Monday, December 8, 2008

enough of my whining

I just read the last few posts, and they contain a fair number of no-no words and seems pretty negative. Life really isn't that bad and I should quit belly-aching about things.

Here are some things that are good:
My love comes home in THREE DAYS. That is very exciting.
I put up xmas decorations in my apartment for the first time in the five years I've lived here. I like it. It's festive.
Five day ski trip coming up soon! I leave on xmas eve and come back sometime after the 29th. I am craving the mountains and it will be nice to be in them.
Speaking of mountains, there is a good chance my NYE will be spent in Jasper. I LOVE JASPER.

So although it doesn't seem like it all the time (even to myself), the ratio of good to bad still favors the good.

Friday, December 5, 2008

HA!

Facebook claims this blog is malicious.

I get this little message when I click on the link off my profile, and I can't get to it.

FUCK YOU FACEBOOK! HOW'S THAT FOR MALICIOUS?

Monday, November 24, 2008

Comments left on youtube videos confirms the large number of stupid people who unfortunately exist among us.

Fuck you for wasting my time trying to read through your horrid spelling and atrocious grammar (alternatively spelled "gramma")!

Monday, November 17, 2008

WHAT'S UP?

Eating pomegranate + lentil soup

Been working at home since 7:30am

Listening to the fire alarm go off every thirty seconds for no reason

A little tired from the night before

Monday, November 10, 2008

Mango, cashew, coconut, red rice dish

This recipe is one of my own design. I first came up with it my last night in Eindhoven as a quick, post adventure meal.

a glug of oil (coconut is my favorite, but olive, vegetable, or canola also work)
1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 small or 1/2 large onion, chopped
1 cup red rice (usually can be found at Asian super markets)
2 cups water
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
1/2 yellow, red or orange pepper, finely chopped
1/3-1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, or fresh chopped coconut, if you have it! (it's much better)
1/4 tsp (or more) cayenne pepper
freshly ground black pepper
salt

- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in garlic and onion and cook until soft
- Throw in the red rice and saute for a minute or so
- Pour in the water. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes (until rice is soft and most of the water is absorbed)
- This would be a good time to do your chopping of everything else
- Stir in the mango, pepper, cilantro, and coconut
- Stir in cayenne pepper and black pepper, salt until the flavors really come out (this may require more than you think)
- Add in more cayenne and black pepper as needed

Some chopped avocado and turmeric are also good options to add in

Enjoy!


Tuesday, November 4, 2008

I don't understand why half the people I work with don't seem to have an indoor voice...

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Another thing I miss

Having someone who will go anywhere and do anything with me at the drop of a hat, instead of finding excuses.

One night in Amsterdam

Stay!
Eat!

Only 5 sleeps left!

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

personal, sappy, bitchy post ahead.

The whole long distance thing sucks. Lots. When you've come accustomed to a person's presence it's hard to adapt to anything else.
I hate coming home and not having someone to call right away and talk about my day
I miss having someone that will go for a beer under any circumstance. It could be one beer, it could be many. Just to sit and talk without anything else to do.
I miss just sitting and listening to cjsr.
My workout and concert buddy is gone. I don't have someone to go swimming (then breakfast!) with, and I don't have someone who will accompany me to any concert because I know they trust (or are at least willing to try) my musical taste.
I hate feeling single again. Although I am not AT ALL, I go to parties alone, I meet my coupled friends and I often feel like the odd one.
I hate not being able to drive over as fast as I can when you have a shitty day. I hate that there's no one here to drive over and make me feel better when I have a shitty day.
I miss how you would bury your face in the pillows on weekend mornings. And how we'd stay in bed for an hour before getting up, and my cat would come purring and kneading, and curl up between us ready for pets.
I miss the sound your truck makes when you stomp on the gas.
I miss your friends! The ones that I would feel a little weird about contacting to hang out but I still find cool.
I miss getting drunk then doing something stupid, then waking up and going for breakfast, eating something cheesey, then me wanting to hang out for the entire day and drink coffee while you need to go do something important.
I miss hearing your keys jingle in the hallway before you open my door. I would try to quickly decide whether I wanted to open the door for you or wait till you came in and called "hello?" in such a questioning tone that seemed like you weren't sure if I was home or if you were calling into an empty apartment.

We had such an incredible "last date" night. Culina, then getting drunk at Passetempo, walking home. I can't wait to have another date night in Holland.

This next week will either pass by so. slow. or quick.

I hope for quick. Obviously.

dear gummi frogs

Where do you get off? Creating the perfect symphony of taste and texture.


I love you.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Mr Treats

On the street level of the building I work in there is a coffee shop by the name of Treats. A man of Italian origin (although he has no accent, I know this through conversations with a fellow employee during World Cup soccer season) and indeterminable age (he's greying but doesn't seem old) works there and probably owns the franchise. I once bought something with debit and since he has always called me by name. This seems friendly yet slightly uncomfortable since I don't know his name. He always makes a point of waving to me and is always, ALWAYS, been in a 'happy' mood.

There used to be another employee, an older woman also of European origin sporting a beehive with the same hair clip attached every day, but I haven't seen her for a while and her absence has caused shorter shop hours and high employee turnover. I always assumed that she was the mother of the main guy there, their interactions seemed more than co-worker but not romantic. Both I find to be mysterious and hard to read in age, sexuality, relationship, etc.

The man drives a large burgundy van, similar to this, but more plush with curtains and some strange spoiler. It is parked outside the building all the time. At any hour. Occasionally it will not be there, and during those times I'm assuming he's at home, wherever that is. But I have walked by there at all hours of the night, and seen the van. Walking home from drinking on a weekend, it's there. One night I was working late on a project and had to print something off at 3am so I went to the office... it was there. On Tuesday around 12:30 I was walking home from having a beer with a friend, I saw him come out of the van and into the store.

Why does he need to be there at 12:30? 3:00? He has such a strange demeanor. And why the large van?
Recently I've started making up fantastical stories about him, like in some David Lynch movie where Treats is a cover for an underground network of people doing shady things that we will never understand. People who cause midgets to dance in the radiators and time to loop back on itself. The basement of the 13 story building in which I work in houses some sort of steamy workshop in which many workers are constructing something sinister that even they cannot comprehend.

Maybe each Treats store is a portal to another dimension. Maybe each store has a guy like the aforementioned who is really a guardian of the portal. This would explain why he is so difficult to figure out.

Maybe Treats is part of a giant social experiment, or government testing of a certain substance baked into their 'famous' carrot cake (which I have never eaten). 25 years into the future we will be astounded to find out that we have been unwillingly tested upon for many years without our consent without any ability to retaliate. It will explain the social decline of individuals into opinion-less drones, carrying out their daily tasks, meeting their daily consumer junk quotas, obeying commands to allow those in control to take full advantage of the community to meet their economic desires and suppress dissidents. There will be an inevitable war between those in control and those who resist (and didn't partake in the consumption of spiked baked goods).

Maybe him and Beehive are aliens.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

not a good idea

I've been trying to kick my coffee habit. I commend those who have quit hard drugs because I'm finding that this is HARD to do, and it's just fucking coffee. I endured several days of headaches and poor moods (being sick then having two long days of yoga helped, however). Today, I joined Chris for a trip to Starbucks and indulged in a tall dark roast.

I feel like I am on speed. I expect to crash and burn in 1.5 hours (give or take).

On the plus side, I've been quite productive. Or at least I think so. It could be like getting real drunk then coming home and drawing. You may think it kicks ass at the moment, but when you wake up dry-mouthed and nauseous, last night's masterpiece looks like it was completed by an 8 year old's non-dominant hand.

Friday, September 19, 2008

The Media and other Excitement

Hot Damn! Today I was interviewed by Global TV, City TV, CBC, CBC Radio, CBC French, the Edmonton Journal, and U of A publicity to talk about the mask project that I've worked the past two years on. Wow, what a day. I've never spoken so much so constantly about the same thing, but it was fun. I wish I had TV so I could see it (even though I'm a little scared that I'll look like an idiot/fat). It was so exciting. The University of Alberta article is already up, so take a look if you like...

Tonight I start a three day Anusara Yoga clinic. I have been looking forward to it for a while. This also means a booze-free weekend and taking it pretty easy, which I'm sure will be good for me. Then Sunday it's picture time with Bryna, and I'm giving her creative control of the setting etc, the only thing I told her is that it should reflect me/how you see me/how others perceive me. I can't wait to see what she comes up with!

And if all that wasn't exciting enough, I would like to congratulate Pete and Ruth on combining their collective awesomeness into one single being now in the oven. Way to go, guys!

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

The National Parcs

This is a similar idea to what I would like to get into: using unconventional sounds as instruments.

I love these guys. They're fun.

a lil' sample of everything..


some actual videos...

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Sweet Potato Sesame Pizza with Green Tea Miso Gravy

This is taken from Brendan Brazier's Thrive Diet book. For those of you who do not know, Brendan Brazier is a professional Ironman triathlete, vegan, and developer of Vega foods, a line of whole food supplements. His whole premise is whole foods, soy and dairy free, everything as unprocessed as possible. Sounds delicious? Well, most of his recipes are. Some of the most interesting are his pizzas, as they are very far from a traditional, bready thin crust pizza. These are often cripsier crusts made from a variety of veggies and seeds and often contain a lot of protein.
This is my favorite pizza I've tried of his. The miso gravy is unreal and can be used in other dishes besides pizza. For extra protein and vit B I sprinkled on some nutritional yeast over the crust after the gravy.

Sweet Potato Sesame Pizza
Crust

1 cup ground sesame seeds (grind in coffee grinder until a fine powder, but not until a paste)
1 cup grated sweet potato
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/4 hemp or coconut oil
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp dried basil
sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 300F
Put everything into a food processor until mashed up nicely. Spread on a pizza pan (that has been previously lightly coated with oil, preferably coconut) till desired thickness.

Topping
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup grated beet
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tsp oregano (or 1 tbsp fresh)
1 tsp thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh)

After spreading as much gravy as you see necessary onto the crust, throw the veggies on and put in the oven for about 45 minutes, longer if you want, but try not to overcook the veggies.

Green Tea Miso Gravy
As quoted in the book, "This flavorful gravy delivers probiotics for digestive health". How nice.

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, diced
3 tbsp ground sesame seeds
1 tsp finely ground green tea leaves (do the same way as the sesame seeds)
1 cup brewed green tea
1 1/2 tbsp brown rice miso pastes

Heat coconut oil in frying pan over medium high heat. Add onion and ground sesame seeds, lightly fry. Add the ground tea leaves, brewed tea, and miso paste; stir well. Keep stirring until desired consistency reached.

Makes 2 cups and can be refrigerated up to one week.

I found that I needed to turn up the heat to get it boiling a bit more to reduce it quicker, and it turned out fine. Don't be afraid to do this.

work

A new day, a new annoyance. Such is my life.

23 days and I'll be in a much better mood.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

distance

is sucky.

apartment stuff

This was a very productive weekend. My mom came up from Calgary to help me buy a new couch and other house stuff to update my steeeez. There's still more to do (replace drywall and repaint the bathroom, for starters), but I must say that I'm very pleased with the results.
We had tried to avoid buying an ikea couch, but with not finding an EQ3 in Edmonton and the couch I liked Urban Barn being a little more than we wanted to spend, we ended up at Ikea buying this couch in a dark grey flannel. It's perfect and I love it and I hope it gets shipped before I leave for Europe.
I have this rug now in my bedroom, half underneath my bed. The colours work perfectly and it's nice and soft on the feets.

We spent a small fortune on towels for both myself and my mom. I have some cute green towels and large white bath sheets, and a new bath mat. I'm glad to get rid of the hot pink, I'm not 18 anymore. I also got a white shower curtain with a black tree silhouette. And this soap dispenser and matching cup.
I'd like to extend the mirror across to behind the toilet, but I won't do that until I fix the wall/repaint.
I also got this and a double sided basting brush of the same brand, and I think they're pretty cool. I found a 2-in-1 Cuisinart blender/food processor for $109 (!!) since my food processor is quite small and my blender has been sparking, but couldn't find any in a box, so I'll continue my search for one.

Friday, September 12, 2008

I love politics


The Canadian Progressive Conservative Party is so mature.

woah!

When did I start dressing like a female politician?! What was I thinking? Why didn't anyone stop me? I was trying to take a picture of a mask box I made with the computer web cam and caught a glimpse of myself... and yowza. I didn't think my hair was that nutso when I left the house.

The blazer and giant fake pearls aren't helping me any (isn't it fun to make fun of yourself?).
Also, check this out. It seems useful, and remniscent of des470.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Today's lunchtime topics of conversation

Alberta's tar sands and its relation to violence

Work

Anime

Marriage

Donkey fucking

Monday, September 8, 2008

Saag Panir (Indian spinach curry with homemade cheese)

Like I said before, I love paneer. Its bouncy texture and delicate, slightly sweet taste compliments the heat in most Indian dishes. The following recipe is from Steven Raichlen's "High Flavor, Low Fat Vegetarian Cooking" and it has quite a few good dishes in there. It's similar to the Palak Paneer that Dana and I are in love with at Remedy Cafe, only this one has tomatoes and sour cream in it.
Here we go.

Paneer
First off, you have to make the paneer. You will need a cheesecloth. If you don't know what that is, it's a loose woven cotton cloth used for straining and it can be found at most grocery stores.

6 cups 2% milk
3 tbsp lemon juice

1. Bring milk just to boil in a large heavy saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. The milk will curdle in about 10 seconds.
2. Pour the mixture through a strainer lined with cheesecloth. Let drain for 10 minutes. Rinse the curds under cold water to remove the lemon taste and let drain.
3. Gather the corners of the cheesecloth together and tie the curds into a tight bundle. Place the bundle on a sloping cutting board in the sink. Place a heavy weight, like a cast-iron skillet (or a few textbooks on a plate), on top.
4. Press curds for 2 to 3 hours, or until firm. Unwrap the cheese and cut it into 1/2" cubes.

Saag Paneer (or "Panir", as spelled in the book)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 cinnamon stick
salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper to taste

2 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
3 10oz packages of frozen spinach, thawed
1/4 cup vegetable stock or water
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 cups diced paneer
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or green onion for garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Lightly brown the onions over medium heat (4 to 5 minutes), adding the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon stick, salt, black pepper, and cayenne after 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the spinach and vegetable stock or water and gently simmer for 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
3. Stir in the sour cream and lemon juice and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the paneer and cook until warmed but not melted.
4. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.
5. Garnish with cliantro or green onion and serve with basmati rice.

Enjoy!


(I hope musicpb from flickr doesn't mind me using their picture, it was the best looking one there! If you ever find out and want it removed I will most definitly do so. I just didn't have any pictures of it myself but in the future I will!)

Demons are my best friends

I had a lovely dinner with my not-really-ma-in-law Joan down south on 34th ave at Maurya Palace and it was deeeeeelish. We had channa masala, saffron rice, naan bread, and MUTTER PANEER yumyumyumyumyum. Those that know me well know that paneer is one of my favorite culinary delights of all time, and one of the reasons why I could never be vegan (right up there with my weakness for breakfast burritos and huuuuuuevos rancheros). So paneer with peas and two other of my favorite things, curry and coconut, leave a recipe for disaster, or should I say... DELICIOUSNESS. I could orgasm from the goodness.

I decided that I am going to start a recipe tag, so I can share my favorite recipes (and for Dana to gather all the recipes while he's away from my fab cooking skills). So coming up soon, saag paneer....

well it's been a while

So China was alright. I worked a lot. Everyone seems so excited to ask me how it was, and really, I didn't do much aside from hang out in an office, get driven to the house and back to the office, got sick, and got drunk once. The real highlight of my last two weeks was going here with my mom. We packed all our clothes and some food on our backs and made it up a 14k hike (and got a little lost) up to the cabin. It was beautiful and quiet, and the food was excellent.

I'm back at home now and getting used to not having Dana around all the time. It's weird but I've had time to keep my apartment impeccably clean for more than a day.

I went to a company golf tournament on Friday, and even though it was my second time golfing in my life, I won "Ladies' Longest Putt"! The prize was a $150 travel voucher for our travel agent! Hello New York!

Monday, August 25, 2008

Sitting in the midst of potential food poisoning in a foreign country where you are expected to work is not my idea of a good time.
I am irritable and everything annoys me today. I just hope this is as bad as it gets.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

chINa!

Did I mention that I'm going to China? 'Cause I'm there right now.

Monday, August 18, 2008

byebye

This morning I said bye to my baby as he starts his adventures in Eindhoven, Netherlands. I'm trying hard not to think of his absence, but focusing on when I'll see him in October and all the fun we'll have when I visit. This helps a lot.
Last night we stayed at his parent's house and hung out with them, Jacq and Tayber, all downloading Skype and installing their new webcams that Doug bought for everyone. It's funny seeing three people sitting in a circle, chatting on Skype to each other. Goofs.

Peng (one of Dana's cats) had been missing for a few days, we figured he had sensed something and taken off but still didn't give up efforts to find him. Last night a large thunderstorm rolled through, so Dana and I decided to head back to his house to see if Peng had decided to come home. And sure enough, after calling his name for five minutes, Dana found a very wet, scared Penger under his neighbor's car. He was happy to get inside and see us and his brother Ninja, although Ninja wasn't the happiest about Peng's return. I'll miss those kitties, but I know their going to a good home.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

I'm impressed with the tip of my left thumb's ability to regenerate itself.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Lifting a bottle to find more beverage than expected

The delightfully irritating squeal of a kettle

small crisis big crisis

I've discovered why one should properly eject an ipod... just pulling it out will freeze everything, corrupt your files, and if you do it enough times, let's say... three times, your ipod is toast and will have to be 'restored'. Such is the case with mine. I got as much music as I could off there, but not everything, including all the music I got off of other people's computers. It's been the backup drive for all my school, work, and some photos (some of last years Europe videos ended up a little corrupt). It's strange to think I have to clear EVERYTHING off. Like I said, I've saved what I could. This is my small crisis of this week. On the bright side, I've got a fresh new ipod!

The big crisis is, Dana's moving in less than a week. Bummer.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

new computer smell

I'm very much excited about my new macbook!

Thursday, July 31, 2008

A few changes to life.

So two weeks after starting Bacon (which I really enjoyed btw), I'm not working there any more. Why? Not sure. Not important. I still love the place and the people to death and it was a fun two weeks.
Coincidently, my design world was reawakened by a new job at Carbon Busters (designing, 3D and architectural modeling) and by good ol' priMED. Those kids just can't get enough of me. They're even sending me to China for 10 days. I will most likely leave the day after Dana leaves me for the Netherlands and get back, flying in through Calgary, the DAY BEFORE I have to hike my way up a mountain with a large backpack. Fuck. I had planned this backpacking trip for quite a while now, priMED springs a trip on me, and Bossman acts all irritated about my time constraints. Here is what transpired:
"When are you available to go?"
"Well I have to be back for the long weekend, I have this backpacking trip planned, deposits paid, everything. So I want to be able to have a day to recover from the flight inbetween and drive to Calgary, then we hike out on the Saturday."
Annoyed face from bossman
"How about we fly you to Calgary on the Friday?"
"Thursday would be better. I would really like a day to rest."
Still annoyed look.
Other people sitting with us chime in "One extra day in China isn't that big of a deal"
"Yeah, and I need to be hiking up a mountain, carrying all my possessions Saturday morning."
"You're strong. You'll be fine."

Sigh.

I also have a feeling that I didn't ask for a high enough wage from them. They jumped too quickly on my offer (I hadn't even finished my sentence... I gave them the industry standard for my skill level, and got interrupted before I could say "But since this is a two month contract I would like more than that"). I'm not going to worry about it though because what's done is done.

Friday, July 18, 2008

lately!

So I got a job! I'm serving at Bacon part time. I love it so far. I get to interact with people and be on my feet (I realized I need some comfier shoes) instead of in front of a computer. Since it's only part time I'm still looking for design work but I think there's something around the corner.

I've recently developped a cold. I blame the weather and my staying-up-too-late. I think my body is telling me to stop drinking till the wee hours of the morn. I think I will.

I have two boxes in my place full of stuff that I don't use but can't throw away. Things like journals, sketchbooks, postcards, plane and concert tickets, etc. The past few days I've been going through these boxes and trying to do something creative with the contents. It's a very interesting process.
Today I made a box out of these notebooks that my friends and I shared in grade six to write notes to each other in class. I read through these notebooks, and man, we created some serious dramatics out of every day life. Boys, broken hearts, betrayal, lies, wow. I think it takes a certain amount of creativity to be able to create such dramatics. The perfect storm of childhood imagination and pre-pubescent emotions.
I also found an old journal of my mom's which made me get all emotional. It's weird to have this sort of insight into her. She has a very analytical approach to difficult situations, I've discovered. There's all sorts of lists, charts, rating systems, etc to help her express and deal with stress. It's a little sad, I wish she shared more of these things with me when she was going through them, but I don't even know if I would've understood. There were good things in there too, so I cut out the bad. The bad is in the past, and as it's helped shape who she is now (which is a better, happier person than before), it's of benefit to no one that is remains existing. I also stuck in little other notes and sketches she did that I found. It's now my record of her. Maybe some sort of gathering of forensics, sort of, because she's a tough one to figure out.

My apartment's in bad need of reorganizing and redecorating, so I've been quite addicted to these sites lately for inspiration.

Any suggestions from those who've been to my place?

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Just when I think it can't rain any harder...

... it rains harder.

And I'm inside!! HA HA! Not today rain! You won't get me this time!!

Monday, July 7, 2008

fire and water

How cheesy does that sound? Ha!

But it's true. The past few days have been filled with both.
I had an interview at Bacon on Friday, but the manager had to run out so I had to talk to some other girl and I don't know if I've got the job yet. I'm calling them today. I also scorched the front of my neck (prime hickey territory) with a curling iron minutes before I had to leave for the interview as well, which was awesome. Now I have an "acute triangle" on the front-right side of my neck.

Friday was also Dana's birthday. I got him a journal, some pictures that I had ordered from a professional photographer taken at the Vancouver 1/2 marathon, and a double flask resembling binoculars. No more sock beers for us! Only binocubeers!
We invited a bunch of people over for a fire but got rained out for a while at the beginning, so Dana and I took his skate downstairs and I tore up my shoe (a little black flat) doing ollies. This impressed me because a) I haven't skated in about... three years? and b) I was in girly shoes.
Once the skies cleared up we rocked a fire in Dana's mobile fire pit (a drier drum on a retired lawnmower), and burned anything wood we could find. We even took it for a walk down the alley (against Jeff's incoherent protests, haha).

The next day Ruth and I had a lovely time at the downtown farmer's market, eating cupcakes and tacos and any free samples we walked by. Right as we parted ways the sky decided to open up and unleash a monsoon on top of me as I walked home. I scurried for shelter but still managed to get soaked. Like, SOAKED, as if someone sprayed me with a firehose. It cleared up as quickly as it came on and I made it home to dry off.
Then yesterday I managed to get caught in the rain AGAIN, but this time it was in the middle of a 9k run, right after I turned around to head home. This time there was no where to hide, and the rain wasn't as had but I still ended up dripping wet.

I'm really glad today is sunny.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

A nice day and the joys of unemployment and maybe too much drinking

A great thing about not having a job is that I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. And today was spent sleeping in then strolling along Whyte ave with Beck and her incredibly adorable son Felix. It was the first time I've seen Felix (and Beck for that matter) since a few weeks after he was born and it was nice to chat, catch up, and drink some booster juice. Felix is four months and already a lady killer with his coy little grin and smiles and giggles. It's neat to see Beck as a mom too, she loves her boy so!

Yesterday I pulled a disturbingly long shift of patio-sitting at Earl's, different people just kept coming and going yet I was there throughout the whole thing. Then we went to Jacqueline's and watched fireworks on her balcony. We could see both Millwoods' and Downtown's fireworks. It was one of those perfect moments, listening to the right music with the right people and the right scenery with everyone in a good mood and enjoying the night. I've been feeling a little bummed lately about not having a job, computers not working and people being lame, and last night picked up my spirits.

Friday is Dana's birthday and we're having a fire in his backyard. I hope we get good weather and for it to be another night of good conversation and good times. Although the next few days I need to dry out (so to speak), I'm a little boozed-out. Let's see: Thursday we saw a caberet/play/musical thing called "Pig" in the basement of Chez Pierre (yum!) and had a few too many beers afterwards at Martini's. Friday Dana and I went to his friend Mike's place to look at his recording set up, play instruments, watch old Think Not Think videos and sit by the fire. Dana had to drive home but I felt fine the next day. Then Saturday, following a nice day at the market with some girlfriends (and not enough food) we went to Dana's friend Brad's birthday where I drank WAY too much and splashed around in his pool. Good fun, but I was ILL the next day.

Poor liver of mine.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Could it be...?

Click it

Seeing this gets my heart racing and my rage going. I've lost so much respect for the person I feel this secret applies to (if not written by) and I hope one day someone takes action to remove him from the academic community. He has no business being there, teaching for his own advancement not for the betterment of his students and the design community. Yet no one steps up and says anything. We all resent in silence.

Thanks, Post Secret, for bringing this to light.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

movies and metal

I went through a small movie binge lately, I haven't rented any in a while (due to a Six Feet Under addiction and late fees). I recently rented Wristcutters, 2 Days in Paris, and Maxed Out (documentary about America's debt, both personal and government). All very good. Especially Wristcutters, it has Tom Waits in it and the kid from Almost Famous (he grew up nicely...) and everyone's in purgatory due to suicide. Very good. I'd probably be able to talk about it more if it wasn't 1am and whatever shitshow that's happening on the radio wasn't distracting me so much.

I've also come to the realization that I like Mastodon. Dana, you should be proud of me.

Friday, June 6, 2008

Happy International Heavy Metal Day!

Now let's celebrate with watching one of my favorite metal videos of all time, She Rides by Danzig.

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwyeah.




There are so many awesome parts of this video I don't know where to start.
Well, let's start with the beginning. It begins with a girls ass. There you go, right off the bat, you know it's gonna be a good'r.
Secondly, a close up of Danzig, so close in fact, that his face won't fit the frame. His seductive rocking to and fro suggests to the viewer of what one would experience having intercourse with Danzig. And seriously, who doesn't want to fuck a metal god? (I mean anti-god. Anti-christ. 666. \m/)

Other notable parts:
2:24 The chest puff. The ladies can't get enough of his manly torso.
2:49 Handcuffs
Then everything from 3:10 onwards is pure gold.

I used to have the album this song is off of, but some shitface stole it from me. Thanks, jerk.

Monday, June 2, 2008

RIP Bo Diddley

You were a man of great music.

You will never know how hard my cousin and I tried to get your autograph during your 75th birthday tour.

May the afterlife be full of 21 year old girls lining up for you.

bye bye bme

I feel like I've grown up a bit.

Friday, May 30, 2008

lovely!

So to answer Liane, no I don't have a job yet. There's a few things that look like possibilities, and each one of them sounds neat. I will more than likely work occasionally on the mask project from my old job as it's not completely done and I'm the key architect of that mask. A facial reconstruction place that my old work was talking about starting a project with has expressed interest in having me, as well as an architecture firm that I sent my resume to would be interesting. I would like to get experience in another field of work too. Having the lack of attention span that I have, I think I would enjoy doing consulting work for a few different projects. I would be able to charge out my time, work as much and as little as I would like, and make my own hours. More importantly, I would be able to be flexible enough to go out to Calgary, Vancouver, Mexico (for my cousin's wedding) and Eindhoven to visit Dana!

To celebrate my final day a few of us spent the hours between 4pm and 11pm drinking beer at a pub near work. Time just flew by. I had quite the hangover the next morning but after laying around for a while I walked down to the farmers market and bought a bunch of plants:
red leaf lettuce
catnip
basil, dill, chives, other stuff mix pot
"apple blossom" begonia
dark red impatiens
purple and yellow pansies
and I bought some dark red/green coleus the weekend before. It's a challenge planting anything on my balcony because it's mostly shade with just a bit of sun in the morning and late afternoon/evening, but I think everything will do well as long as I rotate the pots around to sunny areas. I also need to replant my aloe vera because it's getting too big for it's pot! I'm so proud.
The rest of my weekend was spent helping Bryna move, hanging out the Ivory Club watching birthday and bachelorette parties dance to dueling pianos (and being quite tired and cranky from over boozing myself the night before), then chilling at Dana's cabin with his parents this morning/early afternoon.

Now I am going to go for a run then meet up with Bryna and her mom. Fun!

Thursday, May 29, 2008

I have two days left at my job, including today. One thing that makes me a little sad is my notebook. I'm about 20 pages away from filling it, and it's so thick and heavy from adding in notes and papers. A few pages are wavy from spilling water on them and the spine is just about to fall apart. It has so much character now, I don't want to leave it behind (but I need to because it'll become part of a design history file).

Battles last night = amazing. Nice small, intimate show at Starlite with great sound and the sweatiest drummer in the land. He was dripping after the second song. I liked it better than the MIA show. Edmonton Event Center sucks and it was full of drunk 18 year old girls who thought MIA was an "East Indian Rapper Chick". uhh.... no. Get learned bitches! The amount of ignorance and complacency surrounding me these days is frustrating.
Back to more positive topics, I want to learn how to sample and mix music.

In other news.

And I find this interesting

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Tonight I get to go to my third concert this week! Tonight is Battles. Last night was MIA. Sunday, Jael gave me a last minute ticket to Taj Mahal Trio and the Blind Boys of Alabama.
What a week.
It's also my last week of work. I have two days, one hour, and ten minutes left at this job. I'm sad to leave, but at the same time I'm SO excited to start something new and possibly have a bit of time off. I'm so tired of sitting at a desk. I just envision my ass flattening with every sitting moment.

I just need a break from this.

first post

So yeah, I made a blog. Why? I don't know. I guess enjoy writing although I don't write as much as I'd like to and I think having a place to "express my inner dialog" will encourage me to do so. And all ya'lls can read it and hopefully enjoy it.
It feels incredibly cliche to have a "blog". I don't even like that word much. It sounds gross, and squishy. And fat. But whatever. I want one. I want people to read it. And comment.