Huh?! What's that?!

Now I love my macbook... but the speaker volume is so low. I really hope I get a gift certificate to the Apple store for my b-day so I can buy some speakers.

another sad loss

I made my annual pilgrimage to Target today- to browse in their global bazaar section (now on clearance and nearly extinct), pick up some cheapie summer things and ... buy a stock of mega M&Ms (peanut- not plain). But guess what? They didn't have them. Neither did the Rite Aid, or Walgreens or the other Rite Aid that we went to.
They are no longer being produced.
I've been addicted to these for the last four years. They've been a part of my life since I moved out to Toronto and they used to be "Shrek M&Ms" (a limited time offer product that proved so popular they produced it en masse- which has now proved to be not so popular). And when I say addicted I mean addicted in a sick kind of visiting four different locations in Niagara kind of way. Now i don't know what I'm going to do.
I guess it's time to move on. I guess it's time to say goodbye. I don't know if I'm ready- I mean I really didn't get any notice or closure or anything... but they say that's how it happens sometimes. One day it's there and you're happily enjoying your 55% larger candy coated chocolate covered peanut, and the next day it's just gone.
*poof*

Happy Anniversary

(It's best if you click the youtube link and let the music be the background to the touching memoir below- apologies for the slow upload...it gets better if you hang in there)


20 years ago- on Feb 13, 1988 I was a superstar on the international stage- starring in the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Calgary. And no I am not exaggerating by one iota. You can see in the picture below, in the background, there are blue people- 1000 of us. (I actually don't think they made it into this picture *ahem*) I was one of them.

We came out and performed a 6 minute dance routine where we formed life size Olympics events such as the luge and skating rink etc... so that when you looked down from above we appeared as one. (Except for me- I stood out). It was all very high tech and synchronized to David Foster's Olympic theme.

We wore blue jumpsuits and silver high top runners. For the actual performance when we were supposed to appear as a giant Dove-my best friend got a feather meant to be waved about the head, I did not. But I forged on ahead anyway... a true performer doesn't let mere props (or the absence of such) get in her way- and I became the feather. I was the feather in that Dove's right wing.

We practiced every week for a year. Grueling practices out in the cold, because there were no indoor arenas large enough to hold us all. I remember once a girl wearing ballet flats and NO SOCKS so I valiantly lent her my legwarmers to keep her feet warm.

Though all of my parents had to endure the hardship of shuttling me around for a year, no easy task, they reaped the rewards and basked in the glory whence their daughter took to the international stage and 3 billion people stood up around the world and applauded. It was no small moment in their lives, believe you me.

It was a special moment in my life... one that I remember fondly. And the 20th anniversary of it is tomorrow.

An old friend

This is Rascal. He came to live with me when I was four. He was pretty attached to me from the get go and didn't like to leave my side. I used to drag him around by the ear. One time my brothers and I got into a tug of war where the TWO of them were pulling on his body and I held onto his ear and it ripped right off. My Grandma sewed him up but he was never quite the same. He didn't cry during the surgery but I cried enough for both of us.
One summer he came to Riverview with me and my brothers and he got lost in the field so I had to come back to Calgary without him. My aunt Claire found him and sent him on a cross country flight ALL BY HIMSELF, to come back to me. Man was I happy to see him.
I don't think I ever thanked Claire for that (or was it my uncle Al?) but I was very grateful. : )

Snow, smoothies and surprises.

Snowing again... and loved it. I was at Vaughn Estates today for a brainstorming session... and we were surrounded by trees. It was so beautiful. I wish I'd had a camera to take a picture.
And I thought of something else I wanted for my b-day... (surprise)
- a magic bullet to make fruit smoothies in the morning. My friend told me today a little trick she has to add protein to the smoothie (That's one of the reasons I've never copped on to having them- I feel like they are just a glass of sugar...) - She adds half a cup of egg beaters. Can't taste the egg and it adds the low fat protein. Love it.
- "Flight of the Conchords" DVD. SOOOO FUNNY.

snow filled days and vodka fueled nights

On Friday we received a no where near record snow fall of 25cm - but it happened during the day - instead of at night... so people panicked and shut things down. Our fearless leader (I mean that genuinely- he's actually a great boss) sent us home around 1pm... in order to avoid chaos on the commute. It was a great way to start off the weekend... especially since my commute involves hopping on a subway and heading
south 5 stops to my house.

The best part about the "storm" is that it was just lots of snow, but still quite warm out- so the result was just beautiful snow capped trees and sidewalks lined with the white stuff- without the frigid freezing temperatures.
My roommate and I decided to spend a quiet night in on Friday- watch movies and order pizza. We watched the desert and cave disc of "BBCs: Planet Earth" SOOOOO AMAZING!!!!
Then my friend RW called at 10 and persuaded us to come out for some guy's b-day. Because they were gathering at one my of my favourite bars- "Czehoski's" we decided to go. It was really fun- quite a few people braved the snow to come out.

Last night we went to the newly renovated "Pravda" - and it's my new favourite bar.
Aside from being stumbling distance home... not that I ever stumble- the decor was fantastic, the music was loud and great and the vodkas...well they have my favourite Bison Wheat Grass vodka (that Czehoski's usually has but was out of on Friday) as well as MANY others...I think everyone was feeling stir crazy from being housebound the night before- because the place was packed... and hot. The crowd were eclectic- a LOT of cougars and greasy old men- and they were just as entertaining as the 20 somethings ordering bottle service in the corner- spending their parent's money like there was no tomorrow.
Me and my friends hovered somewhere in the middle- enjoying the music as it brought us back to our childhood (Rains in Africa anyone??) and the spectacle of the 40something woman who took off her top and danced the night away in her bra... I don't think there is enough vodka on planet earth to get rid of that image.