Mom Got Hitched

May 30, 2009

Due to frivolously changing the colour in the photo the navy blue dresses kind of look black... But regardless, we shined up pretty nice to see mom and Blair exchange vows and party with Elvis.

I wasn't joking. And here's one more, just because we look pretty:

Sheamus Turned One!

My brother created a human and get him alive for a whole year! Well, 15 months at this point, but who's counting!

His first brithday was March 13, and I was a negligent auntie for not mentionning it sooner. But here he is on the day of days:

Oh. It's You.

Don't you hate it when some blogger you've been following for twenty years suddenly decides they're too "good" for their blog and they have to look elsewhere for meaning in their lives?

Or when a blogger posts intermittent pleas for you the lowly reader to hang-on, I'll be back again someday?

Or when they just post pictures of they're completely scrumptious nephew in hopes that it will fill the light-less hole that is your life until regular blogging resumes again?

Then again, it is rather presumptuous to think that anyone cares at all. Not care, I guess, but notice. Is this thing on?

I like the writing thing, and for one reason or another I've been avoiding it like people who avoid things. Fear of success! You haz it!

Regardless, I think the time has come on this terrestial globe where we no longer need to talk about the how's and the what's and the motivations. Blogging, twittering, facebooking, exist and the story isn't, "Wow! They twittered a revolution!", but that the revolution happened in the first place.

Holy disjointed post batman!

Whatevs. The point is, I am hitherto and therefore expressing my intentions of returning to a more regular state of blog. To add a little blogamucil, if you will (and you shouldn't) to my daily routine.

But before we really get going here, I need to get some "this is my life" posts out of the way to document the major things that have happened in the past months. Don't worry, it's not much.

Now that you have the syllabi, I hope you have a marvelous day and thank-you for stopping by.

Letting my sister live in my apartment was a terrible idea. I am going to lose my fraking mind.

On the plus side... I finally have the internet again.

Moving on ... somewhere?

Have I mentionned I'm moving? Well I am, and tomorrow is the "big day". 

The way things have worked out, I am unable to help in moving the stuff because I'm working. I haven't worked a weekend in months and it's a little weird, but at least I get out of moving? 

I'm very fortunate however, that my family is able to help out and get me moved over to the new humble abode in Bedford. I've done Dartmouth, Halifax, and now B-town. I suppose next it'll be Sackville but we're not going to worry about that for awhile!

After much rigamarole I picked up the keys today and checked the place out. If you overlook the construction dust all over the floor, the crappy paint job, the "eyehole" in the master bedroom door, the missing closet door, the blue fixtures in the the bathroom, the stinking fridge, the noisy neighbours, the beige cabinets, the broken window latches, the lack of window screens, and the crazies, it'll be perfect!

And to top it all off, a kid I used to work with is doing the renos in another apartment and I keep running in to him. I think today is the first day he recognized me, but I'm obligated not to "make first contact", so we'll just have to wait and see what happens!

I think I'm a little anxious about this whole move because I'm leaving a cheaper place with more luxuries (i.e. washer/dryer in the unit, dishwasher, practically soundproof) for a more expensive place with none of those...

But that's ok right? I'm young enough to still live in sketchy places? At least the neighbourhood seems great - quiet with lots of single family homes. I just happen to share a building with a bunch of gangsta's and the women who love them. 

Ah well, I'm sure it'll lead to some excellent blog material! 

Yarg

I'm not sure how many blog posts I've titled "yarg", but sometimes that's the only word I can think of. 

I'm feeling a little stressed at the moment, and what better release than to blarg to the internet about it! When I feel complainy, or when others are being complainy I think to myself, "It's hard being white, isn't it?" This isn't a racial thing, as it may at first appear but it reminds me that I'm getting into poor me mode, and whatever I'm dealing with isn't really that bad. My life is not that hard.

On that note, I'm a little itsy bit stressed. I'm moving at the end of the month, and I don't know how it's going to happen. My brother has already said he's not going to help, and that annoys me. He can't anyway, because it's a weekday, but he said he wouldn't help before he knew that. So there goes one person with a truck. I'm also trying to buy a couch, but I need to pick it up and I don't know how that's going to happen... 

I'll probably just hire somebody. I can move most of it just in my car, but I have 4-5 big things that are too heavy to move myself and too big for my car. 

Then there's my tax situation. Let's just say there's been a bit of a gap since the last time I filed. I don't think I'll owe them anything (they usually chase you if you owe) but you never know so I just need to get it over with, and I plan to do that this week. 

And lastly, I'm probably a little worried about moving into my new schedule this week. I have 5 day shifts this time, instead of the 1 I had in the old schedule. I stay up late and sleep in, so I have to change into a move normal schedule. This starts on Wednesday, so I have one night to do it. 

And I need to get a cell phone, but I'm worried my credit might stymie that.

Ok, you're right. I don't have much to worry about. I also can't take care of any of it today, because it's a holiday (I've already tried, with no success). So I'm just going to make my list, watch a bad movie, and do my laundry. That, I can handle!

Donair Eggroll?

I heard an ad on the radio today for donair eggrolls. The initial idea grosses me out, until I remember that donairs are freaking awesome. This is categorized with the new Big Mac Snack Wrap, which sounds gross, but who knows! I think they're aiming to create the illusion of healthiness. You can make anything healthier when you wrap it in a soft tortilla, am I right?

I'm currently watching The National and Rex Murphy is awesome. That's all. 

You know what's gross? Like, really gross? A cat with the runs. Sorry, an overshare I'm sure, but seriously. I was a reckless pet owner and despite all the warnings I changed their car food abruptly. They loved the food, but Hank has been sick since yesterday morning. Sick all over the place. Beyond nasty. 

I switched back and thank the good Lord above he's better today. And this is a very good thing, because no one likes runny cat poop in their shoe. 

Sorry. 

My Gears, They are Grinding

That last post was my 400th. You're welcome. 

You know what bugs me? Why is it that when I go to a retail store and make  purchase, they want my personal information? I'm a people pleaser, so I generally oblige but I'm beginning to dislike the idea. They don't need my address, phone number and blood type in order for me to make a purchase. 

Do you tip at fast food places (not including Tim Horton's)?

I was at a Subway the other day and when I was paying with my debit card the option to leave a tip came up. This was at the point where normally you're putting in your pin so since I had already put in a couple of numbers before I noticed, I ended up tipping about 100% more than I had planned. I'm kind of annoyed that they did that... it's normal for a regular restaurant, but Subway? I haven't seen that anywhere else...

Just a little bit longer

So I'm turning onto Joseph Howe drive and get a red light on that little hill just before you're really on Joseph Howe. I feel a slight hesitation in the car when the light turns green and I hit the gas. 

It's a '95 Camry, hesitations happen. However, in this case the hesitation was due mostly in part to my hesitation to put gas in the car before heading home from Dartmouth. The gage has been lower than that before, I figure I'm probably pushing it but take my chances. 

This is happening at that awkward time of day known to many as "dusk". It's light enough that you can still see but dark enough that the lights at the gas station are off, leading me (in my fit of hesitation) to believe that the station is in fact closed. During rush hour. On a main thoroughfare. 

I don't get me either. 

Anywho, the reason I'm on this road is to pick up my mother from work. I continue past not one, but two gas stations on the way down the road, but there are no more hesitations so I quickly put my worries away and continued. 

I picked mom up at the pre-appointed location. I left the parking lot not thinking about those earlier hesitations, but instead of the sushi I was going to buy at Sobeys (so good). 

You're all bright people, I know you know what's next. The engine hesitates as we head over a slight embankment. Then instead of hesitating, the engine does more of a sputter. Not just any sputter... more like a bi-polar moment of "hey, I'm running, we can do this" to "um, I'm just gonna take a little break here, but you keep pressing that pedal! I may come back!"

Meanwhile, my co-pilot is becoming increasingly agitated, informing me of the various consequences of my inaction because I was obviously unaware that not filling the car when the light comes on may lead to the situation at hand. 

We made it through two lights (that stayed green) and I turned into the parking lot of the closest gas station. Not a moment too soon, as the engine completely cut out on my approach and I had to coast to the only open pump. 

I'm no Sully, but I think I did a pretty good job. Unfortunately my problems were not due to a flock of Canadian geese, but my desire to make every tank streach to the last drop. The situation probably could have been avoided, but I and my 14 year old car came out of it none the worse for wear. 

And then I blogged about it.

Please Stand By

I have the urge to blog, really I do. And that's much better than having no urge at all? Right? Basically what it means is some day I'll start posting regularly again, instead of the cop-out nephew photos, that while awesome, are hardly informative. 

Some bullet points so I don't forget who I am:

- Mom's getting married May 30

- Which means I get to move out with no hard feelings or guilt trippin'

- Wahoo!! 

Happy Paraskavedekatriaphobia!

I know it's cliche and everything, but I can't believe he's 11 months old today! He can walk by himself, but prefers to hold your hands. He can talk too, but I'm not sure if he knows it yet... One more month and he'll be a whole year old! (That will be Friday the 13th too)

Departures

I freaking love this show. It's just a couple of guys traveling around the world, and filming it in high definition. My favorite scene to date aired last weekend. They were visiting an abandoned city in Libya and decided to play an elaborate and poorly conceived game of hide and seek. 

To see a part of it, follow this link - click Libya, then go to "Hide and Seek". 

There's not much available on youtube, but here's a trailor: It airs at 8pm and 11pm Sundays on OLN

To Blave

I've been feeling veritably ranty as of late. Not sure why, really. On more than one occasion I've heard, "What's gotten into you?", "Too much coffee?"

Most of it has to do with work, and though I can't really talk about where I do what I do, I think I can talk about what I do in the larger context, i.e. Youth Care in general. You don't know where I work (unless I work with you, of course) so I'm hoping there's no connection between the two. But in any case, my opinions on what I do have no connection or relation to that place where I do the things I do. Ya dig? 

Lately I've been thinking about what I want to write/blog about, because I don't really feel like doing the personal diary thing anymore. Not that I've really been doing much of that lately, but I think you get my drift. Besides, not much has been going on in the personal life department, but if anything should happen, you'll be the first to know. 

I'll save the actual ranting for sometime when I sit down and actually organize it into coherent thought. 

What I've been diving into in the last 24 hours is research on how youth are using new media. More than that, how marginalized youth are using new media, and how care providers can and should interact in that arena. 

Youth care happens in the daily life and lifespace of youth. The internet is no longer an information super highway - like when I was a teenager - but it's an extension of the lifespace. Youth Care Workers (YCWs) aren't present in that lifespace, so what do we do? 

I find it fascinating and I'm going to talk about it whether you like it or not. Huzzah!

Hard Lesson

One thing that is hard for me to learn and understand is that in the end, wherever you work, the only person looking out for your best interests is you. You may think that other people want to treat you fairly, but in the end, they will always choose what is best for them over what is fair for you. 

I guess it's obvious, and I guess I'm too trusting. People are always on the look out for your mistakes, for some way to point out to the powers that be that they are in some way better than you. It may be under the guise of caring or of accountability, but it's not. It's just oneupmanship. 

To each his own I guess. I just wish I was a faster learner. 

Gorgeous

10 months old already! I hear he's moved on to the world of walking, but I haven't seen it yet. Here are more photos, if you're so inclined.

Guilt-Trippin'

So I'm sick... I thought it was allergies, and it may have started that way, but it's definitely moved into cold territory. 

I called in sick last night, and just called in for my shift tonight so I'm currently dealing with the inevitable waves of guilt. Sure, it's only my 5th sick day in almost three years, but I still feel guilty. Am I really sick enough? Is my nose stuffed enough? Is my head sore enough? 

Ah well, the deed is done and I will have to deal with the repercussions. The other issue is I'm about to have a few days off, so I guess I could soldier through my little 8 hour night shift. 

Then again, I don't feel very good and the only reason I'm currently able to breath is because the pharmacist at Wal-mart changed my life and pointed out the best cold meds I've ever had. But they make me feel funny on the inside and no one likes a youth care worker in an altered state. 

Except the youth. They looove it. 

Now pardon me while I pass out on the couch in front of CBC Newsworld (see, I really am sick).

Baby New Year

Highlights of the past year:

Birth of my nephew

Presenting at the National Youth Care Conference

Landing a full-time term

Re-wired a lamp

Lowlights of the past year:

Uhhhhhhhhh, hmm. Guess it was a good year? 

Some people are anti resolution. Maybe they believe that you don't need a "date" to make changes, but any ol' day should do. 

I for one, disagree. I need the date, the starting line, the celebratory glass of champagne (the one in my hand is x2), the huzzah! Let's go! Pep pep and on we travel! But instead of documenting my goals for 2009 here for all to see I'm going to take a page from Michael Phelps and keep my goals to myself this year. All that means is you'll have to stick around for a year to see if I'm successful. It'll be like a cliffhanger, only with less Emmy's. 

This is the first year in a long time that I have both lived and worked at the same place for the entire calendar year. I can't tell if that's a good thing or not, but I would definitely like to see some more highlights in the new year. 

mmm, champagne tasty... 

I'm currently watching the Air Farce's final show. It's mostly out of a felt obligation, given that I haven't found it particularly funny lately, but I can remember listening to their radio show on CBC and then watching the TV show (also on CBC). That was back in the heyday of Canadian political satire (and comedy in general), an arena that has waned in recent years, though Rick Mercer is still top of his game.

Speaking of Canadian culture, I love The Hour. I usually watch it at either 4 or 5 am during my backshifts, and I'm not usually disappointed. The interviews are either awesome or epic fails, both keep me up. My issue is the lack of Canadian content. Sarah Palin on the New Year's Eve show? It's great that he gets a lot of big names, but I want to know more about Canadian pop culture, and that is hard to find. 

Champagne distracts me, this post was supposed to be about me, goals and reflecting on the past year. I'm sure talking about the CBC is more riveting...

Something to Chew On

Two new sites I've become mildly obsessed with : Videogum and Stereogum. 

I had recently lamented about the state of the playlist on my Creative Zen. I was lost! Depending on top 40 stations (two of which now bless the Halifax soundscape, aren't we fortunate) for new music is good for maybe 3-4 songs a season, but that's it. And those songs have very short shelf-life on the "songs that don't annoy the snot out of me" list. 

Enter Stereogum. I've only been perusing this site for the past couple of days but it's already expanded my Indie music vocbulary significantly. So to help you, dear reader, here's a list that will like, totally blow your mind, or not... whatever... (clicking the names will send you to the youtube videos... do it...)

Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal and He Doesn't Know Why

My Morning Jacket - I'm Amazed

MGMT - Electric Feel

Blitzen Trapper - Furr and Wild Mountain Nation

Frightened Rabbit - My Backwards Walk 

The Constantines - Soon Enough

Bon Iver - Skinny Love 

Not to be outdone is Videogum, which has significantly expanded my "viral video" vocabulary, and I couldn't be happier. So go here to see the virals that captured the inattention of the masses in 2008.

Paddy Cake

Here's a little video of my nephew. Apparently he's not a fan of baked goods.

Bestill My Heart

Seriously, have you seen a cuter child?
Here are some more.

I Take My Proroguies Hot

First of all, may I just say - all of this political unrest is exactly what Canada needed. 

I've said before, Canadian politics are boring and people don't vote because they aren't interested. Well looky here folks! Now everyone is talking about it. I haven't heard anything about Barack in a week and it's so nice! It means our own situation is finally a bigger news story!

And if you don't go vote in our next election, so help me! 

Please forgive the following post, I need to get this out of my head...

pro·rogue  (pr-rg)

tr.v. pro·rogued, pro·rogu·ing, pro·rogues

1. To discontinue a session of (a parliament, for example). 

2. To postpone; defer.

So we finally got our answer. The Governer General has decided to grant Prime Minister Stephen Harper his request of proroguing parliament. This will pause parliament until the end of January when they will come back to the House of Commons to pass or not pass the federal budget. A budget, as Stephen Harper said, that will be put together with the least amount of time as any budget ever. 

My opinion? Well thanks for asking!! I for one am glad the prorogue was granted. This will give time to cool off (or heat up), time for the parties to meet and figure out what the heck they're doing. It will also give time for the coalition  to fall apart, and there is evidence of this already. What held them together was the prospect of success and that deadline of possible success is further away. The Liberal-NDP coalition wanted to take power without an election, and that ain't gonna happen now. 

If we have an election in January, Stephane Dion would still be the leader because he's not resigning until May. In the most recent election (just six weeks ago) he ran the worst campaign in recent history and came out with the lowest percentage of the popular vote since confederation. I doubt you'll find many Liberals who would want to go into an election with Dion as leader. And why would Canadians vote for a party who's leadership will be changing in a few months? They haven't chosen a new leader yet, so we'd essentially be going in blind. 

I'm kind of annoyed with the talking point put out by the Liberal/NDP saying that by proroguing parliament Harper is being undemocratic. Him asking the Governor General for proroguement is as democratic as two parties forming a coalition. It is all a part of the Westminster system of parliament, and it was well within the law for him to do so. As many have said, we elect a parliament not a Prime Minister.

I don't think he is unwilling to face the no-confidence vote and risk losing. He's just delaying it. He's not running away, he's calling for a time out. As they keep telling us, we're facing an economic crisis. Creating political instability is not going to help matters. If the coalition had gotten it's way and formed the government without an election we'd have three prime ministers in a very short time frame. 

Everything that's been passed since this minority government has been in power has done so with the support of the Liberals or the NDP. Why didn't they do something then if there are so many problems now?

The government will face a confidence vote after they present the budget and it will remain or fall then. If the coalition is still unhappy we should have an election then. None of this other coalition ruling business.                                                      

And you know what really grinds my gears?!?!?!?!?!

I'm a Maritimer and I can say with confidence that we're used to being disregarded by the rest of the country. And, it's somewhat true, we can vote in the completely opposite way of the rest of the country and it would have virtually no impact (it's exactly what happened in the last election). 

All the characteristics of a recession that Stephane Dion and Jack Layton talked about last night in their television addresses are things that have been happening in this part of Canada for a long time. People have been losing their jobs because of the economy for a long time. Cape Breton is practically empty! Once the rest of the country starts feeling the pinch, that's when it really matters. Forget about us, who've been dealing with it for at least a decade!

Anyway, no one's reading this anymore so I could really say whatever I want. But I can't think of anything so I'll probably go take a nap. Too much politic isn't good for the brain.            

Quelle Surprise

It looks like no one is super in favour of a coalition government. I took some time to read over the editorial columns of newspapers from across the country, and it's pretty predictable.

The Calgary Herald is firmly against it, but that's no surprise. The West is largely conservative blue and as some have said, a coalition government backed by Quebec separatists would make many be-spurred oilmen very unhappy.

On the other hand, The Chronicle Herald is not so very against the idea, and thinks we should give it a go. Again not a surprise, since us Maritimers tend to be a little more Liberal when we vote. We tend to feel alienated easily, but no one really cares since it's Western votes that ultimately determine the outcome (i.e. Atlantic provinces voted strongly in favour of the Liberals, but the Conservatives still "won").

I personally enjoyed The National Post article penned by David Frum (and not just because his mom was an excellent Muppet).

And if you're still paying attention... I don't think it's a good idea. One comment I read said that whoever leads this coalition will never be able to say, "This is the job Canadians elected me to do" - which says a lot about the character of this political game.

The NDP are going to have ministerial portfolios???!? A party that has never held power on the national stage like, ever?? It's ridiculous! And of course the Bloc will get theirs too... if Quebec ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

This is what happens when just over half of us show up at the polls. If we wanted something decisive more of us should have made a decision. I wonder what would happen this time if there was voter turn out like in 1958? I just re-read that article... the similarities are fascinating (maybe it's just me).

Who ever said Canadian politics were boring??

It's Simple

I don't want another election this winter and I don't want a coalition led by a leader that Canada already decided it doesn't want. 

I guess we'll find out who the politicians decide should lead our government next week. My bet is that the Governer General will order another election before a coalition government is put in place, but then who knows? 

Dion to lead Liberal-NDP coalition, Liberals confirm

'Member That Daily Thing?

Yeah, not so much. 

One thing I did learn about this blogging every day attempt is if you don't have anything to say, you shouldn't say anything. It was a solid 8 of 30 day effort, but in the end it was not to be. I just don't have that much to add to the blogosphere :)

It's also hard to get motivated to write for the 2 people who stop by every day looking for Jillian Jiggs Pigs. 

So did you hear that thing about a no-confidence vote in Parliament spurring another election?Like, next week? Please no. Please, please no. Just try to stick it out a liiiiitttle bit longer, mmmk? I don't want a coalition government of the three losingest parties. Canadians already voted, remember? You lost, move on. Give us a break already! 

Who wants election turmoil during economic turmoil? The less rocking-y the boat is, the better.

This week my goal is to form a proper post, since it's been a while. Who knows. 

To the Victor Go the Spoils

I didn't win anything, but I still got the spoils... 

I went to the Christmas at the Forum craft/antique fair, and came away with some delicious perishables. I never invest much in the crafty side of things having just taken 3 car loads of cast-offs to Value Village, I don't want to fill up again. 

Anyway, on to the goods - some fudge, some spreadable dutch gouda, Avon Rouge (red wine) and a couple cupcakes. 

I took this picture as soon as I got home. A good idea since the cupcakes and fudge have already vanished...