This cold has hit me harder than I realized. I got home, took the dog out, came back upstairs and passed out on the couch.... after mulling over something very odd that I saw on the way home.

I was driving down Cambie Street and sitting at the light on 12th. I saw a touring cyclist pull up to city hall, light a cigarette, pull out a Canadian flag and the proceed to try to light it on fire! I swear I was already out of it at that point, because I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. I have no idea what his agenda was... maybe he's just really sick of seeing Canadian flags after the Gold Medal celebration that was our country on Sunday afternoon. Who knows? Still perplexes me.

I'm still so tired, but thougt I'd update... for whatever it's worth.

I'm really looking forward to Ali, Christy and Kimli are coming up/over on Thursday! A whole weekend of love. Just us girls. ;-) We'll take pictures, I promise. We probably won't share the really good ones, but I promise we'll take some! What are we going to do? Granville Island, Tattoo Parlour, Truthe or Dare, Strip Joint? Whatever we end up doing, I'm sure we'll have fun. I want to take the girls to late night improv at Granville Island. I think we can arrange it... wh00t!

Canada is the First Nation of Hockey once more. Fifty years after our last Olympic Gold Medal in Men's Ice Hockey, Team Canada finally did it again. This victory was sweet, but the women's victory was sweetest to me... they just had so much more invested in that game. After all, they don't get to go back to professional hockey teams and making millions of dollars on Monday... I'm so very proud of our Canadian Women's team.

Still, we had some mad scenes in Vancouver... check out a pic that a friend of mine took of Robson Street just after the game, today. It was still like that hours later. In fact, it's probably still like that, judging from the intermittent honking I can hear outside. People in cars honking and screaming. People on the street screaming and yelling. Everyone waving, wearing or inventing Canadian flags. DieharD, Rainy and I all joined in the fun when we went to try and get smoothies. Smoothie place was closed, but Robson Street beckoned... So much noise and yelling with absolutely everyone happy. Still makes me smile. Hope nobody got hurt in the wild abandon.

GO CANADA GO!

I think I'll bring my little flag to work with me tomorrow!

1. Hey, baby, what's your sign? Do you think it fits you pretty well? Pisces. Dreamer. Yep.

2. What's the worst birthday gift you've ever received? At the time, being dumped on my Sweet 16, when I would finally be allowed to actually go out on a DATE with the guy I was "going out with". We had phone dates. Thank goodness I never went on a real date with him!

3. What's the best birthday gift you've ever received? Horseback riding lessons from my parnets.

4. What's the best way you've celebrated your birthday thus far? I think the best one is coming up... so maybe I can answer this after next weekend? ;-)

5. What are your plans for this weekend? Get over this illness. Talk to Joshua about my tattoo. Go out to dinner at La Terrazza for a Late Valentine's Dinner. Prepare for Bridal H0z invasion! Wh00t!

Off. Work. Sick. Bleh.


As the t-shirt says, "Canadian girls kick ass!" Hooray for our Gold Medalists the Canadian Women's Hockey Team.

So far no adverse affects from this morning's run-in with a mercedes. Hope I scratched it, but good. Crazy lady drove away without a word of apology, concern or even anger that I got in her way. I guess a glaring, swearing, fuming Heather isn't something you want to mess with if you know you're in the wrong. Or else she just didn't notice. Biatch.

The range of my emotions went from terrified, to furious, to terrified, to furious, to happy to be alive and unscathed. That's where it stands, now. Happy to be alive. It could always be so much worse. Thanks go to Cow for the BurgerKing run and the easing of my frazzled nerves.

I still feel safer on my bike than in cars with aggressive drivers.

On a happier note, I became inspired to begin working on a new design for my own domain, which I haven't touched in over a year. Gonna move this beast over there, when it's ready and add some other SPIFFY STUFF> Yegads. My keyboard needs cleaning. I hate when keys get stuck.

Off to bed.

Getting knocked off your bike in traffic makes you feel angry, terrified, fragile and powerful all at the same time. It also makes you shake like a mother-bitch. I'm still shaking almost too much to type. But I'm alive, physically unscathed, and many parents and teenagers outside the school I was in front of now know enough curse words to make DeeAy proud.

Excuse me while I shake.

McCow ended his protest. I know what it was about.

Thanks cow.

11 pm and I'm still awake. Mainly because I don't have to be at work tomorrow until 9:30.. which means I stay until 6pm. That part sucks, but the sleeping in certainly doesn't.

I have to try to ride at some point this week. I think my bicycle has forgotten who I am over the last month. The bus and my good friend Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever know exactly who I am, however. There are two main drawbacks to riding a bike to work. The first is flat tires. Painful. Annoying. The second is not being able to read the book you don't want to put down while you ride!

First Tattoo coming up in less than two weeks! Still haven't spoken to Joshua about it this week... I'll call him from work and find out if he's started on it so I can come see it this coming weekend to approve it. It has to be just right, after all! I laugh at myself all the time over the debate that rages in my head. "Do I tell mom or not?" In the past, my body-mods have been 'discovered' by my mom... both of them when we were golfing at the same golf course on occasions two years apart! The only two times I've ever been to that golf course. My mom usually makes some kind of exclamation that sounds like she's very disappointed in me. She does those noises very well.

I honsetly don't care what she thinks, but I know how stressed out she will make herself about it. Silly Mom, my life is for me!

I bit my tongue ring tonight. Hard. I chipped my molar. It doesn't hurt, but it's rough and it sux. Now I have to do what I've been putting off for far too long and go to the dentist.

Fear.

Joining The Friday Five club:

1. What was the first thing you ever cooked? I really don't know. Toast? I think I helped my mom make Peanut Butter Cookies. Yum. First pie I baked was a cherry pie. My mom and I were humming that song "can she bake a cherry pie, billy boy, billy boy?" the whole time. I even have a picture of me with that pie. Freak.

2. What's your signature dish? I don't really have ONE signature dish. My favourite easy one is chicken breasts with white wine and herb sauce. My signature desert is an extremely rich Cheesecake.

3. Ever had a cooking disaster? (tasted like crap, didn't work, etc.) Describe. Somehow, I managed to burn rice.Multiple times. It stinks. It tastes BAD. Even if you only burn it a little bit and eat the non-burned parts... somehow they take on the taste of the burnt crusty stuff that sticks to the bottom of the pan. Now I just start it to a rolling boil and turn off the heat. Perfect!

4. If skill and money were no object, what would make for your dream meal? Perfectly blue rare tender steak, digby scallops, sashimi... baked cheesecake for desert... Bad question. I love food. Period.

5. What are you doing this weekend? Going to see Lord of the Rings again on the big screen. This time with Tusker and Roomie Guy. Talking to the tattoo artist about my new (first!) tattoo design. As little else as I can get away with.

Do you ever have days where you see someone you care about feeling down or de-motivated and then try to cheer them up or pump them up and just end up talking about yourself? Ever feel dumb as rock because of it? Yeah... me too. It sucks. Note to self: Shut the hell up.

So lots of thoughts over the weekend... mostly when I wasn't hanging out with other people. Thoughts about life, about tattoos and about relationships. Thoughts about travel, about friends, about the pain in my aching, overworked muscles. Thoughts about how incredibly ironic it was that super-hairy-hot-tub-stranger-guy was saying that Brooke Shields needed to shave her eyebrows... when he had enough back fur to pose as a sasquatch. ;-) Beer never really brings out the best in people. I held my tongue (and happily played with my tongue bar-bell) while sharing a knowing look and a mutual giggle with Sam, my co-worker's lovely wife, who was sitting next to me.

I may share my thoughts on these and other pressing issues later... but for now it's time to let my body get some much needed rest.

Sun Peaks rocks my world.

OH my aching arm.

My right forearm hurts like someone took my skin off, rubbed a rough pumice stone up and down my tendons, sprinkled some lemon juice and pepper on it and then replaced the skin. It aches, it burns, it's not fun. It's probably due to work and riding my bike so much.

I need a new bike, soon... and I'm seriously considering a recumbent bicycle. I want one that's comfy, can can hold my current panniers and racks, and one that I can lock up well. I'm not in cycling for the competition. I'm in it for the exercise and enjoyment... I'm researching recumbents, now.. I'll let you know what I find out.

I miss my dog. She's at Nana and Poppa's house (the Grandparents of the Granddog) for the weekend, since we're going away and today was the only day before we leave that I could get her out there. She's so good. I was getting ready to leave to come back home and she was all antsy, wanting to come with me, whining and wiggling... and then I simply told her, "Rainy, you stay here, " like I do when I leave home for the day. She just went into the living room and lay down on the floor, quiet as you please. She knew that's what I expected of her and that she wasn't coming with me. Amazing dog. I sure love her. I pick her up on Monday night. =)

Bed. Sleep. Good.

Oh! Go see Chica's new journal! It's spiffy and she did all the work herself. Darn fine job for a first timer... she's starting to inspire me! =)

How tough it can be to figure out what you REALLY want in life. I swear, at my age I should be over this angst stuff. I guess some people become teenagers later in life than others.

Had somebody flirt with me at the dog park today. Strange. He wasn't my type.. a little too "party guy/part-time smoker" but it was interesting and a bit flattering. His dog was funny, though -- a Rottie who has a strange obsession with rocks. He loves to dive in the water to dig them up and carry them back on shore. Our little "beach" near the dog park is nothing BUT rocks, so he was having a ball and looking very proud of himself with each new rock he brought out of the water. Brian, (the guy) called Jake (his dog) a "Rockweiler". Heh.

There's another dog in our building called Moses, and he too is obsessed with rocks. He must be a Jack Russel/Rock Terrier cross. (actually a fox terrier cross) because he does the very same thing. He also hates all other dogs except Rainy who he plays with like a long-lost best friend, which is pretty cool. Rainy rocks and she still has gold metallic nails.

Time for bed. A weekend of snowboarding, glass cutting, apartment cleaning and playing Return to Castle Wolfenstein is over.

I've been sent a link to this journal and I just had to share it with you all. I laughed until my sides split and the tears were streaming down my face so that I had to wipe them away to keep reading. These are the "V. Secret Diaries" of all the Lord of the Rings main characters. With a twist. Wonderfully done, I highly reccommend you read these where you won't annoy anyone by snorting, cackling or otherwise guffawing in a loud and embarassing manner. I also advise you not to be drinking anything that might come shooting out your nose and get all over your computer.

V. Secret Diaries of Lord of the Rings characters.

Cow.


Update.


Please?

Leper! Outcast! Unclean!


I think everyone feels like Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever at one time or another. Great books! I borrowed them from Tusker's Roomie Guy and I'm eating the first one as fast as my free time allows. Thank goodness for taking the bus on snowy days. I get to read. =)

What the hell is so great about "Super Size"? Why must everything always be BIGGER! NOW WITH MORE REAL CHEESE! DOUBLE PATTY! EXTRA LARGE FRIES! I can get by and feel full on a kids meal when I eat at a fast food joint. Why do they always want to make me eat more?

I think it's just human nature to want MORE! BIGGER! We equate it with BETTER! FASTER! SUPERIOUR! When really, it's just superfluous. Extra. The Big Extra? Extra large pepperoni with double cheese?

Maybe once in a while, but the way commercials and television, and even the people in my office talk... you're getting ripped off if you don't get the largest portion of whatever greasy fried cheese-laden food you've ordered all for just 39 cents more.

Eat less. Feel better. Live longer.

Played RTCW multiplayer with my h0z for the first time tonight. Played single player for the first time LAST night. That game is LUSH. I'm one of those rare women who love War movies. I find them heroic, glorious, gory, horrible and fascinating. I'd rather watch a war movie than a light romance film ANY DAY... and Return to Castle Wolfenstein feels just like being in a War Movie!

We're recruiting for like-minded females who want to play some RtCW. Check it out.

I just realized today that angry butt-pimple man takes the 7AM bus. He's pretty quiet in the morning, thankfully.

I'm still at work and cursing the busy state our office is in. It's TOO busy. We need more staff. They're on their way, but they won't be all trained up and ready to go for two to three months. The only one who has started on the phones and contributing in less than two months so far is my friend McCow. He rocks. Even though he never updates his journal.

So now I kill time until George gets to leave.

Our stock jumped up today after the release of our fourth quarter results.. there is tons of speculation in the office about where it's going to go from here. Last year at this time it was around $2.50. Now it's over $27.00 Damn, but I should have bought at $2.50.

Time for me to try to talk George into leaving early.

Been tired and sore throated since Friday. I actually got away from work nearly on time today.

I'm looking out the apartment window at the buidlings accross the way. It's strange when a bunch of people all have the same TV show on and the screens all flicker at the same time, like they do at Future Shop in the Wall-o-TVs. Wonder what they're watching. Don't really care.

Instead of wasting my time with TV, I'm planning how to save money for trips to exotic locales, playing Return to Castle Wolfenstein and having my computer lock up *DAMN YOUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!*.

Been taking the bus more, lately, what with the weather and all... there are some really, really nice people, some really really mediocre people and some REAL butt-pimples. We wait. 45 minutes. A bus comes. It is full. Angry swollen butt-pimple guy runs over to bus where driver is letting someone OFF and repeatedly hits the side of the bus and screams at the driver to let him on. If you were the driver of that bus would YOU let him on? Nuh-uh. Didn't think so.

Angy swollen butt-pimple man comes back to us and starts ranting at us about how horrible the bus service is. He wanted to catch the 98 B-Line which is only a 25 minute walk from where we were standing. Did I tell him this? You bet. Shut the hell up angry swollen butt-pimple man! Relax and enjoy the sunshine that we get so precious little of during the wet wet winter.

Ahhh... much better.

I forgive you for being annoying angry swollen butt-pimple man. You can't help it. Your ignorance isn't really annoying so much as it is sad. You'd probably live longer and be less swollen and angry if you just realized how great it is to be able to stand in the sun on a winter afternoon. Hope you figure it out one day.

Well. I sold my half of the Talon to George today. Makes my life easier, his life harder (but with car) and I still get to use it. Rockin'. We'll go make it official tomorrow. This way I can afford Hawaii and weddings this year, and Peru next year... who knows.. maybe I'll even go back to school now that I'm footloose and fancy free. It's funny. You'd think we'd do something like this if we were breaking up, but actually, this is making us stronger and closer. We had a great day today, lots of communictaion, a little nookie *raowr*, cleaning up the place together, dinner and a movie ~ all after our financial dealings were done.

I also took some movies and pictures of the snow we had today as viewed from our apartment. It was DUMPING. =) Now Vancouver is a magical (melting) winter wonderland. Hope it's not too slushy for my journey to work tomorrow.

Time for bed. Pictures will be HERE when I put them up.

My dear friend Laura from high school just told me something beautiful. She and her loving hubby are with child! Warmest and most joyful feelings are radiating from the very centre of my soul at hearing the news. I'd post her email here, but she'd probably end up with more spam that well-wishes thanks to the internet spam-bots.. but send your good thoughts and best wishes her way... or my way, and I'll pass them on Spam free!

*bounce* baby! *bounce*

I love my h0z. They can always make me feel better about the world. How did they do it this time? Just by being them... oh and by telling me that they're coming up ONE DAY EARLIER in March. =) WHEE! Time to book Friday off that week.

Zoom!

Why do I stay?

Wow. 2 days in a row it has snowed here. Being from the Wet Coast, snow is magical to me. It's never very cold when it snows, and it doesn't last long before becoming slush that melts away into just more wet winter. Big fat flakes falling down and floating up past my 19th floor window. Kinda cool. =)

I wish I could bring DeeAy back here (with her RakE, of course!) so she could live as a West Coastie again... and not dread getting out of bed to the skin cirsp-i-fying air of a real prarie winter.. Here we need dehumidifiers, there she needs rain.

(went back to bed for 2 hours and read some of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever)

STILL snowing. Teensy flakes, now.. but it seems to be starting to stick even here. That means the rest of the lower mainland is in for it big time.

I should get cracking on some projects around here while the pain has subsided... that time of month is evil to me some months. This month was one of them. Sweaty, painful, dry-heavy kind of evil. But I slept through most of it, so now I'm looking to not put my day off to waste!

Also have to go down to the rental office and give them new cheques for rent. We've been here a year as of Feb1... and the first day we moved in DeeAy and RakE came to stay with us. =) Then we went to Lansanity. Then I heard that I got the job that I currently work at. Cool. Good memories, and better to come! All the bridal hoz will be here the first weekend in March. I can hardly wait!

Okay... boring as hell update, but there you have it. I'm going to go cut glass and find my way down to Prompton's office to drop off paperwork etc.

On my ride home, I discovered what I thought was the looseness of the headset on my bike. Wrong! I wore it out! Already! I just had it fixed, what? Two years ago... guess I've been riding a bit more than I used to. *GRIN* In fact, I will soon (in a few days) be at 2000 kilometres since I bought my new Cycle Computer this summer. That's pretty cool! Imagine all the gas I've saved myself! If I were to drive 2000 kilometres in the car, that'd be about $240 in just a few months!! Rockin'.

So on the way home, I cycled in to my friendly neighbourhood Cambie Cycles to have them tighten what I thought was my loose headset.. they pointed out my mistake and I arranged for them to fix it up.. They specialize in recumbent bicycles, but they work on old clunkers like mine, and they treat you fairly. They also listen to very eclectic music in the shop, which is an absolute delight.

So I'm going to get the bearings replaced in my headset, and I know my bike is falling apart slowly... so I've been thinking about buying a new bicycle. I don't want something that is inviting to theives, but I want something durable, comfortable to ride long distances on, and I want something that will work with the majority of the gear that I already have. The people at work already think I'm a freak for riding to work all year long, anyway... so I might as well reinforce this fact by getting a recumbent bicycle! The ultimate nerd-mobile!

I tried the R40 Under Tiagra today. I was a tad wobbly, but I got used to it fairly quickly. My very first time on a recumbent was like learning to ride all over again. Turning scared me, so I didn't try that in the tight alley that I rode the bike in... it was funny, the salesguy was running along behind me supporting the bike for the first bit... it was like Dad helping me on my way... I soon outpaced him and found my balance.

One word. Comfort.

I chose the short wheelbase with low handlebars. VERY comfy. It comes in red or blue. I like blue. Now it's only $1700 away. Ugh. Not this year, methinks. But boy-oh-boy would my nether-bits ever thank me.

*COUGH* *CHOKE*

I-swam-in-cologne-stink-man just arrived.

Can't he tell that he's using too much?!?!?!? And I wonder why the inside of my nose is raw. Holy smokes.

Ugh. It's way too early to be at work. It's way too early to have ridden my bike all the way here. Damn but I feel lazy today. =) At least I got enough sleep last night. I weighed in this morning (every Monday morning) and my blessed scale says I'm 161 lbs. I have no idea how that happened... must be a mistake. Last monday was 167lbs -- and what with having a sore throat last week and having my hamstring hurt after riding to work once, the only thing I stuck to was eating right. No working out... strange. I'll be good this week, too and see what happens.

Stick to the diet. Stick to the diet. Stick to the plan. Stick to the plan.

Get a life? Have one? Feh.

Rat in a race, running a maze that only has dead ends. How do I achieve my dreams? How do I know what they are? What's real and what's conditioned?

Better learn soon, or it will be too late.

Yawn!

Not enough sleep last night, and early early early work day tomorrow.

We managed to make it out to the Vancouver Motorcycle Show in Abbotsford today, to join Cow and Babyblade. George posted all the pictures here. My hair is growing. Wow.

Been doing a lot of thinking today about where I want to go with my life. Hell.. I'm not sure, very few among us that I know of are certain of what they want to do with their lives. What are some things I would love to do?

Go to cooking school and become a chef.
Run a Bed and Breakfast.
Travel all over the world self-sufficiently (ie: backpack/tent/etc.)

Obviously not in that order... but something like that could really fulfill me, I think.
I should look into this stuff... cuz computers are cool and alll --- but they don't really make me feel fulfilled.

I've started on the travelling self-sufficiently thing. I have a list of supplies and gear that I need, I've started slowly buying it -- over the next year I'll have everything I need of good quality, Hopefully I can test it out this year a bit before the big Peru trip that I have planned for next June. I got a stove this weekend. MSR Whisperlite International 600. Cross that off my list.

The list so far:

Arcteryx Bora 75 Backpack (Womens' Standard)
MEC Wanderer 2 Tent (mesh or regular.. not sure yet)
MSR Water Filter (can't remember brand off top of my head)
A good compass
MSR Cookware
Dromedary bag to fit MSR filter
Good Merrel boots
and some other miscellaneous stuff.

I already have a nice sleeping bag and some good long underwear/down/fleece clothing. But really, I sometimes feel like selling all the crap I have and living out of the tent. I'll just shower at work, thanks. ;-) That would probably get tiring really soon.

Bike Touring seems to be out for now... I'd worry about my bike too much... and besides, my bike is in dire need of some repair/maintenance -- I barely trust it to ride to work and back these days. Getting flats in the BC winter dark and rain really takes the desire to cycle to work right out of me... but I will persevere. Maybe once I have my head on a bit straighter and my finances in better order I'll look into getting a recumbent cycle.

Living within my means... Going out of my mind...

How in love am I with the DeeAy? Lots.

She makes my day with her rants, raves, boobs and cocks, phone booths, bags of hell and other choice nubbins.

How in love am I with the Trillian? :Lots.

She inspires me with her energy, her drive, her determination and her successes. She motivates me to get over it and "Just Do It". She can do things many others have not been able to, but she believes in each and every one of her friends.

I'm soooo tired tonight, mainly due to fighting off some kind of throat-attacking, gland-swelling nastiness that is going around at work. I haven't even worked out in the last three days. Ugh. But then again, I haven't felt much like eating tons, either... so it'll all work out in the end. But despite this tiredness, this lack of energy and oomphf, I click on the DeeAy and the Ookla in my links bar and follow my browser to the lands of the lives of my friends.

I then update this and follow my own links over to Chica the QGirl-I-have-yet-to-meet-but-love-vicariously, Babyblade-the-wise-beyond-her-years and the ever-negligent-about-posting Cow. Luckily, I see Cow at work every day... so it's not such a big deal.

Share the love. Go say hello.

Morning and there's a lump in my throat.

No, I'm not emotionally moved by something to the point of tears... I'm just fighting off the evil that is everyone at work having been sick the last few weeks. I'll beat it. Drive to work and get a Best Defence smoothie on the way. =)

Saw Amelie on the weekend with Marcy and Roomie Guy. I loved this film. This girl was ME as a little kid (except I had an annoying brother). I love Amelie and I need to get the soundtrack.

Working out where to get the tattoos done. I think locally would be best -- someplace we can walk to from here... rather than piling into a car and driving anyplace far far away and wasting our entire weekend. I'mma try NeXT, I think-- that's where I got metal put into my body and I like Josh's work a lot. We are just getting "flash" sort of, anyway... something small and not too complicated. It's my first. I'm finally ready to become the Black Sheep irrevocably! Aaron at work basically tells me that piercings are wimpy because you can "take them out". So maybe that's why wimpy me got them in the first place... to shock but be able to go back to "normal" afterwards. I sure don't want to be "normal" anymore.

Time for work..... how... normal. :-/

B1 d t- k s- u-- f i o++ x e l+ c-

Weekend. That used to be a time for me to just be me and not have to worry about work. It still is. Only now, it really MEANS something. At work I feel quite stressed by my large number of issues and my inability to get complete closure on all of them. I like closure. Closure is good. It's also nigh impossible to get in life.

I can see why people go out and party their faces off on the weekend. They get drunk to forget the meaningless drivel that is their lives during the week. They dance to work off some of the insane, inane stress of their lives as worker bees. Personally, I still don't think I'll ever be a big party girl... but I do like to dance once in a while. Only 11 days into January and already I'm behind.

Body for Life... gotta get with it. The eating I'm doing *okay* on... the exercise I'm doing *okay* on... but the hot body and self confidence and knowledge that I can really do something that I set out to accomplish will take more than just being *okay* about doing something. Feh.

I get inspired and then it dies out. Too quickly.

I'm going to change that.

I want to go to hawaii with George. Anyone know a place to get cheap flights?

Lemme know.

In other news, Heather has announced that going to Peru this year would be a financial strain, and possibly jeapordize the amount of enjoyment and enlightenment that she could get out of the trip. It has been decided that the big trip will be postponed until June of 2003. Meanwhile, Heather will use this time to upgrade her work, language and travel skills with a variety of courses and by taking some shorter local backpack adventures.

Freak out!

Apartment clean. More or less.

George is going to Zoe tonight... Doug and Ali's favourite restaurant in Americaland. He didn't get to go last night because he had to work late at the hospital... that sounds like I'm dating a doctor or something.. but no, he's a PACS Integration Specialist. Me, I'm a Remote Administration and Service Specialist... ain't that special? It's a good job, but it's a bit disorganized right now -- too many sites, too little time. I have some major follow up to do if I want to shrink my issues list (which I do). Time to leap on that tomorrow.

And remember to load the vacuum that is parked by the front door so I can't miss it into the car to take to work for //Cow and Babyblade.

Ugh. Tired. Thirsty.

Solution: Drink some water and go to bed!

G'nite.

I can do this

I worked until 7pm tonight.. I started at 7am. I had to stay, or I would have gone crazy. I stayed so I could feel what it would be like NOT to have to answer the phone at work, and to actually be able to look into those little nagging problems for customers that I have no time to deal with when big things are blowing up. I even got a few little nagging things cleared up. That was nice.

Then I drove to Booster Juice and got me a Best Defence smoothie... cuz well... five out of 7 people that are in my group at work are SICK. I'm surrounded. I will not let it get me! I exercised and I'm going to bed early. Drank lots of water, ate healthy food... time for the all-healing sleep to carry me through the rest of what looks to be a very long week.

Have to clean up the apartment tomorrow. Have to.

George comes home on Thursday. =)

*sigh*

Work is hectic. Too many things blowing up that shouldn't be. Can't follow up the way I'd like to with customers... too many new things blowing up every day. *sigh*

Is it just me or do smokers who wear cologne stink *particularly* badly? I think their sense of smell is so nuked that they slap on the cologne to a level where *they* can smell it and all the rest of us have to suffer with the combination of foul, stale cigarette-smell and hideous, overwhelming cologne-stench.

I almost prefer just the cigarette smell.

I think I'm going to buy a gass mask, but I doubt he'll get the hint.

Okay, so MINUS the cycling to work. Headaches suck first thing in the morning, cycling to work with a sore lower body (lower body day on Wednesday) *and* a splitting headache, sucks more.

I spoke to a colleague from where I used to work, tonight. She's in the boat I expect to be in... but not quite. She's 41 and single, living on her own, going to work every day and hating life. In my future, I don't see the 'hating life' part. I'm going to take control of my own happiness. Mom's coming over this weekend, and we're going to hang out, etc... I don't have any problem saying "I'm not planning on getting married anytime soon" to her, anymore - because it's the truth.

If marriage happnes, it will happen because we are two people who compliment each other but have our own lives, interests and financial security. Sounds materialistic, but I don't want to lean on anyone - no more than I want someone leaning on me. It's not a relationship of equals when that happens. I have a relationship of equals right now, and it's gorgeous. Neither of us are ready to get married, though -- we're both still building our life experiences and setting up our futures. Who knows what the future brings in that regard? I might as well put my planning and dreaming skills to use on something that's attainable by me and me alone.

I can't believe how after one week, beginning with a talk with George and followed by a few days of soul-searing soul searching, I feel so completely different. I feel satsified, but not satisfied to sit still and let life *happen* to me. I feel at peace, but restless - ready to go out and take on myself and the world. I expect to have my bad days, still... but fewer of them - and hopefully I will be able to recognize them coming on, and do something constructive to change them into good days.

And now I am going to go do cardio. I must, I must, I must decrease my butt... okay.. so that's not how it goes. ;-)

KICK ASS!

Happy Two ought ought two!

Couldn't get to sleep last night on account of my brain. =)

I couldn't stop thinking about the logistics of my Peru trip -- timing is everything and I have a couple of other trips that are "must take" this year -- one is Kimli's wedding and the other is George and I wanting to take a week off in Hawaii early this year... how to juggle/pay for it all!?!

Drat my brain.

Luckily I had taken a nap earlier in the evening so I could go to see "A Beautiful Mind". I really enjoyed it, but then I was awake until 11 with my brain in overdrive.

Body for LIFE started yesterday. Upper body. Ow. I'm skipping the cardio today and going to the lower body workout to get "caught up" so I'm on track for the week... I did ride my bike in to work today (as every day) so I get SOME cardio that way. Cardio on Thursday will be by the book + cycling to work.

I rock. I'm going to change my life.

So Redwood just left on the bus. We ran a little late -- but managed to get him to the bus JUST on time. =) Thank goodness we live five minutes from the Train/Bus station.

We only had a short visit, but we packed in the things to do. Yesterday we tried the winter sport of curling. I've never done it before, and neither had Redwood - but we both improved a lot over the course of the two hours. I'm sore today -- muscles I've never used before! Our team (George, Redwood, Mike (a guy from work) and myself) lost by one point. Not bad considering we were all newbies except George, who had been one time before this!

After curling, George left to go snowboarding with his Dad and brother -- and Redwood and I headed out to watch the Royal Tenenbaums - it was sold out when we got there so we watched Khandahar instead. Weird film, but I found it very interesting... it just didn't have enough of the loose ends tied up at the end to satisfy my "Western" mindset, but it gave me a glimpse into Afghan culture and the bhurga that had never imagined Redwood said I owed him huggles for making him see that film. ;-) After that, we found that Royal Tenenbaums was starting in about 20 minutes, so we bought tickets and went to see that, too. Hilarious film. Very quirky. It will make you think your own family isn't nearly as fucked up as you thought they were.

After the movie we walked back home and shortly afterwards George arrived home, sore from snowboarding, and we went for dinner at La Terazza. We rushed it a bit, and didn't have desert -- damn, because their cheesecake baked in phyllo pastry is to die for -- but we made it to the Vancouver Theatresports League late night "Scared Scriptless" show. It was worth it. The laughing we did worked off some of dinner and then we headed home and went to sleep.

Whew!

Today was brief - we slept until around 10AM and then had blueberry pancakes and walked up to Booster Juice for smoothies and to see the Vancouver Public Library (a building featured in the Arnold movie "The Sixth Day"). We walked home in the sunshine with Redwood snapping tourist shots and Rainy bounding around enjoying the outdoors and then had to rush to get Redwood to the bus on time.

We made it and now I'm home and ready to get cracking on finishing the cleanup and organization of this room.

Away I go... I'll share pictures when I figure out how to post some.

I went to MEC tonight. I tried on packs. I picked this one.

It fits wonderfully -- I carried it fully loaded all around the store for about 20 minutes and it hardly felt like I was carrying anything. Mind you, I did feel a whole lot lighter when I took it off.

I'll save me up some money and buy that one in sage green. Everywhere else online it's USD $345.00. I love that it's made in Canada. I ran into my neighbour down the hall at MEC and told him about my plan to go to Peru. He told me that he gets really good deals on plane tickets and he offered to get George and I good deals if we ever need to fly anywhere. He's a really great neighbour, even without the plane ticket offer. Nice people rock.

My mom's coming to stay overnight in two weeks. George will be in Washington working at the University Hospital upgrading their radiology PACS system... that's what we do... he installs, I do remote service. It's a challenge. It's a living. (It'll get me to Peru this year!) Mom and I will do girly things and rent girly movies and probably have long talks. Hopefully she can see that I'm happy and will continue to be happy as long as I'm true to myself. She sees me so differently than I see myself... she said to me on the phone tonight (in an exasperated voice) "Well, I *did* want you to grow up to be independent, and you're *definitely that*" Hmm... Here I am, realizing that I really haven't been independent my whole life. I've been depending on others to make me happy when really, all of that comes from within.

Lots to do... Sleep to get...

Redwood is coming over this weekend! We're going curling and out to dinner at our favourite fancy restaurant "La Terazza". It will be nice to see him again.

It's never easy to really change, is it?

Saw LotR tonight at the IMAX theatre on the HUGE screen. Wow. I was impressed, but I shouldn't have read the books again *first*. I won't make the same mistake next year!

Have lots to do tonight - reorganizing my 'office' at home... reorganizing my life... reorganizing my brain. Not too tall an order, now, is it? Nah!

One step at a time, just keep moving forward.

I decided today that I want a life that people would want to read about. I'm going to be not just the "official" Black Sheep of the family... but the BEST GODDAM BLACK SHEEP OF THE FAMILY that our family has ever had.

Just you watch.

Maybe I'm just not meant to be like other people. Today at work I was listening to Kyle tell Eric about the scare he and his wife had and how he had to take her to hospital for some pregancy-related complications... I feel for them, but I don't feel like I could ever be there, doing that. :-/ One day perhaps, but I'm not ready to settle down and have kids and a family, yet.

I still have to figure out who I am and where I am in life, however. That's the fun part. =D So many people here are living ordinary lives... how can I make mine extraordinary? Riding my bike to work every day is a start - that's not "normal". Guess I'd better get cracking and get my rear rim replaced. It's worn out and causing my flat tires. Evil.

I started looking at packs online... have to find a good backpacking/hostelling/travelling newsgroup or mailing list.

George gave me a 'travel' calendar on Friday. Talk about timing... that's when I decided that travel on my own was what I needed to do... and he came through with a gorgeous calendar from the travel agency.

I love him, but I'm still confused about what our future holds -- mainly because I'm still confused about me. Crazy world. Crazy life.

Weekend with Doug and Ali (and an all-too-brief interlude with Kim and Ed) is over. We made more gingerbread cookies and decorated them all up. What fun! Dinner was huge and wonderful at the Boathouse in Richmond and then everyone was off. Us home, the rest of them to Seattle.

Guess what George is doing? Yep. Playing games. Sucks to be me.

Back to work tomorrow - then to the parents' house for Christmas. I'm kind of dreading it. I'd rather be with George -- but things are up and down with us... mainly because I'm in a different place in my life than he is in his. I feel old. I feel lonely. I feel lost. I feel all sorts of things... but this year I'm taking steps to remedy that. I will start travelling. I must. Alone.

I do too much with other people, or what other people might think, in mind. It's time for me to find myself in ways I haven't yet done. I'll save up my holidays (and money) and go to Peru. Magic. Mystery. Ancient cultures. Large spiders. I'll find a way around the spiders somehow. It'll be worth it.

Time to find a backpack and screw up my courage and determination.

Welcome to a journal about ME. Go away if you don't like it. It's my journal. :-P~~~

Ho... hum.... have to go pack things to take to the 'rents. Feh.

Sleep helps. Friends help. I still don't want to go back to boring old conventional me -- and I won't. This is going to confuse the hell out of my mother, but you know what? It's NOT HER LIFE.

Hungry.

Must.

Eat.

Breakfast.

What sucks? Life. The Universe and Everything.

Fuck it all. Sometimes I feel like leaping from a tall building... namely the one I live in. I can picutre my body sailing through the air and landing in a splatter of blood and bone on the pavement. Why can I imagine this? WHY DO I?!?!? Somebody tell me because I don't know. I hate me. I hate how little I've become. I hate.

I hate this meaningless life we all lead. I hate the pressures of family. The pressures of society. The pressures of my own FUCKED UP brain.

I hate my journal with all it's meaningless drivel. Everyone else seems to have something REAL to say... or maybe I just skip over the journals like mine because they're so fucking boring.

Whatever.

Even this writing, coming from all this pain and ugliness is nothing more than drivel. Words don't have enough feeling for what is going on inside me. That's probably why I've been screaming and crying for the past 20 minutes.

There's just WAY too much going on in me.

George says "go to sleep" and goes off to play FUCKING Q3. He says he loves me. I wish he'd show it or leave me the fuck alone. Cuz maybe that's what I need to be but don't have the stinking guts for.

I thought all this melodramatic shit was supposed to end in your teens.

I'm still a teen. In my late 20s. Fuck.

No more trying to be witty for me. I'm just not. I'm just a screwed up, needy, whiney teenager looking for someone else to make me happy -- or to blame for me not being happy already. Loser. Shut the fuck up and do something GOOD with your life.

What the hell is wrong with me? Why do I feel like this? Short answer: lack of sleep and challenges to my "world view". I don't even have a world view of my own. It's been painted on to me by my parents, my past lovers, my own stupid NEED to feel like I belong somewhere. Is THAT why I want to be "married". Because nothing else I've done has made me feel like I actually BELONG anywhere.

Adoption leaves me with holes. Questions.

Where are you Birth Mom? Do you love me? Am I part of you? Are you part of me?

Married wouldn't fix this.

Only I can. And that scares the FUCK out of me.

Trying to gain my own world view. This is one of the most painful processes I can imagine, emotionally. What the hell?!? It's like George tells me about working out. Your body basically wants to be lazy and go along as it is. You start pushing it and it starts hurting.. tyring to make you stop... but if you don't stop, if you keep going, it'll eventually get used to the new level of intensity or it will break down. I figure it's the same with my psyche. My brain. My whatever-the-hell-is making me feel this way right now. I've pushed it past it's limits and it wants to go back. Back to boring. Back to "let's get married and have a family" back to the status quo.

I don't want the status quo. That's what this is about. I could wimp out and go back to being boring old me - funny on the surface, 'carefree' 'happy'. Whatever.
I'm not going back. I want to be FREE to be ME. Whatever this ME is or becomes.

Deal with this psyche. I'm going to MAKE you.

Get some sleep... or stay up forever until you die.

Funny how typing this works it all out in a way. I might not even post this. But why shouldn't I?

George does love me. I know this. He doesn't have to prove it.

Crazy mo-fo..

Now I can sleep.

There's not much to say. I take a day off sick and it turns out sunny. Damn are they ever gonna talk at work. I finally dragged my butt out of bed. I'm all bundled up warm to avoid the dreaded DRAFT *shudder*. Drafts give me cramps. Cramps make me double over in agony and moan as though I were the undead. I avoid drafts at all costs. I wonder if the undead all have massive cramps?

I may even take my bundled up self into the kitchen and attempt fudge today, since it's sunny... but the only recipes I have confidence in and can find online at Skaarup's are in IMPERIAL. Completely. Ounces? How the hell many cups do I need? Tell me millilitres! Tell me milligrams! Anything but ounces. I tried this recipe last year -- thinking that a "can" would be the same size up here. Nope. WAY too much liquid in last year's fudge. It never set. It never even came close to setting. It was liqui-fudge. Maybe I'll write to that Skaarup's place and beg them for metric. If they truly think the world should make more fudge, maybe they'll oblige. Ya think? Maybe Nanaimo bars are more my speed this year - they were my emergency backup last year...

Having only the 25th and the 1st off over the holidays really sucks. I have the weekends off, too... but it's just not fun going to work on Monday having Tuesday off and being right back in there for Wednesday... at 7AM. Could be worse. I could be on the 6AM shift. Again. For the fourth week. I actually like the 6am shift, but it makes being lazy out of the question. I can't easily take the bus that early in the morning and riding my bike for 45 minutes in the cold December air when drafts are the absolute enemy isn't a great option, either.

I'm worried that people are going to think my homemade gifts are cheezy and lame. Not "big" enough or something... I hope not, because I put a lot of time, effort and heart into Christmas this year -- way more than other years when I went out and spent way too much money. I guess this goes to show you how programmed I am with the commercialism of Christmas. "If you're not spending Billions ® on your friends for Christmas © , you don't really Love Them ® !" *cringe*

Self doubt, cramps... hmmm I wonder what time of the month it is?

Journal of the day... more like journal of the week... Last few times I tried to update.. blog died. Ah well... c'est la vie. La vie, today, involves a great deal of cramping. Silly me forgetting my pills near the end of the pack. Ugh. Oof. No work for this girl tomorrow if the pain and puking don't get any better by morning. I hate the bad months.

On a lighter note, I finally mailed my Christmas cards and packages -- so all you who are receiving snail mail love from Heather will be getting it shortly (Canda Post willing...)

I'm going to go get some White Spot. I need comfort.

Tra la laaaa I the code I cut and paste didn't work... tra la laaaaa - the wonder of the web, I delete it!

Work is going better. Except for one nameless individual who has been downright snarky lately. Who pissed in your Starbucks? Snarky sucks.

I'm going to bed, now.. I haven't had enough sleep the last few days and my muscles are feeling it after riding to work again today. Ow. Leg cramp. Ow. Stop. Ow. Sleep.

Oh Kimli, dear wonderful, talented, gorgeous Kimli... I would be honoured and overjoyed to be a bridesmaid at your wedding. I will wear sea-foam green with a huge smile on my face (and an even bigger one in my heart) because it is for you!

In case anyone doesn't understand that.. Kimli asked me to be part of her wedding party... she asked me in my Christmas card -- and I started crying tears of absolute joy when I read it... in fact I tried to call her, but I think she's out at the bar with her honey and their friends in Edmonton -- so I left a message on Lobot's machine. =)

So here I sit on an internet temporarily devoid of the presence of DeeAy. Bouncing. Happy. Joyful. Me.

And...... WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

So, as always... I copy Kim and find out that

"I am more interesting than my weblog!"

I got a prezzy in the mail today! Kim rocks... as everyone knows -- and she sent me a gift via the mail. I walked to the wrong post office to get it at first, simply becauseI didn't know they had a new one closer to where I live (and didn't read the address on the card.) Silly me. I opened the box and found a gift bag for me! There's a sweet BIG Ty Beanie Buddy horse sticking out of the top -- but for the rest I'm going to wait until Kim is in town! If she wasn't offline right now I'd tell her THANK YOU!!!! right now. I have her prezzy here, ready and waiting. Part bought (one of the few things actually bought rather than made this year) and part homemade. Hope she likes both parts. =)

Today has been a study in not completing much of anything. I started ot organize my bills... haven't finished. I started to clean up the place.. haven't finished. The only things I've managed to complete today are 1. taking the dog out (which I combined with) 2. going to the post office to pick up a package. and 3. having a shower. I don't count puttin clothes on... that would just be a bit TOO pathetic, even for today.

Grey weather. Blah day. Time to get motivated! George will be home from his parents' house soon to pick up his snowboard and gear to head to Cypress with his little brother. I like snowboarding, but not enough to buy a season's pass this year. I got a ski card instead. I'd rather be riding... horses. *sigh* Hard to do in the city. Please let me win the lottery. Please. I'd put it to good use. Honest. A farm for me and a car for my parents. Really.

Back to not finishing the things I start... here goes...

Heheh. I'm a pretty low-stress person -- according to the questions they ask at the stress test, anyway....

"You exhibit a stress percentage of
13%
which barely registers. Get a job.

Your Stress Test answers indicate that to reduce your stress level even further you should eliminate at least one of the following from your life immediately:
consciousness"

Cool

Things are going much better at work, btw... after deleting the links to all my favourite websites and vowing to only read Dee dot com when I'm at home --- I've been a productive little worker bee the past two days. I feel much better about my job as a result and I'm learning more every day again. Cool. I needed a kick in the ass. Thanks Ross.

Oh My God.

I just realized that the Moxy Fruvous song, "I love my Boss" now APPLIES TO ME!! (at least in the name of my boss... the rest really doesn't apply at all!)

Here are the lyrics just to prove it to you.

I visited Babyblade's site and found this out:

If I was a work of art, I would be Claude Monet's Waterlilies. I am soft and gentle, but very colourful. Although based in reality, I look at the world through a filter of impressions which shape how I see things. Splashes of light help to define my presence and bring an endearing quality. Which work of art would you be? The Art Test

That's comforting.

Well.. today at work my Group Lead pulled me aside into a wee 'meeting' and basically told me that I'm not living up to their expectations. Damn. That sucked. He said I've improved since our last talk, but that he notices me surfing the web too much on non-business-related stuff and that I don't follow up with customers and big issues as much as they'd like. Oh, and George isn't allowed to come and eat his lunch at my desk. There's just not enough room. Whatever on that last one... but okay.

My knowledge base isn't what they think it should be... I should be asking more questions in person and having people show me what to do instead of letting them take over issues and fix them. heheh little do they know that I've learned TONS and I basically pulled the wool over their eyes about how little I knew when they were interviewing me! I know I'll catch up... and boy will I be the most improved employee they've ever seen!! Hee.

But I don't take criticism well -- I mean, who does?! I did pretty well - but the tears started to well up in my eyes near the end... funny thing is, my Group Lead is pretty new to this, and he's a very sensitive guy, so he started to well up when he saw me doing it and we both nearly burst into tears. I think we'll be able to work things out.

On a lighter note - I started studying today for my Win2k MCSE... if I can get this before the 'review time' hits this year it will help with my salary.. it will also help with my overall knowledge base - and hopefully let me fix some problems that are completely beyond me, at present. It's just stupid piece of paper - and I may not even go for the actual certification, if just proving my knowledge on the job will do it... the paper will likely help the salary, though. Evil, evil glass ceiling.

So no more surfing deeay.com or ookla.com at work. No more reading about bicycle touring. No more looking at properties for sale, or horse art. I'll have to come home and do that... no big deal. I don't have sound at work, anyway - so a lot of things suck from there... like this cool link for example.

Ahhhh.. yet another trip for George. Away he goes to North Carolina to install another ALI system into the Univeristy Hospital there. Hope he's warmer than we are here. Brrr. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Wind.

This means I have the place to myself and nothing but time on my hands... Yeah.. RIGHT! What this actually means is that I can do all the things that make messes all over the place for a few days and not disturb George with my messes... and I can make him something without him seeing it, too! Now to decide just what to make him. The stained glass is coming along... I realize how shitty I am at it -- hopefully the receivers won't laugh at my gifts. ;-)

Going to IKEA today.. and I'm going to be GOOD. All I need are tealights... nothing else. Really. Nothing. Then on to Costco. I have a list... I will follow it. Really. I will.

Praying for willpower....

First of all, a clean, well-lubed (heheh... thought you'd like that Dee ;-) bicycle chain... (sorry honey) makes all the difference in the world. My chain was grimy. It was grungy. It was caked on grease and road dirt. After running it through a handy-dandy chain cleaning device with some MEC Biodegradable chain degreaser it is now clean and bright. Apply sparingly some synthetic lubricant and I now have a chain that purrs like a kitten.. actually, it's quieter than a kitten. ;-)

Secondly came the brakes. I realize now why cantilever brakes are not even MADE any more. Firstly - there is better stopping technology out there (v-brakes and disk brakes). Secondly - they are bigger than the biggest bitch in the world to adjust. You have like five hundred billion adjustments on them.. they are INFINITELY adjustable.. the problem is, you have to adjust all five billion things at the same time, so it takes forever to get it just right. Thank goodness for George who came to help me with the final touches after I had fought with them for going on an hour and a half. They worked great this morning and didn't squeal a bit!! Whee!

I want to get a better bike next year... but I also don't want to have it stolen - so perhaps the better bike will have to wait until we move to a house and I can lock it down in the garage or something. I don't want a road-dirty bike in my apartment, and I don't want my new baby to be stolen from the bike room downstairs - which is a common occurrance for nice bikes. Thankfully mine is good quality old technology that looks like crap!

The apartment is decorated for Christmas, my laundry is done and the dishes are clean and put away... what's gotten into us?! I'm trying to get more organized in my life so I can get down to improving my knowledge for work and pleasure. I want to know more about how NT and Win2k work so I can be more effective at problem solving. To that end I'm going to study my buns off on the Win2k MCSE materials and even take the tests. I don't just want to pass the tests, though, I really want to understand it - so that's my goal.

On another note, I've developed a really strong desire to go on a very long bicycle ride this summer. I'd like to start bike touring/camping as a regular gig - it's just my speed and it's affordable, too. I've discovered that I'm just not a competitive person at heart. I like beauty, spirit and seeing the joy in life... I don't like pain, pressure and stress. I'm not afraid of hard work, but I want to be able to stop when I like and breathe in the clean air, smell the flowers and oogle at the beauty that surrounds us on this planet. I would dearly love to ride accross Canada one day and that is going to be my goal. Perhaps I can use that ride to raise money for something worthwhile. I'll have to think about what cause I really want to support, but two come to mind right away - heart disease in women and research on spinal cord injuries. Cycling helps fix one of the problems -- and the other is just so worthwhile... hopefully no one I love will ever need that research.

Anyway... back to work for me! 6AM shifts rock.. except for the getting up at 4:30 part. ;-)

*struggle to keep eyes open*

What a long and kind of productive day. I say kind of because I don't really know what I actually got done. Rainy got a haircut -- I have pictures - I'll show you someday. I like the new lady. She was reccommended to me by my Aunt who has two toy poodles. They're cute and they guard her house by standing on the back of the couch and having a barking fit at anything that moves outside. Keeps them entertained for hours - thank goodness my poodle is large and mostly silent. She looks lovely, and we're going to grow out her tail a bit -- just think, both Rainy and I are at having those horrid "in-between hair" days. Heh.

Drove out to Cloverdale and Langley for the haircut and then for dinner at mom and dad's with my brother and his girlfriend Lisa and her daughter Amanda. Amanda is great. Strong willed but a good kid and super confident and outgoing. She loves my brother, which is great - he's good with her, too. Makes me think about the whole 'having kids' thing... hmmm... we'll see.

George is a wonder. He puts up with so much crap from me sometimes that I just don't know how he does it. I get grumpy when I'm hungry. I get grumpy when I'm sleepy and I get grumpy when I'm in pain. I was all three today. Poor George. He's incredible. I thank the Powers That Be for him... and then I think... he oughta thank the Powers That Be for me, too. We each have our quirks and foibles -- it's just a matter of how much we're willing and able to put up with each others' quirks and foibles.

Love. It's a beautiful thing.

Did some laundry... have more to do... got the Christmas stuff out of the cellar at my parents' house and dragged it home and up the elevator. Tonight is "Christmas Decorating Eve". Tomorrow is Christmas Decorating Day. At least in my apartment. I also have to replace the brake pads on my bike... and I do mean HAVE to... or I'll be putting grooves in my rims by mid week, latest. Ah the joy of it all.

I have a yearning to do a bicycle touring trip. I'm thinking to Calgary to visit me a DeeAy and RakE. I'll do some reading and see how long it'll take me and how much time off I've accumulated by the time the snow melts. I'll have to get me a good tent, a stove and some bear spray. Cool.

I also want to go to someplace warm... so maybe a ride down to California stopping off to visit an Ali and a Doug along the way. Call me crazy, but I think it'd be fun. We'll see..

Bedtime, now... to dream of things bicycle.

The Canucks were awesome on Saturday - they tied Edmonton and I had fun at Harry Potter, though it wasn't as wonderful as I thought it would be. Very nice adaptation of the book (I'm told - haven't read them, yet) but still... I was hoping for more "ompf". I hope Lord of the Rings doesn't dissapoint in this regard... that comes out next month and it's another must see.

After the game, Tusker and Roomie Guy were heading out to Abbotsford to watch the Leonid Meteor shower. George and I imposed ourselves upon them and drove out there, too. It was cold, it was windy and it was starting to get cloudy but we saw meteors!! After some so-so viewing to the south (hazy skies) Tusker and Roomie Guy decided to head home, and since we had by sheer luck and accident met up with Iambe, Engel and FlameDrgn wrapped in a blanket cocoon, we stayed and tried to see more fireballs. We turned to the north to a small patch of clear sky and decided to watch there for our show. What a show! The clear spot gave us a glimpse of some spectacular meteors streaking through the sky and burning up on re-entry. For some reason, our singing turned from "YoMuthaFuckaWHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" with every meteor, to a rousing chorus of "Every sperm is sacred" ala Monty Python. Don't ask me why. It's obvious... BBC1 and BBC2 together. End of story!

At any rate... we stayed up far too late - but for such a glorious sight how could we NOT stay up? Personally, I can't believe that the event wasn't listed more prominently in the news. On the way home, we stopped at Tim Horton's. The poor wee hours of the morning crew was not prepared for a crowd of stargazers such as we were. They were sold out of donuts, hot chocolate and pretty much everything else in short order. Luckily I managed to get a toasted onion bagel with cream cheese and a coke. Yum. George wasn't so lucky with his hot chocolate - he got the last cup and it tasted as though it had no sugar in it.

I wish I could have slept and still seen the meteor shower.. Felt TERRIBLE the next day - but slept a lot, drugged myself up (not in the "fun" way) and went to the Linkin Park concert! I'm gald I did - it was so much fun. Thank goodness for ibuprofen and dristan nasal mist. ;-) Swollen Members was the "guest" band - I'd never seen them before, they're from Vancouver and I have heard one of their songs on the radio that is fun to listen to. The lead "white guy" was a putz, however. He's swearing at the audience, horking and spitting on stage and smoking a cigarette while he's rapping... like he couldn't WAIT? They're only the opening act for chrissakes... it's not like he's going to be on for more than three songs! Plus.. it was an all ages show -- young kids in the audience and he's up there smoking. I hope they could see what a putz he looked like.

Linkin Park was great. They're tight musically, both the lead singers can actually SING and they really appreciated the crowd and were working their asses off on stage playing up to us. They threw things into the audience for people to catch, they looked right at people, they turned lights on the crowd so they could see us all freaking out... they were really professional for a bunch of 24 year olds from California (and Arizona - Hi Chester) and the smiles on their faces told me they were still stunned and amazed to have a huge crowd singing their songs and knowing all the words. As they are known to do - according to their website, they snuck back on stage after the crowd was starting to leave and stayed to sign autographs. We were tired and hungry, so we left to find nourishment - but we left happy.

Then the drugs wore off and I slept all night and most of the next day.

Busy weekend started last night.

I joined my co-workers in "Group B" for some super cool WHL action. It's the Vancouver Giants inaugural year. This means they suck. Though the game last night was fun to watch, they still made a lot of stupid mistakes. Offside being their favourite. The final straw was, in a 3 - 3 tie in overtime one of OUR guys caught a pentalty for interference. A stupid penalty. One he never should have gotten. But oh well.. we didn't expect them to do as well as they did against the Calgary Hitmen.

Two cool things happened at the game: Alan caught a Vancouver Giants t-shirt (and spilled his nachos all over the floor) and then Kyle won the 50/50 draw in support of Richmond Minor Hockey. OMG. He went to guest services to claim his prize and they handed him a WAD of cash. $2500 in mostly $20 bills. We took pictures. He can roll naked in it with his wife when he gets home... we don't want pictures of that - sorry Kyle. Then we headed back to Earl's place to enjoy work gossip, beer and kitty love. I didn't partake in any beer, and I hogged most of the kitty love.

Today is 1.) Harry Potter day and 2.) CANUCKS vs EDMONTON LIVE with Tusker and Roomie Guy day! WHEEEEEE! Going to see Trevor Linden be a Canuck again. Hooray. =)

Tomorrow is Linkin Park at the Orpheum. I got the tickets. George is really looking forward to that -- he's off ot Carter Honda today to try out Motorcylcles while I fix my bicycle... he upgraded his pooter and now I get his hand-me-downs -- which I don't mind AT ALL. PIII 933 owns me. I pray it fixes my inability to run anything 3D without blue-screening problem.

Time to go to the bike store and buy stuff to make me not have a flat tire any more. But first a shower.

You know you live with a gamer when...

He gets home from a week away and eats sushi in a rush with you so he can go play 3 hours of scrims before his match.

Sometimes I think gaming sucks.

I will NOT turn the TV on tonight. It is a time waster. Mind drainer. Motivation sapper. I have much to do. Including picking up tickets to the Linkin Park show on Sunday at the Orpheum. WHEE! Don't sell them before I get there! George is a big fan. They're fourth row Lower Orchestra. Then to buy milk, cut stained glass, eat dinner, wash dishes, tidy up the place, finish laundry, walk the dog, and try once more to fix the bike. Phew!

It's going to be a fun-filled weekend... Two hockey games, a movie and a live concert. I accepted a dinner invitation at my mom and dad's for Saturday before I remembered the hockey game we already had tickets to. Mom's upset, but I'll make it up to her, somehow. Have to call her when I get home... SO much to do tonight, since George returns from his installation trip tomorrow night. Thank goodness I'm not hooked on anything that's on TV on Tuesday nights. ;-)

Watched Just for Laughs last night on CBC (instead of Ali McBeal that show bores me). Canadian humour rocks. There were some really funny Americans, too. I love good comedy. It just makes you feel so good! Time to get back to work... much to do before I head home and work even harder!

Lest we Forget... 11:00AM. Moment of silence.

Had a super-fun time with Tusker yesterday. We decided to go and see Monsters Inc this weekend and I offered to make dinner at my place, first. I decided to go all out and make a tasty scallop dish, and have some yummy chewy-crust bread with a vinegar/olive oil dip inspired by Doug and Ali's favourite Seattle Restaurant Zoe.

We ate until we were STUFFED and then thought twice about the plan to attend the 7:10 showing... thinking that there would be fewer young children at the 9:30 show - we opted for that one and sat back and watched Ladyhawke on DVD. Tusker had never seen the whole thing - and she giggled at the 80s music as much as I do (even though I love it because it is Ladyhawke music). She loved the movie, too and we enjoyed some yummy Cozy Shack Rice Pudding for desert.

We trundled off to the movie theatre for the 9:30 show and saw what we thought was a big lineup... turns out it didn't even half fill the huge theatre that the show was in -- so we got seats that we liked. Monsters Inc. rocked... and even before we saw the feature we thought we'd gotten our $10.75 worth. Why? Because we saw the Star Wars Epidsode II "Breathing" trailer. I literally leaped out of my seat. I wasn't expecting it! A lot of people whooped and cheered when it was over - myself included, of course.

Then, true to Pixar fun and form we saw an animated short film about some little birds on a wire. Tons of fun, the whole audience was laughing. I was ready to go home! Pixar always provides such amazing entertainment value. After being completely entertained by Monsters Inc, Tusker and I wandered home wondering why most movies suck so much. Why can't they all be as engrossing and entertaining as Monsters Inc.? or Memento? or Mulholland Drive? Why do we have to sit through things that *should* be great but totally fall short of the mark - like K-PAX? It was "okay" but not the greatness it could have been.

Anyway... it was a great night, and I got to sleep in until 10AM today. AHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhh... sure wish I had tomorrow off, but thankfully McCow starts his new job in my department AND in my group tomorrow! Cool! Something to look forward to.

Now to fix my bike, meet RoundTop to return his networking book, and make stained glass for my family and friends!

Shit. Hell. Fuck. I go to get on my bike tonight and yet again, my tire is flat. However, this time I can't find the leak in it... which leads me to believe that there are assholes among us who would mess with my mind by giving me a flat tire. Actually, I don't believe that... but it is a tad suspicious. I tried for 1/2 hour to find the hole in that tube, but it just doesn't exist... so instead I will wait a while and get a ride home with George.... loading the bicycle into the back of the Talon and then relaxing all the way home... or trying to. I want to RIDE, dammit!

I'll fix that this weekend. But good. I hear there are tire liners that protect your tubes from external punctures and pinches. i will find one.

I'm so tired... and I'm still on pager. Pager sucks. Have I already told you that? I tell you again. Pager sucks. Page at 11:30pm, page at 4:00am. Sleep?! What sleep!?

I'm a person who values her sleep. I work hard to make sure that I get 8 hours of uninterrupted snoozing every night... even when I have to leave the house at 5:00am to get to work for 6:00am I go to bed at 8 so I can be asleep by 8:30. Wake up at 4:30 and you have yourself 8 hours of sleep! Being on pager fucks that right up. Onlly tonight and tomorrow night and I'm free

Lucky me, I got yet another flat tire this morning. I'm a freakin' expert at flats. I was at 70th and Marine and riding suddenly felt "funny" - I checked and sure enough another flat. Luckily I was right near the Husky gas station - so I made it there and changed the tire in the well-lit parking lot with an air pump right there - AND I got to wash my hands before I headed out on my way. Luxury!

I lost my really handy helmet-mount rear-view mirror there - but I called the station when I got to work and they found it outside where I was working on my bike - I'll pick it up on the way home.

The best part was being just late enough to get a great view of the sky during a beautiful sunrise. =)

Funny thing: I went to ride my bike home last night and found my tire flat. I fixed the flat here, since we have a nice big sink and some dish soap here at work - replaced the patched tube and rode home without incident. I had made it nearly all the way to work (10 minutes left in a 40 minute ride) and I got yet another flat. I don't know where the tube is punctured this time... I'll find out and hopefully be able to prevent future flats.

Two flat tires in less than 16 hours. Sux to be me! (But I'm getting really good at changing flat tires on my bike).

Being on pager sucks. At least I get paid a bit extra to do it... but it still sucks. Sitting around at home, when I could be out watching George test-ride motorcycles. He really wants one and went and got his learner's license on Friday... he called me from the dealership - he was able to ride at least one bike around. Wish I could have been there to see the monster grin that was probably on his face. =) Next time... he has many more test rides to do.

Meanwhile... I sit at home and wish I could go downstairs and cut glass... if only I had a pattern chosen. If only my pager worked down there. ;-) I'll make something... and then colour it to suit the glass that I already bought. ;-) I stopped by Kona Stained Glass supply last night on the way home from work and raided their "by the pound scrap bins". The glass is cheaper that way and it's in small pieces - which is fine for my tea light holders... if only I had a pattern in mind! I also chose some glass from their regularly priced bins.. but still cheaper stuff. Once I get the hang of this more I'll get other more expensive glass.. if that's what the pattern will look good in.

Ah well. The apartment is relatively tidy and I was able to go and get food at the grocery store today. Always a bonus. New recipe tonight. I'll post it if it's any good. ;-) It's for cheap inside/outside round steak... and likely very delicious. We shall see.

Off I go to try it!

Long time no post. Things at work have been hectic and short-staffed. Thank goodness the company is hiring more people. Damn it all to hell that they won't be up to speed enough to be on the phones for another few months.

I woke up feeling vertigo and pain and sweating like an athlete. Welcome, welcome period of mine. I'm no good to anyone in a state like this, so I will stay home. Wallow in my misery in bed and feel better tomorrow. I will also likely wake up, bundle myself up in 3 layers of sweat pants and tidy up the apartment. That's just the way periods go. I feel guilty as HELL for not going in, but I know I would make everyone's lives miserable... so might as well stay home and just have me be miserable.

The Birthday weekend in Seattle was glorioius. Rainy for the most part, except for Sunday which was a bright, crisp , sunny fall day. We took advantage of the cloudless state to visit the Space Needle... Eleve USD each later we were whizzing up the 41 second elevator ride (that goes half the speed of a nomral elevator) to experience great views and really cool interactive features that make up the observation deck. We never did figure out how much rain Seattle gets per year on average. I guess I just couldn't shake my head at the right speed. Don't ask. Just go.

The day before was filled with trying to find a restaurant to eat lunch at (since the first choice Mexican place was closed -- as were most of Belltowne's restaurants). Found a place called CJs (yes, Doug, it's a "J" not a "K") that had a killer huge menu and some good plain home-style cookin' type breakfasts and lunches. Too much to choose from, but we all managed to get something yummy. I had a Mushroom-Swiss scramble with sourdough toast and red skinned potatoes. Yum. Too much food for me to finish!
Then we parted company with Llarian, zen and DieharD and us girls went to find me some shoes at .... if I could remember the name I'd be fine. I want to call it Norton's rack, but I know that's not right. Well... check Alison's Journal to see where we really went - I know she knows the name! Ooh! Nordstroms! I think. Anyway. Ali found me some awesome Merrell shoes. They're black slip on runners with a quick lace-up system that totally rocks. I love Merrell. I might even write to them on paper and let them know how much one day. I got some fun cammo-sparkly underwear. Just because I could. Also picked up a tiny gift for Sara in Madison Wisconsin!! She rocks.

We then met the boys.. they showed up at the store after touring Llarian's swanky view-office digs -- and they caught me in the act of trying on and desiring a full-length black wool coat with fur trimmed collar and sleeves. I was in love. It was so romantic and gorgeous and warm. Thank goodness the price tag shocked me out of wandering off to the cash register. Three hundred of those USD is about Ten BILLION of our Canadian ones. I couldn't afford it. Damn it all. I need that coat.

After they wrestled me out of the coat we all wandered to the movie theatre to see what was playing - said goodbye to Llarian and headed in to watch "From Hell". It was okay. They didn't piss me off by doing horrible accents. Heather Graham (that always makes me laugh because it's my name and my brother's name) and Johnny Depp were good with the accents! Thank goodness! Almost nothing gets my goat more than actors/actresses that can't do accents. What's the point?I enjoyed Mulholland Drive much more -- mainly because it was so convoluted. After seeing that movie, From Hell was positively predictable. Even the gratuitous gore seemed boring, and that usually freaks me out!! Thankfully there were lots of Friesian horses to keep my eyes glued to the screen. I love Friesians... though I'm sure not every carriage in England was pulled by them. ;-)

The night was capped off with dinner, drinks and desert at Zoe (not to mention tons of bread and a luscious vinegar/oil dip). Zoe was a delight, even though I didn't enjoy my steak as much as I'd hoped -- I guess I'm not a fan of 'smoked' meats. The rest was delish! I had mussels for an appetizer and Lemon Cake for desert. Gorgeous. I had way too much to drink, too... but much fun and merriment were had by all and George even got a happy birthday candle in his desert.

Back I go to bed, now... to sleep off the grumps and the cramps and the pain. Blech.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEORGE! I love you. ;-)

Saw "Mulholland Drive" last night. After a night to sleep on it and actually figure it out, I loved it. Right after we saw it, I knew I had been thoroughly entertained the entire time (and it's long)... but I wasn't sure exactly *why* I had felt so entertained. After figuring the movie out somewhat while falling asleep, I can say that I really enjoyed it. What a mind fuck. Cool.

Today will bring shopping and wandering in Bell Town (I need shoes. I brought sandals. It's raining. You figure it out.) The boys have lunch planned for 2pm with Llarian and some others... we may join them, we may not... we'll see! Then who knows what we'll do! Dinner at Zoe's tonight to celebrate my sweetie's birthday... I'm looking forward to that. =)

Off we go, into the wild, wet yonder...

So here I sit, all a-glow and in love with the world. Why, you ask? Because two of the dearest, sweetest people I know are going to get married. They are so good together. Ed proposed in an appropriately geeky way. Check out DeeAy dot Com for more details =)

I'm still going, "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" about this. I think I will for weeks. *giggle* *bounce* *wiggle* *dance*

We'll be heading to Seattle some time this afternoon to see Ali and Doug... so I'd best get some clothes together and tidy this place up so it'll be nice to come home to...

I made Thai yellow curry chicken last night. It was HOT but it was GOOOOOD! I'm so pleased! I can now enjoy my favourite tasty Thai dish at a mere fraction of the cost of eating out and I don't have to walk in the rain to go get it! Plus, it's really, really, really, amazingly EASY to make.

1 can Coconut milk (13.5 Oz)
Thai yellow curry paste (about a Tbsp for mild).
1 whole boneless chicken boob
2-3 small red potatoes

Cut up chicken and potatoes into bite sized pieces.
Mix 1Tbsp water with 1 Tbsp curry paste to soften and then add to coconut milk in med sized saucepan.
Add chicken and potatoes.
Cool at a rolling boil until potatoes and chicken are cooked (about 20 minutes)
Meanwhile, make rice.

YUM! Tastes like you've been cooking for absolutely hours in the kitchen. I'm not going to look at how many calories are in the coconut milk... cuz it can't be good with how yummy that is.

I bought the Thai yellow curry paste at my local supermarket... but you can probably find it in a specialty oriental food store near you, or you can order it online.
So forget going to simply Thai.. I'll make curry here if you come over. =D

The other day I discovered a few things about wind. When you ride your bike to work a good, stiff tailwind is your very best and most wonderful friend. A good, stiff SIDEwind, however, is demon-spawn. I even prefer a moderately evil headwind to a sidewind. Sidewinds are scary. They try to push you into traffic or off of bridges as you ride over them. Not fun. They sneak up on you when you ride accross an intersection and nearly knock you over. They make you unable to steer enough to avoid the broken glass bits that you're sure are going to give you a flat tire, but thankfully don't.

My advice? Avoid sidwinds if you can. Seriously.

Hurt my back yesterday... but it appears to have been nothing more than a nastily pinched nerve. My sweetie took good care of me and bound me up in a back brace that makes it hard to breathe, but supports my back like nothing else can. I'll probably remove it sometime tomorrow, just to be on the safe side, but there has been no recurrence of the twinges of pain that plagued me after I got home from work yesterday. At least I had Thai yellow curry with chicken and potatoes to make me feel better. =) Yum.

Now to find out when we can descend upon Doug and Ali tomorrow! Gimme some Alian love! RAOWR! George is more into Doug, however. Look out, Doug! He's a comin' to gitcha!

My co-worker just got back from a work-trip to Arkansas. He gave me a pin. It says " WOO PIG... SOO-EEE" on it. Apparently it's the State Cheer for the Arkansas Razorbacks. I like it. It makes people look at me funny. Whee!

Almost time for Friends/Survivor... and keeping one eye glued to the hockey game, as well. Go Canucks! Stop the Avalanche!

Long time no update. I've been busy working, cooking, watching TV. ;-) Life is good.

I managed to get Friday off *woohoo!!* So we'll be able to leave in a timely manner for the drive to Seattle to see our dear friends Ali and Doug. I miss the Ali. I need Ali lub. So I'm gonna go get me some. I know that Doug and George are going to go and see a scary movie on Friday night... they can have it as far as I'm concerned... this will mean I get Ali all to myself for the evening! Muahahahahaaaa! We'll get naked. We'll take pictures. But you probably don't get to see them, unless you're DeeAy.

I want to make Thai yellow curried chicken tonight. I have to find some Thai yellow curry paste. I wonder where I'll be able to get any at 6pm.

I just called a store that's nearly on my way home. They have it! Guess where I'm stopping in the rain on my dark bike ride home?

Fun.

Almost time to go. More updates to come... honest...

Yesterday was a busy one for me. I went to "Nightschool In a Day" at John Oliver Secondary school to learn the basics of the copper foil method of stained glass. I have to tell you... it ROCKS. I think I've finally found the perfect art for me. I love choosing the colours, cutting the glass to the pattern, burnishing the copper foil on to the glass and then soldering it all together! It's just so beautiful when it's done... even though my first piece has lumps and bumps where it shouldn't and the cutting wasn't very precise.. I still love it! I'm going to have to make my way to a stained glass store sometime this week.. at least I hope... There are so many patterns available on line, or you can adapt something to suit yourself. Gorgeous.

After a full day of stained-glass making, McCow and BabyBlade came over to play. We all walked up to Samurai Sushi on Davie and then over to the Capitol Six movie theatre on Granville Street to see Bandits. I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Billy Bob Thornton made me laugh so much I was still chuckling over lines and scenes in the movie hours afterwards. "Beavers and ducks!". That kills me. It was nice to see Cow again, and I'm so glad that he's with somebody as cool as BabyBlade. She's a real, live home-grown Lower Mainland girl, just like me. We're a rarity in these parts.

I wish I had some glass so I could craft some more wonderful things. Maybe the weekend after next... next weekend we go to Seattle to see Doug and Ali! Whee! It's DieharD's birthday next Saturday, so we'll be living it up in Seattle to celebrate. Zoe! Mmmmmmmmm MMmmmmmmmm good. Time to experience that first hand.

After having a nice hot shower and snuggling up on the couch after work last night I realized that I needed something. Thai food. I tried a place near us called "Simply Thai" and it was simply wonderful. I ordered take out so I wouldn't miss Friends and Survivor... yes... I've become a Thursday night TV slave. Ah well.. it's fun.

I had chicken in yellow curry with potatoes... I braved the spice and got "medium".. trust me, for little ol' white girl me, this is brave. And it was PERFECT. Delicious yellow curry with coconut mik, just-cooked potatoes and tender bite-sized pieces of chicken. Add just the right amount of lip tinglies afterwards and you have one Happy Heather. If any of you are ever in town and you like Thai.. that's where we should go. =) I insist. YUM!

Got a flat tire on the way in to work this morning. It was a moderately fast leak... I can always tell when it's going flat that way because as I'm riding along I can begin to feel my normally solid bike begin to get bouncy and springy with each stroke of the pedal. I don't have shocks. This is a dead giveaway that my rear tire has gone flat. Before I started riding my bike to work every day I had only had probably one flat tire in my whole life... and that was from the rubber of my tube degenerating due to lack of use!! So far, in about 4 or 5 months of riding I've had 3 flat tires. One I wasn't prepared for and had to be rescued from... (thanks DieharD and Cherry Poppins big brother the Talon) Next day I went to MEC and got a spare tube and some tire levers. Life savers.

Now to find an easier way to get the tire back on the rim... those last few centimetres are painful.

The weekend is here. Mmmmmmmmm..... Tomorrow I'm going to go and learn how to do the copper foil method of stained glass. I've always been interested in stained glass, but the price of some of the ugly ones you can buy out there is horrific. Don't even get me started on the price of good quality stained glass. This way I'll be able to make whatever I want to make, too. If it goes well... I may even make some personalized gifts. Wish I had a workshop. :-/ After the glass class DieharD and I are going to head out to a movie with McCow and BabyBlade and then go get some sushi.. at least I think that's the plan. I'll let him work out the nitty gritty while I break glass and make it into something cool and colourful.


Sunday will be a sleep in day. Sleep. In. Next week I don't have to leave the house until 8:00 in the morning! OMG!

Rain. Wet. Road-grit. Mud. Blind drivers. Cold. Tired muscles. Water dripping from my nose and chin.

Warm cozy home with a fuzzy warm loving wiggly dog bundle and a sweet sexy loving affectionate man.

The second truly outweighs the first. Hands down.

Hope it stops raining tomorrow.... but I think today was the first of a continuous string of rainy days until April. Only one week until Doug n' Ali love. =D

Work-a-day world. Work's not so bad, really. I actually love my job.. so it's easy to go in the morning and so hard to leave at night... okay maybe not that hard. ;-) I'm back to riding my bike in to work each day... I think I started about five months ago... missed a few weeks here and there, but overall I've reshaped the lower part of my body and lost some of my 'baby fat' look in the face. Weight hasn't come off like I thought it would, but perhaps that has something to do with me eating too much and not doing anything but the cardio that the riding to work gives me. That or it's the thighs of steel I've managed to build.

The ride is about 12.5 km each way and takes me about 40 minutes to do. That's One hour and 20 minutes of exercise and fresh air each day. Some days fresher than others. Stinky traffic. Roads are for bikes! ;-) I have all kinds of gear. A bike computer that tells me a lot of things about my ride.. how long it took me, my max speed and average speed and that I've ridden over 1400 km since I bought it about 2 months into my riding. A really good lighting set from Nite Hawk (made in Canada!) - I wish the battery would last a bit longer with the super bright bulb... but I just use that one for emergencies... on dark roads or when approaching a busy intersection to make sure the cars actually see me. I have a 3 layer Gore Tex jacket from Mountain Equipment Co-op as well as some of their rain pants and neoprene booties to keep my feet dry and toasty on those wet West Coast days. Two Serratus panniers to carry my lunch and a change of clothes with me and a spare tube, set of tire levers and a multi tool in case of emergencies.

Tire Levers. Don't leave home without them.

More later... I have to get ready for dinner at La Terazza!

Back to work tomorrow. Heather 1 - Illness 0.

I bought a new computer chair today. I wasn't planning on it. I didn't set out to do it. We went in to Staples to buy a World Map so my sweetie can track his travels.. We were over at Tusker and Roomie Guy's place last week and he saw Tusker's World Map with places she's been marked off with pins. He didin't get the map, but I got a chair just like my sweetie's only in blue. $200 with the taxes.. not bad. And if he hasn't been able to break his in 2 years... mine will last forever!

Microsoft has released a new optical mouse with 2x faster sampling than its' previous generation. a|citizen has one. DieharD had mouse envy, but not any more! We had to go to four different stores and finally found it at London Drugs. Amazing. Not Future Shop not A&B Sound, not Compusmart. LD kicks ass. A&B Sound did have Sennheiser headphones, though.. so George bought a pair - and he even got a discount. Last pair in the store. His old pair is getting really, really, really ratty.

Got a birthday present for him at the mall.. he was there. He wanted a One Nighter Ski Pass for Cypress Mountain -- so I got him one. =) They're under new ownership and just put in 2 new quad chairs this year (one is a high speed detatchable). Not too shabby for a local mountain. I got a ski card, cuz I don't go as often as he does, but I like to save money when I do.

Now I'm tired, even though I slept all day... I have tons of leftover turkey, but the thought of turkey today isn't all that appealing, so I think I'll just have pasta. I have to get up early again tomorrow to work at 6:30 -- so it's time for something simple, quick and easy. I'll eat turkey tomrrow for lunch. =).

Whew! I survived... and all went well. My parents loved my sweetie's parents. I think they liked mine, too. Cool. Everyone's gone, now and there's tons of Turkey and pie left! Meals for the next week. ;-) I am so tired and my feet are aching, but I feel good. It really makes this place feel homey to have your family around you. My sweetie's grandma came, too - she speaks very little english, but she loved the place and the food and was very happy to listen to us all laughing and talking... my sweetie and his parents translated for her from time to time, too... and I love the sound of Russian. =)

We left Rainy upstairs while we went to take the parking pass down to my parents' car... and she ate a whole whack of the crackers that I had put out on the coffee table! I didn't notice until my dad had eaten some and I went to put more out. I thought he had eaten them all!! Rotten dog. Can't really blame her when we leave it right at nose level...\

I made Chai yesterday. From scratch. It's GOOD. I gave my Dad my last cup of it tonight.. I'll have to make some more tomorrow... Now to fight the illness that's been taking everyone out at work. I think I'm going down... but Chai will speed my recovery. =)

My recipe for Chai (Oregon style)

3 darjeeling tea bags
2 cups boiling water
1 3" cinnamon stick
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup honey
6 green cardamom pods
3 slices of fresh ginger (use a veggie peeler)
1/4 tsp vanilla

simmer for 5 minutes. All the recipes I found online said you should add the milk and cook it, too... but I like to froth mine up before I put it in, so I just refridgerate the unused portion of chai and heat up 1/2 cup of it in the microwave and add my frothed milk after that.

YUM. I'm addicted. The guy at Booster Juice gave me a free sample of thier Oregon Chai trying to get me to buy some. It tasted GOOD... but I was in a smoothie mood. I almost bought some but then thought I could make my own so I checked my glorious Google and found a whole whack of recipes. Chai to me is like hot pumpkin pie in a cup. The only hot drink I have ever tried that I can actually drink a whole cup of and want more. Neat! I'm an adult, now. Heheh.

It's so time for bed. G'nite y0.

One more thing... I'm so happy for DeeAy - she's working her sexy butt off and getting fit and healthy! She and Trillian are my inspiration. They are simply amazing.

Okay. I'm up. I'm ready to bake. Better start NOW.