My Mind it Kind of Goes Fast

OUCH! Talk about painful. Those bruises are from curling, of all things. Curler's on tv make it look so easy, effortless. But that polished rock weighs about 40lbs down a sheet of ice. Try to get your rock in the "house", closer to the "button" the better.

This past Saturday was the Curl for Cancer and the third year I've done it with work. It's a blast each time. We played our local Newspaper the first match, the second we played the organizer's team. It was fun fun. Had a beer afterwards with the team.

I managed to raise about $40, not bad. I don't know many folks here, so normally I raise much less than that. Too bad this year they upped the goal to $200/team. I should have raised $50 but, not bad. Morris raised something like $110, so I don't feel too too bad.


On the 15th, I started Curves. I've done 3 workouts so far, with another one on the way tonight. I'm doing well with it. I don't have to follow any eating restrictions this month, but I have been making an effort to eat BETTER. So I figure by the end of the first month I should see a few results. Tara (Curves owner) says I should shed my half inches. Excellent. Pretty jazzed about that.

Finally heard from my folks. They left for Alberta around this time last month. I got a text message to say they arrived safely but beyond that, haven't heard much. Got to talk to Dad for about 15 minutes. He called from a pay phone with a credit card. Chris was working so I didn't get to talk to her.

Got the cats a fun little play house. It cost a small fortune, but well worth it if they stop wreaking havok on my furniture.


On the dating scene not much going on. Had some interested parties, but wasn't feeling it on my end. New development with Tim...he was just looking for a quick roll in the sack. Nothing more. Sheesh. Don't tell me you're looking for something serious if all you want is a roll. Cause you know, I don't roll like that.

Harlequin Girl

Abby use to say that my cat Pickles looks like Adolph Hitler. So one day, after having too much coffee and finding myself awake when I should have been asleep I decided to photoshop my little kitty into a portrait of ol' Adolph. Not that I apprive of him, or anything he did in any way, shape or form. But, people got a kick out of it. I decided to post it today, since I deleted the little blog I had intended to do for it, but just never got around to.

I can't believe I've been so negligent with my blog. It's been over a month since my last post. Been busy with the holiday rush. Lots has happened, too much to really go into great detail but...

I spent the holiday with my parents and Unlce Jim. Jim took Ashes (parents cat) back to Ontario with him. They've left to work in Alberta for the next 4 months. It was hard to say goodbye to them since I got use to seeing them once a week.

Got into a bit of a car accident. Fenderbender really. An expensive bender. Next week is the appointment for the guy to get his car fixed then I can just put it behind me. Had to cash in a damn RRSP just to pay for it. Still irks me.

Had a date for New Years Eve and loved every second of it. He came over on the 1st (since I didn't work on the 2nd) and watched a few movies. Something happened though. Not sure what. I think sex had something to do with it. That wasn't his explanation, but after a week gone by with not even a hint of him online...I doubt his reasons.

I've been having fun playing WoW. I got invited to Terri's guild and the people there are so very nice. I'm half way to lvl 26. The guild is stressing over the server being split in two. We're on Whisperwind and it's one of the biggest servers out there. I'm not sure if we're going to move or not, but I wish we would talk about it more because no one wants to lose a guildie because no one knew what server to choose on their first logon. The expansion is out next Tuesday and I'm going to buy it, I think.

Workwise...I can't even get into exactly what happened but Steve is gone. Some changes are coming up on Monday that will make my life much much easier. Might be doing Curves as part of a work promotion.

Also, I've resolved to put some work into my book. I did a bit of research yesterday, because I let Marc read what I had so far. He claimed that I needed something big to happen right at the start for it to be any good. And claimed that my world sounded like that out of a Robert Jordan novel. I've never read Robert Jordan. Infact, I have limited knowledge of fantasy writers. I like Tolkien, Mercedes Lackey and Terry Pratchett. My problem with fantasy is the names. I get that they need cool names, but for instance...I picked up a book in my parents store one day where the warrior's surname was "Brightblade". Ugh.

I've picked up a drawing pad, some art pencils and am going to start to flesh out a map, the world...just get it all out in this giant pad and hopefully that will give me some inspiration to sit and write some more. I can't force it out of me, and it might take years to finish. But I have to ensure that I only put out what's decent.

Just Like a Muse to Me

Hard at work or hardly working? Ah, my job is so fun that when I'm on the air it doesn't feel much like work, it's fun.

Lately, I've been feeling really burnt out from work. Everytime something happens I get blamed for it, whether or not it happens to be my fault. Happened yesterday, actually. The neighbouring town was having water supply issues and had issued a boil order. It was lifted on Friday around mid-morning. So, my boss had me re-record one of the commercials and insert it several times to let people know it had been cancelled and it was safe to drink the water. On Sunday, a different spot ran saying the boil order was in effect. So, guess who got blamed? This time I didn't let myself take the fall. I told him that he asked me to record the cancellation into a certain file, and that he was in the back, so I assumed he was either deleteing or ending the other commercial. At any rate, it wasn't my fault. He pretended to remember "Ohh yeah...the other spot". Mmmhm.

I'm a little bit hurt by something a friend said to me the other day. I don't want to get into the details but the person thinks my job is pointless and stupid. It hurts, I will admit, and I don't think I'm being overly sensitive about that. No, I don't have a job saving lives but my work does have it's importance. I read the news, I let people know what's going on in our area. I keep them up to date on community events. We provide other services that people find useful. Yes, there is that element of playfullness as well, where I gossip, talk about music and movies, play music. But I don't sit on my butt doing nothing all morning. I work hard at what I do. What blows me away is that this friend said several months ago when some part time work at the station opened up, that they were confident they could do the job and it would be fun.

I think people often downplay what radio announcers do. I'd like to see some of my critics who think I do nothing to come in at 5am, and work til 1 and do everything I do as well or better. Try talking to an audience of at least 10,000 at any given time. You can't see them, but they're there and they listen.

Oh well. On the sickness front, I'm still under the weather. Just really tired all the time, my sinuses are still acting up. The doctor gave me some Nasonex and I'm suppose to come back next month. I also have to do a year in review. I did one last year without him asking. I thought it would help me to feel about the year gone by and the year ahead of me.

I feel really lost and I'm not sure what I should do. The doctor asked me what my goals are and I couldn't give him a good answer. Guess that happens when you get into a rut, a routine like this, and you just focus on getting through the day without yelling at someone.

I've been working on my website some, on another blog I have that's less about me, more about the world. Helps me to feel a little less selfish after writing in this one.

Keith and I aren't really speaking, but we're communicating via his website a bit more. It's not tense. I let him know about World AIDS Day and Operation Red Nose. Tara got on my back about talking to him, and I told her to butt out, Keith told her the same, then Brandy threw her 2 cents in about Tara being in love with Keith. Which she didn't deny, then made some comment like "I guess that's what I get for caring and not freaking out at Keith". Yes. I freaked out at Keith, and I had good reason, and it was none of her damn business, and I told her that. She apologized, Keith and I accepted. And then Marie-Claude told her to back off because she wasn't Keith's girlfriend. It was like a mini-internet-chat-soap-opera!

Anyways, break is over. Better get back to my "stupid and pointless" job...so I'll leave you with this:

World AIDS Day

Time to take a moment out of my day to be a little less self-absorbed and think about someone else for a change. Not just one person, but 44 million other people.

World Aids Day is Friday, December 1st. I know it's easy to get desensitized to things in the world we live in. We're bombarded with the troubles of so many, we hear so much, that you can become immune to it. But I'm asking you to listen up, please.

Why care about what's happening a world away? To people you don't even know? People are dying, at a rate that you've probably never even realized.

Did you know that 6600 people will die today in Africa due to HIV/AIDS? Everyday. Not just today, but tomorrow, the next day, and the day after that.

Let me put this into perspective for you. 3000 people died on 9-11. So more than twice that amount of people will die today, tomorrow...and...well you get the idea.

If that number can't put it into perspective...how about this number. More people gobally will die of HIV/AIDS this week, than the 58,000 who lost their lives in Vietnam. Staggering, isn't it?

What's worse is that the cycle doesn't end there. 15 million children have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS, and are often times left to fend for themselves or to be cared for by older siblings.


So yes, these facts, these numbers are heartbreaking and may make things seem hopeless. But all is not lost. One of the coolest things you can do is sign up to sponsor a child in need. You don't even have to go it alone, sign up to help a child with a group of friends, with your family...spend a little less this Holiday season on presents for eachother, and instead give the gift of life to a child who needs you.

World Vision also has a website that lists 12 other ways you can help out!

Please visit: www.worldvision.org/hope

You can check out a slide show the L.A. Times did here.

If these numbers don't move your hearts...maybe this will:

RICH STEARNS, president of WORLD VISION: "I believe that this could very well be looked back on as the sin of our generation. I look at my parents and ask, where were they during the civil rights movement? I look at my grandparents and ask, what were they doing when the holocaust in Europe was occurring with regard to the Jews, and why didn't they speak up? And when we think of our great, great, great-grandparents, we think how could they have sat by and allowed slavery to exist? And I believe that our children and their children, 40 or 50 years from now, are going to ask, what did you do while 40 million children became orphans in Africa?"

A few other websites for your consideration:

Product Red...various products available in the colour red to help support the fight against HIV/AIDS.
World Aids Day...A website dedicated to this Friday, with personal stories, ribbons, and importantly information.
World Aids Day Myspace...For you Myspacers out there.
Red Ribbon Fondation...More information

BONO: "What is happening to Africa mocks our pieties, doubts our concern, and questions our commitment to the whole concept of equality...Because if we're honest, there's no way we could conclude that such mass death DAY AFTER DAY would ever be allowed to happen anywhere else."

Wear a Red Ribbon this Friday and show your support for the Fight Against HIV/AIDS.

Here I Am, This Is Me

I don't know what it is about Pickles, but she always feels the need to be into something. She loves climbing into stuff, whether it be a box, a coat sleeve, a backpack, a dresser drawer...she insists on having a peek around. I was packing up some stuff to go to Brandy's and imagine my surprise when my backpack started wiggling and squirming around he couch.

Isn't she clean though? Her furr is really white. And she's incredibly soft.


The toilet saga continues. Landlord never showed up last night. At all. And I have an appointment tonight at 8, so I'm not sticking around for him this time. I don't want him in the apartment while I'm not there. Not that I think he'd steal or do anything. But I just don't want someone I hardly know in there. And there's the cats, they could get out. And he doesn't always take his boots off and I'm not on with that. I just did a huge cleaning and scrubbed the floors. I wouldn't be impressed to find his boot marks on my floors.

I have some news on the romance front. I'm a little befuddled about what I should do, really.

• Frank who's really cute. He's French (no, that's not a point against him in that sense) so sometimes it's hard to understand what he's driving at because his English isn't so hot. He's working on upgrading his math skills so that next year he can take the woodworking/cabnet making program at the college. He's pretty sweet, and he seems to think we would make a good couple. I think he would to (at this point anyways) since he's so friendly and such. Drawback is that he's a horn dog. Not entirely his fault, he is a guy, and guys are like that (mostly).

• Andrew who I have a lot in common with. We both dig WoW, we both like Anime (or at least some of the same ones). I drive (he likes that), he cooks (I like that)...he gets my jokes and apparently enjoys my sense of humour. We like some of the same tv shows, musically we're pretty close on that (he hates Country...but then I don't listen to a lot of it these days). Both of us like the same sorts of books, and he even plays D&D now and then. Drawback...sheesh I don't mean to sound shallow but...unemployed ATM and lives with his mom because of it.
  

• Andrew #2 who we'll call Mutches. He's funny and outgoing. Pretty cute. But he's a drinker and I think he does recreational drugs which I'm not down with at all.
  

• Greg. I really like Greg but he lives so damn far away. He's in Halifax going to University. He's smart, funny, interesting, we enjoy a lot of the same stuff and he's cute. But he lives really far away.

• Randy. I think he's just...as much as I care about him I'm not sure that can ever happen. No point spelling it all out, because I'd be here all day writing it and you'd be here all day reading it.

• Mystery doctor. I don't know anything about him really. He's in his late 20's early 30's. Wants to meet me. His specialty is the mind.

So...yeah. Doctors appointment tonight at 8, if I don't get a phone call this afternoon stating otherwise. Topics to discuss? My ongoing sinus problem. Allergy testing. My love life (the whole Keith thing, the whole several guys but totally unsure thing, etc), Abby. Just an update really. He likes to see me once a month, just to get an idea of where I am, what sort of mindset I'm in. I'm not ashamed of that. I was really depressed when I first started living here. It was mostly work related (one of my co-workers was harassing me daily) and home sickness.

CSI: Miami was really good last night. I enjoyed it. Heartbreaking episode about a killed Marine recruiter and a murdered Marine. The most moving scene was when Alex was undressing and washing the Marine. It hits really close to home as two more Canadian soldiers died in the line of duty. My thoughts are with their families. One of the men was from not far from here, and both of them stationed at CFB Petawawa where I grew up.

Here's hoping I'll feel better as the day continues.

I Don't Feel Like Dancing

I don't know why I haven't posted a picture of Brandy yet. Oh wait...yes I do, because we took like 9000 pictures (the night we took this one) and she never sent me any! The only reason I have this one is because it was posted on a local message board we are members of (I'd link it, but it's dying and the people there aren't welcoming to newbies anymore). I cut myself out of it because I look like crap from the angle it was taken. So we'll just leave me out of it. Brandy and I don't drink really, but I had some of Abby's leftover coolers in my fridge that had been there for God only knows how long. Actually, Brandy asked me if we should drink it because it was Abby's and I explained that Abby had ruined 3 bottles of Caesar's, not to mention she and I weren't friends anymore and I was hardly going to walk over 2 bottles of Smirnov over to her. Consider them a casualty of our friendship. At any rate, Brandy is a hoot when she's got somethin' in her.

She's such a great friend. Saturday we came into town to get her out of the house. Tyler (one of the brats she sits for) was especially bad and so was his sister. I think she was ready to pull her hair out. So we shopped at Walmart. I got her Christmas pressie...or at least part of it. She really really loves that movie/musical Rent. And it was on for $12.50 at our local Wally World. She got so excited and was going to put it (along with a bunch of other stuff) on lay-away but I told her not to be silly, I would get it for her. Oh...oh...also while we were there they had Season 1 of She-Ra! I LOVE She-Ra. I might order it from Amazon.

So after we did our shopping thing, I had to stop at my place to check on the toilet. Yeah yeah, I know that sounds weird but a few days ago the toilet started running really really really loud. At first, just when you flushed it, and then progressed into all the time. Then, I went in to brush my teeth, and the towel I had covering the ugly tank was soaked! I pulled the cover off, and the water was WAY too high. For years it's been higher than what it should be, but now it's even higher than that. And loud as hell. So, we went up to check to see that it hadn't flooded or something (I had a nightmare about it believe it or not). Brandy said she thought she could fix it, and I fought her on it, because...ew...I don't expect anyone to stick their hands in my toilet unless they're a pro or my landlord (that's why I pay rent) or...me...(which I had done and couldn't see anything wrong). She fussed, and tinkered, talked to Craig on the phone about it. We figured out the problem, but in the end could do nothing. Brandy was ticked that she couldn't fix it (it's like a puzzle). Craig teased her about it when we got back to her place, so I did what he claimed was all it needed (a small turn to a screw)...and it didn't do a darn thing. Theo is coming to fix it after supper.

What a freakin' week this has been. I have been fighting off (as best I can) a sinus cold that has been clinging to me. Yeesh I wish it would just end already so I can get on with things. My whole system is just bogged down with it. At least my place doesn't look like it snowed Kleenex anymore. Saturday night I caved, and took a blue flu pill (even though I don't have the flu) I have a lot of the other symptoms and I wanted to be able to sleep through the night. I didn't roll out of bed til almost 1pm on Sunday cause I just felt so...icky. Normally I don't sleep that long (I took the pill at 2am ish, so I should have woken at 10am).

So, after I dragged myself from bed, I kicked it into gear. Really cleaned the apartment. Pulled out the futon, the wall units (I have 3 of them, all heavy and tall), the fridge, the table, retaped the cords down (long story) and cleaned the bathroom. Tackled the dishes I was too sick to stand and wash during the week. I finished around 4:30 and then just lazed on the couch til 6:30 when I got supper.

My parents were supposed to be back Saturday from visiting my sister and her husband. But they stayed longer, and spent the night in Bangor, Maine. I didn't hear from them yesterday, so I hope they got in alright. My sister had called Saturday night to let me know, left a message since I was only home for a few hours between work (10-12) and then going out to Brandy's at 4:30ish.

Excited about CSI: Miami tonight. I heard some bummer news about the cast for next year. I can't remember the guy's name at the moment, but he's joining the cast. And I don't particularly care for his work. I hope it's in a minimal role and not as a detective or Heaven forbid, a new CSI. I bet it's a detective. Which makes me wonder if he's replacing Frank Tripp or what. Who knows? Anyone?

It Ain't Pretty When the Pretty Leaves You With No Place to Go

Lookin' pretty good for someone who's on the verge of getting sick, eh? For whatever reason (new clothes maybe) I was feeling a little saucy and camera-hammish. So, I decided to snap a few pictures. This is the best one, the others would have been good except that thanks to my little friend who likes to visit for a few days each month, I had a bad breakout and am in some desperate need of Seabreeze or something. That stuff is the shiz-nit. It is all minty and makes your skin tingle and you feel great after using it. Unfortunately, it's really really hard to find.

Despite feeling great, and rather playful yesterday...I am feeling tired and sick today. Gah, figures. Had the flu last weekend, and I get a cold this week. Damn immune system. I never use to get sick this often! Then again, I never had this much contact with kids either. Not that I care that I probably get sick from Brandy's kids (it might not have been them, but I see them once a week, so the odds are pretty high). I just hate being sick period. Not that anyone likes it, but I hate it more because I still have to come to work and talk (hard to do when your throat feels like sandpaper and you're coughing so hard you think you might be sick). This morning I can barely keep my eyes open. It's not even 9am and I'm already thinking about going home and going to bed, just catching a few hours of sleep to try and kill this bug. It's all in the sinuses, to make matters worse. I feel as though I've been hit in the face with a 2 by 4. It's so bad that I've taken to putting echinacea and golden seal drops into my morning dose of green tea.

Hey has anyone heard that new Daniel Powter song "Love You Lately"? It's really catchy. Give it time though, and it will be beaten to death like his other songs. Man, I can't stand "Bad Day" anymore. I blame American Idol for that, since they used it every time someone got the boot.

So everyone is talking about that whole Michael Richards racial slur video today (big news if you missed it...he went off on a couple of African Americans who were heckling his act). I figured I'd go a different way and show you this hilarious video of Jason Alexander pimping the McDLT. Remember that? Came in a styrofoam package with hot meat on one side and veggies on the other. Check it out here. It's been floating around for some time, but I thought it was worth sharing.

Every hear something that makes your ears just go crazy? Something that, when you heard it, made your flesh crawl, your hair stand on end and your stomach do summersaults? Now you can vote! Yes, you can vote on the worst sounds in the world. I'm trying to think of the sounds I hate the most.

1. When someone leaves their radio on while calling in to a radio show, and it echos.
2. When someone turns a microphone on, and gets a pair of headphones too close. The sound of digital feedback is most painful.
   
3. Fingernails on a chalkboard.
4. The sound of something cutting flesh (no I'm not a sick-o...but if you ever watch a real life ER show, or a horror movie...I can't handle it).
5. Someone getting sick. Makes me want to get sick.
6. Woman screaming.
7. You know when you're about to get a needle of something and the nurse/doctor flicks it, then squirts some of the fluid out before sticking you with it? I hate that sound.
   
8. Oh oh...Britney Spears "singing"
9. Paris Hilton talking

So those are just some of the sounds I hate. That flesh cutting sound really bothers me in horror movies. I can't even stand to watch it on a ER show. Just...eeeh.

Speaking of horror movies. I still haven't gotten around to finishing Saw II! I'm not actually afraid of the movie, it's just really really gory. Plus...is it the first one (I think) that has the thing with the needles? If you haven't guessed, I can't stand them. Nothing puts fear into my heart like the knowledge I'm going to get a needle. I cannot, under any circumstances stand to watch myself or anyone else be pricked either. I had to have a big ol' needle after my allergy test because I had a bad reaction to hazelnuts. I dunno what the needle was by the doctor was pretty nice about it. He ran in when the nurse told him my lips were numb... "Hi, I haven't seen you in a while. Doing okay? Sorry about the needle" and then he stuck me. It's one of the more painful ones, I daresay.

Did anyone watch CSI: Miami last night? I was on the edge of my seat the entire episode since I found out that Calleigh was going to be shot. I wasn't sure if it was Tim Speedle (Rory Cochrane) season 1 shot (kevlar) or season 2 shot (dead). But, Calleigh was smart enough to wear a vest, but she got shot when her ex showed up and distracted the perp. His gun went off accidentally, or so it looked. She went down like a sack of Irish Potaotes. But she'll live to solve a few more crimes. They'd be stupid to axe her from the show anyways. If anyone is going to go it's got to be Delko (Adam Rodriguez). What an ass.

Nothing special on tap for today. Gonna rest, take it easy. Ugh. Dread working on Saturday morning. I hate hate hate working weekends. As if I don't spend enough time working, now they're cutting into my personal time. No more meetings though.