Canadian Celebrity

This photo was taken at a tradeshow I went to for work a few weeks back. I'm standing between two Canadian stars from the TV show Corner Gas, Gabrielle Miller and Tara Spencer-Nairn. I with I could say that in my job I was always brushing elbows with celebrities, Canadian or otherwise. Tradeshows are awesome.

Stressed And Upset

Last week I worked very very hard on a presentation for an upcoming project at work. I had researched and compared a number of proposals from venues, as we are having a large workshop. I gave the presentation to a committee of my boss, her boss, and other important people. It went over well. Everyone was impressed. We picked a venue and date. After sending rejection e-mails to the other locations I started dealing with the hotel we had chosen. Then the committee decided to push forward the date by a few weeks. This started a three day battle between me and the committee, and me and the hotel. We finally all reached a good compromise, I get the contract and am moments away from signing, when I notice we will be on the line for a large number of guest rooms. I need them, but we can't pay the hotel if we don't fill them, as it is not a good use of taxpayers money. Another fight ensues, me trying to drop our obligation to fill the rooms, or to lower the number we need, so that we are absolutely sure we can fill them. This changes everything, the lower the guest rooms the higher the other costs, as it is a sliding scale not previously explained to me. After spending all day going over these details, I receive news that the hotel will offer me the original contract, but cannot make ANY changes, so I accept the large number of guest rooms or I'm totally out of luck. Well I'm beyond out of luck because that basically means I'm at square one again. I'm so tried and so upset and I'm looking at another two or three straight days work on this stupid thing. I'm already behind about two or three days on my other tasks. I'm scared, I'm annoyed, I'm stressed, I'm sad, and I'm pissed off!!

The Plague

I was very lucky in my high school years to have escaped the bad skin that happens to many people around that time. I rarely got zits, and never had to wash my face more then a quick splash of water in the mornings. It seems my body is now making up for lost time. Now, in my early 20's it is as if I have caught the plague. My face is always breaking out, I have multiple zits at one time, and no amount of washing, with facewash seems to help. It is most frustrating. It start about a year or so ago, I would get one or two pimples of substantial size on my chin or forehead right before my period. Now it doesn't appear to matter where in my cycle I am, my face is covered in them. I sometimes even have to wear cover-up, which is crazy for me, as I only every like to put on make-up when I'm going out somewhere special. I am actually out of facewash, from using it so much, and tomorrow I'm off to buy some. I don't know what to get, I just need something to make it stop!

Curse Them Out

I think that instead of turning to swear words in anger, we should bring back the long drawn out curse speeches. They seem much more powerful, and can be so very harsh. Not just "A plague on both your houses." Dig deep and find what will really upset them. For a prime example look to the one said by King Lear, in the Shakespearean play of the same name, to his daughter. Here he wishes her infertility, and if she does bare children that they are so evil they will torment her and cause her to quickly age.

"It may be so, my lord.
Hear, nature, hear; dear goddess, hear!
Suspend thy purpose, if thou didst intend
To make this creature fruitful!
Into her womb convey sterility!
Dry up in her the organs of increase;
And from her derogate body never spring
A babe to honour her! If she must teem,
Create her child of spleen; that it may live,
And be a thwart disnatured torment to her!
Let it stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth;
With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks;
Turn all her mother's pains and benefits
To laughter and contempt; that she may feel
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
To have a thankless child! Away, away!"

Kristin's Cheese Fondue

Bit of a lie, the recipe is actually from Betty Crocker. Kristin made this fondue for us for dinner last night, and she just made it look so easy I thought even I could make it. It serves 4 for dinner or 8 as an appetizer. Serve it with cut bread, veggies, fruit, whatever you want covered in cheese. If you don't have fondue forks and pot, you can use regular forks and a crock pot.
2 Cans of Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
1/4 cup of White Wine
2 cups of shredded Swiss Cheese
1/4 finely chopped Onion
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Combine everything into a pot on medium heat, stirring occasionally until cheese has melted and the fondue is warm.
Serve and share! So Good!!

Pre-Drunk

The art of pre-drinking is to consume a certain amount of alcohol before you go out to a bar or club in order to save money. You don’t want to drink too much so as to avoid being drunk in public before you even reach your destination, also you want the bouncers to let you in. Sometimes you don’t get the balance right, and this occurs. Me, photographing myself, in a McDonalds, at 8:30pm, a little tipsy. (Look at me work that ski-jacket.)

Cabbie Complaints

I take cabs a lot, way more than I should. I have developed distinct pet peeves that relate to my taxi ride. Most people don’t like when a driver attempts to strike up conversation, this doesn’t bug me in the least. Even when I’m not in the mood to chat, which is rarely, I’m always happy that they are trying. I’m their customer, they are providing a service, they should be making small talk. What they should not be doing is talking on their cell phones, even if the cell is hands free. I don’t get to sit at my job talking on the phone to friends and family as I work. When I was in retail and food service, sure I would talk to co-workers but would stop when a customer was there to turn all attention on them. I want to start tipping less if the diver is chatting away to someone else. I tend to tip around $1-$2. The only time I ever fought with a cabbie and actually not only did I not tip him, I even paid less then the stated fair, was when he took a strange route that ended up costing $5 more then I had ever paid to get from home to work. I stood up to him then. I wish I could stand up to them when they are talking on the phone. But what would I even say?

Family Day

Today is Family Day, which is a strange new holiday. It isn't recognized as a Federal Holiday, though the NDP wants it to be, another reason to love Jack Layton. I'm working, as is everyone in the Federal Government. The Agency I'm hired through is provincial, so I'm getting time-and-a-half today. Happy Family Day To Me!! Alberta has been celebrating it for over 25 years, for a long time they were the only province to have a holiday in February, then Saskatchewan joined them, followed closely by Manitoba and Ontario. Mind you in Manitoba it is called Louis Riel Day, which is way cooler.

A Wordsmith

There was a young girl, looked after the drink.
Put it outside, to keep it "in the pink"
In a cardboard tote
"Don't touch" said the note
Who knew, the bomb squad would make such a stink!
-By C. Sweeton

Now this is not me, my mom's first name also starts with a 'C' and it is her poem to me. She is definitely where I get my writing skills from, but poetry is not her strong suit. I don't even know what she is referring to when she says 'in the pink' and it might just be used to rhyme with ‘drink,’ besides that though this poem is much better than her last attempt. I shouldn’t judge, I’m not good writing poetry either. I do know that writing poetry takes a long time, and I'm thankful and happy that she made the effort for me on Valentines Day, as it was sent to me yesterday. I love you Mom!! The poem is in reference to an incident at work that happened to me earlier this week. I don't want to get into details, but basically I put some drinks in a box outside to keep them cold, the bomb squad was called, and I got into more than a little bit of trouble. Not my finest moment, I'm still a little embarrassed about it.

Nothing To Prove

I make a bad first impression. I have been told this by friends and enemy’s alike. It takes awhile to get used to me, to figure me out, and then to ultimately (hopefully) like me. It is particularly noticeable at new jobs. I think I have finally figured it out: My first day on a new job I’m out to show everyone how great I am. I feel I have to prove that I was the right choice for the job. I’m overly assertive and confident. I rush around showing what I can do. “Oh, I know how to use a debit machine” or “I can fill out Travel Forms, I was trained at my last job.” No one likes that type of person. It goes away, eventually I just don’t care. I work hard, I do my job, I hope that I do it well enough to stay. Pretty much by the second day I no longer feel that I have to prove myself, but the damage is usually already done. I need to learn from this. I need to remember keep my quiet confidence and ‘nothing to prove’ attitude whether it is my first day on the job or fifth year.

A Newfie Word

Jerrica doesn’t really have a Newfie accent. Every now and then she does use strange words. She used the word 'contrary' last night in a way that I would almost call slang, but it wasn't quite. I gather in Newfoundland, it is used often to mean 'cranky' or 'upset'. If a child is misbehaving they are 'being contrary' but it can be used with adults as well. Jerrica says that isn't a mean word when they use it, it is used like 'crabby'. This use isn't that far a stretch from some of its official definitions, which state that 'contrary' can mean stubborn, headstrong, or hostile.

Media Magnet

I was recently surprised to find out that Anna went to Boston to help the Hilary Clinton campaign before this past week's 'Super Tuesday' primary. She spent last weekend in Boston doing this. In terms of American politics, I don't really care who gets in, as long as it is a Democrat, though I do love Hilary. My reasons are not the greatest, I like that; she is a women, she has a lot of political experience, she is married to Bill Clinton, and that she advocated for a better more socialized American health care plan for many years. Anna actually got to meet her (See Photo.) The entire weekend must have been amazing. To quote Anna, "It was pretty cool, the experience itself was awesome." And her little group got a bit famous too!! They were all over the Canadian press; Global, CTV (Canada AM), CBC Radio, Canadian Press/Toronto Star, The Sun, The Citizen, obviously Carleton and couple American papers interviewed them as well. You can see the Global National coverage here (Anna talks on the phone and is in the background a lot).

Beavertail Cheating

I had my first Beavertail of the season this afternoon. I think I cheated though, because I had it on the canal, but wasn't skating. I was walking home from work, and instead of walking up the stairs across the bridge over the canal and then back down the stairs, I cut across the ice as the canal was open for skating. Not only was I not skating, but I was also lazily shortening my route home. They are getting really expensive though and I don't know how many more I will have this winter, $3.75 for the basic one. I love them, so tasty, and even the name sounds patriotic.

Best Cross-Over Ever

I think last night was host to the greatest TV show cross-over this century has ever seen. Normally I'm not a fan. I was annoyed with CSI on Without A Trace as well as Ally McBeal on The Practice. I prefer when they are subtle, like Mad About You's brief appearance on Friends, when they are more cameo in nature. But, over the past few weeks, a debate started through late night comedy talk shows, on who 'Made Mike Hukabee.' Both Conan O'Brien and Stephen Colbert insisted that they gave this US Presidential hopeful the success he needed by having him on their respective shows. Conan insisted then, that by showing a clip of Colbert, he in fact made Colbert the success he is. Jon Stewart got involved by showing an ancient clip of Conan being interviewed, thus Stewart claims he made Conan. The chain was Stewart made Conan, who made Colbert, who made Hukabee. The insanity continued on Friday when Conan stated, and showed a picture, that he delivered Stewart and Colbert when they were babies, and if either of them brought it up again he would kick their ass. Well last night, the three comedians met up, on each of their respective shows, ending in a hilarious brawl on the Conan O'Brien show. It can all be see on YouTube if you search "conan o'brien stewart colbert". Well worth a watch!!

Book Crossing

I woke up Saturday with nothing to do. I lay in bed for an hour or so before I started to get a little board. Then I remembered I had gotten a book for Christmas. The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella, the British author who also writes the Shopaholic series. I started reading it around 11:30. 4 hours and 404 pages later I finish it, finding myself still in my bed in pj's, and it felt like only moments had past. I was planning donating it to the library, as I don't like to own very many books. (The book must be truly special for me to want to own a copy.) Then a woman at work told me about Book Crossing It is an amazing idea. You register a book and then "release" it into the world, hoping others will "catch" it. Then the book gets tracked and travels all over the world. I can't wait to leave mine in the cafeteria at work tomorrow.

Movies

My Favourite Movies, in order, are:
1- A League Of Their Own
2- The Fifth Element
3- Aladdin
4- Labyrinth
5- Wag The Dog
6- 10 Things I Hate About You
I know that six is a strange number to have. I love many more in the Fantasy genre (Willow, Princess Bride.) The original three Star Wars always deserves a mention. Also not many comedies are listed though I love them too (Men In Tights, Wet Hot American Summer, Super Troopers). But those six are truely my favourites, and have been for a very very long time.