A dear coworker gifted me with a box of semi-dark Dove caramel chocolates the other day. They are divine. Wonderful. Delicious! Ah...
They also contain the most ridiculous 'pandering to teh wimminz' messages in their lovely caramel and gold foil wrappers. Women like chocolate. That is more or less true. Accepting that, I also happen to know a lot of men who like chocolate. And a lot of men who wouldn't really appreciate opening up a box of Dove and reading ''buy yourself flowers.'' Do you know these men?
The messages are patently retarded. A few examples; "buy expensive shampoo'' "get a new haircut" "re-read old letters"
UGH.
No thank you Dove. I hate it when badvertising gets it sooo horribly wrong. I hate washing my hair, I find it boring. I don't own old letters, so can't re-read them. I don't like flowers that much and like hell would I ever buy them for myself (sidenote-they are pretty, and I don't begrudge anyone who likes to perk up their day. Not my cup of tea though) and what also bugs me is the consumerist attitude of these little chocolates. Buy buy buy buy buy buy...Wait, that's what women do right?
Tired of being boxed into a ridiculous category of 'shop/appearence/helpless/feminine'...by chocolates.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Susan is Not Getting Any Recognition Day
Minor grumble, but I bust my ass to get an article in by the due date (and well written, usually) and then I find that the big, glossy, 2-pager with my story in it has been attributed to the OTHER arts writer?
Uh huh. No way.
Ok, I screw up a lot on the job, namely with spellig people's names wrong and forgetting an apostrophe, oh and on occasion sending out a really awful story when nobody has had a look at it or edited it...But no screw up on this level, I'm sorry!
Also, people seem to be mishearing me and then promptly blaming me for the results today, which is leading me to think that my strenuous efforts to 'do good' are just biting me in the ass and maybe I should just give up? If you are home sick, if you miss a meeting after I call to remind you about it and tell you to check your email, please check your email right away, and don't leave it until the original meeting time, for by then you have already missed the meeting time I called to remind you about!
Phew, that was a lot.
Frustration is building this week. I do like my job and have a wonderfully fulfiling life, but oh man...
Uh huh. No way.
Ok, I screw up a lot on the job, namely with spellig people's names wrong and forgetting an apostrophe, oh and on occasion sending out a really awful story when nobody has had a look at it or edited it...But no screw up on this level, I'm sorry!
Also, people seem to be mishearing me and then promptly blaming me for the results today, which is leading me to think that my strenuous efforts to 'do good' are just biting me in the ass and maybe I should just give up? If you are home sick, if you miss a meeting after I call to remind you about it and tell you to check your email, please check your email right away, and don't leave it until the original meeting time, for by then you have already missed the meeting time I called to remind you about!
Phew, that was a lot.
Frustration is building this week. I do like my job and have a wonderfully fulfiling life, but oh man...
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Grapes with Worms Day
You know you're having a good day when your boss arranges a bowl of grapes with gummi worms and labels this delicacy 'Grapes with Worm'. Hahah...
~And~
You know you're having an interesting day when you encounter someone's blue underwear (gender unknown, could be tighty whites or large womens') on the sidewalk outside the social services building. Hahah. Well, the person who owned the underwear was certainly having a bad day!
~And~
You know you're having an interesting day when you encounter someone's blue underwear (gender unknown, could be tighty whites or large womens') on the sidewalk outside the social services building. Hahah. Well, the person who owned the underwear was certainly having a bad day!
Next Career: Escargot/Snail Farming
As my position term winds down, I begin to consider alternate career options. I like my job a lot, but would snail farmer be even more rewarding?
This comes at an interesting time for me, as my partner is out of my current city exploring career options of his own. I even moved to this city for his career, and will be leaving it shortly for his career--?? Make sense? I know he would never in a million years ask me to change my life to suit his, and this is is just how things seem to be working out at the moment, but a small, sneaking part of me gets righteous about my career!
Moving to this city turned out to be a boon to my job status, but it sure didn't start out that way (see last year's posts. anger). When we travel and meet friendly people who ask why we live in such a cold and forbidding place as the North, it always starts with 'him' continues with 'him' and ends with 'him'. What about 'me'? Do I trail along, like a half-deflated passive balloon?
I have a career, a job I currently like but don't want to do forever, in a place that is, yes, cold and forbidding. Why is it always 'we moved up here for his job' and then my own career is either never brought up in conversation or merely in passing. I count too! Grumble...It just seems like I had to bring it up, but it's very difficult to tell your partner that you feel your career is valued less than his, particularly when it seems like he tells people "Oh yes we moved up here, didn't work out, we're moving back to there because of my new job." Well, what about my current job? Oh that's right, his wife just follows him everywhere and doesn't work.
And yes, I left a job to move to this place, made things work great for me here career-wise and for journalism, and now have to drop it and leave again.
Hmmmmm.
This comes at an interesting time for me, as my partner is out of my current city exploring career options of his own. I even moved to this city for his career, and will be leaving it shortly for his career--?? Make sense? I know he would never in a million years ask me to change my life to suit his, and this is is just how things seem to be working out at the moment, but a small, sneaking part of me gets righteous about my career!
Moving to this city turned out to be a boon to my job status, but it sure didn't start out that way (see last year's posts. anger). When we travel and meet friendly people who ask why we live in such a cold and forbidding place as the North, it always starts with 'him' continues with 'him' and ends with 'him'. What about 'me'? Do I trail along, like a half-deflated passive balloon?
I have a career, a job I currently like but don't want to do forever, in a place that is, yes, cold and forbidding. Why is it always 'we moved up here for his job' and then my own career is either never brought up in conversation or merely in passing. I count too! Grumble...It just seems like I had to bring it up, but it's very difficult to tell your partner that you feel your career is valued less than his, particularly when it seems like he tells people "Oh yes we moved up here, didn't work out, we're moving back to there because of my new job." Well, what about my current job? Oh that's right, his wife just follows him everywhere and doesn't work.
And yes, I left a job to move to this place, made things work great for me here career-wise and for journalism, and now have to drop it and leave again.
Hmmmmm.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
You are What You...Eat?
I always thought that saying was pretty stupid, but I've been considering food more often. I think it is starting to become a preoccupation, albeit an odd one. I read cookbooks but hate cooking, I like investigating interesting food scandals/GMO stuff/the continuing war of organic vs nonorganic, 'the food swindles' etc but really don't like grocery shopping.
To combat my grocery malaise, I wrote out a list of foods and meals I like to eat. Now this may sound ridiculous, but honestly, it helps a lot. For example, I know I like to eat chicken, yams, shrimps, spinach et al, so when I go grocery shopping, I try to think of that meal and what I've got written down goes into my basket. I am also attempting to encourage healthy eating for myself, so I buy as many produce items as I can to incorporate into a meal. Bonus-the more the food will go bad, the faster you are motivated to create a meal with it!
So, laugh all you want at my food strategy, but I think it works. I still tend to obsess over food though... Hmmm.
Related but not that related--there is a genetically modified flax seed (GMO) called Triffid. HA haha...proof that some scientists have a sense of humour. Triffid was developed in the 1990s at the University of Saskatchewan and named after the flesh-eating plants featured in John Wyndham's 1951 novel, The Day of the Triffids. (CBC news story)
To combat my grocery malaise, I wrote out a list of foods and meals I like to eat. Now this may sound ridiculous, but honestly, it helps a lot. For example, I know I like to eat chicken, yams, shrimps, spinach et al, so when I go grocery shopping, I try to think of that meal and what I've got written down goes into my basket. I am also attempting to encourage healthy eating for myself, so I buy as many produce items as I can to incorporate into a meal. Bonus-the more the food will go bad, the faster you are motivated to create a meal with it!
So, laugh all you want at my food strategy, but I think it works. I still tend to obsess over food though... Hmmm.
Related but not that related--there is a genetically modified flax seed (GMO) called Triffid. HA haha...proof that some scientists have a sense of humour. Triffid was developed in the 1990s at the University of Saskatchewan and named after the flesh-eating plants featured in John Wyndham's 1951 novel, The Day of the Triffids. (CBC news story)
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
New York, New York
I am heading on a mom-daughter-grandmother-second cousin-relative I barely know and have never met- shopping trip to NY NY in April. I can't wait!
It may involve some uneasy bonding with my sister and my mom, which is always a hit-or-miss scenario in the best of cases, but hey, it's New York.
We are considering going shopping on Canal Street for knockoff designer purses, going to see the Jersey Boys show (tix run from $100-$500-this better be one hell of a show) and going up the Empire State building. I plan on doing a lot of browing and a bit of shopping, and our boutique hotel looks faaabulous! Woo hoo!
I haven't been to NY since I was 12 or so, but it was extremely intimidating and glamorous then, I can't imagine how much more intimidating it could get. Sex and the City, I am taking notes from you and your ridiculously awful fashion sense. I can get wear out of the more unique items of clothing in my closet, yesss.
April, you can't come soon enough! Please note, last time I was there the Twin Towers were still standing, albeit shakily from a recent bomb attack. Now they're not there at all! How things change...
It may involve some uneasy bonding with my sister and my mom, which is always a hit-or-miss scenario in the best of cases, but hey, it's New York.
We are considering going shopping on Canal Street for knockoff designer purses, going to see the Jersey Boys show (tix run from $100-$500-this better be one hell of a show) and going up the Empire State building. I plan on doing a lot of browing and a bit of shopping, and our boutique hotel looks faaabulous! Woo hoo!
I haven't been to NY since I was 12 or so, but it was extremely intimidating and glamorous then, I can't imagine how much more intimidating it could get. Sex and the City, I am taking notes from you and your ridiculously awful fashion sense. I can get wear out of the more unique items of clothing in my closet, yesss.
April, you can't come soon enough! Please note, last time I was there the Twin Towers were still standing, albeit shakily from a recent bomb attack. Now they're not there at all! How things change...
Shadow-Joy
Schadenfrude, or 'shadow joy' is when we feel happier about our own lives when we hear about how terrible others are. Not really awful, like what is happening in Haiti, but just not as good as our own. It's our sneaky secret.
There are entire websites dedicated to revealing misfortunes to the joy and delight of the internet public. Sites like Fail My Life or My Life is Average, STFU parents and STFU marrieds, Lamebook... They go on and on.
When something reasonably bad happens to someone who is constantly on your case, and you feel great joy at their 'comeuppance' yep, that is schadenfreude. I have my own shadow joy story--involving the workplace, of course. I sent out a mass email to correct a date. Then I get a lovely person who seems nice but on occasion has been rather nasty sending a 'reply all' to my email and snottily informing me that my date was wrong.
Then I got an email recall. HER date was wrong, and she, in her haste to inform everyone how wrong I was, had sent her wrong date to absolutely everyone. HA HA HA. Yes, some may call it Karma, but I call it schadenfreude. Also people were commenting about her, like what date is she looking at?? Silly workplace politics.
Have we become addicted to that feeling? My life isn't so bad, look at so-and-so's? It makes us feel better in a way nothing else can.
There are entire websites dedicated to revealing misfortunes to the joy and delight of the internet public. Sites like Fail My Life or My Life is Average, STFU parents and STFU marrieds, Lamebook... They go on and on.
When something reasonably bad happens to someone who is constantly on your case, and you feel great joy at their 'comeuppance' yep, that is schadenfreude. I have my own shadow joy story--involving the workplace, of course. I sent out a mass email to correct a date. Then I get a lovely person who seems nice but on occasion has been rather nasty sending a 'reply all' to my email and snottily informing me that my date was wrong.
Then I got an email recall. HER date was wrong, and she, in her haste to inform everyone how wrong I was, had sent her wrong date to absolutely everyone. HA HA HA. Yes, some may call it Karma, but I call it schadenfreude. Also people were commenting about her, like what date is she looking at?? Silly workplace politics.
Have we become addicted to that feeling? My life isn't so bad, look at so-and-so's? It makes us feel better in a way nothing else can.
Validation-Seeking Machine
I'm back in school, and back to writing articles. That means every time I check my email (compulsively) I am either overjoyed or plunged into irritation or merely ambivalent. I write articles for two reasons: 1. money, 2. validation that I am a good enough writer. I am also in school for two reasons: 1. to prove to myself that I can do it, 2. to eventually get a job where I make lots of money and enjoy myself.
I just got a great mark back from a very hardass prof yesterday-80% woo hoo! And at the same time got yet another scolding from an annoyed editor at my sloppiness--oh heavens, I forgot an apostrophe on purpose for a proper name because I didn't think it looked right! I am the worst writer ever! Grrrrrrrrrr. Guess which tried to ruin my day?
Whether we're aware of it or not, we all seem to seek external validation for simply 'being.' Being pretty, being a hard worker, getting up in the morning, going to work...It all seems pretty useless until someone notices you and says, "Hey I like your outfit," or "I think you're a good writer." I have a sneaking suspicion this is why I got married--what better than a guy who tells you how beautiful and how smart you are everyday, easy access?
(Note-he revised his gratuitous flattery after reading that constantly complimenting women on their looks alone is counter-intuitive to their self esteem. Now he does both: compliments based on looks, as well as flattering my sharp mind. Score!)
I also have a feeling this is why we go to dance clubs, proceed to get simultaneously annoyed and gratified when guys hit on us. It's extremely flattering but annoying, and when the alternative happens and no guys hits on us, it feels really odd. Validation for our existence is a tricky, tricky thing. I wonder if guys feel like this too?
Something to ponder...Up next, we explore schadenfreude!
I just got a great mark back from a very hardass prof yesterday-80% woo hoo! And at the same time got yet another scolding from an annoyed editor at my sloppiness--oh heavens, I forgot an apostrophe on purpose for a proper name because I didn't think it looked right! I am the worst writer ever! Grrrrrrrrrr. Guess which tried to ruin my day?
Whether we're aware of it or not, we all seem to seek external validation for simply 'being.' Being pretty, being a hard worker, getting up in the morning, going to work...It all seems pretty useless until someone notices you and says, "Hey I like your outfit," or "I think you're a good writer." I have a sneaking suspicion this is why I got married--what better than a guy who tells you how beautiful and how smart you are everyday, easy access?
(Note-he revised his gratuitous flattery after reading that constantly complimenting women on their looks alone is counter-intuitive to their self esteem. Now he does both: compliments based on looks, as well as flattering my sharp mind. Score!)
I also have a feeling this is why we go to dance clubs, proceed to get simultaneously annoyed and gratified when guys hit on us. It's extremely flattering but annoying, and when the alternative happens and no guys hits on us, it feels really odd. Validation for our existence is a tricky, tricky thing. I wonder if guys feel like this too?
Something to ponder...Up next, we explore schadenfreude!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Back from Paradise
And man, is it rough.
Sorry blog, serious hiatus while I gathered my frost-bitten brain together. To recap: School in Nov/Dec was hardcore, vacation in Dec to Costa Rica was awesome, and now Jan with school on a 1-week break after the hardcore-ness is great, but everything else is freezing and busy.
Costa Rica, specificially the Guanacaste region, is really neat. I never expected to see cacti in the jungle, or go trail riding and have a near-miss with a frightening Tim-Burtonesque spiky tree that looks like it would love to have your skin or eyeballs.
Yeah that trail ride was interesting all right... The horses were skinny, poor things, and a girl on the trail ride was wearing a bikini, jean cutoffs and flip flops. For HORSEBACK riding.??? I was at least wearing a tank top and capris and runners. No helmets, and let me tell you, this was no touristy amble on the beach. It was a crazy scramble up a mountain in a remote and poor area of Guanacaste, and then a harrowing trip down.
It was very hot, and my scrawny horse had to take several breaks. He also demonstrated some questionable judgement when negotiating a 4-ft dropoff with a cliff on one side and some boulders on the other. He tried to climb the boulders down. I grabbed up the reins and guided to a safer, if still hairy, path. Yeah, not a trail ride for the weak-willed! My husband said it was more 'technical' than he was comfortable with. Yes, I'd say it was.
We went snorkeling and saw a great variety of sea creatures, and I got bit a lot by random sea-things. I really wanted to see an octopus, but no luck, just clownfish, a sea snake, a ray and porcupine fish, which our quick-moving guide grabbed and held for us to see. Neat!
The food was so good, good enough to make me angry at my jeans in January. Lots of ethnic varieties, fried plantains, tamales, fish (snapper and tilapia), rice & beans, steaks night...Ahh, loved it!
The only annoying part was the garbagey tourists. Hogging deck chairs by putting your towel on it and then leaving to go to breakfast, your room, whatever is RUDE. I swear, there were like 10 ppl in the pool and all the deck chairs were taken. Rude asses. Also, please don't talk about how you were so happy to get chicken nuggets and fries at Playa del Coco when they were selling Mahi Mahi as the catch of the day for $10. That is a $30 plate anywhere else. JESUS.
Also cool? Iguanas scuttling out of the bushes everywhere! And they were big suckers (to me), 1-2ft long, some had that spiked fan going along their back. Interesting fact, if you get too close the 'warn' you off by nodding their head. Get closer, and they whip you with their tails, and it can really hurt. Not that I did that, but I got the head-nodding and backed right off.
I also liked practicing Spanish, and Costa Ricans were quite welcoming and would ask me if I knew Spanish (I don't, I know about 5 words, but by damn, I use those 5 words every time I can!). Unlike the touristas who were like, I want a beer. Blahh...
We also knocked down coconuts from an abandoned structure on the beach and bashed them open, Lord of the Flies style, to get at the sweet, sweet milk within.
I could go on, and on about Costa Rica. Cool place, getting more touristy by the day, but go. People live in shacks and drive nice cars, swanky new buildings on crumbling cement...A city of contrast.
Sorry blog, serious hiatus while I gathered my frost-bitten brain together. To recap: School in Nov/Dec was hardcore, vacation in Dec to Costa Rica was awesome, and now Jan with school on a 1-week break after the hardcore-ness is great, but everything else is freezing and busy.
Costa Rica, specificially the Guanacaste region, is really neat. I never expected to see cacti in the jungle, or go trail riding and have a near-miss with a frightening Tim-Burtonesque spiky tree that looks like it would love to have your skin or eyeballs.
Yeah that trail ride was interesting all right... The horses were skinny, poor things, and a girl on the trail ride was wearing a bikini, jean cutoffs and flip flops. For HORSEBACK riding.??? I was at least wearing a tank top and capris and runners. No helmets, and let me tell you, this was no touristy amble on the beach. It was a crazy scramble up a mountain in a remote and poor area of Guanacaste, and then a harrowing trip down.
It was very hot, and my scrawny horse had to take several breaks. He also demonstrated some questionable judgement when negotiating a 4-ft dropoff with a cliff on one side and some boulders on the other. He tried to climb the boulders down. I grabbed up the reins and guided to a safer, if still hairy, path. Yeah, not a trail ride for the weak-willed! My husband said it was more 'technical' than he was comfortable with. Yes, I'd say it was.
We went snorkeling and saw a great variety of sea creatures, and I got bit a lot by random sea-things. I really wanted to see an octopus, but no luck, just clownfish, a sea snake, a ray and porcupine fish, which our quick-moving guide grabbed and held for us to see. Neat!
The food was so good, good enough to make me angry at my jeans in January. Lots of ethnic varieties, fried plantains, tamales, fish (snapper and tilapia), rice & beans, steaks night...Ahh, loved it!
The only annoying part was the garbagey tourists. Hogging deck chairs by putting your towel on it and then leaving to go to breakfast, your room, whatever is RUDE. I swear, there were like 10 ppl in the pool and all the deck chairs were taken. Rude asses. Also, please don't talk about how you were so happy to get chicken nuggets and fries at Playa del Coco when they were selling Mahi Mahi as the catch of the day for $10. That is a $30 plate anywhere else. JESUS.
Also cool? Iguanas scuttling out of the bushes everywhere! And they were big suckers (to me), 1-2ft long, some had that spiked fan going along their back. Interesting fact, if you get too close the 'warn' you off by nodding their head. Get closer, and they whip you with their tails, and it can really hurt. Not that I did that, but I got the head-nodding and backed right off.
I also liked practicing Spanish, and Costa Ricans were quite welcoming and would ask me if I knew Spanish (I don't, I know about 5 words, but by damn, I use those 5 words every time I can!). Unlike the touristas who were like, I want a beer. Blahh...
We also knocked down coconuts from an abandoned structure on the beach and bashed them open, Lord of the Flies style, to get at the sweet, sweet milk within.
I could go on, and on about Costa Rica. Cool place, getting more touristy by the day, but go. People live in shacks and drive nice cars, swanky new buildings on crumbling cement...A city of contrast.
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