Second Post Today! Oooh, bored much???

I saw this meme on Mocha's site, and it was cute and I was bored :)

Enjoy!

1. Flip to page 18, paragraph 4 - in the book closest to you right now, what does it say?
"This time, before the Pirate Captain could make any meat-related promises, there was a tug on his sleeve, and he looked down to see a sooty street urchin." from "The Pirates! In an Adventure with Communists" by Gideon Defoe. Excellent books!

2. If you stretch out your left arm as far as possible, what are you touching?
Why... THIN AIR!!!

3. What’s the last program you watched on TV?
"Ugly Betty"... very cute!

4. Without looking, guess what time it is.
10:15pm (oooh, 10:14... am I good or what?)

5. Aside from the computer, what can you hear right now?
Christmas Music. More specifically, the skating song from Charlie Brown.

6. When was the last time you were outside and what did you do?
Walking home from work through that blasted cold park!!! BRRRRR!

7. What are you wearing?
Navy tank top and navy plaid PJ pants... hey, it's almost bed time!

8. Did you dream last night? If you did, what about?
I did, but I don't remember what it was about. I just remember waking up at 3:30 thinking "Oooh, I gotta remember that dream!"

9. When was the last time you laughed?
Honestly? I giggled to myself all day in my cubicle about my NEW JOB!

10. What’s on the walls in the room you’re in right now?
My Alphonse Mucha calendar, my framed "Il Ragno Azzurro" poster, a bunch of mirrors and some smaller framed pictures.

11. Have you seen anything strange lately?
Not really! hmmm. Nope, I got nothin!

12. What do you think about this meme?
It's lovely, thank you.

13. What’s the last film you saw?
“Happy Feet”… wasn’t a big fan.

14. If you became a multimillionaire, what would you do with the money?
I’d buy my parents an acreage on Vancouver Island, take my whole family on a European Vacation and then go see what I could do about Darfur.

15. Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
I think Weird Al is actually brilliant... there, I said it. And I know all the words to too many Britney Spears songs.... oohhh, shameful.

16. If you could change ONE THING in this world, without regarding politics or bad guilt, what would it be?
What do they mean "bad guilt" exactly? I’d make everyone more compassionate and empathetic, because I think that would fix a lot of things, like hunger and wars and nonsense.

17. Do you like dancing?
What a silly question! Of course not! I LOVE IT!

18. George Bush?
No thanks, I'm good.

19. What do you want your children’s names to be, girl/boy?
Audrey Rose for a girl and Ethan Christopher for a boy.

20. Would you ever consider living abroad?
Only every waking moment...

21. What do you want God to tell you, when you come to heaven?
That it's all going to be okay down here one day.

22. Who should do this meme?
Whoever is bored, I should think!

K, bed time! Sleep Tight!

~g~

Isn't That Something???

Well. I’m a fairly open person. I like trying new foods and going on adventures, learning new things and going new places. Yet, there are some things that I think I’d never do. Skydiving might be quite a rush, but I don’t think I’ll be a worse person for having avoided it. Likewise for eating liver… frankly, it doesn’t ever need to be done, and it’s better left to those who like it.

But now? The unthinkable has happened.
The most unlikely thing in the world.
More unlikely than liver and skydiving.
You’ll want to sit down for this, and keep a lookout for flying pigs, because what I’m about to tell you is THAT unreasonable.

… are you ready?

I just landed a job in Finance.
Me…
Finance…
I, who spent my life devising elaborate plans to avoid math…
I, who had to take remedial math TWICE just to pass…
I, who took French 30 Honours because my math grades weren’t good enough to get into University otherwise…
I, who took English in university because it was the only degree I could get without Math 30…
*I* just landed a job in Finance.

I still don’t know how it happened, except that my new boss, human resources and the VP of Finance were all eagerly asking me to apply, and then there was a lunch and now this. Now it’s “hey you start December 1st and here’s more money.” A lot more money. And I want to say “are you suuure?” and I want to look for hidden cameras and I want to dance around because this money couldn’t come at a better time and… wow. Just wow.

I guess the thing is that Finance has changed, so it’s less about calculators and more about spreadsheet formulas and being detail-oriented. I kick ass at that, and it seems that the VP Asset Optimization has been singing my praises loudly enough to get people’s attention. Isn’t that something? As of December 1st I’m an Accounting Payroll Clerk. Dig me!!!!

Alright I’m going to go dance around my cubicle now ;)
Love,
~g~

Random, Random

My un-vented dryer is making my condo very humid, so I decided to put on some Salsa tunes and imagine that I'm somewhere tropical. Mui Caliente!!! Must be time for a random post.

- I went to see "Happy Feet" last night.
Well, that's not exactly true.
I WENT to "Happy Feet" to SEE the "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" teaser trailer. *shame* Thank goodness the trailer was so worth it, cuz I wasn't a big fan of "Happy Feet". Anywho, HP comes out on your birthday, Nathan!!! Harry Potter Birthday theme for your 30th? PLEASE?!

- What else? I bought "Island of the Sequined Love Nun" by Christopher Moore. How could you pass up a title like that? Honestly. I'll let you know how it is, but I daresay it'll be fabulous ;)

- I had knitting class today and am almost done! I sewed the front and back together, so just the sleeves left.

- I highly, highly recommend the documentary "The World According to Sesame Street." It actually made me feel better about my obsessive love for Sesame Street, and has inspired me to move to New York and harass Sesame Workshop to give me a job. Really, Sesame Workshop. I'll do anything.

- Winnie is looking at me like I'm crazy because I'm salsa-ing in my chair. Someone is obviously feeling better from the looks of that "Humans are stupid" glare she's sending me.

xoxo,
~g~

SHE'S OKAY, FOLKS!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, my dear Miss Winnifred is FINE!
I came home, begged and pleaded with her, cried, moved my bed, shut the bedroom door.
Then she scowled at me for an hour.
Then my parents came over and guess who decided to eat? My mother is a MIRACLE worker. Got her to use the litter box too! HALLELUJAH!!!! HOORAY FOR MOTHERS!!!!
Thanks everyone for your concern. I've given Winnie a stern lecture about scaring people.
Love,
G

There's Good News and There's Bad News.

I’ve had sort of a stupid few weeks, but lucky for you I don’t feel inclined to discuss the gory details ;) At any rate, last night was the general meeting of Condo Owners for my building, and I was very much dreading it as the Property Manager is my arch-nemesis. I have had nothing but issues with him and his company since I bought my place, but I determined that it was probably in my best interest to attend the meeting, if for no other reason than to let him know that I am still in his face and am not backing down.

The discussion began over an old issue about the developers, and the decision was made to take them to small claims court. Were there any other issues with the developer, they asked? I stared Property Manager down. “Would the issue with my dryer not being vented count?” I asked lightly.
“Er, ah,” Quipped Property Manager.
“Your dryer isn’t vented?” asked one guy.
“Our dryers are supposed to be vented?” asked another guy!
Mwahahahahaha.
Property Manager mumbled something about it being a “grey area” about who covered those costs and that really it was up to the Condo Board to decide. The Condo Board said “oh yes, of course we should cover it!” Motioned, Seconded, all voted in favour and SCORE!!!! I WON I WON I WON!!!!
The only rough thing that came out of the meeting was that they’re getting someone in to flush the plumbing, which will cost everyone a few hundred bucks. A few hundred bucks that I just can’t spare, especially in December. So I’m going to take Scarlett O’Hara’s approach and say:
“I can’t think about that right now. If I do, I’ll go crazy. I’ll think about that tomorrow.”

The bad, BAD news is that I came home after the meeting to a very sick kitty. She won’t come out from under the bed or eat or use her box. I’m really worried about her, and want more than anything to be at home with her right now. If she’s still not better by tonight then it’s off to the emergency vet. Please send healthy vibes to my kitty and tell her to please get better.

I’ll keep you posted!
~g~

My Terrifying, Horrific Tale (aka: I'm a big chicken)

This morning I was careening out of my door, running very late, carrying my purse, coffee, bus ticket, envelope and a large, unwieldy trash bag. I was contemplating the physics behind putting said bag into the dumpster without dumping the purse, coffee, bus ticket and envelope also, and I started toward the dumpster when my heart stopped. STOPPED!
My condo is in a "good neighborhood", which is situated a few kilometers from the drop-in centre, and will soon be sandwiched by another temporary homeless shelter. Let me first say that I’m GLAD that the shelters exist. Calgary is damn cold in the winter, and with the recent economic explosion, affordable housing is simply not available, so I’m happy that the city is stepping up to help some people through the winter by utilizing empty buildings. On that note, however, my area has many apartment buildings and condos, and is a popular route for Dumpster Divers.
So this morning it’s dark, I’m precariously balancing things, and I look at the dumpster and I swear to you, there’s a large man standing in the dumpster. I was terrified, and I can’t say exactly why. Maybe I was afraid, maybe I didn’t know where to put the garbage, maybe I thought he’d attack me for drug money, maybe I thought it was a dead body. It was, after all, a very dark, very empty alley, and I am a fairly scrawny, easily intimidated girl. I don’t think I had time to THINK anything. I think I just registered "Big man in dumpster" and froze. Because hello…. Big man in dumpster!!!! So I stood a few feet away, contemplating.
What were the risks?
He wasn’t moving.
I took a few steps forward.
Ohmygodhejustmoved. Or maybe… it’s just shadows.
I had to do something or I would miss my bus.
I took a few more steps, and THEN?
AND THEN?!
I realized that the man was NOT A MAN AT ALL!
The man was, in fact, two garbage bags, stacked on top of each other in the very dim dawn light. And I??? Am a big coward.
I tossed my garbage into the dumpster and headed down the alley. My heart clenched strangely as I came to the full realization that I’d just had a five minute standoff with two garbage bags.
I wouldn’t last ten minutes in New York :P

I Got To Put On Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma Boogie Shoes!

Both N&S and K. heard my Plea to Salsa and told me that the U of C Ballroom Club was having a Salsa Party Saturday night. K., who is a member of the club, invited me along, as it was her first experience at a Salsa Party and she wanted some back-up.

Like all wholesome U of C events it was held in a church gymnasium with three kitschy little pie-plates of nacho chips, bottles of no-name soda and jugs of water. "Bless their little hearts," I thought, and hearkened back to the days of Jr. High dances, figuring we were about 20 minutes away from staring awkwardly at the floor while Boyz II Men crooned from a ghetto blaster. Sweet.

At 8:30 they turned the lights low and turned the speakers up, up, up and things started to get crazy. CA-RAZY!!! As soon as one dance would end, I'd turn around and another person would be waiting to ask me to dance. It was madness! Every time I'd try to sit or get a drink of water someone would approach. It was SO much fun and such an ego boost, a bunch of people asked if I was in the "Intermediate Class" *yay* or said I was a great dancer. Half of the time I was pulled into a group doing "Casino Salsa" which was great fun, although I still don't understand it.

By 10:30 I was so tired I told K. I was going to go sit in the hall for a minute. We sat for about 5 minutes until a Cha Cha came on, and the guy who was manning the ticket table got all crazy-eyed and asked if I knew how to Cha Cha. I said "no", but he insisted on showing me, right there in the hall. By 11:30 I was stumbling rather than Salsa-ing, so K and I left, but I'm glad I went. It was NOT what I expected in the least, and I think I'm going to enroll in the intermediate class in January ;) Swwwweeeet!

Too much fun ;)
~g~

My Hips Don't Lie, Either!

On October 4th, 1998, a young woman and a bunch of other Calgary citizens sat on the top of a hill and watched the General Hospital implode... don't worry, it was planned.
At that same moment, a city planner somewhere decided to re-use that land to create an uber-trendy hotspot for wealthy young e-generation urbanites. The city planner boldly decided to make the block of 1st Avenue and 8th Street particularily dangerous to young women with a lust for used books, coffee and knitting.

After chilling in Heartland Cafe and attending knitting class Sunday, I could no longer resist the allure of Baskerville Used Books. The owner was very nice, we had a conversation about Steinbeck, Jazz and San Fransisco while the stereo blared some unbelievable salsa tuneage. It took everything I had to keep my hips still, so of course I asked who it was. Oscar D'Leon, he said.
Oh it makes me miss my Salsa class....
*sigh*
Just salsa-ing through my kitchen isn't doing it for me anymore, I miss being whipped around the dance floor, despite having to fight off the advances of the instructor. I miss salsa! I MISS SALSA SO MUCH!
Must... Go... Dancing....
~g~

A Red Sweater for Baby

Okay, this post is mostly for Skylark ;) I had my third knitting class today, and the front of the sweater is done! Tada!
Pretty :) I've also started a sleeve, which doesn't look like a sleeve yet ;) heehee.
Okay, that's all!
~g~

Ooooh, Saturday!

This picture will become relevant later in the post...

But for now, ahhh, Saturday night, how I love thee. N&S came by earlier to come up with a "secret plan" re: my parent's 50th birthdays, then I talked to D on the phone for a few hours, and now I'm eating many tiny Mars bars and dancing around to "Sugar High" from Empire Records.

I know I’ve been awfully quiet on the post-front lately, but although a lot of stuff has been happening, not a single event has been bloggable. I will leave it to your imaginations to believe if it’s too boring to mention or too scandalous to put into writing. I hope you will all lean toward the “scandalous” side of things ;)

I have once again been in Executive Assistant land, which is all thrills and tantrums; Much like the fashion industry, but with remarkably less-attractive people. I believe one of the construction workers behind me Friday didn’t “measure twice, cut once” because he was swearing a blue streak… no, worse than a blue streak… more like a magenta streak! A whole paragraph of expletives with a vocabulary that, I daresay, would make many a sailor blush. I’m always a little impressed when someone can string together that many bad words without blinking an eye… I am neither that quick witted, nor do I know that many bad words.

Friday at noon we had a rousing game of “Trivial Pursuit Teambuilding” at work. I’m sorry to say I only helped my group answer two questions, one of which was “Who appeared half-nude with Michael Jackson in his ‘You Are Not Alone’ video?” I said “I’m ashamed to admit I know, but it’s Lisa Marie Presley.” The Ex was crazy about Jacko, what can I say? How many nights did we spend watching Michael Jackson music video DVDs with friends?! HOW MANY! And also, because Jacko used my favourite Maxfield Parrish painting as a scene with the Afore-Mentioned-Half-Naked-Lisa-Marie (see painting above.) So then someone made a comment that “of course” I only knew the answers about nude people…. Yikes. “Of course.” … right in front of my boss and the president. “Of course.”

Ah well. So that's really all that's new with me.

How are all y'all?

~g~