UpNorth

New job! New horizons! New hope!

2011-09-30T20:09:00.000-07:00

Yep, things are really lookin' up for old Susan!

Fuzzy bun is doing well, ponykins is healthy and up to his old shenanigans (unfortunately?! argh!), I have a JOB now, and my husband is back in town for the foreseeable future!

Now, these good feelings don't/can't last forever, but let's revisit Susan's hierarchy of needs, shall we?

From my previous posts, my hierarchy of needs indicate a few pretty stringent requirements, as well as a few more airy-fairy ones.

And, I'm well on track for ALL of them! Gloat gloat gloat! Life is good, I honestly can't complain. I'm very happy with things, my job is fulfilling and albeit freaking early and sometimes stressful, it is a good job and where I want to be going.

My pony is a stinker and a little shit, but so talented and adorable. My husband is back in town after being separated for about, oh, two years now? Oh yes, I do have it all! Phew!

Loving life!

Paletas Popsicles

2011-09-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

Just off Blanshard, there is a teeny tiny tucked in the wall popsicle shop. They have every brand of fabulous, hand-made natural popsicle.

This includes rhubarb and cream, raspberry and dark chocolate, coconut and lime, coconut and chocolate, dulce de leche and chocolate fudge and chocolate caramel fudge...

It is HEAVEN! Drippy, delicious natural-ices heaven.

Sadly, this post comes late as they are closing down for the season, guess there's no call for popsicles come winter, even if Victoria is a sight warmer than ON or YT.

I'll miss you, delicious popsicles. I think fondly of your return, when I may try the rhubarb-cream, or have another raspberry chocolate. Yum!

I hear the night call

2011-09-30T19:49:00.000-07:00

Saw the movie 'Drive' and wow.

I didn't expect to like it, and was barely interested in going at all (I work very, very early in the morning and am liking sleep more than social life at the moment...) but it is SO good.

It is an extremely brutal, polarizing and tense film. Words are not wasted, in fact, dialogue is limited to practically 20 words per character. And Ryan Gosling's character, 'the driver' doesn't even have a first name. He is a man of few, very few, words but a hero nonetheless.

His flawed, bizarre character is endearing and tough. The soundtrack to the film is unforgettable and incredible. I sat in stunned silence during the film, surprised at how captured I was by it all. It is slick, stylish and unforgettable.

IF you're expecting Hollywood tripe such as 'Gone in 60 Seconds' do yourself a favour and don't watch this. It's not Hollywood.

If you're in the mood for a dark film noir, breathtaking scores and a character to emulate, watch this film. It will haunt you.

I have also never sat in a fairly busy (not packed) theatre that has been literally shocked into a stunned silence before. Yes, the scenes are that violent. Shocked silence. It was no 'Saw' or 'Hostel' over-the-top gory glee, but a quiet, quick and horrifying violence. Nasty, evil and dangerous, it was uncomfortable for those accustomed to splashes of gore, not temptations of torture.

That being said, it is only in the last few parts of the film. It almost watches like two separate films, really.

Soundtrack sounds: to check out

Kavinsky feat. Lovefoxxx: Nightcall

Desire: Under your spell

The Chromatics: Tick of the clock ( don't really like this one)

College feat. Electric Youth: A Real Hero (very good)

Moving on and up

2011-09-30T19:44:00.001-07:00

So, my last post "Battle of Wills" has been resolved and let me tell you, it's a long tough road...

I have been working with a friend to work on my pony's issues, and adding a supplement to his feed to handle his explosive, too much energy spooks.

And is it working? Well, he's still a little asshole, but I can ride it out. And, he is so, so talented. Like, unreal, which makes it almost worse that he's such a tough nut to handle. And I found out today that he was picking up his fellow horse's food dish outside and flinging it around, almost hitting one of his handlers! ARGH!

Cute little bastard though, gotta say. Those little perked ears and fuzzy nose...Innocent eyes and snort.

We're taking lessons again next Thursday too, which will be sooo good. Long time coming for us, as it's been a few months. Oh and hopefully planning for our competition season next year, if he can tone it down enough to go in the show ring again (after our disastrous first attempt, yeesh).

Fingers crossed things go well with the little pony!

Battle of Wills

2011-09-01T14:37:00.001-07:00

I feel like I have this issue about once a week, maybe less, like once a month, but it's so epic it FEELS like once a week?

My dear pony and I have it out, in a most dramatic, angry and spectacular way.

Today was once of those days, one where I rode in literally a haze of seething anger, at him, my uncooperative, evil pony. I don't know if he just picks up a day and is like, '' I'm going to rear, spook, bolt, run backwards and generally be awful?" Or if he is genuinely afraid. I just don't get it.

I was angry, sobbing with frustration and furious, so furious at him. Rage coursed through my veins, and I had to stop and think for a minute-- honestly? I need to tone it down. I calmed things down, walked by the scary place, until everything became scary. We broke things down bit by bit, calmed down, nope, still scary. Still running backwards, still spooking, still threatening to rear.

I got off, and whipped him--something I'm not proud of, and was a doubly stupid move on my part because, duh, I was still holding onto my reins and didn't want to let go and let him go tearing off with my saddle and bridle at risk of being broken! Ugh, it was ugly, so ugly.

So, did the next logical thing; longing. If I can't win the battle, I'll win the war. We longed for about an hour, making his workout 2+ hours in length. And I'll admit he was much, much better when we longed, only one spook/freakout, almost fell while galloping, but that was it. And, hilariously, he seemed to forget how to longe on one side. It would have been funnier if I hadn't still been absolutely blind with anger at him...Ha, well it was still kind of funny then too!

But why these insane, lengthy, drawn-out battles? Why do they seem to happen when everything is going so well, and I'm so proud of him? We have a horse show this weekend, and I'm seriously considering scratching out of it. He was THAT bad today...We'll see.

Changing seasons

2011-08-31T20:28:00.000-07:00

Well, after my rather gloom & doom post of Tuesday, things are changing, much like the seasons, or the tides.

- sidenote, I have a photo of a tide path area and there is a paving stone with 'Beware the Tides' engraved on it. It was wet. It seemed very ominous.-

I'm headed off to work again, and it couldn't happen sooner. Just when I thought all was lost, it wasn't! I'm so happy and glad to be involved in a career path of my choice, and a work location that is definitely going to be rewarding, challenging, maybe even crazy-making. But it's going in great directions, and I'm so pleased!

And, to that effect, here are some things I have been enjoying lately- in no particular order-

The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker

Community - DVD series

Marshmallow icing - Mom's recipe

Horns by Joe Hill

Heart-shaped Box by Joe Hill

Blood by The Middle East

Bassano hard sodas (yes sweet, but quite tasty. Enjoy in moderation, for your teefs sake!)

The Acorns

The Antlers

Enjoy!

And, I wish I had written this myself, from The Hellbound Heart... "The seasons long for each other, like men and women, in order that they may be cured of their excesses...Everything tires with time, and starts to seek some opposition, to save it from itself."

The Hellbound Heart

2011-08-30T13:41:00.001-07:00

Or, the tyranny of time.

Now that I've accepted my slow descent into unemployed-slob territory (no, it didn't go easily, I had a major mopefest for exactly one day, and then picked up my pants and continued on), I'm struggling with what I term 'the tyranny of time'.

This is the issue of too much time - something you may say to yourself is a wonderful thing to have, like a holiday that never ends! Except when you're in it. The weather is gorgeous, you have a lovely pony to spend time with and no demands either which way. And this, my friends, is trouble. First of all, the weather is gorgeous. How is this a problem? Well, when it's this nice out, I want to be out doing things in it (riding said pony), but the problem when you're unemployed and everyone else is otherwise employed, is that you get stuck doing the majority of fun sunshine events alone. And the company of yourself, yourself and yourself gets mighty old. The fun of events and activities isn't necessarily sharing the activity itself, but of the shared experience.

I'm also fighting with the rather abrupt transition of unemployed-work-unemployed. It's like a bizarre sandwich of responsibilities. I get really good at doing nothing, then suddenly I'm good at doing everything - then nothing. I guess it doesn't help that my partner is away for another few months, and while that's all fine and all while I working, that issue of the pleasure of my company gets very stale after awhile.

So there are a few issues at heart: no partner, lovely weather, no responsibilities, increasing lack of motivation (this gets worse every time I am unemployed) and that monster of boredom. Also I am getting very sloppy with typing and spelling, and perhaps driving. Save me from myself!

I am reminded of song lyrics that claim it's possible to feel alone in a crowded room, yes it is, but it's also as likely to feel alone, with my burgeoning hermithood, in a sunny apartment.

And this time? That stretches in front of me for an impossibly long period? I will want it back, I will want to save it, hoard it and guard it jealously when I want it again. That, my friends, is the tyranny of time. I am in a place I love, with friends I adore, a pony that continually challenges and delights/frustrates me, and yet...

I am hard to please these days. I am so close to self-actualization that it's actually more frustrating than when I wasn't near it at all! All I hear is to enjoy it while I have it, but that makes me resent it even more. Unasked for gifts are the hardest to return.

Also my feet are riddled with blisters and I have a large scrape that is healing on my arm. The blisters are particularly annoying, as they won't allow me to wear running shoes right now and frankly, they are hideous. All courtesy of an interesting trail ride gone amok this weekend.

I'm still pondering what to do, what to do.

Can't seem to buy a break?

2011-08-23T13:49:00.000-07:00

Things have been going well lately, so I come here only to vent it seems!

I went to the music festival at Squamish and had a fabulous time. We camped (which is an iffy proposition at any time really) and the weather, logistics and music were fabulous! I loved the bands, had a great time with friends and really couldn't ask for more...

Which leads me to my rant, which, as per usual, is job related. Just finished up a brief stint that I had hoped would lead to a foot in the door and as it turns out, I didn't even end up with a foot in the hallway TO the door. Le sigh.

I just.can't.seem.to.buy.a.freaking.break! Honest to god, WHAT IS IT??

Coworkers and bosses alike just raved about me, which was honestly very surprising as it was very short period of time. I had excellent reviews and recommendations, have my MA and three years of experience in the field...And I don't get a lower-level position I applied and interviewed for. Yeah...

What does it take? I'm getting extremely discouraged. Extremely. I can get all the excellent reviews they're handing out and STILL blow it. I'm just not sure about anything to do with this anymore. Oh, and I knew it. I just knew it. Whenever you don't get a call right away= bad news. I feel silly for expecting something different, you know?

With my experience, excellent references and decent higher level education, I still can't land the big one, or even the small one. What gives?

Well, I am using this to keep searching, though I am seriously tired of it. I am going to be asking how to improve my interviews (that was number #3 unsuccessful, so clearly something is up!) and looking for feedback.

Yeah, ouch.

I Don't Want Love

2011-07-16T17:55:00.000-07:00

Home again, home again!

Just got back from a jet-set holiday, touring the exotic climes of Calgary, AB all the way to the interior of BC. We drove out to see Spruce Meadows, the premiere showjumping facility of North America basically, and then went to see some roughriding action at the Calgary Stampede. Then off to Banff it was, and then Nelson BC (snail capital of BC?) and Osoyoos (surprisingly and disappointingly cold) and then home.

Showjumping was fabulous! Ian Millar proved he was Captain Canada yet again, and an Irish won the Derby, which was nail-bitingly tense as usual. We watched a performance of the Prairie Dogs, sort of like dog showjumping.

The rodeo was great, nobody got hurt but there sure were some tense moments and some really sad times when cowboys fell off before the buzzer sounded. Barrel racing was fabulous, those ladies can turn and burn with the best of them! I also ate pizza on a stick (wonderful) and root beer, and then a cheap buffet for dinner.

THEN it was off to Banff, home of the rich & famous. We trekked up to the Banff Springs (much like their slaves, er, servants, must have back in the 'ol days) and enjoyed a ridiculously expensive cocktail on the lounge patio, overlooking the majesty of the mountains. * yeah, like $16 for a mojito, and no, it wasn't gold-encrusted?! Woahhh. Anyways, I wanted to stay at the Banff Springs but had to settle for the Ptarmigan's humble, if kind of rude, service.

We enjoyed what will probably remain the most extravagant dinner at Banff's Grizzly House fondue restaurant. We all had the 'dinner' meal, that consisted of a salad, cheese fondue, then meat platter of choice-- Alberta (venison, moose, buffalo), Seafood (prawn, scallop, lobster) or exotic (rabbit, rattlesnake, shark, ostrich)... And the cheapest options started at $50/person?!

Ooooh did we ever eat well! (due to the extreme generosity of my dear parents). I rolled out of there smoky and sort of greasy--we cooked off a hot stone with garlic butter, yes I did say it was extravagant didn't I? And was stuffed for the rest of the next day, as well. Fabulous!

Then it was off to Nelson, the picturesque small town of silver-star fame Roxanne and the sun shone, everything was beautiful and we definitely ate dinner at the Dixie Cafe (well it is called something different now, but that is what it was in Roxanne). All is good!

The next day, Osoyoos, was a bit of a downer. Rainy, barely breaking 18 deg, no mood for swimming, nosir! Bummer!

And now it's raining in Victoria. Can we win this one? Hope you have a vacation this summer that IS sunny? Let's break 30, people!

The honeymoon is over

2011-06-27T14:27:00.001-07:00

I'm at odds with my feisty redheaded horse. I had a ride the other day that culminated, shamefully enough, with me hopping on bareback grabbing a chunk of mane in one hand, and brandishing a whip with the other. The rodeo that ensued was quite entertaining, as I had to physically 'beat' my dear pony around the ring!

I feel anxious and disappointed, as we were doing SO well lately. As of two weeks ago, things were great! We had started jumping, and I was just loving him and feeling really confident. Then we backslid with alarming speed. He got spooky, I got anxious and defensive, he got upset and balky. He started rearing and bucking, leaping nervously at the slightest provocation. I got grabby and handsy, and upset.

What to do, what to do? Well, he is having a horse chiropractor out on Wednesday. If that doesn't solve his problems, well does anyone know a good horse-meat recipe? (hahah, actually I will have a competent friend show my dear pony a thing or two about paying attention!!).

Fingers crossed this is a minor setback on the road to our eventual success!

The Virgin Suicides

2011-06-27T14:21:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's a bit of a pop-culture icon these days isn't it? I'm reading the book right now, written by Pulitzer-prize winner Jeffrey Eugenides (he won it for Middlesex, curiously enough, I disliked that book!).

It's a stunning book, both in texture and craft, and in sheer lyricism. It draws you in to this sepia-tinted life, of extreme voyeurism and languid drama. I really enjoyed it, and found the film to be fairly true to the book itself, rare enough as it is. I highly recommend this book-particularly if you liked the film--but even if you didn't, the writing here is so rare, so captivating. It's lazy, powerful and envelopes you. It's not an emotional book, but rather one that keeps a reader at a visible distance, as if you are seeing the events through a haze of fog or fine mosquito netting.

It's a definite mystery, and strangely even though it's a subject matter that people avoid quite strenuously, we can all identify with it.

I also had the craziest dreams after reading it, so perhaps not a book for before-bed reading.

Enjoy!

A murder of crows?

2011-06-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

Outside our apartment building, there's a menace. It waits until your arms are burdened by shopping bags full of groceries, then swoops and whacks the back of your head--

Yes, we're under attack! By two evil crows. At first I laughed at my partner's dramatic retelling (they seem to hate him the most) until...I caught them sneaking up behind me on the telephone wires, cawing madly. I didn't back down though, oh no! I dropped my bags at their first daring pass at my head, and yelled and hissed at them, swinging my bag wildly.

That sort of scared them off, until I went to pick up my groceries. Then they were back! For more! The nerve of these crows...

And so we went back and forth, me chasing them off to the heights of the telephone wires, them cawing like maniacs and sneaking back to dive-bomb the back of my head. I was pretty pissed off, let me tell you!

Susan is not having any luck with animals lately, for some reason. I am also thinking about getting some sort of bb gun or airsoft gun, but I'm a pretty terrible shot, and could likely see myself shooting a window, person, dog, cat, other bird...the list goes on. Hmmm.

So far, I haven't been troubled by them, but they seem to sneak up at the oddest times...I will keep my wits about me, and conquer the evil crows!

I'll Never Be Young Again

2011-06-12T20:15:00.001-07:00

My, I am prolific currently. This one's a rant. It's about gratitude.

How hard is it to admit you need help, and oh gosh this is a tough one--say thank you?! I'm busting my ass to help, partly as a favour to others, partly to help you, and all you can say is, well, bitching?

I admit I'm no saint, and yes, on the ''entitled'' side of entitlement, but for the love of all that is (un)holy, some gratitude is demonstrated on my end. At least! People love to be helpful, feel appreciated, and lend a willing hand. Don't be an ass, and it will turn out all right. Don't be a jerk about it, and don't act rude whenever you have interactions.

So hard? How about you leave society. I have a creeping feeling 'excommunications' were developed for a reason...Not religious reasons!

So, I'm going to ride this wave of righteous anger until it subsides possibly tomorrow.

Don't Look Now

2011-06-12T20:07:00.000-07:00

Ah yes, has anything changed much these past few days? Well, my partner has attracted the attention of some vicious crows, which instantly made me laugh like crazy and reminisce about Daphne du Maurier's The Birds.

Camping this past weekend was a great success and a ton of fun. It makes me feel happy that I can join up with friends of years, (with years in between visits), and have it be so natural, so freeing. It's great, this casual companionship, and something I truly value. I also learned how great cooking camping breakfast can be when you do it in a paper bag, grease and egg dripping into the fire and flaming it further. (The trick is layering the bacon in the bottom of the bag, then piling shredded potatoes, egg if you are so inclined, and cheese. Place it on the grill over the fire for 30 minutes or so, and voila! Greasy diner breakfast in the woods)

I also ran 10k, without taking a break! Woo hoo! My pony was quite bad today, could be saddle-fit related, though I really really hope not.

And I will leave with this: Some du Maurier books I highly, highly recommend: short story collection Kiss Me Again, Stranger, the book Rebecca, Jamaica Hill, collection of short stories Don't Look Now and check out some of her others. Fabulous gothic eerie stuff.

I'm a perfect piece of ass, like every Californian

2011-06-02T14:28:00.000-07:00

In England, you almost expect the weather to be, well, miserable. And were we disappointed? Hell no! It was windy, rainy and frankly quite brisk. We attended a wedding and it was everything you would assume a British wedding to be. Several hymns were sung, baffling the heck out of me (who goes to church anymore? And sings?) and many courses were consumed at the 'wedding breakfast' which is their name for reception.

We danced in a modified disco in the hall, something I'm sure the ancestors who built the grand Hall never saw coming! It felt very iconoclastic. We played a small game of croquet, dressed in our wedding finery of long dresses, fascinators and hats. My fascinator, of peacock feathers, drew admiring glances long and far. We played a brief, if moderately successful, game of skittles in the path in the long garden.

The food was spectacular, with pureed seafood in gelatin molds, timbale of field berries suspended in crystal-clear vanilla jelly, champagne sorbet.

The cars that drove up to the Hall, guests, waltzed from Porsche Boxters, Range Rovers, BMW's, Saabs, Volvos--nary a rust bucket in sight, or even mid-level. The luxury cars were astonishing.

It was the most opulent, luxurious and no doubt expensive wedding I will ever attend, save I become very famous and am invited to a movie star's wedding, or perhaps there is another Royal wedding (Harry? Is that you?)..

What's so bad (about feeling good?)

2011-06-02T14:16:00.000-07:00

Fresh off a fabulous UK wedding, which I spent absolutely wracked with concern for my final Masters paper (which turned out to be a total no big deal anyways. ARGH), I have been faced with a few, shall we say, trials?

Running the gauntlet of financial concern, dentistry, flooding, no job prospects--I feel tried even more than Job! I am waiting for the other shoe to drop (oh my head) woah I feel crazy deja vu, I've definitely felt this way and said it that way before. It might help me to list out a few of my concerns...

Surprising $600 invoice for something in JANUARY!
$250 Hydro bill
Filling from dentist not covered by insurace= Cha-Ching!
Flooding in my to-be-renovated apartment
Dear partner not cancelling a phone service from January, and is still paying it--this is the second time we moved and this happened
No job prospects, and none in the pipes--apparently a MA with a few years govt experience is very unhireable?? Please god tell me no
Dear aforementioned partner determined to quit said well paying job. While I am still unemployed
?????
Profit!!!

What to do, what to do? Part of me says fuck it. Enjoy what I'm doing now, and stop reaching, searching, feeling anxious about the future. The future will worry about the future. Let ''Future Susan'' deal with it, enjoy the horse (who I am madly falling in love with, he is such a good pony).

Current Susan? Is SO not ok with Future Susan. She feels lazy, uneducated, bored and absolutely adrift. Also, feels a bit at odds with current life situations--not that I want to be super busy with work, but something would be welcomed. Throw me a bone here, life! (tempting fate with that, as I enjoy good health, sort of good ''teefs'' and a darling pony, bunny, & husband).

So I am letting Current Susan and Future Susan battle it out. In my head. This should be fun...

So, I'm listening to happy music--even if it makes me want to cry sometimes--and enjoying my dear pony, who was a very nice ride today.

Spider Chronicles?

2011-05-09T17:11:00.001-07:00

Yeah, instead of the jazzy Spiderwick Chronicles (good movie, by the way)...I present, Spider Chronicles!

In which I, spider attractant extraordinaire, will chronicle my tales of woe. Starting with the other day, when I was lazily grazing my pony, in the upper paddock at his boarding stable. I would usually let him off lead to graze, except he has proven himself very wily and fast, and wouldn't let me catch him. So here we were, him eating, me bored and staring at him eating. Except--what was this? Small black hopping things in the long grass?

I recalled a fellow boarder mentioning fun things to do, like bring chairs up there and let the horses eat without fear of them running amok and all of these fun activities flashed through my mind, because---

ALL THESE BLACK THINGS WERE SPIDERS

Thousands of them!

I was wearing boots (pink rubber boots with white horses on them, natch) and I have never backpedaled my face from the ground fast enough, or thanked the heavens I was wearing hot rubber in the sun. Jeezus.

Yes, this cozy field where my pony was plundering the fresh grass was literally crawling with black spiders, maybe baby ones but they looked pretty damn big, all hopping merrily through the grass under.my.feet.

Needless to say, I will not be bringing a chair, book, alcoholic drink, or my horse back. Unless he smartens up and can be let up without playing ''let's see how fast you are''. Shudder.

Recovering from this post-spider incident, I later showered (my first mistake!) after being at the horse barn. Naked, vulnerable and with shampoo in my hair, I reached for my bar of soap-a strange black bar of soap that I won't be buying again. (there is nothing stranger than watching black streaks of soap wash off you. Isn't that the reverse of what is supposed to be happening? Anyways) Under the soap was...dun dun dunn.... A SPIDER!

I screamed so loudly I'm pretty sure they could hear me from space. I live in a condo now that has screens on all its windows. My shower doesn't have any windows, nothing! How, how, how could this happen? To me? Today>?

Sensing my presence and scream, the spider decided to make a run for it, into the tub. It was getting rained on by the showerhead, and I snatched up the bar of soap and bashed it to death against the tub walls.

Leaving its crumpled, shedding legs body in the tub while I was showering made me have the fastest shower ever. With goosebumps raised on my skin, I left the shower, took the shower head and washed the stubborn spider corpse down the drain. Note: it didn't want to go.

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. I now check the shower every time I am in that washroom. I say this now, but I never want to shower again. Anyone experienced in dry shampoos?

The Faraway Horse

2011-05-03T14:23:00.000-07:00

Another elections come and gone, a trip to Tofino for some crab, and four days off of riding my dear redheaded nut pony.

I've also become a bit of a closet foodie, eating at restaurants like Shelter or SOBO (yes these were both in Tofino, ha!) and I even experimented with polenta the other day, and ate squash gnocci (which was delicious).

I'm heading out to England in a few weeks, for another Royal wedding, my cousins. Should be fabulous! And hopefully will cure this aimless nonsense that's been flitting in and out of my mind lately-why do we so define ourselves by our work? It's a recipe for heartbreak, in my opinion.

Oh and I will hopefully be able to enlist a talented and capable rider to exercise my evil pony while I am away, 9 days is just too long to leave him to his own devices--hell, I just rode again after 4 and he wasn't great, but at least he didn't feel like I was riding a stick of dynamite. Ohhh horses. If you're lucky enough to have horses, you're lucky enough.

Peeps Season! Happy Easter

2011-04-21T21:08:00.000-07:00

Last Easter I made Peeps (my favourite Easter candy, next to Cadbury Creme Eggs) and they were SO good, courtesy of everyone's fav felon, Martha Stewart. This Easter I'm going somewhere a little more...Technical?

Yes that's right, I (courtesy of friend Jessica) found a recipe to make Cadbury Creme Eggs! Yes that's right! http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2011/02/how-to_homemade_cadbury_eggs.html

Oh, glorious days, an Easter filled with diabetes-inducing treats. This will put my job-less-ness blues on the backburner and focus on something a little less dreary (like school.ugh.) yayyy!

And I can't help but reflect a little on where I was last year. Is it bad I still feel the need to tally this year's successes against last year's? Last year I spent Easter in NYC, and it was fan-freaking-tastic. However, I was still living apart from my husband, embroiled in a demanding job, writing a ton and working on school constantly. Do I miss this? Am I someone that relies on external busy influences to keep myself 'sane'?

I'm not sure about that yet. I am *so* not busy these days, and it is .stressful.? How is this? I can't figure it out. Was I happier when I was burning myself on both ends, stretched to capacity with time, mental powers?

(Oh and this year, I have a pony! And I can still afford to keep him! This year's Easter already has one step up. That ' fulfilled' feeling will have to come, I have to be patient).

Thanks but No Thanks

2011-04-21T21:02:00.000-07:00

Pretty sure I got the grand 'brush-off' from a rather spectacularly unsuccessful interview the other day. It led me to ponder a few things, now that I'm stuck in this situation again (by choice!)...What makes a good interview? A good impression is fairly easy, well for some, but if employers know who they want within minutes of meeting an applicant, what sets you apart?

I think it's the brutal unknowing that drives me crazy. Who's to say they already have a candidate waiting in the wings, going through the motions with other prospects only to dismiss them summarily as a formality?

Interviews make everyone paranoid.

I hate them.

Hot topics--books

2011-03-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

Last year I was on a bit of a Pat Conroy kick, I know how corny and overwrought his books can be but damn, he is an excellent storyteller.

So, I watched Prince of Tides this past weekend and it was pretty awful (Nick Nolte and Barbara Streisand???) and honestly did not do the book justice. The actual book is tense, flowery, brutal and overwhelming. I was very surprised at how well done it was, and how poorly the film adapted it. It's a very long book with flashbacks that tell a horrible story, and the film pretty much glossed most of it over. Anyways, it reminded me of the strength of good stories and how powerful the written word is.

So, I looked up a few of his other books and autobiographies and recommended one to a friend. It seems that the richness of lived experience really 'shines' through Conroy's work, particularly the unvarnished, plain banality of evil that seem to permeate his books.

That said, I recommend Prince of Tides, Beach Music, The Water is Wide and The Great Santini...they're not easy reads, but excellent ones.

An In-Between Place

2011-03-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

Now that the hustle, rush and hurry of moving, moving again and buying a condo have worn off...I'm bored.

For awhile (the first month of unemployment and the excitement of moving) I was glad to be off work momentarily, and have a chance to settle in, focus on my new life, new pony and be with my husband again. But now? I'm struggling a bit to define my days.

I'm going into a month and a half, almost two, of not working and it's starting to drive.me.crazy. I'm fine in the mornings, I go riding (or get into arguments with my adorable, terrible pony) and come home, have lunch, and go for a jog with a dear friend. I'm living the retirement lifestyle! Except...after I'm done jogging, now what?

I kind of get 'stuck' in the afternoons, whiling them away doing absolutely nothing important. What's this? Susan loafing around? Why, two months ago that would have been the dream, when I was working full time, hating school full time, and handling the household and freelance writing contracts. But now? I kind of miss it (well, not all of it, maybe like 50 per cent).

I have almost finished the entire Las Vegas CSI. And this is from someone who doesn't really watch much TV! (The Internet is more my vice, ouch!).

So, I'm finishing my thesis and doing it poorly, and applying to jobs with bated breath, but it feels so odd to complain about my (relatively) luxurious position in life. Honestly, I quite enjoy it but it gets lonely, and I seek to fill that void with 'busy' work. Things might improve when I'm not living alone *again!*.

Hmm, the tyranny of time.

Summer is the Champion

2011-03-23T14:31:00.001-07:00

Well, I almost feel like this blog shouldn't be titled UpNorth anymore, it's a bit misleading as I certainly am no longer there!

But, I'm pretty lazy/not great with tech, so I will most likely leave it.

And some updates... In the month and a half (and a bit over that actually), we've bought a condo, I have been working on my masters research paper and finished a case study, moved my dear pony to a new boarding stable, and reconnected with tons of friends. Success right?

I'm still hedging about finding a new job, as it seems like the world's biggest curse (job hunting, that is)...Oh well, I have to suck it up and work somewhere eventually?

Guess it helps that the weather here is warm-ish, around 9-12 degrees everyday and today the sun is shining, the future is bright, and I'm where I was meant to be!

Also, Easter is coming up and you know what that means...Peeps! I love peeps!

And my pony was being pretty naughty today, he's been very spooky at the new boarding stable, which is in a pretty central location, but that means tons of stuff/distractions. For example, during the past week we have had to deal with:

Tarps from the hoarder neighbour's flying around on a dark and windy day
Hail bouncing off said hoarder neighbour's multitude of crap sheds full of junk
Street construction (complete with power tools and flashing lights) outside the 'scary' side of the riding arena
Two large scrapers/graders parked in the stable yard
Dumptruck in stable yard that was dumping right next to the riding arena

Luckily, it seems that he's only bothered by the neighbour's crapload of stuff, not anything happening in his stable yard. Phew. Except he spooked at something (nothing...) today and slipped on the concrete near his cross-ties! Yeesh.

Ponies are short, and therefore closer to hell

2011-02-08T13:02:00.000-08:00

Wow have I ever let this slack off! I don't even know if I can call it UpNorth anymore, as I am...drumroll please... no longer up North!! Yes that's right, can you believe it?

In a series of unfortunate events, my 4 hour flight from Whitehorse turned into a two-day excursion of stress. In other news, fuck Air Canada and their fucking stupid non-existent pet policies..."I don't know why we don't allow any pets other than dogs or cats. Maybe it's a Transport Canada rule''...NO it isn't, why is AIR NORTH (a far superior airline) fine with it with no fucking dithering> huh.

So, don't fly Air Canada if you can help it. They suck.

What's been going on so far? Well, let me list the events:

I went back to Costa Rica for Christmas, and it was very nice. I got 80 mosquito bites and pulled a muscle in my leg, but otherwise very flawless.

I am still doing school. Ugh.

I sold my house in Whitehorse.

I am in the process of buying a condo in Victoria (yayy)

I quit my job in Whitehorse (I am really going to miss it, it was sweet!)

I am unemployed and rather hating it, I didn't realize how much I defined myself by my job(s)

I am living in a hotel in Victoria and running between realtor-lawyer-notary public-horse barns

I am looking for boarding for my dear devil pony

I am trying to reconnect with dear friends

I am going to try to continue some freelance writing, which has really taken off this year and I've absolutely loved it

I've been eating out in restaurants everyday and i LOVE IT

I really haven't been focusing as much on school as I should

I am planning to go to my cousin's wedding in England in May (YAYYY)

I am planning to ride in horse shows this summer with said devil pony

I'm trying to get back in shape and almost screamed with fright at how horrible my swimsuit looks on me

Annddd I live with my husband again! It has been 1.5 YEARS since we have lived together. It's about time. :)

Strange dreams

2010-12-08T11:32:00.000-08:00

I haven't been dreaming lately, so last night's dream took me by surprise. It was a very vivid dream, and super intense. Kind of felt like a Malarone dream (post-apocalyptic, everything is ruined).

I dreamt I was on a cruise ship with friends, enjoying a relaxing time. The cruise ship started sinking and general chaos ensued, things flying around, everything tipping on its side and we started sliding into our watery doom. Then the ship righted itself, and we were in the cafe enjoying a cappuccino, discussing the almost-sinking, and then the ship started sinking again. We flew sideways down to the water, tables and coffees crashing into us. There was no saving us and we sank, ship and all.

I woke up with my face absolutely mashed into my pillow, groggy as hell.

Now I'm wondering what the dream means. My amateur interpretation would say it reveals a general uneasiness with how life is going, echoing my displeasure at my house not being sold yet (after it was sold, and the financing fell through and it was yanked back on the market) and this feeling of general malaise and despair.

It's odd, and makes me feel uneasy.

Math for real life

2010-12-08T11:07:00.000-08:00

Because if I wasn't ranting, I'd be moping--here's something else that bugs me.

High school math.

Yes, that's right. I was a horrible math student, and even now would probably be barely math literate. I saw a drawing of long division yesterday and wondered how it worked, because it looked confusing as hell...Yep, pretty much math retarded.

And did taking trigonometry or advanced algebra help? Nope. It led to intense screaming matches with my dear mom, who was quite good at math but not so good at helping people who are bad at math. I had countless math tutors who were very helpful but still, I struggled. With a math tutor I got 60% on tests--a mark I rarely saw, because my other classes never dropped that low. It was a nightmare, I had extreme anxiety because of math, my test scores haunted my dreams.

I finally quit math in Grade 11, and halleleujah, the heavens opened up. My average went way up, and I was so much happier. I also think I may have dyscalcula, as I mix up phone number frequently and once wrote an entire trig test with each formula reversed. But, that's no excuse for struggling and being terrible at math apparently.

My solution to this? Turn basic-level math into a less-stigmatized course, called Math for Real Life. Balancing a household budget? Taxes? Having an employee? Being a contractor? All things that could REALLY be helpful when trying to live ''like an adult.'' Calculate your mortgage payments? How much of a downpayment should you put down? What is the amortization rate? What will the strata fees add to your mortgage and can you afford it?

Why don't we turn math into something ACTUALLY useful, instead of a living nightmare for us poor math-challenged folks. I would have taken a course like that and USED IT. Instead I whip out my calculator (suck that math teachers--I have never NOT used a calculator in real life) and pore of the details of my mortgage or what I should charge for my freelance writing per hour. And it works for me, but it would have been so much easier had someone taught me the basics of this.

Unstigmatize math and you'll make it way more user-friendly. Bonus: students who can calculate their timesheets at work, and figure out what wages they need in the workplace. Aspirations people!

Today's rant on junk food blogging

2010-12-08T10:51:00.000-08:00

I read a ton of other blogs for my own self-interest. They range from candy blogs, to horse blogs, to lifestyle blogs (exercise, weight loss, travel).

One thing I noticed, for those who wrote about active lifestyle blogs were often on a journey of weight-loss as well--and they all wrote about fast food. They proclaimed their (former or current) love of it, spoke about eating out at restaurants or fast-food joints 3X a week at least. They ate out for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They would visit one drive-thru (and oddly, a ton of them went through drive-thrus, never walk-ins. peculiar) and pick up a hamburger, fries and a coke, and then go to the Taco Hell and pick up a taco meal. They would consume all this food for one meal. Or, they'd have lunch at home, go to McDonald's for a 'snack' in the mid-afternoon consisting of a hamburger and fries and a pie--and then proceed to go home and eat a full dinner. ???? Do people really rely on fast food this much? How is this sane?

They ate in their car, not sitting down at a table. They would make special trips out to buy fast food junk, even if they had a perfectly good amount of food at home. Commercials triggered these impulse trips to get fries or a burger, apparently (it does--more on this below).

Also, eating out, whether it's junk or a good restaurant, is almost always unhealthy, and incredibly expensive. Two fast-food meals for dinner really adds up! Not to mention the toll you're paying on your body.

I even read some pretty silly entries, like how one person, in an attempt to curtail snacking while baking, was going to stop baking. But she would first make some holiday sugar cookies for a party--except, she bypassed the sugar cookie dough in the freezer section at the grocery store accidentally, so now she couldn't make the cookies. First of all, you buy dough to make sugar cookies? There's practically nothing in them. How lazy can you get to buy dough to make the cookies, and if you can't buy it, throw your hands up in helplessness 'oh, can't make them, too bad.' If you are this helpless at making holiday cookies, how does it translate to your real life? Take some ownership, people!

This, dear readers, is how people end up huge.

Also, I was watching TV yesterday (a novelty, since I don't have cable) and was astounded at how many fast-food joints commercials there were--yeah, it's been awhile since I watched TV. Wendy's "sea-salt natural fries" Pizza Hut ''full-family meal deals" McDonalds--everything, "KFC's ''crispy bucket meals'' Dairy Queen's flame-broiled burgers. It.never.ends. And these would run all together, so it's like a never-ending swarm of junk food on parade (MuchMusic channel, yeah I know, my first mistake).

Jeebus. No wonder people are fat.

Picky eaters=disordered?

2010-12-03T09:07:00.000-08:00

In a break from my current moping, I found an article that links picky eating or historically picky eating to eating disorders.

Now, I think picky eating is different from restricted eating, due to gluten allergies or a host of other allergies (I have some allergies and yes, they do mildly restrict what I eat ...not enough to stop me from eating everything though!). From what I'm seeing, picky eating is primarily a first-world problem-obviously-and picky eaters predominantly love and/or require solely food that is bad for you, ie- junk food, fast food. They hate vegetables, fruit, whole grains, etc. They love overprocessed junk food; doughnuts, fries, hamburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, pop-tarts, eggos, etc.

Now, my question is; if picky eating is an eating disorder, why does it take the form of ridiculously juvenile eating patterns? Afraid of vegetables? Hates fruit? WTF how does this mean eating disorder? And why do they *only* eat the greasy, fatty, sugar-laden junk foods that children like. And how does a person pick up this silly, childlike eating habit?

I admit, it would be nice to eat junk food all the time, but at a certain point, don't they feel like they're going to get rickets or scurvy? Jeebus, I feel terrible after a weekend chocolate binge. I also hate to say it, but my respect for people that refuse to eat anything adventurous or are 'afraid' to eat veggies/fruit totally dwindles to nothing. Grow up. Do you think other countries (save Americans, where this is most likely rampant) have this issue?

We're adults here, so get a life and learn to eat well. You don't have to eat bugs or fried scorpions or anything weird-but if we go out to dinner and you turn up your nose at stir-fries or currys or anything 'different' and order chicken tenders with fries, I'm not going to be impressed.

I have a friend who refuses to eat pasta with anything but red sauce, who threw out a doughnut because it was contaminated with powdered sugar from brushing next to another powdered-sugar doughnut (it was chocolate glazed), and who thought grain was a vegetable. It isn't. Trust me, that's also how many vegetables she ate (pasta).

Sidenote: People tend to get really annoyed with restrictive eaters (allergies) b/c they are an inconvenience, but the only annoyances I actually agree with are the 'holier than thou' types who give you the stare-down if they are eating tempeh and you are eating steak. Really people? Can't we all get along? (except those with baby-food tastes. Puh-leeze. Put down the McNuggets and grow up.)

Hell would be cold Part deux

2010-11-30T17:52:00.001-08:00

Yes, I'm issuing my usual refrain, and it's going to take on a particularly screechy note today. I'm stuck (oh and the other day I used mired, my I am feeling crazy today!) in the 'I no longer want to be here/doing this/living this/being me' feeling. And in no small part due to the weather. Something interesting I've learned: snow, particularly snow that limits my mobility by car or walking, and that I have to shovel in increasingly alarming large increments, makes me HATE THE WORLD.

Yep, I'm afraid it has to be that emphatic. I joke-threatened the other day that if it snows any more, there is going to be a real toss-up as to whether I shovel it, or behead someone with my shovel. (note: shovel is plastic).

So, with the darkening days and piles of snow surrounding me, the insidious crazy is creeping ever closer. Bright light ahead? Christmas in Costa Rica (again, oh spoiled me!) and a MOVE!~ Yes, yours truly has a chance to escape and is taking it.

But, in the meantime, I feel like I'm stuck in a snow globe of dismal days and I have this self defeating mindset that keeps ricocheting in my brain. It's fucking freezing, I feel vaguely psychotic and you know? I don't want to go to work. I don't want to feed myself. I don't want to workout. I don't want to write. I don't want to drive. I don't want to work on school. I don't want to clean.

Yeah, Susan is done. Done. Done. Done.

People work for money. Want loyalty? Hire a dog.

2010-11-29T14:07:00.000-08:00

I'm currently mired in another class for school, and it's about organizational culture. It's sort of interesting, in a horribly academic and dry way, but when I or others can relate it to our lives, it becomes FAR more interesting.

This quote amused me, because honestly, how many of us have worked for places that subtly required employee loyalty? Yes, and the inferences can be very insidiuous, from wearing 'flair' buttons to having full-out employer required dress codes. My professor was insistent that companies are only as stringent as the market will bear and employees will take, and otherwise they go bankrupt. But, in my experience, this subjugation of employees happens all the time, and no, those places don't go bankrupt all the time...

Case in point, I was employed at a terrible toxic workplace. There was some sort of assumed loyalty, and the employer was indeed a dog of some sort...well, the bitch variety anyways. The extreme turnover and rumor-mongering should have been my first clue--duh, but it wasn't. I learned that an employee left in a screaming match, and that was the first time they had to change the locks. Another employee was fired for 'sexual harassment' and subsequently threatened to come back and wreak havoc--2nd time the locks were changed, in a year!

Another employee quit, the employee that was originally hired in my position before I was offered the job lasted ONE day, then quit, another employee quit, and then myself and one last employee quit.

Yeah, stellar eh? Well, now the place has some loyal, dog-lovely employees who settle the boss's scum-sucking ways, and apparently can live up to the corporate culture of being put-down and subjugated to the employer's whims day to day.

Anytime I hear the words 'corporate' or corporate policies, I shudder. Never has this been a good thing, and all they really seem to achieve are zombie workers, mindless of all other than 'corporate' needs/gains. Ugh.

Yep, I'm pro-being public servants. Hey, it works for a lot of us!

We've confused 'you can do anything' with 'you have to do everything'

2010-11-12T21:17:00.000-08:00

Yep, third-waver here.

And I happen to think this is true, in my instance anyways. So guess what? I'm taking a step back. I'm stopping one of my writing gigs (no, not this one. one that actually pays!) and focusing on a different freelance gig. More free time for me? Debatable...

Oh, and this might not be a Yukon rant blog any longer. Yes that's right Susan is moving to the big city of the south. When? Oh, soon, soon.

Not this month, and not in December. But you'll know. Also in that vein, I was thinking about checking out this new vegetarian restaurant that opened up next to Antoinette's, I think it is called Ruby's. (Almost wrote Ribby's. ha...)

Except I got scared away by the price. $25 for each dinner option? For VEGETARIAN meals>?? WTF. I would pay that for a good lobster, or steak. Or hell, lobster/steak surf'n'turf style. NOT for a veggie meal. Huh, that is just ridiculous.

I wish them well, but they've got me scared away and off to much cheap-ass sushi (comparatively, not really that cheap here either, but still).

Small Sins

2010-11-12T13:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Rememberance Day, and I spent it doing homework, baking scones (more so than homework) and in a nod to the day, looking up a fellow colleague's project The Guinea Pig Club, a documentary about WWII veterans horribly burned & in a very exclusive club, one of burgeoning plastic surgery.

I'm also still reconciling my trip to India, my insane jet-lag, my general malaise with writing, busyness with work and loneliness.

It's a lot to think about (sidenote: wandering minds can wander to depression, according to a Globe & Mail article this morning. hm...).

The jet lag? Well it pretty much ended Sunday, when I had been back for 1 week total. I felt bad though, because my dear partner ended up the victim of most of my crazy outbursts, emotional meltdowns and general snarliness.

Case in point: First full day back, I went to work--generally ill advised. Came home, went to a friend's birthday party, came home to sleep. Husband was telling me about how I was snoring the night before (LIES!) and I started laughing. Except I wasn't laughing, I was crying. It was still funny, but for some reason my brain couldn't make the 'laugh' signal work, just the cry one. It was so strange.

The next day we watched a movie (sort-of horror, Left Bank, pretty good) really early, so I could be in bed by 8pm. Husband went to bed with me, read for a bit then went to watch TV in the living room. I got up at some point to use the washroom, and saw him on the couch watching TV. I stood there and just stared at him. He thought I was sleepwalking. I thought he was a ghost.
All I could think about was, if here's here, then WHO is in the bed???

Yeah...nobody.

I was also quite terribly behaved, snapping at the slightest provocation, forgetting sentences/words, being generally rather surly. Ugh.

And now he's gone, and I'm all alone. Sigh. Well, not totally alone. I have work, friends, school committments (I couldn't read that first week, at all!) and my fuzzy bunny, for companionship.

But that strange 'twinning' feeling, of being in two places at once, like part of me was left in India, is slowly leaving, and all I'm left with is a vague idea that I lost a month somewhere in an eternal summer.

Republic of Bacon part deux

2010-11-08T10:55:00.000-08:00

Yes here it is folks...drumroll please...

Bacon soda?

Those crazy kooks at Jones Soda, makers of the delicious Fu-Fu Berry or Blue Rasperry, and the strange Thanksgiving sodas (Gravy or Mashed Potato soda anyone?) are at it again!

They are looking into creating the Frankenstein of all Bacon products, yes I think this tops Bakon vodka too...Bacon soda.

Would you try it? Hell, I'm not sure if I would.

Our Halcyion Days

2010-11-02T10:16:00.000-07:00

I'm back from India, day 2 of some serious jet lag.

How would I describe India? Insanity, visceral, crazy, dangerous, hot, exotic, sweat, pollution, (now this is just the Ahmedabad side of it). The Goa part is jungle, steam, pollution, beach, hawkers, hassels, cows.

India is not a time for a relaxing holiday--well, the Goan part maybe, but even that has the propensity to smack you in the face with Indian-ness. Ahmedabad (Gudjarat region) food is not that great...certainly edible but I wouldn't seek it out. Goan food, oh hell yes, the food is excellent. Huge prawns, cheap cheap cheap! I didn't get sick, nothing horrible happened, life goes on.

My hotels were fine, the Ahmedabad one was clean and nice, good air conditioning but you can't sit out in the city, no swimming pools, so loud with endless honks and smothering pollution. The Goan hotel, Goa Riviera, was slimy with subservience. I got 500 Rs stolen from my room, feared I gained a potential stalker.

The toilets are what you would expect for a burgeoning Industrialized nation. Kind of hell-hole ish, we judged restaurants on the conditions of the washrooms.

Things were tense with our group situation, in no small part caused by our teacher behaving in an interesting fashion. Let's just say some lines were crossed that we all saw.

Back to reality (but it feels like those days were reality, I'm just waiting to wake up from a Malarone dream in a hot country, leaving cold days behind)...

Back to work, the daily grind. Did I leave a part of me in India? Would I return?

Republic of Bacon

2010-10-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

Due to life being insanely busy at the moment, here is a fluffy post.

I have eaten maple-bacon ice cream and yes, it was kind of weird. It tasted sort of like smoky chewy bits, instead of walnuts. Would I try it again? Maybe not...

I have seen maple-bacon longjohns at dougnut emporiums. Yumm! (but I'm not going there, haha. Cholesterol city!)

I have seen neon bacon, 'bakon' vodka (ew) bacon-flavoured mints (yeah no thanks Mr. Oinkers) and bacon bandages.

Oh and a lot of this stuff was in Portland, which is a very cool city. Kind of a decaying downtown core but oh so trendy. A big foodie culture, with lots of record shops, the biggest bookstore I have ever been in (Powell's books) and great coffee at Stumptown grinders. Love it!

Until recently, I was unaware that Oprah and God were two different people

2010-09-19T18:30:00.000-07:00

(Not mine, found it on a very amusing website...)

But it does bring to mind the ever-existing struggle between religious people, other religions and, well, everyone.

As an atheist myself, I find it very difficult to listen, understand or care about other people's religions. Fine, go ahead and worship, pray or burn black candles while dripping chicken heads over them, but don't involve me. Also, I figure that Jeebus is a proper substitute for Jeezus.

And what do atheists do? Well, first let's dispense with a popular misconception--they don't 'hate' God. For that to happen, they would have to believe in a god. And that just ain't happening.

I like to tell people I am polytheist, and into 'many' gods. I have a god for money, a god for health, a god for luck, a god for love...etc etc etc. People love this. It takes away that horrible ''pious, unholy'' feeling they get whenever they talk religion with anyone. Tell them you're an atheist and screeeechh...record skids off the A-track.

Atheists also don't act immorally because they have no 'god' watching over them. They act like decent, kind respectful people because, *gasp* they are! They are not accountable to an imaginary patriarchal figure in the sky. They are good people, simply because they are. They do not act charitable with hopes of great rewards in an afterlife, or act in fear of some supposed hell. Bad people are christians, agnostics, atheists, humans and anything under the moon. Religion does not preclude you from being an asshole.

I also like to joke that I avoid churches because I'm afraid I'll burst into flames upon entrance. (Yeah it goes over well with certain audiences...but it's a tricky one...)

Finally, I can't help but think that hell isn't the horrible place it's said to be. As I live in a climate that can be extremely cold and treacherous, and frequented hot climates that I loved...well...If it existed, and this is a big if...

Hell would be cold.

Come on, feel the noise

2010-09-15T15:29:00.000-07:00

So, anyone tried to read 8 textbooks in two weeks? Cuz I'm gonna have to!

Yes, another thinly-veiled reference to school. (why god why)

Bonus: Two take-home exams before we leave on our residency to India. At least we are going to India!

So, apologies in advance, but the blog may take a bit of a literary hit these next few months...How long did I predict this frenetic pace would last? A year you say? Oh jeebus.

Off topic: My little fluff bunny is being very cute, he has learned not only how to hop into planters in the backyard and wreak havoc on the dying plants, but he licks the living room carpet where he once ate crackers. As if he could scrape up a little cracker flavour off the fibres, if he is desperate. As long as he isn't tearing up the carpet, all is well. Oh and we had a few episodes of bunny gas, yes apparently they are prone to it. The only thing that solves it is baby anti-gas droppered into his mouth! Cute but kind of scary when you don't know what it is.

Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun

2010-09-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

I'm at an in-between stage.

Young enough to be irresponsible, old enough to own two properties, be married for a year, finished a BA, working on an MA, own a horse and freelance write professionally.

I got in a debate (ok, argument) last week with my partner about defining 'responsibility.' He claimed that if you never have to be responsible, you are therefore allowed to embrace it, continue on in that life and never, ever have to be responsible. You can travel, endlessly. You can run home when you run out of money. You have many fleeting relationships, you don't need to own property, you don't have a mortgage circling your neck like a financial chain.

Honestly, it sort of sounds great. But at some point responsiblity creeps up on you (unless you're a drug addict or rich or something...) and then whap--you have property, a marriage, a family...house in the 'burb's or something equally horrible.

Again, I know I'm too young for a lot of things like that/don't want them. But this responsibility crept up on me. It is very insidious. Also can be seductive. Who doesn't want to own a house? A horse? Oh but wait, now you have to work full time. And to get ahead full time, you need a better education. And why don't you write more? Yes, write more. Do more school. Work more. More.More.More.

Partly, I love it. I want people to look up, not down at me. I want to be in control, have power, have things, have relationships, hold good jobs, be an accomplished writer, equestrian, everything. Who doesn't? It's that tricky responsibility thing, and sometimes I find myself lameting how did I get here at my age? How long do I have to stay here? When does this train stop and let me out?

I will be here, in this mindset, for 1 more year--I think.

I'm falling into a power trap, and it's completely of my own doing (undoing?).

Home truths

2010-09-10T22:31:00.000-07:00

If there’s one belief that drives social conservatism with regard to female sexuality, it’s that women can’t make good choices, and so their choices have to be made for them. That’s the argument underlying the panic over the hook-up culture (read: girls are too dumb to say no when they want to, so we have to say it for them), the hostility toward comprehensive sex education (if girls know their options, they may make choices we disapprove of), the move toward restricting abortion and contraception, the hostility toward single mothers, and all the knee-jerk anger—like Bill O’Reilly’s—over any hint that women might have choices.

Courtesy of STFUConservatives.

Definitely food for thought!

Sam & Andy's is not worth it

2010-09-08T09:12:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I had a lousy meal there recently.

I was surprised. I don't eat there a lot, but have enjoyed meals there in the past. This meal just...sucked. Sucked so hard, it tasted like I was eating nothing (but lots of calories, of course).

I had a Chillotta, and it was the most miserable, flavourless piece of shit I have ever eaten. It was a steak and veggie wrap in a tortilla with jalapeno cheese. Honestly, I asked the waitress about it, because it was supposed to be Jalapeno-flavoured and everything, and even the cheese tasted like styrofoam.

???

She was surprised, and mentioned it was normally a popular menu item. I don't doubt it, really... But it was horrible. Flavourless, all it had going for it was some sort of texture with zero spice and zero anything. I was very disappointed. I will not be going back. I had to drown that awful meal in Tabasco to choke it down. Ugh.

Sorry Sam & Andy's, you had your chance. You can now join the Copper Ridge Pub, Tokyo Sushi, the lousy Indian place, and the Edgewater in 'places I will never pay to eat at again'.

Hope you're happy! * man that list is starting to grow... to be fair, I'm not a picky eater. I just have issues with cost, terrible service, terrible food, hair in my food. (all of which have happened at least once with the places above)

What happened to August?

2010-09-08T09:10:00.001-07:00

Interesting, what did happen to August?

So far this past few months;

Bought a horse
Working on research proposal for Masters (argh)
Work (argh)
Parents visited
Husband visited
Took time off work
Writing a ton (like it, but man...lots of work!)
Ate out a lot (more on that later. Have one restaurant rant)
School trip to India in October
Trip to Ottawa this month

Yep things have been busy! I am going to try to hop back on the bandwagon.

Wow, it has been awhile

2010-09-08T09:02:00.000-07:00

Let's see, what's been going on recently...

My computer died, in the middle of writing an essay. I had to buy a new computer, which sucked ass (note to everyone: do not buy HP computers), the speakers didn't work, so my Skype group meetings for school didn't happen, I kept going back to Staples (note to everyone: do not buy computers from Staples) and they kept saying there was something wrong with Skype, rather than my computer...

WRONG!

Man, they were wrong. So wrong.

So I marched that computer back to their store and returned it on their asses. Yeah, take that!

Also this update is turning into a 'lousy Whitehorse businesses rant' which is ok...

I marched right over to The Source by Circuit City (Radioshack) and asked about a few computers, yep no problem I have them right here...and the dude comes back with no computer. ''Oh sorry we don't have any in stock." Okkkayyy...What about these computers? "Yep definitely one minute." Comes back, "oh, we don't have any of those either..." WTF?

So I end up with a floor model (yeah I know) and ask what kind of deal I could get on it. "We don't do that." >!!!

Ok, well I'm walking. Sorry, you could have made at least $500 on this sale, but now your sale is walking out the door and to Wal-Mart (yeah I was that desperate) and buying a computer from them. Suck it, Radioshack!

And I did just that. Walked right over to Wal-Mart and couldn't find their laptops. Turns out some wit had covered them up completely (display and all) with copies of shitty Microsoft 2010. The fabulously-mulleted store clerk was having a total meltdown when he saw it, cue "frigging..grumble...assholes..one day I'm going to...grrrrr...arghhhh..."

He pulled a Toshiba out of the boxes and voila! My new computer! Also it was $100 cheaper than freaking Staples, and I even saw the same shit-HP computer that I had previously bought that was also $100 cheaper than Staples. Man....

(Not that I remotely condone buying anything at Wal-Mart, but desperate times call for desperate measures...)

And it works perfectly, Skype and all!

Taking the plunge

2010-07-20T11:36:00.000-07:00

So, earlier this spring I mentioned that I was dithering back and forth about this horse I was going to buy. Well, after backing out at the last second I pretty much consigned myself to remaining horse-less in the Yukon.

Let's face it: the horse situation up here just isn't what I want. People like it and they love saddling up and trail riding to their heart's content, but that just isn't me. I enjoy a good trail ride once a week or so, but when your horse is going lame becuase she needs shoes to deal with the rock-hard ground, sour as fuck about cantering because of the endless kiddie rides, and you never have anyone to ride with (adult) in a slippery, rock hard outdoor ring? Yeah, I am taking a sabbatical from *that* situation.

It's just no fun. I am too competitive to endlessly wander down life-threating trails, to be frightened by the crazy crap that pops up here. I want to jump, lesson with a GOOD trainer, have a decent ring to jump in, ride with adults who are nice, ride my own horse and go to horse shows in the summer. Apparently here that is just too much to ask.

So, I backed out of my previous potential horse. And promptly found a new one.

He's not perfect. He's actually a total jerk, can be difficult to handle and likes to try a few tricks to get you off when you're riding and scared.

He has a big buck/crow hop thing that he pulled with me, while I was riding without stirrups! I stayed on. He is also a pony...Not that scary, haha.

His owner says he needs someone to 'kick his butt in gear' and you know? I'm that someone.

I can handle attitude on a pony. I can't handle nasty on a bigger horse. He doesn't bite, but does pitch hissy fits--hence the handling with a chain. He's also very talented, and an incredible jumper. I did a cross rail and he popped me out of the saddle, a remarkable bascule. He also has a slow and easy to sit canter, it is just gorgeous. His trot is lousy, but ahh you can't win 'em all.

He's cute, a bit evil but I think we will make a good partnership. I am signing papers this week--a pony for my birthday! Who would have thought of it!!

(I also wish I had photos, but for some reason, my darling husband took closeups of my butt and thighs instead of the horse. GRrrrrr)

Birthdays!!

2010-07-20T11:30:00.001-07:00

Yup it's that time of year...my birthday!

I helped celebrate a friend's birthday this past weekend (July is a gooood month!) and I baked and iced a cake. With my mom's extra-special marshmallow icing. Yum.

Turns out cake mixes from a box aren't as easy as they make out to be... The vanilla layer behaved fine but was so flat. Crepes or pancake flat. Ugh.

The chocolate layer was as flat, but that's where the similarities ended. I had to scrape it out of the freaking pan, and then flop the mostly crumb-cake onto a cooling rack. I then came home a few hours later and prepared to ice them with the fabulous icing. The chocolate cake was stuck to the cooling rack! It dissolved into a pile of crumbs, so the cake ended up being vanilla-icing-chocolate-crumb-icing cake. Ugh

It looked pretty sad and silly, but oh well. I got my tube of purple icing for the '28' as he was turning 28, and guess what? The icicng splatted all over the cake, so it was more like *2*8 and everyone thought there was just an '8' on it's side, like a mobius or something. ARGH

I thought, well this is great. The only best thing that could happen is my hand going through the cake, or me dropping it on the gravel outside.

The sadly misshapen cake made it to the party unscathed, where it was enjoyed by everyone.

Phew.

Gosh, it's been awhile

2010-07-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

I found this quote I thought was awesome: "Yet more proof that octopi will soon rule the world. Do not fight it, my friends. Embrace your cephalopod overlords warmly."

Also, on the 'railroad' talkers vein of conversation:

"If you are talking to people, and they know you have a kid, and they ask (out of politeness) "how is johnny doing?" and you say "oh good. he's in 3rd grade and enjoying playing chess now.. How was you trip to panama?" it's cool.

If your response is "oh he's great. He is playing chess now. I think he's got the talent to go professional. But he's also so athletic, he'll have his choice of being in the NFL, MBA or NBA in a few years. And he's so smart. I know he'll be doogie howser and have Harvard, yale and duke courting him for college before he's done with 5th grade. He'll probably get a dual degree.. I'm thinking Lawyer and doctor.. he's just so smart. And kind. Just last week he raised .33 for the oil spill. Such a kind heart. Yup Yup. he's going to be the president someday, I just know it. And so artistic. I mean, Picasso couldn't paint like he does. Just yesterday, he took his crayons, and made a masterpiece on the walls. When we sell the house, that is going to raise our resale value so much. And he'll have his black belt in Karate soon. He's got his white belt now, but i know he has so much natural talent.. it's just incredible"... yeah, by then people are bored, eyes glazed over, and you're pretty much a raving lunatic."

Yeah. I only WISH I never met these people.

Although, I would like to meet Paul the Octopus. Yummm

Amusing Events of Today

2010-06-24T13:23:00.000-07:00

Random amusing events of today:

Meeting #2 in the boardroom this morning, someone almost sat on a banana. It was apparently left on one of the boardroom chairs…she pulled it out and was like whoah, almost sat on it! Then someone was like, hey Lauren was looking for that. Yes, someone was asking around if anyone had ‘seen her banana’…which was left in the boardroom on a chair. HAHAAH

Then, I went to do stairs at lunch and some punk spraypainted orange on the green stairs. Ugly but whatever… I run into an acquiantence, who doesn’t usually do stair Thu. I was like, oh why are you doing stairs today?

Turns out their friend, who also does stairs, happens to be a vigilante citizen graffiti cover-upper, who was out spray-painting over the orange with gold spraypaint…And she is like over 50 years old, granny type. Haha. She tells me she had problems with graffiti on a shed, so she put a magnet of a saint on the shed. Lasted two yrs until someone stole the magnet. She replaced that magnet with one of the Virgin Mary.

Nobody has messed with that. Ever.

What's with girls named Summer?

2010-06-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

I have been watching the O.C. (so sue me, I don't have any cable and need something to watch!) and Summer, one of the main characters, is a flighty little witchy woman. She's super cute and awesome, and it made me wonder two things:

Why are flighty, capricious, beautiful women always named "Summer"? Eg 500 days of Summer, Summer Wheatley in Napoleon Dynamite, Summer in the OC...

Also, why does everyone always sing about California? Eg Hotel California, California, by Phantom Planet, even that duo 'Wave' sang about California...

Those are my musings of the moment...I actually had a few things I wanted to write about but got ran over by a series of unfortunate Tuesdays, of which I am still recovering from. Until next time...

Cosmos sending a message

2010-06-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

So, I have kept a running tally of the strange coincidences (existential investigators, are you hearing this??) that have occurred to me over the past two years. Now, these may sound mundane and ordinary, but I have a feeling these are no ordinary coincidences! Yes, it is clearly the cosmos sending me a message, of what I have yet to interpret/decipher but I will get there one day...

To tally up the coincidences:

I found a clipboard written with "property of (persons name)" ...and I had just gotten an email from my then-new job, sadly telling of the death of that very same person that day! I put the clipboard back, I didn't want to tempt fates.

The second is more mundane and less dangerous. I was taking the bus, on a route I never usually take because I drive to work. I was carrying my gym clothes to and from work, and one day found my gym socks lying on the side of the path I was walking to the bus. Odd, they must have fallen out. I picked them up a bit abashedly and continued on the way. When I got home, I found my actual gym socks--they'd never even left the house! I had picked up a pair of socks that looked exactly the same, and these weren't white gym socks, they were bizarre blue fuzzy pink and white argyle socks. One of a kind.

The third coincidence was a book. This past weekend I was talking up a book, The Glass Castle,by Jeanette Walls (great book, by the way. So powerful!), and I mentioned that a friend had it, and maybe I could borrow it to lend to her. I was looking forward to sharing thoughts about the book with my friend. We set out downtown that afternoon to do some shopping, and stopped by to drop off recycling at Raven Recycling. I browsed the free store for books, and lo and behold, there sat The Glass Castle. It was fate! I snatched it up and gave it to my friend. But still, this isn't the type of book that is just everywhere, like say, A Million Little Pieces or something. It is hard to find, and you have to seek it out. And there it was, waiting for me to give to my friend, who I'd been talking to about it.

Clearly there is a larger message in the works here. What can these coincidences mean?

The Most Unhealthy/Awesome/Gross Desserts Money Can Buy

2010-06-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

I found this one on Jezebel, who found it on The Daily Beast. I kind of want to do a tour of these fantastically fattening desserts. Whoever coined the term 'just desserts' really meant what they were talking about...

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-06-07/40-desserts-that-can-kill-you/

These desserts make Dairy Queen milkshakes look like diet food at 700+ calories. Eeep.

Gasp Splutter Intelligible Choking noises

2010-06-03T21:02:00.000-07:00

This has not been my week. I actually had quite the inner dialogue leading up to this blog post, that went something like, should I label this blog St. Susan, Martyr of the World? Or maybe, the Existential Struggle of Susan, something really dramatic to capture the essence of my emotions.\

Yes, this has been a heavy week indeed. Existential struggle, choking rage, oh they all go together so well, don't they. I can divide this week into two struggles: job, and life. Let's start with job.

Job: Tuesday I decided I hated what I do. More specifically, I hate the assistant part of what I do. The communication part I really quite enjoy. I rather enjoyed the 'ass'istant part until it dawned on me in a big hurry Tuesday that I NEVER WANT TO BE AN ASSISANT AGAIN. It may have been the 'helpful' snarky email from some co-irker who rescheduled a meeting three times, and then politely declined my 4th rescheduling with a suggestion to 'use Outlook' to see when their schedule was open. Ohh...right. Oh, thank you. My goodness, and here I'd been using an abacus and fucking magic ball to divine your ever-changing availability. Oh riiighht...

And then another request from another person (they are all nice people, not assholes) who had some things that needed to be created RIGHT THIS INSTANT!!! And was not taking my ''well, I have to be at -comm job--this afternoon, and am away at at 2 day meeting this week'' very well at all. It has to be done by this Friday!!!

So, guess who pulls time out of her ass to juggle this, the more important job, and oh, the printer's not working, call IT and ask them to fix it, explain what is happening to my print job, print stuff for them even though it wasn't MY print job that was screwing up, and by the way, I still need those things for FRIDAY!!!

Cue emphatic sigh. Actually, I thought I was going to grab my monitor and smash it into the ground. Normally these sort of things, in what is a usually respectful workplace, don't phase me. I can't figure out why I am SO FUCKING IRRITATED by it currently.
My pet theory; I am achingly ambitious, need/want/desire to be recognized for my skillset rather than having two hands, sort-of brain and eyeballs. Jobs that do not fulfill this need get resented very quickly...

Whatever happened to eternal sunshine of the spotless mind? Why can't I be happy printing labels? Photocopying? Opening mail? Creating binders? Buying supplies? Why do I want to scream an endless ranting scream when I think of a lifetime of that. It feels like hell & purgatory combined. I know people who are what I am and are relatively happy, sure they get pissed off, but not the bottomless pit of despair I get when I realize: is this all? We've been sold a cheap bill of sale, and I want to be needed for my smarts, not my 'good work ethic'.

A piece of my soul dies whenever I am referred to as an administrative assistant. I never want this said about me, "Oh, Susan? Yes she's our go-to girl. Works at the front desk in reception." Yes in the beginning this was fine, until I was beginning to claw my way up. But every time I hear this, I hear good worker going nowhere not sharp thinker, ambitious,

Ok, moving on to the life conundrum. Can I sum it up?
Husband absent, horse life sucks, school work getting increasingly edgy, computer crashed and I am fighting with a new one with an imminent paper due, two freelance writing jobs. Oh, and I have begun stress eating and stress running. I hope they balance each other out.

Sometimes it's hard to breathe under the crushing weight of (my?) expectations.

The Perfect Pony

2010-05-31T16:26:00.000-07:00

I backed out. The offer I referred to earlier? Too many red flags, and people saying I should wait. I guess it's like marrying the first boy who proposes...Oops. Well, this is different! haha.

In all honesty, I was not sure. I sure don't want to make a big-dollar mistake!

I'm on the prowl again, and this time I'm willing to take my time.

The Perfect Girlfriend

2010-05-31T16:25:00.001-07:00

Offer insulting?

2010-05-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

I'm currently horse-shopping, as you may know. I put an offer in on a horse, who I thought may be a tad overpriced at $5000, they originally wanted $6500 and the horse didn't move for a year!

I offered $3500 and am waiting for an answer. This horse isn't a make-or-break, but I am pretty excited.

Now the general consensus seems to be that that kind of offer isn't insulting, but do some people think it is? I feel that owners are always free to say no, or counter-offer with a price of their choosing. It is a two-way thing, a back and forth conversation. I don't want to rip anyone off but at the same time, I can easily walk away from this one without a second glance. If I was the owner, I'd really consider my offer! (easy for me to say) haha.

Also this was one of the better horses I tried. Let's just say photos, owners and videos can be extremely misleading... I got the 'beginner-safe' horses with mouths of iron, can't stop, can't go in a straight line, and they want $5000?? Yikes.

No thank you!

If this one doesn't work out, c'est la vie. There are more fish in the sea, and horses for sale on the internet.

Portland & More

2010-05-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has been awhile, hasn't it?

I have a good excuse. I have travelled to Vancouver, Skagway, Vancouver, Portland and Vancouver again in the past 3 weeks. I have also worked on homework, writing articles, work and contract work. Yike!

Portland was really cool. It is quite the indie/hip city, with record shops, charcuterie platters, artisan cheeses, indie ground coffee and microbrews galore. It also rained a lot. And was freezing. I was rather unprepared for that, as it was +18 in frosty ol' Whitehorse so I figured if it is warm here, it must be warm everywhere else! Not so...

We stayed at the Ace hotel: www.acehotel.com/portland
And it was very hip. Very cool. I loved it! You do have to be pretty intimate with your travel buddy/room share person, as our room's shower was right in the room. The toilet, mercifully, was in a room of it's own.

We ate at so many restaurants, I wanted to eat everywhere! They had the coolest food (popcorn with pimentio appys? Roasted almonds with olives? Paninis with proscuitto and apple? yes please!)

The beer was good too, and you can't miss Powell's books, it takes up an entire city block!! We also visited the zoo, where my allergies went absolutely insane and I was overcome with pounding sinus pain (stupid rhododendrons), and it was freezing and raining. The zoo was quaint, small but nice. The animals were rambunctions, we saw a tortoise attempt to snatch at broccoli without moving it's body, and an elephant ponderously back itself into it's elephant cave. hahaha.

The train is a good way to go but takes forever (6+hrs) and the customs agents are serious pain in the asses--we had to go through customs TWICE leaving Vancouver, we were also 30 mins late leaving Van b/c of the incredible ineptitute of pretty much everyone there. JEebus.

Train is also cheap ($100 return).

Go, enjoy Portland! City of roses, good food and good beer. Stay at the ACE hotel, you won't regret it! Good shopping too, but we didn't have much time for that.

Chocolate Mousse!

2010-05-13T09:50:00.000-07:00

I made the most interesting dessert yesterday--vegan chocolate mousse. How did I make it? Well, I had 3 little avocados going funny on my windowsill, the result of buying the sack of 5 rock-hard ones and then getting sick of them after eating two...

So, I looked online and found a vegan recipe for making avocado chocolate mousse! I made it, it's pretty simple. Just look for recipes that don't have bizarre or ridiculous demands, or substitute your own for those silly ones that ask for 'vanilla pods' or 'pure organic maple syrup and carob'...

All you need are 2 or 3 very ripe avocados, some vanilla extract, 1/4 cup of cocoa, water and 100 mls of maple syrup. Blend and voila! Dark bittersweet chocolate mousse. There is a hint of avocado and the texture is fluffy with a bit of grain to it, but it's quite nice. It is extremely filling, trust me, so you don't need to eat a lot to feel very full. I ate mine with sliced strawberries. Keep it chilled in the fridge and enjoy with fruit of your choice~ a healthy dessert!

Horse-shopping results

2010-05-12T11:20:00.001-07:00

I haven't found 'the one' quite yet. It's ok, I am in the early stages of looking. I'm just a bit surprised by what passes for broke these days, and I am wondering if I should re-negotiate my budget... Oh, it's so tempting to say 'what the hell' and buy the $12,000 do-everything-but-tie your shoes horse. Of course, I don't have that kind of budget anyways, but hey pipe dreams and all!

Some surprises: Ads can be extremely misleading, and although none of the horses were seriously misrepresented, there were definitely some surprising moments. Even more surprising was what happened with a horse I tried out. I tried the horse out, he was gorgeous. Petite, fine-boned and so shiny. A real beauty. His trainer rode him beautifully, and I was itching to get on. I rode him and he was a bit of a tough ride, not a horse you could get on and 'just ride' he was a thinking ride. I had to be aware of how my legs were, my seat, if my shoulders were tipping, getting tense, breathing, eyes up, etc etc. A bit of work, all in all. He shot off at the canter, which was a bit alarming.

My friend got on, a bit more of a novice rider but not inexperienced by any means. She trotted for a bit and the horse took off with her, she circled around and managed to get under control. We regrouped, she trotted off again, and the horse ran off with her like a bat out of hell. It was incredibly frightening, they whipped around the corners of the arena almost falling over and she bailed in the corner. The horse continued galloping and smashed into the metal gate at the end of the arena. If my friend has stayed on, that might have been her running full-tilt into the gate. I shudder to think of it. You could tell the horse had no brain in his head at all. He looked crazed and scared out of his freaking mind.

She was fine, the horse was fine. My mind, however, was not. I was not getting this horse, no way.

The trainer was stunned. She had never seen this kind of reaction with this horse, and with horses, unfortunately, there is a first time for everything.

We moved on, and I tried another horse. This horse had a great advertisement, was beautiful in person with no obvious issues. A really flashy animal, I had dreams of us showing up in the hunter ring. My trainer tried the horse and had some issues, and she is quite talented. I got on and man.... Let's just say I'm super glad I don't buy sight-unseen.

The horse rode like a drunk giraffe. I couldn't keep him between my legs and hands, iron-mouth, no stop, weaving all over the place. Safe as heck but riding was an exercise in serious frustration. The horse was not as trained as I was led to believe, and man, it was just a ridiculous ride. Forget it!

Fingers crossed I find something I like! I did try a pony that I quite enjoyed, it jumped nicely, was incredibly fat and out of shape though. It hadn't had a lot of miles out of the home ground, which is a red flag, and has been for sale for at least a year. Jury's still out on that one.

Hair in my food restaurants

2010-05-02T19:38:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a weekend of extremely disappointing dining out (almost wrote 'dinging' yes that would be the right word for it).

Tokyo Sushi on Main Street, YT. I had lunch there this past Friday and found a lush, thick black hair stretched luxuriously across my bed of gyozas. Those gyozas cost $6.50 pls tax, and I got a paltry six of them. The hair was absolutely disgusting.

I noticed it right away and had the poor over-worked server take it away, and replace it with was probably the original six gyozas, I figured. Oh well. I then had the misfortune to forget my wallet and have someone else pay, and then I paid them back later. That little hairy lunch (gyozas, special roll of the day and tuna roll, paltry four each in the roll) cost me a cool $20! WTF? Ok, am I the only one thinking a hair in one's meal should result in a comp or a free drink or something?

It's ok, that's in the past.

Today however, is not the past. I went to Copper Ridge's newest pub, The Ridge. I have enjoyed drafts there and had a meal there once that was acceptable, not great but not bad either. I ordered a chicken club and a beer, hold the mayo. My order came with yet another thick black hair resting insolently against my bed of fries. YUCK/

I got the server to take it back, and had some of my friend's fries, where were good but salty. The order came back sans hair, and had MAYO. I am allergic.

I picked it up after asking the server if it did indeed have mayo, and did this look like mayo to you? She shrugged and asked if I thought it looked like mayo. Hmm...well, YES.

Order #2 goes back.

Finally my order attempt #3 happens, w/o hair and w/o mayo. It is ok, fries are good, club sandwich is ok too. I finished the beer, ate the sandwich and some fries. Of course, by that time the friends I had dinner with were finished with their meals, by a long shot and were sitting around waiting for me. ARGH

And when the bill came, was my meal or drink comped or a percentage taken off? Why, of course not this is cheap ass Whitehorse we're talking about. No knowledge of social niceties at all!

So, I did what was natural. I tipped a healthy $0.00 and wrote: no tip because my order went back twice and no offer to comp or a drink comped was made. Bite it!

So yeah, I have had terrible service and hair in my food twice in three days. I am officially boycotting Whitehorse shit restaurants.

(I did have Boston Pizza yesterday and it was great. I have also eaten out at too many restaurants lately for my own good!)

Big News!

2010-04-29T10:33:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems like big news for me. On par with smug couples proudly announcing ''we're pregnant'' (side snark: no 'you're' not, she is.) I have been annoucing, that I am ready to start looking!!

For a horse, that is. And again, to horse people, this sort of thing is akin to couples announcing they are ready to start 'trying' (ugh, has that ever meant anything more than them saying to everyone they are going to have sex more?).

But anyways, yes it's true. I am ready and excited to welcome a new, money-hungry addition to my family of a husband and a rabbit. And I couldn't be happier! Yes it's a huge committment of time, energy and money, but I feel like it is finally time. I am sick and tired of riding other people's horses, although I have been greatful for the years I have done so. I am done in with ruined horses, sour horses, tired horses and their owners blaming it on me, despite the fact they have a zillion kiddies ruining the horses.

It is time.

Be ready for bizarre horse-hunting stories shortly! I am in the e-mail, flight planning phase. Fingers crossed I meet my horse of a lifetime!

Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation

2010-04-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

I borrowed this book (by Elissa Stein and Susan Kim) from a friend, who said she enjoyed it, I might enjoy it but I also might take umbrage at some things written in it.

It's true. I enjoyed the history, quirky cheesecake ads from the 1930's onwards, but I really took issue with the sneering, "Well, for some women periods are a big deal. For us, world peace is a big deal." tone. The book is well written with a ton of pop culture references, and an exhaustively researched history. The layout was a little confusing as the headings seemed to be a bit arbitrary--history, wacky things you didn't know, dangerous things about tampons, wacky people and their menstrual-obssesions at the end. They also seemed extremely dismissive about women who just don't want periods. gasp! How unnatural! What about the environment, the moons and Mother Earth? She would want you to have periods!

Yeah I am exaggerating a bit, but seriously? There are women out there (present company included) who do.not.need.them. Ever. Since the switch to Seasonale (Thank you big Pharma, you saved my life!) I have been the happiest girl around. That time of the month? Nope, more like maybe that time of the year! Making the switch was the single most empowering thing I could have ever done, not harness myself to the extreme pain and misery of the 'being a woman' bullshit. I would have rather been a man, but I digress...

Also, they ramble on about homeopathic cures, natural cures, the cure-all of 'exercise' (yeah, tell that to the woman who vomits she is in so much pain. huh.) and then alienate the period-less woman by saying, ''oh yeah, they have it bad sometimes." Dismissive much?

And they also manage to alienate the 'Earth Mother' types that write menstrual poetry, or paint pictures of uterii, or create uterus pincusions or whatever. They consider them over the top and odd...

In conclusion: Ads and text of the historical contexts are awesome. Fun book to read on that pretext, and very very interesting. Women have been prejudiced against and oppressed because of their bodies forever.
Not so good: Holier-than-thou about women who simply refuse to be taken hostage by their bodies, by the Nature Woman expectations. Some of us didn't ask for this and won't put up for it. If a man had to deal with this, the world would stand still.

NYC Series: Shopping on Canal St.

2010-04-15T13:53:00.000-07:00

Ah Canal Street, home of the hawkers, the counterfeits, the policemen riding horses, random subway/sewer stink, people, fast-food restaurants...

We went hunting for knock-off bags on Canal Street our first day in NYC. Ambitious? Perhaps. I was insanely sleep-deprived and on the verge of losing it to laughter (hysterical laughing) so Canal Street seemed to be a rather hilarious if shady adventure at the time. Where else could you go from petting a policeman's horse and asking if the horse was 'bombproof' and then go running down a set of secret stairs in the back of a shop, in search of knock-off bags?

We said 'yes~' when a shady dude on the street was muttering 'Coach' 'Gucci' 'Prada' and he showed us to the store. The store owner was ready. He hustled us to a wall that opened up, which we ran through and down a set of stairs to the basement. We went across the basement to another set of stairs leading to a secret room, packed to the gills with bags and women.

I have to say I was seriously thinking we were going to get hustled or mugged. But no, the women in the secret room could vouch for the knock off dudes. We made off with Coach bags, my mom with a Jimmy Choo, and my mom's cousin with a Gucci. The bags were originally $45, but my mom, the consummate grifter, got them for around $40 each. My Coach bag has a crooked horse & carriage, but it's a pretty sweet bag anyways. A lady at Tim Horton's complimented me on it a few days later.

Mission accomplished!!

Involuntary Celibacy Club (ICC)

2010-04-15T13:50:00.000-07:00

My friends and I have joined together to create a new club--it's the Involuntary Celibacy Club (ICC) for short. Care to join? We meet on Sundays around 5:30, watch Glee and eat tacos.

Why involuntary? Well, we're all celibate for various reasons of our own accord--myself because of a long distance marriage, friends due to a serious lack of decent looking & behaving males in the Yukon territory.

A friend questioned why I was in the ICC if I was already married. I was ready for that one. "Jesus doesn't judge!"

Membership is booming. We are up to three members, including myself. If we gain any more, we might have to start getting choosy...

NYC Series: A show on Broadway

2010-04-13T11:19:00.000-07:00

We went to go see 'The Jersey Boys' on Broadway when we were in NYC. We had nosebleed seat tickets (seriously, way in the back row) and they still cost over $130. Was it worth it? YES. If you go to NY, go see a show, you will not regret it.

The music was fun, the show wasn't too short or too long, and the vibe was upbeat and hip. There were actually a lot of old people, turns out the music of the Four Seasons really resonates with their youth or something...But I still recognized all of the music, so if you're a young'un it still applies!

After the show we darted out to go use the washroom (the theatre was packed, washrooms totally unaccessible) and I ran into Nikki, from the show. I got his autograph!

Things to note: buy tickets early, sneak booze in, they don't check bags for it. Keep your programs, as performers might be wandering outside the theatre just after.

I saw many very wealthy patrons, carrying Manolo Blahnik bags, stepping out of a limo. Woooooo...

Go see a show, apparently they are doing one for Green Day?!! and Wicked is always a hot choice too, that's the one I want to see next.

NYC Series: Century 21

2010-04-13T11:08:00.001-07:00

Shopping at Century 21 is like entering a wolf's den with dripping steaks. Shop at your own risk!

That aside, if you are into fantastic deals in a crazy, 'must-grab-everything' atmosphere, it is an amazing place to shop. I loved shopping there but after, I was like, woah...I don't want to go back! It is definitely a once a year type of deal. Their slogan is ''fashion worth fighting for'' and they're really not kidding.

It is a big building, first floor is mens/cosmetics/sunglasses/wallets, basement is housewares/gifts, 2nd floor is women's and 3rd floor is women's. We spent a lot of time on the 2nd and 3rd floor, and here's what we bought.

Tulle brand poplin jacket for $30.00
Tulle brand shirt dress in plaid for $16.99
Roxy brand flip flops for $6.97
Seven jeans for $40
Seven jeans for $40
Godiva chocolate coffee for $7.99
''Jeggings'' jean leggings for $6.99 (sidenote: looked absolutely terrible on me, gave them to my sister. Not meant for short people with muscular legs.)

And thanks to my dear Aunt, who financed a bit of this shopping extravaganza with a cool $100.00. Thanks! Much appreciated!

Futher observations: First floor is a freaking zoo. Changing rooms also. Bring a mom to hold your clothes, you will need her, she can also stand in line for you at the changing rooms, as the lineups are legendary. Be aware that you can only bring in 8 items at the changing room, and there aren't doors, just blousy curtains that tend to blow open when a customer walks by, therefore exposing your bare ass stuck getting out of a pair of 'skinny jeans' for all the world to see. I was seriously sweating coming out of the changerooms.

Happy Shopping!

NYC Series: Easter in Central Park

2010-04-13T10:58:00.000-07:00

Inspired by my recent and fabulous trip to cosmopolitan NYC, I will do a short blog series on the city, to hopefully spread the wonder and fun I had there to everyone suffering a miserable April in the Yukon!

Easter in Central Park is gorgeous. The weather was hot (about 27 deg) and it was very busy with many people. The grass wasn't too wet or mushy, so we spread our jackets and had ourselves a little sunbathe. Many people were doing this out on the grass by the entrance near the Plaza hotel. Vendors of hotdogs, ubitquitous pretzels, ice cream, horse-drawn carriage rides, portraits and more lined the entrance to the park. It was incredibly busy just outside, but in the park it is less chaotic.

After our sunbathe, we wandered and watched the skaters, looking rather incongruous skating on ice on such a hot day. We went to the gift shop (boring and very stuffy) and were going to visit the dairy but it was closed. The chess gazebo looked very nice, even though it was mostly vines right now. Buds were starting to bloom on trees. We picked up an icecream and decided on a horse-drawn carriage. The carriages do a short 20-minute loop of the park, pointing out famous sights or famous people, depending on who is out and about. Our driver pointed out Yoko Ono, who was wearing sunglasses and a top hat. It was very relaxing, and nice to rest our feet in the sunshine. Carriage rides cost $35, but you know, it's pretty worth it.

We didn't even get too far into the park after our ride, but it was luxurious and wonderful out. Hot, sunny and full of happy people celebrating Easter. And for a completely man-made park, it is still nice and feels close to nature in the middle of the city.

Brother, Don't Force My Hand

2010-04-11T14:36:00.000-07:00

You know that tired saying, "This hurts me more than it hurts you?" Usually by a parent enforcing some sort of draconian punishment with glee...Well, sometimes it's true.

After a fabulous NYC Easter, life has come crashing back ontop of me. Things that were supposed to go swimmingly, well, didn't. Issues that were supposed to be long past resolved came rearing into the forefront. I guess it's more like, issues that are happening to my family re-surfaced, and this time I'm not sad, I'm angry.

When someone says they want a divorce asap, and then sends the rest of the family a happy-go-lucky email about how they are going to give you an Easter gift, well, what would you write? I wrote, and am consequently not proud of it, "Don't even try. As far as I am concerned, you are not in my life now."

Petty and horrible? Yes.

Henriette's Fresh Food

2010-03-31T13:33:00.001-07:00

Went there for lunch today with a dear friend...
I had heard the dinners were very expensive, but we thought lunch would be a good compromise, and boy, was it ever!

I had the grilled sandwich (pork and roasted vegetables with grain mustard and olive oil, they usually do aioli but I don’t eat egg, so nice substitution) and the salad on the side, which was AMAZING.

Everything was really fresh and great tasting, it felt like a really ‘healthy’ meal while being super filling at the same time. The salad was one of the best I’ve ever eaten, it was flavoured perfectly, salts, cracked peppers, fennel, avocado, roasted pepper…SO good. The sandwich was really nice too, I might try the salami next time for variety.

The menu for lunch is limited, only a few lunch/brunch type items (egg casseroles, sandwiches, salad, crepes (no price listed, says ‘market price’ and French toast). Each item for lunch appeared to be $15, except for the crepes. The portion sizing was generous and filling, and the service was impeccable—our water glasses got filled promptly, the server was a really nice guy who seemed to genuinely care about how happy we were with the food.

I would definitely go back for lunch! It was well worth it. Don’t buy wine though, it was $10 a glass! Wooo…
Also the décor is something I would describe as ‘sumptuous’ and jewel toned. Very classy.

Childfreedom!

2010-03-30T14:23:00.001-07:00

http://childfreedom.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2009-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2010-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=50

I found this blog (above) and I am inspired. Truly, it is a blog after my own heart. I am a childfree child-hater who unconsciously scowls at children in public. When I carry heavy, sharp books in my bag and the ragamuffins run into me, I secretly hope they will run into the sharp corners. Unlike this author, I do not like or welcome children near me or in my viscinity, but I really like what she has to say and it is super interesting!

Also, if I had a buck for every person that says, "oh, you'll change your mind" I'd be able to pay for my husband's vasectomy now, instead of in a few years! Hee! Take that parentals, just you wait until you find out we're definitely not having children, and if an 'oops' happens?

Yeah, the next day that 'oops' would be ...gone.

Fast Food is Addicting: More at 11 o'clock!

2010-03-29T14:12:00.000-07:00

In this study, rats are compelled to chow down on junk food even after they get shocked repeatedly for eating it, showing how their brains change to crave the junk food despite the small pain it causes. Extra extra, read all about it, junk food is extremely addictive and we (humans, rats) will go to almost any measure to continue eating it, even when it is causing us extreme harm (health/obesity).

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/03/29/junk-food-addiction-brain.html#socialcomments

Monday: Shut-Ins Go Shopping

2010-03-29T13:18:00.000-07:00

I made the trek through the alleway of Doom from work to inspect the offerings at Liquidation World and pick up a few bulk items from Extra Foods for my trip. Through the alleway of Doom, I encountered several down-on-their luck First Nations people, either smoking, bumming a smoke or staggering along the ice.

Nevertheless, I made my way unaccosted, which was nice and very courteous. I then finished at Liquidation World and went to Extra Foods. Now, I kind of expect unusual clientele at LW. It's practically a given... Suspect location, scruffy alleway abuts it, etc etc but surprisingly it was Extra Foods that gave me trouble.

Some loud and obnoxious people were investigating the bulk buns (grossly overweight and complaining about the lack of cheesy stix, and then selecting cheese buns while proclaiming they would be ''good for a snack at night'' while straining their sweatpants.

I assiduously avoided them, and landed in a checkout with some worse candidates. They were ponderously counting out change to the obviously frustrated checkout woman, and then this terrible, pungent stench rose from the obese woman in front of me. For a moment, I couldn't place the smell. At all.

Then, as I got another whiff, it came to me. Rancid urine. Maybe festering wounds and urine. I tried to mask my incredible disdain and backpedalling steps, but I think the checkout clerk knew it. She said ''excuse me'' and ran away from her till. She returned when they waddled their way out of the checkout line. The smell followed her and her partner down to the exit of the store, where I passed them. They staggered so slowly that I blew by them and practically ran out.

EUGH!

The Erotic Anguish of Don Juan

2010-03-26T14:23:00.000-07:00

Went to see this puppet show on Wednesday this week, and man, it is AMAZING!

It follows the sad story of historic womanizer Don Juan, as an old man being tormented by demons in hell. He has to wear some sort of spout encapsulating his penis, as punishment. He plays this up a lot, tapping it and waggling it to the audience's delight!

He starts with his birth, to a cold woman who was seduced by a horny bullfighter who then disappeared. He goes to become 'a man of the cloth' but falls in love. He then cheats on that love with a local showgirl, rationalizing it the entire time. He declares that the best thing is to love, and love many (rather than love one) and in the end, he shows that he cannot change, and the demons herd him back to hell.

The puppetry was astounding. They had four puppeteers, and they acted as well as performed with puppets. The set cut down, was climbed on, shifted, was a bedroom, hell, a burlesque, a church and a town square. There was a minotaur riding a tricycle, glowing red eyes, a 'golden calf' representing the father getting 'jiggy' with the bastard son in the town square, womanizing. It was fabulous and hilarious.

One of my favourite scenes was a pair of dogs (actors with dog heads) acting out dog courtship while Don Juan was watching. So funny and reflective. Also, they had three actors acting out the dancer Don Juan cheats on his wife with. One was boobs (wearing boobs on their head) one was legs (walking with a pair of legs on his arms) and one was a mask and arms, waving them about and holding them above boob-head and leg-man. It was soooo good!

I highly recommend this puppet show. Erotic and fun, light and yet meaningful.

Review: Cupcake from Urban Cakes

2010-03-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

Yes, after maligning it for cost, I decided it was time to put my money where my mouth is. I swung by today and picked up a cupcake ($3.00) to eat and review.

The cupcake was pear-lime on vanilla buttercream icing, on a chocolate cupcake. The cupcake was physically gorgeous, two pieces of pear with a twist of lime zest. Unusual but delicious combo.

The cupcake itself was moist, and smelled a bit funny, like cocoa but with a bitter undertone. It tasted like cocoa but wasn't very sweet at all. It was kind of disappointing. The icicng on the other hand was delicious, sweet but not achingly so, and paired very nicely with the lime zest and canned pears. The chocolate cupcake left a funny aftertaste, but the icing and toppers were delicious.

Would I buy these again? Debatable. I sure wouldn't refuse a cupcake if offered, but the cupcake itself, devoid of icing, was definitely not thrilling.

Candy Review: Sorbee Chocolate Lovers Peppermint Patties

2010-03-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

Yeah yeah, I know everyone's going to be freaking out about eating NSA--candies. But I'm here to tell you, it's not the 'shitstorm' everyone thinks they are going to be.

I bought Sorbee chocolate peppermint patties on a whim (50% off at Superstore) and decided once and for all, I am going to see how these things are. Using myself as a human guinea pig, as it were.

And? Well, the are wafer thin little chocolate and mint discs. Kind of like a York peppermint pattie that got sliced about 10 times thinner. The taste is not too bad actually, a little on the bloomed & stale side, but chocolately and minty. They don't melt very well in the mouth, so they are more of a chew than savour chocolate.

And side affects? None. I ate 6 of them with no issues whatsoever. The calorie content is 6= 180 calories, so they aren't really a low cal food, but not high cal either. Due to my terrible teeth and assorted fillings, I enjoyed knowing these chocolates weren't going to destroy them anew with it's appreciable lack of sugar.

At 50% off, they cost $1.24. Not bad, not great either. I will consider them in the future, when my teeth are giving me heck for my chocolate addiction.

A Cleansing Fire

2010-03-22T15:22:00.000-07:00

We took part in the annual 'Burning Away the Winter Blues' festival on Saturday, and man, all that pagan ritualism really gets the blood flowing! (metaphorically, not physically).

We gathered torches, flags, pennants and drums. We marched from the Paddlewheeler to Robert Service, sharing three well fortified thermoses of mulled wine, thanks to dear friend's apt foresight! It was actually quite chilly, even though this winter has been remarkably mild. My legs froze until we got to the fire.

The turnout was great, as usual! The effigy was this bizarre face with reaching hands, and it was quite spooky looking. I think I liked last year's effigy of the dragon a bit better, this one reminded me of fall strawmen set on fire in some witch-burning town festival.

The fire was crazy hot, I loved it until I swore I smelled something burning, like my jacket... And the next day my face felt kind of funny, like I burned it? We celebrated by writing down our 'blues' and putting them in Arlin's paper bag to burn. My blues felt rather mundane, and I'll be extra-daring and share a few:

Secret nemesii
Distance apart
Parental problems
Allergies
Bad marks on my master's papers

So, all in all, I hope those things get resolved or at least I can stop thinking about them!

Allergic to Whitehorse?

2010-03-19T15:20:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been suffering from a variety of allergy-related symptoms, and they are giving me a devil of a time.

I've scheduled a Dr's appt to get this figured out, but in the meantime I'm trying to sort out what exactly I am allergic to, and this is far more complicated than I initially imagined...

First I have a bizarre run-in with something at the Kebabery, enjoyed the food but didn't enjoy the crazy mouth itching that came with it... Then I had that same unpleasant reaction to a chicken wing coated in mild sauce at an art show. A muffin (delicious) from the Chocolate Claim also made my heart beat at what seemed to be an alarmingly fast rate, my face flushed and I felt dizzy and hot. ??? This reocurred again this Thursday with another muffin from the Chocolate Claim (history repeats itself) and I took a Reactine and got some fresh air right away, after I noticed my heart beating too rapidly. Still, what the devil is in these foods that I am allergic to??

These are all brand-new reactions and are happening suddenly and often. That in itself is quite startling, and has prompted me into action quicker than I normally move. I average one episode a week, and I still can't figure out what the triggering food item is. I am also a bit wary of green tea, as I think that may have triggered a reaction last week as well, but again...can't be too sure. Hmmm.

Maybe I am allergic to work? Stress? School?

Alice & Other Heroes??

2010-03-12T13:31:00.000-08:00

I attended this show last night, expecting something entirely...different.

It was definitely avant-garde and edgy. So edgy that I felt like crawling out of my skin by the end of it. With music by The Longest Night Ensemble, the show was basically the full band playing onstage to film shorts. The shorts were book-ended by a whacked-out Alice in Wonderland story, so it went like, Alice, short, short, Alice, short short, Alice.

Let me tell you, the music was all very high-toned and on the thin side of register, so it was very eerie. The film shorts were nothing short of the creepiest interpretation of Alice in Wonderland that I have ever seen. I felt edgy and incredibly tense watching it. The sounds in the shorts are over-emphasized, so the taxidermied rabbit that dons a waist-coat and top hat 'screeeekkss' across the screen with every stiff artificial hop. He has creepy fake eyes and snaps his taxidermied teeth together at little Alice. Eugh.

Alice also gets chased by various animal skulls of every description wearing santa-type hats and eyeballs. Miniature coyote skulls pop out of chicken eggs as if hatching. It is all so insanely creepy that I just felt very unsettled the whole time.

It is bizarre and disturbing. There was also a short that echoed some very disturbing themes, like God=Dog that had a woman writhing in a bed, then clutching a doorframe frantically watching some bored looking huskies on a dog tie. I got some bad vibes off that short, that's for sure.

We came out of the theatre feeling like we were ready to jump out of our skin, and I told my friend, "I'm glad I was a little buzzed, and not high. My skin would be crawling if I was!" (Note: I do not smoke pot, and I was not driving that night. Hence the allowable buzz)

It was just... well. Eerie.

Review of Brand New's "Daisy"

2010-03-10T13:13:00.000-08:00

My husband is a Brand New fan and introduced me to them when we were dating. I like them a fair bit and have an appreciation for their early stuff "I believe you but my Tommy gun don't" and "Me vs. Maradonna" are all really good genuine songs that I can get behind, as a fan.

Their newest album, "Daisy" is a marked depart. There remain elements of the original Brand New (low whispery sullen tones, bitter lyrics, strong vocal and instruments, crazy rising vocals) but it just seems...forced. For example, they could start the CD a bit off easier than having an interesting intro and then have it segue into a crazy scream, which almost made me drive off the road in the throes of a simultaneous deafness attack/heart attack. Jesus it was bad!

I was a bit soured for the rest of the CD, which has it's moments, but like the other great albums, just doesn't compare. At all. Interestingly, my husband who purchased the CD mentioned that I probably wouldn't like it, to which I went, "pfft what are you talking about, I like Brand New and their last album was really good." Yeah, he was right. I do not like this one at all.

I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, unless you like being shocked by insane screaming early on in a CD. Boo.

The Urban Cake: Grand Opening & Sticker Shock

2010-03-10T12:56:00.000-08:00

I was passing by the new bakery, 'The Urban Cake' on my way to TD (it is where the t-shirt shop used to be) and I thought I should check it out. I love bakeries, and am a huge fan of Cupcakes Etc. in Vancouver, despite an unfortunate too-many-cupcakes incident in which myself, my sister and friend became violently ill...

But anyways, I am always on the lookout for bright, gorgeous confections. The Urban Cake doesn't disappoint. It is a tiny, hole in the wall with a display case of various lavishly decorated cupcakes and mini-cupcakes, and brownies. I believe they do special-order cakes as well. I was ready to purchase a cupcake, which I believed to be around $3.00, which is on par with Cupcakes Etc in Vancouver (we bought a bunch of delicious day-olds for $12, and trust me, that was too much cupcake/sugar) so a pretty good deal, as far as designer sweets go.

I was eyeballing the case and then I noticed they were referring to normal-sized cupcakes as 'mini cakes' and the miniature cupcakes as 'cupcakes'. So...a cupcake-sized regular cupcake was $7.50!!! And a mini cupcake 'cupcake' was $3.00!!! WTF

Way too expensive, in my humble opinion. I have taken cake decorating classes and I am not a half-bad baker. There is NO WAY I am paying more for a friggin' cupcake than I would at Cupcakes Etc, which have fantastic varieties as well. Outrageous!

I am all for independent businesses...But right now it seems like having an independent business=gouging. Hm.

You Wanted Good Schools and Friends with Pools

2010-03-07T16:03:00.001-08:00

Vampire Weekend’s new album, Contra is something I’ve been listening on my way out to the stables. I bought their first album on a whim based on a good review in a newspaper, and man, this second album doesn’t disappoint! I have heard criticism that in this album, all the songs sound the same. That is patently ridiculous. I don’t even have a good ‘ear’ for music, but when there is a song that has that sound it just catches me. Contra has that sound.

Standout tracks? Well, their CBC single ‘Horchata’ is quirky and fun. It brightened up my morning, to tell you the truth! Also, jubilant and unusual ‘Run’ is something I am listening to on repeat lately. It just has that something that catches me and I can’t stop listening. I also highly recommend ‘I think ur a contra’ at the end of the CD, slower and a tad mournful, it wraps the whole album up in a blanket of bright sounds, strange lyrics and fun, assumed upper-class glory.

Friends, I have this CD if you are interested in a taste-test! I can’t say enough good things about it, if you are open-minded and into fantastical lyrics and instruments.

“I had a feeling once, you and I told each other everything, too much"

The Art of the Apology

2010-03-05T09:09:00.001-08:00

Interestingly, I pre-empted someone's apology this week by apologizing myself (a communication mixup by a communication pro. This looks bad.) and then the person went and apologized to the person we mixed up himself! It was interesting.

It felt nice to apologize and then have the other person say, no it's my fault. I'm the one who changed things at the last minute/altered our already-agreed upon final draft, etc.

I was used to apologizing and then having the evil person in command huff and say, yes that's right, you be sorry! (Perhaps not so crudely, but pretty damn close) and treat me like the dirt and road salt you curse as you scrape off the bottom of your pants. It's nice to be treated like a human being. Imagine, you are in an office with 5 other people--in other words, small. The boss and the manager are the only ones early into the office one morning, and the boss says, 'looks like it's just you and me today' and the office manager says 'well, what about Susan and office monkey #2?' And the boss just says, oh, them. Yes, them is right. They don't count. Bastards. I never apologized without feeling like I was debasing myself for a measly wage. Oh, and cursing them vehemently behind their backs. Ha. ha. ha....

So, in my pre-empted apology, I am not the bad guy. Work is not personal, it is work. We do our jobs (well?) and we go home.

There's Nothing Like You and I

2010-03-01T15:55:00.000-08:00

Another weekend, another jet-set to the tropical climes of...Vancouver and Victoria. But hey, this time it wasn't for work, it was pure pleasure!

Visiting my partner in my most favourite place to live stirred up some memories and thoughts. I miss Victoria like crazy. True the weather wasn't awesome, it was kind of grey and a sprinkling a tad, I was wearing flats with no socks, and a rainjacket. Daffodils were sprouting and blooming, I wasn't wearing boots and a hat and life was good. We ate out, oh man did we eat out. Dinner at Pagliacci's (fabulous) then dinner the next day at the Little Thai Place (so good!) and then breakfast the day after at John's Place, where I had the special, belgian waffles with banana, cashew and gobs of whipped cream. Divine!!

Oh, my divided heart. It's hard, when you belong somewhere else but live here. It's like falling in love with a close friend, they will always be there but still out of reach.

Easter: My Life is Now Complete

2010-02-24T15:49:00.000-08:00

For I have discovered...drumroll please...

Chocolate-covered PEEPS!!

Yes, this is truly the pinnacle of all Easter candy, perhaps eclipsing even the wonderful Cadbury Creme Egg and Mini-eggs in greatness and glory. Sadly only available in the US at the moment, I have tendrils out hoping to latch onto a package of sweet, sweet chocolate peep. (Friend going to Fairbanks. we can only hope)

And in other PEEP news, I bought a box of bunny-shaped pink peeps and a box of traditional yellow chick peeps. The bunny ones are smaller but just as delicious, but if you are a super-taster you might want to avoid them due to Red food colouring #40, it tastes bitter to those people. Friend noticed that right away, I didn't. Guess I'm a normal taster, all I could taste was marshmallowy goodness. Tragically, I forgot the box at work and they went stale over the weekend, yuck. I threw them out on Monday.

Chick peeps? As delightful as ever! Not stale here. Both packages were purchased for $1.04 at Extra Foods, and note--they are the cheapest at Wal-Mart ($1.00) second place for Extra Foods and most expensive at Shoppers Drug Mart, which surprised me at a whopping ($1.50).

Contentiousness!

2010-02-23T09:44:00.000-08:00

Yes, that's right, feeling contentious this morning. Damn you, Globe & Mail!

I'm examining a debate that looks at providing public healthcare funds for in-vitro fertilization techniques, for women who are unable to concieve due to advanced age, infertility issues, etc.

I'm against it. That seems to be a popular and simultaneously unpopular statement. I am against it not for women-bashing reasons, although alarmingly that is a sentiment echoed in the comments section. I am against it because I do not feel that having a child is a 'right' and that having 'your own' child is a selfish, sad commentary on the state of today. What happened to adoption, if you feel the burning need to have a family? That is the most unselfish act, rather than spending thousands and thousands and facing extreme sadness and disappointment (the failure rate of in-vitro is high, there's no sugarcoating that). People are hard-pressed for 'their' and 'mine' and 'my' instead of sharing a life with someone who might appreciate it.

I do not like children and will not have my own, but I understand the desire and 'ticking time-bomb' of biological clocks. (well, vaguely). But is it really necessary to feed into the narcissistic drive of 'my own'? To reproduce yourself is not the most unselfish act you could perpetuate, it is one of the most selfish, but that's ok, because you are raising a member of society. I'm fine with productive members of society, but at what lengths do we go to ensure they are your own? Too many great lengths.

Off Susan's soap-box, with one more comment: The answer to reproductive and fertility issues isn't to go back to middle-ages type living or caveman viewpoints. It is to improve the status of women in today's society even further, so that they may *gasp* raise children and have a financially productive career and fulfilling life. Oh, commence pearl-clutching!

Paris Nights & New York Mornings

2010-02-23T08:42:00.000-08:00

So I went to my big Olympic day and am back again at my humdrum existence. It was pretty awesome, getting a glimpse of glamour! It started with the charter flight, which was called 2010 in honour of the Olympics--and we got a fab breakfast and two drink services. About a thousand times more than I can say about shitty Air Canada, that's for sure (breakfast was yogurt, grapes, strawberries, brie, cheddar, huge fruit muffin and a petite orange?!!!! yumm)

I also got a sweet scarf that has slits in it for my poor cold hands. Yay! We landed and were herded to the new skytrain that goes directly downtown, and from there, checked out Canada's Northern House. It was really hopping, and we got VIP front of the line treatment, no waiting for 1-3 hrs for us, sweet! It was interesting, kind of like a museum of Northern artifacts. We watched various Yukon dignitaries speak, then Sasquatch Prom Date, local rockabilly band, performed. It was pretty cool. Lunch came in a bag and was surprisingly good, sandwich, bag of veggies, drink & cookie. We left to go check out some artists and hit up more interviews. My friend is working at CNH and we got to hang out for a bit, and that was nice.

We looked at the Inuit Gallery, swanky, then the Aboriginal Pavilion, which was super busy. And the weather the whole time? GORGEOUS. Hot, sunny and beautiful. I felt very nostalgic about Vancouver, and a bit sad. Why did I leave?

Then we had lunch #2, other members in my group decided they were no longer there to work and went to the bar instead. I went to see the Olympic Cauldron, and yes, it was quite magnificent, looks like massive quartz rising into the sky on fire. The crowds were insane.

Then I met up with bar-goers from the morning and had a drink and dinner, before we left for the medals ceremony at BC place. It was Yukon day, so there was a Yukon performance featuring live singers, dancers and sled dogs. It was funny, since the sled dogs were like WTF and didn't want to pull a sled across the stage. They got kind of picked up and pulled across. Silly pups!

Stereophonics came on and my feet were killing me by this point. I enjoyed them but the others in my group decided it would be more fun to stand in line for a few hours at another bar, instead of staying for the show. I was a little annoyed--we come ALL this way and all you want to do is hang out at a bar? Jeeze, wankers.

Trip home at midnight, dinner at 1am and it was as great as breakfast. Procuitto, strawberries, swiss cheese, capicolo salami, 3 olives, grapes, wine...ahhh...

And so ends my Olympic adventure. Except that I had to write 4 stories the next day, exausted as hell. Haha. Worth it!

Ooooolympics!!

2010-02-15T15:48:00.000-08:00

It's the big event happening now! I am not actually watching much, if any, as I do not have cable TV and am far too cheap to bother with it now anyways. I have a soft spot for watching the Olympics though, and I think Super-G racing, aerials and slalom would be pretty awesome. Not as awesome as the Summer Olympics, as, let's face it, not *all* countries can even enter Winter Olympics. Definitely not as inclusive, economically speaking.

Some concerning things have been going on, particularly in the realm of practicality. Case in point: cancelling a major snowboarding event (for spectators only) because it was raining and the slush/hay heaps they brought in to substitute for snow just didn't seem to cut it, and volunteers were sinking up to their kneecaps. Winter Olympics in Vancouver, in springtime? Really? Really? I am all for it, as I am attending myself, but c'mon, February is tulip time, not ski race season there.

Also, there have been 6 crashes in luge, one ended in an airlift out and another in a death. Hmmm... That is concerning as well. We want to display our athletes, not knock them out of the running by dangerous practice sessions.

I hope the kinks and troubles get worked out and Canada hosts a fabulous show for all. I am looking forward to heading out there myself!

When Things Start Splitting at the Seams...

2010-02-09T18:34:00.000-08:00

Bit of a whine post coming up, sorry!

Sometimes it feels like the world's your oyster, you can devour it in one bite and be ever stronger for it. Nothing is crumbling down around you, everything rocks.

Sadly, this feeling is extremely fleeting and this is something I am struggling with at the moment. I'm that person with the oyster in my palm. Things are going smashingly career-wise, I'm clawing my way to top (well, middle) of where I want my career to go. I am flying out on a press junket to watch Yukon day at the Olympics, and this is only for my journalism fly-by-night freelancing. Oh, things are golden, just golden.

And then...Jaws musics lurks...

I find out a relative of mine has cancer, and that this sort of cancer is starting to look suspiciously like it runs in the family, seriously affecting female family members.

THEN

Family blowout, I'm not one to air dirty laundry online except if it pertains to my favourite assholes, like Lister, CKRW or old horrible job, but it's getting very dramatic, and I do not want to be involved. I am a helpful ear, not therapy. Particularly when it's your parents who are putting you in the uncomfortable and extremely unenviable middle of things. I love them both, and that's why it's so difficult. Distance also adds a troubling dimension.

Things are increasingly complicated, but I can't complain. I can deal.

Kebabery=Great!

2010-02-03T15:25:00.000-08:00

Yes, a new restaurant has graced the downtown core of Whitehorse. Named 'The Kebabery,' an infusion of mediterranean and middle-eastern cuisine, you can smell it's deliciousness wafting down the sidewalk.

Silly name aside (I kept wanting to shout out Kebabery!!) the food was cheap by ridiculous Whitehorse standards and really, really good. It is takeout-style, you go an order, they call your name and you either take it and run or sit down. Very popular at lunchtime and seating is limited.

What to order: I had the beef shwarma platter, which is $11.50. It comes with salad (your choice of a few, I had Greek), tzatziki or hummous, pita, jasmine rice. It was fabulous. My meal came to about $12.00 with a Diet Coke. A coworker had the lamb, and enjoyed it equally. They have baklava for $4.00, and various kebab and shwarma platters--none are *very* expensive.

Go, you won't regret it!

*caveat* I had a strange allergic reaction after lunch, the corners of my mouth started itching like crazy and burning, and my throat got clogged up and raspy. It was very weird. Maybe food related, but it sure tasted good/

Dove Chocolate=Sexist?

2010-01-28T10:13:00.000-08:00

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.

Susan is Not Getting Any Recognition Day

2010-01-27T14:11:00.000-08:00

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...

Grapes with Worms Day

2010-01-21T14:36:00.001-08:00

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!

Next Career: Escargot/Snail Farming

2010-01-21T11:53:00.000-08:00

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.

You are What You...Eat?

2010-01-20T13:24:00.000-08:00

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)

New York, New York

2010-01-19T10:25:00.000-08:00

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...

Shadow-Joy

2010-01-19T10:19:00.000-08:00

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.

Validation-Seeking Machine

2010-01-19T10:08:00.001-08:00

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!

Back from Paradise

2010-01-12T10:40:00.000-08:00

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.

Better You Than Me

2009-12-21T11:50:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays! Blog is on a bit of a hiatus due to the following: HOLIDAY TO COSTA RICA!!!

Major essay worth 45%

Three upcoming articles to write.

But most importantly--no internet access during holidays except to write aforementioned essay! Woo hoo!!

In other news, it is absolutely beastly outside. How does a mind-numbing -30 something suit you? Yeah, it blows. And it seems to have a numbing effect on people's already-feeble brains. I had two ''parking so close I had to sideways-limbo-squeeze into my frickin drivers side'' incidents, one right after another, this morning. In one of them the wingbat morons were IN THEIR CAR STILL RUNNING and observed me trying to squeeze myself into my car. For good measure, I hit their minivan with my arm a few times, and then banged it with my car door. Take that, too-close morons!

It felt pretty good, you know, with the cold biting my face off and then the added injustice of not being able to squash myself into my car. So, be forewarned. If you insist on sitting in your running car watching me attempting to get into mine because you parked stupidly close, I will conduct some sort of angry damage.

I also gave them the serious evil-eye when I was walking by, and when all you can see are my eyes, they are very, very evil.

Ah, I need a holiday. This just slams the lid on it!

Something's Still Gone Wrong

2009-12-18T09:09:00.000-08:00

I read the Globe & Mail on a daily basis, and follow stories of domestic abuse regularly, as they are sadly common. The problem is that they are under-represented in almost every form of media, and violence against women is glamourized. I feel that we haven't done enough if partners committing violence still get away with it, and it's still handled as a 'private affair' or some such nonsense.

Even commentaries on news stories tells a terrible tale--men believe themselves to be the victims, and that women ask for it or instigate or cause it. Any way you slice it, women are the problem and men are the helpless, if stronger and more violent, ''victims''. Even when women lash out and murder in self-defence they are still charged more stringently than men who kill their partners. When women refuse to leave abusive partners or protect them, this is used to show how they were never 'really' abused anyways.

This disregards the tormented psyche of abused women, and how it can warp a sense of safety. Many times women do not leave because of threats against their families and friends, not because they love their abusers.

See below comment on a particularly terrible case of domestic abuse: The husband murdered his entire family, and this commentator feels the need to step on his ridiculous high horse and lambaste women for 'causing most of the problems.' Riiiiight.

**********Commentary*********************
In 2007, police across Canada dealt with more than 40,000 incidents of spousal violence – an estimated one-third of the actual number of incidents,=================

Actually its closer to two-thirds with men predominately the non-reporters. Manly because there are no programs to help male battered spouses, far from help as many will say.Ending Violence Association appears more to wish to end a mans ability to defend against spousal assault. With equality the catch phrase of the day why, or how, could they ask for the whole $47M when there isn`t a single safe house or program or government agency that will help male victims.

As the majority of DV is started by the women {emphasis mine. WTF} I can`t imagine the lions share not going to defend the largest group of victims that have nothing as it currently stands.Seems this must be something other than ending violence.

**********
Sure it is. This is exactly the prevailing attitude that gets families and women murdered in their homes by men they know and loved at some point. This is still why equality is a foreign concept.

As If You'd Done It Yourself

2009-12-16T11:28:00.000-08:00

I was pondering this ethical question yesterday after an incident. If something happens (bad) and you are a bystander who doesn't do or say anything, are you just as responsible? What if you consider the bad situation as 'normal' or 'good'? Are you still morally reprehensible?

I was at the gym the other day and saw out of the corner of my jaundiced eye a former co-irker at a job that, to mince words, went very poorly due to some terrible behaviour of the boss. The co-irker was a nice enough person who absolutely didn't see anything wrong with the boss's treating us like shit. Therein lies the problem--if they don't see an issue, is there one really?

I guess it helped that the boss and co-irker got along fabulously and would have weekend plans together, special meetings w/o the rest of the sad chain gang and got all sorts of great favours. New computers, nice wall art, an office specially built...Oh, the mismanagement of government funds went a long way to give the 'favoured few' some great treats!

Back to the gym. I did the only mature thing I could. Completely ignored the co-irker and pretended I didn't see them. The other thing I wanted to do was give them the finger as I walked by, but it was relatively busy and others might misinterpret this as a gesture to them. And that would be tragic. So, I limit my bad behaviour to giving the building the finger when I drive by. It feels cathartic. Oh and badmouthing them every chance I get. Take that!

I guess it's just this holiday feeling I get, where I want to get all vendetta-ish on the assholes from prior jobs. Gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside...

Too Good To Be True!

2009-12-10T08:57:00.000-08:00

From the Globe and Mail- related to a reader's question, but I just loved his response so much I had to copy/paste it. SO funny!
************************************************
Ah, your question brings me back to my youth – when I actually liked people and wanted to hang out with them.
Now that I'm in my 40s I've decided, with a few exceptions, I hate everyone. And I find most social gatherings to be little more than zinger- and faux-pas-filled festivals of irritation and annoyance.
And so I avoid them. These days, I mostly concentrate on my work and my family, and spend what little free time I have moodily staring into the fire in the living room of my gloomy mansion, sipping bourbon and muttering misanthropic aphorisms to myself, e.g. Jean-Paul Sartre's famous dictum, “Hell is other people.”
(Next inevitable phase: me in tattered bathrobe and ratty slippers, standing on my front porch, bandy, fish-white legs gleaming in the sunshine, shaking my fist at some kids whose baseball landed in my begonias.)

But back in the day I was a social butterfly nonpareil...
************
Reminds me of the social anxiety I felt living back in'res' again, and trying to make lasting connections. I didn't, but I did make a variety of surface-level shallow connections. Apparently I am best at that, skirting the top of the pool of friendships, making friends of a great variety but at best, very shallow level.

A Paradigm A Day?

2009-12-08T16:07:00.000-08:00

Wish it would keep the Dr. away, instead of keeping me up at night worrying about that damned deductivist paradigm, and where is that dratted hypothesis?

To top it off, I even do have to go to the Dr's again, and I'm concerned that my poor ear will have to be subjected to that heinous water torture (see previous spring, ear blasted with water to remove hideous blockage-causing infection). So yeah, it's not keeping the Dr's away and not helping me sleep either. Why am I in school again?

I'm even going on a small vacation with the partner and it's seeming like a menage a trois, me, him and the laptop. Ah Christmas, you can't come soon enough...But then those paper deadlines will and yeah those can certainly wait! Bit of a double-edged sword.

In other news, I am rather touched when I find out that when I am away, people genuinely miss me. Do I really make that kind of positve impact on friends, co-workers (co-irkers? nah, love 'em!) Makes me happy, and I even recieved a gift of wonderful Lindt chocolate today, and was asked by satellite office when would I be in to give everyone an update?? Ah, the caring touches my hardened heart!