Where in the World – 2006

So what far reaches of the planet have you visited this past year?

Here are some criteria: driving through and time spent at the airport doesn’t count. You must have physically been to this place, whether it was a quick pit stop to stretch your legs, grab a bite to eat, or pee…

Whistler, BC
Squamish, BC
New York, NY
Bear Mountain, NY
Hawthorn, NJ
Hoboken, NJ
Fort Lee, NJ
Morristown, NJ
Wayne, NJ
Hackensack, NJ
Montreal, QC
Dunvegan, ON
Ottawa, ON
Renfrew, ON (birth place of the NHL)
Huntsville, ON

No Rest for the Wicked

It hasn't really sunk in yet that I am officially unemployed. That's mainly due to the fact that I have been extremely busy these last two days. In fact, I have been so busy that I didn't make it to yesterday's young alum reunion, or out today for coffee/dessert with Die, Cheryl and Lisa this afternoon. I will get to see Cheryl at tomorrow's reunion, so I don't feel too bad about missing today's get together.

Colin is currently out Christmas shopping - I don't envy him.

I can't believe my ten year reunion is tomorrow...

Bye Bye Bingo

Well, this is it. Today is my last at this god forsaken place known as Planet Bingo. I was hoping to make a lateral jump into a new job, but after a year of living in depression due to employment at PB, I said enough is enough.

It's been a tough decision, bold move, and probably the biggest risk I have ever taken - but so far, it is well worth it: Since handing in my resignation two weeks ago I have begun to resurface. I am back to my usual, bubbly self, and feel as happy as a clam. Sure, it will be hard leaving the paycheque behind, but I get myself back, something which no paycheque would ever be able to cover.

I, however, leave with no regrets. Working at PB took a toll on my life, but I learned a lot in the 20 months I was employed there. I have become a stronger person, grown a thicker skin, and now know exactly what I want in a company, job, career.

Now it's time to leave that place behind, and move on with the rest of my life...

Turns out I didn't have any social functions last weekend, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Colin and I spent Friday finishing our Christmas shopping. Correction, I finished my Christmas shopping, it is a mystery as to whether Colin has actually started his yet or not. Yesterday when I asked him if he had done any yet, he gave me his classic maybe answer - it can mean yes, or it can mean no - after 8 years I still can't crack his code - keeps life interesting.

On Saturday we were invited over to Colin's parents' for an evening visit. We told them we'd be over after Battlestar Galactica. On the way over we planned to pop into the White Spot (near our house) for a quick dinner, then realized there was a Canucks game on, so we popped into our local pub instead (next to the White Spot), to grab some pub grub and watch the first period.

While waiting for our dinner we saw Lisa and Andrew walk in. We were completely surprised to see them, since they live no where near us. Turns out Tina had invited them over, and Lisa tried to call us earlier in the day - but couldn't get a hold of us, since Colin dropped the phone, and cut off the call.

So we spent the entire game at the Pub with Lisa, Andrew, Tina, and a couple of Tina's friends. After the game was over, when finally made our way to Richmond.

This week is proving to be very busy. I've busy at work wrapping things up before moving on. And with my ten year reunion and Christmas this coming weekend, there is no end in site to my busy schedule.

Yesterday I began the reunion primping routine. I spent nearly three hours in a salon chair last night, getting my highlights and colour touched up. Today I am going for an eyebrow wax (no fun), and a manicure (can't wait).

Tomorrow I will be finishing off last minute things for Saturday's reunion (which I'm organizing). And, I may be attending our young alum reunion later in the day (last year CHS considers me a young alum). Friday I will be taking care of more last minute things for the reunion: The reunion is Saturday; Christmas dinner on Sunday with the in-laws; Christmas dinner on Monday with my family; annual family get together on Boxing Day - Tuesday; then Wednesday - I start looking for a new job...

Merry Christmas.

Party on Wayne...

'Tis the season for... partying. Every year, when December rolls around, my social calendar fills up, and this year is certainly no exception:

Dec 8: DPhiE Vancouver Alumnae Association Christmas Party
Dec 9: Baby shower & Tina and Mark's annual gingerbread party
Dec 14: Planet Bingo Christmas party (going, because it's also my send off party)
Dec 21: CHS Young Alum Reunion
Dec 23: CHS Grad 96 Reunion (tea in the afternoon, drinking in the evening)
Dec 24: Xmas Even - dinner with the Blackstocks
Dec 25: Xmas - dinner with my parents
Dec 26: Boxing Day - Poole/Jaye family annual luncheon
Dec 31: NYE - no party yet, but there's never a shortage of choices

So far, next weekend is wide open, but I'm sure that will change...

...party on Garth

Snow

Ok, so I’m a week late writing this as the thaw has begun, but you can’t really be a blogger/writer in Vancouver and not write about the insane weather of November, especially this past week.

November 2006 will definitely go down as the wackiest weather month ever in the history of Vancouver. I would like to see something crazier than what we have just been through (actually I wouldn’t, because that could spell real trouble). It was the wettest November on record; tonnes of flooding; a boil water advisory that lasted nearly two weeks; and then came the snow. A few feet dumped on Vancouver alone; daytime highs of minus 5, with a wind chill factor of minus ten; and the snow wouldn’t melt; hell there’s still snow outside… But I’m glad it’s beginning to disappear. After busing all last week, I am happy to be behind the wheel of my car again.

For the most part busing wasn’t too bad, just the Wednesday commute home – it took me 90 minutes; it took an hour to get from Main Street to Oak Street. I could have walked it in 20 minutes, but when you’re waiting for the bus for so long, by the time you think about walking, you don’t, because, according to Murphy’s Law, the bus will arrive.

I bused to work on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday last week. I was home sick on Tuesday (most likely caused by waiting for buses in –10 degree weather), and had my flex on Friday. I finally dug my car out of two feet of snow on Thursday evening, so I could drive to my final Polynesian dance class of the year. The roads weren’t bad at all, but parking was a different story. The roads were completely clear, but that snow has to go somewhere right? I had fun trying to parallel park in a two-foot snowdrift. I was successful, and didn’t get stuck.

Friday was a hectic, but fun day: woke up; applied for a couple of jobs; looked at the clock and realized I was meeting Chantal in an hour, so I quickly had a shower, got ready and booked it to Oakridge. We had lunch at the Whitespot and then wandered around the mall. Afterwards we returned to my apartment and rented John Tucker Must Die. It’s one of those movies you have to rent/see with your girlfriends, cause god knows your husband isn’t going to watch it with you.

Shortly after Chantal left I headed over to North Vancouver to spend the evening with Thalia and Todd. We ordered in pizza for dinner and rented Syriana – extremely good movie.

On Saturday Colin and I went over to my parents’ to pick up our Christmas decos and drop the bomb that I was resigning from Planet Bingo. Actually it wasn’t so much of a bomb, as my wanting to resign from Planet Bingo is nothing new.

We were invited to stay for dinner, and watch the hockey game – Vancouver won!
We erected the Christmas tree Saturday night – so far the cats haven’t pulled it down, but Tiki was showing real interest in the ornaments this morning.

Yesterday I had my first skate of the season – Colin and I met Tina, Warren, Mark, Greg, Stephanie, Bjorn and Vivian at Kerrisdale Arena for an afternoon skate.

After skating I returned to North Van for my monthly book club meeting. We were supposed to discuss Portraits in Sepia by Isabel Allende, but instead ending up watching John Tucker Must Die.

What are the odds?

My Life Soundtrack

...stolen from Lisa's blog...

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?

So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player,iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend your cool... its rather interesting!

Opening Credits:-----> Spice Up Your Life - Spice Girls
Waking Up:----> All Star - Smash Mouth
First Day of school:----> Doctor Doctor - UFO
Falling In Love:---> Golden Slumber - The Beatles
Fight Song:----> And She Was - The Talking Heads
Breaking Up:----> Hey Joe - Jimi Hendrix
Life:----> Come Together - The Beatles
Mental Breakdown:----> Spirit in the Sky - Norman Greenbaum
Driving:---> Stayin' Alive - The BeeGees (totally appropriate for driving the streets of Vancouver)
Getting back together:---> Yesterday - The Beatles
Wedding:---> Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds
Birth of Child:----> Nights in White Satin - The Moody Blues
Divorce:-----> Everyone Have Fun Tonight - Wang Chung
Final Battle:----> Land Down Under - Men at Work
Death Scene:----> For Your Love - The Kinks
End Credits:----> Maple Leaf Rag - Scott Joplin