Sad and dejected passport

So I didn't lose my passport- as my previous post states- I accidentally threw it out- of course my passport doesn't know that -it just thinks I've summarily rejected it out of hand. Poor passport.
and in case anyone is wondering: Yes I feel incredibly stupid about it. I know mistakes happen: but the fact that I was taking a major trip in just a couple of weeks time didn't give me pause to treat this document with a little more care?! what is wrong with me??? I think it's just evidence that I need this vacation...
just some advice for anyone out there who is planning a trip and has a passport: guard it ok?!

Yes India...

I realize that Im going to India on Friday- and while many of my friends here in town know this- my friends reach farther and wider than this little dot called "T-dot" and lots of people didn't know I was planning this adventure.
Well my adventure was nearly waylaid yesterday when I realized I had lost my passport. I JUST had it two weeks ago so I'm convinced I threw it out on the weekend when I was cleaning my room in mad dash to get sorted for Fall. I distinctly remember picking up the pile of magazines (where I believe the passport was tucked) and thinking "I should go through these" and then countering with "no Sarah- you're such a pack rat! Just learn how to get rid of things you dont need! You will never read these magazines again- throw them out!" and I proudly threw them all in the trash- thinking i was taking a leap towards becoming a better, more well balanced person.
Then last night I prayed I would dream about where my passport was... and I dreamt that my passport was with my other passport stuff- stupid dreams.
Anyhow- I went today to get an emergency passport (thanks Kirsti and Jen for helping!). Tomorrow I go to see about an Indian VISA. (Which was tucked into the passport). Their website says they can do same day turnaround but need my passport- which I get Friday at 8am. So Friday at 9am I will be at the office applying for the VISA- and then picking it up at 3pm so I can catch my ride to the airport for 4pm. Good times. I'll find out tom morning if it will all work out as I've planned.
As for the trip- Im going with my friends Jane and Jason. We're all shot and ready to go. We're doing a GAP Adventure tour for two weeks- in Northern India. We land in Delhi and then tour through .... well I won't write it all out-if you want the dossier it's here: http://www.gapadventures.com/tour/AHJH Jewels of India.
When I get back I'll post pictures of the Taj Mahal...
I've been wanting to go to India since my first year of University- so this is a fairly long time in coming... It came about because Jane posted her trip on facebook and said others should come along. I don't think she thought anyone would take her up on it- but I did.
I've always thought I dont have enough time/money or anyone to go with. Well I can make those excuses forever and never have enough time/money etc... so I just said "I'm going." and off I go.
It should be amazing. I just hope I don't get dengue fever and die (kidding Mom!!!)
And it's a tour- but it's a GAP Tour... my good friend Laura has done one of those and she said it's way more independent. Basically you have a place to sleep at night and a way to get to difference cities- so it's less stress travel. I only have two weeks so that's good for me.
Anyhow- Signing off so I can do a bit of packing- I'll write when I get back and post as many pictures as I can! Think of me next week when you're living your boring hum drum lives and I'm living it up in "culturally rich full of change my life experiences" India! xo : )

Hiding passport

If you were a hiding passport- that was put in a 'special place' so that you were not lost when the time came to use you... where would you be?! WHERE WOULD YOU BE?!

Shower games

I went to a good friend's wedding shower Saturday night. I have been lucky enough to be a party to a number of weddings and thus a number of showers. This one was a bit different because a) it was in the evening b) FAR more cocktails were consumed than in previous showers and c) the game we played was actually on the bride Jen.
Most of us contributed money for the honeymoon as the present. However it's not that fun to open an envelope of money so our friend Bobby had this great idea to buy her of bunch of tchotchke with which to decorate her home and deliver it with a straight face. We didn't think she'd actually believe that her good friends would give her such complete crap- but most of us had believeable stories about where we found our gems, and why we thought they'd be absolutely perfect. And through it all Jen thanked us and conveyed enthusiasm. However you can see in the pictures that she's clearly thinking "what in the hell???"


I kept thinking "She must think we are the WORST friends in the world. a) we don't know her AT ALL if we're giving her this crap thinking she'd like it and b) we're giving her the CHEAPEST stuff you can find!!!" One was a vase from Patricia- and when we peeled off the price sticker- the paint came off with it. Robert then had to rub it under the sink to get more paint off thereby giving it a 'distressed' look. I gave her two 'handcrafted and handpainted' display eggs with a sheep and bunny on them. I supposedly got them in St. Jacobs at a Mennonite market a few months ago. (I actually got them at the dollar store for $2 about an hour before the shower).
Jeff got Jen a rooster clock... but one of the best was Robert who got Jen some "original pottery from the place in the Distillery District" she was so fond of. It was a gravy boat shaped like a TURKEY. It was so hideous but I screamed out "Thanksgiving!! That's PERFECT for Thanksgiving!!"


Jen was such a good friend for thanking us regardless!! So much fun.

Last celeb comment

And only because it's Clive Owen. I went with a friend to the Gala opening of "Elizabeth: The Golden Age". The movie was only ok- with music dominating the show- orchestrating our emotions- and musical climaxes every two minutes. It would have been nice to see a story developing instead of 2 min increments punctuated by crescendoing music. But Cate Blanchett and Clive Owen were fantastic. Its not a great picture- but it's a pic of the cast on stage.

Go see "Lars and the Real Girl"

I heart Ryan Gosling. I loved him in Breaker High. I loved him in "the Believer". I loved him in Half Nelsen- and now i Love him in "Lars and the real girl". He's amazing- and the movie was phenomenal. It was funny, interesting, touching and sweet. I went to the opening tonight at the Ryerson theatre. My friend Kathleen and I waited in the rush line for over two hours! My good friends Bobby and Ian had real tickets and were able to save us seats in the fourth row- which is where I took these pictures from...



Who you see in the first picture is Craig Gillespie the director, Patricia Clarkson- so great. Kelli Garner, Paul Schneider and Emily Mortimer- all wonderful in the movie. The second picture is just Ryan saying something funny. Go see this movie when it comes out... I bet it gets him another Oscar nod.

Stalkerazzi

Friday night after work my friends Kathleen, Jen and I went to the opening of "Rendition" to see if we could see any stars walk the red carpet. We weren't there to get great 'seats'- but we did manage to get some pictures of Reese, Jake and Peter Saarsgard (I think that's how you spell his name).




I also walked by Queen street last night to see if I would be on time to see Brad Pitt- I wasn't. It was madness though- with hundreds of people lining the street. They blocked off the street between Queen and Dundas- and had police blocking the barricade where the giant SUVs rolled through. Madness.

Where all the boys have gone...

I finally found out where all the guys are... its a place called "Grace O' Malleys" on Duncan Street. I went there last night for my friend Caitlin's birthday. Some of my friends were scared off by the Halifax band (I admit I don't like East Coast music either- but they did play a lot of covers). And OLD SCHOOL music too- like "kissing in the dark" "Livin' on a Prayer" and the like. I felt like i was in high school- maybe that was the intention.
It's a mix of a pub with a dance bar- the kind of place that would suit most- as long as you accept it for what it is- wear minimal clothing because it's HOT and throw yourself in. People were having loads of fun- I had a great time.
Oh and the boys... right. They were EVERYWHERE! And the kind of guys that I love- scruffy looking, casual and NORMAL. No metrosexuals or condescending assholes like at "Ultra" or uber trendy's like "Supermarket" (although I like supermarket). Just guys out having fun.
Though my friend did get a cheesy pick up line from a guy who wanted her to "give her dance lessons". She just danced away... : )

TIFF time

Must. not. get. sucked. in.

It's that time of year again- where Toronto is overtaken by celebrities... Last year I avoided it by going to Europe. Two years ago I sat outside the Roy Thompson Hall with my now roommmate Paul, to catch a glimpse of an incredibly (short) but good looking Marky Mark. (and get a picture-thank you very much!)




This year I thought I'd take a gander (two days before it starts) at the film list and see if there is anything that tickles my fancy. OF COURSE nothing is available. All the gala events are sold out. What sort of celebs, er I mean movies am I missing out on?

Well Jake Gyllenhaal is in town to promote "Rendition"- Brad Pitt for "The Assassination of Jesse James" and George Clooney for "Michael Clayton". Not to mention Reese Witherspoon, Meryl Street and Cate Blanchett!!! Me- the girl who reads (and is disgusted with herself for reading) blogs like "perezhilton" everyday... I really just want to see the celebs- not pay $40 for a movie that I can see in the regular theatre in a couple of months time. Let's be real. So maybe I'll find my camera and do some stalking this weekend- get some better pics. The weather is supposed to be nice...

Incidentally the TIFF website has spelled Assassination wrong- not to make Canadians look sloppy or anything.