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April 24 I got nuthinI’m sitting here trying to think of something to write. I don’t know why I haven’t been writing. I miss it, but I am so unmotivated to get on here and write lately. There is so much going on in my life and work that I just don’t take the time. I can’t blog at work. I can’t chat on MSN or listen to Launchcast. I miss these things. I miss the people I used to chat with. I miss the music I used to listen to. Last weekend I found, in a used CD store, the album Emotional Technology by BT. Hadn’t listened to it since I stopped listening to Launchcast and it was great to hear it again. The song Somnambulist is awesome! So my new mission is to get lots of new (old) music that I have missed for the past 5 months. I just read over what I wrote there about not being able to blog & chat at work. I’m not trying to dis my new job. I actually really like it. I’m coordinating lots of charity fundraising and volunteer events within a large organization, which is really cool. I have a large network of people who are really appreciative of what I am doing. Even though I have an ideological aversion to corporations and all that they stand for, I have discovered that there are things I really like about working for them. Perks are nice. Also working with a lot of people on really large projects is a big plus for me. Perhaps I have some strange sense that by working on Corporate Social Responsibility I can actually make a difference. Perhaps I am just fooling myself there. At least it is good to like my job for now. I think perhaps that blogging was filling a void I felt when I left working for a large corporation. The last place I worked had only 11 employees, and when you have such a small group, it is hard to ignore the person with the freaky personality - you know the one; there's one in every workplace - the one who might have a temper tantrum or go off on you at any moment. At least in a large organization there is a buffer against that shit because there are so many other people you can interact with. I am a people person and I like having a large network of people to interact with. When I went to work at that last little company I think I really missed having that network, so blogging filled the void. Now that I am working for a large corp again, I have that network back again in my daily life, so perhaps that is one of the reasons I am not turning to blogging as much. Of course, not being able to blog at work puts a major damper on it as well. Let’s be honest…I used to spend a couple of hours a day blogging while at work. Simply can’t do that now. And so very often I am too exhausted after the kids are asleep to want to get on the computer in the evening, which really sucks because I have lost a creative outlet and clearly my writing is suffering for it. So, I guess the only thing to do is stop complaining about not having a creative outlet and actually use this wonderful creative outlet that is here for me. K. That’s what I’ll do. (Please excuse this rediculously self-ingulgent meandering ramble. I'll write about something real next time, I swear!)
I laughed at this quote: "Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands--and then just eat one of the pieces." ~Judith Viorst I laughed especially becuase right now I am on day 6 of a cleansing program-no sugar, dairy, red meat, alcohol, or chemicals. I am doing really well with it! But that is fodder for another blog. Gotta get up early tomorrow and go for a run. G'night. :)
April 04 Welcome SpringThe Cat who acted like a bear for the winter is now coming out of hibernation.
After a long sleep, the days are finally getting warmer and brighter. Winter depression be damned!
I can't believe it has been so long since I've been blogging.
Some things I have learned this winter:
1. Sleeping a lot does not necessarily make you less tired.
2. Drinking lots of red wine does not help you sleep better.
3. Spending 5 hours in the emergency when your child has pneumonia is a drag.
4. Hearing a 5-year-old say pneumonia is funny.
5. 7-year-olds can outgrow their clothes quite suddenly.
6. Ankle-deep snow and sub-zero temperatures are disincentives to the morning run.
7. A full-spectrum lamp is a poor substitute for real sunlight.
8. Culture jamming is kinda cool. (hmm blog post to come)
9. 9/11 conspiracy theorists have some interesting points. (hmm....fodder for another post)
10. Working for a corporation has pros and cons.
11. It's sooo easy to gain weight and sooo hard to take it off.
12. Sometimes birthdays really suck.
13. I missed blogging.
Thanks to those of you who have left comments such as, "where the hell are you?".....I was sleeping through the winter. Luckily, I woke up! I'll be making the rounds soon to check out what's been happening with y'all.
 As you probably know, or can probably gather by looking around here, I love quotes. Here is another great one:
"Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh, and the greatness which does not bow before children." -Kahlil Gibran
Have a good night!
January 18 'Twas the Month after ChristmasGood day, everyone!
I have lost 6 pounds since New Years Day. This is a good thing. I would like to lose another 20 by the summer, and am working toward that. My Dad's wife forwarded this delightful poem to my email. It made me laugh because I can sooooo relate. I thought I would share with you.
Enjoy!
'Twas the month after Christmas, and all through the house nothing would fit me, not even a blouse. The cookies I'd nibbled, the eggnog I'd taste All the holiday parties had gone to my waist. When I got on the scales there arose such a number! When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber). I'd remember the marvelous meals I'd prepared; The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared, The juice and the cookies, the bread and the cheese And the way I'd never said, "No thank you, please." As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt And prepared once again to do battle with dirt-- I said to myself, as I only can "You can't spend a winter disguised as a man!" So-away with the last of the sour cream dip, Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip Every last bit of food that I like must be banished "Till all the additional ounces have vanished. I won't have a cookie -- not even a lick. I'll want only to chew on a long celery stick. I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie, I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry. I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore But isn't that what January is for? Unable to giggle, no longer a riot Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet! January 16 Martin Luther King Jr Day
I Have a Dream
Delivered on the steps at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963. Source: Martin Luther King, Jr: The Peaceful Warrior, Pocket Books, NY 1968
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity. But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize an appalling condition. In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. we must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" we can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring." And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring. When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!" January 13 Great QuotesNot much time for blogging lately. Here are some wonderful quotes that I've come across in recent weeks. Hope you enjoy them.
Courage is fear that has said its prayers.
No one would ever have crossed the ocean if he could have gotten off the ship in the storm.
A love affair with knowledge will never end in heartbreak.
My mind is a garden. My thoughts are the seeds. My harvest will be either flower or weeds.
One of the most valuable things we can do to heal one another is listen to each other's stories.
To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world.
Man cannot remake himself without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor. January 05 Stupid Parents!Happy New Year to everyone!
As you can see, I am finding it increasingly difficult to update this blog on a regular basis, but I am trying!
Warning: this is a rant!
Last night hubby and I went to see King Kong. The movie was very intense and very enjoyable. However, the complaint I have is the stupid parent sitting in the row behind us who brought his 4- or 5-year-old son to this movie. Anyone with half a brain who has seen the trailers or commercials for this movie can tell that this is not a movie for kids. I mean….the T-Rex facing off with King Kong is a prominent shot in any trailer that I have seen. The poor little kid behind us was scared! And rightly so….there were scenes that scared me. Why subject your kid to that? The other problem with brining your young kid to a movie is the constant chatter and jostling that the other patrons have to endure. Not only did this little boy kick the back of my hubby’s seat repeatedly, but he was talking throughout the movie. “Daddy is that King Kong?” “Daddy, who’s that guy?” “Daddy, I’m scared.” “Daddy, I’m scared.” “Daddy, I’m scared.” I felt like reaching back and slapping that Daddy in the head for bringing such a young child to this movie. The child can’t really be blamed for his behaviour. It’s the father’s fault for bringing him. The kid was too young to be there. I felt the same way when I saw a parent bring a 4-year-old to Jurassic Park. As parents it's our job to filter what kids see. There is a reason for the ratings on movies! I'm not saying parents should never bring your kids to movies...just bring your kids to movies that are appropriate for their age. Otherwise get a babysitter and go enjoy the movie by yourself!
December 30 A wonderful wintertimeYesterday was my daughter Jade's birthday. I had meant to post a tribute to her yesterday, but I didn't get on the computer as I spent the entire day with her (which I think is a more fitting tribute anyway!) So check out the post below. I will show it to Jade when she wakes up from her nap.
As per our tradition over the past few years, we are in Northern Ontario visiting my sister and her boyfriend for the days between Christmas and New Years. Yesterday we took Jade skating and tobogganing and generally just had a lot of fun with her.
Got out tobogganing again today. Sliding down the ice slide is fun but hard on your tailbone if you are not a 5-year-old or 7-year old.
Lots of wintertime fun!
Hope y'all are having a wonderful holiday.
Happy Birthday Jade!Dear Jade,
Five years ago our beautiful baby was born. You're five years old now, but you'll always be our little baby. We were so happy to welcome you into our lives! Daddy read to you every night while you were in Mommy's tummy. He read you Shakespeare & Wordsworth & Kahlil Gibran, and he played music for you. You have always responded to music.
As you grew we could see that you were your own person. You are smart and sweet and kind. You express care and concern for those around you. Your smile lights up everyone who sees you.
You and Jasmine are wonderful sisters to each other. Sometimes you fight like sisters will do, but we can see every day that you really love and care for each other. That makes us so happy!
You were a sweet and musical child right from the beginning. As a baby, you always responded to music and you started dancing almost as soon as you could walk. Now you are a ballet dancer and you sing wherever you go.
We know that you will be a success at whatever you choose to do, Jade, and we will be here to support you no matter what!
Mommy & Daddy & Jasmine, and all your friends and family, Love you very very much!
Happy 5th Birthday, Jade!
In My Daughter's Eyes In my daughter's eyes I am a hero In my daughter's eyes everyone is equal And when she wraps her hand
December 20 Are You Proud?I just read Jorge’s blog, asking Canadians to give one reason why they are proud to be Canadians and the answer cannot be because I am not American. I agree, Jorge, that is lame.
So, I started to write a response in the comments on Jorge’s blog and quickly realized that it was getting far too long for a comment. Hence a new blog entry.
I do not subscribe to the idea that we should be proud because we are not Americans. To be quite honest (and this may be an unpopular assertion), we Canadians are so similar to Americans in so many ways that sometimes the differences are hard to spot. Our popular culture--movies, music, television--closely mirrors whatever is going on in the US. Our Canadian television stations broadcast signals from the big American networks, but just add Canadian commercials (hence we get screwed out of the really good Superbowl commercials, dammit!). However, I think there are definitely differences in how we view things; how we view society and politics, for instance.
Now that I am working for a global company with a head-office in the US, I am becoming more aware of the cultural and ideological differences between Americans and Canadians. Here is a very interesting way to describe the differences between Canadians and Americans. My boss has this posted on his office wall (I’m not sure of the source.)
Interestingly Canada has recently been bashed by some in the American media. See story here. I find it interesting that so many Canadians are so upset about this, when it is practically a national pastime here to bash Americans.
I know our taxes are high, but I am proud of our healthcare system & social services. Although, I am sadly aware that they are being systematically eroded by those who would prefer to move toward a more American-style system. Do we really want a system like the one where our good friend Mark of the Thou Shall Not Suck blog has to pay over $6000 a year for basic medical insurance. Is this where we want to go??
I am proud that we still seem to have a fundamental ideology that we need to take care of each other, to help those less fortunate, and to be polite – rather than the "every man for himself" model.
I am proud to live in a country that has relatively little violence and has not been “at war” for 50 years.
There are also some things I am ashamed of Canada for, and most of them have to do with hypocrisy. I am ashamed that Canadians so desperately want to believe or assert that this is a great multicultural country that doesn’t have racism “not like in the states”. I don’t know how many times I have heard that. The sad truth is that we do have a problem with racism, and the fact that so many Canadians don’t even want to discuss it makes it very difficult to tackle.
I am ashamed that although Canada is a country that has boasted about its social safety net for so long, we have growing numbers of homeless people and people living in poverty.
I am proud that George W Bush is not our leader!
So tell me….what do you think are the major differences between Canadians & Americans? Why are you proud of your country (no matter what country you are from)? December 17 What a FeelingOne of the great things about working for a large organization is the ability to get involved in some really worthwhile projects. For the past two weeks I have been involved in a food & toy drive in the building where I work. Every day at 2:00 we have cleared out the bins where people are donating their items and moving the stuff to a storage room. Yesterday was the last day, and we took 14 large boxes containing over 300 toys to the CHUMCity Christmas Wish. We managed to fit it all in my van. What a great feeling it was being involved in something so worthwhile. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of my colleagues. While some people donated less expensive toys or books, some who could afford it donated more expensive toys worth $50 to $100. In addition to the 300 toys, we have collected hundreds of food items and baby food items. The Food Bank will be coming to pick up all that stuff on Monday, so our small team of volunteers will be busy boxing it all on Monday morning.
Things are still as busy as ever around here as we are preparing for Christmas. I have been spoiled; in the first four weeks at the new job I have enjoyed 3 Christmas parties. One was a large party for 200 people at a nightclub on the Danforth called Myth. It was a great venue for a party. Another was a lunch with one team I work with and on Tuesday night I had a dinner at the Miller Tavern with another team I work with.
The MillerTavern is in the building that used to be the Jolly Miller, a Toronto landmark for many many years. However, now it is an upscale restaurant. When I looked at the menu I was a little unsure of what to order, so I let other people go first. When one of the guys ordered the most expensive steak on the menu, with a lobster tail added on (total entree cost $50+) and another told the waiter to "surprise him", I realized it would be okay for me to order the Nova Scotia lobster dinner at a piddly $38.
One guy at the table was quite a wine connoisseur and he chose 2 wines for us to sample. We eneded up settling on Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon. What a wonderful meal! It was also cool to see the people I work with getting kinda tipsy, especially my boss. Gives you a different view of the people you deal with every day. I deliberately paced myself, having one or two glasses of water between each drink, so that I could observe as the others got more and more "talkative". I heard some very interesting stories!  And I laughed so much that my cheeks hurt. Well we have another busy weekend ahead, so I must go now and start running again. December 12 Bad Bad BloggerIt’s been 3 weeks since my last blog entry. I can hardly believe that 3 weeks has gone by so fast! I have missed you guys!
The new job is very busy, but in a good way. Lots of variety to what I am doing and I really like the people I work with. Although…. I said that about the last group, and then I encountered the temper tantrums, so perhaps I should reserve judgment till I have been here a little while longer. So far so good. The only problem: no time for blogging or MSN chats. Oh well.
The evenings and weekends have been crazy lately. Seems for the past few weeks, we have had events almost every evening and several events each weekend. My husband is at the end of term for a course on his master’s degree so I am not getting much computer time.
Here’s a typical example of a weekend for us. Weekend before last: Jasmine had a basketball practice on Saturday and Terry had to help his brother move. I took her to her practice and then came home. Terry left with the vehicle (our only vehicle) and my Dad came and picked up the kids and I to take us to a children’s concert by Chris McKhool. It was a holiday concert with songs about Bodhi Day (Buddhist), Carnival (Quebec), Chanukah, Chinese New Year, Christmas, Diwali, Eid, Indigenous traditions, Kwanzaa (African-American), Ramadan, Tu B’Shvat and Winter Solstice. Really enjoyable. The kids had a great time and so did I, and Grampa & Gramzie. After the concert, my Dad drove us home again, and I got the kids to bed a little late…around 9:40. Jasmine had a basketball tournament the next day at 9:30am. I had to be at a Baptism at 11:00am because I was the godmother. So we all went to the basketball tournament, where Jade & I got to watch the first game. Then Jade & I took a cab to the church where the baptism was happening. And I became a godmother!
I’ll post some pictures from the basketball tourney later.
In the meantime, I have been fighting a cold and by the time we get all our running around done in the evenings I am passing out before 10. What a wimp!
As a result of all this busy-ness, I have had no time for blogging, or chatting, or phone calls to catch up with friends, or Christmas shopping. Uh oh! Basically everything is a mess. Ever feel like life is too busy to handle? I know things will slow down in January, but right now that seems like a long way away. November 21 A New ChapterThis weekend saw a new chapter in our lives. Jasmine had a sleepover away from home without any family for the first time. The Girl Guides, Brownies, & Sparks had a visit to Fort York. They had activities all day, and then most of the girls stayed overnight in the soldiers' barracks. Jade, being only 4 years old, wasn’t really old enough to stay the night, so we arranged to pick her up in the evening.
The kids were both very excited about going. When we got there to drop off them off, Jade didn’t want us to leave. She kept clinging to us. It was heart wrenching when we finally left, but we knew she would have a good time with all the other kids.
Terry and I spent the afternoon hanging around downtown. We had lunch at The Rex Jazz & Blues bar where a Jazz band was playing. There were only half a dozen customers in the place, so we had an unobstructed view of the band. Then we went to see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Although the reviews are mostly quite positive, we were somewhat disappointed with the movie. We are both big fans of the Harry Potter series, and we voraciously read each new book as they are published. We found the movie to be rushed. It seemed like too much was left out so that they could get most of the plot in. Unfortunately this had the effect of making it seem like the plot was choppy or full of holes. A movie is supposed to be a stand-alone entity in and of itself. One shouldn’t have to have read the book in order to understand what is going on. The movie is visually stunning, but honestly it seemed like they were using CGI and impressive effects to overcompensate for the plot holes and lack of character development. Some critics are calling it the best Harry Potter movie yet. I disagree. Here is a review I agree with. "Frankly, the entire film felt like the cinematic version of Hamburger Helper -- too little meat trying to do too much." -- Paul Clinton (CNN), CNN
After the movie, we wandered around Queen Street West. It is always interesting to watch the plethora of different kinds of people hanging out on Queen West. Then we headed back to the Rex, as we had arranged to meet up with my sister who was in town for a conference.
When we returned to The Rex, it was packed. There was a very large swing band playing, and it was difficult to find a seat. We found a small table near the back and had some apps & beers. My sister showed up shortly afterwards and ordered a beer as well. Then we headed out again, as she wanted to go to Young Thailand. Since she lives waaaaay up north, she doesn’t get to eat Thai food very often, so she wanted to get her fix. We left the Rex and headed toward Young Thailand, on John Street, just North of Queen. To our dismay, we discovered that it is now closed! We wandered over to the Thai Princess on King Street. The food was wonderful, the prices were great, and it was terrific to spend some quality time with my sister, having adult conversation without distraction. Usually when we get together it is with the kids and other family members as well. It was so nice to just hang out with her. We haven’t done that in a long time. After dinner we walked my sister back to her car, as she was heading out to the West End to meet another friend. Since she moved away from Toronto, every time she comes back she has a packed agenda, as she tries to fit in visits with friends and family. Inevitably someone will find out she was in town and complain, “Why didn’t you tell me…we could’ve gotten together.” Unfortunately there are only so many hours in a weekend.
Then we headed back to Fort York to pick up Jade. We were told to arrive by 9pm. We arrived at 8:45. It was somewhat daunting as we drove up to the dark parking lot to see 2 police cars parked in the long driveway. We arrived at the gate to discover that everything was pitch dark and padlocked. While this is a good security feature, preventing anyone from getting in……it also prevented us from picking up our child. We had a brief moment of fear, but we knew that they were expecting us and would have arranged some way of getting us into the Fort. We went over to talk to the police officers about any alternate entrances. As we were talking to them, someone approached the gate from the inside. The security guard had been told that some parents were coming to pick up some of the kids, and to come down to the gate just before nine. Phew.
Although we had been worried about Jade because of how clingy she was when we left, apparently she was just fine after we left and had a good time all day. We took Jade home and said goodnight to Jasmine. The kids were in their pj’s and were doing crafts. I have been very impressed with the organization and the supervision of these events by the Girl Guide leaders. Jade had a great day. They practiced marching, and made cookies, and did crafts, and helped make dinner. She started telling us about it in the car on the way home, but she fell asleep pretty quickly.
Next morning we went back to pick up Jasmine. She had a great time too….apparently the girls had hot chocolate and stayed up till past midnight. Needless to say both the girls were pretty tired on Sunday. A nap was in order. For all of us.
November 18 Jokes about the Job SearchThe first 2 days at the new job have been pretty good. I'm back in a large corporation again, so I guess I'll have to get around to changing my profile. I'm learning a lot and I've met tons of people in the past 2 days.....I just can't remember half of their names! Oh well....It will take time to adjust.
Since I have been focussing on the job search lately, my friend sent this to me and I found it hilarious. Maybe they're legit. Maybe they're made up. I don't know..... Some of them made me laugh out loud so I thought I'd share.
 Errors found in Resumes: The following quotations were taken from resumes and cover letters from all over the country.
"I am very detail-oreinted."
"I have a bachelorette degree in computers."
"Graduated in the top 66% of my class."
"I worked as a Corporate Lesion."
"Served as assistant sore manager."
"Married, eight children. Prefer frequent travel."
"Objective: To have my skills and ethics challenged on a daily basis."
"Special skills: Thyping."
"I can play well with others."
"Special skills: I've got a Ph.D. in human feelings."
"My contributions on product launches were based on dreams that I had."
"Objection: To utilize my skills in sales."
"Experience: Watered, groomed, and fed the family dog for years."
"Reason for leaving last job: Pushed aside so the vice president's girlfriend could steal my job."
"Previous experience: Self-employed -- a fiasco."
"Work history: Bum. Abandoned belongings and led nomadic lifestyle."
"I like slipping and sliding around behind the counter and controlling the temperature of the food."
"Reason for leaving last job: The owner gave new meaning to the word 'paranoia.' I prefer to elaborate privately."
"Reason for leaving last job: Bounty hunting was outlaw in my state."
"My ruthlessness terrorized the competition and can sometimes offend."
"I am quick at typing, about 25 words per minute."
"Skills: Operated Pitney Bones machine."
"Education: B.A. in Loberal Arts."
"Work Experience: Dealing with customers' conflicts that arouse."
"Education: College, August 1880 - May 1984."
"Experience with: LBM-compatible computers."
"Fortunately because of stress, worked in the cardiac intensive-care ward."
"Typing Speed: 756 wpm."
"Objectives: 10-year goal: Total obliteration of sales and federal income taxes and tax laws."
"ONCE FOCUSED ON AN OBJECTIVE, I BELIEVE MYSELF TO HAVE AN UNDYING LUST FOR SUCCESS WITH ACCURACY AND EFFECIENCY."
"Seek challenges that test my mind and body, since the two are usually inseparable."
"Extensive background in public accounting. I can also stand on my head!"
"Personal: Married 20 years; own a home, along with a friendly mortgage company."
"My intensity and focus are at inordinately high levels, and my ability to complete projects on time is unspeakable."
"Exposure to German for two years, but many words are inappropriate for business."
"Frequent Lecturer: Largest Audience: 1,351. Standing Ovations: 5. Number of Audience Questions: 30."
"Accomplishments: Completed 11 years of high school."
"Excellent memory; strong math aptitude; excellent memory; effective management skills; and very good at math."
"Personal Goal: To hand-build a classic cottage from the ground up using my father-in-law."
Errors found in Cover Letters:
"Thank you for your consideration. Hope to hear from you shorty!"
"Enclosed is a ruff draft of my resume."
"I saw your ad on the information highway, and I came to a screeching halt."
"Please disregard the attached resume -- it is terribly out of date."
"It's best for employers that I not work with people."
"Insufficient writing skills, thought processes have slowed down some. If I am not one of the best, I will look for another opportunity."
November 15 I Am Unemployed........for a day.
 Today is the day between. The one day I have off between ending one job and starting another. I know, I'm insane....I shoulda taken more time, but they really wanted me to start as soon as possible.
Yesterday was a bittersweet day. I walked to and from work for the last time. On the way there, the sun was shining. It was a pleasant but cool fall day - the kind I really like. I relished every moment of walking through the park, looking at the trees, listening to the birds, and noticing the changes that have happened over the weekend. I left the path and crunched through the leaves at every opportunity. I discovered something: the harmonics of crunching leaves while walking through a culvert are really quite spectacular. The sound seems to be coming from all around you - above, below, from the sides....it was really amazing. I noticed that the ripe pods on the milkweed plant I passed every morning had finally broken open and sent forth their fluffy seeds. I felt a little childhood pang, as I sensed a lost opportunity to break the pod open and blow the seeds into the wind. The walk home was cold, but not cold in a "my hands feel like they are gonna freeze off" kinda way.....cold in a "I feel alive" kinda way. That was really good after the rather disappointing last day there.
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Last night my mother came over for dinner. She takes the kids to swimming lessons, and then has dinner with us. This is a great routine we have developed. We had some good conversation and had a really nice visit. This morning she called me to compliment my parenting skills. How cool is that? She said that something happened last night that really struck her and it was a revelation to her. We said, "It's time for bed," and Jasmine got upset. My mom tried to quell her anger and distract her. Jasmine started stomping out of the room. I asked her to come back and explain to me why she was upset and we made a compromise. She wanted to show Grandma a book she had made and thought she wouldn't get a chance. My mom called this morning to tell me that what I did was really good and it got her thinking about how she deals with her own emotions. We had an excellent deep, real conversation. The kind of conversation with your mother that sticks with you for the rest of your life. I was really glad she called to tell me about that. Thanks Mom.
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So today, I am heading downtown to have lunch with a group of friends, and then having a massage with my favourite massage therapist, whom I haven't seen for a year! The weather is crappy, but I am in too good a mood to let that bother me.
In about 2 hours I'll be sippin on a Guinness.... or maybe a Kilkenny. Decisions, decisions.
 Cheers! November 10 Time of ChangeThe windy & rainy weather of the last few days has knocked most of the remaining leaves off the trees. I was remarking just on Friday that it was so nice to still have so many colourful trees in November. Now the leaves are mostly gone. Only a few thin brown stragglers cling to the odd maple, and the willows are finally turning yellow. Yesterday was cold & rainy & windy. Basically unpleasant. Today is sunny but cold. This morning we had an early morning snow flurry. Winter is coming.
This time of year always makes me think of change, and reminds me of the song Ramble On by Led Zeppelin. Also being a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings, this song holds much meaning for me. I was singing it to myself on my walk to work yesterday.
Well it’s certainly a time of change for me right now. I am about to start a new job. I accepted an offer today that I'm very excited about. My current position was a one-year contract that ends on November 30th. Thus, I have been spending every spare moment for the past 4 weeks looking for work. Damn….it is a lot of work looking for work! Hence, the lack of decent blogging activity. Now that I don’t have to stay up late every night looking for a job, I might actually be able to get some decent sleep, read a book, do some real writing, and get some blogging time in. I’ve been inspired by Jorge and Dave who are both participating in National Novel Writing Month. Their goal is to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. Good for you guys!
I’ll be making the rounds over the next couple of days to catch up with all my blogging buddies. Boy have I ever felt disconnected for the past month! Thanks to those of you who have continued to visit and even commented on the drivel I have been posting here. You guys rock!
Some other great news in my life. One of my best friends has just asked me to be her son’s Godmother. I am so very honoured. We recently came to the startling conclusion that we have been friends for 20 years! We met in high school at the ripe old age of 15. Thanks so much, Z. I’m delighted that you asked me.
Job offer and Godmother in the same day. What a nice day this is turning out to be.
November 06 Murphy’s Law meets physicsNewton’s third law states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
Murphy’s third law states that Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
Here’s where Newton meets Murphy.
Saturday mornings are a little hectic around our house. While my first inclination is to stay in bed till 11:00am, alas there are things to do. Jade has Ballet and Jasmine has basketball. We need to find their appropriate clothes and shoes (which should be in the right place, but for some reason never are!) and get them fed, dressed, and get ourselves cleaned up, fed & dressed, and get each child out the door in enough time to make it to their respective programs.
Yesterday morning, I was making breakfast. The coffee had just finished brewing (ahhhhhh coffeeeeeeeeeeee). I reached up in the cupboard to acquire a couple of mugs. Unfortunately they were not stacked in the cupboard by a structural engineer. In a split second, one of the mugs comes tumbling down hits the counter, bounces, and hurtles full force into the glass carafe that is now full of coffee. In another instant I’ve got hot coffee AND broken glass all over the kitchen counter. I’m yelling “Oh My God, Oh My God!” as Terry and the kids come running in to see if I am hurt. Expecting me to be hurt is not such a stretch, since I am rather accident prone to begin with. I’ll have to write a post sometime about my many comical injuries.
Half a roll of paper towel and a lot of swearing later, we got it all mopped up. Only problem was…..we had no coffee, and it was nearly time to leave to get Jade to her ballet class in time. “Everyone get dressed,” goes the cry through the house. So we loaded the whole family into the car, got Jade to her ballet class in time, then made a quick jog to Starbucks! Ahhhhhh coffeeeeeeeeeeeee. Even better….Ahhhhhh Starbucks Non-Fat Sugar-Free Hazelnut Latte.
After Ballet and basketball, we bought a new coffee maker.
November 03 Haircut gone wrongWarning
For a few awful moments I will become one of those annoying chicks who talks about her hair!
Yesterday I went for a hair cut. I haven’t had a hair cut for a long time. My hair was down to my waist when it is straightened. So I needed a haircut, because admittedly, there were a lot of split ends due to the lack of frequency of haircuts, and it was starting to look kind of fuzzy at the ends.
I went to a salon I have not been to before. Obviously that was a mistake. I told her I just wanted a trim. Just clean up the dead ends, make some long layers, that kind of thing. Just a trim was all I wanted, really!
So I come out of there and she has cut off 5 inches! WTF??? Did you hear the part about trim?? 2 inches??? Ring a bell???
What is it with hairdressers?? I cannot tell you how many times this has happened to me. (You’d think I would learn, eh?) They don’t think they have given you a haircut unless they have transformed you. I didn’t want to be transformed! I just wanted a trim. I know some of you out there are saying, "Well I wouldn't have paid her!" I've just never been that forceful. I'm too nice. I'm a pushover, doormat, whatever you want to call it. Sigh.
At least it looks good. It’s still kinda long. Just not long enough. The thing is: it’s just not what I wanted. It will take some getting used to.
Ok….annoying rant over.
Thanks for listening.
I promise soon I will get back to some real posts. I've just been so damn busy with other stuff lately that I have so little time for blogging.
November 01 Had a Happy Halloween
I have been so busy lately that I haven’t really had time to write anything original on this space. So here is just a quick update about Halloween.
Halloween is great with kids!
The weather was excellent here in Toronto. It was mild with a light breeze that blew the leaves around, but it was not too windy. There had been rain earlier in the day, so the evening was overcast, but the rain held off last night. The kids were warm enough with sweaters on under their costumes. That is great for them, because I remember times as a kid when it was so cold we had to wear winter coats over our costumes. That always sucked. I remember saying: “Aw mom, I don’t want to wear my coat. No-one will be able to see my costume.”
Terry & I went out trick-or-treating with the kids. Terry dressed as Morpheus from The Matrix. He looked awesome. Lots of people recognized his costume. I just dressed in black and slapped on a witch hat I’ve had for years. My mom & Terry’s mom stayed at our place to shell out the treats. I was proud to say that we had one of the best decorated houses in the neighbourhood. We had 5 carved pumpkins of different sizes. The kids and I had fun carving them on Sunday evening. Their cousins came over and helped for a while too.
Jasmine & Jade had so much fun going out. There are always lots of kids out on our street. Jasmine was skipping between houses, laughing all the way, saying “Halloween is so much fun.”
However, she had a little difficulty yesterday when she wore her costume to school. You see, my 7-year-old daughter decided to dress as Spiderman. Why? Because “Spiderman is cool! ” as she put it. Well, apparently a number of the kids at school, both boys & girls told her, “You’re a girl. You can’t be Spiderman.” She said, “Spiderman is cool. I can be Spiderman for Halloween if I want.” I asked her if anyone liked her costume and she said that some kids liked it. I asked her what she thought of the kids who had said she couldn’t be Spiderman. She said, “They’re stupid. They shouldn’t be allowed to go to my school. Only nice people should be allowed in my school.” I felt bad for her that she had to face that kind of obtuse criticism. But I was really proud of her and I told her that. She is a strong kid. She is learning that people who don’t do what is expected of them might face criticism. I think it is great that she is strong enough to do what she wants to anyway.
Well, of course, like most parents do, I ate junk last night. My bad.
My stomach felt crappy as I watched Blade Trinity before I went to bed. Seemed appropriate. Good movie. Not as good as the first Blade, though.
Hope you all had a Happy Halloween, too!
My quote of the day, dedicated to Jasmine:
“I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.” ~Frederick Douglass
October 30 Serious Warning - "Phishing Scams"Serious Warning!
In the past couple of days I have received four emails that appear to be from legitimate Canadian banks: Royal Bank and TD Canada Trust. The text of the emails is very similar. Here is an example of one:
“Dear RBC member, we wish to inform you that your Online Banking Account has been suspended due to several fraud complaints coming from our antifraud department.
Click here
RBC Staff thanks you.”
RED LIGHT! RED LIGHT! RED LIGHT! The first thing that set of a warning for me is that I don’t use either of these bank's online banking services. Secondly, I expect that if someone were actually committing fraud using my online information the bank would not be contacting me online via email, and they certainly would NOT be asking me to re-enter all my personal information online! Third, the message is full of poor grammar and spelling mistakes.
So I went online and did a little research and found out that these are “phishing” scams.
The link does not actually take you to the RBC website, but to a fraudulent website that has been disguised to look like the legitimate Royal Bank website. Apparently if you click on the link, you will be faced with a popup asking you to enter all of your personal banking information. This can be used in a number of ways to defraud you.
I have since phoned Royal Bank and TD Canada Trust and reported these scams and forward the emails to legitimate info security reps of the banks.
PLEASE PROTECT YOURSELVES!
Dear friends, please be very wary of any email you receive that asks you to go to a website and enter your personal information.
For more information on phishing scams, go here.
Read this Important information:
Tips to Protect Yourself from Phishing Scams
This information has been copied directly from here http://www.fraudwatchinternational.com/internet/phishing/protect.shtml
1. Never Click on Hyperlinks within emails. Why? Hyperlinks within emails are often cloaked, or hidden. The text you see as a hyperlink may not be where the hyperlink takes you.
Recommendation: If you are unsure of the source of the email, you should not click on hyperlinks within emails that are apparently from a legitimate company. Instead, directly type in the URL in the Internet browser address bar, or call the company on a contact number previously verified or known to be genuine.
2. Use Anti-SPAM Filter Software Why? Some studies have shown around 85% of all email sent is SPAM, with a majority fraudulent. This can be costly and time consuming to end users who receive them. Effective SPAM filters can reduce the number of fraudulent and malicious emails consumers are exposed to.
3. Use Anti-Virus Software Why? To protect against Trojan and worm attacks, anti-virus software can detect and delete virus files before they can attack a computer. It is important to keep all anti-virus software up to date with vendor updates. These virus programs can search your computer for personally sensitive information and pass this information to fraudsters.
4. Use a Personal Firewall Why? Firewall's can monitor both incoming and outgoing Internet traffic from a computer. This can protect the computer from being hacked into, and a virus being planted, and can also block unauthorized programs from accessing the Internet, such as Trojans, worms and spyware.
5. Keep Software Updated (Operating Systems & Browsers) Why? Fraudsters and malicious computer hackers are continually finding vulnerabilities in software operating systems and Internet Browsers. Software vendors are constantly updating their software to fix these vulnerabilities and protect consumers.
6. Always look for "https" and a padlock on a site that requests personal information Why? Information entered on an Internet Web Site can be intercepted by a third party. Web Sites that are secure protect against this activity.
7. Keep your Computer clean from Spyware Why? Spyware & Adware are files that can be installed on your computer, even if you don't want them, without you knowing they are there! They allow companies to monitor your Internet browsing patterns, see what you purchase and even allow companies to inundate you with those annoying "pop up" ads! If you've downloaded some music, files or documents and suddenly started getting annoying ads popping up on your screen, you could definitely be infected with SpyWare and/or AdWare!
8. Educate Yourself on Fraudulent Activity on the Internet Why? Internet Fraud methods are evolving at a rapid rate. Consumers need to be aware they are vulnerable as fraudsters are persuasive and convincing; many victims thought they were too smart to be scammed. Consumers should educate themselves on Internet Fraud, the trends and continual changes in fraudulent methods used. FraudWatch International offers consumer education as a free service to the Internet community.
9. Check Your Credit Report Immediately Why? If you have responded to a fraudulent email, you may be at risk of identity theft. A virus could have been implanted within the email, which may find and pass on sensitive personal information about you to fraudsters, or if you have provided fraudsters with any personal information, you may be at risk of Identity Theft. You should check your credit report, and subscribe to a credit report monitoring service, to be alerted if your personal information is used fraudulently. |
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