It's all up to you now....

You know what I'm sick of?

Having to wait for a ring in order to feel like I can discuss what I want in a wedding.

I watch ALOT (as in, I DVR every episode) of Rich Bride, Poor Bride and use it as a discussion starting point with Keith over what we like and what we don't. We also laugh at how psycho and stressed out the brides get (it's guilty laughter on my part, because I know I'm more than likely to turn into a basketcase the closer it gets to my wedding. ha.), tease each other on who's going to cry as I'm walking down the aisle, and shake our heads over the ones who spend zillions of dollars on silly things (one bride had a stretch hummer limo, a sportscar, a donkey, AND a helicopter for transportation. not for the wedding party or anything, just for them. Another bride had a walking dessert table. and candy apples as favours (which I secretly loved, shhhh).)

So I have all these ideas swirling around in my head, but I kinda feel ridiculous talking about it before I have a ring on my finger. Like I'd be jinxing it or something. Which is ridiculous, of course. Keith is still going to propose no matter what.

So I think I'll leave this one up to you guys. Do you want to hear about it, or not?

fridayfive #6

It's time for the fridayfive!

What was the last meal that caused you to be ill?
Um, I get ill on a regular basis. It happens so often I can't remember the last meal I ate to make me ill, just that I am. Although anything excessively dairy and/or excessively caffienated seems to do the trick.
Are there any places you never dine anymore because of a bad experience hours after the meal? What’s your prescription for dealing with a food-caused illness?
Yep, Kentucky Fried Chicken is one place I got sick off of once just over two years ago now and I haven't touched it since. Lost all desire to, actually.
When friends tell you about coming down with food-caused illnesses, do you avoid the places they name, or do you figure it’s a dice-roll wherever you go?
None of my friends have name-dropped like that (other than the compulsory joke about Chinese places using cat/dog as their meat), but I say know your limitations - aka if you know Indian food makes you ill and you go anyways, well, uh, let's just slap a big fat D'OH sticker on your forehead. okay? - and you should be fine.
After numerous citations, a very, very popular restaurant that you’re quite fond of is shut down by the health department until it can get everything up to code. When the health department gives the restaurant the o.k. to reopen, do you go?
Sure, but only in the first month or so that it's re-open. Think about it - it'll probably be the cleanest it's ever been during that time! It's after that that it'll start to slip again (if it does).

Just a quick note to Heather - Are you watching the American season of So You Think....? Where are you in the series? Right now we're down to 8 dancers, but I don't want to spoil the series for you by talking about it on here if you're not there yet. Unless you don't mind. Of course.

Gangsta Keith

(is that not the funniest picture?)

It's a dog's life...

5:45 am : greet Humans enthusiastically with much tail wagging.
6:05: go for pee.
6:08: sniff grass
6:10: go for second pee.
6:18: Sit. Stay.
6:30: chase cat.
6:40: chase cat.
6:50: stare at cat.
6:52: chase cat.
7:00: Human disappears. whine.
7:20: Human re-appears. wag tail.
7:25: stare at cat.
7:28: lay down.
7:35: sleep.
7:40: perform "please" for something that's delicious.
7:50: Human disappears. whine.
8:00: chase cat.
8:20: sleep.
1:00: Human re-appears. wag tail.
1:05: chase cat.
1:10: drink out of big white bowl.
1:15: eat.
1:18: chase cat.
1:30: sleep.
1:35: get swatted by cat.
1:38: chase cat.
1:45: gaze longingly at Human food.
1:48: ignore cat.
2:00: sleep.
3:00: Second Human appears. wag tail.
3:05: get yelled at.
3:07: be petted.
3:16: Humans disappear. whine.
4:01: Humans re-appear. wag tail.
4:05: Sit. Stay.
4:13: sniff grass.
4:15: sniff grass
4:20: go for pee.
4:22: sniff grass.
4:25: go for another pee.
4:27: sniff grass.
4:34: Sit. Stay.
4:50: play with little round thing.
5:15: lay down.
5:30: Humans disappear. whine.
6:45: Humans re-appear. wag tail.
7:00: gaze longingly at human food.
7:05: gaze longingly at human food.
7:15: chase cat.
7:16: get swatted by cat.
7:18: get yelled at.
7:20: lay down next to Human.
7:45: play with fake bone.
8:00: eat.
8:15: sleep.
9:45. Sit. Stay.
9:50: sniff grass.
9:52: go for pee.
9:55: go for #2.
9:57: sniff grass.
9:58: sniff grass.
10:05: Sit. Stay.
10:09: stare at cat.
10:12: chase cat.
10:14: get yelled at.
10:20: lay down.
10:22: sleep.
11:30: Humans disappear. whine.
12:00: sleep.

BlogShare: The Event!

***Like I said yesterday, today's post is courtesy of an anonymous blogger. Enjoy! We resume normal transmissions on Thursday***

A few months ago, a tiny bandwagon rolled through the blog neighborhood I call home. The idea was to post a list of things you've never said to people--things you wanted to say, things you shouldn't say, things that are in your head no matter how much you wish they weren't.

I read those posts and I thought, "I could do one of those..." But when I started my list, I realized there were a lot of things my mind wants to say to people still actively in my life, and since some of those people read my blog, I thought it best not to make them wonder. Maybe the other people who participated in this exercise didn't write about anyone they know. Maybe the people they know are less curious or paranoid than the people I know. Maybe they themselves are less paranoid than I. In any case, it is Blog Share Day, and if you can't spill your secret thoughts on Blog Share Day, when can you; am I right? I thought so. So here is my list... out to prove, apparently, that if you can't say something nice, you should instead post it anonymously on someone else's blog, and if you CAN say something nice, you should hide it on the Internet instead of saying it to the person outright. Clearly I'm all about being emotionally healthy and responsible. Go me.

1. You have been given every opportunity in life, and you've repeatedly squandered every one of them.
   


2. You are incredibly creative, and yet you're frittering all your time away on nothing. USE your talent. DO something with your life. Take a step towards SOMETHING, and happiness will follow.
   


3. I don't want to give up on our friendship, but I feel like I don't even know you anymore. Who are you? WHERE are you? I miss you.
   


4. Your laugh makes me want to hurt you.
   


5. Your constant cough makes me want to stick a sock down your throat.
   


6. Part of me knows you and I were never meant to be, but another part of me can't help hoping I'll run into you somewhere someday, because I think maybe our timing was just off, and maybe if we met again now, you would never let me go.
   


7. You loved me for all the reasons I want to be loved. I wish that were enough, but it just isn't.
   


8. Your children are spoiled brats with little idea about how the world works, and you raised them that way. Congratulations.
   


9. I wonder how different my life might have been if I'd just figured out how to be with you all those years ago.
   


10. If we weren't related, I probably wouldn't ever talk to you.
    


11. If you're dealing with something you can't snap out of on your own, please, please, see someone. If you're not, get off the couch, put down the M&Ms, and laugh with us again.
    


12. If you think everyone is talking about you, might I suggest you stop doing things that make you such a hot topic of conversation?
    


13. I wish you knew how smart and funny you are. I wish everyone you met did, too.
    


14. You don't HAVE to marry him just because you are with him. You do have choices, you know.
    


15. We've never been close, and you drive me mad sometimes, but I still love you for everything you gave me.

BlogShare Eve

Tomorrow, I will be participating in something that -R- over at And You Know What Else organized called BlogShare. That means that tomorrow there will be an anonymous guest post instead of a regular entry, and I will be anonymously posting somewhere else out there in the blogsphere.

If you want to read more anonymous posts, feel free to check out the blogs below (if you want to take it a step further and try to match poster to blog, you have your work cut out for you!)(Not that I'm saying you aren't capable of doing so) (I'm just sayin...oh, forget it.)

Vent Vox
Turn On The Stars
Trudie - Life After AC
Swimming With Sharks
Stefanie Says
Shhh! Librarian-In-Training
Sauntering Soul
Sass Attack
Reflections in the Snow Covered Hills
Red Red Whine
One New Duck
Oh My Seven
The Occasional Truth
No Lady
Nancy Pearl Wannabe
Muse On Vacation
Messing With Texas
Melliferous Pants
Lizland
Live Work Dream
Just Below 63
Jonniker
Java Literally
Heidikins
Full of Snark
Face Down
Ex Everything
Everything I Like Causes Cancer
Did I Say That Outloud?
The Daily Tannenbaum
The Coconut Diaries
Citystreams
Catheroominations
Bright Yellow World
Breath Smiles Tears
And You Know What Else
Alyndabear
3 Carnations

Now I'm off to write m....oooh, are those jujubes??

Couple Meme (revisited)

I did this meme before, back in February, but since we're actually living together now, my answers have changed slightly, so I'm doing it again.

How long have you and your significant other been together? * 10 months on July 22nd. Now officially my longest relationship.
Who eats more? * We eat the same amount but I snack a bit more.
Who said I love you first? * He did, by a couple of months.
Who is taller? *He is, by a very small margin of four inches.
Who sings better? * I do.
Who is smarter? * Smartness is relative.
Who does the laundry? * Um. We pay his parents to do it. It's like having your very own cleaning service - it even comes back all nice and folded! We're spoiled, I know.
Who does the dishes? * Pretty much equal on this front.
Who pays the bills? * All our money is put together and then we decide how much to put on what bill.
Who mows the lawn? * We don't have a lawn to mow! Ahh, the beauty of apartment living.
Who cooks dinner? * Again, pretty equal. Keith really likes to cook though, not that I'm complaining!
Who drives when you are together? * His mommy does!
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? * I do, if you're looking at it from the foot.
Who is more stubborn? * I am, by FAR.
Whose parents do you see the most? * His, they live one building over.
Who kissed who first? * I think I did?
Who proposed? * We haven't gotten to that point yet.
Who is more sensitive? * Don't really think either of us are particularly sensitive?
Who has more friends? * I do, but he plays on a hockey team all year long (ice hockey in the winter and ball hockey in the summer).
Who has more siblings? * Mine's so complicated, oh god. Um, if we're being completely technical, I suppose I do - I have 5 and he has 3. Untechnically, he does - I just have 2.
Who wears the pants in the family? * I do. But he wears the jockstrap.

fridayfive #6

Oops, I forgot to do this yesterday with everything that was going on. So here's the fridayfive, a day late.

1) What are some recurring dreams you’ve had?
The recurring dreams I have are usually about rape or brutal murder or being chased or just generally unpleasant things. I've also had recurring dreams where Keith was cheating on me and/or leaving me. THOSE SUCK, but I get major cuddles when I wake up from those.
2) What is the significance of dreams in telling you about yourself?
I don't really put much stock in dream analysis. To me, dreams are just your subconscious firing random synapses. Or something. I don't believe it's your mind telling you things or even "a dream is a wish your heart makes, when you're fast asleep".
(fifty half points if you can tell me the Disney movie that's from).
3) How do you feel after you’ve had one of THOSE dreams?
What kind of dreams are THOSE dreams? If it's a nightmare then I usually wake up breathing hard and my heart racing. Then I usually stay up a bit just to make sure I don't dream about it again. The mental images are sometimes hard to make my brain forget.
4) What was the last dream you remember?
I've been having dreams every night for the past week, but I can't remember any of them more than five minutes after waking. Except for the (recurring throughout the night) one where Keith cheated on me & then left me a couple of nights ago. Weird thing is, when we woke up that day, Keith informed me that he had a dream that I told him I "didn't love him anymore" and left him. Pretty spooky eh?
5) When did you last dream about something that later happened as you dreamt it?
Never?

IT'S FINALLY DONE!!!!!!

Well, the title says it all!

Tonight we really pushed ourselves and cleaned the living room and cleared the kitchen and foyer area so we could - ready for this? - MOVE ALL MY STUFF FROM THEIR APARTMENT TO HERE!!!!!

It's all here! FINALLY! After most of it being in storage for 6 months, I'm really, really, really excited to unpack it all and find homes for everything. And, do you know how great a feeling it is to finally have a place that's really yours, with all your stuff in it?

Let me tell you, it's freaking fanTAStic. Oh, god. Can you tell how EXCITED I AM?!?! HA!

Yeah, so the next week will be spent unpacking slowly and putting things away, but this is the FUN part of moving in (at least for me, anyway). Hopefully within a couple weeks I can show you the "After" pictures of my Series, but because I'm anal it won't be until everything is nearly perfectly arranged - I'm pretty sure the only things that will be missing will be finishing touches like the artwork and things (which have to be bought slowly over a period of time because, hey guys, we're on a strict budget here).

IT'S ALL DONE!!!! YAAAAY!! =)

PS: Seriously? I thought his living room carpet was a medium gray. Turns out it's a very light tan.
Who knew?

PPS: Keith FINALLY updated his blog! If you wanna hear the other side of our story, head on over and check it out! (and please, leave comments. I'm sure if there were more comments on entries, he'd write more. Maybe?)

Fulfillment

I wrote this in my really old account at journalland when I was 17 years old:
"Serenity
Tuesday 16 November 2004 - 5.05am

You know what I realized I want more in than anything at this moment in my life?

A peaceful, one bedroom apartment, with a dog like Buddy curled on my floor, a cat like Anya curled on the bed, asleep with a boys arms securely around me.

*sigh*I hate 3am longings."

Last night I realized that, 4 years later, it's not a longing anymore. I have it. And it feels better than I ever imagined it could.

Before: The Living Room (A Series)

By far the WORST room in the apartment. The first photo is as if you just walked into the room, the second basically the same, just farther up the wall, and the third photo is from the windows looking at the opposite wall. The kitchen is on the other side of that wall.

Gah, this is turning out to be a HUGE job. We've been cleaning it off and on for three days now, mostly because if I push too hard, Keith pulls the "But I'm on vacation!!!" card, but also because it's such a huge job it's hard to get up enough enthusiam to do it. And I'm lazy. Mucho lazy.

*sigh* Just on the last stretch of it now. Hopefully I can push myself to finish it tonight and (re)start on the kitchen. It seems any extra junk (aka furniture/boxes) we have end up there, plus we've been eating so dishes have to be done again.

Yippeee. I'll be so incredibly glad when this is over. You have no idea.

Before: The Bedroom (A Series)

This is (obviously) our bedroom. It was the least dirty of all the rooms in the apartment, but I forgot to take a picture before we started cleaning the floor. Just imagine it covered in stuff, okay?

Most of this room just required cosmetic cleaning, like vacuuming and steam cleaning the floor and washing the windows and walls. And, of course, furniture.

Looking Glass Help

I need your help!!! I need to pick out a mirror for the front foyer. I thought it would add a nice touch instead of a photograph or a painting. It's also a really cheap and effective way to make the space seem larger than it is. I plan to put a medium-sized canvas print of probably bright cheery flower(s) in the kitchen, and everything else (except for Keith's 'hockey half-wall of fame') will be thin black framed photographs in black and white. The only thing I'm not sure of is the bathroom. Anyway, this is going above the brown bookcase where we're putting the dog & cat food dishes. and it's right next to the doorway for the kitchen.

I've narrowed it down to five choices, all from IKEA. So what I need from you is to choose your favourite and why you chose it. Please! This mirror will probably be the first piece of decoration people see as they come in.

So, first choice:

This is 29.99$ and, to be quite honest, I love it. I love that it's funky and stylish and I think it would make a great decorative mirror.

Second Choice:This is a bit more expensive at 59.99$, and the vertical lines are actually elastic straps, which I thought would be cool to put pictures in and you can actually re-arrange the straps into different patterns. But would that make it too cluttery? And would the cat (or us?) knock the photos off?

Third Choice:This is also 59.99$. I just like it, but do the etched flowers make it too girly? (it can be hung horizontally as well).

Fourth Choice:

This is back in the realm of 29.99$, and I really can't find too much wrong with it.

Fifth Choice:Also 29.99$ and very similar to the one above. Apparently you can hang things off the metal part, but I don't think we'll be hanging anything on there. At least, I hope not.

So. Which one is your favourite?

5 things meme

I got this in an e-mail from Kelly, so I thought I'd do this here to get those hideous pictures out of eye-level (ha!). I can't believe its Monday; Keith's on vacation for the next week so it feels like an extended weekend. It was so nice to not wake up to an alarm (he works at 6am) and instead wake up naturally and not have him be rushing out the door. Bliss.

10 years ago…
I was 11. Um. Not much going on when you're 11.

Five things in today’s 'to do list':
1) Finish the kitchen (do the food cupboards, wash out the fridge, mop the floor again).
2) Clean the bathroom from top to bottom.
3) Pick up the garbage in the living room.
4) Maybe bring over the kitchen table, my TV, bedside tables, bathroom stuff, etc.
5) Go to Keiths ball hockey game at 9:00pm.

5 Snacks I enjoy:
1) Air popped popcorn with salt and butter. I could (and do) eat it anytime of day. I had it for breakfast/lunch yesterday.
2) Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt. Favourite flavours are strawberry and chocolate.
3) Gummy candy in a tub. Wal-Mart has this cool variety where it's just all different ones mixed together so that's what I get.
4) Chips, usually either Ketchup, Regular or Sour Cream & Onion. Or Triscuits.
5) Fresh fruit, like berries and melons and tropical ones.

5 Things I would do if I was a millionaire:
1) Get married.
2) Buy Keith's parents a condo
3) Give my parents a "retirement fund" - especially my mom so she doesn't have to teach, instead she can choose if she wants to.
4) Pay off our combined debts.
5) Buy a house.

5 Places I have lived:
1) St. Paul, Alberta
2) Kelowna, British Columbia
3) Nanaimo, British Columbia
4) Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan
5) Clinton, Ontario

Now back to watching Grease. I LOVE this movie!

Before: The Kitchen (A Series)

Yay! I found the camera cord! Apparently we've collectively taken 150 photos since Stratford....someone has trigger fingers! (ahemKeithahem)

Anyway, I'm happy about it because now I can show you the mess I've been dealing with this past week. Of course there will be "after" photos as well when it's all perfect, but yeah. And because I REALLY don't feel like fiddling with Blogger and pictures at 2am, I'm going to show you one room at a time, starting with the kitchen. Prepare to recoil in horror.

BEFORE:

The KitchenThis is the floor I was talking about. YEUCH.

(And yes, that is Elvis' litter box front and centre -

there was no other place for it, honest! It has since been moved to the foyer.)

One corner of the kitchen:

(we ended up keeping the bookcase; it's now in the foyer next to the litterbox.

The plan is to use it for cat dishes on the top shelf and Molly's dishes on the bottom)

And this is the other corner/counterspace. The fridge is the white thing in the photo above and the stove is the yellow thing in the corner. Obviously the cupboards are above; the ones above the sink are for tupperware/everyday dishes and the ones above are for food and everything else.

Stay tuned to see how (good?) it actually turns out.....

fridayfive #5

If a traveling food show were to visit your neighborhood, what are some unique, regional foods it would spotlight, and where would it go to get them?
Um, Ottawa has about 93 (according to wikipedia.org) shawarma places across the city, so while they aren't exactly "regional" (they're Lebanese) that would be a definite must-taste.

On an American cable show, a celebrity chef surprises people by challenging them to a contest featuring their own specialties (he usually loses). If he challenged you to your specialty, what dish would you prepare? If he challenged someone you know, what would that dish be, and how might the competition turn out?
If he challenged me, it would be to see who can dial the local 1 for 1 pizza the fastest. Ha.

What are your feelings about cooking shows on television?
I like them, don't necessarily watch them. Except for Take Home Chef, which I think is kinda creepy. They totally do it.

What kitchen gadgets have you purchased because you saw someone using them on television?
Nothing. My dad bought me a George Foreman grill once though, I really wish I had hung onto it.

You get to (or have to, depending on how you feel about it) host your own food show on television. What will it be called and what’s it about?
I'm tired and not really up to being creative tonight, so I'm going to cop-out and say "No Idea". Sound good?

WHEW!

So.

Remember the kitchen I was so afraid of cleaning?

I totally just kicked its ass. Well, half of it, but instead of focusing on the negative (i.e., what I haven't done yet), let's focus on the positive, shall we? Oh. Yes. Yes, we shall.

Basically we have a pretty big front foyer area, so that as well as the kitchen was my focus for today. The floor in the kitchen was so full that you couldn't really move around, so clearing it out was my first task. Then I cleared some counter space, set up my dish rack, and started doing the dishes....only to discover that, in order to put the dishes away, I had to clean the actual cupboards themselves. Did four cupboards at two shelves each, plus the cutlery drawer. Check.

There was enough dishes to do six loads. At one point it felt like all I was doing all day was dishes, and I don't know about you guys, but it doesn't really seem like you're doing much when all you're doing is that. But we all know that's not entirely true, right?

But after dinner I attacked it again and got the foyer area clean of debris ("clearing it out" apparently meant "dump it in the other room") and then swept and mopped it. And with that, I deemed it clean. Success!

In the corner of the kitchen was a very dusty, long-forgotten bookcase full of recipe books that we don't want anymore (the bookcase, that is, not the recipes). Cleared out the bookcase, wiped all the books down, and transferred them into a cupboard, and then looked at the wall(s) behind it.

Yikes. It's looking as if cleaning the walls will be a three-step, arduous process, first involving a mop and some floor cleaner, then scrubbing with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser(r) (amazing product, by the way. I heart it), and, finally, spraying with some degreaser and wiping them down with a cloth.

Oh yeah. That'll just be a barrel of laughs to do all the walls in the apartment. Ugh.

It seems anti-climatic now to mention I then mopped scrubbed the kitchen floor, but I did. Boo-yah.

Then I decided enough craziness and fun times were had for one night, and I walked away feeling satisfied that I did nearly everything I set out to do at the beginning of today.

And that, my friends, is how I kicked the kitchens ass. Boom-sha-ka-la-ka. Word to your mother.

Overwhelmed.

I'm so overwhelmed right now. I'm trying to clean a kitchen that hasn't been cleaned in months. I found stuff with a best-by date that was fifteen months ago, and that wasn't even the worst of it. Did you know jam goes bad? Yeah, me either.

It's just so overwhelming and I don't know where to start. I feel all shaky and ready to cry, and it's only the beginning. And it's not like I can leave it, because nobody can live with it the way it is, and I want to get it done by the time Keith comes home (about 3pm).

I think the trick for me to get through this - or at least the initial stages of it - is just to clean everything I can see, and worry about what's behind closed doors later.

Here goes nothing....

Answers.

As promised, here are the answers to yesterday's quiz:

1) What was the original name for Ottawa?
Bytown.
2) Where does Canada rank in the world in terms of land mass?
Second. (Russia is first.)
4) True or False: Canada has the longest coastline in the world.
True.
5) What Canadian province is named after Queen Victoria's fourth daughter?
Alberta
6) Which province was the first to introduce medicare?
Saskatchewan.
7) The face of what past Canadian prime minister adorns the $100 bill?
Robert Borden.
8) Name the province that was part of the initial Confederation discussions but decided to opt out of joining Canada until 1949?
Newfoundland.
9) Which is the only legally bilingual Canadian province?
New Brunswick.
10) The government of Canada is best described as:
a) a representative republic
b) a co-operative association
c) constitutional monarchy
d) people's democracy
11) What medical breakthrough led to a 1923 Nobel Prize for Frederick Banting and J.J.R. Macleod?
Discovery of insulin.
12) What was the name of Wayne Gretzky's first professional hockey team?
Indianapolis Racers.
13) Name the group of French-Canadian inhabitants who were deported from the Maritimes in the mid-18th century?
Acadians.
14) On what famous battlefield did General Wolfe and the British army defeat the French army for control of Quebec in 1759?
Plains of Abraham.
15) Which NHL team has won more Stanley Cups than any other?
Montreal Canadiens.
16) What is the name of the sailing vessel featured on the Canadian dime?
The Bluenose.
17) Who wrote the words to "O' Canada"?
Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier
18) What is the name of the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy awards?
a) Genies
b) Mulroney's
c) Junos
d) Trudeau's
19) What is the name of Canada's official summer sport?
Lacrosse.
20) Name the two official animals of Canada.
Beaver and Canadian horse.
21) Who was prime minister of Canada during the Second World War?
a) Lester B. Pearson
b) Sir Wilfrid Laurier
c) Louis St. Laurent
d) Mackenzie King
22) What is the name of the trade agreement linking Canada, the United States, and Mexico that went into effect on Jan. 1, 1994?
North American Free Trade Agreement - NAFTA.
23) What was the name of the route used by slaves fleeing the United States to get to Canada?
The Underground Railroad.
24) In June 1944, Canadians participated in a major military operation called "D-Day." Which of the following best describes "D-Day"?
a) The invasion of Japan
b) The bombing of Pearl Harbor
c) The liberation of Hong Kong
d) The invasion of France
25) Lieut.- Col. John McCrae served as a medical officer in the First World War and wrote what is considered to be Canada's most famous war poem. What is called?
In Flanders Fields.
26) Name the controversial political figure who is credited with the creation of the province of Manitoba.
Louis Riel.
27) Quebec cabinet minister, Pierre Laporte was taken hostage and killed during the October Crisis initiated by which extremist separatist group?
FLQ - Front de la Liberation du Quebec.
28) Which famous Canadian declared "There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation" in 1967 in reference to the controversial Omnibus Bill that brought issues such as divorce law, abortion and homosexuality to the forefront.
Pierre Trudeau.
29) Which prime minister was forced to resign after it became known that he accepted campaign funds in exchange for a lucrative railroad contract?
Sir John A. MacDonald.
30) Name the Canadian settler who was executed during the Red River Resistance.
Thomas Scott

Happy 141st Birthday Canada!!

Bonne Fête Canada!

In honour of this amazing, glorious country I am SO proud to call my home, let's do a fun quiz to test your knowledge. (I know it's kinda long, but I cut it from 100 to just 30. Anyways, just do as much as you want/know)

I'll post the answers tomorrow. No googling!

1) What is the original name for Ottawa?
3) Where does Canada rank in the world in terms of land mass?
4) True or False: Canada has the longest coastline in the world.
5) What Canadian province is named after Queen Victoria's fourth daughter?
6) Which province was the first to introduce medicare?
7) The face of what past Canadian prime minister adorns the $100 bill?
8) Name the province that was part of the initial Confederation discussions but decided to opt out of joining Canada until 1949?
9) Which is the only legally bilingual Canadian province?
10) The government of Canada is best described as:
a) a representative republic
b) a co-operative association
c) constitutional monarchy
d) people's democracy
11) What medical breakthrough led to a 1923 Nobel Prize for Frederick Banting and J.J.R. Macleod?
12) What was the name of Wayne Gretzky's first professional hockey team?
13) Name the group of French-Canadian inhabitants who were deported from the Maritimes in the mid-18th century?
14) On what famous battlefield did General Wolfe and the British army defeat the French army for control of Quebec in 1759?
15) Which NHL team has won more Stanley Cups than any other?
16) What is the name of the sailing vessel featured on the Canadian dime?
17) Who wrote the words to "O' Canada"?
18) What is the name of the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy awards?
a) Genies
b) Mulroney's
c) Junos
d) Trudeau's
19) What is the name of Canada's official summer sport?
20) Name the two official animals of Canada.
21) Who was prime minister of Canada during the Second World War?
a) Lester B. Pearson
b) Sir Wilfrid Laurier
c) Louis St. Laurent
d) Mackenzie King
22) What is the name of the trade agreement linking Canada, the United States, and Mexico that went into effect on Jan. 1, 1994?
23) What was the name of the route used by slaves fleeing the United States to get to Canada?
24) In June 1944, Canadians participated in a major military operation called "D-Day." Which of the following best describes "D-Day"?
a) The invasion of Japan
b) The bombing of Pearl Harbor
c) The liberation of Hong Kong
d) The invasion of France
25) Lieut.- Col. John McCrae served as a medical officer in the First World War and wrote what is considered to be Canada's most famous war poem. What is called?
26) Name the controversial political figure who is credited with the creation of the province of Manitoba.
27) Quebec cabinet minister, Pierre Laporte was taken hostage and killed during the October Crisis initiated by which extremist separatist group?
28) Which famous Canadian declared "There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation" in 1967 in reference to the controversial Omnibus Bill that brought issues such as divorce law, abortion and homosexuality to the forefront.
29) Which prime minister was forced to resign after it became known that he accepted campaign funds in exchange for a lucrative railroad contract?
30) Name the Canadian settler who was executed during the Red River Resistance.

Et ta valeur, de foi trempée

Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

Woah, this is COOL!

Téléphone Portable + Maïs = Pop-corn - Vidéo

20 questions....(actually, 14. I counted.)

From Heather

If you went to the bank right now, how much money could you get out in cash?
Nothing. I immediately transfer anything into my bank account over to Keith's and we spend it together.
What was the last piece of fruit you ate?
I "stole" from a bowl some strawberries that Keith's mom was hulling. Yummy!
Did you think sex was over-rated after your first attempt?
Oh, hell yeah. I don't even remember the guy's name.
Someone just handed you $1000 to spend within 24 hours, what are you going to do with it?
Probably go out for some lavish date with Keith, get Molly fixed, and then pay some of my debt off with the rest. Having debt terrifies me so much. Whats even more terrifying is that I can't do anything about it just yet.
What's for dinner tonight?
Dinner was sausages in buns and rice with green beans and pieces of steak mixed in. I just had a sausage.
What are you really great at doing?
Keith says I'm really great at 'loving him'....but I'm not sure that counts - so typing I guess? (how sad is that?) Oh! and reading.
What is your greatest childhood memory?
I can't really remember my childhood that clearly, actually. Most of my memories all stem from about the age of 13 or so.
What is your worst childhood memory?
Again, can't remember.
What was the name of the first person you ever kissed (first name only)?
His name was Tyson and it was at co-ed camp the summer I was 13. It was a dare and since I didn't know what the hell to do, I just copied him - tongue and all. It was so sloppy!
What is the most amount of money you've ever spent on one item and what was it?
That would either be drugs or rent. Woot, such a sad life.
What constitutes the best day of your life thus far?
When Keith admitted that he wanted our relationship ending up in kids/marriage. I remember it so clearly - It was in February and we were both in the kitchen making a frozen pizza and he went to say something but then stopped and blushed - I asked him what he was going to say and he blushed some more and then said that he knew where he wanted our relationship to go - and then he muttered "kids and marriage". I was so blown away.
What random question have you been pondering lately?
Who put that hill here?
Who is your favourite relative?
If I had to choose it would probably be my dad or my sister, but only if my sister and I are alone and it's been a couple of days (she's always angry the first few days I visit).
What are you planning for the rest of your day today?
Mmm, since it's just after midnight, we're drinking and then falling asleep. Then its Saturday and I usually get a break from taking the dog out, and then its a slow, long, lazy sleep-in with lots of cuddling. I love Saturday mornings.

Back in the city!

Hey guys.

What to say? Visit home went about expected - good, slightly awkward. Of course. Cabaret was so good. Except for the dancing Hitler-themed dreams it inspired later that night. This would be about the point I bombard you with pictures, but they're all still on the camera.

11 days until we officially move in together - and it just so happens that Canada Day is one of my favourite (if not the favourite) holidays. I always celebrate it by getting, uh, otherwise altered and going downtown for the fireworks show. I can't wait to spend our first day as a live-in couple and our first Canada Day together. Woop!

Speaking of spending time together - Keith and I are about due for a date night. Our last one was just after Belleville! I'm thinking either dinner and a movie, or grab a quick bite and go to a Comedy Club for some pitchers and a few laughs. Which one would you choose? I wanna know!

fridayfive #4

It's time for the fridayfive!
Who gave you your last balloon, and what was the occasion?
Keith gave me my last balloon, and there wasn't really an occasion, we just found a pack of them mixed in with his income tax slips. Weee!

Who gave you your last scolding, and what was it for?
I'm kind of past the age to be getting scoldings, but probably my Mother. You're never too old for that, unfortunately. (lol)

Who gave you your last attaboy, and why?
... probably my father. A couple of years ago.

Who gave you your last haircut?
Never caught her name but I got it done at my hometown salon, Total Image II. Love that place. So much. It's big town service for a small town price (wedding updo's are only forty dollars. Yeah.)

Who gave you your last massage?
Keith. That reminds me, it's about time for another one *bwahahaha*

Becky's 19!!

I forgot to mention earlier that it's my baby sisters 19th birthday today. The youngest of our family is finally all legal. Scary!

I love you Becky, Happy 19th!

We're off to see the wizard ....

We're off on our journey home tomorrow morning (we leave Ottawa at 9:20am and get into Stratford at 6:45pm), and I'm so looking forward to it. A weekend away from all the stress sounds LOVELY right about now, and even though he's nervous about meeting my mom, I have absolute confidence he'll do just fine. Really, sweetie, you will.

And then just 19 days until Keith and I officially move in together. (!!!!)

The original reason why we were going got cancelled at the last moment because my Great Uncle died this week, but mom got us tickets to Cabaret at Stratford for the three of us. Apparently it's very risqué, but good. Getting Keith to pack something with a collar for it, though, is proving to be difficult.

I picked up two books for the ride up - The Host by Stephanie Meyer (NOT part of the Twilight Triology) and Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisburger.

What else? Oh yeah, just wanted to say - CONGRATS MICHELLE!!!!

Disgusting

(31 degrees C = 87.8 degrees F.)

200 Things

It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots. All you do is bold the fun things on the list that you have done.

I'm not going to "tag" anyone, but play along on your blog if you like!

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sporting event
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (does going topless count?)
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar (uh, duh, I was one.)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain (Keith loves doing this, actually)
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason (from my daddy)
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money (Like, three dollars from a scratch lotto ticket.)
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn't need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf (body surfing counts, right?)
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo's David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight (Not really lie, I just don't mention it)
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Been to the southern hemisphere.
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone's life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter's Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik's cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Kissed more than one guy/girl in a night

Why I love Keith: # 14

Every Saturday and Sunday morning that he sleeps over at 'my' place, he wakes up early and takes Molly out, letting "Mommy" sleep.

This guy? Definitely a keeper.

Stupidity

Last night I got really fustrated when trying to install (what I thought) was Sims2-BonVoyage. A screen would come up, I would click it, the computer would do its whirry thing and then ..... nothing.

Today we figured out he had given me disc 1 of Sims2-FreeTime in the BonVoyage case. D'oh. Aren't I a smart girl for not actually checking what the disc said? Seriously. I blow myself away with my stupidity sometimes.

So thankful it's the weekend - this week seemed to really have dragged on and on and on and on .... Just a week now until Keith and I head home. Good news is that Molly doesn't have to go to the kennel!! G'pa & G'ma offered to watch her and we just pay them instead. Woop! Although, I just realized we're travelling on Friday the 13th. D'oh. Again, with the stupidity thing.

Well, there's nothing much else to report on this side of the country/globe and my Sims has just finished installing (and the fridayfive sucks), so I'll catch you all later.

Mwah Mwah!

Problems (Part II)

I really wish I knew the reason of why I feel so pukey all the time. You know the feeling of "Omg I'm going to puke" and then you don't? But you keep feeling like you are? Yeah. That's what I'm feeling nearly all the time for the last week. It's getting to the point where I just wish I would puke already! and get it over with. It's basically a really gross taste in my mouth of whatever it was that was last in there, plus just feeling yucky and nauseated. This morning on the bus it was Shreddies and toothpaste, right now its bread and egg salad. It's been going on for a couple of days now. It's really annoying!!! I don't like feeling nauseated 24/7, that's for sure.

So. Found out today that Department Head will not/is not writing me a letter. However, he said to check with Financial Aid for other funding options and with CSD if they would give support/accomodations which would change his opinion. Checked with Fin Aid; no (other) options. And the reason I wasn't successful last term wasn't because CSD had no supports/accomodations in place for me so that's a dead end as well....my only hope right now seems to be a letter from my Dr. who saw me for depression/ADD, but even my CSD counsellor says (and I agree) it's a very, very long shot.

But - getting honest here - I'm really done with this whole debacle. Fustrated beyond belief. I'm so ready to just throw in the towel, apply for welfare, and start job-hunting. I've already shed a few tears twice today over it; I don't like the feeling of failure but I'm kind of backed into a corner (whether self-inflicted or not isn't the point here). The bottom line is a simple equation -
Money=School ........ No Money=No school ........and when there's no other way of getting it other than this guy writing you a letter, and he's not writing you one.....

Well.

But Keith would be really disappointed in me if I didn't 'fight'. If I just gave up. He's already expressed that sentiment, so I have to balance whats really realistic (I can't sit around waiting anymore for what may or may not happen with absolutely no income) with the risk of really disappointing him.

But.

Is he going to cover all of July's rent when I can't? Is he going to pay off my (very overdue) Rogers bill? My credit card? Buy my bus tickets/bus passes so I can get to school? All of the food for the month? Molly's stuff? Is he really ready and willing to be the sole provider - because, make no mistake, that's what he will be while I'm waiting to hear back from Administration about this whole mess.

So. Should I drop out of school now? Or what? Wait? How long? Another month? I'm not sure I can afford to do that. And if I'm waiting for another month then I pass the "Drop-Out" date - where on your record it says "W" for Withdrawn instead of "F" for Fail (F's are terrible, horrible, no good, very bad, while "W's are acceptable).

I think Keith and I are due for a long serious talk about this...that's the only conclusion I can come up with right now. I just hope he realizes how fustrated and worried (okay, panicked) I am about it rather than seeing it as me taking the "easy way" out.

My purse meme

So since I've been tagged by Kelly AND Shandi, I thought I'd finally get my act together and do it!

Instructions:
1) Take a photo of your handbag/purse.
2) List what's in it (no leaving anything out!)

Sounds easy enough.....

Here's my purse:

I've had this purse since my 17th birthday...the buttons on it read "Masters Favourite Little Pet" and "Nobody Knows I'm Bi".

Inside includes:

- PlayersLight King size (25 pack) pack of cigarettes with one native smoke in it.
- Cell phone
- My digital voice recorder (I use for recording lectures) that doubles as an Mp3 player.
- Earbuds, of course.
- Black gel pen.
- 2 Algonquin appointment cards
- blank piece of paper with my bank account numbers on it.
- my bus pass package - it includes my health card, SIN card, bank card, March/April/May bus passes, my College student card, my Student Identity card for the bus and 2 sheets of bus tickets. Whew! That's alot!
- Temporary OAC (aka the gym) Membership Card for the weekend.
- Camera lense cover
-Random bits of paper and receipts.
-"Shiny-licious" berry lip gloss.
- 2 bobbypins
- 4.31$ in change

And usually my keys are in there too but I hang them up right when I get in the door.

Wow! I didn't realize how much stuff I had in my purse.....although that purse is deceptively big - I can fit a 26er (750mL) bottle of vodka in there or a full carton of smokes. lol.

fridayfive #3

It's time for the fridayfive!

What piece of information do you keep forgetting? The In-Law's phone number.
What regular event in your life do you keep forgetting? How to poop. Uh huh. (who comes up with these questions. Seriously.)
How are you with remembering the names of people you meet? Pretty good, but it helps to have a description or a nickname to go by if I've only met them a couple times.
What kinds of tricks to you have for remembering to do stuff that falls outside your regular routine? I don't have any tricks; I'm pretty good at remembering (I "forget" on purpose. It's a bad habit. Oops).
If you keep a daily planner, what is it like? If you don’t, why not? I don't, because I'm just lazy like that.

Hodgepodge.

Did anyone watch "So You Think You Can Dance" auditions last night? They covered Utah & Dallas. I made the boys miss their hockey game so I could watch it (oh the horror...but really, it was only the Penguins vs. Red Wings, game 3). I loved the Utah auditions - one guy wore a t-shirt that said "Joseph Smith is my homeboy". I laughed when I saw that one. There was also a guy with Down's trying out - he didn't make it but seriously? He put a great big smile on my face and I would go dancing in a club with him any day. Except I'd ask him to tone down on the kicking. Just a bit.

Last night was funny at the dinner table. K's mom finally realized (after nearly 2 months of living with them!) that I have 6 facial piercings. She thought I only had my ears and eyebrow instead of nose, eyebrow, Monroe, tongue and ears. We were watching "So You Think..." and she made a comment on one of the contestants piercing - then she remarked that the worst ones are "the ones that go through the tongue" ...

Imagine her surprise when I replied by sticking out my tongue and asking "like this one?" :D lol. As for my other piercings, she thought my Monroe (between lip and nose, on my right side) was a mole (uh, it's a blue jewel. has anyone ever seen a blue mole?). And my nose is so tiny no one realizes I have it unless you really look for it. Her reaction was so funny though - I really enjoyed myself over that one.

Today marks the Official Countdown To K Meeting My Mother (And The Rest Of My Family, Practically).
Yeah, you heard right. I'm taking a boy home! *GASP GASP!* We're heading home in 15 days for a weekend in the good ol' country. It's my (now deceased) Grandma&Grandpa's Annual (as of last year) Euchre Tournament Weekend...basically everyone on the immediate side of my mom's side of the family (aunts, uncles, cousins, cousins kids etc) come to spend some time together for a weekend. A good estimate of the number of attendees is just over 30, if you include us two. I hope K's up to it!! LOL. Although he seems to be busy thinking up ways to freak my mother out - mostly it includes talking to my stomach as if I was pregnant, and acting mentally challenged. I've been told it's keeping him up at night. That boy never fails to crack me up.

And bonus: my mom semi-agreed to drive K & I up to Goderich (about a half hour away, right on the shore of Lake Huron) on Sunday afternoon/evening, so we can walk along the beach and I can just show him more of the gorgeousness that is my "home area". I'm excited to take him home. A little nervous, but mostly excited. (oh, not so bonus: we aren't allowed to sleep in the same bed as each other. boo my mother's traditionalist values...well actually, to be fair, its probably just because she's meeting him for the first time. I hope? Because if I have to wait until engagement/marriage to sleep in the same bed as him at Moms, we sure won't be going there that often).

Oh yeah, and did I mention? We have new pet names for each other - I'm Mrs. Barky Von Schnauzer, and he's Mr. Barky Von Schnauzer. It's best said in the voice you use to talk to the dog with. :P And we were talking about a certain type of jewellery the other day, and I mentioned that I don't want to reach our 1 year anniversary without it (I've known since Month 5 he's wanted to marry me, and the waiting for the "official announcement" is KILLING me). He replied it might take him up to 8 months to save up for a ring, but if that happened then he would get me a "promise ring, but I'm not making any promises"....I immediately started giggling while saying "Isn't the entire point *giggle giggle* of a promise ring *full out laughter* to make a promise?" Like I said before, that guy cracks me up daily. I love that.

I know this is a long post already, but wanna know why I haven't switched the addy over yet? I can't think of one! HA! So that's where you guys come in - I really can't think of any suitable names for this blog. Help, please?

Problems

(wanna know what I've been dealing with this month and why I've been so quiet lately? Read on)

I'm so fustrated right now....I'll be very surprised if I don't cry by the end of the day.

Basically, over the last month my OSAP has been delayed while they (read: administration) decide if they want to continue me on in the program....it's been a MONTH. A month with absolutely no income whatsoever - my stress level has been through the roof.

Today I called the Program Coordinator to find out if there was a change in my status (oh? did I mention? I'm registered and attending three courses for the summer) only to find out she's on VACATION FOR THE NEXT WEEK. Gee, thanks for telling me the last time I called. That information isn't important to know or anything :roll eyes:

I did some research and found out that Ontario Works (aka welfare) indeed states on their website that they can help you if your OSAP has been delayed. So today I called. Explained my situation.

Denied.

Arrrrrgh. I felt like crying when they said they couldn't help me...the only way they could is if I withdrew from school and then applied for straight welfare. Um, no thanks?

In the meantime, I feel SO guilty for being a freeloader while I stay with the In-Laws, Molly NEEDS to get spayed before she goes into her first heat, my bills and credit cards just keep climbing and I'd really like to get going on this weight loss thing. Not to mention my head is just about ready to explode from the stress and the guilt.

If it's one thing I hate, it's being dicked around by administration. I don't think they get HOW FUCKING IMPORTANT this is to me...well, obviously not, it's been a full bloody month.

*sigh* I gotta go; my laptop battery is just about dead. I hope this resolves itself soon...I don't know how much more I can take. Really.

(still) alive.

Hey guys....

Sorry for worrying you all but a) yes I'm alive and b) yes I'm okay. I've just been going through some rough stuff and I didn't feel comfortable talking on it on a blog that creepy ex girl reads so I just didn't write anything at all.

I'll be moving this blog to a different addy very shortly; if you want the address, e-mail me....people who know my e-mail can share it with people who don't, but for obvious reasons I'm not going to post it on here.

That's all I guess.

cue the awwww's.

K's dad just referred to himself as "Grandpa" when he was talking to Molly.


SERIOUSLY, HOW CUTE IS THAT??!

Pill & Time

Does anyone know anything about switching the time for taking birth control? I'm finding that the time that I chose 4 months ago (7pm) is really inconvenient. Usually I forget and then remember sometime during the night, or else I'm busy/away from home at that time and take them when I get home. I always remember to take them, but never right at 7pm.

So I wanna switch the time, but I don't know how one does this. I'd prefer to do it without having to use a back-up method either, but if that can happen it'll be just icing on the cake (so to speak).

Tips/advice/suggestions?

PS: oh, and while we're kinda on the topic of reproduction, I read a few infertility blogs, and, for the life of me, can't figure out what they're referring to when they're using all those acronyms. Is anyone versed in infertility-jargon that can help me out? pretty please?

Randomness

My babies fast asleep..... I keep finding embarrassing pictures like this on my camera. I wonder who takes them?

This is how I wake up every morning....how cute is that?

fridayfive #2

It's time for the fridayfive!

When was the last time you had a needle stuck into you?
That would be early March, when I did my 6 month STI/HIV check. mmmm, blood tests. so juicy.
Who among your friends is the easiest target for needling?
Me. Oh le shame. *hangs head*
What’s something you can confidently do with a needle and thread?
I don't know, how about we go with NOTHING??! (okay okay, in all honestly, I could probably hem a pantleg or sew on a button, but that's it!)
About how many phonograph records do you have in your home, and when’s the last time you dropped a needle on one?
I myself own none. My brother though, woah, owns walls full. Maybe because he's a professional DJ. Just maybe. I'm not confirming anything.
Someone told us the other day about someone at a party using a flavor injector to spike a watermelon with vodka. Is this brilliant or is this stupid?
So THAT'S what we did wrong when we tried to make water-melon vodka. I think it's a brilliant idea! Much better than what we did.

Molly!

Kelly requested some pictures of Molly yesterday, seeing as she's now 6 (nearly 7!) months old and you guys haven't seen her in a while.. And, since I can't resist showing off my fur-daughter and how smart she is, click on the video. :)

(please excuse the no sheets on my bed, it's laundry day).

Creeped OUT!

I've recently found out that K's ex is reading my blog. This makes me really uncomfortable, and I find I'm censoring myself heavily. I didn't start this blog to be filling out random quizzes about generic topics or 'skimming the surface' of my life. I like having a space that I can come and pour my heart out to, my joys and fears and whatever else. I don't feel I can do that with her reading. So something has to change.

And while I recognize this is a public blog and therefore anyone can read it, the idea of her reading my life - and not just my life, but our life - creeps me right out. I don't want her knowing about anything going on with me, with Keith, in any aspect of my life and our life as a couple. The ex and I aren't friends and I have no intention of changing that. I have no interest in even thinking of pursuing that avenue. We will never be friends. Ever.

So I'm flirting with the idea of taking this blog private. Should I? It seems awfully narcissistic to me, to regard myself as that important. But if its the only way I can get her to stop reading this blog, then so be it.

So. I need your opinions. Private? Or not? How does going private work, exactly? (oh, and if you're a lurker and still want to continue reading, then once I figure out what going private entails you'll be granted access....somehow). Or should I just switch my blog address yet again?

Thanks guys.

16 song shuffle

Bear yourself and tell the world the first 16 songs that appear when you shuffle your iPod/Media player. (From Kamie)

Here are mine:
1. "I'm Just a Girl" - No Doubt
2. "Confessions (Part I)" - Usher
3. "Stupid Boy" - Keith Urban
4. "Truly Madly Deeply" - DJ Eadesy
5. "Stay (I missed you)" - Lisa Loeb
6. "Bleeding Love" - Leona Lewis
7. "I'm Your Lady" - Celine Dion
8. "Pretty Green Eyes" - DJ Hixxy
9. "Comin' Home Baby" - Michael Bublé with Boyz II Men
10. "Back in Baby's Arms" - Patsy Cline
11. "I Believe I Can Fly" - DJ Cammy
12. "Changes" - Tupac Shakur
13. "Sexy Eyes" - DJ Cammy
14. "So Fresh, So Clean" - OutKast
15. "Everything's Just Wonderful" - Lily Allen
16. "Dreaming with a Broken Heart" - John Mayer

T.dot.dot

Okay, so they're a bit smaller than what I would like to show you, but I'm so sick of fiddling with it that here they are and you're just going to have to deal with it! And I'm sorry for the spacing issue, but, really, see above.

Anyway, this was my destination: Four Seasons Performance Centre. The opera started at 7:30pm. I started here, where that green arrow thing is. And then I walked up that street in the wrong direction, for about 30-40min. Start time: 4:30pm.
After realizing my mistake, I hopped on a subway and, following the (totally inadquate) map my Uncle had sketched me, wound up here. See that orange-y circle? That's the Toronto Eaton Centre. It's beyond huge. I proceeded to get lost quite thoroughly. I stopped at the Info Desk to ask for directions to the Four Seasons Performance Centre. Time: 6:30(ish). They gave me an address of 227 Front Street. One thing to note: every street in Toronto seems to have a West and an East side, and minimal street numberings. So, I walked from the Eaton Centre down to Front Street West until I looked over and saw that the building was 315....ooops, wrong way. Time: 7:30pm. (Cried a few tears at this point; I missed the start of the opera, had been walking for nearly 2 hours straight, and it was COLD and WINDY. Since I hadn't planned on walking for so long, I was only wearing a thin zip up shirt and flipflops).
So whats a girl to do but turn around and walk the other way?

Which is what I did. 227 Front Street EAST happened to be on at the VERY END of the street. Time: 8:45pm.

And, what greeted me at 227 Front Street East?

NOT the Four Seasons Performance Centre. Rather, The Opera Company's actual office.

Broke down completely at this point.....

Feet were killing me, I was so cold I could barely make a fist with my hands, and I had been walking for almost 5 hours straight. I was really disappointed that I had missed the opera as well.

So, I called my mom, because I felt really alone and I just wanted someone to talk to after, oh, I don't know, BEING LOST FOR FIVE HOURS IN THE BIGGEST CITY IN CANADA.

*ahem* sorry, I (still) have (slight) issues.

Anyway, after I was done talking to my mom, I took the subway at Union Station back to my Uncle's place - and they were out celebrating my Uncles birthday.

So I got to sit on their front porch, calling my mom every half hour to tell her what was going on, freezing my ass off, for nearly an hour.

It was fun I tell you, GLORIOUS FUN. (exclaimation point, exclaimation point)

When I finally went to bed that night I curled up tight and didn't stop shivering for a full forty five minutes.

I hate Toronto.

Follow-Up

Today, I moved my stuff from one place to another. Yet again ....

this makes it 10 times in 5 years (you would think I like doing it or something).

Anyway, so now I officially live with K.02's parents. It's been....interesting....ya, I think I'll go with that. It's been great though too.

I know you're all waiting with bated breath for the re-cap of my trip-as horrendeous-a while in the T.dot.dot. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten - I'm working on some maps to show you the full extent of my pain.

So that post is still coming, if you can wait just a wittle bit longer......

:-)

fridayfive #1

time for a new weekly meme here at HerSimplicity - this one is called the fridayfive.

1) how do you feel about spicy food?
I hate it. I have the worst milk tongue in the entire world. to illustrate, "mild" salsa is bordering on hot for me. yeah. It's official, I'm a wimp.
2) what kinds of condiments do you add to food in order to spice things up a bit?
mmm, see, I don't. I add salt to everything, garlic to some, mayonnaise most times. those can hardly be qualified as 'spicy' now, can they?
3) Not counting salt and pepper, what’s your favorite flavor enhancer when cooking?
garlic, hands down. or spices like thyme, rosemary, seasoning salt, allspice, etc etc.
4) What’s the spiciest food you’ve ever eaten?
peri peri chicken from Nando's. I think.
5) In what way might some other aspect of your daily life be spiced up, and what’s keeping that from happening right now?
oh, man, what a weird question. um...I'd like to *ahem* have, huh, 'adult relations' with my boy everyday, but uh, you know, life happens. headaches happen. living with his parents happen.

shameless plug

So I started my photography blog today. Head on over and check it out!

(in the future, it's that link above the keith's picture!)

I'll tell you about my horrendous trip back as soon as I can process how truly awful it was. :'(

That, and I need to get dressed. ha.