8 Items or Less, Please

I don't know if any of you have been to Superstore since they started renovating. I just popped in today and was saddened to see they have changed some of the signage. I specifically went to the far end just to get a giggle over their health food aisle because one of the signs used to read "Glutton Free". Now its back to just plain ol' "Gluten Free". Guess those celiacs are allowed to eat as much as they want again.

Late

I hate being late.
It gives me a sick feeling in my stomach, and I get all panicky...its vaguely the same feeling I get when I drink coffee, which would be why I don't drink it anymore!
Yesterday I started my orientation at Overlander. I'd never been there before, but it looked very straight-forward on google map. I even gave myself 10 more minutes than I thought I'd need to get there.
Well guess what, I'm absolutely horrendous with getting lost. As in I can get lost between point A and point B on a straight road. I found Overlander no problem. And then I promptly walked right past the main entrance by accident, and began wandering the grounds thinking, "Where the heck am I?" and "Why is this so hard to find?".
I ended up walking straight into one of the living room areas at the back of the facility, turning on my heel and walking right back out, and then ending up at a completely different building. I thought the sign said Overlander Administration, but apparently that was for something else. I went to some kind of Ministry of such-and-such building, and was completely surprised when my friend Steve opened the door for me. Apparently he works there or is training or something...I was very confused. He said he saw my car (probably saw me wandering around like a dweeb, too) and pointed me in the right direction. Which was basically right beside where I parked.
To get to the point, I was late for my first day of orientation, and the worried anxious feeling has not gone away yet. I keep getting little panicky lurches, and frantically searching for the nearest clock to make sure I'm not late again today!

And now I bid you a fond farewell until later this week. I am beginning a work marathon starting at 11. I go straight from work to my cleaning job, then home to sleep for not-enough-hours, then getting up at 5am to work at Overlander again. Then cleaning again at 6pm. Then working at 6am. Fun times!

Hopefully it will go by fast.

Week End

Well, my 60+ hr workweek is over at last!
It actually went by really fast...I didn't even have time to think. Just eat, sleep, and work. Sometimes I had to cut back on the first two :P
This week will be a little less hectic, since tomorrow is free minus a couple hours cleaning in the evening, and I'm only scheduled to work four days (so far) at my new job. Then payday!!! Which will hopefully make it all worthwhile.

Ps. Let it be known that my mom's cat, Buddy, is a freakish animal with a weird obsession with crinkly plastic. I hate it. I just discovered that he pulled out a bunch of wrappers and tags and stuff from my garbage and dragged it all over my floor. UGH. Going to bed now. I'm too tired to deal with him, or even write a blog post that makes any sense. Goodnight.

Day 5 and Counting

Well, my first week at my new job is almost over! I actually have been scheduled to come in tomorrow at noon, as well. Day 6! Its been a while since I've worked so much, but I have to say so far I am enjoying it. There are nice things about working part-time, but I was pretty sick of looking for things to occupy myself with, and feeling like I was wasting precious $-making time these past few months. Soooo...its good to be busy.

It has been a big workload with continuing my part-time cleaning job on top of this new job, and I'm beginning to feel like I don't have time to keep up with LIFE...so I don't know how long I'm going to last as far as that goes.

My training has been going well, and I'm finally starting to "get it". I managed a lot of my "training" shift without much/any supervision, and I'm beginning to learn my way around the hospital.

At first I was a little freaked out to find out that we deliver the food to the patients' beside, because lets face it...when it comes to hospitals and illness and people in hospital gowns, I'm really, really wimpy. Hospitals freak the crap out of me, actually. I'm over my initial shock though, and now I just I never want to be admitted to the hospital. Ever. Not even to have a baby.

The ladies I work with are mostly 20+ years older than me, and pretty hilarious. As the one other girl my age put it, working here "is like being in a big chicken coop". Complete with squawks, squabbles, and a pecking order. Most of them are pretty funny, but I know that I'm going to have to catch myself from falling into their habits of gossiping, complaining, and talking about nothing but what's on sale at the grocery store.

Anyway, I do not have to clean tonight, so the evening is my own for the first time this week! I have some things to do, so this post is going to end now. Hope all you bloggy friends are doing well, I've missed doing my regular daily readings!
Until later-

A Quick Hello

Hello blog readers!

I haven't forgotten you! Here is a quick update:

*My computer is back up and running, though its not quite what it was. There is still much to be done.

*To be honest I enjoyed having a break from computers in general. It was kind of freeing somehow. I'm having mixed feelings about getting it back. Weird.

*Daylight Savings...is a terrible, terrible, idea. I think it should be discontinued. Today.

*My car is having issues. I talked briefly with my friend who looked at it for me today. Sounds like it could be quite bad. Or it could be ok...but, pessimist that I am...my gut is telling me I'll be hearing from Bad News Betty soon. And she'll be grinning from ear to ear. I don't like Bad News Betty. She is not my friend.

*I went to the first wedding of the year, today! Please notice my updated tally.

*8pm Monday morning I begin my job at the hospital...nervous and excited! Mostly I am dreading the daily parking space battle. Anyone know where I can get free parking downtown, that is close to the hospital?? That is assuming I have a car to park.

*I am really, utterly, exhausted right now. I am going to bed now. At 8:35 pm. It is sad, and it is true. But considering that its actually sort of 9:35 pm, that makes it a teensy bit better. Also the fact that I will be getting up much earlier this week, and my brain will tell me its even earlier than the clock reports...I think I better stock up on sleep while I can.

*Goodnight.

Viruses, Books, and Scrubs

I'm sorry I've been so neglectful of my blog this past week!
Besides having no ideas, my computer has been laying down the hate on me. It got a virus, and then a day after that was fixed (thanks to my awesome brother, Paul!) a blue screen popped up and wouldn't let me on...my Dad tells me that windows needs to be reinstalled or something. Its all gibberish to me. So, at the moment, I am without a computer of my own...I have to bum off everyone else (when they aren't on theirs...which is not as much time as you might think!)
I don't know when this problem will be resolved.

In the meantime, I've gone to library and taken out a whole bunch of books on WWII to occupy myself. I even reread Things We Couldn't Say and sniffled my way through the last chapter. I don't usually cry over books, but that one pulls my heart strings. Its up for loan again if you're interested!

I also have some great news!
I am officially employed by the hospital in food services! Its such a relief to have a job again! I am on-call to begin with, but by the sounds of it I will be getting a lot of hours. Next Monday I begin with my orientation, and then I'm going to be training in all the different positions. I'm always a little nervous starting new jobs because there is so much to remember, but I'm sure in a month or two I will be totally fine.
I am also hoping to keep my cleaning job, seeing as I will never work past 8pm at the hospital, which still leaves time open in the evening to do my 3/4 hours at the office.
I'm excited to finally be able to do some serious saving for school, though I don't know how long I'll be able to keep up 11-12 hours work days! I guess its just making up for these months of slacking off!

Katie and I went shopping for my scrubs yesterday, which was fun! I've secretly always wanted scrubs, but I never had any reason to buy them, and I never, ever, EVER, expected to be working in a hospital...seeing as I have a debilitating fear of them. I think I'll be ok in the cafeteria though.

Anyway, that's what's new...I'll try and be good about blogging, but after next week I make no promises. I might not be as frequent as I have been these past months when I had nothing to do all day!

I Yam What I Yam...

This story begins with a problem.

The problem was this: I love yam fries, but I do not like the way they are often served.

Whenever I buy them in restaurants they come deep-fried with chipotle mayo.

When deep-fried, the wonderful sweet natural flavor of the yams is completely covered in the taste of the frying oil. I don't notice as much with regular fries, probably because they have a much milder flavor in general, but with the yams I always get a bit grossed out.
Especially with how greasy they are. I feel sick after eating them.

And I don't know why, but chipotle mayo is the staple dip to go with it. I guarantee if you order yam fries anywhere, they will serve a side of this weird stuff. The first time I was ok with it. And then I got really sick of it. It was just too much weird slippery savory stuff, combined with the greasy fries.

Yam fries deserve better.
Much better.
I feel very strongly about this.
So I began to think of how to do them justice.

At last, as I lay in bed one night consumed with my love for yam fries, it came to me.

Lime.

Yam and Lime. Sweet and Sour.

This could be good.

Yesterday I got the opportunity to experiment, so I did.
And I loved it.

Here's what I did.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cut a large yam into thin fries. The thinner the better, because it will cook faster. And the sooner they bake, the sooner you can eat them.
But if you're more a wedge person, go for it, I admire you for your patience.

Make sure the yam is nice and dry before you lightly toss it in oil (I used olive oil), and give it a good bit of pepper. NO SALT...yet.

Now...if you are feeling especially adventurous, get out the curry powder!
YES...trust me, it is going to be delicious. If you are a spice person, make your own mix. I just used the pre-mixed curry we had on hand. Because I'm lazy. And mixing curries can be hard.

Throw in quite a bit. I just eyeballed it, but what I thought was a lot turned out to be a very mild flavor, so you can afford to go a little crazy here.

Now after those yummy yammy fries have been tossed well, throw them on a baking sheet. Its best if they are well spread out and not touching each other. You don't want any moisture to be trapped anywhere, because then your fries will get steamed, not baked. Remember Julie and Julia? "Don't crowd the mushrooms!" Its the same principle with the fries.

Now put them in the oven. They're going to be there for a while...30-45 minutes. I know...it seems an eternity.

While you pine away for them, make yourself some Lime Aioli!

Aioli is really just a fancy name for a flavored mayo, meant to intimidate and impress. At least that's the conclusion I've come to.

Now, if you are like me you can scoff at that name and whip out your eggs, oil, and lime juice and whisk away...

And then when the emulsion breaks (twice), come to the realization that you really can't remember the basics you learned at school last year. And reflect on how sad that is.

And then you can pull out the Hellman's Mayonnaise in your fridge, and mix a small amount (however much you think you will eat with all those fries) with a fresh squeezed lime, lime zest, and a small amount of crushed garlic, salt and pepper and SUGAR. Tasting it and adjusting constantly is the only way to get it right, so get in there!

Now you're done!

Keep it chilled while you wait for your fries to finish. Also...don't forget to flip those little darlings now and then.

I like to cook my yams pretty long, so that they get almost yellowish, and chewy. But if you prefer, take them out right when their centers become soft.

Sprinkle as much or as little salt over them as you like.

Now enjoy your curried yam fries with lime aioli!

It sounds almost gourmet, doesn't it?
Just humor me and say yes.

They're Back

So Katie and I were having a little foot-soaking session about a week or two ago and guess what I noticed??
That's right...
The warts are back.
And there are more of them!
I can't believe this.
I have never met such stubborn warts.
And now I know the pain of getting them burned off, so I'm scared of going back in. Especially since it didn't work last time. And there are more of them.
Waaaaahhhh....

New Go-To

I love Monkey Bread.

Unfortunately I can count the number of times I've eaten it on one hand.
I guess it my fear of yeast creations that kept me from trying it. I'm not usually successful with yeast. It doesn't like me, and almost never cooperates.

But when I saw a recipe for Monkey Bread on Smitten Kitchen, my newest favorite food blog, I knew it was time...

I was worried after the first rising that my bread would be a flop.
But it turned out well...


In fact, I just can't keep my hands off it.

I don't know if it will last until the hockey game...which is what it was originally intended for.

"Settling" Down

While cleaning the other night I noticed an article in a magazine that intrigued me. It was an interview with a 40-year-old woman, a single mother via anonymous sperm donor, who had written an essay (& eventually a book) called "Marry Him!".

Lori Gottlieb makes a case for ditching the tall, dark, and handsome ideal women hold out for, and settling for "Mr Good Enough".

When I got home I looked up the article to read it for myself. You can find it here.

If you have the time, please do read it, as she makes a lot of different points, and its not quite as cut & dry as I've summarized :)
This is a couple years old, so maybe you've read it already.

Now while she admits that she writes as a woman whose biological clock is ticking, what she is saying is, "Don't fall for the lies I fell for! Marry someone who will be a good husband and father while you are young, because the longer you wait, the fewer your options are going to be. There is no such thing as a 'soulmate'...don't wait for someone who will sweep you off your feet: Mr Right doesn't exist!"

Feminists and Romantics alike do not take kindly to her message. After all, it flies in the face of everything we have been taught since we are little girls. We are princesses who are waiting for our prince...right? Chick flicks are made from the idea that we are fated to meet The One. And if we haven't met him yet or don't meet him at all...well, we won't settle for anything less because we deserve better! Besides, we have our fulfilling careers, and like Lori, we don't have to be in any kind of relationship to be a mother and have a family.

Lori advises against ruling out a potential because he doesn't measure up to your Dark Eyed Ideal. Like the bitter old Mrs. Harmon Andrews of Avonlea, she's merely stating that, "Its the over particular girls that get left". Checklists may leave you alone and lonely. This is nothing new.
It shouldn't come as a surprise that there is no "Perfect Guy" out there, because who of us is perfect? If I am not a Perfect Girl, why should I expect a Perfect Guy? We will each have our quirks and annoying habits or mannerisms. And most definitely we will both have serious flaws...
So don't hold out for a "10/10" when we ourselves don't even rate that high. "'Settle' for an 8/10", she says. "Because you'll find you are not really settling at all."

Ok, that makes sense to me. But she goes on to talk about romance.

"When we’re holding out for deep romantic love, we have the fantasy that this level of passionate intensity will make us happier. But marrying Mr. Good Enough might be an equally viable option, especially if you’re looking for a stable, reliable life companion."

"...realize that marriage ultimately isn’t about cosmic connection—it’s about how having a teammate, even if he’s not the love of your life, is better than not having one at all."

Now, I can understand her line of thinking. I'm even inclined to agree with most of it. But if I'm going to be very honest here, I've always harbored the idea there is only one person out there for me. The One, Mr. Right, a soulmate, if you will.
Do you think it is possible that you choose your own soulmate?* Is choosing a husband (or wife) really just a matter of deciding who would be a good 'team-mate'? Its not a matter of pre-destination, its a matter of choosing someone compatible, and sticking to your choice?

"I would say even if he’s not the love of your life, make sure he’s someone you respect intellectually, makes you laugh, appreciates you … I bet there are plenty of these men in the older, overweight, and bald category (which they all eventually become anyway)."

I'm not fretting about running out of time and ending up with someone old enough to be my grandfather because I'm out of options.I'm just curious.
Obviously this makes sense on one hand. To marry someone you need to be able to work well together, and respect them. That will be the glue that holds you together. But should a person rule out romance as a factor altogether? My gut (which is very reliable) says "Duuuuhhh! No." but that could also be all the Jane Austen fiction I've been reading, which tells me Mr. Knightley will come at the right moment, and we'll live so happy ever after that there is no need to write a sequel.

"Once you’re married, it’s not about whom you want to go on vacation with; it’s about whom you want to run a household with. Marriage isn’t a passion-fest; it’s more like a partnership formed to run a very small, mundane, and often boring nonprofit business. And I mean this in a good way."

Ms. Gettlieb had never been married at the time she wrote this article, and as far as I know she is still unmarried. So while she may write a whole lot about marriage, I'm wondering how accurate it can be. I think she makes a lot of solid points...there is no perfect man out there, and the criteria for a husband does not necessarily include a chiseled jaw and piercing gaze. He might even have a double chin, and pick his nose.

But does it make sense to date someone who you are not romantically attracted to (I think I remember the Boundless Show doing a spot on this)? Should you wait and hope this develops in time? How long should you wait? Are the other more practical qualities more important? Is stability really the main requirement in a marriage? Doesn't that sound a bit mercenary?

Alright I know there are a lot of you married women reading this blog, and you are my most faithful commenters, so I'm counting on you to weigh in! But I also want the thoughts of my single unmarried friends...don't be afraid!






*Ok, wildly nerdy analogy here...I just can't resist. If you've read Harry Potter, all I'm gonna say is...Neville Longbottom could've been the Chosen One...HA!

12 Years Later

RULES:
1. Put your MP3 player, iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Tag at least 10 friends
5. Have Fun!


IF SOMEONE SAYS 'ARE YOU OKAY' YOU SAY?
Tension & Thrill- Sleeping at Last

I’m sure they’ll understand.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF
Different Names For The Same Thing- Deathcab for Cutie

Heh heh heh…I guess that’s what it comes down to.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
I Remember- Damien Rice.

Ya, I’m not really a 50 First Dates kinda girl.

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Manic- Whitfield

:D

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Ache- James Carrington
Uh…let’s hope not.

WHAT'S YOUR MOTTO?
Porcelain- Moby
Its profound, guys, ok? If you don’t understand, well…that’s not my fault.

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Holes to Heaven- Jack Johnson

My angelic personality, I suppose.

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Quicksand- Sleeping at Last

Care to share, Mom?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
A Little Love- Meaghan Smith

Wow, that’s incriminating!

WHAT IS 2 + 2?
No More Running Away- Air Traffic

Dang…I hate math.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Lost?- Coldplay

Not that I knew of…

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Give a Little Love- Noah and the Whale

It is? Oh, I think I’ve been reading the wrong book. That explains a lot.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Such Great Heights- The Postal Service

But its never gonna happen. I stopped at 5’3” long ago…

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Unwritten- Natasha Bedingfield

Someone else can interpret this one.

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Plain English- Athlete

None o’ that high-flutin’ mumbo jumbo at MY wedding!

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
High Horses- The Swell Season

I hope that’s not trying to tell me something…

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
She’s Got You High- Mumm-Ra

For the record...I don’t smoke, k?

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
The Scientist- Coldplay

I guess if it was a MAD scientist, I would be afraid.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Tornado Cutie- Whitfield

I got nuthin.

WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?
Grey Room- Damien Rice

No, I like the brown, thanks...

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Over My Head- The Fray

Except for Katie. She’s shorter than I am.

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
12 Years Later- James Newton Howard

1920's Party

As I mentioned before, one of the first discoveries I made at our 1920's Murder Mystery on Friday night was not a dead body...but a dead battery. My camera's battery.
So alas, I do not have any pictures...but a few can be found on Rebekah's Blog, and I'm sure most of you have checked out the ones on Facebook too.
Enjoy!

haha...by the end of the night, my "bob" hairstyle was disintegrating...

Seen It

So I guess its pretty much official now, that everyone has seen Avatar. Cuz I finally went to watch it last night, and I'm fairly certain that until that point I was the only person on planet earth that hadn't seen it.

I work every night except Friday and Saturday, so you'd think that would work out ok going to watch movies with your friends, but things didn't pan out that way for me. All my friends and family went to see it on a night when I couldn't, so I've been biding my time to go with someone who hadn't seen it yet either. Well, its been out for 2 months now, I think...and I was beginning to worry that I wouldn't get a chance to see it at all before it went out of theaters.

So when Katie offered to go see it with me, I jumped at the chance. We arrived a half hour early, and the theatre was already filling up....crazy! When the lights came on at the end of the show, it was full.

Apparently the movie is like 3 hours long...which is hard to believe, because it flew by. I usually have a very short attention span when it comes to movies. Anything over 2 hours, and I'm wiggling in my seat and looking at the clock. But this was a pretty captivating movie...I could watch it again today.

I loved the 3D animation! It just takes the movie to a whole new element of realism...you feel like you are actually there in the room with them! I loved it, and definitely hope to see more movies in 3D (Clash of the Titans, anyone?).

There weren't any real surprises in the story, but that is forgivable since it is well-told, and the characters are very interesting and believable.

And if anyone has gone to see this movie and didn't walk out wanting to be a big blue cat-like alien that can ride flying dinosaur creatures, and live in a glowing forest, hissing when threatened, and leaping nimbly through the trees....well, I don't know what to say...

'Cause I sure did.

Sneak Peek

Last night was Roarin' success! The only downer? My camera batteries were DEAD!
So as I am currently up waaay too early, this is all you get for now.
Can you see me?

The Day Approaches...

Shopping for my Flapper costume has been mostly successful with the exception of finding a long rope of pearls (cheap).
I was very pleased and impressed with myself when I bagged a NEW 20's style dress and cloche hat (the only 2 must-haves on my list) for about $15, within an hour of beginning my quest.
I "splurged" on one accessory, bought some cheap cosmetics at the dollar store, and I'm planning on crafting another accessory tomorrow...we'll see how it works out.
I didn't get what I wanted as far as shoes, but considering my good luck elsewhere, I won't complain too much.
Having said that...if you own some pearls (any length), or some close-toe shoes with heels, about size 6....you are my new best friend. Mind if I borrow them?

I just did a little test-run on my makeup, with the dress and hat...this is gonna be good, folks. We have a plan for a little photo-shoot tomorrow, so I'll definitely be putting up pictures when I can.

Its really kind of ridiculous how excited I am about this murder mystery...!

Sunny Day

On a day like today its impossible NOT to go outside
and watch the last bit of snow melt awayunder the glare of the sun.

To wonder at things big...

and small...
close...
and far away.
But most of all wonder, how can this be February?


And jump for joy because it is.

My "Secret" Obsession

I have been invited to a Murder Mystery dinner party for this Friday. Its 1920's themed, and I can no longer suppress my wild excitement!
I have always taken a huge (nerdy) interest in the styles and cultures of bygone days, not to mention "dressing up" was one of my favorite pastimes as a kid.
Social Studies was one of my best-loved subjects in school, and as a teen I was frequently planning themed costume parties or short dramas. Any excuse to wear a costume would do!


As a result of this invitation, I've been plotting my costume, makeup, hairstyle, and googling anything/everything 1920's.It was really a remarkable time in history-- there was so much going on, and (North) American culture was changing at a breakneck pace.
The woman's role in society was undergoing a huge change-- they had just won "the vote" and felt a new confidence and independence due to managing the country while their men were at war just a short time previous. The new generation discarded their heavy, constrictive clothing and shocked their elders with shapeless, "revealing" dresses, bobbed hair, and plenty of dramatic makeup (applied in public-- oh my!).

They were shocking, free-spirited, and the world was their oyster. What an exciting time it must have been!

I know the murder mystery will be a fantastically fun night! I only wish I could learn to dance the Charleston as well as these girls have :)

Happy Valentines

What better way to celebrate than with chocolate and vanilla cupcakes with lots of icing?

All works of art by Jill and Katie.

They were deeeelicious :)

Good Things Come...

This was supposed to arrive on Monday.

I was getting anxious that there had been some sort of mix-up and it wouldn't come at all.

But I waited patiently, thinking that it might just be late because its an American company, and I live in Canada.

I think that's probably what happened.

Last night I felt especially antsy, and I was going to blog my impatience to the world.
Then I thought, It will probably come tomorrow. I have a feeling.

It came today.

It looks so small when I consider everything that I have put into this.


But now at least, I have something to show for that year of my life.

Guess I better get started on the backpacking Ireland scrapbook....

Oodelally.

Stuck in My Head

Still sick...no sore throat, and nose is basically fine...I just feel like I was hit by a bus, that's all.

So, while I laid in bed yesterday, these songs were running through my head, over and over, and OVER...

Maybe this is what I need to cure me of that.



The last two can't be embedded, so click the links here and here to watch/listen...

Why are music videos so weird? And is a prerequisite to be stunningly beautiful to be a performer? Well anyway, they're fun to watch.