Frappacrappatango

The Defend Our Coast rally was pretty cool...loved seeing ppl bringing their kids and it was more organized than the last one...there was not any mishmash of issues sandwiched in to the proceedings...I don't care for turning up to an event about tankers and pipelines and having it laced with other unrelated issues – it is a real turn off for me. I have a real dislike for poor public speakers – I understand the nerve factor and the fact that we are not all blessed with outstanding public speaking skills...I think it really takes away from a cause though – that's just me being an asshole. I will admit 3 crappy speakers are completely erased by a good one though which is always nice. There were a few really great people speaking who articulated the issues and solutions well. Kudos to you! Anyone brave enough to get on that stage with the news cameras rolling and 3000+ ppl staring at you...way to have some balls...but please go to toastmasters now.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COUSIN-IN-LAW DAVID!

Training is getting real now yo! The dreaded role playing is underway....and it is a necessary evil...I am absolutely horrified of the prospect of call taking...I assume that after the training is complete in mid-January 2013 we will all be prepared enough that the horror will subside. Interestingly....I am the only person there who is not in midst of pursuing a masters degree-apparently this training is counseling practicum level stuff. One woman said 4 yrs of a Psych BA and there has not been 1 mention of any of the material we are covering right now so that is pretty interesting...it is some intense business and the language required to handle these situations is going to be really fun for this casual-assed verbal nightmare of a gal...really looking fwd to it though.

ARGO: great flick...I did fall asleep briefly but that was not b/c the movie was boring at all...I just have narcolepsy...I have no idea how long I was asleep for but I managed to piece together what was going on once I woke up. I really liked the story – no idea how skewed the portrayal of actual events is in it but...the overall gist of it is cool knowing that something of that nature was pulled off! Very enjoyable political drama!

Little Ms AJC got extended until the end of Nov @ work...WOOHOO! This is fantastic...a bunch more pay chqs to squirrel away for a trip next year and it allows her to coast through the month that she will be going to California for 10 days to visit some family...she will have a few days of work once she is home then chill for 5 days waiting to get her wisdom teeth yanked then have some stress free recovery time then get back at getting a seasonal job to carry her through Dec etc. Great news!

Blechhh

Today was a weird day...felt weird all day...and so tired...good lord I used a kleenex box as a pillow on my desk today for a 15 second nap...the fear of being discovered asleep at my desk foils any and all chance of me getting a nap in at work...which is a good thing.

I am really sad about Gleniffer Lake...and the Red Deer River...the oil spill there - while small by industry standards - is a gawd damn mess...the premiers comment about it being the cost of doing business (more of less) is par for the course I guess...(dick)
When my brother died we drove from the Calgary airport up to Rocky Mountain House and along the way - I was in the back seat trying to astrally project myself somewhere else...running thoughts through my head about this being some cruel hoax and once we got to RMH it would all be over...but I knew it wouldn't be...he wouldn't be standing there with a big goofy grin and scream "HAHA! I GOT YOU!" - Don't I wish...anyhow...while in the back seat wishing I was in a drug induced coma I happened to look up as we drove by the sign for Gleniffer Lake...I lived most of my childhood in Alberta and had somehow managed to never hear about this lake or see a road sign (or notice) until that moment when my brother Glenn was dead in Rocky Mountain House and I was on my way to face the dreaded permanency of it. The Gleniffer Lake sign seemed like a little elbow from the great beyond...a poke in the ribs...something...I don't know what but at that moment it seemed profound and heartbreaking. It was the 1st in an endless string of daily reminds about my lost little brother...so hearing about this lake being polluted by yet another pipeline disaster...well....fuck -fuck fuck fuck is all I have to say on that...

It is grey and cool out...all day at work I sat in that hot box dieing a slow death...that office is a gawd damn soul draining piece of shit...I am trying to put off the use of the A/C's until absolutely necessary but jfc...sitting in that dead hot air completely turns me into a corpse on autopilot. IT ISN'T EVEN HOT OUT YET FOR THE LOVE OF GAWD. I hate that office so much...my next job will be in an A/C'd building...just like my next apt will have a pool. Not kidding.

I was thinking how disappointing it is going to be if Chris - who I was blathering about a few posts ago - turns out to be a boring, middle aged jerk..arrogant or annoying.............................BUZZ KILL. It has happened before....a certain someone who was my be all end all all through Jr and Sr High...and into my early 20's...who at the time was the coolest, hottest, most mysterious, dangerous, deep guy in all the universe...turned up on Facebook last year only to end up being the most fucking boring, one dimensional, small town hickster of all time. Tragic loss...hard to be perceived as cool, hot, mysterious, deep etc when there is rent to pay and you can't spell to save your gawd damn life. I cannot articulate the boner killer that is bad spelling and poor grammar...it makes me dead from the waist down.What do I know...there is a Hall & Oats song playing on my computer right now...ohhh wait...I have been redeemed by Robert Plant's "In the Mood"...

UPDATE: He is not boring and lame at all...and even had some funny stories to share about our 24 hour make out friendship that I forgot about hahaha

Stop staring at me CAT!

The cat won't stop staring. It means she is desperate for attention...which makes me ignore her more. I am a bad cat person. I am the same with people desperate for attention and validation.

Alexandra with the wobbly ball

Had a good visit with Jim and his daughter Alexandra the other day...she cracked me up...she walked in the door and spotted the cans on the shelf in the kitchen and proceeded to empty the shelf and take cans to A's room as gifts...to me, the living-room etc...it was pretty amusing...esp. b/c Jim depicts her as a screaming banshee who spends a large portion of her day screeching...she was perfectly delightful at my house...awesome how kids are like that. A. is 18 and still does that to me.

A. is off to Denman Is. this weekend to camp...not very warm for that in my opinion but...she is adventurous...she won't mind near as much as I would...who am I kidding...unless someone has a cabin or a pimped out motor-home I DO NOT CAMP. I have always said camping is like being homeless on purpose and who the hell wants that...not me! I like the comforts of home...mind you I could really enjoy renting a cabin and being a fake camper. I require solid walls to ward off animals and a toilet...I could live without electricity ok...but squatting in the woods to pee...FORGET IT...this fatty is not digging that scene...even as a non-fatty I did not partake in such activities...my bladder was young then though...I could go to a bush party and drink a bit and wait til the night was over to pee...now...JFC...I have to time my outings and ma out where washrooms are....getting old is fucking annoying...lets not get into all that though...the thinning hair...the lard...the poor leg circulation...it is an ugly world.



OR GAWD! I cannot decide which version I like best...the original by Damien Rice or Phillip Phillips version...Aunty Cathy asked me to send her the PP version b/c she is an American Idol fan and really liked him a lot...and I instantly loved his version...enough to look up the original...now I just have to enjoy them both I guess...

Geoff Tate is playing in Victoria next weekend...and I think I shall go...its reasonably priced and hearing old Queensryche songs acoustically really appeals to me...plus it will probably be the last time I get a chance to hear any live so wtf.

I don't think Tere is going to make it to town next weekend...that gal cannot catch a break...like life hasn't already given her enough to deal with (her sons suicide in Sept) she keeps getting kicked while she is down...uncle dies...house floods...broke as shit...now a new fangled betrayal for her to try to process while she agonizes going through her sons clothing so she can have 2 memorial quilts made...I just do not know how the woman is still standing...

Man did I ever LOVE the article on the CBC website today...
Yesterday there was one that made me insane...it was so fabricated and full of shit it boggled my mind that the CBC put it up: PIECE OF SHIT ARTICLE
Then today this was put up in response to it: MUCH BETTER
The thing is....if you read the 1st one - don't you think it is the CBC's/reporters job to substantiate that Enbridge claim BEFORE the article is posted? I mean...come on...it reeks of bullshit and is so vague...why didn't someone there look into it? Today's blew it the fuck out of the water...and thank gawd b/c the 1st one made me poo in my pants a little...before I looked at it objectively. This shit is pissing me off a lot these days...I am considering laying off the news for a while...esp with all this body parts in the mail shit...like really?? SERIOUSLY? WTF....today at work a parcel came and was sitting on Doris's desk and I sniffed it to make sure it didn't smell like decomp. Welcome to 2012 folks...ppl don't just get murdered anymore...they get eaten, chopped up and mailed out. Fugg. Sick place.

Oh...look who was chatty tonight...good night.

things I wanna say tonight...

1. Fuck you Enbridge. Take your shitty pipeline and ram it up your corporate ass. Do not poison my land and ocean. Assholes.

2.People should stop cutting ppl up and sending body parts in the mail. It is not ok freaks. Oh and stop eating peoples faces and shit too. Rude.

3. I want to eat red velvet cake despite the horrid amounts of red food coloring in it. 

4. Cows should stop kicking my Aunty Cathy.

5. Cortisone shots = bliss.

6. I am sad Game of Thrones is over for the season. WTF do I have to look fwd to now? That's right...shit all.

7. I need to borrow a tool off someone but I can't remember what it's called. Ha!

8. It is time to start honoring the temple.

9. Gravy is tasty.

10. I admit I am annoying Amy on Draw Something on purpose as revenge for her elaborate drawings that take 10 mins.

11. Why do I have cable TV? 

12. I must stop reading the news...

13. Why do I keep smelling coffee?

14. The Wye Oak singer mumbles like a mofo..mouth full o marbles mumbling.

15. I wish all my favorite ppl lived in my building...and this building had a pool.

The End.                                                 

Farewell to Assholes

Another rally...and such a great one too (Anti-Enbridge Pipeline Rally).  I made a vow that if anyone brought up chem trails while smoking a cigarette I was leaving (this happened at the last rally I attended for the Anti-HST Campaign)...but luckily this was a well organized event – all the speakers were decent and on topic. The turnout was great, exceeding my expectations and the signs were – as always – entertaining and to the point.

I was, however, disappointed that of all the people I know in Victoria 3 were there...one being my kid. It astounds me that an issue like this does not lure people out of their living rooms. I am about as hermit-like as one can be and really detest crowds and anything social but it wouldn’t occur to me to not go. Just saying you are going to go on Facebook or “liking” a cause does not make you a genuine eco-warrior. It pisses me off that all people seem to care about is the latest iPad...or whatever craze is the flavour of the week...while there is some serious shit going on in our province and being passive is what allows this crap to continue.

I feel as clueless and helpless as I think most people do in regards to ‘what to do’ about environmental issues and the like...and also feeling insignificant...like really...was my being at that rally going to change ANYTHING in the world yesterday? No...But collectively yes. If everyone felt it was no use and stayed home no one would have shown up...the fact that there were well over 1000 ppl at this event with signs, speaking and marching in solidarity...that IS something. I cannot articulate the collective spirit one feels at these events – it changes something inside you if you are open to it. Will it ultimately change the outcome? – I do not know but it beats the shit out of sitting at home playing with your iPad instead of standing up and loudly proclaiming a short term money grab is not a wise investment for this province with the stakes so very high. 

I am sure it is rather evident that apathy or plain old ignorance is my pet peeve of the day...I am glad – however – that I knew 3 ppl who bothered...my kid being one of them and of course the trusty Lesbos Amanda & Erin. Well played ladies.

Aside from that I kept pretty busy this weekend...hung with Alex a bit and then had a great afternoon with Kate and her 7 yr old son Ethan. He is a hoot...like his mama. We hit a few stores, had a few laughs, ate some good food...perfect day out really. I met Kate when I was a little kid. My step-dad was her dad’s BFF in the 70/80’s. Our parents would get together for visits, usually in Regina @ Kate’s house. I remember thinking her house was SO clean and everything seemed so new...her bedroom was particularly girly and perfect (I am sure she is laughing reading this) where as mine was plastered with posters and FAR from girly...I have had the odd ‘girly’ moment...I recall once being desperate to wear my mother’s heels as a teen...I would put them on and walk around the house and after about 5 mins would kick them off wondering how the hell anyone was supposed to have a life wearing the damn things. I have always felt like a total fraud while attempting girliness...which is why it is not something that ever caught on with me. I have a few theories about this but...I don’t feel like venturing such a topic when I am already feeling rather MEH.

Funniest thing alive is how my kid is about as girly as a girl can be as far as appearances go...man – if I looked like her at her age I cannot imagine the shit I would have gotten into...seriously. Yay for being awkward and plain! WOOOOHOOO!

Last night I got into a debate with a moron on FB  who I have been wanting to delete for some time now...I am not even sure why I had him added to my FB list to start with...momentary lapse of reason I suppose. Anyway - the conversation - while brief & with witnesses (CRINGE!) - was a good reminder as to why I did not talk to the twat for 10+ years. A standing pillar of evidence that some people never do change...they are what they are at the core - good or bad - and never evolve into anything beyond that. A timely delete/block on FB really is as satisfying as punching someone in the face...well almost anyway.

I am drinking tea without milk this morning...how fucking annoying...I have never drank my tea without milk in all my life...but I didn't realize there was no milk until I had already invested my favorite creamed honey into the tea so I cannot waste all the bees hard work...so I am drinking it...JEN CONKY: BEE WARRIOR.

Today is the 1st day of my personal anti nail biting campaign...I figure if I say it out loud it will help me stick to it...I WILL NOT BITE MY NAILS GAWD DAMMIT...OCD BE GONE! I have done it before for years at a time...so I just need to get myself past the 1st stage...once they grow and are symmetrical I am far less likely to mess with them.

Personal struggles of even the smallest nature are a consuming deed.