Did I mention that I love Holt Renfrew!!

I have this thing for very expensive accessories, especially Burberry scarves!! So when I was driving into Calgary yesterday to attend Max's staff Christmas party I heard that Holt Renfrew was having a sale. YAY!!! So I went there today and it was like a dream!! I found a virtually one of a kind scarf there. Not only that but now I have it in Max's head that Tiffany Diamonds are the best!! ;)

An update because it's just been too damn long!!!

Well, let me see where to start. Ahhhh I started working my dream job at the beginning of November. I love it, learning tons and I can see this as being eternally challenging because no case is ever the same, that is what you get when you're working with human nature!!

We finally moved into our house!! It's nice to be out on our own but it's a bit of an adjustment because to be truthfully honest regular everyday stuff confuses the daylights out of Max, so I basically take care of everything and make Max do the little stuff!! We still haven't unpacked and half the basement is still covered in cardboard. Eventually we will get this stuff all cleared up. The computer room still looks like a cyclone hit it. One of these days I keep telling myself. Probably next weekend sometime. I am also in the process of decorating for Christmas and it's kinda funny because I have this old time country snowman thing happening with dashes of modern blue and sliver going on as well, it sort of works, in a way!!

But yay!! We finally did it! We've got our own place!!!

Whew! What a day!!

Today has got to be marked down in history as an awesome day!!

I got served breakfast in bed!! Tim Hortons!! Yay!! I didn't even have to coax Max to do this either, nice!

So we went into Red Deer to celebrate with a friend, her son's second birthday! We stopped by to pick something out because you can't show up to a party without something. I found the absolutely perfect gift, Max ended up finding stuff for our niece for Christmas, bonus! So anyways we ended up finding out that they are putting an Eddie Bauer in the mall, which is awesome for Max because he wears that stuff all the time!! He was actually excited about it!!

So we arrived to the party late but just in time for the cake, vegan cake to boot!! It was totally awesome, I think I could give up some meat, I think!! So we hung out at the pool, the waterslide at the Collicut Center is totally killer!! I can't believe how fast that thing was. I can't wait to have kids!

So after the party I decided that we should go and check out the house. They have installed the cabinets!! YAY!!!! So it is only a matter of time until we will be able to move in, Max has it nailed to 20 days. I think that November of this year is going to be more stressful than last November!!

Wow!

Today was a good day here in the city of Edmonton. Drivers were nice and courteous. And the shopping..... oh my god. I think that I have spent way too much money as of late. I ended up finding three pairs of shoes!!! I can't complain things are getting better. I only have another week here! And then it's time to concentrate on the move!!

My debate rages on...

do I really hate Edmonton or does Edmonton hate me??

I went out in search of sushi tonight, had the route planned out and everything. I got lost!!!! Luckily I was able to find my way to West Ed. I didn't get sushi but I did get something to eat. I don't think that I am going to venture out anywhere else!! I am getting tired of getting constantly honked at!! I do know the rules of the road, I don't get honked at anywhere else I have ever driven, which has lead me to conclude that Edmonton drivers aren't the nicest bunch.

I am so not into staying in hotels!! Or in Edmonton!!

It's obvious that I haven't completely gotten over the three months that I lived in a hotel in Saskatoon. Everything seems to bug me, especially my neighbours, who have a baby, and it cries and it cries!! And the mother has this coughing thing, which the first night here drove me nuts!! I have been reduced to taking two ativan before bed just to make sure that I get some sleep. I am also pretty sure that there was a domestic here last night because I remember something about loud voices fighting. So basically when I check out of here for the weekend I am going to make it abundantly clear that I want to stay on a different floor that isn't this one!!

I am trying to make myself get out and about in Edmonton but it just hasn't happened yet! I am having a hard time with this is as well... for example imagine how frustrating this is... I go to the local grocery store in search of just one 500 ml of pop, you would think that a large grocery store would carry such a thing.... ahhh nope. So I ended up going to a really really creepy liquor store and bought a 2L for $2.50! I am really trying to like Edmonton but I just don't think that it is a happening thing!!

Maybe tomorrow!!

On the road again!

Well here I am on the road again. Luckily this time it's within the same province. I am still trying to figure out if that is a good thing or not. This time last year I was preparing for 3 months in Saskatoon, which could be basically summed up as "character building". This time I am in Edmonton for what would seem to be something like three weeks. There are some contrasting differences. One of which is that work is actually funding this, which is really really nice, second of which is that I could eat chinese food every night and it wouldn't make a difference because I get a decent amount for a meal allowance. The hotel.... ummm it's good and bad! At one point tonight I had eight... that's right EIGHT pillows on my bed, which made me feel like I was floating on a cloud, except for the fact that the mattresses are rock hard. There's some give to them but not a whole hellva lot!! How meeting up with the drunk/strung out prostitute in the elevator was a little scary. She was drunk because the elevator smelled like vodka and I am assuming she was strung out. But for being in the middle of city it's pretty quiet, I am surprised, however the only thing that is keeping me up is who ever is the room next to me because every once and a while someone is yelling profanities and someone else is coughing up a lung. Oh I wish I could sleep! I think I have to go to walmart tomorrow and get something.... be it some caffine pills or a new duvet!!

Vacation from blogging!

Wow this is totally unlike me to not post something for a whole month. It's been a bit crazy as of late!! Right now honey and I are still living in limbo here at mom's. Grrrr. Thanks to our wonderful booming economy and that overwhelming need for instant gratifcation, the completion of our house is not set to be complete until November 16th, which ironically enough is my late father's birthday. I don't want to read into that one if you know what I mean. But needless to say the last month has been nothing but endless trips to Costco, Linens n Things, and Walmart, trying to get everything we need for the house. We can barely move around in the basement with all the boxes of stuff that we packed or bought within the last month. I've gone ahead and packed too much because I have now had to go back and unpack a few things that I need because I am getting sent off to Edmonton on yet another course, but happily this time it is actually what I really really want to do. I can't wait, I have been reading over stuff from my last course which barely touched on the topic matter of which I love so dearly. But I am excited and I can't wait. The only major downers are that my cheque that was supposed to fund the trip hasn't come in yet, and there is no word yet on what happens when I come back from course. All I know is that I have every reason to be cautious!

Ahhh some time off!!

Yay I have a week off, which means many many things this time around. One of which means that I can work some serious overtime which I did last weekend. I worked over 32 hours during the long weekend. Nice cash eh!?! It also means that I am going to have some time off, which I need, the last three days I have gotten a little burnt out at work. I don't like working posts that I am not familiar with, I am not aware of all the ins and outs and it's one of those things that I don't want to screw up because that could have some serious consequences!! Clusterfuck describes how I felt coming home the last couple of nights. Plus this week it's one of those things I can start to serious packing and getting ready to move. We now have insulation and I have a feeling that we will have drywall coming soon, very very soon!

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY... I GET TO SLEEP IN!!!

I love Tori Amos!

When I was 14 I discovered Tori Amos. I thought that she was so cool and I wanted to have red hair just like her. At one point I did too!! Much to the chigrin of my parents... it washed out in a week!! It left me with some awesome red highlights. Anyways this is in reference to an earlier post about Hollywood poptarts. Tori wrote a little ditty, that well exudes common sense!!

Sometimes I really wonder why I was born here in Alberta.

Mum and I went to Red Deer yesterday to buy furniture for our new house. We get possession sometime in October. Anyways we were heading home on the good ole QEII and all of a sudden things slow down, right down to a crawl. Traffic is backing up and it turns out that someone lost their pull-along trailer. It didn't look really bad but it sure did back up traffic. So mum and I get back into town and we're listening to the radio and all these callers saying that the highway is getting pretty backed up, however one gentleman put it in a perspective that would be easy for anyone to comprehend: "Holy shit is it ever bunged up here!! It's bunged right up, you're not going anywhere!!"

Yeah I love livin' in redneck country!!

Keeping busy and out of trouble!!

I am back on 12 hour shifts for now which is sooo nice, I get a week off every five weeks!!! I've just come off of nights and ready to take on what is shaping up to be a very busy weekend.

We finally settled on another house. The whole townhouse thing in Airdrie fell through, which has worked out better because we are actually getting a house now with a yard and get this.... out our front window is going to be a man-made lake!! We're going down tomorrow to pick out colors, and then on Sunday we are going to buy furniture. We're hoping to have possession October 1st that way I can use my week off to move in!

Yay!

I wanna go to Med School!

Watching the news tonight and there was a story about a group of med school students at the U of A who did a video remix of Justin Timberlake's SexyBack, it was some sort of cardio arhythmia thing. Watching that and some of the other Med Show stuff available on YouTube made think that damn, I wanna go to Med School. Not only would it be a cool job, but it will have a guaranteed profession, I will always have work.

Ahhhh but then again it's one of those things, the job that I am working right now has that exact gurantee. Plus it's interesting. I have learned so much about human behaviour.

But damn I would look good in a white lab coat and scrubs!! How I miss wearing scrubs!!

Finally some rain!!

Ahhhhh I love the rain. It was nice to see some rain tonight, I hope that tomorrow will be that nice rain where it deems it possbile just to curl up and read a good book. It's been a long time since I've done that! Here's hoping I can finish Harry Potter tomorrow.

Any more drama ...

and I am going to insist that MTV starts to pay me a wage!!

So the drama continues with our place in Airdrie. The developer wants money, the bank doesn't want to give it just yet. Uggghhhh. So that means that we might have to pull out and look elsewhere. Good thing we didn't buy the furniture just yet!!

Now this is more like it!!

I, for one, am the happiest clam of them all. It's finally cooled off! Working last weekend in the unbearable heat was an experience that I don't want to have to repeat too often. In fact I think I lost about 5 pounds in the four days that I worked last week!!

Nothing too new. Max and I go to the bank today to sign our lives away. It's got the both of us rather edgy. I didn't help matters much when I came home last night with some furniture quotes. "Do we really need a second dresser??" Ah yeah!! I think Max has somehow forgotten that we have outgrown our current closet and two dressers. It's one of those things that the furniture we will be getting will last us for about 10-15 years. It's money well spent, I don't imagine that our cars will last us that long, and we paid more for them!!!

But for now I think that I am going to head back to bed for a mid-morning nap, that way I will be refreshed for when we have to go to the bank and intital hundreds and thousands of papers, I wonder if anyone has yet to come up with a paper-less mortgage??

I am getting sick of Hollywood Pop Tarts!!

What a sad sort of society that we have become. First it was Paris Hilton and the drama that followed with her ins and outs with the LA County jail. Really... how hard is it to have a 30 day timeout? I really wonder why on earth it took her nearly a year to be punished for her crime? Why not sentence her and just throw her in jail immediately. I am kinda of an all or nothing kind of girl. So why not get the mental strain of having to go through sentancing and serve the time right away instead of putting things off and letting her rack up more charges in the meantime, although a one year licence suspension is a pretty good deterent. Make her serve the time that she needed to and then make her go without a year of driving. The thing that I still can't wrap around my head is with the supposed amount of money that she makes making her "appearances" you think that she would be able to get a car and a driver out of the deal? Just an I idea to throw out there, it's yours to take it an run!!

Nicole Richie: You're bone ass skinny, pregnant and facing jail. Man I hope that they have a very good child birthing facility where you're going, because you're going to need it. Not only is this one a high risk to reoffend, come on the girl has a rap sheet listed with many things, it's not like motherhood is really going to mellow her out!! Not much to say about this one other than LOCK HER UP AND THROW AWAY THE KEY!!!

Britney Spears: If the press is hounding her as bad as she says that they are, then I really only have one thing to question:
Why on earth is she making it that way?? She goes out with no underwear and all that other shit, of course they are going to take a photograph like that. They are looking for a the downfall, you're helping them along and losing your sanity at the same time because they took a picture of you doing that.
Here's an idea, stay home. Put on a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt (oh my god how pedestrian). My theory is stay home, you have hired staff for a reason. They can do the stuff for you. If you want to take a vacation I am sure there are lots of places out there with no papparzzi, ie: Northern Saskatchewan. Kick back and let that hair grow back!!!

Last and not least, Lindsay Lohan. I am kinda bummed about this one. What ever happened to that girl who was absolutely loved because she could play tow characters in the same movie, with an accent to boot? This story has a double edged sword. Not only are we dealing with a repeat offender, but it would also appear as though Miss Lohan has an addiction as well which complicates the matter even further. Send her to jail for her various charges but also make sure that she gets some no thrills rehab going on.

My theory is that if you scare them shitless and give them the reality check that they so dearly deserve chances are they won't reoffend. How ever there might be that small chance that they are like the typical criminal... they don't learn from their mistakes, and it's going to take them a longer time to figure everything out. Sadly, however there are lots out there who will only learn one way and that is by death.

Has the blogosphere gone on summer holidays??

Wow I guess it would seem that I am the only one here who isn't on summer holidays. What's up with that?? Oh wait... that's right me and summer, we don't get along. We haven't been getting along since I was in my teens (oh shit, now I am old!). It's the sun, it fries me... kid you not, Max and I went to Greece when we were 19 and I got burn to a crisp! Don't get me wrong, I love to sit out by the lake with a cold one but the one condition is that I have to have some shade, unfortunately around here that seems like an oxymoron!!

So I guess that I will just keep blogging from here in the nice cool refuge of the basement and hope that all you sunlovers are enjoying your time because once the snow flies I will be going on my vacation! (Actually it will be in September because I think I only work a week with the time that I have booked off!!)

The heat, the relentless heat!!

Am I the only one out there who loves the rain. I mean really. I am getting really tired of this heat. The only way you're going to catch me outdoors between the hours of 11 and 4 is if I have to errands or work, otherwise I am going to be found chilling out in my nice cool basement!

To which brings about my latest obsession: Facebook! This is pretty bad and all but it's kinda nice because I have been able to catch up with alot of my old classmates from high school and heck even elementary school!! When I am on days off and I am just hanging around the house I find myself checking on Facebook at least 5 times a day!!

So here's hoping for rain! It'll be good for the wheat!

The Hills: Season 3!

I am pretty excited about this, afterall I was able to find the preview for it on youtube. I can't wait!!! It's the one show I do truly enjoy watching and I think it's because it's a guilty pleasure!! Can't wait for August for so many reasons now!!!

Reasons for my absence!!

Wow!! Summer is here!! I really have no excuse for not blogging. Actually I kinda do. Most weekends I have been suckered into working overtime, ah what the hell! Besides it helps right now. My days off have been busy, so busy that I haven't slept in for weeks now, and well it doesn't look like it is going to calm down anytime soon! Why??? We finally put a deposit down on a place in Airdrie!! We checked out a place yesterday, all four of us (mom and arlene included!)agreed that one place was totally for us. So today we sat down and started paperwork. Now I've got some footwork to do. Oh well! I am going on midnights tonight so this could be interesting. Now we just have to wait for them to break down!

A blast from the past!

I thought that I had lost this picture CD but I didn't!!

This was taken in Sweden wayyy back in September of 2005!

Have I mentioned yet how much I love my husband!

I have to admit that the last 8 months of our marriage have been gruelling. Having your spouse being unvoluntairly unemployed totally sucks. Max has been working for the past week, and it's been great, MOSTLY because he's down in the states!!! The bad part is that we haven't talked to each other in over 4 days because either I have been working overtime( tis the season) or he just simply hasn't called because he's dead tired!! He's been working more overtime than what I have! Talk about a shock to the system, he's been working anywhere's from 12-16 hour days. Oh well I think it's good for him and that all that counts, right?

I have to seriously consider a new hobby!!

Tonight after supper mom and I were both restless and wanting to get out of the house. So we both decided that we were going to head out to my mum's best friend's house. I thought that this would be a great opportunity to learn how to use my dad's old pellet gun. I had a great time, would have had a better time if I hadn't gotten eaten alive by mosquitos! Now I am thinking to myself that I have to find something to better occupy my time instead of going out to the country and shooting at a Tim Horton's coffee cup! Oh shit!!! This means that I am going to turn into a scrapbooker doesn't it. Max hates going to Micheals as it is, now everytime I say we're going into Red Deer he's going to reluctantly come!!

Blog neglect!

I feel bad for not posting lately but I have been kinda busy, and for some strange reason I apparently have developed this really bad bad habit of writing in my blog when really I should be concentrating on trying to get some decent shut eye! Afterall I have a short change in my rotation tomorrow.

Anyways been busy with work, even though I am doing 8.5 hour shifts I for some strange reason find other things to be doing as of late.

Max is doing well. He's in the middle of nowhere in Washington state. Everytime I call him at his hotel I get this guy named Moose.... I kid you not!!! This place sounds so "rusticated" that I just have to see this place!! Ohhhh I think I just renamed my blog!!! YAY!!!! He's also getting tons of overtime. I seriously thought that his body would have gone into shock by now from working so much but he's holding up remarkably well.

Well it's after midnight and I should really head off to bed so until next time....

An update!

So Max and I went for a couples message. It was rather enjoyable.... I was in pain!!! So much pain that I thought at one point I was going to puke. When it was all said and done I did feel good, I felt even better with a tummy full of deep-fried cheesecake. I felt even better when I came home to discover Max's bike parked in the foyer of the house. It's my mother's sick sense of humor, which I immediately got, however it flew over Max's head. Max got a job offer. It's not everything we hoped for but Max is really interested in them, so what the hell!

Today was his first day, and a rather eventful one at that. They were late departing for their trip this morning, and just now I got a text message that they were turned away at the border!! So he's spending the night in a hotel some where in Cranbrook. He's going to be away for three weeks!! Totally awesome for both of us!!

AND I am enjoying some time to myself, which quite frankly I've needed!!

The only thing that would make this even better would be if I could have the bed all to myself but that isn't going to be happening for a couple of days because the basement is seeping again! So much for cleaning my room ;)

Blah-de-dah!

I don't know if it's the weather or the 7 day stretches of work, but I think that I have a case of the blahs!! I think I have come up with a cure!! Max and I are going for a couples message tomorrow (wednesday). It was a bridal shower gift from Tara, and ironically enough it expires tomorrow!! It should be interesting because Max is usually one tense guy!!

What kind of image does the American justice system have now??

Well if you take the case of one Paris Hilton it's not very good!!
I don't care if the girl was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, hell it probably would have done her some good. Three days of reality is too much for Paris? I have too many comments to that one... all of which are work related, and I don't discuss work on here (only in some general terms).

The gap between the have and the have nots in America makes me sick!
What ever happened to justice and liberty for all?

Could someone please explain this to me????

How is it that for a job market that is short over 1000 engineers can overlook someone with a masters degree??? How is it that someone with a masters degree in engineering can't get a job in this current market. Will one of my faithful readers please explain this to me!!!

Out of the twenty some odd positions that Max has applied for he's gotten three replies, two were pretty blatant go and fuck yourself replies, the other one was a series of three interviews which ended with yet another go fuck yourself. This one I find really frustrating and disheartening. Here's Max all excited because he's going for his first really really big interview. Had the perfect outfit all picked out, knew where he was going in Calgary yadda yadda yadda. He comes home later that day with a sheet of paper. It's the results of the psychological testing that they performed on him. I honestly do not approve these tests but then again any good psychology student knows how to cheat on these!! It basically said that he had been unemployed for an extended period of time and was likely to make rash decision due to his predisposition of hyperactivity!! I laughed histerically for hours about that one. So anyways a few days later he gets another phone call, they want a second interview, right on!!! A week or so goes by and it just so happens that we have to got Calgary for an immigration hearing and he gets a phone call for a 3rd interview, I am thinking by this point about three things: that's good, management is really screwy, what kind of company is this?? Three interviews??? How many people out there have to go to three interviews before they are hired on??? So they tell Max that they should get back to him by Friday or early next week (Monday or Tuesday right??) Nope not these guys they waited until Wednesday to call. GRRRRR But then again had they hired him, Max was going to request that they at least give him a signing bonus for all the runaround.

So that was the last two weeks. But like I posed eariler what's going on??? I just don't understand the job market for engineers. So being the active problem solver that I am, I packed Max's mopey ass into the car and drove into Red Deer. Afterall the Service Canada office provides all sorts of job market information right??? OH MY GOD!!! We got a less than enthusiastic reception, but nonetheless Max is signed up to learn about the hidden job market tomorrow.

Today how ever was a different story. I found about 9 different staffing agencies in downtown Calgary for Max. I drove him down, he hit the pavement, and I went shopping at IKEA. Well we got some answers, which was nice, at least someone out there is willing to work with Max on getting something!! Apparently eventhough there is a insane shortage of engineers in Alberta it's a pain in the ass to get your foot in the door. And to the guy that said to Max today that he should pack up and move to Ontario or BC, did you happen to think that his wife is fully employed with a job here in Alberta, and probably makes more in a year than what he does!!

Ahhhh, gotta love days like this!

Seems although yesterday was blistering hot I thought that working today was going to be a complete and total pain in the ass. Thank god I was so wrong!!! I got to work where I enjoy working, and I was able to get out on time. AND it wasn't too hot outside to boot!!

Now I think that I am going to sneek out side to the back patio where a nice ice cold potato salad is waiting for me!!

The last chapter!!

I walked the stage today to celebrate my graduation from university. Yay!!! The funny thing is that this the first time that I have walked and well I don't remember a whole lot, I just remember hugging alot of my old profs!!! I am just glad that we were indoors, because today is scortchin!!

Has spring finally sprung??

This time last week it was debateable as to whether or not it was entirely possible that it was spring time. I think today I indeed got the confirmation. I was able to stand outside at work for over two hours in the glorious sunshine. The best part was that I didn't even get sunburnt!!

Do I want to work some overtime??

Ahhh hell yeah!!! Especially when I am getting paid to work a position higher than me AND I am getting an evening shift premium!! Good, now I don't feel so guilty for shopping with my credit card the other day!!! And there's a pretty good possibility that I could end up doing the same thing all over again tomorrow. Whoo hoo!

I am getting rather impaitent!!

I can't wait for Max to get a job. I think that I will be more excited about Max getting a job than what he will be!! I think it's because I keep looking online at houses and townhouses and I keep finding things that I like, but we can't get a mortgage without Max working. And trying to determine where we should live with all these unknowns, one of which is my roster at work. Right now as it stands our roster is supposed to change at the beginning of September, along with a hundred other things!! The thing is if I have to pratically relcoate to mom's house for alomst 5 months out of a 80 week roster because we are living in Airdrie or Calgary is that really going to make alot of sense??

Oh well!! The thing is I am still loving my job. I am looking forward to working extra hours... this means we will actually get some new furniture we do figure out where we are going live!!

Whoo Hoo!!! Max is now a permanent resident!!

Well what a day!! First off I had to work a 8 hour midnight shift which wasn`t too bad, except for the first four hours I had to be outside in the snow. I got home and was able to get about two hours worth of sleep, leap out of bed, shower and get ready to go to Calgary. The roads were a mess and I thought that we would barely make it on time!! Well by the time we got down to Airdrie things changed substantially, the pavement was dry!! We got there in plenty of time, which was good because shortly after there were at least 15 people waiting in line.

Our interview was quick, double checking of id, answering a few quick questions and voila!! Max has now got landed immigrant status!! So to celebrate I went shopping, for myself!! :) While we were shopping Max gets another phone call with a company that has already had two interviews with him, they want to see him for a third interview sometime next week!

So now I have 4 more days off, which is a good thing because I had a chunk of tooth come loose in my mouth this morning at work, which means that I am going to have to go to the dentist!

Quit beating on the dead horse already!!!

Brief warning, this may turn into a very long long rant!!

Ok, once upon a time ago I became friends with a guy. Someone who was new to town and didn't know anybody besides those who he worked with. I befriended him, well because he was a nice guy, fun to hang out with and well it was nice to have a friend in town, because most of mine from school were in Red Deer. We spent alot of time together, we even went on a trip together because he had never travelled before and thought that he might never have the chance again because he would get to caught up in his career, family etc. He also came with alot of baggage, most of which he never discussed with me, I still think that to this day he didn't trust me, which still to this day hurts. (oh my god what a huge run on sentance) Anyways thing were going good. His "adopted" family loved me because I brought him out of his shell.

So anyways about 5 years ago, our friendship came to a screetching halt. Someone, who is best described as something else (slanderous!!), started to turn him against me. How? Stockholm Syndrome I guess... Anyways, her daughter also got into the mix, and then her son. Totally screwed up! The next thing I know, the guy who I knew detested smoking, has got a two pack a day habit. And his attitude is totally different and the guy who was opening up to me is now shutting me out. His "adopted" family also bear the brunt of this as well. They are so upset and they have no choice but to kick him out. So he turns to his new "friends". They welcome him with open arms because this is exactly what they wanted. This broke my heart. Betrayal is something that I don't deal with very well, because of this I decided that I would break what ties that I could with him to spare myself, because to me there was no way to save him.

Over a year later, my dad unexpectedly passes away. Not that I expect much, but I would hope to get a phone call right?? Well I got one, three days later. I've still got a theory on that one as well. Right around that time, he quits his job after nearly 5 years of service because he was overlooked for a promotion. Truth be told, he didn't deserve it. He was no longer putting in the effort, that he once did. His friend was also asked to leave a short time later, for reasons I am not going to divulge here. I left for Europe and came back 4 months later for Christmas holiday to a whole host of rumblings about my friend, one of which saddened me. He was in debt to a sum of well over $100,000! Extortion was running through my head the entire time. Not only that but his beloved truck was left in ruins by her son.

But still to this day her daughter, who I run into very often in the this small small town, still likes to rub what salt she can into my old wounds. Like last night when I encountered her. She knows about my new job, and I think that that gets to her. (oops sorry!) Anyways, her dig last night was that he's moving back to the way he used to be. Very quiet, kept to himself, stays up all night watching tv and sleeping all day. She tells me that he hardly goes out anymore and that I should be the one to get him out more. HUH??? EXCUSE ME????

I am baffled. I am stumped. I am absolutely astounded.

Don't get me wrong... I would love to see this person happy with his life. But when a person makes a choice and can't deal with the consequences of that choice, I am afraid that I can't help them.

It's these kinds of encounters (and I have had many of them now) that totally piss me off! She helped to the make the fucken bed, but why is that I have to lie in it????

Enough said... rant over!

It's days like these!

I got up rather late this morning!! I had full intentions of getting out of bed at a rather early time so that way I could have a long nap this afternoon in preparation for working nights (yet again!). I get upstairs this morning to rain..... ugh! Oh well. So I've gone grocery shopping so that way I have a plethora of food to choose from for work. And now I am just watching Dr. Phil... girly men!!!

Thank god my husband is a sports nut!!

Enjoying some me time!!

It doesn't happen very often these days. I have time to myself. I had tons of it when I temporarily relocated to Saskatchewan against my will! Max is gone to Calgary for a second interview today. So I am hoping in a way it takes all day so I don't feel guilty if I decide that I want to get out without him.

Right now I am pretty content trying blast the neighbours out with Audioslave. And doing laundry... the way it is supposed to be done!!!

I am not making any major plans for anything for the next little while because I am going on to the one part of my rotation that I am not looking forward to... the 7-3/7-4. Work 7- 8 hour days and then get three off, work 7- 8 hour days and get 4 off. I now get to appreciate how my other co-workers in the system feel, and if they were able to vote in the 12 hour shifts they would know how I feel about getting a week off every 5 weeks! PRETTY FRICKEN AWESOME!!!

I am amazed at the human capcity of the deviant!

I enjoy going to work because, for some strange reason, it never ceases to amaze me! You would think that after a few months of this it would have worn off. But nope! It could be the simplest of things that I never would have concieved of, or the most complicated or intricate of intentions. I am learning stuff everyday that I walk in there. I haven't gained any further understanding of the deviant other than they facinate me even more.
It's one of those things that if I ever decide to do a masters thesis, I wouldn't be short of any ideas! However if I were to write a book I am pretty sure that I would be questioned as to whether or not some of these things were true because some things that happen are truly unbelieveable!

Comin out of my hole!!!

I have disappeared for a week, I didn't mean to!! I have been sick. I ended up having to take a night off from work to get some extra shut eye. But it's been a very very busy week. Max has been getting tons of great news!! We got a phone call about an interview with Immigration that's happening next week. Pretty much after our interview his Permanent Residence is approved! Max also got his new car... I took it out for a drive the other day, there's evidence on the parking pad as well. Skid marks going into the garage!! OOPS!!

Max also had a job interview this week, it went well, well enough that he meets with the VP tomorrow. So it's wait and see for now!

We're getting serious about the house searching as well, it might be one of those things that we might be moving before fall. Just going to have to wait and see. It's moving so fast, and somehow I thought that it would!!

Rolling right along with things!!

So here's the developments up until now, today Mom and I went to Calgary to get our passport done, no time like the present. We left around 6:15 this morning and hit absolute gridlock at Airport Trail. I was in complete and total shock to see that much gridlock on the Deerfoot. Not to mention taking Memorial Drive to 4th Ave. Wow I think that I need to get out more. We get downtown and the parking lot that I usually use when I take people down the passport office (becuase I do do it quite often) is now a big huge hole in the ground. So mom and I were basically stuck plunking quarters into a meter! We get into the building and there are already 40 people ahead of us, some who have been there since 6 this morning!! But all said and done, Mom and I were out of Calgary and back home by around 11:30! We can't complain. A friend of ours when sometime after Christmas in that huge rush and had to wait over 4 hours.

So when we get home I take a turn for the worse. I have been feeling a bit sick the last few days and it seems like today it caught up with me. So seems I do have the time I decided to lay down. Well it's like I slept the enitre day away. I wake up and Max says that I missed a whole host of phone calls, alot of them bearing some good news.

Max got a phone call from the immigration consultant that we hired. They were phoning to reconfirm our address, becuase they have his work visa!!!! YAY!!! We also got a phone call from the car dealership... Max's car has arrived, we don't get it just yet, it has to go in for scotchguarding and undercoating first. At least tomorrow I can go and get the paperwork finished up, get the registration and insurance so that by the time that we do get the car that we can just take the keys and go for a spin!!

The only phone call that I got was in regards to some GST thing. GRRR!

But now it's back to bed. UGGGHHHHH

They found us a car!!

I got home from running errands and found out that there was a message on the phone, they found us a 4 door Cobalt with a 5-speed transmission and we got financing!! YAY!!

Uh oh!!! I'm getting sick!!

I can feel it in my throat and one ear right now. Damn it!! But then again I was looking for an excuse to be in bed for a couple days before going back to work. Damn it!!! Oh well, I guess that I am going to go and get some orange juice, Cold FX and curl up in my pj's. I guess that I will have to go and make a doctors appointment as well. GRRRR! Maybe I can go and get some new sleep meds as well.

So much to do this week!

I have to get a hair cut.

I have to go into work to discuss a few things: one of which is what is the likelihood that I could get some time off when Max needs to leave the country for 24 hours.

I have to go down to Calgary and get my passport done... why can't Canada have a 10-year passport like the European Union?? But then again with my name change I guess it's something I can bear doing!

Hopefully we will have the new car by the end of the week so there's a bit of stuff to do with that as well.

Plus there's a trip to plan. How to leave the country for 24 hours?? We're thinking Scotland if it's cheap enough, and we're going to have guests with us if we do infact go!

There's numerous resumes and cover letters that I am going to help Max with as well. So needless to day by the time Friday night rolls around... working isn't going to such a bad thing, it will be my excuse for not getting anything else done!! Except maybe reading a book or two!

How to kill two hours on a Saturday morning!

Saturdays are usually a day of rest, a day to sleep in, to take things one little detail at a time, however this Saturday was not the case. After the good news that we recieved late last night we stayed up until the wee hours. Then this morning at something like 8:00 I get out of bed, why?? It wasn't that I couldn't sleep any longer.... oh no, it was because today was the day to shop for a new car!!

Actually it was alot of fun!! We started out in the showroom looking at an Aveo sedan. Cute but for someone who is taller than the average man... I had no headspace!! But then again this is the usual case for me anyways. We took one for a test drive and Max didn't seem so keen on it. So we took a Cobalt out, I was a bit skeptical but it wasn't a bad ride, Max seem thoughly impressed and today that is all that counted. We took yet another Cobalt out, but it was a manual coupe, just to see if he liked that one better. He liked the manual transmission but likes the thought of four doors. So we look at the online inventory, there is a red one (his color!!) and it's the only one in Alberta.... what are the chances of that. So next week I think is going to be even busier than I had anticipated, that's ok because I have the week off! Have I mentioned lately how well I like my new job!

WHOO HOO LET'S HEAR IT FOR IMMIGRATION!!!!!

We just checked Max's on-line file for immigration and found out that he has been approved in priniple for permanent residence!! This is a huge weight lifted off of both of our shoulders! Now if Max pulls the cranky act on me I can be as mean as I want to be.

It's going to be a busy week next week!!

Tomorrow can't come fast enough.

I am excited! Max is going to start test driving cars tomorrow. I think that mom and I have convinced him that we should just take the leap and buy a new one, that is if we can get a new one at the right price!! But then again mom is coming with us, we should be in good hands, plus we've got our trusty car salesman, with us as well. If you got any hint or tips for me, leave a message!!

Rain rain go away!

I woke up this morning and looked at Max who just happened to be standing over me and asked him if it was still raining this morning, unfortunately yes. We both said this morning that this reminds us of weather in Sweden. I told Max it's the one thing that I wish that he didn't bring this with him and that he could have brought something better!! Oh well Monday actually looks good and that is all that counts!

I think we've got a house!!

Well given recent developments, ie: immigration getting fire under their feet... things are moving along at a good clip. Max and I are going car shopping on the weekend to see if Max can find a car that he will like that's not a Ford Focus wagon. Last weekend entailed us going for a car trip around the area looking at houses. As it turns out one of my friends from University might have what we are looking for... her mom is thinking about selling her house. Awesome!!! It's a huge house and it could be sold privately!!! There's tons of potential... the basement isn't finished!! Now the only way we can get this of course is if Max is able to get some full time employment!! Soon we hope, very very soon!

What a cluster-fuck of a day!!

I know that I need to come up with a better term.... Max, a swedish equivalent?? Drama popped up all day at work. I think it was more of the likes of "Let's see how the rookie will deal with this one!!" I hate it. I wouldn't treat someone new like that but it's amazing how many fat white men get off on something like that!!
I am amazed at the human ability to thrive on such a disgusting habit. Oh well at least now I have a week off to heal some of the scratches that I have incurred throughout the day!

It's getting closer!!

Immigration updated their site today instead of their usual Tuesday update, to reveal that they are about 10 days off processing Max's application, which in turn means a flurry of activity for us!! We are in the process of looking for a car for Max, we go test driving on Friday. Yesterday we went to a couple open houses in Didsbury and Carstairs, it was fun to just walk around and look. Actually if we would have had the money for one I would have insisted that we got it. I am pretty impressed by Carstairs. I didn't think that it was as big as what it is. And the thing that Max and I find most surprising, there's no fast food places!! Which basically means a craving for something would have to be pretty serious in order to drive all the way to Olds or Airdrie!! The thing we are a little perplexed about is that in some neighbourhoods you have manufactured homes mixed in with regular homes. The search will continue for the time being... mom says that we might be able to find something here soon because once the kids are out of school people are more likely to put their homes up for sale.

What a process!?!

So Max and I were taking a sneek peek at cars today and we got cornered with by salesman, so we were nice and just said that we were looking and that we would be back in a few weeks time to test drive a few, I want mom with us because she this amazing capacity to bring car salesmen to their knees. Getting the car is not a problem... it's getting the driver's licence that is the most difficult. Apparently Max has to write the learner's permit test, then surrender both is Swedish drivers licence and his International Drivers Permit, wait to see what the government says and then he might or might not have to take the drivers road test!! Oh my!! The stuff that you learn!!

I love Calgary....

or at least it appears that way!! Mom and I are headed down to Calgary yet again... we were there last weekend! We decided that we would do something different this time instead. We're going downtown! We have to make a stop on 8th Ave for a friend and I think that we are going to the Stephen Avenue walk to see what we can find. I want to go over to Kensington if we have time but you never know what's going to happen.

Tomorrow is hump day!!

I love working! I like the fact that this week I only work three days. Tomorrow is hump day! Yay!!

In other news, Immigration has got a fire under their feet! We are getting closer to the key date. Hopefully by Midsommar Max will be full employed. We are also thinking that building a house will be the better option for us. So if anyone knows a good builder in the Cental Alberta area (Red Deer to Didsbury), leave me a message!

Recent Interesting International Visitors

Helsinki Finland (Nokia server….. Andreas???)

Reston Virginia… you must really like me because you show up often!

Anchorage Alaska… Nice!!!

Argentina…. Nico I miss ya man!

China

Germany

Barcelona, Spain

Philippines

Bolivia

India

Panama

I am a bit bummed but not the slightest bit surprised!

The flames didn't maker! I knew that they would have a tough go, Detriot is a tough team and given the Flames on the road record they had an insurmountable challenge ahead of them. Have fun golfing this summer and better luck next season guys!!

Mikka... you rock!

I have a new favorite store!

It's called Daniadown in Chinook. I fell in love with about 5 different duvet covers, and I would have gotten them too had a certain individual wasn't with me because they don't like when I use my credit card. Other than that there were deals to be had. I scratched and won 30% off at Addition Elle which was pretty sweet but would have been sweeter had they had the jeans that I was looking for in stock. That was the whole reason why I wanted to go to Calgary in the first place. And also I wanted to get out of town for the day instead of watching the snow melt off the trees across the street. Max also benefitted as well. Eddie Bauer had a big sale, he got a complete outfit for $200! We saved almost $100! He was pretty happy about that. Now he has a new outfit to wear when he finally gets a job!

Must get some sleep!!!

But I can't pull myself away from the computer. I found a new game on CBC Kids called Train Trax. I am addicted!! I was doing really really well, I got to Saskatchewan and one wrong move on my touch pad and POOF! Gone!!! GRRRRRRRR

Oh well! It's a good day to stay in and hang out. I had plans to make a date night tonight for Max and I, it's not going to happen. We were thinking of going to Calgary tomorrow as well but I don't think that is going to be an option. Darn it! I wanted a change of scenery, even if it is going to IKEA for an afternoon!

I am seriously questioning the whole global warming theory!

Really, does it exist. Looking outside this morning I highly doubt it. Listening to the weather forecast in the background I doubt it even more. THIS IS APRIL!!! I always joke about the May longweekend being our last chance snowstorm of the year, but this is getting absolutely ridiculous! The only small comfort in this is that I have to work the next two days. It's a very very small comfort!

It's getting closer!!

Immigration just updated their website this morning... they've moved up to August 1!! Yay!! Let's hope they really get into a groove and get through the month of August FAST!!!

Max and I were discussing buying a house yesterday. We realize that we have to get going here within the next year or we will be completely priced out of the market!! There's speculation that with further approval of the ethanol plant near here house prices are going to be going through the roof. With that said my latest internet compulsion (besides Facebook) is mls.ca! There's two we are looking at... a handyman's special in Bowden (problem is Max and I aren't nearly as handy as we should be for that project) and something that doesn't need the work but won't stay on the market long enough here in Innisfail! But then again the earliest we could consider buying a house would be at the end of summer... I don't think it would be a good time, but then again I could be surprised!

Getting prepped for nights!!

I am up early.... really really early. I am trying to get my body set for working nights this week. It's only after 8 and I am already wanting to go back to bed. Trouble is that if I do that now, I am going to be crying for my bed at around 5 in the morning!!

Maybe I should go shopping!!

That's just shady!

I know who you are!
I know what you did!
I am pissed beyond belief!
Forgiveness is not an option right now!
I wasn't the one who burned the bridge it was you!!
Stop being pissy and suck it up!

YOU BETTER NOT FUCK ANYONE ELSE OVER!!!!

Ohh look at me! 500 posts!!

I started this blog waaaay back in the day of September of 2004. I had just come back from a 10 month stint in Sweden and wanted a way for my friends overseas to keep in touch. Who would have thunk that this would be my way of dreaming or thinking out loud!! Thanks for all who have contributed, or have just simply stopped by!!

It's an instinct and it's kickin in!

I spent the day yesterday with one of my old university friends. We bonded over our love of the good old rock and roll. She just had a baby about three weeks ago and I finally got a chance to see her and meet her new little arrival. Oh my gosh! All I could think is that I want one! So far out of our little group of friends... I am the only one who isn't even substantially close to such a prospect. We got chit chatting over some Booster Juice about some of our former classmates. One girl who got pregnant about two years into her degree is now finished and is one hellva devoted mom! I just spent over an hour checking out her blog. She makes the most beautiful clothing... oh my! I think I just found my niece her birthday present (her mom is going to love it!!). My other girlfriend just found out that she is pregnant, she's in law school and is undoubtibly the most ambitious girl I've ever met. She's 23 and is planning on returning to school in the fall and giving birth sometime in that time frame!!! An intervention might be needed. She's crazy!! And then there is me. The most unlikely career oriented person in the group!! Two years I keep telling myself. I wanna get pregnant before I am 30!

To all the mamma's with babes, I envy you all! I can't wait to be a mamma! I am so happy to have a group of friends who take motherhood seriously! I can't wait to join the club... even if I am a few years late!

A guilty pleasure moment!

I won't go into a wide array of details of the whole story because it's an old one and well I've been up since 5 yesterday afternoon... I'm tired! Anyways this morning I seen a girl that basically stole one of my closest friends (brain washing was involved). Anyways, when I see her she usually takes every opportunity to tell me (brag) about my old friend... rubbing salt into an old wound (eventhough it is well healed these days)! Well this morning was a different story. I picked up breakfast on my way home. I was wearning my uniform and she seen me. She wouldn't even talk to me... hummmmp!

I kinda liked that moment. I know it's evil and meanspirited, but in the end she got what she deserved and I am finally getting somewhere with alot of hard work!

How much is too much???

I heard something interesting on the radio this morning when I was driving home from work. The British government wants to play the part of big brother in the homes of dysfunctional families.

I say it's a little late... MTV captured it years ago with the Osbournes!!

But really... is it necessary for the government to step in and tell you that your family is dysfunctional and is affecting the community around you?


AH...... LABELLING THEORY comes to mind!

Oh this is interesting!!

I got an e-mail the other day at work from some of my colleges wishing the group of us a Happy Easter. So to be nice I wish everyone else a Happy Easter as well. A plain and simple greeting, just playing fair in our little sandbox so to speak. And I sign the bottom with Regards... nothing else. Well... the next thing I know I get an e-mail back from one of them... is saying Regards another way of saying "kiss off"? Ahhhh no, not that I know of. In Canadian terms it is a rather original way of signing off an e-mail. I do it all the time with my in-laws, but then again they mostly do it to me... a habit dare I say.
Then... I get in shit because I am not divulging details on my new career!

Too much!!
Too little!!!

The Swedish answer.... lagom!!!

Of course I do!!

I was asked this morning if I am still liking my drastic career change. Yes I am, when I come home at the end of shift and I am still just as chipper as when I left for the shift, that's a dramatic change. I was prepared for an interesting evening... luckily it proved to be quiet and just a bit entertaining!! I like the fact that I can come home at the end of shift and have something interesting or funny to tell Max and mom... how many jobs do you know that have that small perk??

At the rate I am going...

the shelf of unread books is going to get smaller... exponenitally!!! I finished a book in two shifts. Wow! I seriously don't remember the last time I finished a book in that short period of time!! I think I was in elementary school at the time!!

I like working nights!!!

You gotta love it when to kill time you're allowed to read at work... I read over 150 pages in about 8 hours. I gotta feeling Chapters is going to love me and so is the local book exchange... the place where I give away all the books that I don't want to read again.

Oh and Ikea might benefit as well if I find more books that I love to read!! I can't wait for Harry Potter in July!!

Nice and quiet morning!

I was signed up for overtime today, but with it being a holiday, some have priority over me. That's ok, my bed and I got reacquainted. I got some reading done and I am happy because starting Monday night I am going to be on a night shift whereby I am able to get some reading done!! YAY!!!

But as for what I am going to this afternoon... mom has got the afternoon off for the next 4 days so that could mean anything!!

Right now we are still deciding on where to go.
I've come up with 4 possible itineraries:
"A Little The Old and A Little The New"
"The Green Tour"
"The Mediterranean Banana"
"I've Got A Serious Case of the Muchies Tour"

I might have to get rid of them and start a new if we decide each to come up with two cities!! This is going to be interesting!!

Who could blame me for getting ticked off!!

I got called in yesterday for what would be termed as a double double, double shift, double the pay, which is great, gotta finance that trip to Europe somehow right?? So anyways last night before I left to go home I checked with no less than two supervisors to see if they would need me for more over time today. I was told a very very slim chance because they had hired extra people... no big deal. I came home a little beat because there was lots of stuff going on. I figured seems that I wouldn't be needed for today that I could wash uniforms later. I GOT A CALL AT 7 THIS MORNING!!! WTF?????? Now I'm cranky!! Oh well!

Whoo hoo! I am excited!!

A discussion came up tonight... going to Europe!!! That's right packing what I can into a backpack and taking to the friendly skies and rails. I made a photocopy of a map of Europe and told mom today that in two years time we're going. I figure if I work overtime shifts when I can we can do it! The only problem in deciding on where to go. Max has already come up with 13 possible itineraries... but to me no thought process involved with that so for me I am going to come up with 5 to choose from including airfare, trains and hostels... although planning hostels for something happening two years from now is a bit of a stretch. The only thing that's a given is a week in Goteborg and a week touring Finland.

But here's a list of places that we are considering (in no particular order or preference):
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Dublin
Valencia
Madrid
Barcelona
Montpellier
Nice
Florence
Milan
Rome
Venice
Ljubljana
Salzburg
Innsbruck
Zurich
Geneva
Munich
Budapest
Krakow
Warsaw
Amsterdam
Brussels
Berlin

Half way there to a week off!

Ahhhh, after a busy day like today I can't wait till Monday night, a week off!!! I was everywhere!!! I am plain tuckered out right now. I am surprised that I have enough energy to type. The nice thing is, is that mom gets to sleep in tomorrow which means I don't have to get out of bed and make coffee for her and I can sleep in an extra half hour, which also means that I am going to have great difficulty getting out of bed Monday morning.

I finished yet another book!

I love having all this time off for myself. In the last month I have finished reading two books, one of which was a doozy, which I started reading when I was Saskatoon wayyyy back in November. I finished reading Shopaholic and Baby last night, I am quite proud of my self because it took me less than a week to read too!Probably becuase Sohpie Kinsella is such a good writer. I get to a point that I think ok I am going to read just one chapter and then go to bed. The other night I had to go to bed before 11 because I had to get up for work the next morning, I read until 1 in the morning because it was so funny and because it was to the point I just wanted to know what was going to happen next.

So now I have started Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin, I also have Something Blue as well. I also want to get Baby Proof as well. No my thoughts haven't turned to a bambino yet!!! I still have another year for my beloved sisters-in-law to lose their bet!!

Max and I are going to Chapters this afternoon so anything is possible. Although I think that he will get more lucky than myself!!

Gotta hand it to Ticketmaster and the Government!!

Yeah yeah sometimes dealing with Ticketmaster isn't nice... like for instance $18.00 for convenience charges on two concert tickets... but it's nice to get a surprise like your concert tickets that were supposed to arrive in May arriving only two weeks after paying for them!!!

Then again it's nice to check you bank balance online and find that you have more money than you thought!!! I got my tax refund directly deposited into my account yesterday. I am pretty surprised about that one too because of the technical difficulties that they had earlier this month with the e-file system. Time to pay off the credit cards!!

Working a double overtime!

This is the part of my job that I enjoy, the fact that I can make even more money than I already do! Right now it's going into savings, because quite frankly I have no idea what to do with it all. I figure it will come in handy for when we finally move into our own house. From what I understand... if you're called in on a overtime shift, they give you a pretty good day too. I could go for a nice quiet day... yesterday was pretty hectic.

I have been asked by many people now if I like where I am. I say yes. I am in a position where I can go somewhere because of my degree. I feel as though I am appreciated. It's not that I don't miss my old job I do. It was somewhere familiar, and I knew everyone. It's a shame that things happen the way that they do sometimes.

Am I the only one!!??

I just found out today that my friend Lanny from overseas in Sweden is now pregnant too! I should be used to this by now anyways... I've always been the late bloomer!!

YAY!!!!!

I just got an e-mail from Amy, one of my closest friends from University, she had a girl!!! YAY!!! I told her the other day when we were chatting on the phone that I wanted to buy for a baby girl so she better have one!!! I now know what I am going to do on my day off!! :)

Whoo hoo three days off!

That is if I don't get called in for some overtime!

Election time??

Possibly! With the results of the Quebec provinical election chances are high that Stephen Harper is going to call an election. Not again!!!

Happy 10 Years Honey!!

It was 10 years ago today that my husband said yes to my proposal to date. I come home today from a very busy, very hectic and slightly stressful 12-hour day at work, and here's my husband with a cute little card.... awwwwwwww!

I think it's pretty cool that we have been together for this long, and now we have our 10-year high school reunion coming up. Awesome!

Chinese food bad for you???

Ah yeah!!! As if we didn't know that already but the food police had to just remind us! But then again I would love to eat ginger beef than three chicken burgers and a coke to McDonalds!

Oh and did you hear that McDonalds uses meal worms as filler in their burgers. Apparently there was a story on W5 a few weeks ago. But honestly you didn't have to tell me that. I was turned off Mickey D's after reading Fast Food Nation and moreso after watching Super Size Me!

How do we deal with homelessness?

I have often thought about this. Recently however it's gained some media attention. There was a thing on Oprah the other day, it was about a homeless guy who was given $100000 and a documentary was made. And just tonight on CBC's The National, Mark Kelley spent 7 days in Montreal homeless. There was also that gentleman who lived in a tent city in Toronto for a year and wrote a book "Down To This".

The question of how to deal with homelessness is not easy. It's complicated by mental illness, substance abuse/ addiction, and finances.

The scary to thing is that alot of us are on the brink of being homeless ourselves. I think that it is even moreso these days where the gap between rich and poor is widening and deepening.

The working homeless is a common thing in Calgary. I have often thought that if they were given the opportunity to get affordable housing whether these individuals would be able to pass that on to someone else. It makes me wonder if it was possible to come up with a program that would give someone who is working but is homeless the opportunity to buy their own housing, one chance to make it. I think that's all that some people need... one chance.

I have had people walk up to me and ask for money out on the streets, sometimes I ask them why. Usually when they say it is for food I take them somewhere to get something to eat. It makes me wish that I could do more. I am very lucky to be where I am at. I think it's because I have had alot of chances. I'd like ot be able to give someone theirs!

Can't wait to buy a house!!

With starting my new job and Max setting out soon on the look out for a job for himself, thoughts have turned ot home ownership! We love living here with mom, but we are married now and well living here doesn't really give us the whole benefit of married life. So today with a little time on our hands we went and looked at showhome to get an idea of how much exactly it would cost to build a house. It's not bad but we would have to wait a year... a whole year of payments and no house to live in... hmmp! But we thought ok lets go take a look at Springbrook, wow oh wow! It's really reasonable, lots of houses with character and lots of new ones being built! I can't wait till the summer!! I'm getting excited!

I'm so tired!!

I'm now on days off which is nice!! Working the night shift for me is interesting because I have never worked later than 10 before. Eventhough for the most part I am a self confessed night-owl I find working nights is something of a love hate relationship.

I love working night becuase at my job who wouldn't, it's quiet and nothing rarely happens at all. I hate them because for 3 or 4 days at a time my life gets pushed to the side. Max gets to see me for a total of about three hours if he's lucky. I love them because I am sit around with co-workers and chitchat and not get into trouble for being to conversational. I hate them because when it gets to be around 4 in the morning the radio stations here have a nasty nasty habit of playing commericals for pillowtop mattresses!!! How cruel is that??

But I am especially tired today because I waited around for someone. I got 2 e-mails in the last two days from my supervisior who needs to talk to me about my schedule. So anyways I thought well it's 7:30 he should be here by 8:00, so I waited!! Turns out the guy is sick today!! GRRR!! Oh well!

Now it's too late to go back to bed! But it's never to late to start drinking!! Yummmm vodka!

Baby boom!

I just got an e-mail from one of the girls that I went to University with... she's having a baby!!

That leaves only me.... oh this is going to take a while!

Congrats Renee! Hope you're having a girl!! I wanna buy for a girl!!

At 4:30 this morning I was crying for my pillow!

I am not too sure if working night is actually a good thing for me!! At around 4:30 this morning I would have actually severed a limb in order to feel the comfort of my pillow. I got home this morning and I had a massive headache, such that one of my ears was ringing. Is that normal?? Hope not! I am just up for a bit and I still have a hint of a headache. Oh well 1 down 3 to go and then it's three days off for me!

I seriously have to start using spell check!

I am reading some of these posts and I have become absolutely appalled at how bad my spelling has become. I sincerly apologize!

A new must see show!

It's called The Riches. Now the only problem is that it's on a channel called FX which airs in the states. However I was surfing around this afternoon (instead of sleeping!!) and found a link to the full first episode. It's pretty funny, entertaining and has a bit a drama to it as well. I hope that MSN will put other episodes up as well because I can't wait to see the second episode.

AND now it's off to bed!!

Pledgin purity doesn't work!

Duhhhhh!

I was watching the Today show early early this morning because I am trying to get my clock set for working midnights. Anyways the showed a story twice this morning about these father daughter purity balls that are being held in the states. There was one statistic that had me on the floor laughing, it was so funny that I had to show Max when he got up this morning (thank you Starchoice and TimeShifting!!) Here's the statistic: 88% of those who pleged purity until marriage had premarital sex! Saying and doing are two differing things aren't they!!

But think about it, when I was 15 I didn't want anything to do with my dad. I didn't want to be caught dead with him in public. Plus it was one of those things if he showed any interest in my life whatsoever I would think that he switched his mind altering drugs. So the idea of pledging my purity to my father was not a happening thing. I am statistic anomally. My father was not a emotional part of my life, he was there physically and yes we fought like cats and dogs. But I was not the one to fool around, I left that to the Catholic girls that I went to school with.

The thing is in America there is literally no sex education in the schools. The religious right is making sure that it's the parents who teach their children. Most of the are so frigid that the thought of talking about sex to their children is a definite no go zone. But here's the thing that most parents forget, children are curious creatures. They want to know about the world around them. The will get their information from anywhere!! ANYWHERE!! To them, their friends are experts.

So here's some advice to parents out there who are scared shitless about talking about sex to their children. Which would you rather have, a child who is well-informed (who will then likely inform their friends) and knows risks associated with sexual contact. Or would you like to be young grandparents or worse yet a child who has syphillis or gonorrea, because that stuff is out there and Murphy's Law, shit does happen.

P.S. The fear of god doesn't scare most children!!

They're crazy in Quebec!

Not to dis my own heritage, and not that I can't say much because I don't speak much french (i'm way better at swedish). But I think that they have gone nuts in Quebec. The provinical election has turned into a competition of who can be the most extreme and downright bizarre! I don't think that Quebec should separate infact if anything they should get a little tough love. Most teenage girls need this... Quebec has 25 million of em! It just might do them some good.

I'm getting hit on!!!

I got home from work tonight and decided that I would float on over to statcounter and see what's new! WOW!! Here's a small list of recent visitors!

D.C.
England
S town... Shout out to big Saskie!!
Finland .... one word.... SAUNA!!!
Standford University (I love love love education!! Sociology anyone??)


I think that I have figured out the whole statcounter thing now. At least I hope. I am a cut and paste kind of girl.

By the way thanks for the attention!!

Immigration has fire under their feet!

I just checked the immigration website to see how far away they are from processing the first part of Max's application for immigration. At the rate they are going they are processing a month's worth of applications in about two weeks time. This is absolutely fantastic! We could be moved out by the fall!! Yay!!

What to do, what to do??

I never ever thought that I would be left with this dilemma after graduating university. I hate to even admit this!! I'M BORED!

Oh well. I am sure that I will get over it! Soon!

It's Saturday and I'm up at 7?

I was laying in bed this morning and I was wide awake at 7. What the??? Last year I couldn't possibly imagine such a thought. Now it seems rather natural to rise, and take traquility in some literature, before starting out on the quest for my dream kitchen!!

Whoo hoo! I got Incubus tickets!!

I ended up getting in on a presale thing, the tickets aren't exactly where I want them to be but for $30 what the hell! So does anyone wanna go?? Max isn't really into this kind of music. Although I mean really?? It's some good stuff!

Other intersting visitors!

Jakarta, Indonesia
Georgia, USA
Trinidad and Tobago (ohhh sounds warm!!)
Ireland (I can't wait to go!)
The Univerisity of California Santa Barbara!!
Bejing China
The CIDC???? What the...?
United Kingdom
Dubai (ohhh 7 star hotel!!)
Tunsia
Austrailia... Hello Rachy!!


Thanks for checking me out!!!

Reston, Virginia??

Someone from Reston, Virginia thinks I am interesting... they checked me out for a while 10 minutes and 21 seconds! Cool... thanks for stopping by!

Trying to fill the void

I miss my pillow. I miss how it caresses my head and supports my neck, I need to go to bed!!!

8 days off!

How great is this?? I have worked a total of 9 days and have had 16 off!!! And yet I am bringing home double what I did last year! This doesn't include all sorts of little bonuses here and there. Yes I am working 12 hours a day, and yes it seems like I am never home for 3 or 4 days at a time but when I am off I am off, and work doesn't follow me around.

So what am I going to do with 8 days off?? Well let me see.
Friday:
Gotta phone the bank, I gotta deal with all this cash, and gotta get rid of the debt in order to buy a house.
Gotta go and check out M&M meat shoppe, I am curious to see what they got for stuff that I could take to work
Or I could say to heck with it all and go to Calgary for the day and get a certified copy of my degree and some proper retail therapy... I haven't had a chance to grieve the loss of my beloved dog yet!

Saturday:
Red Deer Home Show
Gotta go and get tickets to see Incubus in May in Calgary, I am so excited!!
Check out M&M Meat Shoppe
Lounge around Chapters for the day with a good travel book in one hand and a cup of Starbucks in the other.

Sunday:
THE day of rest of course!!

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday:
Possible overtime shift(s)... double the money

Thursday:
Bowling night!!!

Friday:
SLEEP!

I just don't know what to do with myself!

I have 4 days off and I am lost on what to do with myself!! Don't get me wrong I love the fact that I have 4 days off, I just don't know what I am going to do with all that time off. Before I was going to school fulltime and working almost fulltime. I rarely had a day off where I would get up and simply not know what I was going to do because I had nothing planned!

I would love to be able to volunteer, the only problem is that with me I would have to be consistent with it. I would feel bad if I had to miss a day here and there because I had a work committment. Grrr.

Another thing that I was disappointed in is that I was preparing to leave last night and I got asked if I would like to work an additional 4 hours. I would have loved to but the thing is I am not too sure what all I am entitled to. Would I be entitiled to a meal or would I get paid double time for work that 4 hours?? Those questions were being put forth to me very easily so I gave them up.... oh well I am sure that there will be more to come.

It's 8 in the morning and it's "Friday Night" for me!!

Have I mentioned lately how much this career change was needed in my life!!

It ain't so bad being on the payroll again!

I have just gotten home from work, and I love it. Tonight is my Wednesday and tomorrow is my Friday!!

I like it, I like it, I loooooove it!

One more day of rest.

I have one more day, and then it begins. My first official day at my new job. I am excited but yet I can't help but be a bit nervous.

Oooohhh I wanna win!!!

My mother and I have struck a deal. If she wins the Red Deer dream home prize in the STARS lottery she will give it to us under some conditions. We assume her debt, buy her a new car, and take her to Europe again! Sounds like a pretty sweet deal!

It's a sad sad day!

This morning we had to put down my number one guy. He was 16, and quite possibly the best dog that ever lived.

Schizo weather!!

Oh my! What the hell! This morning was nice then like 15 minutes ago I looked out side and there was tons of snow pellets falling... almost like hail, then the next thing I know... the sun is shining again!

I guess it goes to show that if you don't like the weather here in ALberta wait 5 minutes!

My word!

Chinooking is a good thing!

Having to work outside late at night can be a pain in the ass when it's -30 out. However you thow one of those beautiful chinooks into the mix and being outside can be bearable!! The only problem is now I really really have to wash my car and it is most likely that every other joe wants to do it as well!

Did I mention how much I love the snow??

I haven't had to shovel the driveway once this winter!!! I love snow!!!

I think one of the next tattoos that I am going to get will be a snowflake! The only thing that would make this winter much better would be if I could go out skiing. Right now I think that this season is a write-off, oh well, there's always tobagganing!

A Mormon running for president?

Oh man I think that I should go back to bed!!!

I'm loving it!

My career change had indeed proved itself to be the change that I needed. And as it stands I am not the only one who is in need of a change of scenery. My mom has decided to say farewell to 16 years at one of her jobs for something just a bit different. Oh well!

Learning lots of new stuff. I never thought that the ODC factor would be as substantial as it would be. I am learning about human nature and that's what I wanted. I get paid to watch people interact with each other. I get to see the darker side and enjoy the brightest side of life!

People are interesting!!

I love my new job. I get to watch people and watch them interact with others. I am amazed at people's ability to do some of the strangest of things. I guess that is why I went to school so I could be able to study this. Imagine that!

You gotta love people who are downers!

One of girls that my mom works with has pretty much the same degree as me and both of us have taken different paths with it. She didn't use hers, while I am in the process of using mine. She works for mommy and daddy, I don't. So now that I am have found a job that encompasses all that I have learned, she gets jelous. How is that? I remember we talked once and she told me that she looked after university for a job but couldn't find anything that she thought that she would like. Well then why on earth did you take sociology when all you ever wanted to do is lock yourself in a back office somewhere crunching numbers for your mommy and daddy? I took sociology because I like the interaction with different people. So before you tell my mother that I would get laid off (when I most definately know that I am not otherwise) in the next six months, you better look and see first. I will in all likelihood, never ever be without a job!

WOW!

Cool stuff. Cool stuff all around. It's about to get cold and frosty. I love it!

So this is when life begins?

Tomorrow is a big big day. After three months of training, alot of tears, frustration and challenges I am here. I can't believe it. I don't have school to worrk about anymore, the biggest challege right now is trying to find a house that fits both Max and I. We figure that in about a year's time we will be looking at moving out and into our own house.

I honestly thought that it would take me forever to get a decent job after graduating from school. So even though tomorrow is going to be like the first day of school with all administrative stuff, it's going to be interesting being in a totally different environment!

So glad to finally be home!!

Ahhh, it's so nice to sleep in my own bed! The 6 hour drive home was interesting... Max experienced his first Canadian whiteout. As we came west the weather got progressively worse. How does that work?? Isn't it supposed to be the other way?? Oh well we are home safe and sound. I was nice to sleep in my own bed, eat my own food, and do what ever I want. AHHHH.

I have come to a few more conclusions about Saskatchewan, the further away from the city you get the worse off the road conditions get. Saskatchewan is indeed Ford country, and the bigger you are the faster you drive. Saskatchewan was fun for the most part but it is so nice to be home!

I'M DONE!!!!

All exams have been written, practical skills have been learned... now for my on-the-job-training!! Yay!!

I am going out for supper tonight!!!

I PASSED!

Everyone passed. Only a small amount of relief though, still have one more exam tomorrow!

30 minutes and I was finished!

I just got out of my exam. It took me a whole 30 minutes to do it twice over to make sure that there were no mistakes made on the sheet. I get my results at 11. This is so absolutely nervewracking. I need a week in Mexico for sure!

So nervous I could puke!

I am so nervous. I didn't sleep well last night. Kept having weird dreams! Well here goes it, at least I can't say that I didn't try!

I am glad that I didn't stay in a dorm during university!

We are a bunch of zombies! It's to the point that none of us can focus. I know that being at home during university we very beneficial for me becuase there is no way that I would be able to study with people banging and clanging about in the halls.

So here's to Part A! I have done the best that I can.

It worked!

Wow! It actually worked! Just reliving the days when I was back in Sweden and I was appreciated for being outgoing and allbeit just a little bit crazy!

Trying something new!

One day I will figure out how to put statcounter on here!

But in the meantime...

Must find the motivation to study!

I have one of my most important exams tomorrow. I have no motivation right now to study. I didn't sleep well last night which is a total letdown compared to the sleep that I had last night. I even went as far as driving to the outskirts of town for some Timmy Ho's and that still hasn't given me the motivation yet! If I don't pass this exam, the three months that I have spent here in ahhh ummmm Saskatchewan will be a total waste of time. I am fighting with words again. This is not a good sign!!

Fyucking hell i'm bored!

There's nothing to do! I don't even have any knitting to do either!
Saskatchewan sucks!

With that over, I am happy now that I've got a coffee buzz on!

After reluctantly dragging myself out of bed, I got dressed and went to Starbucks. I guess am trying to enjoy the last few days of city living!! At least Red Deer is only 20 minutes away!!

I don't need anymore fucking sugar coating!!! It's making me sick!!!

I was delivered some real truths tonight. It was from a drunk person, but in a sense it was truth nonetheless!

Apparently my personality is as big as my ass. It potentially doesn't vouch well for my chosen profession as well because I wear my heart not only on my sleeve but also everywhere else. Wow.

It's all really to hard to digest right now. The last month alone has been absolutely mindblowing. I never thought that in a million years that I would concieve of this.

I am having a really hard time restraining myself from packing every last stitch of this room up and leaving... with two crucial days left.

The thing that bugs me the most about all of this is that I completely set myself up for all this. I wanted all this, in a sick twisted way.

Apparently I am not educated enough for my in-laws!!

Yet another crushing blow!

Oh man! Get me home!!

I am in the homestretch now!!! I only have 4 days left!!! I will be back in my own bed!!!!!!!!!!

Another reason why I want to go home is because my dear old puppy dog is old and sick. My cousin insisted that my mother take him to the vet before she comes to take care of him for one night. So as a result, we have a $200 vet bill and the knowledge that he's got cancer, a dislocated shoulder, arthritis, and infected tonsils. Now you're probably thinking oh my god put the poor thing out his misery!! He's gotta be suffering! The thing is he isn't!! He still struts around the house, he still likes to go out side when it's cold!! He's happiest when he all snuggled up with someone! I can't wait to get home to see him. I know he will meet his fate soon, it's just a matter of time, he's 16. But I want to be able to make him happy for the time that he has left.

There is only one thing that remains in my mind... where do I get him creamated?

Come on abuse me more, I like it!

Sounds like a Silverchair song doesn't it! Yeah, but you know what it is soooo true!! I found out my examination marks, and I passed. But the mental abuse leading up to it nearly had me in tears! So with that relief I thought that I could calm down, nahhh not in the slightest! I still have a whole wack of tests within the next week and a half. That I can handle.

But the thought of having to go through 4 performance reviews in a year! HOLY SHIT!!!! Oh well... it's friday. I can party! I passed Part B!!!

It must be Friday tomorrow!!!

Oh my god am I ever cranky! I swear, people have just simply looked at me today and I could have screamed so loud in their face. I haven't felt like that in a very long time, and in a way I feel guilty for it. I just don't know in what way.

I am looking forward to tomorrow because maybe I won't feel as stressed as I do right now. I left my hotel for three hours hoping that I would be able to feel better. And I sort of did... I got back and I was fine, I was going to head back to room and enjoy my Subway that I bought. Yeah, my bliss was slightly tarnished. That was okay, I could handle that. But now I'm black again. The one person who annoys the ever living daylights out of me here, just had to call, ugh!

Why does January always bug me???

Yet another wait begins!!

I had a VERY VERY big exam today. I think that I did well. Found out the problem, gave some options to which would help solve the problem, came up with a plan for solving that problem and then presented a follow-up. And now I wait, I wait until Friday to hear my results and also to go through my merit rating board to see if I get approval. I am glad that I got to go early. I just hope that I can keep my mouth closed enough not to get me into trouble... that should be intersting. I am doing so good already!

It's Sunday!

I'm hungover yet again! UGGGHHHHH

I need some warmth!

Wow! I seriously don't have a good memory when it comes to weather events. I seriously don't ever remember how cold it was last year!! I went outside the other day and thought that wow... this is fucking cold!

In Saskatchewan they are a hearty bunch, and they are freakin crazy!!! Driving around the city on Thursday I've come to (ohhh finding a word my vocabulary... not necessarily appreciate, not really admire???) fill in approprate word here...! I now know that I do move to Saskatchewan, I am buying a 4x4!

Oh my!

Well after the events of Wednesday, it was time to brave the city again and see what I could find. I somehow ended up making two different trips around the city today, which was nice. I need the change of scenery! The walls of my room seem to haunt me right now. Did laundry this morning, it felt good to be so productive that early in the day. Even had the opportunity to do a little retail therapy which does do my soul good, but it doesn't fix everything, especially the bank balance! I got back, had lunch, was contemplating on getting productive and get ready for an exam that I have coming up the week after next. But somehow that didn't work out. Retail therapy was calling me again. So away to Mark's and Wally-World. I behaved myself in Wally-World and my bank account breathed a sigh of relief!!

I come back and decided that what the hell I am going to start preparing for an exam that I have on Monday afternoon. It's nervewracking!! I could go home early if I don't pass! And to top it off there are other things mounting. We cannot discuss how we thought we did with other classmates until Friday after everything is all said and done. I haven't been feeling well. I am tired, and feeling sick the last couple of days. I have been getting abdominal cramps after I eat (no it's not that time!!!). I am really wondering what is going on!?! I just keep telling myself that I can do this, I enjoy the challenge that this has given me. I just can't wait to get this all done, go home knock 'em off their feet and get going with this whole life plan thing.

I was in the blizzard of 007!

What a day yesterday!! Wow, I haven't seen a blizzard like that since I was a kid! The entire city of Saskatoon shut down yesterday. It took people hours to get home. There were lucky ones that got stuck in Walmart and Costco yesterday, which begs the question: which one would you rather get stuck in??? I think I'd have to go with Costco, especially if the demo people are in! They come up with the neatest stuff!

It kinda sucked though, I was planning on getting my car from the dealership yesterday, kinda glad that I didn't. I guess I will have to get it today. It was only $250 and it was some kind of gasket mechanism in my fuel tank, I just hope that I can get some better gas mileage!!

Ohh and class starts late today! Yay! I wish I would have found out if I was still in bed, I could have rolled over and gone back for another hour!!

Oh well, it was interesting to say the least!

Dunk, so very very dunk!

OOOOhhhhh!!! Please someone please tell me how to make the room stop spinning! Oh and I see double!

Finally Friday Is Here!!

Didn't so much this week, but oh my am I ever glad that I get to sleep in tomorrow!! Just gotta remember to put the do not disturb sign on the door so that housekeeping doesn't wake me up!

Back in Big Saskie! Back at 'er!

Wow that was a fast drive!!! The roads were absolutely fabulous. I was able to keep a good pace and I got here in about 5 hours. The only bad part was I just got out of Rosetown and my service engine light came on. I don't think that it's a really big deal, the only thing is now I have to go and find a Chevrolet dealership to get it reset.

I even got my old room back, which I am sort of happy about... it's nice to have the big bed and the big shower, but I think this room had mould in it. Wait and see. The nice thing is that it's warm enough that I can have both windows open... wide open! Only a month left in Big Saskie... I better make the best of it!

Ah 2007!

Hope your new years was fun! Mine consisted of eating a substantially large brunch prepared by my beloved mother. Going out to my mother's best friend's house (who's the closest thing to an aunt/grandmother I will ever find, because she's always been there for me, or usually has an opinion for me or, a good piece of advice or encouragement for me!

I brought along one of my dearest friends of over a decade now (jeesh. we're getting old now!). We reminiced (i'm a little hung over and right now I don't give a shit about spelling!) about old Co-op times, trust me... there are many! That... and things don't change a whole hellva lot around there either. Which is nice and ass backward at the same time! But I think that she had fun just learning how to play Texas Hold'em. No matter how hard she tried to go out, she just kept on winning. She won the whole shebang!

So here's to the promise of a new year. There are alot of things in store for myself and Max. This could be interesting, either trying to get Max to pick a paint color or watching Max paint a wall.

Things that could prove interesing in 2007:
- My job
- Moving out of my mother's house
- Buying a house (especially one which isn't on oak overload!)
- Fixing up the house (trust me there isn't one house out there where there isn't one thing that I would like to change!)
- Max getting his permanent residence visa (only 6 more months to go!)
- Max getting a job
- Max getting a car
- Buying a puppy (this is the precursor to having children... if Max and I can take care of a puppy without any major trips to the vet... I CAN FINALLY GO OFF THE PILL!)
- Buying furniture for our house. I have already come to the determination that we are going to need a king size bed... that and I was sort of hogged out of the bed at 7:00 this morning. Not good! Oh and that home theatre thing... he he he he he... it will be mine!

Oh shit... I think that I need to go back to bed!

Happy New Year!