Well, I really did not intend on it. Sort of. But, I went to MEC yesterday and bought some stuff. What did I buy? I bought: a Swiss Army knife (sport), a pair of gloves, some merino wool socks ($7.50/pair!), a Timex watch, a pink Nalgene bottle, and some Clif bars. I was hoping to find one of those high-tech, super-warm fleeces, but they didn't have what I wanted. I saw a pair of winter mocs (Merrell Cold Front), but they didn't have my size. :-p Just as well.
I had wanted to start disseminating my C++ assignment, but realized that the Library folder that the instructor referred to in class was not in any of the zipfiles that he had sent me. I emailed him last night about it. No reply yet. :-/ I guess I'll try to see how I can break down the problem for coding.
Today was not overly productive either. :-p I had wanted to do some picking up around the place, but not too much got picked up. I've still got a bit to do before next weekend's soiree.
Bluesh*t has really been vocalizing a lot lately. I really can't quite figure out other than perhaps he's trying to call out to Finster to come out. Of course, this is not going to happen. There are moments when I almost expect to see Finster curled up in a particular spot. Sometimes I almost think I see a dark blob somewhere. I can almost picture him lounging somewhere nearby. That's the thing about Finster. He's almost always in the same room as I am. Even when the other two have decided to go nap in the pet bed upstairs, Finster is still here or nearby. I'll miss his presence.
Meanwhile, I have been trying to beat back a possible cold. It's just a little bit of sniffling, but you know how sniffles can easily bloom into a full-blown cold! :-p So I have been taking some Cold FX and Emergen-C. So far, so good. Now I just need to get some extra sleep. I think I managed to sleep a bit more this weekend, but I still feel a bit tired...
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Friday, January 26, 2007
Moving On
Last night I came home to a less than full household. Even though he was just one cat, he just seemed to fill the void that is now there. He was never really a rabble-rouser, but yet, now that he is gone, I can sense that something is missing.
Blue Sh*t was acting funny last night as well. He was wanting more attention and affection from me. I just could not get him off my lap. He was more clingy than usual. I really wonder if he's disturbed by the recent change. I know that he has acted funny in the past when there has been some major changes in the household. If that is the case, then he is a rather insecure kitty. Whatever it is, I'll give him what he wants. I don't mind. I like the sound of a cat purring happily away.
I'm starting to feel better now. I can reminisce about the things that Finster has done without getting too choked up about it. However, when I see notes of sympathy or condolences, they still get me a bit teary-eyed. Only time will heal these wounds. The scars will still be there. If not, then we would not remember these times.
----
I think all of the stress and lack of sleep this week has taken a slight toll on me. I might have opened myself up to a slight cold. I thought it was just from the crying that I was a little bit congested. However, today, with some sneezing and sniffling I'm pretty sure it's the start of a cold. So now it's time to dose myself with a lot of Emergen-c and ColdFX. I have a small dinner party planned for next weekend! This weekend I think I will just try to relax a bit. I hope I can motivate myself to work on the C++ assignment and perhaps take some shots for the camera course. I guess I will still managed to keep myself busy even if I don't go out.
Blue Sh*t was acting funny last night as well. He was wanting more attention and affection from me. I just could not get him off my lap. He was more clingy than usual. I really wonder if he's disturbed by the recent change. I know that he has acted funny in the past when there has been some major changes in the household. If that is the case, then he is a rather insecure kitty. Whatever it is, I'll give him what he wants. I don't mind. I like the sound of a cat purring happily away.
I'm starting to feel better now. I can reminisce about the things that Finster has done without getting too choked up about it. However, when I see notes of sympathy or condolences, they still get me a bit teary-eyed. Only time will heal these wounds. The scars will still be there. If not, then we would not remember these times.
----
I think all of the stress and lack of sleep this week has taken a slight toll on me. I might have opened myself up to a slight cold. I thought it was just from the crying that I was a little bit congested. However, today, with some sneezing and sniffling I'm pretty sure it's the start of a cold. So now it's time to dose myself with a lot of Emergen-c and ColdFX. I have a small dinner party planned for next weekend! This weekend I think I will just try to relax a bit. I hope I can motivate myself to work on the C++ assignment and perhaps take some shots for the camera course. I guess I will still managed to keep myself busy even if I don't go out.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Cost of Death
It cost $85.46 to send a cherished friend away. $85.46 was all it took to send him down that path. The proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. It took $85.46 to put Finster to sleep.
Yesterday morning was very hard for me. I don't think I've ever felt this way before. It's amazing and incredible just how emotionally attached one can become to a long time pet. I suppose after 15 years it's to be expected.
I find difficult right now to find much more to say. For those who have or have had pets, I'm sure you understand everything that has happened. If you haven't experienced it yet, I wish you much strength in getting through this eventuality.
I'll probably still get a little choked up every now and then. But for the most part I think I'm doing better now than I did 24 hours ago. I think work and last night's photography class helped to distract me and focus on other things.
I did manage to sleep through the night, although I didn't really go to sleep until half past midnight. I should try to go to sleep earlier tonight. I'm still a bit tired, but even 4.5 hrs of straight sleep is better than the restless night I had.
Now a new era begins without Finster. I still have some insulin and needles. I could see if there's any pet owners who could use them...
Yesterday morning was very hard for me. I don't think I've ever felt this way before. It's amazing and incredible just how emotionally attached one can become to a long time pet. I suppose after 15 years it's to be expected.
I find difficult right now to find much more to say. For those who have or have had pets, I'm sure you understand everything that has happened. If you haven't experienced it yet, I wish you much strength in getting through this eventuality.
I'll probably still get a little choked up every now and then. But for the most part I think I'm doing better now than I did 24 hours ago. I think work and last night's photography class helped to distract me and focus on other things.
I did manage to sleep through the night, although I didn't really go to sleep until half past midnight. I should try to go to sleep earlier tonight. I'm still a bit tired, but even 4.5 hrs of straight sleep is better than the restless night I had.
Now a new era begins without Finster. I still have some insulin and needles. I could see if there's any pet owners who could use them...
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Decisions
Well, I really had a hard time trying to sleep last night. Again, I got very emotional last night. I can also see that Finster is not feeling very well. He seems to be looking at me in askance. He also seems to struggle to meow a little bit at me. I know he's very tired.
I guess what made it very hard to sleep last night was that I have come to the decision to not wait any longer. This morning I will be taking Finster to the vet one last time. I think it's best for the both of us. As hertbreaking as it is, I don't want to see him like this any longer than necessary. Last night, he would not even touch the bit of canned food I put out for him. To me that is a clear sign.
The vet only opens at 9. It's just after 8 right now. It's also a bit ironic that Finster is in his carrier resting/napping. I really need to keep my mind focused on other things and not dwell on this too much otherwise I will never make it to the vet. I have to steel myself. It will be a long day.
I guess what made it very hard to sleep last night was that I have come to the decision to not wait any longer. This morning I will be taking Finster to the vet one last time. I think it's best for the both of us. As hertbreaking as it is, I don't want to see him like this any longer than necessary. Last night, he would not even touch the bit of canned food I put out for him. To me that is a clear sign.
The vet only opens at 9. It's just after 8 right now. It's also a bit ironic that Finster is in his carrier resting/napping. I really need to keep my mind focused on other things and not dwell on this too much otherwise I will never make it to the vet. I have to steel myself. It will be a long day.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
The Next Day
Well, I think I feel asleep right away last night. However, I woke up around 4:30AM this morning. I tried to sleep a bit more until the alarm went off at 5:00AM. Yeah, I get up at an insane hour.
I've been trying to keep myself distracted at work. For the most part, it's been working. The only time when it's been difficult is when I talk about or mention Finster to someone. I emailed a friend about it. He had gone through a similar scenario with the family dog. I think that anyone who has ever had a beloved pet would know what I and many others are going through.
I had lunch today with another friend. I had told her about Finster. I'm hoping that she'll have some time Saturday morning to give me some moral support when the deed is done. Worse case is I make sure that I have a box of Kleenex in the car. Thankfully, the vet's office is not that far from home.
I guess the next step is to actually call the vet to make the appointment. I am not looking forward to that. I might do it tomorrow.
It's times like this that make you wish you can suppress your emotions like a Vulcan. But, I guess this is what makes us all human.
I've been trying to keep myself distracted at work. For the most part, it's been working. The only time when it's been difficult is when I talk about or mention Finster to someone. I emailed a friend about it. He had gone through a similar scenario with the family dog. I think that anyone who has ever had a beloved pet would know what I and many others are going through.
I had lunch today with another friend. I had told her about Finster. I'm hoping that she'll have some time Saturday morning to give me some moral support when the deed is done. Worse case is I make sure that I have a box of Kleenex in the car. Thankfully, the vet's office is not that far from home.
I guess the next step is to actually call the vet to make the appointment. I am not looking forward to that. I might do it tomorrow.
It's times like this that make you wish you can suppress your emotions like a Vulcan. But, I guess this is what makes us all human.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Life and Death Decisions...
As a pet owner, there comes a time when one needs to make one of the most difficult decisions in their life. When a beloved pet becomes very ill the decision needs to be made as to how soon or later the beloved pet will depart from this world.
This evening, I brought my Finster to the vet to have him checked out because he was losing his appetite. It seems that he has lost yet another 2 pounds. The vet was able to get a urine sample from him. It seems that his kidneys are failing. Given that Finster is also diabetic, it does not help matters. His blood sugar has been fluctating. He's also got a heart murmur.
So, in a nutshell, if I decide to have him treated, it's only going to prolong the inevitable. According to the vet, we would only be patching things. I also think that to prolong his life like this is selfish of me and unfair for the both of us.
Finster has had a good 15 year run. He was diagnosed with diabetes when he was 8. I knew the day would come when the decision had to be made. I just kept it way, way back in the back of my mind. Now it's been pushed out into the front. I have to face this reality soon. I know it won't be pleasant. I know I will need some moral support. When I have this done, it would have to be this weekend first thing in the morning. Then I have the rest of the weekend to try to recuperate.
It just sucks knowing that this needs to be done. :(
Sunday, January 21, 2007
*Some* money spent..
Okay.. So I did end up buying something this weekend. However, it was something that was needed. I bought and downloaded Parallels Desktop for the Mac. I really needed to have a Windows environment for some stuff I am doing. It kinda sucks, but I had no choice. And I did not want to use my work laptop for some of this stuff either.
Anyway...
Anyway...
Weekend almost over...
So I went out and bought groceries. I think that came out to about $80 worth. I plan on making some ma-po tofu for dinner tonight. That should provide me with leftovers for a couple of lunchs. Tomorrow I plan to prepare chili in the slow cooker. That should take care of the balance of the week. I know it might seem a bit boring, but since I will be in class two evenings a week, I need all the time savings I can. As well, it's nice to have something ready for lunch or dinner as needed.
Otherwise, I think I am really starting to dread the winter blues. This past week has been pretty rough in that department. All I want to do is sleep. I don't feel too motivated to get much else done. It's really bad! I think when I continue my reading this afternoon, it will have to be away from this desk. The computer is just too much of a temptation and distraction. An easy way to procrastinate. When they start to give out the assignments, I want to be ready to tackle them. I don't want to be caught with my proverbial pants down. :-p
I am trying hard to ensure that my personal life and moods do not impact life at work. I think it's important to make that distinction. But the tiredness from the winter blues is really not helping any. I know that this coming week will be very busy for me at work. I know there are things I need to accomplish. My team leader will also be on vacation. Oooh! It might actually be a stressful week! I haven't had one of those in ages!
That's another thing. I seem to perform better under stress than not. I suppose that the pressure to get something done triggers something in me. It gets my thought processes going. I think my mind needs to be going a hundred miles a minute. I find that when I am not stimulated in this way, I am not as alert. It's kind of strange but true. But hey, what can I say? I guess this is how I operate.
Otherwise, I think I am really starting to dread the winter blues. This past week has been pretty rough in that department. All I want to do is sleep. I don't feel too motivated to get much else done. It's really bad! I think when I continue my reading this afternoon, it will have to be away from this desk. The computer is just too much of a temptation and distraction. An easy way to procrastinate. When they start to give out the assignments, I want to be ready to tackle them. I don't want to be caught with my proverbial pants down. :-p
I am trying hard to ensure that my personal life and moods do not impact life at work. I think it's important to make that distinction. But the tiredness from the winter blues is really not helping any. I know that this coming week will be very busy for me at work. I know there are things I need to accomplish. My team leader will also be on vacation. Oooh! It might actually be a stressful week! I haven't had one of those in ages!
That's another thing. I seem to perform better under stress than not. I suppose that the pressure to get something done triggers something in me. It gets my thought processes going. I think my mind needs to be going a hundred miles a minute. I find that when I am not stimulated in this way, I am not as alert. It's kind of strange but true. But hey, what can I say? I guess this is how I operate.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Weekend half over...
.. and I did not spend a penny today. I managed to avoid perusing sites that sold anything. Earlier I did sort of thought about buying an album off of iTunes, but I decided to hold off on it for now.
So what have I done all day? Well, for most of the afternoon, I have tried to read some C++. Dry reading as it was, I did do a little websurfing every now and again. I think I managed a couple chapters. Tomorrow I will continue.
I did start to put together a grocery list for tomorrow. I find that if I at least make this extra effort it helps tremendously in meal planning for this week. Especially since I will classes 2 nights a week now. So I will need to plan on having something to eat before I head off to class. I think I will make a pot of chili in the slow cooker or something. No, the slow cooker is still at I&J's place. I suppose to could swing by and get it before they go to the Hash...
One more day to get through without shopping... But oh! All of the temptations out there!!
So what have I done all day? Well, for most of the afternoon, I have tried to read some C++. Dry reading as it was, I did do a little websurfing every now and again. I think I managed a couple chapters. Tomorrow I will continue.
I did start to put together a grocery list for tomorrow. I find that if I at least make this extra effort it helps tremendously in meal planning for this week. Especially since I will classes 2 nights a week now. So I will need to plan on having something to eat before I head off to class. I think I will make a pot of chili in the slow cooker or something. No, the slow cooker is still at I&J's place. I suppose to could swing by and get it before they go to the Hash...
One more day to get through without shopping... But oh! All of the temptations out there!!
Ooooh, so close!
So, as I was writing the previous post I was also perusing the MEC site. I started to add stuff to the shopping cart. Then I had to make myself stop and think about what I was doing. I have to stop this! Must stop...
Bad Habits
Well, not really *that* bad, but for a weekend I think it's bad. And the bad habit is getting up early when you don't really have to.
As part of what I told myself and a few witnesses, I will avoid unncessary shopping. A few days ago, I had thought about going over to MEC. For what exactly? I think I was looking at some of their pants and stuff. I could use a couple more pairs of their merino wool socks (oh they are comfy!), but aside from that I really did not need anything else. And is it really worth it to shlep all the way over there by car (about a 10 min drive) for socks? Hmm...
I think this weekend I need to devote my time to studying for the classes I'm taking. I think I will still go to the movie this afternoon. Maybe. I think I will pass on the hash tomorrow in favor of some reading. I think I've been keeping myself busy the past few weekends with things to do. I think this weekend might be a good weekend to stay in and catch up on other things.
Yeah, reading up on C++ and XML will be a lot of fun! (O_o)
As part of what I told myself and a few witnesses, I will avoid unncessary shopping. A few days ago, I had thought about going over to MEC. For what exactly? I think I was looking at some of their pants and stuff. I could use a couple more pairs of their merino wool socks (oh they are comfy!), but aside from that I really did not need anything else. And is it really worth it to shlep all the way over there by car (about a 10 min drive) for socks? Hmm...
I think this weekend I need to devote my time to studying for the classes I'm taking. I think I will still go to the movie this afternoon. Maybe. I think I will pass on the hash tomorrow in favor of some reading. I think I've been keeping myself busy the past few weekends with things to do. I think this weekend might be a good weekend to stay in and catch up on other things.
Yeah, reading up on C++ and XML will be a lot of fun! (O_o)
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Things said...
Sometimes you come across something and say "Hey! I totally understand what you're saying!" Being that I frequent Matthew Good's website, his most recent post kinda hit home. It's something I can relate to:
"You work hard, you make sure that things are taken care of, that the people you love are taken care of, and a lot of the time you don’t really take the time to stop and think if you’re being taken care of – did the person who’s no longer on the other side of that bed take care of you?"
Food for thought...
"You work hard, you make sure that things are taken care of, that the people you love are taken care of, and a lot of the time you don’t really take the time to stop and think if you’re being taken care of – did the person who’s no longer on the other side of that bed take care of you?"
Food for thought...
Someone stop me!
I now realize that I have been shopping ALOT lately. I think I might have mentioned in an earlier post about things I have bought. It doesn't stop there. I have been making smaller purchases as well. It just adds up. I really need to stop.
If I'm not shopping, I am baking. This is almost as bad. It's gotten to a point where everyone at work almost expects me to bring something in every week if not every day. But when you're home alone and don't feel like studying or something then you look for distractions (aka trouble). I think that's what I have been doing.
So, I just got another Crumpler bag for my camera. I also just ordered a Sumo Omni as well.
Someone STOP ME!!!
Update: I am shopping to compensate for what's missing in my life at the moment. I think that is the actual realization...
If I'm not shopping, I am baking. This is almost as bad. It's gotten to a point where everyone at work almost expects me to bring something in every week if not every day. But when you're home alone and don't feel like studying or something then you look for distractions (aka trouble). I think that's what I have been doing.
So, I just got another Crumpler bag for my camera. I also just ordered a Sumo Omni as well.
Someone STOP ME!!!
Update: I am shopping to compensate for what's missing in my life at the moment. I think that is the actual realization...
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
F-f-f-COLD!
Yes. We have our first official winter deep-freeze of the season. I believe that last night the windchill got down to about -33C. That's pretty darn cold. :-p
I only had one class last night as the other was cancelled. I think the instructor might have been sick or something. In any case, it was a welcome respite as I have not been sleeping very well the past week. I hope I'm not coming down with something because I have a slight headache at the moment. Sometimes this is a precursor to the dreaded cold. I did take some emergen-C tonight. I had some this morning as well. I really would not be surprised if I had caught some bug while riding the metro last night.
Otherwise, things have been about the same. I'm still fed up with the dating sites, so I have not been frequenting them much these days. I might login to one just to look around, but I'm usually out of there in a few minutes. It just seems like it's such a huge waste of time.
I've really got to hunker down and start reading for the classes I'm taking. At least try to be ready for the first assignments. I should call it an early evening tonight and maybe organize my notes and shite...
I only had one class last night as the other was cancelled. I think the instructor might have been sick or something. In any case, it was a welcome respite as I have not been sleeping very well the past week. I hope I'm not coming down with something because I have a slight headache at the moment. Sometimes this is a precursor to the dreaded cold. I did take some emergen-C tonight. I had some this morning as well. I really would not be surprised if I had caught some bug while riding the metro last night.
Otherwise, things have been about the same. I'm still fed up with the dating sites, so I have not been frequenting them much these days. I might login to one just to look around, but I'm usually out of there in a few minutes. It just seems like it's such a huge waste of time.
I've really got to hunker down and start reading for the classes I'm taking. At least try to be ready for the first assignments. I should call it an early evening tonight and maybe organize my notes and shite...
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Winter wonderland...
Not!
It goes without saying that with significant snowfall (anything above a few cm) that everything gets thrown into some level of chaos.
Take for example my trek from work to the vet. I figure I should leave somewhat early and I did. I left the office at around 15:40. I arrived at the vet's office around 16:30. With no traffic and no snow I should get there in about 10-15 minutes.
There were no traffic issues on the way home. However, when I got to my driveway, that was another story. The contractor had come by at some point to clear the driveway. That was okay. Then, it seems that the city plows might have come by to do the street. well, it seems that a small snow bank formed in front of the driveway. I miscalculated the height of the mound. I tried to drive through it and got stuck. :-p Thankfully, a passerby was kind enough to help dig me out of that situation! So, in the end I finally got home at about 17:00.
Today is another story. It's downright frigid!! I wonder if we are getting the January deep freeze now. It's suppose to get down to about -22C tonight. Of course that's not factoring in any windchill. And I have class tonight on top of it all. However, my second class was cancelled tonight. Whew! That means I can go home after the first class ends at 20:00. Yay!
I have really got to get some reading done. I tried last night but I guess I just let myself get distracted. Tonight I really should try to read a bit. I tuess that means trying not to read in front of the computer. :-D
I guess I am a closet procrastinator. I know I should get something done, but I am letting myself get distracted. I've really got to stop that...
It goes without saying that with significant snowfall (anything above a few cm) that everything gets thrown into some level of chaos.
Take for example my trek from work to the vet. I figure I should leave somewhat early and I did. I left the office at around 15:40. I arrived at the vet's office around 16:30. With no traffic and no snow I should get there in about 10-15 minutes.
There were no traffic issues on the way home. However, when I got to my driveway, that was another story. The contractor had come by at some point to clear the driveway. That was okay. Then, it seems that the city plows might have come by to do the street. well, it seems that a small snow bank formed in front of the driveway. I miscalculated the height of the mound. I tried to drive through it and got stuck. :-p Thankfully, a passerby was kind enough to help dig me out of that situation! So, in the end I finally got home at about 17:00.
Today is another story. It's downright frigid!! I wonder if we are getting the January deep freeze now. It's suppose to get down to about -22C tonight. Of course that's not factoring in any windchill. And I have class tonight on top of it all. However, my second class was cancelled tonight. Whew! That means I can go home after the first class ends at 20:00. Yay!
I have really got to get some reading done. I tried last night but I guess I just let myself get distracted. Tonight I really should try to read a bit. I tuess that means trying not to read in front of the computer. :-D
I guess I am a closet procrastinator. I know I should get something done, but I am letting myself get distracted. I've really got to stop that...
Monday, January 15, 2007
Old Man Winter has arisen!
Well, it seemed that the mild winter weather we have been experiencing has ended. At least for now.
We're experiencing blustery winds and blowing snow. Expected accumulation about 15cm.
Want to see what Downtown Montreal is like right now?
Anyway, I hope I can go home early. I need to pick up some catfood for the little monsters. Hopefully I can get some reading done tonight as well. I've got class tomorrow and I would like to at least get some reading done beforehand.
Gee, I can't WAIT to see what the commute will be like later this afternoon.. :-p
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Late evening thoughts
Not that there's a whole lot of them...
So I decided to delete a couple of profiles from a few of the dating sites. I was just getting fed up and I really did not want to throw money at these sites just so I can obtain more info. Nope. Not going to have any more of that.
What next? I don't know. I'll just go with the flow and see what happens.
There's a reference made about people sometimes. It's the one where people are sometimes referred to as damaged goods. Just what does that mean exactly? When it comes to relationships and stuff, it seems that when one half is dumped, then that person is referred to as damaged goods. Or am I getting this totally wrong? In any case, I would think that it makes some people feel like castoffs. Well, sometimes castoffs still have some redeeming value. It's all a question of someone finding that castoff. Maybe another person will not see the other as a castoff. Anyway, that was a stray thought that just ran through my mind.
So I decided to delete a couple of profiles from a few of the dating sites. I was just getting fed up and I really did not want to throw money at these sites just so I can obtain more info. Nope. Not going to have any more of that.
What next? I don't know. I'll just go with the flow and see what happens.
There's a reference made about people sometimes. It's the one where people are sometimes referred to as damaged goods. Just what does that mean exactly? When it comes to relationships and stuff, it seems that when one half is dumped, then that person is referred to as damaged goods. Or am I getting this totally wrong? In any case, I would think that it makes some people feel like castoffs. Well, sometimes castoffs still have some redeeming value. It's all a question of someone finding that castoff. Maybe another person will not see the other as a castoff. Anyway, that was a stray thought that just ran through my mind.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Bursting a bubble
How does one go about bursting the bubble that encapsulates a person's little world?
There is a friend, whom I'll call Kitty, who needs to go beyond the confines of her little world. Another friend and I agree that she's become too dependent upon those that are part of her little world. At the same time, it seems that her circle of friends are all of a similar background culturally. As a result, we feel that she will never become an independent person.
I cannot think of any time when she hasn't already got plans to do things with this small circle of friends. Whenever we want her to join us for something, she's always got some friend's birthday dinner or some sort of practice that she has to attend. In fact, just because there is a person's birthday around a certain weekend a month away, she's already pretty sure there'd be some sort of event for it.
Oh, did I mention that she still lives at home? Yes, she is over 30 and still lives at home with her parents. I don't think that it's because she can't afford to move out. I don't think she's ever really developed a sense of independence. Sure she's gone away on trips for work, but that's not quite the same as living on your own for more than a couple of months.
Another thing about her is that it seems that she's always checking to see who's going to be at certain events before she decides if she's going to go. I get the feeling that she doesn't do too well around total strangers. This brings me to another subject: her social skills and tact could stand some improvement. On occasion she will say things that seem to be blurted out without giving any real thought as to the impact of her statement on people.
In any case, she still seems to have a certain naivity about her. At times she seems to display ignorance about some things. It could be her way to avoid certain subjects? Who knows. My friend and I want to break her bubble. We'll think of something... ;-)
There is a friend, whom I'll call Kitty, who needs to go beyond the confines of her little world. Another friend and I agree that she's become too dependent upon those that are part of her little world. At the same time, it seems that her circle of friends are all of a similar background culturally. As a result, we feel that she will never become an independent person.
I cannot think of any time when she hasn't already got plans to do things with this small circle of friends. Whenever we want her to join us for something, she's always got some friend's birthday dinner or some sort of practice that she has to attend. In fact, just because there is a person's birthday around a certain weekend a month away, she's already pretty sure there'd be some sort of event for it.
Oh, did I mention that she still lives at home? Yes, she is over 30 and still lives at home with her parents. I don't think that it's because she can't afford to move out. I don't think she's ever really developed a sense of independence. Sure she's gone away on trips for work, but that's not quite the same as living on your own for more than a couple of months.
Another thing about her is that it seems that she's always checking to see who's going to be at certain events before she decides if she's going to go. I get the feeling that she doesn't do too well around total strangers. This brings me to another subject: her social skills and tact could stand some improvement. On occasion she will say things that seem to be blurted out without giving any real thought as to the impact of her statement on people.
In any case, she still seems to have a certain naivity about her. At times she seems to display ignorance about some things. It could be her way to avoid certain subjects? Who knows. My friend and I want to break her bubble. We'll think of something... ;-)
Thursday, January 11, 2007
It's a bake-a-thon!!!
With your hostess... ME!
Yup! I'm at it again. I am baking this evening. I have got to stop this baking. But how?
It's one way to eat some of my evenings. It's something for me to concentrate on. It's a good thing I don't eat everything I make!
So what did I end up baking tonight? Apple Cake v2.3 (improved implementation of apple slices). Almond biscotti. White chocolate chip chocolate cookies.
And yes, I will bringing the bulk of these to work in the morning. A bit lazy about pictures tonight. I'll post them on Flickr probably tomorrow.
Yup! I'm at it again. I am baking this evening. I have got to stop this baking. But how?
It's one way to eat some of my evenings. It's something for me to concentrate on. It's a good thing I don't eat everything I make!
So what did I end up baking tonight? Apple Cake v2.3 (improved implementation of apple slices). Almond biscotti. White chocolate chip chocolate cookies.
And yes, I will bringing the bulk of these to work in the morning. A bit lazy about pictures tonight. I'll post them on Flickr probably tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Uhmmm...
There are some days when you get this brilliant flash of imagination or insight. Then as soon as it appears, it disappears. Then you wish you had taken the opportunity to make note of the moment of brilliance. How often has that happened to you?
I sometimes do regret not taking that brief moment or two to note some things that go on in my head. Thinking about it now, maybe it's a good idea to keep a small notebook handy for such occasions. Actually, I do have this little orange notebook that my ex left behind. He had only written a couple pages of Japanese notes. I don't think he'll be needing them any more.
Sometimes these moments occur at work. I might have a notepad or something nearby but I never took the time to jot things down.
I think it's about time I started to do this.
Then, what would I do with these notes?
I sometimes do regret not taking that brief moment or two to note some things that go on in my head. Thinking about it now, maybe it's a good idea to keep a small notebook handy for such occasions. Actually, I do have this little orange notebook that my ex left behind. He had only written a couple pages of Japanese notes. I don't think he'll be needing them any more.
Sometimes these moments occur at work. I might have a notepad or something nearby but I never took the time to jot things down.
I think it's about time I started to do this.
Then, what would I do with these notes?
Monday, January 08, 2007
Music for my sanity...
It's funny but true.
I think that to a certain extent if it weren't for music, I would probably just go nuts. I really need to have something to listen too.
In the past 6 months I have been listening to a variety of things. I have also noticed that I would listen to one particular artist or type of music repeatedly for a period of time before I switch to something else. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. I think it's just the way the music happens to reflect my overall mood of that time.
Some stuff I've listened to a lot these past few months:
- Pixies
- Alanis Morissette
- Tragically Hip
- Death Cab for Cutie
- Matthew Good (most recently)
- various electronica (this actually hasn't changed much)
Lately, I have really been enjoying listening to the acoustic tracks on Matthew Good's In A Coma album. There's something to be said about acoustic guitar. Aside from that I seem to have developed a liking for his Avalanche album. There are some good tracks on that one.
I think that to a certain extent if it weren't for music, I would probably just go nuts. I really need to have something to listen too.
In the past 6 months I have been listening to a variety of things. I have also noticed that I would listen to one particular artist or type of music repeatedly for a period of time before I switch to something else. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. I think it's just the way the music happens to reflect my overall mood of that time.
Some stuff I've listened to a lot these past few months:
- Pixies
- Alanis Morissette
- Tragically Hip
- Death Cab for Cutie
- Matthew Good (most recently)
- various electronica (this actually hasn't changed much)
Lately, I have really been enjoying listening to the acoustic tracks on Matthew Good's In A Coma album. There's something to be said about acoustic guitar. Aside from that I seem to have developed a liking for his Avalanche album. There are some good tracks on that one.
Monday, Monday
Yes, folks! It's that time of the week again. It's that day that most of us dread when we wake up in the morning. Why? Why must we drag ourselves out of the cozy comforts of sleep for this?
I dunno.
I guess most of us have some sort of job that we must go to. Most of us have bills that will need to be paid. Most of us would like to have some food on the table too. Geez, that's a lot of stuff that needs to paid for! I guess that's life.
For the most part, the weekend had been okay. I ended spending some money on new glasses (will only get them either at the end of the week or next Monday). I ordered a new lens to go with the D80.
The Hash yesterday was pretty good. The walking trail was pretty lengthy. It was a good solid hour of walking. The weather wasn't bad as it was nice and sunny.
There's a few things going through my mind, but I don't think I will mention them here. They're not bad things, but you never know who reads this blog. :-) Sure, there's the stats counter, but by then it's too late, right? Anyway, the innocent will remain innocent.
I wonder where you can find a small garden gnome at this time of year? Hmmm...
I dunno.
I guess most of us have some sort of job that we must go to. Most of us have bills that will need to be paid. Most of us would like to have some food on the table too. Geez, that's a lot of stuff that needs to paid for! I guess that's life.
For the most part, the weekend had been okay. I ended spending some money on new glasses (will only get them either at the end of the week or next Monday). I ordered a new lens to go with the D80.
The Hash yesterday was pretty good. The walking trail was pretty lengthy. It was a good solid hour of walking. The weather wasn't bad as it was nice and sunny.
There's a few things going through my mind, but I don't think I will mention them here. They're not bad things, but you never know who reads this blog. :-) Sure, there's the stats counter, but by then it's too late, right? Anyway, the innocent will remain innocent.
I wonder where you can find a small garden gnome at this time of year? Hmmm...
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Doting Aunt that I am
Well, I made a few of the family xmas pics public on flickr. I think my little niece is just adorable. I like when her bangs are pinned back. :-)
Untitled
Okay... Another rip-roaring exciting Saturday. ;-)
Wanting to save some money and energy, I decided that it would be a good idea to replace what incandescent bulbs I have with the energy saving ones. So I had earlier bought some that were equivalent to 60 watts. I changed what light fixtures that used 60 watts with the energy-saving ones. The floor lamp in the livingroom, however, used 100watt. I had to go out today to look for and buy ones for 100watt.
The problem arose when I wanted to change the ones in the bedroom. It seems that both light fixtures (ceiling mount) are on dimmers. According to the package, these energy-saving bulbs cannot be used with dimmers. Darn!
So now, if I want to use the energy-saving bulbs, I will have to change the dimmers to regular switches.
Thankfully, it looks like it should be an easy task since the 2 dimmers are seperately connected. It looks like this might be a small weekend project in the near future.
In the meantime, my blah-ness from yesterday seems to have subsided somewhat. I don't know why I feel like this at times. I wonder if it isn't a mild case of depression or something. I've noticed that on occasion that what goes on during the day has an impact on the overall mood. I don't think I am experiencing any extreme mood swings either. I will have to try to keep an eye on myself. I'm sure others around me would notice if something is amiss.
First Hash of the year for me tomorrow! Officially, it's the 2nd one of the year as there was one this past Monday that I did not go to. Oh well. I had mentioned the hash to someone at work. I hope he goes since it's not very far from where he lives.
Next week, I might be haring the hash with someone. I think. Never hared a hash before so this would be my first. I hope the weather is good for next weekend as well!
Wanting to save some money and energy, I decided that it would be a good idea to replace what incandescent bulbs I have with the energy saving ones. So I had earlier bought some that were equivalent to 60 watts. I changed what light fixtures that used 60 watts with the energy-saving ones. The floor lamp in the livingroom, however, used 100watt. I had to go out today to look for and buy ones for 100watt.
The problem arose when I wanted to change the ones in the bedroom. It seems that both light fixtures (ceiling mount) are on dimmers. According to the package, these energy-saving bulbs cannot be used with dimmers. Darn!
So now, if I want to use the energy-saving bulbs, I will have to change the dimmers to regular switches.
Thankfully, it looks like it should be an easy task since the 2 dimmers are seperately connected. It looks like this might be a small weekend project in the near future.
In the meantime, my blah-ness from yesterday seems to have subsided somewhat. I don't know why I feel like this at times. I wonder if it isn't a mild case of depression or something. I've noticed that on occasion that what goes on during the day has an impact on the overall mood. I don't think I am experiencing any extreme mood swings either. I will have to try to keep an eye on myself. I'm sure others around me would notice if something is amiss.
First Hash of the year for me tomorrow! Officially, it's the 2nd one of the year as there was one this past Monday that I did not go to. Oh well. I had mentioned the hash to someone at work. I hope he goes since it's not very far from where he lives.
Next week, I might be haring the hash with someone. I think. Never hared a hash before so this would be my first. I hope the weather is good for next weekend as well!
Friday, January 05, 2007
C'est le weekend, tabarnac! ;-)
Yay! First work week of the year DONE with!
I wish I could say that this week has been exciting, but I can't. Why? Because it just wasn't that exciting. I guess the only high point to the week was when I went out for sushi with some friends. That was the high point. And no, since I did not go out for New Year's Eve, that was not a high point.
What's on tap for the weekend? Well, I'm not really sure, but I think I will be going to LensCrafters tomorrow with a friend who wants to take advantage of my CAA membership and get a discount on glasses. I also need to look for a new pair as well. I just had my eyes examined just before Christmas. At least I'll get something out of it. Other than that, there were plans to go catch a movie in the afternoon with a meetup group. But that might get canned if I am just not in the mood to socialize. That and the fact I hadn't gotten confirmation back from another friend who expressed an interest in going as well.
If the movie is canned, then I might just work on installing Windows on my Mac Pro. I downloaded Bootcamp last night. I just acquired XP. Cross your fingers, boys and girls! This could be a bumpy ride! I am such a f*cking geek sometimes. Anyways, whatcha gonna do?
Aside from that, not much else that's terribly exciting.
General mood: "Eh"
I wish I could say that this week has been exciting, but I can't. Why? Because it just wasn't that exciting. I guess the only high point to the week was when I went out for sushi with some friends. That was the high point. And no, since I did not go out for New Year's Eve, that was not a high point.
What's on tap for the weekend? Well, I'm not really sure, but I think I will be going to LensCrafters tomorrow with a friend who wants to take advantage of my CAA membership and get a discount on glasses. I also need to look for a new pair as well. I just had my eyes examined just before Christmas. At least I'll get something out of it. Other than that, there were plans to go catch a movie in the afternoon with a meetup group. But that might get canned if I am just not in the mood to socialize. That and the fact I hadn't gotten confirmation back from another friend who expressed an interest in going as well.
If the movie is canned, then I might just work on installing Windows on my Mac Pro. I downloaded Bootcamp last night. I just acquired XP. Cross your fingers, boys and girls! This could be a bumpy ride! I am such a f*cking geek sometimes. Anyways, whatcha gonna do?
Aside from that, not much else that's terribly exciting.
General mood: "Eh"
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Weeknight Frolicking
Well, okay, maybe not really frolicking, but I did go out with a few friends last night. One of them needed a sushi fix before he had to go to Indonesia for a couple of weeks for work. Afterwards, we went over to a nearby pub for a pint and some Bailey's cheesecake. We hung out there for a while until it was nearly 11.
Thankfully it was a slow week since quite a few people were still off on holiday this week. Otherwise, I don't think I would have gone out like that on a weeknight. Perhaps just the sushi part... But then again, the last time we went for sushi it was a Thursday night and we had also gone over to Hurley's afterwards. But we didn't stay as late.
Soooo, I am a bit pooped right now... I really should go to sleep earlier tonight..
Thankfully it was a slow week since quite a few people were still off on holiday this week. Otherwise, I don't think I would have gone out like that on a weeknight. Perhaps just the sushi part... But then again, the last time we went for sushi it was a Thursday night and we had also gone over to Hurley's afterwards. But we didn't stay as late.
Soooo, I am a bit pooped right now... I really should go to sleep earlier tonight..
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
New Blog Template
Because a certain individual did not like the black background, I've gone ahead and updated the template used for this blog. I hope it meets his approval. ;-)
You know who you are!
You know who you are!
Generation X
It's funny. I was just having a conversation with a couple of friends on MSN. It seems that number of us in their 30's are feeling a bit "lost". One of my friends stated the he needed to find himself. As a result, he may be taking an assignment that would have him working on the other side of the globe.
I guess I saw it with my brother earlier on when he got laid off from his job and had a hard time deciding what to do next. For some reason, many of us in their 30's seem a bit disillusioned and lost as far as what to do with their lives. Why is that?
Then I remembered the book that Douglas Coupland wrote entitled Generation X. The lowdown on Gen-X can be found in Wikipedia. I first read it some time ago. I think it might be interesting to read it now. It might give a different impression as my friend mentioned.
I guess I saw it with my brother earlier on when he got laid off from his job and had a hard time deciding what to do next. For some reason, many of us in their 30's seem a bit disillusioned and lost as far as what to do with their lives. Why is that?
Then I remembered the book that Douglas Coupland wrote entitled Generation X. The lowdown on Gen-X can be found in Wikipedia. I first read it some time ago. I think it might be interesting to read it now. It might give a different impression as my friend mentioned.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Sad Sack
Okay, I will admit that too much idle time is not doing me a world of good at the moment. I find that when I am not busy with something that I am tryin to find something to occupy my time. Sometimes, there's not a whole lot to do. When that happens then my mind starts to wander. And when the mind starts to wander then that's not always good.
I think the last time I was on my own during the holidays was soon after I moved into this place. I guess I managed to pass the time in trying to settle in. Of course there was that little *ahem* distraction one evening, but I won't say any more about that.
This year, my distractions were: a trip see my folks, small shopping-spree at IKEA, a holiday party at a friend's and some baking. Sad to say but I spent New Year's Eve at home in front of the computer. Well, I did have some company. I was IM'ing my brother who was also in the same predicament. Yeah, we were both sad cases...
Anyway, I'm in a less than chipper mood the past couple of days...
But wait! It's a work day tomorrow! Oh joy...
I think the last time I was on my own during the holidays was soon after I moved into this place. I guess I managed to pass the time in trying to settle in. Of course there was that little *ahem* distraction one evening, but I won't say any more about that.
This year, my distractions were: a trip see my folks, small shopping-spree at IKEA, a holiday party at a friend's and some baking. Sad to say but I spent New Year's Eve at home in front of the computer. Well, I did have some company. I was IM'ing my brother who was also in the same predicament. Yeah, we were both sad cases...
Anyway, I'm in a less than chipper mood the past couple of days...
But wait! It's a work day tomorrow! Oh joy...
Here's a thought...
I've been in two long-term relationships. I guess you could consider them to be common-law unions. Now, if I had been married, then that means I would have been twice divorced.
For some reason, it just doesn't sound as nice to say that you're twice divorced versus saying that you've been in a couple of long-term relationships. Which would look or sound better to you?
Either way, I start off 2007 as a single person.
For some reason, it just doesn't sound as nice to say that you're twice divorced versus saying that you've been in a couple of long-term relationships. Which would look or sound better to you?
Either way, I start off 2007 as a single person.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Saying Goodbye to 2006
And hello to 2007...
So, I'm one of these sad souls not our partying it up in welcoming the new year. Why is that? Maybe because 2006 has been a rather crappy year. Okay, maybe only the last 6 months were. In any case, one way to look at things is that with the new year come new beginnings. Maybe.
If I'm not out partying it up, then what am I doing? Well, this evening I made myself a nice dinner of roast chicken. I popped in a couple of DVDs to watch. Now I am in bed listening to some Matthew Good (In a Coma, disc 2) as the clock slowly ticks towards midnight.
What do I want to see in 2007? I really don't know. However, I certainly want to be happier in 2007 than I have been in 2006. I'm not sure how that might happen, but you never know. Life is supposed to be full of surprises, I guess. All a matter of circumstances. How the stars are aligned with your Zoadiac. Blah, blah, blah.
Okay, enough of the sourpuss act here. I guess I am to some extent slightly bummed, bitter and perhaps annoyed at the whole holiday thing this year. Sure there were days when everything seems alright, but on the whole, it's been "Eh".
Five more minutes. Happy new year, dear readers.
So, I'm one of these sad souls not our partying it up in welcoming the new year. Why is that? Maybe because 2006 has been a rather crappy year. Okay, maybe only the last 6 months were. In any case, one way to look at things is that with the new year come new beginnings. Maybe.
If I'm not out partying it up, then what am I doing? Well, this evening I made myself a nice dinner of roast chicken. I popped in a couple of DVDs to watch. Now I am in bed listening to some Matthew Good (In a Coma, disc 2) as the clock slowly ticks towards midnight.
What do I want to see in 2007? I really don't know. However, I certainly want to be happier in 2007 than I have been in 2006. I'm not sure how that might happen, but you never know. Life is supposed to be full of surprises, I guess. All a matter of circumstances. How the stars are aligned with your Zoadiac. Blah, blah, blah.
Okay, enough of the sourpuss act here. I guess I am to some extent slightly bummed, bitter and perhaps annoyed at the whole holiday thing this year. Sure there were days when everything seems alright, but on the whole, it's been "Eh".
Five more minutes. Happy new year, dear readers.
Sweet Lenore
I know this might be more appropriate for Halloween, but depending on what your sense of humur is like, this is great any time of the year.
Lenore
Enjoy!
Lenore
Enjoy!
Holiday Blahs
I wanted to avoid it. I didn't want to see it. I certainly didn't want to experience. However much I tried there was no denying it. The holiday blues are trying to invade.
I've been trying to keep myself busy for the most part during this holiday perdiod. However, there will be times when that black funk just seems to descend upon you. Thankfully, it's not to the point of downright depression, but more of the heavy sighing type of blah.
I've noticed that in the past six months that I have been spending a lot of money on stuff. More than I would normally. I've discussed this with my brother. It seems that both of us tend to buy things when we're down. So far, I've bought the Mac Pro, bike parts and accessories, bags (of course), some clothes, new camera and IKEA furnishings. Oh, and there was that trip to Japan. I guess that could count. It could be worse. I could have gone out and gotten myself a large LCD television. Then I would not have had the room to place it, which meant having to buy a new entertainment unit to place it and all the other electronics. And it would have meant contacting the ex to haul away his television.
I haven't broke the bank yet, but I do need to start keeping an eye on my expenditures. :-p Mustn't get totally out of control.
I need some distraction. My classes at Concordia will start on the 9th. The camera class at Dawson only starts on the 24th. I guess I just need to survive until then. Afterwards, the classes should keep me busy for a while...
I've been trying to keep myself busy for the most part during this holiday perdiod. However, there will be times when that black funk just seems to descend upon you. Thankfully, it's not to the point of downright depression, but more of the heavy sighing type of blah.
I've noticed that in the past six months that I have been spending a lot of money on stuff. More than I would normally. I've discussed this with my brother. It seems that both of us tend to buy things when we're down. So far, I've bought the Mac Pro, bike parts and accessories, bags (of course), some clothes, new camera and IKEA furnishings. Oh, and there was that trip to Japan. I guess that could count. It could be worse. I could have gone out and gotten myself a large LCD television. Then I would not have had the room to place it, which meant having to buy a new entertainment unit to place it and all the other electronics. And it would have meant contacting the ex to haul away his television.
I haven't broke the bank yet, but I do need to start keeping an eye on my expenditures. :-p Mustn't get totally out of control.
I need some distraction. My classes at Concordia will start on the 9th. The camera class at Dawson only starts on the 24th. I guess I just need to survive until then. Afterwards, the classes should keep me busy for a while...
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Evening in the 80's
So I just finished watching Say Anything. It was one of the John Cusack movies I got for Christmas. All I can say is: "Why can't more men be like Lloyd Dobler?"
I think John Cusack played the role very well. Okay, that might be a somewhat baised opinion since I do happen to like him and his movies quite a bit. :-p
I think John Cusack played the role very well. Okay, that might be a somewhat baised opinion since I do happen to like him and his movies quite a bit. :-p
Supermarket Rant
Usually, I don't mind going to the supermarket. I try to make a list of what I need to buy. I think the issue I had today was going to one of these "big box" supermarkets that carries lots of the common items but not enough or none at all of other stuff.
Take for example herbs. I'm planning on making a roast chicken tomorrow. It will be seasoned with an herbed butter. I wanted to find some fresh thyme and sage. What did I find at this store? Lots of parsley, dill and coriander. Oh, and some mint. Aside from that, not much else. *sigh* I guess I will have no choice but to make another trip tomorrow morning to another supermarket. But this is soooo annoying! Why should I have to trek to more than one place to do my grocery shopping? Why are some of these large supermarkets selling FURNITURE??? Isn't some of this space better used to sell grocery items?? I just don't understand it sometimes. If it weren't for the snowy weather we have today, I probably would have trekked over to the other store. But then, being Saturday, it would have been very busy. I hate crowded supermarkets.
So for dinner tonight, I think I will make chicken tikka masala. I bought a jar of Patak's cooking sauce. Probably throw in some carrots and potatoes into the mix.
Tomorrow, as mentioned, a nice roast chicken and maybe some roasted potatoes to go with it. I found a yummy looking recipe for a pasta bake, which I will probably make on Monday. Then, Tuesday, I will prepare a slow cooker recipe for beef and barley stew. Yes, there will be leftovers, but that's where lunch will be coming from! And some will end up in the freezer.
I'd like to try to free up some of the evening time for other things. Since I'm just cooking for one, do I really need to cook every night?
Take for example herbs. I'm planning on making a roast chicken tomorrow. It will be seasoned with an herbed butter. I wanted to find some fresh thyme and sage. What did I find at this store? Lots of parsley, dill and coriander. Oh, and some mint. Aside from that, not much else. *sigh* I guess I will have no choice but to make another trip tomorrow morning to another supermarket. But this is soooo annoying! Why should I have to trek to more than one place to do my grocery shopping? Why are some of these large supermarkets selling FURNITURE??? Isn't some of this space better used to sell grocery items?? I just don't understand it sometimes. If it weren't for the snowy weather we have today, I probably would have trekked over to the other store. But then, being Saturday, it would have been very busy. I hate crowded supermarkets.
So for dinner tonight, I think I will make chicken tikka masala. I bought a jar of Patak's cooking sauce. Probably throw in some carrots and potatoes into the mix.
Tomorrow, as mentioned, a nice roast chicken and maybe some roasted potatoes to go with it. I found a yummy looking recipe for a pasta bake, which I will probably make on Monday. Then, Tuesday, I will prepare a slow cooker recipe for beef and barley stew. Yes, there will be leftovers, but that's where lunch will be coming from! And some will end up in the freezer.
I'd like to try to free up some of the evening time for other things. Since I'm just cooking for one, do I really need to cook every night?
Global Warming?
Ice Shelf Collapses
The weather this year has been somewhat disturbing. We seemed to have experienced prolonged autumn weather. It was still above freezing when I left for my folks for the holidays. This week, it seems that Winter realized that it needed to make an appearance. However, the temps might pop back above 0C again sometime this week.
It's almost January...
The weather this year has been somewhat disturbing. We seemed to have experienced prolonged autumn weather. It was still above freezing when I left for my folks for the holidays. This week, it seems that Winter realized that it needed to make an appearance. However, the temps might pop back above 0C again sometime this week.
It's almost January...
Friday, December 29, 2006
Audibles
Earlier this evening, I finally made time to pop in Loudquietloud - A Film About the Pixies. It's pretty good. It documents the bands 2004 reunion tour. The liner notes included in the small booklet gave some explanation to the creation of this documentary. It's interesting to see how each band member is so independent of each other until they hit the stage. In any case, it's a good DVD to watch. :-)
IKEA Disciple
I can't remember anymore, but I might have mentioned that I was perusing the IKEA website to see what I can get. I've been in the mood for a little redecorating/freshening up of my place. There's an old, black IKEA dresser that could be retired (or sold at work) and be replaced with something nicer. Since I got rid of the stationary bike, I needed something to warm up the bedroom area. Anyway, to sum it all up, I went to IKEA first thing in Thursday morning.
However, I needed to go to the SAQ first. The party is BYOB. Mark has also mentioned last night that he forgot to get something and that if I could get something for him since I was planning to go there anyway. Not a problem.
I had checked Wednesday night and the SAQ opened at 9:30AM. IKEA opened at 10:00AM. PERFECT! So I got up and headed off to the SAQ first. I found what looked to be a decent Spanish red wine. For Mark (he wanted to pick up a sherry), I found a bottle of Spanish sherry. Then, I went straight to IKEA just as they were opening.
Being the anal person on occasion, I actually put together a list of items I wanted to get at IKEA. I meandered through their maze and made note of where the items could be picked up. The only thing they didn't have in stock were the adjustable legs for the table top I was getting. They did, however, have adjustable folding legs. It was a little more expensive, but the folding aspect of it was an added convenience.
When it came time to pick up the items, the one box that was incredibly heavy was the one for the chest of drawers. Somehow, I managed to convince it onto the cart. After checking out, the tricky part was getting eveyrthing into the car! The cashier said I should be able to find an IKEA person out in the lot to give me a hand. I saw one woman walking back and forth patrolling the lot. I managed to get her attention and asked if she could help find someone to give me a hand. She did find someone. Apparently, they're only suppose to assist when you're by the docking area. Oh well. But he was friendly enough to help load everything into the car.
Once I got home I shlepped almost everything up myself. This required multiple trips. I live on the 3rd floor. There is no elevator. I think you get the picture. So for most of the day, I was putting together the table. That was a bitch and a half because there were no pre-drilled holes for the legs I got. There were pre-drilled holes for the other types of legs, but not these. :-p This meant I had to get out the power drill. Oooooh! It's cordless and the batteries had to be charged. Phooey. Oh well, there was enough juice after about an hour of charging to get the work done.
I had earlier asked Mark to give me a hand with the heavier item. So when he came by to pick me up for the party, we both managed to lug the bloody thing all the way up and up to the mezzanine. F* it was heavy!!
The party was pretty good. I had a good time. It was a tapas party so there were all sorts of nibbles there. There were some people there who were from work, but from different departments. Got to see someone I hadn't seen in a long time. Got to know the name of this one guy who frequented the espresso machine at work. A good time was had by all. I think we finally left at about 3:30AM. By then, I was having a good buzz from some mixed drinks someone was making. However, I will say that I find tequila pretty nasty stuff. Even when it's mixed with other stuff! Wooof!
I think I managed to sleep only a few hours until the cats started to bother me and it was just getting too bright. :-p So I eventually got up, showered, had an espresso and some cereal. Then the challenge to put together the heavy chest of drawers.
I think it took me a good 2.5 hours to put the thing together. Then it took me another hour to find good spot for it. Since the top was a fold up mirror, it needed clearance. Part of the room has a slope from the roof, so the mirror would hit it. I finally found a spot. I emptied out the smaller black chest of drawers and set that aside. I'll have to post some stuff for sale at work.
I guess I should get some stuff taken care of tomorrow. I'm not sure if I will be doing anything for NYE. Maybe get some sleep? :)
However, I needed to go to the SAQ first. The party is BYOB. Mark has also mentioned last night that he forgot to get something and that if I could get something for him since I was planning to go there anyway. Not a problem.
I had checked Wednesday night and the SAQ opened at 9:30AM. IKEA opened at 10:00AM. PERFECT! So I got up and headed off to the SAQ first. I found what looked to be a decent Spanish red wine. For Mark (he wanted to pick up a sherry), I found a bottle of Spanish sherry. Then, I went straight to IKEA just as they were opening.
Being the anal person on occasion, I actually put together a list of items I wanted to get at IKEA. I meandered through their maze and made note of where the items could be picked up. The only thing they didn't have in stock were the adjustable legs for the table top I was getting. They did, however, have adjustable folding legs. It was a little more expensive, but the folding aspect of it was an added convenience.
When it came time to pick up the items, the one box that was incredibly heavy was the one for the chest of drawers. Somehow, I managed to convince it onto the cart. After checking out, the tricky part was getting eveyrthing into the car! The cashier said I should be able to find an IKEA person out in the lot to give me a hand. I saw one woman walking back and forth patrolling the lot. I managed to get her attention and asked if she could help find someone to give me a hand. She did find someone. Apparently, they're only suppose to assist when you're by the docking area. Oh well. But he was friendly enough to help load everything into the car.
Once I got home I shlepped almost everything up myself. This required multiple trips. I live on the 3rd floor. There is no elevator. I think you get the picture. So for most of the day, I was putting together the table. That was a bitch and a half because there were no pre-drilled holes for the legs I got. There were pre-drilled holes for the other types of legs, but not these. :-p This meant I had to get out the power drill. Oooooh! It's cordless and the batteries had to be charged. Phooey. Oh well, there was enough juice after about an hour of charging to get the work done.
I had earlier asked Mark to give me a hand with the heavier item. So when he came by to pick me up for the party, we both managed to lug the bloody thing all the way up and up to the mezzanine. F* it was heavy!!
The party was pretty good. I had a good time. It was a tapas party so there were all sorts of nibbles there. There were some people there who were from work, but from different departments. Got to see someone I hadn't seen in a long time. Got to know the name of this one guy who frequented the espresso machine at work. A good time was had by all. I think we finally left at about 3:30AM. By then, I was having a good buzz from some mixed drinks someone was making. However, I will say that I find tequila pretty nasty stuff. Even when it's mixed with other stuff! Wooof!
I think I managed to sleep only a few hours until the cats started to bother me and it was just getting too bright. :-p So I eventually got up, showered, had an espresso and some cereal. Then the challenge to put together the heavy chest of drawers.
I think it took me a good 2.5 hours to put the thing together. Then it took me another hour to find good spot for it. Since the top was a fold up mirror, it needed clearance. Part of the room has a slope from the roof, so the mirror would hit it. I finally found a spot. I emptied out the smaller black chest of drawers and set that aside. I'll have to post some stuff for sale at work.
I guess I should get some stuff taken care of tomorrow. I'm not sure if I will be doing anything for NYE. Maybe get some sleep? :)
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Home again
Well, I made it home in one piece. The flight was rather uneventful. However, the plane did have to sit in front of the gate until some ground crew were able to come and guide it the remaining 100 feet in. :-p
I sat next to a woman who has been commuting back and forth between Montreal and Boston for some sort of infusion treatment for her MS. Apparently, it's a treatment that has not yet been approved in Canada but has already been approved for use in the US and other countries. According to her, the treatment has improved her condition quite a bit. She still needs a cane to assist her in walking, but before she had to rely on a wheelchair. That's quite an improvement.
I got home around 9ish. The cats were okay. No mishaps while I was gone. Around 9:30, Mark called to ask about the party the next evening. I said I was still planning on going. Abe might go as well. So I guess we'd meet at my place and then head down.
Anyway, I am pooped...
I sat next to a woman who has been commuting back and forth between Montreal and Boston for some sort of infusion treatment for her MS. Apparently, it's a treatment that has not yet been approved in Canada but has already been approved for use in the US and other countries. According to her, the treatment has improved her condition quite a bit. She still needs a cane to assist her in walking, but before she had to rely on a wheelchair. That's quite an improvement.
I got home around 9ish. The cats were okay. No mishaps while I was gone. Around 9:30, Mark called to ask about the party the next evening. I said I was still planning on going. Abe might go as well. So I guess we'd meet at my place and then head down.
Anyway, I am pooped...
Monday, December 25, 2006
Canadian Federal Elections
I guess this was done just before the last federal election. I don't even remember when that was (beginning of the year?). Anyway, rather interesting and amusing. :-)
Yeah, I've got nothing better to do than to sit in front of my brother's computer, slowly digesting the ginormous meal served this evening. That was almost 2 hours ago. I think I might be ready for that pie now, Mom!
Yeah, I've got nothing better to do than to sit in front of my brother's computer, slowly digesting the ginormous meal served this evening. That was almost 2 hours ago. I think I might be ready for that pie now, Mom!
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Bad Fish... again?
Ooog! I did not feel so good after dinner tonight. Mom had bought some fresh fish today to make for dinner. Not even half an hour after dinner I started to get that slight burning sensation in the tummy. Uh-oh. I started to drink some water to try to flush the badness out. Next thing you know I started to get into a cold sweat. Not good. After some minor purging, I just laid down to rest. :-p I don't know if I've developed a sensitivity to fish or what the fish had been swimming in but it seems odd. At least this time, it wasn't as bad as when I had the tilapia fillets over the summer. Boy! Was that bad.
Then again, if it wasn't the fish, it could have been the brownies my sister made. ;-)
Aside from that, it's been a relatively uneventful day. I just took it easy. I played with the twins a bit. I really don't know if I could ever have kids. I'm still very much undecided if I want kids. My niece is quite the suck once she got used to me. Today after dinner (before I started to feel ill), I played with her for a little while. She didn't want me to go. Oh well.
In the meantime, I had been perusing the Ikea web site. Since I opened up the space in the mezzanine/bedroom area, it looks a bit cold. I think a rug in the middle of the space would help warm things up. Considering the cats, I don't want to spend the bucks on a wool rug. The synthetic Ikea rug I have in the livingroom seems to be holding up pretty well to all the abuses of 3 cats (hairballs, barf, etc.). I figure similar rug will work well in the bedroom. I guess I might swing by Ikea either Thursday or Friday. Since I'm not even 5 minutes away I can easily get there when they open and before the hoards arrive. I still need to look into finding a mirror for the front hall closet and maybe one upstairs.
My brother and I had a little chat earlier in the basement. We both seem to think on the same wavelength. That's probably why we get along so well. It's too bad he's still single, because he's a great guy. He seems to be resigned to a life as a bachelor for now. He doesn't seem to worried. I'm hoping that one day the right girl will come along. :-)
Then again, if it wasn't the fish, it could have been the brownies my sister made. ;-)
Aside from that, it's been a relatively uneventful day. I just took it easy. I played with the twins a bit. I really don't know if I could ever have kids. I'm still very much undecided if I want kids. My niece is quite the suck once she got used to me. Today after dinner (before I started to feel ill), I played with her for a little while. She didn't want me to go. Oh well.
In the meantime, I had been perusing the Ikea web site. Since I opened up the space in the mezzanine/bedroom area, it looks a bit cold. I think a rug in the middle of the space would help warm things up. Considering the cats, I don't want to spend the bucks on a wool rug. The synthetic Ikea rug I have in the livingroom seems to be holding up pretty well to all the abuses of 3 cats (hairballs, barf, etc.). I figure similar rug will work well in the bedroom. I guess I might swing by Ikea either Thursday or Friday. Since I'm not even 5 minutes away I can easily get there when they open and before the hoards arrive. I still need to look into finding a mirror for the front hall closet and maybe one upstairs.
My brother and I had a little chat earlier in the basement. We both seem to think on the same wavelength. That's probably why we get along so well. It's too bad he's still single, because he's a great guy. He seems to be resigned to a life as a bachelor for now. He doesn't seem to worried. I'm hoping that one day the right girl will come along. :-)
Christmas Eve Day
Well, it's not quite 9AM here. The whole house is pretty quiet. I guess I like the fact that things are relatively low-key here during the holidays. I personally don't usually like to make a big deal about the holidays. Keep things simple, I say.
Of course, with the events of this past year, one tends to do some reflection. I'm no different.
Today marks 6 months since he left. How do I feel? Well, a hell of a whole lot better than I did 6 months ago! Really, I don't think I feel the pain as much. I won't deny that I don't think about it from time to time, but I don't dwell on it. I think my actions to get and keep myself from getting into a deep, dark funk has helped tremendously. I know that I have a few good friends I can trust. I know that there is still life after personal upheavals.
Without trying to sound too corny, it's lke a small plant that was accidentally stepped on. But with some strength and nurturing, it's able to spring back. It might still have some signs of the steppage, but it will survive.
I think in general, this year has been rough for a number of people. I know for a fact that at work, a few of the guys have gone through their own personal crises. They seem to be handling it pretty good for the most part. I guess being able to keep work seperate from your personal life helps to maintain some focus and semblance if sanity.
That aside... I think my Mom wanted to go to the mall or something with me later. I'm like, "What? Go to the mall on Christmas Eve? Are you f*cking nuts?" Well, I didn't say that to Mom, but my brother told me and I sort of said that to him. :-)
Well, I've already exercised my rights as a consumer yesterday. I think the next time I venture out shopping it might be Wednesday...
Of course, with the events of this past year, one tends to do some reflection. I'm no different.
Today marks 6 months since he left. How do I feel? Well, a hell of a whole lot better than I did 6 months ago! Really, I don't think I feel the pain as much. I won't deny that I don't think about it from time to time, but I don't dwell on it. I think my actions to get and keep myself from getting into a deep, dark funk has helped tremendously. I know that I have a few good friends I can trust. I know that there is still life after personal upheavals.
Without trying to sound too corny, it's lke a small plant that was accidentally stepped on. But with some strength and nurturing, it's able to spring back. It might still have some signs of the steppage, but it will survive.
I think in general, this year has been rough for a number of people. I know for a fact that at work, a few of the guys have gone through their own personal crises. They seem to be handling it pretty good for the most part. I guess being able to keep work seperate from your personal life helps to maintain some focus and semblance if sanity.
That aside... I think my Mom wanted to go to the mall or something with me later. I'm like, "What? Go to the mall on Christmas Eve? Are you f*cking nuts?" Well, I didn't say that to Mom, but my brother told me and I sort of said that to him. :-)
Well, I've already exercised my rights as a consumer yesterday. I think the next time I venture out shopping it might be Wednesday...
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Bah-ston
Well, I made here in one piece. It was a bit of a bumpy ride down due to the weather system that was in the area. Finally landed and got to the baggage carousel around 11AM.
My bro and I went down to the Copley/Prudential area of town after lunch to hang out and do some shopping. I came away with yet another bag (small classic Timbuk2 messenger bag) and 2 gargoyles. The gargoyle place on Newbury Street was still open! I've been going by there off and on for over 10 years now. After I get home and find a place for these two new additions, I'll take a couple pics of them.
My bro and I went down to the Copley/Prudential area of town after lunch to hang out and do some shopping. I came away with yet another bag (small classic Timbuk2 messenger bag) and 2 gargoyles. The gargoyle place on Newbury Street was still open! I've been going by there off and on for over 10 years now. After I get home and find a place for these two new additions, I'll take a couple pics of them.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Almost all packed and ready to go
I've more or less threw what I need for 5 days into a suitcase. I've put the DV cam and camera into my backpack. I've written a short note for my friend who will keep an eye on the felines while I am gone. What have I got left to do?
There are some days when I feel less than inspired. Today seems to be one of those days. I don't know if it's because my mind has already decided to go on holiday before me or what.
Maybe it's the holiday blues or something. Other than seeing family the next few days, there's really not much else that's terribly exciting. Well, I guess it should be fun to see my sister's twins running around. When I saw them last Christmas they were just 6 months old. They'll wonder who this stranger is. I suppose I'll become their doting auntie.
Hmmm, I wonder how things will be at the airport tomorrow morning. I guess I just need to make sure I don't have any gelatinous products with my carry-on. :-p The flight is only about an hour from here to Boston. It's getting to the airport and checking in that will be the pain the proverbial arse. I guess I could look into their online check-in system. Should save me some grief and time.
There are some days when I feel less than inspired. Today seems to be one of those days. I don't know if it's because my mind has already decided to go on holiday before me or what.
Maybe it's the holiday blues or something. Other than seeing family the next few days, there's really not much else that's terribly exciting. Well, I guess it should be fun to see my sister's twins running around. When I saw them last Christmas they were just 6 months old. They'll wonder who this stranger is. I suppose I'll become their doting auntie.
Hmmm, I wonder how things will be at the airport tomorrow morning. I guess I just need to make sure I don't have any gelatinous products with my carry-on. :-p The flight is only about an hour from here to Boston. It's getting to the airport and checking in that will be the pain the proverbial arse. I guess I could look into their online check-in system. Should save me some grief and time.
What goes on in my head...
(I can only imagine what Shawn might comment based on just the title of this entry!)
Just some of us are able to multi-task, I think that sometimes I my mind/thoughts are also multi-tasking in some way. This could explain how during the course of a conversation I might do a total 180 and start talking about a totally different subject. However, for me, my mind had already come up with the logical path from discussion A to discussion B. So it made some sense to me, but not to everyone else. And this tends to drive some people crazy. Don't get me wrong! I don't do this all the time! Just enough for a few people to notice. :D
Sometimes I wonder about my communication skills. I sometimes come across websites where the individual goes on (usually quite passionately) about a subject that is close to the heart. This makes me wonder about my own ability to convey such thoughts and feelings. Or for that matter, it makes me wonder what there is that I am passionate about. I wonder what I might be passionate about. There are so many things that I think about, but I don't think there's really any one thing that jumps out as something that I am absolutely passionate about.
I guess I just like to try to keep things simple. I don't like too many complications. With complications come worries. And I don't like to worry. :-p
Just some of us are able to multi-task, I think that sometimes I my mind/thoughts are also multi-tasking in some way. This could explain how during the course of a conversation I might do a total 180 and start talking about a totally different subject. However, for me, my mind had already come up with the logical path from discussion A to discussion B. So it made some sense to me, but not to everyone else. And this tends to drive some people crazy. Don't get me wrong! I don't do this all the time! Just enough for a few people to notice. :D
Sometimes I wonder about my communication skills. I sometimes come across websites where the individual goes on (usually quite passionately) about a subject that is close to the heart. This makes me wonder about my own ability to convey such thoughts and feelings. Or for that matter, it makes me wonder what there is that I am passionate about. I wonder what I might be passionate about. There are so many things that I think about, but I don't think there's really any one thing that jumps out as something that I am absolutely passionate about.
I guess I just like to try to keep things simple. I don't like too many complications. With complications come worries. And I don't like to worry. :-p
One more day...
...Before I am off for a week!! Woohoo!
I've still got some real work to do this morning when I get into the office. After that, it's just some clean up! Tomorrow morning, I fly down to Boston to visit the folks for a few days. I had better rememeber to pack up everything tonight. :-p
Yesterday was somewhat productive and not-so-productive. Amazingly, there was enough food for everyone (and then some) at the office potluck. Most of the cheese I brought did get consumed, but for some reason, the brie was not touched. The cookies... Well, they're gone, of course.
I managed to bake off the rest of the gingerbread last night. This was on top of some laundry I wanted to get done before packing tonight.
Bleah. Not sure what I will be doing the rest of next week when I get back. There's a party Thursday night that I will probably go to. Most of the people there will be from work, so it won't be a total crowd of strangers. BYOB...
Anyway, gotta get the day under way...
Wheeeeeeee!
I've still got some real work to do this morning when I get into the office. After that, it's just some clean up! Tomorrow morning, I fly down to Boston to visit the folks for a few days. I had better rememeber to pack up everything tonight. :-p
Yesterday was somewhat productive and not-so-productive. Amazingly, there was enough food for everyone (and then some) at the office potluck. Most of the cheese I brought did get consumed, but for some reason, the brie was not touched. The cookies... Well, they're gone, of course.
I managed to bake off the rest of the gingerbread last night. This was on top of some laundry I wanted to get done before packing tonight.
Bleah. Not sure what I will be doing the rest of next week when I get back. There's a party Thursday night that I will probably go to. Most of the people there will be from work, so it won't be a total crowd of strangers. BYOB...
Anyway, gotta get the day under way...
Wheeeeeeee!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
The Wonders of Roomba
I like my Roomba. It vacuums for me when I don't have the time for it. It will even vacuum for me more often than I would! But I just hate it when something gets caught in it. :-p
I guess I am a geek for gadgets. But practical gadgets mind you. They need to serve a practical purpose before I decide to plunk some money down on it. Some people hire a cleaning person to come by once a week to clean their homes. I don't think my place is big enough to warrant that. Plus, I don't think I could afford it. My one-time investment on the Roomba is doing just fine. All I have left to do is clean the bathrooms and mop the floors.
I finally got rid of the stationary bike. Since I've been using my road bike on a trainer instead, the stationary is redundant. So one of the guys at work bought it and picked it up today. This freed up a nice chunk of space for me. I ended up re-arranging some stuff around. I find that I still need to de-clutter. I've also got these two bedside lamps I'd like to get rid of. They're black with black lampshades. My previous ex had decided on the black. :-p I've posted them for sale at work. No takers yet. I'll have to freshen up that post to stir up some interest. I just want to get rid of them! I managed to get rid of the papasan chair frame. I've just got the cushion to dispose of. *sigh*
I guess I am a geek for gadgets. But practical gadgets mind you. They need to serve a practical purpose before I decide to plunk some money down on it. Some people hire a cleaning person to come by once a week to clean their homes. I don't think my place is big enough to warrant that. Plus, I don't think I could afford it. My one-time investment on the Roomba is doing just fine. All I have left to do is clean the bathrooms and mop the floors.
I finally got rid of the stationary bike. Since I've been using my road bike on a trainer instead, the stationary is redundant. So one of the guys at work bought it and picked it up today. This freed up a nice chunk of space for me. I ended up re-arranging some stuff around. I find that I still need to de-clutter. I've also got these two bedside lamps I'd like to get rid of. They're black with black lampshades. My previous ex had decided on the black. :-p I've posted them for sale at work. No takers yet. I'll have to freshen up that post to stir up some interest. I just want to get rid of them! I managed to get rid of the papasan chair frame. I've just got the cushion to dispose of. *sigh*
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Bags Redux
Interestingly enough Matthew Good posted an entry about LV bags. I guess it was somewhat of a rant on the beaucoup bucks spent on the darn things. Personally, I do find LV overpriced for what they are. I guess I am just not an LV type of gal.
However, when it does come to bags in general, I am weak. I cannot tell you how many bags I have acquired in the past 12 months. At least they're not costing me a few hundred dollars apiece! My current weakness is for Crumpler and Kipling bags. I like Crumpler because they're cool looking and practical. I like Kipling because they're also practical and each bag comes with a monkey attached to it. :-)
I guess Crumpler and Kipling are more my style than LV is. Okay, I do have a Coach bag. But it's a classic Coach bag that'll last for years! I don't like the current trendy ones with the ginormous buckles and such. :-p A bit too gaudy.
My 2 cents on the bag subject.
However, when it does come to bags in general, I am weak. I cannot tell you how many bags I have acquired in the past 12 months. At least they're not costing me a few hundred dollars apiece! My current weakness is for Crumpler and Kipling bags. I like Crumpler because they're cool looking and practical. I like Kipling because they're also practical and each bag comes with a monkey attached to it. :-)
I guess Crumpler and Kipling are more my style than LV is. Okay, I do have a Coach bag. But it's a classic Coach bag that'll last for years! I don't like the current trendy ones with the ginormous buckles and such. :-p A bit too gaudy.
My 2 cents on the bag subject.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Take the engineers curling!
So this is where we spent a few hours today. I've never curled before so this is the first time trying it out. Since we're playing on ice, the one thing I had on my mind was whether or not I was going to fall flat on my ass! Well, thanfully, I hadn't. However, I got the nod for being the worst player! Well, I guess it was all in good humour. :-)
At about 2:00PM, it was time for lunch. So off we went to Fuji's and their teppanyaki grill. It was your typical japanese teppanyaki place. The food was good and the show entertaining.
Tomorrow: Coffee and Cannoli. I think I will have to skip breakfast...
My buddy Abe just got back from China. Will probably meet up with him tomorrow and shoot the sh*t. He's not sure if he's going to take the offer in China or stay here. He needs to know exactly what his options are before he makes his decision. It doesn't look like it will be easy unless he has something clearly defined.
In a few weeks, I will be back in the classroom. I can't remember if I had mentioned it already in an earlier entry, but I've registered for a couple courses at Concordia's ContEd. As well, I've gone ahead and registered for a Camera Basics course at Dawson. I'm looking forward to the classes. :-) (Yeah, some of you might think I'm somewhat masochistic by doing this.)
Sunday, December 17, 2006
The Hash today wasn't so bad. It was a bit long though. Essentially, the walking trail was also the running trail. :-p Sinnerbad and I decided to cut it short and head back to meet up with the runners. The other walkers eventually showed up.
While out on the trail, we went by the Lachine Canal. Saw a couple of photo-ops along the way. Cityscapes I suppose...
I should be a bit more liberal in taking some pics when I'm out on these hashes. You never know what you might come across! :-)
After I left the hash, I went and did a little shopping. I stopped by HMV and picked up a couple of CDs. Then I went over to Indigo and got a couple of books. One of them is an Amy Tam book I hadn't read yet. I think it was her last one.
By now it was about 5PM. I was starving! Since the down-downs were at the pub, there really wasn't much in the way of food. I had alread planned to make a lentil stew when I got home, so I was reeeeeally looking forward to preparing it.
It's a really simple recipe and it's quite good! :-)
While out on the trail, we went by the Lachine Canal. Saw a couple of photo-ops along the way. Cityscapes I suppose...
I should be a bit more liberal in taking some pics when I'm out on these hashes. You never know what you might come across! :-)
After I left the hash, I went and did a little shopping. I stopped by HMV and picked up a couple of CDs. Then I went over to Indigo and got a couple of books. One of them is an Amy Tam book I hadn't read yet. I think it was her last one.
By now it was about 5PM. I was starving! Since the down-downs were at the pub, there really wasn't much in the way of food. I had alread planned to make a lentil stew when I got home, so I was reeeeeally looking forward to preparing it.
It's a really simple recipe and it's quite good! :-)
Tripping...
I need to go away somewhere...
I guess for the last few vacations, I've managed to go away somewhere. This may have been due to the influence my ex had on where we ended up going. It wasn't that he had all the money in the world to travel with. If we decided that we would go somewhere then we would make it a goal to work towards. In someway, I have him to thank for in waking up the travel bug in me.
I few issues I have in trying to plan my next vacation is that a) I registered for classes at Concordia; b) do I go it alone or look for a small tour; and c) where do I want to go?
The classes I'm taking at Concordia end in March. Then there is a 1 or 2 week break before the next term starts. If I decide on taking a holiday it would have to be during this time. Otherwise, I might have to wait until the summer. It will also depend on where I want to go. Late March might not be the ideal time, weather-wise, for some destinations.
Solo or tour? I'm really not sure about this. Going independent, you have more freedom to decide where you want to go, what you want to see, and for how long. With a small group tour, you have some sort of comraderie there and support. Again, this might depend on where I want to go.
And just where do I want to go? I still haven't quite decided on this. Of course, I do want to work within a budget of sorts. The sky is not the limit here, but I do have some room to manouevre. Where ever I do end up going, I will try to hunt down the cheapest airfares and best deals on accomodations.
There is one tour that seems appealing and that is the Bike/Hike in Provence. It's organized through GAP Adventures. Their prices seem reasonable and the group size is what I would look for. I really don't think I can handle travelling with a coach bus full of people. A friend at work did a Kontiki tour to Spain this Fall and enjoyed it. But everyone has their preferences.
Well, I guess for a holiday I should start doing some homework...
I guess for the last few vacations, I've managed to go away somewhere. This may have been due to the influence my ex had on where we ended up going. It wasn't that he had all the money in the world to travel with. If we decided that we would go somewhere then we would make it a goal to work towards. In someway, I have him to thank for in waking up the travel bug in me.
I few issues I have in trying to plan my next vacation is that a) I registered for classes at Concordia; b) do I go it alone or look for a small tour; and c) where do I want to go?
The classes I'm taking at Concordia end in March. Then there is a 1 or 2 week break before the next term starts. If I decide on taking a holiday it would have to be during this time. Otherwise, I might have to wait until the summer. It will also depend on where I want to go. Late March might not be the ideal time, weather-wise, for some destinations.
Solo or tour? I'm really not sure about this. Going independent, you have more freedom to decide where you want to go, what you want to see, and for how long. With a small group tour, you have some sort of comraderie there and support. Again, this might depend on where I want to go.
And just where do I want to go? I still haven't quite decided on this. Of course, I do want to work within a budget of sorts. The sky is not the limit here, but I do have some room to manouevre. Where ever I do end up going, I will try to hunt down the cheapest airfares and best deals on accomodations.
There is one tour that seems appealing and that is the Bike/Hike in Provence. It's organized through GAP Adventures. Their prices seem reasonable and the group size is what I would look for. I really don't think I can handle travelling with a coach bus full of people. A friend at work did a Kontiki tour to Spain this Fall and enjoyed it. But everyone has their preferences.
Well, I guess for a holiday I should start doing some homework...
Holiday Gorging
Well, the potluck was fun. There was just way too much food, of course. I really tried to pace myself. I tried not to overeat. I think I did alright. At least I didn't feel like I was about to explode. There were some dips. There were 2 types of lasagne and a couple of salads. The desserts were good (one was my lemon poppyseed cake!). There was a little gift exchange (I got a cute little holiday potpurri sachet).
Okay, so it was pretty much your standard holiday potluck with a bunch of women. Most of them were well in the 50's or well into their 40's. But they were very nice people and we had a very nice time. I guess I felt like the odd-man-out when the started to talk about their kids. It seems that their kids range in age from 14 to 30. Ouch! I think I was the youngest there as well.
The other interesting thing to note is that all (except for one, I think) are divorced. Hmmm...
Anyway...
It's Sunday. The usual morning routine I suppose. Enjoying having an espresso now since I have proper espresso cups. Mmmmm.. good java in the morning. I had 3 yesterday. I better go easy on the caffeine today.
The Hash is downtown again. Hopefully the pub *will* be open this time. I wonder if anyone "new" will show up for this week's run. Eh, we'll see...
Yeah, nothing too exciting to report.
On heavy rotation these days: "Avalanche" by Matthew Good.
Okay, so it was pretty much your standard holiday potluck with a bunch of women. Most of them were well in the 50's or well into their 40's. But they were very nice people and we had a very nice time. I guess I felt like the odd-man-out when the started to talk about their kids. It seems that their kids range in age from 14 to 30. Ouch! I think I was the youngest there as well.
The other interesting thing to note is that all (except for one, I think) are divorced. Hmmm...
Anyway...
It's Sunday. The usual morning routine I suppose. Enjoying having an espresso now since I have proper espresso cups. Mmmmm.. good java in the morning. I had 3 yesterday. I better go easy on the caffeine today.
The Hash is downtown again. Hopefully the pub *will* be open this time. I wonder if anyone "new" will show up for this week's run. Eh, we'll see...
Yeah, nothing too exciting to report.
On heavy rotation these days: "Avalanche" by Matthew Good.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Who says I'm Old??
I guess I should make it a habit to record any noteworthy thoughts as they come along. However, it's a bit diffciult to do when you're at work trying to do work and not updating your blog.
The thought that just came to mind is about age. I was just reading an entry in Matthew Good's blog (No, Shawn! I am NOT stalking him! Sheesh! I read your blog, does that mean I'm stalking you? ;-) ). I sometimes laugh to myself when he refers to himself "in his old age". He's only a few years younger than I, but he's probably experienced more than I have. I suppose how old you are or how you feel could depend on how much you've experienced in your lifetime to date. On the other hand, I also believe that you're only as old as you feel or act. Most of the time I don't think I act like a 38-year old. Or for that matter, how is a 38-year old suppose to act?
It's funny to note that whenever I do end up discussing age with people, most of the time they think I'm much younger than I am. Must be the being asian thing. :-p But with my re-emerging grays, I think I will be found out soon!
The thought that just came to mind is about age. I was just reading an entry in Matthew Good's blog (No, Shawn! I am NOT stalking him! Sheesh! I read your blog, does that mean I'm stalking you? ;-) ). I sometimes laugh to myself when he refers to himself "in his old age". He's only a few years younger than I, but he's probably experienced more than I have. I suppose how old you are or how you feel could depend on how much you've experienced in your lifetime to date. On the other hand, I also believe that you're only as old as you feel or act. Most of the time I don't think I act like a 38-year old. Or for that matter, how is a 38-year old suppose to act?
It's funny to note that whenever I do end up discussing age with people, most of the time they think I'm much younger than I am. Must be the being asian thing. :-p But with my re-emerging grays, I think I will be found out soon!
Are we there yet?
Well, I am happy to say that I actually managed to accomplish a few things at work today. One of the guys who has been helping with some testing is leaving for vacation tomorrow. I got the test plant back today because they had some technical issues and the one guy who could help was not in today. So, Ruben and I managed to finish the testing we started on Tuesday.
I would also like to say that Ruben is one of the few people who has the patience to explain to me how some of this stuff works (or at least supposed to). As I might have mentioned, I've been in this group for over a year now and I am still struggling to get a solid grasp of the stuff we're supporting. The problem is that most of the experts in the group are almost always either on the road somewhere or working on an emergency. So when someone like Ruben is around for any length of time, I try to take advantage of that and have him show me stuff. Now I just hope it sticks!
I guess all I need to do tomorrow is go through the logfiles and write up a report. Oh yay, that ought to be so much fun! This should be my last productive act for the week. Next week will almost be a total write-off. There is a team outing on Monday. We're suppose to go curling! I have never curled before. I have seen it on TV, but I have never gone curling before. Apparently, one of the teams did this last year. Hmm...
Tuesday is the annual holiday coffee and cannoli morning break. I better remember not to have breakfast that day. Notary for the mortgage is Wednesday afternoon. Trip to the dentist Thursday morning. Then Friday? I think someone might open the bar in his desk.. That is, if he gets back from Chile...
Uh, yeah..
And this weekend? Well, I have been invited to a holiday potluck on Saturday. I will probably make the lemon-poppyseed cake. I might also try to make the gingerbread cookies on Saturday as well. I better take an inventory on baking supplies tomorrow evening. On Sunday, I will probably go do the hash. It's downtown again, so that should be okay.
*yawn*
I really should try to go to bed earlier. I've been pretty bad about that all this week for some reason. Since my alarm is set to go off at 5:00, it doesn't help if I go to sleep after 11:00PM. :-p Technically, I might already be in bed, but I might still be doing stuff on the iBook.
Speaking of my iBook, I wonder if I should trade it in for a MacBook. They seem rather nice and more powerful. If the performance of my MacPro is any indication then the MacBook would definitely blow the doors off of the iBook. I really should talk to Jonas about selling my Mac Mini (powerPC). Any takers? $400CAD and it's yours! I'll even throw in a Mac keyboard.
I would also like to say that Ruben is one of the few people who has the patience to explain to me how some of this stuff works (or at least supposed to). As I might have mentioned, I've been in this group for over a year now and I am still struggling to get a solid grasp of the stuff we're supporting. The problem is that most of the experts in the group are almost always either on the road somewhere or working on an emergency. So when someone like Ruben is around for any length of time, I try to take advantage of that and have him show me stuff. Now I just hope it sticks!
I guess all I need to do tomorrow is go through the logfiles and write up a report. Oh yay, that ought to be so much fun! This should be my last productive act for the week. Next week will almost be a total write-off. There is a team outing on Monday. We're suppose to go curling! I have never curled before. I have seen it on TV, but I have never gone curling before. Apparently, one of the teams did this last year. Hmm...
Tuesday is the annual holiday coffee and cannoli morning break. I better remember not to have breakfast that day. Notary for the mortgage is Wednesday afternoon. Trip to the dentist Thursday morning. Then Friday? I think someone might open the bar in his desk.. That is, if he gets back from Chile...
Uh, yeah..
And this weekend? Well, I have been invited to a holiday potluck on Saturday. I will probably make the lemon-poppyseed cake. I might also try to make the gingerbread cookies on Saturday as well. I better take an inventory on baking supplies tomorrow evening. On Sunday, I will probably go do the hash. It's downtown again, so that should be okay.
*yawn*
I really should try to go to bed earlier. I've been pretty bad about that all this week for some reason. Since my alarm is set to go off at 5:00, it doesn't help if I go to sleep after 11:00PM. :-p Technically, I might already be in bed, but I might still be doing stuff on the iBook.
Speaking of my iBook, I wonder if I should trade it in for a MacBook. They seem rather nice and more powerful. If the performance of my MacPro is any indication then the MacBook would definitely blow the doors off of the iBook. I really should talk to Jonas about selling my Mac Mini (powerPC). Any takers? $400CAD and it's yours! I'll even throw in a Mac keyboard.
Trying to be an Adult
I was watching an episode from the first season of Grey's Anatomy. (There's been so much hype about the show that I figure I'd check it out. So far the series has been entertaining.) In any case, in this particular episode, the title character was bemoaning and comparing the responsibilities an adult has versus when she was a kid. I think I can relate with that. It seems that as we get older and become more involved in certain aspects of daily living, that it's inevitable that we accumulate responsibilities for various things.
We need to make sure our bills are paid on time. We need to ensure that our rent or mortgages are paid. We need to make sure our pets (or kids) are fed and cared for. We need to keep in mind of so many things! I don't remember having so many responsibilities as a kid. All I remember was that I had to make sure I got my homework done and bring home good grades. That was pretty much it.
Tonight I have a condo association meeting. Next week I have to see the notary about my mortgage. When did I grow up?
We need to make sure our bills are paid on time. We need to ensure that our rent or mortgages are paid. We need to make sure our pets (or kids) are fed and cared for. We need to keep in mind of so many things! I don't remember having so many responsibilities as a kid. All I remember was that I had to make sure I got my homework done and bring home good grades. That was pretty much it.
Tonight I have a condo association meeting. Next week I have to see the notary about my mortgage. When did I grow up?
The Cat Carol
While chatting with some Geek Culture Forum people, the subject about Christmas and music came up. As it turns out, one of the GC administrators wrote this little ditty. I figure, what the heck and bought the song. At first it sounded like any other Christmas song. However, the kicker in the song is when Santa comes along. Hoo boy! I nearly bawled my eyes out! Usually, I am not a huge sentimental ball of goo, but lately, stuff like this just sets off the water works. Am I turning to mush as I get older?
Anyway, it's a cute little song. If you can spare the few bucks, buy it and give it a listen. It seems to set the mood for giving this holiday season.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Apple Cake v2.1 - Success?
Well, I left work early enough to get home, have an early dinner and get started on this evening's baking. And here's the resulting Apple Cake v2.1:
It's still not quite perfect, but I think it came out better than v2. I haven't tried it yet. I'm contemplating whether or not to bring it to work or to save it for tomorrow evening's condo meeting. Since I had some time, I went ahead and made some brownies. It's just the recipe from the container for Fry's Cocoa. Still, what can you say about brownies made with 2 sticks of butter and 2 cups of sugar?? Oh, did I mention that I threw in a spoonful of ground espresso? :D
I don't know if the amount of espresso I put it is significant enough to notice, but I guess we'll find out when I bring it in to work! There is a team meeting in the morning and the guy who's turn it is to bring in the treats has been out sick most of the week. I think the brownies will be backup in case he doesn't come in.
The almond biscotti I made last night were a hit. My team leader preferred the harder hazelnut ones, but these were still good. I think during the holidays I will make a batch of both kinds and ship some off to my Marine friend. And anyone else who likes homemade baked goods. :-)
I still haven't gotten around to making the gingerbread cookies! Hmph! Those definitely take more time since the dough needs to firm up in the fridge before you can roll and cut them. The fun part is decorating the cookies afterwards... Gingerbread people for adults... Okay, nuff said.
To some extent, I am amazed at times that I am able to do much at all in my kitchen. The layout of the counter space is very inefficient. Nevertheless, I made do with what I have. :-)
Alright, time to put away the baked goods before they get molested by roaming cats! :-p
It's still not quite perfect, but I think it came out better than v2. I haven't tried it yet. I'm contemplating whether or not to bring it to work or to save it for tomorrow evening's condo meeting. Since I had some time, I went ahead and made some brownies. It's just the recipe from the container for Fry's Cocoa. Still, what can you say about brownies made with 2 sticks of butter and 2 cups of sugar?? Oh, did I mention that I threw in a spoonful of ground espresso? :D
I don't know if the amount of espresso I put it is significant enough to notice, but I guess we'll find out when I bring it in to work! There is a team meeting in the morning and the guy who's turn it is to bring in the treats has been out sick most of the week. I think the brownies will be backup in case he doesn't come in.
The almond biscotti I made last night were a hit. My team leader preferred the harder hazelnut ones, but these were still good. I think during the holidays I will make a batch of both kinds and ship some off to my Marine friend. And anyone else who likes homemade baked goods. :-)
I still haven't gotten around to making the gingerbread cookies! Hmph! Those definitely take more time since the dough needs to firm up in the fridge before you can roll and cut them. The fun part is decorating the cookies afterwards... Gingerbread people for adults... Okay, nuff said.
To some extent, I am amazed at times that I am able to do much at all in my kitchen. The layout of the counter space is very inefficient. Nevertheless, I made do with what I have. :-)
Alright, time to put away the baked goods before they get molested by roaming cats! :-p
A Few Random Thoughts
There's always some commentary on the war on Iraq. And as I've mentioned, everyone is entitled to their opinion on such things.
I guess the one thing I could say is that I have made the acquaintance (on-line) of a young Marine. He's due to be shipped off to Iraq again in January. He seems like a very personably fellow. We usually chat about different things. The one thing I have not asked is about his thoughts on the whole situation in Iraq. I suppose that I am afraid, to some extent, to hear some chest-thumping, "I am proud to be an American" speech. I'm sure many of the enlisted soldiers have their own personal reasons for being in the military. It's their duty to serve their country. Now, whether or not they really wanted to get involved in Iraq, that's another issue. I'm not sure how it works, but I would imagine that it would be close to treason or some sort of insubordination if a soldier were to express his/her dissent in how things are going. But what do I know?
*****************
I've been living outside the US for the past 15 some odd years now. Since then, I've started to get an outsider's perspective on the US. Perhaps I was more ignorant of the politics when I was still living down there. In any case, I don't think I am too keen on moving back to the US just yet. Maybe when Dubya's term is over. There are other factors, of course, to consider before deciding whether to head back south.
I guess the one thing I could say is that I have made the acquaintance (on-line) of a young Marine. He's due to be shipped off to Iraq again in January. He seems like a very personably fellow. We usually chat about different things. The one thing I have not asked is about his thoughts on the whole situation in Iraq. I suppose that I am afraid, to some extent, to hear some chest-thumping, "I am proud to be an American" speech. I'm sure many of the enlisted soldiers have their own personal reasons for being in the military. It's their duty to serve their country. Now, whether or not they really wanted to get involved in Iraq, that's another issue. I'm not sure how it works, but I would imagine that it would be close to treason or some sort of insubordination if a soldier were to express his/her dissent in how things are going. But what do I know?
*****************
I've been living outside the US for the past 15 some odd years now. Since then, I've started to get an outsider's perspective on the US. Perhaps I was more ignorant of the politics when I was still living down there. In any case, I don't think I am too keen on moving back to the US just yet. Maybe when Dubya's term is over. There are other factors, of course, to consider before deciding whether to head back south.
Saint Lucia Day
Today is Saint Lucia Day. Since I do work for a Swedish company, there will be a small procession this morning to celebrate Sankta Lucia. There will be some glögg and lussekatt served after the procession. There will also be some singing. The procession is actually quite pretty with the one girl wearing the crown of candles. They usually try to get the dripless kind.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Viewpoints
I suppose a lot of people like to voice their opinion on different things via their blogs these days. It seems to be quite the thing to do. I have nothing against that. I think it's well within everyone's right to make their beliefs known. The one thing I do have an issue with is when people try to force their opinions/beliefs onto you. I would like to think that I choose to believe what I do without any forceful influences.
People can say what they want, what they believe in. Just don't try to shove those beliefs down my throat.
That aside, you will notice that I do not post much about politics and the like. To some degree I feel that what my political beliefs are are my own. If, however, something comes up that really irks me, I might comment about it, but I won't write a huge political commentary about it. That's just not me. I do appreciate those who intelligently comment about things. I don't like those who rant and rave with no real logic to back up those rants.
*****************************
This evening, I continued my baking binge. I made almond biscotti. I had a small end piece and it was rather tasty. These biscotti will go well with tomorrow's coffee! I think the guys at work will really like these.
Tomorrow, I will make Apple Cake v2.1. What's v2.1? Well, I'm going to try something different in how the apples are laid out. The problem I had with v2 was that I was afraid of the batter overflowing. I figure if I arranged the apple slices in a certain way then maybe the batter will settle in better. Anyway, we shall see!!
People can say what they want, what they believe in. Just don't try to shove those beliefs down my throat.
That aside, you will notice that I do not post much about politics and the like. To some degree I feel that what my political beliefs are are my own. If, however, something comes up that really irks me, I might comment about it, but I won't write a huge political commentary about it. That's just not me. I do appreciate those who intelligently comment about things. I don't like those who rant and rave with no real logic to back up those rants.
*****************************
This evening, I continued my baking binge. I made almond biscotti. I had a small end piece and it was rather tasty. These biscotti will go well with tomorrow's coffee! I think the guys at work will really like these.
Tomorrow, I will make Apple Cake v2.1. What's v2.1? Well, I'm going to try something different in how the apples are laid out. The problem I had with v2 was that I was afraid of the batter overflowing. I figure if I arranged the apple slices in a certain way then maybe the batter will settle in better. Anyway, we shall see!!
Monday, December 11, 2006
A Nation of Scrooges?
There was an article in the Saturday paper bemoaning the fact that when it comes to charity, we are cheap. Especially here in Quebec. Why is that?
Coincidentally, I won an auction for an indoor parking spot at work for the winter. The proceeds will go to the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation. The amount is in the 3 figures and they probably didn't think it would get that high. I'll have to ask them how much they thought they would get for the spot when I bring them the check tomorrow. :-)
As well, there was a campaign recently to raise funds for Centraide. Essentially, the goal was the raise $90,000. The company would match whatever the employees gave. The good news is that we reached the monetary goal. The bad news is that only about a quarter of the employees contributed. This seems to give some credence to the article about people here being cheap.
I sometimes think that some people do not know how good they have it until it gets taken away. So why wait until something bad happens to realize what you had? I suppose on the positive, you can get tax credit for donations above a certain amount. But that really should not be the only incentive to give! I think that this past year alone I have given quite a bit to various charities. I gave a pledge to a colleague who did the Walk to End Breast Cancer this summer. I've given to smaller community -driven charities.
After I won the parking spot today, a friend emailed me saying that being single with a disposable income, I was able to win the spot for that amount. I suspect that the other guy vying for the spot is also in the same position. Either way, the money is going to a good cause (in memory of, too).
It's funny, but I don't usually get up on a soapbox on my blog. However, today, I just felt like I had to say something about this subject. So until things change in my life, I think I will continue to give. Even if things change down the road, I still think it's worth the effort to give.
Coincidentally, I won an auction for an indoor parking spot at work for the winter. The proceeds will go to the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation. The amount is in the 3 figures and they probably didn't think it would get that high. I'll have to ask them how much they thought they would get for the spot when I bring them the check tomorrow. :-)
As well, there was a campaign recently to raise funds for Centraide. Essentially, the goal was the raise $90,000. The company would match whatever the employees gave. The good news is that we reached the monetary goal. The bad news is that only about a quarter of the employees contributed. This seems to give some credence to the article about people here being cheap.
I sometimes think that some people do not know how good they have it until it gets taken away. So why wait until something bad happens to realize what you had? I suppose on the positive, you can get tax credit for donations above a certain amount. But that really should not be the only incentive to give! I think that this past year alone I have given quite a bit to various charities. I gave a pledge to a colleague who did the Walk to End Breast Cancer this summer. I've given to smaller community -driven charities.
After I won the parking spot today, a friend emailed me saying that being single with a disposable income, I was able to win the spot for that amount. I suspect that the other guy vying for the spot is also in the same position. Either way, the money is going to a good cause (in memory of, too).
It's funny, but I don't usually get up on a soapbox on my blog. However, today, I just felt like I had to say something about this subject. So until things change in my life, I think I will continue to give. Even if things change down the road, I still think it's worth the effort to give.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Ugh! Take that away, please!!!
Well, the dessert party went pretty well. I might have gone slightly overboard in the drinks department. Oh well. It'll be an excuse for another gathering. :-)
The two-nut chocolate torte came out pretty good despite the fact that I didn't have enough walnuts. I just made up the difference with more almonds. It went quite well with some whipped cream. :) I also put out a cheese and cracker board. Everyone seemed to enjoy a respite from the sugar with the cheeses.
Other desserts? There was pecan pie, tiramisu, Queen Elizabeth cake, muffins, marzipan treats, canolis, assorted pastries... Ugh! Sugar overload! I wish I had taken a pic of all the goodies. Oh well. :-)
Today, I took it easy in the morning. Did some light grocery shopping. I tried to take a short nap before heading off to the hash. I only got to bed last night around 1:45AM. :-p
The hash took place downtown. The hare set a trail for runners but did not for the walkers. So I got volunteered to lead the walkers. The trail for the walk was somewhat lame, but we still covered some distance. The hare f*ed up in that the pub we were suppose to meet and end at was not open until 4PM. Next week's hash is suppose to also take place downtown. Same pub, too. I wonder how that one will go.
We were lucky that we were able to finish up at Pog's apartment. A run to the nearby supermarket to pick up some food items and beer and the post-hash noshing was in the works. Pog whipped up some curries and rice.
Right now, I am pooped. Fresh air and brisk walks seem to be doing that to me. I guess I should go to sleep soon. :)
The two-nut chocolate torte came out pretty good despite the fact that I didn't have enough walnuts. I just made up the difference with more almonds. It went quite well with some whipped cream. :) I also put out a cheese and cracker board. Everyone seemed to enjoy a respite from the sugar with the cheeses.
Other desserts? There was pecan pie, tiramisu, Queen Elizabeth cake, muffins, marzipan treats, canolis, assorted pastries... Ugh! Sugar overload! I wish I had taken a pic of all the goodies. Oh well. :-)
Today, I took it easy in the morning. Did some light grocery shopping. I tried to take a short nap before heading off to the hash. I only got to bed last night around 1:45AM. :-p
The hash took place downtown. The hare set a trail for runners but did not for the walkers. So I got volunteered to lead the walkers. The trail for the walk was somewhat lame, but we still covered some distance. The hare f*ed up in that the pub we were suppose to meet and end at was not open until 4PM. Next week's hash is suppose to also take place downtown. Same pub, too. I wonder how that one will go.
We were lucky that we were able to finish up at Pog's apartment. A run to the nearby supermarket to pick up some food items and beer and the post-hash noshing was in the works. Pog whipped up some curries and rice.
Right now, I am pooped. Fresh air and brisk walks seem to be doing that to me. I guess I should go to sleep soon. :)
Friday, December 08, 2006
I have an illness...
I seem to have a tendency to acquire certain things in quantity...
Watches are just one thing I seem to sort of acquire more than one of. The above is just a few that I have. I have a few others that need to either have the battery replaced or repaired.
Another item that I seem to collect a lot of are bags. No, not leather handbags or anything too girly. I currently own 5 Crumpler bags. Don't ask me why. I've also got as many Kipling bags, too. I suppose there are worse things I could be collecting. At least what I do collect serves a purpose!
So, I had earlier mentioned the lights I bought at IKEA. Now, I know I'm no design genius, but I just wanted something festive. Well, here's a pic that better illustrates how I managed to hang the lights:
It's a little blurry, but I think you get the idea. And here's the end result...
Yes. That one plant on the tray does not look very well. It's not mine anyway. Well, actually, I have not been very attentive to my own plants lately either. :-(
Well, I think I have a pretty full day tomorrow. I did some cleaning up this evening so that should save me *some* time tomorrow. I need to swing by the supermarket for a few things. Then I plan to make at least the Two-Nut Chocolate Torte. If I have time, I might make the Lemon-Poppy Seed cake. I've already picked up some stuff at the SAQ today after work. I've still got a couple bottles of wine left from the last gathering. Maybe we'll open up one of those. I'd rather have a bit too much than not enough. I suppose I could swing by the SAQ again tomorrow. There's one near the supermarket.
I guess I just like to entertain friends. I want to see everyone enjoying themselves and having a good time. I guess that's why I don't mind bringing in the baked goods to work. The Apple Cake v2, for example, was a hit at work. The recipe I used is a keeper. Although, I think I would like to try the other one again, but using the self-rising flour as indicated. I really want to find out if that was the problem I was having...
Anyway... It's Friday night. So what the H* am I doing here?
Watches are just one thing I seem to sort of acquire more than one of. The above is just a few that I have. I have a few others that need to either have the battery replaced or repaired.
Another item that I seem to collect a lot of are bags. No, not leather handbags or anything too girly. I currently own 5 Crumpler bags. Don't ask me why. I've also got as many Kipling bags, too. I suppose there are worse things I could be collecting. At least what I do collect serves a purpose!
So, I had earlier mentioned the lights I bought at IKEA. Now, I know I'm no design genius, but I just wanted something festive. Well, here's a pic that better illustrates how I managed to hang the lights:
It's a little blurry, but I think you get the idea. And here's the end result...
Yes. That one plant on the tray does not look very well. It's not mine anyway. Well, actually, I have not been very attentive to my own plants lately either. :-(
- Weekend
Well, I think I have a pretty full day tomorrow. I did some cleaning up this evening so that should save me *some* time tomorrow. I need to swing by the supermarket for a few things. Then I plan to make at least the Two-Nut Chocolate Torte. If I have time, I might make the Lemon-Poppy Seed cake. I've already picked up some stuff at the SAQ today after work. I've still got a couple bottles of wine left from the last gathering. Maybe we'll open up one of those. I'd rather have a bit too much than not enough. I suppose I could swing by the SAQ again tomorrow. There's one near the supermarket.
I guess I just like to entertain friends. I want to see everyone enjoying themselves and having a good time. I guess that's why I don't mind bringing in the baked goods to work. The Apple Cake v2, for example, was a hit at work. The recipe I used is a keeper. Although, I think I would like to try the other one again, but using the self-rising flour as indicated. I really want to find out if that was the problem I was having...
Anyway... It's Friday night. So what the H* am I doing here?
Procrastination and Apple Cake
I find that I subconsciously procrastinate in getting certain things done. Usually these things are tasks that I know would/should benefit me somehow. I don't normally procrastinate getting some of the more mundane things, such as housework, done.
What have I been putting off lately? Getting some reading done. I had promised a friend that I would follow a course of action that he had outlined for me almost 2 months ago. One of the things I was suppose to do was read a book. Mind you, it is a technical piece I have to read. In the past two months, I have only managed to finish reading 2 chapters. This is rather pathetic. Why has it taken me so long to finish 2 chapters? It wasn't for lack of time. I think I just subconsciously found other things to do to distract myself from the reading.
So just what exactly have I been doing to distract myself? Chatting. Visiting certain websites on a regular basis. Puttering around the house. A variety of different things depending on the mood and such. This week, I have been baking. My excuse for the baking is that it's the holiday season. I have this need to bake around the holidays. At least, that's my excuse.
I guess I really need to resolve myself to get this "homework" done. I've got to stop procrastinating and finding excuse to put this off any longer. I really need to dedicate at least an hour or two each day to this. I guess another factor in this is motivation. I seem to be lacking some motivation to get this done. I know it's all in my head. I will need to mentally give myself a quick swift kick in the pants to get going again. The intention is there.
Elsewhere...
As mentioned, I have been baking this week. One goal I had was to make an appel cake. On Wednesday, I tried a recipe from the Silver Spoon cookbook. It did not come out too well. :-p
It came out a bit too dense and dry. Yesterday, after doing a quick search, I found another recipe to try. This time, it came out a little better.
This one came out lighter and more moist. The assembly for this one was different in the the apple slices were placed in the bottom of the pan and the batter poured over it. In the first one, the chopped apples were mixed in with the batter. Another problem with the first one was that the mixture became very thick. I'm not sure what the cause for that was. The recipe asked for self-rising flour. I didn't have that on hand so I substituted regular flour with baking powder. Oh well.
What have I been putting off lately? Getting some reading done. I had promised a friend that I would follow a course of action that he had outlined for me almost 2 months ago. One of the things I was suppose to do was read a book. Mind you, it is a technical piece I have to read. In the past two months, I have only managed to finish reading 2 chapters. This is rather pathetic. Why has it taken me so long to finish 2 chapters? It wasn't for lack of time. I think I just subconsciously found other things to do to distract myself from the reading.
So just what exactly have I been doing to distract myself? Chatting. Visiting certain websites on a regular basis. Puttering around the house. A variety of different things depending on the mood and such. This week, I have been baking. My excuse for the baking is that it's the holiday season. I have this need to bake around the holidays. At least, that's my excuse.
I guess I really need to resolve myself to get this "homework" done. I've got to stop procrastinating and finding excuse to put this off any longer. I really need to dedicate at least an hour or two each day to this. I guess another factor in this is motivation. I seem to be lacking some motivation to get this done. I know it's all in my head. I will need to mentally give myself a quick swift kick in the pants to get going again. The intention is there.
Elsewhere...
As mentioned, I have been baking this week. One goal I had was to make an appel cake. On Wednesday, I tried a recipe from the Silver Spoon cookbook. It did not come out too well. :-p
It came out a bit too dense and dry. Yesterday, after doing a quick search, I found another recipe to try. This time, it came out a little better.
This one came out lighter and more moist. The assembly for this one was different in the the apple slices were placed in the bottom of the pan and the batter poured over it. In the first one, the chopped apples were mixed in with the batter. Another problem with the first one was that the mixture became very thick. I'm not sure what the cause for that was. The recipe asked for self-rising flour. I didn't have that on hand so I substituted regular flour with baking powder. Oh well.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Why?
Why? I think this is a sad state of affairs when someone has decided to try to make a profit so that others can try to look popular. First of all, I am not a huge fan of myspace.com. I know that some people use it to promote themselves (such as artists and musicians). Other people seem to use it to keep in touch with friends. But then, this means people "add" other people to they "space" as "friends". And some people seem to have hundreds of "friends". And just how many of these friends are really friends at all? It just seems like a huge popularity contest. So what if you have hundreds of "friends". What does that mean? And some of these people on myspace. You look at their suggestive photos and you wonder just what kind of friends are they looking for in mspace. Then there's the issue of safety for minors who use myspace...
Anyway, that's just my rant...
I have a little shindig planned for Saturday evening. I will need to clean up the place a bit starting tonight. It's not that the place is a huge mess, but there's some clutter that needs to be sorted out and such. *sigh* Plus, I think the Roomba needs to be cleaned too. I might just have a simple supper tonight.
I'm still a bit frustrated and exasperated with those sites. My visits to them are still very brief. I don't think I will login to them at all tonight. It's just not worth the time and energy anymore. :-p
So this is Wednesday...
Anyway, that's just my rant...
I have a little shindig planned for Saturday evening. I will need to clean up the place a bit starting tonight. It's not that the place is a huge mess, but there's some clutter that needs to be sorted out and such. *sigh* Plus, I think the Roomba needs to be cleaned too. I might just have a simple supper tonight.
I'm still a bit frustrated and exasperated with those sites. My visits to them are still very brief. I don't think I will login to them at all tonight. It's just not worth the time and energy anymore. :-p
So this is Wednesday...
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
:-p
I guess I just seem to be in one of those moods today. I don't know why. Work today was okay. While the knowledgable ones were working on a problem, I felt a little helpless and tried to find other things to work on. Miraculously I managed to kill 8 hours today. Just don't ask me what I did exactly.
I've decided that I would like to take a photography course. Someone recommended Dawson College (yes, the same one where the shooting took place). They have a pretty good reputation for the artsy stuff. Their Cont Ed department does offer some courses in the area of photography. The course Camera Basics sounds like it's right up my alley. There is also the Digital Photography I, but that is on the same night as my other courses at Concordia. I haven't registered yet as registration doesn't start until next week. This should give me a chance to think about it and maybe ask around.
In the meantime, I spent a few bucks at IKEA today. I was getting tired of the 2 black bedside lamps I have. They're the type that turn on/off at the base. I found this one, which I thought was cute and about the right size. Also picked up some more candles, vanilla-scented tea lights, and christmas lights.
Kiwi. This one brought a tear to my eye. I think it was very well done. It's awfully darn cute. And I just don't want to know what happens in the end. Kiwi was happy...
Being in such a mood, I am just finding it frustrating to visit any of *those* sites this evening. Maybe I am a little frustrated by the whole process. I don't know. In any case, I just did not bother to spend much time on those sites tonight. Instead, I worked at devising a way to hang up the xmas lights by the window. They're a drape-style type of xmas lights. I don't have curtain rods on my windows (all blinds). But, I found that using extra long twist-ties (the ones that come with the large garbage bags) did the trick! How? I basically wrapped the twist tie around the top thingy of the blinds. With that, I can hang the lights from it. :-) I'll see if I can take a photo to better illustrate what I did. I guess that was the engineer in me trying to find a solution to a problem.
I've decided that I would like to take a photography course. Someone recommended Dawson College (yes, the same one where the shooting took place). They have a pretty good reputation for the artsy stuff. Their Cont Ed department does offer some courses in the area of photography. The course Camera Basics sounds like it's right up my alley. There is also the Digital Photography I, but that is on the same night as my other courses at Concordia. I haven't registered yet as registration doesn't start until next week. This should give me a chance to think about it and maybe ask around.
In the meantime, I spent a few bucks at IKEA today. I was getting tired of the 2 black bedside lamps I have. They're the type that turn on/off at the base. I found this one, which I thought was cute and about the right size. Also picked up some more candles, vanilla-scented tea lights, and christmas lights.
Kiwi. This one brought a tear to my eye. I think it was very well done. It's awfully darn cute. And I just don't want to know what happens in the end. Kiwi was happy...
Being in such a mood, I am just finding it frustrating to visit any of *those* sites this evening. Maybe I am a little frustrated by the whole process. I don't know. In any case, I just did not bother to spend much time on those sites tonight. Instead, I worked at devising a way to hang up the xmas lights by the window. They're a drape-style type of xmas lights. I don't have curtain rods on my windows (all blinds). But, I found that using extra long twist-ties (the ones that come with the large garbage bags) did the trick! How? I basically wrapped the twist tie around the top thingy of the blinds. With that, I can hang the lights from it. :-) I'll see if I can take a photo to better illustrate what I did. I guess that was the engineer in me trying to find a solution to a problem.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Finally...
I've finally changed some of the CDs in the CD changer in the car. For the longest time I had the same 6 CDs in there. Recently, I've swapped 3 of them and soon a 4th will be coming out.
What's in there now?
1) Pixies
2) Death Cab for Cutie
3) Bedouin Soundclash/Hot Hot Heat
4) The Deers
5) Bad Brains
6) Dire Straits
I will probably swap the Bad Brains CD for a Matthew Good (Avalanche) one.
What's in there now?
1) Pixies
2) Death Cab for Cutie
3) Bedouin Soundclash/Hot Hot Heat
4) The Deers
5) Bad Brains
6) Dire Straits
I will probably swap the Bad Brains CD for a Matthew Good (Avalanche) one.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Brrrr!
It's cold today. It was also very windy. I hate when it's so windy. It's rattles everything.
Snow has been forecast for tomorrow. Yay! Some real white stuff, I guess!
I sometimes wonder just how much online time is spent perusing some of the dating sites. There are days when I ask myself just why the heck I'm spending so much time logged into some of these sites. It is such a huge waste of time to log in so frequently. When I remind myself of this I instantly logoff and look for something else to do.
Something that I do try to do more often is to update this blog. There might not always be something interesting, but it's just my way to convey my thoughts and feelings for the day. I guess I'm just not very good at relating the details of the day's events. I'm probably better at discussing what was going on in my head as a result of something that's happened. Which leads me to this...
Chemistry. Based on Wikipedia's definition, I wonder just how or when you would know if there is some sort of chemistry between two people. How instantaneous is this chemistry? I find that it's a bit of a puzzle sometimes. Or maybe I'm just a bit thick when it comes to this sort of thing. I suppose that interpersonal chemistry could also be equated to this "clicking" between two people.
Elsewhere....
Finster made a trip to the vet today to have his sudden weightloss looked into. About a month ago he weight in at around 12 pounds. today he was down to about 9. The vet took some blood and x-rays. It seems that he's a bit constipated which could explain a few things. As well, he might be experiencing some pain in the mouth due to the condition of his teeth. So the poor fella had to endure an enema. He did get some fluids to help with some dehydration. The vet gave me a bag of solution for me to help with his hydration at home. On top of all that his heart murmur seems to be be a bit more pronounced. Because of that, he might be at risk if he were to be put under for a teeth cleaning. But there's still one set of blood tests to be done. We will only know on Tuesday what the results are for that. Overall, this was not a cheap trip to the vet. Finster had better have a few lives left! ;-)
Snow has been forecast for tomorrow. Yay! Some real white stuff, I guess!
I sometimes wonder just how much online time is spent perusing some of the dating sites. There are days when I ask myself just why the heck I'm spending so much time logged into some of these sites. It is such a huge waste of time to log in so frequently. When I remind myself of this I instantly logoff and look for something else to do.
Something that I do try to do more often is to update this blog. There might not always be something interesting, but it's just my way to convey my thoughts and feelings for the day. I guess I'm just not very good at relating the details of the day's events. I'm probably better at discussing what was going on in my head as a result of something that's happened. Which leads me to this...
Chemistry. Based on Wikipedia's definition, I wonder just how or when you would know if there is some sort of chemistry between two people. How instantaneous is this chemistry? I find that it's a bit of a puzzle sometimes. Or maybe I'm just a bit thick when it comes to this sort of thing. I suppose that interpersonal chemistry could also be equated to this "clicking" between two people.
Elsewhere....
Finster made a trip to the vet today to have his sudden weightloss looked into. About a month ago he weight in at around 12 pounds. today he was down to about 9. The vet took some blood and x-rays. It seems that he's a bit constipated which could explain a few things. As well, he might be experiencing some pain in the mouth due to the condition of his teeth. So the poor fella had to endure an enema. He did get some fluids to help with some dehydration. The vet gave me a bag of solution for me to help with his hydration at home. On top of all that his heart murmur seems to be be a bit more pronounced. Because of that, he might be at risk if he were to be put under for a teeth cleaning. But there's still one set of blood tests to be done. We will only know on Tuesday what the results are for that. Overall, this was not a cheap trip to the vet. Finster had better have a few lives left! ;-)
Friday, December 01, 2006
Winter? Is that you?
It seems that a cold front is pushing its way into the region. I wonder if we will be getting the -20C temps that the mid-west has been experiencing as of late. In any case, the weather today has been rather icky. This morning started with some ice pellets. Some of this accumulated. There was also a layer of of ice on the cars.
We had our department holiday lunch today. Of course, there were 10 of us who stayed until the bitter end (around 5PM). By then, it was windy and piss-pouring rain. Since the temps were hovering around 0, ice still formed on the parked cars by the restaurant. At least, I managed to get a lift home. The sidewalks, I found, were somewhat icy in patches.
With the weather being rather icky, I decided to pass on the pub crawl tonight. Not only is the weather a factor, but I also got only 3 hours of sleep last night. For whatever reason, I had a heck of a time trying to fall asleep last night. At one point I logged in and found a buddy, currently working in China, online. So we chatted for a bit. By 2AM, I think I fell asleep. Then the alarm went off at 5. :-p
I hope I can get some rest tonight. There's stuff I'd like to get done this weekend. :-)
We had our department holiday lunch today. Of course, there were 10 of us who stayed until the bitter end (around 5PM). By then, it was windy and piss-pouring rain. Since the temps were hovering around 0, ice still formed on the parked cars by the restaurant. At least, I managed to get a lift home. The sidewalks, I found, were somewhat icy in patches.
With the weather being rather icky, I decided to pass on the pub crawl tonight. Not only is the weather a factor, but I also got only 3 hours of sleep last night. For whatever reason, I had a heck of a time trying to fall asleep last night. At one point I logged in and found a buddy, currently working in China, online. So we chatted for a bit. By 2AM, I think I fell asleep. Then the alarm went off at 5. :-p
I hope I can get some rest tonight. There's stuff I'd like to get done this weekend. :-)
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