Various and Sundry

Have you heard?

2012-02-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

The bird is the word. In this case, MIA flipping the bird at the Superbowl halftime show and not being censored in time to protect the delicate sensibilities of all viewers is the word. I think the furor over the Superbowl "controversies" are a blatant attempt at misdirecting people's attention from matters of actual importance. The regulatory bodies that have come out with ridiculously stringent responses are clearly more concerned with the censorship of public media in the name of knowing what is the best for the estimated 100 million viewers. Those people are pretty damn ballsy. I wouldn't feel comfortable saying that I know what is best for the two people that regularly read this blog. But do you know who would know what is best for everyone?

The woman who made the following video and Xena: Warrior Princess. Women with many skills.

Alternate Super Bowl Halftime Show - Xena Style from Rosie j. Russell on Vimeo.

Titular

2012-01-31T16:32:00.000-08:00

His Majesty's Dragon - Naomi Novik
Throne of Jade - Naomi Novik
Black Powder War - Naomi Novik
Empire of Ivory - Naomi Novik
Victory of Eagles - Naomi Novik
Valor's Trial - Tanya Huff
Core Performance Women - Mark Verstegen & Pete Williams
Foreigner - CJ Cherryh
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

At It Again

2012-01-31T08:45:00.000-08:00

Last night my soccer team had their first practice of 2012 -- the others have been cancelled due to some ill-timed bad weather (I know, is there ever a good time for bad weather? I guess that depends on who you're with...). The last time I was at the practice field, the parking lot was a construction zone and we had to park in side streets and "legal enough" alleys. When we arrived last night the parking lot was restored and the new community centre situated very nice and shiny with active classes. We had a good practice, although after two days of soccer I think I need more core work, and as we headed off the field it happened again. My teammate drives a silver SUV and in the dark silver looks a lot like cream and well…

Kirsten: (Walking straight off-field towards a SUV.)
Teammate!MR: (Walking diagonally off-field towards a different SUV.) Kirsten! Where are you going?!
Kirsten: Uhhhhh…dammit! All SUVs look the same in the dark. (Joins Teammate!MR at other SUV.)

Clearly what I need to do is start memorizing my friends’ license plates for future reference; reducing embarrassing moments and handy for paying parking meters too!

Teaze

2012-01-30T14:27:00.000-08:00

Whenever I make myself a cup of Red Rose tea, I always think of my friend Jean. It was at Jean’s house that I first had a cup of Red Rose tea that was actually enjoyable. Every other time I had been served the tea it left my mouth feeling dry and I could feel it catching at the back of my throat. I will be the first to admit that I regularly over steep my tea. For most herbal teas, I find that they can use all the steeping they can get to extract every last bit of flavor. I drink mostly black teas because herbal tea flavours so rarely live up to the aroma that they have. The bouquet on herbal teas can be the most delicious and enticing scents and once you taste them…you’re drinking nice smelling water. I think I’d get more enjoyment from adding them to a bath! Also, whether I’m drinking coffee or tea, I prefer the palate to be strong and full-bodied.

What this attitude fails to account for is that some teas have a precise brewing time, in the same way that coffee has brewing routines. Jean showed me that paying attention to the brewing instructions can produce a perfect cup of tea. Following instructions can be helpful! Who knew? (Okay, I guess a lot of people knew. And then wrote instructions. And warning labels. What-have-you.) So now I pay more attention to my teas – I’ll follow the instructions for the first brewing and decide from there. I got some really yummy tea in Barcelona that I follow the directions for exactly. I got more tea at the German Christmas Market that is fruity and spicy – very refreshing during a season of indulgence. Some teas I continue to over steep and enjoy them just as much as my perfectly timed cuppas. So I owe great thanks to Jean, bringer of properly brewed tea, for broadening my palate to the joys of civilized beverages.

Pithy Internet Wisdom

2012-01-26T08:43:00.001-08:00

Most email forwards have some schmoopy sentiment at the end, a warning against plagues of locusts if you don't forward it to 10 people or untold riches if you only send it to your 15 closest friends. I like the ones that have been tweaked to be a little snarky. The close of one such email read:

We'll be friends until I am senile.
Then we'll be new friends.

Which is hilarious particularly because one of the most horrifying ideas to me would be physically able in my old age and have lost all my marbles. Let's all laugh in the face of our fears for a moment shall we?

Silly Video of the Day

2012-01-23T15:58:00.000-08:00

I know that I said I was going to be posting cat videos and all but I think I might have a problem. I may have suddenly garnered an insight for the origins of all those picture-spam emails that go around. I deactivated my Facebook but I still have all the blogs that I keep up with through my Google Reader feed. The other day I saw the video that is posted below and I thought: oh my gosh, this is so hilarious that I have to share it on Facebook. I mean that was actually my first thought. Whoa whoa whoa. Back up the sharing train because is that 3 minutes and 35 seconds that everyone really must see? Will it enrich them and make them happy that I foisted this time suck upon them? Probably not, no. But then….awesome!S sent me a link of the same video! I felt a surge of vindication: two of us could not be wrong about the awesomeness of 3 minutes and 35 seconds. Which is exactly why all of those emails propagate and kill inbox capacities.

The nature of the email-forwarding-beast aside, I love how many different Sesame Street spoofs and videos there are. This particular video is not directly affiliated with Sesame Street but there are many official ones that are very awesome and very cute. I think it’s great that Sesame Street is still going strong after all these years and that new generations are being introduced to those loveable muppets. So I hope you enjoy the wonder that is an Elmo cover of LMFAO “Sexy and I know It”; I know I preferred this video to the original!

Status Update

2012-01-20T14:43:00.000-08:00

I quit Facebook for awhile to remove myself from the habit of constant feed updating, browser refreshing and liking of all manner of posts. Since a friend mentioned my blog on my penultimate Facebook status I thought I might as well share the address. (Howdy to the 26 people who have stopped by. Nice of you to click on the link.)

I need to take some time for myself and consider what I want to be doing with my life. As my lovely friend Jean so recently posted (APP for a SMART life CC Jean Leggett) – I want to develop my APP. It’s something that I haven’t done since university and a question that I had a hard time answering when jean asked during a coaching session. It’s December 2012 – what have I done? What achievements and experiences have made 2012 stand out? In the midst of all that will be the posts about videos and jokes that I “have” to share with my friends. Because, let’s face it, I do love me some kitten videos.

Slow day

2012-01-02T20:09:00.000-08:00

Today I meant to get a head start on some work but unfortunately I have caught one of the colds going around. Not quite the start to the year that I had hoped for but I would rather rest up now to get better sooner. My brain is a bit fuzzy and so most anything that I would put together here is not worth the posting. But since I want to start many things on the right foot -- I shall post this note and push on tomorrow.

Sherlockians!

2012-01-01T22:34:00.000-08:00

One of the things that amazing!L and I have in common is our love for Sherlock Holmes and the BBC productions of the Sherlock stories with Jeremy Brett. This past summer I purchased the complete DVD collection of the Jeremy Brett series. We watched several dvds before she returned to school and we picked up where we left off this Christmas break. I was very happy to find a Sherlock Holmes trivia book link here that was a gift from Santa to amazing!L and me. :)

After we watched each episode, we would play the quizzes. It turns out we're deductive geniuses -- available for consultations on such important cases as missing keys, etc etc. It was a lot of fun and I'm really looking forward to resuming this summer. (As a side note, bonus points for the BBC productions because they are really great with the details.)

We had planned to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie together and in anticipation we watched the first movie on Christmas Day. Time being what it is, we didn't quite fit it in. So today, as I browsed a book store while talking with amazing!L as she boarded her plane I happened across two new Sherlock inspired novels:
Sherlockian (Synopsis) and
Dust and Shadow (Synopsis)

I picked up "Dust and Shadow" and decided to view the new Sherlock movie before going home again. As one might imagine the theatre was rather busy so I had to wait, reading my new Sherlock novel, before the next viewing. It was very meta. :) I had an empty seat next to me and so I imagined that amazing!L was seated next to me sharing in the experience.

It was a very Sherlock Christmas...and I'm so glad that it wasn't any other way.

Looking back, looking forward

2011-10-22T22:05:00.000-07:00

While I have been revamping the look of this project, I have gone back and reread entries from my past blog on livejournal. The intent of my entries on livejournal was to keep friends that lived in other parts of the world updated about my activities. Then I joined facebook and I sacrificed content for silly snippets and sharing videos. I enjoyed reading my posts on livejournal in the way that others say you will enjoy your high school journals. I tossed my high school journals, unread, without a second thought. The petty dramas and emotional insecurities of teen-me are not something I needed to revisit. Not that my livejournal entries are free of drama – they were written during my university years and one is not that much more evolved at that age.

But I could revisit things that I had done and events that I had forgotten about. The everyday interactions with my friends and eventually my work colleagues. I was also able to read the entries in my voice – the one thing my writing has always been called is conversational. While that’s not really appropriate in an essay or in much of fiction, it is something that I like about my writing. It is distinctively Kirsten. I don’t think that these entries are missing that characteristic but I do think they are often more stylized. When I picture the audience for this project it is not just the crowd of friends that were my livejournal audience. Which is a conceited notion since I know that the only people who do read these entries regularly are my friends. (And thank you for that!)

I think that my revised goal for this project will be to keep more of the essence of my voice while refining my techniques. If only because when I read other’s work, such as The Bloggess, I am reminded of the humor and voice that my friend Karlos and I have. I want my writing to improve but I also want my voice and perspective to remain. This means that continuing with the intent of this project is all the more important. Writers must write to improve; soccer players must run faster to become faster. What I have always had a hard time doing is balancing my investments. I either give into lassitude or over commit myself to grand plans. Hence 100 words a day, a modest proposal.

Ongoing titles

2011-10-22T19:56:00.001-07:00

A Confederation of Valor Omnibus: Valor's Choice/The Better Part of Valor - Tanya Huff
The Heart of Valor - Tanya Huff
Impossible Things - Connie Willis
Batwoman Elegy - Greg Rucka & J.H. Williams III

Bibliophile

2011-10-22T19:11:00.001-07:00

When I worked in a book store during high school, I used to love the feel of trade paperback books. The covers had a beautiful matte finish and the paper used for the pages was slick and silky. I loved the paper used in trade paperbacks – it made the price difference between the mass and trade versions worthwhile. You could feel the better quality materials.

Now when I see trade paperbacks on the shelves they use the same pulpy paper as mass paperbacks. The have a larger formtatstill, which is more awkward to carry around than mass paperbacks. Overall, the same quality is just not present any longer. It’s irritating to me because more books are being published as trade paperbacks and fewer as mass paperbacks. So not only are the books more awkward to carry and the same quality binding and materials as mass paperbacks – they’re still more expensive.

Which leads me to my next complaint: why are Canadians still paying a premium on books printed in the US when our dollar has been so strong for the past three years? When the Canadian dollar first stabilized near par, book retailers claimed that they couldn’t sell at the US price because their stocks had been purchased earlier. Six months later some of the major retailers offered US list price on select newer titles. It has been two years since then and Canadians are still paying premiums to get the same titles.

Mass paperbacks are 12% more expensive in Canada than in the US; trade and hardbacks have an equivalent price disparity. In a time when major book retailers are going bankrupt and the industry as a whole is in a tizzy that no one is buying books, one would think that the market would be more flexible. I own an e-reader but I am not willing to forgo the pleasure of handling and reading physical books. I love the smell of books and knowing that I can go back and read books again wherever I take them. I do not have enough faith in the nebulous internet cloud that all the e-books I purchase will be available to me as long as material copies.

Current issues with iTunes and downloaded music only reinforce my concerns that our society has still not balanced artistic rights and the business of selling artists’ work. If you buy mp3s, you should be able to download them again if your computer or music device fails. There should be no restriction on these downloads because if you had the cd and your computer failed, it would be a non-issue. Of course, this is based on the idea of responsible consumers. People have shared music for decades and still the music industry is making money. The same goes for books – sharing books hasn’t hurt authors to my knowledge. I learn about new authors and buy their books; my friends learn about new authors and buy their books. Win-win. I just want to enjoy my books.

Smooth moves

2011-10-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

We played our first game of the fall season in August; a friendly scrimmage with another team and someone’s friend who agreed to referee. It’s just about my favorite way to start a season: a no-pressure game against a friendly, talented team that we like. I haven’t played any soccer since early July and I’ve been a slouch about my running. It follows that my fitness is not what would be called great.

We were off and playing when I had a moment. During league games I am a cautious player, preferring to use my tried and true moves over any new tricks used at practice. So when I had the ball coming to me ahead of the opposing team’s player, I figured on trying something new. I gave a bit of a push and tried step over the ball with my left foot and kick it with my right foot. Nothing would do but my left foot stepping directly on top of the ball, its curved surface giving way beneath me as I tumbled ass over tea kettle.

This was a friendly game and so everyone stopped to check that I was alright before awarding a free kick. One of the women on the other team called out, Don’t hurt yourself – it’s just a practice game! I laughed it off and continued playing the rest of the game. We didn’t win that game but it was a great example of why I love my team. We’re a fun bunch of women who love soccer.

Of course, the next day my neck was killing me. I did the responsible thing and waited five days before getting my neck treated and then only on the day before a weekend soccer tournament. The tournament was fun and I didn’t trip over myself.

Posting Tips

2011-10-22T10:38:00.001-07:00

Amazing!L with regards to new look: Soo, you could've written a post but instead you made it prettier?
Me: Yes!
Amazing!L: So all your regular readers (I like how she pretends I have a following) will just be like, wtf, it looks different but there's no new content?!
Me: Yep.

You're welcome Amazing!L.

Operator, can you dial number 9?

2011-05-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

There are some things that just seem comical at the time but need amping up in the retelling. Yesterday, I stepped out of my office to use the bathroom. When I returned, I was locked out. My face showed the surprise that occurs when you almost faceplant into a surface that you expect to yield only to be met with an impenetrable wall. (On a side note, this reminds me of one of my favorite SG1 episodes – “Upgrades” where the characters run into a forcefield that was created with saran wrap. The smooshed facial expressions were hilarious.) I didn’t have my keys on me and coworker!A was on the telephone in reception. Being a kind soul, coworker!A stood up, pulled the phone cord around the side of the desk, over the paper stand, walked down the path between her desk and the boardroom before reaching the middle of the entryway. She was still a few feet shy of the door and at the end of the cord while still conducting her conversation. I was standing sheepishly on the other side of the door and smiled at coworker!A as she reached out a leg and an arm to reach the lock.

It was the kind of scenario that I could imagine played out in a sitcom to the point of hyperbole. The scene: a coworker on one side of the door in duress, carrying a large lunch order or awkward parcel, and the receptionist winding a long phone cord around plant stands and computer monitors. Ultimately the scene culminates in the coworker getting in and the receptionist wound up in the phone cord. Laughs ensue. Situations like this are why the tv show “Seinfeld” existed – every day scenarios expressed to the point of caricature. In real life, phone cords get tangled.

Cantankerous

2011-04-04T16:59:00.000-07:00

To the cranky old guy visiting the office:

For the betterment of everyone around you, I wish I could tell you how disrespectful your gruff attitude and lack of patience are to the people trying to help you. If you want to see someone, you can use a whole sentence instead of barking your name and the other person’s name.

Similarly, when you call and then ask for a person’s cell phone number you don’t have to take it as a personal affront if that information is not provided to you. Just because someone has a cell phone and works for a company, does not give you the unassailable right to call them up whenever you like. If you’re as close as you think, then you should already have the cell phone number or ask for it the next time you get together. Since you’re bosom pals and all.

Thanks,
The office staff who put up with you

Service with a smile

2011-02-10T10:49:00.001-08:00

Privilege is such an insidious beast. In my office, there is a definite power hierarchy in place that puts menial task as the domain of the (female) assistant. Sadly it’s not just the older men that reinforce this hierarchy but also some women in the office who perhaps are threatened by the other’s youth and difference in educational background. I am not immune to the effects of the hierarchy, when I help out or even just do my part in some sense I feel proud of the fact that I am not contributing to the problem. This is not right.

I should not feel proud or as if I have accomplished something when I am performing a task that all people are implicitly expected to do. Feeling proud means that I am subconsciously reinforcing the bias that it is the duty of the young female assistant to take on menial, “household” tasks in the workplace. When the only I action I take to correct the situation is to take on the menial task myself, I am perpetuating the bias that it is a woman’s place to take care of others. That it is the “natural” course of events. I don’t know how to address the situation without creating a larger issue or additional friction in the office.

A friend worked in an office where the kitchen duties were rotated on a roster each week, including the überboss of the corporation. When she told me about this, I tried to imagine such a routine in my office. It would be balked for sure. My überboss would not take part and I can imagine that although the schedule might be grudgingly followed for one rotation it would soon be discarded. How do we escape from power imbalances that are justified because “that’s just the way it is”?

All About Me

2011-02-08T23:36:00.000-08:00

I have twice met women who I’ve felt could be glimpses into my future; a moment where timelines overlap and enlightenment is granted. The first woman I met was my second year creative non-fiction professor. Long silver hair plaited into a simple braid, wearing flowing earth tone clothes and Birkenstock clogs. She was just what I hoped to be as an established writer and encouraging other people in their own creative endeavors.

The next woman I met was not much older than I was and had the same career. We shared many of the same interests and the same intensity but hers were honed to a further degree. In many ways she showed me what I would be like if my I didn’t temper my hobbies or group interactions. The result was someone who has traits that annoy the hell out of me at times. She’s a signpost of where I might end up by following the safe route.

Recently I have met someone who could be a past me and it is truly bizarre. We are both from northern California with a Norwegian background. She came to finish her degree at UBC but has a more analytical mind and actually spent time living in Norway. It feels as though she represents a way that I could’ve gone if I had followed some of my other dreams. She’s younger than me by three or so years and I sometimes feel like I’m talking to myself.

One of my favorite movies is “Sliding Doors” which has one character experiencing two timeline possibilities originating from one action: catching or missing a train. Perhaps it is my exposure to science fiction which makes me more credulous when it comes to the concept of multiple timelines in everyday life. You never know who you’ll meet.

There's the rub

2011-02-08T16:36:00.000-08:00

There are a few things that irritate me about invoicing but there are two guaranteed to get me wishing the vendor ill. The first is not having a subtotal prior to taxes and the second is not having pre-perforated forms for remittance slips. Addressing the latter first, what company even needs a remittance slip any longer? The invoice number is either noted on the cheque stub or referenced in the EFT. But assume you have a vendor that bears a grudge against trees and requires the remittance slip. It’s annoying as hell to have to take time once a month, or more, to cut along the dotted lines and creatively fold the slip to fit into an envelope. Seriously. Perforate the damn paper.

Then we have the slapdash invoices that have several lines of costs, a line for the tax amount and a total at the bottom. The missing step here is that now to do a simple entry or check and balance, the customer has to tally up each line item. Pain. In. The. Ass. Give me a subtotal to easily reference and, while you’re at it, make sure your tax number is on the invoice. Work with me.

Master of my domain

2011-02-02T10:52:00.001-08:00

Normally I’d have some ponderable from the ladies room for y’all but not this time. No, at the moment my ire and bemusement is saved for Ticketmaster. Seriously, how is it that we have nine versions of a social network but we’re still paying $10 “convenience fees” to book tickets? If Ticketmaster is the only purchase point, it’s not convenient – it’s mandatory. Let’s just be honest and call it the “monopoly fee” – if possible, I’d just pay with Monopoly money.

Seriously internets, don’t we deserve better than Ticketmaster? Can’t venues take charge of their own online bookings? Take back ticketing!

Gravitas of music

2011-01-28T17:01:00.002-08:00

I really enjoy Dido’s music; I find it very easy to listen to for most background music situations. When I’m at work my music comes from youtube playlists which is great for variety. It is also often amusing when I catch a glimpse of say, Dido’s video for "Here With Me". What I want to know is how Dido’s breasts don’t fall to the side when she’s lying on the bed. Gravity is constant and there’s only so much that garment tape can do, right? On the other hand, I’m sure there are drag queens that would tell me differently....

Snip snip

2011-01-28T17:01:00.001-08:00

I’m going to cut this mullet right outta my hair, gonna cut cut cut this mullet right outta my hair…and send it to someone else! I am embarking on the always torturous grow-out from my faux hawk to long hair. I’ve got six months until I’m a bridesmaid in my friend’s wedding and I’m just hoping that’s long enough to get me past the godawful stage. That stage where you could be a supermodel with a team of stylists and your hair will still be fugly. It’s a Catholic wedding which means no hats in church – this could be grim.

daily

2011-01-28T16:27:00.000-08:00

I have thought of funny comments, rambles and asides most every other day. The hell of it is that I am never free to write down these thoughts at the time. My brain apparently can only be creative when I am otherwise engaged and once they have shone their light into the recesses of my mind, all goes dark once more. No, I have not suffered from any strokes lately. But thank you for caring. No, really, it means the world to me. In any event, I shall attempt to capture those moments to be shared here with greater frequency.

Eat Dessert First

2011-01-10T12:22:00.000-08:00

One of those quizzes going around that will reveal your soul in one quick question: Which dessert would you pick? Well, I'm a fiend and picked two (even though it said I could only have one...I'm a rule breaker!).

LEMON MERINGUE -- Smooth, fun, & articulate with your hands, you are an excellent caregiver and a good teacher. But don't try to walk and chew gum at the same time. A bit of a diva at times, you set your own style because you do your own thing. You shine when it comes to helping others and have many friends.

And...

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE -- Romantic , warm, loving. You care about other people, can be counted on in a pinch and expect the same in return. Intuitively keen. You can be very emotional at times but a true person in every way. You like to do things for yourself and help others learn about themselves.

Round hole, round peg

2011-01-06T14:16:00.000-08:00

I blame my mother. It’s not unusual – many people blame their mothers for all sorts of reasons, justifiable and otherwise. I blame my mother for my need to have things neatly organized in the kitchen. It’s not her fault really; in kindergarten a child is told to fit the round pegs to the round holes. Stacking plates, bowls, pots and pans and organizing the silverware is the same concept. Largest to smallest, like objects together. It may be impossible to organize your Tupperware, no matter how many racks the pieces come with, but the same cannot be said of flatware.

Similarly, when our family purchased a dishwasher the task of loading and unloading was shared by everyone. My mom would go to empty or start the dishwasher and ask, “Who loaded the dishwasher this way? This is ridiculous.” Therein lies the root of my desire to fit, puzzle piece-like, as many dishes as possible into the dishwasher. It’s not just the quantity that drives me: it’s so pointless to have dishes left out when a moment of thought will ensure that everything fits. In the office, I am constantly rearranging cups and bowls to correct for other people’s careless habits.

Take Five

2011-01-03T11:29:00.000-08:00

So for those who are keeping track, this is actually take three at writing here each day, each year. But Take Five is a fun jazz song and it’s my blog so here we are. I’ve got some big goals for 2011 and they mostly revolve around accountability to myself. As I just spent the day completing a puzzle instead of cleaning I think some system is needed.

I’ve read some interesting articles about multi-tasking, efficiency and how our brains work. The information also tied in the ability to act with self restraint and making choices that will not grant immediate gratification. By considering the longer course and acting in the best interests of a long term plan, the brain is stimulated to process in a more efficient manner.

In other words, not only are the results better for the person but they also make the person a better problem solver. I can see the long term plan but time and again I will choose the short term benefit. This year I would like to challenge myself; if 2010 was the year in which I learned how easy it is to regress, I want 2011 to forge a new direction.

December!

2010-12-01T12:21:00.000-08:00

Wall of Glory

2010-10-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

Name check: waaay down at the bottom.

And that concludes the 2010 racing year.

A dream is a wish your heart makes

2010-10-21T16:40:00.001-07:00

Just a short game of hopscotch

2010-10-21T16:34:00.001-07:00

From here:

To there:

Delightful

2010-10-20T22:09:00.000-07:00

me: because if we captured the essence of us in novel form?
the world would be a greater place

socal!K: ohhhh..thats why i totally forgot..ma mere..because i thought about it a few months ago too..
we'll blame it on bad timing this year. but yes. we need to brighten the world with our prose
a book of witticisms is what they need
and they'll get it. like it or not bitches
oh hey..speaking of bitches..i was driving home yesterday and looked in my rear view mirror and mischa barton was in the car, with a dog and some guy
she was wearing her hippie headband. that is all.

me: LOL
shut the front door
i wish you'd rolled up next to her so you could comment on her hippie headband

socal!K: she had some tiny dog. it was too tiny - more like a rat. i should have totally done that. papa, paparaaazzi
woah woah woah. this blog you sent me..is this ACTUALLY wil wheaton writing this???

me: ahahah, um parts of it

socal!K: oh god. vomiting. i feel dirty

me: but other parts are from another author
one of the people doing the shirt of the week thing

socal!K: speaking of star trekking...you know, i get all this weird mail from the previous owner of the house and i learned from some mail order catalogue that the color of the onesie that they wore on startrek showed what their role on the rocket ship was, like engineer, science and something

me: ahahah
and you were like, damn, that is good looking
i'd better order one for myself!

socal!K: i was like...good god i'd look nice in mustard yellow polyester

me: who wouldn't?
that's why it's the fabric of the future!
ps i'm eating curry

socal!K: oh jesus

me: and now you remember why our friendship is so pure

socal!K: :O====
lol

me: that was the reason why i prefaced the link
i think the delay was funny though
it's our wonderful balance of sarcasm and wit that makes our chats the stuff of dreams. dreams to be brought to the free reading world

socal!K: well..at least we get it
im sure at least one other person out there would

me: and imagine how pleased they would be to find out about us

socal!K: well really, how could they NOT be pleased?

me: it's true
we are amazing
and sooo modest

socal!K: one of our best qualities, no?

me: right up there with how hot we are
;)

socal!K: YOU KNOW IT
lol

And that's what our novel is gonna be about. Done. Copyrighted. See y'all at Chapters. (*Aside, I happen to like Wil Wheaton and read his blog regularly. I'm also a Trekkie. socal!K....is not.)

W/A Lone wolf

2010-10-12T13:00:00.001-07:00

Weekend Assignment #337: Lone Wolf, or Part of the Pack?

Some people are happiest when they're part of a group. They may be leader of the pack, or actively contribute to the group's efforts, or simply hang out with the others for companionship, and any scraps they may get. Other people are more the lone wolf type: the explorers, the loners, given to solitary effort and independent thought. Where do you prefer to function in human society: as part of a group, or your own, or in some combination of the two?

I think that I am some combination of the lone wolf and pack. I enjoy being with friends and family; I love how even if you’ve known someone for a long time you will always learn something new. The interactions in a group encourage me to grow and reconsider my opinions. There are also just some things that are more fun to do in a group: bowling, games, conversation. I also value my down time alone to read, watch TV or movies. I like to do puzzles or go to a restaurant and enjoy a leisurely meal with my book.

Extra Credit: Is there a group with which you're currently affiliated that is especially important to you? What is your relationship with that group?

I have two main groups of friends that make up the bulk of my friendships: those I know through running and those that I know through soccer. I have the same role in both groups: I consider myself to be a facilitator. I will do research for a proposed event and I will organize resources. I can be good at getting the ball rolling on some projects but ultimately I have a problem seeing things through to the end. I am the not best leader because I will be unable to make a firm decision between many options for the group.

Original post

W/A Magic Button

2010-10-12T12:57:00.000-07:00

Weekend Assignment #336: Magic Button

If you could have a magic button that would do one particular thing for you, up to once a day, what would that function be?

I would have a “tidy the apartment” button. I know that if you keep up with housework then the amount of time you have to put into it decreases dramatically. But I’m not good at picking up my laundry or taking out the recycling. I sometimes will just ignore a section of the apartment until I shake myself out it and go on a major cleaning binge. It would be marvelous to have a button that would sweep like a breeze through the apartment to do the dishes, laundry and bathroom – not to mention the laundry! That would be magical.

Extra Credit: Would your answer to the above change if it were a person doing the task (for free and without complaint, using ordinary human abilities) rather than a magic button?

To some extent it would not, as when I was younger I took for granted that my parents would do much of the general tidying. As my brother and I grew older, we were expected to do assigned household tasks. Laundry then was no problem for me and we had a dishwasher that made doing dishes much easier. But on the whole I was still pretty lazy. If the current scenario were to present itself, I would not accept free labour to clean up after me. I would pay someone to do so if I had room in my budget.

Original post

W/A Fan Letters

2010-10-08T16:57:00.000-07:00

Weekend Assignment #328: Fan Letters

How about a lighter topic this week? Let's talk about FAN LETTERS. I have never personally written one, because the one time I attempted to, it came off, well, sounding kinda weird! LOL. Apparently I have NO talent for them at all! Nope. Nope. Nope. But how about you? Have you ever written a successful FAN LETTER? If so, tell us about your experience. Did you hear back from the celebrity? Was it a positive experience? Tell us all about it.

In 2005, I began watching CSI: Las Vegas. The show had been running for five years and a fandom was well established. I fell in love with the subtle relationship between Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) and Gil Grissom (Billy Peterson). I also came to respect Jorja Fox for the charitable work she did in her off-time and sticking to her own style. I decided to write a letter to Jorja to let her know that I really enjoyed her acting and I thought that she was a pretty awesome woman. To my surprise, months later I received a signed photo.

Extra Credit: Write a one paragraph FAN LETTER to your favorite celebrity.

Lucy Lawless:
Thank you for the years you spent as Xena and for all the hard work that you put in that allows me to enjoy the show even these many years later. I love your sense of humor and the dedication and love you share with your fans. I am always excited to see what new projects you are in, from “Spartacus” to “Battlestar Galactica” to “Locusts”. It’s so enjoyable to see the variety of projects you undertake and the showcasing of your many skills. Ultimately, I want to thank you for sharing your talents with the world. Please don’t stop!

Original post

Ether/Ethereal

2010-10-07T11:31:00.000-07:00

My dreams are most vivid in that state of sleep where you are slowly approaching wakefulness but are still not fully cognizant. This morning I had a dream where I thought, this is awesome! I remembered it as I drowsily lay in bed but once up and moving the details elude me. I had another dream recently that someone came to me, said they loved my writing and wanted me to write for them. I was perplexed and asked where they had seen my writing. On my blog, they replied. I awoke pleased but confused as I only write sporadically!

Written yesterday -- but posted today. Oh the irony.

2010-10-07T09:55:00.000-07:00

I love letters, post cards and cards of all kinds. I think ideas like Post Secret and Letter Lounge are brilliant for the different ways they encourage people to communicate. Although instant communication is something many take for granted, it is still so nice to receive a thoughtful note in the mail. Or whatever passes for a thoughtful note between some friends. What I like most about the Letter Lounge is that they will mail the letters for you. It’s the curse of my family that cards or letters will be written, sealed and stamped but not mailed for months.

Musings

2010-10-05T10:23:00.001-07:00

The question is, who do you really want to be, and what are you going to do about it?

The above is a quote from an article called “The Fantasy of Being Thin” by Kate Harding (source here). I found many things about the article to be interesting and thought-provoking but those two questions stuck in my mind. Perhaps because I have slowly been trying to ask myself these questions but keep shying away. I’ve been taking baby steps – there is a page from Langara College with Bookkeeping courses on my fridge. I’ve taken a cursory view of Masters available in English in Norway.

When I first graduated from University I seriously considered applying to the teaching program at UBC. I reviewed the two-year teacher education program for primary school and ultimately decided that more debt and a second BA were not what I needed. A few years into my time in the corporate world I again revisited my options at UBC. Library and Archival Sciences are very interesting topics and the idea of being a librarian is an appealing one.

Both of theses professions have the difficulty that in British Columbia, you start in on-call assignments unless you’re lucky enough to land a job. Even securing a job is not a guarantee as funding is a precarious arrangement with schools and libraries closing each year. Three years ago I was certain that I was going to attend the archival Masters program at UBC – how I was going to come up with the tuition was a mystery. Desires aside, the practicality of funding yet another degree is the most prohibitive factor in the question: what do I want to do now?

I think what I need to invest most in is honesty and reflection. I can’t continue making decisions as I have, leaping into something and hoping that it will all work out. Before I’ve had goals leading me into those leaps and now I find that my desire has lessened. I am no longer interested in finishing a Master writing degree, getting that two book contract or working in editing. What does still interest me is literacy. Words still interest me. Expression still interests me. Creating new media to get people interested in literacy and the way words and pictures are interpreted interests me.

I want to share these interests with other people. I want to talk about the feelings people experience when they say, I don’t read as much as I should. What do we mean by “should”?

A Toillette Affair

2010-10-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

I don’t know what it is about the way people interact in a public bathroom that so twigs my attention. For instance, if a toilet hasn’t been flushed all the way I’ll go to another stall. Or if given no choice my first instinct is to use my foot or elbow or some other appendage but my hand to flush the toilet. This of course makes no sense but that my unconscious must assume that the person who was unable to fully flush a toilet must be deficient in other hygiene areas. Lately I’ve just been using a piece of paper to push the handle.

There’s a gal in my office who takes bathroom paranoia even farther however, each time she goes she gets a paper towel to rest her keys on the counter. Half the time, she’ll then leave the paper towel sitting on the counter for someone else to tidy. I’ve seen a paper towel sit on the counter for an entire afternoon. It’s habits like these that make me think that we’ve got to realize we aren’t living in a sterile bubble. We live in a world with cooties; everyone should just remember to wash their hands.

Health at Every Size

2010-09-30T12:26:00.001-07:00

"The road to health and happiness is wide enough for everyone." Dr. Linda Bacon

I love food and for a long time I didn't love my body. I like my body more these days but I have noticed that I will be sneaky about food. I don't want people to know how much I've eaten in a day or if I've eaten shortly before getting together friends and then eat again. I'll buy a candy bar and position it behind my book or put it in a pocket. These actions MAKE NO SENSE. I don't (always) feel guilty about eating that food but I do feel guilty about how I will be perceived for eating it in context with societal beauty norms. Which I am inherently supporting by not fully accepting who I am and what shape that takes. I have used coffee to kill hunger so I can skip a meal. I have eaten large plates of food that should make up two meals and finish it in one.

I have an ongoing discussions about food and perceptions of my body with myself all the time. The conversation is a lot more positive than it used to be and I think that folks like Dr. Bacon (I know, I KNOW) help to make those conversations easier and more productive.

In the stars today

2010-09-29T09:30:00.001-07:00

Your Horoscope - Today, September 29, 2010
You delay, you procrastinate, you are simply lazy. You take longer to do things than most people, K. Why? Consider the fact that you may be scared of taking the next step. Perhaps you are scared of facing the truth. Perhaps you are scared of making the next decision. By the time you are ready to move, you hope that someone else has already decided which way you should go. This method has probably gotten you far, but perhaps not in the direction you need to be going.

Grinds My Gears

2010-09-28T14:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was discussing banks' responsibilities to their customers with my colleagues because of an issue that had arisen -- namely that postdated cheques were paid early because they were deposited at an ATM. The bank claimed that because the items at ATMs are no longer checked before being sent to a processing centre it is impossible to prevent the early clearing of postdated cheques. If the scenario were to act out in this manner and my account was short funds because of the early processing, I am sure that the same bank would also have fined me. In other words, punishing me because their systems lacks accountability.

When I worked at a bank ten years ago, all deposits made at the ATM were checked by two bank officers prior to being sent out with the day's work. The larger banks have moved away from this to random checks of the materials such that it is easy for the items above to escape a routine check and balance. This is happening at the same time that the same major financial institutions are requiring more personal information for third party deposits -- such as company payments -- and signing away all liability for errors made in such financial transactions as wires. The banks want more and more from the consumers in terms of information and fees all the while reducing service capabilities and removing the onus of their own responsibilities to provide secure and professional services.

It's ridiculous and it makes me fuming mad.

In the stars

2010-08-31T10:31:00.000-07:00

Your horoscope for August 31, 2010

Thoughts and feelings of love for someone very special could inspire your creativity today, Kirsten. You may at first be at a loss as to how to honor your beloved, but the right way will eventually come to you. Then there'll be no stopping you! Whether it's a poem, or a painting, or a song, or even if it's only a very intricate meal, your partner should feel warm, confident, and loved because of your efforts. Enjoy!

Well, if the rainy rainy weather hadn't already set my mind....

Write Noir

2010-08-25T11:28:00.000-07:00

Per the requests of my avid readers -- awesome!T and amazing!L -- I am attempting to make up for lost time. For the sake of continuity we shall assume a hold period of June 16 - August 13.

Excuse me ma'am, can you account for your whereabouts during those months?

Yes indeed, I was ensconced in bliss -- engaged by joy. I can provide a good character reference.

Can you please locate "Bliss" on a map ma'am.

Well, yes, but it does move around during the year.

Will you be returning?

Oh yes, I hope to.

Train went through the tunnel...

2010-08-25T11:25:00.000-07:00

I have frequent moments when I will be having a fluid and coherent thought process and in the midst of it I think -- yes, yes this is a good idea. At which point I completely forget what my train of thought was or even what I was going to do. It's come up in conversation that a doctor's first easy screening test for Alzheimer's is to ask the patient to name ten animals:

seal
walrus
monkey
zebra
cat
dog
whale
mouse
raccoon
parrot

So far, so good. I should probably do more brain exercises though; all those fluff novels are rotting my brain.

Sumptuous

2010-08-23T10:50:00.000-07:00

Schehirrazade By Amal El-Mohtar
Original Source - Sybil's Garage

YOU BRING THE East to me
in a palmful of rice,
a scattering of doves,
a burning temple,
the green smell of tea. You smile,
hold the sun plucked from a Grecian sky
between your teeth, laugh
shake gods and poets from your belly
into my waiting hands, pile them there
like coins and jewels and jasmine petals,
seashells with the sea still in them,
the desert’s weight in sand.

You knew Virgil when he was young, you tell me,
and sitting beneath a willow, whisper
that his bee-loving hands were soft in bed,
that you saw yourself when he spoke of Dido,
her clever fingers on the ox’s hide,
her smoky hair, her tragic eyes,
her fabled skin backlit by fire,
smelling of cardamom and myrrh. I see you, too,
and long, and long
to unfold a treasure from my tongue,
to take your hand in mine and hide there
a stone, a seed, a key,
any small thing
suggestive of mystery.

But my mouth is dry and full of echoes, hoards
your syllables like savory
I dare not chew, much less dare swallow
for fear of scraping my throat red-raw
with tiger claws, iron hooks,
the teeth of wide-jawed women
screaming laments into my chest,
stealing my shallow breath.

So I go, instead. I flee
to ocean, forest, ancient streets,
mountains and the tops of towers
to gather stories like wool from rocks,
dew-wet in the morning, to wring
from them a cup’s worth of augury,
season them with dry air and dust,
bottle them, wrap them ‘round rings and combs,
polish glass, silver, hematite,
and lay them at your feet. I would
sheathe you to the knees in gifts, saying,
“I am not subtle, I am not
a siren with the world for wings,
not Alissar by any name, but look, look,
in these hands,
on these feet,
with the wind in my eyes and the moon on my back,
I’ve brought the East to you,”
hoping you will find in them
even the smallest piece
of something you did not already have.

Close, close...

2010-08-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

Your horoscope for August 13, 2010

A sudden desire for a romantic encounter with a love partner may come upon you today, Kirsten. For one reason or another, however, you might not be able to get together with your significant other today. Perhaps your friend is away, or perhaps there's a problem with communication. Don't start thinking it's hopeless. You'll eventually touch base and make the necessary arrangements. However, don't expect it to take place tonight. Be patient!

Well, true at the end of the day....

Wink, wink, nudge, nudge

2010-06-16T12:05:00.000-07:00

Your horoscope for June 16, 2010

Today is going to be a great day for you, Kirsten, especially where your love life is concerned! It is likely that you have been a bit unsure about where you stand in your current relationship. Today you will be relieved to discover just how much you are loved. Of course, as we see it, what's not to love? You have many attributes. It's no wonder you have a suitor for every one of them.

In Transit

2010-06-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

When I first went to university, I had never taken public transit or a cab by myself. For the first two years the only cabs I took were to the airport for school holidays. My first trip to Vancouver, I had no idea how use transit. I purchased a three-zone pass on a one-zone trip and didn’t know how to open the back doors. I was very lucky that day as I had helpful passengers and bus drivers to ensure that I actually got where I wanted to go quickly. It’s funny given how often I use transit now.

Time Shifted Viewing

2010-06-10T16:44:00.001-07:00

In the age of technology there are always those that drag their feet. I am one such, mostly because da-yum, technology ain’t cheap. Thus it is that I have a TV from a coworker’s mother, with an epically large remote because the original remote is not compatible with dvd players. I cannot set the TV clock with my epically large remote so when I tape, with my VCR, my season finales of all my Space shows this weekend I have a bit of a problem. I have to determine how real time relates to my TV’s time and thence set my VCR to record my programs in real time via TV time.

This is why I’m waiting until Saturday when all my shows air back to back. Can you imagine the drama of taping three shows on two different days? There’d be time zones and physics equations required just to sort this out.

Where's your buggy whip? w/a

2010-06-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

I frequently use phrases or words that are not in common usage. (My use of beanie to refer to a hat other than one with a propeller is an inverse attempt to grant a new definition to an antiquated one.)

Typically however, I do not collect items which have become useless. I collect words but they are always of use.

I do desire to possess a typewriter but until such time as no supplies are available such an item is not truly useless yet.

I wonder how much truly remains without purpose as we continually rediscover the ways of years past. Considering the field of computer support or technological innovation – continual education is the standard. You would be unable to succeed in your job if you were to work based solely off the information learned in high school and a presumed bachelor’s degree.

Most jobs require that the employee continue to adapt to new rules, new standards and new duties. Fixed roles within an industry just seem weak to me and not ones that are likely to attract long term employees. There are many people who work in car factories, or factories of any kind, that might dispute my claim.

Weekend Assignment

To sum it up

2010-06-09T16:20:00.001-07:00

I have never been particularly well suited to studying math. Sure, we get along for short periods of time but like any family visit – it ends with shouting and frustration. The irony of my relationship with math lies in two main facets: my day job and my habit of adding up random numbers. The date, the elevator floor buttons, the passage of time. For instance, I have posted 3 times in 9 days in the month of June (6th month). These figures are divisible by each other! They are the sum of their parts. They are an enjoyable mathematical puzzle.

How do you fare?

2010-06-09T16:15:00.000-07:00

It seems as though the degree of availability of an object is in direct opposite to the degree of your desire or need. Take taxis. When you embark on your journey, first there will be no taxis. Then they are already engaged or at least running with their light off. Then the taxis are arriving in the opposite direction you are traveling, making them impossible to hail. Finally, you are so close to your destination that it is a wash whether the balance of your trip time is worth the ire of the taxi driver at a $5 fare. Hopeless.

Yesteryear

2010-06-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

Whenever I listen to Loreena McKennitt, I think of my best friend awesome!T. I think of shared summers and sleepovers in big beds falling asleep to the strains of celtic drums and lilting voices. I remember the chair we painted when we were going to have a custom painting business. I remember the dog walking we did and the ladies who would go gambling and tip us hugely if they won. I’m fairly certain they thought awesome!T and I were a couple; we did make my mother question our closeness on occasion. Awesome!T, my sister – my bosom companion of childhood.

Dearest frenemy

2010-06-07T10:42:00.001-07:00

It's funny how there are people whose interests are so different that you might think they'd have nothing in common. That they'd never be friends. Karlos and I are pretty well opposites in our interests but our sarcasm brings us together.

Our sarcasm, and the continual joy of threatening each other with impending doom. I love talking with Karlos because we are honest and there's no bullshit. We laugh all the time and if anyone were to listen to our conversation they would think we were the biggest assholes. But they've never known the joys of improvised Goulet poetry or her patience in listening to yet another of my "plans".

To you Karlos -- I'll be watching you in your sleep. Suckah.

Battlestar Galactica: The fight over Starbuck

2010-05-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

Science fiction has always had an uneasy relationship with women. (This site is awesome for context:Feminist SF.) I did not become a fan of the new Battlestar Galactica until the second season. Once ensconced in this world, I was offended by Dirk Benedict’s outcry against Starbuck. Benedict’s childish and pathetic ranting about the change in gender of one of the principle characters is an insult to the new audience and the past audience of the show. It reflects an attitude that I find a personal affront; it’s ridiculous the characteristics that Benedict finds so emasculating when portrayed by a woman are empowering when played by a man.

“You were fantastic, absolutely fantastic. And you know what? So was I.”

2010-05-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

I first stumbled across the band Lamb through Torchwood’s use of the song Gorecki. One of the many fanvideos made for the Doctor and Rose ‘ship used this song and snippets of the show’s dialogue. I really enjoyed Christopher Eccleston’s portrayal of the Doctor and I was sad to see him go after one season. David Tennant quickly won me over but friends later told me that Eccleston had only done one season of Doctor Who to avoid typecasting. This is a bit arrogant and casts a whole new light on his closing lines even though I liked both actors.

Merry meet and merry part

2010-05-28T16:20:00.000-07:00

When I first graduated from university, I found that without the structure of classes I spent most of my time chatting in online forums. I was very active in the CSI fandom and rediscovering the Xena fandom. This lasted for the better part of a year and outside of my roommates I did not socialize greatly. Once I began expanding my social circle for the first time since entering university I found that there were many different venues to meet up to socialize. I found within myself a Martha Stewart that loved to cook and host friends at my apartment.

I have been at my place of employment hard on the heels of graduating university and so have gotten to know my coworkers. I am one of the youngest people in this office and it is interesting to see how age dynamics can play out in relationships outside the office. There are only a few that meet up regularly outside of the office. Though lunches and Friday night rounds are not uncommon, perhaps because we are in the mining industry and so wining and dining is a regular part of the work place. I’m lucky to like all my co-workers.

Weekend Assignment

The Play's The Thing (w/a)

2010-05-28T16:14:00.000-07:00

I have long held the opinion that Shakespeare is over-taught and over-valued in literary circles and the public education curriculum. I believe that readers could garner a greater appreciation through reading plays by Shakespeare’s contemporaries.

My bias is aided by the fact that I also don’t like any of Shakespeare’s tragedies. Perhaps it indicates a flightiness on my part but the only tragedy I’ll give the time of day to is “Romeo and Juliet”. And that because I think “Romeo and Juliet” was actually a snarky comedy. I’ll grant Shakespeare’s sonnet structure is a useful aid for students to study.

Weekend Assignment

A-peelin'

2010-05-28T15:36:00.001-07:00

I do not have an over abundance of melanin in my skin – well, more accurately I have both an abundance, freckles, and lack of defensive melanin against the harmful UV rays, sunburns. While my parents and grandparents skin would tan, my brother and I remain fair and burn easily.

I am currently sloughing off the results of a weekend of sun exposure. I both enjoy and dislike peeling – I like it because it’s neat to see an epithelial layer but it’s annoying as all get out to shed yourself everywhere you go. I still can’t help but pick at it.

Underwear Affair

2010-05-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

I’ve noticed that participating in sports with people breaks down some barriers on topics that are typically socially frowned upon. Perhaps the domain of adolescent boys but wedgies come up quite a bit. Finding underwear that is suitable for running or the dynamic movements of soccer that does not ride up your bum is a rarity. I’ve often commiserated with teammates about the wrong underwear choice creating an atomic wedgeie. Full bottom panties do not make for a comfortable thong. For that matter, wearing a thong doesn’t help either. Oftentimes the best solution is to wear no underwear at all.

One of the monologues from Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” is simply entitled Hair. I’ve never been one to go for a Brazilian; I micromanage my body hair but not that extent. I’m not a prepubescent girl – I have hair. Well, I had hair. My waxer and I had a misunderstanding because I was a little too unassertive in reminding her what I usually do. One moment we were making small chat and the next there was wax where never there was wax before. It reminded me of a old punch line to an adolescent joke: there’s no hair there.

Bit o' nonense and stuff

2010-05-19T16:37:00.000-07:00

There is one thing only that truly drives me nuts about blogger and that is the follower option. Every time I look at my home page, it tells me I have four followers but when I go to the detail it only shows me two. (Hi Diane and Alan!) Who are these shadow followers? Is it just a by-product of unknown RSS feeds? I can think of ten people who know about this project and otherwise the only reason for someone to come here is if they click “next blog”. So hello my phantoms, my angels of music. Welcome here.

Four, Five and Six

2010-05-19T15:57:00.000-07:00

I read an article a while back suggesting that we put an undue amount of weight on the concept of “suitable atmosphere” for human life to exist on other planets. It was a very interesting read because it made obvious points that we take for granted about Earth because we have adapted to the environment or made changes to the environment to suit our needs. Beginning with just the sheer surface area of Earth that is covered with water versus land and moving on to the necessary adaptations of our clothing, houses, air conditioning and heating. We are a fragile species.

I don’t know why it is, but I love, love, love Tegan and Sara’s song “Living Room”. Thanks to youtube I have now heard it played live and how they change it as the years have gone by. Still, I cannot get over how much I love the original studio version of this song. A girl I had a crush on in one of my university courses made me two mix cd’s and I made her a mix cd as well. (The catalog of evidence for Kirsten is Socially Awkward is vast.) She introduced me to Tegan and Sara.

When I was a kid, I was convinced there was a house downtown where my family had visited and I had played in the yard. For years I believed this until one day I pointed out the house to my mom and asked who we had visited. Turns out the memory was just a dream I’d had. Sometimes I think of the last summer I worked in Truckee and the time I had dinner, sushi, with a co-worker and we went back to her place. I remember having a drink, flirting and teasing. Nothing happened and I drove home late.

One, two, three...catchup posts

2010-05-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

I set goals for April with Awesome!K and they were to do the following:
File my taxes
Finish posting daily for April
Finish my excerpts from my trip to Kuwait
Of those goals, I half achieved the taxes and clearly none of the rest. I filed my taxes in Canada and deferred my taxes in the US because I forgot that they have different filing dates. It would simplify my life if both filing deadlines would be April 30th. As it stands, I have to file a nil return for 2009 in the US. Nil and null, two empty words.

So, what activities have been so time consuming that they have kept me from writing out one hundred simple words a day? Mostly the usual: I think about writing; I think about the topics I would write about and the tone I would use. I think about the apologies I would write for not writing enough. I think about how apologies are just another excuse. I think about how a writer should write without excuses. And then I think it’s all just shit, sit down and write. Or to continue with the shit talk – shit or get off the pot.

I think that I am a good person to get projects started – I have the enthusiasm and the basic organizational skills to pull it off. What I typically lack is that key longevity ingredient: follow through. I’ll get something off the ground and then…I just lose focus. The project at hand will still be in my thoughts but in the background while I focus instead on side projects of less importance. I’m not sure how to address this problem because it is not that I care any less about the project. I just get distracted by bright and shiny objects.

Things I've learned...

2010-04-16T11:56:00.001-07:00

There are some stories that just live on and for as long as I’m in the running community, I know this is one that will stick with me. I was very late arriving to my second half marathon, alarms were set to the afternoon instead of morning, and though the saga of arriving to the start is a story in its own right it is the bathroom visit that has its own notoriety. Along the route were port-o-potties but they all had lineups so I made the decision, based off of other’s experience!, to dash into the Waterfront Renaissance Hotel to use their facilities. This detour lost me time that would have seen me finish the half in 2:15 – my goal time. I wrapped up my point succinctly for the clinic last night:

If you set your alarms for the PM instead of the AM and have no time for your morning BM…you will feel shame when you have to stop for a bathroom break. And for everyone’s reference – the bathrooms in the Waterfront Renaissance are to the back, on the right and no, there is no concierge!

Booty Camp

2010-04-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

Last summer I saw some bright pink broadsheets announcing the latest company joining the ranks of Vancouver’s boot camps: Booty Camp. A boot camp run by women for women. This Spring, some teammates and I decided to try it out. Our first session was a humbling one for me. Running and soccer may keep my legs relatively fit but my arms are not in the equation.

As we reached the halfway mark, my arms started to give out. It was piss pouring rain and the wind was blowing it into my face as I attempted set of twenty pushups. I got to three. Arms trembling, I started my fourth and my arms folded under me and my face kissed the mat. Levering myself up, I called that twenty and started my lunge jumps. Once finished, I was back for set two of twenty pushups.

I knelt on my mat, wiped my face and thought maybe this time I could do five. Five is derivative of twenty, I figured that would be close enough. I got to two and kissed the mat again. Let me note that I wasn’t even trying for the pushups balanced on my toes – I started and ended with the pushups balanced on my knees. Actually, I ended on my face.

What followed was the core workout and stretching. I wish I could say the stretching helped…but the four subsequent days of different muscle groups in my arms beg to differ. That night when I got home, it was with shaking arms that I lifted the 2L orange juice container to my lips. I spent the next four days using my stapler with two hands, my stamps with two hands and swearing every time I lifted my arms.

And then it was Monday, and time to start over.

High school reunions...online

2010-04-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

In many respects I feel that high school reunions are outdated; with the prevalence of social websites such as Facebook, you can easily get in contact with anyone from high school or university. You can have the whole awkward sharing of your lives online – complete with pictures. I recently accepted a friend request from one high school acquaintance and hard on its heels followed two others. While I find it interesting to see what they’ve done in the last ten years, I do find myself wondering why they’ve added me to their friends. Why bother if we still don’t talk?

Comedy Live

2010-04-13T09:18:00.000-07:00

My mother does stand up comedy and from time to time I think that perhaps I could do stand up too. What always stops me is the fact that I get the most laughs from people when I have a partner in crime –- someone I can bounce words with and escalate into hilarity. I’ve watched improv and thought that perhaps I could do that but, again, it all comes down to the other people and how well I can pick up what they’re throwing down. I’ll just subject my soccer team and running groups to my song and dance routine.

Gettin' started again

2010-04-13T09:13:00.000-07:00

I once read a fanfic whose plot mirrored Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner”.
I really like that idea – of using one media to shape another. My
interests tend towards the more obvious: concrete poetry and the like.
I tend to think that my writing style is rather like a reflecting pool –
interesting images but not a lot of depth. Perhaps that is because I
don’t commit myself fully to the writing or to the individual pieces;
it’s hard work, commitment. It’s hard work to not just come off as a
drama queen or a caricature. I shouldn’t take myself so seriously.

Just a moment

2010-03-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

I had a moment recently. I had entered our office copy room to get my morning cup of coffee and all I could think of was the back room at Truckee River Bank when I was a kid. My brother and I would sit back there, supposedly doing our homework, after school until my mom was done for the day.

I remembered going behind the teller line to visit with my mom’s coworkers and wreaking havoc with long paperclip chains. I remembered those women coming in for a cup of coffee, stirring in white powder creamer. I remembered drawing on long reams of dot matrix paper and making more chains out of the tearaway sides.

I made my cup of coffee; poured in my milk and added my cube of sugar. And I thought: “Oh. Shit. I’m the adult.”

Caffeinated with unlimited texting

2010-03-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

In the course of my job, I manage the cell phone plans of several of my company’s employees. I’ve discovered that ensuring each plan is tailored to each person’s usage is a lot like being a fussy Starbuck’s customer. I’d like a half-caf, non-fat cappuccino with whole milk foam please. Oh, and a dusting of nutmeg – but it had better not be a sprinkling or else I’ll need a new coffee. Phone companies have a better business model however, as they will work out something that is almost what you want but then lock you into a three-year payment plan.

short attention span...what?

2010-03-14T22:31:00.000-07:00

When you’re strange no one remembers your name….

…but they do tend to remember the outfits. I wore lots of green today and yesterday, my shamrock headband and some green face paint. I really do enjoy the face painting part of the outfit – I really ought to get some brushes and better paints.

I’ve been making cupcakes for the soccer girls for the last three weeks which has left the running peeps feeling a bit neglected. On the other hand, it’s not as though I can dress up for soccer. What with the uniform rule and all.

I am 5.

techno babble

2010-03-03T12:15:00.000-08:00

A recent cover of “The Economist” was titled, “How to handle the data deluge” (or some close equivalent). It made me think of my online footprint and the myriad of ways that my information is represented.

For email, I have a (very old) Hotmail (MSN) account and a gmail (Google) account. I have a Livejournal (Independent) and a Blogger (Google) account; to make those blogs pretty I have a Photobucket (Fox) and a Picasa (Google) account to host my photos.

For those friends who don’t read my blogs I have a Myspace (Fox) and a Facebook (Independent) account. For my friends that are more mobile, and tech savvy, than myself I have a Twitter (Independent) account. Because my phone does not access the internet, I use Echofon (Independent) which helps me keep track of all my tweets.

My ICQ account is long gone but sharing its place are MSN, gchat (Google), Skype (Independent/Ebay) and a now largely defunct AOL account.

I’m a member of a Yahoo group and a Google group – not to mention membership in the Gateworld forum, the Stargate Solutions forum, a Xena Yuku forum and the Spacecast forum.

To keep myself entertained I have a youtube account which is linked to my gmail account. Also through my gmail account I use the Google reader to capture my RSS feeds of other blogs and websites that I regularly enjoy. Clearly Google and Facebook are neck and neck for who knows the most about me.

All of this and I haven’t even mentioned all the online retail and banking accounts! I’m probably taking this too lightly but in the meantime, I hope you’ll forgive because I want to draw a pretty pretty flowchart of all this information.

Speaking of techno babble, I don't care about the clock time -- Sam Carter would beat Rodney McKay any time!

note to self

2010-03-02T18:59:00.000-08:00

Fun fact! Realizing that if your fiscal year-end is the same as a calendar year-end, this means that your quarters will be a palindrome of months that end in 31 days for the first and fourth quarter and months that end in 30 days for the second and third quarter.

Important: no one else will think this is a fun fact.

*not a true palindrome obviously, as it would be structured 31/30/30/31 and reversed would be 13/03/03/13 but a neat bracketing coincidence in any event.

Mr. Postman

2010-03-02T06:42:00.001-08:00

For instance, I posted the delivery scans of three parcels that were sent to me. Two were sent from Kuwait and one from the US; two were delivered to my apartment and one to my office. What I’ve always found perplexing is why a parcel can be delivered to Canada but then get sent back to the US for further handling before returning to Canada. Watching my parcels bounce around the mid-west for a few days is frustrating but not so infuriating as seeing something enter Canada only to leave again! I really wonder how our mail gets the runaround.

Routinely

2010-03-02T06:09:00.000-08:00

Lately the trouble of not posting has had naught to do with a lack of ideas on what to write but the timing of said ideas. I’ve had this problem before – I used to get lots of ideas while I was driving and so I tried using a tape recorder. (I discovered that there is no faster disillusionment of your ideas than having to speak them aloud to an empty car.) So what I need is a routine, during the day I make a note of what topics I’ve thought up and I sit down for thirty minutes to write.

peep show

2010-03-01T19:59:00.001-08:00

i got my christmas presents from my dad and his partner today and like any child, i began to play with them immediately. these photos ensued:

a new bath tub plug with glow in the dark rubber ducky!

Plunger!

i am a peep addict and that's okay.

Peep Peep!

morning rituals

2010-03-01T07:46:00.001-08:00

Awesome bedhead...I love short hair.

2010-02-20T11:49:00.001-08:00

Baby pancake!

2010-02-20T11:48:00.001-08:00

Nom nom nom

happy v-day

2010-02-14T01:44:00.001-08:00

hawaii 5-0, vancouver edition

2010-02-13T08:11:00.001-08:00

confusion and the postal system

2010-02-11T16:01:00.000-08:00

UPS – a mystery
RICHMOND, BC, CA 11/02/2010 12:28 DELIVERED
RICHMOND, BC, CA 10/02/2010 13:07 IMPORT SCAN
10/02/2010 12:17 ARRIVAL SCAN
SEATTLE, WA, US 10/02/2010 11:27 DEPARTURE SCAN
10/02/2010 6:45 ARRIVAL SCAN
RICHMOND, BC, CA 10/02/2010 5:15 RECEIVER'S CUSTOMS BROKER HAS BEEN ASSIGNED. THE SHIPMENT IS NOW RELEASED TO MOVE IN TRANSIT
SEATTLE, WA, US 10/02/2010 5:00 ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
LOUISVILLE, KY, US 10/02/2010 4:22 DEPARTURE SCAN
COLUMBUS, OH, US 09/02/2010 10:31 DEPARTURE SCAN
09/02/2010 6:26 ARRIVAL SCAN
NEW STANTON, PA, US 09/02/2010 2:19 DEPARTURE SCAN
NEW STANTON, PA, US 08/02/2010 23:00 ARRIVAL SCAN
PITTSBURGH, PA, US 08/02/2010 21:00 DEPARTURE SCAN
08/02/2010 20:40 ORIGIN SCAN
US 05/02/2010 9:18 BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED

DHL – part the second
2010-02-11 Shipment Delivered DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-11 06:21 With Courier DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-11 04:15 Arrived at DHL facility DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-10 13:45 Not Home DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-10 08:10 With Courier DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-10 04:10 Arrived at DHL facility DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-09 12:16 Not Home DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-09 10:44 With Courier DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-09 09:42 Arrived at DHL facility DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-09 09:37 Depart Facility VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-09 09:28 Arrived at DHL Facility VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-09 08:27 Transport Delay CINCINNATI OH USA
2010-02-09 06:08 Depart Facility CINCINNATI OH USA
2010-02-09 04:33 Depart Facility SEATTLE WA USA
2010-02-09 02:13 Arrived at DHL Facility CINCINNATI OH USA
2010-02-07 23:20 Arrived at DHL Facility BAHRAIN, BH

DHL – part the first
2010-02-10 12:20 Shipment Delivered DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-10 11:09 With Courier DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-10 10:58 Arrived at DHL facility DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-10 10:57 Clearance processing complete VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-10 10:57 Arrived at DHL Facility VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-10 10:56 Depart Facility VANCOUVER, CA
2010-02-10 08:25 Transport Delay CINCINNATI OH USA
2010-02-10 06:42 Depart Facility CINCINNATI OH USA
2010-02-10 06:33 Transport Delay CINCINNATI OH USA
2010-02-10 04:39 Depart Facility SEATTLE WA USA
2010-02-09 03:59 Clearance processing complete CINCINNATI OH USA
2010-02-09 03:07 Into Customs CINCINNATI OH USA
2010-02-09 02:53 Arrived at DHL Facility CINCINNATI OH USA
2010-02-09 02:53 Into Customs CINCINNATI OH USA
2010-02-09 02:53 Clearance Delay. CINCINNATI OH USA
2010-02-09 01:48 Arrived at DHL Facility CINCINNATI OH USA
2010-02-08 22:03 Depart Facility EAST MIDLANDS, GB
2010-02-08 22:01 Transit EAST MIDLANDS, GB
2010-02-08 11:54 Depart Facility LONDON-HEATHROW, GB
2010-02-08 07:36 Security Inspection LONDON-HEATHROW, GB
2010-02-07 23:23 Arrived at DHL Facility BAHRAIN, BH

birds of a feather

2010-02-11T14:54:00.000-08:00

If you sprinkle, when you tinkle...

2010-02-04T15:36:00.000-08:00

...be a sweetie, wipe the seatie!

Lyrical v.3

2010-02-03T23:36:00.001-08:00

Four nights of coordinated lights and dancing notes that draws crowds of people to the shores of my neighboring beaches. Senses overwhelmed by the press of humanity, explosions and symphonies. On the eve the night skies danced with fire, I sat in my living room and felt the rumbles rush over me.

Another night, the skies were clear and once in a blue moon – I am in the right spot at the right time. That night is captured in the amber of many shared honey sweet moments. Don’t get me wrong, I just get lost in memories of your smile.

fotoz

2010-02-03T10:11:00.000-08:00

boxed up

twinkle toes

wireless

2010-02-02T23:10:00.000-08:00

Lyrical v. 2

2010-02-02T23:06:00.000-08:00

The moon looks different on the shores of these waters as we walk, arm in arm, and a shiver – a thrill – traverses my shoulders beneath my light jacket. The moon hangs brightly but the lateral gaps to which I am accustomed are not present. The moon hangs and the light shimmers off the lapping waves and the path beneath our feet. I cast back my head and laugh, the tidal pull of our emotions drawing us closer, ever closer. If I lean down for a kiss, what will the moon see? Don’t get me wrong, I’m just following my lodestar.

Snippet

2010-02-01T23:31:00.000-08:00

From the corners of my eyes, the light twists and shines, sparkling inward. Drop my chin and drop my eyelids to change my point of view; still the lights dance towards me. You walk up and smile – razzle, dazzle me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m just blinded by your light.

two favorite december pictures

2010-01-29T19:42:00.000-08:00

So in December I took over 700 photos but I have to say that I love these two:

Like puzzle pieces...

...and Flash has just wedged himself in between as if to say, thanks for leaving me some room guys.

December 8 - 15

2010-01-14T16:59:00.000-08:00

As I strolled along the Serpentine I could see the lights from many rides and buildings, they rose and dropped in the sky and reflected off the waters. It was a lovely sight and I skipped a bit up the path as the sounds of many people filtered towards me. There were many Christmas themed rides as well as a haunted house and a bizarre roller coaster. When I found out about the Winter Wonderland the thing that really caught my eye was the marketplace as I hoped to find some presents for my family there. The entire setup proved to be quite large and so to keep up my spirits I got some spiked mulled wine and continued my meandering. I found quite a few interesting items but sadly it was an issue of space as I had only my carry-on bags.

I picked up something fun for my brother but as always, I’m not sure if my idea of his eclectic tastes and his actual eclectic tastes will match up. I’ll just have to hope for the best. I did find something that I know my mom will like and picked up a hand-painted ornament as a memento of my trip. All too soon I had to head back to Paddington station and Heathrow airport. I didn’t see any bears there but I did see something scarier – nestled in amongst the Marks and Spencer and Paddington bears…was a Krispy Kreme store.

I am dumbfounded that such crap is being foisted upon innocent nations; bad enough that they are in the US! I of course know that McDonald’s is a global presence but it was something else to see not just McDonald’s but Burger King, Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken and of course the other global giant, Starbuck’s while in Kuwait. I was surprised to see Chili’s and T.G.I. Friday’s as well even though I knew the equivalent chain of Hard Rock Café was global. When I first graduated from high school I remember that the popularity of going to Hard Rock Café was just ebbing although I still went to a few locations. (For accuracy, there was a Hard Rock Café in Kuwait as well.)

I returned to Heathrow Terminal 5 again with three hours to spare and again breezed through check in and security. With a surfeit of time on my hands I found a spacious bathroom stall and changed out of my now travel worn clothing. It felt quite good to be in fresh clothing, to wash my face and try to order my unruly hair which had spent the better part of thirteen hours under a cap. Sadly, it took a third time of travelling and losing my cds to make me realize that I really should not do so. Some lucky person got my entire collection of Christmas music save the cd that was in my discman.

I know, why have I not gotten with the times and purchased an mp3 player which, in addition to being compact, can hold many such albums? I can only say that for a long time I had no home computer and as such no place to store all my music files. Since then I have had a computer, obviously with internet connections, but I have not been able to access my external hard drive with all of my music. All of this leads back to me leaving a stack of Christmas cds in the ladies washroom of Terminal 5. May the finder enjoy them in the spirit of Christmas.

After changing I went to Wagamama and enjoyed some ramen and the Battlestar Galactica graphic novel my coworker!E got for me. I had a nice table that allowed me to overlook a large portion of the terminal and the runway. I really do love to fly – it is such an amazing technological feat. After dinner I made my way to one of the trains to another section of the terminal and then walked to the farthest corner. I tried to espy how we would be boarding but I couldn’t find the usual walkway beyond the final check in counters. When my flight was announced I felt a thrill and flutter of anticipation course through me. In six short hours I would be in Kuwait; in six short hours the distance between amazing!L and myself would be measured in feet instead of miles. (Ah, the twitterpation at the thought of no distance at all!)

Steady hands packed away my book, feet smoothly took me to the final check point and lips curved to match the smile in my passport. As I went down the stairs and a lower walkway to board the plane my smile grew. I was greeted and directed to my seat from which I would have my first glimpses of Kuwait.

December 1 - 7

2010-01-08T14:37:00.000-08:00

I always enjoy travelling, especially when I get to fly a lot. The anticipation I experienced for my holiday travels this year however, exceeded all of my other recent trips. Days away from my departure I began to count down the time remaining in Vancouver in hours – the immediacy of my impending travels was thrilling. Once I arrived at the airport I had no difficulties but my Friday up to 4:30pm was set to a frenetic pace of trying to get too much done in a too small amount of time. Thankfully my flight was delayed by snow in London and I had to hand the amazing resources of awesome!A who gave me her time and transportation to the airport.

I arrived at Vancouver International for the suggested three hours prior to departure and breezed through check-in and security. I haven’t flown internationally through Vancouver before – flying to the US, while technically international, still only merits an intermediary wing between domestic and international flights. The airport was fairly empty and I found my way to a sit-down meal as I had plenty of time to fill. My colleagues would be arriving at our office Christmas party soon and although I have always enjoyed myself, I could not find it in myself to regret that I would be missing the event this year.

I phoned my mom to chat since I would not be home for Christmas and then wished awesome!S happy holidays. Soon enough I was boarding the plane that would take me to London and thence to Kuwait City. I did not have a window seat on the first leg of my journey but as we would be flying over a lot of ocean I didn’t mind too much. I did miss seeing the sunrise though which I find to be truly amazing when you are flying so high in the air. I slept easily through most of the flight to London and once I navigated through the large Terminal 5 I found my way to the trains.

I have utterly terrible direction when I use trains. It is a sad fact that I can get lost on the Skytrain and you only have a choice of two directions in our city. I was justifiably nervous of using the epic London Underground for this reason and so chose to take the Heathrow Express. With a direct route to Paddington station and a transit time of 24 minutes – this was the train for me. I get on at the airport; I get off at Paddington station. I get on at Paddington station; I get off at the airport. Once I had a coffee in hand, got over the shock of seeing a Krispy Kreme in London and found a map I skirted Kensington Gardens to Hyde Park.

Although I knew I had a long layover in London it was not my original intention to leave the airport as I did not want to risk missing my flight to Kuwait. After speaking with my coworker however, I looked into transportation and events just to feel out the waters. Eight hours is a long time in an airport terminal. Thus it was I discovered the Winter Wonderland held along the Serpentine in Hyde Park. A fan of Sherlock Holmes as I am, I was entertained by the thought of strolling the same park paths as the great detective. I’m also a big sucker for anything Christmas related – and it had a German village! (In England. Ha.)

En route to the park I crossed paths with a horde of rollerblading Santas – a fundraiser for a local club that hosts free meetups for rollerblading in a similar fashion that the Running Room hosts the free run club. I had to give them kudos for navigating the rough park paths and cobblestone streets. I can’t manage roller blades on a smooth surface! I chatted with a few Santas that were taking it easy on the rougher portions and just appreciated being some place different. It had gotten dark quite early – it was only 4pm and I had anticipated having some sunlight during my jaunt out. As a result I did not visit the Norwegian world war memorial that is located in Hyde Park.

Van Dusen Celebration of Lights

2009-12-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

I went on my annual trip to see the Christmas lights at Van Dusen Garden's Celebration of Lights. I took a short video of the dancing light show and though youtube tells me that Sony may object to the content, as the lights are set to the "Nutcracker Suite", I thought I'd share the video here while I can.

November catch-up

2009-12-08T07:59:00.000-08:00

Before my introduction to the “drabble”, or the project you see here, I was very keen on the idea of linked vignettes. “The Joy Luck Club” can be read as a series of linked vignettes. I like the idea because I don’t think that I have a novel in me to write – but I think that I could write a couple of related vignettes. I also like the idea of a theme being carried over the series, or where one idea is carried over between segments. Or even a concrete portion of the past segment represented in the new one.

A lot goes into being a soccer mom: carpooling, knowing where the fields are, cheering, scheduling and bringing the half time and post game snacks. As a child it’s easy to take these behind the scenes actions for granted but I know that at half time I always looked forward to oranges and after the game there would be Capri Sun juices and a granola bar. A few years ago I joined a women’s soccer team and it took me awhile to realize what was missing: half time orange slices! Refreshing and energizing, the whole team enjoyed this childhood snack.

Vancouver is a city that experiences a great deal of rain throughout the year. Considering this fact, it is not unreasonable to expect that the Vancouver Parks Board would build fields with good drainage and placement. This is not the case however, and often the fields are deemed unplayable and soccer games get cancelled. When I was a child playing soccer, games were rarely cancelled because of the weather and we played on the playing fields. Hell, we played a game in the snow – white lines are hard to see in the snow! Two games have been cancelled thus far.

The weather outside was frightful and I was outside in it. A typical Vancouver downpour: sheeting rain downward and sideways if the wind is right. My walk home took me through the dog park at Nelson and Thurlow, a nicely redesigned park with a walkway that I often frequent on my way to and from work. This particular evening I cast my gaze up and saw water droplets like stars caught underneath my umbrella. They were the size of the droplets that bejewel a spider’s web in the morning – delicate and beguiling, I didn’t notice the downpour quite so much.

Growing up as I did in Truckee, clear skies without much (any) ambient light was the norm for me. I could always see the stars shining brightly – though my constellation recognition was limited to Orion and the Big Dipper. Or maybe it was the Little Dipper? Still, I have always been able to spy Orion in the night sky. When I moved to Oregon, I took an astronomy class that took field trips for star viewing. When I moved to British Columbia, I had to range farther afield to escape the city’s artificial light. Seven stars, three points of reference.

The first time I made the drive from Truckee to Vancouver my mom came with me to help me get settled. My car, a Toyota Corolla All-trac, was filled from top to bottom – including bike and ski racks on the roof. We had just enough room for the two of us in the front and a small snack cooler under my mom’s feet. It was a masterful piece of packing on our part. We crossed state lines and international borders and as we drove along the hedge-lined mansions of Southwest Marine Drive, I felt like a small town girl. Goll-lee.

My first two years in Vancouver, I existed largely in the University bubble – I lived in residence for a year and a half of that time. It was easy not to leave campus, or only to venture out a few blocks to pick up groceries at the nearby Safeway. I dreaded driving downtown because I always got lost on the one-way streets, the traffic was fast and bus drivers scared me. For part of this time I even lived off-campus, renting a room from an older woman, but I didn’t explore much of the neighborhood. The city still overwhelmed me.

Weekend War Wounds

2009-12-02T07:12:00.000-08:00

Cozied up

2009-11-26T11:00:00.000-08:00

Lizard poisons Spock...

2009-11-26T10:52:00.000-08:00

Bob l'eponge

2009-11-26T06:56:00.000-08:00

Mum's the Word

2009-11-26T06:55:00.000-08:00

Would you like a top-up?

2009-11-26T06:54:00.001-08:00