Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...eeeeeeeeeee...

Holly. Eff. things have been so busy around here I don't even know where to start. I'm on day #2 of not even having enough time in a day to turn on the TV. Seriously. It's insane.

Work's been super busy and with everything else keeping me out of trouble in the evenings, I didn't even notice that it's been a whole month since Js left for course. I've been so busy making sure I'm busy enough to not go crazy with lonely, I've gone insane and very... very tired.

I spend all day running around at work and then I get home, pay equal attention to each pet and then keep running around doing my wifely duties of housework and picking up per-ordered video games. There's also been a lot of time invested in Hallowe'en prep - I finally have all the decorations we need for this place so I'm pretty satisfied with myself. I've barely got time to cook decent food so I've been living on pasta and random canned soups for the last two weeks.

I've also been working on some side projects since Js has been gone and when I realized it's been a month I went "Shit! I have nothing to show for a month's work!" so I put things in high-gear and it's like everything came together over the last three or four days. I made a series of four cowl for my crochet collection and I've done more work on my website in the last week than I have over the last month before he left. Given, things are usually slower during the summer... but still. Nutso!

Amongst all this, my blogging kind of fell behind. But on the brighter side, I seem to be digging my way out of this blog-funk I was stuck in. I'm dealing with stuff and getting things squared away and hopefully I can come to terms and or get answers and be able to blog a bit more openly about the shit that's taking up most of my energy. :o) Hurray for betterness!

Addicted or dependent?

I came across a blog post a few days ago that reminded me of a conversation I had with Js a while ago about internet addiction. My first reaction was "Guilty!" ... but then I got to thinking about what "addiction" really meant.

Source:
www.hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com

Who hasn't been a victim of sleepless Internet FOREVER night and days have gone by without even thinking of putting on a bra and going outside... by that definition, I think we could all say we're addicted. Yes? And I don't think that's fair. By that definition, I would be equally addicted to my cat, my dog, my couch, my bed, crochet, reading, working, sleeping and a bunch of other things that I wouldn't trade for the whole world. I know that an addiction doesn't have to be something that hinders your life or well being, it can be something positive too. I don't think I'm addicted to cats... or I'd have 20, my husband would leave me and I would throw the extra ones at the neighborhood kids. But I can't imagine my life without my Jacko... so what does it all mean?

I think the work I was looking for is "dependent". I have no issues admitting that I am totally dependent on the internet (and my cat for that matter... but that's a whole other post). Most the things I do daily either came into being because of or thanks to the internet.

This blog, for instance, I don't need it but I sure do enjoy it and love maintaining it and reading comments. Other websites I work on, I put them there and now I can't get rid of them like yesterday's garbage, they are my work and they help me and so many other people grow - at least I like to think so. I will lose track of time when I work on them because I love to. Yes, it sucks sometimes because Js would much rather I do dishes or the bank would much rather I pay bills... but... yeah I got no "but".

Source: Unknown. I found this image randomly on the
Internet (!!!) eons ago. I own nothing.

Like any other hobby or thing-used-to-stuff-a-boring-Sunday-morning, it has it's pros and cons. Mine just happen to be on the internet... I guess I could say I'm addicted to my projects which depend on a quality internet connection. There.

So now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go make coffee so that I can crochet until my fingers bleed...

CBC News - World - 100-km Chinese traffic jam enters Day 9

Yikes! I can hardly believe how these things happen. I complained about the traffic in Ottawa... read the article bellow and you'll think about it twice next time you're stuck in your car.

I wonder why most people haven't already abandoned their vehicle? If I stop and picture this happening in Toronto for a second, the city would be worried about how to move all the abandoned cars out of the way more than anything.

CBC News - World - 100-km Chinese traffic jam enters Day 9

If you were stuck in this traffic jam, who would you want to be traveling (or idling) with? What would you do - leave the car and run for the hills or wait it out?

Wedding and blogging and hoping and praying...

Today, we're leaving for Ontario. We've been planning for this trip for over a year and it's finally happening. We're traveling back home to celebrate our wedding with our family and friends. It's been a fun ride planning and it's almost - but not just quite - over yet!

I'm writing this post weeks in advance because I know it will be a crazy time for me and if I do post anything at all at this point, it'll be incoherent mumbles of madness. Don't mind if I do!

As you already probably guessed, my blogging will have to take the back seat for a couple weeks so that I can get my weddin' on! Most posts that will be published over the next little while - unless otherwise specified or obviously messy and unreasonable - will have been written in advance and scheduled for posting during this little hiatus.

I didn't want anyone to get bored or miss me too much or anything... Don't cry, I'll be back soon and I'm sure I'll have TONS to blog/rant/vent/bitch/cry/ramble about! :)

Wedding Stuff : SINGLE DIGITS! *meltdown*

I just realized we are officially counting down in single digits as of today.

Now, I need to get back to my procrastinating. We're just leaving tomorrow morning... there's still plenty of time!!

Reason #2256 why our dog is damaged - The Oven Monster

A bit ago, I posted a link to a blog post from Hyperbole and a Half's Dog entry claiming that it was a perfect depiction of Nova. Case in point :

Side note : Since we've had her, Nova's been introduced to crate training. We are firm believers in crate training a dog, especially a high energy dog like Nova. It allows her to have a "safe place" where she can relax and sort of "shut down" to fall asleep. If she weren't crate trained, she'd spend the entire night roaming around the house, investigating every little smell or sound - not good. Same as when we're at work - she's safe in there, not running around building on anxiety for being left alone. She just zones out and falls asleep, knowing we'll be back soon to let her out again. Basics of crate training but I always feel like I should explain because we often get weird looks when we say she's crated at night. Given her past, she's prone to anxiety so it's best for her to be contained - kinda like my messed-up self.

One random evening late after dinner, Js and I decided to go out to the movies. We looked up the show times online and saw that the last showing was in about half an hour. I had baked something for desert and it was just about ready so we stuffed a couple in my purse and away we went. Nova safely resting in her crate for the night, we left the house.

We came back, nearly 2 hours later and Nova was unusually quiet. Normally, the minute the car pulls up we can hear her whining her misery - how dare we leave her for such a long, unbearable time? This time, there was nothing - no cries, no weeping. As we walk up to the house we hear a faint beeeeep-beeeeeep.

"Where the hell is that coming from?"
"I don't know... sounds like it's from inside the house." The call is coming from inside the house!
"Huh... sounds a lot like our oven timer."
"Huh..."


We turned off the oven but in our rush to catch the movie, we forgot to turn off the timer. That timer is one of the most annoying inventions known to mankind. It's very pushy and insistent.


Beeeee-beeeep. I'm done. Beeeeep-beeeeeep. Com'on guys, I'm done! Beeeeeep-beeeeep. Hey, look alive! You ask me to tell you in 10 minutes, I tell you in 10 minutes and what do you do? You ignore me? I think not! Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep-BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

Our poor, poor Nova had to put up with nearly 2 hours of incessant beeping. Now, every time timer goes off or the oven beeps because it's done pre-heating (wouldn't it be nice if men had that function?) she goes into a frenzy! She runs in circles around whatever piece of furniture is closest and lets out weird little barks - not loud enough to get into trouble or to interrupt the Beep-BEEEEEEP Monster.


And that, ladies and gents, is one of the many ways our dog is damaged.

Wedding Update : Crazy times ahead.

I have a feeling that the coming week will hit us like a ton of bricks. It's only Friday... so don't mind me...

Today, Friday - Friend's rehearsal dinner.
Saturday - Friend's wedding
Sunday - Inventory at work
Monday and Tuesday - Recuperate from the weekend, somewhat...
Wednesday - The "real" countdown begins... the one were we stop counting months and weeks and start counting days! ...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's kind of NUTS how fast it's gone by and I remember thinking "I wish we didn't have such a long engagement and could just get married already!" - how foolish of me! We've had all this time and yet it still feels like it's comin' quite fast for my taste. I'm anxious and excited... but the stress is starting to get to me!

I have a ton more wedding updates to post but very little time to write them but I'll try and keep up as the weeks days go by.

Eeeek!

Workin' hard and hardly workin'

It's been a crazy week and a couple days. Short overview :

Last Sunday, I left for Saskatoon for a week of training. It was pretty intense as far as long hours, brain stuffing and being away from home. I thought "Great! It'll allow me to work on some online stuff when I get to the hotel at night and take 'er easy!" - fail. The internet connection in my room sucked giant monkey nipples so I was barely able to go on Facebook for more than 14 minutes at a time. So the evenings were a GIANT waste.

On Friday, my dear dear friend JF landed in Saskatoon from Ottawa for a weekend visit. Js and him met me at work and we drove back to Moose Jaw together. As soon as we got home, we had to get crackin' and bake a cake! Saturday was our friend's baby shower (post with pictures to come soon!) and I promised I'd make a cake. So we baked a three layer checker board cake, 24 mini muffins and dirty-iced the whole thing. Saturday morning, we got up early for the decorations and delivery.

We visited Moose Jaw, did some touristy stuff for most of the weekend. Saturday night we went out in Regina with some friends. It had been WAY too long since I'd seen a drag show. Good times were had by all. We got home super late and got up super early again on Sunday. JF left in the evening - tears ensued.

This week, I'm going back to a more regular schedule so that's good. Tomorrow was supposed to be my day off but now it's meetings and outings all day. How did that happen? We'll have a crazy weekend again soon, I can feel it. We're having friends over for a good-bye party.

The wedding preps are looming over my head and slowly driving me batty. I'm so lucky that Js is involved and doing his share of the work - LOVE!

So that's all I've got to justify my lack of post as of late. With everything that's been going on lately, I'm sure there will be a ton more to come soon enough.

No-Eating-Out Dealio - PMSing is not cool. Ever.

I would step over a box of kitties to get a fry right now... with salt.

When I PMS, I get massive cravings for junk food (who doesn't?) and it's like my mind goes blank on all things that are not covered in salt or gravy. It's like in those cartoons when everyone turns into a walking turkey.

It's been especially difficult with our N0-Eating-Out dealio. I've tried to make some fries at home to kill the craving to no avail. Tonight it's burgers on the BBQ and nachos - let's hope it helps!

I'm trying to think of salty-junky style food we can make at home that will help sooth my need for greasy goodness.

On the menu over the next 14ish days :
- Fish and chips
- Mac and Cheese
- Poutine with real poutine sauce
- Chicken burgers

Any other suggestions or recipes are welcome! :)

200 posts! Woot!

I can't believe I'm at 200 blog posts already! Oh my!

I have severe commitment issues and I think this blog has thought me a thing or two about life so it's quite exciting (for me, anyways!) to reach this little milestone.

These last 200 posts have given me an opportunity to speak my mind, share stories, ideas and accomplishments and allowed me to see things with a bit more distance. Thanks for putting up with my nonsense! :)

Crazy week ahead... and it's already Tuesday.

It's like someone hit my upside the head with a calendar today. Things kept popping up that made me go "Oh yeah... I have this thing to attend on Saturday!" or whatever.

Yesterday it was hormotional breakdown of the century.
Today well, Lost was on. Expect more on that later - cheering and hooting included.
Wednesday I'm facilitating a conversation group at the MFRC. It's the first one since last November so it totally slipped my mind until about 10am this morning.
Thursday, a friend of mine is visiting from Shilo for some catching-up and perhaps a dip at the mineral spa. *Note to self : Find bathing suit.
Friday, I think that's the only day I get to breathe.
Saturday, I'm volunteering at the MFRC all day. There's a training for Board members and I have to attend. An email reminded me of that one around 1 o'clock this afternoon. Lovely! I'd already booked a massage at the Spa that I had to cancel. It broke my heart.

PLUS, we're nearing our 1 year anniversary on CMS so I have to get my butt in gear for that too.

So yeah, fun!

Oh, good news! I got an email today from Jf saying he may be able to visit this summer!
*squee that only dogs can hear*

My posts may be brief for the next few days but fear not, I'll be back to my regular ramblings in no time.

Woe is our dog

Js went to Ontario to visit family and friends this week. I got to go for the Holidays, he got to go in February. That was the deal.

Nova does not approve.

She's been going crazy, pacing around the house, looking for him. She's been driving me batty.

Normally, she's all up in our grills, sniffing at our faces being the happy puppy that she is. This week, she's been hiding in the basement and just staring out the window constantly. She waits by the front door, then the side door, then the front door, then the side door ad nauseam.

At night, when I let her out for her last pee before bed she refuses to come back inside. I have to put on my coat and go out there to drag her back in. I think she waits for Js to come get her because that's what normally happens.

I know she must be bored out of her mind especially because I can't really go out and walk her. I can't even walk myself right now unless it's in very tight circles.

I feel like I should do a countdown and mark the calendar for Nova so we can count the sleeps until Js gets back... we are lame people. :)

Jack, however, is dealing quite well with having me at home all day.

Post this to your status if you you're annoyed! *vom*

It all started with the Bra Colors for Breast Cancer thing. It made the news, hurray! Now, it's this and that and the other thing and it's getting kinda old.

I'm all for raising cancer awareness but I don't see what a Facebook Status update can do. Raising awareness takes more than 140 caracters, just sayin'!

Here is my reasoning behind the annoyance :

"It gets the word out!"
- Raise your hand if you've never heard of cancer. That's what I thought - moving right along.

"It raises awareness!"
- Gee, now that I know that 93% of people won't re-post thing, I think I'll stop smoking! Raising awareness isn't about telling people "cancer exists" it's about providing people information to help prevent or diagnose cancer before it's too late. A friendly reminder to get a mamogram would be much more helpful, thanks.

"It's cute!"
- No.

"I do it to support someone I know!"
- How about you give them a call and tell them you love them? You know, like, in person almost.

My uncle has cancer - but he doesn't have Facebook, oh well, so sad for him! I think not. His family and friends support him every way they know how, he doesn't need 140 caracters to remind him.

Put down the torches and pitchforks, I am not a monster. I understand some people might not have such an openly supportive entourage and the Facebook status thing might help them feel better and the initiative behind the whole thing is great. My point is that it's starting to get to the point where no one reads those status updates anymore because they're all the same and we're getting saturated out the news-feed. For something to have an impact, it needs to be unique, original and attractive. The bra thing was. It's been done, it worked well, now it's over and time to be put to bed.

I don't mean for this to be insulting in any way, shape or form. I'm not judging or saying one cause is more worthy than the next. I just think that in today's society, it's easy to over-do things until they loose their purpose and impact on the masses.

In support of my Gran-Pa, Uncle, Friends, Aunt-In-Law and all those who are currently dueling for their lives, please visit the Canadian Cancer Society website and discover a new way or revisit an old way to raise awareness.

Dear Wedding

Dear Wedding,

I'd like to start by saying how happy I am that you're happening. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to celebrate our love and our relationship with family and friends.

I only have one request. Would please be so kind as to not happen too quickly? I'd hate for you to pass me by in the blink of an eye! You seem so wonderful and I really want to make the most of your presence. I'd love it if we could have you stay forever and a day but I'm afraid that can't be.

I promise to be prepared for your arrival as best I can and to enjoy every moment (even if it drives me insane) of your time with us. I really wish you'd come more than once in a lifetime but that's just not the way things go.

Please be gentle, it's our first time.

Warm regards,

Marie

Ban krupty.

I seriously think I'm going nuts. Crazy. Loony. Wackadoo. Bonkers.

I hate it when I'm convinced of something and then someone tells me otherwise like it's a well known fact. *arg!* Like when people tell you the sky is blue your whole life and then wake up one morning and decide to screw with your brain and start telling you it's red and look at you like you must be deranged or something thinking the damn thing was blue... Am I the only one who ever feels like that!?

I remember having conversations, vivid images carved into my brain... and now it appears it was all a dream or someone's been sneaking some pretty amazing crack in my drinks. (Maybe living in Vanier does have it's perks!) I seriously don't know what's wrong and I'm so annoyed. I feel dumb. There's not a worst feeling in the world for me. I know I'm a goof sometimes and I say some pretty lame things and come up with some pretty ("You see that bar there...") stoopid ideas... but I like to think that underneath it all, lies a person with a considerable dose of intelligence and wisdom, somewhat. The feeling of that teeny-person being on some kind of very very strong substance (or as Chris likes to call them : "Fucked up shit") makes me kinda nervous...

I can't think. I can't focus. I can't talk to my mom on the phone without growing very impatient (even more so than usual!) and I'm even growing annoyed at the noise of the clickity-click of the keys...

Elections are happening and it's 207 for Obama and 135 for McCain (juice box!) and I'm PMSing like it's going out of style.