This one's for you, Rachel...

Rachel, you wanted an update? Here you go!

So I’ve been bustin’ my buns lately, getting settled in my new place (I’ve been here almost a month, but I still am not quite unpacked). I have been working a lot lately. I wrapped up hosting in the Dining Room, and have been “promoted” to a supervisor in the Gelateria, which opens on Wednesday. I was lucky enough to meet my first new hires today and give them a quick low-down on what’s going on down there. There is still a LOT to do, in order to make sure we are ready for our opening, and we are doing a “soft-opening” on Tuesday in order to make sure that we get everything together. I think that it will be great, once we get the kinks ironed out. No one has even order garbage cans yet! AH!

I got my swell uniform the other day, and man, is it something! Charcoal and white pinstriped short-sleeved shirts, with charcoal pants/shorts, and a black apron. The apron is very small. And I mean small. Like I should have a change purse clipped to the edge of my tray as I deliver beverages to gross old-men at bowling alleys. That’s right, the apron is cocktail waitress length. Doesn’t protect much from much of anything. But it does look pretty sharp. My only beef? The pants and shorts are pleated. Who makes pleats still? I thought they were extinct! But I owe a great big thank you to Rachel, for hemming this poor mans pants for him. May she have luck in finding appropriate jeans for Nick.

The Corporate Rowing Challenge is coming to an end. That’s right, inactive, beer belly (alright, it’s small enough to hide under a normal t-shirt) has been rowing. This is the third year in a row that I have been doing this. I’m rowing in an un-coxed quad this year, which is a bit of a change from the coxed eight I have done the past few years. We had our time-trials for the regatta on Thursday night. We tied with KPMG with a time of 1:26, not too shabby, if I may say so myself! The big Regatta is coming on June 4, at the Gorge Rowing Center. It’s gonna be a blast! Lindsay is coming, and I am looking forward to it a great deal!

Anyways, I’m gonna wrap this up, I have to get back to the movie I am watching. “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” with Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russel, one of the best films ever!

Cheers everyone!

More from the capital city...

I’ll update soon, I promise!

Why is everything in Europe so much better?

I just had one of LONGEST days at work. It was really only 6 1/4 hours, but it felt like a lifetime.

But what saved my poor tired legs?

These shoes from Denmark. They are quite possibly the best pair of shoes that I own. I have had them for more than a year now, and I still marvel at their comfort.

If you work in a job where you spend a lot of time on your feet, these are the shoes for you!

Good bye!

For those of you who don't know me, witness the emergence of my supreme nerdiness. If you feel unable to handle this nerdiness, leave now.

If you are a Star Trek: Enterprise fan, do not read this post. It contains spoiler information from the series finale. If you've already seen the finale, I am sure you will agree with me.

Now that the formalities are out of the way, I can get started. Last night on UPN, Star Trek: Enterprise came to its end. One of the shortest-lived Star Trek series, it began to show a lot of promise toward the end, after its cancellation was announced. The final episode had the tantalizing title "These are the voyages..." but was an absolute let down. I spent much of the episode trying to figure out what was going on, in what timeline. We are taken back to the Enterprise-D, with Riker and Troi. But NCC-1701-D was destroyed, and has been replaced with the Enterprise-E. And Riker and Troi look a lot different. Older.

The producers put a lot of work into re-building a lot of the sets from ST:TNG, no small feat since its cancellation 11 years ago. We saw Ten-Forward, crew quarters, hallways, and the observation lounge. But they didn't put enough effort in. All of the sets are different. A smaller observation lounge, hallways that are obviously Voyager set re-dressed (with the smaller, narrower corridors and sharp corners), and the wierdest-looking turbolift I have ever seen!

As we learn part way through the episode, the 1701-D portion is set in the midst of Episode 264, when Riker is battling his personal demons regarding the violation of the Treaty of Algernon. He is viewing the last mission of the NX-01 on the holodeck in the hopes that it will help him make the right decision regarding whether or not to violate orders and reveal the Starfleet phasing cloak to Captain Picard.

All of this, and much more was covered in the series finale. It jumped back and forth through time (in 2369, the year that The Pegasus is set in), as well as jumping six years forward in time for the NX-01 sequences, to 10 years after the vessel was launched.

All in all, quite confusing and a let-down. But it wasn't all bad. The final moments of the episode, with all three Enterprise captains reciting "These are the voyages..." as each of three vessles (1701-D, 1701 {no bloody "A", "B", "C" or "D"} and NX-01) does a flyby, with Captain Archer finishing as the NX-01 sails off toward a gorgeous stellar-phenomenon was a stunning sequence, and a nice nod to the previous series.

It was interesting to note that Archer finshed with "To boldly go, where no man has gone before." On TNG, they had to change it from "no man" to "no one" in order to make it more politically correct. Did the writers of this final episode just forget?


As a final note to the producers and developers of Star Trek, DON'T DO ANOTHER PREQUEL! You almost killed the franchise with this current one. Let's see another series, but let's take a step back (or forward?) and continue the timeline. There are so many good stories left!

Anyways, this concludes my highly-nerdy rant about the series finale of Star Trek: Enterprise. All the best to the cast and crew, and perhaps we shall see you again the next Star Trek Movie.

Update

I feel lately that all I ever write about now is my move and all of its difficulties and obstacles, but I do have more happening in my life than just the move.

Last Tuesday, my dad turned 70 years old! So on Saturday, we had a drop-in cake and tea/wine get together, and my mom invited everyone we've ever known. Some I have only heard of in passing conversation, some I have met and then forgotten, and others I was very happy to see again. It was great seeing the people who used to take care of us kids on professional development days when mom and dad where both teaching. They had the best toys!

Mother's Day was a little hectic, but was very nice as well. I worked all day at the Gardens, doing support for their Mother's Day Brunch (which was an absolute success) and then raced back to the house so that I could help make dinner. Liz had it mostly under control once I got there, but dinner took a million years to cook! A 4 pound roast shouldn't take 2.5 hours, and never has before. The scalloped potatoes took 2.5 hours as well! It was like every food and appliance was defying the laws of physics. But dinner was a success, and we wrapped up the evening watching The Simpsons with the parents. They both thought they were pretty funny.

On a related note, Fox has 'uncancelled' The Family Guy, one of the most hilarious shows ever. And the episode on Sunday night was not dissapointing. Good call Fox! I think the world is ready for Family Guy!

After moving, I finally have most of my clothes unpacked, and I am up in Nanaimo right now getting ready to move the last of it down this afternoon in the rental truck. It feels kinda strange to be moving in such a prolonged fashion, but I'll get there eventually. I thought I might have to buy a chest of drawers, but there is one that has been bequeathed to me, so I can save myself a little money there. It just needs sanding and painting at some point in the summer. I'll cross that bridge later.

I am really enjoying living at my new place. Samara and Crystal are both great people, and I am enjoying the positive energy in the house. All I have to do now is finish unpacking and buy a couple of good books, and I'll be set.

They are ripping up the street in front of Liz and Chris' condo up here, and they always start before seven. Have you ever been woken by a chainsaw outside your bedroom window? It ain't pleasant. Speaking of Liz and Chris, they just bought a new townhouse, so no more renting for them! It's good, cause renting is really a waste of money if you can afford to buy. They move at the end of June. I get to help them because Liz is helping me today...

Anyways, now you all know what is going on right now! Lindsay, I haven't forgotten about you, I just have been SUPER busy, as I am sure you understand. I hope you are doing well, and I will try and call you in the next few days.

Cheers!

Sort of there...

So, I have moved most of my stuff to my new place with Samara and Crystal. Still living out of boxes, but I’ll get there eventually. Hopefully this is the last move for a little while. Spending my life last year running between two cities while working and trying to do school wasn’t really my idea of a fun time. It’s actually pretty stressful. Oh, to have a home!

I went to a play last night with Samara, Tara, Crystal, Oona and one of Tara’s friends, Chris. It was really good, called “Stones in His Pockets.” Two actors portray about 50 different characters, with no wardrobe changes and very little by way of set changes. It was great, and I had a blast.

I also went rowing again yesterday with the rest of the crew from the Corporate Challenge. This practice was a LOT better than the Tuesday practice, and if we get our act together, we might just be the city champions again (maybe)!

Anyways, I gotta go clean up my old room at my parents’ place.

The move, it keeps on movin'

So the moving van (a cargo van) was supposed to be $49.95, including 200 kilometers, then $0.25 per kilometer thereafter. I asked the guy “Will the van fit a queen size bed?” His answer was yes. What he didn’t clarify until my sister made the reservation was that it would only do it one piece at a time. Well, I am not making two trips to Victoria in one day! Yikes!

So now I am renting a 15ft. cube van, which is $64.95, including 200 kms, but extra kms are $0.40 each! OUCH! And then there’s gas (about $45 worth), and the fact that we will need to buy insurance for my sister so that she can drive it, as her car insurance won’t transfer over, so there is another $29.95.

And the result is that I will now be moving next week. Oh well.

Darned scheduled paydays!

Friday can’t come soon enough, or maybe Tuesday can’t come soon enough…

:-D_

Moving soon...

After residing at my parent’s house for a few weeks, I am now only days away from moving to my new digs with Samara and Crystal. I am so happy!

But I have a busy week ahead of me. I have to work, a lot, move all of my things from my parents house to Samara’s, go to rowing practice, then hoof it to Nanaimo, pack up my crap there, pack the next morning. My sister is picking up the rental van in Nanaimo at 1pm, then we have to load my stuff in it, and then race down to Samara’s and unload, race to my parent’s house, pick up Liz and Chris’ spare bed, get back to Nanaimo, unload the bed at their condo, return the van, and I get to drive back to Victoria in my own little car that night. I get to unpack, and then I have to be at work for 12pm the next day, then another rowing practice!

AAHHHH!!!!!

But it is all worthwhile…

Sanity is approaching, rapidly.

Have a great week everyone!

What a way to start a beautiful day...

Fighting with the mom. Again. About moving.

I am sick of having this argument with her. I'm moving, that's final, and I don't have to justify my decision or my life to her.

I explained to her that I can't live at the house, but that I couldn't explain all of it without hurting everyone who lives there. My mother's response?

"How North American!"

What the hell does that mean?! I don't want to live in filth! filth filth FILTH!!!!! How the HELL is that "North American" of me?!

I'm going to tell her that next time she brings it up.

Anyways, I do have some good to look forward to today. I'm going to the Irish Times to have a grand send-off for Lindsay, who is off to Vancouver this week.

So I'll just fixate on that.

Laugh your ass off...

Once  upon a time,

in  a land far  away,

a  beautiful, independent,

self-assured  princess

happened  upon a frog  as she sat,

contemplating  ecological issues

on  the  shores of an unpolluted pond

in a verdant meadow near her  castle.

The  frog hopped into the princess' lap

and  said: Elegant Lady,

I  was once a  handsome prince,

until an evil witch cast a spell upon me.

One  kiss from you,  however,

and  I will turn  back

into  the dapper, young prince that I am

and  then, my sweet,  we can marry

and  set up housekeeping in your castle

with  my mother,

where  you can prepare my meals,

clean  my clothes, bear my  children,

and  forever

feel grateful and happy doing so.

That  night,

as  the princess dined sumptuously

on  a repast of lightly  sautéed frog legs

seasoned  in a white  wine

and  onion cream  sauce,

she  chuckled and thought to herself:

 

…I don't f***ing think  so.

 

Media Studies

I just got my research paper back for Media Studies...

I GOT 93%!!!!!!!!

I have NEVER done that well on a research paper!

Obviously, the moral of the story is to write the paper the night before.

Honestly. I slaved over a research paper for 2 weeks in History last term and got 85%.

Yay!

So this is a pic of my friends...but I don't remember when it was taken. How embarassing.

Milton, my guardian from things that go bump in the night (or the middle of the day for that matter.)

Victoria

Well, I moved back to Victoria.

And the hallway has mess in it again.

Meh.

I was having such a happy day!

until I got here...

OMG!!! YAY!!! AHHHH!!!!

One more exam, and then I am done!! No more school until September!!!

AHHH!!!!!!

So happy!!!

English- Good, I’ll miss my instructor.

Media Studies – Thank CHRIST that one is done! All I can say is never, ever again with that instructor. Ever.

Creative Writing – Best course EVER!!

Oh, I’m done. PHEW!!

Off to VICTORIA!!

KISS MY ASS, NANAIMO!!!!

Tired of birds shitting on your car?

I have the solution!

Click here.

New cell phone number

Okay everyone. I am moving back to Victoria on this coming Thursday , April 7. As such, I will be getting a new cell phone number.

If you want the number, please email me and I’ll let you know.

Cheers!

I HATE REALTORS!!!!

Well, not all realtors. I just hate the ones that are showing our condo up here.

 

It’s been for sale for 3 weeks now, and we keep having people through to look at it. If we can’t be here, the realtor selling the place has a key. I don’t really have an issue with them coming through when we aren’t here, but don’t touch my stuff!!

 

We have one of those collapsible drying racks for cloths set up in the hall outside the bathroom, and one of the realtors that was through today tried to move it, and ended up collapsing it, with clothes on it. Well, they didn’t say anything, despite the fact that they knew that I studying in my room! If it was accident, which I’m sure it was, at least have the decency to say “Oh! I’m so sorry; I knocked over your drying rack.”

 

But no, the realtors just left. I didn’t notice until I left my room to lock the front door behind them.

 

And then, there was another realtor that showed it this afternoon while we were all out, and someone either moved or looked at my film script for creative writing. Chris said that maybe they just knocked off the edge of the desk, but they would have to practically hump my desk to do that. It isn’t exactly a piece of furniture you can just brush past…

 

AGH!

 

On a lighter note, I went to the launch party for Portal 2005, Malaspina’s Literary Journal. It was great, all the readers were really good (including my sister) and we got to see the best performance poet. I have never seen performance poetry before, and she was excellent. Her name was Sheri-D Wilson.

 

She had my practically doubled over with laughter. Especially when she told us what her mother said when she called her about eating meat.

 

“Honey, I don’t want to think about how my meat arrives at my place. Because I love animals! I just think of feedlots as finishing school for cattle.”

 

Wow, she was good.

 

Anyways, I gotta go finish working on a 500 word paper for English.

 

Cheers!

Books

For my english course right now, we have been reading "Marine Life," a collection of short stories by Linda Svendsen. These are the best stories I have ever read, with very powerful writing.

I am amazed at the power of the storyteller...

Things to curse at

I have tried to make this post three times in two days, and it always fails.

Damn blogger!!

Anyway, to make yourself laugh, click here.

It is a stop-motion movie. Pretty funny stuff.

I got it off another blog. Thanks Akiko.