The Jenifesto

Cross Stitch Project: Nerdcraft, Take 1

2012-01-24T16:00:00.005-05:00

So, it's been a while since I've had a cross stitch project on the go, and my stress levels are showing that (... is what I choose to believe). I've been now stressing out even further over what I wanted to do next. More flowers? I don't know. Or at least I didn't know. I've decided to take the plunge in a number of ways:

I'm going off-kit: for the first time, I'm buying all the thread and aida separately to make something
I'm going off-pattern: or at least, off other people's patterns. I've made my own!
I'm going full Nerd: That's right, it's a retro video game pattern.

After extensive reading of Sprite Stitch and its forums, including mostly everything I could get my hands on vis à vis making your own patterns, I downloaded KG Stitch, got me some sprites, and voila, mere minutes later, had a complete pattern on my hands. I'm so. effing. excited. to get started. A few people in real life know what it's going to be, but I'm going to keep it on the DL while I'm making it. You can watch it progress, of course, with pics here. If it turns out, I might even take the plunge, make a Sprite Stitch forum profile and post the pattern. I will say that it is based on my fave NES game, and I haven't seen a pattern out there for this yet (though I'm quite sure that that doesn't mean it hasn't been done before). And I have no idea what I'm going to do with this particular work when I'm done, but who cares!?

All right, I'm officially over winter (and other assorted musings)

2012-01-18T07:21:00.001-05:00

Helllooooo, 2012! And blog friends! I've been away doing all sorts of uninteresting things off the the blog, so please forgive my absence. Let's see what I've missed...

Winter: Can it end now? I'm soooo over this, and it's mid-January. We got another dump of snow yesterday, and a quick look at the Weather Network tells me it currently feels like -23 out there. Siiiigh. This past weekend was brutal, and so was Monday, and yesterday I took a day off, and now it's cold again. I really need to stop bitching on account of how short my commute is, but I don't wannnnnaaaaaa.
My day off yesterday: to wait for furniture delivery. For my reading nook!!!
My reading nook: I've taken some previously unused space in my apartment and set up a nice comfy chair, ottoman, a side table for tea, and a reading lamp. Artwork in en route. It's not quite a room of one's own, but it is a chair of one's own for when someone else wants to play Uncharted and I want to read!
Oh right: the nook did displace Sofie's bed area. She's tweaking right now. I... could kill her.
But speaking of books: In 2011, I read 43 books. That surpasses my goal of 36, so huzzah! This year's goal is 48. I feel I should mention of those 43, an obscene number were Agatha Christies, three were comic book volumes, and a goodly amount were YA.
Work: I'm soooo busy. Did I mention I have two sort of part-time/contract things going on? I'm never not thinking about what I have to do for work. Tired!
Cuba: Is it March, yet? We've got our trip booked for March, and I can't frigging wait. We're going to an area of the island I haven't been to yet, and apparently the resort is really sweet.
This Jenny Craig commercial with Mariah Carey: is really terrible. Like, really.
Over Christmas: I went to the Kennedy Space Centre. You know what, no - I'm leaving that for a whole post. It was way cool. SCIENCE!
New year goals: aside from the reading one. I never commit to these things, so let's say I want to learn something new, and do something new. Not necessarily related to this because I can already (but only "sort of") do both, but I'm going to take a knitting class and perhaps re-apply myself to learning French. Also: I want to take all my pictures out of albums (because they take up so much room), scan them, and put them into photo boxes.

I'm sure there's more, but that's what's standing out right now. Let's talk about Sherlock and Downton more another time, okay? Stay warm out there, friends.

"Table on a Café Terrace"

2012-01-15T09:17:00.001-05:00

Diego Rivera, 1915

At the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Meme of the Week: "Birth" Song

2012-01-06T13:56:00.000-05:00

Man, I love a good ol' fashioned "Facebook Meme of the Week." This one even more so because mine is awesome.

It's prudent to know, in the spirit of thoroughness, that that was in the U.S. My recent trip to England has confirmed what I've long believed: that the British have all sorts of shit going on that never makes it big here - so we're going to just stick with that for the sake of this meme. (Though, of course, that's not entirely true of my particular birth week. Clickyclick here for that hot track.)

"The Piano Lesson"

2012-01-01T18:00:00.005-05:00

Henri Matisse, 1916

At MOMA.

As you may recall, I've been featuring a piece of art on the first Sunday of each month. I've got so many notes kicking around, that I'm upping the feature to the first and third Sundays. This year is already filling up! To keep tabs on that, clickyclick on the "Art" subject heading either below the appropriate post or over there on the side.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Maggie Smith

2011-12-22T15:34:00.000-05:00

As you might imagine, I don't actually know or own Maggie Smith (ohhhh, but who wouldn't want to have a Maggie Smith of their own!?). But with my new MacBook Pro, we're going to shake things up a bit. All of my computers have had traditionally male or male-sounding names, and while all computers are bound to give up and call it a day, I want a fresh start with this little thing. Also: Maggie Smith is awesome. And have I mentioned my extreme love for both Gosford Park and Downton Abbey, in which she plays nearly identical roles? "What's a weekend?" LOVE. HER. Anyways, the new computer shall henceforth be known as Maggie Smith. You know what? This needs some pics. Of the real Maggie Smith, of course.

Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham. Show some respect, bitches.

Books Edition: We need to talk about Harris Burdick, you guys.

2011-12-21T15:51:00.000-05:00

So, when I was young, I was totes obsessed with The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, by Chris Van Allsburg.

I see that it came out in 1984, which means my elementary school library was right on the cusp with that acquisition (what up, Our Lady of Fatima!). You may also recognize this title from my wickedly awesome "Nostalgica" album on Pinterest. But anyways.

What's this I see!? The CHRONICLES of Harris Burdick?!?!

"An inspired collection of short stories by an all-star cast of best-selling storytellers based on the thought-provoking illustrations in Chris Van Allsburg’s The Mysteries of Harris Burdick."

I'm like dyin', y'all! I officially need both books in my own collection. Anyone buying me any last minute Christmas gifts?!? You know, I have already got a Chapters giftcard this Yule season, so perhaps this will be what it goes towards.

RIP, Alasdair - September 2007 - December 2011

2011-12-20T12:51:00.001-05:00

He deserved better than this, he did. To die while answering the question "Oh huh. I wonder who this kid from 'The Santa Claus' grew up to be?" (Of all the shit I've looked up on the internet in four years - that!? Upon reflection, I can't actually blame him.) To be sitting in my office, in an ugly carrying insert from a brief bag that's not supposed to be used as a stand-alone product being used as such anyways, having been harvested for part (in the singular) at the Apple Store. To have to even be at the Apple Store, with me pathetically apologizing for how grimy he looked and how I had no idea why there were so many finger smudges on what is decidedly not a touch-screen. Oh Alasdair, it's been a ride. You'll be with us always in the form of our network name (so show some respect, people tryin' to jack my WiFi), and in my fond memories of my first, but certainly not last, Mac.

On that City Hall Ice Rink

2011-12-07T20:16:00.000-05:00

A one act play on the only way that ice skating rink that's being built outside of City Hall can redeem itself.

"I really fucking hate that skating rink."

{Stage Direction: Exaggerated sped up time lapse of apparent ranting about the skating rink, complete with physical gestures}

"They need to make it into a roller rink in the off season."

"YES!"

"But no rollerblades, just skates. And Michael Jackson "Rock With You" playing"

"That's it - I'm making myself in charge of the new City Hall Roller Rink's playlist. Which will consist almost exclusively of the ELO soundtrack to Xanadu, and 'Rock With You.'"

"You know, why hasn't Time Life done a "Songs of the Roller Rink" compilation yet? It's more than time for that."

Fin

"Eve"

2011-12-04T10:10:00.002-05:00


Sir Thomas Brock, 1900

In the Tate Britain Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum in 2011.

Goings On (some of which are actually exciting!)

2011-11-30T22:31:00.000-05:00

Remember that guy on Project Runway (I think it was Canada, but it might have been U.S., but whatever) who was all "So my catch phrase is "Hey Hey HEY!"? How deliciously simple and hilarious is that? Like, who announces a catch phrase? And that it's "Hey Hey Hey"? But anytime I start something and I think to start it with a "Hey" I think of that guy and how I sooper want to yoink "Hey Hey HEY!" for myself. So on that note:

Hey! It's been a bit, but boy do I have things to report! Let's roll this one out, in no particular order.

1. Sarah Slean!

So, last night was her first night in Ottawa (she's also playing ... as I type), and so not only did I see her in concert (that would be, um, cough, concert number six, cough), but I met her before the show! Nerve-wracking! She was lovely and sweet and swoon! Here's the set list from last night's show:

Life
Everybody's on TV
Set It Free
I Am A Light
Duncan
Get Home
Notes From the Underground
The Day We Saved the World
Intermission
The Right Words
Attention Archers
My Eyes & Your Eyes
Euphoria
Girls Hating Girls
New Pair of Eyes
California
Society Song
Sound of Water
Encore
When Another Midnight
Amen

Nice mix of older (Duncan!) and new (like the entire "Land" album). It was a delight.

2. Downton Abbey

Can we just spend a moment, friends, talking about how much I FUCKING LOVE THIS SHOW!? Oh my sweet god, it's just the best. As you may know, Gosford Park is one of my most favourite movies ever. I've watched and re-watched that movie so many times, and not simply for Clive Own in a wife-beater and, of course, the delightful Mr. Stephen Fry. I just ... love that movie. And Downton Abbey is working the same vibes, but HOURS AND HOURS of it. Season Two is (of course completely ethically and legally, ahem) downloading right now, and I can't wait. LOOOOOOOVE IT. It's the Sarah Slean of television, and you can quote me on that (to the very specific quarterly journal dedicated to people with the intersecting interests of Sarah Slean and Downton Abbey). Are you watching this show? Why aren't you watching this show!? Maggie Smith! Playing an old bitch! You can't ever not love that. She is soooo good. Oh my god, and Bates? I'm unravelling here, people ... watch it.

3. Jenmas

Oh yes! The season is upon us! As I write, there's a gingerbread Christmas tree kit sitting here behind me waiting to be assembled. Also, I bought those super fragrant pinecones from Michaels, and I don't care one bit that they'll likely overwhelm my apartment. The tree is going up on Saturday, Jonathan has (again, completely ethically and legally) downloaded a crap load of Christmas movies* to watch as we do so, and we're breaking out the cheap as dirt (and likely tasting of the same) Advent calendars tomorrow. Ah! And on Friday? We're crafting and decorating the library all afternoon. Ooh, and I made peppermint bark last week. It was awesome, and so easy. Look like a hero when you bring it to a party - google that shit, find Martha's recipe, and enjoy. Delish!

4. My new iPhone

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that my new 4S is so, so awesome (it's the Downton Abbey of electronics). My 3G, compared to this, was as awesome as roadkill, and that phone was still better than BlackBerries (I'm a hater, whatever). The camera is so great! And it's fast! Like lightning!

I'm sure I'm missing a ton of stuff (ooh, like how I found a neighbourhood in Toronto I actually really like, or how I bought a new coat), but this has already gone on well long enough. 'Til next time, folks.

*IMO, there are four classic TV Christmas specials that are not to missed nor fucked with: Charlie Brown, Frosty, Rudolph, and the Grinch. Anything else is second tier. And DO NOT get me started on crap like Frosty Returns. That is a resounding "No." I have a soft spot for the Garfield Christmas as well, though it is certainly "newer." I also have that on DVD, so it wasn't downloaded. For movies with actual people in them, there are obviously quite a lot to choose from (and indeed, Christmas isn't Christmas in the 'Festo Household without Daddyfesto yelling "ZUZU'S PETALS!" at the TV), but for this occasion we're going with what, to my eyes, could be the only movie needed, should one be required to watch just one movie.

Cooking Edition: We need to talk about this oatmeal, you guys

2011-11-18T09:34:00.000-05:00

So, again, sorry for my lack of posting. To say I have nothing much to write about is an understatement. But what I do need to talk about is this oatmeal that has been unleashed upon my office, nay, my heart.

A2 has been bringing in this delicious oatmeal for breakfast for the last ... while now. Weeks? Months? I have no idea, but it smelled SO GOOD. Cinnamon and yumminess, every morning. My regular of cottage cheese and a hard boiled egg was getting a little played out (though omg, salt and pepper on a hard boiled egg? I could go on eating that forever), so I decided that I needed to have this oatmeal for myself. Luckily, it's a recipe from the internet! Check it out here, friends - Alicia Silverstone's "Quick Date-Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal." Click on that link, make a grocery list, and prepare to have your life changed.

Here are my mods (with enormous thanks to A2 for suggesting them):

Like, half that amount of rolled oats, unless you're really hungry. A whole cup of rolled oats is a lot.
On that note, I keep everything else the same, because I like my oatmeal sweet.
I just do a whole half apple, because I'm typically preparing this for two, and why not just use the half and not have to put an apple third back into the fridge?
Lots o' cinnamon.
Not a mod, but my friend Deb's maple syrup! So delicious every morning!
Everything but water is added at home into a tupperware container. At work, I boil some water and add that - you sort of have to play around with how much water you need - put the cover back on, wait, and enjoy. You're not supposed to cook flax oil, but is this really cooking? I ... just don't want to bring that to work separately. Lazy.
And by "Tupperware" TM, I mean those square ones from Ikea with the blue lid. You know which ones.

If you're having trouble getting your ass into gear for breakfast in the morning, give this a try. It takes mere minutes to make at home (as in, to get everything that needs to be in the tupperware into the tupperware), and makes up so nice once you get to work. And your office smells like cinnamon! And if you have to make two breakfasts, it takes almost exactly no extra time to make a second container. Ah, and it is *filling.* Bon appetit, friends.

"Portrait of a Young Woman"

2011-11-06T10:26:00.003-05:00

Meredith Frampton, 1935

Collection of Tate Modern

Europe Vacation Part 2: Amsterdam

2011-11-02T20:34:00.000-04:00

Eeeeeeee! I love Amsterdam!!!!!!!!! Eeeeeeeeee!

Okay, now that that is out of my system, let us begin. For a refresher on my other trip to Amsterdam, please click on the subject heading at the bottom that reads "The Netherlands." That was in 2007, and I'm pleased to say that Amsterdam hasn't changed except to get even more awesome.

Before I get to those small points (Marie, you may be interested), I'll get the big stuff out of the way: so many things to do there! I spent a lot of the trip just sort of wandering around and doing a few museums here and there. I went back to favourite museums from last time (Rijksmusem - still under construction - the Van Gogh - reorganized and with some great exhibits! - and Foam - which as last time was well-curated with some incredibly thought-provoking exhibits), and went to some new things as well (most noteworthy being the Mauritshuis in Den Haag. AWESOME). The place we stayed at was great (AJBR, deets forthcoming, I promise!), and was super comfortable and nice to come home to after days of walking.

The shopping there was also insane. I bought some really sweet jewelry, met some really nice and wonderful store owners, and spent a lot of money on cute shit.

We also ate a lot. A LOT. Of fries, of course, but also of everything. Which leads actually to a few small notes I'd like to make about awesome updates:

The Neighbourhood - I stayed in the same neighbourhood as I did last time, and like, there's an awesome Mexican place now? Two doors down from where we were staying! And a cupcake place that I unfortunately didn't get a chance to pop into. Where did all this awesomeness come from!? The more I walked around, the more I noticed I'd like to do when I go back.
The Transit System - This was already really convenient for getting around town, but has now been made even more so with the introduction of oyster-type cards. Instead of having to have a sort of awkward exchange with the transit worker riding at the back of the tram, you just swipe in and out. So awesome!
The Stedelijk Musuem - This was under renovations the first time I was there, and it still is, BUT! the Sunday we were there was the last day that it would be temporarily open before closing for what I think is the last stage of renovations. It's really going to be something when it's done, and I'm excited to go back.

In all, man, do I love it there. What an excellent second half to our trip. I could have stayed there forever (sorry, Sofie), but alas, we had to come home. The whole portion of that trip was aces top to bottom. I even had a sweet manicure in the airport waiting for the flight home, in anticipation of the wedding we had to to attend that coming evening. Anywho, I've had just enough to drink this evening to start making me sort of sad if I reflect any longer, so I'll cut it short with this: Amsterdam - it's awesome and you should go.

Europe Vacation Part 1: London

2011-10-25T22:02:00.001-04:00

I said I'd write more when I wasn't tired. That actually hasn't happened yet. The week after we got back, I had to go to Toronto for a conference. I slept most of the weekend, and in fact have been in bed by 10, usually 9:30, every work night since. Still tired. Laughing, we looked up mono on the internet, and since one of the qualifiers is weight loss, we can safely rule that out. And also I'm not 16, so. Anyways, London!

Astute readers will know that the last and only time I've ever been in London was seven years ago and I sort of hated it. I had been backpacking, I was tired, it was the end of the trip, and I was feeling a bit broke. I resolved that London deserved better than that from me (nay, from anyone), and that I'd go back when I had money to enjoy it. I'm still not convinced I have enough money to properly enjoy London (certainly not to live there and simultaneously clothe and feed myself), but it was just sooooooo much better this time.

Some recaps:

All the museums were pretty great - some better than others, of course. In all, I'd say the V&A takes the prize for my favourite. It's so pretty! And full of interesting things! And they had a really neat exhibit on that was about the art of making things, and another on postmodernism which was really challenging and interesting for me. Ah, and there was a whole Blade Runner section that was hilarious/cool. Hilaricool.
Oh crap, but I totally forgot about Tate Modern just there. Okay, okay. Still V&A as my favourite, but oh, This! Taryn Simon's A Living Man Declared Dead and Other Chapters.
Shopping was ... like, okay? I mean, 15 pounds for a dress -what a steal, right? Except I wouldn't pay 30 dollars for that particular item, so pass? I know once you're living there for a while you stop using that conversion, but ... I don't live there. My pay is still in Canadian dollars, so you know, pass. Except for bras. THAT was some shopping. (Marie: Yes, Bravissimo. Yes.)
Cider. This merits its own bulleted point, yes. Drank plenty.
Apricot rolls from M&S - these are like, on my list of favourite things ever. I went to four different M&S locations to find this particular flavour. SO GOOD.
Walking tours of London - if you don't mind being led around like a pack of lambs, I love these. I think I went on two. Well worth the investment. If you're going, you should look into it for for some enjoyable and reasonably priced entertainment.
The neighbourhood we stayed in - at Bond Station - was craaaaazy posh. The cars that were parked on the streets were so major. Who the fuck street parks, like, a Porsche? Seriously rich people in London, that's who. But amidst all this money (and can I reiterate, MONEY), there was this awesome little coffee shop where for a measly two pounds I could get a large latte and a danish. Friends, you can not get that for four dollars in my Canadian neighbourhood.
Oh, and so we're out for a walk in this neighbourhood when we stumbled across the red carpet for some B-level celebrity awards show. Well that's rude - we saw it on TV a couple nights later and it was for "everyday heroes" type stuff, but decidedly B-level celebrity (tho what do I know - who ARE all these people in England who are famous there and no where else?). Anyways, the yelling and screaming that drew our attention was for Cheryl Cole, who just hit the carpet. We watched for a while, but seriously, who are these people?
We had another rando moment of the same when the paps were circling Claridges one night as we were walking from the subway to our place. Someone was trying to get a book jacket signed, but alas, I couldn't see what book it was.
And finally - the weather was pretty good. When we first got there, it was a heat wave which was all sorts of effed, but then it cooled down to a respectable fall temperature. And no rain!

I'm leaving out all sorts of everything, but suffice it to say it was a great time. I like London a good deal - living there would be intense (but were someone to offer me a job, of course I'd leave this two-horse town behind), but so much fun to visit.

Next time: Amsterdam. Siiiiiiiiiiiiiigh, Amsterdam. {Swoon}

Grimsby! The One Act Play

2011-10-16T21:28:00.001-04:00

Scene: Jonathan and Jenifesto are driving on the Queen Elizabeth Way, west bound to The Kitter. They pass a sign indicating the town of Grimsby

Jo: So, what's the best part about Grimsby?

Je: Um? The Coach Canada bus stops there sometimes? "Grimsby: The Bus Stops Here Sometimes."

Fin

(More on Europe later, kittens. I'm deliriously tired. So tired that the above is really funny to me right now, so that should be pretty ... some word that means "illuminating." Heh, also: inarticulate.)

"Nocturne au Parc Royal de Bruxelles"

2011-10-09T10:00:00.005-04:00

William Degouve de Nuncques, 1897.

On account of this being a pastel, I believe I remember the room that it was (is?) in in the Musée d'Orsay being kept at quite a low light. Each individual picture was lit, but the room itself is fairly dim. The little orbs of light in this painting absolutely shone. So pretty. (And related: is that true? Would the room be kept a bit darker for the pastels? Am I mixing up two rooms in d'Orsay?)

(Oh, and hello! This is a scheduled post, since I'm in Europe right now. Goedemorgen, from Amsterdam!

Who's got two thumbs and is outta here!?

2011-09-30T16:12:00.001-04:00

{Gestures to self} This girl! Bags are packed, cat-sitter hired, anxiety levels at Defcon 1: it's clearly time to go. I've got a full slate of things to see and do for the next couple weeks, all of it at a leisurely pace and without a thought of work in my mind. Ahhhhh. I might update Twitter or FB from time to time, but otherwise, I'll see you all when I get back!

T-Minus, Um, A Week and a Bit?

2011-09-21T19:10:00.000-04:00

So, we be heading to Europe in a week and a tiny bit - not quite a half, more like a week and a couple days. WHEEE!! I called the relevant banks and credit card companies to tell them of my out-of-country status in the hopes of avoiding any locked accounts when I try to withdraw money or purchase something there. We met the cat sitter on Sunday (Sofie, mind you, did not - someone decided to play shy. Someone also just decided to shit on the floor, but that's another story), and I think aside from out of office type stuff, I'm pretty much good to go. Again, WHEE!!

Did I mention my crazy schedule for this? The day we fly back, we're heading to a wedding in SC. Like, for that afternoon. Flight leaves Amsterdam at 8:55 AM, we arrive in Toronto at 11:15 AM (because we're time travelers and flying through time zones MAKES NO SENSE), and then the wedding is at 4:00 PM. In that time, we need to get through customs, get luggage, go retrieve a bag of wedding clothes we're stashing at Jonathan's aunt's house, and then drive to SC. There, hopefully by 2:00, there can be naps and showers and Red Bull. Ah, and the winner of the "Smartest Person Ever" award for this month goes to me, because I've looked into it and: Yes, I can get my nails done at the airport in Amsterdam before our flight, which is a) an excellent way to kill time, and b) perfect, so I don't show up the wedding look feral. Double thumbs up! There is SO seldom a wedding, or in fact an event of any sort, in my family, so this should be hilarious. Seriously, the last thing was ... 16 years ago? I was alive sixteen years ago?! Sixteen years ago.

... Okay, 1995 in Music article on Wikipedia. WHY do I know all the words to all the songs in the "Top Hits" list and I couldn't tell you the name of three recent songs? In honour of that last family event in 1995, here's the Hot 100 number one song that week:

Anyways, so that's that. Work stuff is almost all tied up - I'm incredibly close to getting the whole hiring thing taken care of - and so other than that, I should be able to take off for Europe will relatively little crap holding me back. In fact, now that work craziness is coming to an end, it's looking like a pretty sweet ride 'til the end of the year.

On that note, I have some delicious chili (yay Fall!) and a new Everyday Food magazine (yay October issue!) to go enjoy. Have a good night, everyone, and please, stick the rivers and the lakes that you're used to.

Things I Would Like to Own: One of these necklaces

2011-09-19T18:09:00.003-04:00

And I don't even care which one. I adore all of them. (But when you click through, especially the silver with turquoise stopper). (But no really, any of them). (Really).

Elsa Peretti for Tiffany "Bottle" series.

"L'Amour Menaçant"

2011-09-11T10:04:00.003-04:00


Etienne-Maurice Falconet, 1757

Have I mentioned I'm excited to see this beauty again when I visit (again - third time's a charm) the Rijksmuseum? Thanks, Flickr dude, for capturing the writing on the socle.

Edited to add: I think I'll post a piece of art once a month on a Sunday to help me keep favourite things all in one place. Do you know how many times I've looked up this particular piece, only to forget the artist and title yet again? My memory ain't what it used to be.

Updates of all sorts

2011-09-07T19:47:00.000-04:00

As I wait for my dinner to finish simmering, let's do an update! Yay for updates!

Sarah Slean News, The First: Who's got two thumbs and is the lucky owner of her new double album in a limited run hand-crafted package? THIS GIRL! Ships just before I leave for Europe (see bulleted point three), which means what a treat to come home to!
Sarah Slean News, The Second: Who's got two thumbs and tix to her first night in Ottawa in November, complete with entry to the Meet and Greet beforehand?! I ... don't know what to say to her aside from mumbling "You're so awesome" and shuffling my feet around like I'm trying to ask her on a date or something, but eeeeeee! I ... yea, don't know what I'll actually say or do, but how could I pass that chance up?
Europa: I've been so busy at work that I've barely had time to think about it, but two and a half weeks 'til Europe! London for one week, Amsterdam for another. It should be awesome. Ah, and Marie - the flat we've rented for the week is just down the street from your old place! Closer to Central Station on that street, so ... east? of where you lived. I couldn't believe it!
Joan Rivers: Yes, I'm totally going to see her on Monday night at the NAC. I don't care what any of yous have to say about it, I fucking love Joan Rivers, and she's not getting younger, and likely not getting any closer to my house (in fact, she'd have to be performing in my living room in order to be any closer to my house). CAN'T WAIT!
Pottermore: Where the fuck is my entry email? Nothing further to add to that, actually.

On that note, I need to give my lentils one last stir. And ... um ... open the bar. It was a loooooong day. Cheers, friends.

Quote of Note / More Excuses

2011-09-02T21:53:00.001-04:00

It's been a half a month since I've last polluted the internet with my random musings. Half a month! Y'alls, I have such a good excuse this time, namely that I am so so so so busy with work stuff at the moment.

But not too busy to stop me from dipping into my copy of Finishing the Hat, the compilation of Stephen Sondheim lyrics from '54 to '81. It all started when the other night I had a dream that I met Stephen Sondheim and I told him I wanted a re-release of the Original Broadway Cast recording of Company. As it goes, you can get that on CD, but as it also goes, I haven't yet met Mr. Sondheim. But all this did inspire me to pull out my copy of the book and read the section on Company. Oh, and what jewels contained therein! This one made me laugh, and then laugh again.

From p. 193 of Finishing the Hat: Collected Lyrics (1954-1981) with Attendant Comments, Principles, Heresies, Grudges, Whines and Anecdotes

The character of Joanne was not only written for Stritch, it was based on her, or at least her acerbic delivery of self-assessment, as exemplified by a moment George Furth had shared with her; they had entered a bar at two in the morning and Elaine, well-oiled, had murmured to the bartender in passing, "Just give me a bottle of vodka and a floor plan."

Have I posted these before? I don't care!

3-2-1

2011-08-15T22:01:00.000-04:00

3 Things I Wish I Did (alternatively titled "3 Things That, Were I To Do Them, Would Make Me The Woman I'd Like To Be, Or Gwyneth Paltrow Would Have Me Believe I Should Be")

1. Write down quotes from books I like.
I just wish I was the kind of person who did that. I don't, save the very, very few examples recorded here on the blog. It would help if I read more than just Agatha Christie, and that even if that's all I'm going to read, the quotes I'm writing down weren't just the ones where someone called Miss Marple a "super pussy." (Heh)

2. Not have to fight with myself about going out for exercise.
I go and I feel great and whatever. It NEVER happens without me pitching a fit like a six year old. I promise myself, like, a popcorn snack and a later bedtime if I just go do it already. Seriously, people get their toddlers to clean their rooms and pick up their shit easier than it is for me to get my (grown-ass) self to go outside and run.

3. Floss
You know how I promised myself to start flossing more? Yea, that didn't happen. I suck at picking up new healthy habits. I'm particularly aware of that as I have a dentist appointment in the morning, and the telltale drops of blood that come from the unflossed gum will give me away yet again to the hygienist. No, I didn't use the floss you gave me last time, and yes it is really no small miracle that I have outstanding teeth and gums all on their own. I really do love brushing my teeth though. So refreshing!

2 Things That Are Currently Irrationally On My Nerves

1. Blogs and the people who read them
Not mine of course - and all five of you that read this - but like, "bigger" blogs that have a substantial readership that has crawled directly up the ass of the blogger. The resulting blogger buys their own hype, and loyal readers crawl even further up the ass, and it's one wholly awful circle of ass crawling and bullshit.

2. Old Navy commercials
Oh my god, seriously. It was a running joke (last month) how much Jonathan hated the one which had the mom (who was in no way old enough to be the mom of the kids in the commercial) singing "And it's only July!" at the end. But really, it's a race to the bottom, to new levels of bottom that haven't been seen before, for that company and their commercials. Though, I will say, I'm tickled for reasons I can't explain by the idea of a "Party Cardi" (okay, it's because I'm a librarian and I LOVE CARDIES).

1 Super Awesome Thing That Happened Today

1. My run!
Despite serious bitching and moaning, I went, and ran, and felt excellent. Shall I remember this for next time when I don't want to go? Of course not. But it was great.

I know what you've all been waiting for! More cross stitch and crappy photos!

2011-08-11T17:00:00.001-04:00

So, cross stitch project one - the poppies - is currently on hold. It's washed, dried, ironed, and sitting in a protective (and might I add, supper classy) white garbage bag on top of my bookshelf until I take it to the framing level. I think this might happen in SC, because I'd rather frame that up there and not have to fly with it later and thus, inevitably, break the glass. So, to reiterate for those taking notes: Project #1 is on hold.

But let's not stop the cross stitch fun! Project #2 is on the way! And what's a cross stitch project without the world's worst iPhone pics! This time also guest starring the granite of my kitchen counter.

Oh and yea, spoiler alert to my family - I'm not sure who will be receiving this, so stop reading now.

It feels quite seasonally wrong to be working on Christmas based crafts, but they don't start themselves in time to be done for the holidays, so. That was about a week of work, and if I do say, it's coming along nicely. Intenssssse shading in this one.

TODAY!!

2011-08-10T21:21:00.000-04:00

As I write, I'm sporting a very nice and bubbly champagne buzz in honour of MY STUDENT LOANS BEING GONE! Aww man, y'all, it feels so nice! We had some champers here at the homestead that needed an occasion, and what the hell - OCCASION! Man, is this what it feels like to be Charlie Sheen?? Because if it is - it IS winning! Sign me up!

Also at the moment: eating fro yo from the Freshii downstairs and watching So You Think You Can Dance, so pretty much this day is 100% awesome.

I have much to write about when I'm not drinking / celebrating / busy ROOTING FOR MELANIE! so I'll get on that shit soon, I promise. Cross stitch, work, Star Trek, you knows.

BYE LOANS!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow!!

2011-08-09T20:27:00.002-04:00

CAN YOU HANDLE THE EXCITEMENT?? I CAN'T!!

Philadelphia: The Non-Work Wrap-Up

2011-07-28T18:13:00.000-04:00

And I'm back! My trip to Philadelphia was excellent, and feels both incredibly brief and also like I was there forever! As I have to write a summary for the people who ponied up the cash for me to go, and another for my work blog (so if you're interested in more library-y highlights, check that one out), I'll do this one in point form. I feel like I'm writing a "On my summer vacation..." story for elementary school, but seeing as those this is my summer vacation, that's not entirely inaccurate.

And so: On my summer vacation ... to Philadelphia!

The conference was so great! AALL's annual conference is MASSIVE. There was so much good programming, everything was so slick and ran so smoothly, and I feel quite inspired. Good good stuff.
'Mericans say the darnedest things: "Attorney" always over "Lawyer" and "Pro Se" usually in place of "Self-Reps" or "Self-Represented Litigants."
Philadelphia, while I didn't get to see and do nearly enough (more on that later), is really neat. Like a little, smaller, less intense version of New York. I'm excited to go back in 2015!
HOLY SHIT, it was hot. On Saturday, we did a few touristy things, including the Phillies game. It felt like my flesh was going to melt off the bone. I was cooking. Mercifully, we found a place to stand and watch the game that was both shaded and breezy - it saved the day. Also: that aluminum bottle of Bud Light Lime - thank you for your sacrifice.
The food there is SO GOOD. The cheesesteak was exactly what it sounds like; the real winner was everywhere else we ate. OH MY. This includes, but is by no means limited to, Han Dynasty (for amaaazing Schezuan), Village Whiskey (for the best burger of my life, no exaggeration), and the Amish breakfast place in the Reading Market.
Next time, I shall plan my days better. In light of the massive heat on Saturday, I should have gone to the museum, and then went to the outdoor things on a cooler day. Next time, next time.
Air Canada SUCKS. Our luggage did not come on our plane to Toronto, thus not coming on our plane to Philly. It came 1:30 in the morning two days later. For their efforts, we did get some lounge passes, but you know, thanks for nothing Air Can, since I had to go buy new clothes and, like, a hairbrush. The flight leaving Philly was one and a half hours late, but then, the flight to Ottawa from TO was a half hour late itself, so we made the flight after all.

I think that about wraps up the overview. It was such a great time, and I'm totally going to AALL next year in Boston. You should all come, too. Boston for everyone!

I ... don't even know

2011-07-19T20:07:00.000-04:00

So, this Friday night, I head out to Philadelphia for AALL. I'm super de duper looking forward to the whole trip. The programme looks excellent, I'm looking forward to seeing some colleagues there, and I'm suuuuuuper pumped to check out the city itself.

But before I get ahead of myself on that, where's that record screeching stopped noise, because Saturday is supposed to feel like 50 degrees. Whaaaaaa? I love the heat, but like, I don't even know what to do about heat like that. I remember there was a time last summer that I looked at the weather when I was outside and it was "Feels like 42" and it felt like the earth might explode into lava from the heat. I, just, don't even know what to do about 50! What do you wear!? How do you ... breathe and not combust? I'm thinking some relatively light clothes and LOTS of water and sunscreen.

Saturday has been earmarked for a few important Philadelphian things to do:

Walk about the Historic District
Go to the ice cream parlour the guy on Man vs. Food goes to
See the Liberty Bell and shit like that
Go to a Phillies game
Eat a cheese steak

Roughly, in that order. Should we not melt. The Rocky stairs, Love Park, more cheese steaks, and The Roast Pork Sandwich From Man Vs. Food waits for another day. Should we, again, not melt. I hate AC, but even I will be quite grateful for it this weekend.

Cross Stitch Project: Update 11

2011-07-17T16:23:00.000-04:00

So yesterday I did one of the more terrifying things of my young life: I washed the cross stitch project. There was nothing I wanted to see less than the colours running over all those months of hard work, but I need to get those handsie oils off before it's framed. After reading every possible link that came up after Googling "wash" and "cross stitch," I a) found my favourite lady who does videoes on cross stitching, and b) decided to just buy a bin, some Ivory dish soap, and give 'er. Handy tip: buying a slightly better tub, one that comes with a lid, means it can be used for other stuff - like holding your cross stitch supplies!

Oh hey, bathroom counter.

So, there she is - the whole project sitting in her tepid bath with just a smidge of Ivory dish soap. It was scary, but mercifully, the colours didn't run and everything was just fine. Oh, and the water? Dirty. Ew. After that, I made like the internet told me to (and as is prudent after any hand washed fabric), I rolled it in dry towel. Then, on a new dry towel, face down, I ironed it on the cotton setting. The video I watched about this told me my stitches would just pop up all pretty like.

And it did! Now, I stopped there - almost dry, and let it air dry for the rest. I can definitely see how I need to work on my tension and shit, but in this case, I think everything will be hidden in the framing. Doesn't it look all fresh and pretty now that it's without wrinkles, creases, and embroidery hoop marks? I think so, too.

My New Obsession: Mystery Fiction

2011-07-09T18:06:00.000-04:00

Have I mentioned here how much I'm into mystery fiction as of late? And by as of late, I mean 2011? And by mystery fiction, I mean Agatha Christie? Because I so am! I was walking out of the public library the other day clutching a new novel when I realized I haven't enjoy reading this much since I was, like, 9. Let's go back:

As I went to NELI in the early winter, I picked up the first Flavia de Luce novel and loved it. And then second, and loved it too. So, I think it was at Jenmas, while we were in Florida, that I found an Agatha on the bookshelf. Needing something to read, I picked it up. It's not the first Agatha Christie I've ever read, of course, but it was like, huh, that was fun. That old bag knew how to spin a yarn!* And since then, I've made a regular diet of going to OPL and grabbing whatever Agatha Christie happens to be checked-in in the paperback mystery section (there's rarely more than two). I've certainly enjoyed some more than others. I think there was one I didn't even bother finishing - I should figure out if that actually happened, which one it was, and why I found it so offensive as to not continue. Obviously, I want to read them all eventually. As was so eloquently put in the first ST: TNG write-up on the AV Club (emphasis mine):

...the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation is a bumpy, bumpy ride. When a show runs as long as this one, and when it hits the heights Next Gen [from here on referred to under the approved abbreviation, TNG] eventually does, it's easy to focus on the great moments and ignore the awful ones. In the weeks to come, I expect I'll be reminding myself over and over of the Borg and the totally bad-ass time loop episodes and Locutus and the fact that Tasha Yar eventually dies. But we can't just skip ahead. We're nerds, for god's sake, and some things, like continuity and completism, are sacred.

A-fucking-men, Zack Handlen.

Anyways. So a couple months into this, I take out some non-fiction book by P.D. James on mystery fiction. I've read exactly one P.D. James book, and I hated it (you can look that up in the backlog of Jenifesto entries), but I figure this was non-fiction and I can handle it. Plus, it was short - perfect for my attention span. Anyways, I made a very thorough list of stuff I wanted to read that was mentioned in that book. I then, rather promptly, left that piece of paper as a bookmark in a copy of some other book that was from the library, returned the book, and expect to never see it again. If, however, YOU ever take that book out of the public library system and get a great reading list, have fun! Anyways, I got the book out again, made a new list, and am now ready to rock and roll. I've also been dipping into the short stories of Dorothy Sayers (in a nifty collected works I picked up at Nicholas Hoare), and those have been swell but I'm excited to get into a full-length Lord Peter novel.

All that to say, the year of mystery fiction isn't slowing down. Hell, I think it could continue for another year! I still get to read the third Flavia de Luce book in the fall (and then the fourth!), and there were a few others I saw on the very attractive mystery fiction wall at Nicholas Hoare that I'm keen to get into. Yay reading!

*That particular novel I was reading had some amazing lines in it, one being the oft-repeated assertion that Miss Marple is a "super pussy," and the other being someone using the phrase "streets ahead." As someone who had never heard that phrase before Pierce Hawthorne, and so assumed he/Dan Harmon invented it, my brain exploded. Apparently, I was the one streets behind.

Cross Stitch Project: Update 10

2011-07-08T17:27:00.000-04:00

As I purchased two new kits online today, I realized I never put up the final shot of the cross stitch project. This isn't the last picture, or the last stage, as I need to still wash, dry, iron, and then frame it. I'm petrified of washing it, but apparently your hands leave oil on the cloth, which will discolour over time. As I spent a nice four months completing this, I'd rather that not happen.

Not too shabby, eh? After completing this, I'd have to say I'm even more excited to move on and do new projects. The two new kits I picked up today are smaller, and Christmas themed. They'll also be gifts. But after that, I think it's on to some of the really stunning (and more expensive) options I've seen out there. I'm so excited to do one on black fabric - the colours just pop.

So anyways - last steps - wash, dry, iron, frame. A pic when it's done!

Things that have annoyed me this week

2011-06-28T21:50:00.000-04:00

... and it's Tuesday. Man, it has been a week!

1. Survey-gate
2. "They have people working there? What do they do?" "I don't know; they have bitches sitting in there all day, acting bitchy!"
3. My shoe size - why?!!? is it so hard to keep size tens in stock?
4. My shin splints - see above.
5. Fucking telemarketers calling during my run and junking up my run app. Canadian Blood Services: I will give you blood when I have time. NAC: I will buy tickets for the season when I have time. STOP CALLING ME EVERY DAY.
6. My bangs. I am ready to cut them myself.

What's vexing you this week?

Things I love #3943: Kroger Grocery Stores

2011-06-21T20:47:00.000-04:00

Every week night, I watch Jeopardy! (always with the exclamation mark) on some American network. Alls I know is that they're in Michigan, but I really haven't paid more attention to where exactly than that. Anyways, this grocery store (grocery store chain?) Kroger (and aside: I have a really fucked up fascination with regional grocery stores) buys time during Jeopardy! to air commercials. At the end of each commercial, they highlight three specials that week. Inevitably, there's one completely batshit special for a bulk purchase discount on things no one wants to buy in bulk. And it's always "X items You Don't Want in Bulk for X dollars." I've decided to pay attention for a few weeks to provide you with some of these. I swear these are real, and they totally make my life:

10 pineapples for $10.00
10 dozen large eggs for $10.00
10 6 oz. containers of raspberries for $10.00

Who needs 120 eggs??? What normal, Jeopardy! watching grocery consumer is like, "You know, we COULD do with 120 eggs! Surely we'll eat them all before they expire!" I love it.

Pinterest, among other awesome things

2011-06-09T19:54:00.001-04:00

The last few days have been so deliciously awesome that I really must share. I don't even know where to start! How about with this:

SUMMER'S HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I'm a complete freak, I was LOVING the 45 degree humidity situation that was going on yesterday. Loved. It. I try to get outside for my lunch breaks in order to enjoy some of it, and fortunately, I take my break an hour or so later than the rest of the city, so I can usually get a nice shady spot. Bliss.

So what else has been afoot? To start, last weekend was awesome. There was supposed to be rain, but mercifully, there wasn't a single drop. One of my co-workers was getting hitched, so we went to that shindig on Saturday. Everything seemed to go off without a hitch, and I feel this really needs mentioning: the food at the reception was, like, awesome. I've had sooo many mediocre hotel meals in my short time that this was a really refreshing twist. I don't know what was going on with the rolls, but even they were fantastic (to the point that Jonathan leaned over and was like "How good are these rolls?!" - that's a good dinner roll).

Sunday upped the awesome to another level on four different occasions. One, Jonathan rode over to Scone Witch and got breakfast. I require not to wake up to the smell of breakfast cooking; I delight in a take out box of scones and eggs sitting on the counter. I never go there (but now that I'm all into my bike, that's going to change!), so I forget how GOOD their scones are. And the jam! I refuse to eat cheap jam. Life is to short for cheap grocery store jam. It just is. Their jams are fantastic. I want some right now, come to think of it. After breakfast was promptly polished off, it was onto bikes and out for the last hour of when they close down Colonel By so people can ride or run or skate on it. I frigging love that. Later, at the Market, we stumbled upon the folks from the Sausage Kitchen having a BBQ. I got a massive sausage (one of those spicy types with a German sounding name), topped with sauerkraut that actually had pork in it! Eeeeeee!!!! It was to die for (but also highlighted this: City of Ottawa, you need more benches and seating and EVERYTHING involved with not standing or walking, especially in the area of the Market. It's embarrassing). Finally, the day was capped off with a viewing of X-Men: First Class, which I thoroughly enjoyed. What a day!

Finally, we need to talk about Pinterest. Where have you been all my life, Pinterest? I'm officially obsessed. You can check out my boards here (or you know, follow me, if you're so inclined). I can assure you they're always changing. Because I CANNOT STOP PINNING THINGS. One of my personal favourite boards is the one I've dedicated to 80s nostalgia. A result of my parents divorce and my subsequent moving around like a gyspy child is that I have practically nothing by way of old toys and books. I'm completely obsessed with collecting the images and names, centralizing my memories of all these things, in a board on Pinterest. There are a few things that I simply cannot find on the Internet which, as you can imagine, breaks me since my job is finding shit on the Internet. In case anyone is currently wondering, that list currently consists of four things I'm particularly desperate to track down: my Barbie record player, a book I had about a ballet class, this book and electronic pen thing that was all interactive and mad cool, and my nursery rhyme book. RE: the nursery rhyme book - if I could find that exact book, I would buy it off of wherever I could get it for any amount of money. Heh, it might actually still be buried in my dad's basement (and if you saw that basement, you'd understand that it's as good as gone), so no one tell him that. Anyways, that's that on Pinterest. I mean, I could GO ON about it, but I won't. So good.

And oh my, that was a long one! I'm off to go enjoy something else that's totally mega awesome - the new season of So You Think You Can Dance? I handed in my first assignment today for the course I'm taking (also awesome) so kicking back and watching this tonight is going to be sweet. Have a nice night, all.

Back in the LJ Days

2011-06-01T23:09:00.001-04:00

Back in the day of LiveJournal, you had a spot to enter interests in your user profile. There's likely something like that here on Blogger, now that I think about it (checking ... it's broken down into like favourites, not a free for all) ... anyways, my list was awesome:

baba ghanouj, beardo's, boyshorts, breakfast at tiffanys, bubble baths, cadbury mini eggs, chai tea lattes, chanel, chazz palminteri, chicago manual of style, crystal light, dixon ticonderoga #2 pencils, floquet de neu, garamond, google, gourmet pizza, les miserables, mary poppins, medical history, mr. belvedere, musical theatre, rialto bridge, sex and the city, shoppers optimum points, sundnes bed, tetris, the epicure, the gap, the ricker, venice, vespa scooters, watson, willy wonka

I also distinctly remember trying to add "Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra" but it was too long. Fascists. Anyways, looking that over, there's shockingly few things I'd remove from there. In fact, let's review:

Baba Ghanouj: still awesome

Beardo's: likely still great, though it's been some time

Boyshorts: why not?

Breakfast at Tiffany's: still a classic, though (and this will only make sense in my mind but I don't know how else to put it) ... it's like Etsy ruined it.

Bubble baths: who doesn't love a bubble bath?

Cadbury mini eggs: obvs

Chai tea lattes: still my one and only Starbucks order - though now with Lactaid!

Chanel: still my perfume of choice

Chazz Palminteri: of course

Chicago Manual of Style: also, of course

Crystal light: delicious as ever

Dixon Ticonderoga #2 Pencils: why would you use anything else?

Floquet de neu: RIP and shine on, you crazy diamond

Garamond: yup, awesome

Google: GOOGLE! Can you believe there was a time when someone would say "Google"?? This was back from possibly before I had my gmail addy, and if not, it was absolutely still during when you needed an invite to get one! And I got an invite. OFF A DAVE MATTHEWS BAND FORUM. Those were the days.

Gourmet pizza: abso-fucking-loutely

Les Miserables: well come on - of course

Mary Poppins: will never go out of style

Medical history: still cool

Mr. Belvedere: never not fucking awesome

Musical theatre: yup yup yup

Rialto bridge: I'm sure it's as beautiful and neat as ever

Sex and the City: okay, that is looking mighty dated

Shoppers Optimum Points: this makes me laugh unnecessarily hard

Sundnes beds: this is STILL the most wonderful bed and if Ikea still sold it, I'd own three, just to own three

Tetris: OBVIOUSLY

The Epicure: awwww, I loved that place. You're nothing now

The Gap: you know, really not as much as then. Sorry, The Gap

The Ricker: DOUBLE OBVIOUSLY

Venice: okay, can you tell I had just been there?

Vespa scooters: I'm pretty sure that was before hipsters claimed them as their own and it was only Audrey Hepburn / Roman Holiday freaks that were into it

Watson: RIP, old chap

Willy Wonka: Gene Wilder, folks. That is all

You know, I think I actually miss LJ a little. The little icon to say how I was feeling?! What I was listening to?! Man, 2004 was a simpler time.

An open apology to the world

2011-05-31T08:01:00.001-04:00

Dear World,

Hey, how's it going? I hope this blog post finds you well. Since, as the content of this post will describe, I'm quite bad at these things, I'll just jump right in: I apologize for my profound lack of people skillz. It all began last fall. Well actually, no: it all began on a cold winters afternoon in 1981, when a socially awkward baby kicked and screamed her way into the middle of a Christmas dinner, but we needn't go quite so far for this. In the fall, I took my Meyers Briggs test and scored the most severe of all possible options, the ESTJ. "Vulcan Dictator" is how I liked to fancy it (though now I'm thinking I'd like to make that "Vulcan Dictator Chic"). Then yesterday, I completed a Kolb Learning Styles Indicator, where to little to no surprise of absolutely anyone, I'm placed in the "Assimilating" quadrant. Twenty minutes of Locutus of Borg jokes later, I could fully admit to the shoe fitting on that one, and hey, rightly so, because it describes that learning style as being found in "information based careers, for example: sciences and mathematics, social and physical sciences, legal professions, research and high education." Well Mr. Kolb, whoever you are, I'm in the mother of all information based careers, so thanks!

All this to say, I consistently rank low on anything even close to involving the following:
- empathy
- being sensitive to others feelings and opinions, or
- dealing with ambiguity

I recognize that by knowing this, I can a) work on it (oh and hey project for the course I'm taking - what up?! You're the next assignment!) and thus b) not make it a hindrance to my (frankly) highly tuned logic and analytical skillz, and you know, insult people.

And so, I'd like to apologize both for both past actions and moments in the future where I drop the ball on that one. I'm particularly bad at the following, so apologies times ten for my extreme awkwardness/lack of emotion/Vulcan and/or Borg like behaviour at the following critical junctions:

- either expressing happiness or sympathy in extreme situations (births, deaths, bat mitzvahs)
- at moments when I think something is utter illogical nonsense, and especially when I see what I think is totes obvs a better and more rational solution
- apologizing
- handling life's more intricate social situations, often where I perceive I am at fault for something

As the great philosopher G.I. Joe once said, "knowing is half the battle." Emboldened with both that thought, and the knowledge that I am how I am and that's okay too, I am making a conscious effort to get better at the more "emotional" responses necessary in life.

And also: building a giant ass cube.

Hugs and kisses,

Jenifesto

Cooking Edition: Pizza!

2011-05-26T15:24:00.000-04:00

I haven't written about any new recipes I've given a try to lately; my deepest apologies for those of you who've gone hungry waiting. I do believe I've been trying some new stuff, but maybe less than ususal on account of being lazy. Or I think there were some failures in there, too. Either way. I had a recipe earmarked for a while now from The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook by Kim O'Donnel. I took the book out of the library, but think, based on the strength of this outing, that I will be putting it on the to-buy list. (There's my cheap Slavic/Scottish ass cookbook buying recommendation for you: try a recipe from the book by taking it out of the library, and if it's good stuff, buy a copy! Everyone wins!)

Anyways, two nights ago I made her - and I can't remember the title, so bear with me - caramalized onions with apple and blue cheese pizza. It was delicious. DEEEEE-licious. I'll give you an approximation of the recipe here, for your culinary pleasure.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 medium onions, cut in half and sliced into thin moons
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large apple, peeled, cut into quarters, and then cut into 1/2 inch slices
Needles from 1 sprig of rosemary
1/3 cup blue cheese
1/4 cup Parmigiano-reggiano

Caramelize the onions with the vegetable oil, butter, and thyme over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. (IMO, the thyme and onions are the money shot. It wasn't until cooking this that realized that I. fucking. love. onions and thyme put together) After about 30 minutes, stir in the salt and turn off the heat. Mix your apples and rosemary. (I used dried rosemary, and just threw some in. I hate the price of fresh herbs, especially for ONE sprig. If you have fresh rosemary growing at your house, go nuts here. Also: get a nice crispy apple.) Put the onion mixture on the pizza dough (prepared from the store, or homemade if that's how you roll - that's how I roll!), covering the dough completely. Dot the onions with some blue cheese of your choice (Sam suggested Gorgonzola, though I had already bought some ... regular blue cheese. Either would be delicious), and then top with the apple mix. Drizzle some olive oil over that shit, and bake as you would bake your dough. Garnish with some Parmigiano-reggiano before serving.

If you care to know the best part (IMO): it tastes awesome the next day, cold out of the fridge. Rarely is there homemade pizza in this place leftover to even test that with, but by some miracle, there was! My advice: don't overcook the pizza. I did that, and oops. I need to make this again and not eff up the dough this time. I was worried about under-cooking the apples, but I don't think would have happened, upon reflection, and instead I just fucked up the dough. Boo.

I look forward to making this one again. Hell, I'm looking forward to making onions and thyme again. I could eat a bowl of that.

Excerpts from "At Home" by Bill Bryson

2011-05-22T09:41:00.000-04:00

Alternatively titled post: Why I would never want to live in any other time than right now.

Further alternatively titled: No, gross, seriously.

Shall we?

From "The Bathroom" p. 346

Christianity was always curiously ill at ease with cleanliness anyways, and early on developed an odd tradition of equating holiness with dirtiness. When Thomas à Beckett, archbishop of Canterbury, died in 1170, those who laid him out noted approvingly that his undergarments were "seething with lice." Throughout the medieval period, an almost surefire way to earn lasting honor was to take a vow not to wash. Many people walked from England to the Holy Land, but when a monk named Godric did it without getting wet even once, he became, all but inevitably, St. Godric.

And pp. 348-349

With the bathhouses gone, most people got out of the habit of washing - not that many of them were entirely in it to begin with. Washing wasn't unknown, just a little selective. "Wash your hands often, your feet seldom, and your head never" was a common English proverb... In 1653, John Evelyn, the diarist, noted a tentative decision to wash his hair annually. Robert Hooke, the scientist, washed his feet often (because he found it soothing) but appears not to have spent much time damp above the ankles. Samuel Pepys mentions his wife's bathing only once in the diary he kept for nine and a half years. In France, King Louis XIII went unbathed until almost his seventh birthday, in 1608. ... Many people grew so unused to being exposed to water in quantity that the very prospect of it left them genuinely fearful. When Henry Drinker, a prominent Philadelphian, installed a shower in his garden as late as 1798, his wife Elizabeth put off trying it out for over a year, "not having been wett all over at once, for 28 years past," she explained.

Also from "The Bathroom" pp. 355 - 336

Most people continued to use chamber pots, which they kept in a cupboard in their bedrooms or closets, and which were known (for entirely obscure reasons) as jordans. Foreign visitors were frequently appalled by the English habit of keeping chamber pots in cupboards or sideboards in the dining room, which the men would pull out and use as soon as the women had withdrawn. Some rooms came supplied with a "necessary chair" in the corner as well. A French visitor to Philadelphia, Moreau de Saint-Méry, noted with astonishment how one man removed the flowers from a vase and peed in it. ... There were as many complaints about the lavatorial customs of the French as the French made of others. One that has been around for centuries was that in French there was "much pissing in chimnies." The French were also commonly accused of relieving themselves on staircases, "a practice which was still to be found at Versailles in the eighteenth century," writes Mark Girourard in Life in the French Country House. It was the boast of Versailles that it had one hundred bathrooms and three hundred commodes, but they were oddly underused, and in 1715 an edict reassured residents and visitors that henceforth the corridors would be cleared of feces weekly.

In all seriousness, this book was an engaging read. Bryson goes through each room in his home and uses them as a starting point to discuss the typically quite interesting history of anything that's in or associated with a house (such as, obviously, modern plumbing, but also electricity, telephones, bedding, landscaping, and so forth). I'm now moving on to his more science-y (and, god willing, less poop-y) A Short History of Nearly Everything.

Things That Would Make My Life Easier As a Pedestrian & Bus Rider: A Rant

2011-05-13T14:45:00.000-04:00

As I was making a packing list this morning on my iPhone, I discovered the makings of some sort of bloggy rant that I had started over a year ago about what would make my life easier as a pedestrian and occasional public transit user. Miracles of miracles, some of these things have actually happened! Others, no.

1. Automated kiosks, such as a vending machine, to buy bus tickets, located everywhere but especially at transit stops.

Status: Not happened. Rant: This is would be so incredibly, unspeakably useful. I've used such machines in other cities, and they're awesome. Why this would be particularly awesome for Ottawa (and if they can only put them in certain locations, make it the Transitstops and here's why) is because Transitway stops are often times in the middle of fucking nowhere (see: Queensway). Even the ones that are "somewhere" (like South Keys) require you to walk a decent enough distance (in that case, the Loblaws) to buy more tickets. Imagine a vending machine selling them right at the station. So easy, right?

2. The time displayed at Transitway stops, along with next arrival times of buses.

Status: Not happened. Rant: Again, this is something that's going on in countries all over the world, and likely here in Canada, too. Certainly in the subways, right, Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal folks? It's like they've designed the Transitway stops to be the more soulless, cold, uncomfortable, and isolated places on earth. No clocks (for a good deal of them), and certainly no regular tracking of buses (for most of them).

3. Consistent audio announcements for bus stops.
&
4. Visual announcements for bus stops, such as a scroll bar.

Status: Happened? Rant: Regular riders will have to help me out, since I largely only take Transitway buses and not local routes - are there scroll bars and call-outs on all the buses? I know there are on the ones on the Transitway, and the time or two I've taken the 1 or 7 I believe there were - which is great. GREAT. Was it a few years back, when the city decided they didn't want to spend the money on the automated call-out system? That was such bullshit. I am incredibly lucky to have excellent both hearing and vision. I appreciate these items for when I don't know where I'm going, when it's night and dark out, when the bus is too full and I can't see around people, or when the weather is bad and the buses are grimy and I can't see out the windows. I would imagine that these devices are incredibly useful to folks with visual impairments or are deaf or hard of hearing. It was seriously about time for those improvements. Well done, OC Transpo.

5. A countdown timer at the intersection of Laurier and Nicholas.

Status: Happened!!! Rant: This is obviously fairly particular, since it's on my walk home, but, oh, that intersection! You had to be an Olympic sprinter to make it across before the hand started flashing. And then it would flash forever. (Sidenote: I didn't say all of these items helped society in any meaningful way - just made my life easier!) In the last few months, they've finally installed a countdown timer. You get a few seconds of go time, and 22 seconds of countdown. I know it takes me 16 seconds to cross. Never will I be stuck standing on that median again! Or, waiting like a total asshole at a light I could have made.

6. A safer way of navigating from the canal path on the Colonel By side to Laurier.

Status: Not happened. Rant: Again, obviously fairly particular to my life, but I find that the routes down to the canal path on the CB side from Laurier/Nicholas are pretty dodgy. I'll have to go see if any work has been done (the stairs there were blocked off FOREVER for the conference centre reno), but I don't think it has. Basically, you have two ways to get down to the canal: the stairs, and a path that runs along side. Both have fairly significant overgrowth alongside them (particularly the path), with minimal lighting in the evening. I don't want to see barren wasteland as I walk along there - of course not - but isn't it possible to tame the overgrowth somewhat, so it's not so easy for all manner of criminal to hide in there? Then again, there are bunnies there all the time, hiding in the bushes. They're cute.

7. Stricter monitoring of the intersection of Laurier and Nicholas - there are a lot of people busted for burning a red going North, but no one ever busted for attempting to run over whole crowds of pedestrians attempting to cross from the South West corner.

Status: Sort of happened! Rant: LISTEN UP - there is now a green arrow to go straight through the intersection before the general green light appears. DRIVERS, DO NOT TURN RIGHT ON THAT ARROW. People still try - all the god damn time - but I feel slightly better that it's there. Of course, no one is monitoring it and no one pays attention, but maybe if/when someone does get mowed down, they can get slapped with an even harder fine and demerit point situation.

Cross Stitch Project: Update 9

2011-05-09T16:29:00.000-04:00

Not a whole lot of progress from last time, but this will likely be the last one you see before the stitch work is done. I'm already starting to miss this beast!

Then again, she thinks, maybe not. It took some time to get that part done, and it doesn't even look like much! It's also finally getting nice outside, so I'm less inclined to want to sit around and work on this (though, I do still have more Fringe to watch). In case you're keeping score, more work was done on the bottom left corner, working towards the centre from that edge between updates 8 and 9.

Complaint Emails: The Collected Works

2011-05-04T17:47:00.001-04:00

As I've decided I'm just annoyed and just mentally unstable enough to take Ikea to task for the great lamp debacle, I sent them a complaint email. It basically spelled out the whole WTF-ery of the situation. Upon doing so, I'm reminded of all of my great complaint emails of the past. Let's take a trip down memory road, shall we?

Company: Always, or whoever the hell makes Always
When: Back in my pad-using days (roughly, one million years ago)
About What: For years (seriously, years) there used to be a thing on every. single. pad telling you which kind you bought/were using. No exaggeration, you saw hundreds of these a year, each saying the same. In my case, it was "Remember your symbol!" with a picture of a spade. The spade was prominently displayed on the bag, so like, "Oh hey, I need a bag of pads - where's that bag with the spade on it?" YEARS. Then one day, as I was preparing to leave for school and my mom was stocking me up on all manner of hygiene products, I enter the pad aisle and there isn't a symbol in sight! No spades, no clouds, no whatever the hell the other symbols were. Are you telling me I need to read the bag now to figure out which one is which?! So of course, being illiterate, I bought like, 100 of the wrong ones. Where the hell did the symbol I was supposed to remember go!? Anyways, wrote and said as such.
Company Response: The company told me that they did away with the symbol.
Resolution: I won't say this was all me, but within a year, that symbol was back on the bag with text reading something along the lines of "Formerly the spade bag!"

Company: Canada Post
When: 2nd year university
About What: They mangled my mail. MANGLED. And, in the process, lost the tongue ring I was sending as a birthday gift to a friend (hey man, it was the early 2000s).
Company Response: I can't remember. Likely none, since CP doesn't tend to give a rat's ass about that sort of thing.
Resolution: None.

Company: Canada Post (shockingly, again)
When: 2nd year teacher's college
About What: The totally awesome mail carrier who didn't ring the door bell to give me my time-sensitive registered mail, and instead just left the "Not Home, Sucka" slip on my mailbox.
Company Response: I believe this may have warranted a phone call, though no actual resolution.
Resolution: See above. I, however, had to resolve to walk up to the post office and get my stuff the next day.

Company: Lululemon
When: Two years ago
About What: This has, I believe, been documented here, either in full or in dribs and drabs, but basically, the day after my first ever 5k, when arguably I was in the best shape of my life, the sales woman asked me when I was due. To this day, this is probably the best complaint letter I've written. It had pictures!
Company Response: I went relatively straight to the top with this one, and it went through several staff members. They managed to drag out of me which store it was, something I hadn't told them initially. Finally, it got to an email from them (which I never responded to, since, like, what the fuck am I supposed to either say or do with this one) that said: why don't you come in for a fitting? Are. you. fucking. kidding. me? Is this a problem with how my clothes fit? Are you serious? And you want me to come in, so the typically much smaller women working the change room can tell me how to *not* look pregnant in your clothes? Are we serious here?? Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh. And yet, I still buy their shit. I just don't know how to quit them. You know, I should have probably followed up with that - what if they were going to let me keep what I tried on!? In the end, were I in charge of that mess, I would have sent me a gift card and end all that. But instead...
Resolution: I tell this story all over the place and to whoever will listen.

I think that's it, though I may remember more later. I'm typically quite nice to sales people in person (and these letters are actually usually very nice and polite), as I certainly don't want to give anybody a hard time with their job. That said, there was one truly epic face-off I had with this appalling woman at Queen's. Now there's a story for another time.

Companies Currently On My Shit List: Ikea

2011-05-03T11:32:00.000-04:00

You know, I wasn't going to do this, but now I am. Hell hath no fury like a woman scored by a store (and in possession of a blog).

Ikea: I shouldn't expect more from you (nay, from any store), but I'd like one good reason why you can't take back an item that is manufactured and sold by your company, but not sold at that *particular* store. Just one reason. I have to return it "to any store that sells it." Do you know how many Banana Republic items I've bought on their website, that were never, ever available here, that I've returned to the store at the mall? Here's an idea, you Swedish hags - take it back, stick it in the As-Is section, and call it a day.

As a related aside, I think I might stick this bad boy up on CL. I can't be the only person who's been looking at it longingly on the website but can't buy it here. Or, alternatively, anyone want a really quite attractive floor lamp for an area where it isn't necessary to provide, you know, light?

Cross Stitch Project: Update 8

2011-05-02T10:51:00.000-04:00

FINALLY. I've finished the top half of the project. On to the bottom and then we're done!

Err, well, on to framing, actually, and then we're done.

Montreal and four day weekends, je t'aime

2011-04-27T22:29:00.001-04:00

Well, party people, how were your long weekends? Four day weekends (for those of us so fortunate) are the frigging bomb. Every weekend should be so long! Let's recap!

Friday: Off. Went out for fish and chips at this place in the market. So fresh, and really good fries. Also, we noticed a sign that said Mondays were all you could eat mussels nights. Hello, place we'll be back to on a Monday. As I recall, the weather was actually quite nice, too.

Saturday: Off (obviously). Left for Montreal on the train, where I left my awesome umbrella. That was not awesome. But the train ride always amazes me with how short it is, and we were there in no time. The weather was complete shit, but not even that can detract from the pure, unadulterated awesomenes that is Montreal. And you know, an H&M. I feel like the staff there can likely smell the desperation, excitement, and frenzy dripping off of Ottawa visitors.

Sunday: Off (again, obviously). Weather was much improved, I had a wicked croissant, and saw Born to Be Wild at the Science Centre IMAX. It was sooooo goooood. The good times continued to roll with a stop at one of my fave places, Juliette et Chocolat, and then right into dinner at Verses. It was, like, the best meal of my life. Holy crap, it was good.

Monday: Off (yay!!!) and the weather was gorgeous. Went to the Ikea there, which is three times the size of ours and suitably stocked with all the shit I can't buy here. So, bought shit. Did a bit more shopping, bit more eating, and then was on the train back home.

It was awesome sauce. My credit card is broken, but it was awesome.

And about that shit from Ikea. Indulge me a minute here: whyyyyyyyyyy is it so hard to find a good floor lamp? Over the last several months, I've been looking for a new floor lamp for the living room. Basically, there's no ceiling light in there, and no room for a table and table lamp - thus, floor lamp. So far I've found two that would do. One is from West Elm, which we don't have here and they won't ship from their website (but will from the Toronto store, which of course, doesn't have the item in stock), and one from Ikea. Which, of course, isn't stocked in Ottawa. It was in Montreal however and since the size wasn't prohibitive, it came on the train home. It looks perfect, but gives off all the light of a small Christmas tree. For fucks sake. I think its starting to grow on me, but that might be delusion and desperation taking over. It will likely be going back (barring any "You bought this in Quebec and we don't want it here" shenanigans). Floor lamp-gate 2011 continues.

Finally, and I'll keep this short: I'm currently reading two Bill Bryson books, my first ever kick at this particular can, and liking both. I can get down with his stuff, methinks. Go read his stuff is precisely what I'm going to do, in fact.

Have a lovely night, all!

(P.S - it just came to my attention that I do not have a Montreal subject heading. Will fix promptly in the morning!)

Cross Stitch Project: Update 7

2011-04-21T10:50:00.000-04:00

I've been working on the corner of death for what seems like forever. Yesterday, though this picture was taken immediately before and doesn't reflect the fact, I finished it. Whee!!

Unpublished - All the muck that was, apparently, unfit to rake

2011-04-16T15:43:00.001-04:00

Quite often, I begin blog posts and never finish them. They languish in the back end of Blogger, never published. I've gathered some of these for your reading pleasure. Enjoy.

****

From: Bitch List #002 - June 28, 2010

Food products that I can't buy easily in Canada (or at least in my grocery store), but show up with alarming regularity in recipes:

* Pinto beans

[Editor's note: Yup, one item. I guess life isn't so bad after all.]

****

From: Favourites - March 15, 2011

Recently, I've been spending some serious, serious, serious brain energy classifying my favourite items. I feel better with things put in tidy boxes like that - favourite, least favourite, fucking grossest, etc.

Here are some!

Favourite nut: Walnut

Favourite flower, smell: Lilac

Favourite flower, in a vase: Tulip

Favourite flower, on a postage stamp: Nah....

****

From: What is the deal with Billy Joel? - April 10, 2010

I'm having trouble articulating my thoughts on this, precisely, so maybe we'll start with a video.

Okay, so we all like Billy Joel tunes, on some level. Don't fight it, don't tell me I'm wrong: just admit it. You have or do or will again tap your toes to a Billy Joel song. It doesn't matter which one, so long as we can all admit that on some level, he has made some output that is catchy. I'll step up and admit he's done a lot of catchy things. I don't think any of it is particularly transcedent or ground breaking, but not everyone gets to be David Bowie and I think, though I could be wrong, that's okay too.

And in general, he's been very, very successful. You might only be able to admit to liking "Piano Man" and only under a certain list of conditions (it's late, I'm drunk, I'm getting sentimental, whatever), but by all measure of musical success in this day and age, Billy Joel has had it. Maybe not lately, and so you find it easy to forget about him, but undoubtedly, just go You Tube Billy Joel and see how many songs come up that you forgot about.

Anyways, I think what I don't think I get the deal with is who is this short, seriously unattractive, no groove, epitome of White Guy Dancing guy? His songs are that good? He's just so .... would Billy Joel be able to start a career today? Is he from some bygone era of ugly dudes who write Top 40 good clean fun pop? I get the success of the Elton John/Billy Joel shows - I want to go to one! - but like, Elton I don't classify as this in that Elton has been really theatrical for the longest time and even before that he's partly responsible for "Your Song."

[Editor's Note: Regretfully, this ends here. Anyone looking for a master's thesis, you're welcome. I just don't have the answers. Maybe there ARE no answers.]

****

From: Things I (Rather Irrationally) Hate - March 29, 2011

Picture frames with writing on them
Escalators at the mall that are out of service

[Editor's Note: No more than 2 weeks after I wrote that, there was a piece in the G&M about escalators, and they are, in fact, more difficult to walk up than normal stairs, so ha.]

****

From: Untitled - April 6, 2010

"Who needs a pet when you have a five-tonne elephant in the room?"

"When did I become of arbiter of how many motivational quotes is 'too many'?"

[Editor's Note: Oh, how I wish I could remember the context for those gems.]

An honest to goodness blog post

2011-04-15T06:49:00.000-04:00

Hello, friends- how is everyone?! Time for something resembling a real update! By which I mean, of course, rambling, bitching, and carrying on of the non-cross stitch variety.

Full disclosure: I'm writing again on the iPad, so my apologies for any typos and weirdness. Is it just me (or just first gen iPads) or are these things truly heavy and awkward? I usually read off of it in the mornings, and it's so ... cumbersome. And the cord - why are you so short? I think my expectations of such an item are vastly different than what it can provide. All in all, I'm aware I ought not to be looking a gift horse in the mouth, but I will say I'm glad this thing was free.

Anywho, let's kick this thing off Canadiana style: how about that weather? This shit it dragging. me. down. Monday was lovely - the rest of the week has been far too cold for my liking. There are spring coats I would like to enjoy wearing out of the house, but so far, I'm just left feeling "Should I have worn something more substantial?" And you know - my jacket collection deserves better than that. So get your shit together, nature.

Also Canadiana: political season be upon us. I don't intend to turn this post political, but a small plea to those of you who don't vote because you don't feel like it or you don't read that section of the paper, or otherwise don't have strong anti-voting convictions - please take some time, think about what's important to you and what's important for this country, do some research on the matter, and then go vote. If you think Reganomics and fighter jets are important after all that, then fine and I don't agree with you and whatever, but do it anyways. Of course, I hope you won't be fine with that really, because quite frankly, Harper and the CPC really piss me off, and I'm starting to feel the same way about him and his party as I do about the Republicans - only there, I get the smug satisfaction of it not being my fucked up country and poltical system to fix. Most likely, this paragraph is preaching to the converted anyways, but consider it part of my democratic duty. Also: here you go Greens - my two bucks.

In more cheerful news, here are some things that have rocked lately:
- Going to Montreal over the Easter weekend. Yay!
- Booked my flight to Philly for this summer's AALL. Philly cheesesteaks for both the win and lose.
- I wrote a book review for the CLLR and it was printed in the most recent edition. Eeeee. How do people write for a living? It's so nerve wracking.
- As I'm writing this, it's Friday, which can only mean one thing - jeans at work.

I think that's about that. I (think I?) have more actually going on in my real life, but who wants to hear about work and stuff? This weekend should be neat - groceries, a wedding shower, and if it doesn't rain, start to think about pulling Evelyn out and dusting her off. I actually need to go to the bike store and have them do a simple repair on the front brake, so that's fairly high on my priority list. One of the blogs I read (crikey, I could do a whole blog post on other blogs I read and how they impact my life) has me thinking more about how I'd like to ride my bike more. I wish Ottawa were better. Some would say it is, but I think about going anywhere on my bike and it all looks ... hard. Sigh, my kingdom for European style bike lanes.

On that note, time to start the day. It just occured to me that the early time stamp of this blog post probably seems weird, but I've just been getting up earlier with the spring. Also, my cat is an asshole. Anyways, happy Friday, all.

Cross Stitch Project: Update 6

2011-04-03T09:53:00.000-04:00

It's been a while, hasn't it? I think you'll find much progress. I loathe the top left corner. I think I'm just going to plow through and finish it, so that I don't have to even think about it anymore.

Been watching a lot of Fringe - it affords much time with idle hands. I'm certainly getting there. Whee!

On Strawberry Mini Wheats, and other things kitchen related

2011-03-22T21:41:00.000-04:00

Oh my Richard Dawkins (thank you Lexibeerob, for that one), Strawberry Mini Wheats, y'all. I was sitting here, waiting for another episode of Fringe to download (ha, erm, "Be Purchased") when the need for a dessert kicked in. Since the container of Easter jujubes purchased on the weekend was promptly eaten, there's nary a sweet in sight. Someone, I thought, got pudding cups, but I gots bupkis. BUT WAIT! I did buy something for my dessert! Strawberry Mini Wheats! A whole box of 'em, just waiting for me to crack it open, thus releasing the smell of fresh fake strawberry to my nose. Oh, how delicious. I am sated. Best. cereal. ever.

Also on the food front, I did two noteworthy things this evening. First, I used my new food processor for the first time. You know, there are things that just don't happen without a food processor. I was asked if I wanted a KitchenAid stand mixer more, and the truth is I do want one, but I can do most of the shit that I would do in that with either appliances I already own or with my own hands. Also: where does one find the room? Also: expensive. A food processor, however, does things that are magical and can't be accomplished without serious effort by hand - effort, quite frankly, I don't have and won't make. So anyways, I gave the mixer its maiden voyage with (here's the second noteworthy thing) hummus. I know, I know - I could have likely done that without a processor. But the truth is I wouldn't do it without the processor, so. I now have some tasty homemade hummus sitting in the fridge, gettin' all flavourful for use in a sammich tomorrow. I also feel it's worth mentioning that the clean up on the processor is way easy. It can all go in the washer, and doesn't have the "Likely to Stab Oneself" properties of the blender that I demoted to the basement storage in order to make room on the counter. Such good times. Also: blenders (counter top, not immersion) - you sort of suck. Unless I'm making a pitcher of margs (which, regretfully, NEVER happens) I just don't see a use for you in my kitchen. Or any kitchen. WHAT DO YOU DO??

Finally, except for that one time I accidentally ate a salami sammich (Things That Happen In Jenifesto's Life #458: Accidentally eating a sammich), I haven't had any meat since... when was that? The 2nd or the 3rd or something? The only time I've actually wanted something was this past Saturday at breakfast. I would have totally murdered a bacon and eggs breakfast. As it was, I had pancakes. The Mayf makes one seriously delicious pancake. How do they get them so fluffy? Everyone, what's the secret to fluffy pancakes? Anyways, tonight featured some sort of fake sausage product in a dish that normally has real snausages. It didn't really taste or feel like sausage, but it wasn't gross. In general, I'd much much much rather just use recipes that don't call for meat at all, instead of shoe-horning in stuff like that.

On that note, Fringe is ready. Over and out!

Cross Stitch Project: Update 5

2011-03-14T18:26:00.001-04:00

Ready for some more of my bad photos? iPod camera for the lose.

It's certainly coming along, isn't it? That's about as wide as it will be in total. Of course, there's everything else to surround it. It's a rectangle, so it should be longer than that width.

Musings on a gross winter evening

2011-03-10T20:26:00.000-05:00

There's a sort of desperation clinging on to everyone lately when it comes to this weather. It's like everyone is trying to find reassurance from someone else that winter will end, that it has to end eventually, and it's almost over (right? RIGHT???). Today in Ottawa there were puddles at the curbs that were comically large. Like, in the way that big glasses with fake noses and oversized hats are funny, these puddles were so large (and so deep) that it was actually hilarious. Oh man, winter. Time to say goodbye.

The upside is that I got some sort of undercooked cupcake ball covered with pink icing on a stick at Starbucks when I waded over there for a chai this afternoon. It was free. And free is so tasty.

In other foodly news, here are some bulleted points from the last week:

Pancake Tuesday was celebrated to the fullest on Tuesday night. As of late, my pancake of choice has flax seeds and chocolate chips and walnuts in them. Delicious!
It's been about a week or so since I've had meat. I can't say I miss it. I'd like some sausage, but other than that I can't say I've craved it at all. Not going veg as of yet - just a trial.
The Freshii that's opened up in the first floor of my building is So. Awesome. I'm just licking my lips from some of their frozen yogurt as I type.
There's nothing quite like some brie cheese in your lunch box to brighten up the day. I think I will be working that into my lunches more often.

Ooh, and before I go, another cross stitch project update is coming, I promise. It's coming along, and truth be told, seeing the progress on those posts actually makes me keen to keep working on it. It's really coming along!

Until next time, keep fit and have fun, folks.

Home shitty home

2011-03-03T18:57:00.000-05:00

Okay fine, my house is fine enough, but WHAT GIVES, weather? I was hoping to come back from Cuba to something approximating the beginning of spring, and ... there are still people skating on the canal. Le sigh.

Oh but hey, how about Cuba!? It was so awesome. It redefined what it means to be awesome. I did NOTHING for a week. Aside from reading, drinking, lounging, swimming in the ocean, and eating, of course. NOTHING. It was so nice. I didn't miss the internet at all, didn't miss my phone, lappy, iPad, or anything, and only used my watch to see if it was time to waddle back to the feed trough for another meal. I had pina colada after pina colada and each one tasted as good as the one before. The ocean was bath warm, and there were no signs of life that I couldn't handle living in it. The only (*only*) complaint I have is that I had to leave. Next year: two weeks. Stampsies, no erasies.

Anyways, back in Ottawa again, swamped in work, hating the winter. Is it just me, or has it been cold forever? I just went to the gym for the first time in forever, so that felt good and productive. On that note, however, I'm out of here. I've got some Little Big Planet 2 to play, tofu to eat, and a couch to lounge on. Later skaters!

Cross Stitch Project: Update 4

2011-02-21T10:55:00.000-05:00

Are you ready to have your mind blown!?!? You like fruit?

Because how about 'dem apples, amirite?!?! I'd say that's about 4 and 1/2 weeks of progress there. It's awesome.

So close, yet so far

2011-02-17T21:20:00.000-05:00

Readers, I am TIRED. I have no right to complain, I realize, because I'm leaving on vacation on Tuesday, but still ... tired. As I type, I'm staring at a stack of books I've ordered from Amazon for the trip (well, not you, collected edition of The Dark is Rising sequence - you can stay nice and sand-free here), and I'm pretty stoked to dig into them. As far as I'm concerned, vacation reading can start at the airport. And so, I think I'll ease into the week with The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag, and move through the rest as the spirit moves me. Also in preparation of the trip, the following items have been procured:

Sunscreen - times two. Spray and lotion. Minimum of 50 SPF, I believe.
Bug repellent
Bug bit remedy
Pepto Bismal (in the event of nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach and/or diarrhea)
Bathing suits - times two. Cuteness!
"Fancy" flip flops. They have black sequin-y type things on them. I realize that sounds old lady cruise ship-y, but they're cute, I promise.
New "comfy" bra (have I told you about my "comfy" bras IRL, people who I would have told that to?) - as it turns out, not only is it comfy, but it's also the only thing I've found that is suitable for both a) the rack, and b) this sundress I bought almost two years ago and have never worn.

I think I have everything else I need, which is great, and overall I don't think there's all that much to pack. Which is good since I fully intend on bringing home the maximum in terms of rum and I needs the room in my luggage. In the event I end up buying the rum at the airport, mind you, we fortunately have a direct flight, so I don't have to like, repack duty free rum at the airport, opening up my luggage in public for the whole world to see both my shitty packing skills and my unders. Anyways, rum for the win.

Oh, and while I have the mic here: listen up, seasons. When I get back, Winter, you're to have packed your bags and got out. It's over. Spring, see you soon.

And finally, there's a special someone out there to whom I owe a hand-written letter. Dahling, I think about it often, and today was like, "Hey! I can send her one from Cuba!" It then it occurred to me that ... can I, like, mail a postcard or something from Cuba? Has anyone done that? Does it cost one million dollars? Do I have to bribe someone? They sell postcards, so they must also sell stamps ... right? I do believe this will be a personal mission while I'm there. Ooh, and I promise - I'll write it early enough in the day while I'm still moderately dry. So it's not just a ragged looking card with my scrawled out "FIDEL!" on the back and condensation ring from Pina Colada on the Day #17.

All right, really done now. Since I'm not bringing the cross stitch project with me, I'm going to go get some time in with that now. Update post before I go, since I imagine you're all just out of your mind with curiosity. Nighty night.

Cross Stitch Project: Update 3

2011-02-12T13:27:00.000-05:00

Okay, now I really think there's going to be not much to compare. Since I can see the pattern (and you can't - nanny nanny pooh pooh), I know why things are looking like they are, but you're probably like, "What's up, straight edge there on the right?" All in good time.

Here we are at week 3:

Having broken my ass on the canal means I can't go to the gym after work like I normally do. Thus, my cross stitch time is increased. While I like it because it allows more a) time hanging out, and b) cross stitching, and c) watching 7th Heaven (shut up), my thick Slavic torso does not need the encouragement. I actually want to go back. I want to go to the gym! Anyways, I've been working on it a bit more than would be usual. While I'm posting this Saturday, in fairness (to ... no one) this was the progress as of the end of Wednesday.

Cross Stitch Project: Update 2

2011-02-03T17:34:00.001-05:00

Howdy, kids. It's been a week, and I feel like I've made absolutely no progress. I've been working on it just as much, but I think it was in little spurts of colours here and there, and only one giant patch of colour. But let us let the picture tell the story:

I can't tell you how excited I was to break out the green for the small oval there. You can't tell with the totally rad resolution of this picture, but there are several shades of red and rust and peach going on in there. It makes it look "real."

Ah, and if anyone is asking (... they're not), I find the whole project rather soothing. I'm pretty high stress as of late, and there's something akin to sucking my thumb about laying down some stitches. If you're like me (which is to say neurotic, anxiety ridden, high stress, anal retentive, and stunningly gorgeous), seriously, give it a whirl. You can get a little kit like they make for kids (my first cross stitch was a turtle!) and they're super easy to learn! In fact, here's the turtle:

Easy!

That was the weekend that was

2011-02-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Soaring high and crushing lows, folks.

The good is that I finally have a TV that isn't complete jokes. HD! On a really nice stand, too! Little Big Planet 2 is sitting in the living room waiting for me to enjoy with wonderful new clarity. Of course, this comes at a time when I've accepted that I really do need my glasses more, but really, that's quite good timing, no? Ooh, and also, I picked up some adorbs fabric to start practicing on the sewing machine with - I'm going to start with some simple totes for my friend's daughters. Wish me luck!

The bad, however, is my breaking my ass on the canal. Jonathan really wanted to go skating, and while I wasn't on fire for the idea, I a) didn't want him to have to go enjoy the quintessential Ottawa experience alone, b) it was a nice enough day for it - not too cold, and sunny, and c) I wanted a Beavertail. The upside is I got the Beavertail before my spectacular wipeout, I guess. I don't think anything is actually broken, but everything actually hurts. I landed pretty directly on my tailbone, but also with a hint of my right arm. There were tears, there was an excruciating "skate" back to the skate rental / boot check chalet, and there was the fantastic moment of my FINALLY getting back to the benches by the chalet after the most excruciating kilometer of my life and having the medical assistance truck drive me right then.

Anywho, how were your weekends?

“Too precious to destroy” – Philip Pullman stands up for public libraries | Blog | False Economy

2011-01-27T09:39:00.001-05:00

“Too precious to destroy” – Philip Pullman stands up for public libraries | Blog | False Economy

You should read this, kind blog folk. Not because you live in the UK and this concerns you directly (though if you do, all the more so), but this particular battle is being waged all over. Also, Philip Pullman, who was already 31 flavours of awesome, really brings his A game.

Cross Stitch Project: Update 1

2011-01-26T20:17:00.000-05:00

So last week, I received my new cross stitch kit in the mail. (Oh, and warning: old lady stylez craft conversation begins now). In sum: I want to do a giant Van Gogh cross stitch, but I wanted to start with something a little less intense (and indeed, less expensive), so I ordered a kit from a delightful little stitching supplies company I've found online. Excellent prices and reasonable shipping! Anyways, it arrived last week. After spending 2 (TWO!) hours sorting the thread, I put it away for the night and started the next day. That was one week today.

Now, as I like to think about cross stitch, it is the cataloguing of the crafting world. It is SO TIME CONSUMING and PARTICULAR. But, as Louise said on the first day of Cataloguing 101, "Anal retentive people, you've come home" (I'm paraphrasing, but it was like that, I swear), and that's how I feel about cross stitch. I am indefatigable when it comes to stitching, so I can spend rather extensive stretches of time on this thing. Not only does it stop me from snacking (clean hands make a clean project!), but I feel straight outta some Jane Austen novel (... that I've never read, shut up) when I'm sitting there with a needle, thread, and embroidery hoop.

Since my grandma is fo sho not reading my blog (though if she is for some odd reason, "Shout out, Grandma! And stop reading now!"), I can say that I'm intending on framing this masterpiece and giving it to her for Jenmas '11. Grandmas like that kind of shit.

So here's update one, one week into the project. I started slow. And then had to rip out half my work. And then started again, this time with a highlighter for the chart (see also: Things Learned About Cross Stitching While Cross Stitching - Use a highlighter and mark off stitches completed on your chart). It's coming along!

And yea, shitty photog skills on equally shitty iPhone camera. What's it going to be!??!?! Stay tuned!

Saturday Continued

2011-01-15T18:04:00.000-05:00

I'm tooling around with the blog again - Blogger has done quite a bit to update the template process, oh my! This template renders my old blog posts a bit harder to read (teaches me for changing the font colour off of the default for a post for five years), so sorry. Still readable, just hard. Carry on with your weekends, team.

On weekends, iPads, and Philadelphia

2011-01-15T07:34:00.000-05:00

Here's a rather early morning post for you all, as you start your weekend. I believe it was the cat that woke me up an hour and a half ago, and I just couldn't fall back asleep. I sense a mid-morning nap coming!

I've been epically busy these past couple weeks, so forgive the lack of posts. Also forgive if I'm supposed to either write or phone you back, or basically do anything for you in general. Yesterday was especially derailed when I had to head home from work with a monster headache. My brain felt like it was swollen three times too big for my skull. AND ON FIRE. Since my place gets full sunlight in the afternoon, I literally had to hide under the covers for darkness and wait for the Tylenol to take effect.

So the weekend! What have you all got going on? Today, I've got groceries, but in general this weekend, I've got some work I'd like to do for the course I'm instructing, some sewing machine research I keep forgetting to do (I know, I know - shit or get off the pot re: sewing machine purchase), and a possible trip to Ikea. In a post that is to follow, I'll detail what I consider to be one of the single greatest accomplishments of my life - fixing the wall of pictures in my living room. As I have a small helping of art coming in the mail over the next two weeks, I'll be needing a few trusty Ribba frames to make the magic really happen. Post to come.

Might I also say - this is my first time blogging on my iPad. Things I didn't realize I would keep screwing up or looking for or whatever: the apostrophe and colon / semi colon not being on the main keyboard; shifting and then the comma key for an exclamation mark; missing most of the keys as I type, trying to be gentle with my sausage fingers.

In some library news, I've rejoined SLA! Well, sort of. Since I was a member back in the day, it's been a back and forth with their membership department to renew (not bad back and forth, just getting questions answered and the whatnot) and it appears I'm now good to go and sign in to pay up (things also done in the wee hours: check work email). I'll be doing that this morning. I'm pretty thrilled. I want to go to their conference this year in Philly in June, so I have my fingers crossed that I can swing it. In the Case of Poorly Chosen Conference Locations, I'll be in Philly in July for sure for AALL. Not complaining really, of course, and no disrespect to Philly, but you know. I will say, however, that this would greatly open up my time availability for eating a more representative sample of the city's best Philly cheesesteaks. I've already started researching. Prognosis: elastic-waisted pants time.

And on that note - I'm off. Actually getting a bit peckish, and it's a long, grocery shopping interupted way to brunch. Have a great weekend!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-04T22:27:00.006-05:00

It's what, January 4th? I already feel out of date in titling a blog post "Happy New Year" but whatevs. I haven't had even one second to get around to this until now. How were your holidays? Did you get what you want? Have a nice break? Eat a lot of food? Excellent. Mine was great too, with special emphasis on the "eat a lot of food" part. Except I don't feel that I ate quite enough to justify how much I feel like a blimp now (see also: where the hell was the mincemeat pie this year?), but that's what the holidays are for.

So, for the wrap-up: Jenmas was as hectic as anticipated. SO BUSY. I managed to get everything done that was on the list, so that's good, but it was mad. Florida was mostly warm (just my luck, we brought the cold weather with us - record coldness the first two days we were there!), and I had an AWESOME time at Harry Potter.

Some notes for those thinking of visiting:

It's busy. Busy as all hell. I've never been anywhere so busy IN MY LIFE. Serious. There was over an hour wait to just get into that area of the park (whereas you can just stroll into any other area).
That said, 'Mericans will line up for hours on end for a) food, and b) to buy shit they probably can't afford. Expect much shorter lines for rides than anything you might want to purchase.
Also, for Hogwarts - if you don't want to wait in line, take the single rider line. Way quicker, and there's absolutely no way you could talk to whoever you're with for the like, two minutes the ride lasts anyways.
It was delightfully well detailed - that might be the best thing of the park. Look at all the details and stuff.
Pumpkin juice tastes like fall in a glass, and Butterbeer tastes like a butterscotch ice cream float pop. It was AWESOME. And both very, very sweet.

And so, that was awesome. I got some new clothes, and also (faithful readers will be happy to know), a shit tonne of Nature Valley cinnamon granola bars. Which, of course, I'm not eating at the moment due to the previously mentioned holiday-induced spare tire I'm rocking. They'll wait for me, as I'll wait for them.

In one final wrap-up for 2010, I made it a goal to read (a whopping) 24 books. I'm pleased to say my goal was accomplished on the 30th when I finished, at last, 1984. I've decided I'll up the ante this year and read (an even more whopping) 36. As I've currently got two on the go right now, I'm well on my way.

All right, time to head to bed, maybe work on those books. I hope you all have a really great 2011 - health, happiness, all that.

Beauty Lives CD Pics

2010-12-22T14:44:00.000-05:00

Here's some of my trademark bad photography of my hand-crafted Beauty Lives CD. Awesome, non?

Calm before the storm?

2010-12-21T21:30:00.000-05:00

There is SO MUCH TO DO in the next five days that I can barely see straight. Oh, this time of year, you kill me! Here's a run down:

Tomorrow - Work! Yay! Yay? Actually, the library folk are going out for lunch to Town (exciting!) on Elgin, so that is a yay. After work, though - nay. Flight to TO. And then to SC.

Thursday - Visiting SC friends ALL DAY followed by my aunt's 50th b-day or something at night. Plans are ill-defined (at least, they sound as such to me), but I'll just be piled into a car and driven somewhere anyways, so whatevs.

Friday - Jenmas Eve - Family, followed by running around, followed by the big Jenmas Eve dinner. Topped of this year with Jenmas Cupcakes. CUPCAKES!! WITH COCONUT!!

Saturday - Jenmas - Bio Family gift opening, followed by Urban Family gift opening, followed by bus ride (where I actually get 1.5 hours of peace and quiet time - bliss!), followed by J's Family dinner. As dictated several years ago, I'm turning 27. I'm always turning 27, you got it?? Finally, collapse.

Sunday - Mercifully, nothing until flight to Florida.

I'm punchy with exhaustion and I haven't even done anything. Whee!

The good news in all this is the following: doing all my shopping ahead of time was THE BEST. J and I haven't had to really go to the mall on pressing nature for anything. So stress-free, and way way way more fun. Also, I threw some business to a nice handful of small entrepreneurs this holiday season, and I've been way beyond pleased with all of my purchases. Ooh, and also: tonight, we ordered in Swiss Chalet festive specials, drank eggnog, and opened gifts in jammy jams, listening to my awesome Holiday Mix tape, from J of Mix Tapes fame. Thank you profusely, J, for the most awesome of mix tapes. "Holiday Road" was an inspired choice, and made my day completely!

Ah, and I'll post pics tomorrow - my limited edition Sarah Slean b-sides CD came today. HAND CRAFTED CASE!!! If I had a safe, it would be in there. Maybe I'll frame it. Epic. Happy Jenmas to me.

On that note, I'm so out of here. The flannel sheets are on the bed, and it's like sleeping in a cocoon of pure awesome. In addition to being completely bagged already anyways, I've never more looked forward to climbing into bed.

Oooh, before I go. I don't know if I've posted this before, but what the hell: if I have and you have a problem with it, go start your own blog. My blog, my rules. I fucking love the Pas de Deux from The Nutcracker, and there's something that I love too much about this. I don't know a whole lot about ballet, but this particular rendition makes my heart sing.

Erm, In Town?

2010-12-12T19:15:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone! I'm back! For those who weren't sure where I was off to, it was to a leadership institute (for, according to Jonathan, "awesome librarians") in BC. It was INTENSE. Like, make you work so hard that you're tired, emotionally vulnerable, and crying in a hotel bar with a mentor. INTENSE! I had a really great time, learned a lot, and have a renewed vigor for my job n' stuff. Coming home was this really weird and emotional experience. And draining. Oh my, how I've slept!

So now I'm back. To wet cold, by the way. Dry cold is, well, dry. Drrryyyyyyy. Dry. What is that shit? I mean, I think I like it except for the extreme dryness you wake up to in your throat (if I lived there, I'd need a humidifier, badly), as this wet cold here is gross. Today was particularly offensive, what with the freezing torrential rain. We went out to Ikea and Costco (hello, civilization, and your mighty array of box stores), and it was treacherous. Anywho, it's good to be back in Ottawa now, and it's nice to be home. The Jenmas tree was erected on Wednesday, and is glowing nicely here in the living room. I only get to enjoy it for another week and a half or so before the holidays takes me out of here again, but it's lovely to look at all the same.

Is anyone else here thinking about new year's resolutions yet? I know, lame and who does that and whatevs, but I like the idea of structure and detail (as per my Myers Briggs and Strength Finder profiles, so do sumthin') and so what the hell - a list it is! I didn't exactly go 10 for 10 with the 2010 list, but that's no excuse, IMO, to start another. I have a subscription to Chatelaine (shut up now), and they have this feature that I skim through every month (as in, skim it on the way to the recipes and clothes, so much so that I don't even know what the real name of the feature is) where I *think* what they do is list "Do" resolutions. As is, not a list of "Don't Smoke," or "No more drinking," or "Stop eating whole bags of Hint of Lime Tostitos in one sitting" (whoa, how did that one get in there?), but more "Do get up ten minutes early to stretch," or "Take an apple to work." It's all hippie-dippy feel good stuff, I know, but I like the idea of allowing things more than disallowing, so I think I'll work with that sort of mind frame for the upcoming year. "Do give yourself a break about relatively insignificant weight gain" or "Take your vitamin D." Anyone else?

And on that note, I'm out of here. I'm hungry, and I haven't watched TV in what feels like days. Perhaps weeks. Time for a little of that before the madness of another work week.

Ooh, and 13 days til Jenmas!

Out of Town

2010-11-30T18:47:00.000-05:00

Hey, y'all! I'll be outta here for the week - Rocky Mountains, here I come! I'm massively stressing out over this whole trip, but it should be great and, of course, picturesque. See you in a week!

Things I've Described Myself As Today

2010-11-22T20:16:00.000-05:00

In the on-going saga of The Tooth I Destroyed in the 3rd Grade, my wickedly awesome plastic coating that makes me look decent has once again chipped. On account of this heinousness, here's a brief list of ways I've described my current look:

A hillbilly
A yokel
White trash
A Mountain People (grammatically incorrect and I like it)
Someone about to be arrested on Cops with no shoes on
The troll who waits for the 3 Billy Goats Gruff

My appointment for gettin' 'er fixed is Wednesday morning, bright and early.

Facebook Meme of the Week: 100 Books

2010-11-21T20:25:00.003-05:00

Or, Books I've Also Started But Didn't Finish.

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien

3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

6 The Bible (like, in its entirety? Nah.)

7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell (Update: Done!)

9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman

10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens

11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcot (Started, never finished)

12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

14 Complete Works of Shakespeare (I'd say I've read about 2/3)

15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier

16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien

17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk

18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger

19 The Time Traveler’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

20 Middlemarch - George Eliot

21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell

22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald

24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy

25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams (Started, haven't finished)

27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky

28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens

33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis (Hate. Narnia. Have read 2.5 books)

34 Emma - Jane Austen (Started, didn't finish)

35 Persuasion - Jane Austen

36 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Samuel L. Clemens

37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini (To quote Sam, "You only need to read an Afghani rape parable once." Yup.)

38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres

39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

40 Winnie the Pooh - A.A. Milne

41 Animal Farm - George Orwell

42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving

45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery (Started, didn't finish due to extreme boredom.)

47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy

48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood

49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding

50 Atonement - Ian McEwan

51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel

52 Dune - Frank Herbert (Heh, I've written before about my inability to finish this book.) 53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons

54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen (Started, haven't finished.)

55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth

56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley (Up next!!)

59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon

60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov (Started, have yet to finish ... after Brave New World, perhaps.)

63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt

64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

65 Count of Monte Cristo- Alexandre Dumas

66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac

67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding

69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie

70 Moby Dick - Herman Melvill

71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens

72 Dracula - Bram Stoker

73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson

75 Ulysses - James Joyce

76 The Inferno - Dante

77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome

78 Germinal - Emile Zola

79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray

80 Possession - AS Byatt (And we've discussed this one recently.)

81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker

84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro

85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert

86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

87 Charlotte’s Web - E.B. White

88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom

89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (If anyone is looking for my Jenmas gift...)

90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton

91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery

93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks

94 Watership Down - Richard Adams

95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole

96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute

97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas

98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare

99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

And that would be 31 32 actually finished (I think, if I counted right). I need to finish what I start, y'all.

Wicked awesome stuffs

2010-11-11T21:20:00.000-05:00

So, Ms. Sarah Slean was recently soliciting names of favourite unreleased songs of hers from the fans, in order to create a B-Sides CD. Also, a limited run on the CDs would be available in hand-crafted special edition packaging. AND OH YEA, I bought mine today. Could I BE more excited!?!?! It won't mail until December 20th, but what a great Jenmas gift. I so hope it gets here before I leave for the holidays, but if not, no matter! This is still the Jenmas gift of the year. She has such a knack for putting out amazing stuff at this time of year. It's like she knows! ;)

Talkin' 'bout travel n' stuff

2010-11-08T11:22:00.000-05:00

I had big plans to do one of those 30 day blog memes for November, but then I didn't get around to starting it on time. It's too late to start now, right? Boo. Next month is too busy, more than 30 days, and blah blah excuses cakes. I'll get to it eventually.

So yeah, the next month and a half or so is going to be busy busy busy with travel. Next weekend we're attending Ottawa's Timeraiser, but then from there it's all travel all the time for a little while. A girl's weekend in Kingston should be super fun, and very much needed. Also, the Montebello for work. It's the one time a year (or every two years, as it were) that I enjoy a nice prime rib, so I'm looking forward to that. In December, I've been super lucky to have been accepted into this year's Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute, which will be at this gorgeous lodge in BC. After that, I'll be having an awesome tree-trimming party**, resulting in a Jenmas tree I can enjoy until the 22nd, when I leave for SC, and then Florida. I'll be back in the New Year, but mercifully, Cuba has been booked for February. Busy, but fun times!

In other news, I finished the Elizabeth Taylor book. It was pretty awesome. Satisfying to the last drop. Pick it up if you're looking for some nice light reading - maybe on the beach, or if you're feeling Burton-y, on your yacht with your three hundred dogs and diamonds. It's good stuff. I've moved on to 1984 (yes, I know, how haven't I read that yet, and no it's not because I want to watch the Richard Burton movie ... or is it?), as well as a giant stack o' books for NELI. I started with the thinnest, so I could cross if off the To Read list and feel accomplished. Which it's doing, while also making me feel like the world's biggest failure. Breaking me down before building me back up again, right? Right!? It's all good - I'm getting learned in the way of leadership.

Ooh, and finally - I never recorded it here on the blog last month when it happened, but OH HAI, positive net worth! It's not much (like, reeeeeeeeaaalllllllly not much), but it's the first time that's been the case in 10 whole years, so that's pretty awesome by me. Kiss my grits, National Student Loans Centre!

All right, over and out. Have a good week, all!

**Seriously, damn you Galen Weston Jr., and your "Insiders Report." OF COURSE I had to buy a peppermint cheesecake and box of PC hors d'oeuvres, as featured in said flyer. So much pre-made tasty!

A Sunday Blog

2010-10-24T19:46:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone! How's your October going? Mine has been BUSY, so pardon the lack of updating. To be honest, not a whole lot to report on, so I'll start with a bulleted list, and then move into some YouTube, m'kay?

Just got back from a conference in Toronto. I'm relieved to be home, though I can't say I'm looking forward to going back to a pile of work tomorrow.
I've started my Jenmas shopping. I love buying gifts. There are some awesome items being distributed this year!
Have I mentioned I'm going to the Harry Potter theme park this winter. Even if I have, I really believe that it's worth mentioning again. Wingardium MotherFucking Leviosa.
I'm currently reading Possession which I'm finding it hard to really get into (which shouldn't have been much of a surprise, given how I feel about Victorian literature, and well), and Furious Love, about Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (who apparently defined "hot" once upon a time, before she became all White Diamonds and Michael Jackson and hip replacements and he became dead). I imagine you can guess which I like better.
Omg, didn't she marry t... oh no, wait. That was Liza Minnelli. How epically sad that I'm confusing the two. Because, you know, of now.
Sorry about that - let's get that taste out of our mouths with something vintage. Here and here (and sorry to Deb, who hates Fosse.)
I'm teaching myself to cross stitch. It was easy at first, but now it's a bit harder. I will overcome, however, and one day I'll get the hang of this quarter-stitch business.
I was in SC for about 24 hours this week for my dad's birthday. It was very brief, but there was cake to be had, as well as a cupcake from an EXCELLENT cupcakery very close to my dad's place. I'll be ordering some for Jenmas in lieu of the classic Yule Log.

I do believe that sums things up. Work is work, cupcakes are cupcakes, home is home. Before I go, I must mention something I found the other night when I was on YouTube (you all do it too, don't lie). I get an alarming amount of hits on this blog from people looking for a Sesame Street clip about perogies. I never posted it in the age of the Saturday Morning Sesame Street Classic Kitsch (which I loved doing - should I revive?), but WHAT!?!? There was a perogy song and I've never seen it!?!?! If anyone ever stumbles upon that on the internets, please send it my way! Anyways, I was making a search for it, and I found this. I can't believe little kids nowadays know the word "Sycophant," but whatevs. I love this, and I love the Don Draper muppet. I was half expecting a muppet with a set of giant cans to come in dressed as Joanie, but in light of the whole Katy Perry debacle, perhaps it's for the best.

An open letter to @Nature_Valley

2010-10-12T09:36:00.000-04:00

Er, ahem, Nature Valley, a General Mills Brand.

Dear Nature Valley,

Upon my most recent trip to the United States, I was most pleased to find your Crunchy Granola Bars available in cinnamon. Simply put, these are the best granola bars I've ever had and they have changed my life. As a long-time Crunchy Granola Bars fan and consumer, finding a new flavour was like finding gold. Nay, finding gold in a pot, next to a leprechaun, next to a rainbow. A double rainbow. All the way. It is with great sadness that I pass through the granola bar aisle at my grocery store here in Canada, and there are no cinnamon bars. I don't even care if none of the other flavours you seem to have are available here, I just want the cinnamon. I will be purchasing as many as I can carry to bring back upon my next trip to the United States, but seeing as though that is not until December, I have a long, long way to go, and certainly, a cinnamon bar would be just too good for words with a chai latte.

Many thanks,

Jenifesto

New York: The Finale

2010-10-04T22:02:00.001-04:00

So, I just uploaded some pics to FB - check 'em out, y'all - at my father's request. He all was "I was talking to your mother and she said you sent her pictures, so where are my pictures?" so I was all "It was one picture old man" and he was all "I'd like some pictures" and I was all "Uggggggh, fine, I'll do it, but I'm not cleaning my room." And so, there are pictures up now.

Anyways, to seal off this particular adventure, here's the last post. On our second to last night there, I, Jenifesto, saw Ms. Bernadette Peters and Ms. Elaine Stritch in a performance of Stephen Sondheim's "A Little Night Music."

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

To those of you who this means nothing, my explaining it will continue to mean nothing. To those who I do not have to explain this to, you know.

It was DIVINE. Ahhhhh!

I was debating what to post here as a tribute to this. There are some promo clips online from the production, but they just don't ... capture it. But ... nah, fuck it.

And to be fair:

Siiiigh. It was awesome. AWESOME.

And not content to let this alone, I'll post some even more. Both from Company, oddly enough!

Here's some more Bernadette. This performance perhaps made me fall in love with her.

And Elaine. Ah, Elaine. There's actually two parts to this clip. This part two. It was during the original cast recording of Company, and it had been an incredibly long day, and Elaine's voice was not able to do it, and gah, the whole thing is awesome, but here's just the end. Also: Stephen Sondheim is five years old, and I'd never want to be on the receiving end of his bitchy "I'm not amused" face.

New York: Accomodations

2010-09-27T09:34:00.000-04:00

I have one more post after this one to wrap it up an awesome note. But first - I can't possibly chronicle everything that happened, but in case you're interested, I'll make a note of the accomodations and random thoughts associated therewith.

So, I originally booked accomodations for this trip in January. I figured New York likely sold out fast, so it was better to do it early and avoid disappointment. Since I assumed that this trip would be full days of running around and getting exhausted (it was), I just needed a place to crash. Maybe stash some food. Something secure. But that was it. I found an incredibly priced and amazingly well reviewed hostel on Hostel World (NYC actually has very few hostels) that seemed to fit the bill - private rooms, shared kitchen and wash facilities, clean, secure, etc. The price was Insane. I went for it. Later in the year, I had to make a switch in the reservation, which the proprietress did with absolutely no fuss, and in the end we had two really excellent double rooms for the whopping total of ... 525.00 for a week. Insane, right?

So we were in Harlem, which was awesome. The food is amazing, the 125th street stop was a block and a half away (where the express trains stopped, nonetheless - amazing), and it was just sooo easy to get to wherever we wanted to go. There was a really good grocery store a less than 5 minute walk away. The place itself was cute cute cute, and kept really, really clean. Eee! And they had two kitties!! Such cute ones, that wouldn't come into your room unless you invited them! Overall, it was really, super positive, and I'm reminded that I need to go do my Hostel World review. PM me, of course, if you want more deets.

If I were to go back to NYC (nay, When I go back to NYC), I think I'd be inclined to stay here again. It really fit all the needs of a busy traveller, and when you want to go and blow a tonne o' cash in New York on other things, the price couldn't be beat. It was really an excellent, excellent decision (you know, if I do say so myself!).

New York: Shopping! And Eating!

2010-09-20T20:29:00.000-04:00

Yea, both of those deserve exclamation marks. I'm combining these two items, since they're equally important. I barely scratched any sort of surface in terms of either, relative to what New York has to offer, but I still thoroughly enjoyed what I did get up to in my short time there.

I'll start with shopping: I take time here and there on this blog to bitch about companies that won't ship to Canada, or don't have locations in Canada, or have three locations Canada but it's either Toronto or Edmonton and the shipping is PROHIBITIVE. Ahem. So I made a point of shopping at stores I can't normally shop in, and that proved quite exciting. Or in the case of J Crew, even trying on stuff in their store so I can better purchase online. I think, overall, I behaved with the shopping - if you have limitless amounts of money, there is an unlimited amount of shit to buy - but I did get a couple dresses, skirts, new jeans (that are actually comfortable and cool looking, despite how much I hate pants), tops, a Bea Arthur sweater (my fave, do sumthin'), and some stuff from my most favourite of any kitsch store around, Pylones. While in general my choice of stores was fairly economical and conservative, as again, if you want to spend money (and looooooooooots of it) on A dress or A shirt, you can. I'm above such frivolity, mind you (ha), so I did not blow my load in Saks, Bergdorf, and the like.

Now, for the food. I think I had the full gauntlet of street food: Pizza - check. Pretzel - check. Roasted nuts - check. A "Combo" (which appears to be the fillings of a shawarma, like, on a plate) - check. Slice of pizza - check. Check check check. Also had? This place for "Authentic Southern Cuisine" - and I could write a blog post about that on it's own. I had the "Barack Obama," and it was gooooood. Jonathan had ... some other dish, and it was piece of fried chicken dripping (!!!) with honey. It was insane. We went to this place for a breakfast, and I wanted to just move in there, it was So. Cute. Oh god, their apple turkey sausage! I'm sooo upset I couldn't find time to go back and grab a coconut brownie from the bakery counter. Next time, seriously. There were many places, but I'll end off with where we went to for our last night there, which as I suggested I might do - we went to Tom Colicchio from Top Chef's restaurant, Colicchio and Sons. It was gorgeous inside, the food and service was amazing, and it was a really great experience.

I could go on for hours about all of this, but I'll leave it with this parting thought, for which I apologize in advance to Renata for this useless tip, but those roasted nuts stands? They have roasted coconut, people. That's some serious shit. Don't just pass them by thinking you'll get a bag of peanuts. Like I did! Roasted. Coconut.

New York: The Museums!

2010-09-17T20:00:00.001-04:00

I've been debating where to start with New York posts, and I mean, the whole city and experience is so overwhelming that I could start with any number of things. But I did do a fair share of museums when I was there, so that seems like a nice and tidy place to kick things off from.

On Sunday, my first full day there, I went to The Frick Collection. I had heard from at least three people that I HAD to go there. I wasn't planning on going on Sunday, but things sort of got jostled around a bit and I ended up there for opening on Sunday morning. Which is also "Pay What You Can" day (well, from 11 am to 1 pm), so that was neat. I love love love audio tours of museums, and The Frick had a great one, made greater in that it was free. The only thing better than a good audio tour is a good free audio tour. The place lived up to the hype - beautiful building, amazing collection of art. It is a must for anyone going to NYC - even if you go on Sunday and pay a few bucks because you think it won't be your thing. Full price would also be well worth it, IMO.

Monday, I went to the Guggenheim. This was fantastic luck, because it was the last day for an exhibit they had on called Haunted. Soooo amazing. So amazing I bought the book. They also have a really incredible collection of art, and currently featuring a nice selection of nice Impressionist work, and a room full of Kandinsky and Malevich. But, of course, the most amazing thing about the Guggenheim is that building - so interesting and gorgeous. Ooooh, and free audio tour!

Nothing could have conceivably prepared me for the The Met the next day. I had read everywhere and heard everywhere that it was Billy Fucillo-Huuuuuuge, but holy shit, it's huge. Afterwards, I was thinking of the exhibit halls I didn't go to there, and ... there were more I didn't go to than I did go to. The ones I went to, though, were Awesome. Amazing Modern collection, really really really great period rooms from France, gigantic Impressionist collection, an awesome photography exhibit of New York from the 1950s to the 1980s by Leon Levinstein, and so much more. God, I missed so much, though! I need to go back. And on the note of Van Gogh? This. Oh my fucking god, this. So beautiful. So beautiful I bought the poster, and if I ever get an office one day, it's going up to my other Van Gogh poster, the one I bought at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. As with every Van Gogh I've ever seen in person, there is NOTHING like seeing them for realzies.. Something about them doesn't capture on print or screen, and so while those posters are lovely, they're sad reproductions of the real things. But I love them, and that painting at The Met was breathtaking. There is an audio tour, and it's really fantastic, but you do have to pay 7 bones for it. Worth it, I say, as you could just walk around there and learn nothing very easily.

Moving on, the next museum I went to was MoMA. You know what really surprised me about the place? How busy it was. It was rammed. Unreal. And that's with one of the floors being closed for installation (which unfortch meant I missed some of the work from the 1940s to the 1970s - a-boo). There was a gigantic Matisse exhibit on, but he's not really my bag. Not to dwell on the Impressionist work I saw during this trip (though, I do love it, so sue me), but this is hanging there. I gasped when I saw it! I had no idea it was there, and I immediately recalled the Doctor Who episode, and then I got a little emotional. Siiigh. Ooh, also there? This. It's small. I was not expecting something so small. Other neat exhibits were those on the photography of sculpture (which saved my ass this week at trivia when I correctly identified a Man Ray photo that I saw there), and photography by women. I do love photography, what can I say? Ooh, and London Underground visual identity - very cool. What a great museum if you like Modern art. Oooh OOOH ooh, free audio tour.

Annnnd, finally, possibly the most awesome in another way - the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. Listen up, kittens - you need to go here. Go. Go now. I'll wait. Back? Good. Wasn't it awesome? It was so awesome, wasn't it? We did the "Getting By" tour, and it was fantastic, and I want to go back and do all the others. I'm so serious. This was THE SHIT. Our tour guide, Darryl, was amazing. And the gift store is aces ten. Just ... look through that site. It was phenomenal. In a city with no shortage of things to spend money on, this will be 20 of the best dollars you spend. Just do it.

I'm fairly sure that sums up the museums I went to. They were all really world class, as you'd expect. I was not disappointed in any way with any of them, and I'd likely go back to all of them. No, scratch that, I'd definitely go back to all of them. It was also neat to compare the collections and see what everyone has. In a couple cases, the Met and the Frick have copies of the same pictures (in all the cases I'm thinking of, the Frick's were earlier editions, and the Met's were copies done by the original artist). Ah, and great gift shops in all of them. I love buying art cards of works I really liked in the museum (I hate people who take pictures of art in museums!), and and I can't wait to do the pages for my scrapbook for this trip (I'm a nerd - do sumthin').

Thus completes my first wrap up. I think I have three more in me - they probably won't be as long, but thanks for hanging in there!

Home again

2010-09-12T20:52:00.000-04:00

So, hey, everyone! Back from New York. It was awesome and well deserving of one or two blog posts - which I will do, but not tonight. Tonight, I have some Mad Men to get caught up on (being a week behind already is killing me - Must. Avoid. Spoilers!). And I think there's some laundry to switch over. And showering. And blargh, back into the swing of things. So: New York blog posts coming this week, I promise!

"For the Country Look"

2010-09-03T09:36:00.003-04:00

A friend of mine from library school, also initalled J, sends me a monthly Mix Tape. No, of course it's not a tape, but "Mix CD" doesn't have that same ring to it, and never will. Anyways, I'm pathetically uncreative (despite my wanting a sewing machine and dabbling in the yarn-based arts from time to time), but that doesn't stop me from wanting to send him something in exchange, as a show of my deep gratitude for being included in the project. In the spirit of crafty DIY urban hipsters I love love love his mixes. And since his mixes are so awesome, it can't be crap.

In an unrelated task, I was cleaning up my bookshelf when I came across some hilariously old Patons crochet pattern book from ... circa 1969, and spotted this too hot to handle creation:

Figure 1: "Tweed look in Double Crochet"

Sexy! A crocheted tie - the perfect answer to the clothing question that's never been asked - Can I combine neckties with handicrafts?

But just in case that's not enough mind-blowing hotness for you, check this out!

Figure 2: "Plain tie in Trebels"

What you don't know about this is that, per the instructions, the tie is actually a fine purple. J, what would you say about a purple crocheted tie and a copy of the 1968 Guinness Book of Records? Even-sies?

An internet break-up

2010-09-01T18:55:00.003-04:00

I so rarely write stuff here that's not complete shit talking and pretty things lusting that it almost feels like a violation of an unwritten vow of The Jenifesto, but I feel like ranting a bit, so Imma just gonna do it.

I'm taking a break from Jezebel for a while. Someone call me when shit turns around.

A while ago, they introduced this sort of "tiered" commenting system on their site, where they could assign stars to featured commenters, grey out comment threads that didn't ... pop, and de-star or ban people who rubbed the editors the wrong way. It seemed kind of not cool, but that blew over. For a bit. Lately, there has been some seriously questionable shit going down, and the editors bend over backward to justify this shit, destarring people who question it, and responding to serious concerns with answers like "Well don't read this" (which I've actually had an editor or mod respond with to a concern I raised) or "Don't read this at work, then" (in the case of some pics that readers suggested were NSFW, and could we have a warning?).

A couple days ago, they published a reminder post about the commenting system, in line with the above mentioned shenanigoos. This whole "Commenting is a privilege not a right" shit is just so ... come on. This isn't life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness here. And this isn't complaining over the disemvowling that goes on when something is truly offensive. This is people annoyed that their request for a half-naked woman in an American Apparel pic on an article, that's merely saying that stocks have dropped for the company, be made smaller or not used at all (since no one wants their boss walking behind their desk and seeing that) being met with the most hair-splitting of hair-splittingness over how we simple minded readers don't get the subversion, man, when those images are used. What the fuck? And even more egregious is the at least one instance I read of with an original comment being deleted by an editor, and the commenter being banned - no trail back to the original offensive comment, which from what I can tell, wasn't more than a disagreement with the use of the pictures. Email an editor if you have a problem? I have. I didn't get a response, and due to the volume the Editor in Chief likely gets, I didn't really expect to, but ... that's the solution? Express dislike for content in an email sent to nowhere? Come on.

And then today. The Rachel Zoe post. Please. No body snarking is the number one rule. No concern trolling. The author of the post actually used the word "concern," which she then edited out. There is just no way this sort of thing would be appropriate if someone the media considers "overweight" was the subject, so it shouldn't work for someone pop culturally considered "too skinny." An article on optimal health for child rearing - sure. A recap of RZ's show and maybe something on the issue of having children (as a life choice, NOT her fertility), sure. But this, no. I'm awaiting the great hair-splitting "Here's how you readers don't understand advanced feminist and media studies, so sorry, but we're right and this is acceptable" post from someone, but as of when I last went through the comments, no editors had chimed in. And I'm not interested in finding out, because I think I'm done for a while.

I'm writing off the cuff here, so this isn't necessarily as thought out as I would like, but there you have it. If you're looking for some very intelligent discussion of "Feminism and Stuff" (I love that), check out the very thoughtful and excellent blog Deeply Problematic. Less pop cultural, more meaty and considered.

Peace out, all.

Pop Cultural Wrap-Up / Facebook Meme of the Week

2010-08-29T21:43:00.002-04:00

Edit: I know, learn to spell. Title corrected!

Oh hey, guys! Well, it's been the summer, and I've been busy enjoying life and generally neglecting this blog. But despite the kinda steaming hot weather we had today, the end is nigh.

Which, I have to say is fine by me. Because end of summer this year can only mean on thing - NEW YORK CITY!!!

So, by next week this time, I'll be in New York. I'll probably also be asleep and bagged, because I plan on hitting the pavement pretty hard on Sunday. I'm even going to go for a tour of the Public Library - squee!! Oooh ooh, and the night before - this? Anyways, I'm sooooper excited. Like, soooooooo. I booked Broadway tickets last weekend, I've got a schedule lined up, all the expensive crap (that's not shopping, heh) is paid for, and I'm PSYCHED.

As for today, I made the error of walking over to the market at Lansdowne - I reeeeaaalllly should have rode my bike. It was hot, my feet and legs are killing me, and blah blah whiny cakes. But I did have a delicious lunch, and bought cute carrots, ground cherries (WHERE have you been my whole life, ground cherries?!?!), and some fresh mint from some delightful young farm hand.

Aside from this, I think I can just fill in the rest with some points. Everyone loves a list!

I've got some weird pain going on in my left hand, at the thumb. It could be muscle or joint, I don't know. It's happened twice now (lasting for a few days each time). It's really impairing my day to day opposable thumb-required activities, like lifting weights, holding a novel, or removing books from a shelf. Workers comp!
I finished my literary boyfriend's new book - The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, by David Mitchell. Very, very good.
I've also started The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I started it last night and I'm half way through. It's addictive. Like Dan Brown addictive, but not awful.
Speaking of Dan Brown, J and I were discussing the other day, for not the first time, how truly awful The Lost Symbol was. I believe the correct literary term for it is "pure and utter shit." He actually outdoes himself with that one. However shitty everyone thought Dan Brown was in library school? It actually got worse. Italics.
Inspired by a discussion with K about Top Chef, I've thrown myself headfirst into watching this season. I'll work backwards once I'm caught up, and watch past seasons then. I've blown through 5 or 6 episodes since yesterday - I'm dangerously close to maxing out the internet for the month, mind you, so I should um ... stop that. We still have to download Mad Men tomorrow.
Related, I have such a crush on Tom Colicchio. I'm thinking of going to his restaurant he opened up in NYC this year when I'm there. Is that ... too much?
Not to beat a dead horse, but I took an ibuprofen for my hand like an hour ago, and I think it's gotten even stiffer. Someone call the whaaaambulance, I know.
Ooh, and speaking of reality television, this week's episode of Project Runway was epic. I've seen every episode of this show, all eight seasons, and I can't even say the last time such an entertaining episode aired. I was near hissy fit status over not being able to get a torrent on Friday afternoon, but was doubly rewarded for my patience. Hol-ee-shit. Project Rungay's Tom and Lorenzo have done some truly amazing write-ups over the course of this show, but their work these last couple days has been off the charts. The Gretchen write-up is one for the ages. What I wouldn't give to see the extended footage from the Lifetime website!
This week the Joan Rivers docu "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work" comes to the Bytowne! So excited!!! The first showing - and only we'll be able to go to on account of NYC - is on Friday night. Whee!!

I was just about to write that that was it for the night, but it's not: I promised Sam I'd respond to a Facebook meme he tagged me in, but here on the blog. And so!

15 Albums

The rules: don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen albums that you've heard that will always stick with you. List the first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes.

Night Bugs - Sarah Slean
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and Spiders from Mars - David Bowie
Simple Things - Zero 7
Astral Weeks - Van Morrison
The Beatles - The Beatles
The Suburbs - Arcade Fire (I feel lame putting something so new on here, but I just love it so!)
Picaresque - The Decemberists
Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? - Metric
No Cities Left - The Dears
Want One - Rufus Wainwright
I Am A Bird Now - Antony and the Johnsons
Greatest Hits: Shining Like a National Guitar - Paul Simon (can I pick a Greatest Hits?)
Greatest Hits - Queen (because if so, then I am)
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel
Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 - Traveling Wilburys

How's that? Sorry I was a day late on that one, Sam!

By Request - A Tofu Recipe

2010-08-17T10:32:00.001-04:00

By request from a dear reader and friend, here's one of the tofu recipes! I've gone with the tofu cacciatore, because it was the most recent, and was inhaled at this house. Inhaled. I've never made any cacciatore from scratch before, so I honestly don't know what goes into a "real" preparation, but eff it, this was delicious.

Tofu Cacciatore

From "101 Things to Do With Tofu" by Donna Kelly and Anne Tegtmeier - hearts!!

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
28 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into strips

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and saute 2 minutes over medium-high heat. Add garlic, mushrooms and tofu to pan. Continue sauteing another 5-6 minutes, or until onions have softened and ingredients are well combined. Add flour and continue cooking mixture, stirring continuously, another 3 minutes. Add vinegar, broth, tomatoes, and seasoning. Transfer mixture to a casserole dish coated with nonstick spray. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top and bake 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Make 6 servings.

My notes:

- I used half whole-wheat flour and half all-purpose and it all still worked. Since it doesn't specify AP exactly, you could probably use WW for the whole deal, and I think I will next time.

- I found this needed no salt or pepper at all when it was done, so take that for what it's worth.

- Perhaps so, because that might be a lot of vinegar. I might try doing a titch less vinegar next time, but don't get me wrong - it's still delicious if you use that much.

- Jenifesto Cooking Grievance Numero Uno: American sized measurements of food in recipes. ARRRRRGGGGGH. Buy a smaller can of diced tomatoes at your grocery store if available, or just eye ball with the good ol' 28 oz. Canadian standard can.

- We ate it with pasta (of the whole wheat variety, if anyone cares), and it was nice - the 30 minutes baking time provided ample space to tidy up a bit, get the water going, and make some pasta.

- I know, I ate mushrooms. So good, I didn't even care.

Bon appetit, friends.

Lazy Sunday

2010-08-15T17:32:00.000-04:00

This summer has been full of really nice weather, and I think as a result of that, I've been quite neglectful of this blog. Which makes me sad, since I enjoy it so much. But I'll take nice weather any day, so, sorry, Blogger. Today, however, started out miserably. We haven't had a proper pouring like that in some time I think, so it was probably due, but it was gross. It's stopped now, but by now I'm properly ass-grooved on the couch, it's still wet and cloudy out, and really, where's there to go?

Related: I've always hated Sunday television. Like, haaaate. But honestly, I actually just made a decision to turn to Wheel of Fortune (it's been moved for tennis, as it turns out), and I'm like, embarrassed and also ... I'd rather watch Wheel than tennis, okay? Man, 30 channels is really, really not enough, especially when at least 5 are French, and therefore at least 5 are Just for Laugh Gags (I kid. Not.)

So, I just purchases my first pair of Birkenstock. Does that make a dirty hippie? You know, discuss. It was a hard decision, but I feel comfort and sandals, together at last, could be in my future.

And on that theme (I kid, I love hippies. Not.), I'm making tofu cacciatore tonight. Yay, tofu! I made tofu tikka masala last week that profoundly changed my life, so I have high hopes for this. I should type out the recipe for you all when I get a chance, because it was fantastic and it could change your life too! SO good.

Hrm, let's see ... anything else new? Not so much. Are you all watching Mad Men? Excellent season so far. I'm pretty much still getting over the fact that Lost is over (have you seen the epilogue yet?!?!), so I think I'm excited for Glee and Community to start again, but other than that, I'm not really watching much else (except, of course, Mad Men and currently Project Runway). What to watch?

On that note, I'm going to go start on dinner, me thinks. Wish me luck - tofu done Italian!

Sewing maching recs?

2010-08-14T09:11:00.002-04:00

Help! I cannot. stop. thinking. about how badly I want a sewing machine. Like, you'd think this was a baby THAT'S how badly I want one.

Anyone out there have any good suggestions from their own life (or, on that note, things to avoid?). I have tried peeking about the Internet to see, but there are just so many ... not useful things, and it's hard to find, and everything is American, and blargh, help?

If you recently bought one, especially, let me know! Where, how much (if you don't mind), and your review.

I have a list of things I think I want in a machine, and had a proper chat with someone at a machine store yesterday. It gave me a much better (and much needed) sense of things that do and do not typically come with a machine. Heh, learn on a $500.00 machine and you think everything that's there is on all machines! Ha! I'd like to not spend $500.00, but then, my mom's old Kenmore is from the early 80s and it's still kicking, so this could have legs.

Help!

(And PS: Sorry for the formatting on this. Blogger's gone janky with their formatting today.)

Long Weekend Wrap-Up

2010-08-03T13:30:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone! Long time, no write! Lucky for you, I actually had a pretty awesome weekend, and thus have plenty to write about today. If you're sitting at your desk at work right now, counting down the minutes until home time, you're welcome!

Montreal

So this weekend we went to Montreal. Shopping, dining, relaxing. It was so awesome. Man, I love Montreal. It's just so terrific. Some things I specifically loved this time around was the shopping (got a pretty dress! Whee!), the Mount Royal park (a-ma-zing), and the Bixi bikes. On that point, I must go on: holy crap, Bixi bikes. Fantastic. We need these here. Every city, every where, needs these. And omg, segregated bike lanes. And Bixi bikes. And fashionable people riding bikes around. I. Can't. Handle. It. Gah!!!!

And I got PJ pants with matryoshkas on them. Matryoshkas are the new Owls.

V8 Juice

This is a pretty big moment in my life. I've purchased my first ever V8 drink (the uber-salty V-Go variety) and it so doesn't taste bad. I think I'll be trying the less salty version (regular V8?) to see if I can deal. It just tastes like you're drinking soup. Like, I could pour this into a bowl with some lentils and dig in. Why was I scared of this all these years!?!? Delicious.

Home Decor

I've been sitting on the fence about what I want more - new dining chairs, or a sewing machine - and decided it was time to shit or get off the pot. Since the sewing machine for the time being would need to be used at the dining table ... with the crappy chairs ... it was clear that the chairs had to be replaced first. They were so very, very uncomfortable. So, anyways, repro mid-century Danish chairs acquired, and my, do they look nice! They have changed the entire look of the dining space (where did all this room come from!?!) and are definitely more comfortable, though come to think of it, I haven't sat in them for a meal yet. Tonight! Next stop: sewing machine land. After New York.

Also, I bought a frog lawn ornament and I'm going to spray paint it and put it on the bookshelf. It's whimsical.

And on that note, I'm off to work out a sewing machine budget, and (I suppose) work. Later skaters.

Yet another bulleted list!

2010-07-21T21:17:00.000-04:00

... Because today was EXHAUSTING. EX-HAUST-ING.

Hayden on Big Brother: STFU. Seriously, shut up. No yelling in the Diary Room.
What's the deal with everyone hurting themselves on So You Think You Can Dance? Boo.
I neeeeeed to get my hair done. Overnight (and not last night - a while ago), it just turned to total ass. And now it's been like, days of looking like ass and I can't handle it anymore!
Mad Men AND Project Runway start this week - eee! More so for Mad Men, of course, but so thrilled.
Reader Advice Time: Anyone got any suggestions on a beginners sewing machine? Drop me a line!
Reader Advice Time, Redux: At my ripe old age, I'm still breaking out and, well, it pisses me right off. More than, like, anything. Does anyone at this stage have any tips for that? Like, spot treatments specifically? PM my "people think I eat too many chocolate bars or that I don't wash my face" ass.
It's currently thunder and lightening out. I love a summer thunderstorm. Love.
I got a cook book out of the library yesterday. I hesitated taking it (like, literally grabbing it and putting it back several times), as though I was going to have to pay to borrow it. Ridicks. Anyways, I've gone through the book four times now and it's official: the picture on the cover doesn't appear as a recipe anywhere in the book. What!?
Apparently it's some sort of Lebanese festival in Ottawa. If so, I suspect I should be the recipient of a free shawarma. I'd like that now, please!

Did I mention today was exhausting? Because it was. Over and out, people.

Excerpt: The God Delusion

2010-07-18T17:10:00.000-04:00

Again, as with Goldilocks, the anthropic alternative to the design hypothesis is statistical. Scientists invoke the magic of large numbers. It has been estimated that there are between 1 billion and 30 billion planets in our galaxy, and about 100 billion galaxies in the universe. Knocking off a few noughts for reasons of ordinary prudence, a billion billion is a conservative estimate of the number of available planets in the universe. Now, suppose the origin of life, the spontaneous arising of something equivalent to DNA, really was a quite staggeringly improbable event. Suppose it was so improbable as to occur on only one in a billion planets. A grant-giving body would laugh at any chemist who admitted that the chance of his proposed research succeeding was only one in a hundred. But here we are talking about odds of one in a billion. And yet ... even with such absurdly long odds, life will still have arisen on a billion planets - of which Earth, of course, is one.

This conclusion is so surprising, I'll say it again. If the odds of life originating spontaneously on a planet were a billion to one against, nevertheless that stupefying improbable event would still happen on a billion planets. The chance of finding any one of those billion life-bearing planets recalls the proverbial needle in a haystack. But we don't have to go out of our way to find a needle because (back to the anthropic principle) any beings capable of looking must necessarily be sitting on one of those prodigiously rare needles before they even start the search.

Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion, pp. 137-138

An open letter to the world

2010-07-16T12:00:00.001-04:00

Dear World,

I am not currently expecting a child. I never have been, I didn't recently give birth, and I don't intend on doing so at any time in the near future.

And so:

To the staffer at Lululemon last May who asked "When are you due?" - I'm not. You're rude.
To the guy who was contracted to work for us on a project, who asked two months ago "How could you run a 5k if you're pregnant?" - I'm not pregnant, so I ran it just like everyone else. And also, you shouldn't discount what a pregnant woman can do. You're rude.
To the lawyer who just right now asked "Didn't you just give birth?" - No, I did not. I wouldn't be here if I had, and no, I'm not currently pregnant either. No, that wasn't me. Or anyone else that works here. You're rude.

To those of you who don't know me IRL, let me assure you I don't look pregnant (at least, to me, and my coworkers, and I would assume my friends and family). I have an ample rack, but since the hallmark of pregnancy is typically a big belly, not simply big tits, this really shouldn't be an issue.

I should hope this negates future questions about my child bearing status, or for any woman you don't know and where you're not actually seeing the baby crowning.

All future questions in this regard can be addressed to "Blow Me."

Hugs and kisses,

Jenifesto

Dear whoever owns the rights to these

2010-07-11T09:22:00.000-04:00

Part One

Part Two

I *need* these on DVD. Someone, release this in English. So far I've found these French versions, and some sketchmo sounding Spanish language editions. These could be really crappy, but in my memory, they were AWESOME. Come on, distributors, don't make me learn French better so I can watch these.

Attention slow cooker owners

2010-07-08T17:26:00.001-04:00

Do you like the following things?

Crock pot instructions that take less than ten minutes to put together?
Using stewing beef that's as cheap as borscht?
Coconut and Indian-esq spices?
Deliciousness?

If you answered "yes" to the above, I heartily recommend this dish I made from a random slow cooker book I picked up at the biblio a couple weeks ago - "Make it Fast, Cook it Slow."*

Coconut Beef (p. 308)

Ingredients

2 pounds stew meat

Juice of 1 lime

1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk

1 yellow onion, cut in chunks

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 tablespoons chili paste

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated.

Instructions

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the meat, lime juice, and coconut milk into the stoneware. Follow with the onion and garlic. Add the brown sugar, spices, and grated ginger. Toss the meat a bit in the liquid and spices to coat. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. The coconut milk will be yellow from the curry, and will separate a bit, but a quick stir will turn it all creamy again. Serve over white or brown rice.

I was just saying to K today that I really enjoy the slow cooker in the summer. I've held the belief (erroneously) that the slow cooker was for colder times, but it's so great in the summer. It doesn't make the house hot! Huzzah! No gross hot kitchen heat AND the benefit of throwing shit into a pot and letting it cook all day! It's win-win. Anyways, I just came home to this, and wanting to taste it before I make anything to go with it (rice, or maybe vermicelli) - you know, quality assurance - and oh my! Delicious! Anywho, give 'er a go.

*This book, by Stephanie O'Dea, is all sorts of awesome so far. I totally want a copy for my collection. Everything I've made out of it has been pure win, in that homey and delicious slow cookery way.

So, um

2010-07-04T19:58:00.000-04:00

My dad kind of owns right now, since he did the following things this weekend while staying at my home:

Fixed the toilet seat that has been wobbly since I moved in here (and have neglected to call maintenance about)
Put handles on a dresser
Got me a Costco sized package of toilet paper, which I have no room for, so: toilet paper fort. Obvs.
Picked up some big ass bike lasso to keep my bike tethered to the bike racks in a fashion more secure than is currently being employed
LEFT A TASSIMO* MACHINE IN THE KITCHEN!

I've wanted a tassimo machine since before they even existed. Squee!! Now, it's come with about three hundred little cups of coffee, and exactly one (1) tea cup, so I'll have to remedy this with all speed, but SQUEE! I was *just* remarking in Fredericton "What the HELL is with every store here selling tassimo cups?! Me no gets!" and then I come home to find one sitting in a box on the kitchen floor. Thank you Costco, and thank you dad! Freshly brewed out of a little plastic cup hot drinks are now mine all mine!

*Okay, it's not Tassimo brand, but I think Tassimo is like, Kleenex now, no?

Bitch List #001 - An addendum

2010-06-30T14:57:00.001-04:00

After this post over on What Would Emma Pillsbury Wear?, I have one more place to TRAGICALLY add to the list. SOB!

Shabby Apple

I won't even pick out dresses that I'd want, because I want everything. SOB AGAIN!

Bitch List #001

2010-06-29T21:50:00.004-04:00

Places I've stumbled upon recently that don't ship to Canada:

Calypso St. Barth

Examples of why this is a crying shame:

Shireen Eyelet Dress

Fetish Clutch

Cosia Parrot Print blouse

Ann Taylor LOFT

Stuff I'd snap up in a heartbeat:

Double V-Neck Knit Dress

Asymmetrical Ruffle Button Down Shirt

Ruffle Neck Top with Rosettes

Dr. Scholl's Shoes

Shut up - I'm a librarian and I got troubles with ma back:

Shut up, Women's Bistro

Shut up, Pulled Women's Graduate in Lilac

SHUT UP, BARBIE SANDALS!

Fin.

Tuck in, kids, this may be a long one

2010-06-27T18:08:00.003-04:00

The last week or so hasn't been totally off-the-wall eventful, but there have been a few things of note that I can't resist writing about. Imma gonna just go at this free form (not necessarily in the order anything actually happened).

Virtucar: So, as part of {tacky shill for work place member benefits here}, J was eligible for a discounty thingamabobby for Virtucar. For those not from here, that's the equivalent of like, any car-sharing service in your city of residence. Anyways, that got set up this week, and it's been pretty awesome so far. I am convinced that this is the future of automobile "ownership" in the future. We don't need a car, like, ever (at least during the week), so why own one? Parking alone at my building is atrosh, never mind the everything else associated with having a car. I think we've used the car four times now? Three? Three. It's pretty neat.

Gatineau Park / Chelsea / Wakefield: As part of the newly found freedom afforded by the Virtucar, today was a road trip to Gatineau Park, Chelsea, and Wakefield. I had a croissant that was to die for, the weather held out, and it was an all-around excellent way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

World Cup: Did not get a chance to watch any this weekend, but that's okay, because tomorrow's Netherlands game will be playing on my computer at work. Shhh, don't tell my boss.

Headphones of Glory: I gots what I've determined is my Half-Birthday birthday gift this week, that being, a new set of headphones. I've given up the ghost on this one - I can't wear earbuds. They do not sit in my ears. At all. These new bad boys are brilliant. I can actually hear the music and it doesn't sound like it's coming out of a tin can or 1955. And they're comfortable. Fantastic.

Back to the Future: This has nothing to do with anything, but the mention of "1955" reminds me that I watched BTTF2 (my favourite) the other night, and I really believe that it is the best trilogy ever made, EVEN considering that I hate Clara and she shits all over the third film. The camera shots and music are so cheese and so epic and so hilarious and so appropriate, and I love love love it. And omg, the Cafe 80s. Be-be-beef or pork.

Doctor Who: I have the season finale downloaded and ready to go. Tonight is lamb for dinner (the defrosted chunk from Easter, purchased moments before the great food poisoning debacle of 2010), along with some sweet potatoes done in the slow cooker (I'm intrigued to see how this will turn out), and then, time for the Doctor. Way excited to see it, and have managed to avoid spoilers (but only just, JIM!).

Well, I think that's it for now. I actually think a small lie down might be in order, but my nails need to be done. But then I'm thinking of putting off doing my nails until just before the wedding I'm going to this weekend. Hmmm... it's hard being me.

P.S.: Omg, and there was an earthquake, right!? That was HILARIOUS. I was at work, obvs, and the building is having some sort of construction work done on it, so I was convinced that they had fucked something up with the foundation and the whole thing was about to crumble. I started calling my boss's name, and when I heard him say to someone else "Ya, we should get out of here," I had my bag and my phone and was heading for the door. One of the lawyers who's in pretty often was coming up the aisle from the back of the library like a bat out of hell, exclaiming, "I'm getting the fuck out of here. Pardon my language." Well all right then! That was sort of awesome and funny and terrifying.

Quick restaurant recap

2010-06-17T09:55:00.000-04:00

Last night, J's aunt brought us out for dinner to Sweetgrass Aboriginal Bistro.

IT WAS DELICIOUS. I had the roasted wild boar (twice in one week for boar - it's quickly becoming my favourite pork product!) and it was divine. God, it had these little cranberries on it that were so tiny and cute and tart. Love love love. And omg, the elk dumplings. I could have eaten a dozen of them. For dessert, I had the cheesecake (amazing, though different than the one described on the online menu - this had delicious, delicious caramel), and J and his aunt had the buddin, which was really, really nice. And they even stuck a birthday candle in it. Charming.

Overall, my last two dining out experiences have been Fan-Tas-Tic. Food in this city can be just so so so good.

Sunday morning excitement

2010-06-13T08:48:00.002-04:00

Oooh! Well this is exciting! A couple weeks ago, I was going to blog - or maybe did, I can't remember - that Blogger needed to get on making some new templates, because I'm too lazy and dumb to code, and everything here had the stench of 2005 about it. I just signed in to write about oysters (and will, see below), and I noticed they have some sort of new templates or Blogger designer or what not. Excited!! Could we have a new look by the end of the day!?!? Whee!

On to oysters. OMG. Delicious, delicious oysters. I took J to The Whalesbone last night for his birthday, and yes, I'll admit it - I've never had oysters before. Holy crap they're good. Like, really good. The whole meal was delicious, granted (and oh my, the dessert!), but the novelty of the oysters was just awesome. I am excited to plan a return trip for more. Next time I want to sit at the bar and watch the man shuck them. So exciting!

In other news, plane tickets to NYC in September have been booked! Yay!!! With the hotel and the flights arranged, it's just figuring out what I want to do there, and of course, saving some money to actually do it with. And day dreaming of the shopping. Mmm. Shopping.

As for today, I'm thinking of getting up and heading out to the market at Lansdowne. It seems niceish out now, so hopefully the rain will hold off until tonight as it's supposed to. Ah, and crap, I just remembered I have worky work stuff to do today. Balls. Hmm, if it stays nice, perhaps doing this out back on a lounge chair will make it a little less of a drag!

Have a great Sunday, everyone.

A little train bloggin'

2010-06-04T20:24:00.002-04:00

I'm currently on the Via en route to Toronto. I'm loving this free wireless. The announcer guy said that the wireless was going to be down, but he clearly lied. Some things I'm not loving are this chair, that there's this brickhouse behind me so I feel bad about putting the chair into recline, and that this guy with the food cart hasn't offered me a top up on some hot water for my tea. Also, I'm cold. And bitch bitch bitch, I know. I have neglected to mention that I'm also *exhausted* so everything is dramatic right now. Cold train, uncomf chair, big guy behind me, no tea, whiney I-feel-like-bitching cakes.

I also feel like I'm the threshold of a cold. Fuck off, summer cold!

However, all is not doom and gloom. In fact, things are downright peachy! I love me a list of stuff, so here's a list!

My trip to TO is not simply because I love the hospitality of the Via staff, but because I'm makin' my way to TO to help J with the moving up / in process on Monday. Also: a pool party. And ice cream cake.
Related: I effing LOVE that cookie crumble stuff in an ice cream cake from DQ. You know? That stuff. Mmmmm.
Related: Going to Holt Renfrew as well. The one in Ottawa is a bit ghetto. Well, like, a lot ghetto. And limited in supply. So I'm going to one in TO to hopefully make right the wrongs committed in Ottawa. I had a dream about going there last night and they Pretty Woman'd me over what I was wearing. Well I'll show them because I'm tapping Richard Gere, SO THERE.
Talked about this with Sam last night, and I've really gotten into "Let it Be" lately. I'm listening to it right now, in fact. "Two of Us" was always a top 10, maybe top 5 song for me, but the whole album is pretty aces. As I said to Sam, and I stand by this: 40 years of "soulful" and limp dick covers of "Let it Be" (the song) have made me hate it, and the original is just sooo good.
I'm currently reading "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer. I am really enjoying it so far, and am eager to dig into his other fiction work, which was actually written before this one, "Everything is Illuminated."
Today was the charity BBQ lunch thing for the Ottawa Food Bank in front of City Hall, with burgers from The Works. Like a punk, I missed it last year, so that was not going to happen again! It was delicious, and I imagine the Food Bank made a killing. Good for them!
Ooh! The bathing suit arrived! I knew I was forgetting something. It came, and bless her heart, it was marked as a gift, so it skipped customs and duty. High tens, lady! Anyways, it's cute cute cute. One of the buttons that keeps on the halter straps needed to be reattached ($2.60 at my cleaners), so that was taken care of yesterday. That there was a load bearing button. My chest requires Golden Gate Bridge levels of suspension, so that was pretty vital, and a bit beyond what I was willing to risk my shitty button sewing ability to.

Well, I think that about sums it up. I have about two more hours on this shit wagon, so hopefully that will pass quickly (it won't). Have a good weekend, everyone!

Gettin' my Jayne Mansfield on

2010-05-31T13:25:00.001-04:00

I bought this last week. There was dramz in terms of availability in Canada / delivery times / buying it off eBay, but fingers crossed, it should be delivered this week. If I'm going to be burdened with the immense boobalas I have, they're going to be well outfitted for swimming and seaside frolicking in my "Vamp" bathing suit.

Sunday Catch-Up

2010-05-30T17:20:00.004-04:00

Happy Sunday, everyone! I don't know about whatever corner of the world you're reading this from, but the weather here today was whack. Sun popping in and out, and the temperature was, to me, all over the place, as well. As it was 42 (!!!) with the humidex on Wednesday, and I WAS LOVING IT, I find this all very blah. As such, it was the perfect day to do some house cleaning (J arrives next week, and I'd like the joint to look all nice and tidy), and clothes cleaning (work arrives tomorrow, and I'd like to not be naked. Sorry, lawyers.) Also: ice cream and sandwich buying, tea drinking, work working, and The Mentalist watching.

Which leads me to this thought: To quote the great Corky St. Clair, "I hate you and I hate your ass face." There's this recurring character on The Mentalist - some psychic lady - and just her presence on screen makes me want to throw something at the TV. And it's not even the character, because I forgot who she was on this show - just the sight her of makes my ire rise. I looked her up on IMDB, and as it turns out, she's the same chick who played Jack Bauer's wife on the first season of 24. Which, see here. Is it possible I could just hate, as it were, her ass face? Deep questions.

In other follow-up news, and since I know there are a healthy number of cat-lovers who read this thing, I've had some success with The Cat. The problem: her meowing. The meowing has gotten so bad in recent weeks that I was being woken up every night at around 4 am to her incessant cries over NOTHING. Shut. The. Hell. Up. Sofie. I can't keep her out of my room in any actual way, so I was getting desperate. Anyways, last week I bought ear plugs. Those orange ear plugs that cost next to nothing. A careful combination of closing one set of my bedroom doors and putting those bad boys in has lead to some nice nights of sleep. Hallelujah. God she's annoying. Cute, but annoying.

On that note, it's time to get some dinner started. I don't know if I've mentioned this on here before, but it stands to be repeated. Pesto on salmon. Consider it. Before I had ever had it, that sounded gross to me. But no. No, it's delicious. I have Jamie Oliver to thank for putting it in his cook book, as I would have never done that on my own. Deeeee-lish. Have a great night, all.

Long Weekend List

2010-05-21T13:53:00.002-04:00

Anyone else just counting down the minutes until they can get the hell out of work? Thought so! Maaaaan, long weekends seem to take forever to get here. I'm leaving early to catch the 97 to catch the plane to Toronto (sorry, A2), but time is dragging on today. I've already had all the snacks and meals I've planned on having, so there's another hour of thumb-twiddlin' to do. Why don't I work, you ask? Stompy foot stomping "I don't wannaaaaa."

Random observations:

Someone's phone in here makes video game noises. I don't know what game that is, but it's kind of cool, if too loud for a library. Ahem!
Things I've ranted about today: hydro bills, the extreme lameness and suckitude and pop cultural wasteland / out-of-date-by-minimum-four-years-shitfest that is Grey's Anatomy, and, obviously, having to be at the office. (My apologies to any Grey's fans, lol - I obviously don't get it.)
I'm so craving banana bread lately. I clearly just need to make some.
Related: recent purchases of banana bread include from Starbucks(it was too dark) and the cafeteria downstairs (very moist).
I have so many books I want to buy and read right now. I don't know where to start! If only someone would create a place where I could borrow books that I want to read for free. Sigh.
J & I will be busy Sunday night, which I had somehow not noticed was "Lost" night. Which I'd rather be doing what we're doing, but to echo APT's comment, why?!!?!? on a holiday Sunday!? It's just not right. Damn you, ABC. Anyways, as a result, I'll be on lockdown until I watch it either on time shifting or on Monday morning. I'm seriously turning my phone off. Bitches don't be spoiling it for me.
Tonight I think I might be having Greek food for dinner. I don't know that my love for flaming cheese has been well documented on this blog or not, so to cover all my bases, let me say: I effing love that flaming cheese. It is THAT good.
R, I'm trying out the new makeup. So far so good, but I think I need to work on a better cover up method for my Rudolphian nose.

I think that's about that for now. Everyone, have a fun and safe long weekend!