We're calling it 'Art'

A few evenings ago, much like this one... it's daytime now, but well you know what I mean my night began with a text message...

Shazam: What are you doing in the evening
Me: Nothing right now... What are you thinking?
Shazam: You... me... and some art supplies :)
Me: I like it!

My friend had found some canvases down in Kelowna, and we set about with the intention of turning the pristine blank white surfaces into art.

I always find the hardest part is getting started, because what I can imagine never quite transfers from my brain onto the canvas properly.

I hesitate, feeling for a split second like I'm going to ruin the canvas... and all the beautiful art that it could have contained by marking it. Overcoming that initial hesitation, I quickly get lost in the joy of creating... following the paint brush around the canvas.

Over the course of 3 evenings, ending with last night my cherry blossom branch took shape. There was some sage advice offered to do a test run of the blossoms on different paper. Let me just say luckily I took that advice, and I'm quite happy with the final product!

Payworks in a Burlap Sack

Dear Payworks,

While I appreciate and commend you on the flying leap you've taken into the paperless world, allowing me to view my pay stubs online... I do not need you to re-size my browser window *every* time I click something to 100% of my 19" dual monitor display.

Your site is really not that big.

"Milk drunk"

I had a rare chance to chat with an old friend last night after she managed to bundle both kids into bed and get them to sleep early. Her husband upon returning home must have asked if she'd drugged them, because she replied "No unless breast milk is considered a drug" *chuckles*

Which spurred a discussion of the topic why it's called "milk drunk"?

They get a little loopy... sometimes they puke... sometimes they get the hiccups... they've got that whole wobbly balance thing going on... most kids pass out for a pretty good nap after...

I mean really if those aren't all signs of being a little punk in drublic! So when you think about it, a 21 year old with a bottle in the mouth, and a little one with a boob in the mouth still have a lot in common!

Spot the white girl

So I tried Zumba tonight, and I found it to be more of a grueling workout for my cerebellum than my muscles...

While everyone else was adding in the arm movements I was still trying to figure out which foot to step on. I most certainly did *not* make as far as which muscles to flex... and you have *got* to be kidding me, this model of woman does not move like that!

It was like the captain stepped off the bridge to take a leak and an overzealous junior officer assumed command "Kick that right leg!" "Shift left, strafe STRAFE!" "Wave those arms around people! Make it look like we know what we're doing!"

There was one pivot move in particular my junior officer couldn't coordinate the movements for until it was likened to a "throw to second base"... between that and a nice lady taking pity on me we almost got it sorted out before she switched moves again!

You would have had to be blindfolded not to be able to pick me out of the crowd tonight. Where's the new white girl? THERE SHE IS!

It was eagerly anticipated, and did not disappoint

Less than five minutes in...

A scene that shakes the very core of your visceral being, sparking an involuntary shudder ripping from somewhere deep within...

The civilized monkey knows it should look away, but the untamed beast within is overpowering... and is captivated.

Spartacus is back.

It's not even noon yet!

In my random act of spontenaity for the weekend I'm down in Summerland visiting with my friend and her Mom.

So get this, she was up before the crack of dawn this morning to take the dog for half of her run... then she came back, dropped off the dog and collected me for the other half!

It was beautiful, we got to watch the sun slowly bathe the opposite hillside turning everything it touched a brilliant warm golden colour making the brisk air seem warmer, and then it cracked up over the horizon.

Half an hour later we were back in time for homemade scones for breakfast! And it was noted that there has been a marked improvement in my running. Translation: I didn't sound like the dog by the end of it, could still talk and hadn't turned an unhealthy shade of heart attack red. Breakfast was followed by a quick walk to the local grocery for milk and yogurt...

A few years ago we found this Yogopogo yogurt which was really really good, and of course we haven't been able to find it since, so we ended up Googling (on my iPhone 4 with *more* GeeBee's) what non-homogonized meant only to realize that it's a term we both know from science. *doh!*

2 mins for roughing

I just had a fight in my mouth and lost... it was an epic battle between trident gum and my teeth, my tongue tried to split it up and got punched in the face.

All those other words that end in 'ibble'

I just bought a $500+ fire extinguisher and they threw in renter's insurance for FREEEEEEE! Isn't that so swell of BCAA? But seriously, for the first time in my life I got my act together, sat down answered the 101 questions, some of which I had to guess on... and paid.

I don't know, I guess I feel better about being responsible and organized and all of those good things... But somehow I'm not really that excited about it. Although I did get extra phone coverage out of it... so if my phone is lost or stolen, or I have a moment and leave it somewhere, they'll replace it *and* all the apps and downloaded ringtones I had. So that's kind of cool.

The thing is if I ever have to use it I'm sure it will be the best thing in the entire world... but right now, its just one more thing to pay for while masquerading as a responsible adult.

Dentisht

The dental assistant said I have cute teeth... that part was complimentary. I had to pay for the fat lip, numb nostril, and increased heart rate.

If the bruising is worse when the freezing wears off I'm telling everyone I beat up some guy who was trying to steal an old lady's purse.

I bought myself a shake for a late lunch to make up for it... yes I can still be bribed ;)

'Frostbite finger' threatens Canadian business productivity

Canadian doctors have noticed a dramatic increase in reported cases of 'frostbite finger'. It is believed that due to lower than average temperatures and increased sales of the iPhone 4 paired with the student deal currently being offered.

According to Dr. Soandso "There's a definite correlation between outside temperature, cell phone use and frostbite finger. We're seeing a lot of soft tissue damage, occurring in minor extremities, most notably fingers but we have had a few nose cases as well."

It is an unfortunate injury seemingly caused by texting on a touch screen in winter. We're looking into the issue and our research department is working on it Jobs reported when we reached him for comment. Because the touch screen requires that an organic item be used to activate it, they cannot be operated while wearing gloves or mittens - a special protective hand covering worn by Canadians about 80% of the year.

The greatest number of reported cases have been in the computer field with the worst cases being rendered unable to type and perform normal duties. Businesses have noticed an increase in sick leave days being taken immediately following a cold snap, and are scrambling to find a solution.

Rumors are circulating that Apple is going to come out with a new product the iMplant that is controlled via thought waves allowing you to operate it telepathically. We were unable to confirm or deny this rumor but remain hopeful that a breakthrough will be made soon, promising a decrease in cases of the dreaded frostbite finger.

*muffled* Oh! Really?!?

*ahem* This just in... the folks at thinkgeek are living up to their reputation and thinking outside of the iBox. We have just received word that they have released a product that should all but eliminate frostbite finger! We give you the Giant Pencil Touch Screen Stylus *trumpeting*

Experience...

"Good judgment comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgment" ~ Jim Horning

You can't always go back, sometimes you just have to take the plunge and do something you've never done before. Cross your fingers, close your eyes, jump and hope that where you end up is better than the place you started.

Sometimes it isn't. While you may have lost something along the way always look for what you have gained... The times when you have to look the hardest, seem to be when you must look within yourself...

At the end of the day when you can come away from it all with understanding, that is when you have succeeded.

The humble abode

Well I don't have a spare bed yet, heck I don't even have sheets that fit my bed properly yet... but as you can tell I'm really not that worried about it. I'm moved in, I'm settling and I love it!

Mom these are just for you, and everyone else who's been asking... This is a sketched out floor plan and the numbered stars are where I took pictures from. Here's the 5 cent tour!

1. This is basically standing at the front door looking diagonally across the living room.

2. From behind the couch corner looking diagonally back towards the front door and closet.

3. From between the couch and the chair looking towards the bathroom.

5. The kitchen

6. Diagonally across the kitchen to my wicked awesome new table, thanks Nicole!

7. From the corner of my bedroom

8. Looking into my bedroom... hmmm guess I could have just put one of these in, but I've already put the stars on so here it is anyways.

9. Toight camera angle looking in to the bathroom... As some of you may know I am *not* a morning person... I do not need to see myself in the morning. The lights over the mirror are uuber bright, even with the middle one unscrewed!

10. The spare bedroom, and my mystery projects room. Shhhhhh, I don't even know what all is going on in there!

A few last night's ago...

Went for beer and wings last night with a friend of mine, and for whatever reason this always seems to be the time when we get onto the topic 'doing something with my hair'.

Generally she ends up cutting it, incurring minor war wounds. Last night we came up with the brilliant idea that we should do one of those perm-in-a-boxes from Walmart... I'm confident that my guardian angel was working double time last night, possibly with my friend's guardian angel because we couldn't find the right perm-in-a-box and instead settled for a streaking kit.

A few hours, and more product than I can name later I have a new do! *grins*

Note: It has been brought to my attention (thanks Mom ;) that my Dad has been scanning my blog postings and so far has come away with me dating a blind guy, and chaining him up under my bed... Should be interesting to hear what he comes away with from this one! *grins* (Sorry Dad it was too funny not to share, love you!)

I am a programmer

There's nothing quite like the feeling when you surmount all odds and accomplish 'the impossible'. When magic flows from your fingertips, and all your synapses fire in harmony.

This is why I program.

*shhhhhh*

I'm working magic with this programming... magic being defined as it's working, but I honestly can't tell you how it works.

Ask me tomorrow, because if it's not working pixie dust is going to come into direct contact with the rotary distribution device.

*excited whisper* It's snowing!!!

I'm probably the only adult age person left in Canada that still gets excited when it snows... what can I say I grew up on the Island, when snow there was a rare event.

My 1st world dilemma of the morning: Walk in the deep snow and get a good workout, or get to work on time?

Duhn duhn duhn duhhhhnnnnn

Project deadlines, the inception point causing the time it takes to accomplish a simple task to expand, using up all remaining time available.

Don't look!

Me: Don't look under the bed! I say to the new not boyfriend (not mine)

Him: Ha! I'm totally looking now!

Me as an aside: that's how we got the last one under there! *grins*

What was I thinking?

Because I don't have enough going on in my life I agreed to go out on a blind date this weekend. So after moving in and unpacking a grand total of 6 bags, Rubbermaids and the assorted odds and ends I brought up with me... getting a new iPhone and transferring my contact from my old phone, which I've still only managed to add up to the 'F'... going to the Vipers hockey game... and fixing my cousin's wifis, I went out to Checkers Sunday night with a very nice young man named Chris.

Super crazy coolness, he's been through a hurricane! In other news he was a dive instructor in a previous life, while working the cruise lines but lake diving is boring so he hasn't been in a few years.

Oh and a side note: I really suck at pool. So for my friends who worry about that delicate male ego, especially on a first date... You don't have to worry anymore, I found something I don't have to let them win at *smug grin*

I realized when I got home that night that I had failed to both make plans to hitch a ride to work, and go grocery shopping. Walking to work isn't such a big deal, in fact I'd been planning to do that anyways, perhaps this was just my unconscious incentive to just hurry up and do it already.

Not having groceries though is a serious buffer overflow... segmentation fault: core dumped. I'm not sure how that slipped my mind... I mean really, whoever is in charge of that portion of things in my brain must have just fallen asleep on the keyboard. Even those little guys hit a point where even though they have all the eggs in the air, they can't keep 'em there, but really?!?! Did you have to drop the ball on that one?

Apple has a new fan girl

I have dipped my toe in and am now dabbling in the dark arts... I bought an iPhone, and I love it!

So busted...

When I said "Hey it's a naked chick" referring to the Starbucks logo as there are no discernible shirt lines, and she's got mountain nymph hair... and you immediately attempt to cover both computer monitors you might have a guilty conscience *heh*

Oh right, and lest you have a tastefully nude background rotate onto your desktop... landscape refers to the layout of the background... not the content *grins*

Houston? I think I'm on the wrong mission

This afternoon I felt as though I was trying to fit a basketball sized chunk of information through a keyhole into my brain.

Somewhat akin to Apollo 13, using the parts 'lying around' on the spaceship to plug a round hole with a square canister... I look around surveying the available supplies.

Stapler, chap stick, paper and assorted writing implements... Hmmmm nothing is jumping out at me in a combination that says frontal lobotomy.

While you can't say that something is impossible until you've tried it... I have my doubts.

I'm baaaack!

Nothing says welcome back like 472 email messages in your Inbox. Thank goodness Aaren was keeping it pruned down! Within 10 minutes I had reduced it to 162 by removing all the automated messages. By the time I got rid of the spam I was down to less than a handful of email messages that I actually had to respond to. Go me!

The rest of the day consisted of meetings, including a meeting to meet the new lady I'll be working with in Sales. I honestly don't think I sat down for more than 20 minutes at my desk, it was crazy! The rest of the day was spent warming up so that I could hit the ground running...

Heh I'm still trying to find the brain matter that fell out of my head when I hit the ground running. I've been having University flashbacks all week of assignments like 'use this new obscure non-procedural programming language... oh and by the way it's due next week.'

Roughly translating to you have just enough waking hours in the day to learn the bare minimum basics you will need to finish the assignment, but only as long as you don't plan on sleeping or doing laundry.

Winding down from the excitement of the day I hottubbed till I pruned, and then
worked on a puzzle... because unlike at University I'm allowed to stop working at the end of the day.

Ahhh it's good to be back ;)

The Unimog!

While I was gone Aaren purchased a Unimog, an old-school Mercedes-Benz German firetruck. I had no idea what it even was until I saw his kid-in-a-candy-store postings about it on facebook. In fact he's so proud of 'The Mog' it has it's own dedicated blog. Yesterday we were talking about it, and he hinted that if it snowed enough he'd bring it in and we could take it out for lunch...

It snowed enough!

I feel like a kid that just got picked up from school in a monster truck *grins*

Yep I totally just went from "Unimog what?" to "TheUnimogistheawesomestfiretruckevar!" it's pretty cool you have to step inside the wheel to get *up* into it and it even still has the hose in the back! Everything is manually controlled with switches, it has arm-strong steering, and all the labels are in German!

Pardon me

I've been extremely delinquent in keeping you updated, I do have a 'first day back to work' post in progress as well as a New Year post I'm working on. I don't even really have a good excuse like being on a boat with no internet.

Yesterday I crashed and burned... today I think I'm still smoldering.

Shaken not stirred

I think while I was sleeping someone put me in a snow globe... that would at least explain all the snow, and that shaken feeling.

Making the day so much sweeter

Finding out that you're not expected at work until the day after the day you thought you were expected back at work!

The U-joint's connected to the, axe-le...

Guess what I did yesterday?!?!

Helped the Sasquatch put new U-joints in the pick up truck! Ooooooh yeah! It was soooo cool, I got to play with power tools... and not just regular power tools, pneumatic shop power tools! *drill sounds* ;)

In preparation, because I had been regaled with tales of the subzero temperatures at the shop I wore layers... and then put on overalls, gloves and safety goggles... and then removed my down vest, wool shirt and sweatshirt...

It was really cool seeing some of the inner workings on the truck, even if every time I got really stuck with something, the Sasquatch got it working and made it look like he could have done it blindfolded.

I think one of the things I want to be when I grow up is a mechanic, even if everything that needs fixing weighs more than I do. Chalk that up on the list of truck things I can fix, along with changing oil and tires *smug look*

No longer homeless!

That was the least painful apartment hunt I've ever done in my life. I talked to the lady over Christmas, took a look at it, stopped by the bank for a damage deposit and signed the rent papers.

I'm so stoked, the place is wicked! Now to Martha Stewart up some furniture, you know with some basic items one might find lying around the house... like a table-saw, some pallats and some cinder blocks.

Bumper cars!

For the most part the drive up to Vernon was just plain cold, especially compared to California (where they're still surfing). My mother was questioning the sanity of leaving the temperate conditions on the Island to visit family in the outer Siberian winterland of Canada, affectionately known as Alberta and I was just questioning my sanity.

The drive was relatively uneventful, other than the mass amounts of blowing snow from Merrit to Kelowna. Now blowing snow itself isn't usually that bad, except that in this case, any time someone passed us it was so thick I couldn't see their tail lights, or where the road went. Minor detail, I mean really who needs to see the road to drive?

I didn't think conditions were really that bad, until we saw a white pick up truck upside down in the ditch. An SUV had just pulled over and a guy was hopping out, hazards on and everything. I tapped the brakes and immediately started to slide sideways, away from him thankfully. I let off the brakes and drifted around them it was beautiful! Or at least it would have been, except that buddy behind me chose that moment to play bumper cars...

And by bumper cars I mean attempt to pass using the rapidly decreasing lane between my car and the barrier. He discovered that his car and our car could not occupy the same space at the same time. If he had paid any attention in high-school physics he would have already known this.

It turned out pretty well all considering, he gave our truck a bit of a love tap and a snapple sound when it jiggles, and then so it didn't feel left out, he gently kissed the barrier. Being such a swell guy, he exchanged relevant info with Dad and then proceeded to ride my bumper into Kelowna.

I asked Dad if he wanted a new back end on the truck, he declined *shrugs*.

Wheeeeeeee huah!

We interrupt these broadcasts due to sledding down the hill at the school with a 10 year old.

My inner 10 year old loved it. My kidneys hate me, I'm sure I'll feel better in the morning ;)