Saturn is a mysterious planet that can rarely be seen with the naked eye.
You are perfect to rule Saturn because like its rings, you don't always follow the rules of nature. And like Saturn, to really be able to understand you, someone delve beyond your appearance.
You are not an easy person to befriend. However, once you enter a friendship, you'll be a friend for life. You think slowly but deeply. You only gain great understanding after a situation has past.
Meeeehhhh... now I'm gonna have that jingle in my head for the rest of my life.
Anyways- I went to the EX for the first time ever on Tuesday night. It was only $5 to get in, which is nice, cause I didn't really want to have to pay $12 to go and watch little kids wreak havoc.
The EX is just one big money suck. *sluuuuuuurp* I can't justify spending $5 just to throw three balls into a basket that's two feet in front of me. I guess the 25ยข games are okay... at least that way you get more play time for your money. And it's $6 to go on a ride!!! ONE ride! I couldn't believe that. It was cool to go and take pictures though.
I'm going to Vancouver tomorrow! It hasn't reeeally sunk in yet, I don't think. I'm sure tomorrow it will... at the very latest when I leave my apartment for the long TTC ride to Pearson!
There was a slight hiccup in my plans this morning, when I heard on the news that the town of Tofino has a major water shortage, and that most non-necessary businesses had to stop using water. I called my hostel, and they said the best idea was to cancel! So I did... and freaked out for about 5 minutes. Then I looked into a hostel in Ucluelet (just south of Tofino), and booked a bunk at the Surfs Inn Guesthouse and Backpackers Lodge. Phew. I think it's strange though, that even though Ucluelet is only about 40km south of Tofino, there's no water shortage in Ucluelet. Hmmmmm... weird. Ah well. I've heard that Ucluelet is just as nice as Tofino, but a little more low-key, which is fine with me!
I'm all packed. I think. I hope I'm not forgetting anything. If I do- I'll just have to buy one of whatever it is I forgot out west (first stop, a bookstore to find Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein, and then to the tattoo shop)!
Last weekend I went home to celebrate my birthday with my family. I rented a car through dollar.com, and again- I got a free upgrade. Man, they know how to gain your loyalty there, I tell ya. Instead of getting a crappy little Ford Taurus (which is was I reserved), I got to drive a Chrysler Sebring Convertible. Too bad the weather was shitty... I only got to drive with the top down a couple times.
I got to Windsor around 10:30pm on Friday, and went directly to an old Tecumseh haunt- Johnny Shotz. Picture pool tables and St. Anne's students as far as the eye can see (St. Anne's is my old high school). It was Matt's birthday, so we were drinking to him. Annoyingly, the bar closed at midnight, because the Tecumseh Corn Fest was underway and I guess all the drunkards from the beer tent would walk over to Johnny Shotz, wreaking havoc. I still thought it was strange that they'd close up the entire bar, just because of that. Anyways- Ben, Jonesy and I left, grabbed some L'il Caeser's au gratuit, and hung out at Ben's bach pad for a while.
The next day I did my laundry. ALL of it. Sheesh- I'm glad that's out of the way. Saturday dinner was nice with my dad and step-mom, and then I headed over to see Dan and Roxanne's new babe, Owen. He's the cutest, roundest baby I've ever seen (well, except for my nephew!). Rox is a great mom, and they just bought a house in London. Congrats to them!
Sunday we had a birthday brunch for me, and my brother, his wife and my nephew came over, as well as my step sisters (and their new dog, Oliver). Extended immediate families are the best! It was nice to sit and chat with them all... mainly about Vancouver, since Shirley (my step-mom) lived out there when she was younger, and Natalie (her youngest daughter) spent the summer in Nanaimo last year.
Once brunch was cleaned up, I packed up all my laundry and headed over to my bestest's house for a BBQ. Stacey and Chris live in a beautiful little house on Hall Ave. in Windsor, and they just swanked out their back yard, so even though the weather wasn't fully co-operating, it was still a nice evening. I had planned on coming back to Toronto that night, but the mix of people (not to mention the food and drink) was too hard to break away from. I ended up taking the morning off work yesterday, and got back to the city at around 1pm. The traffic was a bit worse than I expected, but it's better than driving in the dark!
All in all, a great weekend. Expensive (what with the car rental), but definitely worth it! I miss my family and friends in Windsor... and I toy with the idea of moving back. But ONLY if I can find some kind of phenomenal job there (which won't happen, since it's Windsor). LOL!
What a great birthday! I had so much fun on Tuesday, that I couldn't even finish my nachos! We went to Sneaky Dee's of course. I was just so busy hugging everyone and talking and laughing, that I barely touched my dinner.
The evening started off fairly quiet. I made it to Sneak's a bit early, so I took on the roll of strong independant woman; ordered a pint and sat quietly by myself, reading a book. The first to show up were Kerry and Lee, and then Oriana... then the flood gates opened and the next thing I knew I was surrounded by 20 of my closest friends! I just kept thinking to myself, "They like me! They really really like me!!" LOL... honestly though, I feel so lucky to have such a great group of people I can call my "city family".
Ori gave me a great wooden beaded necklace and a wooden bangle bracelet. And Maria gave me some temporary tattoos, a can of some weird pink energy drink, a Hello Kitty Pez dispenser, some bath toys, and... I think that's it? I got a bunch of great birthday cards (the cutest one was from Gab, because it was in the shape of a kitty), and Nestor bought me a Pro account for Flickr, which is like, the best present, cause it was a total surprise!
We stayed at Sneak's until about 11pm, and then Kerry, Lee, Abner, James A., Maria, Graham and I headed over to Bistro 422 for a couple more pitchers. I'm happy to say that I DID NOT get too drunk (despite the fact that my stomach was fairly empty). The bike ride home was amusing, but not dangerously so, and I didn't vomit at all... I even made it into work on time yesterday. I'm in my last stretch of 20-somethingness now, so I must start to act responsibly!!
LOL... NEVER!!!
This weekend it's more birthday celebrations with my friends in Windsor and my family. Then it's off to Vancouver and Tofino for ten days! Man... I'm living the good life right now. Things at work could be a bit easier, and I'm still partnerless, but those things don't seem too bad right now.
THIS is why I like my birthday so much. It puts things into perspective for me- makes me appreciate my family and friends so much more, makes me feel lucky that I have a steady job, a nice apartment (even though it's in Parkdale), and a coherent head on my shoulders. My 28th year brought me to this point in my life (as well as the 27 before that), and my 29th year will bring me further along in the journey that is ME.
That night, I ate WAY too much. We started off with some BBQ'd corn on the cob, made special with chili and lime... man, was it good. I really didn't think I'd like it, but it was excellent. Then I had a pork shish-k-bob, and then later in the evening, gyro on a pita. I could barely make it home, I was so stuffed! All the while drinking vodka water with a splash of berry juice...
We were lucky; we had Stef's place to go for the bathroom and for emergency toothpick options. She lives right where the festival was going on, so it was extremely convenient! Although, it did take a while to get to her place, elbowing my way through the crazy crowds of people!
Thanks to Stef for letting us utilize her apartment!
I just finished reading Eleanor Rigby by Douglas Coupland. Man, what a good book. I think he's surpassed Stephen King and Diana Gabaldon as my favourite author. And he's a Canadian, which is reason enough to ditch the other two!
Eleanor Rigby is about a middle aged woman who's inflicted with what seems like irreversible loneliness; she's finally come to terms with it and feels quasi-content about it. That is until she receives a phone call in the night from the hospital, about her son whom she gave up for adoption 20 years earlier. She hasn't seen him since the day she gave birth, and the book reads like a journal, relaying the story of how her son came into existence.
If I had to pin it down, I'd say the theme of this book is loneliness and how people get over it... but it's a great story, too- about life, being a kid, travelling, a bit about mysticism, astronomy and death.
A couple key phrases:
"Death without the possibility of changing the world is like a life that never was."
"I look at the stars and pluck them from the sky, and flick them at you like diamonds, like seeds."
I related easily with the protagonist of this story, what with the alone-ness and all. That's what made the book so good at the beginning. But as it continued on, it just became a really good story. I guess that's the key to a good novel- hook your readers in at the beginning by being an easy book to read, and one that speaks to a person on a deeper level. Once they've been caught, you can make the book as weird as you want. Who ever only reads a book half-way?!? Coupland definitely has this formula down pat.
Today was the beginning of my birthday celebrations, which will last a good long while... just how I like it! (Actually, to be honest, the first birthday present I recieved was from my bestest Stace while we were camping, who gave me a really nice cookbook, some of her old throw pillows and her old Birkenstocks!)
The celebrations will continue up until I get home from Vancouver, probably, on September 10th. I know some people don't like their birthdays, but personally- I love it! I get all giddy and excited, like a little kid. Not sure why... my birthday's have never been like, outstanding or anything... I guess I just like the feeling of having a special day, all to my special self. Well, along with my friend Corynne from college, Tori Amos, and Ray Bradbury.
So today we had a potluck lunch in the office, for myself and my co-worker Jackie, who's day was last Friday. It was a good one... we played 80s television trivia and ate Penis Pesto Pasta Salad and Gino's Pizza (among other delicacies). YUM! Some days, I love my office!
Next up are a couple picnics on the Island (not particularly for my birthday, but I'm gonna make everyone sing to me anyways!), dancing our faces off at the El Mocambo on Saturday, drinks on the day itself (22nd) with close friends, home to Windsor for the 25-26-27th, and then off to Vancouver for 10 days. Man, I LOVE the month of August!
I just paid close to $12 for shit sushi. I decided to try the lunch menu at Sushiman on Richmond... I was like, $9.85 for a Maki combo? Wow- that sounds pretty good. I guess I overestimated the "lunch" menu, cause when I got it, there were only four rolls of each type (three types, don't ask me what their called). But you could hardly call them "rolls", they were so sloppy! And there was a dark piece of tuna in one roll that I picked out. And no soup or salad! I'm thoroughly disappointed.
And last week, Bex and I went to I Love Sushi for dinner. I always order the maki set, it's my favourite no matter what sushi place I go to. It's also a good way to judge. Anyways- I was shocked to find absolutely no raw fish in this maki. The salmon was cooked (and dry) and the crab was artificial. I didn't even finish it. Meh. I guess different shops have different variances of maki.
Outdoor Education 08501 Outdoor Education Certificate Courses, Workshops & Seminars... ATHL 117 Identifying Wild Edibles ATHL 125 Hiking Local Wild Areas ATHL 126 Snowshoeing Local Wild Areas ATHL 225 Global Positioning System (GPS) Navigation ATHL 400 Canoe Camping: Lightweight ATHL 401 Orienteering ATHL 403 Rock Climbing ATHL 404 Weather Forecasting ATHL 408 Winter Camping ATHL 409 Backpacking THL 422 Wilderness First Aid THL 425 Wild Edibles and Ecology ATHL 461 Backpacking: Intermediate ATHL 470 Outdoor Education: Theory
Doesn't that sound like just the BEST CERTIFICATE PROGRAM EVER?? Too bad it's so far away... being at Humber College and everything. I don't know how I'd ever get to the classes. :(
So, I take the same route to and from work everyday on my bike. I ride up Tyndall to King Street, and then under the GO Train tracks at King and Atlanta. I always- and I mean always- without fail- see this dude walking with his dog.
They're both kinda cute, him with his cool opaque rimmed glasses and the pooch with its resemblance to Petie from the Little Rascals. I wonder if he sees me as often as I see him? I actually saw him somewhere other than on the way to or home from work on Tuesday, on Queen Street by the CAMH. I smiled at him, but he probably didn't see.
I like that I see him everyday. It's like, a reassurance that all is right with the world.
Dude with the dog- I'm the chic with the pink visor- if you're reading this!*
This past weekend camping was fuuuuu-un, but it did have it's share of oopsy daisies; mainly, my best friend Stacey broke her wrist. That's right- broken! Poor girl! But we can't blame camping, and we can't blame the coconuts (she'd had a few filled with rum prior to the accident), but we can blame the wake board she was on. Damn wakeboard! Not to mention the two thwacks to the head she took from the frisbee. It was so not funny, but so funny at the same time... She toughed it out though, and hopefully she still had a good time!
Another point on the down list was the fact that my air mattress ended up having a hole in it, and I couldn't find it to fix it. Sand is HARD to sleep on. Needless to say, I was cranky in the mornings!
Aside from that, though, there aren't much more downs... and too many good things to list here, so why don't you just look at the pictures already? **a couple are NOT work safe, just to let you know!
50 or less: Thanks for answering honestly. Now get yourself a shrink, quick! 51-70: When it comes to understanding human emotions, you'd have better luck understanding Chinese. 71-90: You've got more emotional intelligence than the average frat boy. Barely. 91-110: You're average. It's easy to predict how you'll react to things. But anyone could have guessed that. 111-130: You usually have it going on emotionally, but roadblocks tend to land you on your butt. 131-150: You are remarkable when it comes to relating with others. Only the biggest losers get under your skin. 150+: Two possibilities - you've either out "Dr. Phil-ed" Dr. Phil... or you're a dirty liar.
You know what I hate? Waking up to something other than my alarm. Actually, I hate waking up to my alarm, too, but at least that's under my control. I remember living at home, and my dad waking me up for some reason or another; the rage I felt at being torn from my dreams was unreal. I was a pretty rageful kid.
This morning, around 6:30 am, the dogs started. There's two of them, and they live next door. They bark and bark and bark, they egg each other on, and if there's any noise nearby, they bark even louder. Since the dogs hadn't shut up after five minutes went by this morning, I got up and closed my window. The sound of my window slamming shut set them off even louder, and for 20 minutes I could hear them going at it. Only a couple times did I hear the owner tell them to shut up.
It's hard not to be angry at the animals, but they're animals, and they don't know any better. But why would the owner let the dogs out at 6:30am? And leave them outside, barking their faces off, for half an hour?!? If I was a dog owner, I'd be a bit more considerate of my neighbours. Then again, I've never been a dog owner, and I probably won't ever be one. That's just the way it is. I do like dogs, just not when they're barking, slobbering, wagging their tail, or sticking their nose in my crotch.
I do like them, though, I swear. See? Here's a picture of my brothers dog:
I decided just to rent a car for the camping trip this weekend. It's going to make the weekend A LOT more expensive, but it'll be much easier... I can go down when I want, come back when I want, use the car to get groceries before I leave, pack the car with as much of my stuff as I want, etc. It just sucks that it's so damn expensive.
It's even MORE expensive, since there were no "economy" sized cars available. Only "mid-size" which will be $40 per day, instead of $20. BAH! Ah well... at least my weekend isn't ruined.
By the way- if ever you need to rent a car... Thrifty or Dollar is the way to go... they've "hooked me up" so many times, and the staff is super nice. It's usually the cheapest rate, and with each rental, you get a coupon for a free upgrade or a 3rd day for free on your next rental. I have one of these coupons, which is why I don't feel too too bad about renting a mid-size (I'm taking the 3rd day free). Weeeeeee!!!
There's a new show on the CW based on this young adult sci-fi - I enjoy the show and couldn't pass up the opportunity to learn more about the characters.
