Will Work for Shoes

2007-06-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day, Papa Bear!

German @ Work

2007-05-31T22:28:00.000-07:00

2007-05-30T23:47:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile. Not 2 much new in my neck of the woods, father has returned, bearing gifts of chocolate and jewelry. We received him with open arms and hands.

Kerris moves in 2morrow, did I mention that she is trained in aesthetics and has offered 2 wax my legs and paint my nails and buy me MAC...? I think I may propose. 58 various shades of OPI= heaven knocking at my door. She has also kindly (and hopelessly) offered 2 help me budget. I c a conflict of interest rapidly approaching...

Is anyone, anyone willing 2 go c the Rod Stewart impersonator with me...Darla? I vaguely remember u mentioning that you're a fan, haha. My "friends" balked and spat @ my feet and we r no longer speaking. If u cannot c Rod Stewart 4 a friend, then do not call yourself as such.

PS- Don't buy gas from Petro-Canada

2007-05-20T23:47:00.000-07:00

Friday- 4 hr hike. My toes hurt. Along with every other conceivable muscle in my body. But it was beautiful, and the sun was shining. Emphasis on was. Unlike the past 2 days. Long weekend my foot. If the weather keeps up, u can have it.
Found a new live-in, cannot wait, I'm sure fun times will b had. 2 give u an idea, she's a sibling of Darla. Enuf said.. Hopefully not Running quite as Wildly.
Looking forward, butt implants n' all.

Must run, am about 2 smash my mouse, it's driving me insane. Am 2 cheap 2 buy 1 with the little rolling thing 4 easy scrolling (would rather spend $62 @ London Drugs in 10 minutes on absolutely nothing in particular. But they r nothings I have 2 have.), and it keeps going everywhere xcept where I want it 2. I'm liable 2 violently dismantle it in 2.2 seconds. It's been done b4...

PS- There's a provincewide boycott of Rose 4 deleting her blog. But I'm keeping her on my links list as an expression of my denial. And scorn.

May 15th

2007-05-14T05:42:00.000-07:00

In April 1997, there was a "gas out" conducted nationwide in protest of gas prices. Gasoline prices dropped 30 cents a gallon overnight.

On May 15th 2007, all internet users are to not go to a gas station in protest of high gas prices. Gas is now over $3.00 a gallon in most places.

There are 73,000,000+ American members currently on the internet network, and the average car takes about 30 to 50 dollars to fill up.

If all users did not go to the pump on the 15th, it would take $2,292,000,000.00 (that's almost 3 BILLION) out of the oil company's pockets for just one day, so please don't go to the gas station on May 15th and let's try to put a dent in the Middle Eastern oil industry for at least one day.

2007-05-13T06:34:00.000-07:00

100 Mile House, B.C.

2007-05-11T20:07:00.000-07:00

"A 32-year-old woman was mauled to death by a captive tiger at an exotic animal farm in the B.C. Interior while one of her kids and her fiance's two children witnessed the terrifying attack."
"...The attack by a Bengal tiger named Gangus, one of three in Carlton's zoo, follows warnings by the Vancouver Humane Society that the facility was a danger to the public. The B.C. government responded Friday, saying it will review the mauling and consider whether provincewide regulations on exotic animals are needed."
-Vancouver Sun

Wether regulations r needed?? G u think? Good Lord. Ridiculous.
If I ruled the world...
Those poor kids. Mum knew the lady. How sad.

On that note, vacation over in 1.25 days & counting. It was absolutely wonderful, filled my days with riding, hiking/walking (more of the latter), Facebook, lot's of driving, and shopping. Fabulous.
Sighted moose, deer, muskrats, and this morning, a big ol' bear. We stayed a night on a ranch in Hat Creek (no internet or cell phone access, gasp), probably the most beautiful place on earth. Not, of course, incl Bavaria. Makes me wonder if I'm not secretly a country girl @ heart. Wait.... nope. Maybe half to a quarter.

Had an early Mother's day, ridiculous amounts of champagne, spa-ing, & eating.
Got that job @ the other Home, so will b looking forward 2 a whole lot of...work.
I know I mentioned it b4, but I cannot stress enuf that if u have not seen The Secret, do. As many times as u can. It's absolutely life-altering. If u have/keep an open mind. Not so common in these parts of the Valley...

Still lookin 4 a roomy, Marge moved up North 4 the summer, so I will b needing 2 fill her void. Not so easy in a town of happy marriages and dirty grow-ops. Our good friend Otis suggested I post the applicants on my blog & have u vote on them. Or have them all move in and every week u vote 1 out. I thought it was funny. Very much so. As would the creepy neighbor...

If I Ruled the World

2007-05-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

2007-05-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

This is heading towards the fine line of ridiculousness.... Zero comments on my last post?? C'mon, what is going on... Get off blasted Facebook, folks, and come back 2 reality. The novelty's worn off.
Every single person on my links list can b found on Facebook ("Crackbook"), with one easy, addictive, all-consuming click of the mouse (except Missy, who just gave birth & is excused).
Am I 2 blame? Is this the demise of blogging as we kno it? Has everyone jumped ship? Am I talking to myself? Is this The End?

PS- I need a new roommate...

It just snowed..

2007-05-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

and I optimistically packed only capris & little sleeveless things. And a bathing costume (that's right-costume).
It's stopped now, but still, it snowed (disgusted font). Lisa, take me with u...

Congrats 2 Missy & Martin on the birth of Tyler Madison- she's gorgeous & I can't wait 2 leave Alaska here & meet her!

2007-04-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

14 days of freedom, starting...now. Been raking in the hrs b4 heading up country yesterday, with a pulled back muscle & 4 hrs of sleep under my belt. But all is well, & am looking very forward 2 a week of farm-sitting and then another of not doing much of anything. Only mum & me here, dad still gallivanting around the globe, last I heard he was on a party cruise, on the Nile. I can only imagine.

This was initially going 2 b my Germany trip, but that's obviously not happening. This year, anyway. Looooong story. But I'm ok with it, and am mapping out Plan B.
Am maybe, maybe thinking bout heading over there 4 Oktoberfest with my Swedish lady, but will c how the situation is by then. And how my Visa is by then, haha. Not so hot after my little visit 2 the Estee Lauder counter yesterday...

Been being very good; running every single day the past 2 weeks. Found a new running buddy just round the corner from me, who shares my k9 obsession (And my views on vaccinations. And microwaves. And ever so much more). So we alternate between running her dog, and running the pound dogs. We also share a passion 4 beer & cigarettes. Makes 4 fun combos. Our last run ended us at the liquor store, schlepping home a 6 pack, & smoking on the porch. In our defence, it was a game night, so anything goes.

Just realized that next yr is my 10 yr reunion. R we that old already...

Not that I'm going. Probably the most excruciatingly painful yrs of my life. Reason #536 y I don't want 2 stay here: the public school system. Atrocious.

Now am about 2 call the SPCA and ask them y exactly the police in the next town r not required 2 call Animal Control when busting grow-ops. Instead they seem 2 think it is acceptable 2 pepper spray them & lock them in a bathroom 4 up 2 2 days. I will then proceed 2 write seething letters 2 anyone who will listen (cops, newspaper, etc), and c what results I get. That is my latest peeve.

I'm a huge SPCA caller. If ur dog is chained, and has no water or shelter, I am all over it. They kno me by name. And that's how it should b.

Off 2 town 4 some edibles, after a morning of flinging hay bales (with a pulled back muscle..) and spending time with my 2 favourite hounds. Ok, and I was on Facebook. But just 4 a teeny bit.

Bubye Dallas

2007-04-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

Was that a Game or was that a Game

Annual Reminder: Sandals Anyone

2007-04-21T22:21:00.000-07:00

Just a friendly reminder, it's that time of the year again.
Please, raise your big toes and repeat after me:
As a member of the Faux Paux Sisterhood, I pledge to follow The Rules when I wear sandals and other open-toe shoes:

I promise to always wear sandals that fit. My toes will not hang over and touch the ground, nor will my heels spill over the backs. And the sides and tops of my feet will not pudge out between the straps.

I will go polish-free or vow to keep the polish-fresh, intact and chip-free. I will not cheat and just touch up my big toe.
I will sand down any mounds of skin before they turn hard and yellow.
I will shave the hairs off my big toe.
If a strap breaks, I won't duct-tape, pin, glue or tuck it back into place hoping it will stay put.
I will get my shoe fixed or toss it.

No matter how much it hurts, I will not live in corn denial; rather I will lean on my good friend Dr. Scholl's if my feet need him.

I will resist the urge to buy jelly shoes at Payless for the low, low price of $4.99 even if my feet are small enough to fit into the kids' sizes. This is out of concern for my safety, and the safety of others. No one can walk properly when standing in a pool of sweat, and I would hate to take someone down with me as I fall and break my ankle.

I will take my toe ring off toward the end of the day if my toes swell and begin to look like Vienna sausages.
I will be brutally honest with my girlfriend/sister/coworker when she asks me if her feet are too ugly to wear sandals. Someone has to tell her that her toes look like they've been dragged behind her car on the way to work and no sandal in the world is going to make her feet look good.

I will promise if I wear flip flops, that I will ensure they actually flip and flop, making the correct noise while walking and I will swear NOT to slide or drag my feet while wearing them.

I will promise to go to my local beauty school at least once per season and have a real
pedicure - they are about $15 and worth EVERY penny. I say spend another $15.00 and get an even better one.

And finally, I will promise to throw away any white/off-white sandals that show signs of wear, nothing is tackier than dirty white sandals.

Amen.

Subtitles

2007-04-18T23:54:00.000-07:00

(Titled 4 dear Darla-I lost it a long time ago, y suffer alone...?)

Sorry 4 the delay, my sweet, concerned fans. Blogger decided not 2 upload any pics for 5 hrs, and I cannot post without pics. I just can't, it's not my nature.

Not all 2 much report. Another day of 2 roommates & a camera. Of the biggest arm-breaking grocery shop ever & grumpy porn-star cashiers, of long walks & lectures on my language, of America's Next top Model & the chilled Naked Grape. And so on.

Have an interview with a Nursing Home in the next town over. If (decent-sized if) I do go back 2 school, then I gotta drop my position & go casual @ my current Home, and if I go casual then I had better b making that much more. So a few changes ahead.

Tomorrow I start running again. I will. Had a little self-imposed lull, but am running (pun intended) out of excuses. So it's time to pull out the 'ol Nikes, and get my butt in gear. Plus the poor k9's r gettin kinda chunky. Speaking of which, had 3 people (all men...) tell me on separate occasions this week that I'm packing on a few extra.
#1 thing never ever 2 say 2 a woman, especially 1 as hormonally-imbalanced as I. All have lived 2 regret it. Not 2 worry;I feel fabulous.

2 weeks of glorious vacation fast approaching, & am so looking forward 2 it & all it brings.
Sunshine, horses, and the open road...

Subtitles

2007-04-13T17:16:00.001-07:00

Is that a Banana Guard in your Pocket...

2007-04-12T00:42:00.000-07:00

This greeted me in my friend's fruit basket at the beginning of a very looong Hockey Night in Canada (well worth the wait, yay Canucks).

Imagine my surprise...& delight!
I pounced on it & am now proud owner of my very first banana protector, in classic lavender .
The look on Marge's face when I brought it home was absolutely priceless. Rarely have we laughed so hard.
It's a great conversation piece, & I cannot wait 2 pull it out of my lunch @ work...

2007-04-10T23:37:00.000-07:00

There. The only 2 pics that turned out from an entire Easter weekend. An entire film from a very cheap, very handy, very disposable camera. The only 2 pics where I don't look like a manatee or have eyes the color of Satan. The only 2 pics not taken by me.

O and a pic of my bro & his gf & her baby turned out, but I'll spare u the details. It's in my Facebook album ( "My Stuff"), if u feel so inclined.

Facebook- my latest addiction. It's like a big high school/childhood/my town reunion. It's fantastic & much lower maintenance than blogger or mySpace. Plus everybody's doing it....

Had lovely days off. A mad dash up country 4 a few days of r&r, and then back down in time 4 the annual champagne Easter brunch. 30-odd Germans with a reason 2 celebrate makes 4 a deafening, ear-splitting roar, & a good time was had by all.

No pictures 2 prove it tho :(

Just repotted all of my plants, and 4 some reason the soil smells of vinegar. And sulfur. But much worse. I'm beginning 2 feel faint and may need 2 banish them all 2 the balcony 4 the night. Honestly, I wish u could smell it, it's repulsive. And I'm no weakling when it comes 2 odours. Try my job 4 a day...

Speaking of which, 2morrow an appointment with the school; now I'm thinkin maybe dental hygiene...? So many choices, so little desire to go back 2 school for yrs & yrs on end. But what's a girl 2 do.

So,

2007-04-04T22:06:00.000-07:00

Landlady issues a precautionary warning 2day that we have a new neighbour across the way. A neighbour whose porch faces our back door. A neighbour who frequents said porch often, allegedly directing his prying, voyeuristic gaze into our windows. Ugh.

Now, if u know me then u know that I oppose any apparel which inhibits, including socks, shoes, pants and soooo on. Much to the amusement and, I imagine, ever-so-slight disgust of my roommate (and now seemingly half the neighborhood). It's a childhood/family trait, combined with a healthy dash of Europeanness, which makes for a constant state of partial undress (emphasis on partial, not total. More like scantily clad, really), that cannot b helped.
And it isn't always pretty. I go 4 comfort all the way, baby.
Apparently it's either put on more clothes or invest in curtains...
Meh, curtains it is. And maybe a menacing shake of the fist in his direction.

4 days off, and the world at my feet.
Can I afford it? No.
Do I luv it? Heeeell yes.

Happy Easter, my friends. Go forth & eat chocolate like it's going out of style...

What the

2007-04-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

Snow in April!?! Some sort of sick joke, I presume? Just when u think u've seen it all...

All I can say is:

Iams Undercover

2007-03-31T22:31:00.001-07:00

PETA’s Investigation Revealed Cruel and Deadly Tests Conducted for Iams

2007-03-31T22:29:00.000-07:00

For nearly 10 months in 2002 and early 2003, a PETA investigator went undercover at an Iams contract testing laboratory and discovered a dark and sordid secret beneath the wholesome image of the dog- and cat-food manufacturer. Undercover footage captured images of dogs who had gone insane from intense confinement to barren steel cages and cement cells, dogs who were left piled on a filthy paint-chipped floor after having chunks of muscle hacked from their thighs, and horribly sick dogs and cats who were languishing in their cages, neglected and left to suffer without veterinary care.
In addition to suffering through painful experiments, animals in Iams labs were denied companionship and enrichment and were confined to their barren cages for at least 23 1/2 hours every day.

The recent massive recall by Menu Foods, contract manufacturer for Procter & Gamble’s Iams and Eukanuba brands—of more than 60 million cans and pouches of dog and cat food is further proof that laboratory tests on animals do not guarantee that a product will be safe to use.
-PETA

Just one more very good reason to feed raw (c BARF link under My Stuff 4 info)...

Make. It. Stop.

2007-03-31T11:14:00.000-07:00

Margie just informed me that my car is parked on the lawn. O dear.

A Perfect Day..

2007-03-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

...of 2 roommates & a camera, a walk downtown & a frolic in the park, blossoms & rabbits, french vanillas & people-ogling, polished black cars & expensive but o-so-good hairdressers, bagels & creamcheese, window shopping & toplessness, aroma therapy(up the nose) & long naps.

And now for round 2...

Baby I'm Back

2007-03-30T01:53:00.000-07:00

My sincere apologies 4 the unacceptable delay in posting. I have no excuse, no rhyme or reason. Just a need 4 a blogging hiatus, a gathering of my thoughts, a reorganizing of my priorities, the enjoyment of a long-awaited spring, and a 2 day spell of violent illness, blamed on bad yogurt malt balls. Very bad, borderline evil. Now 4 some major catching up on my fellow bloggies, how I have missed u all!

First order of business: a smashing Happy Birthday 2 Leah!! This puts us @ the same age 4 about 9 months, with a difference of 3 kids, 1 husband, a house and a minivan...sigh.
We r down 1 budgie, who thought it would be a novel idea 2 fly the coup into minus temperatures and a cat-infested neighbourhood. RIP Oliver. Left is 1 widowed bird, who talks 2 herself in the mirror. I can relate.

Anyone seen The Secret? I am making it a point 2 watch it once a week, as motivational enlightenment. Gone r the days of German negativity; it's positive thinking & living by The Law of Attraction from here on in.
Speaking of Germany, Prost daddy-o! Lucky bugger just left 4 a 2 month hiatus of his own, 2 escape the pressures of retirement and the horrors of living on a beautiful farm with a wonderful wife...? We miss u already!

Here a glimpse of my back, cropped 2 decency courtesy of Lee. I am waiting 4 some decent full-size shots, free of all back fat, haha. Still trying various poses...

The writing goes from my neck 2 my butt and says something 2 the effect of "4 u it shall rain red roses" in German, which is a German song from like 1968 & something both my grandmother & mum said 2 me, and then all the initials (6) of my parents and grandparents & the rose curving thru the middle. I am very happy with it and cannot wait 4 beach weather 2 show it off in it's full glory. I gotta go in 1 more time and get the rose touched up. It hurts. I perspire and make high-pitched humming noises and claw at my arms and beg for numbing spray (pansy). But it's like child birth(?); I forget about it, and go back 4 more. Many thanks 2 Helena 4 her artistic input, 2 her I owe the top of the stem. And the roof of my (ex)bug. Give her a felt pen and miracles occur.

And by golly, would u look @ the time... As I am writing this we r watching Labyrinth, 1 of the best movies of all time. Nothing quite like David Bowie in tights with a bad case of camel toe (manel toe?), singing and dancing with a cast of diabolical muppets. Sweet dreams...

2007-03-23T00:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday lil' Brotha!!!

"I'm smiling because you're my brother! I'm laughing because there is nothing you can do about it."

(And just never u mind the booze in our hands. We r German & we can.)

2007-03-21T23:09:00.000-07:00

Road OutRAGEous

2007-03-20T23:46:00.000-07:00

If the drive up was the good, then the drive down was the bad and the ugly. It was snowing and blowing and being just horrific. The on-line highway report boasted clear road conditions just b4 my departure. Pffft, clear schmear.
Whoever came up with that farce deserves an aptly timed, well deserved uppercut 2 the jaw. It was the most terrifying experience; cars in the ditch left, right & centre.
I got 2 make my very first 911 call. The jeep in front of me flipped off the road, onto it's roof, and I then proceeded 2 lose it. I don't possess a fight-or-flight response, rather a curl-up-in-a-little-pathetic-ball-and-die response.

I'd like 2 @ this point thank my father, whom I called in a frenzy of panic, tears, & curses, 4 making a valiant, if unsuccessfully, attempt at keeping me calm. And also thank u from the bottom of my heart 4 making me get winter tires, they have earned their keep 2fold.

That's all just never mind the 1 hr delay @ the toll booth, the 1000 semis hogging the road, the half hr wait 4 construction, & the cancellation of my work shift due 2 foreseeable tardiness.
I've never been so ecstatic 2 c the Valley. My days of sniveling about the rain r a thing of the past.
If you're planning on driving the Coquihalla, don't.

2 Snow Bunnies, 1 Jack Rabbit

2007-03-18T19:33:00.000-07:00

Wonderful weather, good company, & near empty slopes = perfect skiing conditions.
I admit, I was a tad rusty @ first, causing my parents 2 break out in their cruel streak; pointing & laughing & clutching their sides, mimicking my every move, while waiting 4 me @ the bottom. Revenge was soon 2 b had.
A few more runs & I got limbered up, & left them choking on my snowy dust. I was quite amazed at my feline grace & agility. I was an elegant blur in the distance. I like 2 draw the comparison 2 a snow leopard. I'm sure others who witnessed this spectacle would b quick 2 agree. Take a moment 2 picture it, if u will. Poetry on skis.

2007-03-17T19:22:00.000-07:00

*Copyright Christina 2007

(Excluding the ugly nipples, u can have those)

I'm hoo-oome, & I may never go back down. It was the most beautiful drive up here, going the new, mudslide-free route. I felt like I'd left Canada. Rolling hills, frolicking cows & their newborn calves, crystal clear lakes, & most importantly, NO RAIN. I was able 2 get out of my car & not have mascara streaming down my face, or limp, noodley hair. Not a drop in sight, not a cloud in the sky. I even employed my sunglasses @ one point, after wiping off the thick layer of accumulated dust from months (years?) of disuse. I had the windows down, the music playing (Yes, it's re-installed. I got angry & they got quick in the "repairs"), & felt very much like Thelma & Louise. Minus Louise. And the headscarf.

Xcept I had 2 drive the whole way hunched forward over the steering wheel, as it felt as though someone had a go @ my back with a steak knife. In reality, a tattooer(ist?) had a go @ my back with 50,000 needles. But it's all good. I'm just glad 2 b here.

Happy St. Paddy's 2 all & I wish I had green beer. Ah well. I'll use my imagination.

PS- Margie, Dad called us two spinsters. Would u care 2 retaliate? A swift kick 2 the shin perhaps??

When it Rains, it Pours

2007-03-16T21:23:00.000-07:00

Here the freeway I was 2 take 2 my parents' 2morrow, pic taken yesterday. Crap. Something like 11 mudslides along the way.
Frantically searching 4 alternate routes...
I will not willingly spend another day in this ridiculous West Coast downpour, so help me God.

2007-03-15T19:31:00.000-07:00

SNL-More Cowbell

There, that's 4 those of u who "don't get" my previous post. C'mon, it's a classic...
U may have noticed that I disabled the blog music from coming on automatically. I repeatedly scared myself whenever I went 2 my blog. And then it just got annoying. And I object 2 change. So now u actually have 2 hit play 2 hear it, much more reader-friendly. It also appears that I cannot just centre my title & the video only, but the entire post along with it. Does anything ever go my way...?

Not much else. Half way thru my work week, woot. Just awoke from a nap that should never have ended. Now I feel like I have been hit by a bus. A bus with spikes on it's wheels and razor blades on it's bumper. And a big skewer 2 jab me in the eye with.
So now I will go 4 a beer, & drown my miseries. No, not miseries really, I'm prone to exaggeration. More like grumpiness. It's chronic, haha (my family is not laughing along with me).

How can u tell if chicken is done? Roomy helped me thru the getting it into the pan, seasoning, and oven part. A step-by-step process. In which she needs 2 speak very clearly & slowly, repeating herself often. But now she went 4 a run & it's sizzling & I'm lost. When in doubt, let it burn...

2007-03-14T23:04:00.000-07:00

The Germanator says:

2007-03-13T23:24:00.000-07:00

....and it feels so good. I have a thing about sleeping away from home. Hate it. Hate other people's sheets & smelly laundry detergents, soaps & moldy tubs, dirty floors & grimy dish rags. I don't like using other people's toilets, & don't like them using mine. That's just me. The rest of my stay was fine. They had like 18 budgies,1 cockatiel, 3 cats, and 2 dogs, so I felt right @ home in that respect. Also got caught up on all my TV shows. We don't believe in cable in this household, it rots the brain & numbs the senses...

Not at all looking forward 2 work 2morrow, & why o why, is my eye infected again? Leah's theory is that I wipe my nose on my hand and then wipe my eye. Eeew. I don't. How totally far-fetched. I dislike doctors & think they r over-payed & largely useless, & I don't have an appt. with the naturopath till next month. So u will have 2 put up with my whinging until further notice.

In other news, my back is being done 4 the last time on Fri. I will post pics as soon as the redness goes away. Those pics r so unattractive, when they're taken right after, all infected-looking and greasy, bleh. I will avoid that @ all costs. Can't wait 2 c the finished, & hopefully straight, product. I'm adding a bit more than I originally planned, but hopefully it will still look feminine. Nothing worse than a butch tattoo on a lady. Which is what I am, really :).

Congrats 2 all who watched Babel, & enjoyed it without their husbands fast-forwarding the "boring" parts.
I don't get y at the end they didn't show what Chieko wrote on the note 2 the cop. Otis? Any ideas?
I am trying out the latest fad in imeem blog music. If it gets annoying it will b removed without further ado.
Heading up 2 my parents on the WE, & we're going skiing! I don't really like it anymore, so cold and wet, but every once in a while I still get an itch. So that is something 2 look forward 2, while I drudge & slump through these next few work days. Xcept I have 2 drive up with no stereo, the boobs (word of the day) at the shop r still "fixing" it. It will b me & my thoughts for 4 hrs. Maybe I will brush up on some lyrics & entertain myself in that way.
Off 2 bed I go, my stomach full & my eye swollen. There's nothing quite like my own bed & toilet, fresh & clean. Home sweet home.

If u haven't seen it,

2007-03-10T23:31:00.000-08:00

u must watch it. It is truly an excellent movie.GO! RENT IT! NOW!!

(There'll b a pop quiz when I get back)

Ever Wonder:

2007-03-10T00:15:00.003-08:00

- Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin?
- Why can't women put on mascara with their mouth closed?
- Why don't you ever see the headline "Psychic Wins Lottery"?
- Why is "abbreviated" such a long word?
- Why is it that doctors call what they do "practice"?
- Why is it that to stop Windows 98, you have to click on "Start"?
- Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dish washing liquid made with real lemons?
- Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
- Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?
- Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?
- When dog food is new and improved tasting, who tests it?
- Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?
- Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?
- You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?
- Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?
- Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?
- If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?
- If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?

There, that will have 2 do 4 intellectual stimulation until I'm back in business on Tues. Am going 2 do home support for 2 days/3 nights= half a lifetime, so I will write a long 1 when I am back 2 make up 4 lost time...
Mum came & went. I'm always so very sad 2 c her go. We had a whirlwind 3 days consisting of shopping, Starbucks, shopping, & Starbucks (PS- if you're ever looking 4 Jenn... ;)). Our pup got thru his knee surgery well. We wish him a rapid recovery, with his poor shaved chicken leg.
2morrow eve I am having papa, who's still in town, over 4 dinner, & am pulling all of my culinary expertise into play, 2 whip up a feast of bison chili, chocolate cake (courtesy of Safeway), and beer. U do the math of my actual cooking input. It is, by all means, the effort that counts.
Other than that, not much else 2 report. Got kicked at, bitten, proposed 2, & called a slut (by the teeny-tiniest, oldest, most innocent-looking lady, who really shouldn't ever know a word like that. Seniors these days...) all in the same week. And u ask y I luv my job...
Don't forget 2 set your clocks forward 2night, & lose that precious hr of sleep that makes all the difference.
Have a marvelous weekend!

2007-03-08T12:44:00.000-08:00

Just had my first one of the season. And that's just the beginning...

Bring it on

(Non-Rhetorical) Questionings

2007-03-07T23:07:00.000-08:00

Where the @#$%&* is my umbrella?? And y is my computer such a piece? What do u mean, this program is not responding? Again. Y is there no hot water when all I bloody want in this world is a bath? Y is there only juice and limp carrots in my fridge? Who keeps whacking their idiot car door into my car door? Y is my fig tree dropping leaves all over my house, when it should b the happiest tree this side of the river? Y did the vet's scale tell me I'm 6 lbs heavier than my one @ home? And where in the world is Otis?

My 88 Cents Worth

2007-03-06T23:49:00.000-08:00

Cripes! I cannot post pics of my back as the writing down my spine looks crooked... I had my roomy take photos of it, microscopically inspect it, & everyone who crosses my path is made to closely scrutinize it from every angle & provide feedback on it's, 2 me, misbegotten appearance.
I suffer from a dysfunction where I cannot cut, draw, see, or drive straight lines (Jk about the last one, I just have problems w left turns), so I can't even tell if I should b freaking out or not. Anyway, the tattooer will b getting an earful & will be doing everything in his ability 2 either fix it or draw attention away from the fact that my spine is 4ever marred by off-center writing. I keep thinking of my wedding day. Everyone will laugh. In 2023...

Music playing on blogs seems 2 b all the rage. Which is wonderful, & I enjoy listening 2 them, even the "churchy" ones. But when blog surfing/stalking I usually like 2 have 2 windows open @ the same time (glacial-speed PC), 2 2 different blogs, and that really makes 4 interesting mixes.

I only opened a myspace account in order 2 b able 2 comment on other peoples, & it's crazy how many people have one ( 2 all VCSers, check out John on my links. Remember him? How fun). They have amazing search tools, and u can find almost anybody. O xcept the one time I tried 2 c if an ex had one (o stop, u know u would 2), and it sent him a message inviting him 2 mine, which has my blog address on it. I've never erased anything so fast. Had 2 start all over. But it was worth it, & 4 heaven's sake, don't give in people's email addresses when u look 4 them!

I still marvel @ the wonders of technology. Don't understand it, just wonder at it. Haven't a clue as 2 the difference between an ipod & an mp3 player. Don't fill me in, I don't want to know. They r both not in my financial realms right now.

Speaking of which, I have one bank account that I use 4 my rent checks only. So landlady phones 2 day- my check bounced, whoopee. I call my bank & I was missing 88 freakin cents b/c of some measly service charge they took off. Oooo, my blood was boiling. And German boiling blood is a force 2 b reckoned with. So I stormed down 2 the bank, and long story short, all fines were reversed ($37!!! When did that go up? That's almost a month's rent...), & I left them shaking in their boring bank-y heels, wishing they had never messed with the Germanator.

Last night's fam dinner went considerably well. My brother showed up w a broken nose & a chipped front tooth. Don't ask, we didn't either. We have an "ask-me-no-questions-and-I'll-still-tell-u-lies" relationship, haha. He's done it once b4; showed up 2 the airport b4 a family Vegas trip, xcept he added 2 black eyes 2 the mix. He will never live it down. Ever. But o it was so nice 2 have everyone 2gether again. We have fun. If only 4 about an hour b4 things usually turn sour ;).

The past few nights I have been having dreams of pregnancy- me with child. Analyze that.

Once again,

2007-03-04T17:38:00.000-08:00

she's out-styled us all. I adore it, just not sure if I could go that short just yet. But still fabulous.

Mmmm, Food

2007-03-03T20:14:00.001-08:00

Just bought a dozen samosas- 4 down, 8 to go. I would like some made only of pastry. Then I will patent them. 2 more sleeps & our family will b complete!! Both parents coming down; dad 2 work & mum 4 the dog knee surgery. I cannot wait (4 the visit, not the surgery, poor Tommy-boy). Mum is staying w me, but dad is not aloud b/c he can't whisper. Not that he is talking 2 me at all after my revelation in my last post. Very strong feelings when it comes to bodily mutilations, my dear dad has. Ask my brother... many a long battle fought.

A lovely weekend of endless work. Although I did call in yesterday. Eye infection back 2 attack & I just couldn't bear the thought of walking around the whole day again with make-up on 1 eye only. I get made fun of. It's like Jekyll & Hyde on my face. Plus I think I had 24 hr mono b/c I slept the whole day.
I am trying 2 convince my mum 2 adopt the pig from the pound. Maybe when my dad is in Germany we can sneak it into the house. Did I say that out loud? Damn, my plans have been foiled...

Eclipse 2nite, I believe. Not that I will brave the frigid/wet outdoors 2 view it.
Can always tell when there's a full moon @ work. They all get squirrely & try 2 escape or paint the walls with feces. Kind of like kindergarten. Or my childhood, haha.
As u may have noticed, my prayers 4 no more snow have been answered. Apparently I forgot 2 mention the rain in my meditations... egad, I feel like I'm drowning. Bet my poor mother wouldn't be complaining, as her Explorer got smashed by a barn-roof avalanche 2day. Her un-insured Explorer. The very one that she needs 2 insure 4 her drive down here on Monday. The one that will now b sitting in the shop early Monday morning having it's windshield replaced b4 her mad dash thru the canyon 2 make it here b4 dark. My condolences.

Worst movie ever: "Farce of the Penguins". Atrocious. Margie turned it off @ the menu & I made it all of 2 minutes into the movie. Don't waste your money or your time.

That's all. I was tyrannized into writing a new post, by a "friend" who 4 now shall remain nameless (but not faceless). Supposedly, if she had 2 see "Father, Avert your Eyes" 1 more time she would've cancelled me from her links list.
A chance I cannot take.

Father, Avert your Eyes

2007-03-01T23:10:00.000-08:00

FYI my roommate is making a revolting-looking bake of some kind, ingredients including sour cream, cheese, onions, and french fries. She asked me never 2 tell anyone, so what better way than 2 blog about it...

Dad, stop reading here.
I went & got tattooed on my day off, & it's beautiful & I luv it. It goes from my neck down my spine in small-ish writing, a German sentence that has sentimental value. It's not quite done, gotta go back 4 finishing touches & bring it down to the bottom of my back. I can't stop looking at it, which is quite awkward as I have 2 crane my neck, & that makes it look crooked, & I then panic. Wasn't very painful, the first few letters were even quite pleasant. When it's all finished I will post a pic 4 all 2 enjoy. My father may gag, and I know he is at this moment shaking his head in utter disgust & disappointment, all the while making German tsk-ing sounds. Saw this tattoo & thought of u, father dear ;)

Picked up 2 additional jobs 4 my days off; 1 home support, & the other taking a little old lady out 2 lunch or the mall once a week. Can it get any better? Honestly, that is a job made in heaven.
That is all, must go pray 4 NO MORE SNOW! It's terrible, the worst thing ever is waking up @ 6, having to sweep off / scrape my car, getting snow down my socks, & driving behind people who act like they just moved here from Arizona. Sets the mood 4 the whole day.

PS- Just tried the bake, & it tastes better than it looks, I'll give her that.

What's new, u ask?

2007-02-28T00:23:00.007-08:00

Not a heck of a lot, hence the lack (by my standards) of blogging. Been picking up xtra hrs @ work, so not much time 4 play. It is my goal 2 actually save some money b4 my trip. That will b an all time first. Funny how just then everyone decides 2 have a birthday, or a baby, or my stereo needs to b replaced, or my roots start showing, not 2 mention the fantastic sales on right now...
I have banned myself from the mall & any other venue exchanging retail for $$$. So far so good.

Having lotsa fun @ aqua fit. Had to borrow a conservative black one-piece from my preggo friend, so as 2 avoid looking like a porn star (& not in a good way) in front of a dozen 75+ yr olds. Every time I go, I have the urge 2 start toileting my fellow participants. Professional hazard.
Big day off 2morrow, so will try to do something interesting & report back. And good grief, would u look @ the time?? Still have laundry 2 fold, nails 2 polish, & an excellent book 2 read; a cannot-put-downer (as opposed to Don Quixote, right K?? Bleh).
Welcome 2 the last day of February. Also draw day for Millionaire 4 Life. Here's hoping...
PS- Anyone watch the Oscars? Yawn- zero scandalous value

Memory Lane

2007-02-25T12:47:00.000-08:00

In 1998 I went 2 work @ this castle hotel in the Bavarian Alps. The best 3 years of my life. Anything Leah didn't teach me I learned there...

My Swedish counterpart. We did it all. She was my roommate, confidant, hero, & fashion icon. I miss her so very much. The other guy is the pickle man from Oktoberfest. Note the size of that pickle... & the beer steins
Doing what she does best...

The town we moved to together. Lived, worked & played together. And man o man, did we play

The bar/restaurant I worked at for 2 yrs. Most fun I've ever had. Super busy ski town, but absolutely gorgeous in summer time as well. The kind of place where the cows get herded home in the evenings thru the streets by little old men on bicycles

Worked @ my ex's Tommy Hilfiger store.

Here my ride, ain't it cute

Our boy

Munich

Me n my grl. Luv it 'cause I 'm tanned & her cleavage looks amazing :)

Fave vacation destination: Italy.

So close 2 us, like 3 hrs by car

Just seeing if you're still paying attention...( also amazing cleavage)

Moved 2 Portugal , opened up another Tommy store in golf & beach resort. Like holidays 24/7, ocean at our front door. Stayed there 4 just under a year b4 returning to Canada.

Outside the store

My Australian/Portuguese colleague

Please note: barely a cloud in the sky.How it should b everywhere, in my opinion

So, to sum it up 4 u, I came from this:

To this:

That is my dilemma in a nutshell

Mmmmmm

2007-02-24T11:59:00.000-08:00

My fave right now. I could bathe in it. And possibly drink it.

Off 2 work I go again. Story of my sad little life. Jk, I luv it. Met a potbelly pig @ the pound yesterday. They picked it up @ a drug house. Apparently Rotti's r out...? I dunno, but it was a shy little guy.
I am craving a DQ blizzard l/k u wouldn't believe. Have been 4 days & it won't let up. I think about it all the time, day & night. The banana cream pie one. But really, $5 for soft, fake ice-cream? That's made by dirty, scrubby, rude teenagers? I'll pass. Reluctantly.

From the Mouth of Babes

2007-02-24T00:14:00.000-08:00

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY ? (written by kids)
(1) You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming. -- Alan, age 10
(2) No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with. -- Kristen, age 10

WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?
(1) Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then. -- Camille, age 10
(2) No age is good to get married at. You got to be a fool to get married. -- Freddie, age 6 (very wise for his age)

HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
(1) You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids. -- Derrick, age 8

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
(1) Both don't want any more kids. -- Lori, age 8

WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
(1) Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough. -- Lynnette, age 8 (isn't she a treasure)
(2) On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date. -- Martin, age 10

WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THAT WAS TURNING SOUR?
(1) I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns. -- Craig, age 9

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
(1) When they're rich. -- Pam, age 7 (my kinda girl)
(2) The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that - - Curt, age 7
(3 ) The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do. -- Howard, age 8

IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
(1 ) I don't know which is better, but I'll tell you one thing. I'm never going to have sex with my wife. I don't want to be all grossed out. -- Theodore, age 8
(2 ) It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them. -- Anita, age 9 (bless you child)

HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?
(1 ) There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there? -- Kelvin, age 8

And the #1 Favorite is........
HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
(1 ) Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a truck. -- Ricky, age 10

What the H is with the white stuff on my car?? And here silly me thought it was spring...

2007-02-23T07:16:00.000-08:00

Sputterings

2007-02-22T22:23:00.000-08:00

Well, that was odd. My first day of no postings. I feel strangely free.
Went 2 comedy show in the big city last night, lotsa giggles. Woke up bright 'n early 4 aqua fit (performed 2 a healthy mix of Village People & Vengaboys), which we then made completely pointless by going out 4 a huge, greasy breakfast. Do it while you're young, I say.
Gettin ready 4 night shift, always lotsa fun, ruining a perfectly good day with hangover-like symptoms. No person should be made 2 work those hours, unless there's a pole or beer involved.

Had lovely hummus-making session with Roomy. I now smell like garlic & chlorine. And success..

I am having difficulties focusing on anything that doesn't involve the word Germany. I cannot wait 2 c my friends, the scenery, the shopping, the men, the food, the beer, the beautiful people, the nice cars, lederhosen, clean cobblestone streets, good driving, David Tasselhoff, decent nightlife, & smoking in any & every place I wish 2 smoke. I could go on.
I was gonna post pics of my travels, but my *&^%$#@* computer won't let me upload anything right now. So I will leave u with this piece of eye candy, while I launch my PC out the balcony door.

2007-02-20T21:59:00.000-08:00

Exactly enough taxes back for 1 plane ticket to Munich, 10 glorious days in late spring!! Beyond excited, just what the shrink ordered. It was either that or pay off a fraction of my student loan.
Meh, I think I will start packing now.

O Date Divine

2007-02-19T22:55:00.000-08:00

K, so last night, blind date. And I wish it would've stayed as such. The person responsible 4 setting up this catastrophic rendezvous praised him 2 high heaven. I went in expecting Johnny Depp (mmm), if not better. My expectations crashed & burned in every possible way.
Seriously, is it now considered good etiquette 2 drop the f-bomb every second word, talk like a redneck farmer, smoke like a chimney, go on endlessly about the time u served (that's right- in jail), and repeatedly show off your neck-twitching facial tick?
Alright, he couldn't help the facial tick, but he could help the absolute highlight, the piece de resistance if u will, of the evening. Apparently someone or something in his disturbed past has led him 2 the conclusion (delusion) that he is funny. Told me he likes jokes. I said alright, I'm tired of thinking about what I had for lunch & picking at my cuticles, so shoot.

He warms with a handful of corny jokes that hurt my cheeks from keeping the smile plastered on my face, moving onto a few choice racial cracks (smile beginning 2 fade real fast), and finishing off with the single worst, most graphic, disgusting, offensive, & vile joke in the history of jokes (smile totally gone, replaced by out-of-body experience of this-cannot-b-happening, dumbfounded look). I cannot stress enough just how wrong it was.
I cringe (& blush) just thinking about it. Something about a koala bear & a prostitute, don't remember the exact details, but he sure did...
I didn't even bother doing the token wallet reach when I finally managed to choke off his flow of verbal diarrhea. More like, hell no, you're paying for these 2 hrs that I will never get back in this lifetime. A total waste of make-up. Needless 2 say, he will not b getting a follow-up phone call.
That's it, I'm officially done. The Canadian male species has failed miserably in my eyes.

2007-02-18T09:25:00.000-08:00

Baby Ty's first visit 2 Aunty Christina @ work

Britney Goes Bald

2007-02-17T11:25:00.000-08:00

This time it's her head...
Looks odd on her, I don't think her face is pretty enough 2 pull it off, a little 2 pudgy or something.

It's something I've always & 4-ever wanted to do. Maybe after the next break-up...
Xcept I want mine 2 look l/k this:

Model Eve Salvail

Meet Your Meat

2007-02-16T22:12:00.001-08:00

PETA video, narrated by Alec Baldwin. Your not gonna like it, but if your gonna eat it...

Something 4 Leah 2 Read

2007-02-16T17:16:00.000-08:00

...who apparently thinks "Tell me what's going on in The Young & the Restless, Erin" constitutes a good post. U set the standard, my friend ;).
I'd like 2 welcome back my eye infection. I think whatever the naturopath gave me 4 liver support is now ejecting all toxins through my right eye. It looks like the eye of an 80 yr old. An 80 yr old with an eye infection. While I'm at it I would also like to complain about my cough, which is keeping me up all night, and makes me want to stab something. Though it makes 4 a pretty sexy voice in the morning. Plus I'm smoking alot less.
Also, I hurt my other wrist on the drive up here. Every time my stereo cuts out, which happens like every 2 minutes, I have to slam my car door 3 times (click my heels & turn around) to get it going again. This I had to do repeatedly for 4 hrs at an average speed of 120 clicks, after a night consisting of 3 hrs of sleep (thank u cough). Now I'm paying the price. Next week someone's looking at it (stereo, not wrist), the same nobs who installed it, & look at it they will. Or deal with my ever-building rage.

Everything is wonderful up here, the house is finally all finished & beautiful, and daddy-o just left 4 a hunting trip. Makes 4 interesting conversations in our house; his hunting & my animal lovin. And remember, German's can't whisper. No, he does it the right way & 4 the right reasons, and I personally think eating at McD's supports worse ethics. I myself was vegetarian 4 10 yrs, but have started up again outa health reasons. But mainly I stick to bison & occasionally chicken, nothing 2 fancy.

Been getting emails from hospitals everyday now, some requesting interviews. 1 wanted me 2 come on the 3d of March, yeah right. I'm starting to wonder whether I should go or not. It's so much I gotta give up here, just seems like a heck of a lot of work. And then what if it's not what I expect it 2 b? I remember when I was there I thought Canada was great. Now it's vice versa. The grass is always greener, I guess.
In other news, our poor dog has 2 have surgery on his knee, tore a ligament in the summer, & has been limping 4 months. And dear lord, have u seen what vet's r charging these days? The one they saw up here quoted them between $2500-$3100. We don't want a new dog, just a new knee.
That's all 4 now, hope this suffices and has sated Lee's need 2 read.
Must go rinse out the henna from my over-processed hair (works wonders 4 damaged, dry, barely-there hair), & then I will have a repeat of last night's routine of sauna and such.

PS- EJ, all day my mum & I have been singing the cuppycake song. Especially the pumpy-umpy-umkin part. That may explain dad's hasty retreat...

Hours of Fun

2007-02-16T12:06:00.002-08:00

This is a game of skill, not only designed to challenge one's hand-eye coordination, but to stimulate strategic thinking as well.

http://waxhoff.com

(Many thanx 2 Otis! I will never b bored again..)

Home Sweet Home

2007-02-15T19:23:00.000-08:00

Off to a dinner of mum's home cookn (the very best, I am salivating as we speak). Obviously not mother-like-daughter in that respect. Then a bout in the newly completed sauna, 2 cleanse away those freshly accumulated V-Day impurities. And finally a much needed scrub in the shower to wash away all remnants of today's lady-peeing-on-my-pant-leg fiasco (not fiasco per se, really more of a daily occurrence. I just like the word.).
Then I will look forward to 2 days of... nothing!! Glorious.

2007-02-14T06:40:00.000-08:00

Alright, enuf Hasselhof already. I think I've over shot my monthly quota of Hoffables. But I just can't stop..
Anyway, Happy Valentine's Day 2 all! (XXOO's 2 my mum & dad!) I will b spending it with 76 seniors, and would have it no other way. Sure there will b plenty of goodies (in my Top Ten words-that-make-me-cringe: "goodies". I have problems even writing it), from families showing their appreciation by showering us with mountains & mountains of calorie-saturated food. U should've seen Christmas, it was ridiculous. Not that I'm complaining.

Headn up 2 the parents' over the weekend, the neighbour's adopted a dog from down here, so I will b chauffeuring it up. A little apprehensive about the weather, I hate driving the canyon in the snow. I've had 2 near-death experiences. Maybe not near death, per say, but close enuf 2 find my faith real fast. And Staci, I'm sorry to b missing your visit, I even wrote it down when u told me u were comin, please let me b forgiven & don't hold a grudge. I will make it up 2 u.

Heard back from 2 German hospitals, just saying that they got my application and good luck, they're processing, etc. It's a little scary now that they're actually out there. Not 2 keen on starting all over again, from scratch. I've done it so many times, carting my junk all over the world. And believe u me, I have a lot of junk. But I gotta do something, time goes by way 2 fast, and I get itchy when I'm in 1 place 2 long. We'll c what happens, I won't count my chickens and so on. Well, off I go, many mouths to feed and other things not quite so pleasant haha..

Have a wonderful day with your loved one(s) and may u get spoiled.

Happy Feet: Tap-Dancing Penguins Selling Drugs

2007-02-13T23:58:00.000-08:00

"Ergo, Warner Brothers’ Happy Feet cartoon penguins cozying up with pharmaceutical giant Roche to give parents a dose of ‘flu fact awareness’ leaves me cold. Icy even.
It’s chilling to think that an animated cartoon is being used as a product placement hook to sell paranoia, prevention, and pop-a-pill solutions to families everywhere in a big bucks deal that would make your head spin. (and not from the flu)
Said to be the first liason of its kind, this promo is blatantly creating market demand for their Tamiflu drugs with profit-driven motivation in a fuzzy blur between public health and ethics.
Commercial Alert is wary about pharmco-consumer direct marketing; but this kind of new pharmco routing via KIDS and animation crosses an entirely NEW line and ups the ante in profit-mongering."

"Then there’s Roche VP, Mike McGuire who says Happy Feet, “serves as an ideal platform for communicating to consumers, especially moms, about the flu.”
Gotta tell ya Mike, as a mom, I’m duly unimpressed with the unethical cross-the-line targeting of both kids and parents with tap-dancing penguins selling drugs.
My beak is flapping big time on this one.
Hang on, it gets worse.

The Flu Facts site suggests patients ASK doctors for the antiviral even if they’re not sick yet… It also recommends you see the movie, AND gives a handy zipcode calculator for an added pang of panic to see if the flu has routed to your neighborhood. (but it’s unbranded, recall?)
Granted, they DO mention the CDC flu vaccine among the series of facts but add “Not only can antivirals help treat the flu, they can also prevent you from getting it.”
Hmn. Maybe THIS is why Tamiflu sales rose to $1.3 billion during the third quarter of this year, an increase of 88 percent over the Q3 ‘05? Ya think?
Harvard Medical School professor Dr. Jerry Avorn, (author of “Powerful Medicines”) also called Tamiflu’s effectiveness marginal, with “slender” benefits, and over-stated claims. “It’s not as if this somehow cures the flu or treats the flu. .."Avorn said."

-Amy Jussel

Read on:

http://www.shapingyouth.org/blog/?p=146

Breaking(?) News

2007-02-13T14:40:00.000-08:00

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) - "Photographs of Anna Nicole Smith in bed embracing the Bahamian immigration minister who approved her application for permanent residency here revived a political scandal in the islands Monday.
Also Monday, the son-in-law of the American developer embroiled in an ownership dispute over the Nassau mansion where Smith was living said he found methadone in her bedroom refrigerator when he went to secure the estate following her death in Florida last week.
A private pathologist has said methadone contributed to the death of Smith's 20-year-old son Daniel in the Bahamas in September."

What did I tell u...

2007-02-12T23:27:00.000-08:00

2007-02-11T23:02:00.000-08:00

Had my one lovely day off 2day, & it was exactly as a day off should be. Woke up full of energy, but no voice. Last night I felt like my tonsils might explode. I am fairly immune to the flu, due 2 my refusal 2 get vaccinated, quite a task in my line of work, like going up against the SS (I can hear the rolling of Leah's eyes..), but the colds always seem 2 hit me hard.
Had a good grocery shop with roomy & then headed to the pound for a run. Ran four dogs, and had a look at all the new ones. Tons right now. They're all doubled up in their cement runs, and then a couple have to stay in crates & alternate in an isolation room. The cops have been on a drug-house-busting-spree, so lotsa shepherds & bully breeds, poor guys. It's so sad, people spend so much money on new dogs, when there r so many abandoned ones out there. And nice ones! Plenty of labs and some little mix breeds, and even a gorgeous Malamute. I think the best dogs r rescues; I speak from experience. Here a pic in memory of Dinno, sadly deceased due 2 illness, a favourite pound puppy of of ours (mum's & mine). Mum invested alot of $$$ into trying to heal him, bless her heart, but unfortunately 2 no avail.

One guy I walked with, he was so abused he practically crawled the whole way outa fright. It's sooo frustrating how ignorant & just plain stupid some people r, 'specially around here. Seriously, don't get a dog unless u know what your doing. But it makes me feel a whole heck of a lot better, knowing I made a difference in their day. That's also a reason I do the job that I do, 'cept it's people & not dogs. My life dream is 2 have a retirement sanctuary 4 old unwanted dogs. I will make it happen when I am rich & own 20 acres of rolling hills and babbling brooks...

Anyways, after this I felt like a million bucks, and following a coffee & some window-only shopping (I'm trying 2 b good & save money, c how long it lasts) we headed home for a dinner of bison burgers on buckwheat, a combined effort of me doing the actual cooking & her giving directions (I can't cook 2 save my life. Really.), while she tried to get my new laptop to do things any normal laptop should normally do. It's not new really, more of a "gift" from my brother in lieu of an outstanding debt. Looks like I may have to sink some pretty pennies into it b4 it will b user ready.

Now it's a good book & a hot bath to finish it off.
The end to a beautiful, dare I say it, spring day in BC.

Me 'n My Roomy- Then & Now

2007-02-10T23:11:00.000-08:00

1993

14 years Later...

Rodney Atkins - Watching You

2007-02-10T23:07:00.001-08:00

Definately in my Top 10 right now. I sing it all day, every day.

2007-02-09T22:11:00.001-08:00

This & That

2007-02-09T22:08:00.000-08:00

Hurray! My hair is fixed, it is now sans pinkish hue. My usual & wonderful hairdresser took ill on appointment day, & I made the very big mistake of going 2 her very young and apparently inexperienced colleague. But today she was back in good health & fixed everything for free, so I am my usual happy dirty blond self, tending more towards brunette as the months go by. I have been blond 4-ever, & I just chopped it all off awhile ago, so next goes the color (all or 1 of the above usually take place after a break up, the whole inner=outer change, turning-over-a-new-leaf thing, always a treat).

Also I have firmly decided 2 join the gym. For that reason exactly- firmness. Plus I am 2 young to be having all the aches and pains I am experiencing. And oh, all the wonders Canadian cuisine can do 4 your hips, the possibilities r endless...

I was quite an avid runner until Christmas. Then i don't know what happened. A steady decline in motivation, I guess. But this shall b no more; here also I am turning over a new leaf..

This seems 2 have been the week 4 reunions. Met up with 2 high school/elementary school friends who I have not talked to in yrs/months, so that was great. One is pregnant (of course;) & the other is happily living in sin. I have big plans 4 both of them; one I am going to do aqua fit with, and the other I am going to the bar with. A well-rounded mix.

2 new additions 2 our household; Rosie & Oliver; budgies with a grudge. Or issues of some kind. My roommates parents gave them to her to "babysit", & u know the rest of the story. The usual ploy.
They freak out when u come near them or look at them 2 long, or from the wrong angle, or at all & flap madly about, spraying feathers everywhere. They have now taken 2 flying around the house, causing me 2 fear 4 my life, or at least my forehead. They also squawk incessantly when either water is running or music is playing. Or when u want to sleep in for 10 more gd minutes. Other than that I do enjoy having them around.

Oooo, the Anna Nicole Smith saga is getting juicy already- Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband, Prince Fredrick von Anhalt (who?), now claims he is the father of the baby girl. Poor, dear child. Prepare 4 a media and paternity frenzy, ladies & gents. We'r in 4 a long one.

In Memory Of

2007-02-08T17:24:00.000-08:00

Anna Nicole Smith 1967-2007

(Together again at last...)

Bush's Finest Moments

2007-02-08T06:39:00.001-08:00

Christina's Health Update

2007-02-07T22:47:00.001-08:00

Eye infection over, but now have a festering cold sitting in my lungs, waiting to take over the rest of me. The kind where u have to fight your sinuses to keep them from oozing into your brain. I've been in a daze all day & am trying to OD on vitamin C.
And just for giggles, I sprained my wrist while transferring a resident into his wheelchair. It hurts like the dickens. I think it was still weak from my computer over-usage last week. But that little tidbit I will keep from WCB, if I decide 2 take that route...
O and also my engine light keeps coming on in my car ( I had it in the shop last week and they "fixed" the problem 4 a minor sum that could've put me half way thru college) and my stereo is constantly cutting out, so super annoying. Nothing makes me more aggressive, nothing. It makes me want 2 drive into a pole. So Darla, I c u a car and raise u a wrist.

2007-02-06T18:01:00.000-08:00

For the Record:

2007-02-06T17:28:00.000-08:00

It was brought to my attention by my loyal and faithful roommate, that in my previous post it may, to the untrained eye, read as though I personally had a shitastrophe. Not so! I am a Care Aide (nursing home) and am payed good(?) money to clean up the aftermath of the afore mentioned activity, not actually do it myself.

But it is I that suffers from the eye infection, so all sympathies r greatly appreciated. No one at work noticed, and I even forwent any eye make-up on that particular red & swollen eye, in hopes of receiving concerned and empathetic responses from my colleagues . Ha! Not even close! My partner (who bore the brunt of my complaints) rolled his eyes heavenward & played the air violin, and someone else said something along the lines of, "Whatcha do, drink all night?". Close enough.

A Day in the Life

2007-02-06T00:27:00.000-08:00

I do apologize 4 my lack of creative blogging, but u c, between a raging eye infection, a diarrhea-like explosion at work (fondly referred to as a "shitastrophe" in our circles), barely 6 hrs between shifts, and a hairdresser that put a pinkish tinge in my hair over the course of 3.5 hrs, all the while charging me a small fortune, I have not enough brain cells left over to form a decent post. There u have it. Back to the old grind it is. And strawberries and miscellaneous quotes it will b, just enough to keep u interested and me sane.

2007-02-06T00:26:00.000-08:00

Saving Fish From Drowning

2007-02-05T09:41:00.000-08:00

"A pious man explained to his followers: "It is evil to take lives and noble to save them. Each day I pledge to save a hundred lives. I drop my net in the lake and scoop out a hundred fishes. I place the fishes on the bank, where they flop and twirl. "Don't be scared," I tell those fishes. "I am saving you from drowning." Soon enough, the fishes grow calm and lie still. Yes, sad to say, I am always too late. The fishes expire. And because it is evil to waste anything, I take those dead fishes to market and I sell them for a good price. With the money I receive, I buy more nets so I can save more fishes."
-Anonymous (quoted in the Amy Tan novel)

2007-02-04T23:21:00.000-08:00

2007-02-04T12:30:00.000-08:00

Apparently I suffer from a chronic key-misplacing syndrome. Last night at the local watering hole, I misplaced my car & house keys down the drain of the sink, in the washroom, at closing time. Closely following the keys came a bent fork, ramming the keys into the least accessible curve of the last possible drain pipe, the one welded, glued, & bolted into place. They r still residing just there, until the next available plumber can b reached. Fat chance on Superbowl Sunday. The fork we got out, with the help of a very nice server & approx 13 pokey kitchen utensils, and no thanks to a very useless lump of a bartender, who used his manly powers to do... nothing, xcept stand behind the bar, arms crossed, shaking his fat, stupid head. My hero. And normally I carry a spare car key in my wallet, as I know my tendencies, buy oh no, not last night. I had to carry a very small black purse to match my very high black heels, and it only left room 4 the bare necessities; lipgloss & credit card. The End. A long story to an even longer night, of frantic ride-finding efforts, & desperate phone calls to sleeping roomies to unlock front doors.

2007-02-04T12:28:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the World Ty!

2007-02-03T12:25:00.000-08:00

On Thurs, Feb.1/07 at 23:36 Ty Gordon F., weighing in at 9lbs 6oz, was born via c-section to proud parents Kane and Jolene F. We r all so very happy for u and he is a beautiful little man, the spitting image of his mother. Who, I might add, looks the bomb in meshies, pink fuzzy slippers & a hospital gown. We had a wonderful visit, filled with adorable anecdotes of blood-spattered sheets, non-effective freezings, sleepless nights, and hemorrhaging. Leah handled him like the pro that she is (apparently her "uterus started contracting" at the sight of him), and I passed him off at the first signs of discomfort (on his part, not mine). Although I do think it suits me. Congrats 2 u both, and u will b wonderful parents (once u clean up your language haha)! I hereby offer to u my bottomless babysitting services, once he is able 2 eat on his own & put himself 2 bed.
U have made us proud.

(Thank u 2 Leah 4 the copyright on this post)

2007-02-03T09:32:00.000-08:00

2007-02-02T23:01:00.001-08:00

I have writer's block (blog?)

Oh, except I bought 25 articles of clothing 2day (big sale, huge- really, how could u not). That's a personal record.

Portugal w my Big Boy

2007-02-02T22:35:00.000-08:00

Christina's Health & Beauty Tip #56

2007-02-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

For a wonderful, moisturizing, all-over body lotion experience, organic coconut oil is fantastic! U can get it at Save-On in the health food section for $10, and it lasts forever. I find it a little greasy, so I only use it on my face after sun exposure. It's meant for cooking, but it's no different than what u find in coconut body lotions, minus the nasty chemicals or alcohols. I swear by it. U can moisturize and fry an egg with one easy-to-use jar!

German Coast Guard

2007-02-02T09:31:00.001-08:00

2007-02-01T22:33:00.000-08:00

Not-so-Fun Fact

2007-02-01T10:15:00.000-08:00

The average working person in Cuba earns $22 per month

2007-01-31T23:06:00.000-08:00

Unchain Dogs

2007-01-31T22:05:00.000-08:00

The Cruel, Dangerous Practice of Chaining Dogs

It shouldn’t happen to “man’s best friend,” but it does. Take a drive down many country roads and city streets, and you’ll see them—dogs left to spend their entire lives in “solitary confinement,” trapped at the end of a chain or in a small pen.
We can’t think of a crueler punishment for these social pack animals who want—and deserve—companionship, scratches behind the ears, walks around the block, and the opportunity to curl up at your feet at night.
“Chaining a dog is arguably the single most dangerous condition in which to maintain a dog.”–Karen Delise, author of Fatal Dog AttacksMany communities across America and beyond have learned the hard way that chaining dogs is dangerous to the public, especially children. Chaining dogs—also called “tethering”—is a safety hazard for both dogs and communities.
How to End Chaining in Your Community
Caring people like you have gradually changed and ultimately saved many of these animals’ lives. You, too, can create miracles for neglected dogs in your community!
The most effective way to help hundreds or thousands of neglected dogs in your area is by working with city or county legislators to ban chaining!
Remember: Dogs are depending on you to speak up and give them a shot at a better life.

-PETA

Resemblance?*

2007-01-31T16:17:00.000-08:00

*According 2 Otis

(maybe it's the beard)

The Happy Couple Returns

2007-01-31T11:05:00.000-08:00

Well, they're back, all tanned and rested. I got a lovely pair palm leaf shoes and a gorgeous hand-crafted bag out of the deal. Like mother like daughter when it comes 2 shopping... I am a happy girl. (And I'm supposed 2 mention that my dad did not care in the least that I lost the keys..he was quite offended that I made him out 2 b the boogie man (with a beard). And his name isn't Adolf.)

It's so nice to have conversational stimulation around again. Here some pics to drool over as we sit in our cold, wet, non-beachy, non-pina-colada-ish climate

Thought 4 My Day

2007-01-30T22:32:00.000-08:00

Does it not seem like everyone is preggers right now? I am not complaining, merely making an observation. 2007 seems 2 b a very fertile year.....

2007-01-30T22:30:00.000-08:00

Guess Who's Being Induced Today...!!!!

2007-01-30T11:50:00.000-08:00

Please note- not a single stretch mark

My beautiful Jolene and baby Claire ( I had a dream that this was what she named the babe- it stuck). I wish u all the luck in pushing your huge child through that tiny opening, and may u have every drug invented by man. I will b thinking of u and thanking the stars above that it is not me. I cannot wait to meet your baby!

PS- She told the Doc that she couldn't do it 2day b/c American Idol is on- nice try, it's comin out

Brick Tamland- Channel 4 News

2007-01-30T11:14:00.000-08:00

Best of Brick

2007-01-30T11:12:00.001-08:00

Ode to Leah

2007-01-29T18:36:00.000-08:00

To the one who started it all-
The one I have known since highschool, who took my car for lunch-time spins with Rose, without my knowing, who had a partially-grown out perm and a mouth the size of the Yukon ("Val!! Where's your kilt pin!?!" Gag), who counted down 2 Christmas starting at day # 365, and spent gym class hiding in the ditch.
The one who has shared with me many memories; from first cigarettes to first boyfriends, to the stalking of the latter, to many a late night phone conversation, consisting mostly of her playing the guitar, reading, or sleeping on occasion.

The one who has helped me in so many ways, I don't know where to start...

To her I owe my job, for which she put her own reputation on the line, the fact that I am here in this town today (not sure wether to thank or slap her for that one), an amazing "extended" family, my nicknames (Chripin, Gehrkin, Germanator, etc), and this blog.

Her guidance and prayers have seen me through my good and bad (mostly bad, but I'm learning) life choices .

She brought me out of my shell, and taught me that red runners on the first day r a no-no.

She has gotten me through endless terrifying left turns, and puts up with my, at times, rather trying attitude.

She keeps me in line and is not afraid to give me a verbal flogging when I most need it.

I love her dearly and admire her amazing abilities as a wife, mother, daughter, colleague, and most of all, friend.

I hope that when I grow up I will b just like her.

2007-01-29T09:18:00.000-08:00

When in Rome...

2007-01-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

"He's got more personality than people think and he's very deep and spiritual. He always knows how to dress, that was part of his appeal originally. We've got matching dogs, matching watches, similar wardrobes, matching Jags. I know it´s tacky, but it makes me laugh."
-Victoria Beckham (On husband David Beckham)

Here she is: my Style Icon, Victoria Beckham... so refreshing (matching dogs??) I am starting to think in Blogs. Every event that now takes place in my life begins to mold into a Post in my mind. The dangers of becoming an obsessive compulsive blogger (OCB)

"The Timeless Art of Seduction"

2007-01-27T21:03:00.000-08:00

2007-01-27T20:48:00.000-08:00

Well, my vacation is coming to an end, and I am so not ready. I called work and extended it by 1 day, just so I have an xtra 24 hrs 2 prepare myself. I luv my job and all, but it's just sooo nice not to do, think, or worry about anything. I didn't turn my cellphone on once, & that's a personal record. Usually we're attached at the hip. Or ear. Though I am looking forward to interacting with the human race again, face to face. I think this little time-out did me good; I got stuff done and got to know the dogs on a more personal level ;), and had time, endless time, just to think. And start a blog. Just for that alone it was worth it..
Still haven't found those keys yet. The gal next door suggested I just get some more cut and stay mum about it. Is it worth risking the wrath of my very German father (think Adolf with a beard)? I'll need to sleep on that one, and then search some more.

Interesting Psychological Fact...

2007-01-27T20:20:00.000-08:00

A study conducted by UCLA's Department of Psychiatry has revealed that the kind of face a woman finds attractive on a man can differ depending on where she is in her menstrual cycle.
For example: If she is ovulating, she is attracted to men with rugged and masculine features. However, if she is menstruating, or menopausal, she tends to prefer a man with scissors lodged in his temple and a bat jammed up his ass while he is on fire. Further studies in this area have been canceled.

2007-01-26T21:27:00.000-08:00

Incoherent Ramblings

2007-01-26T18:05:00.000-08:00

O. Man. What is up with the Canada Revenue "reassessing" me a year late, right after Christmas, as I am on unpaid LOA. Those buggers, kicking me when I'm down. That's equivalent to 1 month's rent, or 5 purses, down the drain. I am definately moving.
So, upon hearing the good news, I drive into town, aiming to blow it all before the government gets it. But as luck should have it, only 1 boutique, and nothing that captures my interest. Where is Urban Planet when I need it... So off I go to Save-On and buy every delicacy I can get my hands on and a Lindt chocolate bar the length and width of Oregon.

I then procede to loose the house keys God-knows-where, and after searching the entire town, go (really more of a panic-filled, driving-at-breakneck-speed race) to the neighbour's, who, thank goodness, has spares. I toned that story down some, there was a wee bit more cursing and pounding-of-the-steering-wheel involved. That will b some fun explaining; I've lost the keys to, not only their brand-new house, but also the shop, barn, tackroom, and storage. Whoopee.

I am now going to to prepare my delicious meal, eat my chocolate, and watch the complete 6th season of Sex & the City, which I just rented from the video store in town, that still mostly carries vhs, stored in no particular order. How quaint.

Speaking of meals, a friend came to visit me from Germany a couple months ago, and upon my asking him what he missed most about Germany, he replied, "The food". I always thought it was just me, but everything here tastes the same. Or, as he put it, "like plastic". And we ate in good restaurants while he was here; Whistler, Victoria, Vancouver, some of the best. The only thing she liked was one item on the Cactus Club menu, and that was a Thai dish. Everything is so over-processed on this continent. There's my rant, consider it a good venting after my fun-filled day . (And yes, I did just watch "Super Size Me", another must-c). Did u know that 1 bagel=5 slices of bread? And that's the least of it...