The Coffeehouse

silly me

2010-02-09T21:35:00.004-05:00

I did the stupidest thing. I ruined one side of the car making a tight right corner around a cement pillar in our building's parking garage. Embarrassing, I know. The front passenger door is smashed in, and doesn't open, and the rear passenger door has to be kicked open from the inside. I keep replaying the event in my head, trying to figure out how I could have so horribly misjudged the turn. And then I remember the sound.

Funny enough, the worst and best part of this whole thing is the juicy, crunchy sound the car made as it hit the cement pillar. It sounded like one of those crashes from the crash-test videos.

It's been a week and we still haven't gotten around to getting quotes for the repair work, but we really should do that soon. Getting tired of crawling through the driver's side to get into the passenger seat!

trying to get back on the blogging wagon

2009-12-03T09:18:00.005-05:00

I visited my blog this morning to check up on it, and my banner was gone! It looks like I had the image hosted on Geocities (bye bye!), so now I have to wait to get back home from work to fix it. Hmm, I wonder what else I had uploaded onto there?

Speaking of things gone bye-bye, my old blog at blog.com is now nonexistent. The posts are still there when I log on, but the blog is unpublished. No idea why. So now I really have to get cracking at moving my posts over (without the comments). I gotta be honest with you, looking back at my older posts...what was I thinking?! I almost don't want to move them over, but I feel like I'd be losing a huge chunk of me if I didn't. Who knows? Maybe someday I will delete them, but for now, you can go check them out and laugh your heads off.

kashi bars are on sale now at my local supermarket.

2009-10-29T12:57:00.004-04:00

Dear Next-Door-Cubicle Coworker,

You’re a nice guy, and we get along just fine, but I know you judge me.

Listen, I’m not too happy with my job. You probably don’t like yours either. We’re both looking for new work. It’s stressful. And I get easily bored. And hungry.

And that’s why I snack a lot. And that’s why you hear me opening up lots of wrappers throughout the day. They're mostly healthy snacks, but you probably can't tell the difference. I used to have a box of Choco Pies in my desk. When I finished it, I moved onto crackers and now I'm into granola bars. Kashi granola bars, they have like -10 grams of sugar!

And still, whenever I rip open a wrapper, you get eerily quiet in your cubicle, and that’s judgemental! So stop it. They're healthy, and healthy snacking is encouraged! And should I ever return to my Choco Pie days, you should still pretend that you're listening to me open up a granola bar.

Much appreciated,
Q

an "off" day...

2009-10-22T12:42:00.004-04:00

With the exception of work, everything else was kinda "off" yesterday

Work
SigFig forgot my birthdate*
Warmed up unappetizing leftovers
Went to the thrift store
Went to the gym
Ate ice cream before going to the gym
Had cake at the gym (seriously, that should be illegal)
SigFig forgot the date of our forthcoming anniversary*
Apparently, tried to wake up SigFig at 3 am because it was time to get up (no recollection)

* Honestly, this was pretty "off" for SigFig since he has to continuously remind me of our monthly anniversary, and he's pretty good about remembering special dates.

no face paint

2009-10-09T10:50:00.004-04:00

Today, I'm wearing jeans, a black and white stripped shirt, with a long black cardigan and a red scarf around my neck.

I feel like a mime.

Should've gone for a yellow one.

Also, I'm wearing like a kabillion layers. I hate, hate that I now have to bring out my winter clothes and coats from storage after I just took them there in May, five months ago! And it's not like I had completely packed away everything either. I left out a couple of sweaters just in case, and I used them all the time. Summer FAIL.

It's a busy time now for me:
- Job contract ending, looking for a new job
- In-laws moving to a new house (Okay, this is a crazy story that must be told another day. Basically, they've been in the "moving" phase since the beginning of Ramadan.)
- I started up my own Etsy vintage store. It's been doing better than I expected to be honest with you!

*Bloop* stuck-in-a-glass-box *bloop* fake-smelling-flowers *bloop* eager-waving *bloop*

you should rethink your strategy. really.

2009-09-21T14:05:00.004-04:00

I was at Eid prayer with my Mom and some family friends, when two of the pregnant friends started comparing notes.

"I don't know why, but I wasn't this swollen in the beginning. It started in the sixth month."

"Really? I guess I'm almost there. I'm okay these days, but I just have a lot of back pain."

"Yeah, back pain is normal."

"And stretch marks? What about stretch marks? I've noticed I've been getting some spider veins lately."

"Oh yeah, spider veins and stretch marks everywhere. In places you didn't even know you could get them!"

Then Mom and friends turn to me eagerly: "Sooooo, any plans to have kids soon?"

Umm, no.

getting over it

2009-09-15T00:13:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure what's been keeping me from blogging. Life? Maybe. Nothing much to say? Could be. But after starting and abandoning several posts over the past month, I am finally committing to a post. I will blog and it will be awesome. I got married, so you'd think I would've gotten over my commitment issues a very long time ago. But as it turns out, Mr. Right might not wait around for you to make up your mind, but your blog will.

So here I am, at 12 am, and this is my blog post.

it's like the human version of those classroom order forms...

2009-08-20T10:01:00.003-04:00

My dream last night:

There is a book salesman named Sedrid who keeps pestering my family to buy books. Whenever we escort him out one door, he manages to sneak into the house through another. And we're all like "Sedrid! Come on, get out already. We told you we don't wanna buy any books!".

And he's like "Trust me, these books are really great. They're Scholastic."

review: William's Coffee Pub

2009-07-13T12:44:00.003-04:00

People, there need to be more coffeeshops out there with free Wi-Fi in suburbia, that don't close at 9 pm (I'm looking at you Panera Bread). There's probably tons in Toronto, but come on, where do people actually live? Suburbia!

For the last week, SigFig and I have been 'working', him on a project, me on some job applications (because I'm currently on a contract), and we need to go somewhere more motivating and work-friendly than home. So last week, we ended up going to three William's in three different cities/locations. And whatdaya know, three bad experiences:

1) Place was busy, fine. But apple pie arrived freezing cold, when asked to warm up, arrived piping hot. Is there no happy medium? I'm sure there's a handy microwave setting for pie.

2) SigFig's drink arrived 30 minutes late. Well, it didn't arrive, he had to go to the counter to get it made.

3) We ordered a Roasted Veg and Goat Cheese Panini and got a Veg and Cheddar sandwich on Multigrain, not a problem, except when we alerted our server, he tried to convince us that it was the panini we ordered. We gave up and about ten minutes later, halfway through the sandwich, the manager approaches us and informs us that it was not infact the panini we ordered.

That last one really got to me. It was great that the manager somehow found out about the sandwich and approached us, but what kinda idiotic server confuses a grilled sandwich for a plain one?

So I'm boycotting William's and I need an alternative place to go to in the GTA that was free Wi-Fi.

awesome

2009-06-23T11:22:00.005-04:00

I think this video is relatable to a lot of us!

P.S. I'm never asking you guys for help again!

your input is much appreciated

2009-06-15T00:28:00.002-04:00

I'm working on a project and need some inspiration.

What are some cool/quirky/interesting words out there? What word have you heard lately that's caught your attention?

for the shoe-lovers

2009-05-29T13:47:00.002-04:00

I'm not one to drool over shoes. When I'm sad, a picture of a cute pair of heels or sandals can cheer me up, but this is the only one that I can remember that has made me so happy to the point of drooling:

Aren't they purdy? Just wanted to share the eye candy with the ladies!

beef with friends...

2009-05-27T14:45:00.007-04:00

I have some serious beef with most of, if not all, my friends.

Yo man, what's the dealioz, I get married and you stop calling? I'll be the first one to admit that it's not as easy anymore to go out for a cup of coffee or a dinner on a last minute notice. And I'm probably busier with family obligations than before. And if you're still single and I'm not, we might not be talking about cute boys like we used to. Or you might think that the hubby always wants to hang out with his wifey (not true, they like to have their alone time with their video games!). So what? It's still me, and it's still you. We've still known each other for however-many years, been through ups and downs, loves and losses. And you still have my number. No excuses.

the day i went home... [BAPD]

2009-05-15T20:36:00.005-04:00

My contribution to this year's "Blog About Palestine Day" is an excerpt from my journal when I went home to Palestine in 2007. This entry was dated Thursday, July 26, 2007. I don't proclaim it to be insightful, intelligent or even eloquent, but it was me and Palestine, captured within a space and time.
------------------

Today was something. Things happened, others didn't. We went to Dayr Al Qasi, which I have to say was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life. Abu Hamad and Abu Mohamad say that you can tell where an old village was by where fig trees and cactus grow together. The reasoning: villagers used to plant cactus around the perimeter of the village to keep animals (dogs, snakes) out and fig trees to eat from. So we go to Elkosh, and knowing there are no remaining original buildings, set out to find the fig trees and cactus of my forefathers. What a horrible, completely unfulfilling experience! Some cactus and fig trees I'm supposed to feel emotional attachment to, it's like they grow on the graves of my hometown.

It was a time of absolute mourning, while colonists passed by in tractors inviting us to buy some eggs, some said "Come and build a house and live here". If you only knew, you bastard. You never left any trace of my past! How in hell am I supposed to feel some attachment to nothing! And that's a tactic. Change a name, a word, build over the past, and people forget, others can pretend the past didn't exist.

Yes, and we did see some fig trees and cactus, but without a map of the Dayr, and with a total new kibbutzy pimp-up, there was no way to tell that this is where my family's house was. Toda.

------------------

subtle hint

2009-05-06T13:38:00.005-04:00

Part of the reason I don't like armchairs at tables is that sometimes the arm-parts don't fit under the table-top and then you're like sitting to far away to work or eat comfortably. With office chairs, you can adjust them so they fit under your desk, lovely!

So I had my hand on the armrest on my deskchair and I scooted closer to my desk, realizing I was kinda sitting at the edge of my seat, so I get up a little to sit back and, OUCH!, my chair slightly rises and my hand is squished between the armrest and the desktop and the only way to get it out is to sit back on my chair.

I think the world is trying to tell me to lose some weight.

happy earth day...

2009-04-22T16:27:00.003-04:00

Working at an environmental department at my new workplace, we got a lot of "Happy Birthday!" and "Today is like your Christmas, isn't it?", today. Ha ha, you guys are so funny! Now go recycle your stupid jokes.

I never really understood how some people like sniffing markers, until I spent the better part of my day writing out a speech on giant cue cards with a black permanent marker. I am now actually fond of the scent. Also, it goes well with coffee.

working around nap-time...

2009-04-20T14:17:00.004-04:00

For the life of me, I cannot get excited about work today. I woke up this morning, took one look out the window and crawled back into bed for a 45 minute snooze. I think everyone in the Great Lakes area is getting crappy weather today. My snooze meant that I had to get ready for work and leave for the bus station in just 20 minutes. Ahh, brings back memories of the good ole university days. I napped on my bus ride to work and I also opted for a nap at lunch instead of food. See a pattern?

Since I'm still a newbie at work, there's not much going on besides small tasks here and there, although they're getting more frequent. I've been really procrastinating with today's tasks though, I'd much rather nap (duh), blog-hop, or just plain daydream than write an email or a small blurb on something. I think I need to at least spend an hour doing some real work before the end of the day. Then I can nap for the remainder of the time!

breakfast at work...

2009-04-16T08:52:00.003-04:00

On my way back to my desk with some breakfast from the cafeteria, one of my coworkers asks "What's for breakfast today?"

"Bagel, butter and jam", I said with a smile.

And she laughed like it was the funniest thing ever.

I took it as a compliment. Why yes, I am rather funny.

singing on a mini roadtrip

2009-04-11T14:10:00.000-04:00

SigFig: You know, you're almost a good singer.

Me: Oh reeaally...

SigFig: Yeah, you're like one gene off from having a great voice, a single genetic link missing. You're like a private singer. You can sing for family and friends, but your voice is not strong enough for public...

Me: I see. We'll hun, you're like a really, really, really private singer. You can only sing for... well, yourself.

SigFig: Yeah, like in the shower. With the door closed.

Me: And the fan on.

a job offer

2009-04-03T12:18:00.004-04:00

So, I got a job. Kinda. I got a job offer, and I'm going to my potentially new workplace on Monday. The last two weeks were crazy since I had a couple of job interviews with two really great workplaces, but one of them made their decision faster than the other! I haven't formally accepted this position just because I'm waiting to hear back from the other company, but I think I might take it. They're both really great jobs, one is with a huge non-profit organization, but the position isn't one that will really help me in my career path (they're the ones who haven't made their decision yet), and the other is a more entry-level position in a small environmental policy department but gives me lots of experience (hopefully).

This might be my last day of unemployed freedom! I think it'll take some time getting used to going back to work and trying to fit in all my other responsibilities. SigFig works from home most of the time, so that will be a HUGE change for him, not having me around to talk to or eat lunch with. And dinner would be later that we're used to. But then again, I'll probably organize my time much more wisely!

coffee and etsy again

2009-03-30T12:37:00.005-04:00

I've been sticking to my insane coffee regime (unless I'm socializing with someone), and I've actually been sleeping better, yay! It was difficult to follow in the beginning since there's nothing I like better than have a cup of coffee a little after dinner. I think it helps with digestion or something, no? But I've managed to substitute it with tea, or sometimes, chocolate.

I am an Etsy addict (surprise!) and as I was browsing through the "Local Sellers" thingymajing, I realized that it's cheaper to buy from someone who doesn't live in Canada or my province because then I won't have to pay taxes. Even with shipping and currency conversion (Canadian sellers list prices in US currency), it would still be cheaper for me. And that's just sad.

coffee, etsy, books and computers, oh my!

2009-03-16T11:32:00.007-04:00

- I haven't won at Roll Up the Rim to Win, and I'm also going to be decreasing my chances of winning. I haven't been sleeping well for the last couple of weeks, and some people have been suggesting it might be the coffee, and I said to them "How DARE you!" Because, really, I only have an average of 1.5 cups a day, and it has never before affected me getting my 7-9 hours of sleep. School, wedding prep, yes. Coffee, no. But I thought I'd try and limit my coffee intake to one cup a day, and no coffee past 6 pm. I may or may-not have become insane.

- Etsy Treasury list: I have nothing to list of my own, but I wanted to create a page of pretty things. And I finally got it! You have to wait for the list number to go down to a certain point, and that can take several days, and you have to know exactly when to log-on. It's all very scientific. Check out my pretty list --> http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=46379

- I joined this book swap site called BookMooch. I have a bunch of books that I'd like to get rid of, and this site allows you to send your books to people who request them, and you can request books that you want from others. There's a point system involved, and the more points you have, the more books you can request. The only part of the system that requires you to pay is the postage required for you to send books to others (but you can choose who to send books to, if you want to limit your postage expenses). I listed a couple of books to try it out.

- I've been settling in with my new laptop pretty well. Except for one thing: the (stupid) keyboard. You know how your hands get used to a certain keyboard layout and you intuitively know where the shift and control buttons are? I no longer have that kind of blind trust with this new keyboard. While I was writing this post, I opened up three new tabs in my Internet explorer, opened the Favourites window, the Find window, the Open window and I also deleted the entire post, but thank God for Ctrl+Z!

haven't won yet...

2009-03-01T18:28:00.005-05:00

Things they should put under the rim instead of "Please Play Again":

- You Lost

- There's Nothing Here

- Get an Extra-Large Drink Next Time

- Please PAY Again

layman economics

2009-02-27T07:36:00.005-05:00

So Tim Horton's Roll Up the Rim to Win is back and I have yet to purchase one for myself. I picked some coffees up the other day for a friend and I didn't even get one for myself, how crazy is that? I think it was a combination of not having enough time to enjoy one and trying to cut down on spending (hi unemployment!) that prompted such insane actions. Usually, just smelling the sweet aroma is worth the cost of a coffee, but now it's like "I'm going to spend money on something I won't enjoy/use to it's fullest? Pssht." Which reminds me, time to brew up my morning cuppa.

And yes, I really am writing this from home at 7:30 in the morning!

writing this from SigFig's computer...

2009-02-20T12:38:00.003-05:00

Job search has been going slow lately. I really got into it at the end of last week and early this week. I wrote really enthusiastic and confident cover letters and was finally getting good at it... then my computer died.

It wasn't like total shut down, but more like a slow and painful death. I used to get those blue screens often, but my computer always recovered. But this past week, it's started freezing up at start up and even when I did simple tasks like play solitaire. So I backed up all my files and shut it down permanently. I guess if I formatted it, it could've been revived, but you have to understand, my laptop is like what the early Motorola Brick Cellphone is to today's models. Old, bulky and inefficient. So I ordered a new laptop online and it arrived yesterday, and while installing Vista, it crashed. Really. It shut down during installation and when I restarted it, I got the blue screen, then it would restart itself again, and show the blue screen. And that was the cycle: restart, blue screen. So now I have to return it because they basically sent me a defective computer. Idiots.

Back to the job search, at a standstill. I received an email from my university about an Alumni panel on environmental careers. Perfect! Something informative, maybe provide some more motivation. I decided to look up the panelists and as it turns out, one was a classmate of mine, and another is a gal who is part of an extended social circle (and who's job I really, really want!). So now I don't want to go because it'll be totally embarrassing going to this thing, because I will look like a failure. I wouldn't mind going if I didn't know anyone, but to go and be lectured on how to get a successful job in the environmental career by your very own classmate? Get over myself, I know, right? Gaaaah. We'll see.

forgot the bread...

2009-02-16T09:44:00.000-05:00

So the dinner for my parents was great! My only mistake was that I forgot to get some pita bread to eat with the dinner, and I think that actually was a huge oversight on my part. Who forgets bread at an Arabic dinner?! SigFig and I hardly eat it, and the last time I had a bag of it, it lasted 3 months at our place before I finally ate the non-moldy bits. The shosh barak and lasagna were great, and my mom almost wept tears of joy. All in all, it was a success.

a little arrogant, but my lasagna is darn good!

2009-02-05T23:18:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow, I'll be hosting my parents for dinner for the first time since I've left their place. They've come over for small visits and coffee (my mom and my sister mostly, I think my dad and brother have been over a total of 3 times), but this is the first time I'm going to officially cook and entertain them. SigFig and I already hosted his parents a while back, and while that was a little nerve-racking, my cooking has gotten better and I know that I'll cook a good meal tomorrow. I'm cooking shosh barak (also, sheesh barak, beef dumplings in yogurt sauce) for the first time, and lasagna for the...I've-lost-count-time.

I am so confident with my cooking that I believe my mom will bawl when she tastes my food. She'll cry tears and rivers of joy because I am a great cook. She'll be so overjoyed and proud (also with herself, because I imagine she'll want to take some credit for my cooking skills) that she will also present me with an award, "Best Daughter Ever", and my dad will proclaim "You cook better than your mom", and he'll only want to eat dinner at my place. Then someone will say "Here, it must be exhausting being such a great cook, sit down while we do the dishes and clean the kitchen".

Hmm... If anything, I hope the latter part happens!

looking for things to hang on the wall...

2009-02-02T13:37:00.001-05:00

Since I've moved out of my parent's home and got my own place, I've been really interested in design. I told you SigFig and I got orange leather couches, which honestly, look really really awesome! Our apartment has one wall that's painted a light blue colour (the rest are white) and we have black and white furniture and accessories that tie everything in. But I'm still looking for photos/posters/prints to put up on the walls, they're kind of bare. I did find a cute desk calendar by this Toronto graphic designer. It has an Islamic calligraphy theme to it, and I love how she modernized traditional Arabic calligraphy.

I've been searching endlessly online for simple, modern, somewhat minimalist prints and posters, but I can't seem to find any that really grab me. Suggestions?

the aftermath...

2009-01-22T15:30:00.000-05:00

So you plan and prepare and get every nitty-gritty detail finalized, and in a couple of hours it's all done (and you don't remember a thing, but that's another story) and you won't have to worry about it again, right?

Naah. Now, you've got photos, video, and thank you cards to deal with. Photos, turned out awesome, better than I expected. Video, I have yet to see. And thank-you cards? I'm still trying to track down addresses and a nearby mailbox where I can mail things.

Honestly, the most difficult part about mailing these cards has been finding a place to mail them from. My building doesn't have one, the closest one is a 10 minute walk from my apartment or at the nearby mall. Okay, ten minute walk, not usually a big deal, but in -20C weather? BIG FREEZING DEAL. This morning, I ran some errands and decided to mail a batch of cards, I went to three different plazas on my way back home to try and find a mailbox, THREE! I don't know whether I'm turning into one of those "Back in the good ole days..." people, but back in the good ole days when I was younger, there used to be a mailbox at every corner. Wherever you found newspaper stands, you'd find a mailbox. But they seem to be so rare and so few of them out there that I've taken the habit of carrying with me ready-to-be-mailed items wherever I go, just in case I spot a mailbox.

Anyhoo, here's a picture from the wedding :)

cold season. get it?

2009-01-16T20:41:00.004-05:00

One of my old coworkers grew up in a city much more north than here, and she said their motto was "There's no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing", and I believe her, so I'm not going to complain about the cold, cold weather that has wind-burned my hands.

But I will blame the weather for the stubborn flu/cold/cough combo I've been hit with recently, because I bundled up, and I wore appropriate clothing and I still got sick! It's been almost two weeks and I still have the sniffles and a dry cough.

Not much going on these days, but the job hunt has begun and is going o-kay. I tell ya, there's not much in terms of jobs out there these days. I have some time in my day now to start reading, and I think I'm going to start with Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, which I bought a couple of weeks ago.

the transition...

2009-01-08T17:56:00.005-05:00

Firstly, Happy New Year!

Secondly, I know, I know! I had said I would be back in two weeks, but I totally underestimated the time I'd need to settle down into this new lifestyle. Even now, I can't say that I'm completely settled down and ready to start... living, so I don't even really new what this new lifestyle is like yet. I still have things that I haven't brought over from my parents place (mostly because of storage/space issues), so I'm kind of in limbo, and it's actually quite depressing. I've been trying to get out more these days, reconnect with my friends, search for a job (although, this EI thing is working out pretty well for me!), pick things up where I left off... and that's where blogging came in! So here's to jumpstarting my life!

a day sprinkled with a little crazy...

2008-10-21T23:02:00.003-04:00

It snowed today! There was actual accumulation, and we had to scrap snow and ice off the car.
We signed a lease for an apartment today, three days before our wedding day.
I convinced SigFig to buy orange leather couches. And no, I'm not crazy, the living room is going to be da bomb!

And that's it my lovelies. I shall return in two weeks as a newly married blogger!

ten day countdown...

2008-10-14T10:01:00.000-04:00

Seating plan is done!
Guest favors are done!
Centerpieces, done!
DJ, Photographer, Videographer booked!
Dress, almost done!

it's 3 am...

2008-09-09T03:05:00.003-04:00

I'm afraid to go to sleep. I feel like if I close my eyes, I will sink into this dark and empty void that's been growing inside me since a couple of hours ago. All of a sudden, my heart became heavy and there was this sinking feeling. Usually, I can sleep it off, things would get better when I wake up, and life goes on. Usually, I want to sleep to forget about it. But tonight, I'm afraid to go to sleep. I'm afraid that things will still be the same when I wake up. So my two choices are 1) stay awake until I feel better or 2) sleep until....forever. And neither are looking good right now.

my other nine-to-five job...

2008-08-23T12:21:00.000-04:00

The invitations were sent off to print last Friday! (It's been more than a week, I know!)

This was the scene last Friday:
It was my last day at work, my contract was finishing up and I was leaving work because I wanted to take a break before Ramadan and have time to do some wedding planning. (Folks, listen: There are some people that actually plan for a wedding a couple of months in advance!). I was training the new person/wrapping things up since it was my last week. I had to send off the invitation wording to print so that we can send them off to guests in time, and there were emails being sent back and forth with the invitations folks since they weren't getting the Arabic wording right (thus, me wanting to do unpleasant things to them), and it was approaching lunchtime and my coworkers were taking me out for sushi, and I was coming so close to finalizing the wording. I had my mom and SigFig look over it, and I was getting so anxious that I was actually doubting the wedding date! I checked and re-checked my agenda, tried to remember the hall booking contract, and the date that I always told people. Finally, I took a deep breath, typed "Approval to print" and clicked send. Then I had to quickly grab my purse and head out to lunch. And that was that. They should be ready in three weeks, I can't wait!

So now that I'm unemployed, I've been focusing on the rest of the "wedding checklist". Would you believe I don't have a "real" checklist? More like scribbles in my agenda. But I'm thinking of doing a Gantt chart. I'm such a geek. Anyhoo, these days I close my eyes, and all I see is white dresses, black suits, and lots of flowers. I've been looking at a gazillion wedding photographer portfolios. And numerous cheesy videos. We still haven't finalized the program, so we're not sure what kind of entertainment/DJ we want.

Other than that, the planning is going well. I finally get to call people during business hours! Whereas before, I had to step out during lunch and try to track people down.

And that's the wedding update. I'll be quiet now, and for those I bored to death, I apologize.

...but i can't

2008-08-14T12:29:00.006-04:00

I want to:

Bang my head against the wall.
Choke the wedding invitation people.
Go home and sleep.
Eat lunch.
Choke the wedding invitation people, again.
Cry.

what's your name? i have no name: a tag

2008-08-09T10:04:00.002-04:00

Neutron tagged me. Phew, these are coming at me left and right.

What is your favorite quotable line from a movie?
I don't have one. So instead, I'll tell you what my favourite types of bagels are! Poppy seed and pumpernickel.

Who is the most famous person you have spoken to?
Umm....Jack Layton? (Canadian politician) He was at some big picnic, campaigning for the elections.

How many bags/boxes of potato chips are consumed at your place in a month?
We are not a potato chip eating family, but I'd say the average would be 0.5 bags a month.

Who is your all time favorite cartoon character?
There was a time in my life where I would've said Daffy Duck, but I don't know if that's still true because I haven't watched Loony Tunes or Space Jam recently. I do love Tigger though, he's bouncy touncy.

What foreign food dish do you prepare from scratch and serve?
I dunno if this qualifies as a "foreign dish" but I make a pretty good lasagna.

What is your favorite section of the supermarket?
Bakery! Definitely, definitely bakery. If I need to pick up some bread, I absolutely must eat before I go to the grocery store. Because, otherwise, it ain't gonna be pretty.

What was your high school teams mascot and what were the school's colors?
I went to three different highschools. One was a panther, one was an eagle, one was a jaguar. I'm not sure about the colours, but all three had some variation on white and blue (maybe with silver and black?).

And here are the rules:
1. Answer the above questions in a blog posting
2. Identify the people who you are going to tag
3. Acknowledge who tagged you

This time, I will be tagging! Humour this crazy caffeine junkie, will ya?
Digital Niqabi (Ha! The tables have turned!)
Mo
Abed
Omar

nom, nom

2008-08-07T15:05:00.000-04:00

Best. Cookies. Ever.

preferential treatment...

2008-08-05T18:03:00.000-04:00

Sister: Queenie, please shamrili bantalooni. (Arabic for "Please pull up my pants". Her hands were tied up)

Me: Okay, sure. Where did you learn that word, "shamrili"?

Sister: I dunno. Don't you ever use it?

Me: No, I've never heard of it! Who taught you it?

Sister: Mama did...

Me: Moooooom! You forgot to teach me a word!!

home is where most of your stuff is

2008-08-05T14:09:00.005-04:00

I was just about to title this post "Manic Monday", this is how disoriented I am. I got back in from good ole Virginia (it's for lovers!) yesterday afternoon, and I went to sleep at 2 am this morning, only to wake up at 7:20 (I snoozed for 50 minutes!) and get ready to go back to work. *Sigh*

I think my friend picked a great weekend to get married. Not only was it a Canadian long-weekend, but it was a no-sales-tax-on-clothes-weekend in Virginia (if not elsewhere too?) and I got some great deals!

And now I'd like to take a moment to complain about the absolutely gross urban sprawl/planning of the city I visited. There were no sidewalks (except for the older downtown areas and residential neighbourhoods), and although I am aware of a transportation system, I did not see a single working bus from Saturday to Monday. My sister, friend, and I could've walked to several places near the hotel we stayed at, but what to walk on? We could only cut through parking lots. It drove me insane.

Glad to be home again!

back today, gone tomorrow

2008-08-01T21:16:00.003-04:00

Back from the cottage today! I had a great relaxing trip. It's great to be able to sleep when you want, eat when you want, and just not do anything, without feeling guilty.

I'm leaving tomorrow morning to Virginia to attend my friend's wedding. It's going to be a short trip (back on Monday), but I'm excited and happy to put off going back to work as much as possible!

vaycay

2008-07-25T23:42:00.005-04:00

Leaving for the cottage tomorrow! Back on Friday!

communication down

2008-07-22T21:21:00.005-04:00

SigFig lost his phone recently, and I think it means that he's not attached to it enough. He needs to make it a central object in his daily life. His anything and everything, so that when his phone goes missing, he notices right away because life gets to a standstill and he can't function properly. Now, I'm not sure what the exact story is behind the missing phone (it's too sad of a tale for him to tell) but I do know that I have the right to be able to call him when I want, wherever he is, and my right is currently being severely violated. His current workload is not helping either as he's been tied up this last little while, trying to finish up a project he's working on, and he doesn't have much time to talk. The lack of phone is making it worse, and I am trying to be The Most Understanding Fiancee of the Year, but all I'm going to say is that if he has time to check my blog (hey hun!), then he has time to send me an email.

I'm just saying.

luaued out

2008-07-21T16:15:00.002-04:00

Phew! What a weekend. Lots of lots of things: rain, food, family and friends.

Saturday had called for cats-and-dogs style rain, but my parents were determined to round up a couple of family friends out for a BBQ picnic. My brother left a bit earlier to reserve a spot under a gazebo at the park in case it rained. We ate, played frisbee, then set out to play some volleyball. Then it rained, and poured and we all got soaking wet, and spent about an hour underneath the gazebo waiting for it to stop. It was a great day, I hadn't played volleyball in a while.

I held a bridal shower/farewell party for a friend of mine yesterday. Although I had originally planned on holding the shindig in my backyard, the weather wasn't being nice and it was raining(again), and we had to move everything down into my basement for a Hawaiian luau. I think everyone had a great time though, woho!

And now I need another weekend for some real time off!

fighting pretty...

2008-07-15T17:19:00.001-04:00

I was reading a book the other day and got to a part about conflict resolution and how it's usually not the topic of the argument, but how the argument plays out, that makes the biggest influence on how issues are resolved. So if a set of parents were to separate/divorce, it's not the issue of separation, but it's the yelling, and name calling and the anger with which the parents might conduct the separation, that gets to everyone.

A while back, I had an argument with one of my friends, it was stupid, and we both reacted badly, and I was just so turned off by it all (and I hate to admit this) that I don't really bother to keep in touch with her anymore. We both talked it over, so it's "resolved", and I make an effort to be friendly to her when we do communicate, but I can't get over it. I think that I usually react well in arguments. For the most part, I'm not hysterical, I don't yell or get violent, but I do get really quiet and tend to want to leave for some alone-time, and that's mostly to prevent potential hysterical outbursts. I can't think when I'm angry, and I get quiet because I have nothing to say at the moment, because my thoughts are all jumbled up, and I don't know what to say, yet.

One reason that the argument turned ugly with my friend was because she kept pushing me to talk, until finally a stream of incoherent and loud words came out. It's so frustrating when you're trying to make a point but can't say it properly, so you use volume to get the point across instead. And, obviously, that doesn't work, so don't try it at home kids. Honestly, it wasn't that big of a deal, and it's sad that we could've reconciled things nicely, but we didn't. Lesson learned.

colours!

2008-07-11T10:35:00.006-04:00

One reason I love looking at photography and design blogs is because of all the colour. And another reason is because they usually have the greatest net finds/links. Like this Multicolr Search Lab for Flickr. You choose colours (up to ten!) and the site finds pictures in Flickr that contain those colours.
This was my first colour adventure, what I like to call PeachSummerRaspberryAvocado or 4-6-7-3.

And my second try resulted in Twenty-Three.

Does anybody else do that? Where you attribute colours to numbers? Like the number 8 instantly reminds me of chocolate brown. And 5 is blue. And so on and so forth.

Anyhoo, that site is really addictive and I just spent my entire morning drooling over the results of the different colour combinations.

EDIT: Oh. My. God.

five more things to hope for

2008-07-09T13:44:00.001-04:00

Have I built up enough suspense? Are you sitting at the edge of your seats? Of course you are.

It's been almost two months since I started this tag!

6. Maintain healthy relationships with the ones I love and cherish
7. Travel, experience new places
8. Contribute to the well-being of society
9. Make religion a central focus in my life
10. Aim for modesty/moderation in everything

Unfortunately, The Coffeehouse is now the place where tags go to die. But I have no problem in you pretending that I tagged you.

*****

2008-07-08T11:46:00.005-04:00

SigFig and I were having a discussion yesterday about how certain words qualify as swear words. We each have a word that's been somewhat normalized in our vocab that the other thinks is just crude and nasty to say. And we haven't been able to convince the other that "your word is worse!". So, I just want to know what words you consider to be a "swear word". (Tread carefully, the following poll may cause you to wince.)

poll by twiigs.com

busted

2008-07-05T22:43:00.004-04:00

I knew it would happen. We both kinda read the same stuff, and eventually, he would've found a link or a comment. SigFig discovered my blog, "accidentally". He found a link on a blog and figured it was me. I was actually on the phone with him as it happened. Kinda surreal I tell ya. I'm glad it happened though. I feel like a huge burden has been lifted off my shoulders, and while before I was afraid he might not understand some of my older posts/thoughts, now I'm just relieved that he can finally see what he's getting himself into! I was one boy-crazy gal...

my sister is kind of wise, actually

2008-07-04T10:06:00.005-04:00

"... it's like that question about if people's wages reflect how much they contribute to our society. Do we need celebrities? No, they add no value to our society. Do we need the garbage man? Yes. But a celebrity earns way more than the garbage man, and that's just not fair."

we had a garage sale yesterday

2008-06-30T10:01:00.003-04:00

this and that...

2008-06-25T13:10:00.003-04:00

This has happened to me three times in the last three days: I make a mental note to call/message/email a person I haven't checked up on for a while, and they end up beating me to it! And it gets me so frustrated because I thought of calling/messaging/emailing first! But they don't know that, and I end up looking like I forgot about them, but I didn't. Ahh! I really must be more proactive and do something as soon as it comes to mind.

Yesterday was one of the first days this summer when I sat outside in our backyard and just relaxed. Along with our house reno, we also did some major work in our backyard, including leveling off the slope we had (our trees and fence shrunk!) and removing our lower deck and adding a stone patio. I can't wait for a sunny weekend to sit outside and take in some sun and fresh air.

well, good morning to you too...

2008-06-20T10:27:00.001-04:00

Me: Hey Boss, how was your trip?
Boss: Umm...have you set up that meeting with XYZ Company?

mosaic me, please...

2008-06-19T16:09:00.005-04:00

I saw a couple of other bloggers do this Flickr mosaic and it looked like too much fun to pass up. I see all these cool mosaic's on Flickr and I've always wanted to do one, and now I know how! (But fear-not my friends! I won't go mosaic-crazy on here.)
I bet you can use something like this to analyze a person. It reminds me of the Youniverse/Imagini VisualDNA, but without the words. So if you want to do one yourself:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.

b. Using only the first page, pick an image.

c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

The questions are:
1. What is your first name?

2. What is your favorite food?

3. What high school did you go to?

4. What is your favorite color?

5. Who is your celebrity crush?

6. Favorite drink?

7. Dream vacation?

8. Favorite dessert?

9. What do you want to be when you grow up?

10. What do you love most in life?

11. One Word to describe you.

12. Your Flickr name.

And if you decide to do one, leave a note in the comment section, I'd love to see yours!

playing house

2008-06-16T14:47:00.003-04:00

This weekend, SigFig and I finally got around to creating our gift registry.

Didn't you hear? SigFig and I are getting married. Woho! According to the countdown on the registry site, our wedding's in 130 days. Which is four months and ten days. Which is super duper exciting.

So back to the registry. As corny as it sounds, it was one of the best bonding experiences I had with SigFig. We spent some time last weekend and this past Saturday deciding how we’d set up our home, what colours we wanted, and what gadgets and gizmos we needed. This may sound silly, but the items that I'm most excited about are a set of measuring spoons and measuring cups. I can't wait to get them! They're so cute, and we've never had any type of measuring utensils growing up at my house.

Our list was relatively small, mostly kitchen items. We still don’t know where we’ll be living, so it was difficult to decide whether things would “fit in” our future place. * And the whole thing felt surreal. Like, we – us – we’re going to set up a home and start a family. It kinda felt like we were playing house. Kids, dressing up and acting like adults. I don't know the first thing about the best kind of pots and pans to cook in, or whether we'll need formal dinnerware for 8 or 12 people. But it's nice that SigFig and I are learning and making these choices together.

___________________________________
* When I was younger, whenever I got some new clothes or new furniture in my room, I’d do a whole introductory thing in my head to make them feel welcomed – "New chair, meet room . Room, meet new chair”. The end.

tote fetish...

2008-06-11T11:06:00.000-04:00

I go through these phases of obsession. A while back, I was obsessed with vintage, tacky clutches. Before that, it was silver rings, and now, I present my new current obsession: totes.

Ta-da!

These are some of my favourite totes on Etsy. I used to have a simple tote somebody had gotten as a freebie and wanted to get rid of, and I used to use it back when I was in university to carry the gazillion books I'd sign out of the library for my assignments. I think I lent it to my mom once, and she must've eaten it. Or something. Because I can't find it. I want one that I can easily fold and store in my purse and take out to use when I stop to pick something up from the store, or when my purse is too full to put anything else in (trust me, always an issue). They all vary in price and size, and there are two of them that I really, really like. The "Green tote" and "Make Tea, Not War". What do you guys thinks?

tempted to lick the bowl...

2008-06-09T16:18:00.003-04:00

You know when you're eating something, and you just never want it to finish? And you're dreading every bite because that means there's one less bite of it and then you start yelling at it for being consumed "Why are you being eaten so fast?", and you just want it to sit there in your mouth forever, taking in its wonderful taste?

That's my relationship with banana-yogurt-granola.

bookworm...

2008-06-06T14:50:00.002-04:00

I've been a total bookwork this last little while. I read The Alchemist about two weeks ago, and it took me about two and a half days to finish on my work-home commute. I thought it was nice, cute, but not completely life-changing like I'd heard others rave about it. I think the most interesting thing I found about it was that most of it was situated in northern Africa, and many of the books I read are situated in Europe or North America. I don't think I've read anything set so close to the Middle East, and I found it refreshing to read about camels, the desert, and bedouins.

Then I read High Fidelity, a book that Mo had read. It was a fun, quick read, and I love reading books from a male narrator's perspective. And now I'm reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, which is one of 7aki Fadi's favourite books. And the only word I can use to describe it is "peculiar". But I'm enjoying it so far. Next on my list is Brave New World.

just as long as it's not decaf

2008-06-03T10:40:00.003-04:00

I started filling in for somebody who retired last week, so currently, I'm covering two jobs for two different bosses. It's been a bit disorienting, since I moved desks, and I had everything accessible and familiar at my old desk. Now, I feel like I can't find things like papers and contact info, but I'm slowly turning this new desk into a more familiar working space. It's also a bit unnerving getting used to a different boss and knowing when to approach him for things and how assertive I can be with him. It's always intimidating in the beginning, but now, with Boss #1, when I need things to get done, when I have to meet a deadline for something, I know how much I can push her. It'll take some time to figure out the dynamics with Boss #2.

So Boss #2 has a meeting this afternoon and someone from the other meeting party called me this morning to find out how my boss takes his coffee.

"I dunno, won't you have cream and sugar on the side? "
"No, we were just going to pick it up from Starbucks."
"Oh, I really don't know."
"Okay, I'll just email him to find out."

So..umm, how does he take his coffee? Should I know this? I didn’t get briefed on his refreshment preferences. Besides this being a pathetic conversation, do you see why I'd like to leave my job ASAP? Is this the face of a person who cares how her boss takes his coffee? I didn't think so.

yeah, yeah. knock on wood...

2008-05-30T11:27:00.000-04:00

I just had a conversation with by boss during which she indicated that there's a possibility of extending my contract for a little bit until they find a replacement for me, and for my coworker who's retiring. Normally, this is good news, but it's not. I can't wait to leave this position. Not the place mind you, my coworkers are all great, but my job is mind-numbing and unmotivating. Plus, I'd like some time off during the summer. On the other hand, I'm not gonna turn down a paycheck. Nothing is for sure yet, we'll see what happens.

I'm going to a wedding tonight, and I have no formal wear that fits me properly. In the last little while, I lost a significant amount of weight, and I have no idea how or why. It's actually really frustrating because I bought a dress a couple of weeks ago to wear to a party this past Monday and I had to tape the dress to myself because it suddenly became a size too big. Sorry for the visual. And now, everything's big on me and nothing fits the way it should and I was content with my weight before, thank-you-very-much, and why?! Whhhyyyyy?

a pet peeve...

2008-05-28T16:57:00.001-04:00

One of my greatest pet peeves is people who take the elevator one floor up. You have legs, use them. If you run out of breath going up one flight of stairs, then you really do need to be taking the stairs more often. If you are carrying more than 3lbs of stuff, fine you have my permission to take an elevator/escalator, otherwise, no. Just no.

brb...

2008-05-21T15:50:00.002-04:00

It's been a hectic week. Shopped a lot over the long weekend. Went to Niagara Falls on Monday and proceeded to freeze appendages off. Lacking sleep. Home reno's almost done. And that's a brief recap. Brb, hopefully with something you might actually care about.

refugee-ism

2008-05-15T23:13:00.005-04:00

This is my contribution to "Blog About Palestine Day". I had posted this originally on my older blog, but later took it down because I felt it was too personal. I'm posting it again, just because...
------------------

Nariman and I were walking through Bethlehem, from Aida to Azzeh, Amjad was with us, leading the way in front of us. We passed the murals and the cemetery, the hotel. Nariman asks me "Would you live here, permanently?".

We always asked each other such questions, they were somewhat "hypothetical", half wishful thinking, and half a foreshadow of our future goals. My heart screamed "YES!", but my mind hesitated for a couple of seconds. There were details to address. "Where "here" do you mean?". I observed a difference in the living conditions in Palestine. The mokhayamat were hit hard, literally and figuratively, with violence and poverty. People who lived in the city had it somewhat better, but they were still part of the occupied people. Then you had those living in Jerusalem, yet another type of occupation and oppression.

"If I decide to move here, I don't think I could live in the refugee camp". I was honest about it. No matter how honest it was, it was a cruel thing to say. I was ashamed to say it, but Nariman would understand. I'm a refugee, but I don't know if I could live the refugee life of those in the West Bank, I wouldn't last a day, a night. My second day in Bethlehem, we visited Ahmed Al Amir's family in Aida. I had never been to a refugee camp before. Nariman visited Sabra and Shatila a couple of years ago when she went to Lebanon. Ahmed was our transportation provider, he dropped us off right at his house, we got out of the car and landed on his doorstep and went inside. I didn't really take in my surroundings until we finished our visit. It was maghrib time, we started walking back to the school. Ayid led the way, through the alleys, left turn, right. Graffiti. Fateh um el sha3b. Right turn, left. Hamas. Bullet holes. Handala. It was dark and I felt lost, scared shitless. Any minute now, el jaysh could storm this place. There could be M16s. Katyushas. Metal-rubber bullets. A curfew! I was a nervous mess. Everyone else was taking in the scenery, talking casually. We passed by a house and saw the rest of our gang still talking with the family they were visiting. When we left the boundaries of Aida, I relaxed a bit, breathed a little easier, but my heart grew heavier. Shame.

Back in the girl's room at the school, I talked to C. "All I could think of when we were walking out of Aida is when is a soldier gonna start shooting", and C, ever the optimist said "I was thinking what a beautiful night it was to be walking through Aida and have no attacks for the night". Shame.

It was Nariman's turn to answer the question, when she thought of "living in Palestine", the refugee camp was the first place that came to mind. Really?. That was the ideal, but was it the reality? Nariman, R-E-F-U-G-E-E-C-A-M-P. She understood, but hung on to her idealist thoughts. I don't blame her.

Was I less of a "Palestinian" if I refused to live in a refugee camp? Yes, I think so. To be a Palestinian is to have the willingness to live alongside your brothers and sisters through the thick and thin, not to take the easy way out, to be willing to fight at any instant, to face all facets of the occupation and the oppression that comes with it. To be a Palestinian is not to pick and choose what and how to suffer, or what not to partake in. Most Palestinians don't get a choice in what type of "occupation package" they get, why should I?

Screw realism. Nariman and I share these views with the kids, "you're crazy, you don't want to live here, just wait and see". That's the "Canadians" in us talking. They're right, I have yet to experience life in a camp, but goddamn it, viva idealism, I will live in a refugee camp because I AM a refugee. They boys all want to leave. Hamza wants to leave and never look back. He'll get a scholarship, study abroad, and stay there. Some of the kids' families started out in the camps, and moved out when they were able to.We visit Linda in Azzeh on our last day in Bethlehem. Goodbye visit. "I feel like I'm not LIVING here. I "live" here, but I have no LIFE". She compares herself with the girls she sees on TV. They have money, nice clothes, go to the mall, hang out with friends, drive cars. They have money. "We don't live LIFE here". She was about to cry. Linda should never have to cry. I didn't want to lecture her, I tried not to. But she had to know. There's more to life than what she sees on TV. Her life has a greater purpose, greater meaning. A purpose and a meaning that could not be substituted with fancy clothes and a car. I would switch with her in an instant. She had to know. I wish she believed me. You can't convince someone who was born into occupation that life in good ole Canada is NOT the life to have. We don't have checkpoints. Linda, don't leave, please, I'll STAY with you.

Yes, in the R-E-F-U-G-E-E-C-A-M-P.

10 things to hope for...

2008-05-13T17:40:00.000-04:00

Digital Nomad is a tagger! Yes, she is a blogger, but I believe deep-down, tagging is her true calling. So, here are 5 out of 10 things I hope for/hope to do:

1. Remain true to myself, my beliefs, my ideals
2. Open a successful café
3. Have a fulfilling career
4. Become a more patient, temper-less person
5. Get organized

The other five in a later post. Ooh, the suspense!

embracing thriftiness...

2008-05-07T11:59:00.000-04:00

Since the beginning of May, I've officially been out of school for a year. Wow, wow, wow.

Anyhoo, so the time has come to start paying off my student loans. I had some money saved up from the last couple of months, but I only started working in November, and I had basically depleted my savings over the summer, so in reality, I really don't gots no dough.

I decided to get my act together in terms of my spending habits. I'm not a huge spender, I hardly spend a large amount of money on one purchase, but there's a lot of little things here and there that add up. Also, this past little while, I've incurred some extra expenses because I've started taking the train instead of driving to/from the subway station on my commute. And since we have no kitchen to prepare food, I'm always buying my breakfast and lunch. Also (sorry, the list is ending), since the summer is approaching there's more activities to do and places to go, and that requires some spending as well. So all in all, I've started to be more careful how and where I spend my money. So instead of buying my breakfast/lunch everyday, I picked up some items from the grocery store to keep in the fridge at work and so that I can prepare food there. And instead of overindulging on lattes, I'll buy one cup of coffee a day at the most, and prepare some at work or at home should the need arise for a second cup. (I made a joke! I guess you'll only get it if you know the coffeeshop I'm talking about. I'm on a roll! It's like yesterday how I was telling SigFig that the item I just hung up in the closet fell down and I complained how gravity was working against me. He burst out laughing and it took me all of ten seconds to get it. Coffee?)

I hope this works out since I really want to get my student loan out of the way as soon as possible. It definitely won't be overnight, but there will be some savings over the long-term. I'm sure it's gonna take some discipline, but nothing a reward system won't fix.

interesting development...

2008-05-05T13:24:00.001-04:00

SigFig has decided to start a blog.

I think it's great because he's interested in creative writing and a blog will provide an outlet for him. At the same time, I've been feeling guilty that I still haven't told him what my blog address is, even though he's been very open about his.

So I spent the morning going through my old posts and going from "no, definitely don't share with him" to "yes, share with him", and back and forth and I still haven't concluded anything yet. I'm definitely leaning more towards "no", but then I'll have to deal with feeling guilty about it forever. What makes me feel guiltier is that since he's started his blog and has been asking for advice on this and that, and how-to's, he hasn't asked about my blog not once, not ever. And I'm just so thankful I have someone who's understanding and respects my privacy, and I feel all "awww", and kinda like a beeotch, to tell you the truth. And I keep telling him "Y'know, you don't have to share it with me if it'll make your writing more expressive", and he's all like "No, I have a hard time keeping anything from you anyway". I know he doesn't mean it, but DUDE, stop with the guilt-trip.

it's not what you say, it's how you say it...

2008-04-30T13:38:00.000-04:00

And if you can't be bothered to say it better, I can't be bothered to pretend you did.

i can deal with the cold, not the silence...

2008-04-30T09:52:00.004-04:00

The air conditioning was just turned off at work and has produced such a deafening silence, that I swear, my ears are ringing. They had it turned up this morning and it's close to zero degrees outside, so it's just as well. But I'm feeling very conscious of the noise I'm making as I'm typing on my keyboard and when I click with my mouse. Can I breathe? I feel like I need to breathe a little more quietly. Gaah, turn it back on!

dust bunny

2008-04-26T18:59:00.006-04:00

I am one with the dust. I live, breathe, eat dust. I am the dust.

We're doing some major remodeling in our house. Lights, kitchen, tiles, paint, the works. And now we are living in a perpetual haze of dust. I swear, it's in everything and no matter how many times I wash my hands or dust my stuff, there is always some film of the white-ish-grey stuff everywhere.

And we don't have a kitchen anymore. We moved our fridge and stove to the dining room, and our sink is now in the laundry room, and there is no room to prepare food, not to mention that even if we prepared food, it would be covered in dust in about a minute. I'm hungry, people. I need food and shelter. Please provide, and send some coffee my way while you at it.

hopefully, it would've politely requested that i play again...

2008-04-17T09:55:00.005-04:00

Since Tim Horton's Roll Up the Rim to Win is now basically over, I feel like it's time to confess.

I threw out an unrolled cup.

Yes, it could've been a car, or a boat, or a GPS thingy majingy, I'll never know. But I didn't mean to throw it out, I swear. Here's what happened: A few days ago, I was crossing the street towards the parking lot to get into my car, and I was reaching into my purse to fish out my keys, but I couldn't find them. My purse is one giant black hole. There could be a brick in there making it weigh a ton, and I wouldn't even know it because it would be difficult to even find the brick in there. Anyway, so I'm panicking because I can't find my car keys and I'm having difficulty looking for it in my purse with one hand because the other one is holding the cup (now empty), and I cross the street and spot a garbage bin, so instinctively, I throw out the cup to free my other hand to search for my keys. And just as I do, I find the keys, and realize that I haven't rolled up the rim. I wanted so badly to go back and take the cup out, but people were around and the bin was overflowing with gunk. Then I kicked myself, then I went home.

The end.

but, how did you know!?

2008-04-10T14:42:00.000-04:00

I found this while I was surfing the net the other day. It's a bit disturbing in that it feels like someone has dug deep into my soul and spilled out my darkest thoughts and secrets. However, it's so insightful that I feel like I won't ever need a therapist to help me with my coffee addiction.

Caffeine Addict's Quiz (Source: Aha! Jokes)

Do you want to know if you suffer from "Alertness Deficit Disorder" (ADD)? Then just take this simple quiz. These questions will help us to determine whether or not you suffer from this terrible affliction; the only known cure for which is caffeine. ADD takes the lives of millions of Americans, hundreds of Canadians, and a handful of Ugandans every year. If that doesn't scare you, let's just say that you are more susceptible than anyone else. YES, YOU! If you suffer from this disease, missing just one trip to Starbucks could be FATAL. The following series of Yes/No questions will allow us to determine your Addiction Factor(TM). Keep track of the number of Yes and No answers you get and chart yourself at the end.

Remember: Prevention is the best medicine. Or was it laughter? Either way, read on.

1. Do you use coffee to escape from your problems? "I drink lots of coffee to confuse my self..."

2. Do you eat spoonfuls of instant coffee because it's easier? Instant coffee is fake coffee. Although the other day, I took a nap in the evening and woke up cranky and I needed some form of coffee, fast, and I couldn't wait for the coffee machine to work it's magic, so I reached for the instant coffee, only to find that it was old and moldy. Who knew instant coffee was made of actual, real, perishable ingredients? Not me.

3. Have you ever woken up in a puddle of your own coffee? Can't say that I have, no.

4. Do you find that it's easier to drink more coffee than go to sleep? DUDE.

5. a) Have you ever drunk cold coffee? b) Right out of the pot? Guilty. Guilty, again.

6. Do you spend more than 20% of your income on coffee and/or coffee related products? Umm, no, but other people spend about that much for my coffee.

7. Does your coffee cup resemble a beer stein? I do have some ginormous coffee cups.

8. Has anyone ever told you that you "have a problem"? It's the usual conversation starter.

9. Do you need coffee: a) ...to get up in the morning?b) ...to get out of bed?c) ...to be injected intravenously to stimulate blood-flow? Yes, I need coffee to be injected intravenously.

10. Do you own a "Coffee Helmet"? (For the culturally ignorant, a coffee- helmet is a hat with coffee-cups attached to it and a straw coming out of each cup leading to the mouth, used for hands-free drinking.) I swear SigFig was gonna buy me one.

11. Do Native North American Aboriginal Indian Peoples call you "Ona mac towanda" (Smells-like- coffee)? I'm gonna have to go ahead and answer "no" on this one...

12. Does your doctor measure your heartbeat on the Richter scale as well as by its frequency? No, but maybe that would be more accurate.

13. Have you ever sold personal or other people's possessions just to get your fix for the day? There's an idea...

14. Does the phrase "Swiss water decaffeinated" strike terror into your heart? Decaf is fake coffee.

15.a) Do you have a coffee maker in more than one room of your house?b) ...in more than five?c) ...in your bathroom? No :(

16.a) Do the people at Second Cup refuse do give you free coffee cards anymore? b) ...because you're wearing out their hole-punch? c) ...and it's bad for the environment? No :)

17. Do you grind your own coffee? No :(

18. Do you grow your own coffee? No :(

19. Have you ever been fired from a job because you're "drinking their profits"? No, because coffee helps me function.

20.a) Do you know Juan Valdez? b) ...and his donkey? c) ...intimately? Technically, he's dead. So, no.

21. Do you salivate uncontrollably whenever you hear dripping water? I'm an addict, not rabid.

22.a) Is sleep a hobby of yours? b) ...that you don't like? c) ...because it's too frustrating? Again, DUDE.

hamlet and blogs, personally speaking...

2008-04-05T16:01:00.000-04:00

(...continued)

I am a much more eloquent person on my blog than in real life and personal email correspondence. I don't have the luxury of the backspace or delete buttons in my daily verbal conversations, and I don't put in as much thought into my personal emails as I do my blog, mostly because I expect telepathy to play a major role in all my communication, especially with those who are close to me. If you love me, then we engage in elaborate telepathic convos. However, not so the case with SigFig.

I don't have much to complain about when it comes to him. Like, nothing except that he's not in town as often as he should be. Great guy, love him to bits, supportive of my coffee addiction. But I feel like I have to include footnotes and disclaimers whenever I have a conversation with him. It drives me crazy, because the smallest thing can set him off, and I have no idea what I said or did to get a reaction. Sure sometimes, I'm careless with my word choices, especially in a heated conversation and I have trouble explaining my thoughts using simple sentence structures. Or sometimes, my punctuation is off, and the way the words sound in my head can be read in a different tone in someone else's. But I always mean well, I swear. I haven't a single malicious bone in my body. Like early on in the relationship when I finally mustered up the words "I like you. I'm just saying....that's all" to SigFig in an email, he replied that I was emotionally detached then subsequently broke my heart. I realize now how totally "off" that sentence was, but when I wrote it and read it in my head, it sounded…well, fine. And also, a bit on the humorous side. Clearly, telepathy is not a key player in our relationship. Also, I'm a bit awkward when it comes to my feelings, no surprise there.

So you can see why I would be hesitant to share my blog with SigFig. Even though it's probably clearer in portraying my thoughts than I am, everything is written "in the moment" and that would require a whole set of footnotes and disclaimers to explain why I thought this or that, and how it relates to me now. My blog doesn't capture everything in my life nor the development of my thought process, and I wouldn't want him to take anything the wrong way. Also, some things are really personal, and even though I want to share everything with him, I know there are things that are better left alone.

Yes, he does know that I blog, and he's asked to read it in the past, but I told him I wouldn't feel comfortable if he read it or even searched for it. Although sometimes, we'll be talking and he'll take the words right out of my mouth, or he'll say something I had mentioned on my blog myself, that I suspect he does read it. But I'm hesitant to ask him if he does for fear of making the wrong assumption and bringing up the subject of my blog again. It might just be that we're soulmates and stuff.

Umm, if you're reading this SigFig, Hi! Love you!

youthful vitality doesn't get you overtime...

2008-04-03T15:20:00.006-04:00

If you take my hole puncher, RETURN IT! Don't return to my desk asking me where it is. YOU TOOK IT. GO FIND IT!

My job, although very unmotivating and quite boring, is the hardest thing to do. It's tough being the young and energetic one in an office full of middle-aged ladies and gents. Mostly because everyone is wanting to suck your vast reserves of youthful vitality out of you by sending you on this errand or that because someone gets dizzy if they walk too much, another has back problems, and one is too big to get out of their chair, and you spend 7.25 hours everyday trying to avoid doing other people's work for them. They don't pay me enough, I tell ya.

need sleep? not anymore...

2008-03-31T11:25:00.005-04:00

I wasn't able to get a good night's sleep last night after a full and tiring weekend. I really needed to get some shut-eye so that I could start the week with a little bit more energy than I had at the end of last week. After a full weekend of places to go and people to see, I really needed my 8-11 hours of sleep. I decided to take a "nap" around 10 pm. SigFig had just left and I was too tired to do anything, including get ready for a full night of sleep. So I decided to put my head down for just a "little bit" until I had enough energy to clean my room, brush my teeth and ready myself for a Monday morning.

Yeah, well that didn't happen.

My mom woke me up sometime around 12 am, as she was going to bed. I got up a little after that, did what I had to do, then crawled back into bed, only to be slapped with a case of insomnia. I was dead tired, and wasn't falling asleep. The last time I remember checking the clock, it said 2 am. Now, that's usually not very late in my standards, but when you're just lying there in bed, trying to fall asleep for more than an hour, that's a pretty long time! Finally, I fell asleep, only to be woken up by an oversees phone call at 3 am. I don't know why the person calling didn't bother to calculate the time difference, it was the weirdest thing ever. I was on the phone for less than five minutes, and when I hung up, I couldn't go back to sleep again. Then I drifted back to sleep, then my alarm clocks (yes, plural) went off four hours later.

What have we learned from all this? We need to eliminate the concept of sleep since it is so difficult to acquire. Yes, we do.

earth shmour...

2008-03-28T12:08:00.006-04:00

There's this thing called Earth Hour, and you've probably heard about it because you've received a gazillion invites to participate in it on Facebook. Or you work where I work and have received annoying memos that we should pat ourselves on the back because we've decided to participate in this important event. Whatev. I am like really indifferent to Earth Hour (Yeah, so indifferent that I had to blog about my indifference).

So Earth Hour aims to deliver a "powerful message that everyone can make a difference when it comes to climate change". For one hour on Saturday night, people are encouraged to turn off all lights, from 8 to 9 pm. I'm not really big on this campaign, because honestly? One hour in one day of the year is going to make a difference in climate change? It's going to change people's energy consumption patterns? It's going to end fossil fuel burning? My intelligence is being mocked.

I get it if everyone is going to take this one hour one step further and y'know, always turn off lights at home or in offices when not in use, etc. What would have made this event more effective was if it was done not on a Saturday night, but during the week when people are going to be actively using electricity at work and at home. I think that would've been more productive in showing people how energy usage affects their lives. I feel like it's just a publicity stunt and like all popular movements, it'll soon die out.

14x365 - D.M.

2008-03-27T15:46:00.002-04:00

You're really nice and pretty and cute and stuff, and I want your job.

hamlet and blogs...

2008-03-20T10:56:00.003-04:00

I'm always hesitant to tell people that "I read blogs" because it's almost always followed up with the inevitable question "Do you have a blog?". And my answer is never definitive but always a mix of "Who wants to know?", "Whaa? I can't seem to hear you all of the sudden.", "Maybe, sorta, kinda.", and "Ohh! Look over there, a rainbow!". This is mostly because an admission of any kind will bring up a question about my blog's address and I don't share my blog with just anyone.

I'm sure a lot of anonymous bloggers have gone through such experiences where you don't want certain people to know about your blog. So, say you have some kind of partner/gf-bf/significant other, and the "blog" conversation comes up, what do you say? How much information do you give? If the occasion should arise that your partner asks to read your blog, how would you react?

I have to mull this over, but let me know what you think. To tell or not to tell? That is the question.

a little defensive when it comes to eye pillows...

2008-03-17T16:25:00.005-04:00

(EDIT: So apparently, the eye pillows I was referring to are actually called sleep masks. The difference between the two is that eye pillows are for sissies, and sleep masks aren't.)

I was having a conversation with SigFig, when we entered into a discussion on eye pillows and then he proceeded to call me a dork for owning one.

So I own one, big deal! Stop looking at me like that, I'm not a sissy, people! My bed is right next to the window, so even when the blinds are closed during the day and I want to sleep, it's still bright in my room, so I need it then. It's not like mine has "Cutie Pie!" or "Diva!" on it. It's just an ugly brown and green one with an elastic that's way too big to keep still on top of my eyes. I use it purely for it's functionality and not for beauty sleep purposes. Gosh.

I'm pretty sure every person out there has at least one, flimsy, polyester eye pillow with a logo of an airline or some dumb company on it. SigFig claims he's never seen or touched one in real life and he thought they only existed on TV and in movies.

Well then buddy, guess who's getting an eye pillow for their birthday? Mm-hm.

when your head is like an old shoe...

2008-03-11T11:44:00.001-04:00

Why are we more likely to tolerate stubbornness in males, yet deem it problematic in females?

There's been a couple of incidents in the last little while where I've noticed this trend. There's some kind of conversation, points are being made, opinions are voiced, a dude is pretty sure that's he's right, a gal is pretty sure that she's right. They agree to disagree, the dude is tolerated, the gal is called stubborn. There is "tsk, tsk"-ing...

There's societal pressure on females to humour men when they're stubborn and difficult. It's generally an unattractive characteristic in both genders, but there's an added stigma when it's present in women, especially in the context of a relationship. For men, stubbornness is often subconsciously attached to good characteristics such as "assertive" or "determined", qualities of a good leader, the guy in the relationship.

What this translates into is that men will excuse their stubbornness, their negative quality, but won't tolerate it in their partners. Women should put up with their stubborn men, and maybe even expect it. I don't think I will ever hear a guy actually say "you must tolerate my stubbornness", but you will likely hear ladies and gents advise "make sure you're [female] partner is not stubborn".

I've always hated any type of reasoning that uses "the nature of men" or the "nature of women" as the basis of it's argument. I think it's rubbish, and I think it's a lazy way of going through life, accepting things at face value and not questioning behaviour because it's more comfortable for one party or another. There are such things as "tendencies" when it comes to gender roles, but there's no such thing as innate behaviours. I like to think that in any relationship, roles, responsibilities, and behaviours balance out over time, naturally. And they could be based on a number of things, including personal preferences and physical limitations (ie, men can't have babies, women have less muscle tissue than men) and not due to preconceived notions of what either gender is supposed to act like.

And I'm not saying that women should be stubborn and guys have to deal with it. I'm just saying that it's an unlikeable quality in anyone, male or female, and that it's presence is problematic when it's there because they are of a specific gender. A person should have a choice in putting up with stubborn behaviour, not because it's what they're supposed to do, but that they decide to do so out of the goodness of their heart, because they love that person, or because it's best to just ignore. And if they think that gender is a reason to do so, then that's their choice, but their reasoning should not be forced onto others.

(Note: The subject is a translation of an Egyptian saying "demaghak gazma", which is said to people who are very stubborn.)

13x365 - N.G.

2008-03-08T21:39:00.000-05:00

I filled out the parental evaluation of your English portfolio during class, pretending to be your mom. I was blushing a deep, deep red. Reading aloud an evaluation question "What would you suggest to improve the portfolio?", I looked at you and said "Nothing, you're perfect." You smiled, pulled a lock of hair behind your ear, and said "Aww, thanks."

oh, how the years have gone by...

2008-03-07T11:32:00.004-05:00

I was counting back years, trying to figure out how old a person was, so I thought "well, 1988 is twenty years ago, add ten more to that....WAIT! Twenty? My sister is turning twenty this year..." then I sat back in my chair, stupified, and wondered how it hadn't sunk in earlier when she turned nineteen last year.

There are certain people in my life who will always remain a specific age in my mind. They'll never grow old, they will just always "be". My siblings and my parents are some of those people. I guess it might be because I never notice the drastic changes in their appearances or behaviours, but that I am present as they're changing and adapt to them over time. Still, it's a shock when you realize just how much time has passed and how people have grown and changed.

weird. say it ten times fast

2008-03-06T09:58:00.007-05:00

I'm having the weirdest morning ever. I think it's due to lack of sleep, plus a weird dream I had, plus the police ringing our doorbell at 5 am this morning. And I did some shoveling yesterday morning and I'm sooo sore. Jeez, I'm so out of shape.

Someone was ringing our doorbell incessantly at 5 am. It shoulda been weird, except it wasn't because of the happy ding-dong noise the doorbell makes, so you actually think someone is really excited and happy and can't wait for you to open the doors and pop some streamers, and hand you a bunch of balloons, and blow on a kazoo and so on and so forth. Basically, it sounded like there was going to be a party on our doorstep.

But because it was so early, I freaked out and I could hear the rest of my family jumping out of their beds and coming out of their rooms. I looked out the window to see if anyone was outside, and there was a police car parked across the street with two officers, and obviously, a third at our doorstep. Apparently, they caught a guy breaking into our van that was parked in our driveway. He was in the car looking for stuff to steal. They found other peoples' credit cards and miscellaneous objects on him. Someone had seen him breaking into the van and tipped off the police. They caught him and he was in the back of the police car, I could see him moving in the backseat. He didn't take anything from the van, there wasn't anything valuable there anyways, but my mom had left her work bag in there and it was obvious that he had been rummaging through it.

Something that we all freaked out about was the garage opener/remote that was in the van. He could've easily opened the garage door and broken into our other cars. Also, we usually don't lock the inside doors that lead to our garage, and it's creepy to think how easily he could've gotten inside our house. So umm yeah, it's kinda been a weird morning for me, with the lack of sleep, weird dreams, and the burglar dude.

Last month, our next door neighbour's house was also broken into, in broad daylight. My neighbour got home from university around 3 pm to find the door broken open and her house a mess. The burglar took off with three laptops and a bunch of cash. Our houses are directly across the street from an elementary school. I guess the "safety" of a locked door is just one of those things that people usually take for granted.

Anyhoo, it's just all very weird.

12x365 - M.S.

2008-03-05T16:23:00.003-05:00

I missed your birthday this year, I'm sorry. Our physical distance has created other distances and we interact with each other based on how we were 6 years ago. There are things you are not telling me, big things in your life, that you seem to hide from me, although others know. This is probably the beginning of the end.

6 dos and don'ts before 18...

2008-03-05T10:55:00.001-05:00

Mona tagged me a while ago with a list of 6 things a girl must learn to do, and to avoid before she turns eighteen. Drumroll please:

1 - Travel. Go with a bunch of friends, a chaperone or two, but minimal supervision, not the family vacation kinda travel. You can honestly learn so much about yourself, how responsible you are, how you react to different situations, how to discipline yourself, what your limits are and so on and so forth.

2 - I think I have to totally and completely agree with DN's "be active" bullet. I think that was one thing I failed to do. I did volleyball, but that was pretty much the extent of it. I didn't ride a bike, I didn't rollerblade or climb trees. I think this is especially important the closer you get to 18. When you're a pre-teen or early into your teenage years, you don't have the same issues with trying to act like a "lady", whatever that would be.

3 - Don't dye your hair! Cause then it'll leak into your hair follicles, pass through your skull and damage your brain cells. And stuff.

4 - Get a job, make your own money and spend your own money. Because while bumming $20s off your parents every other day seems less stressful and time consuming than a job, a job will help you realize you had to work x number of hours to buy those jeans or that purse and you'll start to appreciate your time and hard-earned money.

5 - Drink lots of coffee. Must I elaborate?

6 - Strengthen your relationship with your close friends. These are people you've probably known for the past couple of years and have grown and changed with you. You can relate to them best and a continued strong relationship will help you out during rough times in the future.

This was actually a bit difficult to write. I kept trying to remember how I was at eighteen and what big events in my life had occured by then. I did a lot of traveling, which I think had a huge impact on the type of person I am today, and I wish my sister had a chance to travel before she turned eighteen as well. But honestly? I don't feel "qualified" enough to give advice on these dos and don'ts. Everyone is at a different place in life before/when they hit eighteen, so that list above was just from my personal experience. Especially #5. Yuup.

happy hazelnut coffee monday...

2008-03-03T22:16:00.001-05:00

it's ugly and contagious...

2008-02-27T13:08:00.004-05:00

So you probably don't want to hear about my cold sore, but I'm going to tell you about it anyway because it is what my life has been consumed with the last three days. I woke up Monday morning on my pretend sick day to a mess at the corner of my mouth. I never had cold sores growing up. My sister would get them all the time. I, on the other hand, can count the number of times I've gotten a cold sore on one hand. This is probably the third or fourth time.

I was okay with it on Monday. I took a deep breath, embraced it, and convinced myself it would be gone by the weekend when I have an important dinner at SigFig's aunt's place to attend. I took vitamins, I made sure it was always dry, I dropped oregano oil in my mouth, I put tea tree oil on it. I was doing all I could to nurse out of my life! This continued into yesterday, except with less patience. And today, I feel like giving it a swift kick in the be-hind. Leave already! It's like an unwelcomed guest. No, it is an unwelcomed guest.

It needs to go, plain and simple.

numbers...

2008-02-24T23:35:00.004-05:00

We have some numbers:
214 - posts to read from blogs I subscribe to
5:30 am - time I went to sleep last night
65 - unread emails in my inbox
2.5 - balls of yarn used to knit SigFig a scarf
106.8 cents - gas rate when I filled up today
25/02/2008 - day I call in to work sick, when I'm not

you can blame SigFig...

2008-02-22T16:59:00.003-05:00

Well, hello there!
I've been a bit self-absorbed lately.
Understatement of the century? Maybe. BUT, I'm in the process of reclaiming parts of my life that I have been neglecting, including my beloved blog.

Maybe I should set a deadline of some sort. Like I should have a post by Sunday night, maximum? Sounds good!

the ultimate compliment...

2008-02-08T14:50:00.000-05:00

While talking on the phone to SigFig on my way to work:

"Honey, you make my morning drive bearable."

"Aww, I feel so loved."

humour on the TTC...part two

2008-02-07T11:32:00.001-05:00

"Hey Melissa, did you hear about the Pope?"

"No...?"

"Bird flu. Yep...He got it from one of his Cardinals."

spoiler alert (maybe, sorta, kinda?)

2008-02-03T21:31:00.000-05:00

I started reading The Kite Runner last week. I haven't gotten too far in it. In fact, I'm at the part where Assef is about to beat the crap out of Hassan, and I don't wanna read anymore! I'm just not in the mood to read about kids with brass knuckles doing something to a pantless child. I mean, what the hell?! I wish I can just skip a couple of pages ahead or something. Will it get better? Less violent?

I just finished reading The World According to Garp, and I must say, The Kite Runner didn't grab my attention from the beginning as well as The World According to Garp or even I Know This Much Is True. Something about the style of writing is not as deep or captivating. I feel like part of the reason I even decided to read beyond the first chapter of The Kite Runner was because of the reviews I've heard. Maybe it'll get better later. Now, if only I can get myself to read past this part...

(Wow! It's been a week and a half since my last post! I apologize. I am an unworthy blogger. Friends?)

a gazillion Facebook notifications later...

2008-01-23T23:42:00.000-05:00

I turned a year older today!

My birthday is normally not a big deal, I'm not big on gifts, and I don't plan huge parties or gatherings for this specific occasion. But as my birthday approached this year, I started to feel a bit nostalgic. Actually, for every occasion or important date that has passed by in the last two months or so, I've started to feel nostalgic, with thoughts along the lines of "next year, like this time, I ...".

So yeah. Let's just say that when I turn a year older next year, it won't be like the +20 past years. I started thinking that maybe I should have a gathering or something, but I am not one to throw myself a party. I don't think anyone should throw themselves a party, really. Anyhoo, a couple of friends did come over, and I got a gazillion Facebook wall posts, so it was kinda like a party anyway, right? Right.

Although both my mom and brother aren't in town, I have wonderful people in my life who have made my day very memorable.

My sister got me a cake. And not just any cake, it's like a fantabulous piece of heaven wrapped in strawberry and chocolate mousse. I'm sure the plastic bit also tasted divine. I didn't get a chance to eat too much of it today, but I can assure you, I will be declaring war on it tomorrow.

One of the perks of long-distance relationships is surprise packages delivered to your doorstep. I advise you all to get one of those, LDRs. Actually, I don't. Sometimes, they stink. A lot.

And among other presents of pashmina scarves and books, one of my good friends also got me a coffee mug.

And just one last look at the cake, okay?

But what I really, really, would've liked for my birthday was a full tank of gas. I'm just saying.

bureaucracy...

2008-01-22T10:38:00.000-05:00

An accurate depiction of what it's like at my workplace...

I might be exaggerating a teeny, tiny, bit. But sometimes, it really does feel like I'm at the bottom of a huge hierarchy.

nothing says "i love you" like a [fill in the blank]...

2008-01-21T14:12:00.000-05:00

Whenever I sign out of my Hotmail account, I like to browse the SympaticoMSN website. Sometimes, they have interesting articles, or at least, articles with interesting titles. Most of them are written by idiots. And I don't know why I thought "Unexpected Valentine's Day Gifts" was going to be an exception.

Usually, an unexpected gift is a good thing. A welcomed surprise. But there is another reason why mixers, kettles, and table tennis sets are unexpected Valentine's Day gifts - nobody freakin' wants them for Valentine's Day!

Honestly, I think the item captions make better gifts than the items themselves!

11x365 - M.A.

2008-01-21T13:51:00.000-05:00

You were one of the popular kids, but so genuinely nice.

Whenever I hear the song "Creep", I remember how you played it on your guitar in class and made all the ladies swoon.

10x365 - K.S.

2008-01-18T13:48:00.000-05:00

I still remember that intense political-philosophical discussion we had over coffee a couple of years ago. It was so liberating and inspiring how we could talk about a myriad of issues and link it to one, huge socialist revolution.

I'm not exactly sure why my friend thinks you're a sell-out.

sister pact..

2008-01-15T20:50:00.000-05:00

The Amazing Race was on Sunday night, and it was the second last episode.

"Nate and Jen... You are in last place. You have both been eliminated."

Nate and Jen, a newly dating couple, came in last place and were, therefore, eliminated. They won't be competing in the last leg for the million dollars. My sister and I, we were alright with that.

"Woho! Great teamwork!" I said, giving her a high-five. We hated Nate and Jen. We'd been wishing for the last hour that they'd get lost, miss a flight, miss a train, or just break up already. They bickered incessantly, and when talking about going to Taiwan, Nate said "I've never been to Taiwan, but I love Thai food."

"Oh my God, IMAGINE if we were a team on the race...", she started to go all wild-eyed.

"Uhhhh...", my jaw dropped. Clearly, I had never even considered the possibility.

"...we'd kill each other". She was right. I mean, she was exaggerating, but she was right. There would be kicking, scratching, and slapping. A typical cat-fight, only several weeks long.

"It would be terrible, horrible, no good, and very bad", I agreed, nodding quickly.

"Promise we won't go on The Amazing Race together, ever?"

"I promise! Better yet, let's pinky swear."

And we hooked our pinkies together. That's how serious this was.

planner update, like you care...

2008-01-14T14:45:00.000-05:00

The planner I was thinking of getting, is now sold out. Thursday evening, I went to the mall with my sister and grabbed a very, very generic planner from Grand & Toy. It's kinda bland, but the layout is practical for me, and it has tabs for the different months. The cover is plain, and I might have to embellish it somehow. I haven't written anything in it yet, so I still have the option of returning it, but I'll only do that if I'm one-hundred-percent convinced of another planner. And so far, there haven't been any that I'm absolutely in love with.

How's that for a mesmerising post?

wanted: 2008 planner...

2008-01-10T17:20:00.000-05:00

I decided earlier this week that I need a 2008 planner/agenda/calendar. I already kinda, sorta have one, except it's a York University agenda and it follows the academic year. It starts in September 2007, and will end in August 2008. I realize that it's a vicious cycle, this academic/half lunar year thing, and I will have to end it by wasting either an academic agenda, or a normal yearly agenda. Since the York one was free, I think the decision has already been made for me. And no, that's not called being cheap.

I wasn't totally unprepared when 2008 began, I did have my agenda to write down things in, and my sister had gotten me a Happy Bunny 2008 wall calendar for Eid. Still, there are things that are being planned for later in the year that can't be written into the wall calendar (very minimal space for writing), and my academic agenda doesn't contain those months/dates.

I started my hunt for a planner on Etsy, because I spend so much time on there anyway. The one below caught my eye. It looks practical, functional, but I'm not too crazy about the layout of the planner on the inside.

I'm kinda retarded. I should've started my search for a planner back in December, like most sane people. I mean, we're already well into the second week of January, most 2008 calendars and planners are either sold out, or no one cares to sell 'em anymore. The longer I wait, the less options I have.

:(

alert the authorities...

2008-01-09T22:40:00.000-05:00

Today was the most unproductive day at my workplace, ever. I don't have any empirical evidence, but you can quote me on this. I just felt it in the air, in the slight skip in my coworkers' steps, and in the drinking water. Today = unproductive.

I was browsing through blogs in the morning when I noticed that embedded YouTube vids were showing up. Along with Facebook, YouTube is also blocked on our work computers. At first, it just seemed kinda odd, then a bell went off in my head. If YouTube was accessible, then Facebook would most likely be accessible too! And it was!

But I didn't know how long it would be before it was blocked again. And suddenly, I had NO idea what to do with all this new Facebook time. Every click on a link was calculated, as if it were my last. I carefully chose what to update, who to reply to, what messages to check. Then, when it seemed like Facebook wasn't going anywhere for the day, I did what every good Facebooker does - refresh my newsfeed every 10 seconds.

I can only imagine what the YouTube junkies were up to today.