It's a day long party!
Can't stay long, but so far today, there has been mini golf in the suburbs, exploring big box stores in the suburbs for supplies, the NHL draft, a barbeque, the Confederations Cup final (Boooo Brazil!), drinks, and three records as gifts.
Party on Wayne...
...Wish you were here.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
June 29/13
Fuck, I really need a housecleaner.
It's the Saturday of the Canada Day long weekend, and today, I should be relaxing outside or doing something like sipping sangria on a patio, but I'm not. I'm inside cleaning my house. With a painter's mask to help mitigate the fumes of cleaning products which inflame my airways.
We're stuck cleaning house because on Thursday, I was "informed" that people were coming to my house on Sunday by former colleague of Etienne's in a passing conversation in the hallway at work. Uhh...?
I have no problem with people coming over, in fact I think it needs to happen more because we do have that awesome deck out back which could serve as a cool hang-out. But that means having to keep our house in a better state of readiness to receive guests, and that requires a level of cleanliness that we are both committed to, but can't seem to sustain on our own (Translation: we suck at keeping clean).
I always told myself that when I could afford it, I would bring in a cleaner once a week or maybe twice a month, just to keep the place from becoming gruesome, but my present financial situation has my hands tied there. I am earning an envious salary for some, but I'm also enslaved to a large pile of student debts. By the time taxes and benefits are accounted for, I net enough to pay my rent and bills, put nearly $1,000 a month into debt payments, and have a meagre sum left over to live on between pay cheques. There's just no room yet for a cleaner.
And so instead, I take beautiful days like this one out of my fun rotation in order to clean.
A cleaner...
...Wish you were here.
It's the Saturday of the Canada Day long weekend, and today, I should be relaxing outside or doing something like sipping sangria on a patio, but I'm not. I'm inside cleaning my house. With a painter's mask to help mitigate the fumes of cleaning products which inflame my airways.
We're stuck cleaning house because on Thursday, I was "informed" that people were coming to my house on Sunday by former colleague of Etienne's in a passing conversation in the hallway at work. Uhh...?
I have no problem with people coming over, in fact I think it needs to happen more because we do have that awesome deck out back which could serve as a cool hang-out. But that means having to keep our house in a better state of readiness to receive guests, and that requires a level of cleanliness that we are both committed to, but can't seem to sustain on our own (Translation: we suck at keeping clean).
I always told myself that when I could afford it, I would bring in a cleaner once a week or maybe twice a month, just to keep the place from becoming gruesome, but my present financial situation has my hands tied there. I am earning an envious salary for some, but I'm also enslaved to a large pile of student debts. By the time taxes and benefits are accounted for, I net enough to pay my rent and bills, put nearly $1,000 a month into debt payments, and have a meagre sum left over to live on between pay cheques. There's just no room yet for a cleaner.
And so instead, I take beautiful days like this one out of my fun rotation in order to clean.
A cleaner...
...Wish you were here.
Friday, June 28, 2013
June 28/13
On occasion, the world becomes acquainted with an idiot. This happens when said idiot finds himself or herself in a prominent position. And in recent times, it's fair to say that the great state of Texas has provided us with prime examples.
We don't need to get into George W. Bush here. We all know Bush was apt to say really dumb things a lot, and for this, there is even a dedicated Bushisms Wikipedia page for your enjoyment.
No, I'm talking about the guy who replaced Bush as Texas state Governor after he left to become President: Mr. Rick Perry. During the 2012 Republican Primaries, Rick Perry got caught looking like a dope on several occasions, including looking/sounding drunk while fondling a bottle of maple syrup in New Hampshire, and the "oops" moment at the November 9, 2011 Republican Debate, as well as looking like a weak flipflopper for supporting HPV vaccinations for teens in his state, but then switching positions when he was attacked for it by Ol' CrazyEyes Bachmann.
But it seems that thus far, Rick Perry has only flirted with Bushisms. Until today. In what can only be characterized as a disgusting, low, demeaning, all-out stupid move, he spoke at a pro-life event and attacked Senator Wendy Davis over her filibuster earlier this week. He debased himself and the office of Governor by singling her out as someone who should "get" pro-life arguments because she herself was a child of a single mother, in addition to having been a teen single mother herself. Are you ready for Rick Perry's very own Bushism?
"How many young men and women across this country didn't get to accomplish what Wendy Davis just accomplished because they weren't born?"
Uh, the answer is none, Rick. Zero men and women across America got to accomplish what Wendy Davis did because they weren't born.
Do you think this kind of thing is something these idiots think back on a cringe about, or are they honestly too dense to get it?
Think before you speak, people...
...Wish you were here.
We don't need to get into George W. Bush here. We all know Bush was apt to say really dumb things a lot, and for this, there is even a dedicated Bushisms Wikipedia page for your enjoyment.
No, I'm talking about the guy who replaced Bush as Texas state Governor after he left to become President: Mr. Rick Perry. During the 2012 Republican Primaries, Rick Perry got caught looking like a dope on several occasions, including looking/sounding drunk while fondling a bottle of maple syrup in New Hampshire, and the "oops" moment at the November 9, 2011 Republican Debate, as well as looking like a weak flipflopper for supporting HPV vaccinations for teens in his state, but then switching positions when he was attacked for it by Ol' CrazyEyes Bachmann.
But it seems that thus far, Rick Perry has only flirted with Bushisms. Until today. In what can only be characterized as a disgusting, low, demeaning, all-out stupid move, he spoke at a pro-life event and attacked Senator Wendy Davis over her filibuster earlier this week. He debased himself and the office of Governor by singling her out as someone who should "get" pro-life arguments because she herself was a child of a single mother, in addition to having been a teen single mother herself. Are you ready for Rick Perry's very own Bushism?
"How many young men and women across this country didn't get to accomplish what Wendy Davis just accomplished because they weren't born?"
Uh, the answer is none, Rick. Zero men and women across America got to accomplish what Wendy Davis did because they weren't born.
Do you think this kind of thing is something these idiots think back on a cringe about, or are they honestly too dense to get it?
Think before you speak, people...
...Wish you were here.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
June 27/13
I've had a lot of food for thought this week...I'm stuffed.
But from all these little pieces...the gay marriage thing, the voting rights act thing, the right to choice thing...I've pulled a common thread, and now I'm running with it.
At what point in human history did we decide that there were just groups of people who, for no good reason, are just not good enough to be treated like everyone else? And when was it ever the right thing for society at large?
Identity is a tricky thing to do. There is a push-pull tension where an individual defines his or her own identity for the world to see, but it may be very contrary to the identity assigned by others.
For instance, I am open about my sexuality, I am a member of a minority ethnic group with a sad voting rights history, and I'm a woman. I'm proud of who I am, who I've become, and how those things have contributed to me being an open, tolerant person, so it's understandable that if I were in the United States, I'd feel completely and totally disoriented about what others want to decide about MY life based on any or all of those three traits. People actually use the things I'm proud of against me, and use them as excuses to make my rights somehow lesser than theirs. Does this mean that these people are also prone to seeing me as a lesser person than they are? Am I less deserving of making my own choices or having my rights protected because I'm bi or Aboriginal or a woman (or some disturbing combination of the three)?
The answer is no. I am a human, like all those around me, and I deserve no less than what they claim.
Get well soon, America...
...Wish you were here.
But from all these little pieces...the gay marriage thing, the voting rights act thing, the right to choice thing...I've pulled a common thread, and now I'm running with it.
At what point in human history did we decide that there were just groups of people who, for no good reason, are just not good enough to be treated like everyone else? And when was it ever the right thing for society at large?
Identity is a tricky thing to do. There is a push-pull tension where an individual defines his or her own identity for the world to see, but it may be very contrary to the identity assigned by others.
For instance, I am open about my sexuality, I am a member of a minority ethnic group with a sad voting rights history, and I'm a woman. I'm proud of who I am, who I've become, and how those things have contributed to me being an open, tolerant person, so it's understandable that if I were in the United States, I'd feel completely and totally disoriented about what others want to decide about MY life based on any or all of those three traits. People actually use the things I'm proud of against me, and use them as excuses to make my rights somehow lesser than theirs. Does this mean that these people are also prone to seeing me as a lesser person than they are? Am I less deserving of making my own choices or having my rights protected because I'm bi or Aboriginal or a woman (or some disturbing combination of the three)?
The answer is no. I am a human, like all those around me, and I deserve no less than what they claim.
Get well soon, America...
...Wish you were here.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
June 26/13
In contrast to last night's gloom and doom, I'm thrilled...delighted...excited...proud...
Fuck it.
WE WON!!
Today, the United States Supreme Court handed down rulings striking down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and dismissing the case to keep the ban on same-sex marriage (Prop 8) in place in California! These are two very key battles, particular for the DOMA ruling, which extends federal benefits to same-sex couples in states where their relationships are recognized.
As if that weren't enough of a reason to be proud today, when I woke up this morning, I was greeted with the news that the Democrats in Texas were successful in running down the clock, thus killing the scary-bad bill which would all but destroy the right to access abortion services and reproductive care services for millions of women in the stroke of a pen!
Some big wins for society today, even if the jerkfaces who disagree with same-sex marriage and right to choose don't recognize it yet!
But it's so important to remember that these are just battles won...ultimately there is a long way to go in the States to win the war on ignorance and bigotry.
More victories to come...
...Wish you were here.
Fuck it.
WE WON!!
Today, the United States Supreme Court handed down rulings striking down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and dismissing the case to keep the ban on same-sex marriage (Prop 8) in place in California! These are two very key battles, particular for the DOMA ruling, which extends federal benefits to same-sex couples in states where their relationships are recognized.
As if that weren't enough of a reason to be proud today, when I woke up this morning, I was greeted with the news that the Democrats in Texas were successful in running down the clock, thus killing the scary-bad bill which would all but destroy the right to access abortion services and reproductive care services for millions of women in the stroke of a pen!
Some big wins for society today, even if the jerkfaces who disagree with same-sex marriage and right to choose don't recognize it yet!
But it's so important to remember that these are just battles won...ultimately there is a long way to go in the States to win the war on ignorance and bigotry.
More victories to come...
...Wish you were here.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
June 25/13
It should not take a woman standing unaided and talking for almost eleven hours straight to protect the right of access to abortion and reproductive/health services in the United States...not after Roe v. Wade. But even now, a lone Texas state senator, Wendy Davis, has done just that, and with the help of her Democratic senate colleagues, is running down the clock on a senate bill that will all but extinguish access to abortion and reproductive/sexual health services, and in a state as large as Texas, you can only imagine the devastating impact that will have.
As if that wasn't bad enough, today the Supreme Court of the United States handed down a ruling that utterly guts the Voting Rights Act provisions designed to protect the right to vote for minorities in states with a dark, disgusting history of constraining or outright stripping people of their democratically-protected right to cast a ballot. The ruling paves the way for these states to start imposing all kinds of rules which will impede the ability to register to vote or cast a ballot for of a majority of poor people, minorities, young voters, immigrants and the elderly, aka. the Democratic party's base. The ruling also clears the way for an assload of gerrymandering which will also no doubt further diminish the voting power of these groups.
And the Democratic party is doing nothing but bitching and taking the high road.
Fuck, these days, I don't have a lot of reasons to be glad I live in Canada, but today I have two: my right to choose is preserved, even under a Conservative majority government, and my right to vote isn't subject to racist bullshit "laws" anymore.
Reminders are important...
...Wish you were here.
As if that wasn't bad enough, today the Supreme Court of the United States handed down a ruling that utterly guts the Voting Rights Act provisions designed to protect the right to vote for minorities in states with a dark, disgusting history of constraining or outright stripping people of their democratically-protected right to cast a ballot. The ruling paves the way for these states to start imposing all kinds of rules which will impede the ability to register to vote or cast a ballot for of a majority of poor people, minorities, young voters, immigrants and the elderly, aka. the Democratic party's base. The ruling also clears the way for an assload of gerrymandering which will also no doubt further diminish the voting power of these groups.
And the Democratic party is doing nothing but bitching and taking the high road.
Fuck, these days, I don't have a lot of reasons to be glad I live in Canada, but today I have two: my right to choose is preserved, even under a Conservative majority government, and my right to vote isn't subject to racist bullshit "laws" anymore.
Reminders are important...
...Wish you were here.
Monday, June 24, 2013
June 24/13
Isn't the internet just something else...
I know I've said it before, but in six easy clicks can get from 30 Rock to 'is it legal to watch Traci Lords' underage porn movies in Canada.' Before you judge, let me first walk you through the process before I explain why this is the moment of the day.
It begins with thinking back to the episode of Cerie's wedding (step 1), when Liz Lemon meets Carol Burnett, and Jack chooses Avery over Nancy. From the wiki on that episode, I clicked on the link for Avery Jessop (step 2). From there, I moved on to the wiki for the actress playing Avery, Elizabeth Banks (step 3). From there, a query had me click on the link for the movie Zack and Miri Make a Porno (step 4), where I eventually go to the wiki for Traci Lords (step 5). It was here that I learned for the first time that Traci Lords was underage when about 100 of her 200 or so porn movies were made, which apparently led to an enormous legal clusterfuck, and resulted in those titles becoming illegal to produce, buy or sell in the US.
I had no idea about any of this. And why would I know anything? When this was all going down in the US in 1986, I was a child, and this was well before the internet became the ubiquitous juggernaut that it is today, so I wouldn't have heard about it, and wouldn't have had the cognitive ability to grasp what I would have heard anyway. Indeed, chances are excellent that if you are under 40, and you are not a big 80's porn aficionado, you would be just as surprised as I was to find this out. But I digress...
While reading the wikipedia page, I noted something that piqued my intellectual curiosity in the form of a line in the text reading as follows:
(However, in non-US jurisdictions where the age restriction on pornography is lower, as well as over the Internet, her earlier films continue to be distributed.)
The reason why this would pique my curiosity is twofold. First, in this age of streaming video, where it is possible to view video content without actually downloading it, does that mean that any of her earlier films streaming on adult websites are technically not being "distributed" because the content is not being "downloaded" or "uploaded" in the traditional sense of the terms as understood by the ordinary internet user?
It's such a dicey topic, given the international community's efforts to tackle child pornography, and most users just don't know the patchwork of laws covering the topic in various counries.
Which leads to the second reason my curiosity was piqued: Is there an easy way to understand and learn about the rules? To test this, I googled the question "Is it legal to watch Traci Lords' underage porn movies in Canada" and the answer may dishearten you: No. There is no simple way to clarify the rules for streaming any of her early movies over the internet in Canada. Where I ended up with this last step (step 6) was an old discussion forum on the internet where a user back in 2009 posted a similar question (although he went further in discussing the context (nostalgia) and morality of viewing those films, knowing now that she was underage at the time).
As it happened, this forum discussion was taking place against the backdrop of proposed legislation to tighten laws around child pornography in Canada, so at the time, no one knew what the new laws meant for answering the legal aspects of the question (but believe me, a lot of tangential stuff was said on the morality issue!).
I was so fascinated by what I was reading, I was actually tempted to contact the Ottawa Police just to ask what the situation was regarding the so-called Traci Lords Argument, but that would be way too nerdy of me, and it would waste police resources, so I dropped the idea.
I have so many questions, not the least of which is how does one go about clarifying this gobbledegook and legal mumbo-jumbo and get a straight answer on such a complex question? And yes, I recognize that I'm totally nerding out here.
Oh the places you will go (online)...
...Wish you were here.
I know I've said it before, but in six easy clicks can get from 30 Rock to 'is it legal to watch Traci Lords' underage porn movies in Canada.' Before you judge, let me first walk you through the process before I explain why this is the moment of the day.
It begins with thinking back to the episode of Cerie's wedding (step 1), when Liz Lemon meets Carol Burnett, and Jack chooses Avery over Nancy. From the wiki on that episode, I clicked on the link for Avery Jessop (step 2). From there, I moved on to the wiki for the actress playing Avery, Elizabeth Banks (step 3). From there, a query had me click on the link for the movie Zack and Miri Make a Porno (step 4), where I eventually go to the wiki for Traci Lords (step 5). It was here that I learned for the first time that Traci Lords was underage when about 100 of her 200 or so porn movies were made, which apparently led to an enormous legal clusterfuck, and resulted in those titles becoming illegal to produce, buy or sell in the US.
I had no idea about any of this. And why would I know anything? When this was all going down in the US in 1986, I was a child, and this was well before the internet became the ubiquitous juggernaut that it is today, so I wouldn't have heard about it, and wouldn't have had the cognitive ability to grasp what I would have heard anyway. Indeed, chances are excellent that if you are under 40, and you are not a big 80's porn aficionado, you would be just as surprised as I was to find this out. But I digress...
While reading the wikipedia page, I noted something that piqued my intellectual curiosity in the form of a line in the text reading as follows:
(However, in non-US jurisdictions where the age restriction on pornography is lower, as well as over the Internet, her earlier films continue to be distributed.)
The reason why this would pique my curiosity is twofold. First, in this age of streaming video, where it is possible to view video content without actually downloading it, does that mean that any of her earlier films streaming on adult websites are technically not being "distributed" because the content is not being "downloaded" or "uploaded" in the traditional sense of the terms as understood by the ordinary internet user?
It's such a dicey topic, given the international community's efforts to tackle child pornography, and most users just don't know the patchwork of laws covering the topic in various counries.
Which leads to the second reason my curiosity was piqued: Is there an easy way to understand and learn about the rules? To test this, I googled the question "Is it legal to watch Traci Lords' underage porn movies in Canada" and the answer may dishearten you: No. There is no simple way to clarify the rules for streaming any of her early movies over the internet in Canada. Where I ended up with this last step (step 6) was an old discussion forum on the internet where a user back in 2009 posted a similar question (although he went further in discussing the context (nostalgia) and morality of viewing those films, knowing now that she was underage at the time).
As it happened, this forum discussion was taking place against the backdrop of proposed legislation to tighten laws around child pornography in Canada, so at the time, no one knew what the new laws meant for answering the legal aspects of the question (but believe me, a lot of tangential stuff was said on the morality issue!).
I was so fascinated by what I was reading, I was actually tempted to contact the Ottawa Police just to ask what the situation was regarding the so-called Traci Lords Argument, but that would be way too nerdy of me, and it would waste police resources, so I dropped the idea.
I have so many questions, not the least of which is how does one go about clarifying this gobbledegook and legal mumbo-jumbo and get a straight answer on such a complex question? And yes, I recognize that I'm totally nerding out here.
Oh the places you will go (online)...
...Wish you were here.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
June 23/13
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MUMMY AND DADDY!!
Today is the 32nd anniversary of my parents walking into a house belonging to a random justice of the peace and legally vowing to hang out together for a really long time. They had been together for about four years at that point, and there was a little baby girl already scampering about, so hey, let's do this!
May you have many more years of happiness, health and Mojo!
...Wish you were here.
Today is the 32nd anniversary of my parents walking into a house belonging to a random justice of the peace and legally vowing to hang out together for a really long time. They had been together for about four years at that point, and there was a little baby girl already scampering about, so hey, let's do this!
May you have many more years of happiness, health and Mojo!
...Wish you were here.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
June 22/13
Oh hells yes!
If you're afraid of snakes, stop here. Now.
Snake Opens Door by videobash
I laugh so hard when I saw this. I'm not particularly enchanted by snakes, but I'm not afraid of them either...I guess it's fair to say that I am indifferent to them. But that giant thud as the snake landed was just too frigging funny...and we're supposed to be afraid of that thing that just fell over and landed with an enormous *THWAP*? I think not!
Animals are awesome...
...Wish you were here.
If you're afraid of snakes, stop here. Now.
Snake Opens Door by videobash
I laugh so hard when I saw this. I'm not particularly enchanted by snakes, but I'm not afraid of them either...I guess it's fair to say that I am indifferent to them. But that giant thud as the snake landed was just too frigging funny...and we're supposed to be afraid of that thing that just fell over and landed with an enormous *THWAP*? I think not!
Animals are awesome...
...Wish you were here.
Friday, June 21, 2013
June 21/13
Wow, it's shocking to see and hear about the flooding in Calgary and surrounding communities. Not so much because it couldn't possibly happen, but because it's a city I'm familiar with and I know plenty of people there, some of whom have been evacuated from their homes. They have no idea what to expect when they will be allowed to go home.
And the part I can't seem to get past is that more than a quarter of Canadians surveyed recently denied the existence of climate change. This flood is the freak combination of a lot of factors: the high amount of rain, the amount of snow melt, the late spring/continued winter in the mountains, the ground is still partially frozen and can't absorb the snow melt and rain...it's all converging to create this mess in southern Alberta.
How many more "freak combinations" of events that cause unusual floods need to happen before that 26% of Canadians wake the fuck up and recognize that we need to change our consumption-based lifestyles.
You know all those movies where the human race is under threat from an alien race that wants to come to our planet and kills us and suck up Earth's resources? Yeah, that's us. We're the species that is tearing this planet to pieces, causing immense destruction to get some goo out of the earth that will fuel our plastic lives.
Humanity: Fuck, we're dumb.
A cure for our selfishness...
...Wish you were here.
And the part I can't seem to get past is that more than a quarter of Canadians surveyed recently denied the existence of climate change. This flood is the freak combination of a lot of factors: the high amount of rain, the amount of snow melt, the late spring/continued winter in the mountains, the ground is still partially frozen and can't absorb the snow melt and rain...it's all converging to create this mess in southern Alberta.
How many more "freak combinations" of events that cause unusual floods need to happen before that 26% of Canadians wake the fuck up and recognize that we need to change our consumption-based lifestyles.
You know all those movies where the human race is under threat from an alien race that wants to come to our planet and kills us and suck up Earth's resources? Yeah, that's us. We're the species that is tearing this planet to pieces, causing immense destruction to get some goo out of the earth that will fuel our plastic lives.
Humanity: Fuck, we're dumb.
A cure for our selfishness...
...Wish you were here.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
June 20/13
So yes, there's a wee bit of a learning curve for a adult newly diagnosed with asthma. Like, for instance, learning that there are triggers in my food for my sensitive airways.
Hey, did you know that ice cream can cause an asthma attack? I didn't, but I do now! I'm such an asthma n00b.
Will I stop eating it because of this? Oh. Hell. No.
I can't wait to get on the maintenance treatment because there's a convenience store downstairs at work that sells chocolate soft ice cream, which is hard to find these days, and there's no way I'm giving that up.
More chocolate soft ice cream...
...Wish you were here.
Hey, did you know that ice cream can cause an asthma attack? I didn't, but I do now! I'm such an asthma n00b.
Will I stop eating it because of this? Oh. Hell. No.
I can't wait to get on the maintenance treatment because there's a convenience store downstairs at work that sells chocolate soft ice cream, which is hard to find these days, and there's no way I'm giving that up.
More chocolate soft ice cream...
...Wish you were here.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
June 19/13
I was listening to the most recent Judge John Hodgman podcast at work today, and the case in question was about tattoos. Specifically, a man wanted to stop his girlfriend from getting a tattoo on her wrist because he believed that visible "public" tattoos would hurt her career. The design she described sounded lovely (it was a wild tree, bare of leaves, in a national park in Australia, her home country) and it was very meaningful for her. As for her decision to go with the wrist, to her, it was simple...she had two other tattoos, but they were covered, and she wanted one that she could see. As a volunteer coordinator in the not-for-profit sector with no ambitions to cash in by going private sector, she was certain that this tasteful, artistic tattoo would not cause her problems or hurt her career.
And as far as I'm concerned, she's absolutely right. I have my tattoos, which technically aren't public skin, but they are located in places that are quite visible: Winnie the Pooh is on my ankle, and I wear a lot of dresses and skirts, so there's no hiding that one, and I have a small glyph on the back of my neck, which is displayed almost daily because I wear my hair up all the time. I would like my next tattoo to be on my foot, but when I tried to make it happen in Vancouver, I was turned away because of corporate policy against tattooing public skin. The woman at the studio told me I could ruin my chances of getting bank loans or good jobs if I had "visible" tattoos, and all I could think was 'Fuck you, lady, and your bullshit about societal expectations.'
The thing is, I've never wanted a mortgage, and honestly, I'm a damn good policy analyst, you hire me for my skills, experience, and ability to provide sound policy advice based on evidence and research...if you don't hire me because I have some tasteful ink in plain sight, well, that's not a place I would do well in anyway.
Honestly, I believe that North American society is changing (albeit slowly), and there is new thinking about tattoos, which are becoming more common. Old preconceptions are slowly giving way, and Badassery is no longer the sole domain for tattoos. All three of my mother's children are inked, and last time I checked, my sister was able to gain employment and mortgages, and my brother hasn't lost any jobs because his forearms are inked (though his are more badass than mine and my sister's). So next time I walk into a tattoo studio, I'd better not be hearing that garbage because it's my body, and I'll do as I bloody well please with it.
I've got a mind of my own, and I'm not afraid to use it...
...Wish you were here.
And as far as I'm concerned, she's absolutely right. I have my tattoos, which technically aren't public skin, but they are located in places that are quite visible: Winnie the Pooh is on my ankle, and I wear a lot of dresses and skirts, so there's no hiding that one, and I have a small glyph on the back of my neck, which is displayed almost daily because I wear my hair up all the time. I would like my next tattoo to be on my foot, but when I tried to make it happen in Vancouver, I was turned away because of corporate policy against tattooing public skin. The woman at the studio told me I could ruin my chances of getting bank loans or good jobs if I had "visible" tattoos, and all I could think was 'Fuck you, lady, and your bullshit about societal expectations.'
The thing is, I've never wanted a mortgage, and honestly, I'm a damn good policy analyst, you hire me for my skills, experience, and ability to provide sound policy advice based on evidence and research...if you don't hire me because I have some tasteful ink in plain sight, well, that's not a place I would do well in anyway.
Honestly, I believe that North American society is changing (albeit slowly), and there is new thinking about tattoos, which are becoming more common. Old preconceptions are slowly giving way, and Badassery is no longer the sole domain for tattoos. All three of my mother's children are inked, and last time I checked, my sister was able to gain employment and mortgages, and my brother hasn't lost any jobs because his forearms are inked (though his are more badass than mine and my sister's). So next time I walk into a tattoo studio, I'd better not be hearing that garbage because it's my body, and I'll do as I bloody well please with it.
I've got a mind of my own, and I'm not afraid to use it...
...Wish you were here.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
June 18/13
Sorry about yesterday, but that was a rough one. I hadn't slept well the night before, and I was a depressed, anxious mess, to the point where the first hour of work, all I could do was stare at my desk and think about how badly I had fucked up my career by coming here, and how there was no hope of escape. Naturally, those factors, plus a bit of a bombshell at work with regards to some personnel reorganizations just thrust the dagger into my head, so to speak. Normally I get the muscular migraines that start in the back of my head and neck and radiate up, but yesterday's was actually like my brain was being stabbed in multiple spots. Several hours in my dark, quiet bedroom with an ice bag, pain relievers, and absolutely no stimulation whatsoever brought me back to sub-human status by about 10 pm.
But that was yesterday.
Today...well, I followed up with nearly breaking my arm.
I was in the office with Etienne, and he noted that my record needed to be flipped over. I turned to head out, but I didn't know that in the meantime, Purrball had come in and settled herself right beside my feet, so I'm afraid I stepped on her. In a split second, I had to minimize the weight of my foot on her so as not to hurt her, and in doing so, my balance was compromised. As I tried to catch myself from falling into the edge of the door face first, my weight carried me too far forward, and I ended up falling on the ground, with my elbow taking the shock of the hard granite floor break.
In the meantime, poor Purrball had taken off like a shot, afraid of injury (she appeared not to have been injured by the initial contact), and she was a dozen feet or so away looking at me, laying in a heap on the floor, half inside/half outside the office. Though my fall took Etienne by surprise,, his reaction was slow because I don't think he anticipated that I could be hurt.
That was around 6:30 this evening. It's now coming up on 11 pm, and a long course of ice and keeping the arm immobile seems to have improved the elbow, but now it's clear that I had also wrenched my right knee a little, and my left shoulder is sore, as if maybe I've pulled something.
Fuck, I'm such a klutz...
...Wish you were here (to save me from myself)
But that was yesterday.
Today...well, I followed up with nearly breaking my arm.
I was in the office with Etienne, and he noted that my record needed to be flipped over. I turned to head out, but I didn't know that in the meantime, Purrball had come in and settled herself right beside my feet, so I'm afraid I stepped on her. In a split second, I had to minimize the weight of my foot on her so as not to hurt her, and in doing so, my balance was compromised. As I tried to catch myself from falling into the edge of the door face first, my weight carried me too far forward, and I ended up falling on the ground, with my elbow taking the shock of the hard granite floor break.
In the meantime, poor Purrball had taken off like a shot, afraid of injury (she appeared not to have been injured by the initial contact), and she was a dozen feet or so away looking at me, laying in a heap on the floor, half inside/half outside the office. Though my fall took Etienne by surprise,, his reaction was slow because I don't think he anticipated that I could be hurt.
That was around 6:30 this evening. It's now coming up on 11 pm, and a long course of ice and keeping the arm immobile seems to have improved the elbow, but now it's clear that I had also wrenched my right knee a little, and my left shoulder is sore, as if maybe I've pulled something.
Fuck, I'm such a klutz...
...Wish you were here (to save me from myself)
Monday, June 17, 2013
June 17/13
Migraine Day.
Insert your own musings of what I want to share with you here.
Relief...
...Wish you were here.
Insert your own musings of what I want to share with you here.
Relief...
...Wish you were here.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
June 16/13
Happy Father's Day to all the awesome dads I know!
My own got his customary phone call...I tried to time it to miss the end of the US Open and still catch him if he was on his way to work, but I committed the cardinal sin of calling as the Open was being decided between Phil and Justin, and hey, Dad isn't working tonight. Damn. #Fail. It doesn't matter, he loves hearing from his brats, right?
It's a good thing we have a close relationship and I can get away with such interruptions, because if you had asked me if that would be the case when I was 16, I would have looked at you like you'd asked me if it was probable that the ocean was orange. At that time, Dad and I were barely on speaking terms for a few months. It wasn't that we were angry with each other or anything; we just couldn't relate on anything. By that time, I was well into my drama and music days, and had virtually abandoned sports (does cheerleading count as a sport yet?), so what was a sports-oriented man and his 16 year old artsy daughter supposed to bond over? Anyone?
It took several years for us to re-establish a working father-daughter relationship, but through it all, I don't think either of us ever lost sight of the fact that no matter what, I was still his baby girl.
Here's to you, Daddy...
...Wish you were here.
My own got his customary phone call...I tried to time it to miss the end of the US Open and still catch him if he was on his way to work, but I committed the cardinal sin of calling as the Open was being decided between Phil and Justin, and hey, Dad isn't working tonight. Damn. #Fail. It doesn't matter, he loves hearing from his brats, right?
It's a good thing we have a close relationship and I can get away with such interruptions, because if you had asked me if that would be the case when I was 16, I would have looked at you like you'd asked me if it was probable that the ocean was orange. At that time, Dad and I were barely on speaking terms for a few months. It wasn't that we were angry with each other or anything; we just couldn't relate on anything. By that time, I was well into my drama and music days, and had virtually abandoned sports (does cheerleading count as a sport yet?), so what was a sports-oriented man and his 16 year old artsy daughter supposed to bond over? Anyone?
It took several years for us to re-establish a working father-daughter relationship, but through it all, I don't think either of us ever lost sight of the fact that no matter what, I was still his baby girl.
Here's to you, Daddy...
...Wish you were here.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
June 15/13
Last night, in the haze of alcohol, I went to bed seriously pondering what I would pack if I had a very short evacuation notice. I considered the logistics of Purrball in her carrier, her food, dishes, toys. I considered what pictures and important items I would want to save if I could. In the end, I was sure I would need the medium-sized wheelie suitcase, but then, how would I know if I'd be able to take that much, given that we don't have a car so we'd be dependent on public services for evacuation. It's tricky stuff. And it's not the first time I've thought about it as I grew up in the North, where we could see the smoke from forest fires a couple dozen miles or so out of town. Indeed, between floods and fires, I've seen my share of Northern communities evacuated to Yellowknife, and it's something that I've always had to consider.
This morning, my dreams seemed to pick up where I left off. I was dreaming about what stuff I would have packed and ready to go if we were being evacuated from a lockdown scenario. This spring, in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing, we all watched as the city and environs of Boston were on total lockdown while police hunted for the suspects. What would I think to grab if I was stuck in my home all day long and had to prepare to be moved out quickly at any time?
The two scenarios present different challenges and quite clearly there are differences in the decision-making process. The first case is based on panic and moving quickly, while the other is more deliberate. Who's to say that one situation leads to a better outcome than the other? You could argue that the quick scenario forces you to think about what really matters, but it also leads you to forget some important things too. The long scenario allows you to be quite careful, but it risks being too much to take.
One thing is clear: my cat above all else.
My brain is a strange place...
...Wish you were here.
This morning, my dreams seemed to pick up where I left off. I was dreaming about what stuff I would have packed and ready to go if we were being evacuated from a lockdown scenario. This spring, in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing, we all watched as the city and environs of Boston were on total lockdown while police hunted for the suspects. What would I think to grab if I was stuck in my home all day long and had to prepare to be moved out quickly at any time?
The two scenarios present different challenges and quite clearly there are differences in the decision-making process. The first case is based on panic and moving quickly, while the other is more deliberate. Who's to say that one situation leads to a better outcome than the other? You could argue that the quick scenario forces you to think about what really matters, but it also leads you to forget some important things too. The long scenario allows you to be quite careful, but it risks being too much to take.
One thing is clear: my cat above all else.
My brain is a strange place...
...Wish you were here.
Friday, June 14, 2013
June 14/13
I started the week quite excited because I was invited to a pre-screen interview for a cool job with a not-for-profit organization, and I ended it with being screened out after the formal interview. Sound familiar?? Yeah, I'm good at getting into the pool of applicants, I'm good at the pre-screen, but I always flunk the formal interview stage. I know this time I was up against a rather large pool of candidates, so I hope that it was just a case that there were other candidates with better qualifications rather than me just being a waste of time because I was a blithering idiot, which has been the case on at least one occasion.
I felt good about my interview this morning. Did I look back right after and kick myself for not saying this or that to a specific question? Sure, but I still felt okay. By this afternoon, I was informed I would not be moving on to the next round, the formal assessment.
Between my failure and Etienne's preoccupation with a significant undertaking at work, we're a fine pair tonight.
Bring on the liquor...
...Wish you were here.
I felt good about my interview this morning. Did I look back right after and kick myself for not saying this or that to a specific question? Sure, but I still felt okay. By this afternoon, I was informed I would not be moving on to the next round, the formal assessment.
Between my failure and Etienne's preoccupation with a significant undertaking at work, we're a fine pair tonight.
Bring on the liquor...
...Wish you were here.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
June 13/13
You know, sometimes it's all about the little things. Like Pho.
Growing up in Yellowknife, there weren't a lot of opportunities to experience exotic cuisines. As a little kid, I remember a couple of Chinese places, and of course the ubiquitous pizza/Italian joints, but it took a long time for the more "exotic" foods to make it up there. By the time I left, a large Mexican chain had made its way into town (it didn't stay long...and I believe it was turned into a Sushi joint after the chain left town), and the city's restaurants were exploring Thai and Vietnamese thanks to the increasing populations of both ethnic groups.
Even so, my Dad's palate is somewhat comfortable in the Meat 'n' Potatoes world, so it's not like there were a lot of opportunities to expand my culinary horizons.
So, that's the world I grew up in. I had no idea if I would like Pho or Vietnamese cuisine in general because I had never had it. Same goes for Thai, Sushi/Japanese, Tapas, Swiss, French, Indian, Quebecois, and so on. I was well into adulthood before I started trying some of these cuisines, and indeed, only in the last five years have I really opened up to new foods. I'm still testing the waters with a lot of foods, given that I have certain restrictions (if it comes from the water, it ought to fucking well stay there), but I'm finding out all the neato spices and herbs that other cultures use to make beef, chicken and pork even more delicious.
If I could tell young Fancy one thing about food, I would tell her that there are indeed flavours besides salt and besides yucky black pepper.
Pho...
...Wish you were here.
Growing up in Yellowknife, there weren't a lot of opportunities to experience exotic cuisines. As a little kid, I remember a couple of Chinese places, and of course the ubiquitous pizza/Italian joints, but it took a long time for the more "exotic" foods to make it up there. By the time I left, a large Mexican chain had made its way into town (it didn't stay long...and I believe it was turned into a Sushi joint after the chain left town), and the city's restaurants were exploring Thai and Vietnamese thanks to the increasing populations of both ethnic groups.
Even so, my Dad's palate is somewhat comfortable in the Meat 'n' Potatoes world, so it's not like there were a lot of opportunities to expand my culinary horizons.
So, that's the world I grew up in. I had no idea if I would like Pho or Vietnamese cuisine in general because I had never had it. Same goes for Thai, Sushi/Japanese, Tapas, Swiss, French, Indian, Quebecois, and so on. I was well into adulthood before I started trying some of these cuisines, and indeed, only in the last five years have I really opened up to new foods. I'm still testing the waters with a lot of foods, given that I have certain restrictions (if it comes from the water, it ought to fucking well stay there), but I'm finding out all the neato spices and herbs that other cultures use to make beef, chicken and pork even more delicious.
If I could tell young Fancy one thing about food, I would tell her that there are indeed flavours besides salt and besides yucky black pepper.
Pho...
...Wish you were here.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
June 12/13
Well, I guess all those walk-in clinic doctors I've seen over the years just weren't listening properly. Whenever I was in for something like a flu or a bad virus, and I'd complain of wheezing, they'd tell me they couldn't hear anything.
Well, today I went for my methacholine challenge, and hell, I even reacted to just plain old saline in the nebulizer. The respiratory technician had to leave the room to get an even weaker dose of the methacholine solution than she had brought in...It took only 10 minutes in all to ascertain that I have asthma.
As if to underline the point, after being treated for the effects of inhaling even the weakest solution possible, I completed the test, and the tech was just amazed about how much I swung between extremes: the weak solution caused my lung function to drop by 28%, while the treatment stabilized my lung function and even improved it by more than 30%.
The next step is that a respirologist will confirm the results, my doctor will be informed, and then I'll be set up with a specialist to get me on the right maintenance inhalers and of course, I'll continue with the rescue inhaler as needed.
It's been more than 15 years that I've complained about tightness of the chest and wheezing, but it took one pushy walk-in clinic doctor in Burnaby with a suspicion about all of my drug allergies to finally start to do something about it, and it took finally getting a solid family doctor whom I don't have to wait weeks to see to follow up and finish this process.
I wonder what condition will be uncovered next.
Here's to your health...
...Wish you were here.
Well, today I went for my methacholine challenge, and hell, I even reacted to just plain old saline in the nebulizer. The respiratory technician had to leave the room to get an even weaker dose of the methacholine solution than she had brought in...It took only 10 minutes in all to ascertain that I have asthma.
As if to underline the point, after being treated for the effects of inhaling even the weakest solution possible, I completed the test, and the tech was just amazed about how much I swung between extremes: the weak solution caused my lung function to drop by 28%, while the treatment stabilized my lung function and even improved it by more than 30%.
The next step is that a respirologist will confirm the results, my doctor will be informed, and then I'll be set up with a specialist to get me on the right maintenance inhalers and of course, I'll continue with the rescue inhaler as needed.
It's been more than 15 years that I've complained about tightness of the chest and wheezing, but it took one pushy walk-in clinic doctor in Burnaby with a suspicion about all of my drug allergies to finally start to do something about it, and it took finally getting a solid family doctor whom I don't have to wait weeks to see to follow up and finish this process.
I wonder what condition will be uncovered next.
Here's to your health...
...Wish you were here.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
June 11/13
When I hear bad news, and I know that it's something that needs to be shared, I compulsively have to share it. It's this thing I have, where I don't want people to be blindsided by the news, so I try to find a way to ease the shock and deliver the news in as straightforward a manner as possible.
Iiiiiiiit doesn't always work out that way though. The first person I went to after hearing some of this bad news this morning? Yeah, when I told her, the initial shock gave way *very* quickly to shock and, well, a lot of negative emotions. If you had happened upon us in that moment, you'd have sworn I just punched her in the stomach and told her I ate her children. That was the strongest reaction of the morning, but largely, it was in line with the reactions of everyone else who found out.
Please don't shoot the messenger...
...Wish you were here.
Iiiiiiiit doesn't always work out that way though. The first person I went to after hearing some of this bad news this morning? Yeah, when I told her, the initial shock gave way *very* quickly to shock and, well, a lot of negative emotions. If you had happened upon us in that moment, you'd have sworn I just punched her in the stomach and told her I ate her children. That was the strongest reaction of the morning, but largely, it was in line with the reactions of everyone else who found out.
Please don't shoot the messenger...
...Wish you were here.
Monday, June 10, 2013
June 10/13
I'm dead tired.
You know that feeling the night before something big, when you are anxious and as a result, you have a bad sleep because you are afraid you'll sleep through the alarm? Yeah, that.
I went to bed right after Mad Men at 11 last night and surprisingly I had no trouble going to sleep. But then I woke up at 3:30. And then I only half-slept until 5:30, and kept dreaming about missing the alarm. So when 5:30 rolled around, I just decided, 'fuck it, I'll just get up.' I had the alarm set for 6:30.
I was also too keyed up to eat, which is a bad thing for someone with a blood sugar problem. I knew I had to eat, but I just was too nervous and anxious, so I decided I would go to the Starbucks at the Chapters on Rideau, grab a coffee and croissant, and do my interview there. Well, wouldn't you know it, this week, the store in that location was opening later than normal, at 8 am. I went back to the Starbucks at the Rideau Centre, but the line was too long, and the time was so short. 'Fuck!'
I ended up doing the interview while sitting on the floor of the mall beside the front doors. Yeah. That happened. Oh, and let's not forget that my tongue is still recovering from its injury, so forty minutes of talking was another comical detail to add to this goofy little saga.
But hey, on the bright side, I got to work on time!
I'm such a freak...
...Wish you were here.
You know that feeling the night before something big, when you are anxious and as a result, you have a bad sleep because you are afraid you'll sleep through the alarm? Yeah, that.
I went to bed right after Mad Men at 11 last night and surprisingly I had no trouble going to sleep. But then I woke up at 3:30. And then I only half-slept until 5:30, and kept dreaming about missing the alarm. So when 5:30 rolled around, I just decided, 'fuck it, I'll just get up.' I had the alarm set for 6:30.
I was also too keyed up to eat, which is a bad thing for someone with a blood sugar problem. I knew I had to eat, but I just was too nervous and anxious, so I decided I would go to the Starbucks at the Chapters on Rideau, grab a coffee and croissant, and do my interview there. Well, wouldn't you know it, this week, the store in that location was opening later than normal, at 8 am. I went back to the Starbucks at the Rideau Centre, but the line was too long, and the time was so short. 'Fuck!'
I ended up doing the interview while sitting on the floor of the mall beside the front doors. Yeah. That happened. Oh, and let's not forget that my tongue is still recovering from its injury, so forty minutes of talking was another comical detail to add to this goofy little saga.
But hey, on the bright side, I got to work on time!
I'm such a freak...
...Wish you were here.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
June 9/13
I'm sort of in panic mode tonight. Tomorrow morning, at 8 am, I have a pre-screening interview for a job with a Not-for-Profit professional organization, and believe me, as policy jobs go, it looks like a good one. It's related to the health field, which is where I'd have like my career to go, but it's fairly research-based, so I'd have more opportunities for nerding out than my current job allows.
But what it means now is that my Sunday evening is devoted to frantic research about the organization and its activities, and I have no idea what to expect in this pre-screen. I've pre-screened for several jobs in the last year, and have been successful with those, but when it comes to the actual formal interview, I don't come out with the job offer. I feel like I'm panic-prone, so I forget everything I want to say and end up sounding very dim and unaware.
But now I'm just stalling when I should be browsing the organizations website, devouring everything I see.
You never know...
...Wish you were here.
But what it means now is that my Sunday evening is devoted to frantic research about the organization and its activities, and I have no idea what to expect in this pre-screen. I've pre-screened for several jobs in the last year, and have been successful with those, but when it comes to the actual formal interview, I don't come out with the job offer. I feel like I'm panic-prone, so I forget everything I want to say and end up sounding very dim and unaware.
But now I'm just stalling when I should be browsing the organizations website, devouring everything I see.
You never know...
...Wish you were here.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
June 8/13
I'm totally a sucker for animals.
I mean, obviously. You know how I love my cats like they are my kids. I love seeing happy dogs, and my heart is just shredded at the sight of hurt, abused or depressed dogs. Hell, I even enjoy watching the squirrels scampering about.
So this morning when I saw a story on facebook about the RCMP taking seven puppies into custody and that most of those puppies are on their way to good homes, it just makes me sooooo happy. Wook at da widdo faces!
Folks, if you can give a good home to an animal in need, do it. It's so worth it. I wouldn't trade the feeling of happiness I get from rubbing Purrball's fat little belly for all the money in the world.
Good homes for sweet companions...
...Wish you were here.
I mean, obviously. You know how I love my cats like they are my kids. I love seeing happy dogs, and my heart is just shredded at the sight of hurt, abused or depressed dogs. Hell, I even enjoy watching the squirrels scampering about.
So this morning when I saw a story on facebook about the RCMP taking seven puppies into custody and that most of those puppies are on their way to good homes, it just makes me sooooo happy. Wook at da widdo faces!
Folks, if you can give a good home to an animal in need, do it. It's so worth it. I wouldn't trade the feeling of happiness I get from rubbing Purrball's fat little belly for all the money in the world.
Good homes for sweet companions...
...Wish you were here.
Friday, June 7, 2013
June 7/13
If you know me, you know I'm not exactly know for my ability to bite my proverbial tongue. As my mother politely puts it, I am a very determined person.
Well, I might not be the model of biting my proverbial tongue, but the night before last, I sure as fuck bit the hell out of my literal tongue. I've been stressed lately, particularly at work, and I haven't been sleeping well. Well, obviously I'm suffering from some kind of sleep disturbance because while I slept, I bit down on my tongue so hard, I left my teeth imprints on both sides. I'm in so much pain and discomfort right now. Eating hurts, talking hurts, swallowing hurts...it all hurts.
Except soft ice cream...that's cold and soft enough to numb my tongue and swallow. The only solution I can see is that I need a chocolate soft ice cream machine in my house for the next couple of weeks.
Relief from the pain...
Wish you were here.
Well, I might not be the model of biting my proverbial tongue, but the night before last, I sure as fuck bit the hell out of my literal tongue. I've been stressed lately, particularly at work, and I haven't been sleeping well. Well, obviously I'm suffering from some kind of sleep disturbance because while I slept, I bit down on my tongue so hard, I left my teeth imprints on both sides. I'm in so much pain and discomfort right now. Eating hurts, talking hurts, swallowing hurts...it all hurts.
Except soft ice cream...that's cold and soft enough to numb my tongue and swallow. The only solution I can see is that I need a chocolate soft ice cream machine in my house for the next couple of weeks.
Relief from the pain...
Wish you were here.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
June 6/13
Today, there is just so much in the news to choose from, and much of it just pisses me off.
1. Today, the Conservative Party supporters threw Brent Rathgeber under the bus. He quit the caucus last night after being sandbagged on his own private members bill, stating that he didn't even recognize his own party, and that the party had become what it used to rail against. Good for him. He's taking a principled stand for the rights of the backbenchers in all parties to represent their constituents in the government instead of representing the government to their constituents. If only the other backbenchers who have publicly complained about similar treatment by the party's leadership did the same. Instead, they threw Mr. Rathgeber under the bus. I very much disagree with Mr. Rathgeber's politics and his outlook on life and politics, but I applaud his decision to leave the party caucus.
2. Today, the mayor and city manager of Abbotsford, BC apologized for dumping chicken manure on a field where homeless people in the city were known to camp. Oh for fuck sakes, Abbotsford...you stay classy.
3. And hey, guess what? Health Canada released its proposed law to address the expansion of safe injection sites in other cities, and you can only guess what these ideologue morons have done...stonewalled! The law makes it almost impossible for new clinics to open in other communities. These pricks lost all the way up to and including the Supreme Court, so they did the only thing they could do...they designed some bureaucratic garbage policy that they knew would painfully restrict the ability to open new sites. So much for harm reduction and supports to drug users who want to quit.
4. The hits keep on coming, as Aboriginal Affairs announced that it would be significantly reducing funding for Aboriginal Service Organizations like the Assembly of First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, and various Metis Nations. Fuck...I don't even know where to begin with this one. It's best I don't talk about it...who knows what I would say, then delete, then rephrase then delete then swear about and get frustrated over ad nauseum.
5. Okay Texas. It's time we had a talk. This week, a jury acquitted a man who killed a woman who refused to have sex with him after he paid her. He shot up the car she was in with an AK-47. A fucking assault rifle...for $150. Dear Texas: You. Are. Fucking. Sick. I guess the price of a life in Texas is $150.
Sigh...
Where is a world that makes sense?
...Wish you were here.
1. Today, the Conservative Party supporters threw Brent Rathgeber under the bus. He quit the caucus last night after being sandbagged on his own private members bill, stating that he didn't even recognize his own party, and that the party had become what it used to rail against. Good for him. He's taking a principled stand for the rights of the backbenchers in all parties to represent their constituents in the government instead of representing the government to their constituents. If only the other backbenchers who have publicly complained about similar treatment by the party's leadership did the same. Instead, they threw Mr. Rathgeber under the bus. I very much disagree with Mr. Rathgeber's politics and his outlook on life and politics, but I applaud his decision to leave the party caucus.
2. Today, the mayor and city manager of Abbotsford, BC apologized for dumping chicken manure on a field where homeless people in the city were known to camp. Oh for fuck sakes, Abbotsford...you stay classy.
3. And hey, guess what? Health Canada released its proposed law to address the expansion of safe injection sites in other cities, and you can only guess what these ideologue morons have done...stonewalled! The law makes it almost impossible for new clinics to open in other communities. These pricks lost all the way up to and including the Supreme Court, so they did the only thing they could do...they designed some bureaucratic garbage policy that they knew would painfully restrict the ability to open new sites. So much for harm reduction and supports to drug users who want to quit.
4. The hits keep on coming, as Aboriginal Affairs announced that it would be significantly reducing funding for Aboriginal Service Organizations like the Assembly of First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, and various Metis Nations. Fuck...I don't even know where to begin with this one. It's best I don't talk about it...who knows what I would say, then delete, then rephrase then delete then swear about and get frustrated over ad nauseum.
5. Okay Texas. It's time we had a talk. This week, a jury acquitted a man who killed a woman who refused to have sex with him after he paid her. He shot up the car she was in with an AK-47. A fucking assault rifle...for $150. Dear Texas: You. Are. Fucking. Sick. I guess the price of a life in Texas is $150.
Sigh...
Where is a world that makes sense?
...Wish you were here.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
June 5/13
Fiji grows some big boys. How do I know this, without ever having gone there or met any Fijians in person? Because the Fijian Men's Rugby team were "in town" for a match against the Canadian Men's team as part of the Pacific Nation Cup.
I say "in town" because Ottawa's Rugby venue isn't in Ottawa. It's out in a field somewhere, bordered on all four sides by more fields. The address is listed as being in Nepean, but I don't believe it at all...that shit's waaaaay too rural to be even considered "south Nepean." Walk two miles in any direction from the Rugby park, and you will see it's only rural fields. Anyway, I opted to cheer for the Fijians because there was a player who was pulling off the Mr T. look...how could you dare cheer for Canada when Mr. T. is running the pitch?
But sitting there in the stands, I noted a pair of parents who carried in their young children who were dressed in their pajamas. The boy was maybe 5 or 6, and the girl was maybe 4. The kids weren't tired, but obviously mum and dad had driven in from somewhere and they expected the kids to fall asleep on the way home. Instead, the kids romped along the sidelines. At one point, I caught myself thinking 'So that's what I must have looked like at the ball diamond.'
You see, I was one of the Fort Smith Rowdies diamond rats. Daddy was the team coach, and I was a familiar fixture at practices, games and tournaments. The team even got me a little tiny team jacket, which I think I may still have somewhere. Not a lot of the guys had kids, and certainly the other kids who came out were their boys; I was the only girl who wasn't a baby, though with my short hair and rough and tumble tomboy manners, you wouldn't know it. I spent a lot of nights and weekends scampering around the park and climbing the fences and bleachers with the other kids.
That little trip down memory lane was courtesy of Pajamas at a Rugby park.
In the olden days...
...Wish you were here.
I say "in town" because Ottawa's Rugby venue isn't in Ottawa. It's out in a field somewhere, bordered on all four sides by more fields. The address is listed as being in Nepean, but I don't believe it at all...that shit's waaaaay too rural to be even considered "south Nepean." Walk two miles in any direction from the Rugby park, and you will see it's only rural fields. Anyway, I opted to cheer for the Fijians because there was a player who was pulling off the Mr T. look...how could you dare cheer for Canada when Mr. T. is running the pitch?
But sitting there in the stands, I noted a pair of parents who carried in their young children who were dressed in their pajamas. The boy was maybe 5 or 6, and the girl was maybe 4. The kids weren't tired, but obviously mum and dad had driven in from somewhere and they expected the kids to fall asleep on the way home. Instead, the kids romped along the sidelines. At one point, I caught myself thinking 'So that's what I must have looked like at the ball diamond.'
You see, I was one of the Fort Smith Rowdies diamond rats. Daddy was the team coach, and I was a familiar fixture at practices, games and tournaments. The team even got me a little tiny team jacket, which I think I may still have somewhere. Not a lot of the guys had kids, and certainly the other kids who came out were their boys; I was the only girl who wasn't a baby, though with my short hair and rough and tumble tomboy manners, you wouldn't know it. I spent a lot of nights and weekends scampering around the park and climbing the fences and bleachers with the other kids.
That little trip down memory lane was courtesy of Pajamas at a Rugby park.
In the olden days...
...Wish you were here.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
June 4/13
I had planned for this day for many months, and when it arrived, I totally forgot.
Etienne didn't.
Warm Bodies came out on DVD and Blu-ray today! The good news is that I own it. The bad news is that I totally forgot, and it took a very thoughtful, kind, and generous gift from Etienne to remind me.
My enfeebled memory is starting to cross a line from nuisance to problematic at times.
Aging sorta sucks a bit...
...Wish you were here.
Etienne didn't.
Warm Bodies came out on DVD and Blu-ray today! The good news is that I own it. The bad news is that I totally forgot, and it took a very thoughtful, kind, and generous gift from Etienne to remind me.
My enfeebled memory is starting to cross a line from nuisance to problematic at times.
Aging sorta sucks a bit...
...Wish you were here.
Monday, June 3, 2013
June 3/13
Hey Hey! It's her Birfday! That's right, it's the anniversary of the birth of my big sister, Baby K. No matter how many years young she is, she's still Baby K, and I'm still "Fance" or "Brat."
She's been like a second mum in my life, looking out for me, when she wasn't busy torturing me. The age difference is, well, uh, noticeable, and I both suffered and benefited for it.
Pros:
-My sister took me with her to some of her friend's parties, where I hung out with adults and drank beer
-My sister made me the most punk-rockin' punk rock girl on Punk Rocker Day at my elementary school...I won best costume...in grade two suck it grade 7's!
-My sister took me to my first ever college lecture...Art History at Red Deer College. I was barely in high school at that point.
-My sister wrote me letters, encouraging me when she saw I was having a rough time of growing up.
-My sister would come get me from school to play hooky for the afternoon
Cons:
-My sister once sat on me for about a half hour, and she and my dad laughed at this torture, while I was screaming on the ground...ohhhh boy was mum pissed.
-My sister once took me out of school to play hooky, and then she and her friends were mean to me, triggering me to pack up some books, my blankie and my pound puppy to run away. She talked me back. I think she had to, otherwise we would have gotten caught.
-My sister got me ready for picture day in Grade three. Mummy wanted to strangle us both when she got the pictures back. I got into a fight with a girl in grade four who tried to tattle on me for wearing make-up.
If you've got a big sister who loved you and tortured you, giver her a hug. I would if I could!
Baby K...
...Wish you were here.
She's been like a second mum in my life, looking out for me, when she wasn't busy torturing me. The age difference is, well, uh, noticeable, and I both suffered and benefited for it.
Pros:
-My sister took me with her to some of her friend's parties, where I hung out with adults and drank beer
-My sister made me the most punk-rockin' punk rock girl on Punk Rocker Day at my elementary school...I won best costume...in grade two suck it grade 7's!
-My sister took me to my first ever college lecture...Art History at Red Deer College. I was barely in high school at that point.
-My sister wrote me letters, encouraging me when she saw I was having a rough time of growing up.
-My sister would come get me from school to play hooky for the afternoon
Cons:
-My sister once sat on me for about a half hour, and she and my dad laughed at this torture, while I was screaming on the ground...ohhhh boy was mum pissed.
-My sister once took me out of school to play hooky, and then she and her friends were mean to me, triggering me to pack up some books, my blankie and my pound puppy to run away. She talked me back. I think she had to, otherwise we would have gotten caught.
-My sister got me ready for picture day in Grade three. Mummy wanted to strangle us both when she got the pictures back. I got into a fight with a girl in grade four who tried to tattle on me for wearing make-up.
If you've got a big sister who loved you and tortured you, giver her a hug. I would if I could!
Baby K...
...Wish you were here.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
June 2/13
Some dates just stick with you, long after their significance has diminished or even vanished. I remember January 4th because in grade three, it was the first day back to school after winter break. I remember August 28th because a lot of couples in my life got married on that day. You know...some days have significance, while others don't.
I remember June 2nd. My most significant relationship from high school began with a group date on June 2nd. And one year plus ten days later, it ended. We went out of supper on our anniversary, then we went to Speedy's place where everyone was gathering to get ready to attend the graduation dance. We were only in grade 10, but in a small school like ours, it was natural we'd have friends in grade 12, and that those friends were doing their grand march, followed by the dance.
At the dance, my boyfriend spent a lot of time away from me. This wasn't an alarm for me though because I loved to dance, so I would be on the dance floor until you kicked me off, whereas he would take breaks. We took a picture with my best friend, who was escorting one of the grads, so she looked really good. He stood with her, while I was off to the other side beside a fake palm tree. Shit, I just thought he was being awesome with our friends.
I tried to take a picture of him, he refused to look at the camera. LIke, wow. Here I was, thinking "One year! Happy anniversary to us!" and the bastard was unhappy and wanting out.
Today I woke up and thought, hey, happy birfday dude until I remembered...no, his birfday was not the 2nd. Our anniversary was. Suddenly the goodwill of a birfday wish got totally overtaken by the absurd ill wishes of a broken teenaged heart.
He broke my heart that night...I just didn't let myself believe it for several more days.
Learning to grow up...
...Wish you were here.
I remember June 2nd. My most significant relationship from high school began with a group date on June 2nd. And one year plus ten days later, it ended. We went out of supper on our anniversary, then we went to Speedy's place where everyone was gathering to get ready to attend the graduation dance. We were only in grade 10, but in a small school like ours, it was natural we'd have friends in grade 12, and that those friends were doing their grand march, followed by the dance.
At the dance, my boyfriend spent a lot of time away from me. This wasn't an alarm for me though because I loved to dance, so I would be on the dance floor until you kicked me off, whereas he would take breaks. We took a picture with my best friend, who was escorting one of the grads, so she looked really good. He stood with her, while I was off to the other side beside a fake palm tree. Shit, I just thought he was being awesome with our friends.
I tried to take a picture of him, he refused to look at the camera. LIke, wow. Here I was, thinking "One year! Happy anniversary to us!" and the bastard was unhappy and wanting out.
Today I woke up and thought, hey, happy birfday dude until I remembered...no, his birfday was not the 2nd. Our anniversary was. Suddenly the goodwill of a birfday wish got totally overtaken by the absurd ill wishes of a broken teenaged heart.
He broke my heart that night...I just didn't let myself believe it for several more days.
Learning to grow up...
...Wish you were here.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
June 1/13
So, I have this blue cotton dress...it's long, and the fabric is ink-dyed, with a white pattern near the hem. It's the kind of dress you find through fair-trade, organic, free-spirited vendors who drag their wares from outdoor festival to outdoor festival. In this case, I bought this dress at a vendor at Lilith Fair in 1997. It's lightweight, it breathes well, and it covered the stubble on my legs when I'm too lazy to shave, or it's the day before I shave. You know...it's comfortable and casual and totally unpretentious.
I decided to wear this dress today because of the humid weather (it breathes well), and because I don't shave my legs until Sundays (is that too much information?). To cover up the bra straps, I've been known to wear a white t-shirt under the dress, which I did today. Very comfortable outfit. Very low-maintenance. And apparently, very age-reducing.
For the record, I'm 34 years old, and while I have never looked my age, I'm starting to show signs of being in the neighbourhood of my 30s. It's been quite some time since I last recall being ID'ed...maybe last year?
Anyway, Etienne and I hit the grocery store for some essentials, and then tripped next door to the liquor store, also for some essentials. He took his gluten-free beer and a couple of ciders, while I selected a bottle of red wine. We approached the cash, and Etienne decided to just pay for everything in one shot, so I handed him the bottle. I wasn't even paying attention really, but quite unexpectedly, the cashier said, "Can I see you ID, miss?"
It took a second or two to realize he was talking to me. Etienne also seemed caught off guard, and we both just looked at each other before I started to dig into my purse for my wallet. Then the cashier looked at Etienne and tells him "Oh, no, you look old." We had no idea how to respond to that comment...here was my partner, 4 years younger than me, being told he looks old (I think the cashier meant to say old enough), while I, a woman well into my 30's, was being carded. We're both fairly certain that I'm older than the cashier.
The whole exchange took less than a minute, and I was just laughing it off, until I really thought about it...last time I was ID'ed, I was wearing that dress on that occasion too. Come to think of it...whenever I wear that dress and need to purchase liquor, I get ID'ed. The magic hippie dress...it has the power to take up to 15 years off my appearance.
I should wear it every day...
...Wish you were here.
I decided to wear this dress today because of the humid weather (it breathes well), and because I don't shave my legs until Sundays (is that too much information?). To cover up the bra straps, I've been known to wear a white t-shirt under the dress, which I did today. Very comfortable outfit. Very low-maintenance. And apparently, very age-reducing.
For the record, I'm 34 years old, and while I have never looked my age, I'm starting to show signs of being in the neighbourhood of my 30s. It's been quite some time since I last recall being ID'ed...maybe last year?
Anyway, Etienne and I hit the grocery store for some essentials, and then tripped next door to the liquor store, also for some essentials. He took his gluten-free beer and a couple of ciders, while I selected a bottle of red wine. We approached the cash, and Etienne decided to just pay for everything in one shot, so I handed him the bottle. I wasn't even paying attention really, but quite unexpectedly, the cashier said, "Can I see you ID, miss?"
It took a second or two to realize he was talking to me. Etienne also seemed caught off guard, and we both just looked at each other before I started to dig into my purse for my wallet. Then the cashier looked at Etienne and tells him "Oh, no, you look old." We had no idea how to respond to that comment...here was my partner, 4 years younger than me, being told he looks old (I think the cashier meant to say old enough), while I, a woman well into my 30's, was being carded. We're both fairly certain that I'm older than the cashier.
The whole exchange took less than a minute, and I was just laughing it off, until I really thought about it...last time I was ID'ed, I was wearing that dress on that occasion too. Come to think of it...whenever I wear that dress and need to purchase liquor, I get ID'ed. The magic hippie dress...it has the power to take up to 15 years off my appearance.
I should wear it every day...
...Wish you were here.
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