shows up. We'll do something marginally relevant but holiday themed. It's a problem, because kids don't come because we don't do anything because kids don't come. See how it works?
I've got a good start on my shopping, I'm mostly done I think. I have to get some things for my dad, he's hard to shop for because he gives no hints other than socks, which really, he can only use so many of. I have a couple of ideas though, so I should be alright. Other than that, I'm pretty much done family. Friends are going to get warm wishes and hugs and cards I think, because I have about 40 cents in my bank account. This mastercard statement should be interesting.
On that note, we're not buying a house. It's just too much, and we have enough stress going on in every other area in our lives. Now, however, we have to find a nice, 2+ bedroom apartment that takes cats, and babies, and has laundry. Good luck to us! Oh, and that doesn't cost $1000 a month. If anyone knows of any, please pass that info along. Any time between now and March is good. I emailed our old landlord in Fredericton, but he has nothing for us. He was good enough to forward my letter on to a real estate rental guy, who is clearly an idiot, and sent me a link to a 2 bedroom that does not take pets and has no laundry. Useful. So we won't be getting in touch with him. Most of his other stuff is giant apartment buildings anyway, which suck.
ok, I'm done.
I've got a good start on my shopping, I'm mostly done I think. I have to get some things for my dad, he's hard to shop for because he gives no hints other than socks, which really, he can only use so many of. I have a couple of ideas though, so I should be alright. Other than that, I'm pretty much done family. Friends are going to get warm wishes and hugs and cards I think, because I have about 40 cents in my bank account. This mastercard statement should be interesting.
On that note, we're not buying a house. It's just too much, and we have enough stress going on in every other area in our lives. Now, however, we have to find a nice, 2+ bedroom apartment that takes cats, and babies, and has laundry. Good luck to us! Oh, and that doesn't cost $1000 a month. If anyone knows of any, please pass that info along. Any time between now and March is good. I emailed our old landlord in Fredericton, but he has nothing for us. He was good enough to forward my letter on to a real estate rental guy, who is clearly an idiot, and sent me a link to a 2 bedroom that does not take pets and has no laundry. Useful. So we won't be getting in touch with him. Most of his other stuff is giant apartment buildings anyway, which suck.
ok, I'm done.
Monday, November 29
who needs power?
me. I do. You know what's annoying? Waking up to no power. Thus your alarm has not gone off, thus you find yourself with approximately 30 minutes in which to get clean, fed, and to work on time. Good luck. I was mostly clean, and semi-fed, and only a few minutes late, so I figure I did well. Turns out the school lost power early this morning too, and we almost had a holiday. That would have been a fantastic way to start the week! As it was, I had super rush this morning, and then, for the first time *ever*, forgot to put the emergency brake on in my car, and it started to roll away when I got out (and had of course locked the door). Luckily, the slope was not steep, so I was able to stop it with my enormous bulk, and get in to put the brake on. And yeah, p.s., the giant alien baby is adding significantly to my enormous bulk. I'm curious to see what my dr. is going to say the next time I go in. Although, my other preggo friend says she gained like 7 lbs in the last week, so I feel pretty good about myself, because I don't feel like I'm gaining weight, and have no scale to make me feel otherwise. I'm definitely gaining girth though. Good times.
In other news, the play is done. It was great, we had fun for the most part, it went well, but I'm awfully glad it's over. I have marking from like a month ago that I haven't gotten to yet, so I don't quite get my life back, but I can at least put off marking. Rehearsals pretty much have to be when they're scheduled for.
Has anyone seen the new cheese commercials? They're like perfume ads, and they're a little creepy. "Gouda, for her". People have too much time on their hands.
In other news, the play is done. It was great, we had fun for the most part, it went well, but I'm awfully glad it's over. I have marking from like a month ago that I haven't gotten to yet, so I don't quite get my life back, but I can at least put off marking. Rehearsals pretty much have to be when they're scheduled for.
Has anyone seen the new cheese commercials? They're like perfume ads, and they're a little creepy. "Gouda, for her". People have too much time on their hands.
Wednesday, November 24
Tuesday, November 16
it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
seriously though. We had our first big snow this weekend, and it was great here, because I didn't have to go anywhere. Elsewhere, not so pretty. My parents lost power and had about 2 feet of snow in their driveway and a plow that wouldn't work. Snow though, I love it. It makes me think of cuddling up and being with family and all that other Christmassy stuff. And missing school. Mmmm..snow days. No 'teachers have such an easy job' comments please, I've about had it with those. You all are annoying, and until you have been / lived with a teacher, you just don't understand. Anyway, I got enough marking done to put together term 1 marks, and got all those badboys bubbled in last night, to hand in this morning. I got to come home today at like 4:15, which is early compared to when I have been / will be coming home recently / for the next while. Rehearsals are going like mad, we start our show next Wednesday with a matinee, and we have a lot to do before then. Come on down / up and see it! Or not, totally your call. I've updated the gift blog a bit, and will continue to do so, if you're so inclined to visit it. It's over on yonder sidebar.
some musical entertainment for you. Oh, yeah, obviously, the site has music playing, consider yourself warned. I have the other 2 cds, they're pretty good, so will probably end up getting this one too.
That's all my news. I want to go to a movie or something tonight, because I can. Shall We Dance is still playing, and I'm pretty sure the fiancé won't mind if I see that one without him.
some musical entertainment for you. Oh, yeah, obviously, the site has music playing, consider yourself warned. I have the other 2 cds, they're pretty good, so will probably end up getting this one too.
That's all my news. I want to go to a movie or something tonight, because I can. Shall We Dance is still playing, and I'm pretty sure the fiancé won't mind if I see that one without him.
Tuesday, November 9
too cute, and helpful too!
click
every time somebody 'pulls on the rope', Avon donates 10 cents to breast cancer research. Go, click, ya lazy bum! And tell your friends to do the same!
every time somebody 'pulls on the rope', Avon donates 10 cents to breast cancer research. Go, click, ya lazy bum! And tell your friends to do the same!
Monday, November 8
*sigh*
so much to do. I have this really strange habit where, when I get really overwhelmed with stuff that needs to be done, I just freeze up and do nothing. I think that maybe if I ignore it, it will all go away? It won't, that's just stupid. But, so what am I doing? Marking? No. Organising shit for the play? No. I'm blogging. I'm looking at houses online. I'm looking at pictures from my uncle's wedding this weekend, which was fantastic, and trying to figure out if maybe I'll do up a website for them instead of emailing the pictures all over the place. This is a short week, and even we teachers get Remembrance Day off, but we have a PD thing on Friday, the big provincial dealie. Might go up to Freddy to look at houses Saturday, and then have rehearsal on Sunday. Also, all of our term marks are due in by Wednesday, which would just be hilarious if it didn't make me want to cry. Then again, most things make me want to cry lately, so I shouldn't be surprised.
I should really go mark.
I should really go mark.
Thursday, November 4
detes
frig, when you guys want something, you really want eh?
the detes, for those of you into this sort of thing: white gold, 0.41ct Canadian Diamond. mmm, sparkly!
I had gone out to supper with some teacher friends Friday after our PD session, to recover from the marathon of PD and Parent Teacher interviews. We had fun, I had a virgin daquiri, which wasn't very good because at Don Cherry's they use mixes for nearly all their drinks. FYI, Mexi's and Boomerang's make superb non-alcoholic drinks. Anyway, so one of my teacher friends was not drinking the non-alcoholic drinks, so needed to walk around a bit before heading home. Fair enough, I want to go to WalMart, and she suggests we also go ring shopping. She's already engaged, and I don't really think I need to ring shop, but what the hell better do I have to do? So fine, we go to Charm, and they actually have a few nice rings. This is unusual, because ususally jewellery stores only have one or two nice rings and then a bunch of big gaudy ones. So fine, I buy nothing anywhere and come home, the boy gets home about 10 minutes later. We chat for a bit, then he's in the bedroom getting his stuff unpacked and such for the weekend. I mention, in telling about my day, that I went ring shopping, and that Charm had a few really nice rings. He's like, oh, really? Yes, weird eh? He's in the room for another couple of seconds, then comes out and is standing behind me, I'm sitting on the couch, and he says, but were they as nice as this? and is holding a box with The Ring in it. I have to say, my immediate reaction was like, 'what are you doing??' because I just wasn't expecting that. I laughed, we kissed, I put on the ring, blah blah blah. Then later the boy, henceforth to be referred to as the fiancé, says 'did I actually ask you?' I say no, I don't think you did. So he says 'ok then, do you want to get married?' I say hmmm, yeah ok. haha.
So, there's your story, it very much fits us, I think.
And now, today I go for my ultrasound to see if I'm having 4 babies. Wish me luck!
the detes, for those of you into this sort of thing: white gold, 0.41ct Canadian Diamond. mmm, sparkly!
I had gone out to supper with some teacher friends Friday after our PD session, to recover from the marathon of PD and Parent Teacher interviews. We had fun, I had a virgin daquiri, which wasn't very good because at Don Cherry's they use mixes for nearly all their drinks. FYI, Mexi's and Boomerang's make superb non-alcoholic drinks. Anyway, so one of my teacher friends was not drinking the non-alcoholic drinks, so needed to walk around a bit before heading home. Fair enough, I want to go to WalMart, and she suggests we also go ring shopping. She's already engaged, and I don't really think I need to ring shop, but what the hell better do I have to do? So fine, we go to Charm, and they actually have a few nice rings. This is unusual, because ususally jewellery stores only have one or two nice rings and then a bunch of big gaudy ones. So fine, I buy nothing anywhere and come home, the boy gets home about 10 minutes later. We chat for a bit, then he's in the bedroom getting his stuff unpacked and such for the weekend. I mention, in telling about my day, that I went ring shopping, and that Charm had a few really nice rings. He's like, oh, really? Yes, weird eh? He's in the room for another couple of seconds, then comes out and is standing behind me, I'm sitting on the couch, and he says, but were they as nice as this? and is holding a box with The Ring in it. I have to say, my immediate reaction was like, 'what are you doing??' because I just wasn't expecting that. I laughed, we kissed, I put on the ring, blah blah blah. Then later the boy, henceforth to be referred to as the fiancé, says 'did I actually ask you?' I say no, I don't think you did. So he says 'ok then, do you want to get married?' I say hmmm, yeah ok. haha.
So, there's your story, it very much fits us, I think.
And now, today I go for my ultrasound to see if I'm having 4 babies. Wish me luck!
Sunday, October 31
boo!
Happy Halloween!
That's basically all I have to say. Nothing new going on, still busy as heck. Oh, yeah, and I got engaged. wooh!
seriously though, that's it.
That's basically all I have to say. Nothing new going on, still busy as heck. Oh, yeah, and I got engaged. wooh!
seriously though, that's it.
Tuesday, October 26
things I hate
waking up 5 minutes before the alarm.
parent teacher interviews when I'm not teaching art, and people are actually going to want to talk to me.
that my fish tank gets dirty so quickly. it's a trade-off, the algae eater keeps the sides clean, but produces an inordinate amount of poo.
realising only after I am all cosied up in my pjs that it is garbage night, and having to get all that shit together and take it outside before I can go to bed.
edit: also, when I put a banana in my lunch, and it makes everything not in good tupperware containers smell and taste like bananas. Why is that? What makes the banana so powerful?
parent teacher interviews when I'm not teaching art, and people are actually going to want to talk to me.
that my fish tank gets dirty so quickly. it's a trade-off, the algae eater keeps the sides clean, but produces an inordinate amount of poo.
realising only after I am all cosied up in my pjs that it is garbage night, and having to get all that shit together and take it outside before I can go to bed.
edit: also, when I put a banana in my lunch, and it makes everything not in good tupperware containers smell and taste like bananas. Why is that? What makes the banana so powerful?
Monday, October 25
phewf
so busy!
I have just been running around like the proverbial headless chicken, getting things going for the play, trying to get done the roughly 1 358 239 things I have to get done by Wednesday for parent teacher interviews. So much to mark, so little time! It's true, it's mainly my own fault. I hate marking, and thus tend to put it off as long as possible. It's now been as long as possible, so, here we go. The only good news in all this is that it's a short class week, only 3 days, with Thursday going half to P-T interviews and half to PD, and Friday entirely for 'curriculum support' PD. Works for me.
I've been up to not much otherwise, trying to find some new and not too expensive clothes to fit into and wondering why none of my students has said anything about my completely popped out belly. It's intriguing. I'm not sure that I would have said anything to a teacher either, but I thought that maybe one of my somewhat, shall we say 'lacking in social graces' 11s might comment, or one of my theatre / musical kids might notice. I think it's more fun for me just not to say anything. Most of them probably won't even notice for a while, even though it's really quite noticeable.
Went up to Freddy for the weekend to see the boy and my sister, had a lovely dinner with the boy on Friday night at Luna, consisting of enough food and garlic to feed and ward off an entire family of vampires, and then a homemade supper of some kind of tasty but unknown meat at my sister's place on Saturday night. It's fun to live dangerously. We also went to see 2, count 'em, 2 movies. We're wild, it's true. We saw Friday Night Lights on Friday, suitably enough, and it was pretty good. Better than say, Varsity Blues, but with no whipped cream bikini, so I guess 'better' depends on what you look for in a football movie. Billy Bob did a great job of playing a normal guy, which I have a feeling is a stretch for him. We also saw Team America: World Police . Really funny, yes. Horribly offensive, yes. Offensive to Canadians, no! Sweet. I'm wondering how the Americans are feeling about it though, and the actors portrayed as puppets non-too-favourably. Drop me a line if you fall in to either of those categories.
That's basically been all the excitement in my life since I last posted. More detail about the preggo stuff on the preggo blog, again, leave me a note if you want to read it, I'm not going to post the link for all on the main page here. I've also had a cold for about a month and a half. It keeps going away, sort of, and then coming back with a vengeance as something new and less fun. It's right now camped out in my throat / chest / nose. I can only take stuff for the coughing, so it's getting mighty old mighty fast to have symptoms that I would normally just blitz with some Advil Cold and Sinus or an extra strength NeoCitrin. mmm...lemony.
I'm off to make supper and mark. wooh!
I have just been running around like the proverbial headless chicken, getting things going for the play, trying to get done the roughly 1 358 239 things I have to get done by Wednesday for parent teacher interviews. So much to mark, so little time! It's true, it's mainly my own fault. I hate marking, and thus tend to put it off as long as possible. It's now been as long as possible, so, here we go. The only good news in all this is that it's a short class week, only 3 days, with Thursday going half to P-T interviews and half to PD, and Friday entirely for 'curriculum support' PD. Works for me.
I've been up to not much otherwise, trying to find some new and not too expensive clothes to fit into and wondering why none of my students has said anything about my completely popped out belly. It's intriguing. I'm not sure that I would have said anything to a teacher either, but I thought that maybe one of my somewhat, shall we say 'lacking in social graces' 11s might comment, or one of my theatre / musical kids might notice. I think it's more fun for me just not to say anything. Most of them probably won't even notice for a while, even though it's really quite noticeable.
Went up to Freddy for the weekend to see the boy and my sister, had a lovely dinner with the boy on Friday night at Luna, consisting of enough food and garlic to feed and ward off an entire family of vampires, and then a homemade supper of some kind of tasty but unknown meat at my sister's place on Saturday night. It's fun to live dangerously. We also went to see 2, count 'em, 2 movies. We're wild, it's true. We saw Friday Night Lights on Friday, suitably enough, and it was pretty good. Better than say, Varsity Blues, but with no whipped cream bikini, so I guess 'better' depends on what you look for in a football movie. Billy Bob did a great job of playing a normal guy, which I have a feeling is a stretch for him. We also saw Team America: World Police . Really funny, yes. Horribly offensive, yes. Offensive to Canadians, no! Sweet. I'm wondering how the Americans are feeling about it though, and the actors portrayed as puppets non-too-favourably. Drop me a line if you fall in to either of those categories.
That's basically been all the excitement in my life since I last posted. More detail about the preggo stuff on the preggo blog, again, leave me a note if you want to read it, I'm not going to post the link for all on the main page here. I've also had a cold for about a month and a half. It keeps going away, sort of, and then coming back with a vengeance as something new and less fun. It's right now camped out in my throat / chest / nose. I can only take stuff for the coughing, so it's getting mighty old mighty fast to have symptoms that I would normally just blitz with some Advil Cold and Sinus or an extra strength NeoCitrin. mmm...lemony.
I'm off to make supper and mark. wooh!
Tuesday, October 12
gobble gobble gobble
happy return-from-gorging-yourself-with-turkey day! I know I ate my share, and also had good-sized helpings of side dishes (my dad's stuffing and my uncle's cream cheese mashed potatoes mostly, mmm) and of course, dessert. Desserts, who am I kidding. Blueberry cheesecake, pumpkin cheesecake with whipped cream, apple pie..drooly drooly. My whole (immediate) family was there - aunts, uncles, 1st cousins, grannie, except for one uncle who lives in the states. My whole family is composed almost entirely of people on my dad's side, since my mom has just my grannie and aforementioned US uncle, and there are only like, 18 of us, but it's always a nice time when we get together. We had some death-match ping pong and a pretty fierce game of Taboo. Much wine and beer was consumed, and I had my own creation of blueberry punch with Sprite deal going on, so I didn't feel too left out.
I had an extra half day off for an appointment this morning, so only had to teach 1 class today, which was fantastic. Also, apparently my morning classes went well, with the exception of a couple of kids, surprisingly from one of my 9 classes, not the 11s who I was a bit worried about. Those 2 9s will of course be spending their break with me, one practising silent reading, one practising sitting quietly and doing work, since those are the 'responsible skills' (as the admin puts it here) that they seem to have forgotten in my absence.
All in all, a great few days, and it's not so bad being back to the routine. How was your weekend?
I had an extra half day off for an appointment this morning, so only had to teach 1 class today, which was fantastic. Also, apparently my morning classes went well, with the exception of a couple of kids, surprisingly from one of my 9 classes, not the 11s who I was a bit worried about. Those 2 9s will of course be spending their break with me, one practising silent reading, one practising sitting quietly and doing work, since those are the 'responsible skills' (as the admin puts it here) that they seem to have forgotten in my absence.
All in all, a great few days, and it's not so bad being back to the routine. How was your weekend?
Thursday, October 7
news
well, most of you know, but for those of you who aren't close, personal, in-the-flesh friends, I figured I should keep you up to date...turns out I'm 15 weeks pregnant. Surprise! That was my reaction too. haha. It's all good though, after the initial, wait a minute...2 lines? what the... Everyone's being really supportive and the parents are pretty stoked to be grandparents, so there you go. I go for my first dr. appt on Tuesday, and then an ultrasound on the 4th, so it's becoming pretty real now. I've also heard the heartbeat, which was incredible, and really made things hit home. There's a tiny person in there. I find the whole process pretty amazing, really. I know how it works, obviously, but really, how the hell? 1 cell, 2 cells, 4 cells...heart, brain, person! Crazy. I've been keeping a preggo-journal too, but I don't really want to post the link on here, since it's a little more personal and has names and such, but if you'd like to read, let me know and I'll send you the link. Some fun stuff though...the heartbeat, wow, and the bump (that's not from too many french fries, folks). Some of my pants don't fit! I'm hoping nobody at work notices if I just don't do them up all the way for a while, until I'm big enough to justify actual maternity clothes.
Monday, October 4
a little quiz (I'm 2%)
I've spaced it out a lot, because you're supposed to answer each question before reading the next, so try not to cheat.
This test determines human thought patterns. Humans fall into 1 of 2 percentiles: 98% or 2%. 98% think alike, and the remaining 2% stray from the norm.
Here's the test:
Just follow the instructions as quickly as possible. Do not go to the next calculation before you have finished the previous one. You do not need to write or remember the answers, just do it using your mind. You'll be surprised by the results...
Ready, Go....
How much is:
15+6
3+56
89+2
12+53
75+26
25+52
63+32
Come on, one more...
123+5
QUICK! THINK ABOUT A TOOL AND A COLOR!
Scroll further to the bottom...
A bit more...
(highlight the next line to see the "normal" answer, hidden for you friggin cheaters!)
You have just thought about a red hammer, haven't you????
If this is not the case, you a re among 2% of people who have
a"different" if not "abnormal" mind. 98% of those tested would answer a "red
hammer" while doing this exercise. If you do not believe this, pass it
around and you'll see. Be sure to put in the subject line if you are among
the 98% or the 2% and send it to everyone, including the person that sent
it to you.
This test determines human thought patterns. Humans fall into 1 of 2 percentiles: 98% or 2%. 98% think alike, and the remaining 2% stray from the norm.
Here's the test:
Just follow the instructions as quickly as possible. Do not go to the next calculation before you have finished the previous one. You do not need to write or remember the answers, just do it using your mind. You'll be surprised by the results...
Ready, Go....
How much is:
15+6
3+56
89+2
12+53
75+26
25+52
63+32
Come on, one more...
123+5
QUICK! THINK ABOUT A TOOL AND A COLOR!
Scroll further to the bottom...
A bit more...
(highlight the next line to see the "normal" answer, hidden for you friggin cheaters!)
You have just thought about a red hammer, haven't you????
If this is not the case, you a re among 2% of people who have
a"different" if not "abnormal" mind. 98% of those tested would answer a "red
hammer" while doing this exercise. If you do not believe this, pass it
around and you'll see. Be sure to put in the subject line if you are among
the 98% or the 2% and send it to everyone, including the person that sent
it to you.
Thursday, September 30
so long, birthday counter
the 361 days makes it seem a long way away, so I'll take it down for now. I had a great time at my partay though! We pot-lucked, and I've been suppering mainly on left overs from that all week. Mini pizzas and perogies are a perfectly acceptable dinner. Tonight I had mini pizzas and homemade salsa. I thought about the guacamole too, but it looked decidedly sketchy, so I decided against it. I have nearly made my way through all of my birthday cake, and just remembered that I also have frozen mini cheesecakes to deal with. mmmmm. I also got presents, which I honestly wasn't expecting, I think I'm past the point where I expect anyone other than family to do things like that. I'm a big fan of gifts though, so it was great. The Fantasia part of the evening was also pretty good, although I didn't get the feeling that this lady knew her stuff as well as say, Jenn, or previous presenters I've had. Also, she called me Dawn at the end of the night, and let my cat out, but really, it was fun.
Tomorrow I've arranged my classes so they're all writing a quiz, except the theatre kids, but I can always think of things to do with them, they're a great bunch, and I could, any day, say...ok kids, you're running the show, and they would, eagerly, and it would be good. I don't know that we'd learn a lot, but whatever. Today the girl who did the warmup (named Hyde, pronounced Heidi, why would her mother do that?) had us play a concentration game where we all sat around in a circle with our eyes closed, and we had to count to 20. Tricky! No, but the trick was, we had to take turns, in no particular order, and if anyone repeated a number or went at the same time as another person, we had to start over. We never did make it, but I'll try it again once we've done some more concentration excercises and see if it gets any better. Anyway, yeah, quizzes for everyone, whee! Also, I've gone from having my class of 24 students in 113 English (remedial, for those of you on different systems), 3 of whom are modified to the point of not being able to even remotely follow curriculum in *any* subjects, 1 of whom we don't really know what's going on, but he's really weak, and hasn't been in school for like 10 years, and all but 3 of whom are just the weakest readers / writers / students I have ever met, with no TA support, to having 2 TAs! I'm so excited. I went and talked to the resource teacher, just to see about possibly getting some support in that class, got someone the next day, then today I had 2! I'm not sure if they're both here to stay, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Anyway, I have to now go make up the quizzes that are going to keep my students busy for tomorrow. Luckily, there's nothing good on tv tonight, because of the GD presidential debate. Hey, I'll save you the trouble of watching: don't vote for Bush! Sure, Kerry's no gem, but, and this is the only time I've felt safe saying this, but it really can't get worse. The country is in an absolute mess, it can only get better, or it will just collapse on itself and get sucked into the centre of the earth, leaving the rest of us to say, hmm, that was weird, and carry on. Of course, all the cool people would get out of there before that happened. Not GeeDub though. He'd be the first to get sucked in.
Tomorrow I've arranged my classes so they're all writing a quiz, except the theatre kids, but I can always think of things to do with them, they're a great bunch, and I could, any day, say...ok kids, you're running the show, and they would, eagerly, and it would be good. I don't know that we'd learn a lot, but whatever. Today the girl who did the warmup (named Hyde, pronounced Heidi, why would her mother do that?) had us play a concentration game where we all sat around in a circle with our eyes closed, and we had to count to 20. Tricky! No, but the trick was, we had to take turns, in no particular order, and if anyone repeated a number or went at the same time as another person, we had to start over. We never did make it, but I'll try it again once we've done some more concentration excercises and see if it gets any better. Anyway, yeah, quizzes for everyone, whee! Also, I've gone from having my class of 24 students in 113 English (remedial, for those of you on different systems), 3 of whom are modified to the point of not being able to even remotely follow curriculum in *any* subjects, 1 of whom we don't really know what's going on, but he's really weak, and hasn't been in school for like 10 years, and all but 3 of whom are just the weakest readers / writers / students I have ever met, with no TA support, to having 2 TAs! I'm so excited. I went and talked to the resource teacher, just to see about possibly getting some support in that class, got someone the next day, then today I had 2! I'm not sure if they're both here to stay, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Anyway, I have to now go make up the quizzes that are going to keep my students busy for tomorrow. Luckily, there's nothing good on tv tonight, because of the GD presidential debate. Hey, I'll save you the trouble of watching: don't vote for Bush! Sure, Kerry's no gem, but, and this is the only time I've felt safe saying this, but it really can't get worse. The country is in an absolute mess, it can only get better, or it will just collapse on itself and get sucked into the centre of the earth, leaving the rest of us to say, hmm, that was weird, and carry on. Of course, all the cool people would get out of there before that happened. Not GeeDub though. He'd be the first to get sucked in.
Wednesday, September 22
blah
so, still not much to report, I'm afraid. Tomorrow is meet the teacher night, where we all get introduced on stage and then go to our classrooms, then parents come through their kids' class schedules for like 6-7 minutes per class, and we run through the outlines etc for them. Good times. I'm mostly annoyed because ER premieres tomorrow night, and this means I'll have to stay up until midnight to watch it. Boo-urns. I stayed up late last night watching Amazing Race, and I'm just so glad for who won. It wasn't who I was really rooting for, but it wasn't who I was really rooting against either. I'll not say who, because I know some people watch it Saturdays in the afternoon when it's rerun.
I'm still struggling a bit with my 113 class, just because even though they're mostly good kids, which is fantastic, they just don't really care about anything. All the stories in the anthologies I have for them are just lame, about broken homes and that kind of bullshit that we assume, or somebody assumes, that lower level kids must be able to relate to and want to read about. Maybe for a story, but not for the year, thanks. We read a pretty good one today that I found in another text, and thus had to photocopy for everyone, called "Of Missing Persons". Anyway, I think we'll do a bit of resume / cover letter building for a couple of days, some more short stories, once I find some good ones, and then the novel. We're going to do "Hunter in the Dark", which seems decent, but I don't have any kind of activities for it, other than chapter questions and tests, and there is a surprising lack of resources for the book online. I have found a pretty good site for short stories though, here, if you just like reading them, or can use them for something.
Things overall are going well though, so I'm pretty pleased. My big plan for tonight is go buy bagels and cream cheese, and watch CSI: NY. I don't normally watch Miami, but I caught the premiere the other night, and they killed off my favourite guy, Speed. I am superpissed. Now I will make a point to not watch it. He was on Dazed and Confused, how could he *not* be the best character? I also have to clean this damn apartment sometime before the weekend, and at least partly before Friday evening when my mom and sister arrive, so they won't know I live in a sty when I'm here by myself. shhh! The party is still on, of course, and you're still invited, if you're in the neighbourhood! and have boobs!
I'm still struggling a bit with my 113 class, just because even though they're mostly good kids, which is fantastic, they just don't really care about anything. All the stories in the anthologies I have for them are just lame, about broken homes and that kind of bullshit that we assume, or somebody assumes, that lower level kids must be able to relate to and want to read about. Maybe for a story, but not for the year, thanks. We read a pretty good one today that I found in another text, and thus had to photocopy for everyone, called "Of Missing Persons". Anyway, I think we'll do a bit of resume / cover letter building for a couple of days, some more short stories, once I find some good ones, and then the novel. We're going to do "Hunter in the Dark", which seems decent, but I don't have any kind of activities for it, other than chapter questions and tests, and there is a surprising lack of resources for the book online. I have found a pretty good site for short stories though, here, if you just like reading them, or can use them for something.
Things overall are going well though, so I'm pretty pleased. My big plan for tonight is go buy bagels and cream cheese, and watch CSI: NY. I don't normally watch Miami, but I caught the premiere the other night, and they killed off my favourite guy, Speed. I am superpissed. Now I will make a point to not watch it. He was on Dazed and Confused, how could he *not* be the best character? I also have to clean this damn apartment sometime before the weekend, and at least partly before Friday evening when my mom and sister arrive, so they won't know I live in a sty when I'm here by myself. shhh! The party is still on, of course, and you're still invited, if you're in the neighbourhood! and have boobs!
Sunday, September 19
in honour of the impending b-day...
I'm having a party! I figured this is the best way to get the word out, although expect real-ish invitations shortly. Saturday night, and you're all invited. Well, those of you who know where I live, anyway. It's a birthday / potluck / Fantasia party, so there's something for everyone! Anyway, if you're interested, which you should be, then come on down.
I(heart) parties!
I(heart) parties!
Tuesday, September 14
whee! presents!
so, unless you're, say...blind, you've probably noticed the giant birthday counter up yonder. If you're the kind of person who might buy me something for my birthday, I have continued the tradition of the gift blog from Christmas time. enjoy, kids! I also have a bit of an announcement that a lot of you have heard, but the rest of you will get around my birtday. Whee!
Friday, September 10
wow
longest delay between posts ever.
I survived week 1 of my new teaching job, which is quite something, I think. I'm pretty freaking tired, and have been all week, but it's Friday, so I have 2 days to sleep. And to figure out what the hell I'm going to do for the rest of the year. Wooh! Feel free to provide ideas. English 9, 113, and Theatre Arts. I have basic ideas, but new ideas are always fun.
This weekend, as most weekends, holds no really exciting plans. Last night I went out to supper with some teacher friends and had fajitas, they're damn tasty. We had planned to see a movie but we took too long eating and chatting, and missed all the starts, so we went to Chapters and Starbucks instead. Probably a better, although not a cheaper option. It's not possible to go to Chapters and not buy anything. I think we'll go see Garden State this weekend. It's written, directed by, and starring Zach Braff, the funny guy from Scrubs. I love him, and this looks like a great movie, I'm really surprised that Fox made it.
I'm afraid the posts are going to dwindle now that I'm not sitting home on my ass 24/7, teaching hasn't yet provided much interesting blogger fodder. One of my students did, yesterday, point to another student in the hall and ask me, quite seriously, if she was my daughter. I told him I'm 24, so...no. Thanks though, buddy. He's like, but she looks *exactly* like you! That may be, but no. Unless I had her when I was 7, which is unlikely at best. I think I had a better concept of people's ages when I was in high school.
I'm going to nap and think about supper.
I survived week 1 of my new teaching job, which is quite something, I think. I'm pretty freaking tired, and have been all week, but it's Friday, so I have 2 days to sleep. And to figure out what the hell I'm going to do for the rest of the year. Wooh! Feel free to provide ideas. English 9, 113, and Theatre Arts. I have basic ideas, but new ideas are always fun.
This weekend, as most weekends, holds no really exciting plans. Last night I went out to supper with some teacher friends and had fajitas, they're damn tasty. We had planned to see a movie but we took too long eating and chatting, and missed all the starts, so we went to Chapters and Starbucks instead. Probably a better, although not a cheaper option. It's not possible to go to Chapters and not buy anything. I think we'll go see Garden State this weekend. It's written, directed by, and starring Zach Braff, the funny guy from Scrubs. I love him, and this looks like a great movie, I'm really surprised that Fox made it.
I'm afraid the posts are going to dwindle now that I'm not sitting home on my ass 24/7, teaching hasn't yet provided much interesting blogger fodder. One of my students did, yesterday, point to another student in the hall and ask me, quite seriously, if she was my daughter. I told him I'm 24, so...no. Thanks though, buddy. He's like, but she looks *exactly* like you! That may be, but no. Unless I had her when I was 7, which is unlikely at best. I think I had a better concept of people's ages when I was in high school.
I'm going to nap and think about supper.
Wednesday, September 1
I'm alive
but only barely! I'll post more soon. I'm super busy being back to work, the admin are very tricky and schedule meetings all day so you actually have no time during this prep week to prepare for your classes. Sneaky! I'm very tired, and my computer is pissing me off, so I'm going to bed. Grant took his computer to Freddy, so I'm using my older crappy one, which is infected with some sort of spyware thing which sets my browser to about:blank and gives me all kinds of nice popups. I've run adaware, I'm running browser hijack blaster (which helpfully lets me know every 30 seconds that my homepage has been changed, and would I like to change it back?), and I've run hijack this! several times, but the damn thing just won't go away. I'm not using IE anyway, I'm using Firefox, but I'm still pissed off and getting annoying popups, even when IE isn't running. I want to uninstall IE, but can't seem to figure that out either, and I do like to use Outlook, which apparently needs IE to work properly. Can I disable IE or something? I have Firefox as my default, but when I click links from my outlook mail or click '1 new message' in Messenger to get to my inbox, it opens IE automatically. If you have any ideas, please help. I've searched for help, but everything seems hopelessly complicated, and what I can do, I've done, with no good results. I'm willing to play with regedit even, but the files I'm supposed to delete aren't where the help pages say they will be. Dammit! I may end up formatting, I don't really care, but I can't find my windows cd, so that's not so much an option. My computer, for some reason, will not install winXP, so I'm stuck with 98, which is fine, but again, I can't find my cd.
Friday, August 27
somebody wasn't thinking here..
ok. Now, I'm a big fan and supporter of the Breast Cancer Site, go, click, every day. Also click on all the other sites, Child Health, Hunger, Animal Rescue, and Rainforest. Go. Now. Do notice, and see if you agree with me though, that it may be in poor taste to have an ad for WeightWatchers placed directly beside an ad to help a starving child. Really. Yikes. I'm sure it's all random, but those ads should be separate entities, not near eachother. One in the 'sponsors' section, one in the 'awareness raising' section.
that is all.
that is all.
Thursday, August 26
16 Things That Took Me Over 50 Years To Learn:
by Dave Barry, Nationally Syndicated Columnist
via D
via D
- Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
- If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will chieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings."
- There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
- People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
- You should not confuse your career with your life.
- Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
- Never lick a steak knife.
- The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.
- You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.
- You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.
- There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.
- The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.
- A person who is nice to you, but rude to a waiter, is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)
- Your friends love you anyway.
- Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.
- Thought for the day: Men are like fine wine. They start out as grapes, and it's up to the women to stomp the crap out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.
Monday, August 23
Oh, Canada...
Medals! We're ranked 15th out of...a lot of countries. 200 or something? Sure, some of them only had 4 athletes, but still. Not too shabby. I'm pretty pissed off that the US is leading. No offence, my American faithfuls, but it's just nice to see the unexpected happen.
fun with cruise control
I got to drive Grant's new car back to Moncton from Fredericton for reasons I don't feel like going into. It works now, so everyone's happy. Especially me, who got the nice car with the full tank of gas, vs. Grant who has my newer but not really as cool car with no gas for the week. Haha. Anyway, his car has cruise control, which I didn't know existed for standards, but it does. And it works. For a while I had it set at about 130, driving behind this truck who was clearly in a hurry, but when he turned off I didn't want to be going that fast all by myself, so I slowed down to about 122, still on cruise. I'm still passing people, but not going so fast that I'm worried about getting pulled over. So, while passing this one truck, a woman in a Ford Focus comes up super fast behind me, rides my ass until I am able to pass the truck and move back over. Fine, you go. She boots off away. So about 3 minutes later, I see that I am catching up to a car...lo and behold, the same Focus. I pull out to pass her, because otherwise I will run into her, she has slowed significantly, and she sees me, and speeds up. Fine. I pull back in behind her, she starts to move away from me again. I lose her again for about 2 minutes, then catch up again. Please bear in mind that my speed is remaining perfectly constant during this little adventure. I pass her this time, stay ahead for a couple of minutes, then she passes me. Fine. Again, a few minutes later, she passes me, again, soon, I pass her. I am laughing my ass of at this point, but she fails to see the humour. She soon passes me one last time, never to be seen again.
I have some advice. Take a gander at the speedometer every now and then, it's quite handy. It's very conveniently located mid-dash for your viewing ease. Try to keep that needle in approximately the same spot while driving. This saves gas, and aggrivation toward and from other drivers. Use cruise control if you have it, it's fantastic! I think it's the one luxury I would spring for in my next car. CD players are standard issue now, so I don't have to spring for that.
That about sums it up. Last night we had a fantastic chicken dinner at my sister's place, and then we spent the night at Grant's aunt's place, on the squeakiest bed (seriously, just from sleeping, the noise!) and thinnest pillows in the world. I'm thinking weekends here rather than in Fredericton.
I have some advice. Take a gander at the speedometer every now and then, it's quite handy. It's very conveniently located mid-dash for your viewing ease. Try to keep that needle in approximately the same spot while driving. This saves gas, and aggrivation toward and from other drivers. Use cruise control if you have it, it's fantastic! I think it's the one luxury I would spring for in my next car. CD players are standard issue now, so I don't have to spring for that.
That about sums it up. Last night we had a fantastic chicken dinner at my sister's place, and then we spent the night at Grant's aunt's place, on the squeakiest bed (seriously, just from sleeping, the noise!) and thinnest pillows in the world. I'm thinking weekends here rather than in Fredericton.
Tuesday, August 17
randomosity
2 fun sites. Site 1: Bacon and Eh's. A good read, with lots of good links. This is where I found Site 2: Disclosure.ca. I'm always up for a project; the goal of this site is to get pictures from all over Canada, eventually every town and city, that show something that represents Canada or being Canadian to the picture taker. Sounds pretty neat to me, get clicking!
Also, I've become somewhat obsessed with 2 songs. Avril's Happy Ending, and Maroon 5's She Will Be Loved. Here are the lyrics to the latter for your viewing pleasure.
She Will Be Loved
Beauty queen of only eighteen
She had some trouble with herself
He was always there to help her
She always belonged to someone else
I drove for miles and miles
And wound up at your door
I've had you so many times but somehow
I want more
I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
She will be loved
Tap on my window knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful
I know I tend to get so insecure
It doesn't matter anymore
It's not always rainbows and butterflies
It's compromise that moves us along
My heart is full and my door's always open
You can come anytime you want
I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
She will be loved
I know where you hide
Alone in your car
Know all of the things that make you who you are
I know that goodbye means nothing at all
Comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls
Tap on my window knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful
I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
[in the background]
Please don't try so hard to say goodbye
Please don't try so hard to say goodbye
Yeah
[softly]
I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Try so hard to say goodbye
Also, I've become somewhat obsessed with 2 songs. Avril's Happy Ending, and Maroon 5's She Will Be Loved. Here are the lyrics to the latter for your viewing pleasure.
She Will Be Loved
Beauty queen of only eighteen
She had some trouble with herself
He was always there to help her
She always belonged to someone else
I drove for miles and miles
And wound up at your door
I've had you so many times but somehow
I want more
I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
She will be loved
Tap on my window knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful
I know I tend to get so insecure
It doesn't matter anymore
It's not always rainbows and butterflies
It's compromise that moves us along
My heart is full and my door's always open
You can come anytime you want
I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
She will be loved
I know where you hide
Alone in your car
Know all of the things that make you who you are
I know that goodbye means nothing at all
Comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls
Tap on my window knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful
I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
[in the background]
Please don't try so hard to say goodbye
Please don't try so hard to say goodbye
Yeah
[softly]
I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Try so hard to say goodbye
technical difficulties
I'm supposed to get in touch with the vp at my new school, but I can't log in to my school email to find his email address or phone number. Not helpful.
I spent a nice weekend at the cottage with my parents, it was actually sunny for a good part of the time, which was a pleasant surprise. My dad and I also painted the bedroom in the little cottage, which was pretty funny. It had been wallpapered, so they took off most (but not all) of that. Dad had filled in most of the holes, but not the seams of the drywall and stuff, and we then bought paint at Loonieland and painted the room. Interesting. It's going to take about 4 coats, I think, and you can still see the wallpaper chunks through the paint at this point. Pretty nice. I love dollar stores though, they have the most interesting assortment of stuff.
Grant and I are going back-to-school shopping today, he starts work on Monday and needs some new stuff, and I might pick up a couple of things myself. My actual plan for teaching is still pretty rough. I don't know my schedule, but I do know that I'll have the English classes all year, so that's easy to figure out. I'm going to try to do a rough outline, but what I'd really like to do is to talk to the other grade 9 teacher and see what her plan is. I find it's helpful to be doing the same things at the same times, in case kids have to switch out or anything, and that way you know the kids are going to get the same things covered in the run of the year, so they're all equally prepared (or not, haha) for the next year. The 113 class, I don't know. I don't even know what books I have to work with, so that's interesting. They also re-arranged and cancelled some of the provincial testing, so I'm not entirely sure what I'm responsible for. I guess I'll find out! I keep looking for work in Freddy, but there just isn't any, and Grant keeps looking for work here, same deal, so it's looking like we'll be spending a few months apart. *sigh*. We did one semester last year, so this will just be...double that. Good times. He'll have a car too though, so can come visit me. He joked that I could come see him on snow days, but that's probably not the best plan at all.
T-13 days until back to school, yipes. I know those of you who aren't teachers have no sympathy for me whatsoever, but those of you who are or who know teachers understand. There's a reason we get summers off, and it's not just for the kids. There's a school district in the states where the kids go for 9 weeks, then get 4 weeks off, all year. That sounds pretty sweet to me, I'd definitely sign on. I'm off to get some breakfast and forget about the sadness that is returning to work. Thanksgiving is really early this year, wooh!
I spent a nice weekend at the cottage with my parents, it was actually sunny for a good part of the time, which was a pleasant surprise. My dad and I also painted the bedroom in the little cottage, which was pretty funny. It had been wallpapered, so they took off most (but not all) of that. Dad had filled in most of the holes, but not the seams of the drywall and stuff, and we then bought paint at Loonieland and painted the room. Interesting. It's going to take about 4 coats, I think, and you can still see the wallpaper chunks through the paint at this point. Pretty nice. I love dollar stores though, they have the most interesting assortment of stuff.
Grant and I are going back-to-school shopping today, he starts work on Monday and needs some new stuff, and I might pick up a couple of things myself. My actual plan for teaching is still pretty rough. I don't know my schedule, but I do know that I'll have the English classes all year, so that's easy to figure out. I'm going to try to do a rough outline, but what I'd really like to do is to talk to the other grade 9 teacher and see what her plan is. I find it's helpful to be doing the same things at the same times, in case kids have to switch out or anything, and that way you know the kids are going to get the same things covered in the run of the year, so they're all equally prepared (or not, haha) for the next year. The 113 class, I don't know. I don't even know what books I have to work with, so that's interesting. They also re-arranged and cancelled some of the provincial testing, so I'm not entirely sure what I'm responsible for. I guess I'll find out! I keep looking for work in Freddy, but there just isn't any, and Grant keeps looking for work here, same deal, so it's looking like we'll be spending a few months apart. *sigh*. We did one semester last year, so this will just be...double that. Good times. He'll have a car too though, so can come visit me. He joked that I could come see him on snow days, but that's probably not the best plan at all.
T-13 days until back to school, yipes. I know those of you who aren't teachers have no sympathy for me whatsoever, but those of you who are or who know teachers understand. There's a reason we get summers off, and it's not just for the kids. There's a school district in the states where the kids go for 9 weeks, then get 4 weeks off, all year. That sounds pretty sweet to me, I'd definitely sign on. I'm off to get some breakfast and forget about the sadness that is returning to work. Thanksgiving is really early this year, wooh!
Tuesday, August 10
vacation is ending, and I'm so not ready
I was so traumatised by the Lenny post that I had to take a break. Also I've been feeling like ass lately.
I'm trying to get my head wrapped around my teaching assignment for the fall, because that's coming up pretty quickly and I don't have a concrete plan of action. I've thought of some fun projects, but not for right away. I've also had dreams of the sort that I show up on the first day of school, but unaware that it's the first day, and all my students are there like, what the hell? and my classroom is not set up, and then, generally, I'm naked. No good. I don't think I'm that nervous, but maybe I am subconsciously.
We finally got around to seeing the Village and Bourne Supremacy. I enjoyed both, although they're pretty different. For all who are debating the Village based on scariness / nightmare factor, go see it. I scare easily, and though there are some jumpy parts for sure, but overall it's a really good story, and the acting is fantastic. Also, and I may be completely retarded for not realising this, but Joaquin Phoenix is a Phoenix a la River. I did of course, know his last name, but I just never made the connection. Interesting. Anyway, he's a fine actor, as is pretty much everyone else in the movie. Adrian Brody did a great job too. Bourne was good, a bit fragmented, but that was on purpose, and I do agree with Tirex that they made the bad guy pretty obvious. I (heart) Matt Damon though, so whatever.
And I'm still looking forward to Harold and Kumar, so shut it.
Still on the topic of movies, both of our theatres here are now Empire, where one used to be Famous Players. This means nothing good, as far as I can tell. While both theatres now get the good movies, where Famous used to just basically have the Disney blockbusters, they now get the SAME good movies. There are currently 5 movies playing at both theatres. Which would be good, if we were in like, Toronto. But we're not. The theatres are about 6 minutes apart. Redundant, I think.
I might go to the beach this afternoon, but the possibilities are really endless here. This weekend is either for the cottage or to Halifax to see the Buskers. I could do either, really.
I signed up for gmail, but it wasn't working because IE sucks and messes with cookies. Anyway, it's working now, and apparently I can invite somebody (because you can't just sign up yet) so if anyone is interested, let me know. It kicks hotmail's ass, with like, 1G of server space and no annoying ads. If you're just looking for info, go check it out. I invited my sister, so I only have one invite, and I think everyone who uses Blogger got one, so only you non-bloggers need apply.
I'm trying to get my head wrapped around my teaching assignment for the fall, because that's coming up pretty quickly and I don't have a concrete plan of action. I've thought of some fun projects, but not for right away. I've also had dreams of the sort that I show up on the first day of school, but unaware that it's the first day, and all my students are there like, what the hell? and my classroom is not set up, and then, generally, I'm naked. No good. I don't think I'm that nervous, but maybe I am subconsciously.
We finally got around to seeing the Village and Bourne Supremacy. I enjoyed both, although they're pretty different. For all who are debating the Village based on scariness / nightmare factor, go see it. I scare easily, and though there are some jumpy parts for sure, but overall it's a really good story, and the acting is fantastic. Also, and I may be completely retarded for not realising this, but Joaquin Phoenix is a Phoenix a la River. I did of course, know his last name, but I just never made the connection. Interesting. Anyway, he's a fine actor, as is pretty much everyone else in the movie. Adrian Brody did a great job too. Bourne was good, a bit fragmented, but that was on purpose, and I do agree with Tirex that they made the bad guy pretty obvious. I (heart) Matt Damon though, so whatever.
And I'm still looking forward to Harold and Kumar, so shut it.
Still on the topic of movies, both of our theatres here are now Empire, where one used to be Famous Players. This means nothing good, as far as I can tell. While both theatres now get the good movies, where Famous used to just basically have the Disney blockbusters, they now get the SAME good movies. There are currently 5 movies playing at both theatres. Which would be good, if we were in like, Toronto. But we're not. The theatres are about 6 minutes apart. Redundant, I think.
I might go to the beach this afternoon, but the possibilities are really endless here. This weekend is either for the cottage or to Halifax to see the Buskers. I could do either, really.
I signed up for gmail, but it wasn't working because IE sucks and messes with cookies. Anyway, it's working now, and apparently I can invite somebody (because you can't just sign up yet) so if anyone is interested, let me know. It kicks hotmail's ass, with like, 1G of server space and no annoying ads. If you're just looking for info, go check it out. I invited my sister, so I only have one invite, and I think everyone who uses Blogger got one, so only you non-bloggers need apply.
Thursday, August 5
short and sweet
Real hackers must have laughed their asses off when they saw the movie Hackers. Good cast though.
via Natters
Survey with a twist
YOU fill in the blanks about ME and send it back to me. Or leave answers to random ones in the comment box. Whichever. But first, send a blank one to all your friends including me (or post it on your website..), so they can return the favor to you.
1. My name:
2. Where did we meet?
3. Take a stab at my middle name:
4. How long have you known me?
5. When is the last time we saw each other?
6. Do I believe in God?
7. Month of my birthday: (Bonus points if you can give a date.)
8. Hair color:
9. Eye color:
10. Do I have any siblings?
11. What's one of my favorite things to do outdoors?
12. What's one of my favorite things to do indoors?
13. Do you remember one of the first things I said to you?
14. What's my favorite type of music?
15. What is my best feature?
16. Am I shy or outgoing?
17. Would you say I am funny ha-ha or funny sarcastic?
18. Am I a rebel or do I follow all the rules?
19. Would you consider me a friend, an acquaintance, or a good friend?
20. Would you call me hippie, glam, nerdy, snobby, or something else?
21. Have you ever seen me cry?
22. If there were one good nickname for me what would it be?
23. If I had broccoli stuck in my teeth would you tell me?
24. Is there anything you need to tell me?
YOU fill in the blanks about ME and send it back to me. Or leave answers to random ones in the comment box. Whichever. But first, send a blank one to all your friends including me (or post it on your website..), so they can return the favor to you.
1. My name:
2. Where did we meet?
3. Take a stab at my middle name:
4. How long have you known me?
5. When is the last time we saw each other?
6. Do I believe in God?
7. Month of my birthday: (Bonus points if you can give a date.)
8. Hair color:
9. Eye color:
10. Do I have any siblings?
11. What's one of my favorite things to do outdoors?
12. What's one of my favorite things to do indoors?
13. Do you remember one of the first things I said to you?
14. What's my favorite type of music?
15. What is my best feature?
16. Am I shy or outgoing?
17. Would you say I am funny ha-ha or funny sarcastic?
18. Am I a rebel or do I follow all the rules?
19. Would you consider me a friend, an acquaintance, or a good friend?
20. Would you call me hippie, glam, nerdy, snobby, or something else?
21. Have you ever seen me cry?
22. If there were one good nickname for me what would it be?
23. If I had broccoli stuck in my teeth would you tell me?
24. Is there anything you need to tell me?
Wednesday, August 4
they were indeed tall ships
We got to Halifax early enough so that there weren't a billion people and it wasn't too hot, which was nice. We had to park a bit of a walk away from the waterfront, but that was expected. The ships were pretty cool, very big. I like the older looking ones better than the new fancy ones. The new ones are more like, 'hey! look at me, I'm rich!' There were lots of vendors selling crap, nautical knot bracelets and the like, but the tourists just eat that stuff up. I'll post some pictures in a bit.
We went to play some blacklight mini golf, which was pretty fun. I think there should be a place like that here, because there is just so very little to do here that it has to do well. Supper was at a place called Jack Astor's, and it was pretty good too. They should also make one of those here, it would make a nice extra choice with ESM and Swiss Chalet. Moncton is lame.
The highlight of the weekend was definitely going to see Napoleon Dynamite. Naturally, it was playing in Halifax, but is not yet here. If it comes to your city, it's your duty to go see it. And to keep watching after the credits, there's more movie. The guy is just so hilarious. The movie is completely random, and you mostly don't know whether to laugh at the guy or feel really bad for him. I went with both. Go see it.
Yesterday, because it was absolutely gorgeous, Tirex and I went to Magic Mountain water park. The time we spent actually on the rides was pretty cool, but that only accounted for about 10 minutes of the 3 hours we were there. We decided the people who run the place need to learn to play Rollercoaster Tycoon, and then they would figure out that the park is in desperate need of expansion. The lines are just ridiculous, and I think they've built one new slide in the past 15 years. No good. But, again, there is nothing else like that around here, so it's an incredibly popular place for tourists. So, along with there not being enough slides and new / exciting things, there are just a foolish number of people there. We did get to go on *the* new slide, the Tornado, and it was fun. It's a tube slide, and it's all enclosed and dark with just pinholes of light coming in. Try not to scream or laugh, I dare you. Regardless of lines and the horrifying discovery that Beavertails are BAKED now, instead of deep fried (no good!), we had a pretty good time. It's all about the company, I suppose!
I'm feeling pretty boring, so I'm going to stop now!
We went to play some blacklight mini golf, which was pretty fun. I think there should be a place like that here, because there is just so very little to do here that it has to do well. Supper was at a place called Jack Astor's, and it was pretty good too. They should also make one of those here, it would make a nice extra choice with ESM and Swiss Chalet. Moncton is lame.
The highlight of the weekend was definitely going to see Napoleon Dynamite. Naturally, it was playing in Halifax, but is not yet here. If it comes to your city, it's your duty to go see it. And to keep watching after the credits, there's more movie. The guy is just so hilarious. The movie is completely random, and you mostly don't know whether to laugh at the guy or feel really bad for him. I went with both. Go see it.
Yesterday, because it was absolutely gorgeous, Tirex and I went to Magic Mountain water park. The time we spent actually on the rides was pretty cool, but that only accounted for about 10 minutes of the 3 hours we were there. We decided the people who run the place need to learn to play Rollercoaster Tycoon, and then they would figure out that the park is in desperate need of expansion. The lines are just ridiculous, and I think they've built one new slide in the past 15 years. No good. But, again, there is nothing else like that around here, so it's an incredibly popular place for tourists. So, along with there not being enough slides and new / exciting things, there are just a foolish number of people there. We did get to go on *the* new slide, the Tornado, and it was fun. It's a tube slide, and it's all enclosed and dark with just pinholes of light coming in. Try not to scream or laugh, I dare you. Regardless of lines and the horrifying discovery that Beavertails are BAKED now, instead of deep fried (no good!), we had a pretty good time. It's all about the company, I suppose!
I'm feeling pretty boring, so I'm going to stop now!
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