Tuesday 30 September 2008

Sharing


D'you know what's funny/great/sometimes frustrating about art? (And yes, in this case, I'm daring to refer to my own photographs as art. Work with me on this one. I also think that writing is art. Just not mine. . . ) It's when you do something that you love or think is great and no one else responds to it the same way.

Like this picture.

I love it. Love it! I think it's super cool. But it's been up on flickr for a while now and hardly anyone's looked at it. Weird, eh?

It's all subjective. And that makes it cool.

Art, that is. Photography.

I never know why photos that I love don't particularly (necessarily) strike anyone else the same way. And I always wonder about it. It is that the photo has personal significance to the taker? Is it that the taker knows what went in to it? Is it that we all have personal preferences and tastes?

Or is it all of the above and a little bit more?

What do you think?

Monday 29 September 2008

PSA

So this is a reminder to people to occasionally empty out their email contact list.

You know, every five few years or so?

And why am I putting out this email reminder, you may ask?

Well, I got this email the other week. Spam, I figured because I didn't recognize the name and the subject was "so and so's (well it had their name in there put I'll keep it anonymous. as always) wedding pictures" and as I went to delete it, I saw that the links inside were to a legitimate photo sharing website.

Which got me wondering.

So risking the fact that clicking on one of the four different album links might take me to a spam site, I clicked and sure enough it was someone's wedding photos.

Now I didn't quite recognize the people. At first. And then one was vaguely familiar and then,eventually I started to figure out who the groom and best man were.

YEAAAAAAAAAARS ago I hung out with a group of runners (dreamy happy sigh) and a few years after that I somehow randomly re-connected to one of their brothers. Who had a friend who had a crush on me that was not reciprocated.

And apparently this fellow just got married.

And either just sent out the "here's our wedding album links" to everyone in his entire contact list or he specially kept my email for just this occasion.

I'm thinking the former.

So in order to not send your future wedding/new baby/naked party/etc. photos to practical strangers, you may want to go through your email contact list every once in a while.

Just a thought.

Saturday 27 September 2008

Got Milk?


It's been a while, but since some of you emailed me at the time asking me to keep you up to date, I thought I'd take a moment to update you on my (much better, thank you!) stomach situation.

So apparently, for whatever reason, I have developed an allergy? intolerance? to milk protein. Which, really.... what? (Plus, as an added bonus, if you google "milk protein allergy" you'll find out that almost all of the sites talk about infants. Of which I am not one. I promise!*)

But whatever the medical reasons, since I've been steering clear of milk and cheese (sob) things have been so much better. Whew. I've substituted with goat's milk, when necessary (tea!) but even that has its limits. I've also discovered that I can tolerate small doses of milk (say, the amount found in chocolate, WOO HOOO!) but that, most other things (for example, the bowl of Mac and Cheese I just had) makes the imaginary knives stab themselves into my stomach (boo!)

So long story short, for those of you who were interested (wait, is anyone else still reading?) or those of you who might be dealing with your own strange stomach pains, I'm not lactose intolerant, but I can't have dairy. (Well, if you want to get technical, I can, but um... ow) And while getting tons of negative results back from tests was frustrating, it was also important to know that there wasn't anything serious going on in my body. And last but not least, I did a lot of my own research and asked my doctor to send me to an allergist once I started to suspect it was some kind of food allergy.

Oh, and I'm supposed to stay away from sulphites too. But that's a whole other blog post. One which I'll never write, because.... booooooooring!

Oh, and, I have to make sure I take my calcium to make up for all the calcium I'm not getting from milk. And yogurt. And ice cream. And whipped cream. And cheese. Especially melty cheese on the top of a hot pizza.

Nuts. Now I've made myself hungry.

So there you go. A completely unasked for update on something that probably doesn't mean much to anyone but me. But, hey, at least it included some advice. From me! A single girl.

(Gotta live up to my moniker, you know. )


*Although, what kind of a prodigy genius child would I be if I was an infant and all able to type (fairly) coherent sentences, eh?

Friday 26 September 2008

Kind of Creepy

I'm reading this book right now (that I picked up randomly off the shelf at the book store when I was in a little bit of a "must shop to make self feel better and I want new books because mmmmmm books" stage) that is giving me a little bit of the heebie jeebies. (Or, however it is you're supposed to spell that creepy feeling.)

See, the book is set partly now(ish) and partly in the main character's high school years. Which seem to be set in the same time as my high school years.

All the pop culture references are familiar. And not in a "I've seen a movie about that" kind of way, but in a "holy smokes, I lived through that" kind of way.

And I've got to tell you, it's weird.

Weird, weird, weird.

When's the last time a book creeped you out and why?

(Unrelated note: I'm going away for a couple of days so I may not get to readin' your comments as quick as usual, but don't let that stop you from sayin' hi n stuff!)

Thursday 25 September 2008

Shakin' My Head


So Bird randomly texted me a couple of times recently.

Once was to invite me to a "birthday thing" but I already had plans so was able to politely say no. But he didn't get back to me anyway, not even when I emailed to ask if it was his birthday and if so, happy birthday.

The next was to tell me he'd run into two spies and did I know them? (Yes, strangely enough, I did. I used to work with them. Random) And when I emailed him later that day to ask how he'd met these spies he never responded.

So I'm not sure if he's trying to put out an olive branch or make himself feel better by "talking" to me even though he's not talking to me or....whatever. It all just continues to feel childish and makes me glad I didn't really date much in high school. Or University for that matter. Serial monogamist that I was. (Am?)

At a conference early last week, I ran into one of the spies Bird had met and she asked me how I knew him. And then she said "well, he's hot, sure, but damn, that guy's such a ladies' man."

And I just smiled. Because, yes. He certainly does present himself that way.

Wednesday 24 September 2008

The Truth Is

- Work's too busy and exhausting right now
- I'm pulling 10 hour days
- The trees are just barely starting to consider the fact that fall's approaching
- I may possibly be addicted to Dexter, the Riches, and Weeds since my co-spy introduced me to a tv streaming site.
- I got all caught up on your blogs this weekend. Which meant I got behind in my work. D'oh!
- I dreamt I gave birth to a baby boy
- I really don't eat enough protein day to day
- I've decided I like red (seedless of course) grapes better than green ones
- Seeing/hearing the snowbirds this weekend made me very grateful I don't live in a war-torn country where that kind of noise would be constant (and scary)
- Lying down in a freshly laundered bed after a really hard day is one of the best feelings in the world
- I love my bed

Tuesday 23 September 2008

Of Beer and Panic


So, Beer Fest happened a few weeks ago, (again). And yes, I fared much better this year thank you very much.

And, the weather was awesome, the company was great, and Crannog Ales makes the most delicious fruit ale thing in the world. (I'm not a huge beer fan, so those of you who are gagging at the mere idea of a fruit beer can just ignore this entire paragraph because *I* liked it!) So, all in all it was a good, fun time.

But a funny (strange?) thing happened (...on the way to the forum? huh?) at Beer Fest this year and I've been wondering about it ever since.

I was there with three other girls, all of them in long-term relationships, so their goal for the event was to find me a cute guy. And, I went along with it, because, sure, looking at cute guys sounds fun, right? Right!

So we got there and we'd barely arrived when they spotted a cute guy. And they told me to go talk to him. And I said no. So one of them marched off in his direction saying they'd make me talk to him.

And here's where the weirdness happens.

I panicked. Like, seriously. It felt like I feel when I find myself at the top of a ladder; frozen. And I swear, if they'd brought the guy over to me I would have bolted. Really. I would have run the other direction and probably gone home and hid under my bed. I did not. On pain of death. Want to talk to that guy. Or any guy there, for that matter. Joking about "finding me a guy" was fine, in theory. But as soon as there was a guy right there and I was supposed to talk to him? Panic. I just felt panic.

I tell you, it was the weirdest thing and I'm not sure what it was all about. I tried to explain to them that when I say I'm shy, I actually mean it and that I find myself really only able to "flirt" or talk freely with guys I'm not interested in.

And sure, a few (fruity) beers later and I was chatting away to strangers, but again, only ones I didn't find attractive and therefore wasn't interested in. Or, I was able to talk to them if they approached first, but wasn't able to go straight up to a cute stranger and start up conversation.

I guess I've been trying to figure out if this means there's something wrong with me or if my brain just protects me from getting into situations I'm not comfortable with. Or what. Why did the idea of talking to a complete (albeit cute) stranger make me feel so scared?

Maybe I was thinking too far into the future? Who knows. It just strikes me as odd.

Monday 22 September 2008

To the Girl at the Gym

Dear You,

I really need to apologize, even if it turns out that I'm just imagining things.

The other day, when you got on that treadmill and I glanced over at you, I was only glancing because I felt you staring at me. So it was kind of weird when you did the smile and wave thing. And so I just gave you the "polite" smile back and looked away. Because I didn't recognize you and I also didn't know for sure if you were waving at me or at someone on another treadmill.

So I apologize if you did know me and I should know you. I feel kind of bad because out of the corner of my eye, I saw you shaking your head and I imagined you saying something like "she doesn't remember me" to your friend. But maybe I would remember you if I saw you outside of the gym because I do kind of totally space out in the gym and the other day was no exception.

See, work's really stressful right now and so my mind was on other things and then I saw you and smiled and right away felt like you thought I should know you.

So, sorry if I should have known you and sorry I didn't do the whole "point at myself and say 'me?' thing" to see if you were, indeed pointing at me and not someone behind me. And, um, if, indeed you were pointing to someone else? Pretty pretty please ignore this letter.

Thanks.

Yours embarrassed either way,
Victoria (the dorky)

PS Ooops.

Saturday 20 September 2008

Awestruck


So a couple of weekends ago, I met up with some friends at a local pub.

And then this happened (in my head), with the screaming and the wanting to faint, not so much the music.

Because sitting, at. the. next. table! was Simon Whitfield himself!

Simon! (even cuter in person) WHITFIELD!

Not that he noticed or anything, but I totally looked like the girl in this picture.

Completely in awe.

I breathed the same air as an Olympian, people.

Awesome.

Friday 19 September 2008

To The Cute Guy At The Gym

Dear Cute Guy,
You may not know this, but the fact that I made full eye contact and held it with you AND smiled? Means I've come a long way.
Um, it also means you probably should have stopped and talked to me because while I've come a long way I'm still pretty shy.
Thanks for the smile, though. Maybe next time?
Victoria

(Unrelated...when I was going through my archives to find the first time I mentioned feeling shy around a cute guy at the gym, I found this amusing post. Heh. I still remember this guy.)

PS I almost forgot! Arrrrrrrrrrrrr mateys!

Thursday 18 September 2008

Unsettled.


I'm in a little bit of a weird space right now.

Not necessarily a bad space, I don't think, just feels a little challenging somehow. I'm not even sure how to write about it, it just feels like I should. Which is weird too.

Maybe it's the approach of fall and knowing that soon it'll be cuddling-under-a-blanket-while-it-rains weather, but I find myself feeling like I'd really like to be in a relationship. Maybe it's that more of my closest friends just had a baby. Maybe it's that one of my best girlfriends is coming up to her tenth wedding anniversary. Maybe it's wondering when my "everything" is going to come, when my "perfect" person is going to walk into my life.

And maybe it's that all this is hovering there in the background of my mind while all the while I feel content with it being just me here when I get home at the end of the day.

Maybe it's hard feeling like I "should" be somewhere and worrying about what people might be thinking because I'm not. Yet.

I don't know. It's just one of those times when everything seems spinny or something. Unsettled.

That's the word. I'm feeling unsettled.

And yet somehow it's still ok.

Thoughts? Advice? Insight?

Wednesday 17 September 2008

True Story.

You know how you can't sleep for the 15th night in a row because you have new neighbours and they won't STFU?

(You don't? Well, bear with me here, the story goes somewhere even if you don't have the same I want to claw out my eyeballs experience as I'm currently having.)

Well, when you're lying there desperately trying to fall asleep and your brain starts thinking of things to cling on to to lull yourself away from whatever it is that's keeping you awake (I do not need to know that you totally almost texted each other today my young, boomingly voiced friends) and you start going over song lyrics from old songs from the 80s?

And then you find yourself not knowing if the lyrics are "how do I get to alone?" or "how do I get you alone?" and you realize that you could Google search it but wouldn't it just be more fun to ask if anyone who reads your blog knows so then you get up and type a post all about it?

Tuesday 16 September 2008

I've Always Been an Apple Girl

I can't even begin to describe the deep abiding love I had* for this game.

Nothing will ever again be this cool.


Microsoft Decathlon on Apple II

*And still have, apparently.

Monday 15 September 2008

I Vote For Longer Weekends.

Aaaaaaand, it's Monday again.

Funny how that happens, eh? You're just rambling along, minding your own business, nothing in particular that needs to get done, and then all of a sudden it's Monday.

Crazy.

But, then again...only five more days til the weekend!


*This post was brought to you by exhaustion. Exhaustion. It's what's for dinner.

(What?)

Saturday 13 September 2008

That's How I Roll.


Ok, I have to confess something.

I have no idea what to write here. But, you see, I saw this wheel, took a photo of it and then when I saw the photo I thought of the perfect post title to go with it.

Um, except, I have no post to go with the title.

So, how about this: I'm going to share a random piece of information about myself and say "that's how I roll" and you can join in in the comments if you'd like. Kay? Kay!






So hey, did you know that I shower and wash my hair at the end of the day and never at the start of the day? It's true, that's just how I roll.



(Sweet, that totally worked, and now I can post this! Now you go.)

Friday 12 September 2008

Borrowed!

Borrowed this from Stepping Over The Junk who kept it aside for a rainy day.

And apparently today's mine!

The Alphabet Meme. (The boring version, because I really couldn't come up with a good answer to most of them.)

Attached or single? Single.

Best friend? Can't pick just one.

Cake or Pie? Icing from cake. But pie overall.

Day of Choice? Saturday I suppose.

Essential Item? My teddy bear.

Favorite colour? Blue ties with purple.

Gummy bears or worms? Bears I guess, if I have to choose.

Hometown? Is where I was born.

Indulgence? Chocolate.

January or July? Hmmm.....tricky. January if there's snow invovled. If not, July. Close call though.

Kids? Like them, don't have any of my own, don't know if I will. Would prefer it if they never grew up.

Life isn’t complete…. without loved ones and friends to share it with.

Marriage Date? Don't have one yet, although I'm still aiming for one of the next few years just for fun 09/09/09 or 10/10/10, etc. I have been a date at a marriage twice and have taken a date to a marriage once.

Number of Brothers and Sisters? The tv show?

Oranges or Apples? Apples. Except when those gigantically awesome oranges come to Thrifty's or mandarins at Christmas time.

Phobias? Not really, but I'm bad with heights. It's more of a physical freezing up than a phobia.

Quote? About seven spring to mind right now, so I'll just choose this one " Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

Reasons to Smile? Peaceful quiet, a good book, beautiful flowers, dogs, waking up and realizing it's not a work day, watching someone you love with someone they love...

Season of Choice? Summer or Fall.

Type of bed? Comfy.

Unknown Fact? I'm wearing a bathrobe as I write this.

Vegetable? Head lettuce. (Yep, the stuff with no flavour. I love it!)

Worst habits? Sleeping in/napping. (Bad habit because I know it'll mess up my sleep schedule for ages but I just can't help it!)

XRay or Ultrasound? I've had both. What's the question?

Your favorite food? Depends if I'm in a salty or sweet mood. Generally, pasta.

Zodiac sign? This is the dawning of the age of ......

Thursday 11 September 2008

Guess!




So guess where I was the other weekend?



(I took this photo there, if that helps.)

Wednesday 10 September 2008

Ok, So You'll Never Guess What Happened.

So this weekend....or, maybe it was a couple of weekends ago, or... maybe it's a weekend in the future... I can't have you people knowing too much about my whereabouts you know, I'm a spy and all. Gotta maintain my anonymity and whatnot. Ya hear me?

So one weekend not too far from today I got a surprise text message. To my email. (Which, seriously, how COOL is that? I didn't even know you could do that!) And it was from S. Remember S? B's girlfriend?

Turns out they had hopped over (ok, not literally, that would be tiring) from the mainland to Victoria for the evening and S had thought to give me a shout (but, again, not literally, because I don't think her voice is that loud and this town isn't that small so I wouldn't have heard her) and I got to meet her, for reals!

Which is doubly cool, because I was nervous to meet a new person (and as S said it was kind of like a blind date) but she turned out as awesome in real life as she was in Gmail chat and email life and we got along great and had tons to talk about and, well, yay! S was awesome!

Plus, I actually went ahead and did it. Which, is pretty rad, if I say so myself. See, I figure a year or so ago I'd have been too shy to go at all. I'd have thought of all the things that might have gone wrong and I would have stayed at home hiding in the corner, so I'm so proud of myself because I got the email and was all "YEAH, sure I'd love to go meet her!" and I did feel kind of nervous in the car on the way over, but I made it.

Know what else was neat? Seeing the two of them together. They're so well suited to each other and you can tell that they like each other and are in love with each other (Because, dude, it's possible to be one without the other, I'm afraid) and it was all just cool. B and I have always gotten along well, but you know how sometimes your friends get a new Significant Other and you kind of go "huh.." and you secretly hope it doesn't work out because really you can just tell they're just not great for each other? Yeah, this wasn't like that at all, and it made me very happy inside to see that they're an awesome couple. And that I could totally see myself hanging out with them!

So, yay all round. Pretty cool, eh?


Updated to add: Just as I finished typing this, I started chatting with S and she gave me the link to this video over which I am now bawling. (No, I'm not hormonal, just stressed out and wishing I was Amy)



Best Wedding Toast Ever - Amy's Song

Tuesday 9 September 2008

I'm Relying On You Guys.


So I bought myself a new stapler for my super secret bat cave.

(Because you guys knew we spies work from bat caves, right?)

And this stapler is red, people.

In fact, it's a red, Swingline stapler.

The only problem is? No one at my bat cave has any idea why I think it's so cool.

Please, help me out here and give me a virtual high five.

Excuse me,yes, um, I believe you have my stapler...

Monday 8 September 2008

I Am a SuperGenius

I just microwaved a cookie.




(And, no, I'd never thought of doing this before.)

(And, yes, it almost made it seem like it had just been made.)

(And, no, I don't think it'd work with store-bought cookies.)

(But, yes, feel free to try it!)

Saturday 6 September 2008

Think About It


What's the nicest thing you've done for yourself lately?

Just for yourself.

If you can't think of anything, it's time to get out there and do it.

Do something nice for yourself.

You deserve it.

Me? I bought myself flowers.

So what did you do?




UPS: Unrelated Post Script: Know what's really cool about this month? The days go with the day numbers. Know what I mean? (First day of the month was the first but also a Monday. So the whole month is, like, in sync. I find that cool. I'm built crazy like that.)

Friday 5 September 2008

I Really Don't Know Why I'm So Stuck On This One

But I have no desire to work out with a boyfriend.

I know a lot of people do it; I see them at the gym, all cute and kissy and sometimes sweaty together.

But I don't want to.

I was thinking about it the other day and I really like my time at the gym. By myself.

I don't think I'd even want to work out with a friend, although I know a lot of people do that too.

I went to the gym with Smith once while he was visiting and we did our own thing and met back up an hour and a half later and that was fine. Except the weirdest thing happened. When we gave each other a "see you later" kiss? Massive, ouchy, stabbingly strong electric shock on the lips. And, like, not in a good way.

Yet another sign I should work out alone, methinks.

What about you, do you prefer to exercise alone or with company?

Or, do you prefer to just not exercise? Cuz that's fine too.

Thursday 4 September 2008

September is Here, Let the Real New Year Begin.


So I don't quite know how it happened but Summer seems to have zoomed by. The weather's crisp and I had to put a blanket back on my bed.

And it's September, which is crazy, because I swear it was just Spring.

I've so been enjoying the long days. So. And that's probably what I miss most about this time of year. But there's no need to start getting melancholy about something that isn't here yet. Entirely.

Know what else? I don't quite know how I managed to use up a year's worth of lyrics.

Time flies, my friends.

Thanks for flying with me.

Wednesday 3 September 2008

Dude.

I played Guitar Hero last night for, maybe the third time ever.

And I got in this weird space where I had no idea what my fingers were doing but they were flying all over the place and I just kept getting all the notes.

It was like sometimes when I type and I'm not even thinking about it but the words just type themselves. Well, I guess I should say that my fingers just type the words themselves.

Weird, eh?

*insert guitar solo rocking out here*

Tuesday 2 September 2008

Oh Yeah.


I see people packing and moving on end of the month weekends fairly often, but this weekend I saw a ton of trucks packed with mattresses and boxes and chairs.

And I wondered, for a while, why so many people were using the long weekend to move.

And then I remembered.

It's September (already?)

And I live in Victoria.

And we're a University town.

And school starts up again soon. Ahhhh University days. . . . I remember you well. (Well, I remember some of you, anyway)

And that's why there are so many people moving this weekend.

I'm so smart to figure stuff out like this, you know.

Monday 1 September 2008